#balerion the black dread

[praparuru-ume]

Young Daenys and baby Balerion

Uni has been eating me alive, but I finally finished coloring this one :>

[witchthewriter]

𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞

From this poll, this series is born!

a/n: this is changing the dragons from not just mount, but to being able to shift into a human-like form at will...

𝑺𝑭𝑾🌿

・The dragons Westeros once known (and barely understood anyway)...had started to evolve. Where once were leathery wings and two clawed legs, now stood a man. A giant of a man truly, with eyes that could pierce the soul.

・Had this been what everyone else experienced? You couldn't ask - not now, as he had flown you to a secluded patch of land, far from King's Landing ... or any kind of civilisation.

・You didn't know how to react when the transformation was complete and Balerion found a tree, and sat down against it.

・You were INCREDULOUS! Unable to look at the naked man before you; this was not how the bond was supposed to work??

"Nyke ȳdra daor pendagon ao sagon supposed naejot gaomagon bona." (I don't think you're supposed to do that…) You hissed to Balerion.

"Skorkydoso would ao gīmigon skoros nyke se am daor supposed naejot gaomagon?" (How would you know what I am and am not supposed to do?)

・You nearly screeched... Fluent in High Valyrian! He can speak and he is FLUENT!

・Your nose flared as you swung to look at him.

・That day you learnt a great deal of things. Among them was the fact that he knew the common tongue as well, was practically always hungry, and the most important thing ... you still had to wrap your head around...

・That the bond you have with Balerion isn't just rider & and mount. It's a soulbond.

・This was how they kept dragons in Valyria; through blood magic they made them human. They could stay in either form whenever they wished.

・But it also meant every few years, whoever was the dragon's rider - was also their mate. As in ... romantic mate.

・"Yn, nyke going naejot sagon married?" (But, I'm going to be married?)

"Ao emagon issare chosen hae ñuhon." (You have been chosen as mine.)

"Ondoso qilōni!" (By who!)

"Nyke iderēptan ao." (I chose you.)

・Only those that had been chosen know about this.

・It took you a while to fully come to terms with the fact that more dragons depended on your bond with Balerion.

・He gave you space.

・But only for three days.

・Then he came waltzing through your door, and took a seat in front of the fireplace. His long legs stretching, large thick arms spread against the seat's frame.

・You had been fretting in your bed, unable to sleep, only thinking and thinking. Anxiety getting the best of you.

"Come sit by the fire," he said. Balerion's voice was gravelly, at times forced - the shift still not fully easy after all these years.

"You said you would give me time to think!" You huffed into your pillow.

"I have given you time. But I wish to be with my mate. Now come."

・You rolled your eyes, flung the blanket back and grabbed your pillow. Pressing it to your chest, you skulked over to the maroon coloured seat.

・Your breath was taken straight from your body as you saw him.

・With the fireplace the only source of light, Balerion looked both an angel and a demon.

・Horns protruded from his head, the same shape as when he was a scaled beast. His red eyes found you, thick lashes blinking slowly. Tanned, olive skin seemed to gleam in the firelight.

・Balerion seemed to have hundreds of scars, but it only added to his ruggedness.

・You moved forward and sat near him, the pillow used as a barrier between you two.

・You hadn't noticed the pointed ears, or the small braids in his long hair.

・But as you looked upon him, Balerion was doing the same to you.

・He lifted his large scarred hand and held it against your cheek.

"My mate."

𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔

Soft for exactly one person (Balerion) x Is that one person (You)

"I've made a calculated decision." (Balerion) x "Wait, you can do maths?" (You)

 Overly arrogant and flirtacious (Balerion) x Pretends To Be Unfazed, But Is Dying On The Inside (You)

 You Can't Do That! (You) x And Why Not? (Balerion)

𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆

Intertwined Destinies

Defying Expectations

Bickering and Banter

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒈

Me and the Devil by Soap&Skin

Test Drive by John Powell

Into My Arms by the Midnite String Quartet

[gotham-at-nightfall]

The Targaryen Dragons

The Original Three

The Next Generations

The Power Couple

The Wild Dragons

The Black Dragons

The Green Dragons

The Last Dragons

Daenerys Targaryen's Children

By Artaedra

[ra-horakhty-art]

Time with no war.

