291 18 - Epilogue

Chapter 18 – Epilogue

The Echoes of The Dance, A Historical Analysis by Various Authors…

The Dance of the Dragons was arguably the most important war in the history of Westeros, many of the events and actions of those involved reverberate through the centuries and continue to affect not only Westeros but the entire world.

The Targaryens and the Redfyres...

The reign of Aegon the 3rd was a return to the golden age of his grandfather Viserys and great-grandfather Jaehaerys. He and his brother Viserys who was Hand of the King throughout his thirty eight year reign worked tirelessly to ensure prosperity for the country and instituted many reforms in farming techniques, the law and taxation which proved highly efficient and successful once put into place. Establishing set lists of what was a crime and a set punishment regarding its severity. As the years passed they continued this work with the establishment of a network of roads and canals to carry goods across the country and deter bandits as these highways were not only easier to traverse and often quicker than any other route but proved easier to patrol. A toll system was created and paid to lords to pay for the protect they offered.

They also took steps to expand trade overseas, Braavos enjoyed much success due to their efforts especially with the establishment of the first cadet branch of House Targaryen, The Targaryens of Duskendale. Prince Viserys and his Braavosi bride rebuilt the town and turned it into a shipyard for the royal fleet. King Aegon eventually became good friends with Olyvar Baratheon and appointed him Master of Laws later in his reign, re-establishing the bond severed by the Dance. Many took to calling Aegon The Astute King.

Princess Alysanne Targaryen, Aegon's younger sister also made a substantial impact on Westeros when she wed Lord Loreon Lannister after he courted her in secret. This caused a minor diplomatic crisis as they wed without the King's consent but to prevent disruption of their peace, King Aegon and Prince Viserys accepted the marriage but forced the couple to spend two years at court until they were satisfied that the marriage was a good one. This had the coincidental effect of giving dragons to House Lannister, making them one of the few families at the time blessed with such power.

Arguably their biggest achievement, completed years later was the bringing of Dorne into the Iron Throne. This move was brought about with the marriage of Crown Prince Daeron Targaryen and Princess Daena Targaryen to their House Martell Counterparts Princess Sarella Martell and Crown Prince Cedric Martell respectively. The wild Daena found herself a match in the equally hot blooded Cedric and the pair spent many days and nights riding the dunes of Dorne while apparently making love conceiving all their children in this manner, this did also bring House Martell into the circle of Dragon riders as Daena brought a number of dragon eggs and her own beast Voracious with her.

Prince Daeron meanwhile was some would say far more fortunate as he gained the cunning and beautiful Princess Sarella as his wife, she was said to be the only one that could bend the adventurous and self-confident prince. Her words held such power of him that whenever he was about to do something foolish she would stop him with only a few and establish reason and calm.

The peace of King Aegon's reign however was broken abruptly by a new threat that had been massing in the far east.

A Valyrian man that named himself Maegor Redfyre, claimed to be the bastard son of Aegon's own father Daemon Targaryen. This had been disputed by some but the fact that he rode Daemon's own dragon Caraxes lends some credibility to this assertion. He spent years travelling with his mother Nettles and in that time he took control of a sizeable number of Dothraki khalasars, pirate groups and many sellswords. He unified them with promises of great riches and led them on a bloody path of raiding after killing his own mother when she refused to bow to him. He eventually wed Selaenys of House Paenymion in Volantis to secure more domestic holdings for his wealth. Once he had fathered several children with her he left with his forces and attempted to invade Westeros in 150 AC, claiming to be the rightful king joined by the exiled House Arryn.

This event is now known historically as the First Redfyre Rebellion.

However this would only last less than a year as when they tried to make landfall in Dorne after basing themselves in the Stepstones an army gathered to oppose them. Aegon had caught wind of the invasion and with his brother astride their dragons Stormcloud and Jaceys, joined by the legendary knight and leader of their Kingsguard Ser Daeron the Daring and the king's own nephew Aenar Peverell who rode their own mounts in the skies and led the force against the invaders.

Sheepstealer, Maegor's second dragon was slain in the first battle by Aenar Peverell while his uncle Lord Godric Peverell led the king's own gathered naval forces at sea. Both achieved great success as commanders in their own right but Aegon earned a new name for himself as whenever he had cause to fight on the ground rather than astride his dragon he wielded both Blackfyre and Darkfyre in unison. Many say that he fought at a speed that defied the eye and was like a hurricane of metal, so many took to calling him the Steel Storm.

