"You were with him for the entirety of that journey! Not once did you bother to try and probe his heart for me? To see where I might stand?"
Oberyn didn't look bothered by his sister's rambling as he helped himself to some more wine inside her private chamber.
It was a beautiful morning in the Red Keep. It was a bit dull because Rhaegal and his family had left early in the day to Dragonstone. This was despite the fact that more lords and their retinues kept arriving in the capital by the hour. These lords were all eager to seek an audience with the king and see the dragons for themselves.
Unfortunately for them, that moment had passed. The Targaryens were not taking any unnecessary risks, and rather than keep the young and vulnerable dragons in the city they were transporting them to their fortress.
If Oberyn was any less stupid, then he would feel hurt that the royal family didn't trust any of them.
In actuality, he was more disappointed at the fact that he couldn't go with them. Apart from some specific individuals, the royal family hadn't allowed any outsider to accompany them. Among them was Monford and a cousin of his who was transporting them to Dragonstone. Lucerys had to resume his duty as Master of Ships, so he couldn't go on another journey. The Celtigars had also made an appearance in court, and the wife of Ardrian had struck a quick friendship with the queen. The woman had brought her children with her, and it didn't take a bright individual to understand what she was aiming for.
But of course, the "specific individuals" that Elia was interested in were the Dayne siblings.
More specifically, it was the sister's inclusion that was making Elia descend into her temper tantrum. This was also despite the fact that they already had this conversation the day before.
Supposedly his sister was hitting barriers in her attempt to try and win Rhaegal over, the biggest of which was the prince's lack of interest in her romantically. She had also been denied a friendship with the princess, who continued to be close with Ashara but not her.
Truly, their mother must be pressuring Elia a lot to win herself a crown.
'Hm. Nope, not buying that.'
Oberyn wasn't blind. He knew that Elia truly believed she was in love with Rhaegal. How love could develop so quickly and remain without contact for years was beyond him. On the other hand, Oberyn wasn't the sentimental type.
Not that he didn't see the appeal. If Rhaegal ever showed interest, then Oberyn wouldn't mind showing him the ropes, as it were.
"Are you listening to me?" Elia's voice cut through his thoughts, as did her sharp glare.
Putting his cup down, Oberyn sighed. "I believe we've had this discussion already, dear sister. I'm not sure what else you want me to say."
"That Ashara isn't going to become the next queen!"
Oberyn didn't have an answer to that. "Rhaegal is….he has his own mind."
Rhaegal was young, and he loved his family. But the young Targaryen was willful. If he so wished, he would probably break the betrothal with his sister and marry Ashara instead. Oberyn had seen the signs for himself. He was observant, and where there was no interest in his sister Rhaegal showed plenty in Ashara.
Not that Oberyn could fault him. Ashara was young, younger than both of them, but she was already a beauty.
'Hm, maybe it's just a passing flame?'
It was also very possible that Rhaegal could lose interest in the future if it was just physical.
Oberyn wasn't going to lie to his sister, though.
"Elia, I know how much you desire him, but I would suggest switching your efforts elsewhere," Oberyn said as gently as he could. "Rhaegar will now be a future dragon rider, and he wields Dark Sister. He's second in line to the throne, and odds are that he will get a keep of his own one day."
Skagos came to mind.
There was also Prince Daeron, but he was younger and was also no dragon rider. Oberyn had heard many of the servants in the Red Keep whispering about the young prince's failure to be chosen by one of the dragons over the past day. They questioned how great he could be if the dragons ignored him. Oberyn did not doubt that the lords who had been present yesterday would also be whispering similar things.
It was a mark of failure that the prince would have to carry for a long time. And he was only four. Oberyn did not envy him.
Elia looked crestfallen by his words as she fell back on her bed.
"Do you truly think I have no chance?"
Oberyn recalled all the little moments where he had probed Rhaegal, hoping to get a reaction out of him.
It was always the same. Polite indifference.
"No, you do not. Besides, you are forgetting about Shaena. The little princess now has a dragon. Do you think the king will allow her to marry anyone else?"
