*Whoosh*
*Whoosh*
Two arrows left the bow in quick succession, the first striking the bullseye dead centre, and the second splitting it apart to embed in the exact same spot.
The Kharzik twins grinned at him challengingly, and he smiled before nocking an arrow and drawing the string taut.
Taking a deep breath, he aimed at the target a hundred and fifty feet distant, his brows furrowing as he released the shaft.
It flew true but landed nowhere near the bullseye, and upon seeing the result, the twins smirked proudly at him.
In the last few days, they had discovered that he excelled with staffs, battle axes, halberds, and swords, yet they surpassed him with their dirks and bows.
Azaerys could not even compete with them in archery on foot, much less from the back of a horse or hippogriff, or against moving targets. And it pleased them immensely.
There was something at which they were better than him.
The skill the Kharziks possessed with their bows was simply astounding. It was as if every child emerged from the womb clutching a bow and arrow, honing the art from their very first breath.
And though the Young King was reluctant to admit it, he knew it would take him many years to attain the level of prowess that Laeha and Laena displayed with the bow.
"Your Grace," a sweet voice called from behind him, and he smiled before turning to face her.
Arianne seemed to have something preoccupying her mind, and she immediately rose onto her tiptoes, tugging him down by his collar to press her lips against his.
When their mouths parted, she cast an innocent smile at the twins, who regarded them with raised brows.
"Is she really your wife?" Laena asked him, and upon seeing him nod, she appeared confused. "Why?"
"What do you mean?" he inquired curiously.
"She's weak. Just a pretty charmer. How will she give you strong children?" Laeha demanded, while on the sidelines, Viserys' mouth twitched in amusement.
"Is she very intelligent?" her sister pressed, still striving to comprehend, and Azaerys chuckled at their words.
"She's smart, not warfare-smart, but she possesses keen interpersonal skills. She's beautiful. I feel happy with her. She's also a princess, so there is a political aspect to our union. And though she is not a brilliant fighter, she is willing to learn."
The two still did not grasp everything but nodded nonetheless. He knew the subtleties of politics were lost on them, so he did not bother elaborating.
"What did they say?" his wife asked lightly.
"They say you are weak, and they don't understand why I married you. According to them, you won't be able to give me strong children, and you are just a pretty charmer."
Viserys stared at him in disbelief at such blunt honesty, and he wisely stepped away to continue practising with the bow.
"Is that so?" The Martell narrowed her eyes at the Kharziks. "And what did you say in my defence?"
"That you are smart and possess remarkable interpersonal skills. That even though you are not a fighter, you are willing to learn. And that you are beautiful and I feel happy with you."
Arianne cared only for the last sentiment, and she beamed a smile at him before kissing him once more, her lips warm and lingering against his.
"I rode a hippogriff!" she informed him happily, and he nudged his nose against hers, inhaling the faint scent of sun-warmed leather from her riding gear.
"I saw. How do they compare to the griffins?"
"They are smaller, almost the size of horses, so it is easier and more comfortable to ride them," she answered honestly.
"That's true. These creatures make better mounts for travel, while griffins are superior warfare companions."
"Can I keep one of the eggs or take a young hippogriff?" she requested, gazing at him with wide, doe-like eyes.
"Here's the bow, and there's the target," he said, handing her the weapon and pointing to the mark a hundred and fifty feet away. "You have ten arrows, ten chances. Hit it once, and I will give you an egg or a baby hippogriff."
"Promise?" She grinned, and as soon as he nodded, she slung the quiver onto her back and selected her first arrow.
*Whoosh*
Arianne frowned slightly when she missed, and noting the flags fluttering on the walls, she gauged the wind's strength and direction, feeling its cool whisper against her skin.
Nocking another arrow, she aimed and released.
It missed again, and again.
Arianne persisted, but each shot fell short by a hairsbreadth.
Suddenly, she heard giggling, and spotting the twins covering their mouths as they watched, irritation flared within her, hot and sharp.
Taking a deep breath, she envisioned their faces on the target, and this time, her arrow struck true, remarkably close to the bullseye.
