Dawn in the Woods

Dawn arrived quietly.

When the first ray of morning light pierced the treetops deep in the Kingswood, the forest was waking. Dew sparkled on fern fronds, birds called back and forth, and the distant waterfall sounded especially clear in the morning air.

Rhaenyra slept with Aegon in her arms, her back against the enormous rock.

Blood and tear tracks still marked her face, and her silver-gold hair lay tangled over her shoulders, but her brow was smooth and her breathing steady. Her outburst before dawn seemed to have drained all her strength and lifted the burden she had carried for so long. At that moment, she was only an exhausted girl, holding her most cherished younger brother as she slept in the forest's embrace.

Aegon's eyes were closed as well.

But his sleep was lighter-the physical needs of a toddler mingled with an adult's vigilance, leaving him somewhere between sleeping and waking. He could feel Rhaenyra's steady heartbeat, the warmth radiating from Sunfyre's body, and the faint sounds of the forest: leaves rustling in the wind, the distant murmur of a stream, the tentative call of an early bird...

And something else.

A presence. Ancient, pure, and tranquil, slowly drawing closer.

Aegon gradually grew alert. Rather than opening his eyes, he sensed his surroundings through his draconic resonance.

Sunfyre had noticed the presence too-

The Gold Dragon's alertness reached him, but it was not a warning of impending attack. It felt more like...

A mixture of curiosity and confusion.

The presence drew closer and closer.

Its steps were light and almost soundless, making only the faintest rustle against the fallen leaves. Its breathing was slow and even, carrying the scent of grass and morning dew.

Aegon opened his eyes.

At that very moment, morning light pierced the treetops and cast the first shaft of sunlight into the clearing.

That shaft fell squarely on the clearing's edge-on the pure white figure standing there.

The White Hart.

So this was the creature the system had warned was approaching last night-the one with high energy levels.

He stood at the edge of the clearing, no more than twenty paces from Rhaenyra and Aegon.

Sunlight flowed over him, illuminating his snow-white coat. It was true white, without a trace of any other color, so white it seemed to glow.

He was far larger than an ordinary stag, and his twelve-point antlers shone like a dazzling crown in the sunlight.

His eyes were a gentle amber, quietly watching the brother and sister nestled together beneath the rock.

Aegon held his breath.

Outside the original show, this was his first glimpse of the true "King of the Kingswood."

He was far more wondrous than the white stag depicted in the show. This was no ordinary albino stag, but the true White Hart of this magical world and the continent's legends, a creature rarely seen even once in a century-the sacred beast of the forest who revealed himself only to a true king.

And he was here, right before them.

Sunfyre woke too.

The Gold Dragon slowly rose, but gave no threatening roar and took no stance to attack.

He simply watched the white stag, complex emotions stirring in his golden eyes-

His draconic instincts told him this was prey or a threat, but some deeper perception kept him silent.

Cole was fetching water from a nearby source. When he had left, Rhaenyra and Aegon had still been sleeping, with Sunfyre quietly standing guard.

He needed to check that the horses tethered nearby last night had not bolted in fright, and he needed clean water to wash his wounds-the boar's charge had injured him the night before, leaving his ribs in agony, though he had said nothing.

But when he returned to the edge of the clearing with his waterskin, this was the sight that greeted him.

The White Hart stood quietly in a shaft of morning light, like a forest god descended into the mortal world.

A few paces behind him sat the newly awakened Sunfyre, his golden scales reflecting the sunlight.

Opposite him, Rhaenyra still slept, but Aegon had opened his eyes in her arms, his purple gaze meeting the white stag's amber eyes.

Cole froze.

His first instinct was to protect them. His hand went to his sword hilt, and he slowly drew the blade.

But the movement was strangely slow, as though some unseen force were holding him back.

He looked at the white stag, at Aegon, at Rhaenyra, at this unreal scene in the morning light, and an ancient, solemn feeling rose within him-

Sacred. Inviolable.

He stopped, his sword only half drawn.

Just then, Rhaenyra woke.

She felt Aegon stir in her arms and instinctively tightened her hold. Then she followed his gaze and saw the white stag.

Her first instinct was also to protect him. The hand that had wielded the dagger immediately reached beside her-but the dagger she had used to vent yesterday's fury was still embedded in the boar's carcass, out of reach.

Her hand found nothing. Her body tensed at once, and her other arm pulled Aegon closer.

"Don't move," she said softly, her voice hoarse but clear. "Aegon, don't move."

Sunfyre sensed her tension. Flames began gathering deep in his throat, and the curiosity in his golden eyes turned to wariness.

But the white stag did not move.

He simply watched them. He watched Rhaenyra, Aegon in her arms, and the little Gold Dragon about to breathe fire.

