"You have become reckless lately," Rhaenys declared, glancing down at her aunt by her side as the two Princesses walked side by side. The Dragon Pit that housed her Meleys along with the majority of the Targaryen dragons towered in all its glory in front of her. "Claiming a dragon…" Rhaenys muttered under her breath. "Do you know how easily this could go wrong?
"Are you walking out on me?" Gael paused to face Rhaenys, carefully surrounding their vicinity to ensure their guards were not within earshot. She dug the end of her staff into the ground of the dirt road. "As far as the guards and the Court know, my niece and I are here with the Queen's permission to go for a final flight together, as we often do, before she gets married."
Rhaenys scoffed before fiddling with the dagger she always wore on her hip. Gael rolled her eyes in response and motioned for the guards to keep moving. Rhaenys watched as the Dragon Keepers slowly pushed the double doors to the Pit open.
"But we are not here to merely ride Meleys. I was three and ten when I claimed her and twice your size. Are you honestly not afraid?"
"I would be a fool if I was not afraid, Rhae…" Gael cocked her head, fidgeting with the collar of her riding dress.
"Then why will you not wait until you are older, Gael?" Rhaenys pleaded as the two Princesses walked under the arch of the Pit. "My own Father did not claim a dragon until he was eight and ten, I would not think any less of you if you did the same."
"Is it truly hard for you to believe that I may just wish to soar among the clouds?" Gael questioned sharply. "When I am with you on Meleys…" Gael looked off into the distance, "there is no greater feeling in the world. I want to fly, Rhae."
Rhaenys' gaze softened as she directed the dragon keepers to retrieve Meleys' saddle. The Red Queen was not the largest of dragons, but she was by far the swiftest, and her scarlet scales shone brightly in the sunlight. Rhaenys reached up to her mount to stroke Meleys' copper horns, much to Gael's amusement.
"She's such a sweetheart, Rhae," Gael cooed. "Can I pet her?" Rhaenys snorted at that. Only Gael, brilliant as she was, would consider a fire breathing dragon to be a sweetheart.
"What is she? Your kitten?" Rhaenys raised an eyebrow. "My Meleys is a fierce mount worthy of the future Queen."
"Relax, Rhae," Gael leaned forward and pressed her cheek to Meyles' snout, much to her rider's horror. "See? She likes me," the tiny Princess giggled. "And don't insult my cat. Lily is the most adorable cat you have ever seen."
"Don't play the innocent act with me, Aunt," Rhaenys commanded. "You and I both know you dislike cats and only got one so that Grandmother would stop comparing you to your sister."
Gael removed herself from Meleys, and the Red Queen released a puff of smoke from her snout in response, charring the front of Gael's blue riding leathers. Her aunt attempted to wipe away the dark stains with her hand yet was soon forced to admit that the garment had been ruined. She turned to face her niece, leaning slightly on the wooden staff she always carried, and her mouth tightened.
"My mother cares for me, I am well aware of that, Rhae. Yet I am never Gael. I am merely a comfort, a reminder of dear, dead, Daenerys, Daella, Alyssa and now Viserra," Gael sighed. "And I cannot hate her for that. But if begging for one of the annoying, spineless, hairballs that my sister was terrified of," Gael spewed, clenching her fists. "Means that she at least remembers that I am not Daella, then I will gladly pretend that I adore cats."
"Please don't tell me that you wish to claim a dragon for her recognition, Gael. I promise that you do not need to outshine the others for my love," Rhaenys begged. "I can understand your anger…" Gael surged forward to grab Rhaenys' hand, taking care not to bump into the resting dragon.
"I know, Rhae. I know," Gael assured, leaning up to wrap her arms around Rhaenys' shoulders.
"You are Gael Targaryen," Rhaenys declared. "You already have a spine of steel, you do not need a dragon to be strong. Your sisters died too young, I beg you Gael, do not join them in death."
"I am not my sisters, Rhae," Gael fiddled with a piece of hair from her braid. "Yet what will prevent me from sharing their fates?"
"You will not," Rhaenys insisted. "I will not allow it."
"You would not," Gael acknowledged, stepping back from Rhaenys' embrace. "But my Father would," she countered. "What is to stop him from commanding the Winter Child to marry an old Lord of his choosing in a few years? Or sent me to the Silent Sisters like he did Saera and threatened for Daella?"
"A dragon," Rhaenys realized, digging her boot into the sand. She turned to stare into Meleys' golden eyes. "Grandfather would never send a dragonrider to the Faith. Nor would he risk sending you to wed an Andal Lord if he would have access to such power."
