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the-king-andthe-lionheart · 3 years ago

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The Fundamentals of Gendrya

So I just want to establish the possible foreshadowing Arya and Gendry have that hints at a possible romantic relationship in the future, as well as the romantic undertones present in their story. I’m not really going to focus on symbolism in this meta (although it will come up a couple of times in a minor way), as that will be a focus for future meta. This is only meant to establish the fundamental basics.

First I want to say that when I’m talking about the romantic possibility of Gendrya, I mean future Gendrya, as in once Arya is older. However I will posit and say that because we are viewing this in the world of Westeros (in a pseudo Medieval world that GRRM exaggerated and sensationalized from real Medieval sources as well as rumor) and because GRRM has established he has no problems with placing his younger characters in romantic or sexual situations (see Mercy TWOW) I think it would be remiss to think GRRM would not take Arya and Gendry here if that was his plan all along. After all, there is plenty of precedent.

This also leads me to remind everyone that Gendry is not an adult when he meets Arya, and the age gap between the two is one of the least egregious age gaps in the books as most of the age gaps are between adult men in their 20’s and 30’s with 12-16 year old girl’s. I think a lot of people think of the age gap as Arya being 9 the whole time and Gendry being 16, but this is in fact wrong. According to the timeline, Arya and Gendry meet at the beginning of 299 AC, right around Arya’s 10th birthday. In 299 AC Gendry was only 13/14 years old. He was born in 284 AC and is not the same age as Robb and Jon, like Ned surmises. Gendry is just big for his age, and it’s highly likely Gendry doesn’t even know how old he is. When Arya and Gendry separate in ASOS Arya is almost 11 while Gendry is 14/15 years old.

Regardless, this is fiction, and doesn’t reflect real world morals. So what I’m getting at is that if anyone disagrees with this meta because of their ages I suggest you don’t read any further.

Foreshadowing

Our first hint of foreshadowing happens in Arya’s very first chapter:

She frowned down at them with dismay and glanced over to where her sister Sansa sat among the other girls. Sansa's needlework was exquisite. Everyone said so. “Sansa's work is as pretty as she is,” Septa Mordane told their lady mother once. “She has such fine, delicate hands.” When Lady Catelyn had asked about Arya, the septa had sniffed. “Arya has the hands of a blacksmith.” - Arya I AGOT

This quote is later followed up with:

[...] “I ruined that gown Lady Smallwood gave me, and I don't sew so good.” She chewed her lip. “I don't sew very well, I mean. Septa Mordane used to say I had a blacksmith's hands.”

Gendry hooted. “Those soft little things,” he called out. “You couldn't even hold a hammer.” - Arya VII ASOS

In the same book Lem Lemoncloak says this to Gendry:

“You must be a lackwit, boy,” said Lem. “We're outlaws. Lowborn scum, most of us, except for his lordship. Don't think it'll be like Tom's fool songs neither. You won't be stealing no kisses from a princess, nor riding in no tourneys in stolen armor. You join us, you'll end with your neck in a noose, or your head mounted up above some castle gate.” - Arya VII ASOS

At this point Arya is indeed a princess, but Lem also makes an obvious reference (to the audience) to the Knight of the Laughing Tree, which I think we can safely say was Lyanna. The fact that Lyanna is Arya’s literary mirror, tells me we can connect Arya to Lem’s comment, not to mention the inclusion of “princess” just kind of seals the deal. We also know that Arya is the spitting image of Lyanna and Gendry the spitting image of Robert Baratheon. I think it’s worth noting also that after Acorn Hall, Lem takes it upon himself to make sure nothing untoward happens between Arya and Gendry (he thought Gendry was taking advantage of Arya after they wrestled) as he starts sleeping in between them, which is seen in Arya V ASOS when they are at The Peach. Lem saying “Don’t think it’ll be like Tom’s fool songs neither” is also interesting because at Acorn Hall we specifically get Tom singing a love song directed towards Arya and Gendry.

Speaking of Lyanna and Robert being reflections of Arya (in both appearance and personality) and Gendry (in appearance for the most part) this is said in Eddard I AGOT:

We were meant to rule together. If Lyanna had lived, we should have been brothers, bound by blood as well as affection. Well, it is not too late. I have a son. You have a daughter. My Joff and your Sansa shall join our houses, as Lyanna and I might once have done."

Now this quote may be referring to Sansa and Joffrey, but I do think it’s foreshadowing for Gendrya and this is just a misdirect. After all, Joffrey is not Robert Baratheon’s son by blood, but Gendry is, even though he is illegitimate. To me this also sounds like a promise. When you think about it, the story truly begins at the Tourney of Harrenhal with the events that broke the betrothal between Lyanna and Robert, so it would be very cyclical for the ending to do what the beginning could not, binding a Stark and a Baratheon together in marriage.

There are also several references about Arya marrying an apprentice/blacksmith:

“[...] Or if it is marriage and children you desire, tell me, and we shall find a husband for you. Some honest apprentice boy, a rich old man, a seafarer, whatever you desire.” - Arya II AFFC

We also have a comment made by Jaime:

“Not all,” said Jaime. “Lord Eddard's daughters live. One has just been wed. The other...” Brienne, where are you? Have you found her? “...if the gods are good, she'll forget she was a Stark. She'll wed some burly blacksmith or fat-faced innkeep, fill his house with children, and never need to fear that some knight might come along to smash their heads against a wall.” - Jaime I ADWD

Now I know what you are going to say, that Jaime is referring to Sansa possibly marrying a blacksmith or innkeep, but if it weren’t for Jaime’s thought’s in the middle towards Brienne, you’d never guess which Stark daughter he is referring to because Sansa was only just recently married as well. Also it’s Arya who is associated with a blacksmith (Gendry) and a fat-faced innkeep (Hot Pie). So while Jaime is referring to Sansa here I think we are meant to actually look at the reality behind this and reverse the foreshadowing back onto Arya, because it wasn’t Arya who was recently wed, that was Sansa. It’s also Arya who is legitimately trying to forget she was a Stark (Sansa isn’t trying to forget, she is only pretending to be Alayne to ensure her protection) and like I mentioned it’s Arya who had a blacksmith and future employee at an inn as companions for two novels. So I think it’s a foreshadowing switcheroo. And I think it’s also worth mentioning that while Jaime sent Brienne out to save Sansa, Brienne spends her whole journey almost exclusively hearing news and following leads about Arya.

There is also a reference in Brienne VII AFFC that makes mention that Arya may marry an apprentice boy:

Gendry was the closest thing to a man grown, but it was Willow shouting all the orders, as if she were a queen in her castle and the other children were no more than servants.

If she were highborn, command would come naturally to her, and deference to them. Brienne wondered whether Willow might be more than she appeared. The girl was too young and too plain to be Sansa Stark, but she was of the right age to be the younger sister, and even Lady Catelyn had said that Arya lacked her sister's beauty. Brown hair, brown eyes, skinny...could it be? Arya Stark's hair was brown, she recalled, but Brienne was not sure about the color of her eyes. Brown and brown, was that it? Could it be that she did not die at Saltpans after all?

“One day that little girl [Willow] will make some man a frightful wife,” Ser Hyle observed. “That poor 'prentice boy [Gendry], most like.”

Willow is very obviously a Arya stand-in which makes this specific quote about Arya and Gendry, not Willow and Gendry.

Arya IV ASOS has the strongest case for future romantic Gendrya. Not only does Gendry follow after Arya and invite her to look at the forge, Gendry opens up to her about his life right before he was uprooted, and does this:

Gendry reached out with the tongs as if to pinch her face, but Arya swatted them away.

Gendry is being playful and open with Arya during most of this scene in the forge, teasing her in a manner that verges on flirting, telling her a story about his past, laughing and having fun with Arya. And then this happens:

Gendry put the hammer down and looked at her. “You look different now. Like a proper little girl.”

“I look like an oak tree, with all these stupid acorns.”

“Nice, though. A nice oak tree.” He stepped closer, and sniffed at her. “You even smell nice for a change.”

“You don't. You stink.” Arya shoved him back against the anvil and made to run, but Gendry caught her arm. She stuck a foot between his legs and tripped him, but he yanked her down with him, and they rolled across the floor of the smithy. He was very strong, but she was quicker. Every time he tried to hold her still she wiggled free and punched him. Gendry only laughed at the blows, which made her mad. He finally caught both her wrists in one hand and started to tickle her with the other, so Arya slammed her knee between his legs, and wrenched free. Both of them were covered in dirt, and one sleeve was torn on her stupid acorn dress. “I bet I don't look so nice now,” she shouted.

Gendry compliments Arya’s looks and scent, only for Arya to think he’s teasing her about her appearance due to her intense insecurity when it comes to highborn conformation (Gendry’s laugh when he first saw her didn’t help matters in her insecurity even though Gendry most likely only laughed out of being startled at her transformation). This insecurity leads Arya into getting angry and starting a wrestling match with him. This wrestling scene also directly follows Jaime and Brienne’s very sexually charged sword fight, and could also be interpreted as foreshadowing a romantic and potentially sexual relationship in the future, like theirs did, when they are older.

Now I’m not saying that I think Gendrya is going to go NC-17 in the books, but I do think it’s likely to go PG-13 by the end of ADOS, considering we have precedent that GRRM has no qualms about writing these types of things as I mentioned above, and we know Arya is going to be 12 in TWOW and may be at least 14-15 when the series ends depending on how much GRRM can spread out the timeline in the next two books. But considering the amount of stuff that needs to happen, I think the next two books will span 2-3 years before the epilogue begins.

Then there is the love song GRRM specifically wrote for Arya. A song that has only appeared in one chapter, Arya’s chapter:

“My featherbed is deep and soft,

and there I'll lay you down,

I'll dress you all in yellow silk,

and on your head a crown.

For you shall be my lady love,

and I shall be your lord.

I'll always keep you warm and safe,

and guard you with my sword.

“And how she smiled and how she laughed,

the maiden of the tree.

She spun away and said to him,

no featherbed for me.

I'll wear a gown of golden leaves,

and bind my hair with grass,

But you can be my forest love,

and me your forest lass.”

Now we know this song is about them because when Tom O’Sevens is singing it, he winks at Arya, and later Lady Smallwood specifically says to Arya “I have no gowns of leaves”. The song specifically mentions yellow – a Baratheon color – and depicts the free spirited “Maiden of the Tree” who wants love on her own terms, which sounds like what an older, flowered version of Arya would want if she fell in love.

