Chapter Summaries

In 109 AC at Runestone, Aemon Targaryen endured lessons and reflected on his difficult family life while hoping to hatch the dragon egg placed in his cradle. When he handled the egg, a mysterious voice announced that he had acquired Magic Essence, leaving him with a surprising new possibility.

• Aemon endured Maester Hugh's lesson on House Royce while William listened attentively.
• Aemon returned to his room, dismissed his caretaker's lessons, and secretly retrieved the dragon egg from a brazier.
• Aemon worried that the egg had not hatched in eight years and considered how he might gain a dragon.
• A voice announced that Aemon had acquired three Magic Essence from an item containing magic.

Aemon discovered that his Magic Essence Panel could exchange essence for cards and show his condition, including his poor sleep and slow growth. After learning that he could safely absorb excess magic from magical items, he found damaged Bronze Armor in House Royce’s tomb cellar and gained five more Magic Essence.

• Aemon examined the Magic Essence Panel and learned that his Dreamer talent was Gold and that his lack of sleep had affected his physical development.
• Aemon revealed three exchange cards, found that all cost more Magic Essence than he had, and realized he could gain essence from magical items.
• Aemon returned the Black Dragon Egg to its vessel after confirming that the panel absorbed only excess magic and would not harm it.
• Aemon slipped out of his room and searched House Royce’s tomb cellar for a magical item.
• Aemon touched a damaged suit of Bronze Armor and received five Magic Essence.

Aemon recovered magic essence from ancient Bronze Armor in Runestone’s Tomb Cellar and used Guidance Once to locate a medicinal herb on the East Coast. After leaving the cellar, he confronted Gonsal and hurried off when he learned Lady Rhea was returning from her hunt.

• Aemon found three damaged sets of Bronze Armor in the Tomb Cellar and gained 16 magic essence, suspecting the ancient runes held the magic.
• Aemon spent his Guidance Once card and saw a patch of dark-green grass in a pasture on the East Coast, which he recognized as medicine for insomnia and restless dreams.
• Gonsal caught Aemon climbing out of the Tomb Cellar and asked what he thought of it.
• Aemon claimed he had cleaned the cellar and stood his ground against Gonsal, who served as Runestone’s Trainer.
• Gonsal told Aemon that Lady Rhea would soon return from her hunt and that Sister Martha had been looking for him, so Aemon hurried away.

Aemon discovered magical Sweetgrass and learned that it could improve warmth and sleep, then returned to the castle to find his mother, Lady Rhea, home from a hunt. The chapter ended with Aemon leaving dinner while Lady Rhea held back something important she had meant to tell him.

• Aemon pulled up a clump of Sweetgrass, gaining one point of Magic Essence, and realized the plant could be woven into bedding to keep him warm and improve his sleep.
• Aemon planned to gather more Sweetgrass for Magic Essence, but a guard summoned him because Lady Rhea had returned to Runestone.
• Aemon greeted Lady Rhea in the hall, and she told him she would stay home only a few days before another hunt.
• Lady Rhea showed Aemon the deer, rabbits, and bear she had brought back from the hunt, then chatted until he nearly fell asleep.
• At dinner, William Royce said Lady Rhea had promised he could join the next hunt, and Aemon left the table after finishing his food.
• Lady Rhea let an important matter go unmentioned and asked the old septa to get Aemon a different stool.

Aemon harvested Sweetgrass with William, exchanged Magic Essence for a Physique upgrade, and continued searching for more. Gonsal arrived to supervise them and reminded Aemon to prepare his royal etiquette for the hunt in the King's Wood.

• Aemon and William gathered Sweetgrass, and Aemon gained five Magic Essence.
• Aemon examined the changing exchange cards and spent ten Magic Essence on Physique +1, which made him feel stronger.
• Aemon and William resumed searching while William complained that Gonsal was not working.
• Gonsal came down from the slope and told Aemon that Lady Rhea wanted him to practice royal etiquette for the upcoming hunt in the King's Wood.

