Chapter Text
Lucerys Velaryon
Pearl of Old Valyria
Heir to the throne of Driftmark
Lucerys tossed and turned in his bed as he tried to fall asleep. He wasn't sure what it was that forced him to stay awake, as he had fought ghosts in his head ever since they settled on Dragonstone, he wasn't sure if it was his heart yearning for his grandfather's stories of Old Valyria or childhood, or his grandmother's bed time stories, or his uncle Aegon's jokes and games, or his uncle Aemond's company, or his uncle Daeron's creativity. All he knew, was that ever since they arrived at Dragonstone, something began pulling at his heart, as if it had caught his heart in a net and was now pulling it to the surface, telling Luce to follow his heart and go to where it wanted to go. He tried to get over his heartache and yearning, spending time in the library with his brothers and aunt, learning Valyrian from their mother, he would even stay back with his mother and try to learn more, simpky to distract himself. When that didn't work, he added more things to his days to distract himself for it all. He would break fast and then go straight to the library to learn High Valyrian, he wouldn't leave until he had to eat prandium, after which he would go with Ser Erryk and train witth the sword, something he despised, as he was much better with smaller and sharper blades rather than the heavy weapons his brother Jace worked with. After that, he would go with his aunt Helaena, listening to her rants on the insects found in Dragonstone, he had fallen in love with praying mantises, especially one that could camouflage as a flower, the mantis reminded him a lot of Helaena's dragon. He even spent time with Joffrey on the shore, helping the smallest Targaryen collect seashells to give to his mother, his favorite finding until now had been a black pearl, washed ashore by strong waves that seemed to be offerings by the Gods. All that until supper, where he would eat before going up to his chambers in Sea Dragon Tower.
Even with his days full, Lucerys still couldn't let go of the creeping feeling of something or someone pulling at his heart through a string, he hadn't wanted to tell his mother about it as he didn't want her to worry further, especially since she had left her best friend and father behind and was now living in Dragonstone, taking care of all her children and her sister, obviously with the help of Ser Harwin Strong and her maids, but she was still away from her family. It had been a moon of suffering for Lucerys, who lost his appetite and sleep before exhaustion took it's toll on him, he would find himself falling asleep in the middle of a room, and would wake up seconds later, being awaken by one of his family members or by a servant, as they had found him sleepwalking. They had started giving him milk of the poppy once every other night, letting him sleep for once, but wouldn't give it to him everyday in order to not cause the young prince to develop a tendenfy to drink it to the point of addiction. This was one of the nights when he wasn't allowed to drink it, and perhaps it was his exhaustion talking, but Lucerys really wished to know what was pulling at his heart and telling him to follow the invisible string tied to it. Taking a deep breath, Lucerys pulled the sheets off himself and stood up. He knew the Kingsguard wouldn't stay outside his chambers, so they wouldn't be a problem, the only problem would be the entrance, so he would have to sneak through a window.
Walking through the dark halls of Dragonstone, Lucerys allowed his string to pull him through the halls and stairs, walking down the narrow and twisting stairs of Sea Dragon Tower, finally reaching the gallery as the string pulled him to avoid the armory and instead walk through the patch of grass and plants that was hidden inside the walls of the castle, between the towers and outer walls and the main structure that held the great hall, the kitchens and the room of the painted table. His feet felt the mud and grass underneath him, still cold from the rains that accompanied them through the evenings the past few weeks, the singing of the frogs filling the silent air around Lucerys as the little boy pursed his lips in order to power through the cold. Reaching the postern, which luckily had no guards for the moment, as they were probably switching to allow the previous guards to rest, walking through the stone door, he hurried his steps, the string in his heart pulling him tighter and tighter, as if rushing him to get to his destination faster. He felt the earth underneath him grow warmer with every step he took, until he felt the heat grow strong enough for grass to stop growing in said area, as the dirt became rock, once he reached an area were the slope became extremely steep all of a sudden, he came to a halt, looking up at the mountain as he recognized where he stood. Dragonmont. He wasn't allowed to glance at the grey smoke for even two seconds before his string pulled at his side, ushering Lucerys to go around the bottom of the volcanoe instead of up.
As he walked around the area surrounding the volcano, he came to notice multiple entrances to hidden caverns and tunnels that belonged to the dragons of Dragonmont and Dragonstone. Cannibal, Grey Ghost, Sheepstealer, Silverwing and Vermithor. However, they weren't the only dragons that lived there, as Tyraxes had found a home in one of the tunnels closer to the castle and farther from Cannibal, Syrax had also found a home in one of the lairs, as did the rest of the unclaimed dragons, such as Sunfyre and Dreamfyre. Stopping in his steps, he looked to his right, finding himself at the entrance of a cavern, a deep and pleased rumble resounding through it as Lucerys felt the earth underneath him shake with every step the dragon took, and soon, a pale blue snout slowly made it's way out if the cave. Lucerys gulped as Dreamfyre slowly made her way out of her cave, her pale blue face surrounded by her silver horns as she showed off her silver fangs, as big as Lucerys' forearm. Her silver eyes met Lucerys' purple, and Lucerys felt the string loosen before it was suddenly tugged one last time, as if someone had tied it to something and pulled it hard enough to make sure the string won't be broken. With a sharp breath, he looked up at the she-dragon.
"Ao nȳmtagon syt nyke [1]" He slipped into his mother tongue as he realized what had happened "Iksā ñuha zaldrīzes [2]"
Lucerys wasn't sure if dragons could nod, but if they could, he was sure Dreamfyre had just nodded at him, taking a deep breath, Lucerys walked off to the side, allowing the she-dragon to fulle leave the cave, her body larger than any other dragon he had seen, besides Vhagar, which made sense, as Dreamfyre was the second largest living dragon after Vhagar. Her pale blue wings with silver scales dotting around it looked like a cleat sky filled with stars, as her silver markings reminded Lucerys of the markings her mother held on her stomach "Marks of motherhood" She had called them, he wondered if Dreamfyre developed those marks after all the eggs she had laid. Dreamfyre's saddle had long been left in the castle, as nobody had mounted the dragon in a hundred years, but for some reason, her back seemed as comfortable to Lucerys as any other chair or saddle he had ever seen. Raising his hand, he remembered the lessons his mother had given him in both dragon taming and politeness.
