The Next Morning.
Daeron sought out Rhaegar, and they had a formal meeting in the study.
"The situation on the Dragonmont is unclear. I don't recommend you go there," Rhaegar said calmly.
Daeron waved his hand dismissively and brought up the old matter of House Hightower in Oldtown.
Lord Leyton was eccentric.
He needed Rhaegar to write a letter to help persuade Lord Leyton to return the dragon egg.
Rhaegar was universally recognized as the good prince, the future restorer of the realm. Anyone would have to give him some face.
"Hightower... a dragon egg..."
Rhaegar was quite surprised.
Daeron wasn't worried that Rhaegar would try to snatch it. He spoke frankly, "I came for the dragon egg. The family needs a dragon."
"If you want a dragon egg, I can help you find one," Rhaegar said softly, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. "But you speak of a dragon... even our great-grandfather failed to achieve that."
Given his current status and position, if he put all his efforts into searching, he could probably collect one or two eggs.
But it had been over a hundred and fifty years since the dragons went extinct. No one had successfully hatched one.
Sometimes, standing amidst the ruins of Summerhall, he felt he could still hear the screams from that great fire.
"Brother, times have changed," Daeron said.
"Oh?"
Rhaegar hid his emotions and showed curiosity.
"Aren't the special crops appearing across the continent the best proof?" Daeron asked.
The Red Comet had arrived early.
The return of the dragons would also be ahead of schedule.
Rhaegar pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I can write a letter to Lord Leyton Hightower for you, requesting that he return the royal property."
Success!
Daeron rejoiced inwardly.
"However..."
Rhaegar's tone shifted, as if about to state the obvious.
"House Hightower is powerful. If you wish to reclaim the egg, you must give Lord Leyton enough face."
"For example, if he demands special crops in exchange, you must do your best to fulfill it."
It was basically the same thing Ser Gerold "The White Bull" had said: trade special crops for the egg.
Daeron accepted it all.
With this first formal conversation, the estrangement between the brothers eased significantly, allowing them to chat about more trivial matters.
Upon Daeron's inquiry, Rhaegar revealed the purpose of his recent voyage.
"I went to Essos. I stayed in Tyrosh and Lys for a while, trying to find traces of the ancestral sword, Blackfyre."
Rhaegar didn't hide anything; he disdained such pettiness.
However, the regret in his tone suggested he had returned empty-handed.
Searching for the ancestral sword... we happen to have the same idea, Daeron thought to himself.
"The family needs to change, and I am working towards that," Rhaegar said calmly, as if stating a minor fact.
Daeron nodded, not refuting him.
Both of them could see the family was teetering on the edge, and both wanted to prevent the collapse.
Daeron was collecting eggs, trying to hatch a dragon.
This was the most direct, thorough way to change things, capable of pushing House Targaryen back to its peak in one go.
As for what Rhaegar was busy with, or how he planned to save the family...
That remained unclear for now.
"I can share two pieces of intelligence with you."
After some deliberation, Daeron decided to return the favor.
"One: Skagos might be the final resting place of The Cannibal."
"Two: The ancestral sword Blackfyre isn't in Tyrosh. It's likely in the hands of the Golden Company. Magister Illyrio of Pentos is a point of entry."
These two pieces of intel were crucial.
Unfortunately, Daeron couldn't use them.
Having encountered the Three-Eyed Crow in his dreams twice, Daeron swore he wouldn't take a single step into the North until he hatched a dragon.
Whether Skagos had anything to do with The Cannibal was doubtful, and the chance of finding a dragon egg there was slim.
It was best to let Rhaegar, who had fewer worldly desires, explore it.
If there really were eggs...
Given that a clutch usually had at least five eggs, he could just ask Rhaegar for one.
The second piece of intel was trickier.
The Golden Company was founded by the noble bastard Aegor "Bittersteel" Rivers and was one of the strongest mercenary companies in Essos.
Even if Blackfyre was in their hands, reclaiming it would mean a bloodbath.
But he could leave that to Rhaegar.
"As long as I have a dragon, all of this will be mine eventually."
Daeron's thinking was clear.
Hearing the two pieces of intel, Rhaegar didn't doubt him but fell into deep thought.
He trusted Daeron.
This brother of his had been different since childhood. He might not be exceptional in any specific area, but he had no weaknesses either.
His words were worth investigating.
"How are you certain Illyrio is connected to the Golden Company?"
Rhaegar quickly locked onto the target.
Daeron had his excuse ready. "I discovered a few secret passages in the Red Keep. By chance, I overheard a private conversation between the Master of Whisperers, Varys, and Illyrio. They mentioned the Golden Company, Maelys the Monstrous, waiting for the right time... all sorts of things."
Facing Rhaegar before the "Year of the False Spring," he didn't hesitate to sell out Varys.
The brothers might be rivals in the future.
But before the war started, it was necessary to unite against external threats.
Internal strife was one thing, but they couldn't let outsiders profit from it.
"I will keep that in mind."
Rhaegar understood, mentally marking Varys.
Since it involved Blackfyre descendants...
If the opportunity arose, he would root them out completely.
Having said all he needed to say, Daeron asked one final question. "What is the situation on the Dragonmont?"
---
A short while later.
Daeron walked out of the study.
The conversation had gone smoothly.
He got Rhaegar's help, and Rhaegar got two pieces of intel.
At the same time, he got the specifics on the Dragonmont situation.
Not long ago, someone saw a black shadow on the Dragonmont that looked like a dragon and breathed fire, and they were attacked.
The witness claimed it was a wild dragon.
Elia ordered the Dragonmont sealed.
After Rhaegar failed to find Blackfyre and returned, he gathered a group of dragonseeds and soldiers to form the Dragonkeepers, patrolling the mountain around the clock.
He personally led Arthur Dayne and Prince Lewyn into the mountain to search for the shadow.
They didn't find the wild dragon.
Instead, in a cavern where dragons once lived, Prince Lewyn was bitten by a strange reptile.
According to Rhaegar...
The reptile had excellent camouflage. It mimicked a rock perfectly when still and could only be spotted if it chose to reveal itself.
Prince Lewyn was careless for a moment and got bitten.
Moreover, the reptile had astonishing bite force. It easily pierced his armored greaves and shattered his right tibia.
The wound even showed traces of being cauterized by fire.
If Ser Arthur Dayne hadn't acted in time, the injury could have been much worse.
Daeron specifically asked about the reptile's appearance.
It looked like a rock when still. When it revealed itself, it had two horns on its head, a shell as hard as iron, and a mouth full of sharp fangs.
"Sounds like a Magma Duggy from the Volcano Dungeon..."
Daeron muttered to himself.
Rhaegar's description of the Dragonmont was clear. It was still the old Dragonmont, with no terrain or environmental changes.
Meaning, Dragonstone wasn't Ginger Island.
"Then why would a new species similar to a volcano monster appear in the Dragonmont?"
Daeron couldn't figure it out.
But compared to a volcano monster that only knew how to ambush, the news of a suspected wild dragon was undoubtedly more exciting.
"Even though Rhaegar didn't find traces of the dragon and the witness didn't see it clearly, the news is thought-provoking."
Daeron was very curious if a wild dragon had actually hatched on its own.
As soon as he went downstairs, he heard an argument in the Great Hall.
"Jon Darry, you blind coward! Do you realize you are infringing on the authority of the Crown Prince?"
The voice belonged to Oswell Whent.
He was making accusations without holding back.