#resonant asks

[syndrossi]

I’ve just realised that when Daemon’s twins are born in the Unworthy Era AU, he’ll be able to name them Baelon and Aemon in honour of his father and uncle from his first life, AND ALSO in honour of his uncle and older brother from his second life. I think that’s really sweet (Aemon and Baelor are definitely going to be so touched).

This is true! I wonder if Baelor gives Daemon any ribbing about choosing BaeloN instead of BaeloR. But hey, naming his dark-haired son after his dark-haired brother is clearly the intent here.

And if Aegon doesn't make it to the throne, both Naerys and Aemon have a chance of living long enough to meet Daemon's children. Do we think Baelor considers reciprocating and naming one of his sons after Daemon? Daemon as a name seemed to wane in popularity with House Targaryen after the Blackfyre Rebellion(s), which is a shame given that they have claim to the OG Daemon! Whereas in this AU, it's not even a given that B!Daemon makes a bid for the throne, and R!Daemon has the prestige of a dragon, and then sons with dragons.

[syndrossi]

In spirit of giving Daemon identity crisis :)

Daemon as the eldest son and heir of Aenys the Weak. Perhaps as Rhaena's twin brother. Maegor never gets to sneak-claim Balerion because Daemon gets there first.

Now we're cooking!

And you know, it's not that much longer for Daemon to wait to bond to a dragon than in his first life (we don't have an exact date for when he claimed Caraxes, just that it happened some time after Aemon's death, though in Resonant 'verse canon, it happens very soon after, as Baelon takes Daemon with him to try to get the wandering Caraxes to return home). Aegon dies when Rhaena is 13-14, so if Daemon is her twin, that lines up well.

Meanwhile, we end up with the married twins having two sets of twins. Rhaena better get a nice, long break after that! And as many pretty/spirited ladies at court as she likes for her ladies-in-waiting.

Does Maegor give up, I wonder? He and Visenya still have Vhagar. He might be behind the curve as far as claiming a mount, but there might be a few young drakes flying around at this time. He and Visenya can bide their time over in Essos, awaiting a time to strike. (Possibly even striking a deal with some warlocks + Volantis in exchange for Daemon and Rhaena's firstborn twins?)

Oh, but all the siblings Daemon suddenly has! Being his GRANDFATHER'S older brother has to be a real mindfuck. Especially since I feel like younger Jaehaerys would be a lot different than the old one that Daemon knew. Having a little brother Viserys who looks up to him. Heck, and Aegon lives as well!

Lots on his and Rhaena's plate, though, between the Faith Militant (which still needs to be swatted down), Maegor + Visenya, and whatever Volantis and the warlocks have cooking up here.

[syndrossi]

Also, for the Daena AU (Remade? Given that Daemon has just had his whole body/identity changed out from under him?), what if Daena CHOSE to marry m!Rhea (any consensus on the name yet? I do like Rayman, and I feel like it weirding Daemon out because that was Rhaegar's temporary name might be a feature rather than a bug if played right) because Viserys was trying to arrange a match with his new bestie Otto Hightower and Daena wasn't having ANY of that.

Okay, okay, we'll give this AU an actual name so I can tag it properly. I'm going with Revocation AU, since Viserys ultimately tries to "revoke" m!Rhea's claim on Daena.

The primary factor here is the fact that most Targaryen princesses seem to be wed off young, which means not only is Jaehaerys king when that decision would be made (likely at the same age that canon Daemon was married off, aka 16-17 years old), but Baelon is still alive. Viserys isn't even on Otto's radar at this point, honestly, he's still wriggling his way into Jaehaerys's court.

It's a harder sell to Jaehaerys to betroth his heir's only daughter to a second son--as that second son's second wife, no less! You would need circumstances like with Viserra, where Saera's actions give their parents cause to be nervous and seek a match--any match--to forgo any scandal. And Viserra was a very spare daughter, where the succession was concerned. OTOH, if Daena isn't considered the top match for her brother, perhaps there is some merit to seeking a less powerful (read: second son) match for her, as it spares Viserys any ambitions her husband might have through her children.

So if we squint a little and say that Jaehaerys is super impressed by Otto, who is being his most charming/stable/persuasive as a widower, and Daena is being a bit...spirited, then maybe it's a more tempting match to consider. To which Daena goes HELL NO. It's a bit more entertaining if Daemon is already conscious at this point, because he has to decide between the lesser of two evils (which is obviously the devil he knows in m!Rhea). And then you get the unexpectedly-falling-for romantic plot.

