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xfancyuu · 1 year

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~ hold your breath, love dive. [aemond targaryen]

this is my first fanfic!!! this fic is also a repost, originally posted on 16th october 2022 on a different blog however i want all my work to be on this blog. reader is afab with she/her pronouns and has no appearance indicators. this fic has also been reformatted and edited, reposted on 7th april 2023.

premise: reader meets vhagar (my queen) [2,945 words]

The betrothal between houses Targaryen and Bolton was a choice not many had seen coming. You especially, you had gone from a girl who was content with the fact your father would marry you off to some Lord, and you'd live a life, you weren't sure if it had been a happy one, but it would have certainly been a life. You knew Aemond Targaryen was unpredictable, unstable even. He chose to claim a dragon as a pre-teen, stable wasn't something you'd use to describe him. He was chaos personified, like waves in the sea, uncontrollable, and you weren't sure what your father thought he was getting out of the arrangement. (You knew what he was getting out of the arrangement: power and selling off his only daughter was clearly the only way he'd receive such notoriety.)

The arrangement wasn't as horrific as you originally thought it would be, Aemond had seemed pleasant company though you were always in public, always chaperoned, so the man could not spend time truly alone with you, while your father wanted to marry you did not have your own opinions or goals in life, he did not trust the man you were to marry fully. Nor did you. You knew the tales of the women his brother ruined the reputations of, while his dutiful wife had to put up with his antics. You never knew how a man behaved behind closed doors, your brothers were a prime example of this for you. A prince was just a man after all and men were much different to the ladies you had spent time around. Kings Landing was entirely different in general, the styles, the hair, the people even, it was far too busy and put you on edge far too much.

They were dragons, both in sigil and temperament, you had thought. Each member of the family was equally fiery and hard to read, comparing them to the creatures which set them apart so vastly was a correct comparison in your opinion. Being around them made you feel powerful, that nobody could cross you, but you knew much better that politics can change in an instant — Rhaenyra and Rhaenys were proof of that. It scared you, being in the dragons pit.

Your time is spent with Helaena, she is a few years older than you though you think she is wise beyond her years, often telling you about the things she dreams about and often times speaks in riddles though you find her company more entertaining than most people. She understands you on a level which others do not, and you think in another timeline you would not be marrying her brother and she would not be married to her own husband, you would still be friends or perhaps more.

She doesn't want you today though, she claims she's ill with a sickness which is contagious — you'd get sick to spend time with her, you consider her your only true friend in this place, though Helaena being the kind sweet soul she is would never allow you to give yourself a sickness on her behalf. Suddenly you're alone, the day grows boring, the library is unappealing, you can only walk around a garden — no matter the size of it, so many times without growing bored. Needlepoint is tedious, and you think you could not cope if your life was to be like this once you were married. The garden however is where you find him, alone. It's the first time you've spent time together alone, and your palms feel sticky, and your heart is beating out of your chest. You don't know how you'll survive within a marriage when you cannot speak to the man without wanting to run away due to shyness.

"You avoid me far too much," he's the first to speak, you doubt words could process from your brain to your mouth to do so, "Do I scare you that much?"

You do not want to answer at first — perhaps he's talking about his presence or rather the scars he could not help, but you're strong, you're from the North and Northern girls aren't typically timid nor shy, "Why would I do that my Prince?" you can see how it would consider it mocking, but the playful tone in your voice indicates your intent. "Am I too fast for you to catch?"

You doubt you've thrown him off guard, though maybe that's why he had chosen you, "Do you think you are fast enough to outrun a dragon?" he asks.

"I do not know, you see I've never met a dragon nor seen one to know how fast they can be... though I have no doubt I can outrun one" you're being cocky, or perhaps you're flirting, you do not know which one would be better though you seem to amuse the price in question.

"Would you like to see one?" you don't know if it's a euphemism or if he's being serious, perhaps he does have a sense of humour after all.

"Hmm... I'm not too sure they would take kindly to those who aren't of Valyrian blood, what if one tries to eat me... I've heard the tales of the dragon who resides on Dragonstone who eats its own kind and humans alike." you're teasing him, who wouldn't want to see a dragon? You'd encounter them eventually, you surmised, it was hard to live in a family with such beasts without doing so.

"You know of the Cannibal?" his interest had piqued at that, your time with his sister had clearly come with advantages, learning more about the Targaryen family, the dragons owned (and not) by his family had interested him, next you'd surprise him by speaking Valyrian.

"Only what her grace, your sister, had told me about it, that apparently the dragon is older than Balerion the black dread — though it seems unrealistic and hearsay, your father rode him once did he not? Balerion I mean, —" your sentence was cut short by the prince, who was seemingly not paying attention to you, it was awkward for a few seconds before he excused himself.

Aemond had seemingly looked off to the side, as if being summoned though you didn't pay it much mind, the two of you were having an enjoyable conversation (well in your personal opinion, the prince may have just been conversing due to the fact his family didn't want the arrangement to sour due to his or your behaviours). Though, he had pulled away at seemingly the last second, muttering an apology and leaving you in the garden alone.

As fast as he'd disturbed your peace, he disappears almost as abruptly, almost making you wonder if you'd spoken out of turn and offended him somehow. And you could not help but notice how much lonelier you had become without his presence.

Some days had passed and the interaction with Aemond had lived within your head, when you weren't needed or doing something you'd thought back to the conversation, he was a seemingly lovely match and paid attention to you. Not that you could say the same for your parents, they hadn't known where you were or what you were doing most of the time, they only lectured you into behaving around the royal family, ladies do not laugh loudly, ladies do not spend more time daydreaming than needlepoint and ladies certainly do not frolic around the gardens unchaperoned. Helaena hadn't miraculously recovered, which meant your family continued to lecture you. Perhaps they were more irritated about the fact you weren't strengthening the bond of both families to ensure the marriage, as your mother had kindly put it. You were aware your family wanted more power, but the possibility of you getting sick while they were heightening their station could not have occurred to them.

Your days continued to be as boring as ever without Helaena's company you were beyond restless, your parents had told you to behave far too many times, so much you could recite their speeches. Though it didn't stop you from wandering alone — again. You wouldn't be shocked if it got back to them — again. However, just as the last time you were alone, Aemond Targaryen once again approaches you. Cockily as ever, though being a Prince of the Seven Kingdoms and having the largest dragon could perhaps have that effect on one's self-confidence.

"Lady Bolton, you are the exact person I was looking for," he once again spoke, he often left you speechless, from his undeniable beauty to the confidence he exuded — you had found out he wasn't always this way, gaining Vhagar had changed him, and you surmised it was most likely for the better. "If you can recall we spoke about dragons and I have reconsidered the terms of our arrangement."

This made your blood go cold, you were certain you had not offended the Prince, though with the way he'd looked at you during meal times you could see how speaking about the dragons which were an extension of his family could offend him. "Have you spoken to my father about this?" He wouldn't be happy, you knew him well enough to know that.

"You misunderstand me, my Lady," you were sure your heart would have stopped if it was not for the words he spoke, "I cannot marry you without being certain."

It was not a good conversation to be had, and you were almost panicking, and you were certain you saw a taunting glint within his eye, "I can assure you, our union would be fruitful, and you would be happy." You've been taught what it takes to be a wife from your mother, but she had never explained what it truly entailed, your words feel rehearsed and panicked and came out of your mouth far too fast.

