Chapter 02

Red Keep

Pov Baelon

In one of the rooms of the Tower of Maegor was a young man lying on his bed fainted from the blow he suffered.

When I open my eyes I realize that I am in my room, the last thing I remember was being in the tournament with my sister, I sit on the bed when I feel terrible pain in the back of my head, What the hell did I WhenI get out of bed the memories begin to reach me, me leaving the tournament, running through the corridors of the fortress, mother being opened, a father looking the other way and finally fighting with the guards.

Mother was dead, I feel my heart fracture into a thousand pieces, an unbearable pain that I had never felt before, tears begin to fall down my face, I fall to my knees.

Memories of her go through my head, being open like an animal, our talk before going to the tournament, her giving me her father's ring for my name day when she told me how proud she was of me when I got blackfyre, she told me how much she loved my sister and me.

A part of me wanted to think that she was alive, but I dismissed it when I remembered how much blood she was losing when she was cut open like an animal. Never again will I be able to hear her sweet voice, have her loving caresses or the advice she gave me when I didn't know what to do with some situations.

dammit! dammit! dammit! Because, why? I knew that at some point something was going to happen to her, there were many failed pregnancies, but my damned bastard father couldn't stop wanting another child. Wasn't his sister and him enough? What more did he want from his mother? He already had an heir who exacted duty from him. I can not understand it.

A murderous rage begins to build inside me. As I wish to nail Blackfyre to my father, I have never felt so much hatred towards a person. Getting up from where I was, I start to think of something else before doing something crazy and ending up with my head off my body for killing the king.

I have to go with Rhaenyra, I have to be with her and fulfill what I promised my mother, but in this state I can't, I have to clear my head.

I look for any layer to be able to cover myself, I don't want to talk to anyone because the first one I see I'll run through with my sword. I go to the wall where my bed is supported and I touch a point on the wall, when I put my hand on it and force it inwards, a secret door opens and I go down the stairs, when I touch the floor full of water and mold I start to walk through the tunnels towards the exit of the castle, these tunnels I found when I was a child they connect with all the rooms of the red fortress, they were built by Maegor the cruel, very few people know about them, there was only a rumor that tunnels had been built throughout the fortress.

When I'm outside the castle I start walking through the city towards Rhaenys Hill where Dragonpit, the home of the dragons in Kings Landing, is located.

Arriving at the hill of Rhaenys I see the giant copulation that is Dragonpit. I stop at the entrance and I see that the guard guarding the entrance is not there, I go inside the copulation and I see that the dragonkeepers are not there either. I start walking towards a giant staircase that goes down into the depths.

As I begin to walk towards the last caves, I pass by where my sister Syrax dragon is housed, I keep walking until I reach one of the last caves. Making my way inside I see a dragon.

Lying in the middle of the cavern was Vermithor, the old king's mount, with his bronze scales, the second largest dragon after Vhagar, almost reaching a hundred years. When the dragon feels my presence he opens his bronze eyes. I walk towards him and begin to caress his scales, I see how his eyes observe me.

- Rytsas valītsos" (Hello boy).

- Eman quba udir raqiros, ñuha muña morghūltan" (I have bad news friend, my mother died).

- Skoros iksin nyke jāre naejot gaomagon valītsos? nyke feel hae iksan dying iemnȳ, yn eman naejot sagon okay syt rhaenyra, nyke promised zirȳla muña naejot gūrogon care hen zirȳla" (What am I going to do boy? I feel like I'm dying inside, but I have to be okay for Rhaenyra, I promised mother to take care of her.) Tears begin to fall from my face and Vermithor scales slide in, I discharge all my emotions with him, my faithful companion.

I remember when I bonded with him, I had eight name days at the time when I woke up that morning I felt weird like something was calling me, I didn't understand it, I let it go and went about my day as usual when Rhae told me that if I wanted to go with her to see her Mrs. Syrax I said yes, I loved being around the dragons, my blood throbbed when I was around them, but at the same time, I felt sad because the egg they laid in my crib did not hatch.

While we were going in a carriage to Dragonpit the feeling grew, when we reached the dome we saw a giant dragon, when I looked at its colors I realized that it was Vermithor the Dragon that belonged to my great-grandfather King Jaehaerys I Targaryen.

