Chapter drafts dating back to October 2003 and June 2004 present an alternative origin of Maelys's sobriquet "the Monstrous." In these early versions, Tyrion Lannister assists a history lesson given by Haldon Halfmaester to Young Griff in which lore about the Band of Nine and the Blackfyres is taught. Haldon explains that after killing his cousin Daemon, Maelys read in old Valyrian scrolls gifted by Samarro Saan that king's blood could wake dragons out of stone. He then sacrificed his only son, the four-year-old Maenar, in a fire ritual in order to hatch old dragon eggs. The attempt failed, however, and Maelys was thereafter known as "Maelys the Monstrous."