Chapter 113: Chapter extra
Maegor gave up his reagent position after he found Alys was pregnant. He wanted to move away from the poisonous Westeros, so he contacted sister Lena and his brother in law Paul to allow them to live in Qarth. Paul agreed to the this proposal.
In Qarth Maegor and Alys would have there son, Aurion II Targaryen.
Maegor before moving giving up the bond with Belerion would move with his family to Qarth.
The move of giving up Belerion was strategic decision, since Targaryens still needed Belerion and having him away in Essos was not good point.
Even Visenya Targaryen would move
Also Belerion was very reluctant to leave Maegor and even more reluctant to accept Jaehaerys as his rider later.
Also Jaehaerys although reigned wisely, his mistake with North would prove very costly.
As he actually ordered Alaric Stark,vthat he double the land by extending it a further twenty-five leagues.
Jaehaerys Targaryen made a mistake, he forgot the fact Aegon the Conqueror didn't defeat and conquer North, Dorne and Reach. They had an alliance, so he could only suggest North to provide the Wall with more land.
But Jaehaerys Targaryen after gaining Belerion had become proud and slightly arrogant. That he was ordering the Alaric Stark to give the Land to Wall as "The Gift"
Alaric Stark along with Morin Dayne and Joyce Gardener, all looked at the Targaryen King and Queen with slight anger.
Joyce Gardener was the Queen of Reach, she was angry and questioned."You are stepping over the line?"
Jaehaerys sighed and said."We just want the wall to have additional land to support it."
Morin Daye gritted his teeth and cut in."My friend Alaric has already provided the people with land, support through free food and exemption from taxes for all those who joined the Wall, this is enough and even Merlin comes every decade to check the walls."
Jaehaerys wanted to push further by summoning Belerion to his side, and his wife
Alysanne Targaryen summoned Silverwing.
Both dragons appeared few miles behind them, it was show of power. Belerion the black dread, while Silverwing
Alaric seeing this just held his hand up,as the Trident symbol tattooed on his arm lit up in blue and them from sea few miles away Bewilderedbeast jumped out from the sea with a roar.
Joyce Gardener, she helped her hand out as the Yagdrasil tattoo in her arm lit up in golden glow and suddenly a portal opened up and from it came Ladon, a being terrifying, enormous, with one hundred heads, like a hundred pythons had been fused together. His serpentine body is thicker than Vhagar neck, and his bright scales shimmer like copper.
Morin Dayne held his arm out as tattoo of Set glowed red, and suddenly a cloud of sand swirled and from it came massive cobra-like serpent with a threatening posture. The serpent has dark, textured scales that give it an armored appearance, and its hood flares outward, showing ridges that add to its intimidating size. The head features glowing eyes and a mouth filled with sharp, menacing fangs, giving the impression of a mystical or divine creature.
Another cobra spike serpent cfollowrd behind. Its scales have a pale, stony appearance, with cracks or glowing veins running along its body, suggesting it may be imbued with divine energy. The texture of the serpent's body gives it a weathered, ancient look, as expression is both regal and ferocious, with a strong jawline and sharp facial contours.
Bewilderment roared at Belerion, who saw the challenge. But unlike previous experiences he was wary and stepped back.
Silverwing seeing Ladon, Kem is black Snake and Hedj is the white one. All of them bared there fangs at Silverwing who also stepped back.
Jaehaerys and Alysanne seeing this gulped in fear, they stepped back.
For the first time he saw why Aegon the Conqueror decided to go for a alliance rather than war.
Jaehaerys quickly spoke up."Okay, we don't want war, the Kingdoms are stable and a war will only ruin it."
Alaric Stark, Joyce Gardener and Morin Dayne snorted at this. But they agreed, but a rift was formed between the Targaryens and the Alliance.
Alyssa Velaryon mother of Jaehaerys was so angry that, she slapped his son for his foolishness.
Maegor who heard about this was shocked, Visenya was angry that her there work with strengthening the alliance between Targaryen and North, Reach and Dorne was all destroyed by this idiot, she was quick to return to Westeros on Vhagar and slap the boy. She would later try to mend the broken trust.
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Though Maegor Targaryen served only as Regent, history has long debated the potential he held as a king in his own right. Known posthumously as "Maegor the Impartial," his legacy is marked by both admiration and controversy. While detractors decried his methods as cruel, the prevailing opinion among chroniclers and lords of the realm acknowledged his steadfast impartiality in governance. He was a man who ruled without favor or bias, meting out justice with a cold hand that many believed was necessary during turbulent times.
In contrast, the ascension of Jaehaerys Targaryen to the Iron Throne proved far more contentious. The early years of his reign were marred by what many described as recklessness and youthful arrogance. Securing the great dragon Balerion the Black Dread, Jaehaerys appeared emboldened by the power such a legendary beast conferred, often disregarding the wise counsel of his mother, Alyssa Velaryon, and his formidable grandmother, Visenya Targaryen. His perceived hubris led to several missteps that cast a long shadow over his reign.
Two decisions, in particular, have been scrutinized for their enduring impact on Westeros. The first was Jaehaerys's move to restore the Faith of the Seven to a position of prominence and power. This decision was driven by his deep-seated paranoia regarding his uncle Maegor and his desire to consolidate a counterbalance to Maegor's lingering influence. However, this strategy ultimately proved futile, as Maegor's threat had already diminished, rendering the move unnecessary. Instead of strengthening the realm, it rekindled old hostilities between the Faith and the Crown, setting the stage for generations of tension and conflict.
The second decision was the weakening of alliances between the North, Dorne, and the Reach. These bonds, painstakingly cultivated by Jaehaerys's predecessors to ensure stability and unity, were neglected and strained during his reign. This neglect sowed seeds of fragmentation and mistrust among the great houses, undermining the foundations of the Targaryen dynasty's power in the realm. Both decisions highlight the complexities of Jaehaerys's rule, where personal insecurities and misjudgments carried consequences far beyond his reign.
In the second half of his reign, Jaehaerys Targaryen underwent a remarkable transformation. Demonstrating greater patience and humility, he began to heed the counsel of those closest to him. Notably, he mended strained relationships with his formidable grandmother, Visenya Targaryen, his uncle Maegor Targaryen, and the enigmatic Merlin Emrys, whose wisdom had often been disregarded during the king's earlier years.
The reasons for this change have been the subject of much speculation among historians. However, Alyssa Velaryon, Jaehaerys's mother, offered a candid explanation. She credited this shift in her son's demeanor to the humbling experiences he endured at the hands of three influential lords: Alaric Stark of the North, Joyce Gardener of the Reach, and Morin Dayne of Dorne. These stern figures reportedly tempered Jaehaerys's arrogance and reminded him of the weight of kingship.
Alyssa, known for her sharp wit, would even jest that the transformation might have been hastened by the firm slaps dealt by herself and Dowager Visenya. "Perhaps," she once remarked, "it was not just wisdom but also the sting of grandmotherly correction that awakened the king to his duties." This combination of personal reflection and external guidance marked a turning point in Jaehaerys's reign, paving the way for a more balanced and effective rule in his later years.
An Excerpt from "The Reign of Jaehaerys Targaryen" by Scholar Vaella Targaryen, Tower of the North
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