"It's going to be called Rego."
Daeron settled on the young dragon's name.
Daenerys made a soft sound of surprise. She liked how it sounded but was curious where it came from.
Rhaenys looked a little confused. The name felt borrowed from her father, Rhaegar.
It was.
In the old stories, Daenerys had planned to name her unborn child Rego in memory of the brother she never knew. The baby died, and the name went to the green dragon instead.
Rego stared at the silver-haired man and let out a puff of black smoke.
"Good. Plenty of fight in you."
Daeron chuckled and scooped the young dragon up with both hands.
Rego tried to twist free and bite his fingers, but Daeron simply held its small head down until it stopped struggling.
From the silver-haired man came a familiar scent and an instinctive pull. The dragon calmed and went still.
Only then did Daeron take a proper look.
Rego had just hatched. It was still small, its scales slick with wet mucus.
The scales were deep green and bronze, the green dark like moss in a twilight forest. Its vertical pupils were bronze, teeth and claws black.
"It looks just like Drogon did when he was little."
Daeron was genuinely fascinated.
Rego's coloring was close to Alex's, though darker. Alex would grow into a leaner, more elegant shape.
"This one's going to be built solid."
Daeron stroked the dragon's head the way you'd soothe a newborn.
"It's really going to be called Rego?"
Aegon couldn't hold back the question.
Daeron handed Rego off to one of the Dragon Guards who handled the young ones and started walking out. "That's right. It'll stay here in the Dragonpit while it's still fragile, then we'll move it to Dragonmont on Dragonstone."
"Why?"
Aegon spoke before he could stop himself, then hurried to explain. "I mean, it's so small. Why send it all the way to Dragonmont?"
The little dragon looked tiny. Surviving out there would be rough. One mistake and it could die.
Daeron kept his answer simple. "Dragons don't grow if you keep them locked up in the Dragonpit."
All right.
They had seen the new dragon. Time to head back to the Red Keep.
Daenerys chattered the whole way, still the bright little girl she was, asking nonstop about the dragon.
She loved it already.
Aegon kept his feelings locked down and watched his aunt with quiet envy.
"Pay attention," Rhaenys said, squeezing her younger brother and sister's hands. She was almost ten now and carried herself like the responsible older sister.
She had heard plenty about the things their father had done.
The truth was simple: as Rhaegar's children, they had no right to touch any dragon in the Dragonpit or on Dragonstone.
If her siblings got too attached, they could cause real trouble later.
Whether Visenya understood didn't matter. Aegon, who had always lived under someone else's roof, understood perfectly.
"I know, sister."
Aegon lowered his head and held Rhaenys's hand tighter.
He was disappointed, but being with family was still better than nothing.
Daeron walked ahead, sharp ears catching every word. He shook his head and smiled to himself.
Rhaenys acted like Elia.
With their parents gone, she had stepped up and taken care of her siblings.
Aegon didn't take after Rhaegar or Lyanna. He was more like his uncle Eddard Stark.
"Better than Rhaegar and Lyanna, at least."
Daeron was quietly glad for both of them.
Rhaegar and Lyanna had carried the same glaring flaws—too impulsive, too quick to run from responsibility. Neither of them would have fit in the Targaryen family Daeron had spent years rebuilding.
---
Days slipped by.
Daeron stayed in the Red Keep, waiting for Shaena to give birth.
"Your Grace, Lord Varys has caught a spy. He asks that you come see him."
"Littlefinger" Petyr knocked on the door.
Daeron opened it, frowning. "Varys caught a spy and still needs me to look at him?"
"This one's special."
Petyr rubbed his hands together, putting weight on the word.
Daeron nodded. "Then let's go."
Petyr had done solid work these last few years. He had served as advisor, keeper of the purple snails, tax collector on the Rose Road, and now he was back in the Red Keep as an advisor again. He wouldn't risk his position by playing games.
Throne Hall.
"Your Grace—"
The ministers had been waiting and greeted him at once.
Daeron looked around.
Varys was already coming forward. Tyrion, Lord Corlton, and Great-Uncle Maester Aemon were all there. Even Tywin had been pulled in.
"This is quite the crowd."
Daeron knew this wasn't small.
Varys stepped close, voice low. "Your Grace, the Gold Cloaks caught him at the Mud Gate this morning. No pass, so they stopped him as a vagrant. When they searched his pack, they found something."
He nodded toward the Kingsguard commander.
"Your Grace, please look."
Ser Gerold opened a silk bundle and laid it flat on the black stone floor. Dry grass spilled out, followed by an oval shape.
A dragon egg.
Daeron stared for a second, then looked at the disheveled man being held by two other Kingsguard.
Lyn Corbray. Younger brother of the Lord of Heart's Home. One of Rhaegar's new Silver Guard.
Lyn's hair was wild, his silver armor gone. He struggled against the hands pinning him and shouted, "Your Grace, I'm no spy! I came to the Iron Throne to turn my back on the darkness!"
"You? Loyal?"
