Visaera Targaryen

Queen Visaera I Targaryen is the eldest child of Prince Viserys and his wife, Lady Gwynesse Lannister. Born in 369 A.C., Visaera has been a central figure in the royal court for the entirety of her life. Even as a child her precocious nature, and astute matter could captivate the potentates of the capital. Shortly after Aemon’s birth the brother and sister were betrothed by the will of their grandfather, Aenar I.

There were whispers that Princess Visaera was the real power behind Prince Aemon’s postings on the Small Council, most particularly during his tenure as Hand of the King. In 405 A.C. Prince Aemon departed Dragonstone on an important diplomatic mission to the Free Cities. He never arrived to his destination, and is presumed to have been lost by some ill turn of fate. After an appropriate period, Visaera was named Princess of Dragonstone by royal decree.

Two moons after the death of the Old King, in the Ninth Moon of 407 A.C., Visaera was crowned in the Great Hall of the Red Keep. Thereafter, the newly coronated Queen's enemies rose up in a rebellion that would come to be known as the Mummer's War. A short lived conflict that culminated in the deaths of Prince Maekar Targaryen, Maegor Waters, the Bastard's dragon, Morghul, and Lord Alaric Arryn.

Queen Visaera is a dragonrider, riding Tyraxes, known by some as the Gilded Queen.

Appearance and Character
Visaera Targaryen is a tall, imperious woman who inherited all the classic Valyrian features of her house. The only marked difference is that which she inherited from her mother, a lady of House Lannister. Her long, luxuriant hair is white gold rather than the typical silver or platinum. The hue of her eyes is a deep, dark royal purple. All in all, Visaera carries herself with a chilled air of eminence that echoes the dragonlords of eld. Her manner of dress is diverse, being comfortable in light armor, and the gowns more accustomed to the court. Frequently she is adorned in black, silver, and gold.

The Princess of Dragonstone has oft been an enigma within her grandfather’s court. Much and more is known of her proficiency, of her deeds than is known of the woman herself. A dynamic that Visaera has always cultivated, having inherited all of the subtlety that pervaded the intrigues of her parents. Much of her reputation within the court has been garnered by good notions of governance, and clever tactics in war. In both arenas she has excelled, and had already began to shape a legacy that eclipsed that of her late husband, Prince Aemon.

Early Life
Princess Visaera born at the Red Keep in 368 A.C., the firstborn child of Prince Viserys Targaryen, and his wife, Lady Gwynesse Lannister. She was a healthy babe, but was not given to cry. At first, Grand Maester Selwyn, whom birthed her, thought she might have contracted some malady of the womb. It quickly became apparent that this was not the case, and so the princess began her live as she has lived it, defying expectation, convention and shaping the status quo to suit her needs.

Her birth was celebrated within the capital, and in truth Prince Viserys was delighted to have his first born be a girl. It was the first step in washing away the pall of Prince Aenys suicide, and the drama of his wife’s trial. He was more than confident in the legacy of Daenerys, and her co-regency with Aegon VI after the Second Conquest. She was properly honored, acknowledged, and propped up in a manner that was deprived to her elder cousin, Maegor, given the many intrigues that surrounded his scandalous mother.

There is even a rumor that Viserys pressed his father, Aenar I, to name Visaera Princess of Summerhall over his younger brother, Prince Baelor. The veracity of this claim has always been in doubt, however, as Baelor was, indeed, properly invested as Prince of Summerhall prior to Visaera’s birth. Still, detractors of Prince Viserys claim he tried, and failed, in this endeavor.

It was not long until there was more to celebrate when Lady Gywnesse gave birth to their first son in 371 A.C., whom they named Aemon. A birth, that while most welcomed and celebrated throughout the kingdom, brought up a quandary. Prince Viserys was perfectly happy to designate Visaera as his heir, but others were not quite content with this measure. Particularly not when a healthy, able son was available to him.

In typical fashion, Aenar, taking note of this growing rumble within the court, took matters into his own hands. By his will his grandchildren were betrothed at a public ceremony in 375 A.C., shortly after the birth of Visaera’s youngest brother, Daeron. It was well received in the capital, and pacified the concerns of Prince Viserys. However, there were murmurs in other corners of the realm, discontented with the match. Primarily those whom remembered well the schism, and the tenets of the Starry Rites.

Visaera was given all the same avenues as her brothers, and was cultivated in areas where her natural proclivities were given to shine. When she picked up a sword, she was instructed by the master-at-arms just as Aemon was, though she never quite shared his talent in that regard. Even after he became Hand of the King, Prince Viserys spent quite a bit of time to personally school his daughter in the intricacies, and subtleties of the court.

