Blood of Old Valryia (Aemond Targaryen FF)

Chapter Eleven: 124 AC

The piercing sound of Rhaena's ecstatic laughter echoed in Aesira's ears as Sakaris executed another sudden dive, plummeting towards the ground with exhilarating speed.

The piercing sound of Rhaena's ecstatic laughter echoed in Aesira's ears as Sakaris executed another sudden dive, plummeting towards the ground with exhilarating speed. She couldn't bring herself to quiet the girl, not when her own heart was pounding with the same thrill. Even with their wings flapping at full strength, Vermax and Arrax couldn't close the distance between them and Sakaris, who seemed to effortlessly soar through the vast expanse of sky, as if it were a mere puddle to jump over.

Rhaena's fingers dug into Aesira's waist, her knuckles whitening with the force of her grip. She couldn't shake the feeling that the straps of the saddle wouldn't be enough to keep her secure on the back of the blue dragon, Sakaris. Aesira, however, was unfazed by Rhaena's fear. With a wild laugh, she urged the dragon on, "Faster, Sakaris! Faster! Show us what you've got!"

Vermax and Arrax had grown at an astonishing rate since their permanent move to Dragonstone, and their size was now double than what it had been before, as Aesira had been informed. In contrast, Sakaris's growth had begun to slow down, and the reason was her confinement in the hypogeum cells beneath the dragonpits. Every few months, she was forced to spend an entire week in the dragonpit hovels, and it had begun to take a toll on her physical development.

Aesira had noticed the slowing growth rate when she realized it had taken her half a year to loosen the buckles that secured the saddle to Sakaris, by just one notch. She couldn't help but wonder how much faster and stronger Sakaris could have grown if she had been raised outside of enclosures, like Vermax and Arrax.

Not that any of it bothered her, Sakaris was a large dragon. Bested only by Vhagar and Caraxes. Sakaris stood in height alongside Meleys and Dreamfyre, and towered over the rest of them.

Rhaena let out a blood-curdling shriek as Sakaris dove towards the ground at lightning speed. Caraxes was known for its speed and agility, but Aesira was convinced that Sakaris was even faster. With a fierce determination, Sakaris flew through the sky like a blur.

Aesira could feel Rhaena's grip on her waist loosen, and she called out over her shoulder, "Are you okay back there, Rhaena?"

She could hear Rhaena's gasps for air and knew that the thrill of the ride was getting to her. The wind rushed past them as they flew, the exhilaration of the speed sending shivers down their spines.

The girl screamed, her face twisted in disgust. Aesira turned her attention to her cousin, who looked like she was about to be ill. Without hesitation, Aesira grabbed onto the handrails of the saddle and shouted to her dragon, "Sakaris, beach!"

Sakaris unfurled her magnificent wings to steady their descent. With powerful strokes, she glided effortlessly over the ocean's surface, leaving the other dragons, Vermax and Arrax, trailing far behind.

The boys riding the smaller dragons shouted and gestured, but the wind carried their words away, unable to reach them. As they approached the beach, Sakaris picked up speed, eager to touch down on the sandy shore.

The sun beat down on the beach as Sakaris gracefully descended, her wings flapping steadily as she landed on the pristine white sand. Rhaena quickly undid her straps, running towards the shoreline as she emptied the contents of her stomach onto the fine grains.

Aesira, feeling a sense of panic, quickly followed suit and unstrapped herself before jumping onto the sand beside her heaving cousin.

Aesira was deeply concerned for Rhaena as she gently rubbed small circles on her back, trying to soothe her. She was so focused on her cousin that she barely noticed when Vermax landed on the sandy beach with a thud.
Jace quickly dismounted and approached them. "Is she alright?"