The House of Ice and Fire

Aemon the Prodigy

Aemon Targaryen had woken up early, as he always did for sleep never came to him easily. Targaryens, once more renowned for their silver hair and violet eyes, traits not obvious in his person. Despite his tender age, Aemon was burdened by the knowledge and maturity of Jon Snow. He recalled the feeling of cold steel in his hands, the weight of leadership on his shoulders, and the bitter taste of betrayal. The transition from a seasoned warrior to a helpless infant was a tormenting experience for him.

From the moment he could understand the world around him, Aemon knew he was different. He felt a profound sense of loss and longing, a desire to return to the life he once knew. at least to the loved ones he once had. He despised the vulnerability of childhood, the inability to express his thoughts clearly, and the frustration of being treated like an innocent babe. The memories of battles fought and friendships forged haunted his dreams, reminding him of a past that seemed unreachable, and yet his past was this world's future. That meant that the Long Night was the future of this land once more, and Aemon would not go along with that.

Aemon's earlier days were filled with a peculiar blend of frustration and determination. He detested the limitations imposed by his young age, craving for the freedom that came with maturity. His tiny body felt like a prison, trapping the knowledge and experience of an older man within its confines. Aemon hated nothing more than a baby, for unlike the first time in the distant future, he was a true babe then, but now, as a grown man of about three decades in the body of a baby, he found it restricting. 

The thoughts of what could happen plagued him, from what he understood he was in the past, decades before the Dance of Dragons. Daemon Targaryen never had a child named Aemon, and never before had Lyanna Stark lived before and married into the Targaryen family save for his own previous life. His mere existence changed the game because if he, as a Targaryen, bounded with another dragon, then that would be one less dragon on either side of the future war or another dragon added to whatever side he so chose. The timing was horrible; he was a month younger than Rhaenyra Targaryen and was doomed to be a member of the Dance of Dragons.

Which side would he join, the Blacks or the Greens? By rights, Rhaenyra should be queen; the oaths were made to follow her. But if the Blacks win, with his aid, the Velaryons would claim the Iron Throne, and there was no proof of the rumor that if Rhaenyra had sat it, her children would be Targaryen by name. But more importantly, her children were bastards, and while he was a bastard for most of his life, their blood was only a fourth Valryrian blood; Rhaenyra was only three-fourths Valryian herself, and her former lover, father to the children, was most definitely not Valryian, and if succeeded, they may even further dull the blood. With less Valryian blood then, there was even less of a chance to win the Long Night since there was a lesser chance for Targaryens to claim dragons.

With the greens, a horrible president would be established, and a brother could usurp the throne unpunished. Then that would mean the Dance of Dragons would be as frequent as the Blackyre Rebellions had become in his time. With Targaryens at each other's neck, they would not be able to unify themselves, let alone the realms of man against the Long Night.

In truth, Aemon was glad the Dance of Dragons ended the way it did. Aegon the Usurper lost everything was horribly burnt; his line was extinguished as the cost of his victory. He may have outlasted his sister, but on a technicality, Rhaeynra had won, and in turn, her line continued on to lead to Rhaegar Targaryen. Her line with Daemon was the one that lived, and their children were more Valryian in blood than Rhaenyra herself. That may have been just enough Valyrian blood for it to continue mingling with non-Valryian blood over the hundred or so years since the Dance and given Daenerys and himself enough blood to claim their mounts and win the Long Night, at least the first one.

He needed to ensure that whoever wins, there is more Valryian blood into the fold to keep dragons with house Targaryen and give the future a chance to win the Long Night. But if he made certain choices, would his brothers and sisters live? Would Rob? Sansa? Arya? Bran? Rickon? Would any of the figures that give him the chance be alive? Would Margaery and Arianne?