What if…
Young Rhea Royce frequently travelled to the Red Keep as company for the much younger Lady Jeyne to visit Aemma Arryn during the reign of King Jahaerys I. During her trips, she developed a close relationship with the youngest daughter of the Queen and King. Despite being a few years older than Rhea, Princess Gael lived a sheltered life and knew less about the outsides of the Keep, much less about the matters of men and women. After Aemma’s wedding and consequent bedding with Viserys, Rhea realized that she held unusual affection for the Princess and confided about her growing feelings to Lady Redfort, another trusted lady from the Vale. Lady Redfort discouraged her from informing anyone of her attraction to the Princess, claiming that the seven would persecute her for such admission. At the same time, Lady Redfort opened up regarding her preferences and told Rhea not to deny herself the truth but to hold it close and never let another soul use it against her. Despite the secrecy of Rhea’s affection, the relationship between Rhea and Princess Gael eventually blossomed into something more. Chaste kisses, secret midnight strolls, and warm hugs were shared between the two, with the Princess initiating it as “practice” for her future life as a woman grown. When Rhea Royce celebrated her 17th name day, she was already planning an escape from Westeros to take her winter Princess across the narrow sea. Away from responsibilities, away from judgement—just the two of them in love and contentment. But as the years passed, Gael grew colder and more timid as five of her sisters passed within the span of five years. Queen Alysanne developed extreme paranoia regarding losing her youngest, to the point that Princess Gael no longer had the freedom to meet Rhea as often, putting a toll on their relationship.
An informant from the Hand of the King discovered Gael and Rhea’s relationship and had plans to inform King Jaeherys to sow further discord between the husband and wife, a plan to weaken the ruling Targaryen dynasty. Queen Alysanne managed to intercept the message through her network of spies in the red keep, and decided to take matters into her own hands. Afraid of losing another child, with Saera still exiled despite her pleas to her brother-husband, the good queen begged her youngest daughter to stop her relationship with Lady Rhea. She swiftly matched the young woman from the Vale to a marriage with her youngest grandson, Daemon. Convincing herself that Rhea and Daemon have many things in common and that the marriage between the two will put any rumours to rest, she justified her decision. She stayed steadfast in her choice despite the objection from both Daemon and Rhea Royce. Shortly before the wedding in the sept, Rhea attempted to flee from the crownsland and begged Gael to come with her. The Princess denied her, tearfully saying that her mother could not bear to lose another child and insisted that their relationship was one of childhood naivety. Gael, choosing her mother and her duty as Princess of the Blood, commanded Rhea to wed her nephew as a way to settle the matter (using Rhea’s vow of devotion, not unlike a sworn shield’s). This command broke Rhea’s heart, and she sombrely complied and marched to the sept to await her husband-to-be, who she believes to be equally unwilling to swear fidelity and love for her as she is to him. Thus, Daemon and Rhea were forced to wed in front of the masses—one physically restrained to be present for the wedding, the other without chains but shackled nonetheless.
On the night of supposed consummation, the newlywed spent the night showing disdain for each other. With Daemon hurling insults to his new lady wife, and Rhea restraining herself from stabbing a royal prince. Eventually (after physically entering into a brawl which Rhea won much to Daemon’s chagrin), the two settled to spend their night as far away from each other despite being confined in the same room. When the servants came in the next day, they found no sign of consummation and only a seething Targaryen prince who quickly left the keep to stay away from the Bronze Bitch.
After the King heard of the news, he demanded both Rhea Royce and Daemon immediately leave for Runestone to live their life as husband and wife. The angered dragon prince had no choice but to comply. As an act of rebellion, he rode the blood wyrm and flew to the mountains of the vale alone, leaving his new wife to ride back to her home for moons. After some time, the two eventually reconciled and decided to live amicably with each other as Daemon remained banished from court and forced to stay within his wife’s land. Rhea, now head of her house, was too busy to fight him when she had duties to attend to. Eventually, the two understood that they were saddled with each other for the foreseeable future.
For some time, it appeared as if the plans of Queen Alysanne came to great fruition. Rumours about the affair between Princess Gael and the now-married Rhea Royce died down, and instead, the news of the turbulent, yet nonetheless legal, marriage between the rogue prince and his bronze bitch spread throughout the realm. However, not even two years later—the Queen would still have to lay her youngest daughter to rest. Gael, alone and reluctant to see her former paramour forced into a marriage she did not want by her own command, spiralled into a depression. Some maids under the management of the good queen whispered about the princess’s declining mental and physical health, but the news was contained within the Red Keep under the order of the King. Gael wanted to prove herself as a dutiful and capable woman worthy of a good marriage per her parent’s wishes. Yet some of the serving ladies continued to talk of how the Princess believed her mother’s words to be true, insisting that her fascination and devotion to Rhea Royce was of ignorance and childishness. Six moons after the marriage between Rhea Royce and Daemon Targaryen, rumours regarding Princess Gael bedding a travelling singer and falling with child started going around the capital. With the Princess falling even more ill and eventually disappearing from the court, Queen Alysanne attempted to nurse her daughter back to health and stomp the rumours from spreading, but it was all for nothing. The news continued to spread in court as if being whispered by an invisible entity and soon reached the ears of the frail princess herself. Fifteen moons after the wedding, Gael Targaryen drowned herself in Blackwater Bay, and Queen Alysanne lost her will to live.