Romantic Undertones

Arya’s Crush

As she passed the armory, Arya heard the ring of a hammer. A deep orange glow shone through the high windows. She climbed to the roof and peeked down. Gendry was beating out a breastplate. When he worked, nothing existed for him but metal, bellows, fire. The hammer was like part of his arm. She watched the play of muscles in his chest and listened to the steel music he made. He's strong, she thought. As he took up the long-handled tongs to dip the breastplate into the quenching trough, Arya slithered through the window and leapt down to the floor beside him. - Arya IX ACOK

It’s very subtle but this paragraph tells us everything. Arya unintentionally reveals in this quote that she watches Gendry blacksmithing enough to know that the world falls away when he’s in his element. She watches the play of muscles in his back and notes how strong he is and even attaches poetic language to his work. Arya has a crush on Gendry. It’s not acknowledged and it’s likely she doesn’t understand it herself, but this seems to be the truth of it, especially with the way GRRM worded this. I don’t know how many times I’ve read a romance where the protagonist studies their love interest while watching the “play of muscles” in their back or their arms. It’s also interesting to note that Arya always mentions specifics about Gendry’s looks and notes details about him:

He blinked at her, startled. Strands of thick black hair, still wet from the bathhouse, fell across his deep blue eyes. "I'd hurt you." - Arya II ACOK

"It's me they want," Arya whispered back. His ear smelled of soap. "You be quiet." - Arya II ACOK

When she spied Gendry, his bare chest was slick with sweat, but the blue eyes under the heavy black hair had the stubborn look she remembered. - Arya VIII ACOK

"She's not alone." Gendry rode out from behind the cottage wall, and behind him Hot Pie, leading her horse. In his chainmail shirt with a sword in his hand, Gendry looked almost a man grown, and dangerous. Hot Pie looked like Hot Pie. - Arya II ASOS

Now most of these I’d normally chalk up to the author just being descriptive, but if that’s the case, why don’t we know more about Hot Pie’s looks, who Arya spent nearly a year with at the same time as Gendry? Why does she take special time out to describe Gendry so much? Honestly I think part of it is to keep reminding us that Gendry is a secret Baratheon bastard, but that doesn’t explain the first quote about Arya watching the “play of muscles” in his back and noting how strong he is. So I think it’s a combination of GRRM wanting to remind the audience that Gendry is a Baratheon and to also subtly show us that Arya has an innocent crush on him, but doesn’t know or acknowledge that this is the case out loud.

Their Mutual Jealousy

Starting after the events of Acorn Hall in Arya IV ASOS, it’s obvious that something shifts in Arya and Gendry’s relationship. One aspect is that Gendry can no longer ignore that Arya is indeed a highborn girl after seeing her for the first time dressed up as one. He knows what class differences will mean for their friendship. And another aspect, is that Gendry acknowledges that he may be romantically interested in Arya, or at least acknowledges the potential for those feelings to emerge in time. And because of this, combined with their class differences, Gendry knows that if he follows Arya to Riverrun where her mother and brother are, he would end up watching Arya grow into someone he could romantically love, only for her to be torn away from him due to an arranged marriage. Both of these aspects play a factor in why we see Gendry become more outwardly scathing towards highborns in the chapters following this and why his behavior seems to become one rife with jealousy.

In Arya V ASOS the Brotherhood Without Banners travel to The Peach and both of the above aspects I spoke of are present in this chapter:

"You don't even know what a brothel is."

"I do so," she insisted. "It's like an inn, with girls."

He was turning red again. "What are you doing here, then?" he demanded. "A brothel's no fit place for no bloody highborn lady, everybody knows that."

And when Gendry protects Arya from a pervert by saying that she’s his sister, this is what goes down:

"Why did you say that?" Arya hopped to her feet. "You're not my brother."

"That's right," he said angrily. "I'm too bloody lowborn to be kin to m'lady high."

Arya was taken aback by the fury in his voice. "That's not the way I meant it."

"Yes it is." He sat down on the bench, cradling a cup of wine between his hands. "Go away. I want to drink this wine in peace. Then maybe I'll go find that black-haired girl and ring her bell for her."

Arya doesn’t really understand the intentions of the pervert, despite knowing of sex, and is confused on why Gendry would say that he’s her brother, but when she asks him, he takes it the wrong way since he is already so sensitive about their class differences at this point in their story. That last paragraph is what makes this exchange really interesting though. Why would Gendry say this, when it’s already made clear and established in this chapter that Gendry has no intentions of sleeping with any of the girls, even when it’s offered to him for free? He is very obviously lying to try to get a rise out of Arya and the only way this makes sense is if we put it under a romantic lens.

Then we have this:

Arya whirled and left him there. A stupid bullheaded bastard boy, that's all he is. He could ring all the bells he wanted, it was nothing to her.

Now considering Arya’s defense mechanism (the mechanism that has her calling things or people stupid when she’s hurt or feeling inadequate by them to try to make the pain and hurt not seem so severe) the fact that she calls Gendry a “stupid bullheaded bastard boy” and proclaims Gendry ringing the bells of any girl was “nothing to her” tells us that it matters to her and that she’s upset. This is further reiterated in Arya VIII ASOS:

Arya wished she had another crabapple to bounce off his face. "My father had honor," she said angrily. "And we weren't talking to you anyway. Why don't you go back to Stoney Sept and ring that girl's stupid bells?"

So here we have Arya mention this three chapters later, likely weeks if not months later. If Arya didn’t care about Gendry ringing “all the bells he wanted” then why is she still so hurt and jealous? She’s obviously been stewing about this for a while.

In this same chapter we also see gems from Gendry that clearly proclaim that he’s still plagued about his class differences to Arya. It also clearly shows that Gendry is jealous of Edric Dayne once Arya befriends him, especially since she befriended someone highborn, like her, who just so happens to be a boy who we know has nearly the same coloring as Rhaegar Targaryen, which evokes the history repeating motif that is present in Arya’s arc of the Rhaegar/Lyanna/Robert love triangle.

"You have a knife," Gendry suggested. "If your hair annoys you so much, shave your bloody head."

He doesn't like Ned. The squire seemed nice enough to Arya; maybe a little shy, but good-natured. She had always heard that Dornishmen were small and swarthy, with black hair and small black eyes, but Ned had big blue eyes, so dark that they looked almost purple. And his hair was a pale blond, more ash than honey. - Arya VIII ASOS

And

"My lady?" Ned looked embarrassed. "I'm Edric Dayne, the . . . the Lord of Starfall."

Behind them, Gendry groaned. "Lords and ladies," he proclaimed in a disgusted tone. Arya plucked a withered crabapple off a passing branch and whipped it at him, bouncing it off his thick bull head. "Ow," he said. "That hurt." He felt the skin above his eye. "What kind of lady throws crabapples at people?"

"The bad kind," said Arya, suddenly contrite.

Gendry continues to encapsulate “ours is the fury” during Arya’s whole exchange with Edric Dayne.

I do want to add that I know Gendry’s class issues have always been there, and it’s definitely been made even more apparent to him during the War of the Five Kings during his time in the wartorn Riverlands with Arya, so it’s not exactly that far-fetched that Gendry may become even more sensitive and/or bitter about it. However, this extremity of his behavior only happened after Acorn Hall where he saw Arya looking like the highborn girl she is. And while I do believe part of Gendry’s increase of bitterness about their class differences does have to do with potential romantic feelings, I also think it has to do with Gendry also coming to terms with the fact that Arya’s family is also directly responsible for the carnage they have seen and experienced (even though he doesn’t blame Arya, as she seems to be one of Gendry’s exceptions when it comes to his dislike of the nobility). If it weren’t for the blatant flirting on his behalf in the forge at Acorn Hall and the jealousy, I would honestly chalk it up to Gendry trying to reconcile his own trauma and anger regarding highborns, including Arya’s family’s sins, but alas, that is not completely the case.

Post Separation

When Arya is kidnapped by the Hound and witnesses the Red Wedding, Arya contemplates where she may go and this crosses her thoughts in a very romanticized light:

She could stay with Hot Pie, or maybe Lord Beric would find her there. Anguy would teach her to use a bow, and she could ride with Gendry and be an outlaw, like Wenda the White Fawn in the songs.

But that was just stupid, like something Sansa might dream. - Arya XII ASOS

The fact that Arya follows this thought up with “that was just stupid, like something Sansa might dream” tells us specifically what type of fantasy this is. Arya isn’t fantasizing about an adventure, she’s fantasizing about love and romance, considering those are the types of flights of fancy Sansa always loses herself in. Now Arya isn’t outright rejecting the possibility of romance here, because there is more to that second paragraph:

But that was just stupid, like something Sansa might dream. Hot Pie and Gendry had left her just as soon as they could, and Lord Beric and the outlaws only wanted to ransom her, just like the Hound. None of them wanted her around. They were never my pack, not even Hot Pie and Gendry. I was stupid to think so, just a stupid little girl, and no wolf at all.

She rejects the possibility because she remembers that Hot Pie and Gendry abandoned her as soon as they could, and that all the Brotherhood did was use her, according to her perspective on the matter. And her perspective is entirely skewed because of her abandonment and low self-esteem issues, as well as not fully understanding the class issues as she honestly didn’t think that bringing Hot Pie and Gendry to Riverrun and Winterfell would cause any issues with their friendships, which is understandable for a kid to think. Especially one that hadn’t been in the highborn world for the past year and a half. In fact, Medieval children in the real world and in the books, weren’t reprimanded for playing together regardless of class, usually the highborn children played with the children of those who worked and lived within the castle walls, from other lords children to stewards children to the helps children. It’s just something children did until they reached a certain age where it just wasn’t allowed anymore. So it’s only natural for this not to really factor into Arya’s plans.

When Arya is about to walk into the House of Black and White, Arya comforts her fear with a memory of Gendry:

Suddenly she was somewhere else . . . back in Harrenhal with Gendry [...] - Arya I AFFC

Which indicates that Gendry is still very much on her mind at this point. I think it really says something as well that Arya takes comfort from a memory at Harrenhal of all places. I think this indicates how much comfort she took from their friendship. I also think she doesn’t think about Gendry with the Brotherhood to take her comfort because while ASOS has the most romantic foreshadowing for them and the two shared some nice moments, it was also the start of them truly fracturing, or so her unreliable narration interpreted it as. After all, she actually thought that Gendry was making fun of her looks at Acorn Hall, and she thought Gendry didn’t want to be her friend anymore as he “abandoned her” for the Brotherhood. So while Harrenhal was awful and they had their disagreements there, Arya still felt reassured with his companionship and likely found it uncomplicated in comparison to her other problems at the time.

When we next see Gendry in Brienne VII AFFC we see a drastically different Gendry. While Gendry has always been guarded and sullen with a chip on his shoulder, with little love for the nobility, this change is drastic enough where it’s unsettling to read at first. Not only is Gendry just flat out rude in a very mean way but he is filled with rage. Gendry joined the Brotherhood because he liked how they handled justice, but under Lady Stoneheart there is no justice and he doesn’t seem to mind. His beliefs have shifted as well.

And though his eyes had been that same deep blue, Lord Renly's eyes had always been warm and welcoming, full of laughter, whereas this boy's eyes brimmed with anger and suspicion.

Septon Meribald asked if he might lead the children in a grace, ignoring the small girl crawling naked across the table. "Aye," said Willow, snatching up the crawler before she reached the porridge. So they bowed their heads together and thanked the Father and the Mother for their bounty . . . all but the black-haired boy from the forge, who crossed his arms against his chest and sat glowering as the others prayed. Brienne was not the only one to notice. When the prayer was done Septon Meribald looked across the table, and said, "Do you have no love for the gods, son?"

"Not for your gods." Gendry stood abruptly. "I have work to do." He stalked out without a bite of food.

Gendry was at his forge, bare-chested beneath his leather apron. He was beating on a sword as if he wished it were a foe [...]

What would a knight be doing working at a smithy? "You have black hair and blue eyes, and you were born in the shadow of the Red Keep. Has no one ever remarked upon your face?"

"What's wrong with my face? It's not as ugly as yours."

Lord Renly was ahead of her, her sweet smiling king. He was leading her horse through the trees. Brienne called out to tell him how much she loved him, but when he turned to scowl at her, she saw that he was not Renly after all. Renly never scowled. He always had a smile for me, she thought . . . except . . .

