Chapter 50: The Good King's Burden and the Pretender's Shadow (First Blackfyre Rebellion)
The brief, competent reign of King Viserys II Targaryen was but a fleeting moment of calm before Westeros was once again plunged into the turbulent currents of Targaryen ambition and its bloody consequences. His death in 172 AC brought his son, Aegon IV, to the Iron Throne, a monarch whose seventeen-year tenure would become a byword for corruption, debauchery, and a breathtaking lack of foresight. Aelyx Velaryon, from his eternal seat in Mount Skatus, had observed the Unworthy King's disastrous reign with a mixture of clinical contempt and strategic attentiveness, knowing that such profound misrule would inevitably bear bitter fruit. Aegon IV's final, calamitous act – the legitimization of all his numerous bastards on his deathbed in 184 AC – was the spark that lit a fuse leading directly to the heart of the Targaryen dynasty.
His legitimate son, Daeron II Targaryen, ascended a throne already weakened by his father's excesses and now threatened by a host of newly ennobled, ambitious half-siblings. Daeron, called "the Good," was a stark contrast to Aegon IV. He was a scholar, a diplomat, a man of peace and refinement, his queen the Dornish princess Myriah Martell, an alliance that finally, peacefully, brought Dorne into the fold of the Seven Kingdoms. Yet, these very virtues, Aelyx astutely observed, made Daeron vulnerable in a realm still accustomed to the more martial Valyrian image and resentful of the growing Dornish influence at court.
"Daeron is a scholar where a warrior is often preferred," Aelyx dictated to his chroniclers within the sanctuary, as reports from Tibbit's network detailed the early years of the new King's reign. "He seeks to rule through reason and law, while many of his lords, and indeed some of his own legitimized kin, understand only the language of steel and fire. His Dornish queen and counselors alienate the traditionalists. The seeds of rebellion, sown by his father, find fertile ground in this discontent."
The most prominent of Aegon IV's legitimized offspring was Daemon Waters, now Daemon Blackfyre, so named for the legendary Valyrian steel sword of Aegon the Conqueror, which the Unworthy King had bestowed upon him. Daemon was the mirror image of Daeron II in many ways: a charismatic warrior of striking Valyrian beauty, skilled in all martial pursuits, embodying the heroic ideal that many felt Daeron lacked. He became a magnet for disaffected lords, for those who resented Daeron's Dornish ties, for warriors who yearned for glory, and for those who simply believed Daemon, with Blackfyre in hand, was the true heir of Aegon IV.
Aelyx watched the rise of Daemon Blackfyre with intense interest. "Here is the catalyst," he noted. "Aegon IV gave him a sword, a name, and a claim. His supporters will provide the ambition and the justification. This will not end peacefully."
Supporting Daemon with unwavering ferocity was his half-brother, Aegor Rivers, known as Bittersteel, a grim and formidable warrior who nursed a deep personal animosity towards another of their Great Bastard half-siblings, Brynden Rivers, or Bloodraven. Bloodraven, an albino with a sinister reputation, a sorcerer in his own right, and a master of spies, remained fiercely loyal to King Daeron II, his network of informants a shadowy bulwark for the Iron Throne.
Aelyx instructed his own intelligence apparatus, including the more subtly placed Emissaries – Volmark descendants now several generations removed, seamlessly integrated into minor scholarly or mercantile positions in the south – to focus intently on these key figures. He was particularly interested in Bloodraven. "Another wielder of true magic, albeit of a different, perhaps cruder, form than our own," Aelyx mused to Lyanna and his elder children. "He practices greensight, it is said, and commands whispers from the shadows. He could be a dangerous impediment to any… external influence, and a valuable study in how magic is perceived and employed in this increasingly mundane world."
For twelve years, the realm simmered. Daeron II ruled justly, promoting learning, trade, and closer ties with Dorne. But the whispers grew louder. Daemon Blackfyre married Rohanne of Tyrosh, fathered twin sons whom he named Aegon and Aemon, and gathered a court of his own, his black dragon banner a defiant counterpoint to the red dragon of House Targaryen. The final spark came in 196 AC. Urged on by Bittersteel and a cabal of ambitious lords, Daemon Blackfyre laid claim to the Iron Throne. The First Blackfyre Rebellion had begun.
Publicly, Lord Aelyx Volmark III (great-grandson of the previous public Lord Valerion, now a mature and respected Northern figure) declared Skagos's unyielding support for his liege, Lord Brandon Stark of Winterfell. The North, remembering its oaths and valuing Daeron II's peaceful and just reign (which had largely left them to their own devices, a state the North always preferred), stood firmly behind the Iron Throne. Lord Volmark pledged substantial Skagosi resources – gold from the "Heir's Hoard" to fund Winterfell's war chest, ships to secure Northern waters against any opportunistic piracy, and supplies for any Northern levies Lord Stark might choose to send south. However, Aelyx, through his descendant, subtly counseled Lord Stark against committing large numbers of Northern troops to the southern slaughter unless absolutely necessary. The North's strength was best preserved, he argued, for its own defense and prosperity.
Within the sanctuary of Mount Skatus, Aelyx's true focus was on observation and strategic exploitation. The Blackfyre Rebellion was another tragic act in the ongoing saga of Targaryen self-destruction, but it also presented unique opportunities.
"While the dragons of the Red and Black Krah Graz (Graz, a unique Volmark term for 'faction' or 'side', a blend of Valyrian and their own hidden tongue) devour each other," Aelyx instructed his agents, "their attention will be absolute. Vaults may be left unguarded, libraries less diligently watched, fleeing lords may carry treasures they hope to sell for passage or sustenance. Be our eyes, our ears, and where possible without risk, our discreetly acquiring hands. Knowledge, artifacts, even unique bloodlines if skilled artisans or scholars are displaced and seek refuge – all can be of value to Skagos."
