"Sōvēs Murghagon!" Zalarys shouted, holding on to a bone protrusion of his dragon as he flapped his wings, letting the wind support him from behind as they ascended into the skies. "Eglives jēdar!"
Murghagon pierced through the clouds, twisting his body backwards. They were so high that Zalarys struggled to breathe, holding his breath deep in his lungs as his mount fell back, wings curled and head low, descending with stunning speed.
If Zalarys hadn't had a special saddle that dragonriders use, with chains attached to it fastened to his belt for maximum security, he would have already fallen while doing something so reckless. But it felt so thrilling and ecstatic that he didn't care, adrenaline flooding his veins as he grinned widely, closing his eyes as the pressure of the wind intensified.
"Jagho dēma embar, raqiros." He shouted as they approached the Blackwater Bay, and before they could fall into the sea, Murghagon spread his wings wide, letting the wind arrest his fall, and began gliding peacefully, his ferocious talons sinking into the water, dark gleaming claws cleaving through the sea.
Zalarys leaned back against the elongated, spiky bone on Murghagon's back and closed his eyes. "Issa rughagon mijegon arghugen."
He spoke, patting the scales of his dragon with a sigh.
"Krekkrrkrrr..." Murghagon growled, saliva dripping from his dark maw, and dived into the sea, his head obscured by the dark waters, while Zalarys nodded, resting his head on the spine bone, disheartened.
"Is ao drējī zaldrīzes ore klios?" He smiled, crossing his arms with an amused look. Murghagon had already been underwater for a few minutes. That was why Zalarys asked if he was a dragon or a fish at this point. Considering his gills, perhaps he was both.
But it was truly strange. Aquatic tendrils and gills, wings and flames, poison and talons… If Caraxes was serpentine, having mutated to resemble a serpent, then what did Murghagon resemble? Perhaps he was an amalgamation of all the horrors that dwelled in the ruins of old Valyria, their curse given physical form. He honestly didn't know, but his boy was a predator. On that much, everyone could agree.
While he was thinking, Murghagon popped his head out of the water, chewing a codfish in his maw, smoke billowing from his nostrils, sickly and venomous, followed by an emerald flame as he let out another insidious screech.
"Lykirī, nūha taoba..."
Murghagon shook his wings, flames still dripping from his serrated fangs, his long serpentine tongue licking blood from his bone mask.
Slowly, Murghagon slid onto the sand, dust rising as he stopped, exhaling smoke from his nostrils and laying down.
"Rōvēgrī, taoba." Zalarys nodded to him, jumping from his saddle and stretching with a yawn.
"What a nice day. I have a day off from training. I'm not being nagged by mother and father. And I don't see Viserra bitching around either..." Zalarys laughed, closing his eyes and pulling his hair back with a peaceful smile.
"Grrrragghhhh!" His hair was pushed back to how it was before, and Zalarys wore a bleak expression as the smell of fish hit his face.
Looking back, he saw a stunning, majestic silver dragon with golden patterns all across her body. She had two jagged, rhino-like horns on her head, twisted upward, and at the back of her head there were numerous small horns and three larger ones, shaped like a beautiful crown. The dragon's scales glowed under the dazzling light of the sun and her luminous, crystal blue eyes gleamed like diamonds.
She truly was one of, perhaps even the most magnificent dragon that had ever lived.
Aeksion? Oh, hell no... What's she doing here... Zalarys thought, and then he saw a stunning young woman on the dragon's back, wearing tight leather trousers, a white shirt and a coat billowing in the wind. Her white-gold hair, reminiscent of her dragon's scales, was tied in a ponytail, her amethyst eyes burning like flames.
"What is this wretched brat doing here?" She thought aloud, blinking in surprise until her expression twisted into disdain.
Feeling his rider's irritation, Murghagon let out a low growl, the green veins all across his body pulsing rapidly and beginning to glow like his eyes. His maw opened, releasing an insidious roar that frightened Viserra. Sensing malicious intent from the hideous beast before her, Aeksion roared back, bluish flames leaking from her fangs and spilling onto the sand, smoke rising from her nostrils.
