The Song of Ice and Fire

A Dance of Shadows

The travel to Storm's End felt as if Lucerys had been traveling for days, once he reached the darkened clouds thunder began to rumble within the skies. He had known without a doubt that he had reached Storm's End.

His bones ached with fear, not knowing what situation he would be stuck in once he met with Lord Borros Baratheon. Was he truly going to be honored to serve a prince of the realm? Especially a bastard prince such as himself? He could hardly believe what his Aunt told him about his distant cousin, nevertheless, he tried to remain calm and fearless, mirroring his Aunt during the days she had such a youthful vigor.

He rode Arrax with a sudden pride, chest puffed as he grasped onto his dragon and the sword in his belt buckle. He flew around the castle of Storm's End once before landing his reasonably-sized dragon right in front of the castle doors, which had 4 of Lord Borros Baratheon's men standing before the doors, clad in black and gold armor.

The prince leaped from his dragon, his shoes hit the pebbled ground with a crack. He walked up to the doors, head held high, but his heart nearly stopped as he heard Vhagar's loud groan from behind him, making him snap his hand over, face cold.

He could see the large dragon just beyond the castle walls, resting rather comfortably on a hill. Lucerys could have sworn that the Queen of Dragons looked at him as if she remembered him from all those years ago. The prince gulped slightly, noting mentally that the Prince Aemond Targaryen was already there.

The enemy was already here.

Probably offering alliancing no doubt, a promise of riches or a place at the small council.

Lucerys felt rather mournful for Laenys, having to wed a man that would betray her and break the vows that he swore towards the Conqueror, himself. Leaving his aunt alone and mentally wounded. Lucerys frowned slightly before looking back over at the guards, he walked up to them before his head was held high once more. He stood before them, their eyes watched as he stood there.

"I am Prince Lucerys Velaryon, I bring a message to Lord Borros from the Queen and her Lady Hand." He said, making the guards nod only once before opening up the wooden doors, revealing the Round Hall, sat a rather broad man with brunette hair and a proud beard upon his face. His throne was nothing special, only made from stone slabs. On his right stood his three daughters, Cassandra, Maris, and Floris, excluding Ellyn, who had already been wed off years ago.

"Prince Lucerys Velaryon. Son of Princess Rhaenrya Targaryen." The Baratheon knight said, Lucerys' eyes skimmed the room before spotting Aemond, who turned around menacingly at the sound of his very name. The prince could hear the crack of lightning as Aemond's remaining eye landed on him.

Their gazes met before Lucerys quickly looked back at Lord Borros, almost as if he was mentally running away from Aemond's piercing glare. "Lord Borros... I brought you a message from my mother and aunt... your Lady Hand cousin and the Queen." He said, he finally worked up the courage to appear confident, but Lord Borros had hardly seemed impressed by Lucerys' stance.

"Yet earlier this day, I received an envoy from the King. Which is it? King or Queen? The House of the Dragon does not seem to know who rules it." He says, with a laugh that almost sounded cruel. "What is your mother and aunt's message?"

Lucerys held up the rolled-up parchment in his hands and the closest guard walked up and grabbed it, walking up to Lord Borros. He handed it straight to him before returning to his place, behind the Velaryon prince. Lord Borros hardly glanced at the parchment before barking for a maester, who scurried in quickly. He looked frail, seemingly over the age of sixty, no doubt. He grabbed the parchment and skimmed over the words, his wrinkled eyes looked up at Lucerys before leaning over to the Baratheon Lord.