After telling Ghidorah to stay behind and watch the eggs closely, Viserys took Rhaenys and Meraxes back.
When Viserys returned to Dragonstone with Rhaenys and Meraxes, dusk had already fallen.
The young dragon was asleep in Rhaenys's arms, its scales gently rising and falling with its breath like a living ruby.
The first person they met inside the castle was Missandei.
The girl from Naath had been carrying a stack of parchment; she greeted them and was about to leave, but the moment she caught sight of Meraxes in Rhaenys's arms her steps froze and her eyes went round as saucers.
"Your Grace, that's…?"
"Meraxes." Rhaenys's voice still carried the thrill of the flight. "My dragon."
Missandei stepped forward cautiously, gazing at the hatchling cradled against her. "It's beautiful," she whispered. "Like a shard of living flame from the legends."
Just then Ashara arrived with Daenerys, drawn by the sound of Black Flame landing.
Ashara's gaze went first to Viserys; he had left in haste that morning without explaining why. Only after she saw he was unharmed did she turn her curious eyes to the little creature in Rhaenys's arms.
Daenerys, however, rushed forward the instant she spotted the dragon, violet eyes wide. "Rhaenys, you have a baby dragon? Let me see!"
Pride and tenderness radiated from Rhaenys as she let the others look. The hatchling, startled by the movement and voices, pulled its neck back warily; but, seeing Rhaenys's encouraging smile, it stretched out its head and gave a thin, piping cry.
"Gods above," Ashara murmured, faint purple eyes flashing with wonder. "It's exquisite, Rhaenys. A burning ruby given life."
"Her name is Meraxes," Rhaenys said proudly, introducing her again. "My brother named her."
"Meraxes…" Daenerys repeated softly, her gaze filled with longing and a flicker of envy. She hugged the bundle in her arms, where three dragon eggs nestled, as if drawing courage. "My Vermax, Viserion, and Arrax will be just as beautiful one day. They will."
Viserys noticed his sister's small gesture but said nothing.
He turned to Missandei. "From today you will help Rhaenys record everything about Meraxes—what she eats, when she sleeps, her habits, her growth, anything unusual. I'll give you the Dragonlord Family's Valyrian texts on rearing dragons; compare against them."
"Yes, Your Grace." Missandei bowed, and from that moment her eyes studied Meraxes with scholarly intensity.
Settling the hatchling became the castle's first priority. It could hardly stay in Rhaenys's chamber; too young to understand, it might set the fortress ablaze by accident. Viserys had a disused stone armoury cleared at once, laid thick sand on the floor, and installed a hearth so the little dragon could enjoy the fire it loved.
The next few days Rhaenys scarcely left Meraxes's side, sleeping only when she must, striving to deepen their bond.
Feeding her became Rhaenys's chief task. Following Viserys's counsel she diced the meat, roasted it over a flame, and fed it to Meraxes—dragons eat only cooked food while young. When she is old enough to breathe fire she may have raw meat; dragons prefer to roast it themselves.
Within days Meraxes had grown dependent on Rhaenys, who began teaching her simple Valyrian commands, starting with the basics.
"Come." "Stop." "No." "Good."
She found the hatchling's learning speed astonishing; within a week Meraxes responded correctly to "Come" and "Stop," especially when the words were paired with Rhaenys's gestures and tone.
Even more startling was her growth. A week after hatching she had swollen from kitten-size to something near a medium hound. Her deep-red scales hardened and gleamed, and the membrane of her wings, fully dry, spanned nearly a meter when unfurled.
She showed an innate affinity for flame. One evening, as Rhaenys visited and lit a candle, Meraxes nosed closer; her breath made the small flame leap into a bright orange tongue.
About a week after Meraxes's arrival, the remaining eggs in the volcanic cavern stirred again.
Viserys rode Black Flame into the tunnel, Daenerys—who had begged to come—perched behind him. What they saw eclipsed even the wonder of the first hatching.
Three eggs cracked in unison, shards scattering. Three hatchlings lay gleaming, each a different hue.
The first, midnight-black, bore scales not purely black but threaded with faint, shifting embers. Its eyes, deep red, held an air of innate majesty and aloofness—a miniature Black Flame.
Stronger than Meraxes had been, it lifted its head in a clear, ringing cry the moment it saw Viserys, stood without wobble, and trotted to his boots.
The second's scales were heavy bronze mottled with green like ancient verdigris, giving an aura of age. Its eyes, amber, were sharp and curious. Hatching had been difficult; the last shard clung to its hind leg until Ghidorah gently nudged it free.
The third was small and quiet, its warm copper scales shimmering with a metallic sheen under the torchlight. Milky and pale-gold patterns ran across its body like fine filigree. After breaking free it merely surveyed the world with calm golden eyes.
The black hatchling butted its head softly against Viserys's calf, not hard, as if to confirm he was real.
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn luffy1898