While some people chalk up Gendry’s behavior as a result of trauma about what he experienced in the Riverlands, and I don’t deny that is a factor, I don’t believe it’s the only factor because we didn’t see Gendry like this post Harrenhal or even with the Brotherhood in ASOS. Yes he embodied “ours is the fury” at times and was jealous and bitter, and rude at times as well, but he wasn’t flat out cruel to people, nor filled with rage and vengeance. The Gendry before Arya was taken would never have led Brienne to Lady Stoneheart for the slaughter after she tried to save everyone in that Inn against Rorge and Biter and co. We can also see another difference in Gendry:

Lightning cracked to the south as the riders swung down off their horses. For half a heartbeat darkness turned to day. An axe gleamed silvery blue, light shimmered off mail and plate, and beneath the dark hood of the lead rider Brienne glimpsed an iron snout and rows of steel teeth, snarling.

Gendry saw it too. "Him."

While there is no emphasis on the “him” when Gendry sees the Hound’s helm, it’s an abrupt and emotionless statement. It’s one word without emphasis but it conveys a lot. Gendry recognizes the Hound’s helm and it’s apparent he’s not happy, thinking that it was indeed the Hound for a minute. And while I’m trying to avoid discussing symbolism, I just can’t ignore how the lightning that cracked in the south could also be symbolic of Gendry’s true mood. He is, after all, a bastard Baratheon, connected to the storm, the fury - thunder and lightning - as well as sharing a connection to the god, Thor in our mythology. This lightning could symbolically be linked to Gendry’s anger and vengeance. So why does Gendry act like this when he sees who he thinks is the Hound again? He had no issue with the Hound during his trial by combat, so what changed? The Hound kidnapped Arya. And while he knows Arya didn’t die at the Red Wedding, he and the Brotherhood aren’t entirely sure if the Hound sold Arya to the Lannister’s and if she is now Arya Bolton. So it makes complete sense why he would have issues with the Hound. In fact I think a lot of this behavior we are seeing from Gendry is the direct result of the Hound kidnapping Arya and not knowing if she’s dead or being brutally raped and tortured in the North.

Why do I think this? Because this behavior began between Arya being kidnapped in ASOS and Brienne VII AFFC. Only a few to a handful of months have passed since then. This, I believe, is the inciting incident. Another reason why I believe Arya is the reason is because of what he is doing. He is staying at the Crossroads Inn, one of the last known places Arya was sighted, and he’s helping take care of orphaned children. Arya took in strays as well and cared for them, like Weasel. And considering how Gendry in ACOK wanted to leave Weasel and Hot Pie and Lommy behind, it’s interesting to see that he’s helping by taking in strays himself now, as if he thinks he may be able to atone for not saving Arya. Another reason is because the Brotherhood is actively searching for Arya as well. She is ever present on their minds. So yes, I believe part of Gendry’s change has to do with losing Arya, which goes to show how much he really cared about her. Not to mention (a tiny bit more symbolism, oopsie!), Gendry’s stay at the inn, waiting for Arya to return (I believe Gendry and the BWB are hoping that Arya is alive and will return to the inn) is a romantic aspect to the mythology of Weyland the Smith and his Swan Maiden/Valkyrie, and the aspect about the Brotherhood + Gendry searching the realm for Arya is also a romantic Cinderella motif, hence why I feel Gendry’s behavior here is supposed to have romantic subtext.

Extra: Another interesting aspect that I think foreshadows this future relationship is the meaning of Gendry’s name. Gendry is a nickname type of surname for a person who has inherited his family estates from his father-in-law, deriving its origin from the Old French word “gendre,” which meant “son-in-law.” And as we know if Arya and Gendry married when they were older, Arya wouldn’t be taking his name, but he hers, due to her higher status. So by marrying into the Stark family, he would be inheriting from his father-in-law Ned so to speak, even if it’s just inheriting the surname.

So this is everything I’ve compiled so far about Gendrya, that relies on just their foreshadowing and romantic undertones in the texts we have available but I’m positive I’ll be adding more to this list once TWOW officially releases. However, I still have a lot more to share that focuses on their symbolism and motifs throughout the story, so I’m definitely not done making Gendrya meta, far from it and I can’t wait to share it with you all!

And if anyone is interested in Arya’s and by extension Gendrya’s Cinderella motifs, you can find it at this link: A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.

#arya stark #gendry waters #gendry baratheon #gendrya #asoiaf

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mylifeincinema · 3 years ago

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My Best of 2021: My Top 10 Films!

It’s time! This was really tough for me, this year. I had a handful that I was really in love with, but outside of that, there was just a bunch that I really liked and had to do the impossible by narrowing them down and sorting them into something that captured 2021 as a whole. I think I did it... I think. A quick reminder that My Top 10 Films isn’t necessarily a list of the ‘best’, or ‘my favorite’, but rather a mix of the two that takes both sides of the A&E into as equal consideration as humanly possible.

Before we dive into things, here are some Honorable Mentions, a few of which spent some time in the Top 10: Florian Zeller’s The Father; Denis Villeneuve’s Dune; David Lowery’s The Green Knight; Ilya Naishuller’s Nobody; Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel.

And finally, without further ado…

My Top 10 Films of 2021!!

10. James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad

James Gunn delivers the ultra-violent, silly, hilarious, insane celebration of lower-tier DC villains that comic book fans deserved. His unique mix of over-the-top violence and wholly genuine heart works wonders, here, and turns this one from an all-out assault on the senses to a stylized love letter to some of DC’s more absurd creations.

9. Pablo Larraín‘s Spencer

I’d be fine if we just had Pablo Larraín do all the biopics from here on out. Between this and Jackie, he’s showed how much more effective and interesting a more intimate or even surreal approach to the biopic really is. He and Kristen Stewart do what I thought was impossible, here, and make me genuinely care about Princess Diana.

8. Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth

Pretty much every single decision made on this project works. From the sparse production design to the rich, shadow and fog filled cinematography; from the editing choices down to the approach to the performances. Everything just works. Coen takes this masterwork and translates it in a way that strips it down to its core, making for a striking, emotionally impactful piece of cinema.

7. Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast

Beautiful. A powerful coming-of-age story about change and what home and family truly mean. Ciarán Hinds and Caitriona Balfe are magnificent, Judi Dench steals many a moment with brilliant delivery, and newcomer Jude Hill shines, giving us the rare child performance that goes beyond precociousness and cute line delivery. Branagh’s direction is his best since 1996′s Hamlet, mixing a sense of nostalgia with the warped point-of-view of childhood and the harsh acceptance of reality, all while beautifully utilizing the transformative production design.

6. Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch

Unsurprisingly delightful. This is indeed a love letter to journalists of a lost era; one that only Wes Anderson could possibly deliver. It’s cleverly and creatively constructed to maximize not only the truly fantastic cast and screenplay, but also the always beautiful Yeoman cinematography, the trademark mind-blowing, meticulous production design one has come to expect from a Wes Anderson film and yet another magnificently whimsical score by the yet-to-disappoint Alexandre Desplat.

5. Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: No Way Home

Brilliantly utilizing nostalgia, themes and plot devices already teased/established in other Phase Four projects, as well as this new Phase’s willingness to completely dismantle and restructure everything that came before it, No Way Home succeeds so completely by so gleefully giving in to the fans. Fan-service has long been one of the ways Feige and Marvel Studios has delivered such popular, well-received films. Taking that fan-service and toying with it to create something the fans didn’t know they wanted is how they’ve been able to build such a rock-solid, interconnected MCU. No Way Home is all of that at it’s best. On top of that, it delivers a story that’s emotionally resonant, bringing Peter Parker to a turning point that completely reshapes the character within the MCU.

4. Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story

Steven Spielberg really is the greatest to ever do it, folks. That’s more than evident with this, the remake of one of Hollywood’s all-time great musicals and Spielberg’s first time tackling the genre. There’s absolutely no reason a remake of West Side Story should be this damn good, and yet, here we are. Spielberg moves the camera through these scenes as though he’s the first to bring these brilliant songs to life on screen. His work is immersive and emotional riveting in a way that would have you think this wasn’t his first musical, but his fiftieth. The ensemble only add to Spielberg’s fresh, relevant vision and instill each and every number with the thrills, chemistry and humor with which they were already teeming.

3. Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley

An incredible, dark, unforgiving film noir with a vicious bite that would make its source material proud. Guillermo del Toro directs the shit out of this, the screenplay is wonderfully twisty and shocking and completely willing to go pitch-black, the cast follows suit, exuding a pitch perfect vitriol throughout, and the cinematography and production design set the tone of it all so impossibly well.

2. Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog

Expertly paced and powerfully ambiguous, Jane Campion’s adaptation of Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel explores the story’s themes with such tense patience and understanding of the characters and their world. The Power of the Dog is the Best Film of 2021.

And My Favorite Film of 2021 is…

1. Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza

Holy shit, I loved this movie.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza is a hilarious, reminiscent, and cleverly honest coming-of-age story about the sloppiness of first love. It never abandons any of what it has to say about coming-of-age in favor of wisdom about first love, and vice-versa. It’s so impossibly balanced and smoothly weaves in and out of anecdotal scene after anecdotal scene the way one may navigate through treasured and painful memories alike.

Thank you for reading…

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

More of My Best of 2021...

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dustedmagazine · 2 years ago

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The Mountain Goats—Bleed Out (Merge)

Bleed Out by The Mountain Goats

John Darnielle spent the COVID lockdown watching action movies, obsessing, as he has in the past, on the mythic qualities of male violence. Bleed Out, as a result, is even more than usually rife with desperate characters — tough guys, militia men, mercenaries, special forces dudes, muscle for hire — all the more frightening because of their absolute certainty. Whether training for the knock-out round or ordering bullet-proof armor on Amazon, every one of his guys is a hero, at least in his own estimation. “We’re going to need more bandages,” shrills Darnielle late in the album, and indeed, the potential for collateral damage is very, very high.

It's at least tangentially interesting that this paean to/send-up of/commentary on toxic masculinity was produced by a woman, Alicia Bognanno of Bully. But maybe it’s more relevant that it was helmed by a rocker. This 21st Mountain Goats studio album is a stripped down, punch-drunk, rock ‘n roll affair, less suave and slinky than the Stax-infused Dark in Here, more brutally forceful than Knives Out. The band—as always Darnielle, plus Peter Hughes on bass and other instruments, reedist Matt Douglas and Jon Wurster on drums—is especially tight and emphatic. “Training Montage” begins, as Mountain Goats songs often do, with the tense staccato of guitar strums, the barked-out litany of well-chosen details, but it explodes like a footballer’s bicycle kick after Darnielle declares, “I’m doing this for revenge.”

We can argue all day about why men are the way they are right now (or ever), whether it’s economic anxiety or thwarted supremacy that’s pushed them to load up on ammo. But there’s no question that a thread of violence runs through every place where the male sex gathers, from the trading desk to the factory floor to the gun show. It’s not just in the movies that Darnielle has been watching. There’s an every-man-for-himself tilt to the world, where even the soccer dads and middle-management types might find themselves nodding along to lyrics like, “It’s losers all the way down, stay undefeated.” That’s from the album’s flat-out banger, “Wage Wars, Get Rich, Die Handsome,” a sing-along celebration of nihilism that pounds and punches and exults in itself. The song is not exactly uncomplicated — its lyrics are typically oblique and astute — but it reads that way.

