#thank you for this. i love Barristan so much !!

[martellspear]

it bothers us because you have delusions that martell princess who was raped but nobody except her family was bothered by it cause she was so irrelevant suddenly should matter more than Jon Targaryen's parents who according to canon 'he loved her she loved him' and their love brought about the birth of the prince who was promised

suck on it irrelevant ugly woman stans and you have the gall to compare princess viserra to her when viserra was million more beautiful than the dornish scum and her ill spawn could ever be

Jon WHO? LMAO. I wasn't going to post this - my moots & followers don’t deserve to read this shit -  but it made me laugh more than the others

Rhaegar chose Lyanna, I agree.... but it was to die. Do you think he wouldn't have taken here somewhere safer and with more people to ensure > her < safety during childbirth if he wanted to? Please.

He could've let Elia die in a third pregnancy and be free from her and marriage duties. The thing is that the moment he found out it might happen he went "no❤️".

Also, I'd be embarrassed to use the show as source. Especially if my pRoMisEd pRiNcE's end was that one.

'Ugly woman' and that's her:

"The crowning of the Stark girl, who was by all reports a wild and boyish young thing with none of the Princess Elia’s delicate beauty."

I can't believe you're so obsessed to the point of seeing posts I don't tag😭. Go use that time to read the books, they're fun.

On a more serious note [tw: rape]:

You are disgusting. Do you know how hard someone has to try to be worse than some ASOIAF men?

‘In Casterly Rock, it was common knowledge that Gregor Clegane had killed Elia and her babe. They said he had raped the princess with her son’s blood and brains still on his hands.’

That’s what you are mocking. I don’t care that she’s a fictional character, what you and your rabble say about her is truly sickening, it’s heartbreaking that you get to vote.

Someone who’s not from her family and cares a lot about what happened is Ned. I’m sorry if his own sister’s death didn’t influence his non-Jon decisions but Elia’s did.

Thus, one of the reasons he gives Cersei the chance to escape is his memory of Elia and her children's bodies presented to Robert and his reaction, you can’t even deny how much it affected him.

‘Ned had named that murder; Robert called it war. When he had protested that the young prince and princess were no more than babes, his new-made king had replied, “I see no babes. Only dragonspawn.” Not even Jon Arryn had been able to calm that storm. Eddard Stark had ridden out that very day in a cold rage [...]’

A few other quotes: 

‘Tyrion watched the faces of the Lords Tyrell, Redwyne, and Rowan, wondering if any of the three would be bold enough to say, “But Lord Tywin, wasn’t it you who presented the bodies to Robert, all wrapped up in Lannister cloaks?” None of them did, but it was there on their faces all the same. Redwyne does not give a fig, he thought, but Rowan looks fit to gag.’

"Cersei is frightened of you, my lord … but she has other enemies she fears even more. [...] In Dorne, the Martells still brood on the murder of Princess Elia and her babes.

‘Some nights, Ser Barristan wondered if he had not done that duty too well [...] m. Princess Elia and the children. Aegon just a babe, Rhaenys with her kitten. Dead, everyone, yet he still lived, who had sworn to protect them.’

‘The Dornishmen burn to avenge Elia and her children [...]’

I know you can’t relate but Elia was loved. It wouldn’t matter if ‘only her family’ cared, what happened to her was brutal and nothing changes it. You people just come off as rude, uneducated and ignorant. 

Fun fact: the name 'Elia' is mentioned 75 times throughout the series, 'Lyanna' 53 and 'Rhaegar', thanks to Dany, 258

[bluntblade]

10 Fandoms, 10 Characters, 10 Tags

Thank you to @sinvulkt for the tag :D Let's go...

Rey (Star Wars Sequels)

Rey is at this stage by some way the character I've spilled the most ink over, specifically a post-TLJ Rey Nobody. I love her curiosity, her loyalty and that core of wounded anger. I want her to be happy and kick baddies in the head.

2. Ikrie (Horizon: Forbidden West)

Shape a woman out of abandonment issues and give her a spear. With so little screentime, she's such a fully-formed character, tough yet vulnerable, flitting between rambunctious and melancholy, and "I never cared about the Werak" cuts me to the bone each time.

3. Shiban Khan (The Horus Heresy)

Broken down and built back up, two or three times over. It's heartbreaking to see how he falls into bitterness over the course of the Heresy, and then glorious to see him rise again and become one of his Legion's greatest heroes.

4. Barristan Selmy (A Song of Ice and Fire)

It's fascinating to watch a character shaking off decades of swallowed doubts, forced to evolve by events. If we ever get The Winds of Winter, I hope his progression continues.

5. Keeve Trennis (Star Wars: The High Republic)

Adorable, great haircut, bold and passionate yet warring with impostor syndrome. Also swears like a Corellian kriffing docker, and she has a neat splitting saberstaff. What's not to love?

6. Theoden (The Lord of the Rings)

It still amazes me upon rewatching The Two Towers that Bernard Hill doesn't just walk off with the whole film, his performance is so magnificent. I don't think there's really anything I can add which hasn't been said already.

7. Caitlyn Kirramen (Arcane)

Lawful good, beginning to realise just how how questionable the good of the law she serves is. Her evolving dynamic with Vi is great, she's tougher than those around her expect and of course, she's so very very pretty.

8. Stephen Maturin (Master and Commander)

A canny spy who is nonetheless perpetually baffled and exasperated by the nautical world he has inveigled himself into. Also a thorough nerd.

9. Mahit Dzmare & Three Seagrass (A Memory Called Empire & A Desolation Called Peace)

Cheating a little in part because I couldn't find a solo pic of Mahit that wasn't AI-generated and also because I love them so very much, your honour. These little bundles of anxiety and constant second-guessing, pitched into events far more massive and momentous than anything either had imagined. And they have moments of intimacy to eat rocks for.

10. Yrica Quell (Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron)

You can fit so much guilt and conflict in this bad girl. Quell has arguably the most fascinating "Imperial defector" arc in all the Star Wars media I've read, as she undergoes this evolving moral struggle across her trilogy.

No-pressure tagging @mehoymalloy, @foibles-fables, @meg-noel-art, @dino-trash-kieran, @iron-shrike, @retrob0t, @fancyfrey, @tremendouskoalachild, @robo-dino-puppy and @lilypuffsw

[la-pheacienne]

I love LOVE your rhaelya thoughts. rhaelya hunts the narrative and the characters, more in daenerys, arya and jon. but jon, oh, jon :(. bby boy thinks that his mother did not love him, but lyanna's last words and thoughs were for him "promise me ned, promise me" probably to protect him forever but couldn't, and that is why ned feels like he failed. and rhaegar, while he is most and foremost paralleled to dany, jon has number of things from him. the truth of the parentage is gonna be a conflict from him, but i truly believe that he will love having a mother that loved him and that his parents loved each other. jon has been dreaming of it for years.

Thank you nonnie!! 💖

Well yes Jon breaks my heart in that situation. And when he finds out who his parents, he will probably believe he is a child born out of rape because that's what all Northerners believe apart from Ned who is dead. It will take a while I think before he finds out who his father really was.

And yes, Rhaegar has been paralleled to Dany mainly that's one of the reasons people hate him so much but there are a lot of parallels with Jon too. That's an interesting question because I've always seen and loved Jon particularly because of how pure of a Stark he was. The brooding, ill-tempered, solemn and grim personality is very characteristic of the North, and of Ned. Jon is a great swordsman like Ned, he is honourable like Ned and he has the Northern looks, dark hair and grey eyes. In all sorts and purposes he's a true Stark. BUT, I can't help but feel that the comparison between Rob's and Jon's looks was kind of weird:

"Jon was of an age with Robb, but they did not look alike. Jon was slender where Robb was muscular, dark where Robb was fair, graceful and quick where his half brother was strong and fast."

So slender, dark, graceful and quick. Now the graceful part is weird. Northerners are not really that graceful, let's say that's not their trademark. Of course you can say Lyanna was probably graceful, but was she really? She was basically a tomboy like Arya, she was very pretty but I don't know if "graceful" would be the first word one would use to describe her. In Westeros, which House is particularly defined by gracefulness? Well, you guessed it. Especially Rhaegar was said to be very graceful and slender ("long fingers" etc etc the whole Targ software). So yeah we have that. Also personality wise, well, Jon has a trait that was very characteristic of Rhaegar specifically, the guy knows how to create a strong impression on people. Jon befriends Tyrion on the spot, he is very influential in the Knight's watch, he became Lord Commander at such a young age, women love him etc. Rhaegar was loved by smallfolk, Cersei was completely enamoured with him, Barristan remembers him fondly still, Jorah calls him the last dragon, he haunts Jaimie's dreams, he left a big impact on people. But then again, Lyanna did too, so I guess he got it from both his parents. Also the way Rhaegar was born in grief parallels Jon's very tragic birth and the shadow that was cast on him for his whole life for being a bastard. That's also very specific.