Eventually Maegor was killed when he was tracked to a manse that he was hiding in after his forces were defeated and killed by Aenar Peverell but his dragon returned to Volantis where his wife and her family along with House Arryn continued to plot. They invested his gold and with effort expanded the dragons at their disposal with eggs laid by either Caraxes or from other shores, some even stolen from hatcheries on Dragonstone.

Prince Viserys Targaryen during the rebellion also took advantage of the opportunity to preserve the Valyrian bloodline brought many thousands of people over from Essos that had the blood of the dragon in them to settle into a number of towns, villages and farms across Westeros along with a large portion arriving Kings Landing.

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Eventually in 168 AC Aegon passed peacefully in his sleep and Daeron the 1st came to the throne. However without the influence of his father he then quickly left to pursue a series of campaigns on foreign shores alongside his friend Aenar Peverell which while bringing him a number of trophies and victories failed to expand the realm's territory. This left Queen Sarella to rule in Kings Landing and raise their three children but she was an incredibly shrewd and wise woman, especially when Daeron's brother Baelor joined the Faith and proceeded to organise a new Faith Militant violating the agreement established by the Great King Jaehaerys. They led a reign of terror on the people they deemed sinful but it collapsed when Baelor fasted himself to death at the advice of a boy that he believed to able to perform miracles. There have been some claims that Sarella actually paid the boy to achieve this and remove the threat that Baelor posed to the crown but no evidence exists to prove this theory.

Daeron's constant absences eventually brought about the Second Redfyre Rebellion in 170 AC, Maegor's grandson Daemon Redfyre gathered an army of Unsullied, sellswords and Dothraki in Pentos and landed in the Stormlands with Caraxes. They struck at many castles until a Baratheon Army joined with Daeron and the invasion was repulsed. Daeron was said to be exceptionally enraged by this attack and gathered a fresh army to retaliate against Pentos. After a violent battle the city was taken and made a vassal state of Westeros. House Velaryon was appointed to rule over the city and its lands, marking their ascension to Lord Paramount after centuries of royal service. Viserys Targaryen also continued his work to preserve the Valyrian bloodline by settling more Valyrians from Lys, Volantis and other places in Pentos.

It was also during this time that Daeron's son Lucerys fell deeply in love with his childhood friend Lady Lilian Peverell, eventually leading to the two marrying. Queen Sarella was said to have been pleased with the match while she wed her two daughters to Lord Mors Dayne and the new Lord Viserys Velaryon.

Eventually Daeron met his end rather ignobly at the hands of a sellsword in a drunken duel while on another campaign in 178 AC. Lucerys the 1st was crowned a week later with the same simple golden band of his grandfather and restored prosperity to the land once again. The king and his queen organised a number of betrothals between noble houses to ensure peace and hosted several events to promote unity between different families. The love the couple held for each other was said to be almost shining in its intensity and led to the couple having seven children within a decade of marrying.

But in 187 AC the familiar threat of House Redfyre returned in the Third Redfyre Rebellion. This time their efforts were largely confined to the sea with a great force of pirates gathered from across the world and in-particular the Basilisk Isles. They worked to cut off Westeros trade and raided Oldtown, Lannisport and Tarth in a campaign of burning and butchery. Although eventually repulsed and the pirate armada disbanded or destroyed in the Battle around Dragonstone later that year Lucerys was said to have been deeply troubled by the superiority of ships held by foreign powers compared to Westeros ship designs which had remained largely unchanged for centuries.

So to address the problem Lucerys travelled to the Summer Isles and arranged an alliance with the leaders of several islands, their shipwrights travelled back to Westeros with him and taught new and better techniques of shipbuilding and design to their Westeros counterparts. This revolution in shipbuilding spread across the country and led to far better and more sturdy ships being employed for both trade and war and the establishment of a proper Royal Fleet which still endures as a force today. This new force made its presence known for the first time when it aided the Dornish Army in truly conquering the Stepstones and bringing them firmly under Martell rule. He also aided in the rebuilding of places destroyed in the Rebellion before centralising power in the capital and enjoying a long and peaceful reign.

