#Aegon is what happens when you make a young boy take on such a terrible task without adequate preparation

[jon-sedai]

“Dead. He’s dead.”

“No.” The eunuch’s voice seemed deeper. “He is here. Aegon has been shaped for rule since before he could walk. He has been trained in arms, as befits a knight to be, but that was not the end of his education. He reads and writes, he speaks several tongues, he has studied history and law and poetry. A septa has instructed him in the mysteries of the Faith since he was old enough to understand them. He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows that kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them.”

(ADWD Epilogue)

Varys’ words to Kevan Lannister about Prince Aegon are so interesting because of the overarching insinuation that the boy has had a slew of advisors and teachers who have carefully and extensively prepared him for the task of ruling. His listed examples to that point are rather peculiar, however: a knight to train him in arms, a septa to train him in the faith, and various tutors to train him in history and languages.

Now there’s nothing inherently wrong about Aegon’s educators but one has to ask, what do these people even know about actual ruling? What have they seen about the nature of ruling and the nitty gritty of it? What experience do they have? And if they themselves don’t really know what it means to rule, what does that say of their young prince’s education?

It’s an important question to ask when we consider Aegon’s narrative foil: Jon Snow. Jon does not have the expectation of ruling. In fact, as a bastard, he knows that he can never ever get a lordship let alone a crown/throne. Yet Jon has, unlike Aegon, a crew of experienced tutors who have shown him the nitty gritty of ruling. Every single one of his on-page mentors is either a ruler or a leader of men; in addition to the other tutors he had growing up.

So I wanted to take a look at Jon’s mentors and the positions they have held to contrast their experience (and thus the validity of the lessons that they give Jon) as opposed to the lack of experience in Aegon’s crew.

Ned Stark - Jon’s first and (arguably) most impactful mentor. While teaching Jon important lessons about rulership, he was serving as the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North; thus making him one of the most powerful men in the entire realm. He then went on to serve as Hand of the King - the most powerful official save for the king. The irony is that Ned didn’t teach Jon as a successor. Robb was the one meant to succeed him. Yet Jon absorbed his lessons all the same.

Benjen Stark - we don’t actually see much on-page mentorship from Benjen, yet he still is one of Jon’s many father figures in the series. He is a a man of the Night’s Watch so he is sworn to hold no lands or titles. Yet as First Ranger, he is undoubtedly one for he highest ranking officials in the Watch and potentially a skilled warrior. He takes on the role of the knight or leader of men among Jon’s teachers.

Tyrion Lannister - despite being an ‘outsider’, Tyrion comes to hold considerable power. He is an exceedingly learned and intelligent man and managed to impart important life lessons during his short time with Jon. He rises to become Hand of the King and later Master of Coin. Though he doesn’t actively teach Jon how to rule, he’s still an important part of Jon’s character development.

Maester Aemon - one of the anomalies in this list. Yet his impact on Jon’s life cannot be understated. He is a teacher to Jon; we have various references to Jon going to Aemon for advice on how to lead. Aemon also gives Jon advice meant for kings: “kill the boy and let the man be born”. What makes Aemon an interesting addition is that he is a would-be king. And an interesting contrast between Jon and Aegon is that both parallel Aegon V; Jon more organically, Aegon rather artificially. If we remember, Aegon V was a hidden prince who ultimately became king. This is the very same trope that Jon and Prince Aegon are following. And it’s interesting that Aemon, Aegon V’s brother, gives advice on governance to Jon; the same advice given to the unlikely king. So it’s Jon who is carrying the torch of kingship from Aegon V, not Young Griff.

Jeor Mormont - one of the most direct mentors in Jon’s arc. Not only is he a surrogate father to Jon, he does what Ned never did: he directly grooms Jon to be his heir. Jon gets to watch Jeor actually govern the NW as his steward but it’s interesting that he shadows the LC through servitude. Though Jon is intended to succeed the Old Bear, he has to humble himself; he has to follow before he can lead. It’s a contrast to Aegon who would hold power over most (if not all) of his tutors.

Donal Noye - the other anomaly save for Maester Aemon. He is a humble Blacksmith. Yet he has been in the service of kings (having served the Baratheon boys who would all end up as kings). He plays an important role in bringing Jon’s ego back to earth and helping him sympathize with those less fortunate than himself. Despite his humble origins, he does briefly take command of the Wall during Mance Rayder’s attack and then transfers that command to Jon, purely because he believed in Jon’s ability to lead (and he was right).

Qhorin Halfhand - another who takes on the role of a skilled master at arms for Jon. He is an undoubtably powerful warrior. But he is also a leader of men. He teaches Jon important lessons on leadership during their time together beyond the Wall - e.g., to lead your men you must first know them. And in true ‘fridged mentor’ fashion, Qhorin dies so the young prince can take over and grow as a leader.

Mance Rayder - the King Beyond the Wall and one of the most important leaders in the books despite spending all his time in the North. Mance’s role as a mentor for Jon is doubly important given that he also takes on the role as a Rhaegar proxy. Despite Jon coming to him as an (undercover) enemy, he’s still able to impart powerful lessons on how to command an army and wrangle support from different factions of men. Jon learns a lot about diplomacy from observing and being under the KBTW. Mance is a skilled warrior, commander, and politician. A charismatic and gifted man - the picture perfect king for Jon to emulate.

Tormund Giantsbane - a leader of the freefolk who rises to become an unlikely ally for Jon. A skilled warrior and proven leader (we know that he took charge of a couple of thousand of freefolk), Tormund becomes important when there’s a transfer of power from Mance to Jon as leader of the freefolk.

Stannis Baratheon - by law, he is the rightful king of the seven kingdoms. According to prophecy, as Melisandre says, he is the promised messiah. Despite a less than ideal personality, he’s still an important part of Jon’s political arc in ADWD. Arguably a man of immense administrative potential, Stannis is also one of the most successful military commanders in the series; which is great for Jon since he also learned from Ned, who ran an undefeated streak as a battle commander.

The total count now comes to: two kings, two Hands of the King, a ruling lord, three warriors, one wise maester (who has counseled a king), and one commander. That quite a resume for Jon. All these men have some experience leading men and commanding armies, however big or small. So Jon’s preparation has been quite thorough.

What a stark contrast between the two boys, then. Varys’ words give us a roadmap of a “perfect ruler” (or as perfect as one can be) yet when we actually take the time to examine what we see in the text, Aegon is not at all suited for that role - Jon is. In fact, not a single character in ASOIAF has had the intensive preparation to rule that Jon has.

It’s beautiful irony. The prince, the one promised to rule, is actually quote underprepared for the task of it. Meanwhile the bastard, who is at best promised a life of servitude, is the one with the most preparation (and experience) for rulership. It’s the way Aegon, as a narrative foil to Jon, acts as one who validates Jon’s journey. There are certain things needed of a ruler. Jon has them, Aegon doesn’t.

Winds isn’t out yet so we don’t yet know for certain where these two boys will end up. But I’m almost sure that young Prince Aegon is doomed and though he may hold the throne for a while, he will not be the king at the end of the story. And it just might be his inexperience that ultimately dooms him. So what does that say for Jon then? Aegon can’t hold the throne as he’s unprepared for it, but what about Jon who is?

[n-i-m-u-e]

So instead of sleeping, I wrote this to my dream parenting!AU

Aemond is this one, who is most outraged about the rumors about the ancestry of her older sister's children and takes it as a personal attack. Because… because he has very personal reasons!

For the first time, Aemond hears whispers from the maids shortly after Luke's birth. It's an incoherent ‘princess's children,’ ‘dark hair,’ ’strong‘ and, what makes him clench his fists, ‘bastards’. He goes to Aegon and retells what he has heard, but his brother shrugs lightly and says to ignore the ‘chatter of stupid laundresses because our nephews are Targaryens and nothing else matters’.

But Aemond is not willing to accept this. He doesn't want to hear a single insulting word about his sister and her children. Especially little Luke. Not after he's been waiting so incredibly long for him to appear!

The fact is that when Daeron and Jace were born, he was still too young, and so they ‘belonged’ to Aegon from the beginning. Helaena belonged… to her own world, and Aemond… he belonged to no one and no one belonged to him, not even the dragon.

But one evening, as usual, Rhaenyra came to say goodnight and revealed that a new member would soon be joining the family. From that moment on, Aemond knew that he would soon no longer be alone.

He was patient and impatient at the same time. On the day his youngest nephew was born, for the first time in his life, Aemond ran away from his classes and hid in the corridor, not far from Rhaenyra's chambers. Until a deafening baby cry reached his ears, and he followed the sound as if enchanted.

The midwives and maids were bustling around, but no one noticed the little boy slipping into the room. Everyone's attention was on the princess, and it was understandable - Rhaenyra looked exhausted. But all of Aemond's attention at that moment belonged to a small screaming bundle in the arms of one of the women. Aemond needed to see it. Aemond must see it!

‘A healthy boy, Your Highness!’ someone said as he handed Rhaenyra the bundle.’

Oh… Aemond must see the boy!

But for some reason his legs did not move, he was literally frozen and could not take one step. A terrible thought crossed his mind: what if nothing changes anyway? Aemond was supposed to have his own dragon, an egg was put in his cradle, but the dragon never appeared, and the egg turned into stone. So, the appearance of this boy does not mean that he will want to belong to Aemond and that Aemond will belong to him.

But he didn't have time to go deeper into his fear, because at that moment Sir Laenor almost tripped over him as he ran into his wife's chambers. But the knight stopped in time and gently held Aemond.

‘Oh, Aem, kiddo, what are you doing here? Have you come to meet your new nephew?’

Aemond nodded uncertainly in response. Laenor smiled back at him and put out his hand.

‘Then let's go!’

The two of them walked over to his sister's bed and Laenor pulled him onto the edge. When Aemond cautiously moved closer, Rhaenyra looked up at him and asked with a gentle smile:

‘Do you want to welcome us, little brother?’

Once again, he could only nod in the affirmative, and she turned the still sobbing baby towards him.

‘Then say hello to our sweet boy. His name will be Lucerys.‘

And then this happened. The crown of the baby's head peeked out from the open blanket, with its sparse dark hair. As soon as Aemond dared to reach out and pull back the edge of the blanket to get a better look, his finger was gripped incredibly tightly by a very small hand. He felt as if his heart had skipped a beat. But the child stopped crying.

And as he looked into the dark eyes of the tiny, round, red face, Aemond realized that at least some of his fears were unfounded.

He really wasn't no longer alone. And he will at all costs protect, defend and cherish his sweet Lucerys!

[presidenthades]

Here’s the behind-the-scenes for Lavender Ch. 6!

Usual disclaimer that these thoughts aren’t necessarily canonical to the fic verse until/unless I write them into the actual story.

Aegon’s undercover adventures are some of my favorite things to write. If this chapter weren’t monstrously long, I would’ve written a lot more about what exactly Aegon did while sleuthing. Editing for concision is painful. 🥲

Aemond being terrible at going undercover is another of my favorite things to write ahahaha.

In the books, Dorne is very ethnically diverse. You have salty Dornish like the Martells who tend to live near the coast, sandy Dornish who live in the desert, and stony Dornish in the mountains who look and act more like Andals than like the Rhoynar. So it’s possible for Aegon to pass as a stony Dornishman (the term isn’t coined until later in the timeline, so I don’t use it in the text) as long as he doesn’t draw too much attention.

Originally I was going to make Aliandra extremely flirty with Aegon, to the point that she brazenly crosses the line of propriety. Then I realized that would play into the “promiscuous sex-centered Dornish” trope that’s prevalent in fandom, so I backtracked. I also looked critically at how Aliandra is described in F&B. Although I usually think the “unreliable narrator” part of the Dance is exaggerated, I think it is plausible (and probable) that in-world maesters would not write about Aliandra, a foreign Dornishwoman, in a sympathetic light. She’s depicted as coming onto Alyn Velaryon, who is depicted as being brave and noble and true to Baela. But Alyn is a serial cheater, so if something happened between him and Aliandra, I doubt he was totally innocent. So instead of making Aliandra a homewrecker, I just made her flirty and a bit boy-crazy for Valyrian men. She’s a rebellious 16yo, so I think her doing the medieval equivalent of putting up band posters of her family’s ancestral enemy tracks. 😂

S1 Mysaria joins the spymaster business as a way to make money off of rich people willing to pay for her info. In this verse, she gets so good at it that she has a few of Viserys’s personal servants on her payroll, hence her ability to find out about the journal etc. Of course Larys doesn’t like this, because a) she’s infringing on his turf and b) if she knows about his scheming with Viserys, she might tell someone. He acts against her after the moon tea, so she has to flee quickly and ends up in Dorne. But she has limited resources and she gets sick (something like tuberculosis), so she grows desperate enough to broker a deal with Aegon. She’s realized she can’t return to KL as long as Viserys (and Larys) is in charge, so she hopes allying with Aegon will give her a fighting chance.

“It may shock you to hear this, but I don’t know every YiTish who lives in King’s Landing.” This was my wry little joke about the IRL microaggression where people sometimes say, “Oh you’re [insert racial/ethnic minority]? Do you know [insert name of person also in that racial/ethnic minority]?” Aegon wasn’t really asking that; it was a ruse to see if she’s lying about Myranda. But I imagine Mysaria gets asked about all the YiTish people in KL a lot. To be fair, the YiTish community in KL is probably very small in this era, but it’s not like they have social media to keep tabs on each other.

“Old men, young men, rich men, poor men, hale men, crippled men.” It’s not a coincidence that Mysaria mentioned the last one re: “tempting even the most calculating man to act unwisely” around Jace.

Larys’s spies have orders to stop Aegon and Mysaria at all costs from spreading news about the plot against Aegon. When they realize Aegon and Mysaria have found each other, the spies take advantage of the Dornish people’s anger about the Targs and foment further unrest. Larys also has spies inside Sunspear, who are the reason it’s so easy for the mob to infiltrate the castle.

Mysaria’s parting message about Aegon being “Lord Protector of the Realm” rather than just the Highborns is another foreshadowing of Aegon the Smallfolk King. Also, even though she’s been on the run, she’s heard bits and pieces about the Smallfolk in KL favoring Aegon, which contributes to her decision to ally with him.

Qoren is barely a character in this fic, but he is yet another example of one of the themes in this story: parents are (or should be) willing to sacrifice everything for their children. His only scene is him giving himself up to the rioters to buy his kids time to escape.

The assailant is of course on Larys’s payroll (lack of tongue is the big giveaway). He also uses show!Jace’s trick at Driftmark of throwing sand in Aemond’s face to temporarily blind him.

Sunfyre is the MVP, carrying five people in his saddle. Bro needs a back massage after this.

Vhagar and the Martells’ face-off makes me cackle. They are all definitely remembering the first Dornish War.

One of Viserys’s first journal entries is about being “pissed about something Daemon did in a brothel.” This is of course a reference to the S1E4 brothel scene with Rhaenyra. In this universe, Otto doesn’t immediately tattle to Viserys about it. Instead Otto leverages the information to persuade Viserys that he can’t keep Rhaenyra as heir.

Viserys really loved Lyonel Strong. Larys takes advantage by pretending his Lyonel 2.0, which helps win Viserys’s favor. Larys also hands over a supposed copy of Daenys’s Dreams and Portents, left behind by Queen Rhaena at Harrenhal. Is this a real copy? It could be! Some of the prophecies are very prescient from an IRL reader’s POV, particularly about the false Aegon (the alleged Aegon VI in the books who’s probably actually a Blackfyre, sponsored by the Golden Company) and the mother of dragons (Daenerys, obviously).

I’m of the belief that prophecies in fiction are best utilized to make things WORSE, not better. So here, Viserys’s obsession with TPTWP almost wrecks his own family, when all he needed to do was nothing and things would be fine on their own.

Aegon casually demanding Dornish subservience on a whim is so on brand for him. 😭 He has a good instinct for when opportunities arise for him to seize. The problem, as highlighted in this chapter, is he doesn’t always want to seize those opportunities. He would rather be selfish and go home to Jace. But she’s his conscience now, and he thinks she would want him to secure Dorne. (TBH she would want that; most people would not foresee Viserys disinheriting Aegon for it.)

Otto would 10000% have come up with the best PR campaign of the century if he was able to see the Dornish treaty first.

We don’t get a canon description of Rhaenys and Visenya’s crowns, so I took thematic liberties. Aegon ends up giving Rhaenys’s crown to Jace, so I wanted it to be something suitable for Jace. The OG Targ trio had a Velaryon mother, so I figured Rhaenys may have decided to honor their mother with her crown.

Ravens are trained by maesters in Oldtown, and then they’re cared for by maesters. Sunspear has a maester, but Dorne and the Reach are such historical enemies that I can’t imagine maesters/ravens being prevalent in Dorne before Dorne joins the Seven Kingdoms. So it’s hard for Aegon to receive news from KL before he returns to Sunspear.

Aegon intentionally used Jace’s handkerchief as a white flag to her father and grandmother because symbolism. Who says he isn’t a politician!

Viserys never tells Aegon about the song of ice and fire because he doesn’t really want Aegon as his heir. But him only mentioning Rhaenyra as “mother of dragons” in his journal shows that he never particularly wanted her as heir either; it was all a means to fulfill the prophecy.

When Aegon offers to make Rhaenyra his Hand, she plays with some of the roses in the room because she’s thinking about what Jace would want. 🌹 Also, I feel like Rhaenyra would genuinely be happiest living an independent life. She doesn’t want the throne because she wants to rule, she wants it because it’s validation that her father loves her. So Rhaenyra doesn’t immediately accept Aegon’s offer; she doesn’t actually want to rule as Hand.

“I am not so precious to him.” Rhaenyra plays with the Daemon necklace when she says this, so “him” doesn’t necessarily mean Corlys.

Aegon doesn’t trust Viserys (for good reason) so he refuses to go into the Red Keep where anything could happen to him. Instead, our Smallfolk King insists on having everything happen in the open, to be judged by the people. Also, witnesses are a good safety measure.

“Kings must place the greater good above our own wants. We all must make sacrifices for the sake of the realm.” Viserys doesn’t actually exemplify what he preaches—but Aegon does in the very next moment, when he offers to give up his claim.

“I do not hate you.” Viserys genuinely believes this, though he can’t bring himself to say he loves Aegon. He didn’t condone Larys sending the assassin after Aegon—but Viserys didn’t ask Larys for details either, so he’s not a paragon of fatherly virtue. As long as Viserys keeps his hands clean, he can claim innocence.

As one commenter said, “Daemon jumpscare!” Daemon has haunted the narrative thus far, but he hasn’t really been a character in this fic. As readers know, Daemon never has a chance to cause trouble in Lavender…but maybe in a sequel. 👀

Aegon’s efforts with the walkway project and general willingness to hang out with the plebs pay off this chapter. I love the scene where all the Smallfolk give him little gifts to try to make him feel better. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s the best they can afford to give away, which says a lot. Compare this to Aegon’s highborn “friends” who don’t even reply to his messages…

Rhaenyra is baffled by how much the Smallfolk love Aegon because, as evidenced by S1E4, she’s never been one to mingle with Smallfolk.

Jace hears about the party that Aegon is throwing on his dad’s front lawn and decides to help him out. People love free food, so she sends Gyles to stir up the crowd in Aegon’s favor some more.

Alicent has a small scene where she holds Aegon’s hands and stares as if counting his fingers. This is a reference to how lots of newborn parents like to count their babies’ fingers and toes.

Jace sees Gyles and Ronnel every day when they serve her pies, so she’s able to plot with them without attracting suspicion. Aegon’s friendship with the Smallfolk leads to Viserys’s downfall. So poetic.

Hippocras is a spiced wine that book!Viserys enjoys drinking. It was also believed to have aphrodisiac qualities. There’s the unspoken implication in this chapter that when Viserys drinks hippocras, he usually asks Alicent to come over for a sleepover. 💀 Jace knows this. Usually Jace would sympathize with Alicent, but right now Jace is thinking,“Alicent, Aegon is your son, please stop crying for 5 minutes and DO SOMETHING to save him.” Now that Jace has her own son, she is a bit more brutal about pushing Alicent to make sacrifices for her children. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jace actively arranged for Viserys to be served hippocras… 👀

At the very end of this chapter, Alicent FINALLY gets her Green Dress moment in this universe. She’s stopped dressing in black as if she’s in pseudo-mourning. Now she’s waging war against Viserys, and boy is she efficient at it. She’s described as being in disarray and dressing less modestly because she seduced Viserys, waited for him to fall asleep, then held a pillow over his face. But Alicent is very religious, so she feels guilty AF about it and has a breakdown in public.

See Chapter 7 commentary here.

[simplynotcapable]

i’ve had someone counter my “aegon loves his brother” argument with a reminder about aegon arranging the whore when aemond is thirteen, and i am SO GLAD you brought this up and let me explain why i think this proves my point even more

first, as a preface: aemond was, inarguably, assaulted. i’ve seen people who theorize he was forced, i’ve seen people who think aegon convinced him, i’ve seen people argue that he probably just went along to look cool to his big brother. that’s irrelevant. he was a thirteen year old child, the whore was a grown woman, it was arranged by his older brother who should have been protecting him. he was a child. this was assault. aegon is 100% in the wrong here, what he did to his brother is horrific and twisted.

now, moving on: i do not think aegon did this to aemond with any intention of malice. i do not think he considers what he did wrong, i do not think he saw it as a prank (not in the same way the pink dread was, anyway) or a cruelty.

i think it’s more proof that aegon has a twisted relationship with love and so, in trying to show his love, it comes out cruel.

now, aemond loses his eye at ten in the book. in the show, it’s a little more ambiguous? we don’t have numbers really, so it’s difficult to say. but if we’re going off leo ashton’s age and the appearances of the characters, aemond is around 12-13 when he loses his eye.

you could argue the brothel happened BEFORE driftmark, but based off aegon and aemond’s interactions at the funeral and the prostitute’s lack of reaction to aemond’s missing eye, i would definitely say it happened afterwards.

which means, when aegon takes aemond to the brothel, he has just freshly lost his eye.

aegon takes his freshly mutilated baby brother into the depths of the city and buys him a night with a whore, though aemond is a child and (we can assume from the severity of his reaction when seeing her again) was not fucking on board with this plan at all. he says “time to get it wet”, which can easily be read as a mocking “lol ur a virgin” type insult.

that is not how i see it, and i do not think that’s how aegon sees it (unless we ever see him address this i doubt we’ll ever know, so granted this is also mostly my interpretation of his character)

aegon turned to debauchery at a very young age to escape his world: the pressure from his mother, the fear of rhaenyra, the lack of control over his own life, his absent father. his coping mechanism for everything bad in his life is pumping himself full of alcohol and engaging in risky sexual behaviors.

aemond just had his eye torn out by boys that he and aegon have been raised to believe are bastards whose mother will have them killed. they watched their mother go apeshit, and they watched their father not punish luke. rhaenyra called for aemond to be tortured. aemond is never going to get his eye back and recovering from losing an eye is HELL.

and so aegon sees all these terrible things and offers aemond a coping mechanism. his coping mechnism. “this terrible thing happened to you, and i avoid terrible things with this, so here. here, you can use this, too. here, it doesn’t take it away but you forget it for awhile. here, here, here, look, see, isn’t this better than letting yourself feel it?”

now, none of this is to say it didn’t BECOME one of aegon’s intentional cruelties once they got there. i’m sure if aemond let himself be visibly uncomfortable or tried to argue, aegon very quickly fell back into bullying asshole mode—maybe even worse than usual because he feels aemond is slighting him. but i don’t think any of it was initially rooted in a desire to hurt aemond or humiliate him in any way.

aegon was a little boy who grew up too quickly in some ways and never grew up at all in others, and he tried to drag aemond down that same path because he truly, genuinely sees nothing wrong with the choices he’s made and who he’s become. he started having sex and drinking at a young age, why shouldn’t aemond do the same? it makes him feel better, so why wouldn’t it help aemond?

aegon loves his brother. i think he did this BECAUSE he loves his brother.

i just also think that aegon’s idea of love is so warped that the consequences of him trying to show it are almost always disastrous, and he doesn’t seem to think of how his actions will endanger those around him.

case in point: his little brother being deeply affected/traumatized by an assault that he is not likely to ever truly get over—but aemond’s feelings about this entire thing and how i genuinely believe it’s the partial cause of his later proclivities is an entirely separate conversation.

[catofadifferentcolor]

Terrible Fic Idea #75: Rhaegar Wins, but make it Le Morte d'Arthur

Having done two takes on what can roughly be called Lancelot-Guinevere AUs where things end more or less well for our heroes, I thought: why not go all out? why not have the affair be the downfall of the Targaryen Dynasty?

Or: What if Jon Snow, the infamous bastard son of King Rhaegar, had an affair with his aunt, Princess Daenerys?

Aka: The Duncan the Damned Fic

Just imagine it:

Everything follows canon until the Battle of the Trident, during which Prince Rhaegar slays Robert Baratheon in single combat, ending the rebellion. He leads his forces and those of the rebels who submit to him against his father in King's Landing - and is forced to kill the Mad King when he calls for the wildfire caches to be lit. Although everyone agrees he did the right thing, he's forever known as Rhaegar the Kinslayer and many whisper his line is cursed.

Ned Stark is severely injured trying to rescue Robert at the Trident and as such is unable to retrieve Lyanna from the Tower of Joy. Rhaegar sends Prince Lewyn instead...

...who returns with his three brothers-in-arms, a baby boy, and the bones of the King's paramour. It's hard to say which of the latter the King is most angry about. In the end he orders a great mausoleum built over the Dragonpit to house Lyanna's bones and leaves the raising of the bastard to his mother.