So the "promise me Ned" line confuses me a lot. For a long time I believed that Lyanna just asked Ned to burry her in Winterfell because the first time the phrase is mentioned in the book the context is clear.

"I was with her when she died," Ned reminded the king. "She wanted to come home, to rest beside Brandon and Father." He could hear her still at times. Promise me, she had cried, in a room that smelled of blood and roses. Promise me, Ned. The fever had taken her strength and her voice had been faint as a whisper, but when he gave her his word, the fear had gone out of his sister's eyes. Ned remembered the way she had smiled then, how tightly her fingers had clutched his as she gave up her hold on life, the rose petals spilling from her palm, dead and black".

The main problems with this is 1) why was Lyanna afraid for a simple wish as to be buried at her home and 2) why does that line keep haunting Ned throughout AGOT? He recalls that line so many times at seemingly irrelevant situations and it's weird because Lyanna apparently got her death wish. Why would GRRM insist so much on that particular line if it was something that was already settled forever? Sansa reminds him of that, he sees that in his nightmares, then Robert himself reminds him of that line when he says the exact same words before he dies. And what did Robert want Ned to promise? Well, that he will have a specific funeral feast for him, and that he will try to protect Daenerys' life. Lol.

We don't know what this line means, but it probably refers to Jon. We'll never know for sure because we ain't getting the books 😂

[amethysttribble]

Edmure judging Mae's taste in secret boyfriends because if he's gonna have one he should be dating someone cooler than that is cracking me up lol. "The problem isn't that he's gay, it's that Maglor is lame!" Like I'm actually snickering slightly audibly.

Edmure cares a lot of about his brother! He wants him to be happy! To be with someone worthy! Someone cool! And- it must be said- someone who probably fits the Westerosi idea of what the romanticized (? might not be the word I'm looking for) mlm relationship look like in Westeros.

Because I think it's worth noting that- contrary to the show's non-canon exaggerated violence around queerness- in the books there's generally a very quiet 'do not talk about this' kind of... not acceptance. But it was Barristan Selmy, the perfect old man knight himself, who said, "All of King Aegon's children married for love."

He included Prince Daeron and Jeremy Norridge in that.

And comments are made about Oberyn 'bedding both men and women', but it's not given special attention, it's part of his outlandish personality that he has relations with men openly, like he was also a sellsword and a poisoner and has eight bastard daughters and a lover who is a bastard. Ellaria being a bastard and also near his wife is treated as just as, if not more, scandalous. (Though I imagine that's because they're OPEN about their relationship)

It all strikes me as the culture in westeros treating queerness as more of a 'hush hush, inconvenient eccentricity' than any kind of scornful sin. At least, not in the way the show portrayed it. I don't imagine everyone is kind- I have Maglor say as much and Loras imply as much- but we do have quite a few implied historical accounts of gay relationships and that says to me that there's probably a... literary tradition in Westeros about 'warriors' who share a bond deeper than any man can share with a woman.

A 'classical' romance being a concept that exists in Westeros.

And I think most people who have clocked Maedhros as gay (including Catelyn and Edmure) categorize him like that. Edmure especially I think sees it as like... a knightly tale and is COUNFOUNDED and offended by Maglor being a bard asalk;fjsfd.

Catelyn perceives Maedhros choosing to marry a Frey girl as a similar kind of hard but necessary reality of life as she was expected to to fill, 'duty, family, honor', being married off to people she scarcely knew in a far away place, stripped of agency and choice for her family's gain (it's not a perfect analogy, but it makes her feels kinship with him)

That's the thing. As long as he doesn't do anything CRAZY like choose not to marry (cough Blackfish cough) and eschew his duties to House Tully in producing an heir, and keeps his affairs *quiet* its only tad more scandalous than him having a long term lover whose a woman.

Anything more than that would not be met with the same quiet acceptance.

And that, I think, is the cruel part. People look at Maedhros (and Renly, and Loras, and Oberyn) and think: you can have your eccentricities and indulgences, as long as they're quiet and don't interfere with what polite society expects of you.

So yeah... not violent and angry kind of rejection, but a quieter, cold kind.

ANYWAY you didn't ask for this rant! Was just on my mind. Thanks for sparking the thoughts!

[daenerysoftarth]

How do you imagine a Dany and Brienne meet up going? I love the idea of Dany, who longs for family, finding out she and Brienne have some sort of relation and instantly claiming her as a cousin.

Dany would instantly love Brienne imo. Without a doubt. Daenerys already knows what it’s like to break gender norms and how confining they can be, but even more than that is the fact that Daenerys values protecting the innocent above all else. It’s why she launched her whole ass campaign to end slavery. So when she hears about Brienne protecting the innocent and sees that she has a little orphan boy at her side, I imagine Daenerys will instantly take a liking to her. And if she feels impressed by her skills, she may appoint her to her Queensguard. Though ofc the rumor that she killed Renly is still going around, so it may take Dany a moment to sus out if she can trust Brienne or not. But Brienne’s personality is pretty much the ideal knight figure that Daenerys was told about growing up, so I imagine Dany will be drawn to that.

I imagine it may take Brienne more time to warm up to Daenerys considering she’s heard the stories of the Mad King and his downfall. However, all of Westeros has banned slavery, so I think if she found out that Dany sought to abolish slavery in Slaver’s Bay on the basis of helping people, then Brienne would come to respect and idolize her. I also think it would be cool if Daenerys finally learned the truth of Barristan Selmy and how he protected Aerys as he killed, tortured, and raped people (including her own mother), and if that ‘ideal’ of knighthood was shattered for her with the truth of Selmy’s past… only to be built back up again by Brienne’s true knightly honor. Idk how it would work with the whole Jaime aspect but it would be cool

Thank you for the ask babe!! I really appreciate it

[istumpysk]

Operation Stumpy Re-Read

ADWD: The Spurned Suitor (Quentyn III) [Chapter 60]

"Let him [Beans] think what he wants, so long as he delivers the message," said Quentyn.

"He'll do that much. I'll wager you get your meeting too, if only so Rags can have Pretty Meris cut your liver out and fry it up with onions. We should be heeding Selmy. When Barristan the Bold tells you to run, a wise man laces up his boots. We should find a ship for Volantis whilst the port is still open."

It's not enough for him to die. I need his reputation destroyed as well.

+.+.+

Volantis, Quentyn thought. Then Lys, then home. Back the way I came, empty-handed. Three brave men dead, for what?

Let your father ask himself these questions.

Will Daenerys be making those same stops? Maybe.

+.+.+

His father would speak no word of rebuke, Quentyn knew, but the disappointment would be there in his eyes. His sister would be scornful, the Sand Snakes would mock him with smiles sharp as swords, and Lord Yronwood, his second father, who had sent his own son along to keep him safe …

It's not clear to me that he's wrong, which is unfortunate.

+.+.+

"It is still not too late to abandon this folly," Gerris said, as they made their way down a foetid alley toward the old spice market. The smell of piss was in the air, and they could hear the rumble of a corpse cart's iron-rimmed wheels off ahead. "Old Bill Bone used to say that Pretty Maris could stretch out a man's dying for a moon's turn. We lied to them, Quent. Used them to get us here, then went over to the Stormcrows."

"As we were commanded."

"Tatters never meant for us to do it for real, though," put in the big man. "His other boys, Ser Orson and Dick Straw, Hungerford, Will of the Woods, that lot, they're still down in some dungeon thanks to us. Old Rags can't have liked that much."

We talk about how insane attempting to tame a dragon is, but how about this?

The Tattered Prince's men are locked in dungeons because of Quentyn, and now Quentyn wants to meet with him after lying and deserting.

I swear to god this kid wants to die.

+.+.+

"No," Prince Quentyn said, "but he likes gold."

Gerris laughed. "A pity we have none. Do you trust this peace, Quent? I don't. Half the city is calling the dragonslayer a hero, and the other half spits blood at the mention of his name."

I'm confident these freedman will regret advocating for dragons.

+.+.+

"Harzoo," the big man said.

