The Three-Headed Dragon: A Viserys Targaryen Quest Continuation [abandoned]

Previously, on Game of Thrones
Exiled Dragons

Fate turns fickle and changes to canon begin early when we first join Viserys Targaryen. Beginning in a sad dream of youth, he remembers the last time he saw his mother, when Rhaella swore him to protect the newborn Daenerys, and he became a dutiful protector instead of his canon self. The next six years of his life pass in the blink of an eye, as the declining Ser Willem Darry does what he can to instill some knowledge and skill to the young prince. But all too soon, Ser Willem dies, and the carrion bird servants of his household plan to take everything worth a coin ... including the little royals. As time's path diverges further, Viserys overhears their plans, and Ser Willem dies in the night with just the children around, instead of the early morning with his servants present, in what might almost be called "lucky breaks". With just enough time to grab a handful of valuables and trinkets (Rhaella's crown and rings, a book of Valyrian myths and fairy tales, a pouch of food to sustain them, and Ser Willem's little black book of names) Viserys and Dany escape into the night.

On the streets of Braavos, they are hunted by a knight of the Vale. Barely evading capture, Viserys discovers within Ser Willem's book a priceless lifeline -- the dying knight had compiled not a list of names with debts to be paid, but Loyalist allies to be called upon, and had arranged passage out of the city with an old contact of his, a thief named Garret of Saltpans. While unusually honourable for a thief, Garret is nonetheless true to his nature, and has a small heist to pull off, and his extraction of the Targaryens is conditional upon their aid. Successfully bluffing their way inside House Forios, Viserys and Daenerys not only net a desperately needed meal, but manage to con the master of the house out of several thousand gold after alleging the master's brother owed them a debt and outsmarting the brother when he reacted badly to their claims. Once out, Garret is good to his word and escorts the children across Essos to (relative) safety.

Meanwhile, in Westeros, the flutters of butterfly wings begin to build the hurricane. Lady Catelyn reconciles more easily with Ned Stark, and, no longer seeing a bastard threat or a taunt of her spousal inadequacy but a little motherless boy, turns kinder to Jon Snow. Jaime Lannister, crushed by self-loathing and unbearable circumstance, resigns his white cloak and departs on the next ship for Essos, hoping for adventure and redemption ... or to die in the attempt. While successful in early blows that hobble the Westerlands and humiliate Tywin Lannister, Balon Greyjoy's attempted rebellion reaps the whirlwind as the Kraken's Folly enrages King Robert to the point of slaughtering all but Balon and his youngest two children, depopulating and razing Pyke almost to the ground, and breaking the back of the Iron Fleet in a display of temper and brutality that forever destroys Ned Stark's love for Robert.

In Andalos, a lonely sept and trading stop becomes a temporary home for Viserys and Daenerys as they labour to learn and grow under the watchful eyes of Garret, a loyalist hedge knight named Warrek, and a septon that once was a bard companion of Prince Rhaegar. A few years of comparative safety pass, but all too soon, sellsword agents of the Usurper discover them. While Viserys' quick thinking and cleverly-worded answers trick the sellswords into killing each other, the Lonely Dragons must once again flee their refuge for parts unknown. Accompanied now by the hedge knight Warrek as well as Garret, the Targaryens are able to hide in plain sight in the Free City of Lys after stumbling across a derelict caravan and appropriating a letter of introduction to the Lysene Conclave of Merchants.

Now conducting himself as Valarr Vaeltigar, an inexperienced yet inexplicably lucky businessman, Viserys effectively turns the Spider's entire network in Lys dark, and spreads a web of his own that places his finger on the pulse of everything and everyone in the city. Things are going well, until they aren't. By chance, Viserys ends up snatched up by a pirate of ill repute, and finds himself in chains, in the cargo hold ... with Ser Jaime Lannister, in similar condition. Brought on deck to negotiate terms, Viserys spots a nearby island and takes a fateful chance, grabbing Jaime and throwing the both of them into the Smoking Sea.

On the shore, Viserys and Jaime agree to work together to survive the Doom, and travel together for weeks until encountering a massive ship bearing Lannister livery. Lord Gerion Lannister, on his mission to recover Brightroar, enlists the castaways and proceeds to explore the Doom with their help. After weeks of searching (and fruitful looting) Brightroar is found, and not a moment too soon -- Euron Greyjoy arrives, with an eye full of business and a soul devoid of reason. Hoping to trigger catastrophe and take Viserys, Euron is instead relieved of an arm and most of his crew by a Brightroar-wielding Jaime, and Euron slips away to fight another day. Departing Valyria, Gerion returns to Casterly Rock and Jaime joins Viserys' company, and Viserys is greeted upon his return with an invaluable opportunity by Garret -- three dragon eggs -- which are quickly snatched by the two men.

