Visenya Silvermoon is the Queen Consort of the Seven Kingdoms, the second of Aegon VII’s two sister-wives. The product of an affair between Rhaegar Targaryen and Selenya Targaryen of Lys, Visenya was introduced to court by Rhaegar’s wife, Rhaenys, who raised her alongside their trueborn children. Despite the stain of her illegitimate birth, the young Visenya flourished at court, proving exceptionally charming and tactful at an early age.

Initially wed to the son of the Sealord of Braavos, the unexpected death of Visenya’s husband and the suspected infertility of Rhaenyra prompted Aegon VII to take her as his second sister-wife in the first polygamous royal marriage since Maegor the Cruel. This arrangement exacerbated her long-running feud with Rhaenyra, and as the royal court contended with the chaos of The Bleeding, rival political factions emerged around the two queens.

Reputed to be charismatic, empathetic and generous, Visenya cultivates an appealing image that conceals ambition, insecurity and contempt. At court, she strives to further an agenda that is often at odds with that of her sister; Visenya advocates long-term diplomatic approaches to the Iron Throne’s most pressing dilemmas.

She is the rider of Siren, who she first mounted in 418 AC.

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Appearance and Character

Bright violet eyes and fair skin create the unmistakable image of a Targaryen, but Visenya Silvermoon is nevertheless easy to distinguish from her half-siblings. Her light blonde hair lacks the silver tint characteristic of her lineage, and though she stands well above the average woman, Visenya is still dwarfed by her more imposing kin. Her facial features are soft yet defined, absent of the severity exhibited by so many of her ancestors; the silver queen’s visage conforms more to Andal standards of beauty despite her overwhelmingly Valyrian heritage. Round eyes rest beneath strong brows within a square-shaped frame that has matured with her age without losing its immaculate beauty.

But it is not natural beauty alone that renders the silver queen so comely. The appeal of her image is amplified by a pleasant demeanor, a charming presence and an impeccable sense of fashion. She adorns clothing that is neither too modest nor too scandalous for a woman of her stature, emphasizing the finer qualities of her figure with the utmost subtlety. Visenya carefully cultivates her wardrobe to project her status as a Westerosi queen; she consciously eschews foreign styles, not wanting to offer any reminder of her mother’s Lysene origins. Nevertheless, the colors of her clothes frequently contrast with those of the royal house: Visenya favors silver, blue and white.

At an early age, Visenya Silvermoon distinguished herself as a quick learner and a charismatic speaker - though it was the latter that would define her public image. Her natural extroversion and eloquent speech enable her to make friends with ease, and can at times disarm her fiercest opponents. Though she is as proud as any other royal, Visenya is not without a sense of humor, and is even capable of self-effacement. When her words cause offense, she assumes an apologetic disposition and counters indignation with an even temper and a poised calm. Such qualities once made her a darling of the court despite her illegitimate birth, and she remains accustomed to staying in everyone’s good graces. This unquenchable desire to be widely well-liked often compels Visenya to seek the favor of every acquaintance, and leaves her privately frustrated when her generous gestures are rebuffed.

Her practiced tongue, however, would have little use without an exceptional emotional intelligence. With a high level of empathy, she can easily identify the doubts and desires of others and relate them to her own. In intimate conversations, these admissions of insecurity can earn her the trust and sympathy of others, and ease the most dubious minds. Likewise, private company is where Visenya prefers to offer criticism and admonition, sweetening every scolding with polite and encouraging language. Praise, however, is offered much more liberally: those who please the silver queen are presented before their peers as examples to follow. She is skilled at making others feel appreciated and noticed; Visenya readily recounts minute details about the lives of every acquaintance she makes.

The strength of these qualities lies within their authenticity, but because of the nature of her position, Visenya is at times suspected of duplicity when her words are truly sincere. Indeed, she regularly wields her virtues toward ulterior ends, perverting the most admirable facets of her personality. The success of her political ambitions hinges entirely on her exceptional social abilities: Visenya uses persuasion and personal appeal to recruit and unite those with more practical talents. Her convictions are seldom too fierce for compromise, which she often embraces in pursuit of consensus. Visenya flourishes in collaboration, though she is somewhat overconfident in her keen eye for talent. Responsibilities are readily delegated to her most trusted subordinates, who are sometimes allowed too much discretion in their work. Visenya can be quite susceptible to the advice of her inner circle, but influence over the silver queen depends largely on her faith in one’s intentions; whenever they are in doubt, Visenya can become surprisingly obstinate.

