630Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Game of Thrones.
Hello to my new story, I hope you are all well. The title was suggested by The Cowardly Christian so thank you for the idea.
There will be bashing of the Kingsguard at least for the first few chapters, I know not everyone will like it but I would like to point out that any one of them could have stopped the Mad King at any time they wanted but they allowed his cruelty due to their misplaced loyalty. Barristan Selmy for example only had to choose not to rescue Aerys when he was trapped in Duskendale and he would have died, allowing Rhaegar to take the throne and who knows how that would have changed things. Even Barristan himself later regretted that as it would likely have stopped Robert's Rebellion from happening.
This story will put Harry as the eldest son of Aerys and Rhaella, the older brother to Rhaegar and the heir to the Iron Throne. The story will start before the Tragedy of Summerhall and continue into the series.
I am considering putting another character from Harry Potter into the story as a pairing. I can make the story work either way so I will put up a poll to see what you guys think.
Warning – Violence towards children and mentions of rape
Chapter 1 – A Prince is Born
Dragonstone, the Narrow Sea…258 AC…
Prince Aerys Targaryen paced with growing tension outside the rooms where his wife and sister of less than a year was giving birth. People had commented that the gods themselves must have blessed the marriage despite the incestuous nature of their union as Rhaella had become pregnant on their wedding night!
It had been a shock to both of them but a welcome one as having a child would do well to help secure things as Aerys would one day sit on the Iron Throne and he needed a son to be his heir. His best friend and companion Tywin Lannister often said the same and he did wish Tywin was here as he would have known the words to calm him from his own anxiety.
Hours seemed to stretch out into eternity as he waited but at last the cries stopped and through the crack in the door, he heard the cry of an infant. Unable to control himself any longer Aerys burst into the room and saw his wife/sister in her nightdress and was bathed in sweat but there was a small babe was wrapped in delicate cloth and being placed into her arms.
Everyone turned to look at him as he entered but he was focused solely on the bed, specifically the babe in Rhaella's arms. She was looking down at the babe with adoration and seemed to hardly notice him which annoyed the often-petulant Aerys but she did finally acknowledge him and told the husband that she secretly hated.
"Your son…Haeron." She told him with a smile and Aerys puffed up with indignation at the fact that she had dared to name their son without consulting him. Whatever he might have said was drowned out by the arrival of his own father.
"A boy!" Their father and the current heir to the throne Jaehaerys said as he came in with barely a sound. He was sickly and pale creature that would be unlikely to last long once he was on the throne Aerys thought dismissively but his father went over joyfully to Rhaella who held up the boy for him to see, the smile on the man's face widened to a pathetic degree as he gently ran a finger over the little boy's head. It was ridiculous for a prince of the Iron Throne to act in such a way Aerys thought with disgust at his own father's weakness.
"Haeron Targaryen." Rhaella added with only increased Aerys's own anger at their pathetic display of affection.
"First of his name." Jaehaerys said proudly and added. "I know the coin will land on greatness this time." Referring to the old legend that when a Targaryen was born the gods flipped a coin to see if they would be great…or mad.
Aerys was put off by that, really put off as he would be great. When the throne was finally his he would make sure that his name would never be forgotten and that all of the world would celebrate his greatness! He thought with a growing temper.
No child would ever outshine him! He fumed to himself before excusing himself and leaving the room with hardly anyone noticing.
- x -
The realm celebrated the birth of a new Targaryen prince who was born strong and healthy unlike many of his family. The King Aegon the 5th celebrated most of all as he had been reluctant to allow Aerys and Rhaella to be wed given that he was very much against their family intermarrying given foulness it put on their reputation and also how it seemed to increase the madness and frailty that ran through their family. But he was glad to be proved wrong at least in this case as the boy had been born and was stronger than a normal child. A tourney was held in honour of the occasion and it was a truly grand spectacle for all that saw it.
Congratulations were sent from all the major noble houses who were no doubt hoping to soon have daughters that would be close to the prince in age so they might have a chance at being his bride and queen one day.
Aerys however was not as pleased as the rest of his family, sulking in his room for days at the attention not being on him before his father forced him to act at least in public as a happy father even if happy was the last thing he felt. A chilling feeling came upon him when he looked at the babe, the certainty that he would one day replace him stalked Aerys in his dreams and it made him scowl in anger at the mere thought of it. He had been told many times having an heir of his own was good for his claim but that didn't ease his mind as he realised that he was mortal and would one day die.
