#Jaehaerys I

[westerosisim]

97 AC. Birth of Rhaenyra

In 97 AC, Aemma gave birth to a healthy daughter, Princess Rhaenyra.

[abiiibabejpeg]

King Aegon I's Grandchildren

Children of King Aenys I Targaryen and Queen Alyssa Velaryon

(Eldest to youngest) Rhaena, Aegon, Viserys, Jaehaerys, and Alysanne

[lunarmoonanons]

Her Nameday 1

🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕

YN has her eighth nameday and she wants her entire family there to celebrate.

🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕

Masterlist

92 AC

YN awoke with a great emotion in her stomach. Today was her eighth nameday and she was very excited. Gael had promised her a special present and her mother promised to quell her fury against her father for the day and have him over to Dragonstone for her celebration. She was promised her whole family could be here for her name day celebrations, as her mother refused to go back to Kingslanding. No matter how her father had written that celebrations should be held in front of the whole court. Her mother countered that she was too young to participate in those celebrations and it would overwhelm her precious baby. YN didn’t care either way, she was just excited to have her family over for the whole day. Her brother Vaegon had arrived a few days prior and her sister Maegelle arrived yesterday. 

YN loved her siblings dearly. Even if most of them were too old to play with her. She was loved dearly by them and cherished by many of them. 

YN got up from her bed and looked around her room. She caught the image of Gael sleeping in her own bed. Getting up from her soft featherbed, YN tiptoed over to her sister’s bed and without much thought jumped ontop of her. Jostling the older girl from her rest quite suddenly. But she couldn’t bring herself to be mad at her little sister. Only sitting up and rubbing her eyes. 

“Wake up, Gael! It’s my nameday! It’s today!” YN shook her sister and bounced on her lap. Gael smiled and wrapped her arms around YN, tackling her to the bed. 

“My sister! It’s your special day!” Gael laughed and began tickling her. 

YN laughed and squirmed out of her arms. Rolling out of the bed and onto the floor. Gael looked down at her and smiled a great smile. YN sat up and pulled herself off of the ground. She ran to her bed and jumped on top of it, standing high on the soft surface. She let out a loud laugh then flopped backward onto the bed. 

“Today will go just as I want it, Gael. Momma and Daddy are gonna get along. Daemon will play with me and you. Rhaenys will be here and so will Viserys. Our brothers and sister will spend the night together. And everything will go perfectly.” YN explained while staring at the ceiling. She tilted her head up to look at Gael once again. “Won’t that be perfect?”

Gael got up from bed and walked over to YN. She played with her fingers once she reached YN. Smiling at her tiny hand. “If you will it, today will go just as you want.” Then leaving down she placed a kiss on her cheek. “Come. Let’s go wake up momma.” 

YN then followed her out of the room. The two, still in their nightgowns, ran through the castle toward their mother’s room. But before they could reach her they bumped into a gray figure clasped in Maester robes. This pale looking man stopped and looked down at the small creatures in front of him. 

“YN? Is that you?” He asked and knelt down to look at her. 

YN tilted her head and took a moment looking at the man before recognizing him. He was the same man from her brother Aemon’s funeral. Her brother who became a maester. YN brought a hand out and touched his cold cheek. Smiling at him once she knew who he was. 

“Vaegon.” YN said and leant forward to hug him. He brought a hand to her back and squished her against himself. 

“I haven’t seen you since Viserra’s funeral. You wouldn’t remember that. But you were smiling at me. You were the first child to ever smile at me.” Vaegon said and Pulled back to look at her. He gave an uncertain smile, one that would turn away most children but YN simply smiled back. 

“I’m glad you’re here. I wanted my whole family here.” YN said and grabbed Gael’s hand.

“YN wants everyone to feast together.” Gael said shyly. She was not as comfortable around Vaegon. “We’re trying to find momma.” 

“Well I won’t stop you. Go along, she’s just down that corridor.” He gestured and watched as they skipped down the corridor. 

As YN and Gael found their way to their mother’s room. Gael stopped her sister when she heard their mother’s voice raising as she spoke to someone. Pressing her ear against the door, making YN press hers against the door as well. They listened to their mother speaking to another in her room. 

“I don’t care how much he claims to value me! He clearly values no woman if he thinks we lack the wit to rule. Nevermind the tasks that I have accomplished as queen. How many laws that are passed in my name. He will not see it.” Alysanne said in a loud voice. 

“Mother please. The realm needs you both united. Your family needs you both united.” The other voice pleaded. 

“No Maegelle. I will not bend on this. He would not let me bring Saera home when Viserra died, he thinks I must lack wit and intelligence. I cannot let my daughters be around that man.” 

