Description

Syrax was a she-dragon. She was ridden solely by Rhaenyra Targaryen. Her name came from a goddess of Valyria. Syrax had yellow scales. She was huge and formidable, but not as fearsome or experienced in battle as Caraxes. She was kept in chains and exceedingly well fed. She had not hunted for years at the time of the civil war.

Rhaenyra first took Syrax as a mount in 104 AC, when the princess was seven years old. Syrax was described as a 'young' dragon at the time, and Rhaenyra herself named her Syrax (after a Valyrian goddess) - strongly implying that Syrax had no previous rider.

After a difficult stillbirth at the onset of the war, Rhaenyra regained enough strength to ride on Syrax alongside her fellow dragonriders during their successful assault on King's Landing, facing minimal resistance.Once in King's Landing, Syrax was confined within the Red Keep's outer ward in a stable that had been emptied of horses and designated solely for her use. Heavy chains bound her to the ground, allowing her to move within the stable and its adjoining yard but preventing her from flying off without a rider. Meanwhile, the other three dragons owned by the blacks were housed in the Dragonpit, alongside Dreamfyre belonging to the greens.

In the aftermath of the Storming of the Dragonpit, Syrax met her demise. Prince Joffrey attempted to mount her in order to rescue the other dragons and perhaps mount his own dragon, Tyraxes, once there. However, unlike horses, dragons only accept one rider at a time. Syrax shook off Joffrey mid-flight, causing him to fall to his death. Syrax then flew on towards the Dragonpit, drawn by the scent of blood. Archmaester Glydayn observed that Syrax could have stayed high in the sky and used her flames to attack the mob, but instead she descended to the ground and killed many with her teeth and claws. There are conflicting accounts regarding the exact circumstances of Syrax's death, and Glydayn does not provide a detailed description. However, it is certain that Syrax died while fighting the rioters.