JOFF

"What happened on Dragonstone, Grandfather?" Joff asked as he lifted his eyes from his mother's letter.

Do not come. Those last three words scrawled at the bottom of the parchment burned into Joff's mind, and he saw them even as he lifted his eyes. Those words were not his mother's writing. Someone else had added it with extreme haste as they sent the raven, and the letters bled into each other.

"Your mother was well the last I heard from Dragonstone," Grandfather sat still on his stone throne, his hands curling about the armrests carved in the likeness of corals. He stared out the window into the seas where gulls were soaring through the empty skies, and Joff knew that Grandfather did not believe the words he spoke.

"Let me see the letter again," Jace said. Joff handed his brother the letter, and saw that his brother's eyes were sharp and his cheeks hale. He looked alive for the first time since they left Winterfell. Joff gave him the white parchment, and Jace's brown eyes searched the letter.

"The letter itself is Mother's writing all right, all except those last words," Jace said,"So Mother appears to summon us back to Dragonstone for a victory feast, and someone wants us not to go. Whoever that someone is can tell us the nature of this letter." He looked up at Joff, his eyes stern,"I think you know who looks over all the ravens before Mother sends them."

"Maester Gerardys," Joff realized.

"And Maester Gerardys has warned us not to go to Mother's feast," Jace nodded,"Gerardys is a loyal man who served Mother for many years, so we can rule out troublemaking on his part. It is Mother's feast itself that the source of the trouble."

Joff turned back to Grandfather again,"What did you last hear from Dragonstone?"

"That your mother was ill with birthing fever but recovering," Grandfather broke his daze and turned to them,"and during her remaining days of sickness, her husband Prince Daemon is taking charge of her affairs. That is why he had my wife Princess Rhaenys lead the attack on Harrenhal in his place."

"Grandmother left before my mother was well," Jace said, his voice quiet,"Please tell me Luke returned before Grandmother left."

Grandfather looked at Jace for a long moment. "I understand what you are getting at," Grandfather said at long last,"but I do not think Luke would matter. I told you that Aemond cut out Luke's eye at Storm's End, and he was bedridden until now."

"It is not your fault, Grandfather," Jace said,"It is mine. I forgot that Father was once named the Rogue Prince. I should not have sent all our dragons away when Mother was not yet well. We left him a chance, and he took it."

"What are you saying, Jace?" Joff asked.

"I am saying," Jace turned to him,"that Father is keeping Mother confined on the pretenses of her illness so that he can rule. But he can never truly do so whilst Mother's supporters are still abroad." "So this letter," he tore the parchment from Joff's fingers,"is an invitation for all Mother's supporters to return to Dragonstone so that he may imprison them."

"This is a very serious accusation," Grandfather pointed to the sea,"The greens are only on the other shore of Blackwater Bay. Prince Daemon was a fool when he was a boy, that is true, but he is not so much a fool to fight amongst ourselves whilst the true enemy is so close."

"Then how do you explain this?" Jace lifted up the parchment,"If Prince Daemon is ruling Dragonstone, this letter for certain came from him. And Gerardys, Mother's true man, warned us against his invitation." He put the parchment down again,"I would wager that Princess Rhaenys would receive a similar letter in Harrenhal."

"Why?" Joff asked.

"He has invited you, me, and Grandfather," Jace turned to Joff,"What are all of us?"

"Velaryons," Joff realized.

"Father will not imprison us whilst leaving Princess Rhaenys with an army and a dragon," Jace said,"She's a Velaryon just like us, and Father wants to catch all our house in one net."

"I still do not think so," Joff said,"What use would we have to Father if we are imprisoned? He needs us to fight the usurper."

"That is a fair point," Jace said, then turned back to Grandfather,"Did you say earlier this fortnight that Prince Daemon followed my idea to send out a call for dragonriders."

"Aye," Grandfather was beginning to nod.

"Oh," Joff realized,"Prince Daemon does not need us, as he has his own dragons."

"I judged Father wrong," Jace said,"He does not mean to imprison us. He means to kill us."

"The castellan told me something," Grandfather said,"When the green peace party returned to King's Landing, they told him that Prince Daemon was plotting against the queen. I dismissed it as the enemy's attempt to sow discord amongst our own, but looking at this…"

"Dragons," Joff heard from down the hall, and he looked down the throne to see Ser Daemon running towards them with two Velaryon guards. He knelt before Grandfather,"My lord. The sentries have glimpsed dragons on the horizon."

"East or south?" Grandfather asked.