"Lykirī Ēdrurzys [3]" He made sure to say Dreamfyre's name in High Valyrian "Iksan jāre naejot sōvegon lēda ao [4]"
It seemed to have worked, as Dreamfyre leaned down, her strong wings holding Lucerys' weight as he climbed on top of her back, holding onto her bigger spikes as he felt the rest of them and her scaly skin roughly rub against his exposed legs, letting him know he would definitely have a burn after he finished mounting her. Dreamfyre looked back at him, as if assessing his position to make sure he was in a comfortable position yet was safe. Turning back around, she looked back up at the moon, rushing, before her wings elevated them with a loud clap, an excited roar leaving her mouth as she was finally bonded again, after so many years. The castle was awoken with the roar that was unheard for a hundred years before a clap of thunder followed, Rhaenyra and Harwin jumped out of their beds as they ran to the window, seeing how a pale blue dragon rose from Dragonmont and took the sky. The couple's eyes widened as they ran around the room, putting on their sandals in order to protect their feet from the cold as they ran out the door and down the stairs of the Sea Dragon Tower, opening the door to Joffrey's chamber, finding the little boy staring in awe as the sky was painted silver with highlights of pale blue as Dreamfyre rounded over the castle and volcano. Harwin was quick to pick up Joffrey, who kept jumping in excitement as they rushed to Jacearys' chambers, finding him as confused as they were as he joined them in their journey, descending Helaena's chambers, they opened the door, finding her looking up at the sky, a knowing look on her face as she spoke up.
"Son of water, blue of blood, silver of hair, called forward by the mother of fire, blue of scales, silver of flames" She chantes.
Rhaenyra's dread grew bigger as she descended into Lucerys' chambers, opening the door to find it empty. Guards were already waiting for orders from their queen as they followwd the family out of the castle, walking throught the gallery and into the Middle Bailey, walking around the Armory and running through the garden, finding themselves at the foot of Dragonmont. They looked up as they found the Pearl Old Valyria, taking the sky on top of the Mother of dragons. Lucerys felt his skin break against the rough scales and spikes, but found himself uncaring of his wounds, knowing they would imitate the marks of his dragon and his mother, bringing him closer to the both of them. He looked around as he witnessed the stars and the moon become closer to him, as if he could jump and land in the large silver sphere, the stars lighting up the sky as he looked all around him, the waves beneath him soft and chanting his name as he looked down upon them. Dreamfyre seemed to have sensed her rider's idea, as she slowly began descending, until her wings graced the surface of the water, stabbing through it as she turned sideways, though she only did it for a secondas she didn't want her little rider to fall off of her. A loud roar was heard from the shore, as Luce's family awaited for him beneath. Joffrey kept jumping with excitement as Harwin and Jace looked at him with pride, Helaena's smile was as knowing as herself, and while Lucerys struggled to see their expressions correctly, he could tell his mother was not amused with his stunt. As Syrax called for Dreamfyre and Luce to come down, later, Luce would say how ironic it was, since Syrax was a product of Dreamfyre's clutch, and Lucerys' mother was bonded to her, meaning mother and daughter were calling for their son and mother.
The closer he got to the ground, the more he could see the emotions battling inside her mother, she seemed proud of him, yet upset, she seemed astonished yet near a heart attack. It wasn't until Lucerys landed that his mother's face turned white and lost all signs of life, as her purple eyes caught the red of his nightgown, his blood having dyed the white fabric red. Ser Harwin Strong was quick to react, letting Joffrey down before rushing to Lucerys, immediately taking a hold of him and picking him up, making sure to be careful with his legs, while his mother called for a maester, rushing to him as she checked up on the blood.
"By the Gods, Lucerys" She whispered "Does it hurt?"
It was then that Lucerys became aware of the stinging sensation all those cuts and scrapes caused on him, when he was on top of Dreamfyre, the rush of adrenaline made him unaware of the pain, but now that his legs were free, he realized now how much it stung. Only not enough to actually cause pain.
"No" He whispered.
"Let's go inside" His mother spoke with softness "We'll clean your wounds... And then we'll talk about your stunt"
"Can I fly with Cerys first?" Asked Joffrey.
"No" Harwin and Rhaenyra spoke at the same time.
"You three must go to bed" Rhaenyra added, her garments staining with blood as she carried Lucerys like a babe.
He was carried back inside by his mother, while Ser Harwin Strong took Jace, Joffrey and Helaena into the Sea Dragon Tower to go back to bed, Dreamfyre went back to Dragonmont, knowing what would follow once morrow came.
"Are you angry?" Asked Lucerys, as his mother sat him on a chair, as the maesters took to cleaning his wounds.
Rhaenyra whispered something in her maid's ear, before turning to look at her son, seeing the features that worked as a time machine for everyone, people would always mention just how much Lucerys looked like her, same eyes, same nose, same lips, same hair, everything. But Rhaenyra couldn't help but see her mother in Lucerys's expressions, her smile, her frowning, the way the right corner of her lips used to rise whenever she tried to hide a smile. Perhaps that's why she felt closer to him, she loved all her children, of course, but Lucerys was different from them. Jace was her protective spirit and warrior soul, Joffrey was her mischief and wicked childishness, Luke was her love and patience. They were all patches of herself, maybe that's why they each looked different from the other, Jace, being as protective and warrior-like was the perfect combination of her and Harwin. Joffrey, being as childish and mischievous as her, looked like Viserys, who was the one to experience Rhaenyra's childhood the most. Luke, being her love and patience, looked like Rhaenyra, for those were the only things that didn't change in her, and the love she held for her mother was never wavering, unlike the love she felt for her father, perhaps that's why Lucerys reminded everyone of Rhaenyra, and Rhaenyra of her mother. Perhaps that's why she held a deeper connection to him. Sighing, she spoke up.
