3 Spirits don't dream

104 AC

Boredom. That was what Rhaenyra Targaryen felt. From childhood, she got everything she wanted, because she was the princess of Westeros and recently became a dragon rider. People always treated her with respect, said beautiful glory, gave various gifts. But at one point she got bored of it. She had no one to play with at the Red Keep. More precisely, they were, they were the sons and daughters of various nobles, knights, influential merchants from Essos and other influential personalities. Unfortunately, communication with them quickly bored her. Winning all the time wasn't all that fun.

—"I wish Gaemon was here." — The princess sighed sadly.

She first met her cousin three years ago during the Grand Council where her father was chosen to be her great-grandfather's heir. Even though Gaemon was a year younger than her, he was taller and bigger than her.

And also smarter. the little princess remembered with a pang of annoyance how the Maester had praised her cousin.

Gaemon was very smart and most of the lessons he succeeded with great ease. At first, she was annoyed about this, but she quickly forgot about it as soon as they played together. Aiden came up with a variety of ways to play from simple throwing stones on the surface of the water, to ingenious tricks. So she was very sad when her playmate left.

Luckily, her mother had recently announced that Cousin Aiden, along with Uncle Damon and his wife Rhea Royce, would be coming to King's Landing. This news made her very happy when she found out about it. So she was very annoyed when Uncle Damon arrived alone on his dragon. Her uncle's wife wouldn't let Aiden ride with her uncle out of fear for his safety. Who did she think she was?!

— "Didn't Uncle's wife understand that a dragon can't hurt another dragon?!" — mused the little girl, despite the fact that she herself was not allowed to ride her own dragon, being only a year older than her cousin.

Because of this, she would have to wait more than a week, and she did not like to wait too much. So now she had no choice but to walk through the corridors of the Red Keep while the royal guard followed her. Along the way, various servants and nobles bowed to her, but being out of sorts, she simply moved on with only a nod.

She probably would have wandered around the castle like this if not for the loud roar of the dragon that shook the entire castle. She knew that roar, it belonged to her uncle's dragon. But the roar was different, or so it seemed to her. There was anger in him, no, it was rage. Although her uncle's dragon was not particularly peaceful, even for him such behavior was rare.

— "Something happened,"— thought Rhaenyra and rushed forward without warning, fortunately the royal guard who was well acquainted with the princess's behavior did not lag behind.

Along the way, Rhaenyra heard the voices of various people whispering about something. But in her haste, she could understand only a few words among which were, "Highlanders", "Attack", "Aiden". Had something happened to Aiden along the way? No, she can't think like that, she needs to go and find out everything from her father!

* * *

— Woke up? — an unfamiliar voice woke Aiden from his sleep.

Rising from where he was lying, Aiden looked around. He ended up in someone else's bedroom, although the style in which it was furnished was unknown to him. But despite the ignorance the room was pleasing to his eye, the bed was also pleasing and soft to the touch.

It remains only to find out where he is and what this place is. The heir of the Runestone mused.

— Hey, who am I talking to? — shouted a voice, frightening him, from which the boy fell to the ground with his ass.

— Oh, — the boy yelled, looking up, finally noticing a huge shadow hanging over him and froze.

— You know if you were a hunter, you would have been killed a long time ago, given that you do not notice what is under your nose.

— W-Who are you? — Aiden couldn't help but stutter as he looked at the two-meter-high giant whose face looked like it had gone through a meat grinder.

— I am your father! — said the ghost, but seeing the boy's puzzled face, he simply chuckled. — Well, the children have gone now, they don't understand jokes.

— Who are you then? Royce quickly calmed down and asked what seemed strange to him.

— Do not be surprised that you calmed down so quickly, I need you with a sober head, I have no particular desire to babysit you. — explained the stranger. — And what about your question, I'm simply a spirit, my name is Crane by the way.

— Spirit? Like in fairy tales and legends?

— You can say that.

— How do I know you're not lying? — the boy stepped back suspiciously, but stopped as soon as he hit an obstacle.

— Boo. Crane turned out to be an obstacle, miraculously moving behind him.

