บท 3: Waiting all these years
"Oh my, it must be you... are you the little dragon rider that has so graciously visited my city?" Saera says with a sultry voice that seems to fill the air, had Jace been older he might've even found himself entranced by her, but he didn't much care for that.
Saera walks closer to him which gives Jace a better look at her. She had silver-gold hair that seems to have dulled from age, though she was still pretty and looked a decade younger than her age the years had still caught up with her, she had crows feet around her eyes and winkles on her forehead, her skin no longer flowed with the youthful exuberance of a younger woman such as Daella. However, she seemed to cover that with the application of body paint as she wore purple-coloured lip paint, as well we face powder. She smelled of cinnamon and lemon, so Jace deduced that she must be wearing some strong fragrance.
"Though now that I see your eyes, you aren't a pure Targaryen are you?" Saera stated though Jace couldn't help but feel mild confusion at her words 'Perhaps living in this city has given her more extreme views on blood' he thought to himself.
"Mother this is Jacaerys Velaryon" Daella says as she politely introduces him.
Saera hums as she looks at the boy "A Velaryon, how is it that one from your family has a dragon, I don't suppose the Targaryens have fallen so far that they'd allow other families to control such beasts"
Jace clears his throat "I am Jacaerys Velaryon, however, when I ascend to the Iron throne my name will change to Jacaerys Targaryen, my mother is the current Heir to the throne" Jace explains getting a smile from Saera.
"I see... tell me what is your dragon's name," she asks with a broad smile on her face as she approaches putting her hands on his shoulders.
Jace feeling a bit weird at her strange behaviour shakes it off "Vermax" he replies.
"Mmmmm a nice Valyrian name" she purrs as she steps behind him.
Jace feeling incredibly uncomfortable hopes to shift the subject "My Great Grandmother was called Daella Targaryen, were you her sister"
Saera seems to lighten up at the mention "Oh little Dae was your Great Grandmother, she always was my favourite sister, though she was fearful and weak, I named my only daughter after her, it's such a fitting name for her"
Jace looked towards Daella who seemed to be watching her feet he couldn't help but think it mean-spirited for her to talk about her daughter that way, from what he heard from his mother, Daella Targaryen was incredibly brave, for someone so fearful of most things then perhaps she was right, his grandfather often told him that it is only when you're scared that you can be brave and from what he had Daellas Labour had been a rough and painful affair that cost her life.
"I don't believe Daella is too fearful I believe the opposite to be true, she followed me as I walked the palace and didn't run when I confronted her" Jace stated trying to support Daella, something which she greatly appreciated and even gave him a small smile.
Saera laughed heartily "She'll need to be a lot braver than that in a few years once she flowers" Jace is alarmed by those words though before he can think any more about them he is interrupted.
"Enough of that however, please let me host you and show you all the delicacies Volantis has to offer" she says with a sultry smile as she rubs his arms and shoulders.
Though Jace however looks unsure of whether to stay or not as he still needed to meet with his grandfather "Please you must stay, it is so rare to see family on this side of the world" she says as she places her face near his own.
"I suppose so... but please make sure my grandfather is escorted here as well" Jace states getting a smile from Saera though it looks unnatural on her face, at least when Jace turns to Daella he sees a sweet smile that seems suited to her face.
"Yes yes, it can all be arranged, now why doesn't Daella here show you to your chambers while I organise a feast," Saera says as she pushes him towards her daughter and out of the room.
She shuts the door in the face of the two leaving them outside, for a moment Jace doesn't comment out of politeness but eventually he can't help himself "Your mother is quite strange..."
"Yeah..." she replies.
"Want to go and have some fun?" Jace asks with a smile on his face.
Daella looks uneasy "I'm not sure, Mother told me to take you to your chambers... I wouldn't want to anger her" she states in a low voice as she stares at her feet again, but looks up when she realised Jace has taken her hand, he has a handsome smile upon his face that makes her heartbeat quicken.
