What if (As many of my Stories begin.) The Targaryen's never lost their Dragons. Instead of the Dance of Dragons, they had the Disease of Dragons. A sickness they had never seen before leading to the death of many dragons and their riders and the Targaryen's realizing they needed to keep theirs more freely, this and other incidents have made it so they are not over populated, but they have them still. Visenya is an OC (which is new and different for me and I am very nervous!) but I decided Rhaegar need his last child, so he would just stop. Viserys is an Au because I made him nice and I have notes about that at the bottom. Also, some of the dragons are OC's but some are historic Targaryen Dragons who did not die. This is an extreme Au! Drogon's name is now Nightshade but he is the same other than that and Viserion is Golden Gleam. They have 14 living dragons. Let me know what you think!
Every time a Targaryen is born the gods flip a coin, and because those Targaryen's have Dragons the world holds its breath because they will one day wield the most incredible and dangerous beasts in the world.
Dragons had their setbacks, after king Viserys I died their was a great Dragon Disease that swept their dragons killing off many of them and where dragons died a lot of their riders died, either they were on Dragon back when their dragon suddenly struggled to breath and crashed or even more shocking a lot of them killed themselves to be with their dragons again.
They lost dragons in wars with the Dornish and the Blackfyre rebellion, they found the dangers in caged dragons and in letting dragons go wild, many dragon's and Targaryen's lost their lives stopping wild ones when they proved much more than a pest and got large and wanted to burn down cities.
The last great threat to dragons was Aerys the second. The mad king rode his dragons hard and ended up carelessly killing 2 dragons, he would test others resolve against wild fire killing four dragons without ridders and over ten eggs, he was single handedly destroying their legacy, he decided he should ride the most formidable largest dragon that still had its strength and with it he would bathe the world in fire. Rhaegar assembled an army to fight him as well as his own dragon. But Tessarion did not bond with Aerys and would not be forced and scrapped him off her back ending the reign of the mad king. The war was ended before it was fought, but another war would take its place soon into the early reign of King Rhaegar first of his name.
Aery's son was surely a step up, but by how much? Rhaegar had a wife and two children when he forced his Warden of the North to give up his only daughter to him as his second wife or Winterfell would burn, this disgusted the people of Westeros, people so much they rose in rebellion against the last dragon, before Rhaegar took her as his wife he sired a son from Lyanna which he had not wanted, the girl died and the king scurried home to his proper wife. Nobody talked about Lyanna Stark being the queen of anything else but love an beauty at some tourney, long ago ever again.
Her family fought for her memory and some of her family died. In the end the Baratheon yielded saving his men from dragon fire.
Elia Martell in the end gave Rhaegar exactly what he wanted in a second daughter, she always gave him exactly what he wanted, and he would always take more. It was said after their last daughter was born, the king died only four weeks later of disease or poison the crown had so many enemies, but throughout Elia's regency she worked hard to unite the kingdom under her sons rule.
The Greyjoys thought they saw an opportunity. It didn't matter how many dragons the young king had, with his father dead, and Rhaella Targaryen dying in childbirth all the of age riders were dead and it would be years until the five young children could ride their dragons they had thought, they had been wrong, and their ships burned for it. Plenty of houses wanted to prove loyalty and the islands were taken by arms, Thoros A myr and Jorah Mormont leaned very low for their little king to knight them at the end of it all and Westeros went back to peace.
Now there were six dragon riders taking to the sky above Dragonstone.
A young King Aegon the 6th rode his dragon Rhoynar he named after his mother's ancestral people. Aegon had always been close to his mother it was said his father rode off to kidnap a 14 year old and everyone wondered if Aegon would be put aside but Elia just took an egg her husbands dragon had laid before she left and put it in her babies cradle. Even when nobody else believed she did that her Son would be king. Now a man of 20 he had wavy silver locks that went to his shoulders, his eyes were a indigo purple and he was said to resemble his father a lot a tall muscular but lean build, his hair waved in the wind as he mounted his dragon with a great smile on his face.
Rhoynar was red with bronze on his wings and stomach. Rhoynar was not the largest dragon but Aegon rode him well and together they were a formidable force, They soared through the sky but they were not alone.
