Flashback
77 AC
"And who are you, spoke the great black wyrm as he eyed the man before him,to come before me in my place of rest?"
Alyssa moved to the next page where a lovingly drawn illustration of the scene lay. A large and menacing black dragon loomed over a silver haired figure, the two of them set against a mountainous backdrop that she supposed was meant to be one of the fourteen flames of Valyria.
Viserys scooted closer to take in the image with a wide eyed look that made her want to pinch his little cheeks. She immediately did so and barked a laugh at his utterly nonplussed reaction. Baelon looked up from his work to smile at them with that damned handsome face of his and she felt something heat up in her core. She smirked back - her brother would have a veritable army of sons before she was done with him. Maybe tonight would be the one to give Viserys a brother?
Putting such thoughts to the back of her mind - for now - she returned her attention to the book of Valyrian tales in her hands. They were the same ones her own mother had read to her as a child and now she was continuing the legacy with Viserys. Combing the silky silver-gold hair that he has inherited from his father, she resumed her mummery.
"I am no one, at least for now, replied the man,but soon enough I shall be your rider."
Alyssa smiled down at her son and let him gaze upon the illustration of the man for a moment more before turning the page. Clearing her throat she did her best imitation of Meleys' roar which had Viserys clapping in childish delight.
"My rider?The dread dragon roared in anger.You think– "
Alyssa stopped as the door opened and her youngest brother slipped through with a wry grin on his face. She might have been annoyed at the interruption if Gaemon's appearance didn't have Viserys lighting up in joy.
The two weren't quite as close as Aemon and Baelon were, but that could be marked up to the four years separating them. Hopefully any lingering distance would shrink as they aged and Viserys could act more of an equal between the two. As it stood, Viserys followed around his uncle with stars in his eyes and Gaemon displayed more than a fair amount of indulgence for her first born son.
In many ways it reminded her of the way she latched onto Baelon and Maegelle to her. Thankfully Gaemon followed in Baelon's footsteps in that regard and not her own. She loved the youngest of her siblings and wouldn't have enjoyed dragging him to Meleys for a talking to. No one was allowed to mistreat her son after all, lest they provoke a mother dragon's wrath.
"Gae, Gae!" Viserys called out from her lap, motioning him over with a pudgy hand.
Gaemon's countenance briefly soured at the shortening of his name - he seemed to do so whenever someone used that particular nickname, although he refused to answer why. Regardless, the reaction was a quick thing, barely recognizable unless you were looking for it. Viserys certainly didn't seem to know, or maybe - she thought with some pride - her son had inherited a bit more of her personality than he let on. Needling her siblings had always been a favorite pastime of hers growing up.
Gaemon waved to her husband across the room and settled next to her on the bed with a quick hop. She sent her curly haired brother an unimpressed look to which he responded by snuggling closer without an ounce shame, a wry smile once more returned to his cherubic face.
"Come on Alyssa, I want to hear what happens next, please?" The little nuisance whined and poked her side with one hand, the other giving Viserys a short tickle that had him giggling in delight.
She looked over to Baelon who was calmly ignoring the whole scene as he read through the papers their father had assigned him - a land dispute between two minor lords sworn to House Rosby which had escalated until it reached court. With a dramatic sigh that had the corners of Baelon's lips twitching - the traitor - she settled into a more comfortable position now that she had two little princes hanging off of her and resumed the tale.
…
Alyssa put down the tome and smiled at Viserys' sleeping form. Her boy had quickly nodded off despite his prior excitement at his uncle's arrival. Not unexpected, it was past time for a nap anyway.
She brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes and he curled into her touch. Perfect - that was what he was, from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. The mood swings, aching feet, stretch marks and the nightmare that was his birth - it all seemed so inconsequential in light of her son. She finally understood how her mother could have so many children - with another on the way if the grand maester was correct.
She let the thought linger before snorting and rolling her eyes - look at her getting so sappy. Gaemon was sure to think she'd gone soft and she wouldn't give the grumpkin any arrows to sling her way. Perhaps it was the time he'd been spending with Saera recently - to Viserra increasing displeasure - but he had grown a bit of a mouth over the last few moons.
He had been forced to shine the entire Kingsguard's boots after commenting during a dinner that if they were thinking of marrying him off to any long toothed widowers or arthritic grandmothers that he would flee beyond the wall and steal himself a handful of wildling girls instead. Saera had of course found the line delightful, nearly spitting her wine out in laughter. Their parents had been less than impressed at his sarcasm. His punishment had been swift and fairly entertaining, all things told.
