The King of Knights, Chapter 2: The Swords and the Spears

Immediately upon leaving King’s Landing, Daemon and his company were faced with a choice. Where should they go now?

Aegor Bittersteel offered the hospitality of his kin in Stone Hedge in the Riverlands but Quentyn Fireball suggested that they go instead to the Reach as they had far more friends there that would gladly house them and the kingdom was much more enraged by Daeron II’s actions than the Riverlands. Quentyn knew his fellow Reachmen well and knew they’d be as infuriated as he about the ludicrous concessions the Dornish had acquired.

Daemon agreed ultimately and it was thus decided that they would go to the Reach. They went first to the seat of House Ball where Fireball’s kin welcomed them gladly before they were invited by Daemon’s close friend, Lord Gormon Peake, to reside in one of his three castles. Whitegrove.

The two had met at a tourney and the younger lord who had recently come into his inheritance admired Daemon greatly and japed, ‘I have three castles. It would be no trouble to part with one for a time’.

Daemon accepted his friend’s generous offer graciously and settled his household and family in the castle of Whitegrove, though an uneasy feeling began hovering over all of them as they were neither the lords nor even the stewards of the castle, making their status a strange kind of limbo. Furthermore, though Gormon had asked for nothing in exchange, Daemon disliked being in anyone’s debt, feeling it was improper for a knight to simply idle and laze instead of paying what he owed.

In order to repay his debt to his friend, Daemon instead aimed to put down an endemic bandit problem which had been plaguing the lands of House Peake in the Dornish Marches, as well as many of their neighbors, for several years now.

Gormon of course, being a capable knight on his own and lord of the lands in question to boot, refused to let Daemon go alone and mustered his whole household of knights to join him in his mission. Daemon, Bittersteel, Fireball, and Gormon were the foremost knights in this joint company but far from the only ones, and together they hunted down several of the bandits across the Marches, even entering into the Stormlands at one point with permission and eventually collaboration with the Stormlords to put down the bandits.

They eventually discovered that many of the so-called bandits were in truth Dornish which came as little surprise to the Marchers who had long dealt with their ilk. Most of them originated in the lands of Houses Blackmont, Manwoody, and Wyl, and while they could never prove that those Dornish lords had officially condoned and supported these raids, the timing was particularly damning.

While raids from Dorne had been occurring with sporadic flareups for many years, it being discovered that Dornishmen were raiding the Marches even as King Daeron II gave up humiliating concessions to bring Dorne into the realm infuriated many.

After all, one of the key justifications for the deal was that it would ‘extend the King’s Peace to Dorne’ and finally calm the ever conflict-stricken Marches. The Dornish looked to be acting in bad faith for still raiding even after the agreement was made or even earlier while negotiations had been ongoing and furthermore in breach of the peace treaty Baelor had made with them, unpopular as it had been in the realm at the time.

The agreement Daeron II had made had already angered most in the realm, but this incident made it truly personal for those in the Reach and the Stormlands. It also made Daemon Blackfyre a household name in both kingdoms. No longer was he just a distant though capable princeling and knight, but a local hero who had defied the unpopular king to expose the Dornish perfidy. One who had fought and bled alongside their own men to see justice done.

The singers began making exaggerated tales of Daemon’s defiance of Daeron to marry Daenerys and elaborated greatly on his feats in tourneys or the field of battle against Dornish raiders. Some had even begun creating whimsical ballads of him as a fearsome warrior and heroic knight like Serwyn of the Mirror Shield of old and they became exceedingly popular among lowborn and high alike.

Outside of the songs, the nobility of the Reach and the Stormlands moved quickly. Over the course of the year 188 AC, Daemon and his company would spend little time in Whitegrove itself, for they were constantly on the move almost like a royal progress of old, visiting castles great and small alike across all the Reach and Stormlands, and even going as far as Crakehall and Silverhill in the Westerlands on one occasion.

Everywhere they went, they were hosted in the homes and seats of friends and allies and many lords who had previously not cared for them now extended them invites to feasts or tourneys, wishing to befriend them, out of spite for Daeron II if nothing else. Many also now saw the sheer potential and value in having such a capable warrior prince as an ally, especially with their king literally in bed with their foes and thus failing to uphold his duties and protect them.

Daemon had proven himself against the Dornish raiders, and he took full advantage of the acclaim he had won for that. He took care to accept as many of the invites as he could, attending many feasts and competing in countless tourneys, of varying sizes. His reputation and stature as a knight only continued to grow as he either won or distinguished himself admirably in more and more jousts, melees, and even the occasional archery competition, testing his skills against both the ordinary and the extraordinary, measuring up against the greatest knights of the realm.

One particular habit of Daemon’s also began to stand out. In all the tourneys he competed in, while he always accepted the victor’s purse graciously, Daemon never ransomed the armor and horses of those he defeated at unjust rates. Indeed, many considered the ransoms he asked exceedingly generous and on occasion he would even return the forfeited property for free should their owner have financial difficulties.

This generosity and charity astounded many, especially as Daemon lacked lands and incomes of his own to support his household, and while he and his family were not paupers for they still held much of their previous royal allowances and had invested them wisely, they were by no means so wealthy as to have no concern at all for money and Daemon, instead of taking advantage of his rightfully earned spoils to help support himself and his family, had chosen the more difficult but more just and chivalrous path.

Daemon’s actions had ramifications just beyond his own repute. It started to inspire many to do the same. The ideals and oaths of knighthood started being taken more seriously, for men saw the paragon that was Daemon and wondered why not could they do the same? And on the occasion that Daemon was unhorsed or defeated, such was the respect for him that few would ask him for any ransom at all and most would instead give him their thanks for a hard fought and honorable match.

