rhaenin-writing-time

[rhaenin-writing-time]

okay i'm back i think. easing myself back in with outlines as i try to get through this messy middle to all the stuff that just waiting there. yes, the other outlines still somewhat apply i'm just restructuring for efficiency later on.

Birth of Luke

Aemond

Alicent’s apartment — Luke’s birth (14 years ago)

Aemond, Alicent, Corlys | Aegon, Cole, Laenor, Rhaenyra (“offscreen”)

Aemond and Aegon are in the seating area with Alicent. Daeron is with Jace and their wetnurse. Helaena with the septa. Cole enters before Corlys does, then Laenor

Goal | Reaction

Alicent is waiting for news about Rhaenyra’s second labour. Feeling like she was manipulated by everyone around her last time, she's decided that time time she should let her own eyes—and her sons’—judge for themselves. She explains to her confused sons that while Jace's problem was he didn't look enough like Laenor, this one might look "too much" like Laenor. She’s worried that Rhaenyra has "learned" from Jace and instead decided to have Corlys father her second child—Corlys has refused to name Laena's line over Laenor's, he's been particularly close to Rhaenyra lately, Laenor more distant, and Rhaenys has been away to attend to Laena. Rumours also circulate that Corlys has been filling her absence—and before that her distance from her displeasure at his decisions—with a young mistress. This is all very confusing for a young Aegon and Aemond. Aegon simply decides not to try to understand, and Aemond feels like he needs to step up to support his mother. Cole then enters, bringing news that the baby has been born and that it was a boy—meaning Corlys will undoubtely see him as his heir. Cole tells them he already sent the order for the boy to be brought to the "king"—who’s currently resting in his chambers—lest Rhaenyra wish for him to "risk his health". Alicent prepares the boys and tells them to “trust their eyes,” to help Alicent trust her own, because Rhaenyra is "determined" to make Alicent think she's mad. Seeing Aemond is still confused, (though not seeing this is an inappropriate position to put a child of his age in) she tells them of how Alicent's mother had wanted a Lengese cat for her nameday, but neither Otto nor Aemma could track one down in Westeros. She gets lost in a hypothetical about how Rhaenyra & Alicent's mothers would never make people pretend another cat was a Lengese cat. That there's nothing "wrong" with a common cat, but it's wrong to threaten people with death for refusing to pretend. The adults don't realize Aemond dwells on the "threaten with death" part while Cole reminds Alicent that it's still wrong because they're born of sin, and they begin to dig themselves a hole about why Rhaenyra sleeping with Corlys might be worse than with Harwin, until there's a knock at the door. Aemond doesn't understand why he breathes a sigh of relief.

BUT

Conflict | Dilemma

Alicent blanches when she discovers the Blacks have found a way around. And Corlys instead decided to bring Luke himself. Aemond doesn’t realize that Alicent thinks Corlys being there instead of Laenor might make it more difficult to tell if he looks “too much” like Laenor, instead of “somewhere between Rhaenyra and Laenor.” Corlys is clearly displeased with Alicent and unlike Laenor, Alicent is intimidated by him—and she knows the king is as well. Laenor was one thing. Rhaenyra another. But neither were prepared to face off with the Sea Snake. Aemond wasn’t sure why a snake was scarier than a dragon, but then again, Rhaenyra and Laenor were just she-dragons. Mother seemed plenty scared of Prince Daemon. Corlys says he will not have a name until his naming ceremony. He wanted to see the boy first and choose which one suits him. Alicent’s smile turns into disbelief as she gets her first look at Luke. Aemond is confused. Neither Aegon or Aemond are tall enough to see why COle and Alicent are horrified, so Aegon asks to hold him, which Aemond mistakes for stragtegy rather than curiously. When Corlys refuses, Aemond climbs on the furniture to look down on the bundle. Does he look more like Laenor or not? One is a man—or only sort of a man as Ser Criston liked to say, which was why he was the perfect match for Rhaenyra—and one was a baby. Five fingers on each hand, a nose, two eyes. Hmm… what’s not supposed to be here? He then notes that there’s traces of blood within the blanket. It’s from the egg, Aegon says, embarrassing Alicent over their ignorance when she sees that Corlys noticed—and doesn’t approve. Aemond then notes her face turns the colour of blood.