Alyssa signaled to Jeyne - Viserys former wet nurse - to put her boy to bed in the next room and stretched until her spine popped in the most satisfying way. Both Baelon and Gaemon made disgusted noises at the sound, the synchronized reactions forcing a grin out of her.
With a contented sigh she turned to Gemon who had stretched out over the bed the moment Jeyne had carried off Viserys.
"So, what do you want?" She had no doubt he wanted something.
Gaemon plastered a look of hurt on his face as he tried and failed to make his indigo eyes shine with tears.
"How can you say such a thing dearest sister of mine? I valiantly sacrificed my lessons with Elisar," she and Baelon both snorted at that, "losing out on untold wisdom - mayhapsneverto be recovered - in order to spend time with my beloved older sister and most darling nephew."
Baelon coughed indiscreetly.
"Oh, and Baelon too I guess." Gaemon tacked on in an utterly disinterested tone of voice.
She laid her hands on her hips and waited for the mummer's farce to end. Not a few seconds later her brother dropped his dramatics and moved up to a sitting position.
"Take me flying?" She grinned at his blunt request. Ithadbeen a few days since she had last flown out on Meleys.
Alyssa looked over her shoulder at Baelon who was still working away at those damned papers. He leaned back and rubbed his eyes.
"Go on Alyssa, I won't be done for a while yet." She could tell that he wanted to join her, but they both knew the work would never get finished in time if he put it off now. "At least of one of us should be enjoying themselves," he ended in an adorable grumble.
Skipping across the room she planted a wet kiss on her hard working husband's cheek.
"Don't fret my dear, I may be the one having fun soon, but I'll make sure webothenjoy ourselves tonight. You know how riding gets me." She was practically purring by the end, ignoring Gaemon's plea to stop being gross.
"You say that now Gaemon, but give it a few years and you'll come around," Baelon said with a knowing grin her way.
Her little brother just rolled his eyes so hard she nearly feared he would knock himself out.
"Seven save me from siblings with no shame," he grumbled before all but pushing her out the room.
…
The trip to the Dragonpit was as uneventful as ever. The two of them were escorted by a score of guardsman along with Ser Clement to the imposing dome that sat like a crown upon Rhaenys' Hill.
Gaemon passed out a handful of Copper Stars along the way, knowing better even at his age than to flash silver or gold to the small folk. Such currency rarely stayed in one hand for long and violence was soon to follow once the royal procession had passed. Best to keep it to a lower denomination lest he accidentally hurt those he meant to help. It was a lesson her mother had learned the hard way many years back and passed on to all of her children.
Passing a short stretch of open air markets, Alyssa snickered when she thought back to the face Gaemon made when a group of passing small folk praised him as the Young Dragon. No boy wanted to be reminded of his age, especially a prince of the blood. Not everyone can be so lucky as Baelon the Brave after all. Hopefully Gaemon would acquire a better moniker in time.
Soon enough the group rode their horses - and a single pony - up to one of the massive bronze gates that circled the Dragonpit. There the royals dismounted and passed on their rides to the care of others - the horses were smart enough to stay well away from the looming pit.
The majority of the guardsman would remain outside for the ride back to the Keep although Ser Clement - with his silly crab embossed helmet - was allowed to follow them inside as was his right and responsibility as a Kingsguard. Past the gates it was a short walk through the brick tunnels that threaded into the center of the dome until they reached the main staging area where the various pens branched off from.
Second to the right was the home of her dear Meleys, a group of black-clad dragonkeepers already moving to saddle the Red Queen for her upcoming flight. Alyssa was no stranger to the dark sands of the dragonpit, visiting twice a week at minimum - the wait wouldn't be long. Often she opted to saddle Meleys herself, it was good practice for any dragon rider, but there was no need to do so every single time, especially when she wasn't flying alone.
She stretched her arms out and gazed out at the massive structure around her, trying and failing to guess just how many people could fit on the stone benches that circled up and around the pit. It would be a grand sight, even if she doubted ever seeing it in her lifetime.
Hearing the ever familiar roar of her dragon from down the tunnel, she raised her voice and posed a question to her tagalong.
"What do you think of a trip out over the Bay? It's late enough that the sun won't be reflecting in our eyes and the sea looked calm enough on our way over."
No answer.
