Viserys Targaryen (son of Visaera)

Viserys Targaryen is the third born son of Aemon and Visaera Targaryen. He was born during the Fourth Moon of 402 AC, in the Red Keep, as the War of the Three Thieves reached its climax. In 408 AC, when the Mummer’s War threatened his newly crowned mother and his siblings, the young Prince was sent to be warded in Pentos in the household of Magister Moredo Mopatis. He would remain in said Free City until 415 AC, when he at last returned to the Seven Kingdoms and his Queen Mother.

Like many other members of House Targaryen Viserys is a dragonrider, and rides the dragon that was ridden by his namesake, Starfyre.

Appearance and Character
Like the rest of his royal family, Viserys also sports the tell-tale purple eyes and silver hair of House Targaryen. Visibly gaunt and diminutive in stature, the Prince does not seem a fearsome sight to those who come across him-- at least at first. Behind his pretty violet eyes can be seen an ever-present vindictive fire, coaxed on by deep-rooted and venomous malice. His skin, on the other hand, is a deathly, cadaverous and pallid hue, like the first snowfall of winter. The young Targaryen will almost always be found dressed in the finest silks and fashions that are often imported from the Free Cities… unless, of course, he is making a concerted effort to go somewhere unnoticed.

Vicious, cruel, arrogant, and with a fiery temper not to be underestimated, Prince Viserys harbours nothing but loathing for most of his Mother's people. More at home in an Essosi Magister's pleasure palace than a Westerosi Lord's Keep, he holds the men and women of the Seven Kingdoms in a haughty state of contempt, and considers them wholly inferior to those born with the blood of the dragon within them. Few and far between are the Lords and Ladies of Westeros that the young Prince considers worthy of his time, preferring instead the company of the various sycophants and lackeys he has accumulated over his years spent living a spoilt existence in a constant state of luxurious decadence. A true scoundrel and fiend, Viserys has been known to associate himself with a number of shady, nefarious characters.

402 - 408 AC: Early Life in King's Landing
Viserys was conceived whilst his parents fought in the Stepstones, during the War of the Three Thieves. He was born at a time of death, destruction and dragonfire; it was an ominous sign that some might say prophesied the corrupted soul that the young Prince would later become. From the very start Viserys seemingly had a sense of duty and destiny thrust upon him: Visaera, his mother, had him named after her late father, one of the greatest men the Realm had ever seen. The shadow of his namesake would long cloud over his life, even after it became clear to all that the young Prince cared little for serving the Realm or honouring his Targaryen kinsmen and women. No dragon egg was placed within his cradle at birth - something that would become a source of some contention in his later life.

His early years were, for the most part, quiet and peaceful. With the War now over, a new Winter fell upon the Realm. The Scarlet Winter was harsh and brutal, but sheltered amongst the royal court in the Red Keep Viserys was kept away from much of the suffering. However, the Winter saw a deterioration in the relationship between his parents, and by 405 A.C. they had left for Dragonstone with an infant Viserys in tow.

Faint, fleeting memories are all that Viserys can recall of his father. Aemon's disappearance in 405 A.C. whilst travelling to Essos to conduct diplomatic business on the behalf of the King left the young Princeling fatherless, but too young to truly understand what had happened. Only later would he come to terms with the loss, learning quickly to function independently of his parents even at a young age. This was especially the case as Visaera grew more and more concerned with helping to govern the Realm, thanks to her newfound position as the King Aenar's heir.

Over ten years separated Viserys in age from his other siblings, most of whom were already adults by the time he was saying his first words, and thus had little in common with the toddler Prince. The Queen made sure to afford her youngest child with a full set of royal caretakers, however. They would cater to his every whim, and were meant to ensure that he was brought up as a true prince of the Realm ought to be. Soon enough, however, Viserys came to regard with hatred and disdain his nursemaids and attendants, who on his mother's bidding looked after him night and day. He found their presence dull and uninteresting, cared little for his studies, and even less for lessons on his 'duty' as a royal prince. Septas were boring, and Maesters even more so. Every chance to escape from their clutches, he took.

Violent Delights
As Viserys gradually grew older, he began to overhear what the servants and other children of the Red Keep called him when his back was turned. The dragon without a dragon, a false Targaryen, the fatherless runt of the royal litter. These cruel whispers - both real and imagined - crowded his young and impressionable mind, forcing him to see enemies where once friends had been, and to trust none-- none, save for his mother. She alone occupied a space of trust and respect within Viserys' heart, though he seldom was afforded the chance to be alone with her. In time, the small Prince began to find that he took immense pleasure in the suffering of others. At first, he played harmless practical jokes on the maids and servants of the Red Keep. He hid important items from advisors and courtiers, aided greatly by the fact that he knew all the various nooks and crannies of his home better than most. Then, he began to tease the other boys and girls of his age that lived within the castle. He would chide them about their inferior status at court, or about the impurity of their blood in comparison to that of the dragon. Teasing, however, soon descended into bullying. Harsh words became threats, and those threats became beatings. Particular pleasure was attained by bringing down those who he had imagined whispering about him beforehand. Leaving them bloodied and bruised satisfied him greatly, and the chastisements he would receive afterwards from his mother's servants were weak and threadbare. Then, when a number of the cats and dogs of the Red Keep began to vanish mysteriously - only to be later found hideously mutilated in some dark corner or hallway - vile rumours began to circulate that the young Prince was in some way involved in their disappearances.

