Rhaegar II Targaryen

Prince Rhaegar Targaryen is the eldest child of Prince Aemon and Princess Visaera, siblings wed in classic Targaryen fashion and second in line to the Iron Throne. Born in 387 A.C., Rhaegar immediately developed a strong connection with his dragon, Nightwing, and his twin sister, Rhaenys Targaryen. Once a sweet boy with with stars in his eyes, Prince Rhaegar has surprised many of the royal court by developing into a knight worthy of song. A young man unparalleled in the art of swordplay, Rhaegar is as gallant as he is deadly.

Some say Nightwing is a reflection of the young Prince's dark side.

Appearance and Character
Tall and athletic, Rhaegar has only recently grown beyond the lanky boy he once was and become the knight he always strived to be. Prince Rhaegar bears all the tell tale hallmarks of the old world. Lilac eyes and hair of spun silver, worn long and loose or drawn into a tight braid between his shoulders. He keeps a strong jaw perpetually clean shaven, never looking a day more than his twenty years. He has kind eyes for a dragon rider, but Rhaegar’s expression is ever changing, as turbulent as the heart that lies beneath his gallant veneer.

Early Life
In 387 A.C. Rhaegar came into this world in the same way Prince’s so often do, in a royal chamber, from the labors of a royal woman. The remarkable part was that he wasn’t alone. At his heels came his twin, Princess Rhaenys, thus the most significant moment of his life was his very first, for their fates would be forever intertwined.

Named for the Last Dragon by his father and given no lack of care as a babe by his mother, Rhaegar was groomed for greatness from the moment he was first swaddled. His promise as the future of House Targaryen was further cemented when the egg placed in his cradle hatched not year after his birth. Nightwing as the beast would come to be known as, was found coiled about the young prince. A beautiful dragon of black scales and a deep indigo inlay, Nightwing is a stark contrast to her own mother Tyraxes. In the crib beside Rhaegar, Vhaegon hatched in the same instant. From there on forward, the two dragons would share a bond not unlike that of their riders.

For the first few years of Rhaegar's life, he was given the upbringing and attention that the future Lord of the Seven Kingdoms called for. His mother, though sometimes a cold, calculated woman, spared every moment for her first born son. He proved to be a sweet young boy, perhaps a little too sweet, but was loved by everyone in the royal court. The sense of acceptance Rhaegar experience in early in life would become invaluable in helping him with the conflict that would spawn after adolsesnce. In a strike of irony, Nightwing couldn't have been any different than the boy she was bonded to. The black dragon proved to be a trouble maker and a cunning huntress. When not with Rhaegar or Vhaegon, Nightwing spent the evening hours hunting cats, hounds, rats... Anything furry that stirred in the streets of King's Landing or the crags of Dragonstone, she meant to sink her fangs into.

One Heart, Two Minds
No matter the affection Visaera and Aemon gave Rhaegar, every relationship the young prince developed paled in comparison to closeness he and Rhaenys had as children. They were inseperable, irreplaceable to one another. They had the same interests, the same wit, the same needs, the same destiny as dragon riders. As youth they even almost looked identical. The only tangible difference between Rhaegar and Rhaenys was that the little princess was always one step ahead of her brother.

Rhaenys was the first to take a step, the first to string a bow, the first to recite her letters fluently. She was always tougher than Prince Rhaegar and would often win their games, playful completions where the victor would always win a prize. Sometimes it was a favored training sword, sometimes a kiss. Unbeknownst to the twins, a secret betrothal had been arranged for the two by their grandfather, Prince Viserys. Having been born of parents that were siblings themselves, boundaries were never set. Closeness and affection bloomed between the twins that few could ever hope to understand.

Under Pressure
While Rhaegar's bond with Rhaenys deepened, the affection his mother showed him soured. Everything Rhaegar could do, Rhaenys could do better. A sweet boy with a heart too kind wouldn't last a moment in the great game, let alone as King. When Rhaenys finally mounted her dragon, Vhaegon, at the age of eight, Visaera turned her eye on Rhaegar to do the same. Every victory of Rhaenys became a challenge for Rhaegar to overcome. Encouragement degraded into an impossible standard to meet. Visaera pushed him to train harder, learn faster, to overcome his fears and trepidations lest he be belittled for his failures.

It was almost through force of will that Visaera's constant pressure chiseled Rhaegar from a soft boy into a young dragon to be reckoned with, though not without earning his resentment.

War of the Three Thieves
When war returned to the Seven Kingdoms, Rhaegar was initially too young to join the fray. Rather he was squired to Axell Connington, an honorable and steadfast member of King Aenar's court. Rhaegar's dragon Nightwing, however, was vicious enough to be considered a strategic asset in the conflict. Eventually, Rhaegar would follow Axell Connington to Griffon's Roost on his father's orders, Nightwing's mere presence enough to make the marauders think twice about launching a mainland assault on the Stormlands. When it came time to reinforce the assault on Sunstone, Rhaegar would join Lord Connington in managing logistics and ferrying men for the final battles. A chance incursion saw their transports under attack, an event in which the young prince would bloody his sword and kills his first man. As young as he was, Rhaegar fought valiantly, but was never in any true danger. He would never truly come to know that he was little more than another pawn on the cyvasse board.

To Rule the World
After the war, battle was no longer a vague concept to the young prince. He returned to the capital and doubled his efforts in the sparring ring, honing his budding talents with a blade into something remarkable. What he lacked in raw experience, Prince Rhaegar seemed to overcome with tenacity and natural ability. His swift rise in physical prowess partially gave thanks to his mother's continuous oversight. Even as Rhaegar became a man grown, she continued to push him to unattainable heights.

One particular match up saw him squaring off against Alester Steelsong, a man Rhaegar befriended during his stays at Dragon's Rest. Alester soundly defeated the prince in one on one combat, to which Rhaegar requested he become his new tutor. Through half a hundred duels and a dozen adventures, Alester would become Rhaegar's closest confidant and brother in arms, save for his twin Rhaenys.

Rhaegar would eventually come to understand it took more than a perfect sword arm to run seven kingdoms. His passion would always lie in the heat of battle, but with every passing year, Rhaegar would spend more and more time with his Great-Grandfather's court. He followed Aemon, his father and the Hand of the King, and Perceon Vance in particular as they navigated the endless administrative duties it took to keep Westeros in one coherent piece. During this time, Prince Rhaegar took advantage of his proximity with King Aenar to learn from the man directly.