He briefly thought that the dratted child had perished a year later when the tragedy of Summerhall had occurred, for a brief moment he was sure the boy was dead as the castle burned and along with it Aegon the 5th, leaving him one step closer to the Iron Throne even if he had to wait for his weakling father to die. He had been happy and content.
But then out of Summerhall an extremely burnt Duncan the Tall had staggered and clutched in his arms was a bundle that contained the blasted boy! The boy was not even touched by the fire and he had cursed as Duncan stumbled to Rhaella and placed the brat in her arms before doing the world a favour and dying, her tears of joy at her son being alive was a truly sickening sight to Aerys but worse was that was the moment that Rhaella would give birth to yet another son! Now there were two boys to replace him! He fumed privately and again he was not even consulted at naming the little shit that had helped to doubly spoil his happiness.
Rhaegar, second son to Aerys and Rhaella and in the aftermath of such a disaster his birth and Haeron's miraculous survival cast a shadow over the fact that he was now Prince of Dragonstone and soon to be the king! Aerys was incensed and vowed that no brat would ever replace him! He thought as he stormed off in a huff.
The Red Keep, Kings Landing…264 AC…
The bright and sunny day greeted Haeron as he woke, smiling broadly as he sat up in his bed. He stretched and was cheerful as he got up, eager to see what the day would bring. The Prince of Dragonstone was only a boy just turning six years of age but he was an energetic and bright child that never seemed to be depressed or upset about anything.
He dressed himself, proud that he needed no help to do so and was eager to eat so he would be ready to face the day. He walked up to the door and saw his Kingsguard Ser Michel Redding standing there, having gotten used to the young prince's daily routine.
"Good morning, Ser Redding." Haeron said brightly, the knight was amused by the prince's joyful attitude and smiled back with a bow.
"Good morning your majesty." Ser Michel said and Haeron nodded back before starting towards the main hall where he would eat. The knight followed him and kept alert for any threat to the young prince but he was greeted everywhere he went with smiles as the young boy had a natural charm that made him so easy to become friendly with. Ser Michel had long given up reminding the prince that he needed to act like royalty and keep a distance between himself and those that were beneath him, the prince never really paid any attention to that.
They both went through the gardens as was the custom of the prince who liked the sights and smells of the elaborate flowers displays and other decorations before crossing paths with one of the children that worked in the Red Keep.
"Good Morning Sara." Haeron said brightly as he saw the scrawny looking girl who was the daughter of one of the gardeners here looked up in shock and knelt quickly as he approached.
"Good morning your majesty." Sara said keeping her head down in reverence but Haeron didn't let her stay like that and pulled her to her feet.
"We're friends Sara. You don't have to kneel." Haeron said with a bright smile and she managed one of his own and they began to quickly talk about all the changes Sara would make to the Red Keep's gardens when she began head gardener, Haeron had promised her that when he finally did become king, he would make sure she could have the power to make any changes she wanted.
Ser Michel watched them with some joy at their childish fun, hoping for the best but knew the world was so unkind. The prince didn't know that yet and he had no heart to teach him that awful lesson, the time for that would come later and hopefully much later as the prince left the young girl to her work and went to the hall to get some food, but not without promising to send her something too.
The prince had many children in the Red Keep as his friends, he didn't care for their differences in status only that they were his friends. Some of the stable-boys had even sworn that they would become knights to be a part of his Kingsguard and the prince had promised to find them knights who would take them on.
After eating and making sure some food was sent to Sara in the gardens the prince made his way to the grandmaester's room where he would begin his lessons for the day. The grandmaester was like many others delighted by the prince and he did so well in his lessons! He already knew his numbers and letters better than boys twice his age and read so well! He was reading books that honestly would have confounded some adults.
After a few hours of practising High Valyrian as was normal for a Targaryen Prince he went to see his mother who was holding a small court of her own in the Queen's ballroom. Rhaella was known as a solemn queen as Aerys was not the easiest person to be married too but she always smiled when she saw her eldest son appear at the other side the room, Rhaegar was content to read books in his room rather than wander the castle but Haeron was much more outgoing. He beamed brightly and ran across the room to his mother who swept him up in her arms with a big smile on her face, many of the ladies that made up her own little court smiling too as they took in the adorable prince, for those that had children of their own that were a similar age to the prince hopes their own daughters might be his queen fuelled their own desire to bring them to court as soon as was possible as were the hopes that the queen did not have a daughter as the king would no doubt wed the crown prince to her if that happened.
