Chapter 36: Chapter 16: The Winds of Fair Isle (Nyel, Matarys, Vaemond, Aegon) (Part 1)

8th Moon, 8014

Courtyard of the Aegonfort

Nyel made her way through the courtyard, which was buzzing with activity. Knights and squires prepared horses for the coming journey while stewards loaded wagons with provisions.

She wore her hair in two braids like her mother was like to do and dressed in her finest raiment to attend court that morning, despite the effort she made in looking presentable she was tired…she had had the dream again, the same one with the dark shape and stinging rain she had every few months for the past year, she had never told anyone about it, but she planned to change that today.

Narrah stalked behind her, the Dragon was only the size of a small dog, around three feet and unable to fly for long but growing every year, its red scales glinted in the sunlight as knights and retainers gave it curious glances.

Nyel had wanted to speak with her father all morning about her dream, but he had been busy, as today was the day he was leaving on his second royal progress.

 He had held a quick court that morning, giving his council instructions to send declarations to every corner of the realm that the tradition of the first night was hereby abolished by royal decree, something her aunt Rhaenys had petitioned her father to change before he left on his progress. There had been other minor affairs handled following this, some Stormlander lord had been made to take the black by her father as punishment for murdering a neighboring noble, immeadiatly following court however, her lord father had dissapeared, leaving her no chance to talk, he was due to leave within the hour however and it was now or never.

She finally found him at the gate, her brother Vaemond and all the knights of the Kingsguard at his side, save for Ser Gawen Corbray and Ser Harold Langward who were remaining in the capitol to guard Nyel, her mother and aunt.

‘’Your Grace.’’ Nyel said formally, bowing her head.

Her father smiled, he looked magnificent in heavy boiled black armor with encrusted rubies and silver stones in the shape of a dragon, with a heavy black silk cloak.

‘’Nyel….I was wondering where you had gone…..I was just going to have someone find you….we leave within the hour.’’ her father said dismounting.

‘’I wanted a word with you alone for a moment.’’ Nyel said and her father nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder and leading her to a corner of the courtyard that was not so busy.

Nyel then explained her dream that she had experienced several times in the past year, the stinging rain, the yells, the fat lion with the matted mane and the dark shape, hurtling down into the darkness.

By the end of it her father was frowning, a ponderous look upon his face.

‘’I was thinking I might have the Dragonsight….like Daenys the Dreamer…our ancestor.’’ Nyel said, referring to an ancestor that had dreams and premonitions of the doom of Valyria, causing the Targaryen family to leave Valyria before the doom, escaping the destruction.

‘’There are no lions left in Westeros…..and it may be these are just dreams Nyel….I too heard the story of Daenys the dreamer as a child and I will not tell you it is untrue….but the fact is many old tales are based on both truth and myth.’’ Her father said, ever cynical.

‘’Perhaps.’’ Nyel said, unconvinced.

‘’If these dreams still trouble you I will have a sorcerer from the east sent from upon my return….I don't put much stock in their ilk but if it comforts you…..’’ Her father said doubtfully.

‘’Thank you father.’’ Nyel said, she had not expected much of a reaction from her father but she appreciated that he had least humored her.

Aegon embraced his daughter before pulling away ‘’The next time I see you, you will be a grown woman….I was thinking of staging a tourney to mark your name day.’’

‘’That would be wonderful, Nothing big…perhaps just the knights of the Kingsguard…a few others.’’ Nyel said happily, her dreams quickly forgotten.

Her father nodded ‘’I'm sure your brother will be wishing to participate as well…speaking of which you should see him off, we will be gone at least half a year.’’

Nyel nodded ‘’Give Matarys our greetings…tell him I still have old Ser Whiskers.’’

Her father grunted ‘’I'd forgotten about that damn cat….if Lord Royce has done his job your brother will be beyond such things.’’

‘’But you will tell him?’’ Nyel prodded.

Her father sighed and shook his head ‘’Very well…..I shall inform him that Whiskers is alive and well.

 ‘’Ser Whiskers father.’’ Nyel corrected him.

The King chuckled at that and mounted his horse, smiling at Nyel before disappearing into the crowd.

Nyel found her brother Vaemond and made her farewells. She found herself noticing how much he looked like their father. He was tall for his 13 years, standing just as tall as the Kingsguard around him, and had their fathers broad shoulders, though his face was gentler and less stern.

‘’When I return….we should spend more time together.’’ Her brother said bluntly as was his manner. They were not particularly close, and Nyel had noticed that her brother often seemed uncomfortable around her, most likely due to him learning recently what was expected of him to keep the bloodline pure and produce an heir, something Nyel had known for years.

Nyel smiled ‘’That would be nice….give Matarys my love…tell him our mother eagerly awaits his return.’’ Their mother Visenya had wanted to accompany the royal progress but the King had named her regent to rule in his stead while he was away.