Dowager Queen Rhaella is thrilled to have another child to raise, regardless of how the babe came about. (She's less thrilled her son is so disinterested in the boy that it falls to her to name the child over half-a-year after his birth; she calls him Duncan, after her favorite uncle.) She raises Dany and Duncan together until Dany is old enough to be brought to court... and Duncan stays in more or less exile with his grandmother in the shadow of Summerhall as builders work to return he castle to its former glory.

Duncan is raised to knighthood by Oswell Whent, Rhaella's protector and lover during her self-imposed exile. While he does the job as well any could hope, he teaches young Duncan that getting the job done is more important than how you do it - in short, that gallantry is all well and good, but it's better to be dishonorable and alive than dead with a song.

And so the bastard prince who visits at the Red Keep for the first time in 298 has more in line with The Rogue Prince than any of his Stark forbearers. He's dashing, daring, and dangerous - the exact opposite of his half-brother Aegon, who is gallant and chivalrous and brave, but decidedly lacking the bad boy aura.

Meanwhile, Rhaegar hasn't given up on his prophesy. Deciding that his sister Daenerys must be the third head of the dragon, he arranges for Aegon to wed both his sister Rhaenys and aunt Daenerys, which causes many a discontent murmur.

Having been spoon-fed prophesy since birth, Aegon goes willingly along with his father's plan, but Rhaenys is less eager to be one of a pair of sister-queens and Dany...

...well, Dany takes one look at her bastard nephew, so different from his brother, and fancies herself in love.

Duncan for his part is more than a little peeved that his goodie-two-shoes half-brother gets all their father's attention and two royal wives. He choses to pursue Dany as much to get one over on the family that ignored him as any lust he may feel.

Dany and Duncan carry on an affair that is as much passion as it is destruction. It is deeply unhealthy for everyone involved and hits every unhealthy relationship milestone, from Duncan flirting with Rhaenys to make Dany jealous to Dany poisoning herself to get Duncan's attention back and blaming her rivals.

This manages to go on for about five years without anyone too important finding out - though Rhaenys suspects and at least one member of the court attempted to blackmail Duncan over it before succumbing to an accident - when several things happen all at once:

Dany and Rhaenys announce they're finally pregnant within several weeks of each other. Rhaenys gives birth first, to a pair of stillborn abominations with wings. Dany gives birth a short time later to a child that has such Stark looks its impossible to deny his parentage.

An argument breaks out between Aegon, Rhaegar, and Duncan which quickly grows heated. At the end of it Rhaegar lies dead, with no one quite sure whether Aegon or Duncan had landed the fatal blow. The brothers point fingers at each other and order the other jailed for kingslaying.

Things very quickly break down into civil war as both brothers vie for the crown. Duncan manages to hold King's Landing, but Aegon has Dragonstone and superiority of numbers. Even so, Duncan is ruthless and cunning enough that he just might be able to pull off a victory-

-or would have, if Dany didn't start working at cross purposes to him, their relationship very quickly falling apart without the danger and excitement to hold them together. Dany ends up betraying King's Landing to Aegon's forces during a siege, fully expecting to be reinstated as Aegon's second queen after the war ends. Duncan is killed in the fighting and Dany is executed for treason and adultery. Their son, Daeron, is kept as a hostage until he's old enough to be sent to the Wall.

Aegon manages to hold onto the throne for the rest of his life, but he's faced with more outbreaks of rebellion as people finally rebel against House Targaryen, their wars, and the taxes they've leveed to pay for those wars. What's more, Rhaenys never manages to give birth to a living child (some claiming poison, others claiming inbreeding), so that his only heir is his bastard nephew - who quite simply vanishes from the record before his tenth birthday. (Many historians believe he was killed, but there is a strong King Under the Mountain mythology that grows up around him.)

House Targaryen eventually collapses - not with a bang, but a whimper - when Aegon dies in his mid-30s after choking on a fishbone. Rhaenys tries to hold the throne in her own right, but years of fruitless childbirths has wreaked her health and she's very quickly captured, imprisoned, and quietly killed. The Seven Kingdoms eventually devolve into seven separate kingdoms, not to be reunited for another five hundred years.

Bonuses include: 1) Something fatalistic running throughout the narrative, with Rhaegar planning his whole life for an apocalypse that doesn't come - and allowing everything his house built to come to ruin; 2) The full gambit of toxic relationships, including but not limited to: Rhaegar treating Aegon from a young age as a hero in waiting who can do no wrong, Rhaegar treating Duncan as irrelevant to the plot for not being born a girl, and Dany and Duncan's deeply unhealthy romance; and 3) There being a moment after Aegon captures King's Landing where it's possible for Duncan to escape with his son and live to fight another day and in that same moment realizing Dany betrayed him... and rather than choosing to escape, is killed trying to get back into the Red Keep to kill the mother of his child.

And that's all I have. As always, feel free to adopt this bun, just link back if you do anything with it.

More GOT Ideas | More Terrible Fic Ideas

[aebi12]

"Sinful Desires" - Epilogue

Previous chapters - Masterlist

“Do you find everything terribly strange?”

Aegon jumps at hearing Alyssa's voice.

“I am sorry, darling, I didn't mean to scare you,” she apologizes walking slowly towards her brother, who is leaning on the balcony watching the new soldiers training in one of the castle courtyards.

"You just caught me by surprise," he replies, reassuring her with a smile and offering his arm for support, “Should you be out of bed? Your maid said that you weren't feeling well this morning."

"It's nothing," Alyssa rolls her eyes and looks at her brother, "You seem worried."

Her green eyes scan the young prince’s face, his brow furrowed slightly and his violet eyes tired. When their gazes meet, Aegon shrugs, and Alyssa, for an instant, sees again the little boy he once was. A nostalgic smile is born on her lips while her hand caresses Aegon's face feeling a stubble that manages to draw a sigh.

“Sometimes I still can't believe how much you've grown in these years,” she says

Now it is Aegon's turn to roll his eyes, though he then takes Alyssa's hand and places a kiss on her knuckles, "While you, mother, look more radiant and beautiful than ever."

The princess can't help but smile at his compliment, "Did they also instructed you in gallantries in Riverrun?"

Aegon chuckles and shakes his head, his gaze drifting once more to the soldiers for an instant.

“Talk to me, Egg. You may be a man now, but I can still tell when something is bothering you, what is it?

There is a moment of silence before he speaks, “I don't know if I am ready. I don't know if I can do it"

She doesn't need to ask what he is referring to.

“You have prepared your whole life for this moment, Aegon, yet it is normal to have doubts. I'd be amazed if you didn't."

“I don't know,” he shakes his head, “Everything suddenly feels real now that I am here again. I feel like I wasted a lot of time living in the Riverlands when I could be here, doing more for the realm. Learning more about my duties."

"You weren't wasting time. You were Lord Kermit's squire and it was an honor for him to receive you these last few years in his ancestral home. The visits you made to the other lords of the Trident were necessary. You were too young to remember much about the war, but you know how important it is to keep the peace. That part of the realm was hit the hardest when our family bled, spending this time with them is a way for the Crown to make amends for what happened."

“I know, I know you are right, it's just…” he trails off, clearly measuring his words, “It's weird to be back. Everything looks the same, but feels different. And suddenly I have all these responsibilities. I understand the burden that weighs on my shoulders, and for that very reason I fear that I am not capable enough”

“This is your birthright,” Alyssa assures him, “I know you will make a fine king because you are a good boy.”

“You say that because you are my mother,” he retorts, dismissing her comment.

Alyssa just smiles.

At some point after her wedding to Aemond, Aegon had begun referring to her as his mother. At first, Alyssa had thought he was doing it by mistake, but when he began calling Aemond father, she knew her little brother was doing it knowingly. It had taken her a while to get used to him referring to her that way, but she hadn't tried to correct him. She hadn't pushed aside the memory of Rhaenyra, either.

No. Actually, the biggest challenge she and Aemond had had over the years was being honest with the children. As much as they tried to isolate them from the bloodiest facts of the war, the rumors and whispers were always there. So, after much discussion, they had explained to Aegon and Jaehaera what had happened, the terrible way their family had split into two factions and fought each other almost to extinction.

“We survived because we understood that House Targaryen must stick together,” she had told nine-year-old Aegon and Jaehaera. Aemond had been mostly silent throughout the entire conversation. He didn't say it, but Alyssa knew that he feared Aegon's reaction to knowing that he had killed his father, “We did many things to keep you both safe and protected, that was always the priority for both of us. For you to be happy, having a better future than ours."

As always, it had been Aegon who had asked the questions. Many of them. And they had responded as sincerely as they could. Jaehaera, on her side, had remained almost silent, her blue eyes more wistful than ever. Alyssa knew that, from time to time, she still had nightmares. And she also knew that the girl, unlike her brother, had experienced firsthand the horrors of war.

In the end, when they had been told everything, Aegon had remained tremendously close to Aemond, assuring that he was the only father he knew and loved.

“I'm saying this because it's the truth,” Alyssa assures him, “Besides, you won't be alone. The small council will help you to rule. As king, it is your duty to listen to them and theirs to advise you in the best way possible. You can trust them. Lord Tyland is a loyal man and I know he loves you well."

"Lord Tyland is a good friend," a soft smile appears on her little brother's handsome face.

"You don't sound convinced"

It takes Aegon another minute to reply.

“I don't want to disappoint you,” he finally admits, “Father has taken good care of the kingdom all these years. I would hate to see all his efforts come to naught on my own."

“Aegon, you could never disappoint us,” she assures him, “We are both very proud of you and your sister. We know that now that we will return to Dragonstone, you both will assume your duties with the best possible disposition and sense of responsibility. The realm is in good hands."

"Do you really have to go?" he asks, his voice denoting for the first time all the nervousness he feels, his face clearly anxious about the task he will have to take on shortly.

“My beloved boy,” she replies with a sigh, taking his hand, “I don't like leaving when you came back so recently, either. But the news was so unexpected and took us so by surprise that we just want…”

"Privacy?" he smiles, “It is fine, mother, I understand. Don't listen to me, I'm being selfish keeping you here when I should have insisted that you leave long ago. You deserve to live this moment as you choose."

Alyssa can't help but feel her tears well up in her eyes as she places her hand on her swollen belly, the baby moving inside her, perhaps sensing how emotional she feels.

"Is something wrong? Should I call Alys?" Aegon asks, noticing a wince on her face.

“No, no, I'm fine, it's normal to be this sore when the moment is so close,” she assures him, “I'm fine,” she repeats, noticing her brother's anxious expression.

And she is.

Discovering that she was with child had been a tremendous surprise. After her last loss in Harrenhal, her moon blood hadn't returned for months. And it hadn't flowed regularly until barely a year ago, though Alyssa had long ago given up hope of being a mother, so she hadn't even taken that fact into account. That was why, upon discovering her pregnancy, she had tried not to get her hopes up too much. But, as the months passed and the baby grew inside her, Alyssa had sent for Alys, immediately entrusting her old friend with the task of taking care of her during her miraculous pregnancy.

"I thought it was impossible," she had said with tears of happiness in her eyes upon seeing the woman after so many years.

"I told you that your body could heal," she had replied, examining her.

Aemond had not left her side for an instant since that moment. And she had had a hard time convincing him that she was fine and that she could carry on with her regular activities since Alys and Jaehaera would keep her company. He had reluctantly agreed, returning to his work with the Small Council.

“We should go to Dragonstone for a while after the baby is born,” he had told her one night a few weeks ago.

"Why?"

“We've waited so long for this,” Aemond had replied, “No, we didn't even imagine it could happen, but now that we'll have our baby after so many years, I want these moments to belong to just the two of us. Or the three of us. At least for a time"

Alyssa hadn't responded immediately.

"You do not like the idea?"

“I like it,” she admits, “But the kids…”

“They are already adults. Aegon is almost eighteen years old. It is time for him to assume his place as king. Besides, we won't be that far. If they need us, they can fly to the island without problem.”

"I guess," she nods.

The idea seems a bit selfish, yes, but the truth is that Alyssa can't wait any longer to meet the baby she's carrying inside. And to imagine that she could get away from the court, from her duties, from the whispers that followed her after so many years of infertility, and simply dedicate herself to watching her little one grow, together with Aemond, is too tempting an idea to pass.

"Let’s go then, for a time," she finally says, "the baby will need its siblings eventually."

"Of course," he smiles, "Besides, knowing those two, they'll surely visit us as soon as they can and we don't even have time to miss them."

Alyssa laughs, "You said the same thing when we sent Egg to Riverrun and he barely writes to us."

"He's young, my love, he must have other things on his mind," the prince kisses her forehead and places his hands on her belly, caressing it and smiling as he feels the baby move under his touch, "Besides, you could have flown with me when I offered it to you”

Alyssa rolls her eyes and doesn't respond. Dragon riding would never be an activity she would choose more than as a last resort. More than once Jaehaera had invited her to ride Morghul, but she had declined.

“I just hope they are okay once we are gone,” she sighs, “they haven't seen each other in years.”

The roar of a dragon and the shadow that casts over them tears Alyssa from her memories, bringing her to the present in the balcony with Aegon.

"Morghul," he says quietly, raising his violet eyes to the sky.

"Why didn't you go fly with Jaehaera?"

Aegon grimaces before shrugging again, "Lord Corlys wanted to talk to me about the situation of the royal fleet”

“Don't drown in your duties just yet, Egg. Aemond is still here, and it won't be long before we return from Dragonstone, you know he likes to feel useful to the realm," they both smile at her affirmation. “You could use some rest. You should take advantage of these days, and spend time with Jaehaera. When you were kids you couldn't wait to mount your dragons. And now that you are both riders, I haven't seen you fly together yet."

"Yes, I might do that"

Aegon sighs and Alyssa watches his expression, which seems to be lost for a few seconds. The princess wonders if her little brother is also worried about staying with Jaehaera in the castle. They had been very close as children, but learning about the war had created a kind of distance between them that Alyssa had thought they had managed to overcome over time. Until Aegon had had to go serve as squire and Jaehaera had resented being left behind.

"You don't have to marry Jaehaera if you don't want to"

"What?" Aegon watches her with wonder in his eyes, his shoulders tense and his brows furrowed once more.

“It's okay if you don't love her that way,” Alyssa explains, “I know it was expected for you to get married and carry on the tradition of our house, but we won't force a union that would make you both unhappy. If there's someone else, perhaps someone you met in the Riverlands,” Alyssa proposes tentatively, “If she's a noble young lady, you could easily make her your queen. Any maiden would be more than happy to marry you."

“And what would happen to Jaehaera?”

“She is a princess, she has royal blood, it would not be difficult to find a husband for her. I think there was talk at one time of betrothing her to the heir of Winterfell. She could… "

"No, no," Aegon cut her off sharply, "Jaehaera will be my wife, my queen."

Alyssa raises her eyebrows, amazed at the possessive, frightened tone she detects in Aegon's voice, "I just thought that…"

“Our feelings are not in question, mother. At least not mine,” he assures her, “It's just that meeting again has cost us a little more than I thought”

Alyssa nods and doesn't answer because suddenly the hooves of a horse hurtling through the castle gate catches her attention. Aegon averts his gaze from the princess, his eyes focusing on Jaehaera, who skillfully climbs down from the animal and adjusts her riding clothes.

The girl seems to sense their scrutiny because her gaze lifts to them, a half smile appearing on her face at the sight of Alyssa.

"Aunt!" she greets a moment later, after almost running to where they were, “What are you doing here? Alys said you should rest. You shouldn't have let her come up here, it could be dangerous,” her last sentence directed at Aegon, an impatient expression on her face as she crosses her arms.

"I didn't know she would get out of bed, I thought she was resting"

"How was your flight?" Alyssa interrupts when she notices that her niece wants to answer

“You know me, I'm always happy when I ride my dragon,” she replies with a genuine smile and Alyssa is amazed, once again, at how beautiful her little girl has become. Her eyes, as blue and long as her mother's, yet her face a feminine version of her father's, "I wasn't far from Dragonstone today."

“Sweetheart, try not to stray too far from the castle next time, it worries me in this weather…”

“No, auntie, please don't start scolding me,” she asks pouting and taking Alyssa’s hands, “Flying is my only refuge these days. I can't be embroidering and reading forever, and not all of us have obligations as noble and important as running a kingdom to keep our days busy."

“I never expressed myself that way,” Aegon replies, sighing.

“I'll go take a bath, I reek of dragon,” Jaehaera says, clearly ignoring him, “I'll see you at lunch.”

The girl kisses her aunt and quickly walks away from them.

***

"I'm frankly worried about those two"

Alyssa is sitting, like every night, on the windowsill. The sea breeze is her best ally now that labor is so close and her body seems to burn from the inside.

"We have to give them time"

Aemond, sitting across from her, strokes her belly gently.

"They don't seem to get along"

"Aegon is crazy about her," Aemond smiles, "He just doesn't know how to approach her."

“And what about Jaehaera? She seems upset every time I see her with him. I will not urge her to do her duty if she is not in love with him."

"Neither would I," her husband assures her, moving closer to Alyssa, "They deserve to know the joy of being married to someone they love, as we have known for almost fourteen years."

Alyssa smiles and reaches out to caress his face. Aemond closes his eye, and presses his face into her hand, a smile playing on his lips.

“It will be fine, being alone is going to force them to confront what they feel”

"Maybe, but..."

Alyssa stops talking as a sharp pain shoots up in her belly. Releasing a gasp of astonishment, she takes her hand to her lower back, trying to massage the area, but another pain as intense as the previous one seizes her again.

"Are you okay?"

“I think… I think you should call Alys. The baby is coming," she replies as she feels a liquid drip between her legs.

There is a moment of absolute silence between the two of them, who only look at each other, half surprised and nervous, before Aemond stands up and calls for the healer.

"Yes, the baby is coming," Alys pronounces a few minutes later, "It won't take long now, princess."

Alyssa clings to Aemond's arm to try to walk, too sore to just lie in bed. Her sweat drenches her nightgown and her messy hair falls down her back and clumps to her face, making her remember the scene so many years ago in Dragonstone, when she was assisting her mother during her labors.

"Is it true? Is the baby to be born tonight?"

Jaehaera is the first to enter the room, still dressed in her dinner clothes. Aegon enters after her a few seconds later.

"Mother, are you okay? They said that…"

He trails off as he watches Alyssa panting, one hand on her belly and one on Aemond's arm.

“Everything is fine,” it is Aemond who answers

“I wish to stay,” Jaehaera says, “I can help.”

“How would you help? You wouldn't know what to do,” Aegon replies.

“I am a woman, we know about these issues by instinct”

Aegon chuckles, “You're not even married, you'd be more of a nuisance. Come, let Alys and her midwives take care of it."

"No, I'll stay," and adds, "You're not the king yet, you don't have any authority over me."

"Enough!" Alyssa almost growls, “Jaehaera, my love, maybe it wouldn't do for you to stay. Births are not always easy. Aegon, take your sister outside and wait there. We'll call you once the baby is born."

Fortunately, they don't protest and leave the room. When they are alone again, Alyssa looks up at Aemond, with an I told you so look on her face, “See now what I mean?”

“It's just banter,” the prince replies, “They'll figure it out.”

"You'd better go to bed, princess," Alys urges her

And she's right because, a few minutes later, Alyssa is in more pain than she's ever known in her life before complete relief and hearing the most beautiful sound she could imagine, her baby crying.

“A girl,” Alys says, picking up a newborn who won't stop screaming and moving her arms and legs.

"Is she healthy?" asks Alyssa

"Is Alyssa alright?" asks Aemond in turn

“They are both very well,” Alys nods, handing the baby into the arms of the princess, who receives her too carefully, her hands slippery with her sweat and blood. The baby stops crying when she feels the contact with her mother’s skin, her eyes remaining open enough to notice her green eyes.

A sound of adoration escapes her throat before tears of happiness roll down her face, her fingers caressing the soft skin of her little girl. Alyssa raises her face to Aemond, who looks enthralled at the little girl, his face serious, but his eye denoting all the emotion he feels.

“Daena,” he whispers close to Alyssa's ear.

“Daena,” the princess confirms, repeating the name they had decided to give her baby just a few days ago, in case it was a girl.

"She is beautiful," Aemond sighs, "She is perfect, just like you."

Alyssa smiles and kisses the little girl's cheek before handing her over to one of her midwives to wash and wrap her up.

Aemond, unable to take his eye off the baby, waits impatiently until the little one is ready and receives her in his arms, cradling her as Alys helps his wife to her feet so the maids can change the bloodied sheets.

“You did a great job, princess,” the woman finally says, “You should rest now.”

“Thank you, Alys, for everything”

The healer nods and leaves the room with the midwives.

“I still can't believe it's real,” Alyssa comments as she feels Aemond sit next to her on the bed.

“She's our miracle baby,” Aemond says, stroking the baby's silver hair with his fingers, “Thank you, my love, you couldn't have given me a better gift.”

“I feel the same to you,” Alyssa replies, kissing her baby, feeling filled of love and adoration.

The noise of a couple of voices starting to get excited outside the door reach them, so they look at each other and sigh.

 “I just hope she's not as a handful as that pair,” Aemond says, half amusement and half seriousness in his voice.

“Well, it will be many years before we get to know that,” Alyssa replies, “Now go, let them get in here before they kill each other. I want them to meet their sister."

Aemond places a soft kiss on both of their foreheads before opening the door and allowing the two kids to enter.

"Oh! She is adorable!" Jaehaera carefully climbs onto the bed, moving closer to Alyssa.

"Congratulations, mother," Aegon smiles as he watches the baby, "and you, father, of course."

Aemond smiles at Aegon and places his hand on his shoulder, patting it, “This is Daena. Your sister"

“Daena,” they almost chant, though Jaehaera smiles, “A beautiful name. I like it"

“I think so too,” Aegon turns away from the prince and stands behind Jaehaera, “I'll take good care of you, little Daena. And I will take you to explore the realm in Stormcloud’s back”

“Yes, but she will ride Morghul first,” Jaehaera replies.

"No, her first ride will be on the king's mount," Aegon looks at her with a smirk.

Jaehaera rolls her eyes, "My dragon is faster."

Aemond clears his throat, "Her first flight will be with her father, and Vhagar."

Alyssa sighs. She had agreed to fly to Dragonstone as it was faster and safer than crossing the sea during the storms they were experiencing. Besides, it was Aemond's dream to fly with his baby like his grandmother had done with his father, and she was not going to take away that illusion.

“You're right,” Jaehaera asserts, a blush rising on her cheeks, embarrassed, “I'm sorry, we're arguing like fools at this happy time. Can I hold her?”

"Of course," Alyssa places the baby carefully in her arms, "Be careful with her head”

“Hi Daena,” Jaehaera says, standing up and cradling her, her nose delighting in the baby scent emanating from her little sister, “I can't wait to have one of my own.”

Alyssa sees that Aemond frowns and wants to comment on his niece's words, so she takes his hand and shakes his head before pointing to Aegon, who has once approached Jaehaera and looks at her, entranced. Jaehaera, feeling her eyes, looks at him and smiles back, pulling Daena closer to the future king.

“You were right,” Alyssa says quietly when her husband returns to her side, “I think they'll figure it out on their own”

“Everything will be fine, my love.” Aemond hugs her and turns his gaze to her daughter. Alyssa rests her head on his shoulder and sighs, filled with relief and happiness to see her family reunited once more.

Yes, everything would be fine.

Because it had been for her and Aemond, and it would be for Jaehaera and Aegon.

And for Daena.

Everything would be just fine.

I have received such support from you guys this past few days!! Thank you so much for reading and giving me your impressions of my story <3

[leclercsfilm]

dead before i said goodbye

this is has some truth in it. summaray; we learned the hard way daemon targaryen

it was expected from them to cherish the union they've created. but it wasn't possible. their differences made it worse.

both undoubtedly unitrested, they sat next to each other while watching their children play in the garden. the Lord Corlys was speaking about council which to Daemon payed no attention. he was long gone. he watched his little dragon flys playing with wooden swords. it was just like when he was little. Memories, his cruel enemy.

his wife, on the other hand, couldn't wait for Lord of the Tides to just give uo speaking. she was alredy tired and she needed to put children in beds. she excused herself, and made her way to Alyssa, Daena and Aegon.

'we need to go. time to put you all to the bed' - she took away their swords promising that they will have it back in the morning. while making a turn in a hallway, she heards daemon behind them.

'did alyssa fell asleep in your arms?'- taking aegon's and daena's hands in his, he looked at her.

'they've been playing whole day.'

children alredy in bed, looked at their parents.

'mother, when will we see caraxes again?'- aegon asked

daemon sat on aegon's bed, fixing his sheets answerd:

'tommorow my boy. i will even take you on the ride. but now, you have too rest so we can fly whole day. sweet dreams my little boy.' daemon kissed aegon's forehead, while she looked at alyssa once more. girl is a restless sleeper, always turning on her sides.

they both reached their chambers. daemon was in bed when she took her dress off. daemon turned away facing windows while she was looking for her gown. quietly, she opend covers and got in bed.

'you were behaving terribly tonight. you spoke nonsense most of the time' - daemon spat.

'i spoke normally. i don't think i did anything wrong.' she deffended herself.

'i found a portrait in our chamber. behind you closet. who painted you?' - daemon wonderd

she felt her heart racing. she knew she should've throw that small painting away. but she couldn't. she felt guilty.

'one of my suitors.' shortly said

she was young. so young. she wasn't intrested in marriage. and she didn't like men, she was afraid of them. they were loud, violent, cold, distant. it made her shiver. she wanted to be unmarried for little longer. but he just couldn't wait. he wanted her whole. wanted to sang his love song to her. to show her the beauty of the world. he wanted to stood along with her. wanted to give her his hand to hold when she would deliver their baby.

after being rejected kindly, he was even more eager to show her the loving side of him. but it wasn't possible. she made her mind. they could marry, only if they waited a little bit.

eventfully, she said no. he was from far land. she wouldn't be able to see her family at all. she would be isolated and dissconected.

he gave her painting. he gave her letters and poems. but when she said no again, he didn't send anything.

