The courtyard at Dragonstone hummed with quiet anticipation, I stood beside Princess Rhaenys, dressed in fine clothes she had provided, soft dark wool trimmed in red, cloak draped neatly over my shoulders. I was taller than most my age, muscles already hard and defined from long hours in the pits, learning strength, endurance, and balance from the rigors of daily training I put myself through. My hair was short and curly, cut at my request, long hair only gets in the way, and one day I would need freedom of movement to wield real weapons.
High above, two dragons descended from the clouds, yellow scaled Syrax touched down first, wings folding with a rush of wind, Princess Rhaenyra dismounted gracefully, her long braid glinting in the light. Between her legs walked Jacaerys, just shy of two, his small hands clutching at her knees. Seasmoke landed beside them, bearing Laenor Velaryon, cradled before him was tiny Lucerys, barely a year, clinging to his father's chest.
I took a look at the boys, their hair was an odd brown, not the white silver of their parents, well, that's interesting, I put it together instantly. Two people with the same hair don't produce a child with brown hair, unless something's off like some birth defect, problem is both kids have it, someone's been getting around, it seems.
Rhaenyra's eyes found me instantly. "The child you wrote of this is him?" she asked, her voice sharp with curiosity.
Rhaenys inclined her head. "Indeed it is, I first spied him in the sky, riding a dragon, a monstrous one at that, smaller and younger than Vhagar, but closer to Vermithor in size. He had no saddle, no reins, and no clothes, a sight as wild as any I have seen."
Laenor let out a short, incredulous laugh. "By the mother, truly?" He adjusted Lucerys, who squealed at the movement.
Rhaenyra's violet eyes narrowed. "No child of such a young age should master such a creature, it is unheard of."
"Unheard of? Then perhaps I am the first." I met their eyes with a grin.
Laenor chuckled. "Seven save us, the boy has teeth, many grown men would pale, yet he speaks of it as if it were nothing."
Rhaenys glanced sideways at me, her brow lifting slightly. "He speaks well for one so young, doesn't he?"
She paused, her look lingering. "I found him in the library a day ago, buried in a book twice the size of his head. From what he told me, no one had taught him, yet he read with ease, asked me about Maegor, about Valyria, about dragons."
Laenor blinked. "He was reading? At such a young age?"
Rhaenyra's lips parted slightly. "That's not normal"
I lifted my chin, letting the silence hang. "I dream," I said simply.
Laenor raised a brow. "Dreams taught you how to read?"
I nodded. "Sometimes I see things in sleep, words, symbols, names, they stay with me when I wake, I don't know how, but they do."
Rhaenyra studied me closely. "Strange."
I shrugged, grinning. "It's not the strangest thing that has happened I even ran into Vermithor he didn't scare me."
Rhaenyra's eyes widened. "Vermithor?" she echoed, disbelief lacing her voice.
"Yes," I said boldly, leaning slightly forward. "I came across him once, alone, he tried to eat me, I guess, I survived, as you can obviously tell."
Laenor let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "By the gods, a child so young, and he faced one of the largest dragons and lived, madness!"
Rhaenys rested her hand lightly on my shoulder, her expression steady. "Boldness is the way of dragonriders, and this child has already proven it."
Jacaerys gurgled happily between his mother's knees, reaching a tiny hand toward me, while Lucerys shrieked and kicked at his father's chest.
Laenor's eyes lingered on me, a frown of curiosity and awe. "The boy's face, the stance, even the way he carries himself, does that remind you of someone?"
Rhaenyra's voice dropped low. "Daemon," she said at last, almost a whisper.
Rhaenys's eyes widened, shock flashing across her face. "It was there all along, how did I not realize it before, but now I cannot unsee it."
I straightened, grin still tugging at my lips. "So I look like the rogue prince? Perhaps that is no bad thing, he fights, he flies, he takes what's his, if I'm like him, I'll not be ashamed of it."
Laenor gave a half laugh. "He even speaks like him, a boy so young, yet with a tongue like tempered steel."
