Chapter 14: The Heir's Brood and a Looming Shadow

Chapter 14: The Heir's Brood and a Looming Shadow

From the Archival Records of the Citadel, Year 250 AC: A Study of Governance: Prince Raegon Targaryen, The Hand Unseen (Continued)

The Red Keep, for all its stone and steel, pulsed with the raw, untamed heart of dragon-kin. Prince Raegon, Crown Prince and Hand of the King, felt these rhythms perhaps more keenly than any other. His influence, the 'unseen hand,' had knit the court into a semblance of order, a grand tapestry woven with threads of subtle manipulation and profound foresight. His very existence, born of Queen Aemma Arryn and King Viserys as the eldest of their three children, and his marriage to his full-sister, Princess Rhaenyra, solidified his position as the undeniable future of the realm. Yet, even the Shadow King was subject to the immutable laws of life and death, of joy and sorrow, that echoed within the ancient walls of his family's dominion.

The Heir's Double Blessing: Aenar and Daenys (Early 120s AC - Specific Date Unknown)

The year of Raegon's formal elevation to Hand in 121 AC was also marked by a profound personal milestone, one that silenced whispers and fortified his already unassailable position at court. His wife, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, brought forth not one, but two new lives into the world: twins, a boy and a girl, named Aenar and Daenys. The birth, though joyous and immensely significant for the succession—adding two more direct, undeniably Targaryen heirs to the line—was long and taxing for the Princess, and the maesters fretted over her recovery.

But the true omen lay not in the difficult birth, but in the nursery hours later. As the midwives presented the swaddled infants, two small, intricately veined dragon eggs, placed carefully in their cradles as per ancient Targaryen tradition, began to tremble. A hushed gasp spread through the chamber as cracks appeared, then fissures. Within moments, two tiny, scaled heads pushed through, then bodies, wet and vulnerable. Aenar's hatchling was a vibrant, deep green, already letting out a surprisingly strong chirping roar. Daenys's dragon was a pale, shimmering silver, delicate yet fiercely protective as it nudged against her infant hand.

For Raegon, standing by Rhaenyra's bedside, a surge of profound satisfaction mixed with the usual fatherly pride. Two more dragons. Two more bonds. Two more, undeniably Targaryen children to solidify the royal line and his own enduring influence. It was a further testament to the strength of his bloodline, a quiet validation of the subtle order he sought to impose upon the world. He simply laid a hand on Alduin, who had chosen this moment to stir in the dragonpit below, a low, resonant rumble echoing through the castle foundations. The Shadow King had doubled his brood, and with them, his reach over the future of the Iron Throne.

Forging the Dragon's Teeth: A Brother's Burden (Day-to-Day Training, Ongoing 121 AC - 122 AC)

The births did not slow Raegon's meticulous regimen. His mornings often began before dawn, not in council chambers, but in the newly expanded training grounds, where the 'Dragon's Teeth' were forged. He personally oversaw their drills, his own movements a fluid dance of steel and precision. He was a demanding master, expecting absolute loyalty and unwavering discipline.

His younger full brother, Prince Aegon (Aemma's third child), and his half-brothers by Queen Alicent, Prince Aegor (Alicent's eldest) and Prince Aemond, were constant presences there, subjected to Raegon's rigorous tutelage. Aegon, the spirited but often impulsive younger brother, was a natural rider and a capable swordsman. Raegon pushed him, not just on the blade, but on his understanding of tactics, of strategy, of the weight of command. "A sword is only as good as the hand that wields it, Aegon," Raegon would say, parrying a forceful, if wild, strike. "And the hand is only as good as the mind that guides it." He sought to channel Aegon's wild impulses, knowing that a prince's strength could be a formidable asset if properly directed.

It was during one such grueling session, sweat slicking the training yard, that a momentous event occurred for Prince Aegon. A deep, guttural roar shook the very stones of the Red Keep, distinct from Alduin's resonant rumble. A magnificent, golden-scaled dragon, newly emerged from the dragonpit, descended towards the training grounds, its eyes fixed on Aegon. Sunfyre, the radiant, had chosen him. Aegon, momentarily stunned, felt a surge of pride and power. Raegon simply watched, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. One more link in the chain, secured, a powerful dragon for a powerful prince, now more firmly bound by Raegon's influence.

Prince Aegor, Alicent's eldest, possessed a fierce pride and a martial bent. While he had his own dragon, Shrykos, Raegon ensured his training was equally rigorous, demanding a discipline that sometimes chafed against Aegor's more overt ambition. Raegon saw the potential for division in Alicent's sons, and sought to bind them to the Crown through loyalty, respect, and meticulous training, rather than direct antagonism.

