Jaenyx felt the air blow against his face as he held on tightly to Cloudwynd's spines. He looked upon the waters of the Blackwater Bay, feeling the same sense of calm that was familiar to him as he sailed to Dragonstone over a year ago. He was calmed by the sea's lack of past and future, as it was there before people walked the earth and would be there long after they were buried in the ground. But the sea also represented Jaenyx's wistfulness that left him static for over five years. Now, he was married to a beautiful and fierce woman, had a brother in Aegon, a sister in Rhaenys, a father in Lord Aerion, and a mother in Lady Valaena, the last of whom had finally got over her irrational distancing from her good-son after seeing how deep her daughter's love for Jaenyx had become. As for Orys… What if he's right? What if I am hanging on to the ways of something that will never come back?
Six moons had passed since they made peace with the rest of the stormlords, with the peace consummated with the union of Orys Baratheon and Argella Durrandon, who thankfully saw sense and bent the knee to Dragonstone and House Belaerys while agreeing to the indemnity and other conditions. Orys had moved from Dragonstone to his new home at Storm's End, where he received the stormlords' fealty, with Lord Aerion overseeing everything and naming him Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Despite his new titles and Lord Targaryen addressing him as "Lord Baratheon" to show his acknowledgement of his son's new station, even Orys understood that he would have to work very hard to earn the stormlords' loyalty, as he did kill their king in battle and was an outsider.
Six moons also represented the length of time that Jaenyx and Orys were not on speaking terms. While Visenya stood by him unconditionally, she did not hide her disapproval at what what he said. She said to Jaenyx after their argument, " I don't care what anyone says. You are my husband, but Orys is my brother and I will not allow anyone to put him down ." And that was after she slapped him hard in the face before sleeping on a separate mattress that night.
Visenya quickly got over her disappointment in Jaenyx, and so did Aegon, Rhaenys, and Lord Aerion. However, they all said that he needed to patch things up with Orys, which was easier said than done since Jaenyx was slow to forgive anyone who spoke bad of his family, even unintentionally. He didn't care that Orys was a bastard, but he began to wonder if not looking like a true Valyrian discounted total Valyrian ancestry. And what Orys said to him about not behaving like a true Valyrian either... shook him, not because of how wrong he sounded, but how right he sounded. He learned the common tongue so that his new family would be more comfortable speaking to him even if they at least understood High Valyrian, but did that make him contrary to Valyrian habits? Ragaemor Tarareon possessed the only direct knowledge of Valyrian combat arts, but he wasn't born in Valyria, so how could he say that what he taught was the true article? Cloudwynd was born in the Basilisk Isles, decades after Jaenyx's ancestors settled there and the Doom, but did that make her less of a dragon because she wasn't born while Valyria was still alive? Most disturbingly, Jaenyx might have spoken High Valyrian, but the variety spoken by him and the rest of those from the Basilisk Isles had been regarded as an ancient form long extinguished since the Doom, not many having heard it aloud in decades and only studied as part of a classical education. He didn't know what was more disturbing, that the world had moved on so fast since the Doom of Valyria or that his people had been frozen in time for too long and were thus only discovering how antiquated their ways had become to those living in the present.
Jaenyx might've been stubborn in his clinging to the ways of Valyria, but given how the world regarded such ways as ancient, he wondered if the Valyria occupying his mind was merely an idea, an idea that had only remained alive because of the ones on Dragonstone. Master Haru also taught him to not be stupid to ignore whenever people said valid words, however hurtful they were, which only made him more unsure of his strong grasping of anything remotely connected to Valyria. In a way, Orys was right in that if Jaenyx was so adamant in being a true Valyrian, whatever that meant, he would not treated Aegon or Rhaenys with any kind of love since they were just as much from Westeros as they were from old Valyria. He was also would have resisted Visenya's attempts to make him more accustomed to the ways of Westeros despite her own misgivings, as she browbeat him to learn how to properly read, write, and speak the common tongue because she wouldn't stand for others assuming that he was illiterate and unintelligent. On top of that, she also made him dress in a more ornate manner, as she said that others wouldn't take him seriously as a lord if he dressed in his simple robes like Master Haru but allowed him to continue holding onto his katana and wakizashi despite those who might be apprehensive of him wearing weapons outside of battle.
Jaenyx willed those thoughts away as he focused on flying through the sky with Visenya, Aegon, and Rhaenys. He saw Balerion banking to his left, his black scales glistening against the sunlight as he went on a slow and wide spiral downwards towards the sea. Meraxes was climbing upwards before she assumed her circle above Balerion. As for Cloudwynd and Vhagar, they were flying side by side as they watched the other two do their motions through the air.
Looking to his side at Visenya as she rode Vhagar, Jaenyx signaled for her to bank to her right while he went left. He intended for the both of them to pass between Meraxes and Balerion, converging on each other in a scissor-like motion before diverging in separate directions. Meraxes fly high above Balerion, allowing a vantage point from which to dive onto whomever approached her way, while Balerion's spiral was gradual enough from him to climb back up upon seeing another dragon come near him. He would leave Aegon to Visenya, while he would go after Rhaenys. Although Vhagar was just as agile as Cloudwynd and Meraxes, she had a slightly bigger build than the latter two and would be more useful in flying around Aegon and Balerion. Also, Jaenyx wanted to find out how good Rhaenys was a dragonrider.
" Steady, girl. Wait for it ," Jaenyx urged Cloudwynd as she went into a wide half-circle before coming head on with Vhagar. As they both completed their arcs, they were directly ahead of each other and both were fast closing the distance between them. Before they collided, Cloudwynd and Vhagar folded their wings and spun past each other as Jaenyx held onto to her spines tightly to avoid falling off. Afterwards, Cloudwynd dove towards the sea and leveled out before touching the surface. As she climbed back up, he could see that Balerion was giving chase to Vhagar while he saw Meraxes dive on top of him and began her own chase.