Quentyn frowned. "His name was Harghaz."

"Hizdahr, Humzum, Hagnag, what does it matter? I call them all Harzoo. He was no dragonslayer. All he did was get his arse roasted black and crispy."

"He was brave." Would I have the courage to face that monster with nothing but a spear?

Harghaz was brave.

Quentyn is foolish.

+.+.+

Gerris put a hand on Quentyn's shoulder. "Even if the queen returns, she'll still be married."

"Not if I give King Harzoo a little smack with my hammer," suggested the big man.

"Hizdahr," said Quentyn. "His name is Hizdahr."

"One kiss from my hammer and no one will care what his name was," said Arch.

They do not see. His friends had lost sight of his true purpose here. The road leads through her, not to her. Daenerys is the means to the prize, not the prize itself. "'The dragon has three heads,' she said to me. 'My marriage need not be the end of all your hopes,' she said. 'I know why you are here. For fire and blood.' I have Targaryen blood in me, you know that. I can trace my lineage back—"

He is entirely responsible for his own stupid decisions, but it's silly to pretend she had no influence.

+.+.+

"Fuck your lineage," said Gerris. "The dragons won't care about your blood, except maybe how it tastes. You cannot tame a dragon with a history lesson. They're monsters, not maesters. Quent, is this truly what you want to do?"

"This is what I have to do. For Dorne. For my father. For Cletus and Will and Maester Kedry."

"They're dead," said Gerris. "They won't care."

[...]

"No doubt. But that was not my question. Men's lives have meaning, not their deaths. I loved Will and Cletus too, but this will not bring them back to us. This is a mistake, Quent. You cannot trust in sellswords."

Gerris Drinkwater is a great character.

Barristan Selmy, wrong again.

If this one had been the prince, things might have gone elsewise, he could not help but think … but there was something a bit too pleasant about Drinkwater for his taste. False coin, the old knight thought. He had known such men before. - The Discarded Knight, ADWD

+.+.+

"They are men like any other men. They want gold, glory, power. That's all I am trusting in." That, and my own destiny. I am a prince of Dorne, and the blood of dragons is in my veins.

Maybe he's right? He does appear to suffer from Targaryen Delusion.

He's losing me.

+.+.+

At this hour the house was less than half full. A few of the patrons favored the Dornishmen with looks bored or hostile or curious. The rest were crowded around the pit at the far end of the room, where a pair of naked men were slashing at each other with knives whilst the watchers cheered them on.

I'm going to pretend underground pit fighting was happening the entire time it was banned. That tends to be what happens you outlaw things.

Side note, today I learned underground pit fighting also happens in Westeros.

Question (from yours truly) what the hell is with Biter? Is he just a bad guy or is he something more....

George treated us to a never before heard back story of Rorge and Biter.....Rorge ran a dog and bear fighting place in Flea Bottom. Biter was an orphan whom Rorge grabbed up and raised ferally to fight in the pits. (Link)

Bwah!

Barristan Selmy in shambles.

+.+.+

"My ragged raiment?" The Pentoshi gave a shrug. "A poor thing … yet those tatters fill my foes with fear, and on the battlefield the sight of my rags blowing in the wind emboldens my men more than any banner. And if I want to move unseen, I need only slip it off to become plain and unremarkable."

Including in case this becomes relevant later.

+.+.+

Then a door he had not seen before swung open, and an old woman emerged, a shriveled thing in a dark red tokar fringed with tiny golden skulls. Her skin was white as mare's milk, her hair so thin that he could see the scalp beneath. "Dorne," she said, "I be Zahrina. Purple Lotus. Go down here, you find them." She held the door and gestured them through.

Aren't golden skulls a Golden Company thing?

Zahrina tried to buy Tyrion and Jorah in a previous chapter. Is she important? Probably not.

+.+.+

He [The Tattered Prince] gestured at the bench across from him. "Sit. I understand you are a prince. Would that I had known. Will you drink? Zahrina offers food as well. Her bread is stale and her stew is unspeakable. Grease and salt, with a morsel or two of meat. Dog, she says, but I think rat is more likely. It will not kill you, though. I have found that it is only when the food is tempting that one must beware. Poisoners invariably choose the choicest dishes."

I'll keep that in mind for the future.

Daenerys wouldn't know locusts are delectable, but Hizdahr would.

Strong Belwas bellowed, "Locusts!" as he seized the bowl and began to crunch them by the handful.

"Those are very tasty," advised Hizdahr. "You ought to try a few yourself, my love. They are rolled in spice before the honey, so they are sweet and hot at once." - Daenerys IX, ADWD

+.+.+

"I am a prince of Dorne," said Quentyn. "I had a duty to my father and my people. There was a secret marriage pact."

"So I heard. And when the silver queen saw your scrap of parchment she fell into your arms, yes?"

"No," said Pretty Meris.

I have so much secondhand embarrassment right now.

+.+.+

"No? Oh, I recall. Your bride flew off on a dragon. Well, when she returns, do be sure to invite us to your nuptials. The men of the company would love to drink to your happiness, and I do love a Westerosi wedding. The bedding part especially, only … oh, wait …" He turned to Denzo D'han. "Denzo, I thought you told me that the dragon queen had married some Ghiscari."

"A Meereenese nobleman. Rich."

The Tattered Prince turned back to Quentyn. "Could that be true? Surely not. What of your marriage pact?"

"She laughed at him," said Pretty Meris.

Daenerys never laughed. The rest of Meereen might see him as an amusing curiosity, like the exiled Summer Islander King Robert used to keep at King's Landing, but the queen had always spoken to him gently. "We came too late," said Quentyn.

She did laugh, and none of the Dornishmen know what was said afterwards.

"Prince Doran." He sank back onto one knee. "Your Grace, I have the honor to be Quentyn Martell, a prince of Dorne and your most leal subject."

Dany laughed.

The Dornish prince flushed red, whilst her own court and counselors gave her puzzled looks. "Radiance?" said Skahaz Shavepate, in the Ghiscari tongue. "Why do you laugh?"

"They call him frog," she said, "and we have just learned why. In the Seven Kingdoms there are children's tales of frogs who turn into enchanted princes when kissed by their true love." Smiling at the Dornish knights, she switched back to the Common Tongue. "Tell me, Prince Quentyn, are you enchanted?" - Daenerys VII, ADWD

What she said isn't important, it's how it looks.

Quentyn is dead, it's Drinkwater and Yronwood who will tell Doran and/or Arianne what happened.

+.+.+

"Yurkhaz zo Yunzak was the man who hired you."

"He signed our contract on behalf of his city. Just so."

"Meereen and Yunkai have made peace. The siege is to be lifted, the armies disbanded. There will be no battle, no slaughter, no city to sack and plunder."

"Life is full of disappointments."

Over Barristan Selmy's dead body.

+.+.+

"How long do you think the Yunkishmen will want to continue paying wages to four free companies?"

The Tattered Prince took a sip of wine and said, "A vexing question. But this is the way of life for we men of the free companies. One war ends, another begins. Fortunately there is always someone fighting someone somewhere. Perhaps here. Even as we sit here drinking Bloodbeard is urging our Yunkish friends to present King Hizdahr with another head. Freedmen and slavers eye each other's necks and sharpen their knives, the Sons of the Harpy plot in their pyramids, the pale mare rides down slave and lord alike, our friends from the Yellow City gaze out to sea, and somewhere in the grasslands a dragon nibbles the tender flesh of Daenerys Targaryen. Who rules Meereen tonight? Who will rule it on the morrow?" The Pentoshi gave a shrug. "One thing I am certain of. Someone will have need of our swords."

"I have need of those swords. Dorne will hire you."

[...]

"I will pay you part when we reach Volantis, the rest when I am back in Sunspear. We brought gold with us when we set sail, but it would have been hard to conceal once we joined the company, so we gave it over to the banks. I can show you papers."

A very bad idea quickly getting worse.

+.+.+

The Tattered Prince finished his wine, turned the cup over, and set it down between them. "So. Let me see if I understand. A proven liar and oathbreaker wishes to contract with us and pay in promises. And for what services? I wonder. Are my Windblown to smash the Yunkai'i and sack the Yellow City? Defeat a Dothraki khalasar in the field? Escort you home to your father? Or will you be content if we deliver Queen Daenerys to your bed wet and willing? Tell me true, Prince Frog. What would you have of me and mine?"

"I need you to help me steal a dragon."

Caggo Corpsekiller chuckled. Pretty Meris curled her lip in a half-smile. Denzo D'han whistled.

