A/N: The duel begins~
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They meet in the middle of Blackwater Bay, as agreed. There will be no witnesses to this duel, but then to be fair, that was apparently par for the course when it came to duels between dragon riders. Indeed, Axel had spent the last day or so doing research, reading every account that he could get his hands on that described such fights.
What he'd learned was that battles like this often happened without an audience and there was little to actually be said about the tactics of dragon riders, let alone someone who controlled three dragons instead of just one. In the end, he was just going to have to wing it.
Still, she's brought all of her dragons at least. That was one of Axel's greatest worries, that she might try to trick him by accepting his challenge and then send one or two of her dragons off to wreak havoc elsewhere. But no, all three are here before him now… and what majestic beasts they are too.
One has scales of green and bronze, another scales of cream and gold, and the last is black with streaks of red. All three are utterly massive, each about the size that Euron's Kraken had been, though not as big as the Sea Dragon that Axel had killed and left on the shore of Pyke.
Their eyes are alight with an unnatural orange glow though, and more of that orange glow spider webs across all three of their bodies as well, as if their very veins are filled with the sun's energy. Just looking at them, Axel immediately gets the sense that these creatures are each far stronger than the kraken he fought. But then, he'd expected as much.
Meanwhile, their mistress sits upon the back of the one with black scales, her silver-gold hair and violet eyes making her lineage obvious even without the presence of her dragons. This was the last of House Targaryen. This was Daenerys Stormborn.
She's gorgeous, admittedly. She easily makes the top five most beautiful women he's ever laid eyes on and Axel won't deny that part of him wistfully wishes things could have turned out differently. If only there was a world where they could have talked things out instead of… this.
Of course, for all his wistfulness, Axel has not come to this battle unprepared. Euron Greyjoy's Valyrian Steel Armor has been refitted by a blacksmith called Tobho Mott, one of the only men in all of Westeros capable of working Valyrian Steel. He'd done good work, resizing Euron's suit of armor for Axel's larger frame by melting down a few of the Valyrian Steel Daggers from Euron's hoard to fill in the additional spaces.
He knows he cuts an imposing figure wearing the full set of armor with its rippling patterns all across the metal, Stonehart sheathed at his side. Not that Daenerys Targaryen seems to be all that intimidated as she stares at him from the back of her biggest dragon.
They gaze at one another in silence for a moment, Axel floating in the air unaided. The green and cream colored dragons begin to circle around him and he tenses up, ready to immediately move if it looks like they're trying to go past to King's Landing.
But no, they're just making sure he has nowhere to run, cutting him off from all sides while at the same time flying in such a way that they don't have to use too much of their stamina just flapping in place. The massive black dragon on the other hand, simply stays right where he is, his gigantic wings moving up and down in massive beats as he maintains his position.
Axel watches as Daenerys lifts herself up out of her saddle and moves into a standing position on the dragon's back. He's half-tempted to launch himself forward right then and there and take her out immediately. He could snatch her off of the dragon's back and slam her into the ocean below in a split second, before any of her beasts could react. Maybe he could drown her faster than they could stop him.
But… no. He holds steady, still very aware of the danger to King's Landing. Even if it's far enough in the distance to barely be a speck on the horizon, he still doesn't intend to risk it.
Of course, it turns out that Daenerys is not just… putting on a show. A moment after she's stood up on the black dragon's back, she starts to glow just like her dragons do. Her eyes blaze orange, her hands are suddenly covered in claws, and draconic horns grow from her skull as wings spread from her back.
Axel's eyes narrow at the transformation, his lips curling down into a frown., The much too libidinous part of him softly notes that she's even hotter than before like this. But that's not all. Slowly, but with clear skill and experience, Daenerys pushes herself off of her dragon and flies under her own power, approaching him while the dragon with black scales joins its brothers in flying circles around them.
Daenerys stops about a hundred feet away from him, her wings flapping and her upper lip curling into a sneer as she calls out.
"Axel Baratheon. The Usurper's Bastard. I have come to put an end to your tyranny!"