Wait, colour? And little Aemond has his “realization” that Alicent was only bold enough to hint at when he was that young. He looks back to where his and aegon’s easels rest, waiting for their next session with the art master. For paint. And mixing. Aemond then interrupts Corlys’s talk of names and ceremony to declare that Luke’s colours are the wrong way around. Corlys is offended and pretends not to know what he’s talking about, but Aemond can sense that Alicent and Cole are pleased. For once. So he keeps pushing and tells Corlys that Luke looks nothing like him. Corlys counters that Aemond looks nothing like Otto, which leads Aemond to think about how Rhaenyra tricked Father into ‘vanishing’ him so she could ‘get away with whatever she wanted.’

Though pleased by Aemond’s ‘honesty’, Alicent is still caught off guard by Corlys’s presence and the fact Rhaenyra is so ‘brazen’ she once again had Harwin sire her child, rather than Corlys. She’d meant for Luke to be brought by a midwife, a lady, or Laenor. Someone she and Cole could order (or bully) to stay behind (and not complain to Viserys later) as Alicent brought the child to the “resting” king—and perhaps other supporters—without Rhaenyra’s interference. someone she could order to stay behind. Or Laenor, who she saw as weak. But Corlys is the last person they can pull that on, and Corlys realizes this. He an Alicent get into a passive aggressive argument about Corlys bringing Luke to the resting king, while Alicent tries to dissuade him knowing he’ll ‘make a scene.’

Laenor cuts their fight short by bursting in, declaring Rhaenyra “changed her mind” when word made it to her that Cole, despite being off-duty that day, had been the one to give the order and was waiting in the holdfast to possibly ambush Laenor. Aemond imagines an angry dragon shrieking all the way across the courtyard and its roar shaking the holdfast, and apparently so does Corlys, who declares you should never displease a dragon-woman in times such as these. After a comment about how someone should make sure Daemon hasn’t been eaten by four dragon-women, his fight with Alicent then shifts to a fight with Laenor. Laenor offers to take “Joffrey” back but Corlys protests to ceding his role twice over, insisting that he has him and that Luke must have a Velaryon name. They argue out the door as Laenor ‘whines’ that “you got to name the last one” and that he’s already come up with a “valyrian alternative” to make sense in glyphs, but Corlys has none of it as they leave. All the greens know this is their usual dynamic.

THEREFORE

Setback | Win | Decision

Alicent is aghast once the Velaryons leave. “It’s one thing for Rhaenyra to pass her inheritance through her blood. But for Ser Laenor to try to pass without blood? That’s too far.” Aemond wasn’t sure why she was smiling as she said it. If Mother thought this was when Rhaenyra went too far, wouldn’t she be happy if she didn’t go too far? When too far meant war and vanishing and worse? Cole ‘points out’ that they shouldn’t be surprised, as using Corlys would be ‘a little too close to duty’ for Rhaenyra’s comfort, and that she’s likely scared of Rhaenys. But Alicent is once again lost in herself—and her horror at the situation Rhaenyra has trapped her in and Corlys has now ensured her silence on. Seeing that Aegon looks as confused as ever, Aemond decides to step up. “Mother, you’re not crazy. Even I could see it. If they think no one else does, then THEY are the crazy ones.” Alicent smiles ands says “oh Aemond, what would I do without you?” She means it as an innocent platitude, but Aemond remembers her talk of cats and why Otto is no longer there. He looks Aegon in the eye to say “she means, what will she do when Rhaenyra vanishes us. Then we’ll all be doomed.” But Aegon looks back blankly and asks Aemond why he’s staring at him. dooooooooomed, Aemond repeats.

