Breaking the Game

Chapter 11

Saelora was with Ivar as he was teaching her how to use a bow and arrow. He was showing her how to stand and how to hold the bow and arrow. He corrected her on what she was doing wrong. To say he was a great teacher. Legolas was with them as well also giving tips. Rhaenyra was watching from a balcony smiling at her daughter with pride.

"Have you always been an only child?" Ivar asked Legolas.

"Yes, I've been an only child my entire existence. My mother died and my father despite being king tried to raise me alone, but some days it was hard for him." Legolas answered. "What about you princess?" 

"What about me?" Saelora asked.

"Is it hard having siblings?" Legolas asked.

"I'm the eldest and I'm my mother's heir. So sometimes it's hard. All decisions are put onto me." Saelora replied. "Ivar, you're the youngest right?"

"I am," Ivar said. "And as you can see I'm a cripple so it's a lot harder." 

"But your family loves you all the same," Saelora said.

"They do in their own way. Sigurd is the only one who hates me," Ivar answered. "I don't know why." 

"When did you claim Gaelithox?" Legolas asked.

"His egg hatched in my cradle and I bonded with him at five. The youngest Targaryen to claim a dragon. Before I was, it was my mother. And I'm the first Targaryen to ever claim a second dragon." Saelora explained.

"Do you think all dragons will become as big as Smaug?" Legolas asked.

"There is a chance yes," Saelora said. "But we have dragon pits built. I never understood why. But I do know that it stunts the growth of dragons."

"And then how did Gaelithox become so big?" Ivar asked.

"I never let him step foot into the dragon pit. I didn't want him chained and confined in a dark place where he'd remain not as big. I let him stay in a clearing pretty much, but when he was the size of a horse he'd remained in the castle with me at my side." Saelora said.

"And your family allowed it?" Legolas and Ivar asked together confused.

"My mother and father had to convince my grandsire, my mother's father to allow me to keep Gaelithox. My step-grandmother Alicent Hightower hated the idea. She doesn't like dragons and yet she married my grandsire and had four kids with him, all of whom had dragons of theirs or claimed one. My uncle Aemond had claimed Vhagar as the second largest dragon in the world right after Gaelithox and before Vermithor." Saelora explained.

"Is that a good thing?" Legolas asked. 

"No, my uncle is fueled by anger due to constant teasing and bullying by my elder uncle Aegon and my brothers Jacaerys and Lucerys all because he didn't have a dragon up until he was ten," Saelora said.

(Trying to remember how old Aemond is in the show and not in the books. Is he twelve or ten?)

"And so he hates everything and anyone?" Ivar asked.

"Pretty much," Saelora said. "And I want to be the one to kill him." 

"He killed Lucerys and your grandmother?" Legolas states.

"Yes, and he knows I will be after him," Saelora replied.

"How do you know?" Legolas asked.

"We were sorta close at some point during our childhood and we always had this secret code when we talked to one another," Saelora explained. "If he saw my gesture of my left hand hitting my leg twice it indicates I'm terribly mad at him and if he saw my pointer finger go across the neck in the killing motion, then that should explain it." 

"Is that why you were betrothed to him?" Ivar asked.

"I don't know. Never asked and begged my grandsire to end the betrothal." Saelora answered.

"How long begging did you ask him to end it?" Legolas asked with a grin.

"Two moons of begging," Saelora answered.

"Sister..." Baela said approaching the three. "Her grace has a job for you." 

"Then I best not keep her waiting," Saelora said.

"Bring your boytoys..." Baela said with a grin.

"Baela!" Saelora groaned.

Legolas and Ivar chuckled trying to hide their smiles.

Saelora arrived in the council room.

"You called for me mother," Saelora said standing at attention.

"Yes, I did," Rhaenyra said looking down at the map. "We need to get rid of our closest enemy which just so happens to be Ser Criston Cole and Alicent's brother Gwayne Hightower. They appear to be at Casterly Rock with the Lannisters." 

"And you wish for me to take them out?" Saelora asked.

"I do," Rhaenyra answered. "Take out as many men as you can." 

"I will," Saelora said and started to walk out.

"And Saelora," Rhaenyra called.

Saelora turned back to face her mother.

"Make sure Cole and Gwayne are part of those bodies," Rhaenyra said. "And take the Vikings with you, they at least deserve some time to fight." 

"Of course," Saelora said smirking, and walked out.

She headed to the Vikings camp with determination.

"Princess," Ragnar greeted with a grin. "I see you have some sort of news." 

"I do gather everyone. We're going to fight." Saelora said.

Ragnar smirked at her tone as he gestured to Rollo to tell everyone to get ready.

"Where are we going? And who are we fighting?" Ragnar asked.

Saelora points to the map where Casterly Rock resides on the map which was west.

"Casterly Rock, if we go west we can be there by nightfall. They are on the Green's side and our worst allies. They are the house that gives the most resources to the Green's side." Saelora answered.

"But who are you going after exactly?" Ragnar asked.

"Criston Cole and Gwayne Hightower," Saelora replied seeing his look. "The first one is a Kingsguard who soiled his white cloak by sleeping with my mother when she was a teenager and he was a grown man at the time. As for Gwayne, he's the dowager queen Alicent's older brother." 

"We're with you princess," Ubbe spoke.

Legolas and Gimli had offered to come as well as they wanted to fight. Saelora rushed to her dragons who felt her presence and immediately woke up.

"Ready to burn some people, boys?" Saelora asked with a smirk as she climbed onto Smaug's back.

"Oh yeah!" Both their voices echoed.

(If no one understands that reference I will be so upset.)

The two dragons fly into the air. It was a monstrous sight. Seeing two very large dragons with a bunch of viking ships beneath them as they left Dragonstone in the afternoon.