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Chapter Text

Rhaenyra sets her child down on the stone beneath the Dragonmont. In the tradition of their house, the daughter she always desired would be cremated with dragon fire. She called Syrax from her cave to burn her daughter, the one Daemon and she had discussed naming ‘Visenya’ after their ancestor. He was the one to suggest the name without her prompting it. She adored her husband. 

When she birthed their daughter, she had called out for him. Daemon had been there for their sons’ births. He held her hand and let her scream profanities at him, blaming him for the pain of childbirth. Daemon did not come to see her until she held the stillborn girl in her arms. 

He apologized for not coming sooner. The circumstances were dire. The king had just died and the Greens seized control. If Daemon had not commanded and organized her council while her body was being torn in two, she would have been angry with him. The Greens were bound to come for her head and her children’s heads. Daemon was protecting their family. 

He held Rhaenyra as she held the girl close to her chest. There were no tears. She had nothing left in her after bleeding and birthing a child she knew would be stillborn. The shock of her father’s death had also killed her daughter. The Greens would pay for this and everything else they had stolen from her and her family.

Daemon held their daughter, shrouded in a white cloth, as she washed the blood from her thighs and changed clothes. He placed his head against the bundle and she heard him whisper words of revenge for their daughter. She wished he was whispering promises to keep their daughter safe instead if she had lived. Together they took Visenya out of the castle and to the cliffs beneath their castle to surrender her to the Valyrian gods. 

She grimaced thinking of the way Daemon had caressed her stomach only days ago. He had smiled knowingly after telling her Syrax had laid three eggs. Three eggs for the one she carried and two future children. Rhaenyra stepped away from the stone where her daughter lay and held onto Daemon’s upper arm. 

She was weak from birth and wanted to feel her husband beside her. A reassurance in their hectic world. Dragonstone had been their sanctuary, now it would serve as a reminder of their pain. Earlier she called out for her golden dragon. The bond they shared echoed throughout the terrible day. Rhaenyra had heard Syrax’s cry beyond the balcony and the creature shared in her pain. 

Syrax perched on a boulder next to Caraxes. They were a bonded pair, much like her and Daemon. Caraxes let out a shrill cry when Syrax moved forward on Rhaenyra’s command. She opened her mouth and said the words that would burn her daughter.

A thunderous roar erupted in the sky, drowning out Rhaenyra’s command. Rhaenyra looked up and saw a great black beast descending from the skies. His scales looked like obsidian reflecting the sun’s rays. His wings cast a shadow over her daughter’s funeral. He was older and larger than Caraxes. The Cannibal had arrived. 

When he landed behind Syrax, he snapped at her in a warning. Syrax moved out of the Cannibal’s way. The beast known for eating dragon eggs and attempting to fight the other dragons lumbered forward until his head was feet away from Visenya’s body. His nostrils flared breathing in the stillborn’s scent. 

Daemon shoved Rhaenyra behind him and drew Dark Sister. Vibrant green eyes flashed toward Daemon’s sword and opened his maw as he snarled at Daemon and Rhaenyra. Looking into his mouth, she saw the sharp incisors ready to bite into her and her husband. She would welcome death at this point if she did not have her children to defend from the Greens. 

“Rhaenyra, step back slowly,” Daemon ordered his wife. 

The Cannibal closed his jaws and glanced down at their daughter with what she thought was sorrow. Dragons were intelligent creatures. She knew Syrax experienced feelings far greater and on the same level as herself. Rhaenyra was not sure what possessed her at that moment, but she pulled back on Daemon’s arm. 

“We are both going. I am not going to lose another person I love today. Two is enough,” She said solemnly. Daemon nodded and started stepping backward with his sword and eyes trained on the black dragon. Green eyes flickered to the couple as they distanced themselves from the beast. He nudged the bundle with his nose as if he was trying to wake Visenya. 

Once they were far enough away, the Cannibal brought his head back. Orange flames with traces of green poured out of his mouth to engulf her daughter’s body. The shroud covering the infant burned quickly. 

Beneath the flames, Rhaenyra saw the scales on her daughter’s body curl and disappear as the fire consumes the flesh. Rhaenyra tightened her grip on Daemon’s arm. Her purple eyes cannot look away from the black-scaled beast burning their daughter. All her hopes and dreams for Visenya go up with the smoke. 

The Cannibal closed his great maw and stared intently at the charred bundle. He leaned forward and his snout nudged her daughter. The crowd of people watches him touch the stillborn, unsure of what to say or do. No one in their right mind would challenge him. 

A piercing cry broke the silence. The cry Rhaenyra had longed to hear from her newborn. There was movement on the stone where she had placed her daughter. Her daughter was crying with her mouth wide open. Rhaenyra gasped and ran toward the infant. She looked down at Visenya and watched with tears brimming her eyes as the charred skin flaked off her naked girl, leaving porcelain white skin in its place. Visenya is still screaming when Rhaenyra grabs her and holds her tight to her breast.

“It is alright, my sweet girl,” She whispered as she caressed the infant’s face. Her screams lower in intensity and pitch before stopping entirely. Visenya opened her eyes. They are a vibrant green, the same shade as the Cannibal’s, when they should be purple or lilac like her parents. Rhaenyra cared not though. These eyes were the only green she would ever be thankful for. 

Rhaenyra glanced up from her daughter to look at the dark dragon. The one that for some unknown reason burned and resurrected her daughter. She kneeled down and bowed her head to him. 

“Thank you,” she said in High Valyrian unsure if he would truly understand the concept of gratitude. He blinked slowly at Rhaenyra as if trying to communicate with her. Daemon now kneeled beside her. The Cannibal roared again before flying away, back towards his cave on the eastern side of the island.

Rhaenyra and Daemon stood back up. Daemon wrapped one arm around Rhaenyra’s waist and placed one hand over Visenya’s wispy white hair. His head rested on Rhaenyra’s shoulder as he watches their daughter. 

“The gods have chosen to save her,” He murmured into his wife’s ear. 

“They have and we will follow their guidance. We will protect her and the rest of our children with fire and blood, Uncle,” she vowed, holding Visenya even tighter. 

Chapter Text

The first time he opened his green eyes he was lying in a wooden structure layered with blankets and a single human youngling. He had fair white-blond hair and deep purple eyes. There was a link between them that told the dragon to protect the young one. The little one let out a shrill cry and batted at the freshly hatched dragon. 

Pieces of the dragon’s egg littered the crib in black and green scales. The dragon let out a hiss when an older human reached into the basket to hold his bonded human. Her hair was the same shade as the little one except it was braided into two tails. 

“Balerion’s get. You’ll be as brilliant as your sire. What name would you like?” The feminine voice asked holding his human. He shrieked at the human. 

“Black of scale. Green of eye. You will be quite the fearsome creature when my son rides you into battle,” She leaned down to pet him. He snapped at her with his black incisors. She let him draw red liquid from her skin. It tasted bittersweet. Tinted by the dark magic running through her veins. 

“Forax?” She questioned and then shook her head. “Baelion- No, that is too close to Balerion,” This also made the human shake her head. She looked through the window and to the great white circle hanging in the sky. 

“Daeaxes? Named for the god of the moon?” This word made the small dragon chirp. “Your name will be Daeaxes then. Your moniker will depend on your future nature, but if you are anything like your sire, you will be a plague on the people of Westeros.” 

——-

Daeaxes crouched in the center of a circle. His boy ordered him to stay inside of the circle as he stood across from the much smaller circle. He chirped at the eight-year-old boy and complied with the boy’s wish. His boy had never laid him astray. When the obsidian dragon had still been allowed in the castle, the boy had shared the rarest cuts of meat from the butcher’s block.  

The boy’s mother was also there standing between the dragon and his boy rider. He had once tasted her magic and was sickened to think of the bittersweet taste, tainted by the black magic she performed. She murmured words in High Valyrian as if she was casting a spell. Daeaxes tilted his head in question as her voice rose in pitch and power before he felt himself collapse to the ground by an unknown force. 

He felt as though he was burning from the inside out and not in the usual way a dragon would feel. Every last vein and artery boiled under his skin as the bond between rider and dragon was tarnished. Searing pain rippled over his scales as he attempted to move. Every muscle strained as he tried to thrush his body. Invisible ropes and tethers prevented him from moving. He opened his maw attempting to engulf the humans in flames. 