Never. Rhaegal wouldn't either. It was why he felt more confident that Rhaegal might just have a fling with Ashara rather than seriously entertain her. Hells, it was what he would do.
Elia did not respond, choosing instead to retreat into her mind for comfort. But her face said it all.
He had to look away lest he see her crying. He could never stand to see his sister cry.
It was why Oberyn decided not to remind her of the fact that their mother was in talks with the Lannisters too. Who knew what might happen there. Instead of a dragon, Elia might just end up wed to a lion. Doran had the fortune of marrying for love despite their mother's wishes, as his older brother fell for a Norvoshi woman during his trip to Essos. So it was only Elia and Oberyn who could be used to establish powerful political alliances in the realm.
Oberyn just prayed that it wasn't him.
---
Catelyn Tully did not hide her astonishment as her family's carriage entered through the gates of the capital. It was the first time that she was making her journey here, and it was more spectacular than she could have dreamed.
If only it smelled better.
She could see the famous Red Keep in the distance, but she knew that her family would not be staying there. Apparently her father had secured a private manor for them inside the city, which was where they were going now.
Even as far as they were, the Red Keep loomed over the entire city like a dark shadow, ready to swallow all who dared to step inside.
For some reason, it made Catelyn's heart beat fast, especially when she remembered that dragons were now there. Or so the stories went.
Imagining such beasts made her afraid. She never wanted to be around them if she could help it.
Her younger sister Lysa pressed her face against the window beside her.
"Mother's castle is bigger!" she said excitedly, as if she had discovered some great truth. She clutched her doll closer as she said it.
There was soft laughter behind them. Their mother, Minisa Tully, formerly Whent, was seated comfortably as she held their sleeping brother in her arms. Her long red hair was braided into a single ponytail. She wore an elegant yellow dress.
"Harrenhal does not belong to me, sweet one," she said gently. "My brother is lord, remember?"
Catelyn remembered her lessons. Her mother's house had been lords of Harrenhal for less than fifty years. They came to power during the reign of King Maekar I after a rebellion by house Lothston.
'Was it a rebellion?'
Catelyn was having trouble remembering that specific part. She would have to ask the maester about it later. Anyway, her mother's brother was Lord Walter Whent. Not just that, but another one of her mother's brothers was also in the Kingsguard, marking him as one of the most distinguished knights in the realm. It made Catelyn proud to know that her relatives were such chivalrous nobles. She wanted to be like them too, in her own way of course. She was a lady, and so she would do her duty in different ways.
It was what the septa and maester taught her, and Catelyn wanted to make her family proud.
Her father did not comment. He was seated beside mother with his arms crossed with a permanent frown etched on his face.
Catelyn hadn't seen her father this upset since her uncle, Brynden, had left Riverrun without saying a word. That had been weeks ago.
She missed him. He was the only family outside of her parents and sister that she was close to, and it was hard for her to understand why he would just leave. Especially without saying anything to her.
Catelyn did her best to not let her thoughts show on her face as the carriage came to a stop in front of their manor. This was to be her home during her stay here. She was looking forward to it. Riverrun was beautiful, but seeing new places was always exciting. She was never able to accompany her father during his trips in the Riverlands. Something about her being too young still.
But not today!
It was kind of unfair that her baby brother was able to come with them too. At his age, Catelyn had never left Riverrun. But now he was here, only able to crawl but still seeing the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.
Really unfair!
Catelyn's mood flipped when she and her family began to disembark from the carriage. The manor was beautiful. It was a lot smaller than she had imagined, but that was okay. According to her mother, it had a garden. Catelyn could enjoy her time there.
But no, the manor itself wasn't the reason for her change in mood.
Her uncle was.
Brynden was waiting for them by entrance, his own arms crossed. He was wearing new armor that Catelyn had never seen before. The black trout displayed proudly on his chest was new. It made him look more imposing, but to Catelyn it just looked brilliant.
"Uncle!" Lysa's eyes lit up when she spotted him. She clutched her doll close to her again as she ran up to the man. For a second, she stumbled before finding her footing again. That did little to deter her enthusiasm as she was picked up by their uncle.