The Princess took a far greater liking to Grand Maester Selwyn than did her brother, and husband to be. From him she learned all there was to know of the Seven Kingdoms, its histories, heraldries, and cultures. She had an inquisitive nature, and had heard well the stories of Selwyn within the court. Some called him Sorcerer, and others Singer for his work with dragons. Eager to shape the minds of the royals, the Grand Maester had been all too happy to impart what knowledge he had of Old Valyria, and its arcane knowledge. Lessons that the Princess observed well, as they did much to shape her view of her own family’s unique history.

The Gilded Queen
Like many of the royal children, an egg had been placed in her crib by royal decree. It was a beautiful egg, solid gold. It had been selected for her by her father. Borne from Aenar’s own dragon, Viserion. It never hatched, however. It was not the first of the eggs to yield no result, but a sore point for the royals in this particular case. Visaera kept the egg as a token, a treasure she hoped might one-day yield fruit. It never did, but her opportunity to tame a dragon did come. Where Selwyn’s methods failed regarding this egg, another had yielded fruit many years before. Years before, Selwyn, when he was Maester of Dragonstone, presented to the royals a gift he had procured in the east. An egg discovered, and hatched, he claims, through the arcane methods he employed with the eggs borne for Viserion, Rhaegal and their descendants. A beautiful creature, but wild as she grew. None had been able to tame her, and she was never confined to the Dragonpit in King’s Landing. Those that saw her had taken to calling her the Gilded Queen for the majesty of her form, and beauty of her coloring.

While on Dragonstone in 379 A.C., ten years after her birth, Visaera studied the great beast whenever she was able. Though she could sometimes be savaged the King had never ordered the Gilded Queen to be slain. Despite her nature, there was some hope that someone might take hold of the dragon. The princess was determined to be that person. It was she who, before ever sitting astride her, came to call the dragon Tyraxes.

Some months after first coming into contact, Visaera offered tribute to the dragon by way of food, and she would often sit with Tyraxes as she ate. It was not long until Visaera mounted her, and took to the skies. It was an impressive feat. She was the first of Viserys’ children to take wing. For this, Viserys gifted her with an old whip crafted in the Valyrian style, much as had been used by House Targaryen in the past.

The Lions of the Rock
In 382, shortly before the birth of her youngest sibling, Saera, her brother Aemon was sent to the Rock by Prince Viserys to squire under their uncle, Gwynesse’s elder brother, Loreon Lannister. Visaera very much wished to accompany him, but at first, she was denied this wish. Viserys preferred his daughter close, and had even set up instruction with several members of the Kingsguard to satiate her thirst for knowledge of the sword. Most often with Ser Daven Crakehall, who would go on to become Lord Commander later in Viserys’ tenure as Hand.

Despite this, Visaera did not relent in her insistence. Lady Gwynesse had spoken often of the Westerlands, and of Casterly Rock in particular. Many of those stories had often piqued Visaera’s interest. Eventually her parents relented, and it was arranged that Gwynesse would accompany her daughter. They were welcomed by her mother’s family, and many of the smallfolk were awed at the sight of Tyraxes. The dragon’s demeanor had shifted remarkably since Visaera had bonded with her.

The siblings were happy to be reunited. Their time in the Rock was well spent. Visaera was even able to persuade her uncle to impart upon her certain aspects of martial wisdom. She had always made a study of tactics, and was more than happy to learn form a man whom had seen battle first hand. The three years spent in the West did much to shape her world view, and particularly aided in taking measure of other elements not quite prevalent within the capital.

When Dragons Bind
In 386 A.C., after their return to the capital, Aemon and Visaera were wed in a spectacular wedding. The festivities lasted for days. Lords and ladies came from across the realm to attend. It had been some time since such a royal affair had taken place. Prince Baelor had wed, of course, but his wedding to Deana Arryn had been a muted affair by comparison. This was a ceremony to herald the future monarchs, wed in the style traditional only to House Targaryen. The first union of brother and sister since Aenar and his beloved Helaena over forty years before.

Soon after their wedding, Visaera was with child. Visaera retired to Dragonstone and there gave birth to not one, but two suckling babes. The first was a boy, whom she named Rhaegar. Many thought this a nod to her great-grandfather, Rhaegar I, but in truth she had named him for the fabled prince that had fallen in the Battle of the Trident. Aemon had ever loved the stories of Prince Rhaegar, and Visaera approved of that legacy no matter his ultimate failure. The second of the twins was a girl, whom she named Rhaenys in homage Visaera’s favored figure, the Queen That Never Was.

By royal decree two eggs were placed in the twins’ cradles on Dragonstone. Visaera had picked them herself after prolonged counsel with Grand Maester Selwyn. For Rhaegar an egg borne of her own Tyraxes, that was black laced with swaths of deep indigo that gleamed like metal in the dim light. In Rhaenys’, an egg borne of Viserion, likewise black but interwoven with fine coils of scarlet.