The best of these noir-ish vignettes, however, is to my ears “Guys on Every Corner.” With a squall of sax and a sledge-hammer bass riff, it moves with a sleek assurance. It’s a decadent, polished kind of boogie, and it is layered over with terse, precise lyrics that build up an entire world between the ellipses. As Darnielle yelps out lines about tabloid stars and unmarked cars, special forces and inside sources, and mounted police in riot gear, the song turns lurid with threat.

These songs aren’t exactly ripped from the headlines, but you can’t hear the line “We may run out of bullets/we’re never going to run out of hostages” (from “Hostages”) without thinking of Uvalde and Buffalo and whatever mass shooting occurs between now and when you read this review. Darnielle never mentions January 6, but how can you hear “Need More Bandages” without flashing on the Oath Keepers. What I mean to say is that the imagery may have come from forgotten 1970s films, but it’s everywhere around us now, and we all know what happens to the minor characters in action movies.

Jennifer Kelly

#dusted magazine #albumreview #jennifer kelly #mountain goats #bleed out #merge records #john darnielle #toxic masculinity #action movies

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fierypen37 · 2 years ago

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Virtue a Veil, Vice a Mask: Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The closeness and filth of Pentos made Jon itch. He’d become accustomed to the open air of the Dothraki Sea, or in the comfortable idyll of their island home on Dragonstone. The heat was oppressive, humid air like breathing through a sodden rag. A wet rag would’ve been a mite more pleasant, given the thick fug of body odor, sour wine, dung, spices, midden heaps and perfumes that diffused the air. Even King’s Landing had smelled better. The stench was so thick, Jon could taste it. Even late in the evening with torches hissing in their sconces, the roads were crowded. Foot traffic crammed close, palanquins, sedan chairs, horses and carriages. No elephants, thank the gods.

One did not refuse an invitation from Magister Iliyrio. Not even princes and khaleesis. Another reason for his vigilance and itching. Daenerys had ridden ahead to meet their host. Jon disliked being separated from her—even when it was for honest business. Silly, perhaps, especially since they had been married for three years now, but Jon couldn’t shake the feeling. He reached for that distant inner glow of Vyrmax. Jon felt the impression of seeking, of flight. Hunting, with his brothers. Stay close. Just in case. As he and Dany had discovered in bonding with the dragons, it wasn’t so much about the words, but the essence, the intent of the message. This one was of watching, of protection. He felt the glow of understanding and severed the link.

Jon clicked his tongue, urging Shadow on with a murmur. He dared their host to object to his state of dress—he came to Pentos in his leather gambeson and hauberk, his sword Nightfall at his hip.

“This perfumed man must offer gifts to tempt us to the city, Khal Ahesh,” Rakharo said in Dothraki.

“Indeed. Gold and gifts,” Jon said. The horselord words were awkward on Jon’s tongue, but he managed. Princes, prefects, and magisters still would attempt to woo them, expensive gifts for the Mother of Dragons and her husband, a Prince of Westeros. They did not want for riches. The khalasar now stood at five thousand riders strong. Enough to protect Daenerys. Their cottage on the island was built. Their peaceable life was pleasant. But the itch persisted. Could one become bored with happiness and freedom?

As their horses wended their way through Pentos’ thoroughfares, Jon’s thoughts turned to his father. Three years away from home, and naught a raven to be seen. He’d corresponded with Tyrion, with Uncle, Aunt Catelyn, and his passel of cousins, even his half-brother Aegon had sent a raven offering his greetings after their lord father crowned his wife Monterra Velaryon Princess of Dragonstone. It was a polite missive and mollified some of Jon’s old hurts. Perhaps in adulthood, separated by a sea, they could forge a new and better relationship. But his father, the mighty King Rhaegar Targaryen . . . not a word. He was a busy man, codifying and updating laws of the realm, reoutfitting the Night’s Watch, rebuilding the royal fleet, but still, the silence stung.

Perhaps once he and Daenerys set foot on the sands of Blackwater Rush, dismounting the first dragons seen by Westerosi eyes in three hundred years, perhaps then he would merit notice. Jon had promised to arrive for the christening of Tyrion’s son, Tytos, but some deep instinct warned against it. The khalasar had been too small, the dragons too young. Soon, then. Cousin Robb had announced his troth with Margaery Tyrell of the Reach. Perhaps when they wed in the godswood of Winterfell, Jon and Dany could make their appearance.

Magister Illyrio’s manse sprawled across a hilltop with warrens of lavish rooms. The gates were ornate wrought iron, black as dragon’s teeth in the dying light. Beyond, Jon heard the trill of music beyond and smell the richness of cooking meat. Two Unsullied crossed their spears across the mouth of the gate.

“Jon Targaryen to see Magister Illyrio,” Jon said in High Valyrian, leaning down from horseback to offer the invitation. The stone-faced Unsullied, a watery-eyed Qartheen, squinted first at the invitation, then at Jon. He returned the look flatly. True, he was garbed more as a prosperous sellsword than a prince, but damn it, he was invited!

“Welcome, Targaryen,” the guard said, ushering him within at a gesture. Jon swung down from Shadow and handed him off to a waiting groom in cloth of gold livery. The itch between his shoulder blades worsened upon the close press of gaudily dressed nobles. So much like . . . An impish grin spread on his face.

Daenerys scrutinized her reflection in the mirror one of Magister Illyrio’s servants held. The gown was lavender watered silk, so fine it felt like running her fingers through a cloud. Cinched with a belt woven with opals and gold-soled sandals on her feet, she felt like a princess—and disliked it. She missed the comfort of her leathers and sandsilk. She missed the communal chatter of her women as they arranged their hair or chose their dresses. The perfect silence save for the hollow drip of water in the bath made her uneasy. She missed Missandei’s wit, Grey Worm’s comforting presence. The servants too, with their collars and downcast eyes, made something quiver in her belly. And the bad memories that stirred along with it, like silt from the bottom of a clear pool. Slaves in all but name . . . as she had been. Chattel for a horselord’s pleasure.

“I can see just as well with the mirror on the table. You needn’t hold it,” Daenerys said, unable to keep the edge of concern from her tone. The girl’s arms were trembling.

“I—I can manage, my lady,” she said in a small voice. Daenerys ended the debate by taking the mirror from her hands and setting it on the sideboard.

“See?” she said with a grin, “much better.”

Daenerys fretted with her hair, tugging the braids loose for the third time. Her silver hair fell in a crimped wave nearly to her waist. Another of Illyrio’s servants fluttered, dabbing perfume, sliding bracelets and rings on her fingers. The pearl ring—her mother’s ring—she wore on her index finger, and never took off.

She and the magister spent the afternoon negotiating trade terms. Daenerys and Jon’s khalasar had a decent hold on a corner of the Sea and traded with both Dothraki and Lhazareen. Naturally, the magister wanted a cut of profits in arranging shipping, but it was a mutually beneficial agreement. The magister was offhanded and generous after their business was concluded. ‘A beauty such as yours deserves to be celebrated, my dear.’ Dany did delight in being able to make herself beautiful for Jon—such a rare pleasure. A blush bloomed at the memory of her trying on an old gown for him in the Qartheen style. Her wild husband had tackled her, torn the gown off with his teeth and taken her on the floor of their tent. The idea of seeing him again in the midst of a crowd. Have him see and want her so . . . gooseflesh stippled her skin.

“Thank you, ladies. I shall take my leave,” she said.

The servants curtsied deeply, and the wavering candlelight shone off their ornate brass collars. With the soft pad of silk slippers, they escorted her through the winding halls to the courtyard. Candles danced like fireflies, the air dense with the smell of jasmine, sizzling meat and the close smell of sweat. Servants wove through the glittering throngs with sweetmeats and cordials of plum wine.

She recognized Rakharo’s lanky height and long black braid lingering near the cook, where he and Kovarro snagged morsels as soon as they were cut. Daenerys giggled at their antics. Her gaze wandered, searching for Jon as she sipped the sweet cordial. The taste of summer sang on her tongue, plums and honey and sunshine. She glimpsed Grey Worm and Missandei dancing to music only they could hear, nestled close together. The sight made her heart melt.

The feeling faded as the immensity of Magister Illyrio cut through the throngs like a barge down a sparkling river. He grinned with his long yellow teeth.

“Good evening, khaleesi. I am grateful you chose to take advantage of my offer,” he said, capturing her hand for a kiss, “you look ravishing.” Daenerys’ answering smile as thin as a stiletto. Jon did not know of the year she had spent in this very manse, awaiting her marriage to Khal Drogo. He knew magisters courted her as a lost princess, but not who or when. Had he known, there was no possibility he would have let her ride ahead to treat with the magister alone. In truth, Dany wished to protect Jon. He was Rhaegar’s son, after all. A princely prize for those so inclined. Sons were more prized for a reason.

“Magister, you are as famed for your generosity as you are your wealth,” Daenerys said with a honeyed smile. The steps of this dance returned to her quickly—though for the years of her marriage to Jon, she hadn’t needed them. Forthright as he was, Jon spoke from his heart with ease. Magister Illyrio gave a polite laugh and followed her gaze to where her bloodriders ate.

“You needn’t worry, magister. The blood of my blood will obey your rules as guests,” Daenerys said.

“My thanks, khaleesi. I imagine they have been quite busy,” he said. At her puzzled look, he continued. He’s never needed much incentive to hear his own voice.

“Your bloodriders must be busy defending your honor from Dothraki who would rather die than follow a woman to war.”

Ire kindled. Just a woman. How often had she heard those words bandied about as if an insult? A woman with a clear head and a strong stomach. A woman who called forth dragons from stone. A woman who could walk through fire unharmed. Just a woman, indeed!

“No I would say my sons are the best deterrent, Magister,” Daenerys said with faint savage emphasis. Let him remember that his role in selling her to Khal Drogo had not been forgiven. A ghost of a flinch danced across the magister’s face.

“I imagine so, khaleesi. Enjoy the party. I must see to my guests,” he said briskly. Daenerys drained her glass and took up another. Where was Jon? She traded pleasantries and gossip as she waded through the glittering throngs. The cordial settled amicably in her belly, leaving her pleasantly flushed and muddled. The hot press of the close bodies stifled her, and she sought the quiet of an alcove. The music and voices were faraway, like figures in a dream. Daenerys closed her eyes and breathed deep of the coming night. The flickering light of the torches danced in red patterns behind her eyelids.

“Are you well, my lady?” a deep voice murmured in her ear.

A grin spread on her face as she turned to face Jon. He stole her breath, looking lean and dangerous in the gambeson she’d sown for him. Wild hair pulled away from the strong bones of his face. Tonight though, he wore black silk mask. A crude thing, the eyeholes looked gouged with an eating knife, and tied unevenly behind his head. Still, the sight made her heart turn topsy-turvy. The memory of the night they met washed over her. His awkward gallantry, his honest desire, his kind honorable heart—gods, there was no way she couldn’t love him. Jon gave an elaborate bow over her captured hand and kissed her knuckles. A delicate graze of his teeth made her shudder. Wine always roused her lust, and the sight of his grey eyes dancing behind the mask sent arousal skittering through her veins.

