A Bond Between Dragons

hit me with your best shot [017]

Rhaenyra had insisted—more like ordered—that Vaella take a break from her beloved books, determined to pull her into the world of her siblings. As much as Vaella cherished her studies, there was no escaping the pull of family, especially when her mother commanded it. The Great Hall was filled with the soft sounds of scholarly pursuit: the rustling of parchment, the scratch of quills, and the occasional huff of frustration.

Vaella, arms crossed and an apple in hand, leaned against the stone pillar, watching with thinly veiled amusement as Jace sat at a large wooden table with Maester Gerardys. His brow furrowed in concentration, trying to translate the Maester's words into something sensible. Vaella couldn't help but smirk as she plopped down onto a nearby chair, the cushions sinking beneath her weight, creating a comfortable throne for her to observe her brother's struggles.

Maester Gerardys, began with his usual stern demeanor. "Se blakuata rasho dranot vilinio viartis," he intoned in his measured High Valyrian, his voice echoing slightly in the vastness of the hall.

Jace, determined but clearly floundering, repeated, "The conqueror and his sisters sailed with a great army."

"Se blakuata rasho dranot vilinio viartis," the maester insisted again, emphasizing each word like a mantra.

"And landed at the Blackwater Rush," Jace continued, his expression a mix of pride and frustration.

Vaella, lounging in her chair with a wicked glint in her eye, couldn't resist. "Dranot," she echoed, deliberately drawing out the word as if savoring it like her apple.

"Dranot. Dranot," Jace echoed, as if attempting to reinforce the word in his memory.

Jace looked up, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. "At the end?"

"The mouth," Vaella replied, leaning back in her chair with an exaggerated air of sophistication, enjoying the role of the knowledgeable sister.

"Mouth! Come on, Jace, you knew that," she teased, taking a hearty bite of her apple.

Jace rolled his eyes, attempting to shake off his frustration simmering under the surface.. "Dranot. Dranot," he repeated to himself, as if saying the word a dozen times would somehow make it stick.

"Perhaps that's enough for this morning."  Vaella added with a playful smirk.

"No, no. I want to keep going," Jace countered, shooting her a glare before returning his attention to the maester.

"Guesi misenakson Aegon undas," the maester continued, his tone unchanging as he pushed on with the lesson.

"Aegon... ordered that the trees should be... killed!" Jace announced, his voice rising with enthusiasm but faltering at the last word.

"Felled," Vaella interjected, chewing on her apple as she savored the moment. "It is a related word... you know, less murderous." Vaella's laughter rang through the hall before she could stop herself.

Jace's face flushed with frustration, but a begrudging smile tugged at his lips. "You're not helping," he muttered under his breath, though the warmth in his eyes betrayed that he wasn't entirely irritated.

Vaella shrugged, the glint in her eyes mischievous. "Mother does not expect you to learn High Valyrian in a day, Jace. You've only had... your whole life," she teased.

"You haven't mastered the art of it unlike some," she gestured to herself with mock grandeur, reveling in her own wit.

"A king should honor the traditions of his forebears," Jace insisted, trying to regain his composure as he rifled through his notes, desperately seeking the right words.