Cloudwynd made her climb back into sky steeper, hoping that Meraxes might tire out before giving up the chase. As Jaenyx struggled to keep his grip on Cloudwynd's spines and felt his feet almost sliding off of her back as the climb became more steep, he looked back, or down, and saw that Meraxes had not only pursued them into their sharp ascent but was gaining on them.
Warning Cloudwynd, she roared in response before arching her neck downwards, with her body and Jaenyx following as she folded her wings again to gain as much speed as possible from their rapid descent. Jaenyx squinted his eyes and felt the air blowing very hard his hair, no doubt making them puffy when they did land back on Dragonstone. Cloudwynd again leveled out before touching the sea, but this time staying only a few feet above the surface. Her fast flying just above the waters caused waves to form and sprays to splash onto Jaenyx's face.
Jaenyx turned around again, impressed that Meraxes had maintained her pursuit of Cloudwynd. A thought coming to his mind, he had Cloudwynd climb back up to be level with Meraxes, who was closing in on them. Then, slapping on her neck, Cloudwynd yelped as she outstretched her wings against the flow of air, causing her to go just above Meraxes and keep her mid-flight, for a short moment. Feeling his body jerk at the sudden stoppage, Jaenyx grinned as Cloudwynd resumed flying level and saw that he was now behind Meraxes. Well, now I know what move to use against Rhae the next time we fly . He had only done that move on instinct, but his trusting of his instincts paid off.
However, Jaenyx realized that he celebrated too early, as Meraxes quickly recovered from her blunder and turned into Cloudwynd. Acting quickly, he had Cloudwynd also turn into Meraxes and thus began a circle of dominance in the skies above the Blackwater Bay. While both Cloudwynd and Meraxes were about the same size, the former had a longer neck and had more reach while the latter was more streamlined and agile. Cloudwynd used her longer neck to try to bite at Meraxes' tail while they were still locked in the circle, but Meraxes had fast reactions and strained herself to close the circle.
Seeing that Meraxes was being persistent and knowing that Cloudwynd would not be able to close the circle before Meraxes, Jaenyx got out of the circle and banked to the right. Looking to his left, he saw Meraxes fly up next to Cloudwynd, their wing tips almost touching each other. Seeing Rhaenys gesture to Dragonstone, Jaenyx nodded before they flew back together.
Landing at the same clearing where Jaenyx met them over a year ago, he slid off Cloudwynd while Rhaenys slid off Meraxes. Rubbing Cloudwynd's snout while telling her what a good job she did with that new move, he allowed her to fly back into the sky to soar at her leisure. He saw Rhaenys do the exact same thing, but she kissed Meraxes' snout before also allowing her to fly above Dragonstone.
"That was a really good move there, Jae," Rhaenys walked up to him. "Didn't expect that."
" Thought I'd try something I don't think any dragonrider ever attempted before. Not even you ," Jaenyx smugly replied.
"Careful," Rhaenys playfully warned. "Don't want to get too boastful now."
"Okay, okay," Jaenyx put his hands up. "I will say that you and Meraxes move as one, like all dragonriders should. Meraxes is very agile and persistent."
Rhaenys nodded, but Jaenyx also noticed her raising an eyebrow. "That she is. When did you start speaking the common tongue?"
Jaenyx paused before realizing what he just did. Whenever he was with Visenya or with family, he spoke High Valyrian. But the knowledge of how... archaic his habits really were caused him to be more like his new family.
"I've been with you, Vis, Egg, and the others for over a year now. Might save some headaches between us if I started using the common tongue more often," Jaenyx simply answered.
Rhaenys shook her head, not convinced. "No, I don't think that's it."
"What?"
Rhaenys crossed her arms. "Come on, Jae. I've had over a year to know you, and I know how annoyingly stubborn you are when it comes to staying true to your Valyrian roots." Jaenyx looked to the ground, as her words were true. "You wouldn't just start talking in the common tongue unless something serious happened. What is it?"
"It's not that simple, Rhae."
Rhaenys shrugged. "We got time."
Jaenyx told Rhaenys everything, of how his last talk with Orys shook him and made him more unsure of what believed now. He emphasized that he still saw himself as a son of Valyria, but he revealed to Rhaenys what meaning that held anymore as the world had moved on so fast after the Doom.
"Does Vis know?" Rhaenys asked after she took a moment to absorb Jaenyx's growing doubts about his own identity. He nodded, causing Rhaenys to also nod. "Well, what do you know? The proud Valyrian suddenly having doubts," she remarked dryly.
"I'm being serious, Rhae."
"I know, but all I can say is that I am happy you're thinking that way."
Jaenyx blinked. "What do you mean?"
"To be honest with you, Jae, I was quite shocked at how you really thought about Westeros. I may be of Valyria just like you, but this is my home and it hurt me when my brother, and the man that my sister loves, spoke of it in that way. And I believe that you don't have to reject the ways of Westeros in order to be counted as a 'true Valyrian', because it is as you said. What does being a true Valyrian mean anymore? We are the last of the dragonlords, but I don't think that we should stick onto the ways of the past."
Jaenyx sighed. The Targaryens and himself were the only ones left in the world who had the blood of dragons running through their veins. Before the Doom, there were forty dragonlord families and there was a defined order on who was more powerful and how they should all act within their stations. While the Doom might have made wiped out most of Valyria, the civilization lived on through him and his new family. At the same time, Jaenyx began to wonder if it was wise to be stuck in the old ways.
Rhaenys patted him on the shoulder. "But let's not focus on that now. We have name-day celebrations to prepare for, and your first thoughts should be on making it the best one you could. After all, it's Visenya's."
That got Jaenyx out of his stupor. "Fuck, you're right. Damn it."
