The Dragon in the North - Aemond Targaryen

10.

Vyara

I wake with a gasp and sit upright. I pat my arms and legs, I'm human again. My heart is beating out of my chest, I turn to the edge of my bed keel over, thinking I'm going to be sick.

I'm not, there is nothing to vomit up. A nightmare, a nightmare. No. It was not a nightmare, I have had thousands of nightmares in my life. I was Azar, I was in Azar's head, living through Azar's pain. I jump up, Azar has escaped, where is he going? It can only be here, to King's Landing, what is he doing?

I run out from my rooms, I hear, "My lady, my lady," in different voices, male and female.

I run as fast as I can, I don't have time, it doesn't take long to fly here from Duskendale. If a random dragon approaches King's Landing, the men on the walls might target him with the ballistas, the knights will die in his fires until he is killed to protect the city, if the dragon keepers try and stop him, they will all die in flames.

I keep running, there are white knights outside Aemond's door, "Please I need to see the prince," I gasp, "It's an emergency."

They throw open the doors. Aemond is sitting with a book in his hand that he drops. He jumps up and strides to me. I'm distracted for a tenth of a second by his nightclothes, his shirt isn't buttoned at all, and I realise I myself am in night clothes and probably look like I've lost my mind. I have. Thankfully my scars are covered.

Aemond looks extremely concerned. Have I lost my voice? I am panting. What he does next shocks me, putting both hands on either side of my face and looks directly in my eyes, "Are you OK Vyara?" he strokes the right side of my face and I tingle all over. I look at him, how did I get here? I'm silent for a few seconds.

I don't move and breathe, "Azar, has escaped."

He looks at my lips and back into my eyes, confused, "Huh?"

I have completely lost my train of thought, I look at his lips now and snap back to myself, standing back from him, "We need to go, now!"

Aemond looks lost. My thoughts come back, "Please Aemond, he has left Duskendale, he is on his way here," my eyes plead with him. He looks like he wants to question me further, "Please!"

He takes my hand and starts striding out of the door, I start running and pull him along until he matches my pace.

We are near the front doors; knights are standing quietly on their horses, guarding the castle.

"Dismount!" Aemond calls and they all jump off their horses, I run to the first horse I can get and jump into the saddle, Aemond is on another seconds after, his King's Guard take the other two.

Gates are thrown open, I am galloping to the dragon pit now; I can hear the others close behind me. My silk robe is slipping all over the saddle and I have no stirrups. I thank the Gods that I prefer to ride bareback on the fat ponies in the north.

"Vyara, be careful!" I hear Aemond shout but I'm not listening, I have minutes to get to the dragon pit. "Vyara!"

I jump off and Aemond is by my side moments later. We are only just in time as I hear a roar from the dragon pit, it's Vhagar.

"My prince, what is happening?" the dragon keeper calls out.

"Stay back," I scream as I hear Azar's roar from above, "make space!" my body is fighting me, still under the influence of the milk of the poppy, I feel like I might keel over.

"Stand down!" Aemond shouts extremely loud near my ear, I jump and he holds my waist, meant to steady me but mentally it puts me more off balance as my body yearns to get closer to him.