Here There Be Dragons

Dragon Awakened

129 AC

"Look, Aemma!"

Aemma followed the finger Aegon excitedly pointed over the railing of the ship to see Shadowbane skimming the surface of the water before soaring over their heads. Aegon laughed in glee and trotted over to the other side of the ship to follow her dragon's progress as he lazily flew alongside them. Her younger brother could not get enough of the ship and watching his small dragon, Stormcloud, furiously beating his wings to keep up with the much larger dragon. It had been two days since they set sail from Dragonstone. Two days since Aemma watched Joffrey and Rhaena take to the skies to fend the Eyrie. Two days since she bade her mother, Jace, and Luke goodbye. Two days since she and Aemond parted with a kiss and the whispered reminder of a promise to be kept.

Aemma touched her lips with a small smile and signaled Shadowbane to land on the makeshift platform the Gay Abandon trailed behind it. She knew they could have flown there already, but she did not wish to outdistance her brothers, nor did she want to wait for them in Pentos. So she and her dragon made do. The sound of retching drew her attention from her dragon to find her less-enthused brother. Viserys was not taking to sailing as well as his elder. His face, almost as pale as his hair, surfaced from the bucket that was constantly clasped in his hands and padded on uneven feet to reach her.

He burrowed against her side and she brushed her fingers through his hair. "Go lie down, sweetling."

"Aeg said there were dolphins."

Aemma winced as she glanced at Shadowbane happily munching on bones. "Not anymore."

*****

She and Shadowbane glided through the grey blanket of clouds until they pierced the cloud cover to the cold air above where the sun shone brightly. Aemma and her dragon were both antsy to fly. The slow progress of the ships often saw the two of them up in the sky, flying ahead of the ships for an hour at most before turning back to rejoin her brothers. Aegon begged repeatedly to go with her, and she would take him and Viserys (who faired much better in the sky than on the sea) on a flight around the boats. But these flights were for her and her dragon only.

Aemma smiled and patted Shadowbane's neck, leaning forward to press her cheek to his heated scales. Always a relaxing experience, she was unprepared for Shadowbane's sudden tensing. A ripple of unease passing between them. Aemma sat up. "What is it?"

She urged Shadowbane to drop down below the clouds, but spotted nothing on the horizon in front of them. The disquiet did not fade. So Aemma prompted Shadowbane back towards their ships, his wings beating swiftly as if he too was anxious to return. It was not long before the sound carried over the water. The shouting of men. The hiss of cross-bolts. The creaking of wood as it splintered. What started as mere dots floating amongst the waves became almost one hundred war ships. War ships that surrounded what remained of her retinue. She could spy the Gay Abandon floating uselessly in the center of the Velaryon warships-three of them already sunken. They stood no chance.

Aemma's stomach seemed to drop as if Shadowbane had done a sudden loop, but her dragon remained steady as they swiftly approached the sea battle that unfolded before her. She thought of her brothers, all alone and frightened, while she was off gallivanting through the sky. The thought spurred the welcomed ire to rise. How fucking dare they. With a hissed demand, Shadowbane banked and swept toward their ships. She faintly heard the yells of the men below when they spotted her dragon. She faintly noted the arrows that whizzed past or bounced off Shadowbanes scales. Yet her focus was on the ten ships that were currently in the process of attacking the Velaryon galleys.

"Dracarys!"

Shadowbane roared. Bright orange flames, edged in black, spewed from his gullet and engulfed the ships below. He was not large enough to set the entire boat aflame, but it left enough damage to see that the men were more focused on trying to temper the fire or escape it. A sting of a phantom pain on her arm and Shadowbane's coughing snarl alerted her to the arrows that had pierced through his wing membrane. He wobbled a little in the air, but adjusted himself quickly. Aemma bared her teeth and spun Shadowbane around to face the boat where the archers were scrambling to reload their bows. Aemma didn't give them the chance. With another word, Shadowbane reduced them to blackened husks.