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Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warnings:
Graphic Depictions Of ViolenceMajor Character Death
Category:
Gen
Fandoms:
House of the Dragon (TV)Warhammer Fantasy
Characters:
Ikit ClawRhaenyra TargaryenJacaerys VelaryonLucerys Velaryon (Son of Rhaenyra)Baela TargaryenRhaena Targaryen (Daughter of Daemon)Daemon TargaryenCorlys "The Sea Snake" VelaryonHelaena TargaryenAddam VelaryonBackground & Cameo CharactersSilverwing | Alysanne Targaryen's DragonOriginal CharactersJoffrey Velaryon
Additional Tags:
Crack Treated SeriouslyCanon-Typical ViolenceThe Dance of the Dragons | Aegon II Targaryen v. Rhaenyra Targaryen EraAlternate Universe - Canon DivergenceCanonical Character DeathCharacter Turned Into a HumanIkit got isekai'd as Jace's twinSkaven Species (Warhammer Fantasy)Death to all GreensHuman ExperimentationScience ExperimentsIkit is his own warningSilverwing still has shit taste in male ridersPOV MultipleBackground RelationshipsBackground Character Deathshow canon onlyDragon RidersAnimal AbuseIkit is an abusive dragonriderTho he's fairly mellow compared to his SkavenselfGood Parent Rhaenyra TargaryenNo beta we die like LucerysDysfunctional FamilyCannibalismBlood and TortureCanon-Typical BehaviorBAMF Helaena Targaryen
Language:
English
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Published:2026-02-26Completed:2026-04-22Words:181,492Chapters:55/55Comments:1,270Kudos:749Bookmarks:159Hits:33,636
The Rat Prince of Westeros
SkilledWarriorKiwi
Chapter 10: Lucerys
Notes:
x
Chapter Text
The dragon flicked his long finned tail from side to side, scaled muzzle wrinkling. Before him the brown-furred rabbit nibbled on a piece of grass upon one of the sandy dunes.
"Dracarys," Lucerys's voice seemed to echo across the beach.
Arrax snorted then yawned loudly before slumping down on the sand. The rabbit disappeared with a flash of its white tail, heading up towards the mountain. Meanwhile the white dragon flicked his tail again, sending a small billow of sand to dust up, but beyond that seemed content to start napping in the sun.
"He's supposed to breathe fire," Lucerys said crossly.
Tyraxes chirped, the pale violet dragon's call high and shrill almost like a bird, from where he was pressed up against Joffrey's side. His little brother blinked at him, "Did you say it wrong?"
"No. That's how it's said. Dracarys. Arrax is just being lazy because he ate that sheep yesterday. He would've roasted that rabbit."
"Arrax is still young and willful," Rhaenyra said. "Once you take your first flight upon him he will be far less so. Syrax was much the same but the first flight is what truly cements the bond between dragon and rider."
"How soon will that be?"
"Soon, my love."
"But you flew Syrax for the first time when you were only seven years. Why can't I fly on Arrax now? He's big enough," Lucerys protested. Arrax grumbled from the sand, his red frills fluttering in the wind.
Rhaenyra laughed, ruffling through Luke's hair. Above them the Dragonmont loomed, as always having a trickle of smoke smouldering from the peak of the ancient volcano. Around them was a small gaggle of dragonkeepers, including four with the heavy crate for Tyraxes and another with a length of chains for Arrax.
"Arrax may look strong, but remember he'll need to carry you and a saddle," Rhaenyra said. "So perhaps a year or more until he's strong enough. After all, he's still younger than Vermax who is only just getting a saddle made for him."
"Like Moondancer is."
"Yes, exactly. And when the time comes Tyraxes will have a saddle made for him," Rhaenyra then said to Joffrey, offering a hand. Joffrey ran to her, hitting her side and making her grunt.
"Joffrey be careful," Lucerys scolded. "Mother is pregnant, you might knock her down and make the baby be born silly."
"It would take a bit more than that to do such a thing," Rhaenyra laughed, tugging them both against her. "And besides, I'm not close to him being due just yet. A few moons left."
"How do you know the baby will be a boy?" Joffrey asked.
"Well they sit the same as you all did. So a mother knows. Now, it'll be dark soon so let us head back to the castle."
The dragonkeepers began the task of coaxing Tyraxes into the crate, tossing in some freshly cooked meat for the little violet dragon which chirped and shuffled inside. Arrax grumbled and hissed, but after some calls from Lucerys he reluctantly got to his feet and let the dragonkeepers guide him back towards the grand caverns. Lucerys and Joffrey were led in hand by their mother back up towards Dragonstone, the guards following at a more sedate pace.