Aemon learned that King Viserys had invited him to a Kingswood Hunt in honor of Aegon's second Name Day, and House Royce set out for the journey to King's Landing. The party traveled south toward Gulltown, while Aemon carried Sweetgrass and his Black Dragon Egg.

• Aemon heard about the royal hunt and rushed to ask Lady Rhea whether he was invited.
• Lady Rhea confirmed that King Viserys had specifically named Aemon in the invitation to celebrate Aegon's second birthday.
• As House Royce prepared to depart, Aemon admired Lady Rhea and the Vale Knights while William promised to find antique Bronze Armor for him.
• Aemon checked his Magic Essence Panel, then gained three essence from the Black Dragon Egg.
• Lady Rhea led the party south toward Gulltown, and Aemon watched the scenery from the carriage.

Aemon and Lady Rhea reached Gulltown and stayed at Seagull Tower with Ser Liane Shett before boarding a House Graffson ship bound for the Kingswood Hunt. As the ship left the harbor, Aemon admired Gulltown and resolved to someday claim a similarly prosperous territory.

• Ser Liane Shett welcomed Lady Rhea and Aemon to Seagull Tower, where they were offered bread and salt and hosted at dinner.
• Aemon learned that Ser Liane Shett belonged to a loyal branch of House Shett, known as the Seagull Knights.
• Lady Rhea and Aemon visited Gulltown’s busy harbor, where Ser Lyon showed them the ship arranged for their journey.
• A fat captain eagerly welcomed Aemon aboard and declared that he would rename the ship Prince Aemon.
• Aemon watched the ship sail from Gulltown and vowed to obtain a prosperous territory of his own.

Aemon struggled with seasickness aboard the ship, then learned that William, Gonsal, and Ser Lyon Shett had been assigned as his escort squad for King's Landing. His mother called him over before he could speak with Gonsal.

• Aemon suffered from seasickness and asked Old Martha to weave Sweetgrass into a sleeping mat.
• Aemon met William, Gonsal, and Ser Lyon Shett on deck and learned they were his three-man escort squad.
• Ser Lyon explained that Aemon would need personal guards because King's Landing would be complicated.
• Aemon considered why Gonsal had been assigned to him and began to address him, but his mother called him over.

Aemon traveled toward King's Landing with Lady Rhea, comforted by his Sweetgrass bedding and uncertain about his place in the family. Rhea told him the king might ask him to stay, but Aemon chose to return to Runestone with her.

• Lady Rhea sent Aemon to rest, while Old Martha made him a Sweetgrass mat and pillow that helped him sleep soundly.
• Two days later, Aemon and Lady Rhea sailed through The Gullet toward King's Landing.
• Lady Rhea told Aemon to think of himself as a Targaryen, and Aemon wondered if she planned to leave him in King's Landing over House Royce's inheritance.
• Rhea admitted she had once expected Aemon to die young and explained that the king might ask him to stay in King's Landing.
• Aemon declared he would not stay, and Rhea said they were only visiting family and old friends before returning to Runestone.

Prince Aemon arrived in King's Landing, where a dragon startled his ship before he was escorted to the Red Keep. He reunited with Alicent, who welcomed him warmly and introduced him to her baby.

• A golden dragon swooped over Blackwater Bay and rocked Aemon's ship before flying away.
• Aemon reached the Mud Gate and rode to the Red Keep in a royal carriage after learning the King was at a Small Council meeting.
• Alicent greeted Aemon in her bedchamber and asked how he had fared in Runestone.
• Aemon and Alicent caught up, recalling how she had helped care for him when he was a baby.
• Aemon teased Alicent about having a child of her own.

Aemon reunited with Alicent and met his infant sister Helena, but grew suspicious when Grand Maester Mellos summoned Alicent away to tend to Aegon. After leaving Helena with a maid, Aemon sneaked into King Viserys's bedchamber and discovered that Blackfyre granted him Magic Essence.

