saddle

Aerys : complimented, "This is the most elaborate saddle I have ever seen."

Rhaenys Targaryen did not answer.

"Princess," he prompted.

"I had the best blacksmiths in King's Landing make these. Corlys wanted me to hire from Driftmark itself, but I denied him." She caressed the seat as if remembering a precious memory. "I took my children flying when they could barely walk. Like Aunt Alyssa used to for her sons."

She turned to Aerys and continued talking.

"I always felt jealous of it. My mother never rode a dragon. Not even by my side. It's why I bonded to your grandmother's dragon. So I could do for my daughter what my mother could never do for me."

Ah, a landmine.

Aerys stepped on it.

"Did Lady Laena ever take you flying on Vhagar?"

The mention of Laena and Vhagar visibly annoyed her, and she did not answer.

"Did she?" Aerys prompted again.

"Aye, she did."

"Then she accomplished something you never could. I think that is amazing."

She smiled sadly. "I suppose that is something."

She helped him strap into the saddle and then took her own seat. They flew over the sea, and Aerys lost himself in the joy of it. This was not his first flight; he had flown on Sunfyre before, but it was certainly his longest flight. Add to that, Meleys and Rhaenys were somehow just smoother.

They had almost reached land when Aerys felt a hand brush his hair. He thought that the gesture was very motherly.

"One could die if they fell from this height."

She spoke, and it wasn't motherly anymore. Aerys didn't reply.

"Your brother hurt my grandchildren last night. Jacaerys even lost a finger to him. And then you went and insulted my son in front of everyone. You all but called my grandsons bastards."

Her hand tightened around his hair, but not enough to hurt.

"I remember it differently, Princess. Your nephew hurt my nephews and my cousins."

The hand left his hair, and the woman sighed tiredly, not saying anything for a minute. Maybe she regretted her words. Or maybe she got confused trying to figure out the Targaryen family tree.

"That is not wrong. Nephew. But what of your insult to my son?"

"I might have said the words, but the insult was given by another, many years ago."

It took them over six hours to cover the entire distance, including a small break once they reached land. Rhaenys did not speak until they were over King's Landing.

"That was unbecoming of me, Aerys." It was the first time she had called him by his name. "I am too old for excuses. So I will just apologize."

Aerys tried to turn around to look into her eyes, but Rhaenys put her hand on his shoulder and said, "Let an old woman have some dignity."

Aerys turned forward again, looking at the city below him.

"Forgive me, nephew."

He hummed. He couldn't understand what was going on in her head, but losing a daughter had to have affected her deeply. Too bad she'd be losing her son soon as well.

"I will. But only if you teach me to fly like you do."

She sighed wistfully.

"I haven't taught anyone for decades. Are you really setting a price on your forgiveness?"

"Anyone can say things like 'I am sorry' or 'I forgive you.' But if you don't earn it, you don't mean it."

"I think you'll do just fine as my husband's squire. Very well, I'll teach you. But only if it does not interfere with your duties to him."

That was good enough for him.

She finally had Meleys stop circling the city and land in the Dragonpit, making Aerys marvel at her control.

The sun had set by the time they landed, and the Dragonkeepers got to corralling Meleys. The flight had tired him out, so they went to their rooms to sleep.

Aerys woke up early the next morning and got to work.

The first thing he did was check on the secret passages he had discovered. There was one in particular that led to the outside of the castle, but not into the city— instead to the coast behind the Red Keep through a cave in the cliffs looking over the Blackwater Bay. Which was pretty neat, as you needed to do some impromptu rock climbing to actually access the cave. Unless, of course, you had a dragon.

Aerys took a torch and walked down the passage. And walked, and walked some more. It was a long walk. When he finally reached the end of the cave, he unlocked the latch to the entrance and turned around to walk back to his room. Because the entrance needed to be unlocked from both sides to be opened.

The second thing he did was send a servant to do his shopping for Ceryse.

Then he realized he had forgotten to pack his bags for an extended stay at Driftmark and hurried to do it.

Then came the fun part. He went to Urrax. He had missed his beautiful murder lizard and seeing her all saddled up was a sight for sore eyes. He made sure to let her know that.

Urrax was a large part of the reason he wanted to stay in Driftmark.

The Dragonpit was stifling. The structure was not a suitable abode for the most beautiful dragon ever. And the only other places that had the infrastructure to host dragons were Dragonstone and Driftmark.

One of those islands was an obvious no-no.

Rhaenys soon arrived, and they admired his dragon for a minute.

"It is a very unusual color," she remarked at the bubblegum pink on Urrax.

"She is beautiful," he replied, somewhat defensively.

"She is," Rhaenys agreed, somewhat surprised at his tone. "Almost worth being commanded to bring you here."

Aerys smirked.

"Father has never done that before, has he?"

She contemplated the question.

"No. He's always endeavored to be as accommodating as possible. Even for your sister's betrothal, he visited Driftmark and made the offer with utmost humility."

She didn't sound like she was complimenting Viserys.

"Is he angry at you?"

Rhaenys smiled.

"Say, nephew. If you truly want to know, I will answer your question if you answer mine in return."

"Ask away," Aerys agreed.

"Why Urrax? I hope you are aware that it is not a true Valyrian name but one from a Westerosi tale."

"I am," Aerys replied, surprised at her choice of question. "I named her after the dragon in the tale."

Rhaenys laughed, like an adult would at a child saying something dumb.

"Did you name your dragon after one who was slain by a lone man with a trick?"

"I did," he confessed, and went to pat Urrax. "Urrax was a dragon larger than Balerion. But he was too focused on the dragon in his reflection and did not notice when Ser Selwyn struck him down. It's a warning to myself, and perhaps to any future riders of Urrax. To not underestimate lone men with tricks. They can get you focused on the illusion of an enemy dragon and strike you when you least expect it."

Rhaenys thought over it, then nodded.

"That is wise, nephew." And the title sounded like an endearment for the first time in their conversation. Then she sighed.

"It was my husband that your father was angry at." Aerys's eyes widened. "After what happened that night, he tried to refuse taking you as a squire, citing that keeping the children together would only cause more conflict. But your father would hear none of it, and even commanded me to urgently bring you here to get your dragon."

Aerys pondered over that, but it still seemed unusual for Viserys to be so assertive. Well, he'd likely return to his jovial nature soon enough.

Soon, a Dragonkeeper approached them and informed that Meleys was ready for her flight. They took off to return to Driftmark.