#simon dondarrion

[shiesie]

Queen Alysanne absolutely fucked Simon Dondarrion and I bet she enjoyed every second of it

[goodqueenaly]

If an unmarried knight wins a tourney, or if he is married but his wife isn't in attendance, who would be acceptable choices for him to crown "Queen of Love and Beauty"?

I don’t think this is a question with a simple blanket answer, because the choice would always be dependent on both the socio-politico-dynastic circumstances of each given tourney as well as the respective motivations and ambitions of each such champion. (And indeed, apart from Rhaegar every example we have of a knight choosing a woman or girl to honor has featured an unmarried man making the choice.) Take, for instance, instances of knights crowning queens of love and beauty to curry favor with the ruling royal families of their respective times. No one would have thought that Simon Dondarrion, winning the Dragonpit tourney in 55 AC, was making a romantic gesture toward Princess Daenerys, all of two years old, when he named her queen of love and beauty; Simon had clearly recognized how much the royal couple doted on their (then) only surviving child (an impression perhaps gleaned from their visit to him at Blackhaven the year prior) and saw giving such a public chivalric honor to the princess as a way to make a lasting good impression on the king and queen. Similarly, Ryam Redwyne - who, very much like his indirect descendant Loras Tyrell, probably accurately judged the Kingsguard as the best possible career option for a hugely talented but dynastically extraneous third son - made sure to make a good impression on the king and queen by choosing Alysanne as the queen of love and beauty in the king’s tenth anniversary tourney - though Ryam perhaps decided that Queen Alysanne was a safer choice than Princess Daenerys, who now had two younger brothers and, by consequence, may have appeared somewhat less important by comparison in patriarchal, aristocratic Westerosi society. Likewise, whatever romantic feelings would develop or be rumored to have developed later between Criston Cole and Rhaenyra, as an up and coming young knight (and, crucially, one with clear talent but a lack of elite aristocratic credentials) at the Maidenpool tourney in honor of the new King Viserys Ser Criston correctly recognized the offer of the victor’s laurel to the king’s much loved daughter as a perhaps more direct route to royal favor.  

It’s also possible for a knight to use the crown of the queen of love and beauty as an opportunity for a declaration, not so much to impress the royals (or respective hosts) or a particular lady as to impress a message upon the onlookers. The example we have of this is Prince Aemon, disguising himself as the “Knight of Tears” to crown Queen Naerys the queen of love and beauty. Facing the prospect of his brother’s mistress sitting as the tourney queen, Aemon decided that only his chivalric intervention could save his beloved sister-queen from a further public humiliation courtesy of their mutually loathed brother. The message was clear: the personification of chivalry mourned to see a queen so badly treated, and would himself compete to make sure that she, and not the woman the king was betraying his marital vows for, would receive her due honors. 

Too, it is entirely possible for unmarried knights to use the opportunity of a tourney victory, and the choice of a queen of love and beauty, to make a public statement of their romantic sentiment. Barristan Selmy expected to do as much had he won at Harrenhal, bypassing the absent queen and the present crown princess to honor Ashara Dayne (though I doubt too many would have looked askance at Barristan doing so, given his longstanding public fidelity to the ideals of the Kingsguard). Ser Bonifer Hasty did do so for the young Rhaella, though whether Bonifer actually believed that such a grand gesture would be enough for a mere landed knight to win the hand of a royal princess is far from clear. Jorah Mormont, though, for his part certainly saw the crown of the queen of love and beauty as the fulfillment of his desire for Lynesse Hightower - and again, while this statement alone may not have been enough to win her hand, other factors I think helped Jorah’s bid to marry Lynesse. Too, while we don’t know that a queen of love and beauty would be named at the upcoming tourney at the Gates of the Moon (and I doubt that tourney will end as expected anyway), I think Sansa at the very least plans to give her favor to the participant who would most annoy her would-be fiancé, Harry Hardyng - the more, perhaps, to ensure that Harry would look to give her the queen of love and beauty’s crown. 

[alienoryva]

—QUEEN OF LOVE AND BEAUTY—

🪻Princess Daenerys Targaryen :

named by Ser Simon Dondarrion in the journey celebrating the completion of dragonpit in 55 AC (cr by: dalbe)

🪻Queen Alysanne Targaryen :

named by Ser Ryam Redwyne in the 10th anniversary tourney in 58 AC (cr by: Elenya.art)

🪻Princess/Queen Rhaenyra i Targaryen :

named by Ser Criston Cole in a tourney staged in 104 AC (cr by: Magali Villeneuve)

🪻Queen Naerys Targaryen :

named by Her Brother Prince Aemon The Dragonknight, Who was disguised as a mystery knight known as The Knight of tears (cr by: Hylora)

🪻Princess/Queen Rhaella Targaryen :

named by Ser Bonifer Hasty (cr by: Bella Bergolts)

🪻Lady Lyanna Stark :

named by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen at the tourney at Harrenhal (cr by: louvie Haller)

🪻Lady Lynesse Hightower :

named by Ser Jorah Mormont at the tourney at Lannisport (cr by: blackbettyes)

🖇️

unknown daughter of lord ashford at the opening tourney at ashford meadow in 209AC.

unknown daughter of lord Walter whent and lady Shella whent at reigning Queen at the opening of the tourney at harrenhal.

[theredqueenandthebloodwyrm]

Major Spoilers for HOTD S2 Ep3

Mostly just my thoughts while watching (live blogging?). Mostly me yelling at my screen.

“Your False Queen Rhaenyra is a Kinslayer!” Ugh and your False King’s brother is a Kinslayer! I need someone to call Aemond Kinslayer on screen now.

I love Jacaerys’ understandable anger, and getting a bit tired of Rhaenyra’s flittering between peace and war. Rhaenys is getting on my nerves so much with her bs. “Reason will be forgotten”, uh no it fucking will not? And no this war was not predestined when Luke took out Aemond’s eye, it was ensured when Aegon usurped Rhaenyra’s throne and then solidified when Aemond killed Lucerys (who was a peace envoy). “Alicent Hightower” is NOT the other way, she is not the way to peace?! Have you forgotten, Rhaenys, how Alicent insulted your own son on multiple occasions? Fuck you, Rhaenys, for saying Rhaenyra permitted Jaehaerys’ death when Rhaenyra said Alicent permitted Luke’s death. Because you know what? Alicent’s shitty mothering did permit her sons to act wantonly and without care, her constant excuses of her sons, even after Luke’s death she still found ways to lessen what Aemond did.

We’re setting up Seasmoke to be claimed which is nice.

I don’t understand this weird conflict between Rhaenyra and Rhaena that they’ve established. Rhaenyra’s plan is to send Joffrey to the Vale with his dragon for his safety. While she wants Rhaena to go with Aegon & Viserys to Pentos (except at first she said Aegon & Viserys would accompany Joffrey?). It makes no sense for Rhaenyra to tell Rhaena she needs to be a mother to the boys. Rhaena shares the same father with Aegon & Viserys (they’re her half-brothers), it’d make more sense for Rhaenyra to say “I need you to be a sister/ big sister to Aegon & Viserys, protect them and keep them safe like a dragon would.” Rhaenyra should have also emphasized that sending Rhaena away was for her SAFETY! Yes, not having a dragon doesn’t help her safety, but she’d be safer away from Dragonstone either way, and surely Rhaenyra would emphasize that! I don’t understand why Rhaenyra is so short / frustrated with Rhaena in that scene, there’s no buildup to it either. They’re creating character conflicts for no reason other to have conflict.

Caraxes! Daemon on Caraxes! Love Simon Strong. He’s smart enough to bend the knee, yet also polite & witty. (“No redcurrant, sorry”).

Would Daemon actually be called “Your Grace”? Are any of the Queen Consorts called “Your Grace” in the books or show? I can’t remember. Though I imagine from a political standpoint, it’d be better to leave him as Prince Consort or refer to him as your Prince to not overshadow Rhaenyra as Queen. Sidenote: is that Alys Rivers in the background with the dark hair?

Gwayne Hightower is here! Everyone was excited for him, yeah? So Criston Cole is officially Dornish! Which is a bit weird because his house is from the Stormlands, granted located in the Dornish Marshes, but so is their liege lord House Dondarrion (who are very much not Dornish, and are very much Stormlanders). He could have like a Dornish mother I suppose. I can see some comparisons made to someone like Vayon Poole (a noble house hence the surname but a small one), yet he’s still a nobleman and certainly not a smallfolk like how some people claim.

