ASOIAF: The True House of Dragons

On Aegon's Hill, a roughly built earthen fort served as Aegon's temporary palace.

At dawn, the builders below the hill began their day's labor. The crisp sound of axes cutting through timber mingled with the steady thud of foundation work, drifting up to the second floor and waking Aegon from his sleep.

He gently shifted Rhaenys, who lay asleep in his arms. Her soft, delicate body stirred with slight displeasure, supple and boneless, yet brimming with seductive charm. Aegon carefully pulled the pale blue quilt over her, leaving just a sliver of her snow-white skin exposed.

Noticing his thoughts stirring once more, Aegon sighed to himself.

"Before using [Renal Adrenaline], I often felt overwhelmed dealing with both sisters. But after using it... it feels like I can't get enough."

He slipped on a loose robe and stepped onto the bedroom's balcony.

The morning sun had just begun to rise above the waters of Blackwater Bay. The dazzling scene slowly washed away the haze of waking too early.

Now, the great conquest of House Targaryen was like that rising sun—ascending over the continent of Westeros.

The dozen or so lords surrounding King's Landing had all been subdued by Aegon's men. Unfortunately, few of them had surrendered willingly; most had only bent the knee after a "baptism" of Dragonfire, something that left Aegon displeased.

Maester Gawen had already departed for the Citadel in Oldtown. With the construction of King's Landing ongoing for over a month, he should be nearing his destination. Aegon hoped Gawen could spread word of his power to the remaining petty lords—conquering them one by one was far too tedious.

There was also good news from the Kingdom of the North. Aegon's close friend, Torrhen Stark, had succeeded his aging father and ascended the northern throne. Perhaps the North, in facing the threat of the Dragonlord, felt a younger and stronger king would be better suited to weather the crisis House Targaryen's conquest presented.

Roar!

A mighty dragon's cry suddenly echoed across the skies of Blackwater Bay. Vhagar was soaring joyfully, wheeling through the clouds.

Aegon instinctively looked up at the sound, a flicker of thought passing through his mind.

"My sister has been so focused lately on training the troops and mastering the art of riding dragons, she hasn't shared my bed in some time. Rhaenys is starting to seem a bit overwhelmed... Looks like I'll need Visenya to shoulder some of that responsibility too."

Though Visenya was breathtakingly beautiful, her icy temperament made her difficult to approach. She was far more invested in battle and dragon-riding than in physical affection, making Aegon's dream of sharing a bed with both sisters feel like a distant fantasy.

Lowering his gaze, Aegon looked toward the heart of the inner city still under construction.

He noticed that the bulk of the heavy labor was being handled by slaves shipped in from Volantis, while the newly subjugated Andal locals were assigned only lighter tasks.

Aegon returned to his chambers and resumed morning lessons with Rhaenys.

[You are working hard to produce offspring...]

Time passed unnoticed, and their training lasted until noon. Eventually, Aegon had to pause the lesson—House Targaryen had an important matter to address in council.

After his attendants carefully washed and dressed him, Aegon descended to the council chamber on the first floor of the earthen fort.

Upon entering, he found his key advisors already waiting: Visenya, Crispian, Aethan, and others had gathered.

As their liege arrived, the expressions on their faces showed a hint of awkwardness.

Aegon immediately understood—clearly, the fort's soundproofing wasn't up to standard. Rhaenys' voice must have carried far too well.

The vassals all rose and hurriedly bowed.

Aegon remained composed as he walked steadily to the main seat. With a slight nod, he began to preside over the meeting.

He sat calmly, resting his hands naturally on the table, and spoke in an even tone.

"We currently have three generals in our army. Orys, as the chief among them, you may begin by summarizing the progress of our campaign against the disloyal."

Orys stood again and bowed, then reported,

"We have now conquered all the lords along the Blackwater Bay, and the territories we've taken are fully connected. The lands under our control now border those of the false kings of Westeros.

