Silver Princess || House of the Dragon

Chapter IV ''Stepstones''

A military council was in progress on the Stepstones. Daemon has recently returned from an attack on the back of his dragon, Caraxes.
Unfortunately, the deliberations did not bring any brilliant idea for resolving the conflict, and the numbers were unfortunately on the side of the Crabfeeder.

"Dragon!" Shouted one of the soldiers, pointing to the sky, and those at the map table - Daemon, Corlys, Laenor, and Vaemond - turned their eyes to the sky as well.

Indeed, a beast appeared from behind the clouds, carrying someone on its back. Lowering it's flight slowly, it made several circles around the camp, waiting for the soldiers to make enough space for it to land.

Kaerax sat smoothly on the ground, and only from this distance could it be seen who had suddenly appeared in the war zone. It was Valaerya, who dismounted easily, in a practiced manner, from her dragon's back, taking slow steps as she approached the council place, but looking around the camp as she went.

It's nice to finally stretch your legs after such a long flight.

"Uncle." She began, pulling a sealed letter from her coat pocket. "A letter from my father, King Viserys of House Targaryen, First of His Name." She held out her hand with the letter to him.

She could see that she had caused a stir by appearing here, after all, who would expect a princess almost in the middle of hostilities? Better question: Who would have thought a king would let his daughter come here?

Daemon read the letter from his brother, raising his eyebrows at a few lines. He clearly didn't like the content of the message...
And most likely, had Valaerya not been standing before him but some ordinary messenger, he would have beaten him to eat that stupid letter.

But in this case, he held back. He tore up the letter as if it were nothing before addressing his allies at the council table.

"We are attacking according to the plan mentioned earlier." He said, and wanted to leave.

"I am the representative of the crown here, and it's will is clear." Valaerya said, stepping aside to block her uncle's path.

Silence fell around. She knew how some people - especially the soldiers - saw her uncle. But she wasn't afraid of him - or at least she didn't show it. She stood in front of him with her hands clasped in front of her, waiting for his next move.

After a few tense moments, Daemon slowly leaned close to her ear.

"Sometimes you have to go against orders to win." He said to her quietly, and thrusting the tattered letter into her hands, he passed her, heading in a direction known only to himself, determined to carry out the suicide plan discussed earlier at the meeting.

Because of course he was too damn proud to wait for backup and thus admit that he needed help.

And Valerya remained where she was. She wasn't sure what she should do, everyone was looking at her and she didn't like it.

"He always disobeys orders, princess." Vaemond said, breaking the silence between everyone. Val's gaze slowly traveled to him, but it showed no emotion.

"Maybe there's a purpose to it." She shrugged and crumpled the pieces of the letter in her hands before stuffing them into her pocket.

"Have you already forgotten how he stole the dragon egg meant for your dead brother?"

"Don't forget who you're talking to and about, Vaemond." She answered immediately, and her gaze was no longer indifferent, it expressed nervousness, anger at these words. She hated being reminded of those times because it also reminded her of her mother's death. Kaerax sensed her rider's anger and moved a little closer, fixing her gaze on Vaemond, growling menacingly as she did so. "Be careful, she's very protective of me."

She looked at the Lords before turning on her heel and walking towards her dragon. She knew that she should return to the capital, but... When she looked towards the place where her uncle was sailing on the boat, she had such a strange feeling... She wanted to take part in what was going to happen there.

She stood there beside Kaerax, one hand resting on her side as she continued to look in that direction with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Princess, it will be safer if you return to King's Landing." Lord Corlys said to her, seeing that the girl was probably already planning to do something very dangerous. And if something happened to her, no one would want to be in their shoes when King Viserys found out...

"What can happen to me on the dragon's back?" She answered with a question, smiling softly. Finally, she grabbed the spikes on Kaerax's back with both hands and accepted her help to sit comfortably on her back.

***

For a moment, Daemon thought that this daring plan would end in his death. Leaning on his Dark Sister, he stood up, his eyes carefully watching the Triarch soldiers circling him.

Then, in the distance, his and Lord Corlys' men appeared - with him in the lead. But they were far too far away to help Daemon.

The man had already begun to raise his sword to defend himself against the enemies heading towards him, when suddenly a wave of fire flooded them. Two dragons - Seasmoke and Kaerax - began to breathe fire simultaneously from two sides, making a fiery circle around Daemon, burning most of the enemies. Thus, they cleared the way for him to pursue the Crabfeeder, who was already going to take refuge in the caves.

At the same time, Valaerya was really having fun on her dragon's back, feeling that Kaerax was also very pleased with the decision her raider had made. It is true that the specter of danger hung over them, mainly from archers. For excample when Kaerax suddenly changed direction to cover Valaerya on her back.

In most cases, Val didn't even have to order her dragon to breathe fire, it was as if they read each other's minds.

"Dracarys!" But sometimes saying that word warmed her heart. It reminded her of her childhood and learning Valyrian commands, and besides... The word just sounded beautiful.
Although she doesn't deny that looking down on the combatants, she herself would like to know how to fight with a sword. To have a sword of her own that she could carry on her belt and pull it out at any time if threatened...

But her father would probably never let her learn swordsmanship. She doesn't know what he would do if he knew that she decided to take part in this fight. Admittedly, on the dragon's back, but still... She was putting herself in danger when she was only supposed to deliver a letter... But he won't find out. Why would he?

When all the soldiers of the Triarchy were dead or dying, Kaerax perched on the rock where the archers had been standing - besides, the body of one of them was under her paw.

From here Valaerya had a good view of the entire field where the battle took place. Down below, she could also see her uncle - he was hard to recognize when even his hair was mostly bloody - dragging what was left of the Crabfeeder behind him.

She guesses it's time for her to actually go back to the capital. She gripped the spikes on the dragon's back tightly and leaned forward, signaling that she was ready to fly. Kaerax slid smoothly off the rock, starting her flight low to the ground and passing dangerously close to Daemon before soaring higher into the air.

Her father would lock her in her chamber if he saw all this... But I admire her for it.

~Author's note~

This one is short, but I wanted this whole situation to be in one chapter. In next chapter more dialouges and action ♥