The Tattered Prince only leaned back on his stool and said, "Double does not pay for dragons, princeling. Even a frog should know that much. Dragons come dear. And men who pay in promises should have at least the sense to promise more."

"If you want me to triple—"

"What I want," said the Tattered Prince, "is Pentos."

How is Dorne going to give you Pentos?

Sorry, I've hit a point where I don't remember a single thing that comes next. Is this contract still active?

That seems less than ideal.

Final thoughts:

Call me Boomer Barry, I think I'm ready to leave Meereen.

-> return to menu <-

[omgellendean]

All the emojis, please! For Jon Snow!

Thank you! :3

🐅 - Characterization: character habits, personality, etc.

Before he thought about joining the Night's Watch, Jon had really intense teenage angst over running out of time to reach greatness. You know, "Barristan the Bold got his nickname by thirteen! The Kingslayer was knighted at fifteen, and I still lose to Robb when we train together!! At my age, The Young Dragon was already conquering Dorn!!!" kind of thoughts, followed by morose confidence that after eighteen, all chances to become a hero are over.

🦄 - Characters' physical appearance.

I strongly believe that Jon is short. Not even average height like Ned: if they met again when Jon is all grown up, Jon still would be shorter. And when they finally meet with Sansa, she's also going to be a bit taller :3

💖 - Romantic relationships or ships.

Jon/Val is going to be endgame, much to everyone's frustration, because Martin can't be assed to flesh Val out further than "cool and sexy warrior lady".

Lol, I mean, I think it's pretty clear by now that Jon and Dany (and possibly Tyrion) will become a thing at some point and there's going to be a lot of messy feelings on all sides. And while I doubt Dany's storyline will be the same *insert complicated headcanon here*, I think Jon's series ending got some of the main beats right. Basically, I think he will survive the final battle and feel like he outlived his propose, break up with/betray Dany in some non-stabby way, get disconnected from the society and move beyond the (destroyed forever, tyvm) Wall to that tower he and Ygritte talked about to mope in peace, get rare visits from the family and surviving friends and have casual sex with Val.

💛 - Familial relationships.

Growing up, he and Robb were crazy competitive over everything, from who learns Ned's bannermen's sigils faster (Robb) to who can hold their breath underwater the longest (actually Theon, but he doesn't count because he's older, so Jon). But while for Robb it's always been in good fun, Jon really needed to win every single time and had to learn not to get upset at least outwardly.

🕊️ - Platonic relationships (friends, enemies, etc).

This one is heavily affected by the show, and I recognise this. Still, I maintain that, while they can't stand each other, Jon and Thorne recognise that they both are actually competent people, of which there's a real shortage on the Wall. So if Thorne returns from his raid while Jon is dead, he's going to be really pissed about his assassination. He's going to be even more pissed when Jon comes back to life.

🗡️ - Fighting styles/combat.

While Jon is outstanding at sword fighting by the Watch's current standard, he still has a lot to learn and is not a legendary fighter.

✨ - Worldbuilding or background story elements.

Jon was really fascinated with Luwin's telescope (called Myrish eye here, apparently) and would constantly bother him to get to look through it. He had to stop himself from asking the same from Aemon, when he first arrived at the Wall.

🍁 - Physical locations, flora & fauna.

Jon can easily withstand cold and actually loves snow and winter, but can't bear hot weather. If this boy ever gets to the Reach, not to mention Dorn, he's getting cooked immediately.

[rise-my-angel]

i recently binged hotgw (by recently i mean a little while ago, i've just been a bit too shy to properly drop in) and i just have to tell you how much i love it which is best summarised by this

first i just have to say... the character dynamics!!!!!!!!!

you've put so much care at giving all of the characters the reader knows with such a unique, highly-detailed and multi-faceted relationship and it really shows because not onky is every relationship brilliant but i'm so invested in each and every one.

the earlier chapters are so interesting with the way you've written the broader baratheon dynamics - i would've never even thought to consider a barristan selmy relationship, and the decline of robert's character (not that he ever had much integrity to begin with haha) through her lens is so so interesting - it expertly shows the scope of how one character impacts another. also, the baratheon and targaryen lineage you paralleled with young griff was just ajsjajshxhhaajajajwj

and nothing delightfully pains the cockles of my heart than a dysfunctional father-daughter relationship (deffo not projecting here), you've managed to capture such an interesting mix of regret, anger, distance and love it's just so realistic and lovely (and sad) to read.

i also love how you developed selyse further than the (shit)show ever did and you've made her character development feel so earned.

and speaking of character development...

THEON

<3333333333

i would go into detail how much i love their bond but i would be here all day and this ask would be even longer than it already is

and getting into the two best relationships - robb and jon!!!!!!!!

a lot of fics always diminish the first relationship in order to make the second properly established but my god have you written them both so equally well.

the fact that robb (and all of the other dead starks) gets mentioned and is thought about so often is painful, but like, in a good way (especially compared to the show where rickon was never thought/mentioned again after he died). and i love love love his and the reader's dynamic - it's all so tragic but in a very very good symbolic and narratively satisfying way (even if my heart breaks apart every time).

and jon!!!!!! the way you have them doing constant acts of service unthinkingly gets butterflies in my stomach... and i'm a lesbian haha

i also adore how their relationship doesn't always improve in a linear line, as does her healing process becausw let's be honest... life isn't like that. and you've written her trauma so well and with such honour and dignity while still maintaining a sense of reality i just have to applaud you.

i'm also loving your insertion of the magical side of things into everything which is the thing that always pissed me off about the show - it was never meant to be a game of thrones but rather a song of ice and fire!!!!

and all your foreshadowing is so so so clever!!! i don't get half of it in the moment but whenever i reread (which is a lot) certain things tend to make such sense as the plot progresses and i just makes me so ughfhfjdjsj

and speaking of future events i cannot wait to see what you do with euron (it's already 1000000x better than the show) and the greenseeing i'm so fucking hyped.

and correct me if i'm going crazy... but are we pregnant???? or am i seeing (reading? idk) things?

i just cannot wait to see what happens - the time you upload is normally the exact minute i get off of work and it's one of the highlights of my week getting to read your chapters <333

the reader has been on such a journey from being grave as a coping mechanism (so so cool by the way) to wearing her heart on her sleeve, and with a high battle iq and political tactics, i just love her so much.

so thank you for putting so much effort into the story and for posting it too (it takes a special kind of bravery to participate in the got/asoiaf fandom, which i certainly don't have haha) and i cannot wait to see how it continues <33333

sorry for the rant haha

anither side note: that sassy dig at the stupidiry of the beyond the wall episode never ceases to make me have a little giggle

First of all, I do not deserve such an in depth ask about this story, you are way, way too kind!

I'm glad the characterization agrees with people, one of my biggest things about the series is consistency. How to develop these characters we already know into plots we haven't seen yet but keep them recognizable. It's my biggest worry with every chapter that I have totally missed the mark.

But a lot of these characters did not get their fair treatment, and they have so much potential. It's also just fun trying to think, what changes in this world with a whole other human being? Like how does the dynamic with Ser Barristan effect the story, does it have an impact on events later on? How do I incorporate the reader without making them feel shoved in or feel like I've made them too important and it takes away from the other characters, but also not have them be just set dressing in the background.

Robb will never leave this story, and I am beyond thankful he and the readers relationship worked as well as it did for you all. I adored their marriage and I knew it was going to have a huge long lasting impact and feared how it would go over should people not believe their love.

And boy oh boy I hope you were being honest about the magic stuff because we are about to go in pretty deep with that side of this world that the show never even slightly touched. But I'm super excited about it all, so I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Also, I knew putting that jab in there was so petty but I could not help it, that episode is the bane of my existence.

[asongofstarkandtargaryen]

For the character ask game: Mat Cauthon (WOT) and Dany (Asoiaf)

MAT CAUTHON:

one aspect about them i love: Mat pretending that he doesn't care about anyone or anything but in reality he cares so much that he's constantly risking his life to save others.

Like Rand said about him "It was about a hero who insisted with every breath that he was anything but a hero"

one aspect i wish more people understood about them: He's such an ureliable narrator. He usually says one thing and he actually means the opposite. So I wish people took his words with a grain of salt.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character: It's not mine (I saw it here on tumblr and I 100% support it) but I love thinking that Mat will lead a rebellion on Seanchan.

one character i love seeing them interact with: I love all his interactions with Rand. Also, when he's around Thom.

