……….

Through the last part of 101 the entire atmosphere of the red keep changed with the upcoming Great Council. The council would be conveyed at Harrenhal. Currently held by House Strong.

The main claimants were Princess Rhaenys Velaryon née Targaryen, her two children Laena and Laenor and Aurions own uncle Viserys Targaryen. But they weren't the only claimants, Princess Saeras three children took part in the council, a boy claiming to be the natural born son of Maegor, a boy claiming to be descended from Gaemon the Glorious himself were some amongst the claimants.

As time progressed a silent cold war erupted between King's Landing and The High Tide. The Velaryons might have only ruled an island but we're no push over. The sea snake had traveled all over the world going on trading ventures and coming back richer. They were richer than both the Lannisters and the Hightowers. The Velaryon fleet dwarfed the Redwyne, Lannister and even the Ironborn fleet. And then there was Princess Rhaenys, rider of Meleys. Meleys was a fearsome mount, and it's rider was a battle tested warrior who had ridden into battle with pirates harming Velaryon trade across the Narrow Sea. She yielded Seafoam, the ancestral Valyrian Steel Sword of House Velaryon.

The rumors were high in the air, lord Corlys was preparing his fleet to defend his wife, daughter and sons claims. This lead to Aurion's own father Daemon preparing the Gold Clocks whom he led. The Gold Clocks of this era were no pushover. Personally trained by the Rogue Prince himself. They would actually do their duties mayhaps out of fear of Rogue Princes or mayhaps out of loyalty for him. Corruption and crime in the city was at an all time low. Daemons methods of delivering justice in the most extreme form directly worked wonders. For example after Daemon gelded a man himself directly in the middle of Flea Bottom, the number of rapes dropped to almost zero. Prince Flea Bottom was loved by the smallfolk for this. His three thousand Gold Cloaks held unquestioned loyalty for him and would have rise against any for him.

Yet it didn't come to war, though he was old Jaehaerys authority was unquestionably and none dared defy his will, thus the citadels hopes of having a civil war by murdering Baelon Targaryen was crushed.

They set out for Harrenhal almost two weeks before the start of the council. Of the Targaryen family only Jaehaerys didn't accompany them.

Flashback -

Aurion rode atop Caraxes with Rhaenyra and Daemon, beside them were flying Syrax, Rhaenyras dragon. Under them were the caravan with wheelhouses and horsemen. Viserys rode in the front while Aemma Arryn was in a wheelhouse. While normally Rhaenyra would be there too , she insisted that she wanted to ride with her favorite uncle and cousin and neither Viserys nor Daemon could ever refuse her.

Not that Aurion was displeased with, in fact he enjoyed it, Rhaenyra reminded him of Arya except just a tad bit more manipulative, she knew how to use her uncle and father's affections to get just what she wanted. She was extremely attached to his father and looked up to him.

"Look Aurion, Nyra there it is, Harrenhal", Daemon's voice brought Aurion back to reality.

He looked at the castle sitting far away, still an hour away. It's five towers extended to the sky as if it was holding up the sky itself. Though broken it looked magnificent.

"It's so huge…. ", Aurion commented

"Yes…", Nyra said, " Is it true that black harren built the walls with the blood, human blood ??? ",

"Mayhaps, who knows …... but not even a stone made with blood can withstand dragonfire…. Do you know why the council is conveyed here ?? "

"Because it is in the center of Westeros ??" Nyra said.

"True enough ", Daemon replied with a smile "But that isn't the only reason, this castle is a show of our houses strength, it was to remind our Bannermen that though they may decide who will be the next ruler it is we who rule supreme and what the consequences would be if any of them thought otherwise"

Flashback Ends

The castle was most impressive, Lord Strong received them and led them to their chambers. From his balcony Aurion could see the sea of commotion outside, hundreds of tents were set up, with hundreds of banners flying, House Peake, Crackhall, Blackwood, Royce, Lydden, Vance, Tyrell and Lannisters were some of them.

Soon after they arrived the Velaryons arrived accompanied with the Baratheon, Bar Emmon, Celtigar, Sunglass, Scales and Massey.

Princess Rhaenys flew in on Meleys with Laena in tow, while Laenor rode with his father. Seasmoke flew above with them too.

