Aerion Targaryen

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House Targaryen.svg Second Sons.svg Aerion Targaryen.svg Prince
Aerion Targaryen
the Monstrous
Aerion targaryen by arkoniel.jpg
Aerion Targaryen, by Mathia Arkoniel ©

Aliases
  • Aerion Brightflame[1]
  • Aerion Brightfire[2]
  • Aerion the Monstrous[1]
  • The Bright Prince[3]
  • The Prince Who Thought He Was a Dragon[1]
Titles
Allegiances
Race Valyrian
Culture Crownlands
Born In 191194 AC[5]
Died In 232 AC[6]
Father Maekar I Targaryen
Mother Dyanna Dayne
Spouse Princess Daenora Targaryen
Issue Maegor Targaryen
Personal arms A dragon of three heads, orange, yellow and red, breathing golden flames on black
(Sable, a dragon thrice-headed or, tenné, and gules flammant or)
Books

Prince Aerion Targaryen, also known as Aerion the Monstrous, or Aerion Brightflame as he liked to call himself, was the second son of King Maekar I Targaryen.[1]

Appearance and Character

Aerion, by Even Mehl Amundsen ©

In his youth, Aerion was slim and of average height. He had curly silver-gold hair, deep violet eyes, and pale unblemished skin. Aerion's face was sculptured and imperious, with a high brow, sharp cheekbones, and a straight nose. He frequently wore clothing as bright as fire, in red and yellow and gold, and a black cloak bordered in scarlet satin. One of his doublets was made of red velvet, with long dagged sleeves. In tourneys, Aerion wore a surcoat woven with a swirling pattern of smoke and fire, and his black helm had a crest of red enamel flames. His lance was gold-tipped, and painted in stripes of red, orange, and yellow. Even his horse was caparisoned in slashed orange and red fabric to look like flames.[7]

Aerion was one of the most outstanding examples of the madness that can affect the members of House Targaryen. Cruel and arrogant, he thought he was a dragon in human form.[7][1] Reportedly, he was a dabbler in the black arts.[6]

Aerion was despised by his younger brother Aegon, who considered Aerion an inveterate liar. According to Raymun Fossoway, the prince was all smiles and courtesy in front of his father, King Maekar I Targaryen, but Aerion's true nature showed in front of others. Prince Daeron Targaryen thought of his brother as "quite the monster".[7]

History

Aerion was born the second son to Prince Maekar Targaryen and his wife, Lady Dyanna Dayne. He had one older brother, Daeron, two younger brothers, Aemon and Aegon, and two younger sisters, Daella and Rhae.[8]

Aerion owned a dragon egg that was gold and silver.[9]

Aerion threw Aegon's pet cat down a well, though he claimed otherwise. Aerion once visited Aegon in his bedroom during the dead of night, and put a knife to Aegon's privates and joked about removing his genitals so Aegon would become a sister he could marry.[7]

Ashford Tourney

In 209 AC Aerion traveled to Ashford for the tourney at Ashford Meadow, where he initially mistook Ser Duncan the Tall for a stable boy, ordering him to take his horse, and scoffing at him when Dunk said he was a knight. During the tourney itself, once Aerion entered the field he seemed about to challenge his cousin Prince Valarr Targaryen to a joust, but instead challenged Ser Humfrey Hardyng. Dunk was surprised to hear his squire, Egg (secretly Prince Aegon Targaryen), shout at Humfrey to kill Aerion. However, Aerion lowered his lance and instead of striking Humfrey's shield, impaled his horse, causing it to crash and fall atop Humfrey. The horse died in agony, and Humfrey's leg was injured. Though Aerion's actions were called an accident, Egg was certain it was intentional, but Dunk found it difficult to believe that a knight and a Targaryen prince could be so unchivalrous. Lord Ashford awarded Aerion's charger to Humfrey as payment for the death of his horse, which infuriated Aerion.[7]

On the tourney grounds that night, a puppet show portraying a knight slaying a dragon offended Aerion, as the prince felt he was a dragon. Aerion had his men-at-arms destroy the puppeteers' stall and puppets, and he deliberately broke the fingers of one of the puppeteers, a girl named Tanselle. Duncan, who Egg had called for help when the commotion started, then attacked Aerion, punching him and kicking him in the stomach and teeth. Aerion's men apprehended Dunk, and Aerion ordered them to break his teeth with a hammer and cut open his belly. Egg then arrived and revealed himself as Prince Aegon, ordering them to stop. They obeyed, but Duncan was arrested for striking a prince of the blood.[7]