Rhaenys giggled. "It's fun when you curse in the common tongue. You should do it more often."
"Shut up," Jaenyx retorted, with slight annoyance. "Oh, that reminds me. I wanted to show you my gift to Visenya. She's a hard woman to please, but I hope this will work." Jaenyx took a small velvet box from his pocket and handed it to Rhaenys. Seeing that she was curious, he allowed her to open it. He saw her eyes widen at it.
"This is beautiful," Rhaenys said in awe. "Where did you get this?"
"It was my mother's," Jaenyx replied.
Rhaenys closed the box and handed it back to Jaenyx. "She'll love it. I just know it."
Jaenyx strummed his lute in the center of the hall while Rhaenys played her fiddle. He was sitting down while she was standing up with her eyes closed, her mind fully immersed in the music. This was the final performance of the celebrations before Visenya opened her presents from the various lords under them. Besides House Targaryen's traditional vassals in the Blackwater Bay as well as the new ones such as the Rosbys and the Stokeworths, riverlords including Colren Blackwood and stormlords such as Lord Dondarrion had arrived at Dragonstone to celebrate their overlord's daughter's name-day. Jaenyx alongside his new family were surprised that any stormlord would show up, but Lord Aerion knew that accepting their invitation to Visenya's name-day was in itself a political move. House Dondarrion of Blackhaven suffered remained relatively intact during the subjugation of the stormlands and was the first house to swear fealty to Orys Baratheon as their new lord paramount, which was astonishing given that the Dondarrions were marcher lords and were quite loyal to the late King Argilac. By being the first to swear fealty and showing up at his daughter's name-day celebrations, Lord Aerion explained that houses like the Dondarrions were seeking to advance themselves in the new order of things. Even my wife's name-day has to be filled with politicking. How boring.
With the celebrations held in the great hall of Dragonstone, Lord Aerion and Lady Valaena spared no expense when it came to celebrating their daughter's twentieth name-day. They had caskets of Arbor gold, Dornish red, Lys white, and even a bit of the Yi-Tish arakju served to the guests. Stags, chickens, aurochs, roasted boars, boiled crabs, fried fish, and many loaves of bread filled the bellies of many, alongside grapes, berries, apples, and other fruits. There was singing, dancing, and musical performances with the lute, fiddle, recorder, and even the kotos. It was also the first time that Visenya took to the floor and danced with Jaenyx, although both were not very good at it compared to Rhaenys and Aegon. Only Jaenyx's and Visenya's fluidity, attained from Master Haru's teaching him the fast and agile combat ways of Yi-Ti and her naturally nimble fighting style, saved them both from looking too stiff and from enormous embarrassment.
However, Jaenyx and Rhaenys decided to top off the feast and dancing with a performance of their own. Remembering a song that Master Haru would sing to his beloved wife (she was long dead before he came to the Basilisk Isles), he modified it to include instruments not from Yi-Ti and went it over with Rhaenys the night before. Even though Visenya was not as taken to song as was Rhaenys, he thought it would be a song she would understand very well. As he played the lute and Rhaenys the fiddle, he began with:
Rhaenys then came with her fiddle, her fingers moving gracefully while her immersion into the music added to the power of the song. The kotos played by Arata and Kenzou Haru added texture.
Rhaenys played faster and harder with the fiddle as Jaenyx finished the bridge, with Arata and Kenzou also adding to the texture of the crescendo before fading away.
Jaenyx sung that last verse with only a few strums of the lute and with a lowered voice before finishing off with a glide down the strings. As soon as he finished, there were thunderous applause in the great hall as the many lords and ladies stood up clapping. They didn't understand a word in Jaenyx's song, "Ai ni dekiru koto wa mada aru kai", but they felt the emotions behind the music and enjoyed it nonetheless.
As for Visenya, her understanding of nihongo had progressed to the point where she could carry on with the Harus and the other people who hailed from Yi-Ti and who were with them at the moment. She never heard the song before, but Jaenyx could tell how… moved she was. Like most of the songs in Westeros, it was a song about love. But instead of boasting about a man's desire for a woman and all of that, the song talked about love and meditated on what exactly it was. More importantly, it talked about how love gave one the courage to push through seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Jaenyx and Rhaenys bowed in gratitude for the audience's reception before setting down the lute and fiddle. Once he sat back down next to Visenya, she pulled his face towards her and gave him a strong kiss, prompting cheers from the hall.
Then came the time for Visenya to open her presents. Her cousin Daemon Velaryon gave her a book containing the maps of the known world, which appealed to her intellectual interests. Crispian Celtigar gave her golden bracelets melted down from what remained of the treasury at Harrenhal. Riverlords such as Lord Blackwood and Lord Tully (the latter having to come as was his responsibility as one of Jaenyx's deputies) and stormlords such as Lord Dondarrion and Lord Tarth (the father of Ser Bruze Tarth) presented their own gifts, with one being a peacock. Jaenyx saw Visenya stifle a laugh at the peacock, as the gift was ridiculous in itself and she didn't know what she would need such a bird for.
Then came the gifts from her family. Lord Aerion presented her with a necklace made of rubies and held together with Valyrian steel chains. Lady Valaena presented her with earrings, also made of rubies but with gold linings. Orys, still dressed in riding leathers despite now being a lord himself, presented her with a khukuri knife that he got off of one of his raids in the Stepstones. Pirates had been ravaging the shores of the stormlands since Argilac died, so Orys took it upon himself as lord paramount to deal with them personally. Jaenyx saw that Visenya was eyeing the curved but wide knife up and down, before sheathing it in her belt and giving Orys a big hug.
