**Chapter 23: Dragon Taming Manual**
Rhaegar poured out all the gold, spreading it across the bed until it was completely covered.
He lay on the glittering golden surface. Although it was uncomfortable, he couldn't help but enjoy it.
Taking a moment, he opened the books he had retrieved alongside the treasure. Proficient in Old Valyrian, Rhaegar began to read.
The book detailed a brief history of a dragonlord family named "Daegaryon."
The dragon crest medallion he had found was the sigil of this family.
The medallion was engraved with two intertwined dragons, exuding a sense of life and vitality.
The Daegaryon family was an ancient and expansive lineage in Old Valyria.
Records indicated that they had tamed over 300 dragons throughout their history.
At their peak, the family had an astounding 67 dragons, young and old, alive at the same time.
This legacy placed them among the top dragonlord families, second only to a select few.
The spatial bracelet in Rhaegar's possession was one of the Daegaryon family's heirlooms.
Its owner had been an heir to the family, though it was unclear what circumstances had caused the bracelet to be lost.
The more Rhaegar read, the more astonished he became. He sat up straight, focusing intently on every line of text.
The book briefly described several dragonlord families allied with the Daegaryons and provided a rough analysis of their strength.
After finishing the first book, Rhaegar picked up the second one.
This one was less significant, containing only details about the Daegaryon family's vassals.
Switching to yet another book, Rhaegar continued to absorb knowledge tirelessly.
Finally, after several books, he stumbled upon something useful amidst the historical accounts.
**"On Dragon Behavior"**
Rhaegar perked up and silently prayed, "Let this be something unique about dragons."
"What is a dragon?"
"How are dragons born?"
"The bond between dragonriders and their dragons..."
The book began by describing what dragons were and their discovery and domestication by Old Valyrian civilization.
Much of it was old news, similar to theories penned by certain learned scholars.
Rhaegar wasn't interested in where dragons came from. He only wanted to know how dragon eggs could be hatched.
Unfortunately, the book did not cover this topic.
Instead, it frequently recounted instances of dragon taming by dragonriders.
"Those with dragon blood can form a connection with dragons, climb upon their backs, and become dragonriders..."
"Fire mages theorized that dragons possess intelligence surpassing that of beasts, second only to humans..."
"Dragons live exceptionally long lives, and their bodies continue to grow over time. Many dragons become too large to fly in their old age..."
As Rhaegar carefully flipped through the pages, he suddenly came across a crucial annotation.
"Dragons belong to the skies and the wilderness. Dragonlords allow them to roam freely and build nests far and wide during peacetime, summoning them with magical horns during war..."
"A magical horn? Another artifact capable of summoning dragons," Rhaegar murmured to himself.
He had never heard of such a wondrous horn before.
The Targaryen family issued commands to dragons in Old Valyrian but did not use specialized tools for dragon taming.
He continued reading.
"Dragons are not slaves. They are kin, bonded by blood to their riders. Binding a dragon to the sky with chains invites a terrible curse..."
Upon reading this, Rhaegar's brow furrowed.
"You must not treat dragons as slaves, or you will be cursed..."
His thoughts immediately turned to the Dragonpit in King's Landing.
Built during the reign of Maegor I, the massive structure housed the Targaryen family's dragons.
Balerion, Vhagar, Vermithor...
Many powerful dragons had once dwelled in the Dragonpit.
Currently, at least three dragons resided there:
Dreamfyre, Morghul, and Syrax...
These dragons were permanent residents of the Dragonpit, with Syrax being the most notable.
Syrax was Rhaenyra's dragon, covered in golden scales. Since hatching from its egg, it had lived in the Dragonpit.
Rhaegar had never encountered a dragon and had no idea how those in the Dragonpit differed from those living in the wild.
However, he knew one thing: all dragons in the Dragonpit were chained.
Dragons were fierce creatures with a strong territorial instinct.
Having multiple dragons in one location inevitably led to conflicts.
To protect the younger dragons, the maesters of the Citadel had suggested restraining the Dragonpit dragons with chains to prevent them from killing each other.
Rhaegar stared unblinkingly at the pages of the book, trusting the warnings written within.
These books came from the Freehold of Old Valyria, written by a lineage of powerful dragonlords far surpassing the Targaryen family.
They weren't baseless speculations from some puffed-up maester of the Citadel.
"I need to find an opportunity to give this book to Father and let him make the decision," Rhaegar thought to himself.
He quickly finished the book and carefully stored it in his bracelet, handling it with great caution to avoid any damage.
This precious knowledge was worth more than gold; every word in it carried the weight of the Targaryen family's destiny.
There were many more books. Rhaegar continued to leaf through them slowly.
When one is deeply engrossed, time flies by like a fleeting shadow.
The night passed in the blink of an eye.
Dawn arrived.
The morning sunlight dispelled the darkness, warming the earth.
Having stayed up all night, Rhaegar was startled to find sunlight streaming into his room, pulling him back from the ocean of knowledge.
Casting a cautious glance at the door, he swiftly gathered up the books and the pile of gold on the bed, tucking them all into his bracelet.
He wasn't ready for anyone to discover his secrets—not yet.
"Seven hells! When will these dark circles under my eyes finally go away?"
Rhaegar sighed in frustration as he pointed at his panda-like eyes in the glass mirror on his bedside table.
Still, books would never betray those who appreciated them.
Rhaegar's overnight reading revealed numerous details about the Targaryen family that had never been passed down.
For example, taming a dragon required more than issuing commands.
It also demanded an unwavering belief that one could truly tame the dragon.
If a dragon rider lacked determination or subconsciously doubted their ability to control a dragon, the dragon would sense their fear and never recognize them as a worthy master.
The best way to tame a dragon was to climb onto its back and issue commands loudly and confidently.
Let the dragon feel your strong desire for conquest, soaring the skies and crossing seas together.
In doing so, the dragon and its rider could merge their wills into one.
Feeling a surge of excitement, Rhaegar freshened up quickly. Before stepping out, he cradled his dragon egg and planted a firm kiss on it.
He declared loudly, "Hatch soon! The sky is waiting for us!"
He firmly believed he would become a dragon rider.
Any doubt in himself would be a betrayal of the Valyrian blood flowing through his veins.
...
When he opened the door, the first thing Rhaegar noticed was Ser Elric's gaze.
Those brown eyes were filled with encouragement.
"Ser, could you please stop looking at me with such a... suggestive expression? It's making me quite uncomfortable," Rhaegar said after breakfast, voicing his concerns.
Elric paused briefly before replying, "Very well. But I do support your aspirations."
Rhaegar's cheeks flushed slightly, though he feigned indifference. "Don't concern yourself with trivialities. We still have a tournament to attend today."
The tournament had been cut short yesterday to welcome Daemon.
However, the event lasted seven days in total, with matches held daily.
That arrogant Dornishman was still being detained in King's Landing.
Today, surely, a mighty knight would defeat him and earn the king's reward.
The Targaryens were not the strongest of the dragonlord families, ranking only in the middle at best.
You could tell from how Aenar had crossed the sea with only five dragons.
By the time of Aegon the Conqueror, fifty years later, only three dragons remained: Balerion, Meraxes, and Vhagar.
It wasn't until the Dance of the Dragons that the number of dragons reached unprecedented heights.
A special commendation must go to Syrax—a single dragon that hatched seven others, truly a model of early and prolific offspring.
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(End of Chapter)