Thus it was so that, even at an early age, Viserys began to develop a rather unsavoury reputation amongst the courtiers of King's Landing.

408 - 415 AC: The Prince in Pentos
In 408 AC, King Aenar Targaryen was taken by the Stranger. Shortly after his passing the Mummer's War began, and his mother was forced to fight for her right to the Iron Throne. The youngest of the new Queen's children at just six, Viserys was of little military use to his mother. Instead of keeping him confined to the Red Keep, Visaera elected instead to send him to Pentos: to keep him safe, absorb some of eastern culture, and further strengthen relations with House Mopatis. So it was that the young Prince left Westeros with a handful of guardsmen, Ser Quentyn Sunglass of the Queensguard, and little else.

The years Viserys would spend in Pentos would be some of the most formative of his life, and they would mould the little Targaryen into the man he would later become. The household of Magister Moredo Mopatis was lavish, opulent and liberating. Far from the constraints and pressures of the royal court, Viserys was able to truly come into his own. His every demand would be met and his every need satisfied, by what seemed like a veritable army of servants - every one at his beck and call. Pampered and charmed by the Magisters of Pentos, who in turn sought to improve relations with the Dragon Queen of Westeros, Viserys soon came to love his new home far more than he ever did the stifling, drab corridors of the Red Keep or Dragonstone.

He would remain in the Free City for seven continuous happy years. During this time he would make a great many friends from amongst the crowds of sycophants and merchants who banqueted and feasted at the Mopatis manse every day. Relishing in the praise with which they showered him, Viserys quickly became adverse to any who dared challenge him, or interfere with his commands. With no responsibilities, and little sense of 'duty' instilled within him, the young Princeling indulged in whatever pleasures he so desired. Spoilt beyond his wildest dreams, he quickly came to enjoy the finer things in life: heaps of silk clothing, dozens of sumptuous dinners and a wide variety of exotic entertainments. What little energy he devoted to 'work' was poured solely into the study of a new 'art' he had become fascinated with: that of the water dance. Surrounding himself with the finest bravos one could find, the Prince soon discovered he had a talent for the subtle movements and deadly skill exhibited by water dancers. It was only on the insistence of his mother, and the men that she sent to Pentos to watch over him, that Viserys began to put more a little more effort into his studies. He refused outright to concern himself with matters that he believed beneath a Prince: the study of ancient tomes, the counting of copper coins, the intricacies of architecture. Such things were better left to servants. It did not help that the Princeling found himself useless at them all, anyway. No, the one and only thing (aside from prowling around places undetected) in which he possessed a natural talent at were certain aspects of military strategy. Aided by the knights of Westeros and the sellswords of Essos who both circled around his manse in Pentos, Viserys delved into martial matters headfirst. He learnt of the great battles and generals of the past, and of the recent conflicts that had scoured the Seven Kingdoms and the Free Cities. He learnt how best to conceal one's forces, and how to draw out an opponent to battle.

But Viserys did not confine himself to associating solely with the higher echelons of Pentoshi society. As with many of the other Free Cities, corruption ran hand in hand with wealth and commerce in Pentos. Smugglers, pirates, sellswords, thieves, assassins: all could be found, if one knew where to look. And Viserys, already adept in moving stealthily through the shadows in order to escape detection, knew exactly where to look. It took little time, and soon he found many new distractions with which to occupy his time in the shady crevices and corners of Pentos, and quickly involved himself in a dark world of vices.

What had been a mere desire to inflict pain and suffering on others had grown into a unquenchable need. Few were the weeks in which he could go without satisfying his macabre passions. Quickly, though, it became clear that he needed a new source of material with which to utilize - Magister Mopatis had begun to notice the disappearances of some of the members of his household. Sadly, Ser Quentyn had passed away in 410 A.C. and his replacement, Ser Baelor Celtigar, was a man of 'honour'. This new Queensguard could not be trusted to fulfill his duty quietly, without asking too many questions or informing the Queen of what her youngest child was up to. So it was that, in order to satisfy some of the Princeling’s darker desires, it became necessary to strike up contacts with a shadier class of person. The disappearance of a slave was far easier to explain than that of a maid or a manservant, after all. With this in mind, Viserys struck up a secret ‘friendship’ with the Lothston family, notably the Captain of the Sun-Swallower and the head of the family’s slave business: Johanna. When the Lothston visited Pentos, Viserys always would make sure to call on her to stock up on the valuable flesh she so usefully brought his way.