We transition out of the past as young Aemond tells us Alicent’s mood improved when they found out how far Rhaenyra’s “temper tantrum” went, after she fled King’s Landing that night with her ladies, her sons, and “her consort in name and the other in practice,” (as Alicent called the Velaryon men) ostensibly for a “Velaryon naming ceremony”, and didn’t return for several months. Only to return with a “warning” he worried might frighten Alicent to death. Mother and Rhaenyra waged war with fear, Aemond thinks as we transition to present day. And in the present day something bothers Aemond about the memory, something he did not realize until now. But there’s much he doesn’t want to think about at that moment, and he latched on to the first “realization” he can grasp—that “ever since the day he was born, Luke was always getting away with things.” Not his fault in the beginning, Rhaenyra and COrlys were literally carrying him away from consequences, and viserys letting them. But consequences have a habit of accumulating when they’re not faced. That they’d grow so large they’d consume him—oh no, not another intrusive thought—when they caught up to him was as inevitable as it was unfortunate. That Aemond was now in a position—and disposition—to generously save Rhaenyra and her remaining sons from that fate was miracle enough, Aemond tells himself (now fully in present day). He’s pulled from his musings by commotion from the corridors. And then things get real weird…

[rhaenin-writing-time]

[rhaenin-writing-time]

ugh HOWWWWWWWW to cut down Aemond's absurdly long "coming down from weed and thinks he's a genius" villain monologue/dialogue with Aegon or do I just say to hell with "pacing" and embrace it.

[rhaenin-writing-time]

hmmm I think I'm going to drop the whole "Rhaenys is less casual with Valyrian because her mother didn't speak it," thread to save on time/space/effort. I'm not going to make a habit of changing plans based on the narrative spaghetti hotd season 2 decides to throw at the wall though. But Rhaenys has... a LOT going on coming up ;)

[rhaenin-writing-time]

I have no idea if you’re still looking over comments for your outline, but I love what you’ve currently put up so far. Aemond as a certified parentified momma’s boy while trying to also not be with his mom is forever hilarious. You’ve absolutely nailed his character (it’s almost eerie how exactly you got his mommy issues/personality down, his “I regret that business with Luke” in the latest episode was such an Alicent moment).

For the falcon’s shadow, I know that’s supposed to reference Aemma, but does it/will it have any connection to Jace as well in his bird costume? Cause the Lost in the Dark section, with “too many kinds of light” makes it seem as if he might be in the same dream that Jace and Aegon were in. But Aemond also seems too disconnected from (or maybe stiff towards) his Valyrian side to really join them.

I do love the part about Dreamfyre and how Aemond views effort spent towards being respectful of dragons and customs around them as frivolous. The set up of showing how Aemond clearly has no real care or understanding for Valyrian culture - except when he “wants the kind of power and influence that is specific to Targaryens” - that will eventually lead him to essentially ‘forcing’ a bond with Vhagar without any comprehension of how dragons are their own beings, not just a simple extension of the rider, is great.

Do you know if you’re planning to add any disconnected relationship between Rhaenys and Laenor? Cause while Corlys is obviously more unaccepting of Laenor’s homosexuality, I feel like his acceptance with Laenor’s children probably helped a little bit (at least when Luke takes Corlys’ attention by liking girls). But Rhaenys’ lack of acceptance for his children, simply because they’re not related biologically, must have caused a rift. Cause her acceptance of his homosexuality in the show feels like the very shallow acceptance in real life of tolerating the idea of being gay, yet not acknowledging any of the actual consequences of being such.

You mentioned in your latest post that you expected the arc to only be about 5 chapters, do you mean the whole section of “under the Dragon’s eye”, or just “Dark Nightmare of the Soul”? I’m a bit confused.

For your fic in general: do you know where the chapter scene of Rhaena ‘poisoning’ Daemon went? I haven’t been able to find it anywhere since your story was reorganized. And do you plan to include any of season 2 for your story, or has the characterization not really changed anything for you? (Honestly, the only real change to me seems like Alicent and Aemond have gotten way more Catholic - their weird “if I’m feeling guilty then I’m forgiven” was so bad).

