131 AC – 132 AC
Queen for only two years by 131 AC, the reign of the first ruling queen of Westeros had already proved itself to be an interesting one. Seven hells, prior to her even being crowned in 129 AC, Rhaenyra had secured her birthright through a conspiracy that had been cooked up by her late father and three trusted associates, exiled her stepfamily and two younger half-brothers to Oldtown, and kept her remaining half-siblings and their three young children as hostages at the Red Keep. Shortly after she was crowned that same year, Rhaenyra had to deal with the frustrating Triarchy Trade Dispute, which in her mind was a puerile reaction by the Three Daughters magistrates in regards to her uncle, their former archenemy, being her consort. During her first year in 130 AC, Rhaenyra had to contend with a rebellion headed by her father's former Master of Laws, who was also a die-hard misogynist, Lord Jasper Wylde. Thankfully the Wylde Rebellion ended without a significant loss of life on the Blacks side, and House Wylde bent the knee to Rhaenyra the First of Her Name.
Adding to the queen's problems, she had to deal with a long and vicious winter. The year 131 AC would prove to be no different. It saw not just Prince Joffrey Velaryon marrying Lady Nell Beesbury, and the engagements of his younger half-brothers to the respective daughter and grandniece of their mother's Master of Ships and Lord Commander of the Queensguard, it also saw the strengthening of ties between the crown and House Baratheon. Lord Borros's temperament was just as stormy as his homeland, and shortly after Joff and Nell were wed, it was reported by the White Worm that the Lord of Storm's End was greatly displeased with the queen. Borros had been grumbling on how Rhaenyra had married her son to, in his words, "a mere bee" when the prince could have had a "fine doe" (i.e. his youngest daughter, Floris) for his wife.
These comments could have been viewed as being comical if they had been made by a lesser lord. House Baratheon of Storm's End had been the crown's strongest ally since the very first year of Jaehaerys I's reign, and the Old King's great-granddaughter did not want to jeopardize that relationship. However, having two hot-tempered individuals trying to make amends would be a disaster unless there was a mediator involved. Thankfully, Rhaenyra I did have a mediator, her eldest son, Crown Prince Jacaerys Velaryon. Turning seventeen years old in 131 AC, Jace had the makings of becoming the second Jaehaerys the Conciliator just like what his grandfather had proudly told his three coconspirators two years earlier.
Remedying the ties between Houses Baratheon and Targaryen would put his skills to the test. Wanting an excuse to see her infant grandchildren, the queen flew from the Red Keep to Dragonstone to relay her request for help to her son in person. She arrived just in time before Baelor and Alysanne were put down for their naps, and after the babes were tucked in, Rhaenyra took her son to the Hall of the Painted Table. Pointing to Storm's End on the table, Rhaenyra informed her son of the situation.
"I remember that the previous Lord of Storm's End, Boremund, was much easier to talk to." Rhaenyra said after filling Jace in. "Sadly, the same cannot be said about his son. As of now, he is acting like a spoiled child who has just been told 'no.' Normally a threat would do the trick, but since Borros is both the Lord of Storm's End and the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, any hostile act directed towards him will viewed as being tyrannical."
The queen then turned to look at her son. Jacaerys straightened his posture when his mother locked eyes with him.
"What do you propose should be done, Jace? How do you subjugate an ill-tempered lord of a Great House without inciting anymore discontent?"
Jace swallowed. With his mother's purple eyes boring a hole through him, he carefully thought of an answer. Having become a father just two months ago, his mindset had changed. Other than preparing himself to rule after his mother, Jace was also laying the groundwork for his son's future. Baelor's future was pretty much set: he would be fostered by his Uncle Lucerys when he turned seven, and would marry his cousin, Alysanne, when they were both old enough.
Jacaerys realized that both he and Lord Borros Baratheon had the exact same motivation for their children. They wanted to expand and strengthen their families power through the realm. Speaking of children, the prince remembered that other than Floris being unmarried, her three older sisters: Cassandra, Maris, and Ellyn had not yet been married off either. Hopefully, Borros was not settling on any future sons-in-law at the moment, because Jace now had a plan. When the Prince of Dragonstone told the queen what he had in mind, she simply smiled and nodded.