The growing renown and reputation Daemon accrued with all his actions, be they his legendary strength at arms, proven against Dornish bandits, or his chivalrous conduct and charitable generosity, won him many new friends and much acclaim in ways that went far deeper than mere alliances of convenience.

The foremost among these new friends was Leo Tyrell, the Lord Paramount of the Mander and Lord of Highgarden himself, known as ‘Longthorn’ for his fearsome skill as a knight, particularly with the lance be it for war or jousting.

Longthorn had not previously thought much of Blackfyre and according to his confidant Septon Luceon who ran the Highgarden castle sept, this was due to his dislike of Daemon’s association with Gormon Peake and some of his other vassals whom he viewed as grasping and envious of House Tyrell’s status as rulers of the Reach. The perception of House Tyrell as upstart stewards was the source of great insecurity in every Lord Tyrell since the Conquest after all and it was well known that many of their vassals with greater pedigrees chafed under their rule.

Nonetheless, despite this initial mistrust and wariness, Longthorn sought to befriend Daemon. As Septon Luceon recounts, this began as pure spite for Daeron II and hatred for the Dornish.

Lord Tyrell’s grudge against Dorne ran deep. His father Lyonel had died in the service of Daeron I as a governor in Dorne almost thirty years prior, when Leo had been only a babe himself. He had never known his father because he had been treacherously murdered in a breach of guest right by a Dornishman whom he had called friend, Lord Qorgyle, who had faked his support and friendship in putting down the rebels to earn Lyonel’s trust before betraying and murdering him.

And now Daeron II had bent over backwards completely to the Dornish. Longthorn had already been displeased by the original deal but the amended agreement almost had him forswearing his fealty in disgust the moment he heard about it. With a Dornish Small Council, Hand, and all their other concessions, he might as well be ruled by Dorne instead of Daeron II now.

Longthorn and many others started whispering to each other that Daeron II was being fucked by his wife with queer contraptions instead of the other way around. ‘What else could explain how much he had bent over to Dorne’, they half japed and half lamented at the state of the realm.

His displeasure with Daeron II and the Dornish was so great that he put aside his wariness to invite Daemon Blackfyre to a tourney and feast at Highgarden in order to meet the man in person, after hearing of his deeds fighting against the Dornish.

Septon Luceon recounts what followed next, out of sheer amazement. Daemon Blackfyre’s sheer charm and charisma instantly put Lord Leo at ease with him and made him more amenable to him, for all that he had come to Highgarden in the company of Gormon Peake. However, what truly earned Blackfyre Longthorn’s respect was what happened in the joust of the tourney.

As was his wont, Daemon had made it to the final match and he was put up against Longthorn’s own younger brother Loras (Longthorn himself did not compete as it would be improper to as the host). When a malfunction occurred in Loras’ saddle after they had broken their third lances against each other, one that would have given Daemon an easy way to unhorse him in the next tilt, rather than continue the match as was his right (for voluntarily dismounting one’s horse was seen as a forfeit), Daemon instead demanded that Loras be allowed to change his saddle.

He declared to the impressed crowd that honor demanded he allow his opponent joust him without such a regrettable disadvantage and stated he would not accept it cheapening their tilts, whether they should end in his loss nor victory. This was a tourney after all, not war, and it would be neither honorable nor sporting to exploit such a mishap for personal gain when the purpose of the competition was to test one’s skill. It went unspoken, but many were even more impressed considering that the reward Longthorn had offered to the victor of the joust was unprecedentedly high.

In the end, Loras’ saddle was changed without it being considered a forfeit, and he would break two more lances against Daemon before being unhorsed and yielding graciously. The victorious Daemon then accepted the victor’s purse and crowned his wife Daenerys Queen of Love and Beauty, having won the tourney through pure skill and chivalry, not an exploitation of the rules nor a technicality, something which endeared him to many and further reinforced his reputation.

That night, Daemon was hosted at the closing feast as the guest of honor and had many a conversation with the lords of the Reach at the high table, including Longthorn. His genial charm made all think highly of him, for it was just the right amount of respect and deference to look sincere without appearing like flattery or costing Daemon his own pride and dignity as a prince.

Furthermore, Daemon’s wit and wisdom astounded many, old friends and new acquaintances alike. He was well-spoken, and his astute observations about the state of the realm made many see him as more than just a legendary knight or capable princeling. They began to see him as a king that would be worth following, one that would be like Jaehaerys come again. As capable with a sword as he was a pen, a fearsome warrior and wise ruler both.

By the time Daemon Blackfyre left Highgarden, Septon Luceon recounts that Longthorn’s opinion of him had changed completely. No longer was he wary of Daemon, he was now genuinely impressed and inspired by the way the young prince had carried and conducted himself. He had even offered the prince a fief as his bannerman so he could support his family but Prince Daemon had politely turned him down, implying that his goals required him to not be tied down in such a way.

While this has been used by some to criticize that even then in 188 AC, Daemon had aspired for the throne, it is not a guarantee. After all, as we will soon see, Prince Daemon indeed had ambitions not even related to kingship that required him to not be a bannerman of any lord, and instead remain above and impartial, retaining his status and dignity as a prince.

Nonetheless despite the rejection of his offer of land and presumable attempt to lure him away from Gormon Peake’s influence, Septon Luceon notes that Lord Leo was not at all offended. In fact, as later histories would testify, Daemon’s influence and charisma was so great that it even had Longthorn reconsidering his opinions on Gormon Peake.