I know I was just hating on Rhaenys but I do love her in her scenes with Corlys, the actors really sell that they’re in love / in a committed relationship full of love. The Driftmark succession is in question again, Rhaenys says it is either Rhaena or Joffrey (neither of which Corlys believes are fit). So I imagine this is how they further set up Addam and Alyn.

Wait wait, so Rhaena is going to the Vale! But she’s taking Joffrey and the other sons with her? So the plan is ward Joffrey at the Vale, and Aegon & Viserys are staying temporarily there as well. Awww, Rhaenyra giving Rhaena the clutches of eggs. Baela & Rhaena hugging!

Ooo! We get another Helaena scene! Larys pitting Aegon against Alicent & Aemond is great (and kind of funny in a manner).

Oh shit the Brothel scene. Wow I was not expecting that! Aegon is such a little shit. Wasn’t expecting all the full frontal nudity tbh.

Don’t open the letter, Rhaenyra. Just burn that shit.

YES YES YES BAELA ON MOONDANCER! MOONDANCER! BAELA THE DRAGONRIDER! DRAGON SCENE! OUR FUTURE QUEEN BAELA TARGARYEN ON HER DRAGON! GET HIM! GO GET HIM, BAELA!

Creepy ass Harrenhal really making sure we believe that it’s cursed, making Daemon hallucinate. That or the damp nature of the castle means mushrooms and fungi grew that causes hallucinations. What a freaky nightmare sequence to have Young Rhaenyra sewing up Jaehaerys’ head. Then the weirwood tree and (presumably) Alys standing there creepily. Supposedly to make us think she’s a witch.

No, no, no, no. The time for peace is over. Ugh, why do you want to go meet with her, Rhaenyra? Alicent holds no power or sway. Aegon would never agree to Peace and neither would any of Rhaenyra’s followers. “There are no terms now” Why is woe is me Alicent making a good statement for once. Should have stabbed the Queen Dowager and booked it back to Dragonstone. Alicent can’t prevent shit, Rhaenyra.

[queenaryastark]

The chivalric gesture of naming someone queen of love and beauty is not inherently romantic. Chivalry in real life and in the books, with a few exceptions, is performative and political. Behold, all canon examples of QOLAB:

Princess Daenerys Targaryen (daughter of Jaehaerys and Alysanne) was crowned by Simon Dondarrion in the tourney in 55 AC. Since Daenerys was born in 53 AC, and the gesture earned the knight a positive response from the common people as well as the toddler's mother, that suggests that Simon wasn't pursuing a romantic relationship with a baby. He crowned the baby to gain political favor from her parents and to gain a good reputation.

Queen Alysanne Targaryen was crowned by Ryam Redwyne 58 AC. Since Alysanne was married to the reigning king, this must have created a scandal, right? Wrong. There is no suggestion of Alysanne having an affair with anyone, certainly not Ryam. He crowned her to gain royal favor.

Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen was crowned with the victor's laurel for a melee by Criston Cole in 104 AC when he was 23 and she was 7 years old. Criston is filth, but was he really publicly establishing a romance with a seven year old princess? Why wasn't he sent away or killed after this romantic gesture? Because it wasn't romantic. He was trying to improve his station by making a chivalrous gesture toward the king's daughter. Sure, the child developed a crush on him, but this wasn't publicly seen as an issue at the time.

Queen Naerys Targaryen was crowned by Prince Aemon. This dynamic is given similarities to the Arthurian romance between Guinevere and Lancelot within the popular culture Westerosi songs and stories. But, TWOIAF makes it clear that the historical Naerys sees normal relationships between siblings to be platonic. She even asks her husband-brother to stop forcing her to have sex with him now that they have an heir, saying they should live as brother and sister ... meaning no sex. So why would the brother she has a positive relationship with have romantic designs on her? The truth is, the crowning wasn't romantic. Aemon was honoring his sister.

The daughter of Lord Ashford from The Hedge Knight began a tourney as the reigning QOLAB with two of her brothers as well as three other men defending her title. If this is romantic, that means she was romantically involved with five men, including two of her brothers. This is clearly just a role in the game of chivalry. A Targaryen prince is even honored by being named one of her champions despite no connection between him and her being noted.

Princess Rhaella Targaryen was crowned by Ser Bonifer Hasty. OK, this was clearly romantic. The very first romantic example available.

The daughter of Lord Walter Whent and Lady Shella Whent started the tourney as the reigning queen. Her champions were her brothers and her celibate uncle. No romance noted.

Lyanna Stark was crowned by Rhaegar Targaryen. Was this romantic? There's no evidence they knew each other before or spent significant time together during the tourney. She was hanging out with her siblings, protecting Howland, and secretly competing in the tourney while Rhaegar was surrounded by his friends and allies, trying to overthrow his father, and competing in the jousts. Where was the time? But here's a passage from TWOIAF detailing how those present found this to be political:

Lynesse Hightower was crowned by Jorah Mormont as the second example of this being a romantic gesture.

So of the eight known QOLAB and the one recipient of the champion's laurel, only two (2) examples were overtly romantic. Crowning someone or standing as their champion isn't a huge romantic gesture. It's certainly not something that is going to harm an uncrowned woman's social status. Elia's position as Rhaegar’s wife and the presumed future queen consort of Westeros wasn't threatened by her not receiving an empty chivalrous gesture. Even if it had been romantic, it would be damaging to Lyanna's social standing, not Elia's since Elia is married to the crown prince while any other person can only be his paramour.

This whole idea is just as unfounded as Jon being a threat to his legitimate siblings. The facts of the series simply don't support it. He would be treated as inferior to them and have fewer opportunities because he is illegitimate. And this isn't about defending Rhaegar, who I am not a fan of lol

[sigilsongs-a]

𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐕𝐀𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐒 𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐄𝐍

Her great-grandparents were "The Old King"Jaehaerys I Targaryen and his wife Good Queen Alysanne Targaryen, Vaelaerys was born during the 42nd year of his fifty-five year reign, his first great-grandchild, and as such her name (Vaelaerys) is inspired by his (Jaehaerys). Her paternal grandmother was their eldest daughter and secondborn child, Princess Daenerys Targaryen, who married Lord Simon Dondarrion of Blackhaven who had crowned her the queen of love and beauty years prior and won her heart. — Queen Alyssane had argued for Daenerys to be named her fathers heir, whilst King Jaehaerys staunchly determined his heir to be the younger Aemon, whom he intended to marry Daenerys to.

Both her great-grandparents were dragon riders; Jaehaerys upon Vermithor and Alyssane upon Silverwing, the latter Vaelaerys would claim late in life.

Her father was Daenerys and Simon's only son, Laeron Targaryen. He was gifted his maternal surname and royal title by his reigning grandparents, and dubbed Prince Laeron of Houses Targaryen and Dondarrion, though he was far down the line of succession. Her mother (whom Vaelaerys all-but loathes), is Lady Athora Frey, and Vaelaerys is their only child together. Her mother remarried after Laeron's death, to her step-father Lord Jordwyn Mooton of Maidenpool; together they have her half-brother, fourteen years her junior and Maidenpool's heir by right of gender, in Lord Jael Mooton.

Great-Aunts & Uncles: Aegon †, Aemond, Baelon, Alyssa, Septa Maegelle, Archmaester Vaegon, Daella, Saera, Viserra †, Gaemon †, Valerion † and Gael Targaryen

First Cousins, Once Removed: Aemma Arryn, Viserys I Targaryen, Rhaenys Targaryen, and Daemon Targaryen.

Any children born biologically of her first cousins, once removed would be Vaelaerys' first cousin, twice removed: Rhaenyra Targaryen, Laena and Laenor Velaryon, Aegon II Targaryen, Aemond Targaryen, Helaena Targaryen, Daeron Targaryen. Any of those cousins' children are Vaelaerys thrice removed cousins, and so on.

In some cases there may be a generational overlap, such as with Aegon III Targaryen who is her first cousin, twice removed as the son of Daemon Targaryen. However, he is the son of Daemon and Rhaenyra Targaryen, who also Vaelaerys' first cousin twice removed, therefore making Aegon III Targaryen both a first cousin twice, and thrice, removed.

ORIGINAL CHARACTER, CANON INSPIRED:  Book Lore has been altered for this character as, canonly, Daenerys Targaryen (b. 53AC) was claimed by The Shivers in her youth.

