Chapter Text
Alyx propped himself at the godswood with a heavy tome in hand. Septon Waltyr of the castle library had recommended him Septon Barth's Unnatural History. Alyx wasn't so interested in dragons and their magic but he supposed it will be an interesting tome. Besides, the information within may help give advice to Rhaenyra and her dragon.
As he read on, he was impressed by the vivid illustrations of Silverwing and Vermithor. The Old King and the Good Queen's own dragons. His thoughts drifted again to his friend and their descendant. It is said that the Princess Rhaenyra was the youngest Targaryen so far to be able to bond with a dragon. She did so with Syrax at the age of seven. That was five years before they met though.
Alyx and the Princess were already two and ten by the time his lord father, the Hand, summoned him and his brother to court. Looking back then... I would have liked to be a maester or a septon and mayhaps write books of my own... he mused. After all, he was only the second son of a second son. He would not inherit the Hightower just like his father. Besides it was not unheard of — of men in their House to enter the Citadel or the Faith. Both had convenient headquarters at Oldtown.
"Alyx! I knew I'd find you here!"
His musings were suddenly halted as Rhaenyra rushed intro the godswood wearing her riding leathers. Focusing again to his choice of reading did seem appropriate. The princess immediately sat beside him. At first it unnerved him so... but they did grow fond of each other's company so he got used to it. "You're reading about dragons, you know if you wanted to learn about them I could take you flying with Syrax..." she said as she peered on his shoulder.
"Pri– I mean Rhaenyra, the librarian only recommended this to me. I did think it would be helpful to you as well but I am quite contented here on the ground." replied Alyx. Rhaenyra rolled her eyes at that. "Yes, help... if you must know father already gifted me Barth's book from the day I bonded with Syrax. And do you not think of seeing sights you've only read in your books?"
Of course she already knew about Unnatural History... his friend was quite familiar with a great deal of other books besides. As expected of a royal princess with the Red Keep's vast collection of tomes. But not as vast as in Oldtown... When she put her mind on it, Rhaenyra could be inquisitive but alas more often than not she can think of adventures. Prefering to doing rather than thinking as she once said.
"Truthfully I do think about it sometimes, wandering the Seven Kingdoms from Dorne to the Wall. And maybe even beyond like Lomas Longstrider! But dragonback quite scares me. I suppose like other men, you know I am not like you, Valyrian and all."
"Then there you have it Alyx we can fly together throughout Westeros and across the Narrow Sea. As I said we will be together, Syrax won't drop you as you're my friend." Rhaenyra said firmly. She can be so determined sometimes, he thought fondly with a sigh. "Alright mayhaps—"
"Lord Alyx, Princess!" called Septa Marlo. "The Queen has requested your presence."
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Queen Aemma had invited them both to tea at her solar. Alyx had thought to leave his friend and her mother for a time of their own but the Queen insisted on him staying. Truth be told, he had begun to think of the Queen as his mother as well since his own mother, the Lady Gwenys, died. And in return, Queen Aemma took him under his wing especially since he grew closer to her daughter.
At first it may not have seem appropriate with a young boy like him being at the Queen and the Princess' side. If he were a girl he could easily be their lady-in-waiting but this is not so. Rhaenyra had been insistent that there was nothing wrong with them being friendly towards each other. His lord father agreed with the whisper of mayhaps something more than friendship. But he does not want to think about that at the moment.
"Mother, I was telling Alyx to come fly with me since I saw him reading Septon Barth's book. You remember the same title that father brought me? I told him it will be a lot more interesting to experience rather than read."
"Gods, Rhaenyra you know not everyone would be comfortable riding on dragonback. Right Lord Alyx?" He nodded eagerly to that.
The Princess huffed "You know mother, I do wonder why is it you've never claimed a dragon of your own? Father once rode Balerion the Dread and you're mother was a Targaryen herself was she not?"
Queen Aemma sighed "Ah yes, Princess Daella was my mother but as you know she died giving birth to me. What I knew of her came from my lord father and half-siblings. And Grandmother Alysanne I suppose. You know, she did offer me an egg from Silverwing's clutch at some point but I was never really interested. I had thought how can I fit a dragon in the Eyrie? Would I be like Queen Visenya or Lord Ronnel?" She chuckled lightly at that. "But that was before your father and I were betrothed. Before the Great Council even... Ah regardless even when I we were living in Dragonstone, I just never felt that comfortable with it. Leave all the dragonriding to Daemon as Viserys once said."
Alyx loved it when the Queen would tell stories stories of her youth, it was like the histories but more personal. And now, here is a experience he is especially sympathetic to. So even someone with the blood of the Dragon, can be uncomfortable of riding one? Well that's a thought.
Rhaenyra looked thoughtful for a while. "Well dragons and falcons are both of the skies. Mayhaps if you took the egg, it may hatch and grow accustomed to the Vale. What do you think Alyx?"
"I have been to the Vale only once, in Gulltown coming from a ship from Oldtown with my brother and cousins. However we weren't able to go to the Eyrie. But if the climate in the Vale is similar in the towns and the Mountains of the Moon, I guess that would be interesting for a dragon to grow in. In Unnatural History, it was stated that dragons thrived in open and cool spaces..."
"See mother? Alyx quite agrees with me and he's already taken with Septon Barth's tome." Rhaenyra said triumphantly.