Ascending Through Obsidian and Flame

[Dirty Chai]

The Queen looked about her feet, holding the hem of her dress: black rock, glistening in the summer son. A large pile of it. Some called this massive rubble the Stranger's Pile, for it was all sharp, and difficult to traverse, loose and prone to landslides. Black, sharp, destructive landslides.

She glanced behind her, down the slopes to where a small whisp of smoke rose from some visible homes by the shore, far below.
And then her cautious eyes of lilac looked upwards once again, squinting in the bright sun as the black and shiny mountainside before them.
The mountain was a problem, even when it wasn't erupting - the obsidian alone being a cause of death three years ago when a landslide slammed into a fishing village to the south.
Then there were the dragons.

But to say they were a "problem" was overly simple. She wondered then what the smallfolk thought of them, in their profane little worlds.
Yes, they were simply "problems" to the smallfolk, stealing cattle, sheep, killing their children once in a great while.
They feared the beasts, who flew upon high, commanding flames at will.

And that was the power. A power that had been taken from this Queen.

They said that dragons, once bonded with a rider, became as one half of a soul, the rider being the other half.
The covenant created crossed the space between human and animal, and the dragon became like the rider and the rider, in turn, like the dragon.
Would not, then, she be only half of a soul, standing here, wingless?

Rhaenyra felt it, knew it, saw it. She was aware of the hatred remaining in her, the sadness seeping away like curtains to reveal only bitterness and a cold heart.
Perhaps that was what only half a soul was, cursed by this bloodshed and loss of life. Many would endlessly crow on into the ages about the sacrifices they made in service of her, but they would never stop and recognize she had always been there, and her sons had always been there, in the heat of battle - in the heat of death and destruction.
And her bloodline paid just as dearly in this exchange of life and death as any other household did, if not more.

And it wasn't even over. Not even close.
She frowned, then took a step upwards, continuing her ascent, gracefully considering each step up the obsidian slopes.
Steffon Darklyn, her first Queensguard, followed her, alongside some ten or so guards from Dragonstone.

OOC: Shankbot and Xion, this is your chance to say your characters are accompanying Rhaenyra.

[Dirty Chai]

They climbed all day, reaching a flat landing just before sundown. There, the royal party encamped, clearing away obsidian to reveal a dark, soft, soil that was more sand than earth.
Her accompanying retainers kept watch all night, taking turns, but the Queen slept little, glancing at the stars, tossing and turning, fearing and wondering what could await her, higher up on the black slopes.

The campsite was undone at dawn, and Rhaenyra led her followers ever higher. By midday, they had surpassed the great barrier of obsidian, and now walked upon a more dirtlike ridge which wrapped round and round the great volcano. They stopped at noon, finding yet another landing, and they decided to setup camp there, using it as their base camp.
This new landing overlooked an abrupt fall that darted cleanly downwards, the sea far, far below. Looking out to the horizon, one could see a shoreline being Massey's Hook, guarded by an ugly skyline of ridges and points - the Merling King's Spears. Beyond, she imagined King's Landing, the Blackwater, and then further, to her enemies, standing triumphant among her fallen family and supporters.

"Come, there is still time this day," she said abruptly to her followers, turning and walking over to the hunter that had guided them thus far.
"Where is the cave?" she asked. The hunter knew where Vermithor made his lair, but made it clear he never dared go near it.

[Xion]

Following a few steps behind the Queen's guardsmen, Rhaena, her ten retainers who volunteered to come with her, and four servants the young princess brought with her to handle the two smallish sheep a farmer willingly gave her, the remainder of his flock after several incidents with Sheepstealer, as he had sold his other more lucrative animals already to other farmers or failed dragonseeds who paid twice or more of the actual value for the pig or sheep they would offer the dragon, only to be roasted alive, devoured, or meet some other fate on the Dragonmont, Rhaena having seen several of the corpses brought back to the village on the path to Dragonstone one day while riding around the island.