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Lucerys the 1st died in 199 AC on the dawn of second century of Targaryen rule, his wife died less that a week later some say of a broken heart. This proved however to have rather disastrous consequences as their eldest son Aenar the 1st came to the throne.

Aenar possessed none of the cunning or wit of his ancestors, nor any intention of taking his duties as king seriously. Instead his court became filled with his self-seeker friends and women who caught his eye, they also filled his small council and Kingsguard. Whores regularly could be found in nearly every corner of the Red Keep and it is said that he only slept with his wife Lady Visenya of the Targaryens of Duskendale once before banishing her and their son from court. This did lead however to Prince Viserys Targaryen and his mother spending their time travelling around all the castles and cities of Westeros to make allies and for a time spent studying at Godric's Hollow and the Citadel. Meanwhile in Kings Landing the crown fell into considerable debt and borrowed heavily from the Iron Bank of Braavos not to mention lawlessness fell across the capital and the country as a whole. Aenar sired many bastards which were then discarded in Kings Landing, it was said that every brothel in the city had given Aenar at least two children each. He also allowed his friends to take large loans from the crown and never attempted to gain payment back later. To this day many call Aenar The Whoremonger or Wastrel King.

The chaos brought about by his rather pathetic rule encouraged the Fourth Redfyre Rebellion in 203 AC however it lasted less than a moon. Viserys had inherited great cunning, charm and intelligence from his mother and expanded on that during their travels around Westeros. He forged strong links with many houses and when called on these houses rallied to his banner, especially the North which supplied him with more dragons and men when he took Lady Evelyn Stark as his wife. He also arranged an alliance between Lys and Tyrosh and their combined forces attacked and sacked Volantis. The city was burned severely in the assault and the Redfyres who survived were forced to flee the city that had been their home for half of the last century.

This move cemented in the minds of much of Westeros that Viserys was the true king of Westeros without even being crowned. He met with all the Great Lords at Godric's Hollow and established a moving court of his own going with him while travelling around the country to correct the chaos and damage caused by his father's inept ruling. Viserys was said to have cut an imposing figure, standing at least a foot taller than most men with a muscular build, strong face and powerful gaze. It was also said that Aenar did not even know of the rebellion or notice that his power had been taken away largely by his own son until the taxes which helped pay for his life style stopped being paid to him and instead were taken by his son.

Aenar called Viserys to Kings Landing to answer for his 'crimes' but Viserys only replied with "If you will not attend to your responsibilities and power, then I must take them from you."

Potential Civil War between Aenar and his son was narrowly avoided when Aenar died of a pox he had caught from one of the whores around the Red Keep. Viserys wasted no time and returned to Kings Landing and with great speed established himself as king proper, his father's so called friends were quickly ousted from the Red Keep and those that had debts to the crown held as prisoners until it was repaid with interest. The whores were banished and the Queen Evelyn sent most of Aenar's bastards to the Wall so they could not threaten her husband or their future children's rule along with Aenar's entire Kingsguard as she judged them useless and is quoted to have said "Not fit to guard a chicken coop".

With his new Small Council and a fresh Kingsguard comprised of experienced veterans from the recent rebellion Viserys quickly set to work. He reformed the tax system and restored the road and canal system set up by his ancestors and created an official body to monitor and promote trade across Westeros and beyond, the Royal Commission for Trade. He also created the first college in Westeros, this taught to its students the art of diplomacy, economics and trade to create professional men in these areas to serve the crown and lords of Westeros.

Westeros goods soon started to spread around the world, firm diplomatic alliances and trade agreements were born that swelled the treasuries of many, even allowing the debt owned to the Iron Bank to be paid back with great speed. He and his Queen had also a very large family; five sons and four daughters.

However Viserys was a hard man and made many enemies of people who felt threatened by his changes or slighted by not being given his favour.

It was this that led to the Fifth Redfyre Rebellion which did not follow the pattern of previous attempts and was spread from 221 AC to 223 AC. Maegor Redfyre, the current leader of the house was a very cunning and charismatic man who in secret travelled for nearly two years in Westeros and gained the co-operation of those slighted by Viserys the 2nd and when Viserys was away from Kings Landing with his family on a trip to the North, struck a daring blow.