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more: I recently finished re reading A crown of Swords and I really enjoyed his interactions with Nynaeve and Elayne. Wish we had seen more of that. Actually, since I'm preparing for season 2, I'll also add Egwene to the mix and I hope the show give us more scenes of Mat interacting with the wondergirls. Both parties will be probably irritated but I'll enjoy it.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character: Remember when Rand and Mat confessed their love for each other? And Mat became part of the Rand's polycule and Min, Aviendha and Elayne are totally fine with that bc now they have another person to share their worries about Rand? What do you mean it's not canon, in my mind it is.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN:

one aspect about them i love: Dany tries so hard to be a good and just ruler for her people. She is willing to sacrifice her personal happiness (her wedding in ADWD) for their sake. She's rightfully called "mhysa" because like a mother she cares more about her children's (her people) wellbeing than her own.

one aspect i wish more people understood about them: Dany really feels lonely. And she wants to find the remaining heads of the dragon that will help her to quest. She wants to share her burdens and I do hope that by the end of the series she will find the other two dragonriders that will have her back.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character: One day she will have a house with a red door and she will visit it when she wants to get away from her everyday ruling troubles.

one character i love seeing them interact with: I love her interactions with ser grandfather aka Ser Barristan Selmy.

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more: I can't wait for her to go to Westeros and interact with Jon, Tyrion, Arya, Bran, Jaime and the rest of westerosi characters.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character: Dany and Arya becoming besties because this book series lacks important female friendships.

thank you for the ask!

[coffee-in-veins]

What are your headcanons for DD characters' eyes? We never see them, and as much as it is a hidden gem of a design choice, I've always been curious what other people think of this.

hello hello! o/ thank you for the ask

In fact, I actually do, quite a few of those. I love overanalyzing things, and eyes were a thing I loved poking (figuratively! mostly...) in my characters. I wish naming eye colours wasn't so exhausting, though, because let me tell you it is a mess! It almost feels like everyone tries to outshine the name from another site, so I'll try my best to be descriptive but won't add images because finding proper ones is a doozy.

Please note that mostly I have headcanons for characters used in the fic the most (since most of those headcanons are for writing RRR), and some will be far less thought-through than others.

Abomination/Bigby – dusty green eyes with a bright, yellowish-green shine to them when he transforms or is close to transforming or uses his power; imagine the colour of the veins on his beast form arm's veins.

Antiquarian/Josephine – light, amber eyes, almost the colour of linden honey. Because of them, she looks trustworthy, sweet and approachable, and she knows that. Do with this what you will.

Arbalest/Missandei – light brown eyes with a bit of yellow and a dark limbal ring, which can make them appear black at a glance under a right angle.

Bounty Hunter/Tardif – brown eyes with grey flakes, but very few people ever saw those.

Crusader/Reynauld – bright blue eyes with a steel tint to them and a ring of tiny yellow flakes around the pupil, but those are almost impossible to see from afar.

Flagellant/Damian – striking, pale baby blue eyes which look amazingly out of place on his face and with his stature.

Grave Robber/Audrey – prominent bottle green eyes with a darker ring around the pupils. Prefers dusty-blue clothes to make them look shinier.

Hellion/Boudica – bright, leafy-green eyes with a prominent limbal ring and sparse yellow flakes.

Highwayman/Dismas – dark, almost black, brown eyes with tiny yellowish specks around the pupils, but very few people know about their existence due to him not liking people being close to his face and squinting quite a lot.

Houndmaster/Willam – grey eyes with prominent green flakes, darkening and more green than grey around the pupil.

Jester/Sarmenti – he has incomplete heterochromia; most of his eyes are dark hazel green with sectors of brown in each eye. This was one of the reasons he was forced into the role of a jester, who often had deformities in the middle ages.

Leper/Baldwin – pale brown eyes with milky, hazy pupils due to his deteriorating condition. Used to be brown, maybe with a bit of amber flakes.

Man-at-Arms/Barristan – dark grey eye, paling in colour to the pupil.

Musketeer/Margaret – sapphire blue eyes with hazel flakes around the pupils.

Occultist/Alhazred – dark carob eyes with a greyish ring around the pupil. His eyes probably look dark wine-red/purple if the light falls under a right angle, but that is mostly a result of his Pact.

Plague Doctor/Paracelsus – steel-grey with a prominent, thick dark limbal ring. They appear foggy behind her glasses if she's without her mask.

Shieldbreaker/Amani – dark brown eyes, almost the colour of buckwheat honey, since those are considered the prettiest colour in the part of the world she supposedly is from, and she is 'a beautiful thing' after all.

Vestal/Junia – warm brown hazel eyes with gray flecks which appeared in them after her 'enlightenment'. She believes this was because of her 'rejuvenation' by the Light.

Phew, that was a lot! Hope you liked my ideas ^^ Did they match any of yours?

[waitingforwinterwinds]

Game of Thrones - 57 SANSA V (pages 596-604)

Sansa attends Joffrey's first court session after the change of kings, in order to ask mercy for her father.

-

And so many others were missing. Where had the rest of them gone? Sansa wondered. Vainly, she searched for friendly faces. Not one of them would meet her eyes. It was as if she had become a ghost, dead before her time.

Oh that's chill inducing. Though if it were true at least she could haunt the shit out of Joffrey and his mother. ... How much of the court fled? How much of it was cut down in the ensuing fight?

- and when funny Ser Dontos started to hail her, Ser Balon Swann whispered in his ear and he turned away. ... A moment later, Lord Baelish entered through the tall doors in the rear, smiling. He chatted amiably with Ser Balon and Ser Dontos as he made his way to the front.

Oh hi Dontos.

"- All hail his lady mother, Cersei of House Lannister, Queen Regent, Light of the West, and Protector of the Realm."

Oooh, 'light of the west' that's fancy.

I am not best pleased with house Lannister, but I do love implications that at some point Tywin went "look at my daughter, see how amazing she is, can't give her titles of Powah! and legal authority, because she's a woman, but hence forth, you have she is the "Light of the West" which does nothing but tell you she's awesome." (except she's really mean, actually.) At least, I'm pretty sure that's how those titles "Light of the West" and "Realm's Delight" work?

- and on his head a golden crown crusted with rubies and black diamonds.

Black diamonds? Now that's a choice.

Naturally occurring black diamonds are a thing, but like... how to tldr this? Natural black diamonds get their colour from having lots of black bits in them, the colour effect is kind of metallic because the bits tend to be carbon and graphite, but the thing with natural black diamonds is that depending on the quality the colour can look... gritty. smoothly coloured black diamonds are like... 1% of natural black diamonds iirc. Black diamonds used in jewelry tend to have their colour artificially enhanced by science and technology (like radiation). Artificial or artificially coloured diamonds produce a smoother colour for less effort.

... can you tell I like rocks yet? XD

And at the end, near last, came the names Sansa had been dreading. Lady Catelyn Stark. Robb Stark. Brandon Stark, Rickon Stark, Arya Stark. Sansa stifled a gasp. Arya. They wanted Arya to present herself and swear an oath... it must mean her sister had fled on the galley, she must be safe at Winterfell by now...

"safe at Winterfell" not "back at Winterfell" Part of Sansa must understand, but she isn't quite ready to face it yet. She's still got room to salvage this mess and save her father. Or so she's telling herself.

Also good job figuring that out. Not quite correct, but it is because Arya fled and is still evading capture.

"I shall die a knight." "A naked knight, it would seem," quipped Littlefinger.

For someone who thinks themselves clever, Littlefinger really doesn't understand declarations of intent very well. "Oh, but Petyr was intentionally trying to take the wind out of Barristan's sails, steal his thunder and mock him, he's being petty on purpose." Yes, I know. The underhanded jabs are all Petyr's 'intellect' is good for.

Finally he drew his sword. Sansa heard someone gasp. Ser Boros and Ser Meryn moved forward to confront him, but Ser Barristan froze them in place with a look that dripped contempt. "Have no fear, sers, your king is safe... no thanks to you. Even now, I could cut through the five of you as easy as a dagger cuts cheese. If you would serve under the Kingslayer, not a one of you is fit to wear the white." He flung his sword at the foot of the Iron Throne. "Here, boy. Melt it down and add it to the others, if you like. It will do you more good than the swords in the hands of these five. Perhaps Lord Stannis will chance to sit on it when he takes your throne."

Yes, police? I just witnessed a murder. ... shame it wasn't a more literal murder.

