"Be careful Rhaelyna," Rhaenyra said as she hugged her children goodbye. She wrote a smile that said she was determined not to let then know how unhappy she was, "And Joff, take good care of your little sister."

The rest of the royal family came out to see them off: Prince Daemon, Jacaerys, Lucerys, Aegon, Viserys, even little Visenya, who could barely walk. The Small Council also said their goodbyes, though Robin was not unhappy to see the backs of those unfamiliar men. Twenty goldcloaks were chosen by Prince Daemon himself to escort them to the Dragonpit and they were off.

Robin tried to steady her breathing as the Dragonpit loomed closer. Formerly a sept, Maegor the Cruel had converted it into a den to house the Targaryen dragons. A monstrously large building, it overlooked much of the city from atop Rhaenys' Hill. Even before the Targaryen party had reached the top of the hill, Robin could hear the deep growls of the dragons and the flapping of their great wings.

She could not remember ever riding a dragon, but she knew she had done it before. It was her fall from the back of her dragon Dreamfyre that had caused her forget who she was, or so Jace told her. In any case, she could not remember ever riding a horse either, yet here she was riding on a palace mare through the city as easily as she walked.

She looked over to Joffrey, who was singing quietly to himself as they rode into the Dragonpit. He would be her companion for this journey, since Jacaerys decided it was not wise to send her off alone when she didn't have all her memories.

"Joff, what does my dragon look like?" She asked in a whisper, so that the goldcloaks escorting them would not hear.

"Dreamfyre is dark grey and blue." He answered. "And larger than most of the other dragons because she's one of the older ones."

"She once belonged to Princess Rhaena, one of King Maegor's Black Brides." Robin noted.

Joffrey nodded, "She's very withdrawn from the other dragons, but is also patient and calm. And she adores you, as Tyraxes adores me."

Robin smiled at the thought of having a dragon of her own.

The bronze doors of the Dragonpit, so wide thirty knights could ride in abreast, opened for them. A skinny young woman with dark coloring greeted them. Nettles of Dragonstone. Robin remembered seeing her fly over the candle shop on Sheepstealer the day the Blacks invaded King's Landing. At least one dragon-rider resided in the Dragonpit should the city have need of protection from a dragon on short notice. Now, it appeared, she held the Dragonpit on behalf of the Targaryens.

The cavernous hall was dark and airy, with dozens of stables for the dragons. The huge beasts watched them as they passed, but did not move. Robin looked back at them in amazement. Their huge scales and eyes gleamed beautifully in the torchlight.

"Alright," Joffrey said as he dismounted. "Time to fly."

A goldcloak helped Robin down from her horse. The gates to Tyraxes and Dreamfyre's stables creaked open. Chains clanged onto the ground as the dragons were freed. Robin looked to Joffrey, who gave her a nod of encouragement before turning to mount his dragon. The same goldcloak that had helped her down from her horse also helped her onto her dragon and fixed the straps on her saddle. At twelve, Robin was only a year younger than Joffrey, but she was not as tall or strong as he was and Dreamfyre was much larger than Tyraxes.

Nettles came over to double-check the security of the saddle. She gave Robin a slightly nervous smile before declaring her fit to fly. Suddenly it occurred to Robin that Nettles might have gotten in trouble for letting her fall the first time around. She wasn't quite sure what the older girl's duties were, but it wouldn't surprise her if Nettles had had to shoulder blame for what had happened.

Robin felt impossibly tall on the back of the dragon, her dragon. Dragons were fire made flesh, she had once heard, and from how hot the she-dragon felt between her legs, Robin could believe it. Dreamfyre crawled out of the Dragonpit after Tyraxes, both of the stretching their wings in the sunlight. Jacaerys gave an order to Tyraxys and the young pale green dragon took to the sky. With a deep breath, Robin repeated the order and braced herself for the flight.