“What is such a lovely lady doing without an escort?” Jon asked, deepening his voice to a lower, harsher register. Dany chewed delicately on her lower lip. To act as strangers, to dance and flirt—what fun!

“My h—husband should return soon, I think, ser,” she said, affecting a coy timidity. Jon kept his grip on her hand, his thumb stroking idle circles on her inner wrist.

“A fool to leave such a gorgeous creature,” he rumbled. Dany snatched her hand away.

“Ser, you are impertinent!” she said, biting down on her lower lip to fight a smile. A sinful smirk stretched Jon’s full lips. He advanced and Dany took matching steps backward until her back pressed against the stone wall, still warm from the sun’s heat. Dany’s hands plucked at gossamer of her gown.

“Apologies, milady. No offense meant. Still . . .” he brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Dany shivered at the delicate touch. Jon loomed close, so close that delicious scent of him, spicy and strong and masculine, filled her nose.

“Still, you tempt me,” Jon murmured. Arousal kindled in a low ache in her belly. Dany clenched her thighs together around that blossoming glow.

“Why do you wear a mask, ser?” she whispered. Jon laughed, but not his usual sharp bark of mirth, more as if he played at something more roguish. Dany loved him for it.

“Let’s just say there are more husbands I’d rather not meet,” he drawled, tilting his chin.

“Oh?” Dany said. If she loved her own gallant, honest Jon, then this swaggering philanderer persona roused her. Daenerys leaned closer, mesmerized by the striations in his grey eyes, framed by those long lashes. Their noses brushed, Dany could smell cordial on his breath. He would taste syrupy sweet.

“Aye. This sweet Lysene girl failed to mention her Dothraki husband.”

“Oh, Dothraki! I hear they are fearsome.”

“Oh, indeed. Quite so. Though he was cruel to this one, and she was so young. I took exception to this, and she is now a happy widow.”

“How gallant!” Dany said, her throat closing. Jon would have protected her from Drogo and Qotho, with all of his might. Jon leaned against the wall, trapping her close. He combed a stray strand of her hair between his fingers, rubbing it as if trying to test the fibers.

“Are you happy with this husband of yours, milady?” he purred, nuzzling the shell of her ear with his nose. His breath was a hot, delicate caress.

“I will liberate you, if you wish,” he murmured.

“He is kind enough though . . .” Dany said, with a coy shrug, hinting at all manner of longing. Jon chuckled, nudging his knee between her thighs. A small noise rose in her throat. Jon lapped up a bead of sweat from the side of her neck. The delicate lap of his tongue made her shudder.

“He leaves you wanting, love? Do you need more?” he rasped, his fingertips circling her nipple through the thin protection of her gown. Pleasure was a whisper, a taste that made her yearn for more. Dany clenched her legs, rocking against the hard strength of his thigh. It wasn’t enough.

“Yes. Please,” she said breathily.

“Yes, love. I’ll take care of you.” He kissed her. Slow, drugging kisses, as if all he wanted in the world was to kiss her. Dany opened for him, tasting the sweetness of the wine and Jon. Both familiar and thrilling with the banquet just beyond the lattices of ivy and his improvised mask tickling her upper lip. Jon’s tongue teased hers, his chin angling to deepen the kiss. Rough fingers plucked and teased at her nipples. Dany’s hands clutched at the heavy leather of his gambeson, frustrated the naked heat of him was hidden beneath his clothes. Helpless, she ground against the strength of his thigh. Jon peeled back and chuckled. Gods, he looked like a dark god with his black mask and grey eyes, full lips swollen and red from their kisses.

“Patience, my lady. You needn’t strive for your pleasure, I’ll give it freely,” he murmured.

“Let me see you,” she breathed. Echoing his own impassioned plea the night they met. The cocksure expression softened and he peeled the mask off.

“So handsome,” she said, just for the pleasure of seeing the apples of his cheeks redden. Her bashful love. Jon pawed for the hem of her gown, teased down the soaked silken smallclothes to pool around her ankles.

“Mm, my Dany, my wonder, my love,” he murmured, sealing each word with an open kiss along her throat. Unerringly, he teased that spot on her neck until she shivered. He craned his neck lower, nuzzling her breasts through the gossamer fabric. A cry eked out. One rough hand covered her mouth.

“There now. Cry out all you wish, love. I’ll make it good for you,” he promised, watching her face as he sucked her nipple through her gown. Dany clenched her eyes shut. The sensation of his mouth rode the line between pleasure and pain. Her breasts and nipples especially had been tender of late. The touch softened to a gentler suction and she bit her lip to contain a moan. Those clever fingers opened her folds. Another smug chuckle and some of the swagger overcame her loving husband’s face.

“So wet for me, love. You could come from just a touch, hmm?” his breath was warm against her skin. Dany squirmed in his implacable grip, pulling free of his hand to drag him down for another deep kiss. She nipped at his lower lip in challenge. Jon growled, circling her pearl with his thumb as he eased one finger inside. Slick and hot. She gasped, pleasure rising with each tiny movement.

“Jon,” she moaned as the crest pierced her.

“Yesss,” Jon hissed, laving the sweat from the tops of her breasts.

“More. More. I want you in me,” Dany hissed.

“As you command,” Jon said with the approximation of a bow. Roused to a fever pitch, Dany shoved him back and attacked the fastening of his sword belt. Jon helped her, shoving the trousers down just enough. Dany’s mouth watered at the sight of his cock standing red and eager, fluid beaded at the tip. Jon guided her hands to brace on the wall. Dany arched her back, eager for that heavy push of his cock in her. Jon wadded her fine gown at the small of her back and stroked her arse.

“Mm, so lovely. Any man alive would count himself blessed to love you, my wonder,” he said, his voice rough with arousal and emotion. Dany bit her lip to stifle tears. Emotion bubbled up all too easily. Jon gripped her hip as he slid inside. Perfect. A key to a lock, a sword to its perfect scabbard. Jon thrust with sharp snaps of his hips, urgent and hungry. The tide built again. Yes yes yes, there! That exquisite spot within her that his cock stroked so wonderfully. Her arms collapsed, she pressed her cheek against the rough stone wall as she shuddered through another release. Jon stilled.

“Dany? Are you well, love?” he whispered, petting her back soothingly, the game forgotten. Dany straightened a little, realizing her face was wet with tears. Pleasure surged lazily through her.

“Yes, Jon. It’s so good. It’s always so good,” she murmured, deliciously aware of him hard and throbbing inside her. The worry on his face dissolved into delirious pleasure.

“Aye. I’ll never get enough,” he said, stirring pleasure with each delicious heavy thrust.

“Me either,” she gasped, already teetering on the cusp. This time, the explosion was mutual. In the aftermath, Jon’s strong arms held her up. Dany leaned into his strength and his affectionate nuzzle. The prickle of his beard tickled the curve of neck and shoulder.

“Qoy Qoyi? Qoy Qoyi!” Rakharo’s voice floated through the lattice. Jon cursed, yanking up his trousers. Dany giggled. The discarded mask served well enough to clean up.

“What is it, blood of my blood? I am with the khal,” Daenerys said in Dothraki. There was a snigger from the other side, Kovarro, she guessed.

“It is no secret when you both are out of sight, you are most likely fucking,” Rakharo said in the same tongue. A glance at Jon saw him blushing again. Three years together and he still blushed. Gods, she loved him.

“Why interrupt us, then?” Jon barked.

“The fat man is making a speech,” Kovarro said. Dany and Jon shared a glance. They were flushed and sweaty, reeking of sex. It would be seemly to excuse themselves. Still, this was surely not the first time one of the magister’s parties devolved into debauchery.

“We’re coming,” Dany said, taking Jon’s hand.

The speech hadn’t been worth disrupting more dalliance with his wife. Boring platitudes to the assembled peers, promises of wealth and prosperity. So very boring. The reality of ruling a khalasar: finding grazing lands, game, adequate water, avoiding rival khalasars unless provoked . . . it was much more satisfying to Jon. Ruling men was the same whether it was in a council chamber or astride a Dothraki stallion, but. . . there was unity, clarity of purpose with the Dothraki that Westerosi or Essosi nobility lacked. Simply put, nobles wished for their arses to be kissed and boots licked, which Jon loathed.

“What do you know of the Unsullied?” Jon asked around a jaw-cracking yawn. He had an idea and it was as restless as the vague itch within his soul. An idea that needed Dany’s knowledge. The time was somewhere in the small hours of the night. The banquet still raged within one of Illyrio’s multitude of rooms, but he and Dany had retired to bathe and rest. Dany curled away from him on the bed, gave a sleepy murmur.

“Hmm?”

Jon chuckled, curling close to kiss behind her ear.

“Nevermind. Dream sweetly,” he said, rolling on his back to stare at the murals painted on the ceiling. Tomorrow they would talk, and perhaps conquer.

Jon awoke to the comfortable pressure of Dany’s back against his. Sun streamed in from the high stained-glass window. Even in this minor guest room, the manse dripped opulence. Mosaics of vines and gardens covered one wall. The bed was large enough to fit five, with a down mattress and satin hangings. Jon rolled over, trying not to disturb Dany. She made a small distressed sound and Jon kissed her bare shoulder.

“Dany?” he whispered. Dany stirred and cursed.

“Jon. Jon a basin!” she said urgently. Naked, Jon jumped up and snatched the basin at the ewer stand. He held it off the edge of the bed just in time for Dany to retch. Jon combed back her hair and murmured sympathetic words, caught between pity and amusement. It was rare Dany overindulged. Usually, their roles were reversed.

“My poor love! Too much wine?” he asked as the spasms subsided. Dany answered him with a groan, curling into a ball. He set the basin outside the door, rang the bell for a servant to fetch another, and dampened a cloth with water from the ewer. He mopped the sheen of sweat from her brow, helped her rinse her mouth and clean her teeth. Dany flopped back on the bed, clutching her belly.

“I suppose so,” Dany’s voice was a hoarse rasp, “I must’ve drank more than I thought.”

Jon chuckled and drew her close to rest her head on his chest. His designs could wait until she was feeling better.

#jonerys fanfiction #daenerys targaryen #jon snow #virute a veil vice a mask #smut #road trip with dragons

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fandom-writer642 · 4 years ago

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Street Rat Christmas

Summary: It’s (Y/n)’s first Christmas season with their new family but they don’t want to give up an old tradition. The problem? Jason and Selina are the only one’s in the family that have heard of the tradition, a Street Rat Christmas. The Batfamily, the Kent’s, and the Outlaws are going to be in for the culture shock of their lives as they find out why Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning are always so peaceful in the City of Demons, no matter the crimes that took place just before.

Note: Gender Neutral!Reader, Sweet and Friendly!Reader

Warning: Mention of Death

•••

Yet another sigh escaped from (Y/n)’s lips as they watched the snow gently fall to the ground through the window. The book that they were reading was abandoned in their lap as their (e/c) eyes watched the snowflakes shine and float down in the golden sunlight. Damian couldn’t help but frown at his sibling’s actions, he had been with his father for the past five years and he himself understood that Christmas was a time to be happy. Yet, he couldn’t seem to wrap his head around the fact that his normally happy sibling was depressed. Even Damian felt rather pleasant and calm during the two days the holiday was overly focused on.

“Is something the matter (L/n)? Typically you’re more chipper.”

“It’s just my first Christmas without my parents,” (Y/n) replied to him rather sadly. They were remembering how fun Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning always was for their family. Perhaps they could sneak out tonight and join the festivities? “It’s strange, we would be out preparing by now.”