'must've been in love.' - daemon mutterd

i liked him. she wanted to say. she would be happier with him. she knew that. she was selfish and now she has punishment to live. it was no gift nor privilege to be married for daemon. he had mistesses, he yelled, he wasn't there. he wasn't patient, he wasn't intrested. he didn't want her.

she didn't wanted him either. she just wanted family. she didn't get that either. her children adored their father but they will eventhfully see for what he is. until then, she will shield them from him. that's what happens when woman is blind. this is what happens when you don't look. you end up here, in dark room, with a stranger who rages at you even if you just breathe. you just wished you had different choice. you knew it's your fault so you can't be angry at the world.

different kind of hurt isn't it? how funny. living her life day by day. why did he changed? what happend to her daemon? he was her life, but now he made her life living hell.

she was staring at the dark in the room while hearing his snores. devil fell asleep. but now the real saddnes begin.

morning was alredy when he rushed in their chamber.

'what is it?' looking at him, she alredy knew something was uo

'you just can't be helpful, can you? i made something out of you! i made you a woman. i put you in your place. you are here because of me.' - he rages, vein on his head pops up

'this is how you say thank you? you just think you better than me? i made everything while you didn't even know you existed...'

'daemon please, stop.'

deamon stopped. looked at her wide eyes. slowly he stood up, and came over to her. with both hands grabing her neck he started choking lightly.

'do not talk back to me'

grabing for his wrists, she wished he just ended it.

he lets her go only to slap her.

'do not talk back to me. i will ruin you, you whore.'

'father?' little aegon came closer to the scene

'why are you hitting mother?' aegon almost cried

'aegon it's nothing... please go play with daena.'

aegon came to his mother only for daemon to stop him.

'out now aegon.'

'why are you hitting her?' he grabed his mothers dress

'do not ask me questions. go away.' daemon took his little hand

'no!'

daemon squeezed aegons hand.

'daemon let him go.' she warrned him

daemon dragged little aegon across the room while she followed

'leave him alone daemon!'

just as she said that, his fist meet her. she grabed on the bed frame while aegon started crying. daemon dragged aegon out of room while she met in the eye with painting that now hangs on the wall.

she finally felt true remorse. she wished she was smarter. now, she has to pay for her sin.

this is not so great but i had fun writting it!

[kyloren]

i was never really into the jonsa ship, but that post of yours has got me really interested... do you have any fave fics of them??

welp, we’re going old-school, lads. prepare for some of my favourite fandom throwbacks well, I failed at that, I put some of the newer things on the list, too

CANON-VERSE:

Now You See Me: Kissed by fire, Ygritte thought to herself, just like me. 

Goodbye Means Going Away (And Going Away Means Forgetting): Memory is unreliable. No one understands this better than Rickon Stark.

Take My Crown Away (Don’t Smile So Sweetly, My Love): A world where everything is easier. Except for those who love, and love too much.

Build a Ladder to the Stars: Jon abandons the Night’s Watch to join Robb’s cause. After rescuing Sansa from King’s Landing, he and Sansa find themselves in a relationship they never saw coming.

A Winter’s Tale: The War of Three Dragons comes to the Vale, bringing Jon Snow and Sansa Stark together once more.

The Winter of Our Discontent: In the end it is Jon and his men of the Night’s Watch who come to take her back to Winterfell.

tell me true (who are you): Ned Stark brought a dark-haired, grey-eyed bastard babe home and called him son. Years later, Jon Targaryen does the same.

Lift Me Like an Olive Branch and Be My Homeward Dove: She never dreams of Jon Snow but in the end he is the one that comes for her under a Targaryen banner, the might of Winterfell and the North behind him with their father’s sword on his back.

The Whispering Ghosts (Left You Out In The Cold): Winter came and brought Jon home. [this is the first Jonsa fic I ever read, boy, did it fuck me up]

A Bronze Crown: In the end there are no knights. In the end Sansa must rescue herself. Based on the prompt: he doesn’t ride to her rescue; she comes north with her granduncle and the armies of the Vale to wage war on the Boltons, save his life and teach his assassins and the Boltons a sharp lesson.

how ruthless are the gentle*: “Yes, I do.” The easiest lie he’s ever told, by far. It came so naturally, he hardly thought of it as false. “She’s easy to love.”

Tell the Ones That Need to Know (We Are Headed North)*: After years of confinement in the Red Keep with Ned prisoner in the black cells, the Dragon Queen comes. With the knowledge that Jon Snow is actually a Targaryen, she agrees to let the Starks return to Winterfell only if Jon marries one of the Stark daughters. Sansa volunteers so they can all go home. Soon she figures out being married to Jon isn’t bad, but it is complicated.

Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things*: We know no King, but the King in the North whose name is Stark. 

Dragons of Red, Dragons of White*: An AU where the Battle of the Trident took place, but just between Rhaegar Targaryen and Robert Baratheon. Their duel and its outcome have ramifications that none could foresee. In the world built afterwards, dragons once again rule and roam Westeros, among them the son of a northern beauty and the king. Prince Jon and his kin, Stark and Targaryen alike, face new challenges from both without and within. Whatever the future holds, the Seven Kingdoms will learn that, whether in a coat of red or a coat of white, a dragon still has claws.

A Knight’s Watch: Jon Snow is forbidden to take the black by his father. Instead he sent to squire for a famous knight, beginning a long arduous journey that causes him to cross paths with characters he never would have. Along the way he learns truths long hidden and discovers love in the most unlikely of places.

The Conquest*: Three hundred years after Aegon the Conqueror built a new empire on the ashes of the Valyrian Freehold the known world is a place of war. The Targaryen Empire is pressed by enemies, the Seven Kingdoms war amongst themselves and forces contrive to pull them all apart.

Live Without Shame: When Catelyn’s treatment of Winterfell’s Bastard unexpectedly softens, Sansa reconsiders her relationship with Jon. But despite the revelations that ensue, Jon must and will always remain Winterfell’s Bastard and suffer its consequences.

The Tempered Kingdoms*:  After years of wars, death, destruction, politics, and White Walkers, a tentative calm has returned to Westeros partially due to the rulership of King Jon and Queen Daenerys. But politics rues its head again as Stannis Baratheon demands his right to rule, while the former Queen Cersei languishes in a cell, plotting her revenge against all who live above her. Sansa Stark is forced to return to King’s Landing after being found by the rumored lovers Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth.

winterbloom: “You’ve traveled a long way for a rumor.” Sansa lives at the Wall under the protection of her brother Jon Snow, but when Sandor Clegane comes looking for her, she and Jon begin to realize that she is not as safe as they once hoped.

As History Changes: Jon agrees to accompany Stannis south to the Vale and he meets a person he did not expect to meet.

hold onto your heart (you’ll keep it safe): When Sansa turns eleven her wrist burns. She excitedly unwraps the cloth guarding her skin, waiting eagerly for the name to finish forming. The dark letters stop after only three and when Sansa leans in closer she realises that she knows that name and she knows that handwriting already.

carve your heart into mine: Sansa spent many evenings sewing her wedding dress by the fire, dreaming of her husband. The gown spilled out of her hands like a silver river, burning brighter from the light of the flames. She had embroidered it with a noble husband in mind, but she wed her lowborn love in the godswood, with snowflakes falling on her veil. 

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE:

Into the Darkness of the Grave: The tragic death of Eddard Stark’s cousin Lyanna brings her estranged son back to Winterfell House, the family’s old plantation home, for her funeral.

The Other Shoe: If anyone had told Sansa Stark that she would be married to Jon Snow, expecting a child with him at the age of nineteen she would have laughed at them. Not because Jon was a bad person, for he had slowly come out of his shell in the past seven years; not because she was young, her parents were married right out of Hogwarts; simply because Sansa Stark seemed to be the anthesis of a happy ending.

several sunlit days: Everyone knows you don’t date Robb Stark’s sisters unless you want to spend your days avoiding hexes and angry bludgers shot at your head. Too bad Jon’s traitorous feelings could care less.

the unexpected champion: Jon must swim to The Black Lake and retrieve something *cough* Sansa *cough* stolen from him. This task makes him realize who he should invite to the Yule Ball.

Where Did You Sleep Last Night: Sansa needs a new guitarist, Jon needs a new band, and the two of them definitely don’t need each other.

and labor till the work is done: Stark Industries is a family legacy she was hoping to avoid: Robb is a project manager, grooming to eventually be a partner, Arya is a summer intern with Bran sure to follow next year and Rickon in another three, and even Jon Snow, who is technically not family but who has been around for as long as Sansa can remember, works as an estimator. But Sansa is not who she was at sixteen or eighteen or even twenty and she’s still in the process of learning what’s truly important, like who she is, who she wants to be, and what kind of people she wants in her life.

One Of The Few Things: Jaime and Sansa spend a lot of time pining over Brienne and Jon together. Sometimes, they actually even do their jobs.

flower shaped heart*: Alayne Stone has lived her whole life in her hidden tower, forbidden by Mother to leave. But she yearns for an adventure like the ones in the songs, so when a man named Jon Snow crashes into her tower and into her life, she seizes the chance. They travel to King’s Landing where the floating lanterns shine each year on her nameday. The new world is exciting and frightening, but Jon Snow is there to guide her every step. He is not nearly as terrible as Mother said men are, though the rest of the world might be. Danger, betrayals, and lies form the steps of their journey as Alayne uncovers terrible secrets.

Crawl up to my Room: Jon left her side after a few moments of silence and she watched him leave with a quiet thought playing in her mind. He was her stepbrother for only a few hours, and she already found herself utterly fascinated and irritated with Jon Stark. 

in the summer, as the lilacs bloom: “You did tech in high school,” Sansa points out. (Yeah, I did tech because you were playing the lead and I was in love with you.) Jon doesn’t tell her that, though. Of course not. Instead he agrees to spend his summer stage managing this passion project of hers, and some trace of his seventeen-year-old self has dried out his throat at the thought of three months’ constant contact with Sansa.

Down from the Mountain: Sansa flies home from college after her older brother Robb, one of the country’s hottest young pitchers, is hurt in a car accident. Robb’s best friend Jon is there to help the Stark family in any way he can.

Little Bed in the Big Woods: “I stared at him for a solid five minutes because he looked like what I imagine god would look like if god was a lumberjack.”

A Game of Stars*: When the Mad Emperor hears that the Starks are Force-sensitive, he discovers the hidden rebel base on Hoth. He sends Jon there with one order: Burn them all. But bring the Stark children to Coruscant. It’s time for the two most powerful Force bloodlines in the galaxy to merge.

I’ll Pack My Goods for the Arkansas Woods*: When Sansa’s brother goes missing, it falls to her to defend the house and the woods against the greed of the Boltons and Freys. All of this would be much easier if she could fight fire with fire, and there’s a saying in the valley: that all the Starks are a little wild, and all the Targaryens are a little mad. Her cousin Jon just happens to be both.

In the Face of Death: On a long list of things Jon never expected, Sansa came top.

United States of Irreversible Oblivion: With the government losing its fight at the northern border, Sansa’s only hope is that one of its soldiers, Office Jon Snow, will return for her and save her from the horrors of a collapsing society.

remember me love when i’m reborn: ‘Longest Night’ has biggest night in hollywood history. “Joffrey wanted someone to make him famous, and as soon as Sansa wrote a movie for him that did just that, he left her in the dirt.”

Hear the Wolf*: The Starks are in Hogwarts. Sansa has to learn to stand up to her ex-boyfriend and Jon has to learn to face his past. They’re determined to do it alone. Will they ever admit they’re stronger together?

Somewhere in the Winter Woods*: Lost on her way to her grandmother’s cabin in the winter woods after running away from home, beautiful young Sansa thinks she’s run into trouble when she crosses a white wolf in the forest. Instead of harming her, the animal guides her to his master, a handsome warrior named Jon who lives in solitude and clothes himself in black.

* marks the ongoing stories. 

[theusurpersdog]

The Beggar Queen

Following up my post on Daenerys in A Game of Thrones, I also have a lot of thoughts on her arc in A Clash of Kings. In many ways it’s a very unexpected continuation of her story; at the end of A Game of Thrones, she has just hatched three dragons and walked out of a burning pyre, seemingly at the top of the world. Instead of a more typical fantasy story, A Clash of Kings sends Daenerys back down to being powerless. There’s a reality to how GRRM writes the story; sure, she has three dragons, but what good are they in the middle of a vast desert? What good are they when they can’t even fly or breathe fire yet? These are all questions Daenerys has to try and find answers to, while also trying to keep her and her people alive. And she’s also trying to build an army and fleet to take her to Westeros while navigating the wonders and horrors of Qarth.

The Bleeding Star

When Daenerys is about to step into Drogo’s funeral pyre in A Game of Thrones, she looks up to the stars and sees a streaking red comet blazing across the sky, and sees it as a sign of her dragons. That same comet guides her through the Red Waste in A Clash of Kings:

The Dothraki named the comet shierak qiya, the Bleeding Star. The old men muttered that it omened ill, but Daenerys Targaryen had seen it first on the night she had burned Khal Drogo, the night her dragons had awakened. It is a herald of my coming, she told herself as she gazed up into the night sky with wonder in her heart. The gods have sent it to show me the way.

The comet is the connecting thread between everyone in the story. From each point of view character, we learn some new truth or interpretation for what it means:

Cressen had never seen a comet half so bright, nor yet that color, that terrible color, the color of blood and flame and sunsets

- Prologue

That night she lay upon her thin blanket on the hard ground, staring up at the great red comet. The comet was splendid and scary all at once. "The Red Sword," the Bull named it; he claimed it looked like a sword, the blade still red-hot from the forge. When Arya squinted the right way she could see the sword too, only it wasn't a new sword, it was Ice, her father's greatsword, all ripply Valyrian steel, and the red was Lord Eddard's blood on the blade after Ser Ilyn the King's Justice had cut off his head.

- Arya I

Doubtless that was what they told Joffrey; Sansa was not so sure. "I've heard servants calling it the Dragon's Tail."

"King Joffrey sits where Aegon the Dragon once sat, in the castle built by his son," Ser Arys said. "He is the dragon's heir—and crimson is the color of House Lannister, another sign. This comet is sent to herald Joffrey's ascent to the throne, I have no doubt. It means that he will triumph over his enemies."

- Sansa I

When Bran repeated that to Osha, she laughed aloud. "Your wolves have more wit than your maester," the wildling woman said. "They know truths the grey man has forgotten." The way she said it made him shiver, and when he asked what the comet meant, she answered, "Blood and fire, boy, and nothing sweet."

- Bran I

All of those descriptions of the comet have one thing in common – Daenerys Targaryen. Whether it be Cressen seeing Fire & Blood in the sky, Arya seeing beauty and horror and Valyrian steel and blood, Sansa calling it the Dragon’s Tail and Arys Oakheart seeing it as the coming of Aegon’s heir, or Osha’s warning to Bran of “blood and fire, and nothing sweet.”, Daenerys is tied to the comet. Because it was meant for her. In the House of the Undying, Daenerys learns that the warlocks sent it to guide her to Qarth so they could feed off her and her dragons.

So, what does it mean, that this comet belongs to Daenerys? I think it’s very similar to how waking the dragon was used in A Game of Thrones. All of our protagonists find horror in the red streak across the sky, where only our antagonists (such as Theon) believe it belongs to them. In one way, all of the ominous foreshadowing for the comet is because the Warlocks were trying to kill Daenerys with it. But, the symbolism of the comet aligns shockingly well with Daenerys’ own path. She thinks it’s a sign of her reign, of her coming glory in the Seven Kingdoms. But instead, it leads her toward ruin; while she narrowly manages to escape the House of the Undying, following the comet almost kills her. The comet is just like the Queenship she’s chasing in Westeros; this thing she can’t let go of, that she’ll follow blindly, until it destroys her.

The comet also allows us to fully understand what Daenerys now represents to the people who saw her step out of Drogo’s Pyre:

"We follow the comet," Dany told her khalasar. Once it was said, no word was raised against it. They had been Drogo's people, but they were hers now. The Unburnt, they called her, and Mother of Dragons. Her word was their law.

Daenerys is very far from a normal political figure or leader; she is a messiah figure to her people, the product of hundreds of years of magic and prophecy. Her khalasar will follow her through the desert chasing a comet, because they watched her do the impossible. This kind of relationship she has with her people is crucial to understanding how Daenerys reacts to them. She puts an immense amount of pressure on herself to live up to the legend that made her the Mother of Dragons:

They are not strong, she told herself, so I must be their strength. I must show no fear, no weakness, no doubt. However frightened my heart, when they look upon my face they must see only Drogo’s queen. She felt older than her fourteen years. If ever she had truly been a girl, that time was done.

Daenerys knows her people are the weakest, the oldest and youngest, the outcasts, the people who cannot provide for themselves. So they turned to her, their only chance after the rest of the Dothraki abandoned them. And Daenerys is aware of this, and trying desperately to save her people and herself, but she doesn’t know how. Her dragons are only hatchlings, and all the enemies she made when Drogo died leave her no choice but to take her people through the Red Waste. As we’ll see later, her magical abilities failing her forces her to become a political and practical leader of her people, whether she is capable of that or no.

In later books, Daenerys begins to gather other followers, but in A Clash of Kings, the Dothraki are all she has. And they follow her because might makes right within a khalasar, and no one is mightier than the young girl who walked out of a fire with no burns and three dragons. Later books are much more invested in examining both the good - but especially the bad - that this kind of relationship can cause between a ruler and her people, but that part of Daenerys’ arc is already set up here in A Clash of Kings.

This dynamic does give us a glimpse into the altruistic part of Daenerys that is still there, and especially on display when Doreah dies in her arms:

Jhogo said they must leave her or bind her to her saddle, but Dany remembered a night on the Dothraki sea, when the Lysene girl had taught her secrets so that Drogo might love her more. She gave Doreah water from her own skin, cooled her brow with a damp cloth, and held her hand until she died, shivering. Only then would she permit the khalasar to press on.

Daenerys gives Doreah some of her own water, knowing that the girl was going to die anyway, just to ease her passing. She holds her hand as she dies, and refused to let Jhogo and the khalasar disrespect Doreah.

Daenerys is aware of the huge sacrifice her few followers made to be with her, and she’s willing to sacrifice tremendously to repay their loyalty.

The Dragons Are All The Difference

In my last meta, I talked a lot about how Daenerys is the truest possible version of what a Targaryen is, Fire & Blood writ large, and how much that has to do with the connection she shares to her dragons; and that theme is built upon even more in this book.

Now she has actually hatched her eggs, but quickly realizes that having dragons doesn’t help you feed your people:

Yet even as her dragons prospered, her khalasar withered and died.

The dragons eat many times their weight a day (and while that doesn’t seem like much since they’re so small, it’s important to remember that Dany’s people are starving to death) and don’t offer anything in return.

This is another case where the dragons function as a stand-in for Daenerys. While she gained tremendously from everything that happened at the end of A Game of Thrones, by becoming a khal and hatching dragons, the people who follow her lost everything. They didn’t even choose to stay with her; the environment she helped create was rejecting of their weakness and left them behind to die with her. And while they have their “freedom” now, it doesn’t mean much when Doreah dies in the Red Waste. Having dragons doesn’t make Daenerys capable of actually saving these people she’s led into the wilderness.

When Daenerys and her khalasar finally find the city they name Vaes Tolorro, at first Daenerys wants to make it their home:

In the coolness of her tent, Dany blackened horse-meat over a brazier and reflected on her choices. There was food and water here to sustain them, and enough grass for the horses to regain their strength. How pleasant it would be to wake every day in the same place, to linger among shady gardens, eat figs, and drink cool water, as much as she might desire.

And later, this happens:

"I've brought you a peach," Ser Jorah said, kneeling. It was so small she could almost hide it in her palm, and overripe too, but when she took the first bite, the flesh was so sweet she almost cried. She ate it slowly, savoring every mouthful, while Ser Jorah told her of the tree it had been plucked from, in a garden near the western wall.

The specific fruit Jorah gives her, a peach, makes this very important. In this same book, Renly tries to get Stannis to enjoy a peach in their last conversation, and Stannis will never stop thinking on what Renly meant by it; to us, it’s quite clear that the peach is the little pleasures in life, joy, happiness, pausing to love the things and people around you. The heartbreak of Stannis as a character is that he will never be able to understand the world in that way; the heartbreak of Daenerys as a character is that a part of her can sit and simply savor a peach, but something pulls her away from it; and, of course, that something is dragons:

She dreamed of Drogo and the first ride they had taken together on the night they were wed. In the dream it was not horses they rode, but dragons.

The next morn, she summoned her bloodriders. “Blood of my blood,” she told the three of them, “I have need of you. Each of you is to choose three horses, the hardiest and healthiest that remain to us. Load as much water and food as your mounts can bear, and ride forth for me.”

And while this choice is fairly reasonable at the time, since she doesn’t know what awaits her in most directions, she thinks later that she could go back to Vaes Tolorro:

Part of her would have liked nothing more than to lead her people back to Vaes Tolorro, and make the dead city bloom. No, that is defeat. I have something Viserys never had. I have the dragons. The dragons are all the difference.

The dragons always stop her from turning back, from being happy where she is. They are her reason to take the Seven Kingdoms, the motivation she has to restore her family to the glory Aegon the Conqueror raised it to.

A part of Daenerys wanting to turn back to Vaes Tolorro and start her kingdom there, is an interesting contrast to her thoughts on conquering Westeros:

Dany had no wish to reduce King’s Landing to a blackened ruin full of unquiet ghosts. She had supped enough on tears. I want to make my kingdom beautiful, to fill it with fat men and pretty maids and laughing children. I want my people to smile when they see me ride by, the way Viserys said they smiled for my father.

But before she could do that she must conquer.

She has all these wonderfully idealistic dreams for her kingdom, yet all of them are made meaningless with the line “But before she could do that she must conquer”; while she wants everyone in her kingdom to be happy, she’s going to have to kill their Kings and Lords and many of the people before she can achieve that goal. The fact that she has to reclaim the Seven Kingdoms by nature means she will force many to sup on tears. But Vaes Tolorro gives her an out; a ready-made city, a rich oasis in the desert, where she could be Queen and grow her people.

But that will always be too small for Daenerys Targaryen, seed of Kings and Conquerors. She will never be content with the small matters of Essos, not when the Red Keep and the throne that by right is hers is sat by the Usurper and his dogs. The connection she has to the Targaryens who took their dragons and conquered Westeros is always going to pull her away from the part of her that just wants simplicity.

Daenerys’ understanding of how dangerous her dragons are is also touched on when she is in Qarth:

And they must be trained as well, or they will lay my kingdom to waste.

She thinks a lot about how she wants to go back to Westeros, and how she wants to avoid laying waste to it. It’s very interesting to note just how aware she is of her dragons’ destructive nature this early in the story, because it suggests she is much more culpable in their actions than some people want to admit. A lot of characters in the story make decisions that end up being disastrous, but are too young or had no reasonable way of knowing how tremendous those decisions would turn out being – the two obvious examples being Sansa telling Cersei that Ned intends to leave King’s Landing, and Bran warging Hodor – and most people file Drogon’s murder of Hazzea as a similar accident for Daenerys. Yet she is already aware that without training they will completely devastate the lands of Westeros, and actively thinks she should try and train them to avoid that. So, once they are much bigger and flying around Meereen killing sheep, it seems like willful ignorance on her part not to do something about them. I think this is so important because the line between Daenerys and her dragons has always been thin, and the further the series progresses the more that line blurs, so Daenerys choosing to look passed or ignore how violent her dragons are is very interesting in the context of how she views herself.

Viserys Always Said. . .

One part of Daenerys’ story that isn’t talked about enough, is how devastating Westeros will be to her. In A Game of Thrones, she thinks to herself that all the doors will be red in the Seven Kingdoms. She knows that the house with the red door and lemon tree in Braavos is the last place where she felt at home, and ever since then she’s been running from one place to the next, a guest in the house of strangers trying to take advantage of her and her brother’s name. She watched her brother slowly lose his mind the more they were turned away, and had to suffer through his abuses. But when she marries Khal Drogo and meets Ser Jorah Mormont, all the things her brother said about Westeros are suddenly within her reach. Instead of thinking that a house in Braavos she can never return to is her home, she can tell herself that the Seven Kingdoms are her real home; they are the place where she’ll finally feel as if she belongs. She builds it up in her mind as this place where all the doors could be red, every house a home to her. And all the things Viserys said about how beautiful it is also stay with Dany:

She wondered whether Aegon’s Red Keep had a pool like this, and fragrant gardens full of lavender and mint. It must, surely. Viserys always said the Seven Kingdoms were more beautiful than any other place in the world.

And when thinking of Westeros, Daenerys specifically thinks that it is home. Previously in A Game of Thrones, Viserys misunderstands her when she says “home” because Daenerys had never viewed Westeros as her home. But now all of that has changed, and Westeros has become a promise to her. She never feels quite at home with the Dothraki, she certainly does not feel at home in Qarth, but waiting for her across the Narrow Sea is the most beautiful place on earth - and she is going to be the Queen.

But us readers have spent much more time in Westeros than Daenerys has, and we know that almost everything Viserys said wasn’t true. The Red Keep is a beautiful castle, but it has no pools or gardens that could compete with Xaro Xhoan Daxos’ manse. Even at Westeros’ height, it lags behind as far as arts and architecture and all the small beauties Daenerys is so enamored by in Essos. And Westeros is far from its best; while Daenerys sits in Xaro’s pool dreaming of gardens of lavender and mint, the War of the Five Kings is tearing Westeros apart. It was never going to live up to the place Viserys told Daenerys it would be, but the War of the Five Kings leaves it broken and fractured in a way Westeros had never seen before. It is not going to be the home Daenerys needs it to be.

