Hello Everyone! This here is a little backstory to the possible story of Aegon Targaryen if people want to see it. I thought you would like to see just the things that I have changed, there is nothing all that much changed about the overall story. Just stuff added in really. If you enjoy it then feel free to vote on the poll on my profile! I may also be accepting OC applications for people to appear in the story as Exiled knights, Slave masters or Slavers themselves. Maybe even a Dothraki, never know! Now let's dive into the background!
269 AC
Rhaegar Targaryen, the Prince of Dragonstone, was also the prince of the Seven Kingdoms, destined to rule Westeros. The young Prince at the age of 10, read a book about his ancestral homeland of Valyria, a land long destroyed in The Doom centuries ago. He had been reading many books and thought of something that he knew he would need to discuss with advisors, people he trusted as this was not something he could allow his father to know about. He feared that if his father knew of what Rhaegar planned then he would halt it or take over and ruin the plan with his own way. Rhaegar was not ready to risk it and so he called his council to discuss the plan he had made.
As they all sat around the table, the young prince spoke up saying, "I wish to fund expeditions and if possible, colonization of my ancestral homeland of Valyria" This made the advisors mumble to each other about the insanity of this. People have tried this before and even just went in search of treasures in the ruins of Valyria, none have ever returned from the ruins of the old dragonlords.
"My lord that is unwise" One of the advisors spoke up. "No one who has visited the ruins of Valyria has ever returned to tell the tale and even if they did, they were driven mad with the talk of demons that haunt the cursed land" The man spoke.
Rhaegar turned his head to the advisor and addressed that concern. "It is true no one has returned and many avoid it because of its rumoured curse and hauntings... This is what makes it perfect. Valyria is a good strategical place, one that can be defended well enough and if I am right then the volcanic soil left in place from the lava will have moulded the land and made it more fertile than it may have been before. It can provide supplies and even give us the chance to build stronger armies should an invasion come" No one around the table knew of what invasion the young Prince could possibly think about that would require a kingdom to be rebuilt, especially one that is still supposedly cursed with demons... Only the Silver Prince truly knew of the war, the war that would bring death across the land, a war only the Prince Who Was Promised can end. He would need more men... and if need be, a kingdom to regroup.
"No sane man or woman would go there lord. None" One of the advisors said, shaking their head.
The Silver Prince looked down at the wooden table and thought to himself. "We will give them a reason... Talk to the homeless and people in the prisons who are not bad people at heart. Talk to them all and offer them the chance... try and find a master builder and a maester who is willing to go as well. I want to know if it is at all possible to rebuild on those lands and if farms can be established" Rhaegar said, looking around at everyone who seemed to be conflicted at the moment. "Think of the more people who will be grateful for chances at having homes, not to mention we can have the ruins searched for treasures left behind during the Doom" He reinforced, they were getting convinced, very slowly. "There can be Valyrian steel buried there, the steel we can sell or even reforge with the aid of the Qohor blacksmiths." He continued, gaining looks from his advisors. "We will also spread our faith, the faith of the seven will have a foothold and we would have the chance to spread it if we ever expanded" Rhaegar was pulling every card out that he could. He needed this to work and he would do whatever he must. His father funded him very well and so the costs wouldn't be much of a problem. Plus if he was right about this, the products and supplies will pay off the constructions themselves soon enough. He was hopeful.
The advisors and Rhaegar discussed certain details here and there about certain things. Eventually, they all came to a decision and agreed to send a large group to Valyria and explore it to examine if it was worthy land to be build upon.
2 months later
Rhaegar had received news from his expedition to Valyria and the news was promising. The lands were indeed more fertile thanks to the volcanic soil left by the volcanoes of the Doom. Not to mention the volcanic aftermath had moulded the earth even if the earthquakes had destroyed parts of the land itself. There was also a chance that the magical properties possibly behind The Doom had also done some good to the grounds and the land instead of all bad things. It seemed that the young Princes hope was possible after all and in a good decade or so there would be lands built up in the ruins of Valyria.
As time went on, more and more landless people and justified criminals were sent off to Valyria to aid in the rebuilding of the land. People built up their own homes and aided in grand construction to make everything greater than it was. Only no extremely large towers were made, not yet anyway. They were starting small by building farmlands then focusing on proper housings and town building. Soon a plan was also made to gather resources from the close by Isle of Cedars which had plenty of fauna and wood to be used and animals to hunt, it was closer than Westeros and would allow for more supplies to be harvested and made. If the time came around, the Isle could also be transformed into its former glory it was in before the Doom. Lands were to be built and refugees, as well as anyone who was landless, were welcomed into the lands. More materials were gathered from neighbouring abandoned lands such as the ruins of Draconys and other neighbouring lands. Again hopes were high that these lands would also once again be made great and strong.
Time went by and the young Prince was happy with the progress as well as with the number of people, from both Westeros and Essos, that had come to the new lands. The Valyrian islands were build up once more, smaller farms and towns being built around the islands while they focused on having mainly one castle which would be built up around to make a city as time goes on by. Rhaegar had been sent a map of the areas and just how it was intended to look as time went by. Rhaegar was happy, his dream was becoming a reality and a kingdom was being built for his family, this time the lands would remain great and strong until the end of the world.