Rhaenyra's eyes narrowed again, studying me. "He speaks better than most boys twice his age.
Rhaenys nodded slowly. "There's something sharp in him."
Rhaenyra's expression hardened, her gaze lingering. "Daemon's likeness is dangerous, child, my uncle leaves fire in his wake, you would be wise not to boast of it."
I only shrugged. "Fire does not frighten me, it never has."
Rhaenys's hand tightened slightly on my shoulder. "Brave words, but perhaps that is what unsettles us most the fearlessness, that too is Daemon's gift."
The talking in the courtyard was cut short by the sharp clatter of boots against stone, a guard hurried forward, clutching a raven whose wings beat frantically against its tether.
"Princess Rhaenys," he called, bowing slightly, "a raven from King's Landing."
Rhaenys took the letter, breaking the crimson seal with careful fingers, the message unfurled on vellum, the elegant hand of the Red Keep's maester clear and precise, her eyes scanned the lines, and the courtyard fell silent.
"By command of His Grace, Viserys of House Targaryen, First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm," she read aloud, voice calm but firm,"Princess Rhaenys Targaryen is to bring the nameless child in her company to King's Landing. The matter shall be laid before the court to bear witness. Delay will not be suffered."
Laenor exhaled. "The King wastes no time, indeed."
Rhaenys' gaze swept down towards me, sharp and commanding. "Hurry, then, prepare yourself, we leave now, cannot delay a royal summon."
I casted a quick glance at Princess Rhaenyra. "I suppose I should say goodbye?" I asked.
Rhaenyra gave a faint nod. "Yes, child, mind your manners in the court."
I crouched slightly to meet Jacaerys's bright eyes, perched safely between his mother's knees. "Farewell, little prince, grow strong, so we can train together, I'll definitely learn how to wield a weapon soon," I said, offering a daring grin. Jacaerys gurgled and reached a tiny hand towards me for a second time.
Lucerys squirmed in his father's arms, letting out a shrill squeal as I waved. "Goodbye to you too." I added.
Laenor's expression softened for a moment. "Take care, boy the blood of Old Valyria runs fierce in you."
Kings Landing - Council Chambers
The chatter of courtly affairs drifted through the vaulted chamber as King Viserys I Targaryen presided over his small council, around him sat.
Hand of the King: Lord Lyonel Strong
Grand Maester: Grand Maester Mellos
Master of Laws: Lord Lyonel Strong (who also served as Hand of the King)
Master of Coin: Lord Lyman Beesbury
Master of Ships: Ser Tyland Lannister
Master of Whisperers: Lord Larys Strong
Lord Commander of the Kingsguard: Ser Criston Cole
They debated trade routes, Dornish incursions, and the rising cost of grain, until a deafening roar echoed across the city.
The council men rose, startled, and rushed to the tall windows, in the distance, beyond the city walls, a massive shape descended from the clouds, its scales were obsidian black, gleaming like wet stone in the afternoon sun. The beast circled once, then landed with a gust of wind that stirred dust across the fields.
Beside it, Meleys followed, her crimson wings folding neatly as she touched down. Though regal, she was clearly dwarfed by the black dragon's size and presence.
A hush fell over the room.
King Viserys I Targaryen remained standing, eyes locked on the distant field beyond the city walls, the black dragon loomed like a shadow cast by the gods themselves, its wings folding with slow finality.
"That is the child's dragon, the one Rhaenys wrote of," King Viserys said, voice steady but sharp. "Send a carriage, bring him to me at once."
Arrival at the Council
Some time later, the doors opened, Princess Rhaenys entered, her crimson cloak flowing behind her, a boy next to her tall for his age, white silver curls cropped short, dressed in fine wool trimmed in red, his posture was confident, his eyes glowing bright purple as the sun reflects off of it.
The council watched in silence as they approached.
Viserys leaned forward, a smile creeping across his face. "Can't deny he has the look," he said with a chuckle. "Is this the child you spoke of, cousin?"