Forever going to love your story, genuinely one of the best fanfics I’ve read.

Haha yeah I don't know how some people were so surprised about Aemond, I thought he was pretty clear cut. Fortunately for us, and Rhaenyra, he got his coddling fix when Baela sent him running home crying into his mother's arms. so Rhaenyra's safe for the time being. Now he wants to feel like a MAN.

When I say "this arc" I mean going back to fire and ice packs lol. I really underestimated how much I'd need to include to believably (at least I hope) establish a lot of new status quo's that are wildly divergent from show or book, especially regarding Rhaenyra and her siblings. And I ended up moving a lot up from later parts to avoid repetition later on in this fic. But if you look back at the outline you'll see that I colored the part that were currently in red, because we are almost done this arc. Rhaenyra soon faces the "final boss" and the revelation, and then... time and PEOPLE start moving.

Rhaena poisons Daemon in "Never get involved in a land war in essos part 2. I just split the chapter up because it was relatively long compared to the chapters around it.

Idk Aemond and Alicent have always seemed super catholic to me. I'm not going to take any extra steps to accommodate season 2, and I'm definitely leaving out Alicent/Cole because 1. It simply wasn't earned after they cut so much of that thread from the first season and 2. It's far too "modern" Catholic of BOTH of them. These are medieval Catholic extremists who are perfectly capable of getting off on the superiority of their own celibacy and "courtly love." And I'm not saying it couldn't be a reasonable turn for the characters, but they needed to show the journey. And they didn't. So it just feels kind of cheap and like the writers don't understand the world these characters are operating in, or their specific place in it.

Anyways, chapter coming. I promise. Life is weird and also writing has gotten more difficult/complex for a variety of reasons.

[rhaenin-writing-time]

As the second season for HotD comes out, do you think you’ll want to change anything in your story to include parts of it, or are you planning to act only on the first season and F&B? And even if you don’t include any actual story parts from season two, do you intend to include themes or commentary on it in your plot?

I'm going to answer this in more detail on the next chapter. Which should be... soon I hope. But I'm definitely cutting it off at season 1 and leaning more into the book. Season 1 was heavily flawed, but season 2 is a yike and I don't want to have to account for all the CANON they're breaking and the other weird decisions most of which were made in the quest to try to frame it as a 50/50 conflict rather than letting the themes of the book shine through. Baela and Rhaena, for example, had such clear characteristization in the book that they've thrown away in part to make the Blacks look worse by making Daemon look worse by keeping him separate from his daughters (which contradicts not just the book but also his characterization in the show as someone obsessed with family. Not to mention that ot does t make sense logically how they act like driftmark and dragonstone are worlds away, or that Rhaenyra, who even made sure her grieving son saw to Baela and Rhaena's emotional needs, would EVER let Daemon get away with it even if he tried. Which is why they don't try to justify it they just... keep them a part. And because baela's characteristization is so tied to Daemon, especially later on, she's left kind of... "generic targ girl in background" and the writers try to attribute her "rogue" qualities to Laena - which also messes with Laenas characterization and reraises the question of why the hell she didn't just take her kids and her dragons and go home if she wanted to. And of course, because the book first sets up Baela's character and then contrasts the twins to further characterize them through their differences, it means that Rhaena's chacterization gets erased. And not just erased, but replaced with nonsense that was added to lend sympathy to Aemond. Because the difference between the twins in the books had nothing to do with a made-up "targ kids and teens without dragons are deprived" idea and everything to do with how they fit differently into gender roles. But of course, hotd is determined to erase the underlying themes regarding misogyny and reactionary politics whenever it can. So I stead, we get... a Rhaena who wants to be a... cardboard cutout targ girl and the only thing that makes her different is that she doesn't have a dragon even though that conflict doesn't make sense which is why not once is it addressed WHay she does t have a dragon if she wants one so bad, because in the book it was just that 1. She was young and had many years left before it would be considered noteworthy 2. It wasn't a big deal 3. The fact she had the eggs before the war started suggested that as she approached the age where a dragonless targ would start to think about claiming one, she instead made a personal decision that she'd rather raise one from a hatching. Because we're talking about a (book)Margaery-esque girl who wore her baby pink dragon like an accessory. Why would she feel "pathetic" for being entrusted with her siblings and doing diplomacy with the Vale? And if she did, why does she not simply ask to claim a dragon, or try to claim a dragon, a d why are those questions not even addressed? Because they can't answer them. So if they can't, I'm not going to bend this fic around trying, especially since so much is scoped and/or written out already.

