House of the Dragon:

Makear was a 100% that kid that would wind up Aegon or Aemond as kid, get away with it and watch Aegon/Aemond being scolded with a smug smile.

That's Aerion actually, he always gets away with everything along with Rhaegel. Maekar, Jon & Alyssa had to suffer the consequences of their actions.

They're getting up there in age, but Delaney's holding out for a great grandchild. They're looking great and Aerion's not about to let anyone forget about that one time he won the spicy curry challenge.

Who is the best Targaryen and why is it Aerion Brightflame??

Well, I at least admire his commitment to the bit?

it's been a Dayne day for some reason. you could even say a Day-ne. (ba dum ts). ALRIGHT BUCKLE UP FUCKOS IT'S TIME FOR VISCARDI'S NEW FAVE DELUSION (Dayne edition)

Fire and Blood cuts off at a particular point in Targaryen rule, the end of Aegon III's regency. He rules as king for 20 more years, before an early death. Then, his son, Daeron I, takes over, and The Bullshit™ with Dorne begins. Dornish takeover, which results in Dorne being brought into the Seven Kingdoms by his cousin nephew whatever Daeron 2 (electric boogaloo) later on.

Now. The Daynes are just. Overall. we don't really know jackshit about them. GRRM says he can't divulge their words bc it's a huge ass spoiler. My reasoning is bc they do become relevant later on, esp with the choice of Dyanna Dayne as wife to then Prince Maekar. Shit happens in Dorne and in court and i think that might be the reason why there's a postpone of the release of F&B2, aside from the obvious TWOW ordeal. I do think that's also why the choice of where to cut off might be there and not at the end of the dance or after his reign. F&B2 likely does contain context that helps with some of the unsolved things still going on in ASOIAF.

Anyways. We have Lady Dyanna Dayne, who gives birth, aside from Aegon, Aemon, and Daeron, to the three people of interest for this, Aerion, Daella, and Rhae. According to Aemon, Rhae and Daella have had children, and Aerion has had a wife, his cousin, Daenora, and with her, he had a son, whose "ill fated" name was Maegor. Aerion died guzzling down greek fire as we all know, but the fates of 1) Daella, 2) Rhae, 3) Daenora, and 4) Maegor are unknown aside from "existed" and "procreated" in the women's case. Those four are the only unnacounted for trueborn Targaryens we got. Everyone else was given a final location, like in Saera's case, where she was known to be in Volantis.

We have no idea who do Rhae and Daella are married to, if they indeed do get married. In Maegor's case, we don't even know if he made it past infancy. Daenora herself could have gotten married again, she was young when Aerion got himself killed.

My working theory here is that one of those folks married into house Dayne. Whoever those folks married, they're unnacounted for in the main tree. They were not given the name Targaryen. And it would have made sense to a certain degree that it was into Dyanna's house. It could have been any of them, but I sure as fuck would like if it was baby Maegor because it would be Particularly Funny.

I might be wrong, and i might not be, who knows. Something is UP with the Daynes and it happened after the conquest of Dorne.

Note: I do not account this as a secret targ theory because they're Not Targs. Whoever married into the house had their kids named Dayne and so on and so forth amen.

This has been me for this Day-ne's bullshit. Thanks for coming to my ted talk.

I don't know if this is something you've ever thought about, but do you think the death of Brienne's older brother was accidental? Rereading the books I remembered how Brienne is an excellent swimmer and tells Jaime children on Tarth learn how to swim and steer a boat before anything else. In light of this, together with their Targ blood and Robert's new rule it just seemed suspicious. I wish we new more about House Tarth!

I first came across that theory in this post, and admittedly it’s intriguing… but I’m afraid at the moment we don’t have enough canon information to mark Galladon’s drowning as suspicious (yet). One, Galladon was only eight when he died, and sometimes accidents happen even if you’re an excellent (and adult) swimmer. Two, TWOIAF only states that house Tarth’s ties with the Targaryens are “more recent” than the ones it has with the Durrandons and the Baratheons, and we don’t know when those were formed either, so… we can’t say how much of a threat Galladon was to Robert’s rule, because we can’t conclusively determine when the Tarths intermarried with the Targs. (we know SO little of house Tarth, alas.)

A popular speculation is that it was one of Egg’s sisters, either Daella or Rhae, who married the lord of Tarth, since we have no canon info on their offspring. If that’s the case, then Galladon’s supposed claim to the IT would be weaker than Robert’s, as Rhaelle Targaryen was Robert’s grandmother whereas Daella/Rhae would be Galladon’s great-grandmother**, and also, and more importantly, a daughter comes before an uncle/aunt in the line of succession; so Rhaelle, as Aegon V’s daughter, inherits before Rhae or Daella, Aegon’s sisters, and daughters of an earlier king.