The twins were the only of Visaera’s children to have suckled upon her breast. In these, in her first born, she felt it was important to so bond with them when there was little else that truly demanded her time. A course she chose despite the protestations of her father, mother and other great men of the court. One morning, to her astonishment, she found that the eggs had hatched in the night. Both her children lay curled with the hatchling dragons. She had a passing interest in arcane portents, but even she could not deny the significance of what had occurred.

Shortly after she took them to King’s Landing, so they might be officially be presented to their great-grandfather, and the court. All were shocked and awed, not by sight of the babies, but rather the hatchlings that came alongside them. Eggs were often placed in the cradle, but few enough hatched there. Prince Viserys observed more from the sign than even Visaera had, and it was then that he convinced her to have them secretly betrothed. After a spell, Visaera agreed. She and Aemon, despite their differences, had enjoyed a bountiful partnership to that point, after all.

The Hammer Uprising
Visaera’s second pregnancy coincided with the Hammer Uprising in 388 A.C.  As it was, she was not able to take as active a role in those events as she might have liked. Though she often advocated for a hard line against the Warsmiths and supporters of Brynden Hammer. Most particularly Willum Darke, whom had raised a rabble in Duskendale after the Kingsguard had slayed the errant Brynden Hammer himself.

Despite her advocacy, Visaera was not present for the execution of Willum Darke. Her second pregnancy proved more difficult that the first. It was her preference to retire to Dragonstone, but in the end, she yielded to her mother’s pleas that she remain at the Red Keep. There was born Laenor, the second of her sons. He was a frail, sickly child. If not for Selwyn’s knowledge of foreign healing methods, he might not have lived at all.

Unlike her firstborn, Laenor was suckled by a wet nurse. A theme that would prevail for her remaining children. Visaera had need to recover quickly. Given the uprising, and discontent that had brought it to bear. She and Aemon were set to tour the kingdoms.

The Dragon We Forgot
Shortly after Laenor’s birth, Visaera and the twins accompanied Aemon on a royal tour. He had long since taken Rhaegal as his dragon, and so they flew from place to place with an entourage doing all they could to keep up with the winged beasts. Little of note happened on their tour, or at least to the public eye. Much of the filth of Brynden Hammer had already begun to be washed away.

There was one meeting of note, however, that Visaera never shared with anyone besides her husband, Prince Aemon. As the royal couple and their children passed near Fairmarket, Visaera began to take heed of curious whispers. Some smallfolk claim to have witnessed a meeting between Princess Visaera, with her young son at her side, and a silver haired man who rode a dragon black as pitch. What they spoke of none may know. In fact, many of the contemporaries at court shrugged off the tale, if only for its peculiarity.

During the tour Visaera once more became with child, and so the royal couple returned to the capital. There she gave birth to another daughter, whom they named Aelinor. After her birth, by the will of both their father and grandfather, Aemon was named to the Small Council as Master of Laws.

Harridan
Prince Aemon was a valiant man. A charismatic man. He knew well how to charm. At tourney he was often praised for his skill with sword and lance. He also possessed a sharp intelligence, but matters of bureaucracy, of governance escaped him. Visaera suspected such might be the case, and noted it very early on. From that point, she ook quite an active hand in aiding him in his duties as Master of Laws. Where he disdained the politics of the Small Council, she reveled in them in a manner much akin to their father, who by that time was known by many as the Silver Hand.

Relations between husband and wife had sometimes been tempestuous in the past. Their natures were so different, and their separate needs often clashed. It was a quiet thing, however, and they knew well how to manage their image at court. Nevertheless, their new dynamic sometimes caused further strain. Particularly when it came to the children. Over the years Visaera began to believe Rhaegar was becoming far too dependent, an affliction he shared with his father. Loved Aemon as she might have done, it was not what she wished for him.

Her methods in dealing with such co-dependence may have seemed cruel to some within the royal family, but by that time they had learned well s,he would brook little criticism in how she reared her children. The eventual heirs to the Iron Throne. She was not easy on any of them, of course, but it was her eldest who felt the brunt of her sting. Of her need for their perfection. An impossible standard to which they could ever strive, but never achieve. Eventually, even Aemon, the sole person who might have swayed her, gave up on the attempt.

Their relationship began to tense, and it was a tension that found little relief. As she pushed their children so too did she strive her husband to do better. Their father, Prince Viserys, cast a long shadow. He had been among the most powerful men in the realm since he was a man of twenty. A claim Aemon himself could never have made. Visaera’s acumen and methodology did see Aemon thrive in his roles, despite the cost to their personal relationship.

