Rhaenyra Targaryen Dowager Queen of the Seven Kingdoms

Rhaenyra Targaryen is the eldest child of King Rhaegar Targaryen and his wife, Rhaenys. As is Valyrian tradition, she married her brother-husband and then King Aegon Targaryen VII and was Queen of the Seven Kingdoms alongside his second sister-wife, Visenya Silvermoon.

After his death, she re-married to Alester Tyrell just prior to the Great Council, though they have borne no children. Further, she also took possession of Blackfyre. It was intended to go to the heir of the Seven Kingdoms, who she assumed would be her son Viserys. For now, Rhaenyra hangs onto the sword, contemplating whether or not to bestow it up the 'true' King Daeron Tagaryen.

Sharing her mother's martial aptitude, the Queen has trained since she was old enough to hold a blade. Inheriting Dark Sister, she is reputed for her many achievements during the Bleeding. Her ideologies have enforced the schism created by Visenya's ascent into royal court, embodying the politics that the Talons pursue.

She is the rider of Silanax, a dragon of pure gold that hatched in her cradle. After having lost at the Great Council, Visenya's main role is as mother to Viserys, heir presumptive to the Seven Kingdoms. But she still remains tenuously in the capital, waiting...

Appearance and Character
Rhaenyra stands at an impressive six feet, embodying the slender physique of her bloodline. Broad of shoulder, muscled throughout and lacking the distinct swell of hip or bust, she is notably less feminine than her peers.

Years of bearing armor and a strict daily regimen have made her the pinnacle of athletic pursuits, a detail that is maintained throughout her rule. Her face is strong jawed, with a prominent, hawkish nose that mirrors the feathery quality of blonde gold hair. Thick, stern brows rest over periwinkle, a pallor that produces a chilly, piercing stare through white lashes. White-gold locks hold a ‘bell’ shape when loose, puffing if not restrained in the braid that often plaits one side.

If all these traits did not separate the first Queen from her family, individual scars would. The gash at shoulder is modestly tucked beneath clothing, but the missing patch on the left side of her head is difficult to hide unless hair curtains it. Various nicks grace her person, though have been kept to an acceptable appearance throughout the years; the largest implication to her combat prowess are her hands, calloused and strong from the frequent grip on Dark Sister’s hilt.

When the Queen walks, she carries an aura of oppressive, intimidating grandeur. She bears the cadence of a soldier, disciplined and upright, calling forth a powerful, husky voice of long projection. Because of this, her standard speak can be related to a growl, accompanied by the severity that often characterized her stare.

Childhood
Rhaenyra was born late 408 A.C. as the second child of Rhaegar, but the first of his union with Rhaenys. Visaera gifts her true born grandchild with Viserion’s sole remaining egg, hatching a mere six months later. From it arose her dragon counterpart, Silanax, and much like her scales they enjoyed a gilded infancy. A long forgotten fact was her hushed experience of lucid dreams, believed to be a result of Silanax’s connection.

This period of life was divided between play and lessons, often arm in arm with her sibling and future Husband, Aegon. Daily, she lost herself to outdoor activities, blessed with sword training at a tender age. The Late Rhaenys trained her exclusively for years, cementing a bond that remained until her brother Aerion was born. At feasts, tournaments, and balls, Rhaenyra would always be seen at her mother’s side. Though Rhaenys had initially sought to separate her and Visenya, a fellowship formed around their circumstances. They were the only girls their age at court, and through the years they exchanged advice and differing knowledge.

Though the princess received praise of her physical proclivities, in time she was overshadowed in a crowded dragon’s nest. Visenya’s social prominence and the demand of rearing numerous siblings limited her parental interaction. The child’s dreams compounded upon taking flight in 416 A.C, experiencing euphoric, blinding images that occurred frequently. They reached their height in the years before Naerys was born.

Young, therefore short sighted and ignorant of the world, a distaste had begun to form from the lack of attention and she turned bully to garner it. She rarely displayed violence as her brother Aerion would, but wielded a superior wit that acquired her taste for condescension. This was cultivated further beneath Visaera’s leniency, a trait misunderstood by the girl as negligence.

Despite an unwavering dedication and love for Aegon in the bridge to adolescence, Rhaenyra harbored juvenile friendships with many of the Red Keep nobility. Jon Rosby, who would come to be the Master of Whispers in her reign, was amongst them.

