We Light the Way

Prologue: 11 years ago, at Harrenhal
King Jaehaerys is presented with the final result of the Great Council.
King Jaehaerys is presented with the final result of the Great Council.

In the year 101 AC,[a] the lords of Westeros gather in a Great Council to elect a Prince of Dragonstone to succeed Jaehaerys I Targaryen, following the deaths of the king's sons. Although fourteen claims are brought forward, only two are truly considered; those of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Jaehaerys's eldest grandchild, and Prince Viserys Targaryen, his eldest grandson. The Great Council elects Prince Viserys to succeed his grandfather.

In King's Landing
Aemma and Rhaenyra discuss childbirth.
Aemma and Rhaenyra discuss childbirth.

It is now the year 112 AC,[b] nine years into Viserys's reign. High above King's Landing, his only daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, flies across the city atop her dragon Syrax, landing her outside the gates of the Dragonpit. As the Dragonkeepers escort Syrax away, Rhaenyra is greeted by her sworn shield, Ser Harrold Westerling of the Kingsguard, and her friend, Lady Alicent Hightower. The two girls exchange comments on Syrax's growth before Rhaenyra invites Alicent to take a ride with her on Syrax, though Alicent politely declines. Ser Harrold and several men-at-arms escort Rhaenyra and Alicent in a covered wagon back to the Red Keep. Rhaenyra then pays a visit, with Alicent in attendance, to her heavily pregnant mother, Queen Aemma Arryn. Rhaenyra is dismissive of the idea of being a mother, but Aemma insists that as royal women, birthing royal children is how they serve the realm.

The Small Council discusses the Triarchy and the Heir's Tournament.
The Small Council discusses the Triarchy and the Heir's Tournament.

Within the Red Keep, Viserys hosts a meeting with his Small Council, with Rhaenyra in attendance as a cupbearer (though her father lightly chides her for being late to the meeting). His Master of Ships, Lord Corlys Velaryon, warns that the Free Cities have formed an alliance named the "Triarchy" and are trying to claim the Stepstones for themselves. Should the alliance eradicate the pirates currently inhabiting the Stepstones, Corlys warns, Westerosi ports could be badly affected, but his concerns are dismissed by Viserys and his Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower. The Master of Coin, Lord Lyman Beesbury, also complains to Viserys about the ruinous amounts of gold his younger brother, the absent Prince Daemon Targaryen, has spent in his new role as commander of the City Watch to properly arm and supply his men, but Viserys will hear no complaints against his brother. The discussion then turns to the upcoming "Heir's Tournament" Viserys has planned for the upcoming birth of his next child. Despite Grand Maester Mellos's insistence that there is no way of determining the sex, Viserys is confident the child will be a boy.

Daemon gives Rhaenyra a gift.
Daemon gives Rhaenyra a gift.

After the Small Council concludes, Rhaenyra and Ser Harrold head to the throne room, where they find Prince Daemon sitting on the Iron Throne. Ser Harrold is shocked by such disrespect, but Rhaenyra, used to her uncle's flippancy, is more amused. Rhaenyra and Daemon converse in High Valyrian, with Daemon, in his own words, noting the irony of Viserys throwing a tournament for his benefit (since until Viserys actually has a son, Daemon is his heir by law) before gifting his niece a bejeweled necklace of Valyrian steel. Later that evening, as Rhaenyra and Alicent spend time in the Red Keep's godswood, Rhaenyra concludes that she hopes her unborn sibling is a boy for the sake of her father's happiness, ignoring Alicent's remarks that a son would overshadow her in the line of succession. Elsewhere in the Red Keep, Viserys endures the Grand Maester treating a wound supposedly inflicted by the blades of the Iron Throne on his back that has become infected, before going to see his wife Aemma in her bath. Viserys tells her of his confidence their child will be a son, but Aemma insists that boy or girl, it will be their last; after several miscarriages and stillbirths, and one child dead in the cradle (a total of five within ten years), she can't bring herself to mourn another child.

Daemon leads the City Watch.
Daemon leads the City Watch.

As night falls, Daemon declares to the men of the City Watch, proudly identified by the gold cloaks he has bestowed upon them; that he has turned them from a disorganized rabble into a professional force to be reckoned with. He then leads them in a purge of the criminal elements of King's Landing, who are rounded up en masse to face summary justice; thieves lose a hand, rapers are castrated, murderers executed on the spot. At a Small Council meeting the following morning, at which Daemon is in attendance, Otto complains that the violence used by Daemon and his men was too excessive. Daemon defends his actions by pointing out that with most of Westeros's nobility coming to his brother's tournament, and the general lawlessness of King's Landing, extreme measures were warranted to ensure the safety of all of Viserys's subjects within the city walls. Corlys Velaryon also speaks in support of Daemon's actions, arguing the criminals of King's Landing should fear the City Watch. The discussion turns into a personal argument when Otto snipes that Daemon could put as much effort into his marriage as his work with the gold cloaks, insinuating Daemon should return to his wife's seat, Runestone, in the Vale of Arryn. Daemon scoffs that his wife, Lady Rhea Royce, is likely happier for his absence, derisively referring to her as his "bronze bitch." When Otto defends Lady Rhea's honor, Daemon sarcastically offers to give her to Otto as a replacement for his own late wife. Otto furiously rises to his feet at the insult, but Viserys defuses the argument, chiding Otto for letting Daemon provoke him while admonishing Daemon to police the city without the previous night's brutality. Later that night, Daemon complains to his mistress Mysaria, a brothel proprietor, about the lack of respect for his efforts shown by his brother and the Small Council. Mysaria reassures Daemon that, given his reputation and the power and prestige he possesses, the king can not so easily replace him.

Alicent and Rhaenyra spectate as Ser Criston Cole jousts against a Tarly knight.
Alicent and Rhaenyra spectate as Ser Criston Cole jousts against a Tarly knight.

The following day, Viserys commences the Heir's Tournament with an announcement that Queen Aemma has gone into labor. Prince Daemon quickly becomes a favorite contender in the lists, further insulting Otto by picking as his first opponent his eldest son Ser Gwayne Hightower; he unhorses Ser Gwayne by striking at his mount's legs and then prods Alicent into granting her his favor for the tourney. Rhaenyra and Alicent are also intrigued by a new contender, Ser Criston Cole, after his unexpected victories against Lord Boremund Baratheon and his son, Ser Borros. As the tourney continues, a maester arrives and summons Viserys and Otto away. To Viserys's horror, Grand Maester Mellos explains that Queen Aemma's child is in breech, and that they must either cut open her womb to free the baby (a procedure that will almost certainly kill her) or risk losing both mother and child. Despite being appalled by the necessity of such a choice, Viserys grudgingly gives his consent, watching as the Grand Maester's acolytes hold down a delirious and screaming Aemma while Mellos cuts into her womb.

Daemon and Criston duel.
Daemon and Criston duel.

On the tourney grounds, Ser Criston manages to unhorse Daemon in the joust; furious at his unexpected defeat, Daemon angrily demands his sword to continue the fight in a melee. Ser Criston dismounts to oblige the prince, wielding a flail while Daemon fights with Dark Sister, one of the two ancestral Valyrian steel swords of House Targaryen. A savage duel ensues from which, to the shock of all spectators, Ser Criston emerges victorious. As a beaten and humiliated Daemon angrily storms off, Ser Criston approaches the royal box and asks Rhaenyra for her favor. Rhaenyra tosses down a floral wreath to him and bids him good luck in the rest of the tournament.

Queen Aemma tries in vain to give birth to Prince Baelon.
Queen Aemma tries in vain to give birth to Prince Baelon.

In the Red Keep, at his wife's bedside, Viserys weeps over Aemma's body, his wife having bled to death from the procedure to save their child. The Grand Maester informs Viserys that the child in question is a boy and hesitantly asks the king if he and the queen had chosen a name. Viserys answers "Baelon" (in honor of his own father), but at that moment, the infant prince begins choking in the Grand Maester's arms.

A funeral is held for Aemma and her son.
A funeral is held for Aemma and her son.

Several days later finds the royal court gathered at the Hill of Rhaenys[6] for Queen Aemma and Prince Baelon's funeral. Viserys is near catatonic with grief, while Rhaenyra bitterly ponders to her uncle whether her father finally found happiness in the few short hours her brother lived. Daemon, sympathetic to his brother and niece's losses, urges Rhaenyra to support her father, insisting Viserys will need her more than ever, before Rhaenyra, with a command of "Dracarys" to Syrax, sets her mother and brother's funeral pyre ablaze.

Viserys wearily discusses the succession with his Small Council.
Viserys wearily discusses the succession with his Small Council.