Even she was astonished by the outcome, but then she laughed and leapt into Azaerys' arms, hugging him tightly, her body pressing warmly against his.
"I did it!"
"Do it again."
"No! You promised me." She pouted, knowing full well she had fluked the shot.
"Fine. So, an egg or..."
"A baby hippogriff!" she exclaimed happily, but as Azaerys nodded, her face paled as she glanced behind him.
"Gwaaaarrrrr"
The roar of Nefaerion, as she landed behind her master, frightened the life out of the Kharzik twins. Even the guards on the walls tensed in alarm, and Viserys felt his heart pounding fiercely against his ribs.
"Yes?" The Young King turned to meet the crimson eyes of his she-dragon, who exhaled a puff of hot breath across his face, carrying the metallic tang of smoke and making him chuckle. "No. You cannot eat them." He shook his head when his dragon gestured towards the hippogriffs soaring in the distance.
She emitted a whine, and he laughed at her petulance.
"They are not tasty. You must not eat them," he gently admonished in Ancient Valyrian, stepping forward to embrace her massive head, feeling the rough scales warm beneath his palms. "Let's go flying. I will hunt with you."
Upon hearing his words, Nefaerion lowered her body to the ground, and Arianne wisely retreated alongside Viserys.
Once mounted, the she-dragon unleashed another roar, then surged forward, flapping her wings to ascend into the skies, the rush of air whipping past with a thunderous beat.
The Targaryen prince laughed as he watched the dragon dwindle into the distance, then excitedly summoned his own.
"Rhaelyx!"
Laena and Laeha observed with intrigue as the crimson dragon, far larger than Nefaerion, responded from somewhere in the forest and winged towards Viserys.
"Take me with you!" Arianne said excitedly, and the prince nodded, assisting her onto the dragon's back.
With no saddles, he ensured she sat securely, gripping a protruding spinal spike firmly.
He then positioned himself ahead, at the neck's base, and Rhaelyx stirred as soon as he was ready.
She flapped her wings, stirring gusts that rustled the grass like a storm, then charged forward before lifting off, veering in the direction Azaerys and Nefaerion had taken.
"Lykiri, Rhaelyx..." Viserys reminded the she-dragon to fly gently, mindful of Arianne, and thankfully, the crimson she-dragon was the most docile in their household.
They soared for a good hour before reaching the grasslands' edge, where the forest climbed towards towering mountains, and there they spotted Nefaerion devouring a wild buffalo on the lush turf, the metallic scent of blood hanging heavy in the air.
Azaerys lounged beside a stream, feet dipped in the cool, babbling water, reclining under a cloudy sky that muted the sun's warmth.
Rhaelyx alighted behind him, then teasingly exhaled hot breath over him, tickling his skin and eliciting laughter.
Arianne wobbled slightly upon dismounting, an infectious smile gracing her face as she settled by her husband's side, extolling the exhilaration of flight, how it surpassed even the hippogriff, with the wind's wild caress and the earth's dizzying retreat below.
Viserys and his dragon left them in peace to hunt, and seizing the moment, the Martell queen resolved to seduce her king. She was buoyant today, and Azaerys cherished this untamed, adventurous facet of hers. Straddling him by the stream's edge, she kissed him deeply, her hands roaming beneath his tunic to trace the hard planes of his chest, while he responded with equal fervour, fingers tangling in her hair as he pulled her closer. Their clothes shed in haste, skin met skin amid the rustle of leaves and the stream's murmur; he entered her slowly, savouring her gasps and the heat of her body enveloping him, their movements building to a rhythmic crescendo that left them both breathless and sated, wrapped in each other's arms under the open sky.
A couple of hours later, when the Targaryen prince returned, he found the Young King napping against his she-dragon, who slumbered too, and cradled in his arms was Arianne, resting peacefully, her cheek against his chest rising with each steady breath.
Noting the lingering daylight, he chose not to disturb them and landed a short distance away.