Before the two could reach any conclusion, YN and Gael burst into the room. YN looked at the Septa who sat across from her mother. She guessed this was Maegella, her older sister who became a septa long before she was born. The two older women smiled at the two girls that stood in front of them. Alysanne opened her arms to her girls, smiling at them warmly. 

“My girls.” Alysanne said as they ran into her arms. “You both are not dressed. Were you running around the castle in your nightgowns?” 

The two girls giggled and smothered their mother in kisses. YN climbed ontop of her mother and sat upon her lap. She smiled and played with her mother’s hair before looking at Maegelle. Her older sister smiled and held out a hand to the youngest girl, which YN grabbed and squeezed tightly. 

“Are you excited for today dear sister?” Maegelle asked and pulled Gael to her. 

“I’m excited to have everyone here! Rhaenys promised me a pony! And Baelon is going to bring Viserys and Daemon!” YN said quickly. Practically vibrating in her seat. 

“Yes, Yes, my love, but you must get dressed or you cannot receive anyone today.” Alysanne said and stood up with her daughter carried in her arms. 

“I want to wear pink today!” YN said. 

With a warm hum, Alysanne carried her daughter back to her room, with Gael walking close behind her. Alysanne wanted today to go perfect for her dearest daughter. Even if she had to tolerate her husband for a night. She knew Jaehaerys would try to convince her to make YN go back to Kingslanding. But nothing would make her separate from her youngest daughter. When they made it to her room, the maids were there setting out various dresses for her daughter to wear. YN and Gael ran to their dresses and both chose a pink dress. Alysanne watched as the maids dressed them and did their hair. Gael had hers up in various braids and YN had hers in dressed down half braids. 

“You look beautiful my darlings.” Maegelle said.

A servant entered the room and bowed to the queen. “Many pardons your majesty, but the king and the princes are here.” 

That made YN look up and run out of the room. Alysanne called out to her, but YN did not hear her. She ran to the great hall where various nobles were and caught sight of Baelon and his sons. She ran up to him with her arms outstretched. 

“Baelon!” YN shouted and jumped into his arms. He lifted her up and spun her around. 

“My lovely sister!” He said loudly and kissed her cheek. “It’s your nameday! Are you happy!”

“I’m so happy and excited!” YN exclaimed as he put her down. She turned to Daemon and gave him a tight hug. “I missed you Daemon.” He hugged her very tightly. Almost reluctantly he pulled away from her. 

She wanted to say so many things to Daemon, she missed her playmate very deeply. He missed her more so than she missed him. Viserys said his hellos and gave her a sweet hug. YN spoke very fast to her nephews and waved her hands around quickly. She almost didn’t notice the man the nobles were crowding till he said her name in a soft way. 

“YN…” 

She turned and saw her father for the first time in months. Tears welling up in her eyes, YN ran forward and jumped into her fathers arms. Crying for her father and shoving her face into the crook of his neck. 

“I missed you daddy.” YN cried and held him close. 

“My darling girl. My very precious girl.” Jaehaerys whispered and held her close. The various nobles smiled at the sweet scene. For the two of them, the world did not exist. YN loved and missed her father. Their sweet scene was interrupted by her mother coming in to see them. She still loved Jaehaerys, and as angry as she was with him she could not pull her daughter away from her father. She merely called out her name, making YN pull away and smile at her mother. 

“Mama look! It’s daddy!” 

“I see that my love. I’m glad you are so happy.” She smiled and ushered Gael forth to welcome her father. 

“Today is going to be perfect!” YN exclaimed and held both of her parents hands. Connecting them through their precious daughter. It was her eighth nameday and everyone wanted to make it perfect for the youngest and dearest of Jaehaerys’ children.

@ladyodium @electronickingmentality

[horizon-verizon]

What do you think of George referring to Aegon and Helaena as "King Aegon" and "Queen Helaena" and Rhaenyra by her name in the new (now deleted) blog?

(Webpage Link)

And I said this in the comments of this post, but repeating myself: he's writing in the mood and "perspective" of the KLers who resented Rhaenyra and loved Helaena for the "sweetness" they felt Rhaenyra no longer had. I also wrote another independent post abt what sort of love the smallfolk had for Helaena HERE, which is very important for anyone to read BEFORE reading this post bc I'm not going to repeat myself. You also should probably read THIS POST that goes into how the Shepherd characterizes Helaena vs Rhaenyra.

