Chapter 8

The news of Aerea taming a wild dragon even reached King's Landing, though no one truly understood how she accomplished such a feat. Taming Cannibal, the most cunning and free-willed of dragons, was a mystery that left many perplexed. Some believed that Cannibal might have been a runaway dragon from Valyria, while others considered him the last true Westerosi dragon, as told in the myths and stories of the land.

Cannibal was unlike other Valyrian dragons, known for his distinctive eyes and his green flames. His ability to sneak into Dragonstone's Dragonpit to steal eggs and hatchlings, even as a fully grown dragon, showcased his high intellect – a trait that had allowed him to evade capture for so long.

Unbeknownst to Androw, Cannibal, or Baal as he now referred to the dragon, had developed a deep bond with him, enabling them to understand each other regardless of the language spoken.

As Androw rested in his room, a knock on the door interrupted his peace. Annoyed, he rose from his bed and opened the door to find Rhaena standing before him. She questioned, "Androw, isn't it a bit late to be sleeping in the morning?"

Androw retorted, "Well, it's not late if you haven't had a good night's sleep." He made no effort to invite her in, prompting Rhaena to ask, "Am I not allowed to enter your room?" Androw begrudgingly stepped aside, his gesture laced with sarcasm, and Rhaena entered along with Septa.

Curious, Rhaena inquired, "Androw, I heard my daughter tamed a wild dragon." Androw responded, "I'm not sure." Rhaena pressed further, wondering why he claimed not to know when he had been with Aerea during that time. Androw explained, "Because wild dragons can't be tamed, only befriended. Did she say anything else?"

With a smile, Rhaena, now seated on Androw's bed, confirmed, "Yes, she did. She said you tamed the dragon. What do you say?" Androw, with a perplexed expression, replied, "Who knows," hinting at the possibility of becoming a dragon rider.

Rhaena expressed her surprise at Androw's newfound courage to ride a fierce dragon alongside Aerea. She recalled how he had always been fearful of getting close to dragons, even when she had urged him in the past. Androw shrugged, suggesting, "I don't know, maybe it was a rush of hormones."

Puzzled, Rhaena questioned, "Hormones?" Androw quickly dismissed it, saying, "Never mind." Rhaena then rose from her seat and declared, "Well, I hope you're not holding a grudge against me anymore. Join us for dinner on time, no need to skip to avoid me. I'll be waiting." With those words, she left to meet her friends in the hall.

Androw couldn't help but smile at her departing figure, amused that she still saw him as a child, despite their marriage.

Even though Rhaena had invited him to lunch, Androw had no intention of joining them. He had already eaten enough before taking a nap, and he had other plans. He needed to reach the smithy on time, or the old, dwarf-like blacksmith would give him a hard time for being late. Surprisingly, the old man had stopped asking for payment, and Androw now only needed his guidance. Once he improved his skills, he planned to compensate the old blacksmith for his hard work in the future. Androw was determined to work diligently to learn the craft. Strangely, his learning progress was much faster, perhaps because the hammer used for forging metal could also be considered a weapon, and he possessed the ability for mastery of weapons.