Since the advent of her adulthood, Visenya’s intrinsic compassion has gradually given way to shrewdness and guile. The pride she still keeps in her waning virtue has blinded her to the consequences of her actions and the impurity of her motives. She rationalizes her most questionable decisions with an arrogant belief in her own goodness; Visenya is convinced that she - and she alone - can guide Aegon VII into a peaceful, prosperous and beloved reign. She considers her ideology of appeasement to be an essential counterweight to the severity of her sister, who in her view can only lead the realm into tyranny and disharmony. Personal pettiness underpins Visenya’s rivalry with Rhaenyra, but she refuses to acknowledge its apolitical aspects. She often offers the other queen empty gestures of rapprochement, though in truth she is no more willing to yield.

The fundamental uncertainty of her position drives Visenya to be proactive in politics, which can ironically lead to bold interferences that only weaken her standing. The validity of Aegon’s bigamous marriage remains controversial, and Visenya fears that she may be set aside if she does not continually prove her utility to the king. In many respects, she lacks the practical strengths of the other queen - thus she often meddles in matters for which she has minimal experience and expertise.

History

Early Life

Several decades after the Lysene branch of House Targaryen diverged from the main line, an affair between reunited the two in the form of Visenya Silvermoon. The child, however, was immediately detached from her maternal roots; her mother, Selenya of Lys, perished shortly after giving birth. Instead she was raised entirely in the royal court, owing to the favor of her father, the Prince of Dragonstone, and his wife, the Princess of Summerhall - who resolved to raise Rhaegar’s bastard as one of her own. Indeed, this compassion was enough for the child to regard Rhaenys as her maternal figure, even as she suspected her of favoring her trueborn daughter.

As soon as she could speak, Visenya distinguished herself with as a quick learner with a sharp wit and a way with words. Despite her illegitimacy, she was well regarded by many in Visaera’s court, leaving strong impressions with her natural charm. Rhaegar’s fondness for his bastard was plainly evident, but as the Prince of Dragonstone - and later, the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms - he had little time reserved for his children. In his absence, Visenya turned to older and wiser men; Grand Maester Abelar was delighted by her enthusiasm for her studies, and in her great uncle Daeron - the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard - she found a second father figure.

But charm was not enough for the child to be universally welcomed at court. Her grandmother, Visaera, was reluctant to accept a bastard, and regarded her with open contempt, never hesitating to remind Visenya of her illegitimate status and inferiority to her siblings. The Black Queen instilled a sense of insecurity into the otherwise confident child and bred a lasting resentment. It was not until the advent of her maturity that Visenya came to realize that the queen did so not out of hatred and spite, but rather out of genuine concern: Visaera foresaw her granddaughter’s tumultuous future.

Several moons after Visenya’s birth, Rhaenys brought her own daughter into the world. Rhaenyra Targaryen was initially quite close with her half-sister, sharing with her the innocent joy of childhood. With the passage of time, however, their personalities and interests began to diverge, and the two became more prone to bickering. As Rhaenyra grew to resent the bastard’s theft of attention, Visenya began to envy her sister’s legitimacy - and her expected future of one day marrying their brother, Aegon. A sense of competition emerged between them as they vied for the attention of their father, and in his absence, their uncle Daeron.

As infants, Visenya and Rhaenyra were each given a dragon egg in their cribs; both hatched shortly thereafter. At first an unruly whelp, Siren’s draconic ferocity was eventually tempered by the gentle child’s guidance. Their bond was immediately strong, though Visenya’s cowardice and cautious postponed her first ride. In 418 AC, two years after she mounted Silanax, Rhaenyra reluctantly helped her half-sister overcome her fear and at last take flight. This experience, however, was not enough to ease the tension that was gradually growing between them.

