The Fourteen Flames of Old Valyria

We have always been meant to burn together

[thefourteenflames]

JAEHAERYS & ALYSANNE CHILDREN - 3/10 Aemon, Prince of Dragonstone Aemon Targaryen was the third born child of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and Queen Alysanne Targaryen, born in 55 AC, at the island of Dragonstone. Aemon had eyes "as pale as lilac"; his hair was a rare color, even in Old Valyria: it was pale, and shone like white gold. The prince was tall and handsome, even as a boy of seven. By the time Aemon was fifteen years old, he was six feet and two inches tall. As a young child, Aemon was very serious, cautious, careful, and obedient. Before he was able to read, he loved being read to. His mother Alysanne would often say, while laughing, that Aemon's first word had been, "Why?". The night following his birth, at the suggestion of Queen Alysanne, King Jaehaerys I placed a dragon's egg in Aemon's cradle, a practise that was started by Princess Rhaena who put a dragon egg in Jaehaerys and Alysanne's own cradles.

From the moment of his birth, King Jaehaerys I openly called Aemon his heir. Queen Alysanne, on the other hand, would reply that Princess Daenerys was older than Aemon, and should therefore be queen, to which Jaehaerys would respond that, once Aemon and Daenerys married, they would rule together as king and queen. The answer never entirely pleased Queen Alysanne. The smallfolk of King's Landing lined the streets outside the Red Keep when Jaehaerys and Alysanne returned to the city a month after Aemon's birth, hoping to catch a glimpse of the baby. Jaehaerys eventually climbed the ramparts of the main gates of the castle, raising Aemon over his head so all could see him. It was said that in response, a roar went up that was so loud that it could be heard across the narrow sea. Aemon was fast friends with his brother Baelon, and would train with him in the yard. They were evenly matched against each other, and their contests were very spirited, always drawing crowds of onlookers. It is said that as soon as Baelon could walk, he began to follow Aemon around everywhere he went. In 62 AC, King Jaehaerys formally granted the seven-year-old Aemon the title of Prince of Dragonstone and heir to the throne. At the feast that followed Aemon's appointment, Queen Alysanne sat Aemon beside Lady Jocelyn Baratheon. The two children spent the entire evening talking and laughing together. King Jaehaerys had originally wished for Aemon to marry his older sister, Daenerys. After Daenerys's death in 60 AC, Jaehaerys came to consider his second daughter, Alyssa, but that idea had been discouraged by Queen Alysanne, who had noted Alyssa's interest in Baelon. As such, in 68 AC, Aemon's betrothal to Lady Jocelyn was announced. They were married two years later, in a ceremony as grand as the Golden Wedding. In 72 AC, Aemon was the victor in the squires' melee during the tourney at Duskendale in honor of Lord Darklyn's wedding. He later distinguished himself in the lists, and was subsequently knighted. Not long after his return to King's Landing, Aemon claimed the dragon Caraxes, the fiercest of the young dragons present in the Dragonpit. In 74 AC, Aemon became a father when Jocelyn gave birth to their daughter, Princess Rhaenys, on the seventh day of the seventh month of the year. Seven years later, upon reaching his twenty-sixth nameday, Aemon was appointed to the office of lord justiciar and master of laws. In 83 AC Aemon, along with his brother Baelon and their father Jaehaerys, ended the attempted invasion of the stormlands by Prince Morion Martell of Dorne. Mounted atop their dragons, they destroyed the Dornish fleet before it could even make landfall. The war was fought and won in a day, and upon their return to King's Landing, Aemon, Jaehaerys, and Baelon received a riotous welcome, as they had won a war without losing a single man, something not even Aegon the Conqueror had been able to boast. In 92 AC, Aemon led the assault on the Myrish pirates who had conquered the eastern half of Tarth during the struggle known as the Myrish Bloodbath. Aemon left for Tarth on the ninth day of the third month that year, shortly after learning that his daughter Rhaenys was pregnant with her first child. Aemon arrived before the fleet of his son-by-marriage, Lord Corlys Velaryon. On Tarth, Aemon met with Lord Cameron Tarth in the mountains located at the center of the island, where the Lord of Tarth had made camp. A pair of Myrish scouts eventually discovered the camp, and recognized Lord Cameron. One of them took a shot at Lord Cameron with his crossbow. Although he missed Lord Tarth, Aemon, who had been standing by Lord Cameron's side, was struck in his throat, and drowned in his own blood.

Aemon's death caused an issue with the succession, as Aemon's only child was a daughter, Rhaenys. King Jaehaerys chose Aemon's younger brother, Prince Baelon, as his new heir, passing over Rhaenys, and, as she was pregnant, her unborn child. For this, and the Great Council of 101 AC, the dwarf court fool Mushroom would later name Rhaenys "The Queen Who Never Was".