The idea of Westeros being Dany’s house with the red door is something that follows her through the next two books, as well. In A Clash of Kings, Daenerys has firmly rejected any other future she could have to chase the Iron Throne, but she has yet to hit the emotional lows that A Storm of Swords and A Dance with Dragons bring her to. She has almost never felt at home her whole life, and the exclusion she feels from both the Dothraki and the Qartheen pushes her further into the promises of Westeros’ red doors, but she is not hopeless in Essos yet and still enjoys so much of its cities and cultures. The next two books will find her in Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen, though, and her hatred of those cities will make her emotional dependence on Westeros grow.

A Horse Girl With A Curious Pet

A huge part of Daenerys arc is how out of place she is. A combination of being the daughter of a disgraced King from a place she’s never set foot, to being a little girl running from place to place never settling, to being sold as a child bride to the Dothraki, Daenerys has never actually had a people or a place where she feels she belongs. A lot of her more problematic characteristics come from the need she has to find a place where she feels at home.

Being a Khaleesi is the closest Daenerys has come to being somewhere she feels she belongs, but the last few chapters of A Game of Thrones saw that completely implode. While she still has a khalasar and her own blood riders, there’s a distance she has from the Dothraki that is heightened in A Clash of Kings. This book is an introduction to a lot of the issues people point to when saying Daenerys is a colonizer and white savior:

She glanced at her bloodriders, their dark almond-shaped eyes giving no hint of their thoughts. Is it only the plunder they see? she wondered. How savage we must seem to these Qartheen.

The Dothraki sacked cities and plundered kingdoms, they did not rule them.

Daenerys does not understand the Dothraki, and is still an outsider among them. When she enters Qarth and sees all the beauty and splendor of the city, she quickly favors their way over that of her khalasar. Daenerys’ thoughts on the Dothraki are far from simple, since she herself is the victim of their more negative views on people and women specifically, but she also refuses to see them in a different light. She doesn’t even consider the possibility that the Dothraki could settle in Westeros and adjust to a more permanent lifestyle; instead she tries to find a new army to take Westeros with.

It’s really hard to find the line on what is reasonable from Daenerys in this situation, and what is her being irrational. She was sold to Khal Drogo as a child bride and brutalized for weeks or months, and then saw her life fall apart when she demanded the Dothraki be more humane in their warfare, so certain misgivings she has are reasonable.

But Daenerys doesn’t acknowledge her own culpability, and how she herself is not that far removed from the “savagery” of the Dothraki. When she thinks on how the Dothraki sack and ruin cities, it is in the context of her using them to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. Even though she could take her dragons and khalasar and live a perfect and peaceful life in the Free Cities, Daenerys is choosing to take an army – which she views as savage – and conquer a continent.

And there is a certain dismissiveness she has when addressing their beliefs and customs:

Other searchers returned with tales of other fruit trees, hidden behind closed doors in secret gardens. Aggo showed her a courtyard overgrown with twisting vines and tiny green grapes, and Jhogo discovered a well where the water was pure and cold. Yet they found bones too, the skulls of the unburied dead, bleached and broken. "Ghosts," Irri muttered. "Terrible ghosts. We must not stay here, Khaleesi, this is their place."

"I fear no ghosts. Dragons are more powerful than ghosts." And figs are more important. "Go with Jhiqui and find me some clean sand for a bath, and trouble me no more with silly talk."

In the above exchange between Daenerys and Irri, she does have a point. If they decide not to stay in Vaes Tolorro, they could die of dehydration and exhaustion; Daenerys does not really have a choice, they must stay in the ghost city. But she has no patience for the religious beliefs of the Dothraki, and how important they are to the culture, referring to it as “silly talk”. As we see in later books, there is often a logic to Dothraki superstition and Daenerys would be better off if she took Irri and Jhiqui’s advice into consideration.

Speaking of how Daenerys overlooks how important some things are to the Dothraki, I think this passage is especially illuminating:

“We are the blood of your blood,” said Aggo, “sworn to live and die as you do. Let us walk with you in this dark place, to keep you safe from harm.”

This is right before Daenerys going into the House of the Undying, when she is telling her blood riders that she must go alone. One thing that I want to make clear, is that the blood riders are very different from any other type of group sworn to protect their King/Queen; the Knights of the Kingsguard, for example, are sworn to die in defense of their King, but are under no oath to die if their king does, and won’t be punished by death if they save themselves instead of their king. Dothraki blood riders, on the other hand, are sworn to die after they avenge their Khal; so, if Daenerys dies, she has sworn her blood riders to committing suicide. The interesting thing is, Daenerys never really thinks much about that; I think, in her mind, blood riders were something that khals had and so she should have them too, never really thinking further on what she was swearing these men to do. Daenerys builds her brand on being very anti-slavery, and the blood riders live much better lives than chattel slaves, but there is something interesting to the idea that Daenerys has a group of men essentially chained to her – because their lives depend on hers, and as the quote above shows, they actively seek out to be with her when things are most dangerous; not because they want to protect her, but because they are risking their own lives when they let her leave. Of course, she didn’t force them into being her blood riders so they chose this, but Daenerys never thinks on what her choices mean for their lives when she does something risky.

Daenerys’ thoughts on the savagery of the Dothraki leads her to distance herself from the Dothraki when she arrives in Qarth, and she begins acting like the Qartheen to try and win their favor. She dresses in their traditional clothing, lives in Xaro’s palace, does not comment (or think to herself) on the city’s slaves, and tries to use their political systems to buy an army and fleet to sail to Westeros. This leads to some conflict with Jorah, who is instantly distrustful of Pyat Pree and Xaro Xhoan Daxos. Their arguments over the Qartheen are so insightful as far as both of their characters individually, and the relationship they have.

The things Jorah tells Daenerys about Qarth are not inherently wrong, and he actually gives her good advice. From his perspective, Daenerys has told him she thinks Xaro and Pyat Pree will help her win her crown, but he knows by instinct these men are scheming, so he tries to remind her of the reality of conquering Westeros. But the problem is the way he delivers the advice, and how he assumes Daenerys is much more naïve and stupid than she is:

Sometimes he thinks of me as a child he must protect, and sometimes as a woman he would like to bed, but does he ever truly see me as his queen?

Daenerys is aware of how he views and sexualizes her, but she also notices the way he sometimes treats her as if she’s a child. The way Jorah talks to her makes Daenerys both sad and upset; even her closest advisor doesn’t treat her like a Queen.

But Dany isn’t entirely blameless in why her advisors don’t fully trust her to act as Queen. It becomes much clearer in the Plaza of Punishment, when she doesn’t reveal her plan to Barristan or Jorah for really no particular reason, but she has a problem of communicating with her advisors. Since we are in Dany’s head, we understand that she too is nervous and distrustful of Xaro and Pyat Pree, and is trying to use them just as much as they want to use her. But all she tells Jorah is that she thinks they will help her win her crown, when she is actively taking measures to protect herself from Xaro and Pyat Pree. While she is still outsmarted a bit by the rich merchants of Qarth, Daenerys sees through a huge amount of their lies and flattery. Knowing that Pyat Pree would only show her the parts of Qarth that fit his narrative, Daenerys picked groups of her men to search every street of the city, both day and night. She also keeps guards with her dragons all day and all night, in case someone were to try and steal them.

It says a lot about him that Jorah naturally assumes the least of her, but it becomes a growing problem for Daenerys that she is unwilling to explain her actions to anyone. The reason for that, of course, is that she is Daenerys Targaryen, blood of the dragon, and her word should be law. She has an expectation for how people should treat her as a Targaryen Queen, and I’ll get into that more below, but it is a huge factor in how she interacts with those under her when she disagrees with them. She rarely understands why people don’t jump to follow her.

And as Daenerys grows further from Ser Jorah and the Dothraki, she is trying to win over the people of Qarth. As I said above, she is trying to use them to get to Westeros, so she never invests in them the way she did the Dothraki, but in order to win their favor she has to follow their customs and traditions. And to do that, she takes advantage of Xaro’s own ambition, by living in his palace and using his ideas to make enough money to buy the Thirteen and Pureborn into her favor.

I really want to emphasize how well Daenerys is treated in Qarth, even though they refuse to help her get to Westeros. I titled this “The Beggar Queen”, because Daenerys thinking of herself as one is extremely telling as to her expectations of people around her. Here is how Daenerys lives in Qarth:

Trader captains brought lace from Myr, chests of saffron from Yi Ti, amber and dragonglass out of Asshai. Merchants offered bags of coin, silversmiths rings and chains. Pipers piped for her, tumblers tumbled, and jugglers juggled, while dyers draped her in colors she had never known existed. A pair of Johos Nhai presented her with one of their striped zorses, black and white and fierce. A widow brought the dried corpse of her husband, covered with a crust of silvered leaves; such remnants were believed to have great power, especially if the deceased had been a sorcerer, as this one had. And the Tourmaline Brotherhood pressed on her a crown wrought in the shape of a three-headed dragon; the coils were yellow gold, the wings silver, the headed carved from jade, ivory, and onyx.

Yet this is how she thinks on all of her gifts:

I have become the most splendid beggar in the world, but a beggar all the same.

The people of Qarth are willing to give Daenerys everything the entire world has to offer, except the Iron Throne. And even though Daenerys has received plenty from Qarth, she leaves feeling used:

They never saw me for a queen, she thought bitterly. I was only an afternoon’s amusement, a horse girl with a curious pet.

I think this highlights a certain attitude of entitlement Daenerys has. If you look from the perspective of the Qartheen, they have no incentive to help her reclaim Westeros. She wants to sail immediately, before her dragons could help her with the conquest, and she wants to take their ships and their soldiers to do it. She can’t offer them any improved position, because they are wealthy beyond comprehension, and she can’t offer any improvement in their businesses because they already trade freely with Westeros. The only thing she is offering is the name Daenerys Targaryen, which is meaningless to the Essosi who never loved the Valyrians, and never had any investment in who sat the Iron Throne. Yet Daenerys, even though she has almost nothing to offer, refuses to beg:

“Tell me the words of the Pureborn,” prompted Xaro Xhoan Daxos. “Tell me what they said to sadden the queen of my heart.”

“They said no.” The wine tasted of pomegranates and hot summer days. “They said it with great courtesy, to be sure, but under all the lovely words, it was still no.”

“Did you flatter them?”

“Shamelessly.”

“Did you weep?”

“The blood of the dragon does not weep,” she said testily.

The only gift Daenerys keeps of all the riches she received from men looking to see her dragons, is the crown made to look like a three headed dragon:

“Viserys sold my mother’s crown, and men called him a beggar. I shall keep this crown, and men will call me a queen.” And so she did, though the weight of it made her neck ache.

It’s very symbolic that the crown makes her neck hurt, but it’s also very interesting how she draws parallels between herself and Viserys. Being placed in a position where she is trying to buy and negotiate her way to the Iron Throne, she starts to understand the fevered madness that drove her brother:

She hated it, as her brother must have. All those years of running from city to city one step ahead of the Usurper’s knives, pleading for help from archons and princes and magisters, buying our food with flattery. He must have known how they mocked him. Small wonder he turned so angry and bitter. In the end it had driven him mad. It will do the same to me if I let it.

The idea of being passed over, of being laughed at, is enough to make Daenerys have to pause and check herself. She understands how begging to lesser men, when she is the blood of the dragon, could break her brother.

The rejection from the Qartheen is another step in the long walk Daenerys is taking to isolation and paranoia. A Dance with Dragons is the arc that most focuses on how paranoid and alone Daenerys is becoming, but even back in A Clash of Kings, she is starting to mistrust everyone around her; and for good reason. Daenerys is young and incredibly beautiful, and also has the only three dragons in the entire world. Once she hatches them, it becomes incredibly hard for her to distinguish who follows her or wants to have a relationship with her because of her, or if they simply want her dragons. Xaro Xhoan Daxos tries to trick Daenerys into marrying him, because Qartheen custom would allow him to claim one of her dragons. The warlocks also are trying to use Daenerys for her dragons, as they try and lure her to the House of the Undying to feed off the magical energy she has.

Quaithe is introduced in this book, and from the start she tries to warn and guide Daenerys against people who want her only for her dragons:

From her Dany received only a warning. "Beware," the woman in the red lacquer mask said.

"Of whom?"

"Of all. They shall come day and night to see the wonder that has been born again into the world, and when they see they shall lust. For dragons are fire made flesh, and fire is power."

All of the elements in Daenerys life start to add up to her feeling alone and cornered; she doesn’t trust the Dothraki to take Westeros, the Qartheen have refused to help her sail the Narrow Sea, she is fighting with her closest companion Jorah, and the mysterious maegi Quaithe is warning her to trust no one. All of this leads to Daenerys going to the House of the Undying for answers, but I’ll get into that more below.

What is very interesting about Daenerys, though, is that after the House of the Undying goes so poorly, she throws herself back into the Dothraki culture. As a show of defiance to the Qartheen who take all of their gifts and kindnesses back after she burns the Warlocks, she searches the docks while clad in the garb of the Dothraki. The lesson she learns from Qarth is that she hates compromise. She tried fitting in with them, to play their games and follow their rules, and they still refused to take her seriously. They accepted her gifts, listened to her case, and politely but unequivocally said no. So, what was the point? Why did Daenerys give up the Dothraki, why did she bother bribing lesser men?

In the following books, she will try exceptionally hard to make compromises to rule cities, but she hates it. Even though she wants to do these things for her people, each and every time it takes a part of her, and she starts to lose sight of why she even wants to help the people she hates and rule a city that is determined to deny her. Compromise does not sit well with Daenerys.

Daughter of Three

The main points of Daenerys’ chapters in this book are foreshadowing and prophecy. I’ve always found A Clash of Kings to be such a great book on its own, but an absolutely amazing second act to A Game of Thrones, because the first book sets up in the very first chapter the high fantasy conflict with the Others, and ends on the incredibly high fantasy aspect of Daenerys walking out of a burning pyre with three dragons; but in between, the story dives deep into the political and personal stories of our protagonists. And while people still argue which element this story is “really about”, I think Clash does a great job in establishing that the answer is both. The War of the Five Kings pulls the political plotlines into harsh focus, with character like Catelyn, Tyrion, and Davos consistently acting and reacting to the respective Kings, and characters like Sansa and Arya who focus on the personal fallout of war; but A Clash of Kings also sends Daenerys and Bran on their magical journeys, and permanently sets them on very high fantasy paths. In the same book that sees the political foregrounded, two of our main characters leap forward in their magical progression. Daenerys in particular highlights the way the political and magical intertwine, and how the two can work together.

The climax of Daenerys’ arc in this book is extremely magical. The rejection of Xaro and the Pureborn leaves her feeling like the answers offered by the Warlocks is her only choice, so she goes to the House of the Undying. Once she’s inside, she sees a whirlwind of visions that give readers a glimpse into the past and the future, as it relates to Daenerys and the rest of our characters. I’m going to try and break all of them down, and what I think they mean and why the Undying choose to show them to her.

There’s two different sets of visions Daenerys sees when she is in the House of the Undying; the first visions she sees as she is trying to find the Undying, and is tempted to look into doors. This is how Pyat Pree describes them:

“Within, you will see many things that disturb you. Visions of loveliness and visions of horror, wonders and terrors. Sights and sounds of days gone by and days to come and days that never were. Dwellers and servitors may speak to you as you go. Answer or ignore them as you choose, but enter no room until you reach the audience chamber.”

The visions Daenerys sees are of the Five Kings tearing Westeros apart, the Red Wedding, Ser Willem Darry in the house with the red door, the Mad King telling his pyromancers to burn King’s Landing, and Rhaegar talking to Elia about the Prince that was Promised. These visions are separate from the prophecies she receives from the Undying, and I don’t think we’re supposed to connect them to Daenerys or to each other. Some of them go together, but some of them simply don’t; I think GRRM intentionally separated them to show these aren’t necessarily about Daenerys, or even connected in any way. I do think the visions connect to Daenerys in thematic ways, though.

The first two she sees, of small men who represent Kings tearing the woman meant to be Westeros apart, and of a dead King with the head of a wolf at a feast, clearly go together. The first she sees is what the Five Kings do to Westeros, and the second is the climax of the war and its technical end, when Robb Stark is killed at the Red Wedding. These two visions don’t connect to Daenerys as much as they are a broad foreshadowing of GRRM’s world and his books to come; but I think it’s interesting that the glimpses Daenerys sees of Westeros are horrific, terrible things. I’ve always found the use of the phrase “mute appeal” to describe how Robb looks at Daenerys to be very interesting; GRRM only uses it twice more in the series, once to describe Ned’s pleading gaze, and then he describes Jinglebell as looking at Catelyn with mute appeal before she kills him. It’s as if Robb is begging Daenerys not to do something.

As Daenerys runs from the horrors of the Red Wedding, she sees her room from the house with the red door:

“Little princess, there you are,” he said in his gruff kind voice. “Come,” he said, “come to me, my lady, you’re home now, you’re safe now.”

Daenerys remembers that Willem Darry is dead right before she enters the room, which Pyat Pree told her she absolutely must not do. But that vision is the one thing that tempts her, brings her right to the threshold. In this case, turning around was the right choice; but I think this vision has broader imagery. Daenerys, so many times, comes so close to turning around and being the “Little Princess” again, an innocent child who didn’t want to conquer a place she’d never been. But she always turns around. She’s tempted the most in A Dance with Dragons, when she thinks of having a house with Daario free of being a Queen, but she can never commit to that kind of life. It’s not her anymore; she can’t go back.

Then she sees her father in the Throne Room, getting ready to burn King’s Landing. On a meta level, this vision exists mostly to set up Catelyn’s last chapter with Jaime, as well as Jaime’s A Storm of Swords arc; but it is also the vision most connected to Daenerys. For the first time, she’s seeing the real version of her father, the truth of the man she wants to remind people in Westeros; and she’s seeing her future, too. Daenerys was right when she thinks the people of King’s Landing will greet her like they did her father, because she’s going to burn the city.

Her last vision before reaching the Undying is of Rhaegar talking to Elia Martell, and naming his son Aegon. This is the only vision that Daenerys understands; she has no idea what the first two are, and doesn’t connect the vision of the Mad King to her father, but she does know Rhaegar. This is the first time she hears the phrase “the dragon has three heads”, which will chase her through Storm and Dance. Rhaegar also says that his son is The Prince that was Promised, and that “his is the song of ice and fire”. A Clash of Kings is the first book that really starts to introduce the overarching prophecies of the series, and it’s interesting to see The Prince that was Promised introduced in this context; Rhaegar knows something that we don’t, something about his son.

When Daenerys finally finds the Undying, she sees a second set of visions, this set all about her. First, she gets her prophecies of three:

. . . three fires must you light. . . one for life and one for death and one to love. . . Her own heart was beating in unison to the one that floated before her, blue and corrupt. . . three mounts must you ride. . . one to bed and one to dread and one to love. . . The voices were growing louder, she realized, and it seemed her heart was slowing, and even her breath. . .  three treasons will you know. . . once for blood and once for gold and once for love. . .

It’s very interesting that these prophecies end on the note of a treason for love. Someone is going to betray Daenerys for someone they love, and that’s the end; I don’t have a firm grasp on the other treasons, fires, or mounts, but this one, to me, has to be Jon.

Next, Daenerys gets her mother of dragons prophecies; this is the first:

Viserys screamed as the molten gold ran down his cheeks and filled his mouth. A tall lord with copper skin and silver-gold hair stood beneath the banner of a fiery stallion, a burning city behind him. Rubies flew like drops of blood from the chest of a dying prince, and he sank to his knees in the water and with his last breath murmured a woman’s name. . . mother of dragons, daughter of death. . .

The three things connecting Rhaegar, Rhaego, and Viserys seems to be that all three were the Heir to the Iron Throne when they died. Their three deaths help to push Daenerys into taking the Iron Throne. Daenerys having the title daughter of death is extremely fitting with her previous imagery; everything about her life has come from death. Rhaegar dying, the Mad King dying, her father’s fleet being destroyed on the night she was born, Viserys being crowned in molten gold, Drogo and Rhaego’s deaths. She is the product of tragedy.

These are the next visions she sees:

Glowing like sunset, a red sword was raised in the hand of a blue-eyed king who cast no shadow. A cloth dragon swayed on poles amidst a cheering crowd. From a smoking tower, a great stone beast took wing, breathing shadow fire. . . mother of dragons, slayer of lies. . .

The first two are clearly Stannis and Young Griff/Aegon VI, and seem pretty straightforward; she slays the lie that Stannis is Azor Ahai, and that Young Griff is Aegon VI. The last one is a lot less clear. I really can’t say what this is. I know some people think the Stone Beast is Jon Connington with Greyscale, but to me that seems meaningless in light of the second lie. Why would both Young Griff and Jon Connington need separate lies? Jon Connington isn’t lying about anything. The imagery of a great stone beast is very prominent in all the books; from the prophecy of Azor Ahai waking dragons out of stone, to Sansa being described as a winged beast escaping the Red Keep, to Davos’ description of Dragonstone. I just can’t quite pin down what GRRM is foreshadowing.

The last prophecy she receives is this:

Her sliver was trotting through the grass, to a darkling stream beneath a sea of stars. A corpse stood at the prow of a ship, eyes bright in his dead face, grey lips smiling sadly. A blue flower grew from a chink a wall of ice, and filled the air with sweetness. . . mother of dragons, bride of fire. . .

All of these are pretty clear; Drogo was her first fire, then Euron, and finally Jon. The description of Jon “filling the air with sweetness” is very ominous, and just makes me even more confident he is the treason for love. I know there are some great metas that discuss sweetness in Daenerys’ arc, I just can’t think of any right now. But the idea of sweetness being bad, and foreshadowing a treason from Jon, is really highlighted by Daenerys hearing this prophecy in Qarth of all places. Time and again, the city’s exterior of sweet smells and beautiful buildings is used to hide the treachery underneath.

After the prophecies, Daenerys sees a whirlwind of past and future events:

Shadows whirled and danced inside a tent, boneless and terrible. A little girl ran barefoot toward a big house with a red door. Mirri Maz Duur shrieked in the flames, a dragon bursting from her brow. Behind a silver horse the bloody corpse of a naked man bounced and dragged. A white lion ran through grass taller than a man. Beneath the Mother of Mountains, a line of naked crones crept from a great lake and knelt shivering before her, their grey heads bowed. Ten thousand slaves lifted bloodstained hands as she raced by on her silver, riding like the wind. “Mother!” they cried. “Mother, mother!” They were reaching for her, touching her, tugging at her cloak, the hem of her skirt, her foot, her leg, her breast. They wanted her, needed her, the fire, the life, and Dany gasped and opened her arms to give herself to them. . .

The vision of her “Myhsa” moment leads into the realities of the Undying:

The Undying were all around her, blue and cold, whispering as they reached for her, pulling, stroking, tugging at her clothes, touching her with their dry cold hands, twining their fingers through her hair. All the strength had left her limbs.

The wording is intentionally similar, because we’re supposed to connect the Undying feeding off Daenerys, and the reaction she has to “her people”. In A Dance with Dragons, she turns Quentyn Martell and the swords of Dorne away because she’s not going to leave Meereen, maybe ever. Daenerys loves being a savior to the people of Essos, the feeling she gets when they scream “mother!”, the feeling that what she’s doing is right and good. But apart from those incredible highs, when Daenerys has to live in the choices she made to lead the Essosi, she just hates it. In A Storm of Swords, she does give her people fire and life, opening her arms up to them, but it’s not sustainable. Her fire burns out, and she’s left feeling empty and alone and more than anything angry at the people who made her choose to stay.

The Dragons Are Returned

After Pyat Pree and the Warlocks betray Daenerys, she has finally had enough of Qarth; the warlocks hate her for burning down the House of the Undying, Xaro hates her because she turns down his proposals, and the people hate her for all she’s done in Qarth. And if they all hate her, Daenerys is done playing their games.

The next time she goes out, she does so in the traditional garb and sandals of the Dothraki, with a bell in her hair to signify victory against the Warlocks. When Illyrio Mopatis comes through with Arstan Whitebeard and Strong Belwas, Daenerys commands them to name her ships Vhagar, Meraxes, and Balerion; the world will look upon her ships and know that the dragons are returned. Where she wavered from her the Dothraki, by the end of A Clash of Kings, Daenerys is ready to double down on the “savagery” of them. She’s tired of playing nice, of diplomatically talking and negotiating. This book perfectly sets Daenerys up for the path she decides to take in A Storm of Swords. She’s going to get the army she needs, no matter what.

Even if it means Fire & Blood.

[tidustargaryen]

Blood of the Dragon

Sorry the quality is not great on Tumblr. It’s better on Ao3.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22291069/chapters/53236438 

Chapter 2 - Daenerys, The Dreamer

Somewhere, at a certain time

"You want our help... ?” Viserys laughed then, but Oberyn didn't seem to be offended by that, he just looked at him, looking for something he was the only one to know. "I am honoured by the trust you have placed in me, but what can I possibly do ? Have you observed our way of life? We are beggars, we have no armies either. Instead, you should turn to the Houses of Westeros who want their true king on the throne. ”

"Unfortunately, there aren't many lords left who support the Mad King's children..."

"How dare you?! My father was your king, you owe him respect. You should blame the traitors who took his life and plunged the kingdom into war. ”

A maid had just brought another jar of Dornish wine before the sensitive conversation between the representatives of the two Westerosi Houses began. After having served a new cup of wine for himself, Oberyn sat down beside the princess on the bed and took her hand in his, he raised it a little higher to inspect the former Queen's ring before answering the prince.

