The Master of Dragons - Black Fury. (Patreon)

Alicent Hightower, Gilded Ascent – the Reach.

"This is…beautiful," Alicent whispered, utterly astonished as she looked around her. It was the most beautiful and luxurious city Alicent had ever seen in her life.

The young redhead held Harry's arm tightly, afraid of losing him among so many people. Even so, Alicent couldn't help admiring the wonderful sights surrounding her.

"The city was built upon Golden Hill, on the banks of the Honeywine, right at the foot of the Sky Tower, the seat of power of House Hightower. Clan Irondeep handles economic affairs, as well as the protection of the Amethyst Catacombs. We are now in Twilight Alley, the city's financial and commercial district. Every year, wizards and witches who will attend the academy visit the city to prepare for their magical studies. It's a tradition," Lady Casterly said with the voice of someone accustomed to such wonders.

Alicent couldn't help feeling embarrassed, to be honest, considering that Harry didn't seem particularly impressed, but rather curious about what he saw around him.

"This is…suspiciously familiar. Apparently, some things never change," her beloved whispered to himself as they both carefully observed the famous alley.

Alicent remained silent like a proper Lady and began carefully looking around, analyzing every detail of the beautiful city before her.

A magical city!! And so close to her home! Considering that, in the distance, she could make out the faint silhouette of Oldtown.

She found it fascinating and terrifying that this Council of Magic was capable of hiding an entire mountain, complete with a city and fortress, from the eyes of all Westeros, and so close to what she believed was one of the largest and most important cities on the Continent.

But now…looking at this…

The city of Gilded Ascent was simply unlike anything Alicent Hightower had ever known. As she walked hand in hand with Lord Harry through Twilight Alley, she couldn't keep her eyes from wandering from one end to the other, marveling at everything she beheld. The city seemed to have been built upon the very slopes of a mountain, with countless buildings of white and gray stone rising in terraces adorned with gently swaying hanging plants, connected by elegant bridges and galleries.

There were wizards and witches everywhere, dressed in robes of colors and designs as extravagant as they were elegant, wearing garments more luxurious than those of any noble Alicent had ever seen, even King Viserys himself. Some stopped to bow respectfully before her husband, and surprisingly, before her as well, as though…they recognized her somehow, although Harry barely seemed to pay them any attention, undoubtedly accustomed to such displays of deference.

It was evident that Lord Black's rank was extremely respected, and even feared, among these people, although Alicent didn't really understand why the…guards and people walking past bowed before her with muffled murmurs of "my Lady."

Alicent simply clung even more tightly to her man's arm, more than happy to let Harry take care of absolutely everything. She felt very defenseless in this kind of situation.

So, to distract herself a little from the…overwhelming situation, the young Hightower focused on the alley, or more precisely, on the magical and impressive shops she could see around her. On both sides of the broad avenue stretched establishments with enormous glass display windows, carved wooden doors, white stone balconies covered in flowers cascading in multicolored streams and winding around beautiful pillars, and signs that seemed to move of their own accord.

It was…the most fantastic thing Alicent had ever seen in her entire life, if she was being completely honest with herself.

There was a bookshop called The Starry Quill, whose display windows showcased elegant, thick tomes floating slowly above crystal lecterns. Alicent couldn't quite read the titles of the books, but she would speak to Harry about visiting the place later. There was also a kind of herb and infusion shop named Root, Glass and Bone, where strange ingredients glowed inside jars, and a charming shop called The Moth and the Moon, which seemed to specialize in pets. She also spotted a rune shop, although she didn't know exactly what was sold there, another selling cauldrons, and an apothecary offering remedies from Oldtown, much to her considerable surprise. But the most fascinating were the display windows of the jewelry shops and the establishments selling dresses and robes, where fabrics seemed to move like water and precious stones emitted impossible flashes of light. Alicent involuntarily tightened her grip on Harry's hand, feeling for a moment like a young girl visiting a fair for the first time.

"May we explore this place later, my Lord?" Alicent asked modestly, always submissive to Harry's word, smiling with satisfaction when she saw her man nod gently.

"Aye, I'm also interested in inspecting this place thoroughly, darling." Alicent merely nodded, focusing once again on their surroundings, now on the upper part of the Alley. The curious magical shops had been left behind, giving way to what Alicent considered the wealthiest area of the small city.

Crowning the central square, right at the foot of the staircase that would lead them toward the upper part of Golden Hill, stood an enormous heart tree, so extraordinarily beautiful that she had to stop to contemplate it. Its trunk, white as ivory and streaked with delicate silver veins, rose from a broad stone terrace, spreading its countless branches over the surrounding galleries and staircases.