"Murghagon, lykirī. Dore narysta." Zalarys sighed, shaking his head and ordering his dragon not to release poison. It was a good weapon, but sometimes crippling.
Murghagon was the most lethal of all dragons, Zalarys was aware of that. Maybe not the biggest, fastest, or strongest, but the deadliest? Yes, he was. But while that was a good thing, on the other hand it was also restrictive. Murghagon could only fight to his fullest when alone, unless he wanted to poison everyone around him.
Murghagon snorted, his eyes burning with a chilling murderous will, but he listened to Zalarys, shaking his head and laying down.
"Viserra, if you're following me around just to irritate me, then congratulations, you succeed." He spoke, sliding his hands into his pockets after pulling his hair back, his green and purple eyes locked with her amethyst ones.
Viserra climbed down from Aeksion, crossing her arms haughtily as she stared down at him. "When will you grow up? The world doesn't revolve around you."
Seriously? Hearing that from your mouth is the strangest thing I have ever experienced, you vain cunt. He grimaced, looking at her with disdain.
"Whatever you say. But regardless of what your intentions were, you're disturbing us, so just scram with your dragon, tail between her legs."
"Why would I do that? Remind me, nephew. From what I know, the shore doesn't belong to you. So if anything, you should leave."
Zalarys covered his face, rolling his eyes back as he let out a long sigh. "Apologies, auntie dearest, but no."
"Hmph." She scoffed, brushing her hair back and walked past him, ignoring him entirely.
"By the way... If you tell anyone that I'm immune to poison again... I will feed you their ears." Zalarys spoke from behind, his expression displeased as he recalled some noble brats speaking about him.
"Why? Does the truth hurt you? You were always an abominable wretch." Viserra smirked, looking back at him, her eyes sparkling with delight as her lips curled up into a satisfied smile.
"Not really. I don't give a shit about that. I just don't like others learning about that particular trait of mine." He spoke coldly, his eyes bleak and hollow as he stared at her expressionlessly.
"Hmm... I wonder why that is. I thought you would boast about it. What? Don't you like people knowing how special you are?" She laughed, however there was no humour or satisfaction in her laughter. It seemed more bitter and resentful than that.
"Hell no. I'm not attention-starved like you." Zalarys shrugged nonchalantly, walking beside her as their dragons rested behind them.
"I'm not."
"Whatever you say, aunt."
"You..." Viserra bristled with venom, the truth stinging worse than any insult. Truth was the most hideous thing in the world, a merciless mirror that showed nothing but the soul beneath the beautiful flesh.
Viserra despised ugliness, and truth was the ugliest of all. So she turned her gaze away, refusing to look into that cruel mirror, unwilling to face the woman staring back at her.
"Don't look at me like that. It is what it is." Zalarys grinned, making exaggerated gestures with his hands to irritate her.
"Enough..." She said quietly, her voice soft and soothing but at the same time demanding.
"You're no fun." He stuck his tongue out, holding the inside of his cheek, which weirded out Viserra. Her nephew would do the strangest things, and every expression he made was bizarre as well. Maybe his dragon was so weird because his rider was the same, and so ugly because his rider's soul was chilling and bloodthirsty. Some septas and maesters even compared Zalarys to Maegor the Cruel.
No… They don't know this little devil like I do. He's not cruel for the sake of it, nor to scare anyone. It's simply his nature. Like me, he wasn't given much attention while growing up, my siblings focusing more on Daemon and Viserys. Because of that, he developed on his own and witnessed all kinds of horrors. Be it executions, fights, corpses… I don't think a child would be mentally stable after witnessing all of that. she hummed, remembering a book she had read, in which a maester explained why properly raising children was important.
Seeing that, and perhaps later mimicking it, maybe gave him a sense of power and thrill he had never felt before. Zalarys has no intention of frightening anyone or showing dominance… He just likes it, similar to how a boy likes sweets, and for him it is as natural as breathing… Viserra thought grimly, a little disturbed by her own thoughts as she walked, her hands resting on her belly, fingers intertwined.