"Aren't you full of energy?" Brynden's blue eyes were full of warmth as he held the giggling Lysa close to his chest. He then looked over at Catelyn with a small smile. "What about you? No hug for your uncle?"
Unable to contain her own excitement, Catelyn ran up to him. It was improper for a lady of her status to do so, but she could not help it. It felt all the better when her uncle picked her up and held her next to her sister.
"Aren't you two getting big?"
While Lysa continued to giggle, Catelyn was more composed as she pouted a little.
"It's only been a few weeks!"
"Really? It feels a lot longer than that!"
Catelyn was sure that it wasn't, though! She had counted and everything!
While she tried to solve the time puzzle, her mother came to join them as she laughed softly. Her father was next to her, but his face was more stern.
Around them, their retinue began to enter the manor to secure it while also starting to unpack their things from the carriage.
"I must admit, Brynden, you have a habit of showing yourself at the most perplexing of moments," Minisa said. Her voice was full of warmth.
Catelyn knew that her mother and uncle had a good relationship. It made her very happy.
"Really now?" Brynden still held Catelyn and Lysa in his arms. "I don't know why I wouldn't be here. I'm pretty sure that everyone is going to come to the city for this celebration. It's the talk of the century. Dragons are more known than pyromancers."
'Pyromancers!' Catelyn knew that word. The maester had taught her about it. Same with Lysa. Apparently the crown prince had some sort of fire powers. Catelyn didn't understand all of it, just that magic was apparently very wicked according to the Faith. It had led to a lot of suffering in the past. The fact that the crown prince had such power….it kind of scared her.
"Yes, but how did you get here?" Hoster cut in with a frown. "How did you know that we were coming?"
"One of the perks of my new position. I had the City Watch notify me when they spotted your colors. I wanted to greet my family. And warn you."
"New position?" Hoster did not seem too thrilled at that, but Catelyn did not understand.
"Why don't we continue this inside?" Minisa interjected while rocking the sleeping Edmure, her face pleading as she looked at her husband.
Catelyn watched how her father stared back at her mother before slowly nodding.
She was sad when her uncle set her and her sister down, but she was also eager to step inside the manor for the first time with her family. It only made it better now that her uncle was here.
Catelyn was instantly mesmerized by all the furniture inside the manor. It was not barren at all. The design was different from Riverrun. There were carpets and paintings here that were far different from anything in the castle.
The common area was pretty big too. There was enough space to host a small feast if you wanted.
This was where her parents and uncle retreated as they found seats while Lysa entertained herself with her doll.
Catelyn was too busy looking around to fully pay attention to her parents' conversation with her uncle, but she still heard it.
It did not start well.
"You leave, and now you're in King's Landing?" her father said with a glare.
Brynden helped himself to a cup of wine, which came with the manor. "Why are you so upset, brother? From our last conversation, I was certain that you wanted me gone from the world."
Hoster snorted. "Stop being dramatic, Brynden. It does not suit you." He eyed the black trout on Brynden's chest. "Of course, perhaps I should reconsider my opinion of you."
Brynden chuckled. "I consider it an honor."
"Enough, you two." Minisa sighed as she glanced at Catelyn and Lysa. "The children are present."
Catelyn tilted her head, but she did not say anything. She was getting curious about their conversation now.
After savoring his wine, Brynden said, "I suppose you're right, good sister. Besides, we're getting off track. Regardless of what happened before, the fact of the matter is that I have sworn allegiance to Prince Rhaegal."
Hoster rose to his feet, his face alarmed. "You did what!?"
Brynden looked more laid-back. "My curiosity got the better of me, and before I knew it I was swearing my vows." He looked down at his cup, his face contemplative. "I suppose it's a good thing that I did. It's how I'm able to be here today and tell you the truth of things."
Hoster did not respond, still trying to process his brother's earlier statement. Catelyn found the expression on her father's face kind of funny.
Minisa jumped in as the mediator. "What truth, Brynden? If you are referring to the dragons-"
"It's more than just about the dragons," Brynden interjected. "That information is already outdated anyway. There are not three dragons. There are five."
