Chapter Text
Jace felt a mixture of wind and smoke hit his face, it was irritating but not blinding. Rhaena and her dragon had left, he shouldn't have but he hoped to never see the beast again. He heard Baela call to moondancer, his head translated the command instantly. "To aid". "Calm Vermax, Calm " he assured his dragon but Vermax was hurt. Jace felt it deep within his own bones, his mother had mentioned that. "Syrax always fuses when I am hurt and at times I think I feel her pain better than my own". Jace had never understood it before. They were far too close to the water so Jace had to do something quickly or they would die. He looked down at the metal which had been hooked into his dragon's belly and felt his dagger. A dagger his mother had brought him for his name day. He regretted going against her, he wished he could apologize for it. "Be kind to your mother lads" he remembered Ser Harwin's words. He knew he didn't regret being here. He had to help, he had to rescue his brothers and grandsire. Just then Vermax was struck again, the dragon landed directly into the water.
Jace knew what hat had to be done. He unfastened the belt around his waist and gave a final order. "Fly Vermax, fly", with that he dove into the sea. He swam under the belly and cut through the ropes which anchored it. Vermax flapped his wings as arrows struck the dragon but managed to escape. Jace smiled but something struck his back. He turned around and an arrow landed on his chest. He didn't wait any longer, he swam into the blue. The pain becoming worse with every wave. He closed his eyes, thinking it was over. This was it, he had lost. He had lost his brothers, his mother and his Baela. His betrothed who desperately seeked to help him, called out to him. It would be perfectly alright for him if it were the last voice he heard. He was ready to let the sea consume him, let the salt fill his body like it never had filled his blood. But another voice echoed in his mind, fimilar and steady.
"Father, how much longer?" A younger Jacaerys stood on the boat. Laenor had rowed him out to catch clams. "Patience, Jace, a prince mustn't be so impatient" he nuzzled his hair. Jacerys didn't speak, just watched him. "It would have been better if we have just asked for them" the little boy protested. "Where do you think the servants find them? They too must search the sea" Laenor answered. "You are a Velaryon too, son, you have both the sky and sea to command. You can not command which you" he explained.Skillfully he picked each clam using his own dagger but his weight rocked the boat causing Jace to shake and fall into the water. "Jacaerys!" his father cried. It took him no time at all to jump into the water. The tide threatened to take him away but Laenor gripped his arm and pulled him back. He sobbed into his father's chest. "There, I have you sweet boy, what would we do without you, what would your mother do" Laenor repeated.
Jace opened his eyes just like he did then, he would not die, not when his family needed him. He swam below the surface, careful not to breathe too often. To his advantage, Baela had burnt the ship which had shot him. He reached the sea rocks and took refuge behind them, finally breathing freely. Now he had to worry for his dragon and how he would return home. His eyes searched the sky, his sword still on his hip and dagger in his hand. Just then Vermax appeared, his wing clearly damaged and body bleeding. Jace felt for his friend, the friend with whom he shared a crib. "Return home, Vermax" Jace mumbled. But the dragon circled over him, Jace remained fixated on him. He lost some hope each time the dragon shrieked or faltered, fearing he might fall. The he heard Baela. "Moondancer to Vermax" she screamed. The moment he saw Baela he relaxed, beginning to feel pain and now his eyes were closing.
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Mysaria had never such anger on Rhaenyra, she banged on the door of her chamber. "Ser Lorent, your Queen commands you,open this door!" She screamed. "My Queen, do not exert yourself so" Mysaria spoke. Rhaenyra sat down at the table. Mysaria followed after, placing her hand over the Queen's. "Such insolence, such disrespect, from my own son" she told her confidante. "It is in young boys nature to be as such, they think they know better than their mother's" she stroked her fingers. "We are children of fire, our blood runs hot. It is no excuse however, he must heed me. If he finds it so simple to disobey me as such. Others will find reasons to do the same" she stood up again. Then they heard the door creak, they rushed towards it hand-in-hand. A Maester stood in the doorway, an expression Mysaria read as shame rested on his face.
"Excuse me, Lady Mysaria" Rhaenyra spoke. Mysaria nodded and stopped. "Where is Ser Lorent? And where is my son?" She yelled through the halls. Mysaria should not have but she felt she had to trail behind her, the Maester worried her. Then she heard her Queen in the dragon cave. "Jace, what have you done?" She said. Mysaria felt something was wrong even before the Queen screamed helplessly, "How dare you! How dare you set your hands on me". She stepped into the room and her eyes went wide. The prince lay on wood, his face pale and eyes closed. The Queen yelled at Ser Lorent. The dragon keepers and knights stood with their heads down. Princess Baela, had tears on her usually neutral face.The Maester's sat beside him, whispering. Rhaenyra looked to Mysaria, hoping for an answer but she had nothing to say. How could she comfort a grieving mother? She had never loved her own child but she had lost him all the same. Determined, she stepped forward.
"Vermax" a word spoken in this silent room. The Maesters looked at the Queen in awe. "He is alive, your grace" one pressed his ear to the young prince's heart. Rhaenyra cried in relief and sunk to the floor. "My Jace" sh crawled to him. "Mother?" The boy spoke. The fire she saw in his this morning had vanished, she no longer saw a prince in his favourable youth but a young boy searching for his mother. "Retrieve the ravens! And prepare my chamber for the prince. We must save him!" The grand Maester ordered. Mysaria was first to follow, others trailing behind her. The prince had to live, for her Queen and for their cause.