Alyssa turned on the spot, ready to repeat the question only for the words to die on her lips. She blinked dumbly for a moment as there was no silver haired prince standing behind her where she could haveswornhe was but a moment before.
No Gaemon to the left. No Gaemon to the right.
She turned back to the tunnel, thinking that maybe he had slipped on ahead without her notice, however Meleys was now emerging ahead - guided by a handful of dragonkeepers - and her little brother was nowhere in sight.
Her eyes narrowed as she tugged on her braid - a habit that only came out when she was stressed. When she found her brother she was going to put the fear of the Stranger in him, one way or another.
Striding towards the nearest keeper she caught his attention with a sharp clap.
"Prince Gaemon is somewhere in the dragonpit and he needs to be found," she commanded in a voice that carried throughout the area. When the black armored men in hearing range all paused instead of immediately moving she elaborated. "Now!"
A mad scramble ensued with plans being made and harsh whispers exchanged. One keeper in particular took off his helmet as he approached her, running a large calloused hand through his thinning brown hair.
"Princess Alyssa, do you have any idea where he may have went? Did he happen to mention a dragon in particular at any point?" The man's tone - Ser Alec she remembered his name - was respectful and professional, but the undercurrent of worry was obvious. If Gaemon was injured or worse under their noses, the men here would be better fleeing the city than facing the King and Queen's wrath.
She refused to think what her fate might be if she didn't find her brother in one piece.
Alyssa chewed her bottom lip in thought. Where could he have gone? He hadn't mentioned a dragon, at least nothing where she could hear. But he was a young boy and there was a single dragon that all young boys were inevitably drawn to. Even she had to be convinced from trying when she had came to claim a dragon five years past.
Looking Ser Alex directly in the eyes, she let her thoughts out, a tinge of worry now straining her tone.
"Balerion… Seven help us I think he's gone after Balerion."
The dragon keeper's eyes widened until the whites stood out before he turned on his heel and began bellowing orders.
Alyssa hardly waited for the man to sort things out before she was heading across the staging area, sand kicked up in small sprays along the way. She paused for a fraction of a second, her hand resting on the rough hewn stone that divided the pit from the lair of the Black Dread, before she snarled and strode forward.
There was no sound coming from the tunnel besides that which she - and the group of dragonkeepers around her - made. She couldn't decide whether the silence was reassuring or not and it had her tugging her braid as she sped up her pace. All too soon the group reached the entrance of Balerion's nesting ground, Ser Celement slipping ahead of her with his sword drawn - when did he he arrive? Shaking her head, she peered over the shadowed grounds before her.
A keeper thrust out a torch which cast the grounds into an erie contrast of light and shadow, revealing some things and obscuring others. The massive form of the Conqueror's mount, however, could not be missed. The size of the dragon beggared belief, at least twice the size of her Meleys, the Black Dread loomed over the assembled group like a fell mountain. Thankfully the old dragon was seemingly unbothered by their intrusion, continuing to rest as his chest slowly rose and fell like a great bellows.
Then an eye snapped open, causing a few of the less experienced men to stumble back in fright. Not her. A dragon rider showed no fear, even towards such a beast. Yet even she could admit that Balerion's black as night eye was haunting - it seemed to suck in what little light remained as it idly swept over the gathering. It paused in its perusal as it reached her, Alyssa's heart speeding up in her chest, before it huffed and returned to rest with an almost dismissive glare.
By an unspoken consensus, everyone withdrew and made their way out of sight of the grizzled dragon - no need to push their luck.
Not a word was spoken as they traversed the tunnel back to the center area, it was clear that her assumption has been off and Gaemon was still unaccounted for. Alyssa made eye contact with Ser Clement, their twin worries showing through along with their confusion. If not Balerion…
As if in answer, a roar reached her ears, the sound echoing off the walls of the tunnel they still traversed. Thankful for the riding leathers she wore, Alyssa sprinted the rest of the way until she emerged into the light.
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but there her brother was, a sheepish smile on his stupid little face as he sat astride none other than the animated form of Starfyre.
While not even a fraction of the Black Dread's size. Starfyre was still an interesting dragon to say the least, though if she was in her brother's shoes she would have claimed a bigger dragon.
Still, a ragged laugh tore itself free from her chest and soon Alyssa was on the ground, chest hurting she was laughing so hard. She was going to snap Gaemon into a bundle of kindling once he got down from his mount. And once she stopped laughing.
She just needed a moment or two.