The sudden force of the lift off made Robin stop breathing for moment as the city grew small beneath her. Her fingers closed around the reins so tightly her knuckles turned white. Robin did not dare to look down, for she had never been so high up. Up ahead she could see Joffrey circling Tyraxes in the air, waiting for her. Before long, Robin felt a little more comfortable on Dreamfyre's back, though her stomach was still in knots.

Joffrey pointed northeast and tried to yell something to her, but the wind made it hard to hear him. Instead Robin settled for following close behind him as they flew out of the city. They flew past the Red Keep in seconds and were then flying over Blackwater Bay. The bay stretched out before them, dark blue and impossibly vast. Robin thought of the sailors that traveled back and forth across the seas. If Blackwater Bay was so wide, the Narrow Sea was ill-named.

To their far left stretched a bit of land that might have belonged to Lord Rosby or Lord Darklyn or some other Crownlands lord. Robin was then overcome was the desire to take off on her own, to see the kingdom - nay, the whole world - from Dreamfyre's back. Not today, she told herself. Today you follow Joff to Driftmark.

They flew over a field of sharp stone pillars that rose up from the middle of the bay like blades. Robin remembered hearing sailors talk about them, the spears of the Merling King. They were close together and even more formations were hidden under the water, which was why there were no ships in that part of the water. The spears could tear a ship to pieces.

Without noticing it, Robin had relaxed. The reins were comfortable in her hands, the heat of Dreamfyre's body no longer strange. Her braid was coming undone due to the wind, but Robin didn't much mind that either. She dared to look down, and was shocked by how high she had risen. A huge smile broke out over Robin's face when land appeared to them, but Joff shook his head, indicating that it was not their destination.

It was midday before Robin and Joffrey reached Driftmark, the largest island in the bay, with its black sand beaches and thin forests. Little towns and villages dotted the island, while two massive castles rests on hills on opposite ends of the island. The Sea Snake, their grandfather, had raised High Tide after winning his fortune in Essos and that was their destination. The other castle must have been Driftmark Castle, where the lesser branches of the family chose to stay.

Joffrey landed first, at the front gates of the castle, while Robin took her cue from him. Her legs felt like water when she stood. The riding leathers she wore were soaked with sweat.

"Looks like we've made good time," Joffrey stated, looking up at the sky. His silver-colored hair was tousled from the wind. "Your flying's a bit slow, but good."

Robin grinned back at him. "Really? I was good, wasn't I?"

Two young identical ladies were running out to greet them. They were both so beautiful that Robin stumbled for a minute when she saw them.

"Joff, Lyna!" One of the girls cried. Her silver-hair was tied in a loose ponytail and she wore a dirty riding dress, unlike her neat and regal-looking sister. She gave them both tight hugs. "You're getting so tall Joff! Lyna, did you like my gift?"

Robin kissed Baela's cheek and said that she did like her gift.

"Hello Baela." Joffrey smiled.

The other twin, Rhaena, greeted them next. "It's so good to see you both again. I'm glad to see your not afraid to fly after your fall."

"Well I'm a dragon, aren't I?" Robin replied with a nervous smile.

The twins looked at her and then each other for a moment. Why did everything think her behavior was so strange? She was only being polite.

Rhaena took Robin's hand. "We're just glad you're alright. Come, our grandparents are dying to see you both."

After settling their dragons outside High Tide, the four of them went into the castle. Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys welcomed them to Driftmark in the great hall, where a midday feast had been laid out for them. Having not eaten that morning out of nervousness, Robin had a large appetite.

Lord Corlys was a very old man, twenty years older than his wife whose face was lined with wrinkles, but was as hale and hearty as a man half his age. In Flea Bottom, they called Rhaenys the Queen that Never Was, for her claim to the throne had been passed over in favor of her cousin Viserys, Rhaenyra's father. More Velaryon cousins greeted them at the feast, but Robin had no idea who they were. She would have to ask Joffrey more about their family.