In Westeros, the two remaining heirs of House Greyjoy travel north and south as Balon becomes little more than a ghost in the remains of his ruined keep -- Theon thrives under a more sympathetic and welcoming Winterfell, while Asha becomes a ward of Dorne. Ned Stark becomes a reluctant but formidable player in the Game of Thrones, turning the North into an economic and martial force to be reckoned with, and recruits the widower Jorah Mormont to help in seeking Viserys Targaryen. Gerion Lannister sees his daughter legitimized, but has a vicious falling-out with Tywin over the Old Lion's resistance to Gerion marrying Briony...and the truth of Tywin's actions against Tyrion and Tysha. Fleeing before his brother has a chance to seek retribution, Gerion takes his accounts, his gains from Valyria, Briony and their child, and a hastily located and rescued Tysha Lannister, and goes North to become a cadet branch serving House Stark.

Lord Tywin claws his way back up after the Westerlands were hobbled by the Kraken's Folly, but finds the Tyrells have been filling the gaps in Robert's court and finances, bit by bit edging out the Old Lion. Lord Stannis discovers he is being more and more openly sidelined by his older brother in favour of his younger brother, before being disinherited and exiled. Lord Varys finds himself beset by an unknown master of intrigues in Essos, a lucky queen seizing power over most figures and titled men in King's Landing, and a grasping Valeman that sees an opportunity and takes it, leaving the Spider to be found dead in a whorehouse. Lord Baelish, the new Master of Whispers, wins his seat with the information that Viserys Targaryen lives in Lys, though not how or as whom. Between the wiles of the Mockingbird, the ambition of the Queen and the ruthlessness of the Usurper King, a reign of terror and centralising of power begins to take hold in Westeros.

In Essos, the Vaeltigar manse hosts two unlikely travelling companions, Tyrion Lannister and Oberyn Martell. A tense but earnest conversation between Sers Oberyn and Jaime produces a tentative friendship and more solid alliance to see justice delivered for Princess Elia and her children. After attending a party held by the Rogares (and finding them badly wanting) Valarr Vaeltigar and company make for the Free City of Pentos, to exact some petty vengeance on the man who first captured Jaime and put him in chains -- Magister Illyrio Mopatis. After a dinner with Illyrio confirms the existence of an Aegon under the care of Jon Connington, Viserys and his party leave the city ... with Jaime's stolen autobiography recovered, and a master list of Illyrio's covert accounts, totaling in the millions of gold. Making haste to Braavos before their masterstroke is discovered, they meet with the Iron Bank and with minimal fuss completely take over Illyrio's assets.

Meanwhile, the exiled Stannis Baratheon is in Braavos as well, assembling a veritable crusade funded by an Essosi hoping to end the Dothraki threat upon the Freehold. Recognising Viserys for who he truly is, Stannis issues an ultimatum: serve in the crusade and earn his respect, or deny him and risk being transported back to Westeros. Viserys chooses to join. For three months, the army campaigns along the banks of the Rhoyne under Stannis' direction, and he develops a mutual respect with Viserys. Upon arriving at Volantis to face the bulk of the Dothraki horde, the Triarch of the city succumbs to arrogance and greed and attempts to betray the crusaders and turn Valarr Vaeltigar over to a madman seeking an apocalypse.

Euron Greyjoy survived his injuries and the Doom, and has come to Volantis with a crew of Stonemen, an eldritch arm from the depths of the sea, and a plan to use the blood of the Dragon to unleash the legendary Typhon, Mother of all Dragons. Racing through the city as chaos rages, Viserys is able to find Connington's Aegon, abducted from the crusader camps, and discovers it is no Blackfyre pretender or orphan dragonseed, but truly his long-thought-lost nephew, Aegon Targaryen. Unleashing a power not seen in 150 years, Daenerys uses her knowledge of myth and ritual to hatch the three eggs, in what becomes known as the Night of the Dragons. Viserys and Aegon fight together against Euron, and defeat and kill the One-Eyed Crow for good. The crusade crushes the Dothraki, with Jaime single-handedly slaying the infamous Khal Drogo and his next nine lieutenants. While the crusade moves eastward to burn Vaes Dothrak to the ground, Stannis and his Westerosi forces remain in the Free Cities.