— Aaaahh! — the boy recoiled as the giant laughed.

— Well, are you sure?

— H-how?

— Magic! — Spread his arms to the sides formed a rainbow like one famous sponge spirit of reason.

— So you were telling the truth?

— Are demonstrations not enough for you? Maybe it's worth turning you into a piglet to come to your senses? — the spirit asked with a twitching left eye, dissatisfied with the fact that he had to nurse the carrier for so long.

— NO! I believe you!

— That is great. — Crane grinned.

— Where am I anyway? — Finally, the white-haired one became interested in his whereabouts.

— We are in your subconscious. — but seeing the boy's puzzled face, the spirit groaned. — The subconscious mind is a place created by a sentient where all his memories, experiences and the location of other dregs that form your personality are stored. — but seeing that the boy still did not understand anything, he simply sighed. — This is the place where you see dream.

— So I'm sleeping?

— You could say that, you were attacked by mountaineers, and you lost consciousness.

* * *

Aiden was scared, the sounds of battle and various screams frightened him. His mother told him to stay in the carriage and not get out, while she herself went outside to help the others. And it all started so well! They were on their way to King's Landing, he was looking forward to meeting Rhaenyra and meeting the other dragons. Of course, he was sad when his mother forbade him to ride with his father, but his mother explained that he was too small to ride a dragon. This calmed him down for a while. But the further idyll was spoiled at the moment when the throat of one of the guards accompanying them pierced the throat. A few more arrows pierced the walls of the carriage without reaching their target, but even that was enough to frighten him.

Finally, when the sounds of the battle died down, Aiden slowly raised his head, hoping to see that it was all over. But all his hopes were dashed the moment he saw how all the knights of their house either lay dead on the ground, or were wounded and were finished off by the highlanders. And above his mother hung a tall man with an ax in his hands.

— Nooo! — the boy shouted, jumping out of the carriage and running towards his mother, but a blow to the back of the head knocked him to the ground.

— Aiden! — Rhea screamed in horror.

— Ma... ma... — resting his hands on the ground, the boy tried to get up, pulling his hands to his mother to the laughter of the highlanders.

But the laughter died down when the chest of the highlander who hung over Rhea was pierced by a stone spike that lifted his body into the air. The shocked highlanders instantly fell silent, not knowing what to say or do. This gave the descendant of the Valyrians and the first men enough time to listen to such an unusual feeling, after which he lost consciousness falling to the ground. This was not to be when a gigantic stone hand held him from falling, then laid him on the ground with a tenderness uncharacteristic of a being of his size.

After that, the three-dimensional stone golem let out a powerful roar, rushing towards the mountaineers, starting to kill them under the stunned look of Rhea, who shifted her gaze from her son to the stone monster.

* * *

— Mother! Where's she? She is all right? — Aiden worried about his mother.

— Yes, yes, don't worry, fortunately after the golem killed all the mountaineers, a Redfort patrol arrived to provide first aid, she had only minor injuries, unlike you. You got a pretty good blow to the head, you're lucky it wasn't life-threatening.

I would have died there if not for you. Aiden looked at his feet sadly.

— Of course, my job is to make sure you don't drop your hooves prematurely. — Crane chuckled, but seeing the child's sad face shook his head. — Listen, you don't need to reproach yourself for what happened, you are just a child despite all your wealth and shortcomings. Even the greatest heroes were once defenseless children, only by surviving and moving forward did they become who they are.

— But I… I was able to manipulate the earth, which means I could have done it before! — And the knights of my house were alive! Aiden yelled, to which Crane started laughing like crazy.

— Who told you, little one? — The giant wiped a tear from his eye.

— But… — Royce wanted to say something but was interrupted.

— It was me! I summoned that stone spike that killed that mountaineer, I created that golem and I controlled it while you were conscious. I just took advantage of your mana pool. You are still far from a full-fledged adept of magic.

— Then teach me!

— No. — was the only answer of the spirit, but seeing that the boy wants to say something, he continued. — For now, you are too young to study. — Here the bracelet on Crane's hand began to scribble. — Damn, we don't have much time, you should wake up soon, see you next time when you are calmer. And now, away!