Then he slowly stepped forward.

One step, two steps, three.

He walked very slowly, as though every step had been carefully considered.

His hooves made almost no sound against the fallen leaves, but his eyes never left Aegon.

Rhaenyra clenched her hand, her nails nearly digging into her palm.

She remembered her mother's death, Baelon's death in infancy, and all those cruel tricks of omens and fate.

If the white stag truly was a good omen, then he should bring good fortune;

But if he symbolized something, could that also mean danger?

The white stag stopped three paces from them.

He lowered his head, stretching his long muzzle forward to gently sniff Rhaenyra-

Or rather, to sniff Aegon in her arms.

Then, before everyone's astonished eyes, he extended his tongue and gently licked Aegon's cheek as the boy sat in Rhaenyra's embrace.

Aegon froze.

The tongue was warm and damp, carrying the scent of grass and something ancient yet indescribable. It was not an attack or a threat. It felt more like... a welcome? Acknowledgment?

Rhaenyra froze as well. Still holding Aegon, she stared wide-eyed as the white stag finished licking his cheek, slowly retreated half a step, bent his forelegs, and lowered his entire body-

Bowing.

The White Hart was bowing to a child barely over a year old.

The flames in Sunfyre's throat died. The Gold Dragon tilted his head at the sight, and something flickered in his golden eyes... confusion? Jealousy?

He gave a low rumble, as if to say, "That's my rider."

The white stag ignored Sunfyre's "jealousy." He held his bowed posture for several seconds, then slowly rose, his amber eyes still fixed on Aegon.

As Aegon watched him, a strange impulse rose within him.

He reached out his little hand.

Rhaenyra meant to stop him, but before she could speak, Aegon had wriggled out of her arms and slid to the ground.

His little feet made a faint rustle against the fallen leaves. Then he stepped toward the white stag.

"Aegon!" Rhaenyra cried, rising to go after him.

But at some point, Cole seemed to have come to her side. Just as Aegon had walked toward the stag as though drawn by some mysterious impulse, Cole gently laid a hand on her arm.

"Princess," the young knight said quietly, a trace of awe in his voice, "please, wait."

Rhaenyra turned toward him and saw his expression-the sort of devotion a knight showed only when praying in a sept.

She looked at Sunfyre next. The Gold Dragon did not intervene either, merely sitting where he was, his golden eyes following Aegon's tiny figure.

She stopped.

Aegon walked up to the white stag.

Up close, the stag was larger than he had imagined. Even when bowing, his head had been almost level with Aegon's chest.

But now that he was standing, his head reached roughly to Aegon's neck-

Had Aegon been a full-grown adult, that would have been nothing remarkable. But his current body belonged to a child barely over a year old, and to him, this stag was enormous.

Aegon reached out anyway and gently touched the white stag's nose.

Warm and soft, with his own tiny reflection mirrored in those amber eyes.

The white stag did not move. He merely exhaled softly, his warm breath washing over Aegon's face.

Then he lowered himself again-

Even lower this time, bending his forelegs fully until his entire body was almost resting on the ground.

His back was level with Aegon's waist, as though offering an invitation.

Aegon understood.

He glanced back at Rhaenyra. His sister stood where she was, both hands over her mouth, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Cole stood beside her, his sword now fully sheathed.

Sunfyre rose and took a few steps forward, but stopped some distance away, as though waiting for something.

Aegon turned back to the white stag's back.

He reached out and grasped the pure white mane-if deer could be said to have manes. It was more like slightly longer fur over the shoulders and back.

He lifted his short little leg and struggled with all his might to "climb onto" the stag's back, with help from Rhaenyra, who "couldn't bear to watch" any longer.

The white stag slowly rose.

Aegon sat securely on his back.

At that very moment, the sunlight spread fully across the clearing.

Golden light bathed the entire clearing, falling over the White Hart, the silver-haired, purple-eyed toddler, and the young golden dragon beside them.

The scene seemed drawn from an ancient legend or epic-the fabled king of the forest carrying a destined king, with a young dragon standing guard and dawn bearing witness.

Cole sank to one knee. He was not bowing to his princess or swearing a knight's oath; he was simply so overwhelmed by the sight that his knee bent of its own accord.

Rhaenyra could hardly remain on her feet either, not from reverence, but because her legs had gone weak.

She watched Aegon sitting on the white stag's back, where she had helped him climb, and watched that legendary sacred beast submit to her brother. Countless emotions surged within her-

Pride, fear, confusion, and a faint hint of... premonition.

Sunfyre came over to offer reassurance on behalf of his "rider," nuzzling Rhaenyra before settling beside the white stag.

The Gold Dragon and the sacred stag rested side by side, the tiny rider seated on the stag's back. The harmony of the scene was almost holy.