#Khal Drogo

[novaursa]

Savage Crown

- Summary: Khal Drogo comes to see Daenerys, as your brother and Illyrio arrange. But it is not your younger sister that drew his attention, it was you. 

- Pairing: targ!reader/Khal Drogo

- Note: This one-shot is based on an anonymous ask I received not long ago. I don't have time for something longer or a series about it, but I hope you like it none the less, dear anon.

- Rating: Mature 16+

- Tag(s): @sachaa-ff @alyssa-dayne @oxymakestheworldgoround

The hall is grand but oppressive, a crumbling remnant of a better time. You stand in the shadows behind Viserys. The air is thick with the smell of incense and sweat, a testament to the preparations Magister Illyrio had overseen for this meeting. Your brother stands tall before you, his silver hair glinting in the light, his pale violet eyes filled with barely contained ambition.

Daenerys, your younger sister, is beside him, her head bowed, her silver-gold hair flowing like a river down her back. She looks like a lamb to the slaughter, meek and silent under Viserys's command. It sickens you, though you dare not let it show. Your brother is not forgiving of defiance.

And then you hear it—the heavy footfalls of horses, the deep, guttural voices of the Dothraki. The door to the hall creaks open, and Khal Drogo strides in. He is magnificent and terrifying, a towering figure with dark skin bronzed by the sun, long hair braided with bells that chime softly as he moves, and eyes like onyx. He surveys the room with the air of a conqueror, his presence commanding every ounce of attention.

You cannot help but stare. His gaze is piercing as it sweeps across the room, pausing briefly on Daenerys. Viserys steps forward, his voice filled with practiced charm.

"Great Khal Drogo," he begins, his tone obsequious, "I present to you my sister, Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. She is—"

Drogo's gaze shifts mid-sentence, moving past Daenerys and falling upon you. Your breath catches as those dark eyes lock with yours, the weight of his stare almost suffocating. He takes you in, his expression unreadable but intense, lingering far longer than he did on your sister.

Viserys notices and falters, his voice sharpening with irritation. "My youngest sister," he emphasizes, stepping to the side as if to block Drogo's view of you.

But the Khal doesn't seem to care. He steps forward, his gaze still fixed on you, and speaks for the first time. His voice is low and rough, a deep rumble that seems to resonate in your chest. The Dothraki words are foreign, incomprehensible, yet you feel the weight of them as he gestures toward you.

Magister Illyrio interjects with a nervous laugh, stepping in to translate. "The great Khal wishes to know… who stands behind the prince. He says you are like silver fire in the darkness."

Your heart pounds. Viserys stiffens beside you, his face a mask of barely concealed fury. "She is not for you," he snaps, his composure slipping. "She is my elder sister, and she is of no consequence. It is Daenerys who will wed the Khal, as agreed."

Drogo's lips twitch, the closest thing to amusement you suspect he allows himself. He says something else, short and commanding, and Illyrio hesitates before translating. "The Khal says he will decide what is of consequence."

You can feel Viserys trembling with rage beside you, but he dares not insult the Khal further. Drogo turns to one of his bloodriders, speaking in a low tone. The man nods, and Drogo turns back to you, his gaze lingering for a moment longer before he steps back. Without another word, he and his men stride out of the hall, their heavy footsteps fading into the night.

The silence is deafening. Viserys turns to you, his face a storm of fury. "What did you do?" he hisses, his voice venomous. "You stood there like some… temptress! Do you want to ruin everything?"

"I did nothing," you reply, your voice steady despite the fear curling in your stomach. "I simply stood where you told me to stand."

"You will not ruin this for me," he growls, stepping closer. "You are nothing compared to me. Nothing compared to the dragon. Remember your place, sister."

Daenerys says nothing, her eyes fixed on the floor, her hands trembling at her sides. Illyrio steps forward, trying to ease the tension. "My prince," he says placatingly, "this could be… an opportunity. Khal Drogo is a man of strength and desire. If he has taken an interest in your sister—"

"I don’t care what he desires!" Viserys shouts, cutting him off. "Daenerys is the one who will wed the Khal. Not her. Not… her."

You say nothing, meeting his gaze with calm defiance. In that moment, you realize something: Khal Drogo had chosen you. Whether Viserys liked it or not, the Khal’s attention had turned away from his plans, and it would take more than his temper to change that.

As the torches flicker and the silence stretches, you feel a strange mix of fear and exhilaration. Whatever happens next, your life is no longer your brother’s to control.

The Dothraki celebration is wild and untamed, a tempest of sound, movement, and firelight. The air is thick with the scent of roasted meats and spiced wines, mingling with the sharp tang of sweat and blood. Flames leap high into the dark sky, the orange and red light dancing across the sea of bronze-skinned warriors, their shouts and laughter echoing into the night. Drums pound in an unrelenting rhythm, matched only by the ferocity of the revelers.

You sit beside Khal Drogo on an ornate wooden throne covered in furs and adorned with braids of horsehair, a place of honor overlooking the madness. His hand rests casually on the armrest, his face stoic but his eyes watching the festivities with quiet satisfaction. You feel his presence beside you like a storm contained, powerful and commanding even in stillness.

Your dress, a blend of Valyrian silk and Dothraki leather, feels strange on your skin, a mix of your heritage and the savage culture you've been thrust into. You feel the weight of eyes on you—not just the Dothraki, who marvel at their Khal’s silver-haired bride, but Viserys’s gaze as it burns into the side of your face. His fury radiates across the distance between you, as palpable as the heat of the fires.

Viserys sits further back, his face twisted with anger. His hand grips a goblet of wine so tightly that you wonder if it might shatter. Daenerys sits meekly beside him, her eyes downcast, her small frame shrinking further into the shadows with every passing moment. She dares not speak, not when Viserys is like this.

Finally, Viserys’s venom spills over. He slams the goblet down onto the low wooden table in front of him, startling Daenerys and drawing the attention of those nearby. His voice is sharp, cutting through the revelry like a blade.

"How dare you," he seethes, his words directed at Magister Illyrio, who sits nearby with a plate of half-eaten lamb before him. "You promised to help me. And instead, you give her to the Khal?"

Illyrio dabs at his mouth with a silk napkin, unperturbed by Viserys’s outburst. "My prince," he says smoothly, his tone carefully measured, "the Khal chose as he wished. You know how the Dothraki are—no one tells them what to do, not even I. Be grateful that he accepted a bride from your house at all."

"Grateful?" Viserys’s voice rises, his face flushing red. "Do you think this is what I wanted? My elder sister married to a savage, while my plans fall apart? She was never supposed to be part of this!"

Illyrio sighs, setting his napkin down with deliberate patience. "And yet, here we are. The Khal accepted her, not Daenerys. Would you rather he had taken offense and left you with nothing? No crown, no army, no future?"

Viserys rises to his feet, his fists clenched, his voice trembling with rage. "This was not the agreement! You swore—"

"The agreement," Illyrio cuts in, his voice firm now, "was to forge an alliance. And we have. The Khal is pleased, and the alliance is sealed. Your plans remain intact, my prince, whether the bride was Daenerys or—"

"Enough!" Viserys snaps, his voice cracking. "Do not speak as if you have any authority over me! I am the dragon, the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms!"

Across the space, you feel Drogo shift beside you. His eyes flick briefly toward the commotion, then back to you. He says nothing, but you sense his irritation awaking beneath the surface.

You glance at Viserys, a mixture of pity and disdain bubbling within you. He is a boy playing at being a king, too blind to see the fragile position he truly holds.

Daenerys, seated behind him, dares a glance at you. Her expression is a mixture of fear and apology, though she says nothing, her small hands twisting nervously in her lap.

"You shame yourself, brother," you call out, your voice calm but carrying easily over the din. The words are like a slap, freezing Viserys mid-rant. His head snaps toward you, his violet eyes blazing.

"You dare speak to me like that?" he spits, his voice trembling. "You forget your place, sister. You belong to him now, do you not? You are nothing but a slave to this savage."

The Dothraki around you grow quiet, their laughter and music fading as they turn to watch. You feel the weight of their eyes, and of Drogo’s, but you refuse to back down.

"I belong to no one," you say firmly, rising to your feet. "I am the blood of the dragon, just as you are. And I will not be diminished by your petty tantrums."

Viserys takes a step toward you, his hand twitching as if he might strike you, but before he can, Drogo speaks. His voice is low and commanding, a single word in Dothraki that sends his bloodriders forward, placing themselves between you and your brother.

Viserys freezes, his bravado crumbling under the weight of their silent threat. He glares at you, his lips curling into a sneer, but he does not move closer.

The dread hangs heavy in the air until Drogo stands, his towering presence a clear statement. He looks at you, his expression unreadable, then turns to the bloodriders and gives a short command. They back away, though their eyes remain fixed on Viserys.

