Meraxes

Meleys, known as the Red Queen, was a dragon of House Targaryen hatched during the early reign of Jaehaerys I Targaryen on Dragonstone. She was first claimed by Princess Alyssa Targaryen, who selected her over older dragons such as Balerion upon the advice of the Dragonkeepers, who considered Meleys faster and more responsive in flight. Meleys developed a reputation for exceptional speed, often described as one of the swiftest dragons of her time, though she was smaller than the oldest war dragons such as Vhagar.

Following Alyssa Targaryen’s death in childbirth, Meleys remained without a rider for several years. She was later claimed by Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, daughter of Aemon Targaryen. Rhaenys rode Meleys to her wedding with Corlys Velaryon, and the two remained closely bonded thereafter. Meleys was regarded as a reliable and responsive mount, well-suited to Rhaenys’s measured approach to dragonriding, favoring speed and maneuverability over raw size.

During the opening phase of the Dance of the Dragons in 129 AC, Meleys appeared at the coronation of Aegon II Targaryen in King’s Landing. She burst through the floor of the Dragonpit, emerging into the ceremony with Rhaenys mounted upon her. Despite being in a position to attack the assembled Green faction leadership, Rhaenys did not order Meleys to unleash dragonfire. Instead, she departed the city to warn Rhaenyra Targaryen of Aegon’s coronation.

Meleys’s final engagement occurred at the Battle of Rook’s Rest later that same year. Rhaenys and Meleys arrived alone to support the castle against the forces of Ser Criston Cole. During the initial assault, Meleys withstood volleys of arrows and scorpion bolts and inflicted significant casualties among Cole’s troops with dragonfire. The engagement escalated when Aemond Targaryen and Vhagar, along with Aegon II riding Sunfyre, joined the battle, creating a two-on-one aerial confrontation.

Meleys engaged Sunfyre directly and inflicted severe injuries, including damage to his neck and torso. However, the numerical disadvantage proved decisive. Vhagar attacked from above, delivering a fatal bite that broke Meleys’s neck. All three dragons fell during the clash, but only Meleys was killed outright. Rhaenys Targaryen also perished in the fall.

After the battle, Meleys’s head was taken to King’s Landing and displayed publicly. The reaction among the smallfolk was notably somber, with many mourning the loss of both dragon and rider. This response contrasted with the intended display of strength by the Green faction and contributed to unrest within the city.

Meleys is remembered as one of the fastest dragons of her generation and as a capable combatant despite being outmatched in size by older dragons. Her death at Rook’s Rest is considered one of the most significant early losses for Rhaenyra’s faction and a defining moment in the escalation of the Dance of the Dragons.