Flashback -

The Red Queen flew in and landed in the center of the courtyard of Harrenhal, its beautiful scarlet wings with the pink membranes stole everyone's attention, Meleys truly was a beautiful dragon and just as fearsome. From her dismounted The Queen Who Never Was, she was dressed in traditional riding gear with a coat of mail stitched into her coat. Seafoam strapped by her waist. Her long black hair flowing in the wind and with her dismounted Laena Velaryon.

A young girl of nine yet a beauty already. She had inherited her mother's long mane yet this one was silver-gold in color, with traditional Valyrian lilac eyes and pale skin.

Viserys and Daemon approached them with Rhaenyra.

" Cousin ", Viserys said with a nod while Daemon kept quiet.

" Cousin ", she acknowledged "Ahh I see you have been eating well, keep this up and not even the black dread would agree to carry you", she japed.

While Viserys took it lightly laughing, Daemon took it as a slight and grew red but before he could retort a voice drew his attention.

"Now now, don't you look like a blushing maid being courted", the voice of Corlys Velaryon cut through.

Turing the Rogue Prince faced the Sea Snake " Ahh Corlys, you must know all about being a blushing maid being courted, after all you have to live with my cousin",

While it was no secret that it was Rhaenys Targaryen who courted and asked the Sea Snake to marry her and become her consort yet it still hit a nerve.

Thus began a series of arguments, while Viserys went to intervene, Rhaenys paid them no heed and instead went on to meet Rhaenyra.

While Aurion made his way over to Laena.

"My lady ", he said

"My prince ", she replied "and please call me Laena we are cousin's after all"

"Of course … Laena , is that your dragon " , he asked pointing at Seasmoke. Though he knew well enough it wasn't.

"Actually it's my brothers, I am yet to claim one", she replied with a sad smile.

"So am I, yet to claim a dragon I mean… but I don't like any at the dragonpit its just I don't feel anything when I am with them, mayhaps one at the dragonmont would be my ride", he said

Looking at him she replied "My egg didn't hatch…. While some first said it was proof I wasn't a Targaryen …. Then after Seasmoke hatched they said it was because I was a woman …. Muna nearly killed my Septa after she said as much …. She wanted to take me to Dragonstone yet Kepa insisted we wait until I am of age … now I don't even know if I'll ever have a dragon ... "

He replied trying to look as positive as possible " I am sure you will have a fearsome mount Laena, you are as much a Targaryen as Nyra or me ….. I will claim my dragon in a few years mayhaps we can even go to claim it together …. "

She looked to him first unsure of what to say, he was four nearly five yet spoke like a man grown " Thank you Aurion she replied after a while, her eyes shining " No matter what the result of the council, I hope we could be friends "

He returned her smile reassuring her of it. They talked through the day separating when she went to get settled in their lodgings and later met up again.

"... And that's how I and Nyra found that tunnel and pranked Kepa", he said to a laughing Laena

Breaking her laugh she looked at him, "That must have been horrifying for him… how did he react ?? "

"He was angry of course, but I am pretty sure it was because of concern for us…. We had to spend the whole of next week with no breaks in our lessons"

"That must have been horrifying … ", she said laughing.

"More for Nyra than me, she had to deal with her septa while I was at the library most of the time, but in the end she managed to manipulate father to let her off with just two days while I served for a week… " he said.

Suddenly a cry interrupted them. They turned to see a huge beast, more specifically an elephant, it was beautiful with its long ivory tusks enclosed in gold bearing, with a beautifully embroidered fabric atop decorating it, but atop was the center of attention, Rhaenyra Targaryen sat atop with a man, he carried the characteristic Targaryen features beside the elephant stood two men about the same age or mayhaps a few years younger or older. Both of them possessed Targaryen features too.

Princess Saeras' children he thought, putting two and two together. Slowly the elephant came down as Rhaenyra dismounted with the help of one of the men, Aurion and Laena moved ahead to introduce themselves.

The man who was previously riding the elephant replied "Greetings my prince, my lady I am Jaehaerys Saerayes son of Princess Saera Targaryen and Triarch Marcelo Maegyr and these are my brothers Aegon Saerestor and Gaemon Saeranes "

"Greetings, my lords your mount is most magnificent ", Aurion replied as he studied the elephant.