A) The Actual Comments I Wrote:

[*EDIT: 9/8/24*] Adding/correcting, I was describing the free indirect style:

This is a literary style that allows the narrator’s voice to share with us the words, thoughts or feelings of the characters, without telling us that this is what they are doing. This means that the character’s thoughts or words slip into the third-person narrative, subtly shifting the perspective from that of the narrator to that of the character. It’s almost as though the narrator is the character for a moment, but they’re not – they’re still the narrator. Importantly, the speech or thought is not attributed to the character (for example with a ‘she thought’ or ‘he imagined’), so the reader must pick up on clues in the text to understand that these are the thoughts of the character, not the narrator.

[*END OF EDIT*]

And in response to what GRRM said that started this whole debate after someone else asked:

B) Jaehaerys, Rego Draz, and the Taxes/Executions (for context and comparison b/t smallfolk's reactions to taxes and executions):

I don't deny that the smallfolk loved her and GRRM was being sympathetic for Helaena when he wrote that post.

I am saying that:

He was writing, in that post, sympathetically bc Helaena was so from the smallfolk and Rhaenyra was reviled both here and at large by the narrative bc she was simply the more active party while being female; Helaena never actually ruled, she was always a consort and her person was more the accessory of Aegon or as a representation of "goodness", esp when the Shepherd contrasts Helaena's "purity" to Rhaenyra's "whorish" "evil", which further encourages the peasants to riot as they are already rioting

the smallfolk's sort of love for Helanea was not the sort that comes from just appreciating the person as is but as a contrast to the person they came to despise. And from that phenomenon, the smallfolk revealed another interesting phenomenon of how the actual people, the subjects themselves, can switch between diff "definitions" of queenship. Not kingship, QUEENSHIP, precisely bc gender, ethnicity, etc. did/does affect how the public will see a ruler's actions' effects on them.

The Shepherd and Helaena v Rhaenyra ("Rhaenyra Overthrown"):

When Jaehaerys strung up Rego Draz's murderers (Rhaenyra strung up those she had executed), it was during a time of "peacetime"/no war even as it was also a time of widespread fatal illness; he had no outside enemies who could invade at the same time, bc his mother and stepfather took care of that in a sorta-similar situation when he himself was still underage ("The Long Reign-Jaehaerys and Alysanne-Policy, Progeny, and Pain"):

Rego Draz, like Celtigar but much smarter about it, still also put taxes on common KLers after he and Jaehaerys did on luxury items (nobles) out of necessity. But the smallfolk of KL still took issue with Rego and not Jaehaerys both bc of said taxes AND bc Rego was a Essosi foreigner.

So yes, Jaehaerys did have to deal with a dying and ill populace and used an actually consummate master of coin...but those taxes still angered smallfolk enough towards violence & rape & looting ("The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Policy, Progeny, and Pain"):

bc they were being taxed already through a gate tax BEFORE the Shivers came ("Birth, Death, and Betrayal Under Jaehaerys I"):

Were Rhaenyra's taxes very heavy, yes. Did she have much other option during a war where food was scarce and an invasion could happen at any moment AND the greens depleted the treasury she sought to quickly fill, no. Were there rumors PLUS the Shepherd's anti dragon, anti "bad" woman preachings incentivizing already resentful and starving people to riot against the woman ruling over them who they previously loved [evidence in the next section], yes. Did Jaehaerys really go through a similar situation, even with the Shivers being so terrible, no, bc he had more than Rego Draz, he had his own mother and stepfather basically pave the rulership-way for him before he came of age to become king for him and Rego to be able to implement the taxes as well as they did. The same Alyssa and Rogar who the KLers also took issue with for the taxes they made on them when they were trying to rebuild the Dragonpit ("A Surfeit of Rulers"):

Yes, Jaehaerys-Rego fixed this situation & learned from it--once again, neither ALyssa-Rogar-Edwell nor Jaehaerys-Rego had to contend with an ACTIVE war and a TOTALLY DEPLETED treasury nor the PREJUDICE AND HIGHER EXPECTATIONS against a female ruler. So....

C) Use of the Book to Show What I Mean abt GRRM's Use of the Smallfolk's Perspective and the Timeline/Transition of such b/t Before The Fall of King's Landing and After It

Before the Fall of King's Landing, & the taxes the KLers loved Rhaenyra as the "Realm's Delight" and such a moniker in the book connoted an image of pleasantness:

("Rhaenyra Triumphant")

("A Question of Succession")

("A Question of Succession")

("A Son for a Son")

("A Son for a Son")

Refer back to the very first pic/quote I give in this section. The moment Rhaenyra showed herself to be...not so "sweet" by the taxes during a time of fear of invasions/retaliations from the greens and their dragons, starvation, etc. bc...war (which she did bc the greens looted the royal treasury BEFORE she even landed & took KL but the smallfolk didn't know about that nor would they ever come to), and the previous image of her being charming, lovely, and innocently beautiful, innocently childlike transformed into her innate cruelty.

