A Song of Ash and Smoke | a continuation of A Song of Ice and Fire

𝐉𝐚𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐚

The waves were thunderous against the grey rock of the island. Jae sat idly under a tree in the courtyard and looked at the moss that hung down from its branches, listening to them crash along the island's shores in the distance. The tree itself was birch, with papery bark that peeled into rolls along the trunk. A storm had just cleared the island, leaving branches and moss and leaves scattered in its wake. Somewhere along the wall, a tree had fallen in the night, and now Jae could hear the grunting of Unsullied as they repaired it. It had been weeks since they arrived at Dragonstone. Looking up, over the courtyard to the tower, she could see the black fabric of the Targaryen banner whipping in the wind as it loomed over the wall. She sighed and laid back, her skirts and hair fanning out on the ground as she did and gazed upwards. The sky actually appeared clear and blue today, perhaps the sun's rebellion against the storms. 

Jaehaera had stayed, as she promised. Drogon was never too far, but he preferred to stay near the beach, away from the other dragons. Jaehaera had given it some thought. He was over twenty years older and tamer, though hardly. The wild dragons were resistant to human presence, having given some trouble to the Unsullied charged with removing them from the fortress. They didn't scare Jae, though, and she'd quickly taken over the complicated task, much to her mother's surprise. Twenty-seven dragons there were, though none nearly as big as Drogon. The largest ones were no bigger than horses, and once Jaehaera showed the Unsullied how to respect them, they were easily lured to the mountain, where they could make homes in the caves. Together, Danaerys and Jaehaera had named each one. Danaerys chose one that she named Misandys, a black dragon with scales tipped in a vibrant violet. It had violet eyes to match, and Danaerys had affectionately joked that the creature was simply her daughter in dragon form, though the dragon's violet was much deeper and more gem-like than Jaehaera's own pale eyes. 

"Seedlings."

"Pardon?" Jaehaera threw her hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun as she squinted up at Dany, who had materialized under the tree. 

"Do you know what seedlings are?"

Jaehaera must have been notably confused, because Danaerys, without missing a beat, had swiftly sat beside Jae, her lips already parted. Jaehaera could see that she'd given this much thought. 

"Did Lord Tyrion educate you on war?"

"I might have missed a few lessons there," Jaehaera chuckled. "I know of the wars past, but I wouldn't ask me for battle plans."

"During the Dance of Dragons -" Dany paused to glance at Jaehaera, to see if her words registered as familiar. "During the Dance, the blacks searched for any way to have the advance on the greens. One of their most central techniques during that war were seedlings. Dragon riders."

"We are dragon riders, your grace," Jaehaera said, uncertain. 

"We are only two individuals, daughter," Danaerys responded ominously. "We need more than that."

Jaehaera did not dare ask her for what. Time would tell, but Jae could not bear the idea of hurting anyone from home, King's Landing, and she did not want to know the thoughts that must traverse through Danaerys's head in that regard. 

"Seedlings are dragon riders who are of Valyrian blood, but hold no Valyrian name," Danaerys finally explained. Jaehaera was confused. Where would they find these dragon riders? 

"No dragon will let just anyone fly it. But some dragons may be receptive to those who do not  carry the Targaryen name, and thus seedlings exist. Seedlings must be cultivated; only those who can approach fire without fear can truly be one with the dragon. Even blood of the dragon cannot fly if they fear the dragon. And these are intelligent creatures, they can sense it."