"I am a Targaryen...I will not fail again." Rhaena speaks to herself, referring to her hatchling dying mere hours after breaking free of it's egg, and her second dragon egg nearly hatching but failing to break the shell of the egg. She looks up at the jagged edges of the obsidian that lined both sides of the path they were presently on, something she had nearly lost her footing on earlier in the ascent but two of her retainers were able to save her before she fell with the small amount of obsidian she had dislodged."I see why mother insisted I have a protector for this climb..and it'll only be worse when we reach a dragon's cave.." she thinks as her small party continue to follow the Queen's retinue, the sheep occasionally causing a slight delay due to being stubborn, perhaps seeing the bones of some of the other animals stolen or offered to the dragons that had fallen from further up the mountain or moved by a landslide of obsidian.

After the base camp was established, Rhaena gazed out at the scenery for a few minutes before moving closer to her mother and the hunter who was serving as their guide. She had heard the man mention Vermithor's cave several times before her smaller party fell behind due to the sheep proving more difficult than expected for a portion of the ascent and her loss of footing delaying them as well. "Perhaps Silverwing will be nearby..." she muses, having decided on training Silverwing after thinking on the words her father and stepmother had told her when she first approached them at different points about her intent to try and train a dragon. She had studied any information she could find on the dragon, finding out like their former riders, Vermithor and Silverwing were a mated pair of sorts and could be seen coiled about each other in the fields or flying together. She quietly observes the man and Rhaenyra, waiting for him to continue leading on or not. "Hm...I hope Caraxes isn't causing much trouble.." she thinks, laughing slightly afterwards. She had left her loyal hound with one of the Queen's knights who had remained on the island when the army sailed for the northern Crownlands, Ser Quince.

However, one of her retainers came running up to her, muttering something about her dragon egg that causes the young princess to run from where she is to her tent in the camp.

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Amongst the party that had set out from Dragonstone was Addam of Hull. His grandfather and brother had both been sent off to war, him being left on the island feeling unwanted and useless. That was until he heard the decree that allowed those who wished to pledge their allegiance to the Queen to ascend the Dragonmount and attempt to become a Dragonrider. When he heard this Addam knew at once he would try, he had the blood of the Targaryens in him, his grandmother was Rhaenys Targaryen, his father had been the husband of the Queen - he had the chance to become a Dragonrider

His mind wondered with the consequences of him taming a dragon, no longer would be confined to the island, left behind - instead he would be one of the greatest tools in the Kingdom, one of the most useful people the Queen could have. So when he had heard the Queen herself was setting out to try and tame a dragon following the death of her old dragon, he had decided then and there to join the party and seek her permission to attempt to tame his own dragon. Of course if he wanted to be useful there would be only one dragon he would attempted to tame, the Cannibal - the oldest, largest and most powerful dragon in Westeros. And it would be his.

As they made camp Addam approached the Queen, determined to say his peace even if he was only a bastard. "My Queen," he ventured to Rhaenyra, his voice shaky with nervousness. "My Queen, I would like to seek your permission to attempt to tame my own dragon. I swear by all the gods to serve you in anyway I can." Whilst he wasn't a man he knew about swearing an oath, he knew what it mean. He also knew his father had sired him out of wedlock from the Queen, he just hoped that didn't affect his chances of the Queen saying yes.

[Dirty Chai]

Rhaenyra looked the man up and down.
It was the bastard she had just legitimized, one of them. Addam, she believed.
"Addam Velaryon," she answered, "If you can tame a drake, it is yours," she said simply.

She looked back to the huntsman, who was found by a retainer some time ago and ordered to guide them up the mountain - to where Vermithor supposedly made his nest.
He was a scraggly man, and his hair ran in a long, knotted mess down his back on rolling over his shoulders.
"You claim to know where Vermithor makes his lair - the bronze beast that the Old King rode?"

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Addam stumbled for words, "Velaryon? Y-you mean? Thank-you your grace. I will not fail you." He beamed sheepishly, running off to begin searching for a dragon that would be his, the Cannibal.

He made his way to Rhaena's tent, keeping an eye on where the Queen went with the huntsman - if he could find where one dragon's lair was, there was a high chance either there would be another one nearby, or he would know where the Cannibal's was, after all it would have too be a rather large lair. He stood outside the tent and spoke awkwardly, "Uh... Princes Rhaena, are you there? I could do with your help."

[Xion]

He made his way to Rhaena's tent, keeping an eye on where the Queen went with the huntsman - if he could find where one dragon's lair was, there was a high chance either there would be another one nearby, or he would know where the Cannibal's was, after all it would have too be a rather large lair. He stood outside the tent and spoke awkwardly, "Uh... Princes Rhaena, are you there? I could do with your help."