Rhaenys gifted her with something that Jaenyx did not expect her to have: a glass candle. Made of obsidian and powered by magic, the light they gave off was said to have done strange things to colors, making bright colors such as white, yellow, or red shine unusually brightly, while dark colors such as blue or black turned as dark as night. It was said that glass candles could be used to observe far away events and communicate with other glass candles over vast distances. The only other person he knew of that had a glass candle was Taygor, but his cousin merely used it as an heirloom since there were no other glass candles to talk with. Until now. When asked by Visenya as to where he got it, as the rest in the great hall was curious since the only glass candles they knew of were in the Citadel, she cryptically replied with, "Well, don't tell the Citadel about it, or they might think that I stole it from my last visit."
Aegon presented her with a Dornish scimitar, which he purchased during his most recent visit to Nightsong from an archer who had claimed it from a Dornishman he killed. Unsheathing the scimitar, Visenya was surprised at how… black the blade was and how light and sandy it felt in her hands. Aegon couldn't answer her question other than that the archer told him that he got it off of some member of House Yronwood. Visenya set the scimitar down before embracing her little brother.
Visenya then turned to Jaenyx and looked at him expectedly. Wasting no time, Jaenyx pulled out the velvet box from his pocket and handed it to her with both hands. Feeling the smoothness of the box, she opened it and like Rhaenys, her eyes widened in awe.
" Where did you get this ?" Visenya asked while still focused on the contents of the box.
Jaenyx offered her a small smile. " It was my mother's. She got it from her father, who is also my and Taygor's grandfather. She said that my grandfather's family, the Leniars, had carried that ring for a thousand years and whoever wore it will truly be unbreakable in body and in mind. It is said that the jewel was formed from the Fourteen Flames themselves, meaning that you will have the original essence of Valyria's fire flowing inside of you. All of us know how strong and durable you are, and so was my mother in a way ." Jaenyx paused before continuing. " Let this ring and its origins from Valyria's volcanoes make you so strong that nothing can ever break you or ground you down. "
Visenya took the ring out of the box. Made of Valyrian steel, she and everyone was surprised that the jewel was an emerald. However, there was some red inside the green and if one looked closely, they could see the red moving, as if a blood mist was flowing back and forth. She put the ring on her right ring finger, as she was right-handed and putting a ring on that finger meant everlasting love. Smiling at Jaenyx's gift, she gazed at him before walking up to him, putting her arms around his neck, and giving him another strong kiss, which also prompted more cheering.
" I'm not never taking this off ," Visenya whispered to him.
"I don't expect you to," Jaenyx replied with a smile.
Visenya grinned. "You should speak the common tongue more often. Might save us some confusion."
Jaenyx shrugged. "Maybe, but you also know that it's a big step for me to do so."
"I know," Visenya nodded her head. "But I'm glad you're taking it. It shows that you really do care about us enough to do so and that you're seeing that not everything of Westeros compromises with us being Valyrians."
"Still learning on how to differentiate on what does and doesn't work well with our Valyrian roots."
"But I'm glad you're making the effort regardless. It means that you're not such a stubborn hardass after all, which is really annoying."
"I'm happy that you think that way, Vis," Jaenyx replied with sincerity before leaning in to kiss her again.
After the celebrations ended, their guests retired to their chambers, Aegon and Rhaenys to theirs, Lord Aerion and Lady Valaena to the lord's chambers, Orys and Argella to his old room, and Jaenyx and Visenya to hers. As soon as the doors closed, Visenya turned around and undid her braid before pulling on a long string hanging over her right shoulder that Jaenyx did not notice before. He blinked and felt his eyes widen as her blue gown with red/black lining (which she wore more often to honor her belonging to both Houses Belaerys and Targaryen) loosened around her shoulders, allowing her to wiggle her arms out of the sleeves and pulling it down to the floor. Stepping out of the gown that pooled at her feet, her bare form was exposed to his feasting eyes.
" That's… how did you learn how to untie your gown so quickly ?" Jaenyx had to ask.
" Oh, now you're speaking High Valyrian now? " Visenya raised her eyebrows, as she walked closer to him until their noses almost touched. "You should speak the common tongue more often. I like your accent."
"You didn't answer my question," Jaenyx pointed out.
"I had Taygor come up with something for me to undress faster. Didn't know that he knew how to make clothes."
"That's one of his hobbies," Jaenyx nodded.
"Sometimes," Visenya continued. "I just want to feel you inside me so much that I can't wait for you to get my dress or breeches off." Pulling him into a kiss, she held up the finger where Jaenyx's mother's ring was. "Thank you for giving me your mother's ring, Jae. I'm never taking this off, ever."
Jaenyx chuckled as she stroked her hair. "I wouldn't expect you to, and I'm sure she would have liked it on you."
Jaenyx saw Visenya beam before he felt himself being pulled to the ground and his wind knocked out of him as she kneed him in the gut. Falling to his knees, his face was conveniently in front of her clit, which he only stared at for a moment before he felt Visenya shove him deep into it. "Pleasure me, Jae," Visenya ordered him blissfully. "I want to feel good."
Jaenyx felt her fingers curled into his silver locks as she urged him deeper with the determined fury and passion of a dragon, to the things he was doing with his mouth and tongue. As soon as the wet organ touched her even wetter core, he heard Visenya moaned loud enough that even the dragons who were resting just outside the castle of Dragonstone could hear. " Oh, my gods. How are you doing this to me ?"
Jaenyx couldn't help but smirk, licking up a trail along her slit. While Visenya would be as likely to let him ravage her on the bed as she would in pinning him down and subduing him so that she could whatever she wanted with him, today was different. Instead of subduing and then completely dominating him, she had got him on his knees, with his clothes still on, and allowed him to do his work. Jaenyx could guess that she was so touched by him giving her something so precious as his mother's ring that she was granting him leeway in how he pleasured her.
"Unnnhhh…" His tongue parted through her folds in its mission. The heat ever present inside Visenya rose to new heights. "Don't. Stop."