Daeron looked him over. He didn't see it.
And "turning his back on the darkness" sounded ridiculous coming from him.
Tywin spoke, voice cold with contempt. "This coward betrayed Rhaegar. He stole a dragon egg while the man wasn't looking and got caught at the Mud Gate."
Daeron had his guess.
He glanced at Varys. The spymaster gave a small nod.
"That's right. He stole one of Prince Rhaegar's dragon eggs."
"From the route he took and what he blurted out when the guards stopped him, it's clear he was planning to offer the egg to you."
Daeron understood at once. "So he's the type who sells out his master for glory."
One sentence sealed it.
Lyn's face went white. He dropped the tough act. "Both eggs were ones I took back from the Slaver's Bay people and the Volantenes. I gave them to Prince Rhaegar. This isn't stealing!"
He was panicking now, terrified of being labeled a thief and traitor.
Varys had already questioned him thoroughly.
After the attack in the Smoking Sea, Lyn had rescued Ser Desmond and one of the other Silver Guard, and brought back two dragon eggs. That earned him forgiveness and trust again.
Lyn had thought he was set.
He wouldn't become a legend, but Rhaegar would at least reward him with honor and wealth.
Then Rhaegar decided to leave the comfortable life as Prince of Lys and sail back to the Smoking Sea with another fleet.
Lyn had lost it.
He was just a lucky fraud. Real fighting would expose him.
The Smoking Sea was too dangerous. One trip had already left nightmares. He refused to go back.
Rhaegar had been understanding. He told Lyn he could return to Lys and look after the widowed Lyanna.
Lyn had lost it again.
He had only joined the Silver Guard so he could eat, drink, and carry a good name.
After running once and now refusing to sail, the other Silver Guard had started shutting him out. His future there was finished.
So he made a choice.
He stole one dragon egg in the middle of the night and fled toward King's Landing, planning to offer it for a massive reward.
The young king had been generous at the victory feast. Half the heroes got new lands. The rest got honors and gold.
Lyn figured one dragon egg was worth a fortune. He would be rewarded.
"Bottom line," Daeron said, face dark, "he sold out his master for glory."
Rhaegar had two dragon eggs, and even Daeron hadn't gone after them. A Silver Guard had stolen one? That took real nerve.
"Your Grace, the act itself is despicable," Tywin said, voice cold but practical. "But his intent to offer the egg to the Iron Throne is good. You can reward him… or sentence him for treason and take his head."
Kill him or not. That was the question.
Tyrion spoke quietly. "Your Grace, a man this low should be killed. But he did bring you a dragon egg—"
He stopped.
The egg was real value. Critical value.
If they killed Lyn, it would discourage anyone else from bringing dragon eggs to the crown later.
But as Minister of Justice, he couldn't push for mercy. He didn't want to.
It was a difficult choice. Only Daeron could make it.
Daeron didn't need long to decide. He walked straight up to Lyn and looked down at him.
"You really should be dead."
"Your Grace, that's not fair."
Lyn was shaking. "I brought two dragon eggs back for Prince Rhaegar from the Slaver's Bay and Volantis people. Then I stole one from him. I'm not selling him out. I'm just taking what I'm owed."
"You might have a point. But did you forget something? You're a member of the Silver Guard."
Daeron rarely bothered explaining this much.
Lyn's eyes reddened. He lowered his head. "I didn't want to go back to the Smoking Sea. I would've died there—"
Daeron sighed. "Go get Rhaenys. I need to close this properly."
"I'll go, Your Grace."
Petyr hurried off.
A short while later, Rhaenys arrived, looking confused.
"Come here."
Daeron picked up the dragon egg and tossed it to her. "This belonged to your father. One of his Silver Guard stole it and brought it to me. Now it's back where it belongs."
"A… dragon egg?"
Rhaenys stared at it, stunned.
"That's right. It's yours now."
Daeron assigned ownership on the spot.
Giving it back to Rhaegar would be a waste. Handing it to Rhaenys gave it a real chance of hatching.
It also meant the Iron Throne wasn't stealing from Rhaegar's line.
"I'll protect it, Uncle."
Rhaenys clutched the egg tight, a bright smile breaking across her face.
"As for you—"
Daeron turned back to Lyn, who looked ready to collapse.
Under the ministers' eyes, he spoke.
"Stealing a dragon egg and breaking your Silver Guard oaths… I sentence you for treason."
"But because you took those eggs back from the Slaver's Bay people and the Volantenes, I'll spare your life."
Lyn's head snapped up. Hope flared in his eyes.
"Death is off the table. But you're not walking away clean."
Daeron had already weighed the consequences. "I'm sending you back to Heart's Home in the Vale. Your brother, Lord Lynel, will keep you under watch for the rest of your life. You won't leave Heart's Home again."
"No! Please, Your Grace!"
Lyn panicked and started struggling.
Being locked up by his selfish older brother was worse than death.
Before Daeron could say anything else, Tywin spoke coldly.
"Take him away."