Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Rhaegar Targaryen!

Rhaegar Targaryen, the last Dragon Prince of House Targaryen, was born in Summerhall, among the grief of the false spring. He was the Son of the Mad King Aerys II Targaryen, older sibling of Viserys and Daenerys Stormborn, the Mother of Dragons.

He was a quiet, shy child, who spent his time reading in the Library in Kings Landing, instead of training to become a Knight as befit the Heir of House Targaryen. Yet, around the age of ten he left his books behind and presented himself to his household’s knights asking them to train him in combat. Many wondered at this sudden change, few whispered that the young Prince read a prophecy in one of his books, about the Long Night to come and the need for a Champion.

Regardless of the reasons, the young Prince rose in the ranks and became a Knight to be reckoned with. He constantly trained and became close friend with Ser Arthur Dayn, the Sword of the Morning, who held the great sword Dawn. Rhaegar was not enamored with fighting or tourneys, but once he entered the fray few stood against him.

He married Princess Elia of Dorn, and had two children. It is whispered that the same prophecy that pushed him to become a Knight, foretold a Dragon with three heads, and a Prince that was promised. Elia, being frail and ill, was unable to bear him a third child, and the last Dragon Prince feared for the fate of Westeros. 

Meanwhile, his father, the Mad King fell deeper into insanity. Rhaegar, beloved by the common people, and many of the nobles, became the hope of the seven Kingdome. With a heavy heart, the Prince shouldered his responsibility and in an effort to gracefully replace his father, he organized a large tourney at Harrenhall.


The greatest lords and knights of Westeros were invited, to hold a Grand Council and depose his father. Somehow, the Mad King learned of his son’s effort and attend the Tourney. With his plans in shambles, the Dragon Prince fought fiercely and won against the best knights of the realm, even the fabled Sword of the Morning fell to his lance. As custom dictate, the Prince was given a Crown of beauty to present to his beloved. Yet, he rode past his wife Elia, and gifted the crown to Lyanna Stark, the betrothed of Robert Baratheon. At that moment All smiles faded…

Instead of uniting the great houses, and ushering a new era of peace under his wise leadership, Rhaegar angered many nobles houses, and once the tourney ended, the Prince and Lyanna Stark disappeared. The hot headed wolf, Brandon Stark, brother of Ned, took off in anger to King’s Landing demanding the return of his kidnapped sister. The Mad King considered it an act of treason and summoned Brandon’s father, Rickard Stark to court. Once he had both stark he summarily executed them in a gruesome way. 

Lord Jon Arryn, fostering Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon raised his banners and rebelled against the Mad King. Thus started the war of the usurper. After months of skirmish and minor battles, Prince Rhaegar reappeared and led the formidable loyalist forces against an equally large rebel host, formed by the houses of the North, the Vale, and the Stormlands.

In a great battle on the river Trident, the fate of the House Taragyen, Westeros, and even the world was decided. In single combat, Robert Baratheon wielding his war hammer faced the last Dragon wearing his famous armor, adorned with a three headed dragon made of rubies. The combatants, both loyalist and rebels, stood still, transfixed by the epic duel…

The world held its breath, as blows were exchanged, until with the fury of storms and the anger of a scorned lord, Robert Baratheon drove his massive warhammer into Rhaegar’s armor, shattering the ruby dragon piercing the Prince’s heart.

Rhaegar Targaryen, the last Dragon Prince, died on the trident, on a ford forever know hence, as the Ruby Ford.

What drove the wise Rhaegar to choose Lyanna Stark as the Queen of beauty? What madness seized him to disappear with her? What spell impelled him to risk his father thrones, his house’s fate for a woman. We may never know, yet a single word can be heard, whispered by the water of the trident, echoing through the hall of Harrenhall… PROPHECY… The Dragon Has Three Heads… There must be one more, the Prince that was promised…

Thus, end the sad tale of the last Dragon Prince. Remember travelers that when pass the ruby Ford, to look hard and long in the turbulent water. It is there that the fate of the Westeros was sealed, it there that the world was doomed, or possibly saved. Look hard for you also might still find rubies in those waters…



Sunday, April 24, 2016

Arthur Dayne!

Sir Arthur Dayn, the knight whom Eddard Stark called "The finest knight I ever saw was Ser Arthur Dayne, who fought with a blade called Dawn, forged from the heart of a fallen star." He was famed for his prowess and his chivalrous and kind heart.

Arthur Dayne was the deadliest Kingsguard of Aerys II the mad king (father of Rahegar, Viserys and Daenerys the mother of Dragons.) He carried a greatsword, called Dawn, milky white and made out of a meteorite. It is not made of Valyrian steel, but it is thought to be as strong and sharp.

He was a friend and close campaign of Rahegar, the Crown Prince who was killed by Robert Baratheon at the trident, in his revolt against the Targaryens.

Finally, Ser Arthur Dayne was killed at the tower of Joy, and his sword was returned to his sister. His fate, why he was there and not at the battle of the trident is of critical importance to our story. However, i will leave that for the show to reveal...

The Great Sword Dawn is currently in the ancestral home of the Daynes, far south close to Dorn, and is awaiting the next worthy knight to hold it and become the next "sword of the morning". The only Dayne we came across in GOT is the young squire Edric Dayne, who is with the brotherhood without Banner.


For more info check these pages (some spoilers, especially about the death of Dayn)
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Arthur_Dayne
http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Arthur_Dayne