"I can never be angry with you, my sweet boy" She smiled "Angry that you put yourself in danger? Definitely. Proud that you claimed a dragon this young? Yes. Disappointed that you didn't tell me about your bond earlier? Absolutely"
"I didn't want to bother you-"
"I am your mother" Rhaenyra interrupted, holding Lucerys' hand "If something is bothering you, you tell me" She explained "Understand?"
Lucerys could only nod, as Rhaenyra turned to his hair.
"You know? The day I claimed Syrax my mother asked for a yellow stone" She hummed, her hand letting go of lucerys as she softly held a small section of his long hair "she braided a strand of my hair to symbolize how I was now bonded with my dragon, one strand was me, the other was Syrax, and the third one was to show how our souls became one" She explained as she braided his hair, finally stopping halfway through as her maid entered the room, Lucerys hadn't noticed her leaving "And then, she added a yellow gemstone, the color of my dragon" She added, softly placing a blue gemstone in Lucerys' braid before continuing the braid "Syrax was only one color, but since Dreamfyre is blue and silver, we'll have to add something else" She hummed, adding a silver ornament, which she placed at the end of his braid "I haven't worn that braid in years, but I guess it's not too late to make it a tradition" She smiled, kissing Luke's forehead, as she handed him a mirror, letting him see the beautiful braid that laid on the right side of his hair, the blue gemstone sitting in the middle of it, the silver ornament, which Luke now realized was a tiny dragon, at the end of the braid was the one keeping the braid together. It was there that he realized why people thought he was just like his mother. As it was there, right there in that moment, that he truly felt pretty, pretty enough to be compared to the woman who had everyone's hearts in her hands since she was a child.
Luce's wounds were not deep enough to cause actual muscle or bone damage, however, it had cut through the fat level of skin, thus would leave scars in Lucerys' thighs and legs. He had later been reprimanded by his mother on how unsafe it was of him to simply sneak out and go off to Dragonmont, even if Dreamfyre called to him, as he could've been spotted by Cannibal and end as his meal. Lucky for Luce, his mother would always melt under his puppy eyes and chubby cheeks, so she was quick to sigh and congratulate him over mounting a dragon at his age, now usurping Rhaenyra from the place of youngest Targaryen A.C to mount a dragon. Jace and Joffrey congratulated him over his claim, as many had tried to bond with Dreamfyre but never could, and as the dragon called for Lucerys, that meant he was destined to her since birth, after breaking their fast, they were present when the Dragonkeepers put Dreamfyre's saddle on top of the she-dragon again. The saddle was made of silver, with the Targaryen sigil carved on the back, the saddle was stuffed to be comfortable for the rider to mount the dragon for longer periods of time and was covered in leather, with white fur that had been dyed light blue with different fruits lining the chair. Joffrey would beg Lucerys to take him flying, so would Jace, the three Velaryon brothers and Dreamfyre flying alongside Helaena and Tessarion and Rhaenyra and Syrax.
Jacaerys Velaryon
Prince of Dragonstone
Heir to the Iron throne
It had already been three years since the Velaryons and Targaryens had moved to Dragonstone, the yearning for the familiar walls of the Red Keep was still present in their hearts, but it had gone down like the flames of the torches after burning for a fortnight, but the desire to meet with their family again never left, Helaena and Rhaenyra yearned to meet with their brothers, Jace and Luke were desperate to meet their uncles again, Joffrey wished to meet the uncles his brothers spoke so fondly about. Helaena and himself had grown closer and closer to one another, as both of them knew they would someday marry and have children, his mother and grandmother Alicent had drowned themselves on wedding planning and treaties ever since Helaena had her blood, planning to marry them when Jace turned fourteen and Helaena was sixteen, in order to make the most of their most fertile years. Jace was surprised to find himself completely fine with his marriage to Helaena, yet could also not deny the fact that Helaena was a beautiful woman, inside and out. Her hair that was the same color as the trees the two of them climbed whenever she spotted an insect in them, her eyes the same color as the nuts Jace ate after sparring. Her joyful demeanor whenever she would talk about insects, to the point where Jace could easily tell when she was excited about something, happy about something or enjoying something. As heirs to the Iron throne, they would also join the king, queen and Rhaenyra in council meetings in order to better learn how to deal with them and how to better understand why and how alliances work with certain Houses.
While Lucerys should've grown up in Driftmark, as he was the son of the heir, however, Corlys and Rhaenys didn't want Rhaenyra to miss her son, especially since her and Luce always had a bond deeper than the rest of them, so they would instead teach him the basic things, such as how to lead a fleet, how to work around a ship, the ropes and how to read the tides. Since both Baela and Rhaena were possible future queens, they were being raised in Driftmark, with Daemon and Caraxes staying there as well; Baela and Rhaena were both growing into their personalities, with Baela developing the same daredevil behaviour her father possessed, while Rhaena showed to be far more ladylike. In their most recent letter Rhaenys had told them Baela had taken dark sister and cut off her hair to ear length, much to Daemon's entertainment. His brother's presence had allowed Jace to grow more used to handling full grown dragons, or bigger dragons, as Syrax was the size of a young adult, being almost dwarfed by Dreamfyre and being turned into a dot next to Vhagar. He loved flying on Dreamfyre alongside his brothers, aunt and future wife and his mother, all of them indulging in races as Helaena and Tessarion grew used to flying with dragons, given the pink dragon's shyness around strangers. All those times he prayed for the day of his tenth nameday to arrive and come sooner, shaking the day he turned eight, squealing the day he turned nine, and jumping the day he turned ten. The same day he turned ten, the ceremony started. The Claiming ceremony consisted of three stages, the first stage consisted of eating scorched meals and wearing a cloak of scales, to impersonate a dragon, that stage lasted a week. And the entire week, he felt his intestines turn in on themselves and become knots that forbid him from eating anything at all. The night prior to his ceremony, Jace could barely sleep, seeing the moon reach it's highesst point before slowly descending, when the moon was halfway down, he could finally close his eyes.