"Oh, but I do, every day, every day I curse the Lannisters for what they did to King's Landing, what they did to my niece and nephew, my dear sister, my sweet and innocent sister, and her innocent children. I curse Robert Baratheon for not asking a punishment for these barbaric murders, he should have taken Tywin Lannister's head on the spot, he should have delivered The Mountain and Amory Lorch to us so that we could do justice ourselves, if only he had been worthy to be king. I curse his reign and that drunken pig with all my soul. "Oberyn let go of Daenerys' hand and stood up, he came very close to Viserys and stared intensely. "But never... never will I be able to respect your father. He was cruel and he was mad. Completely insane..."

Courage was not a quality the prince had, but the anger he had in him was large, even powerful. That anger sometimes drove him to do stupid, dangerous things. His father was a great king, and he will be even greater, but he had to be respected first, he could not let a so-called "partisan" speak such treacherous words. He had quickly got up and grabbed the man by his tunic and dragged him to the other side of the small room.

"I forbid you to talk about my father like that! You are a liar! A liar! You spread the lies of the Usurper, and I'll take your head for it!”

The Dornish Prince had been too surprised to react and had hit the table on which the wine jug had overturned. The man was a great fighter with very good reflexes, the young age, thinness and cowardly temperament of the Targaryen had deceived him. Perhaps he had judged him a little hastily? He could still make him a great king. He would have liked to have found the Targaryens long before, it was easier and more efficient to train a young boy rather than a young man, but his sister had the ideal age, she seemed terrified though, and far too thin to be able to hold a sword or a spear. There was much work to be done to make up for the backwardness of the last two Targaryens in royal education. Oberyn liked challenges, and his thirst for revenge was his main driving force, he had promised his brother a fast return to Dorne, he had to quickly settle the situation with Viserys so that they could all go to Sunspear.

The Dornishman grabbed the prince's hands and pushed him away before readjusting his tunic and seeing the jug on the ground with disappointment.

"You've got balls, I'll give you that. I can also leave you both here. What a pity, the last two Targaryens found dead in a stinking alleyway in Myr, or ended up as slaves in Lys perhaps? Your sister will make a beautiful woman later, she'll surely make a master's fortune in a brothel." The man added coldly.

Viserys knew they were in a very dangerous situation. They were going to have to leave this town and find another, hoping that their name and the prestige of their House would open the doors of a rich merchant or owner of a fighting pit, perhaps a man from the nobility who could provide them with an army, or the money to recruit one. But the worst could also happen, and his House would die with him and his sister, the honour of restoring his dynasty lost forever. The last crown prince of House Targaryen...

He had to tolerate this Dornishman for the good of his House. His reign would be greater than any other Targaryen, even greater than the reign of Aegon the Conqueror, who had the help of three dragons. He would accept his help, as well as Dorne's one, and make him pay for his treacherous words once king.

"Was our father a bad man?" The young princess had risen up and grabbed the bottom of Oberyn's tunic to get his attention. He could tolerate the Dornish's words, but he certainly wouldn't let his sister think such infamy. He grabbed her arm and brought her violently back to the bed with an angry look in his eyes.

"Don't ever say that again! I forbid you to disrespect our father, our king. He has offered you life and a great name, a great House, you will be worthy of him, and you will be worthy of me! Do you hear me, sister?”

Dany had lowered her head during the reprimand and trembled with all her limbs, which made Oberyn angry thinking of the horror, the terror his sister and her children had felt at the wrath of a man. He grabbed his spear from the table and sent it with rage into the wall above the bed, the spear had grazed the prince's hair, which had quickly gone from a violent to a frightened child.

"I will be ready to call you my king, to help you regain your throne, but never, I never want to see this again... My sister was everything to me, her and my daughters, I will do anything for her to be here today. You are lucky to have a sister, your flesh and blood that allows you not to be called the last of your House, it is up to you to be worthy of her and to do what every older brother has to do, protect his little sister.

Viserys then quickly left the room, vexed and surely frightened by the imposing character of the Dornish. As for his sister, she looked at the man with big round eyes and wondered how he could stand up to her brother, their king, or future king, the dragon, as he called himself, and 'never wake the dragon', he said, who would dare stand up to a dragon? Would he take revenge on her next? This man would not always be there to calm his brother, this man did not understand the life they had in those streets, his brother did his best to keep them alive, and if sometimes he was angry, it was not his fault, but that of those who had forced them into exile. She always forgave her brother, he was all she had, the only one who took care of her, since Ser Willem died, without him she would not have been here for a long time, or, in a worse place.

"I'll take you both back to my house in Dorne, it's even hotter than here, the Water Gardens are beautiful, it's my brother's palace, our palace." I want to go home... The man slowly approached and crouched down in front of her. There was something reassuring in his eyes, and even though she had only known him for a short time, she had a terrible urge to cuddle up to him, yet she restrained herself.

Later that day, Oberyn and Daenerys left his room to search for Viserys. It didn't take them long to find him, he was perched on the rock above which he had just replaced their mother's crown. When he came down, he went ashore and put his dry tunic back on him.

"I've met you both before, you know. After the Rebellion, I wanted my revenge, I wanted to attacked King's Landing to avenge my sister and her children, but my brother was more rational, everyone knew the last two Targaryens had fled Dragonstone, and Doran, my brother, asked me to find you." Oberyn's revelations had piqued the curiosity of Viserys, who had approached and listened without a glance at the Dornish. "After spending several days in Braavos, I came across Ser Willem Darry, what a miracle, I had no trouble recognising him. It wasn't easy to gain his trust, but we were able to make a pact. When Viserys grew up, he would marry my niece, Arianne, Princess of Dorne, which would reunite House Martell and House Targaryen on the throne of the Seven Kingdoms, which we would regain thanks to Dorne's army and other partisans, and hopefully for perpetuity. ”

"You could have invented this at any time to gain power on the throne. You've already proved yourself a poor servant to my House with your words against my father."

"There's a witness... do you think i'm a fool ? The Sealord of Braavos witnessed the signing of the pact. I had to leave Essos shortly afterwards, to avoid attracting the attention of Robert's spies. When I came back a few moons later, you were gone, and I heard that Ser Willem was dead. Our whole plan was falling apart, Doran assured me you were dead, it was impossible for you to survive on your own. I didn't want to throw away our last hopes so easily. Luckily I had connections in Essos, people I had met in my youth, I asked them to keep an eye out if one day they saw two children with silver hair and purple eyes. And here I am."

"This pact was made without my consent, without the consent of your king, it has no value. I will not marry Princess Arianne. If I'm to believe what you're telling me, you've always supported House Targaryen, you need House Targaryen, you need our name to rally other armies and take King's Landing. I have much more to offer than you.

"Don't test my patience, boy. I also have reasons to not support House Targaryen and seek revenge for what your brother did to my sister."

Oberyn then told the whole story, everything Viserys didn't know, or didn't want to know. The Mad King in all his cruelty and his passion for the fire, the poor Queen Rhaella, victim of her husband, Rhaegar abandoning his wife and children to flee with the she-wolf. Viserys didn't get angry this time, but he left, claiming he wanted to go to bed. Oberyn had rented a room for the two of them so that they wouldn't spend a night in the street, he accompanied the little Princess who had fallen asleep against him and then went to bed, hoping to reason with this parody of a king, doubting that he was different from his father. The next day, Viserys told him that he still did not wish to marry Arianne, he had already committed himself to marry his sister and advanced the fact that they were the last two Targaryens, they had to rebuild their lineage in the purest possible way. Oberyn had to find something else to negotiate, Doran would never agree to risk any Dornish life without a compensation.

Daenerys liked the fresh sea air, she liked to watch the waves and feel the boat rocking under her. It was a beautiful day, it was very hot, but the wind blowing through her beautiful silver curls cooled her down a lot. Looking out over the sea, she observed the different fishes through the clarity of the water, all kinds of species of unimaginable colours, of a breathtaking beauty that seemed to follow the ship on which she was standing. She wished she could jump into the water and share a walk with the dolphins that had joined the shoal. She felt such a sense of freedom that she had never experienced before, she loved the sea, she loved the wind, she loved the sound of the different birds above her, she loved to sail, she was happy. The big smile on her face had disappeared as she looked up to see a huge pyramid in the distance topped by a winged statue, surprise overwhelmed her as she wondered how she could be close to land when just a moment before there was only the sea in sight.

Her question remained unanswered at the sound of a door being slammed. Dany turned to the origin of the noise and walked towards it, the door in question was very familiar to her. It was the one she had been dreaming about, the one that had closed behind her and her brother forever, exactly the same one. The red door. Her hand was hesitant, but she finally put it on the handle. Inside, everything was dark, but she could hear someone calling out for her, it was a whisper that she couldn't quite understand yet, but she finally recognized her name, "Dany... Dany..." said the male voice.

"Viserys?" Only her brother called her that, the outlines of another door were drawn in front of her. A room, on the bed, a man, her brother... No... Taller, with brown hair. Oberyn? No... Oberyn is slimmer, and taller. Daenerys moved slowly, she didn't want to wake him, not until she knew who he was. She took her dagger out of its sheath and could see the naked man on the bed, but his face was just a shadow she couldn't see. She decided to come even closer, she had to know who this man was, and what he was doing on her ship... My ship...? She didn't have a boat of her own... His ship...? This man seemed to be sleeping deeply, peacefully, she didn't know why, but she felt the desperate urge to put her hand through his curls, to tell him not to worry, that he could still sleep peacefully, she was watching over him. Her eyes followed the hard lines of his muscles and ran through his body slowly when the distant sound of an animal had resonate.

She turned her gaze and saw a different door from the one she had entered through. She took one last look at the stranger before disappearing. She returned on the deck of the boat, but something was different. The weather had darkened, the wind seemed angry and a storm was threatening to fall on her. The waves were shaking the boat violently and it was hard for her to stand. She had been on the ground several times before she reached the railing where she could hold on as the waves became more powerful when the first thunderclap sounded.

A thud from the water made Daenerys tremble and she didn't have to wait long to find out the origin of the awful sound she had just heard. Huge tentacles sprung up from under the sea and clung to the ship. Daenerys knew the fantasy tales of the sailors she had met in her short life, and the giant Krakens were among them, but they were only legends, the ramblings of people who had fallen asleep too long on the bottle. The princess prepared to end up at the bottom of the sea, drowned, or devoured by this foul beast, but as the ship left the surface, when she opened her eyes again, she was not under the sea, but still in a sea, but this time, a sea of grass higher than she was. Large translucent stems seemed to have neither beginning nor end, Daenerys could hardly see the sky and seemed to have been swallowed by her surroundings. However, it was still dark outside, the wind had died down, but she was now on solid ground. She did not know how or why she had come here, but she was determined to finding the way out.

She seemed to have been walking for hours when she finally saw something other than grass far in front of her. She quickened her pace, but something grabbed her leg, and then the other, her arms were the next to be hindered. The grass was trying to hold her back and Dany was struggling with all her strength to free herself. After one last effort, she fell to the ground, finally free, but when she lifted her head up, strange black buildings were in front of her. The material was strange and when she approached to touch it, something else caught her attention. She was in a city, but seemed totally deserted, not a sound, the place was strange and dull, as if dead, there was a smell of burning, but nothing seemed to be on fire, no smoke anywhere, nothing but the houses and what seemed to be a market at the end of the street. The place seemed huge, Daenerys was walking aimlessly through the alleys when at last she crossed someone else's path. Wrapped in an outfit that showed no skin, the face hidden behind a strange mask, the stranger looked at the young woman for a few moments before turning around and taking the adjacent street. Dany started running to catch up with the stranger when she found herself in front of the entrance to a cave, she entered and was now in a total darkness.

The same animal scream she had heard on the boat alerted her ears again, it increasing in volume as she got closer, it was very dark, too dark for her to discern anything. She was moving slowly to avoid a possible collision when two red eyes opened up in front of her and looked at her menacingly. The sound of a frightening breath had invaded the place, the smell of smoke and ashes too, the mouth of the beast had opened and a red light was appearing, increasing in volume little by little... It was only when Dany knew what animal it was that the fire had fallen on her, surrounding her, licking her skin and warming her body and soul in an instant. She thought her skin would melt, that only her bones would remain once the fire was out, and yet she felt no pain, but pleasure and enchantment. The fire was like a husband making love to her and creating life in her, was there a better feeling in the world?

The fire called to her, asked her to open her eyes and see, and she saw. She saw a great army that the fire drew before her, it then turned into thousands of horses galloping towards her and disappearing to take on a human form that looked neither like a man nor a woman. The form slowly drew closer and when it was near her, Daenerys felt an icy cold invade her, despite the fire surrounding her, the heat had completely disappeared. Dany hugged herself with her arms, hoping to get warm, when the hand of this thing came close to her, she closed her eyes hoping that the fire would change shape again and she would feel the warmth again.

But when she opened her eyes, the fire had disappeared, the strange shape had gone, the cold was still there, but much more bearable. She was now in a large room, the elements surrounding her were luxurious, huge pillars decorated with dragons populated this room, Daenerys touched the familiar shapes with her fingertips before she saw a huge throne at the back of the room surmounted by the emblem of a lion, Lannister. She had heard of this throne, forged by Balerion the Black Dread from the swords of the vanquished enemies of Aegon the Conqueror. It was huge, a symbol of her House, of the Targaryen dynasty, the Iron Throne, I'm home... But the throne is held by the Baratheon... To her, it was a horrible thing... She saw her brother sitting at the top, she could imagine the proud look he would have at that moment, but it wasn't her, it wasn't for her. The one at the top dominated everyone, he had considerable power, he could do what he wanted, impose his will, his authority, his cruelty. Like her father in his time...

It was a terrifying laugh that she heard followed by words that she distinguished perfectly "Burn them all! Burn them all!!!" His words echoed through the huge room and cooled her down even more than the strange shape she had just encountered. She was afraid to turn her eyes to the throne, afraid of what she would see there, but when she looked for her father, there was nothing. It was then that the ground shook beneath her feet, explosions coming from the city, when she approached the opening to what must have been King's Landing, she saw huge green flames devouring every dwelling, people screaming and trying to flee into the streets, but nothing could save them. The flames approached the dungeon and soon it was she who was overwhelmed by the flames, but this time she burned.

The pain had been terrible, and the temperature change even worse. The shock of the cold seized her again, and she woke up surrounded by white. What she touched was very cold, and she had never felt snow, but it was snow, she knew it. She got up and walked a few steps forward before discovering a magnificent view in front of her. The little nightgown she had did not protect her from the cold, but the view in front of her certainly warmed her up. The sun was slowly setting over a huge forest of trees that she had never seen before. When she looked down, she saw the huge wall of ice under her feet, it was so high, so imposing, so terrifying. She knew where she was, her brother had described the regions of Westeros to her, and The Wall was one of the worst places in this continent. Here lived the rapists, thieves and murderers who were supposed to protect the kingdom against the Wildlings, but thousands of years ago, he had told her the crazy story of vile creatures, ice monsters that had attacked men. Monsters north of the Wall, monsters that terrified her when Viserys told her this before she went to sleep. The place seemed totally deserted and too beautiful to be inhabited by such monsters. Once again, she saw the same stranger she had followed into the cave when she was in that dark and strange city, he looked towards her and then disappeared among the hundreds of trees.

After descending the many steps, Daenerys went through a long tunnel and passed under the raised gate to get behind the Wall. The forest seemed to have receded even further and the snow under the young woman's bare feet was a real torture. She walked relentlessly and aimlessly now, a thick fog had descended on her and the trees had now disappeared. The cold intensified and the rustle in her ears disoriented her and she found herself kneeling in the snow, curled up on herself, hoping that when she opened her eyes again she would be in a different place, but this time she had not changed her place. The storm had receded a little, but that wasn't going to help Daenerys, a wolf was in front of her, he was huge, and she was sure it could swallow her whole. She took a few steps back while keeping her eyes on the wolf, but soon she realized that other wolves had surrounded her, they were slowly approaching her and had started to growl. The fire seemed a much better way to die, she hoped they would rush to devour her, but once again the storm returned and the wolves were gone. She heard strange sounds, words, it did not sound like any other language she knew, voices belonging to the shadows appearing in the middle of the fog in front of her. They seemed to communicate with each other and the closer they got, the colder she felt.

A giant paw crossed the fog to come and stand between two white shadows, the creature in front of her was terrifying, immense and overcome by another that looked much more like a man. But a man who had already known death. Pieces of skin hung from him, some parts of his body were missing, but what frightened her much more were the two bright blue orbs that looked at her. He seemed to be wearing a strange white armour too, like the skin it covered, he brandished a translucent sword which he raised in the air while speaking and other shadows appeared. Thousands all around her slowly appeared and took the shape of the one climbing on the immense spider. Some were riding simple horses, but just as dead as they were, others were on bears, giant wolves, or even enormous mammoths which she had once studied in one of Mistress Ilissa's books. The dead men was now moving quickly towards her and the stranger reappeared behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. The intense heat she felt on contact reassured her and when she turned around, she saw two red eyes looking at her through the mask, a female voice resounded.

"The fire is your gift, Stormborn, embrace it. ”

Daenerys awoke in her bed, breathing rapidly and her skin covered with a film of sweat. In front of her, a female form that she could hardly distinguish, the fog of sleep still upon her, but very soon she saw a silver hair slipped along a chest covered with a scarlet red dress, the woman stood with a certain posture, a royale posture, and had joined her two hands in front of her while observing the princess on her bed. A smile appeared on her lips as Dany could see her features more easily. Is it me... older ? The woman now stepped to the side of the bed and settled down before taking her hand in hers.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you, my darling, to protect both of you. But I'm so proud to see this incredible woman you've become. ”

Daenerys looked at this woman with astonishment, she was still dreaming, it was only a dream and when she woke up she would be alone in her room. Was it a gift or a simple torture?

"Mother...? I'm asleep, you're not real." The former Queen didn't seem to be hurt by her daughter's reply, she just put a hand on the cheek of her young princess. "I won't be only if you wish it. Does that change anything?

"Yes... of course, I will wake up and you will no longer be here, I will be alone with Viserys again. And I won't even be able to tell him I saw you, he'll never believe me, he's always blamed me and he was right, it's my fault you're dead." "Never think that you are responsible for my death, never feel guilty about things you have no control over, never forget these words. As for me, I would sacrifice myself a thousand times if I had to so that you could live, you are my child, my flesh and blood. You are not alone my dear, you will never be alone and I am not worried about you at all. I know the best is yet to come. I regret the past, and what drove both of you into exile, maybe I could have changed things. But your future is wonderful. You just have to trust yourself. ” "My future? What about Viserys? He will be king and I will be his queen. "What is written on paper fades, what is in blood and in heart endures."

Her mother's smile had not faded, but the enigmatic answer worried Daenerys, but for the moment, her mother was with her, and she was going to take advantage of it. She couldn't resist the urge to hold her tightly, hoping to keep her and take her out of the world of dreams, but if she had learned one thing since birth, it was that life had given her no gift. Her mother got up and returned to her original place, there was so much love in her eyes that Dany's tears kept flowing ever since she had hugged her for the first time in her life. She wished this moment would never end, no matter Westeros, no matter Oberyn and his plan, Viserys and his throne, in that moment, all she wanted was to be with her mother, to get to know her, to laugh with her, to share tender moments together, to be mother and daughter, no more Targaryen, no more dynasty, no more duty.

She did not have time to see her mother after reopening her eyes that she had already disappeared and in her place was the stranger she had pursued in her dream.

"Stormborn... Daughter of Dragons... Daughter of Fire… Bringer of the Dawn..." A woman... The voice that rose from behind the mask was undeniably a woman's one, dressed in a red coat and hood, hiding her hair with it, not revealing any part of her body, not a hint of skin, she was content to look at Daenerys, her eyes still red was the only part she could see. "Don't forget your gift, don't forget who you are. ”

When Daenerys woke up, for real this time, she was indeed alone. This dream had completely disturbed her and added to her confusion, she felt two other completely opposite feelings. She was so happy to have been able to see her mother, to have been able to feel her body against her, to have had the chance to hear her voice, to be able to appreciate the warm and loving words she had said to her and to feel them as she looked into her mother's eyes. Nothing could be more wonderful than that, but it was only a dream, and now she was alone. Would she ever see her again? She hadn't even thought to ask her if Rhaegar was with her, if he was proud of his brother and sister, she had had so little time, and so many questions. Outside, the sky was dark, the city peaceful, Daenerys went out on her balcony to put her thoughts in order. The nights were cold despite the hot days, but the air was pleasant. Her dream seemed so unrealistic and at the same time intended to make her understand something, but who was this woman? And what was she referring to with her strange words? She had to tell her brother about it, perhaps he also had the same dreams, he was the Targaryen heir, he must have had a visit from this woman if this dream meant something.

Daenerys woke up a little later than usual, her night had been very agitated and she was still disturbed by her dream. She put on her favourite trousers, the ones her brother hated, claiming that they were not worthy of a future queen, but she didn't care, she was comfortable, and the dress was more fit for fighting, the tunic too. Now that Oberyn had returned, perhaps he wanted to practice, or rather, test her. He was very strict in his education, he never spared her, and it was a source of pride for Daenerys to have stood up to the lessons of this warrior she admired so much. The spear he had given her laid along her bed, ready to be taken, the day he gave it to her, Viserys disappeared for several hours, Oberyn had never hidden his preference for the girl, he was much harder on her when it came to education, but it was to her that he spoke for hours, it was with her that he would go on horseback for long rides along the Rhoyne. Viserys had never sought to socialize with Oberyn, he stuck to the relationship of a king with one of his subjects, but he liked pretty things, he liked to be given things worthy of his rank, but Daenerys' gifts were always more valuable than his own, and Oberyn had no qualms about showing the difference. A little personal revenge for the demands that Viserys had expressed in the Targaryen-Martell alliance.

She went to the terrace, the usual place where they broke their feast together. The Mistress always came to share this moment with them, before going to attend to her personal affairs, only today it was Oberyn who occupied her place. He enjoyed figs and various other fruits that often made up their meal. Daenerys loved them, she loved to eat plenty of them on hot days and when she had trained hard. The smile of her favorite Dornishman glowed when he saw her, she placed a sweet kiss on his cheek before settling down in front of him to start by grabbing a few grapes that she quickly tasted.

"Did my princess sleep well? You seem to be absent this morning. ” "Forgive me, I don't really feel like talking about my night, I'm sure yours was more than satisfactory. "She said with a hint of laughter in her voice. She knew Oberyn, she was the right age, he had told her, so he could tell her that she should enjoy the pleasures of this world. Daenerys always avoided the discussion and preferred not to think of anyone other than her brother. "Why did it take you so long to come back? ”

"I'm sorry, my dear, but I also have daughters to take care of. Your brother refused to train with me, he said he didn't have time for my nonsense and will join us later. I thought the years would give him the wisdom necessary to any good king."

"He's frustrated, it's been eight years now you've had to take us back to Dorne, every day is one day too many for the Usurper on the Targaryen throne." Daenerys cleaned the sweet nectar from her fingers and gave her friend an apologetic look. She was more patient than her brother, but she was also eager to go home.

"You know the reasons, by the way, I've got some news. The Hand of the King is dead, Good King Robert..." he said ironically, "...was on his way up north when I left Dorne, he's going to ask Ned Stark to be his new Hand. From wolves in the lion's den, the honorable Ned Stark will have his tail between his legs once he's in the capital."

Dany went mute, she didn't really know what to think of the Starks. The she-wolf had seduced her brother and kept him away from his family, although she also blamed Rhaegar for this. Ned Stark had participated in the Rebellion, and although her father deserved to be ousted, it had led to their exile, and everything that followed. Could her mother have survived if she had given birth at King's Landing, with the best of care? He had also continued to support the Usurper despite the fact that he had left the deaths of two children, and their mother, unpunished. So Jon Arryn was dead, one less. But the worst were still standing.

"Daenerys, Martell! "Her brother had just arrived with Mistress Ilissa. He seemed angry and their hostess worried. "The Dothraki are here, they've sent a representative. There's also a rich Magister of Pentos who wishes to meet the Targaryens," Ilissa said in her sweet voice." "Thank you, Madam. But how did they know about us? ” "We'll soon find out, bring the representative of the Dothraki first, we shouldn't offend the horse fuckers. "Added Viserys to one of the maids.

Daenerys knew little of these people, but was it possible they... No... better not to know.

They went to the main room to greet the visitor, the man who entered was of advanced age, but not old, he was simply dressed, without armor, and seemed to be distressed by the heat. To her surprise, but to Viserys' delight, the man knelt down and raised his head, lingering for a few moments on the young princess before turning to her brother.

"It's an honor to meet the last Targaryens, the heir to the Iron Throne and you, Princess Daenerys. I am Jorah Mormont, I was a knight in the Seven Kingdoms, i was also forced into exile, though for different reasons. ”

"You only have a few seconds to explain yourself before I take your head for treason. You took part in the Usurper Rebellion that brought down my House. ”

"I obeyed my father's orders, but I will submit to my king's justice if it suits him so. The great Khal Drogo wishes to meet the princess, he wishes to marry her, to make her his Khaleesi. In exchange, he will help you win back the Iron Throne. Ten thousand proud warriors who will destroy your enemies on the battlefield."

Daenerys was surprised by his answer. A man wished to marry her without ever having met her. Her brother had described them as savages, but what would they do to this town, and to them, if she refused?

"Ten thousand, is that my sister's price? Is this the few men he has in his army ?" "A horde, Your Grace, and no, I think it would be a great insult to think that your sister has a price. We can begin negotiations if it pleases you, the horde consists of forty thousand men." "And what will he do if I deny him my sister? Will he leave and return to his sea of grass? How did he find out about us?" "When a Khal dies, his wife joins the Dosh Khaleen, the sacred temple of the Dothraki, the priestesses who make up the temple advise and read omens to the Khals. It was foretold to Khal Drogo that he would marry the silver-haired Targaryen and from their union will be born the stallion who mounts the world." Oberyn had just entered the room and the knight cast a strange glance, had he recognized him? Anyway, he wasn't in Westeros anymore, it wasn’t dangerous for them.