Jacaerys began corresponding regularly with Grand Maester Gerardys after his mother's visit to Dragonstone. He began sequestering himself in the fortress's solar for days on end; he ate his meals and even slept there during that time. Even Jace's wife, brother, and sister-in-law became concerned by his absence. What Jace was doing was finding suitors for the Four Storms. After spending four grueling days of research and drafting, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon had finally finished his proposal to Lord Borros Baratheon.
Armed with his words and the strength of his proposal, Jacaerys flew to Storm's End on the back of Vermax. As a precaution, Jace took his grandmother with him. This was an especially good decision since Rhaenys happened to be Borros's first cousin. Rhaenys's mother was the younger sister of Borros's father. The arrival of grandmother and grandson plus their dragons was a great surprise for House Baratheon.
Once Jace proved that this was a peaceful visit, both he and his grandmother were welcomed into Storm's End. Waiting for the two were Lord Borros Baratheon, his wife, Lady Elenda Caron; their four daughters, and the family maester. Gerardys had informed Jace earlier that the Lady of Storm's End had announced her fifth pregnancy just the week before. Jace carefully greeted his host.
"Lord Borros Baratheon," he began, "thank you for welcoming my grandmother and I into your home on such short notice. And may I congratulate you, Lady Elenda, about your pregnancy. I am sure you are all jubilant about welcoming a new family member."
"Yes, yes." Borros said while rolling his blue eyes. Pleasantries bored him. His wife and daughters looked at their patriarch with wide eyes. Borros's attitude was uncalled for. "May I ask as to why you are here? Surely this is not about my wife being pregnant."
Undeterred by Borros's words, Jace remained calm. "I have heard that my lord is quite displeased that my lady mother married my younger brother, Joffrey, to Lady Beesbury while you have been doing your best to promote your daughter, Lady Floris."
Borros barked out a single laugh. "Ha! Displeased? Damn right I am displeased!" Borros balled his hands into fists on the armrests of his throne.
"Royal blood flows through my family's veins, and it does not all come from King Argilac the Arrogant". My-" Borros considered his first cousin in the background, "Our grandmother was the Old King's own mother, Queen Alyssa Velaryon, and her second husband, the grandfather of your grandmother and I, was Lord Rogar Baratheon, the first Hand of the King to serve Jaehaerys I. Such a rich lineage, and your damn mother chose to marry your brother to a girl who does not even possess a single notable ancestor. What does a family of beekeepers have that House Baratheon does not?"
Rhaenys fixed her cousin with a steely, pale violet gaze. Although she was best friends with her Uncle Boremund, the princess rarely got along with her Cousin Borros despite the best efforts of their mother and father. Both were hot-tempered courtesy of their Baratheon blood, but Rhaenys was graceful and sophisticated while Borros was crass and blunt. Despite the lord's barrage of angry words, Jace weathered through with flying colors. Seeing that Borros had let off most of his steam, Jacaerys continued where he had left off.
"I see that you are angry my lord, and I have come here to ease your frustration."
"Ho!" the man guffawed. "Really now? How so?"
Jace presented his proposal, which was written on a long scroll. He spoke as he unfolded it. "Marriage, my lord, marriage." Jace said.
"The Four Storms are ready for marriage, and what I have here are four suitors that should make up for you wanting Joffrey as a son-in-law."
Borros smirked, but he leaned forward in his chair with interest. The attention of wife, daughters, and maester were all rapt on the prince. "Go on, lad." He said with less vitriol. "What men do you have in mind to marry my daughters?"
Clearing his throat, the Prince of Dragonstone read from the scroll. What was written on that parchment was the fruit of Jacaerys's four days of in-depth research. For the firstborn Storm, Cassandra, Jace suggested a betrothal between her and Lord Cregan Stark, the Warden of the North. Cregan had been a widower for three years following the death of his first wife from childbirth. Cass would gain a three year old stepson named Rickon if she were to marry the boy's father.