"I cannot be happy without being certain that you could handle this life," you're not sure what he's talking about, you've handled court well, made friends, were well liked by most people, and before your mind drifted somewhere else to think of every single misdeed you'd done, he spoke again, "The dragons are loyal, they want to protect their riders, Vhagar especially so," there was something in his tone which told you, you were missing the context of this statement, "I would like you to meet her, hopefully she won't harm you."

You weren't sure what to think, on one hand seeing the marvellous and beautiful beast that she was, was a once in a lifetime opportunity, on the other hand you could be hurt, or worse. It was seemingly a deal breaker to Aemond, if you chose to say no he could easily break off the engagement without remorse, he's a man, they never face the repercussions of their own actions.

"When do you wish to plan this meeting?" you asked, you didn't fear much, and if a dragon harms you, burns you or eats you, you supposed there were worse, less dignified ways to have your life ended.

"I was heading there now and while you are unoccupied I had asked your father's permission," he can't say no to a prince, out of fear of offending, you knew that much.

"With the way some at court speak of you Aemond, I'm surprised you asked for permission," the playful tone in your voice was evident that you truly did not believe court gossip. "How could I ever say no to meeting the eldest dragon known to man? If she eats me it would be a happy day for me."

He finds you amusing, you can tell, he's poker-faced, but you can always tell by the subtle way his body moved closer to yours, "I hope she chooses not to, it would be a sad day. I'm afraid I would not know what to say to your father about the occasion, his only daughter, eaten by a dragon, how would he recover?"

"You don't know my father like I do, he'd spin some tale that I was courageous and chose to fight a dragon and paid for it with my life." You're divulging far too much about your personal family life now, you're giving him too much insight and unnecessary information which could be used against you in a moment's notice. "However, I am not going to let a dragon eat me today, my outfit simply will not allow it."

The journey to the largest dragon currently roaming freely was not as daunting as you'd originally thought, the nervousness you were feeling in your stomach hadn't subsided. Though, you could almost feel the anticipation radiating off of Aemond. Perhaps he wanted a show, perhaps he wanted to see how you'd react to such a magnificent creature, or perhaps he wanted to see Vhagar burn you alive.

She was there, laying and looking lethargic, or maybe she was simply not wanting to live life any more, she was beyond the size you had imagined, though something about her looked gentle. She hadn't harmed Aemond when she was a child and this made you feel safer, along with her rider being there, maybe he'd calm her with his presence. "Are you bonded to her?"

"In what way?" Aemond asks, keeping you behind him while he spoke in Valyrian — words you couldn't understand but if you were to have children in the future you should take note to learn.

"Can you feel what she feels, can she always feel your presence? Does she know when you're in trouble?" The questions come from your mouth before you can stop them, "You're speaking to her right now, are you not? Are you telling her to be on her best behaviour?"

"Did you not know we're always on our best behaviour." His response had made you laugh, you couldn't help it, if it had came from any other person you would have believed it. "Do I amuse you?"

"Yes very much so," Vhagar is stirring now, being so big she looks heavy to even move her head properly, you'd fear her moving her body without injuring anybody within the surrounding area. "It's a good sign she hasn't eaten me yet, isn't it."

"Don't be fooled by her, she's cunning, but she favours the brave." he spoke.

"Would she consider me brave if I were to touch her?" You ask, already moving forward however Aemond hadn't chose to stop you, perhaps he thought you too foolish for your own good.

"Isn't that what we're here for? You're to meet her and she chooses if we marry." Now you knew the motive. There was so much more than what met the eye with Aemond and you'd do well to remember that.

Taking slow and steady steps towards Vhagar was the easy part, she had emitted heat, much like the dogs your father chose to keep around in the Dreadfort. It was hard to stay away from her, she was utterly captivating, and it did not stop you from placing a hand on her. You don't doubt that you looked like an ant to her, tiny and easy to destroy with one singular movement. However, she stayed in place, letting out what sounded like a sigh. It was a good sign for you to continue touching her, it's not at all what you had expected her to feel like, she had felt warm and inviting despite her intimidating appearance. She was like her rider in more ways than he'd ever let the world know.

"You weren't serious about her eating you, were you?" Aemond asks, while you're completely mesmerised by how big and docile she was, your hand still holding the dragon's warm scales while Aemond's presence was felt closely behind you.

"Seeing her up close, I fear I misjudged her," and you goes unsaid. "She seems lonely and I wish she had more company, do you keep her company often? When you're not at court?"

"I suppose I too would be lonely if I lost Balerion and Meraxes." He confesses, "But she is well taken care of, I can assure you."

"There are tales of you claiming her, that you were a child and the only one brave enough to go near her," the stories are fabricated most of the time, "That you lost the eye for the dragon, was it worth it?" you hadn't approached the topic of his long gone eye, though you fear you may have offended him when he does not speak straight away.

"A dragon is a great price for something so small as losing an eye" he spoke though you can tell there's melancholy within his tone, you were so close now, incredibly so, never had you been so close to a man. "It does not frighten you does it?"

"You lost an eye for a dragon, why would that frighten me, my prince?" it's a question he can't answer because he's the one who's finally speechless. "Are you fulfilled in the answer you so desperately sought from this encounter?"

"I think I have all the answers I need," he had pulled you away from Vhagar ever so gently, it was the softest you had ever felt the man, "I shall tell your father we shall be married as soon or as late as you wish to do so."

"When we are married will you let me fly with you?" the answer was unspoken, he'd take you to the ends of beyond the wall if you so much as wished it. Perhaps the marriage was the perfect match despite being arranged, he'd found somebody as equally obsessed with dragons as he'd once been.

as stated before, this is a repost and not entirely a rewrite, just an edited version of mistakes i realised i made months ago. i hope y'all still enjoyed this. crossposted on ao3 under the name hedonism.

#aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond x reader #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen imagine #hotd aemond #hotd imagine #hotd x reader #hotd fanfic #asoiaf x reader #asoiaf imagine #asoiaf fanfic

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daenerysies · 3 months

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It absolutely gets me that the whole thing about Rhaneyra putting her siblings to the sword was made up by Otto, Rhaenyra did nothing to indicate that she would; Alicent just fixated on it like- how do they forget that they literally pulled that crock of shit out of thin air? 😭

it gets me too, especially show-wise. the only time rhaenyra shows any bit of fire against her siblings is during the driftmark incident, where it is blatantly obvious to anyone with a brain that she was bluffing when asking for aemond to be sharply questioned. granted, should she have done it? no. is she also a mother trying her best to protect her kids? and not being a super uber-perfect person in the process? yes to both. this is yet another change from the book i don't like, considering alicent demands luke's eye in retribution first, and rhaenyra retaliates against that rather than starting it.

i'm also adding some significant points that make no sense in the greater context if alicent truly thought her children's lives were endangered; which is how she actively antagonizes rhaenyra. in both medias. she raises her children to hate rhaenyra, to view their nephews as inferior and subhuman to them due to their blood, she instills fear for their lives as a part of their everyday activities, she tells her children that aegon will be king no matter what (which is treason, so she doesn't seem to care that badly about her children being found out as participants of those efforts). she does not act like someone who believes her children are going to be murdered once rhaenyra ascends the throne. it's why i can't take her stans seriously. none of her actions make sense in the grand scheme of things. she purposefully makes an enemy that is (TO HER) capable of cold-blooded murder. what terrified mother would do that?

