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The Dragon that saved Westeros

Summary:

Taking a shaky breath he begins to speak, “I, Viserys Targaryen, first of his name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm, do hereby name Rhaenerys Targaryen Princess of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne.”

In other words, what if Rhaenyra Targaryen has an older sister?

Chapter Text

Ninety-Second Year After Aegon's Conquest. 

 

 

The Targaryen family prepared for a new child to join their ranks, Prince Baelon's young good daughter Lady Aemma Arryn was to deliver of her first babe after the tragedy that seemingly plagued her early marriage. King Jaehaerys was said to have called for an army of midwives led by the Grand Maester Runciter and assisted by Maester Mellos to attend the Lady in question to prevent such tragedy once more.

 

Lady Aemma's labors had lasted for two days and three nights, it wasn't until the sky darkened to an almost pitch color that the child emerged under the glow of the silver moon, the infant's wails had relieved those in the room especially the young mother, who had already suffered the loss of one child who died in the cradle and a stillbirth. All was quiet in her chambers, all except for the child's cries, “A healthy girl, Princess!” Grand Maester Runciter announced proudly.

 

Aemma could feel her heart sink even as the midwife carefully handed her the still wailing babe, yet even then she could barely contain her gasp at the sight of her wailing daughter. A shaky smile made it to the exhausted Arryn's lips as she did her best to soothe the child. She couldn't help but be relieved at the idea of bearing a living child, "It's a girl, Viserys," Aemma said quietly when her husband and good-father Prince Baelon, burst into the room. Viserys's breath caught in his throat at the sight of his daughter. He hurried to Aemma's side, kneeling beside her as they both marveled at the new life they had brought into the world.

 

 

The Spring Prince watched on as the new parents fussed over their child. He took a look at his young granddaughter. Her eyes were a striking lilac, whilst her hair a rare color; rare even in Valyria of Old; gleamed like white gold, with hints of moon-silver running through it.

 

 

“Have you two decided on a name yet?” King Jaehaerys asked curiously as he came into the room. Viserys carefully stroked his daughter's soft, pale cheek. None could deny that true Valyrian blood ran in his daughter's veins. Viserys's first choice had been Rhaenyra in honor of Queen Rhaenys whereas Aemma favored Elaena, the name of Daenys the Dreamer's daughter.

 

 

“Rhaenyra. We have chosen Rhaenyra.” Viserys murmured quietly only for the babe's cries to get louder as if in disagreement of his choice. Baelon noticed how Aemma forced herself to stifle a laughter at her daughter's protests whereas Baelon too chuckled at his granddaughter's dislike of her father's favored name. Still he would do his best to offer what names he could to hopefully silence his granddaughter's cries. Yet, each name he offered was met with more wails from the newborn. Aerea, Daenyra, Laenys, Rhaenys, Daenys, Helaena, Alyssa, Daenerys, Visenya—all were greeted with cries as if none suited her.

 

 

It seemed almost impossible to pick a name for his granddaughter until finally Aemma offered a name of her own. “What about Rhaenerys?”

 

 

It was that name which finally soothed her and Baelon couldn't help but notice how Viserys' deflated at his daughter's choice. Aemma beamed at her daughter's choice as she pressed a soft kiss to her sweet girl's brow.

 

 

“I'll send word to the dragonkeepers," Baelon announced, a smile spreading across his face. "They will find a suitable dragon egg for Rhaenerys's cradle." He glanced down at his granddaughter as an amused look crossed his face, “Perhaps our Rhaenerys shall have as beautiful a dragon as she is?”

 

 

Suddenly the sound of glass shattered echoed. The room was thrown into chaos as a high-pitched screech echoed off the stone walls. A small dragon hatchling, no larger than a cat, burst through the shattered window, its purple iridescent scales glimmering in the moonlight. The dragon squawked as it flew towards the bed, translucent wings flaring dramatically.

 

 

The royal family gasped in shock, the midwives ducking for cover. The dragon crashed onto the bed, screeching, its tail lashing wildly. Aemma instinctively shielded her daughter, but Rhaenerys cooed in delight, reaching out her tiny hands towards the hatchling. The dragon, sensing its bonded, climbed up Aemma’s leg, settling beside the newborn with a contented hiss.

 

 

King Jaehaerys, eyes wide with astonishment, found his voice. "It seems she has already been claimed," he said, his tone laced with awe.

 

 

Thus, Princess Rhaenerys, the first surviving child of King Viserys I Targaryen by his first wife Queen Aemma Arryn was born. 

Chapter 2: II

Chapter Text

𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝟭𝟬𝟭 𝗔𝗖, a Great Council was summoned by the current King Jaehaerys. With his eldest son dead by a stray arrow through the neck, and his second heir, Prince Baelon, dead from a sudden case of a "𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘺", King Jaehaerys had no heir. With his eldest sons both dead, King Jaehaerys needed to name his Heir... and fast.

 

"𝘈𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘴, 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨."

 

Many had travelled to the Harrenhal to attend this Great Council, to decide their future ruler and monarch.

 

"𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘬𝘦."

 

Two Maesters made their way into the Harrenhal throne room, the two men sharing the weight of the chest in their hands, which contained the name of the future King 𝘰𝘳 Queen of the Seven Kingdoms who would rule after King Jaehaerys succumbed to his old age.

 

"𝘕𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘵. 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 60 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 101 𝘈𝘊, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘦."

 

The Maesters approached the front of the throne room, where King Jaehaerys sat, but few could see the exhaustion in his eyes. The throne room was filled with lords and ladies all eager to learn the name of their future heir.

 

"𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳 1000 𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘭. 14 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥."

 

Inside the chest, which had been placed at the Old King's feet, lay the answer of the Realm's very important question— 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦? On opposite sides of King Jaehaerys stood the two with the strongest claims of all.

 

Princess Rhaenys Targaryen stood with her Lord-husband, Lord Corlys Velaryon, on one side. Rhaenys was the only child of the King's firstborn son, Prince Aemon. On the other side of the King stood Prince Viserys Targaryen, who was stood with his lady-wife, the Lady Aemma Arryn. Viserys was the eldest son of the King's second-born son, Prince Baelon.

 

"𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘙𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘴 𝘛𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨’𝘴 𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯, 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘛𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨’𝘴 𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘵."

 

The chest was then opened to show one single scroll that lay inside. King Jaehaerys leaned forward and grasped the scroll with his aged hands.

 

The King addressed his subjects. "It is declared by all lords paramount and lords vassal of the Seven Kingdoms," King Jaehaerys opened the scroll, "... that Prince Viserys Targaryen be made Prince of Dragonstone!"

 

The crowd cheered as their new heir had been named— 𝘢 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳. Prince Viserys had seemed to pale significantly at the news, but his wife's hand around his brought him back to earth. The Heir smiled at his future subjects, the news beginning to sink in. However, the Princess Rhaenys stood stoically, her face revealing no emotion to the crowd before her. But the Princess was angry. Her younger cousin had stolen her birthright... all because he had a cock and she did not. 

 

"𝘙𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘴, 𝘢 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣, 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘳𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘴… 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. King 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯... 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧."