Late at night.
The starless night plunged the entire continent into endless darkness and silence, with only a few great cities still brightly lit, their splendor on full display.
A platinum-and-white dragon glided silently across the night sky, soaring over sleeping towns and dense rainforests. Only when a pillar of light pierced the darkness ahead did the girl riding its back finally exhale in relief.
It was the lights of Summerfield.
The vast city gleamed under the night sky, its brilliance undiminished. Even from dragonback, one could see the bustling crowds in the streets, and a circus troupe from the Eastern Continent performing an elegant elephant dance beside the colossal dragon statue in the Summer Market.
But the girl on the dragon's back cast only a calm glance at the scene below before lowering herself onto the saddle again. The great beast melted back into the night without disturbing the people of the city.
Before long, the young platinum-and-white dragon emerged from behind the great dragon sculpture atop the Silverblood Tower in Dragon's Nest.
Sensing the arrival of a fellow kind, the dragon known as Golden King, resting in the courtyard on the second level of Dragon's Nest, abruptly raised its head. But upon recognizing the newcomer, it lowered its head once more.
The young platinum dragon spotted Golden King "on duty" in the courtyard and let out a cheerful cry. At the sound, Golden King tensed, lifting its head nervously and uttering a soft growl:
"Platinum. Quiet. Wood and Bronze don't like it."
The younger dragon glanced around fearfully. Not spotting the two terrifying dragons Golden King referred to, it relaxed and began its descent.
Princess Elenna, riding on its back, gave her dragon a curious look. Though she couldn't fully understand what Golden King meant, she could guess that it was warning her dragon Sunshine to be quiet.
She whispered, "Sunshine, silence. Land."
Sunshine lowered her head slightly and gently landed beside the larger Golden King. Elenna nimbly leapt from the dragon's back and was quickly met by the approaching Silver Guards.
"I am Elenna Targaryen, sister to King Daeron, daughter of King Aegon and Queen Samantha, and betrothed to Prince Rhaegon Vaelarys. Take me to Prince Rhaegor or Prince Rhaegon."
The lead Silver Guard, upon seeing the princess's silvery hair streaked with gold and her features, raised a gauntleted fist to his chest in salute. "Your Highness, please follow me. Also, does your dragon require—?"
"No need. Sunshine is well-behaved. She'll even allow you to approach her," Elenna replied, casting a glance at her dragon. Unlike most dragons of House Vaelarys, Sunshine lacked the monstrous traits or massive horns. Her scales were hard and lustrous.
Instead, Sunshine's horns were slender, delicate, and crystal-clear. Her scales gleamed with a soft platinum hue, glistening even in the moonless, starless dark.
As if understanding her rider's intentions, Sunshine curled up lazily, doing her best to avoid contact with any humans. Golden King, seemingly familiar with Sunshine's temperament, ignored her and tucked his head back under his wing to sleep again.
"As you wish, Princess. Please follow me."
Princess Elenna was dressed for travel, her black cloak and outer garments still dusted with soot from flight. Yet she showed no signs of fatigue. Her urgency was evident—she kept pace even with the Silver Guard captain, a grown man in full armor.
"Ser, is Princess Rhaenya vacationing here in Dragon's Nest?"
"Which Princess Rhaenya?" the captain asked, puzzled.
Elenna paused for a moment. "The younger one. My sister."
"Oh," the captain nodded in recognition. "The wife of Prince Aegon of Oldtown, the eldest daughter of Queen Samantha?"
Elenna nodded eagerly. She knew that Rhaenya had traveled south with little Daeron for a relaxing retreat, but she wasn't sure if they had already left.
Please let her still be here.
"She's staying in the Purple Palace. At this hour, Your Highness, Princess Rhaenya and Prince Daeron are likely already asleep," the captain explained patiently.
"Thank you."
Feeling reassured, Elenna fell silent and followed the equally silent captain into the tower. The guards stationed at the tower took over escorting the princess, leading her through long corridors, up winding staircases, and finally up a mechanical lift before they arrived at the hall where Prince Rhaegor worked.
Thump, thump, thump.
The guard knocked gently on the door, and a voice came from within—stern, yet tinged with fatigue.
"Enter."
The guard pushed open the door. "Your Highness, Princess Elenna is here."
Rhaegor stopped his writing, briskly closed the thick ledger in front of him, and looked toward the travel-worn Princess Elenna. He rose swiftly, placing a hand to his chest in a light bow.
"Your Highness."
Elenna returned the bow politely, then said urgently, "Uncle, is my sister well?"
"She is," Rhaegor replied calmly. "Today, Daenerys and little Igon took her and young Daeron to the Grand Sept of the Seven Dragons. Tomorrow they'll be going to the Summer Market. A circus from the Conqueror's Lands has arrived—quite famous. Rhaenya's been eager to see it for some time."
Still uneasy, Elenna added, "Uncle, about Diana's childbirth…"
"Rhaenya already knows," Rhaegor said. He seemed entirely unmoved by the news. "She's stronger than you think."
"I know, Uncle. Sister has always been the most composed among us, the one with the steadiest mind… But Aegon went too far this time…"
"It wasn't Aegon who went too far, Elenna," Rhaegor interrupted coolly. "If you can't tell who truly crossed the line, then you won't be able to view the situation objectively."
"I know very well, Uncle, I do," Elenna took a deep breath and slumped slightly into the cushioned chair a guard had brought for her. "I know it all. It was Diana who seduced Aegon, who got him drunk and climbed into his bed… But no one expected his seed to actually take root. And now it's a healthy boy—a strong one. That's never happened before, Uncle. A royal Targaryen bastard, born within the family…"
At this point, Elenna couldn't help grabbing at her own hair. "What were they thinking? What will the world think of the royal house now? Uncle, help me. Tell me what I'm supposed to do. Diana has gone far down the wrong path. Just because she resented His Majesty's decisions, she had to rebel like this? She could've just gone and punched Reg Velaryon or Robb Arryn for all I care—but this?"
Her voice rose with every word. "She actually thinks that by birthing a child, she's won. That her rebellion succeeded. Does she even understand what a royal bastard means to the House, to Sister Rhaenya, to His Majesty, to herself? How can she be so foolish…"
"Oh, and do you know what name Diana gave the child?" Elenna finally collapsed back into the cushions, her voice faint.
Rhaegor simply looked at her, saying nothing.
"Daemon," the princess said wearily, revealing the name Diana had chosen.
Rhaegor listened quietly to her outpouring, but within his heart, a storm was beginning to rise.
If the Targaryens mishandled this affair, chaos would soon follow.