"Not to worry princess I've never been caught before" he says with a quick wink.
'Except for the time I did get caught and it got me sent away from Kings Landing...' Jace thought to himself though he shook off any doubts he had, that was a one-time thing.
"Tell me, Princess," he says as he steps in front of her walking backwards.
"What do you do for fun?" he asked, it provoked a thoughtful look on Daella's face.
Though a few moments after her eyes widen and she smiles "There is the library! There are all sorts of marvellous books in there" though by the look on Jace's face she hadn't convinced him of it.
"We could go into the stable and pet the horses!" She says with a bright smile which looked amusing when compared to Jace's expressionless face.
"Sometimes the seamstress lets me sit in and watch her make mothers dresses..." she says with markedly less enthusiasm.
At this point Jace feels the need to interrupt her "Princess... have you ever left your mothers palace?"
Daella smiles nervously "Once when mother took me to one of her businesses since I'd be working there soon"
Jace found it strange that someone as rich as Saera would make her daughter work, though he thought perhaps it was to build character or gain experience, his grandfather had made him do something similar when he first fostered with him. On his first journey on a ship he was scrubbing the decks clean every day, not something someone would expect of the future King of Westeros but he didn't regret a single moment of it.
"Mother says that someone as weak as I am should be kept safe lest I break" she continued.
Jace once again couldn't help but frown at her words "Well I suppose we have to change that don't we" he said with a mischievous smile.
He then walked back into step with her and grabbed her hand "Tell me Princess is there any place you've always wanted to visit?"
Daella looks slightly nervous but tries not to let it show "Well... I've always wished to visit the Temple of the Lord of Light it looks very pretty, but Mother says they are all heretics"
"Then I suppose we are to be heretics for the day princess" he says with a smirk as he walks a bit faster dragging her along outside of the palace.
Daella struggles slightly to keep up but with Jace holding her hand it was a bit easier "But the guards won't let me leave if they see me!" She whispers loudly as they run through they quickly move through the corridors.
Jace mock laughs "I've been sneaking out of castles and keeps for years, I'd like to see them try"
———————————————————-
"There are a lot more guards than I thought there would be..." Jace said as he and Daella looked to the main gate of the large black wall that surrounded the Old Bloods Palaces.
Daella sighs "I told you so! They increase the guards as the sunsets, having the most at night" she explains.
Jace rubs his bare chin in thought, or at least he tries to appear thoughtful for the sake of Daella "I think I have a plan" he says as he turns to her with a cocky smile.
Daella waits and listens with apt attention "We just need to get to the top of the wall, I doubt the staircase on the inside will be defended" he whispers
Daella frowns "What do we do then?" She whispers back, however, he doesn't reply and instead just takes her hand as they circle the wall looking for any door or entrance that would take them inside. After a few minutes, they find one and they open it slowly hoping that no one would be behind it. And to their luck, there was no one, however, there was no staircase either, it was a ladder that seemed to go up forever, at least to their childlike imaginations.
"You go first, and I'll go after," Jace says as he nudges her forward.
"No way! You go first! You'll look up my dress" Daella says with a light blush on her cheeks.
Jace snorts "And what will I find if I look up? Mayhaps if it were your mother..." though he is cut off as Daella starts slapping his chest with her skinny arms.
Jace laughs at her weak strikes "I'll have you know I am almost a woman grown!" She says indignantly
"Of course princess, I must've been foolish not to recognise the blossoming flower before me" Jace says in an exaggerated tone, however, Daella hadn't spent much time with children so she didn't understand he was still joking with her and smiled at him.
"I'll forgive you this time... but next time you'll be in trouble," She says with a cheeky smile.
Jace shakes his head with amusement "I am sure, however, I only asked you go first so if you fell I could catch you"
Daella makes an 'O' shape with her mouth now understanding his intentions and then happily climbs the ladder, Jace gets on after her and immediately looks up at whoever he just as quickly faces downwards again 'Why in seven hells is she not wearing small clothes!!!' He thought to himself as he just got an eyeful of what she had beneath her dress.
