Aegon Targaryen suffered severe burns during the Battle of Rook's Rest, a brutal dragon engagement during the Dance of the Dragons civil war.
The Fiery Clash at Rook's Rest
The injuries Aegon sustained, including his burns, occurred when he and his dragon, Sunfyre, engaged in a deadly aerial combat. This clash was part of a trap orchestrated by Ser Criston Cole at Rook's Rest, intended to corner and eliminate a key figure of the opposing faction.
During this intense confrontation, Aegon, riding Sunfyre, fought alongside his brother Aemond Targaryen and his dragon, Vhagar, against Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, famously known as the Queen Who Never Was, and her formidable dragon, Meleys, the Red Queen. The battle was a chaotic explosion of dragonfire and claw.
Consequences of the Battle
While Aegon and Aemond ultimately emerged victorious, resulting in the death of Princess Rhaenys and Meleys, the triumph came at a very high cost. Aegon and his dragon Sunfyre were both terribly maimed in the fight.
Aegon himself suffered from significant injuries:
- Severe Burns: The close-quarters dragon combat involved intense dragonfire, and Aegon was extensively burned by the flames of Meleys.
- Broken Bones: Beyond the burns, he also sustained multiple broken bones, indicating the sheer violence of being thrown and battered during such a catastrophic dragon battle.
These severe wounds left Aegon gravely incapacitated, marking a turning point in his personal involvement in the war. The burns were a direct consequence of the fiery nature of the dragon fight against Meleys.