there's also this fetish for infantilizing and victimizing alicent and co. otto manipulated her when she was a teen, which is a fair take. otto was also ostracized from court for TEN years. ten years with minimal to no contact with alicent. she is no longer a child during that time, she is a grown woman with four children to raise and a perfectly good brain to use. we're not shown or told once that rhaenyra *ever* showed an ounce of violence towards her siblings, and at most, she was indifferent to them. it is stated, however, that during that time skip alicent bullied and harassed rhaenyra, to the point where she abandoned the capital to have peace of mind and safety for her own children. still not the actions of a terrified mother (she also wasn't manipulated into doing any of that; it was all of her own accord because she hated that rhaenyra was afforded more freedom and leeway than she was).

what's more, there is minimal, if any, precedent that rhaenyra would be forced to kill her siblings to secure the throne. viserys was only the fifth targaryen king, not exactly enough time to really establish any killing family as a basis. maegor is the only one to have done so, and he's reviled for it even up to the current timeline. it is even thought that his death was the consequence of kinslaying. it's not normal. there has technically been some sort of succession crisis for almost all the rulers up to this time: aegon the uncrowned and maegor, rhaena and jaehaerys, baelon and rhaenys, viserys and rhaenys/laenor. there are, once again, many ways for aegon, aemond, and daeron to renounce their claim to the throne (night's watch, kingsguard, maester); but that would take away the power alicent and otto wanted to have, so not an option.

i wouldn't even consider daemon that much of a threat if rhaenyra had ascended peacefully. they've changed his character significantly in the show, but daemon explicitly states in fire and blood that they need to find a peaceful way to end this dispute, and not resort to fighting dragons versus dragons (a line they gave to rhaenys in the show) because it would only end in disaster. he doesn't resort to any brutality until after the first blood is drawn by the green's.

basically, it's just another ploy, a 'red herring' if you will, to distract from the true reason why rhaenyra was usurped (and hook, line, sinker; it's working fantastically for some in the fandom).

#hotd #hotd critical #f&b #rhaenyra targaryen #pro rhaenyra #team black #anti team green #anti team green stans #anti alicent hightower #anti alicent stans #faye answers #anonymous

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storiumemporium · 9 months

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Trauma and Repeating Cycles

Full disclosure before I get into this little ramble I've been wanting to make— a lot of the theories and mutterings here are just the culmination of other theories and thought processes I've seen from much cleverer fans around the inets (primarily here and twitter), I would link them but frankly there's so many and I have no idea who would truly be the original coiner of these thoughts 😭😭😭

And also, of course, par the course for this show, very dark themes ahead.

I've just been thinking (probably too much) in depth about how Aegon and Aemond in particular are the final culminations of literal generations of sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse at this point. How Aegon wants so desperately for his mother's approval, and ends up instead a dark mirror of his father. And how Aemond wants to be his own, and instead ends up a dark mirror of his mother.

Alicent

I think it's important to start here with Alicent and just... Take a moment to truly detail and soak in the level of horror this poor girl has been subjected to.

She's the tender age of fourteen (important to keep this in mind later) when she's preyed upon by a man she not only regards as her father figure but is- yes- in fact the same age as her actual father. This man is the father of her at-the-time best friend. And though it's made more overt in the script than in the scenes, we see immediately even before the guillotine drops the fissures within Alicent's mental health. (Biting and chewing at her nails aggressively, for one.)

This is already horrifying enough, it should be enough. But it's exacerbated by the fact that this predatory union is propagated by her actual father, and that both of these men work to sequester her from the only person she would have had for support in this. Rhaenyra. The one with the temper, and the power, to be enraged by this without consequence. Conveniently, the only one who could have hissed and spat her rage at her father with impunity is the one completely erased from her life by them.

And by the time she finds out? It's too late, (none of the blame lies with Rhaenyra for her reaction, as she herself is a teenage girl going through horrific grief and finding out what has been done behind her back) Alicent is already set to be wed to Viserys, to become her step-mother.

This evolves into the first signs of an extremely important trauma response that we see carry down in different ways, much later on in the story. Alicent begins to lean upon duty, upon sacrifice, upon law and order. These things that she swaddles herself in from her youth to protect from having to admit how unfair all of this has been to her. What is leadership without sacrifice? What is being a Queen without suffering? She's too young and too wounded to look at the truth, she needs the structure of pain being a necessity in order to survive the burden of being a mother at fifteen years old. Of being the victim of martial rape at that tender young age.

And through these repeated traumas, she bears four children. The only part of her life worth anything to her, in the end. She's too young for them, too traumatized, too unequipped, but she loves them down to their souls.

And then, in her attempts to remain a good friend to Rhaenyra, in vouching for her, her father is ripped out from under her and she is completely alone with these toddlers. A moment which becomes defining for Alicent.

The moment Otto plants within her the seeds that would turn her- well, into Otto himself. Something she only realizes when it is tragically far too late.

Otto tells her, impresses upon her in a moment of extreme distress, that Rhaenyra will butcher the only good thing that has come of her traumas in life. That she will do anything to maintain the power her son rightfully (at least in the laws of Westeros) should have. She's not as cunning as Otto, and so where he uses cleverness and cunning she uses desperation and strict force (duty, suffering, law, order) to impress upon her firstborn that be must be King to survive.

As we all know, the death knell of Alicent ever believing otherwise first calls at Driftmark. When her son is maimed and Rhaenyra calls for torture (a desperate move to protect her own sons, but alas).

Now, why do I mention all of this that we've seen repeated plentily about Alicent? Because of how it trickles down into her children. Aemond in obvious ways, but less obviously in

Aegon

People have no trouble looking at Aemond and Alicent for the horrors that have been wrought throughout their lives, but not so much for Aegon the Elder, and while I think that's completely fair considering what we see of Aegon on the surface level throughout the season, I'd like to cut deeper into him.

Primarily, that I think Aegon himself has been severely sexually abused and traumatized, and that the character we see by the end of the season is a result of a great deal of very horrific circumstances that the show unfortunately either makes light of or completely undermines.

The mildest of the things I want to bring up is that Aegon's alcoholism very likely stems from that of Viserys- either the man is an alcoholic himself or at least fosters the unhealthy codependence in Aegon. I mean- he's two when Viserys first gives him a drink from Viserys' own cup. From a very young, very very much so still developing mind, I can't imagine what that would do to him.

But the more keen points, Helaena and Flea Bottom.

We all make our cracks about Aegon running to Flea Bottom for safety, that he's passed out drunk in a puddle somewhere or singing shanties in a bar with pirates. But I do want to point out the overwhelming odds that Viserys brought him there, or at least ordered for it to happen.

We even outright hear Daemon state that they used to run the whole of the Street of Silk in their youth. Viserys doesn't deny it, he simply grows hypocritically enraged that Daemon would do so with his daughter. Not his son. His daughter.

Who else in the entire keep would have the power and- frankly- the audacity to take Viserys' eldest son out into the city and to a brothel? Who would even benefit from that happening? And sure, you could say that Aegon simply chose to do it of his own agency. But how is it that a thirteen-fourteen-fifteen year old boy manages to escape what should be the most densely guarded location in the whole of Kings' Landing to go gallivanting off in the most dangerous corners of the city all night long? To end up drunk until sunrise there? At the very least do you think Otto would let his key to the throne go risking death constantly?