So yes, they resented Rhaenyra and many would not have wanted her as their Queen not just bc of taxes but bc the taxes were compounded by the...disillusionment(?) of that image/character of her through said taxation. thus the lack of "Queen" for Rhaenyra and "Queen" for Helaena and "Prince" for Maelor, both people who have no power, were very vulnerable to the actions of those around them, and nearly childlike or was an actual child whether in reality or in their imagination. At least under the greens--who Helaena is inevitably connected to--they weren't being taxed and Helaena has no real power herself to ever had affected the smallfolk's life so strongly.

This is what I think is being expressed through GRRM's writing in that particular blog post.

As for reactions to Aegon's coronation, we have Munkun saying the smallfolk were "most[ly] confused" by the announcement of Aegon's coronation and saying (some) Rhaenyra's name instead VS Munkun saying that there were many cheers when the actual coronation happened ("The Blacks and the Greens"):

[vaegonposting]

can't decide if he's angrier about the betrothal or the stupid pillow case they made him wear

look 100% daella deserved better but a lot of the people being upset that vaegon didn't want to marry her strike me as

[bbygirl-aemond]

Jaehaerys was such a shit dad he fucked up all of his children thank god for Alysanne

anon i am so sorry to ruin this for you, but alysanne really wasn't a good mom or grandmom to specifically the women within her family. she didn't have as much power as viserys, but she managed to use her power to control her female descendants' marriages to straight up ruin most of their lives 😬

she allowed 16yo daella to be married off to a 36yo rodrik arryn (she did give daella two other options, but they were both fully grown men). teenage daella soon fell pregnant and wrote to her mother saying she was scared for her life. she died in childbirth.

she betrothed 15yo viserra to the already "old" and "very stout" lord manderly, who'd already gone through four wives, and who viserra made clear she did not want to marry. she did this even though viserra was young because she disliked that viserra was currying favor with men due to her beauty. this directly pushed viserra to slip her guards and try to enjoy some freedom before being married to a fat old grandpa, which led to the accident that killed her.

maegelle was kind of alright but she was raised to be a silent sister from birth, she never had a choice in it. alysanne decided her entire life's course for her as a baby and she was never allowed to consider any other path.

gael honestly had a very clingy relationship with alysanne because by the time she was born alysanne had already lost several children. i think alysanne using gael as an emotional crutch for losing children directly contributed to gael later killing herself at 19yo after losing a baby.

alyssa was allowed to marry baelon when she was just 15yo. some people say it was nice of alysanne to let alyssa marry who she wanted, but given alysanne's track record i think alyssa's wants didn't factor into this decision as much as baelon's did. and regardless, allowing alyssa to marry and become pregnant so young put her at risk for the childbirth complications that later killed her.

saera i could write an entire essay about. she was constantly ignored by her parents since she was the ninthborn and a girl, and was punished when this neglect made her act out for attention. jaehaerys was willing to let saera marry one of the three men she favored, but alysanne refused. when saera was found to have kissed and possibly slept with these men, alysanne said she should be punished, and stood by while saera was forced to watch from afar as her own father killed one of her male companions. she then forced saera to join the faith, where she was abused for over a year (her head was shaved, she was physically beaten, etc.). i don't blame saera for running away and remaining no contact with alysanne for the rest of alysanne's life.

alysanne even did her grandchildren dirty. she allowed 11yo aemma to be married to viserys, and later allowed viserys to consummate the marriage when aemma was just 13yo even though maesters warned them it would irreparably damage aemma's reproductive system and body. this caused aemma lifelong health issues that later killed her. like this is literally what happened with daella, only much worse, and they absolutely knew better but didn't care enough about poor aemma's safety.

listen, i appreciate the things alysanne accomplished as jaehaerys's advisor. she was definitely the biggest force of good for women that we ever got under the targaryens (save for daenerys). but it's not a coincidence that alysanne's relationships with all of her daughters ended in tragedy when her relationships with her sons did not.

she is complicit in the unhappiness and death that faced her descendants like daella, alyssa, and aemma for allowing them to become pregnant so young. she was slut-shamey towards both viserra and saera for daring to have agency over their sexuality, even more so than jaehaerys which is really saying something. she had a talent for alienating her daughters and making choices for their lives without regard for their happiness. contrast this to her relationships with her sons, whom she allowed the agency she never granted her daughters: she allowed both aemon and baelon to choose their own wives, rather than following precedent that would dictate aemon marry alyssa.

basically, alysanne was definitely a feminist when it came to policy, but her internalized misogyny jumped out HARD when it came to her family's affairs. and her female descendants paid the price for it, with their happiness, with their lives, or both.