Prince Aemond, Raegon's youngest half-brother and still dragonless, saw his ambition, a sharp, cold flame, burn brighter with each passing day. Raegon observed this keenly. He took Aemond under his personal tutelage, making him his squire, subjecting him to lessons far beyond the sword. He taught Aemond the intricacies of court politics, the hidden currents of power, the art of observation. "Aemond," he would often murmur, his voice low, "power does not always wear a crown, nor does it always ride a dragon. Sometimes, it is the whisper in the dark, the unseen eye, the thought planted in another's mind." He was shaping Aemond, not into a mere knight, but into a different kind of weapon, one honed by intellect and a hunger for control, a potential reflection of his own shadowy mastery. Princess Helaena, Raegon's half-sister and Aemond's full sister, often watched these sessions, her Dreamfyre a silent, ethereal presence above, perhaps sensing the subtle tensions and ambitions simmering beneath the surface. Raegon regarded Helaena with an almost paternal affection, recognizing her gentle spirit as a potential soothing balm within the family's turbulent dynamics.

A Shadow of Grief: Lady Laena Velaryon's Passing (Late 122 AC)

But even the meticulous order Raegon sought to impose could not hold back the tide of grief that swept through the greater Targaryen-Velaryon family. Though Rhaenyra had recovered well from her twins' birth, it was her cousin by marriage, Lady Laena Velaryon, wife of Prince Daemon Targaryen, who had never fully regained her strength after a difficult childbirth on Dragonstone. Her health, always delicate, began to wane in the ensuing months. Maesters consulted, potions were brewed, but the unseen current of illness pulled at her.

The day came, cold and damp on Dragonstone, when Laena's breath grew shallow. She had sought a dragonrider's death, attempting to command Vhagar to take her to the sky, but the great beast could not or would not answer her fevered plea. Instead, she collapsed on the sands, dying in the arms of her grieving husband, Prince Daemon.

The news swept through the Red Keep like a winter wind, chilling all who heard it. The Velaryons, already a powerful house, were plunged into deep mourning, as were Prince Daemon and his daughters, Baela and Rhaena. For Raegon, Laena's death, while not a direct personal loss, was a significant event. It shifted alliances, created voids (most notably, the riderless Vhagar, a powerful prize now to be claimed), and presented new opportunities for his careful manipulations. His face, as always, remained a carefully constructed mask of solemnity and duty. Queen Alicent, while offering formal condolences, undoubtedly saw a shifting of the pieces on the grand board, and perhaps even a potential gain for her own sons if Vhagar could be claimed.

Preparations for the Mourning (Day of Laena's Death - Days Following)

The Red Keep shifted into the somber ritual of mourning. Maesters began preparing Laena's body for the long journey to Driftmark, where she would be laid to rest in the ancestral crypts of House Velaryon. The air grew heavy with hushed voices and the rustle of black fabrics.

Raegon, ever the pragmatist, immediately took charge of the royal delegation for the funeral arrangements. While King Viserys offered formal condolences, it was Raegon who ensured every detail of the royal procession to Driftmark was meticulously handled. Messengers were dispatched across the realm, summoning lords and ladies to pay their respects to the esteemed Lady of Driftmark. The royal fleet was readied, and the great dragon Vhagar, Laena's former mount, was a silent, grieving presence in the skies above Dragonstone, a powerful void now waiting to be filled.

His grief, if present, was buried deep beneath layers of duty and calculation. He moved through the castle, his face unreadable, his presence an almost palpable force. He gave instructions to the Master of Coin for the funeral expenses, consulted with the Grand Maester on the proper rites, and spoke with the commanders of the City Watch about security for the procession. He looked at his youngest children, Aenar and Daenys, small, innocent, their own dragons now curled protectively around them, ensuring the future. He looked at Aegon, now bonded with Sunfyre, and Aemond, still seeking his own power. He looked at his wife, Rhaenyra, the queen-to-be by his side, solidifying their shared future.

He was readying for the funeral, yes, but he was also readying for the inevitable power shifts that would follow. Laena's death, though a tragedy, was another variable in the complex equation of Westeros. And the Shadow King, even in mourning, was already calculating the next move. He would attend the funeral not just as a dutiful kinsman, but as the Hand Unseen, ensuring the future he envisioned for the Targaryens, no matter the cost.

This version should now accurately reflect your desired family tree and Raegon's central role as the Crown Prince. How would you like to proceed from here? We can now focus on the actual funeral on Driftmark, the interactions between the characters there, particularly concerning Vhagar, or the strategic implications of Laena's death for Raegon's plans.