"Of course, Vis," he said in his dark, husky wolf growl. She was the only person that Jaenyx took orders from, as she proved time and again how capable she was both on and off the field of battle. A man would rue the day when he showed her even a hint of disrespect for her abilities, and it was easy for Jaenyx to avoid that because true love prevented one from feeling less while finding out how that person complemented the other. Her moans spurred him forward, drove his lust and hunger. Running his hands over her ass, Jaenyx plunged his tongue as deep as he could.
Jaenyx was sure that Vhagar channeled her flames in Visenya's entrance, as he felt heat enveloping his tongue and mouth. A scream left her lips, fingers pulling so hard on Jaenyx's hair that he almost yelped from the sharp tug on his hair. "Kessa, Jae. Harder. More," she murmured repeatedly. His tongue doubled its pace, Jaenyx turned on from her chattering. Swiping over a particular spot inside her, the one placed that never ceased to erupt in dragonfire within her when they made love, he felt her shatter into his waiting mouth. "JAE!"
Lapping up the gush of wetness pouring out of Visenya's core, Jae smiled in satisfaction. Nothing like making the truly unbreakable warrior dragon that was his wife limp even though she was still standing. Kissing her navel, he kissed his way up through Visenya's torso and on her breasts before meeting her lips, feeling her body tremble from the aftershocks. "So, was that enough for you?"
Visenya blinked. "You need to ask that, Jae?" she slowly came to her senses. Before Jaenyx could respond, he felt her grab at the top of his tunic before she ripped it in two, pressing her lips against his neck as she bit on it and ran her hands along the lines of his muscled torso. Grunting in pain, he continued to feel her smacks while he felt her greedy fingers undo his breeches and shoving them down.
"Hold still, Jae," Visenya whispered as she knelt down as she made Jaenyx. "Let your wife pleasure you," were her words before he felt a strong sensation around his cock.
"Vis..." The tender loving care of his warrior dragon suppressing all feeling in Jaenyx's body, all he could do was gasp and grab her head. His fingers weaved into her hair. Only she could reduce him to this state, and by the smirk on her lips, he knew that she knew it. Before he knew, Visenya sucked his tip and took him deep.
"Fuck!" Jaenyx felt his cock erupt into her mouth, Visenya's tongue swiping over him to prolong the pleasure. But they were not done, as she stood up quickly and gave him a sick smile before he felt her squeeze his earlobe. "Ah, ah, ah," Jaenyx let out as she lead his head and body towards the bed. "Easy, Vis."
"Daor," Visenya shook her head before pushing Jaenyx onto the mattress. He barely got onto his back before she went on top of him, pinned his arms above his head, and straddled his waist.
Jaenyx felt his face turn blue as Visenya began to aggressively kiss him, his air slowly leaving him. Fortunately, she broke off the kiss before guiding his cock into her entrance. She then slapped him hard in the face.
" What was that for ?" Jaenyx asked incredulously.
"You're not trying hard enough," Visenya growled. "I want you to ride me as much as I will ride you now."
" Um, how will I do that when I'm on my back ?"
"You'll figure it out," Visenya smirked before impaling herself on him. Feeling her squeeze on his length and the expressions on her face almost made him climax. Her eyes were shut tightly, his warrior dragon biting her lower lip as she tried to control her moans at how delightful their coupling was.
Remembering her words, Jaenyx ran his hands up to cup Visenya's breasts, satisfied at the sighs of happiness leaving her mouth as he squeezed them. He ignored the slaps of skin on skin, the creaking of the bed, and their mutual moans that filled their chambers as he shot himself upward. Visenya wanted him to ride her, so that was what he was doing.
Feeling himself nearing the edge, Jaenyx thrusted harder into Visenya. "Look at me, Vis. Say my name and scream like a dragon," he told her.
Visenya stared at him, their violet eyes meeting each other while seeing the dragonfire blaze behind their irises. "Jae… Jae…" At last, the climax came. "JAE!" He felt himself erupt into her, waves of pleasure reverberating through their bodies as they both froze. Finally, Visenya collapsed onto him. She slid off of his torso before snuggling close to him, with Jaenyx wrapping her with his left arm and bringing her closer.
"Thanks for the gift, Jae," Visenya whispered in content. "Already, I feel the fire in me burning brighter than before."
Jaenyx smiled. "That's probably my mother giving you her essence. I just hoped that she met you."
Visenya kissed his jawline. "I don't have to. I know she is here," she raised her finger that had the ring. "And I know she lives on in you. She would be proud of you, Jae."
Jaenyx felt a tear fall down his cheek before Visenya wiped it off of him. "Thank you, Vis," he choked.
Visenya rested her head on his shoulder. "No need to thank me, Jae. We are bound for life."
"What do you mean you haven't consummated the marriage?" Lord Aerion was exasperated.
"It's the truth, father," Orys replied.
Lord Aerion sighed, livid. "Son, do you realize what you've just done? You've put our peace with the stormlords at risk!"
Jaenyx was about to discuss some business with Lord Aerion about the riverlords when he accidentally walked in on him, Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya talking with Lord Baratheon in the lord's solar. He was about to leave before Lord Targaryen stopped him, saying that the discussion they were having was for family and he counted. Jaenyx was hesitant to be in the same room as Orys, but he saw no reason to not listen in on their conversation.
What Jaenyx did not expect was Orys confessing that he had not consummated his union with Argella Durrandon, who remained a maiden. That was surprising, given how Orys must have inherited Lord Aerion's predilection for whoring before marrying Lady Valaena.
"One of the terms of our peace with the stormlords besides making the Lord of Storm's End is the union between you and Argella Durrandon. If we still followed the Faith, any marriage that has not been consummated does not exist. And therefore, our peace agreement is null and void. Have you ever considered that?!" Lord Aerion was very close to exploding, prompting his children and Jaenyx to move slightly away from him. "Jaenyx," he turned to him. "If a marriage is not consummated in the eyes of the gods of Valyria, does it exist?"