"That's an old tree, ancient and powerful. I can feel its monstrous magical power even from here," Harry said cautiously, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the powerful and imposing tree.

"That's the city's Heart Tree, planted here since its founding during the Great Schism. The Hightower family members who remained loyal to the Old Gods and Magic planted it to conceal the Sky Tower from the Andals," the blonde witch said casually, making both Harry and Alicent look at her with surprise and questioning expressions.

"The Great Schism?" Alicent asked in surprise, while Harry nodded gently and replied.

"That was the theory Viserys and I came up with, that the great families of old divided into magical and non-magical branches. Before my visit to the Council, he sent a raven to Winterfell demanding an audience with the Starks," Harry replied, and Alicent noticed how Desmella grimaced uncomfortably at those words.

"Is there a problem with the King's actions, my Lady?" Alicent asked curiously, making the blonde shake her head with a sigh before replying.

"Not at all. It's just that…the Starks and the Northern Houses are families that never experienced a Schism. They remained united and strong, which is why they're considered the most powerful and respected families in Westeros, although they can be somewhat…savage, especially the Lords of Winter," Desmella said calmly, making Alicent frown before replying.

"The Starks are vassals of House Targaryen," Alicent said with complete confidence, only to look on in confusion as Desmella and Harry shook their heads.

"Are they really? Do you see Northern representation at your court? Does it seem normal to you that a nation occupying half of all Westeros…remains apart from the affairs of your Court? How many Northerners fought in your kings' rebellions against Dorne? Did the Dragon King punish the Starks and the Northerners for failing to appear in all the wars they've waged?" Desmella challenged, instantly silencing Alicent, who didn't know how to respond to such an argument.

"Don't be mistaken, young Muggle. The Targaryens may sit upon the Iron Throne, but the oldest, most powerful, and most ruthless family on the Continent resides in Winterfell, not in that pigsty they call a capital," the blonde said, leaving Alicent silent and thoughtful.

Alicent had much to think about, but that could wait. For the moment, she was focused on continuing to admire the impressive city, specifically its summit, where the most impressive building of all stood: Irondeep Bank. That institution bore no resemblance whatsoever to the establishments of the moneylenders in Oldtown. It was a true fortress, built directly against the mountain and protected by two colossal statues of stone warriors rising on either side of monumental bronze-and-gold doors. Above the entrance, the bank's emblem gleamed, while numerous towers, walls, and illuminated windows stretched up the mountainside.

"Oh, some things definitely never change," Harry said quietly to himself, while Desmella raised her hand and exclaimed.

"Welcome to Irondeep Bank, the safest place to protect your wealth!" Desmella said with a smile, only to frown when she saw that, at the bank's immense entrance, there was a frenzied crowd filled with men, women, and children, all shouting at two dwarf riders stationed at the bank's doors.

"I AM LORD BLACK!! LET ME THROUGH!!"

"I AM THE RIGHTFUL HEIR OF SIRIUS THE GREAT!! MY GRANDMOTHER'S GREAT-GRANDMOTHER SAID SO!!"

"IT'S ME!!! LOOK AT MY HAIR AND MY EYES! I AM LORD BLACK!!"

The people shouted like animals toward a dwarf wearing a luxurious suit and monocle, along with a ridiculous hat. He had a thick beard and an enormous nose, and looked more irritated than Alicent could have imagined, before he shouted.

"SILENCE! SILENCE!!!" the…creature roared, ordering a pair of riders mounted on strange creatures to control the mob.

"OHHHH, interesting! What kind of creatures are those, Desmella?" Harry asked, evidently interested in the enormous beasts, which were completely unlike anything Alicent had ever seen.

They were large, not as large as a dragon, but perhaps twice the size of an ordinary horse. They had the bodies of dragonflies, although they seemed to be covered in a kind of…natural armor. They possessed two pairs of wings and six pairs of legs, as well as serpentine heads with long antennae that glowed with what was evidently magic.

They were…the most terrifying insects Alicent had ever seen, so she instinctively sought Harry's protection.

"Those are Stormwing riders. They're magical creatures native to Westeros that inhabit the marshlands of the Neck. They're normally harmless, but they're agile and possess tremendous flying capabilities. The dwarves use them to…"

However, Desmella's words were silenced the moment the two Stormwings guarding the bank's entrance released something resembling a roar, while their antennae began glowing more brightly and vibrating at a simply absurd speed.

"Be care…" Desmella tried to say, but Harry had already acted. Wand in hand, and with a speed that could only come from combat experience, her beloved conjured an enormous golden shield, just as a kind of…blue wave began emanating from the insects' antennae, rapidly spreading through the crowd.

With a…more than peculiar result.

Everyone present, men, women, and children, covered their ears as they began screaming in agony, falling to their knees before the bank's entrance.

