The Burning of Kings Landing

Fire.

Smoke.

Ash.

Death.

*ROAAAAAR*

The sound of a dragons screech echoed through the sky as Seasmoke made another run across the city of Kings Landing scorching buildings and killing hundreds of people in only a few seconds. Men, women, children... none were spared from the fire, nor from the buildings collapsing on them in their own homes. All in Kings landing had seen the majesty, the beauty, the sheer brilliance of the beasts that the Targaryens tamed. But now they experienced the fear, the power, the pure destruction that these creatures were capable of. Even the Targaryens themselves shuddered as they saw the destruction that one young adult dragon was capable of—none of them experiencing their terror in war first hand.

*ROAAAAAR*

The screams in the city were so loud that they could still hear heard over the dragons roar. Tens of thousands of people, all screaming, all trying to get out. In the panic people were trampled, dozens of them being children who couldn't hold themselves up. Yet it didn't matter, as it all ended as Seasmoke came in for another run and lit up the street like a bonfire; turning all of them to charred corpses in mere moments.

Fire roared through the lower districts in a widening scar of red-orange light that swallowed buildings and lives with equal speed, and the shrieks of the dying folded into the roar of collapsing timber so that no single voice could be heard, only one rising note of terror that rode the wind back toward the tourney grounds where the royal box had fallen silent. Seasmoke wheeled overhead with wings convulsing in uneven beats, and each fresh gout of flame painted the clouds black while sparks drifted behind him. He banked, dove, and raked a second avenue, and the bright marketplace that had bustled only moments before became a ruin of splintered stalls and burning cloth; men and women scattered, some vanishing beneath falling awnings, others trampled in blind panic, and children disappeared in the crush before fire swept over them all and reduced every shape to flickering silhouettes that fell where they stood.

Viserys lurched to his feet, his face drained of colour while the heat of distant flame washed faintly over the stands. "Seven save us," he said shakily, gripping the rail until his rings bit into his flesh. "What in the name of the gods is he doing?"

Prince Qoren's hand tightened on the hilt of the ornamental dagger at his hip as fury eclipsed shock. "What madness is this?" he demanded, his voice carrying across the stunned nobles. "Call him off, or your city will be ash before dusk."

Rhaenyra stared without blinking, her voice a whisper. "That is Seasmoke."

Alicent's gaze darted from the dragon to Rhaenyra, and suspicion sharpened her words. "What is Laenor thinking? Has he turned traitor?"

"He would never," Rhaenyra said, shaking her head even as her breath quickened. "Something is wrong—he would never do this."

Steel clattered as two Kingsguard rushed forward. "Your Grace, we must escort you all to safety," Ser Criston said, scanning the sky for any sign that the dragon might angle toward the grounds. "We cannot know when the beast will fly this way."

Viserys hesitated only a heartbeat, then nodded. "We have to act," he said, voice cracking with urgency. "Where is Daemon? He would know how to bring Seasmoke to heel."

"He left for Dragonstone before dawn," Rhaenyra replied, the words tasting like sand. "He is half a day away by now."

Aegon took one step toward the stairs that led from the box. "I will take Sunfyre," he said, as though announcing a simple morning ride.

Alicent seized his arm, her face was pale, she was terrified in a way she'd never been before. "Absolutely not!" she said shouted, her fingers digging into his wrist. "You will stay here where the guards can protect you."

The royal family began to rise and start to move towards the staircase, surrounded by the Kingsguard, but Rhaenyra's thoughts tore away from the chaos around her and fixed on the tilt grounds where she had last seen her eldest. "Jace," she breathed, panic tightening her chest as she turned toward the stands. "I have to get Jace."

Ser Willis, helm under his arm, stepped into her path. "Ser Erryck is at his side, Princess. He will see the prince to safety, but you must come now."

Rhaenyra wrenched her arm free. "I need Syrax," she said loudly. "If Laenor cannot control Seasmoke, then I must try—"

"No," Viserys said with sudden authority, planting his cane hard on the plank. "You are my heir, and you will not risk yourself.."

