Dreams, Dragons, and Deceit || Aemond & Aegon Targaryen

Black Wings

Visaera has only had only been in the Dragonmont a handful of times, always with one of her siblings or her parents, never on her own. Apprehension filled her as she stepped into the shadowy entrance; the hand that held her torch trembled and she swallowed the lump of nervousness that had welled in her throat. She reminded herself that she was the blood of the dragon, there was little to fear in a nest full of them.

The pungent scent of sulfur enveloped her as she inched her way into the cavern system, heart racing and breathing heavy. The light of her torch bounced off the walls of the caves as she walked, making them glitter at her like jewels. Beneath the volcano, the thrumming she had grown so accustomed to grew louder in her ears, reminding her that she had every reason to do this.

The knowledge that her dragon was calling to her made her blood race and her heart pound. Her footsteps echoed around her as her breathing grew heavy. The tunnel was warm and her skin became hot, sweat trickling down her spine, despite the fact that her endeavor had only just begun.

Visaera was trembling with a mix of fear and excitement. The idea of finally bonding with a dragon made the hairs on her neck stand on end. Pausing at the first alcove, Visaera peaked inside to find Caraxes and Syrax curled around one another, snoring softly. At the sound of her steps, the dragons woke and the Blood Wyrm let out a keening whistle as Syrax raised her head to appraise their intruder.

As she left them to their business, Visaera couldn't help but smile. The red and gold dragons were made for one another, bonded for life, just as her mother and father were. Despite the time and distance spent apart, the pairs had reunited and had been inseparable since.

A pang of aguish followed as she briefly thought of Aegon. At one time she had imagined they would be the same way, that they would spend their lives with one another. How things had changed since then...

Arrax was mid-bite, working on the lamb he had incinerated, when she looked into his cave. He blinked at her for a moment before attacking his meal once again. Vermax merely blinked at her as she passed, commanding him to stay calm. The green dragon had seen her a million times and her presence hardly ruffled him.

She was breathing heavily as she continued on, anxiety making her guts churn. The dragons already bonded to her family would not harm her, but she knew that with one misstep, she could easily become a meal for one of the many wild dragons inhabiting the Dragonmont. Staying close to the wall, she inched her way deeper into the tunnel, letting out slow steady breaths.

You can do this. You're a dragon... She repeated the sentiment over and over in her head, the thought giving her the strength she needed to continue on.

At the next fork in the tunnel, Visaera took a right, letting out a shaky breath and pushing the hair off her forehead. Already, her tunic was soaked with sweat and her clothes had turned black from the ash in the air. The air ahead of her stirred and she stepped through the mouth of a wide cavern.

Her lungs seized in her chest as she turned and came face to face with a set of huge, amber eyes.

"Rystas, Vermithor," she breathed out, trying to ignore the way her legs trembled and her stomach twisted. The dragon was accustomed to people, but that didn't mean he found her presence acceptable. She knew she wasn't in the right place; the humming inside her had grown but still hadn't settled. Daemon said she would know...

The growl started deep in his throat, growing louder as she stared up at him. Visaera instinctively took a step back, praying the bronze dragon wouldn't roast her like a slaughtered pig. Vermithor rose to his full height and Visaera's heart leaped into her throat, taking another step back. The beast raised his head and let out a stream of fire, filling the roof of the cave with golden flames. The heat was punishing and Visaera took another step back, her skin already stinging from the intensity of Vermithor's breath.