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I don't really remember the books in much detail (I need to reread) but could you please tell me which book talks about Bloodraven, Shiera Seastar and etc?

This is a tricky question for me, because the first I really recall reading about them is on westeros.org, GRRM’s Targaryen descriptions for the artist Amoka. (Bloodraven; Shiera. Note many historical Targs were described for that artist in far more detail than they ever were in the books.) I know that Bloodraven was definitely mentioned in AFFC, and both of them in ADWD, but let’s see if there’s anything anywhere else:

Maester Aemon preferred to spend his days on deck as well, huddled beneath a pile of furs and gazing out across the water. “What is he looking at?” Dareon wondered one day. “For him it’s as dark up here as it is down in the cabin.”The old man heard him. Though Aemon’s eyes had dimmed and gone dark, there was nothing wrong with his ears. “I was not born blind,” he reminded them. “When last I passed this way, I saw every rock and tree and whitecap, and watched the grey gulls flying in our wake. I was five-and-thirty and had been a maester of the chain for sixteen years. Egg wanted me to help him rule, but I knew my place was here. He sent me north aboard the Golden Dragon, and insisted that his friend Ser Duncan see me safe to Eastwatch. No recruit had arrived at the Wall with so much pomp since Nymeria sent the Watch six kings in golden fetters. Egg emptied out the dungeons too, so I would not need to say my vows alone. My honor guard, he called them. One was no less a man than Brynden Rivers. Later he was chosen lord commander.”“Bloodraven?” said Dareon. “I know a song about him. ‘A Thousand Eyes, and One,’ it’s called. But I thought he lived a hundred years ago.”“We all did. Once I was as young as you.”

—AFFC, Samwell II

[In the Winterfell crypts, looking at statues of the old Stark lords]:

Lord Beron Stark, who made common cause with Casterly Rock to war against Dagon Greyjoy, Lord of Pyke, in the days when the Seven Kingdoms were ruled in all but name by the bastard sorcerer men called Bloodraven.

—ADWD, The Turncloak (Theon V)

Bittersteel and Bloodraven both loved Shiera Seastar, and the Seven Kingdoms bled.

—ADWD, The Kingbreaker (Barristan III)

Looks like AFFC and ADWD is it for the main books, then. Although there is quite a bit more description of them (well, Bloodraven, at least) in the Dunk and Egg stories:

The realm was full of lawless men these days. The drought showed no signs of ending, and smallfolk by the thousands had taken to the roads, looking for someplace where the rains still fell. Lord Bloodraven had commanded them to return to their own lands and lords, but few obeyed. Many blamed Bloodraven and King Aerys for the drought. It was a judgment from the gods, they said, for the kinslayer is accursed. If they were wise, though, they did not say it loudly. How many eyes does Lord Bloodraven have? ran the riddle Egg had heard in Oldtown. A thousand eyes, and one.Six years ago in King’s Landing, Dunk had seen him with his own two eyes, as he rode a pale horse up the Street of Steel with fifty Raven’s Teeth behind him. That was before King Aerys had ascended to the Iron Throne and made him the Hand, but even so he cut a striking figure, garbed in smoke and scarlet with Dark Sister on his hip. His pallid skin and bone-white hair made him look a living corpse. Across his cheek and chin spread a wine-stain birthmark that was supposed to resemble a red raven, though Dunk only saw an odd-shaped blotch of discolored skin. He stared so hard that Bloodraven felt it. The king’s sorcerer had turned to study him as he went by. He had one eye, and that one red. The other was an empty socket, the gift Bittersteel had given him upon the Redgrass Field. Yet it seemed to Dunk that both eyes had looked right through his skin, down to his very soul.

— The Sworn Sword

“You’ve known queens and princesses. Did they dance with demons and practice the black arts?”“Lady Shiera does. Lord Bloodraven’s paramour. She bathes in blood to keep her beauty.”

— The Sworn Sword

“The Blackwoods will never stomach the Brute of Bracken as a neighbor. It will mean war.”Dunk knew about the ancient enmity between the Blackwoods and the Brackens. “Won’t their liege lord force a peace?”“Alas,” said Septon Sefton, “Lord Tully is a boy of eight, surrounded by women. Riverrun will do little, and King Aerys will do less. Unless some maester writes a book about it, the whole matter may escape his royal notice. Lord Rivers is not like to let any Brackens in to see him. Pray recall, our Hand was born half Blackwood. If he acts at all, it will be only to help his cousins bring the Brute to bay. The Mother marked Lord Rivers on the day that he was born, and Bittersteel marked him once again upon the Redgrass Field.”Dunk knew he meant Bloodraven. Brynden Rivers was the Hand’s true name. His mother had been a Blackwood, his father King Aegon the Fourth.