[bruiisedpetals-a]

[ .. ] 𝔭𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔠𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔳𝔞𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔯𝔶𝔰 𝔱𝔞𝔯𝔤𝔞𝔯𝔶𝔢𝔫

GREAT-GRANDPARENTS. "the old king" jaehaerys i targaryen † & "good queen" alysanne targaryen †  GRANDPARENTS. princess daenerys targaryen † & lord simon dondarrion of blackhaven.  PARENTS.  prince laeron targaryen † & lady athora celtigar of claw isle  STEP-FATHER.  lord jordwyn mooton of maidenpool, from 104AC onwards  SIBLINGS.  lord jael mooton, half-brother MOUNT. silverwing, from 107AC

biography below, temporary hosted in a post until the carrd is complete.

vaelerys has always been enamored with the rich and majestic ancestry of house targaryen, and so was proud that she carried her ancestral name... truthfully she is intentionally, stubbornly, mentally disconnected with her maternal side, house celitgar of claw isle. as a girl she often spoke to her parents about wishing to wed one of her removed cousins so she could take up residence in the red keep, as a "proper targaryen princess". she also desperately wished to bond with a dragon, or have an egg hatch for her, as her great-grandmother queen alysanne (who rode silverwing) and great-aunt alyssa targaryen (who rode meleys) were amongst her main idols in youth.

it was commonly known that she hoped to marry for advantage rather than love, having always spoken about her desire to dwell in the red keep, and notably she pitched a fit when her first cousin, once removed, daemon targaryen was wed to rhea royce. vaelerys hoped to wed him herself; she was only seven at the time. shortly after this outburst (which was not her first), vaelerys found herself with the newer, and much sterner, septa weona. the woman much more pious than the last: it was an attempt by her parents to calm down her emerging venomous temper. the next few years, until her thirteenth year, were somewhat quieter. though she simmered in personal, petty, jealousy, vaelerys learned to control her anger and, more importantly she learned how to control the perception of others around her; to play the part one might say. and it worked, until the beginning of 103AC; her darkest year.

so, like dominoes; it began ... within three months of her thirteenth nameday laeron targaryen, vaelerys', father, hero and greatest love in life, perished; the result of a concentrated outbreak of shivers... a disease that had almost claimed his mother, daenerys', in her youth, he was thirty-one. — six months later, her only living namesake in her great-grandfather the old king jaehaerys passed in his sleep at sixty-nine years old. then, as the year closed, the last blow was dealt when vaelerys' grandmother, jaeherys' eldest living child in daenerys targaryen, now without her parents and her only child, began to fade away in her grief... before the final day of the year 103AC, she died of the wasting sickness at the age of fifty.

suddenly vaelerys was 'a targaryen alone'; a terrible thing. her father, her grandmother, her great-grandfather had all been taken, she was a lone dragon surrounded by crabs & salmon. because 104AC brought more bitterness as a fourteen-year-old she watched her mother remarry the youngest brother of the lord of maidenpool ... her new salmon-sigil carrying step-father was lord jordwyn mooton and then together they quickly had a son: their heir, and vaelerys' half-brother jael mooton, fourteen years younger than her.

by this time she felt the pressure to marry, coming from her newly inherited step-family and her mother. vaelerys bought time, using her charm and slyly nuanced words, by claiming she wished to visit her removed paternal cousins and see the dragons soar "before i commit myself to marriage". though vaelerys intended to secure herself a husband in the capital; she secure much more. it took a year to organise the trip, her infant half-brother taking up most of the time as she privately schemed as to whom she would target for a match, and so she arrived in her sixteenth year. within twelve months, a gleefully arrogant & radiant vaelerys returned home atop the might she-dragon silvewing ... who had been riderless since the good queen alysanne, her great-grandmother, died seven years prior. seeing her mother and step-father tremble before her, astride silverwing in 107AC, would be an image that secretly, horribly, delighted her forever more.

vaelerys couldn't dodge it forever... MARRIAGE. there were no matches of pure advantage accessible to her at that moment and she was in late teens; loathesome of rumours she more than begrudgingly relented to a match with her step-fathers overhouse; the younger brother of lord grover tully was who was picked. lord murray tully and lady vaelerys targaryen were wed in 110AC. some say her stare was a mix of dragonfire and bone-chilling ice; she played a civil part in the ceremony... what was expected of her. no one was under the misapprehension that she loved or cared for him, and nor he for her it would come to pass. murray tully, if he had been worth documentation to historians, would have reminded some of the far-future king robert baratheon. a good fighter, a cunt in most other regards — he'd been used to ordering the women in his life around, but he could not contain nor dominate the dragonriding targaryen who loathed being his wife.

[jestershq]

queen vaella welcomes our newest jesters ROWENA ARRYN NÉE CORBRAY, the ruling lady of the eyrie, and MELEI DONDARRION NÉE MARTELL, the regent lady of blackhaven, to king's landing ! the faceclaims of natalie dormer and simone ashley are now taken. please be sure to look over our checklist to get settled.

º ✧ 。–––  [  natalie dormer  ,  39  ,  cis female  ,  she/her  ]  welcome  ROWENA ARRYN NEE CORBRAY ,  the  RULING LADY OF THE EYRIE  ,  to  king's  landing  !  the  ravens  have  carried  word  of  their  -BITTER  and  - RESENTFUL  nature  ,  but  we  have  high  hopes  that  their  + RESILIENT  and  + SENSIBLE  qualities  will  shine  through  .  when  you  think  of  them  ,  ideas  of  THE COLD MOUNTAIN BREEZE WHIPPING BACK DARK HAIR; THE MOURNFUL SILENCE OF AN EMPTY NURSERY; A GASP OF COLD AIR IN THE LUNGS, REFRESHING AND BRITTLE  come  to  mind  .   they  are  arriving  to  the  red  keep  ,  NEUTRAL  TO  house  velaryon  .  we  do  hope  that  whatever  happens  ,  they  play  the  game  wisely  .  –––   ELIZA  **Azriel Redfort's first love!

º ✧ 。–––  [  simone ashley  ,  31  ,  cis female ,  she/her  ]  welcome  MELEI DONDARRION NEE MARTELL ,  the  REGENT LADY OF BLACKHAVEN  ,  to  king's  landing  !  the  ravens  have  carried  word  of  their  - INCONSISTENT  and  - NAIVE  nature  ,  but  we  have  high  hopes  that  their  +WHIMSICAL  and  + GENEROUS  qualities  will  shine  through  .  when  you  think  of  them  ,  ideas  of  DEEP OCHRE SILKS SPOTTED WITH SILVER STARS; BRIGHT LAUGHTER ECHOING DOWN A HALLWAY, LAZY MORNINGS IN THE RUMPLED SHEETS TELLING STORIES  come  to  mind  .   they  are  arriving  to  the  red  keep  ,  IN  OPPOSITION  OF  house  velaryon  .  we  do  hope  that  whatever  happens  ,  they  play  the  game  wisely  .  –––   ELIZA 

[conquesthq]

the   following   are   now   on   reserve   for   up   to   twenty   -   four   hours   after   opening   for   applications.

the ruling lady hightower, annabelle wallis, the fifth sibling of lady lannister, tian xiwei, regent lady dondarrion, & marina moschen.

stark bastard, jessie mei li & a direwolf.

kit harington + the eldest stark sibling, simone ashley and oscar isaac.

[westeroslive]

due to failure to post within the allotted time, failure to resume activity or mun decision please unfollow:

@mournedsaint

@svnofwvnter

@visenyca

@shebambi ( do not unfollow, only one role was reopened )

the following roles and faceclaims are now available for application:

lee jong suk

ruling lord dondarrion

simone ashley

lady frey

youngest lord karstark

sam corlett

eldest lady harlaw of harlaw hall

davika hoorne

youngest princess targaryen

morfydd clark

lady rowan

natalie dormer

[thelustybraavosimaid]

Arya Month 2022: Parallels - Jon and Arya + Jaehaerys and Alysanne

Jaehaerys → Jon

YOUNG LEADERS

Though only ten-and-four, the boy king proved from the first that he would not be content to sit by meekly whilst others ruled in his name. (Prince into King—The Ascension of King Jaehaerys I, Fire and Blood)

--

"My lord, when I was looking through the annals I came on another boy commander. Four hundred years before the Conquest. Osric Stark was ten when he was chosen, but he served for sixty years. That's four, my lord. You're not even close to being the youngest ever chosen. You're fifth youngest, so far." (Samwell I, AFfC)

INNOVATORS

The wood south of the river was old forest, dense and overgrown; fine for hunting, poor for travel. He commanded that a road be cut through it, to connect King's Landing with Storm's End. The same road should be continued north of the city, from the Rush to the Trident and beyond, straight along the Green Fork and through the Neck, then across the wild trackless North to Winterfell and the Wall. The kingsroad, the smallfolk named it—the longest and most costly of Jaehaerys's roads, the first begun, the first completed.