"Yes, it was amazing, Aurion, you have to ride it … ", Rhaenyra interjected.

"Can we ? ", he asked

"Of course ", came the reply.

Thus they took on for a ride, Laena was skeptical at first but soon loved it, it was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was much like riding a dragon. An elephant gave it's rider power, power to control the tide in a battle. Though it had a lot of disadvantages . He discussed these with his three uncles while Rhaenyra and Laena chatted away. He managed to start on a good foot with the three of them. It would later help him when he decided to deal with the Triarchy. On the other hand the relationship between Rhaenyra and Laena progressed in a good light. Both immediately took to each other and it would do him good for the two to have a good relationship for the future.

Aurion firmly believed Princess Saera was possibly the most successful of all her siblings, she built an empire out of nothing, her lover controlled Volentis and she controlled him thus indirectly she controlled Volentis.

Her sons were good men, all three trained in the arts of war and politics, they knew they had no chance of winning the council yet came to show off the power they and their mother commanded.

Flashback Ends -

Soon the council progressed and in the end the race came down to Viserys Targaryen Vs Laenor Velaryon. The Velaryon, lords of the Narrow Sea, the Baratheons, the Starks, the Dustin's and the Blackwood yet when it came to vote only the Velaryon and the lord's of the Narrow Sea could support Laenor. Considering that both the Starks and the Baratheons lost the vote to support Laenor to their own Bannermen and the Blackwood vote was dwarfed by the other riverlords.

Thus Viserys Targaryen was named Prince of Dragonstone and Heir to the Iron Throne.

He and Laena departed on a happy note through the last few weeks they had grown into great friends perhaps even more so that Rhaenyra, both promised to write to each other and kept the promise writing to each other almost every week.

Soon 102 rolled in and it would be one fine evening when he would find it.

Flashback

A five year old Aurion sat in his bed, he had just answered the letter to Laena and Addam, for the last year they had been corresponding over text. His relationship both have improved greatly. He discussed Valyrian magic with Addam while Laena and he talked of various things, ranging from discussing the various things they experienced to dragons to history, he found her a great enthusiast in valyrian history specifically the conquests and wars, with the Rhoynish wars having a special place in her heart.

He sat down as he took out the tome he had stolen from the grand maesters tower, it was specifically on poisons. It took him months to even find this and almost another to find the perfect time and set up the perfect alibi so as to no one will ever suspect him.

He read through them making a mental note of some of the poison in the book.

Wolfsbane

Nightshade

Basilisk Venom

Manticore Venom

Demon's Dance

Greycap

Sweetsleep

Widow's Blood

Wait Widows Blood

A red poision that affects the bowels and bladders and shuts them down until a person drowns in their own poison. It affected the stomach yet the symptoms were not exactly the same. Could it be.

No possibly not.

No no …. His mind went back to something Arya told him.

"A poision could be either amplified or tuned to affect a certain body part, even deadly poisions which could kill men with less than a drop like Manticore Venoms could be tuned down to become a slow poision that takes days to kill a victim.", She had told him while they were discussing Lysas poisoning of Jon Arryn.

Could it be.

While one might say it was too far fetched it might not be, the men making the supposed poision were the citadel and they had the most knowledge in the world mayhaps the only equal to them would be the House Of The Undying in Quarth.

It was a possibility, one couldn't ignore so he started his research into stomach illnesses, to find out how long a man with a belly burst could survive and here his age once again proved to be an obstacle.

Flashback Ends

He also started training with the sword this year. His father personally took up his training, instead of leaving him to a master-of-arms.

And by the end of the year Daemon was a proud father of a son who was a prodigy with a sword. No one could explain how the young prince took so easily to the sword. Whenever questioned Daemon would smile and remind them whose son Aurion was.

While his training was still there, his muscles weren't strong enough, his reflexes had been slowed, and his form was one he wanted to improve.

Thus he trained harder than he ever did as Jon Snow, learning new techniques. Most of them, Valyrian and family secrets. Queen Visenya training helped him grasp most of these concepts and he realized she had not taught him everything possibly so he didn't bore himself through his childhood.