Unless, of course, the person to first bring him there has more power than Otto.

Aegon, at least from an age as young as Aemond and Alicent, had been brought by his father or at his father's behest, to a brothel to have sexual relations likely of a similar age gap to that of Aemond with the Madame.

Now, I want to bring up something that I already have a couple of times, something that I think envelops itself into his early experiences at the brothel.

There are two separate scenes, both dismissive and used as humor, that paint an incredibly bleak and tragic picture.

Aegon, age fourteen (the same as Alicent), outright stating that he does not wish to marry Helaena. He doesn't want it, and he words it in a crude and cruel way- as a drunken fourteen year old might be so inclined to do- but the sentiment beneath remains. Aegon is an unwilling participant in this marriage.

Aegon must, for duty, for order, for sacrifice, for law.

Helaena, standing from her chair with a cup in her hands, proclaims that Aegon mostly just leaves her alone, unless he comes back drunk.

On the surface? A joke that embarrasses Aegon and cuts the tension of the scene. Beyond that?

Aegon has already expressed that he did not desire to marry his sister, and now we hear that the only time he touches her is when he's inebriated. This doesn't give the impression of consent.

Which brings why I wrote about Alicent first into this. We see her impress duty upon him so aggressively, that it is his necessity to be King and all things that come with it. This is the product of a trauma response that duty and order and sacrifice and law are the means by which she survives, as well as a long held terror that her children will be butchered by proxy of having a stronger claim to the throne than Rhaenyra.

As a result, Alicent unwittingly subjugates her eldest son to the exact same traumas as Otto did with her. Aegon is robbed of his agency and autonomy in life. Everything about him curated with the intent to take a throne that was never meant to be his, that he does not want. He is forced to marry his sister against his express desires, and he is forced to bed her.

And make no mistake, it's force. Aegon is a notorious man-whore and lecher, he's a regular purveyor of brothels is he not? And yet he requires alcohol to crawl into bed with her, to sleep with her as he regularly and enthusiastically does other women.

I cannot say what this does to Helaena, I would like to think she is either neutral or accepting of this since she mentions what happens so casually and openly to her family. (Otherwise, we would need to get into the topic of a harmful stereotype of the neurodivergent girl being portrayed as having childlike innocence/stupidity and not understanding her own circumstances).

But at the very least, this means that Aegon is forcibly complicit in his own sexual assault, his own rape. Because he has to perform his marital duties, he has to have children by Helaena, it's his duty.

And we see the way this cultivates in Aegon. One of the most common symbols of someone attempting to seize control of their own life is to cut the hair (for a real world example, Britney Spears). It is extremely common symbolism in media, it has meaning in multiple cultures, even TGC himself says that Aegon's hair is short as a rejection of his blood, feeling like the black sheep of the family. I believe he hacks at his own hair in a desperate bid to feel some sort of control or ownership of himself in a world where he otherwise has none. Aegon copes by becoming an alcoholic and developing hypersexuality, he lacks any understanding of boundaries or what would be reasonable in a sexual environment.

It results in Dyana, and it results in Aemond.

Neither of which are forgivable things, neither of which become less horrifying, neither of which become more acceptable. (And we're very blessed to live within an era and society where it is commonly held knowledge that these things are unacceptable and horrific). But with the context that Aegon has been subjected to brothels and sexuality from such an early age- and against his will- it sheds a little light on Sara Hess' statement that Aegon doesn't understand consent, for himself or for others. Even his depressive acceptance of becoming King. He never once mentions that it's unfair to him, he just reaches out like a child, asking do you love me? Wanting to know that if he does this thing being demanded of him, he'll be rewarded with affection for it.

It's a tragic shame that the first season was so short, because we didn't get remotely enough time with the children, I think it would have been valuable to flesh out Aegon's relationship with self actualization and lack of control. That everything he wants and desires is out of his hands, that he must perform, and that even when he does it's not enough because he doesn't do it right. He proclaims that he tries so hard in that scene with Alicent, and that it's never enough, and it sounds comedic because they don't even take the time to show us, or to expand upon the morbid crumbs left behind of how Aegon is in a very predatory situation of his own, and that it's burnt away at his understanding of how the world works.

Which in my mind, plays out why he would bring Aemond to the brothel. In some convoluted, distorted way, I could see it being his attempt to comfort or reach out, Aegon's deeply warped perception of bonding and affection. Their father brought him to one at the same age, no? Aemond needs to take his mind off of what is still a relatively recent trauma, and so Aegon supplies the only way he can, the only way he's equipped to do so. Unwittingly, like Otto upon Alicent and Alicent upon Aegon, Aegon traumatizes Aemond further.

Aemond

Which brings me to Aemond, I think this will be a touch more brief than the others because plenty of people much more eloquent than myself have already expanded upon the tragedy of Aemond and how he turned out the way he did.

Unlike Aegon, Aemond never had the burden of the spotlight, the opposite in fact. By the time Aemond existed, all of Viserys' children by Alicent had fallen out of favor, and so Aemond has never once known the attention or the love of his father. Instead, the only consistent and parental figure Aemond ever had in his life was Alicent. Alicent already favored restriction and piety from a young age, as a result of the things done to her, though they hadn't quite hit their summit yet within the story.

Instead, Aemond is raised nestled into her skirts, resenting Aegon for his behaviors toward him and being ostracized by all else. Helaena was the only other kind figure aside from his own mother in his life, and her absent mind meant that Aemond truly lacked any peers in his life to bond with.

As a result, we have a child that is incredibly isolated, attributing all the cruelties and absences in his life upon his own shortcomings, his need to succeed and match the image of the Targaryen Prince, because then Viserys would have to notice him, because then his nephews and brother would have to respect him. And so he does something incredibly brave, incredibly reckless.

As a result? He's permanently maimed. And who is punished for it? Him, his mother. Not the one who did it, the one who tried to protect him. He watches his mother have a massive outburst and he watches how emotion is a crime, he's witness to the fact that feeling anything at all is sin and makes you the one in the wrong. She's made out to be a shrieking lunatic, that Rhaenyra and her children are the innocents, that Aemond was the criminal in this.

Alicent retreats into herself, that transformation finally hits it's pinnacle, and Aemond chases after it. He learns to bottle himself the exact same way, he learns to suppress everything and to instead focus on violence and physical prowess. But Aegon learned to cope in completely antithetical ways, and so when he attempts to soothe, he further harms. He subjects Aemond to yet another scenario in which he has no control, in which leaving makes him the bad guy- wasting Aegon's coin, disappointing him at least. It completely solidifies Aemond's dislike of things he perceives as unclean or uncouth, and he becomes a violent and barely composed mirror image of his mother.

All in all, these three are on a wheel turning against each other, unwittingly they cultivate harm that drips from one onto the other. Aegon knew their love once upon a time, and so he dives into the unhealthy things laid at his table, he gorges upon them until he needs to vomit and consumes again in the attempt to return to the feeling of love that they gave him so long ago that they will be fleeting, foundational memories and little else, anymore. (Might I remind everybody of that conversation between Jason Lannister and Rhaenyra? "I wonder, Princess. Was your own second nameday as grand as this?" "I honestly don't recall, and neither will he.") Aemond never once knew those feelings, he never knew massive hunts and banquets and celebrations, gargantuan bonfires and fawning nobility. So he shelled in on himself, he became utterly cold and disconnected. The distance was his friend, but now he's completely alone and with absolutely no one to lean on, no one to understand him, and no outlets for emotions that refuse to be bottled up when Lucerys enters his life again. Aegon invites him to the feast, but there's nothing on the plates, and there hasn't been for a very, very long time.

