Alysanna clutches the dragon egg closer to her chest and takes a step back in fright. She hadn't meant to make such a discovery. The small creature had been wrapped in linen, cocooned, bound. But the shape is telling. What is even more frightening is that Rhaegon stops right before it.

When her brother woke her up in the middle of the night, Alysanna supposed it was one of his nightmares. But this is not nightmare. This is real. "Rhaegon, mayhap we should go back." If Maester Pycelle finds them here, they will be in trouble.

Rhaegon, however, seem frozen in place. Alysanna makes to garb his arm, but he shakes her hold off. "This is one. We need two more." A rat darts past their feet, squealing as it goes. Alysanna nearly shrieks. Her brother is in some strange trance that she cannot seem to break.

Usually, with Rhaegon one feels at ease, despite his affliction, but now all she can do is shiver. He came to her room, woke her up, demanded that she take her dragon egg and come with him. Alysanna listens because she trusts him. But this is by far the strangest of their adventures.

"What more do we need? Rhaegon, this is truly frightening." Visions Alysanna had no problems with, she has discussed some of her brother's strangest dreams with him. Yet the profound eerie aura that surrounds him at the moment rather reminds her of one of those Northern tales mother sometimes tells them. Alas, Lyanna is not here to hold her daughter's hand. Rhaegon had turned towards one of the many shelves as if he could actually see what's on them.

"Is there anything dead there?" he asks.

Alysanna startles and with a sound of mild disgust peruses the strange collection resting before her eyes. "Dead? Do you mean like one of those stuffed rabbits?"

"Nay, something that had been preserved." This once again prompts a vaguely distressed huff from the Princess. Nonetheless, she continues to look. "Anything will do."

Fortunately, she sees a rat in a jar of glass. Alysanna hands the egg to her brother and climbs atop a chair to reach the desired object. Within moments she has it in her grasp. Turning back towards Rhaegon, she takes the egg from him. "I am not carrying the other one."

With a nod, Rhaegon, takes the small bundle in his arms. Alysanna looks away. The smell is truly horrible. She can't understand why they haven't burned it. Yet Rhaegon claims they have need of it. With a heavy sigh, Alysanna lifts the torch higher and allows Rhaegon to place a hand on her shoulder. Convincing herself not to look back is a trial.

It is complete, utter madness to even contemplate what they have set to doing. If this becomes a miniature version of the tragedy at Summerhall, they should consider themselves lucky. Such thought occupy the forefront of her mind as they make their way into the garden, under the tall oak tree.

Aeron is already waiting for them there. He holds his dagger in one hand, and with the other he secures a dead chicken. Alysanna would laugh if she didn't find the whole business a tragedy of sorts. Then again, this plan belongs to Rhaegon. It was Rhaegon who knew where to find the egg, so naturally it must be him who knows how to hatch it.

"What do we do now?" Aeron asks without preamble. He looks like a frightened babe in the woods. But Alysanna won't tease him about it, for her own face must look the same. Only Rhaegon is completely calm.

"Now we build a pyre." They work after very strict instructions. It is, indeed, curious that Rhaegon can give such a detailed account of what he wants them to build, given that he cannot see. In the end, they manage to create a miniature version of it, built out of twigs and small dried branches.

Breaking the jar, Alysanna picks up the rat as Aeron is placing his offering on the pyre. The rat joins the chicken, and the only thing that remains is the bundle in Rhaegon's arms. They peel back the linen and gasp at the sight of the deformed creature. It almost looks human – the shape suggests humanity – but it is barely formed, small and ugly. Nonetheless, it joins the other offerings.

They lit the wood on fire using one of the torches. The sight is gruesome and disquieting. Flesh blackens and curls under the ardent touch of the flames. Alysanna hugs the egg to her chest and looks at Rhaegon, searching for some explanation.

Her brother's head is turned towards her, sightless gaze fixed on her face. "Do you trust me?"

"With my life," she replies automatically. There is never any use to think about such matters. One either trusts another person or they don't.

"Make a small cut in the centre of your palm, make sure blood is flowing out. With that hand push the egg into the flames." Alysanna remains stunned. "Whatever you do, do not take your hand out of the fire."

She doesn't want to do it, Alysanna realises when Aeron gives her his knife. But something is calling out to her. Alysanna places the blade on the skin of her palm and pushes down. Once she removes the weapon, blood erupts from the wound; it bubbles and hisses. Following her brother's words exactly, she holds the dragon egg in one hand and kneels.

One deep breath later, her hand is in the fire and her eyes are scrunched shut. Pain does not assault her. Flames do not eat her flesh away. Something warm however is dripping on her hand. She opens her eyes and sees drops of blood landing on her skin. Aeron and Rhaegon have make cuts on their own palms.

"Blood and fire. The answer was in front of us all this time." For a brief moment Alysanna does not understand his meaning. And then she does, and it is all horrible and wondrous at the same time.

The scales on the egg have grown so very warm, that Alysanna knows her skin should have smarted with it. Yet it doesn't. But the heat grows and grows and the flames finally catch the sleeve of her dress. Aeron is the first to fall back, pulling Rhaegon with him. Alysanna closes her eyes. Perhaps it does not hurt because she has already died. Something cracks underneath her palm. Harsh scales give way and with the sound of crackling wood the though shell crumbles apart.

A heavy sheet of water drops upon her out of nowhere and she barely manages to shield the small one.

Croaking and screeching makes her open her eyes after a few moments. Aeron stands staring, slack-jawed at her. His lips move, but no words come.

"Dragon," Rhaegon says.

Alysanna looks down at what she cradles.