Damian gave (Y/n) a rather quizzical look at that. He understood when they said that they would miss their parents, he couldn’t blame them. However, (Y/n) didn’t come from an amazing or rich family so the preparation note caught him off guard. (Y/n) could’ve been dubbed a street rat by many different people before Bruce had adopted them, and Damian was pretty sure that they had been called a street rat before. Hearing them say preparing was a strange thing, it wasn’t possible for their family since they couldn’t afford something big. Yet, it sounded like a yearly thing for his newest sibling to go through during the holiday season. (Y/n) shot him a smile before they left for their room, taking their book with them. Damian left the study shortly after (Y/n) had left and found himself at the enterance of the living room.

The room was lovely and had many decorations hung up around the room, making it look like the room had been part of a winter wonderland competition and the music in the background was a nice touch. Dick was sitting in an arm chair with Kori on his lap as the pair talked to Roy and Jason who sat on the closer end of the couch. Tim was talking to Kon and Lois on the other side of the couch while Cass talked quietly with Steph, Barbara, and Kate. Selina was sitting next to Bruce as he talked with Clark who had Jon at his side. The room was rather busy with chatter and far too loud for his tastes but he had learned to live with it at this point.

“Hey Damian!” Jon called out to his friend when he noticed him at the entryway. All conversation turn to a pivoting stop to the point that the sweet Christmas songs filled the air of the room. It was a known fact that Damian didn’t spend much time with his family on Christmas Eve until after lunch which was in two hours. “I was wondering where you were.”

Damian nodded his own greeting and understanding to his friend’s words. “I’m sure Jon. I’m however curious about something that doesn’t quite involve me but it does involve (L/n).”

That had caught the whole room’s attention. Everyone knew that (Y/n) was a helpful and sweet soul with little to absolutely no hurtful bone in their whole body.

“Is she alright?” Dick asked worriedly.

“Currently, I’m unaware. I’m well aware that it is their first Christmas without their family but they said something that peaked my interest.”

“What was it?”

“Well, they simply said that their family and themself would be out preparing for some sort of event at this point in time.”

Damian didn’t miss the look that Selina and Jason shared with the other, or the faint smiles on their lips. They had a look in their eyes that was similar if not identical to the one (Y/n) had held not that long ago.

“Preparing for what?” Tim asked curiously. His younger sibling tended to keep closer to Damian and Jason more than anyone else the family knew with the exception perhaps being Alfred.

Damian simply shook his head and kept himself from insulting the older boy, “I’m unaware. It simply peaked my interest because as we all know, (L/n) didn’t come from a very financially stable family. The way that they talked made it sound like an annual event.”

“A tradition on Christmas Eve? In Gotham?” Roy had almost laughed in disbelief. “That’s completely ridiculous. You said it yourself demon spawn, (Y/N) came from a pretty poor family, they don’t exactly have an overwhelming amount their family and them could do.

“No true,” Jason cut off before anyone could agree with his redhead friend. “I actually knew (Y/n) before she ever even met Bruce and moved in because of the festivities that take place on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Most people call it a Street Rat Christmas but the official term is a Street Rat Holiday. To put it simply, it’s the only break any street rat or poor family tends to get throughout the whole year.”

Bruce leaned forward at the newly acquired information. To him it sounded just like a charity event that takes place on Christmas Eve and Christmas in the worker side of town. The man couldn’t help but feel surprised that he had never heard of such an event even though he lived in Gotham for so long.

“How much do you know about it?” Tim asked.

“A lot,” Jason replied with a simple shrug of his shoulders. “I still tend to go every Christmas Eve no matter what. I don’t count the years I was either dead or presumably dead but I still go, I don’t care if there is a mission, I go.”

“What happens?

“Peace,” Jason smiled slightly. “We should go tonight. You guys just can’t attack or snap at anyone, you have to enjoy yourselves.”

“Why on earth would we snap or attack?” Dick spoke in surprise.

Jason couldn’t stop the small snort or the smirk pulling on his face. “Villains attend the festivities as well. There was an arrangement made between the villains, people, and GCPD that as long as they didn’t harm or make any sort of threats to anyone for that night or the next morning that they could attend.”

“And people talk and interact with them?” Kate spoke up, looking rather stunned by the information.

Selina couldn’t help but nod in agreement, “indeed. I attended a few years back and (Y/n) was there with their family while talking to all sorts of people. They mostly talked to Riddler, Two-Face, and Penguin when it came to interacting with the villains but they did interact with every villain. That includes Joker. Their family was always active in helping set up the event.

Jon had perked up like a puppy dog before speeding out of the room and up the stairs before coming back with a rather flustered looking (Y/n) in his arms. Gently he set them down on the floor which caused them to let out a small sigh of relief. It wasn’t like they didn’t trust Jon, they did, but it was different when he came into their room, picked them up and rushed them down to the living room at super speed. They were still getting used to the whole “living with superheroes” thing as it had only been two months since they moved in.

“What is going on?” They questioned after a moment.

“Just talking about how a Street Rat Christmas functions,” Jason replied to his younger sibling.

No one could miss the way that (Y/n)’s eyes had lit up at the mention of the event. They seemed happier almost immediately at the reminder of the event.

“Oh! Can we go?” (Y/n) turned to Bruce with large kitten eyes that Selina most definitely approved of. “Pleeeeaaaassseee?”

Bruce chuckled at his child’s beg for approval. He already knew what his choice was going to be but first, “I want to know more about this event before I agree to anything.”

“Well, where did I leave off?” Selina wondered. The newest family addition sat on the floor near Bruce and Selina while dragging Damian down and over with them.

“Villains,” Kori reminded.

Selina snapped her fingers with a smile, “right!”

–––

The group had arrived at a large park filled with people and laughter. A giant tree stood tall in the middle of the park and was decorated with all sorts of different and even strange ordiments that were clearly brought or made by the people at the party. Damian could help but let a faint smile appear on his lips as his sibling dragged him toward the main party.

None of the secret heroes could miss the villains in the crowd that greeted the pair with an honest to god real smile. They even saw Joker gift (Y/n) with a very pretty box, the fact made them tense at the sight but for some reason Jason was calm about it. He was calm about seeing his murderer gift his little sibling with a box that could very easily hold a trigger bomb. It made no sense and yet that is how it played out. The young Wayne had opened the gift with a smile and found it to be a purple and green scarf, something that was clearly made with the help of the Riddler.

The family moved around and tried the different activities such as a snow man building contest (Tim and Dick got third place), a scavenger hunt (Damian, Jason, and (Y/n) had easily won that), dance battle to Christmas music (Selina joined forces with Ivy and they got fifth), create an ordiment to hang on the giant tree, ice Christmas cookies, drink hot cocoa, ice skating, a Christmas song karaoke challenge, and many more events. Homeless kids and families were given blankets and clothes as well as other supplies at the end of the night. At three minutes to midnight everyone had gathered around the tree and many were talking excitedly, the kids especially.

“We wish you a merry Christmas”

The Waynes were surprised when everyone began to sing in perfect harmony, the villains, Jason, (Y/N), Selina, and many others were leading the uncertain children and newcomers in the song. Jason had a young girl in his arms who was singing along with him while looking at the glowing tree.

“We wish you a merry Christmas/ We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year”

Dick, Kori, Roy, and Steph had joined in the singing as well but to their surprise so had Damian. It was much quieter than the others but still noticeable enough.

“Good tidings we bring to you and your kin/We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year”

As everyone sang Bruce had decided one thing, he was going to have to participate in a Street Rat Christmas every year until he died. His family had been happier than they have in ages while Selina, Jason, and (Y/n) all got to keep a familiar tradition close to them and have the time to remember those that they love and miss; they all did.

•••

Merry Christmas and happy holidays! I hope you all have enjoyed this mini story and have a good holiday! I’m so sorry about lack of activity but I’ve been sooooo busy and a lot of things have been going on with my family so I’ve been stressed. Cya next time! I’m planning Batfamily x Reader x Miraculous Ladybug with Damianette in it, I’ve fallen into a hole and I can’t get out. That story will probably be a series but bare with me, I have little to know means to write as of recent do to issues.

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anothertimdrakestan · 4 years ago

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Damijon Christmas Present!

FOR THE DAMIJON SECRET SANTA I HAD... @nymph-patt

dear nymph:

hi love! i haven’t written in a fat minute and i’m a little rusty so bear with me hehehe. i hope you have a wonderful holiday season! all my love -elle!

I’ve got a fluff christmas fic and a lil headcanon for ya!

Merry Stress-mas

“You can’t plan Christmas like a battle strategy Dami,” Jon groaned as Damian wheeled a whiteboard into their living room. “Actually, I’ve found it to be quite similar. Pay attention Kent, I know sticking to the plan has never been your strong suit.” Damian’s foot was tapping like crazy, Jon noted his clear anxiousness- needless to say Damian wasn’t the holiday type. Makes it a million times harder when it’s your first Christmas together as a couple.

*super-couple.

Jon gasped as Damian flipped the whiteboard like a school teacher, revealing meticulously drawn out plans mapped in expo-marker. “We start with my family, we stay until Jason is ten shots in, after that Christmas always becomes a nightmare so we head out. With your super speed it’ll be only an 14 minutes 37 second trip to your family where we stay for the majority of the night. At the end you rush us back to Gotham to console Dick after Bat-Christmas fails as always. Our emergency word is tyrannosaurus should anything go wrong at the drop we flee. Any questions?” Damian was flying through the plans, pointing at bulleted lists and analyzing possible flaws.

Jon took a deep breath, a smile creeping over his face. “I didn’t think you’d care so much about our first Christmas together with our families, it’s kind of sweet.” Lazily he reached for Damian, clinging to his back while Dami shook his head, mumbling as he edited the board. “Not really our first Christmas Kent and I definitely do not care about family tt,” Jon didn’t reply, he just smiled into the crook of Damian’s neck.

“Our suits bring down our aerodynamic potential so I’ve taken the liberty of adjusting our arrival time to 15 minutes 43 seconds. Does that sound accurate?” Jon hummed in response as he straightened Damian’s tie, it was already perfect but he’d take any excuse to get closer to Dami. “Ready my love?” Jon glanced at Damian who was checking his watch. “Yes.” Damian responded, absent mindedly clasping Jon’s hand as they made their way to the mansion.

“DAMI’S HERE!” Steph’s screech announced. She was hanging off the banister as she stole popcorn pieces from the massive tree. “Wonderful- Miss Brown I must ask you don’t eat the decorations tonight, have some festivity,” Alfred shook his head as he made his way to Jon. “Magnificent of you to join us Master Kent, I assume you will also be heading to your family’s festivities as well?” Jon opened his mouth but Damian answered first. “Yes Pennyworth, we plan on just saying for hors devours,” his curt reply brought a knowing smile to Alfred’s lips. “Always planned with you Master Damian,” his accent was playful making Jon chuckle.

Dick descended the stairs, Damian groaned at his bright green and red striped suit, Jon couldn’t help but laugh either. “Hellllooo super boyfriends! Are-You-Readyyyy-For-Tonight!” Dick practically skipped towards the two, pulling them into a tight hug before Damian could slip away. “We won’t be long Grayson we must attend the Kent family Christmas too,” Damian nodded curtly, shifting closer to Jon who got the message and moved forward into the living room.

