PRIDE & GUILT, cregan stark

001

YOUNG PRINCE IN CHARGE.

                 — chapter one

( kuke shanahan — young monterys )

           It was said that the Prince could be as wild as the storm on the day he'd been born. Though young and well-mannered, the heir's heir had taken well to creating a reputation of causing chaos from a young age — when it came to the first of Rhaenyra's three children, the nobles at court often held their breath when it came to wondering how the child would turn out to be.

None seemed fonder, aside from the boy's Mother and two dark-haired younger brothers, of the Prince than his Grandfather, Viserys. The King had been a man who had only hesitated for a moment at the introduction of Monterys' first appearance at court as a babe and beamed pride ever since over the eldest of grandchildren.

Much like my own Mother, the King had been heard countless times saying. The older nobles at court agreed — the boy had gotten his blonde from Princess Alyssa and her ways, it seemed. It had resulted in Viserys sharing tale after tale about the woman, ones he remembered and the ones he was told from others about her. All so Monterys could know of them.

"Are you not tired yet, Vraxes?"

The dragon with pitch-black scales and a silver outer wing colouring had flown Monterys across the skies nearly all morning. With Monterys' Mother labouring her fourth child, another son or perhaps a first daughter, it came to no surprise that her eldest took to the skies to soften his worries. He was the only one of his brothers to understand the danger that came with his Mother's childbearing duties.

His hand trailed down the side of the dragon's nose. "We will take to the skies on the morrow again," He promises, knowing he would be needed back with his Mother now. He was surprised that nobody was waiting for him in the Dragon's Pit already for him after swearing he'd be back earlier than now.

Vraxes had been the first dragon to appear between Queen Alicent's children and the Princess Rhaenyra's own — his eldest Uncle hadn't claimed one until a few years later, followed by Helaena, and then his youngest Uncle, Daeron, who was only a few moons younger than Monterys. And the egg hatching had caused a stir of excitement.

( It went unsaid for those closest to him who understood, but it had been what caused the anger of Lord Corlys to vanish. He'd been furious and, though he'd never admit to it, embarrassed at his son's "lack of work" as he'd privately put it to Laenor. It was his blood, Lord Corlys had been holding his head held high out of pride, that would sit the Iron Throne only to see a babe that looked nothing like his son.

But Monterys looked nothing like any other man, either. Even now, in the eyes of those who watched him. He only looked like his Mother. And so, it hadn't been long after his birth that whispered questions stopped — it wasn't uncommon for children to favour one parent over another, and he did carry silver in his hair. His eyes were that of Old Valyria. Lord Corlys was one of them to stop wondering. Monterys, like Laenor, had the same eyes and a wide smile. That was enough.

And when Monterys' dragon, when the boy was only moons old, hatched, and Lords and Ladies stopped and gathered to converse about the fact it was Ser Laenor Velaryon's son that gained a dragon, and not the firstborn son, or any of King Viserys' other younger children via his second wife, Corlys had been pleased. Proud. He'd smiled down at the Prince sat on Laenor's lap and told others of how his grandson wasn't just the heir's heir, but a future dragon-rider already. It was some star-telling. It was a message. Prince Monterys was going to be excellent.