"Someone needs to stop him," Rhaenyra argued, tears of frustration brightening her eyes, "or there will be no Iron Throne left to inherit."

A small, trembling voice reached them. "I can ride Dreamfyre," Helaena said, her hands twisting together as she stepped forward.

Viserys's reply was instant. "No. None of you will mount, none of you will go anywhere but the keep. Guards, see them to Maegor's Holdfast and do not let them out of your sight."

Helaena's protest died beneath her father's glare, but she and Daella pressed to the rail once more, searching the milling crowd below for any sign of Jace. Their worry radiated between them like a pulse, each gripping the other's hand so tightly their knuckles whitened. "Please be careful," Helaena whispered, lips barely moving. "Please do not do something foolish."

Far above, Seasmoke banked again, flames leaking from the edges of his maw as though the fire could not be contained. He roared and then he folded his wings and plunged, aiming at the city gate where terrified townsfolk were streaming outward in a desperate tide. The furnace-bright cone of flame that followed his descent struck stone and flesh alike, and in the royal box every heart seemed to stutter because the destruction no longer felt distant; the wind carried the heat straight toward the tourney grounds, and burning debris began to drift like black snow over the lists where Jace still stood, staring upward as the dragon he had known since childhood became a creature of nightmare before his eyes.

The rescinding cheers of victory died in his mind, replaced by an icy knot of dread, and he wondered only one thing as the smoke rose higher and the screams grew louder, 'What has happened to father?'

In the history of House Targaryen there had only been one instance of a dragon disobeying their rider. That was when Queen Alysanne took Silverwing up north and commanded her to go across the wall. For whatever reason Silverwing refused, no matter how hard Alysanne pushed she would not go past the walls barrier. Jace struggled to believe that his father would've lost control of Seasmoke to believe, but the alternative was that he was attacking Kings landing on purpose; which was equally as unthinkable. 

The screams of people rushing out of the arena snapped him back to reality and he looked around trying to find Ser Erryck, but with how many people were rushing around he couldn't catch sight of him. In fact, if it wasn't for his horse he might've been trampled beneath the crowd.

"JACE!"

He heard someone shout, he turned his head to the sound but didn't see anything.

"JACE!"

He heard it again, louder this time, he spun his head wildly looking for the source until he finally found it. It was Sara. She was holding onto the railing around the area struggling as everyone pushed past her, it looked as if she was close to being torn off the railing and dragged to the ground. "I'm coming!" Jace shouted before kicking his horse into gear and galloping over to her. He shouted at the people in front of him to get out the way, some did, but some were forcibly shoved by the half a ton mass of pure muscle rushing toward them. He felt bad, but at the moment the only thing he was worrying about was Sara.

"JACE!" She screamed again.

Jace ripped off his helmet so he could see better and threw it away, he was close now; he saw her hands being torn from the railing and she was just about to disappear into the crowd before Jace managed to reach down and grab her. He pulled with both hands until she was on the horse and galloped out of there. "What are you doing here!" Jace shouted over the crowd. "Where is Cregan!?" His best friend was injured if he was somewhere in the crowd there is no telling how had it could be.

"He's still in the Red keep!" she shouted back. "He wanted me to come and support you!" She wrapped her arms around his stomach and held tightly as Jace manoeuvred as best he could through the crowd.

"Jace! What is going on, who is on that dragon? Why are they attacking?!" She asked.

"It's Seasmoke, my father's dragon, I don't know what's going on, this shouldn't be happening!" Jace said, the panic starting to get to him.

"What are we going to do?!" She asked, equal amounts of fear in her voice.

Jace had to stop Seasmoke somehow, Daemon wasn't here, and the only other riders were too inexperienced. His mother was the heir so she was too important to try anything. It had to be him, even if he were to die his mother would still have Luke and Joffrey. He also had to save his father; when he strained his eyes he could see that his father was on Seasmokes back, and if it was true that the beast no longer listened then he would need help.

*WHISTLE*

Jace held his fingers together letting out a loud piercing whistle as he turned his steed towards Kings Landing proper. "What are you doing Jace!" Sara screamed.

