#hotd episode 10

[mllemarianne]

The green council in season 2, probably

Alicent: Rhaenys could have barbecued our asses but she didn’t. There is hope for peace!

Otto: Daemon was about to carve me like a pumpkin but Rhaenyra stopped him. She shed a tear when she saw the page. She is considering our terms!

Aegon II: Great job avoiding civil war guys!

Aemond just getting back from Storm’s End:

[hollandwhore]

me after the finale:

[paparinka]

Rhaenyra & Luke 💔

I'm completely, endlessly destroyed by these two...

[bittersweetarts]

Little Lamb - Aemond Targaryen x Reader (Chapter 4)

Aemond Targaryen x You –  Chapter 1 , Chapter 2, Chapter 3

Word count: 2671 words

Summary: As a maiden of a noble house, it is your duty to wed well. But how will you manage to, with a curious and possessive Prince in the picture?

WARNINGS: Angst, misogynistic behaviour (quite sexist), dubious consent

Spotify Playlist – AO3 Page

Chapter 4: Morning Sins

From a young age, you were taught that lives are like candle flames, easily snuffed out by errant winds. You were also taught by the Septons back home that sinners who do not repent their transgressions are sent to the Seven Hells, but you could not bring yourself to feel regret or desire atonement for your wrongdoing.

Here you were, alone in bed with a man you were unmarried to. And worst of all, you did not feel afraid or forced, but worryingly, almost at peace. Wrapped in warmth, you found yourself in a dangerous position, with the Prince Aemond bare-chested, holding you tightly while asleep, still and discreet. You watched his bare chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm, and when you looked up at his face, you could not help but flush.

There was something so tragically beautiful about his features. You could not help but find his scar handsome, as it seeped beyond the confides of his black leather eye patch. It did not ruin his countenance, but rather made it bewitching. When you first laid, he refused to remove the covering, and you could not help but feel culpable, for you knew that he kept it on for your benefit. He was here trying to make you feel at ease, meanwhile you were here trying to distract him from murdering a person in cold blood.

Although you went to bed late and you were tired, you still woke early, as you always do. The chirping of nuthatch birds before dawn wakes you every morning, and today was no exception. Now, you contemplated how to proceed.

His Grace laid so gently, and you did not have the heart to wake him from his peaceful sleep. Instead, you watched him and tried to muster the will to remove yourself. It had proven to be a difficult task.

The room was still dark, and you were dressed in the previous nights attire. You were not ready to don your evening wear in front of the Prince, and he did not acknowledge the matter either. Your corset, though loose, was still constraining, and you felt sweaty, ready to change into something cleaner.

Carefully, you try to pull an arm of his away. The hold on you only tightened, and you feel a face burrow into your neck. His nose pressed onto a sensitive spot, breathing in deeply, making you sharply draw your breath. A voice mumbles into your ear.

“Sleep.”

“I cannot.”

“Why can’t you try?” His morning voice rasped, and you felt your resolve begin to slip.

Nevertheless, you had your duties, and you knew that you could not stay here forever. You tried again to push yourself up but failed once more, for the hold on you tightened further. His face shifted, and you felt warm lips press on your head.

“Stay, I command it,” Prince Aemond says, his voice lacking its usual authority.

“You know that I cannot, that we cannot.” You argue again, tilting your own face up to confront his. It felt intimate when your eyes met, and your resolve weakened further.

“It is treason to not listen to my orders.” He smiled as he spoke, his breath bating against your face. As you breathed, you could not stop from inhaling his. Tightening his grip and pressing his face against your hair, he hummed, holding you in place. Yes, you felt at peace, but you knew that it could not last.

“It is also treason for me to be here with you.” You weakly argue.

“No, it is not. You are serving the Crown, as you should.” His speech vibrates against your head, and he presses his firm body closer onto yours. You thought you might slip into delirium, yet did not, your innate stubbornness forcing through.

“It is, because it means that I am not with your family, serving them as I should.”

Sighing, the Prince lifted himself and partially released his grip on you. He still held you loosely though.

“I could arrange for someone else to complete your duties, you know,” he says nonchalantly. You frown in response, ignoring him, and pull yourself away. As you do, a chill creeps in.

While walking to your wardrobe, you feel his eye watching you attentively. Again, you ignore it, and begin to choose your attire. Turning around, your eyes meet his, gleaming with mischievousness. Impulsively, you speak in a demanding tone.

“Close your eye or turn around. I must change.” You pause for a moment, and quickly glance back at him, slightly bowing your head. “Your Grace.” This garners an endearing grin on his face.

You knew that logically, you should have gone to the washroom, but you also knew that if Aemond did not respect your request now, he would not have respected your privacy while changing there either. However, you also did not want to know whether he would actually heed your request, so you quickly turned back once more to change, trusting him despite instinct. You ignored pestering feelings of uneasiness.

Once changed, you turn back around, and see that the Prince had actually listened to you. Though the room is still dim, you can see his eye shut. You remained silent, out of nervousness perhaps, and watched him for a moment. Next to him, on your wooden bedside table, an object catches your eye: your hairbrush, which almost glistened in the dark. Instinctively, you touch your hair and realise how tangled it is. Your hair felt like a bird’s nest, and you internally groan.

Once again, logically, you should have informed the Prince that you were approaching towards him only to collect your belongings. Blaming sleep deprivation, you impulsively approach your bedside table, stepping lightly, and grab your brush, foolishly forgetting the Prince’s presence, which was an error on your part. His eye was still shut.

As you leaned down to grab the brush, you feel the chain around your neck tugged strongly from the side. Caught off balance, you feel yourself tilted to your right, and find yourself leaning over the Prince, who was sat upright with a smug smile. Before you realise, you are tugged forward once more, and the Prince pushes himself forward, so that your lips met. As your lips connect, Prince Aemond relinquishes the hold on your necklace, and positions a hand on your waist, holding you upright.

Shocked and wide eyed, you try to pull yourself away, but feel a hand roughly press against the base of your neck, pushing you back forward, and you are forced to kiss the Prince harder.

You hesitate at first, but the room has been uncharacteristically cold, meanwhile Aemond happened to be pleasantly warm. Without meaning, you found yourself melting into his lips, and your eyes fluttered shut. Your hands proceeded to move of their own volition, gliding through the Prince’s hair. As you combed through the soft strands, Prince Aemond releases a moan, and he quivers under your touch.

Instinctively, you pull on his hair, and in response, the Prince harshly bites on your lower lip. You let out a small cry, and as your mouth opens, the cruel Prince seizes it with his tongue, startling you back to your senses. This was beyond improper, and even more appalling was how you were practically falling to pieces with only a kiss. You tried pulling back from Aemond, but again, he pushed against the back of your neck. This time, however, you did not yield. Pulling a hand from his hair, you severely slap the Prince’s cheek.

The slap was hard and its sound echoed through the otherwise silent room. Fear possessed you, and by this point, you had found yourself straddling the Prince without intending to, except now that you had pulled away, you were just sat on his stomach, above him. You were frozen in fear, staring at his face, open mouthed, waiting for his rage to manifest.

But it did not. Instead, the rabid glint in the Prince’s violet eye resurfaced. Dramatically rubbing his cheek where you slapped him, the Prince appeared far from provoked. Rather, there was a look in his face that you could not understand, and his wicked smirk returned.

You knew that Prince Aemond was agile, but his speed never failed to take you by surprise. One moment you were staring down at him, and the next, you found yourself beneath him. The Prince had swiftly pulled you by the waist and flipped you over, pinning your wrists by your side. With a mischievous glint in his eye, the blonde hunched his back, leaning towards you, and he coarsely began whispering, sounding like a madman.