"No, Lord Aerion," Jaenyx nodded. Marriages among dragonlords were also used for political purposes and that was one of the few things that the rest of Westeros had in common with Valyria.
"I just couldn't do it, father," Orys simply answered.
"And why not? You've fucked any woman you could get your hands on so far. Surely, Lady Argella is no different."
Orys sighed as he collected himself. "She cried, father."
That caught his attention, as did everyone else in the room. Even Jaenyx widened his eyes in surprise.
"What do you mean by that, son?" Lord Aerion softened his gaze.
"You're right, father. I've fucked every woman I could get my fingers on. And they enjoyed my time with them as much as I with them. But they smiled and laughed while I had my business with them." Aegon and Rhaenys sighed, while Visenya and Jaenyx groaned. Lord Aerion kept listening. "I followed Lady Argella's wishes for our ceremony to combine elements of the Faith and of Valyria, but as we were in our chambers alone, she started crying. Even though she accepts that her father was foolish in attacking us, having the man that killed her father bed her was not something she could bear. All of the past women wanted me to bed them, but I couldn't do it when I saw her tears. So, I just slept on the bed and didn't go past that point yet."
For a moment, Jaenyx felt something soften in him. He never had a high opinion of Orys, as was clear from their talk six moons ago. However, to see him admit such intimate details and tell all of them of his inability to bed the daughter of the man he killed made him… stop and think. Why do I keep seeing more to him than met my gaze ? He wasn't going to admit to anyone besides Visenya and Rhaenys just yet of his doubts, but their brother was clearly more than the whoring and hard-headed fool that he initially saw him as.
Then, Lord Aerion laughed. That caused everyone else in the solar to chuckle, albeit uneasily. All except Orys, who was confused as to why his father was laughing. Wiping a tear from his eye, Lord Aerion calmed down. "Don't misunderstand me, son. I'm not laughing at you. A beautiful and strong woman who was crying stopping you from bedding her… that's one for the songs if word got out and everyone knew your past self."
"I just couldn't do it, father. I might be a whoring bastard, but I do have decency." That shocked everyone else to see him speak so lowly of himself. Granted, they saw him feel that way, but never aloud.
"Oh, I know you do," Lord Aerion nodded. "And while I can admire that you are being considerate for Lady Argella's situation, you also have to understand that there are consequences to your actions. After all, we're of noble birth and there is no such thing as no ramifications for our deeds." Lord Aerion leaned closer to him while switching back to his serious self. "Who else knows that you haven't bedded your wife yet?"
"Perhaps a few servants," Orys sheepishly shrugged.
Lord Aerion lowered his head and sighed. "The gods have pity… Fortunately, there is time to rectify your mistakes, son. As you're both on Dragonstone at the moment, you will bed your wife tonight. I will have servants hearing you through the door and the walls. If they tell me that they heard anything other than the both of you fucking, there will be hells to pay, and it won't be just yourself that you'll endanger by essentially making your union nonexistent. Do you understand?"
Orys looked at him with sad eyes, but Lord Aerion was not receptive.
"Do. You. Understand?" he repeated.
"Yes, father," Orys nodded, resigned.
"Good. Now, go see to your wife. Say whatever you have to say to her, but you will bed her tonight. And I expect the both of you to make an heir. As for myself, I will see to anyone who knows of the truth," their father pointed to him before Orys showed himself out.
"Was that necessary, father?" Aegon asked. "He was only being considerate to Lady Argella's feelings."
Lord Aerion exhaled. "And I am glad that he is showing to others besides us that he has a heart. But now's not the time to let sentimentality affect our judgment. Do you realize what would happen if the stormlords found out that Orys did not consummate the union with Lady Argella?"
Aegon didn't answer. "Not only would the peace be jeopardized, Orys' credibility as a lord in his own right would be at risk because as much as I hate to say this, Westeros will never respect a lord that has been hindered by his lady. Orys has a long way to go before he gets the necessary experience, but this will be a good opportunity for him to understand that his feelings will sometimes have to be suppressed for his lordly duties."
"But you said that you wanted Orys to find a woman. Shouldn't his feelings matter in that instance?" Rhaenys pointed out.
"I stand by my words, Rhae," Lord Aerion replied. "I want Orys to find a woman that can keep him in check and can give him love. I also want him to start acting as appropriate to his new station. He has to worry about his lordship, his sworn lords, his smallfolk, the land, and other concerns that only a lord would understand. If he doesn't perform his role properly, everything will be undone, a little at a time."
"But why give Orys Storm's End if you think he doesn't have the experience?" Visenya asked.
"Unlike him, all of you will share in the inheritance I will leave behind when I'm gone," Lord Aerion put bluntly. "Egg and Rhae will get Dragonstone, and you and Jaenyx will have your own lands and keeps to worry about. Orys doesn't have that, but I will not allow him to sell his sword or stoop so low as is common for bastard children. He's thirty and to have no inheritance at that age is an embarrassment I won't put him through. And what better way to learn about being a lord than to actually be a lord? This will be a good learning experience for him."
Jaenyx could only feel respect for Lord Aerion showing so much consideration for his children. From his interactions with Chrass Rivers, the fact that he had a keep at all was a miracle and a testament to his abilities. For Orys, he not only had a keep to his name, but was a powerful lord underneath Dragonstone. He would have to stop thinking like a bastard, as was sadly the case for others born in his position, if he was to succeed as a lord and Lord Aerion had also found a way to erase the stain of bastardy from Orys' mind. Clever, Lord Targaryen .
