Heir of the Dragon

How To Hatch Your Dragon

When Jessica woke it was dark. It took her a moment to sit up and become aware of her surroundings. One glance over and she knew. She was in her Father's chambers. Viserys was asleep next to her. Jessica clutched her egg and rocked back and forth, tears silent on her cheeks. She was back home and Daemon was still on Dragonstone. He chosen Dragonstone over her. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to her egg.

That's what she concentrated on. The feel of its shell. Each and every scale. The scent of her dragon. It's warmth. Her warmth. And for a moment, she felt herself descend, being pulled down into the darkness. A fluid around her and breathing that wasn't quite her own. There was a feeling of love and protection. And if she consented more, she heard a heartbeat. And then two. It took her a minute to register that she was hearing her dragon's heartbeat as well as her own.

Jessica's eyes opened and she shot up. She had been inside the egg. She had seen her dragon. And it was feeling loved and safe and warm. So there was a dragon in there. Alive and well.

A strange sound pulled her away from her thoughts. She quietly slipped out of the bed and poked her head out the door. The guards were on rounds, so she slipped out into the hallway without being spotted. The Red Keep was an entirely different place at night, and familiar routs and passageways seemed to be strangers.

Jessica passed Rhaenyra's chambers and nothing seemed to be amiss. So she continued on her way. The hall was quiet and dark. And to a five year old, every shadow shifted into a terrifying monster all of its own.

The sounds grew louder as she approached the library. Some of the crown's jewels had been on display for the courts to look upon.

Jessica quietly opened the door.

The shelves seemed to stretch to the ceiling. The shadows long and ominous. But row by row, Jessica meandered the halls. Maybe it was just a dream and she should head back to her Father's chambers. But alas, Jessica persevered.
The center of the library is where the jewels were meant to be on display. The glass was shattered.

Jessica backed up to alert the guards.

"What have we here?" A man had grabbed her arm firmly. He looked to be of commonwealth, a low born in plain simple clothing.

"Looks like we caught ourselves a princess Bryce." Another man appeared from the shadows.

"Well Gryff. What do you 'spose we do?" Bryce looked to Gryff, the one holding her.

"I think we have a pretty little ransom here." He smiled.
But that had been about enough from Jessica. She wriggled until she broke herself free and mad a run for it. The two men were quickly on her tail. She made a run for the dining hall and hid under the table. And just as she caught her breath -

"Found you!" One of them dove under the table.

Jessica was on the move again. She thought about the throne room, but she doubted that the Iron Throne could protect her enough. Through zigs and zags, Jessica managed to get outside.

Still there were no guards to be found. So she dashed to the right, heading toward the dragonpit.

And as she was cresting the hill, luck finally turned her way. One very large dragon was asleep on the hill. One who had been hanging around Driftmark for sometime.

"Vhagar!" Jessica screamed trying to wake her.

The dragon twitched.

"Vhagar! Vhagar, Dracarys!"
One eye opened.

"Dracarys, Vhagar, Dracarys!" Jessica pleaded to the large war dragon.

Vhagar lifted her head and looked at the scene before her. The men were closing in, one had a dagger I'm hand. There was a huff of air from Vhagar, before she unleashed a molten stream of fire.

The two men were quickly engulfed, and Jessica was caught in the embers falling down. There was muffled screams and then silence.

Jessica just comprehend the absence of heat when -

"JESSCAREYA!" a familiar voice was approaching. "JESSCAREYA!"

Daemon was running towards her, pushing the guards out of the way. His dragon, Caraxes could be heard in the distance. Behind him, apart from the guards, Rhaenyra was running behind him in her night dress. Viserys was behind Rhaenyra and Alicent and Otto were bringing up the rear.

"Dae-" Jessica was cut off as he scooped her up and crushed her to him.

"Shhh I'm here. I'm right here."

The rest of the group came to a stop. They were barely allowed to catch their breaths when Daemon rounded on Viserys.

"You promised." Daemon's tone was icy cold. "You promised me the day she was born...."

Viserys stumbled back as if he had been struck. "I know...I know I did."

Daemon kissed her temple. Still clutching to her tightly.

No one moved. Until there was small singing. Daemon pulled Jessica back to look at her.

Jessica was no longer holding her large dragon egg. Cradled in her hands was a tiny baby dragon.

Daemon smiled. "It needs a name."

Jessica looked up at him and then to Vhagar. "Her name is Starfyre."

Daemon had seen baby Starfyre to the dragonpit safely. And everyone has been safely lead back into the Red Keep. Daemon took Jessica up to her nursery and seen her changed before wrapping her up into a warm blanked and settled down in the rocker.

Daemon hummed softly before singing a Valyrian lullaby.

Hush, child, the darkness will rise from the deep and carry you down into sleep. Child, the darkness will rise from the deep and carry you down into sleep.
Guileless Son, I'll shape your belief
And you'll always know that your father's a thief. And you won't understand the cause of your grief but you'll always follow the voices beneath.
Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty
Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty only to me.
Guileless Son, your spirit will hate her
The flower who married my brother the traitor. And you will expose his puppet behaviour, for you are the proof of how he betrayed her loyalty.
Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty
Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty only to me
Hush, child, the darkness will rise from the deep, and carry you down into sleep.
Child, the darkness will rise from the deep, and carry you down into sleep.
Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty
Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty only to me
Guileless Son, each day you grow older, each moment I'm watching my vengeance unfold, for the child of my body, the flesh of my soul, will die in returning the birthright he stole.
Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty
Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty only to me
Hush, child, the darkness will rise from the deep, and carry you down into sleep. Child, the darkness will rise from the deep and carry you down into sleep.
Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty
Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty only to me.

When Jessica was sound asleep, Daemon kissed her forehead. "I have to go somewhere. I don't know how long I'll be gone. But I'm going to make the world a safer place for you my love."