Vhagar is showing Balerion their children and the brave Vermithor trying to play with it's scary father.

Comission for @jaehaeryshater

[just-some-user-hunny]

Balerion bonded to bastard! Reader

~ In this Scenario, Balerion is still alive and breathing- albeit barely, and with little enthusiasm. He'd remain still in the sand, seafoam lapping at his scales, yet he feels little reason to move. He's old. Ancient, and tired. The rise and fall of his breath is gradual and laboured- slow like the moving tide. Ever since Viserys drew his last breath, Balerion felt as cold as the sea. His days of glory and war are memories grown old, and he is tired. He feels like sleeping forever now, listening to the faint call of seagulls and the noise of crashing tides.

~ Bastard! princess reader captures glimpses of him from her windows view, watching the old beast wither and fade upon the beach like he were a memory fizzling away into the seafoam. At first glimpse through the rain speckled glass pane- she had mistaken him for a large mountain of black rock.

~ now she's frightened, but, intrigued. She is still a child, a scared and desperate one, so she hatches a plan to reach the beach and perhaps ask the dragon nicely if he'd take her back home. (Besides, dragons do look scary, but Caraxes was nice to her. Maybe he'll be nice too?)

~ like a slippery little mouse, one day she escapes during dinnertime. Fueled to seek out the dragon after a one-sided argument with Daemon across the table. Whilst the servants and knights searched the castle grounds for her, she finds herself on the coastline, and beelines towards the mountain of a dragon, Balarion. She doesn't know who he is, all that he's a dragon. Dragons have wings. They can fly. He could take her home, away from these mad people.

~ her courage burns like a wavering candle, tears streaming down her face in distraught and desperation. The sounds of dragons roaring in the dragon pit fizzle her blood, she can hear the troubled songs of Caraxes and syrax in the distance, and it stirs her on to waken the sleeping dragon. Despite her little trembling hands and accelerated heartbeat.

~ Balarion is awoken- disturbed at the sound of a sobbing child. It is such an odd and peculiar sound to his ears, it startles him enough to raise his heavy head from the sand and look down upon a child he has never seen before. Inhaling deeply, he also doesn't recognise their scent. But there is some trace of dragon blood within her.

~ "excuse me, can you take me home? I need to go home, my mummy is there!". She proclaims as loudly as she can. As clearly as her choked up voice allows her.

~ Balarion feels himself grow soft at the sight of the little child- as soft as a dragon can be.

~ He blinks slowly at her, gently lowering his head to move closer. The sudden bravery of a mere child to approach him intrigues him greatly, and a rejuvenation overtakes his body. Suddenly his aching body doesn't feel so tired anymore- his stiffly folded wings that once enveloped the moon, suddenly feel spry and strong.

~ like a mountain unearthing itself from the earth, his massive body groaned and shuddered like a rolling thunderstorm- lifting from the cold evening sand and bubbling salty seafoam. The little girl stumbles backwards clumsily, afraid that maybe she has just prodded a sleeping angry beast, but she is met with no fire or teeth. this large, monstrously large dragon, is bowing his head to her. Like a mighty stag would do for a little fawn.

~ anxious- and brimming with excitement, her hands clasp upon the rough black scales of the sides of his neck. She climbs higher and higher, until she finds herself clambering onto the back of the beast, where an ancient and worn saddle remains. Roughly woven rope that has seen better days, and a simple leather seat awaits before her- and she climbs on.

