Far from the bustling docks and the clang of chains, where Daenerys' ship Balerion rocked gently in the tide, the deck was guarded by Dothraki, spears in hand, their eyes scanning the horizon.
Inside the captain's quarters, away from prying eyes, the three dragons slept, curled like coiled shadows beneath the low wooden beams. And before them sat Rhaego, small and bare chested, but eyes bright with purpose.
"Alright, Drogon…" he whispered, voice hushed, almost reverent.
"Can you… Dracarys a bit? I want to try. I've been growing real fast, but I haven't mastered it yet."
The dragon lifted his head, scales glittering faintly in the lantern light. A low rumble reverberated from his throat, followed by a sharp chirp. Smoke curled from his nostrils, then fire flared within his mouth, glowing red and gold like embers in a forge. With a sudden lunge, he spat a ball of flame near the iron furnace, making the wooden floorboards crackle and hiss.
Rhaego's eyes widened. So… literally, breathe it out until the fire comes? he thought. Drogon tilted his head again, as if confirming the thought.
Rhaego rose from the wooden floor, legs stiff but determined. "Alright then," he said softly to himself, "since Mother is busy with the good slavers, I might as well practice before she gets back."
He stepped closer to the iron furnace, its heat washing over him, a small taste of what was to come. He settled into a steady rhythm, inhaling the warm, humid air of the cabin, exhaling slowly.
Drogon shifted slightly, opening one eye, then both, while Viserion and Rhaegal stirred from their sleep, their heads turning, eyes gleaming with curiosity, scales glittering in the lantern glow.
A warmth began to bloom in Rhaego's chest, slow at first, then rising, curling along his ribs. He felt it coiling in his throat, moving up to his jaw. A faint glow shimmered along his neck, faint as a candle's flame at first, but growing stronger with every measured breath. His eyelids fluttered shut as he focused, inhaling deeper, feeling the heat pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat.
Around him, the dragons watched silently, wings half-raised, talons flexing, their own power resonating in the air like distant thunder. The wooden beams of the cabin seemed to hum in response.
I can do this, Rhaego thought, though a small tremor ran through him, both excitement and fear. I have to.
Rhaego drew in a lungful of air, as deep as his small frame would allow. His chest rose and fell with determination, eyes squeezing shut as he focused, the heat in his chest coiling tighter with each heartbeat.
When he opened them, the cabin was bathed not in the familiar fiery orange like his dragon siblings, but in a searing blue light. Plasma-like flames erupted from his mouth, bright and almost liquid, spilling into the room with a sound like shattering glass and roaring wind.
The iron furnace exploded backward, tearing through the wooden wall behind it. Splinters flew like rain, and a jagged hole appeared in the captain's quarters, exposing the rolling gray sea beyond.
From above, the Dothraki's muffled shouts rose a mixture of fear, awe, and confusion. The ship shuddered beneath their feet, timbers groaning as if protesting the sudden, unnatural blast.
Rhaego's wide eyes tracked the iron furnace as it sailed through the hole and tumbled into the ocean below, water spraying high as it hit. Through the breach, he could see the docks and Astapori citizens frozen in terror, eyes wide, mouths open in disbelief, some stumbling back from the tremor and flash of blue light.
"Ah… shit," he muttered, voice sharp and unchildlike, startling even himself.
Drogon lifted his head, scales glinting, a low growl rumbling from his throat. Viserion and Rhaegal's eyes widened, necks craning toward the boy. They, too, seemed to struggle with comprehension as if even dragons could not believe the force that had erupted from their half-brother beside them.
Rhaego nudged Drogon lightly with a small fist. "Hey… hey, Drogon," he said, voice trying to mask panic with humor, "I'll just say… you sneezed, okay?"
The dragons stared at him, tilting their heads in unison, almost as if weighing his audacity. Drogon's eyes narrowed, and a low, rumbling hiss escaped his throat it was sharp, warning, and unmistakably intelligible.
He raised his hands, trembling slightly. "Okay… okay, I won't lie," he whispered, voice small, earnest.
Drogon's hiss softened, a long, vibrating rumble that seemed almost approving though it still carried the weight of warning.
Rhaego exhaled shakily, his small hands brushing at his glowing throat.
I… I did that, he thought, both terrified and exhilarated. I really did that.
The ship creaked dangerously, the hole in the hull exposing the sea and sky.
"Mother's going to kill me," Rhaego muttered, half to himself, half to the dragons, and then, almost reluctantly, let a small grin creep across his face.
But… It felt amazing.
After a while, the chaos of the blue flames had settled. Daenerys and Ser Jorah returned, not alone this time. A third figure walked with them, imposing in chain armor and presence was Ser Barristan Selmy.
Daenerys' eyes swept across the gaping hole in the captain's quarters. She said nothing, simply watching as the Dothraki scrambled to repair the damage, hammering and hauling planks with urgent efficiency. In the corner, her dragons chirped and hissed at one another, scales glittering faintly in the lantern light, eyes glinting with both curiosity and mild reproach.