"East, from Dragonstone, my lord," Ser Daemon answered.

Grandfather sprang from his seat and seized Jace's arm,"It seems Prince Daemon has discovered the maester's little trick. Take Joffrey and fly west to your grandmother. I will lead my ships to hold them off as long as I can."

Jace nodded, and Grandfather sped off with Ser Daemon. Jace grabbed Joff's arm,"We need to go to our dragons."

"We can fight them," Joff said.

"Vermax and Tyraxes together could not match Caraxes alone," Jace said,"and Father has other dragons. Our dragons are small, but quick. They will outpace the others. Now hurry."

They ran out into the courtyard whilst the bells tolled and warhorns blew on High Tide's walls. Joff could glimpse flapping wings growing larger in the distance as he untethered Tyraxes and mounted him. Yet something was strange about the lead dragon. He thought it was the sun, but two wingbeats closer, he saw that the dragon was a pale yellow.

"Jace," Joff yelled.

"Chain yourself up," Jace yelled back.

"The lead dragon is yellow," Joff yelled,"It is Syrax, Mother's dragon."

"Chain yourself up," Jace yelled again,"Father could have had someone else ride Mother's dragon."

"If it is Mother," Joff screamed,"Grandfather would be firing upon her." He did not wait for Jace's answer, and urged Tyraxes to raise him into the air. The chains jingled as they lay untied beneath him. Tyraxes's flight was smooth, and Joff did not need them. He heard wings behind him, and knew that Jace was following him.

The yellow dragon drew closer and closer, the sunlight radiating off its scales. That was when Joff saw that the rider was not his mother. It was his brother.

Joff drew on his reins, and Tyraxes hovered in the air. "It's Luke," Joff yelled at Jace when Vermax drew level with him,"Don't burn him."

"Wait a moment," Jace yelled as he pulled Vermax level with Joff,"Father could using Luke to lure us into a trap. That is why Father gave Luke Syrax. He is struggling to stay on even with his saddle, and is of no help to us but as bait. Grandfather is preparing ballista and chain shot. We cannot be in his way."

"Caraxes is not there," Joff yelled.

"Neither would Vermax if I were attacking," Jace said, and Joff only just noticed that Jace's eyes were looking up into the clouds. "Get out," Jace yelled,"before Father drops."

But Joff knew Luke, knew that his brother would never cooperate even at swordpoint. He had Tyraxes soar forward even as Jace yelled for him not to. He could already recognize all the dragons. Besides Mother's Syrax ridden by Luke, there were Vermithor, Silverwing, and Seasmoke. Joff rode into the range of Vermithor's dragonbreath, and he was right. Vermithor did not burn.

"Joff, Jace," Joff heard Luke's yell,"Don't burn us. We come in peace."

Joff drew on his reins as he turned around to watch Jace draw level with him again.

"Is this a trap?" Joff asked.

Jace could only shake his head,"You were right, Joff. I was too rash to judge."

They escorted Luke's four dragons back to High Tide so that Grandfather's fleet would not fire upon them. The six dragons took up almost all the space in the courtyard, their hissing filling the air. Joff dismounted Tyraxes and ran to Syrax where the gold dragon shook Luke off.

As Luke pulled himself to his feet, Joff saw what exactly Aemond did to him in Storm's End. His whole left eye was gone, what was left an empty white socket. There was a scar behind his eye where Joff figured Aemond's knife had trailed.

"Joff," Luke smiled as he leaped down from the stirrups as Syrax snarled. Joff returned his smile as he ran forward and wrapped himself around his brother. He smelled of sweat and smoke, but Joff ignored the smell as he buried himself deeper into his brother's cloak.

It was an eternity before they pulled back. Luke's smile dimmed a little as he looked up, and Joff followed his gaze to see Jace standing before them.

"Did you think I was leading you into a trap?" Luke asked.

"I could not discard the possibility," Jace answered,"After all, Father had betrayed us. Forgive me."

"I do not bear a grudge, Jace," Luke laughed,"After all, it was your caution that kept Joff alive in the north."

Jace nodded, then looked up,"What happened to your eye, Luke?"

"Aemond was there at Storm's End," Luke laugh died as he looked down,"And forced me to cut it out."

Jace stepped forward and grabbed Luke's shoulders, lowering his head to meet Luke's,"We will make him pay, brother, as we did when he hurt Joff." He raised his head, and Luke did as well. "It is good to see you again, brother," Jace smiled.