Despite being in the lord's solar, Lord Aerion allowed Aegon, Rhaenys, Visenya, and Jaenyx to conduct their daily business there. While Aegon and Rhaenys helped their father manage the affairs of Dragonstone, Jaenyx and Visenya went through the affairs of the riverlands. Already, the peace in that region was being threatened after Black Harren perished. Despite the Blackwoods and Tullys performing to their best abilities as his deputies, there were growing concerns among the riverlords in regards to their policies in the regions. For starters, houses such as the Brackens of Stone Hedge and the Freys of the Crossing protested when Dragonstone made them cease all payments of the tithe to the Starry Sept, which was the center of the Faith of the Seven in Westeros. With himself and later House Targaryen professing no piety to the Faith, there was no point in supporting all of them supporting the rebuilding of the septs or giving money to a religion they didn't follow. They didn't stop the individual lords from rebuilding the septs themselves, but that meant taking more coin out of their pockets than before. This of course made some of the riverlords complain, not that Jaenyx would concern himself with their grumbling.
The riverlords that complained also seemed to forget how much damage the late Black Harren had done to the region, with the damage requiring more coin than was possible to raise with normal taxation to repair. Besides the remnants of the treasury at the ruins of Harrenhal, which was substantial, certain houses such as House Roote were fined for standing by the ironborn and alongside the revenues gained from the ceasing of the tithes, there was just enough coin to begin rebuilding the region. Fields were being restored, crops were being resown, villages were seeing their original inhabitants return, and infrastructure along the rivers was being rebuilt. It was a slow process, but Jaenyx estimated that after a few years, the riverlands would flourish and the grumbling lords silenced.
In regards to the ruins of Harrenhal, Jaenyx read the latest report from Aevor Rahitheon. The Rahitheons removed much of the stone used to build the fortress, to be transported elsewhere via ox and boat, while the walls and the remaining standing structures were maintained. However, Aevor Rahitheon recommended that they only use Harrenhal as a place to gather troops and as a supply depot, as no lord on Westeros could hope to properly utilize Black Harren's vanity project as their own keep. Trusting his judgment, Jaenyx stamped his approval with his seal and thus making Harrenhal remain under Dragonstone's control but with no lord over it.
But more serious to Jaenyx was the most recent dispatch from Lord Colren Blackwood, which Visenya pointed out to him. The Brackens were increasing their troop movements in their lands along the Red Fork, with some of them dangerously close to the Blackwood lands around Raventree Hall. It was no secret that Lord Bracken resented Lord Aerion and Jaenyx himself favoring House Blackwood for being the first to lend them any kind of support, and Lord Bracken was a close acquaintance of Edmyn Tully. However, Jaenyx was barely able to keep the peace between the Brackens and the Blackwoods, as any fighting between two powerful houses in the riverlands would set back any progress they made towards rebuilding the region. He tried to bribe the Lord Bracken with a portion from Black Harren's treasury, which was still a small fortune, from doing anything rash. Apparently, bribery didn't work and Jaenyx cursed himself for thinking that blood feuds could be solved with coin.
Fortunately, Jaenyx remembered a lesson from Master Haru in regards to spying and had set up his own network of agents that operated throughout the region. He employed servants, cooks, merchants, prostitutes and any other person that engaged in close contact with the various riverlords or anyone else deemed important. He was careful to trust merchants and whores, as they were as likely to tell their clients what they were really doing as spying on them on his behalf if it meant getting more coin. Therefore, he would pay them only after they told him information of great substance while showing he would not hesitate in punishing those that would try to double-cross him.
Such was the time when Jaenyx found out that one of the prostitutes he employed told her client, a Piper, that she was in fact trying to fish information out of him. It was easy for him to deny knowledge of his activity, as nobody trusted the word of a whore, but betrayal did not go unpunished. He went to the brothel, dragged that whore through the back door, and was prepared to cut her throat. However, Visenya had accompanied him and told him to stay his dagger, before she beat that prostitute to a bloody pulp. None of his agents knew each other, but they didn't need to as they all heard about what his wife did and were thus kept in line.
However, Jaenyx warned his agents not to ask direct questions and instead to lead their clients on. He paid half a pound of silver to each of his agents whenever they did give him substantial information, and he and Visenya came up with an expense book to keep track of their agents and how much they were paying them. But they were wise to write the journal in a mixture of nihongo and High Valyrian, as only a few people in Westeros could even read a little of the latter and none for the former in case that journal got into the wrong hands. They had to take every precaution, as complacency breeds serious mistakes.
Another thing that was concerning for Jaenyx was the fact that an armed group of the Faith, calling themselves the Poor Fellows, were seen more frequently in the riverlands. He had studied the armed wing of the Faith, aptly called the Faith Militant or the Stars and Swords, with the Poor Fellows essentially being the rabble. However, they were more numerous than the better-armed Warrior's Sons and acted with infrequency, with only their red seven-pointed stars making it possible to keep track of them. He didn't bother with the Faith's activities in the riverlands, but they were increasing disturbances between septons preaching against the Valyrian practices of the family and the Valyrian bannermen patrolling throughout the region. After that riot in which the septon speaking against Aegon and Rhaenys' marriage was arrested by a mix of Celtigar and Tarareon soldiers, there was a spike in Poor Fellows' activity. He warned his bannermen to remain vigilant while also getting Lord Blackwood to send out his own men dressed in plain garments to further monitor lords and smallfolk that were getting increasingly intractable.
As Jaenyx and Visenya went through the other dispatches from the riverlands, Aegon and Rhaenys continuing their managing of Dragonstone's affairs with their father, they heard a door knock. "Come in," their father ordered. But instead of a regular servant, it was Ragaemor Tarareon, and he looked pale.
" What is it, Ragaemor ?" Jaenyx stood up, concerned. He held up a scroll, which Jaenyx took from his hand.
" You need to read that, my lord ," Ragaemor Tarareon shakily answered.
" What is this? "
" You will see, Lord Jaenyx ."
