(Third Person POV)
Aerion walked past several Nobles, his head hanging down, "What was the point of coming here if I can't meet my own sisters?" He said aloud, "Should've stayed in Runestone."
Ser Gerold, who walked besides him, "Now now, Milord." He said, "King Viserys always wants to see you, so there's that."
"Yes, but I want to see my sisters." Aerion stopped and looked at him, "Is that too much to ask, Uncle?"
Ser Gerold shook his head, "No, it's not." He said, "But Daemon and the Lady Laena are currently in Pentos. Apparently, they have been traveling for a good while after your sisters were born."
"How convenient." Aerion muttered, "I couldn't even see them in Driftmark where they were born...and he takes them away."
Ser Gerold saw nothing but anger in his eyes, but the boy was composing himself.
He was about to say something when they were suddenly approached by Queen Allicent who Ser Criston Cole followed.
"Ah, Lord Aerion." Allicent said with a smile, "How good it is to join us in this event. My son Aegon has finally displayed his riding skills on his beast. What do you think of it?"
Aerion shrugged, "It's impressive, I suppose, Your Grace." He said as he avoided eye contact with her
Allicent looked at Ser Gerold, "Ser Gerold, thank you for bringing my Nephew all the way here." She said, "And I give thanks to the Knights of Runestone for raising him by yourselves. Terrible thing, for a boy to grow without a Father nor Mother."
Ser Gerold's face shifted to a nervous one as he glanced down at Aerion, "I....Uh...." He started, "Well, My Lord will...."
"You've refused to claim a dragon, Aerion?" Queen Allicent asked him, "Why so? You are Targaryen, a spitting image of Daemon."
"I don't care for those in King's Landing." Aerion said, "There are only two dragons that piqued my interest."
"Oh?" Allicent said, "Do tell. Is it Lady Laena's? I hear that one is the largest in the world."
"No, I don't care for that old thing." Aerion said as he looked at her
"Lord Aerion only wishes for war-dragons." Ser Gerold said, "Although Vhagar is one, he thinks she's well.....too old for him. Well, only Caraxes and Vermithor interest him."
"Your Father's dragon?" Allicent said, "Oh. Well, have you ever seen him?"
"No." Aerion said, "But he's red and formidable. But he's my Father's so unless he dies, there's no chance of getting him. So I've decided The Bronze Fury is more worthy of me."
"Worthy of you?" Allicent said with a smile as she glanced at Cole, "I didn't think a dragon ought to be worthy of its rider."
"Your Grace, with respect." Ser Gerold said seriously, "My Lord Aerion is a direct descendant of Aegon The Conqueror. His Grandsire is Baelon The Brave, the previous rider of Vhagar and his Great-Grandsire is Jaehaerys The Conciliator, Rider of Vermithor. Of course, everyone knows who his father is."
Allicent cleared her throat, "Yes, of course." She said, "My apologies, Milord."
Aerion bowed slightly, "If you excuse me, Your Grace." He said, "I don't like the way your bodyguard looks at me."
He then walked past them as he bumped into Criston Cole who merely grimaced in annoyance.
Ser Gerold bowed, "I deeply apologize, Your Grace."
"It is fine." Allicent said as she watched Aerion walk away, "He's quite something, don't you think, Ser Gerold? I mean it when I say that we are grateful he's being raised by you....."
"Instead of his Father."
****************************************
As the party continued, shortly after Aegon displayed his riding skills in the air above the castle, Aerion snuck away, completely uninterested in it.
"Worthy of me?" He muttered as he stormed down the halls, "How can a dragon not be worthy of me? I am the Dragon's Blood...I am Daemon's son.....I am....."
He stopped himself and let out an exhale, calming himself down.
"Easy...." He continued, "It is not Knight-like to lose my temper....."
He looked around, the hall he was at was empty. He could hear the faint sound of music and laughter where the party was taking place.