• Aemon held Helena while Alicent watched, and Helena tugged at his face and tried to bite him.
• Grand Maester Mellos told Alicent that Aegon would not stop crying, and Alicent left Aemon with Helena.
• Aemon questioned Mellos about the King and suspected something was strange when the Grand Maester avoided speaking with him.
• Aemon waited with Helena until evening, then left her in her cradle and set out to find magical items in King's Landing.
• Aemon entered King Viserys's bedchamber and touched Blackfyre, gaining 10 Magic Essence.

Aemon searched the Red Keep for magical objects, then gained Fire Magic and a stronger bloodline by touching Balerion’s skull. After leaving the tomb cellar, he collided with Criston Cole and challenged the White Knight’s questioning.

• Aemon searched the royal rooms for Valyrian Steel treasures, took a dragon sculpture from Viserys’s collection as cover, and headed elsewhere.
• Aemon entered the underground tomb cellar, touched Balerion’s skull, and received a portion of Burning Fire Magic.
• Aemon’s panel revealed an Ancient Valyrian Dragonlord bloodline at 13%, improved physique, and 141 essence.
• Aemon left the cellar and collided with Criston Cole in the Castle Forecourt.
• Criston questioned Aemon about his name, parents, and whereabouts, and Aemon told him that a White Knight should protect the royal family rather than trouble it.

Aemon reunited with Rhaenyra after Gonsal confronted Cole for obstructing him, and Rhaenyra agreed to take him to the Dragonpit another day. Later, Viserys discussed a possible marriage match between Aemon and Rhaenyra with Alicent, who doubted the proposal.

• Gonsal shoved Cole away from Aemon and challenged him as onlookers gathered.
• Ser Harold Westerling arrived, questioned Cole, and checked that Aemon was unharmed; Cole withdrew after Rhaenyra entered.
• Aemon and Rhaenyra recognized each other, and she apologized for nearly hitting his ship during her dragon ride.
• Aemon asked Rhaenyra to take him to the Dragonpit, and she agreed to bring him another day.
• Viserys told Alicent that Aemon was a strong candidate to marry Rhaenyra, while Alicent questioned the match and Viserys mentioned Ser Laenor as another possibility.

Viserys hosted a welcoming feast for Aemon and began showing unusual interest in his eldest nephew. The chapter ended with Viserys arranging for a Kingsguard knight to teach Aemon swordsmanship.

• Alicent supported Laenor as a possible King Consort, but Viserys questioned whether her view reflected Otto's and then ended the discussion.
• Aemon and Gonsal arrived at the Red Keep's welcoming feast, where Viserys warmly questioned Aemon and learned that Lady Rhea was absent.
• Viserys drank and spoke with Otto while Aemon wondered whether the King wanted something from him, possibly involving Rhaenyra's marriage.
• Viserys asked whether Aemon had learned swordsmanship, then offered to hire him an instructor.
• Viserys asked Ser Harrold whether a Kingsguard knight could teach Aemon, and Harrold said one could be assigned.

Viserys appointed Ser Steve Darklyn as Aemon's knightly instructor, and Aemon accepted. At Aegon's Name Day celebration, Viserys dismissed urgent news from the Stepstones, while Aemon ended up holding his protesting little brother and plotting to feed him blueberries.

• Harold recommended Ser Steve Darklyn to serve as Aemon's knightly instructor, and Viserys appointed him.
• Aemon accepted Ser Steve's instruction and welcomed having a Kingsguard as his protector.
• At Aegon's second Name Day celebration, Aemon ate among the guests while Ser Steve reminded him to eat moderately.
• Tyland Lannister brought Viserys urgent military news from the Stepstones, but Viserys refused to discuss it and left the Sea Snake and Daemon to handle it.
• When Alicent went to look for Rhaenyra, Aemon was left to watch Little Aegon and carried him away with a plate of blueberries.