Saerax
Visaera, like her father, was quite aware of the intrigues of court. She observed the threats from without and within. In some ways she studied them, and ever made a practice of searching for their weakest points. When there was an advantage to be made she pressed it as one might in the fields of war. None but those closest to her were exempt. Including those her father no longer considered threats to his legacy. Chief among them the children of Baelor and grandchildren of Queen Patrice.

She rarely disagreed with her father, but she knew even he had a certain hubris about him. Much as Patrice had once underestimated his ability, so too did he underestimate the threat that the growing family of Baelor might present in the decades to come. Visaera did not underestimate this threat, and when the opportunity presented itself she struck. There was a gathering held for a small tourney that her cousins were too attend at the beginning of 396 A.C.. Like her siblings, and children they had hatched many dragons upon which they might take to the skies. She bade Tyraxes to slay Jaehaera’s dragon. A beautiful, ephemeral creature that Baelor’s eldest had named Saerax. To her mind, beyond Baelor’s beast, Cyrax, Saerax could prove the greatest threat to her Gilded Queen should the circumstance arise. Born of Rhaegal, Saerax was quite the budding creature even in those days. Her attack was brutal, swift, and fatal. Saerax stood little chance after being taken by such an assault, so deft was Tyraxes at masking her intent. Several attendants of the Dragonpit perished in their attempts to quell her fury.

Many voices cried for Tyraxes to be slain in turn, or for some proscription to made against the dragon. Such an outcry may well have born fruit if not for the passionate defense offered by Prince Aemon in defense of his wife, and more importantly, her dragon. Support Visaera had calculated, cultivated and prepared for. Some may well have suspected Visaera had a hand in the vicious attack, for she did have almost total control of the once wild she-dragon. None spoke of it, however, in light of Aemon’s touching testament. No consequence was borne by the princess, whom was content to leave Jaehaera bereaved.

War of the Three Thieves
Visaera took little part in the War of the Three Thieves at its start. Rather, it was Aemon whom flew with Aenar as he left the capital. Prince Viserys’ declining health denied him a final flight on Starfyre, and also obligated his eldest daughter to remain in King’s Landing to aid him in the governance required in the King’s absence. Even after Aenar returned, Visaera remained, unwilling to leave her father’s side until the very end. On his deathbed she bore witness to a startling confrontation between father and son that she never spoke of to anyone. There was only one other in the room, a maid in the service of Lady Gwynesse, who was sent from the capital after Prince Viserys’ funeral.

There was a short period where Visaera enjoyed even greater influence during Aenar’s recovery. She oversaw many of the day-to-day operations that had normally been overseen by her father. A situation that remained until Lord Velaryon returned to take up the office. Many had suspected Aemon would be named Hand, but it was by Visaera’s own counsel that he remained where he was as an authoritative figure in the war effort. Late in the year 398 A.C. she went to join him in his efforts to purge the Stepstones, and find the lost egg.

With Aemon by her side Visaera took command of a sizable force, and displayed her tactical prowess. She and Tyraxes proved to a mighty duo, and the enemies whom had seen House Targaryen bereft of one of its greatest treasures were introduced to the latent savagery of the Gilded Queen. Her strategies were integral in the shattering of Ormollen’s navy, and Tyraxes’ golden flames paid homage to the battle that would be known as Ormollen’s Pyre.

Had it not been for the quickening seed of Prince Aemon she may well have remained in the Stepstones until war’s end. As it was her condition obliged her to leave the scouring of the islands to figures such as her comrade and friend, Seryse Baratheon. She had only just given birth to her youngest, whom she named in honor of her late father Viserys, when news of Maekar’s victory over Alequo Silverhand made their way to King’s Landing.

The Scarlet Winter
After the war’s end and Aemon’s return, he was named Hand of the King in Vaemond’s stead. Visaera spent a short amount of time on Dragonstone, but soon returned to her husband. Much as during his active tenure as Master of Laws, Visaera was instrumental to his successes as Hand of the King. She was not alone in doling out that aid, but did so alongside men such as Perceon Vance, whom had been taken on as Aemon’s aide.

It was a difficult time for the realm, and an even more difficult time for their marriage. Though it was kept form the majority of the court, they often quarreled over methods and policy. Far more than they ever had done previously. Even when the winter began to thaw, early on in 405 A.C., their relationship was still constantly tested. The couple left the capital for Dragonstone to prepare for an important series of stops to be made in Essos on behalf of the King. A task Aenar I insisted could not be trusted to any other.

Loss of a Prince
Aemon did indeed depart Dragonstone on the back of Rhaegal, but Visaera did not accompany him. That night, after a fantastic storm that came from the Narrow Sea, the moon shone red. Many named it an ill portent, despite the fact that winter’s hold had been ebbing with each passing day. Aemon never arrived at this destination, and nor did he send word of when he might return. He, along with Rhaegal, simply vanished. They never returned to Dragonstone, or King’s Landing. The royal family held out hope, but after a period it seemed he was truly lost to them. Some said he went the way of Daenerys, who flew into the horizon never to be seen again some over seven decades before. Others say he perished on the night of the red moon, or was taken by an ill wind. No matter the belief he was gone. Visaera mourned quietly, respectfully and away from the court. Despite her profile she had always been a private person in regard to such feelings,and was not given to weep before the masses.