— The Sworn Sword

“Lord Bloodraven’s not even a real lord, that’s just some stupid courtesy. He’s a sorcerer, and baseborn besides.”“Bastard born, not baseborn.” Bloodraven might not be a real lord, but he was noble on both sides. His mother had been one of the many mistresses of King Aegon the Unworthy. Aegon’s bastards had been the bane of the Seven Kingdoms ever since the old king died. He had legitimized the lot upon his deathbed; not only the Great Bastards like Bloodraven, Bittersteel, and Daemon Blackfyre, whose mothers had been ladies, but even the lesser ones he’d fathered on whores and tavern wenches, merchant’s daughters, mummer’s maidens, and every pretty peasant girl who chanced to catch his eye. Fire and Blood were the words of House Targaryen, but Dunk once heard Ser Arlan say that Aegon’s should have been Wash Her and Bring Her to My Bed.

— The Sworn Sword (note multiple other mentions of Bloodraven within this story, including a description of the Battle of the Redgrass Field)

How many eyes does Lord Bloodraven have? the riddle ran. A thousand eyes, and one. Some claimed the King’s Hand was a student of the dark arts who could change his face, put on the likeness of a one-eyed dog, even turn into a mist. Packs of gaunt gray wolves hunted down his foes, men said, and carrion crows spied for him and whispered secrets in his ear. Most of the tales were only tales, Dunk did not doubt, but no one could doubt that Bloodraven had informers everywhere.He had seen the man once with his own two eyes, back in King’s Landing. White as bone were the skin and hair of Brynden Rivers, and his eye—he had only the one, the other having been lost to his half brother Bittersteel on the Redgrass Field—was red as blood. On cheek and neck he bore the winestain birthmark that had given him his name.

— The Mystery Knight

He was older than Dunk remembered him, with a lined hard face, but his skin was still as pale as bone, and his cheek and neck still bore the ugly winestain birthmark that some people thought looked like a raven. His boots were black, his tunic scarlet. Over it he wore a cloak the color of smoke, fastened with a brooch in the shape of an iron hand. His hair fell to his shoulders, long and white and straight, brushed forward so as to conceal his missing eye, the one that Bittersteel had plucked from him on the Redgrass Field. The eye that remained was very red. How many eyes has Bloodraven? A thousand eyes, and one.

— The Mystery Knight (and again, many other mentions within this story)

Oh, and under the cut are the descriptions of the last greenseer in ADWD’s Bran chapters, so you can see who he is for sure.

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“You’ve known queens and princesses. Did they dance with demons and practice the black arts?” “Lady Shiera does. Lord Bloodraven’s paramour. She bathes in blood to keep her beauty.”

— The Sworn Sword

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Varys describes Aegon to Kevan in a quote I can't post here because of the character limit, but starts with "Aegon has been shaped to rule..." to "Aegon knows kingship is his duty...". He seemed like a decent guy until we actually met him through Tyrion. In an example of telling vs showing, Aegon VI appears rather... douchey. Read again that paragraph with Arya in mind. She fits the description, doesn't she? Is GRRM saying Arya's fit to rule or is it red herring?

Okay, I’m breaking this message up into two parts (it was getting way too long,) starting with your questions about Aegon. I’ll answer the second bit about who’s fit to rule in a second post.

Here’s the full quote:

“He is here. Aegon has been shaped for rule since before he could walk. He has been trained in arms, as befits a knight to be, but that was not the end of his education. He reads and writes, he speaks several tongues, he has studied history and law and poetry. A septa has instructed him in the mysteries of the Faith since he was old enough to understand them. He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows that kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them. Kevan, ADWD

Well, I do feel like we’re lacking the full story on “Aegon” to be honest. We really only have so little of him. (Side note: I’m going to call him Aegon despite the dubious nature of his identity just because it’s easier.)