Aerion hated socializing with Nobles, the only ones he felt comfortable with were the ones in the Vale that showed him any sign of respect. Which is why he never thinks twice of showing up to the Eyrie when Lady Jeyne Arryn summons him. The ones in King's Landing were not a group he liked being in the presence.
"Hm...." He said as he turned around and kept walking, "I wonder where this takes me..."
A few minutes of walking and wandering, Aerion came across stairs that led down to what seemed like a massive cavern.
"Huh...." He said as he walked past the entrance of the room, "Is this Dragonstone's Pit?"
The area in front of him was pitch black, only the stone platform was visible.
He walked on it, stopping in the middle of it after the darkness unsettled him. He didn't like the fact that he was unable to see anything in front of him.
His chest began to feel heavy as he had a powerful feeling of anxiety creep up on him. Something was wrong, and he could feel it.
It was too quiet.
"There are.....Dragons here?" He said aloud, "There should be, right? I don't know.....I did see some outside....maybe they haven't come inside....."
He then felt a massive thud as a gust of wind hit him from his right.
His stomach sunk, "W-What?" He said, "Who's there????"
Aerion then heard a loud rumble, so loud that it shook him to his bones. He froze in place as he widened his eyes in shock.
In front of him, the figure of a massive bronze dragon appeared, baring its fangs at Aerion as he stood there. He may not have seen the dragon before in person but considering there was only one dragon with bronze scales and as massive as this one, Aerion became immediately aware of who he was in front of.
"V-V-Verm...." He started as he took a step back, "Vermith-"
The dragon opened its maw and let out a roar which shook the platform, blowing Aerion down to the ground due to the force.
"Ah....." Aerion said as he sat up, "Vermithor.....The Bronze Fury....."
He began to shake, not due to fear or shock...but excitement. He was face-to-face with the one dragon he had wanted to claim all his life.
Vermithor looked at him, letting out a deep growl, his eyes piercing through Aerion as he leaned forwards.
The dragon then opened its maw, a bright orange glow appearing from its throat.
"No!" Aerion yelled as he got to his feet and jumped to the side
Vermithor spat flames at the spot where Aerion stood, the majority of the platform catching fire as the boy hit the side and fell down to the cavern floor, rolling down various times and hitting himself hard on his arm and head.
"Agghhh!!!" He yelled out in pain
Vermithor saw this and crawled down from the platform and toward the floor, it being illuminated by the flames on the platform burning. The Bronze Fury let out another angry roar, he was seemingly in a bad mood.
Aerion stood up and looked at this, "A-Ah...." He said raising his hand, "No!"
"Dohaeras, Vermithos!!! Lykiri!!!"
Vermithor stopped and growled deeply as he shook his head, glaring at Aerion.
Aerion panted, blood running down his face; he had a wound on his forehead.
Vermithor then roared again as his throat was glowing orange again.
Aerion widened his eyes in shock and without thinking, he ran toward the Dragon and jumped below its belly with such speed that he avoided the flames yet again. This time, he was able to be seared by the heat of the flames as Vermithor added more power to the breath.
"Fuck!" He said as he hit the ground, "Shit!!"
He immediately got up and avoided Vermithor moving around, trying to stomp him with his wings. The young lord was able to jump away several times as the massive beast even attempted to chomp on him with his massive maw.
"Vermithos!! Lykiri! Dohaeras!" , Aerion straightened up and raised his arm, "Umbas!! Rybas, Vermithos! Dohaeras!!!"
Vermithor then reared his head back and Aerion ran to his left in a full sprint as the dragon thrust his entire snout at the spot where he stood, crashing hard on the ground and creating a shockwave that tripped the boy.
Aerion fell down again and this time, it angered him, "Fucking hells!!!" He shouted in pain, "I have had it!!"
His entire life, he wanted a certain someone to notice him and pay him attention but he never got what he want. Aerion deduced that the only way he would get that person's attention was to claim the second largest and arguably the fiercest dragon to live. And right now, that dragon was before him and he did not want to die in the attempt.