“Actually, where are all the bat-siblings? And where did Steph run off to?” Jon noticed no one was around but Alfred who was preparing something delicious in the kitchen. Dick began chuckling, a devilish smile spreading across his face. “Oh, everyone is down in the batcave. C’mon.” Damian looked taken-aback but Jon was never to shocked by batfamily-antics.

The two followed Dick to the secret door. “Now, we heard from a little super birdy [Dick winked at Jon who was now openly grinning] that you were a little nervous about having to deal with two Christmas’ this year, so we felt it’d be easier for everyone if we just-” Dick popped open the door to a winter wonderland of a batcave. A large table was put out, filled with their family members. “Merry Christmas!” A chorus of laughter broke out as Damian’s jaw dropped.

At the table were the batfam, Kents, and even a couple speedsters littered around. All were laughing and smiling at one another. It was the biggest family gathering Jon has seen ever. “No need for crazy plans my love, just enjoy tonight with everyone,” Jon whispered to Damian as he scanned the room. “I- How did you- Thank you,” Damian settled on the last words of praise for the wonderful man who made every single day better. “No need for thanks, I’d get you the world if you wanted it, but for now let’s have a very Merry Christmas!” Jon took off towards his family and Damian would help but feel the corners of his lips betray him with a smile. Heart full he made his way down to his family.

“JASON DO NOT FLIRT WITH KARA SHE’S OFF LIMITS!”

“WALLY DID YOU EAT ALL THE COOKIES ALREADY?”

“BRUCE, CLARK, STOP FIGHTING OVER WHO GOT THE OTHER THE BETTER GIFT. YOU’RE BOTH RICH!”

very merry indeed.

Okay so I haven’t absorbed much batfam content at all for weeks so hopefully my spin on the HC is still cute : )

I don’t think Jon gets enough credit for how observant he is.

Too often Jon is forgotten, the second super boy, the sidekick, the boyfriend, the man who left everyone for space.

It’s true, technically. But Jon is so keen at reading those around him, especially the un-readable Damian Wayne that I would argue it’s a super skill in of itself.

He gets it from his mother you know, Superman was always a little dense, but, though no one believes it, he always had Lois to help him out. Too often the quieter, smarter, more analytical side gets forgotten and that’s no different with Jon. His friends don’t see the way he checks up on them, taking in their facial expressions and reading them to know the right thing to say at the right time to help them out. They don’t realize he spent whole days memorizing their heart beats and their breaths to know if they’re ever in peril. And they don’t see the way he looks at them so fondly, beyond grateful they’re in his life.

Lois sees it.

She saw it when Jon met Damian.

A young boy mesmerized by the wittiness and strength in the human boy. The greatest irony, the Superboy more human than the murder weapon now called “Robin”. But the two hit it off almost instantly- though Damian may not agree to that last bit.

Lois knew Jon adored Damian, every deep red was “Robin Red” every Wayne Ent. building they walked past brought up stories of his adventures with the youngest Wayne, every Justice League trip meant begging for his dad to send him to Gotham for the weekend while he was out. He was young, but Lois knew a pair of soulmates when she saw them.

There were these nights when they were teens. Jon would burst out of bed and rush to his mother. He never needed to say anything. There was this look in his eyes, Damian needs me. “Go” she’d always whisper, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead thinking back to when Clark would do the same for her.

She remembers the frantic December weeks Jon spent toiling on Damian’s Christmas gift. “What do I give a trillionaire who has the world?” Jon would whine and mope around the house for any semblance of inspiration.

Your heart Jon, all he wants is your love. Lois always thought to herself, she was quite aware of the two boy’s growing infatuation with each other, her husband was always slower in the “feelings” department and if he was slow she imagined Bruce was a damn sloth. So, she let the boys feel safe in her presence. Damian slowly spent more time at her home when Clark was out, she grew to have a sort of friendship with Damian. He’d comment on whatever news article she recently wrote, endure a three second reply and be on his way. She was always astounded at how up to date he was on all her pieces.

Lois was always proud of the love Jon showed Damian. She’d be the first to tell Bruce he needed to hug his damn kids, but there was a special kind of caring Jon held only for Damian. A love woven only for the two of them. Like an invisible string linking them no matter where in the universe the other was at, there was a friendship, a kindness, a passion, a love.

Overtime, Jon’s analysis of Damian led him to his own feelings. And over an even longer period of time Damian discovered his own. Jon never stopped caring, he never stopped worrying, and he never stopped loving.

Those, are the parts of Superman that Damian, and the world, need most.

Merry Christmas! <3

#damijon #jondami #shoutout whelm for putting this together u rock #damian wayne #jon kent #damian wayne x jon #damian x jon #damian wayne x jon kent #batfam #batfam christmas #batboys #batboys christmas #lois lane #superboy #superboy headcanon #damijon headcanon #jon kent headcanon

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aboveallarescuer · 4 years ago

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I know you've gotten anons about the YMBQ prophecy recently but I was wondering in what context could it be obvious for the reader that Daenerys is the YMBQ if Cersei is most likely to die or leave KL once Aegon arrives and not Daenerys. Even if Daenerys takes KL later on wouldn't he technically be the one to take all she holds dear (her power as regent)?

First of all, Anon, I think it’s interesting that you say that Young Griff (rather than Arianne) would take all that Cersei holds dear in this hypothetical scenario (that most people assume will come to pass). asoiaf tumblr fandom loved (loves?) to take for granted that Arianne would be YMBQ (after all, it was/is taken for granted that she would marry Young Griff and become his queen consort) years ago. At the same time, though, I’m not sure if you’re implying that Young Griff might actually be the one to fulfill the YMB(Q) prophecy in this ask. I actually saw this theory before. So I’m going to make counterarguments to this theory first and then address your question about how and when Dany might be revealed as the YMBQ (and if that’s what you were specifically looking for, just skip to the end, though you might be disappointed by the fact that I'm not really providing definitive answers because I have a lot of doubts myself).

In a way, it makes more sense for Young Griff to fulfill the prophecy rather than Arianne. Let’s remember what Cersei wants the most, which is shown in the beginning of her very first chapter:

She dreamt she sat the Iron Throne, high above them all. (AFFC Cersei I)

Unfortunately for Cersei, she can’t ever actually sit the Iron Throne, which is pointed out several times:

Cersei shifted in her seat as he went on, wondering how long she must endure his hectoring. Behind her loomed the Iron Throne, its barbs and blades throwing twisted shadows across the floor. Only the king or his Hand could sit upon the throne itself. Cersei sat by its foot, in a seat of gilded wood piled with crimson cushions. (AFFC Cersei V)

Seated on her gold-and-crimson high seat beneath the Iron Throne, Cersei could feel a growing tightness in her neck. (AFFC Cersei VII)

Cersei sat beneath the Iron Throne, clad in green silk and golden lace. (AFFC Cersei X)

As the first quote states, only the king or the Hand can sit the Iron Throne, which is what Cersei wants the most, since, to her, it symbolizes almost unlimited power ("high above them all"). Indeed, I would argue that what Cersei holds dear is the chance to reign supreme (“The rule was hers; Cersei did not mean to give it up until Tommen came of age. [...] If Margaery Tyrell thinks to cheat me of my hour in the sun, she had bloody well think again.”), not “her power as regent” (as you put it), which is limited by nature. After all, the king’s wife and mother can’t sit the Iron Throne. This means three things to me:

Queen consorts like Margaery or Arianne (if she actually marries Young Griff, which is far from certain) can’t take all that Cersei holds dear.

Queens claiming power in their own right but who have no claim to the Iron Throne are excluded too. In other words, Asha or QitN!Sansa (another fan theory that’s far from certain and that’s accepted as future canon) can’t take all that Cersei holds dear.

Only a she-king (that is, a queen regnant) with a claim to the Iron Throne can take all that Cersei holds dear - that’s Dany.

But then, we have Young Griff. He is a king with a claim to the Iron Throne, so he could, in theory, take what Cersei holds dear and fulfill the prophecy. However, I find that very unlikely for a number of reasons:

GRRM doesn’t highlight men’s physical appearances or objectify them in the same way that he does with women, as a lot of people have already criticized him for. He makes a point of mentioning women’s accomplishments along with overpraise for their physical appearances (though one might be generous and chalk that up to social commentary about how their society objectifies women instead of giving them their due praise for what they do). He encourages his fans to speculate about who is the YMB(Q) and pit his female characters against each other based on their physical appearances (e.g., people have criticized how Sansa stans often mention the number of times the word “beautiful” appears in Sansa’s chapters to back up their belief that she’s the YMB(Q), but the way GRRM himself wrote the prophecy lends itself to this sort of analysis) because he uses certain tropes uncritically. He portrays fat women negatively in comparison to thin women (see: Cersei (who’s said to be gaining weight throughout AFFC as she becomes more unstable) vs Dany, Lysa vs Cat, Barba Bracken vs Melissa Blackwood, arguably Rhaenyra vs Alicent). He takes an almost voyeuristic pleasure in describing women’s bodies and women having sex with women (see how Dany and Irri’s or Cersei and Taena’s sexual encounters don’t give any depth to Dany’s, Irri’s and Taena’s characters and, as far as I can tell, are mostly written to fetishize them). Consider, for instance, how 13- to 16-year-old Dany is the most sexualized character of the book series, while I’m not even sure if her male counterpart Jon is supposed to be considered attractive or not (on the one hand, he’s attracted women like Ygritte and Val; on the other hand, he’s meant to look a lot like Ned, who’s regarded as plain in appearance, especially in comparison to the hot-blooded Brandon). All of this is to say that I doubt that a man will fulfill a prophecy that remarks upon the person’s physical appearance (“younger and more beautiful”). Considering GRRM’s writing problems, a woman is much more likely to do so.

Young Griff is supposed to represent a lesser version of Dany (note that I’m talking about Young Griff as a fictional character, not as a person). After all, unlike Dany, Young Griff didn’t get to have lived experience of poverty, he didn’t get to have his skills tested, he didn’t get to apply the lessons he learned along the way, he didn’t get to take action and make mistakes and gain valuable experience and wisdom, he didn’t get to choose to stay in Slaver’s Bay solely to help marginalized people who aren’t connected to him by neither blood nor lands (which would emphasize how he doesn’t view his birthright merely as something owed to him, but rather as a means to “protect the ones who can’t protect themselves”). He could have had this sort of character development if GRRM wanted him to, but he has a different role in the narrative: he’s a tertiary character who we’re not meant to know all that much as a person or about how he would fare as king because he serves as a foil to Dany. With all of that in mind, what would be the point of having this minor character, who was introduced in the fifth book of a seven-book series, fulfill this prophecy rather than the one protagonist who the author said was deliberately written as Cersei’s foil multiple times (more on that below)?

