chance for happiness

The Prince and the Dragon: A Solace in Scaly Bonds

Steps.
Constant battles, rivers of blood, and the smell of the sea amused the Rogue Prince at first, but they have already managed to get into his soul, and although the campaign here was quite successful, it was even better for him than on the boring Rune Stone, where there was nothing but sheep and tasteless wine.

The sea waves crashed on the shore, leaving only a trace on the wet sand, the morning sun had not yet warmed the land and water, but the air was getting warmer. There were still corpses of enemies on the sand, only traces of them, their bodies burned by Caraxes, who never lost his vigilance and was always ready for battle.

The happy news from King's Landing about the pregnancy of the king's daughter-in-law seemed to have spread to all seven kingdoms, except for the Steps, which were still in ignorance, and the crows from King Viserys himself were rushing to tell the news to the man who should definitely be happy to hear that his wife, the honorable Lady of the Rune Stone, was pregnant.

Daemon hadn't slept for a long time, he had lost all sleep in recent months, but he didn't want to go back to King's Landing, let alone to the Rune Stone, preferring to kill his enemies.
The crow's cry alerted the prince, so he looked up and picked up the letter, which fell into his hands. The rustle of the parchment, which he hadn't felt for so long, was even something pleasant and reminded him of King's Landing and his brother, who always had letters from different lords from different parts of the kingdom on his desk.
When the prince unfolded the parchment, he saw neatly drawn letters that merged into sentences.

"Dear brother, we have not always seen eye to eye, but good news should unite our hearts - I am happy to report that your wife, Rhea Royce, is in labor, hopefully this time she will bless you with an heir, for she has already given you a beautiful daughter, Lantysa, who is your heir after all, and although I have heard that you have said many unpleasant things to both your wife and daughter, I hope that will change.
King Viserys."

Daemon hummed at the last line, not too encouraged by the news of Rhea's pregnancy and possible heir, because after all, he would hardly accept another red-haired child.
He was not too concerned about his treatment of his wife, for their marriage was only the fulfillment of the wishes of the late Queen Alysanne, who wanted her grandson to change, to take the right path, but it was a pity that she had ruined her grandson's life with this marriage, and the Lady of the Rune Stone, whom they had met only at Daemon's wedding. After that, the queen's health failed and old age took its toll, so she soon fell ill and died, going to her children.

"How can a bronze bitch give birth to a dragon?" he wondered, and then his hands reached out to crumple the letter, throwing it on the sand.

The news of Rhea's condition did not affect him, but his curiosity got the better of him: "Will the Lady of the Rune Stone give birth to a Hightower bastard this time, instead of the white-haired dragon who would have been the Rogue Prince's heir?"

With a heavy heart, Daemon walked to the seashore, the cool water enveloping his feet and quenching the anger in his soul. He looked out at the endless sea, at the sunlight dancing on the waves, and a feeling of unease settled in his heart.

"The seven hells will freeze over before I recognize the Hightower child as my heir," he thought, and his lips curled into a bitter smile. The last time he had seen Lantysa, he had hated her with all his heart, but deep down he knew it was not the child's fault that she was born a bastard. He was also nervous about Viserys, for was he really so blind as not to see that his fake-niece was not really a Targaryen.

As Daemon continued to stare out at the sea, lost in thought, a familiar roar rang through the air, bringing him back to reality. Caraxes, his dragon, was approaching, his red scales glistening in the sunlight as he landed beside him.

The prince's eyes softened as he looked at his majestic dragon, the only creature he truly loved in this world. Daemon stretched out his hand and stroked its muzzle, and the beast let out a soft roar in response, as if supporting its rider.

The dragon leaned in to the touch, its scaly skin warm under the prince's fingers. It seemed to understand the pain and confusion that the prince was experiencing inside.

"You seem to be the only one who truly understands me," the Daemon whispered, his voice a mixture of affection and a hint of sadness.

Caraxes looks at his rider with a glint of sympathy and understanding in its eyes. He nuzzles his snout affectionately against Daemon, a gesture of comfort and solidarity.

The bond between man and dragon is undeniable. The prince, surrounded by the chaos of the world, finds solace in his dragon's quiet presence.

The prince continues to stroke his dragon's scales, finding some solace in the familiar touch.

"Sometimes I wonder if the gods play games with us, Caraxes," he muses aloud, as if seeking the dragon's understanding. "Is it a punishment to be born a man and not a dragon?"

He pauses, his hand momentarily still against the dragon's scaly skin, before resuming his soothing motions.

Caraxes cocks its head slightly, as if listening intently to the prince's words. Its eyes, full of a rare depth of understanding, seem to say, "I am here. I understand."

The dragon lets out a soft, low rumble, as if offering comfort to its rider. It leans into the touch, seeking to soothe the prince's troubled heart with its presence.

"Ah, Caraxes," the prince sighs, a rueful smile on his lips as he looks into his dragon's eyes. The dragon responds with a low rumble.

"If only the world were as simple as a flight with you in the sky. No wars, no politics, no family drama... just us gliding through the clouds."

Caraxes nuzzles its head against Daemon's chest, a gentle and comforting gesture.