Prince Daemon's POV
Nothing ever happened while he was at the dragon pit, nothing ever happened really ever for there to be a rider sleeping at the dragon pit but ever since it had been built the tradition was for there always to be at least one rider there. Now it had come even easier since the old Kings times, in those days it had normally been either his Prince Aemon or his own father Prince Baelon and Alyssa or Princess Rhaenys had also taken their turns but now with so many more dragon riders and all the royal family staying in the city they were taking it in turns buts nights likes this was when he truly thought that his step-son Lucerys truly had a good idea to find more dragon riders from those bastards of the Royal Family that had popped up over the years. They would be far more expendable then members of the Royal Family and it would mean he didn't have to miss feast or celebrations. He was a Prince of the realm and yet he was stuck in a dark dingy Dragon pit with poor accommodation just in case his mad nephew decided to bring Vhagar out from what ever hole he was hiding in. His spies had heard rumours of a secret meeting outside Volantis. All the Triarchs had left the city at once and only 1 had returned now. Apparently Tigers were finally clawing back power from the Tusked Elephants, but these were only rumours nothing confirmed. It always took months for proper news to reach the other side of the world and many of his little spies had not made contact for a while which normally did not concern him but when no word had reached him from Pentos and Braavos for around 2 weeks now and considering they were the closest to Westeros, it most definitely worried him and not much worried him.
He was strolling down one of the long circular corridors that circles the dragon pit. it had been boring in his room and he had heard Caraxes roaring in the his pit below as if something was wrong so he had decided to go check on. Caraxes was one of the most fearsome dragons living, not as large a Vahgar but had seen as many battles thanks to his warring in the steps tones and even before his time when the Blood Wyrm as he was known as by the dragon keepers had been ridden by his uncle Prince Aemon. The Fourth Dornish War asp it was officially known or Prince Morion's Madness as the small folk called it had been Caraxes first large taste of blood and ashes burning a hundred ships. The fearsome dragon had been his mount for 30 years since he came a Knight at the age of 16, they knew each other well and his dragon had saved him more times than he could count, so when he had heard him roaring he knew something was not right.
The corridors were lined with Armour of dragon keepers past, the ones who had given their life to protect the dragons from assassins or even other dragons or the occasional rogue Royal family member who wanted to steal a dragon. His pace quickened as another roar sounded but this was not from a dragon in the pit.
Then more roars and scream started, as the rest of the dragons joined Caraxes as the unknown dragon continued to roar from outside, and as the roars continued to grow louder he could hear the footsteps of dragon keepers running up from behind him joined by the loud ringing of the city warning bells
He knew what this meant his nephew had returned with Fire and Blood.
As he arrived at the back entrance to Caraxes cave he saw the door open ready for him and the Dragon keepers saddling his mount, acting quickly he grabbed the steel whip that was kept mounted on the wall and climbed up upon his dragon using the wings and spikes as hand holds as he cambered up, then fastening his saddles chains to his belt. Bidding Caraxes move forward with his whip, the dragon ran out of his cave rising higher and higher through the opening in the roof into the clear night sky where the light from the nights stars lit up the silhouette of the largest living animal known to man as it swooped back and forth across the city but what surprised him was there was no fire breathing from Vhagar mouth, buildings bursting into flames.
Instead the large beast was getting lower and lower over the Red Keep
Aemond's POV
He was still wondering why he had decided to come back, he knew it would most likely mean imprisonment, even death but his plans had failed, his hope that Volantis who even called themselves the first daughter of Valyria would jump at the chance to unite with a Dragon lord but no, they liked their peace to much and weren't willing to sacrifice it for the chance to rule Essos and Westeros. He had thought about seeking sanctuary in another free city but he knew none would welcome him after he had burned the Triarchs of Volantis and certainly not after what he had done to Pentos and Braavos. Flying to Asshai by the shadow had crossed his mine but he knew he wouldn't survive the long journey in his current state, he had barely managed to stay clinging to Vhagar's back as they crossed the stormy Narrow Sea. Another possibility he had thought was to see if the 3 cities of Slavers Bay would like a dragon rider but he knew they had to tighter ties to Volantis, it was the same for the the smaller cities of Mantarys, Elyria and Tolos and the thought of living among those monster made him feel ill. Ib was too cold and uncivilised and the peaceful people of Lhazar would be of little use. So it had come to this and he was happy that his family would know it was him, the one last true Dragon rider, Aegon reborn who had finally wrecked fire on Braavos for they had long deserved it for defying the Dragon Lords of old and their bone face lies of not having three of his families dragon eggs. His family that spurned him, the remnants of the Valryian Empire rejected him, so he had no choice but to bring ruin down upon his family, only then would he be sure his name would live on and fear would appear on whosoever face spoke his name.
Now here he was above the city he once called home and it was at his mercy but burning it wouldn't bring him anything. Anyway he didn't even have the strength to utter Dracerys without a Maester's attention his infected wound would soon bring the Stranger seeking him. He banked Vhagar towards the Red Keep meaning to land in the courtyard and as he swooped lower he heard the roar of the other dragons in the dragonpit on the Hill of Rhaenys and saw in the light provided by the beacons now lit a dragon rising up, the red skin unmistkaingly belonging to Caraxes, one of the most fearsome dragon's alive but he knew there would be no battle today, he could barely hold onto the saddle. As Vhagar lurched the courtyard landing with a mighty thump a roar, his eyes began to close and as slipped of the saddle the last thing he saw was guards surrounding him with spears as he looked up the steps to the red keep he could see his bastard nephew Jacaerys running down them followed by Ser Arryk and his own brother Aegon who was grimacing through his wispy moustache, and with that his eyes shut blacking out.