Thus the years rolled by and finally 103 rolled in. The year which would be the end of an era.

Flashback -

Through the last two years Jaehaerys's health was failing, he became bedridden took no pleasure in anything except in his time with Aurion and Rhaenyra. The man had effectively lost everone he held dear. He took pleasure spending time with his two great grandchildren, remenishing of the time when Queen Alysanne and their children would be alive, of Aemon, Baelon, Alyssa, Daella, Vissera, Maegelle and Gael. Remembering his decisions from the start of his reign to now.

Decisions that benefitted the seven kingdoms, decisions that brought happiness to his family and decision that tore his family apart.

Loneliness, pain and regret was all he felt. He had reigned for fifty five years. Fifty five years of peace as it was said. The wise king they had said. Yet felt no reaction to those words.

His mind went back to those days in 48AC when he and Alysanne had eloped and married after Lord Rogar had her betrothed to Orryn Baratheon, to the Royal Progresses through the realms they had been through,the birth of their beloved children, the death of Daenerys, the weddings of Aemon and Jocelyn, of Baelon and Alyssa, the birth of Rhaenys his spurnned granddaughter …. gods he was never their for her first child's birth, he had acknowledged both Laena and Laenor as nothing more than the children of a Bannermen not his first two great grandchildren …. god's he never had a relationship with them, Daella her death, he knew Alysanne blamed him for it… mayhaps she was right, Rhaenyra and Aurion were the last thing he cared for and he regretted nothing more than not warming up to Aurion sooner due to circumstances of his birth, he remembered the marriage between Viserys and Aemma gods she was a child even though the marriage was not conssumated for two years she was still too young he had refused to bed Alysanne until she came of how could he have ever agreed to this marriage no he didn't, he arranged it, he pushed for it ' for the realm ' he had told himself while ordering it, then there was the marriage of Daemon and Rhea Royce another unhappy union neither of them could stand each other and even though he told himself otherwise he had no misconceptions that the union would not produce a child, Saera his last living daughter the last time he saw her was when he sent her packing off to Oldtown … they separated on a bad note, he insulted her called her a whore fought with Alysanne when she wanted her back, yet he wanted nothing more than her by his side this moment.

"Saera ", he called but no one answered…

By his side sat was Lady Alicent Hightower daughter of his latest hand Lord Otto Hightower. Lord Otto had been running the realm for the last two years when the king fell ill while his daughter nursed the old king and with Rhaenyra helping her with her lessons.

He was afraid….

He was not afraid to die, he was not afraid of how he would be remembered but of how he would face his parents, his children and his beloved wife after he was leaving this … this mess behind.

His didn't know how he would face Aemon, all his life his son had groomed his daughter to be his heir, to be the future queen of the seven kingdoms, yet he took that from her.

He knew none of them would ever question his choices no matter how much they disagreed with him and that was worst.

As a tear slipped down his eyes he called out to them, to Alysanne… yet no one answered… slowly the old king closed his eyes…. Never to open them again.

Flashback Ends

The old king died after ruling for fifty five years. A behemoth fell that night. Vermithor cried out in pain and anguish and all the city heard his cries. The bells rang hard announcing the death of Jaehaerys I Targaryen.

The entire relam mourned from the Wall to the Arbour.

And soon Viserys I Targaryen was crowned King.

That was almost five months ago.

It's the year 104 now.

A seven year old Aurion walked down the halls of Dragonstone. His eyes fixed on the dragonmont. A thick dark cloud of smoke rose from the summit, steam bubbled and rose through the vents the dragonmont sat as the image of a mountain built with salt and smoke.

He was visiting with Rhaenyra and Viserys while Daemon was at the Vale and aunt Aemma pregnant. Her last pregnancy Aurion thought, the one in which she would go.

He was shaken out of his thoughts by a roar, he looked out to see the Red Queen scooped in with Princess Rhaenys and Laena on her back.

"So she convinced her mother ….", He thought.

It was time to claim a dragon.

Authors Note -

So here we have it.

Next up our boy claims his mount.

As for Jaehaerys death I scene, I truly believe he regretted most of his decision about his family. He was a good man except and fucked up when it came family.

As for council of 101, I am a firm Princess Rhaenys supporter.

Comment your suggestions down below.