The Gathering Storm | Aemond Targaryen

Chapter 2

Haera rose before the sun. She often did. She moved quietly as she readied herself, pulling on her dragon riding leathers like it was a second skin. They were a deep inky black apart from the yellow trim that ran around the cuffs of the sleeves and across the seams.

If she had had her she would live in this, but alas she a woman and that meant heavy dresses and tight waists if she was not in her training gambeson or dragonriding.

The sky was just beginning to shed its deep blues in return of brightening skies when she departed from her chamber, rousing her brothers from their beds as to make sure they weren't late.

Maids and servants filled the corridors as they packed up the last things that would be taken with them to Kings Landing. Haera bud each of them a good morning as she passed, making sure to address them each by their names.

The last thing she wanted to do was depart Dragonstone. Even though she missed the warm gardens of the Red Keep, she much more preferred the endless skies and salty air of Dragonstone.

"Did you sleep well?"

Decending the stairs, she smiled at her mother already bundled in her cloak and riding gloves.

"I always do. Thought I will say that the only thing to pull me from my bed was the thought of flying today."

"I think Stormdancer will agree." Rhaenyra smiled, brushing a loose strand of hair that escaped Haera braid back behind her ear. "Daemon is already wait for you and your brothers down in the caverns."

"What about you?"

"I'll set sail with Joffrey, Aegon, and Viserys within the hour. Syrax will follow. Do not worry."

"I always worry."

"Yes, I am afraid you get that from me." Rhaenyra smiled at her daughter, squeezing her hand. "Now go, I will see you soon. Fly safe."

"I will." With one last kiss to her mothers cheek, Haera set off for the dragon caves.

It had rained some time in the night, making the stone steps that led down to caverns slick. Due to that it took almost twice the time to get there. When she finally stepped into the mouth of the cavern, she let out a sigh. Torches lit the path deep into the belly of the island of Dragonstone as Haera walked through the sand.

Vermax and Arrax were the first two dragons she passed, the two curled around eachother on a high ledge as if they were a couple of cats. Syrax lay further ahead, have buried in the warm sand as she slept.

"He's quite quiet this morning."

"He knows we're going to the capitol. He's not thrilled." Daemon sighed, arms crossed as watched the dragonkeepers buckle the last straps of his saddle onto Caraxes.

The blood wyrm had a tendency to sleep in the furthest back portion of the caverns away from the rest. He wasn't fond about being around others. Sometimes he reminded Haera of his rider. Daemon was grumpy, didn't tend to play well with others either.

A loud screech echoed from down the tunnel behind her, making Haera turn with a smile. There was a small burst of flame that illuminated a scaled face for just a moment before walking out and into the light of the torches.

"Sleeping the day away are we? I truly expected better of you."

Stormdancer let out another shriek, blowing a stream of hot air into his riders face. He was nearly the same size of Caraxes, save for the long snakelike neck. His scales were a deep blue that if it weren't for the firelight they would have seemed black and they looked as if they had been dusted in a fine layer of gold, making him almost shimmer in a way. It was times like this where he reminded Haera of the night sky.