** not sure of the timeline: I guess there’s the possibility that Rhae, born in 201~209 according to the wiki, had Selwyn (who is 54 in AFFC) when she was somewhere between 36 and 45 years old which would make her Galladon’s grandmother, but wouldn’t it be mentioned somewhere that Brienne’s grandma was a Targaryen princess??? More to the point, wouldn’t Selwyn have an even bigger claim than his son and heir; wouldn’t he be murdered too?

The other theory I’ve read (once again, credit to the the always mindblowing @justthetippihedren​) is that Galladon (and Brienne)’s connection to the Targaryens comes from their unknown and unnamed mother, who would be a descendant (daughter?) of either Daella or Rhae, or, more interestingly, Maegor, Aerion Brightflame’s son and Egg’s nephew. Wait, Maegor who? We have very little info about this dude except his claim was passed over in favor of his uncle Aegon in the great council that followed Maekar I’s death in 233, because he was an infant at the time. We don’t know what happened to him, whether he married or had any children or lived to adulthood at all. Which is very suspicious, especially in light of George’s compulsion to write loads of unnecessary Targaryen backstory. Maegor son of Aerion could have been king in Egg’s place if he had been older, yet we know next to nothing about him. Even if he’s not connected to Brienne, I bet he’s going to pay off in some other way. He’s just too much of a blind spot.

In any case, I totally agree we need more info about house Tarth (and Brienne’s mother, for fuck’s sake!). I’m sure Brienne’s connection to house Targaryen was introduced for a purpose and that George is deliberately keeping it vague, I just don’t know what that purpose is. Is it to give her a claim to the throne? To have her as a dragonrider? Just to make her qualify as younger, more beautiful queen? idk.

HOTD:

Yeah, now that Maelor pointed it out, the Greens boys would hate Aemon and all of Naerys's sons

Actually, Jon and Aegon get along pretty great and Aenys (Gael’s son) has taken a shine to Aemond. Maekar is bitterly despised by all the Green kids though because he’s another Daemon tormenting you alongside his father although he’s kind to Helaena. And Aerion and Alyssa are in the play nice category because they’re never overtly cruel although firmly on the Black’s side. They’re still cruel though on occasions.

Daella lives and HOTD:

Which of the kids takes after each in looks? Naerys's side or Daemon's side (not only if the look like their parents, but grandparents from each side)?

Aerion looks like Rhaenyra, like an identical copy without boobs and more surly.

Maekar looks suprisingly like Naerys which always gets him confused with his 'good' twin, Rhaegel who looks like Daemon.

Jon looks more like Alysanne, Alyssa looks like her namesake.

House of the Dragon au:

Criston having a day where he has to train all of the Greens boys (Alicent's brood) together with the Black boys (Naerys's brood and Rhaenyra's Aemon) and add Gael's sons.

He can't even play favorites right bc he's too busy trying to survive now

Criston: Aemond, now lift your arm and- MAEKAR STOP MAKING AEGON EAT WORMS! AEGON STOP EATING IT! AEMON STOP CHEERING THEM ON!

Aegon: But Alyssa dared me to! And Maekar double dared me!

Maekar: A dare is as sacred oath, ser Crispin.

Aemon: *nods*

Criston: NO, this is not how it works!

Criston: For the love of the Seven, Jon, stop trying to pummel Maekar! Aerion please just keep on being an angel.

Maekar: *throws Jon off and body slams Aerion*

Aerion: *bites and claws at Maekar’s until he’s on top of him and continues biting*

Criston: Never mind. Stop that immediately. Second son, stop making eyes at Lady Cat! Aenys don’t follow you siblings into insanity.

Aenys: And you see, Aemon this is how we create a fight in our family with only six words. To keep the peace you must know how to destroy it.

*crashing sound as Jon, Aegon, and Aemond team up against Maekar and Aerion*

Aenys: Now come help me fix the mess I’ve made. Go get Great-Aunt Naerys.

Daella lives:

At least Aemma got to meet one of her niblings

Wonder if Aemma ever suggested a match between Leonyra and Aerion.

Aemma isn’t as wild with the incest thing everywhere and Naerys has convinced her that Laenor is genuinely the best choice for the dynasty and Nyra.

Also, Corlys is really invested in the Laena-Aerion match after the failure of the Sea Lord’s son.