~ her whole world seems to tilt and shift, like the earth was moving right beneath her feet as Balarion rises with a steady and heavy rumble. The stars are glittering above in the skies, and the cool evening air laps at the waves till they form foamy hills of white upon the dark sapphire waters. her heart is beating loudly and wildly in her chest now, her blood fizzling like lightning, and she stares across the ocean with determination soaring inside her. she's on the dragon now, and he seems eager to fly.

~ grappling the worn thick reins between her small hands, she recalls a word that the pale haired man called out to his crimson scaled dragon before he took off into the sky. The word is foreign, and doesn't quite suit the roll of her tongue. But she speaks it, a command that holds no hesitation.

~ "Sōvēs!".

~ Bastard! Princess had risen high into the sky, clutching for dear life upon the reigns that were held so tight in her hands, her knuckles had turned pale. The wind rushed and soared, and her ears felt like they had popped as they ascended higher and higher across the sea. Balerions' wings were unsheathed like the night sky as they beat against the wind, and although his body was aching and old, he was not brittle or weak.

Salt air rushed over her face like a splash of icy water as they flew over the ocean, and she watched the castle grow smaller and smaller as the wind carried them away.

~ they flew and flew, but Balarion grew weary from the sudden flight, and turned back towards the shoreline. Bastard! princess was at a loss of what to do- for her own stomach was churning at the realisation that she didn't know where she was trying to go. The old dragon seemed to also sense that, and made the decision for the both of them to head back towards the cold stone castle.

~ Awaiting upon the shoreline, was a small army of armoured men, and the white haired man, who wore an astounded expression. His eyes wide, and jaw slack in what could only be described as euphoric horror. The king, Viserys, despite his weak and brittle body, had ordered to be escorted outside to see with his very own eyes as to what was happening. They had heard the uproar of Balerions' wings from within the castle, Daemon had at once thought a sudden hurricane had hit amidst his search for the little girl he had stolen away, haste in his step as Rhaenyra attempted to sternly reason with him - until the unmistakable shrill deep noise of rumbling dragon-song erupted in the distance like thunder. Both adults stilled- their expressions still and astounded.

~ it was until the sudden and panicked cry of a knight that confirmed everyones hesitant thoughts.n

~ "Balerion the black dread has arisen! And the princess is with him!"

~ that was all Daemon needed to hear before he bounded for the exit. With haste.

~ Balerion had returned to the beach, just as the knights had suspected. They fell speechless at the sight of such a large and imposing dragon land back upon the sandy coastline, his energy low, but not gone.

~ Viserys was in utter disbelief, and excitement. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had believed he would be the last rider of Balerion the black dread- the last targaryen to mount the beast that once was ridden by Aegon the conqueror, and many other infamous names.

~ The princess's little head of hair and frightful eyes peered down from her towering view upon the dragons back- eyeing the army of knights. Balerion grumbled a growl so low and frightening, it rattled the knights bones in their bodies. Their braced weapons could only serve as emotional support against such a beast.

~ "Dohaeras! Balerion!" Viserys roared in his deep and broken voice, his command did not hold as much power as it used to- but Balerion acknowledged it with an absentminded glance.

~ Eventually, through carefully worded coos and reassurances from young frightened handmaids that beckoned towards the bastard princess- she yielded. Wordlessly, Balarion lowered his head and allowed her to clamber down. Right into the shaking arms of a young woman in servants cloth, who had stood so close to the dragon, she felt her skin take heat and sweat profusely. The frightened and frustrated little girl was exhausted, and hungry. She has eaten very little earlier, picking at breadcrumbs like a little bird, and sipping only a little water. Her head lolled helplessly into the crook of the maiden's neck, weak and tired. the anxious woman backed away quickly.

~ Half asleep, and very upset, the little princess was placed into Rhaenyras' awaiting out-stretched arms. Her own little boys gathered around her like lambs as she petted the girl's back to comfort her. She fell limp, and asleep not too long after, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

~ Balerion watched them closely as they took his new little rider back up to the castle, even following as close as he could reach whilst still on the sand.