He remembered the letters Lady Laena, describing his sisters, the Twins, the fact he couldn't see them angered him so. He then remembered standing over his mother's dead body as a little boy when it was brought to Runestone after her accident, being left without parents. He thought of how Ser Gerold and the other Runestone Knights had spent countless hours taking care of him.
He was not going to die that day.
He clenched his fists and stood up as Vermithor roared loudly, "FUCK YOUUU!!!!" He shouted in pure rage, "YOU STUPID BRONZE FUCK!!"
Vermithor leaned towards Aerion and opened his maw, going for another flame breath as Aerion stood tall, his face full of blood.
"DOHAERAS!!!"
Vermithor heard the command loudly, seeing the small figure of a boy with his face covered in blood. He let out a deep rumble as he glared at the young bronze lord.
Aerion did not move, standing his ground as he glared right back, panting heavily.
The Bronze Fury closed his maw and vocalized loudly, hanging his head down for Aerion Targaryen.
Aerion let out a sigh as he stumbled backward, "Ah..." He said
Vermithor then nudged him, his massive snout pushed him back even more and vocalizing even louder.
Aerion knew what this meant; Vermithor was claimed.
The Bronze Fury was his now.
***************************************************
In the main hall of Dragonstone, where the party was taking place, King Viserys was looking around the crowd. Nobody was able to hear the commotion that had just happened beneath them, due to the loud music.
"Where is Aerion? I wish to speak with him." He said
The Princess Rhaenys walked up to him, "I last saw him speaking to the Queen." She said, "Mayhaps he's on a balcony somewhere, he likes to be alone from what Ser Gerold says."
Viserys saw that in the distance, Prince Aegon was sitting down and drinking wine with a smile on his face. The young prince was proud of himself; being able to ride the most beautiful dragon that the Targaryens have had.
Viserys also noticed Rhaenyra with Ser Laenor, speaking with some nobles as Lord Corlys was holding onto Lucerys as Jaecarys was pulling on his grandfather's sleeves.
He then saw some of Runestone's knights, speaking with other knights. He didn't see Ser Gerold or Aerion which was odd for him; they were always together.
"Where is him?" Viserys said as he felt a strange feeling of anxiety, "Something doesn't feel right. Find him, Rhaenys, where is he?"
Rhaenys grabbed him by his shoulder as he leaned on his cane, "It is fine, cousin." She said, "I'll have Ser Harrold look for him."
"Yes." Viserys said as he coughed
Suddenly, Ser Gerold walked up to them through the crowd of the party, "Y-Your Grace, have you seen Lord Aerion?" He said, "I lost sight of him after he stormed off angrily when we spoke to the Queen."
"What?" Viserys said, "Where is he? Someone find him now!"
As he said that, a loud Dragon's roar was heard from outside the walls, alarming everyone. This roar was louder and heavier than any other dragons that were outside the castle.
Viserys looked up, "W-What?" He said
"That's....." Rhaenys said, "Grandsire's....wait...."
Through the windows, they saw a massive shadow fly up to the air with tremendous speed. All the nobles gasped in shock, murmuring amongst themselves as they crowded against the windows.
Rhaenyra, who was next to Laenor looked outside, seeing a massive bronze dragon fly in the air.
"That's Vermithor." She said softly
Laenor looked at her, "What's he doing outside?" He said before widening his eyes, "You don't think...."
Rhaenyra smiled, "I think he did it."
Laenor let out a sigh, "That boy is certainly mad..." He muttered
Viserys broke through the crowd to the main window, "Let me through." He said as the nobles parted, "Let me see...."
He looked outside and saw Vermithor gliding in a circle. He then squinted his eyes and saw the Bronze Fury's rider, a small glint of white hair.
He widened his eyes, "Impossible...." He said,
"It's Aerion."