In the wake of the flames forbear, the House of the Dragon is now an extinct dynasty, mired in chaos like hues of bitter sweet, there by raising the standing of House Pendragon, their lesser descendants from Old Valyria, whom has staked it rightful...
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The Past
Life in Pentos was normal, but it felt strange, and foreign. Too hard to adapt. Being exiled from our homeland seem like a dream, but tis our reality. A bitter reality, forged by the betrayal of the ones we trusted. Our kindred sort to terminate and truncate our dynasty. Fortunately they succeeded.
"The House of the Dragon must stand united, undivided, and face anyone who dares to challenge us." Viserys would say.
Pity, his words came true. Whenever I spent time with him, he would tell me stories of our family's history, from Old Valyria, to the Doom, Aegon's Conquest and the Sacking of Kings Landing, but the only tale that makes me tingle is the story of the century: the era of the Old King, the last ruling targaryen of our dynasty. The longest ruling monarch, my great great grandfather.
My father told me, that as the first century of the Targaryen dynasty came to a close, the health of the Old King Jaehaerys was failing. In those days House Targaryen stood at the height of it's strength, with 10 adult dragons under it's yoke. No power in the world could stand against it.
So, in the year 101, the Old King called a Great Council to choose an heir. Over a thousand lords made the journey to Harrenhal. On most days, the place is a haunted memory of the might of the Targaryen dragons.
In Harrenhal, thousands of people gathered, the banners and sigils of houses great and small: The Kingdom of the North, the Kingdom of the Mountain and the Vale, the Kingdom of the Isles and the Rivers, the Kingdom of the Rock, the Kingdom of the Storm lands, the Kingdom of the Reach and the Kingdom of Longres (Camelot), the Principality of Dorne, all which fill the former hall of Harren the Black.
At the head of the great hall was a large dais, upon which sat the Old King, my great great grand father King Jaehaerys Targaryen the Conciliator. The old man was in his 80s, stooped and weak, the burdens of time and duty were evidently weighing on him.
King Jaehaerys reigned over nearly sixty years of peace and prosperity. But, tragedy claimed both his sons, leaving his succession in doubt.
A terrible disaster.
While the Old King addressed the people, The shot pans up from the floor to two Archmaesters of the citadel comes in from the main entrance carrying a large chest through a crowded room towards the king, ascending the dais.
The Seven Knights of the Kingsguard were arrayed in a line at the foot of the dais. Including an Archmaester of the Citadel. The High Septon of Old Town also stood on the dais with the candidates, two distinct rules of succession.
Standing on the left side of the dais itself were the two candidates, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, a beauty in her late 30s and her husband, Lord Corlys Velaryon, dark skinned, very young man and proud in his early 40s.
Beside the High Septon, stood the King's trusted advisor, Uther Pendragon. With his sacred union with Lady Ygraine Frey, it was evident the man loved power and his ambition would sooner or later blind him, but he was very anxious and eager to hear the final decree of the King.
Meanwhile, standing on the right side of the dias stood my father, Prince Viserys Targaryen, regal, aigle and handsome in his early 30s. Beside him stood his cousin, my mother Lady Aemma Arryn, a pretty woman in her late 20s.
However, fourteen succession claims were heard, but only two were truly considered. Princess Rheanys Targaryen, the King's eldest descendant and her younger cousin Prince Viserys Targaryen, the King's eldest male descendant.
The archmaesters arrived at top dias and place the chest down on the table and open the latch. The vote was said to have been twenty-to-one and yet only the King had the final say to decided who'd inherits the iron throne.
The Old King reaches his frail hands inside the chest, where the results of the vote were written on a Square Of Parchment, secured with the wax seal of the Citadel.
Jaehaerys breaks the seal, let's out a little breath and opens the parchment.
He paused for a while.
Silence erupted at every corner of Harrenhall, from the highest lord to the lowest common born servant, they all held their breath, the hall was filled with tension and the whole place was silent like a graveyard
And so Jaehaerys looks up to face all the lords of the Seven Kingdoms and reads the decree.
"It is declared by all lord paramount and all lord vassals of the Seven Kingdoms...... that Prince Viserys Targaryen be made Prince of DragonStone and heir to the iron throne." Jaehaerys decreed as the hall erupted with shouts of cheers and applauds.
Gently, Jaehaerys exhales. lifting the heavy burden on his shoulders has, at last, been lifted. The realm has spoken as one. Many lords saw this as an 'iron precedent' the Throne will always be inherited by men.
Viserys and his wife Aemma looked relieved, while Rhaenys remains mostly expressionless.
Uncertain, rumour has it that the masters rigged the vote, the lords choose Viserys because he didn't have a dragon, but Princess Rheanys had Meleys and her son Laenor had SeaSmoke and she is a woman, men cannot serve women.
If King Jaehaerys would allow absolute primogeniture system: meaning the eldest descendant of the King would inherit the iron throne, regardless of gender.
If they set that precedent, Princess Rheanys would have been Queen, but unfortunately Rheanys was denied, a woman would not inherit the iron throne the lords instead chose Viserys, my father.
The lords of Westeros decided to go with male preferred primogeniture system: setting the precedent that the eldest living male descendant of the King inherits the iron throne.
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.
Mysteriously, moons later, my grandsire passed away in his sleep, pleading weariness and a tightness in his chest. Then Jaehaerys of House Targaryen, the First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm, closed his eyes and went to sleep. He never woke. He was fifty-two years old, and had reigned over most of Westeros for sixty years. Then the storm broke, and the darkness crept into the shores of Kings Landing.
Unfortunately dragons didn't dance, it wasn't the beasts that tore down my House, but the treacherous rebellion of Uther Pendragon and his cohorts.
The tyrant was behind the liquidation of House Targaryen, and one day, I intend to return back to Kings Landing and exact my revenge on all of them especially the ursuper's family.
With Fire, Blood and Magic, I will take back the iron throne and unleash chaos on anyone who dares stand in my way. Anyone, even YOU.
***** Thanks for reading.
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