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Chapter Text

Dorne
June 2021 AC

Prince Thomys Targaryen exited the confines of his luxury sedan. It was a warm day in Sunspear, but cooler than the common blistering temperature of Dorne’s summer heat. If anyone has experienced the climate of the most southern part of the continent, then they will know that the difference by degrees might not seem like much in theory; however, in reality, it is considered a small blessing. As soon as he opens the car door, he is smacked with the wet heat, sunglasses steaming up, and his dress shirt beginning to feel damp against his skin. What wouldn't he do to be in his swimming trunks and a chilled pool? Gratefully this is the last commitment he has on this global tour he was sent on by his family—in particular his mother, Queen Alysenya Targaryen III.

As the second son to the Crown of one of the oldest dynasties, he knew his duty and sought to carry out the endeavors asked of him as expected of one of his station. His life is outwardly charmed with the station comes heavy responsibility; he thinks as he gently closes his car door. His mind drifts towards thoughts of his brother Crown Prince Jaehaerys--and while he rarely feels envious of his brother's lot, he can't help but be slightly jealous that his dearest brother had found a right match in his wife. There are times when the creeping loneliness of his lot niggles at the back of his subconscious. Before he could examine that thought further, his bodyguard came around to his periphery, as did the other guards that exited the SUVs before and after his parked vehicle.

“Are you ready, my Prince?”

Turning his head to look at his oldest guard, the man assigned to him when he was but a boy entering preadolescence.

“You know I always am Ser Gawain." [1]

“Last stop on the tour. Strange that it would be a historical discussion on the reign of Targaryen ancestors at Martell University. I feel like there is irony somewhere in that statement. Anyways, I imagine you are looking forward to returning home."

He chuckles. The irony of sorts, indeed.

"Gods, I am, but at the same time, I am not. There is a quiet, unsettling thought that perhaps I am leaving Dorne too soon. Does that sound foolish?”

The men begin to walk in tandem toward the entrance, where a small group of university officials are waiting.

“No, not at all. Dorne is my favorite place to be. Hells, if it weren't, then I wouldn't have a vacation home here."

“How are the renovations to your place going. I still can’t believe you purchased that ruin by the sea.”

“Things are coming along—and let’s be honest, that place was a steal, especially for its location.”

“True enough. The property prices in Starfall are cost prohibited for most. Good thing the Crown pays well.”

Gawain had to mask his laughter with a cough. Thomys disguised his teasing smirk, how unprincely of him.

They finally made their way to the small crowd of people waiting for him. He set his smile in place as he prepared himself for the cries of Prince Thomys to begin.

After the protocols were exhibited and polite conversations were had, the Prince now finds himself waiting in the wings for his introduction. He can hear, but not see the owner of the said voice—noting that there was something in her tone that drew his curiosity. He had missed the name of the presenter, as Gawain spoke in his ear regarding an urgent message that had just been sent by this brother. The speaker was female, Dornish, or rather she had a Dornish intonation in her speech. There was something about the tone that drew him.

"Today, we have a special guest speaker. In the years that this institution has hosted the Royal Dynasties of the World Symposium, we have had various historians speak and enlighten us on the Targaryen Dynasty, one of the oldest continuing houses to date. The only other dynasty we have known to rival such longevity with much evidential assurance is that of the Yamoto Dynasty of Japan. [2]"

“This is the first time we have a historian also an active Royal in the House we plan to discuss at this convention. Though his regal title is the first identifier to his status and his name, the truth is Prince Thomys Targaryen is also known in the world of academia as Dr. Thomys Targaryen, the foremost historian on Westerosi medieval culture and Targaryen rule. His specialty is primarily during the rulership of King Rhaegar Targaryen and his son, King Aegon Targaryen VI. He comes to share a historical take on those reigns and their impact on our current culture. So, without further ado, the Martell University Foundation for Historical Education and Conservation welcomes Dr. Thomys Targaryen to the stage.”

Hearing his cue, the Scholar-Prince, as he is typically called, steps out to the loud applause for the crowd. Walking up to the podium, he looks for the owner of that voice, but he sees nobody in the wings. All that is visible to him is the audience—a full house it seemed. Pushing thoughts of the phantom speaker aside, he confirms that the screen is available for his slides and then returns his gaze to the people in front of him. Speaking to political dignitaries is a must in his life, but this is no hardship, but rather a reward by his mother for a job well done. Taking in a deep breath, he finds the peace that generally takes over him when he talks about his favorite topic.

"Good Morning, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is my esteemed honor to serve as your symposium speaker for this year's convention. I have personally enjoyed attending every conference held by the Martell University Foundation for Historical Education and Conservation since I was an undergrad at Citadel University. At the same time, I have had the pleasure of speaking on many occasions about the research I have done over almost two decades. This is the first time I have been asked to come and present, and I am extremely excited and humbled to do so.”

"As I was so graciously introduced, I will add a little more information about my connection to the research I have devoted to my academic life. Much of this history is steeped in betrayal, war, and mythology. As it was mentioned, I am a Targaryen from the ruling family of what is now called Westerosa, but was once identified as the Six-Kingdoms under the reign of King Rhaegar Targaryen. I can trace an unbroken line of ancestry between myself and King Aegon VI. In short, he is my umpteenth to the tenth power great-grandfather."

The crowd lets out a small ripple of laughter.

“Before we can speak about Aegon VI, we must first discuss his father. At the time of his rule, which began in 283AC—A.C., which identifies the year after Aegon I's Conquest. King Rhaegar was posthumously known as Rhaegar the Mistaken. He received this moniker for a couple of reasons. The King was known for his focus on dynastic longevity and his preoccupation with prophecy.”