Catelyn felt her palms grow sweaty when she heard this. There were five of those terrifying beasts now!?
Her father seemed to share in her fear as he slowly fell back to his seat once more.
"How is that possible? Three already seemed ludicrous enough, but five?"
"The prince found two more eggs in Winterfell. How, I'm not sure. But after the things that I've seen him do, I will not put anything past him at this point. Same with that red priestess of his."
Red priestess? Catelyn remembered hearing something about that too, but for some reason she currently couldn't remember it.
Minisa studied Brynden's face, her eyes full of understanding.
"You support him."
It was not a question.
"You could say that." Brynden was able to crack a small grin. "I like to call it common sense." The grin then disappeared. "Which is why I'm here. The dragons are already causing a stir, but the prince did more than just hatch dragon eggs while in the North. He took control over Skagos and annexed it to the Crownlands before anyone realized it. Thankfully the Starks agreed to it, in exchange for other favors of course. But that was only an after-the-fact negotiation."
Hoster looked alarmed once more while Catelyn was confused.
"What did you say? The crown just took lands from the North?"
Brynden merely nodded.
"That cannot be! Unilaterally annexing lands-!"
"So you understand." Brynden cut off his brother's rant before it could begin. "Once the other lords hear of it, they will not be pleased."
From the look on Hoster's face, he wasn't pleased either.
"How could the Starks allow this!? If some deal was negotiated beforehand, then I could understand. But to do it so brazenly-!"
"Sometimes you are too clever for your own good, brother." Brynden seemed tired just saying that while Catelyn was still trying to follow along. But she did not speak up, too afraid that her parents would realize that she was paying attention and send her away.
"Husband, you should calm yourself," Minisa advised, her tone soft once more.
"How can I, Minisa!?" Hoster stood up again and began to pace around them. "This is madness! The crown has no authority to meddle in the other kingdoms like this!"
"Hold your tongue, you fool!" Brynden slammed his cup down as he glared at his brother. "Do you want to be brought before the king for treason!?"
Catelyn flinched at her uncle's tone. Even Lysa looked up from her doll at the commotion while the sleeping Edmure began to stir in their mother's arms. Minisa tried to rock him back to sleep, but her focus remained on her husband and brother-in-law, her face full of concern.
"It's not treason to speak the truth! Not even King Aegon was so foolish!"
"That king had no magic! And no dragons!" Brynden's glare intensified. "And remember, brother. I have sworn myself to the crown prince. Watch your words, before I am forced to do something that I will deeply regret."
Hoster matched the glare with his own. "You would turn your back on your family!? Do our house's words mean nothing to you!?"
"It's precisely because I hold those words close to my heart that I am even standing here right now! Because I know that your pride would make you do something foolish that would see our house brought low! I took an opportunity, and now I can use it to try and help you! But you're too stubborn to see it!"
"It's we who were slighted first, brother! Or did you forget the dishonor that they brought upon our aunt!? She would have been the next queen! Instead, the dragons chose to continue their incestuous tradition of marrying brother to sister and shamed our house!"
"Why are you bringing that up now?" Brynden shook his head. "King Jaehaerys and our aunt are both dead. Those were the mistakes of the past."
"Mistakes that cost us much," Hoster said while scowling. "The king could have been our cousin. A king of the Seven Kingdoms would have finally carried Tully blood in his veins. House Tully could have shared in the legacy of the Targaryens. Of the dragons. This triumph could have been ours. Instead, they chose to turn their backs on us!"
"Is your ego so bruised about the dragon's return that you cannot see anything else, brother?"
"It's the fact that we could have been a part of it that irks me so much. And now, this young prince thinks that he can walk all over us? Is that it?"
"I've heard enough." Brynden stood up abruptly. For a second, Catelyn was afraid of what might happen, if her father and uncle would fight more. But instead, Brynden turned toward the exit. "I was a fool to believe that you could be reasoned with. I will try to put out your fires for the sake of my nephew and nieces, but I will not stick out my neck for you. Goodbye, brother."