The war raged across the southern kingdoms. Great houses chose sides. Battles were fought at Lannisport, in the Westerlands, and across the Reach. Aelyx received detailed reports on Daemon Blackfyre's charisma and martial prowess, how he inspired fierce loyalty, and how Bittersteel's brutal efficiency forged their armies. He also noted the steadfastness of Daeron II's loyalists, particularly Prince Baelor Breakspear, the King's valiant son and heir, and the grim, effective measures employed by Bloodraven to counter Blackfyre plots and track their forces.
The rebellion reached its bloody climax on a vast, grassy plain that would forever be known as the Redgrass Field. It was a brutal, day-long struggle, where tens of thousands clashed. Daemon Blackfyre, wielding the Valyrian steel sword of kings, fought like the Warrior himself, cutting down scores of loyalist knights. His twin sons, Aegon and Aemon, fought bravely at his side. But the tide turned with the arrival of Bloodraven and his company of archers, the Raven's Teeth. From a commanding position on Weeping Ridge, Bloodraven, his single weirwood-hued eye glinting, unleashed volley after volley of arrows upon Daemon Blackfyre and his sons. Daemon fell, pierced by seven shafts. His sons died with him.
"So ends the first Black Dragon," Aelyx commented, as the news, confirmed by both Lyra's greensight and Tibbit's swiftest messengers, reached him. "A charismatic fool, ultimately. He possessed the warrior's heart but lacked the true king's cunning or patience. He allowed himself to become a figurehead for others' ambitions, and paid the ultimate price. Bloodraven, however… he is a more dangerous, more enduring player. A sorcerer who embraces the dirtiest aspects of statecraft. He understands true power."
With Daemon's death, the Blackfyre host shattered. Bittersteel, his face a mask of fury and grief, rallied what remnants he could and fought a desperate rearguard action, managing to escape with Daemon's surviving sons to the Free Cities of Essos. There, Aelyx knew, he would found the Golden Company, a sellsword band dedicated to restoring the Blackfyre line, ensuring that this rebellion was but the first chapter in a long and bitter feud.
King Daeron II, though victorious, had paid a terrible price. His own son, Prince Baelor Breakspear, though a hero of the Redgrass Field, had died from a wound taken in the battle, struck down accidentally by his own Dornish allies in the confusion. The realm was scarred, its nobility decimated, its treasury depleted.
For Aelyx, the First Blackfyre Rebellion was a profound confirmation of his long-held strategies.
The Targaryen dynasty, even without numerous dragons, remained its own worst enemy, prone to devastating internal conflicts over succession.
Charisma and martial prowess alone were insufficient for lasting rule; cunning, patience, and a deep understanding of power in all its forms were essential.
Magic, even the subtle, shadowy arts employed by Bloodraven, could be a decisive factor in mortal conflicts. This reinforced Aelyx's commitment to advancing Skagos's own arcane knowledge far beyond anything currently known in Westeros.
While public Skagos, under Lord Aelyx Volmark II, sent further aid to King Daeron II for the "reconstruction of the realm" and celebrated the "restoration of peace and rightful rule," the sanctuary continued its silent work. The intelligence gathered during the rebellion was immense. Aelyx's Emissaries in the south had provided unparalleled insights into the workings of both Targaryen and Blackfyre factions, the strengths and weaknesses of various noble houses, and the shifting political currents. Several priceless, long-lost Valyrian texts on bloodlines and dynastic history, "liberated" by house-elf agents from the library of a fallen Blackfyre sympathizer, now graced the shelves of Mount Skatus. A handful of exceptionally skilled artisans – weavers, metalsmiths, even a renowned shipwright from a port ravaged by the fighting – had been discreetly "offered refuge" on Skagos, their talents now contributing to the hidden kingdom's advancement, their memories of their journey artfully clouded.
The most significant "acquisition," however, was less tangible but far more valuable in Aelyx's eyes: a deep, comprehensive understanding of the nascent Blackfyre threat and its potential to destabilize the Targaryen regime for generations to come. He knew Bittersteel would not rest. He knew the surviving sons of Daemon Blackfyre would be raised on tales of vengeance and lost glory. The Blackfyre Pretenders would become a recurring nightmare for the Iron Throne.
"They have merely cauterized a wound that will continue to fester," Aelyx predicted to his immortal family. "The dragon's blood is tainted by ambition and kinslaying. This peace under Daeron the Good, however just his rule, will be uneasy. The shadow of the Black Dragon will loom for decades."
He tasked Lyra and Daenys to focus a portion of their greensight on the Free Cities, to track the movements of Bittersteel and the young Blackfyre exiles. He ordered Aenar to study the construction and properties of Valyrian steel swords like Blackfyre, contemplating whether Skagos, with its advanced alchemy and fire magic (including dragonfire from its own vast herds), could replicate or even surpass such legendary blades for its own elite warriors.
The First Blackfyre Rebellion had ended, but for Aelyx Velaryon, it was merely another bloody chapter in the long, slow decline of a rival Valyrian house. His own dynasty, hidden, patient, and ever-growing in strength, continued its inexorable ascent. The world outside might be consumed by the fleeting passions and self-destructive wars of mortal men, but within the sanctuary of Mount Skatus, the eternal flame of true Valyrian power, tended by an immortal will, burned ever brighter, awaiting a future known only to the Shadow King and the mists of time. The game was far from over; indeed, for Aelyx, it was perpetually just beginning.