AN: I do hope you all enjoy this update. Sorry for my lateness, BG3 called me away one too many times.
Chapter 3: Beneath the Smoke and Salt
Two young children were racing about Dragonstone's great keep, one a boy and the other a girl.
Both children were silver of hair, eyes joyful and the color of purple. "I'll get you two!" Shouted another girl, her hair in curls and falling in ringlets behind her back.
This was Rhaenys Targaryen, chasing her aunt Daenerys and little brother, Aegon.
Today was Aegon's seventh name-day, in another three years, he would be setting out for the North as per the Usurper's commands which hadn't cooled even after so many years since the fall of their House.
The three children ran out of the keep where not far from them, Jaehaerys and Viserys trained alongside Barristan Selmy.
Viserys launched himself at his brother, sword drawn, but Jaehaerys deftly parried the blow and pressed the attack, holding his younger brother at sword-point with the blade a hair's breadth from his throat. "Impressive parry, my Prince," Barristan praised. "And Viserys, your ferocity is commendable, but remember to keep your eyes on your opponent's blade, not just your own."
The younger brother huffed, "I need no words of advice!" Jaehaerys narrowed his eyes at Viserys, who sighed in shame, "Apologies, Ser. I will take your words under advisement,"
"We are lucky to have Ser Barristan training us, he is still one of the best swordsmen in Westeros." A fact not lost on the Usurper who, after hearing of Barristan's choice to come to Dragonstone, had supposedly gotten drunk and beat the very maester who treated the Bold Knight.
Jaehaerys had to admit, he took some joy in it.
He kept watch over the servants and guards, suspecting one of them to be the informant of the chief traitor and the queen as more than once had their food and wine been poisoned, costing him fourteen tasters just in the last few years.
Jaehaerys blames the acts on Tywin. The lion was and must still be adamant about their deaths and must wish to see it done with his gold and spies.
"And we aren't Princes anymore, Ser, not… Not anymore." Words of lament and shame, a shame he wears firmly.
Viserys scoffed aloud, "Lords of Dragonstone, Lords of Salt and Smoke." His brother mocked the title Jaehaerys wore, that House Targaryen was demoted to. "They cut our wings off and gave us piss."
"Brother… " Jaehaerys said lowly, and Viserys huffed again, throwing down his sword and leaving back inside the keep.
A sigh escaped his lips, and Ser Barristan smiled, looking over to the children watching the ships sailing around the island, then Jaehaerys smiled himself.
He was glad they were growing up, living every day with a smile on their faces, well, for Dany and Egg, anyway.
Rhaenys still crawls to his bed at night, crying tears and dreaming of her mother, who looked so mangled by the Mountain's hand.
He admires how she keeps herself composed when it comes to being with the children, making sure they know little of the horrors they all endured and still endure.
"When will Aegon be told of his future?" The knight asked him, and Jaehaerys would instead not want to think about it.
"Shouldn't he at least be a child before he is turned into a hostage?" A blade to hold onto his throat by Robert.
Barristan hummed a reply, "It isn't too late. We can leave this place, and go to the Dorne."
That's one option he will never endure, "This is our home, Ser, and I won't let it go without a dragon to roost it." And Dorne hadn't reached out to them either, even had gone bowing and swearing fealty to Robert Baratheon.
Rhaenys ran up to him a moment later, "Uncle Jaehaerys, Aegon has a request." The sweet girl pushed her brother front and center, Dany giggling a fit with excitement in her eyes.
Aegon was such a shy little boy, often red in the cheeks, playing with his sister and aunt as the only other children whom he felt comfortable with.
Of course, Egg spends time with him and Viserys, but only when they are training in arms or learning under Maester Kieran or the pussycat as Viserys aptly nicknamed the man.
Kneeling down, he looked his nephew in the eye, "What is it you request, Little Dragon?"
Aegon held his gaze, "I wanted to go up the path and look for Dragon eggs." It was a reasonable request, albeit a little dangerous.
Dragonmont and the paths around it are full of abandoned lairs and secret tunnels that are said to burrow to the heart of the volcano, a very much alive and smoldering heap of pale smoke and dragonglass.
The ancient dragons that once gave his family authority rested there, and he believes none went up there since before Rhaegar and Princess Elia lived here after Rhaenys was born.
"Let us try tomorrow, but first must come your lessons." He said and picked up the tourney sword Viserys dropped and placed it in his nephew's hand, "Come, Egg, let's strengthen that sword-hand of yours." Aegon seemed disappointed, but Rhaenys rubbed her brother's shoulders, encouraging the young man to his lessons first.
The four and Barristan spent the better part of the day together, joining Viserys at dinner with the knight.
It was actually enjoyable, Aegon was picking up his teachings faster than himself or Viserys when they were his age. "He will be the Dragonknight reborn," He had complimented, making Egg blush sheepishly, nervous about living up to such a legendary figure.