"Tell me… Why do you want to hide your immunity to venoms?" Viserra took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling as she calmed herself and asked, genuinely curious.
"I have some plans, let's say..." Zalarys stroked his imaginary beard, thinking about the future. "I don't need everyone to know about it yet."
"Hmm... Intriguing." She murmured to herself.
"By the way, what are people saying about the wedding?" Zalarys asked curiously, wondering what rumours had spread about his brother's marriage.
"Nothing much. Everyone is happy and elated for such a joyous event. Aemma is adored in the Vale and Viserys's reputation is great as well." She explained what was happening in the Red Keep, how the servants were preparing the castle, the feast, the lords that were invited and so on.
"Where have you been hiding that you don't know any of this? Sister will kill you if she finds out." Viserra furrowed her brow, unable to figure out what Zalarys had been doing all this time.
Zalarys sighed, his face troubled as he took a bottle from his bag and gulped it down, grimacing with disgust.
"What is that?"
"Medicine." Zalarys answered simply.
"You're lying. If that's wine..." Her smile widened as she leaned forward to check. I will tell my sister and you will be in serious trouble, boy...
"Here, check it yourself." Zalarys threw his arms in the air, a frustrated breath escaping his lips, while Viserra took the bottle and lowered her head to smell it, but the moment the disgusting stench hit her nose she flinched back in horror, coughing abruptly.
"Told you."
"Haaaaaaa... Haaaaaaa... That isn't medicine! What is it!?" She yelled, wiping a tear from her eye.
"Me-di-ci-ne... Clear your ears." He rubbed his eyes, yawning loudly.
She huffed, composing herself and inhaled fresh air.
Well... poison, if used correctly, is medicine too, right? Zalarys thought, chewing on his inner lip. I think I've adapted to this one too. It just makes my vision a little blurry. There's no vomiting and no lethargy either. What's next... Graycap, yeah... At this rate, I can freely taste grandfather's food and check if anyone has poisoned it. I can identify poisons through smell and taste too.
Licking his lips and putting the bottle away, he glanced at her and asked. "Will there be a tourney or a royal hunt?"
"Both. Viserys doesn't wish for anything too extravagant though, so it won't last several days. Why? Do you want to participate?" She raised an eyebrow at him in bewilderment, unable to imagine the boy participating in a tourney or a royal hunt.
"Not the tourney, I'm too small. But the hunt is doable." He touched his chin, thinking hard and weighing the odds in his mind. "I know the Kingswood better than anyone. Master trains me there. My tracking skills aren't bad either, nor is my accuracy with a bow or traps. So I think I can manage to win... if I'm lucky, that is."
"Surprising to see you, of all people, not boasting about hunting the largest beast." She narrowed her eyes, studying him with interest. For a fleeting moment she imagined him returning in tears… but she quickly shook her head. Zalarys crying was far too unrealistic.
"Hell no. I know my limits. My physical strength and experience aren't great enough to win without the advantages I've already stated." Zalarys let out a sigh, but he was excited too. It was his first official hunt. The last time his master had taken him out was months ago, and even then it was purely for training, so he couldn't kill beasts to his heart's content. But now he could enjoy the thrill of the hunt to the fullest. He could already picture himself hunting through the forest.
If he was being honest, he was more excited about the hunting itself than the competition. But then he paused, recalling there were rewards...
Maybe I should try. It's a win-win for me anyway. He shrugged, his hands behind his head, and whistled with a pleasant smile.
"Don't worry, my dearest aunt. I will gift you a boar's balls."
"Ugh! You hideous beast!"
"Bitch."
"Insensitive mongrel!"
"Attention-starved whore."
"Y-you... you... Your cock isn't even an inch long!"
Zalarys scoffed, his half-lidded eyes exhausted. "Of course you, of all people, would know how long it is."
*****
1. Viserra