Essos Conquest 1

The night was still. Aegon stood before Daenerys, the three dragon eggs resting in an iron brazier, glowing faintly in the firelight. The black egg shimmered with scarlet veins, the green one caught the flickering flames in its bronze flecks, and the pale cream egg gleamed like polished ivory, streaked with gold.

Daenerys watched in silence, her heart hammering.

"I will hatch them," Aegon said, his voice low but certain.

Aegon closed his eyes and summoned the system.

[Spend 600 System Points to hatch each dragon egg?]

[Yes]

Energy surged through him. The brazier's flames flared violently, twisting and growing higher as if devouring the air. The eggs trembled, the heat intensifying around them.

Daenerys took an instinctive step back, her breath catching. The flames rose in a scarlet, emerald, and gold vortex, swirling around Aegon as his purple eyes glowed with power.

Then—cracks.

A sharp snap echoed through the tent as the black egg fractured. A moment later, the green egg followed. The cream-colored egg was the last, its shell splintering apart like fragile glass.

Daenerys gasped as the first dragon emerged.

From the black egg, a hatchling slithered forth—scales as dark as the midnight sea, streaked with glowing veins of scarlet. Its eyes—deep pools of molten gold—met hers.

It stumbled forward, tiny claws scraping against the ground. Then, with a sudden chirp, it climbed onto her.

Daenerys froze.

The little creature nestled against her, rubbing its head against her collarbone, as if it had always belonged there.

Aegon watched, satisfied.

"It has chosen you."

Daenerys' fingers trembled as she ran them over its tiny, warm scales.

"A dragon," she whispered. "My dragon."

Then, the second dragon hatched.

From the green egg, a magnificent creature crawled forward, its scales deep green with flecks of burnished bronze. Unlike the first, it did not seek Daenerys or Aegon.

Instead, it looked around. Its golden eyes landed on the fur-covered bed, where Maegor lay sleeping.

The hatchling waddled forward.

Daenerys and Aegon watched as the tiny beast climbed onto the furs, curled beside Maegor, and lay its head against the infant's chest.

The child stirred briefly but did not wake. The dragon settled itself, its tail wrapping protectively around the baby.

Daenerys turned to Aegon, stunned.

"It… it chose him."

Aegon's lips curled into the barest hint of a smirk.

"It seems my son already has his dragon."

Then, the final dragon hatched.

The cream-colored egg split apart, revealing a dragon of pale gold and ivory, its scales shimmering like polished pearls.

The hatchling shook itself free and then looked up at Aegon.

For a long moment, the newborn dragon simply stared at him. Then, slowly, it crawled forward, climbing onto his leg.

But Aegon felt nothing.

The connection, the bond that existed between a dragon and its rider, was not there.

The little beast curled against him, seeking warmth, but it was empty. It had hatched near him, but it had not chosen him.

Which was to be expected; after all a rider was supposed to have a bond with one dragon, but he already had three.

The fact that the hatchling was so close to him had more to do with his blood than anything else.

Daenerys turned her gaze toward the infant Maegor, who now slept beneath the watchful protection of his own dragon.

Her fingers tightened around the midnight-black hatchling in her arms.

"Three dragons," she murmured. "Three riders."

Aegon's golden eyes burned in the flickering torchlight.

"Then we will see," he said softly, "who the third rider will be."

The fire in the brazier had dimmed, the once-roaring flames now flickering softly, casting shadows that danced across the tent walls. The warmth of the hatching had passed, but the weight of it still lingered in the air.

Aegon sat on the edge of his furs, the cream-colored hatchling nestled in his palm. Its small, ivory scales shimmered faintly under the torchlight, streaked with veins of gold. It was quiet, different from the others. Unlike Daenerys' dragon, which had clung to her, or the green hatchling, which had instantly bonded with Maegor, this one remained… distant.

Daenerys stood across from him, her midnight-black hatchling coiled around her wrist, its golden eyes watching Aegon with curiosity.

"What will you do with it?" Daenerys finally asked, breaking the silence.

Aegon studied the hatchling, running a finger over its small head. It let out a soft chirp but did not look at him as if it already knew he wasn't its rider.

"I will bring it to my dragons. They will be good company for him in the meantime, as well as protection."

Daenerys hesitated, glancing down at her own dragon. The tiny creature nuzzled against her, already possessing a fierceness in its molten eyes.

"I will come with you," she said. "I want to see how they react."

Aegon nodded.

The night was cold as they stepped beyond the tent, the moon casting a pale silver glow over the Dothraki encampment. Fires burned in scattered circles, illuminating the warriors who murmured in hushed voices. 

The sound of massive wings shifting drew their attention to the edge of the camp, where Bahamut, Igneel, and Albion lay resting. The three monstrous dragons loomed in the darkness, their great forms stretched along the ground, curled like sleeping gods.

Aegon and Daenerys moved toward them, dragons in hand.

Bahamut, his midnight-black scales blending into the night, lifted his head first, his golden eyes narrowing as he noticed them approaching. Igneel stirred next, his massive red wings unfolding slightly before settling again. Albion, always the most watchful, merely shifted his long white neck, observing with silent curiosity.

Aegon released the cream-colored hatchling onto the ground.

It hesitated for only a moment before turning away from him and toward the massive dragons.

Looking at it approaching the dragon, Aegon quickly conveyed patience and acceptance to his dragon through their bonds. As dragons normally kept to themselves, his dragons stayed together because they were all bonded to him, but this hatchling wasn't. Aegon was making sure his dragon at least knew to accept the hatchling.