He and his followers were able with the assistance of Maegor's dragon Ferrax to seize the Red Keep and Kings Landing while the King was in the North. He declared himself king and demanded Viserys' head and those of his family. Cousins of his in Myr also prompted the city to launch an invasion of the Stepstones and his many supporters struck at lords loyal to the king creating a great deal of chaos across the land as it descended in widespread civil war in all of Westeros kingdoms.

While most were smaller houses hoping to gain power and were put down by the Great Houses in quick fashion, House Tully joining the Redfyre cause incited an intense Civil War in the Riverlands between those loyal to the Redfyres such as the Tullys and their loyal vassals against House Peverell and the houses that stayed loyal to the crown. Viserys was kept busy as he travelled south to Dorne to help quash the attempted invasion so House Peverell and its chief allies the Blackwoods and Mallisters fought outnumbered three to one against their enemies.

However with their superior army, dragons and eventual reinforcements from the North the Peverells were able to break the Tully army and conquered Riverrun. A landed family in their service House Black was granted the castle after making the Tully daughter Minisa marry its eldest son Horace. With that they quickly brought the Riverlands under control before led by the current lord Edwyn their army and dragons travelled to Kings Landing and in a hard battle retook the city from the Redfyre after a year in their hands. Maegor was apparently found trying to escape the city disguised as a woman and captured.

When Viserys returned he rewarded House Peverell by naming them the new Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. To make sure all of Westeros did not continue to rise up for Maegor Viserys had him paraded naked around the city where its people threw rotten fruit and dung at him for over a week before finally executing him. It took a few more moons before the embers of the rebellion were extinguished but soon order was restored across the country.

This peace lasted until 236 AC when a failed attack from Myr on the Stormlands and Reach coasts was repulsed and Viserys led an assault on Myr in retaliation, this proved to be a very decisive battle as the last Redfyre dragon was ridden into battle by Maegor's sister-wife Visenya Redfyre. She fought a vicious fight against Viserys who rode his own massive dragon, the much older Stormcloud. Visenya and her dragon were killed by Viserys when he managed to lure Visenya into the clouds and ambushed the pair. With the sight of the dead dragon falling near their city gates and a large Westeros army outside the city of Myr surrendered and was made into a vassal state of Westeros. This meant from this point after the Redfyres lost their main source of power and were forced to resort to other means to gain support for more attempts on the throne. The Seventh Redfyre Rebellion was ended in its infancy when Viserys simply had Harkon Redfyre Maegor's son assassinated in his sleep.

Viserys continued to rule for twelve years, having held the throne for forty five years when he finally died warm in bed surrounded by his wife, his children, grandchildren and his friends. He was named by many to have been the 'Glorious King' and many mourned his passing with a festival being arranged in his honour which is still celebrated on the anniversary of his death.

His eldest son Jaehaerys the 2nd then assumed the throne and achieved little in his time given the great peace and efficient systems put in place by his father but was able to keep the peace forged by his father. He however did cause a great deal of unrest when he broke the Lannister betrothal his son Aemon had been set for to wed him Lady Daella Dayne instead after Lord Roger Lannister defeated him in a joust and continued to slight them and the Westerlands for years after including rising their taxes to a far higher level than any other part of the realm. While no one dared to argue against the king a simmering dislike for House Targaryen boiled in the Westerlands. When his son Aemon argued with him over his decisions Jaehaerys banished him to Godric's Hollow.

This finally broke when Jaehaerys died after falling from his horse in 259 AC and his twenty year old son Aemon the 1st took the throne. Lord Lannister was convinced now was the time to strike and joined with the Redfyres in the Eighth Redfyre Rebellion. Using their dragons and wealth they hoped to usurp Aemon however he was warned of the plot by Lord Lannister's youngest daughter Myrcella Lannister and Prince Maekor Targaryen, the king's younger brother led a secret group into Casterly Rock with aid from Myrcella and killed the Redfyres present and all Lannisters except Myrcella who Maekar took as a bride. That was the day also that House Lannister ceased to exist although its blood would live on through the new house Maekar would found, named for the dragon on which he rode...Drakon.

Aemon was a far more ruthless man than his predecessor, a fierce warrior and apart from when he destroyed House Lannister he made improving the armies of Westeros his life's goal, forming a royal army for the first time that was standardised with all men carrying the same weapons, equipment and training based on the Peverell Army that he trained with as a boy.

