This is my first fanfiction, although not my first time writing a novel. That being said, I am still improving, as are we all.
The Dragon is the first book in the series Fire and Blood. It depicts the events (as I understood them) of Aegon I Targaryen's War of Conquest. This is not an AU, but George Martin has left a lot unsaid about the history of Westeros and Essos, and what is said has been passed down from generation to generation, and is not wholly trustworthy, so there is a lot of room for me to add in mine own plot twists and other mechanics to the stories. As always, constructive feedback is encouraged.
I would like to thank Jack Van for the motivation to actually start writing this story, and for all the wonderful ideas he has given me.
I am going to try and post a chapter every Sunday, and occasionally on Wednesdays.
Anyways, let's get this story started!
The Narrow Sea was a deep gray this season.
Horonno leaned over the side of the rail. The waves slid past the side of the ship; the magneficant war galley. Horonno had never been one for ships, but he had to admit, it had its beauty. He would have to get himself one when he returned to Volantis. No doubt he could have anything he wanted when he got back.
Horonno was here on a mission from the Emperor. New Valyria needed him to succeed, and he would do so. It would be a turning point in this war. Lys was the key to defending Volantis from an attack by sea. Any enemy fleet sailing towards Volantis would have to stop at Lys to re-stock on supplies. If Lys was burnt to the ground, they wouldn't be able to attack by sea. Then all of our defenses would be focuses on defending the city from siege.
After Lys was sacked, though, the Valyrian fleet would not be done doing their job. Tyrosh was next, as we would gain huge income from trade with the Kingdom of Dorne from across the Narrow Sea. It would also set Valyria up for a conquest of Westeros in the future.
Next was the Free City of Myr. The fleet would blockade the Sea of Myrth, and the Valyrian army would siege Myr. Eventually they will have to give up their precious city, or will starve inside.
That was all General Horonno was told. Plans for after that could be guessed, but none were certain. Horonno himself would have the fleet sail up the Rhoyne, with an army at either side, as the Rhoynar had done years ago. That way Volantis could insure the Rhoyne cities of their loyalty to New Valyria, and in the process take Qohor and Norovs. Yes, that would be what he would do, although Horonno had given ups his title as Triarch in order to command this Volantene fleet, as a general in the New Valyrian army.
But those thoughts must be put on hold. Right now Horonno's full attention must be at the task at hand. In less than a week his fleet would arrive at Lys, and must be ready.
A pair of arms wrapped themselves around his stomach, and a head rested on his shoulder. He had been so lost in thought he hadn't heard her approach. "Frea."
"General," she purred. "Enjoying the sea?"
He turned around to face her, and was met with a kiss. "It seems you can never get enough," Horonno said with a smile when they were done.
Frea playfully slapped his arm. "Me?" she said with mock surprise. "And what about you? It seems you couldn't get enough of me this morning, general, and the night before, and the time-"
Horonno laughed. "You think you're funny, huh?" He turned back to look at the sea, and Frea moved beside him. "I will be a hero."
"I know," she said. "We all know."
Horonno sighed. "It is not that simple, I suppose. I fear what will happen if I fail. I would be sending my men to their doom."
Frea looked him in the eyes. "Your soldiers love you, Horonno. They will follow you anywhere, with no regrets. You are their general, and when we return, you will be their emperor."
Horonno winced. "It is treasonous to speak of such things. Telvos is Emperor of New Valyria. "
"You deserve to be emperor, though. You gave up your position as triarch in order to lead this fleet, and that bastard took control."
"I can never be emperor, Frea. You need to understand that."
"All of us will support you, and there are many back home in Volantis that will do the same. You could take it by force. Think about it, Horonno. You have this whole fleet, and once you get to Lys, you can make a deal with them. Tell them you will spare them if they send an army by land to Volantis. They will siege the city, we will attack the port, and the guards will attack the palace from the inside. The people love you, Horonno. You have been their triarch for 11 years! Let them fight for you. Our only emperor we will bow to is you, general. Let us fight!"
He hit her. A hard punch right in the jaw. He didn't mean to, it just happened. He lost all control of himself. The woman was going to ruin him. The emperor had spies everywhere, and most of all with him. Someone was going to hear her, and report back. Then they would both be in chains. He had to hit her; it was the only way to quiet her.