For some time Aenar named no new heir apparent. They waited to see if their true Prince may yet return. After an appropriate period, Aenar I Targaryen named Aemon’s wife, rather than his son, as the Princess of Dragonstone. A title that marked her as heir to the Iron Throne. Some celebrated this, for Visaera had ever been an efficacious hand behind the Small Council, but others were discontented. Chief among them was her cousin, Maekar Targaryen, whom had been given the honor of being named Prince of Summerhall after his father’s death. His resignation from the Small Council was well noted by the Princess of Dragonstone. A memory she retained as poignantly as her encounter with another cousin sixteen years before.

The Grand Tournament of the Red Comet
Near a century after its first appearance in the heavens, the much-fabled Red Comet once more soared across the sky. There were some who claimed this to be a sign of continued prosperity for House Targaryen, while others claimed it was little more than a herald of war. Many still found the matter of whom would succeed Aenar I a troublesome affair. All attempts to sway the Old King had failed in recent years, and his selection of Visaera seemed set in stone. Nevertheless, many whispered that she was little more than a vile usurper, who had employed methods most foul to see her son bereft of his rightful inheritance.

The Old King was among the former, and so-called for a grand tournament to be held in honor of the comet’s passing. This great event was held at Harrenhal, organized by House Vance of Harrenhal since the days of Ser Peremore. As with many such gatherings, it was a tournament complemented with all the pomp and circumstance one might expect. Beneath that veneer of regality was a dark undercurrent of intrigues, plots, and plans. This passed beyond Aenar’s notice, but that was not so for the Princess of Dragonstone.

She took the opportunity to shore up her position further as she suspected there would be many to challenge her right to the Iron Throne. In that regard, she found great success, while also being able to scope out her challengers. One of the more notable developments of the Princess’ backroom dealings was a rift that grew between Visaera and her uncle, Loreon Lannister. Luckily her mother, Gwynesse, and cousin, Tya, were able to do much in repairing that rift. Nevertheless, the relationship between uncle and niece was never quite the same. If not for the great foolery of Lucifer Hightower, she could well have lost one of her greatest allies in the short-lived conflicts to come.

House Targaryen enjoyed many successes at the tournament, but so too did they suffer a number of defeats. Visaera’s heir and eldest son, Prince Rhaegar, was unseated by a baseborn man from Dorne. Even worse, was the defiance of her daughter, Rhaenys, who despite being forbidden by her mother’s word, had entered the tournament in the guise of a mystery knight. She was unhorsed and severely wounded by Leyton Hightower, an act that marked him in the sights of the Princess of Dragonstone.

Ending of an Era
Two moons after the Royals had returned to the capital, Aenar, First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm drew his last breath under the watchful eyes of the ever-vigilant Gwynesse Lannister. He had ailed for many, many years but some, including the Princess of Dragonstone herself, though the vigor he displayed at Harrenhal would mean the realm would enjoy even more years beneath his aegis. In the end, this did not come to pass, and after being woken by Viserion’s great cry, Visaera wasted no time in securing the city.

Visaera summoned the Hand of the King, Perceon Vance, who had been a man faithful to Aenar’s will and a long-time ally of both the Princess and her late husband. Thereafter she convened the Small Council, allowed the Golden Company entrance into the city, and set out orders that would see the arrests of several within the capital, including Septon Sullon, who until that moment had been Master of Whisperers. Others taken into the dungeons of the Red Keep included Septa Malora and Leyton Hightower.

For reasons many do not understand, Visaera allowed Prince Maekar a midnight flight from the city. None but Tya Lannister knew of her clandestine meeting with Prince Jacaerys, the night he had murdered his bride to be, Jeyne Frey.

Ascension
Despite the mounting tensions, none felt strong enough to challenge Visaera’s immediate rise to power. Gather as her opposition might in the shadows of the Eyrie and the Hightower. Visaera took advantage of their glacial pace and had her Small Council arrange a most fantastic coronation as had not been seen in decades. Shortly before, the Dornish delegation arrived, and to the Queen’s great awe, after offering her second son’s hand to the Princess, Meria Martell gifted her the Conqueror’s crown.

The Queen’s coronation was a magnificent if controversial event. Visaera had instructed her Small Council to confer with the High Septon to inform him the ceremony would be held in the Great Hall of the Red Keep, rather than the Great Sept. A decision fueled by her displeasure at Aenar having lain in state within the Great Sept, rather than before the Iron Throne before his immolation. Another man might have put up a more significant fight, but the Reclusive One, as the High Septon was called, had always been a weak man.

