Perhaps it is appropriate to begin by naming some of the many sources used in the making of this tome: the fool Mushroom, who served King Viserys's court for many years; Septon Eustace, attached to the royal sept of the Red Keep at King's Landing; letters from Ser Willem Stokeworth, Lord Stokeworth's nephew and one of Prince Aegon's closest companions; Maester Warryn, who served at Storm's End for many years; Grand Maesters Runciter, Mellos, and Orwyle, the three Grand Maesters who served during the reign of King Viserys; Grand Maester Munkun, Grand Maester Orwyle's replacement; lastly, the surviving letters and memoirs written by Prince Aegon himself throughout his lifetime.
Thanks to these, it is possible to try to build a more faithful and honest account concerning what really happened during those terrible years (while considering, of course, the possibility that none of them is a completely reliable source).
The first signs of war appeared as ominous flashes during the early years of Viserys I's reign (although, as previously mentioned, the seeds had been sown much earlier).
It all began in the year 103, when, after reigning fifty-five years, King Jaehaerys I died in his bed while Lady Alicent Hightower (the young daughter of the Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower) was reading to him from Septon Barth's Unnatural History. Realizing that the king had passed away, Lady Alicent, according to Septon Eustace, left the room barely holding back her tears, crying for help.
The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Ryam Redwyne, was the first to enter the room after the king's death.
"It is a sad day", Ser Ryam said in a broken voice. "The Seven Kingdoms have lost the best king anyone could wish for."
Jaehaerys I was cremated and his ashes interred alongside those of Queen Alysanne at Dragonstone, in a solemn ceremony attended by all of his direct descendants (except for an ailing Princess Viserra and her newborn son, Davos).
According to records and chronicles, many of those present shed bitter tears during the event, especially Princess Gael, according to Septon Eustace, who in a period of three years saw her parents disappear into eternity. However, the pain of such an enormous loss did not prevent Ser Otto in his capacity as Hand of the King from declaring that preparations for King Viserys's coronation must begin immediately.
Over the years much has been written of Otto Hightower and his ambitions (a matter to be explored later in this volume), but even his bitterest enemies used to admit from time to time that he was not an ignorant man, much less stupid. The choice to hasten Viserys I's coronation may have been interpreted as an offense to the Old King's memory (and this view was certainly shared many years later by Princess Rhaenyra's followers and supporters), but one should remember that ensuring a smooth and secure transition of royal power was necessary to consolidate the decision of the Great Council of the year 101, and thus prevent uncertainty from taking hold of the court. Still, this author acknowledges that the letters Ser Otto exchanged with his elder brother, Lord Hightower of Oldtown, have an almost jovial tone, indeed.
"His Grace of him will be crowned within a moon", Ser Otto wrote in one of them. "I can assure you, brother, that I shall not waste this opportunity. I will do my best for him to surpass his grandfather's achievements. If the gods are good, we will all be happier under King Viserys' reign than we were under King Jaehaerys'".
In any case, much to Ser Otto's satisfaction, King Viserys' coronation was officiated without any hindrance two moons after the death of his grandfather. Those present cheered their king enthusiastically, according to Grand Maester Runciter, and one of Prince Aegon's memoirs (written around the year 147) seems to corroborate this claim:
"My brother's coronation was one of the happiest moments of my life. When I heard the crowd cheering his name, I felt that our House would continue to stand for a thousand years".
The following year, a tournament was organized in Maidenpool to mark the occasion. Many of the kingdom's most important and notorious lords and knights attended, along with their retinues, to what promised to be a historic occasion.
Princes Daemon and Aegon, however, were center of attention since before the festivities even began. As brothers of the king, they were considered by many to be his undisputed heirs, for His Grace had not yet sired a son, and both certainly appeared to be talented men, albeit more proficient in martial matters than in matters of governance.
Prince Daemon was the very image of the blood of Old Valyria: handsome and slender, with deep purple eyes and silver-gold hair, and as charming and courageous as he was mercurial and quick to take offense. His skill with Dark Sister, the Valyrian steel sword that had once belonged to Queen Visenya, and his unpredictability in combat made him a most dangerous opponent for any man.
