Prologue
During the reign of King Jaehaerys I, two of his three grandchildren were already wed. Princess Rhaenys Targaryen had married Lord Corlys Velaryon, and Prince Viserys Targaryen had taken Lady Aemma Arryn to wife. Only the youngest, Prince Daemon Targaryen, remained unwed.
Queen Alysanne insisted he marry Lady Rhea Royce of Runestone. But Daemon had struck a bargain with his grandmother: he would be allowed to choose his own bride, and only if he failed would he accept Rhea. Amused, the Queen agreed and summoned maidens from every corner of the Seven Kingdoms to King’s Landing, giving Daemon the chance to make his choice.
Daemon met each young lady in turn. Lady Layla Tyrell was kind and quick to laugh, but her fear of dragons made a match impossible. Lady Marie Mormont of Bear Island intrigued him more—Northern women were unlike their southern counterparts: tougher, sharper, and unafraid to speak plainly.
Then came Lady Alissandra Lannister. Within minutes, Daemon wished to leap from the nearest tower. Arrogant and self‑absorbed, she spoke only of Lannister wealth and boasted that her father would build a dragonpit for his “red long‑necked beast.” Insulted, Daemon abandoned her in the gardens without a word. After his dealings with Otto Hightower, he had little patience left for any Lannister.
Later, Daemon met Princess Adeline Martell of Dorne. A true beauty, warm and poised. They got along well, but no spark ignited between them. Still, they parted as friends, and Adeline assured him that he and his “beautiful dragon” would always be welcome in Dorne.
At Queen Alysanne’s request, he met Lady Rhea Royce next. Their temperaments clashed immediately. The King then encouraged Daemon to walk with his Hand’s daughter, Alicent Hightower. Though Daemon bore no ill will toward Alicent herself—gentle, shy, and only a few years younger than he—his hatred for her father made the match unthinkable. Alicent, for her part, seemed equally uninterested.
It was during his walk with Alicent that fate intervened. They crossed paths with Lyra Stark, heir to Winterfell. She caught Daemon’s eye at once. Lyra’s long, wavy dark hair was braided in the Northern style, her pale skin stark against the greys of her dress and fur cloak. Her grey eyes held intelligence, kindness, and a spark of mischief. She stood a head shorter than Daemon, yet carried herself with quiet strength.
Alicent offered Daemon a gentle smile, curtseyed, and slipped away—leaving him and Lyra alone.
Daemon and Lyra took to each other immediately. He introduced her to Caraxes, who accepted her without hesitation, much to Daemon’s delight. When he asked for her hand, Lyra teased him before giving her answer. Together, they approached the King and Queen. Jaehaerys approved with a smile, and Queen Alysanne clapped her hands in excitement, already planning the wedding.
Lyra requested a Valyrian ceremony to honour House Targaryen, and the royal couple agreed. Daemon and Lyra also expressed their wish to delay having children, wanting time to know one another and to help Daemon adjust to life in the North. Though disappointed, the King and Queen respected their decision.
Soon after, Daemon and Lyra returned to King’s Landing—not for celebration, but to mourn the passing of Queen Alysanne.