From the same batch of Eggs Rhaenys had hers, she had to wait to get her egg when she was 1 and her brother was born, the dragons were already not producing them like they once had. A sweet dragon called windrider came from it but Rhaenys didn't ride Windrider.
When the Greyjoys rebelled Aegon planned with Viserys in secret to go to the Greyjoys and show them Dragon riders. Rhoynar was as big as a war horse and could easily carry little Aegon, Rhaenys could not fly Windbreaker who was small for it's age and shy. Rhaenys spotted another bigger dragon and held her breath as she approached Morning and the beautiful pink and orange dragon had been hers ever since.
Now gliding across the sky morning was a beautiful, she flew as elegant as her rider as they swiftly moved past her uncle Viserys.
Viserys had Blackfrye dip down out of Rhaenys way the plummeted down before sharply turning up before they hit the water but was so close to it, he could smell the salt. Blackfyre who had once belonged to Daenerys Targaryen Martell, she named him for the man, she loved Daemon Blackfyre. As a baby Viserys father refused to give him an egg wanting him to attach to an older bigger dragon, Viserys had been terrified as dragon fire lit up the dark caves as he walked through the caverns of Dragonstone but Blackfyre jumped to his protection and they had been together ever since. Blackfyre was a grey scaled Dragon with hints of red and white, he was of good size but Aerys had been furious his son hadn't chosen a larger dragon.
Daenerys and Jon had their eggs from the last batch, another small batch of three eggs, the last ever laid.
Daenerys was sure greatness laid in her and her dragon she was sure was Belerion reborn but Rhaegar told the girl she had to give it its own name no matter what she believes. She ended up calling it Nightshade which seemed to fit it, it was aggressive and grew fast and Daenerys struggled to control him, she wanted him to listen to her like Aegon's dragon listened to him. No matter, she knew she was born to be much more than the third princess and the farthest from the throne of any of them.
Daenerys struggled to control Nightshade who seemed uninterested in flying around playfully with the other mounts, he ripped through the sky with a vengeance.
Jon's dragon was called Rhaegal and was green with hints of gold on his wings. Nobody knew if the bastard would be allowed to fly after the rebellion, but it was a toddler Aegon who crawled into Jon's crib with the egg putting it to his brother cheek and making the surly baby smile.
Elia did not get mad she only asked why and was proud of Aegon's response. "brothers share." And Aegon would share his ancestral right with Jon. Jon loved his brother but it was his fathers love he craved he even named his dragon after his father a desperate attempt from the unloved son.
Elia never left Rhaegar even when she wanted to because she refused to let him marry her children together and he died before he could. She finally won. She taught Aegon that the incest of their family had to end and he would be the monarch to end them.
Rhaegal swirled in the sky going under and over Nightshade making Daenerys glare at him as Nightshades hissed out steam and Jon seemed to quickly put distance between them.
Tessarion shone through the air, the blue queen was the second eldest dragon they had left and was the largest ride-able dragon and carried the smallest and youngest rider in Visenya. Visenya never had a dragon egg there would be none to have when she was born. Rhaegar hoped his daughter would bond with an older Dragon and was giddy when his toddler put her arms out as if she was asking to be picked up to Tessarion the dragon who killed her own grandfather, she did not ride Tessarion till she was 9 but Elia noticed if Visenya was on Dragonstone so was Tessarion, if Visenya was in Kingslanding so was Tessarion. Elia wanted her to wait the dragon was so big and the girl was so small but Visenya was fearless, she reminded her more of Oberyn then Rhaegar. Aside from the silvery white hair. Rhaenys was almost all Martell and Aegon all Targaryen but Visenya seemed to be a mix of both.
Today Visenya was 14 and she loved ridding her dragon they would rise up to the heavens and Visenya would lean up like she wanted to stand up on her dragon, not that she could, she was buckled to her saddle, but she rose as much as her restraint allowed and reached her arms out being fully in the moment and wonder of her flight.
"CAREFUL!" Aegon called.
"MÄzigon tymagon!" Visenya called happily in high Valyrian! Begging Aegon and Viserys to come play, their dragons hovered in place with their great wings batting the air. They had been discussing the good of the realm as Viserys was Aegon's hand.
