Post by The Stranger on Jan 11, 2010 15:12:12 GMT -5
When she visited the dragons Joanna was careful to always to make a fuss of Saella and Dracarys when offering food to the trio but it was for Valyria that she reserved most of her attention. She liked to sit with the dragon even when she could not fly. The dragon was easy to talk to when there were no other people present; she never judged nor lost her temper. By the time her marriage to Daemon approached, Joanna’s visits to Valyria had become daily and she had taken to shirking her weekly visits to the sept in favour of extra time with the dragon. As well as flying, Joanna read every book she could find on dragonlore and the ancient legends of the Targaryen dragons. She liked to sit on a blanket and rest against Valyria’s flank when she did so. All the dragons seemed to like the sound of her voice though she had no idea whether they understood what she read to them. One she was certain of, though, was tha they were growing ever more comfortable with her presence, especially Valyria, who she’d ridden.
The day before her wedding to Daemon, Joanna had discovered a book of legends about the heroes of the war against the Others. She devoured it eagerly, enjoying the extraordinary tales of her own kinfolk, who she’d grown up with or else heard about all her life. The tales of her barely-remembered father and of the uncles she’d known and loved were particularly strikingm but Joanna’s favourites were the tales of her mother.
“Listen to this,” she said to the dragons. “You and I have ancestors to be proud of.
“The screams of the wounded were the sounds of Hell itself. The icy wastes of the Land Beyond the Wall were alight with dragonfire and the ground was stained red with the blood of the slain. I saw the Princess Rhaenys, now our Queen, mounted on the back of the green dragon they called Elannyria. Her Grace shot arrows of obsidian down at the Others. The great lizard’s mouth spewed forth flame in a great burning river that killed the Others and their undead servants. I watched the dragon soar downwards, saw the evil wights reach for her, behind them stood the Others with their eyes and blades glowing with unnatural light. It seemed as if the Princess was doomed but her dragon soared upwards at the last moment with a great cry. The beast was wounded. I saw the Princess struggle to keep her balance as she guided the dragon to land. Only later was it evident that the great dragon was blind. It must have taken great skill or great luck for the pair of them to survive.
The armies of Westeros and Sothroys fought hard that day while overhead flew the remaining dragons, Rhodrys and Becawyr, both of them raining fiery death upon the Others. Queen Saella was mounted upon Becawyr, the sword Blackfyre never leaving her hand until the Stranger claimed her for his own. Half a dozen stories have been told of the Queen’s fall so I will not attempt to tell her what I did not see for myself. Indeed I knew nothing of the matter until I heard a terrible scream and saw the dragon Becawyr fall to earth, its neck breaking on the impact. I looked about me and saw the dragon bastard, Maekar Blackfyre, pick up the royal sword. There was no sign of the queen. Ser Maekar approached the distraught princess and offered her the blade. Her Grace Rhaenys then addressed her mother’s army with a rousing speech and the ragged force charged the Others and destroyed them. The last thing I remember that day is Ser Maekar kneeling in the bloody snow to acknowledge Rhaenys Queen.”
Her account finished, Joanna closed the book and turned to the dragons. Three pairs of dragon eyes watched her, as did a pair of human eyes that were so dark a purple they were almost black. Joanna started; she had not known Benjen was there.
“I did not know you had a penchant for eavesdropping,” she said.
Benjen grinned and ran his fingers down Valryia’s scaly flank. Joanna was impressed by his boldness, until she realised the dragon was dozing.
“I couldn’t help myself. I knew my father was at the Last Battle. Mother told me so little about him that I hoped to learn something but he hardly featured in your story at all. I already knew he was the first to call your mother Queen.”
“Sorry, Benjen, that account was primarily interested in the dragons. It’s from a whole chapter dedicated to their exploits. The great heroes, like Mother and Father and my uncles, all have their own chapters too. Your father features prominently in Mother’s chapters. You can borrow the book when I’m done with it, if you like.”
“My lady is most kind,” said Benjen, with that mocking inflection in his voice that both amused and infuriated her. “I’m thankful you’re not angry with me. I thought you might be, so I brought a peace offering. I visited Lannisport as you directed but they wouldn’t let me see the little girl. They did let me have a copy of a rare book though.”
He grinned and pulled a slim, leather-bound volume out from his jerkin. Joanna’s eyes lit up as she saw it. She’d heard of the book and its usefulness to anyone with an interest in dragonlore but the thing itself had remained elusive. She took it from Benjen and hugged him.