Many thoughts raced through Jace's mind, ranging from she didn't like hot weather, so she got a perverted thrill from it 'I hope growing into a man doesn't make me do strange things' he thought to himself as he continued to climb up the ladder eventually they got to the top, luckily the hatch was already open as Jace wasn't sure if Daella would have the strength to be able to push it.
When they both climbed out they were met with a large gust of wind that blew their hair all over the place, Jace who was a dragon rider was used to such things but Daella who had lived her whole life inside of her mother's palace thought it was amazing. She giggled as she walked to the edge of the wall holding her arms out letting the wind blow her hair and dress, though when she looked back to Jace she saw him blush and look away which made her narrow her eyes at him.
"You looked..."
"That... is a vile accusation"
Daella felt her face go just as red as Jace's and her eyes start to water as she covered her face with her hands. Jace starts to feel bad and approaches her taking her hands off her face and giving her a gentle smile "There is no need to be embarrassed if that's the kind of thing you like to do"
She pushes him "I don't!" She shouts with annoyance.
"Mother says I have to do it and that I would make myself comfortable that way... she says it'll be easier" she explains getting a nod of understanding from Jace.
Though truth be told Jace had no clue why her mother would make her do that, it wouldn't make him comfortable if he didn't wear any but maybe things were different for girls, his uncle Daemon had always said that women are as dangerous and unpredictable as the dragons we tame which used to concern him as a child, he used to think that mayhaps his grandmother or one of the other girls would spit dragon flame on him if angered.
"Well let us not think of such things for now, we are going to the temple are we not," he says with a broad smile.
Daella nods her head and wipes her eyes "How will we get down?" She says in a low voice.
Jace smirks at her words "You are Daella Targaryen and yet you have not experienced something a Targaryen should experience at least once in their life"
*ROOOOOOOAAAAAAR*
Dipping below the clouds was Vermax who knew when his rider needed him, not many people in the history of Dragonriders can boast such a connection with their dragon. Daella felt awed and then terrified when she saw Vermax and hit behind Jace who had an amused expression on his face. Vermax screeches again before slowing his descent and landing on the large wall, even from so high up Jace can hear the panic and shouts of the guards down below.
Jace takes Daella's hand and walks towards the dragon, she plants her feet at first but slowly starts to follow when she sees Jace's encouraging smile "Vermax is my dragon and oldest friend, he would never hurt you unless he felt I was in danger" he told her as they approached his side. Daella felt her heart beating out of her chest as she saw the large creature before her, it looked magnificent, it was unlike anything she'd ever seen and the pictures that had been drawn in books did not do it justice.
She squeaks when Jace takes her hand and places it on the dragon's scales, she tries to move her hand away but is stopped by him. After the initial panic of touching such a dangerous animal, she let herself feel his smooth but rough scales, there was such heat emanating from the dragon that she felt that it might burn her.
"Great! Now you're ready to ride" he says abruptly as he lifts her onto his shoulder, something which he found a lot easier than he thought, she barely weighed a thing.
"No! No! No! Are you mad? I can't ride a dragon!" Daella exclaimed as she beat her fists against his back though to no effect.
"You'll be fine, I will be the one flying you just need to relax and enjoy," Jace said trying to relieve her though it served as little comfort.
As he mounted Vermax he placed Daella in front of him in the saddle and put his arms around her she gripped onto him very tightly and to his amusement even had her eyes closed.
"Sōvegon Vermax! (Fly Vermax)" he shouts and his dragon roars before leaping off the wall, Daella started screaming as Vermax dives off the wall, and all the while Jace was laughing. Close to the ground, Vermax spreads his wings and levels out, this was one of Jace's favourite manoeuvres on Vermax it was such a rush. Vermax flapped its wings and soared higher and higher until it was well above the city.