282 AC Onwards
Years passed and the Silver Haired prince had been married to Elia Martell but war broke out. Robert Baratheon had launched a rebellion due to Rhaegar kidnapping Lyanna Stark. No one would understand if the truth came out, it would still be a war but one based more so on the families being shamed and insulted. So the war went on. Rhaegar had told Lyanna of the lands he was building, the lands that she would live in when the War for the Dawn came. He told her that she would be safe in a castle of gold with more riches than she could desire. The stories were beautiful and would become true if not for Rhaegars fall.
Before his death, Rhaegar Targaryen spoke to Varys 'the Spider' who he knew would be the only man to guarantee the safety of his family if he didn't backstab Rhaegar. He told Varys that should Rhaegar fall in battle, Varys is to take his children from Dragonstone and send them to Essos where they will be raised by Jon Connington who should take them to the lands Rhaegar was building. He also told the master of whispers to contact Ashara Dayne who will be told to meet his children and her brother at a certain port he chooses in order to transport the people safely. The main reason he wanted Ashara to be contacted and told of this was because of his best friend, Arthur Dayne, who was with Lyanna protecting her. Rhaegar told Varys where Lyanna was and that Arthur Dayne would be responsible for transporting her to the port when she is well if Rhaegar fell in battle. The spider swore to Rhaegar that he would do what was best for the realm and keep his family line going.
Once Rhaegar fell at the Battle of the Trident, Varys had set up his plans on how things would proceed. He was only able to swap out Rhaegars son Aegon and did not help Elia escape with her daughter because he needed the realm to think that Rhaegars family were dead if Kings Landing was breached. As the Lannister army approached, Varys knew Aerys the Mad would cause his own destruction and so he gave Aegon to a lone rider who was ordered to ride to Starfall and meet Ashara Dayne.
After the sack of Kings Landing and Vary's being pardoned, he decided to play off the situation. He knew if Lyanna were to disappear then Robert would never be content and he would burn the world to find her. He decided to send a secret message to Eddard Stark while he was at Storms End, this message was about the Tower of Joy and his sister Lyanna being there along with three kingsguard. He hoped that Eddard would win and bring Lyanna to Robert who would marry her, being more content now and being of a sounder mind that could become the mind of a good king. He did not foresee what would instead happen.
The lone rider approached Starfall and met with Lady Ashara Dayne as she was breastfeeding her bastard daughter that was rumoured to have been stillborn when it was born. However the child was very much alive and the father was not known to anyone but her, just as she intended to keep the information. Upon the Riders arrival, he told Lady Ashara "We are to meet your brother and Lady Lyanna Stark and board a ship bound to Essos. Meeting us will be Jon Connington" And he explained Rhaegars request about his son being raised in Essos under the protection of Jon as well as The Golden Company. Ashara was hesitant and reluctant to go, believing she had responsibilities in Starfall. The following day came however and Eddard Stark came to Starfall with Dawn, the sword of House Dayne. He met personally with Ashara while the Rider hid with Aegon.
Eddard gave over the sword of Arthur Dayne, Ashara's beloved brother, to the woman that he once loved. Ashara couldn't help but stare at the sword as tears came to her eyes, realising just what this meant before Eddard even told her of Arthurs Fate. She held no ill will towards Eddard and knew he was doing what he believed was right, just like Arthur did what he believed to be right by honouring the wishes of his dear friend Rhaegar. Eddard had met her daughter, confused about how the child lived since he heard the rumours. Ashara told him that she would not curse the child with a bastard name and title, she also asked Eddard if he could keep a secret, knowing he was a man of honour. Eddard gave her a haunting look as if he had been asked a similar question not so long ago.. She told him that she was leaving Westeros with her daughter and so if he were to hear talks of her death, they were not to be believed... They parted with a gentle kiss as Eddard left and returned to his duties. Ashara telling the Targaryen Rider that she will join him to Essos but that Arthur Dayne and Lyanna Stark were dead and they would be alone. The following weeks after the Rebellions end, rumours spread about Ashara throwing herself from the Palestone Sword tower in Starfall. Her body was never found because there was not a body to find, she faked her death to her family and stole Dawn before leaving with the Rider known as Kaen.
Upon arriving in Essos, the group of four met with Varys and a man named Illyrio Mopatis. The two led them to Jon Connington and Myles Toyne who led the Company. From that point on, Jon became guardian over Aegon, pretending him to be his son. Aegon was told to always wear a mask in the public eye, something that covers his head as people were told Jons child was deformed and the mask hid the hideousness of his deformed face. Aegon was told this was to protect him and only a few knew of Aegons true face and even fewer knew of his true name as the name he was given in the company was "Griff". Ashara stayed with the company and Jon claimed she was the father of his children, claiming to be the father of Aegon and Amara. This was to stop any man trying his luck with Ashara as she lived with the Company and raised the children, teaching them about the seven and other aspects of life while the teachings of war would be left to the father figure.
This is how the story of the Golden Dragon came to be. The lands of his Ancestors lay in wait, rebuilding still to become great once again. Will he rise to control Valyria once more? Will the Golden Company join the Targaryen boy who would've been raised among them? Cast your vote and decide if the story shall be told.