The Age of Daenerys Targaryen

Part 41: Daarion

Daenerys landed Drogon on the large garden terrace of the Imperial Palace. There she was already expected by her now four-year-old sons. Their dragons and High Priestess Kinvara were also there. Joron and Barrion screeched greetings to Drogon. The two blue dragons were now almost three years old and almost as big as horses. They still looked like lizards compared to the mighty Drogon.

"Mummy!"

Daenerys slid to the floor on Drogon's flank, crouched down, and laughing, spreading her arms for her charging twins. As she hugged Rhaegar and Viserys, she forgot about war and politics and all other worries.

"You got taller", she said. In fact, the twins had grown a couple of inches since Dany had last seen them.

Their resemblance to Jon became increasingly evident. Rhaegar and Viserys had inherited their father's black curly hair and his serious face. Only their purple Targaryen eyes were from Daenerys.

The thought of her lover and nephew brought the Empress a bittersweet pain. She knew that her sons would always remind her of him. Of course, what had happened between her and Jon didn't diminish Dany's love for her children in the least. It was only a matter of time before the boys asked questions about their father, however. The Empress wasn't sure how much of the truth she wanted to tell them.

"Joron and Barrion have grown quite a bit", she said with a look at the two young dragons.

"Uncle Jaqen has a dragon too!", Viserys announced happily.

Daenerys froze. "What?"

Kinvara cleared her throat. "A chick hatched from the green egg three days ago. When we wanted to show the children, we passed Jaqen H'ghar's room. The chick screeched and fluttered wildly in front of the door, whereupon Jaqen opened it ... and the dragon immediately sat down on his shoulder."

"Be assured, Your Majesty, that I did not intend this", said Jaqen H'ghar's voice. The Faceless Man stepped out from behind one of the lemon trees Daenerys had planted on the terrace. A tiny emerald dragon perched on his shoulder. The chick let out a low hiss as Daenerys took a few steps towards Jaqen.

"No intention of stealing one of my dragons, I suppose", said the Empress darkly.

Jaqen spread his arms and smiled narrowly. "Anyway, the man didn't use dark magic to tie the chick to him, in case an Empress thinks so."

Dany sighed. "Please speak normally." Jaqen H'ghar's strange speaking habits irritated her. "You have to have Valyrian blood in your veins, otherwise the dragon wouldn't feel attracted to you ... does it have a name yet?"

The assassin shrugged. "I thought I'd let you decide what it should be called. After all, the egg was yours."

"How you mean. Let me think for a moment..." Daenerys had named her sons dragons after Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan. Which of her dead companions should she honor now? Missandei came to mind first. But the translator had been too close to Dany to name a dragon of a man after her who did not belong to the family. So she made another choice.

"He should be called Daarion."

Jaqen H'ghar nodded with a knowing smile. "So be it, Majesty." He caressed the dragon's tiny head. "Daarion. Do you like the name?" The chick gave a thin cry. "Well, I think that means yes."

It had never occurred to Daenerys that one of the dragons from Drogon's eggs could attach itself to someone who was not a Targaryen. However, there were many people in the Free Cities, and especially in Volantis, in whom the blood of Old Valyria still flowed.

But a Faceless Men? And their sons called him 'Uncle' ... Certainly it couldn't hurt if Rhaegar and Viserys had a male role model, but did it have to be an assassin?

"Daenerys", Kinvara said seriously, "Doniphos and the council would like to see you as soon as possible. There is news."