Brothers and Sisters

The first of her generation, Visenya grew up witnessing the celebrated births of several more royal siblings. Her friendship with Aegon began as soon as he reached a conversational age, though for many years she did not view this in a romantic light; the younger Visenya accepted that he was destined for Rhaenyra. Indeed, her envy of the trueborn daughter was alleviated by daydreams of an idyllic future as the wife of a Tyrell or an Arryn.

The second son was the hot-blooded Aerion, who was naturally drawn to the martially-inclined Rhaenyra. With Visenya, he developed a much different bond: she provided him emotional consolation and filled his head with tales of knightly valor. Later, she helped him learn the language of old Valyria - and with that, incited his interest in poetry, which he was reluctant to share with any other. The two elder sisters developed a similar relationship with Baelor, the third son. Though it was Rhaenyra who molded him into a great warrior, Visenya instilled Baelor with chivalric idealizations and a diplomatic finesse.

Her ability to bond with her youngest two siblings was hindered by a great difference in age. By the time Daemon and Naerys were old enough to form meaningful relationships with their older sisters, Visenya was preoccupied with the demands of marriage and children. As a small child, Daemon exacerbated this with his taunting of the ‘half-blood’, though he became more diplomatic toward her with maturity. Naerys, on the other hand, was more elusive - and more resistant to Visenya’s charisma. Moreover, she was partial toward Rhaenyra, though she never developed any animosity toward her half-sister. In Naerys’ adolescence, Visenya was at least able to captivate her with lessons in feminine propriety.

Visaera’s sole offspring with her second husband, Aerys Velaryon, was a Targaryen in all but name. Though he was an uncle to Visenya, they were of the same age and virtually siblings. She found his brilliant mind intriguing, perplexing and admirable all at once, though her attempts to develop a closer bond with him always fell flat. Visenya’s emotional intelligence was a poor match for Aerys’ rationality, and though animosity never emerged between them, Visenya’s inability to truly understand her uncle has often lent itself to suspicion.

Broadened Horizons

As she approached the age of maturity, Visenya became a useful presence in the court of King Rhaegar II. She frequently entreated with her father’s vassals and courtiers, helping to appease whatever concerns they had brought to the Red Keep. For her sixteenth nameday, she convinced her father to grant her grandest wish: an opportunity to visit the exotic lands of Dorne and Lys. Her brother, Aerion, had already been sent to Sunspear as a ward, and with a Kingsguard for her escort, Visenya traveled south in 424 AC. She first visited the court of the Martells, where she impressed the Dornish with her enthusiasm for their culture. The courtiers there often erroneously referred to her as “Princess Visenya”; indeed, her illegitimate birth seemed only a trifling detail to the people of Dorne.

During her several weeks at Sunspear and the Water Gardens, she made several notable acquaintances, including the young Prince Trystane Martell, Nymella Uller and - most significantly - Elyana Dayne. Despite the four year difference in their ages, Visenya and Elyana developed a close bond almost immediately. Neither, however, anticipated how important their friendship would become several years later. It was during this visit that Visenya tasted her first kiss. With the utmost secrecy, she followed a Dornish lordling of the same age into the countryside in a series of romantic afternoons. Though the relationship was short-lived, and never known to any other, it prompted Visenya to reconsider her feelings toward her brother Aegon.

Her subsequent trip to Lys was arranged with the blessing of the First Magister, who sent several vessels to protect Visenya on her voyage. The Rogares and their allies saw this royal visit as an opportunity to gain a new friend at the court of Rhaegar II and enthralled her with stories of her maternal ancestors - suspending whatever ill will they still harbored for the notorious Lysene branch of House Targaryen. Some even dared to suggest that her betrothal to the Zalynes of Braavos could be broken in favor of a Lysene match, but Visenya politely rebuffed the notion.

