The True and The Brave

𝔗𝔴𝔬: 𝔚𝔬𝔫𝔡𝔢𝔯

Aemma stood in the pit, watching her uncles and brothers train their dragon. She thought it was cruel to make Aemond watch as the rest controlled their dragons, even if he did not have one to ride. She often found him in the archives, reading about how to claim a dragon. It was as despicable as her mother was when she had said that Seafyre was an estranged dragon, just like her. 

Seafyre swept inside the pit. The she-dragon was almost seven years of age, but her height toppled over her mother's dragon, Syrax. Seafyre will only continue to grow, the dragon keepers expected the dragon to grow as large as Vermithor, the bronze fury, perhaps even larger. The dragon had no horns, but rather a fin-like scale protruded from her back, when it swam in the sea, the fin would alert Aemma of her presence. Her scales were smooth and shiny, certainly not dry, due to the breeze and the dragon's preference for the sea and air. 

She compared the growth of her dragon to the older one, Vermax. They were nothing alike. Just like herself and her brother. 

The dragon keepers stood with their staffs, ready to control the dragons if need be. In all truth, they barely needed to help Aemma with hers. It seemed that the child had already bonded enough with her dragon. That was the thing about dragons who hatched in the cradle with Targayren riders, their bonds never faltered. Whereas, other dragons who knew other riders or were war-seasoned let instinct guide them. But Seafyre, it was an extension of her. Like a part of her limbs,  one so deeply rooted within her, it almost mirrored her same thoughts and tempers. 

"Call Vermax to heel, Prince Jacaerys"

She smiled in amusement as the small dragon, perhaps thrice smaller than her dragon was brought upon them with a chain. Seafyre did not rattle, standing behind her rider. 

"Vermax!", Jace tried, but with no avail, the dragon did not listen, heeding closer to the goat they had placed as a reward. 

She thought it was for the best that her dragon ate what it found in the sea. That way, no one could ever complain about Seafyre. Not like Vaghar, who had countless complaints at court for burning down herds of sheep or devouring cattle. Seafyre was good. Just like her. 

"Vermax!", her brother tried again. 

She could see Aegon snort too in amusement. Her eyes connected with Aemond's, who dejectedly looked at the mighty dragon behind her, already big enough to saddle two.

Vermax screeched stubbornly, not following any commands. A dragon indeed. One that needed more discipline if her brother ever wanted to ride it. 

"Zaldrizo aoho syt aeksio sagon ao bevilza, darilaros nuhys...", a dragon keeper said in words of old Valyria. 

Aemma sauntered closer to her brother, a hand on his shoulder to comfort him, "You must hold mastery over your dragon, brother".

Jaecarys looked at her, his eyes showing a hidden resentment. One she felt at the pit of her soul. The same look her mother gave her. 

"Hae Darilarot Aegot Vvsperzomy", the dragon keeper continued, nodding in gratitude at the smaller girl for easing the translation. Aemma was always a welcome sight here in the pit with her father. 

"As Prince Aegon has with Sunfyre, and Princess Aemma with Seafyre", another dragon keeper said, feeling the tension between both siblings. 

"Zijosy aot tetiri ozlettosy, toli rybagon zirylo vindilza", the oldest dragon keeper jabbed again, his voice rough, but Aemma understood the implication. 

"Once they're fully bound to you, they will refuse to take instruction from any other", the younger dragon keeper translated. 

Aemma stepped away, moving towards Aemond, who only looked at her with an indifferent expression.