— St… — Aiden's words got stuck in his throat and the world turned upside down around him.

* * *

Daemon was angry, no he was furious! These fucking savages dared to touch his son! His cub! They had to pay for their insolence, and they will. He'll make sure of that. As the words of his house said, Fire and Blood!

But right now he needed to be with his son, he didn't want the first thing Gaemon would know when he wakes up was his absence. The highlanders could wait, these savages lived in the mountains of the Millennium Valley, they could wait a few more days.

Now he was sitting in the corner of the room where his unconscious son had been for several days. He watched closely as Maester changed Gaemon's bonds, his eyes like those of a vulture that can wait for hours until its prey is ready to attack. And the Maester well felt his gaze at reading how carefully he acted and trembled a little.

To be honest, fatherhood changed him, not much, but there were changes. He carefully watched how he acted so that Gaemon would not be ashamed of him. Damon struggled to contain his vices and tried and is trying to be a good father. It is because of this that from the moment he was appointed commander of the golden cloaks, he constantly kept himself busy with work, he even reduced his cruelty a little, although he still castrated rapists and cut off the hands of inveterate thieves. Spent his free time training his son with swords, and during that he felt what his brother called satisfaction? Yes, Damon felt at peace while training with his son, and he liked it to some extent.

And Damon was just furious when he found out that his son was hurt! And all because of Bronze Bitch! If she had let Aiden go with him then none of this would have happened! Gaemon would be playing with Rainier now or training with him instead of lying like this for three nights. But what happened, he had already quarreled with his dear wife, and ensured that Gaemon stayed for a year in the capital. When he grows up enough, he can choose one of the dragons in the Dragon Pit, and if there is no one suitable, they will go to Dragonstone. One way or another, his son would get his own dragon.

— My prince, he is waking up! — the gray mouse called to Damon, and he moved as fast as ever in his life, pushing Maester aside.

— F-father? — he asked weakly.

— It's me, son, everything is fine, now everything is fine. — Damon hugged his son for a moment, throwing a look at the Maester to get him out.

— W-water. — Damon immediately raised a mug of water to his son's lips.

— Drink slowly. — when everything was drunk, Gaemon sighed calmly, leaning against the bed.

— Where I am? — The voice of the owner of indigo eyes was hoarse with weakness, and it was difficult for him to speak.

— At Redfort Castle, I wanted to be transferred to the Red Keep, but they told me it was dangerous for your health.

— Where is mom? — The boy forced out the words with difficulty.

— She is all right. — "Unfortunately" added mentally prince. And then Rhea herself burst into the room, rushing to her son to squeeze him into a bear hug. — And here she is.

— Thank the gods you're all right. — without releasing her son, the eldest Royce began to speak, bursting into tears. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you.

— Air… —the heir of the Royce house could only croak.

— Sorry. — Rhea loosened her grip but did not release her son from the embrace. — How do you feel? Does it hurt anywhere?

— Leave him alone woman, he just woke up, and you already want to send him back to the gods. Damon earned a look from his wife for his joke, to which he did not react in any way. "I am so sorry for you son.

— It's okay mom, I just want to sleep. — The owner of two names yawned with a long yawn.

— Sleep, the Maester will inspect you as soon as you wake up. — in the end, Rhea kissed her son on the forehead, heading towards the door, Damon followed her.

— Sleep well, son. — Said the rider of Caraxes before leaving.

— Your parents are right, sleep Aiden, it will be easier for me to treat you. — Crane's ghostly form formed next to the bed.

— Will we meet again in my subconscious?

— No, your mind needs a rest, for these few days your mind has been in a state of shock due to the excessive use of magic on your body. A good sleep will fix everything, and as soon as you recover, I will take you seriously.

— Hoooooooh, sweet dreams. — Aiden closed his eyes with the vigilant gaze of the spirit of reason.

— I wonder if I should tell him that spirits don't dream? — Crane muttered to himself as he began to treat his host.