Daemon had been a bridge between the two during his time in Highgarden and opened dialogue between them that had not previously been possible. This would bear fruit as the two lords would later form a mutual respect and willingness to work together, a friendly rivalry and perhaps even a true friendship, though a distant one. A relationship that would be a key centerpiece in what Daemon sought to build, though that did not become apparent for some time yet.

As 188 AC died, Daemon and his wife Daenerys welcomed their eldest children, twin sons, named Aegon and Aemon Targaryen. The birth of their children made the couple even more popular in the Reach than they had been before. The tales and songs of their, by now, famous defiance of Daeron II for the sake of love had spread far and wide and many men and women could not help but enjoy a love story coming to life before them.

The couple was the ideal image of a marriage and the romantic fantasy of many a lady (and whether they admitted to it or not, many a lord and knight as well). All agreed the pair were most suited to each other and one of the few ways the two, usually quite composed, could actually be flustered was whenever they were teased by friends and family after a particularly enthusiastic night together. And those nights were common indeed and often, despite their best efforts, could be heard quite easily.

It made for some particularly bawdy jokes but given that the two were married, it was hardly a scandal and indeed simply a source of amusement that helped to endear them to the people of the Reach even more.

That the two were so happy together genuinely pleased those around them, not only because the two were a joy to see and watch together, but because of what their marriage represented. A denial of the Dornish who had taken so much from them and wanted to sully their darling princess as well. In many ways, Daemon and Daenerys’ trueborn and purebred Targaryen children were seen as a representation of their discontent and uneasiness with Daeron II’s rule and many noted that Daemon having two trueborn and pure Targaryen-looking sons gave him heirs should he move for the throne.

Daemon and his wife and children stood out and contrasted with Daeron II’s Martell shrew of a wife and halfbreed Dornish brood in the eyes of many, especially with regard to Prince Baelor and his children (more on this below). Daemon and his family thus didn’t just act the part of a true royal family in the eyes of the Reachmen and others who met them, but they looked the part as well and when many were already calling into question the legitimacy of Daeron II and his line, that was half the battle won already.

King Daeron II however, for all the wisdom he lacked, was not utterly bereft of any sort of cunning. He was well aware of how much he had angered his subjects and as much as he could, he immediately began whittling down on Dornish influence in court to mollify and appease his subjects and slowly soothing his goodbrother’s anger, aiming to dismiss most of the Dornish Small Councilors as soon as he could without insulting them and restoring lords from other kingdoms to the council.

Daeron II also acted swiftly in regard to the marriages of his sons, moving even more desperately and carefully than he would have done previously. As a rather evident clue of Daeron’s near panic, all four of his sons were wed by 190 AC, and Baelor in particular was married exceedingly quickly in 188 AC itself as Daeron desperately tried to appease the Great Houses and perhaps feared that they’d move to overthrow him long before Daemon ever did.

Some surviving sources indicate that Daeron had originally planned to marry his sons off strategically to best calm the waters after his first deal with Dorne was negotiated and his approach was even more desperate and targeted now. Where previously Jena Dondarrion, Aelinor Penrose, Alys Arryn, and Dyanna Dayne were considered as the brides for his four sons respectively, now only Alys remained in place.

Jena was now betrothed to his youngest son Prince Maekar instead, and Prince Maekar, as the most martial of Daeron’s sons after his eldest, was also the intended ruler for the seat of Summerhall that Daeron was raising in the Dornish Marches as a symbol of the realm’s new unity with Dorne joining peacefully (though in light of the new unstable situation in the realm, previous plans for a pleasure palace were scrapped in favor of a traditionally built and fortified castle albeit one with a luxurious and palatial keep and interior).

Daeron was quite fortunate that his original intentions to wed Jena Dondarrion to his eldest son Baelor were not publicly known at the time or it was possible the offended Dondarrions would have refused even his fourth son. As it was, they were already outraged by his agreement with Dorne, Marchers as they were, and only accepted the marriage with Maekar due to the prestige of a royal match they simply couldn’t turn down.

Rhaegel, as planned, was wed to Alys Arryn, while Daeron’s eldest sons, Baelor and Aerys, closest to the throne, were married respectively to Robyn Baratheon and Meridia Lannister.

The two were actually first cousins as well, for Meridia’s mother Erena was the sister of Lord Corwen Baratheon (a famous knight known as ‘Stormbreaker’), both of whom were children of the late Lord Royce Baratheon, the posthumous son of Lord Borros Baratheon in the Dance. Meridia’s grandfather, Lord Loreon Lannister, was also an infant and orphaned child lord from the Dance, and her father, the late Ser Tyland (named for his grandfather’s twin brother), had married her mother Erena in 174 AC.

Quite rarely for a Lannister as a result, due to their Baratheon heritage, Meridia and her brother Damon the Grey Lion and their sisters Lynesse and Johanna had black hair though their eyes were a mix of blue and green. Robyn Baratheon of course had the true and full Baratheon look as well. These looks would soon become relevant.

The marriage of Daeron’s eldest sons to the two cousins thus bound all three houses in an alliance that was strong in theory, and it was Daeron’s hope that it would give him the allegiance of the Westerlands and the Stormlands along with Maekar’s marriage to a Dondarrion Marcher lady and Rhaegel marrying the daughter of Lord Arryn bringing the Vale.

Daeron however had overestimated the amount of influence and control the Great Houses had over their vassals. While he had now bound Lannister, Baratheon, Arryn, and Dondarrion to his side through his sons’ marriages, many of the vassal houses of the three kingdoms were much more mixed in their opinions. Most had little desire to become ‘Dornish lapdogs’ (due to Daeron II being perceived as their puppet) and many houses like Reyne, Crakehall, Penrose, Caron, Selmy, Swann, Royce, Corbray, and more began leaning to favor Daemon.

