the thing about dragons

chapter one (I)

in which Lyra realizes it's a fucking isekai.

part I

***

warnings: (more) mentions of violent death (of the protagonist), canon-compliant violence, Daemon Targaryen as a POV character, blood, breaking and rearranging of the book-show timeline

***

When they touch down for a rest stop and set up a small camp, it's almost like just a normal camping trip with nothing pressing happening. They stop fairly away from any settlements, near to a road, by a small river that feeds into equally small lake, and set up a bonfire and a bedroll for the night. The only tent they need is Caraxes' wing once he settles down.

They have rations, but they go fishing anyway, having discarded their shoes and rolled up their breeches. Daemon is quick enough to catch a nice-sized catfish with his bare hands. He's a bit lost on what to do with it later—he always had someone else to prepare the game for him, after all—so Daelyra stabs the fish through the head and shows him how to gut it and then filet it.

<Did Rhea teach you this too?>

Daelyra cocks her head. <I'm not sure. Someone taught me, though.>

The Internet.

The fuck's Internet?

It's almost as if they're not on their way to the capital for Viserys' coronation, and Daemon isn't to be considered to be an heir in all but name until his brother manages to make a son.

But he won't, though? All Viserys will do is bring them to easily avoidable ruin.

That man is a fool.

When the night falls, they lay down on the bedroll, Daelyra tucked in her customary spot under Daemon's right arm, and they trace the constellations on the dark sky until Caraxes coils around their little campsite and puts his wing over them, shielding them from elements.

<Hey, dad.>

<Hmm?>

<Does this mean I'm a princess now?>

<...I suppose so? No, wait, I don't think so. Not if I'm not even the official heir.>

Daelyra scrunches her nose. <Good. That sounds like a bother.>

Daemon laughs. <Don't you want to be a princess?>

<No. Why would I? I want to be free to do whatever I want. Running a country would be the exact opposite of that.>

<Huh. I never thought of it that way.>

<There's many things you don't think about, dad.>

<And what is that supposed to mean?>

He pokes her in the side and she squeals, moving away. He knows she's ticklish! He's ticklish in the exact same spot! She pouts at him, and he laughs and presses his forehead to hers.

<It means that I packed your socks because you forgot,> she says, still pouting. <Again.>

○

They arrive in King's Landing late afternoon next day; Caraxes caught a wind current that carried them gliding most of the way, greatly reducing the amount of actual flying he had to do past occasional flap of his massive wings to keep the altitude.

<I can smell it from here,> Daelyra says unhappily as they near the cesspit of a city. <Why can I smell it from here? The wind is blowing in the other direction!>