The Bronze Dragon-A House of the Dragon fanfic

Chapter 7

Many of us already know the story of Lady Jeyne Arryn. Coming to rule the Eyrie at a mere three years of age, my great grandfather Yorbert Royce would serve as her regent for many years. Yorbert saw off risings against Jeyne as she grew, eventually taking over rule of the Vale herself. Even when Arnold Arryn attempted a second uprising against her, Jeyne would be prepared to fight him again.

It is said that she and my grandmother grew close during the regency, yet the woman Lady Jeyne was reportedly in the company of the most was her dear companion, Lady Jessamyn Redfort. Only my mother and father are said to know the details of the relationship between the two women though, and they have both resisted my attempts to find out more.

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"Are we there yet?" Daeron asked, earning a sigh from Daevar. The boy had been asking that nearly every few minutes for the last few hours. A raven had arrived at Runestone not long after Daevar's return from King's Landing, requesting his presence at the Eyrie for some reason. Of course, Jeyne wouldn't summon him there if she didn't have a good reason to. Perhaps the Hill Tribes were attacking again and a force was being gathered to strike back, or some important emissaries had been lost somewhere in the mountains and needed a party assembled to find them.

Daevar hoped it was the former. He hadn't had the chance to wet his sword yet, and the possibility of it happening against someone like Arnold Arryn was too good to pass up. The man had already rebelled against Jeyne once, and Daevar was resolved that if he attempted it again, he wouldn't live to see another dawn. Joining him was about half a dozen Royce guards, customary for any travelling lord, Kermit, and Daeron. Kermit was eager to leave the confines of Runestone for a while, while Daeron was brought so he could see the Vale for himself.

"No, Daeron. But we're getting close." Daevar pointed up ahead. "See that structure out in the distance?"

Daeron's eyes followed his cousin's finger, where he saw two long parapets built into the walls of the rocky pass they had been travelling on for seemingly forever. Built in between them, was a large stone bridge that arched over the pathway, guarded by two watchtowers.

"That's the Bloody Gate, one of the Eyrie's many defences." Said Daevar. "A few keeps like this help fortify it further, making the Eyrie virtually untouchable. Anyone wanting to attack the Eyrie had to march up this valley, no more than three abreast, with arrows raining down on them the whole way from those clifftops."

As soon as the party approached the Bloody Gate, they heard a voice call down from above. "Halt!" Everyone looked up to see a young man not much older than Daevar staring down at them from the battlements. He wore a steel plate cuirass embellished with the falcon of House Arryn over a simple leather gambeson. But his head was uncovered, revealing a head of lengthy brown hair that draped over both sides of a youthful, cleanly shaven face. "Who would pass the Bloody Gate?" The knight asked.

"Daevar Targaryen! Surely you must have recognized this, Ser Joffrey!" Daevar called up, banging a fist on his bronze cuirass.

After squinting for a minute, the knight named Joffrey, softened his expression. "Oh, Daevar! Good to see you!" He then turned to the rest of the guard. "Let them through. The Lady Paramount is expecting them."

"Thank you, Ser Joffrey!" Daevar said, signalling the rest of his party to follow as the gate began to open for them. "Runestone is open for you should you ever visit!"

"Of course!" Joffrey nodded. "Oh, and send my regards to Lady Alyssa!"

"We certainly will, Joffrey!" Daevar shouted back as the Gate shut behind them. The massive fortification had sparked Daeron's attention, and he looked to Daevar for an explanation on it as they walked through.