Frea looked him in the eyes, with a hurt expression on her face. "You hit me." Tears were appearing in her eyes.
It was at that point when Horonno fully realized what wrong he had done. He looked at the deck, too ashamed to look her in the eyes. "I… I'm sorry…"
She turned away from him. "I'll be below deck. Don't look for me."
As she walked away, Horonno looked back at the ocean. It was the color of dark gray.
It was the shaking that woke him up. He slowly opened his eyes, and saw Haren. He was the cabin boy for the captain of the ship. "What are you doing," Horonno mumbled sleepily.
"Captain Coron would like to speak with you, General Horonno," the boy said. He was staring at the floor. He never looked anyone in the eyes.
"Tell him I'll be there soon." When the boy didn't move, Horonno sat up. "What the fuck are you waiting for? Get out." The boy almost ran out of his room.
He had been in a sour mood ever since Frea stopped seeing him. He had only seen her once in the two days since he had hit her, and she did everything she could to avoid him. He felt bad, but he did what had to be done. They would have both ended up dead with the way she was talking; or at least that was what he kept telling himself. It felt wrong not having her next to him as he slept, and not standing next to her every morning, looking at the sea like they had done every day since they set sail.
Horonno pushed those thoughts out of his mind; they would only serve as a distraction in the days to come. Afterwards, he would make things right again. The outfit he chose today was the same he chose any other day: the military outfit of any general of New Valyria.
The captain was where he could always be found: at the steering wheel. He wasn't driving the ship right now, his first mate was, but he was right beside him. "Captain Coron," Horonno greeted.
Coron looked up. "General, it's nice to see you today. You seem to have been… occupied lately. May I ask what's wrong?"
"Not at all. It is not your place to question me." This captain was one of the men Horonno feared was a spy for Emperor Telvos.
"I see… Well, I just want to insure you will be fully focused at the task at hand. It would not due to have your mind be elsewhere during the battle."
Horonno frowned. "I will be just fine, captain. There is a reason I am general here, and not you."
"Of course, of course! I would never question your authority. Emperor Telvos chose you for a reason."
Telvos did not choose him, but Horonno would not tell him that. He wanted this captain to report back only good things to the emperor. "His majesty was very wise, like always. But tell me, captain, why have you summoned me here?"
"I want to make sure our original strategy is still the one you plan to follow."
"It is. We will surround the island, cut off the supply line, and wait for them to give up the docks. We will enter the city under a peace banner, then burn them to the ground. Lys will be a city no more." Horonno thought it was a solid plan. The Lysene would be taken by surprise, and the city would be flattened.
"As I suspected, General Horonno," Coron said. He took the wheel from his first mate, then continued talking. "Have you ever driven a vessel such as this before, general?"
"I have not, sadly. I wish to purchase one when we return to Volantis, though. Once this war is over, I wish to travel to Starfall."
"I have not heard of Starfall, general. Where is that located?"
"Across the Narrow Sea. It is a Dornish city, but I have heard many good things about it. My uncle visited there. He never returned, and I wish to find him." It was a lie. He truly wished to visit Pentos, but it would not do to tell him that he planned to visit an enemy city in the future.
"That sounds like a grand trip. Please fill me in on the details when you return, general. I would wish to hear all about it."
"Of course, Captain Coron." I looked behind me, and saw Teren. "Excuse me, captain, but I have some pressing business to attend to."
"I understand, general. These are very pressing days ahead of us, and we are all busy."
I turned around, and walked down the steps with Teren. "How are you?"
Teren smiled. "Very well, Horonno. We are all about to become very rich."
"Not to mention the women, Teren. Lys is known for their whores," I said. "There is a whole temple dedicated to sex in Lys. The women there worship the pleasuring of other human bodies."
"That is defiantly my kind of worshipping, but you don't usually participate in that. I haven't known you to be with a whore since you've been with Frea."
I sighed. "She is not talking to me."
Teren had a look of confusion on his face. "Why not?"
I shook my head. "I would rather not talk about it, not even to you, my friend." I paused, and he waited for me to continue. "I could use your help, though."
"Anything, Horonno."
"I want you to find the cabin where Frea is staying. I need to talk to her, and she has been avoiding me."
