Chapter 1.2- The Seadragon's Roar

In the end, we were reasonably late to the Great Council. Not so late that the event had begun, of course. But we had made the choice to send a statement. Corlys had come ahead a week earlier, his fleet heading to drop him off at Maidenpool from where he continued on with a retinue that was about two hundred strong. Us, we left much later than he did and ended up making it to the castle around two days after he did. The dragons made a show of their arrival.

Jaehaerys would not be attending the council and that meant the only other dragon here would be Caraxes, and at the risk of sounding prideful, Daemon’s wyrm would not compare. For one, Meleys was beautiful and fast. Even with all the training Igneel and I had done— both when he was younger and even up till date— it was still taking all he had to keep up with her as we flew around Harrenhal, roaring all the while.

We did seven circuits as planned, and by the second, I could make out specs on the ground as people came out of Harren’s folly to watch our arrival. This bit had been my idea. I had few advantages over Viserys so I had to show off every one that I could. One of them was that I rode a dragon while he did not. Sure, he had ridden Balerion itself but considering he’d only ever flown through the skies once, then could he really call himself a dragon lord. When our dragons landed, Corlys was waiting and took mother into his arms bestowing a chaste kiss onto her lips.

I turned aside, focused on helping Leana off Igneel’s back. With how small we were, the saddle needed no alterations to keep the both of us comfortable all through the ride.

—

“Off the Great Lords, the only support I have been able to guarantee is that of Baratheon, Stark, and Manderly. Celtigar, Bar Emmon, Darklyn and the likes will fall in line if they know what is good for them, but there is too much that hangs in the balance”, he said. I nodded, turning to the pineapple juice in my cup. It was a testament of Corlys’ wealth. Pineapples weren’t even native to Westeros but the second I’d expressed my interest in them, he’d secured a consistent supply all the way from Tyrosh of all places.

“I’ll still speak for myself” I said.

“I was never going to go back on that. Now more than ever it is necessary that you speak for yourself” he said, looking stricken by something.

“What bothers you, my heart?” Mother asked, instantly perceiving his change in mood.

“Leanor was right. The Lords of the realm seem to love me little and regard me even less. Lannister just about spat in my face and Tyrell has rejected every attempt at an audience. Tully speaks, leaning this way and that, but never committing. I would have assumed that my deeds would have won some measure of respect at the very least”

“They did. They just won you some jealousy. You made yourself, father. These men. These men outside were made by their birth. All that is special about them is the fact that they popped out of the right set of legs at the right time”