“When I slayed my first bastard nephew, my mother wept, declaring that I was cursed.”

You winced as he spoke, because truthfully, you believed the same. As a religious and family-orientated woman, you consider kinslaying to be one of the most egregious acts fathomable to commit, and this topic brought you great discomfort. You are unnecessarily reminded of how dangerous the Prince Aemond is, once more.

Letting go of a wrist, Aemond moved one of his hands to your hair, tucking a stray strand behind your ear, before gently caressing the side of your face. Your breathing had become rapid due to fear, but you still maintained eye contact with the Prince, in an attempt to convince him otherwise.

“I never did believe it. I have never been devout like that.”

The Prince leaned down to you, pressing his nose against your chest, taking a deep breath before trailing gentle kisses across. You could have sworn that he could feel your heart, for it was racing faster than it had ever before.

“You make me doubt myself otherwise, for how can I not be cursed, when you have become the bane of my existence, having done nothing to have earned it, but by simply existing in my proximity?”

As the Prince spoke, you shivered, and for a brief moment, you wondered whether he was going to actually kill you, because in contrast with his almost loving words, the hateful ferocity in his voice was evident more than ever before. But surely, if he had wanted to kill you, he would have done it by now. So, you try to summon what little bravery you have and attempt to sit up, ignoring his proclamation.

“You missed your calling as a poet, my Prince.”

Similarly, the one-eyed Prince chose to ignore both your words and action, opting instead to pin you down with his body weight. What you felt below was like nothing you have ever known before. Practically crushing you, the Prince continued.

“Tell me, my Lady. How have you managed to garner my devotion? Why is it you that made me pious for the first time in my life?” Your face flushes at his admission, and you feel more embarrassed than you had ever in your life.

As you stared at the Prince Aemond, you realised that his eye began to glow, not due to his fervour, but because dawn had broken, and sunlight began seeping into your room. You did not know what to do with his romantic edict, so you opted to disregard it.

Collecting your hands, you try pushing him away with all of your might. When the Prince finally rolls over, it was not because of your strength, but your adamancy. Quickly picking yourself up, you see the forgotten hairbrush and briskly sweep it through your curls.

“You are ridiculous.” You chime.

“Evidently ridiculous only for you.”

Aemond turned on his side, holding himself up with one of his arms, observing you as you stood brushing your locks, as if you were a street performance.

Exasperatingly sighing out loud, you set your hairbrush down and head towards the doorway. Glancing back at him, you open your mouth, but then clasp it shut. What could you say? Please leave my room discretely? Tell no one about this? Even if he were to keep this night a secret, you had no doubt that even if the Keep’s population had not already thought you his paramour, they would now. You were not oblivious to the spies infested at court, and there was nothing that you could do. Again, you were powerless. The only protection you had now was by being in the good graces of the Targaryen family, and not only Prince Aemond.

Collecting your gown and what little dignity left, you step out of the room wordlessly.

Your breath escaped you as you sprinted off to the Kitchens. You knew that you were incredibly late, and hoped that as normal, the Targaryens would not wake too early for breakfast. You tended to err on the side of caution and always prepared the table spread as early as possible. As you entered the Royal Kitchens, some servants looked up at you in surprise, and a cook that you were normally courteous with jested about your late wake. Though nerves possessed you, you tried to remain lighthearted and attempted to chatter with them as you normally do.

What you did not expect though, was an unsettling encounter with Lord Larys Strong, a man who you tended to avoid at court. You felt guilt for being judgmental, but there was something off-putting about his presence, and you sincerely hoped that it was not solely due to his twisted foot.

Since your arrival at the Red Keep, you have noticed Lord Strong’s lingering stare quite a few times, but it was generally easy to brush it off, for you had noticed he tended to do the same to Queen Alicent and the rest of the Royal Family (in addition to some other noble people at court). He also served the in King Aegon’s small council, so perhaps his actions were warranted.

He also never attempted to speak to you, that is until now.

“My Lady,” you hear a voice as you leave the Kitchens. Holding a heavy tray with many plates and cutlery, you slowly turn, maintaining balance.

“Good morning, Lord Strong.” You greet back, bowing slightly. You realise that the man had been leaning against the wall of the empty hallway as if waiting for you, and he looked like he was ready to begin a conversation.

“Please pardon me, but I have lots to do and very little time unfortunately.” Briefly bowing again, you turn around to continue on, hoping he did not consider you disrespectful. However, you pause as you hear a loud stomp. Turning back around, you see his Lordship slowly stepping towards you, supported by a mighty wooden staff.

“I know that it is difficult.”

Your brows furrow, as you stop to properly face the spindly man. Seeing your confusion, he continues, with an odd, cryptic tone.

“I have carried enough secrets in my life to recognise the burden. The Keep can be quite isolating. If you ever require someone to share the burden with, I am here.”

You were perplexed by him, and realised that your face showed exactly that. Slightly shaking yourself, you forced a smile and bowed once again. You also notice him glance down at the ground persistently, which strikes you as slightly odd.

“Thank you, my Lord. That is very generous, but unnecessary. I am a book open for anyone, and lack any burden to share. Please excuse me.” You try to leave again, but Lord Strong manages to speak before you do, in an almost patronising tone.

“There are many concerning characters in the castle, and intentions are often concealed. I offer you my confidence only because you may find need for it, as secrets always come to light.” His gaze then moves to your chest, lingering there for a moment too long, and your stomach turns.

“That is a beautiful necklace, my Lady, you suit it well.”

With a tight smile, you turn around and insincerely respond, before fleeing. “Thank you, Lord Strong, truly.” As you walk away, you can feel the spindly man’s burning stare.

Author’s Note: I actually have the next chapter completed and will be posting it after the season finale releases 👼🏼 My weekend plans got cancelled so I had some free time and drafted a really long chapter, but decided to split it in two – As always, I hope that you enjoyed! Things are pretty chill atm but will bump up in the next chapter :) 

– Chapter 5 

Tags: girl-obsessed-with-things 404slayer404 moonmaiden1996 rosaryos  roseanimelover jovialfanatic wishfulwithwine missusnora maat-the-prescriptive 

[cinefiliz]

The Queen.

[horizon-verizon]

Final Thoughts on Show!Rhaenys before We Get into the Second Season

I'm not hopeful about Rhaenys in season 1 because the trailer showed us that she'd be sticking to her "no war" and "anti-emotions" agenda even after Luke's death and our knowledge of who Otto is/his emotional influence on Alicent.

I clearly see show!Rhaenys became as bitter as she was. Despite her father-- Prince Aemon--having been the named and official heir plus her being his only surviving child, she was automatically, technically, his heir as well. But because Jaehaerys I didn't believe women should rule like a man AND worried that there would be a civil conflict between Viserys' supporters (namely Daemon) & the Velaryons-Baratheons (Jocelyn Baratheon was Rhaenys' mother and was alive at the time), he decided to use an election knowing how it would go to place a universally uncontested male heir. Show!Rhaenys and dbk!Rhaenys were, some argue, a better fit for the throne by character. It would so likely make any person, woman, resentful of her lot & thus express her resentment...

But the issue is that show!Rhaenys is too cynical & she decides to take it out o the wrong person, the person who is probably the least responsible for her position and the person who is more vulnerable to such expressions at that moment. To the point where she's passive-aggressively trying to discourage a good thing (Rhaenyra believing she could be Queen) when she tells Rhaenyra that men would "sooner" destroy the realm than "see" a woman on the throne. This isn't advice, it's her bitterness being expressed, because she doesn't ever follow up with how Rhaenyra can constructively begin to come up with any strategies.