The next day in the Small Council chamber, Otto presses Viserys to set his succession firmly in order. With Prince Baelon's death, Daemon is once again Viserys's heir presumptive, but Otto is adamant that Daemon cannot be allowed to sit on the Iron Throne and compares him to Maegor the Cruel, unaware that Daemon is listening to the entire conversation from the shadows. Viserys angrily dismisses Otto and Mellos's insinuations that Daemon would be willing to murder him to seize the crown, insisting that his brother lacks the patience to be king, and retorts to Otto's complaints that Daemon's command of the City Watch effectively gives the prince his own army by pointing out it was Otto's idea to give Daemon the command, given how vigorously Otto complained when Viserys named his brother Master of Laws and Master of Coin. Otto concedes the point, but argues that Daemon should be kept far from power. Corlys Velaryon asks who else would have a claim, to which Otto suggests Rhaenyra. Lord Lyonel Strong, the Master of Laws, vehemently protests this, arguing that Westeros has never had a queen and doing so would overturn centuries of tradition. Viserys refuses the notion of choosing between his daughter and his brother, so Corlys offers an alternative: his own wife Rhaenys; as the daughter of King Jaehaerys's eldest son Aemon, she has a valid claim to the throne, and a male heir (Laenor) to continue her line. Otto and Lyonel shout him down before a furious Viserys berates his Small Council for behaving like crows squabbling over a corpse while he is still mourning his wife and son, before storming out.

Otto commands Alicent to comfort the king.
Otto commands Alicent to comfort the king.

Within the Tower of the Hand, Alicent pays her father a visit as Otto dispatches Mellos with a message to be sent by raven to Oldtown. Otto embraces his daughter, asking after Rhaenyra, before suggesting Alicent might offer her condolences to the princess's father as well. Though apprehensive about the request, Alicent complies, visiting Viserys in his chambers wearing her mother's dress and bearing a gift of a rare historical text, and offers her condolences at Queen Aemma's passing, for which Viserys thanks her. Later that evening, at a pleasure house on the Street of Silk, Daemon hosts a drunken orgy for several of his subordinates in the City Watch. Prompted by Myseria, Daemon raises a toast to his late nephew. Otto reports this event to Viserys, insisting that his sources claim Daemon dubbed Baelon "the Heir for a Day." While the context is ambiguous, Viserys takes it for an insult and summons his brother.

Daemon is disinherited by Viserys.
Daemon is disinherited by Viserys.

Viserys confronts Daemon in the throne room, seated upon the Iron Throne, the Targaryen sword Blackfyre in his hand, surrounded by his Kingsguard. Viserys angrily demands to know if Daemon truly mocked his nephew as the "Heir for a Day." When Daemon calls it his own way of showing grief, Viserys erupts at Daemon for celebrating his restored status with his "lickspittles" instead of consoling his brother and niece, and for throwing everything Viserys has given him back in the king's face. Daemon retorts that Viserys has only ever tried sending Daemon away from his side, and complains that even after ten years of rule, he has never offered him the role of Hand of the King. When Viserys scoffs at the notion, Daemon insists he deserves it as Viserys's brother, and that he would do a better job of it than Otto Hightower, who he describes as an overambitious second son out for himself. As Viserys defends his Hand, Daemon asserts that Otto doesn't protect his brother, whereas he would. When Viserys asks from what, Daemon bluntly replies "Yourself. You're weak, Viserys, and that council of leeches knows it. They all prey on you for their own ends."

Outraged by the insult, Viserys declares his intention to publicly name his heir. When Daemon insists he is his brother's heir, Viserys retorts "Not anymore" and orders Daemon to return to his wife's seat in the Vale. When Daemon steps forward to protest, the Kingsguard draw their swords and block his path, and Daemon grudgingly withdraws.

Viserys informs Rhaenyra of his decision.
Viserys informs Rhaenyra of his decision.

Later that evening, Viserys summons Rhaenyra to Balerion's shrine within the bowels of the Red Keep. Rhaenyra is confused by the summons, given her father has barely spoken to her since her mother's funeral, and even more so when he asks her what she sees when she looks at the dragons. Staring at Balerion's skull, Rhaenyra admits that she sees their family; the people say that the Targaryens are closer to gods than to men, but it is only because of their control of the dragons. Viserys warns Rhaenyra that the dragons are a dangerous power, a power that caused the Doom of Valyria and might well destroy their family if they are not careful. He states that a Targaryen must always understand that truth if they aspire to be king or queen.

As his words sink in for Rhaenyra, Viserys apologizes for spending years chasing a son when he already had a worthy heir in his daughter. He insists that she has the makings of a great queen. To cement his trust in her, Viserys tells Rhaenyra a truth known only to their family: Aegon the Conqueror was not solely motivated by ambition to conquer Westeros. Like Daenys Targaryen foresaw the Doom of Valyria, Aegon had a vision that foretold the end of the world of Men. Aegon had a vision that the end would be preceded by a terrible winter descending from the North, and that what lurked within that storm would destroy the world of the living, unless the kingdoms of men united against it with a Targaryen to lead them. Since Aegon's time, a Targaryen king has passed knowledge of Aegon's vision, which he dubbed "The Song of Ice and Fire" to their heir, to ensure Westeros was ready when the evil Aegon foresaw finally descended upon mankind.

Rhaenyra is named Princess of Dragonstone.
Rhaenyra is named Princess of Dragonstone.

Before a gathering of the realm's nobility, including the lords of Velaryon, Hightower, Stark, and Baratheon, Viserys bears witness as the nobles declare oaths of fealty to him and to Rhaenyra as his named heir. At the Dragonpit, Daemon, absent from the ceremony, presents Myseria to his own dragon Caraxes, before they both take flight on Caraxes's back.

The Heirs of the Dragon

On a beach of one of the islands, Craghas Drahar, prince-admiral of the Triarchy forces, executes shipwrecked Westerosi sailors by nailing them to posts on the beach to either drown or be slowly eaten alive by the crabs drawn by the tide.

In the Crownlands
The Small Council discusses Ryam Redwyne's replacement and the Stepstones.
The Small Council discusses Ryam Redwyne's replacement and the Stepstones.

As King Viserys and his Small Council discuss the recent death of Ser Ryam Redwyne, Lord Corlys Velaryon furiously storms into the chamber, raging that the Triarchy forces have now sunk four Westerosi ships, including one from the Velaryon fleet, and demands action, insisting he be allowed to use the royal fleet to clear out the Stepstones. Ser Otto Hightower and Lord Lyman Beesbury argue against starting a war with the Free Cities, who are financing Drahar's occupation, while Viserys explains that he has sent envoys to the Triarchy's enemies in Pentos and Volantis with the prospect of an alliance against their common foe, but Corlys retorts that further inaction will only strengthen the belief in the Free Cities that Viserys is weak, as evidenced by the fact he has done nothing to end Daemon's illegal occupation of Dragonstone for almost half a year. Rhaenyra speaks up, suggesting that the Velaryon fleet, backed by Targaryen dragonriders, could easily reclaim the Stepstones (a suggestion that meets with Corlys's approval), but at Otto's urging, Viserys overrides her suggestion and dispatches her with Ser Harrold Westerling to consider the prospective replacements for Ser Ryam.

Rhaenyra judges Kingsguard candidates.
Rhaenyra judges Kingsguard candidates.

In Maegor's Holdfast, Rhaenyra watches as Ser Harrold presents various knights to take Ser Ryam's place on the Kingsguard. Rhaenyra is dismissive of most of them, asking Harrold if any have seen actual combat, rather than just tourney fighting. The sole candidate who has is Ser Criston Cole, who explains he earned his knighthood battling Dornish raiders in both the Dornish Marches and the Boneway; despite Otto's protests that a more politically valuable candidate should be chosen, Rhaenyra insists that she wants her father defended by a knight with actual combat experience and picks Criston for the vacancy.

Viserys speaks with Alicent.
Viserys speaks with Alicent.

In his private chambers, Viserys talks with Alicent Hightower, while pondering over a model of Valyria, expressing his hopes to try and match old Valyria's glory. The conversation turns to Rhaenyra, with Viserys admitting his uncertainty of how to speak with Rhaenyra in the wake of her mother Aemma's death. Alicent advises Viserys to reach out to his daughter to bridge the gap (though she admits she hasn't mentioned her dalliances with Viserys to Rhaenyra for fear of the latter's reaction). Alicent offers the same advice back to Rhaenyra when they go to pray at the Grand Sept.

Viserys, Corlys, and Rhaenys discuss a potential marriage alliance.
Viserys, Corlys, and Rhaenys discuss a potential marriage alliance.

