Fire and Blood // Daemon Targaryen

2. Reek of Dragon

Rhaenyra came swooping down on her dragon, Syrax. Much to everyone's dismay the princess was as wild and vibrant as a dragon itself.

'Welcome back, Princess. I trust your ride was pleasant.' Ser Harrold Westerling remarked as Rhaenyra slide from the dragons back.

'Try not to look too relieved, ser.' Rhaenyra said with a grin as she walked past him and her dragon was brought back into the cave. Targaryen's and their dragons.

'I am relieved. Every time that golden beast brings you back unspoiled, it saves my head from a spike.' Westerling called after her but she ignored him as she always did when it came to his or anyone else's concerns with her dragons.

'Syrax is growing quickly. She'll soon be as large as Caraxes.' Alicent remarked

'That's almost large enough to saddle two.' Rhaenyra told her closest friend. But Rhaenyra was the wild one and Alicent the tame.

'I believe I'm quite content as a spectator, thank you.' Alicent assured her as the dragon keeper Elder started speaking in High Valyrian talking to the dragon trying to get him calm and inside.

'Dohaeras.' Syrax grumbled and gave little roar of distaste of being stuck and not flying around with his master. 'Naejot!' he demanded and Syrax roared again as he was moved into his holding.

Rhaenyra watched him before realizing how later she was. She made her way quickly to her mother side, the baby was due any day now. The sound of horses neighing, birds cawing as she got inside caught her attention. The closer she got the slower she walked, a pace suitable of a princess.

'Ah... Rhaenyra. You know I don't like you to go flying while I'm in this condition.' Queen Aemma told her daughter.

'You don't like me to go flying while you're in any condition.' Rhaenyra corrected.

'Your Grace.' Alicent said curtsying before the queen.

'Good morrow, Alicent.' Aemma said kindly.

'Did you sleep?' Rhaenyra questioned her mother.

'I slept.'

'How long?' she pushed and Aemma chuckled.

'I don't need mothering, Rhaenyra.' She reminded her.

'Well, here you are, surrounded by attendants, all focused on the babe. Someone has to attend to you.' Rhaenyra told her confidently.

'You will lie in this bed soon enough, Rhaenyra. This discomfort is how we serve the realm.' Aemma told her solemnly.

'I'd rather serve as a knight and ride to battle and glory.' Rhaenyra told her and there was a murmur of laughter around the room to which Rhaenyra shot a glare back at them. She was meant for things bigger than marriage and babies.

'We have royal wombs, you and I. The child bed is our battlefield. We must learn to face it with a stiff lip. Now take a bath. You stink of dragon.' Aemma said kissing her daughters cheek.

+

'So, I said to him, "Well, I believe you might be looking up the wrong end." There was a round of laughter but work was to be done.

'My lords. The growing alliance among the Free Cities has taken to styling itself "the Triarchy." They have massed on Bloodstone and are presently ridding the Stepstones of its pirate infestation.' Lord Corlys informed them.

'Well, that sounds suspiciously like good news, Lord Corlys.' King Viserys told him happily.

'A man called Craghas Drahar has styled himself the prince-admiral of this Triarchy. They call him "The Crabfeeder" due to his inventive methods of punishing his enemies.'

'And are we meant to weep for dead pirates?' Viserys questioned incredulously.

'No, Your Grace.' Corlys admitted as Rhnaeys entered and started filling cups as her duty as her fathers cup bearer.

'Rhaenyra, you're late. The King's cupbearer must not be late. Leaves people wanting for cups.' Viserys mused

'I was visiting Mother.' Rhaenyra told him as she continued pouring. But her father smelt the smoke on her.

'On dragon back?' Viserys questioned Rhaenyra kept her mouth shut. 'Just like your aunt and uncle, I swear.' Viserys muttered.

'Your Grace, at Prince Daemon's urging, the crown has invested significant capital in the re-training and re-equipping of his City Watch. I thought you might urge your brother to fill his seat on the council and provide an assessment of his progress as commander of the Watch.' Lyman Beesbury told him.

'Do you think Daemon is distracted by his present tasks? And that his thoughts and energies are occupied?' Viserys questioned, he thought giving his brother such a role would keep him occupied and when Daemon was busy he wasn't causing trouble.

'Well, one would hope so, considering the associated costs.' Beesbury told him.

'Then let us all consider your gold well-invested, Lord Beesbury.' Viserys said sweeping it under the rug but Beesbury was not done. Everyone had their reservations about Daemon.

'I would urge that you not allow this Triarchy much latitude in the Stepstones, Your Grace. If those shipping lanes should fall, it will beggar our ports.'

'The crown has heard your report, Lord Corlys, and takes it under advisement.'

'Shall we discuss the Heir's Tournament, Your Grace?'

'I would be delighted.' Viserys told them happily. 'Will the maesters' name day prediction hold, Mellos?'

'You must understand that these things are mere estimations, my King, but we have all been poring over the moon charts, and we feel that our forecast is as accurate as it can be.' Mellos told him.

'The cost of the tournament is not negligible. Perhaps we might delay until the child is in hand?' Beesbury told them.

'Ugh, most of the lords and knights are certainly on their way to King's Landing already. To turn them back now...'

'The tourney will take the better part of a week. Before the games are over, my son will be born, and the whole realm will celebrate.' Viserys said confidently.

'We have no way of predicting the sеx of the child.' The grand maester Mellos reminded him.

'Of course, no maester's capable of rendering an opinion free of conditions, are they now? There's a boy in the Queen's belly. I know it. And my heir will soon put all of this damnable hand-wringing to rest himself.' Viserys declared