An unexpected hatching forces Lyarra Snow to flee Winterfell before her bonded dragon can be put to the sword. Guided by uncanny dreams, her own wits, and letters that could plunge the realm into war, Lyarra must reignite the flames of her House for a Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing.
A Dragon's Flight
is an A Song of Ice and Fire fanfic by Madrigal in training in which Jon Snow is born a girl, Lyarra Snow, actually Visenya Targaryen, and she accidentally hatches a dragon egg which she finds in her mother Lyanna's grave. She names her baby dragon Azantys and realizes that to keep him safe she needs to throw her lot with loyalists and take back the Iron Throne. And thus the adventure begins...
The story was originally published in June 2017. The most recent chapter was posted in October 2017. It is incomplete.
A Dragon's Flight contains examples of:
- The Ace: Lyarra/Visenya is this. She is beautiful, highly intelligent, fluent in Valyrian and capable with a sword.
- Action Girl: Lyarra/Visenya is well on her way to becoming one under the tutelage of Aurane Waters. Lyanna was definitely one.
- Always Someone Better:
- Despite giving herself airs as a highborn lady of legitimate birth, Sansa is painfully aware that Lyarra is more beautiful and talented than her.
- Catelyn knows very well that Ned wished to marry the beautiful, alluring and elegant Lady Ashara Dayne.
- Amazon Chaser: Both Aegon and Rhaegar get hot and bothered by women that can kick their asses.
- Attractive Bent-Gender: Lyarra disguised as Lyle Snow was offered marriage to an innkeeper's daughter.
- Awesome Moment of Crowning: A rather downplayed one but the moment Lyarra/Visenya shows Azantys to Lord Velaryon he, Aurane and the random guard in the room immediately fall in their knees and proclaim her the rightful Queen. Visenya ruins it by making them rise and telling them of Aegon's survival.
- Big Brother Instinct: Robb has in in spades, especially toward Lyarra. When he incorrectly suspects that her flight might have been due to have been dishonoured and impregnated he immediately vows to kill the man that did so.
- Brother–Sister Incest: Aegon and Visenya are Targaryens and they are the main pairing of the story.
- Bond Creatures: Azantys is Lyarra/Visenya's.
Word of God says 5 other people will hatch and bond with their own dragons. These are Aegon, Daenarys, Viserys, Shireen and Tyrion. - Be Careful What You Wish For: The one thing Catelyn desperately wants is for Lyarra to leave Winterfell, when the hidden princess does so, Ned is left utterly broken and depressed. All the children are upset and miss her in different ways and people whisper that Catelyn might have done something to the young girl. Seeing that Visenya will be Aegon's queen in the future, Catelyn will really end up having tons of regrets.
- Chekhov's Gun: Ser Barristan was near Rhaegar when the Crown Prince died and heard his last words 'Visenya, my Visenya'. Word of God states that this will be important later on.
- The Chosen One: Given that she is the first to hatch dragons, Visenya is likely the Prince that was Promised.
- Conflicting Loyalties: Lyara/Visenya chooses Azantys over her Stark family. Ned choses his niece over his lifelong friend when he tells Robb to declare for her if she takes the throne.
- Culture Justifies Everything: In the future Aegon will justify his incestuous love for his half sister by pointing out that he is a Targaryen. A disgruntled Robb will admit that makes sense.
- The Cutie: Lyarra/Visenya's baby dragon Azantys. He is small, very beautiful in the colors of the dusky sky and is constantly curious.
- Cuteness Proximity: Being the size of a cat with shimmering dark blue and purple scales Azantys effortlessly enchants everyone lucky enough to have enough of Lyarra/Visenya's trust to be allowed to see him.
- Dead Fic: The story was updated over a period of almost exactly four months in 2017, averaging about two chapters per month, but was left unfinished in October of that year and has not been updated since.
- Disease Bleach: Visenya's disappearance causes Ned Stark to age ten years overnight.
- Disguised in Drag: Knowing that it is safer to be a boy in the road, Visenya cuts her hair, binds her chest and wears trousers during the journey from Winterfel to Driftmark. It does not fool Aurane Waters.