Drogo says something else, a string of Dothraki words spoken with quiet authority, and Illyrio translates, his voice calm but firm. "The Khal says the dragon must learn respect, or he will be taught."

Viserys’s face turns ashen, his bravado utterly gone. He mutters something under his breath and sits back down, grabbing his goblet and drinking deeply to hide his shame.

The festivities slowly resume, the anxiety easing as the Dothraki return to their revelry. But you remain standing, your gaze locked with Viserys’s, your heart pounding with the realization that you have just defied him—and survived.

The aftermath of your union with Khal Drogo is a stillness that feels almost sacred. The furs beneath you are soft and heavy, the firelight from the brazier casting flickering shadows across the walls of his tent. The air is warm and heavy with the mingling scents of sweat, leather, and the faint sweetness of oils from your earlier ceremony. Drogo lies beside you, his body a fortress of muscle and heat, his breathing deep and even.

You rest your head on his chest, the rhythm of his heartbeat a steady, grounding sound. It feels surreal—this closeness to a man you’ve only just begun to understand. His presence is overwhelming, his silence louder than most men’s words. Yet, there is a calmness to him that you did not expect, a quiet strength that intrigues you.

Tentatively, you trace your fingers across his chest, marveling at the scars that speak of battles won and stories untold. Drogo doesn’t stop you, though his dark eyes open slightly, watching you with curiosity.

“Drogo,” you murmur, testing his name on your tongue. It feels strange, foreign, yet powerful. He hums in acknowledgment, a low sound that vibrates through his chest.

“I want to understand you,” you say softly, your voice a whisper in the dim light. “But I don’t know how.”

Drogo tilts his head, studying you with a quiet intensity. After a moment, he lifts his hand, calloused and strong, and brushes a strand of silver hair from your face. His touch is surprisingly gentle, a contrast to his otherwise imposing demeanor.

You take a deep breath, searching for the few Dothraki words you’ve managed to learn. “Kirekosi…?” you begin hesitantly, the word for “how” feeling clumsy on your tongue.

A ghost of a smile touches Drogo’s lips, and he responds in Dothraki, the words flowing like a river. You catch only fragments—something about strength, perhaps, or heart. Frustration wells up in you, not at him, but at yourself for not knowing more.

“I don’t understand,” you admit, shaking your head. “I need to learn.”

Drogo sits up slightly, propping himself on one arm. His hair falls over his shoulder, the bells woven into his braid chiming softly. He speaks again, slower this time, pointing to his chest as he says a word.

You frown, repeating it. “Ramasar?”

He nods, tapping his chest again. “Ramasar,” he repeats, then points to you. “Chiorikem.”

You blink, the realization dawning on you. “Ramasar means… land? And chiorikem woman?”

Drogo’s smile broadens, and he nods, clearly pleased with your understanding. Encouraged, you sit up fully, wrapping the fur around your shoulders. You point to him, raising an eyebrow in question. “And you?”

He smirks, tapping his chest again. “Lajak,” he says, his voice rich with pride.

“Lajak,” you repeat, tasting the word. “A warrior.”

He nods again, his eyes gleaming with approval. The moment feels like a small victory, a step toward bridging the chasm between your worlds.

Buoyed by his response, you press further. “Why did you… choose me?” you ask, your voice quiet but steady. “Not Daenerys?”

Drogo’s expression softens, and he reaches out, his fingers brushing your cheek. He speaks slowly, his voice a deep rumble. Though you don’t understand all the words, the emotion in his tone is clear—admiration, perhaps even respect. He ends with a word you recognize: anni, meaning “mine.”

Your breath catches, the simplicity and certainty of his claim leaving you momentarily speechless. There is no hesitation in him, no doubt. He chose you, and that is enough for him.

But you want more. “Anni,” you echo softly, meeting his gaze. “And you are mine.”

His eyes narrow slightly, as if testing the weight of your words. Then he nods, the faintest trace of a smile on his lips. It is not a grand declaration, but in his world, it is enough—a promise made in the quiet of the night.

You lean into him, your lips brushing his in a kiss that is both gentle and bold. He responds without hesitation, pulling you closer, his hands firm but reverent. In that moment, words are unnecessary; the connection between you is deeper than language.

When the kiss ends, you rest your forehead against his, your breaths mingling. “Teach me,” you whisper. “Teach me your words, your ways. I want to know everything.”

Drogo pulls back slightly, his gaze steady and serious. “Annithilat,” he says, the word unfamiliar but spoken with a weight that makes you shiver.

“What does that mean?” you ask, tilting your head.

He takes your hand, pressing it to his chest where his heart beats strong and steady. “Annithilat,” he repeats, his voice softer this time. “Courage.”

You smile, the warmth of his words settling deep in your chest. “Annithilat,” you repeat, the foreign syllables feeling natural now.

For the first time, Drogo chuckles, a deep, rumbling sound that makes your heart skip. He pulls you against him, his arms wrapping around you, and for the first time since your arrival in his world, you feel truly safe. Truly seen.

The night stretches on, and with every word, every touch, the distance between you and the Khal grows smaller. You know the journey ahead will be difficult, but as you drift to sleep in his arms, the sound of his heartbeat steady beneath your ear, you feel a flicker of hope. Together, you will bridge the divide. Together, you will learn.

[helaenarts]

Daenerys Targaryen when she was presented to Khal Drogo

She’s just a baby…

[oananovicov]

"Viserys, was her first thought the next time she paused, but a second glance told her other-wise. The man had her brother's hair, but he was taller, and his eyes were a dark indigo rather than lilac. "Aegon," he said to a woman nursing a newborn babe in a great wooden bed. "What better name for a king?"

"Will you make a song for him?" the woman asked.

"He has a song," the man replied. "He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire." He looked up when he said it and his eyes met Dany's, and it seemed as if he saw her standing there beyond the door.

"There must be one more," he said, though whether he was speaking to her or the woman in the bed she could not say. "The dragon has three heads." He went to the window seat, picked up a harp, and ran his fingers lightly over its silvery strings. Sweet sadness filled the room as man and wife and babe faded like the morning mist, only the music lingering behind to speed her on her way."- ACOK - Dany IV

[taivyart]

Slow day for Dany and her babies

[goldensunflowe-r]

You've no right to a braid!

You've won no victories yet!

My rightful queens don't need to win any victories because they already conquered our hearts.

[praparuru-ume]

I know Rhaego was never meant to survive, at all but what do you think would’ve needed to happen? I know a lot of the major plot points would’ve been kinda ruined. Also (completely disregarding book canon) what do you think Rhaego would’ve looked like? I believe he would’ve had white & black hair due to some genetic mutations (mostly targaryen genetics). If he did survive I believe Kal Drogo would’ve lived as well.

I honestly find it hard to imagine a scenario where Rhaego lives and perhaps Drogo as well then. I don't want to imagine Dany having to put up with him for longer than she already had. And I'm also big on believing that she herself is The Stallion that Mounts the World, as that's just another culture's version of Azor Ahai and The Prince That Was Promised.

I feel like the plot around it is too well written and significant, for me to consider changing it, so the closest I can get to imagining Drogo not dying and therefore there being no need to bring him back, which results in Rhaego dying, is just him not getting that cut at all.

However it would be interesting to see which path Daenerys would've taken to owning her power, had he not died, because my girl is powerful, and even without the eggs hatching her story definitely wouldn't have ended. I mean, even while he was still alive, she managed to assert herself in a way(as much as she could), with her dragon dreams inspiring strength in her and all.

I like to imagine though, that if Rhaego had lived, Dany would have raised him right. Still, it makes me sick thinking of a literal child forced to have a child.

I personally cannot imagine Rhaego with anything but fully silver hair, but for your request, i made two versions.

There's also Drogo and Daenerys for some reference.

[nouketou]

From Aerys II to Daenerys Stormborn, the Unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Khaleesi of Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Shackles, and Mother of Dragons

The end of the Targaryen line

-> the return of the Valyrian traditional face markings and Daenerys obviously wears both marks, as the Mother of Dragons would

-> Rhaegar wears the earrings of Duncan Targaryen found in the ashes of Summerhall

-> Young Griff wears an inverted interpretation of his father's earrings, in order to accentuate his Aegon Targaryen's story

-> Daenerys's earrings wears earrings that reminded her of her mother's crown

-> I decided to include a real baby Rhaego, as Daenerys dreamed him and not as Mirri Maz Duur described him, also he has a big scaly birthmark (similar to Rhaenyra's daughter) the shape of a dragon

-> Missandei is baby

[gramnel]

[georgescitadel]

Viserys, in a deal brokered by one of the magisters of Pentos, Illyrio Mopatis, gives up his sister into marriage to this horse lord in return for a promise of an army. The problem is that Viserys doesn't really understand the Dothraki, and also that he's arrogant; he has a sense of entitlement. The Dothraki are not merchants; they do not buy or sell. They trade favours, and they do it in their own time. They look at it as Dany was given to Khal Drogo as a gift, and in return, he will give a gift of this golden crown that he has promised Viserys. Drogo, by the customs of his people, is obliged to return to Vaes Dothrak and to present his new bride to the dosh khaleen, the crones who are at the heart of the Dothraki culture. Viserys tags along with them, which is a mistake on a whole number of levels. The horse people come to have great contempt for Viserys. Dany adjusts to their culture; she rides, starts wearing Dothraki clothing, and learns their language. Viserys doesn't do any of this. He's the king of Westeros and expects deference. It becomes more and more of a problem.