"Jace Jace" He was woken up a few hours after he was taken by his exhaustion, an excited Joffrey jumping on top of him as he called for him "Tubī iksis se tubis [5]"
Joffrey's Valyrian wasn't the best of them all, Jace couldn't blame him, Joffrey was very hyperactive kid and hated standing still (Some would call him feral) he would never focus on his mother teaching them High Valyrian, instead looking out the window as Grey Ghost flied off to hunt for fish or Sheepstealer to hunt for sheep, hoping to get his dragon once and for all. Given this, Lucerys was the one with the best High Valyrian of the three, Jace a close second and Joffrey third. Jace wouldn't be surprised if Joffrey pulled a Lucerys and snuck out at night, but ever since that night, their mother made sure there was never a moment were guards weren't standing outside the doors that lead to Dragonmont or elsewhere; so their little Joff-Joff wouldn't be able to sneak out and claim a dragon like Cannibal. Looking at Joffrey, he found him already in the ceremonial clothes worn for claiming ceremonies. Depending on whether you had a dragon or not, the clothes would be different. The clothes were all one piece, but those who had claimed a dragon wore loose pants that were dyed red with the shirt part being white with a cloak. While those who were dragonless would wear a white tunic with the cape tied around like a scarf. The pants allowed protection and comfort from scales, and the cape plus loose sleeves symbolized the wings of their dragons, while the tunic and made-up scarf symbolized the way a dragon inside the egg has it's wings wrapped around them.
"If you don't get up I'm going to steal your dragon!" Joffrey warned, still jumping.
"Try it and you're dead meat zaldrītsos [6]" Jace warned, though his voice sounded weird due to just waking up.
Groaning, he moved to sit up, Joffrey immediately jumping off the bed as one of the maids walked into the room, a guilty smile in her face.
"My apologies, my prince" She bowed "Princess Rhaenyra asked for you to be woken up, she told me to send your brother to do so"
"It's okay Herya" Jace huffed "Do you mind drawing me a bath?"
"Of course not, my lord" Herya bowed, leaving the room to go call the rest of the servants and maids who would prepare the water and the oils to bathe the prince.
Joffrey was escorted out of the chambers as the servants walked in with buckets full of water, collected from the hotsprings in the halfway point were the volcanoe met the sea, clutches and clutches of hotsprings in the shape of dragon eggs. They filled the bathtub as Jacaerys walked through the doorway and into the bath chamber next to his bed chamber, his heart beating ferociously as he anticipated the heat inside the volcanoe and the darkness of the caverns. He couldn't deny how envious he was that Cerys hadn't needed to walk into the darkness and heat to find a dragon, as he was called by his dragon, who waited patiently for him instead of making the prince follow his string and find it through caverns to prove his worth. He sank into the boiling waters, his skin reddening but his face remaining unfazed, as Jacaerys actually loved the heat. He was softly pushed beneath the water, getting his face and hair wet before being pulled out for the maids to wash him and bathe him in oils. As his silver hair was softly combed through, he closed his eyes, focusing on the teo stages he would now have to go through. The second stage was the easiest, he would need to go to Dragonmont, where his family and a septon would wait for him, there, he would recite a prayer with the setpon praying with him and lending him power, then, he would cut his finger and let his blood drop to the floor, to let the dragons smell his blood, thus showing a dragonlord was looking for a dragon to be bonded to. The third stage was the hardest, his family sould have to recite the same prayer to make sure Jace was protected, as he would need to go down into the heart of Dragonmont, where all the caverns and halls lead to, and cut his other finger and let his blood drop to the ground to be absorbed into the volcanoe, all the while reciting the same prayer as he did outside and focus on his magic blood. If the ritual was done correctly, Jace would feel a tug on his chest, pulling him to his dragon. He felt the water become filled with foam as the sweat and dirt was bathed off of his skin, with the oils giving him a rather lemon-like scent mixed with pinewood. Once he was pulled out of the waters, he was dryed with soft towels, his hair being braided with pearls of dragonglass and dragontears, as he was dressed in the ceremonial garments. A soft knock alerted Jace of a presence behind the door.
"I'll be done soon!" He called, as the maids buttoned up the back of his clothing.
Rushing to the door, he opened it to reveal his betrothed.
"Helaena" He sighed "Skorkydoso kostagon nyke dohaeragon? [7]"
"Īlen jāre naejot epagon keskydoso [8]" Helaena smiled "Skorkydoso glaesā? [9]" She added.
Jace didn't know what it was with his betrothed, but he always felt he could be himself with her, and wouldn't have to worry about her opinion of him changing. So while he would put up a facade with his mother and brithers, he was truthful with Helaena.
"Zūgagon [10]" He confessed "Nyke zūgagon mirros kostagon jikagon pirta [11]"
Helaena nodded, biting her lips as her hand reach out for his, softly holding him as she looked into his eyes.
"Everything will go as planned, soon you'll take the sky with the mount of a conciliator" She promised, smiling up at him with kindness as her hand rested on Jace's cheek, and Jace buried his face into her palm, yearning for more of her warmth "Are you ready?" Jace nodded with a deep breath.
Their walk to Dragonmont was quiet, their hands holding each other as they passed maids and servants, who bowed in front of the prince as they wished him good luck, excitement filled the halls as a group of maids and servants asked to join the family in the prayers to help guide Jace. He was confused as to why so many of them wanted to join him, until he remembered none of them had ever witnessed a claiming ceremony, aas the last ceremonies were those of his grandfatger, the king, his grandmother Rhaenys and his uncle Daemon, as his mother and brother had both skipped the ceremony and became bonded to a dragon at an early age. Jace felt his stomach grumble as he walked through the halls, as it was recommended to practice fasting the day before and of the ceremony to make sure their blood is running faster to give energy to the body, thus allowing more blood to fall and be smelled by more dragons. By the time they reached Dragonmont, his mother, brothers and father through blood were standing before the septon, Dreamfyre and Syrax watching them behind their riders as a crowd was already creating a circle for them to witness the ritual. The septon was bathed in white, while his family was bathed in white and red, all except for Joffrey and Harwin, who wore a white scarf. Jace stopped in front of the septon, Helaena squeezing his hand before joining his mother, who sent a reassuring smile Jace's way.