Because yes, things ARE different for Rhaenyra. Viserys made her his OFFICIAL, declared heir. Rhaenys was never that. Viserys also never called for any Great Council, he relied on the already extant custom that the King's word was Law to justify his choosing Rhaenyra.

Men will never accept ANY woman, so I (Rhaenyra) do what I must anyway.

In the context of a woman having to become Queen in a patriarchal world where there literally ever has been a Queen regnant, Doylistically, why is this woman who the show is saying is supposed to be strong of character or will submitting to patriarchal will wholeheartedly and trying to get Rhaenyra to?!!! Okay, so men will not accept me...am I supposed to just lie down and accept that when I DO have an opportunity to rule anyway, which Viserys/the Monarch, allowed me? "That's how it is"...okay, so bc that's how it is, I should just do nothing at all to improve my place?

It's not smart as people claimed, it's not insightful. It's you putting us all against a wall & saying you shouldn't even try to cross bc you'll fail. It's an ingredient to anti-progress, anti constructivism.

Rhaenys was also absolutely being hypocritical with Alicent in episode 9 about "windows" in prisons, because she has not really protested against Corlys sending off their daughter to be married off at 12 purely for his own ambitions like Otto.

You are wiser than I believed you to be, Alicent Hightower. A true queen counts the cost to her people. And yet you toil still in service to men. Your father, your husband, your son. You desire not to be free, but to make a window in the wall of your prison. Have you never imagined yourself on the Iron Throne? I'll leave you with your thoughts.

She has done what I already described to Rhaenyra in episode 2. And she says to Corlys she's over not having been chosen...yet says what she says how she says about the lords never going to accept her in episode 2.

And while being anti-war for "the realm", she also kills dozens of smallfolk bc "it's not my war"...but the greens can use this as an excuse against her, Rhaenyra, and the blacks to open the war and make themselves look that much more righteous! (Rhaenyra is still close r to the blacks than "neutral" through Baela & Rhaena) So is she really that careful or conscientious even in her goal for there to be no war?!

If Rhaenys meant "realm" as both nobles & peasants, she has a funny way of showing her concern for "the realm". If not and she just meant nobles, is she really all that wise or compassionate?!

But Rhaenys in the show is made not to see any of that. You can say she's "keeping it real", but sometimes you stifle your own hopes so you cannot see possible paths to the thing you want to accomplish or change. Therefore, show!Rhaenys is actually being very blind & close minded.

It reminds me of some people's tendency to say "I'm just being real" (not so much Rhaenys but the justifications for her behavior towards Rhaenyra) & being nihilistic or over-cynical kinda places us back to square one, the place where we stay victimized by the status quo.

I mean, think of how if people had just accepted "that's just how it is", we'd still have legal segregation, women wouldn't be able to vote or own their own properties or have their own bank cards w/o having to get paper permits from their dads & husbands into the 70s!!!

Show!Rhaenys' particular brand of bitterness (that some of us have misidentified as "truthtelling"), if allowed to be totally justified can serve to reaffirm oppressive status quos.

Which is why I just prefer book!Rhaenys, who many have pointed out was not bloodthirsty but merely thinking of a ruthless strategy and eager to protect her own interests & those that she loved. Because no matter what either show or book Rhaenys wanted, war was definitely coming for not just Daemon & Rhaenyra, but Baela and Rhaena. They are Daemon's daughters no matter who their supposed host was [HotD, Baela is Rhaenys' & Corlys' ward], how would the greens just ignore them?!! Baela is very much like her father, by the evidence and I'm sure Rhaena would also not just abandon Daemon or Rhaenyra, not having had been close to them for years and Daemon literally being their father who has raised them with real love since both were born.

To clear up some misunderstandings about the original book, no one at the black council believed for a second that greens wouldn't come for them or were really "warmongers":

The greens would have never let go of the people they usurped (Rhaenyra & her kids) who could come back at any moment to oust them...that's how usurpations usually go. Look at Robert with Dany and Rhaegar's children!

["The Blacks and the Greens"] -- further proof of greens' intentions against the blacks

Rhaenys says this ("The Blacks and the Greens"):

Bk!Daemon was actually the one practicing some caution, against a full front attack on KL. (Something bk!Rhaenys advocated for.) BUT like Rhaenys, Daemon in the OG story wasn't against a war. Not because he is he's "turned a new leaf" against violence and being an actual, non-playful menace just for the fun of it (which was never his character), but so he can protect his family...proven by how before he speaks, we have Rhaenyra worry over the fates of her sons going into battle in Rhaenys' suggestion. Bc again, the war was nearly inevitable, and definitely became so after Lucerys' death.

Bk!Daemon knew how hard it'd be to fight against actual dragons. He specifically wanted them to use them as a last resort & first send letters to different lords to get them to show their allegiances & prepare for war, fight under Rhaenyra's name. And so they knew who to watch out for.

["The Blacks and the Greens"] -- Black council, Daemon's Words

Corlys was also not anti-war, he was anti-full blaze attack on KL bc it would destroy the things they were fighting for.

["The Blacks and the Greens"] -- Black council, Corlys Disagreeing w/Rhaenys

So Daemon & Rhaenys' roles are almost switched for the show, and this reveals another layer of how the show seeks to subdue their female characters into parrots and puppets of men around them for the male gaze, turn them into something "nonthreatening" & more influenced by men's wills & ambitions than they had been in the book. [xenonwitch]

I say "almost" because the show was anti war vs "go-go-go" instead of the book's full attack on KL vs dragons-as last-resort.

Doesn't matter that the scenes where Baela tries to get Rhaenys to see that were deleted, this situation exists without any of their permission, consent, will, etc. Book!Rhaneys has the sense to not try to deny or hide from it. No one tried.

No, show!Rhaenys doesn't offer very good things, nor is "wise" as people claim she is. "Wise" is different from "clever", and claiming that this iteration of Rhaenys was "wise" really just positions this discouragement of actual action and seizure of opportunity for an event where else-time didn't or couldn't happen is categorically unwise!! And a way to re-affirm patriarchal license of suppressed female ambition or rage.

This was already wrote this on Twitter, under this post (LINK):

[syraxesrevenge]

HELP I SAT DOWN WITH MY BFF TO WATCH THE FINALE OF HOTD (she has never watched it) AND SHE STARTED THROWING THINGS AT MY TV WHEN LUKE DIED 😭😭😭😭😭 ITS CRACKED

[milliesdiary]

aemond on the ride back home

[arabian-bloodstream]

HOTD S01E10 thoughts

Well, I thought the finale was awesome. Also, apparently, Rhaenyra is TOTALLY my favorite character, not Daemon, LOL!

- Emma D’arcy is amazing. Period.

- Sorry, ya’ll, but I completely understood where Daemon was coming from throughout the whole thing. He was like YAAAAS, I finally have a reason to take these motherfuckers down, go to war on Otto and his bootlickers after nearly 20 years. YAAS!!!! Woohoo!!

- Why, why, why would he even remotely want to be there when Rhaenrya was going through that childbirth which could possibly lead to her death when he loves her so much when he went nearly through the same thing with Laena who he didn’t love even remotely near like? Daemon has shown in the past that he does, you know, like cowardly shit. He runs when it’s too much. This is like the ZENITH of way, way, waaaaaaaaaay too much. Of course, his ass wasn’t there.