Alicent became a facsimile of what harmed her in the pursuit of protecting her own children, not realizing she was sentencing them to the same fate. Not realizing until the ashes were settling around her and green was as horrifying as red that they'd never stood a chance, at all.

#Alicent #alicent hightower #Aegon #Aegon II Targaryen #Aegon Targaryen #Aemond #Aemond Targaryen #Prince Aemond #olivia cooke #tom glynn carney #ewan mitchell #hotd #house of the dragon #meta #Emporium Posts

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theoldpersonliveshere · 15 days

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“I am done with my graceless heart // Tonight I’m gonna cut it out and then restart”

Sequel to Happiness is a Butterfly

Baela loved her mother, she was the bravest, kindest, most beautiful woman she’d ever known. But that doesn't mean she wanted to be an exact copy of her. Her grandmother thought differently.

When she was sent to ward at Driftmark, within the first week Rhaenys had sent for a hairdresser to comb out Baela's dreads. She remembered the long, painful process of the procedure and her grandmother telling her how pretty she’d look.

“Just like your mother,” she had said, “I used to sit with her every morning and brush her hair.”

When it was over she looked in the mirror and saw a stranger. But not wanting to displease her grandmother, she pasted on a smile and said how much she loved it.

It went in like that for years. Baela did her hair like her mother's and wore idealised versions of dresses she wore. Laena’s dresses were a bit more revealing than Rhaenys approved, so she would just wear what her grandmother would have picked for her mother. Baela had no idea who she was anymore. Then there were talks about a betrothal to Prince Jacaerys.

“You'll get back what was taken from you.” her grandmother had said.

“Taken from me? What was taken from me?” Baela had a suspicion that it had something to do with Laena. It always did.

“Oh,” Rhaenys started trying to cover up her mistake. “Your mother would have married King Viserys, if he hadn't married Alicent Hightower. You would have been a princess.”

Baela grimaced. She wouldn't like being Viserys daughter and having to compete with Rhaenyra for his affection.

Then her Uncle Vaemond decided to make a claim on Driftmark by declaring Rhaenyras sons bastards. She didn’t see the point in that, because if they were disinherited, she and Rhaena would be next in line to get Driftmark. Then again, Uncle Vaemond wasn’t the wisest of men.

At the trial, she saw Rhaenyra and her family for the first time in a long time. Jacaerys had grown from a child into a handsome young man. If she must marry, she wouldn't mind marrying him. Behind Jace was a strange looking girl with white hair and red eyes. She reminded Baela of a deer with the way she was trying to hide herself from the crowd. Before the trial started Jace had taken the girl's hand and was talking softly to her but she seemed to shrink whenever he touched her. Then the trial started and the betrothal between Baela and Jace was announced and the girl shrunk even smaller.

When the trial was over Baela was talking to Rhaenyra and decided to appease her curiosity.

“My lady, who was that pale girl at the trial? I haven't seen her before.”

“Pale girl… Oh that was Fen! Her mother was my maid and we took her in after she died. She's a sweet girl, always doing something.”

“And she and Jace are close?”

“They seem to be, but it isn't anything to worry about. Jace will do his duty.”

That did not comfort Baela.

At dinner Baela was sat next to Jace. Fen was sat on his other side and was wearing a red dress that was loaned to her. She had to admit that she looked lovely in the dress, the dark red was a nice contrast to her pale skin and hair. Unfortunately, Aegon noticed also and was making lewd comments to her. She was very tempted to punch him in the face to shut him up, but she didn't think her stepmother would appreciate that. It was tempting though.

When the dancing started, she had slightly hoped that Jace would ask her to dance. Instead, he approached Helaena and asked her to dance. That was nice she supposed, Helaena did seem lonely.

She and Fen were left sitting alone together. She was curious if she'd say anything or stay a wallflower.

“Congratulations on your betrothal, Lady Baela,” Fen said softly. Baela looked at her, Fen wasn't making eye contact and was looking down at her hands folded in her lap. The poor girl was clearly terrified and Baela pitied her. If only things were different.

“Thank you, you look lovely in that dress by the way, the colour suits you,” she said. She was about to tell her that Aegon was a pig and not to listen to him, but then Prince Aemond approached Fen and asked her to dance.

During the dance, Aemond must have said something snide to Jace, because a fight broke out. Unfortunately, Rhaena grabbed Baela before she could punch Aegon. When they were sent to their rooms, Baela saw Fen rush out closely followed by Jace. She silently went after them and hid in an alcove. The two were arguing in hushed tones and Jace had grabbed Fen’s hand. After another moment he kissed her, from the way Fen kissed him back it was obvious they were in love. Fen pushed Jace away and he stormed off.

Baela decided then she wouldn't marry a man who was desperately in love with someone else. She was not her mother.

@hotd-bigbang

#house of the dragon #my moodboards #baela targaryen #jacaerys velaryon #fen alburn #rhaenys targaryen #laena velaryon #pairing: fen and jace #hotd lyric prompts 24

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xadoreyuu · 2 years

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~ hold your breath, love dive. [aemond targaryen]

this is my first fanfic!!! i didn't know whether to add images/gifs in for the aesthetic ™ or to just leave it blank but i thought the gif was pretty so that's my entire thought process lol. reader is afab with she/her pronouns if requested i will write non-binary characters however with the way westeros is i thought my first love dive into writing for the fandom would be with a female reader! i'd also love some feedback for this! it is obviously my first and i'd love some pointers on what you liked/didn't like about it!

premise: reader meets vhagar my queen. i personally chose a random house because even though the show likes inc*st i simply do not f*ck with it in my writing tho if you have any fic recs i'm not saying no... [2954 words]

The betrothal between houses Targaryen and Bolton was a choice not many had seen coming. You especially, you had went from a girl who was content with the fact your father would marry you off to some Lord and you'd live a life, you weren't sure if it would have been a happy one but it would have certainly been a life. You knew Aemond Targaryen was unpredictable, unstable even. He chose to claim a dragon as a preteen, stable wasn't something you'd use to describe him. He was chaos personified, like waves in the sea, uncontrollable and you weren't sure what your father thought he was getting out of the arrangement. (You knew what he was getting out of the arrangement: power and selling off his only daughter was clearly the only way he'd receive such notoriety.)

The arrangement wasn't horrific as you originally thought it would be, Aemond had seemed pleasant company though you were always in public, always chaperoned so the man could not spent time truly alone with you, while your father wanted to marry you did not have you own opinions or goals in life, he did not trust the man you were to marry fully. Nor did you. You knew the tales of the women his brother ruined the reputations of while his dutiful wife had to put up with his antics. You never knew how a man behaved behind closed doors, your brothers were a prime example of this for you. A prince was just a man after all and men were much different to the ladies you had spent time around. Kings Landing was entirely different in general, the styles, the hair, the people even, it was far too busy and put you on edge far too much.

They were dragons, both in sigil and temperament you had thought. Each member of the family was equally fiery and hard to read, comparing them to the creatures which set them apart so vastly was a correct comparison in your opinion. Being around them made you feel powerful, that nobody could cross you but you knew much better that politics can change in an instant — Rhaenyra and Rhaenys were proof of that. It scared you, being in the dragons pit.