"Don't you see?" Gael tilted her head slightly. She gave Rhaenys a small smile. "Saera was forbidden to claim a dragon, even before her scandal. So were Daella and Viserra. As soon as Maegelle and Vaegon were promised to the Sept and the Citadel they were never allowed to step into either the Dragon Pit nor the Dragonmont again."
"Grandfather has yet to declare his intentions for your future," Rhaenys stated, straightening her back. She paid heed to the guards to be sure none were too close.
"As soon as I flower," Gael scrunched up her nose at the fact. "He will most definitely decide my fate. During which it is possible that you could be on Driftmark with your husband… Please, Rhae, this could be my last chance."
Rhaenys placed her head in her hands. She had always known that Gael did not have the relationship with her father that she herself had with her own. Rhaenys believed that somewhere, deep down, her aunt loved Grandfather, yet she did not trust him, and that was what mattered most. Jaehaerys Targaryen had always been a better father to his sons, Rhaenys thought. He did not know how to understand daughters, and whatever willingness he had had to try had died with Aunt Saera's disgrace. Aunt Viserra and Gael had never felt they had a Father in Jaehaerys. They only saw a King. And now Viserra is ashes in an urn, Rhaenys reminded herself bitterly.
She stepped back from Meleys, and ordered the Dragon Keepers to begin releasing her chains. The roof was thankfully already open, so she would not need to wait too long.
"Perhaps you would like to look at the hatchlings, Gael," Rhaenys smiled sweetly, her voice louder than before. "It will be a few moments until Meleys can take flight."
"Of course, Rhae," Gael responded innocently. "Come find me when we can take off."
Rhaenys nodded and turned to observe as the Keepers carefully removed the thick metal chains that bound Meleys to the dirt. She noticed as one guard managed to get too close to the Red Queen's snout and have to dive out of the way from a burst of flame. Slowly, Meleys was able to stretch her wings, the pink membranes flashing in the light, contrasting prettily with her copper crest. The men had just finished strapping the saddle to Meleys' back, when a Keeper came into her view.
"Whenever you are ready, Princess Rhaenys," he stated quickly with a bow. Rhaenys wanted to scoff, yet she only nodded her head and sent him on his way. She much preferred the Dragonmont where she could prepare Meleys herself, Rhaenys mused as she walked towards the side stables to find Gael. Half the guards here were only smallfolk with no knowledge of dragons, surely it was a miracle that all of them were not killed.
She passed a few clusters of dragon eggs, tucked safely within separate compartments attached to the walls of the Pit. Most were on Dragonstone, but a few remained here. Rhaenys stopped when she reached the enclosure that typically held the hatchlings. She scanned the area, but there was no sign of Gael, only tiny little hatchlings the size of cats in various patterns and colors that looked more like lizards than dragons, if Rhaenys was being truthful.
There were several Keepers scattered around the Pit, as Rhaenys walked along the perimeter. Most were settled around the great Balerion, yet she knew that Gael had no intention of claiming that dragon. The legendary Black Dread that had once conquered the Seven Kingdoms with fire and blood was no longer worthy of his name. He was now but a mass of dark scales curled up into a position that made him appear more like a giant ball than the magnificent beast he must have been when her grandparents were children.
Rhaenys continued her search, only to pause at the next enclosure. A petite silver blonde girl was stroking the neck of a blue dragon about the size of a warhorse a few shades darker than her charred dress. It was a she-dragon, Rhaenys could tell, with a copper crest and belly that reminded her of Meleys, even though this dragon had yet to hatch when Rhaenys had claimed hers. Only this one was blue, possessing deep cobalt scales that covered her wings and body.
"She's beautiful, Gael," Rhaenys announced.
Gael turned around to face Rhaenys. The dragon stepped forward and gently rested her head on Gael's outstretched arm that held her walking staff. Her eyes were a deep silver, and her horns were the same copper of her underbelly.
"I thought I wanted Dreamfyre," she spoke softly, "she's the best choice, but…" Gael tilted her chin up to meet her eyes. "Meyles was not always yours, Rhae. Is it wrong if I wish for my mount to be mine and mine alone?"
No, Rhaenys thought. It was not. As much as she adored her mount, Rhaenys knew that Aunt Alyssa's shadow would forever follow her. She was not blind to see how Uncle Baelon would flinch at the mention of how Meleys now belonged to Rhaenys, and not his wife.
