You'd heard many a complaint from your brother, Prince Jacaerys, on how the dragonseeds were faring. They weren't learning the sword well enough, they didn't know highborn etiquette, or they were clumsy on their newly claimed dragons.

"Give them time, this is new for them," you'd remind him gently. Jacaerys would simply scoff.

One of the three in particular seemed to grate on him. Ulf the White from Fleabottom. He wasn't taking to High Valyrian at all, and it seemed he could barely read and write in the Common Tongue let alone learn an ancient language.

You told your mother Rhaenyra to leave him be. You would give him lessons yourself.

Upon meeting the bastard, you quickly saw why Jacaerys complained about him the most. Ulf was eating dinner with his feet on the table talking loudly when you entered the room.

"Princess!" he'd greeted you just as loud. But there was a mockery in his tone, like your presence was an annoyance. He'd looked at you like he was waiting for you to act like the rest of your family and bark out every single thing he was doing wrong.

Your father would have slapped him for 'insolence'. Your brother would have spat at him. But you found it almost sad, knowing it must have taken a lifetime of pain to make him react to a highborn like a feral dog that felt threatened.

Ulf was a late riser, so you had to drag him out of bed for lessons. He always grumbled about it on your walk to the lesson. You'd only met three times now and you'd already gathered that the bastard had major problems with authority. Especially authority with a crown on their head.

"Dohaerās," you said, balancing the lesson book in your lap. Your lessons were normally conducted outside in the grassy field, away from the others at Dragonstone. Silverwing lounged with your own dragon, Grey Ghost, nearby.

Ulf repeated the word, completely missing the pronounciation.

"Not like that, you're going to confuse her. Dohaerās," you repeated slower.

Ulf huffed, growing tired of your nagging, "What's it matter, Princess? Silverwing understands me perfectly well. This is just a fuckin' waste of everyone's time."