During her funeral, Rhea Royce and Daemon Targaryen arrived alongside the men from the Vale. With the Lady of Runestone visibly shaken and mourning. Lady Redfort remarked later in life that the late Queen had refused to look in Rhea’s direction—either of blame or guilt, no one would ever know. The good Queen would then retreat permanently to Dragonstone until her death, forever mourning all the children she lost in her lifetime.
Rhea Royce and Daemon remained civil in marriage and were friends, at least. They never formed any attraction to each other, with Daemon’s obsession over blood purity and Rhea’s lack of desire for cock. However, they bond over the constant need to hunt and conquer, often trading blows in both words and swords. They reluctantly consummated their marriage once after Rhea Royce’s fertility was questioned by her cousin, bearing their twin daughters: Baela and Rhaena. Since Rhea Royce admitted to her unwilling husband that she was once in love with the late Princess Gael and the obvious longing that the rogue prince held for his niece—the married couple stayed amicable throughout the marriage. They both understand that their marriage is a political union and have come to an understanding of respecting each other’s wishes. Rhea advises Daemon to curve his temper, teaching him how to appeal to his brother Viserys and giving him the freedom to foster his mistresses in the confines of the keep under the agreement that he will bear no bastards. At the same time, Daemon uses his reputation to stop male members of House Royce from attempting to usurp his wife’s position and assist her in gathering more political power in the Vale. They plan to formally annul the marriage as soon as Rhaenyra comes of age and propose a marriage between the two Targaryen. Rhea was appointed Master of the Hunt and Master of Laws in King Viserys I’s court, while Daemon stayed as both Master-at-Arms and Commander of the Gold Cloak. Runestone was temporarily left under the care of Rhea Royce’s trusted nephew, with Baela as its heir apparent. Baela’s dragon hatched on the third month after her birth, while Rhaena’s did not.
Laena Velaryon comes to Kings Landing to serve as lady-in-waiting for Princess Rhaenyra after the subsequent marriage of her former friend Alicent to her King Father. Lady Laena eventually married Ser Harwin Strong years later, bearing him three strong sons: Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey (named after her brother’s lover who perished during the fight in the Stepstones). Corlys proclaimed Laena as his heir after Leanor joined the Kingsguard, insisting that her second son Luke take the name Velaryon once he ascends the driftwood throne. Jacaerys, on the other hand, is heir to Harrenhal. Laena is Rhaenyra’s closest friend and ally, tying House Velaryon and House Targaryen together.
Under the continuous urge of Lady Rhea Royce and the support of Lady Jeyne Arryn and Princess Rhaenys—Viserys did not exile his brother as he initially planned. Instead, he kept Daemon close. With the threats of Rhea Royce’s brawn and Princess Rhaenys’ scolding, Daemon avoided saying words he would regret, maintaining a decent relationship between the two estranged brothers. Viserys still married Allicent Hightower due to Otto’s plot. Siring Aegon the Older, Helaena, and Aemond.
Despite his reluctance to promise Daemon and Rhaenyra to each other, Viserys eventually caved in when Lady Jeyne Arryn (under the guidance of both Princess Rhaenys and Lady Rhea Royce) reminded him of his late wife’s wish for house unity and subtle implications of possible foul play in Aemma’s death. The heir and her uncle married in both ways of Valyria and the Seven. Rhaenyra gave birth to their first child Baelon in the middle of a storm, a year after Prince Aemond was born. The people of Kings Landing claimed that the storm ended as soon as the newborn prince let out his first cry. Thus making him Prince Baelon, the Storm Breaker, heir to Dragonstone. Three years later, they had Prince Aegon the Younger. A year later, Prince Viserys II was born. Nine years after the birth of their first child and a year after the passing of King Viserys I and the ascension of Queen Rhaenyra. The Black Queen and the Prince-Consort of Dragonstone welcomed their only daughter and last living child Princess Visenya.
