Rhaenys Targaryen (daughter of Aerion)

## Rhaenys Targaryen

Queen **Rhaenys Targaryen** was the younger of Aegon the Conqueror's sister-wives. As Aegon's favorite wife and the mother of Aenys I, she was the mother of the Targaryen progenic line that ruled over the Seven Kingdoms for the next 300 years.

## Early Life

Rhaenys was born on island of Dragonstone and youngest daughter of Aerion Targaryen the Lord of Dragonstone and Lady Velena Velaryon. During the days before the conquest in the times of Bleeding Years, a group of Volantenes tried persuade Aegon and House Targaryen to instead attack the Free Cities with Volantis and form a new Freehold on the eastern continent. Taking counsel with his sisters, Rhaenys and the others chose to invade Westeros instead. Their full-grown dragons would be their ultimate weapon. The two sisters would later wed their brother before the conquest.

## The Conquest

### Battle of the Last Storm

The conquest of Storm's End, which was being led by Orys Baratheon against Argilac the Arrogant. The battle was said to take place during a thunderstorm. During the battle, Orys was outnumbered two to one and outflanked, but was aided by Rhaenys and her dragon Meraxes who informed Orys of Argilac's movements. Together with Rhaenys and Meraxes, they finally broke down Argilac's army and forced Argilac to come out of his keep. After the Death of Argilac at the hands of Orys, Rhaenys departed to join Aegon and Visenya in the assualt against the King of the Reach.

### Field of Fire

Alarmed by the Targayrens sweeping success at Harrenhal and Storm's End, King Loren I of the Rock and King Mern IX of the Reach, assembled a large army of 55,000 combined men of the Rock and the Reach and the Targaryen host on Stoney Sept. Rhaenys and Viseyna joined their brother at the Sept and met their army of 10,000. The combined army of the Reach and Rock were five times the numbers of the Targaryens, and broke the Targaryen line, but during the heat of the battle Rhaenys and her sibling deployed their three dragons of the field. The three dragons were quick to spread confusion and chaos on the field, resulting in the deaths of 4,000 men bathed in dragonfire and 1,000 more deaths from combat. The Targaryans suffered only 100 casualties; with those injured including Visenya, who was struck by arrows. With the help Rhaenys and her dragon, House Gardener was extinguished, killing King Mern and his sons, and the submission of King Loren I Lannister.

### Conquest of Dorne

After the Field of Fire, Rhaenys was dispatched to bring Dorne into the fold. But the Dornish men refused to give battle in the open. They instead hid in their mountains and launched their guerrilla warfare tactics to assault the Targaryen host. Rhaenys was unable to capture the holdfasts, due to its people fleeing. Rhaenys then headed for Sunspear and demanded Princess Mariya Martell to surrender. Princess Mariya, a woman aged 80, blind and mildly overweight, informed her that Dorne will not kneel and that they must leave and return to her peril. Rhaenys unswayed by Mariya's words proclaims that she will return with *"Fire and Blood*,*"* but Maryia retorts back to stating House Martell words. Rhaenys, having no choice but to leave, withdrew from Dorne and leaving it untaken.

### Aftermath

After the War of Conquest, Aegon had six of the Seven Kingdoms in his fold and was named the King of the Seven Kingdoms, with Rhaenys and her sister Visenya as his queens. The three returned to Blackwater Bay and erected the capital city of King's Landing, ruling from the newly constructed Red Keep.

### First Dornish War and death

When she returned to Dorne to attempt to reconquer it, Meraxes was taken down at Hellholt. Rhaenys' exact cause of death is unknown; some believe she died in the crashing, others that she was imprisoned and tortured by House Uller, only ending her suffering once Aegon agreed on the terms of leaving Dorne independent.

## Legacy

Rhaenys and her sister Visenya were the first polygamous marriage for House Targaryen has in their early ruling days a monarchy. They are also the first two more martial women of House Targaryen and largely helped Aegon the Conqueror on his quest to unify the Seven Kingdoms. Rhaenys' line continues through House Targaryen from her eldest son Aenys I to the last of her line, Daenerys I, though her progeny can also be found in House Baratheon and House Martell.

## Character and Appearance

Rhaenys had shared their family famous Valyrian features, having violet eyes and silver-gold hair that was worn long and loose. Being more slender than Visenya, both sisters dressed in jewels. Rhaenys was everything her sister was not, both were opposite from one another. Rhaenys being more feminine than her sister Visenya. She was described as being more playful and mischievous and more of a flirt. Rhaenys expressed interest in music, poetry, and enjoyed riding her dragon, often traveling twice as much than Visenya. The two would also compete with each other in gaining Aegon's attention. But it would seem that Rhaenys was Aegon's favorite sister-wives, spending at least ten nights with Rhaenys, than Visenya. She'd also been rumored to spend nights with others in her bed when Aegon went with Visenya. Her death left an irrevocable hole in the Conqueror, and her son Aenys was only 3-4 when she died.