[thefourteenflames]

JAEHAERYS & ALYSANNE CHILDREN - 2/10

Daenerys, The Firstborn Born during the seventh moon of 53 AC in King's Landing, Daenerys was the eldest child of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and Queen Alysanne Targaryen, her older brother Aegon having died some years before. Daenerys was a happy child, endlessly curious and utterly fearless, a delight to all who knew her. She was a lively, laughing child. Daenerys was often mud-spattered and grass-stained. She was seen as "the darling of the realm", and considered a great beauty. In 55 AC, Daenerys was crowned the queen of love and beauty by Ser Simon Dondarrion of Blackhaven. That same year, when Queen Alysanne became pregnant, Daenerys was firm in telling her mother that she wanted a sister. When Alysanne gave birth, the child turned out to be a boy, Aemon. Daenerys eventually warmed to Aemon. By the time she was four, her favorite toy had become a broomstick dragon, on which she was "flying" everywhere. Additionally, Daenerys delighted in telling her brothers Aemon and Baelon what to do. Queen Alysanne believed that Daenerys, as the eldest of their three living children, should be the king's heir and first in line to the throne. King Jaehaerys, however, regarded Prince Aemon as his heir since the day he had been born. Though Alysanne would voice her displeasure about this to the king, reminding him that Daenerys was older and should therefore be queen, Jaehaerys would reply telling her that Daenerys would become queen after she married Aemon, and rule the kingdoms by his side. Princess Daenerys became one of the many victims of the Shivers in 60 AC. Early in the year, she woke her mother during the night complaining of feeling cold. All that could be done was done for her. She was given poultices, hot soups and scalding baths, blankets, furs, hot stones, nettle tea, mother's milk. Septons and septas prayed, and maesters came and went, but her shivering grew worse. Near dawn, King Jaehaerys insisted that his daughter needed a dragon and had ravens sent to Dragonstone, instructing the Dragonkeepers to immediately bring a hatchling to the Red Keep. It was too late. Daenerys died a day and a half after she had first complained of feeling cold.

[thefourteenflames]

JAEHAERYS & ALYSANNE CHILDREN - 1/10 Alyssa, The Red Maiden Alyssa Targaryen was the fifth child of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and Queen Alysanne Targaryen, and their second daughter. Princess Alyssa was born in late 60 AC, and was named for her grandmother, Alyssa Velaryon, who had died six years before. As a baby, Alyssa resembled her deceased sister Daenerys, but this resemblance faded as the girl aged; she became long-faced and skinny. Alyssa did not have typical Valyrian silver-gold hair, but instead dirty blonde hair without a trace of silver, which was often tangled. She had mismatched eyes, one violet, the other green. She had big ears and a lopsided smile. At the age of six she broke her nose, which healed crooked, but she apparently did not care. As a child, she did not act like a girl, and shunned the company of girls. She would dress in boy's clothes whenever possible, and preferred to ride, climb, and duel with wooden swords, instead of more lady-like activities like sewing and reading and singing. As a young child, Alyssa followed her brother Baelon everywhere since she was able to walk. Baelon, four years older, complained that she was like a puppy, and was further annoyed that she was a girl, as he preferred the company of his older brother Aemon. When Alyssa was six years old, she was playing in the training yard when she was accidentally hit in the face by a wooden sword, which broke her nose. It healed crooked, but this did not seem to bother her. Alyssa and Baelon finally became inseparable, and by 73 AC plans for their eventual marriage were already being made. That same year, when her brother Vaegon severely insulted their sister Daella, Alyssa poured a flagon of wine over his head. Over the following year, Baelon began training Vaegon at arms; he once brought Alyssa to the training yard, dressed in a man's mail, hoping that having to face a girl would lead to Vaegon making more of an effort. The princess, still remembering the incident between Vaegon and Daella, mocked and laughed at Vaegon as she danced around him, humiliating him, whilst Daella watched. Vaegon, embarrassed too much to bear, threw down his sword, left the yard, and never came back. Alyssa married Baelon in 75 AC, when she was fifteen and he was eighteen. Their bedding sparked much ribald humor in the days after the wedding, as it was said Alyssa's "sounds of pleasure could be heard all the way to Duskendale." Alyssa was not embarrassed by the jokes, and made some of her own. That same year, Alyssa decided to claim a dragon, a year younger than Baelon had done so. The Dragonkeepers persuaded her not to claim Balerion, assuring her that she would prefer a faster dragon than the old Black Dread. Eventually, Alyssa claimed Meleys, who had never been ridden before. " Red maidens, the two of us, but now we've both been mounted." —Alyssa, about herself and Meleys, after claiming the dragon. In 77 AC, Alyssa gave birth to her first child, a son they named Viserys. Although Alyssa was advised not to do it, when Viserys was nine days old she put him in swaddling clothes and took him for a flight on Meleys. Afterwards, she claimed Viserys giggled the entire time. In 81 AC, Alyssa gave birth to her second son, Daemon. Within a fortnight of his birth, she took him up in the sky upon her dragon as well. In 83 AC, Alyssa was announced to be pregnant again, and Baelon told his brother Aemon he was praying for a daughter. However, in 84 AC Alyssa gave birth to another son, Aegon, after a long and difficult labor. Though Alyssa was optimistic about having more children, she never fully recovered from Aegon's birth. She died within a year, at the age of twenty-four. Aegon died half a year after his mother, not yet even a year old. Alyssa's death shattered Baelon, who never remarried and always continued to honor her memory.