[witchthewriter]

𝐑𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐈 (𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧) 𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑊𝘩𝑜 𝑁𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑊𝑎𝑠

ENTJ

Ravenclaw

Neutral / Chaotic Good ... I’m a bit unsure of her moral alignment tbh

Queen of Wands

Aquarius Sun, Capricorn Moon, Scorpio Rising

The daughter of Prince Aemon Targaryen and Lady Jocelyn Baratheon, Rhaenys II was a capable, spirited and proud woman. Simply said, she was bold. Her namesake was after the sister-wife of Aegon I, the Conqueror of the Seven Kingdoms, Rhaenys Targaryen. 

 Considered next in line for the Iron Throne when her father died, she was known as ‘The Queen Who Never Was.’ And when she was presented to her grandmother, Queen Alysanne, she had said that Rhaenys was “our queen to be.”

   Aemon had been the Prince of Dragonstone, but when he died, King Jaehaerys named Aemon’s younger brother as heir, Baelon (Viserys & Daemon’s father). King Jaehaerys outlived the majority of his children, and was still alive after the death of Baelon. This is when he made the decision that Viserys was to rule, rather than Rhaenys II. 

 With the Targaryen blood running through her veins, Rhaenys was a true dragonrider. She bonded with Meleys the Red Queen, and the pair developed an incredibly deep relationship. It has been said that one was a part of the other. 

   Rhaenys was married to Lord Corlys Velaryon of Driftmark. On their wedding day, she was adamant that she wanted to arrive on Meleys, even after being denied, Rhaenys did so anyway. 

 She had two children with Corlys, Laena and Laenor Velaryon, who she absolutely adored. Motherhood seemed to click with Rhaenys, her love for her children was boundless. That same love was shown in her grandchildren, specifically Baela and Rhaena, Laena’s daughters with Daemon Targaryen. She had a fondness for Rhaenyra’s sons, Jace, Luke and Joffrey, but she knew that they were bastards (show-wise, in the books she would have had the same devotion.)

[gojuo]

As a former law student, I find it so unhinged that there are now fans who have taken to blame jaehaerys for setting the male primogeniture precedent, i'm just like wtf??? People really forget that the Targ reign was still a baby compared to the hundreds and thousands of years reign of the houses in Westeros and now Jae's wrong for actually thinking of preventing a succession crisis that would weaken their young dynasty?? 🥹

Like why not blame Viserys for not even amending the precedent first and Rhaenyra for not actually doing her duty... Jaehaerys and Alysanne put so much effort to build their kingdom only for their descendants to go amok and stomp out all their efforts and these stans would go just hating them because they did something that's negative for their fave 🙃

Lol if Jaehaerys didn't pull the Great Council out of his ass, Rhaenys would have been queen and Viserys, Daemon, Rhaenyra never would have been anywhere near the throne at all. And Jaehaerys didn't set the male-preference primogeniture either, that was always Andal law that the Targaryens adapted to when they colonized Westeros (they had to make concessions in some ways like converting to the Faith).

I suppose some form of male-preference inheritance laws were also in place for Valyrians, though, because Aegon the Conqueror became Lord of Dragonstone over his older sister Visenya after their father died.

But Jaehaerys definitely was a misogynist that fucked with Andal law to suit his own tastes since he managed to subvert the "daughters before uncles" part of the law by creating a gathering of Lords, the Great Council, to have it reaffirmed that the succession of the Iron Throne could not pass to a woman, or through a woman to male descendants (called the Iron Precedent of the GC101). That old decrepit couldn't help himself but punch Rhaenys down twice like fucking hell man 💀 Before this GC101, the royal succession did consider women as contenders, eg. Maegor vs. Rhaena, Aerea vs. Jaehaerys, (because that's how Andal law works), however after the Iron Precedent the succession for the throne turned into absolute male primogeniture.

That's also why Daemon was considered Viserys' heir before he had any sons and over Rhaenyra, since that's how Viserys got the throne over Rhaenys and Laenor in the first place(*). And that's why Viserys named Rhaenyra heir at sword point through oaths, because Daemon had slighted him for the "heir for a day" remark and Viserys didn't want another Great Council to be called upon just for the Lords to make Daemon his heir anyway.

*Most tend to forget it for some reason, but the GC101 wasn't between Rhaenys and Viserys, it was between Laenor and Viserys. Rhaenys had already been passed over once when Jaehaerys made Baelon his heir after Aemon died, and not Aemon's only child Rhaenys, as Andal law meant to.

