The Pearl of Driftmark

I Leanor's P.O.V

King's Landing, The Red Keep – 122 AC

I watched as my daughter, Lucerys, and her aunt, Helaena, giggled together, their laughter echoing through the courtyard, after the Golden Cloaks had escorted them back to the Red Keep. A sigh escaped my lips as I realized they were up to their usual antics again. I knew I should be reprimanding Lucerys for disobeying my strict instructions. After all, I had made it crystal clear that she was not to approach Ghost on her own until she turned ten.

But as I gazed at her, all wide-eyed innocence and infectious joy, I found it impossible to stay mad. Lucerys had a way about her, a charm that could melt even the sternest of hearts. Who could resist those sparkling eyes and that radiant smile? Certainly not I.

Despite my best efforts to maintain discipline, I couldn't help but feel a pang of fondness as I watched her. She was my little pearl of Driftmark, a constant source of delight and wonder in my life. And while I knew I should be enforcing the rules, part of me couldn't help but revel in her spirited nature and boundless curiosity.

Still there was underline of worry after everything that had happened at the Stormlands. When my news had reached us that three highborn daughters had been kidnapped by Dorne, it had sent the court into dismay. With my daughter, Lucerys, just a few miles away from the chaos, fear gripped my heart like a vice. The mere thought of anything happening to my pearl sent a shiver down my spine. Rhaenyra and I were beside ourselves with concern, our minds plagued by endless what-ifs and worst-case scenarios.

For the first time, the bitter feud between the Blacks and Greens had been set aside in the face of a common threat. The realm was on the brink of conflict with Dorne, tensions escalating with each passing moment. Rhaenyra and Daemon were itching for a war, eager to defend our realm against any who dared challenge us. Luckily, they were reigned in, Westeros could not afford another war when we had just come out from one against the Triarchy.

However, it had been news of Lucerys' involvement in commanding Ghost to protect her cousins, that had left me seething with anger. In that moment, a piece of my daughter's innocence had been stripped away, replaced by the harsh reality of the consequences of her actions. When my mother recounted the events, telling me how Ghost had unleashed his fiery wrath upon a squad of Dornish soldiers, I was incredulous. Ghost? The same dragon who had allowed the children of Dragonstone to frolic and play near him without a care in the world?

It was unfathomable to me. Ghost had always been gentle and accommodating, a guardian of sorts for the children of our household. Families from Dragonstone would often gather nearby, knowing they were safe under the watchful eye of the dragon. He had even scared off a few ruffians who had dared to approach too close. The idea of him unleashing such devastation was beyond belief.

The realization that Lucerys had unwittingly sentenced men to their deaths weighed heavily on my heart. Her innocence, her purity, tainted. As a father, it pained me to see her exposed to such violence. I couldn't shake off the worry gnawing at me about Ghost's behavior. However, to my surprise, the dragon remained unchanged even after the incident with the Dornish soldiers. It was as if nothing had altered in Ghost's demeanor. My good brother, Daemon, had remarked that perhaps Lucerys' sea-blood tempered the fire within her, restraining the dragon within until circumstances demanded its release.

Whether Daemon's speculation held any truth, I couldn't say for certain. But I found solace in the fact that neither Lucerys nor Ghost appeared to be affected by the events in the Stormlands. It was a relief to see my daughter and her dragon companion remain steadfast in their nature, unaffected by the violence and turmoil that surrounded them.

I shook my head and focused on the task at hand. With a wry smile playing on my lips, I watched as Helaena and Lucerys stood before me, their guilty expressions betraying their mischievous escapade. I couldn't help but shake my head in mild amusement as I scolded them for sneaking away from the Red Keep and taking flight on their dragons without proper supervision.