"You can do this" She mouthed.
And with another deep breath, Jace turned to the septon.
"Īlon iōragon rudhy tubī [12]" Called the Septon "naejot biarvī manaeragon se urnesi dārilaros Jacaerys Velaryon mazemagon se rovaja dekuragon isse se ābrar hen tolvie zaldrīzeksio [13]" He gestured towards the entrance of Dragonmont "Se siñagon mēre lēda iā zaldrīzes, se sōvegon mēre ziry [14]" Turning to Jacaerys, the old man took a hold of the dragonglass blade, cutting Jacaerys' finger, allowing the blood to fall down onto the hot rock "vestragon ziry mēr nyke [15]" He whispered, as his voice became one with the prince.
"Gō se laehossa hen Jaehossas se gō se jemagon hen ñuha egliar, nyke, dārilaros Jacaerys Velaryon [16]" Jace chanted, as his blood fell from his finger and met the stone, dying it red as it seeped through the pores and became absorbed by it. "Dārilaros hen Zaldrīzesdōron, se dārilaros naejot se Dēmalion Āegenko, jonevegon nykēla kostioqitta hae nyke ivestragī ñuha gīs iāragon dāez se imazumbagon iā zaldrīzes ēva morghon gaomagon īlva ezīmos. Se perzys isse ñuha ānogar kessa sagon se perzys isse pōja relgos, se se jelmio gōvilagon pōja tīkuni kessa sagon se jelmio isse ñuha ōghar. Nyke iepagon ñuha egliar, naejot mīsagon nyke hen dāez perzys se dohaeragon nyke rhaenagon ñuha tolie ezīma [17]"
"Sȳz biarves, ñuha dārilaros [18]" The septa whispered, as he gestured for him to enter the volcanor "Kostagon se Jaehossas sagon lēda ao [19]" He added, as soon as Jace crossed the entrance of the cave.
Jacaerys took a deep breath, before sinking into the dark tunnel that lead to the heart of Dragonmont, the septon's prayers followed after him as he walked down into the cavern, only fading away when the light of the sun abandoned him, leaving him with the light emanating from the torch, which was enough to light up Jace and a small area around him, possibly around three steps, but nothing else, so he would not be able to spot a dragon laying deep within one of the caverns made home by the creatures. As he looked down at his feet, he made sure to make up for his lack of sight, since his eyes were trained on the ground in order to avoid tripping or stepping on a snake or hatchling, he made sure to keep his hearing sharp so he could hear any sort of rumble or roar one of the hatchlings may produce once they caught the prince. Lucky for him, the only sounds resounding through the cavern were the squeaks made by rats and distant rat screechings as they were captured by hatchlings. The closer Jacaerys got to the heart of Dragonmont, the more the air turned a reddish yellow, with dragontears on the rocks as the crystals lit up the area, making the light from the torch become useless.
Leaving the torch on the ground, Jacaerys took out the piece of dragonglass used by the septa to cut his other finger, the blood flowing out of him as he recited the same prayer he recited outside of the volcanoe. The effect was immediate, as he felt the blood pumping from his heart become a solid line that was pulled out of his veins, through his skin and out of his chest, pulling and pulling and pulling until it finally stopped being pulled and started being tugged, showing Jace his dragon had already found him and was calling for him. Picking his torch up, Jace turned to his right, and followed the string that pulled at him, his prayer leaving his mouth like a jet of fire that never ceased, protecting him as he stepped and squished rats that tried to escape their deaths, stepping on insects that Jace prayed Helaena didn't find out about as she would definitely look for the carcasses and give them a proper Targaryen burial, he slowly abandoned the heart of Dragonmont, dragontears leaving him as Jace was left with his torch lighting up the way. He felt himself going down a tunnel instead of up, meaning his dragon was an older one, as dragons like Syrax, Seasmoke and Tyraxes had claimed the top of the volcanoe, with Grey ghost, Cannibal, Sheepstealer and Sunfyre claiming the middle of the mount, leaving Dreamfyre, Vermithor, Silverwing and Vhagar residents of the bottom of the mont. Finally, the walls that were once illuminated by the torch disappeared, meaning Jace had entered one of the caverns claimed by the older dragons.
"Se perzys isse ñuha ānogar kessa sagon se perzys isse pōja relgos, se se jelmio gōvilagon pōja tīkuni kessa sagon se jelmio isse ñuha ōghar." He murmured, kneeling as he let the torch on the ground, a growl resounding through the cavern as Jace slowly raised his hand "Nyke iepagon ñuha egliar, naejot mīsagon nyke hen dāez perzys se dohaeragon nyke rhaenagon ñuha tolie ezīma"
A jet of bronze flames shot out of the dragon's snout, reaching the height of an oak tree before finally hitting the roof of the cave, illuminating Jace's skin in a bronze glow that made his skin feel as warm as the summer breeze. Jacaerys made use of the light to try and find Vermithor's companion, Silverwing, for everyone knew the two dragons shared a cave. "The lovers cave" Was the name given to their cave. Silverwing sat patiently in the cave, her tail wrapping around herself as she looked down at the three eggs she had laid. Looking back up, his eyes met Vermithor's, the bronze fury growling as his face got closer to Jacaerys'. The prince took a deep breath, slowly reaching out as his hand laid against Vermithor's scales.