That's about the hundredth time I've heard those exact words, fuck, I should've just flown off when I had the chance, first I meet another dragonrider, and now, within days, I'm standing in a room with a fucking king.
Rhaenys nodded. "I came upon him in the sky, Your Grace, he was naked, without saddle or reins, truly, an encounter most strange."
The council murmured, stunned.
"Gods be good, it's astounding that a boy so young stands before us, after everything you've told us he has done," King Viserys said.
"And he can read," she added. "I came across him in the library the next day, buried in a book, I asked who taught him, he told me no one, yet he read it effortlessly."
Grand Maester Mellos adjusted his robes. "Send him to the citadel a child with that level should be able to do great for the realm in study"
"I'm good, old man."
Fuck getting locked up in some library.
Grand Maester Mellos sighs as the others laugh around him
Viserys studied the boy. "Child, where did you come from?"
"Flea Bottom," I said.
A ripple of surprise passed through the council.
Lord Wylde frowned. "A dragonrider from the slums? It would not be impossible, but it would be unprecedented."
Rhaenys stepped forward. "He says he dreams, Your Grace, that's how he learned to read, he sees words in sleep, symbols, names."
Viserys's expression shifted, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "Dreams, like Daenys the Dreamer?" he murmured. "My daughter Helaena has been having dreams as well, lately, interesting"
The room fell silent.
Then Viserys stood slowly, eyes locked on the boy's face. "My gods," he whispered. "He looks like a tiny version of my brother."
The council erupted.
"If this is true, it's a scandal," muttered Lord Beesbury.
"Daemon has always had, interesting pursuits," said Larys Strong, voice smooth.
Viserys raised a hand. "Send a messenger to Pentos, ask my brother about his past activities, tell him of the dragon, that will amuse him, and pique his interest."
A moment passed, then a voice from the corner "And if Daemon does not claim him, Your Grace?"
Viserys turned, thoughtful. "Then something must be done still, the boy rides a dragon, he has the blood of the dragon."
Viserys rose slowly, the weight of his crown heavy on his brow, "The child will remain here, in the Red Keep, he is to be treated with up most care, if Daemon comes to claim him, I will legitimize the boy, there are too many similarities, and perhaps naming him will mend the fire in my brothers heart.
"Take the boy to a spare quarters," Viserys continued, his voice firm. "Have a guard keep watch over him, and see that the servants attend to his needs. I shall call upon him in time."
The guards didn't speak as they led me away, I followed, silent, my footsteps echoing against the stone floors of the Red Keep. The halls twisted and climbed, filled with flickering torchlight and the distant murmur of voices I couldn't place.
They brought me to a room, not grand, but clean, a bed with fresh linens, basin of warm water and a tray of food I didn't touch.
One of the guards stood just outside the door, his armour clinking softly whenever he shifted. I sat on the edge of the bed I lay back eventually, staring at the ceiling,
What a long fucking week, one moment I'm claiming and riding a dragon, the next I'm meeting a princess of House Targaryen. Then I'm at Dragonstone, the ancestral seat of their house, meeting the heir, her husband, and two boys, one of them I assume is the future king of the realm, then came a summon from King's Landing, after Rhaenys sent a raven, I flew back over to King's Landing, the place that's home to Flea Bottom, my home for basically all of my life I was then taken on a ship, not even knowing where I was going, back and forth.
The king thinks there's a chance I could be the son of Daemon Targaryen. That would make me a prince, if it's true, he said there is a chance he would legitimize me, if Daemon claims me. Having a dragon probably helps that a lot, they wouldn't want a bastard flying freely around. Being Daemon's son would make my uncle the king of the realm. I don't really want to be trapped in here, I want to adventure out, travel the realm the Greyjoy's sound like fun people, I have a dragon so travel is no issue. I'll probably be meeting more people tomorrow, I need to start learning how to wield a weapon, the art of shooting a gun is far different from swinging steel.