~ Viserys was white faced and trembling, a wry smile on his face, whilst Daemon was left expressionless. His palm cradled at the handle of his sword, troubled.

~ "The black dread yielded to her word Daemon- I had not thought that was possible". Viserys muttered.

~ "Neither did I". Daemon uttered back. His voice was even, and calm, yet his eyes held a thousand yard stare.

~ This was not supposed to happen. She was so young- and now with the black dread within her command? There was no saying of what may happen.

To be continued...

[meerabanerjee]

Daenys the Dreamer and Balerion 💜

[calirph]

𝐏𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐘 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐄 as 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐒 𝐈 𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐄𝐍

Viserys at the shrine of Balerion, The Black Dread. HOUSE OF THE DRAGON SEASON 1, EPISODE 1.

[nobodysuspectsthebutterfly]

The Folio Society presents an illustrated collector’s edition of Fire & Blood

George R. R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, the prequel to A Game of Thrones, joins the Folio series. Explore the Targaryen dynasty with beautiful illustrations, detailed maps, sigils and family trees. A must-have for Westeros fans. ​ Coming 28 January 2025. What’s that in the distance? Is it the brush of dragon’s wings against the clouds? Queen Daenerys’s family tree is a rich one, filled with over 300 years-worth of rulers of the seven kingdoms. In Fire and Blood, George R.R. Martin dissects the Targaryen family’s history through the eyes of Archmaester Gyldayn. ​ This is the ultimate book for fans of the original series; it provides rich context of the family responsible for the world of Westeros as we know it. Plus, there are dragons, and lots of them! Artist Audrey Benjaminsen has captured the Targaryen family like no one else. Her illustrations jump from the page – the absentness in Area’s eyes upon returning with Balerion, the madness in Rhaenyra as she sits on the Iron Throne. This is the definitive edition of a definitive story, one that would surely sit in the library of the Citadel for centuries to come.  ​ PRODUCTION DETAILS Bound in three-quarter blocked cloth with a printed and blocked cloth front board ​ Set in Vendetta with Esmeralda as display ​ 616 pages  ​ 4 full-page and 1 double-page spread colour illustrations ​ Prints 2 colour throughout in black and gold with illustrated chapter openings ​ Printed endpapers ​ Coloured tops ​ Blocked and printed slipcase ​ Additional colour illustration inside slipcase ​ Sized at 10˝ x 6¾˝  ​ Printed in Italy​ UK £110, US/Canada $150, elsewhere £125

[kacl-art]

"Vīlībāzmot arlī, riñalbus"

Rhaenys and Meleys' bond is just so special, in the words of Eve Best "Meleys is a part of Rhaenys and Rhaenys is a part of Meleys, they're very very attatched." 42 years of flying together and that's how it ended😭😭😭

I'll never be over how episode 4 ended, despite knowing what was coming I still cried like a baby😭

[hallowed-harpy]

Asoiaf-themed lockets by hallowed.harpy via SeaOfCuriosities (Etsy).

Themes picture include (left to right, top to bottom):

- Queen Visenya Targaryen

- Viserion

- Meleys

- Theory: Rhaegal will oppose Dany and his siblings by bonding with Young Griff

- Coldhands

- Aerea Targaryen, Balerion, Fire Wyrms

- Sunfyre and Aegon II, post injury

- Dreamfyre

Shop restock scheduled for Sunday, January 19th, 10am PST

[nulnoildrinker]

Balerion the Black Dread, the conqueror, the oldest and largest known dragon, the living breathing symbol for Targaryen power and protector of their house; is an interesting topic.

Born in Old Valyria, one of five to survive the fall, and the last to remember it. He unmade and forged kingdoms and castles, conquered lands and killed countless people and a few dragons.He was ridden by the Conqueror and the Cruel, traveled to the ruins of Valyria, and became the first occupant of the Dragonpit.

