Last True Remnants of Old Valyria

13. Changes

Although Anarion's wing tears have nearly healed, only small fist-sized holes remain, and they are few in number. Vezofina has taken her rest. Two weeks after her birth, she began to create and control fire. Subsequently, I offered her daily treats to encourage her to produce more amount of flame and to control them completely. Another two weeks have passed, and I am confident she could heal Anarion's wings, but she will be exhausted afterward and will need to rest.

After pushing her healing flames to their limits, Vezofina became vulnerable. However, in six moons or a year, she will be capable of even more. Though she may not surpass dragons in raw power, my bond with her has yielded many benefits. At just one month old, she has already produced four tears, one each week, which possess the power to heal almost anything, even bringing individuals back from the brink of death.

If my speculations are correct, she will grow to at least seven feet, if not more. At the age of one month, she is already the size of a large eagle and looks every bit as majestic and royal with her coloring. She seems to understand every language I speak, as I can command her in both the Common tongue and High Valyrian. I instructed her to mend all the small holes in Anarion's wings. In response, she let out a trill and set Anarion's wings ablaze with soft, ethereal blue flames, tinged with hints of silver and gold.

Anarion let out a roar, but he didn't cause a commotion at my command. Minutes later, as the fire began to dwindle, Vezofina settled onto my shoulders. When I attempted to guide her towards the suitcase, she wouldn't move and instead clung tightly to my shoulders with her talons. She certainly is adventurous. I had to position her carefully on my shoulders because her talons are quite sharp.

I observe Anarion examining his wings. All the tears in Anarion's wings have fully healed, and they appear even better than when I first encountered him. Vezofina's healing abilities are remarkable, healing not just external wounds but also internal ones, including those we are unaware of. The only downside is that it significantly drains her energy to perform such healing.

After Anarion finished checking his wing, I began to climb onto the saddle. Vezofina took her seat at the head of Anarion, who grumbles every day when she does that. Anarion and I take daily flights, soaring as high as we can. My dragon-riding skills have improved to the point where I no longer need straps to stay on the saddle. And with our bond deepening through ritual, I don't even need a whip to command him anymore, as I can guide him with the strength of our bond.

We intend to visit all the renowned castles en route to the Red Keep. Winterfell, the Neck, Harrenhal, and the Eyrie may not be directly on our path, with some a short distance away, but that won't deter us from seeing them. Anarion let out a roar, and with that, we were soaring through the sky. Vezofina urged Anarion to fly beneath the clouds so she could take in the views below.

In less than an hour, we reached Winterfell, a castle as vast as it was ancient. Circling it twice more, we checked for magical wards. Finding none, I could still sense a faint trace of magic coursing through the walls and the keep, likely the reason Winterfell has stood for so many years. Once our inspection was complete, we continued on our journey.

The castle at the Neck is inactive and in disarray. However, there is a small settlement nearby, which I assume exists to mend and defend the castle should the need arise. Given the extensive swamp area of the Neck, I don't see how any land army could enter the North without sustaining heavy losses or facing complete destruction, depending on who defends the Neck.

Next, we will visit the Eyrie, renowned for its impregnable defenses and the ruling house, which is considered the oldest of Andal nobility. It is the pride of the Arryns and the Vale. Given Anarion's increased speed, it won't take us long to reach the castle.