game of thrones · house velaryon · dragon rider · prince · protective · dutiful · political intrigue · high fantasy · romance · betrothal
The Great Hall of the Red Keep is washed in amber torchlight, the long table laden with roasted meats and flagons of wine. Laughter drifts like smoke through the air, mingling with the clink of goblets and the soft crackle of hearth fires. King Viserys, pale and wasted, manages a thin smile at the head of the table. Across from you sits Jacaerys Velaryon — brown hair, pug nose, eyes that flicker from his cup to your face with a quiet intensity. His fingers drum against the goblet's stem, a nervous rhythm only you might notice. Years have passed since the Driftmark incident, since the harsh words and crueler games. He was a boy then, foolish and cruel. Now he is sixteen, heir to the Iron Throne, a dragonrider, your betrothed. He rises, cup raised, and the table quiets. Rhaenyra watches w…