"Rȳbagon, Vermitor" Jace ordered, training his voice to remain calm yet dominant and assertive "Lykirī"
Vermithor held his gaze, bronze against purple, Jace held his eyes open, the heat making them tear up as he felt his eyes slowly sting, but he never once broke eye contact, asseting his dominance as an equal to Vermithor, showing him he wouldn't cave if push came to shove, if battle came to his door, he would fight with vigor amd bravery. Vermithor's hot breath would blow on Jace's face and hair, making his eyes ache further, but Jace didn't give up, he didn't blink or avert his gaze, fighting against his body as he stared deep into Vermithor's eyes. Finally, the membrane that protected the dragon's eyes when flying and hunting covered the dragon's eyes, followed by the eyelids closing, finally demonstrating Vermithor's acceptance of the prince as his rider. Blinking as much as he could to make up for the lack of it, Jace stared as Vermithor turned his body, leaning down and presenting his wing, allowing Jace to climb on top of him, and mount him, the boy dwarfed on top of Vermithor as the dragon turned to face him, making sure the boy wouldn't fall off, as Vermithor walked deeper into the darkness, his steps becoming faster and faster before the dragon left the cave through an entrance outside the volcanoe, taking the sky as his family and servants cheered at the prince that claimed the Bronze fury. It was later, that Jace was seen sporting the same braids as his mother, brother, and betrothed, a bronze gemstone in the middle of it.
Joffrey Velaryon
Namesake of a lover
Son of a warrior
"We are the blood of the dragon" Was a common phrase heard in his family "We come from Dragonlords, dragontamers, we are dragonriders. We are special because of our dragons"
Joffrey remembers seeing his uncles and aunt with their dragons, small and not able to be ridden yet, but still just as fierce and majestic, flying in the air, shooting fire of colours Joffrey had never seen, yellow, red, blue and silver, bronze, pink and blue, more colours that Joffrey could even imagine. He would always read about the dragonriders and their dragons, to imagine how he would be as a rider and who he would bond with, he would read about Silverwing and Alysanne, Vermithor and Jaehaerys, Dreamfyre and Rhaena, Vhagar and Visenya, Balerion and Aegon, Meraxes and Rhaenys, Meleys and Alyssa, Quicksilver and Aenys, Caraxes and Aemon. He never had to read the books that spoke about his family and their relationship with said dragons, such as his grandmother Rhaenys, his great-uncle Daemon and his aunt Laena, as he had his family to talk to him about them and he was able to witness them. When his brothers claimed their own dragons, Joffrey started listing off the dragons he wouldn't be able to claim. Dreamfyre, Vermithor, Vhagar, who would to either Baela or Rhaena, Seasmoke, who he thought was supposed to go the twin who didn't claim Vhagar. Leaving Sunfyre, a dragon who was of unknown parentage, as they had spotted him only after he hatched in Dragonmont, the wild dragons, who would never be claimed by anyone, and that was it. Joffrey Velaryon would be dragonless if he didn't claim Sunfyre.
"Dragons aren't our property" His mother had once told them during their lessons "We may think we control and own them but we don't. They could easily burn us or eat us if they feel like it, instead they choose to protect us. They choose who they bond with, and unlike us, they don't care if they're claimed by someone who isn't a firstborn son or a son at all, if they feel a connection, they let the connection be created"
Even with that, Joffrey couldn't help but still feel as if he was unworthy of a dragon that wasn't Sunfyre, after all, he knew he had no true Velaryon blood, thus no claim to anything Velaryon. His mother had told them their true parentage and her relationship with Laenor, their aunt Laena had backed their mother up and explained how Laenor's true love, Joffrey Lonmouth, and him weren't allowed to be together under the eyes of the Faith of the seven, thus had to marry Rhaenyra. She also told them how Harwin was their father, which wasn't really much a shock to them, after all they weren't even off their wet nurse when Laenor passed away, and Harwin had always been there at all times, teaching them how to fight with swords, how to combat without swords. Joffrey never liked swords, not like how Lucerys didn't like swords, choosing instead to learn more medicine than combat, Joffreg instead preferred daggers, easier to hide, faster, sharper and one didn't need as much momentum with them if they needed to slit someone's throat, even if swords were better to behead. It was obvious that their mother was Lucerys' favorite, the bond the two of them had was stronger than the bond she had with Jace and himself, even if she still loved them dearly; so it wasn't a surprise when Harwin became Joffrey's favorite. Joffrey would always seek Harwin everywhere he went, if there was a storm, Harwin was Joffrey's sanctuary, if Joffrey wanted to see the dragons, Harwin would always hold him to ensure he didn't walk into Cannibal's cave. Lucerys was Rhaenyra's son, but Joffrey was Harwin's.
"You know kid?" Harwin had said during one of Joffrey's sleepless nights "When I became a kingsguard I felt the most disappointed about not being able to father a son. I had even thought of a name at that point"
"Really?" Joffrey looked up at his father "What was it?"
"Wanted to name them after my heroes" Harwin grinned "I know only Valyrians can use Valyrian names, but Visenya and Brynden Strong really has a ring to it doesn't it?" He chuckled. "Perhaps I would've been forced to make it sound more common, maybe Vinya or something"
"What about Brynden?" Asked Joffrey "Who was he?"
"It's an old tale my father read to me" Harein explained "The story says that before the conquest and before Houses were made, Brynden was a weak boy who couldn't even lift a kitchen knife, his entire family was in danger because of the winter and Harrenhal had been basically trapped in snow, to the point where nobody could go in or out of the castle. Brynden's sister had become extremely ill and they couldn't get a maester to come, so Brynden snuck out, and dug a tunnel with his bare hands from Harrenhal to the nearest town, getting a maester and creating another passage from that town to Harrenhal. By the time he made it back, he had grown muscular and able to withstand the extreme cold of the winter. He was said to be the first person to bear the last name Strong, thus starting the legacy of House Strong"
After Harwin's death, Joffrey sunk into a deep depression, the boy wouldn't leave his bed, let alone his chambers, he didn't have the strength to bathe himself, going weeks without washing himself before he was dragged out of bed and made to be bathed, which even proved to be a challenge, as the prince would need to be held up during baths, otherwise he would sink beneath the water. He had to be persuaded to eat more than just a fourth of his food, his bedroom was painted black for almost an entire year, finally garnering enough strenght to get out of his bed and walk around the tower. Lucerys and Jace looked as proud as parents seeing their child take their first steps, his mother was near tears, Helaena was smiling with simpathy, as the girl had grown closer to Harwin as well. After that, his family began treating him like they usually did, only this time, there was a layer of support, when Lucerys and Helaena braided his hair, they were strangely physical, making sure their hands were always touching his shoulders or their legs touching his knees, when Jace sparred with him, he didn't berate him for losing focus or balance, simply advising him to better himself, even demonstrating how to hold a stronger stance, when his mother taught him Valyrian, she used more sweet examples. What once were the difference between Meereenese, High and Astapori Valyrian with words like "Dragon" Was now the change of words depending on the amount of people, how "My strong boy" Changes depending if it's Meereenese or High Valyrian.
