I only ever read the first three books, and that was like... more than a decade ago, but I was thinking about the Dragonback books (by Timothy Zahn), and the whole concept of the "k'da" is genuinely awesome; an alien species resembling a dragon without wings, which is also a symbiote (the easiest way to compare it to something else really is just Venom), they need to be physically connected to a compatible host for periods of time, and appear as a living tattoo when on the other being's skin. They can separate, and be in their full "dragon form", but must return to the host to rest/regain energy. The k'da and the host are able to protect each other in different ways that benefit them both. Like, that is AWESOME. You have a tattoo that can talk to you, and it can also turn into a whole dragon, then hop back on
Walking through the halls of the Red Keep I wanted to leave this city the second we rode into the castle gates. My brown hair was tied up in a bun with me wearing some gray trousers and a brown tunic shirt. Small black summertime boots tied tightly with a sword hanging on my left hip. “I don’t understand why I had to come here. My wedding won’t even take place until a few months. I could have stayed back North for all they care.” I muttered to myself in annoyance.
“Permit me to share some womanly wisdom with you on this very special day. The more people you love the weaker you are. You’ll do things for them that you know you shouldn’t. You’ll act a fool to make them happy, to keep them safe.” Halting in my tracks I peeked into my sister's room seeing the queen talking with Sansa. “Love no one but your children. On that front a mother has no choice.”
My sister asked softly. “But shouldn’t I love Joffrey, your grace?”
“You can try, little dove.” The queen responded leaning back in her armchair.
Pressing my body up against the doorway I hid around the corner listening in on their conversation like I would do with our parents back home. I always felt like everyone was lying to me since I was born a true Targaryen and didn’t find out until years later that I wasn’t a Stark. “Will that be the same for my sister Cadence. Is she going to have the same fate as I am?”
“My brother is a different story. He has been sworn to the kingsguard for many years. He swore to take no wife and have no children. So from that notion I would say that he isn’t capable of loving anyone.” The golden lioness speaks in a dry tone where I could sense she was leaving something else out.
Sansa leaned forward in her chair trying to have some hope for my well being. Now that she was starting to see who the Lannister’s really were along with the Baratheon children. “But he would protect her with his life, your grace. Even if he may never love her as you say.”
“He will do whatever my father tells him to do. Become lord of the Rock and put a child in your sister.” The queen rose to her feet making me press my back against the wall hoping she won’t see me when she leaves. “As I told you moments ago, little dove. The only thing she won’t be able to resist is loving the children he gives her. All the rest she will be incredibly lucky to receive.”
Lifting my head up from sleeping on my horse while we rode the last few miles I could see a tiny image of Castle Black in the distance. I never imagined that I would ride further North and away from Winterfell but here we are. Jaime was still holding our baby girl in his arms since the horses weren’t running as fast since we we’re reaching the gates. Kicking my horse in the belly I called Joanna flying beside me rushing straight towards the place in my sights. “Heya come on girl. Come on now!”
Jaime chuckled at my forwardness following after me on his own horse. Galloping towards the gates Joanna released a shriek flying over the castle causing some of the guards to point their weapons to the sky. Most people in the North had rarely ever seen a dragon even during the time the Tarageryns ruled the land. Northerners stayed where they felt safe in their own areas. The gate lifted up by the time Jaime and I were waiting outside. Together we slowly walked inside for me to immediately attempt to dismount my horse seeing Jon standing there smiling at me. “Jon!”
“Cadence!” He rushed forward once my boots hit the snowy ground and I fling my arms tightly around him. He secured his arms around me spinning me around in circles of laughter, finally sitting me back down on my feet once more. “Gods I’ve missed you, little dragon.”
Gripping his forearms in my hands I felt happy tears falling down my face at the sight of him here before me now. The last time we saw each other he left his hair that curly mess and was heading off to join the knights watch. Now he has his hair in a bun and from what Sansa wrote in her letter he had been named Lord Commander. “It's beyond words how happy I am to see you, Jon. I honestly never thought I would see any of my family again.”
“Is that a bloody dragon flying above our heads now?” One of the men of the watch asked pointing his hand up to the sky. Joanna was still circling the castle until I wissled up to her, making her land just outside the gate door since she was too big to come inside the courtyard.