Your time is spent with Helaena, she is a few years older than you though you think she is wise beyond her years, often telling you about the things she dreams about and often times speaks in riddles though you find her company more entertaining than most people. she understands you on a level which others do not, and you think in another timeline you would not be marrying her brother and she would not be married to her own husband, you would still be friends or perhaps more.

She doesn't want you today though, she claims she's ill with a sickness which is contagious — you'd get sick to spend time with her, you consider her your only true friend in this place, though Helaena being the kind sweet soul she is would never allow you to give yourself a sickness on her behalf and suddenly you're alone, the day grows boring, the library is unappealing, you can only walk around a garden — no matter the size of it so many times without growing bored. Needlepoint is tedious and you think you could not cope if your life was to be like this once you were married. The garden however is where you find him, alone. It's the first time you've spent time together alone and your palms feel sticky and your heart is beating out of your chest. You don't know how you'll survive within a marriage when you cannot speak to the man without wanting to run away due to shyness.

"You avoid me far too much," he's the first to speak, you doubt words could process from your brain to your mouth to do so, "Do I scare you that much?"

You do not want to answer at first — perhaps he's talking about his presence or rather to the scars he could not help, but you're strong, you're from the North and Northern girls aren't typically timid nor shy, "Why would I do that my Prince?" you can see how it would consider it mocking but the playful tone in your voice indicates your intent. "Am I too fast for you to catch?"

You doubt you've thrown him off guard, though maybe that's why he had chosen you, "Do you think you are fast enough to outrun a dragon?" he asks,

"Would you like to see one?" you don't know if it's a euphemism or if he's being serious, perhaps he does have a sense of humour after all.

"Hmm... I'm not too sure they would take kindly to those who aren't of Valyrian blood, what if one tries to eat me... I've heard the tales of the dragon who resides on Dragonstone who eats its own kind and humans alike." you're teasing him, who wouldn't want to see a dragon? You'd encounter them eventually you surmised, it was hard to live in a family with such beasts without doing so.

"You know of the Cannibal?" his interest had piqued at that, your time with his sister had clearly came with advantages, learning more about the Targaryen family, the dragons owned (and not) by his family had interested him, next you'd surprise him by speaking Valyrian.

"Only what her grace, your sister, had told me about it, that apparently the dragon is older than Balerion the black dread — though it seems unrealistic and hearsay, your father rode him once did he not? Balerion I mean,—" your sentence was cut short by the prince, who was seemingly not paying attention to you, it was awkward for a few seconds before he excused himself.

Aemond had seemingly looked off to the side, as if being summoned though you didn't pay it much mind, the two of you were having an enjoyable conversation (well in your personal opinion, the prince may have just been conversing due to the fact his family didn't want the arrangement to sour due to his or your behaviours). Though he had pulled away at seemingly the last second, muttering an apology and leaving you in the garden alone.

As fast as he'd disturbed your peace he disappears almost as abruptly almost making you wonder if you'd spoken out of turn and offended him somehow. And you could not help but notice how much lonelier you had become without his presence.

Some days had passed and the interaction with Aemond had lived within your head, when you weren't needed or doing something you'd thought back to the conversation, he was a seemingly lovely match and paid attention to you. Not that you could say the same for your parents, they hadn't know where you were or what you were doing most of the time, they only lectured you into behaving around the royal family, ladies do not laugh loudly, ladies do not spend more time daydreaming than needlepoint and ladies certainly do not frolic around the gardens unchaperoned. Helaena hadn't miraculously recovered which meant your family continued to lecture you. Perhaps they were more irritated about the fact you weren't strengthening the bond of both families to ensure the marriage as your mother had kindly put it. You were aware you family wanted more power but the possibility of you getting sick while they were heightening their station could not have occurred to them.

Your days continued to be as boring as ever without Helaena's company you were beyond restless, your parents had told you to behave far too many times, so much so you could recite their speeches. Though it didn't stop you from wandering alone — again. You wouldn't be shocked if it got back to them — again. However just as the last time you were alone Aemond Targaryen once again approaches you. Cockily as ever though being a Prince of the Seven Kingdoms and having the largest dragon could perhaps have that effect on ones self confidence.

"Lady Bolton, you are the exact person I was looking for," he once again spoke again, he often left you speechless, from his undeniable beauty to the confidence he exuded — you had found out he wasn't always this way, gaining Vhagar had changed him and you surmised it was most likely for the better. "If you can recall we spoke about dragons and I have reconsidered the terms of our arrangement."

"You misunderstand me, my Lady," you were sure your heart would have stopped if it was not for the words he spoke, "I cannot marry you without being certain."

It was not a good conversation to be had and you were almost panicking and you were certain you saw a taunting glint within his eye, "I can assure you, our union would be fruitful and you would be happy." You've been taught what it takes to be a wife from your mother but she had never explained what it truly entailed, your words feel rehearsed and panicked and came out of your mouth far too fast.

"When do you wish to plan this meeting?" you asked, you didn't fear much, and if a dragon harms you, burns you or eats you, you supposed there was worse, less dignified ways to have your life ended.

"I was heading there now and while you are unoccupied I had asked your father's permission," he can't say no to a prince, out of fear of offending, you knew that much.

He finds you amusing, you can tell, he's pokerfaced but you can always tell by the subtle way his body moved closer to yours, "I hope she chooses not to, it would be a sad day and I'm afraid I would not know what to say to your father about the occasion, his only daughter, eaten by a dragon, however would he recover?"

"You don't know my father like I do, he'd spin some tale that I was courageous and chose to fight a dragon and paid for it with my life." Your divulging far too much about your personal family life now, you're giving him too much insight and unnecessary information which could be used against you in a moments notice. "However, I am not going to let a dragon eat me today, my outfit simply will not allow it."

The journey to the largest dragon currently roaming freely was not as daunting as you'd originally thought, the nervousness you were feeling in your stomach hadn't subsided though you could almost feel the anticipation radiating off of Aemond. Perhaps he wanted a show, perhaps he wanted to see how you'd react to such a magnificent creature or perhaps he wanted to see her burn you alive.

She was there, laying and looking lethargic or maybe she was simply not wanting to live life anymore, she was beyond the size you had imagined, though something about her looked gentle. She hadn't harmed Aemond when she was a child and this made you feel safer, along with her owner being there, maybe he'd calm her with his presence. "Are you bonded to her?"

"In what way?" Aemond asks, keeping you behind him while he speaks in Valyrian — words you can't understand but if you were to have children in the future you should take note to learn.

"Did you not know we're always on our best behaviour." His response had made you laugh, you couldn't help it, if it had came from any other person you would have believed it. "Do I amuse you?"

"Don't be fooled by her, she's cunning but she favours the brave." he spoke.

"Would she consider me brave if I were to touch her?" You ask, already moving forward however Aemond hadn't chose to stop you, perhaps he thought you too foolish for your own good.

"Isn't that what we're here for? You're to meet her and she chooses if we marry." Now you knew the motive. There was so much more than what met the eye with Aemond and you'd do well to remember that.

