These Violent Acts → House of the Dragon

004. The Movements of a Dragon

Yet, here stood a girl of only six, completely unharmed. In the meantime, at least. 

The devourer had watched the young girl with such intensity it could have burned through a lesser man. Naenya, however, simply stared back with a toothy smile. Perhaps it was her age that interested the dragon, no one of her age had ever come close to the dragon before. Perhaps it was mere shock that such a child would even try such a thing that saved Naenya in those beginning moments. 

The young girl, completely unaware of the danger she had placed herself in, sat beside the dragon and let out a loud yawn, "Ēdrugon,"

As it turned to dawn the next morning, a group of guards accompanied by Aemma and the newly arrived Viserys Targaryen were out searching for the lost princess. Noticing the slumbering Cannibal, Aemma burst into tears, assuming the worst. Viserys, drawing his dragonglass dagger, shakily approached the mighty dragon. The dragon turned in its slumber, its wing moving to reveal the young princess curled beside it. 

At that moment, Naenya had claimed her own dragon. 

Still, Cannibal was as elusive as ever. Cannibal was unable to be coaxed into the dragon pit by the dragon keepers, and, despite choosing a rider for himself, he was still a wild dragon at heart. He would soar the sky, free as ever, and return to Dragonstone to find his food, only ever returning to Naenya when he knew she needed him. As Cannibal's dragon rider, the two held a close bond that allowed Cannibal to know when Naenya was calling for him. Naenya, the ever-understanding princess, hardly ever did so and instead allowed Cannibal the freedom he so loved - with many believing that if Naenya was not like this, Cannibal would likely have gotten bored and killed his own rider. 

Naenyna hardly rode Cannibal, let alone let someone else join her for a ride. However, she needed her faithful companion to take her to her first stop on her journey. She was to begin her tour in the furthest region of Westeros. She would ride to the North and continue South until she returned home. And, since all the Lords and their trusted guards were leaving at the same time as her, she had offered Lord Stark a ride back to Winterfell with her. She had taken a very risky decision, considering Cannibal was still as interested as ever in eating humans and animals alike, but luckily Cannibal had listened to his rider and brought both the young woman and the older man to their desired location. 

On dragonback, every journey is far shorter than it would've been otherwise. It was one of Naenya's favourite parts of having a dragon. Travelling by carriage for months did not do her good. 

Naenya could feel Lord Rickon's hands tighten around her waist as they soared past the villages closest to Winterfell. 

Their landing was rough, the mighty devourer letting out a roar as it lowered itself to the ground to let Naenya and Lord Rickon off his back. Naenya jumped first, offering her hand to Lord Rickon to help him down. 

"Are you feeling alright, Lord Rickon?" Naenya asked as Cannibal shook his body free of the humans and took off into the sky. 

"Flying may not be for me," Lord Rickon groaned, pausing to hold his stomach as he waited for a wave of nausea to leave him. 

Naenya nodded, taking the time to look around the courtyard. The entire area was clothed in a soft layer of snow, though none of the inhabitants seemed to notice. Turning in a circle, she tried to take in the entirety of the formidable castle around her. It was nothing like Kings Landing. It was stripped bare of all the fanciful detailing that the Red Keep used to lure people in. Instead, Winterfell stood plain and strong, only there to allow in those that seek it. 

"We are humbled that you would come all the way to the North to see us," Lord Stark's wife, Gilliane Glover, lowered her head, "I hope we can make you feel adequately at home,"