Prince Baelor Targaryen, crown prince and Hand of the King, visited Duncan in his cell, and told him that his nephew Aerion had been telling his father Prince Maekar that the puppet show was treason against House Targaryen, an incitement to revolt. As Aegon's other brother Prince Daeron had been telling his father a falsehood that Aegon had been kidnapped by a robber knight, Duncan's situation was particularly dire. Aerion was demanding his head, which Prince Baelor would not allow, but could not deny Aerion a trial. Baelor reminded Duncan that the last time a man was found guilty of striking one of royal blood, his hand was cut off. Baelor further reminded Duncan that a knight could request a trial by combat instead of one by judgement.[7]

However, upon hearing Duncan's request, Aerion demanded a trial of seven instead, which Prince Baelor could not deny. Aerion knew that the hedge knight Duncan would find it difficult to find six other knights to fight with him, whereas he would have the Kingsguard and two Targaryen princes on his side. Aerion bribed Ser Steffon Fossoway, one of Duncan's few acquaintances at Ashford, to join the his side of the trial by promising him lordship. In total, Aerion's side consisted of his brother Prince Daeron, his father Prince Maekar, Steffon Fossoway, and three knights of the Kingsguard, Willem Wylde, Donnel of Duskendale, and Roland Crakehall. Aerion's uncle, Prince Baelor, joined Duncan's side, as did Ser Humfrey Hardyng, Ser Humfrey Beesbury (Hardyng's brother-in-law), Ser Robyn Rhysling (an acquaintance of Aegon), Ser Raymun Fossoway (Steffon's cousin), and Ser Lyonel Baratheon.[7]

During the trial, Aerion put his lance through Duncan's side, and struck him from the saddle with a morningstar. However, Duncan refused to yield, and used his skills as a brawler from Flea Bottom to beat the prince down, hitting him in the head with his shield until the crest of his helm broke off. When Duncan threatened his eye with a dagger, Aerion yielded, and withdrew his accusation. Duncan forced Aerion to repeat his submission before Lord Ashford, ending the threat to Dunk's other champions. However, Baelor died from injuries sustained in the trial, as did the two Humfreys.[7]

After the conclusion of the tournament, Maekar sent Aerion to Lys, in hopes that a few years in the Free Cities would change him for the better.[7]

Later life

Aerion drinks wildfire, by Roman Papsuev ©

Aerion stayed in Lys for a few years. According to a semi-canon source, he may have fathered some bastard children while living there, and his descendants may still be living in Lys.[10] He served with the Second Sons for a time while in exile.[3]

Aerion returned to Westeros at some point, and fought in the Third Blackfyre Rebellion in 219 AC. He performed some actions there that are "known well". After Aegor Rivers was captured, Aerion and the Hand of the King, Lord Brynden Rivers, urged King Aerys I Targaryen to put Aegor to death, but the king decided to send Bittersteel to the Night's Watch instead.[11]

Aerion was married to his cousin, Daenora Targaryen.[8] Together, they had one child, a son ominously named Maegor, born in 232 AC.[6] The same year as his son's birth, Aerion died screaming after drinking a cup of wildfire, believing it would transform him into a dragon.[6][12] A year later, King Maekar died, and in the Great Council Aerion's son Maegor was passed over in the succession as it was feared that the boy might have inherited his father's cruelty and madness.[6][1]

Quotes

Aerion: If you cannot manage a horse, fetch me some wine and a pretty wench.

Duncan: I ... m'lord, pardons, I'm no serving man either. I have the honor to be a knight.

Aerion: Knighthood has fallen on sad days.[7]

—Aerion and Duncan the Tall

Why did you throw your life away? For this whore? She's scarcely worth it. A traitor. The dragon ought never lose.[7]

—Aerion, to Duncan the Tall

Aerion's quite the monster. He thinks he's a dragon in human form, you know. That's why he was so wroth at that puppet show. A pity he wasn't born a Fossoway, then he'd think himself an apple and we'd all be a deal safer, but there you are.[7]

Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Daeron II
 
Myriah
Martell
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Baelor
 
Jena
Dondarrion
 
Aerys I
 
Aelinor
Penrose
 
Rhaegel
 
Alys
Arryn
 
Maekar I
 
Dyanna
Dayne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Valarr
 
Kiera of
Tyrosh
[N 1]
 
Matarys
 
Aelora
 
Aelor
 
Daenora
 
Aerion
 
Daeron
 
Kiera of
Tyrosh
[N 1]
 
Aemon
 
Daella
 
Aegon V
 
Rhae
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stillborn sons
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maegor
 
 
 
 
 
Vaella
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown
descendants
 
House Targaryen.svg
 
Unknown
descendants
 
Notes:
  1. Kiera of Tyrosh was widowed when Valarr Targaryen died from the Great Spring Sickness; some time later she married his cousin Daeron.


References

Preceded by 19th Prince of Dragonstone
?–232 AC
Succeeded by