The Complexities of Royal Bloodline Inheritance: Targaryen Heirs and Unspoken Truths

The Targaryen bloodline, revered for its fame and mystery, has long captivated the imagination of countless readers and historians. However, as with any royal family, the intricacies of their inheritance and bloodline often hold untold stories and unspoken truths. This article delves into the hypothetical intricacies surrounding Rhaenyra Targaryen and her husband, Laenor Velaryon, exploring their possible methods to ensure the true Targaryen lineage.

Guaranteeing Bloodline Purity: Rhaenyra and Laenor’s Challenge

Rhaenyra Targaryen, the crown princess of Dragonstone and the heir to the Iron Throne, and Laenor Velaryon, her husband, faced a challenge in ensuring the true Targaryen lineage. The question often arises: Did they employ 'creative' methods to have a child after the birth of Jace or Luke, or did the Targaryen bloodline speak for itself without the need for such interventions?

Disproving the Need for 'Creative' Methods

It is imperative to clarify that Rhaenyra and Laenor did not require 'creative' methods to have children. Rhaenyra was incredibly fertile, having five healthy sons, while Laenor, far from being impotent or sterile, demonstrated his capability to sire children. The birth of Rhaenys, known as Jace, at the end of 114 AD, was widely recognized, and his conception did not occur during Laenor's presence at court. This suggests that the need for a 'creative' method was non-existent, as there was ample time for natural conception before Rhaenys was born.

Initial Marriage and One Son

Despite their marriage in 114 AD, Rhaenyra and Laenor did not seem to prioritize having children together. Rhaenys' conception occurred shortly after the marriage, with a gap of only a few months. However, as early as three months post-marriage, Rhaenyra turned to her uncle Harwin to support her in matters of motherhood. This implies that Laenor played a minimal role in the conception of their first child, Jace.

Why Laenor Was Not Involved

Laenor's inclination towards homosexuality and his aversion to intimate relations led to a nonchalant approach to fatherhood. Thus, he was more than willing to accept Rhaenyra's supposed bastards as his trueborn sons. If any discrepancies about the paternity of Rhaenys or the subsequent births of Luke were questioned, Rhaenyra had the audacity to eliminate any objections through force and her father's backing.

Methods to Ensure Targaryen Lineage

Even after the births of Jace and Luke, Rhaenyra had several options to ensure her children appeared Targaryen. Here are the suggested methods:

Option 1: Simple Intimacy

The simplest and most straightforward method would have been for Rhaenyra and Laenor to engage in regular, intimate encounters. Given Renly's similar enactment for securing his crown, it is reasonable to assume that Rhaenyra and Laenor could have taken similar steps to secure the true lineage. Although Laenor's LGBTQ identity and personal preferences present a barrier, the potential for this solution remains.

Option 2: Seeking Help from Grandfather

Corlys Velaryon, Rhaenyra's grandfather, was known for his own reproductive prowess, siring Addam and Alyn in 114 AD and 115 AD. His practice of selectively breeding his Lyseni prostitutes to produce beautiful Targaryen-looking children is within the realm of possibility. He adhered to this practice, and his 'grandsons' clearly had the desired appearance.

Option 3: Using a Lyseni Prostitute

To sidestep noble involvement, Rhaenyra and Laenor could have approached Lyseni prostitutes, known for their ability to selectively breed children. Given the Lyseni practice of breeding for beauty and particular physical traits, it could have been relatively straightforward to find a suitable 'father' for their children. Once the purpose was achieved, they could easily dispose of the individual, ensuring their silence.

Option 4: Involving Uncle Daemon

Daemon, Rhaenyra's uncle, returned to Westeros in 116 AD and remained there. At this stage, his involvement could have been considered. However, involving Daemon would have presented significant risks. Not only was he untrustworthy, boasting about his trysts with the Princess of Dragonstone, but he also sought to eliminate any competition to his own future claim to the throne.

Impossibility of Covering Up Bastards

Despite the various methods proposed, it is highly improbable that Rhaenyra could have reinstated her royal image through the birth of Targaryen-looking children. Even if she had ten more children, the fact that her first two sons, Jace and Luke, were clearly bastards, makes it impossible to cover up the true nature of her lineage. The people of Westeros would be wary of supporting a clearly bastard claim to the throne, especially when there were trueborn descendants in other branches of the family.

Conclusion

The complex family dynamics and the quest for true Targaryen lineage present a spectrum of possibilities, from simple intimate encounters to more orchestrated methods involving Lyseni prostitutes and grandfathers. Yet, the core issue remains: despite the potential for concealing the truth, the very nature of her first two sons' apparent illegitimacy would always cast a shadow over any efforts to ensure a Targaryen claim to the Iron Throne.