In many ways, some argue that Daeron II had cost himself so much legitimacy that those who now supported him only really did so for the sake of his exceedingly popular eldest son and heir, Prince Baelor. Though he was unfortunately named for the feeblest king Westeros ever had, Baelor was every inch a warrior unlike him or his own father and even came to earn himself the moniker of ‘Breakspear’ after defeating his new wife’s father, Corwen Stormbreaker, in the final joust at his wedding tourney, competing with his new goodfather over who got the right to crown Lady Robyn the Queen of Love and Beauty.

Many even argue that Baelor was truly a peer of his uncle, Daemon Blackfyre, not just in age but in skill as well. Baelor had unhorsed Daemon in tourneys they had both competed in before and always measured up well when they dueled with swords, though whenever Daemon had Blackfyre in hand he always won. Certainly, there is no doubt that Breakspear was one of the finest knights in the realm and even Daemon’s supporters acknowledged that, with some whispering that Aemon the Dragonknight’s blood had finally shown itself in Daeron’s sons Baelor and Maekar in some strange mix of slander and praise.

Much like his suspected grandfather, Baelor was also possessed of a great chivalry, one that matched Daemon’s. He was a true knight in every sense of the word, and lived up to his vows, going so far as to look out for and champion the weak and defenseless against the strong (though unlike his namesake he also took care to not offend the powerful when doing so, wise and mindful of his position as Prince of Dragonstone). The smallfolk loved him as much as they loved his namesake Baelor the Blessed and were torn between Breakspear and Blackfyre in equal measure.

Neither Daemon nor any of his supporters ever had anything truly bad to say about Baelor’s character either, unlike his father. Baelor was truly a genuinely good man and knight and one they respected greatly, his reputation was beyond reproach and his charity and generosity and friendliness was well known. Even Daemon himself could not help but like his nephew before family feuds drove a wedge between them. They were of age after all, and there was once a time in which they had been almost friends, training together in the yard whenever Baelor and his family visited the Red Keep from Dragonstone.

Tis a true shame indeed that Breakspear was in the situation that he was. In another world perhaps, he could have been a worthy king of Westeros had his mother been anyone else and his father not so spineless. In another world perhaps, one where Daena the Defiant had not been denied her rightful throne, Baelor might have grown up as Daemon’s closest friend and companion and the two would have ushered in a great era for Westeros as King and Hand respectively.

Alas, that is not the world that we live in and it was almost inevitable that Breakspear and Blackfyre would end up at odds. Nonetheless, despite him being opposed to him, Daemon never allowed any to gainsay Breakspear or impeach his character as he and all his supporters did his father. He had too much respect for Breakspear, one knight to another, to tolerate such talk. His respect was reciprocated too, for even in the worst of their clashes (most of which were over Bloodraven), Daemon and Baelor had never come to blows unlike their brothers and they had never developed any animosity or hatred towards each other.

The only true criticism that Daemon tolerated being spoken against Baelor in his presence, and in all the honestly the only one that any could really levy at him was that he, much like his father, was exceedingly favorable to Dorne. Expected in all honesty and justified even some might argue given who his mother was. He cannot be faulted for his filial allegiance to his Dornish kin any more than Daemon can be faulted his filial piety to his own father, Aegon the Unworthy, no matter how loathsome both were.

No matter if it was righteous or not however, the realm was extremely displeased and discontent with Daeron II’s favoring of the Dornish and Baelor looking like he would be continuing that did him no favors. The one mark on Breakspear’s honor, many would call it.

Baelor’s looks also acted against him here. While Daemon looked every inch a Targaryen, with some even comparing him to portraits of Aegon the Conqueror, and had a Targaryen wife and pureblood Targaryen sons, Baelor took after his mother the most out of him and his brothers. His skin was more olive than pale, and his hair was black and some even said he resembled his uncle Maron (who was particularly loathed after the ludicrous concessions he had forced upon King Daeron II).

Appearances matter more than most give them credit for, and when many put Daemon and Baelor together and ignored all other considerations, most deemed Daemon to look the part of a true Targaryen king far more than Baelor for all that both were arguably equally qualified in terms of character and wisdom.

Baelor’s wife having typical Baratheon looks did not help matters either. Both of their sons, Valarr (born 189) and Matarys (born 191), had completely black hair and this only reinforced the perception many had that the true Targaryen dynasty represented by Daemon and his family was being supplanted by Dornish puppets that looked nothing like their esteemed ancestors and would continue giving over the realm to a foreign power’s whims.

Few wish to be ruled by foreigners. That was the very justification the Dornish had cited for their continuous resistance of Targaryen rule and now it was being flipped back onto them by those they had long fought. For all that the Targaryens had conquered Westeros with dragons in Aegon I’s day, almost two hundred years of rule had cemented their image as Westerosi, as kings.

The true Targaryens in Daemon Blackfyre and his family did not appear to be foreigners but the same could not be said for Daeron II’s line, who for all of Breakspear’s sterling reputation, could not shake the image of looking like Dornish half-breed puppets.

Nonetheless, they tried their very best. Realizing that his sons were one of the last advantages he still had, Daeron did everything he could to uplift them and their reputations.

To strengthen Baelor’s renown as a great and chivalrous knight capable of rivalling Daemon, Daeron bestowed upon him in full view of the court, the Valyrian steel blade Dark Sister after his victory over Corwen Stormbreaker in his wedding tourney.

