ANTI-HERO ▹ HOUSE OF THE DRAGON

vii.

Dragonstone

Jalyssa couldn't sleep. She felt suffocated in her quarters, and maybe it was the heat of Dragonstone. Compared to Winterfell, it felt as if she was bathing in dragon fire. She decides to get some fresh air and quickly shrugs on a cloak. She's in her nightgown and she doesn't want anyone to see her indecency.

She exits her room and rushes off to find a maid. The maid is startled but quickly bows to her.

"Princess Jalyssa. How may I be of service?"

"Is there any way I could acquire a torch? I desire to wander outside."

The maid quickly shows her to one, and the Velaryon princess expresses her gratitude. "Thank you. Shall anyone come looking for me, please inform them of my whereabouts."

And she's off, quietly exiting outside. She wanders, no true destination in mind. It's not long before she's sure she's lost, but it doesn't bother her. Someone will come looking for her soon enough.

She then realizes she's in front of what seems to be a cave. She has no desire to wander into it, but something in her blood pulls her to the cave. As a compromise, she sits in front of it. She will wait for whatever is in there to greet her.

As she waits, she starts to softly sing a Valyrian song that has been a constant in both dreams and nightmares. She remembers the first time she heard it, she woke up with tears in her eyes and an immense feeling of homesickness.

As her song almost comes to an end, Jalyssa hears and feels the rumble of something and heavy footsteps coming her way. She is then reminded that there were five unclaimed dragons in Dragonstone, three of them being wild dragons.

She restarts the song, her melodic voice carrying throughout the forest and into the cave. The footsteps never cease, increasing in sound as they get closer to her.

In her dreams, she saw dragons. Two of them always made her feel the happiest, one of bronze and one of black. She wasn't sure what it meant, dragonriders only claiming on dragon at a time. 

Jalyssa closes her eyes and continues her song. She hears the distinct rumble of a dragon and heavy hot breaths fan her face. The heat emitting from the dragon should have bothered her, but she was a Targaryen.

As her song came to an end, Jalyssa opened her eyes to find the Bronze Fury looking at her. She sees in his intelligent eyes that they are meant to he together, to help the realm not succumb to darkness. She raises her hand and slowly places it on the great dragon's snout. Vermithor rumbles in pleasure and huffs out. Jalyssa gently stands up and makes her way to his side. He is not fitted with a saddle, but she pays it no mind.

"Zaldrīzes dohaeriros iksos daor," Jalyssa says.

A dragon is not a slave.

It is a phrase that she had hear constantly in her dreams, albeit a little different. But it is something that she has kept close to her heart. Targaryen's are dragons, and dragons don't enslave their own.

Vermithor huffs at that, and the budding bond in her soul feels full with pride. Jalyssa lets out a small laugh and she finally mounts him, hands gripping his scales.

"Sōvēs, Vermithor!"

With that, the Bronze Fury let out a mighty roar and took to the skies.

Jalyssa laughed in glee. She felt untouchable in the skies. She didn't need to give Vermithor any verbal commands, their bond growing stronger by the minute. As the great beast showed off, Jalyssa could see her family running outside to see what the commotion was about.

"Dracarys!"

Vermithor let out a great gust of dragon fire that had Jalyssa cackling like a madman. She then directed her dragon towards where her family was waiting. She swiftly dismounted Vermithor, then commanded him to calm down.

"Lykiri."

The great beast huffed at that but didn't try to scare off any of her family when they ran towards them. They stopped short when Vermithor let out a growl, communicating that he wasn't comfortable with them coming closer. As all her family were dragonriders, they understood this and waited until Jalyssa came to them.

"Is that Vermithor?" Laenor asks, clear awe in his gaze.

"It is, father,"'Jalyssa says, pulling her cloak tighter to her body.

"Although I want to reprimand you for leaving the castle without any supervision," Rhaenyra starts, hugging Jalyssa close, "I can only congratulate you for claiming your dragon, my sweet girl."

"I told you I would get a dragon of my own mother," Jalyssa says, making Rhaenyra remember her four year old daughter claiming that she'll have a dragon to protect her family.

"I can't help but notice you rode Vermithor without a saddle," Daemon says. "Surely that is dangerous." Even tho rouge prince knows to be cautious of dragons and their flight.

"Zaldrīzes dohaeriros iksos daor," Jalyssa repeats her earlier words. "If Vermithor doesn't wish to saddle, I will not force him. I will never force him to stay in a cave or a pit. He is a free spirit, he shall do as he pleases." With that, she turns to her dragon and says, "Sōvēs, Vermithor. Go."

With that, Vermithor takes flight. Jalyssa knows her boy will come find her later. She then turns to look at Jacaerys who is looking at her in awe.

"Maybe we'll fly together on Vermithor soon," Jalyssa says and gives her twin a hug.

"Well, off to bed we go," Laenor says, corralling Daemon and Rhaenyra. "Go to bed, you two. We have pressing matters to attend on the morrow."

Jalyssa is led to her quarters by Jacaerys, who still hasn't let her hand go. She walks in and shrugs her cloak off. Jacaerys lets her go but stands awkwardly by the door. Jalyssa notices and lets out a laugh.

"Come, brother. We can sleep like we used to do all those years ago."

Jacaerys doesn't argue and immediately climbs into bed with her. Jalyssa and Jacaerys curl up into one another, feeling safer than ever. That night, Jalyssa doesn't dream.

——
SHE HAS A DRAGON! also, happy new years <3

p.s- anyone catch those few easter eggs? lol. im almost done writing this fic, and i already have the whole outline of it so expect more updates soon!