"I need to get to Vermax, he should be in the dragon pit, if I get close enough he should hear me," he replied as he road through the gates of the city straight into the district that was currently being annihilated by the dragon. In the city the streets were an inferno of flame and smoke; as Jace urged his horse into a full gallop, he charging straight into the carnage while Sara clung desperately to his waist, screaming at every abrupt turn and burst of speed. Fire rained from above, splashing against roofs and igniting entire streets at once, turning the air into a furnace that scorched his lungs and stung his eyes. Bodies littered the street—some burned beyond recognition, others trampled by panicked crowds fleeing in every direction—and blood stained the cobblestones beneath the hooves of his horse.

Seasmoke roared again overhead, sweeping down low with a torrent of fire that consumed an entire row of houses to Jace's left, sending a wall of flame rushing towards him. Jace yanked the reins sharply to the right, causing the horse to skid across the hot stone and nearly tumble into an alleyway. Sara shrieked, gripping him tighter as they narrowly avoided the deadly blaze.

"You're insane, Jace!" she screamed, her voice barely audible over the crackle of flames and screams of terror around them. "We're going to be killed!"

Jace ignored her protests and leaned further forward, urging the horse faster as debris and flaming timbers fell around them. He raised his fingers to his lips again and let out another piercing whistle, hoping desperately that Vermax would hear him amidst the desteucuton around them. He could barely see through the haze of smoke and ash, he felt his heart hammering in his chest as he guided the horse down another narrow street.

Ahead, a group of terrified townsfolk rushed towards him, their faces masks of horror as they fled a wave of fire that chased at their heels. Jace shouted for them to move aside, but panic had robbed them of reason. With no choice left, he pulled hard on the reins and directed the horse through a narrow storefront window, smashing through glass and splintering wood with an earsplitting crash. Sara screamed again, ducking low to avoid shards of broken glass as they burst into the interior of a burning shop.

"What are you doing?!" she cried as they galloped through a jewellers that was filled with smoke and flaming debris. Shelves crashed to the ground around them, spilling goods that caught melted instantly. Jace didn't reply, he needed absolute focus when guiding the horse around the fallen obstacles; finally he saw daylight again through another window at the back.

"Hold tight!" he shouted, kicking the horse forward. They erupted through the second window, landing hard in the street beyond, and narrowly avoiding a collapse of timbers and bricks behind them. The heat was almost unbearable, even to Jace who had Targaryen blood, and the acrid smoke clawed at his throat, but he kept going, driven by the singular need to reach Vermax.

Seasmoke's shadow darkened the street again, and Jace twisted to the left as a blazing column of fire slammed into the spot they'd just occupied, engulfing another group of fleeing citizens. Their screams pierced through the roar of flames. These were his people he had to save them. Jace's jaw tightened as he pushed his mount harder, maneuvering around burning carts and corpses that blocked the street.

Sara clung to him desperately, her voice ragged and trembling with fear. "Jace, please! What are we doing? We have to get away from here!"

"I have to reach Vermax!" Jace yelled back, his voice hoarse from the smoke and strain. "He's our only chance to stop Seasmoke!"

"You'll kill us both!" she shouted, her grip never loosening despite her panic.

Jace ignored her, determinedly pressing forward as embers fell around them like rain, each whistle he sent echoing off the burning walls, hoping desperately that Vermax would hear it, he knew the Deagons had hearing many times greater than a man's, he could only hope it was enough. Suddenly a roar louder and closer echoed back, distinctively different from Seasmoke's anguished cries.

Jace whipped his head up, his heart pounding in relief as he caught sight of Vermax soaring swiftly downward, the dragon's vibrant green scales gleaming the sunlight from above. Vermax folded his wings and dove towards the street with startling speed, opening his jaws in a challenging cry towards Seasmoke.

"Sara, take the reins!" Jace shouted urgently, shoving the leather straps into her trembling hands.