Dark Sister was the second of the two blades House Targaryen possessed and with Blackfyre in the possession of his half-brother, it was the best that Daeron could bestow upon his son Baelor. He hoped that it would further strengthen his reputation and appeal to match Daemon and it succeeded. While Dark Sister was not the sword of kings, it had been wielded by famed warriors like Daemon the Rogue Prince, Baelon the Brave, and Visenya herself. It did much and more to enhance Baelor’s reputation and further allowed him to match Daemon though it only accelerated the sidelining of Daeron II as king and leader of his own faction in favor of Breakspear.

The granting of Dark Sister to Baelor also displeased Daeron II’s favored bastard brother and unofficial Master of Whisperers (with the Dornishman holding the seat not yet dismissed), Brynden Bloodraven. According to Bloodraven’s private journal, he had been promised the blade by his brother and though he understood why it had to go to Baelor instead, he was still not happy about it. Despite this temporary rift however, Brynden’s hatred of Blackfyre and Bittersteel was great enough that he eventually got over it and accepted Daeron II’s actions as necessary to combat them.

Efforts to improve image were not restricted solely to Baelor. Daeron’s second son Aerys, bookish like himself was trained to frame and carry himself in public appearances as a wise and learned future Hand for his brother, like his great-grandfather Viserys II had been.

Viserys II had served as Hand to Aegon III, Daeron I, and Baelor I, and was often considered to have kept the realm in good shape while they brooded, warred, and prayed respectively. He was also not particularly known for being a good warrior though he had certainly been better than either Daeron II or Aerys. Nonetheless, by modelling Aerys after his grandfather, Daeron hoped that his son’s reputation would improve and he was at least partly successful in this.

However, his efforts would be hampered by rumors that he had had to force his son away from his beloved books under threat of burning them in order for him to finally consummate his marriage and sire children with his wife Meridia Lannister. Aerys’ temperament and preference for books over the beds of women was well known and the few who knew their histories well enough likened him to the Conciliator’s sullen Archmaester son, Vaegon.

Even with Daeron’s efforts to improve his image, the rumor was widely considered fact and it displeased the Lannisters though not enough to break the alliance after the couple’s children, the twins Naerys and Aenys were finally born in 192 AC. To Daeron’s relief, the children did not inherit their mother’s black hair but instead his and Aerys’ own silver hair though Aenys had green eyes instead of violet.

His third son Rhaegel’s children, the twins Aelor and Aelora (born 191), took a lot after their Arryn mother but still looked somewhat Targaryen enough, as even Queen Alysanne had had blue eyes and honey blond hair. Unfortunately, however, their father, for all that he looked the part of a Targaryen, was suspected by many to be rather… eccentric at best.

Rhaegel was most aptly described as meek, mad, and sickly. On the rare occasions that he was lucid and coherent enough to speak, he almost seemed to sit quietly and fade into the background even more than Aerys would despite being a prince. And then he would have his mad tendencies, stripping off all his clothes and dancing nakedly across the Red Keep or shouting nonsense and rambling randomly. Mischievous misbehavior for a child but a clear indicator something was not quite right for a grown man. Either that or an absolute failure of Daeron II and his wife Myriah Martell to raise Rhaegel properly.

To minimize the damage he was doing to the royal family’s already struggling reputation, Daeron kept Rhaegel from all public appearances and events as much as possible and he and the rest of the family would take turns in helping his gooddaughter Alys Arryn raise her children whenever Rhaegel was indisposed.

Daeron’s youngest son, Maekar, was as capable a warrior as his elder brother and had a powerful broad build that many likened to Corwyn Stormbreaker or even Maegor (though this they whispered). He was however rather prickly and impatient, a harsh man that was quick to judge and condemn. Unlike Baelor, he was not very charismatic and did not make friends and allies easily.

Nonetheless, after his brother Baelor, Daeron found it easiest to mold Maekar’s image and reputation as he needed and he set his fourth son up to be his eldest brother’s most trusted and mighty enforcer and general, a weapon that could be turned against all the foes of their family. ‘Mightmace’ as he came to be known through Daeron’s efforts for his terrifying skill with his fearsome spiked mace.

With the exception of his eldest son Daeron (born 191), Maekar’s children with Jena Dondarrion also all looked like true Targaryens, further strengthening Daeron II’s efforts to uplift his image. After Daeron, Maekar and Jena had Aerion (born 194) and Aemon who was born at the eve of the War of Restoration in 198 AC.

Overall, despite the poor chain of decisions that had led him to bend over to Dorne and yield so much to them, Daeron II was not blind to the anger he had caused in the realm and he took steps to ameliorate it as much as possible and uplift the image and reputation of his sons so that they could win back the realm’s loyalty in a way that he never could. His plans succeeded to an extent, but it also ensured that when war finally came, Daeron II’s ‘loyalists’ did not truly fight for him but rather for his sons, Baelor Breakspear and Maekar Mightmace.

Meanwhile, back in the Reach, Daemon continued travelling with his company and family on their unofficial progresses throughout 189 AC, visiting more castles and towns throughout the kingdom and foraying into the neighboring Stormlands, Westerlands, Riverlands, and Crownlands more and more, taking part in many more tourneys, hunts, balls, feasts, and other social events.

It seemed like almost everywhere Daemon went; he was welcomed with open arms and feasted. His reputation as a knight only continued to grow as he competed in more tourneys and worked with new friends and allies to hunt down more bandits and raiders in countless more engagements. Whenever Daemon heard of bandit troubles in the area he was traveling through, he could not help involving himself to put an end to the bandits, winning himself much acclaim through word of mouth and the tales spread by bards and nobles alike.