Visaera was a perceptive woman and even had she not been, few would have missed the cues within the miserly man’s demeanor. A man such as that, she decided, would not place Aegon the Conqueror’s crown atop her head. What right had he, anyway? Aegon I had allowed the High Septon to crown him as a matter of politics, but such affairs had long since grown stale to her mind. So, it was that Visaera, First of Her Name, plucked the Conqueror’s crown from the High Septon’s fingers, and placed it atop her brow.

Mummer's War
After the Old King’s death, many supported Visaera’s claim upon the throne and were pleased to see the power of the crown wrested within her. Support the woman had cultivated for years through her management of Aemon’s affairs, and then of course through the more recent acts of betrothal and marriage. Her chief supporters included her uncle Loreon Lannister, her daughter’s husband, Gwayne Baratheon, and Prince Laenor’s bride-to-be, Meria Martell.

Even still, not all of the great lords sworn to the Iron Throne were pleased with the woman who had assumed his place. The Starks seemed content, however, even if not enthusiastic to remain in the North. Their great allies in the Vale, however, had elected a different path. Alaric Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, and Warden of the East prepared his forces for an incursion to the Riverlands and seemed all but prepared to hoist the standard of Visaera’s alleged cousin, Maegor Waters, known by many as the Bastard of Dragonstone.

Maegor had not been idle in the months that preceded and followed the death of the Old King. Reports reached King’s Landing that he had done much to sew chaos in the Riverlands after lodging an assault upon the Lord of Riverrun, a much-reviled man by the name of Landon Tully. Landon’s trueborn sister, Berena, had come to Visaera’s court as a recent attachment to the entourage of the Selenya Targaryen, a distant relation of the dynasty from the Free City of Lys.

Despite this, there was little order to be found in the Riverlands following Landon’s flight from his family seat, after he had been forced to report the vilest of crimes he’d perpetrated upon many during his tenure as Lord Paramount of the Trident. Alaric Arryn seized upon this and began to make his move, hoping to capitalize on the chaos sewn by his old friend.

The Arryns were not alone in this, for as soon as the Warden of the West became aware of the growing tensions, he sent a message to King’s Landing requesting permission to intercede. Permission that was swiftly granted by his niece. Visaera’s popularity among the lords of the Trident varied from lord to lord. Some preferred the Bastard, most notable among them the Lords of Stone Hedge and Raventree Hall, a rare melding of the minds between the long-time rivals. Her most significant ally, however, was within her Hand, who could call upon a vast number of men should the need arise.

One of the more significant events that coincided with the Mummer’s War was a series of extreme events that took place within the Crownlands that historians would refer to only as the Encounter at Massey’s Hook. Rumors had reached the capital of Rhaegal’s return to Westeros and settled near Stonedance, just a few short leagues beyond the Kingswood. Upon hearing this news, Visaera tasked Selenya with taming the beast, and so cementing her place within the family. The Queen had much favored her up to that point, and likewise carried Prince Rhaegar’s bastard child. Selenya knew this was no easy task, and so requested many accompany her along her journey. Many answered that call, and indeed, more than even the Queen knew at the time. Few possess all the facts of what occurred at the Encounter. The consequences, however, are recognized by all. Many who accompanied Selenya perished, including Berena Tully, Ser Laenor Longwaters, a newly minted Knight of the Queensguard, Prince Jacaerys, and his dragon Cyrax. Selenya herself survived, however, due to the swift actions of Saera Targaryen, and ministrations of Stonedance’s Maester, Eldred.

Prince Maekar had gathered a force in Oldtown, with the support of his wife’s family and the Lord of the Hightower. His, however, was a slow progression and though the lords of the Reach had raised their banners, they seemed content to wait. There were none who would have called the eldest son of Prince Baelor a great mastermind. He was a naïve, idealistic man who believed in the true power of the Faith, and so involved himself in little else.

It was this naivete that drove him to set off on a progress that would begin in Sunspear. Prince Laenor had lured him there with promises of protection, and familial love claiming Maekar would be under Laenor’s protection as a Prince of Dorne. Laenor and Meria had not wed, however, and in fact, it was merely an elaborate ruse to bring Maekar into Sunspear under a false sense of security. A plan which succeeded, and ended with the man’s blade, Mercy, being driven through his chest.

By this time Visaera had long since gathered her forces. She tasked Princess Rhaenys, her goodson Gwayne Baratheon, and Ser Gareth Tyrell with leading a foray into the Reach. Their tasks were simple. They were to secure Highgarden, rally what faithful lords they could, and then assault Oldtown. The subjugation of the Reach was a simple affair in Maekar’s absence. The only blood spilled was that of Leo Tyrell, who had fallen prey to the long claws of the Queen’s lady-in-waiting, Tya Lannister.