Nothing came. The woman stopped speaking and reached for the boy’s forepaws. Daeaxes could not move from his spot, but he roared as the two humans disappeared. When he eventually could move, he flew back to the castle in search of his boy. There must have been a mistake, he could no longer feel the boy’s presence. It made the dragon panic. Had his boy been hurt or killed? He saw the boy about to get on a wooden boat when the bronze dragon, Vhagar, appeared. She growled and chased Daeaxes away from the boy. 

Later, he realized the bonds that bound him to his first rider were stripped due to the boy’s hubris. The boy proclaimed he would only ride one dragon in life and it would not be the dragon born in his crib. Instead, he would ride only the Black Dread, not the Black Dread’s subpar offspring. The boy’s mother burned the bonds between the dragon and the boy in order for the boy’s hunger for power to be sated. 

The black dragon was left without direction and a pang of constant hunger. It chawed on his insides, taking away what little hope he had in humans and other creatures. The magic link between them had been severed horrifically. The boy had been twisted through dark magic and felt none of the effects of the loss. The woman ensured her son was protected from the pain that the dragon endured. He had the dragon’s name struck from the records, tombs, and any mention of the boy’s connection to the black dragon named Daeaxes was destroyed. 

It was a lonely existence and the soot-colored dragon attempted to consume everything he possibly could to fill his hunger. Sheep, horse, cow, human, and fish. Nothing could stop the hunger until the Cannibal ate a dragon egg laid by Vhagar.

The people of Dragonstone soon realized his preference for his own kind and nicknamed him the Cannibal. It was fitting for what Visenya had once called a plague. 

The hunger subsided for a short period of time after eating a dragon egg. Perhaps it was the innate magic that the egg held. It was the only time the Cannibal felt some semblance of peace.  He would continue to consume them. 

The black dragon isolated himself from the other beasts on the eastern side of Dragonstone. They did not take kindly to their offspring being eaten. One youngling decided to challenge the Cannibal, so the black beast killed and ate his flesh. This also sated the pain of a severed rider’s bond. 

Years passed in the Cannibal’s lonely existence. His previous rider became a man and claimed the Black Dread. He seized the throne and died a short while later. The dragon did not mourn the rider.  He would have ripped his rider to shreds for his and his mother’s betrayal if it had not been for Vhagar’s threat to kill the Cannibal. He had been a young dragon whereas she was at least 100 years by that point. He imagined the boy’s face as the Cannibal tear him limb by limb. Even after the boy’s death, the hunger remained. Dragon eggs would remedy it for a short month before it raised its ugly head again.

 It was a cycle. Consume dragon flesh or let the pains overwhelm him. The constant need for feed drove him mad from the inside. Every second of every day was built around this insatiable hunger except for when he ate the flesh of his brethren.

—-----

The Cannibal awoke to the sound of Syrax’s sharp shrill of pain. It was similar to the one she had used whenever her rider whelped a new youngling. This was no different. The golden dragon had laid a batch of eggs only days ago. He had been too slow in retrieving them before they were taken in by Caraxes’ rider for their own get. 

At over 100 years old, the Cannibal felt everything bone crack as he arched his back. He crawled towards the entrance of his cave and surveyed the ground beneath the mountain. Nothing had changed, but there was a different charge to the air. Syrax let out another painful cry. 

For a brief moment, he saw a woman covered in blood flash crying over a youngling resting on the ground. The young one had but one breath. It was covered in silver scales and smaller than most other babes. It was female and he felt the insatiable hunger leave him. He felt old magic creep over his limbs and tie him to this tiny creature. The gnawing ache that crawled across his insides was gone, leaving only a fierce desire to protect the youngling. A gentle reprieve in the 100 years of agony he felt as the magical bond spread over his body, attaching him to the small babe. The same one he had shared with the boy, the rider he had hatched for originally. Then the bond vanished just as quickly as he felt the babe’s presence slip into the abyss. 

The Cannibal let out his own mournful cry to join Syrax. The girl would have been his rider, but she was dead. He lashed his tail angrily, hitting the stone at the entrance of his cave. He stewed in his anger and hatred for the lot fate delivered him. He grasped the ground beneath his forelegs and scratched at it, letting his talons make new indents in the age-old rock. He was not sure how long he raged at his fate before he noticed Syrax descend with Caraxes to the cliffs below. 

There was a shift in the air and the Cannibal decided to follow after the mated pair of dragons. The black dragon cast out his wings and jumped over the edge, allowing his wings to carry him upward. He watched as a group of humans crowded themselves around a rock. The woman who had birthed his rider set a bundle of the rock and called Syrax forward.

 It was a common practice among the ruling class to burn their dead. Did the woman mean to have Syrax burn his rider? The Cannibal flared with envy. He would be the only one to cast flames over the girl that would have been his rider. 

He roared thunderously as he descended from the clouds and sky. His feet touched the ground and he twisted his neck to snap his jaws at the golden she-dragon. She squawked at him and jumped out of the way. The Cannibal stepped forward to face the pair of humans and the dead babe. His green eyes were only on the infant as he brought his head forward to smell her. She had been cleaned by the mother, but there was still the faint scent of iron, smoke, and incense. 

A flash of silver distracted the black dragon and his eyes flickered past the girl to the Targaryen man holding a Valyrian steel blade. He had forced his mate behind him. The woman was watching him with a strange expression, somewhat fearful, but not intimidated by him. He had seen the pair of them before walking on the beach, claws intertwined, their snouts pressed oddly into each other. They had shed their cloths and were a tangle of limbs on the sand. Humans had such queer mating rituals. The obsidian-scaled dragon growled at the pair in a warning. 

Closing his mouth, he turned his attention back to the infant. This infant had been birthed too early based on her size and appearance. She was covered in scales, now a white cloth shrouded her. The man and woman stepped back slowly away from the stone holding their youngling and the Cannibal glanced at them for a moment. They were suffering the loss as well. The Cannibal had not even properly met the infant who he had been meant to bond with and he felt the pain physically ripped through his insides. He leaned his head down and nudged the infant trying to see if she was playing dead. It was to no avail and the infant remained still. 

A woman dressed in black armor appeared before him. She had hair braided into two tails and the same blade as the man had attached to her body. Her body was translucent as she sat on the stone next to his rider staring down at the cloth. 

“Daeaxes, fate has been cruel to you. A hundred years after I stripped your bond with my son, you were finally allowed to form a new rider bond... Only for her to take one breath and then die,” She mused. 

The Cannibal felt the fire build in his throat watching the shade of a woman run her forepaws over the cloth. How dare this vile human speak to him like this or touch his girl with her tainted blood? He brought his head back and breathed orange and green fire onto the woman and his girl. The woman looked up at him with solemn eyes, clearly unaffected by the flames consuming the babe.

“For the rider I took, I will grant you this one back. You were wronged all those years ago. I should never have been so ambitious with my son,” She said as she bent down and kissed the girl’s brow the cloth burned and her skin turned the same obsidian black as his scales. The woman vanished and he closed his jaws. 

He watched the babe with blackened flesh open her eyes. They were a vibrant green, different from the purple-eyed boy, and for that he was grateful. He nudged the girl again and electricity shot through his body instilling the rider-dragon bond. The aching hunger dissipated as the girl reached out to touch his snout. His need to shield and defend her increased. 

The babe screamed then and the Cannibal brought his head back as the babe’s mother scooped her into her forelimbs. She cooed at her youngling before looking up, knelt down, and bowed her head in respect. 

“Thank you,” she said in High Valyrian unsure if he would truly understand the concept of gratitude. He blinked slowly at Rhaenyra, accepting her gratitude for bringing the girl back to the land of the living. The Cannibal looked at his girl bundled in her mother’s forelegs and knew she would be safe. He took a step backward before casting his wings out to the side and ascending to the skies. 

—-----

From afar perched on one of the cliffs just outside the island’s fortress, the Cannibal observed the humans meet on the stone structure. There was his girl’s father standing in front of several men in armor and holding blades at their sides. He was talking to a man with brown fur on his head and face. There was clearly venom between the two. The spines running down the dragon’s back were raised as he watched the two men glaring at each other. 

Syrax flew out over the fortress with the girl’s mother on her back and landed on the bridge. Resting on the woman’s chest, there was his girl strapped into a leather contraption. Her white downy fur was curled on top of her head. The Cannibal crawled closer to the scene feeling the nefarious intent from the brown-furred man toward the Targaryens. 