But Aemon's biggest achievement was arguably bringing the Redfyre Rebellions to a bloody end at long last. In 276 AC the last male Redfyre Harkon rallied the last of the Dothraki khals along with a force from all over Essos in an attempt to invade the take and make himself King of Myr before continuing his ancestor's crusade to take the Iron Throne. Aemon led his new Royal Army and Navy against him. The improvements made to the army soon ensured his victory and the extinction of the Dothraki but also the capture of Alyssa Redfyre, Harkon's sister and the last of House Redfyre.

For a time it looked like Aemon was going to publicly execute Alyssa Redfyre, holding her prisoner in the Red Keep but when people expressed sympathy for the young and stunningly beautiful woman his son Vaegon mindful of how much killing her would upset people persuaded the king to wed her to him, the reason being to combine their bloodlines and finally put an end to the insurrections against them.

So within a year of her capture Alyssa Redfyre became Vaegon's wife and a year after that when Aemon died in a jousting accident she and Vaegon would become the king and queen of Westeros.

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Dragons…

From a war that could well have seen the end of the Dragons as a species the Dance of the Dragons would only see them rise to far greater numbers than ever before except during the very height of the Valyrian Freehold.

Apart from the Targaryens by the end of the Dance Houses Stark, Peverell and Velaryon all had dragons and the children continued to claim and hatch dragons of their own as the years passed.

The Starks had four by the time of Cregan Stark's death, all hatched from the strange eggs sent to them by Daemon Targaryen and ridden by the children of his wife Lady Rhaena. These dragons were far larger than any dragons known before and had an extremely intense blue flame but could not fly as fast as the southern dragons as the distinction developed. They had far tougher hides in a dark blue colour which still remains unique to Northern dragons as opposed to other dragons before than but no explanation could be found for such differences. Their cadet branches the Karstarks and the Starks of Moat Cailin, as well as House Manderly which received Stark daughters as their ladies in time became dragon riders also.

In the Westerlands the dragons that made their home there developed a golden sheen to their scales which was said to have glowed in an almost otherworldly manner, however the Lannisters were unwilling to allow the dragons in their region to leave their control and refused all attempts by their vassals to obtain them. Whether House Drakon will continue this line of thought is still to be determined.

The dragons of the Riverlands and the Crownlands remained more diverse in appearance than their northern or western counterparts adopting a series of colours but developed the ability to fly at far higher speeds than their competitors. The Peverells and the Velaryons eventually sharing them with their own cadet branches in Maidenpool and Pentos respectively but also with those they married into such as House Blackwood and House Black.

While the Stormlands and Iron Islands have yet to find any dragons amongst their numbers, the Reach, Vale and Dorne have faired slightly better. House Martell received their dragons from the marriage between their prince and Princess Daena, Dornish dragons developing scales that allowed them to blend into the sand of their deserts. When they wished to hide they became all but invisible in the sand dunes of Dorne. While the Martells held the dragons the longest House Dayne would later receive them too.

In the Reach House Rowan became dragon riders with the marriage of Princess Arya Targaryen (daughter of Viserys the 2nd and Evelyn Stark) as did House Royce in the Vale by way of Princess Alysa Targaryen and then House Goldenheart by Princess Caelys Targaryen (both also of Viserys the 2nd and Evelyn Stark).

While old age and occasional war would reduce their number slightly their scale would only continue to grow as time passed until by the reign of Vaegon the 1st there are fifty dragons in Westeros and Essos. Wary of their increasing numbers being left unchecked Viserys the 2nd created a way to monitor Dragons and Dragon Riders...the Order of the Dragon.

He built a special keep close to Kings Landing and accessible only by dragon where dragons and their riders are trained and recorded. It also allows them to be observed and those that could potentially be a threat to the crown detected before they can become a problem in the future. It also can act as a rallying point in event of war, should the need arise for all the nation's dragons to be called on.

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House Stark…

House Stark was no less affected by the Dance of the Dragons than any other house which fought in the conflict. Aside from Lady Rhaena giving Lord Cregan Stark four children who were capable of flying dragons they became skilled dragon riders in their own right. Rickon Stark did succeed his family briefly but was killed while serving Daeron the 1st on one of his campaigns. Daeron was said to have been deeply moved by the courage of Rickon and depressed by his passing. So much so that he returned the royal title of Prince to House Stark, meaning that Rickon's half brother Eddard Stark became Prince of the North as opposed to lord. Some have asserted however that it was Queen Sarella that made Daeron do this to appease House Stark after Rickon's death.