Joffrey felt himself slowly start accepting Harwin's death, the mornings weren't a kick in the chest, walking past the armory wouldn't send him into frantic crying, he wouldn't find himself chasing after a ghost in the halls of Dragonstone, a ghost that was nowhere to be found, for Ser Harwin Strong was resting in the beyond, next Ser Laenor, Lady Laena and Joffrey's grandmother Aemma. He finally felt like he wasn't made of porcelain. And then his mother married Daemon. And suddenly, it was as if Harwin hadn't raised her sons, as if she hadn't loved him. Everywhere Rhaenyra went, Daemon followed, holding her hand, whispering sweet words in High Valyrian, kissing her. And nobody could say anything, as Ser Harwin Strong was just a knight in the eyes of the court and others.
"I'm glad she's married again, she's been by herself ever since Ser Laenor died"
They would say, and Joffrey couldn't correct them and tell them that Ser Harwin was there.
"I remember seeing her when she was yet to be a woman grown, she would always look at her uncle with love and adoration."
She used to look at Harwin as well with love and adoration.
"Have you see how he looks at her? He's so in love with her"
Ser Harwin was too.
All those times he would go to his brothers, who would share his sentiment bit explain how their mother was the one who they would prioritize, for she was the one married to Daemon, and she was the one who was in love with Daemon. Due to the situation of Baela and Rhaena, the girls would alternate from Driftmark to Dragonstone every other moon, as would Luke; Joffrey was glad to find the girls shared his sentiment, thinking their father moved on too fast from their mother. He had allies who would talk with him behind closed doors and turned off torches, but if their parents were present, they were as silent as Grey ghost; and that was enough for Joffrey. Until his mother fell pregnant only a moon after her wedding. In those nine moons, Joffrey lost Lucerys and Rhaena, who would follow Rhaenyra and make sure she was healthy and well. Baela and Jacaerys had even gone with Daemon to prepare a dagger for the birth of their new sibling. Dragonkeepers had announced that they had had a successful mating season, with all the eggs laid by the she-dragons had hatched, and the hatchlings were seen around their mothers and trying to find a cavern for themselves. Meaning Daemon and Rhaenyra would have plenty of healthy babes. Just like that, Joffrey was forced to say goodbye everything Harwin ever did for him.
"May I hold him?" Asked Lucerys, the day Aegon was born, his brother smiling gently as Daemon passed Aegon III on to him, making sure to correct him on his hold of him.
Lucerys cooed at Aegon as his baby brother looked up at him, trying to catch the braid that fell only a few inches away from his face, the silver dragon on it glistening with the light from the sun that peaked through the windows. Soft cooes left the baby's mouth as he held his arms up, trying to reach the glistening dragon and gemstone, Joffrey could do nothing but fight his tears as everyone doted over Aegon, Jace even going as far as to lean on Daemon to look at the babe. Quietly and quickly, Joffrey exited the Great hall, rushing into the inner bailey as he allowed himself to cry as much as he wanted, not even noticing when green fertile grass turned to black warm stone, not noticing when celebration turned to rumbling and hissing, not noticing, until he stopped to breath, falling to the ground as his cries echoed through the cavern. A soft rumbling was heard as Joffrey burried his face in his knees, crying louder and louder as he felt a snout nuzzling against his back.
"Gaoman daor jaelagon iā lēkia [20]" He mourned "Gaoman daor jaelagon iā arlie kepa [21]"
The creature behind the cloak of darkness rumbled, sending a vibration down Joffrey's back, as if conforting the little boy.
"Ser Harwin Strong iksis se mērī kepa nyke gīmigon [22]" He wiped his tear "Issa daor litse naejot ropakagon zirȳla... Issa daor litse issa daor litse [23]" He cried like a little boy "Skoro syt iksis tolvys toliot zȳhon morghon? [24]"
Joffrey knew death was natural as being born, he knew men and women die, especially if they're kingsguards and lords, but he couldn't help but despise just how he lost his father, he never got to say goodbye, or "I love you", he couldn't even have him present for the claiming ceremony, which wouldn't be until some months in the future. One day, he was there, then another day he wasn't. No warning, no preparation. No consolation. He was gone, like the sun on a snow day. The dragon somehow could understand him, but not just understand what he was saying, what he was thinking, what he was experiencing, how he felt and why he felt that way. And Joffrey could do so too, even if all the dragon did was rumble or hiss, it still felt as if it was talking to Joffrey, and genuinely caring about him. As if the dragon had experienced the same loss Joffrey did, the boy felt the touch of a tail against his leg, before coiling around him in a hug, the pale silver-grey of the tail reminded Joffrey of the seafoam that would wash his feet whenever he touched the water whenever he walked around the shore. Looking back at the castle, Joffrey let his hand fall softly on top of the tail, sighing as a wave of comfort washed over him. He remembered the way Harwin would wrap an arm around him during storms, a hug Joffrey hadn't realized how special it was, for he would burn the entire world just to feel his father hug him that way again.