In Westeros, the realm reacts wildly to the revelation that not only is Viserys Targaryen alive and not a penniless beggar, he is a wealthy and seasoned warrior, living on an island in the Narrow Sea, with three dragons. The North, knowing that war is coming sooner than winter, begins to mobilise and modernise, with roads being laid, fleets being raised, levies trained and lords assembled as Ned Stark institutes a kind of Small Council to prepare his people for what comes next. The Riverlands are split, given memories of the Mad King and the Trident, and the Vale lords are likewise split, though they remain more in line due to Jon Arryn's unwavering loyalty to Robert. Dorne almost openly celebrates the news, and readies for the war to restore the Targaryens they are sure is coming. The Reach and the Stormlands sit firmly in Robert's pocket, while the Westerlands tremble at the quiet fury of Tywin Lannister at his son's allegiances. The remaining lords of the Iron Islands are united in support for the Targaryens, and discreetly begin to rebuild and reassemble their Iron Fleet, with covert aid from the North at Ned Stark's direction. But the Crownlands suffer directly from the rage and wrath of the Usurper after he hears the news: egged on by his Master of Whispers, Robert orders the disinheritance, imprisonment and/or murder of every dragonseed or Valyrian-presenting person in the Crownlands. The Velaryons and other Targaryen-allied houses barely escape as countless innocents, guilty of no crime beyond passable resemblance to Rhaegar and Viserys Targaryen, are put to the sword in what becomes called the Dragons' Screams.

When news of this reaches Essos, Viserys and Stannis know what must be done: Stannis is permanently estranged from his brothers and swears to serve his true king, as Viserys reluctantly bids farewell to his merchant days to lay claim to the Iron Throne. At the celebration for the crusaders in Volantis, Viserys meets with the Velaryon exiles, led by their bastard uncle Aurane Waters, informing him that the dragonseed exiles have scattered across the Free Cities but will rise at his word to reclaim their homes. After meeting with them, Viserys gets surprised by a clever young lady who snuck into the party -- none other than Arianne Martell. With dancing and drinking and talking together, they fall fast and hard and within weeks they are blissfully married. Not long after, with raising the exiles from Robert's Rebellion and the Screams, hiring the Golden Company, and assembling his court, Viserys III declares war.

Immediately, the North, the Riverlands, the Iron Islands and Dorne raise banners in his name, while the Vale, the Reach, the Crownlands and the Stormlands declare for Robert ... and Tywin Lannister declares neutrality. The campaign begins with surprising successes, as the Velaryons and exiled dragonseed reclaim Driftmark and Dragonstone with a vengeance, and provide a forward base of operations for the Restoration. One contingent of the Golden Company is led by Jon Connington across the Stormlands, and another led into the Dornish Marches by Davos Seaworth, with great success -- the Marcher lords wish to fight to the last and the Dornish oblige them, and the Stormland lords are besieged within their castles until Renly dies and Storm's End falls. In the Riverlands, the Freys are routed and crushed by Edmure, the 'Tully Rock of Doom.'

But not all goes well for the Restoration: lesser sellsword companies serve under Ser Warrek in the Crownlands and fall into a trap laid by the Usurper, leaving Warrek captured and mutilated; Ser Jaime is held prisoner by his father, and a meeting is demanded. At the Stony Sept, Young Dragon and Old Lion meet, and after a major power move by Viserys, Tywin agrees to step down for Jaime to succeed him as Lord of Casterly Rock, and the Westerlands join the Restoration effort. In an ironic echo of the past, a Targaryen moves to face Robert Baratheon on the Trident. After an evening of benevolent visitations for Viserys and ominous night terrors for Robert, battle is met. Men fight and bleed and die, and Viserys finds Robert, raving and seeing Rhaegar in Viserys' place. Jaime Lannister joins the fray as Viserys cuts down the Kingsguards Blount and Trant, and as Robert is about to attempt a killing blow against Viserys, Jaime slays his second king.

The Restoration succeeds, but on a grim note for House Lannister: upon entering King's Landing triumphantly, Lord Jaime discovers Queen Cersei poisoned herself and her children, in a final act of defiance and spite. Given leave to take them home for burial, Jaime leaves King's Landing, as the remaining lords of the Restoration form an acting Small Council and King Viserys III Targaryen takes the Iron Throne.



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