“He was most notably known for leaving his wife Princess Elia Martell, who was of Dornish descent, to marry Lady Lyanna Stark, a High Lord's daughter who hailed from the North. This act was seen as the catalyst for the Usurpers War during his father King Aerys II reign. It was discovered that his reason for leaving his wife was tied to this idea that she could no longer continue his line for it was thought she was barren after the birth of their second child and heir, Prince Aegon VI. He thought it was his duty to reincarnate Aegon the Conqueror and his two sister-wives, Visenya and Rhaenys. Since through Princess Elia, he had his Rhaenys and Aegon, he wanted Lyanna Stark to bear him his Visenya.”

“The King who I might consider in modern times to carry a certain level of insanity, held several beliefs as though they were one. The first being, the dragon must have three heads, and then The Prince that was Promised, which would come from his line to save humanity. The man held what many theologians considered to be one prophecy and one philosophy, but the King held them both as one prophecy.”

“During the Usurper War all thought that his wife Princess Elia and her children Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aegon had perished in the sack of the Red Keep in 283. But we all know...” He tilted his head with his hands, outwardly extended.

“She and her children survived!” A voice called out from the audience.

“Yes, she did. While the ruling family in Westerosa is recognized for our Valyrian and Westerosi heritage, we carry the blood of Dorne through Queens Myriah and Elia Martell and Elia Dayne. I must say while I carry more traditional Valyrian features, I am fair like most of my family but tan in the sun like no other—so I like to think I get that from them.” He smiles as the laughter once again come forth from the crowd.

“So, two decades past and King Rhaegar and his wife Queen Lyanna bring The Seven, then Six Kingdoms back from the brink of destruction. The other realms could have broken away. The nation was in disarray. They found a way to revive and maintain a certain manageable status. They rebuilt their wealth and avoided further warfare, but it took years to have a functioning government that the people could somewhat trust. King Rhaegar and Queen Lyanna had three sons, whom I will speak about later on. Then after twenty years, Princess Elia is discovered to be alive. She returns to Kings Landing at the urging of the King, along with their three children—Rhaenys, Aegon, and...Visenya.”

“Scandal...right.” He says a shocked voice, then smiles at the reaction of the audience.

“Seemed that Queen Elia was pregnant before King Rhaegar had left to elope with Queen Lyanna. Now we have a man who breaks faith with his wife, and it's not that infidelity wasn't unheard of then, but it was more than that. He took another wife while still married, and that practice had precedent in the past Targaryens hadn’t been practiced in quite some time. It was a shock to be sure. It was said he did so only to gain that second daughter, but in the end, his first wife birth the three children that were to represent Aegon and his sister-wives while his second wife birthed him, three sons. While King Rhaegar's son and his two daughters, were quite prominent during Aegon’s reign, it’s now thought that the ruling Targaryen House prospers when the head of House has two other siblings—The Three Heads. Now how true that is can be up for debate—as many historians do enjoy doing when they look at the Targaryen dynasty as a whole. That also includes the success of King Rhaegar’s reign as his siblings Prince Viserys and Princess Daenerys brought a stabilized peace between the Crown and the Westerland and Stormland regions.”

"We will take a closer look at The Prince that was Promised prophesy further on in today's presentation. In the end, King Rhaegar died in 323 in Kings Landing, surrounded by his wives and son Aegon. The maester at the time who attended him noted his symptoms, and it is believed he had died from dysentery. His bones are buried under the Sept of Baelor in the Capital. While he reigned for forty years, he had passed active rulership to his son Aegon by 315—so any progressive steps during the last eight years of his kingship have been associated with his son’s reign. As we look at King Rhaegar, history considers him marginally less mad than his father. He is seen as a dangerous fool who brought the realm to its knees for what amounts to a colossal mistake—which is where his nickname came from.”

“We have some information about his wives. His first wife, Queen Elia, was known first and foremost for surviving Rhaegar the Mistaken. She was called the Traveling Queen, and after her children had married, she would spend the bulk of her time visiting the North, the Reach, and Dorne. The Court titled her the Dornish Queen to distinguished between the Northern one.”

“Queen Elia officially set up residence in Dorne in 315 in a home she had created which is now the site of what is Martell University. She rarely returned to King’s Landing. The only exception is the year 323 when King Rhaegar died. After his death, she completely withdrew from active Court life in the Six Kingdoms. She worked with the Faith's and the Order of the Greenblood’s charitable organizations to create a home for women who were without the protection of men whose husbands and died or abandoned them. These women were taught the male tradition of winemaking. To date, this vineyard, which still serves as a shelter and remains a female-only operated establishment, continues to exist in Sunspear. It is one of the oldest and best producers of Dornish wines on the continent.”

“In the Spring of 329, this grand dame died in Sunspear and is interred with her daughters. In this crypt, there is a tomb of an unknown knight. Letters discovered between Queen Elia and her dear friend, Ashara Dayne, have conversations stressing the importance of Queen Elia being buried near this unknown knight. He is now believed to be the man who spirited her and her children out of King's Landing during the sack of 283. Recent evidence points to the knight being Ser Jaime Lannister, who was the youngest member of the Kingsguard at that time.”

“Aside from the ruling family of Westerosa, our nation continues to see the reminders of Queen Elia’s contributions to our line. We have direct blood ties that touch us today. Our Prime Minister Brenda Stark can trace her lineage back to Lord Robb Stark and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen and our Secretary of the Navy Admiral James Hightower who can trace his ancestry to Ser Humfrey Hightower and Princess Visenya Targaryen.”

"Now Queen Lyanna was known as the Northern Queen or the Winter Rose, a homage to the Crown of blue roses Prince Rhaegar had given to her at the tourney at Harrenhal. It was tragic but she was a Northern queen that the North refused to acknowledge. The North had shunned her since her relationship with Rhaegar led to the death of many Northerners, including her father and brother—the then Lord and Warden of the North and his heir.”