There was an exchange of words between the two groups of humans. The mother strode forward and ripped something off of the man. Swords were drawn, and the mother stepped back towards her mate. The Cannibal growled sensing the danger directed towards his rider and her family. He leaped from his perch along the cliffs and flew straight for the stone structure. His green eyes watched as the mother’s forepaw covered his girl’s head close to her chest before commanding Syrax to set the intruders on fire. 

Golden flames devoured them leaving nothing more than charred bones. The Cannibal landed on the cliffs next to the structure. The girl’s mother was standing in front of the men left on the bridge and her mate was showing his teeth in an amused fashion. 

“The gods favor us as seen when the Cannibal brought our daughter, Visenya, back to life. With their obvious favor, I will claim my throne. The one the Greens attempt to steal because my half-brother has the Conqueror’s name, sword, and crown. It is nothing more than pathetic claims of a dead man. Without the head of the viper, the rest of them will fall to ashes. Tomorrow, we will fly to King’s Landing, burn the Greens, and I will sit on the Iron Throne,” She commanded. Her purple eyes met the Cannibal’s brilliant verdant eyes, acknowledging his role in her ascent to her birthright.

Chapter Text

Around the Painted Table stood three of the Queensguard, her husband, her children, and other nobility that swore their allegiance to her cause. Rhaena was gently rocking Visenya and calming the green-eyed babe from her spot next to the Casterly Rock marker. Daemon explained how he had already sent out ravens to determine what lords and ladies would be loyal to her. The Vale would pledge to her cause out of familial obligation, the North need only be reminded of their prior oaths, and the Riverlands were less certain.

 Lord Glover was a staunch believer of court procedure and duty and would need to be shown the utmost respect, which is why she was sending Luke and Rhaena to the Riverlands. Together they would be able to charm the old lord to pledge loyalty to Rhaenyra. It would also prevent her second son from being directly involved in any battle. Her secondborn had many strengths, but he allowed his emotions to rule him. It would be a hindrance if he and Arrax were cornered by the Greens’ dragons. Rhaena was talented in court affairs and would earn Lord Glover’s respect. 

The Westerlands and Stormlands would favor the Greens, so she would not bother to send messengers to them. The Lannisters had no love or commitment to her considering how she spurred Jason Lannister years ago. 

The Lord of Storm’s End was a misogynist prick and would pledge allegiance to a limp dicked usurper of a king before he would ever swear to Rhaenyra.  Once Rhaenyra claimed King’s Landing the two regions would have no choice but to fall in line. That and her half-siblings would all perish leaving her the only heir to the throne other than her king consort. 

The Reach would be a coin toss. Currently, the Lord of the Reach was a mere babe and his mother acted as regent. Traditionally, the lords would support their bannerman, however, Lady Tyrell tended to err on the side of caution and may remain neutral so as to not upset her subjects, namely Oldtown. It was one of the richest cities in Westeros and with money came power. It was also the seat of Lord Hightower. She bristled at the thought. 

Rhaenyra thought of her allies in the Reach, which were mainly Tarly, Caswell, and Costayne. Rhaenyra hoped the master of coin, Lord Beesbury, still favored her and respected the dead king’s wish for her to claim the throne. If Beesbury and her allies supported her, the Reach would most likely follow. Although, if everything worked out to slaughter the usurper and his family they would have to fall in line. 

“I have decided that Daemon, Jace, and Baela will fly to King’s Landing on their dragons. Rhaena and Luke will fly to Riverrun to seek out Lord Glover’s allegiance,” She looked at her heir his betrothed for a moment. They were smiling when she mentioned them. “Moondancer and Vermax are still young, so avoid fighting Vhagar, Sunfyre, or Dreamfyre directly. If we-” 

 “No, I will not permit you to bring Baela with you,” Rhaenys spoke up glaring at the Black queen. “I have suffered too much loss, Baela. I cannot endure another.” The Queen who never was looked over at her granddaughter with a tearful look. Baela’s gaze met Rhaenys’ with defiance.  

“I am a dragon rider like my father and my mother and you.  If the Greens wish to usurp our Queen’s throne, then they must be answered with fire and blood. I am here to fight this war. I am not going to run away from it,” Baela said. Daemon’s daughter stared daggers at her grandmother. Rhaenys had had the opportunity to burn the Greens following Aegon’s coronation, however, she did not deem it her place to destroy them. 

Rhaenys froze looking at her granddaughter in a new light. “You are just like your mother, willful and daring to take the world by storm. I will not sit back and let my granddaughters fight this war alone.” The older woman stepped forward to stand between Baela and Rhaena and put one arm around each of them. She hugged them. 

“Though I cannot promise you Driftmark’s allegiance until Corlys lands on Dragonstone, I can promise you my allegiance as a dragon rider. The Red Queen is swifter than any of the other dragons,” Rhaenys looked over at her queen.

“I thank you for your pledge, Rhaenys. I have always valued your opinion in court and other matters. Between Caraxes, Meleys, and Syrax we should be able to kill Vhagar if Vermax and Moondancer act as interference. Once Vhagar is gone, it will be much easier to take the throne. Sunfyre has never fought, but Aegon will be ruthless,” Rhaenyra explained. 

“Dreamfyre is unlikely to do much damage. Helaena would never willingly harm another person,” Rhaenyra thought of her half-sister. She was a kind soul who had collections of bugs. She would be more likely to stay inside the keep with her mother, Alicent Hightower, than take to the skies. She did not have the fire that Rhaenyra and Daemon did. Rhaenyra would have to 

She failed to mention the other part of the plan including the green-eyed black dragon. The Cannibal would be able to take out Vhagar, he was at least 75 years old, probably more considering his massive size. There were documents recording him killing a young aggressive dragon from 55 AC. However, she did not want to tell anyone other than her husband if her prediction was wrong. She would not start off her reign by acting like a fool. The gods may have blessed her daughter, but the gods were fickle beings. 

Daemon began talking about having Joff, Viserys, Aegon, and Visenya sent out on a boat to Driftmark with the Queensguard. The older he got, the more cautious he became especially regarding their children. She loved him as a girl, teenager, woman, and wife. Over the years, Rhaenyra noticed the way he watched her every move. He pointed out how she wiggled her toes when she was deep in thought or perched over a chair when she was enthralled by what she was reading. He also put more time into sword training her boys than Laenor or Harwin had. 

—---

Hours after the meeting, Rhaenyra and Daemon were lounging in her rooms. Most couples had separate bedrooms. Daemon had his own chambers, but he never used them. He always held her tight at night and she woke up to him playing with her hair, which usually led to making love. The attendants of Dragonstone knew to stay away from her rooms until mid-morning considering the way Rhaenyra would scream her pleasure. 

Now she sat with Visenya nursing in her arms looking out the window. The sun was nearly set. It promised the end of the Usurper as the last rays disappeared below the horizon. It would be the last night Aegon ever had. 

By now, they must have realized Otto Hightower had not returned to King’s Landing. They would expect something had gone awry. She sent a raven stating she would answer the Greens’ terms in the morning, adding that Otto Hightower would be staying at Dragonstone until she came to a decision. One of her knights found Otto's signet ring in the charred remains. Alicent and her children might be stupid enough to believe it since Otto's seal was on the letter. 

Lord Corlys had come in earlier and swore allegiance to her. It took some convincing on Rhaenys’ behalf, but ultimately, he could not betray his grandchildren. He would sail for King’s Landing if they won and Driftmark if they lost. Baela would act as the messenger depending on the outcome. Daemon had told her to flee if Meleys, Caraxes, or Syrax were killed in the fight despite her protests. 

“Once upon a time, you told me dragons made Targaryens into kings, Daemon,” She paused watching his facial expressions. He looked amused as he glanced over to his wife and newborn. 

“The Cannibal will make me a queen,” Rhaenyra said watching the way Daemon’s brow raised at her assumption. “If we are to kill Vhagar, the Cannibal is one of the few dragons that would be able to with the assistance of Syrax, Caraxes, Moondancer, Vermax, and Meleys. Vermithor, Silverwing, Grey Ghost, and Sheepstealer remain unclaimed.”

“What makes you think the Cannibal would fly to King’s Landing with our dragons?” He asked narrowing his eyes. She knew this plan was farfetched, but it would ensure their victory. 

“Her,” She glanced down at the babe nursing on her right breast. “The gods decided to use the Cannibal to resurrect our daughter. He is bonded to our daughter and will be driven to stay near her and protect her. Just as Caraxes and Syrax are with us.”