Others followed: the roseroad, the ocean road, the river road, the gold road. (The Long Reign—Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain, Fire and Blood)

--

By the time the last withered apple had been handed out, the wagons were crowded with wildlings, and they were sixty-three stronger than when the column had set out from Castle Black that morning. "What will you do with them?" Bowen Marsh asked Jon on the ride back up the kingsroad.

"Train them, arm them, and split them up. Send them where they're needed. Eastwatch, the Shadow Tower, Icemark, Greyguard. I mean to open three more forts as well." (Jon V, ADwD)

NATURAL CHARISMA

"There will be no trials, no torture, and no executions," he announced to them. "The realm must see that I am not my uncle. I shall not begin my reign by bathing in blood. Some came to my banners early, some late. Let the rest come now."

Jaehaerys as yet had neither been crowned nor anointed, and was still shy of his majority; his pronouncement therefore had no legal force, nor did he have the authority to overrule his council and regent. Yet such was the power of his words, and the determination he displayed as he sat looking down upon them all from the Iron Throne, that Lords Baratheon and Velaryon at once gave the prince their support, and the rest soon followed. (Prince into King—The Ascension of King Jaehaerys I, Fire and Blood)

--

"The Wall will stop them," Jon heard himself say. He turned and said it again, louder. "The Wall will stop them. The Wall defends itself." Hollow words, but he needed to say them, almost as much as his brothers needed to hear them. "Mance wants to unman us with his numbers. Does he think we're stupid?" He was shouting now, his leg forgotten, and every man was listening. "The chariots, the horsemen, all those fools on foot...what are they going to do to us up here? Any of you ever see a mammoth climb a wall?" He laughed, and Pyp and Owen and half a dozen more laughed with him. "They're nothing, they're less use than our straw brothers here, they can't reach us, they can't hurt us, and they don't frighten us, do they?"

"NO!" Grenn shouted.

"They're down there and we're up here," Jon said, "and so long as we hold the gate they cannot pass. They cannot pass!" They were all shouting then, roaring his own words back at him, waving swords and longbows in the air as their cheeks flushed red. Jon saw Kegs standing there with a warhorn slung beneath his arm. "Brother," he told him, "sound for battle." (Jon VIII, ASoS)

BRILLIANT TACTICIANS

As the stormlanders proceeded from the east, Simon Dondarrion, Lord of Blackhaven, led a small host of marcher knights into the mountains from the west, to seal off escape from that side. Whilst the hunters crept toward one another, Jaehaerys watched them from the sky, moving them about as once he had moved toy armies in the Chamber of the Painted Table.

In the end, they found their foes. (The Long Reign–Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain, Fire and Blood)

--

The wildling archers shot as they advanced; they would dash forward, stop, loose, then run another ten yards. There were so many that the air was constantly full of arrows, all falling woefully short. A waste, Jon thought. Their want of discipline is showing. The smaller horn-and-wood bows of the free folk were outranged by the great yew longbows of the Night's Watch, and the wildlings were trying to shoot at men seven hundred feet above them. "Let them shoot," Jon said. "Wait. Hold." Their cloaks were flapping behind them. "The wind is in our faces, it will cost us range. Wait." Closer, closer. The skins wailed, the drums thundered, the wildling arrows fluttered and fell. (Jon VIII, ASoS)

RUTHLESS WHEN NECESSARY

Rego Draz, known as the Lord of Air, was the Master of Coin in King Jaehaerys's court. A starving mob chanced upon him, dragged him from his palanquin, and murdered him with a cobblestone. He was blamed, as a Pentoshi, for setting the Shivers upon Westeros.

"I would have the name of the men who did this. Speak now, and you will be well rewarded. Hold your tongues, and you will lose them." Many of the watchers slunk away, but one barefoot girl came forward, squeaking out a name.

The king thanked her, and commanded her to show his knights where this man might be found. She led the Kingsguard to a wine sinks where the villain was discovered with a whore in his lap and three of Lord Rego's rings on his fingers. Under torture, he soon gave up the names of the other attackers, and they were taken one and all. One of their number claimed to have been a Poor Fellow, and cried out that he wished to take the black. "No," Jaehaerys told him. "The Night's Watch are men of honor, and you are lower than rats." Such men as these were unworthy of a clean death by sword or axe, he ruled. Instead they were hung from the walls of the Red Keep, disemboweled, and left to twist until they died, their entrails swinging loose down to their knees. (The Long Reign—Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain, Fire and Blood)

--

"You will make a crow of him." She wiped at her tears with the back of a small pale hand. "I won't. I won't."

Kill the boy, thought Jon. "You will. Else I promise you, the day that they burn Dalla's boy, yours will die as well." (Jon II, ADwD)

USING BONDED COMPANIONS TO SEND A MESSAGE

In answer, King Jaehaerys descended the Iron Throne and bade Lord Rogar follow him. He led his lordship from the hall to the inner ward where Vermithor was being fed. A bull had been slaughtered for his morning meal and lay upon the stones charred and smoking, for dragons always burn their meat before consuming it. Vermithor was feasting on the flesh, tearing great loose chunks of meat with each bite, but when the king approached with Lord Rogar, the dragon raised his head and gazed at them with eyes like pools of molten bronze. "He grows larger every day," Jaehaerys said as he scratched the great wyrm under his jaw. "Keep your nieces and nephews, my lord. Why would I need hostages? I have your word, that is all I require." But Grand Maester Benifer heard the words he did not speak. "Every man and maid and child in the stormlands is my hostage, whilst I ride him, His Grace said without saying," wrote Benifer, "and Lord Rogar heard him plain." (A Time of Testing—The Realm Remade, Fire and Blood)

--

"So I did. Come here by me, lad. I want my folk to see you. I got thousands ne'er saw a lord commander, grown men who were told as boys that your rangers would eat them if they didn't behave. They need to see you plain, a long-faced lad in an old black cloak. They need to learn that the Night's Watch is naught t'be feared."

That is a lesson I would sooner they never learned. Jon peeled the glove off his burned hand, put two fingers in his mouth, and whistled. Ghost came racing from the gate. Tormund's horse shied so hard that the wildling almost lost his saddle. "Naught to be feared?" Jon said. "Ghost, stay."

"You are a black-hearted bastard, Lord Crow." Tormund Horn-Blower lifted his own warhorn to his lips. (Jon XII, ADwD)

DON'T FLIRT WITH ME

[...] The queen's absence had been noticed, and His Grace would oft find himself seated next to some lissome maid or handsome widow at feasts, or riding beside them when hawking or hunting, but he took no notice of any of them. At Bandallon, when Lord Blackbar's youngest daughter was so bold as to seat herself in his lap and attempt to feed him a grape, he brushed her hand aside and said, "Forgive me, but I have a queen, and no taste for paramours." (The Long Reign—Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain, Fire and Blood)

--

A ragged cheer went up. Zei grabbed Owen by the hands, spun him around in a circle, and gave him a long wet kiss right there for all to see. She tried to kiss Jon too, but he held her by the shoulder and pushed her gently but firmly away. "No," he said. I am done with kissing. (Jon VIII, ASoS)

HOLDING SISTERS IN HIGH REGARD

Whenever lords and council members traveled to Dragonstone to consult with the young king, as they did from time to time, Jaehaerys received them in the Chamber of the Painted Table where his grandsire had once planned his conquest of Westeros, with Alysanne ever by his side. "Aegon had no secrets from Rhaenys and Visenya, and I have none from Alysanne," he said. (The Year of the Three Brides—49 AC, Fire and Blood)

--

Pay it, aye, thought Theon. Pay it with false coin. Jon Snow would see through the impostesure at once. Lord Stark's sullen bastard had known Jeyne Poole, and he had always been fond of his little half-sister Arya. (Theon I, TWoW)

RELENTLESS TRAINERS

One evening, after a day in which Jaehaerys had been severely tested and battered, Maester Culiper said to him, "Your Grace, why do you punish yourself so harshly? The realm is at peace." The young king only smiled and replied, "The realm was at peace when my grandsire died, but scarcely had my father climbed onto the throne than foes rose up on every side. They were testing him, to learn if he was strong or weak. They will test me as well." (A Surfeit of Rulers, Fire and Blood)

--

"His duties don't keep him from the yard. More days than not, he's out there fighting someone."