Later that afternoon, in the Red Keep's gardens, Viserys meets with Corlys and his wife, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen; Viserys and Corlys exchange apologies over their terse words in the Small Council chamber, but Corlys repeats his advice of not allowing the Free Cities to think Viserys weak, firstly by striking back at the Stepstones, and by a marriage between Viserys and their daughter Laena, uniting House Targaryen's dragons and House Velaryon's fleet to prove the strength of his reign. Viserys is wary of a new marriage so soon after Aemma's death, but Rhaenys reminds him it will be expected of him to remarry and produce more heirs to strengthen his line. Rhaenyra reiterates the same advice and Grand Maester Mellos also supports the union, remarking that it would go a long way to healing the rift between Houses Targaryen and Velaryon left by the Great Council at Harrenhal.

Viserys walks with Laena.
Viserys walks with Laena.

The next day, Rhaenyra and Rhaenys watch from a balcony of the Red Keep, as Viserys walks with Laena. Viserys is visibly uncomfortable about potentially marrying a child, while Laena is more interested in hearing about Viserys's experience as the last rider of Balerion, as well as pondering the whereabouts of Vhagar. Rhaenys notices how bothered Rhaenyra is about her father remarrying, which prompts the younger princess to reply that Rhaenys must be bothered since Laena is her daughter. Rhaenys replies that the situation obviously bothers her, but bluntly tells Rhaenyra that whoever her father takes as a wife, should Viserys have a son, the men of Westeros will expect that son to be his heir, not Rhaenyra. Rhaenys notes that given her own passing over, the men of Westeros will not accept a woman on the Iron Throne.

A Dragonkeeper reports Daemon's theft of a dragon egg to the Small Council.
A Dragonkeeper reports Daemon's theft of a dragon egg to the Small Council.

Later that evening, Viserys dines privately in Alicent's company, where she commiserates with him over his reluctance at wedding a new queen and gifts him a repaired model of a dragon for his miniature of Valyria. Otto interrupts the meal to inform the king that he has called an emergency meeting of the Small Council. One of the Dragonkeepers is present at the meeting, who informs Viserys that an egg has been stolen from the Dragonpit. The culprit is none other than Daemon, who left a missive announcing his intention to take his mistress Mysaria as his second wife, flippantly inviting his brother and council to attend, and as Mysaria is now with child, Daemon wishes to place a dragon egg in the infant's cradle in keeping with Targaryen tradition. Viserys, furious at this latest display of insolence by his younger brother, declares his intention to retake Dragonstone from Daemon, but Otto insists the king cannot risk himself, warning that Daemon is unpredictable and has fortified the island and castle with a private army of his gold cloaks, and volunteers himself to lead efforts to expel Daemon from Dragonstone. Rhaenyra is also left angry when she learns the egg Daemon had stolen was the one she had picked out for her little brother Baelon. Before departing for Dragonstone, Otto meets with Alicent in private and urges her to continue her liaisons with the king.

Daemon is confronted by Otto.
Daemon is confronted by Otto.

Ser Otto Hightower's forces, consisting of himself, Ser Harrold Westerling, Ser Criston Cole, and twenty of his household guard, arrive on Dragonstone. Daemon, accompanied by Mysaria and a detachment of his gold cloaks, intercept them on the bridge leading to the castle. Otto relays Viserys's demands that Daemon is to relinquish the stolen dragon egg and the castle, disband his private army, and banish Mysaria. Daemon refuses, insulting Otto and Criston in the process, insisting he is merely following his house's traditions. When Otto threatens Mysaria, Daemon draws Dark Sister, prompting both sides to draw their own weapons, though Otto orders his men to sheathe their weapons when Caraxes appears to defend his master.

Rhaenyra arrives on Syrax.
Rhaenyra arrives on Syrax.

Before the tension can spill into open conflict, Rhaenyra arrives unannounced on Syrax. She dismounts and brushes past a protesting Otto to confront Daemon personally. Rhaenyra dares her uncle to kill her if he truly wishes to reclaim his former status as her father's heir, but Daemon cannot bring himself to murder his niece in cold blood, even for his old position, and begrudgingly tosses Rhaenyra the dragon egg before retreating with Mysaria and his retinue back into the castle. Rhaenyra turns the egg over to the care of the Dragonkeepers.

Daemon broods at Dragonstone.
Daemon broods at Dragonstone.

Within the castle, Mysaria, who reveals she was not pregnant, Daemon having concocted the claim to spite his brother, berates Daemon for provoking Viserys, stating that while he enjoys a degree of protection as the king's younger brother, she does not and would likely end up the one who pays the price for Daemon's antics. Daemon assures Mysaria that he will protect her.

Viserys seeks Lyonel's counsel.
Viserys seeks Lyonel's counsel.

In Otto's absence, Viserys meets with Lord Lyonel Strong for an impartial opinion about a prospective marriage to Laena Velaryon. Although Lyonel acknowledges Viserys's discomfort at marrying a child, he adds that strengthening an alliance with House Velaryon could temper Corlys's bitterness over the Great Council's decision, unify the last descendants of Valyria, and ensure the Crown has access to the Velaryon fleet should the situation in the Stepstones deteriorate into open war. The meeting is interrupted by Grand Maester Mellos informing Viserys of Rhaenyra's departure and return from Dragonstone.

Viserys talks with Rhaenyra.
Viserys talks with Rhaenyra.

The Kingsguard escort Rhaenyra to her father's chambers, where he angrily chides his daughter for taking off without his leave and risking her life, though he does concede that only she could have recovered the egg and ended the situation with Daemon bloodlessly. They speak about Aemma for a time, Viserys noting that Rhaenyra has inherited a lot from her, before reluctantly broaching the subject of a prospective remarriage. Viserys insists that he cannot replace Aemma, but with only Rhaenyra as his heir, were anything to happen to her, House Targaryen would come to an end, and though Viserys insists he will not replace Rhaenyra as his heir, even were his new wife to give him sons, he must ensure the continuation of their line.

At a Small Council meeting the next morning, Viserys declares his intention to marry Alicent Hightower. Only Otto looks pleased with the King's decision; the rest of the Small Council stand in silent shock, while Alicent averts her eyes from Rhaenyra. Furious at this latest insult to his family, Corlys brands Viserys's decision "an absurdity" and storms out of the chamber. Rhaenyra follows him, disgusted and hurt by her father and friend keeping this from her.

Enraged at the snubbing of his daughter by Viserys, Corlys invites Daemon Targaryen to his castle High Tide. Corlys rages at Viserys's disregard and lack of respect for his family and loyal service, citing Daemon's own fall from Viserys's good graces as proof that they share a common cause, being men of action forced to make their own way in the world who have never received the due respect or appreciation for their efforts. Although Daemon chides Corlys for speaking disrespectfully of his brother, he is intrigued when Corlys proposes a joint expedition between them to eliminate the Crabfeeder, clear out the Triarchy forces from the Stepstones, and simultaneously claim wealth and glory for themselves, while proving their value to the dissenters at Viserys's court.

The Rogue Prince

In the Crownlands
Three years have passed since King Viserys's marriage to Alicent Hightower, in which time Queen Alicent has given birth to a son, Prince Aegon. The royal court is preparing to depart for a grand hunt in the Kingswood, with Viserys excited to leave the politics of court behind even as his new Master of Ships, Ser Tyland Lannister, badgers him about the prospect of Prince Daemon and Lord Corlys being defeated in the Stepstones. Ser Otto Hightower dismisses Tyland's concerns, insisting that Daemon and Corlys's military campaign was commenced without the king's blessing and that to send aid to them now would make the Crown look weak, while Viserys is more concerned about the notable absence of his daughter. Alicent finds Princess Rhaenyra brooding in the Red Keep's godswood; Alicent tries to make friendly overtures to her old friend turned stepdaughter, but Rhaenyra is disinclined to listen and storms out. In private, Otto's elder brother, Lord Hobert Hightower, urges his brother to encourage Viserys, now that Aegon's infancy is over, to name the boy as heir apparent to the Iron Throne, in keeping with Westerosi tradition.

The royal family arrives in the Kingswood.
The royal family arrives in the Kingswood.

The royal family travels to the Kingswood in a closed wheelhouse; Rhaenyra expresses surprise the heavily pregnant Alicent is accompanying them, though she replies that the maester assured her being out in the fresh air will do her good. Rhaenyra is left discomforted when Viserys expresses hope she will soon marry and make him a grandfather. The mood grows further tense when Viserys insists she should accompany him on the hunt in her capacity as his heir, as he claims she has been shirking her duties as princess; Rhaenyra scoffs at the idea, insisting that none of the nobles present at this hunt are here for her, a conclusion that is only strengthened upon their arrival at the royal hunting encampment, where Lord Hobert leads the cheering for the infant Aegon, hailing the boy as the "Second of His Name", making it clear to Rhaenyra at least some of the realm's nobility consider Aegon, not her, Viserys's heir.