His jaw clenches and his hands curl into fists. He doesn't really care about being called a bastard. He doesn't even care that she calls his father a usurper. But tyranny? Now that's some bullshit.
"Daenerys Targaryen. You should have stayed in Essos. Your Red Priestess and her God have led you and your dragons to your deaths."
That, Axel can tell, hits a nerve. The orange glow in her eyes intensifies and she snarls, her claws snapping at open air.
"Melisandre has NOTHING to do with this! What I do today, I do because YOU forced my hand! I would have STAYED in Essos if you hadn't ordered me and mine killed! All that I have suffered, I suffered at YOUR command!"
Wait, what? Axel can't help but furrow his brow in confusion. Did she truly believe that? Was she delusional? Either way, he's not going to just let that stand.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I've never done anything to you or anyone you cared about, O' Dragon Queen. I would have been more than content to live and let live if you had simply stayed in Slaver's Bay and continued to kill Slavemasters while freeing slaves."
Daenerys lets out a bark of disbelieving, humorless laughter at that.
"So eager to play the fool, are you? Or maybe you just forget your catspaws that easily! Do you not remember Ser Jorah Mormont? He told us everything before he was executed! It was YOUR Master of Whispers who gave the command, Baratheon! Varys the Spider ordered the death of me and my dragons! You really expect me to believe he did so without his King's approval?!"
That… oh for fuck's sake. Really Varys? Axel almost wishes he could reach back in time and throttle the damn eunuch. All of this… no, it wasn't just because of the assassination attempt was it? That was just the excuse. Still, Axel refused to be blamed for something he truly did have nothing to do with.
"Believe me or not, but Varys acted on his own initiative, Targaryen! Not just without my knowledge, but in direct defiance of my orders, which were to leave you alone! Look at me! Look at the power I wield! I have no need for assassins. If I truly wanted you and your dragons dead, I would have gone over to Essos, tracked down your husband's khalasar, and done the deed myself."
Daenerys falters at that and for a second Axel thinks she might believe him. Ironic given that if he did fall here today, assassins and poisons were exactly what he was relying on to deal with the threat she posed in the event that he was somehow not enough. It wouldn't be very honorable, but he would make sure his Queens survived to give birth to his children… by any means necessary.
The Dragon Queen's surprise doesn't last for long before she shuts off again, snarling at him.
"I don't believe you. And… and it doesn't matter anyways. For Westeros to live, you must die Axel Baratheon. I am Azor Ahai Reborn and you… you are in my way."
Axel lets out a huff of laughter. Just what had that Red Priestess put in this woman's head? She truly believed herself some sort of savior, didn't she? Spreading his arms wide, Axel grins.
"Come then. Seize your destiny."
That's all she needs to hear, in the end. Though rather than plunge forward herself, she spits out a single word.
"Dracarys!"
It was at least a little clever of her, admittedly. Get him talking, get him focused on her, and have her dragons circle around him like a bunch of vultures, ever moving. Except her beasts were clearly more intelligent than the old writings on dragons said. Either that, or the obvious magical connection between her and them allowed for far deeper communication than even the Targaryens of yore could rely on.
Either way, in the instant before Daenerys even gives her command, all three dragons have already stopped dead. One behind him, one to his left, one to his right. And the second that the word 'dracarys' leaves her lips, they all let loose massive streams of dragonfire directly at him.
Axel is already gone, not that they notice. He flies straight up and dodges completely. He doesn't know whether he's immune to dragonfire or not after the wildfire explosion, and more importantly he doesn't know what the melting point of Valyrian Steel is. He's vaguely aware of the fact that Valyrian Steel was said to be originally forged by dragonfire and he has no desire to have his armor melted off of him or his sword reduced to slag at his side.
As the streams of dragonfire finally abate, the air clears and Axel stares down at Daenerys imperiously. The Dragon Queen takes a moment to figure out where he's gone before looking back up at him, her eyes wide in shock… and the very first inkling of fear. Axel smiles mirthlessly, even as he puts down the faceplate of his helmet.