None of them noticed a figure at the door that was looking in at the sight, sneering with disgust at the happiness of Rhaella and the dratted child! It was pathetic and insulting behaviour to be performed by members of his house Aerys thought with disgust and walked on, his mind wondering just how to make sure that they remembered that they lived solely on his sufferance and he would rule every aspect of their lives. The fact that the little shit was already being called the next Wise King as apparently, he was as intelligent as Jaehaerys the First infuriated Aerys even more…he was the king and he was no fool like that old man had been, no Aerys thought he would teach his people to never cross him…like Maegor had he thought with a cold sneer on his face, starting with the little brat!
265 AC…One Year Later…
Another bright day dawned in the Red Keep, Haeron was in good spirits as he went about his day and when he went to see his mother, she as usual smiled to greet him along with a big hug but at her side were two people that she wanted Haeron to meet, one of them he was vaguely familiar with but the other one he was not.
"My son, this is Lord Tywin Lannister and his good wife Lady Joanna." Rhaella told Haeron so he would know just how important these two guests were. Lord Tywin was a tall and elegantly dressed man, his golden blond hair cut shorter than most men with a carefully trimmed beard on his face. Well-dressed as you would expect of not only the Lord of Casterly Rock but also the King's Hand, the golden pin sat on his chest well. His eyes were guarded but burned with a powerful intelligence and will that actually unnerved Haeron a little.
Lady Joanna though was very different, while she was a stunning beauty with her sweet and still youthful features and long golden blonde hair that was just like her husband's. She smiled warmly while her husband did not.
"Lord and Lady Lannister, you honour me with your presence." Haeron said, suddenly serious as even he at his young age knew the importance of maintaining good ties with a house as powerful and influential as House Lannister. The move seemed to surprise Tywin and Joanna but surprisingly it was Tywin who reacted first, actually smiling himself with apparent amusement before bowing slightly to the prince.
"It is we who are honoured with your presence Prince Haeron. I have heard many good things of you." Tywin said in greeting, he was somewhat concerned that the prince seemed to be too 'nice' to be a good king to his mind but then again, he was very young and he would learn the harsher lessons of life soon enough he thought, wondering if the madness known to haunt the Targaryen bloodline was present in him but so far it didn't seem to be or so his people had told him. Joanna though was honestly enchanted by the adorable little boy and smiled as she looked down at him.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance your grace." Joanna said with a big smile and was actually impressed at his manners, taking her hand and pressing a kiss on it as you should with a noble woman. Regardless of her husband's intentions to wed their young daughter to the prince she was honestly quite impressed with him.
"Now perhaps you should return to your lessons Haeron, myself and Lord Lannister must discuss things." Rhaella told him and he nodded immediately, what a good son she had Rhaella thought as he went away, so happy that he was doing so well despite the lack of attention from Aerys. Thoughts of her husband and brother drove any remaining smile from her face.
"He is getting worse your grace." Tywin said once the young prince was out of sight, now clearly talking of Aerys. "The grand plans he makes and then abandons are one thing but his recent fascination with the crueller acts of Maegor is alarming." Tywin said, deeply concerned as Aerys had been slowly declining in sanity for some time now and he had made several mentions of the 'little shit' as he put it in Small Council meetings. The fact that he was actually scared of his own son replacing him as king someday was ridiculous as of course he would, Tywin thought with deep concern for how big the ego and greed of his own power that Aerys had was. Haeron would or rather should if all goes well one day take the throne and he would one day pass it down to his own son or to his brother if he had no heir of his own…that was the way of things. No man lives forever and the idea that you would was the height of fantasy.
But Aerys seemed to think he would be the king forever and nothing would stop him from believing that fantasy.
All three of them were growing increasingly worried for what might happen if Aerys finally lost his grip on the real world and let his darker thoughts free upon the world.
- x -
Haeron meanwhile was sitting in the Grandmaester's room with Rhaegar attending to his lessons on history especially that of House Targaryen.
