Chapter XXVI: The Hellhorn
It had been decades since Cersei had seen the seal of the three-headed dragon on a scroll. She briefly remembered the last Targaryen she had known, when she was a girl. Rhaegar, the most handsome and gallant man she had ever known, his long silver hair and heavenly eyes. If only she'd married him. If only the Mad King had let her.
Cersei Lannister, it read.
She crumpled the paper and threw it away.
"War it is then," she whispered.
She had expected no less, of course. She didn't know this Daenerys Targaryen, but she knew her own brother. Tyrion would never let Cersei win without a war. He who spilled his own father's blood, her beloved Joffrey's blood, he would never let anyone bow down to her so easily. To think a man like him, who should've never been born, would become one of her enemies. She should've strangled him in his sleep as a babe, or maybe ask her father to do it. She knew he had hated him too.
"Your Grace," Quburn whispered close to her ear. "It's Euron Greyjoy."
The doors of the Throne room were pulled open and the Greyjoy entered with a smirk on his face. Cersei would have had him thrown in the black cells for trying to be so smug in front of her. But she needed allies now more than ever, and if Euron could be valuable, she could control herself.
"My Queen," he bowed. "You look as beautiful as ever."
Cersei almost laughed. Men like him didn't deserve to even stand before her.
"What do you want, Lord Euron?"
"I've brought you a gift, my fair Queen."
He signalled with his gloved hand and a couple of men came inside the room carrying a huge chest.
Fool, she thought.You try to win me with gold.
Euron bid his men away, and making a small curtsey, lifted the lid.
"Here you are, My Queen. Since you have rejected my proposal so clearly, I've no other wish than to make you see how much I am willing to do for you. I believe this act of kindness will change your mind about me."
There was no gold.
Inside the chest was a horn the height of a full-grown man. It had bands of red gold and shone in a black hue. There were markings on the horn, but not of any languages she knew.
"And what is that?"
"This my Queen, is Dragonbinder. A dragon horn."
Cersei rose from her seat and walked forward to see it. The horn was exquisite, beautiful and shone brightly.
"And what does it do?"
Euron smiled wickedly.
"Controls dragons, my Queen."
Cersei's eyes glinted. She touched it with her hand and felt its warmth.
"I've never heard of such a thing," she said. For all she knew, he could be trying to fool her.
"I have travelled to the ruins of Valyria to search for this. This very horn, forged with Valyrian Steel before the Doom, can bend a dragon to man's will. And soon enough, this very weapon will defeat your enemy for you."
Cersei turned to Qyburn.
"I have read of this, Your Grace, and it sure looks like Valyrian Steel."
"If you do not believe me, my Queen," Euron blurted out. "Let your blacksmiths have a go at it. You know that common fire cannot melt Valyrian Steel."
Cersei turned to Qyburn again.
"I'll see to it, Your Grace."
This, she thought. This is what I need. What I need to defeat Daenerys Targaryen once and for all.
"I want to thank you for your service to the Crown, Lord Euron. You have been very helpful to your Queen. How shall I reward you, My Lord?"
The bastard had a sly grin on his face.
"You very well know what I dearly wish for, My Queen."
Cersei gave him her sweetest smile.