“You are not thinking to bring her to King’s Landing with us, are you?” He questioned her.

“We have to if we want the Cannibal to fight for us,” She explained and readjusted Visenya in her arms. 

“I will not allow this. It’s one thing to take Visenya for a dragon ride, it’s another to take her into battle when she is a day old. If you were to perish in this fight, she would go with you. If you go, I will be right behind you after stabbing and burning the rat-faced bastard that killed you and Visenya,” Daemon tucked a strand of hair behind her eye and caressed her face. She leaned into his touch. 

“The gods are on our side, Kepa. I never thought much of the gods before today. They were more or less authority figures for the Faith to manipulate the small folk. They would not allow our girl to be murdered when they just brought her back.” She kissed the top of her daughter’s head.

 “Our children will be slaughtered mercilessly if we do not win this battle. I would rather our daughter die beside me than alone and frightened.” Visenya stopped nursing and had fallen asleep in her arms. Rhaenyra smirked then remembered Alicent’s previous demands whenever Rhaenyra had her strong boys. 

“Besides, I would be a terrible stepdaughter if I did not introduce my darling stepmother to our new daughter. She always demanded to see my babes right after they were born,” She bristled at the thought of holding Joffrey minutes after his birth and being forced to walk up the steps as her blood ran down her shaky legs. 

When she first told Daemon about Alicent’s demands he threatened to fly to the capital, strap Alicent to the wall, and throw knives at her until she begged for the Stranger’s kiss. Rhaenyra had to calm him down by reminding him to keep the peace otherwise the small folk would go to the Greens’ side and favor Aegon’s ascent to the throne. She now regretted not having Daemon murder Alicent now that she and Ser Criston Cole crowned her half-brother. 

Daemon sighed as he realized he would not be able to convince his wife otherwise. She was as stubborn as he was, a prevalent Targaryen trait, or perhaps even more so. “During the war of the Stepstones, Laenor suggested only a madman would lure the army out and I cannot say he was wrong. I was insane to fight the Crabfeeder and his army alone looking back, but that one crazy act led to our victory. If the Cannibal is bonded to our girl then he will follow. If he is not, he may be led by the carnage and dragon corpses,” he said. 

Daemon stepped next to Rhaenyra and Visenya. He ran his hand over the infant’s soft silver hair. Visenya looked over at her father and made contented noises. Her green eyes sparkled. Rhaenyra handed their daughter to her kepa. As a father, he was not perfect, but no one could deny his love for all eight of their children. He smiled at the sleeping babe in his arms before looking over at his niece. 

“If we die, we die together,” He said as he bent over and touched his forehead to hers. 

-----

Alicent Hightower smiled at the letter her father had sent her from Dragonstone. It had been sealed with her father's personal ring. Rhaenyra would see the light of the Seven and have to surrender. A woman was not meant to be a ruler. When the Great Council of 101 AC met, the ruling lords voted for Viserys Targaryen instead of Rhaenys Targaryen simply based on her sex. The nobility and the smallfolk knew only a male could sit on the Iron Throne. 

The Greens' dowager queen set the letter on her desk and went to tell Aegon and Helaena the good news. Aemond had been sent to Storm's End to secure Lord Baratheon's favor and propose marriage. No doubt the Blacks would be seeking out allies if Rhaenyra's decision was to start a civil war. The morning would come soon enough and then Alicent's prayers would be answered. She prayed for peace but prepared for battle. The Seven supported the Greens and she had faith they would win any confrontation against the Blacks. 

Chapter Text

There was more commotion on the island than normal. From his perch, along the eastern side of the human’s nest, he watched them scurry. The Cannibal saw many humans rushing in and out of the stone structure with large wooden boxes to place into boats. It reminded him of when his boy was preparing to leave the island. 

A sense of dread filled the black beast. He would not be cast aside again. He would burn the humans to the ground before he let them steal his girl. The insult would be far too great for his pride. He would not be severed from another rider. 

The blood bond between him and the girl was still intact. He felt the pull of their connection and could pinpoint her location in the human’s nest. Her emotions were simple as she rested. Content with a full tummy and a warm place to sleep. The Cannibal stayed within sight of the castle, a shadow looming over the island. 

Grey Ghost had flown past several times, their lithe grey-white form shifting through the sky. Oft times, the Cannibal would chase after the skittish dragon to scare them. He relished in their fear. There had been ample opportunity for him to kill and feast upon the pale dragon’s flesh, but they were too pathetic for even the Cannibal to kill. When the Cannibal tried to fight the younger dragon, they flew to the ground and presented their neck to him. There was no pleasure in killing a willing victim. The Cannibal allowed them to live.  

The other riderless dragon on Dragonstone, Sheepstealer, was too lazy to fight back and provided no entertainment for the Cannibal like Grey Ghost did as he chased them. Grey Ghost was easily taunted and quick to flee. He growled softly, fondly remembering the times Grey Ghost would fly through a crevice between the cliffs to avoid confronting him or dive into a cave too small for the Cannibal to enter. 

His thoughts turned to his girl’s family. The male was quick to defend his offspring. Admirable, but pointless in the face of a dragon. There was no love lost if the obsidian beast bit off his sword forepaw should the male pull his blade on the Cannibal again. 

On the other claw, the girl’s mother had expressed her gratitude when his girl came back from the abyss. He did not trust the humans, but she seemed to be more trustworthy than his previous bond’s mother. He snarled thinking of the twin-tailed woman with magic-tainted blood. Her presence yesterday irritated the Cannibal greatly, but he knew she had been the one to bring back his green-eyed girl from death. 

Dawn broke. Light crept over the stony hills and cliffs on Dragonstone. Mist rested over the water and swirled as Grey Ghost dipped down to catch fish. The other dragons with riders were becoming restless. Three of the younger ones were making excited trills as they flew above the human’s nest. Caraxes and Syrax could also be seen gliding over the island roaring at each other. 

Previously, when the dragons acted this way they left the island with their riders. The Cannibal growled, if the family intended to leave with his girl just as his boy had he would burn them all and consume their flesh. He had never eaten a Targaryen before, he thought roguishly.  

Something was happening this morning. The Cannibal ventured closer to the structure and angled his head to peer over the walls. His girl’s father was pacing back and forth in the yard, barking orders at the men garbed in armor. A low rumble built in the Cannibal’s throat. 

He had seen humans do this when they went to fight each other. He benefitted whenever the humans fought in their battles as he was able to pluck their water-soaked corpses from the sea. They had a similar taste to boar, which was the Cannibal second’s favorite meat after dragon. The spines on the back of his neck rose to watch the two-legged ones form into a disciplined line.

They stood quietly, some even dared to look over their shoulders at the Cannibal. He could feel their unease at the sight of him and it pleased him. It was uncommon for the black dragon to be seen two days in a row unless he was devouring one of his brothers or hunting for eggs. 

Then the mother stepped outside to address her armored men. He was too far away to make out exactly what she said, but there was thunderous applause from the men. The Cannibal scanned the rest of the grounds. Her mother would keep the girl close by. When the younglings were young, she would always keep them within sight. 

His green eyes eventually settled on an older woman holding his future rider. She was content for now but growing hungry. It would be years until she could walk by herself even longer until he could take her to the skies. In the meanwhile, he would stay near her and ensure her safety. A constant shadow to an infant. He would not suffer the loss of another rider. 

His girl’s mother descended the stone steps and grabbed her daughter. She placed her in the leather contraption he saw the other day before calling for Syrax. The Golden Lady went down and her rider mounted her. The Cannibal’s muscles tensed as he watched her take to the skies again. The rest of the Targaryens soon mounted their respective dragons. They soared over the island once and then headed west. 

The Cannibal observed each dragon grow smaller as the distance between them and Dragonstone grew. He felt his girl become nauseous and nervous the further she got. His brethren soon became specks. Two ruby reds, two emeralds, and one golden. 

He had been correct, they were leaving the island and taking his rider with them. The low rumble in his throat grew before he let out a piercing screech. His hindlegs pushed out against the crumbling stone and he flapped his blackened wings. As he rose in the air, he saw the shadow his wings and body cast the entire island. 

It had been many years since he left the island, but he held no fond memories here. Most of them were filled with deceit, betrayal, and hunger. Perhaps, the only fond memories he had were consuming dragon eggs and killing other dragons. 