Then, she turned her gaze. There he was, Rhaego... small, bare-chested, and wide-eyed, guilt etched across his delicate features
He did this, she thought, and the shame in his expression gives it all away.
Ser Jorah leaned close to Barristan, voice low. "That's Rhaego, her son," he said softly. "Sweet child. Don't mind the horns, the tail, the scales. He's still just a boy… at heart."
Barristan's eyes swept past the dragons, lingering on the boy. His jaw tightened in disbelief. "By the Seven… he… he is no ordinary boy."
Jorah let a short, wry chuckle escape. "Can you imagine my reaction the first time I saw him, Ser Barristan?" He shrugged, the corners of his mouth tilting in a faint smirk.
Barristan shook his head, still staring. "A Targaryen child… With three dragons, no less. The world has grown stranger than I ever imagined."
Jorah's eyes flicked to Rhaego, glowing faintly in the dim light, and back to Daenerys. "Stranger, yes… but dangerous, too. And yet… somehow, wonderful."
Daenerys crouched in front of Rhaego, her hands brushing back the dark curls from his face.
"Rhaego… did you do this?" she asked softly, her voice a whisper over the creaking ship.
Rhaego fiddled with his own tail, small fingers twisting along the tip, small pointed ears drooping slightly. He looked down at the wooden floor, then slowly nodded, barely audible.
Daenerys exhaled, a breath she hadn't realized she was holding
"How… how could you make a hole this big?" she murmured, her violet eyes flicking toward the jagged breach in the hull.
Rhaego lifted his gaze toward her, their violet eyes meeting for a fleeting moment, neither fully seeing the other. His small voice, low and almost a mumble, trembled as he spoke.
"I… I just wanted to breathe fire… like Drogon, like Viserion and Rhaegal," he said, clutching his tail tighter. "I didn't… I didn't mean for it to… go like this."
Daenerys' brow furrowed, her lips pressing together. Her eyes wandered from the shattered planks to the boy before her.
How could something so small… make such a blast? Even my dragons never…
But then she looked fully at him, and her heart softened. The guilt, the worry, the small tremor of fear in his expression, it was all too human. She could not scold him, not when the fire in him was both wondrous and terrifying.
She reached out, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Rhaego… my sweet boy," she said, voice low but warm.
"Fire is a powerful thing. It can frighten, it can hurt… but it can also protect. You have the gift of fire in you… and that is something no one else has."
Rhaego's small shoulders relaxed, a shiver running down his spine as he nodded.
Daenerys managed a small, almost playful smile. "Next time… we practice outside, where there's room enough for you to breathe as you like. Can you do that for me?"
Rhaego tilted his head, a faint spark of relief crossing his face.
"Y-yes, Mother," he whispered.
"And one day," Daenerys continued softly, brushing her fingers along his hair again, "I want to see just how bright your fire can be. Just like your siblings. But for now… we stay safe. Together."
Rhaego's eyes lit faintly with a mixture of pride and excitement, and he nodded again, tiny hands still curling around his tail.
Ser Jorah's gaze softened. "Yes, child. The sky is yours. But remember… even dragons must learn restraint."
Daenerys stood, holding Rhaego gently by the hand. She led him a few steps toward Ser Barristan Selmy, her movements calm, commanding yet tender. Her violet eyes softened as she gestured toward the knight.
"I would like you to meet someone," she said quietly, voice carrying a reverent warmth.
"This man… he served my father as a member of his Kingsguard, sworn to protect House Targaryen. Now he is here, by my side… to protect us, and you."
Rhaego blinked, his small hand curling slightly around hers, curious yet cautious. The boy's scales glimmered faintly in the lantern light, and the tiny black pointed horns on his head caught the glow.
Ser Barristan hesitated for a heartbeat, eyes widening as he took in the boy's draconic form and violet gaze. Then, with the same deliberate reverence he showed before kings, he sank to one knee.
"Young prince," he said, his voice steady but low, carrying the weight of honor.
"I am Ser Barristan Selmy. I have sworn my life to your mother, and now… to you as well. It is my duty to guard you, to serve you, and to keep you safe, no matter the cost."
Rhaego tilted his head, small hands fiddling with his tail. The boy's eyes searched the knight's, a mixture of awe and caution. Finally, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"You'll… protect me?" Rhaego asked, voice almost a whisper.
Ser Barristan's lips curved in a subtle, approving smile beneath his gray beard.
"Always, young prince. As long as I draw breath, you shall have no harm that I can prevent."
Rhaego considered this, then slowly extended a tiny hand toward the knight. "Okay… then I guess… we're friends?"
Barristan allowed himself a small smile beneath his steel-and-grit mask of solemnity.
"We are, young prince. Friends, and a guard who will never fail you."
The boy's grin widened, and his tail flicked with quiet excitement. Even the dragons, watching silently from their corner, seemed to sense the bond forming a connection that was human, draconic, and royal all at once.
Daenerys watched the exchange, lips softening into a smile. The weight of the world, the fire of her son, and the loyalty of her knight, all present in a single quiet moment.