“Don’t worry she won’t attack anyone unless I give the order. But I won’t so she’s perfectly harmless.” I replied hearing Jaime grunt making me turn around and take our baby from his arms before he could fall face first into the snow. “Here sorry honey. I’ve got her.”
Jaime grunted dropping his feet onto the ground pulling his hood down staring down at me. “It’s alright I know how long you’ve wished to ride back here Ben if this place isn’t your home.”
“Cadence!” Whipping my head around I gasped almost squealing like a child seeing the familiar sight of red hair running towards me. Her dress flying behind her as she went flinging her arms around me while I still held a baby in my arms.
Little Rhaenyra started making a fuse so we broke the hug with me hugging her with one arm grinning ear to ear at the sight of my sister still being alive. There was a time when I thought she was dead the second she managed to escape Kings Landing. “I can’t believe you are still alive, sis. And I’d like you to meet your little niece, Rhaenyra Lannister.”
“Oh she’s adorable. Can I hold her??” She asked me holding out her arms where I placed the girl in her embrace staring in Jon’s direction.
He was wearing a winter cloak that looked like our father’s. At least from what I could remember now since it has been a few years since he was gone. “I can’t believe you and Jaime actually are making the relationship work. That is a rare thing in this world we live in.”
“That is true. But I am grateful for such a sight.” I responded hearing Jaime shiver behind me so I glanced over my shoulder. I knew he didn’t like the North all that much. But I didn’t get too used to the warm south when I was forced to move there for the wedding ceremony. “If it’s not too much to ask could we get a room to rest for a night. We’ve been traveling for months on end.”
Sansa was cradling our daughter in her arms sending me a kind smile looking at our brother. “I’m sure we have a room to spare. I am unsure of how to feed a dragon though so I will leave that up to you.”
Jaime intertwined my hand with his left before I led him into the winter castle. Sansa had requested to spend time with little Rhaenyra giving us time alone from the long ride. Closing the door behind me I flopped down on the bed laying with my arms over my head hearing it crack with Jaime joining me. “I am relieved that we don’t have to ride on horseback for a while. My legs are too tired to do anything. I just want to lay with you until the end of our days.”
“That is tempting Jaime.” Holding myself up on my elbow I smirked leaning forward pressing my lips onto his. He smirked, raising his hand up to my hair, twisting his fingers through it gently. Pushing him onto his back I moaned into the kiss running my fingers through the short golden hair, even though I still missed the longer locks he once had.
The kiss deepened where I gasped when he rolled me onto my back breaking the kiss trailing my neck instead making me moan. “But we can’t stay in this bed forever. We have a daughter and we need to help take back the North.” Pulling away from the kiss he grumbled holding himself up with me laying underneath him.
“Do we seriously have to talk about this now because I would rather be pleasing my little dragon-wolf wife.” He leaned down capturing my lips with his once more feeling my hands scrambling to untie the strings on his shirt.
Breaking the kiss we both removed our shirts, crashing our lips together in another heated kiss. Jaime broke the kiss before we quickly removed the rest of our clothes laying under the blankets. “For tonight we won’t leave this room but we have to talk about the war. The Northerners should know that a lion and a dragon have come to fight by their side.”
“It will take time to convince them that a Lannister doesn’t want something out of it. Sadly my father has left us a long list of enemies that I have added to before I met you, Lynesse.” Jaime locked his green eyes onto mine, intertwining my hand with his real one squeezing it gently. “I can promise you that I will not abandon you and our little lion cub.”
Moving my freehand through his hair I sent him a kind smile snuggling into his warmth feeling him shiver not used to the harsh weather like I was. “You are a good man to me, Jaime Lannister. And shall be a good father to our little girl. I only have one request: we forsake tradition and Rhaenyra and whatever other children we have shall inherit the Rock.”
“Whatever you want, my chosen queen you shall have. A Lannister always pays their debts.” He vowed kissing my forehead, muttering softly. “I love you, little dragon .”
Kissing him quickly we both laid together listening to the winter wind howl outside the window of the castle. It was a sudden change I must say since I had gotten used to listening to the waves crashing against rocks for almost four years now. “I love you too, my lion.”
Imagine Legolas losing sight of you during battle, and calling your name; an ominous rumbling from behind draws his attention to where you sit menacinginly on dragonback, whilst said dragon is preparing to breathe fire.