For the first part, the parts about his education, Varys definitely seems to have been truthful:

Tyrion watched with mismatched eyes, and said, “The boy is bright. You have done well by him. Half the lords in Westeros are not so learned, sad to say. Languages, history, songs, sums…”Tyrion, ADWD

And hisfight with Duck attests to his strength in arms I would think.

The thing is that Aegon could be mad and a total douche as you suggest, or he could just be young enough to come off as bratty to an increasingly morose Tyrion. Considering that Tyrion was more or less antagonizing him during their discussions (to the point that Tyrion is nagging him to pick at his pride and anger him,) it’s really hard to be certain. I lean more to the idea that Aegon is kind of a jerk just because I think the hints are there, and it makes sense from a storytelling perspective, but at the same time, what did he really do? Most of what he does can be explained as being young, foolish, and a brat. He’s only 14 or so (15 maybe.) Around the same age as Jon at the start who has his fair share of bratty moments despite being a good guy. 

He certainly seems better than AGoT!Joffrey (you know, when he was pretending to be a good person.) He’s the one noted to pull Tyrion out of the water when Duck throws him in:

Ser Rolly grabbed Tyrion by the collar. “Let us see how dwarfs swim,” he said, chucking him headlong into the Rhoyne.

The dwarf laughed last; he could paddle passably well, and did … until his legs began to cramp. Young Griff extended him a pole. Tyrion, ADWD

  He also laughs easily.

He pulled off the other boot, then did a cartwheel along the deck, spraying all of them.

Young Griff laughed. “Where did you learn that?” Tyrion, ADWD

He does actual work.

Later, when Young Griff went up on deck to help Yandry with the sails and poles…

At the prow of the Shy Maid, Young Griff stood with the third pole, to push them away from hazards as they loomed up through the mists. 

He’s willing to listen and interested in Tyrion’s advice:

The dwarf pushed his black dragon across a range of mountains. “But what do I know? Your false father is a great lord, and I am just some twisted little monkey man. Still, I’d do things differently.”

That got the boy’s attention. “How differently?” 

If anything, he seems foolish, spoiled, and rash. It’s actually different than Joffrey since he more wants to be involved in battles. He’s stubborn.

The old woman may be right. This place is no good. I feel as if I am back in the privy again, watching my father die. He would go mad as well if he had to spend his days in this grey soup whilst his flesh and bones turned to stone.

Young Griff did not seem to share his misgivings. “Let them try and trouble us, we’ll show them what we’re made of.” Tyrion, ADWD

Griff drew his longsword. “Yollo, light the torches. Lad, take Lemore back to her cabin and stay with her.”

Young Griff gave his father a stubborn look. “Lemore knows where her cabin is. I want to stay.”

“We are sworn to protect you,” Lemore said softly. “I don’t need to be protected. I can use a sword as well as Duck. I’m half a knight.” 

“And half a boy,” said Griff. “Do as you are told. Now.”

The youth cursed under his breath and flung his pole down onto the deck. The sound echoed queerly in the fog, and for a moment it was as if poles were falling around them. “Why should I run and hide? Haldon is staying, and Ysilla. Even Hugor.”

“Aye,” said Tyrion, “but I’m small enough to hide behind a duck.” He thrust half a dozen torches into the brazier’s glowing coals and watched the oiled rags flare up. Don’t stare at the fire, he told himself. The flames would leave him night blind.

“You’re a dwarf,” Young Griff said scornfully.  

“I’ll send a rider,” said Franklyn Flowers, “but the lad won’t much like the idea of staying safe, I tell you that. He wants to be in the thick o’ things.” Connington, ADWD

The prince sat. “We’ve been talking with Strickland and Flowers. They told us about this attack on Storm’s End that you’re planning.”

Jon Connington did not let his fury show. “And did Homeless Harry try to persuade you to delay it?”

“He did, actually,” the prince said, “but I won’t. Harry’s an old maid, isn’t he? You have the right of it, my lord. I want the attack to go ahead … with one change. I mean to lead it.” Jon Connington, ADWD

He definitely acts petulant, but just the desire to lead an attack sets him apart from most of the leaders in ASoIaF actually. He wants to be involved, he wants to do things and get into the fray as opposed to some other leaders we see. Some are content to direct from the background or the ones who want the power but don’t fight for it.

And that is kind of what I interpreted Varys to mean when he says that Aegon “knows kingship is his duty”. He wants to lead the attack from his people, and he’s more proactive and discontent to be pampered and protected from the background. That’s not necessarily smart, mind you, but it could be what Varys meant.