That was true, Sam had to admit. Once, when Jon came to consult with Maester Aemon, Sam had asked him why he spent so much time at swordplay. "The Old Bear never trained much when he was Lord Commander," he had pointed out. In answer, Jon had pressed Longclaw into Sam's hand. He let him feel the lightness, the balance, had him turn the blade so that ripples gleamed in the smoke-dark metal. "Valyrian steel," he said, "spell-forged and razor-sharp, nigh on indestructible. A swordsman should be as good as his sword, Sam. Longclaw is Valyrian steel, but I'm not. The Halfhand could have killed me as easy as you swat a bug." (Samwell I, AFfC)

SHARP TONGUE AND WIT

"The Faith will look askance at any king who thinks to rule without a Septon by his side," he announced. Jaehaerys had a ready answer. "We shall have no lack of septons. Septon Oswyck and Septa Ysabel will remain with us, and there is a young man coming from Highgarden to see to our library. His name is Barth." Mattheus was dismissive, declaring that Oswyck was a doddering fool and Ysabel a woman, whilst he had no knowledge of Septon Barth. "Nor of many things," the king replied. (A Time of Testing—The Realm Remade, Fire and Blood)

--

Slynt slammed a fist on the table. "I heard you! Ser Alliser had your measure true enough, it seems. You lie through your bastard's teeth. Well, I will not suffer it. I will not! You might have fooled this crippled blacksmith, but not Janos Slynt! Oh, no. Janos Slynt does not swallow lies so easily. Did you think my skull was stuffed with cabbage?"

"I don't know what your skull is stuffed with. My lord." (Jon IX, ASoS)

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE

Here and there Poor Fellows appeared, gaunt unwashed fellows with long beards and great axes, to beg for the same clemency that had been granted to the Red Dog. This Jaehaerys granted them, on the condition that they agreed to journey north and join the Night's Watch at the Wall. Hundreds swore to do so, amongst them no less a personage than Rob the Starvling. "Within a moon's turn of being crowned," Grand Maester Benifer wrote, "King Jaehaerys had reconciled the Iron Throne to the Faith and put an end to the bloodshed that had troubled the reigns of his uncle and father." (Prince into King—The Ascension of Jaehaerys I, Fire and Blood)

--

"We need a loan as well. Gold enough to keep us fed till spring. To buy food and hire ships to bring it to us."

"Spring?" Tycho sighed. "It is not possible, my lord."

What was it Stannis had said to him? You haggle like a crone with a codfish, Lord Snow. Did Lord Eddard father you on a fishwife? Perhaps he had at that.

It took the better part of an hour before the impossible became possible, and another hour before they could agree on terms. The flagon of mulled wine that Satin delivered helped them settle the more nettlesome points. By the time Jon Snow signed the parchment the Braavosi drew up, both of them were half-drunk and quite unhappy. Jon thought that a good sign. (Jon IX, ADwD)

GRACEFUL

Tall and handsome, Jaehaerys moved with an easy grace, be it on the dance floor or in the training yard. (Jaehaerys and Alysanne—Their Triumphs and Tragedies, Fire and Blood)

--

Jon was slender where Robb was muscular, dark where Robb was fair, graceful and quick where his half brother was strong and fast. (Bran I, AGoT)

Alysanne → Arya

OUTSPOKEN

After Prince Baelon the Brave avenged his brother Aemon's death on Tarth by driving the Myrmen into the sea, Jaehaerys named him the Prince of Dragonstone and the heir to the Iron Throne. While this was a popular decree amongst the smallfolk, Aemon was survived by a daughter, Rhaenys, who was with child when Aemon passed.

The most prominent dissenter was Good Queen Alysanne, who helped her husband rule the Seven Kingdoms for many years, and now saw her son's daughter passed over because of her sex. "A ruler needs a good head and a true heart," she famously told the king. "A cock is not essential. If Your Grace truly believes that women lack the wit to rule, plainly you have no further need of me." And thus Queen Alysanne departed King's Landing and flew to Dragonstone on her dragon Silverwing. (The Long Reign—Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain, Fire and Blood)

--

"The Lannisters are proud," Jon observed. "You'd think the royal sigil would be sufficient, but no. He makes his mother's House equal in honor to the king's."

"The woman is important too!" Arya protested. (Arya I, AGoT)

STUBBORN

"We keep the old gods in the North," he told the queen. "When my boys take a wife, they will wed before a heart tree, not in some southron sept."

Alysanne Targaryen did not yield easily, however. The lords of the south honored the old gods as well as the new, she told Lord Alaric; most every castle that she knew had a godswood as well as a sept. And there were still certain houses that had never accepted the Seven, no more than the northmen had, the Blackwoods in the riverlands chief amongst them, and mayhaps as many as a dozen more. Even a lord as stern and flinty as Alaric Stark found himself helpless before Queen Alysanne's stubborn charm. He allowed that he would think on what she said, and raise the matter with his sons. (Jaehaerys and Alysanne—Their Triumphs and Tragedies, Fire and Blood)

--

"I don't want them," Arya said. "I want Syrio."

Ned ran his fingers through his hair. Any decent master-at-arms could give Arya the rudiments of slash-and-parry without this nonsense of blindfolds, cartwheels, and hopping about on one leg, but he knew his youngest daughter well enough to know there was no arguing with that stubborn jut of jaw. "As you wish," he said. Surely she would grow tired of this soon. "Try to be careful."

"I will," she promised solemnly as she hopped smoothly from her right leg to her left. (Eddard VII, AGoT)

PRO-WOMAN FEMINISTS

For three days [Alysanne] lost herself in the Citadel's great library, emerging only to attend lectures on the Valyrian dragon wars, leechcraft, and the gods of the Summer Isles.

Afterward she feasted the assembled archmaesters in their own dining hall, and even presumed to lecture them. "If I had not become queen, I might have liked to be a maester," she told the Conclave. "I read, I write, I think, I am not afraid of ravens...or a bit of blood. There are other highborn girls who feel the same. Why not admit them to your Citadel? If they cannot keep up, send them home, the way you send home boys who are not clever enough. If you would give the girls a chance, you might be surprised by how many forge a chain." The archmaesters, loath to gainsay the queen, smiled at her words and bobbed their heads and assured Her Grace that they would consider her proposal. (Birth, Death, and Betrayal Under King Jaehaerys I, Fire and Blood)

--

Arya cocked her head to one side. "Can I be a king's councillor and build castles and become the High Septon?" (Eddard V, AGoT)

ENJOY ACTIVE PURSUITS

It is written that the young king and queen were seldom apart during [the remainder of his minority], sharing every meal, talking late into the night of the green days of their childhood and the challenges ahead, fishing and hawking together, mingling with the island's smallfolk in dockside inns, reading to one another from dusty leatherbound tomes they found in the castle library, taking lessons together from Dragonstone's maesters ("for we still have much to learn," Alysanne is said to have reminded her husband) praying beside Septon Oswyck. They flew together as well, all around the Dragonmount and oft as far as Driftmark. (The Year of the Three Brides—49 AC, Fire and Blood)

...

And oh, how she had loved to fly. Silverwing carried her to Oldtown, to the Wall, and to a thousand places in between, and Alysanne saw them all as few others ever would, looking down from above the clouds. (The Long Reign—Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain, Fire and Blood)

--

"You ride like a northman, milady," Harwin said when he'd drawn them to a halt. "Your aunt was the same. Lady Lyanna. But my father was master of horse, remember." (Arya III, ASoS)

...

A bodkin could pierce even heavy plate. I'm going to learn to shoot a bow, Arya thought. She loved swordfighting, but she could see how arrows were good too. (Arya VII, ASoS)

DEEPLY CARE FOR THE COMMON PEOPLE

She understood the need for a castle between Snowgate and Icemark, she told Lord Burley, but the Nightfort was crumbling, overlarge, and surely ruinous to heat. The Watch should abandon it, she said, and build a smaller castle farther to the east. Lord Burley could not disagree...but the Night's Watch lacked the coin to build new castles, he said. Alysanne had anticipated that objection. She would pay for the castle herself, she told the Lord Commander, and pledged her jewels to cover the cost. "I have a good many jewels," she said. (Jaehaerys and Alysanne—Their Triumphs and Tragedies, Fire and Blood)

--

Sansa knew all about the sorts of people Arya liked to talk to: squires and grooms and serving girls, old men and naked children, rough-spoken freeriders of uncertain birth. Arya would make friends with anybody. This Mycah was the worst; a butcher's boy, thirteen and wild, he slept in the meat wagon and smelled of the slaughtering block. Just the sight of him was enough to make Sansa feel sick, but Arya seemed to prefer his company to hers. (Sansa I, AGoT)

THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING

"Above all else, a queen must know how to listen," Alysanne Targaryen often said. At Castle Black, she proved those words. She listened, she heard, and she won the eternal devotion of the men of the Night's Watch by her action. (Jaehaerys and Alysanne—Their Triumphs and Tragedies, Fire and Blood)

--

At Winterfell, he always had an extra seat set at his own table, and every day a different man would be asked to join him. One night it would be Vayon Poole, and the talk would be coppers and bread stores and servants. The next time it would be Mikken, and her father would listen to him go on about armor and swords and how hot a forge should be and the best way to temper steel. Another day it might be Hullen with his endless horse talk, or Septon Chayle from the library, or Jory, or Ser Rodrik, or even Old Nan with her stories.