“We know from the Queen's diary that she had only returned North five times since eloping with Rhaegar. Twice for weddings at Winterfell, which we believe to be the nuptials of her stepdaughter Rhaenys to Lord Robb Stark and her son to his marriage to Lady Sansa Stark. She also went to Sea Dragon Point, where her son Prince Jaehaerys set up the branch of his line. Documents show she visited there three times. We imagine two of those times to be for the births of her two grandchildren.”

“Upon the arrival of Aegon, her sons were reshuffled in terms of their ascendancy to the throne. Evidence from journals that belonged to her granddaughter, Minisa Targaryen, and step-granddaughter Cerenna Stackspear, led us to believe that Queen Lyanna supported her sons' endeavors away from being King. In her, there was no need to fear another Alicent Hightower. In many ways, some historians consider it a miracle that she hadn’t been an orchestrator of a Dance of Dragon since she was very young when she came to Court. She was unprepared to be a Queen, and she was thought to be egocentric in her youth. We do find indications that upon the return of Queen Elia, Queen Lyanna had been regarded well enough by the Southeron noble houses.”

“She left King’s Landing after the coronation of King Aegon VI and moved to Summerhall, which had been rebuilt during her husband’s reign. Her sons were known to visit her as recorded by the maester at the time. Queen Lyanna rarely left her home, except for trips to Essos to visit her good-sister, Daenerys Targaryen. We know through letters that the women were very close. During her time in Summerhall, the Queen bred horses.”

"Queen Lyanna died in her sleep in 333, and it is believed after departing King's Landing upon the death of their shared husband, neither queen saw the other ever again."

"Now, let us take a look at King Rhaegar’s children.” Thomys took a deep breath for this part of his family history. It is an unusually dense and complicated situation for most to comprehend, even for him, and he's devoted almost all of his academic life to understanding it.

[1] Gawain is the name of a Knight in King Arthur's Round Table. He is said to be King Arthur's nephew. Gawain is my homage to Arthur Dayne.

[2] Yamoto Dynasty of Japan: Founded in 660BC.

Chapter Text

"Aegon VI was known Aegon the Worthy—not to be confused with Aegon the Unworthy. He led the Six Kingdoms and with the support of Dorne through what was known as the Great War of 325. This war united the forces of the Six Kingdoms, Dorne, and the Free Folk who resided far North of the Wall because the threat from beyond the Wall was bigger than the politics of the realms—it was understood that should the Six Kingdoms fall, then the threat would encase the whole continent. As we look at the Great War in more detail, we have to wait just a bit before we do so. It's so hard not to jump ahead when we look at this moment in history."

"By the end of the war many had survived, and we will see the parts other Targaryens played in that success, but King Aegon was given the praise for leading and fighting as he had during that time. He was known to carry a sword into battle that had a lion's head and jade green eyes, a sword that is still in our family's possession to date. However, he is most noted for heralding the country into a new age of rebirth in education, agriculture, arts, prosperity, and power through trade beyond Essos and seafaring exploration."

"Aegon married Lady Elia Dayne, who many believe to be his cousin, the bastard daughter of Prince Doran and Lady Ashara Dayne. The match was expected to soothe the injured political relationship between Dorne, who, as you know, broke away from the Six Kingdoms shortly after the Usurpers Rebellion. They had three children. Their oldest was a son."

"King Aegon passed many laws during his reign, but three are the most popular and long enduring. The first was the change in inheritance law. His reign went from male-preference primogeniture to absolute primogeniture. Which means?" He prompts the audience.

"Gender was irrelevant to inheritance. Firstborn was to rule regardless of sex." A woman called out from the center of the auditorium.

"Yes! While his son, Prince Einar, was his heir, Einar's daughter, Princess Ayesha, was his heir and the first Targaryen queen who had a complete and untested reign. Rhaenyra Targaryen, she was not. Princess Ayesha did keep it in the family, though, when she married a Hightower cousin. While a female could inherit, any husband she had must understand that her children come from her line. It was a bit of a sensation for the Six Kingdoms when she ascended because the Lords of the realm at that time still kept to the archaic male primogeniture for almost a century beyond the change in the law."

"The second law he passed was the Right to Just Rulership. This law ensured that constitution law, the law of the King and the Land, superseded canon law. In enacting this, he took away a lot of the power the High Septon had over the shaping of the law of the country. The King didn't take away their authority to punish the members of the Sevens, but it protected the new religions that began to pop up in his Kingdom shortly after the Great War. It also made it clear to any church or faith that resided in King Aegon's realm that they would be welcomed, but they were never to have more power than the monarch of the nation."

"The Faith Militant rose in outrage in 334, but their Rebellion was shut down before it began to gain power largely in part to the network of spies in the employ of Aegon's Hand during that time—a man who was invested in the survival of the Targaryen legacy, his half-brother Prince Aemon Targaryen."

"The third law associated with his reign impacted the particular allowance granted to the Targaryen family, and since Right to Just Rulership trumped canon law he wanted to create an extra layer of protection for this decree even though he knew the Sevens would be glad to see the end of it; and it was the abolishment of sibling incest and polygamy—period. King Aegon's grandparents were the last siblings ever to marry, and his father was the last Targaryen to have more than one wife at the same time. His goal was to ensure that no one after him would engage in such actions which he deemed a detriment to the realm."

"Speaking of wives, King Aegon outlived his wife Queen Lia by twenty-six years. She died in 337 from a pandemic that took many lives, and he died in 363. He lived longer than most men of that time, dying at the ripe old age of 81. It was believed they were not only a political match but a love too, though there is much debate as to whether they had married for love or if love had grown as a by-product of a political union. Until his death, he supported the efforts of early female scientists, especially those who worked with Queen Lia on improving agriculture within the realm. Today we can find a science building dedicated to her at King's Landing University. There is a fellowship from the royal family given in her name to five students who want to further their studies in botany. Even the esteemed Starfall College of Medicine can boast about having a library dedicated to her. Both King Aegon and Queen Lia are interred together in King's Landing."

