My Life As An Si In King Viserys Court

Daemon I

"How could you?!" Rhea Royce was thrashing and screaming with her arm caught in Daemon's hand, the moment he had landed Caraxes in Runestone she had descended upon him without letting him even say a word.

Four months had passed since Baelon's claiming of Vhagar and during that time there was hardly anything else anyone in the capital would speak about, Daemon included. He could be found boasting throughout the city's taverns to anyone who would listen about how great his son was.

The youngest dragon rider Westeros had ever known and he had needed no urging from his father to push him into that decision. 'Baelon the Brazen' the people of King's Landing had taken to calling him, an homage to both his grandfather and his Royce
heritage.

Were Daemon to choose which of his children would be so brave as to claim Vhagar he would not have chosen Baelon. His son had always been bookish and preferred to stay inside getting whatever knowledge he could from books than to play with the other children. The maester told Daemon that often the only times Baelon would leave the library was if Alyssa was pulling him along.

That Baelon had not been present in the capital. The boy there had not only claimed Vhagar but made fast friends with Rhaenyra along with any young Lordlings he could and was regarded as a charming and well mannered child. Perhaps it was true that a dragon affected the personality of their rider.

Baelon was the youngest dragon rider the Seven Kingdoms, and possibly the world, had ever seen yet even young Dragon Lords needed to return home to their mothers once all the excitement was done. Baelon and Alyssa had taken a ship back to Runestone along with Ser Steffon while Vhagar flew alongside them.

Now Daemon had finally found time to leave the capital and fly to Runestone and even though Rhea showed no sign of calming down the guards approaching with their swords drawn were enough for Daemon to release her.

Thankfully Daemon's wife did not attempt to attack him again as she stood breathing heavily, her face red from a mix of anger and exertion.

"And what, my dear wife, have I done to earn your ire?"

"What have you done?!" Rhea looked like she wanted nothing more than to take another swing at him but restrained herself. When she spoke again her voice was lower, "Our son, Daemon. You threw our four year old son to the largest dragon in the world on the slim chance that just maybe he would managed to claim it."

Daemon attempted to interject but Rhea wouldn't have it, "What would you have done if Baelon was unsuccessful? Would you have thrown Alyssa to Vhagar after the dragon was done eating her brother?!"

"Baelon claimed Vhagar himself. I had no part in it," Daemon was more than a little proud of that fact.

"You had no part?" Rhea scoffed, "The boy's father only speaks to him in Valyrian. His father has him wear his hair in the Valyrian fashion. His father gave him a dragon egg while he was a babe in his crib. His father took him on a dragon ride when he was barely old enough to open his eyes. And yet he had no part?" She spoke more to herself than to Daemon.

"Baelon loves dragons. He always has. Any scrap of knowledge he can get from the Freehold he consumes greedily," Daemon defended himself, he knew what she was trying to say and he disagreed. After all he had warned his children not to attempt claiming Vhagar.

"Alyssa loves dragons. Baelon loves you," Rhea said with more than a hint of bitterness as they made their way towards Runestone's solar, "He wants to be just like you, he always has. The only thing a boy his age wants to be is their father. So take some responsibility."

"If you want to mark me as the reason for why our son is the most secure he has ever been then be my guest."

"More secure? Don't be a fool," Rhea dismissed, "Tell me Daemon. When the Sea Snake decides that our side has too many dragon riders and potential dragon riders, who do you think he will send assassins after? Fearsome Prince Daemon, wielder of Dark Sister or Baelon the 'Brazen', four year old boy not even old enough to hold a large stick let alone a sword."