Daella had an iron grip on Jace's arm, which was impressive considering how frail she was "Come on Princess open your eyes" he whispers into her ear. At first, she doesn't listen but slowly she does and her eyes widen when she sees how high up she is "Truly magnificent isn't it" he says to her, and she can only nod dumbly in return as she sees the entirety of Volantis below her.
"This is the most marvellous thing I've ever seen" she said slowly as she looked over the side of Vermax.
"Now where is this temple you want to go to," he asks as he also looks down at the city.
"The big red stoned one in the west district," she says as she points to the building. She was excited to finally be able to go inside, she had seen it the one time she had travelled outside of the black walls, though she was confined to a wheelhouse. It was such a magnificent building on the outside she wanted to know what it looked like on the inside.
"Hold on," Jace says with a grin as he makes Vermax dive once again, only this time Daella doesn't scream but laughs and she even acts so daring that she holds her arms out not even holding onto Jace.
Vermax eventually pulled up and flapped his strong wings to level himself as he landed in front of the Temple, Jace sometimes wished this wouldn't bring as much attention as it did but Vermax was a large dragon so he didn't think he'd get his wish.
He and Daella slid off Vermax before the dragon took to the skies once again. The Fiery Hand, the guards of the temple looked at the dragon in awe, and so did the few priests that happened to be outside, they even bowed as Jace and Daella approached the main doors of the temple. Jace didn't find it too surprising, their god R'hllor was a fire god and dragons were creatures of fire, he wouldn't be surprised if they viewed Targaryens as champions of R'hllor.
The doors were opened for them immediately and they walked in, Daella pressed herself against Jace's back as she looked around him, she was nervous being in a new place even if it was one she desperately wanted to be in. Daella looked around the red temple and it was just as amazing as she imagined it to be, large tapestries adorned the walls of battles between a man with a fiery sword and an ice human, tapestries of dragons and harpies fighting and even tapestries of what looked to be Old Valyria.
Daella removed herself from Jace as she lost herself in the splendour of the temple, however, they were both brought out of their musings when a woman who looked to be a priestess approached them with a smile upon her face, she had pale skin with long red hair and red eyes "I saw that you would come to your grace" she said in a deep sultry voice.
Jace raised an eyebrow at her "How is it that you recognise me?" He asked with a slight hint of suspicion.
However, the priestess just smiled "I saw you in the flames, I saw a dragon land outside of the temple" she explains.
"It was amusing as my sisters thought I was misinterpreting my vision, as it so obviously symbolised something else... but it didn't or perhaps it did," she said as she placed a finger upon her chin.
Jace rolled his eyes at her which she saw and smiled "You travel to the Old Empire" she said abruptly making Jace widen his eyes as he looks back at her with full attention.
"You've seen me go in your vision? What happens?!" He shouts as he looks to her for answers.
"I'm afraid I can not say as you must go, it is this journey that will turn you from a boy into a king and it must be allowed to happen" she states with a serious edge to her voice.
Jace found himself curious, suspicious and afraid all in the same moment 'How could she know where I plan to travel, and why will it turn me into a king? Will I find such vast treasures?' He thought to himself as he looked at her.
"Let us leave Princess, the sun is close to setting and we don't want your mother to wonder where we are" he stated getting a nod from her, however, he didn't see it as he was still focused on looking at the Priestess in front of him, her smile never left her face even as she watched them leave, as the door shuts behind them she lets her smile drop as she sighs.
"I'm sorry but if I told you what would happen you would turn around and never look back" she whispered to herself as she went back to her duties.
She remembered Old Valyria before the Doom and she also saw one of the creatures that now inhabited it 'The Valyrians thought themselves gods and dug too deep'
———————————————————-
After arriving back at the palace Jace looked at Daella who hadn't stopped smiling "I'm glad I could make your day fun Princess"
She looks up at him and nods "Jace?" She says as she looks to him to ask a question.