He watched and participated as the dynasty he placed on the throne prospered and ushered in a new era of peace, while his bones ached and wings grew heavy.

And of course, after centuries of life and adventures he went: "Yeah, I'll accept that Party dad over there as my rider, what could go wrong?" And then he passed away less than a year later from an acute case of foreshadowing.

[praparuru-ume]

Young Daenys and baby Balerion

A sketch I did in class. I might color it since I quite like it

[witchthewriter]

𝑫𝒓𝒂���𝒐𝒏 𝑫𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚

𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝐷𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑

"A dragon never stops growing, so long as they have food and freedom." —Arstan Whitebeard

Not only was Balerion the biggest dragon Westeros had ever beheld, but he was also the most powerful, the most feared. He was the God of Dragons. Balerion, the Black Dread, was two hundred years old when he died. Even Vhagar, who lived at the same time Balerion had, never reached his full size.

His name was after an ancient god in Old Valyria. It was there that he was born, only a hatchling, and when Daenys the Dreamer, daughter of Lord Aenar Targaryen, had a prophetic dream, assisted by visions, that Valyria would fall. Foreseeing the Doom, Daenys convinced her father to leave, saving the entirety of Targaryen House from ultimate oblivion.

Balerion was one of the five dragons Aenar Targaryen brought with him when he fled to Dragonstone to survive the Doom of Valyria. However, it wasn't long before four of the dragons died, and Balerion became the last creature to have seen the Freehold in its prime.

During his life, he had four riders; Aegon (who he bonded with), Maegor (also bonded with), Aerea (flew off with her on his back, and weren't seen for almost a year. When Balerion returned to King's Landing, Aerea died within hours) and Viserys (who rode him towards the end of his life three times around King's Landing).

Balerion's first two riders used him to conquer kingdoms, burn down cities and remind people of the strength of House Targaryen. The third had used him to escape her life and the last, well, he had done it to prove he was a worthy choice to be King.

In appearance, Balerion had black scales and wings and a black flame with swirls of red. With his fire, he could melt steel and stone, and turn glass into sand. His wingspan was so large that his shadow could engulf entire towns when he passed overhead. His teeth were as long as swords, and his jaws were large enough to swallow aurochs whole.

When the Targaryen's ruled, the skulls of the dragons were hung on a wall in the Red Keep's throne room. And when they did not, the skulls were kept in the dark, dank cellar of the Red Keep.

gif credit: @daenerys-stormborn.

[gotham-at-nightfall]

The Conquerors

By Kris Cooper

[ra-horakhty-art]

Maegor and Balerion.

[just-some-user-hunny]

imagine that every time daemon and his bastard little daughter argue she reminds him that balerion is big enough to crush caraxes 😩

Daemon would be a lot more careful with his daughter if Balerion bonded to her. I think for this to work, and for her to stay with the targs, she'd have to not have a home to go back to- her mother and/or siblings not being around anymore. She's a child, and doesn't really know where to go- so she feels inclined to stay. Despite being there against her will, there is plentiful food and shelter and care, things she won't get it she were to run away.

With Balerion, the princess wouldn't exactly want to run back home- just away, at some point, probably at the end of the dance of the dragons.

With the cannibal, yes he's dangerous and imposing, but he's not untouchable. My headcanon is that he's just a tiny bit smaller than Vhagar- and Caraxes is capable of taking down Vhagar, so cannibal may be adapted to fight against dragons, he can still be ganged up on by all the dragons if the reader were to ever try to successfully escape.

With Balerion? No chance. He's a huge, and experienced war dragon. Not even Vhagar would have an easy chance going against him.

Daemon has to be very careful with how he plays his cards. As long as his daughter is kept relatively happy and docile, there would be no concern for balerions' wrath.

Because with the princess bonded to him, it's essentially a 7 year-old with the power of a nuke.