"She chose you," Rhaenys walked over to Gael, glancing at the creature behind her. "And I think that this dragon suits you perfectly, Gael. You always wear blue, it is only fitting that you should have the Blue Queen for your mount, don't you agree?" Rhaenys smiled only to watch as Gael's eyes widened in horror as she turned to face her dragon.
"The Blue Queen," she whispered slowly. "But… was she not young then?"
Rhaenys ignored Gael's mutterings, only to lay a hand on her shoulder. "You did it Gael, you claimed a dragon. There is no reason to harbor disappointment."
"Of course not," Gael quickly responded. "It's just…"
"Well?" Rhaenys inquired. "Are you going to fly or not? You've read every tome in the library on dragon lore, pestered me for lessons atop Meleys for the past three years and have just claimed a dragon young enough to not need a custom saddle and you have yet to mount her?" Rhaenys cried in mock outrage. "Come on Gael, I have not taken to the skies in days!"
"I am so profoundly sorry that I have so greatly inconvenienced you, Princess Rhaenys," Gael feigned insult, placing her free hand over her heart before she reached up to grasp the snout of her dragon.
"Apology accepted, Princess Gael," Rhaenys threw back her head in laughter. "Come along then, she does not have chains, how will you fly if you are not under open air?" Rhaenys aided Gael in slowly guiding the Blue Queen forward to Meleys' location, careful not to trip on the swinging of her tail or her aunt's damnable cane she insisted on calling a staff.
"How long do you think until the guards inform the court?" Gael pondered.
"We have enough time to take off," Rhaenys informed her, noticing that their party of two Princesses and a dragon approached the main area. "It seems that the Princess acquired a mount of her own when she was supposed to be admiring hatchlings!" Rhaenys loudly declared, to the chuckles of the Dragon Keepers. "Would any of you good men be inclined to fetch one of the smaller, old saddles for the Princess so that we need not explain any injuries to Her Grace the Queen?"
"Very well, Princess Rhaenys," a few of the men shouted back. As she led the Blue Queen to the side of her own mount Rhaenys was surprised at how her aunt's dragon was perhaps a sixth of the size of Meleys, despite being decades younger.
"As far as anyone knows, Gael, I sent you to go fawn over baby dragons while I was having Meleys' chains removed to ensure your own safety. There you stumbled upon the Blue Queen and something about her called to you," Rhaenys said under her breath. She was handed an older looking saddle by one of the guards and began to carefully attach it to Gael's new mount.
"I understand, Rhaenys," Gael confirmed. "And when we return I shall ask my mother if she could be my flying instructor."
Confusion swept over Rhaenys. "You know very well that Grandmother hardly ever flies anymore, Aunt."
"I do," Gael smiled sadly. "Yet she will be touched by my request anyway. I know very well that you will be my instructor. And perhaps when you leave I could get a few lessons from Baelon…" she mused, adjusting the cuffs of her sleeves while studying how Rhaenys fitted the saddle. "He will need practice for teaching Viserys and Daemon when they claim their own mounts. I am sure I could convince him."
"Baelon might be your future good father now," Rhaenys muttered to herself. Her uncle had no daughters and she would not be surprised if Grandfather would have Gael wed to one of Baelon's sons once he discovered that she had claimed a dragon. "Come back to me, Gael," Rhaenys waved her hand in front of her aunt's eyes. "Now climb on top of her, we have not much time until we must deal with the Court."
Rhaenys observed as Gael delicately pulled herself into the saddle, adjusting her riding leathers and strapping herself in. Gael gave her a bright smile until she started glaring at her staff as she debated what to do with it. Rhaenys tugged on her braid in annoyance before taking the staff from her niece and sliding it under a gap in the saddle.
"Thank you, Rhae," Gael praised. She placed a small hand on the Blue Queen's right horn for a moment. "Are you not going to lead us out then?"
"Are you not going to give her a name?" Rhaenys fired back. Gael furrowed her brow.
"Tessarion," Gael stroked the top of her dragon's head, and even though she looked straight into her eyes, Rhaenys knew that she was far away. "That was always supposed to be your name, wasn't it? Tessarion, the Blue Queen?" Gael mused to herself. "Only I think I will call you Tessa."
Rhaenys snorted while she climbed atop Meleys', double checking the chains that bound her to her seat. She glanced back at Gael who waved in confirmation. Rhaenys commanded her mount forward and she began to feel the familiar force of the wind across her face as the Red Queen soared into the skies. As she rose above the Dragon Pit, her aunt carefully navigating behind her, all Rhaenys could think was how of course Gael would name her dragon after a goddess of Old Valyria only to shorten it to Tessa.