- George R.R. Martin, Game Of Thrones Commentary

[catofoldstones]

extremely rare asoiaf pinterest W

[hallowed-harpy]

'Legacy, Opposition, Lightbringer'

An analytical framework for the birth of Dany's dragons and the forging of Lightbringer.

(Analysis by Hallowed-Harpy)

Strap in, this is going to be a LONG one...

What follows is an analysis of the sacrificial machinations at play in the miraculous births of Viserion, Rhaegal, and Drogon, culminating in the forging of Lightbringer and rebirth of Azor Ahai.

"'It was a time when darkness lay heavy on the world. To oppose it, the hero must have a hero’s blade, oh, like none that had ever been. And so for thirty days and thirty nights Azor Ahai labored sleepless in the temple, forging a blade in the sacred fires. Heat and hammer and fold, heat and hammer and fold, oh, yes, until the sword was done. Yet when he plunged it into water to temper the steel, it burst asunder…the second time it took him fifty days and fifty nights, and this sword seemed even finer than the first. Azor Ahai captured a lion, to temper the blade by plunging it through the beast’s red heart, but once more the steel shattered and split…a hundred days and a hundred nights he labored on the third blade, and as it glowed white-hot in the sacred fires, he summoned his wife. 'Nissa Nissa' he said to her, for that was her name ‘bare your breast, and know that I love you best of all that is in this world’...she did this thing, why I cannot say, and Azor Ahai thrust the smoking sword through her living heart…her cry of anguish and ecstasy left a crack across the moon, but her blood and her soul and her strength and her courage all went into the steel. Such is the tale of the forging of Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes.' - Davos I, ACoK

This passage describes the hero's journey to understanding. It follows a series of trial-and-error as Azor Ahai attempts to identify the elements necessary to forge an otherworldly weapon of light and hope, capable of combating the darkness. First, he learns that sacred fire alone is inadequate. Even the combination of sacred fire and blood proves insufficient. It is not until sacred fire, blood, and willing self-sacrifice are combined that Lightbringer is successfully forged.

The dragon (Lightbringer) has three heads.

It is Nissa Nissa's willing self-sacrifice that is rewarded. She came 'bearing her breast' - willingly - in truly selfless sacrifice. It is her strength, courage, and blood that merge with the 'blade' (dragon) to forge Lightbringer.

Through her sacrifice Nissa Nissa becomes a dragon - a flaming sword across the world - and as she 'wakes the dragon,' her 'cry of anguish and ecstasy' leaves a 'crack across the moon'...

“'A trader from Qarth once told me that dragons came from the moon,' blond Doreah said... Dany turned her head, curious. 'The moon?' 'He told me the moon was an egg, Khaleesi,' the Lysene girl said. 'Once there were two moons in the sky, but one wandered too close to the sun and cracked from the heat. A thousand thousand dragons poured forth, and drank the fire of the sun. That is why dragons breathe flame. One day the other moon will kiss the sun too, and then it will crack and the dragons will return.'" - Dany III, aGoT

The mythos of the forging of Lightbringer is the same mythos as the origin of dragons, and the 'Azor Ahai' returned prophecy is the same prophecy as the 'return of the dragons' - the difference is that one version is told through the cultural lens of Asshai, while the other is told through the cultural lens of Qarth. The reason that Azor Ahai is prophesized to 'wake dragons from stone,' is because Lightbringer was always a dragon, never a literal sword.

"...A true sword of fire, now, that would be a wonder to behold. Yet at such a cost…when he thought of Nissa Nissa, it was his own Marya he pictured…the best woman in the world. He tried to picture himself driving a sword through her, and shuddered. I am not made of the stuff of heroes, he decided. If that was the price of a magic sword, it was more than he cared to pay...” - Davos I, ACoK

These themes of fire, blood, sacrifice and 'paying the price' guide the following analysis of the rituals and sacrifices leading to the birth of the dragons, forging of Lightbringer, and rebirth of Azor Ahai.

Beginning with Dany VIII, AGoT -

“'There is a spell.' Her voice was quiet, scarcely more than a whisper. 'But it is hard, lady, and dark. Some would say that death is cleaner. I learned the way in Asshai, and paid dear for the lesson. My teacher was a bloodmage from the Shadow Lands.' "Dany went cold all over. 'Then you truly are a maegi...' 'Am I?' Mirri Maz Duur smiled. 'Only a maegi can save your rider now, Silver Lady.' 'Is there no other way?' 'No other.' Khal Drogo gave a shuddering gasp. 'Do it,' Dany blurted. She must not be afraid; she was the blood of the dragon. 'Save him.' 'There is a price,' the godswife warned her. 'You’ll have gold, horses, whatever you like.' 'It is not a matter of gold or horses. This is bloodmagic, lady. Only death may pay for life.' 'Death?' Dany wrapped her arms around herself protectively, rocked back and forth on her heels. 'My death?' She told herself she would die for him, if she must. She was the blood of the dragon, she would not be afraid… 'No,' Mirri Maz Duur promised. 'Not your death, Khaleesi.' Dany trembled with relief. 'Do it.' The maegi nodded solemnly. 'As you speak, so it shall be done. Call your servants.' Khal Drogo writhed feebly as Rakharo and Quaro lowered him into the bath. 'No,' he muttered, 'no. Must ride.' Once in the water, all the strength seemed to leak out of him. 'Bring his horse,' Mirri Maz Duur commanded, and so it was done."

Mirri Maz Duur is a maegi - a spell caster - words are her weapon. She chooses what she says (or doesn't say) with great intention and care. It is up to Daenerys (and the reader) to hear what Mirri is (or isn't) saying. Mirri relies heavily on omission, and does not volunteer many details, instead putting the onus on Daenerys to ask the right questions, while also relying on Dany's naivety, trust, and panic to cloud her understanding of the gravity of the 'cost.'

Mirri begins by offering Daenerys a warning and anecdote, explicitly stating this is dark magic that she learned at great personal cost. Despite being vague, the implication is that the cost was something significant. Yet Dany tells her, 'You can have gold, horses, whatever you like,' to which Mirri states that this is 'not a matter of horses - only death may pay for life.'

Daenerys asks for clarification here, and while Mirri cedes that the price is not Dany's own life, she intentionally omits further explanation of the sacrifice that is required - and Dany does not inquire any further. At this juncture of their agreement, Mirri has not so much as mentioned Drogo's horse, so Dany has no reason to yet believe the price to be paid is the life of the stallion. Instead, she agrees to make a seemingly unidentified sacrifice.

However, that she is described as wrapping her arms around herself protectively, is a subtle tell that she may, at least subconsciously, suspect the sacrifice to be Rhaego.

"She stood to answer. 'He shall be called Rhaego,' she said, using the words that Jhiqui had taught her. Her hands touched the swell beneath her breasts protectively as a roar went up from the Dothraki. 'Rhaego,' they screamed. 'Rhaego, Rhaego, Rhaego!' - Dany V, AGoT

"'I want what I came for...he can keep his bloody foal. I'll cut the bastard out and leave it for him.' The sword point pushed through her silks and pricked at her navel. Viserys was weeping she saw... Viserys began to scream the high wordless scream of the coward facing death...'Turn away, my princess, I beg you.' 'No.' She folded her arms across the swell of her belly. protectively." - Dany V, AGoT

"'My brother?' Her sob was half a laugh. 'He does not know yet, does he? The Usurper owes Drogo a lordship.' This time her laugh was half a sob. She hugged herself protectively. 'And me, you said only me?' 'You and the child,' Ser Jorah said, grim. 'No. He cannot have my son.'" - Dany VI, AGoT

This subconscious awareness is then explicitly discussed between Dany and Mirri after Daenerys wakes from her labor:

"'You warned me that only death could pay for life. I thought you meant the horse.' 'No,' Mirri Maz Duur said. 'That was a lie you told yourself. You knew the price.' Had she? Had she? If I look back I am lost." - Dany VIII, AGoT

"If I look back I am lost," is ultimately Daenerys' admission, as well as her acceptance that she cannot undo what is done -- she can only move forward in survival.

