Here There Be Dragons

Dragon Awakened

Shadowbane was just turning back to the Gay Abandon, when agony exploded on her shoulder. Aemma screamed, darkness edging her vision and Shadowbane echoing her pain with an earsplitting roar. She suddenly found herself slumped over her dragon's neck, unaware of having fallen forward in the first place, and she blinked against the dizziness that threatened to take her under. Sitting up, her shoulder a ball of fire and pain, she glanced down and spotted the cross-bolt that jutted from her left shoulder. It did not seem real. Aemma had a hard time consolidating what she was seeing, but she knew the wound was real. Each movement of her body, even each breath, caused her shoulder to scream in response.

Blood seeped slowly but thickly down her arm and chest. Turning away from the sight, Aemma found Shadowbane perched on the platform that was miraculously still afloat. Aegon's terrified face suddenly filled her vision as the men aboard the ship started pushing him to her on the saddle. She could see her brother's mouth moving as he climbed in behind her and clung tightly to her middle, causing her shoulder to flare in pain, but she could not seem to process what he was saying. Stormcloud scrabbled up after his rider and settled somewhere behind Aemma, out of sight. Viserys came next, clutching his egg with tears streaking his cheeks. He sat facing her as he situated himself in front of her, the egg crushed between them as he wrapped his arms around her just like his brother.

"You must go, princess!"

The fog broken, Aemma blinked at the men watching them from the ship. Shaking her head as denial bubbled up. "I cannot leave you, you are outnumbered."

They smiled sadly. "We were entrusted to keep you safe. Do not worry about us. Get to safety."

"I will send aid to," Aemma wanted to help, but she knew the cold logic. One dragon against this many ships was not a guarantee. Especially with a wounded rider and precious cargo astride it. She only hoped she arrived back to Dragonstone in time to send more dragonriders to aid them.

"Fly home, my shadow." Aemma bade her dragon. "Fly swift,"

Shadowbane took off, his wings a blur. Aemma managed to stay conscious, even though each jolt of his wings caused her agony. Her left arm hung uselessly at her side, but she clasped both her brother's arms with her good hand to ensure they stayed with her. Viserys was still sobbing against her chest, but Aegon was silent behind her as he patted her back and his brother's arm assuredly. The journey was one edged in grey. Aemma distracted herself from the pain by focusing on the distance yet left to travel. They had probably been halfway to their destination when intercepted-two and a half days from Dragonstone by boat. The flight would take five hours for most dragons. Usually, Shadowbane could halve any travel time, but he was wounded and carrying more weight than normal. So four hours passed by the time she spotted Dragonstone in the distance. The sun still shone, past its peak but not yet into fully setting.

Once closer, Shadowbane started to roar repeatedly, rousing the other dragons but also the people on Dragonstone. But instead of landing on the Dragonmont, Shadowbane soared over to the keep and started to descend into the training yard. Her clever dragon. He knew more people would be nearby. He landed onto the ground, the air still shaking with his roar. She saw a lot of movement out of the corner of her eyes as the knights and guards ran over. Once her dragon quieted, she could make out Aegon and Viserys yelling for help. For a moment she could not understand their sudden panic. She blinked up to one of the walkways overlooking the training yard to see the council running out, her mother and Jace leading the throng as they stared down at her in horror. Jace was suddenly roaring orders while her mother clutched the railing. Aemma could not understand the terror on their faces, but then she glanced down. Oh.

Her entire front was soaked in blood. And when Viserys wiggled back to look up at her, she noted the blood that stained his fair hair and skin. She raised a hand as if to comfort him, her mind moving sluggishly now. They were home. Home. The thought seemed to give her body permission to fail. She slumped to the side, but her strapped legs kept her from toppling to the ground. Her body was begging her to slip into oblivion, to leave the pain behind. But her mind kept nagging her. There was something she had to do. What was it?