He’s young which could explains a lot of his negative traits that we see.

The lad did not seem appeased. The perfect prince but still half a boy for all that, with little and less experience of the world and all its woes…

 Young Griff arrayed his army for attack, with dragon, elephants, and heavy horse up front. A young man’s formation, as bold as it is foolish. He risks all for the quick kill. Tyrion, ADWD

Tyrion even notes how he has “a young man’s formation, as bold as it is foolish” for cyvasse and that he is “still half a boy” and has “little and less experiences of the world and all its woes.” He’s sheltered and young. He doesn’t seem to be cruel so much as having a temper, being petulant and prone to childish displays of authority.

Young Griff jerked to his feet and kicked over the board. Cyvasse pieces flew in all directions, bouncing and rolling across the deck of the Shy Maid. “Pick those up,” the boy commanded. Tyrion, ADWD

“Escort His Grace to my solar,” he commanded. “At once.”

Prince Aegon Targaryen was not near as biddable as the boy Young Griff had been, however. The better part of an hour had passed before he finally turned up in the solar, with Duck at his side. Connington, ADWD

I would say that he acts like a child, he was sheltered and spoiled and behaves like a brat. But it is very important to remember that Tyrion was antagonizing him. Aegon rose to the bait like a child, but Tyrion was baiting him.

The prince gave him a wary look. “I am sick of cyvasse.”

“Sick of losing to a dwarf, you mean?”

That pricked the lad’s pride, just as Tyrion had known it would. “ 

"Now, how do you suppose this queen will react when you turn up with your begging bowl in hand and say, ‘Good morrow to you, Auntie. I am your nephew, Aegon, returned from the dead. I’ve been hiding on a poleboat all my life, but now I’ve washed the blue dye from my hair and I’d like a dragon, please … and oh, did I mention, my claim to the Iron Throne is stronger than your own?’ ”

Aegon’s mouth twisted in fury. “I will not come to my aunt a beggar. I will come to her a kinsman, with an army.”

“A small army.” There, that’s made him good and angry. The dwarf could not help but think of Joffrey. I have a gift for angering princes. “Queen Daenerys has a large one, and no thanks to you.” 

Smiling, he seized his dragon, flew it across the board. “I hope Your Grace will pardon me. Your king is trapped. Death in four.”

The prince stared at the playing board. “My dragon—”

“—is too far away to save you. You should have moved her to the center of the battle.”

“But you said—”

“I lied. Trust no one. And keep your dragon close.” 

He’s literally jerking the kid around to the point where he notes “There, that’s made him good and angry” because his intention was to piss him off. And then Tyrion lies to him when he’s listening to his advice and throws it in his face.

I’m not saying that Aegon isn’t a douche as you say, but that Tyrion was attempting to piss him off. It’s not the most reliable scene. For someone quick tempered, that can be enough to make them act out of character. But I do think that Aegon is going to end up being likely fake and not that good of a ruler.

As to whether this is an example of show vs. tell, it’s hard to say. It could also be an example of how even with all the right attention and education, you can’t just make someone the perfect king. It’s not possible to create and mold a perfect king because there isn’t one.

The whole idea of the perfect ruler has be deconstructed in ASoIaF. Robb, Stannis, Dany, and Jon for instance all have admirable or good qualities for a leader and yet they also have some really negative traits that hurt them in their attempts to gain/maintain power. In fact, I’d argue that in another fantasy story, Robb Stark would have been the ultimate good guy leader- and yet in ASoIaF, his time in leadership was fraught with issues until eventually he died after only a year in power.

So while Varys and Jon Connington and whoever believe that they’ve created this perfect king, there really isn’t a perfect king.

Of course, it’s also incredibly possible that Aegon is going to turn out to be just- as you put it- a “douche”. In which case, then this is probably show vs. tell. It’s just a little early in my opinion to make that assessment. He’s not a POV character and has only appeared in two POVs (Jon C.’s and Tyrion’s) and not even for that long. I think he’s in about 6 chapters total. So I’m hesitant to declare the guy to not be “decent”.

Still, most of this won’t matter if Aegon turns out to be a fake, which is very possible. 

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I say It runs in the family,  this famine that carries me To such great lengths 

[click on the gifs for more details]

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Am I so hard to love?

