and the dragons danced?

JACAERYS I

Jacaerys didn't know what to think. This morning when Ser Steffon had come to his chambers and summoned him and Luke, Jace had been intrigued. When his uncle had collapsed on the ground at his mother's feet, that intrigue had turned to confusion.

While they had only seen each other for a few hours when his family had visited King's Landing and Jace had not seen his uncle for seven years prior to that day, Aegon had seemed proud and lewd as ever at their dinner. So him arriving on Dragonstone even more dishevelled than he had been at the Keep, had been a shock. His uncle's attitude during the day had been even more shocking. When Jace and Luke had taken their uncle to bathe, the older man had clung to them like they were a raft in a stormy sea, not being more than a few steps away from them and always keeping them in his sights. It was as if he feared everyone in the castle besides his nephews.

Jace had never thought that he would be so worried about his uncle. He'd spent seven years not even thinking about Aegon except in moments of anger towards the greens. The last night he'd spent in the Keep, Aegon and Aemond had forced him to think of them, but they'd left his mind as soon as Vermax landed on the Dragonmont's rocky ridge.

Now though, thoughts of Aegon's scared face and shaky hands refused to leave Jace's mind. Even here in the Chamber of the Painted Table, listening to Maester Gerardys tell them about some house's ancient history, thoughts of his uncle persisted. "Prince Jacaerys," the Maester's sharp voice cut through his thoughts, "if you would please tell me, which house owns Blackcrown?"

Jace blinked, and he heard his brother and cousins giggling around him, "uh-" Blackcrown, Blackcrown, c'mon Jace, "House Bulwer," he said looking up at the Maester who smiled and nodded, "their sigil?" Gerardys asked.

"A bull's skull, white on blood-red,"

"Correct, their words?"

Jace paused, "Death Before Disgrace," he said after a moment.

"Well done my Prince," Gerardys smiled, "but perhaps you should be listening during your lessons and I wouldn't have had to ask you three times."

Jace blushed and nodded, "sorry Maester."

Luke was still giggling to his left, and little Joffrey was trying not to make his own laughter obvious at their feet. Gerardys turned to Luke, "and you Prince Lucerys, which house governs Ashemark?"

Luke paused, eyes widening, "House..... Marbrand?"

"Yes my prince, sigil and words?"

"Uh... a burning tree, orange on grey. Their words are-" Luke paused to think, "Burning Bright?"

"Correct, Lady Baela?" And so Maester Gerardys continued for what felt like hours, drilling them each in turn on houses, sigils and words until there was not a moment of hesitation in anyone's answers. "You have done well-"

"My turn!" Joffrey cut off the Maester, jumping to his feet. Joffrey was too young to learn the same things as his older brothers but he still wanted to feel included, so Gerardys would give him easier questions at the end of lessons.

"Yes my prince, let's see," Gerardys glanced around the room and spotted Alys standing near the hearth watching them, she had been Joffrey's wet nurse and was now assigned to watch over him when their mother was busy, she was from Maidenpool originally which seemed to give Gerardys an idea. "Which houses governs Maidenpool?"

Joffrey paused, his little brown eyes narrowing as he thought, "oh! oh! Mooton, it's Mooton," his head turned towards Alys, "isn't it? That's your home."

"Yes my prince, Maidenpool is where I'm from," Alys smiled, "but what is the sigil of my lord's house?"

Joffrey pouted, "a salmon?"