"Khal Drogo writhed feebly as Rakharo and Quaro lowered him into the bath. 'No,' he muttered, 'no. Must ride.' Once in the water, all the strength seemed to leak out of him. 'Bring his horse,' Mirri Maz Duur commanded, and so it was done. Jhogo led the great red stallion into the tent... 'What do you mean to do?' Dany asked her. 'We need the blood,' Mirri answered. 'That is the way.'... 'This is bloodmagic,' he said. 'It is forbidden.' 'I am khaleesi, and I say it is not forbidden. In Vaes Dothrak, Khal Drogo slew a stallion and I ate his heart, to give our son strength and courage. This is the same. The same.'" "'Strength of the mount go into the rider,' Mirri sang as horse blood swirled into the waters of Drogo's bath. 'Strength of the beast, go into the man.'" - Dany VIII, AGoT

It is not until Drogo's 'strength' leaks out of him that Mirri calls for the blood of his horse. The blood, not the life. This language is intentionally misleading - while the blood bath is preparation for the sacrifice, it is not the sacrifice itself.

Later in Dany X, Mirri reiterates:

“'It is not enough to kill a horse,' she told Dany. 'By itself, the blood is nothing.'

Dany likens this blood exchange to eating the stallion's heart to give Rhaego 'strength,' after which Mirri explicitly directs the stallion's 'strength' into Drogo. The purpose of blood bathing in-world is explained through an anecdote from Samwell in Jon IV, AGoT:

'"...two men came to the castle, warlocks from Qarth with white skin and blue lips. They slaughtered a bull aurochs and made me bathe in the hot blood, but it didn't make me brave like they promised...'"

Ultimately, the blood bath is for show. Mirri is leaning into this misdirect in order to lull Daenerys into a false sense of security: that the sacrifice is a horse rather than her unborn child.

It is a flimsy sense of security, especially when Dany herself reflects:

"Only a horse, Dany thought. If she could buy Drogo's life with the death of a horse, she would pay a thousand times over." - Dany VIII, AGoT

This reflection should trigger alarm bells for Dany - how meaningful can a sacrifice be if it is one you would willingly 'pay a thousand times over'? It also contradicts Mirri's earlier revelation of having 'paid dearly' for the lesson. Still, Dany clings to the misdirect as a means of survival. If I look back I am lost.

"She sent her handmaids away. 'Go with them, Silver Lady,' Mirri Maz Duur told her. 'I will stay,' Dany said. 'The man took me under the stars and gave life to the child inside me. I will not leave him.' - Dany VIII, AGoT

(Note the sting of hindsight tragedy in Dany saying that Drogo gave life to the child inside her - only for her to surrender that life back to him.)

"'You must. Once I begin to sing, no one must enter this tent. My song will wake powers old and dark. The dead will dance here this night. No living man must look upon them.' Dany bowed her head, helpless. 'No one will enter.' She bent over the tub, over Drogo in his bath of blood, and kissed him lightly on the brow. 'Bring him back to me,' she whispered to Mirri Maz Duur before she fled." - Dany VIII, AGoT

Mirri explicitly establishes that the ritual starts when she begins to sing. Her song is her invocation. Her invitation to death to administer the sacrifice.

"Mirri Maz Duur's voice rose to a high ululating wail that sent a shiver down Dany's back. Some of the Dothraki began to mutter and back away. The tent aglow with the light of braziers within. Through the blood-spattered sandsilk, she glimpsed shadows moving. Mirri Maz Duur was dancing, and not alone." - Dany VIII, AGoT

As Mirri begins to sing, kicking off the ritualistic sacrifice of Rhaego within Daenerys' womb, Dany experiences an immediate and palpable physical response - a response that grows in intensity as Mirri's song builds:

"Inside Dany's womb, her son kicked wildly...Dany felt a sharp pain in her belly, a wetness on her thighs...The Dothraki were shouting, Mirri Maz Duur wailing inside the tent like nothing human...Dany cried out for help, but no one heard...'no, please, stop it, it's too high, the price is too high.'...she tried to rise, and agony seized her and squeezed her like a giant's fist. The breath went out of her; it was all she could do to gasp. The sound of Mirri Maz Duur's voice was like a funeral dirge. Inside the tent, shadows whirled...She convulsed in his arms as the pain took her again...another pain grasped her, and Dany bit back a scream. It felt as if her son had a knife in each hand, as if he were hacking at her to cut his way out...when she opened her mouth a great wail of pain escaped, and the sweat broke over her skin. What was wrong with them? Couldn't they see? Inside the tent the shapes were dancing, circling the brazier and the bloody bath, dark against the sandsilk, and some did not look human. She glimpsed the shadow of a great wolf, and another like a man wreathed in flames...the sound of Mirri Maz Duur's voice grew louder, until it filled the world. The shapes! she screamed. The dancers!" - Dany VIII, AGoT

While the fandom largely accepts this passage as Dany experiencing a trauma-induced early labor, I do not.

Dany's pain builds and evolves alongside Mirri's song. 'The sound of Mirri Maz Duur's voice was like a funeral dirge...another pain grasped her...as if her son had a knife in each hand, as if he were hacking at her to cut his way out.' Mirri's song is a funeral dirge - calling out for Rhaego's death - and Rhaego violently responds. This is more than labor - this is death reaching inside Dany's womb to take the life within her. It is also the reason why Daenerys is able to see death's shadows - she is, in this particular moment, one with death.

The passage culminates with Mirri's song filling the world - as Rhaego succumbs to sacrifice.

"'You knew,' Dany said when they were gone. She ached, inside and out, but her fury gave her strength. 'You knew what I was buying, and you knew the price, and yet you let me pay it.' 'It was wrong of them to burn my temple,' the heavy, flat-nosed woman said placidly. 'That angered the Great Shepherd.' 'This is no god's work,' Dany said coldly. If I look back I am lost. 'You cheated me. You murdered my child within me.' 'The stallion who mounts the world will burn no cities now. His khalasar shall trample no nations into dust.'" - Dany IX, AGoT

When confronted, Mirri reveals her intent: to prevent the fulfilment of the Stallion Who Mounts the World prophecy. She sacrificed Rhaego knowing that the sacrifice would be insufficient to fully restore Drogo, eliminating the possibility of Rhaego being the stallion, as well as the potential for Drogo to father another child of prophecy. I will take this a step further by postulating that Mirri also intentionally sterilized Dany to prevent her from ever carrying another potential 'stallion.' In sterilizing Daenerys during a blood-sacrifice ritual, Mirri made an unintentional sacrifice of Dany's fertility to Viserion. (More on this later).

Of course, the great irony in all of Mirri's prophecy-prevention scheming is that her actions serve as the catalyst for Daenerys herself becoming the prophesized Stallion (aka Azor Ahai, aka The Promised Prince).

It is the loss of Rhaego and Mirri's lesson - 'only death may pay for life' - in conjunction with her earlier dragon dreams, which ultimately allow Daenerys to decipher the elements needed to birth her dragons and forge Lightbringer.

"A word and Dany could have her head off...yet then what would she have? A head? If life was worthless, what was death?" - Dany IX, AGoT

With this lesson in mind, Dany resolves to prepare her first sacrifice - Drogo.

"They led Khal Drogo back to her tent, and Dany commanded them to fill a tub, and this time there was no blood in the water. She bathed him herself... ...The memory of her first ride was with her when she led him out into the darkness, for the Dothraki believed that all things of importance in a man's life must be done beneath the open sky. She told herself that there were powers stronger than hatred, and spells older and truer than any the maegi had learned in Asshai. The night was black and moonless, but overhead a million stars burned bright. She took that for an omen... ...and when the bleak dawn broke over an empty horizon, Dany knew that he was truly lost to her. 'When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east,' she said sadly. 'When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When my womb quickens again, and I bear a living child. Then you will return, my sun-and-stars, and not before.' Never, the darkness cried, never never never. Inside the tent Dany found a cushion of soft silk stuffed with feathers. She clutched it to her breasts as she walked back out to Drogo, to her sun-and-stars. If I look back I am lost. It hurt to even walk, and she wanted to sleep, to sleep and not to dream. She knelt, kissed Drogo on the lips, and pressed the cushion down upon his face." - Dany IX, AGoT

This passage (and chapter) ends with the Dany, moon-of-my-life, kissing Drogo, sun-and-my-stars, thus initiating the prophesized return of the dragons - 'One day the other moon will kiss the sun too, and then it will crack and the dragons will return.'

Having begun her ritual and made her first sacrifice, Dany moves to constructing her sacred fire - Drogo's funeral pyre.

"Over the carcass of the horse, they built a platform of hewn logs...they laid the wood east to west, from sunrise to sunset. On the platform they piled Khal Drogo's treasures...another layer of brush was piled about the khal's treasures, and bundles of dried grass scattered over them... ...The third level of the platform was woven of branches no thicker than a finger, and covered with dry leaves and twigs. They laid the north to south, from ice to fire, and piled them high with soft cushions and sleeping silks." - Dany X, AGoT

While a pyre, by definition, is already sacred, this imagery of 'east to west, sunrise to sunset' and 'north to south, ice to fire' creates an invocation of sacred geometry often seen in ritualistic magic. Dany is building the first element required to birth dragons and forge Lightbringer: sacred fire.

