Daeron Targaryen

Prince **Daeron Targaryen**, called "**Daeron Dragonseer**", was a member of House Targaryen and the last remaining member of House Blackwood as the only-born son of Prince Valerion Targaryen and the late Lady Jocelyn Blackwood. He was the nephew of King Baelon I Targaryen and Queen Vhaena Targaryen and cousin to their two children, the heir apparent Princess Vaerena Targaryen and the bastard-born Rhaegor Waters, nephew to Lord Daegon Velaryon and Princess Daella Targaryen and cousin to their three children, the Prince Aethan Velaryon and the Princesses Jaenara and Elaena Velaryon, and cousin to the Princes Axaes and Aelyx Targaryen and Princess Visenya Targaryen.

A dragonrider whose mount was Caraxes, Daeron was fifth in the line of succession to inherit the Iron Throne. Despite his father's active involvement in the royal court as the Hand of the King to Baelon I Targaryen, Daeron became estranged from the royal family nonetheless following the death of his mother in 91 AC. Although her death had made him the new Lord of Raventree Hall, Daeron grew seemingly unsatisfied with his newfound position and suddenly left Westeros in a self-imposed exile after a rumoured falling-out between him and his father.

For the better part of the next two decades, Daeron roamed the far East and its Free Cities and built up a reputation as a fearless warlord in the process. In 94 AC, Daeron and his dragon Caraxes were hired by the magisters of Myr to fight against the Tyroshi, Lyseni and Volantene for control over the Disputed Lands. At the Tree of Crowns, Daeron defeated and killed the famous Tyroshi commander Racallio Ryndoon in single combat, subsequently forcing Alequo Adarys, the archon of Tyrosh, to sue for peace with the magisters of Myr. This led to the formation of a treaty between the two Free Cities that was joined by Lys later on as well, and their coalition soon aimed its attention to driving out the remaining Volantene from the Disputed Lands.

In 96 AC, Daeron led the combined forces of Tyrosh, Lys and Myr to victory against Volantis during the Battle of the Borderland, after which the three factions decided to forge an "eternal alliance" called the Triarchy. Daeron became one of its leading commanders and a member of its High Council, ruling part of the Stepstones as the self-styled "**Prince of the Triarchy**".

## Character and description

An extremely unpredictable, shrewd and cunning warrior, Daeron harboured a reputation as one of the most dangerous men in Essos. To some Daeron was a dashing mercenary-prince in pursuit of glory and legacy, while to others he was a blasphemous traitor who dabbled in the most vile of sorceries. He was counted amongst the most powerful leaders of the Triarchy and commanded a host of nearly one-and-a-half-thousand men, including exiled knights but mostly sellswords and former pirates. A formidable knight, Daeron was extremely proficient and accurate with bow and arrow, though was said to be twice as deadly with a longsword. He was a capable and experienced dragonrider and had led men into battle numerous times. Daeron's personal coat of arms combined a flock of ravens on a scarlet field surrounding not a dead weirwood tree like the sigil of House Blackwood, but a black shield charged with the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen, breathing red flames.

Like most of Targaryen descent, Daeron was described as having noticable Valyrian features: he was tall and lean, had long, wiry silver-gold hair and pale skin. While in Essos, Daeron's skin had grown more tan; resembling a kind of olive complexion. Unlike most Targaryens whose eyes were purple, violet or of similar shade, Daeron had red eyes. Lady Ellaria Dondarrion once described Daeron as being "devilishly handsome".

To many, especially the members of Baelon I Targaryen's Small Council, Daeron was regarded as disdainful, reckless, defiant, arrogant and unpredictable. He made no reservations about mocking those he deemed incompetent and usually carried himself with a certain self-sense of superiority. A deadly warrior and an even more cunning politician, Daeron was highly intelligent and resourceful. He spoke multiple languages and was fluent in both High Valyrian and the Old Tongue. Although he was a knight sworn to oaths of upholding righteousness, defending the weak and protecting the innocent, Daeron was no stranger of using dubious tactics such as deceit, manipulation or betrayal to his advantage.

Daeron was said to be extremely charming: women were easily drawn to him. As such, Daeron had fathered numerous bastards during his travels through the Free Cities of Essos, though none he cared for enough to raise. He was also a natural born leader: according to Lord Jeremy Stokeworth, Daeron could have even persuaded a mob of peasants to try and conquer an empire. Despite his political ambition, Daeron was not a materialistic man and kept almost none of the plunders he had earned in the Disputed Lands and the Stepstones himself. Instead, he allowed all the spoils of war to be divided under his men. While he was confident and self-assured of his own capabilities, Daeron had an unnerving coyness to him as well: he was calm and collected but seemingly detached of any fear in the face of danger. As a result, some considered Daeron to be delusional, though not in the sense of having a false understanding of reality, but that everything he did seemed to be for some sort of calculated and grander purpose.

## Etymology

Daeron was named after his great-uncle Lord Daeron Velaryon, who was a legendary sailor and the Master of Ships to Jaehaerys I Targaryen. Daeron's moniker, "**Dragonseer**", was supposedly pioneered during his youth when he unintentionally predicted the outcome of a tourney held at Maidenpool and later the death of Princess Laena Targaryen by "an unknown entity" (possibly referring to the Great Spring Sickness which claimed the lives of both her and her husband, Prince Aewyn Targaryen). While Targaryens are known Dragondreamers and could possess the ability to foresee the future, it is speculated that the power which Daeron possessed was actually the Greensight. Through his mother, a member of House Blackwood, Daeron was a descendant of the First Men. Like the Greenseers of old, Daeron also had red eyes (instead of violet or purple like most Valyrians), and it could have been the reason for his reputation as "one who dabbles in the most vile of sorceries".

## Trivia

* The eldest grandson of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, Daeron was at one point in time (before the birth of Axaes Targaryen) the heir presumptive to the Iron Throne after his late uncle Prince Aewyn and his father Prince Valerion Targaryen.
* It is unknown what exactly caused Daeron to leave Westeros, though it is speculated that his mother's death was part of it.
* According to Princess Rhaella Targaryen, Daeron's personality had drastically changed after his first visit to Raventree Hall.
* An enigma, Daeron's end goal (if any) remains unclear. However, his extreme measures and reckless ambition in pursuit of power in Essos hint toward a more significant purpose.