Daeron was never born because of the execution of Otto Hightower after attempting to secretly poison the then-first-time pregnant Princess Rhaenyra with the help of Maester Mellos. A plan that was disrupted by spies planted by Daemon’s former paramour and Lady Rhea Royce’s current lover Mysaria. With the help of the Houses Arryn and Tyrell, they also discovered that the Citadel had poisoned the late Queen Aemma and her dead children. Additionally, there were hints that they, too, were responsible for the swift death of Prince Baelon the Brave. Daemon sentenced Otto and other conspirators, such as the Hightowers and many Maesters of the Citadel, to a gruesome death. Allicent Hightower was dismissed by the King and forced to join the Silent Sisters, leaving her youngest son Aemond to be raised by Rhaenyra and Daemon. During the Trial of Gwayne Hightower, he insisted on a trial by combat, which he lost to Daemon Targaryen. But as an act of treachery, Gwayne attempted to stab the prince consort with a poison dagger after his defeat. This event led to the unexpected death of Rhea Royce, who noticed the underhanded attack due to her proximity to the battle (being the Master of Laws) while attempting to protect the father of her children and perhaps her closest confidante. Lady Baela and Lady Rhaena insisted that Rhea Royce be given a dragon rider’s funeral, which Rhaenyra and Daemon fully agreed to, claiming that Lady Rhea was a dragon in every way other than blood. Lady Baela gave the order to her dragon Moondancer to set the remains of her lady mother on fire.
Following the death of her lover, Mysaria initially served as regent for Runestone until Baela came of age. After finishing her job, she sailed to Essos and was never seen again. Words did spread that she ended up meeting the exiled Princess Saera Targaryen shortly before she passed and entered a partnership with the Targaryen princess’ children to establish branches of multiple brothels all across Essos, ensuring the safety of the courtesans. Some whispers say that Mysaria may even control one of the biggest whorehouse in Kings Landing, but that rumour was never confirmed. All that was known was that the Queen and her council had extensive knowledge of the movements and schemes of the triarchy in the following years.
After the death of Rhea Royce, Lady Baela replaced her mother as the rightful ruler of Runestone at only 10, with Mysaria serving as her regent until her 14th name day. She then served as a trusted advisor to the Lady Paramount of the Vale, opting to stay away from the Red Keep and her father, with whom she shares a similar temperament and the inability to admit their wrong. Baela wed Aegon the Older after he renounced his claim to the throne. They shared an adventure-filled life, with Aegon contented to be a trophy husband for his competent and headstrong wife. On the other hand, Baela shared a tumultuous relationship with her father following her lady mother’s death, as they both have inadequate capacity to mourn healthily. The two would often clash and lash out at each other, leading to years of silence until the difficult birth of her firstborn—during which the Prince-Consort would once again terrorize the Vale with his equally erratic dragon, threatening to burn it down if his daughter were to succumb in her birthing bed. Master Gerardys and his apprentice acolyte Velqor would later claim in their writing that the Prince-Consort would only shed as many tears as he did that day on two more occasions: the second time being when his son Viserys II and granddaughter Daena informed him of his namesake, and in his deathbed overwhelmed with fear and guilt of having to leave his twin flame and beloved behind.
Baela of Runestone and Aegon the Older bore only one son in their lifetime named Maelor. Aegon the Older was traumatized by almost losing his wife to childbirth, to the point that he vowed to all the gods, old and new, never to put any more babe in her. Their dragons, Sunfyre and Moondancer, ended up as a pair, bearing clutches of new dragon eggs to be distributed to members of House Targaryen.
Lady Rhaena, at the age of 20, a renowned scholar of the Old Valyria and dragon rider who claimed the dragon Silverwing five years prior–married Lucerys Velaryon, who at that time was five years younger than her and became Lady of the Tides after the passing of Corlys Velaryon. They eventually had three children, two daughters and one son: Vaenna, Laena, and Aurane. Like her sister and good brother, Rhaena and Lucerys are excellent dragon riders. The common folk of Driftmark often remarks how Arrax and Silverwing would be spotted flying across the skies between Driftmark and Dragonstone, glistening like floating gems above the salty sea.
Her good-brother Jace became Lord of Harrenhal after Ser Harwin Strong abdicated and served once more as Commander of City Watch to stay in Kings Landing with his wife and Lady Hand until his death. The same year he became Lord of Harrenhal, Jacaerys married Princess Helaena Targaryen and had twins with dark hair: Jaeherys and Jaehera. They are often seen flying across the trident, and the crown lands with their respective dragons, Dreamfyre and Vermax, with their twin children, saddled across their chests.
Joffrey Strong, on the other hand, crossed the narrow sea, sharing his mother’s love for adventure and assembled a group of wandering mercenaries before marrying a young woman liberated from Mantarys. They settled in Braavos with a band of sellswords in their later years. Although Joffrey never claimed a dragon in his lifetime, his eldest child will sail across Westeros one day and hatch the egg put in his father’s cradle years ago with the help of rumoured blood magic from Asshai. An extraordinary feat that was mainly unheard of until the hatching of Dreamfyre’s petrified stolen eggs centuries later under the care of Daenerys Targaryen.