After Mistress Illissa intervened to invite the Khal the next day, the Targaryens were alone to discuss and figure out what they were going to do. If the Dothraki believed so strongly in their prophecy, they would not be content with a simple refusal.

"You can marry him instead of me? he said 'a silver-haired Targaryen...' without specifying which one..." Viserys turned to his sister with an angry look in his eyes, but she sketched a sly smile in response. "Very funny dear sister, will your jokes be enough for the Khal tomorrow? I have no intention of agreeing to this marriage. The dragon does not mix with the stinking horse." Dany took his hand in hers. "Let's talk it over with Oberyn, I'll go get him."

"No need, I'm here, look what I found..." Next to Oberyn stood a woman, all dressed in red, hooded and mysterious. She was very beautiful, she took off her hood and let out her long brown hair, her eyes had immediately fallen on the princess, as if she was the only one in the room. "You have found me only because I have allowed you, I wish to meet you." Oberyn stopped her from making her way to Dany. "Don't listen to her, she's a priestess of R'hllor. You'll probably end up in a pile of ashes if you trust her, they like to burn a lot of stuff." "Children of the fire don't burn... I can help you with your Dothraki problem. They fear my magic." Her eyes never turned away from the princess as she spoke, there was something strangely familiar about her. Viserys was astonishingly in agreement with Oberyn when it came to the priestess, he wanted her to leave just as badly. They still had a guest to meet, another person who knew who they were. When Oberyn was about to take her out, she added one more thing.

"Don't forget your gift." The sentence froze Dany's blood and she verbally arrested his friend. She came closer and saw a red glow in the woman's eyes. Was she the stranger who had appeared in her dream? The risk was great, but her mother had asked her to trust herself, and everything in her told her to listen to this woman.

"Your new guest is here, the Magister from Pentos." Ilissa Naeraar came from the entrance accompanied by several maids carrying trays filled with various foods and drinks. She then saw Oberyn disappear with the priestess and hoped that he would trust her and would not throw her out. The trays were placed in the next room, while a healthy man entered. He had a radiant smile, a large beard splitting in two which he had tied at the ends. Behind him, several servants entered one by one with chests of all sizes, which they placed at her brother's feet. They had also placed food in the dining room. Viserys was delighted by this, but Daenerys had a suspicious look in her eyes, why did a stranger offer them so much?

"The great Viserys Targaryen and his beautiful sister Daenerys, let me introduce myself. Illyrio Mopatis, a great merchant living in Pentos, it is a real pleasure to meet you. I've been looking for you for so long." He barely got down on one knee and found it even harder to get up again. Then he leaned over to her and took her hand and kissed it. "I would like to offer you my help in regaining your throne, but first I would like to offer you the delicious food I have brought back from the Summer Isles, among others. “

The tables were covered with food testifying to the Magister's wealth, Mistress Ilissa had allowed the servants to eat at a table with them which seemed to displease their guest who treated his own as if they were his slaves. They weren't been allowed to participate in the feast despite the hostess's invitation. There were many spicy and fruity wines and Oberyn would surely regret not being there, but it was better that he kept a low profile. The merchant specialized in spices and had brought several dishes cooked with them. In front of her were several fish, eels in jelly, a very popular dish in Pentos, cockles, clams and pickled herring. She spotted pike poached in almond milk, which she particularly liked, she didn't wait for the help of her servants to get a plate of it and instead asked them to go and sit down and enjoy the meal as well. There was also wild pork, which was eaten very little in Essos, except in Braavos and Pentos. There were many specialties from the town of the Magister, such as duck liver cooked in wine or capon cooked with carrots, citrus fruits and grapes. At one time Daenerys would have dreamed of such a table, but their hostess was very generous and at that time it seemed more like they were trying to buy her and her brother with rare and expensive spices and alcohol. Visery seemed to enjoy the gifts and to gobble up all the food he could get his hands on. They had also served warm goat cheese with braised apples spiced with cinnamon from Westeros for dessert, but Daenerys preferred blueberries topped with fresh cream before ending her meal.

The Magister followed her brother's example and tasted all the dishes on their table. He was much less refined at the table than usual and Dany had to look away and imagine that he wasn't sitting right next to her in order to keep her food warm in her stomach. After finishing the last crumb on his plate, the Magister clapped his hands and the main door opened on to some servants, four of them carrying a strange trunk. Those who accompanied them were clearing their table so that they could put the trunk on it. It looked rather heavy and the young men had a little more trouble lifting it up to put it down in front of Daenerys.

"Let me offer you, princess, the relics of your House. Three beautiful dragon eggs from Asshaï, the dark city where it is said the first dragons came from." A servant opened the trunk in which the three so-called eggs were lying on beautiful Pentoshi tissues. "Time has turned them to stone, but they have not lost any of their splendor. "Dany was completely overwhelmed by what she had before her eyes, Viserys must have been too, her brother had never been so silent before such a gift, which had not been given to him otherwise. The eggs seemed to be covered with precious stones, but when she lifted the first one, she noticed not only its heaviness, but also the various scales that made it up, which shone like rare gems in the light of the day. The one in her hands was cream-coloured with golden reflections, the one in the center was deep black with red reflections, and the last one was dark green with bronze reflections. Her fingers came to touch the scales of the black one, which she then lifted. It was beautiful, like the other two, and they must have cost a fortune, what was she going to have to give this man in exchange? Then she looked up at the Magister and asked him why he was giving her such precious things.

"They belong to your family, they are also a wedding gift. Your marriage to Khal Drogo will help restore your family on the Iron Throne. I beg you to accept his request, so that you can take back what belongs to you."

---------------------

Some details on the story and this chapter:

- Daenerys is only 8 years old in the flashbacks in this chapter, it is completely normal for her to be submissive and silly towards her brother. - During the flashbacks, I mix all the POVs, but in the present, these are Dany's POVs only, for the moment. - I use the elements of the books for this story, more magic and fantasy so. Even if I use the actors of the show to make the moodboard, I imagine the characters as in the books, except Oberyn, Yara and Cersei, I have a lot of love for the actors and their interpretations. But you are free to imagine the characters as you wish. - I don't remember if I said it, but the events that are described in the books, or the show, will surely not happen in this story, I don't want to repeat the story of GRRM, so for example, Ned Stark always comes to KL but everything will change afterwards.

[heroesofscienceandfandoms]

Game of Thrones rewatch - season one, episodes two and three

Welcome back for episode two. doubt I'll manage to get through the whole series before Sunday, but a man can try.

*insert humming and terrible beatboxing of the intro song here*

And this one starts with my least favourite character. At least the people around her were either interesting or even likeable. Especially Jorah, he was a good guide and teacher... if only he had been honest with his beloved Khaleesi right from the beginning. That would've been boring though. And bad writing, even for the show.

I'm telling mother - oh hi Draco. And the props and wigs are already getting better. Guess it really was this typical first ep weirdness. Don't get me wrong, most of it still looks weird and rather bad, but at least better than before. And we finally get some scenes with Tommen and Myrcella who only need seconds to be more likeable than Joff.

Oh, that first boy scene... guess it was intended as a lie right from the beginning, yet I still like to believe it to be a genuine deviation from the books as it would've made Cersei way more human. Not more human than in the books, but more human than how she ended up being on the show. But that's just my opinion and most people will probably disagree with me on that.

Despite all those bad jokes, I almost forgot how short Kit is. And how he looks more like Satin than Jon. Of course Nymeria doesn't understand your orders girl... she's a wolf, not a dog. You'll get your dog (and adoptive dad) in a few seasons. One who won't take order either. Wait, that's Needle! Does Arya even use it anymore?

How I despised Cat for her behaviour towards Jon. Sure, it was understanable. Doesn't make it right though. Michelle's such a great actress, given how she manages to make me both like and dislike Cat. Guess that's what playing an interesting and two-dimensional character is about.

That conversation about Jon's mother is so weird to watch, now that we all know what has happened to her for sure. Including Jon himself.

Now that I see another feast (okay, mini-feast/picnic), there might be a simple reason why we can't have those types of scenes any more after season one: it just doesn't work as well without Robert Baratheon as it did with him. A sitcom with Ned and Robert would've been way better than what we have now. Everything would've been better. Robert talking about the war that's coming... he really was right about that, even though it took way longer to arrive than he would've ever thought. At least the war he had in mind.

Oh the good old times were people making things run still mattered. Now every castle seems to be Harrenhall. Wait, Rickon was six? And we finally have that dagger... another one of those if anyone knew items. Plus Cat realising those wolves are not as bad as she thinks them to be.

It is known. You know what's also known? That Dany's companions were all so likeable... yet so disposable. Some things seem to be crap right from the beginning

I'll never understand why some people hated Theon right from the beginning. He didn't owe the Starks anything, yet he still tries to please them, help them and be on their side, even if it's just for Robb. After what some call betrayal? Okay, I get that. But before? Nope. He did more than he morally had to.

Not talking about the extremely uncomfortable stuff btw. There's more than enough ranting about that on tumblr already.

Great actor or not, any character played by Jack Gleesson will never ever be as charming as Joffrey has been decribed in the books. I'm your prince... yeah, anyone who has to brag about his title like that'll never be anything but a whimp. Oh how easy everything would've been if Nymeria had simply torn Joff to pieces. Another missed chance of not having to have this shitshow of an adaptation.

Not much more to say about ep 2, back in the day when even small deaths weren't just cheaply thrown around.

On to episode 3 of season 1.

And we're in Kings Landing. Back when the whole place was still alive and not burning. As it still should be. Damn, Jaime never had a chance with thr oh so honourable Ned Stark to begin with. Hm... Renly reminds me of someone I know. Not sure who though. And he looks so young as well. Why on earth did they change the location of the small council meetings? This place looks just fine.

Ned trying to be a good father and messing it up still. Not too different from a modern dad, albeit a rather conservative one. And one with a very pleasant voice.

Give us back old nan... that woman makes you feel like a small boy listening to stories even when you're already a grown man. Too bad  Margaret John's already dead. Would've loved seeing more scenes with her than the ones we had. Bran talking about how he'd rather be dead sounds really different now that he's practically dead and replaced by the three-eyed dipshit.

Didn't remember all those scenes at the Night's Watch to be this pleasant to watch... but apparently, they were.

And we finally get our first scene of Robert being a piece of shit towards Gilbart Chris von Muir, the King of Damcyan erh I mean Lancel. Don't fight me, but he always looked like Gilbart to me (or Edward for those of you who played the English version of FFIV).

Can anyone explain why Jorah, aka the  random stranger, has one of the prettiest horses? Is he a khal now? Khal Jorah... I must admit, it has quite a ring to it. He's more of a king than Viserys ever was as well.

Looking back at all those early scenes makes me realise that Kit's been good at playing Jon... while he was still Jon. And not Aegon-who-should-not-be-called-Aegon.

And for a great way to finish this episode... season one had way too many attractive men. And probably girls as well, for those of you who are into that. So, even if the show wasn't really that good in the past (still better than it is now and nothing will ever change my mind on that), we at least had some eyecandy.

[secretshamewriting]

Taming the Dragon-Chapter 4 (Viserys x Reader fic)

Chapter 3

Original Link

Warnings: Drinking/Alcohol Use

Viserys POV

(Y/N) sprawled on the lavish floor pillows, and continued on as if he wasn’t even there. It was Illyrio who seemed intimidated by his presence, cowing and seeking his approval, wishing to include him. “That’s very interesting, is it not, Your Grace?”

Viserys glanced over to the fat man, waving his fingers to acknowledge in the same instant he turned back to watch (Y/N). She produced a hand drawn map of the Khal’s manse, she detailed the aspects of the party from what wine they chose to each guest. He and Magister Illyrio had been making arrangements of their own. There would be a fine Meerenese silk dress sewn for Daenerys and Illyrio had assured there would be gold and gems to match, everything they needed to show the Khal she was a Targaryen Princess.

He listened to every word, analyzed every inflection, watched every ounce of body language. His father had seen him trained with Varys, the Master of Secrets, when he was young.

The boy must know when they are lying to him. Once there was a time every soul in Westeros feared the Targaryen’s and now they think us fools! Everyone will try to deceive him, and if Rhaegar does betray me- Viserys will take the throne. He must be a strong king. We have to make them fear us again.

A conversation of years long past played in his mind, the raspy, trembling voice of his father ringing in his ears. That night he’d had that gleaming, rabid look in his eyes, the one that always made his mother send him off to study his letters.

They called him Aerys the Mad King. And though none dared say that name in the presence of the young Prince, he’d heard it often enough whispered in the halls. And while he may have been…irrational, the world had taught Viserys the truth of his father’s words. Hidden daggers told him not to trust anyone. The kind words, and eager help that had been offered by ‘friends’. Merchant Princes, Nobles from Braavos to Pentos, Magisters, all had started out open handed enough but that all changed. Their amorous stares, greed of befriending the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms, soured to bitter glares as if he was a diseased pauper, a raving mad man. What they didn’t know was that he would reclaim his lands, his throne and then they would regret turning him away when he was in need. He reveled in the thought of the cheese-mongers turning up to him to ask for fairer trade, the spice merchants complaining of taxes, how he looked forward to those days.

Viserys was thankful for his lessons with the Spider. He had learned to catch insects in their own web of lies. The lessons had served him well in the years moving from city to city. How to see one’s nervous twitches when they lied, to perceive if it was an exaggerated truth or straight out fiction. The way someone held themselves and how it belied their emotions, their intentions.

But watching (Y/N) she was nothing but, at ease? Comfort laid in her every word, her honest tone bearing all the layers so there was nothing further to analyze. He still would not dare to speak of his plans with her, he would wait until she left and speak with Illyrio alone. Not that he trusted the Magister either, but he had shown himself to be truly hungry for Viserys’ friendship.

So she shared what she came to share, then politely excused herself. Viserys and Illyrio discussed everything that would happen in the coming month to prepare Dany for meeting the Khal, they talked of how they hoped the night to go, and of days in the future. Once he had heard everything the Magister had to say, he took his leave.

The first stop was to check on Dany in her room. Viserys was delighted to see her sitting there, reading books and for the old gray handmaid who was looming over her asking questions. He strode in confidently and went to read over her shoulder, scooping the hair that was falling into her face so it would tamely lay down her back. “Study hard, sweet sister. Knowledge is a woman’s weapon. Men will always be more powerful with a sword, but your mind should best any man’s.” He stood up straight, smiling at the memory of his mother sharing that little tidbit with him, hoping she would be proud how he was preparing Dany.

A humorous scoff broke the otherwise still of the room as his sister focused on reading, but she immediately broke her attention to look up at her brother, what he’d found funny. “Not that you shall need much wit to deal with the Horselords.” smirking deviously before shrugging and offering “But it’s for every other man you shall meet. I imagine your husband won’t want me around all the time, well enough. So I won’t be able to keep as close an eye on you.” he could see the fear in her eyes. And as much as she might also fear him, the respect and need for his care was greater. The little sister was lost without the older brother to lead the way.

But he knew she was terrified of everything happening with the Khal, she had hardly slept a wink since he’d told her the plan a week past. That reminded him, “And you must sleep tonight. Do you think the Khal wants a girl with bags under her eyes like an old worn-out woman? If you do not I am assured one of the healers can make a draught to put you to sleep, but it’s been known to give terrible nightmares” he leaned his face close to hers now, his voice strained as if he had been telling one of the ghost stories of the Others. Dany squeaked at that and covered her mouth with her hands. Viserys raised his eyebrows and gestured to the bed “Then you must sleep” standing now and walking to leave the room, pausing long enough to add “or don’t think I won’t use it.”

The echoing steps were the only thing to accompany him as he walked the manse. Viserys feebly searched for something to occupy him, when what he really set out for was a way to speed up time so he could see the pieces of his plan begin to fall into place. There was the Magister’s libraries, but he had read all the dry tomes worth reading ten times over by now. He craved a story of Aegon, or Nymeria, something to sate his lust for a concurring force arriving to sweep all under their rule. The Free Cities had their share of conquest and blood, Viserys only read them to gain the experiences of another culture but they weren’t his stories. Regardless of the fact that he’d spent more time away from Westeros than in it, everything across the narrow sea was foreign to him, and always would be.

Eventually his restless mind and wandering feet found themselves walking for the wall. Somehow staring at the sea with a plan in mind made his heart ache less for home, loosened the grip of responsibilities that hung around his neck like a hangman’s noose. Fleetly he climbed the stairs, only to be surprised by what he found at the apex. (Y/N) was sitting atop the railing, one leg dipped over the side and the other resting up on a table. A table that held a flagon and a cup identical to the one in her hand.

“What are you doing up here?” he questioned as he stepped up onto the platform.

Without even looking his way, eyes focused on the beach some yards below, the gentle sound of waves crashing on the sand the only background to her answer “Enjoying a beautiful summer evening.” But now she turned to face him, a smile lighting up her face as she held up her cup, saying with a laugh “and some wine. Care to join me?”

Viserys grasped the stem of the goblet, holding it out “Yes, I believe I shall.” But when he only got an amused look from (Y/N), and she made no move to fill his cup, did his swelled ego deflate. Internally grumbling how he was a King and should never have to pour for himself, having gotten quite used to the aspect of having servants around, he filled the glass anyway.

He threw one of his long legs over the wall to straddle it as well, looking straight across to (Y/N). She smiled again, raising her glass and tipping her head before taking a sip. Viserys joined her in the silent toast and only after she had taken a deep gulp did he try his own. A honey wine. He was pleasantly surprised, a welcome break from the usual stock of sour reds that filled the better part of Illyrio’s cellars.

They finished their first cups in silence aside from the lulling sound of the sea. This time (Y/N) leaned forward, grabbing the tankard and filling his before pouring for herself. The last few drops falling into her glass caused him to look listlessly around for some servant to fetch them more. That was when he heard the metallic tink of the glass being set on the stone “I didn’t think Illyrio would miss one cask”. She had set down her glass to reach for the cloth strewn across the table, flipping it up to reveal it was infact a barrel of wine. He eyed her with surprise, to which she giggled while stroking one hand across the top of the barrel and whined “Poor thing was forgotten, shoved all the way in the back.”

Viserys took a sip and mused “It must have been so lonely”.

“Oh, quite” she grunted as her dagger pried open the top of the barrel. She dipped it down into the barrel, the flagon greedily gulping up the cloying wine and dripping as she removed it. Golden dribbles tracing along the glass to be caught by her fingers. Viserys watched over the top of his cup as she drew them up the length, and sucked the liquid off. She glanced to him as she slurped her middle finger, their gazes met as her face turned bright red under his grin. But that didn’t last as she looked away mumbling “It’s a shame to waste good wine”.

Viserys chuckled at her shyness, only hours earlier she boldly undressed herself, knowing he was there, and now she blushes at his smirk. Hurriedly she used the pommel of her dagger to hammer the lid back into the barrel, reset the tablecloth and the flagon. By then she had regained herself, settling back in to stare across the water. “Tell me” she mumbled quietly, looking out of the corner of her eye to meet where he still watched her every move “of the Seven Kingdoms.”

Feeling as sweet as the wine he mused under his breath “My home.” He swirled his cup, staring into the golden liquid as if it held a story in it’s depths. In a way it did, the sticky sweet taste of honey on his tongue brought forth a memory. “When I was a boy, we travelled to some flower festival, a weak excuse for a tournament and for Mace Tyrell to host my family. There was red tulips as far as the eye could see.“

(Y/N)’s eyes widened in surprise but then softened to a sweet smile. She expected some story of Aegon, or a bitter telling of the Usurper’s rebellion. A story of strong knights and fair maidens..

"We had gardens in King’s Landing, but” he admitted humbly “Highgarden’s did put it to shame. Their’s stretched the entire inner yard, something always in bloom. They even boast massive glass gardens, growing roses even in the depths of winter.”

She was enraptured by the story, tucking her legs up and looking like a child at story time, her eager eyes glued to his face. “House Tyrell’s sigil is a rose. So they grow them in every color you can imagine. My mother and I walked the gardens, gathering one of each. We made a crown of roses and took turns wearing it.” He laughed deeply, a new part of the memory coming back to him “Even my father wore it, to a meeting with Mace Tyrell and everyone was too afraid to comment on it so he wore it around for an entire day.”

That beautiful ringing sound greeted his ears once more, her eyes crinkling as she laughed. “Who would dare question the King about what crown he chose to wear.”

Viserys tilted his head, lifting his mug to his lips to speak into it. “Especially my father” hummed in the glass as he took a sip. Watching her he could see the shining look of intrigue in her eyes, the way she was studying him as well, and took the wiser course of not bringing up any further questions on his father. Part of him wondered if she had heard stories of the Mad King, how much she truly knew about the Seven Kingdoms. Instead Viserys brought the cup down, his wrists resting across his legs as he inquired “Do you know how a tournament works in the Seven Kingdoms?”

Pleased with the new subject she shook her head, her intent stare begging him to continue. So Viserys leaned forward, explaining every intricacy from the reasons why a tourney was held to the customs. In vivid detail he recounted some of the most renowned fights that had gone into storybooks. By the time they were two more glasses in he found himself spending an unusual amount of time on the awards given out, knighthoods or announcing new squires, but most of all about the Queen of Love and Beauty.

It was the wine, it had to be he told himself. But her gentle smile, the way she hung on his every word and somehow still seemed so calm and collected, it was irresistible. Apparently the same as the wine as he finished the bottom dregs of another. He found that he could handle his fair share, especially since his stay with Illyrio where it seemed to flow anytime of the day.

And flow it did as (Y/N) reached for the flagon to fill his cup again, her hand coming to rest on the back of his as she poured. He had told himself to slow down but found they had gotten onto the topic of siblings, perhaps some tournament story of Rhaegar’s, and (Y/N) was describing the little brother she’d had ‘a lifetime ago’. To which he mentioned Daenerys. “I have taken care of her all her life. But she’s thirteen, a woman grown now-”

However he was cut off by with a snobbish laugh as (Y/N) shook her head dismissively. “She is not grown. I have ten years on her and I am still growing.” Viserys eyed her up and down suspiciously, impressed he had correctly gathered her age to be close to his own and then wondering how she had meant ‘growing’. Only the very back of his mind questioned why she had interrupted him, disagreeing with no qualms for his opinion. Noticing this she laughed, looking down at her body before playfully rolling her eyes “Growing, changing. Always learning something new.” He certainly hadn’t thought it was physically.

He shook away any misgivings, moving instead to the deeper thought that plagued him, that look in Dany’s eye earlier when she was studying in her room. “I have been with her nearly every day of her life…” the plans still churning in his stomach, even if he was set on getting back his kingdom there was a pang of guilt. “She won’t know what to do with herself. I suppose she will just listen to her husband not her brother. Still just being a child.” That’s what she was. Viserys had still only regarded her as such, but it was Illyrio who always insisted now that she’d had her blood she was fit to wed. Surely that was true, however he couldn’t help but think of the little who would sneak into his chambers in the middle of the night, spouting stories of nightmares and begging to crawl under the covers with him.

He also remembered of the timid fear that hid behind Dany’s porcelain mask, just earlier that day. She was terrified by the thought of the Khal, the thought that her big brother wouldn’t be around to guide her. She didn’t want this, Viserys still wasn’t entirely sure he did but how was she to understand what they were missing. Dany didn’t have the same drive he did to reclaim the Seven Kingdoms. She didn’t want to read books and study languages, she wanted to go play in the fountains with the other children. But they couldn’t do that. He was the last dragon and she the last Targaryen princess. Their line ended there.

Chapter 5

Index

[godemperor307]

Conqueror and the Red Wolf Chapter 2

Sansa sent letters to all the lords of Westeros that she had retained independence, but managed to negotiate an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen, as well as the existence and grave threat of the Dead beyond the Wall, which was quickly approaching. She had Jon leave a strong rearguard at Eastwatch, and the castle nearest to it, Last Hearth. The Umbers took to this task with earnestness, commanding a full garrison there. Token garrisons were placed in the surrounding castles, all armed with Dragonglass weapons.

The relationship between the Red Stark and the Silver Dragon deepened in secret. Many began to wonder why exactly it was that the silver haired queen chose to keep such close companionship with whom logically should have been her rival. But Sansa put aside such thoughts and enjoyed her cute girlfriend’s kisses. Their campaign in the south was bringing Euron and Cersei to heel. Dragons proved unstoppable to any army she fielded and were instrumental in the Siege of Pyke, along with Theon who led the first vanguard through the breach. Sure enough, southern Westerosi lords all flocked back to the side of the Dragon Banner, as it was before the days of the Mad King. Any Ironborn who bent the knee were also allowed to live, under Queen Yara, who executed Euron herself and pledged to join Daenerys with fresh reinforcements after the last Euron loyalists had been defeated.