Visenya had her father's silver hair and Tawny colored skin, not as dark as Rhaenys but not as light as Aegons, but had her mother's big lips, she was petite in seize and her purple eyes were so dark they almost looked black instead of the dark purple they were. She had a heart shaped face and button noise. She did not look like half the terror she could be from her great beasts back or in any fight. Unlike the other girls she wore pants and boots when she flew.
"She is a free spirit." Viserys laughed.
"She is, I've been thinking about her wedding." Aegon said he looked at Viserys who was shocked.
"If you married Visenya instead of Rhaenys-" He started.
"No no, mother is right, the incest of our family dies, I will see to that." Aegon said.
"It dies with me and Daenerys you mean." Viserys said.
Aegon laughed. "Don't be dramatic. Its an old way, we don't even practice the religion it pertains to."
"But our dragons-" Viserys started.
"We know how to train them, I'm not sure if it has anything to do with who we are or if it all concerns to what we know."
"I'm sure there have been thousands of piles of ash by men who believed those words." Viserys muttered.
"Be that as it may when we return tonight, I want you to send a raven to Eddard Stark, we will be visiting him, and his son and heir." Aegon said as they both lowered their dragons."
"And Rhaenys? When will she make up her mind, hopefully before she can no longer give any heirs? You also should have a child or two by now as well." Viserys said getting of his dragon and unsaddling it as Aegon did the same and Rhaenys and Jon joined them on the ground. Aegon had said Rhaenys could choose her own husband and she sure was taking her sweet time with it according to Viserys.
"And are you in a rush to be taken out of succession uncle?" Aegon teased.
"I love you like a brother Aegon, I am happy to never be king and continue to run your kingdom as long as you may live." Viserys teased making Aegon laugh but Aegon already knew it they had talked about it at length recently.
Daenerys and Visenya swirled around Dragonstone a little more before landing.
"Let's go eat." Aegon said.
"I'll join you in soon." Viserys said.
"Still hopeful?" Aegon asked.
"Plenty of them are at mating age." Viserys said. "And it is important they kept trying." He worried there would never be anymore dragons if they didn't keep trying.
"Very well, Jon come." Aegon said and Daenery followed them towards the castle.
"Rhaenys have you chosen a husband?" Viserys asked her anxious to send news to Riverrun or Highgarden.
She turned to him with narrowed eyes. "This is for the rest of my life Viserys, give me a moment." She told him before following the others up the rocky path. Viserys felt alone among the dragons that wandered around he watched anxious as Rhoynar sniffed at Song which had been his brother Rhaegars dragon, she had the last two batches of eggs and nothing since. He held his breath hoping but Song hissed and went down to the carvens of Dragonstone going to her cave, Rhoynar took back to the skies and Rhaegal followed him, even some of the dragons without riders went up in the skys. Viserys watched Moondancer, and Morgul take off, up in the sky already was Windrider and the unnamed dragon from Windrider and Rhoynars batch, she was the most wild dragon on dragonstone which worried them but the last thing they wanted right now was a dead dragon so it was a problem for tomorrow, Blackfyre was happy to lay down next to his ridder who petted him frustrated.
"Rhaenys wont marry, Aegon wont marry, you and the other dragons wont mate, why does nobody want to fuck anymore." He grumbled when he heard laughter and turned but only to be pinned against his own dragon by Visenya. "I want to " she mused leaning up to kiss him, he glanced over to make sure Aegon and the others could not see them, they seemed to be protected by Blackfyre from anyones view, then Viserys let his lips crash onto hers, they kissed each other hungerly gods he wanted her, he loved her but he knew Aegon would not relent, there was a moment today he thought Aegon had been drawn to her beauty when he talked about her marrying, he had hoped to convince him to marry lovely Rhaenys instead and let him have Visenya. But he knew he was foolish to let himself believe he would get what he wanted.
