Blood Upon The Snow ||| Cregan Stark

thirty-eight

Jacaera was delirious when she got only a clue about where her dragon had taken her. It was colder. Different geography.

Maybe it would have been better to go to the Vale. With Luke and Rhaena. That was probably where Rhaenyra was going.

But her body, heart and soul, said differently to Cannibal.

Her makeshift bandage was soaked through but Jacaera couldn't muster enough strength to deal with it. To do anything but hold onto her dragon.

Cannibal landed Jacaera in Winterfell. A long flight he'd taken after fighting all night. But he'd still gotten her there, into the courtyard of the castle.

No one had been expecting her. They'd received the pleas from Rhaenyra for more support, knew they were to gather their banners, but hadn't gotten the message about Jacaera.

Her dragon was still on edge. Jacaera wobbled on his back, vision blurry, going in and out, when she saw where she was.

She just needed to get to him. That's all that went through her mind. Getting to him. Even if she died.

With the last of her strength, Jacaera tried to swing her leg over the dragon and climb down. To get inside.

But her leg caught. The injured leg. And that pain was worse than anything Jacaera had felt. She cried out as she fell from her dragon. Down his side, onto the ground beside him.

She landed on the side of her burn and Jacaera couldn't take any more pain. The girl passed out right there, a small figure next to the menacing beast.

Completely at his mercy and losing blood fast.

***

Cregan had been in his Hall with his court when it happened. He knew nothing until one of his household knights came running to him. Obviously urgent if he interrupted court.

"The princess Jacaera has arrived on her dragon, my lord."

That had him standing from his throne. His wife. The one he hadn't seen in months, a year. Worry, too. The last message he received from the dragon queen was a plea for more support. There was trouble in King's Landing.

"Bring her to me," Cregan said immediately. Why hadn't she come to him herself?

"That's the problem, my lord. She seems to be... injured. Badly. But her dragon won't let any of us close enough to help. We fear for our lives and hers if we push too far."

Without hesitation, Cregan pushed out of his hall. All he heard was that his wife was injured. She'd come to him for help.

He made haste as he left the hall and ran to the Outer Yard. The man could hear it before he even got close. The yelling and the roaring.

Cregan arrived on the scene and pushed past his knights to get a look at it all. To find Jacaera, to see how bad it was.

What he found had a feeling of cold dread filling him. He had to pause to take in. Realize it, let his heart stop in his chest.

She was face down beside her dragon. Jacaera wasn't awake. Face covered in soot, blood leaking from one of her legs. Unmoving.