BONES ▹HOUSE OF THE DRAGON

VISSERA introduces JACAERYS to her army

"since your mother is busy with your brother, i thought it was fitting to introduce you to some people. we'll have to go to dragonstone, though," vissera tells jacaerys, who is looking at her with wide eyes and rapt attention.

"okay auntie vissera," jacaerys says, "how will we get there? are we going by boat?" his eyes gleam in excitement at the mention of sailing. vissera's heart melts. the little time laenor spends with them truly impacts her little loves.

"even better," she faux whispers, "by dragon!"

at this, jacaerys realizes they've been walking to the dragon pit. "dragon!?" he exclaims, whipping his head around as if moonknight is about to come out any second. he's not exactly wrong, her dragon rumbles at hearing both her and jacaerys. there's no one to come meet up with them, moonknight only tolerating her and her kin.

"hey, boy. this is jacaerys, remember? we're going to go to dragonstone. he's flying with me," she says in high valyrian. at the mention of dragonstone, moonknight seems to perk up. his giant silver head towering over both humans.

"jace, reach your hand out," she continues speaking in high valyrian, she has spent most of her time in kings landing with rhaenyra's sons, and teaching them their mother tongue has been one of her top priorities. jace understands it well, he just has a bit of trouble speaking it.

the bond between rider and dragon is profound, but sometimes vissera feels like the bond between her and moonknight is something else. she feels him in her soul, and he feels her in his. when they're in the sky, they're truly one. that's what makes them fearsome in battle. the bond between them allows moonknight to know what vissera wants of him, so he lowers his head so the small child could pet his snout.

"he's beautiful," jacaerys says in awe, "you're beautiful," he repeats again in clumsy high valyrian. moonknight seems to preen at this, which makes vissera let out a scoff.

"you prideful and vain creature," she says in valyrian, "c'mon, we've gotta be quick."

-

as soon as they reach dragon stone and dismount from moonknight, vissera feels her wonderful people in her bones. being leader of a fearsome army is no easy feat, these people know their power. they know they're dangerous and could take over all of westeros if they truly wished, yet they vow to protect it under her guidance. it makes her feel proud.

"auntie vissera," jacaerys whispers to her, his old valyrian blood reacting to the ancient magiks that are wrapped around her people, "who are they?"

he asks this question when they reach the clearing where the untamed have made camp. as soon as they see her, her people immediately go into attention. every single man and woman faces her, eyes filled with respect and curiosity at the kid she holds in her arms.

"they, my sweet jacaerys, are the untamed. unofficial army and protectors of the seven kingdoms," she says to him. she then turns to her people and smiles at them, giving them a nod.

"general!"

"my people, this is my nephew, jacaerys velaryon-targaryen. he is blood of my blood, someone whom i hold most dearly in my heart and soul," she starts, her voice bold and carrying throughout the masses, "he has my loyalty and my protection. i need you to vow that you will protect him as fiercely as you protect the seven kingdoms. he shall never be harmed by your swords, fists or words."

with that, her army drops to their knees, murmuring words of agreement. jacaerys looks at them, wide eyed in fascination. "is this your family too, auntie vissera?"

"yes they are, my sweet jace. and they're yours too."

-

"where were you!?" is the first thing they're greeted by once they reach kings landing. it's rhaenyra, who was lucerys strapped to her chest, babbling nonsense in his baby talk. "its been a week!"

"niece," viserra starts in high valyrian, "might i suggest we take this to your quarters?"

rhaenyra looks like she wants to argue but she nods in agreement once she sees people gathering around them. vissera turns to look at moonknight and murmurs, "go."

the giant beast lets out a mighty screech and flies off, not wanting to be restrained in the dragon pit.

the walk to rhaenyra's quarters was swift, the princess being a nervous wreck after being apart from jacaerys for so long.

"i do apologize for just taking jacaerys without notifying you first, princess, but this trip was of the utmost importance."

"and what could be so important that you had to take him for a week!?" rhaenyra fumes, but vissera says nothing. she has to let rhaenyra let her frustrations out on something, since she can't do it publicly. the public watches her too closely.

once rhaenyra seems to have calmed down a bit, vissera takes lucerys out of her hold and pushing jacaerys towards her, knowing rhaenyra has to thoroughly inspect him so her mind is truly set at ease.

"hi, little love," vissera murmurs to lucerys, who only smiles widely at her. "well aren't you just the happiest baby in the keep, hm?"

"and then auntie vissera showed me these cool people! mother, they looked amazing! they all had swords and-and my skin did something weird when they all kneeled, like people do to grandsire, but they did it for me and auntie vissera! and then we flew back on moonknight! did you know he's the fastest dragon!?"

at the mention of the army, rhaenyra meets vissera's gaze, her eyes full of confusion and gratefulness. to most of the kingdom, the untamed are some sort of myth. they rarely interact with the inner workings of the seven kingdoms, choosing to use their strength at the edges, but rhaenyra knows more than enough about them from vissera. she knows that vissera introducing them to jacaerys means her son will have the protection she wishes she could give him herself.

"thank you," she mouths at vissera, who just gives her a wink and continues playing with baby lucerys.

——
jacaerys: exists
half of westeros: i will give my life for this child