Rhaenys was the great beauty with her tan skin and light violet eyes, she had beautiful dark hair and was tall with the curves of a hourglass, she was beautiful and gentle and she was next in line for the throne if he was smart he would have gone for Rhaenys but this wasn't calculated or planned, he had never meant to fall in love with his niece who was still but a girl. Her hands greedily grasped every inch of him she could they rarely had moments of bliss like this. It was glorious she whimpered and moaned against his lips as she kissed him. His hands moved up and down her sides, but her hands went down his chest making him growl. Her hands made their ways to his belt buckle and he pulled away from there frantic embrace and leaned against Blackfyre and moved her hands from his belt.
"You know we can't." He practically spat out, the last thing he thought was that he would have to fight off the advances of a beautiful girl, but he had been for months.
"I-I am almost five and ten." She tried.
"It doesn't matter if you were five and fifty Aegon will kill me for taking his baby sisters maiden head."
"I want you, and Aegon would have to marry us if I was with child." She whined.
He smiled softly at the desperation in her eyes he felt it too, but he knew better then to indulge his fantasies. "Aegon doesn't have to do anything, and I will not give you a bastard." He said he would never put her through that humiliation.
She couldn't meet his eyes.
"So, you aren't even going to fight for me?" She asked.
"I have a plan, I will ask Aegon for you, after your horrible trip."
"What trip?"
"Oh, Aegon wants you to marry Robb Stark, after going to the north he will no doubt change his mind. "He said Aegon loved his sister he wouldn't force her to marry someone she hated.
She scrunched her noise at the idea and it made him feel relief he couldn't explain, he knew he should want her to be happy with the future lord of Winterfell but he did not, he selfishly wanted her for himself, he fell in love with her spirit unbreakable as it was, She was always happy and even loved how she called him out for being pretentious when he corrected their high Valyrian or if she got history wrong and he told her what she mixed up.
He jerked quickly to move them around, so she was pinned to Blackfyres side who dutifully protected them from Aegon or anyone else in Dragonstones direction from seeing. "Aegon will have to learn we belong together." He growled kissing her once more before letting her go.
"Come, we better get to dinner before our absence is noticed." He said, and she nodded.
"Viserys wait-"She told them as they were walking that way. "Please, tell me you love me."
He brushed back her hair and did just that, he always did, and he always would.
After dinner Aegon was sitting by the fire in his study and had sent word for Rhaenys to join him.
"I do not know yet which one I want to marry Aegon it's hard." Rhaenys told him her arms were crossed he knew this was hard for her.
"You need to decide but that's not why you are here sit down." He asked gesturing to the chair next to him.
She did giving him a curious look.
"How would you feel about being the princess of Summerhall?"
"Who is she, is she already pregnant." Rhaenys asked hopeful.
"I want to Naturalize Jon." Aegon told her watching he reaction carefully.
"Why?"
"Because he is our brother, I think it hurts him that he's a bastard." Poor jon had been hurt by life. Their father was so disappointed he refused to name the baby and Eddard stark named him Jon, who knew if he couldn't think of a Targaryen name or if it was a slight against the king. Eddard wanted to take him to Winterfell but Elia said he should be raised with the other children. He knew that Rhaegar sired both of them, but they were bonded more by sharing a mother, Elia who gave them both her love equally. Rhaenys knew mother would be happy for Jon and Rhaenys was to but she had to point out the obvious.
"Not as much as it will hurt you if he kills you to get your throne." Rhaenys countered. The kingdoms said she was the most beautiful princess half Targaryen and half Dornish in looks and mixing perfectly, but she had a wicked wit and a sharp tongue she got know such credit for.
"He won't."
"I know he wont, but he could."
"He won't. What does it matter if he could?" Aegon asked Rhaenys seemed to ignore his question and looked around.
Rhaenys shrugged. "Dragonstone is gloomy, it is perfect for Jon. I will receive Summerhall and that means Visenya will get Dragon mark." Visenya said.
Dragonmark was once called Driftmark and belonged to house Velyron who had the blood of old Valyria and demanded Dragons of King Maekor until nobody was left to demand anything. Now it was another Targaryen fortress on the blackwater, it was larger then Dragonstone, the castle was lesser but it had plenty of room for Dragons, it went to the third in line.
"Viserys will hate it. He is going to be pushed out and loose Dragonmark" Rhaenys said.