Arya had loved nothing better than to sit at her father's table and listen to them talk. She had loved listening to the men on the benches too; to freeriders tough as leather, courtly knights and bold young squires, grizzled old men-at-arms. She used to throw snowballs at them and help them steal pies from the kitchen. Their wives gave her scones and she invented names for their babies and played monsters-and-maidens and hide-the-treasure and come-into-my-castle with their children. (Arya II, AGoT)

MAKING FRIENDS WITH EASE

Neither prayer, sermons, nor readings from The Seven-Pointed Star could shake Alysanne Targaryen's conviction that the gods had meant her to marry her brother Jaehaerys, to be his confidant and helpmate and the mother of his children. "He will be a great king," she told Septa Ysabel, Lady Lucinda, and the others, "and I will be a great queen." So firm was she in her belief, and so gentle and kindly and loving in all else, that the septa and the other Wise Women found they could not condemn her, and with every passing day they clove to her side. (A Surfeit of Rulers, Fire and Blood)

--

Cat had made friends along the wharves; porters and mummers, ropemakers and sailmenders, taverners, brewers and bakers and beggars and whores. They bought clams and cockles from her, told her true tales of Braavos and lies about their lives, and laughed at the way she talked when she tried to speak Braavosi. She never let that trouble her. Instead, she showed them all the fig, and told them they were camel cunts, which made them roar with laughter. Gyloro Dothare taught her filthy songs, and his brother Gyleno told her the best places to catch eels. (Cat of the Canals, AFfC)

LACK OF TRADITIONAL VALYRIAN/TULLY LOOK

Her eyes were blue rather than purple, her hair a mass of honey-colored curls. (The Year of the Three Brides—49 AC, Fire and Blood)

--

It would have been easier if Arya had been a bastard, like their half brother Jon. She even looked like Jon, with the long face and brown hair of the Starks, and nothing of their lady mother in her face or her coloring. (Sansa I, AGoT)

SLENDER, SMALL, PRETTY

Her childhood had been spent in the shadow of her brothers and her elder sister, Rhaena, and when she was spoken of at all it was as "the little maid" and "the other daughter." She was little, this was true; slim and slight of frame, Alysanne was oft described as pretty but seldom as beautiful, though she was born of a house renowned for beauty. (The Year of the Three Brides—49 AC, Fire and Blood)

--

"Wear this when you are here," the priest said, "but know that you shall have little need of it for the present. On the morrow you will go to Izembaro to begin your first apprenticeship. Take what clothes you will from the vaults below. The city watch is looking for a certain ugly girl, known to frequent the Purple Harbor, so best you have a new face as well." He cupped her chin, turned her head this way and that, nodded. "A pretty one this time, I think. As pretty as your own. Who are you, child?" (The Ugly Little Girl, ADwD)

...

"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," she sang as she descended the wooden stair to the street. The handrail was splintery, the steps steep, and there were five flights, but that was why she'd gotten the room so cheap. That, and Mercy's smile. She might be bald and skinny, but Mercy had a pretty smile, and a certain grace. Even Izembaro agreed that she was graceful. (Mercy, TWoW)

LOVE OF ADVENTURE

In the North, Queen Alysanne grew restless with waiting, and decided to take her leave of Winterfell for a time and visit the men of the Night's Watch at Castle Black. The distance was not negligible, even flying; Her Grace landed at the Last Hearth and smaller several keeps and holdfasts on her way, to the surprise and delight of their lords, whilst a portion of her tail scrambled after her (the rest remained at Winterfell).

Her first sight of the Wall from above took Alysanne's breath away, Her Grace would later tell the king. (Jaehaerys and Alysanne—Their Triumphs and Tragedies, Fire and Blood)

--

"It won't be so bad, Sansa," Arya said. "We're going to sail on a galley. It will be an adventure, and then we'll be with Bran and Robb again, and Old Nan and Hodor and the rest." She touched her on the arm. (Sansa III, AGoT)

A TASTE FOR ALE

Lord Manderly entertained the queen lavishly. At the welcoming feast an entire aurochs was roasted, and his lordship’s daughter Jessamyn acted as the queen’s cupbearer, filling her tankard with a strong northern ale that Her Grace pronounced finer than any wine she had ever tasted. (Jaehaerys and Alysanne—Their Triumphs and Tragedies, Fire and Blood)

--

Arya sipped at her tankard cautiously, between spoonfuls of pie still warm from the oven. Her father sometimes let them have a cup of beer, she remembered. Sansa used to make a face at the taste and say that wine was ever so much finer, but Arya had liked it well enough. It made her sad to think of Sansa and her father. (Arya II, ACoK)

NEVER QUESTIONED WITS

No man ever questioned her wits. (The Year of the Three Brides—49 AC, Fire and Blood)

--

When they crossed the first stream, Arya turned her horse aside and led them off the road, following the twisting course of the water for a quarter-mile before finally scrambling out and up a stony bank. If the hunters brought dogs, that might throw them off the scent, she hoped. They could not stay on the road. There is death on the road, she told herself, death on all the roads.

Gendry and Hot Pie did not question her choice. (Arya I, ASoS)

BONDED ANIMALS

It was Princess Rhaena, legend says, who put a dragon's egg in Princess Alysanne's cradle, just as she had for Prince Jaehaerys two years earlier. If those tales be true, from those eggs came the dragons Silverwing and Vermithor, whose names would be writ so large in the annals of the years to come. (Sons of the Dragon, Fire and Blood)

--

Nymeria was waiting for her in the guardroom at the base of the stairs. She bounded to her feet as soon as she caught sight of Arya. Arya grinned. The wolf pup loved her, even if no one else did. They went everywhere together, and Nymeria slept in her room, at the foot of her bed. (Arya I, AGoT)

--

"He's not like the others," Jon said. "He never makes a sound. That's why I named him Ghost. That, and because he's white. The others are all dark, grey or black." (Jon I, AGoT)

ELOPEMENT AND STEALING

Alysanne went to Jaehaerys as soon as she learned of her impending marriage to Ser Orryn Baratheon.

The young king was as displeased as his sister was at the news. "They will be making wedding plans for me as well, I do not doubt," he deduced at once. Like his sister, Jaehaerys did not waste time with reproaches, recriminations, or appeals. Instead he acted. Summoning his Kingsguard, he instructed them to sail at once for Dragonstone, where he would meet them shortly. "You have sworn me your swords and your obedience," he reminded his Seven. "Remember those vows, and speak no word of my departure."

That night, under cover of darkness, King Jaehaerys and Princess Alysanne mounted their dragons, Vermithor and Silverwing, and departed the Red Keep for the ancient Targaryen citadel below the Dragonmount. Reportedly the first words the young king spoke upon landing were, "I have need of a septon." (The Year of the Three Brides—49 AC, Fire and Blood)

In doing so, Jaehaerys effectively stole Alysanne from Ser Orryn.

Jon makes an effort to save Arya from "her" marriage to Ramsay by politicking with Stannis, and later sending Mance south to Winterfell.

And word has come to us that Roose Bolton moves toward Winterfell with all his power, there to wed his bastard to your half sister. He must not be allowed to restore the castle to its former strength. We march against him. Arnolf Karstark and Mors Umber will join us. I will save your sister if I can, and find a better match for her than Ramsay Snow. (Jon VII, ADwD)

--

A grey girl on a dying horse, fleeing from her marriage. On the strength of those words he had loosed Mance Rayder and six spearwives on the north. (Jon VII, ADwD)

Jon is also accused of stealing Ramsay's bride.

Your false king lied, and so did you. You told the world you burned the King-Beyond-the-Wall. Instead you sent him to Winterfell to steal my bride from me. (Jon XIII, ADwD)

CLOSEST SIBLINGS

Both Jaehaerys and Alysanne and Jon and Arya have the strongest bonds with one another that began in early childhood.

