Dream Of Winter | C. Stark & H. Targaryen

Frozen Flames

A/N: Warning. Smut towards the end of the chapter.

Helaena POV

Under the enchanting glow of the full moon, Helaena Targaryen, the fierce and passionate dragonrider, felt her heart quicken with anticipation.

The night air was crisp, carrying a sense of magic that seemed to dance upon the breeze. Helaena stood beside Dreamfyre, a legendary dragon renowned for its grace and power. It once belonged to her great-great aunt Rhaena Targaryen, the sister-wife of Aegon the uncrowned before her uncle Maegor killed him and made her one of his black brides.

Beside their shared mount, Helaena felt a kinship to the first Rhaena. Like herself the histories record her as being a shy and dreamy child. They both flew atop their bonded at the age of twelve and found freedom and adventure in the heavens.

Whether that means her distant relative was one for magical visions is a mystery. Heleana hopes she wasn't. Her life was truly a tragedy.

If it was also fated and doomed from the beginning. Her husband's death. Her eldest daughter and all her friends. That's a curse like no other.

Dreamfyre picked up on her sudden bout of melancholy. Mourning her former rider's loss and trying to cheer her current one. Her scales shimmered like molten silver in the moonlight, reflecting the ethereal glow that bathed the world below.

Within minutes, Helaena's eyes sparkled with excitement as she adjusted the straps of her riding gear, her fingers trembling slightly. This was to be a momentous occasion, for she would share the exhilaration of the sky with her beloved wolf.

She couldn't help but think of the countless stories she had heard of the bond between dragon and rider, and now she would be able to share that bond with the man she loved.

Oh! She loved him.

It seemed such simple and intrinsic fact that released a flood of emotion.

Cregan, her noble and steadfast warrior, approached Dreamfyre with a mixture of awe and wonder. His eyes widened at the sight before him, taking in the sheer size and magnificence of the dragon. The lunar rays painted Dreamfyre's hide with an otherworldly shimmer, and the majestic creature regarded Cregan with an intelligent gaze, as though understanding the significance of this moment.

Of course she does. She's thought of Cregan often in the last few months. Her bonded might even be jealous like Ragnar that he's stealing her away.

No. Dreamfyre is a gentle lady. She won't do anything to Cregan. Probably.

As Helaena and Cregan mounted the titular beast of myth, their bodies pressed against the dragon's warm scales, a wave of trepidation and exhilaration washed over them.

They felt the immense power beneath them, thrumming with life and ancient wisdom. Helaena's hand trembled as she grasped the reins, her fingers intertwining with Cregan's.

It felt natural to be so close. So connected. Their direwolf had made their closer. And now they might as well be one. She felt it in her bones.

They exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with anticipation and trust, before surrendering themselves to the whims of the dragon's flight.

With a mighty beat of her wings, Dreamfyre launched into the night sky. Helaena and Cregan were immediately immersed in a world of sensory overload.

The rush of wind against their faces was extraordinary, whipping through their hair and causing their hearts to pound in sync with the dragon's powerful wing beats.