Having a daughter becoming the Lady of Winterfell intrigued Borros, his demeanor slowly began to soften. Bolstered by this, Jace continued. For the second Storm, Maris, Jacaerys proposed marrying her to Lord Tyland Lannister, his grandfather's former Master of Ships, and the twin brother of the Warden of the West, Ser Jason Lannister. Tyland was a bachelor. This marriage would kill two birds with one stone, marrying Lady Maris into the realm's wealthiest family and bringing House Lannister of Casterly Rock into the good graces of House Targaryen.
For the third Storm, Ellyn, the prince suggested Ser Joffrey Arryn, the fourth cousin and heir of Lady Jeyne Arryn. With tensions surrounding who should inherit the Eyrie, Ser Joffrey would need to father heirs to cement his claim to the Vale. With one daughter becoming Lady of Winterfell, one the sister-in-law of the Lord of Casterly Rock, and the third the Lady of the Eyrie, Borros was genuinely curious as to who his cousin's grandson had in mind for his youngest daughter. He did not have long to wait. For the fourth Storm, Floris, the prince proposed that she could marry Clement Celtigar, the heir to Claw Isle and the only living son of the queen's Master of Ships, Lord Bartimos Celtigar, and the older half-brother of Prince Aegon the Younger's betrothed, Lady Thea Celtigar.
After he was done, Jace looked up to see what Lord Borros's reaction was. The man sat still in his throne, and it looked like he was taking this all in. His family looked on in anticipation, waiting to see what their patriarch's ultimate reaction would be. Borros then chuckled, which was then followed by a deep, rumbling laugh that echoed throughout the hall. Jacaerys looked between the Baratheon's and his grandmother, everyone seemed to be amazed by this.
After he was done laughing, Borros spoke.
"Such suitors you have there boy! Such suitors!" he said. "Stark, Lannister, Arryn, and Celtigar! Very, very impressive."
Borros then turned to his maester. "Send ravens to Winterfell, Casterly Rock, the Eyrie, and the Red Keep at once! It is time my daughters are married! And tell them that Crown Prince Jacaerys Velaryon is the glorious matchmaker behind all this!"
The maester bowed and quickly shuffled off to do as told. Borros then stood up and walked over towards the prince. Without warning, he embraced the boy hard. Jace had never felt such strength before, and he was sure that if Borros had hugged him any harder his ribs would have been broken. Releasing his guest, Borros then patted the sore Jace on the back.
"Come now!" He bellowed jovially, his arm around Jace's shoulder "Dear Cousin Rhaenys and Prince Jacaerys, let us all celebrate this in the great hall!"
Bemused by her cousin's mood swing, Rhaenys nevertheless followed both him and his family into Storm's End's great hall. Her grandson was shepherded in by the crook of Borros's arm. Pride soared in Rhaenys's heart. Jace had actually done it, he had brought House Baratheon back onto his mother's side. As the family toasted the marriage proposals with Dornish red (except for the pregnant Elenda, who had unsweetened lemon water instead), ravens flew from the castle rookery to the Four Storm's future husbands.
Ravens soon arrived back to Storm's End bearing letters stating acceptance for the betrothals. Inquiries about dowries were enclosed within too. Both Jace and Rhaenys stayed with Borros to assist with drawing up dowries and wedding dates, greatly disgruntling Borros's maester, who's role had devolved to that of an errand boy for the duration of the Targaryen/Velaryon's stay. The marriage pacts were officially sealed between both the Lord of Storm's End and the Prince Dragonstone when the latter promised to attend the wedding of each of the Four Storms, the first being held near the end of the year in the North between Lady Cassandra Baratheon and Lord Cregan Stark. With that, both Jacaerys and Rhaenys departed for the capital, leaving behind goodwill and satisfaction in the Stormlands.