"Once you marry and Visenya you will be loose your holdings anyways, and I plan for Vinny to marry soon." Aegon admitted and caught Rhaenys hard glance.
"She cannot marry before me I'd be humiliated!" She reminded sure Aegon knew it already.
"Then you need to pick soon." Aegon said simply but she glared at his plan to force her hand she stood up pacing around before going to the window. Aegon tried not to laugh she always paced around when she was upset even as a child, it seemed to help her think.
"Who are you going to marry Vinny to, she is only a baby." Rhaenys muttered
"I thought Robb Stark would be a good match."
"And Daenerys?"
"She could marry whomever you reject, or there is always lord Baratheon's so." Aegon said.
"You must think it's silly for me to be having such a hard time with this, you probably think it would be so easy." She said looking out the window.
"Feelings aside it's a simple enough choice, You could be lady of Highgarden and have the reach a center of wealth and sophistication and marry Willas who is crippled, or you could have a handsome whole man and marry Edmure Tully and have to live a simpler life.?" Aegon asked. "But its hard to put feelings aside." He said he watched the tear roll down her cheek.
"You love them." Aegon realized. "I'm sorry Rhae." He said softly she gave him a small smile.
"I do, they are nothing alike, but I love them both." She said softly.
Aegon was quiet he didn't know what to say it seemed when she was 16, he shouldn't have given he the choice he should have told her to marry one of them and she would be happy never knowing the other man.
"What about you?" Rhaenys asked wiping away her tear, going back to sit by her brother. "Surely you are not selling us and leaving yourself free." She tried to tease to cover up her pain.
"Viserys has a list of candidates." He said making her laugh.
"Hhmm who are the best odds?" She asked squeezing his hand.
"Margaery Tyrell, Sansa Stark, Myrcella Barathon, of course every Lannister girl who draws breath." Aegon said with a sigh.
"Of course." Rhaenys agreed
" I was thinking Jon or Viserys could marry cousin Arianne." Aegon suggested.
"Viserys and Arianne would be good together, but what other house would take a bastard naturalized or not?" Rhaenys asked.
"Any I ask; besides he is not just some bastard, he is Rhaegars son, he has a dragon."
"Daemon had a dragon." Rhaenys reminded.
"Are you messing with me or are you really secretly terrified of Jon?" Aegon teased.
"You know I love Jon, almost as much as I love messing with you." Rhaenys said. "When will it happen?"
"I wont make the announcement until after you and Visenya are engaged, so you don't look pushed out." He promised.
"That's kind of you." Rhaenys agreed. "Just tell me why, I swear I will go along with it and I'm happy for it but I have to know, why?"
"Because if our roles were reversed Jon would do it for me." Aegon said.
"What a sweet idiotic king." She teased, Aegon's reign thus far was peaceful and the people liked him enough he didn't presume to take the way other dragon lord did, the way his father did.
"You are sweet, something I've always admired about you, but take my advice and get yourself a cold calculating queen to balance it out." Rhaenys said.
"I've always enjoyed your opinion." Aegon told her drinking.
"But rarely listened." She mused putting her own cup to her lips but then put it down getting up suddenly with purpose. "I'm going to visit some noble houses with Morning." Rhaenys said.
"Viserys specifically asked us all to be here to get the dragons to breed." Aegon reminded.
She laughed. "Viserys couldn't get dolls to do his biding you think he will convince dragons?"
"That is unkind. He is the Hand of the king and a great politician."
"May I go?" She asked tiredly.
"Which one are you going to?" Aegon asked curiously.
"Both, its always both." She said with a sad smile, all anyone could say was choose, choose, choose, choose. Nobody ever thought about Rhaenys hurting so much, that she thought of them every minute of every day that she did not need reminded.
Daenerys starred out the window wondering if Aegon the conqueror ever stared out at the horizon like she was now. Thinking about his destiny. But he is the one that made it hard, he would be remembered as Aegon the conqueror, what would other men be called after him. Aegon the Usurper, Aegon the dragonsbane, Aegon the unworthy, Aegon the unlikely and whatever they called her nephew behind his back, she was not the first Daenerys the other had been an agreeable girl who married the prince of Dorne even though she longed for another. Daenerys was certain she'd be the one who was remembered first on everyone's tongues when they heard the name.