And that's just ONE of the issues. And believe it or not, the Alicent/Cole issue is actually related to the Daemon & his daughters issue. So... the books, and we're going to pretend that hotd is a "competing, close account" that has a lot of correct information in the first volume, info that contradicts F&B like ages and dates, but grows more dubious as it continues.

Lol k maybe not "I'll answer this in more detail" and instead "I'll answer this more clearly."

[rhaenin-writing-time]

rip not me thinking this would be a 5ish chapter arc but actually following all the beats of a full novel. oops. Who would have thought the characterization and relationship shifting/building from scratch (or worse) would need so much...

worry not, not all beats need the same amount of time/length.

Fire and Ice Packs

1. Opening Image — One memory hides another

2. Theme Stated

3. Set Up

Dracarys Means Dragonfire

4. Inciting Incident — Lady Fell: disaster averted with fire and ice

5. Debate — Rhaenyra and (vs.) Aemond

6. Break into (Act) Two — Cole is the new Escape Goat

7. B Story — Dragonstone thread gets a status quo

Mixed Metal Forks

8. Fun and Games or “Promise of the Premise” — But no fun for Alicent

9. Midpoint — Prince Daemon’s “horse” turns the tables

10. Bad Guys (or Hostages) Close In — On Alicent and someone else

11. All Is Lost — For Alicent. But what’s going on with someone else

Under the Dragon’s Eye

12. Dark Night(mare) of the Soul — MANY look to the past

13. Break into (Act) Three — One queen rises, another falls

We Light the Way

14. Finale — Someone lights the way forward

The Calm After the Storm — Someone is left behind

15. Final Image — As we jump forward

Someone wakes the dragon. Volcanoes don’t sleep forever.

[rhaenin-writing-time]

I saw that it is okay for us to send you comments? I find your outline fascinating because of how you keep things moving and intertwining, these little spoilers also give me life and I can't wait for the full chapter and see how it translates there.

There are many things I want to say but I prefer to wait until I have the complete chapter. For now I will comment on 4 because they seem to be more of a meta-textual part?

-I genuinely laughed because Corlys is so happy that Luke apparently likes girls.Corlys, bro, why are you like this? 😂I wonder if Laenor saw that little exchange and that's why he doesn't want to be alone with his father 😔

Laenor in general is so lonely without Laena that I just want to wrap him up and hug him, especially since I'm sure he's heard those homophobic comments. Also, the dichotomy between Aemond "warning" Jace and Luke because Laenor might abuse them (🤢) while we know Cole abuses them verbally and even physically by "training" them, it sure is something.

-With the last fragment when the fire appeared I almost shouted: will-o'-the-wisp!! And then not Aemond! Alicent what do you teach your children?!I'm crazy excited to know what you'll do with it as someone who was super obsessed with any legend or myth as a child and whose mother used to tell them to me when we went on walks and camping.

-There is something very painful about Aegon being old enough to recognize and envy what a good mother is, but a deeply adult Aemond only recognizes it instinctively but not intellectually.Then of course I remember how intolerant Aemond is and it goes away 🤗🙃

-The language part particularly fascinates me, especially in this part of Targ history.Can I ask you for more details? How do you explain Jace not speaking it/being bad at it?There is a small audioarticulatory processing problem (I don't remember the name, sorry) that makes intonation difficult when speaking.In fact, I suffer from it and it has been very difficult for me when I learn another language, there is no way for me to articulate well. I like to think that's actually Jace's problem 🙈

I am quite interested in Rhaenys who does not use it as a main language either, there must be a difference between those who learned it in everyday use and those who limit themselves to commands. I especially like the point of associating language with motherhood. Here we have a study on our indigenous people that indicates that the Wuarao language was maintained when they mixed with the Caribs because normally the women were Wuarao and taught their language. But Rhaenyra probably knows it from Daemon... Who do you think taught him? Do you think that at some point the Targ were instilled with shame or rudeness for speaking another language in front of non-speakers?