"Now." Grandmaester Robar said as he stood with his young charges at their desks. "I want you both to read the passages on King Viserys the First and see just what mistake he made when dealing with the succession. Think on it and see just what you would do in his situation." Robar said, eager to test their thinking.
"But he is a king, what mistake could he have made?" Rhaegar asked quietly, not being familiar with all of their ancestors yet. Haeron answered.
"He didn't completely secure the line of succession like King Jaehaerys did with a Great Council. He made his eldest daughter heir but had a son who came from an incredibly ambitious house like the Hightowers and never did anything to keep that ambition in check. That mistake cost our house dearly, we lost our dragons due to that civil war which he should have prevented." Haeron said with anger at the foolishness of that king, he had not kept Otto Hightower in check nor made sure that the line of succession was clear which had taken away their greatest advantage. He would have loved a dragon Haeron thought with a mournful pang but that was impossible thanks to the Dance of the Dragons.
"Interesting perspective your grace." Grandmaester Robar said with an approving nod, the prince knew the history of House Targaryen well and hopefully would not make those same mistakes.
"Kings make mistakes Rhaegar, no-one is perfect and more than one royal has met their end due to stupid decisions." Haeron told his younger brother who was looking at him intensely. "We have to think carefully the consequences of our actions, especially if we will rule one day. Our actions will affect many people across a great distance. So we must learn to be wise like Jaehaerys the First and Daeron the Second, make sure we know what we know and what we don't. But also make sure we aren't too dependant on our advisors like Viserys was on Otto." Haeron said, having read a copy of a detailed history of the Dance that Lord Tywin had sent him as a gift. He wondered if the lord was trying to tell him something but that was what he had gotten from reading the book.
Rhaegar was in awe of his older brother's reasoning, he would make a good king he thought especially as he tried to help him even when he could just demand to be taught separately, saying they should learn together as one day he hoped that he and Rhaegar would rule Westeros as brothers and he would want him on the Small Council maybe as his Hand of the King.
He was not the only one impressed at Prince Haeron, Grandmaester Robar was also highly impressed at how quickly the prince learned his lessons. He was already quite fluent in High Valyrian in both speaking and reading and his ability with numbers and other concepts was improving day by day. It spoke highly of the future king and many wondered why King Aerys was not more proud of his son, petulantly never allowing him to be spoken of in his presence.
Robar was a little concerned that, almost like the king hated his own son which did not bode well for the future.
The Training Yard, the Red Keep...
While Haeron was still too young according to his mother to learn swordsmanship that didn't mean that he wasn't interested and so he would eagerly watch the Kingsguard and other knights in the castle train. Ser Barristan Selmy was currently sparring with Ser Redding while Haeron watched with great interest.
Ser Barristan of course won and disarmed Ser Redding before Haeron clapped and said with eagerness.
"Can I try?"
The two knights liked the youthful energy of the prince but knew the Queen would have their heads if they let him get hurt so they gently told him.
"Not yet your grace. You must wait some more years yet before you can learn to wield a sword." Ser Redding said with a smile to his young charge who looked sad at that, not petulant but disappointed.
"What does it mean to be a knight?" The Prince asked with a sudden refreshed eagerness. They both thought for a moment before Ser Barristan answered.
"Being a knight is to hold yourself to a life of duty." Ser Barristan said with a wise and calm voice. "We are to uphold the Seven and their principles; maidens, the weak and the innocent must be protected, be brave and just, to lead those not as skilled as themselves. In terms of a Kingsguard, we are sworn to defend the King and the Royal Family from harm. We father no children and hold no lands, but serve even till death." Ser Barristan said without worry as he was a knight and was quite content to die as one.
Haeron looked a little scared of the last one but he was just a boy that had no experience with death so the concept worried him. He didn't want them to die for him or for anyone else, he respected them and admired them too much for that.
"Then I will be a great knight like you some day!" The Prince declared and the two men smiled as they knew he would be a king not a mere knight like them and being king was not about being noble.
But let the boy dream, at least for now.
A few weeks passed and everything was normal, his mother was having another child and Haeron was excited as it meant another sibling but then tragedy struck, she had lost the babe.