Daella lives au:

I imagine Aerion has a lot of pressure on him to be the perfect heir and ruler, that his future reign is see as being the final proof to see if the Stepstones stays together after his dad either dies or step down.

Which means Aenys's legacy hangs from his neck like a chain.

Firstborn son of two iconic and feared/respected conquerors, first ruler right after the original conqueros die/retire, ambitous younger brother and etc...

Aerion feels it keenly, except this time he has Vhagar on his side and Aerion isn’t in charge of a whole ass kingdom…just a series of isles that are delegated thoroughly.

Naerys, hands on hips: What did you do?

Rhaegel & Maekar: Absolutely nothing!

Aerion, from behind them: they tried to see if the could climb the walls with forks.

House of the Dragon:

I think Alicent is the one who compares Aegon and Aemond to Aerion the least, but she sometimes points out to Aegon how devout to the Seven Aerion is, to try to make Aegon go to the Sept more

precisely, the fact that Aegon plays fast and loose with going to the Sept while Aerion goes literally every day he’s available and prays in the comfort of his keep when he’s not.

Daella lives and HOTD:

Which dragons do Naerys/Daemon kids have? Any canon ones or all oc?

Aerion no dragon, he’s never been interested since his egg didn’t hatch

Maekar, Shyrkos, it’s Gaelithox & Vhagar’s egg, which will come up in RF, it’s massive for her age and is a mixture of black and silver and named after the valyrian goddess of beginnings, endings, transitions, and doorways.

Rhaegel, Septon, Dragonless if he had one it’s be named Sīkuda (seven)

Jon, Moondancer but when he’s like 10-ish when he got her.

Alyssa has Morning.

Thanks for the ask!!

Daella lives au:

I don't see Aerion having low self-esteem, but more don't paying much attention to most people's romantic interest in him.

And being more, I don't know, logical? Cynical? About people who see him in a romantic light as a young man? Like, for him being the heir to the Stepstones ranks way higher than being handsome, so he assume it does to others

And he has been betrothed to Laena since he was young and they are probably getting married when he's 15/16, and he has a lot of respect for the Velaryon, so when he old enough to get into romantic relationship, he feels wary of doing so as to not offend Laena and/or her family?

So, other people as lovers is on the back burner for a while which means he gives zero attention to people hitting on him until he feels ready to have lovers of his own

Aerion’s self esteem is more like “oh people only care about me because i’m a prince not because they like me or anything” and it’s true.

He isn’t…logical or like cold analytic, he loves so much it’s like he’s a bleeding heart. He loves his family even if Maekar kind of hates him because he thinks he should be heir, he loves his parents and their messy, messy selves, he loves his island, his people and those around him. people who have a crush on him fall for him because of this if they spend more than an hour with him but he is wary about entering a relationship with anyone

His and Laena’s relationship is more fits of passion, be sporadic, and then moments of quiet that grate at each other. He respects the Velaryons so much but they’re always second to his mother. “My mother is my best friend” holds true to Aerion.

Aerion’s never explored relationships outside of Laena and Laena has had a lot of time to flirt and mess around as she is older and can handle the repercussions with a dragon.

House of the Dragon:

I think this Laena and Aerion can have a romantic marriage, they can fall for each other

HotD!Laena deserves a good husband in this AU after what happend to her on the show

In Daella Lives!!! Laena and Aerion are arranged by Corlys for the Stepstones. Aerion is two years younger than Rhaenyra there. Here, when Laena is offered to Viserys he [Aerion] is four.

Given that they’re still an arranged marriage and have an age gap still I wouldn’t call it a happy one. But they’re both in agreement, consider each other fond friends and are invested in the well-being of Larissa and Aeneas along with the Stepstones. They find things to mutually care about and have highly discreet affairs that never negatively impact their lives together.

Romance for both of them had different meanings, for Aerion it means easy contentment in simply being. For Laena it’s fierce passion. They can find it in other people, perhaps I even encourage them too in this story.

In BGR, that Laena & Rhaenyra were well-suited and matched because of their mutual love and the fact that Leonyra allows herself to be more vulnerable is a contrast to closed off I will scream if you prod to close HOTD Rhaenyra. I like that dynamic, I find it interesting. We don’t get much of HOTD Laena’s personality, just that she may lean closer to Rhaena’s own personality.

Daella lives abd HOTD:

What nicknames Aemma and Naerys call/called Aerion?

hatchling, little shield, beloved, sweetling, dearling, my little prince, byka sumby, ‘Rion (like Orion), and a bunch of cutesy ones that are dropped as he grows older.