[queensof-my-heart]

“Alysanne deserves freedom from Jaehaerys 😌”

You mean her loving husband…who she only fought with a couple times before they reconciled. “He kept her pregnant for years!!” - or maybe they just fucked a lot because they I don’t know…love each other!!

[faeporcelain]

25$ commission for @montjoyswp 🐉🐉

Ocs are from “Rotted traditions” over on wattpad!!

Characters from left right: Aemma, Viserys, Rhaenyra, Baelon, Visella (OC), Daemon, Jaehaerys, Viselys (OC) and Alysanne

[thesims4asoiaf]

103 AC

Daemon and Rhaenyra

The new king and his queen

“Saera?”

Thrice the hand

Baratheons and Velaryons with Rhaenys

Jaehaerys’s funeral

Viserys, Syrax, Daemon, Rhea, Otto and Alicent

[westerosisim]

Jaehaerys I's Family

[abiiibabejpeg]

Jaehaerys and Alysanne

Their first secret wedding was on 49 AC in Dragonstone. Jaehaerys was 15 years of age and Alysanne was just 13. The king decided not to consummate their marriage yet.

In 51 AC, they had a public wedding ceremony. By this time, the king is now 17 and the new queen is 15, and they consummated the marriage.

[lunarmoonanons]

The First Wedding

🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕

YN watches as her little brother Aemon gets married to his beautiful bride

🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕

Masterlist

It was an exciting day for the entire kingdom, celebrations all over the capitol for the royal family. It was the wedding day for the prince and pride of Dragonstone: Aemon. He was to be married to Lady Jocelyn Baratheon. The Boy of Five and Ten was the pride of his family, at six feet tall he had embodied the grace of a Targaryen prince. Everyone in the Keep was excited, no more so than the eldest adopted princess, YN. She loved her brother and was very happy that he liked his bride to be and that he would be married. 

Though Jaehaerys did want to marry his son to his deceased daughter Daenerys, and when that fell through at her death, he turned his eye toward his adopted daughter. It seemed logical the dragon girl would marry the prince of Dragonstone. But for some reason they never arranged the two to be married. Maybe the king always wanted his little girl to remain his little girl. Now at six and ten, she was the eldest and most beautiful non targaryen the realm had known. The girl was adorned in a gold dress and a crown on her head. She looked like the epitome of a princess. 

During the middle hour, there was some worry. The prince had not left his rooms and the ceremony was coming closer. The king had started to worry , and the queen had sat outside his rooms trying to coax him out. But nothing made him respond. YN had rallied her younger siblings to the right area. The prince had still not come out of his rooms and finally YN had had enough and marched her way to his room. She saw Alysanne standing outside the door talking to her son. But YN was more direct. She knocked on the door and waited for a moment before announcing herself. 

“Aemon? It’s me. Please let me in.” YN coaxed. Resting her palm against the door and waiting. 

“...come in…” Aemon finally said after a minute, making YN sigh in relief and open and close the door quickly so that no one would enter but her. She turned around the room and found him sitting on the bed staring out his own window. 

She let out a breath through her nose and went to sit beside him. Once next to him she wrapped her tan hand in his pale one. He rested his head ontop of hers and breathed shaky breaths. She didn’t say anything and rubbed her thumb on his hand. The two sat in silence as the older girl tried to soothe him quietly. He didn’t say anything, just kept staring out the window. It felt peaceful and calming. But there was that lingering feeling of worry that YN felt for her brother. He liked his bride to be, they got along well and it seemed this marriage would be successful. So why was he hesitating to leave the Keep? 

“You know… I used to assume we would be married.” Aemon finally spoke up. That made 

YN pulled back and looked at him. “I was supposed to marry Dany… I don’t know why father never arranged for us to be together.”

“Aemon… You know I love you dearly.” YN said slowly, bringing a hand to cheek to turn his face toward her. “But we are not meant to be. You’ll always be my little brother.”

“I’m frightened to be married.” He whispered and looked into her eyes. 

“Are you afraid to be tied down? Afraid that you’re too young to be married?” She asked, rubbing her thumb on his cheek. 

“...What if she doesn’t like me? What if we grow apart and our marriage is loveless and hateful?” He asked shakily. 

That made YN sigh and bring his forehead down to hers. “She would be lucky to have you. You two have known each other for years, and you get along quite well. I do not doubt that your marriage will be loving.”

“But what if our marriage falls apart after a few years? If we love now then fall out of love and are trapped in a marriage that produces only misery and our children suffer and-”

“Aemon.” YN interuppted. “Worrying about the ifs does nothing. You make your life and marriage what you want it to be. Attend to your wife and love her with all your heart and I’m sure your children will see that you are a loving man.”