"King Rhaegar's eldest daughter, Princess Rhaenys, married Queen Lyanna's nephew, Lord Robb Stark. The Princess was known for her love of animals and was associated with improving farming husbandry techniques in the North, and eventually, it trickled down to the rest of the realm. Some of her policies are seeing a comeback as free-range products are becoming more of a normative in our current culture—a bit of a departure from the current meatpacking industry."

"Princess Rhaenys also fought in the Great War. The maester kept very detailed records of the war, at the behest of her sister, Visenya, and Rhaenys was a commander in the Northern army. At that time, she had a dragon named Burkhard, and it was said that she flew into battle wearing an armored colored-cloak. After the war, many Houses sent their daughters to foster with her. Sadly, her husband and uncle, who she was close to, had both been gravely injured. Neither one recovered completed, and both died in 330, 5 years after the war."

"While her husband was laid to rest in the famed crypts of Winterfell—has anyone had the chance to visit?"

A sea of hands rise.

"It is a phenomenal sight. Not only the crypts but Winterfell itself. It's a must-see museum, and if you have not been, then you must go."

"As for Rhaenys descendants, the heir of Winterfell, Lord Torrhen Stark married a daughter of House Manderly. Her son Viseryon married his cousin Minisa. Her youngest son, Flynn joined the Night's Watch and eventually became its 100th Lord Commander."

"Now I know I should speak of Princess of Visenya, but she is a bit of a complicated icon of this period, so I am going to return to her further on in speech. Prince Jaehaerys was the first-born son of King Rhaegar and his second wife, Queen Lyanna. He was believed to be the much expected Visenya."

"Prince Jaehaerys was recognized as starting the first military school in the Six Kingdom. Dragon Point Academy is one of the most prestigious military schools in the world."

"In my family, it is a tradition that the eldest son attended Dragon Point, so my brother, Prince Jaehaerys—no pun," The giggle and snickers caused him to pause with a shrug. "It was bound to happen. We do tend to recycle the names as most royal families do. My brother is a graduate of this institution, and he wears his black and grey school colors with pride. Even when my alma mater RMI beats them on the football field—and for those from the United States, I mean soccer. The Dragon Point/RMI game tends to shut down our entire household. I mean honestly, it's the best colligate game of the year. Well, at least in our family."

The loud laughing has Thomys taking a moment to drink his water.

"But back to the Prince. He was known for his tactician mind and sword-hand skills during the Great War. Many Warfare historians claim that there is evidence that supports the idea that his students fared better during the war, as did the students who attend RMI—Riverland Military Institute, the military institution started by Prince Jaehaerys younger brother, Prince Daeron. Ironically it is the place all younger sons in my family are sent to. I wear my red and gray very proudly on game days."

While the snickers resume, he looks over his shoulder to see the picture he expected, Thomys continues.

"Here is an artist rendering what we believed Dragon Point looked like when the Prince established his House, and this is a photo of what it looks like now. The school is an official historical site. By the look of the architecture, there is no question as to why. It's amazing to see where it came from to the campus we see today."

The audience murmurs the energy lively, and he understands why. To see the small Keep at the start to the present concentric castle and expanded grounds is a marvel.

"Prince Jaehaerys married his cousin Lady Sansa Stark in Winterfell in the Spring of 302. His wife was an active participant in his endeavor to create a military school. Dragon Point Academy has an archive of journals that survived from that period, and in those books, we can see how she worked with maesters and healers on training students on how to care for soldiers in the aftermath of a battle. Battlefield medicine changed when she introduced the earliest concept of triage—which is the prioritizing of treatment based on the severity of their condition or likelihood of recovery with and without treatment."

"Materials and medicine were scarce, especially during the Great War, so the ability to ration the resources they had to the need lowered their S-curve substantially by decrease need and increasing survival rates. While the numbers are still high comparatively, then are lower than what they could have been."

"It was Jaehaerys that manage to broker peace between the Iron Island and the Six Kingdoms. He appealed to the nature of Theon and Yara Greyjoy, who wanted to lead the Iron Islands to survive the changing world that was the continent of Westeros. They wanted to take power away from their dying father, Balon, and his brothers Euron and Victarion. I'd like to say it was a bloodless coup, but that would be a false narrative."

"They waged war for three months, and after much death and destruction, primarily on the side of the Ironborn, an accord was reached after the death of Balon, Euron, and Victarion. The Ironborn kept their reeving out of Westeros. They could keep to their Drowned Gods in peace in return for ceasing their land attacks on the continent, destroying fleets and harbors in Westeros, and the barbaric custom of acquiring fishwives."

"This Targaryen line had two children, twins, Maeker and Minisa. Maeker married a Karstark and continued his father's vision. Minisa married her cousin, Viseryion Stark, where her husband served as an instructor for the school. Dragon Point is where both Jaehaerys and Sansa were buried. They died days of each other. He died on December 30, 341, and she died on January 2, 342."

"The school has always had a Targaryen or Stark from this line affiliated with the board of trustees in some capacity. The current superintendent of the institution is 3-Star General Torrance Stark."

"As I previously mentioned, the youngest son--Prince Daeron Targaryen, started what is now considered Riverland Military Institute. Prince Daeron married Lady Eleanor Mooton. The Lady Mooton was her father's heir, and while normally a younger son would take his wife's family, that was not the case, and the children after Lady Mooton were named after their father. Her home was the start of the campus we associate Today with RMI."

An alteration of color outside of his periphery alerted him to the slide change. He turned back to see the split-screen of the original Keep and the current campus.