Owing to a lifelong fascination with exotic lands and cultures, Visenya had high expectations for Lys - few of which were met. The city was far less beautiful than she had imagined, and no amount of books had prepared her to navigate through its foreign customs. Visenya eagerly anticipated her return to King’s Landing, where she spared no time in at last embracing her feelings for Aegon. The two shared their first kiss, and began a secretive romance that continued through the next year. But neither could ignore her impending betrothal to the Sealord’s son, and with some reluctance, they ended their relationship on amicable terms.

Winter in Braavos

Several years after the conception of the Zalyne Conspiracy, Visenya Silvermoon was sent to Braavos to marry Luco Zalyne, the son of the Sealord. Arriving on the back of her dragon, she was accompanied by a small delegation of guards and servants who remained in the city after the wedding.

Though the bride was at first well received by her hosts, the Braavosi ultimately regarded her wits and charms as little more than curiosities. The Zalyne family, she soon discovered, had for long been hampered with controversy and allegations of corruption. The Sealord’s political opponents met her mingling with unmovable animosity; Visenya never felt quite welcome in Braavos.

She spent many of her days in melancholy moods, confined to the Zalyne manse. By the time of her first child’s birth, the affection between Visenya and her husband had already waned, with neither taking interest in the other beyond a superficial layer of attraction. She tended to her loneliness with letters to King’s Landing, developing a frequent correspondence with her brother Baelor. Visenya was desperate to see her home once more, and when she learned of the harsh conditions of the Blue Winter, she saw an opportunity to return.

Baelor and Visenya agreed to meet in Gulltown, where they began a charitable tour of the Vale. As they traveled between several holdfasts and villages, they distributed food and other aid to smallfolk and nobility alike. At Runestone, the Royces reluctantly tolerated their Targaryen visitors, even as their ward, Godric Arryn, found quick friends in their royal guests. At the Eyrie, Lord Osric and his wife, Saera Targaryen, were unsurprisingly more welcoming. After acquainting herself with their other children, she and Baelor at last parted ways.

Visenya crossed the mountains of the Vale on Siren’s back, continuing northward toward the Sisters. Her distant relation Aegon Targaryen, the consort of Lady Sunderland, guided her on her journey to Sisterton. Visenya became familiar with their children, and though many sistermen remained wary of outsiders, she managed to entreat with them with the utmost tact.

From Sisteron, she reluctantly flew back to Braavos, where she produced her second child, a son named Tregar.

Homecoming

The wedding of Aegon and Rhaenyra in the year 428 AC offered Visenya another chance to visit her home and kin, this time with her husband and children. It was difficult to watch her old flame take her rival for a wife, but Visenya remained cordial throughout the occasion. She was content merely to be in King’s Landing again, and at her insistence, Luco Zalyne agreed to stay for longer than they had planned. He, too, had grown tired of the hostile politics of Braavos. At Luco’s request, the Sealord recalled his emissary to the Iron Throne and appointed his son to the post.

Visenya again found herself involved in many of the daily affairs of the Red Keep. She resumed her role as one of Rhaegar’s chief flatterers, relishing in the stature that she had been denied in the east. Her presence was never particularly meddlesome; instead she spent this time observing those who wielded true influence, hoping that such lessons might be of use after her eventual return to Braavos. Visenya soon learned that her return to the east would never come.

In 429 AC, her infant Tregar succumbed to illness, and in her grief, Visenya desired privacy. She flew south to Summerhall, where she remained for the next few moons - only to be recalled by news of another loss. Luco Zalyne was found dead in his bed for reasons that remain yet unknown, though the maesters suspected that it came about from an aneurysm in his sleep. Grief compounded, and Visenya needed someone to comfort her.

Conveniently, Aegon, too, was dissatisfied with the course of his own marriage. Intimacy did not come easily with Rhaenyra, and she continually failed to produce an heir. Thus he did not deny Visenya when she came to him in her grief, and their romance was reignited. Though this second affair was never acknowledged, it was less secretive than the one before; many at court suspected Aegon’s infidelity.

By the end of 430 AC, Rhaenyra had yet to grow pregnant after nearly three years of marriage. This lack of issue was a pressing problem for the Prince of Dragonstone, and he began to contemplate the solution. The Master of Laws, Septon Bryce, offered one with a historical precedent: the earliest Targaryen kings had practiced polygamy, and he suggested that Rhaegar’s eventual successor should be at liberty to do the same. After a few moons of clever politicking, the septon at last convinced the king to allow the first bigamous royal marriage since Maegor the Cruel.