Really very excited to read more of your fragments and writing❤️

haha yeah send away

I'll warn that a lot of the finished scenes might actually be shorter than the description, and might often just show instead of tell.

Laenor and Corlys... oh boy.

Aemond's about to stumble into something... not sure if I'll post the summary before the chapter though because i might just finish it up.

Jace and Valyrian. I think the writers were just trying to portray him as "dedicated" but just fumbled the ball, because Jace would realistically be fully fluent by then. But... I'm going to go with the interpretation that he's like a lot of those 2nd gen kids who only speak their language with their immediate family and so especially if they're the ELDEST child, they end up speaking a childlike version of the language that's almost a dialect specific to their family home, so they'll often speak their language naturally, but they'll struggle in a formal language course. Anyways, headcanon is that since Rhaenyra and Daemon have really young children, the Valyrian they speak in the family would be somewhat childlike, and Jace would... go out of his way to ignore them when they're speaking more ADULT Valyrian. also, Jace is really dedicated to a formal Andal education because of his position, and wouldn't have as much spare time as the others for the more advanced Valyrian studied.

Oh... we'll get into why Daemon's Valyrian is so good. I'll leave it there for now. I'll also say that while Baelon and Aemon were close, I'm going to interpret them as having... different approaches to a variety of matters. But as for Rhaenyra's Valyrian, I'll say that Daemon was of course an influence, but also Viserys knows it for his studies, Aemma learned it out of duty, and she also had Laenor and Laena who in turn had Corlys.

[rhaenin-writing-time]

Lost in the Dark

Aemond

The woods next to the beach — Night

Aemond ventures into the trees with a lantern to find Aegon — before someone else does

Short transition scene

Goal | Reaction

The lantern glows bright. Too bright, with too many kinds of lights, and he drops it.

BUT

Conflict | Dilemma

Aemond is now trapped in the dark, and he can’t remember the way back. So he heads for the sounds of waves. A shadow of a little boy appears. For a moment he looks like Luke, but not quite. He holds a red light, and rage in his eyes. ��You,” he hisses. But then he disappears. A flicker of light appears in the distance, and Aemond follows it.

THEREFORE

Setback | Win | Decision

Aemond emerges onto a beach. He thought he’d turned back, and it looks like the same beach. But the shelter and bonfire are gone. There’s but a tiny fire burning on a makeshift raised brazier. The fire glows with many kinds of light. It flashes, and two children appear.

that's it I started a side-blog where I sometimes organize my fic so the illusion of eyes can make me accountable. follow at your own risk. also, i enabled anon asks for questions and input. for now. we'll see how it goes. let's consider this an opt-in opt-out chance for beta reading.

Chapter:

either... Perfect Storm: Part 2 or.... a separately posted chapter....

Anyways, more scene cards.

Mother Tongue

Aemond

Rocky shores of Viserra’s Island — Early Midday

Aemond | Alicent, Cole, Gwayne, Aegon, Helaena | Rhaenyra, Laenor, Baela, Rhaena, Jace, Luke, Rhaenys

Aemond and co. make their way back to the beach

Short transition scene

Goal | Reaction

Rhaenys wants to bond with her grandchildren. Rhaenyra wants her to include Jace and Luke as her grandchildren.