Daemon would also spend more time seeing to his household in Whitegrove. Now that he and his wife had two newborn sons to raise, they truly needed a home for some stability in their life and he wrote to Gormon Peake on many occasions expressing his gratitude for the gift of the castle as a temporary home. Many of these letters were preserved and one of them has been included below as reference:

“Dear Gormy,

The twins are growing faster than ever. They’ve already started crawling about the castle. I hope you don’t mind. Whitegrove is a lovely castle and your family is fortunate to count it as one of your own. I’m honored to be allowed to stay here as I am. I still can’t thank you enough for that gift you’ve given us. I will never forget it my friend, and I swear it shall be repaid one day.

Daenerys and I are well, as is my mother, Fireball, Aegor, Shiera, and all the others. We all miss you dearly and we shall be glad for your company when we see you again at the New Year’s Day Tourney. 

Your help and permission in planning that event has been invaluable Gormy. Everything is all in order now. It’s going to go perfectly I think, and once it does, we will have written history my friend. 

No, not just history. Something more than that. A legend that you and I and all the others will be part of. A tale that our descendants will never forget. Like Serwyn of the Mirror Shield, the heroes of the Kingsguard, or the Order of the Green Hand of old. What a legend it shall be!

Forgive me. I’ve been rambling. But I hope you can understand my excitement. It’s been a long time coming and the day is soon to be here at last.

I’ll see you soon. Until then, take care of yourself and your kin.

Sincerely,

Your Friend,

Daemon.”

This letter, along with all the others that Daemon had sent him (save for those suspected burnt due to containing sensitive content), were preserved by Lord Gormon in his private library at Starpike and were later surrendered to the King’s Citadel by Gormon’s grandson for historical record and catalogue.

Apart from giving insight into the strong friendship between King Daemon and Lord Gormon (so much so that the former affectionately called the latter with a nickname), it also reveals some clues about the planning leading up to a most famous tourney indeed, one that would, just as Daemon suggested to Gormon, alter the future of Westeros itself and give rise to a new legend.

The New Year’s Day Tourney, was, as the name suggested, set on New Year’s Day. The very first day of 190 AC, the anniversary of the Conquest itself. Always one with an eye for symbolism and imagery, Daemon had intentionally chosen that date for what it represented. A new decade, a new start for Westeros, a new beginning. Many of his friends and closest allies were aware of his intentions, but for those that were not, the event would be a powerful and shocking announcement indeed.

Though Gormon had helped to fund the tourney as it was held at his castle, the event was hosted by and paid for primarily by Daemon, tapping deep into the funds he had in order to do it. An incredible risk, even with the business investments he had made, but one he had to take for his goals to succeed.

The splendor of the decorations and generous prizes for the tourney made it clear that no expense had been spared and that fact that it was being hosted by none other than Daemon Blackfyre himself attracted many of the greatest knights of the realm to attend and compete. Exactly as Daemon had hoped.

In attendance came all of Daemon’s friends and allies, and many neutral lords and knights whom Daemon hoped to sway to his vision.

Among these as of yet unaffiliated guests were the Corbrays from the Vale and Ser Gwayne ‘the Greatheart’ Corbray who wielded the family’s sword of Lady Forlorn and had hoped to join the Kingsguard before he learned that Daeron had promised the next opening to a Dornishman. A grievance he shared with Fireball.

Also in attendance were Daemon’s kin by his aunt Elaena. Princess Elaena’s second husband, Lord Ronnel Penrose had served as the Master of Coin on Daeron II’s Small Council though many agreed that Elaena had actually been the one performing the duties. After the unceremonious dismissal of her and her husband from their post to placate Dorne, Elaena had started reconciling with her sister Daena whom she had once idolized and her attending her nephew’s tourney was seen by many as a public declaration that her allegiance had permanently shifted.

With Elaena came not just her children with her husband Ronnel, Robin, Laena, Jocelyn, and Joy, but also her previous children, her son, Lord Viserys Plumm with her first husband (posthumously supposedly as most suspected the true father was Aegon IV), and her bastards with Alyn Oakenfist, Jon and Jeyne Waters. Elaena and her children did not just have strong political connections, they were kin and could be trusted like few others could be. Furthermore, Jon Waters, was a capable knight, one whom Daemon had actually already befriended and encouraged to take on the new name ‘Seafyre to escape the taint of bastardry.

The most controversial attendees by far however were Houses Dayne and Yronwood from Dorne. With so much Anti-Dornish sentiment, many did not wish to see them there but Daemon had personally invited the Yronwoods knowing that they had their own grievances with the Martells and were honorable for Dornishmen. And with the recent marriage of the Yronwood heir, Yorick, to Lady Dyanna Dayne, the Daynes were brought in as well. With them came Dyanna’s brother, Ser Ulrick Dayne, the Sword of the Morning and a knight respected all across the land despite his Dornish origins.

Daemon spoke up on behalf of the Yronwoods and Daynes when others questioned their presence and they would not forget it.

He made it clear that he would not proceed until they relented with their complaints, speaking with the authority of a prince before his words were accepted and his expression changed instantly into a welcoming smile. He made merry and led a hunt and ball before the great tourney itself began on New Year’s Day, 190 AC.

With so many of the greatest knights of the realm in one place, the spectacle of the competition was riveting.

Black Byren Flowers and Aubrey Ambrose were neck and neck in the archery competition, their friendly rivalry so fierce and their skill so great they were splitting each other’s arrows down the bullseye. Roderick ‘Redtusk’ Crakehall, Quentyn Fireball, Aegor Bittersteel, and Gormon Peake battled it out in the melee’s final round until Redtusk finally emerged the victor. And the ever-prestigious joust saw the likes of Longthorn and Lord Robb Reyne tilt against legends like Gareth ‘the Grey’ Swann until Ser Ulrick Dayne, the Sword of the Morning finally emerged victorious.