Jason Lannister courts Rhaenyra.
Jason Lannister courts Rhaenyra.

Within the royal pavilion, after enduring the conversations of the noble ladies present and growing angry at their denigration of Daemon's campaign in the Stepstones, Rhaenyra exits the pavilion only to be approached by Lord Jason Lannister, who plies her with honeyed wine made in Lannisport and waxes lyrical about the privileges offered by Casterly Rock. Rhaenyra is confused when Lord Jason admits he does not possess a Dragonpit but does have the means to build one; when Rhaenyra questions why he would need such a thing, Jason replies he would build one to satisfy his Queen...or his lady wife. Realizing that Lord Jason is trying to make a marriage proposal to her, Rhaenyra takes her leave and storms back into the royal pavilion to remonstrate with Viserys.

Rhaenyra argues with Viserys.
Rhaenyra argues with Viserys.

When she confronts her father, Viserys insists Lord Jason's proposal is merely the latest in a long list of offers for her hand he's been receiving since she came of age, and Rhaenyra has snubbed every effort Viserys has made to engage her in the discussion. Rhaenyra protests she has no interest in marriage, to which Viserys angrily rages that he was expected to marry again for tradition and duty, so she is no different. Before the argument gets more vicious, Otto interrupts with a report that a white hart has been sighted by the Royal Huntsman, insisting catching and killing such a creature, hailed in local lore as the "King of the Kingswood" would surely be an auspicious portent on Prince Aegon' nameday. Before departing with Otto, Viserys insists Rhaenyra will marry.

Rhaenyra walks in the Kingswood with Criston
Rhaenyra walks in the Kingswood with Criston

Furious and hurt, Rhaenyra storms out of the pavilion, mounts a horse and flees the encampment; Ser Criston Cole sees her doing so and mounts up to follow Rhaenyra in his capacity as her sworn shield. Rhaenyra races through the Kingswood with Criston in close pursuit, begging her to stop, before finally catching her on the shores of a small lake. Rhaenyra bitterly laments her father trying to marry her off to Jason Lannister, though she is briefly cheered up when Criston jokingly offers to kill him. Criston urges they return to camp, but Rhaenyra suggests they explore the Kingswood for a while, as she has no desire to return yet. As they walk through the forest, Rhaenyra asks Criston if he was betrothed; he replies that his status as the son of Lord Dondarrion's steward would have allowed him to wed a common girl, but there was never any he had his eye on. Rhaenyra confesses to being envious of his freedom, lamenting that despite being named her father's heir, she wields no real power and authority, being little more than a figurehead. Criston counsels her otherwise, reminding Rhaenyra that she was the one who raised him to the Kingsguard, the highest honor that anyone from House Cole has ever received.

Jason gifts Viserys a spear.
Jason gifts Viserys a spear.

Back at the royal pavilion, as Viserys gets drunk and waits for reports from the Royal Huntsman the white hart has been tracked down, Lord Jason Lannister approaches the king and tries to press his suit for Rhaenyra's hand. Unfortunately, his comment that as Lady of Casterly Rock, Rhaenyra will be well compensated for her loss in station as Viserys's heir angers the king at the assumption he intends to replace Rhaenyra as his heir. When Lord Jason admits there has been idle talk amongst some of the lords regarding the suggestion, Viserys angrily accuses Jason of allowing treasonous talk to foment amongst his bannermen and dismisses him. Viserys is further exasperated when Otto approaches him, suggesting an alternative betrothal for Rhaenyra: Prince Aegon (in a transparent attempt to move his grandson closer to the Iron Throne). Viserys laughs incredulously at the notion, insisting the boy is only two years old. Otto suggests it would put an end to further suits from the nobility for Rhaenyra's hand and the bother this has caused Viserys, but Viserys dismisses the matter out of hand, along with Otto, and sinks deeper into his cups.

Viserys talks with Lyonel.
Viserys talks with Lyonel.

Later in the evening, he engages his Master of Laws, Lord Lyonel Strong in conversation, lamenting that despite being Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, he is unable to control his seventeen year old daughter. Lord Lyonel jokingly suggests it might be a Targaryen family tradition, given that while Viserys's grandfather, King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, ruled over half a century of peace, he was driven near to madness by the antics of his children, particularly his daughters, eliciting some amusement from Viserys. Lyonel asks if the King wishes his advice on the matter; Viserys irritably assumes Lyonel means to put forward his own son Ser Harwin Strong as a candidate for Rhaenyra's hand, but Lyonel instead advocates the best choice for Rhaenyra might be a marriage to Ser Laenor Velaryon; as the Sea Snake's son, he is heir to the wealthiest House in Westeros, of pure Valyrian descent with Targaryen blood from his mother, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, and such a marriage would help heal the rift between Houses Targaryen and Velaryon, only made worse by Viserys spurning Laenor's sister, Laena Velaryon in favor of Alicent. Though Lyonel does note the proposal depends on Laenor surviving his father's campaign in the Stepstones, Viserys clearly gives the matter considered thought.

Rhaenyra camps with Criston.
Rhaenyra camps with Criston.

Out in the Kingswood, Rhaenyra and Criston make camp for the night. Rhaenyra asks Criston if he believes the realm will accept her as Queen; Criston demurs and insists they will have no choice but to. A rustling in the foliage nearby disturbs them; when Criston draws his sword and goes to investigate, a wild boar charges out of the bushes, trampling Criston and attacking Rhaenyra before Criston and Rhaenyra overpower and kill the animal, Rhaenyra delivering the killing blow in a wrathful frenzy. Back at the royal encampment, a heavily drunk Viserys laments to Alicent his fears he made a mistake naming Rhaenyra his heir; his obsessive pursuit of the prophetic vision he had, of a son born to him wearing Aegon the Conqueror's crown, resulted in Viserys losing Queen Aemma and becoming estranged from Rhaenyra. He'd hoped naming Rhaenyra as his heir might begin to repair the damage his obsession caused, both to his family and to the realm, but despite Alicent's reassurances, a tearful Viserys wonders, now he has a son born to him, was he wrong to put Rhaenyra first.

Viserys kills a hart.
Viserys kills a hart.

The next morning, Viserys and his courtiers accompany the Royal Huntsman to a clearing in the godswood; unable to track down the white hart, they have caught a large stag for Viserys to kill instead. Using a spear borrowed from Lord Jason, it takes a conflicted Viserys two strikes to slay the animal. Elsewhere in the kingswood, a dishevelled and bloodstained Rhaenyra and Criston encounter the white hart; Rhaenyra merely admires the animal before letting it go unharmed and returning to the royal encampment with the boar's carcass.

Otto pressures Alicent to convince Viserys to name Aegon heir to the throne.
Otto pressures Alicent to convince Viserys to name Aegon heir to the throne.

Back at the Red Keep, Otto and Alicent share a private conversation: Otto insists Alicent urge Viserys to name Aegon as his heir, claiming letting Rhaenyra pass over him to ascend the Iron Throne would incite chaos. Alicent reminds her father that the nobility of the realm, including House Hightower, swore obeisance to Rhaenyra as Viserys' heir and that she will not raise her son to steal his sister's birthright. Otto retorts that Aegon is the one being robbed, as by tradition and precedent, as Viserys' son, he is his father's rightful heir, and the next King of Westeros. Later that evening, Alicent goes to speak with Viserys, who reveals he has received a petition from Ser Vaemond Velaryon, requesting reinforcements in the Stepstones, as well as frustratedly insisting that Rhaenyra needs a husband of suitable rank to support her and rule by her side as King-Consort, regardless of her personal feelings on the matter. Alicent urges Viserys to give Rhaenyra at least the belief she can choose her own husband, as well as sending reinforcements to the Stepstones, since it is better for Westeros that the Velaryons and Daemon, rather than the Crabfeeder, are victorious.

Viserys gives Rhaenyra leave to choose her own husband.
Viserys gives Rhaenyra leave to choose her own husband.

The next morning, Viserys summons Rhaenyra to the Small Council chamber. He reveals his intention to send reinforcements to Daemon; Viserys refuses to let his younger brother die out of pride. He asks Rhaenyra's thoughts on the matter, to which she retorts he and his Small Council have made it frequently clear her thoughts on matters of governance are immaterial, prompting Viserys to exasperatedly ask if his daughter intends to become as much a thorn in his side as his brother. He apologizes for trying to foist Jason Lannister on her, insisting that he only wanted to help Rhaenyra by providing her House Lannister's wealth and power through marriage; Rhaenyra scoffs that in her mind, it was her father making a pretty transparent effort to get her out of the way so he could replace her. Viserys insists he is not trying to replace Rhaenyra, but reminds her, even though his marriage to her mother became a happy one, it was originally arranged for political gain, as have most royal marriages in Westerosi history. Viserys urges Rhaenyra to pick a husband, both so she can have the happiness of starting a family of her own and build support for her claim to the Iron Throne with her husband's family, but insists he will allow her to choose her own consort.