To the south of the Blackwater Rush lies the Storm Kingdom. Argilac, holding a grudge against us, is gathering his forces and has stationed heavy troops at Grassy Vale.

To the north of the river, Harren the Black, the king of the Riverlands and the Iron Islands, is building fortifications along the southern shore of the Gods Eye.

The current movements of the Reach and the Westerlands remain unclear, with no obvious signs of military activity."

Aegon tapped the table lightly with his fingers, then turned his head toward Visenya.

"What do you think, sister?" he asked softly.

Visenya raised her chin slightly and said with a touch of disdain,

"Fight them. Anyone who resists, crush them—until they submit willingly."

At that moment, Crispian spoke up.

"Your Highness, in my opinion, before continuing our military advance, we need to strengthen your claim. Only then can we be seen as acting with legitimacy, rather than simply as invaders.

After all, our goal is to conquer and rule, not to build colonies."

Aegon nodded, inviting him to continue.

Crispian stood and spoke solemnly.

"Though we've made some gains, during my visits to more than ten surrounding castles, I found that the local people do not acknowledge your rule. They still view us as no better than pirates from the Iron Islands.

This sentiment could lead to serious problems.

I believe you should hold a coronation ceremony—to declare your name to the people and enemy leaders alike. Let them see that you are the one true king, and that the barbaric reign of a hundred petty lords has come to an end."

The young Aethan voiced his agreement.

"The territory we now hold is already the size of a small kingdom—more than sufficient grounds for a coronation. I believe Lord Crispian is absolutely right."

Visenya also nodded.

"Exactly. Since you've already announced your intent to conquer the great lords, it's only fitting to hold a coronation and formally establish the Targaryen dynasty."

Aegon looked around the room. After a brief pause, he nodded and said,

"Since you all request it, I will hold the coronation ceremony in three days. Crispian, you'll remain in charge of the arrangements. I'll provide you later with a list of official appointments for the Targaryen dynasty."

"As you command, Your Grace," Crispian replied with a respectful bow.

Hearing this, the other vassals exchanged glances. Their eyes gleamed with excitement and anticipation.

A coronation was no simple affair, but House Targaryen had long been preparing for this moment. The dynasty's name, era title, and sigil were all ready.

In ancient Valyria, the Dragonlords had no tradition of heraldry. But in Westeros, noble houses held deep-rooted customs of sigils and banners.

To demonstrate House Targaryen's determination to rule for generations, Aerion had long ago instructed Old Nan to carefully embroider a silk battle banner:

—a black field bearing a red, three-headed dragon, breathing fire.

...

On the day of the coronation, a massive wooden platform had been erected below Aegon's stronghold. Though the setting was humble, Crispian had arranged every detail of the ceremony thoroughly.

The defeated lords from around the Blackwater were all summoned to appear before Aegon.

On the platform, more than ten lords knelt before his wooden throne, alongside the senior advisors of the Targaryen household. Each laid their sword at Aegon's feet.

When Queen Visenya placed a Valyrian steel crown, studded with rubies, upon her brother's head...

Rhaenys stepped forward and declared loudly,

"Aegon the First, King of All Westeros and Protector of All Its Peoples!"

The three dragons perched on the surrounding hills roared in unison. Lords and knights erupted into cheers... but the loudest voices came from the former fishermen, farmers, and their wives of the small fishing village.

Tens of thousands stood at a distance, witnessing the simple but solemn ceremony.

Yet Aegon noticed something unsettling.

The newly conquered folk from the surrounding areas watched with cold detachment. They looked upon him with no warmth—but neither did they resist. Their silent indifference made Aegon frown, like a thorn had lodged itself in his palm.

Still, the coronation was completed successfully.

Aegon raised each of his kneeling vassals, one by one, confirming their lands, titles, and the offices they would hold in the new dynasty.

Almost all of House Targaryen's former advisors were granted new honors:

Aethan Velaryon, Lord of the Tides, was appointed Master of Ships and given command of the royal fleet.

Crispian Celtigar was named Master of Coin.

