Dragonstone's Round Table Hall was a vast, circular chamber with plain black-stone walls. Four tall, narrow windows faced east, west, south, and north.
The most famous feature of the hall was the enormous, irregularly shaped table built by Aegon the Conqueror before the Conquest. It was carved in the shape of the continent of Westeros.
The map table was more than fifty feet long, approximately twenty-five feet at its widest point, and less than four feet at its narrowest. Three centuries old, its surface gleamed with a smooth, polished patina.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
Gendry rose from his seat and pulled back the heavy velvet curtains before opening the four windows one by one.
A strong sea breeze swept into the chamber, carrying the salty scent of the ocean and causing his simple golden cloak to flutter.
The wind whistled through the hall, while the flames in the fireplace swirled and danced, accompanied by the crackling of burning wood.
Gendry glanced toward the battlements of Dragonstone, where several Stone Dragons stood beneath the open sky, casting enormous black shadows.
They were merely sculptures—cold, lifeless, and completely devoid of vitality.
The Stone Dragons mentioned by the Red Priestess were precisely these statues. Gendry suspected that awakening them would require some kind of blood sacrifice, and perhaps they could only be used once.
In his opinion, they were completely different from true dragons, whose existence was connected to blood and fire.
The Round Table Hall itself was decorated with statues and carvings of several famous dragons: the Black Dragon Balerion, the Green Dragon Vhagar, and the White Dragon Viserion.
Meanwhile, three small dragons, each roughly the size of a pony, chased one another around the hall.
Their wings stirred the air as they flew, carrying the faint scent of fire and sulfur throughout the chamber.
Perhaps once they grew to the size of large horses, they would become truly terrifying creatures.
At their current size, however, they were still too small to carry a rider. Dragons were surprisingly light for their size, and only after growing considerably larger could they safely carry a Dragonrider.
"If the three dragon eggs His Highness Gendry discovered deep within the caves of Dragonmount also hatch, we'll have six dragons," Ser Barristan said.
He shook his head in amazement.
"Yet you truly are like the late King, possessing seemingly endless energy."
Maester Qyburn also sighed.
"It's incredible. I never imagined that active dragon eggs could still exist deep within Dragonmount. Fossilized dragon eggs are already valuable, but these living eggs are priceless."
"What's even more remarkable is that these eggs were buried deep within the volcano, absorbing enormous amounts of heat, yet they still didn't hatch."
Gendry smiled.
"They were simply three dragon eggs I happened to discover deep within Dragonmount. If I hadn't been willing to take the risk, obtaining them would have been impossible. Finding them was an unexpected blessing."
He paused before continuing.
"However, our most urgent task now is to locate the Targaryen family's dragon egg vault. Whether it contains living dragon eggs or fossilized ones, we need to find it."
Ser Barristan pondered for a moment before speaking.
"The Targaryen dragon eggs did indeed disappear. I only know that they were always carefully protected and were rumored to have been hidden somewhere deep within Dragonstone."
"Over the years, some of them eventually became fossils."
"But as for the location of the dragon egg vault, perhaps only the kings of previous generations knew that secret."
Among the people still alive, Ser Barristan was arguably the person who understood the Targaryens best. After all, he was the oldest living member of the Kingsguard and had served several generations of Targaryen monarchs.
"Were the dragon eggs known only to Aerys and Rhaegar, father and son?" Gendry asked curiously.
"I suspect so, but neither of them left behind any useful information."
"The later members of the royal family, including Viserys and Daenerys, knew nothing about them."
"However, during the earliest days of the dynasty, the royal family certainly possessed plenty of dragon eggs. During the tragedy at Summerhall, the king even used several carefully selected eggs that were believed to be particularly active."
Ser Barristan's expression darkened as he recalled that terrible day.
"Of course, we all know how that ended."
"Rhaegar and Aerys had a poor relationship. After the rebellion at Maidenpool, Aerys became unwilling to trust anyone."
"Rhaegar returned to live on Dragonstone after his marriage instead of remaining in the Red Keep. At one point, some of the king's favored courtiers even proposed removing Rhaegar from the line of succession and naming Viserys as heir instead."
Gendry nodded thoughtfully.
"So the discovery of these three dragon eggs was simply a matter of luck. The greatest secret of the Targaryen family may have disappeared with Aerys's death."
He sat down on the raised platform at the head of the table.
The seat had been carefully designed to correspond with the location of Dragonstone on the map.