The Queen had elected to lead her armies into the Crownlands, alongside Prince Rhaegar, Ser Lucerys Velaryon, and the Captain-General of the Golden Company, Aeron Goldfyre. The three dragon riders, however, made a detour en route to Harrenhal, where the great Royal Host gathered. Maegor had sought to lure her son in a manner quite similar to how Laenor had attracted Maekar. Rhaegar answered the summons, but not alone. On Quiet Isle, they met, and upon Quiet Isle, the Bastard of Dragonstone fell. It would not be known until much later that Maegor and Prince Maekar fell within a day of one another. The final and the only great clash of the Mummer’s War took place nearly a moon afterward at the Ruby Ford. The Knights of the Vale had fortified their position and hoped to orchestrate another breaking of House Targaryen as had been done more than a century before. They were well situated, by the Royal Host outnumbered them 3 to 1. The battle was long, bloody, and saw losses to both sides.

Alaric’s forces showed the true mettle of the Vale that day, but despite their great vigor, none could withstand they could not overcome the might of the Dragons. Upon the back of the Gilded Queen, Visaera descended upon them, and they withered before Tyraxes’ beautiful, ruinous flames. She even came across the Lord of the Eyrie himself. When the two met, there were no great words exchanged. Visaera, alongside her great wyrm, merely kept their promise and when they had finished, no trace of the erstwhile lord remained.

The Detritus of War
The conflict known as the Mummer’s War ended just before the turn of the year. It had lasted only a few short moons, but in that time the Queen had been able to secure her place upon the Iron Throne. Her overwhelming victory notwithstanding, Visaera took several measures to create greater ties to the crown through whatever means she was able. In one respect, she set up a series of marriages, to promote lasting peace. The most surprising, and indeed, the greatest of these marriages were between her sister, Princess Saera, and Alaric’s son, the new Lord of the Eyrie, Osric Arryn. With Leo Tyrell dead a vacuum had been left concerning Highgarden. Some lords expected Leo’s wife, Lady Margaret, would continue with her birthright, for not only had she been the late Lord Lyonel’s sister, but she was also thick with Leo’s child. As was oft the case, the Queen had other plans. During the conflict, Maekar’s widow and youngest daughter had found themselves within the queen’s power.

When the day of Judgment came, then, it was to Leona that Visaera looked. She was Margaret’s elder sister, and in truth had greater claim to Highgarden no matter her mother’s schemes. Rather than allow Leona to rule in her name, Visaera directed the woman to wed one of her most loyal knights, Ser Gareth Tyrell of Brightwater, and in so doing named him Lord of Highgarden and Warden of the South.

With her place secured, Visaera continued her readjustment of the Small Council. Of those who had served her grandfather, only Perceon was permitted to remain. For his success in the taking of Gulltown, Erasmus Rykker was named Master of Ships, just as Lord Lyndon Vance was awarded a position as Master of Coin. She had little faith in Ser Tybolt Lannister, but his wife, Lady Tya, had been a mainstay of Visaera’s court and she had more than once proven her worth.

Maekar’s death was confirmed in this period, as Meria and Laenor gave the specific details that led to the errant son of Baelor's demise. Tensions rose between mother and son when the Queen requested Mercy be brought back into the fold of House Targaryen proper. Laenor refused her, remarking that Meria had won the blade. An unexpected circumstance, given the intentions of the Queen. Ultimately, she was not willing to take further action against the errant prince, but relations between the two cooled considerably from then onward.

Songs of the Kraken's Fall
While Royal Forces contended with the threats present in the Reach and the Riverlands, Loreon Lannister set his eyes upon the Iron Islands. The aged lion had long harbored a deep seeded hatred for the Ironborn, and the Greyjoys in particular. A prejudice Visaera had not much understood nor cared for when they spoke at the Tournament of the Red Comet if only because it distracted from her desires for the mighty army, her uncle could field. Nevertheless, his actions did severely weaken the possibilities for Maekar when he drew the Redwyne Fleet west. During the short-lived conflict with House Greyjoy, Visaera’s uncle decimated the Greyjoy Fleet and saw Maron Greyjoy’s head parted from his shoulders. His most celebrated and most dastardly act was the desecration of the Seastone Chair. When the Queen heard of these deeds, she summoned Tya Lannister to express her displeasure, but otherwise made no comment of the liberties her uncle had taken. A rare concession, for even though he acted to protect her interests, there were certain matters the Queen believed fell beneath the aegis of the crown. If Maron had died in battle that would have been one thing, but he had not.

