Meraxes

the death of Meraxes

**Meraxes** was one of the great dragons used by Aegon Targaryen and his sisters during the Failed Conquest. The she-dragon was named for one of the old gods of Valyria. She was ridden by Rhaenys Targaryen. Meraxes was larger than Vhagar but smaller than Balerion. Meraxes could swallow horses whole. Meraxes had golden eyes and silver scales.

## History

Meraxes was named for a god of the Valyrian Freehold.Her egg hatched on Dragonstone during the Century of Blood.

Rhaenys and Meraxes accompanied Orys Baratheon on his mission to subdue Argilac Durrandon, the last Storm King.

Lords Errol, Fell and Buckler, bannermen of Argilac the Arrogant, surprised the advance elements of Orys' host as they were crossing the Wendwater, cutting down more than a thousand men before retreating back into the trees. Rhaenys unleashed Meraxes and set the forest ablaze, killing Lord Errol.

Atop Meraxes, Rhaenys scouted Argilac's movements and Orys fortified a strong defensive position in the hills south of Bronzegate. As the two armies closed on each other, a massive storm, that would give a name to the battle, broke out. Argilac, knowing he had almost twice as many men as the Targaryens and four times as many knights and heavy horse, decided to press the attack. In what became known as the Last Storm, Argilac attacked the Baratheon and Targaryen forces.

Three charges by Argilac's horsemen were slowed by the mud, although his spearmen had greater success on foot and the Durrandon host conquered two hills. Argilac broke through during the third charge, but encountered Rhaenys atop Meraxes, who slew Dickon Morrigen, the Bastard of Blackhaven, and Argilac' guard. In the confusion, Argilac was thrown from his horse and found himself face to face with Orys Baratheon. Both took a wound but soon Argilac would get his wish and would die fighting. His death ended the battle, as the stormlanders yielded or fled.

## Dorne, Eggs, and Death

Once Storm’s End was under Targaryen control, Queen Rhaenys flew south to Dorne. Upon their arrival at the foot of the mountains, Rhaenys found Meraxes flagging underneath her - so Rhaenys allowed her to stop for rest and recovery. It was there that Meraxes produced three eggs, but upon noticing the oncoming Dornish spearmen, Rhaenys hid the eggs in the nooks of the mountain and resolved to pick them up on the way home. Rather than confront the Dornish spearmen guarding the Prince's Pass in the Red Mountains, Rhaenys Targaryen flew above the pass on Meraxes to Vaith and Godsgrace, but found the castles abandoned. When Rhaenys reached the Planky Town, she found only women and children. At Sunspear, seat of House Martell, she found Meria Martell, the aged Princess of Dorne, waiting in her abandoned castle.

Princess Meria Martell greeted her in the halls of Sunspear, giving her safe passage and a chance to speak. While discussion was not fruitful and nothing came of their talk, the true disaster happened when Rhaenys was about to leave. Meria’s son and heir apparent, Quentyn, did not trust his mother’s decision to greet the Targaryen in peace, and was paranoid that dragonfire would burn down Dorne if he did not act. As Rhaenys strode down the halls to the courtyard where her dragon resided, assassins with poisoned daggers leapt out and slew her quickly. The last thing Rhaenys Targaryen ever saw was the sneer on Quentyn Martell’s face.

When his assassins tried to slay Meraxes, the dragon flew into a berserk rage, smelling the blood of her master on their blades. The dragon went on a terrible rampage, destroying much of Sunspear and almost the entirety of Plankytown before it was eventually shot down. Much of House Martell had been slain in the rampage, and the stability of Dorne went along with it.

## Offspring

Despite her untimely death, Meraxes laid several eggs across her lifetime, three of which hatched.

* Sunburst, the golden terror.
* Shatterstone, the gray.
* Sunder, the crimson-scaled.