"Daenerys." Jon called walking up to her.
"My dragon could have roasted yours today." She told him soundly.
"You need to learn to control your Dragon first." Jon told her simply.
She glared at him. "He is the spirit of Balerion reborn, he cannot be tamed, only Tessarion would ever even stand a chance."
"Are you seizing us up?" Jon asked.
She was but not like Jon thought, if her plan would work she would need accomplices she knew that, Aegon would be furious, Viserys and Rhaenys were out of the question, she thought she could convince spirited Visenya but she never really considered Jon as an ally because they fight every time they see each other, she wasn't sure why they brought it out of each other.
"Do you think Aegon the first ever looked out into the distance like this, planning?" She asked.
"Your dragon maybe Baelrion princess but we already have a king Aegon." He said loyally.
"I know, and I love Aegon, but what about our legacy, we are Targaryens to and we have to think of our own destiny and what they will write about us." Daenerys said softly smiling at Jon but it disappeared when she saw that sad look on his face.
"I'm not a Targaryen princess, I think my mother and father thought to much about destiny and legacy, look where it got them, what do they write about them?" Jon asked softly making her turn away in anger. "Dany." He said softly. "I am not saying that to be mean, I just worry about your great ambition sometimes."
"Why!" She asked hurt, she sounded angry but she was holding back tears.
"Because I'm afraid it will hurt someone I love." He said softly.
She grimaced. "I would never hurt Aegon! Or Rhaenys, Viserys, and Visenya either." She said gruffly.
"Aye, you'd never mean to anyways, but you could also get yourself hurt Daenerys." He said with those eyes of his that seemed to pierce through anything she looked at.
"Well what do you know about family." She said walking away after hurting him, she suddenly understood why they fought so much, Jon was honest about everything except his feelings for her and when she realized her feelings for him, she snapped at him so he would go away and stop admiring her but it didn't seem like she could run him off no matter how hard she tried.
She thought through the whole conversation over and over again in her mind and realized she sounded treasonous, she supposed secret plots were very treasonous and Jon would most likely have told Aegon anyways and now he defiantly would. She took the inside her burn and made it feel like fire as she stormed in on Aegon at his desk and Viserys next to him, Aegon looked interested in her bursting in but Viserys just looked utterly confused.
"My name is Daenerys Targaryen." She said strongly she would have to beat Jon to the punch and tell the truth and no longer let it be a secret plot. "And I will conquer Essos."
Viserys dropped the scroll he was holding his mouth kept moving trying to start a thousand questions but Aegon just smiled.
"Interesting." He mused. "Let's begin." He said gesturing for her to come in.
NOTES:
Daenerys: I hope people are not to mad about her portrayal I know she is a fan favorite, but I always seen her as a loner who has an entourage more then friends and so I thought she would be on the outside of the actual family, I also see her as a really determined person who would not like having to check in with someone else before she can do anything, I hope you like what I did with her if you do not, best find something else to read because that's how she will be written.
Viserys: Is AU because I think if he was raised with his family, he wouldn't be a jerk and that being alone and feeling like it was all on him was what made him horrible. I added Visenya and Viserys because what are the Targaryen's without a little incest, you will have to let me know what you guys think about that one.
Fancast :For people who are not in the show or I see differently from the show.
Jamie Campbell as Aegon
Caitlin Stasey as Rhaenys
Tony Curran as Edmure Tully, Edmure will be more like book Edmure I didn't love his portrayal on GOT.
Rupert Friend as Willas Tyrell
Visenya was the hardest to find but I liked Rose Williams for her with white hair obviously, but I'm not settled on it.
I moved the Targaryens ages up (Aside from Viserys) I just added two years to the book ages, and of course Visenya is an OC but I decided to just list all their ages here.
Viserys 23
Rhaenys 20
Aegon 19
Jon 17
Daenerys 16
Visenya 14
Sorry for all the notes, please let me know what you think. I have never done a story to this scale and I am in desperate need of a Beta. So please, be honest but also be nice! I really hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it! It was a lot of work to write so let me know if you want more of it and I will keep writing it, if nobody is interested in it I my not write as much. Thanks again!