[Intro] With flag unfurled

[homely_sonja]

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[needsmoarshiny]

Every Westerosi needs some Iskierka in their life.

Iskierka, who has just emerged dripping wet and steaming from the lake, and is thirty feet of red and orange and purple dragon, opening her mouth and coughing a jet of fire into the sky.

Welcome to the Mansion, Brienne.

[homely_sonja]

There will never be enough WTF in the world to express what Brienne is thinking.

Because she did not have dragons on the brain. And is now... flipping out. And backing away slowly. Maybe if she's unnoticed, she can avoid the dragon.

Targaryen. That would explain a lot of things, wouldn't it?

Unfortunately, armor does not make for very efficient stealth.

[needsmoarshiny]

And Iskierka spots her, and draws herself up. "Greetings," she says, her voice perfectly haughty and superior. She practices. "I suppose you've just gotten here?" I am the most important dragon you will ever meet. :D

She frowns a little, when she realizes Brienne is trying to sneak away. "And where are you going?" She wants to know, a little crossly.

[homely_sonja]

dllkdfjldkjfldkjfdkjOMFGitTALKS. Pause.

... Gulps. Inward curse words that Brienne does not use out loud.

"To take my armor off," she says, without thinking.

Also, somewhere where there aren't any DRAGONS. What the hell.

[needsmoarshiny]

"Oh," she says, seeming to understand, and her tail coils around her haunches as she sits back. "I see. It does look like it is quite heavy. Why do you wear it?"

But dragons are awesome, says Iskierka, and she is the best of all of them!

[homely_sonja]

... it's still talking at me. What. "-- why do you have scales?" The question comes out of Brienne's fat lips before she can think better of it.

[needsmoarshiny]

Iskierka looks...actually a bit puzzled at this question. "I was born with them. I do not know why. You were not born with that, were you? Lily said that human eggs are very funny looking."

Not quite what you pictured, is she?

[homely_sonja]

Seriously, really not. Brienne just stares, because Iskierka is speaking in a tone that she imagined Lady Sansa might take. And coming from a dragon, it's more than destabilizing.

"-- they're not eggs, they're babies," she manages to say. "Though I suppose some are."

Like me when I was born, probably.

[needsmoarshiny]

"Eggs," she says, firmly, "Lily said so." And Lily is the only dragon Iskierka knows that has ever seen a human egg, so therefore she knows best.

A pause, and she tilts her head. "Why did you ask about my scales? They are very nice, though, aren't they."

Preens.

[homely_sonja]

Seriously, just whut. Is she supposed to have TEA with this dragon? -- "-- I suppose they are, yes." A beat. "I was told your kind was extinct." A beat again. "And that you did not speak."

She's too flabbergasted by the situation to think clearly and hold her tongue, alas.

[needsmoarshiny]

Iskierka lowers her head swiftly and shoves it in Brienne's face, staring her down with one great gold eye. "Well, clearly they did not know what they were talking about, did they?" She huffs. "You are the second person who seems to expect me to be some kind of dumb animal. Like - like cows."

Cows are stupid. But delicious.

[homely_sonja]

Brienne doesn't even think as she takes a step back to avoid being bumped by the dragon.

"-- one would have to be fairly dense to mistake you for a cow," she concedes.

Just what? She's still pale and sweaty - and feeling a bit faint, actually.

[needsmoarshiny]

Iskierka eyes her suspiciously, and finally seems to decide that Brienne has been well chastened. She draws her head up haughtily, or what she thinks is haughtily. "Well, of course," she says, "But some people just are that foolish. I am glad you are not one of them."

[homely_sonja]

Brienne just stares at the dragon. "--- my thanks, I suppose."

It really does take a dragon to tell Brienne that she's not a fool. Huh.

[needsmoarshiny]

"You are welcome." She preens a bit. "I do wish I had my crew. They are all very nice and would help me wash so there are no itches between my scales." She sighs, in a puff of steam.

"So who are you?" Looking back at Brienne.

[homely_sonja]

Brienne just stares at the dragon. It's domesticated, she realizes. And her mind sets onto another path.

"-- where did they all go, then?" She's nervous - what if they come back?