Regardless Eddard Stark became the ruler of the North and fathered two sons of his own with Lady Jeyne Manderly who he wed after the death of his brother. He would also ensure good matches for his nieces, Jeyne's daughters by Rickon Sansa and Serena Stark and established his second son as Lord of Moat Cailin creating a new cadet branch. Later a new cadet branch would be established in the Rills named House BlackStark who would also fly dragons, displacing the Ryswells as the rulers.

The glass gardens made on Skagos and Skane Islands benefited the North greatly in the long term as did the rice fields established by Cregan, even long after his death they continued to feed the North and reduce the need for southern trade which upset their relations with other houses that previously made a large amount of coin from such exchanges. The Starks however remained unmoved and continued to be held in high regard by the crown who they served faithfully, some Starks being named to the Small Council or Kingsguard for their loyalty and dedication.

Serving in the many battles of the Redfyre Rebellions over time reinforced this relationship, in the Fourth Rebellion where Evelyn Stark's brother Prince Brandon Stark led the ground portion of the assault on Volantis, being badly wounded in the fighting but succeeded in penetrating the famous Black Walls. The plunder that was hard won but incredible in its size allowed Brandon to not only restore and expand Winterfell and several other keeps around the North but use the plans of Lord Patroni to develop the extensive canal and road system across the North. This made rallying the North far quicker and proved very helpful in combating the errant houses in the Fifth Redfyre Rebellion and later assist in the fight for the Riverlands and the Liberation of Kings Landing.

Seven Starks would continue to serve in the Kingsguard and Small Council in the following years, not only that but marrying their ladies into both houses Manderlys and Karstarks, allowing them to become dragon riders themselves. This would mean that there were now five dragon riding families in the North, more than any other kingdom.

They continued to serve the crown and even had the Three Sisters placed in their keeping after complaining of the pirates raiding from there and clearing them out. The most recent rebellion of House Redfyre Prince Edwyk Stark slew Harkon Redfyre on the field of battle and captured Alyssa Redfyre before delivering both to Prince Vaegon Targaryen. Something that saw Edwyk being honoured in Kings Landing by King Aemon with grand feast and Targaryen bride Princess Margaery Targaryen.

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House Martell…

The Martells benefited much by the deal that was established by Aegon the 3rd not only gaining dragons for themselves but great coin from the trade alliances the deal created. It also meant that they did not need to be so vigilant in the defence of their northern borders and could apply more men to the coast. With pirate raids increasingly to a considerable degree especially with the multiple Redfyre Rebellions House Martell eventually after the third uprising sent a force led by their finest dragon rider Prince Oberyn Martell in 192 AC to conquer the Stepstones and establish them as Dornish holdings. Although many battles would be waged over this lands in the future they remain in the possession of House Martell to this day, something that would only become more secure when House Dayne married one of their daughters and became a dragon riding family.

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House Peverell…

House Peverell is arguably one if not the oldest house in Westeros, despite their decline in the early parts of the Targaryen Dynasty they would rise again to far greater power, not only the restoration of their lands with the death of House Strong and the new lands placed in their keeping by Aegon the 3rd but with their association to the crown. Many sought their favour and protection as they became dragon riders, the first family in Westeros to do so since the arrival of the Targaryens.

Lord Harry Peverell and his wife Lady Visenya ruled Godric's Hollow for many years and were frequent guests at court, many would say that when big decisions needed to be made Aegon would seek out his sister and goodbrother's counsel. They died on the same day many years after the war passing on their holdings to the grandson as Aenar their eldest son had died before them, something was caused both great pain. But many Targaryens for the centuries that followed would find safety and support in Godric's Hollow if it were ever needed.

In time they even gave Westeros a queen with King Lucerys Targaryen wedding their descendant Lady Lillian Peverell and with daughters of their house marrying into House Blackwood, House Black and their own cadet branch in Maidenpool dragons would become a part of those families too.

The Peverells like the Starks maintained a close relationship to the crown, one that would ensure their ascension to Lord Paramount of the Riverlands in the 5th Redfyre Rebellion when House Tully betrayed House Targaryen and sided with the invaders.