This was not the first time his mother had lost a child but Haeron knew but it was hurting her badly all the same, he went to see her and as he approached her room he heard the angry voice of his father screaming, it scared him but he pushed the door open and saw his father was hitting his mother with a rod as she screamed, father was yelling incoherently and in a split second decision, Haeron ran forward and with surprising strength for his size pushed his father over!
That shocked everyone, not least Ser Redding and Ser Gerold Hightower who had been watching this horror but doing nothing. Aerys looked over in shock at what had just happened and he snarled as Rhaella despite being hurt herself thought only of her son and pulled him into her arms to try and shield him as best she could.
"You strike a king!" Aerys screamed at Haeron who despite being terrified of his father in that moment found the courage to yell back.
"A king who beats helpless women is no king." Haeron said with defiance and told him. "If you didn't hurt or scare mama maybe the babe would have survived."
The silence in that room was horrible and Aerys with a petulant look of anger stormed out of the room followed by Ser Gerold who shared a worried look with his colleague and the bruised queen even if he could not look her in the eye given his shame for doing nothing while Aerys had been beating her.
Ser Redding called for the grandmaester to tend to the queen's wounds while Haeron hugged her carefully to try and comfort her while she held him in turn, worried for just what Aerys would do now.
And they were right to be concerned as Aerys was infuriated! He was the king! It was not his fault that his pathetic wife could not keep a babe! He felt her ugly and worthless body was not his fault! Aerys thought with rage that the little brat would dare lay his filthy hands on him!
He needed to be reminded of his place Aerys thought with venom, he needed to know he was nothing and that no-one was safe from him! Aerys thought as a sinister grin appeared on his face as he knew just how to make sure the little shit learnt he was nothing compared to him! Ser Gerold saw the grin and a shudder ran through him, knowing something bad was about to happen.
Two Days Later...
It was the Prince's seventh nameday and the court was in a joyous mood as there was a tournament arranged and a feast, not to mention gifts coming from near and far for the young prince. Haeron was happy as he always loved spending the day with his mother, brother and his friends. He was eagerly up before dawn and greeted by his mother's hug.
"Happy nameday my darling." Rhaella said with a smile that was completely real as her sons were the only really love in her life. She would crawl over a bed of nails for them if she had too without a single regret or hesitation.
The prince was happy and smiling as he walked with his mother down to the Throne Room where the court would be held. The guards were all tense as no Kingsguard were around which was confusing as Ser Redding was always close to the prince. His absence confused both Haeron and Rhaella but as they came into the Throne Room...everything became tragically...horribly clear.
Haeron gasped in horror as he saw the bodies of his friends presented in front of him, all of them even Sara butchered and worse the blood on Sara's skirt suggested she had been violated before being killed. Aerys stood over them with a demented smile on his face and told him and Rhaella while the rest of the court looked on terror of the king.
"Killing the little whore was a mercy, she wouldn't have lasted long on the Street of Silk with that much screaming. The rest my Kingsguard were quite able to slaughter themselves." Aerys said with a vicious grin of triumph as Haeron looked to the knights of the Kingsguard who he had long admired and saw their ashamed faces. But Aerys was not done yet.
Ser Gerold and Ser Redding pulled Haeron and his mother apart much to their shock and distress before Ser Harlan Grandison dragged Haeron to the centre of the room, tearing his shirt open at the back while Ser Gwayne Gaunt and Ser Barristan tied him to the pillars in the centre of the room. Haeron yelled to them.
"What are doing?" But the knights couldn't meet his eyes and looked ashamed of what they were doing but none of them did a thing.
"Ser Redding, deliver justice to the traitor who defied his king." Aerys said with a sick look of excitement on his face. Rhaella saw what was in his hands and screamed out in terror for her son.
"AERYS NO! STOP HIM! SOMEBODY STOP HIM!" Rhaella screamed to the ground while she fought against Ser Gerold who held her back. None of the people in the crowd said anything as Ser Redding unfurled the whip, looking sick to his stomach for what he was about to do to the young boy that he had been guarding since the day he had been born. It was a leather whip with metal studs in the three tails, this was a whip meant to punish criminals in public floggings, not a boy of seven who had done nothing wrong but try to protect his mother. Tears were in his eyes as despite every single part of his being screaming at him to stop he was sworn to serve the king and with a yell of self-hatred he struck.