Moreover, Alysanne was only two years younger than her brother, and the two children had always been close and strong in their affection and regard for one another. (The Year of the Three Brides—49 AC, Fire and Blood)

--

Arya gave back at him. Jon grinned, reached over, and messed up her hair. Arya flushed. They had always been close. (Arya I, AGoT)

NON-CONFORMITY

Jaehaerys respects Alysanne's abilities and breaks sexist conventions by giving her a place on his councils.

If certain members of the small council were taken aback when the queen began to attend their meetings, they voiced their objections only to one another...and soon not even that, for the young queen proved to be wise, well-read, and clever, a welcome voice in any discussion. (A Time of Testing—The Realm Remade, Fire and Blood)

...

With the able assistance of Septon Barth, Grand Maester Benifer, Lord Albin Massey, and Queen Alysanne—a foursome His Grace dubbed "my even smaller council"—Jaehaerys set out to codify, organize, and reform all the kingdom's laws. (Jaehaerys and Alysanne—Their Triumphs and Tragedies, Fire and Blood)

--

Jon respects Arya's own brand of femininity, even though it largely opposes societal norms for highborn ladies, and gifts her with her own sword.

Wary but excited, Arya checked the hall. "Nymeria, here. Guard." She left the wolf out there to warn of intruders and closed the door. By then Jon had pulled off the rags he'd wrapped it in. He held it out to her.

Arya's eyes went wide. Dark eyes, like his. "A sword," she said in a small, hushed breath. (Jon II, AGoT)

DIFFERENT ROADS, SAME CASTLE

"Send me to the ends of the earth and wed me to the King of Mossovy or the Lord of the Grey Waste, Silverwing will always bring me back to Jaehaerys." And with that she raised herself onto her toes and lifted her face to the king, and he kissed her full upon the lips whilst all looked on. (The Year of the Three Brides—49 AC, Fire and Blood)

--

"Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle. Who knows?" (Jon II, AGoT)

[spiro-nagnew]

y’all i’m sorry but whenever i see

all i really see is

every time he’s on screen

beric dondarrion?

nah girl that’s buck

[findroleplay]

30+ / F. Looking for 18+ (preferably 21+) writing partners for various fandom roleplays.

I'm mainly looking for canon x canon pairings but will at least listen to any OC ideas you have. I, myself, am only interested in writing canons for these. I like canon or canon divergent plots. No AUs that are way out there.

I write third person, past tense and prefer you at least match the third person part. I am for at least one paragraph but usually do more. I'm all about quality over quantity, though. I work full-time during the week so please be patient with me. Replies can't and won't happen every day.

MxM is my preference when it comes to pairings but I have quite a few favorite MxF ships and some FxF ones too. I'll just be listing my fandoms and the characters I most like to write as. I'm pretty open when it comes to ships so feel free to suggest some of your favorites to me.

If a character is in bold, it means I really, really, really want to have an excuse to write as them right now.

The Walking Dead: Beth Greene, Gabriel Stokes, Gareth, Merle Dixon, Negan, Paul Rovia, Shane Walsh, Simon

Supernatural: Arthur Ketch, Azazel, Benny Laffitte, Chuck Shurley, Crowley, Dean Winchester, Lucifer, Metatron, Mick Davies

Game of Thrones: Alliser Thorne, Beric Dondarrion, Bronn, Daenerys Targaryen, Jaime Lannister, Margaery Tyrell, Petyr Baelish, Robb Stark, Roose Bolton, Sansa Stark, Stannis Baratheon, Thoros, Tywin Lannister

Grand Theft Auto IV & V: Devin Weston, Dimitri Rascalov, Gerry McReary, Michael De Santa, Mikhail Faustin, Niko Bellic, Packie McReary, Ray Boccino, Steve Haines, Trevor Philips

Stranger Things: Billy Hargrove, Jim Hopper, Martin Brenner, Murray Bauman, Nancy Wheeler, Steve Harrington

Tolkien Universe: Bard, Beleg, Bofur, Boromir, Celeborn, Curufin, Elrond, Feanor, Finrod, Thranduil, Turgon

The Clergy Universe (from Ghost): Cardinal Copia, Papa Emeritus III, Papa Emeritus IV

Law & Order (the original show only): Ben Stone, Cyrus Lupo, Jack McCoy, Mike Logan, Nolan Price

House MD: James Wilson, Lawrence Kutner, Remy Hadley, Robert Chase

Various Horror Movies: Amber Freeman, Ash Williams, Billy Loomis, Dan Cain, Dave Hanson, Dewey Riley, Freddy Krueger, Herbert West, Jill Roberts, Leslie Vernon, Mark Hoffman, Michael Myers, Mickey Altieri, Mike Tobacco, Otis Driftwood, Paxton Rodriguez, Randall Flagg, Richie Kirsch, William Schenk

Random Characters: Alan Grant, Albus Dumbledore (Fantastic Beasts era only), Alex Krycek, Barty Crouch Jr., Enjolras, Erik (a.k.a. the Phantom of the Opera), Gaston, Gilderoy Lockhart, Grantaire, Jim Moriarty (BBC Sherlock version), Jonathan Carnahan, Severus Snape

If you've made it this far, I like to write on Discord. I can also write through messages on here and might be willing to accommodate some other means.

If you're interested, please message me here or like this post and I'll message you first.

I like to at least begin plotting over on here or else my Discord gets too cluttered.

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[rpersearch]

30+ / She-Her. Looking for 18+ (preferably 21+) writing partners for both fandom and fandomless roleplays.

Discord is my preferred place to write.

Fandom: I'm open to MxM, MxF, and FxF pairings (in order of preference). I'm mainly interested in Canon x Canon but will consider Canon x OC. I'm drawn towards canon or canon divergent plots. No AUs that are way out there. I'll  just be listing the characters I like to write as the most. I'm open to writing as others, if I think I can do them justice, and I'm pretty open when it comes to ships so feel free to suggest any.

Supernatural: Alastair, Arthur Ketch, Azazel, Benny Lafitte, Chuck Shurley, Crowley, Dean Winchester, Lucifer, Mick Davies

Game of Thrones: Alliser Thorne, Beric Dondarrion, Daenerys Targaryen, Jaime Lannister, Margaery Tyrell, Petyr Baelish, Robb Stark, Roose Bolton, Sansa Stark, Stannis Baratheon, Thoros, Tywin Lannister

Grand Theft Auto IV & V: Devin Weston, Dimitri Rascalov, Gerry McReary, Michael De Santa, Mikhail Faustin, Niko Bellic, Ray Boccino, Steve Haines, Trevor Philips

The Walking Dead: Beth Greene, Gabriel Stokes, Gareth, Merle Dixon, Negan, Paul Rovia, Shane Walsh, Simon

Tolkien Universe: Bard, Beleg, Bofur, Boromir, Curufin, Elrond, Feanor, Finrod, Thranduil, Turgon, Turin

The Clergy/Church (Ghost Universe): Cardinal Copia, Papa Emeritus III, Papa Emeritus IV

Random Horror Movie Characters: Amber Freeman, Ash Williams, Dewey Riley, Herbert West, Jill Roberts, Leslie Vernon, Mark Hoffman, Michael Myers, Mickey Altieri, Paxton Rodriguez, Richie Kirsch, William Schenk

Fandomless: I'm only looking for MxM pairings. I lean towards real life plots. The only supernatural plots I'd be okay with would be things dealing with vampires or demons. I have no triggers and like dark/angsty/forbidden stuff. However, I'm perfectly fine with doing happier plots as well. I'm not going to list any ideas here. We can brainstorm together because I don't have anything too specific in mind. I do like to use face claims because I like to be able to easily picture things in my head. For these, I would ideally like to roleplay through a server on Discord to give us the opportunity to create a development channel where we can flesh out our characters, if we want to. You can feel free to use whatever face you'd like to. I'll list some of my own favorites to use, but I'm open to plenty of others. These are just my favorite of favorites.

Face Claims: Aaron Tveit, Adam Nergal Darski, Alfonso Herrera, Andy Biersack, Cheyenne Jackson, Corey Taylor, Dacre Montgomery, David Tennant, George Blagden, Hugh Dancy, Jack Falahee, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Joe Keery, Jon Bernthal, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Max Minghella, Michiel Huisman, Paul Rudd, Spencer Charnas, Steven Ogg, Tom Payne, Wes Bentley

If interested, like this post, message me, or add me on Discord (Lindsay#7046).