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In the Stepstones
Craghas executes Velaryon soldiers.
Craghas executes Velaryon soldiers.

It has been three years since Lord Corlys Velaryon and Prince Daemon Targaryen led an invasion fleet to the Stepstones to put an end to the depredations of Craghas Drahar. On the beach of Bloodstone, as Drahar amuses himself by executing prisoners while his men loot the wreckage of a Velaryon ship, Daemon descends atop Caraxes, the dragon's fire incinerating many of the Triarchy's soldiers on the beach, while the rest retreat with Drahar into the island's caverns where Caraxes cannot pursue. Volleys of arrows from Triarchy archers on the cliffs overlooking the beach force Daemon and Caraxes to retreat.

The Velaryon war council at Dwarfstone.
The Velaryon war council at Dwarfstone.

Several weeks later, at the Velaryon camp on Dwarfstone, Corlys, along with his son Laenor and brother Vaemond discuss their situation as Daemon returns from another dragonborne sortie against Drahar's stronghold. Corlys lists that their supplies are about to run out, the men are demoralized, and ships bound to resupply them from Driftmark are still weeks away. Laenor proposes a desperate gambit, using Daemon as bait to lure the Crabfeeder's forces into the open to eliminate them all at once, despite his uncle's misgivings. The war council is interrupted by the arrival of Ser Addam, a messenger from King's Landing sent by Viserys, promising his brother reinforcements. Enraged at the notion of being bailed out by his older brother, Daemon attacks the messenger, beating him with his helmet before the Velaryons intervene. Daemon later departs for Bloodstone alone in a rowing boat.

The Velaryon army comes to Daemon's aid at Bloodstone.
The Velaryon army comes to Daemon's aid at Bloodstone.

Fashioning a white flag from the wreckage of previous battles on Bloodstone, Daemon goes to one knee, holding out Dark Sister in a gesture of surrender. When one of Drahar's soldiers moves to take the sword, Daemon stabs him with a dagger, recovers Dark Sister, and cuts down any man standing between himself and Drahar. The Triarchy archers bring Daemon down short of his goal, but as Triarchy soldiers move in to finish him off, they are set ablaze by Laenor Velaryon astride his own dragon Seasmoke, who then wipes out the Triarchy archers overlooking the battlefield. As the Triarchy forces reel, Corlys and Vaemond lead a brutal counterattack against the enemy, while Daemon pursues Drahar into the caves. As the Velaryon forces claim victory, a blood-stained Daemon emerges, dragging the upper half of Drahar's bisected corpse behind him

Second of His Name

King of the Narrow Sea

The Princess and the Queen

Driftmark

At High Tide
Six years have passed since the funeral of Laena Velaryon. In the Hall of Nine, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, attended by her granddaughter Baela Targaryen, listens to Maester Kelvyn reporting that her husband, Lord Corlys Velaryon, who has spent that time fighting to maintain Westeros's hold on the Stepstones, has been seriously wounded in an ambush by Triarchy forces. His ship is expected to return to Driftmark in three days, but his fever might claim his life by then. Ser Vaemond Velaryon, in attendance, insists that as Corlys's closest kin, he should inherit Driftmark if his elder brother dies, rather than Corlys's preferred choice of Lucerys Velaryon, who Vaemond asserts is a bastard son of Harwin Strong. When Rhaenys warns that her cousin, King Viserys, would have Vaemond's tongue for such words, Vaemond retorts that Alicent Hightower rules in Viserys's stead, and he expects her to ratify his claim to Driftmark.

On Dragonstone
Prince Daemon Targaryen climbs the Dragonmont, the volcano overlooking Dragonstone castle, where he recovers three dragon eggs laid by Syrax from a nest within the volcano, handing them over to the Dragonkeepers upon his return. Within the castle, a pregnant Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen watches her eldest son, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon reciting High Valyrian under the tutelage of Maester Gerardys, reassuring her son when he keeps reprimanding himself for making mistakes that he has plenty of time to learn. Rhaenyra dismisses her eldest son and his younger brother, Joffrey, along with the maester as Daemon enters, wanting to discuss a letter sent to them by Baela from Driftmark. Rhaenyra is furious at Vaemond's intentions, particularly since she expects Alicent and Otto Hightower to side with him, noting that if Lucerys's claim to Driftmark is overturned, by extension, Jace's and her own claims to the Iron Throne will be jeopardized. Rhaenyra is also concerned that the letter mentions Rhaenys has returned to court, since they cannot be sure of her intentions. Daemon confidently asserts Rhaenys will not support Vaemond, given her taking Baela as her ward. Rhaenyra argues that Rhaenys still blames them for the death of her son Laenor, and has only taken in Baela to honor her daughter Laena's memory. Both conclude that they need to return to King's Landing to fight for Luke's claim.


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In King's Landing
Rhaenyra and Daemon arrive, accompanied by her sons and Daemon's younger daughter, Rhaena, at the Red Keep, receiving a minimalist greeting with only Lord Allun Caswell in attendance. Their anger at the lack of reception only grows when they discover that in their absence, the Red Keep is now festooned with iconography of the Faith of the Seven; Rhaenyra outright states she barely recognizes her old home.

In Viserys's chambers, Rhaenyra and Daemon find his model city of Old Valyria covered in dust and cobwebs, having been unattended for years. Much to their horror, Viserys is bedridden, disorientated and clearly in pain, his hair all but gone, his teeth rotten, and his face swathed in bandages. Daemon brings up the matter of Corlys being wounded in the Stepstones and the succession of Driftmark being disputed, only for a delirious Viserys to insist both are already settled. Daemon urges Viserys to support Lucerys's claim over Vaemond's, but Viserys confusedly remarks that Alicent and Otto attend to court business. A child crying out behind them draws Viserys's attention, so Rhaenyra introduces her father to his youngest grandsons from her marriage to Daemon: Aegon and Viserys. Viserys is delighted to see the children, joking the younger has a name fit for a king. The children start to wail, and Viserys, stricken by a sudden onset of pain, insists he needs his tea, pointing to a cup by his bedside. Once he has drunk, Daemon takes the cup from his brother and sniffs it, frowning as he recognizes the scent of its contents.

Ser Harrold Westerling interrupts a meeting of the Small Council to inform them of Rhaenyra and Daemon's arrival. The Council briefly discusses the succession of Driftmark; Grand Maester Orwyle remarks that Corlys wanted Lucerys to succeed him, with Lord Lyman Beesbury agreeing that as Laenor's son, Lucerys is the rightful heir. Lord Jasper Wylde argues that Corlys never formally named Lucerys as his heir, while Ser Tyland Lannister notes that Lucerys has no experience commanding ships, a necessity to hold the position of Lord of the Tides. Queen Alicent declares the claimants can present their petitions the following morning, taking her leave to go and meet Rhaenyra and Daemon, only to be informed by Ser Erryk Cargyll (whom she briefly mistakes for his twin brother Arryk) there has been an incident in Prince Aegon's chambers. In the queen's apartments, Alicent's lady-in-waiting, Talya, presents the Queen with a weeping girl, Dyana, one of Princess Helaena Targaryen's maids, confirming no one else has seen her. At Alicent's request, Dyana tearfully explains that when she tried to serve Prince Aegon wine, he drunkenly forced himself on her. Alicent is sympathetic to the girl, confirming she believes that Dyana is telling the truth, but buys Dyana's silence with a pouch of gold and forces her to drink Moon tea, noting that others might dismiss her testimony. Afterwards, a furious Alicent confronts a drunken Aegon in his chambers, berating him for his assault on Dyana, only the latest of many, bringing shame on her and his wife with his conduct, disgustedly declaring Aegon no son of hers. Aegon feebly protests at the weight of expectations placed upon him and the fact nothing he does ever satisfies his parents, but Alicent is unsympathetic. When Helaena, unaware of what has happened, enters the room and asks if anyone has seen Dyana, Alicent breaks down in tears and embraces her daughter.