Uncertain what to do, he leaned against Rhaelyx, sharing her dragonsight to survey the surroundings, the vibrant greens of the forest, the distant calls of birds. He conversed with his companion, and eventually, the sweet, whispering breeze lulled him into slumber.
"Hey, wake up."
The prince startled briefly at the shoulder shake but relaxed upon seeing Azaerys' face.
"Time to head back."
The sky had darkened, illuminated now by pale moonlight and twinkling stars that cast a silvery glow over the landscape.
"Head back to the Lion's Town."
"Where are you going?" Viserys frowned, and even Arianne regarded her husband curiously.
"To the other side. Man-apes should be emerging from their dens now, and I need to assess their numbers and observe their behaviour."
"I will drop off Arianne and join you."
"It's fine."
"No, I will come," the prince insisted, shaking his head.
"Suit yourself, but remain high in the sky, within the clouds, out of sight. Use dragonsight."
Viserys nodded in assent, and after aiding Arianne onto Rhaelyx's back, the crimson dragon ascended towards the Lion's Town.
Azaerys watched them depart, then approached Nefaerion, who awaited him patiently.
"Let's go, girl."
Once seated, the black dragon rocketed skyward at breathtaking speed, ever playful with him.
Nefaerion soon pierced the clouds, soaring above Rhaelyx, and after circling the crimson dragon teasingly, she accelerated northward.
Azaerys opted for a brief detour to inspect their ships, confirming all was well, before scanning the man-ape territory from the river's mouth, the salty sea air mingling with the earthy scents rising from below.
He had glimpsed these creatures in visions, but now he examined them closely.
For a good hour, he ventured farther north, as far as the cloud cover extended, and encountered a pirate crew that had landed on the continent, now pursued by man-apes near the beach, their screams echoing faintly.
He needed no words for Nefaerion to maintain silence; she sensed his intent effortlessly.
The carnage unfolded without perturbing either; after the final pirate fell, the man-apes tore him asunder, then bore the grisly trophies back to their dens, where young ones eagerly gnawed on human flesh, the wet smacks of tearing meat audible even from afar.
Azaerys also witnessed a band of man-apes toppling a tall tree, uprooting it with grunts and strains, then stripping branches to fashion javelins. The trunk they hefted southward in unison.
He had noted several such logs amassed a league from the river dividing man-ape and Kharzik domains. Evidently, they planned bridges to span the water, their optimal incursion route.
He observed much else besides, acts befitting only savages, the air thick with the stench of blood and primal fury.
By the time he alighted near the Lion's Town and reunited with Viserys, the Targaryen prince had witnessed excesses too, his face etched with disgust and horror.
"We need to kill them all, Azer."
"No," he replied, and the prince halted as they neared the town's gate.
"No? There are millions of those creatures! Their territory is nearly devoid of prey, and I even saw them slay their own and devour the young of the slain. They will not retreat next time they cross, or perhaps next year. They will overrun this land and claim these forests as home. The Kharziks stand no chance against such hordes. Did you see them? They are two or three times larger than Ser Gerold..."
"Lykiri..." Azaerys placed a hand on his shoulder, urging calm. "We will cull their numbers, reduce their population to a few hundred thousand. We will drive them back, and with diminished ranks, their prey won't deplete for another decade or two. Don't worry."
"Why spare them?" he frowned, and the Young King sighed.
"They safeguard this land, Viserys. They slay invaders, deterring folk from Essos and beyond from uncovering its riches. Once extinct, nothing protects these woods, and settlers will arrive, posing graver peril to the Kharziks than these brutish man-apes."
The prince bowed his head, recognising the wisdom in preserving them.
"Besides, eradicating them entirely would require razing the forests, something the Kharziks would never sanction."
Viserys sighed and nodded.
"I need some sleep."
"Yes, rest. We two depart tomorrow for Siren."
"What?"
"We must prepare, and I require Aerylyx here."
"Okay," the prince agreed, smiling as he spotted Arianne and Arthur at the gate, awaiting them. "They worry too much."
Azaerys laughed at his words and shook his head, saying nothing.