Aemon took Rhaenyra from Aegon's Name Day banquet to the Dragonpit after noticing her melancholy. The carriage arrived as Aemon prepared to check his cards and seek out more magical items.

• Aemon fed Little Aegon blueberries until the child spoke, and Alicent thanked Aemon for helping him mature.
• Aemon noticed Rhaenyra was unhappy at the banquet and invited her to the Dragonpit to clear her head.
• Aemon arranged for Ser Steve to drive them to the Dragonpit with three guards escorting them on horseback.
• Aemon checked his dragon egg in the carriage and gained three Magic Essence, while thinking about finding more sources of essence.
• William left the carriage, and Aemon summoned his panel just as Ser Steve announced they had reached the Dragonpit.

Aemon visited the Dragonpit with Rhaenyra, collected Magic Essence from its dragon eggs, and revealed that he could touch a burning-hot egg without being burned. He then chose to see Dreamfyre, the violent, riderless dragon, as the Dragonkeepers escorted them deeper inside.

• Rhaenyra took Aemon into the Dragonpit and introduced him to the Dragonkeepers.
• Aemon touched a hot Green Dragon Egg without injury, surprising Rhaenyra and the elderly Dragonkeeper.
• Aemon touched all sixteen dragon eggs and raised his Magic Essence to 198.
• Aemon chose to visit Dreamfyre, and the elderly Dragonkeeper brought several younger Dragonkeepers to accompany them.
• Aemon inspected three cards on the way to Dreamfyre and hoped to use Empty Handed.

Aemon traded Essence for increased physique and a magical Gold-Nosed Rat before entering the Dragonpit with Rhaenyra to try to tame Dreamfyre. The chained mother dragon burst from the cavern as Aemon prepared to face her.

• Aemon spent 52 Essence on a Physique +1 card and a Gold-Nosed Rat, then discovered the rat could find treasure, sense magic, and store items in its cheek pouches.
• Aemon told Rhaenyra he wanted to tame Dreamfyre, and she encouraged him to try.
• Aemon accidentally squeezed the rat too hard, and it squeaked and poked its head out of his satchel.
• The Dragonkeepers chanted the Song of Fire and retreated from the cavern as Dreamfyre's chains rattled.
• Dreamfyre burst from the cavern, shaking the tunnel and scattering stone fragments.

Aemon and Rhaenyra encountered Dreamfyre in the dragonpit, and Aemon tried to claim her as his dragon. Dreamfyre rejected him and knocked him aside, leaving Aemon exhausted as Rhaenyra pulled him to safety.

• Dreamfyre breathed fire at the Dragonkeepers and the royals before settling into a guarded stance.
• Aemon recognized Dreamfyre and insisted on approaching her, while Rhaenyra tried to keep him back.
• The Dragonkeepers soothed Dreamfyre with a High Valyrian Song and advised Aemon to raise his hand and test her response.
• Dreamfyre ignored Aemon as he chased her around, then roared and knocked him away with her snout.
• Aemon grabbed Dreamfyre's claw as she turned to leave, and Rhaenyra rushed over and dragged him away by his collar.

Aemon failed to bond with Dreamfyre but received a magical gift from her and persuaded the Dragonkeeper to let her fly free. Dreamfyre emerged from the Dragonpit and took to the sky as Aemon and the others watched.

• Rhaenyra scolded Aemon for approaching Dreamfyre, and he apologized for frightening her.
• Aemon discovered that Dreamfyre had increased his bloodline purity and Magic Essence and had unlocked a pet slot.
• Aemon asked the Dragonkeeper to remove Dreamfyre’s chains and let her fly, and Rhaenyra supported his request.
• The Dragonkeeper agreed, and Aemon led Rhaenyra out of the Dragonpit while the staff freed Dreamfyre.
• Dreamfyre emerged into the sunlight, spread her wings, and flew into the sky as Aemon praised her beauty.