In Viserys's room, Rhaenyra and Daemon discuss the extent of his deterioration when Alicent enters the room. The couple outright accuse Alicent and Otto of keeping Viserys stupefied on milk of the poppy so that they can rule in his name without interference. When Alicent protests that Viserys's condition leaves him in agony and the maesters recommended such treatment, Daemon sarcastically asks if the maesters also prescribed stripping the Red Keep of Targaryen heraldry in favor of the iconography of the Seven. Alicent piously retorts such devotional displays are meant only to guide and remind of a higher authority. When Rhaenyra questions which authority will decide on her son's right to his own inheritance, Alicent smugly replies that will be her, and her father in his capacity as Hand of the King. In the Red Keep's yard, Jace fondly reminisces about their boyhood days training there, while Luke is more self-conscious of the stares of the courtiers, aware that his resemblance to Harwin Strong rather than Laenor Velaryon undermines his claim to Driftmark. The brothers notice a crowd forming around a sparring match; to their shock, they see Criston Cole duelling their uncle, Prince Aemond Targaryen, who has grown into a formidable warrior since they last met. Aemond defeats Cole, who compliments the victory, remarking Aemond will swiftly be winning tourneys before long. Aemond makes clear he has no interest in such things before noticing his nephews in the crowd, asking Jace and Luke if they've come to train with a menacing edge in his voice. Jace and Luke are saved from having to answer by the arrival of Vaemond, escorted by his retinue and several Hightower guardsmen. Vaemond meets privately with Otto and Alicent, pledging the Velaryon fleet to support them in return for acknowledging him as heir to Driftmark.

In the Red Keep's godswood, Rhaenyra meets with Rhaenys, accompanied by Rhaena. Rhaenys is delighted to see her younger granddaughter, but less so Rhaenyra, who asks Rhaena leave to let the older women talk privately. Rhaenyra concludes Rhaenys is in King's Landing to advocate for her own claim to Driftmark, rather than in support of Vaemond. Rhaenyra insists that the proceedings are a trap engineered by Otto and Alicent meant to insultingly denounce Lucerys as illegitimate; an angry Rhaenys snaps Rhaenyra did worse when she cuckolded Laenor. Rhaenyra insists that she loved Laenor in her own way and that she was uninvolved in his death. She also offers to betroth Jace and Luke to Baela and Rhaena, allowing Baela to be Jace's Queen and ensuring rule of Driftmark will pass through Laena's line by Rhaena as Rhaenys originally wished. Rhaenys seemingly rebuffs the offer, remarking that she must stand alone.

That night, as a storm batters King's Landing, Rhaenyra sits at Viserys' bedside. He awakes and briefly mistakes her for Alicent before Rhaenyra corrects him. Rhaenyra then asks her father if he believe the Song of Ice and Fire, the prophetic dream of Aegon the Conqueror, is a true prophecy. She reminds Viserys that he told her it was their duty to hold the realm united against the return of a coming evil, but warns his naming her heir divided the realm and she has found the burden of that duty a hard one to bear. Rhaenyra tearfully pleads for her father to defend her and her children if he believes the dream true, but Viserys is too delirious from pain, illness and medication to respond, and Rhaenyra weeps at the realization even her beloved father has forsaken her to fend for herself.

The next morning, as Orwyle and several acolytes tend to Viserys's affliction, the king orders Otto to arrange a supper that night with all of his family in attendance, as well as refusing milk of the poppy. Later that day in the throne room, Otto, seated on the Iron Throne in Viserys's stead in his role as Hand of the King, presides over the succession of Driftmark in the event of Lord Corlys's death. Vaemond speaks first, citing House Velaryon's history as a survivor of the Doom of Valyria, as well as citing himself as Corlys's closest kin and a true heir of Velaryon blood. Rhaenyra scornfully accuses Vaemond of serving nothing but his own ambition in undermining the succession of Laenor's trueborn son and Corlys's preferred successor, only to be silenced by Alicent. Once Vaemond's petition is concluded, Otto invites Rhaenyra to speak on Lucerys's behalf. She begins by denouncing the entire proceeding as a farce, but before she can speak further, the throne room doors open and, to the incredulity of all present, Viserys hobbles into the throne room, clearly in pain but determined to support his daughter one last time. Viserys declares his intention to sit the throne and preside over the ruling, forcing Otto to withdraw. He struggles to climb the steps of the Iron Throne, initially dismissing the offer of Ser Erryk's help, but when he stumbles a second time, out of breath from exertion, his crown falls from his head and another figure steps forward to help. Viserys is about to rebuff them, when he sees it is Daemon, his face drawn by concern for his older brother, and Viserys allows Daemon to help him up the steps and place the crown upon his head once more.

Once settled upon the throne, Viserys declares his confusion as to why a settled succession is being debated, noting the only person fit to give further insight into Corlys's wishes would be his wife, Rhaenys. Rhaenys steps forward and, to the shock and anger of Vaemond, Otto and Alicent, asserts that Corlys always wanted Lucerys to succeed him as Lord of Driftmark, a decision she supports...as she is confident Corlys would support her decision to accept Rhaenyra's proposal to betroth Jace and Luke to Baela and Rhaena. Viserys declares the matter settled, reaffirming Lucerys as heir to Driftmark and the next Lord of the Tides. An outraged Vaemond furiously snaps that Viserys has no authority to decide House Velaryon's fate when he broke centuries of tradition and Westerosi law to install his daughter as heir, angrily denouncing Lucerys as no true Velaryon. Angered by Vaemond's presumption, Viserys coldly reminds Vaemond he is nothing more than a second son, whereas Lucerys is the king's trueborn grandson. Vaemond refuses to be silent, raging that he will not allow House Velaryon to end on account of Lucerys, stopping short of openly calling the boy a bastard. Daemon, glaring at Vaemond, dares him to say the word that will damn him, and Vaemond bellows aloud that Rhaenyra's children are bastards and, as the crowd murmurs at this outburst, turns to face Viserys and hisses that Rhaenyra herself is a whore. An apoplectic Viserys rises to his feet and draws his dagger, vowing to take Vaemond's tongue for the insult to his daughter's honor. Before he can, Daemon slices off the top of Vaemond's skull with Dark Sister, sardonically quipping that Vaemond "can keep his tongue", before casually cleaning and sheathing Dark Sister as Otto bellows at the Kingsguard to disarm Daemon. The shock and exertion overcome Viserys who collapses in pain on the throne, but despite a panicking Rhaenyra and Alicent pleading with him to take medical assistance, Viserys refuses, insisting he must make things right.

Later that evening, Rhaenys watches as the Silent Sisters prepare Vaemond's body for burial. Grand Maester Orwyle urges her to leave, noting it is considered bad luck to look upon the face of death, but Rhaenys dismisses him, remarking that the Stranger, who has come for her family so many times, no longer cares if her eyes are open or closed to him.

Concurrently in his personal chambers, Viserys dines with both sides of his family. Removing his mask to show the extent of his facial decay, Viserys beseeches them all to reconcile their differences, both for the sake of unity in House Targaryen and out of love for him. Rhaenyra and Alicent try to broach their past estrangement, with Rhaenyra toasting Alicent's diligent care of her father, and Alicent acknowledging they are both mothers who love their children, saying Rhaenyra will make a fine queen. Aegon makes several leery passes at Baela, much to Jace's annoyance, but acknowledging his grandfather's wish for peace and reconciliation, Jace instead chooses to toast his uncles in remembrance of his fond memories of their shared childhood. Helaena also offers a toast to Baela and Rhaena at their prospective marriages, as well as making a subtle jab at Aegon regarding their own, much to the amusement of everyone at the table. As several musicians in the corner begin playing, Jace invites Helaena to dance with him, which she happily accepts. Viserys smiles contentedly as both sides of his family enjoy themselves, before retiring to his chambers for the night. Unfortunately, once he is gone, the reconciliatory mood is ruined when Lucerys, amused at the memory of "the Pink Dread", can't help but snigger when a suckling pig is set on the table before Aemond. Infuriated by the reminder of his childhood humiliation, Aemond gets to his feet and sarcastically toasts Jace and Luke, calling them "wise, handsome, and strong". Aware Aemond is indirectly insulting them, Jace and Luke promptly get into a fight with Aemond and Aegon before Daemon separates them. Rhaenyra sends her sons back to their quarters while Aemond backs down and leaves after Daemon stares his nephew down, recognizing it is not worth picking a fight with a man who has already demonstrated his willingness to use lethal force in defense of his stepsons. Rhaenyra and Alicent briefly commiserate over the antics of their sons; Rhaenyra promises to return on dragonback once she's seen her family safely back to Dragonstone, with Alicent remarking she and the King would both like that.

Concurrently, Talya visits a lavish manse within the city belonging to Mysaria, informing her true employer about events in the Red Keep.

Later that night, Alicent comes to Viserys' chambers and helps him take medicine for his pain. Confusing Alicent for his daughter, Viserys continues his previous conversation with Rhaenyra, insisting that he believes Aegon the Conqueror's dream was a true vision and that she must be the one to prepare Westeros against the coming darkness. Hearing the Conqueror's name, Alicent misunderstands, believing Viserys is nominating their son Aegon as his successor. Once Alicent is gone, Viserys calls out his last words, "My love," to his late wife, and quietly dies, unaware of the chaos he has unwittingly sowed.