Aegon’s second marriage was a decidedly smaller affair than the first, with festivities that emphasized the contrast between his two wives. They were wed by Septon Bryce within the Great Sept of Baelor, and the ensuing celebrations reflected Visenya’s fondness for art and high culture. Lords from afar mingled at a grand masquerade, famed bard gave their most animated performances, and only a modest tourney was staged. The Silver Wedding was, of course, immediately controversial - but it would take another year before its consequences were fully grasped.

The Bleeding

Predicated on the grounds of Rhaenyra’s infertility, Aegon’s second marriage was undermined when his first wife became pregnant at the same time as his second. At the end of 431 AC, Visenya gave birth to a son, Daeron , within the Red Keep - and a matter of days later, Rhaenyra birthed Viserys on the island of Dragonstone.

Angered by royal irreverence and the conclusions drawn at the Synod of Lannisport, the Warsmiths began their insurrection the next year. This was the first of several conflicts throughout the continent in a period later known as the Bleeding. During this time, Visenya remained within the capital, where she attempted to contribute to the war effort with her influence at court. She vigorously backed the position of the Hand of the King, Perceon Vance, who cautioned against the deployment of dragons. She concurred that such destructive force would only engender more resentment toward the crown, and was convinced that the rebellion could be quelled through conventional means.

Perceon’s approach, however, soon proved ineffective. Rhaegar yielded to the advice of his daughter Rhaenyra, and dragonfire immediately turned the tide in his favor. The Hand and Visenya were both humiliated by this outcome, and she was at first inclined to agree that her sister was correct - until King Rhaegar perished in one of the final battles of the war. Devastated by his passing, Visenya quietly held to the belief that the more cautious approach would have eventually succeeded, and that her father would still reign if not for Rhaenyra’s impatience.

Trials were held in King’s Landing after the Bleeding’s conclusion, and even in her grief, Visenya could not help but involve herself. Though she wielded no true authority, her new status as a queen restored some of the influence that she’d lost during the course of the war. In some instances, Visenya managed to convince the tribunal to pursue a more merciful course than they had intended.

The Wings

A year after the war’s end, Visenya embarked on a second winter tour of the Vale, though this was decidedly smaller than the first. She went to the Gates of the Moon to pay her respects to the Arryns, who had recently experienced the deaths of Lord Osric and his wife Saera.

In King’s Landing, Visenya had already begun to cultivate a distinguishable political faction. The division sown between the two queens during the Bleeding had culminated in the formation of the “Talons” and the “Wings.” Where the former favored Rhaenyra, and her direct, heavy-handed approach to the realm’s most pressing issues, the latter took the long view advocated by Visenya. She promulgated the notion that the loyalty of vassals should stem from respect, and not fear; she contended that the careless use of force would only embitter the survivors among the vanquished.

Two women emerged among her most notable supporters. Her earlier friendship with Elyana Dayne was rekindled after her marriage to Prince Aerion, in which she assumed a new title as the Lady of Summerhall. For her guile, Elyana came to be known as "the Queen's Thorn," deftly navigating the intrigues of court while also serving as Visenya's most trusted confidante. The support of Gael Targaryen, on the other hand, was much more illustrative of the Silver Queen's projected persona. Once integral to her late husband's service as Master of Coin, Gael held a pleasant temperament that counterbalanced Elyana's ruthlessness.

Though Rhaenyra’s guidance was validated by the events of the Bleeding, Visenya’s influence has since recovered to parity. Her ideals have gained more currency in peacetime, attracting the support of lords who were no longer eager to see their sons sent off to war. Though her influence has remained only as strong as Aegon’s willingness to listen, Visenya has at last established herself as one of the foremost figures in the royal court.

Recent History

In King's Landing, Visenya Silvermoon prepares to travel to Oldtown to attend the wedding of her youngest sister, Naerys Targaryen, to Lord Arthur Hightower.

Family