𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝐎𝐚𝐭𝐡

Bastard Blood

"Is ser Harwing Strong my father?... Am I a bastard?" The words echo in Jace's mind, still suffering from the fate of being born, he and his two brothers Lucerys and Joffery will accepted in a flock of white sheep.

'Thereya was right... I will never be anything more than a black sheep in a flock full of white ones'... He thought as he gripped the edge of the table harder.

"Are you angry with me Jace?" A voice from behind him quivered.

Jace heard Luke's little quivering voice and turned around slowly, his heart softening at the sight of his younger brother standing behind him. Seeing the worry etched on Luke's face, Jace knelt to his level, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Luke," he said softly, his voice filled with warmth and reassurance. "I'm not angry with you, buddy. Nobody is. It's okay."

Luke's eyes widened in surprise, the tension in his small frame easing at Jace's words. He sniffled softly, tears glistening in his eyes as he searched his brother's face for any sign of disapproval.

"I-I didn't mean to break it," Luke stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jace smiled, pulling Luke into a comforting hug. "I know you didn't, champ. Accidents happen, and we can fix it together, okay? No need to worry."

"You think Thereya will be mad?" Luke looked down giving Jace one of Thereya's necklaces.

"At you? No way... She's not attached to stuff like that you know it... Well only her mother's ring but that has a deeper meaning..." Jace reassured

Jace gently pulled back from the hug, keeping his hands on Luke's shoulders, and looked into his brother's eyes with a soft smile.

"You know," he began, "maybe this is an opportunity. Instead of feeling bad about the necklace, we can think of it as a chance to make something even better. How about you make Thereya a new necklace? Something unique and special that she could cherish. And I'll help you... Okay?"

Luke's eyes widened with excitement, his earlier worries melting away. "Really? We can do that?" he asked, his voice tinged with hope.

Jace nodded, ruffling Luke's hair affectionately. "Of course, buddy. We'll gather some materials and work on it together. It'll be our gift to Thereya, something handmade with love."

A grin spread across Luke's face, his enthusiasm contagious. "I can't wait to see her face when she gets it!" he exclaimed.

Jace chuckled, feeling a swell of pride in his brother's eagerness. "Me too, Luke. Me too." Together, they began planning their special gift, "Go off then gather some materials... Something she would like..." Jace said to Luke while walking towards the door.

"And where are you going?" Luke asked curiously.

"I need to have a word with Aegon..."

Luke shook his head, "You will fight again won't you?"

"Of course not. I'm bigger than that..." Jace scoffed annoyingly and Luke only rolled his eyes, "Yeah... Right" his voice dripping with sarcasm.

With Jace's encouragement ringing in his ears, Luke wasted no time in darting towards the shore, his excitement propelling him forward.

As he reached the sandy coastline, he paused for a moment to take in the breathtaking view of the vast expanse of ocean stretching out before him. The rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore filled him with a sense of calm determination. He finally got Thereya and why would she come here? It felt peaceful, almost enough to heal.

Spotting a cluster of tide pools glistening in the sunlight, Luke hurried over, his eyes scanning the rocky pools for treasures. Carefully, he began to gather an assortment of colourful seashells, each one a small marvel of nature's beauty. With each discovery, his enthusiasm grew, fueled by the thought of creating something special for Thereya.