The Lord of the Tides

The coup begins
In the dead of night, a servant boy discovers King Viserys has died in his sleep and immediately informs Queen Alicent Hightower's lady in waiting, Talya, who wakes and alerts her mistress to her husband's passing. A tearful Alicent hastily dresses and heads to her father's chambers in the Tower of the Hand, informing him of the king's death and her husband's seeming choice on his deathbed to rename his heir as her eldest son Aegon. Unbeknowst to them, Talya lights a candelabra in the window of Viserys's chamber as a signal to someone in King's Landing.

The Small Council is hastily convened; Ser Tyland Lannister asks what matter could not have waited until dawn, sarcastically asking if Dorne was invaded, only to be silenced when Otto informs him the King is dead. Otto sombrely notes that they grieve for their fallen sovereign, dubbing the late king "Viserys the Peaceful", before noting that Viserys has given them a final gift in naming Aegon as his heir. Tyland notes that they can now proceed with his blessing on their long laid plans, to which Otto agrees. As he begins suggesting they replace two captains in the City Watch known to be loyal to Daemon, an appalled Alicent demands to know why she was not informed members of the council were plotting to install her son as heir without her knowledge, to which Lord Jasper Wylde replies they did not want to sully her with their schemes. Lord Commander Harrold Westerling and Lord Lyman Beesbury are also angered by this subterfuge, with the latter furiously raging at the other council members for plotting to replace Viserys's chosen heir, his eldest daughter Rhaenyra, with an imposter. Tyland protests that Aegon, the king's first born son, is hardly an imposter; when Lyman responds that hundreds of lords and landed knights swore fealty to Rhaenyra as heir, Tyland retorts that was twenty years ago, with most of those having since died. Jasper Wylde also asserts that whether they were plotting or not is now irrelevant since the king changed his mind, to which a furious Lyman snaps that, having known Viserys longer than any of the other incumbents on the Small Council, he refuses to believe Viserys, a tireless advocate of his daughter's right to the Iron Throne for decades, would suddenly change his mind on his deathbed, noting as well the suspiciousness in that the only witness to this change of heart is the new heir's mother, angrily accusing them all of treason. Grand Maester Orwyle tries to calm matters, but Lyman refuses to be silenced, going so far as to insinuate one or more members of the Small Council committed regicide, given Viserys was well enough the previous day. Before he can say more, Criston Cole angrily seizes Lyman and forces him back into his seat; unfortunately, the force Cole uses slams the frail Lyman's head into the table, fatally cracking his skull to the horror of all. A furious Harrold draws his sword and orders Cole to forfeit his white cloak, only for Cole to draw his own blade, justifying his actions as retribution for Beesbury slandering the queen with accusations of regicide. Before the two Kingsguard can come to blows, Alicent and Otto order them to stand down. Orwyle requests leave to remove Lyman's body from the room, but Otto refuses, insisting the council chamber doors will remain shut until their business is concluded.

As Otto and Tyland begin discussing dividing the gold within the royal treasury, Alicent asks of Rhaenyra. Otto replies that they cannot allow the former heir to rally support for her claim. When an incredulous Alicent infers Otto intends to imprison Rhaenyra and her family, Otto asserts they will be given the chance to publicly swear obeisance to the new king. Alicent scoffs that neither Rhaenyra nor Daemon will ever do so, only to realize that Otto and his fellow conspirators mean to kill Rhaenyra and her family. Orwyle insists leaving a rival claimant alive will only invite bloodshed, while Otto calls it a necessary sacrifice to ensure Aegon's succession, insisting Viserys would not have wanted any unsavory power squabbles. A furious Alicent shouts that Viserys would never have condoned the murder of his beloved daughter, and threatens Jasper with exile to the Wall when he speaks up in favor of the plan, though Alicent cannot offer an alternative when Tyland asks for one. Otto orders Harrold to take his knights to Dragonstone to assassinate Rhaenyra and her family. The disgusted Harrold instead resigns from the Kingsguard in protest and storms out.


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The hunt for Aegon
By the time the Small council session concludes, it is morning. Otto and Alicent head to Aegon's chambers only to be told by his sister-wife Helaena that he's not present. Realizing Aegon has left the Red Keep, Otto dispatches the brothers Ser Erryk and Arryk Cargyll to find Aegon and bring him back. Alicent asks Criston to do the same, with Aemond volunteering himself to accompany Cole, given his knowledge of Aegon's likely haunts. The latter pair head to the Street of Silk to a brothel Aegon used to frequent, only to be told by the madam Aegon hasn't patronized the establishment in years. The Cargylls head to Flea Bottom, where Erryk has them search a fighting pit where children (including some of Aegon's own bastards) are forced to fight for the cruel amusement of the smallfolk, Erryk calling Aegon's attendance at such events (which he had to accompany Aegon to as his sworn shield) proof the prince isn't fit to be king. An agent of Mysaria approaches the Cargylls, informing them that Mysaria is holding Aegon prisoner and will reveal his location in exchange for an audience with Otto.

In the Red Keep, Otto has the nobles present at court herded into the throne room and informs them of Viserys's purported change of his successor, insisting they bend the knee and swear allegiance to Aegon. Lord Merryweather and Lady Fell refuse to break their oaths to Rhaenyra and are imprisoned. Lord Allun Caswell feigns allegiance and then tries to flee the Red Keep to get word to Rhaenyra, only to be intercepted and executed by Larys Strong's men on Otto's orders. Otto afterwards heads into the city to meet with Mysaria, who demands that Otto put shut down the child fighting rings of Flea Bottom, noting that the gold cloaks take bribes to allow the barbaric sport to continue. When Otto agrees, Mysaria reveals that Aegon is hiding in the Grand Sept.

After watching the Silent Sisters prepare Viserys' body for burial, Alicent goes to speak with Princess Rhaenys, locked in her quarters. Rhaenys's fury at her house arrest becomes sadness when she realises her cousin is dead, then scorn when she realises the Greens are usurping the succession, scoffing at Alicent's insistence Viserys wanted Aegon to be his heir. Alicent beseeches Rhaenys to support the new succession, pointing out the losses and insults she has suffered thanks to House Velaryon's allegiance to Rhaenyra (her daughter dead far from home in Pentos, her son cuckolded and the illegitimate children of his wife's lover passed off as his rightful heirs, her husband abandoning her to wage war in the Stepstones) and insisting that Rhaenys should have been elected Queen by the Great Council at Harrenhal, offering to grant her rule of Driftmark to pass to her granddaughters if she helps maintain the peace. Rhaenys rebuffs Alicent's overtures, coldly replying that for all her flattery, Alicent is just helping her father and son perpetuate the system that denied Rhaenys the Iron Throne in the first place.

Arryk and Erryk find Aegon in the Grand Sept, only to be ambushed by Aemond and Criston outside. Erryk, refusing to help put Aegon on the throne, flees the scene, while Criston overpowers Arryk in a duel. Despite Aegon's insistence he doesn't want to be King, he is dragged back to the Red Keep. Alicent confronts Otto and asserts that Criston Cole will be raised to Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Aegon will be crowned at dawn the following day in the Dragonpit, and that they will send generous peace terms to Rhaenyra on Dragonstone, ignoring Otto's warning that Rhaenyra, Daemon and her supporters will not submit, and his speculation Alicent doing so is more about wanting to spare the life of her childhood friend than acknowledging Viserys' love for his daughter. Afterwards, Alicent meets with Larys who, in exchange for being allowed to masturbate to her feet, informs her that Talya is one of several spies within the Red Keep who feed information from within the castle to Mysaria. Alicent instructs him to eliminate the spy network, and his agents burn down Mysaria's manse in the dead of night. Before dawn, Rhaenys is freed from her chambers by Erryk Cargyll, who insists he can't let the Greens' treachery go unchallenged and escorts her from the castle.


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Coronation
Out in the streets of King's Landing, Rhaenys insists that she needs to reach the Dragonpit to free Meleys (having been previously told by Alicent her imprisonment was partly to deny Rhaenyra another dragon that could be used to attack the Greens), but Erryk insists it will be impossible to reach, and that they must make for the docks and get aboard a ship before the Greens discover their escape. Unfortunately, the pair get separated by a surging crowd the gold cloaks are herding to bear witness to Aegon's coronation. Initially panicked at being parted from her only ally, Rhaenys smiles when she realizes the crowd are being directed towards the Dragonpit.