Suddenly, Balerion flew down and landed directly on Gendry's lap.
The other two young dragons followed soon after, continuing to chase one another as they landed.
"For now, we should focus on protecting the dragons and dragon eggs we already have," Ser Barristan said.
"Your Highness's three newly discovered dragon eggs are currently with Princess Daenerys," Qyburn replied. "The princess is taking excellent care of them."
"Yes."
Gendry nodded.
"They're living dragon eggs, and Daenerys hopes that placing them in the brazier will eventually cause them to hatch. However, I suspect the chances are quite low."
"Times have changed," Ser Barristan said.
"Dragons disappeared for more than a century. The knowledge of taming and riding them has also been lost."
"The few books that still contain information about dragons are extremely rare and difficult to find. Even the Targaryen family itself knows very little now, and Princess Daenerys knows even less."
Gendry and Daenerys were essentially learning how to raise and tame dragons from the beginning.
They knew fragments of ancient knowledge, but neither of them possessed a complete understanding of dragonlore.
Gendry had an advantage, however.
He understood more about the nature of dragons, and the fire-wielder ring that allowed him to control fire was also extremely useful when caring for and controlling the creatures.
"To my knowledge, there are still some books," Qyburn said.
"But I'm afraid most of them are locked away in the Citadel's vaults."
He looked toward Ser Barristan.
"Brother Bass wrote Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History. There is also Blood and Fire, as well as Maester Thomax's The Dragon Kings: The History of the Targaryen Family from Wanderer to Deity, with a Discussion of the Life and Death of Dragons."
"There are probably others as well."
Gendry sighed.
"People should learn to be satisfied, but people are never satisfied."
He already possessed three dragons and three living dragon eggs—treasures that were virtually unparalleled in the world.
Yet now, what he wanted most was the legendary dragon egg vault, containing the accumulated treasures of the Targaryen dynasty.
"There will be an opportunity to find it," Ser Barristan said.
"Perhaps after your coronation and wedding to Princess Daenerys, the gods will bless you with even more treasures."
"Duke Stannis and Lord Eddard are currently handling the arrangements. They're making sure the dragon's lair is suitable for the ceremony."
"I hope so."
Gendry nodded.
In these chaotic times, a wedding represented hope and stability.
Yet for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that strange dangers were lurking beneath the surface.
"There is one more thing I must remind you of," Ser Barristan said seriously.
"Marriage represents both affection and political alliance. It isn't merely a union between two young people; it also connects two families."
"Back then, a dynasty was overthrown partly because of a few ill-fated marriages."
"Now, many noble lords are gathered in King's Landing and are in close contact with one another. Logically speaking, some marriages should be arranged or blessed by the new King and Queen."
"You should also pay attention to the alliances being formed through these marriages."
Gendry laughed heartily.
"Wise people wouldn't act so hastily. They would wait until after my coronation and then seek the blessing of the King and Queen rather than making their own arrangements."
"Regardless, I appreciate the warning."
Ser Barristan was a straightforward knight who had never been particularly interested in political intrigue, deception, or schemes.
However, age had brought him wisdom.
When it came to political and historical experience, there were few people in the Seven Kingdoms who could compare with him.
The exchange of interests between noble houses often involved marriages, the fostering of children, and the appointment of squires.
Such arrangements allowed families to form alliances and support one another.
But those were only the basic methods of building relationships.
The true test still came on the battlefield.
For example, House Tyrell had allied itself with House Hightower, but House Hightower had always been relatively cautious and rarely involved itself directly in conflicts.
Gendry stood up and poured warm lemonade into glasses for the two experienced knights and the maester.
"In the Seven Kingdoms, Houses Stark, Arryn, Tyrell, Tully, Martell, and several others all have young, unmarried members," Gendry said.
"A suitable marriage benefits everyone."
"But the wrong marriage can lead to the deaths of thousands."
Ser Barristan's expression became bitter.
"Just like Prince Duncan and Jenny of Oldstones..."
"And Prince Rhaegar and Lady Lyanna."
The old knight's voice carried a hint of sadness.
Those memories still tasted bitter, like the sourness of lemon.
"Enough of us old men speaking bitterly about love and marriage," Gendry said with a laugh.
"Besides, I have something else for you."
Maester Qyburn handed him a book.
"This is my latest work, Your Highness."
"My personal masterpiece."
He placed the book carefully into Gendry's hands.
Its title was:
Bloodlines and Faith: A Study of Magic in the Known World.
"I've already completed it."
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