Jeyne paused as she approached Blackflame, tilting her head back to gauge the height of the dragon's back. Then she took a deep breath and asked Viserys quietly, "Your Grace, h-how do I get up?"
Viserys did not answer her. Instead, he reached out, took hold of her arm, and boosted her up.
Jeyne let out a startled cry and hurriedly grabbed a raised scale on Blackflame's back, scrambling awkwardly up with both hands and feet.
Although Ygritte had started a moment later, she was quicker than Jeyne and had already settled onto Blackflame's back.
Seeing Jeyne's clumsy efforts, she reached out to help, pulling her firmly up to sit beside her.
Jeyne's knuckles were still slightly white from gripping the scale so hard. As she stumbled under Ygritte's pull and dropped beside her, her heart was still pounding from her earlier panic.
It was her first time riding a dragon, a creature that had existed only in legends to her. She could not resist leaning out to look down, but Blackflame happened to shift just then. Fear swept through her, and she hurriedly tightened her grip on the raised edge of a nearby scale.
Rhaenys glanced at the two women seated on Blackflame's back and at Viserys, who was preparing to climb up. Then she looked back at Meleys, who was also ready to leave, and suddenly said to Viserys, "I'm getting on too."
Viserys turned toward her, sounding puzzled. "What?"
By then, Rhaenys had already walked up beside Blackflame and was looking up at the two figures adjusting their seats on his back.
Her expression was calm, but her voice held a resolve that left no room for argument. "I said I'm sitting here too."
Viserys glanced at her. "You have your own dragon, don't you? Besides, Blackflame's