"I will do my best," he said before he turned and walked away.
Horonno walked over to the railing, looked out at the grey sea, and wondered why this new position seemed to be ruining his life.
There was a knock on his door.
"Yes?" Horonno called out.
"It's Teren."
Horonno got up from his desk and opened the door. "Have you found her?"
"Yes. She was sleeping."
"I don't care. I can wake her up. It's important." He needed to speak to her.
"Wait. Horonno, she wasn't alone."
"Who would be with her?"
"It was… It was the captain."
Pain and anger filled his body. "I'm going to kill that bastard!"
"Horonno, you can't! Someone will report it, and you'll be imprisoned when we return."
"Were you seen?" he asked him.
"Not at all. They were both asleep."
"Go. We never talked tonight. You must not be linked to his death in any way," Horonno told Teren.
Teren shook his head. "I am your friend. If you go, I go."
"Gather your weapon, then. The captain has many friends on this ship, and we may have a fight on our hands before the night is over." Horonno ran over to the rack hanging next to his bed. He grabbed the sword hanging on it. "Dragon-doom" it was called; valyrian steel.
Horonno and Teren met up outside the room the captain was staying in. It wasn't the captain's cabin, as Horonno was staying there.
"I talked to a few of the other soldiers," Teren said. "They are outside on the deck, ready for my signal if we need help. They should be enough to overpower anyone who opposes us."
"Do you trust them?"
"With my life and yours, Horonno."
"That is good. Are you ready?" Horonno asked him
All he had to do was nod, and Horonno burst open the door. Immediately they both woke up, with a shocked look on their faces.
"What is the meaning of this!?" Captain Coron demanded. He was standing, while Frea was sitting up, still trying to process what was happening. She hadn't covered her top with the blanket.
"Get the fuck over here, and I might make your death less painful!" Horonno yelled.
"Horonno?" Frea said, with confusion in her tone.
"Shut up, Frea!" Horonno told her.
"You can't do this! Get out, or I'll have you arrested." That was Coron. He was shaking, and was only wearing breeches.
"You are not in the position for threats," Teren said. He had his axe in his hands, as Horonno had his sword. Coron was defenseless.
The captain gave them both a death glare, and then slowly walked towards them. When he got close enough, Horonno punched him as hard as he could in his face.
Frea gasped. "Horonno, please stop it!"
Since Coron was on the ground, wailing, Horonno walked up to Frea. "You bitch!" he screamed at her. "You were fucking him?"
She started to cry. "I'm so sorry, Horonno. I was confused."
"I hate you," was all he said.
As he turned around to go back to Coron, Frea grabbed him. "Please, don't-"
He backhanded her. She fell to the ground, motionless, with blood dripping from her mouth.
Coron was starting to stand back up. "You monster," he said. Teren kicked him, and put him back on the ground. Horonno walked up right next to him, and raised his sword.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Teren asked him. Horonno didn't even hear him. The sword was already buried into the heart of the captain.
"What about her?" Teren asked, looking at Frea.
"She's had enough. When she wakes up, she'll know her punishment has been given." He started to walk out of the room, when a soldier almost ran right into him.
"General Horonno, we have a problem! There's a… a…"
Horonno was really confused. "Speak, soldier!"
"Dragon!"
Horonno looked at Teren, and they both stayed silent. How could there be a dragon? The last dragon died during the Doom, besides for one that lived in Qohor. Had Qohor joined Pentos? There were too many questions, and no answers.
"Does it have a rider?" Teren asked. He was always a quick thinker, one to asses a situation carefully.
"Yes," the soldier replied.
"Well, who is it?"
The soldier paused. "The rider is not one I recognized, but the dragon is. Balerion."
"The Black Dread," Teren murmured. "General, what is your command?"
For the first time in a long time, Horonno did not know his next step. "We must flee."
"Flee?" the soldier asked.
Teren agreed with Horonno. "We cannot fight a dragon, especially the largest dragon known to ever live on this world. Soldier, are you sure it was Balerion? He had to have died with the Doom."
The soldier nodded. "I might not have ever lived during the time of Old Valyria, but I have heard many tales, and my grandfather had a painting. I have never been more sure of the Black Dread."
"Get the first mate. Tell him he is to get us out of here," Horonno told the soldier.