Unrolling the scroll, Jaenyx read silently and slowly through the thick text. His eyes widened in horror and his face turned to white as he understood why Ragaemor Tarareon was so pale.
"Can you read it for us, Jaenyx?" Lord Aerion asked of him.
Collecting his thoughts, Jaenyx cleared his throat before reading the scroll aloud:
" Oh children of the Seven, although you have promised more firmly than ever to keep the peace among yourselves and to preserve the rights of the gods, there is an important work for you all to do. Freshly quickened by the divine correction, you must apply the strength of your righteousness to another matter which concerns you as well as the gods. For your brethren who live in the riverlands and the stormlands are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them. For, as the most of you have heard, the incestuous Valyrians have attacked them and have conquered territory as far east as the Tumblestone and as far south as the Red Mountains. They have occupied more and more of the lands of our brothers and sisters, and have overcome them in many battles. They have killed and captured many, and have destroyed the septs and devastated their lands. If you permit them to continue thus with impunity, the faithful will be much more widely attacked by them. On this account I, or rather the Father, beseech you as the Seven's heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to the Faithful and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends. I say this to those who are present, it meant also for those who are absent. Moreover, the Warrior commands it. 'All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of their sins. This I grant them through the power of the gods with which I am invested. Oh, what a disgrace if such a despised and base race, which worships demons, should conquer a people which has the Faith of the Mother and is made glorious with the name of the Father and the rest of the Seven! With what reproaches will the gods overwhelm us if you do not aid those who, with us, profess the Faith! Let those who have been accustomed unjustly to wage private warfare against the faithful now go against the infidels and end with victory this war which should have been begun long ago. Let those who for a long time, have been robbers, now become knights. Let those who have been fighting against their brothers and relatives now fight in a proper way against the barbarians. Let those who have been serving as mercenaries for small pay now obtain the eternal reward. Let those who have been wearing themselves out in both body and soul now work for a double honor. Behold! On this side will be the sorrowful and poor, on that, the rich. On this side, the enemies of the gods, on that, their friends. Let those who go not put off the journey, but rent their lands and collect money for their expenses. And as soon as summer is over and winter comes, let them eagerly set out on the way with the gods as their guides. Decreed by His High Holiness the High Septon, from the Starry Sept in Oldtown. May the gods reign and the Warrior grant victory. "
Everyone's eyes widened as Jaenyx passed them the scroll for each of them to read. The implications of such a message was not lost on all. The High Septon was referring to their family was the enemy and was calling on all of those following the Faith to basically wage war on them for being Valyrian. Westeros had deemed all of their practices and culture as abominations, and now they had an excuse to openly fight them since their holy leader gave his blessing. Jaenyx sunk into his chair, going through the many possibilities of the coming conflict. What was for sure was that the odds were not good, as even with their dragons, the majority of the people under them were followers of the Faith and there will be divided loyalties among the lands they controlled. My gods… he merely thought.
Rhaenys put her hand on her mouth, terror growing in her eyes. "No…"
Aegon shook his head. "Holy fuck…"
Visenya tightened her jaw, steeling herself for the thoughts that came after reading the Faith's declaration of war more closely. "Oh, my gods…"
Their father, Lord Aerion, was just silent. He had only practiced the Faith out of practicality, but him not going to the sept and being open in his worship of Valyria's gods had consequences.
Jaenyx looked at Ragaemor Tarareon, who was still standing there. " How many men could we muster ?"
" Four thousand, my lord ," Ragaemor Tarareon replied. " And we could raise more with the Blackwoods and the stormlords after Lord Orys gives the command ."
Jaenyx nodded. " Get a message to Raventree Hall. No doubt Lord Blackwood has also heard about this. Tell him to assemble his men and to have Chrass Rivers sent to Dragonstone. " Ragaemor Tarareon bowed before leaving the solar.
"What are you doing, Jae?" Aegon asked, coming out of his shock.
"Whatever happens, Egg, we need to be ready to fight. We've got a long struggle ahead of us."
"But why would they do this? We've never done anything bad to the Faith!" Rhaenys cried out.
"That depends on perspective, Rhae, but it doesn't matter now. Right now, they see us as curses and there will be bloodshed. That, I can guarantee you."
"What is your plan then?" Lord Aerion asked.
" First, we need to get our loyal lords assembled and ready to fight, and then secure the lands of those newly loyal to us. After that, we will respond actively against the threat ."
"But aren't we moving too fast, Jae?" Aegon stepped in. "We need time. We need to find out who besides the Velaryons, the Celtigars, your houses, the Blackwoods, and among the stormlord houses will stand with us."
"Egg, we don't have the luxury of time now!" Jaenyx almost shouted. "If we're not ready to meet the threat, we're finished."
Just then, a servant burst in the room. Normally, she would have been punished for such rudeness. But the situation made decorum the least priority.
"What is it?" Lord Aerion asked the servant girl.
"My lord," the servant started but was almost out of breath. "There's news from Sweetport Sound. Lord Sunglass has declared himself no longer under your house and has risen up in rebellion."
More shock filled the solar, but was quickly replaced with rage. Aegon, Visenya, Aerion, and even Rhaenys had the dragonfire emerge from their eyes, while Jaenyx grinded his teeth. " Knew they would do something as foolish as this ," Jaenyx remarked, having nothing but bad opinions on House Sunglass, more so after their previous lord publicly refused to help his liege.
Aegon rose up from his seat. "I'm going to Sweetport Sound, and I'm torching it with dragonfire."
"You won't be alone, Egg," Visenya also stood up. "We should have wiped them out a long time ago."
Rhaenys straightened herself, while Jaenyx nodded. "We're with you, Egg."
Moments later, the four dragons lifted off from the courtyard of Dragonstone towards Sweetport Sound. The night was filled with screaming, smoke, and flames that burned until the stone of House Sunglass melted. But Jaenyx knew, it has only just begun.