Prince Daemon walked through a series of tunnels, holding nothing but a torch, singing in High Valyrian. He walked slowly up a series of stairs, continuing to sing. Once he got to the platform, he slowly knelt, lowering the torch to the ground. A monstrous form emerged in front of him, and then the dragon in front of him roared, spraying fire around the ceiling of the cave he was in.
He stood, continuing to sing softly, beholding the eyes of the mighty dragon Vermithor.
At Storm's End...
The sky was thick and dark with rainclouds as Luke made his way to Storm's End on his dragon Arrax. The dragon landed in the courtyard rather unsteadily. The knights at the door made no move to intercept him, and Luke got off of his dragon, beginning to walk to the door. He turned, hearing a roar, and noticing the monstrous dragon Vhagar outside of the city walls, and then looked to see another smaller dragon also inside the city walls. He remembered the dragon's name. Silverwing, he thought to himself. He turned, still looking in terror at the massive creature, and turned just in time to see the knights step towards him. He breathed and drew himself up to his full height in an attempt to feel braver.
'I am Prince Lucerys Velaryon. I bring a message to Lord Borros from the Queen.' The guards stepped aside to let him in.
He walked into the great hall.
'Prince Lucerys Velaryon,' one of the knights announced. 'Son of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.' Luke looked to his right and saw two familiar figures turn and look at him. Prince Aemond - and beside him was Luke and Jace's sister - Aemond's wife... Princess Elaena. She gave a short nod but said nothing from where she was standing next to her husband. He tore his eyes away from the two of them, turning to Lord Borros Baratheon.
'Lord Borros, I brought you a message from my mother... the Queen.'
'Yet, earlier this day, I received two envoys from the King,' Lord Borros replied sharply. 'Which is it? King, or Queen?' He laughed shortly. 'The House of the Dragon does not seem to know who rules it.' Luke gave a side-eye to the two of us. 'What's your mother's message?' One of the knights brought him the scroll. He looked around, then at the scroll as if it was some foul thing to be disregarded. 'Where's the bloody maester?' The maester walked up the steps slowly, and the lord handed him the scroll. He read it, and then bowed down to the lord and whispered in his ear.
' "Remind" me of my father's oath?' Borros snapped. 'King Aegon at least came with an offer - my swords and banners for a marriage pact. If I do as your mother bids - which one of my daughters, will you wed... boy?'
'My lord, I am not free to marry. I am already betrothed,' Luke replied.
'So you come with empty hands. Go home, pup. And tell your mother that the Lord of Storm's End is not some dog that she can whistle up at need to set against her foes.'
'I shall take your answer to the Queen, my lord,' he said, looking over at Aemond and Elaena momentarily, then turning around and walking away.
'Wait... my Lord Strong,' Aemond called out. He turned, walking towards his uncle and sister. 'Did you really think you could just fly about the realm trying to steal my brother's throne at no cost?'
'I will not fight you,' Luke said. 'I came as a messenger, not a warrior.'
'A fight would be little challenge,' Aemond spoke. 'No. I want you to put out your eye.' He removed his eyepatch, displaying the deep blue gem he had placed inside it. 'As payment for mine. One will serve.' He took out a dagger and threw it across the ground. Luke looked at the weapon and then up at Aemond again. 'I would not blind you. Plan to make a gift of it to my mother.'
'Aemond, no,' Eleana said. 'Haven't you already had enough of revenge?'
'Not nearly,' he said, looking back at her. 'You can't stop poetic justice.'
'This is madness,' she spoke.
'Remember whose side you're on,' he snapped back. She lowered her head, stepping away from her brother and uncle-husband.
'No,' Lucerys replied.
'Then you are craven as well as a traitor.'
'Not here,' Borros called out.
'Give me your eye, or I'll take it, bastard!' Aemond screamed, storming towards Lucerys, and picking up the dagger he'd thrown, Luke reeling away from his uncle.
'Not in my hall!' Borros shouted, rising to his feet. 'The boy came as an envoy. I'll not have bloodshed beneath my roof. Take Prince Lucerys back to his dragon. Now.'
The prince ran out, attempting to soothe Arrax, his dragon, but the animal was too restless as the storm raged overhead. Luke looked left and right, not seeing any sign of Silverwing or Vhagar. He came to the dragon, touching its neck.
'Focus!' he called in High Valyrian. 'Pay attention, Arrax! Be calm. Listen. Obey.' He mounted the dragon and the dragon lumbered around the area, still frightened by the storm. 'Fly, Arrax!' he called in High Valyrian, and the dragon took to the skies.
All was well for a moment until he looked up, and in the darkened skies saw the monstrous shadow of Vhagar above him, and then saw a smaller dragon flying through the skies as well. He looked around, seeing nothing for a second, until the large form of Vhagar swooped at him, and he ducked, taking the dragon with him. Aemond's laugh reverberated in the clouds.
'Aemond, no!' he heard a female voice shout. His sister was calling, almost as if she was correcting a naughty dog. Luke continued to fly more erratically, and Vhagar swooped at him again, twice more. Aemond yelled something and laughed again maniacally.
'Quickly! Turn!' Luke called to his dragon in High Valyrian, and the dragon did so, heading for a rock formation. Luke began to fly in between the large rocks, and Aemond grunted in anger, turning Vhagar so she didn't crash into the rocks. He looked slightly above him, seeing Silverwing with her mount, Elaena, flying above him.
'This will get out of hand, Aemond. You're flying a war dragon as a prank against a child, my brother, no less!' she called out. He laughed, ignoring her, leaning over the side of the saddle, surveying his surroundings, trying to catch any glimpse of Lucerys.
'You owe a debt!' he screamed into the rain and clouds in High Valyrian. 'Boy!'
'No, Arrax!' Luke screamed as his dragon blasted Vhagar with fire. 'No, Arrax! Serve me!' Eleana yelped and ducked from the stream of fire.
'Turn, Silverwing! Heed the flames!' Elaena called in High Valyrian to her dragon, and the two of them peeled away from Aemond and Vhagar. Luke flew higher and higher into the skies, and Vhagar roared, also taking to the skies.
'No, no, no. No, Vhagar! Serve me, Vhagar!' Aemond exclaimed in English, but it was no use. The dragon ignored him, soaring higher and higher.
For a moment, it was quiet. Luke flew above the clouds, just enough to meet the sun over the horizon. Suddenly, without warning, Vhagar came up from the bottom of the clouds, taking the two of them by surprise, and they had no time to flee. With a single crunch, and as like a dog wrestling with a toy, Vhagar shook off the body parts and tossed the headless body of Arrax down to the clouds below. Luke was nowhere to be seen. Aemond looked down to see the body just floating lifelessly. He looked over, hearing a scream, and seeing Elaena on her dragon, watching the horrific scene unfold before her eyes. Hot, thick tears were streaming down her face, and she screamed again, holding out her hand, reaching for a brother that was no longer there.
'I told you!' she screamed. 'I told you!' She laid her head on the neck of her dragon and wept uncontrollably as Silverwing simply floated above the clouds, with the occasional flap of her wings.
At Dragonstone...
The lords spoke among themselves, and the room grew silent when Daemon approached Rhaenyra, taking her by the arm, and walking her to the fireplace. Moments passed, and Daemon withdrew to the side. Rhaenyra turned, and stared, angry tears filling her eyes.
The Black Queen, Rhaenyra Targaryen, would get justice for her youngest son, Lucerys Velaryon, by whatever means necessary, and the whole realm knew it.
The war known as the Dance of the Dragons had begun.