Adolescence
As puberty grips the juvenile dragon, the Black Queen passes, leaving Rhaenyra to struggle with her texts and relations. Her previous dreams steadily fade until disappearing entirely in her early teens. Though she would learn of their significance later in life, she was grateful to be rid of the numbing effect that accompanied the endless deja vu.

Queen Visaera had eluded the deep affections of family, though what ministrations touched the child were profound; a whole and hale kingdom had been left in her wake, by her ruling alone. As the symbol of matriarchal power and Targaryen sovereignty, Rhaenyra clutches onto the remnants of her predecessors' glory.

“Unbecoming for one of the blood” -- soon her voice was the Queen’s echo, gazing upon her siblings with extended criticism. An interest in Daemon and Naerys drove her to meddle in their day to day activities as a constant reminder of their late grandmother. Daemon, in particular, received the enforced structure of a nagging parent due to mental instability. They routinely occupied the library, partaking of competitive cyvasse and musing over relevant dynasty histories.

Despite their questionable camaraderie, she assists her half-sister with flying in 418 A.C. All the while, Visenya has charmed Aegon, a fact that gnaws at Rhaenyra and tests their fragile bond. In response, the princess pours herself into training and studying that dulls the edge of her pleasantries. She is acknowledged for eminent swordplay, adopting a strict routine beneath Daeron Targaryen, Rhaenys and the remaining dragon maids. It is commonplace to see her hands bandaged from obsessive dedication, forging such a talent that both concerns and awes. Prince Baelorwas taken with her prowess, developing a temporary rapport through mentorship. It is cited early on that Rhaenyra had a dangerous flair for combat, forgetting herself in the act.

Rhaenyra’s strengths did not negate the antics utilized to cope with the royal family's dysfunction. Without Visaera’s steady hand to regulate the children, the first princess found solace in climbing, initially upon Dragonstone and later any tenable surface. This habit came to a head one fateful afternoon, when she was descending a tree she’d found reachable from an open window in the keep. On her way down, she was startled by a voice, losing her grip and falling to the roots below. It was there an unforeseen bond was formed, Aerys Velaryon summoning the guards to tend her split brow. Though she would antagonize the boy originally for his divergent and bookish ways, in time she learned to relate to his muted energy and expression. His was a relaxing and reliable presence that she credits for scholarly interests.

Hand Maidens were rarely of consequence to the budding girl until Berena Stark graced the halls of the Red Keep. Where Annara Hayford’s addition in 426 A.C.was a smooth, effortless transition, the young wolf would strain their relations with refusal to properly serve. It would be a lie to say Rhaenyra withheld this temper in their duels, battering the unruly teenager with a practice sword until she learned to reciprocate. Much like the edge honed into the Stark’s fighting ability, there tempered a friendship that would transcend many of her fleeting relations.

The last four years of her single life was consumed with intense self discipline. Visenya left to travel in 424 A.C. and then to be married in 426 A.C., a much needed reprieve after discovering her sibling's intimacy. In this period she was able to reconnect with her future partner, Aegon, untangling emotions and establishing a kinship lost in their early teens. Rhaenyra’s kindling frost recedes enough to smile and laugh again with her betrothed, a positive precursor to their wedding on the horizon even if doubts prevailed.

Adulthood
Rhaenyra continues the part of a mother figure to her baby sister. Its a connection that formed easily on the mutual adoration of dragons, Naerys being the only without. They further find a relation between the girl’s Dreams and though the Golden Princess never experienced them to the same magnitude, she empathizes with the impact.

She humors her sibling’s desire to observe, study and learn from Silanax, an agreement that lasts for years and eventually allowed the young Naerys to join in the saddle.Similarly, her attachments to Daemon have grown under Godwyn’s additional surveillance. The Maester has proven an invaluable asset to the Prince, becoming a figure of wisdom to Rhaenyra in the process.