The thought of Viserys as Otto's hype man in his very uphill-battle courtship is definitely amusing me, though.

I am warming up to Raymar myself as the m!Rhea name. TBH, I'm pretty sure Daemon has half-forgotten that was Rhaegar's name, given that Rhaegar "claimed" a Targaryen name basically the instant the boys met him. Also there's something interesting to me about Rhea giving the child whose presence made her uncomfortable a name she would have had, had she been born male. (I wonder if it's something her father ever told her.)

[syndrossi]

What would be the reactions of a Daemon reincarnated as the second son of Daeron II having Caraxes’ reincarnate into his cradle egg and hatch? (Depending on when he’s born there even is a chance Viserys II could be around to see it, imagine the mindfuck in that!)?

Funny you should ask, since I'm 1000 words deep into writing this very thing. 😅 And because I am an absolute sucker for poignant memories, of course Viserys II is still around! (Viserys dies around 172, and I'm putting Daemon's birth at 171ish, a year after his brother Baelor.)

“Light,” he commanded, hardly able to hear himself over the pounding of his heart. “Bring me light.” Ser Kevan carried a lamp over, granting him full view of the cradle. The scaled shape within was a deep red, deeper than the egg that had held it. Its body was curled into his son’s side, not unlike a kitten, and of a similar size. A long neck extended from it, resting upon Daemon’s chest, its gaze fixed upon the babe that was babbling to it. Morning was not the last dragon to hatch, Daeron knew. A few had hatched before her death, but they had been small and sickly, often deformed. The hatchling within his son’s cradle looked precisely how Daeron had always imagined a dragon might, only in miniature form. Its wings were tucked into its body, but they looked well-formed, and when Daeron dared extend a hand toward the cradle, it turned to him with golden eyes narrowed in suspicion, the small rumble of a roar rising in its chest. “Send for meat,” Daeron said, holding his hand in place as he studied the creature. “Mutton, pork, beef, all of it. And the king. Send for the king.”

[syndrossi]

For ANY variant of Reverberate, I am just- so amused by the court at large and Otto in particular dealing with Rhea and Daemon's reconciliation and Daemon's sudden parental enthusiasm, because the effect on his reputation is going to be, uh- counterproductive to Otto's goals. As well as losing a useful rhetorical tool. Or- honestly, even Viserys. Like- initial smug 'I told you so' about sending Daemon back to Rhea working, but if Daemon is spending time at Runestone voluntarily, exiling him there no longer works quite as well as a punishment, and- honestly, I'm just endlessly entertained by the image of Viserys now constantly having to find excuses to summon Daemon to court from Runestone. (Daemon maybe figuring that keeping the kids at Runestone works to hide them from Volantis better than the Gates of the Moon would, with fewer travellers coming through there, and also...a certain amount of wariness resulting from Viserys' behaviour re: taking the twins hostage in Resonant proper).

Sorry, you just made me think about Viserys's new punishment for Daemon being a reverse banishment aka "get your ass to King's Landing RIGHT NOW and spend time with me" and I'm so amused.

It *is* just as effective because it's banishing Daemon from his family. But OTOH, what the heck could Daemon even be doing that is reverse-banishment-worthy? Probably nothing, which means Viserys is mostly just upset that he's unofficially summoned Daemon a few times already and he hasn't responded so now he has to make it OFFICIAL, and now his brother is back at the Red Keep, but incredibly grumpy, and the most tempting council position he can dangle in front of him is doing fuck-all.

I think the best Viserys can do, temptation-wise, is offer to construct a new House Targaryen holding for Daemon and his sons, which will have Otto in maximum damage control mode.

But yes, innocuous reasons to summon Daemon as well. Here's a tourney in honor of your sons' birth! (Just like Viserys proposes in Reverberate proper.) I need your counsel on the subject of Rhaenyra's match! We're celebrating my, uh, fifth year of my reign and you and your family must attend! I'm trying to decide what to do with Blackfyre hint hint, etc.

I also love the thought of Otto tearing his hair out because it's all so nonsensical. Why does Viserys suddenly care so much, when he should be focusing on his two new sons? Why is he not immediately declaring one of them his heir? Does Otto need to campaign hard for a Rhaenyra/Aegon match? What's Rhea's part in all of this? What does it mean that Daemon seems to be eschewing all ambition whatsoever, outside of clamoring for war with half of Essos? Does he have designs of an empire across the Narrow Sea? Surely Otto can't be expected to believe that Daemon Targaryen, the second coming of Maegor himself, is out there auditioning woodworkers for the honor of constructing his twins' first bed once they're out of the cradle?