However, when the magical attack struck the shield Harry had conjured, the waves simply bounced off, leaving Alicent, Desmella, and Harry completely unharmed.

"What the fuck is that?" Harry demanded, watching furiously as a little girl covered her ears and tears streamed from her terrified eyes.

"It's a defensive ability of the Stormwings. They emit a low-frequency sound that is simply unbearable to the ears. The dwarves have used them as war mounts for centuries," Desmella said with a frown, watching as the riders maintained the magical attack for longer than they were legally permitted to use it.

"This is monstrous," Alicent spat furiously, watching as the…creature who was better dressed, that dwarf in an immaculate suit, observed the crowd with barely concealed malice.

Until…

"Protego Maxima!"

Alicent heard Harry's voice roar beside her, his wand shining in his hand like a small sun, while a golden flash erupted from the powerful artifact.

A second later, the shield protecting their small group began expanding rapidly, growing larger and larger, until it gradually began covering the now-relieved wizards and witches.

"Come on. I've got some trash to put in its place," Harry spat, beginning to stride firmly toward the bank's entrance. He was angrier than she had ever seen him.

"My Lord! Wait, my Lord!!" Desmella said desperately, hurrying after Harry, with Alicent following them both as quickly as she could.

The crowd of wizards and witches rose to their feet, looking at Harry with curiosity, surprise, and realization in their eyes, observing the new Lord Black with devotion and near delirium as they began murmuring among themselves.

Seconds later, Harry reached the bank's staircase, his expression icy as he met the surprised, irritated, and cautious gaze of the dwarf in the suit, while the two riders watched with extreme caution as their beasts' magic had ceased to have any effect.

"My apologies for interrupting your pathetic spectacle and demonstration of power. I can't stand cowardly cockroaches like you abusing the tiny scraps of power you possess," Harry said with complete calm, making the crowd gasp loudly behind them, Desmella stare at him in absolute shock, and Alicent swallow nervously, having a…strange feeling that this moment would become one of those lessons Harry loved giving Prince Daemon.

The dwarf leader widened his eyes, genuinely shocked and incredulous that Harry had dared speak to him that way. His mouth opened and closed beneath his hideous, long beard.

However, before he could respond, Harry continued speaking, his tone casual and calm, making it clear to Alicent that her beloved had complete control of the situation.

"Curious creatures, completely unlike anything I've seen before. Dragonfly bodies and serpentine physiology…I imagine they're extremely intelligent," the handsome Lord said calmly, making the dwarven leader frown and spit furiously.

"Who the fuck are you…"

However, before he could finish, Harry focused his powerful gaze not on the dwarves, but on the relentless beasts, and then…

He hissed!

It was evident that this was a magical sound, a mournful, continuous hiss that, to Alicent's ears, was as chilling as it was threatening.

And judging by the reaction not only of Desmella, but of the other wizards, witches, and dwarves present, they all felt the same thing.

Terror.

In the blink of an eye, the two Stormwings became violently agitated, beginning to move erratically and dangerously, flying toward the entrance walls and repeatedly slamming their dwarf riders against them until they fell from their mounts, only to seize them with their terrifying, powerful legs and smash them against the ground, leaving them beside the now-terrified banker.

"But what…" the banker tried to say, only to release a scream of terror when he saw the two Stormwings land, one on either side of the trio of dwarves, both baring their fangs and making their antennae vibrate threateningly.

And judging by the absolute terror in the dwarves' eyes, they knew perfectly well what would happen next.

"Not so much fun being on the other side, is it, scum?" Harry spat with genuine hatred in his gaze, hissing another word, with immediate results.

Both Stormwings straightened their bodies as their antennae once again began emitting that terrifying magical wave, but now…focused entirely on the three dwarves.

"By Sirius!" Desmella exclaimed, utterly terrified, just as the three beings began screaming and writhing in agony beneath Harry's impassive and powerful gaze.

"AAHHHHHG!" the well-dressed dwarf screamed, writhing so violently that his ridiculous hat fell to the ground and his ears began bleeding.

"Not so much fun when you're on the other side, is it, you pieces of shit?" Harry spat, releasing a faint hiss that caused the two Stormwings to stop using their magic and quickly walk toward the new Lord Black, positioning themselves beside him like two guard dogs.

Immediately afterward, Harry moved his wand again in an elegant, precise gesture, causing the three dwarves to begin levitating, completely helpless. Their bodies were trembling, their ears bleeding, and all three were babbling incessantly.

"Mercy…mercy," the leader begged, something that, for some reason, enraged Harry even further.

"The same mercy you intended to show these people?" he spat furiously, making the dwarven chief ask in terror.