He snorted as he veered in the Targaryen’s dragons’ direction. The wind was pushing against his wings and prevented him from closing the distance between him and the others. Despite his mass and wingspan, he had never been as quick as Meleys or Grey Ghost. 

The scent of seawater filled his nostrils. He allowed his back legs to trail over the water, enjoying the mist and cool sensation rushing over him. It had been ages since he had felt anything other than agony. 

Warning growls came from Caraxes as the Cannibal slowly crept closer to the herd of dragons. He snorted in contempt and smoke escaped his nostrils. The red beast was half his size and a thimble of his intelligence based on the challenging tone. The black dragon shifted his direction towards the other male and tried to scorch the tip of his tail. Caraxes turned his head to look back at the Cannibal and opened his maw to return fire until his rider snapped an order to ignore the Cannibal. 

At his rider’s commands, Caraxes dived towards the sea and dipped his long tail in the water soothing the appendage. If the Targaryens meant the Cannibal harm, they would have had their dragons attack all at once. It would have been the only way to defeat him. He would bide his time until they reached land. 

Within hours when the sun was well past the horizon and the skies turned light blue, the obsidian dragon caught sight of the sand and cliffs surrounding the capital. He had seen King’s Landing sparingly since the red stone nest was completed. It had been constructed during his boy’s reign. 

Syrax and Caraxes glided down in front of the red building as the other red and two green dragons flew over the city. The Cannibal stayed within sight of his girl as he drifted in the air. There was a tension in the air and he anticipated it to break with whatever the Targaryens decided to do by flying over the sea. 

Out of the corner of his vision, he saw a flash of dark cobalt blue. He swiftly turned his head and he saw a she-dragon with a rider a top of her. She blew blue fire at one of the green dragons. He pulled back his lips in a snarl watching the smaller dragon turn sharply just in time to avoid the flames. 

They meant to fight. His throat rumbled in amusement as the two green dragons flew swiftly away from the cobalt she-dragon. A flash of fire rained down from above as the Red Queen swooped down to meet the Blue Queen. It was soon a frenzy of green and red darting in and out of the cobalt dragon’s area above the Dragonpit. 

One of the green dragons fell on top of a domed structure that reeked of dragon, breaking through the roof. There was a distressed scream, announcing that the green dragon still lived and presumably his rider. 

From the roof, a light blue scaled beast arose. Her scales shimmered in the morning light, showing silver marks all across her body. She crouched on top of the structure and let out a warning call. She was roughly three-quarters his size. The Cannibal recognized the call as a she-dragon protecting her eggs. He had heard it enough from Syrax when he ate a pair of her eggs years ago.

His green eyes shifted towards his girl and her mother on Syrax. They were flying along the wall of the city as red and green dragons fought the Blue Queen. He could see blood running down the cobalt dragon’s flank as she shot another blast of blue fire at the Red Queen. Syrax was staying clear of the fight as she headed toward the building where the green dragon had fallen. He meant to follow them and attack the light blue creature perched on the building. She dragons protecting their eggs were fierce and would not take kindly to another dragon encroaching on their territory. He heard a loud ear-splitting scream from the south. 

Another dragon appeared from the clouds, bronze with blue-green accents on her wings and spines along her back. Her orange eyes gleamed seeing and hearing the battle ensuing as she coasted over the sea. The Cannibal remembered the way Vhagar had tormented him when he was a youngling. He roared upon seeing her in the flesh. He was not the distressed, inexperienced youngling he had once been. He was nearly her size. Let her feel a faction of what he endured the past 100 years after her rider severed the bond between him and his boy. 

Let the carnage begin. 

He spread his wings out and turned to meet his tormentor over the water. The weakest parts of a dragon were its belly and neck. The Cannibal opened his jaws, meaning to bite into Vhagar’s throat, however, she blew fire at his face before he was able to. His neck twisted to dodge the fire. He turned directions and ascended. She snapped at his tail. The rider yelled at her in response. A subpar replacement for the twin-tailed woman. 

Now that the Cannibal was above Vhagar, he dropped down and champed down on the junction between her right wing and neck. His hind legs dug into the flesh on her back, securing his hold on her. She let out an irritated grumble and twisted in the air, forcing the Cannibal to release his hold on her to right himself in the sky. The taste of blood excited him. His tongue traced over his incisors, savoring the metallic elixir. Red liquid dripped from the wound on her right wing towards the city below. 

Vhagar flew directly at the Cannibal meaning to intimidate him. He stayed stagnate in the air as she charged until at the last second where he stopped flapping his wings. He dropped down and bit at the air hoping to find Vhagar’s flesh between his two jaws. Molten liquid filled his mouth. Opening his eyes, he saw the bronze scales of Vhagar’s throat beneath his maw. She tried to screech, but it came out gurgled. The Cannibal shook his head aggressively from side to side in order to maul her throat apart. With each shake of his head, he could feel them slowly descend in the air. Finally, he tore his mouth away from her throat while using his hind legs to push off her underbelly. 

Back in the air, the Cannibal beat his enormous wings to remain level. Vhagar plummeted from the sky with her rider. Her body hit the surface of the sea, which resulted in a giant wave. The blood sizzled upon contact with the water. Soon her body was lost to the waves. 

Pride swelled in his core seeing the vile female gone from this world. The last remnant of Old Valyria was consumed by the sea. 

He turned his vibrant green eyes towards the city, hoping there was another beast to kill. There was a plume of smoke and fire in the sky. Flashes of gold, pink, and red overhead. Snarls and roars were heard for miles around the capital. The Cannibal ventured forward, ready to engage in another battle when he saw the cobalt blue she-dragon bleeding out on the sand surrounding the city. 

Caraxes was in the process of biting the light blue dragon’s wing, leaving her unable to fly. The last dragon was crashing toward the ground and twisting his head back and forth in utter confusion. His body slammed into the stone wall surrounding the city as he thrashed body uncomfortably. He let out an agonized wailing. 

The Cannibal flew toward the golden beast, no other dragon dared to approach. Upon closer inspection, the Cannibal saw the blackened surface of his face, and where eyes should have been were empty sockets. One of his wings was half gone. The Cannibal landed beside the beast and quickly bit into his neck. A dragon that could not fly was already dead in the Cannibal’s mind.  

Without further delay, the Cannibal tore into the beast’s pink underbelly, seeking out the soft organs. Blood poured out over the ground, liquifying the grass and vegetation due to the heat of a fresh kill. He dug the heart out and started chewing, savoring the taste of the muscle and the delicate texture. Though he did not crave his brother’s flesh anymore to sate his hunger, he preferred it. He could hear the humans running around on their two legs screaming horrified by the sight of the black beast feasting on their fallen king’s golden mount. The Cannibal relished every moment, content with the events of the past two days. 

Chapter Text

Alicent Hightower was kneeling in the sept with her ladies in waiting when she heard the frantic patter of feet coming down the aisle. She bristled thinking someone would dare to interrupt her prayers to the New Gods. She turned her head towards him, her brown eyes narrowing in irritation. 

“Dowager Queen,” An older man from the guards addressed her. She scowled at him and meant to banish him from her sight. “Rhaenyra and Daemon have been spotted flying towards King’s Landing. There are other dragons with them, but it is unclear which ones. The other guards are alerting King Aegon and Queen Helaena now.” He finished. His posture was rigid and bowing before his queen as he panted. 

Before she could respond to the messenger, she turned her brown eyes to see a great shadow cast over the city. It drowned out the midmorning light, blue skies, and clouds. Where she had expected to see Aemond’s old dragon was instead a great black beast. Alicent had heard of the black dragon revered for his particular inclination towards dragon flesh and their eggs. 

Dread filled her as he beat his wings just over the castle’s private sept. He flew past and remained in the air closer to the eastern part of the city. The Bloodwyrm and the Golden Lady swept over the Red Keep’s gates, their scales shimmering under the mid-morning sun. A stark contrast against the pitch-black Cannibal. 

The Dowager Queen rose to her feet and turned swiftly to exit the small chamber. Her ladies followed after her, but did not dare speak. It took everything Alicent had to display no emotion as she walked toward where she believed Rhaenyra and Daemon had landed. Surely, they meant to surrender. It would have taken too long for them to travel by ship and that is why they flew their dragons here. Her mind tried to reason, but she knew otherwise. Her father must have been taken hostage last night and forced to use his ring to seal the Black Princess’s deceitful letter. 

