Aerion Targaryen

Brother - Vaegon Targaryen

Brother - Jaeghar Targaryen

Sister - Daelaena Targaryen

Sister - Rhaenerys Targaryen

Brother - Lucerys Targaryen

**Aerion Targaryen** is the third-born son of Aeric and Rhaecaera Targaryen, Prince of the Seven Kingdoms, and a man famed throughout Westeros. Known for his martial prowess, Aerion is the self-assured Warrior-Prince. To some a proud, noble and fierce warrior, worthy of respect and admiration. To others, blackguard, lacking in honour and morality, with a penchant for cruelty.

He is a man who loves his family and history, yet is held back by arrogance, love of violence and prejudice. Highly isolantist and a staunch traditionalist, he recognizes his place in Westeros, and is willing to do anything to keep his family in their place at the top of the world.

Aerion is the rider of Gaelithox.

## Appearance

Described as tall and lean, due to most of his youth in the training yard, Aerion has a soldier's build, strong and lithe. His silver hair is cut short and kept well-groomed, as is the beard on his jaw. Like his uncle Maelor, Aerion has almond-shaped eyes, coloured a deep violet. Typically Valyrian, Aerion has pale, unblemished skin.

Aerion is thought to be a handsome man in the traditional Valyrian sense; he has a fine and sculptured face, with a high brow, sharp cheekbones and straight nose. He wears the traditional Valyrian style of high collars and asymetrical doublets and surcoats.

## Biography

### Backstory

Aerion came into the world on a warm summer day. He came free from his mother less than an hour into the whole ordeal, and screamed as he entered the world.

Despite his father's initial interest, Aeric quickly grew bored of his new son, as his mother began another pregnancy some months after he was born. Moreover, the fact that, morn after morn, the dragon egg placed in his cradle would not hatch led some to wonder if the child was sickly.

Without very much attention, the young prince grew to be an aimless toddler, prone to wandering through the Red Keep trying to find anyone. He was described as a a timid boy, desperate to please and overly kind to those around him.

#### Education

Aerion was martially mentored by his uncle, Maelor, and seemed to have a natural talent for it, seeming to grasp battle strategy and siege tactics with relative ease for a boy his age. But it wasn't until he was seven that Aerion truly showed what he was capable of, for that was when he first shed blood.

When he overheard a group of squires mock Aemon as he trained with his uncle, Aerion knew what he had to do: he punched one of the boys. Aerion was not a match for a group of boys almost half his age and larger than him. In a flash, Aerion rose to his feet, a heavy rock in one hand and struck the squire in the head as hard as he could. The squire cried out, dropped to the floor and started to convulse, the rock in Aerion had split the boy's skull.

Aerion was quiet afterwards, not leaving his chambers for sparring nor lessons with the Grand Maester. Two days later, Maelor came to him and consoled the boy, telling him he did what was right, and that Maelor was proud of him. And so, from that day on Maelor truly took Aerion under his wing. Every day, from dawn till dusk, Aerion trained hard, with sword and shield and lance, his uncle set on moulding him into the warrior-prince his family needed him to be.

For three years, Aerion spent every waking hour with his uncle, inheriting Maelor's views on the important of blood purity and Targaryen supremacy. These lessons took root in Aerion, and soon he started to act more and more like his uncle, the meek and timid prince changing into a hard and prideful boy, with a skill for violence and a predator's cunning.

One day, at the age of ten, his uncle came to him and told him their time together had come to an end. At first, Aerion was furious and heart-broken, but with a final goodbye, Aerion bid a formal, yet cold, farewell to his uncle. Alas, even with his uncle gone, Aerion began to grow more and more angry. He would push himself even harder in the yard, demanding that none other than the knights of the Kingsguard trained him, until few could match the prince with a blade.

#### Rhaecaera's Death

Tragedy would strike the house of the dragon again, not long after Maelor left, when Queen Raecaera, died birthing out Lucerys Targaryen. His mother's death shook Aerion to his core. As he watched dragonfire consume her pyre, he heard sobbing to his side. It was then he saw Rhaenerys, heart-broken and inconsolable as she watched the fires claim their mother, and Aerion embraced and consoled her the best that he could. He spent the rest of the day with his youngest sister, taking her to Aegon's Garden so as to avoid the mess of sycophants that might prey on their grief to better their positions. That night, Aerion had no intention of sleeping that night. He intended to claim a dragon.

#### The Gilded Prince

The night of his mother's death, Aerion snuck from the keep of Dragonstone and made his way towards where Gaelithox was said to lair. After an hour of searching, Aerion finally came upon the great beast. He called out its name and the beast reared its giant head to face. Rearing back his head, Gaelithox let loose a mighty roar, sending a torrent of dragonfire into the air. At this sight, Aerion matched Gaelithox's cry of defiance with one of his own. Gaelithox lowered his head, Aerion approached, and climbed upon the dragon. Come morning, Aerion awoke, still beside Gaelithox's own slumbering form. The Gilded Prince once again had a rider.