It's also interesting that this language seemingly foreshadows a prophecy from Quaithe:

"'To go north you must journey south (north to south). To reach the west, you must go east (east to west)...'" - Dany III, ACoK

While the pyre is being built, Daenerys and Jorah have words:

"'You are my queen, my sword is yours, but do not ask me to stand aside as you climb on Drogo's pyre. I will not watch you burn.' 'Is that what you fear?' Dany kissed him lightly on his broad forehead. 'I am not such a child as that, sweet ser.' 'You do not mean to die with him? You swear it, my queen?' 'I swear it,' she said in the Common Tongue of the Seven Kingdoms that by rights were hers." - Dany X, AGoT

Here, Dany is demonstrating a clear understanding that surrendering herself to the flames will not end with her death, but instead with her rebirth.

She then thinks to herself:

"Forgive me, sun of my life, she thought. Forgive me for all I have done and must do. I paid the price, my star, but it was too high, too high..." - Dany X, AGoT

Bringing to mind the Davos passage referenced earlier:

"...A true sword of fire, now, that would be a wonder to behold. Yet at such a cost…when he thought of Nissa Nissa, it was his own Marya he pictured…the best woman in the world. He tried to picture himself driving a sword through her, and shuddered. I am not made of the stuff of heroes, he decided. If that was the price of a magic sword, it was more than he cared to pay.” - Davos I, ACoK

The next step in Dany's ritual is to place the dragon's eggs on the pyre:

"'They were not given to me to sell,' Dany told him. She climbed the pyre herself to place the eggs around her sun-and-stars. The black beside his heart, under his arm. The green beside his head, his braid coiled around it. The cream-and-gold down between his legs." - Dany X, AGoT

The placement and color of the eggs are the first indicators of the future themes and narrative roles associated with each of the dragons: Legacy, Opposition, Lightbringer.

Drogon's egg is placed next to Drogo's heart, under his arm. The heart is associated with courage and destiny, which is thematically similar to the mythos of the forging of Lightbringer, wherein Nissa Nissa is stabbed through the heart, and her courage and strength merge with the 'steel.' That the egg is tucked under Drogo's arm speaks to Drogon, as Lightbringer, being Dany's support, propping her up in the fight for the dawn.

Drogon's egg is black and red - black being associated with protection, power, and death; red being associated with action, strength, and passion. Themes which also align with the mythos and role of Lightbringer - of the heart and destiny.

Rhaegal's egg is placed next to Drogo's head, with his braid coiled around it. The head is associated with cognition, lessons, and wisdom, and it is a notably common theme for the head (Rhaegal) and the heart (Drogon) to be in opposition of one another. Drogo's braid, a symbol of his violence and prowess in battle, being coiled around Rhaegal's egg also feels significant.

Rhaegal's egg is green and bronze - green being associated with both greed and envy, as well as growth (lessons) and healing. Bronze, an alloy of copper, tin, and silver, is a metal whose components are symbolically oppositional. This is because copper is associated with fire and the sun, while tin and silver are associated with water and the moon.

Furthermore, in looking at Drogon, who is black, and Rhaegal, who is green, there is a potential callback to the factions of the Dance of the Dragons - team black and team green. This may further foreshadow opposition between Drogon (the heart) and Rhaegal (the head).

Consider this excerpt from Dany I, ASoS:

"As his sharp black teeth snapped shut around it, Rhaegal's head darted close, as if to steal the prize from his brother's jaws, but Drogon swallowed and screamed, and the smaller green dragon could only hiss in frustration... 'Stop that, Rhaegal,' Dany said in annoyance, giving his head a swat. 'You had the last one. I'll have no greedy dragons.'

Finally, Viserion's egg is placed between Drogo's legs - in his groin. The groin is associated with virility, passion, fertility, and reproduction - legacy. This symbolism is particularly poignant in the context of my earlier assertion - that Mirri intentionally sterilized Daenerys and in doing so, inadvertently made a sacrifice of Dany's fertility to none other than Viserion.

Viserion's egg is cream and gold - cream, or white, being associated with purity and innocence, and gold being associated with prestige, prosperity, abundance, and light. Purity and innocence align with the theme of fertility, while gold aligns with the theme of a New Dawn - legacy.

It is my belief that, since the days of Old Valyria, in order for a dragon to produce a fertilized clutch of eggs, they must be bonded with a Valyrian women. Meaning it is the bond itself that quickens the eggs. This fertility reliance allowed the Valyrians to monopolize dragons through reproduction. That Rhaenyra and Daenerys gave birth to dragon-human hybrid infants seemingly confirms a fertility connection between Valyrian women and dragons.

While I believe that Mirri intentionally sterilized Dany as she sacrificed Rhaego, I do not believe she had any awareness beforehand that a) Rhaego was a hybrid dragon baby, and b) there is a complex magical connection between Dany's fertility and dragons. Lacking this knowledge, and performing sterilization during a blood sacrifice, Mirri unknowingly and unintentionally made a sacrifice of Dany's fertility.

During Daenerys' fevered dragon dream she experiences:

"...a terrible burning in her womb. Her son was tall and proud, with Drogo's copper skin and her own silver-gold hair, violet eyes shaped like almonds. He smiled for her and began to lift his hand toward hers, but when he opened his mouth the fire poured out. She saw his heart burning through his chest, and in an instant he was gone, consumed like a moth by a candle, turned to ash." - Dany IX, AGoT

The terrible burning in her womb is the moment in which Mirri sacrifices Dany's fertility. The burning is immediately followed by a vision of Rhaego, breathing fire, then disappearing - Dany's only future children, her truest legacy, will be her dragons.

Mirri all but confirms Dany's sterilization when she flippantly and cruelly tells her that Drogo will return as he was when 'her womb quickens again, and she bears a living child.' Mirri knows this cannot happen because she herself ensured it.

Upon waking from the sacrifice of both Rhaego and her fertility, it is Viserion's egg that she clings to:

"When she woke a third time, a shaft of golden sunlight was pouring through the smoke hole of the tent, and her arms were wrapped around a dragon's egg. It was the pale one, its scales the color of buttercream, veined with whorls of gold and bronze, and Dany could feel the heat of it. Beneath her bedsilks, a fine sheen of perspiration covered her bare skin. Dragondew, she thought. Her fingers trailed lightly across the surface of the shell, tracing wisps of gold, and deep in the stone she felt something twist and stretch in response. It did not frighten her. All her fear was gone, burned away." - Dany IX, AGoT

It is Viserion who stretches in response to Dany's touch after the sacrifice of her fertility. And while she notes that Drogon and Rhaegal's eggs feel warm, she makes no mention of them stretching or stirring:

"Ser Jorah and Mirri Maz Duur entered a few moments later, and found Dany standing over the other dragon's eggs, the two still in their chest. It seemed to her that they felt as hot as the one she had slept with, which was passing strange." - Dany IX, AGoT

The eggs being warm is not a wholly new experience for Daenerys. She has been attuning herself to the kinetic life trapped in stone throughout her arc in AGoT, alongside her dragon dreams. She feels heat, and even sees visual auras, but she has never felt them move:

"She touched one, the largest of the three, running her hand lightly over the shell. Black and scarlet she thought, like the dragon in my dream. The stone felt strangely warm beneath her fingers." - Dany III, AGoT

"As she let the door flap close behind her, Dany saw a finger of dusty red light reach out to touch her dragon's eggs across the tent. For an instant a thousand droplets of scarlet flame swam before her eyes. She blinked, and they were gone. Stone, she told herself. They are only stone, even Illyrio said so, the dragons are all dead. She put her palm against the black egg, fingers spread gently across the curve of the shell. The stone was warm. Almost hot. 'The sun,' Dany whispered. 'The sun warmed them as they rode.'" - Dany III, AGoT

"Irri fetched the egg with the deep green shell, bronze flecks shining amid its scales as she turned it in her small hands...She liked to hold them. They were so beautiful, and sometimes just being close to them made her feel stronger, braver, as if somehow she were drawing strength from the stone dragons locked inside." - Dany IV, AGoT

Daenerys could sense kinetic life within her eggs because they had been fertilized before turning to stone - by the bond between Rhaena and Dreamfyre. Assuming that Dany's eggs are the same eggs Elissa Farman stole from Dragonstone, then they would have been fertilized by the bond between Dreamfyre and Rhaena. However, having been taken so far from Dragonstone, Dreamfyre, and Rhaena, the eggs fossilized rather than hatched, trapping the dragons inside. Had the eggs not been fertilized, there would not have been any kinetic life for Daenerys to tap into - no stone dragons to wake.