The last time she had cried had been when her mother died and she had sworn to herself that she would never cry again.

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Visenya rode Vhagar… Visenya Targaryen was a great warrior. She had a Valyrian steel sword she called ‘Dark Sister’.

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pre-asoiaf characters ♔ Shiera Seastar (unknown)

Shiera Seastar was the last of the Great Bastards of Aegon IV with Lady Serenei of Lys. Shiera was renowned as a famous beauty and seductress, with long Targaryen silver-gold hair, and a heart-shaped face, one blue eye and one green eye. She was a great reader, even at an early age, spoke many languages, and maintained a large and arcane library. She also was reputed to share her mother’s skill in the dark arts. She was known to possess a famous heavy silver necklace, alternating star sapphires and emeralds to compliment her unusual eyes. Shiera never married, but took many lovers, and numerous duels were fought for her favor. Her half-brother Bloodraven was her most ardent suitor, and repeatedly proposed marriage to her. Her other half-brother Bittersteel was said to have also desired her, which only served to increase the hatred between Bloodraven and Bittersteel. There were rumors that she bathed in the blood of maidens to retain her beauty.

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sea dragon by wolverrain

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FIRE AND BLOOD

Aegon Targaryen was the conqueror of the Seven Kingdoms and the founder of the ruling Targaryen dynasty of Westeros. Tall, broad shouldered and with purple eyes and cut short silver-gold hair, he was very charismatic and commanding. He was married to his sisters Rhaenys and Visenya. The first one was known as less stern and more playful, curious and graceful, also interested in music and poetry. Visenya was a passionate, temperamental woman. She was both stern and sensual, more voluptuous than her sister, more passionate, but with a dark and unforgiving side. The Targaryens came from Dragonstone to Westeros, and for years he planned his conquest of the Seven Kingdoms. When he was ready, he and his two sister-wives landed with his army on the east coast of Westeros at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush. With the aid of their three dragons, Vhagar, Meraxes, and Balerion,  Aegon led the Targaryen army to victory after victory, conquering or subjugating six of the seven kingdoms of the Westeros continent and establishing the Riverlands as a separate region. He failed to conquer Dorne, however, and eventually was forced to respect their autonomy.

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GOT FAN CASTS: Charlize Theron as Rhaenyra Targaryen

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Had any man ever been so beautiful?  He was more than a man, though. His blood was the blood of  old Valyria, the blood of dragons and gods.

She was ten when she finally saw her prince in the flesh, at the tourney her lord father had thrown to welcome King Aerys to the west. 

Seventeen and new to knighthood, Rhaegar Targaryen had worn black plate over golden ringmail when he cantered onto the lists. Long streamers of red and gold and orange silk had floated behind his helm, like flames. Two of her uncles fell before his lance, along with a dozen of her father’s finest jousters, the flower of the west. By night the prince played his silver harp and made her weep. When she had been presented to him, Cersei had almost drowned in the depths of his sad purple eyes. He has been wounded, she recalled thinking, but I will mend his hurt when we are wed. Next to Rhaegar, even her beautiful Jaime had seemed no more than a callow boy. The prince is going to be my husband, she had thought, giddy with excitement, and when the old king dies I’ll be the queen.

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Tom Hiddleston would be a PERFECT Rhaegar Targaryen

Imagine him playing the high harp & wearling purple contact lenses.

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targaryen meme - four happy badass targaryen scenes └ Cutting off the Braids

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Targaryen Dynasty Dreamcast ➤ Elaena Targaryen

Elaena and her sisters Rhaena and Daena were the infamous sisters of King Baelor I Targaryen who were housed in the Maidenvault, known as the “Three Maids in the Tower.” Baelor imprisoned them in comfortable confinement so the sight of them would not tempt him or others in his court to mortal lusts. She was locked away at age of eleven. Unhappy with her brother, she cut off her famous braid in protest. She married three times, twice at a king’s behest and once for passion, and gave birth to seven trueborn children. She then declared that if seven was sufficient for the Gods, it would do for her as well. Although she had three husbands during her lifetime, the great love of her life was her cousin, Alyn Velaryon, with whom she had two bastard children, Jon and Jeyne Waters. She was known as shrewd and intelligent, to the point that even though her husband sat on the king’s small council as Master of Coin, it was widely known that she was the one performing the duties.

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"BRYNDEN RIVERS" BY CARL FAULKNER

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