Alicent and Aegon ride in an enclosed wheelhouse; the former chides her son for his seeming ingratitude at the efforts being made on his behalf to crown him King, while Aegon makes it plain he doesn't believe a word of Alicent's claims Viserys named him heir on his deathbed, given Viserys had twenty years to change the succession from Rhaenyra to Aegon and never did, concluding that his father never truly loved him. Alicent presents Aegon with his father's dagger as proof otherwise. As she tries to convince Aegon to go against Otto's wishes to assassinate Rhaenyra and her family and spare his half-sister's life, Aegon interrupts to ask his mother if she actually loves him. Alicent despairingly calls him an imbecile as if the answer were obvious.

At the Dragonpit, while Otto announces Viserys's death to the population of King's Landing, Rhaenys uses the distraction to slip into the subterranean caverns where the Dragonpit's draconic occupants are housed. The royal family watches on a hastily erected dais as Aegon sullenly marches through a procession of Targaryen guardsmen and gold cloaks to be ceremonially anointed by the High Septon as King. Criston Cole completes the coronation by placing Aegon the Conqueror's crown on Aegon's head, whereupon the High Septon proclaims him "Aegon, Second of His Name." The crowd begins to cheer and applaud the newly crowned King, to the point that the initially reluctant Aegon finally begins to warm to his new position, drawing Blackfyre and thrusting it into the air to bask in the crowd's adulation, all while Otto and Alicent smile in satisfaction at the seemingly successful completion of their plans.

The beast beneath the boards
Without warning, the floor of the Dragonpit erupts, and the cheering of the crowd turns to screams of panic as a colossal dragon claws its way out from the caverns below the main hall, flattening panicking spectators with its tail and talons. Terrified smallfolk try to escape, either climbing to the Dragonpit's upper floors, or streaming through the gates as the gold cloaks desperately try to close them, though some are struck by falling debris, sent flying by the rampaging dragon or swept into the cavernous sinkhole created by its escape. As the Greens on the dais watch in incredulous horror, the dragon emerges from the pall of ash and dust, revealing itself to be Meleys, with Rhaenys sat astride her back, clad in an ornate suit of dragonrider armor. A panicking Otto bellows at the gold cloaks to open the Dragonpit's doors to allow escape, but his commands go unheard over the chaos as Rhaenys directs Meleys towards the dais. Faced with the fury of both the Red Queen and the Queen Who Never Was, Alicent orders Criston to get Helaena to safety before placing herself between Aegon and the snarling dragon. Despite having the entire Green faction at her mercy, whether out of respect for Alicent's love for her son or refusal to make herself a kinslayer, Rhaenys withholds giving Meleys the command to kill.

As the Red Queen roars at them, Rhaenys gives Alicent a cold look, signaling her rejection of Alicent's request for her support, before directing Meleys towards the Dragonpit's closing doors, the dragon furling her wings about her and gliding through the doors with inches to spare, before flying off. Alicent and Aegon warily watch Rhaenys go, aware she is likely heading straight to Dragonstone to inform Rhaenyra of what has happened, as well as fearing how Rhaenyra will react when she learns of her father's death and the usurpation of her throne

The Green Council

House of the Dragon

Larys engineered Alicent's debt to him in the Godswood, binding her loyalty not to a cause but to her own dependence on his silence.

Timed Godswood Revelation

Deliberate Indirection on Tea

Never Invited to Speak

Alicent's Trust in Rhaenyra Broken

Vacancy Created by Otto's Removal

Casualness as Strategic Cover

Why did Larys burn the Citadel? He trapped Alicent in debt to control her loyalty, not serve the war.

Larys Strong is not a loyalist who found a patron. He is a strategist who manufactured one. The Godswood conversation is not a confidence shared between allies but a founding transaction engineered to ensure Alicent's emotional debt to Larys outlasts any specific secret he has spent. Everything he does inside the Red Keep flows from a dependency he built himself, not from any genuine stake in who sits the Iron Throne.

Larys Chose Alicent Over Chaos

Criston Cole killed Joffrey not from jealousy alone, but because exposure threatened to obliterate an identity already fractured by shame and powerlessness.

Rejection and Elopement Proposal Refused

Joffrey Identifies Cole as Paramour

Veiled Threat About Shared Secrets

Cole's Prior Confession to Alicent

Honor as Low-Born Knight Identity

Public Murder in Full Court View

Open Marriage Arrangement Revealed

Why did Criston Cole kill Joffrey? Explore how shame and identity collapse drove him to murder in House of the Dragon.

Criston Cole's murder of Joffrey Lonmouth was not a jealous outburst or a calculated silencing but a deliberate act of self-annihilation: a man destroying the negotiable, compromised version of himself before it could become permanent. The violence did not break Cole; it reorganized him, converting private shame into a durable ideology in which honor functions as a weapon constructed from the ruins of his own violated conscience. What the killing produced, however, was not only doctrine but a man perfectly shaped to be owned. Alicent's intervention the same night did not rescue Cole from his collapse so much as it annexed it, inheriting a self-destruction already in progress and redirecting its energy into permanent obligation.

Joffrey's Threat Broke Cole's Last Wall

Cole Killed Joffrey to Destroy the Man Who Would Have Said Yes

Daemon's seduction of Rhaenyra unfolds as calculated theater, signaling his grip on both the heir and the crown itself.

Deliberate Late Arrival at Wedding

Dragon Presence as Power Display

High Valyrian Private Exchange

Sexually Charged Public Dance

Rhaenyra's Dragonstone Marriage Challenge

Viserys Bleeding at the Sight

Pattern of Calculated Romantic Staging

Is Daemon's seduction of Rhaenyra really just theater? Explore how his moves mask a power play for the throne itself.

Daemon's wedding conduct is a coordinated throne play in which Rhaenyra's desire for him is not the occasion for seduction but its deliberate output. The show leaves open whether his desire is genuine or instrumental, but the theory holds that the distinction may be false: Daemon has arranged his own psychology so that wanting Rhaenyra and wanting her succession are not competing drives but a single, self-reinforcing project. If that is true, Rhaenyra is not a partner in the dance. She is its proof of concept.

Daemon's Dance Is a Throne Play

Alicent weaponizes mercy, trapping Criston through debt and desperation rather than clemency, transforming his shame into permanent obligation.

Alicent's Leading Question Technique

Criston Confesses It Was Him, Not Daemon

Alicent Dismisses Rather Than Punishes

Criston's Suicide Attempt in the Godswood

Alicent's Intervention Completing the Bond

Criston's Vulnerability as Strategic Asset

Why does Criston stay loyal to Alicent? She weaponizes mercy to trap him in debt, turning his shame into lifelong obligation.

Alicent Hightower does not spare Criston Cole out of mercy. She spares him because a man with a broken oath, a fresh confession, and nowhere to go is the most controllable kind of ally. By choosing silence over punishment and then physically preventing his suicide, she binds him to her faction through debt before he has any terms to negotiate. What makes this legible is that Alicent has already been trained, by Otto, to recognize that the most durable power over a person comes not from threatening them but from relieving them of a burden they cannot carry alone.

Alicent Converts Criston's Panic Into Loyalty

Daemon's murder of Rhea wasn't premeditated assassination but a violent outburst triggered by her mockery of his deepest shame.

Daemon Arrives Without a Weapon

Rhea Reaches for a Weapon First

The 'Couldn't Finish' Taunt

Daemon's Established Sexual Dysfunction

Violence as Loss-of-Control Pattern

Why did Daemon kill Rhea? Her cruel taunt about his shame sparked a rage he couldn't control.

Daemon did not ride to Runestone with the intention to kill. The murder was detonated by Rhea's targeted mockery of his sexual impotence, a vulnerability the show has already established as a recurring wound. This means Daemon is not a cold planner but a man whose most consequential acts are driven by the terror of being seen as insufficient.

Rhea's Taunt Triggered an Unplanned Murder

Otto plants a prophecy in Alicent's mind that becomes self-fulfilling, turning her grief into a weapon she cannot put down.

Otto's Parting Warning to Alicent

Alicent's Inability to Dismiss the Claim

Criston Cole's Heartbreak as Confirmation

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Structure

Otto's Division-Sowing as Parting Act

Alicent's Prolonged Isolation After Otto's Departure

What if Otto manipulated Alicent into starting a war? How a calculated lie became the prophecy that destroyed everything.

Otto Hightower's parting warning was not fatherly concern but a precision instrument: by framing Rhaenyra's threat to Alicent's children as structural rather than personal, he installed an unfalsifiable premise that converts Alicent from a grieving friend into an ideological enemy regardless of what Rhaenyra actually intends. The warning works not because it is true but because it cannot be safely disbelieved, making Alicent's fear a self-sustaining engine of conflict that Otto designed to operate without him. Whether he believed his own prediction is beside the point, because his goal was never Alicent's safety but her transformation into the instrument of war he could no longer be himself.