The Reign of Fire

The King's Road

Rhaenyra sits in the corner of the room, while Sansa and Princess Myrcella gossip among themselves. Rhaenyra's mind wonders as she quietly stitches.

A dragon looms over Rhaenyra, its faded ruby eyes stare down at her as she looks up at it. No fear. The dragon stretches out its veiny ruby wings and lifts its burly body into the air. It had beautiful pink scales and ordinary yellow accents in an ocelot pattern, with ram horns on top of a horse shaped skull. Its massive jaws open, fire boiling at the back of its threat.

Rhaenyra gasps as the needle pricks her finger, bringing her back to the present. She looks around the room to see the Septa fawning over the other girls, completely oblivious to Rhaenyra's presence. Rhaenyra gently lays down her needlework and sneaks away, giggling to herself as she walks towards the training yard.

Outside, Rhaenyra moves through the courtyard, Elia trotting at her heels, when in the distance a wolf howls. Rhaenyra stops walking, her heart seizing in her chest as Elia throws back her head and lets out a long, sad howl.

"Elia, jemagon nyke" Rhaenyra whispers. (Elia, lead me)

Elia takes off, dirt flying up behind her paws as she leads her mistress towards the First Keep. Rhaenyra rounds the corner and skids to a stop, her eyes widening at the shock of seeing Bran laying face down in the dirt, unmoving. His Direwolf whimpers as he nudged it's master's feet.

"Help!"

~

All the children of the lords and ladies sit together in the dinning hall, breaking their fast in silence. Rhaenyra sits between Robb and Sansa, her lilac eyes locked onto the Queen as she sits at the head of the table.

"Bread. And two of those little fish" A voice calls out, breaking the silence.

All gathered watch as Tyrion, the Queen's youngest brother strolls towards them.

"And a mug of dark beer to wash it down. And bacon burnt black"

Tyrion lifts up his youngest nephew, Tommen, and places him to the left, moving him down to make room for himself at the table.

"Little brother" Ser Jamie greets him.

"Beloved siblings"

"Is Bran going to die?" Myrcella asks, innocently.

However, all others tense at the question.

"Apparently not"

Rhaenyra's eyes lock onto the Queen's guarded reaction at the news.

"What do you mean?" She questions.

"The Maester says the boy will live"

The Northern children all glance between the Queen and her twin, watching as they stare at each other with surprise.

"It's no mercy, letting a child linger in such pain" The Queen says, moving the attention off them.

"Only the Gods know for certain. All the rest of us can do is pray. The charms of the North seem entirely lost on you" Tyrion says as he grabs a piece of bacon from his sister's plate.

"Still can't believe you're going. It's ridiculous, even for you"

"Where's your sense of wonder? The greatest structure ever built, the intrepid men of the Night's Watch, the wintry abode of the White Walkers" He leans to the side and tickles Tommen's belly, making him giggle.

"Tell me you're not thinking of taking the black?" Ser Jamie questions.

"And go celibate? The whores would go begging from Dorne to Casterly Rock. No, I just want to stand on top of The Wall and piss off the edge of the world"