Vaemond nodded ‘’Father seems to think that the time in the Eyrie under Lord Royce will have changed him but……I have my doubts….we spent more time with him than father did, I think it's just who he is.’’

Nyel nodded, in truth she too had a hard time picturing their kindhearted little brother, who had preferred playing with kittens and eating apple cakes to any kind of martial activities as a formidable warrior.

Before anymore words could be said, a shout from the front of the column signaled that it was time to go.

Vaemond nodded at his sister and rode to rejoin his father.

The Targaryen retinue consisting of near 100 knights and twice as many squires, stewards, and other minor nobility began their procession through the streets of Kings Landing, from there they would head north to the Vale of Arryn, riding through the Bloody Gate and from there the Eyrie.

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10th Moon, 8015

The Eyrie

Matarys made his way down the stone spiral steps of his bedchamber down to the main hall, breathing heavily as he made his way down the steep staircase.

Nervous excitement coursed through his body as he made his way down, he was finally going to see father and Vae again, though he knew his mother was not coming. In truth it was only that excitement that kept him awake.

Sleep did not come easily to Matarys, he was oft tormented by dreams, nightmares of childhood bullies like Dalton Wynch or a recurring dream of darkness and terror, the sound of a sword being sharpened and great wings beating in the air. He never put much stock in it however, dreams were just dreams according to the castle Maester.

Furthermore, Lord Royces insistence that he train at arms stressed him out to no end, he didn't think he could ever use a sword to hurt someone but when he had explained this to Lord Royce, the man had explained, not unkindly, that he would need to learn to defend himself.

He liked Lord Royce, he was a kind man that kept a fine table, and while Matarys loathed the days when he had to train in the yard, he enjoyed the man's tales of chivalry, honor, and duty, and the tenants of what made a good knight.

‘’Done the best I can….’’ He overheard as he approached the main hall.

He peered out into the hallway and saw his father nodding, talking with Lord Royce.

‘Father!’’ Matarys cried out, running as fast as his chubby legs allowed, embracing his surprised father with a  hug.

His father reciprocated before gently pushing him away.

‘’How is Ser Whiskers?’’ Matarys questioned him immediately, he had been anxiously awaiting an update on his childhood friend.

His father seemed to be disappointed for some reason, and Matarys feared he was about to receive some bad news.

Instead his father had given a thin smile, though his eyes still seemed troubled ‘’Your cat is fine Matarys….Nyel watches him.’’

He heard a bit of muffled laughter and turned, his veins turning to ice…..at the back of the hall was Dalton Wynch, the same cruel green eyes and long orange hair, though he wore the beginings of a scraggly beard now.

The taller boy next to him silenced him with a  glare and approached, Matarys looked with surprise, it was his brother Vaemond.

‘’You haven't changed a bit little brother.’’ His older brother said as Matarys embraced him.

‘’You have….a lot.’’ Matarys said. Vae was a lot different than he remembered, where Matarys was plump and short, his older brother was lean and broad shouldered.

‘’You heard the egg Aunt Rhaenys gave me hatched…..I have a dragon now…I named it Moondancer.’’ Matarys said excitedly.

‘’I should like to see it.’’ Vaemond said, and one of the servants nodded and left the hall.

The servant returned shortly after holding a heavy iron cage, Moondancer was inside, hissing little puffs of smoke.

His father frowned ‘’A cage is no place for a Dragon Matarys.’’

‘’I know, I tried to become friends with it but it bit me hard.’ Matarys explained.

Lord Royce nodded ‘’The boy speaks true….it took a good chunk out of his arm.’’

‘’When I return to the capitol I want to introduce him to Ser Whiskers…..maybe that will make him friendlier.’’ Matarys offered.

‘’Matarys…a dragon is more likely to eat your little friend than listen to it…..you will have to train it with bits of meat from the kitchens…that's what Nyel does with hers…if you keep it in a cage it will grow weak.’’ His older brother said.

‘’I will.’’ Matarys promised, but he doubted it would do much good, the dragon didn't seem to like him very much.

Lord Arryn held an impressive feast that night, and the next morning he joined father and Vae for several days of touring the hamlets in the immediate vicinity to the Eyrie. They were some of the best days of Matarys life, he was excused from swordplay for an entire two weeks, and he and Vae spent several days exploring the surrounding lands, riding to the nearby tavern one day and a hidden mountain stream the other, Not even Dalton Wynch could ruin it as his brother was quickly at his side if the Ironborn tried to approach. The other days were more boring, observing his father dispensing justice on the small folk, hearing their complaints.

After the two weeks had ended, his Lord father and his brother would depart the Eyrie, riding for Seaguard, where they would take a ship to the island of Fair Isle.

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