- As for Daemon choking her, duh! four things:

1. That was all about Viserys and Daemon’s major, major issues about Viserys. Never being good enough for Viserys. Viserys never choosing him for anything. Finding out that he had been heir to the throne for how many freaking years and Viserys had NEVER told him this HUGE fucking thing? And to find this out the day or so after Viserys died, so he can’t even have a good vent to Viserys about it because he’s still dealing with his major grief over Viserys, you know, dying.

2. Daemon is dealing with a shit-ton of emotional shit. A) Viserys, the brother he deeply loved, died. B) He just lost his baby. C) His wife’s throne was just usurped. D) He’s all hepped up on YAAAAAS! I can finally kill Otto and Crispin and all of those other cunts who have annoyed me for years!!

3. Daemon hurt her physically. And then Rhaenyra gave it right back emotionally. Did you see her reaction once he let go? She was all (with a smile on her face, no less) “You didn’t know? Hahahahaha! He never told you!!” Yeah, she hit back at him where it fucking hurt!

Yeah, these two fucking fight dirty as fuck!

4. Daemon Targaryen is NOT an anti-hero. He can be a monster. He can be a bad guy who does a lot of really, really bad things. Yes, he loves his family. Yes, he does, but he is not some woobie. He does really awful, terrible shit. That be who Daemon is. This is NOT out of character for him. No, sireebob!

- Rhaenyra making sure that Rhaena and Baela were part of the war council discussion... chef’s kiss.

- I love Jace. That is all.

- Every moment with Luke made my heart hurt because I knew what was coming.

- The contrast to the birth episode from the first episode compared to this one, gah. All the awards for Emma D’Arcy. ALL. THE. AWARDS. Throughout the labor, pulling out the stillbirth baby girl, holding her, wrapping her up. Gah. And even Daemon coming upon her and unable to come in because it was too much for him and then his grief on his own out in the waves. My heart!! Gosh, it was devastating.

- Vhargar is huge. Aemond is fucking evil. I hate him. I know, he didn’t mean to kill Luke, but still!

- Rhaenrya tried so hard for peace. She. Tried. So. FUCKING HARD. And Daemon was such... ugh, he kept acting like he was in charge, and some of the looks she was giving him like, “Fucker, I AM THE QUEEN, dude!” And then likewise when she wouldn’t let him kill Otto, he was all, “but, but, but.... I wanna! Why won’t you let me kill me him?!?!?” (And, honestly, I was thinking same. “Rhaenyra... let Daemon kill Otto!!”)

- Ooh, I loved the callback to Daemon and Otto facing off on the Dragonstone walkway and then here comes Rhaenrya on Syrax. And this time, Rhaenyra was WITH Daemon. So cool.

- Finally, oh, I LOVED when Ser Erryk brought out the crown, knelt and declared himself loyal to the Queen, said his vows. Oh, I was all verklempt. Then Daemon put the crown upon Rhaenyra’s head, called her “My Queen” and then knelt before her. And all followed suit. That was great.

Really, I think if the showrunners had known how well the show as going to do they would have stretched things out more and THAT would have been the end of the season. It would have been a fantastic contrast the to previous episode’s end, and such an awesome end to the episode and season. Ah well.

Overall, I thought it was a fantastic episode. Emma D’Arcy was really the MVP. Just fantastic. Ep 9 was meh, but this one was awesome. Can’t wait to rewatch it on Sunday night!

[bbygirl-aemond]

On Rhaenyra and the Breaking of Generational Tragedy: Visenya's Birth

Sooo I've been wanting to talk about the birth scene in Episode 10 for a while now. I've always been of the opinion that every single birth scene in HotD up until that point- Aemma's in Episode 1, Rhaenyra and then Laena's in Episode 6- is laying the foundation for the scene in Episode 10 in different ways. This all plays upon the metaphor of the birthing bed as the battlefield that is introduced at the very beginning of Episode 1 by Aemma.

We get Rhaenyra's delivery of Joffrey in Episode 6 to show us what healthy labor without complications is supposed to look like. It's not sugarcoated- it's still a gruesome battle. But Joffrey is born healthy, and Rhaenyra is strong enough (mentally and physically) to be up and walking around immediately afterwards.

We get Aemma and Laena's deliveries to show us the worst case scenario, to contrast with Rhaenrya's best case. Both of these women lose both their lives and their baby's lives during their deliveries. This is not a reflection of some lack of mental fortitude; Aemma and Laena's babies are in breech, meaning they're coming out upside-down rather than head-first like Rhaenyra's. Neither of these women could have survived this even without what ended up happening to them.

And this brings us to Episode 10. We see the fear and heartbreak on Rhaenyra's face when she realizes she's going into labor. I think in this moment, she realized two things. One, that her baby was dead or about to be. And two, that Rhaenyra was potentially about to die as well- just as her own mother did. Rhaenyra's labor during Episode 10 is not a battle for Visenya's life- it is a battle for Rhaenyra's.

This is where we see Rhaenyra deliberately break every tradition of labor that we've seen in every previous delivery scene- including her own. She refuses to lay down on her back. She refuses the Maesters. She refuses even her midwives. This is an intensely personal battle- it is between Rhaenyra, and the gods, and genuinely no one else. There is no intervention that will help her. She has only herself, her body, and her willpower.

And Rhaenyra has nothing if not willpower. When Aemma and Laena died, they both left a child or children behind- but those children weren't in direct danger. Rhaenyra's are. Their lives have been overturned, Viserys's protection is lost, and they are facing a war in which every single one of them could die. And Rhaenyra has more power and responsibility resting upon her than any woman in Westerosi history- she is the leader of Team Black, she is their figurehead, she is their first and last resort. She has staked Jace's claim on her ability to provide stability, as she staked her own claim on Viserys's ability to provide stability. She's just witnessed what happens when the monarch fails to provide this- and she refuses to leave behind a mess for her children the way her father just did to her.

This is why Rhaenyra survives. She breaks her mother's generational curse by surviving what Daella and Aemma did not- and she breaks her father's generational curse by refusing to abandon her children to circumstances where they are doomed to fail. Both of these actions very deliberately hinge upon her privilege of agency. Armed with the ability as Queen to completely dictate how her own labor goes, and armed with the knowledge that her death will have devastating consequences, Rhaenyra fights against fate itself and she wins.

I genuinely adore this entire scene. It is obviously a massive tragedy; the loss of Visenya is absolutely heartbreaking. But it is also an incredible and highly personal triumph. The people I have seen discuss this parallel act like Aemma and Laena died because they weren't strong, while I think it's instead because they and Rhaenyra were fighting for different purposes under vastly different circumstances. Rhaenyra had much more to lose, and had agency within her labor the other two women were not afforded. Rhaenyra's unique circumstances allowing her to break not one but two generational curses does a very nice job of setting up the narrative hope that she will succeed in ascending the Throne where previous generations of women failed.

[heirofdragons]

I’m sorry, I know the scene was supposed to be tragic, I still remember how sad I was when I read it in the book. But Vhagar just flat out ignoring Aemond, committing a war crime and consequently starting a civil war for a snack was honestly hilarious.

[hollandwhore]

aemond:

[last-ofthe-starks]

HOTD Episode 10 Easter eggs and spoilers

alright, aint much I can say that hasn't already been spoiled this week but here we go! 

The painted table is SO COOL. To see it up close was amazing. The attention to detail this show and its incredible artisans have displayed is actually unreal. When they light it up from beneath the table I LOST IT. In the books it is about 50′ long so this version is shorter in comparison. In GOT, we see this table in a far different room than this hall, so perhaps this version of the table is destroyed at some point and later remade. 

As a book reader, every scene with baby Luke is tugging at my heart strings. His rejection of Driftmark is so sad because even as a child we saw that he was resisting his fate and responsibility. He feels so underprepared to step into his responsibilities, and the moment when he touches Driftmark on the map and says he is ill fit to rule it is foreshadowing to the rest of this episode and Luke’s fate. 