[syndrossi]

Upsides of Daemon as the second eldest of Daeron 2's brats: -dragons before the rebellion -gets to punch Aegor Rivers in the face at half his size at least once for free -Aegon 4 having to deal with indisputably legitimate Daeron 2 if for no other reason than because Daemon the Rogue Prince Come Again (with free bonus Caraxes (Caraxes survived and hid in the god's eye island until his best boy came back? with free sword? Caraxes Reborn as cradle egg? some third thing?)) keeps challenging people to trials by combat at pint sized age and keeps winning!!! -Daemon and Rhaegal mutual gremlin energy -Daemon getting to punt Other Worse Daemon around the yard -Daemon getting to explore Dorne! He hates it!!! -Daemon and Aemon the Dragonknight in the same vicinity -"six men or sixty, he's still Daemon Targaryen" Redgrass edition Upsides of Daemon as the second eldest of Baelor Breakspear's brood: -Even less Valyrian than ever before: panic -Free excellent parents and older brother in Valarr -new exciting younger brother!!! they get into SO MANY shenanigans!! -Daemon the namesake sneaking his tiny ass onto the battlefield at Redgrass for ultimate surprise Caraxes burninating his annoying great uncles -sooo many bitty cousins looking up to him and following him around oh the anxiety, but also more family!!! -fun experiment of "how much dragon blood to control dragons" anxiety in his second first marriage, still gets his boys! -giving Baelor proof that "dragon" is not actually the solution to all problems people (his family) think it is, but it sure helps in some cases -giving Aegor Bittersteel a jealousy ulcer -pitting Volantis against Tyrosh in new fun ways by accident -getting to kick Aerion into the dirt for free -"six men or sixty, he's still Daemon Targaryen" Ashford Meadow Trial of Seven edition (saving Baelor's life in the process). also prevents the kingsguard from participating since Daemon wouldn't leave it at the last minute. (tiny cheering squad Jon and Rhaegar that Egg has to keep a handle on, much to his dismay) Silly thoughts silly thoughts

Daemon, son of Daeron

It's strange to think how close in age he is with Daemon Blackfyre here, given that B!Daemon is roughly of an age with Baelor. So you have B!Daemon and then our R!Daemon who is, like, maybe 2 years younger.

But you know, I'm not sure if Daemon being a sword-wielding prodigy is necessarily helping the Daeron "son of Aemon the Dragonknight" allegations, unless it somehow appeals to Aegon's ego. Which, granted, it very well could, given that Daemon is bonded to a dragon! But also, I'm sure that Daemon is super drawn to his great-uncle Aemon, even as he finds certain aspects of Aegon + Naerys + Aemon's history suspiciously familiar, thanks to Rhaegar's Dragonknight stories. So Aegon's gonna be annoyed/frustrated about that at least.

Oh, and the absolute horror of learning that he's his own great-great-grandchild, but not by Jon or Rhaegar, WHO ACCORDING TO HISTORY DON'T EXIST WTF, but some unfamiliar son who was HELD CAPTIVE BY LYS. Poor Daemon isn't going to take a full breath until he finally has his twins someday.

For claiming a dragon, it seems like this was the era of desperately-leveraging-cradle-eggs-in-the-hopes-that-one-will-hatch, so that appeals to me a lot, because suddenly one does! And no one was ready for that! But huge ++++legitimacy for Daeron when it happens. (Pretty sure B!Daemon advocates hard for his own egg out of a natural rivalry with R!Daemon.)

I'm curious what Daemon ultimately ends up feeling about Dorne. I could see a love/hate forming. He stubbornly doesn't want to like it, but he has his mother's spicy palate and loves the food, and the terrain is quite different than what he's used to, which makes it interesting, and maybe he meets a member of House Dayne who reminds him a little of Rhaegar. (House Dayne match for Daemon, perhaps? Just don't steal your younger brother's girl! 😂)

Also, so many very different brothers to form various relationships with. Does Aerys remind him a little of Rhaegar's enthusiasm for books? Does Maekar's frown at times look like Jon's? (Though I'm sure Baelor also reminds him a ton of Jon.)