"What of the captain. He is more experienced, to be sure."
"The captain is no longer with us. He has been proven to be a traitor."
The soldier was obviously surprised by this, but he said nothing about it. "Yes, General Horonno."
The soldier ran off, and Horonno and Teren made their way up to the deck. They passed groups of soldiers and sailors running around, gathering swords, armor, tools, and whatever else could be used. It was chaos.
When the two reached the deck, they were met with a gruesome sight. Mighty warships and storage galleons alike were burning, and the water itself was aflame. Dozens of people were jumping off their ships to escape the dragonfire, only to be swallowed by the sea. The worst of it all, though, was the Black Dread. It was the biggest creature Horonno had ever laid eyes on, and five times bigger than the largest dragon he had ever heard of. The rider had the stark-white hair so familiar with the Valyrian dragonlords. Horonno could not even begin to guess who the rider was. It would almost have to be a Targaryen, the riders of Balerion in the past, but they should have died with the Doom. Was it possible it was someone else?
The crashing of wood on wood and the shuddering of the ship jolted General Horonno back to his senses. He turned around, and saw that another warship had crashed into theirs. "Shit!" Horonno cursed. They had to get out of this mess.
The soldier they had sent after the first mate came up to the deck, alone.
"Where's the damn First Mate?"
The soldier looked terrified. "I couldn't find him, general."
"Fucking hells!" Horonno needed to take control fast. "Does anyone know how to drive a warship?"
A sailor rushed up to him. "I do, general. Let me take control, and I'll get us out of here."
Horonno knew he had to escape, but he couldn't just leave all of his men behind. They followed him out here, and trusted him, and now he was leaving them to burn. He had to make a decision. "Do it."
The sailor ran to the wheel, grabbed ahold, and immediately got to work in what had to be some of the finest seamanship Horonno had ever seen. This sailor managed to get them unhooked from the other vessel, and turned around in a matter of minutes.
As they started to sail away, Horonno went to the bow of the ship, and Teren went over to the sailor. This was horrible. If they returned to Volantis, he would be shamed. Everyone would know him for a failure, and all the power he gave up to become a general would never be regained.
Then General Horonno made another decision.
"Stop!" Horonno yelled as he stormed over to the wheel. He walked up the stairs, with everyone staring at him in confusion.
"General?" the acting captain said, a look of shock in his face.
"Turn this ship around."
Teren took a step towards Horonno. "What are you doing?" he asked.
Horonno looked at the burning fleet. "Those are my soldiers. The followed me out here in promise of glory and riches." Everyone on deck was listening now. "If we leave them, we are no better than our enemies; than that beast."
"General, if we go back, it will mean our death," Teren said.
"I know that all too well. I am not commanding you as a general to come with me; there are row boats, if you fear what will come next. I am asking you as a friend to follow me into battle, and let's fuck that dragon up!"
Horonno expected there to be cheers, and everyone to flock to his call-to-arms.
It was nothing like that. No one said a thing. The only one who moved was Teren, who put his arm on Horonno's shoulder. "Horonno, let's go home. There's nothing we can do for them now."
He couldn't believe this. All of them would let their fellow soldiers die out there. "Go." No one moves still. "Get out of my sight. All of you!"
Most of the men immediately walked off, preparing the row boats. A few did the same after a few seconds. One remained.
"You are a brother to me, Horonno. I will not leave you."
Horonno embraced Teren and the two got to work. Horonno took the wheel and Teren took out his bow and strung an arrow. "I've never driven a vessel before," Horonno said.
"Me neither, general. It looks like we'll have to figure out," Teren told him.
They turned the ship around, and raced towards the carnage that was the New Valyrian fleet. They could see other life boats coming their way; the soldiers that actually managed to escape from their boat. On one of them was the first mate.
"Damn coward," Teren muttered.
Then they heard something. It was like a rumbling, accompanied by a guttural sound. Then the roar became comprehensible. Horonno looked into the sky.
The last thing he saw was fire.
This chapter took SO much longer than planned. I fell in love with a character or two, and then after that I got writer's block. Luckily my good friend Jack was there to help me out. I know the ending might not be as good or well written as the rest of the prologue, but I promise I will come back and fix it someday. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, and feedback is always accepted.
-Garrett