The significance of the second son is part of this episode as well, because Luke suffers from the same ill fate that so many second sons in this show fall into. They try so hard to prove their mettle and worth and inevitably it causes the downfall of those around them and themselves. 

A minor detail, but Sir Lorent of the Kingsguard looks so much like Harold Westerling its kinda crazy. We don’t know where Harold is at this point in the show, sooo unsure if he has picked a side yet. 

Princess Rhaenys is just such a badass in this entire episode. I wish they gave her a bigger arc at the beginning of the season to match with these last two episodes, but the end of her arc this season has been amazing. Eve Best has done a wonderful job giving this character humility and an iron backbone. 

Give Emma ALL the awards for her incredible acting and her portrayal of grief. Every scene of hers in this episode is so well done. I was so emotional when the baby came. If anything, this show has made so many efforts to not shy away from the horrible things that can happen during childbirth and all of the many ways that it can go wrong. That scene was incredibly graphic and I am sure some will say they didn’t need to see it, but others will say that it is warranted to show the true nature of those events and the real human experience. It’s another divisive moment that I think many people will argue over. This is Rhaenyra’s first war, and it is just as horrible and bloody as the wars Daemon or any other man fights. The parallel between her battle inside giving birth and Daemon preparing for war with the Greens is a very well done contrast. 

Ah Daemon. He is so eager to go kill everyone after hearing of Viersys’ death, and if anything else, this episode is a depiction of how differently both he and Rhaenyra grieve and deal with their anger and sadness. So many moments of this episode will split fans. Whether you are pro Daemon and Rhaenyra or anti, this show has always had multiple scenes which paint them both in less than ideal lights, as a couple and as individuals. At the end of the day, there are no purely good people in this show and this episode surely depicts that Daemon is not black and white. While Rhaenyra is crying out to him in pain, he is trying to strategize. When she is alone and taking care to prepare the body of their lost child, he is alone on the beach mourning. Daemon’s actions meant that despite Rhaenyra crying for him, they both had to mourn alone, and I know so many people who support them will wish that he was with her. BUT, they are two completely different people who handle these moments entirely different. I think this episode was meant to call back on the many reasons why Daemon was never fit to rule and Rhaenyra was the correct choice.  

Daemon is trying SO HARD to make immediate moves to protect his family and their house but he is doing so at the deficit of his very family he is trying to protect. While Rhaenyra is still mourning not only her own daughters death but that of her father, Daemon cannot seem to understand why she is not reacting with the same urgency he feels and anger he displays. I think Rhaenyra realizes rather quickly that Daemon believes he is making decisions that the both of them want, but she is far less temperamental than him and he seems to forget that there is a reason she was named heir and not him. I’m his heart of hearts I believe he knows this, but he is blinded by his anger in this episode even more than he usually is.

The presentation of Viserys’ crown to Rhaenyra was so touching. When Daemon takes the crown from Sir Erryk, you can see him looking at the symbol of their house. He has always wanted for their house to rule and to restore themselves to their rightful glory. Based on his expression, though, I think he sees this symbol and immediately thinks of Viersys’ and the fact that he is truly gone. Daemon also believes that placing this crown on her head will allow Rhaenyra to step into her role as Queen and finally begin to make the necessary moves towards protecting their family and avenging Viserys. We learn later on that her inaction is because she is mindful of the greater cause, The Song of Ice and Fire, of which Daemon does not know about. When she realizes that he did not know, Rhaenyra almost smirks at him. I think this might be because she knows that despite his best efforts, Daemon is still hurt by his brother, and that he knew in his heart of hearts that Daemon was never going to be worthy of such a secret. It is a power play that Rhaenyra now has over Daemon after he has been trying to ruthlessly display power over Rhaenyra all episode.

At our first meeting with the Black Council, we hear of the House’s who have sworn loyalty to Rhaenyra. That includes House’s Darklyn (who reside in the Crownlands), House Emmon (they live on Sharp Point in the Crownlands, Lord Bar Emmon was a member of Rhaenyra’s Black Council), House Celtigar (who rule Claw Isle in the Crownlands and who become her master of coin later on in the books), House Staunton (who live in the northern part of Blackwater Bay), and House Massey (from Stonedance in the Crownlands).

Rhaenyra has the most support from the Crownlands and the North, while Aegon II has majority of his support in the West. By sending Luke and Jace to the Stormlands and the Riverland's, Rhaenyra would theoretically have the entire eastern half of the continent as supporters. Pair that with their plan to cut off all import by sea, and she has a strong plan to cut off Kings Landing. 

I loved that Rhaenyra included Baela and Rhaena at the table. I really hope next season we actually get to hear them speak and get to know them as characters. 

Rhaenyra showing up to meet Otto on her dragon was not only an awesome parallel to the earlier episodes but such a power move. It was so good to see her dragon again after so long. 

The page Alicent gives to Rhaenyra is from the book 10,000 Ships, which is about the warrior queen Nymeria (who Arya Stark names her direwolf after). With this paper, it is implied that Alicent is reminding Rhaenyra of Nymeria’s story, where she sacrificed herself in order to let her people live peacefully in Dorne. Alicent wants Rhaenyra to give up her crown in order to avoid bloodshed and hold the people of the realm together. 

I am sorry, but if someone basically stole my entire life in a matter of hours, a piece of paper from a book of our past would not undo that. We as viewers know that Alicent hasn't been entirely responsible for the events taking place in episode 9 but at this point Rhaenyra doesn’t know that, and I’d be BULLSHIT if Alicent sent me a measly piece of paper from our childhood after her countless betrayals. She held Rhaenys captive, for god sakes. 

Rhaenyra says she does not want to be the Queen of ash and bone, just like Daenerys says she does not want to be the Queen of the ashes (then proceeds to burn Kings Landing down). 

I understand both Rhaenrya and Daemon’s perspectives on the situation, but both are wrong about their approach. Daemon too aggressive, Rhaenyra too hesitant. THAT scene where Daemon uses force on her is going to be incredibly divisive as well, because how could Daemon do that when he loves Rhaenyra? But lets be honest, this man has always been a mili-second away from snapping like that. Given the situation they find themselves in this episode, I am not surprised in the slightest that his true colors expressed themselves with Rhaenyra. This is who he is, he is not a good man. He has moments of lightness and many of darkness. He lost his brother to the same people who removed him from Viserys’ side, fed him lies, manipulated his will, and now Daemon is under the impression that they killed Viserys to put Aegon II on the throne in place of his wife. Then to rub more salt in the wound, Rhaenyra is telling him of more secrets kept from him by his brother, and it is obvious that his brothers approval and acceptance meant so much to him throughout his life. To know that in death he could not trust Daemon with a secret this important must be a huge blow to Daemon’s ego. It’s no excuse for his actions, but clearly this just another event that sparks his recklessness and aggression in this moment.

There is also something to be said about Daemon using force and strength in that situation, which is how he wishes to stop the Hightowers. In a twisted way, Daemon may be trying to show Rhaenyra that if you go for the throat, you are effective. If you take your time like she appears to be, you will lose. They are only strong because they have power in their dragons. He sees the ruling of the seven kingdoms solely as a means of power, while Rhaenyra knows that sitting on the thrown has a far greater purpose for not just their family, but for the lives of everyone in Westeros. 