“Thank you, Benjen. I’m most grateful.”
She flicked through the book, glancing at the information. Written by a maester who’d served Queen Rhaenyra, it was a discourse on herbs, poultices and potions that could be used to heal sick dragons. Joanna read it that night, staying up until the small hours to finish it but feeling enlightened afterwards.
Joanna gains noteworthy dragonlore
Joanna gains novice healing
Benjen gains apprentice stealth (he stole the book)
The day before her wedding to Daemon, Joanna had discovered a book of legends about the heroes of the war against the Others. She devoured it eagerly, enjoying the extraordinary tales of her own kinfolk, who she’d grown up with or else heard about all her life. The tales of her barely-remembered father and of the uncles she’d known and loved were particularly strikingm but Joanna’s favourites were the tales of her mother.
“Listen to this,” she said to the dragons. “You and I have ancestors to be proud of.
“The screams of the wounded were the sounds of Hell itself. The icy wastes of the Land Beyond the Wall were alight with dragonfire and the ground was stained red with the blood of the slain. I saw the Princess Rhaenys, now our Queen, mounted on the back of the green dragon they called Elannyria. Her Grace shot arrows of obsidian down at the Others. The great lizard’s mouth spewed forth flame in a great burning river that killed the Others and their undead servants. I watched the dragon soar downwards, saw the evil wights reach for her, behind them stood the Others with their eyes and blades glowing with unnatural light. It seemed as if the Princess was doomed but her dragon soared upwards at the last moment with a great cry. The beast was wounded. I saw the Princess struggle to keep her balance as she guided the dragon to land. Only later was it evident that the great dragon was blind. It must have taken great skill or great luck for the pair of them to survive.
The armies of Westeros and Sothroys fought hard that day while overhead flew the remaining dragons, Rhodrys and Becawyr, both of them raining fiery death upon the Others. Queen Saella was mounted upon Becawyr, the sword Blackfyre never leaving her hand until the Stranger claimed her for his own. Half a dozen stories have been told of the Queen’s fall so I will not attempt to tell her what I did not see for myself. Indeed I knew nothing of the matter until I heard a terrible scream and saw the dragon Becawyr fall to earth, its neck breaking on the impact. I looked about me and saw the dragon bastard, Maekar Blackfyre, pick up the royal sword. There was no sign of the queen. Ser Maekar approached the distraught princess and offered her the blade. Her Grace Rhaenys then addressed her mother’s army with a rousing speech and the ragged force charged the Others and destroyed them. The last thing I remember that day is Ser Maekar kneeling in the bloody snow to acknowledge Rhaenys Queen.”
Her account finished, Joanna closed the book and turned to the dragons. Three pairs of dragon eyes watched her, as did a pair of human eyes that were so dark a purple they were almost black. Joanna started; she had not known Benjen was there.
“I did not know you had a penchant for eavesdropping,” she said.
Benjen grinned and ran his fingers down Valryia’s scaly flank. Joanna was impressed by his boldness, until she realised the dragon was dozing.
“I couldn’t help myself. I knew my father was at the Last Battle. Mother told me so little about him that I hoped to learn something but he hardly featured in your story at all. I already knew he was the first to call your mother Queen.”
“Sorry, Benjen, that account was primarily interested in the dragons. It’s from a whole chapter dedicated to their exploits. The great heroes, like Mother and Father and my uncles, all have their own chapters too. Your father features prominently in Mother’s chapters. You can borrow the book when I’m done with it, if you like.”
“My lady is most kind,” said Benjen, with that mocking inflection in his voice that both amused and infuriated her. “I’m thankful you’re not angry with me. I thought you might be, so I brought a peace offering. I visited Lannisport as you directed but they wouldn’t let me see the little girl. They did let me have a copy of a rare book though.”
He grinned and pulled a slim, leather-bound volume out from his jerkin. Joanna’s eyes lit up as she saw it. She’d heard of the book and its usefulness to anyone with an interest in dragonlore but the thing itself had remained elusive. She took it from Benjen and hugged him.
“Thank you, Benjen. I’m most grateful.”
She flicked through the book, glancing at the information. Written by a maester who’d served Queen Rhaenyra, it was a discourse on herbs, poultices and potions that could be used to heal sick dragons. Joanna read it that night, staying up until the small hours to finish it but feeling enlightened afterwards.
Joanna gains noteworthy dragonlore
Joanna gains novice healing
Benjen gains apprentice stealth (he stole the book)
Hope you all are well and happy.