The Banished Blood

Chapter 17

I was fixing Lochxis' saddle, making sure it was stable. I began to check his claws, making sure his tallons were clean. Aemond was fixing the ropes on Vhagar again. My cheek still pulsing from the cut. I stepped back from my dragon, as all the torches were finally lit for the first time ever. 

"How come they lit them all?" I asked aloud. 

"Hm?" Aemond craned his neck to look at me from afar. "They'll be bringing their dragons with them, the bastards and the rest of our blood will too. The dragon keepers have been cleaning out the levels all day." He explained. His head turning back down from sight. The sound of hammer hitting metal echoed. 

I realised that it was only Sunfyre and Dreamfyre in the distance. I furrowed my brows. 

"There are more levels? Of the pit?" I asked him. Stepping around to face him, running my hands along Vhagars scales. Aemond had small pieces of metal in his mouth, he pulled them out and shaped them around the rope. 

"Yes of course, we can't keep Silverwing and the other hatchlings together. Daerons dragon is down there too, Tessarion. We have to separate them all so they can be fed fairly." He calmly explained. My jaw dropped. 

"You mean to tell me there are more dragons that exist that I don't know of? I thought we were the only ones that had them!" I explained. Aemond looked up, dropping the hammer, setting down the metal, stretching slightly. 

"I never told you?" He asked confused. I just shook my head aggressively. 

"No! Please- can we go see them? Please Aemond?" I pleaded, as he started running his fingers over his work. 

"We really shouldn't, they're rather dangerous without riders near, some don't even have riders anymore." He calmly explained. I began looking for the passage down, I ran my hands along the wall, finding it down by the back corner. I glanced at Aemond, his face slightly looked over to mine, as he did a double take. 

"Y/n don't!" He demanded, but I had already started down the stairs with might. I heard his footsteps tail me. I grabbed a torch from the wall, passing some dragon keepers whom were walking with hay in their arms. Aemond grabbed my wounded arm. 

"Tcsh- Aemond- that hurt!" I shot at him, he pressed his fingers to his lips, shushing me. 

"Quiet, some fright easily." He explained, I gestured to the dragon keepers. 

"Oh so they're fine?" I asked. 

"Some have known these dragons since they were born, these are brave men, you are just stupid." His eye narrowed, I pushed his arm away, heading on down, I heard him give a scoff, reluctantly following me. 

"Why come with me if you are against it?" I shot to him. The light of the fire dancing along the walls. 

"Can't have my wife dying with no witnesses. Can I?" I wasn't even looking at him, but I knew a smirk laced his face. "You need to be quiet, even hatchlings are deadly." We came to the end of the stairs, this room was somewhat lit, as big as the one above, but not as well kept. 

Two small dragons fought with each other in the corner, they were still small enough to share a single sheep. I began to light more torches at the entrance. The two little babes were somewhat still black. Their teeth barely gleaming. I heard something shift in the unlit shadows. I turned my torch to it in the darkness. Out stepped the most vibrant dragon I had seen. Its scales were bright cobalt blue, but a hint of copper ran over them.

"She's beautiful..." I gawked up at the dragon, she swooped down, her claws screeched off the stone floor, she eyed me, but ignored Aemond. She chuffed.