As they walked, the beach making up for the ancient stone steps, Lucerys could hear Ceraxes's distant whistling roar.
It felt surreal to know that it had been over a year since Laenor had died, a part of Lucerys still thinking his father would randomly appear upon Seasmoke and everything would be hale. Even seeing Laenor set upon the altar where they would pay their respects before the burial at sea just felt distant to Lucerys. Laenor may not have been the permanent presence Rhaenyra was, but their father had still been there. Taking them on trips, teaching them how to stitch sails, pointing out constellations within the stars at night.
And then it was just little over half a year since Daemon became their good-father. Lucerys was even more unsure of that, even if he liked Baela and Rhaena and was happy to play and spent time with them at Dragonstone. Jacaerys had been much the same, uncertain and almost guilty about it while Joffrey was too young to really remember Laenor. Ikit was far more pragmatic when Lucerys asked him, not sharing the conflicted feelings his two brothers did.
"What even is the problem?" Ikit said grumpily when Luke and Jace talked to him about it one afternoon in Dragonstone's library. Out through the windows they could see Syrax and Ceraxes flying together.
"I mean, don't you think it was really short? Between both Lady Laena and Father, Mother and Daemon marrying so soon after they were gone..." Lucerys said, feeling downtrodden.
Ikit rolled his eyes, shutting his book with a loud thud that seemed to echo about the library, "Why? Both are dead, yes-yes. They are gone, Laenor is gone. Why spend time thinking about doing nothing besides squirming-writhing with worthless guilt? Den mother found a new mate, as is her right as leader of warren. Rogue Prince strong and highblooded to be worthy and the girl things aren't stupid. Mostly."
"Daemon is kind enough I suppose, and Mother is happy with him. And I like Baela and Rhaena," Jace traced meaningless figures on the table. "But with Father gone-"
"Exactly, he is gone-dead," Ikit waved a hand impatiently. "Are you a necromancer and can bring back dead things? No? Then no point in tears, they do nothing and why sit useless over something that cannot change. Grandsire wants revenge-retribution upon on who kill-killed Laenor as his right but beyond that Laenor is dead. Laena dead. Den mother is young. Rogue Prince is available as mate. So both are now wed and make the clan stronger. What else does it matter? Or do you think Laenor would hate den mother over it?"
"No, of course not-"
"Then why are you wasting my time complaining?"
"I don't know."
Lucerys knew enough Ikit really didn't care about regret. He never regretted anything, not even things like biting Aemond's eye out even if Luke had nightmares for weeks after that whole event. For him, death was just a normal thing to get used to and everyone should move on. Luke found a certain comfort in how blunt and rude Ikit could be, well used to his brother's more short temperament so Daemon was easily handled when he moved into Dragonstone. And Baela and Rhaena were nice even if, much like Luke and Jace, seemed uncertain by their parents marriage. But Rhaenyra welcomed the girls warmly and kindly, always happy to share her own memories of Laena and the friendship the two dragonriders had shared.
Lucerys hadn't realized that Rhaenyra and Laena had been such close companions in their youth, from what he heard he would've thought Rhaenya and Laena barely spoke but that obviously hadn't been the case. That had been instrumental in wooing both Rhaena and Baela, the girls warming up considerably after hearing so many stories of the two and their past friendship.
Luke supposed that was in part of how he was able to accept it more quickly than Jace, even if he still heard the whispers and rumours and judgement but realized Ikit's advice was its own comfort. Daemon may be sarcastic and blunt, but Ikit was just like that and Lucerys loved him the same. As it was, Daemon was never actually mean to them and Luke understood how Ikit said Daemon was a 'protector' and if Rhaenyra was happy then why would he care about her moving on so quickly. But as Ikit said, Mother was happy so despite his uncertainty Lucerys did his best to move past his misgivings.
Corlys and Rhaenys were another issue, but for all their negativity about Daemon and Rhaenyra marrying so soon after the deaths of Laena and Laenor they never let it affect their treatment of their grandchildren. The few times Luke could accidentally stumble upon anything like that the two would hastily change their conversation. As it was, Ikit was spending a week a month at Driftmark and eventually Luke found himself being invited there as well.