Daeron and his cobalt blue dragon, Tessarion, had arrived late last night. Alicent favored her youngest for being the most clever and dutiful of her children. He had taken Tessarion flying earlier this morning in hopes of meeting up with Aemond and Vhagar on their flight home from Storm’s End. She hoped her youngest was far enough away he would not get involved if there was to be a battle. 

Her prayers were not answered. As Alicent found a balcony to watch the invasion of dragons, she heard the piercing battle cry from Daeron’s mount. She looked out the nearest window to see Tessarion barreling into a smaller green dragon that held the Strong bastard, Jacaerys. His dragon broke through the roof of the Dragonpit and a mournful cry erupted from the green beast. Alicent smirked with the knowledge a fall like that might have killed Rhaenyra’s heir. 

Meleys and another blasted green dragon blew flames at Tessarion but nothing seemed to be able to touch the Blue Queen. Syrax and Caraxes flew towards the Dragonpit, presumably to check on Rhaenyra’s bastard heir. The peace the Blacks and the Greens decided on only a few days ago was forgotten in the midst of fire and blood. 

Dreamfyre, a light blue and silver creature, appeared crouching on the roof of the dragonpit, roaring at the golden and red pair as they approached. Helaena’s dragon was the second oldest lizard after Vhagar and would be a force to reckon with if they endangered her eggs. Within a short period, Dreamfyre and Caraxes were engaged in battle, twisting and turning in the sky as they each attempted to tear the other’s throat out. The Cannibal remained neutral as the dragons fought. Thank the gods for that much. 

Within minutes Sunfyre ascends to the skies with the king. Alicent felt her breath catch seeing her children’s four dragons fighting the hoard of Black dragons. She had always known Rhaenyra would kill her children if given the chance. 

Tears formed at the corners of her eyes watching Rhaenys’ red dragon breathe fire over Sunfyre aiming for her firstborn son. Tessarion immediately flew at Meleys and clawed at her back, drawing out blood. As Tessarion and Melys battled, Alicent took notice of Sunfyre chasing after a small green dragon with one of Daemon’s daughters. Sunfyre could easily strike that one down and then help Daeron and Tessarion with Meleys. Aegon and Daeron would safe.

Rhaenyra and her dragon were flying just out of reach of the Dragonpit. She must have been trying to get to her son. Daemon’s dragon and Dreamfyre were still engaged in combat near the Dragonpit. Helaena was not riding Dreamfyre, fortunately. She had never been one to enter or know anything about combat. Her special interests were insects, reptiles, and frogs. Helaena would be in her chambers with her children and keep them calm. 

Alicent shifted her gaze out towards the ocean, hoping to see her second son. He sent a raven last night and reported he would be back by now. With the grace of the gods, his bronze appeared. She smirked seeing the oldest dragon in existence come to her family’s aid. 

“Ladies, you are excused for now. Make sure your families know they are safe here. Rhaenyra and Black allies will not win now that Aemond and Vhagar are here,” She said and smiled politely at the three women. They curtsied and walked away swiftly blessing the Seven gods. From the balcony, she saw the Cannibal turn towards the ocean and Vhagar. 

“No,” Her lower lip trembled as the two great beasts met in the air. Vhagar prevented him from reaching her at first, but then he landed on top of her and bit into her wing. Minutes later, the Cannibal tore out the old dragon’s throat and she fell into the water taking Aemond with her. 

“No, not my child,” Alicent whispered, her voice shaky. Tears were dripping down her cheeks knowing Aemond could not have survived the fall. She had not realized she had been picking at her fingers and cuticles, but now blood covered the tips of her right pointer and middle finger. The Dowager Queen had stopped this childish habit after becoming queen. 

Brown eyes turned again towards her other children and their dragons. Meleys had her claws on Tessarion’s stomach and violently raked them over until the cobalt blue dragon tried to fly away. It was too late though, red liquid fell from her and onto the city below like a waterfall. She cried out and went towards the beach where she crash-landed. Daeron’s status was unknown. 

Alicent brought her shaky fingers to her mouth as she tried to not hyperventilate. Aegon was still alive, they could still win. In that brief moment, she saw the small emerald dragon breathe fire across Sunfyre’s face before darting away. Mangled shrills came from the gold and pink beast as he thrashed in the air before tumbling down to the city walls. When he tumbled, one of his wings broke from the impact of the fall. Aegon could still be alive. 

A shadow cast itself over the golden dragon and without hesitation the black beast that killed Vhagar also killed Sunfyre. The Cannibal tore into Sunfyre’s stomach and when he lifted his head she saw the heart. The ligaments and vessels surrounding the muscle were crushed in the Cannibal’s jaws. If she thought dragons had emotions, she would expect him to be a smug bastard. 

Alicent could feel the bile and vomit building at the back of her throat. This could not be happening. Her father had promised their safety if they took the Iron Throne. He swore Rhaenyra would not fight back. He swore Alicent would have nothing to fear after Aegon was crowned. Except all of her sons were dead and her father was most likely as well. She wrapped her arms around her torso as her body shook and she fainted. 

—-------------

When the Dowager Queen woke up again, she lying on a mat in a cell. The black bars sealed her in. “There must be a mistake,” She said as she rubbed her eyes. She was still in the cell. 

“Ah, you’re awake, my lady,” A guard in a gold cloak said from outside the bars. “The Queen wanted to see you as soon as you woke,” He fiddled with the keys and opened the door for her. 

Alicent felt that this was part of the dream where Rhaenyra had brought the Cannibal to King’s Landing and murdered her children. Alicent scoffed and tried to pinch herself in order to wake from this nightmare. When that did not work she peeled back on the skin of her fingernails, they bled and she was still walking down the shadowed corridor with a gold cloak behind her. Torchlight flickered as they walked. They emerged from the dark hall and were outside the guard’s chambers. Eventually, the guard led her to the throne room. 

Alicent stared directly at the Iron Throne and saw Rhaenyra seated upon it with a small babe resting on her chest. She took in the other people in front of the throne. Daemon stood with his sword out, blood along the edge. Rhaenys was standing on the other side of the throne glaring at Alicent. Jacaerys was seated on a chair with his right leg propped up, a splint over it. Ser Harrold Westerling and another Kingsguard were standing next to the Strong bastard with their swords drawn as well. The rest of the court did not matter. 

Then she saw the worst of it. Aegon’s  Lord Commander of the Kingsguard lay on the bottom of the steps leading to the throne. His right arm bent at an awkward angle and his head nearly severed from the body. Criston Cole’s mangled body rested at Daemon’s feet. Alicent felt the blood drain from her face seeing her friend dead. 

“Stepmother, I am glad you found the time to join us,” Rhaenyra’s deep voice rang throughout the hall. She was gently rocking the infant in her arms as if there was not a corpse resting at her husband’s feet. “Before we begin the formalities, I wanted to introduce you to my daughter. You always wanted me to bring my babies directly to you after they were born after all,” Rhaenyra smiled mockingly at Alicent. 

“Come and see your granddaughter,” Rhaenyra gestured for Alicent to venture closer. The Hightower lady walked towards the throne before she could ascend the steps, Daemon’s blade whipped out in front of her. 

“That is close enough,” Daemon snarled, his lilac eyes glowering at her. Alicent stopped and then she saw the infant watching her. The eyes were the most vibrant green, the Dowager Queen had ever seen. A mixture of emerald and forest green. They were older and wiser than Alicent believed possible. It also begged the question if Rhaenyra had had another bastard since they had no green-eyed individuals in their incestuous bloodline. 

“This is Visenya and before you ask about her eyes I will tell you a story. You always loved to tell me fables, histories, and stories during our youth,” Rhaenyra tossed a piece of paper at Alicent. It was the history book page Alicent had sent with her father. 

“When we received news that you murdered my father, I went into labor and endured hours of pain. It was too early for the child to live outside my womb and I knew the babe would be stillborn. I was right when she finally came into the world, she had died. As custom, we wrapped her in a shroud and meant to burn her body. With our household and family, we set the stillborn on a stone and had Syrax come forth to burn her,” The baby made a gurgling noise, briefly interrupting the silver-haired woman. Rhaenyra smiled down at her daughter and ran her hand over her hair. 