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[bruiisedpetals-a]

oh & @vhgr convinced me into finally making my vivia biance muse, we were workshopping her last night so basic details for my moots who would be interested.

the great-granddaughter of good queen alysanne & old king jaehaerys i

the granddaughter of daenerys targaryen & lord simon dondarrion of blackhaven daenerys was their eldest daughter, born in 53AC, *canonly died of shivers in her youth, she will survive in this au. simon, then a young lad, charmed king jaehaerys & queen alysanne with his romantic tales, songs and poetry when they visted blackhaven. he crowned the princess daenerys as 'queen of love and beauty' during this time.

the generations get a bit confusing in terms of tracking relationships because of obvious reasons, however generally speaking...

from the generation above her, she is the first cousin, once removed: of aemma arryn, viserys i targaryen, daemon targaryen and rhaenys targaryen

any children born of those listed above would be a first cousin, twice removed, and so on.

ooc. i've not named her parents yet, and i'm keeping her name a secret til i release her, but i am very excited regardless ✨

[laannie0803]

La princesa Daenerys Targaryen fue la segunda hija del rey Jaehaerys I Targaryen y su hermana esposa, la reina Alysanne.

La princesa Daenerys fue un bebé fuerte y sano, a diferencia de su difunto hermano mayor. El rey Jaehaerys I Targaryen, que se encontraba en Septo de Piedra para el nacimiento, montó a Vermithor y regresó a Desembarco del Rey de inmediato. Aunque el rey deseaba otro hijo que pudiera sucederlo en el Trono de Hierro, adoró a Daenerys desde el momento en que la tomó en brazos por primera vez.

La princesa comenzó a hablar bastante antes de su primer día del nombre, y antes del año y medio había pasado de arrastrarse a gatear, y de andar a correr. Su ama de cría solía decirle a la reina que la niña "tenía mucha prisa". Daenerys fue una niña feliz, inmensamente curiosa y muy intrépida, una delicia para quienes la conocían. La reina Alysanne, encandilada con su hija, faltó por un tiempo a las sesiones del consejo, prefiriendo pasarse los días jugando y leyéndole a Daenerys los cuentos que le había leído a ella su madre. La reina comentaba al rey que la princesa era sumamente inteligente y que sería una gran reina.

En 55 d.C. se celebró un torneo en Desembarco del Rey por el término de la construcción del Pozo Dragón. El ganador de la justa, Ser Simon Dondarrion, se ganó el cariño del pueblo llano y la reina al nombrar a la princesa Daenerys como Reina del Amor y la Belleza.

Ese año, se convirtió en hermana mayor cuando la reina Alysanne dio a luz al príncipe Aemon. El rey Jaehaerys comenzó a referirse a Aemon como su heredero, lo cual disgustaba a la reina, quien aducía que la princesa Daenerys era mayor y la primera en la línea de sucesión. El rey jamás disentía, sólo diciendo que Daenerys sería reina cuando Aemon y ella se casasen; los príncipes reinarían juntos, como ellos. A pesar de que los hermanos se querían, eran muy distintos. La princesa era una niña vivaracha y risueña que saltaba día y noche por toda la Fortaleza Roja, "volando" a horcajadas de una escoba que hacía las veces de dragón. Siempre estaba salpicada de barro y manchada de verdín, y tanto su madre como sus doncellas la perdían de vista constantemente. Con el nacimiento del príncipe Baelon en 57 d.C., la princesa se deleitaba diciéndole a sus hermanos pequeños qué hacer.

En 59 d.C., una enfermedad conocida como los escalofríos asoló los Siete Reinos y cobró la vida de numerosos señores nobles y plebeyos. Al año siguiente, la epidemia llegó a Desembarco del Rey; el rey Jaehaerys ordenó que se cerrasen y trabasen los portones de la Fortaleza Roja y que la guardia de la muralla se duplicara. Sin embargo, una noche a la hora del búho, la reina Alysanne despertó al sentir que le agitaban el brazo con suavidad; era la princesa Daenerys diciendo:

"Madre, tengo frío."  Se intentó cuanto se pudo para que la princesa recuperara la salud; rogativas, cataplasmas, sopas, baños escaldantes, mantas, pieles, piedras calientes e infusiones de ortiga, incluso se llamó a un ama de cría pues había quienes afirmaban que la leche materna podía sanar los escalofríos. Daenerys quería un gatito y se le concedió tal deseo, aunque los temblores se tornaron tan violentos que el felino se escapó y le arañó la mano. Casi al rayar el alba, el rey se puso en pie gritando que su hija debía tener un dragón, por lo que se enviaron cuervos hacia Rocadragón con instrucciones de que llevasen una cría a la Fortaleza Roja. Finalmente, un día y medio después de despertar a su madre quejándose de frío, la princesa Daenerys murió. Fue incinerada y sus cenizas enterradas bajo Rocadragón; doce años después las cenizas de su hermana Daella reposarían junto a ella.

Es triste por que muy a diferencia de Aegon (su hermano) ella era una niña sana que inesperadamente enfermo y murió muy pequeña. Ademas de que Jaehaerys la estaba “dejando de lado” (por así decirlo) desde que nació Aemon y como siempre Alysanne pensaba que no había por que diferenciar al hombre y a la mujer, que el hombre era superior y la mujer inferior. (Y al final ni Daenerys, ni Aemon se sentaron en el trono). Al final su muerte fue otro golpe duro para su madre, quien mas adelante sufriría las muertes de sus hermanos menores. (Aun así pongo un collage de como se vería si hubiera sobrevivido y crecido)

Princess Daenerys Targaryen was the second daughter of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and her sister wife Queen Alysanne.

Princess Daenerys was a strong and healthy baby, unlike her late older brother. King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, who was in the Stone Sept for birth, mounted Vermithor and returned to King's Landing immediately. Although the king desired another son who could succeed him on the Iron Throne, he adored Daenerys from the moment he first took her in his arms.

The princess began to speak well before her first day of the name, and before a year and a half had passed from crawling to crawling, and from running to running. Her young mistress used to tell the queen that the girl "was in a great hurry." Daenerys was a happy girl, immensely curious and very fearless, a delight for those who knew her. Queen Alysanne, dazzled by her daughter, skipped council sessions for a time, preferring to spend her days playing games and reading to Daenerys the stories her mother had read to her. The queen commented to the king that the princess was extremely intelligent and that she would be a great queen.

In 55 A.D. A tournament was held in King's Landing for the completion of the Dragon Well construction. The winner of the joust, Ser Simon Dondarrion, earned the affection of the common people and the queen by naming Princess Daenerys as Queen of Love and Beauty.

That year, she became an older sister when Queen Alysanne gave birth to Prince Aemon. King Jaehaerys began to refer to Aemon as her heir, which displeased the queen, who claimed that Princess Daenerys was older and the first in the line of succession. The king never disagreed, only saying that Daenerys would be queen when she and Aemon were married; the princes would reign together, like them. Although the brothers loved each other, they were very different. The princess was a vivacious and smiling girl who jumped day and night throughout the Red Fortress, "flying" astride a broom that served as a dragon. It was always sprinkled with mud and smeared with verdin, and was constantly lost sight of by both her mother and her maids. With Prince Baelon's birth in AD 57, the princess delighted in telling her little brothers what to do.

In AD 59, a disease known as chills ravaged the Seven Kingdoms and claimed the lives of numerous noble lords and commoners. The following year, the epidemic reached King's Landing; King Jaehaerys ordered the gates of the Red Keep closed and locked, and the guard on the wall doubled. However, one night at owl time, Queen Alysanne awoke to the feeling that her arm was being gently shaken; It was Princess Daenerys saying:

"Mother, I am cold." Every effort was made to restore the princess to health; prayers, poultices, soups, scalding baths, blankets, skins, hot stones and nettle infusions, even a housewife was called because there were those who claimed that breast milk could heal chills. Daenerys wanted a kitten and was granted such a wish, although the tremors became so violent that the cat ran away and clawed at her hand. Almost at dawn, the king stood up screaming that his daughter must have a dragon, so crows were sent to Dragonstone with instructions to bring a baby to the Red Keep. Finally, a day and a half after waking up her mother complaining of the cold, Princess Daenerys died. She was cremated and her ashes buried under Dragonstone; Twelve years later, her sister Daella's ashes would rest with her.

It is sad because very unlike Aegon (her brother) she was a healthy girl who unexpectedly sick and died very young. In addition to the fact that Jaehaerys had been “putting her aside” (so to speak) since Aemon was born and as always Alysanne thought that there was no reason to differentiate between man and woman, that man was superior and woman inferior. (And in the end neither Daenerys nor Aemon sat on the throne.) In the end, his death was another hard blow to his mother, who would later suffer the deaths of her younger siblings. (Still, I put together a collage of what it would look like if it had survived and grown)