Baelon Targaryen was born to Aemond Targaryen and Bethany Dondarrion in Blackhaven in 359 A.C. His youth would spend the majority of his youth within Blackhaven, the seat of House Dondarrion. He would grow up listening to his father’s stories of valor and bravery. Of his accounts of the War of the Shadow—of his grandfather’s bravery and, best of all, of Drogon, the Black Beast. He was enthralled by his father’s stories of Drogon. He would spend hours upon hours looking upon his father’s dragon egg, yearning for the day that he would be able to sit upon a dragon’s back and sour among the clouds. Those years with his father would be among his favorite. His father would teach him all he needed to know of the known world. From the lands beyond the Wall, to the shadowlands beyond Asshai. At the age of seven, his father would leave to fight the War of the Seven Banners.
In his father’s absence, Baelon would be raised by his mother, the Maester, and the Master-at-arms of Blackhaven. It was there that he would receive the majority of his education—everything from Courtship to swinging a sword. Baelon would grow to idolize his father those first few years after he departed from Blackhaven, though this reverence would soon turn into detestation in Baelon’s later years. Baelon would attempt to live up to his father's martial ability in an attempt to impress him on the rare occasions he would visit—training at all hours of the day with the Master-at-arms. However, he would never become the formidable swordsman his father had been. As a substitute for the sword, the master-at-arms would help in awakening his true potential. Strategy. He would spend the next several years learning to lead men in battle. On his free time, Baelon would spend his time with Melessa Dondarrion, the only child of Lord Lomas Dondarrion. He would soon grow to fancy her, despite her frail and sickly disposition.
At the age of 13, his mother would send him to King’s Landing for half a year, where he would spend his time among his distant relatives. In half a year, he would drastically improve in his martial ability, and, perhaps more importantly, would learn to play the lute—a skill that he would come to deeply cherish. Playing the lute would soon become a passion of his. His mother would gift him his very first lute soon after he returned to Blackhaven
On his 16th nameday, Baelon decided to set out and search for his father. After being knighted by the Master-at-arms, he would offer his farewells to the household and set out across the Narrow Sea. He spent the better part of a year traveling across the free cities, searching for any sign of his father. It only took the better part of a year before he eventually abandoned his search. He spent the next two years traveling the Free Cities—drinking and whoring, where he would learn the languages of the Free Cities. Although he had enough Gold Dragons in his purse to last him a lustrum, he would take up service in inns, entertaining crowds with his lute until his fingers bled. He would make a name out of himself in certain parts of the Free Cities as the ‘Six-Stringed Dragon’.
After two years of endlessly playing, drinking, and whoring (not to mention leaving many Bastard sons in his wake), he would take up service with the Windblown. Although the majority of his work would involve protecting Nobles and caravans, he would manage to find danger in every corner. After three years, and 4 kisses with death, he would finally leave the Windblown, making his way back towards his home in Westeros.