"Once again, you see a concentric circular design similar to the one at Dragon Point, and right where this arrow is, you will find approximately where my room was located in the Old Barracks. While modernized by today's standards, this building is the oldest dorm on campus."

"As with Prince Jaehaerys family, RMI became a family affair. Prince Daeron had two sons—Myles and Denton. Myles married a Blackwood, and they continued the school, and we can see members of their family serving on the board of trustees as well."

"His son Denton married his cousin Rhaella, Princess Visenya's daughter, and together they sailed and explored westward. It was Denton and Rhaella that discovered the Isle of Red Sand, which is about a 50-day sail from Dorne on a period ship of that time. Today it is known as one of the top tourist destinations and one of my sister's favorite places. Now, if you have ever watched the Discovery Channels Treasures of the High Sea, the stars of that show—The Hightowers-- are descendants of Visenya and her husband. They were the more adventurous branch of the family."

"As I have mentioned King Rhaegar's oldest and youngest son's by Queen Lyanna, I want to talk a little bit about Prince Aemon Targaryen. Aemon served as Hand of the King for King Aegon for about twenty-one years. They were very well suited to each other. It was written in letter Queen Elia wrote to her good-daughter Queen Lia, that she thought Aegon tempered Aemon's more brutal tendencies. At the same time, Aemon was able to orchestrate and execute swift brutality when Aegon found diplomacy did not work. The brothers had to trust each other—for Aegon when to let go and for Aemon when to hold back. It was that combination that has most historians agreeing that it was this combination of King and Hand that needed to herald in an age of renaissance if you will."

"Aemon was the only sibling to be twice married. His first wife was a bit of a surprise as most thought that Lady Margaery Tyrell would have been slated to marry the Crown Prince Aegon. There is speculation that they were a love match. Still, there is a fairly equal number of researchers who disagree when they consider the rumor that his stepdaughter, Lady Cerenna Stackspear, was his daughter by Lady Myrcella Marbrand, his second wife."

"Aemon's first wife died in the birthing bed. They had two daughters; Alyana married the Lord of the Vale, and Margret was married to her cousin Lord William Tyrell. Aemon married Lady Myrcella Stackspear nee Marbrand two years after his first wife died, and they had a son they named Duncan a year later. Duncan married a Velaryon. Aemon died in the Winter of 346, and his wife outlived him for five years after that."

"Dr. Targaryen, you do you think Lady Cerenna Stackspear was Prince Aemon's daughter?" A feminine voice called out from the auditorium.

Thomys considered the question. "By all accounts, the young woman took after her mother in all ways. The family ledgers describe a female who shared her mother's coloring—a woman fair of skin, blonde hair, slender frame. The only difference between them was noted in their eye color. Princess Myrcella had green eyes like her mother, Lady Cersei Marbrand. Lady Cerenna had gray eyes, even though her supposed father had blue. Gray-eyes were considered a trait typically seen in decedents of the First Men and not an eye-color associated with Andals. At the time, it was a very Northern trait, so the likelihood that a young woman from the Andal laden region of the Westerlands would be slim. It was said that Prince Aemon was fond of Lady Myrcella years before he wedded Lady Margaery. When considering that news, the young woman's looks, then pairing the long visit Aemon had in the Westerlands according to the maester journals during the time of Lady Cerenna's conception, I believe that Prince Aemon was Lady Cerenna's father."

"She was doted on by the Prince, and we do have evidence of that. She was also loved by Queen Lyanna and spent much of her time with the Queen in Summerhall. The young lady married a Crakehall and went as far as naming her first daughter, Lyarra. A name not associated with the Crakehall, Marbrand, or Lannister families."

"I am not sure about you, but I think this might be a good place to stop for a break."

The moderator picked up on Thomys's segway. "Yes, you are right about that, Dr. Targaryen. We encourage you to stretch your legs. Some refreshments are available in the lobby, please help yourselves, and we will return to this presentation in 15 minutes. Thank you, Dr. Targaryen and audience."

Chapter Text

Thomys nodded towards the moderator in acknowledgment and walked towards the wings where Gawain is waiting for him. Reaching for the pitcher of tea, he pours himself a glass of his favorite drink. Hmmm...nothing like a sweetened Dornish tea, he thought. He tries to stay focus on the words being spoken to him, but his thoughts back to the woman who had introduced him. Her voice a quiet hum in the back of his consciousness. Why did her voice sound so familiar? He could curse himself for listening to Gawain and for not paying attention to her name. Thomys began to wonder what her affiliation was to the university or the foundation. She hadn't sounded like any of the women he had been introduced to when he first arrived.

“Thomys...”

“My prince...”

It wasn't until he felt the gentle shake of his shoulder paired with a concerned "Thom" that pulled him out of his thoughts. Staring up into his friend and protector's eyes, Thomys realized he had been so focused on these considerations that he hadn't heard Gawain. He wondered if he should ask the man about the woman. Maybe Gawain caught her name or could discreetly inquire for him. A request that would be unlike Thomys to make, he knew if he did that, Gawain would tease him. Looking to postpone the gentle mocking, he decided to ignore the woman's voice and return his attention to the present.

“Are you alright?”

"Yes, I am. I was just collecting my thoughts about the remaining part of the lecture." Thomys could tell that Gawain wasn't completely sold on his excuse, but the man had the good manners not to pry.

"Well, good because the stage manager just cued that you have 2 minutes."

Thomys pushed a weak smile towards his guard and rose to refill his glass. The burst of flavor against his tongue revived him in a bit—back to the world of the living, even if he could still feel his thoughts of that woman caressing the edges of his awareness. He heard his name being called and returned to a place where he feels more himself. Standing before the audience, Thomys clears his voice and begins.

"Welcome back. I had been a bit concerned that half of you wouldn't return."

