#[ it makes him less concerned about himself - despite his own injuries while viserys is traumatized but physically unharmed lmao ]

[worthyheir]

@heirtoharrenhal / vaguely plotted starter

Whether he survived this or not was fairly irrelevant at this point. Managing to spot and grab his youngest brother was all that mattered, even if flying so low as to be in range of the weapons the triarchy had brought. Spears aimed for him, for Vermax, arrows that flew from ship to ship. Some struck, most missed. It mattered very little - there was too much adrenaline coursing through his body for him to really register all of the injuries. Mostly, he was keeping Viserys clutched to his chest, taking the arrows himself that were aimed for all of them. One spear, he had seen, had struck Vermax, shortly after grabbing his brother, and it was enough to get them out of there. The dragon seemed ready enough to agree, turning them back the short flight to Dragonstone.

Two hours back to Dragonstone from the Gullet, slower perhaps with the injury in the dragon, though the wings beat quickly. The longest two hours of his life, perhaps, because he had to remain awake, holding tight to his brother, ensuring Viserys did not slip, considering only one of them was both strapped to the saddle and now pinned to it with a luckily (or in his case, the opposite) thrown spear. Words of reassurance attempt to quell his brother's tearful questions and words. 'I'm fine, I'll be fine.' Constantly, as though Viserys is unaware of his injuries - he had been there when the arrows had struck Jacaerys' shoulder and back, the spear in his leg - trying to keep both his brother assuaged and himself alert.

Leaving had been against his mother's orders, and several people had tried to stop him on his venture to the dragonmont. He can hardly remember the guards he stormed past, though he can remember the words he said to the only one who did attempt to stop him. In his rush to get out of Dragonstone, there was probably only one person who would have physically been able to stop him, and so he might have regretted what he said - 'you are not my ruler, nor are you my father. let me go' - but it had had it's desired effect. Given that he was already defying his mother's, and therefore his ruler's orders, no one else's would have ceased his efforts, and he was certain that sending the dragonseeds after him had been to ensure his survival.

That's the thought that crashes through his mind at the same moment Vermax lands, skids actually, across the cliffs, the only time in Jace's memory that he can recall the beast not having a smooth landing. It doesn't matter, landing is the most important part, and he can hear the voices, though his eyes are closed, clinging to his brother, knowing this part will be difficult. Vermax has never liked anyone but him, snapping at most, already hissing and letting out tufts of smoke. He has to stay awake long enough to get Viserys down to safety, which means long enough for someone to reach them, which means keeping Vermax calm.

There are words, commands, High Valyrian that comes as naturally to him as the common tongue, as breathing does, but even that is difficult with arrows protruding from his shoulder, his back, the pain of landing increasing the slight of the injuries. "Dohaeris, Vermax, lykirī." ('Obey me Vermax, calm down'). It's all he can think to say, over and over, and he is not sure it will help, is not sure who will have seen them arrive, who will try to approach a clearly angry dragon. His priority is getting Viserys down to anyone safely - that's all he set out to do in the first place.