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House Goldenheart…

While Aegon the 3rd had good cause to fear Jaehaerys Goldenheart and his family, they instead proved to be a great asset to his rule and those that would follow him. They were noble and honourable men who fought hard for the crown in every war and skirmish in over a century. Serving often as members of the Kingsguard or in the City Watch as officers they made themselves the best known knightly house in all of Westeros although some did learn at the colleges and Citadel, serving the crown as merchants, diplomats and maesters.

It was during the 3rd Redfyre Rebellion thought that they finally were made lords as during the great naval battle around Dragonstone men of House Goldenheart launched a surprise attack on the lead ship of House Redfyre, burning it and slaying both Daemon Redfyre and his wife at the cost of their own lives. To honour that sacrifice the house was granted dragons of their own and even allowed to rule Myr when it was conquered many years later. To this day they remain some of the most loyal vassals of House Targaryen and show no sign of that changing in the future.

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The Aborted Long Night…

The Starks and the Nights Watch began an effort to fully chart the Lands Beyond the Wall in 275 AC, the first stages of this plan were very successful until the shocking encounter with the White Walkers in the Land of Always Winter. The realisation that their ancient enemy was no mere myth and in fact a real danger to not only Westeros but the entire world sent Prince Harwyn Stark to Kings Landing where he proceeded to near beg for Aemon's aid.

The king was eager for a battle that would surely be remembered for eternity and agreed on the condition that House Stark would after the White Walkers and their wight servants were dealt with ensure the conquest of all the land north of the Wall to expand the realm's territory. House Stark accepted the pledge and so work began to rid themselves of the dreaded menace.

Maesters and the Nights Watch scoured their records for any potential weakness in the creatures and the discovery that dragonglass could kill the walkers saw masses of it being mined on the island of Dragonstone. While many toiled to turn the material into useable weapons the wights remained a problem.

It was with the Guild of Alchemists that the solution would be found, their recipe for wildfire was combined with the work of House Peverell into devices that would be known as bombs. Dropped at great height from bags mounted on dragons moving at high speed over the army of the dead reduced their numbers many times. The Walkers however did manage to down ten dragons much to the surprise of those involved but the surviving dragon riders managed to burn their downed bodies with wildfire bombs to prevent the terrible Night King from bringing them back as his puppets.

With the Army of the Dead decimated Aemon led a force of nineteen thousand men armed with dragon glass weapons beyond the Wall and despite great losses managed to surround and killed the walkers completely.

Aemon then ordered House Stark to begin their conquest beyond the Wall, leaving the decision of who would rule over these new lands to them. Wildlings would continue to resist but their numbers were too divided and undisciplined to resist finally being brought under the banner of House Stark and therefore the Iron Throne.

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The Red Keep, Kings Landing…283 AC...

Vaegon Targaryen put the book down, reviewing the history of the world being something he did to remind himself of any mistakes that were made so that he would not repeat them in the future. His ancestors had many lessons to teach.

The flight of dragons that passed his window made him smile, he was a careful and confident man...one that had decided to expand on the vision of his predecessors. There had never been so many dragons before except during the days of the Freehold, they had true army with professional soldiers and a fleet as advanced and capable as any in the world.

They could only continue to grow and improve if they broadened their horizons both in mind and land.

So as he lay down the maps on the table in front of him, looking at the territories the Iron Throne controlled and those belonging to others. Tyrosh stuck out like a sour thumb as did Lys, they had both supported attacks against them in the past and never been punished for it not to mention that regardless of the damage done by Viserys the 2nd Volantis had since been rebuild and bore considerable ill will towards Westeros as a whole for the sacking. That all three of these lands had once been a part of the Freehold only made the idea of conquering them appeal to him more, especially with the Stark Conquest of the Land Beyond the Wall. Once complete the lands under his control would be far greater than any under any other ruler in all of history.

He smiled to himself as he looked over to his sleeping wife, many would say that she was the most beautiful woman to have ever lived. Alyssa had the most clear, smooth and ethereal skin that seemed to glow in the light, her lilac eyes were so hypnotic that men could easily lose themselves in their gaze and her body was as perfect as a man could ask for.

Already she had given him a son and hopefully after their passionate session last night she would provide him with another child he thought, smiling in memory of their time in bed and each other's arms.

She would be soon the most powerful woman in the all the world he thought, sitting at his side as they ruled over the world.