Chapter Text
Not much is known about the early days of King Aegon the Unlikely's third son by Lady Betha Blackwood. Prince Daeron Targaryen was born in the late moons of 228 AC, the younger brother of Princes Duncan and Jaehaerys and Princess Shaera, and later the elder brother to Princess Rhaelle. He was sent to foster at Highgarden by his kingly father in a bid to better relations with House Tyrell, whose heir Luthor was also betrothed to Princess Shaera. It is here that Prince Daeron developed a keen interest in arms and warcraft. It was famously repeated by a proud King Aegon that Prince Daeron shut himself in his room for days when he was eight namedays old and a mere page to Lord Tyrell, all because he was not permitted to accompany the knights of the Reach to fight the pretender Daemon III in the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion. He was knighted eight years later by Ser Duncan the Tall - rather than his foster father as is the tradition - when he arrived to escort the young prince to King's Landing.
This was when Prince Daeron first learnt of his betrothal to Lady Olenna Redwyne of the Arbor, arranged by his mother. Earlier, his eldest brother Duncan had married a commoner, Jenny of Oldstones, instead of his intended, Lady Argelle Baratheon of Storm's End and given up his claim on the throne, passing it to Prince Jaehaerys. The new heir, also betrothed - to Lady Celia Tully of Riverrun - had further deceived his father and secretly wed his own sister, Princess Shaera (who was betrothed to Luthor Tyrell). These two marriages had doubtless dented the alliances the king so coveted. Aegon the Unlikely counted on at least his youngest children, to go forward with the planned weddings, however this was not to be in the case of Prince Daeron.
The prince bid his time and at the age of eighteen, surprised the realm by absconding with a young reachwoman he had known in his time at Highgarden named Elinor Norridge. This union proved to be the source of much gossip in the years that followed, as Prince Daeron, it was whispered, preferred the company of men - not to mention that House Norridge was composed of landed knights at best, and there was no great alliance that could come out of this match. In the later years, there was an increase in speculation about Princess Elinor's brother, Ser Jeremy, who was his princely good-brother's staunch companion and perhaps even lover.
Princess Elinor was a generous woman above all else. Whether it was her humble beginnings or anything else that motivated her, she was the patron of many orphanages and motherhouses in the crownlands. She was encouraged in her charitable pursuits by Queen Betha and King Aegon, both of whom also had soft spots for the smallfolk of the realm. Prince Daeron's modest keep by the waters of the Blackwater Rush was often where ailing old women and abandoned babes were taken in for the night before they could be dispatched to the appropriate establishments.
Less pleasant were Princess Elinor's relations with her good-sister, Princess Shaera. The two were often at each other's throats with none to come between them, as Prince Jaehaerys would be busy in his duties as heir and Prince Daeron in his duties as Commander of the City Watch alongside Ser Jeremy Norridge. When the news of Princess Elinor being with child was announced, it was rumored that Princess Shaera wondered aloud if the child would be her brother's at all.
Whatever the apprehensions were, they were proven unreasonable when in 250 AC, Prince Daeron became father to young Prince Baelor, who had the silver hair of the Valyrians coupled with brown Norridge eyes. The happiness and joy in this branch of House Targaryen would prove short-lived, however, when the martial Prince Daeron would lead an army to defeat the Rat, the Hawk and the Pig only a year later, and die - supposedly - in the arms of his good-brother, Ser Jeremy.
Prince Baelor spent the next eight years of his life in the Red Keep in the company of his older cousins, Prince Aerys, Princess Rhaella and Steffon Baratheon. The difference in their ages was not the smallest, however, and as such Baelor was mostly isolated from children his age and preferred being with his mother and uncle Jeremy more than anyone else.
House Redwyne, who had been snubbed by Baelor's father, arrived at court near the tail end of King Aegon V's reign during a touney held to honor Prince Aerys' fifteenth nameday. Lord Paxter brought with him his beautiful young sister, Bethany, niece to the spurned Lady Olenna, and it was then that the aging king decided to arrange Lady Bethany's marriage to his grandson Baelor. Unknown to him, it would be this very marriage that would lead to the fall of his direct heirs from the Iron Throne many years later and the start of a new era in the history of House Targaryen.
- an excerpt from 'A Complete History of the Reign of Dragons', by Maester Rowyn