"No!" she cried in terror, her eyes wide and frantic. "I can't! Jace, please—"

"You have to!" he commanded fiercely, gripping her hands around the reins tightly. "Get me close to Vermax, and then ride straight to the Red Keep after!"

Before she could argue further, another fiery blast crashed down just behind them, close enough to singe the horse's tail and cause it to buck wildly. Sara gasped and seized the reins instinctively, pulling them tight to control their mount. Jace steadied himself, rising slightly in the stirrups, his focus locked solely on Vermax as the dragon banked sharply overhead, his massive wings beating away smoke and flame in great gusts.

"Get ready!" he shouted.

Sara grabbed the reins, fighting to maintain control as she guided the horse through a storm of falling debris and fire. Smoke blinded her, and heat seared her lungs as she ducked beneath collapsing beams and maneuvered through narrow alleys. Jace continued whistling loudly, trying to get Vermax a better lock on their position.

"Turn right!" Jace shouted, pointing toward another narrow passage. Sara jerked the reins and guided the horse sharply into the alley. Flames burst from windows on either side, forcing them to speed forward even faster. Seasmoke soared overhead again, roaring as he spewed fire down the street behind them, setting the cobblestones ablaze.

"We're trapped!" Sara screamed, her voice cracking with fear. Ahead, the alley ended abruptly at the entrance to a burning building.

"Keep going!" Jace commanded, gripping her waist tightly. "Trust me!"

Sara hesitated for only a moment before urging the horse forward. They crashed through the weakened doorway, splinters flying as they entered the engulfed interior. Flames roared along the walls, devouring everything in their path. Jace coughed violently as thick smoke filled his lungs, squinting to see an exit through the haze.

"Upstairs!" Jace shouted urgently, spotting a staircase ahead. Sara guided the horse toward it, climbing desperately upward as the structure began to collapse beneath them. Timbers cracked loudly, and the horse stumbled, almost losing its footing as part of the stairs crumbled away behind them.

"What now?!" Sara cried, panic gripping her voice.

"The roof!" Jace shouted back. "Aim for the window ahead!"

Sara stared at the window in disbelief but pushed forward anyway, her determination matching his. They crashed through the glass and landed heavily on the adjacent rooftop. Tiles cracked under the horse's hooves, sending debris scattering downward. Sara shrieked, struggling to keep the animal steady on the precarious footing.

Above them, Vermax finally descended, his green body cutting through the smoke and ash. His wings spread wide, creating gusts of wind that momentarily cleared the air. Jace immediately prepared to jump, positioning himself carefully behind Sara.

"Be careful and go straight to the Red Keep!" Jace commanded firmly.

"Jace, no!" she pleaded, fear evident in her eyes. "Don't leave me!"

"You have to trust me!" Jace insisted, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly. "Get close, now!"

Sara, tears streaming down her face, nodded and steered the horse along the rooftop edge, timing it perfectly with Vermax's descent. As soon as Vermax was close enough, Jace leaped from the horse's back, catching hold of the dragon's thick scales. He hauled himself upward quickly, settling into the familiar spot just behind Vermax's neck.

"Go now!" Jace shouted down to Sara, urging Vermax upward. "Stay safe, Sara!"

Sara nodded, quickly guiding the horse toward a safer route, her heart pounding with worry as she watched Jace soar higher into the sky. Jace tightened his grip on Vermax, determination filling him as he turned his gaze toward Seasmoke, preparing to confront the dragon.

...

The road east of the city was packed with smoke. The wind blew it out in long waves. The fires behind them were growing. The King's escort moved fast. Goldcloaks rode at the front and rear. The Kingsguard stayed close to the royal family. They had decided it was too dangerous to ride through the city to the Red Keep and so the Kingsguard were escorting the Royal family out of the city itself to one of the keeps further down the Kings Road.

*ROAR*

They heard the roar first. Then the green wings cut through the smoke. Vermax was flying low. Jace was on his back. He passed above the trees and circled the ruins of the city. Everyone recognised the dragon immediately and all understood what it meant.

Rhaenyra pulled hard on her reins and turned her horse. She tried to ride back the way they came. Two guards rode beside her and blocked the road. One took the reins from her hands.

