After a forbidden night with Ser Criston Cole, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen is forced by her father, King Viserys, to drink the moon tea and protect her honor. To shield her image further, she weds Ser Laenor Velaryon, and together they move to Drift...
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One and a half year later
The Great Castle, Valyria
Dahlia could hardly keep her eyes open.
Every second of this council meeting dragged on like an eternity, and all she wanted was for it to end. Her body still ached from yesterday's training with the captain of her Guard—hours of sparring, strategy drills, and swordwork—and the restless night that followed had left her drained. Yet the Wizard's Council showed no sign of finishing soon; if anything, today's session seemed determined to stretch endlessly.
It had been a year and a half since the wizarding people—now called Valyrians by the cities of Essos—first arrived on this strange land. In that time, everything had changed.
The land was no longer the silent ruin it had been when they stumbled through the portal; life and order were returning to it, reshaped by their magic and determination. And the people themselves had changed too—harder, sharper, more resolute. They were no longer survivors clinging to uncertainty. They were builders. Settlers. A nation reborn in ash and fire.
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After leaving Balerion's chamber, Dahlia's friends made their way back to the castle. They found the rest of the wizards gathered in a vast hall lined with long tables and high-backed chairs. At the far end, a raised dais stretched across the room, a grand table set upon it with seats more ornate than the rest, clearly meant for leaders and dignitaries. Tall glass windows lined the walls, catching the last of the sunlight, while torches and chandeliers cast their glow across the chamber. Hundreds of candles flickered on the tables, their light dancing over ancient stone.
The adults sat clustered together, poring over an assortment of artifacts uncovered during their exploration of the castle. Scrolls, relics, and strange devices were spread before them, the air thick with curiosity and debate. When Dahlia's companions entered, they were ushered forward. One by one, they explained everything that had transpired in the temple and in Balerion's chamber, recounting every detail they could remember.