Rhaena had rushed to her tent after hearing from one of her retainers the egg was moving again, more so than it had the last time. When she arrived, pieces of egg shell were scattered over the ground, with half the egg remaining intact. "Where is it?" She yells, beginning to scour the tent for the hatchling before she hears a small roar, and seeing a silver tail hiding beneath a blanket. "There you are..." She slowly pulls the blanket off the hatchling, it's golden eyes turning to meet her reddish-violet ones as she smiles. Kneeling, she reaches over to pet the silver hatchling, who allows it after sniffing Rhaena's hand and a small growl twice.

Hearing Addam's voice outside, she picks up and places the hatchling on her shoulder with it's tail coiled around her arm to walk out to see him. Upon seeing Addam, the small dragon roars from it's perch, being concealed by several ringlets of Rhaena's hair being blown by the breeze, but it's golden eyes can be seen staring at him. "Yes, what do you need my help with?" She inquires, before slightly wincing as the hatchling decided to begin gnawing on one of the ringlets.

[Honors Bastion]

OOC: Time for me to step in.

Suddenly from the skies above them,t hey heard a loud roar that could have only come from a dragon. As there's eyes looked upwards, they saw him, mighty Vermithor gliding through the sky, appearign to head towards a small herd of sheep that were foraging on a nearby hillside.

[Dirty Chai]

OOC: Time for me to step in.

Suddenly from the skies above them,t hey heard a loud roar that could have only come from a dragon. As there's eyes looked upwards, they saw him, mighty Vermithor gliding through the sky, appearign to head towards a small herd of sheep that were foraging on a nearby hillside.

The Black Queen watched the wingspan whisper overhead, the sound of the wind clashing against the drake audible even with its mighty voice filling the mountainside.
She gestured weakly for her Queensguard, Darklyn, to follow her and she followed the dragon, ascending a trail which lead over to where the sheep flock had rested, were Vermithor now sat.

They climbed the slope carefully and at the ridge, they faced across a greenish roundtop to where the lizard lay, feasting on the charred remains of sheep.
The royal group halted, and the Queen took a few steps forward by herself, keeping at distance for now.

"Vermithor!" she called, using a neutral, indifferent tone to the dragon, to make her presence known.

[Xion]

"It is not safe for Terrax to remain here...I don't want to risk it's cries luring another dragon.." Several of her retainers nod. "Two of you shall remain with the servants to aid her grace. The rest of you shall return to Dragonstone with me. If her grace inquires as to the reason behind my departure, inform her the dragon egg in my keeping hatched, present the egg shell for evidence, and that I felt it would be endangering the hatchling to continue on with being part of her retinue." "Yes, your highness." "..and that I pray for her success." The two men who volunteered to remain behind, both dragonseeds themselves, nod and head off to be with the Queen's men along with the servants while Rhaena and the others undo their part of the campsite, to begin their descent.

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Addam eyes, drawn to the dragon on Rhaena's shoulder snapped away as he heard the roar from above. He looked up in awe, and he was wiling to admit part in fear, at the fully grown dragon that flew in the sky above them. He turned back to Rhaena's dragon, mouth hanging open, eyes in wondered. He looked back up at the sky as the dragon flew away. Finally he looked back to Rhaena, blushing slightly at his delay in responding. "Uh... you..." he sputtered out, "How did you? Um... when?" he stumbled over his words.

[Xion]

Addam eyes, drawn to the dragon on Rhaena's shoulder snapped away as he heard the roar from above. He looked up in awe, and he was wiling to admit part in fear, at the fully grown dragon that flew in the sky above them. He turned back to Rhaena's dragon, mouth hanging open, eyes in wondered. He looked back up at the sky as the dragon flew away. Finally he looked back to Rhaena, blushing slightly at his delay in responding. "Uh... you..." he sputtered out, "How did you? Um... when?" he stumbled over his words.

Rhaena looks up as Vermithor flies overhead, roaring. Her dragon tries to roar back, but the sound it made sounds more like a chirp than a roar. "One day, you'll be able to roar in response, instead of mere chirping." she says to the dragon while reaching to pet it a little before turning to Addam. "Just hatched not long ago, the remainder of the egg and a few pieces of the shell strewn across the ground in my tent.." she moves aside so Addam can see inside the tent, with several pieces of the shell visible while the larger remainder of the egg is not. "I shall have to go talk to her grace whether I should return to Dragonstone or not, as I feel it may be better for my hatchling to be taken away from the Dragonmont." "Plus I do not want to risk losing it..like the other one.." she mentally adds.