Syrax wasn't quite large enough to carry three passengers easily, so Ceraxes and Daemon would do so. Rhaenys meanwhile would fly her grandsons back upon Meleys, the Red Queen large enough to handle the extra weight. And the Queen Who Never Was would always reassure Luke that soon Arrax would be able to carry Lucerys for the trip, a good practice in flight. That was something he was always most eager for and after some discussing with Corlys the Sea Snake said ships could be modified to carry dragons especially as one as young as Arrax.
"There's always room on the sea for yet another sailor, and you have certain freedoms in not working for inheritance," Corlys said, when Lucerys mentioned Ikit urging both him and Joffrey to learn more about their Velaryon heritage and sea habits.
That then led to Corlys telling Lucerys all about one of his great voyages to Volantis, telling him about the ancient city and the Black Walls carved from dragonstone. There was even an offhanded mention about the disgraced Saera Targaryen, the ninthborn child of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne, who apparently still lived there even if Corlys hadn't personally met her. Then he told Lucerys of sailing past the Jade Gates to the Golden Empire of Yi Ti and that one trip alone led to House Velaryon doubling its wealth when he returned with countless exotic treasures.
"Even if you don't sail the ships, having a dragon means you can visit the port towns and cities and could enable trade there," Corlys told him. "Qarth is a beautiful city from the sea, I could not imagine how those three grand walls of Qarth would look from dragonback."
"They're...from the book, aren't they? One in the library. Wonders Made by Man by Lomas Longstrider," Lucerys remembered.
Corlys nodded, "Indeed, they're considered one of the nine man-made wonders of the known world. The Titan of Braavos is another one, which you could also see one day."
It was what Lucerys thought over in the following months, about how he could be an explorer of the sea just upon Arrax. He liked that idea, as he would get seasick some days and feel embarrassed for his Velaryon blood even if the sailors would be kind in their teasing.
Ikit also encouraged him immensely to bond more with Rhaenys and Corlys, the Sea Snake especially, which surprised him. His brother wasn't prone to to butting into their relationships so having Ikit invite him to Driftmark with him to learn from Colrys had surprised Lucerys but he had happily accepted. Rhaenyra had been harder to convince, and their mother would still regularly visit them while they were there even if the isles could be seen from each others shores.
"Den mother does as den mother does," Ikit had just shrugged when they heard Syrax's approaching trumpeting roar while at the port of Spicetown, Corlys looking exasperated from where he had been showing them one of the ships and having them label the parts. Lucerys didn't mind and he knew Ikit didn't as well. Out of them all, Rhaenyra could coddle and hug Ikit without being nudged away after a certain point.
When Rhaenyra announced her pregnancy some months after she was remarried there again was an odd feeling of something Lucerys didn't know. Guilt? Happiness? He wasn't sure and Rhaenyra had gone to his bedroom that night to reassure him that having a new sibling wasn't going to cause her to neglect them. Lucerys didn't really know why Rhaenyra was concerned with that, until Rhaena had told him how many horrible stories there were about widows remarrying and then neglecting their previous children to the point Queen Alysanne had introduced the Widow's Law over it.
Lucerys had never once believed Rhaenyra would wash her hands of her first children by Laenor but considering how Rhaena mentioned how common it had been Luke realized his mother was simply looking to reassure him and his brothers. Rhaena admitted she understood, as due to lacking a dragon she sometimes felt Daemon paid more attention to Baela which upset Luke when told. Rhaena was then quick to reassure him that she knew Rhaenyra was not akin to that due to the attention she kept upon Ikit, at times sometimes even favouring him. Luke never took offense to that, if only due to the fact Ikit obviously needed more of it and Luke would also happily spend extra time with his brother.
But after being told that by Rhaena Luke decided then they could find an egg for the baby, to let Rhaenyra know they would love their new sibling. All six of them went to the warming chamber, Rhaena and Ikit having their own eggs on hand- one pink and the other purple -while Baela, Jace, Luke and Joffrey all checked over the smouldering caskets of eggs set upon coal beds. Syrax and Silverwing regularly laid eggs upon the isle, even if Syrax's were the most easily retrieved.
Joffrey suggested an egg with a deep forest green shell but after a moment all the rest of them vetoed that suggestion.
"Chose a new-different colour," Ikit had then said in almost scolding tones when Joffrey then pointed to a dark plum egg.
"How about this pretty blue one? It's like the colour of the sea on a sunny day," Rhaena said, gesturing to one of the newer eggs. They crowded around it, staring at the turquoise coloured egg that was shot through with ripples of pitch black.