Brynden did not look back as he left.
Hoster did nothing to stop him. His face was incensed while Minisa could only watch in silence.
Catelyn was left clutching Lysa's hand with her own. Her younger sister was close to tears, but unfortunately she could not console her.
For she felt like crying too.
---
Despite herself, Joanna basked in the allure that was the Red Keep. It had been years since she had returned. Aerys hadn't bothered to commemorate his first decade as king like others in the past, choosing instead to wait until this year to hold a tourney and a celebration.
Seeing Tywin again raised her spirits. As opposed to his typical nature, he was careful and even gentle as he helped her descend from the carriage.
The kiss they shared seemed to reaffirm their love, not that Joanna needed such a thing to know of it.
Cersei's and Jaime's smiling faces made it all the more rewarding. This was the first time they were standing inside the heart of the realm. She was happy to be here with them.
Tywin traded greetings with Genna while Tygett welcomed them as well. Tywin's younger brother had done well for himself as the master-at-arms for the Red Keep, dressed sharply in the Lannister armor of his. Because of his post, and because of Tywin's position as Hand, a whole section of the guard were Lannister men.
It made Joanna feel more secure.
Joanna's good mood did not last, though, as Cersei immediately asked where Prince Rhaegal was and why he hadn't come to the courtyard to greet them. It reminded Joanna of her oversight when it came to her daughter and her expectations.
Expectations that she was guilty of sharing.
"The king and his family departed for Dragonstone this morning," Tywin said. From his tone, Joanna could tell that he was not happy about that. "You just missed them."
Seeing the disappointed look on her daughter's face, Joanna felt disheartened. They had been slowed by her frequent nausea and fatigue while on the road and had to make many stops.
This pregnancy was not agreeing with her.
"What about the Kingsguard?" Unlike his sister, Jaime was more concerned with something else.
"They left as well," Tygett replied, hand resting lazily on his sword. "Where the king and his family go, they follow."
Jaime pouted, which caused Tygett to look amused.
"Eager to meet them, are we?"
"Of course!" Jaime didn't hesitate to answer.
"We can discuss that later," Tywin said. He waved at the guards. "They'll escort Jaime and Cersei to their rooms. We can continue in my chamber."
The twins, while disappointed, still followed their father's command and made for their rooms with the guards and other servants while the rest of them headed for the Tower of the Hand.
The steps of the tower nearly killed Joanna, but she forced her way through. She wasn't going to let her pregnancy stop her, especially since she wasn't that far along yet.
The tower was manned by more Lannister guards, all of whom paid their respects to Joanna. She was their lady, after all.
The respect felt nice, but it did little to settle her heart as she entered Tywin's private chamber alongside Genna and Tygett.
Once inside, Genna huffed as she made for one of the seats. "I see you command little respect around here, Tywin. The king doesn't bother to remain to greet the family of the Hand? The audacity."
Tywin's eyes narrowed as he helped Joanna situate herself in one of the seats at the table.
"Watch your tongue, Genna. The situation has changed drastically in the past few weeks."
Genna rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes. We've heard all about it. The dragons, was it? Don't tell me that you're ready to roll over now just because they've come back?"
Joanna frowned. She knew that her sister-in-law was not happy with her husband, but to grill him like this was unfair.
"You should hear us out before you start waggling your tongue, dear sister," Tygett said with a scowl.
"I guess you two have become nothing more than frightened kittens, after all." Genna ran a hand through her long hair. "I'll bite. Who became the third dragon rider? Was it the youngest prince?"
"There are not three dragons." Tywin's tone was icy. "There are five of them."
That revelation knocked the confidence out of Genna as she looked at Tywin with wide eyes.
"What!?"
Joanna herself was surprised. "But your letter only mentioned three."
How could there be five now?
"We don't know the full details," Tywin said, obviously frustrated. "The king has chosen to not share anything with the small council. But rather, he will make an announcement when he returns from Dragonstone."
To secure the dragons no doubt. A part of Joanna was glad that she hadn't seen those beasts. It might have given her a heart attack.
"Then who controls them?" Genna asked, still curious to know.
