Ice and Fire: Reign of the Dragon.

Chapter 430 Staying in Dragon Nest City

Suddenly, a crisp sound echoed from the stalactites deep in the hot spring, and some ancient mechanism began to operate. The water gradually turned light blue, and a strange mechanism emerged from the bottom of the water. "Watch it!" Hoffa took a deep breath and dived underwater, his silver hair flowing like moonlight. The moment he touched a button, the whole bath suddenly rang with a distant dragon's roar.

"This is."

"The secret of Dragon's Nest." Hagen winked mysteriously, "Every child in Varese must learn to play dragon songs at the hot springs."

Just as Aegon was listening to the distant voice, the bronze door suddenly opened. Duncan's tall figure staggered out of the steam, with bandages hanging loosely around his waist, and the wound that was still bleeding was particularly glaring in the mist. The four young men looked at each other, and the hot spring fell into an eerie silence.

"I-I'm not. Sorry, I'm lost." Duncan stuttered as he stepped back, but his eyes widened the moment he saw Aegon, "Egg? No, Your Highness? Your hair."

Hoffa smiled and said, "Are you the Dunk who saved Aegon?"

Duncan nodded, not knowing where to look. The boys' skin was as white as milk, and even the scars did not affect their obvious aristocratic temperament, which was in sharp contrast to his rough brown skin.

"Come in," Hagen waved, "the hot spring water can heal your wounds."

Hoffa smiled and raised his hand as well, splashing water all over Hagen's face. "Come in." He pointed to the area where the water turned blue. "The spring water there will help heal your wounds."

Duncan stood on the jade steps at a loss, his coarse trousers dripping with water. Hagen swam over and grabbed him: "Don't act like a goose struck by lightning! Remove the bandages! Take off your clothes!"

When Duncan finally stepped into the hot spring with trepidation, the scalding water made him scream. Aegon couldn't help laughing again. Hoffa swam behind Duncan and suddenly pressed the wound on his shoulder: "Bear with it." Then he poured the whole bottle of ointment on it.

"Ouch! Seven levels of hell!" Duncan's scream echoed in the dome. The three silver-haired boys laughed together, and the tall farm boy's grinning expression gradually turned into surprise: "Really. It doesn't hurt anymore?"

"Dad already gave you medicine, and then he used our medicine, so how could it not work?"

Hagen pushed the floating fruit plate to the middle of the crowd. The crystal bowl contained apples cooled with ice. "Eat it," he pushed the largest apple to Duncan. "According to the rules of Dragon's Nest, those who bathe together are brothers. There is no distinction between high and low men who take off their clothes."

The steam gradually condensed into water droplets on the dome, falling on the shoulders of the four young men like gentle rain. Aegon looked at the reflections in the water: the silver-haired, purple-eyed prince, the silver-haired, blue-eyed heir to Dragon's Nest, and a knight's son who was as tall as a little giant. The hot spring water rippled, melting the four shadows into one.

The hot spring water was turbulent due to their playfulness. Hagen took out a waterproof leather ball from somewhere, which was branded with the silver dragon emblem of Vareses.

"Got it, Your Highness!" He flicked his wrist, and the ball spun at high speed and flew towards Aegon.

The prince rushed to catch the ball, but missed it because of the shaking of the water. Hoffa intercepted the ball in mid-air. He smiled slyly and suddenly pushed the ball into the water: "Here comes the deep-sea dragon!"

Under the azure water, the glowing balls scurried around like a school of fish. The four boys dived into the water at the same time, their silver and brown hair intertwined in the water. Duncan paddled clumsily, but accidentally bumped into Hagen's back. When the two surfaced, Hagen was pinching his nose and laughing: "Dunk, you swim like a drowned bear!"

"I, my hometown only has a water tank in the blacksmith shop," Duncan explained stutteringly, but he saw Hagen suddenly dive underwater. The next second, Duncan felt a pair of hands holding up his feet, and he was lifted directly out of the water!
"What the hell is there to explain? Come on! Take off!" Hagen shouted, trying not to laugh. Duncan danced over the hot spring, water dripping down his ankles onto the smiling faces of the three silver-haired boys.

Hoffa took the opportunity to stuff the glowing ball into Aegon's collar: "Now you are the one being chased by the dragon!"

The prince screamed and fled in the pool, while the other two chased him with laughter. The black dragon statue in the corner of the hot spring suddenly spurted out a stream of hot water, just in time to block Aegon's way. Hagen jumped and caught him, and the four teenagers fell into a ball, and the splashing water soaked the fluorescent crystals on the dome.