Rhaenyra then looked down on Alicent and continued her story. “Before I could command Syrax to light the shroud the gods graced us with a visitor,” She paused. “A dark creature flew out of the clouds, roaring like thunder itself. His black wings blotted out the sun before he flew down to the funeral. Daemon and I backed away from the stone our daughter rested on. He touched her and proceeded to burn her shroud and body. The shroud burned leaving behind a crying baby. The gods decided to bring our daughter back to life. When I picked up her I saw her green eyes. They were the same green eyes as the black dragon who acted as the hand of the gods to bring her back from the abyss-” 

“The Cannibal,” Alicent murmured. That was why the black beast had come and killed Vhagar and eaten Sunfyre’s heart. Visions of blood and gore filled Alicent’s head. The image of Tessarion crashing into the beach, most likely maiming her favorite son made it hard to breathe. 

“Yes, the Cannibal was the one to bring back Visenya. It was the will of the gods,” Rhaenyra rocked her abomination. 

“The Seven would never do that. They would never act through a dragon, nor have they brought someone back to life,” Alicent spat. “That thing is not your daughter, it is a blasphemous creature from the pits of the Seven Hells!” She screeched and she attempted to race up the steps to throw the blasted thing out the window. What did she have to live for in this nightmare? Daemon grabbed hold of her arm firmly and pushed her to her knees. Pain shot through her thighs upon contact with the stone floor. Alicent hissed in agony. 

“The only person keeping you alive is the Queen,” Daemon moved his hand to her shoulders to keep her from rising up again. “Insult our daughter or anyone else and your head will roll.”

Rhaenyra leaned forward in her seat, watching her husband handle Alicent Hightower with a firm hand. “Yesterday, I watched my daughter die because you killed my father. You would have taken two of my loved ones if the gods had not decided to interfere with Visenya’s life. Today you watched three of your children die,” Rhaenyra held her daughter tighter. 

“You could have prevented all of their deaths, Alicent. All you had to do was accept me as the rightful queen chosen by King Viserys I for the Iron Throne and my brothers would be alive. However, you were overly ambitious and killed them all. You can make excuses and say you were forced to crown Aegon, to send your sons to obtain alliances, to murder Lord Beesbury and Lord Caswell because your father said it was necessary to ensure your children’s safety, but it was not.” Alicent shook her head disagreeing with her old friend. 

“You wanted the prestige and power of the throne. Now you have three dead sons, one lost to the sea, one in the Cannibal’s stomach, and another lying on the sands. Did it make you feel powerful, Alicent? How does it feel knowing you caused their deaths?” Rhaenyra questioned her voice level and stared directly at her stepmother. There was the briefest nod of Rhaenyra’s head before Alicent felt a cold blade slash through her pretty little neck. Her last thought was of her sitting beside her mother in Old Town saying she wanted to be an architect. 

—-----------

Rhaenyra looked down at the growing number of bodies in the throne room from her seat. Alicent Hightower, Criston Cole, Larys Strong, and Tyland Lannister lay on the floor. The other members of the Green council had been found dead in their private quarters after they realized Rhaenyra would win the battle. 

The Iron Throne had not cut her as she shifted in her seat. She was meant to be Westeros ruler until the end of her days. Visenya was being tended to by her old midwife right now. Daemon and his gold cloaks had secured the city and the Red Keep. Messengers were being sent out across the six kingdoms to let them know the Usurper had been put down along with most of his family. 

Baela had been sent to bring Lord Corlys and his fleet to King’s Landing as additional reinforcement. After Baela rested at Dragonstone with her dragon, Moondancer, she would go to Riverrun and tell Rhaena and Luke of their victory. Right now, it was more important to secure their nearest allies. 

The next person to arrive was her half-sister, Princess Helaena. She was wearing a warm yellow gown with pearls across the neckline. Her hair was loose and flowing down her back in golden curls. Her soft doe-like eyes flickered everywhere but the seat at the center. She curtsied awkwardly in front of Rhaenyra and kept her eyes on the floor until Rhaenyra spoke. 

“My dear sister, I know you had nothing to do with any of the Ursurper’s actions, so I am going to give you a choice. Forfeit any claim you or your children have to the throne or die by dragon fire.” Rhaenyra offered the whimsical lady. 

“Me nor my children will sit on the throne but we will not perish because of Blood and Cheese,” Helaena tilted her head up to meet Rhaenyra’s gaze. “Two to wed, one to war will be their ends. My last may not be anymore.” It was difficult to gauge whether or not Helaena meant to say these ominous words, but they were as much of a promise to Rhaenyra as anything else Helaena might say. 

“If there is any mention or whisper that the Lords mean to place you or your children on the Iron Throne, you and yours will be immediately killed,” Rhaenyra continued. 

“No whispers and no peeps from us. We will not seek your crown,” Helaena smiled at her half-sister warmly and glanced away. Rhaenyra nodded and excused the ex-queen back to her rooms. 

There was more to be done, but for now, Rhaenyra needed a break. She stood and exited the throne room with Daemon beside her. She led him to her father’s old rooms that were now hers. In the privacy of her rooms, she held Daemon and allowed herself to cry and release all the stress she held inside for the past two days. 

Chapter Text

It had been three days since he killed the bronze she-dragon. He had finished the gold and pink beast the day before and was feasting on the dragon that laid on the sands. The Cannibal had heard the screams of the humans periodically as they noticed the black dragon outside the town’s walls and the sound of crunching bone. He crouched down and tore the cobalt dragon’s hide apart. He preferred raw flesh to burnt crisps like the other dragons. He wrinkled his nose in displeasure. The scent of the meat was starting to become rancid and even a dragon’s stomach could not handle that. 

After he consumed most of the cobalt blue she-dragon, there was a group of individuals garbed in red and gold that spoke to him in High Valyrian. They tried to make commands for him to fly into the hole where the rest of the dragons stayed. He would not be forced to live in a dark cave with only one exit. The smell of iron clung to the other dragons. He killed the group of men and none were sent after them. 

He could sense his girl inside the red stone nest with her mother and father. She would be safe with them now that their enemies had been crushed, drowned, burnt, and maimed. He lashed his tail in the air pleased that he was able to kill his tormentor- At least one of them. The other ones, his previous rider, and his mother were little more than ash now.  

Eventually, the obsidian dragon flew outside of King’s Landing to find his own territory. The Cannibal found it in the King’s Wood. He found a cave that just barely fit his immense size. However, from the entrance of the cave, he was able to see the Red Keep and fly there in minutes in order to protect his girl. 

The girl’s mother found his cave and would visit periodically. She originally came with a large group of armored men and her mate. Syrax and Caraxes flew overhead. The Cannibal hated seeing the extra men surrounding his girl. Every extra human was a threat to his little rider. He growled and chomped at the air, which made them hesitate to approach. Except for the mother and father. 

She would come close to him holding her youngling out for him to see. Her green eyes found him immediately and reached for the black dragon. He let her touch his nose, her paws the size of a chestnut compared to his bulk. Her touch calmed him, letting the magical bond simmer under the surface of his skin. The mother stayed a short while and then would return to their stone nest. 

Over the years, he saw his rider crawl, babble, and eventually walk to him. She was unable to say the Cannibal and would call him “Canni” affectionately when she ran towards him. The mother called his girl, “Visenya”, which he took to be her name. 

The mother began coming by herself sometimes with the father after the Cannibal stepped on a troop of soldiers that had raised their weapons against him despite her orders not to. The father never drew the blasted sword again in the Cannibal’s presence after the twin-tailed woman resurrected the babe.

He wished to take her to the skies but she would not have the strength to do so considering how small she was. He waited and let his girl rest by his foot as they sunbathed on his favorite boulder. Other times, her mother would leave Visenya with him for hours while she and her mate went out hawking in the King’s Wood. At that point, the little rider was able to walk, run, and climb over him. No creature would dare to touch her with the Cannibal around. 

Through the rider bond, he was able to see through Visenya’s eyes. He saw the way her father spoke softly and in a rhythm in High Valryian as he held her and how her mother would allow her to sit on her lap from the sword seat forged by his own sire’s fire. There were softer moments when the girl would sit on the ground while her sisters twisted her silver fur into tails.  He saw when her siblings pestered her, especially the white-furred boy only slightly taller than her. 

If the Cannibal ever saw the boy he would eat him for causing his girl to feel angry and embarrassed. With some encouragement from her father, Visenya soon started pummeling the boy to the ground with her fists. The Cannibal rumbled in amusement, his rider was going to be a deadly warrior when she came of age. He would see her father showing her how to handle a blade using the cursed sword of the two-tailed woman. 