Courtesy of Lord Borros, Jace soon became known as "the Matchmaker" throughout the realm. Dragonstone was soon inundated with letters addressed to the prince from lords requesting advice about who to marry their kin off to. Because of Jacaerys's success with House Baratheon, and due to the betrothals that had been made during the last days of 130 AC and the first days of 131 AC, the two years became known collectively as "the Year of Promises." Other than marriages, more excitement would visit both Houses Targaryen and Velaryon throughout the rest of the year. Births and pregnancy announcements were the cause for excitement.
Just three months after giving birth to her daughter Alysanne, Princess Rhaena Targaryen announced that both she and Lucerys were expecting their second child together. Luke and Rhaena were going to turn sixteen and fifteen years old respectively later that year in 131 AC. Nine months later, Rhaena gave birth to a second daughter who possessed silver colored hair and indigo eyes. She was christened as Princess Laena Velaryon in honor of her maternal grandmother; Luke and Rhaena's choice of name was greatly appreciated by their grandparents. However, Rhaena's labor with her daughter was difficult, and Luke was advised to not impregnate his wife again for a year to allow her to fully recover from Laena's birth.
Nearly a month after Laena was born, Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen learned that she was going to have two more grandchildren born to her in the coming year. Just like her twin sister, Princess Baela Targaryen announced that both she and Jace were expecting their second child together too. After his stepsister's announcement, Prince Joffrey Velaryon, after taking his wife's hand into his, proudly announced that both he and Lady Nell Beesbury were expecting their first child together. Their first year wedding anniversary was the following month. Words cannot adequately express the joy that was rampant in the Red Keep following these announcements.
Just as good news had blessed House Targaryen and Velaryon, there was also bad news to go with it. Over the course of the year, reports of pirate attacks on the Narrow Sea began trickling in at a disturbingly quick rate. Piracy in the Narrow Sea had dropped sharply ever since the establishment of the Triarchy nearly four decades earlier. The Triarchy was responsible for culling the pirate dens on the Stepstones; often executing them by tying them to stakes on the beach and letting the pirates drown when high tide came in. Apparently the Triarchy was no longer at the top of their game.
Trade ships arrived at ports stripped bare of their cargo and their crew and passengers brutalized. Determined to fix the problem, Lords Corlys Velaryon and Bartimos Celtigar increased naval patrols on the Narrow Sea. Corlys ordered for Alyn of Hull, a man who was rumored to be either the bastard son of the Sea Snake's late son, Laenor, or Corlys himself, to lead the Velaryon ships out to hunt for the pirates. One of the Velaryon ships would later intercept a pirate attack on a Pentoshi trade cog that was en route to Gulltown. After subduing the pirates, their ship was cleared of all of its ill-gotten plunder.
But a letter that was found in the captain's quarters revealed something more valuable than the stolen goods. The letter revealed that a Lysene merchant-magister had paid the pirates to steal from trade ships bound for Westeros. After acquiring a sizable cargo, the pirates were to then bring it to the magister so that he could resell the goods. Alyn later personally delivered the letter to Queen Rhaenyra in the Red Keep's throne room.
The letter's contents proved to be scandalous in both Westeros and Essos after Rhaenyra sent the letter to the Triarchy. Furious that one of their own had resorted to hiring pirate to make ends meet, the thirty-three magistrates exiled both the man and his family from Lys. The revelation about the pirates for hire soon created a schism regarding the Triarchy Trade Dispute. One side wanted to keep the trade boycott with the Seven Kingdoms out of stubbornness while the other wanted to end it. The situation within the Triarchy had become volatile over the past two years following the creation of the trade boycott.
Merchants resorted to sending their ships off on long voyages to Asshai, Qohor, and Volantis to make up for lost revenue. Most of these ships and their crew members were never seen or heard from again, resulting in catastrophic financial losses for the ship owners. Terrified of losing their mercantile fleet, some merchants just allowed their ships to sit at the docks of Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh. The lack of ships leaving on voyages soon led to unemployment rising as countless sailors became jobless. Anger over lack of work was soon fused with fury over rising food prices since the mainland farms could not grow enough crops to sustain the Triarchy, and Braavos, Lorath, and Pentos were currently exporting foodstuffs to Westeros since they were going through a difficult winter season.