Taking slow and steady steps towards Vhagar was the easy part, she had emitted heat, much like the dogs your father chose to keep around in the Dreadfort. It was hard to stay away from her, she was utterly captivating and it did not stop you from placing a hand on her. You don't doubt that you looked like an ant to her, tiny and easy to destroy with one singular movement however she stayed in place, letting out what sounded like a sigh. It was a good sign for you to continue touching her, it's not at all what you had expected her to feel like, she had felt warm and inviting despite her intimidating appearance. She was like her owner in more ways than he'd ever let the world know.

"You weren't serious about her eating you, were you?" Aemond asks, while you're completely mesmerised by how big and docile she was, your hand still holding the dragons warm scales while Aemond's presence was felt closely behind you.

"Seeing her up close, I fear I misjudged her," and you goes unsaid. "She seems lonely and I wish she had more company, do you keep her company often? When you're not at court?"

"I suppose I too would be lonely if I lost Balerion and Meraxes." He confesses, "But she is well taken care of, I can assure you."

"There's tales of you claiming her, that you were a child and the only one brave enough to go near her," the stories are fabricated most of the time, "That you lost the eye for the dragon, was it worth it?" you hadn't approached the topic of his long gone eye, though you fear you may have offended him when he does not speak straight away.

#aemond targaryen #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen imagine #hotd imagine #hotd x reader #house of the dragon imagine #house of the dragon x reader #asoiaf imagine #asoiaf x reader #will i hate this in a few hours? maybe or maybe i'll love it #i hope you guys enjoy it!#it felt like an expo dump tho and im like ah you can 100% tell what writing im versed in #and let me tell you it's not fanfic #im team green till im gone btw #dont get it twisted the blacks are not it ™#til aemond only survived till 20 so yikes #writing more in this kinda universe might be on the cards for me so if you wanted anything wrote with this pairing just req it!#i tried to make mc likeable but also not so timid and shy because in my headcanon aemond is very much not attracted to that vibe #but also i headcanon him as demisexual?#or maybe im just projecting #the clown in me wanted to name this 2 baddies 1 dragon

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medusas-daughter · 2 years

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Hotd, episode 9 "the green council"

So many thoughts

First of all I had chills the entire episode. As team black I went in fully expecting to hate it and boy was I wrong. This episode is a masterpiece.

- How many people exactly is Crispin allowed to kill before he suffers consequences?

- Lord Commander Harrold Westerling showing us what true honor is. And honestly, he might as well have removed his cloak, nobody respects his authority, they allowed his knight to draw a sword on him. They don't deserve him.

-I can't believe I'm about to say this, and it is the last time I ever will, but they should have given Aegon what he wanted. Man wanted to disappear, let him. "I'm not suited" if anything, he's self aware.

- Crispin's "women are the image of mother and should be spoken of with reverence" like he wasn't calling Rhaenyra a cunt like 3 weeks ago is peak comedy.

- I did not expect Aemond to explicitly admit he wanted to the crown, and I wonder what kind of king he would have been. Also, this is for me the big difference between team green and team black. Team black love each other unconditionally and fully support one another even behind closed doors. Team Green barely like each other.

- Did Princess Rhaenys just serve us the best line of this entire season "you wish not to be free but to build a window in your prison". Rhaenys just called Alicent a pick me, and I stan.

- I was wrong, the best line goes to Mysaria with "there is no power but what the people allow you to take".

- Ser Erryk said "nope, imma sit this one out, not worth my sweat" and I respect that.

-Alicent finally standing up to her father is slightly satisfying, but it's too little too late, barely registers.

- Aegon being given Blackfyre to carry when he can't even swing a sword is such a waste.

- Larys having a foot fetish is not even 1% surprising.

- "do you love me?" "you imbecile" is the funniest line of this episode.

- Helaena hiding her face in Aemond's shoulder after Aegon was crowned does things to me. Aemond seems to be the only she's comforted by. And the fear in her face when Aegon looked at her, she knows what kind of king he will be.

- speaking of, Alicent, if you wanted your son not to rule with cruelty, you should have taught him that years ago. Slapping him and telling him again and again that he is a challenge simply by breathing and existing. And then expecting him to let his challenger keep breathing? Of course he's not gonna let Rhaenyra live.

- Rhaenys escaping on Meleys wearing full armor was so powerful and satisfying, and Meleys is so beautiful and Rhaenys's armor fitting Meleys's colors, I just love them both so much. But besides the visuals and the bad bitch moment, I'm not actually sure how I feel about this scene, because Rhaenys could have stopped the entire dance with one fire breath. One Dracarys and team black would have been safe. There were no children there, only traitors. She could have taken out all of team green and ended the dance before it began.

- Ewan Mitchell is getting a lot of (well deserved) praise for his portrayal of Aemond. But I would like to take a moment to praise Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon. He managed to bring a depth and dimension to such a disgusting and icky character and the shift in his eyes when people started cheering for him. The despair when he was begging Aemond to let him disappear. The insecurity when he asked Alicent if she loved him. He played him marvelously.

- Olivia Cooke proved once again how good of an actress she is. Zero notes, 10/10. The resignated disgust during the scene with Larys. The conflict when they discussed murdering Rhaenyra. The fear when Meleys threatened her children. Impeccable.

- Finally, give Ramin Djawadi all of the awards, all of them. My expectations for the soundtrack were already so high after game of thrones, and he still exceeded them.

I will be back with more thoughts when I'm done processing

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hellsbellschime · 2 years

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Although House of the Dragon has been building up the conflict between the Hightowers and the Targaryens from the very start of the series, it's likely that the loss of Aemond's eye is where the Dance of the Dragons truly began.

The buildup towards the confrontation over Aemond's mutilation is an interesting one, and the framing of the fight between all of the children was rife with subtext.

The violence that the children inflict on each other was frighteningly over the top on all sides, and the broader context for all of their reactions is heartbreaking and sadly goes to show how much of the Dance of the Dragons is truly driven by crappy parenting and unresolved emotional tension.

Jace and Luke haven't gotten much individual development beyond simply being Strong bastards, but the trauma of both the realization of their true lineage and of losing their father and being completely unable to process or even acknowledge that is clearly terrible. Nearly killing Aemond is absurdly violent for such young children, but it is at least easier to understand in this instance because this is likely their first time truly expressing any of the trauma surrounding an issue that all of the adults around them are literally pretending isn't real, and they understandably have no idea how to handle it or express all of that pain without any guidance or support.

Baela and Rhaena are in a similar situation, as it seems that their grandmother has been doing most of the emotional heavy lifting for them since their mother's death, and the loss of Vhagar has the dual brutality of losing another enormous part of their mother and losing potential equitable treatment from their father. Rhaena's rejection by Daemon has to be painful and confusing for both of them, so to so quickly lose the opportunity to finally be equal must have been extremely difficult and infuriating for both girls.

And Aemond, also understanding how little value anyone of Targaryen blood seems to have if they can't ride a dragon, is finally lashing out at bullying that seems to have gone unresolved or poorly addressed for far too long. Because yes, mounting Vhagar is some king behavior, but it's also incredibly telling that a boy who is supposed to be ten years old at this point was willing to risk literal death in order to become a dragonrider, and it goes to show how early on anyone of Targaryen blood learns that they have no inherent value to the rest of their family if they don't have a dragon.

So, as scary as it was to see all of the children go full Lord of the Flies, it is not surprising that all of this unresolved tension finally messily and violently exploded, and it's tragic that the consequences for all of their outbursts had such permanent effects on Aemond. But the way that the situation is handled afterward is likely where the war truly began.