"Get out of the way!" she shouted. "He's in the city! Let me go!"

The guard said nothing and looked to the King. Viserys was slumped in the saddle between two guards. His mouth hung open but he raised a hand and waved it forward.

Rhaenyra fought to turn her horse again. "He'll die in there!" she said. "He's alone he needs my help!!!"

Another guard moved in front of her. They didn't draw their blades, but they boxed her in. She tried to push one aside with her arm. He pushed it down.

Helaena saw the dragon and started crying. Then she screamed. She tried to climb down from her horse but her foot caught in the stirrup. A guard reached to help her and she slapped his hand away.

"You have to let me help him!" she shouted. "He's still there! I can ride Dreamfyre!"

Daella jumped down with her and tried to run into the trees. A Kingsguard rode across the road and dismounted fast. He grabbed both of them and carried them back to the horse. Helaena screamed the whole time.

"Let me go! Please let me go! He'll die!"

Daella bit the guard's shoulder and kicked at his legs. She yelled Jace's name over and over. The guard didn't flinch. He handed her up to another man and got back on his horse.

Rhaenyra stopped fighting and turned her head toward the King.

"Say something," she said. "Tell them to let me go."

Viserys didn't answer right away. He turned his head and looked at her. "There's nothing we can do now," he said. His voice was sad and she could tell he regretted the next words that came from his mouth. "Keep moving."

Aegon rode behind them. He kept his eyes forward and didn't speak. Aemond beside him didn't look back once.

"They'll both burn," Aemond said under his breath. "Him and that dragon."

Aegon didn't reply. But a smirk made its way onto his face.

Queen Alicent rode beside Otto. She looked back only once. Then she leaned closer to her father and said something quiet. Otto didn't look up from the road. He told the guards to stay close and keep them moving. Rhaenyra's hands were still shaking. Helaena wouldn't stop crying. Daella kicked her feet against the side of the horse. No one said anything else. The city kept burning behind them.

...

Jace held tight to Vermax's horns as the dragon flew hard over the outer city. Without a saddle the ride was rough, and every lurch forced him to grip tighter with his legs and shift his weight forward to stay low; luckily he had done a lot of saddleless riding when he was younger, back when he had to sneak out to ride Vermax. The heat off the neck made the air hard to breathe but he leaned in close anyway and laid a hand along the scales between the ridges.

"Vermax, sȳz iksan ao gīmigon nyke." (Vermax, I am glad you found me.)

The dragon let out a short, heavy snort that rolled back into Jace's face, and Jace stroked his neck again to keep him calm.

"Lykiri, ñuha raqiros." (Easy, my friend.)

He pulled hard on the left horn and pushed the right, trying to guide Vermax's flight the way he had practiced in secret since he was a child. The connection he had with Vermax made navigating easy but, with the small nudges it would make up for the lack of a proper saddle. Vermax banked toward the smoke rising in the west, wings beating strong, cutting through the air and almost blowing out some of the flames below.

"Vermax, ēdruta Seasmoke." (Vermax, fly to Seasmoke.)

Vermax roared and changed course.

Jace looked down. Fire was spreading through the lower city. Market stalls burned. Roofs collapsed. Smoke pushed up in thick black streams between the alleyways. Seasmoke swept past ahead of them, releasing another long blast of flame over the harbor. Three ships went up at once. Their sails burned away before the wood even cracked. Jace leaned to the side and saw his father. His father was gripping the reins with both hands, shouting as loud as he could. "Kesrio syt nyke! Seasmoke! Naejot kesīr!" (Answer me! Seasmoke! Land now! Obey!)

Seasmoke didn't respond. He wheeled back toward the city and let out another burst of fire, this time aimed at the buildings near the docks. An entire row of houses erupted and every single soul inside of them screamed as their skin charred and turned to ash. Jace sucked in a breath and shifted higher on Vermax's neck. He had to get down to his father to find out what was going on, but considering Seasmoke wasn't going to land anytime soon there was only one thing he could do.