They all agreed to that one, even Ikit who always liked blue.
Rhaenyra had been extremely touched when they presented the egg at dinner, Luke feeling almost shy in showing Mother it and how misty eyed Rhaenyra had gotten. Baela and Jace were a lot more forward, happily explaining the many debates they had over the proper egg for their upcoming new sibling.
"We can get it ready in the nursery before the baby arrives," Baela said.
"And even if the egg doesn't hatch like Rhaena and Ikit there's other dragons unclaimed on the isle or maybe an egg will hatch that the dragonkeepers can raise for them to claim," Jace had said.
Now Rhaenyra's belly was curved and it would be only a few months before they could meet their newest sibling even if Rhaenyra was quite certain it was a son, to Rhaena and Baela's disappointment.
It was something Lucerys thought over again as they reached Dragonstone from their trip down to the beach. Rhaena admitted wanting to tame a dragon yet she still felt guilt over not gaining Vhagar. Lucerys knew that wasn't her fault and he had mixed feelings about Aemond over it; he was mad, but at the same time he remembered the way his uncle started screaming when Ikit latched onto his face and then tore his eye out with a spray of blood. Luke had never seen anyone bleed like that before and the way Aemond had screamed gave him nightmares.
It also made him remember how he had a knife in his hand before Ikit had burst out of the darkness to leap onto Aemond's back when he had Jace pinned, but it was something Luke he knew enough not to say. Lying was dishonourable but Luke thought claiming a dragon upon the day their rider died before their next of kin could try to claim said dragon was even worse so he just stayed silent. He still remembered Alicent and her knife, and his grandparents had remained firm the queen would never again be welcomed upon Driftmark for her actions and that of her son.
Lucerys went to bed still thinking about everything, wanting to fly on Arrax and hoping his upcoming little sibling's egg would hatch. Ikit never complained but he knew Rhaena was unhappy with being without a dragon. Ikit was always content to be locked up indoors, studying and scribbling odd machines, even mentioning once he wouldn't mind going to the Citadel of Oldtown to learn from the maesters, instead of prowling the island looking for a dragon. Rhaenyra had been immensely noncommittal about Ikit going to the Citadel, which Luke didn't know why but he felt it was one of the those adult concerns.
Little did he know, the following day would change everything.
It was a day like any other. He woke up, bathed, then had breakfast with his family. He spent the morning studying with Maester Gerardys, learning about mathematics which he hated. Then it was a break for lunch where he visited Rhaenyra and his good-father, then there was time in the training ring in the courtyard. He trained with Jace, watched Baela and Rhaena get in a shooting competition, then he had an afternoon lesson with the dragonkeepers in trying to guide Arrax. He hadn't seen Ikit the entire day but that wasn't out of the ordinary. Sometimes Ikit would get in moods where he'd lock himself up in his room, short tempered and foul if anyone disturbed him. During these times servants would simply leave food upon a table outside his door and knock then leave without entering.
Lucerys had been sent to go ask if Ikit was going to join them for dinner as Jace had been finishing up with Vermax having a saddle fitting. It was a hefty feast with numerous lobster, crab and crayfish which Luke knew Ikit really liked if only for the fact his brother liked snapping open the shells with his teeth. That had the potential to draw his antisocial brother out to dinner so Luke went with high hopes everyone would be in attendance.
Out through the windows the sky was apricot and the air was growing chilly. The servants had already lit the torches in preparation for nightfall but Lucerys had lived in Dragonstone his whole life and knew his way to his brother's room with his eyes closed. The ancient door had some of Ikit's strange symbols etched on them, which had lead to the closest thing to a fight between Ikit and Rhaenyra so time ago, but Lucerys just felt it fit his brother.
"Brother, it's time for dinner," Lucerys called out as he knocked and then pushed open the door.
Lucerys always liked Ikit's room, there were so many fascinating things there and he always liked the strange machines his brother would design and the fantastical creatures and people he drew. Ikit had so many stories that Maester Gerardys kept saying he should write books about them.
Dozens of candles were lit and across the floor were hundreds of sheets of parchment, some torn up or scrunched into balls. Ikit himself was over by the window at one of the desks which Lucerys knew his brother had spent days up days hunched over and writing so many strange things. Ikit didn't look up, focused entirely on the desk so Lucerys thought he was just lost in his head as he trotted up to his brother while being careful not to stand on any of the sheets on the floor.
"It's time for dinner," he said again, and again was ignored.
