"We are leaving," he says, grabbing Rhaenyra and the children as soon as the Maester finished stitching up her arm.
"but Daemon –"
"Now."
"There is a plan," she reminds him, once they are out of earshot of the crowd.
"Fuck the plan," he says slyly. "This is better."
And so she sends for baby Joffrey and allows herself and her children to be led into the night.
Rhaenyra and Daemon rush their children toward the beach.
"Where is Father?" cries Luke.
"Come, child," says his mother, tugging him along, "we are off to Dragonstone. We must hurry."
"It'll be alright," says Jace to his brother before meeting Rhaenyra's eye. She is grateful to him as he hurries Luke with them down the stone steps.
Joffrey wails in her arms and Rhaenyra bounces him as she walks. Baela and Rhaena hold hands as they follow behind her. Daemon trails in back, his fingers gripping the handle of his sword. He occasionally looks over his shoulder, but for now, no one follows.
When they reach the dragon pit, the princess turns around to look at the children, her eyes alert in the night. "We will fly to Dragonstone," she says. "Jace, you have already flown Caraxes, so you shall ride with Daemon. And you will take your brother, Luke."
Jace nods at her.
Luke's eyes are wide. He is petrified.
"It is alright, Luke," says Jace to the younger prince, "I swear to you, I shall not let you fall."
Luke nods.
"Baela, Rhaena, you will both fly with me. I care not who rides in front."
"Rhaena," says her sister, "it should be you. Vhagar was yours. It is only right you should fly tonight with the better view." She squeezes her twin's hand and a tear rolls down Rhaena's face.
Rhaenyra straps Joffrey to her back so he is secure, and then she helps both girls climb onto the saddle. Syrax screeches loudly but Rhaenyra hushes her. "Quiet, my girl," she begs in High Valyrian, "Quiet, Syrax."
"We shall fly behind you," says Daemon as he hoists Jace atop Caraxes, who is by now, familiar with the boy and cooperative.
Rhaenyra nods.
Daemon helps Luke climb atop the saddle, placing him behind Jace. "You shall ride in the middle," he tells the younger boy, "for it is the safest place to be. Your brother will ride in front so you can hold onto him, and I shall be behind you."
Luke has turned completely white.
"It is fun," says Jace, "You'll see."
Daemon settles in behind the boy and nods at Rhaenyra.
"Fly, Syrax," she orders in High Valerian. The dragon beats her great wings, and they rise into the air. Rhaena gasps as the ground pulls away from them.
Higher and higher they soar until Driftmark is forgotten beneath them.
Rhaena has never seen so many stars in her life. They glitter against the sea like fireflies. She and her mother would catch the tiny creatures in the warmer months, watching the glow between their palms before releasing them. The two of them would lie upon their backs as the lights danced in the trees and trace the constellations with their fingers. Her mother never ran out of stories, having been a dragonrider all her life.
I am flying! she practically shouts to her mother in her head. The view takes away her breath – the sea a rippling sheet of light. Rhaena has never seen anything so beautiful.
She will never fly her mother's dragon. She will never be alone with Vhagar and her mother atop the clouds. The understanding dawns on her all at once and silent tears roll down her face.
I am sorry! she cries to the mother in her head. I am sorry I lost Vhagar. I did not know I had run out of time.
She would give anything in the world to feel her mother's embrace as she weeps over the starry sea below.
In that moment, Baela squeezes her tightly to her chest.
It is almost as if she was told.
When they land upon the rocks, Rhaenyra helps them dismount, and they watch for Caraxes, who appears within a moment on the horizon.
The dragon descends, carrying with it, Daemon and the two young princes. He helps them clamber off and Luke runs for Rhaenyra, throwing his arms around her, but Jace hangs back.
"Let us go to the castle," says Rhaenyra over the waves, "We shall talk inside."
"He's gone, isn't he?" asks Jace, and Rhaenyra's heart breaks.
She looks to Daemon, who gives her no indication as to what he thinks she should say, and then she looks back at her son, his face pale in the moonlight. He has grown several years older over the past three months. She will not lie to him.
"Yes," she says simply, her voice breaking, and she begins to cry.
The babe wakes against her back, and he begins to wail. She undoes the strap that binds him to her and repositions him against her breast, as she tries to bounce him back to sleep.
"Hush," she says, "hush, Joffrey, it's alright," as the tears run down her cheeks.
Her eldest child watches her still. She knows not what to say to him. What can she? He has now lost not one but two fathers, and she is to blame. But Jace walks toward her then and takes her hand. He says nothing, yet Rhaenyra can tell his eyes are gentle. He weaves his fingers through hers.
Rhaenyra looks up to the heavens, the tears flowing freely now, and says her first silent prayer since she was a girl: Gods, protect him. I beg you, protect them all.
"Come," says Jace, squeezing her hand. "Let us go inside."