With a sharp pain in his side and a pounding headache, he awoke. As he looked around, he saw more than six young boys lying unconscious on the ground—and realized he occupied the body of a five-year-old. Convinced he had transmigrated, he sighed. As he tried to steady himself, a torrent of memories flooded his mind: he was a Targaryen bastard being trained as a Dragon Keeper. He had no true name—Dragon Keepers were nameless, bound only by loyalty. He recalled his fellow boys, all groomed by the senior Dragon Keeper in devotion to dragon and duty, and the ancient history of their order.
As the memories settled, he finally accepted that he was in Westeros—a world of dragons, war, nobility, and slavery.
After ten minutes, the heavy wooden door creaked open. A middle-aged eunuch in plain gray robes stepped inside. He surveyed the room, then spoke in the old Valyrian tongue: Vestri iā (Follow me).
As the boy rose and followed, he noticed the massive dragon carving on the far wall, which looked majestic even in the sunset light. Dragonstone. His heart pounded at the confirmation. In the back of his mind, he tried to place the date. According to his memories, the realm was ruled by King Jaehaerys Targaryen, the elderly rider of Vermithor, the Golden Fury—but he still wasn't certain of the exact year.
They wound through twisting corridors for another ten minutes before arriving at a vast cavern. Beyond a narrow fissure lay the Dragonkeeper's Quarters—a silent hall that would be his home and prison in equal measure.
After guiding us to the quarters, he finally whispered, "Rāelagon iā( Rest now)". Once the eunuch left, he eased himself onto the narrow bed. Every breath and movement reminded him of the lingering pain, but he forced himself to stay calm and blend in. As he lay there, his mind raced with plans: above all, survive. Being a Dragon Keeper was perilous—intelligent dragons might spare their caretakers, yet they could unleash Dracarys without a command.
At last, exhaustion claimed him, and he drifted into a restless sleep.