"Not until you tell us about Visenya." A man's voice echoed through the auditorium.

"Or Daenerys, for that matter." A young woman chimed in after.

"Or Prince Viserys." A young man followed.

"Well, I can help you with that. Prince Viserys died five years after the great war. He just never healed, and that is a sad cost of war that hasn't truly changed even if the marvels of science have improved. Viserys's line had a strong navy for centuries. Today his original House now sits one of the oldest naval outposts we have on the continent. Sadly, the last known male Targaryen from his line died in WWII, and with that, death saw the end to his male line. Though all is not lost as his daughters and the children from those unions have his blood running through their veins. Currently one of his decedents is married to my sister, Princess Mirah. Many historians, myself included, think that Viserys Targaryen would have made the better king instead of his brother, Rhaegar."

"As for Daenerys, descendants of her sons still serve as lords today. Her grandson, Osmund's second son Steffon joined the Nights Watch and became the 103rd Lord Commander. Daenerys herself never remarried, but it is rumored that she lived with a companion until his death. His name was Daario Naharis, and he was a well-known sellsword who led many into battle during the Great War."

"She was not a passive woman. Daenerys moved to Essos, where she argued that slavery was wrong and liberated slaves by getting them out of Essos and hiding them in Westeros. She had angered many a slave-owner, but they never could pin the escapes on her. If people tried to move against her, they were reminded of her access to dragons. While slave-owners wanted to maintain their way of life, they weren't willing to fight three dragon riders to do it."

"This leads me to my favorite Targaryen of them all—Princess Visenya."

Thomys could feel the energy in the room shift. The temperature was a bit cooler, the silence more pronounced. He looked down at these note cards that he hadn't bothered to look at before. The fine hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention as he collected his thought on this particular topic. Someone was watching him, and it wasn't just the crowd seated before him. This feeling is one honed after decades as a child who grew up in the spotlight. He was being measured and assessed, and he couldn't tell where it originated. Thomys looked in the direction he thought the gaze was coming from. Looking into the wings of the heavy curtain that hid the end of the stage, Thomys could make out a woman's form. The bright lights make it hard for him to see her. She had long dark hair and long slender fingers, and the digits pushed back a thick shaft of hair behind an ear. The woman moved out of view just in time as the silence was becoming long and awkward.

“I..uhm...sorry. Ah, where was I? Uhm, Princess Visenya. I will address her first from a historical perspective, and then I will shift into a theological one. The Princess was born in 283AC on a Dornish ship stationed in the Blackwater Bay as it fled the attempted sacking of Kings Landing. She was raised in Dorne until her nineteenth year when her father discovered her, her siblings, and her mother. She married into the House Hightower when she wedded Ser Humfrey Hightower."

"Both Visenya and her husband were born adventurers, and they traveled extensively as far as Yi-Ti. They also traveled with Arya Stark, Queen Lyanna's niece by her brother Eddard. Visenya worked for the Crown by building a strong trade route. Her trade routes tore open the Six Kingdom economic ability. With her support, the King pulled the Kingdom out of this backwatered mentality and brought new ideas into the country, making the country very progressive for that time. The only hardline being slavery."

"The Princess created her family on the continent of Essos and beyond as she traveled for many years. She had two children Garmund and Rhaella. She even brought her family to Valyria. A place that was only ever visited by looter and pirates of a kind. While she was there, she found a sword that she came to call Lightbringer. The name was derived from the tale that if the sword was in the presence of death or near-death that it would light up like a flame guiding the soul to the Stranger and hopefully to a peaceful end."

"During her travels, she wrote to her siblings often, and in those letters, which we can find in the Westerosa Historical Museum and the R'hllorian City Museum, she writes about disturbing dreams she had about a great war which she described as a long night as the sun would disappear and an enemy intent on destroying the world. These letters were disconcerting, but around 320, the news from the Lord Commander at the time, Stannis Baratheon, made Prince Aegon concerned that perhaps his sister eccentricity might be a foreshadowing."

"Now for three years, Prince Aegon and his brothers with the help of Lord Commander Baratheon investigated what was happening north of the Wall and never was King Rhaegar, or his Queens told. At this point, Prince Aegon was acting King, and he funneled resources to Lord Commander Baratheon."

"Now what Baratheon did was take an order that was dying and resurrected it to be the true guardians of the realm of men. It was wise of Aegon to support Baratheon because he became one of the greatest military commanders of the Great War. He made an accord between the realm and the Freefolk. He took the aid of men and money from the Crown to build glasshouses across the Gift, working out a deal with the Freefolk to farm. The agreement was clear that they were not beholden to the Wall, and the Watch was already free from the realm. Stannis Baratheon took all those old and dying castles across the Wall and turned them into Guilds: armorers, masons, leatherworkers, a craft guild for each abandoned castle."

"These guild workers took no oath and brought their families to live in the nearest towns. This populated the areas with skilled workers, provided job opportunities, economic growth, and self-sustaining livelihood. He did all of this on the Gift, which belonged to the Night's Watch. Nowadays, if you visit the Gift, it's a lovely skiing village. Hardhome, which was once a Freefolk homestead, now rivals Banff in Canada when it comes to beauty."

"You can now travel the Trans-Westeros Highway, which takes you from the East to the West on the continent, and on your way, you can travel through Stannislaus National Park. It was named after the former Lord Commander, who was once ousted by the former King Rhaegar for following his liege lord, who was his brother. I am one of many historians who believe that without Stannis Baratheon, the war would have been lost. Stannis Baratheon trained his men, created a true armory that was stockpiling years before the war began. Suppose he was a different man. If he hadn't reached out to Prince Aegon and weren't receptive to Aegon's concerns—this would be a very different symposium."

