Stolen Heir

Chapter 8

Celine felt free. Euphoric. Ignoring how her arse screams for the lack of harness or saddle as she sat down on his scales, the harsh wind slapping her face, sending her hair into wild a mess, she didn't want this to end. This feeling, this freedom, everything. She was at peace when she's in the sky, safe and comfortable. She was just herself. Away from problems, from eyes that follow her.

She can almost taste the saltiness in the air as the dragon flew just above the sea, she smiled, widely as she gets to experience such things. Her risking her life, sweating hands, and dry throat was all beyond worth it and undoubtedly would do it all over again if she'll get to witness how beautiful the view is from above.

"Higher." She commands in which the dragon obliged.

Her ears are hypnotized by the flapping of the wings while she watches themselves ascending higher and higher. Gripping tightly as she felt the gravity pulling her body down. Celine felt how her blood started rushing, while her brain adjusts, she still feels the adrenaline flowing fast.

A laugh escaped her lips as the dragon found his rhythm flapping his wings steadily. Satisfaction ruled over her body as the dragon continued to fly. Closing her eyes, she inhaled and exhaled. Feeling his body trembling, she opened her eyes as they once again ascended to the sky, her eyes widened as he opened his mouth and breathed fire into the air.

Her grip tightened and a curse escaped her lips as the dragon flew towards the fire, her breath hitched as the flames that were supposed to burn her instead brought her solace. She checked her body and heaved a sigh seeing nothing happened to her.

"I almost died of a heart attack right there." She leaned towards the dragon and muttered, only receiving a hiss from him.

The sun was setting by the time he landed back to his lair, he adjusted his wings for Celine to dismount. Slowly descending as she felt her legs were soft, wobbly from the ride. The dragon growled as she chuckled to herself when she almost fell face first. Touching her hand to his head, she leaned her forehead and closed her eyes.

"Thank you for the ride. For letting me experience that wonderful view and for not burning me alive." Celine whispered and giggled.

She snapped her eyes open when the dragon growled, turning around feeling a presence behind her, she was met with shocked faces looking at her. Her body stilled as she saw who were they, blinking her eyes, she took a step back seeing it was the royal family namely, Prince Aemond, Prince Aegon, Princess Rhaenyra, Prince Daemon, Prince Lucerys, Prince Jacaerys, even Queen Alicent and her sworn sword, Ser Criston Cole was present. Then her eyes avert towards her older brother, who looked petrified.

"Ben." Celine called, snapping his attention back to her sister. He was about to step forward when the dragon growled, almost a warning to never cross a line. Daemon, Aemond, Aegon, and Ser Cole placed their hands on their swords.

Celine turned towards the dragon and patted him lightly, "That's my brother, Bennard. He will not harm me." She stated and ran towards her brother who hugged her with open arms and tightly.

"You made me worried, Cel. Gods be good, if anything happened to you, Rickon and Aliah will have my head on a spike." Bennard stated, causing Celine to laugh, his nose scrunched as soon as he smelled her stench, "Did you drink?" He asked, squinting his eyes towards her.

"A bottle." Celine nonchalantly replied.

Daemon chuckled hearing her, while Aegon smirked, Aemond stared at her, Lucerys and Jacaerys were looking at her in awe.

"Your hair." Celine turned towards the voice, finding everyone looking at her.

"My hair, what about it?" Celine wondered, Bennard leaned towards her ear.

"It went back to its natural color, sister." He whispered.

Her eyes widened, grabbed and checked hoping for it was one of her older brother's jokes, but to her dismay it wasn't a joke as her newly dyed brown hair went back into platinum, the natural color of her hair.

"Fuck." She mumbled, "You just dyed it last night, what happened?" She asked.

"I also don't know, Cel. We even dyed it three times." Bennard answered.

Everyone was silent, still processing what happened before their eyes. Someone just mounted Cannibal, a wild dragon that was left untamed and was known to be a vicious dragon only to see him claimed by a woman who at first, they thought was not a Targaryen but upon her arrival, her platinum hair gave her instantly as one of theirs. And to top it all out, her name is Celine from House Stark, the one who was declared champion at the tournament. They were beyond confused as questions began to form inside their heads, on who she truly is and what her true identity is.

"What is the meaning of this?" Alicent asked, given she was the first one to snap back into reality.

Celine and Bennard looked at each other, not really knowing what to answer or say to the Queen.

"Your Queen asked you a question." Ser Cole stated, glaring at the girl who stayed silent.

Celine was about to say something when Bennard interrupted her, placing her behind him, "It was my fault, Your Grace. The color of her hair was the result of my doing." Bennard answered.

"And how do you explain her claiming Cannibal?" Aemond asked.

Cannibal, so that was his name. Celine took notice of this and tried to never forget the dragon's name.

"It is treason, what you're doing Lord Stark." Alicent stated, not believing his words.

"I know, Your Grace. I made a terrible mistake that fitted me to be beheaded. I would like to ask for your forgiveness." Bennard replied.

Her eyes widened and looked at the back of her brother's head, "Ben." She mumbled, only receiving a squeeze to her hand from her older brother.

"If you tell us the reason why you dyed Lady Stark's hair, maybe then we can dismiss this matter." Alicent said.

"It was for mere curiosity, Your Grace." Bennard simply answered, bowing his head.

"Your reasoning is insufficient, Lord Stark. Ser Cole, see to it that Lord Stark is escorted to the dungeon until he'll confess to his treason." Alicent demanded.

Celine's eyes widened, she swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat and immediately unsheathed her dagger. Dragging Bennard behind her.

"You will not lock my brother into the dungeon." She said, her eyes looking at the knight with daggers.

"Release the blade, Lady Stark or else you'll join your brother." Alicent ordered, only receiving a glare from the woman. Alicent admits that Celine intimated her, but she'll never voiced it out.

"And pray tell, the crime he did, Your Grace?" Celine asked.

"He committed a treason, changing one's hair colo..."

Alicent was interrupted when Celine mumbled something.

"Speak up, Lady Stark." Alicent demanded.

"He didn't commit any treason for this is the true color of my hair." Celine confessed, raising her voice a little bit. Cannibal growled louder, forcing everyone to take a step back.

"What?" Alicent asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

Celine looked at Bennard and nodded her head. With her free hand, she took the lenses from her eyes and looked at them. Everyone stares as her grey eyes turn into indigo.

Daemon intently stares at her, for the woman who stands in front of him was clearly, a combination of him and Rhaenyra. She even got the late Queen's eyes.

"How old are you?" Rhaenyra asked as her eyes started to sting.

Celine averts her eyes towards the princess, "Nine and ten, princess." She answered. Rhaenyra held her breath, Daemon who was beside her instantly took a hold of her arm.

"Daena." Rhaenyra stated, everyone looked at her then back at Celine. Everyone knew the story of Rhaenyra's firstborn daughter, the heir that was stolen from her.