Assuming then that Viserion stirs because Dany's fertility was sacrificed alongside Rhaego, the significance of Rhaego being a dragon-human hybrid cannot be overstated. The sacrifice of Dany's fertility, and by proxy, the sacrifice of Rhaego, freeing Viserion of the fertility reliance unites the dragon-woman fertility exploitation in liberation. Meaning that from her hatching, Viserion is born free of a fertility reliance - she does not require a human bond in order to produce fertilized eggs. In this way, Viserion is a beacon of dragon-liberation...

"Viserion had shattered one chain and melted the others, she clung to the roof of the pit like some huge white bat, her claws dug deep into the burnt and crumbling bricks... ...When she flapped her wings, a cloud of grey ash filled the air. Broken chains clanked and clattered about her legs." - ADwD, Dany VIII

And again, in the Dragontamer chapter of ADwD:

"'I thought there were two?' Viserion. Yes. Where is Viserion? The prince lowered his torch to throw some light into the gloom below...Shattered links were strewn across the floor of the pit amongst the blackened bones - twists of metal, partly melted. Rhaegal was chained to the wall and the floor the last time I was here, the prince recalled, but Viserion hung from the ceiling. Quentyn stepped back, lifted the torch, craned his neck back... ...Viserion launched herself from the ceiling, pale leather wings unfolding, spreading wide. The broken chain dangling from her neck swung wildly...the dragon turned back toward the Windblown and lurched for the door..."

Liberatory imagery aside, ADwD supports the sacrifice of Dany's fertility to Viserion in two ways - while Dany is having a miscarriage in the Dothraki Sea, Viserion is back in Meereen showing signs of nesting:

"For a moment he saw only the blackened arches of the bricks above, scorched by dragonflame. A trickle of ash caught his eye, betraying movement. Something pale, half-hidden, stirring. She's made herself a cave, the prince realized. A burrow in the brick...Viserion had dug herself a hole in the walls with flame and claw, a hole big enough to sleep in. - Dragontamer, ADwD

A burrow large enough to nest in.

Meanwhile, Daenerys is in the Dothraki Sea showing signs of miscarriage:

"When she woke, gasping, her thighs were slick with blood. For a moment she did not realize what it was. The world had just begun to lighten, and the tall grass rustled softly in the wind. No, please, let me sleep more. I'm so tired. She tried to burrow back beneath the pile of grass she had torn up when she went to sleep. Some of the stalks felt wet. Had it rained again? She sat up, afraid that she had soiled herself as she slept. When she brought her fingers to her face, she could smell the blood on them. Am I dying? Then she saw the pale crescent moon, floating high above the grass and it came to her that this was no more than her moon blood. If she had not been so sick and scared, that might have come as a relief. Instead she began to shiver violently. She rubbed her fingers through the dirt, and grabbed a handful of grass to wipe between her legs. The dragon does not weep. She was bleeding, but it was only woman's blood. The moon is still a crescent, though. How can that be? She tried to remember the last time she had bled. The last full moon? The one before? The one before that? No, it cannot have been so long as that.... ...it seemed to her that the cramping had grown worse...She saw fresh blood on her thighs. The ragged hem of her undertunic was stained with it. The sight of so much blood frightened her. Moon blood, it's only my moon blood, but she did not remember ever having such a heavy flow." - Dany X, ADwD

That both Viserion and Daenerys are described in these passages as 'burrowing,' which is synonymous with nesting, feels very significant.

Even more telling is that in this same passage, there are themes of legacy and liberation:

'I am blood of the dragon,' she told the grass, aloud. Once, the grass whispered back, until you chained your dragons in the dark. ...'I will never have a little girl. I was the Mother of Dragons.' Aye, the grass said, but you turned against your children." - Dany X, ADwD

The irony here is palpable - Viserion is Dany's little 'girl' - the liberatory beacon of Daenerys' legacy.

Returning to the pyre ritual in Dany X, AGoT:

"The godswife did not cry out as they dragged her to Khal Drogo's pyre and staked her down amidst his treasures. Dany poured the oil over the woman's head herself. 'I thank you, Mirri Maz Duur,' she said, 'for the lessons you have taught me.' 'You will not hear me scream,' Mirri responded as the oil dripped from her hair and soaked her clothing. 'I will,' Dany said, 'but it is not your screams I want, only your life. I remember what you told me. Only death can pay for life.' Mirri Maz Duur opened her mouth but made no reply. As she stepped away, Dany saw that the contempt was gone from the maegi's flat black eyes; in its place was something that might have been fear. Then there was nothing to be done but watch the sun and look for the first star. - Dany X, AGoT

Here Daenerys begins her second sacrifice - that of Mirri Maz Duur. It is essential that Daenerys 'poured the oil' herself; this is her ritual, and it needs to be backed up with her intent.

Dany repeatedly associates Mirri with 'lessons,' which, as discussed earlier, is a theme associated with Rhaegal both in terms of the placement of his egg (the head), and his coloring (green).

This is also the moment that Mirri realizes that Daenerys does know what she is doing with this ritual...it is the first time Mirri doubts herself for the choices she has made. It is not that she fears death - it is that she fears she has accelerated the very prophecy she meant to halt.

"Jhogo spied it first. 'There,' he said in a hushed voice. Dany looked and saw it, low in the east. The first star was a comet, burning red. Bloodred; fire red; the dragon's tail. She could not have asked for a stronger sign. Dany took the torch from Aggo's hand and thrust it between the logs. The oil took the fire at once, the brush and dried grass a heartbeat later..." - Dany X, AGoT

Again, it is essential that Daenerys herself lit the pyre - her ritual, her intent. None of this is happenstance. Daenerys is making intentional and active choices as she performs her ritual.

"Dany's lips parted and she found herself holding her breath. Part of her wanted to go to him and Ser Jorah had feared, to rush into the flames to beg for his forgiveness and take him inside her one last time, the fire melting the flesh from their bones until they were one, forever." - Dany X, AGoT

This clearly demonstrates Dany's understanding that there is a specific moment in which she needs to walk into the pyre: after the second hatching, because she herself is the third and final sacrifice.

"She had sensed the truth of it long ago, Dany thought as she took a step closer to the conflagration, but the brazier had not been hot enough. The flames writhed before her like the women who had danced at her wedding, whirling and singing and spinning their yellow and orange and crimson veils, fearsome to behold, yet lovely, so lovely, alive with heat. Dany opened her arms to them, her skin flushed and glowing. This is a wedding, too, she thought. Mirri Maz Duur had fallen silent. The godswife thought her a child, but children grow, and children learn." - Dany X, AGoT

Like Azor Ahai, Daenerys learns, through trial and error, that sacred fire alone is not sufficient to forge Lightbringer (or hatch dragons).

Her conceptualizing the pyre as a wedding (Bride of Fire) adds to the sanctity of the pyre.

And again - Mirri, like Rhaegal, is thematically associated with growth and lessons.

"Another step and Dany could feel the heat of the sand on the soles of her feet, even through her sandals...the flames were so beautiful, the loveliest things she had ever seen...She saw a horse, a great grey stallion limned in smoke, it's flowing mane a nimbus of blue flame. Yes, my love, my sun-and-stars, yes, mount now, ride now... ...Now, she thought, now. And for an instant she glimpsed Khal Drogo before her, mounted on his smoky stallion, a flaming lash in his hand. He smiled, and the whip snaked down at the pyre, hissing. She heard a crack, the sound of shattering stone. The platform of wood and brush and grass began to shift and collapse in upon itself. Bits of burning wood slid down at her, and Dany was showered with ash and cinders. And something else came crashing down, bouncing and rolling, to land at her feet; a chunk of curved rock, pale and veined with gold, broken and smoking." - Dany X, AGoT

This passage explicitly connects Drogo's sacrifice to the hatching of Viserion. This establishes that the first hatching is associated with Dany's first sacrifice - meaning that there is an identifiable order and process to the outcome of this ritual.

Drogo's sacrifice was one that Daenerys made out of love and mercy, but it is not one that had consent - it was not a willing sacrifice. While sacred fire and blood sacrifice were sufficient to birth a dragon - only death can pay for life - they were insufficient to forge Lightbringer. Thus, Viserion is the first 'failed' forging of Lightbringer.

That Viserion goes on to be Dany's most affectionate child speaks to her having been born of Daenerys' mercy. Her hatching was born of love, and this is reflected in her personality.

There is immense bittersweet poetry in Viserion being brought forth through the sacrifice of Drogo(/Rhaego) and Dany's own fertility, to then become the literal Mother of Dragons - the lasting legacy of Daenerys Targaryen, the Lady of Light. Viserion will have the children that Daenerys (and Drogo) could not.

Similarly, Viserion will do what Viserys, her namesake, could not - carry on the Dragon's legacy.