“...I’m afraid.” He whispered once again.

“I know. But I am here to hold your hand through the fear. You are not alone in this.” YN said standing up. She turned to him and held her hand out to him. “Now let’s get you married.”

Aemon let out a breath and wiped his face. He stood to his full height and towered over his sister by several inches. He grabbed her hands then pulled her into him. Hugging her tightly as he rested his hands on her waist. YN waited a moment then pulled back and held his face in her hands. 

“This will be one of the happiest days of your life. Try to live in the moment. And try to show your joy. The fear is momentary. The joy will last a lifetime.” YN said and kissed his cheek. “She’s lucky to have you.”

“I would’ve been lucky to have you…” Aemon whispered. 

“Don’t think about that. Think about what is.” 

She held his hand and brought him out of the room. Baelon was waiting there with their mother and father smiling at the sight of the two of them. Baelon came forth and gave his brother a tight hug then patted him on the back. Jaehaerys kissed the side of YN’s head and brought her forth. Alysanne grabbed her hand and smiled at her daughter. When they made their way to the sept, YN stood on the groom's side of the aisle and held a hand on Baelon’s shoulder. Aemon stood at the center and fidgeted waiting for his bride. And she was a sight to behold. Her hand was up in a beautiful do and wrapped around an antler tiara. Her white and gold dress wrapped wonderfully around her body. YN thought she was beautiful. 

The vows were simple and beautiful. A mix of Valyrian traditions and some Seven faith customs. Alysanne was crying throughout the ceremony and Jaehaerys held her hand as she did. YN felt so proud of her brother and felt the tears prick as she watched one of the people that she loved the most get married to someone who loved him just as much. She remembered back to when he was a child and he would hold onto her skirts and beg for her attention. 

When the ceremony was over, it was time for celebration. The feast table was held in front of the iron throne, YN sat near her brother and laughed amongst them. The food was plentiful and the music was beautiful. As YN laughed at Baelon’s joke, she felt soft hands touch her shoulders. Looking behind her she saw the bride smiling at her. Jocelyn leant down and hugged her tight. Resting her head against hers. 

“I have heard you saved my marriage. Convinced my husband to face his fears and marry me.” She kissed YN’s cheek and hugged her tighter. “I am grateful to you. I am glad we will be sisters.”

“The Targaryens are fortunate to welcome you to their family.” YN said and kissed her hand. 

With that, Jocelyn stood to her full six foot height and pulled her husband to the dance floor. The two held each other's hand tightly and started the first dance. YN smiled and watched her brother dance with his wife. Baelon teased Alyssa as she sat in an uncomfortable dress. Joking that he should dance with her and show her off to the crowd. Alyssa responded by punching him in the arm. Jaehaerys was enraptured with Alysanne and YN felt very content to see her family together. 

Later in the night Aemon came up to his older sister and held a hand out to her. YN smiled and stood up, letting him lead her to the floor. The two started the dance around each other and speak in hushed tones. Words that only exist between the two of them. 

“You know you remind me of my brother.” YN said. 

“Baelon?” 

“No. My older brother. My birth brother. Devran.” YN smiled sadly at the memory of her brother.

“...Where is he?” 

“He went north. Mama wanted him to find our ice kin. Whatever that means.” 

Aemon looked troubled at the thought of YN having a brother before him. Someone she was biologically connected to. Someone who had claim to her before he did. He felt such possessiveness over her, that burned at the thought of her brother. He reached forward and pulled her close, looking deep into her eyes. 

“You’ll always be my sister. No one can take you away from me.” Aemon stated looking rather encroaching. 

YN did not notice his state and smiled, touching his face once again. “I’ll always be there for you. I love you dearly Aemon.”

He smiled at that and kissed her forehead. Bringing the two together as they always would be. The floor danced around them. YN pulled back and reached her hand out​​ to Jocelyn, who smiled and grabbed her hand. YN brought Aemon’s and Jocelyn’s hands together. Joining the two before her eyes. They looked adoringly at each other. YN stepped away. Not seeing the adoring stare they gave her.

@ladyodium @electronickingmentality

What YN looked like during the wedding:

[horizon-verizon]

Alysanne set Targaryen women back. Had she been less pussy watching her misogynist husband stealing their daughter and granddaughter crown in favor of men and just selling their daughters or sending them away like some rabid dogs (justice for Viserra!)… Oh and helping her brother to steal their sister’s crown (sister who damn near raised them). She pissed me off so bad, she’s going to hell with her nasty ass husband 🙏

Even though this is true in a real sense and she hadn't been fair to her own daughters, even with Gael (when she reasonably had the more breadth to change after losing her other daughters) & even is responsible for one's death, I do also see how tirelessly she worked for women in Westeros and they do have some form of protection from noblemen because of Alicent's "Queen's Laws" (right of 1st night abolished and the Widow's Law). These are meaningful acts, even though they had less impact on Targ women directly than they did on peasant folk and other noblewomen.