- Dragon Rider: Azantys is too small right now but Visenya will ride him once he is big enough to carry her. A flashforward has one little girl witnessing Queen Visenya riding her dragon over the castle.
- Due to the Dead: Ned partially sees protecting Visenya as honoring his dead sister and failing her does not sit well with him.
- Exact Words: Lyarra sent a letter to Winterfell in which she explains she left to protect "a tiny life", whom she loves with all her might. Robb briefly goes into a temper, believing his bastard sister fell pregnant.
- Foil: Visenya is a practical, no nonsense girl who does not expect much from life. Sansa is a head in the clouds dreamer who expects her life to turn out like a song. Yet, Visenya is the one that practically checks off all the common fairly tale tropes being Lost Orphaned Royalty, The Chosen One, and the recipient of Love at First Sight from the rightful Targaryen king. Sansa, if her storyline is to follow cannon will be a deconstruction of Princess Classic.
- Foreshadowing: The Baratheon regime has not been treating the Targaryen loyalists well, which means that they will be happy to support Aegon and Visenya once they reveal themselves.
- The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry: One sided on Sansa's part. Lyarra is more beautiful, better at music and far smarter. Lyarra on her part seems to have given Sansa up as a lost cause, when the latter becomes distant from her.
- Go Out with a Smile: Rhaegar Targaryen, when Visenya projects herself into the past at the Ruby Ford. Rhaegar catches glimpse of a girl that resembles his mother and his second wife and dies with a smile and at peace that at least one of his children survived.
- The Good King: A glimpse into the future shows that Aegon will be known as King Aegon the Just and Lyarra as Queen Visenya the Wise.
- Has a Type: Lyarra/Visenya is attracted to Valyrian looks. Her mother was likely the same.
- Hybrid Power: Lyarra's Seer ability is especially strong due to her Stark blood giving her the greensight and her Targaryean blood giving her Dragon dreams. She hasn't realized yet and thinks all her magic comes from her father's side. Additionally, the bond between her and Azantys comes from her Valyrian heritage, but is strengthened by her skinchanging abilities. She realizes this is actually quite dangerous, since if either one of them experiences a strong emotion, they could end up overwhelming each other.
- Hyper-Awareness: Somehow Lyarra/Visenya manages to fool everyone with her Lyle Snow disguise (hinted to be due to her innate magic) but Aurane Waters immediately knows that she is a girl, and a highborn one at that.
- In the Blood: According to Word of God Visenya/Lyarra and Aegon share a lot of mannerism despite being raised separately and having different mothers. They inherited them from their shared father Rhaegar.
- Jumped at the Call: Lyarra willingly leaves Winterfell to protect her young and defenseless dragon and face her true heritage.
- Lady and Knight: The dynamic between Visenya/Lyarra and Aurane Waters. The moment she proves her lineage he becomes utterly devoted to her safety and comfort.
- Like Father, Like Son: Aegon and Rhaegar both are/were Amazon Chasers.
- Locked Out of the Loop: From the Starks that are old enough to have agency, Catelyn and Sansa are the only ones not to know that Lyarra is really Visenya Targaryen and that she has hatched a dragon. Lyarra tells Arya and Ned tells Robb.
- Lost Orphaned Royalty: Aegon and Visenya/Lyarra. The Velaryons are overjoyed when they learn of it.
- Love at First Sight: Aegon falls in love with his half sister Visenya the moment he sees her.
- The Runaway: Lyarra leaves Winterfell for Driftmark once she realizes who she truly is.
- Mama Bear: Lyarra/Visenya toward Azantys. She sees him as her own child and places his safety and well being above everything else. At only thirteen she undertakes a dangerous journey because she is painfully aware that her uncle Ned would kill her dragon if discovered at Winterfell.
- Meaningful Name:
- Azantys means warrior/knight in High Valyrian and Lyarra/Visenya notes that he will have to fight to earn back Aegon's throne.
- The first Visenya was an expert warrior and adept sorceress. Her modern namesake is slowly budding into one.