She smoothed down the cloth of the skirt nervously. She was dressed in mourning, as a sign of respect for the dead king, but she had taken special care to make herself beautiful. Her gown was the ivory silk that the queen had given her, the one Arya had ruined, but she'd had then dye it black and you couldn't see the stain at all. She had fretted over her jewelry for hours and finally decided upon the elegant simplicity of a plain silver chain.

A silver chain you say? Would that, perhaps, be the same silver chain Sansa was seen wearing when Joffrey lied at the Trident? You know, the last time Sansa was put in a situation where her words 'could have saved the day' when there's a strong chance nothing she'd said would have saved anyone. (Cersei had shown contempt for the direwolves and said in a Tyrion chapter that she didn't want them in King's Landing. Every indication we have says there's a good chance that if it hadn't been then, then it would have been later, but Cersei would have found a way to get rid of Lady. (and Mycah was already dead though they didn't know it yet.))

Although speaking of Lady, iirc, when the stain happened that fight was about the Trident and Sansa was thinking of Lady afterwards, she even dreamed of Lady.

Even the gown, given by the queen, a seemingly pretty and pure gift, stained and tainted by the memory and unresolved issues of what happe- ... covered up... by...

Ohhhhhhhh.

Oh this entire outfit is foreshadowing, isn't it?

Sansa has no cards to play, just an illusion of hope.

Ohhh, I made myself sad.

Sansa quailed. Now, she told herself, I must do it now. Gods give me courage. She took one step and then another. Lords and knights stepped aside silently to let her pass, and she felt the weight of their eyes on her. I must be as strong as my lady mother.

I know this is a hopeless play, but damn you're doing amazing sweetie. Don't falter, not in the lions den.

Ooph. No information, no truths, but she did so good.

"Only... that as you love me, you do me this kindness, my prince."

Oops, she's still too used to calling him prince. If that had been a deliberate jab, it would have been a very stupid one, since being called "not the king" is what had Joffrey so shirty at the moment.

"'as I love you...' but I don't love you at all, so I won't give you mercy at all."

[15-lizards]

HELLO BESTIE HERE TO SEND ASKS!!! top five favourite asoiaf characters and why? or just five you like :)))

AHHH HEY THANK U🫶

Okay so in no particular order

-Davos: this is just my Guy. He’s such a genuinely good person, which we see so little of in the series, and so sensible too. It’s almost a relief when u see him among all the stupid bullshit. I love him I wish he was my dad I also wish he could fix Stannis. I think it would be cool if he could be happy, but that’s never gonna happen so I am content with him just being alive

-Dany: the babygirl of all babygirls. She can’t do any wrong I am her biggest defender. She’s been through so much it makes me sad but she proves she’s a good person and a good ruler time and time again. Gets way too much unnecessary hate like she isn’t a teenager trying to stop slavery and watch over three cities at once. I want to kiss her head and put her in therapy

-Robb: my Princess Diana. His honor got the best of him and that’s what makes his story so deliciously tragic. Another one of the rare good people in this story. He was just a teenager who lost his dad and wanted to get revenge like anyone else would but he also wanted to do right by his family and do everything in the most honorable way I love him so bad :(

-Brienne: she’s just like me fr like one of the characters I relate to a lot 💔 her hero’s journey has been so beautiful and the way GRMM flips the whole “knight and lady/beauty and the beast” story on its head with her and Jamie is so fucking good man. She is so similar to Sansa in that she has a good world view and wants life to be a fairytale even though she knows it’s not :( she is the best knight ever and deserves to be loved and honored and not treated like dog water thank you for coming to my Ted talk

Catelyn: she is so mother in the literal and figurative sense. I love how arya looks like Ned but acts like her and Sansa looks like her but acts like Ned! Cat is a fiery lady! She’s good and decent and loves her children but she’s never going to be docile. Her and Briennes interactions always make me tear up when you think about the different ways a woman can have strength and Cat has that motherly kind. And yes she hates Jon and makes stupid choices but I will never blame her bc that’s kinda on Ned and she also wants her kids back. Number one shooter for her always

Honorable Mentions

-Arya: SHES JUST A KID MAN :( I think she’s a fun little bad ass but I also want her to take her anger out in little league soccer rather than assassin training

-Bran: ALSO JUST A LITERAL CHILD lowkey fuck bloodraven for choosing this nine year old to be God but I digress. He’s suffered enough

-Tyrion: What a truly grey character. I fucking love reading him he’s so divisive. Watching him spiral into the darkness is kinda fun

-Jamie and Theon: war criminals? Yes. Silly little babygirls? Yes as well

-Barristan: cries

-Stannis: cries again

-Meera: she’s hauling ass trying to get Bran to that fuckass tree I respect her so much. She had to leave her family behind and go beyond the wall and her brothers gonna die I need a minute to compose myself

[novemberrage]

Who are your favourite characters and ships in asoiaf?

my number one favorite ship is definitely ned and cat. 

they loved each other so much and their story is just so tragic, how they died so far apart from each other and then catelyn isn’t even allowed to rest with him in death. we see them together and alive for so little time and yet we get the most romantic moments from them.

“For her sake, Ned had built a small sept where she might sing to the seven faces of god.” 

“The warmth reminded her of Riverrun, of days in the sun with Lysa and Edmure, but Ned could never abide the heat. The Starks were made for the cold, he would tell her, and she would laugh and tell him in that case they had certainly built their castle in the wrong place. So when they had finished, Ned rolled off and climbed from her bed, as he had a thousand times before.”

“Ned kissed the tears from her eyes before they could fall. “Thank you, my lady,” he whispered. “This is hard, I know.”

“Inside, Catelyn was waiting. She cried out when she saw him, ran to him, and embraced him fiercely. "My lady," Ned whispered in wonderment.””

“As you say, my lord.” Catelyn lifted her face, and Ned kissed her. Her maimed fingers clutched against his back with a desperate strength, as if to hold him safe forever in the shelter of her arms. “It will not come to that,” Ned promised her, praying it was true. He took her in his arms again.”

and also heartbreaking quotes from them

“Bones, Catelyn thought. This is not Ned, this is not the man I loved, the father of my children. His hands were clasped together over his chest, skeletal fingers curled about the hilt of some longsword, but they were not Ned’s hands, so strong and full of life. They had dressed the bones in Ned’s surcoat, the fine white velvet with the direwolf badge over the heart, but nothing remained of the warm flesh that had pillowed her head so many nights, the arms that had held her.“

“A hand grabbed her scalp just as she’d done with Jinglebell, and she thought, No, don’t, don’t cut my hair, Ned loves my hair.”

my number one favorite character is sansa stark.

she’s such a beautiful soul who is unapologetically feminine and who romanticized songs and stories as a child before her girlhood was unfairly ripped from her and she deserves so much better from the fandom because she is such an important character. so many of the most important themes in asoiaf are wrapped up in her character from the death of innocence to the loss of identity to how a woman’s definition duty and honor is vastly different to the idea of true and false knights. 

you would expect sansa to be modeled after her mother, catelyn as she is often compared to her fandom wise and canon wise but the parent she takes after the most is Ned, they’re so fundamentally empathetic and merciful in their thoughts and actions and also at times, so very naive. Ned's thought process after discovering something in Kings Landing is always “i’ll tell my friend, the king and he’ll achieve justice” is so hopeful if ill advised and reminds me so much of Sansa.

i also really enjoy reading the chapters of members of the kingsguard such as jaime, barristan, and arys. The concept of honor in the asoiaf world is never more interesting to me when you see it through the eyes of men who are believed by the realm to be the most honorable of knights and yet and their very vows prevent them from that being solely predicated on obedience to the  Monarch, and the Monarch alone. Ultimately the kingsguard we do get pov chapters from completely lack a sense of moral agency.

[notenoughmuses]

👫 // dany and vis <3 then one for dany and bronn <3

Send a 👫and I’ll write four headcanons I have about our muse’s relationship ACCEPTING

Dany Vis

1. They are the only family they have. And while Viserys tells stories of their brother Rhaegar and the rest of the Targaryen family he also tells her what their mother told him of their other siblings. How after Jaeherys was born their father seemed happier, better. Less prone to rage and violence against their mother. But after he died his paranoia kicked in again and worse. He tells her what he knows of them and they both imagine what they would be like if they had lived, what they'd be doing and of course the what-ifs. What if there had been even one other sibling. Would they be dead with Rhaegar or alive with them? That's also where Viserys's resentment of Dany comes. If she had been born earlier or their other stillborn siblings had been alive and a girl maybe Rhaegar could have married within the family and not Elia, not been swayed to take Lyanna.