When Vermithor felt our presence he turned his head towards us, I took my sister's hand and put it behind me, the dragon kept looking at me, taking courage I let go of Rhaenyra's hand and I slowly approached, when I was a step away from Vermithor I stretched out my hand and while looking into his eyes, I rested my hand on his scales. When I did I felt different emotions than mine, they were Vermithor's had accepted me as his rider.

From that day I saw him every day and I was with him, I told him about my day and although people did not believe me, I know that Vermithor listened to me, Lo s understood by our bond, the only one who understood me was my twin since she experienced the same with her dragon. Two moons have passed since I had linked up with Vermithor when I decided to fly with him.

When I first took to the skies I understood what it was like to have Targaryen blood running through my veins, to feel the thrill of being able to be in the air, to be one with Vermithor.

Coming out of my thoughts I look around and go straight to the chains that hold Vermithor hind legs tied to keep him in the cave, when I release him from the chains he stands up and begins to stretch his limbs. He turns his draconic head towards me and watches me for a moment, understanding the pain I'm feeling inside, he lowers his wing so that I climb on his neck, when I'm on top of him we go out and he starts to fly

As I pull away from Kings Landing and begin to fly over the sea, hot tears run down my cheeks, I have a dull ache in my chest, I feel short of breath, Vermithor senses my anguish and lets out a roar. Minutes go by and my breathing begins to stabilize, but the pain is still there, I don't think it will ever go away.

I have to put myself back together and start thinking about my twin and being strong for her I can't leave her alone right now. Tengo to hide the pain and anger I feel so as not to worry her anymore. I am the only one who has, I know that my father is a weak and cowardly person, he will not approach to comfort his only daughter and less to me, since I saw everything happen in that room.

I spend some more time in the air thinking about my mother, in all the moments we had as a family. The time I feel like I'm ready to go with my twin I instruct Vermithor to return to Dragonpit. Once I land the dragonkeepers realize that I left the place without them noticing, I go down from Vermithor and one of them approaches me.

- Ñuha dārilaros" (My prince). He tells me as he bows his head.

- Sȳz bantis" (Good afternoon). I return the greeting.

- Ēdi daor realized bona vermithor iksin daor isse zȳhon cave, ñuha apologies ñuha dārilaros īlin battling lēda syrax, syt hours ēza issare restless" (We had not realized that Vermithor was not in his cave, my apologies my prince we were struggling with Syrax, for hours she has been restless). He tells me.

Syrax must be uneasy about my sister, she must feel Rhae's feelings, I have to go with her. I say goodbye to Vermithor and go out to the fortress walking through the streets, people do not notice my presence, they arrived at the entrance of the tunnels I enter them and I go towards the entrance of my sister's room, I climb the stairs and open slowly, when I am inside I walk through the place and find my sister lying on her bed.

I walk over and notice that she is in the same dress she had at the tournament, her face is pale and her cheeks are stained with tears. Ilean next to him and begin to caress his hair, when he feels my hands he opens his eyes.

She wakes up disoriented when she sees her eyes fill with tears and she begins to sob I attract her to my chest and she wraps my arms around her, when she has calmed down I speak to her.

- It's okay sister, I'm here with you I'm not going to leave you "

- Mother Baelon died, we will not be able to see her anymore, never feel her affection again, what are we going to do without her? As she talks about her voice breaks and more tears spill down her cheeks, I feel my heart breaking more and more when I see the pain she is feeling.

I have to be strong for her, I can't break down right now, I try to speak as calmly as I can, and answer.

- I don't know love, but we have to be strong in the days to come, it's what mother would have wanted, She would be sad if she saw us sink into pain, we have to get up and continue with our life and live it for her. No matter what happens I will always be by your side, you are the most important thing I have left in this miserable world." She lifts her head from my chest and looks at me with her bright lilac eyes the same as mine and answers me.

- You are right brother, we have to be strong for her, it is only you and me now, Avy jorrāelan Baelon" (I love you Baelon).

- Me too Rhaenyra"

He lies on my chest, I raise my hand and start stroking his hair, I know he likes this. When we were children he would sneak into my room and ask me to stroke his hair so he could fall asleep, in the end, he ended up sleeping with me. Minutes pass and I feel that Rhaenyra has fallen asleep, I stare at the ceiling and I feel how the dream is coming to me, I am falling asleep.