#### Shattering the Sapphire

"*At least one, Dornishman*."

While Aerion had long since discovered a knack for violence, claiming a dragon gave him an ego; He started to swagger around the Red Keep as if it were his holding. His training in the yard intensified even more, Aerion becoming infamous for merciless sparring, both himself and his opponents gaining cuts and bruises.

At the tourney at Duskendale, Rymund of the Sapphires humbly asked for the favour of Daelaena Targaryen, and asked how many men he would have to kill for her hand in marriage. Aerion replied, "*at least one, Dornishman*." He left his seat to be outfitted in his blackened steel armour and joined the lists, picking Ser Rymund as his first opponent. Though most believed he was offended at the prospect of a Targaryen marrying a lowly hedge knight, it has also been posited that simply the sight of a Dornishman offended his Targaryen pride.

Aerion rode tilted with the upstart Dornishman for three passes, each time landing fair blows against the man's shield, but not unhorsing him. Yet o the fourth pass Ser Rymund struck true, his lance crashing into Aerion's breastplate and sending the prince clattering onto the ground. Unwilling to let this slight go unpunished, Aerion cried out for his blade, and both the prince and the Dornishman duelled.

After several minutes of steel meeting steel, the two warriors were locked sword to sword, each struggling to break the other's guard. At the end, Aerion was atop the man, tearing his simple helm from his head and bashing him to death, ignoring the man's yielding and cries for mercy, until he finally picked up his sword and drove it into the man's throat.

From that day, Aerion gained a new appreciation for tourneys. At first, regarding them as little more than pomp and pointless regalia. But after he "*shattered the sapphire*" as some had taken to calling it, he now saw them as a way to test his mettle, and spread the strength of House Targaryen.

#### The Black Prince

The royal family travelled to Bronzegate to celebrate Lord Buckler taking a Lannister to wife, and had used the lion's gold to throw a generously long tourney. When Ardan Storm tilted against Jaeghar, Aerion's mood soured. His younger brother had always been keen to prove himself, but alas, was not the warrior Aerion was. Jaeghar was unhorsed by the younger boy and sent sprawling into the sand, Aerion decided that he would teach the house Baratheon a lesson, and as he watched the young noble Arrec Baratheon congratulate his half-brother, pride and affection gleaming off his face, he knew exactly how to do so.

Aerion announced he would ride in the next round of jousts, and chose Arrec Baratheon to be his first opponent. Aerion could see that the boy was no warrior, nor a rider of any great skill, and Aerion lowered his lance and pierced the heart of Arrec's horse, killing the beast and sending it collapsing on top of the Baratheon boy. Aerion swears he could hear the boy's leg snap as he was crushed, a noise that delighted him to no end. With his opponent defeated, and to the symphony of Cassandra Baratheon's screams of horror, Aerion dismounted and swaggered away from the lists.

Little more than a month later, a fleet of Myrish corsairs had invaded the isle of Tarth, nearly two thousand men aboard dozens of ships, said to be led by the son of one of the magisters of Myr, all with one goal: to plunder the island, its holdings and its people. Aerion was the first, and most vocal to council swift and violent retribution. With the confidence and pride of the dragonlords of old, Aerion went to show his brother, Aemon, where their family's true strength lay: He fell upon the Myrish pirates without warning, showering flame upon their ships until nothing remained. Those few who survived the initial burning became feasts for Gaelithox upon his landing. And when the royal fleet did finally arrive, nothing but burnt bodies and smoking wrecks remained of the Myrish fleet. He returned to the capital as a hero.

### *The Reign of Dragons*

Aerion finds out his sister, Rhaenerys, is to marry Durran Baratheon and reacts by storming into the Small Council chamber and casting the chairs aside, angrily questioning his brother, Aemon. In the months that follow, Aerion retreats to Dragonstone, where he wallows in misery with his brother, Vaegon, for company. Later, Aerion arrives at Storm's End atop Gaelithox when he was meant to be in Highgarden for the marriage of Victor Tyrell and Torrha Stark. There, he gives his sister Rhaenerys with a hug, demands Durran kneel before him, and engages in somewhat amiable conversation with Arrec Baratheon despite being the one who gave him his limp, though only after mixing up his name. Later on, Aerion is seen speaking quietly with Rhaenerys in the middle of a meeting called by Durran, much to the Acting Lord's chagrin. Seeing this, Arrec relays to his half-brother Ardan that Aerion has spent the last couple days trying to make enemies out of every Baratheon in Storm's End. At a feast which was held in the subsequent days, Aerion is cornered by Rhaenerys in the nearby privy who then proceeds to pleasure him successfully.