"'The cream and gold I call Viserion. Viserys was cruel and weak and frightened, yet he was my brother still. His dragon will do what he could not.'" - Dany I, ACoK

Furthermore, 'Viserys,' is the masculine 'Visenya.' Had it not been for male primogeniture, Visenya would have been ruling queen over Aegon - she was the eldest. Viserion is also the eldest of the dragons, she hatched first. Her becoming the 'queen' of a New Dawn of liberated dragons course-corrects the wrongs of male primogeniture down the Targaryen line.

"Her vest had begun to smolder, so Dany shrugged it off and let it fall to the ground. The painted leather burst into sudden flame as she skipped closer to the fire, her breasts bare to the blaze, streams of milk flowing from her red and swollen nipples." - Dany X, AGoT

Here Daenerys recreates Nissa Nissa 'bearing her breast' in willing self-sacrifice.

Then:

"The roaring filled the world, yet dimly through the firefall Dany heard women shriek and children cry out in wonder." - Dany X, AGoT

Invoking an earlier Davos excerpt:

"...A true sword of fire, now, that would be a wonder to behold." - Davos I, ACoK

The dragons are repeatedly referred to as 'wonders' throughout the series.

“'Beware…of all. They shall come day and night to see the wonder that has been born again into the world...'” - Dany II, aCoK

“In all the world there were but three living dragons, and those were hers; they were a wonder, and a terror, and beyond price.” - Dany I, aSoS

“'…sailors back from the Jade Sea report that a three-headed dragon has hatched in Qarth, and is the wonder of that city.'” - Tyrion III, aSoS

“'When your dragons were small, they were a wonder.'” - Dany III, aDwD

“'Dragons and darker things…the grey sheep have closed their eyes, but the mastiff sees the truth. Old powers waken. Shadows stir. An age of wonder and terror will soon be upon us, an age for gods and heroes.'” - Prologue, aFfC

“'Once a man has seen a dragon in flight, let him stay at home and tend his garden in content…for this wide world has no greater wonder.'” - Tyrion IV, aDwD

“'We’ll see these dragons and all the wonders of the world.'” - Davos II, aDwD

That Lightbringer is described as a 'wonder to behold' is not coincidental.

Returning to the pyre:

"Only death can pay for life. And there came a second crack, loud and sharp as thunder, and the smoke stirred and whirled around her and the pyre shifted, the logs exploding as the fire touched their secret hearts." - Dany X, AGoT

Here we get Dany reflecting on Mirri's lesson - only death can pay for life - followed immediately by the second hatching. Just as the first sacrifice correlated with the first hatching, the second sacrifice - Mirri - correlates with the second hatching - Rhaegal.

We later receive explicit textual confirmation that Mirri was a sacrifice for a dragon in the House of the Undying visions:

"...Mirri Maz Duur shrieked in the flames, a dragon bursting from her brow..." - Dany IV, ACoK

Both Mirri and Rhaegal are thematically associated with lessons, but also themes of healing or healers - green being associated with healing, where Mirri herself is a healer.

Again, while sacred fire and blood sacrifice were sufficient to bring forth a living dragon, Rhaegal's hatching lacks the element of willing self-sacrifice - making him the second failed attempt to forge Lightbringer.

Where Drogo was sacrificed of Dany's mercy, Mirri is sacrificed of Dany's vengeance. While Viserion, born of mercy, is affectionate and loving, Rhaegal, born of retribution, is more aggressive and temperamental, seemingly attuned to Dany's anger. I believe that this pretext primes Rhaegal to be oppositional toward Daenerys. Not because he 'hates' her, but because he, like Mirri, exists narratively to teach her (painful) lessons - a dragon should not be chained, tamed, or otherwise enslaved, not even to their mothers. I see him doing this by choosing his own rider, likely one with enmity toward Daenerys.

Recall that this conflict is further reinforced by egg placement - with Drogon, the heart, being at odds with Rhaegal, the head, as well as Rhaegal's bronze coloring being symbolically conflicted.

There is also a bit of foreshadowing in the text:

"I have the dragons. The dragons are all the difference. She stroked Rhaegal. The green dragon closed his teeth around the meat of her finger and nipped hard." - Dany III, ACoK

Dany thinks 'I have the dragons' and Rhaegal seems to say, 'are you sure?'

Rhaegal's priming for disconnect and opposition toward Dany is reinforced in his namesake, Rhaegar, being the only one of the three namesakes that Daenerys did not personally know. It also creates a thematic connection between Rhaegal and Young Griff, the supposed son of Rhaegar - the Mummer's Dragon. A mummer 'gives the hero something to fight' - in this case, the hero being Daenerys (and Drogon).

A connection between Rhaegal and Young Griff brings us back to the black and green color symbolism between Drogon and Rhaegal - a potential second Dance of Dragons. Drogon and Daenerys being 'the blacks,' where Rhaegal and Young Griff are 'the greens.'

Should something of this nature unfold, I could see a tragic callback to Vermithor and Silverwing between Rhaegal and Viserion, who I very much believe to be a bonded pair. According to Fire and Blood, the singers say that after Vermithor had been slain, Silverwing descended from the sky at nightfall to lay beside him. Songs tell of her attempting to lift Vermithor's wings three times with her snout, as if to make him fly again. At sunrise, Silverwing took 'listlessly' to the skies, ultimately retiring to a small island in the Red Lake. In the case of Rhaegal and Viserion, I see this being the catalyst for Viserion retreating to the Mother of Mountains (which is where I believe she will retire for nesting and reproduction by the end of the series).

"She heard the screams of frightened horses, and the voices of the Dothraki raised in shouts of fear and terror, and Ser Jorah calling her name and cursing. No, she wanted to shout to him, no, my good knight, do not fear for me. The fire is mine. I am Daenerys Stormborn, daughter of dragons, bride of dragons, mother of dragons, don't you see? Don't you SEE? With a belch of flame and smoke that reached thirty feet into the sky, the pyre collapsed and came down around her. Unafraid, Dany stepped forward into the firestorm, calling to her children. The third crack was as loud and sharp as the breaking of the world." - Dany X, AGoT

'Do not fear for me,' demonstrates Dany's knowledge that this is the precise moment in which she must step forward in self-sacrifice and rebirth. She is the third sacrifice, the third forging. In this moment, she is Nissa Nissa, breasts bared for sacrifice. The crack in response to Dany's sacrifice is described as the 'breaking of the world,' where Nissa Nissa's sacrifice is said to have 'cracked the moon.'

She is 'unafraid' because her dragon dreams have already shown her what will happen:

"There was only her and the dragon. Its scales were black as night, wet and slick with blood. Her blood, Dany sensed. Its eyes were pools of molten magma, and when it opened its mouth, the flame came roaring out in a hot jet. She could hear it singing to her. She opened her arms to the fire, embraced it, let it swallow her whole, let it cleanse her and temper her and scour her clean. She could feel her flesh sear and blacken and slough away, could feel her blood boil and turn to steam, and yet there was no pain. She felt strong and new and fierce." - Dany III, AGoT

She dreams of Drogon, specifically, covered in her blood. Born of her self-sacrifice. The Red Sword of Heroes:

"'...her blood and her soul and her strength and her courage all went into the steel...such is the tale of the forging of Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes.'" - Davos I, ACoK

Then she dreams:

"A great knife of pain ripped down her back, and she felt her skin tear open and smelled the stench of burning blood and saw the shadow of wings. And Daenerys Targaryen flew. '...wake the dragon...'" - Dany IX, AGoT

These dreams demonstrate Daenerys functioning in three specific capacities - Nissa Nissa, Lightbringer, and Azor Ahai. Child of Three.

First, Drogon is covered in her blood - her sacrifice. She then 'opens her arms to the fire,' embracing it - in parallel to Nissa Nissa embracing the sword.

She dreams of 'waking the dragon' - becoming the dragon. When she walks into the pyre, what was Daenerys Targaryen is sacrificed to the flames, merging with Drogon, to forge an otherworldly weapon of light and hope - Lightbringer.

She is then reborn - 'strong and new and fierce' - as Azor Ahai.

"'The frightened child who sheltered at my manse died on the Dothraki Sea and was reborn in blood and fire.'" - Tyrion, ADwD

Daenerys and Drogon are one, connected at a soul level.

"Dany and Drogon screamed as one." - Dany IX, ADwD

They scream as one, despite not yet being bonded as dragon-rider. Something else connects them. Something deeper, stronger, and more magical.

"In the smoldering red pits of Drogon's eyes, Dany saw her own reflection. How small she looked, how weak and frail and scared." - Dany IX, ADwD

Here Dany is quite literally seeing the part of herself that was sacrificed to Drogon.

After she bonds with Drogon as his rider, she thinks:

"On Drogon's back she felt whole." - Dany X, ADwD

Similar to how Viserion will do what Viserys could not, Drogon will accomplish what Drogo never could have - guiding and protecting Daenerys on the path to her greater destiny as the 'Lady of Light and Hope.' The herald of a New Dawn and the restoration of balance between the seasons. Drogo would have deterred Dany from her greater purpose. The farthest he would have carried her would have been the Iron Throne, the ultimate red herring of the series.