"My turn."
He launches himself towards her, a move that immediately forces Daenerys to retreat. Her dragon wings beat, shooting her backwards… and as expected, one of her dragons whips himself into the fray, the cream colored one launching himself at Axel's side without hesitation, his jaws opening wide enough to swallow Axel whole.
Of course, that doesn't happen. Mostly because Axel rears back the fist holding Stonehart and slams it into the rows of dragon fangs as they come close enough. His Valyrian Steel clad knuckles rake across the dragon's teeth, shattered several and sending the beast careening back from the strength of the blow.
The next dragon comes in from his other side while this happens though, showing their greatest strength in this 'duel'… they have the numbers. There are four of them and only one of him. And yet… even as the dragon, this one the green one, tries to bite down and shake him back and forth, Axel reaches up and grabs hold of its upper lip… and twists.
They might have numbers, but despite being stronger than Euron's Kraken, they still aren't as strong as him. With absolutely zero leverage, Axel nevertheless rights himself, rotating the dragon who is currently fruitlessly trying to gnaw at his Valyrian Steel Armor onto his side in the process.
Stonehart still rests in his hand and in that moment, Axel is perfectly positioned to slam the blade of it up through the roof of the dragon's mouth and into its brain. He could have killed the beast right then and there. But he refrains. Instead, he brings his fist down on the edge of the massive dragon's eye socket, causing it to let out a screech of pain that echoes for miles around and finally forcing it to release him from its jaws.
To their credit, as a group his enemies don't let up, even as the green one flies back in retreat. The black one takes its turn, aiming to grab him with talons rather than chew him with fangs. Axel just snorts derisively, dodges around the talons like a particularly slippery eel, and then slashes the tendon on the back of one of the black dragon's legs to send it also flying away with its own roar of agony bellowing forth from its maw.
They aren't strong enough. Its not something he just realizes, but rather something he comes to understand after those initial passes. Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons, for all their power and all the blood she sacrificed, are not strong enough to beat him.
Oh, they're certainly tough. Powerful. Deadly and dangerous. But they aren't going to be able to win. This Trial by Combat is practically already won. This fight is already over. His Queens, his people, his city… are all safe.
With that realization, Axel begins to relax just a little bit. And while he COULD have gone for the kill, instead he begins to play with his food just a teensy, tiny bit. But then to be fair… he'd always, always wanted to wrestle with dragons. From the very moment that he'd first heard of Daenerys' hatching them all those months ago, Axel had fantasized about this very fight taking place.
Now that he knows they aren't strong enough to hurt him, let alone kill him, he can't help but want to savor the moment a little bit longer. And maybe, just maybe, he's enjoying the look of despair and realization on the Targaryen's face as she learns, inch by inch, beat by beat, clash by clash… just how outclassed she and her dragons really are.
To his credit, Axel isn't completely sandbagging. He still doesn't want to risk any sort of suicidal rush to take out everyone he loves or something when the end finally comes. But that's easy enough to handle. He just… starts corralling Daenerys and her dragons back towards Dragonstone.
A punch to the snout of the dragon with black scales sends it flying back a few thousand feet. He grabs the tail of the cream colored one and spins for a moment before outright throwing it even further before it's finally able to right itself. The green one comes at him with its maw wide open, still trying to eat him, so Axel just grabs hold of it by the jaws and flies it backwards, pushing it away.
Daenerys stays close the entire time, though she seems too afraid of his strength to approach. He could have gone after her at any time, but so long as she wasn't trying to flee, he really had no reason to. Fighting her dragons was just so much more… fun.
Soon they're almost over the skies of Dragonstone itself. The island is only a few miles away now, with Axel having forced Daenerys and her dragons into a fighting retreat that has left scales ripped away, fangs busted, and claws lost to the waters of Blackwater Bay.
And Axel? Axel is just getting started.
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A/N: Looks like Daenerys should have listened to Melisandre after all…
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