In the taverns and winesinks, people grumbled about the deterioration of Triarchy society. Their main gripe was about how the magisters were more preoccupied with their political infighting than they were with remedying the situation that was wreaking havoc on the common folk outside the walls of the magisterial palace. Numerous Triarchy citizens began migrating from the Three Daughters as rumors of an incoming upheaval spread like wildfire amongst the three cities. Tension hung in the air like a great fog, and people became more ill-tempered and contemptuous about their government with each passing day. But despite the Three Daughters apparent descent into anarchy, their ladies of the night did not appear to be affected by this (at first).
One evening on the fourteenth day of the sixth moon, as the sun sank below the horizon on the Narrow Sea, the high ranking courtesans of Lys anointed their skin with fragrant perfumes and dressed themselves in fine silks and tantalizing veils to entice their male clientele. One particular brothel attracted some of the richest and most powerful men in Lys. As the villa like structure filled with men seeking the company of their city's finest courtesans, a hooded man quietly snuck through the chattering crowd unseen. Quietly, he made his way through the marble and gold leaf halls towards the chambers belonging to the brothel's most prized lady of the night. Without making a sound, the man pushed open the unlocked door and crept into the opulent room.
Up ahead in a small garden atrium were the man's two targets, a man and a woman. They were sitting in chairs partaking in fine wine and pleasurable conversation. Both their backs were turned to the unseen intruder. Quickly he snuck up behind the man, and in one swift motion, the assassin slit his throat. Blood as red as the wine in the goblets poured from the man's throat and his female companion screamed in terror; the murderer soon turned his attention towards her…
The screaming alerted the brothel guards and they rushed towards the atrium. When they burst through the doors, the guards found the courtesan on her back in a pool of her own blood trying to fend off her attacker. The guards tackled the man and got him off of the bleeding, hysterical woman before he could do more harm. As the man was dragged off to be imprisoned, his second victim bled to death shortly after his departure. The identity of this woman was Lady Johanna Swann, known more famously as "the Black Swan."
She was the most famous courtesan in Lys, and was sought after by men from not only the highest echelons of Lysene society, but also from Myr and Tyrosh as well. In fact, the Black Swan's companion that night, the first murder victim, Sharako Lohar, was a well regarded Lysene admiral. News of the prolific double murder hit Lys like a tidal wave. Many mourned the passing of both the Westerosi born courtesan, especially her numerous high ranking lovers, and Admiral Lohar. These powerful men wanted justice for both their slain lover and countryman.
The assassin was brutally tortured for the identity of the individual who had hired him. When the torturer stretched the murderer on the rack, the man finally confessed. He admitted that a powerful Myrish magister named Vintennio Marzini had paid for the murders due to the Swan supporting the trade boycott with Westeros and because he saw Admiral Lohar as a romantic rival. Shortly after the confession had been made, the assassin was beheaded, and Vintennio was arrested. First a gruesome double murder, and now with the revelation that a prominent politician had ordered the slayings rocked Lys to its core.
Things got even more heated when Magister Marzini was found dead in his cell the morning after his arrest, his throat slashed so deeply that his head was almost severed from his body. Now after three brutal murders, the Triarchy magisters infighting became even more ferocious. During one heated meeting, a Lysene magistrate pulled out a dagger and stabbed a Tyroshi peer with it. This was the last straw for the Triarchy, and the Three Sisters declared war on each other. War ships clashed in the harbors of the cities while soldiers spilled blood and gore onto the cobbled streets of Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh.
Hungry, out of work, and frustrated with how things had been going for the Triarchy, the citizens of the Three Sisters threw away all semblance of civility and began to wreak havoc in the streets. Shops were robbed clean of everything they had, be it food or other goods; the homes of the wealthy were overrun by angry commoners wanting revenge against the magisters and merchants whom they blamed for causing the chaos that was now happening. They would drag the family patriarch out into the streets to bludgeon him to death while his family was either forced to watch or suffered a horrible fate of their own. Meanwhile, the villas and manses were vandalized and stripped of furnishings as their owners were being brutalized. Murder and rape became commonplace as the law and order disappeared altogether during the horrific chaos.