There was a strange smell to the air Lucerys couldn't recognize, even if it seemed oddly familiar as he approached.
He expected the desk to be covered in more parchment and sticks of charcoal but instead the desk was covered in dozens of shards of obsidian, all cut akin to gemstones. There was a small dagger, a hammer and chisel. There was a roll of bandages and scissors to the side, along with several bloody sewing needles and three empty vials stained in black. A small bell tower was perched upon one corner of the table, no larger than Luke's forearm. Beneath it all was dozens of sheets of parchment, random glyphs and sigils scrawled across the pages as if done with a frenzied hand. But what truly caught Luke's attention was the egg shell, scaled and split open into several different pieces to be heaped in a bowl filled with some sticky raw substance.
Lucerys gasped before running the rest of the way up to the desk with an excited, "Ikit! Did your egg finally hatch?!"
Luke looked around but couldn't see any purple scaled hatchling crawling about.
"No. Better than that, yes-yes, so much better," Ikit's raspy voice dragged Luke's attention away as his brother finally shifted to face him.
Ikit looked joyous, in a way Lucerys had never seen from his introverted brother. His smile was so bright it showed his gums, sharp teeth fully displayed and he was all but vibrating in his seat.
"What's so exciting?" Luke asked.
"Thisssss," Ikit hissed the word as he raised a bandaged hand; there, held carefully between two bloodied wrapped fingers, was a green stone no bigger than a pebble. It had numerous hard facets and its very core seemed black yet more and more green towards the surface until it was quite literally glowing with a queer emerald light. Like wildfire being held between Ikit's fingers.
"What is it?" Lucerys asked, voice hushed. There was something about the green stone that transfixed him, banishing aside all his excitement to replace it with cautious awe. It reminded him of how it felt to stare into Arrax's pale red eyes for the first time.
"Most precious of all substances, the pulse of our life. Warpstone," Ikit's voice was hushed, eyes blown wide as he continued to stare at the stone as if transfixed. "Its uses are infinite and I know so many of them, yes-yes. Like the heart of an endless fire yet it can not only consume it will change. It is magic well and true bore down into the most purest form. The ultimate physical manifestation of magic-enchantment. Not like the middling prayers of lesser things for warpstone brings real-true luck, changing what 'was to be' to what 'might have been' with none the wiser yet I for He has looked upon me and let me bring this into being in such a mundane world. Fire and Blood, the Clan words ring true like a Screaming Bell and the Great Horned One rewarded me, Ikit Claw, even in this lesser form."
"Warpstone..." somehow, just saying the word made a shiver race down Luke's spine. He kept staring at the stone, barely hearing his brother.
"I can recommit to my true purpose, to meld-twist sorcery and science until the two are indivisible," Ikit continued, the excitement in his voice infecting Luke and making him bounce up and down on his heels next to his brother. "Before there is lack of much attention to craftsmanship and stability yes-yes, but there is the precious metal here I now must know the secret of creating. Blood of Valyria, blood of dragon, magical blood, which is mine-mine in this world. And now that I have this I can commit to my calling!"
"Is it really that special?" Lucerys asked, trying to pull his gaze away from the glowing green stone to look at Ikit. He suddenly realized his brother's eyes were the same green as the stone.
"Do you understand, birthkin?" Ikit asked instead, staring at Luke with a frenzied stare that made him go stiff. "Now I can once again be Ikit Claw of Clan Skryre. The unfernal weapons, the magical machinations. To once again be a warlock engineer, the greatest of them all!"
"I don't understand. What does it mean? Any of those words? I don't know them or what they mean. Is that green rock really that special, brother?" Luke asked, looking to the bizarre green stone again but not understanding what his brother was talking about or why Ikit was so besotted by it. He had never felt more lost speaking to his brother than in this moment. Almost as if Ikit wasn't even talking to him.
"I think..." after a moment Ikit shut his eyes, taking in a deep breath as if forcibly making himself relax. When he opened his eyes again there was a fierce, unyielding determination within them but the near mad excitement was now under an iron control.
Lucerys watched as Ikit pulled off his necklace. With quick movements he untied the carved obsidian amulet from the strip of leather, before binding the leather throng around the glowing green stone in quick nimble movements. Once tied he tugged on it a few times, seemingly satisfied it wouldn't slip free, before he put his necklace back on with its new centerpiece. The stone laid on his collarbone, throwing green light across his face like a little lantern.
Ikit's grin to Luke was all teeth as he said, "I think it's time I tamed a dragon, yes-yes."
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