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Addam is subdued by the words, nodding quietly. "Of course, Princess."

He made his excuses, and made his way over to where the hunter the Queen had spoken too was, "Excuse me, sir... I saw you speaking to the Queen about a dragon's lair, I don't suppose I could ask you the same question?" He looks up at the man, deadly serious in his words, "I need to find the Cannibal's lair."

[Honors Bastion]

Upon hearing it's name, Vermithor gave her a cursory glance before it continued on it's task of selecting a sheep for today's meal. Vermithor selected quickly and swept down and easily grasped one of the sheep within it's claws before leaping in the air again and landing nearby to feast on this meal. The cries of sheep were evident as the dragon began to tear it apart.

[Dirty Chai]

Upon hearing it's name, Vermithor gave her a cursory glance before it continued on it's task of selecting a sheep for today's meal. Vermithor selected quickly and swept down and easily grasped one of the sheep within it's claws before leaping in the air again and landing nearby to feast on this meal. The cries of sheep were evident as the dragon began to tear it apart.

"Vermithor!" she called again, stepping a bit closer, her hand outstretched as a cautionary extension.
Rhaenyra wondered if the beast would remember her a bit, since she was a little girl when the Old King died - she certainly remembered Vermithor, the bronze drake flying overhead in her memories.

"Jaehaerys!" she yelled at the dragon as if that was its name, hoping it would strike a familiarity.
"I am Rhaenyra, your granddaughter!"

Yelling at a drake felt so strange, awkward, hoping the words would convince it heed your commands.
But, if dragons were one half of a soul, then perhaps this was a half of Jaehaerys' soul, just as Rhaenyra stood as only half of her own.

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Before the hunter could respond they were interrupted as the party began following Vermithor's tracks, finding themselves by a ridge where the mighty dragon sat, consuming the remains of the a sheep. Many in the party exclaimed with excitement, and perhaps fear in seeing such a creature up close - where if he decided to turn on them there would be little they could do. All chatter stopped, however, when the Queen spoke the dragon's name, a voice of indifference but filled with authority and power that made Addam look back at her in awe.

Time seemed to slow as the dragon turned around to face the Queen, the ruler of Westeros, with an expression of slight curiosity before simply turning away. Truly no person could tame these creatures, simply cooperate, work with them. The spell was broken as the dragon preyed on another ship with ease.

Addam used this moment to approach the hunter again, "Excuse me, sir, I need your help in finding the Cannibal's lair," he said in a voice trying to emulate some note of authority.

[Honors Bastion]

"The Cannibal, are you mad? Why would you want to go after that beast?" asked the shocked hunter. "As far as I know, he resides somewhere in the mountains in one of larger caves. I don't know which one as no one is foolish enough to go close to him."

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

"The Cannibal, are you mad? Why would you want to go after that beast?" asked the shocked hunter. "As far as I know, he resides somewhere in the mountains in one of larger caves. I don't know which one as no one is foolish enough to go close to him."

Addam looked sheepishly at the man, not wanting to give his reasons - they felt foolish when he spoke of them aloud. "I just do," he replied, firmly. He was convinced of this. "Could you at least point me in the general direction of where the larger caves are? I will search for him myself from there."

[Honors Bastion]

Vermithor ignored her call. Years of freedom here on Dragonstone had made him somewhat wild and unpredictable. He continued on with his main task at hands on hunting more sheep to sate his appetite.

[Dirty Chai]

Vermithor ignored her call. Years of freedom here on Dragonstone had made him somewhat wild and unpredictable. He continued on with his main task at hands on hunting more sheep to sate his appetite.

"Please, I need your help, Vermithor!"
She did, and when she said it, the emotion came out, shocking even her, and her voice sounded like a young girl, pleading to a knight.
The Queen raised a hand to her chest, taken aback by her tone, and watched the dragon from afar now, silently.

"We will follow him to his nest," she said with a gesture of her head to the right, to Ser Darklyn,
"Perhaps he will pay attention to us then." Good or bad attention, that is.