As Queen, Rhaenyra saw many changes to the Westerosi hierarchy. First, by officially changing the succession line into cognatic primogeniture, then increasing Westerosi women’s rights, improving the situation in Flea Bottom, and the subsequent demolition of the dragon pit. She also ensured that the faith of the seven would no longer dominate the seven kingdoms, officially promoting the freedom to practice any religion and revitalizing the worshipping of the Pantheon of Valyria.
Daemon, trying to prove his departed brother’s initial suspicion wrong and reassure the rest of the realm that he will not usurp the throne from his niece-wife, asked to be officially named as Prince-Consort of Dragonstone instead of King-Consort.
Princess Rhaenys was asked to be Hand of the Queen, only to be replaced by her daughter Laena after her passing. Eventually, Prince Aegon the Younger will be established as Master of Laws and Prince Viserys II as Master of Coin in the last days of Queen Rhaenyra’s reign. They will continue to occupy the position till the end of their eldest brother’s reign.
Prince Baelon, the heir to the Iron Throne, eventually marries his cousin Vaenna Velaryon with whom he will have six children: Viserra, Daeron, Baelor, Daena, Elaena, and Rhaena. He will take lordship of Summerhall at 14 and be Prince of Dragonstone after his father’s death, eventually ascending the iron throne in the event of his mother’s passing.
He would name his sworn brothers Maelor Targaryen and Jaeherys Strong his hands after ascending the Iron throne. His eldest daughter Viserra will succeed him later, becoming the second queen to sit on the Iron Throne. Crown Princess Viserra Targaryen, the last known rider of Syrax, will be deeply besotted with a Dornish prince from House Martell. She will eventually marry him and broker peace between the kingdoms, bringing Dorne back into the fold. From their union comes two children: Prince Maekar and Princess Daenerys.
Viserra Targaryen, first of her name, Second Queen of the Iron Throne, will eventually abdicate from her position after a decade of ruling, opting to travel far and wide alongside her Dornish husband and yellow lady. Prince Maekar will then ascend the iron throne at the tender age of seven and ten, alongside his aunt-wife Princess Rhaena.
Aegon the Younger, on the other hand, ended up marrying Jaehera Strong, resulting in twin children: Naerys and Aemon the Dragon Knight. The two will wed in the tradition of their house and reside in a keep in Summerhall gifted by King Baelon, first of his name.
Viserys II will eventually find love in his niece Princess Daena later in his life, bearing four children with Targaryen colouring: Daemon the Black Flame—named after the Prince-Consort of Dragonstone, Aegor the Anvil, Maegon the Bloodraven, and Shiera the Silver Lady. Daemon will fall in love with Princess Daenerys and eventually win her hand by reconquering the Stepstones, much like his namesake. The warrior reincarnate, as the realm calls him, did not demand marriage between him and his love, but demanded an oath from the King that the Princess would not be forced to wed by the crown and for her to have a husband of her choosing. They will eventually fortify the Stepstones and become the official paramount of the region, forever solidifying its place within the Westeros border.
As for Prince Aemond, he was raised by the Queen and Prince-Consort alongside Prince Baelon, Prince Aegon the Younger, Prince Viserys II, and Princess Visenya. Because of the fall of the Hightowers and the sentencing of Alicent early in his childhood, Prince Aemond barely remembers his mother. He has grown to idolize his Great Uncle Daemon and loves his Queen Sister and her children. He proclaimed himself as protector of the House of the Dragon and eventually took over as Master-at-Arms, nearing the end of his sister’s reign. He ultimately claimed Vermithor as his dragon while on a trip to Dragonmont at the age of 15, the same year his favourite niece claimed the wild dragon Cannibal at the tender age of 5. And if the young prince ended up falling in love with his only niece and whisking her away for a secret wedding just like his Great Uncle did to his eldest sister, then perhaps it is only karma for the rogue prince.
Thus begins the age of prosperity for the House of the Dragon, preparing them for the Second Long Night. When the white walkers marched down the wall, dragon riders from all over Westeros, with the blood of the dragon in their veins, stood up to fight for the living. In the end, King Aegon, sixth of his name, child of the departed Queen Lyanna Stark and King Rhaegar Targaryen, who ousted his father Aerys the Mad with the aid of his sworn brothers Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon, sits on the Iron Throne alongside his aunt-wife Daenerys “Stormborn.” With dragons roaming free across the skies of Westeros and House Targaryen standing strong in all its glory—the Song of Ice and Fire comes to a close.