Rhaenys and Corlys’ conversation is so wonderful, Rhaenys truly would have been an amazing queen. Corlys arriving at Dragonstone made him look back on his actions and realize that the throne is not important anymore, and then for the first time Rhaenys is the one to say to Corlys ‘no, we need to pick a side and take action here.’ She has been against Rhaenyra for so long, but in the previous two episodes Rhaenyra has shown Rhaenys that she is worthy of the crown she is going to take. She has shown her that she understands how to be a smart and not impulsive ruler, and Rhaenys knows that she needs the support. I love how they made this the way Rhaenys announces her allegiance to her. Corlys is also such an incredible character and I love how they depicted their family in this show. 

Corlys says that the Stepstones are now secure and that means Rhaenyra now has the support and control of the narrow sea, a HUGE advantage. He also mentions that they left a Garrison on the Stepstones, which I believe is what Rhaenyra said that they should do back when Daemon was first fighting on the Stepstones back in episode 6. 

Jake and Luke are so wonderful, ugh my babies. Knowing what is coming with Luke just breaks my heart during the last scene with Rhaenyra and her sons together. She is such a good mother in this show. 

Daemon singing in high Valaryon to a dragon (who I think is Vermithor) was just as satisfactory as I’d hoped. Vermithor fought in the 4th Dornish war so he has war experience and would be a huge asset to the Blacks. This scene was also a call back to the first time that Tyrion went into the darkness of the Dragon Pit with nothing but a torch to unchain Dany’s dragon. Vermithor will have a new dragon rider, but I am unsure if we will see that in season 2 or season 3 given the pace of the first season. Vermithor’s original rider was King Jaeherys. 

We see Aemond is already in Storms End on Vaegar and rocking a sapphire in his eye when Luke arrives (the sapphire is also his symbol is during the opening credits). Aemond’s depiction in this show is such a departure from the books and I am unsure if I prefer it or think that the writers are trying far too hard to create a scapegoat for every big event happening in this history. By the end of this episode, you can argue that everything leading up to this war is Aemond’s fault - he picked a fight with Luke during the last episode, which is why Rhaenyra left Kings Landing and was not present for Viserys’ death. Now, he is responsible for the death of Luke, the Queen’s son. Even if he clearly did not mean to kill him and it was not done intentionally, it came at his hand and this is the first blood drawn in the Dance of the Dragons. 

The fight in the sky is just so wild and sad, because you know that Arrax was just a scared, inexperienced dragon and that Aemond horsing around on Vaegar would have led to danger but he chose to be irresponsible anyways. These dragons are wild animals, they are not controllable. Viserys did tell Rhaenyra that their control over dragons was nothing but an illusion, that has never been more true than in this episode, and is great foreshadowing for the battles to come with these creatures. 

This scene between these two boys deals with an issue so many of these characters struggle with - their pent up anger and frustration that they do not deal with properly. It’s true was Emma and Matt said in early interviews; if they all went to therapy and talked it out then this whole thing might have been avoidable 😂

Daemon and Rhaenyra holding hands is the one time we see them on the same page all episode, and poor Rhaenyra has now lost two children and her father in the span of one episode. It is understandable that she would be ready to murder at this point, despite trying so hard to do the right thing and move forward through this obstacle with grace and responsibility. She doesn't care about the prophecy, she just wants revenge. Book readers know that Daemon goes out to get that revenge in the most brutal way possible soon after the events of this episode, but we will have to wait until next season to see. 

And finally, this episode mirrors the first episode with the last shot we see being Rhaenyra, looking directly into the camera. What an ending, what a parallel, and what a win that they cast such amazing actresses to play this character.

[bittersweetarts]

Little Lamb - Aemond Targaryen x Reader (Chapter 5)

Aemond Targaryen x You –  Chapter 1 , Chapter 2, Chapter 3 , Chapter 4

Word count: 3370 word

Summary: As a maiden of a noble house, it is your duty to wed well. But how will you manage to, with a curious and possessive Prince in the picture?

WARNINGS: Angst, misogynistic behaviour (quite sexist), minor violence, dubious consent

Spotify Playlist – AO3 Page

Chapter 5: Family Line

Lord Larys does not try to speak to you again in the days following, but you cannot help but always feel eyes watching you. Unfortunately, you could not be certain that it was only him observing you, as you knew that if he suspected your private dealings, others inevitably did as well. This made you feel nervous, but not nervous enough to stop allowing Prince Aemond visit your chambers to sleep.

Unexpectedly, the Prince slipped into your room the next evening, and you accepted this without protest. Previously, you drank yourself into oblivion during the evenings, but with the Prince there, you did not feel the need to. Though his presence was threatening, by having him there, you felt sure he would not kill Jayse, as long as you appeased him. Hence, the two of you had a quiet understanding, and honestly, it was one which you did not mind.

Surprisingly, Aemond did not bother you in the evenings, letting you get on with mundane personal dealings, such as cleaning and writing to letters to your parents and siblings.

Also, with him there, you were finally able to continue doing something you enjoyed: reading. At first, the one-eyed Prince would watch as you read, which you found distracting, so you proceeded to pull a random book from your well-stocked shelf, in the hope that he would keep himself busy. Instead, he proceeded to retort that he had read it. So, you picked another, and the same occurred. And then again.

“From where did you think these books came from?”

This surprised you, causing you to blush, and the next evening, the Prince had brought his own. It was a philosophical book written by an Archmaester Rigney, someone you were unfamiliar with, and when you curiously asked about its contents, the Prince got adorably excited.

“I have just started studying it, and there is a proposal I find acutely true.” Pulling you onto his lap, he opened the book towards the beginning, flipping through until he found what he was looking for.

“Yes, here it is… ‘history is a wheel, for the nature of man is fundamentally unchanging. What has happened before will perforce happen again.’ It reminds me that we cannot remain complacent, because war is never truly over. Peace never lasts.”

Brushing his loose hair, you smile at him. “Well, I hope it does last. Peace, I mean.”

In a way, you have come to enjoy having the Prince in your company. But most of all, you appreciated how you managed to sleep soundly. You did not wake exhausted anymore, and though a man, he never pushed for anything more. You knew it would not last, but you convince yourself that once you know that Jayse has healed and left King’s Landing, you will put an end to this. Your reputation may be soiled, but you will protect your chastity. No future husband will be able to discount you on account of that, for it would not be a lie.

While your nights have changed with the roguish Prince’s presence in it, your days proceed as they normally do, quickly, as you become consumed with your duties.

Breakfast had unsurprisingly become an awkward ordeal for you, as you actively avoided making eye contact with your Prince, feeling both bashful and humiliated to be near him so soon after sharing a bed. You also felt guilty, as you knew that you were deceiving people who have been so kind to you, particularly the Queens. Unlike you, the wayward Prince found this all very amusing, often making commentary referencing your shared evenings, much to the confusion of his family, apart from King Aegon, who you suspected knew about your illicit affair, based on his returned jovial interactions with Prince Aemond. You could not help but suspect that perhaps, the wayward Prince has started confiding in him about something, if not about you, as you started to see the King Aegon lively for the first time since stepping foot into King’s Landing.

You also noticed a new worrying glint in the Queen Alicent’s eye. It would not surprise you if she knew, for she is the Queen Mother after all, but if she did, she had bestowed another kindness onto you, by ignoring it and allowing you to continue serving her.

Now, you found yourself often mute during breakfast (as well as other meals), chiming into conversation only when necessary. Fortuitously, Queen Helaena had become particularly consumed by her dreams as of late and ensured that everyone else had become intimately acquainted with them as well.

“Please tell our carers to remove strangler figs from the Gardens. I have seen how the trees they choke are never the same.” In response, you would grasp her hand gently and respond that there were no strangler figs on the castle ground, and Helaena would nod, only to request the same only a few hours later.