Though Daemon had spoken on Ulrick and his fellow Dornishmen’s behalf earlier, one of them winning the joust and the victor’s purse was still displeasing to many. Ser Ulrick Dayne however was aware of this, and wishing not to cause any trouble, he unprecedentedly challenged Daemon, the host of the tourney, to a friendly joust. Saying that it was a shame indeed that a knight as fine as Daemon had been unable to compete thus far.

Knowing what Ulrick had in mind, Daemon graciously accepted, sending for his horse and armor. The two faced off against each other then, Daemon in his ornate black and red armor and famed dragon-wing helm, Blackfyre on his hip, and a lance in his hand. His opponent was arrayed in silver and purple armor, enameled with stars, and the famous Dawn was in his scabbard.

All looked on in eagerness, sure that they were about see a spectacle the likes of which had not been seen in decades. They were not disappointed. Ulrick and Daemon tilted against each other over and over again, breaking twenty-five lances before Ulrick was finally unhorsed.

An almost palpable sigh of disappointment filled the grounds then, for many had hoped in vain that the Ulrick and Daemon might beat the thirty broken lances record set by Ser Clement Crabb and Ser Ryam Redwyne of the Kingsguard during the tourney celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of King Jaehaerys’ reign.

Neither Ulrick nor Daemon were satisfied, however. Their blood was up, their thrill evident in how they moved. Both could not be gladder to face a worthy opponent and fellow knight of great esteem. Daemon dismounted from his horse and unsheathed Blackfyre while Ulrick Dayne rose to his feet and drew Dawn in a single fluid motion.

The crowd went wild, screaming in excitement as the two knights circled each other, feeling each other out before they clashed, blade against blade. Blackfyre met Dawn in a song of steel.

If the failure to break the jousting record had disappointed the spectators, this duel more than made up for it. Many looked upon it in awe and said later that they had never before seen such incredible feats of swordsmanship and this too after a long day where all the greatest knights of the realm had clashed and competed. Ulrick and Daemon moved so fast and fluidly that the audience struggled to follow their duel with their eyes, only keeping track of their movements thanks to the pale milkglass of one blade contrasting against the smokey dark of the other.

The climax of the duel came at last after ten minutes of furious sword strokes when Daemon took a gamble and threw his shield at his opponent, who batted it aside easily with his greatsword but the distraction gave Daemon time to come in close with his longsword and disarm him.

All was quiet in Whitegrove then. None could believe their own eyes as they processed the duel that had just ended.

Ser Ulrick sank to his feet and took off his helm.

“I yield Prince Daemon!” he said. “You have bested me and proven that you are the greatest knight present here.”

Daemon disagreed as he took off his own helm. “I was still fresh good Ser. You on the other hand faced me only after you had defeated all the other skilled knights in whose fine company I shall not dare be so arrogant as to proclaim myself greatest. I would not rob you of your victory, nor will I ransom your horse and armor. The true victor of this tourney remains you Ser Ulrick. Our match cannot count.”

“Yet I think all would agree it was the most thrilling display. And as the victor, it is my choice on what shall be done with the winnings is it not? I choose to return them to you.”

Daemon smiled then. “Very well then Ser. But I shall accept only half. I must insist you take the rest.”

The crowd cheered like never before as the two grasped arms and Daemon pulled Ser Ulrick to his feet.

The feast that night was jubilant and uproarious. All complaints about Ulrick Dayne and the other Dornishmen’s origins were seemingly forgotten in light of the incredible display of chivalric skill and etiquette they had witnessed and Marcher lords and knights drank and toasted to Ser Ulrick Dayne and his kin in House Dayne and Yronwood like they were the oldest of friends.

Daemon himself danced with his wife all throughout the night, making many a lady swoon at the romantic sight. It was the finest of feasts and the best of balls.

Finally, the moment came at last. Daemon finished his last dance with his wife and called the room’s attention to him. All the chivalry of the south and their lady loves watched with rapt attention as he brought all eyes to a red cloth that had hidden something round and mysterious in the middle of the great hall throughout the whole of dinner, with strict instructions to all guests not to disturb it.

With a great, solid pull, Daemon removed the red cloth and unveiled a round table beneath, carved from the finest ironwood and polished to perfection until the black wood almost seemed to gleam.

Daemon went on to explain then, that in his travels around the realm the past two years, he had realized something. The institution of knighthood was failing.

These were bold words that seemed to offend everyone in the room and send them into an uproar for what greater insult could there be to such an audience? Yet they were all halted in their tracks when Daemon spoke again, elaborating on all the crimes he had seen as he had traveled, how many false knights he had encountered, how the realm and its people suffered from bandits and Dornish raiders and all kinds of other wrongdoers.

Those were their failings, Daemon proclaimed. For as knights had they not vowed to shield the weak and innocent? Had they not sworn to protect their realm and people? Why then did they allow evil to thrive? How did they allow oathbreakers to sully the tenets of knighthood and the ideals of chivalry?

No longer would they stand by and watch he declared. He called upon each and every one of them in that moment, the greatest knights in the realm, to join him and lend him their swords and purses for a great quest in which they would rid Westeros of all the false knights, bandits, raiders, and criminals and usher in a new era of peace, prosperity, and chivalry.