On the cusp of 20 years in 428 A.C., Rhaenyra fulfils her destiny by marrying her brother, Aegon VII, in a Grand tournament celebrating the turn of spring. It was ''“heralded to be amongst the most awe-inspiring affairs in living memory for the adolescent generations. Whilst Rhaenyra and Aegon had enjoyed relatively premier status in the capital by virtue of their birthright, marriage skyrocketed their traction.Their conservative nature only heightened what they and their marriage conveyed; the sanctity of duty and family, as was Targaryen tradition. ”''

The marriage uplifts Rhaenyra’s steadily compounding austerity, marking the princess a happy bride for a time after. Denizens of the Red Keep notice the solemnity of the Crown princess lessened, and enjoy a lighter presence the length of this ideal honeymoon period. Even Visenya’s return does little to scrape the surface of her renewed vigor; that is, until rumors of Aegon’s infidelity reach her ears. Despite attempts to enact her duty thoroughly, Aegon finds little ground for intimacy with his wife and the distance grows palpable in the following years. They nitpick over petty things, Aegon frequently criticizing her lack of feminine attire being “unbefitting for a Queen.”  There is a short span of time the martial dragon does her best to appease, though it was readily apparent her husband merely wanted another.

Tending to duty above all else, Rhaenyra sets aside her ailing love life in favor of travel. In 429 A.C., she attends the union of Nymella Uller to Maron Qorgyle, having found common ground with the woman during the Springtide Celebration. The Crown Princess utilizes social obligation as an escape while satisfying her own political motives, Berena Stark's matrimony the following event she attends. As a result, she misses her mother’s passing in 430 A.C., haunting her dreams for years.

Having taken an earned position in Rhaegar’s court upon return, she grows more silent while nursing her wounded pride. Slated for Queenship her entire life, the solace found in that fact is severed upon announcement of Aegon’s betrothal to Visenya. Her torn considerations between her uncertain love steel in frigid resentment, perceiving an irreparable dishonor and disrespect in their audacity.

In 431 A.C. the Silver Wedding, for all its jubilant merrymaking, erases the shred of patience left for her relationship. Despite the regality displayed during the festivities, the repercussions are immediate. What people characterized as abrasive and inhospitable behavior compounds in severity. Rhaenyra takes a separate bedroom that was rarely welcoming to her husband. Despite the odds, both wives are found to be with child in a strange twist of fate.

The news does little to remedy the disparity between them, and Prince Viserys is born days after Daeron when Rhaenyra’s delivery is postponed en route to Dragonstone. Again, the First Princess is taken in a whirlwind of emotions that are killed beneath autonomous self-control. She takes no leisure in her recovery with the Second Hammer Uprising impending upon the realm as a result of the Great Synod of Lannisport and Silver Wedding.

The Bleeding
The Second Hammer Uprising could be described by historians as ‘the days that made’ Rhaenyra Targaryan into the true Golden Queen. Upon the rise of the Warsmiths, Rhaenyra attempted to sway Rhaegar into squashing the rebellion with the full Targaryen force. Visenya pushed for leniency and peace alongside Perceon Vance, hoping to not fuel the flames. In spite of this, the Warsmiths influence ballooned so much that Dragons were required to mitigate the compounding momentum. Rhaenyra herself joined Rhaegar in a campaign of war through the west in 434 A.C, riding Silanax as both the eye in the sky, and War Marshal to the Golden Company.

At the battle for Bitterbridge, Rhaenyra witnessed her King-Father’s fall in battle atop Blackfyre - sundered by a scorpions great bolt. The Princess allayed despair, rallying the royal host with doubled fury and turning the tide at a critical point. Many smaller scale battles ensued, but none would surpass the significance of the march upon Ashford.

Ser Duncan Hammer, the commander of the Uprising, thought little of the Princess as both warrior and general. She fed into this assumption with carefully measured mistakes upon the road to Ashford, supplementing the Golden Company with both House Tarly and Tyrell numbers. Ser Duncan’s force was surprisingly large, though the gap closed with pre-emptive groundwork laid in anticipation to the skirmish.

Pincering the Warsmith’s forces with their conjoined men and Silanax’s gilded breath, Lord Ashford surrendered and defected to Rhaenyra’s host. With these supplementary arms, they descended upon Ashford street by street, unwilling to ignite the town. Ser Duncan, a fierce warrior all his own, had joined the foray personally and issued a challenge to the Queen."'It was a fierce contest, but like Ser Duncan, she was well versed in the ways of the combat.  There was a certain finesse to her dance, contrasting the greater size and strength of the Warsmith.   The duel was a long one, and near its conclusion Rhaenyra’s shield arm was shattered by the man’s hammer.  But, she refused to succumb to the sickening pain, and in the end it was Rhaenyra’s blade that was lodged into his chest.  Unbeknownst to most, a timely intervention of Addam Hightower from the hind would earn her purchase to do so, and he a Whitecloak for his valor.'"Her duel with Duncan ends in grievous wounds. Secured between Addam Hightower, Alyn Tyrell and members of the Golden Company,  she was patched enough to fly back to King’s Landing after delegating command. It was rumored later that Rhaenyra were pronounced dead when she fell from her drake’s back, Grand Maester Godwyn working a miracle in stabilizing her Grace. A couple hours underwent the procedure to patch her abrasions, Queen harboring a broken clavicle, bruised shoulder and shorn scalp.