Orys Baratheon, whom Aegon called "my shield and my strong right hand," was placed in charge of all ground forces with the title of Marshal of the Armies.

Following the declaration of the Targaryen dynasty and his self-coronation as Aegon I, Aegon, as head of House Targaryen, formally announced the house motto:

"Fire and Blood."

Heraldry and mottos were cherished traditions among the lords of Westeros, and the newly subjugated vassals took this as a powerful sign that Aegon was not just an outsider imposing his will, but one who had embraced and begun to shape the identity of the land he now ruled.

It was only then that many of them truly, and willingly, recognized him as the one true King of Westeros.

...

The day after the coronation ceremony, Aegon received a letter delivered by raven from Gawen.

Maester Gawen had already activated the Citadel's great Raven Tower, dispatching thousands of ravens to deliver House Targaryen's declaration of conquest—and Aegon's noble status as Dragonlord—to lords across Westeros.

This lifted Aegon's mood.

House Targaryen was not native to Westeros, nor had it spent generations cultivating fame or goodwill on the continent. Since their arrival at Dragonstone, they had remained largely isolated. Gawen's campaign of messaging was, therefore, not just helpful—it was essential to establishing the legitimacy of their rule.

In this, Aegon owed Gawen a personal favor.

But the second letter that arrived from Gawen shortly after nearly made him explode with fury.

In this new message, Gawen relayed that the Faith of the Seven had agreed to crown Aegon—on the condition that he first conquer House Gardener in the Reach and arrive in Oldtown. Moreover, the Faith refused to disband its militant orders and had added a new demand: they sought to become the sole official religion of the Targaryen dynasty.

Aegon hurled the letter into the fire and roared,

"Greedy, insatiable worms!"

He offered no reply to Gawen's second letter. Instead, he ordered the maester to continue spreading word across Westeros that he had already been crowned the first king of the Targaryen dynasty in King's Landing.

...

Just a few days after the coronation, Aegon led his forces to war once again.

He personally commanded the main host north and west, toward the Gods Eye and Harrenhal—the monumental fortress that stood as both a symbol of King Harren the Black's pride and obsession. Queen Rhaenys accompanied him, riding Meraxes, her silver-scaled, golden-eyed dragon.

Orys Baratheon led a portion of the army southward to hold the line along the north bank of the Blackwater Rush, where Stormland forces had begun massing at Grassy Vale.

Meanwhile, Aethan Velaryon led the Targaryen fleet north out of Blackwater Bay, sailing toward Gulltown and the Vale. Queen Visenya flew above him, riding Vhagar.

To Aegon, Harrenhal held strategic importance for the future of his reign. He was determined to seize it first and secure it before splitting his forces into three. For now, he chose to divide them only into two, keeping one group back to hold their position.

...

As the Targaryen dynasty began another sweeping wave of conquest, the kings of the Seven Kingdoms were also receiving word from Gawen in Oldtown about Aegon's coronation and the founding of the Targaryen dynasty.

The seven kings were suddenly struck with a sense of dread, as if a great storm had descended.

In the Riverlands and the Stormlands, King Harren the Blackheart and King Argilac the Arrogant quickly called their banners and began preparations for war.

To the west, King Mern of the Reach traveled north along the Ocean Road to meet King Loren of House Lannister at Casterly Rock. The two sought to coordinate a response.

From Dorne, the Princess sent a raven to Dragonstone, offering to aid Aegon in his campaign against Argilac—on the condition that she be treated as an equal ally, not a subordinate.

Ronnel Arryn, the Little King of the Eyrie, also expressed interest in an alliance. He promised to send the armies of the Vale to help Aegon against Harren the Black. However, his mother demanded all the land east of the Green Fork of the Trident as payment.

Far to the north in Winterfell, Torrhen Stark—the new King in the North—spent the night in counsel with his bannermen and advisors, discussing how to respond to the looming threat.

Exhausted, he returned to his chambers alone and pulled out a letter, one written in Aegon's own hand:

"My friend, do not worry. All is going well."