After their frolic, they leaned against the edge of the pool. Hagen pulled out a sealed copper jar from a crevice in the stone, as if by magic. Inside was amber silver wine, a good wine of thirty years.

"Just take a sip," he poured each person a small cup seriously, "Lord Igor will smell it if you drink too much. Especially you, Aegon, just one sip is enough."

The boy couldn't help but shiver.

As the sweet and spicy wine slid down his throat, Aegon choked and coughed. Duncan's eyes lit up: "It's stronger than any wine I've ever drunk!" "Of course," Hagen shook the wine glass proudly, "This is the signature of the Varese family." He suddenly lowered his voice, "You know what? I heard from my father that your father drank this kind of wine when he rewarded the whole army after the Battle of Red Grassland, but the age is not as long as mine."

Hoffa kicked him and said, "Don't teach bad things to children."

"I'm not a child anymore!" Hagen pointed at the wound on his left shoulder unconvinced, "I'm already a rider of Kongyi."

Aegon suddenly became quiet after hearing this, and stared at the steaming water mist with his purple eyes: "I don't even have a dragon egg."

The hot spring fell into a brief silence. Hoffa gently bumped his shoulder and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? Varese never allocated dragon eggs to us. We can still ride the dragon."

"That's right," Hagen stuffed an apple into Aegon's hand, "When you return to King's Landing, maybe the Targaryen dragon egg will be..." He suddenly fell silent, and the three dragon kings exchanged a knowing look.

Duncan chewed his apple blankly: "What happened to the dragon egg?"

"Eat your fruit, Dunk." Hagen laughed and scooped up a handful of water and threw it on his head. Crystal clear water beads rolled through his brown hair. A new round of water fight broke out.

While the carefree teenagers were playing.

The main hall of the Silver Blood Tower was shrouded in dark light and shadow. Igor sat on the obsidian throne, looking at the two Kingsguards expressionlessly.

Two of the Kingsguard, Roland Crakehall and William Wilder, knelt on one knee, their white robes spread out on the stone ground like snow.

"Rise up, good knights." Igor's voice was like thunder. "What is the situation in King's Landing?"

Sir Roland spoke first, his voice steady and tired: "After His Majesty Baelor ascended the throne, he immediately appointed Prince Rhaegal as the Prince of Dragonstone." A trace of pain flashed in the old knight's eyes, "Because Prince Aerys didn't make it. The Blackblood took him away."

Igor's fingers paused for a moment. "Where are my father and Beile?"

"The Prime Minister did not develop any disease after being infected, but he just became weak. He is still handling government affairs in the Dragon Cave." Sir William took over the conversation, his young face tense. "His Majesty the Prince works day and night, his health is getting worse, but he still insists on handling government affairs."

The dragon king on the throne exhaled slowly, as if a giant dragon was snorting. "Descendants of Daeron." Igor sighed deeply. "It's always like this, burning yourself to light up others until you turn into ashes."

The two Kingsguards lowered their heads even lower, moved.

Silence spread in the hall. Finally, Igor nodded slightly and said, "Princess Daenerys and Prince Aegon will stay in Dragon's Nest and be protected by Vareses. You two should stay as well."

Sir Roland looked up, surprise flashing in his eyes: "My lord, this does not seem to be in line with the duty of the Kingsguard to protect the safety of the royal family. We need to return."

"And Dragon's Nest is now the safest place for the royal family." Igor interrupted him and said calmly, "There are medicines, professional doctors, and a stable situation here. You cannot guarantee whether your return journey will bring new variables to King's Landing, so I can only let you stay."

The two guards exchanged glances. Sir William said softly, "We respect you, sir. During the Blackfyre Rebellion, it was you who rode on Wormithor to defeat Koraxhu and secured victory. Your loyalty to the royal family is unquestionable, so we agree to your request."

The corners of Igor's mouth twitched slightly, as if he remembered the bloody and fiery battle. "That's in the past." He stood up and did not continue the topic. "Now, go and rest. The steward will prepare a room for you."

After the two Iron Guards left the hall, Igor sat on the obsidian throne and looked at the world map on the dome, as if he could see through it and see the distant King's Landing on the map.

"Burn yourself," he whispered to himself, "but the flame will eventually go out, Your Majesty."

(End of this chapter)