BUT

Conflict | Dilemma

Rhaenys hurts Jace’s feelings with her disinterest, which enrages Rhaenyra. Alicent tells Aemond that Rhaenyra has a right to be angry with Rhaenys, but she doesn’t think Rhaenyra has a right to be angry regarding her “bastards”. Aemond doesn’t understand that Alicent is referencing how Rhaenys has aways envied Rhaenyra for a variety of reasons, and treated her coldly as a child. Once Rhaenyra has had enough, she starts speaking to the children in Valyrian — too quickly and casually for Rhaenys or Aemond to keep pace. And Aemond realizes that Rhaenys was raised by a Baratheon mother and so Valyrian is not her “mother tongue” the way it is for the other Blacks who had more chances to practice. Laenor notices but does not interfere. Aemond thinks Rhaenyra is punishing Rhaenys for making her sons feel left out, and wonders why she chooses to be angry over this, but is willing to accept Rhaenys’s cold attitude when it’s directed at herself.

THEREFORE

Setback | Win | Decision

Rhaenyra switches back to Common as they approach the beach. Aemond thinks that Rhaenys received the message.

[rhaenin-writing-time]

that's it I started a side-blog where I sometimes organize my fic so the illusion of eyes can make me accountable. follow at your own risk. also, i enabled anon asks for questions and input. for now. we'll see how it goes. let's consider this an opt-in opt-out chance for beta reading.

Chapter:

either... Perfect Storm: Part 2 or.... a separately posted chapter....

Anyways, more scene cards.

Mother Tongue

Aemond

Rocky shores of Viserra’s Island — Early Midday

Aemond | Alicent, Cole, Gwayne, Aegon, Helaena | Rhaenyra, Laenor, Baela, Rhaena, Jace, Luke, Rhaenys

Aemond and co. make their way back to the beach

Short transition scene

Goal | Reaction

Rhaenys wants to bond with her grandchildren. Rhaenyra wants her to include Jace and Luke as her grandchildren.

BUT

Conflict | Dilemma

Rhaenys hurts Jace’s feelings with her disinterest, which enrages Rhaenyra. Alicent tells Aemond that Rhaenyra has a right to be angry with Rhaenys, but she doesn’t think Rhaenyra has a right to be angry regarding her “bastards”. Aemond doesn’t understand that Alicent is referencing how Rhaenys has aways envied Rhaenyra for a variety of reasons, and treated her coldly as a child. Once Rhaenyra has had enough, she starts speaking to the children in Valyrian — too quickly and casually for Rhaenys or Aemond to keep pace. And Aemond realizes that Rhaenys was raised by a Baratheon mother and so Valyrian is not her “mother tongue” the way it is for the other Blacks who had more chances to practice. Laenor notices but does not interfere. Aemond thinks Rhaenyra is punishing Rhaenys for making her sons feel left out, and wonders why she chooses to be angry over this, but is willing to accept Rhaenys’s cold attitude when it’s directed at herself.

THEREFORE

Setback | Win | Decision

Rhaenyra switches back to Common as they approach the beach. Aemond thinks that Rhaenys received the message.

[rhaenin-writing-time]

that's it I'm taking the internet void on a journey through finishing this chapter because asfsrgfhofaheohOIA I need some kind of accountability.

Anyways, since my super neurodivergent assbrain struggles with piecing things together into a cohesive, linear whole (at least a "whole" that fits onto a two-dimensional page), I basically rely on making processes to stick to when I can't "just do" something.

so when i'm trying to organize, i start with scene cards (excuse the formatting f/ the copy/paste between incompatible systems) that i keep as a template on my scrivener

Name of the Scene

POV Character

Location — Time

Active, Characters | Other, Characters, Present

Blocking (where are the characters, what are they doing and using, relation to previous scenes within chapter)

Goal | Reaction

What do the active characters of the scene want? Or what are they reacting to?

BUT

Conflict | Dilemma

The DRAMA. If a story can be reduced to a sentence of [_, and, but, therefore] ten this is the ‘but’. The complication. This should contain the most information by far. There might be multiple threads from multiple characters within the conflict.

THEREFORE

Setback | Win | Decision

The active character(s) either come out of the complication with a win, a setback, or they make a decision