Suddenly Sansa heard something in the distance. Horns of the North blowing proudly and wolf banners flapping in the cool wind. Prince Edmure kneeled before her. “My queen, Prince Jon’s host is approaching.” Sansa nodded. She would finally reunite with Arya and Bran. Sure enough, they arrived and Sansa flung herself into Arya’s arms. Arya was wearing a Northern-style coat and most of the baby-fat was gone, leaving a tough, fierce warrior. “Missed you, sis.” She whispered into Arya’s hair. “You better tell me everything. How exactly did you convince the Dragon Bitch?” “Don’t talk- I’ll explain later.” Arya looked at her curiously but let it pass. “How did you survive? You disappeared from King’s landing after Father….” “Long story. I came back after you and Jon beat the Boltons. I almost didn’t come back home. I went to kill Cersei.” Sansa smirked. “I’m working on it. How would you-” Arya grinned back. “You’re not the selfish stupid little girl I used to know.” “No……I suppose life forced me to grow up. Where did you go? After Father died, you disappeared.” ”I was in the company of the Hound, and then I sailed to Braavos. But I never could have survived what you survived. I would have tried to kill the Lannisters every day since Father….” Arya embraced her again. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you, Sansa. Please accept me into your Queensguard. I can handle myself.” “It’s quite alright. You’re here now. You sure you want to-” “I’ve never been suited to be a princess, Sansa. As much as you are suited to being queen, that’s never been the life for me.” “Very well, sister. I will find a place for you in my guard. Say your Queensguard vows within the week.” Finally, Bran spoke up. “Hello, sister.” Sansa flung herself onto Bran, and the three siblings engaged in a group hug. “Hi, Bran. I missed you so much.” “I am truly sorry”, Bran said, barely above a whisper. “I saw your wedding. I saw what the Boltons and Lannisters did. I wish I could have prevented it.” “I’m just happy you’re here now.” Sansa said, pained. The lone wolves died but the pack had managed to reunite. Arya spoke up again. “So why have you joined the North to the Dragon Bitch?” “Actually, Arya…we’re in love.” “WHAT?” Arya screeched. “I went on a diplomatic mission to negotiate an alliance against Cersei. Things happened. She courted me.” “But….you were so boy-crazy…Remember Joffrey-“ “Never say that name in my presence. I was a foolish young girl with dreams and fantasies, I admit it, but I am sure of my feelings. It never mattered that we were both women. There are far stranger traditions in her family.” “No kidding…” “You should not speak of this to the public. It could destroy everything we’ve built, the entire alliance. I am only telling you and Bran because you are family and deserve to know.” “I understand,” said Bran. “Ugh…fine, sis. I still don’t trust her. If she ever hurts you…” “I will warn her, Arya,” Sansa giggled.

A horn sounded at that moment, announcing the arrival of the rest of Jon’s united host to join the Targaryens waiting outside the city. All told, over a hundred thousand men, awaiting the signal to begin the final assault up the walls of the capital. Many among Daenerys had initially wanted to simply attack the Red Keep with Drogon, now that nearly all of Westeros had rallied to their side. but the Queen in the North advised against it. Neither her nor her girlfriend had any wish to harm innocents unnecessarily.

She could not get enough of her sexy dragon, savoring the taste of Daenerys’ skin, her soft lips, the mounds of her soft breasts pressing up against Sansa’s own. They pulled apart however when they heard someone coming. Prince Jon burst in, furious. “They lied to me! Father lied to me.” “What is going on, Jon?” Sansa asked softly. “I am Aegon Targaryen, the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark!” he shouted. “Howland Reed, Sam and Bran told me everything. Father should have told me this before I first left Winterfell. He sent me to the Wall, knowing what it was, who I really was, when I could have avenged my true family and killed Gregor Clegane.” Daenerys eyed him sympathetically. “if this is true, then I am not as alone as I once thought. It is a pain beyond what anyone should suffer through, to think you are the last remaining member of your family.” “Yet Mother and Father foolishly started a civil war, all based on a lie apparently. Rhaegar did not rape her. She went with him willingly. Thousands died for it.” Jon snarled. “How many millions might live because of the love I have for your cousin, Jon? We united Westeros and are currently marching to save it. Love is much more powerful than you think.” “We need you, Jon. I don’t care what Bran says. We were raised together. You’re my brother and heir. You are a Stark, and a Targaryen. You embody the most admirable traits of both. I need you….” Sansa finished softly. Jon broke down in tears and launched himself into his sister’s arms. “Jon, I will never lie to you. I love you. I always will. If I fall…..you need to lead Westeros to victory, as the rightful prince of our kingdom.” Jon sniffled. “I could never lead as well as you. I don’t want power. Never did. You need not worry about me pressing my claim. You are my queen, Your Grace.” “Thank you, Jon. There is something else you must know about me. Queen Daenerys and I have fallen in love. We just told Arya. I hope I have your support.” Jon did not hesitate. “It goes without saying, Your Grace, as long as she makes you happy.” At that moment, Jaime Lannister cautiously stepped inside the tent. He was stopped by the Lady Commander, who hissed “Back, Lannister, or we will kill you. Why did the guards let you pass?” “I only seek to serve the queen, Brienne. They know that.” “Bloody terrible job you did of that. She’s surrounded and soon to be dead.” “Not Cersei. Sansa. I once promised her mother I would protect her, remember? Cersei is dead to me.” He hissed hauntingly. Clearly there had been a falling out, or he was simply abandoning a lost cause. “It’s ok, Brienne.” Sansa turned away from her brother. “Let him pass.” “As you wish, Your Grace.” “Now, Ser Jaime…..why do you wish to join us? Why should we trust you?” Jaime chuckled darkly. “Half your army is savages, eunuchs, and former enemies of yours. One more won’t hurt. If you’ll have me, I’ll help lead your armies against the dead – Yes, I believe you - kill your enemies, and do whatever it takes to earn at least a small part of redemption for myself and my family.” Sansa stayed quiet, weighing her options. “Very well. Kneel, pledge you shall be loyal to me, and it shall be so. I will even grant you the Rock, should we both survive this.” “I humbly pledge my loyalty, Queen Sansa. You shall not regret this. I am humbled by your offer, and I agree to lead my people. I will take command of the Westerlanders on your flank, and lead foraging parties for food.” “See that you do, Ser Jaime.” With that, Jaime rode off to the other side of the encampment. Brienne stiffened. “Is it really wise to trust a bloody Lannister? Mere hours ago, you would have had his head on a spike, Your Grace.” “If this war has taught me anything, Brienne, it’s to forgive but never forget. Jaime Lannister tried to kill my brother. You think I don’t want to make him suffer? It is the right of a queen to punish her enemies. However, that is not the kind of queen I want to be. We’ll never get through this if I or my bannermen act out every last grudge or battle amongst ourselves.” “But-“ Prince Edmure snarled “Question your queen again, woman.” “It’s quite alright, Uncle.” He growled disapprovingly. The next morning, Sansa sent a messenger, intending to give Cersei one last chance to work out the terms of her surrender. Daenerys disagreed. “I can send Drogon to do one passover and it is likely they all will simply throw down their weapons and surrender. It’s mostly sellswords, Sansa.” “That is not the queen I wish to be, ruling through fear. If they fight for gold, they won’t want to die against nearly one hundred thousand men. I do not believe that Cersei is ready to die either. She will do whatever it takes to keep her power. I believe that means bending the knee. Even Balon Greyjoy bent his knee before Robert Baratheon.” “Yes, and then he betrayed the Baratheons.” “I know. However, has Queen Yara not reformed the ironborn and made them staunch allies of ours? I feel that the same can be done for the Lannisters.” “Very well, my love. However, if negotiations go south, we do this my way.” “Your Graces….” Arya interrupted. She eyed Daenerys warily, having never truly trusted her. “Arya? We’re about to begin the parley. Go back to your post.” “Forgive me, Your Graces. Perhaps the men could do with a speech. Last night, half the army were drunken fools, Jon included. The new arrivals also seem to have doubts about you two.” “I see. Thank you, sister. Rally the Queensguard. I will speak to them.” Sansa declared fiercely. Arya bowed and left. Before Sansa could leave, Daenerys muttered something. “D?” “I said…I love you, my wolf.” Sansa’s heart soared, and pounded in her chest. Daenerys had never said that before to her. This drop dead gorgeous bombshell loved her? It almost defied her imagination. “Oh D, I love you too, my dragon. From the moment I met you, I did.” Daenerys grinned genuinely, and gave her one last peck. Sansa then rode out to the head of her gigantic army, which had gathered outside.

Her messenger had returned and reported that there would soon be a parley from the leadership of the city’s defenders. A dozen riders came from the gate, carrying a flag of truce. Including……

“False Queen Sansa, Daenerys the Usurper, I present to you, Queen Cersei of the Iron Throne, rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.” The Lannister knight snarled. “Little dove” Cersei Lannister sneered mockingly. You rose high, didn’t you? But a weakling is still a weakling. I see you brought my brother. Pity…...” “Cersei, the game is up! You must see that! Three Dragons would be difficult enough to fight, let alone Dothraki, Ironborn and Unsullied. Your sellswords and ballistas won’t stop them.” Jaime pleaded. “Qyburn assures me they are able to pierce through solid stone-“ “And It won’t stop them!” “Sansa…” Cersei sighed, ignoring her brother she had now given up for dead. “Did you really think I rode out here to issue a surrender? I did not. I only did to get a final look at my enemies, before burning them to the ground. Do you really think I would bend my knee before eunuch scum and flea bitten horselords? Before the man who murdered Father?” Sansa smiled “No, honestly I was not expecting a surrender from you. However, it does me good to see you again. You taught me much about ruling. Thank you for your lessons, Queen Cersei. I wanted you to see what those lessons have made me become.” “You can skulk back home, you little cunt!” Cersei screeched. “You can take this city, over my dead body-“(“Actually, that’s more or less the idea,” quipped Edmure)- and a pile of burning ash and stone. You think because you put a crown on your silly little murderous head, that you have become better than me? You are even more arrogant than I thought. It would be depressing, really, if it wasn’t so hilariously pathetic. Send your armies, then. I will burn them!” With that, she turned and rode off back inside. Sansa smirked, and turned to her mighty host. “I look around and much of you know me. I am Sansa Stark, rightful Queen in the North, Vale and Trident, and I fight with the rightful Queen of the South, Daenerys Stormborn. Many years ago, the Vale, North, Trident and Stormlands all rose in rebellion against a mad monarch. The Trident couldn’t have defeated the Mad King by themselves, but heroes like my father rode with them. Now, another fire obsessed monarch would have us all on our knees! We won at the Rock. We won at the Blackwater Rush. We won at Pyke. I mean to destroy once and for all, those who have favored power and greed over honor and loyalty, who slaughtered my family and gave my home to murdering, flaying cowards. One last legion of foolish men lies awaiting us inside those walls. The Golden Company.

“They fight for Cersei’s lies, trinkets and bribes. You fight for your homes, your families, your very future that will be wrested free of tyranny and slaughter. Every second we let them keep control over Queen Daenery’s lands is an abomination I cannot tolerate. Today, none of us belong to any one house or culture. Dothraki, Unsullied or Westerosi. We belong to the cause of justice, freedom and courage. To those still trapped in that city under Cersei’s tyranny, I say only this: hold on, we’re coming. I declare that on this day, madness has seen its final sunrise!” A massive cheer erupted. “RED WOLF! RED WOLF! RED WOLF!” Daenerys quickly landed beside her girlfriend. “That was one Seven Hells of a speech, Sans. You are ten times the queen I will ever be.” Sansa smiled lovingly and proudly. Daenerys took this as her signal and mounted Drogon to provide air support for the oncoming rush of artillery pounding the walls, before the first wave rushed in.

If the Lannisters feared Stannis’s attempt to do the same, they were soiling their trousers at this sight. Cersei herself stared out from the Red Keep at the seemingly endless hordes approaching her without mercy, seemingly still confident she could burn them. Sansa watched the battle with interest. Sure enough, sellswords had no reason to die for nothing and began surrendering to Sansa and Daenerys’ mighty scaled sons. Suddenly, she felt rumbling. Was the Earth itself trying to deny them victory? She felt only burning before her sister and Brienne pulled her away in time. She stared aghast at the destruction. You really did it, you mad bitch. Cersei had decided to let Sansa be queen after all, over ash, fire and dust. The wildfire ignited, swallowing the Red Keep and everything within the walls. However, none of the Dragons had been hurt, safe as they were flying overhead, and they had more than enough men for the war against the Night King “Are you alright, honey?” Sansa’s girlfriend whispered with tender care and concern, once she landed in the camp. “I am fine, D. I can’t believe she did that. But this is not over. We need to get our remaining forces to Winterfell.” “One thing at a time, honey. You got burnt a little.” She softly caressed Sansa’s cheek. “I am okay. Check for survivors. Leave a garrison behind to protect the Crownlands. Then get the men in formation, to start marching north.” Daenerys, Jon and Arya all stood before her, refusing to move, and then kneeled. What was this? “What are you doing? Stand up, please.” Daenerys then declared “Sansa Stark, our Alliance is over.” Sansa almost sobbed. They were rebelling? Leaving? Breaking up? Did Daenerys not love her? But why? They had just defeated Cersei once and for all. Cold sadness and despair was quickly replaced with burning rage for this vicious and cruel betrayal. “I formally bend the knee to you, Queen Sansa of the Seven Kingdoms, First of Her Name.” This was beyond anything Sansa ever expected. She continued sniffling and crying. “B-Bu-“ “I could think of no one better. I have made some foolish mistakes, yet you can rally together a continent. Look at them. You’re my queen, from this day until my last day.” “W-what about your dragons-” “They shall be in your Queensguard, no?” Ssnsa nodded, laughing in spite of herself. “I will never doubt you again, Daenerys. Today, in the name of freedom and humanity, we shall take our world back from the Night King!” She was truly queen of nearly everything now, with a doting sexy wife in all but name, loyally supporting her. Sure enough, the men began gathering around, a song in their hearts and fire in their bellies. They unfurled the wolf banner, letting it flow in the wind.

Their voices only cried one name. “RED WOLF! RED WOLF! RED WOLF!”

10 years later. “Did you beat the dead people, Mummy?” asked 7 year old Lyanna Stark, whom Sansa and Daenerys had adopted together into the royal court, and legitimized, alongside 6 year old Rhaenys Stark. “Yes, Mummy did, with a lot of help, especially from Mama.” Sansa wistfully explained to her daughters.

However, hurt and pain flashed across her eyes. In truth, it was a nearly hopeless battle and they only barely won at the last second before being completely overrun inside Winterfell. When the dead breached the walls, Prince Jon died on the back of Rhaegal in his final duel against the Night King, saving Sansa’s life but destroying the Night King once and for all in the process, using Longclaw which he had set on fire. Only 5000 of their original host had survived in fighting condition. The Northern fighting men were almost obliterated. Davos, Tyrion, Samwell, Thoros, Beric, Robin Arryn, Arya, Gendry and many others also didn’t make it out alive. Entire houses were lost. But she did not have the heart to admit this yet to her children. “We lost a lot of people. But we recovered and rebuilt slowly over these last 10 years. A hard-won peace, led by your mama and I.” Sansa said. “But people still want to hurt you, Mummy.” “I won’t let them, sweetling.” Daenerys took that opportunity to walk into the room. “MAMA!” the girls squealed, hugging her tightly. “Hello girls.” Daenerys smiled fondly. “How did it go, honey?” Sansa asked, regarding the two-week diplomatic mission with the Free Cities.

Over the past 10 years since the Battle of Dawn, they had taken the opportunity to slave-raid and bully the weakened houses of Westeros. The absence of Dothraki caused a massive continent-wide war between the Free Cities, Slaver’s Bay and Yi Ti, all of which attempting to reform Valyria and conquer the vacant Targaryen Sea, as it was now known. Daenerys took her dragons and routinely crushed them, however she hoped with this new landmark peace deal, they would cease their slave raids and gradually phase slavery out. “Well enough, I believe. The Essosi slavers will not trouble us for some time.” “Very well. I’m glad your home safe, wife.” Sansa smirked at her. The silverhead laughed and kissed her. Their daughters squealed in delight. “So cute! Mummy, will you tell us about the time you rode your direwolf and killed a Bolton in single combat?” Sansa laughed “What have you been telling them, D?”

They had won the war for the future of their people, Sansa thought nostalgically. They were finally safe, or as safe as they would be for a long time. Her wife, who married her shortly after Sansa changed the laws to allow it, would be her only love. She thought back to when they had first met, young and inexperienced queens desperately fighting for survival. Their alliance ultimately was the only thing that could have won the Battle of Dawn. A victory eclipsing all others and Sansa owed it all to the thousands of brave heroes who fought with her that day, for their Red Wolf, for freedom, for love, for the future of their children to come. She wondered briefly how the tales might be told a hundred, or a thousand years after her death. How would she herself be remembered? The slaughter of the Westerlanders, Karstarks and Umbers still haunted her, wishing there was another way. Tyrant? Conqueror? Hero? Failure for allowing the deaths of nearly her entire family? Just another vengeance-obsessed noble? She decided that she wanted only to be remembered as someone who loved her wife and children. The Red Wolf was never real. She was only Sansa Stark, the whole time.

The End.

[queenofairandsnarkness]

we spoke of many things

one.

Rhaenys Targaryen, Princess of Summerhall, Eldest Child of the Silver Harper, Rhae Too-Sharp, Future Hand, and all-around busybody, was making herself useful.

In this situation, it involved bringing in a large jug of wine, cups, and a water flask.

“Father will have kittens,” she said, before collapsing on the armchair Jon had vacated. To help her place everything on the table.

He shot her a look, and she shrugged.

“Your cousin is the one who is causing this mess,” she said. “I brought honey tarts, they are...” She frowned, before pulling a slightly squashed sack from under her overskirt. “Here.” She also pulled an orange from... wherever she stashed the little knife Nymeria gave her for her tenth nameday, most likely. The nuts in the honey tarts tended to make her throat close up, so Jon didn’t offer to share.

“It isn’t her fault,” Jon said, absently. “Arya said Sansa loves lemon tarts, by the way.”

Aegon’s head perked up from his nest, dark blonde hair looking a bit like a bird’s nest. “I can get those. That is doable, Arianne said the shipments were going to be fine, and Mother loves them as well.”

“That’s sorted, now let’s deal with the fact that you and Sansa are matches,” Rhaenys said. “Which is a slightly larger issue, I must admit. Right now, no one else knows, but all it takes is one gossiping maid or irritated soul who wants to ally you to their family.”

“Sansa is a Lord Paramount’s daughter,” Aegon said, thoughtfully. He was making a small gesture that summoned a breeze, ruffling his hair and rustling the notes on the floor. “And closely related to two more. It would be... it could be useful, I think?”

Oh, dear, Rhaenys thought. Their parents were matched, and despite the Lyanna debacle, the King relied heavily on his Sun Queen in matters of diplomacy and daily court life. That being said, it was commonly suspected that they weren’t actually romantically matched, as rare as that was. Hence the Lyanna affair, and why Lady Ashara was never far from Mother’s side.

Somehow, Aegon never did seem to believe that. Her brother was prone to seeing nothing but the good in life.

She kept herself from fiddling with the collar of her gown and said, “It might work,” she said. “Father hasn’t actually approved any betrothals, aside from Viserys and Lady Shyra.”

And that had been because Lady Shyra was deeply in need of a spouse who could withstand her cousin, heir, and nightmare, Ser Sebastian.

Rhaenys was aware of the whispers about her own lack of a betrothal. Edmure Tully had been suggested, but he was far too... shallow and irresponsible. Which was a pity, because she deeply suspected the Riverlands would be... interesting in a few years. Highgarden was also out, both because Father wasn’t cruel enough to send her to live with Lady Olenna and because Lord Willas was fucking her uncle and aunt. Mother and Grandmother refused the Greyjoy idea, and Rhaenys had flatly refused Lord Tyrion (who had been terribly drunk, and she knew what Lord Tywin had done with his last gooddaughter, thanks to Varys), and the young Lord of the Vale. (Who was too arrogant and vain for anyone’s good, and he’d most likely not survive her cousins’ first visit.)

Most everyone else was too young, of too little consequence, or...

Well.

Jon, of course, was going to marry... some heiress who needed a strong sword hand and a refreshing lack of male pride. Or the Kingsguard, since he was actually very skilled with a blade and couldn’t speak to a lady without making a misstep.

Terribly.

Dany would most likely wed Baelor Hightower’s elder son, a lad who squired for Ser Uncle Lewyn and adored tales of valor and fairness as much as she did. Sarella suggested that the two would most likely open schools for smallfolk and try to send girls to the Citadel.

Aegon, however...

Well. There had been Lady Myrielle, who was Tywin Lannister’s niece, sharp and poisonous and surprisingly witty. Lady Margaery and her pack of cousins, which Aegon had told Father would not happen until they stopped trying to insult Mother and Rhaenys. (”My family is not a flaw to be forgiven, especially when the members in question did nothing to deserve it.”)

Lady Shireen, who was far too young, Lady Asha, who was brilliant but would hate court life, Brienne, who was so terribly unhappy that Rhaenys could not bring herself to regret her cousin marrying the second son of Lord Blackwood. Lady Allyria, who was rather too much like Mother for the court to easily accept. Lady Roslin Frey, sister to the lord of Rosby, which would cause too many problems.

Lady Jeyne Westerling had been an idea. The girl was sweet and inoffensive, clever and supportive. She had come to court to be one of Rhaenys’ companions, and if it wasn’t for the way the girl blushed whenever the Stark heir looked at her, it might have worked.

(Also, if Lady Westerling was suddenly and forcibly sent to the lands beyond Shivering Seas.)

There were still more girls hungry to be Princess of Dragonstone. And matches did not always equal a marriage. How could they, when you didn’t know who your match was until you touched? There were rare occasions when it worked- her parents, in a way, Lord Tywin and Lady Joanna, her uncle Oberyn and Ellaria, Lord and Lady Stark.

But there was also Grandmother Rhaella and Ser Bonifer, who were kept apart until Grandfather the King died.

“It would be a good way to show the kingdom that the Rebellion is in the past,” Rhaenys said, thoughtfully. “And reassure the southern kingdoms that the North and its allies will not try to rise for Jon.”

“I don’t want that to happen,” Jon Waters hit his head against the back of the dresser. “I really don’t. Rhae, pass the wine? I’m going to have to speak with Varys again when this comes out.”

“Better than Uncle Oberyn,” Aegon said. “And I don’t even know if Sansa will want to marry me.”

“She’s a sweet, innocent girl brought to the glamorous court, finds out her soul is paired with the Crown Prince, who is the sort of lad who cannot refuse a damsel in distress- which, I may add, meant that you once got a bloody crossbow bolt in your royal bum, and son of the glorious and kind Sun Queen, from which all charity flows,” Rhaenys said dryly. “Not to mention her fondness for songs, which I know after meeting her a week ago. I was tempted to send her to Arianne and keep her away from the vipers at court, but do you know what?”

“What?” Aegon said, grinning. “That she charms them all? That she has an uncanny ability to remember details? Rumors are already spreading that she’s the Maiden Incarnate? That she’s the opposite of...” He stopped. “Sorry, Jon.”

“It’s fine,” Jon said. “You stopped. And it’s... a little true.”

“You get your song, Aegon,” Rhaenys said, pouring herself a glass.

“Can’t think of anyone who deserves it more,” Jon said, shooting her a look.

She kicked him.

two.

Aegon was laughing.

He should have expected this. Jon had the worst luck, sometimes.

But really, Jon visiting the Wall was not a terrible idea. (And if he happened to take vows... Aegon would miss his brother, but it would also be a lot easier for everyone. Besides, his brother could summon ice with a thought. He wouldn’t mind the cold.)

When Jon went missing, Rhaenys’ hands had twisted over the letter until her knuckles went pale and the parchment was set to tear.

Thankfully, Jon was found within two weeks, and the king didn’t have to deal with his prickly eldest running North to find him. (There had been a small group willing to go North- Lady Jeyne, who was remarkably loyal to Rhaenys and also probably wishing to see Aegon’s soon-to-be goodbrother, Lady Lily Evans, daughter of a small keep in the Riverlands and as headstrong as Cousin Arianne, Nym, who didn’t trust Rhaenys not to forget her own safety, Lady Myri, who he wouldn’t mind going far away, and Ser Arys and Ser Oswell, who were sworn to protect the royal family. Ser Arys was also fairly dim and could be easily talked into anything. No one mentioned this to the King, though Mother was amused.)

There had been a wildling girl who Jon had dragged south, and who was staring at everything in surprise.

“Poor girl,” Sansa said, adjusting her curls. “Everyone is going to judge her, and she’s not dressed for the weather. You’d have thought that Jon would have gotten her something in White Harbor or Gullstown.” She looked again. “Or perhaps she threatened him for making her feel uncomfortable.”

Aegon thought about it. The wildling girl, whose hair was a brighter red then Sansa’s, was not a conventional beauty, not like Sansa or Arianne or even Lady Myrielle. Nor was she the arresting type that people said Rhaenys was.

But there was a definite spirit in her face, and Aegon was shocked to see his brother smiling at something she said.

Jon looking comfortable talking to a girl not Rhae, Dany, or his cousins was strange.

“Don’t the wildlings refuse to bow?” he said, suddenly. Sansa stopped walking, big blue eyes widening further.

“That,” she said, “might pose a problem. But I suspect that is why your mother insisted on the family meeting her privately.”

“This is true,” he said.

Even with his nerves over this, he still had to laugh when he saw the words scrawled over the tops of Jon’s shoulders.

“Did she really threaten to put an arrow...” he trailed off at Jon’s embarrassed look.

“Yes,” he said. Then he paused. “Should I be worried that Yrgitte is with Rhae and Dany right now?”

Aegon raised an eyebrow. “Rhaenys already knows how to use a bow, though Grandmother might be irritated if Dany suddenly starts threatening her admirers.”

Jon shrugged. “Well, if she has to threaten them in wildling fashion, then clearly the guards aren’t doing their jobs.”

This... was probably true.

three.

Jon suspected that Rhaenys had actually met her match years before. It explained how she was able to deal with both of her younger sibling's courtships, Viserys’ marriage, and the betrothal of Dany and the Hightower boy without bitterness. Not to mention Lady Jeyne finally heading north to marry Robb.