"Princess Shaena became the first," Tygett replied.
Of course it was her.
"Then…." Tygett hesitated before a wave from Tywin caused him to continue. "The other two have apparently bonded with the king and queen. Only Prince Daeron remains without a dragon."
"What!?" Genna gasped. "The queen as well!?"
Joanna couldn't fault Genna for her reaction. She herself was shocked. The timid and docile Rhaella was now a future dragon rider instead of her son? It was unbelievable to consider.
But she knew her husband. He would not make a joke like this.
"The court can hardly believe it, but that's irrelevant right now." Tywin clenched his fists. "Aerys now has a dragon. This will make reasoning with him more….difficult."
Difficult? That was an understatement. Even though Joanna hadn't interacted with the king much in recent years, Tywin kept her informed. Aerys was still the same arrogant and vain man that he had been in his youth. Now that he had a dragon beside him….Joanna shuddered to think of the type of man that he would become.
"Reasoning?" Genna's shock changed into frustration. "Are you still thinking of making Cersei the next queen?"
Tywin did not answer. But he did not have to. The answer was clear.
"When are you going to let go of that?" Genna glared at her brother. "Do you know what asinine dreams you have filled that girl with? She now thinks that the princess is her enemy! If the king hears her speaking like that, losing your position will be the least of your concerns! Especially now that he has a dragon with him!"
"What?" Tywin looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Husband." Joanna tried to be as gentle as she could, but she was also mad. "It's true. On the ride here all Cersei could talk about was how she was meant to be queen, not the princess. Do you not see the danger?"
"I told her not to-!" Tywin's teeth clenched. "This is why I did not want to bring her here yet. She is not ready."
"Ready for what? Some dream of yours?" Genna said. "Face it. The Targaryens will never consider another match. Not with those weird traditions of theirs."
Weird traditions. Yes. Weird. Bizarre. Unnatural. That and much more. Joanna remembered when one of the maids at Casterly Rock dared utter that her children were engaging in such activities as if they were Targaryens. She had the maid dismissed as well as separated the twins from one another, warning them of the sin of their actions.
Joanna took a deep breath in to control her emotions, dismissing those thoughts as irrelevant now. She still remembered the day she gave birth to the twins. It was still one of the happiest moments of her life. She had done her duty and given her husband an heir. Someone to carry on his legacy after he was gone. But beyond that, she had also provided him with a bride for the crown prince. For the first time in the realm's history, there would be a Lannister queen. During that first year, Joanna truly believed that. She was confident that the gods were on their side.
But then Rhaella gave birth, and it was a healthy girl. Princess Shaena made everything difficult just by being alive. There was a part of Joanna that wished that the girl had died in her crib rather than continue to exist. She was only born to get in Cersei's way.
'And now she's a future dragon rider.'
Cersei could not compete with that. Aerys would never allow it. Rhaella wouldn't either. Her friendship with the queen had already suffered because of Tywin's schemes. Trying to push further would only lead to more problems.
"I do not appreciate your tone, sister," Tywin said, his own tone stern.
Genna was not deterred. "I speak the truth, something that others have become too afraid to do."
"Our sister brings up a good point," Tygett stepped in, his arms crossed. "There is Prince Rhaegar to consider. He is also a dragon rider now. Not to mention that he wields Dark Sister as well. He would be a fine match for Cersei."
Wait, what?
"Dark Sister?" Joanna was bewildered. She had heard of the sword. Everyone had. But it was supposed to be lost somewhere in the Wall, wasn't it? Why were they bringing it up now?
"The prince retrieved the sword and gifted it to his brother," Tygett said after noticing their confusion, as if that explained everything.
Genna's face darkened as she caught on. "Indeed. A lot has changed."
Just what else had Prince Rhaegal accomplished in the North?
Tywin was left staring at his siblings, like he was judging something. "It's not something that I have not considered. Prince Rhaegar is….acceptable."
Joanna could see the reluctance in her husband's face. He was not content with the spare. He wanted the crown prince. He was the prize.
'Of course he does.'