"It is good to see you again," Luke returned his smile, and wrapped Jace into an embrace. Joff ran to them and wrapped his arms around both of them, feeling their warmth heat his cold skin. He could hear at first three heartbeats, but over time they seemed to join and beat as one.

A roar woke Joff from his brothers' cloaks. He looked up to see a bronze dragon rear and screech into the skies.

"That is Vermithor," Luke said,"The Old King's steed."

"I know," Joff said, but his eyes were upon the rider who climbed down from the dragon.

"Master Hugh," Jace greeted as he approached the giant of a man who set a hammer on its head beside him.

"Your Grace," Hugh bent his knee,"I had not forgotten that it is your mother that I had sworn an oath to, and pledge myself and Vermithor in Your Grace's service."

"My mother is very grateful for your loyalty," Jace said as he raised Hugh to his feet,"And you shall be duly rewarded."

Jace turned then to the man who climbed down the white dragon which Joff recognized as Queen Alysanne's Silverwing. "I know you," Jace said,"You were my mother's men-at-arms at Dragonstone, Ulf."

"Aye," Ulf answered as he bent the knee,"And the gods have seen fit to bless my humble work with the Good Queen's steed. I hope I can be as good as Silverwing's former rider."

"The gods are clear-eyed," Jace said as he raised Ulf to his feet,"They will only bless a good man loyal to his true queen with Queen Alysanne's dragon, and you shall receive a good man's due."

Jace approached the boy who climbed down from the grey Seasmoke last, as the boy dropped to his knees in a hurry after a glance from Hugh.

"Jace," Luke said,"This boy says that he is our bastard brother, but I have cause to disbelieve him. He looks nothing like us."

He looks like a Targaryen, Joff thought as he noticed the boy's silver hair and aquiline nose. However, there were many like their uncles who looked like Targaryens but were no true dragons. And there were others like his brothers, who looked little like the statues of dragonlords but were true in their hearts.

"On which side did he claim to be a bastard?" Jace asked, his voice cold, and Joff saw the boy shake.

"Our father's side," Luke answered, and the ice thawed a little in Jace's eyes.

"Who is your mother?" Jace asked.

"Her name is Marilda," the boy answered,"though folk call her the Mouse. She was a shipwright's daughter."

"How did she meet Ser Laenor?" Jace asked.

The boy shook his head,"I-I don't mean to offend Your Grace."

"You will not offend me if you speak the truth," Jace said,"I give you my word of honour as the Prince of Dragonstone that naught that you say will draw my ire."

"Lord Velaryon would oft visit the market towns beneath High Tide," the boy said,"and in Hull, my mother caught his eye as he was inspecting the ships. He would then return regularly to Hull to see my mother, and when she was sixteen, she bore me. Two years later, she bore my brother Alyn."

"Is this true?" Jace turned to Grandfather, who had returned from the Sea Snake and was watching them beneath the pillars of the courtyard.

"Yes, yes, the boy speaks true," Grandfather was nodding,"Laenor did… make trips to the villages that were much too regular. I heard that a voracious maiden in Hull caught his eye, and bore him two children."

"Very well," Jace turned back to the boy,"What is your name?"

"Addam," the boy answered.

"Addam," Jace lifted the boy to his feet,"Seasmoke was once our father's steed, and he shall be glad that it has passed to a man who is loyal to the true queen. I shall be glad to call you brother."

"I thank you, Your Grace," the boy lowered his head.

"I think you already know Luke," Jace said, then pointed to Joff,"But here is Joff, another one of your brothers."

"My prince Joffrey," the boy nodded to him.

"Brother," Joff nodded back.

"Your Grace," Grandfather said to Jace,"I believe we may need to discuss Dragonstone. Prince Daemon will not take kindly to four missing dragons. He may be riding to Driftmark as we speak."

"He will not be riding to Driftmark," Jace said,"for we are riding to Dragonstone."

"When?" Luke asked.

"The most sensible choice would be to wait for Princess Rhaenys," Jace said,"but that is what Prince Daemon would think that we would do. So we must strike now, when he is not expecting it and his dragons are tethered in his yard." He turned to Hugh,"What is Prince Daemon's strength on Dragonstone?"

"He has his own Caraxes," Hugh answered,"He is beginning to teach Lady Baela and Prince Aegon how to ride Moondancer and Stormcloud, but those dragons are little and the riders green. There is an unknown, though, in the Dragonmont. A commoner girl, Nettles, tamed Sheepstealer. If she was with us Daenys's Yard, I have faith that we would have been able to sway her, but she chose to stay with her dragon which preferred its cave. Sheepstealer is a dangerous dragon, as large as Vermithor."