- My Sister Is Off-Limits: Robb really does not take it well when it is whispered that Lyarra might have eloped.
- Mythology Gag: As the Silver Dragon Prince died he whispered a woman's name. In canon it was the name of his second and much loved wife Lyanna. In this fic it was the name of his second daughter Visenya.
- Not Me This Time: Due to her very public hatred of Lyarra, people suspect Catelyn being responsible for her disappearance. She is not.
- Not So Above It All:
- Lyarra/Visenya imagines gloating to Catelyn that as the one that brought the dragons back from the dead has guaranteed her a name in history for centuries, while Catelyn's children would be lucky to even be remembered a few decades after their deaths.
- The first time Lyarra sees Aegon in a dream, she is jealous that he is even prettier than she is.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: According to Word of God, Aegon will never let Rolly forget that it was his Tempting Fate that led to Aegon falling in love.
- Pretty Princess Powerhouse: Lyarra/Visenya, she is beautiful, gifted and talented at magic, a future dragonrider, a budding Action Girl, and was born a royal princess. Also Lyanna, who proved her Action Girl credentials by defeating three knights at jousting and beating up their squires prior to marrying a prince.
- Princess Classic: Sansa desperately wants to be one. If you ignore Visenya's Action Girl tendencies, she is one, being compassionate, self sacrificing, beautiful and actually royal.
- Proper Lady: Lady Sylvia Velaryon, a gentle, sweet woman with perfect manners and plenty of kindness and compassion. Catelyn appears to be one but is actually a malicious, petty shrew.
- Secret-Keeper:
- Arya knows that Lyarra is Visenya Targaryen and that she has hatched Azantys. She also is the only one other than Lyarra/Visenya to know that Azantys is capable of speech.
- Ned tells Robb about Visenya's true origin and makes him swear an oath to declare for her when the time comes. Catelyn is kept Locked Out of the Loop because neither of them can trust her with Lyarra/Visenya's safety and best interests.
- Seers: Thanks to her First Men and Valyrian heritages Lyarra is an exceptionally talented one.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Visenya/Lyarra looks a lot like her father Rhaegar and her grandmother Rhaella.
- Technicolor Eyes: Lyarra has light purple eyes, so does Aegon.
- Tempting Fate: Rolly Duckfield observes Aegon charming a random girl and warns him that if he keeps toying with women's affections like that the gods will punish him by making him fall madly in love. Not five minutes later Lyarra/Visenya causes a commotion apprehending a thief, showcasing her beauty, fighting skills and honorable character. Aegon immediately falls in love and curses Rolly for inviting the gods to right their wrongs.
- Thicker Than Water: After Visenya sends a letter to Ned informing him that she is aware of her true lineage and that she has hatched a dragon, Ned makes Robb promise that in event of his untimely dead before the time comes, Robb is to declare for Lyarra, akak Visenya Targaryen. He does this without a hint of Conflicting Loyalties to Robert.
- Undying Loyalty: House Velaryon for the Targaryens. When Visenya Targaryen comes to them for help, they immediately grant her shelter, showing her the respect a royal princess is due and already plotting to give her back the Iron Throne. In fact, once Lyarra/Visenya's identity has been established and she reveals her dragon their reaction is this:"All hail Her Grace, Visenya of Houses Targaryen and Stark, First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm," Monford Velaryon declared, with all of the fervent belief of a man whose loyalty to his Queen will never be questioned or swayed.
- The Unfavorite:
- Catelyn fears that her children are this for Ned. Ned had to marry her in a last-minute strategic match when her original betrothed, his brother Brandon, died, while he was in love with another woman that as a second son he would have been free to marry. It drives her cruelty toward Lyarra.
- Sansa knows that she is Lyarra's least favorite sister, since Lyarra would have moved heaven and earth to ensure that Arya does not turn against her but did not consider Sansa worth fighting for.
- We Used to Be Friends: Lyarra and Sansa used to be close when Sansa was younger. Then Catelyn and Septa Mordane drove a wedge between them.