You knew that people at court mocked the Queen Helaena for her aloofness, especially when she was younger, and this made you angry. You found the young Queen wise beyond her years and of a strong character, for you knew some about the frightening things of her past.

The story of two assassins torturing and almost murdering her and her children was spread wide throughout the Kingdom during the war, and it was an important reason why many noble houses abandoned their support Rhaenyra Targaryen’s claim. Though the stories varied, it was wildly accepted that murder of servants, rape and mutilation was involved, and that sweet Helaena and her babes only survived due to Ser Criston Cole’s surprising visit to the Queen Alicent’s chambers that evening, a stroke of fortune. The outrage that spread throughout the lands after this story came to light is impossible to describe, for Queen Helaena, known as ‘the Innocent Targaryen’ in addition to the torture and attempted murder of three children was viewed as an unforgivable sin, especially when instructed by a woman. This is a subject you would never raise, but you did know that the children had scars that they should not, and days where Queen Helaena was confined to her chambers happened occurred more frequently than they should.

And so, your days pass and you never find yourself lacking, that is, until the months pass, and you fail to receive a single letter or correspondence from your family. You always felt like the black sheep, isolated, and you never did get too many letters from them. But since your last, where you informed them about your embarrassing failure at securing a marriage with Jayse Wylde, you have heard nothing back. They are your family though, and you thought perhaps your letter had gotten lost, so you wrote another. And then another. But still, you heard nothing. By this point, not only were you desperate to hear from your parents and siblings, but you wanted to visit them as well. But how were you to do that? You could not even get a word from them.

The final straw came during a celebratory dinner held at the Keep’s Great Hall, when you greeted Lord Borros Baratheon.

As the Lord of Storm’s End, Lord Borros had been acquainted with your parents and by extension, knew of you (your family was too large so he inevitably always confused the children, especially the daughters).

An honoured nobleman, the Royal Family valued Lord Baratheon’s loyalty and support during the war, and he was always invited to visit King’s Landing, especially during celebrations. Some petty squable at Driftmark had been resolved and King Aegon had called for a celebration, which Lord Borros Baratheon happened to attend, as he was at the capitol for unrelated matters. It was here that he formally met you as Queen Helaena’s Lady-in-Waiting for the first time, and apologised for missing your elder brother, Dayron’s, wedding with the youngest daughter of the Lord of Castamere, an admirable alliance. Hearing this, your heart shattered.

Not only had you not been invited to the union, but now you realised that all of your letters had not been lost, but ignored, as you had written countless, addressing not only your parents, but your many siblings as well. The pain you felt knowing this was debilitating, and you tried your best to courteously excuse yourself from Lord Baratheon, before abruptly fleeing the event, to seek refuge in your chambers. All you felt like doing was crying, and you could not even get yourself to try and stay for the feast, even though you were expected to. However, as you left, no one stopped you.

Much later in the evening, past the witching hour, Prince Aemond clumsily stumbled into your chambers. As he entered, he found you sat by the window, with only a few candles lit to provide illumination. You did not greet him as you normally do when he entered, facing away from him to watch the view. If he was irritated by this, he did not show it.

As he approached you, his steps were louder than normal, and you felt a hand guide your chin away from the view of the city.

Now facing him, he observes you, and you see confusion in his features.

“You’ve been crying.”

“And you’ve been drinking.” You retort back, pulling away from him and looking back at the window. You did not want him to see you in this state, and you considered barring the door, but thought against it, as you also wanted to sleep and now could not without his presence.

Sighing, the drunk Prince sat next to you on the bench and gently grasped your cold hands.

“Am I going to have to murder Lord Baratheon?” He says seriously.

“What? No!” You respond, shocked, turning your eyes back at him while drawing back your hands. The fact that he even proposed this was abhorrent.

“What has he done?” The Prince’s eyebrows were furrowed, and his face looked deathly. You realised that he was not fooling around, but you also did not want to acknowledge what has been troubling you. The thought of it hurt too much, and you felt responsible for it. It was your fault after all, for failing to be a dutiful daughter. Either they got sick of you, or they caught wind of your indiscretions, and both were awful prospects.

“Nothing.” You respond, and stand up, turning your back to the Prince, while running your hands through your hair in distress. You really were upset, and you were aware that you were not hiding it very well. You then feel arms wrap around you, and lips press onto your shoulders, which were bare as you wore a sleeveless nightgown.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” You shake your head and try to pull away, but Aemond holds you steadfastly. He repeats himself, hugging you more tightly. “Tell me.”

“I can’t.”

Spinning you around, the Prince presses his fingers onto your waist, and speaks in a ruthless tone. “If you do not tell me, then I will assume that it was the gluttenous hog of a man who bears responsibility, and he will pay dearly for it.” Your eyes water as he speaks harshly, and sympathy consumes him immediately. “Please, just tell me, my love.” Again, you shake your head stubbornly, tears falling as you do.

“Fine.” The Prince suddenly becomes angry and pulls himself away from, striding towards the door. This scares you for a moment, as you know his reckoning, if successful, will not go unpunished. Lord Borros Baratheon is the leader of one of the most important houses in all of Westeros, and the Prince would be an intoxicated boy about to kill or grievously harm an influential man due to a misunderstanding, involving a girl that did not matter.

“Aemond, please, stop.” You hardly ever call the Prince by his first name, and when you, you never fail to capture his attention. The Prince stops, but does not turn, frozen in place, the anger literally seething out of him.

“You are going to think me half-witted and disgraceful.” You croak out through sobs. You must have sounded miserable, because when the Prince turned around, his anger dissipated and he embraced you gently, rubbing your back in comfort.

“I could never. In this room, there is only one who lacks wit at times, and it is not you.” Tilting your head up, he sensuously kisses you near your mouth, his breath reeking of the honeyed wine which you favoured, before continuing. “And it is only out of passion.” Though you stopped crying, you were still upset, though you tried to compose yourself.

“If I tell you, promise me you will not do anything rash.” You held his gaze, practically holding it hostage, and he nodded immediately, without second thought. Taking a deep breath, you speak swiftly, because you knew that if you would not, you would not speak at all.

“I am alone, completely alone now. Through Lord Baratheon I found out that not only was I not invited to my brother Dayron’s wedding, but that I am not even worth writing to. I write almost every single day to my parents, my siblings, and I do not hear a single word back. My family does not even think I am worthy of being acknowledged, of being loved, and it hurts. It hurts so much.” Your sobs return stronger than before, and you go completely hysterical, you cannot stop yourself from admitting more.

“I miss them every single moment every day. Every time I look at Jaehaerys, Jaehaera, and Maelor, I see my younger siblings, babes in my eyes, just like them. Did you know that they are practically the same age? The youngest three are triplets – Taliya, Liyana and Addysen – were born in the same year as Maelor, and I miss them so much, my heart aches for them so much!”

As you sob, Aemond comfortingly runs a hand through your hair repetitively, but you cannot stop. Instead, you lose your stability, and fall. The blonde Prince catches you before you reach the ground and holds onto you, effortlessly lifting you up and carrying you to your bed. You do not know for how long he comforts you, hugging you, rubbing your arms and kissing your head, but it feels never ending.

Until it doesn’t. Eventually you have no more tears, and your breathing evens. When it does, you feel void of emotions, a shell of who you are as a person. The Prince had not fallen asleep at any point, and continues watching you. You avoid his stare, opting to gape at the ceiling. The two of you sit there in silence, until he speaks.

“They do love you. Thinking otherwise is unfeasible.”

You want to ignore him, to say nothing, but you find it impossible.