415 - 418 AC: A Return to the Realm
Viserys was only summoned back to Westeros after the death of his brother Laenor in 414 A.C. The Princeling mourned not his brother’s passing, for he was not close to any of his siblings and scarcely remembered the late Prince of Dorne at all. He resented having to leave Essos, for the Free Cities had become more of a home to him than Westeros ever had been. Soon enough, his disappointment at being plucked from his pampered life of debauchery and depravity in Pentos disappeared, as the true reason for his return to his mother’s side became clear.

He was to tame Laenor’s dragon, Starfyre.

Shifting Sands
The very thought gave him chills. Already, on his own, he could strike fear into the very strongest of souls. With as magnificent and feral a beast as Starfyre at his side, why, he would have the chance to surge to even greater heights. No longer would he be the dragonless Prince, languishing beneath his brothers and sisters. He couldn't care less for the politics of the matter, or for the motives of his own mother’s. The singular thought that constantly continued to course through his mind was that of the sheer and unmitigated terror that he would be able to inflict on any and all whilst in command of Starfyre. Without a moment's hesitation he hurried to follow his mother’s every command, tasking himself with learning all that he could about the dragon that he would soon make his own. With the help of the finest scholars the Realm could provide, and aided by the teachings of his Targaryen kin, he quickly became an expert on Starfyre - her character, traits and habits. He found the beast much to his liking. So it was that, early in the year of 415 A.C., Viserys accompanied his mother and her household south, to the sands of Dorne. It would take many weeks of careful planning and watching, but near the end of their stay at Sunspear the young Princeling at last persuaded Starfyre to accept him as her fourth rider. He who had never felt truly close to any living creature, human or beast, now found himself strangely enamoured with the canny dragon. It’s sheer power seemed to bewitch him, it’s terrible capability for destruction lighting up the deepest fires of his twisted heart. Most pleased with himself, it was on the back of Starfyre that the Prince returned to King’s Landing - and the pair would quickly become inseparable.

Viserys would spoil his new companion. Nothing was too much for Starfyre. No meat too expensive or rare: whatever she desired, he would provide. In turn, the dragon helped sate many of the Princeling’s own desires. She gave him a freedom he had longed for ever since his departure from Pentos. He could roam far and wide, from Moat Cailin to the Arbor, and none could challenge him. And if a few loathsome peasants vanished mysteriously from one barren corner of his mother’s Realm, well, who truly cared? If a ramshackle hovel or two was found burnt to cinders and ash, one could always blame a rogue spark from a hearth. Not that the Princeling cared what the smallfolk thought of him. Their opinions were, to put it simply, beneath him.

A Prince without Purpose or Promise
Viserys now had a dragon of his own. But with such power now in his hands, he began to long for something more. Until this point in his life, he had never wanted anything more than to live to the fullest of his desires. Hedonism had suited him just fine. But now, surrounded by the great men and women of the Realm, and firmly ensconced at his mother's court, Viserys began to long for a greater purpose. His siblings had all carved out their own futures: Rhaegar and Rhaenys would rule Westeros together, Aelinor was married to Lord Baratheon and a Small Councillor in her own right, and Laenor had been married to two Princesses of Dorne. Viserys had nothing. No titles, no fiefs, no swords of his own to do as he commanded. As time went by he soon began to desire all these things, and more. He quickly became determined to get what he wanted, regardless of the cost.

And none of the Gods could help those who stood in his way.

Family

 * Prince Viserys Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone and Hand of the King b. 342 A.C. d. 398 A.C.
 * m. Lady Gwynesse Lannister b. 345 A.C.
 * Queen  Visaera I Targaryen , Lady of the Seven Kingdoms b. 369 A.C.
 * m. Prince Aemon Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone b. 371 A.C. d. 405 A.C.
 * Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone b. 387 A.C.
 * w. Lady Selenya Targaryen b. 381 A.C. d. 408 A.C.
 * Lady Visenya Silvermoon b. 408 A.C.
 * m. Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Princess of Summerhall b. 387 A.C.
 * Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen b. 408 A.C
 * Prince Aegon Targaryen b. 411 A.C.
 * Prince Aemond Targaryen b. 412 A.C.
 * Prince Daemon Targaryen b. 415 A.C.
 * Prince Aerion Targaryen b. 416 A.C.
 * Prince Laenor Targaryen, Prince Consort of Dorne b. 388 A.C.
 * m. Princess Meria Martell b. 381 A.C.
 * House Martell
 * Princess Aelinor Targaryen, Lady of Storm's End b. 389 A.C.
 * m. Lord Gwayne Baratheon b. 385 A.C.
 * House Baratheon
 * Prince Viserys Targaryen b. 402 A.C.
 * Prince Aerys Velaryon b. 409 A.C.