Apologies for the shortness of this chapter; I didn't realize how small this bit was until I started separating the story.
Ser Barristan honoured his prince's wishes, and the three men soon returned to Westeros. The king allowed the boy to live, but commanded that he be raised secretly, and that he was never to leave the Red Keep. He was given the name Drakon by the young Aerys, for the prince saw that the child contained the heart and soul of a Dragon within him.
Eventually, Aerys assumed the throne, and the realm prospered for a time. The young Blackfyre child was raised by servants and given an education worthy of a Targaryen descendant. Ser Barristan taught the boy in the art of sword fighting and war, and the child proved to be a prodigy with every known weapon. Whenever he was not learning how to fight, the young Drakon would spend all his time in the vast libraries of the Red Keep, sharpening his mind and expanding his knowledge of history. He and the young prince Rhaegar, though they were only one year apart in age, were as brothers, and the Targaryen prince engendered within young Drakon an undying sense of loyalty to the Targaryen dynasty.
Twenty eight years ago; the Red Keep…
Drakon Blackfyre walked through the Red Keep's vast library, marveling at the countless scores of books and the knowledge contained within them. He was only fourteen years old, but he had had a passion for reading and history for as long as he could remember. His black hair fell down to his shoulders, with a silver streak that ran down the centre from his forehead, and his amber eyes remained one of his most alluring features, according to what the youth had overheard some of the servant girls talking about.
Eventually, he came to a small, out of the way section of the library. Picking a book at random, he sat down on the cold floor and started reading. "The History of Dragonstone as Recorded by Grand Maester Jorqin" he read aloud, running a hand across the leather cover. He then flipped through the pages, reading about the grand fortress of Dragonstone. For centuries now, it had been the seat of the heir apparent to the Iron Throne. Before that, it had been the home of the Targaryen family when Old Valyria had been destroyed in the Doom.
Drakon suddenly heard footsteps, and looked up to see a boy around his age with a head of brilliant silver hair, indigo eyes, and fair features that people traditionally attributed to heroes from the old tales. "Rhaegar!" Drakon cried, closing the book. He stood up, and proceeded to embrace the Targaryen prince. Rhaegar returned the embrace, laughing as he said "It is good to see you, Drakon".
"You as well" the young Blackfyre replied as he took a step back.
"Have you been living down here since I last saw you?" the silver-haired Targaryen prince asked, glancing at the nearby shelves.
Drakon looked down at the floor, holding one of his arms. "The king commanded that I stay out of all the common areas. He believes that my presence will be a disruption to his rule".
Rhaegar nodded solemnly. "When I asked about you, he said that if people knew about your existence, then you could be turned into a spy for his enemies".
Drakon looked back at his friend. "But I won't!" he said with all the conviction he could muster. "I owe your father my life. It's just that… he seems to become more paranoid every day". The young Blackfyre then turned around, finding himself unable to face Rhaegar after what he had just admitted. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"
"It's alright" Rhaegar said soothingly, placing a hand on Drakon's shoulder. "My father is a good man; he is merely ill". He then turned Drakon around and firmly placed both hands on his relative's shoulders. "One day, I will be king. When that day comes, you won't have to live in exile down here. I think of you as a brother, and you should have a life outside of this keep's walls. No matter how distant our relations, you are a Targaryen. You will always be one of us".
The two then embraced once more before diving into whatever books they could find.