After Joffrey's conversation with the dragon, he realized he felt a thousand times better, finally finding someone who actually understood what he was going through. That night, he didn't cry himself to sleep, and the next day, he found himself in the same cavern, talking to the dragon again as they held each other as they cried and mourned the past. The same thing happened the day following, and the day after that, and after that, to the point where it had become a routine. He would sneak out once his chores were done, go into the cavern, hug the dragon and talk to him, listen to him, the two never once took the sky in the months after Aegon's birth, a part of Joffrey still felt guilty over having a dragon when he didn't share blood to his previous rider, another part of him wanted to wait until Baela and Rhaena claimed their own, most specifically Rhaena, as Baela had had her blood only four moons after Egg, as they had started calling him, was born, meaning she would be the one to claim Vhagar, marry Luke and inherit the throne. That meant Rhaena would be the one to claim Seasmoke. It wasn't until Joffrey was left unattended that he took the sky with his dragon, Lucerys, Baela and Rhaena had gone to Driftmark, Jacaerys, Helaena, Rhaenyra and Daemon had gone to King's Landing to both attend royal discussions and present Aegon to the king.
The dragon had acted strangely that day when Joffrey went into the cavern, flapping his wings and roaring happily as he softly pushed Joffrey towards his side, almost as if wanting to force him to mount and ride him. Joffrey had tried to push the dragon off, but the desire to fly beat him like a kingsguard beat a criminal with a sword, after all, one can only watch his family fly as they pleased without having to ask for a ride so much before curiosity sets in and makes them wonder what it's like to experience the freedom only Dragonlords experience. With a deep breath, Joffrey slowly climbed into the dragon's back, holding onto his spikes as the dragon roared happily, rudhing towards the exit of the cavern as the silver-grey dragon took the skies. Joffrey's silver hair danced wildly as the wind freed Joffrey from the confinement that was the ground and allowed him to touch the clouds he once thought would feel like cotton against his hands; his dragon roared as he soaked and basked on his freedom as he flied through the clouds. Joffrey had never felt so free in his life, it was almost as if he was in a dream, and he wished he wouldn't wake up. But just like it happened in his dreams, Joffrey was awoken, this time by excited roars before a flash of scarlet red dashed past him, as Rhaenys and Meleys looked back at Joffrey and Seasmoke, and Joffrey felt as if he was a kid who got caught sneaking into the kitchen. Staring at his grandmother with guilt as he slowly made his descent, Rhaenys following after him in confusiln. She knew Joffrey wasn't actually Laenor's, but everything he did was so much like Laenor, hoe he pursed his lips in confusion, how his left eyebrow would twitch when he felt guilty, how he would constantly try to sneak out to find adventures, perhaps that's why Rhaenys insisted on going to Dragonstone to visit and make sure Joffrey didn't do something wrong. Once the two dragons landed, Rhaenys made sure to look as nice as she could, as she didn't want to intimidate her grandson to death. The two were surrounded in silence for quite some time before she finally spoke up, as Joffrey would clearly remain silent.
"You claimed Seasmoke" Rhaenys hummed, a smile on her lips as Joffrey nodded shyly "Congratulations Joffrey, I see you're as impatient as Laenor, he also couldn't wait for his ceremony to claim Seasmoke."
"Why aren't you angry?" Joffrey asked in disbelief, his brain not able to comprehend Rhaenys' reaction.
"Why would I be angry?" Frowned the red queen rider "You claimed the dragon that belonged to your father, that is normal in Valyrian households"
Joffrey didn't know why, but that simple phrase set him ablaze, for Ser Laenor wasn't his father, neither was Prince Daemon Targaryen, the only father Joffrey knew, was Ser Harwin Strong.
"He wasn't my father!" He exploded "I share no blood with the Velaryons! Seasmoke is for a true Velaryon to claim! Not the son of Harwin Strong!" He knew these words could destroy his family, but he didn't care "So don't you dare, call him my father, because he wasn't! He didn't raise me! He didn't hold me when I was scared! He didn't make me! My father is Ser Harwin Strong!"
Joffrey huffed, dread growing bigger the more he looked at Rhaenys, realization dawning on him as he came up with all the punishments his mother and brothers could suffer now that Rhaenys knew. He turned away from her, more tears falling down his face.
"What are you going to do now?" He asked "Exile us? Question Lucerys' claim to the throne of Driftmark? Have us killed to keep people from finding out we aren't of Ser Laenor?"
"Joffrey" Sighed Rhaenys "I already knew"
Joffrey turned to his grandmother, shock all across his face.
"I knew Laenor was already in love with someone else, and that he had no feelings towards women"
"Then why... " Joffrey stuttered.
"Why do I still treat you as my grandson?" Rhaenys suggested, smiling gently as Joffrey nodded "Because my love for my grandchildren goes beyond blood, so what if you don't share Velaryon blood? Doesn't mean your not my grandson" She explained, tucking his hair behind his ear "You and your brothers are my grandsons, just like Rhaena and Baela, and there's nothing in the world that will ever, make me think of you as something less than that. Understand?" She asked, Joffrey nodded, not trusting his voice to remain unwavering. With a soft kiss to his temple, his grandmother spoke "Now, how about we go for a ride? I reckon Meleys and Seasmoke haven't taken the sky in years now"
Rhaenys left Joffrey a week after that, a braid decorating his hair as a clear crystal sat neatly in the middle of said braid. It wouldn't be for another few weeks until his family came back to Dragonstone, spotting the braid and dragon Joffrey now sported. Rhaenyra immediately embraced her son, while Jace and Luke sang praises and congratulations, followed by Rhaena, Baela and Helaena. And that day, Joffrey joined his family's flight with a dragon of his own.
Jacaerys Velaryon
Prince of Dragonstone
Heir to the Iron throne
Rider of Vermithor, the bronze fury
Lucerys Velaryon
Pearl of Old Valyria
Heir to the throne of Driftmark
Rider of Dreamfyre, the mother of dragons
Joffrey Velaryon
Namesake of a lover
Son of a warrior
Rider of Seasmoke, the dragon born from water