"While he survived the war, sadly Princess Visenya did not, and it is here where we step out of the historical and into the theological. Now the Great War was over a year-long, and the Six Kingdoms had longer wars. This was called the Great War because all the houses were united against one enemy that lived beyond the Wall. An enemy that was efficient and intent on consuming everyone and everything. Some call them a cult of cannibals, others call them pre-Vikings, we aren't too sure where they originated from, but we do know they were ruthless in their pursuit of all that stood before them."

"Priest and priestess of R'hllor will say they were white walkers and their wights, which in its simplest forms were the dead coming to wipe out the realm of the living. Here is where Princess Visenya's story takes on mythic proportions. It was believed that she was the Prince that was Promised, since Prince in the old tongue was genderless, meaning this Prince could have been a princess."

"The R'hllorian scriptures in the chapter of Visenya tells her story. The daughter of fire dressed in armor that carried a heart in the center of a sun. Historians will claim that it signified her love of Dorne, but R'hllorian theologians claim she works the sigil of R'hllor into battle. They called her scripture the Song of Fire and Ice as the song was their righteous battle, she was the fire—the daughter of a dragon and the sun, and the Others were known as Ice because of their association with the Lands of Always Winter."

"The sword she had found, Lightbringer, was used to kill the Others—primarily the white walkers. She headed on her dragon with her siblings and traveled so far North that it was too cold for those without the blood of the dragon in them to survive. She fought the last Other who was the most powerful one or so she thought. They battled in a blizzard, and visibility was poor, but she had thought she killed the last one. As she thrust Lightbringer into the being, she was then stabbed in the back from behind by the hidden Other."

"There were alternative weapons to kill the wights, but the myth states that only Lightbringer could kill these powerful Others, so her siblings could not help her. It is believed that her four brothers and sister stood before her, too far to do anything but close enough to see as she pulled her sword out of the Other only to impale herself in the heart, killing the Last Other who stood behind her."

"The myth states that those battling wights ceased because they all turned into snow, but the darkness remained. Her siblings brought Visenya back to Castle Black. When they put her body on the pyre, her dragon lit her on fire, and her body and sword burned for six days, and on the seventh, her body and sword burned so high into the sky that she brought back the sun. From there began an origin myth on why we call the seventh day of the week Sunday."

Thomys's eyes surveyed the reactions on the audience. Many, if not all, know the story of Princess Visenya Targaryen. Whether they are devout followers of R'hllor or have read the classic myths such as Achilles or the Trojan Horse--the Song of Fire and Ice turned Princess Visenya Targaryen into a mythic legend. It never fails, but Thomys always finds himself moved by the wealth of emotion on display as people hear his retelling of it.

"After hearing the history and how it ended, do you still think it still accurate to call him King Rhaegar the Mistaken?"

That voice...

She was asking him a question. Thomys's eyes searched for her in the crowd. He couldn't see her clearly as the auditorium was too dark to make out her features. What was it about her voice? It felt familiar, yet it wasn't.

"I guess it depends on what you consider his mistake." He pondered.

"Well, it was through his line that the Great War was won. He knew he needed a Visenya. Perhaps Queen Lyanna was not the one to bear that child, but the need for her to exist wasn't wrong." The Dornish lit to her voice made it hard for him to think. The niggling in the back of his mind kept probing as to where he had heard this voice before.

Thomys considered her words before he responded. "I believe King Rhaegar made a self-fulfilling prophecy. If he hadn't run away with Queen Lyanna, he would not have broken faith with his wife and family. A war would not have broken out where the aftermath led to the destruction of Houses and family lines and not just highborn. So many people lost their lives and security and for what I ask. If Princess Visenya were meant to exist, she would, and if not, then this "prince or princess" would have come from either Rhaenys or Aegon. In the end, it still would have been from Rhaegar's line."

He paused to take a sip of water and to collect his thoughts. "I am not a devoutly religious man, but if the faith of R'hllor is correct about the Others, then they would have been waiting for that "Prince or Princess" so I surmise the realm would have been safe until then. Just because it worked out in a way does not mean that King Rhaegar is absolved from what he did. All his decisions to the end were a series of missteps. In my professional opinion, his moniker is well-earned."

"And what is your opinion as to his descendent?" Her voice held is attention, as if they were the only ones in the room.

"Candid truth? I think, in the end, he was a troubled man. While I recognize his treatment was hard-earned on his end, I do pity him. All my life, I had been compared to him as we both are lovers of learning, the scholar-princes, but I like to think I am smarter than he was and that I would not err so devastatingly."

Thomys continues to look out into the darkness hoping the woman responds, but nothing comes forth until his attention is pulled by a young man who launches into a series of questions about the homoerotic relationship between Princess Visenya and Arya Stark who remained with Ser Humfrey after the death of his wife. Pushing past his disappointment, Thomys forces his best smile and proceeds to answer the questions with enthusiasm.

"Well, that went well, wouldn't you say?" Gawain asked.

As they walked towards his car, Thomys found himself forcing a smile once again. "Yes."

The sun was to set soon, a sign it had been a long day, but Thomys wasn't ready to get into his car. He felt compelled to take a walk. Just before he left, he had been told not to miss the sunset view from the E.M. lookout point. He learned it was about a 10-minute walk from this building.

"Gawain, I think I need to walk a bit."

Thomys could see Gawain begin to speak into his cuff-mic, and he stopped him before he could talk.

"No security. I need some space. Feel free to follow at a distance, but just you okay."

"Are you sure you're okay, Thomys?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

Thomys began to walk in the direction of the lookout. Once he passed the side of the building, he would see it from up ahead. It was a brisk walk up a steep incline. A fan of sunsets, he checked to make sure his phone had enough power to take some high res photos. As he made it to the top, he realized he wasn't alone for there stood a petite dark-haired woman.

"I will be there. Nothing will keep me from holding my goddaughter, James."