These injuries would keep with her the rest of her days.

In 435 A.C. Aegon crowned both his queens after his own coronation, beginning with the battered Rhaenyra: an honor both hard-fought and given by right. Rhaenyra enjoyed a surge of influence during this period. She was hailed as the single greatest hero of the Second Hammer Uprising, and her duel with Ser Duncan Hammer was quickly regarded as a thing of legends.

The newly minted Queen’s first act was to pressure Lord Perceon Vance from his seat as Hand. Having been a fixture of the court since the final years of King Aenar’s reign, she thought him a relic of the  past; in addition, his ineffective counsel had prolonged the war, inadvertently resulting in Rhaegar’s death. Seeking those still in line with Visaera’s vision, she supported Aerys Velaryon as hand of the King and ultimately succeeded. Her critical eye did not cease its wanderings from there --  however, The Clever One had done well to broker public sentiment and evaded her reformations. As ever, the Queen remained a staunch portrayal of impartial justice, advocating harsh punishment to dissuade future rebellions and treachery.

In the months that followed, Rhaenyra received the best treatment available to aid her swift recovery; that is, when they could anchor her to bed. The Queen was ever devout to duty, and hers was to advise the King when necessary. Though their intimacy was absent, there was an undeniable connection that remained, perhaps moreso Rhaenyra's vocal contributions. Two men that shared the battlefield with her, Addam Hightower and Alyn Tyrell, would receive the utmost praise and recommendation for the Kingsguard. At her behest, invitations were extended to the respective families to spectate their ceremonies, acknowledging them as saving her life and the realm.

Despite her notoriety as being unapproachable, she has proven herself an insightful politician when suiting her needs. Refusing to keep idle when able to sit atop Silanax, she visited two prominent military houses during the winter: House Baratheon and House Tarly. Though originally met with stiff reservation by the Stag, expressing a mindset separate from her husband earned acceptance and she marveled the Red Antlers during her visit.

Gwyneth Tarly, on the other hand, was a battle tested veteran who delighted the Queen with tales of warfare, tactics and leadership.

Regency
Her reign has been consumed with the tireless effects of war, stabilizing the Kingdom by taking her place behind Aegon. Counseling industrial fortifications and securing resources for the realm, the First Queen’s intolerance for foreign incursion is at the forefront of her mind. Echoing images of Visaera’s cold judgement, her demeanor naturally fed favor to her half-sister, who preaches pacifism and equality. The emerging factions have been whispered as the “Talons” and “Wings”, each representing the political sides of Aegon’s volatile wives.

Rhaenyra’s image has solidified to that of a competent, logical woman with unrestrained wroth for those breaching law, order and tradition. Preserving solidarity through retaliatory measures and swift, decisive action,  dissenters have popularized the nickname ‘Warmonger.” Twisting her inherent martial abilities and unwavering stance to maintain order within Westeros, some deem her an unknown variable in this forming stability. She continues to criticize Visenya’s idealism as a naivete that exacerbated the Second Hammer Uprising.

It is uncertain what she intends with the brewing tensions across the Narrow Sea and the sway she holds over these political matters. With Viserys beginning to grow independent, she contemplates the issue of a true born daughter to wed him; a distant concern given the quarrelsome health she tends to after the war. She preoccupies herself with resolving the dormancy of the Golden Company and re-instating the Dragonmaids.