Two things can be true at once; she clearly had a lot of power with Jaehaerys but what she most wanted to do--to raise the female heir apparent and have Jaehaerys' naming a girl when that opportunity arose--she found that she hit Jaehaerys' limit(s), saw how little she could do to really negate his power as the king/really understood the consequences of what being a Queen consort meant in terms of the unequal powers and subservience, and I think she was compelled more and more down the years, without really realizing it consciously, to anticipate and shape her own actions, words, and plans around what she knew and felt he'd approve or allow. Which in turn affected how she'd view her daughters and how she'd arrange their lives. We see how she's condescendingly treated by the maesters at Oldtown when she visits when she remarks that she'd like to see female maesters and how Jaehaerys never makes a comment to perhaps back her up. (Condescending because they obviously don't believe that women can be as smart as them even with one clearly being in front of their face; they probably thought of Alysanne as an exception.) ("Birth, Death , and Betrayal"):

It's quite obvious she felt more and more like she had no agency or control to do the actual things she wanted. I feel like there was most likely tiptoeing.

Yeah Jaehaerys said to Viserra that he doesn't interfere with Alysanne's decisions concerning marriages, but he says TWICE that Viserra's marriage to Theomore Manderly would be extremely beneficial to "the Iron Throne" ("Policy, Progeny, and Pain"):

...Alysanne wasn't blind or deaf to this, she herself went North to convince Alaric Stark to be more amicable towards Jaehaerys and was involved in the deal of the New Gift. Alysanne was acting for Jaehaerys' interests and then seemed to justify the wrong by making as if Viserra was disrupting the harmony of the family Alysanne is supposed to have the higher authority over (again, note that she probably felt more of her authority & agency as illusory) as both the mother and the Queen Consort. Her decision to marry Viserra off to Theomore specifically was greatly due to it being what Jaehaerys most wanted.

While she never lost courage to bring up things or confront Jaehaerys completely, she did this less and less over the years. She was always much more limited than Rhaenys, Alyssa Velaryon, & Visenya concerning politics. Perhaps she felt this and-- By how she reacts to the Braxton Beesbury duel and how she progressively gloms onto Gael--she simultaneously opted to distance herself from Jaehaerys more and more without really making big confrontations until it came to the head of Saera running away, Daella dying, Viserra dying...when things are too late.

It's a pattern for sure, but a pattern I think Alysanne didn't feel she could get out of. Ironically, it matches Rhaena's own pattern of being "too late" in regards to Alyssa Velaryon and Aerea Targaryen's deaths. Both of these women seem to burrow into their psychological "safe spaces" or coping mechanisms and eventually harm or isolate themselves from those closest to them because they are compelled to try to preserve the smallest sense of agency their privileges as dragonriding Queens in a dynasty quickly assimilated into Andal patriarchy allows.

So, kinda sure. Yes she was complicit. She made her choices, but those choices were made under social compelled personal compromises. So, not too too much on Alysanne so as to make her equal to Jaehaerys. She wasn't perfect by far and again, was responsible for her kids' deaths (Viserra and Gael and Daella) but she can't be called the same or motivated similarly as Jaehaerys was nor that her actions would have been what they were if she hadn't lived in the misogynist setting with a sexist husband she married at 13 as she did. Another perfectly flawed, misguided female character, one who really wanted to "change the world" but was confined by her gender-exclusive role. She did deserve that "Good Queen" title.

Ironically, one of the only reprieves Viserra would have had if she had married Theomore was the very widow's Law that Alysanne made sure became a thing. A small and perhaps unsatisfactory "compensation", considering. Or a lifeline? Shows us all the more the precarious state of married life for women and girls.

[vaegonposting]

Do you have your own ideas (like designs or headcanons) on Saera's bastard children? They're among those ASOIAF characters who don't get much details in-universe so there's A LOT you can do with them

Thanks for the ask!

You're completely right, all we know for certain is that there are at least three boys and one of them looks like Jaehaerys. My personal headcanon is that Saera named each and every one of her children after herself, so say hello to Saerion, Saemond and Saehaerys

Saerion and Grandpa:

I headcanon that Saera had way more children than just those three, but they were the only ones old enough to attend the Council. She herself was only 34 at the time, after all.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to compile a list of the most cursed-sounding Saera-based child names :-)