[thefourteenflames]

COLORS, SYMBOLISM AND HISTORICAL PARALLELS BLUE • In the 12th century the Roman Catholic Church dictated that painters in Italy (and the rest of Europe consequently) to paint the Virgin Mary with blue, which became associated with holiness, humility and virtue. • Paintings of the mythical King Arthur began to show him dressed in blue. The coat of arms of the kings of France became an azure or light blue shield, sprinkled with golden fleur-de-lis or lilies. Blue had come from obscurity to become the royal colour. • Cobalt was originally discovered in the 8th and 9th centuries, where it was used to decorate ceramics and jewelry. • Cerulean comes from the Latin word caeruleus, which means “dark blue” and is most likely derived from caelum, the Latin word for “sky.”

[thefourteenflames]

"Her blood is on your hands. Her blood is on your cock. May you die screaming. […] She gave you one son, that should have been enough. Save my wife, you should have said, but what are wives to men like you? Hear this, my lord. Do not think to wed again. Take care of the whelps my mother gave you, my half-brother and half-sister. See that they want for nothing. Do that, and I will let you be. If I should hear even a whisper of your taking some other poor maid to wife, I will make another Harrenhal of Storm's End, with you and her inside it." — Rhaena Targaryen to Rogar Baratheon. George R.R. Martin; Fire and Blood.

[thefourteenflames]

What Rhaenyra Targaryen would have worn...

(VICTORIAN ERA)

[thefourteenflames]

What Alicent Hightower would have worn...

(TUDOR ERA)

[thefourteenflames]

PERSONAL HEADCANONS - II (SPOILER ALERT)

So… is it just me who theorizes that the Valyrian steel necklace from Daemon will probably get a spotlight at the end of the last season? Specifically, in that scene narrated in the book where she needs to exchange Jaehaerys' Crown for a place on a ship to Dragonstone. Maybe being sold instead of the crown, or perhaps alongside it? Anyway, it would be a perfect closure to Rhaenyra's journey, in my opinion. I would definitely cry a river, but nonetheless, it would be quite symbolic. After all, the necklace was one of her favorite pieces of jewelry when she was still a young princess, The Realm's Delight. We see several scenes on the show in which she wears it, and I imagine it would be kind of tragic and bittersweet for her to have to sell the only thing left of both Daemon and their life before the Dance of the Dragons.

[thefourteenflames]

What Laena Velaryon would have worn...

(RENAISSANCE PERIOD)

[thefourteenflames]

What Rhaenyra Targaryen would have worn...

(ITALIAN RENAISSANCE)

[thefourteenflames]

What Alicent Hightower would have worn...

(RENAISSANCE PERIOD)

[thefourteenflames]

What Rhaenyra Targaryen would have worn... (TUDOR PERIOD)

[thefourteenflames]

COLORS, SYMBOLISM AND HISTORICAL PARALLELS RED • After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, red was adopted as a color of majesty and authority by the Byzantine Empire, and the princes of Europe.

• In Western Europe, Emperor Charlemagne painted his palace red as a very visible symbol of his authority, and wore red shoes at his coronation.

• In western countries red is a symbol of martyrs and sacrifice, particularly because of its association with blood. Beginning in the Middle Ages, the Pope and Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church wore red to symbolize the blood of Christ and the Christian martyrs.

[thefourteenflames]

"Long before that, we were friends..."

[thefourteenflames]

" When Prince Daemon sent forth his call to arms, they rose up all along the rivers, knights and men-at-arms and humble peasants who yet remembered the Realm's Delight, so beloved of her father, and the way she smiled and charmed them as she made her progress through the Riverlands in her youth. Hundreds and then thousands buckled on their swordbelts and donned their mail, or grabbed a pitchfork or a hoe and a crude wooden shield, and began to make their way to Harrenhal to fight for Viserys's little girl." — George R.R. Martin; Fire & Blood.

[thefourteenflames]

Rhaenyra and Alicent Parallels - Motherhood

[thefourteenflames]

Laenor Velaryon: I hate the gods for making me as they did. Rhaenyra Targaryen: I do not. You are an honorable man with a good heart. It's a rare thing.