"When the fire died at last and the ground became cool enough to walk upon, Ser Jorah Mormont found her amidst the ashes, surrounded by blackened logs and bit of glowing ember and the burnt bones of man woman and stallion. She was naked, covered with soot, her clothes turned to ash, her beautiful hair all crisped away...yet she was unhurt." - Dany X, AGoT

She is as naked and bald as the day she was first born. Amidst the smoke of the pyre, and the salt of Dany's tears as they turned to steam, Azor Ahai is born again.

"The cream and gold dragon was suckling at her left breast, the green and bronze at her right. Her arms cradled them close. The black and scarlet beast was draped across her shoulders, its long sinuous neck coiled under her chin... ...As Daenerys Targaryen rose to her feet, her black hissed, pale smoke venting from its mouth and nostrils. The other two pulled away from her breasts and added their voices to the call, translucent wings unfolding and stirring the air, and for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive with the music of dragons." - Dany X, AGoT

The placement of the dragons in this scene supports the order in which they hatched. Viserion and Rhaegal hatched before Daenerys walked into the pyre - she calls to them as she steps forward. Their placement suggests that they came when called and took to nursing, during which Drogon, having hatched last, landed on her shoulder.

IN SUM:

Daenerys recreates the conditions required to forge Lightbringer - sacred fire, blood, and willing self-sacrifice - in her ritual to birth the dragons

She is the Child of Three - functioning as Nissa Nissa, Lightbringer, and Azor Ahai

Viserion and Rhaegal are the failed forgings of Lightbringer

Viserion is Legacy: born of mercy (and fertility). She will live on to be the literal Mother of Dragons - the Ivory Empress of the New Dawn, nesting atop the Mother of Mountains. Her children will be born free of bloodmagic and fertility bonds, to maintain the necessary magical homeostasis between ice and fire

Rhaegal is Opposition: born of vengeance and painful lessons, Rhaegal is primed to take an oppositional stance in Dany's story

Drogon is Lightbringer: born of willing self-sacrifice, Drogon will guide and protect Daenerys as she fulfills her greater purpose

Collectively, these three - Legacy, Opposition, Lightbringer (LOL) - form the three-headed dragon, the Lady of Light (LOL) - Daenerys Targaryen ('Dae' is Korean for 'shining one' or 'great one,' while 'Nerys' is Welsh for 'Lady' - The Shining Lady, the Lady of Light)

[artist-ellen]

Book 1, the Targaryen / Dothraki alliance

Much like the Stark family portrait there's this sad nostalgia felt when looking back at all these doomed characters. I mean I was cheering when a certain brother died but still, the road ahead of them is dangerous.

I am the artist! Do not post without permission & credit! Thank you! Come visit me over on: instagram, tiktok or check out my first coloring book, available now \ („• ֊ •„) /

[davinamikaelsonalwaysandforever]

Jon Snow is quite literally narratively haunted by the dead:

His bio dad got his chest smashed in by his cousin's hammer because he stole his lady love.

His mother, he dosen't know about, died giving birth to him.

His stepdad got beheaded as a traitor, which set off the War of the five Kings.

His girlfriend died in his arms after telling him he knows nothing. ironic.

His sister Rhaenys was stabbed to death, and his brother Aegon got his head smashed in by the Mountain. His other brother/cousin Robb went out via Red Wedding style, as did his wolf, whom Robb likely warged into after his death, so technically he died twice. All of them died because of Tywin Lannister.

His two stepmothers (Elia and Catelyn) were brutally murdered on the Lanaisters behalf, with one of them currently haunting the narrative as the Walking Dead via Lady Stoneheart.

His grandfather, Rickard, was killed by his grandfather, Aerys, as was his uncle Brandon, which set off a rebellion.

His grandmother died giving birth to his aunt, Daenerys.

His uncle Viserys was crowned by his uncle Drogo, who later got an infected wound and was mercy killed by his aunt Dany.

His cousin, Rhaego, was killed by a Maegi during a blood ritual to save his uncle. Their deaths were later used by auntie Dany to bring dragons back into the world.

His great-uncle, Aemon, died on a voyage to Oldtown, which Jon sent him on. On his last journey, Aemon at last saw the truth. His last act was trying to send help to his great-niece, Daenerys, to bring her home safely and make her understand that she and her dragons are the only hope against the coming great war for the dawn.

And now Jon Snow is dead as well, stapped by his own man, pending to be ressurected.

Wherever you look, death touches this character. If Daenerys Targaryen is the daughter of death, then Jon Snow is the son of death. Death shaped these two characters into who they are today. It's also why Jon is destined to be the King of Winter, with his Bride of Fire by his side. Together, they will defeat death and bring about the dawn of a new age.

“Old powers waken. Shadows stir. An age of wonder and terror will soon be upon us, and age for gods and heroes.“ -AFFC (GRRM)

[oananovicov]

"When they reached the door- a tall oval mouth, set in a wall fashioned in the likeness of a human face- the smallest dwarf Dany had ever seen was waiting on the threshold. He stood no higher than her knee, his face pinched and pointed, snoutish, but he was dressed in a delicate livery of purple and blue,and his tiny pink hands held a silver tray. Upon it rested a slender crystal glass filled with a thick blue liquid: shade of the evening, the wine of warlocks."Take and drink",urged Pyat Pree."

ACOK- Dany IV

[llonelygoddess]

How they react to...You being good with a sword

A/N: Not my best work but I'm open to feedback!

Characters: Ned Stark, Margaery Tyrell, Sandor Clegane, Sansa Stark, Khal Drogo, Brienne of Tarth, Missandei, Podrick, Jorah Mormont

TW: Horny characters, violence?

Ned Stark: You'd both be out watching Robb, Jon, and Theon practicing with their swords in the court yard. Jon's kicking both of their asses and it's getting hard to watch so you excuse yourself from Ned's side. Walking down to the courtyard, you grab a sword and show them defensive and offensive positions. Ned almost objects as you begin but seeing his kids take your advice so seriously he smiles. If the boys can respect you as a teacher then so could he. Now, He didn't like the idea of you being in a situation where you have to use a sword but knowing you can wield one turns him on lol

Margaery Tyrell: In the life you'd live with Margaery it would be best to keep your talent hidden. It was scandal enough to be courting someone that wasn't a man, but if said person also brandished a sword it would be the hottest gossip of the city. So you save your skills for real emergencies and the first time Margaery sees this she is beyond confused and a little scared. In private she'll thank you for saving her and ask how you learned such a thing.

Sandor Clegane: This guy is the least phased. Like, he's definitely caught off guard by how skilled you are but not much surprises him anymore. He gives you tips every now and then but really believes in your capability. I like to think one of his favorite moments are after you both have had a good fight and you take turns taking care of each other. Wiping the wounds clean, covering them, and then taking a hot bath together ( or separate cause mans is BIG).

Sansa Stark: It kinda depends on which era of Sansa we're talking about. Like if it's younger Sansa than she's probably a little frightened of you but would be dying to hear the stories of how you came to be so good. If it was older Sansa then she's highly impressed and requests for you to be apart of her personal guard. She likely will ask for you to teach her a few things so she can defend herself as well.

Khal Drogo: Man is impressed. He values strength so seeing you with a weapon at all riles him up, but seeing you defend yourself from another Dothraki who spoke against you? He's immediately dragging your ass to bed, or he might just take you in front of everyone.

Brienne of Tarth: <3 Big heart eyes<3 Finally! Someone who can keep up with her. This woman spent her whole life being told that anyone who wasn't a man couldn't possibly wield a sword properly, and after proving that wrong herself it's refreshing to see you also beating the stereotypes. She loves to train with you and teach you things as well as learn from you. After your first real battle together she'll do her best not to hover but you can tell she's stressed out about whether you were hurt or not. Of course she knows you can take care of yourself but she loves you and can't help but worry.

Missandei: As an educated woman and former slave, Missandei never had time ( or the desire) to learn the ways of a sword. When she met you, you were training with Jorah and Grey Worm and she was impressed with how you could keep up with them. From then on, She's always enjoyed watching you train, your strength filling her with pride. She feels content knowing that you can defend yourself and her at any moment.

Podrick: Honestly, he's relieved. I mean, don't get me wrong he'll defend you without a second thought ( it's very hot) but knowing that you can handle yourself in a fight takes the pressure off of him a little. He worries for you, the world you both live in will eat and spit people out and the thought of something happening to you haunts him. He may try to give you tips ( even if you're better than him lol), so just let him help the few ways he can.

Jorah Mormont: You'd both probably meet while working for Daenerys so there's almost an expectation that you'd be good at defending yourself/her. In your first fight together you save him from a sword that nearly took his head off and after that day he begins to see you as more than just another guard.

[fall3nangel333]

season 1 daenerys you’ll always be famous