Honey and Blood

Daerion Dragonseed

It took him some time to realize that he wasn't like any of the other kids in Dragonstone.

The first time he suspected he was different happened when he was five he realized that he didn't look like any of his siblings. To be fair his mother had been the most coveted prostitute of the Inn found at the port of the Dragonmont and all of his siblings had been fathered by different men, but he realized that he looked rather differently than everyone. His brothers had usually blond or chestnut hair but he had silver locks. Some of his brother had blue and green eyes but his were a light haunting purple. Kids ran away from him, thinking that he was a ghost or terrible creature. The guards of the castle that came to see the ladies at the brothel, keep looking at him as if he was a rare creature.

His doubts were confirmed however when he was 10 years old. His mother woke him up one stormy night and asked him to dress himself. They walked through the empty streets of the dark town with only a torch as a light source. They climbed the Dragonmont in the direction of the great terrible castle that was on the side of it. He was shocked that his mother was taking him there since she usually scolded him if he went any where near there. That's where the scary dragons lived. 

They entered Dragonstone through one of the side entrances and there his mother took her to a woman who bared a striking resemblance to him. The woman had the same silver hair as him and even had clear purple eyes. She was with child and she was wearing a great thin golden crown. She eyed him down with coldness and examined him closely.

"-There is no denying it. - The woman with the crown said. - He's got the blood of the dragon. He inherited all of the usual traits, that is unusual for a bastard.

- I also carry the blood of the dragon. - His mother clarified. - My grandmother was a descendant from Aerion Targeryan, my Queen.

-That explains it, then. - The Queen answered. - Male bastards usual cause problems.

-He is a good child.

-Good children desire titles too. - The Queen cut her off. -  Bastard have a traitorous nature and covet positions and rights that do not belong to them. How is he any different? If my husband realized that there was Targeryan bastard running around, he would have the child be put to death.  If you ask me, woman who commits adultery is just as guilty as the man. Punishment is expected for this sort of crime and usually heads roll for this type of sin.

His mother became pale as a cloth. He was young but he understood when threats were being made.

-If anyone is to loose their head, let it be me. - He intervened. He didn't know what he was saying but the idea of his mother loosing her head terrified him. He had seen the rotting head on spikes on the great gates of Dragonstone and he couldn't bare it if one of them was his mother's. At least if he was dead then he wouldn't have to face the consequences that the Stranger leaves behind.

-You have honor, I can admit that. - The Queen said with a soft voice. - What is your name?

-Daerion. - He answered.

-Ah. - The Queen said rather disappointed. - A Valeryan name. Did you name him?

-Yes. - His mother answered. - In honor of the great house from which he comes from.

-So not in an attempt to claw at our glory? - The Queen asked his mother. His mother seemed speechless. - Tell me, Daerion Dragonseed, I am the Queen of Westeros. Do you know what a Queen is?

- Yes, my Queen.

-Well, then you know that if I wanted to I could send you to the north. - The Queen said. - Or that I could call for your head or your mother's. I could even feed her to  my dragon, Silverwing, and no one would bat an eye. What do you think about?

-I think that any punishment that my Queen seems fit I will endure. - Daerion answered. - As long as my mother is spared I will be happy.

- I see. - The Queen said straightening her back and putting her hand on her swollen belly. She seemed tired and strained. - You would be a fantastic knight. The Gods know that there is a shortage of noble men in the world.

The Queen went silent and passed around the room feeling rather conflicted. Daerion could feel his mother's grip tighten around his hand. He could almost feel the tension boiling in the room as the Queen thought. That's when he noticed something outside of the room where they were. In the great dark rain of there was great big creature. One of the dragons of Dragonstone. The Queen stopped moving, she seemed annoyed.

-Guess I have no choice. - She said in a deep voice. Daerion was sure that his fate was sealed. - I won't have a child's death on my conscience. You will go back to your brothel and take care of that child. Do not bring it to the King's Landing or do not reveal the identity of the father. If you do, I will be back."

Daerion looked out of the window and saw that the dragon had disappeared. His life changed after that day. He understood where he stood in the world, he knew his title now. A bastard, a Dragonseed. His mother made sure to find hims some that could teach him self defence, the arts of the sword, just in case that the Good Queen Alysanne made good on her promise. She choose a drunkard that frequented the brothel she worked in. Peyter used to be a master at arms in Kings Landing before something happened and he decided to move and drown himself on the dreary shores of Dragonstone.

He taught him the basics of sword fight when ever he wasn't drunk which was rare. Daerion picked up a few basics of jousting and close combat. He practiced with the only other boys who were willing to practice with him, that's how he gained his closest friends. Jayson, the son of the glassblower, and Gidden, the son of the blacksmith. For his 13th birthday, he got gifted a sword by Gidden and Daerion named it Second Chance. Jayson mocked him for it but Daerion knew that the life he was living was a second chance given to him by the mercy of the Queen.

Yeah, it took him some time to understand that he was different than other people. It took him some time to understand that he was the blood of the dragon. A bastard of House Targeryan but it took him even more to understand that something else that separated him from the rest of the world.

It was actually because of Jayson that he learned that he was different. When they turned 17, Daerion found him self from time to time looking too long at him. He liked helping him work the furnaces of the glass-shop. It was mesmerizing seeing him work the glass. He realized that he was different as well when he caught Jayson with one of the whores in the brothel. He felt betrayed by him, as if it was an insult to the relationship they had. He realized with some difficult pain that to some level he had a different type of love for Jayson than he had for Gidden.

Yes, Daerion Dragonseed knew that he was different than everybody else and he knew that he was living on borrowed time. He was just waiting for the powder keg to explode, for the Faith to burn him for his sins, for the Good Queen Alysanne's change of mind. That moment  would come around 80 AC when the whole royal family would land on Dragonstone for one of the princess's marriage.