It’s her. That's the voice.

Thomys doesn't mean to eavesdrops, but he doesn't want to frighten her, so he makes his presence known by standing in her field of view. He is distracted by the sights—the woman and the sun over the bay.

"Give Brie the biggest hug from me, and congratulations to you both, Love!

Thomys hears as she ends her conversation while he keeps his eyes on the seascape before him.

"I guess I owe you an apology."

Thomys looks over to finally see her, and she 's—lovely. He has seen her before in pictures, but never in person. Standing before him is the Crown Princess of Dorne. Dark straight hair falling over one shoulder, olive-toned skin, and dark eyes make him wonder what lurks behind the light glimmering in those dark orbs. Her lips are full and smirking at him. She is stunning, and he is mesmerized and confused.

“Excuse me?”

"I was supposed to greet you this morning, but I had a bit of an emergency and only had time to introduce you to the symposium. We haven't formally met."

Thomys looks at her slender hand as she extends it for a handshake.

“The name is Lorea. Lorea Ilyen Martell.”

He finally has her name. Lorea. Lorea. Feeling it only fair that he introduce himself though he knows she is aware of who he is, his hand reaches out for hers.

"It's a pleasure to put a face with the voice finally. Thomys. Thomys Raegard Targaryen."

As soon as her hand slipped into his, something clicked into place. It was a quiet and subtle snap, but he felt it to the core of these bones. He didn't think he was alone for her eyes widened a bit, and her mouth is shaped in an O of surprise. Holding her hand and looking into this woman's eyes, he feels like he has done this before. Thomys notices her dress in its splashes of orange and pink hues of the sunset illuminating the setting sun before them, and once again, this feels familiar. She feels familiar. They feel familiar.

As Thomys stares into her eyes, he can hear voices whispering in his ear. They sound like them, but neither is speaking. The words and feelings they invoked pulled at his gut and pierced his heart.

"You looked like the setting sun over the Blackwater. My first thought was that you looked stunning."

“What now, Rhaegar?”

“...me still thinking that after all this time you are still a combination of the unattainable and mine.”

Things felt different, but his heart was breaking, and yet there were shards of hope embedded in what remained of his beating heart.

"I know that I do not deserve it, and we can't be what we were, but maybe with some undeserved grace, you'll allow me another chance to build a life with you--on our terms."

"This letter undid me Rhaegar, and I took so long to respond because it took me this much time to reassemble myself in a way that fits right for the woman I now am and not the woman I used to be."

"You know when I was younger, my maester had given me a text about a group of people that were of Yi-Tish descendent. They believed that when death came, we had the opportunity to go back to the world of the living. How you returned was determined by the choices you had made during your life."

"Do you believe such things?"

"I do not know it to be a truth, just that others believe it. A more agreeable idea than The Stranger comes, and that is all there is. For a man who has made plenty of mistakes as I have Elia, the design almost serves as a comfort."

"But why? I imagine if such a thing were real, then your return and those after would not be pleasant.

"Perhaps not, but maybe they might give us another chance at finding and falling together. For that opportunity, I think it worth the gamble."

Thomys could feel the end was nigh. Somehow we were witnessing the death of a relationship. It was hard to understand what was happening to him. Perhaps he might be losing his mind in the Dornish heat, but looking into this woman's eyes, they seemed so recognizable that he thought maybe he wasn't the only one affected.

"This time just isn't our time, it seems, but if there is a next time. I won't lose sight of it as I did. I will not stray. I will not forget. I will be worthy of it."

"Well, if the Gods find you worthy, then I look forward to finding and falling together with you, Rhaegar Targaryen.

Thomys couldn't rationalize this moment, nor did he want to. Holding Lorea's warm hand told him that this moment was real. She was real. They were real. He wondered if he was alone in these feelings and then thought he should probably release her hand, but then she lifted her free hand to his chest, resting her open palm over his heart.

Thomys felt the pain in his chest ease as the warmth of her hand soothed away his discomfort. He doesn't know what moved him to be so uninhibited to touch her, but his empty hand rose to cup her face. His eyes never left hers. He just allowed himself to drown in her gaze. Thumb tracing the line of her jaw caressing her cheek, Thomys remembers engaging in this action countless times, yet today felt like the first time.

Just like the snap, he heard before another unknown piece of a puzzle fell into place. While he felt it, Thomys could say with complete assurance that he didn't know how this could be. He knew this woman. He had loved her before and lost her. He also remembered every lifetime he spent near her but never with her. A few times, he had been so close, but not worthy enough. Had he atoned enough? Does he deserve her now? Terrified to hope but finding himself unable not to, he called her by the name he had first known her by.

“Elia.”

Tears welled in her dark eyes, and he felt before he saw the tremble of her jaw as her lips gently split open under the tremors. At that moment, he almost missed it, but as quietly as she spoke—barely a whisper, it sounded like a crack of thunder roaring under the night sky.

“Rhaegar.”

Releasing her hand, he held her face in between his palms as she held on to both his wrist. Without releasing their gazes, he rested his forehead on hers. He could feel her lift her lips as a silent offering, and without further denial, he lowered in lips to hers. It was as he once remembered. It lit a dormant part of his soul, a piece that had been waiting for her. An element that belonged to her only and always had even when he was too blind to recognize it.

The kiss seemed to last forever, but at the same time, it wasn't long enough. He had one hand in her long locks and another arm around her waist as he lifted her gently off the ground. Her arms were wrapped around his neck as a hand played with the tail end of his hair. They slowly pulled apart.

As his breath began to slow down, there was only one question to ask.

"Are you ready to find and fall with me?" He waited with bated breath knowing that her answer could make or break a part of his soul that he had protected for so long.

His fear began to dissipate when her watery smile had shone through as she said the one word he had waited almost two millennia to hear.

“Yes.”