The confrontation over Aemond's mutilation is fascinating and so rich with subtext that it's almost impossible to pick up on everything that is happening for every character in the moment.

One of the most interesting aspects of the argument is something that anyone who hasn't read the books would clearly miss. When Rhaenyra discovers that Aemond has called her sons bastards, she demands that Aemond be "questioned sharply" about where he heard these rumors. In A Song of Ice and Fire, questioning someone sharply is a euphemism for torturing someone for information. It's not a term that comes up outrageously often, but it is never used to refer to anything aside from that.

For example, in A Clash of Kings, Jon 5 Mormont and Qhorin Halfhand are discussing a wildling who was questioned for information and Qhorin says "He was questioned perhaps too sharply, and died with much unsaid."

In another instance, Daenerys is discussing the interrogation of criminals with the Shavepate in A Dance With Dragons, Daenerys 2, and they have this exchange:

Mercy , thought Dany. They will have the dragon’s mercy . “Skahaz, I have changed my mind. Question the man sharply.”

“I could. Or I could question the daughters sharply whilst the father looks on. That will wring some names from him.”

“Do as you think best, but bring me names.”

So suffice it to say, being "questioned sharply" is not a pleasant experience, it is torturous interrogation that can be brutal enough to kill someone. Meaning that before Aemond's empty eye socket is even done being sewn up, she's asking that her ten year old brother be further brutalized for saying something that is essentially an open secret and that he arguably doesn't even have the full capacity to understand the importance of.

In the same vein, the lack of care that Viserys shows for Aemond is truly astonishing. He's a horrifically wounded and now permanently disabled child, and Viserys' only concern is where Aemond actually heard this rumor. And instead of telling his absentee father that up until 30 minutes ago he had two entire eyes and that's how he figured it out, he is clearly considering whether or not to out his mother for being the one to introduce him to this idea, and the interplay between Alicent, Aemond, and Aegon in this moment is really fantastically done without saying anything at all.

It's interesting, because while Alicent was clearly in the wrong to discuss the illegitimacy of Jace and Luke with her children both because none of the children deserve to have the burden of this issue put on themselves and because the open acknowledgment of their bastardy actually puts Alicent's own children in danger, this is likely the first time that Aemond is fully realizing that his mother's concerns about the threat that Jace and Luke's parentage could pose to Aemond and his siblings is completely true. Clearly, given that this knowledge can put the children in physical danger, it was insane for Alicent to inform them of this before they were mature enough to understand it and keep their mouths shut, but she definitely wasn't wrong about the danger that Rhaenyra's children could pose to her own.

There's no way that any children are fully capable of understanding the seriousness of the situation at this point, but Aemond having to confront the fact that he has been horribly mutilated, that literally no one besides his mother seems to even be concerned about his injury, and that there is the potential that he'll be hurt even further for mentioning Jace and Luke's illegitimacy, is an enormous reality check about his standing with everyone in that room. He might be the king's son, but no one besides Alicent is even acting as if something bad or unfair has happened to him, and there is a clear implication that he might actually be punished for what he said while no one is seemingly going to be punished for cutting his eye out.

Throwing Aegon under the bus was lowkey hilarious and more than deserved after all of Aegon's terrible behavior, but it's interesting to see Aegon and Aemond both wordlessly rally to protect their mom. Of course there is likely an element of them both caring for her and not wanting to get her into trouble, but I can't imagine that it it evaded their notice that in a room full of the most powerful adults in Westeros, Alicent was literally the only person advocating for them at all. And once again, that must have been a brutal reality check for both of them, and is likely a contributing factor as to why they covered for her.

It was incredibly inappropriate for Alicent to stoke any fears about Jace and Luke for her own children, and all of the parents suck for putting their kids in this position. But this is also the first time that Alicent's children probably realize that their mother was not only telling them the truth, but that the danger that their in as a result of it was very serious. From the beginning it seems as if Aegon liked the Strong boys better than he ever liked Aemond, and yet he follows suit with his younger brother, probably because he very abruptly realized if any of the people with power in this situation have to choose, they will protect Jace and Luke at his expense.

It's actually fascinating to see how quickly things turn around for all of Alicent's children. The scene literally begins with Jace, Luke, and Aemond squabbling like children would despite the severity of the situation, and by the end, Aemond is the one comforting his mother because he has come to the realization that if the situation isn't ameliorated, then his mother and his siblings are likely the ones who are going to suffer for it. They have all been very abruptly thrust into the realities of adulthood because they're being forced to recognize that being their father's least favorite kids can have real and dangerous consequences for them.

And what's actually interesting is that despite being in denial for more than half of her life at this point, Alicent probably snaps because she realizes the same thing. She realizes that her father was always right and that if she has any hopes for herself or her children having any kind of livable life, she is the one who is going to have to fight for it. She can't rely on anyone else's charity or expect that being an obedient lady, wife, queen, or mother is going to yield the results that the world always told her it should.

Clearly, lashing out at Luke and demanding an eye in return is insane, but lashing out at Rhaenyra and Viserys was a near inevitability. All Alicent really needed was exactly what she got, which was an object lesson in the reality that Viserys and Rhaenyra do not care about the welfare of her children and will throw them under the bus to save themselves or those that they do care about. Rhaenyra literally looked at the ripped-open face of her ten year old brother and demanded that he be tortured for information to find out where he heard that the Strong boys were bastards, as if he didn't have two whole ass eyeballs thirty minutes ago and just figured it out himself.

And what's worse, is Viserys went along with it. Viserys is undeniably a pushover, but as soon as Rhaenyra points out that Aemond was mutilated because he called her sons bastards, Viserys literally looked into Aemond's remaining eye and asked him where he heard this rumor before asking if his now-disabled son was even okay.

It's not as if his favoritism towards Rhaenyra is news to any of Alicent's children, but the level of deadbeat dadding here is truly beyond comprehension. And to add insult to literal injury, when Aegon points out the obvious, Viserys simply says that everyone needs to apologize to each other and if anyone speaks of Jace and Luke's bastardy again they'll be losing their tongues too.

Alicent likely wanted to believe that at the very least Rhaenyra likely wouldn't harm her own family, but her reaction to Aemond pretty clearly demonstrated that this wasn't the case. And that, along with the complete inaction of everyone around them, likely illustrated to Alicent that the price of Rhaenyra taking the throne was not something she was willing to pay, and if she was going to fight for her own children then she was going to have to do it herself.

There are dozens of contributing factors and people stoking the flames of this conflict, but Alicent's total freak out was the culmination of everything she has tried to ignore and has pretended wasn't real exploding into her reality all at once. Being the wife of the king isn't going to protect her. Having the children of the king isn't going to protect them. And regardless of whatever love once existed between them, she can't bet the lives of herself and her children on Rhaenyra's kindness, because if Rhaenyra has to choose between Alicent's family and herself or her own children, she will throw them under the bus to save herself.

The war is about far more than just Alicent and Rhaenyra, but this moment is likely the incident that made war an inevitability in Alicent's mind. Alicent has clearly been preparing herself for war for a very long time now, but it seems like Aemond's mutilation was the moment that Alicent decided that she had no other options outside of going to war. The Dance of the Dragons was begun by literal squabbling children, and Aemond's lost eye was the point of no return for Alicent.

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