Prince Jacerys's POV
After the death of Ser Arryk and hearing Vhagar's roar, he had turned to the serving girl who had raised the alarm and asked her name, "Tell me the truth, no lies now, you are not just a serving girl, those bruises didn't just appear and they are not from someone beating you. You may have saved my life but you are not who you say you are and that right now is dangerous, "he demanded sternly.
"Your grace, I don't know what you are taking about, I am but a servant girl," she replied quickly and firmly, he could tell she was lying because here eyes kept darting from side to side never making contact.
"Now, I will not be angry but I will not be lied too, right now I need every advantage I can get and if you are who I think you are I need the truth or on the seven I swear I will take a leaf from my Step-fathers book and take you to the dungeon, until the truths are revealed."
At that the point her face went pale from the threat and Jacerys could tell she was working out what to say when, he heard footsteps coming from around the corner revealing Ser Elric Stark holding a silver helmet that he instantly recognised as the White Spectre's
"Come now cousin, no point lying to the Prince, he already knows, I've seen him watching you, I figured it out quickly enough but only because I know you so well. Your Grace this is Lord Stark's bastard sister Sara Snow, please forgive her wilfulness , I was not aware she had smuggled into the party heading south until I saw her in the great hall during the feast and by then there was no point." Ser Elric explained obviously slightly amused by the whole situation. At that Sara suddenly looked worried as if she was going to be punished for taking part in what was a man's tournament.
"Your grace, I am sorry I will reveal my lie to the world and tell everyone." She promised sill standing strong but afraid of repercussion on her family especially her brother.
Jacaerys raised his hand up to her face to wipe a way tear that was roling down, and he smiled, "You will do no such thing, right now I need every advantage I can get and you being a skilled fighter is worth more to me than any man, Faceless men are apparently after me, maybe my whole family for a reason I know not of. You being who you are might just make the difference, put your armour on, reveal to know one who you are without my permission. Swear yourself to me, to follow me, to protect me and my family and to die for me if needed." He commanded in from Ser Arryk and Ser Elric as his witness's, "you came here looking for purpose, let me give you one."
"I swear my lord" Sara declared a bowing her head to him, he sensed a hint of admiration and relief in her voice as she smiled and took her helmet from her cousin, putting it on along with her rest of her armour that he had brought as Ser Elric interrupted the silence. "Not that I don't find this all touching, but I believe a dragon is landing in the courtyard, maybe we should go down and see," drawing his sword and heading towards the nearest staircase.
He quickly followed Ser Elric flanked by his now 2 sworn shields. As they rushed down the staircase, he could see the whole castle was in panic, servant girls crying and running in all directions, men at arms shouting information back and forth as they rushed towards the courtyard. High born ladies screaming in fright and being ushered by squires and guards towards the Maegor's Holdfast. One lady he recognised as a Stokeworth was accidently pushed into a suite of armour that had once belonged to Ser Ser Corlys Velaryon, first Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, which went flying scattering all over the floor as Lady Stokeworth was almost crushed by the more people fleeing in that direction, Ser Elric reacting quickly pushed his way through using his shield and managed to picked her up, ordering a nearby squire to help her, then continuing to lead the way as they reached the main staircase that lead directly to the Red Keep's entrance and courtyard. Down the golden and bejeweled staircase rushed many a knights, many he knew from the War of the White cloaks, it was good so many were in the Red Keep but where did there loyalties lie he wondered as he almost jumped down the stairs, pulling his sword called Fate from his scabbard he rallied what knights he could around him and burst through the open doors. As he looked out at the scene that lay before him, he realised he was scared, dragons were hard to kill even with other dragons, and they were about to face the largest living dragon on foot. A beast that could breathe fire hot enough to fuse their Armour to their skin and then melt that skin and the bone as well but as he got closer to see he realised there would be no fight. Vhagar was calm, a calm he hadn't seen in her since his aunt Lanea rode her. He saw his uncle Aemond, who was only a few years older than him had never looked paler, he could see that he had been clutching his side but had now collapsed and almost fallen off Vhagar.
"Weapons away, show that we are no threat, I will keep her attention. Guards, Arryk, Erlic and you Lannister and you Ser Roxton get Aemond of her back and inside and someone go fetch the Grand Maester," he barked as raising his hand the looked into Vhagar's Onyx eye's that were sunken within the creature' large bulking skull which helped make Vhagar one of the most daunting dragons left living keeping her attention. Smoke rose from her nostril and a cloud burst from her mouth but no flames spewed fourth. He prayed at that moment that she wouldn't harm the blood of a dragon, knowing her rider was injured and needed help. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ser Elric, Ser Raymond Lannister and Ser Javar Roxton raise the slumped Aemond of her muscular green body, being careful to mind the large bone spike protruding from her back and the armoured ridge that ran down her spine.
As soon as Aemond was off and being carried inside Vhagar looked up into the sky with her opening her gigantic mouth bearing her sharp grep teeth that slightly peered out over her scaled skin, she launched herself up into the air using her gargantuan wings that were almost bat-like showing off the warped scales underneath from her enormous growth and her curved talons that had grown from each ending like giant scythes.
Flying into the air she rose quickly letting out another roar just as he saw his Uncle Daemon on Caraxes banking down but changing direction quickly to follow Vhagar where ever she might go.