News of this anarchy spread throughout Essos, and it soon made its way to Westeros. Merchants spoke glibly on how the Triarchy deserved this fate for being such prideful fools, while House Velaryon of Driftmark, especially Lord Corlys, celebrated the eventual downfall of their most hated nemesis. Seeing an opportunity to finally end the foolish Triarchy Trade Dispute on her own terms, Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen ordered Grand Maester Gerardys to send ravens to Braavos, Lorath, and Pentos to summon their most powerful lords, admirals, and generals to the Red Keep. About a week later, a flotilla of ornately decorated ships arrived at the docks of Blackwater Bay, and men wearing fine clothes and who spoke with exotic accents disembarked and were greeted by a royal cortège that led them to the Red Keep. Upon arriving, the diverse group was shepherded into the council chamber, where they met the queen, her consort, and their small council.
There, the Essosi entourage and their Westerosi hosts discussed forming an alliance to help in finally bringing down the Triarchy and to restore peace to the Three Sisters. The condition of this coalition was that the Targaryen's would be the ones to draw up the peace treaty with the Three Daughters after the conflict's end so that the name of House Targaryen would remind the Lysene, Myrish, and Tyroshi that it was the Dragon Queen, the woman whom their leaders had spurned, who had brought stability back to their homelands. In return for allowing Rhaenyra to bring Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh back on their feet once they were defeated, Braavos, Lorath, and Pentos were allowed jurisdiction over one of the cities to prevent the Triarchy from being reborn. The magisters agreed to these terms, and the alliance became official. Talk of alliances soon to turned to planning battle strategies.
This coalition would spawn a massive force, the likes of which had not been seen since Aegon's Conquest of Westeros. The navy consisted not only of ships from the allied three cities, but also armaments from Houses Baratheon, Celtigar, Velaryon, and Arryn. The Free City armies consisted of sellswords and proper warriors - altogether a force thirty-five thousand men. These numbers were supplemented by the greater numbers of seven hundred knights and twelve-thousand soldiers. The knights hailed mostly from the Crownlands, but there also ones from the Stormland's and Vale as well.
Three members of Rhaenyra's Queensguard: Lord Commander Steffon Darklyn, and Sers Harrold Darke and Erryck Cargyll, lent their arms to the Three Daughters War. Leading this mighty force were six Targaryen dragons and their riders: Daemon and Caraxes, who were leading the whole force; Rhaenys and Meleys, Jacaerys and Vermax, Lucerys and Arrax, Joffrey and Tyraxes, and surprisingly of all, Aegon the Elder and his precious Sunfyre. It was without question that the queen's half-brother had joined forces with his hated half-sister not out of a newfound sense of loyalty, but rather out of a desire to get out of the Red Keep. This all seemed a bit much, but one could never be too cautious during a conflict.
A little over a month after the alliance was forged, the army set sail for the Triarchy at dawn. Half-way across the sea, the navy split into three segments so that they could attack the individual Three Sisters, with two dragons accompanying each fleet, with King Daemon and his second stepson, Prince Lucerys, leading their fleet towards Tyrosh; Prince Jacaerys and his younger brother, Prince Joffrey, flew to Lys; and Princess Rhaenys and her first cousin once removed, Prince Aegon the Elder, headed towards Myr. Aegon was also accompanied by his squire, Edmund. He was flying with the prince on Sunfyre. When Myr was spotted at midday, the dragons roared and the men prepared for battle. As they closed in on Myr, Edmund whispered a prayer to himself, and prepared to face the battle that was to come.
Rewrite Notes: Originally, this chapter listed off the births and deaths of both Targaryens/Velaryons and dragons that occured between the years 131 AC and 134 AC. Needless to say, I shortened to just a year. Vintennio Marzini, whom I mentioned in the footnote in Chapter Six: The First Year, has been retconned as the man who ordered for the assassination of Johanna and Sharako.