The food wasn't too bad either, poultry was a favorite they all shared, right behind pork. They all grew a disgust for fish, the primary source of food around the island though they eat it all the same.
"Viserys?" He called, and his brother turned from his food and toward him, "We were all going up the mountain tomorrow, Egg wants to look for eggs, so I wanted us all to venture up."
Viserys actually seemed intrigued by the idea, "That would be fun, brother. Hope we find some." It was a long shot, but it would be fortunate.
Dragon eggs are almost as valuable as jewels or gold, it could be nice to trade them in dire times of cold or scarcity of food... Or safe passage in case Robert finally goes mad and orders their deaths.
Jaehaerys tossed and turned in the waning hours of the night, sweat dripping from his forehead and running down to the feathered pillows.
He was dreaming, seeing his family, who are long dead, they all badgered and berated him, calling him a coward- Worse than Aenys the First and no better than a wyrm than a dragon.
Purple eyes shot open in a hurry to be away from their curses from beyond the grave, he brought a hand to rub his temple whilst sitting cross-legged.
"Father, forgive me for what I did, Mother comfort me as I did as I had to protect us... To keep us together." It was all he wished to do at the moment.
Feeling a desire to look for distraction, Jaehaerys rose from his bed and left his chambers, descending to the room of the painted table.
It was a large hall, enough for fifty or so to peer at the stone map, designed and created so Aegon the Conquerer and his sister-wives could plan the invasion of Westeros.
He remembered it well from his lessons, the three had spent much of their young lives traveling about the Realm, seeing every castle and mountain, then in their thirties, started their conquest beginning in the Crownlands.
The Targaryens had a small fleet and no more than 1600 men to them yet they had dragons, they used them to defeat the Crownland Kings and bring them to submission.
It wouldn't be long before the Kingdoms would fall, one after the other, with resistance being met with dragon fire... Except for Dorne, the seventh kingdom that lasted out even the dragons, unbroken indeed.
"M'Lord?" His head turned and looked to see a boy, a coal boy descending the steps.
"What do you want?" Jaehaerys demanded to know, his hand heading for his family dagger so he could defend himself.
The boy smiled and set down his bucket of coal, "The Spider sends his greetings," Spider?
It took seconds before his eyes widened, his mind picturing the young adult who served as his father's Master of Whispers. "What does Varys the Traitor want of me?"
The man who had stood beside the Usurper, would have sat by and let them all die as well if he wasn't able to keep them alive.
"He is no traitor, M'lord, I swears it." The boy protested and retrieved a letter from him, "I traveled from the city, crossin the water to bring this to you." Jaehaerys reluctantly took it, and the boy scuttled away as quickly as he had come.
Unrolling the letter, he read the contents and was surprised to see it began as an oath of fealty.
Varys wrote about the injustices of Elia's rape and murder by the Mountain, about the atrocities done to the city after Pycelle convinced the King to open the gates to Tywin Lannister.
The Spider spoke about preparing to win back the throne, to oust the Usurper, and return the crown to its proper place.
"A dragon isn't meant to bow to the Stag… They are meant to fly above them with Fire and Blood."
The next morning came swiftly after returning to his chambers and falling back to sleep, a hard knock waking him, followed by his family rushing in and jumping on the bed.
Viserys and Barristan stood by the door, smiles on their faces upon seeing the three youngest Targaryen children hopping up and down that, Jaehaerys couldn't stop but smile.
They all got dressed and went on to eat breakfast together, Rhaenys and Daenerys giggled, teasing Aegon, and Viserys remained silent while poking at his meal.
Kieran entered with his Captain of the Guard, Wyllam Wendwater.
Wyllam is the third son and the Black Sheep of House Wendwater, he was as tall as Ser Barristan with a lean build. The Knight's hair is the color of copper, and eyes are as grey as steel.
He had come ashore some few months ago, escaping a marriage he didn't want, and took up service for his House and quickly rose to be a stalwart and dependable man.
He is more dependable than Kieran, who he still suspects is a spy for Robert or Tywin, hells, maybe both.
"Ser Wyllam, my family, and I will be heading up the mountain. Dragonstone is yours until our return." Wyllam nodded yes.
Maester Kieran approached, "Lord Targaryen, what will you be doing? If I may ask."
"No, you may not." Jaehaerys said coldly, smiling after returning to his food, "We shall be back before it dark. Carry on, Ser and Maester."
A half-hour later, the members of House Targaryen left up the path, and Jaehaerys could feel it was getting warmer as they walked on where it was cooler just being inside the keep.
The mountainside is blackened from Dragon fire or the soot that burns the surface when the Dragonmont gets ornery.
"Have you ever seen this side of the mountain, Ser Barristan?" Jaehaerys knew he hadn't but was searching for a conversation.
"No, my Prince, but I have escorted the crown prince to the base and saw him go up."