(Ygritte and Myrielle, in a strange and terrifying way, had combined their talents to help terrorize the nobles out of being too overtly nasty about Rhaenys being unmarried. It had been the catalyst for Ygritte’s acceptance into the family.

“She doesn’t act like one of the fancy folk who are all frills and fuss,” Ygritte shrugged. “She likes pretty silk dresses and that stitchwork, but the work is nice and she’s kind.” Ygritte grinned. “Tongue like a dagger when she’s mad, though.”)

“Who could it be, though?” Dany asked. They’d settled in the Godswood, which was rarely inhabited. Cool, since winter was coming in, but pleasant enough for now. “It isn’t one of the people she turned down, I think.”

“No, she and Theon Greyjoy never actually met,” Jon agreed. “And Grandmother would have pushed for it if it was one of the others.”

“Perhaps Asha Greyjoy?” Dany said. “Or Lady Myrielle? They are terribly close, and it would explain why she never pushed to marry.”

“She’d marry Lord Renly and they’d take their lovers with them everywhere,” Jon pointed out.

“She loathes Renly,” Dany protested. “Lady Lily is happily wed, and Quentyn is marrying the girl from Dorne... Andrey Dalt, perhaps? She thinks that he’s one of the most sensible people she’s ever met, and she doesn’t compliment people lightly.” Dany beamed. “Actually, Rhaegar might approve of the match, with the rest of us marrying so.”

“He was thinking about offering for Strongboar,” Jon said glumly. “I think he wants to tie down the West somehow.”

Dany blinked. “There are maidens who would be happy to marry him,” she said, voice very reasonable in a way that made the hairs on the back of Jon’s neck rise, “Rhaenys is not one of them. They’d be miserable, and surely Rhaegar realizes that.”

“He’s also debating releasing Ser Jaime from his vows,” Jon added, remembering the way his sister’s lips had thinned and her chin went up, “If he marries Rhaenys.”

“Ser Jaime doesn’t want to be released from his vows,” Dany protested. “He’s the one who keeps saying the Kingsguard serve for life! He’d hate Rhae because of this!”

“I know,” Jon said, settling back against the weirwood. “But I don’t have a plan except for finding someone Rhae would like. Humphrey Hightower would be a plan, except Father would never agree.”

“Are we merely going to go through every possible lordling in the Seven Kingdoms?” she said. “I know my brother doesn’t want Rhaenys to leave, which caused half the problem. Perhaps asking Rhaenys would be the best...” She trailed off. If Rhaenys was refusing to step forward with a name, then they wouldn’t convince her.

There was a rustling in the wood, and Dany grinned and climbed a tree, disappearing in a flash of grey skirts and pale braid. Jon hid behind the trunk.

“Sirius,” said Rhaenys, sounding... well, sounding sad and sweet, “correct me if I’m wrong, but our original reasons for not pushing for a marriage still stand?”

“Yes,” said the heir to Stargazer Keep, and Jon looked around the tree to see him, arm around Rhaenys’ waist, “but that was before you were named Princess of Summerhall and your father decided to make you fair game for every fortune hunter in the kingdoms.” He barked a laugh. “Or do you forget that hedge knight who tried to ride you and Lily down a moon ago?”

“I shot him,” Rhaenys protested, and how did Jon never hear about this?

“You also had to heal where he stabbed you,” Sirius pointed out. “If Moony and James hadn’t been there...”

“I’m fine,” she said, leaning up to kiss his cheek. “And I’m slightly more worried about you being summoned home to find some purely Andal girl waiting in a sept and your mother holding a sword to your back.”

“So I won’t go home,” he said. “Easily done, since I was already planning on that.”

“Do you really think Father would give permission?” she said.

“I could promise to give up rights to Stargazer and merely be your husband and sword arm,” Sirius said. “As I’ve already said, I really don’t want to go back. Reg loves the place more than I could, anyway.”

“Summerhall is still under construction,” she said, biting her lip. “We’d be at court for long periods of time.”

“Makes it easier to see everyone,” he countered. “Also, to be fair, I’m fairly certain your mother prefers me to fucking Strongboar.”

She laughed. “This is true. I’ll talk to him, then. He’ll be more likely to listen if I speak to him first.” She shot him an amused look. “You’ll likely lose your temper.”

They kept walking, eventually out of earshot.

Dany dropped from the tree, looking pole-axed. “Did that really just happen?”

“Yeah,” Jon said, faintly. “You land alright?”

“A bruise, perhaps, nothing to go to... Rhaenys about,” Dany said, biting her lip before giggling. “Not that I’d want to speak to her about how that happened. Wasn’t Sirius Ser Arthur’s squire?”

Jon nodded. He’d been wildly jealous, even if Sirius was three years older and Jon was too young to learn how to use a sword. “He was always with James Potter, who was always shadowing Lily, so they must have found out then.”

“And never told anyone?” Dany frowned. “The Blacks are Marcher lords, correct?”

Jon nodded. “It was why everyone was surprised he got along with James,” Jon added, trying to remember. “Since the Potters are Dornish.”

“Should we tell Aegon?” Dany asked.

Jon shook his head, trying not to smile. “No, I think he can wait.”

This was going to be interesting.

[rhegar]

Dearly Beloved, Chapter 3

Fic Summary: Elia Martell passes away after giving birth to Aegon from complications. Rhaegar Targaryen, now widowed, realizes how fatal his mistakes were to his family.

Chapter Summary: Rhaegar attends his wife’s funeral, and receives a letter that could destroy his plan.

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: TW for rape

This is Chapter three. Chapter 1 2 Or Read on Ao3 here

Credits to @samwpmarleau for giving me ideas about House Martell funerals and disposal of bodies before a journey in Planetos. <3 <3 

The four living Martells of Dorne, the courtesans of Sunspear and some of the Martells' bannermen lined on the shore of Sunspear, all clad in mourning clothes, yet more elegant than the ones they received Rhaegar in. And rightfully so.

In a small boat, Elia's bones were laid intact, covered in her wedding gown and her ornate bridal cloak, with the three-headed dragon wrought in cloth of gold on black velvet. Beside the bones, they had placed a spear. Where her feet would be, a black box containing her ashes was placed. The boat was tied to a wooden post on the pier by a rope.

The gathering crowd had looked east in silence, as traditional, waiting for the dawn. When the first line of light would be seen, the rope would be cut, releasing a Martell of Dorne into the sun. Rhaegar wondered what came of the Martells that were "buried" that way in the past… were they found by sailors? Did they eventually drown?

He had stood next to Oberyn and Doran in silence, looking east like everyone else. Finally, a trace of the sun showed; a pale yellow line in the horizon. Slowly, that pale yellow grew more golden and thicker. Without a word, Oberyn cut the rope with a dagger. Rhaegar watched as his wife's body floated away on a boat into the sun, a spear beside her.

"You members of House Targaryen cremate your dead, am I right in that, your grace?"

He was woken from his thoughts by Prince Doran's question. "Oh, yes. When a Targaryen is dead, they are cremated until they're all ash. The ashes are then placed in the crypts beneath the sept of Baelor."

"And yet you brought us Elia's bones."

Rhaegar swallowed, still looking at the boat. "She was a Martell of Dorne. I would have brought you her corpse intact had I the ability, but the journey to Dorne would have taken too much a toll on it, so we cremated her, but left the bones for a proper funeral."

"Thank you," Prince Doran said, "your grace."

The traditional Martell funeral ended when the boat was barely visible to the eye, and so, the gathering crowd waited until the sun had risen in the sky quite fully. While standing there, Rhaegar reflected on how he had felt about Elia.

The princess was always kind, charming, humorous, sweet. She had been a dutiful and obedient wife, strong in silence, alone in raising their child. But he knew what men said of love, he had heard a thousand songs and written a few. He knew that love, as men and women often felt for each other, was not what he had felt for Elia. He loved her, but not enough to be around. He loved her, but not in the way that would keep him from hurting her. Now, he regretted it very much. He wished that he had loved her more, that he had felt for her the way the songs describe. It was said that you don't choose how or who you love, but surely I could have tried.

Some time later, the boat had turned into a tiny dark spot on the horizon. Only then did Doran speak again. "Come, my prince," he said, before turning around to salute the more highborn of the funeral party. Rhaegar followed suite, leaning on Arthur's silent support as he hung behind him like a shadow. After that, they headed for Sunspear.

"We aren't going to the Water Gardens?"

"We are, your grace. But first we will discuss some urgent matters in my solar."

Prince Doran's solar in The Old Palace of Sunspear was not as airy as that in the Water Gardens nor did it have the same lovely view, but it was warm and hospitable nonetheless, and bigger. Up in the Tower of the Sun it was, and Rhaegar could see the palace's famous Spear Tower from the balcony.

"Please be seated, your grace. You too, Ser Arthur."

Rhaegar sat down in one of the chairs that surrounded an ornate table, Arthur by his side. Doran and Oberyn took their seats in front of them.

"Last we talked was before the funeral," Doran said. "We went to sleep and woke up to send our sister into the sea, and the last we heard from you was that you mean to be crowned within the year."

The crown prince swallowed and nodded, knowing the question to come.

"How? Do you intend to murder your father?" Doran asked, with a completely polite tone.

"Don't get us wrong," Oberyn finally spoke. "If we heard that a man had been raping our mother, any man, even her own husband, our own father… well, I don't know about my brother, but killing him would be an option I consider."

Rhaegar nodded in understanding. He hadn't known to what degree he would refrain from murdering his father since he heard of what he does to his mother.  He exchanged a look with Arthur… Ever if I were willing to sacrifice my honor to be a kinslayer, he thought, am I willing to make Arthur sacrifice his? "I understand, but no. It would be far too dangerous."

"Then, is it a regency you want to declare? Do you want to call a great council, announce that your father is no longer fit to rule, and proclaim yourself Lord Protector of the Realm?"

Rhaegar snickered bitterly. "I have attempted to call a great council before at the tourney of Harrenhal. His foreign eunuch must have informed him of it, and he showed up." Doran's face remained expressionless, but Oberyn raised his eyebrow. It was news to him."I declare a regency, my father remains king and free to move inside the Red Keep and do anything that he wants. He would still be king. Then there's the matter of the alliance of northern and southern lords. How do I know what their intentions will be at the great council?"

"So, you won't declare a regency, and you won't murder him. What are your other options?"

"I will think on them. In the meantime, have the ravens that we talked about been sent?"

"Yes, your grace."

"Good. Let us hope they don't fall in the hands of the eunuch's men."

"He calls them his little birds," Prince Oberyn said, with a small smile. "He's a funny man. Did you know that most of them are children and whores? That's appropriate, I presume. Men open their mouths too much when they're happy, and no one suspects an innocent little child."

Rhaegar found himself dumbfounded. "How do you know all this?"

"We know more than we are given credit for, your grace," Prince Doran replied. "But, how terrible of me. We have not yet toasted to my sister." Without one more word, Prince Oberyn got up to a small nearby table that had a bottle and four golden cups on it. Rhaegar wondered how the two brothers could be so different, and yet so much harmony could exist between them.

"The finest arbor gold for the finest princess of Dorne who ever lived," Oberyn said while pouring the wine. He gave the first cup to Rhaegar, the second to Arthur, and the third to his brother. A saddened expression had now taken place on Doran's face. "The finest princess who ever lived, of Dorne or else," Rhaegar murmured. "To Elia," Rhaegar said when the Oberyn's cup was filled. They repeated, and they all drank.

A couple of weeks passed with Rhaegar in the water gardens, awaiting a reply to his ravens. They must be abiding their time to decide what to do, he knew; Robert Baratheon was close enough for his reply to reach Dorne quickly, and even closer was Mace Tyrell. As for Lord Tywin and Lord Tully, their responses would take longer, but he was prepared to wait. He wanted to rescue his mother as fast as he could, but from the beginning he knew that a wait was inevitable, he was only hoping that his father doesn't throw any more people to the flames before he could put an end to it.

At least, Rhaenys had been enjoying her stay. Every day, she would play with the Dornish princess and Oberyn's bastard girls. They had proven pleasant company for his little girl, who had been so happy with having young friends that she gave most of her toys to them. While Arianne and two of Oberyn's girls were older than Rhaenys, the other two girls were around her age. The older girls would play the watching authority while the little ones would play dangerously close to the water until called upon by one of the older ones or Prince Lewyn.

Rhaegar also met with Lady Mellario, Doran's wife, in the water gardens. She was pregnant and due to give birth soon. The maesters had said that the way she was carrying said it was a boy. His understanding was that Lady Mellario did not stay where her husband was staying long, as they were fighting about something. He did not broach the issue with either of them. But after Lady Mellario left, Prince Doran told Rhaegar unprovoked, "I married her for love. Sometimes when you love, you care so much about small things, and that makes you fight. I know you didn't love my sister, but by all accounts, she's had a calmer marriage than mine… except for what happened at Harrenhal. Still, sometimes my wife and I wish we'd had a marriage like yours. Loveless, but with someone kind and graceful and courteous. Without enough passion to raise our voices or harm each other with words."

Rhaegar smiled sadly. "Everyone wishes for what they didn't have. I'm sure Elia would disagree with you had she been here, my prince."

Doran asked politely, "Have you ever fallen in love, your grace?"

Rhaegar thought about it. The way love was described in the songs, or in the scrolls that he had read… one time, he found in his library scrolls that turned out to be raven messages between a previous prince of Dragonstone and his mistress. They had described their loving passion in a very specific way. When he thought of whom in his life he had felt that way about, he found but one person, and then he flushed and refused to think about it ever again. Now that he thought of Doran's words, he felt the same way. "I… believe I have not. If I may beg your pardon, my prince, I don't feel very well, I must retire to my quarters."

He and the Prince of Dorne saluted each other, then Rhaegar found Rhaenys to give her a kiss on the cheek and exchange a few words of courtesy with Prince Lewyn before retiring to his room.

At the door, Arthur stopped. When Rhaegar opened the door, he didn't enter. The prince peaked with his head out, "come in," he told his loyal guard. Arthur entered behind him and closed the door.

"Your grace?" Arthur asked, waiting on orders.

"Arthur, sit down in seven hells."

Arthur smiled, amused, and took the window chair, while his prince took off his surcoat and boots and lay on the bed in his white shirt, black leather breeches and silk socks. He was grateful, in that moment, that he had cut off his hair; untying his intricate braids would have been more effort.

"What?" Arthur asked, still not understanding why he was in the room.

Rhaegar looked at him, too exhausted to explain. "Nothing. I was just tired of being alone."

Now, Arthur's smile went away. "I'm always here for you, your grace."

The crown prince frowned. "Don't say your grace. I just like it when you're in sight. It feels good."

Before Arthur could reply, someone knocked on the door. Rhaegar cursed and sat up, and only then did Arthur open the door. There, stood a Martell guard, clad in leather and armor. "I beg your pardon, your grace, but Prince Doran asks for your presence. Says it's about ravens."

"Thank you," the prince replied, breathless. "I'll be there shortly."

Rhaegar put on his surcoat and combed his hair quickly with his fingers. While he was strapping his boots, he said to Arthur, "You know, you don't have walk behind me here. I believe I'm safe. You can rest."

Arthur snickered, and asked, in a completely neutral tone, "Why do you think I joined the Kingsguard, your grace?"

Rhaegar looked up from his boots, and though his sight didn't reach Arthur's face, he told him, "Because it's a great honor? Because you're the greatest knight of the realm?"

"The greatest knight of the realm is Barristan Selmy. He will always be the man to stand steps away from the king. Gerold Hightower is also great; underestimated because of his age, but great. So is Oswell. And Aerys will always keep the Lannister boy around just to spite Lord Tywin, but he is also good. That leaves me… to you. The crown prince. The best knight guards the king, along with the other good ones. The second best knight always guards the crown prince. Do you understand why I joined the Kingsguard now?"

Rhaegar felt his heart beat faster. Before Arthur joined the Kingsguard, there was a period of time where they were friends. Arthur was fostered at court, trained with Rhaegar, and they were knighted around the same time, and only shortly after, he took his Kingsguard oaths.

He had finally finished strapping his boots, so he looked up at Arthur, right in the eyes.

"I joined the Kingsguard because Ser Barristan knew I would die before I would let anyone hurt you. That's why he recommended me to the king, and that's why I was more than happy to take my oaths. Do you understand?"

When Rhaegar arrived in Prince Doran's quarters, he found the brothers sat down, concerned expressions on their faces, two small scrolls on the table in front of them, and a maester standing behind them. Before any of them could offer any courtesy, Prince Doran said, "Maester, please recount what you told me to Prince Rhaegar."

The maester nodded. "Your grace, we have received two ravens at Sunspear, both intended for you. The first from Lord Mace Tyrell of Highgarden."

"Good," Rhaegar said. "And the second?"

"From His Grace in King's Landing."

His grace in King's Landing. Rhaegar felt the color drain from his face. He cleared his throat. "Thank you, maester. If you would be so kind as to leave us." He knew he wasn't the one to give orders in Prince Doran's own home, but he also knew none of the brothers would object. The maester nodded and obeyed.

Without a word, Rhaegar took a seat opposite the brothers, and pulled another for Arthur who took it. He grabbed the letters, and chose to unseal the one sealed with the three-headed dragon. He unscrolled it so quickly he almost tore it apart, and as his eyes moved between the words, he couldn't speak. At one point, Arthur took it out of his shaking hands, and whispered, "I can read it."

Prince Doran's eyes were wide in curiosity, but Oberyn's eyes were almost all-knowing. He had almost expected this to happen.

"My son," Arthur read. "I can't say that I did not expect whispers of your treason to reach me. I was almost certain that you were not loyal, and now I regret the day I gave your mother my seed and she gave birth to a traitorous whelp like you." Arthur's voice shook with anger. "I should have known you were a cursed bastard the day you were born; you brought doom on House Targaryen in Summerhall."

"Come to King's Landing, traitor. Announce for all the realm to hear that you will join the Night's Watch and that you abdicate all rights to the throne that you and your two whelps hold to your brother Viserys. If I don't hear that you have sailed within the week…" Arthur's voice was now almost muffled. Rhaegar's right hand squeezed his left until they both reddened. "…your dear mother will be thrown from the highest tower in the Red Keep. Sail at once to see her before you depart to the wall. Your father, the king."

[allaboardtheloonyexpress]

In Defense of Meereen, Part 3: Daenerys Targaryen, the Dark Side of Fantasy

(Oh, PS, I am going to be using a few clips from the show to illustrate my point. I think the show did a good job adapting the books from Seasons 1-4. And even in Seasons 5&6 they get a few key points. But I still think the show is now about fanservice, not being true to Martin’s themes.)

Once, there was a young boy, the last of an ancient family line. His family largely being murdered by his enemies, he ran off into the desert and gained magical powers. Because he had these magical powers, and he was a prophesied savior, this boy gained an army, slew his enemies, and regained his throne. That boy’s name was Paul Atreides, and he is the protagonist of Dune, an early sci-fi book that in my opinion is just as much fantasy as it is sci-fi, and I am using him to make a point.

In many ways, readers will recognize several traits of Daenerys in his story. In many ways, Daenerys is a cliche fantasy protagonist. She:

a) Is the last member of a long, famous line that founded the Kingdom. (The Targaryens)

b) Is incredibly beautiful, and has many various love interests (Khal Drogo, Daario Naharis)

c) Takes up a noble Crusade (the War against slavery)

d) Has magical powers or a weapon that has been lost for years, and was key to her family’s rise to power (Dragons)

e) Is the prophesied Messiah that a nearby religion says will save the world (She is Azor Ahai Reborn, as prophesied by the Red Faith)

So am I saying George RR Martin is unoriginal? No. What I am saying is that George RR Martin is George RR Martin created a cocktail of fantasy hero cliches, and showed the horrible dark side of each trope.

Trope #1: Her Magical, “Noble” Line

If you don’t know, Daenerys is the last (known and definite) descendant of House Targaryen. They, in turn, are the last of the Dragonlords, the magical lords of Valyria, who created a great Empire across Essos. I personally am reminded of the Numenoreans, the ancestors of Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings. But frankly, the Valyrians remind me less of Aragorn and more of Sauron!

Reminders of Valyrian atrocities are spread across the series. The Free City of Braavos was specifically founded by runaway slaves from Valyria. The Dornish people are the descendants of people who fled from the Rhoyne River region in order to escape Valyrian enslavement. (I should also mention this was a possible reason the Andals fled to Westeros.) Sure, the Valyrians created a great civilization, but it was on the backs of slaves! I would argue that in many ways, the Valyrians were worse than the Masters of Meereen! (At least the Masters don’t seem to declare aggressive war on their neighbors!)

And even in Westeros, the obsession by the Targaryens with their line led to crazy inbreeding, and I do mean crazy. The saying went, “When a Targaryen is born, the gods flip a coin to see if they will be brilliant or mad.”

My point is that the Targaryens come from a powerful line, but in no way a good one. This continues in Westeros, where for every great Targaryen, there is a psychopath! For every Aegon I, a Maegor the Cruel! Not to mention her own father. Remember him?

What I think we forget is that if Daenerys wins, we are giving Westeros back to the Targaryens, whose words are aptly, “Fire and Blood”. That is a fate that I wouldn’t wish on Russia, and I am mad at Russia right now.

Trope #2: The Most Beautiful Woman In the World

A common note people make about Daenerys is her beauty. One of the ways that Daenerys gains power is at times, powerful men will fall in love with her and join her out of love. (Ser Jorah, Drogo, Daario, etc) But what is important is which men she falls in love with in turn. And homegirl has a type. Let’s list her choice in men:

1. Khal Drogo- Hot, but he is a slaver who attacks the peaceful Lhazareen and pours molten gold on Viserys’ head. And remember this?

If you can’t watch this, Drogo promises to burn Westeros to the ground and enslave errbody. That is not the kind of man you want ruling the Seven Kingdoms.

2. Daario- Also hot, but he murdered his co-captains to be with Daenerys. What kind of man murders his co-workers to impress a beautiful woman? Perhaps the kind that advocates another Red Wedding?

I should point out that in the books, he suggests to do this at her wedding. That should set off alarm bells for anybody.

My point is that Daenerys likes psychopaths, the kind that would be terrible rulers of Westeros. Forget her marrying Jon Snow. She would be more likely attracted to Ramsay. (Well, not really. She only likes men who are horrible to other people, not her.) All men fall in love with Daenerys, but she does not love them. Most people look at Victarion Greyjoy and think she can’t possibly fall for him. But why not? He’s exactly what she likes.

Trope #3: Her Noble Crusade

I dealt with this in Part 2, but suffice it to say that she demonstrates how this can go horribly wrong. She doesn’t rule well, can’t make alliances for shit, and irresponsibly runs off onto her dragon. This is what happens when an irresponsible teenager tries to make massive change in the world. (It also has eerie shades of her father, who had tendencies to try grand projects but never finish before he went mad.)

Trope #4: Her Dragons

Her dragons are not a good reason for her to claim the throne. They are murderous creatures that open the fifth book by eating a small child. Many think they will give her the right to rule because they will allow her to defeat the White Walkers. But humanity beat the White Walkers before without dragons. Why do they need them now?

Moreover, the Dragons, I would argue, represent absolute, unchecked, power. And it is all well and good to think Jon Snow or Daenerys (for now) would handle dragons well. But what about him?

Or God forbid, him?

The thing is, we don’t have to imagine it. We already had this song and dance under Maegor the Cruel.

An absolute sociopath, Maegor was nigh-impossible to defeat because he had a huge dragon. If it hadn’t been for Jaehaerys and Alysanne, he would have reigned until he died. And the thing is, there will be another crazy and/or evil king. The Targaryens are famous for it. So tell me this, are you willing to give Daenerys the throne, knowing another Aerys will be around in at most one hundred years, with a dragon waiting for him?

Trope #5: Our Prophesied Savior

But the thing that really worries me is Daenerys’ ties to the Red God. Admittedly, so far she has admitted she has no love of the Red God. (She was actually disturbed by their dichotomous thinking.) That is to her credit. What disturbs me is that she has quite a fanbase among the Red Priests. This, by the way, is one thing I think the show understood, as shown by Kinvara.

Throughout the books, George RR Martin makes a point of displaying religious violence. The Sparrows are violence caused by the Faith of the Seven. The Ironborn are partly motivated by the Drowned God saying, “Thou shalt steal and thou shalt kill”. (Although that is more of a justification than a commandment for stealing.) And the faith of the Red God is always tied to violence. Tyrion Lannister famously quotes, upon seeing the Red Priest Benerro preaching that Daenerys is Azor Ahai reborn:

Give me priests who are fat, corrupt and cynical...the sort who like to sit on soft satin cushions, nibble sweetmeats, and diddle little boys. It’s the ones who believe in gods who make the trouble. (A Dance With Dragons, Tyrion VII)

The question overall is why this part of the story is here. Well, it is a common fantasy cliche for the hero of the story to be a prophesied savior of some sort. (Like Paul Atreides, who is the “Mahdi” of the Fremen.) And in these stories, the people are always right, and the protagonist is a good guy. But historically, there have also been less heroic messiahs, who have brought about horrific violence. These are people like Simon Bar Kokhba, Hong Xiuquan (the Taiping Rebellion), or Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah in Sudan. (Interestingly, he was also a “Mahdi.”) Also, Paul Atreides should be noted to cause horrific death himself. The difference is in the Dune books there is less focus on this.

What my point is is that in each case, Daenerys is your cliche fantasy hero. She is almost Mary Sue-ish in that way. But only if she actually was the hero. What George RR Martin is showing us is that we value the wrong things in a hero, almost in a fascist way. And in the end, she will not be the hero. She will be a terror.

Thanks for sticking around for my long essay. Coming up next, why the Hunger Games (in-universe) were a terrible idea to begin with, and why the entire series is actually an excellent parable on Machiavelli! Happy MLK Day!