A Dragon Fate

Chapter 13: Curious fun

I threw a piece of apple into my mouth and leaned back on the small sofa in the chambers. My chambers now. I have already spent several hours here, reading a book and periodically choosing something from a plate of fruit. Books on the history of the Targaryens' rise to power and legends of old Valyria also existed in the free cities. But here they were different.

On my lap lay a book with an open spread depicting Ballerion. As far as i know, there is a skull of this legendary dragon in this palace. If that's true, i'd love to see it. I was thinking about who would be better to ask about this. And each time i came to the conclusion that i would like Daemon to call me to look at the skull.

I've never felt so shitty being in my own thoughts. Constantly being one on one with them has recently become unbearable. I could find myself a company. But the problem is that every time i think about it, i come to the conclusion that i already have a company. There's just one person there. And i constantly go back and forth between wanting to spend as much time with him as possible and never seeing him again.

I'm getting pretty tired of all this confusion. A sudden knock made me open my eyes again. It’s strange that i didn’t even notice how i closed them. However, this is not the strangest thing here. Who would even be walking around the castle at this time? I closed the book and put it aside as i stood up.

Walking to the table, i pulled the sword out of its sheath. Alowly and quietly i approached the door. It’s unlikely that the mercenaries would have knocked, and indeed ended up with me somehow. I quickly opened the door, but there was no one behind it.

I knitted my eyebrows. What is this, a joke? I was about to go out into the corridor to check if it was actually empty when a second knock was heard. Knocking from behind the wall. I closed the door, walking towards the sound. This part of the chambers with the bed is where i haven’t even looked once today. And in vain.

There were clothes and a note on the bed. I glanced at the wall in disbelief, as if she was the one who had given me this. Having opened the note, i saw a small sketch with a highlighted path. At the bottom was the caption “push the wall.” I arched an eyebrow. Seriously?

I went to the wall and touched it. The stupidity of the situation depressed me. I exhaled, throwing it away, pushed the wall and... it didn’t budge. I lowered my head, leaning my forehead against the wall. A chuckle escaped me, prompting uncontrollable laughter.

I turned, stepping to the side and hit the wall. And stumbled. The wall has moved a little. I turned around and pushed her harder. Behind the door there was a passage with a ladder. I looked out and grinned. Fine. Returning to my chambers, i quickly put on my pants, shirt and boots. Taking the cloak, i went to the mirror and braided my hair.

The cloak looked a little better than the other things, as if it had been bought recently. I took the note from the bed, took a burning candle from the table and went out into the secret passage. The door closed with a knock and i turned, carefully walking deeper into the passage.

I walked along dark dusty corridors. The feeling of excitement didn't leave me throughout the entire journey.  suddenly a light appeared ahead and i walked out into a hall filled with candles. In its center was a huge skull. I stopped.

I was completely overwhelmed with delight. My breathing slowed down, the blood in my veins seemed to turn to fire. I felt the same as when i first met Vermithor. I looked simultaneously at the entire skull at once and at every detail of it. Unevenness, small jagged scars, chipped thorns. All this told the story of Balerion, his conquest and victory.  an impressive sight. 

I was already thinking about staying and examining the skull from all sides when I remembered that I had plans. Grinding my teeth with frustration, i promised myself to return here in the near future and moved on. I walked along a small corridor, turned a corner and came out onto an open staircase. And most importantly, not empty.