Haeron screamed out in pain as it hit his exposed back, it hurt so bad! He had never known true pain before but now he did and worse he was forced to look at the desecrated and defiled bodies of his friends who had done nothing wrong and yet had been slaughtered and worse he saw all of the men he idolised, the Kingsguard do nothing but look away as Ser Redding struck him again...and again...and again.
Each him was tearing into his back while Rhaella screamed for someone to stop this but no-one did anything as they saw the happy prince who was said to be as joyous and warm as the summer sun be hit again and again with a horrible whip.
Then the doors to the Throne Room burst open!
"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" A voice called out and it shocked everyone especially Aerys but Ser Redding stopped whipping the prince whose back was now deeply mangled and bleeding badly.
Lord Tywin Lannister came striding into the room followed by his shocked and horrified wife who immediately ran to the prince and inspected his back, her mouth agape with horror and soon Lord Steffon Baratheon appeared too and looked at the scene before him with disbelief.
"Cut him down." Steffon ordered and his own household knights did not hesitate and quickly ran to the Prince's aid, carefully untying him and Rhaella was finally able to escape Ser Gerold ran over and cradled her boy in her arms, tears running down her face.
But despite this Tywin was glaring at Aerys, his green eyes were blazing with anger and Aerys for once in his life was actually scared as Tywin told him with a cold voice that was like a wind that you could only find on the top of the Wall to the north.
"A king without an heir let alone one that does not take care of that heir is not a king that will rule safely. Grandmaester you have work to do." Tywin said coldly to the man that was in the crowd and had yet to move but he did the moment Tywin told him too, following as Lannister and Baratheon knights carried the badly hurt prince to his chambers for treatment. His mother was hold his hand and still crying hysterically while Lady Joanna did her best to comfort her. Steffon and Tywin both looked at Aerys not to mention the Kingsguard in disgust before Tywin announced.
"Lannister and Baratheon men will be guarding the prince until he recovers...if he recovers." Tywin said with anger as the wounds would be hard for a grown man to recover from and the prince was just a boy of seven. Honestly he was half sure that soon Rhaegar would be the crown prince as even if he did survive the wounds an infection was likely which could kill just as well.
"He is a traitor!" Aerys yelled at Tywin as the man turned to leave who looked him dead in the eye and said.
"A traitor to what? His country? His family? From what I heard he was just protecting his mother. He was betrayed, by his father and those that should have protected him." Tywin said coldly, looking to each of the knights of the Kingsguard in turn who just looked at the floor, not able to meet his gaze.
The gifts for the prince were forgotten, the tourney would be cancelled and the feast too as no-one wanted to celebrate when the prince they were here to celebrate would not be with them.
- x -
Grandmaester Robar worked hard throughout the night, he was feeling terrible for not preventing this, the young prince who he had had helped to deliver and taught for all these years was laying there with bloody gashes all across his back. He was almost drunk with milk of the poppy to ease his pain which also meant as he stitched the wounds closed as best he could that he had to lie on his front with a his head being supported by his mother who was still crying for what had been done to her beloved son.
There would be scars, he thought with revulsion at the sight of such marks on the prince's back. He would carry those forever he thought with grief for the loss of what life he might have had without them, if he lived he thought with fear as it was going to be very hard to make sure the wounds did not become infected. He had no idea just what the Prince was going to suffer through and made the decision there and then that he did not deserve to be grandmaester and would return to the Citadel as soon as another maester could take his place, Pycelle had always been eager to serve as grandmaester so Robar would let him.
He had failed to protect the prince and would not allow himself to be in that position again.
- x -
A fever soon gripped the prince much to the fear of those that had been working so hard to keep him safe and to heal him. It was not a normal fever though as Haeron was cast into a sea of chaos, his nightmares a mix of reality and his fears but also strange memories that were not his own, experiences that he did not understand and he could see a world with magic and dragons, strange creatures and a grand castle that would put the Red Keep to shame. It was no mere dream as he could feel the pain of the boy that he was in that strange world and felt what he felt. He saw him get older and grow to have a family of his own and much more besides.
That person...was Harry Potter.
There we are, I hope it was a good chapter, please leave a review and let me know what you thought.
Next Chapter – Haeron recovers from his injuries with a new mission and makes some hard choices about the future especially as he recovers the memories of his past life.