2. It's interesting to note that when Dany talks of her childhood it's that Viserys taught her what she knows. So when you read her dialouge, her thoughts and hear them on screen its from Viserys. His brother made foolish decisions yes but he was still Rhaegar. A person Viserys had looked up to and idolized like any child his age would. (7 at the time of Roberts Rebellion). Dany talks of Lyanna and Rhaegar as a story of love not abduction. When Dany is speaking with Barristan we see this:

Arstan: But I am not certain it was in Rhaegar to be happy.

Daenerys: You make him sound so sour.

Viserys never saw Rhaegars melancholy. So Daenerys in turn never learns of it.

Barristan Selmy: "Viserys never told you?"

Daenerys Targaryen: "He told me Rhaegar was good at killing people."

Barristan Selmy: "Rhaegar never liked killing. He loved singing."

Viserys teaches Dany what little he knew from his childhood. Its so important and I wanted to expand upon that a bit in this head cannon. I also in this believe that Viserys taught her basic High Valaryian. At most of a language that a 5 or 7 year old knows. It's not much but it makes picking up Essosi Valyrian in all its forms easier and whenever they can find any text in high Valaryian or speaking with someone they read it, they speak it. That's how Dany knows her mother tounge so well besides westerosi.

2. After they were exiled from the house of Ser Darry had them living in, Viserys manages to get them to Lys. (Much like the internet lemon trees don't grow in Essos or Bravvos but they do in Dorne) ((Lys is close to Dorne. )). They stay with a fisherman and his wife for a whe, the old couple never able to have children of their own take in the two orphans even knowing the risk as 12 year old Viserys reminds them of every night. Dany learns how to bake bread and how to clean a fish, Viserys learns how to fish much to his horror. Dany and Viserys however couldn't get comfortable, even six months into living there. Paranoia and restless nights grew in both (mainly Viserys) and Viserys in the middle of the night took Dany and some provisions and what little they had from their parents and Ser Darry and fled. Leaving a note behind of thanking them. Later that next week the old couple were visited by Roberts spies and left alive as no children were in the home or small villiage.

3. Viserys contemplated just giving up the dream and hope of going home. Just living out what life they could together in Essos. He entertains the idea many times and he almost gives up but then Illyrio comes into their lives and reinvigorates the dream of going home.

4. In AU where they live with King Rhaegar, Viserys is a pest to Dany. Annoying her and being a brat like the middle child would with a younger sibling. But he does learn how to make lemon bread one day for her 14th name day. It's also the same name day Rhaegar tells her she's ready to be married at any time. Viserys knows how scary it is for her so she does something extra nice for her.

Dany/Bronn

1. In our AU, Bronn pays for everything when it comes to dating. Not even date night/day things. Hey your car needs an oil change? I got it. Hey don't worry about your phone bill I got it. He tries to make sure she's taken care of in every way possible even if his income isn't the best.

2. Dany makes a video about him and their story on Tiktok and it blows up. Bronn gets random messages from people asking his questions and saying sweet things about him, what he did and that he and Dany are cute together or the random hate mail.

3. Canon wise.....I can imagine them having a relationship similar to her and Darrio but it's less sweet. Canon Bronn is still rough around the edges and huffy. He shows his friendship to Tyrion and Jamie but that's about it and even then it's not super friendly. At first it's just sex and then Bronn catches feelings and wonders if he's just a rebound from Jon not being down to fuck his aunt (if we should all follow R+L=J)

4. Bronn orders Dany the best wine he can find so she can get a taste of the finer Westerosi options that she never got to experience being in Essos.

[alinaastarkov]

"the most compelling love stories are the ones that are irrational, that don't make any sense, that defy every expectation and status quo. In fact, they're the only ones that get told because no one cares about a relationship with no passion, that follows all the rules. That's boring and there's no reason to get invested in the story of two people making completely rational choices 24/7."

FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT

the tea is so hot, thank you 🍵👑💅

also you can see that it's smth grrm supports. there are so many love stories that are irrational but also realistic and that's why so often tragic. rhaegar and lyanna, basically all of egg's kids, aegon the conqueror and rhaenys, jaehaerys and alysanne, etc. all of them when against the world's against the rules, against the status quo. some won, some not, yet they risked it all the same bc it was worth it for them and the narrative does support it. what kind of bullshit this story and even world building itself it would be if everyone was all abt "fAmIlY, dUtY, hOnOr" 24/7??? humans don't work like that lmao, and no one wants some dumb "jaehaerys ii rlx mf celia Tully 💀" bullshit. even naerys and aemon who did not risk it all and bowed to damn status quo FAILED in the end. it doesn't matter if they made this sacrifice for the sake of others, chose to be "not selfish" (using the rhetoric of this deranged fandom). they suffered and died and saw no happiness whatsoever in the end anyway, so why the fuck we as readers should nod and say that everyone must've done this?

fandom septas and cultists can go cry me a river, i will watch them sacrificing their own happiness bc somehow fighting for love = selfishness (or being a wh*re 💀💀💀) before making such bullshit claims first.

p.s.: stan house "we die for love" targaryen amen 👑

A FUCKING MEN 👏👏👏

God this, so much this!! GRRM lives for drama, excitement, passion, tragedy, deep emotion and most importantly, people who don't play by the rules. Our key five are the key five for a number of reasons, but a big one is they don't stick to the rules. They break them, they ignore them, they rewrite them all together. And this can be seen so clearly in the way he writes romantic relationships.

I was gonna bring up Aegon and Rhaenys cause it's the first example, but maybe one of the more subtle ones. The relationship doesn't immediately cause any huge problems, but it's still not the done thing:

By tradition, he was expected to wed only his older sister, Visenya; the inclusion of Rhaenys as a second wife was unusual, though not without precedent. It was said by some that Aegon wed Visenya out of duty and Rhaenys out of desire.

And theirs is the love story people care about. And Rhaenys' death causes such a Jon-Snow-like reaction from Aegon it's almost painful to read about. Desire, passion, tragedy. It's all there.

Rhaegar and Lyanna are obvious. The love story that almost defines ASOIAF, that set so many events in action. Tragic, passionate, risking it all. Lyanna is proven right by the narrative too, as Robert as a husband is so exactly what she described and Cersei's arranged marriage is so fucking awful, no wonder Lyanna ran away. Such a wealth of examples like them, Barristan gives a great run down in ADWD:

Prince Rhaegar loved his Lady Lyanna, and thousands died for it. Daemon Blackfyre loved the first Daenerys, and rose in rebellion when denied her. Bittersteel and Bloodraven both loved Shiera Seastar, and the Seven Kingdoms bled. The Prince of Dragonflies loved Jenny of Oldstones so much he cast aside a crown, and Westeros paid the bride price in corpses. All three of the sons of the fifth Aegon had wed for love, in defiance of their father’s wishes. And because that unlikely monarch had himself followed his heart when he chose his queen, he allowed his sons to have their way, making bitter enemies where he might have had fast friends. Treason and turmoil followed, as night follows day, ending at Summerhall in sorcery, fire, and grief.

It's sad, but the focus is all on these love stories. They loved, and there were consequences. But damn it, they loved, and they followed their hearts, they lived and died without the regret of 'what if'. And ain't that just beautiful? For an in-series example, I look to Robb and Jeyne. It was not a smart decision, we are hit over the head with that time and time again. And there was something of honour in it. But you can't deny they had passion. And Robb's other option, another arranged marriage- I would take Jeyne over that any day. Jeyne loved him so much she fights for the crown he gave her after his death. He still lingers. It's sad, but they loved too. I do think Robb said it best. In fact, he may have just summed up one of the key points of the entire series:

"Love's not always wise, I've learned. It can lead us to great folly, but we follow our hearts . . . wherever they take us. Don't we, Mother?"

And it isn't always sad either! Jaehaerys and Alysanne, the 'good' king and queen, were just as defiant and wilful as they're predecessors and successors.

But like many such arrangements through the ages, their plan was soon undone, for they grievously underestimated the will and determination of Alysanne Targaryen herself, and her young king, Jaehaerys. [...] Like his sister, Jaehaerys did not waste time with reproaches, recriminations, or appeals. Instead he acted.