"Did my brother ever take anyone but his wife?" The Knight paused, and Jaehaerys raised an eyebrow of curiosity, "Who else would warrant such a trip… "
"I believe Ser Jon Connington, and Rhaegar's squire and friend, Myles Mooton." Considering how close both men were with Rhaegar, it may be less interesting now.
"Aegon!"
Rhaenys cried out and caused Jaehaerys and Barristan to look with worry. Aegon had tripped over a stump and nearly rolled off the cliff edge, but he was caught by Viserys and helped up by Rhaenys.
Argon brushed his pants off from soot and dirt, "I'm fine, alright, I'm alright." Jaehaerys nearly thought to turn them all around and head back till all gasped.
It wasn't a stump his nephew tripped over. It was a dragon bone.
"A lair must be close; that means eggs." He likes Dany's optimism, and she was excited to be here and on this little adventure.
The bone appeared to belong to a wing, the part from which the wing membranes would extend, and it may have been a young dragon.
"Let us keep going, and be mindful of where you step," The group pushed onward. They got near a set of larger and smaller coves that led into the caverns beneath Dragonmont.
They all looked rather treacherous. Aegon inched near one, and he quickly pulled him back, "Let us look around Fort before seeing if we can go into one of these." the lad seemed disappointed again. "Sorry, nephew, for your safety is all."
And so the search began. Jaehaerys watched his siblings and brothers' children run along where he could see them. They looked behind holes, dug in the soil, and turned over rocks with the help of Ser Barristan but could find nothing.
They were also having fun, their clothes dirtying a brown color from the dirt. He knelt and helped Dany turn over a slab of rock, "I wish we had shovels... " She said, and they all laughed at her remark.
Patting his sister on the head, "If the smallfolk can work with their hands, so can we." Aiming and succeeding in raising everyone's morale, they continued the search for dragon eggs or something else of value to take back.
It was certainly an experience, working with your hands like the common folk have, and it was dirty and laborious work. They have not, however, found anything but nicely shaped rocks and buried roots.
The sun began to grow dark. He was sorry that he would be calling it short, but the path back in the dark was as dangerous as it was in the day.
"Come along, it's time to head back!" He called and froze, not seeing his nephew anywhere. "Aegon! Aegon, where are you!"
Viserys ran up, heavy of breath, "Brother, I found him… You won't believe this."
Together, they ran up a small hill, and below it was Aegon, and in his hand was something he could scarcely believe, an actual Dragon egg.
Aegon smiled from ear to ear, "Uncles, look, I really did find one," He really did, the Prince thought gladly. Jaehaerys sighed and placed his hand on the egg.
It was the color of silver, with pale gold streaks along it.
Their House, since Rhaena placed an egg in her own brother's crib, had started a tradition, one that held fast even after the Dance had occurred. "It's yours, and your father has no doubt beckoned you to find this treasure."
"There could be more, more that our great grandfather failed to find before Summerhall went up in flames." Viserys whispered and looked ecstatic about the find, "We could use them to buy a great army, maybe a fleet."
"It is one egg, Viserys, a stone relic of our former power… A power we no longer have."
Jaehaerys and his family came back home to find a cooked supper waiting for them. After dinner, they spent some time together admiring the egg that Aegon now had in his possession. None of them had ever seen an egg before, as all of them had been destroyed during the tragedy at Summerhall before they were born.
On the night of Summerhall's burning, Rhaegar was born, but no one could provide any details about the tragedy or its survivors.
So many times had he watched his brother leave home to visit the ruins, singing his high harp to the deceased.
AN: So a bit of family bonding and even an egg was found. Some may recognize an Oc I made for Long May They Reign (the one with Aemon Targaryen, another Oc) Wyllam Wendwater will have a role for later. The next chapter will get a peak behind Viserys and his thoughts and then the outbreak of the Greyjoy Rebellion.
Oh and before anyone thinks to write it in their comment, no, the dragons won't appear quickly as I have a plan to hatch them but it won't be for several chapters. That and I want the journey to be fun with stakes, its too easy to use literal nukes to win the war so easily, lol.
Review Answers
Freedmoon, The path to restoring the Dynasty will certainly be an undertaking for the remaining Targs, they gotta play nice till the right opportunity to present itself and for Jaehaerys to get the spirit to 'raise the dragon' once again.
Dekiru Grindelwald, Jae is fourteen atm, Viserys is 12, Rhaenys and Aegon are 9 and 7 and Dany is 6. The Targ's do eventually war for their throne again, but it will be a slow build as they need to make allies and rely on the right time.
Khaos5/Suppes1, Thank you both and hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
Anaconda, I don't exactly know why the story isn't showing, things have been going a bit wonky lately on the site. If AO3 wasn't so difficult for me to traverse I would go there but I am too comfortable with posting here. Hope this answers the question.