"Who are you? Who the fuck are you?" he asked fearfully, making Harry snort at the pathetic spectacle, just as the ring of House Black appeared on his hand, causing all three dwarves to turn pale at once.

"I am Harald, Lord of the Noble and Ancient House of Black, and your arrogance and stupidity, your abuse of power, have disgusted me as few things ever have. Some time ago, I dealt with a bank that had similar customs, you know? They believed they had the right to mistreat and subjugate whomever they pleased…what remained of them was nothing but a fucking ruin," Harry spat, while an aura of magic manifested around him and the Stormwings at his sides hissed threateningly toward the three terrified dwarves.

"Mercy, my Lord! Mercy! We didn't know you were here! We…" However, Harry didn't allow him to finish speaking. He simply snorted with obvious irritation and replied.

"Yes, that's the fucking problem. Your pathetic sense of authority," the Lord said, and without another word, he made a firm gesture with his hand, hurling the three dwarves toward the bank's enormous doors with such force that they burst open with a thunderous crash, while the poor idiots screamed in terror and pain.

"Come," Harry ordered, beginning to walk into the bank, the two Stormwings at his sides like a personal escort, while Desmella and Alicent followed behind him, watching as the stunned crowd remained outside, observing them in silence. At least until, with a movement of Harry's wand, the doors slammed shut again, leaving Alicent, Desmella, and the new Lord Black in the atrium of this…Irondeep Bank.

All the dwarves around them, guards and bankers alike, stared at Harry in astonishment, utterly shocked and incredulous, undoubtedly still unable to imagine that anyone could be so…insane as to do what her beloved had done.

"Who the fuck is in charge of this fucking place?" her furious man spat, while the three dwarves who had been used as battering rams groaned and writhed in agony and pain.

At those words, the spell that seemed to have kept everyone paralyzed was broken. The bankers began shouting in an unknown language, while riders and strange warriors, robust but rather short, began emerging from the atrium's side doors, all on maximum alert after what had happened.

"He invaded a branch of Clan Irondeep! This madman!" Desmella said to herself, utterly shocked and worried as she watched an entire regiment of terrifying soldiers rushing toward them.

Although, if Harry was worried, he concealed it masterfully.

Her beloved simply took a step forward, released a war cry, and knelt on the atrium floor, driving the tip of his wand into the hard, polished surface and causing strange, unnatural ripples to spread throughout the entire place.

And as soon as those strange ripples reached the dwarven soldiers…the floor simply melted…causing the warriors' feet to sink as though it were water, leaving them buried from the waist down in the floor, utterly astonished and defenseless.

Seeing this, many of the bankers appeared terrified, even more so when they saw Lord Black's furious expression.

"I'll ask one fucking time more. Who the fuck is in charge here?" Harry spat, his wand emitting tiny golden bolts of lightning, eager to continue the fight.

As though it were…alive, in a way.

And at that very moment…

"That won't be necessary, Lord Black. I'll make certain Chief Tharik attends to your request immediately," said an elderly female voice, drawing the attention not only of Alicent, but also of Harry and Desmella.

Looking toward the source of the voice, the trio watched as a beautiful and elegant older woman walked toward them, escorted by a pair of battle wizards, who gripped their staffs in absolute terror, looking toward Harry with undisguised fear.

"Lady Hightower. I'd say it's a pleasure to see you, but the circumstances are hardly ideal," Harry said, making Alicent gasp as she carefully examined the mysterious and evidently powerful woman.

The elderly woman merely looked around, her eyes taking in the…message Harry had delivered to the dwarves. The naked interest in her gaze made Alicent frown slightly.

"Remarkable. So much power…I suppose you're here to claim the Black vaults, aren't you?" the woman said, making Harry nod gently, giving the dangerous woman his full attention.

"Aye, that's right. The sooner I deal with this, the better. However, I encountered this trio of shitheads using the Stormwings' antennae to subdue and hurt a crowd outside the bank. I took such an offense personally," the black-haired Lord said, just as Desmella stepped forward and replied.

"They used the Storm's Lament for more than ninety seconds, my Lady, a direct violation of security protocol and the Treaty of the Dwarven Rebellions," the blonde said, making Lady Hightower frown and nod gently.

"Indeed, you're absolutely right, darling," she said before looking toward the trembling forms of the three dwarves, then focusing once again on Lord Black.

On her Harry.

"Accompany me, my Lord. I'll make certain you receive preferential treatment, although I'm sure that after this unfortunate incident, Clan Irondeep won't make such a mistake again," the woman said, taking her staff and beginning to walk toward the depths of the bank, with Harry and his companions following behind her.

The adventure was only beginning. Of that, Alicent was certain.

Without the slightest idea that, deep within the bank, her life was about to change completely and permanently.