Prince Aegon, for his part, had inherited some of his mother's appearance: his violet eyes typical of Valyrian blood was accompanied by a tangle of dirty blond hair, without a trace of silver. Unlike his elder brother, Prince Aegon was normally quieter and more measured, though the blood of the dragon that flowed through his veins sometimes caused him to act somewhat recklessly, according to most accounts.
As the melee began, all eyes turned to the two princes. The aged nobles and knights and the young maidens and ladies in attendance murmured between them, exchanging opinions on each other or betting coins on who would be the better fighter. Even King Viserys expressed his curiosity as to which of his brothers would achieve the most glory.
"This ought to be interesting, Ser Otto", the king said with a smile, sitting on his dais.
"I agree, Your Grace", the Hand replied. "The princes have certainly... aroused a great deal interest."
As the day progressed, it became more than evident that the king's younger brothers were among the best-trained combatants in the entire contest. Prince Daemon soundly defeated several knights from Houses Crakehall, Cuy, Frey, Stokeworth, and Royce, gracefully using Dark Sister as if it were an extension of his arm.
Prince Aegon, meanwhile, defeated knights from Houses Florent, Tully, and Reyne, fighting fiercely and swiftly, according to the chronicles, though not without receiving blows and suffering minor injuries that almost forced him to abandon the competition, if Grand Maester Runciter's account is correct.
After some time, as if by the work of the gods, the fight brought the royal brothers together, who were among the last five participants still standing in the melee (the others being Ser Criston Cole, born the son of a steward in the service of Lord Dondarrion of Blackhaven, in the Stormlands, and a pair of knights from Houses Corbray of the Vale and Piper of the Riverlands).
The combat between the two princes was as entertaining as it was intense, according to what the texts tell us. Prince Aegon made the first move, beginning his attack by rushing toward his brother with a mighty cry, swinging and slashing with his sword with such ferocity that it forced Prince Daemon to fall back and adopt a defensive stance, though not for long; his superior ability and the enormous advantage that having Dark Sister represented made the scales eventually tilt in his favor, once his younger brother began to tire.
Prince Aegon fought honorably and valiantly, all sources agree, managing to block a few strikes from Dark Sister and skillfully attempting to press a counterattack using normal steel. Still, despite his commendable efforts, it was his older brother who prevailed in the end, knocking his sword out of his hands and kicking him in the chest, making him fall violently to the ground.
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause at such a display, Grand Maester Runciter tells us, hailing Prince Daemon's name (who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the attention, despite the fact that it was at the expense of his younger brother).
The prince's satisfaction proved short-lived, however. In the final moments of the melee, Ser Criston Cole managed to defeat him by cleverly using his morning star to counter Dark Sister, much to the amazement and elation of many in attendance, including King Viserys and Prince Aegon.
Some sources (such as Septon Eustace and Grand Maester Runciter) even tell us that the latter approached the knight from the Stormlands shortly after his victory to congratulate him on defeating Prince Daemon.
"My brother needed a lesson in humility, Ser Criston", Prince Aegon reportedly said with a smile, handing the knight a mug of ale. "Alas, I feel that many more are needed if we are to see change in him".
After being declared as the champion of the melee, Ser Criston gave the victor's laurel to the seven-year-old Princess Rhaenyra, begging her on his knees for her favor in order to wear it in the joust. The sources all agree that the princess granted his request with pleasure and immense joy, apparently charmed with the young and handsome knight with black hair and pale green eyes.
In the joust, Ser Criston demonstrated his skill with the lance, indeed, once again defeating Prince Daemon (who in the previous tilt had also repeated his victory over Prince Aegon after breaking several lances) and unhorsing the Cargyll twins, Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk of the Kingsguard, before falling to Lord Lymon Mallister of Seagard.
Despite his failure to achieve victory, Ser Criston's performance nonetheless won him the attention of many at court and the admiration of King Viserys, who the following year appointed him to the Kingsuard (much to Princess Rhaenrya's delight), so as to fill the vacancy created by the death of the legendary Ser Ryam Redwyne, without being able to foresee how important that gesture would prove to be in the future.