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In A Dance With Dragons Chapter 50, Daenerys says this to Quentyn Martell:

It was said that even Aegon the Conquerer never dared mount Vhagar or Meraxes, nor did his sisters mount Balerion the Black Dread. Dragons live longer than men, some for hundreds of years, so Balerion had other riders after Aegon died... but no rider ever flew two dragons

Yet in The Rogue Prince, we find out that Daemon Targaryen did take both Vhagar (His Wife's dragon) and Caraxes (His own Dragon) to Westeros.

From The Rogue Prince:

In 116 AC, in the Free City of Pentos, Lady Laena gave birth to twin daughters, Daemon Targaryen’s first trueborn children. The prince named the girls Baela (after his father) and Rhaena (after her mother). When they were half a year old, the girls and their mother sailed to Driftmark, whilst Daemon flew ahead with both dragons.

The two dragons in question are Vhagar and Caraxes.

How did Daemon do that?

The explanations that I have been able to give to myself are:

  1. Daenerys doesn't know much about Dragonlore. She may have been wrong that a rider can't fly two dragons.
  2. It can be argued that Daemon did not actually ride Vhagar during his travel from Pentos to Driftmark. He merely herded Vhagar to Driftmark with help of Caraxes. Of course he didn't fly both of them as I can't see him flying with one leg on Caraxes and the other on Vhagar. Yet he showed some sort of control over Vhagar which I don't really understand. The control must be there because otherwise Vhagar could have found a lair in Essos somewhere or flown to some other continent instead and Daemon would have had no way to prevent that.
  3. Since Dragons and Dragonriders share a bond and often know of each others' feelings (E.g. the dragons of Blacks and Greens snapping at each other prior to Dance of the Dragons or the attack by Tessarion on Vermithor even after death of her rider) and intentions/being in distress (E.g. Queen Helaena's dragon Dreamfyre breaking her chains when the Queen threw herself off the ramparts of the Red Keep), It may have been that Lady Laena Velaryon was able to communicate after a fashion to Vhagar that she had to fly to Driftmark.
  4. Targaryen Dragons seem to have an instinct to fly to Dragonstone when they are without their riders e.g. Like Sunfyre did without Aegon II (Although It may be because Aegon II was on Dragonstone and Sunfyre somehow sensed his presence. This is supported by act of Silverwing who made her lair in The Reach after death of her rider in Dance of the Dragons). Dragonstone is adjacent to Driftmark.

Dragons do not follow flock like structures in their lives and prefer to live alone like the Wild Dragons of Dragonstone so it is unlikely that Vhagar followed Caraxes because of some flock-instinct. Neither was Caraxes big enough nor strong enough to make Vhagar follow him, assuming role of some sort of Alpha-dragon. So Controlling factor has to be either Daemon or Leana (Somehow?).

I know the books cover to cover so I am certain there is nothing there explaining this. What I am specifically looking for is some Citadel entry or something in this regard.

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    it doesn't say he flew both dragons, merely that he flew ahead and took both dragons with him. I assumed he flew one and the other followed on its sibling because it was smart.
    – KutuluMike
    Commented Sep 1, 2016 at 11:27
  • @KutuluMike So the second proposed explanation then? Dragon's can of course learn feelings and threats to wellbeing of their riders but that sort of smartness is well, unexpected. Guess that's like Ghost reaching Castle Black after Jon told him to but then again, Ghost and Jon could connect body and mind.
    – Aegon
    Commented Sep 1, 2016 at 11:31
  • Just to be clear, you are saying it is explanation #2 except that Daemon had nothing to do with it, Vhagar came of her own accord?
    – Aegon
    Commented Sep 1, 2016 at 11:31
  • That was my impression when I read it but I have nothing to back that up with, so I'm reluctant to answer it yet. For example, all 3 of Dany's dragons follow her around and she rarely rides them.
    – KutuluMike
    Commented Sep 1, 2016 at 11:45
  • How would it be possible to "fly ahead with both dragons" other than to physically be sitting on one, with the other following? Are you suggesting he rode one ahead, ran back, then rode the other one?
    – Gorchestopher H
    Commented Sep 1, 2016 at 13:14

2 Answers 2

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How did Daemon control two dragons? We aren't sure he necessarily did.

We know he traveled with two dragons when he moved his family to Driftmark. This does not imply he controlled both. At a minimum one followed while one was being ridden. This is the most obvious, and the simplest interpretation of what "flew ahead with both dragons" could mean.

Can someone "control" two dragons?
What constitutes control?
Ability to travel together? Or something more?
Dany travels with 3 dragons.

In your quote Dany suggests no rider ever rode on two dragons. The context is the mounting and riding of dragons. No statement was made to the tune that "no dragon rider ever had it's dragon followed by another dragon".

The context of Daemon's travel to Driftmark is simply travel. We know his wife and children sailed to Driftmark and we know Daemon flew, as did both dragons, together.

Neither quote suggests the other must be false.

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  • Dany travels with three dragons yet she can't control the way they travel. Drogon always flies where he likes to fly, even abandoning Dany for weeks and months unlike his siblings who are described as "not as bold as Drogon".
    – Aegon
    Commented Sep 2, 2016 at 6:22
  • ...and yet Dany rides Drogon. Regardless... there are 3 dragons with her. The statement is "Daemon flew ahead with both dragons". No mention of the behavior of the non-mounted dragon. Perhaps Vhagar wasn't as bold as Drogon. Even if Vhagar took several detours it makes no difference to the fact that the dragons flew ahead of the ship carrying Laena.
    – Gorchestopher H
    Commented Sep 2, 2016 at 11:31
  • Did she? I remember her hopping on Drogon's back in Grazdan's pit and that was it. She couldn't control where drogon went nor could she mount the black dread reborn again. That's hitch hiking dragon-style, not riding and claiming the mount. Unlike Dany who had no idea where she wanted to go, Daemon had a pre-determined destination which was Driftmark where he had to take both dragons. Vhagar could have made a lair somewhere in Essos as Drogon did in Dothraki sea, Daemon had no way to prevent that if we are to assume he exerted no control on the she dragon.
    – Aegon
    Commented Sep 2, 2016 at 11:42
  • Although, one point might be noteworthy that Post-doom Targaryen Dragons appear to have an instinct to return to Dragonstone e.g. Like Sunfyre did without his rider. Dragonstone is adjacent to Driftmark.
    – Aegon
    Commented Sep 2, 2016 at 11:43
  • @Aegon Good info perhaps, but still, none of these points suggest that Dany's statement conflicts with the account of Daemon's move to Driftmark.
    – Gorchestopher H
    Commented Sep 2, 2016 at 15:51
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Rhaegal followed Daenerys and Drogon to Dragonstone in s7. Laena was on her way to Driftmark and Vhagar knew that, so with or without Daemon and Caraxes, I feel she would have flown back either immediately or when she felt like it. Laena spent a lot of time flying so I have no doubt Vhagar would have absolutely gone on her own, knowing Laena was headed there.

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