CHAPTER FOUR
❛ introducing the pink dread ❜
────────────────────────
When Alyssa was with her brothers she didn't like how they looked at each other and giggled quietly. But she didn't think much of it when Aegon came over and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, guiding her to where the rest of the Dragon keepers and Jace were training.
"Niece! perhaps we can go on a race later like last time?" Aegon asked his other arm waving, "I guarantee you I will win this time."
"As if you can beat Cannibal. Like her rider, he doesn't like to lose either," Alyssa scoffed, pushing his arm off and watching her brother with Vermax.
When Alyssa claimed Cannibal she remembered how the dragon keepers were worried about the other dragons. He wasn't allowed in the pit due to the fact for his violent ways and appetite for eating dragons.
Aemond who heard her words couldn't help but smirk at his brother's scowl, knowing that she was right when it came to Cannibal's skill.
The moment Vermax, a small yellow dragon with red wings entered it crumbled. When Vermax climbed over the last bit of the ramp, the Dragonkeepers spoke, "Halt!"
The other two holding Vermax stopped walking, keeping the dragon still.
"Let it come,"
Carefully Vermax's chains were released.
Aegon audibly yawned as the mentor pushed Jace forward toward his dragon.
Alyssa shot him a look and pinched him, earning a yelp from her uncle. The other let out a small chuckle watching the pair.
"Quiet!"
the Dragonkeeprs made Aegon and Aemond freeze up and stand still while Alyssa acted poised but smug.
"Call Vermax to heel, Prince Jacaerys."
"Serve!" Jace said the command.
Vermax paused when he stood close to Jace. The dragon rose onto his hind legs, studying Jace, and then lunged forward with a hiss.
Jace took a step back before giving another command, "Halt!"
This time Vermax listened to him, lowering back to the ground.
"Well done,"
"Good job, big brother," Alyssa smiled while Luke cheered beside her. The two were happy that he was making progress.
Another Dragonkeeper had entered from the long cave with a goat. It was what they fed most to dragons.
Vermax had noticed it. The dragon's head shot to the side and sniffed, eyes drilling into the goat.
The goat was tied to a heavy block so it wouldn't escape. Vermax grumbled and groaned impatiently.
"Vermax," Jace commanded, "Vermax!"
One of the Dragonkeepres placed their stick in front of Vermax as he roared to stop him.
"You must hold mastery over your dragon, my young Prince..." the mentor cut over what the dragon keeper said, gesturing back towards Aegon and Alyssa.
"As Prince Aegon has with Sunfyre and Princess Alyssa has recently done with the wild dragon Cannibal.
Alyssa shut her eyes momentarily, "Oh you shouldn't have said that." she knew how egotistic Aegon would be.
"He won't shut up now . . . " Aemond muttered loud enough for her to hear but not enough that Aegon wouldn't notice.
The two exchanged soft smiles. There were rare moments when they'd sometimes get along. Before they held a decent relationship. But when Alyssa claimed a dragon he grew bitter.
"Once they're fully bound to you, they will refuse to take instruction from any other,"
Vermax screeched as he held back from his prey. With an exciting look, Jace looked up at their master.
"Can I say it?"
The man nodded, "Mhm-hm."
Jace immediately turned around and gave Aegon a proud look.
When Jace faced forward once more, he walked toward the dragon a few steps and stopped, "Dracarys, Vermax!"
She watched Vermax walk forward and spit out fire at the sheep, cooking his own meal, and began to devour his meal.
"Aemond, we have a surprise for you." it was Aegon that spoke then, walking behind his brother. He placed a hand on his back while guiding him away from the scene.
"What is it?"
"Something very special," added Luke, taking off and running toward the dragon pit before Alyssa could stop him.
His mischievous tone made Alyssa whip her head toward the two, watching as Jacaerys' shoulders tensed and Lucery's' sported a wide grin.
"Whatever you are planning ─ "
"Hush niece. This has nothing to do with you. This is about my dear brother and him not having a dragon."
The girl glared at him.
"As I was saying," Aegon began once more, "You are the only one without a dragon."
"Indeed," Aemond spoke this time, giving his brother a short answer.
"And we felt bad about it, so we found one for you," Aegon spoke so casually and that is when she truly knew that this was all a prank. Aegon was always up to his tricks and jokes.
"A dragon?" he asked, his tone still unimpressed.
"The gods provide," Aegon said simply, walking them to the edge of the ramp before they stopped.
When Luke returned from the darkness. He had returned with a pig.
Alyssa's fists clenched and stared in absolute anger at her brothers.
"Behold!" Aegon said, looking at him, "The Pink Dread!" they all spoke as one. It was clear that they'd planned it, and thought that they were very funny.
She could feel Aemond tense beside her. Alyssa remembered how she used to be a dragon. But until a year ago at the age of five had claimed Cannibal. What Alyssa did was purely reckless and could've died that day.
Alyssa had claimed Cannibal and became its first rider, already shaping history. That day, she didn't forget how Aemond stared at his niece in jealousy and hatred as she returned from Dragonstone on Dragonback with his half-sister on Syrax in toe.
﹙so i tried to research and figure out how big the cannibal was. but i didn't have much luck since i'd get so many mixed answers. i want my character to be a bad b-itch so i'm going to make cannibal the second-largest dragon tied with vermithor is around 100 years old and it is said that cannibal is rumored to be older.﹚
"Mount her carefully! The first flight is always rough."
Aegon snorted in his ear and the boys began to laugh. They found it hilarious.
They walked backward leaving the pig on the ramp still oinking.
"Laughing are we? Wait until I tell mother," snapped Alyssa making her brother's laughter ceased.
Aegon rolled his eyes and left, Jace and Luke following hurriedly. Alyssa wasted no time rushing toward the flustered boy.
The two never bothered speaking to each other. But at this moment, Alyssa set aside her feelings to comfort Aemond.
"What? Here to laugh at me too?" Aemond sneered at his niece.
"I'm here to comfort you, idiot. I was once a dragonless rider too, you know?"
"But your brothers never teased you about it!"
That was true. Her brothers never teased her, but she always felt envious watching her brother's eggs hatch.
"What they did was terrible. I apologize, I was once in this same position you know? One day you will get a dragon. Just like I did, and maybe . . . we can fly the sky together."
"Do you really think so?" Aemond this time sounded hopeful that was enough for Alyssa's heart to break.
"Mhm, when Helaena and I are older. We are going to see the great wonders across the Narrow Sea and eat only cake."
"I'm being serious."
"I never jest about cake . . . maybe you can come with us too when you have your own dragon."
Alyssa gave him one last smile and left him standing there. Oblivious to his pink-tinted cheeks watching her leave.
𐀔˚ *·ヽ
﹅˚. 𑁍˚. 𓄼 ‹ ━━━━ happy thanksgiving to those that celebrate it! Aemond and Alyssa were once friends at one point but when she got a dragon, he got jealous about it and stopped being friendly toward her.
﹅˚. 𑁍˚. 𓄼 ‹ ━━━━ did you guys see what i did there at the end? Also I don't have an official faceclaim for young alyssa so i'm just going based off the gifs i have saved on my pinterest
﹅˚. 𑁍˚. 𓄼 ‹ ━━━━ WANT A SHOUT-OUT? Comment here.