Eventually, when the girl was half the size of his claw the mother placed a leather contraption over his neck and back. He had seen Syrax and Caraxes wear them to carry their riders and he begrudgingly accepted the padded fabric and lines. It would allow his little rider to mount him and fly with him. He bent his neck down and allowed her to climb up his foot, wing, and neck where she sat on the leather. 

He could feel her excitement and unease. It would be their first ride together. Eventually, they would fly great distances, burn down forests, hunt for great elk, chase the horizon, drift through the white mist, and explore the islands over the water including where she was brought back to life. Perhaps he would get to chase Grey Ghost with Visenya. She would enjoy taunting the grey-white dragon as much as he did. 

For now, though, he would fly into the clouds, circle his territory, and let her down. His wings beat against the air and he pushed off the ground. She patted his neck as he went higher into the sky. He beat his wings through a blanket of clouds. The cool mist made her laugh and he felt the bond vibrate. 

His girl gave him peace after a century of torment and he brought her back to life with the cursed woman’s assistance. This was what a dragon and rider bond was meant to be. Two creatures soul bonded, experiencing life through each other’s eyes. 

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In the sixteen years following the Battle over King’s Landing, Queen Rhaenyra had taken several measures to ensure her family’s safety. Rhaenyra and her council had dismantled the Citadel and moved the central home of the order to Rook’s Rest away from Oldtown. She had rerouted most trade away from the Hightower’s seat of power. The Hightowers and Lannisters were planning to move the majority of the treasury to Old Town and Casterly Rock. 

To punish the Lannisters, the queen redirected trade to Crakehall instead of Lannisport. House Crakehall had been the first house from the Westerlands to pledge alliance to Rhaenyra and she rewarded them kindly. With the movement of trade away from Lannisport and Oldtown, the Lannisters and Hightower were unable to regroup and have as much influence over Westeros as they did before. 

In order to curb the Faith of the Seven, the queen started to incorporate aspects of the fourteen flames into their belief system. The High Septon during her father’s reign died during the Battle over King’s Landing, crushed by the debris. Rhaenyra was able to influence the appointment of a new High Septon and backed her septon from Dragonstone. He was originally from the Vale and although septons were supposed to forsake their origins, he still gave his allegiance to the Arryn family and as a result Rhaenyra through Aemma.  

As for her children, Rhaenyra decided to improve upon her father’s style of parenting. She had Jace sit in on small council meetings and eventually fill the position of master of coin. He and Baela married two years after Rhaenyra's coronation. Luke went to Driftmark to learn his future role as Lord of Driftmark from Lord Corlys. Rhaena accompanied him and they married two years after their elder siblings. 

Joffrey decided to become a maester and went to Rook’s Rest to begin his education. Aegon and Viserys were determined to become knights, so they were made pages under trusted knights from the Riverlands. 

As for her daughter, Visenya, Daemon trained her with a sword and bow. Visenya was more likely to rumble with the boys and took after Baela in that regard. As she grew Rhaenyra made sure to take her daughter to visit the black dragon of the King’s Wood any time the queen had a moment to spare. 

The connection between the Cannibal and Visenya was stronger than other dragon-rider bonds. Presumably due to the events related to her rebirth. Visenya used to make up stories about her mount’s past. They were childish make-believe until Visenya started recounting events from the reign of Aegon I and Maegor I that she would have no knowledge of. She also spoke of the previous residents of Dragonstone like they were long-lost friends. This confirmed to Rhaenyra that her daughter was able to see the past as Helaena was able to predict the future. 

At first, Rhaenyra stayed with Visenya and the Cannibal but eventually left the girl with her dragon unattended. Visenya would never stray from her “Canni” nor would the dragon let her out of his sight. No one in their right mind would attempt to attack the Valryian princess with the Cannibal beside her. He had stomped on a small patrol of guards when they drew their swords with Visenya nearby. 

Daemon would often joke that if they took Visenya to Dorne, the Cannibal would burn their cities to the ground searching for her. Tensions had been running high with Dorne since she took the crown. Dorne allied themselves with the Triarchy to claim the Stepstones again. Daemon was able to quell the first stirrings, but they were gathering their armies yet again in the Narrow Sea. 

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Her vibrant green eyes made her stand out against the rest of her siblings. Every Targaryen had eyes ranging from violet to lilac to indigo, but her’s were as green as the leaves in spring. Her father had told her that her grandmother, Alyssa, had one green eye and one violet eye. The queen had told Visenya she had been blessed by the gods through the oldest dragon in existence and they gave her green eyes. Visenya agreed with her mother’s theory after she started dreaming through her dragon’s sight. 

Helaena called her visions ‘Dragon Dreams’ and she claimed Visenya had them as well. They affected anyone with the blood of the dragon. Dragon Dreams were predictions for the future, but Visenya had never seen the future in her dreams. It was the past. 

When she first dreamed as if she were the Cannibal, she would tell her mother of them. She would recount how the Cannibal would fly around the old castle’s halls following a young white-haired boy. He would throw the Cannibal scraps of food despite being told not to by his nursemaids. The boy even slept with the dragon curled up next to him. Rhaenyra would smile at her believing her daughter was especially creative. 

However, the dreams became darker when Visenya reached the age of 10 when she first rode her beast. Due to the Cannibal’s size and aggressive nature, Rhaenyra had to place the saddle on top of his back with Visenya’s help. He would not allow the dragon keepers near him long enough to saddle him. Rhaenyra was not about to let her young daughter fly away without a seat. Visenya took to the skies with the Cannibal with Syrax and Rhaenyra following behind. 

At age 12, Visenya learned her dragon had a rider before her that severed the rider bond and left him with a terrible hunger. It corroded his soul, leaving a dark husk. No matter what he ate, the hunger pains would not subside until the fateful day another dragon challenged him. The Cannibal feasted on the dragon experimentally and found temporary relief. Over the years he fought and killed dragons or found unattended dragon eggs to eat. 

There was suffering throughout her dragon’s life until he brought her back from the dead. She saw her namesake kiss her brow under the Cannibal’s green-laced orange fire. She saw herself through his eyes. The Cannibal’s thoughts were comprised mostly of sensations, emotions, and images. They were less verbal than a human’s but just as strong and intelligent. To the Cannibal, Visenya was his girl, his treasure, and his little rider. He would rip apart anyone and anything that dared to upset her including her brother, Aegon. Luckily, she was better with a sword than him and Viserys despite the small age gap. 

Her father trained her using Dark Sister as it was her namesake’s heirloom. He promised her the Valyrian steel blade when she came of age. Daemon saw much of Alyssa in his daughter. Visenya was more likely to wear leather pants and a jerkin and doublet than a silk gown. It was probably better that way since she would ruin any of the dresses she wore with her inclination to roughhouse with her siblings. 

Despite her short height, she was more nimble than her brothers and the other boys in the training yard. Baela also made sure to spar with her on occasion when not attending to her duties as master of law. That or her and Jace’s children. 

When Visenya turned 16 her father gave her Dark Sister as a gift where most girls that age would have been given a new set of embroidery needles, jewels, or gowns. It was also the day Dorne decided to start a war in the Stepstones. 

With her parents’ blessing, she took the Cannibal to war. When his wings cast a shadow over the islands, his roar was heard for miles, a mirror image of Balerion the Dread taking over the six kingdoms. Visenya would take the seventh upon the Cannibal’s back. Two of her brothers went to the Stepstones while she and Aegon and their mounts, the Cannibal and Grey Ghost, flew to Dorne with armies from the Reach and Westerlands. 

During Aegon’s Conquest the first Targaryen queen, Rhaenys Targaryen, had failed to conquer Dorne after meeting with Meria Martell and then perished in the first Dornish War. Her dragon, Meraxes had been shot in the eye with a scorpion and fell upon Hellholt’s castle. Visenya would not allow that to happen to the Cannibal. As they marched through the sands towards Sunspear, the Cannibal and Visenya would set the battlements ablaze to destroy the manmade weapons during the middle of the night. Come morning, Aegon, Grey Ghost, and the army would finish the fight and claim the city. 

Eventually, they made it to Sunspear where they laid siege to the capital for three months. Queen Aliandra Martell called for a truce after the Cannibal toppled the Tower of the Sun. Without the seat of power, she knew it was only a matter of time before her city fell completely. Visenya and Aegon met the queen and forced her to surrender. 

After 145 years, the Targaryens accomplished their mission of seizing the seven kingdoms thanks to Visenya and Aegon and their respective dragons, the Cannibal and Grey Ghost.