Which brings me to a point that @rainhadaenerys made in our upcoming Dany/Cersei meta... Cersei views women with contempt because she thinks that they can only attain political influence with “tears” and with what’s “between [their] legs” (as she tells Sansa). This informs why, for example, she projects the unfounded idea that a widow must have lovers on Margaery or why she herself uses money and sex to keep her men loyal (which ultimately backfires on her). Unfortunately, it’s true that “[Cersei’s] strength relies on her beauty, birth and riches”. Because of her internalized misogyny, Cersei can’t conceive of a woman who might rise to power primarily because of her intelligence and shrewdness… Except that there is a woman who successfully conquered three cities and ruled the third and freed thousands of slaves relying primarily on her actual wit, political savviness and leadership skills rather than on sex, birthright or money… Dany. Dany is the competent, selfless ruler who could overcome many of the patriarchal limitations that Cersei couldn’t (hence why Cersei is a tragic figure). If Young Griff were to be the YMB(Q), he would simply be one of the many men (along with Robert, her brother, her father and the other Hands) who Cersei thinks wronged her and prevented her from staying in power. If Daenerys were to be the YMBQ, she would challenge Cersei’s toxic beliefs about women, which prevented Cersei from even imagining that a she-king might be the one foreshadowed to defeat her or that a woman (that isn’t her, of course) could actually be able to earn her accomplishments (just like she can’t imagine that Jaime might actually betray and kill her). Now, someone might argue that GRRM is not “woke” enough to do this, but I would disagree in this particular case. There are valid critiques to be made about how he wrote his female characters (I’ve made some points myself on the first item), but it’s still true that Dany’s character arc was written with awareness of how her gender affects her experiences. If that hadn’t been the case, AGOT wouldn’t have initially set up several men (Viserys, Rhaego, Drogo) to be claimant to the Iron Throne/SWMTW/the protagonist only to reveal that these roles are actually meant to be fulfilled by Dany, a woman. If that hadn’t been the case, he wouldn’t have had Maester Aemon acknowledge that “no one had ever looked for a girl” when they pondered on who might be AA/PTWP. So I don’t put it past GRRM to make Dany the YMBQ as a way of challenging Cersei’s entire worldview.

Indeed, I actually think that’s likely to be what he’ll write. GRRM has stated multiple times that Dany and Cersei are meant to be compared and contrasted because they were consciously written by him (specially in AFFC/ADWD) as narrative foils:

George regrets that Cersei and Dany will not be contrasted directly. (x)

His biggest lament in splitting A Feast for Crows from A Dance with Dragons is the parallels he was drawing between Circe and Daenerys. (x)

Cersei and Daenerys are intended as parallel characters --each exploring a different approach to how a woman would rule in a male dominated, medieval-inspired fantasy world. (x)

While discussing how he writes his female characters, he also mentioned that splitting the books as he did this time meant we didn't get the parallel between how Danaerys and Cersei both approach the task of leadership, which is a bit of a shame. (x)

And that one of the things he regrets losing from the POV split is that he was doing point and counterpoint with the Dany and Cersei scenes--showing how each was ruling in their turn. (x)

I think Young Griff as the YMB(Q) is very, very unlikely. If it’s not Dany, then I think Brienne (who at least is a viewpoint character that we know intimately) as the YMBQ (though I doubt it because she can only take Jaime away from Cersei and, as we saw in AFFC, Cersei was willing to separate herself from Jaime once she realized that he would question and disagree with her decisions and, in her mind, threaten her influence and power, i.e., what she wants the most) or even Cersei herself (the basis of this theory is that a younger Cersei caused her own downfall by making the choices she made. It’s not impossible considering that Cersei’s unreliable viewpoint prevents her from ever taking responsibility for her actions. Still, I think it’s unlikely because she’s been positioned as a passive participant in these prophecies - someone/some people kills her children, some person takes away everything she holds dear, some person murders her. Just like there’s a valonqar to kill Cersei, I think there’ll be a YMBQ to defeat her) are more plausible candidates. However, as I said in previous answers, Dany and Cersei have lots of clearly intended parallels and anti parallels (hence why GRRM mentioned them at least five times publicly) that people don’t often appreciate (but that I don’t want to mention here because I’m saving them for edits and that long meta). I find it hard to believe that GRRM would lay all this groundwork to contrast these two queens only to reveal that a minor character is the actual YMB(Q).

Now, the question about “in what context could it be obvious for the reader that Daenerys is the YMBQ” is difficult because, IMO, I don’t feel like there’s enough information to give you a reliable answer. First, let’s recap the most common theories, which, while I don’t think should be accepted as canon just yet, are popular for logical reasons. Here’s what GRRM said about the future events in the initial outline and interviews:

While the lion of Lannister and the direwolf of Stark snarl and scrap, however, a second and greater threat takes shape across the narrow sea, where the Dothraki horselords mass their barbarian hordes for a great invasion of the Seven Kingdoms, led by the fierce and beautiful Daenerys Stormborn, the last of the Targaryen dragonlords. The Dothraki invasion will be the central story of my second volume, A Dance with Dragons. (x)

GRRM: Yes, three more volumes remain. The series could almost be considered as two linked trilogies, although I tend to think of it more as one long story. The next book, A Dance With Dragons, will focus on the return of Daenerys Targaryen to Westeros, and the conflicts that creates. After that comes The Winds of Winter. I have been calling the final volume A Time For Wolves, but I am not happy with that title and will probably change it if I can come up with one that I like better. (x)

He said that in his original plan (when he wanted to write a trilogy) the Red Wedding would take place in book one, and Dany’s landing in Westeros in book two. Now he says that Dany’s arrival in Westeros will take place in book 5, A Dance with Dragons. (x)

From there he started to plan a trilogy, since there were 3 main conflicts (Starks/Lannisters; Dany; and the Others) it felt it would neatly fit into a trilogy (ah!), but like Tolkien said, the tale grew in the telling. (x)

“Well, Tyrion and Dany will intersect, in a way, but for much of the book they’re still apart,” he says. “They both have quite large roles to play here. Tyrion has decided that he actually would like to live, for one thing, which he wasn’t entirely sure of during the last book, and he’s now working toward that end—if he can survive the battle that’s breaking out all around him. And Dany has embraced her heritage as a Targaryen and embraced the Targaryen words. So they’re both coming home.” (x)

GRRM’s words seem to indicate that Dany will go to Dragonstone ("they're both coming home") and then King’s Landing in her campaign to take back the Seven Kingdoms before she goes to the Wall to fight against the Others.

And it is quite possible that she will clash with Young Griff. For one:

Hi, short question. Will we find out more about the Dance of the Dragons in future books?

The first dance or the second?

The second will be the subject of a book. The first will be mentioned from time to time, I'm sure. (x)

For two:

"It is dragons."

"Dragons?" said her mother. "Teora, don't be mad."

"I'm not. They're coming."

"How could you possibly know that?" her sister asked, with a note of scorn in her voice. "One of your little dreams?"

Teora gave a tiny nod, chin trembling. "They were dancing. In my dream. And everywhere the dragons danced the people died." (TWOW Arianne I)

For three:

Glowing like sunset, a red sword was raised in the hand of a blue-eyed king who cast no shadow. A cloth dragon swayed on poles amidst a cheering crowd. From a smoking tower, a great stone beast took wing, breathing shadow fire ... mother of dragons, slayer of lies … (ACOK Daenerys IV)

Now, here are my observations/questions/doubts:

The “cloth dragon” receiving a round of cheers from the crowd seems to indicate that a) Tommen will indeed fall from power when Young Griff (who’s already in Westeros almost ready to attack) invades King’s Landing and that b) Young Griff will inspire love from the population.

The more obvious possibility is that the second dance of dragons refers to a Dany versus Young Griff confrontation, especially since she’s prophesied to slay the lie that he represents (that he’s not Rhaegar Targaryen's son, but actually Illyrio’s son and a Blackfyre). However, since Victarion is currently in Meereen with a dragonbinder, it’s very likely that Dany will lose control of one of her dragons to a Greyjoy (either Victarion or Euron Greyjoy himself) and then will arrive in Westeros with only two of her three dragons. Or maybe Euron will use one of the dragons to attack Young Griff and that will be the second dance (though I find that unlikely since, again, Dany is prophesied to slay Young Griff’s lie). Or the second dance could actually refer to Dany versus Euron.

There are alternative speculations to consider. Right now, the consensus in the Dany fandom seems to be that there’s already too much in Dany’s plate for her (uniting all the khalasars and being hailed as the SWMTW; going back to Meereen; meeting Tyrion, Jorah, Moqorro and other characters; maybe going to Yunkai; going to Volantis; etc) to go to King’s Landing, which led to people assuming that only Cersei and JonCon will be involved in the city’s burning. It’s even theorized that Dany might actually skip King’s Landing and go to the Wall instead. These theories make a lot of sense and aren’t implausible, but it’s hard to reconcile them with GRRM’s initial intention with Dany (though it’s also been argued that he may have given part of her initial role to Young Griff). Additionally, I don’t think timeline issues are necessarily a guarantee of what GRRM will do with Dany. He made Tyrion travel much faster than reasonable back in AGOT to have him meet Catelyn in the inn at the crossroads and to be taken captive by her. So I wouldn't put it past GRRM to do something similar with Dany by having her arrive earlier in King’s Landing than she reasonably would just because he wants it to happen. And, as much as I don’t want it to happen and even though I criticized the theory before, I don’t think it’s impossible (though it’s not guaranteed either) for Dany to be accidentally involved in the burning of King’s Landing (though there is a recent counter-theory to that as well).

Re: Cersei, a lot of people tend to assume that she’s going to die when Young Griff takes King’s Landing, but I am not really sure. I do think that her parallels with Aerys II will pay off and reflect her ending. But that doesn’t prevent Cersei from surviving Young Griff’s invasion and meeting Dany later. Cersei could escape to Casterly Rock and they could meet there. Or Cersei could later attempt to retake the capital again in another impractical plan of hers, which then leads to King’s Landing burning. I don’t know.

Does Dany have to meet everyone to fulfill these prophecies? I’m not sure. Does Dany necessarily need to meet Young Griff and Stannis to slay their lies? Does she necessarily need to meet Cersei so that the readership finds out that she’s the YMBQ? Will there even be an actual moment that makes it “obvious for the reader that Daenerys is the YMBQ”? I don’t know, Anon. It may end up being up for people’s interpretation. Dany might end up burning the Iron Throne, if the theory about her accidentally burning King’s Landing actually happens. Dany might willingly melt the Iron Throne and install a new form of government that gives the smallfolk more political influence. Both of these possibilities could symbolize the end of Cersei’s desire for absolute power, even if Cersei and Dany don’t actually meet. I’m not even sure that there will be a moment that outright reveals that Dany is AA/PTWP/SWMTW (even though, IMO, the foreshadowing is way too overwhelming for it not to be her).

Speculating about Dany being the YMBQ is fun for me because it requires delving into her characterization, her parallels with Cersei and canon material in general. On the other hand, speculating about how this would actually happen is, IMO, less interesting (though I still enjoy reading what other people have to say) because it’s hard to accurately predict future plot points with the current information that we have (and I resent how fandom already accepts so many theories as unpublished canon). Dany has too many places to be and too many things to do and it’s not certain that she’ll be in King’s Landing when it burns (though I tend to think she will for the aforementioned reasons), the second dance of dragons can refer to different confrontations, it’s not certain that Dany needs to meet Cersei (or Young Griff or Stannis) to fulfill all these prophecies and it’s not certain that Dany is going to be explicitly revealed as the person who fulfills all these prophecies. We still have two books worth of plot development, so I really don’t think it’s possible to predict how the actual events will unfold. Sorry about not being able to give more definitive answers... I actually ended up making more questions. But that's kind of the point for now.

#daenerys targaryen #young griff #cersei lannister #asoiaf meta #asoiaf speculation #answered

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