"Yes?" He replies.
"Why do you call me princess?" She asks curiously, not that she minded it but she wondered why he did it.
"Because you are a Princess" he simply states as if it were obvious.
She scrunches her eyebrows "I'm not, my mother is a Triarch but that doesn't make me a princess" she explains.
Jace shakes his head "You are the King's cousin, so in Westeros, that makes you a Princess" he says with a smile.
"But Mother always said that they disinherited" she replied.
Jace shrugs "If that is true then when I am King you shall have the title once more," he says in a regal manner which makes her chuckle. As they walked together they were approached by one of the slaves that served in the palace.
"Havor isis gaomagon ñuha riña (Food is ready my Lady)" she said with a respectful bow.
"Kirimvose Lia kesi māzigon aderī (Thank you, Lia, we will come shortly)" she replied, Lia bowed and then left leaving her and Jace together.
"You know I still don't know where my chambers are..." Jace randomly commented making Daella burst out into laughter.
———————————————————-
They all sat together at a large table eating, Daella and Jace sat together at one end while Saera took the other end, the dinner was mostly silent which was rather uncomfortable. Jace also couldn't help but worry that his grandfather had still not arrived yet, it wasn't like him to be late, however, he can't follow this train of thought as Saera clears her throat.
"How is the old family in Westeros doing Jaceee," she asks putting a purr on his name at the end.
Jace finishes chewing surprised by her question "They are well Aunt, the family has never been so numerous" he says with a smile.
"Do they still speak of me?" she asks in a low tone.
Jace shakes his head uneasily "No... I believe the last time people mentioned you were at the great council where some people claiming to be your sons put forth their name to be considered king"
Saera laughs mockingly "My sons were foolish, I wouldn't be surprised if they lay in a ditch somewhere"
"My father said to me once before I was forced to leave for Old Town that the gods must have cursed him for having a daughter like me," She says wistfully. Jace doesn't know what to say so he wisely remains quiet as she continues talking.
"He was just blind to the truth, those with Old blood are different, we are beyond those who are bound by mortal laws, you must know this yourself, you've been on the back of a dragon and seen the world from above" she states, and while Jace didn't agree with her he didn't fully disagree either, there was a certain perspective of the world that you could only obtain if you were a dragon rider.
"But I know how my father must feel, when it comes to children I've been cursed, all of my sons are idiots and my daughter is a weak and frail little thing. None of them takes after me in the slightest" She continues while drinking from her cup.
Jace finds himself annoyed at her attitude once more, even after spending just one day with Daella he knew she wasn't weak, she had just never been allowed to experience new things. He desperately wished to argue with her but held his tongue since she was his host, so he chooses to change the subject "How is it you were able to become Triarch here Aunt" he asked curiously.
Saera smiles and he can see a hint of malice in it "After escaping my fate in Westeros I became a courtesan in Lys, it was there I learned, it was there I started on the road to become powerful" she stated proudly.
"Now I have my empire of pleasure houses and that combined with my blood got me all the votes I needed to become Triarch" she explained.
Jace smiled politely "What other businesses do you own, Daella had mentioned she will be working at one"
Saera's smile remained it only grew broader "I only own pleasure houses" she replied.
Jace found himself speechless, he looked at Daella and found her looking down at her plate with a face of shame and sadness, now things that she had mentioned earlier started to make sense, such as why she did not wear small clothes.
"Are you mad!?" He shouted as he stood up.
"You'd put your own daughter to work in a pleasure house!?" He continued as he could no longer contain his outrage.
Saera wasn't phased however and simply nodded "Becoming a Courtesan made me what I am today, and with the fucking disappointment I have for a daughter she could use some experience, though one of my fellow Triarch has offered 100,000 honours to take her Maidenhead, which he'll do before I throw her in my pleasure house"
Jace found himself speechless once more, he'd never met someone so uncaring of their child, she'd be condemning her to a life of suffering just because she was too different from her.
