Daemon Targaryen is about 16 years older than Rhaenyra Targaryen, a significant age gap that is consistent in both the House of the Dragon books (Fire & Blood) and the HBO series, though the show's casting made the actors' real-life age difference smaller than the characters'. In the lore, Daemon was born in 81 AC and Rhaenyra in 97 AC, making him 39 and her 23 when they married in 120 AC.
In the book, Mushroom suggests that Rhaenyra was seduced by Daemon and that he took her virginity while Mushroom suggests that Daemon knew that Rhaenyra desired Ser Criston Cole of the Kingsguard so he started to offer her tips and training on how to best seduce him (including teaching her to kiss).
In the book, she's nine years older than Princess Rhaenyra, but in Dragon they're meant to be around the same age: 15 years old as of season 1 episode 1, then roughly 17 or 18 during episodes 3-5. Emily Carey, the actress who plays young Alicent, was 19 years old when season 1 came out.
He's 100% in love with Rhaenyra. It's all over his dialogue, body language and the way he looks at her. He is tender with nobody else like he is with her. Even Matt Smith himself said the only 2 people Daemon loves are Viserys and Rhaenyra.
They were betrothed in 113AC and married in 114AC. Rhaenyra 17 and Laenor 20. Rhaenyra's eldest son was born later that year.
Visenya Targaryen (figlia di Rhaenyra e Daemon) Visenya, like other Targaryen babies who were stillborn, are described with dragon characteristics, such as scales, wings and a tail, and although some think it is due to incest, it is actually because the Targaryens really are of the blood of the dragon, it is said that ...
After Viserys declared Rhaenyra as his rightful heir, the furious Daemon left for Dragonstone and took Mysaria with him. They remained there for six months, during which time Mysaria became pregnant; when Daemon learned of her pregnancy, he gave her a dragon egg, and by that infuriated Viserys.
"House of the Dragon" portrays Daemon Targaryen's relationship with Laena Velaryon with more emotional nuance than the books, suggesting he did care for her. However, his love for Rhaenyra Targaryen appears deeper and more complex, influencing the power dynamics and central narrative of the series.
Although Ygritte is long dead, Jon still loves her and cannot bring himself to sleep with another woman.
Criston Cole - 39
Ser Criston Cole is around his late 30s when the second season kicks off. However, in the book series, he was much older and in his late 40s. When the series first began, he was guarding the young Rhaenyra in his mid-20s. Fabien Frankel, who plays Ser Criston, is 30 years old.
Spoiler alert for the books. In George R.R. Martin's fictitious history of the Targaryen family, we learn that Rhaenyra does eventually have children with her uncle Daemon: two boys named Viserys II and Aegon III, both of whom eventually become king.
In the show, Rhaenyra starts out as 15 y/o (I might be wrong) while Laena starts out as 12 y/o. However, upon revisiting some official sites for the book, I read that Laena is older than both Laenor and Rhaenyra. But then I also read some reddit comments that Laena is meant to be 2 or 3 years younger than Rhaenyra.
Criston 'loved' Rhaenrya, or at least he thought he did when he consented to have a relationship with her. Because in his eyes, love was worth breaking his vows and he would do the right thing by marrying her.
So theologians had to explain how Mary could have been ever-virgin––by the standard of having an intact hymen––and given birth (recall that quote from the Lateran Council: Mary “gave birth to Him without injury, her virginity remaining equally inviolate after the birth”).
Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen is the FIRST woman in Westeros who sat upon the Iron Throne as a crowned ruler; Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen the First of Her Name is the daughter of King Varys I Targaryen and mother of King Varys II and Aegon III. She is also a great ancestor of Daenerys Targaryen.
Instead of Cersei, Prince Rhaegar marries Elia Martell. Alienating his longtime Hand, Aerys instead agreed to an arranged marriage between Rhaegar and Elia Martell, a princess from Dorne, daughter of the ruling Princess of Dorne (who was a distant cousin of the royal line through intermarriage a century before).
According to Mushroom, Rhaenyra received those lessons from Daemon because she was in love with Criston Cole, and she wanted him to see her as a woman.
I think she was yearning for someone to see beyond her title and her womb. And here enters Daemon who is a rebel, a warrior, and someone who knows her and knows what she desires. It is sudden but she's a grown woman now and she wants to experience the freedoms a man in her place would be even expected to take part in.
Game of Thrones' Drogon chose not to kill Jon Snow because of his Targaryen blood, his love for Daenerys, and Drogon's possible understanding that while Jon committed the act, he wasn't the reason for Daenerys' death at the end of Game of Thrones'.
Rhaena is dragonless for most of the Dance of the Dragons event in the book. However, she eventually gets a dragon when one of the eggs given to her hatches. She bonds immediately with this dragon and calls it Morning. Morning's birth was considered by many to be a miracle.
Rhaego was the son of Drogo and Daenerys Targaryen. According to a Dothraki prophecy, he would have been the stallion who mounts the world.
Drogon flew off with Daenerys after her death, burning the Iron Throne and leaving his destination a mystery. Many theories suggest Drogon may have taken Daenerys to Valyria or to be resurrected in Volantis.
So the Velaryons are not exceptions. During the Dance of the Dragons, Hugh Hammer, Ulf the White, Addam of Hull, and Nettles were all found to be capable dragonriders. They were suspected to be Targaryen bastards, but never confirmed in the text. In particular, Nettles is sometimes pointed to as likely not a Targaryen.
Vhagar was twice the size of Drogon and older/more experienced in battle. Wouldn't even be a close fight. Vhagar has upper hand that's for sure !!!