## Personality

> "*He was the blood of the dragon. His people built the greatest civilization known to man, and his own family conquered the Seven Kingdoms less than a century ago. Was it truly arrogance to take pride in a legacy such as this?*" - Thoughts of Aerion Targaryen.
>
>

Passionate, strong-willed, intelligent and charismatic, Aerion is larger-than-life, with a seemingly unshakable confidence that is only ever seen in those who rule the skies and bear the blood of the dragon. Aerion is renowned for his skill with sword and lance, yet he is also a deeply intelligent and cunning man, already said to have the charisma and confidence to earn loyalty.

Prone to theatrical displays of prowess and power, as well as monologues and speeches that can both inspire and strike fear into those who witness them, he is equally as infamous for his arrogance, impetuousness and temper.

To many in the kingdoms, Prince Aerion is seen as a violent and arrogant man, famed from outbursts of rage and displays of cruelty. One needs look no further than some of his past tourney victories to see that these accusations are not false, on more than one occasion has his opponent suffered grievous and life-long injuries or worse. For this reason, it is said that should Aerion compete, three things are promised; A good show, better gossip, and blood.

Aerion is also known for his complete disinterest for the Westerosi standard of honour, carrying himself as if he is superior to such things. Aerion simply views himself as a true Valyrian, and conducts himself as he believes a dragonlord ought to.

### A True Dragonlord

Though he does not care for Westerosi customs or traditions, he holds his own peoples in deep reverence. Because of this, he believes Targaryen blood is something to be preserved and valued, as they are beings closer to Gods than Men and, as such, they should not mix with mere men. The fact that it is becoming more prevalent disgusts and infuriates Aerion; they publicly accepted the faith of the seven upon conquering the Seven Kingdoms, bowing before those false gods, this was concession enough, to demand more from the Dragon is inviting trouble.

Beyond being a proud Valyrian, Aerion is also a dedicated family man. In truth, family is all he truly cares about in this world. Loyalty to his own is by far this greatest quality. That being said, a symptom of being the kind of man he is has led Aerion to be… difficult, controlling, even possessive at times, particularly around his sisters and youngest brother, with whom Aerion's infamous protectiveness and temper is said to be even more prominent. Should a man be foolish enough to speak ill of Rhaenerys or Daelaena in Aerion's presence, more often than not that man will find himself a corpse before long. Despite himself, he is also prone to heated arguments with some of his siblings, most often than not, Aemon, who he used to admire so heavily, but now sees his weakness. His worst trait is always viewing himself as correct and that his way is the only right way.

As for things Aerion would never change about himself. First and foremost, Aerion will never change his mind on Valyrian, and by extension, Targaryen supremacy. He truly sees himself and his family as above the rest of the seven kingdoms. Now, do not confuse this for the same scorn or hatred his uncle shows the Westerosi, Aerion doesn't hate his subjects, in truth, he has varying degrees of respect for the peoples of Westeros. He simply acknowledges the fact that Valyrians were made differently, and were born to rule over lesser men, and he does not resent the Westerosi for this fact. In all honesty, he actually has a great deal of respect for the North and its people, seeing them as one of the few truly honest peoples of the continent. While he doesn't share their ideals, he does respect their bluntness and willingness to hold onto their ways. Besides that, he will never agree with Targaryens marrying outside of their Valyrian roots. He even finds marrying into other Valyrian houses to be done only as a necessity, in his eyes the blood of the dragon must run thick and true if it is to endure.

Aerion also has a hatred for politics. He lacks the patience for intrigue and plots, and has a burning hatred and disgust for sycophants, liars and plots. For all his faults, Aerion is at least honest about who and what he is. He does not pretend to be anything but himself. To do so would bring disgrace to himself and his house. He holds little interest in the minutiae of ruling, and despite genuinely feeling that he would make a better king than Aemon, he sees it as his responsibility to forge Aemon into a better king rather than take the throne for himself. That being said, he is a blood-thirsty man, and longs for a chance to once again rain fire upon his enemies.

Only Aerion knows for sure just how many knights and warriors he has left mangled and broken, writhing in the dirt as punishment for some perceived slight. While he crows about their natural right to rule over all in Westeros, on a deeper level, Aerion feels as though the Targaryens are truly outsiders - foreigners in a foreign land, with customs and culture that the greater populace despise. He believes that all of Westeros despises his family, the ways of Old Valyria being incompatible with their ideals. To lose the Old Ways is to lose what makes them Valyrian.

## Gallery

Aerion and GaelithoxAerion jousting at BronzegateOriginal Concept Art of Aerion TargaryenAerion Targaryen's Personal Sigil