Daemon spoke with an eloquence that roused the hearts of all who heard his words and set their hearts ablaze with an idealistic passion most had not felt in many long years. They remembered how they had once genuinely believed in the ideals of knighthood and how age and cynicism had torn that away but it was reignited now. As one, they all drew their swords and raised them high, declaring their heartfelt agreement with Daemon’s words and their intention to join him on his quest.

Many of the finest knights of the realm gathered on that day to Daemon Blackfyre’s side, a roll of heroes the likes of which might never be seen again. Yorick Yronwood, Desmond Tarly, Jon Seafyre, Martyn Mallister, Edric Templeton, Eustace Osgrey, and so many hundreds more. Daemon’s younger cousins, Viserys Plumm and Robin Penrose joined the company as well, first as Daemon’s squires and later as knights in their own right.

The name this noble company of knights declared for themselves that night was the Black Swords. In honor of their leader, Daemon the Black Prince and his famed weapon, and as a subtle statement of defiance and opposition to Daeron II and his Kingsguard, the White Swords.

The eleven greatest of these Black Swords would sit and hold council at that very table with Daemon Blackfyre himself as their leader and first among equals. They were to be a band of brothers in Daemon’s words. One which sat and took counsel with each other at a round table, so that all of their voices could be heard equally without feudal hierarchies of prince, lord, and vassal getting in the way and keeping them from achieving greatness together.

The twelve knights who sat at this ironwood table would soon become known across all the land from the Wall to the Summer Sea as the Knights of the Round Table, Commanders of the Black Swords. And never before had such a roster of knights been assembled that even the Kingsguard in White Sword Tower knew that they had met their match when they heard what esteemed names would take a numbered seat at the highest and most equal of tables.

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The Knights of the Round Table in 190 AC:

The Knight of One, Prince Daemon Targaryen, Blackfyre

The Knight of Two, Ser Aegor Rivers, Bittersteel

The Knight of Three, Ser Quentyn Ball, Fireball

The Knight of Four, Lord Leo Tyrell, Longthorn

The Knight of Five, Lord Gormon Peake

The Knight of Six, Ser Gareth Swann, the Grey

The Knight of Seven, Lord Robb Reyne

The Knight of Eight, Lord Roderick Crakehall, Redtusk

The Knight of Nine, Ser Byren Flowers, Black Byren Fowers

The Knight of Ten, Ser Aubrey Ambrose

The Knight of Eleven, Ser Gwayne Cobray, the Greatheart

The Knight of Twelve, Ser Ulrick Dayne, the Sword of the Morning

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When word came to Daeron II in King’s Landing, he acted immediately, issuing a decree that forbade Daemon, as a member of his house, from formally chartering the Order of the Black Sword as a true knightly brotherhood. He knew that Daemon would not allow anyone else to formally create and charter the order, like Longthorn and some others had authority to do, as that would not put him at its head as he so clearly desired.

All however saw this ploy for what it was and Daeron’s jealousy and envy of Daemon had never been clearer. Formal charter or not, the Black Swords declared, they would conduct themselves as if they were a true knightly order and Daemon would be their leader and grandmaster no matter what.

As a badge of membership and a symbol of their allegiance, each of the Black Swords would begin wielding a castle-forged steel sword tinted in black, and even those with a renowned Valyrian steel weapon or Dawn would carry a spare sword of this color in a show of brotherhood and unity.

Meanwhile, the White Swords, the seven Kingsguard, redoubled their training efforts like never before, intent on ensuring that their status as the premier knights of the realm could not be challenged by the new Round Table. And Daeron’s seven at the time were legendary indeed. Lord Commander Damon Darry, known as the Demon of Darry, led Ser Willem Wylde, Ser Jeffory ‘Neveryield’ Norcross, Ser Michael ‘the White Owl’ Mertyns, Ser Alyn ‘the Pale Griffin’ Connington, Ser Robert Flowers (Red Robert Flowers), and Ser Roland Crakehall, the cousin of Roderick Redtusk.

In addition to the Kingsguard, many other great knights like Prince Baelor Breakspear, Prince Maekar Mightmace, Ser Brynden ‘Bloodraven’ Rivers, Lord Corwen ‘Stormbreaker’ Baratheon and his son Ser Olyver Baratheon, Lord Donnel Arryn, Lord Damon ‘the Grey Lion’ Lannister, Ser Donnel of Duskendale, and Ser Florian Fowler still stood at Daeron II’s side. The latter two were being eyed for the Kingsguard themselves and all concurred Ser Florian Fowler was the Dornishman that would take the next open spot in the King’s seven, as had been begrudgingly agreed with Prince Maron.

The rifts which had already begun forming widened as the realm divided in two like it had not since the Dance of the Dragons. There were no more Blacks and Greens, and no more dragons. The war all knew was coming would not be won with dragons but with the sword and the spear, and so that was what men called themselves.

The Swords rallied around Daemon Blackfyre, while the Spears coalesced around Baelor Breakspear, a faction name taken in honor of their own de facto leader while their foes attributed it to their Dornish sympathies. Two rival factions led by two capable princes and chivalrous knights, each seen even by some of their foes as worthy of being king, but at the end of the day there was only one crown and only one could rise.

The lines had been drawn, the board had been set, and the game of thrones would now begin.

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Author’s Note: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, the perspective showing the plans and movements of Daeron II and his sons, and the leadup culminating in the formation of the Black Swords and the Round Table! Greatness and adventure await! The King of Knights and his company of heroes arise! Lmk your thoughts in the comments below or over on Discord!

If you missed the reveal in the chapter, the Blackfyre Rebellion/War of Restoration is still eight years away. Definitely stay tuned to see what the Knights of the Round and the Black Swords get up to in the meantime now that the Swords and Spears factions have been formed!