3 The Black Egg Hatches And Names Are Had (Prologue III)
~~~(POV: Raenon Targaryen)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 12 Years)~~~
~~~(Location: The Ash River, Essos)~~~
~~~(Date: 296 AC)~~~
The last 9 days haven't been nearly as hard compared to the previous 2 weeks. The monsters and beasts aren't attacking anymore. I haven't seen or felt a single one. The further I travel along The Ash River, the lower the danger becomes.
I've grown nervous at the constant silence... When you fight for your life every day, it becomes unnatural not to.
But there is something that has grown to concern me greatly. The Black Egg has grown red hot, and the only black that remains is the outer layer of The Black Egg. This red hot glow isn't harmful to me, and I've been feeling movement from within The Black Egg the past day now.
I've been resting on a rock with my feet propped up. It's early morning, and the darkness all day that I'm used to is gone now. The blue of the sky has been taking my mind most days.
I only got to see it for a little more than an hour, and then it'd disappear. But free from those mountains, I can see the world for what it is.
Freedom.
At the feeling of freedom, there is a mighty jerk from The Black Egg. I lift it with my left hand and hold it steady with my right. I watch cracks form at the top of the egg, and the red hot glow slowly fades. For a few seconds, I grow concerned.
But that's shattered the same way the egg's top half breaks open. A little black dragon spreads its wings and lifts its wobbly head.
"Raah..."
Its little cry is just that. Little.
My right hand is there for it, and the little dragon steps out of its egg and rests on the top of my right hand. Its bright purple eyes contrast its dark body. It's a girl. I can feel it in my bones. This little dragon is a girl.
Our eyes meet, and she looks at me with curiosity. Wonder in a sense. There is a bond between us, the same one I felt when I first started caring for The Black Egg. But that egg is gone now, and this little girl is who I have now.
Instead of saying anything, I reach into one of the pockets of my clothes, and I pull out a little piece of meat. Holding it out for her to take with my left hand.
She instantly takes it and gobbles the food down, and looks at me for more. So I oblige and give her little pieces of meat until she's satisfied. And by that, sleeping on my shoulder.
Naming her is something I should give consideration to. But I know not of how to name a dragon. But that's something I can do when she's a little bigger and smarter. Right now, she's just a hatchling.
For the first time in a couple of hours, I stand up and start walking along The Ash River. I don't know when I'm going to see more cities like The City of Night.
I've put a lot of faith in the words of The Whispering Voice. And I'm still wary of what's in store for me. I doubt that anything I run into will be friendly wherever I'm going. I'm glad that I have Fate Breaker. I'm getting better at wielding The Black Sword every day.
"We have grand adventures ahead of us."
My words are directed at my little dragon companion, and all she does is yawn. The dragon from my dreams was black like my little hatchling. But I never said any name for the dragon I rode. It was always a quiet dream, with the only sound being the blood rain.
I don't know if there are truly grand adventures ahead, but I can hope. A lot has changed for me in a short amount of time.
~~~(POV: Viserys Targaryen)~~~
~~~(Current age: 22 Years)~~~
~~~(Location: Free City of Volantis, Essos)~~~
~~~(Date: 296 AC)~~~
"These damn insects haven't the slightest clue how important it is that I get support for my claim to The Iron Throne!!"
No matter who I talk to, no matter where I go. They all say the same thing, and they claim it's not a worthy investment. The Free Cities of Essos can charm anyone, but underneath it all, it's just rich men trying to get richer.
I look at my little sister, and I see her look into the book she has. She's been trying to teach herself High Valyrian. Dany is the only family I have left, and if I can't find the support I need. I might have to make drastic decisions.
"I'm sorry, Viserys... I know that you've been trying hard to find help... I wish there was something more I could do to help you..."
My heart aches and twists at the thought, but I might have to sell off my little sister when she comes of age. I stop my focus on the bad things, and I sit across from my little sister.
"Don't worry, Dany. One day, I'll take what's rightfully mine. Our lives will be that of untouchable dragons in the skies."
When I look at Dany, I can't help wondering about her dead twin. Raenon... The sibling that was separated from us. Taken west somewhere while we were sent east. I would've liked to know my little brother.
She asks about him sometimes... Her questions about our mother and father sting more than she knows. Rhaegar would've loved Dany... Our father would've ignored her... Our mother would've spoiled her rotten...
"Viserys... Why don't we just stay in Essos... The life we can build here could be better than chasing supporters our entire lives... We won't ha-!"
My hand raises from my side, and I smack my sister. She doesn't know what she speaks and must be disciplined for it. I'm a King and a dragon. I'll not have my decisions and goals second-guessed by a child.
She looks at me in fear as she holds her red cheek. In truth, I didn't strike her as hard as I could've. But it serves as a reminder for her. When I look into her eyes, I see she knows what she's done.
"You'll never question my decisions, Dany. I'm the dragon, and it's best not to make me angry."
My sister nods her head and turns back to her book. I stand up and leave the room.
~~~(POV: Daenerys Targaryen)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 12 Years)~~~
~~~(Location: Free City of Volantis, Essos)~~~
~~~(Date: 296 AC)~~~
His attacks against me have become more frequent. And he's starting to hit me harder. There are times I wonder if Viserys even cares for me anymore. All I see in him now is anger. He's not the brother I grew up with...
Lately, I've been having dreams... Pleasant dreams... Ones where I'm flying on the back of a dragon. Following behind another. With two more riding beside me. The one in front is always black, and I almost see someone on the back of the dragon. But the dream always ends before I can see who.
There are other dreams... Ones I'd call nightmares... It always starts with the rain of blood and ends with my screams... I always wake up breathing hard and drenched in sweat after those...
Lately, the feeling that I've been missing something has only grown more powerful... Like I've been without a piece of me...
It only grows by the day... Slowly taking me from the inside... I wish I knew what it was that I was missing... Cause if I could find it, I could stop this feeling.
~~~(POV: Raenon Targaryen)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 12 Years)~~~
~~~(Location: The Ash River, Essos)~~~
~~~(Date: 296 AC)~~~
It's been another week now, and my little black dragon has been eating plenty and crawling over me to pass the time. She's not big enough to fly yet, and she won't be for a while.
"You know, I'm starting to think this river leads nowhere, Rhaenys. I've been walking this river bank for weeks now."
Rhaenys is what I've decided to call my little girl. She's very noisy when she gets hungry and very fond of chewing my hair. With her having a seat on my shoulder for the majority of the time, she has easy access to my white hair.
She doesn't do any permanent damage. Just getting her saliva on it.
"Ra! Ra! Ra!"
Her head jumps up and down in response to my words. Enjoying that I'm paying attention to her. Feeding her by hand has caused her not to eat unless I feed her. Which I'll have to make her grow out of, but at such a young age, it's fine.
After a couple more hours of walking ahead, the river bank I'm traveling opens up even more. And that is when I see the edges of a city on both sides of the river. And there are large wooden contraptions heading for it... They're called ships.
Monsters and Beasts can't make those.
"We did it, Rhaenys."
Humans. I've found other humans.