"Look at all that I have made for myself and I did it without the use of the Targaryen name, I am like Aegon the Conqueror... No, I am better, I didn't use dragons like he did" she continues speaking with each word that comes out of her mouth her face turns more and more malicious.
"But... things have changed my dear Jacaerys Velaryon"
"I have been waiting all of these years for a chance to present itself... and it has, you opened the door to the new empire I'm going to build when you brought your dragon to Volantis" At her words Jace backs up alarmingly, a dragon only has one rider and she would know that which means Jace's life expectancy has just dived.
"You wouldn't become a kingslayer would you?" Jace asks with a nervous smile, however, she doesn't answer and sits there.
'Fuck!' He thought to himself as he grabbed Daella by the hand and ran out of the room.
"You won't escape the palace!" She shouted her voice echoing out behind them.
Jace ignored her and kept running with Daella in tow though she struggled a bit to keep up with his full speed. She kept calling out to him and telling him to stop and eventually, he dragged her into a room off to the side.
"Daella, do you really want to be put to work in a pleasure house?" He says as he cups her face with both hands looking into her eyes.
For a moment she doesn't say anything and Jace can see the conflict in her eyes "Daella what do you want?" He says to her slowly and meaningfully.
She looks at him until her eyes start to water and she smiles "I want days like today to happen all the time"
"Then it's time to make our escape" Jace says with a smile, he opens the door again and they run back down the corridor however when they get to the stairs they see that the lower levels are blocked by guards who are marching up them. Jace takes Daella and leads her up the stairs instead.
"Where are we going? The exit is down there!" She whispers loudly to him.
"For a dragonlord, an exit is anywhere with a roof," he said back to her as they kept running up the stairs.
'I'm lucky I have such a close bond with Vermax, had this been Luke or any of the others their dragon wouldn't know they needed to come' he thought to himself.
They finally reached the top floor and saw a large set of windows, Jace crouches down in front of Daella and tells her to jump on and hold tight, he then climbs out the window and starts to free-climb up the palace to get to the roof.
*ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAR*
A sound is heard by everyone in the palace, it draws cries of fear out of the guards and servants though for Jace it's a sound that makes him smile as he reaches the roof just in time for Vermax to slam down on it nearly making him lose his footing. He roars at the people below and even shoots fire into the air to intimidate them. Jace mounts Vermax and slides Daella in front of him and they take off into the sky.
On the ground is a very angry Saera Targaryen who watches her future slip away from her, but it didn't matter, she'd get her dragon soon enough...
———————————————————-
What surprised Jace the most and slightly relieved him was that Corlys had not docked the ships yet, apparently when he saw a group of men wearing a bastardised version of the Targaryen Sigil waiting for him he knew there would be trouble, he trusted in Jace and Vermax enough to get out of any trouble they got into.
Corlys was happy to meet Daella, he even told her stories about her namesake and how kind she was and she should be proud to wear the name.
"So boy, we have crossed the point where most sailors do not go, if we go further we will enter to summer sea, now tell me where are we going" Corlys asks his grandson who is stroking the neck of his dragon Vermax.
At this point Daella runs out of the cabin with a heavy bag that she can barely carry, she gives it to Jace who puts it on his shoulders.
Corlys frowns as he sees Daella and Jace mount Vermax "It's not polite to ignore your Grandsire boy" Corlys says to Jace who turns to him and sighs.
"I'm sorry grandfather but I have deceived you... I knew you would not take me where I wished to go" Jace said with a sad smile.
Corlys looks at his grandson in confusion at first but then his eyes widen and he can only watch as Vermax launches himself off the boat and across the sky.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!" He shouts but his pleas cannot stop the dragon that is currently heading towards the smoking sea, a place even Corlys never dared tread.
(AN: so another chapter done, we finally in Valyria or will be, lots of action and horror and death. Be fun to write, anyways hope you enjoyed the chapter)
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