"Then we must make ready to battle four dragons," Jace said,"Sheepstealer is a wild dragon, and this girl will have a difficult time getting it to leave its roost. So we must stay clear of the Dragonmont. Lady Baela and Prince Aegon ride too small of dragons to be a threat, and I do not think they know exactly what their father is doing. You can afford to be merciful to them." He then spun around to meet the eye of everyone in the courtyard,"But you cannot be merciful to Prince Daemon. He and Caraxes know battle, and any mistake would mean death. We will only engage him together, five dragons against one. Is that clear?"

"Five?" Luke demanded,"Surely you mean six."

"You and Syrax will not accompany us," Joff said,"It was a miracle that Syrax did not shake you off, and the gods will not grant us miracles twice. It is also no telling if our attack will succeed, and at least one Velaryon must survive. If you hear of our failure, do not take the dragon. One of Grandfather's ships will escort you to the mainland."

Luke's lips scrunched up, but he made no answer. A long moment passed, until he nodded and stormed off into the hall. Jace turned to Grandfather,"I shall need you to prepare a force to storm Dragonstone. Once Caraxes has fallen, your ships should immediately seize the docks and land forces to storm the island citadel. Rescuing my mother is the first priority."

"Aye, Your Grace," Grandfather said, and he seemed to smile.

"Good," Jace said,"Then go arrange the fleet." After Grandfather departed for the docks, Jace turned to the dragonriders,"Let us fly."

"Let me go into the clouds and drop on Father," Joff offered before they lifted into the skies.

"If it were against the usurper," Jace said to Luke,"I would have dragons waiting in the sun, but it was Prince Daemon who taught me that. I will not separate us."

There were not four dragons that greeted them above Dragonstone's sky. One lone dragon appeared before them, and it was not Caraxes. Joff recognized the pale green scales which flickered like emeralds. Moondancer.

"Ready yourselves," Jace yelled at their line of dragons,"Try not to burn the rider."

The dragon did not rush towards them, but slowly descended in circles towards a patch of yellow fields far away from the island citadel and the Dragonmont. Jace had them keep an eye on the clouds and the citadel as they descended towards the little green dragon. Caraxes neither rose out of the sun nor out of the castle.

When Joff turned back to Moondancer, he saw that the dragon had come to a rest on the yellow fields. Her rider had also abandoned her dragon, and was walking towards Jace's dragons with her hands raised.

"It's a peace offering," Joff yelled to Jace.

"Wait until she gets out of range of Moondancer's dragonbreath," Jace yelled back.

When she walked out of the place where Moondancer's flame could reach, Jace turned to Joff,"We will keep watching the skies. You go down and treat with her."

Joff spiraled Tyraxes into a descent, landing before his cousin. Tyraxes raised a mound a dust which made sent both Joff and his cousin into a fit of coughing.

When the dust at last settled, Joff saw that Baela looked disheveled. Her silver hair was unbraided, falling behind her head like a massive waterfall. Spots of mud on her face dimmed the twinkle that Joff always found in her purple eyes. She was wearing only a red nightgown which was all but brown with stains.

"Don't burn me, Prince Joffrey," Baela's voice was still as loud as Joff remembered,"I come to surrender Dragonstone."

"Where's your father?" Joff asked.

"Dead, most probably," Baela answered.

What? Joff curled his hand around his rein,"What happened on Dragonstone, cousin?"

"When the four dragons left Dragonstone," Baela answered,"Father returned to the castle in a fury. I don't know much that came after, but I do know that Ser Alfred mutinied and seized my father. The guards outside my door were talking about it was not worth it to follow my father when he did not have dragons. They were saying that Ser Alfred planned to give my father's head as a gift for the Prince of Dragonstone. I feared they were going to take me as well, so I fled. I climbed out the window of my chamber and ran atop the roofs to the stables where Moondancer was. I flew to you."

"Were you part of your father's plot?" Joff asked, flinching as his voice came out with the ice that only Jace had.

Baela flinched as well, and she bit her lip,"I was, but I tried to stop him when I found out what he was actually trying to do."

"Did you come to tell Jace that?" Joff asked.

"No," Baela's voice became hard,"I came to tell him that Rhaena, Aegon, and Viserys are innocent. They did not know anything about Father's plot, and I fear that the mutineers are going to kill them all the same. I came to ask Jace to take Dragonstone, and prevent the mutineers from murdering my siblings."