And Aemon and Naerys, ugh my favourite tragic beloveds. I do choose to believe that they had a relationship behind Aegon's back, and if they did they also defied the rules. But even if they didn't, as you say playing by them got them nowhere. It got Aemon killed. It made Naerys miserable and she died too. They are not praised for doing their duty, either, them doing the expected thing is framed as sad, that's literally the whole point. Not following their hearts was fucking sad, it made their story a tragedy, Aegon is remembered as, to put it lightly, the worst and Aemon and Naerys got nothing out of doing their duty but pain. We are not supposed to applaud that, we're supposed to wish it had gone differently.

I will stan House "we die for love" Targaryen all day every day because, damn they really are the most iconic house for a reason. This reason.

[istumpysk]

Operation Stumpy Re-Read

ACOK: Tyrion I (Chapter 3)

High blood pressure whenever Sansa and Tyrion have chapters back-to-back.

In the chilly white raiment of the Kingsguard, Ser Mandon Moore looked like a corpse in a shroud.

x

"I know the man." Ser Mandon's eyes were pale grey, oddly flat and lifeless. 

"Your Grace," Ser Boros said when they were ushered inside by another of the Kingsguard, Ser Mandon of the curiously dead face, "I've brought the girl." - Sansa IV, AGOT

I’m starting to think this Mandon Moore might die!

+.+

Jaime had once told him that Moore was the most dangerous of the Kingsguard—excepting himself, always—because his face gave no hint as what he might do next.

✨ foreshadowing ✨

+.+

Tyrion Lannister shouldered through the door, feeling almost tall. Five members of the king's small council broke off their discussion suddenly. "You," his sister Cersei said in a tone that was equal parts disbelief and distaste.    

"You," Joffrey said.                 

"Me," the Imp agreed, "although a more courteous greeting might be in order, for an uncle and an elder." - Sansa I, ACOK

+.+

His sister had taken the king's seat for herself—he gathered Joffrey did not often trouble to attend council meetings, no more than Robert had—so Tyrion climbed up into the Hand's chair. It seemed only appropriate.    

Grrr.

+.+

Littlefinger laughed. "Well said, Lannister. A man after my own heart."

Tyrion smiled at him, remembering a certain dagger with a dragonbone hilt and a Valyrian steel blade. We must have a talk about that, and soon. He wondered if Lord Petyr would find that subject amusing as well.

Love how this dagger storyline goes absolutely nowhere. Tyrion does nothing about Littlefinger framing him, and what do you know, Littlefinger successfully does it again.

Remember guys, you’re supposed to believe this is a character of high intelligence.

+.+

"Shall I tell the steward to prepare chambers in Maegor's Holdfast?"

"My thanks, Lord Petyr, but I will be taking Lord Stark's former quarters in the Tower of the Hand."

Littlefinger laughed. "You're a braver man than me, Lannister. You do know the fate of our last two Hands?"                 

"Two? If you mean to frighten me, why not say four?"

"Four?" Littlefinger raised an eyebrow. "Did the Hands before Lord Arryn meet some dire end in the Tower? I'm afraid I was too young to pay them much mind."

"Aerys Targaryen's last Hand was killed during the Sack of King's Landing, though I doubt he'd had time to settle into the Tower. He was only Hand for a fortnight. The one before him was burned to death. And before them came two others who died landless and penniless in exile, and counted themselves lucky. I believe my lord father was the last Hand to depart King's Landing with his name, properties, and parts all intact."

Please be foreshadowing his demise.

Please be foreshadowing his demise.

Please be foreshadowing his demise.

+.+

"Fascinating," said Littlefinger. "And all the more reason I'd sooner bed down in the dungeon."                 

Perhaps you'll get that wish, Tyrion thought

Please be foreshadowing Littlefinger in a dungeon.

Please be foreshadowing Littlefinger in a dungeon.

Please be foreshadowing Littlefinger in a dungeon.

(Yes I realize Tyrion is the one who ends up in the dungeon. Whatever, it can be both!)

+.+

"Sansa," the queen said. "I've given it out that I have the younger brat as well, but it's a lie.

Pretty sure I remember you announcing to the entire court that you didn’t.

+.+

"Littlefinger made the arrangements. We needed Slynt's gold cloaks. Eddard Stark was plotting with Renly and he'd written to Lord Stannis, offering him the throne. We might have lost all. Even so, it was a close thing. If Sansa hadn't come to me and told me all her father's plans . . ."

Tyrion was surprised. "Truly? His own daughter?" Sansa had always seemed such a sweet child, tender and courteous.

Don’t get me started.

+.+

"Was it Joffrey's wish to dismiss Ser Barristan Selmy from his Kingsguard too?"

Cersei sighed. "Joff wanted someone to blame for Robert's death. Varys suggested Ser Barristan.

(...)

"Ser Barristan was the Lord Commander of Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard," Tyrion reminded her pointedly. "He and Jaime are the only survivors of Aerys Targaryen's seven. The smallfolk talk of him in the same way they talk of Serwyn of the Mirror Shield and Prince Aemon the Dragonknight. What do you imagine they'll think when they see Barristan the Bold riding beside Robb Stark or Stannis Baratheon?"    

Cersei glanced away. "I had not considered that."

I bet Varys considered it!

+.+

"Did you think I was as blind as Father?" Tyrion rubbed his cheek. "Who you lie with is no matter to me . . . although it doesn't seem quite just that you should open your legs for one brother and not the other."                 

She slapped him.

The fuck is wrong with this family?

+.+

"She is taking steps to restore the king's peace," Vylarr assured him. "Lord Slynt has tripled the size of the City Watch, and the queen has put a thousand craftsmen to work on our defenses. The stonemasons are strengthening the walls, carpenters are building scorpions and catapults by the hundred, fletchers are making arrows, the smiths are forging blades, and the Alchemists' Guild has pledged ten thousand jars of wildfire."

Tyrion shifted uncomfortably in his saddle. He was pleased that Cersei had not been idle, but wildfire was treacherous stuff, and ten thousand jars were enough to turn all of King's Landing into cinders.

There’s the set-up!

+.+

"Forgive me if I intrude," Varys said. "I was taken by a sudden urge to meet your young lady."

"Young lady," Shae repeated, savoring the words. "You're half right, m'lord. I'm young."

Eighteen, Tyrion thought. Eighteen, and a whore, but quick of wit, nimble as a cat between the sheets, with large dark eyes and fine black hair and a sweet, soft, hungry little mouth . . . and mine! Damn you, eunuch. "I fear I'm the intruder, Lord Varys," he said with forced courtesy. "When I came in, you were in the midst of some merriment."                 

"M'lord Varys complimented Chella on her ears and said she must have killed many men to have such a fine necklace," Shae explained. It grated on him to hear her call Varys m'lord in that tone; that was what she called him in their pillow play.

Tyrion is seething over an asexual eunuch talking to a whore he pays.

Do you think Jon and Sansa might cause him to lose his mind?

+.+

"And Chella told him only cowards kill the vanquished."                 

"Braver to leave the man alive, with a chance to cleanse his shame by winning back his ear," explained Chella

Bran, I swear to god, if you don’t execute this man…

+.+

Have you seen the comet?"                 

"I'm short, not blind," Tyrion said. Out on the kingsroad, it had seemed to cover half the sky, outshining the crescent moon.

"In the streets, they call it the Red Messenger," Varys said. "They say it comes as a herald before a king, to warn of fire and blood to follow."

Cheeky, cheeky Varys.

Varys and Littlefinger running circles around Tyrion is the only time I enjoy them.

+.+

"May I leave you with a bit of a riddle, Lord Tyrion?" He did not wait for an answer. "In a room sit three great men, a king, a priest, and a rich man with his gold. Between them stands a sellsword, a little man of common birth and no great mind. Each of the great ones bids him slay the other two. 'Do it,' says the king, 'for I am your lawful ruler.' 'Do it,' says the priest, 'for I command you in the names of the gods.' 'Do it,' says the rich man, 'and all this gold shall be yours.' So tell me—who lives and who dies?"

The smallfolk?

+.+

Shae wrinkled up her pretty face. "The rich man lives. Doesn't he?"

Hey giant of Lannister, you might want to take a second to think over her answer.

+.+

"So what will you do, m'lord, now that you're the Hand of the King?" Shae asked him as he cupped that warm sweet flesh.

"Something Cersei will never expect," Tyrion murmured softly against her slender neck. "I'll do . . . justice."

Final thoughts:

Why George? WHY? Tell me why.

Somebody convince me everything will be okay.

10 down, 29 to go. :(

Edit: IT’S 39, I FUCKING HATE EVERYTHING.

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