In the middle of 408 A.C. Visaera set out her decrees regarding the fate of the Iron Islands. By the Queen’s will, many of Loreon’s reforms were done away with, including the castellan he had left in Pyke. In recompense of the great loyalty shown the Iron Throne by House Harlaw, Visaera legitimized Alannys’ bastard son, Theon. Furthermore, when she called upon Dagon Greyjoy to take up the mantle of his forebears, it was on the condition that he wed the young Harlaw so they might administer the Islands through that union.

Aerys
House Targaryen, in the eyes of the Westerosi, had always partaken in queer rituals that bespoke of an altogether different way of life. Leavings of the Freehold where they had been one among many dragonlords. In the beginning, the Conqueror boasted not one, but two wives. They had wed brother to sister for generation upon generation. Over time some of these practices became accepted by those that they deigned to rule, but during the Mummer’s War, after the death of the Bastard, Visaera Targaryen along with her eldest son, Rhaegar, walked a forbidden path. The affair that began in behind the walls of Harrenhal was a matter of great delicacy. In many ways, it was out of character for the Queen, who, despite all of her many provocative acts, was normally so calculated in all she did. The patient seduction of Rhaegar lent credence to that ethos, but that she would lie with him night after night bespoke of an altogether darker passion that burgeoned where none should have existed at all.

There were rumors in the period following the conclusion of the Mummer’s War that Visaera had taken a lover, but of all the names bandied about not even her greatest detractors spoke of the Prince of Dragonstone. The Queen was deaf to these rumors, and to what their genesis might mean for her reign, should even a wisp of the truth be brought to bear. She was heedless of these early warning signs, and so continued for much of the year.

When it became clear, in the first half of 408 A.C., that Rhaenys was becoming thick with child, Visaera’s couplings with Rhaegar became somewhat less frequent. This was not, however, due to shame on her part, but rather on a need for greater caution. Even in the throes of passion, the Queen retained some bit of her former chill when matters of the succession came about. No matter the great lust she harbored for her son, she did not wish to endanger the child that swelled within her daughter.

It seemed that there was nothing that could end their lascivious acts of passion. That was until, only a moon after the birth of her first grandchild, Rhaenyra, that she realized she, like Rhaegar’s seed had taken. The illusion that the Queen had maintained became shattered in that very instant, and the consequences of their actions began to become all too real. For a time thereafter, the Queen refused all of her son’s advances and subtle entreaties, regarding him with much of the chill she had in his youth. Less than a week after her suspicions were confirmed by the ailing Grand Maester Selwyn, Visaera arranged a progress for the future King and Queen. Rhaegar was obligated to depart immediately, and Rhaenys was sent along after she had been given time to rest after the birth of the princess. The Small Council questioned why Visaera would not entertain the progress, but few explanations were forthcoming from the Queen.

The departure of the royal children was complemented by a mission Visaera put before one of her most loyal followers, Ser Lucerys Velaryon. Theirs was a bond a close one, and so she knew the man quite well. Already she had begun to plan for the fell seed that grew within her. She was unwilling to swallow the Moon Tea, no matter how many times she had ordered it prepared. So, if she was not to be rid of the child, then she needed another. Despite the sour taste it left within her mouth, Visaera knew that she would once more have need of a husband. There were few prospects suitable to her needs, and so shortly after informing the Small Council of her desire, she informed them of her decision to wed Corlys Velaryon. The young man had been a mainstay of the court and had earned himself a measure of renown in how he managed the Royal Fleet during the blockade of Oldtown during the Mummer’s War. Little time was wasted, and they were wed in a relatively small affair shortly afterward. At her behest, the Master of Whisperers, Lazarynno of Pentos, set about kindling rumors that it was young Corlys who had, for so long, caught the Queen’s eye.

After the turn of the year, as Visaera’s pregnancy was becoming more and more apparent. It was then that she, along with her husband, withdrew to the island of Dragonstone. There they remained until the child was born in the Fourth Moon of 409 A.C. It was not an easy birth, and indeed there was a brief moment when Maester Godwyn thought he might lose them both. Visaera’s favored scholar was skilled in the arts of healing, and it was for this reason she had selected to sequester herself on the island fortress.

In the end, both mother and child pulled through. She named the newborn baby boy Aerys, the first child to bear that name since the Mad King. Like all of her other children after the twins, Aerys was given to a wetnurse to suckle while Visaera focused on regaining her strength. The newlyweds remained on the island for some moons to come, leaving much of the crown’s affairs to Perceon Vance for a time.

Near the end of 409 A.C., the three had long since returned to the capital and were present to welcome the return of the princely couple who were only just returning from their long sojourn throughout all the Seven Kingdoms. Visaera acknowledged her son, as she might have done before, but she kept him at a distance. He never questioned her about the child, and she never told him the truth of the boy’s birth.