Recent Events

 * 10th Moon, 438 A.C. - Escorted her sister, Naerys Targaryen, to her Wedding in Oldtown.
 * 12th Moon, 438 A.C. - Flew north to Winterfell at news of Wildlings capturing the Shadow Tower.
 * 1st Moon, 439 A.C. - Awaiting the arrival of King Aegon, she plans for their joint assault against the Wildlings.
 * 2nd Moon, 439 A.C. - Fought alongside Northern forces, and helped free them of the Wildling invasion. During this time the King was lost.
 * 5th Moon, 439 A.C. - Made her case at the Great Council for her son, Viserys, to be named next King of the Seven Kingdoms. Lost in a contested battle, and remains, for the time being, to see her son safely to the Driftmark, before she decides her next moves.
 * 6th Moon, 439 A.C. - Stayed in King's Landing to oversee the formation of a Regency Council comprised of eight lords from the eight regions, that would rule in place of a Queen Regent, until the King comes of age. Afterward, she took some time to settle her son in at Dragonstone, in the care of Vaemond II Velaryon.
 * 7th Moon, 439 A.C. - Returned to King's Landing to find out Queen Visenya had disbanded the Regency Council, and installed herself as Queen Regent. Rhaenyra was not happy...

Targaryen Family Tree

 * King Aenar I Targaryen, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms b. 320 A.C. d. 407 A.C.
 * m. Queen Helaena Targaryen, b. 322 A.C. d. 346 A.C.
 * Prince Aenys Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone b. 340 A.C. d. 368 A.C.
 * m. Lady Lenore Blackwood, b. 339 A.C. d. 367 A.C.
 * Maegor Waters, Bastard of Dragonstone b. 365 A.C, d. 407 A.C.
 * 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. d. 416 A.C.
 * Princess Visaera Targaryen, Princess of Dragonstone b. 369 A.C. d. 420 A.C.
 * m. Prince Aemon Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone b. 371 A.C. d. 405 A.C.
 * King Rhaegar Targaryen, b. 387 A.C. d. 435 A.C.
 * w. Selenya Targaryen, b. 381 A.C. d. 408 A.C.
 * Queen Visenya Silvermoon, b. 408 A.C.
 * King Daeron Targaryen, b. 431 A.C.
 * m. Queen Rhaenys Targaryen b. 387 A.C. d. 431 A.C.
 * Dowager Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen b. 408 A.C.
 * Prince Viserys Targaryen b. 431 A.C.
 * King Aegon Targaryen, b. 411 A.C.
 * Prince Aerion Targaryen, b. 412 A.C.
 * m. Elyana Dayne, b. 412 A.C.
 * Prince Baelor Targaryen, b. 415 A.C.
 * m. Aemma Arryn, b. 415 A.C.
 * Prince Jacaerys Targaryen, b.
 * Princess Saera Targaryen, b.
 * Prince Daemon Targaryen, b. 417 A.C.
 * Princess Naerys Targaryen, b. 418 A.C.
 * Prince Laenor Targaryen b. 388 A.C. d. 414 A.C.
 * m. Meria Martell, b. 381 A.C. d. 411 A.C.
 * m. Eliane Martell, 391 A.C. d. 413 A.C.
 * House Martell
 * Princess Aelinor Targaryen, b. 389 A.C. d. 419 A.C.
 * Prince Viserys Targaryen, b. 402 A.C. d. 418 A.C.
 * Prince Daeron Targaryen, b. 373 A.C. d. 425 A.C.
 * Princess Saera Targaryen, b. 383 A.C. d. 435 A.C.
 * m. Osric Arryn, b. 382 A.C. d. 435 A.C.
 * House Arryn
 * Princess Vaella Targaryen, b. 346 A.C d. 404 A.C.
 * m. Lord Vaemond Velaryon, b. 344 A.C. d. 407 A.C.
 * House Velaryon

Dragon Maids
The Dragon Maidens, commonly referred to as the dragon maids, were an informal order of women warriors in service to the Princess Rhaenys. Having little tolerance for the proclivities of female courtiers and handmaidens, she instead opted to pursue martial partners for training and camaraderie. The King Aenar’s commentary over “the sheer size of some of her dragon maids” coined the name that sticks to this day.

Rumor has it they frequently doubled as lovers to the former Queen, as well, but these accusations were presumed to arise from the devotion required of the role. However, due to accruing issues that divided Rhaenys attention, the group was largely disbanded before her coronation in 420 A.C.

In 424 A.C., Rhaenyra sought to follow her mother's footsteps, reinstating the concept. Though at first adhering to a simpler reference of her retinue as dragon maids, they were eventually recognized as a legitimate faction in 435 A.C. Since then, the Queen has endeavored to inject structure and growth into her chosen hands.

Known Dragon Maids: Past Dragon Maids:
 * Annara Hayford
 * Margot Massey
 * Jayde Thorne
 * Sarya Thorne
 * Cerenna Tarth
 * Barba Buckwell
 * Berena Stark
 * Augusta Mallister