"Shit, this is stupid," he muttered. "This is so fucking stupid."

He steadied his weight and reached forward. Vermax dipped closer.

"Vermax, tagagon bōsa līr." (Vermax, play tag.)

The green dragon twisted left, flapped hard, and flew straight across Seasmoke's face. It was fast and distracting. Seasmoke snapped his head to follow. Jace stood up. He crouched on Vermax's back and waited for the moment Seasmoke turned. He bent his knees, took one short breath, then jumped.

Wind blasted him from every side. His arms spread out and his boots hit the silver scales hard. He slipped. His body bounced off the curve of Seasmoke's side and he dropped backward. His hand caught a loose rope hanging from the saddle. He gripped it with both hands and pulled, dragging himself back toward the body as it shifted beneath him. Seasmoke's breathing was fast and just as erratic as its flying m. The wind pushed him down again but he swung once and caught the leather strap with his foot. He climbed fast.

Laenor leaned over the edge of the saddle and reached down. "Jace!"

Jace grabbed his arm. Together they pulled until he was back in the seat.

Laenor hugged him hard, then pushed him away and stared at his face. "What in the seven hells are you doing here!?"

"I'm here to help," Jace shouted. "I'm here to stop him from causing any more destruction!"

Laenor fought the reins again as Seasmoke twisted. Jace had never seen a dragon so disobedient before, even when they are mere hatchlings they listened more.

"What is wrong with him?" Jace asked.

"I don't know! He's been strange all day. He wouldn't settle. Midfkught he just lost it and started killing people. He won't listen to anything I say!" Laenor replied

Vermax flew past them again. His claws reached out and tapped Seasmoke's side. It wasn't a real strike, just a brush, but it worked. Seasmoke roared and stopped burning. His body turned. He locked onto Vermax and gave chase.

"You have to go," Laenor said. "Jace, you have to get out of here. This place is too dangerous."

"I'm not leaving you," Jace said. "Not while the city is still burning. Not while he's like this."

"I'll stop him." Laenor said

"No, you won't. He won't obey." Jace reminded him

Laenor clenched his jaw. His voice dropped. "I can't let you do this. What kind of father lets his son take a risk like this?"

Jace looked at him for a moment, he could tell the words out of his mouth weren't truly caused by this situation. "You're a good father," Jace said giving him a knowing look.

Laenor stared at him. Jace held his eyes.

"You've always been good to me. And to my brothers. Even when you didn't need to be." He said elaborating further.

Laenor blinked. His grip loosened.

"How long have you known?"

"A long time."

"I never wanted—"

"I never loved you any less."

Laenor looked down. His chest moved like he had just run a mile. Then he pulled Jace into another hug. His hand stayed on the back of Jace's head, and he didn't let go for a long moment.

Seasmoke shrieked again and flung his body into a hard turn.

Another roar shook the air. Seasmoke surged forward in a burst of rage, his wings beating fast. The saddle rocked hard. Jace slipped sideways and rolled against the back ridge.

Laenor grabbed his arm.

"Hold on!"

Jace's foot slid. He caught the edge of the saddle again but the lurch knocked him loose. He tumbled down the dragon's flank and barely caught a rope swinging free from a rear strap. He dangled for a second, then the knot gave way. He dropped again.

He hit the base of the tail, bounced, and flew backward through the air.

"JACE!" Laenor screamed.

Jace tumbled end over end as the wind tore at him. He screamed as the ground rushed up.

He whistled once more loudly.

Vermax twisted mid-flight, folded his wings, and dropped like a spear.

The green dragon slammed through the air and caught Jace just before he hit the rooftops. Jace crashed into his back just behind the horns and wrapped his arms around the base of the neck.

Vermax flapped hard, lifting them both back into the sky. Jace looked up. Seasmoke was already chasing again. The hunt was on.

(AN: So Jace and Vermax are going up against a dragon over double their size. And while this isn't the first time. The abomination dragon was quite mindless so who knows it'll be a bit difficult. Anyway next chapter should be the finally I hope. Or at least I plan it to be. Then we move into the next arc. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.)

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