“Then why won’t they even write back?” You voice broke as you spoke, and you could feel your emotions begin to suffocate you again.

You proceed to hug the Prince more tightly, perhaps you will be able to stuff your feelings back, and the Prince stares at you saddeningly. At this moment, he wished he did not take your leaving of the event so personally, by drinking so much. Because without second thought, he answered.

“They did write back.”

You wrinkled your forehead in confusion, and you pull back, letting him go. He still holds on to you though.

“What?”

You look up at the Prince, and see guilt briefly cross his features, before forcing his nonchalant expression. He ignored you this time, pressing his lips on your head, embracing you more tightly. This only serves to fuel your disordered state. You push out of his embrace and sit up, facing him.

“No, Aemond, stop this. What do you mean?”

Crossing his arms, the Prince responded, feigning innocence. “I do not understand.”

“No, do not do this to me. What do you mean, they wrote back?”

You felt crazed at that moment, staring at him. Because until now, you could not imagine, anyone else involved with your issue, until you realised that if there was someone that could stop your correspondences from being sent, it could most certainly be a Prince. The more you thought, the more sick you felt. Shaking your head, you started backing away, standing up from the bed, stepping away.

“No. No. Aemond, please, no.” As you began rambling, the one-eyed Prince stood up, chasing after you. He tried to grasp your arms and embrace you, but you shook yourself away, in anguish. Your tears came back, and you felt betrayed.

“No, Aemond! You have been here! You have seen me writing letters to my family almost every night for so many weeks now!”

The Prince did not respond, only trying to hold you, but you anger was too much. You could not even fathom his touch, let alone his embrace.

“Stop! Please just tell me, did you stop my letters from being sent?” Looking at you with sad eyes, the Prince shook his head in response, but you were livid, and you could not believe him.

“Do not lie to me! I’m stupid, I’m a stupid, stupid, girl.” You wrap your arms around yourself, feeling exhausted and cold. “I am so, so stupid.” As you repeat yourself, you start striking your head harshly. Only one blow lands before you feel your wrists restrained. You keep trying, but they remained locked in his hold. This time, when the Prince embraces you, you do not push him away, but just stand there, limp and lifeless, you arms now dead by your side.

“I did not stop your letters from being sent.” The Prince speaks, his voice riddled with guilt.

“So, so stupid.” You shake your head, shutting your eyes. You feel his rough hands cup your face, and when you open your eyes, you see his, looking at you worried. “I am not lying.”

“Just tell me the truth. Please, mock me no more.” You say coldly. Sighing, the Prince embraced you tighter, and answered.

“It was not your letters I stopped, but theirs.”

Your eyes widen at the admission, and you misunderstand him for a moment. With all your strength, you push yourself away and stare at him, letting the words sink in. You could never imagine Prince Aemond afraid, and you stare at him in disbelief, for he looked almost afraid, with his jaw clenched and violet eye wide in fear. If this was about anything else, you might have dissipated your anger, but you remain deathly silent, thinking until you fully understand.

The Prince had not stopped your letters, at least that is what he claims. The Prince did stop your parent’s letters. Your sibling’s letter. How many could that be? How many months has it been since you heard from them? Did he just dispose of the letters, or did he also read them? Did he know that you brother was getting wed? How often has he deceived you? He sat here, almost every evening, watching you write to your family, with a sad expression on your face, yet he then continued to have pleasant conversations with you, embrace you, kiss you, share a bed with you… You felt completely betrayed, violently ill, ready to implode. You despised him for his deception, and you despised yourself for being so trusting. It was you who put yourself in this position.

“Get out.” You say quietly, and for a moment, you think the Prince does not hear you. He does though and tries to step closer to you and raises a hand, almost as if you were a dragon that he is about to tame.

“Get out!” You shout over and over again, but he does not, instead approaching you. You begin thrashing, but he does not stop, managing to get a hold on you. When his arms wrap around you, you try to hit him, many times, but fail, as his hold stiffens. You continue until you tire yourself, your voice diminishing, your sobs become silent. You continue crying though, and Aemond continues holding you.

“I hate you.” You finally say, breaking your silence.

“I know.”

Author’s note: I have just finished watching the season finale and I am not okay... I may need time to recover from it, so please be patient with my next chapter, as I sit here grieving my heart out

Link to Chapter 6 

Tags: girl-obsessed-with-things 404slayer404 moonmaiden1996 rosaryos  roseanimelover jovialfanatic wishfulwithwine missusnora maat-the-prescriptive  @let-love-bleeds-red​

[curtsiesandmuses]

‼️‼️‼️house of the dragon finale spoilers ‼️‼️‼️

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i know tumblr is on the writers’ throats for the choking scene but an unpopular take here: it was actually brilliant as for daemon’s writing. you can see the anger and the frustration and many layers of a character here. it doesn’t mean that daemon doesn’t love rhaenyra (quite the opposite, actually; the look, the tone of voice, the way he comforts her afterwards when the news about lucerys arrive), it means he’s not a perfect husband&dad that some pictured him as. daemon loved his brother dearly, might as well be the ONLY person in the court who truly was there for him, yet he doesn’t hesitate to question his actions and beliefs. daemon LOVES rhaenyra, and it’s the first time her decisions and beliefs frustrate him. what gets in the way? power.

daemon’s relationship with power is complicated and utterly interesting, and i personally loved seeing it so tightly connected with his relationship with rhaenyra.

[horizon-verizon]

Otto: I come at the behest of the Dowager Queen Alicent, mother of King Aegon, Second of His Name, Lord and Protector of the Seven Kingdoms. I've been directed to deliver her message only to Princess Rhaenyra. Where is the Princess? [Her arrival on Syrax] Otto: King Aegon Targaryen, Second of His Name... in his wisdom and desire for peace, is offering terms. Acknowledge Aegon as king and swear obeisance before the Iron Throne. In exchange, His Grace will confirm your possession of Dragonstone. It will pass to your trueborn son, Jacaerys, upon your death. Lucerys will be confirmed as the legitimate heir to Driftmark and all the lands and holdings of House Velaryon. Your sons by Prince Daemon will also be given places of high honor at court, Aegon the Younger as the King's squire, Viserys as his cupbearer. Finally, the King, in his good grace, will pardon any knight or lord who conspired against his ascent. Daemon: I would rather feed my sons to the dragons than have them carry shields and cups for your drunken, usurper cսոt of a king. Otto: Aegon Targaryen sits the Iron Throne. He wears the Conqueror's crown, wields the Conqueror's sword, has the Conqueror's name. He was anointed by a septon of the Faith before the eyes of thousands. Every symbol of legitimacy belongs to him. And then there is Stark, Tully, Baratheon. Houses that have also received, and are at present, considering generous terms from their king. Rhaenyra: Stark, Tully, and Baratheon all swore to me when King Viserys named me his heir. Otto: Stale oaths will not put you on the Iron Throne, Princess. The succession changed the day your father sired a son. I only regret that you and he were the last to see the truth of it. Rhaenyra: You are no more Hand than Aegon is king. [throwing the Hand pendant] Fսcking traitor. Otto: Grand Maester. Daemon: What the fսck is this? Otto: [handing the infamous page to Rhaenyra] Queen Alicent has not forgotten the love you once had for each other. No blood need be spilled. The realm can carry on in peace. Queen Alicent eagerly awaits your answer. Daemon: She can have her answer now, stuffed in her father's mouth along with his withered cock. Let's end this mummer's farce. Ser Erryk, bring me Lord Hightower so I may take the pleasure myself. Rhaenyra: No. King's Landing will have my answer on the morrow.