His ambition was never sated. It had driven him to achieve many great things, but at a certain point one needed to know when to stop. And Joanna feared that Tywin did not understand that.
A silence descended upon them, but it was soon broken by Tywin as he stood up.
"I will not commit to anything. An opportunity will present itself in the future. In the meantime, I must have a word with Cersei. If she is to remain in the capital, then she must learn to conduct herself."
It was pointless then. Tywin was shutting them out. Genna and Tygett looked resigned, no doubt ready to just let Tywin do as he wished.
'No.' Joanna was not going to allow that. She had reached her husband before. She was confident she could still keep doing it.
Hopefully her next child did not bring so much conflict as this.
---
Dragonstone was the same as always. The fortress stood over the island as a protective shield to the small populace that called the island home.
To Rhaegal it was his first home.
He had come to love King's Landing for what it represented, but Dragonstone would always be his first love.
Now, the island felt more like home than ever as dragons once again inhabited it like days past.
Of course, this development came with logistical nightmares.
Such as the fact that someone was going to have to make sure the dragons were kept safe while he wasn't here. In all of his excitement and drive to bring the dragons back, Rhaegal had forgotten to adequately prepare for what would happen after the fact. In his defense, he did not think that he would make it this far so quickly. He was suffering from too much success.
That hadn't stopped Rhaegar from mocking him for it.
'Maybe he should start planning things then.'
Yes, their childish squabbles always continued.
"Brother, we're going to have dragon watchers again!?" Shaena's excitement was palpable as she sat on his lap. The two of them were inside the chamber with the Painted Table. Melisandre was with them, as was Qyburn, Ser Barristan, and Hallyne.
His father had left Rhaegal in charge of everything. In the meantime, he spent more time with his dragon while they remained on the island, which he had affectionately named Paarthurnax. Rhaegal had no idea where the name came from, but it sounded regal enough.
His mother had been more gentle with her dragon's name, calling it Moonlight. She said it was because the she-dragon's flames reminded her of the rays of the moon on a clear night. As with Shaena, she was convinced that her dragon was female.
The bond between dragon and Targaryen was strong. Then again, despite not being their rider, Rhaegal felt a connection with all the dragons. It was probably not as strong as each individual bond, but the fact that it existed at all was amazing.
'It must be because of the blood magic that was used to revive them….'
Or because of his soul? Maybe a combination of the two. Either way, he was not going to complain.
"I believe you mean dragonkeepers, princess," Qyburn corrected her as he wrote in his journal.
"Oh, right! That!" Shaena hummed as she placed a delicate finger under her lips. "They used to watch over the dragons, right?"
"You know your history. Good." Rhaegal patted her on the head, which she accepted with a happy giggle. "I thought you didn't bother to pay attention in your lessons."
"I just don't care about the boring stuff! But dragons? They're amazing!"
She was his sister alright.
Rhaegal looked around the table. "It's just as my sister said. We are going to reestablish the dragonkeepers, but they will be drawn from the people here and the Alchemists' Guild."
Hallyne looked pleased by this development. "We welcome your continued patronage, my prince."
Of course they did.
"How do you plan to go about it?" Qyburn questioned. "What knowledge exists will be at the Citadel."
"Which is where we will be going once the celebrations end," Rhaegal said. "Not to worry, Qyburn. I will be there with you to keep you safe." He said the latter with a small smirk.
"I feel safer already," Qyburn muttered.
"Besides, Valyria had to start somewhere," Rhaegal continued. "If they refuse, then we press on. They are not the only ones in the world with knowledge of dragons."
Essos was a big place, and he conveniently had a person who was very familiar with Asshai and its knowledge.
Melisandre merely smiled but did not say anything.
Before the conversation could continue, one of the pyromancers from the guild burst into the room frantically, his face haggard as he panted.
"What is the meaning of this?" Barristan was immediately on alert.
The guards standing out in the hall were looking apologetic but were distressed. Their lack of concern eased Rhaegal's mind as he waved to the panting man.
"Speak."
"My prince!" He tried to catch his breath. "We've finally done it! We've managed to recreate dragonstone!"