Daemon, son of Baelor

Uh oh, running out of steam here. I find this slightly less fascinating, just because the previous generation or two is so politically chaotic, while this one involves a lot of people eventually dying off to thin out the family tree a bit for eventual Summerhall. Even so, as you said, still plenty of brothers and cousins underfoot! (No sisters in any of these scenarios. Gotta be a Maekarling for that!)

How obsessed is Aerion when Daemon claims a dragon? What does that do to the poor kid, in fact? I think it's easier to fall into delusions of "I am a dragon" when there are no actual dragons around, but when there is a literal one to behold, surely it becomes "I WANT a dragon?"

Mostly though the appeal of this setup is how many headaches/scares Daemon gives Baelor, given how well-behaved in comparison his brothers are lol. Then there's the awkwardness of his second son being the one with a dragon. And I mentioned before, in this scenario, I think Maekar ends up as the favorite uncle for Daemon, who feels at least a little vindicated to see perfect Baelor have to deal with at least ONE gremlin. Pretty sure he laughs his ass off at the first white hairs that show up on Baelor's dark head.

[syndrossi]

In the Reunion AU, does Jon suspect that Teriphos’ tale of it all being Viserys’ fault is bullshit? Also, I know people have already asked this before but : how is Rhea in this shitshow? Does Viserys’ think his brother really defected or does he (correctly) think this Volante lies and his brother is a hostage?

We see a little skepticism peeking through in this most recent ficlet, but Jon mostly tries to brush it aside. It'll all depend on both Teriphos's sell job, and Daemon's sell job (or on Teriphos possibly managing to convince Daemon that Viserys views him as a traitor currently, even if he would never have been involved in Jon's "death" years before). It's not like Viserys hasn't been convinced by other people (*cough* Otto *cough*) in the past that Daemon's motives shouldn't be trusted.

The Viserys story in general is a bit of a calculated risk on Teriphos's part. He could have just handed Daemon over to the warlocks rather than risk him challenging Jon's loyalty to Teriphos, but he is being a little greedy and also a little suspicious of what happens if/when his warlock allies get what they want, especially if their protection is what he's been counting on to hold off any dragon assaults.

He has a special mission planned for Jon, in fact, to debut his dragon to the world...

As for what Viserys is thinking, I'm sure Otto is all over any whispered rumors of Daemon defecting, and Daemon was certainly in a pure rage when he left, but he had promised Daemon justice. And it's not like Daemon's out there flying Caraxes in service to Volantis! He and the twins essentially disappeared in the night in circumstances that either suggest a masterfully executed kidnapping...or an inside job.

And that inside job could very well have been facilitated by the knight of House Royce whose letter brought Daemon to Gulltown in the first place.

Which brings us, of course, to Rhea. Rhea, who was in some serious danger when Daemon was on the warpath, but who (unlike in Regret AU) has the excuse of her own trauma over losing her firstborn son to explain why she might have hidden two new sons away. Especially if the instant their existence was revealed they were kidnapped.

If Rhea is smart, and I do think she is, she is playing that angle as hard as she can, and it might not even wholly be an angle, TBH. But there is definitely quite the political shitstorm going down in the Vale right now.

And at least for now, Daemon and his sons are still missing as far as everyone else is concerned. The Victory Pit is a very secure location to have kept Jon and a dragon larger than Balerion effectively a secret from the world. After how long it's been (one or two months at this point?), there are probably a no small few people who believe Daemon and his sons were murdered, their bodies tossed out to sea. Only the fact that Caraxes has been spotted in various locations on Essos, riderless and seemingly in search, gives the faintest hope that Daemon is still alive. Then again, he could just be a wild dragon whose bond to his rider was severed by death.

[syndrossi]

Just a tought that popped in my head: Daemon approving of the Redfords in an AU where all of Jon's Stark half-sibling were reborn as Elys' children. Of course, Elys and her husband would have to live longer for that to work. But imagine the kidnapping plot happening, and very mad Redfords immediately ridings in pursuit. Especially Rickon. Maybe Bran Saw something early and promptly decided that something needed to be done about the fostering situation.

Aww, I actually quite like that concept as a way for the Starklings to appear without the weirdness of them suddenly being Targaryen or the remoteness of them being born directly to House Stark. Though if they're Elys's children aka Jon and Rhaegar's half-siblings, they would be a bit little to angrily ride in pursuit! I'm imagining an army of tiny Redforts (who maybe recruit their much bigger Redfort half-siblings on Corwyn's side) chasing after Crayne.