#Romeo and Juliet of Westeros

[fleurdeliet]

Aeron Bracken x Davos Blackwood

[throwawayasoiafaccount]

if westeros was created to reflect our modern society instead of being loosely based off of western medieval society, then i think people would understand that these political marriages are for alliances, not love, and would agree that the modern lower class sentiments towards marriage are simply not applicable to these arrangements and both bride and groom cannot and should not expect love from their partner.

if our story occurred in a modern westeros very similar to our own modern society, then a lot of the obstacles our characters face would not happen because, simply put, modern society benefits from equality.

as an example, i am quite (100%) certain that the introduction of gender equality and other modern values and advancements to westeros would only be beneficial to rhaegar and elia, which means that this ideology benefits westerosi society on an individual level.

so, in this modern westeros au, if rhaegar and elia still married for a political alliance, and then had two children like they did in asoiaf, they could then peacefully divorce and write out a contract that secures both rhaenys and aegons inheritances. if lyanna and rhaegar met and fell in love while rhaegar and elia were married then the misunderstanding that sparked a war would never have happened. why? because lyanna would have a say in who she marries in this modern au. also, elia would have possibly been seeing others as well. why? because this was a political marriage and love shouldn’t be expected, so why would anyone be concerned about either party finding love outside of their marriage? plus modern westeros would have dna testing so there’s no reason to question the paternity of their children.

also, if elia had a child with someone else (in this hypothetical scenario, perhaps her lover died) and rhaegar decided to claim that child as his own while knowing that he’s not the real father in order to give this child a better life, then this wouldn’t be a problem either. why? because rhaegar’s in the know. (i’m only bringing this up bc of the rhaenyra and laenor situation. guys… laenor is perfectly aware that biologically those kids aren’t his, yet he still claimed them and loved them bc he and rhaenyra had an agreement. i do not understand why real ppl are even concerned about jace, luke, and joffs parentage. in the eyes of the law those boys are legally laenors.)

however, since asoiaf isn’t based off of our modern society and is instead a society riddled with misogyny, xenophobia and other social issues without the progress and advancements that we in the 21st century have benefited from, i will concede one thing to these antis who harp on and on about how selfish rhaenyra and rhaegar were for loving someone who wasn’t their spouse and for having a child(ren) out of wedlock.

because yes, rhaegar and lyanna’s love can be considered an act of selfishness, and rhaenyra loving harwin and having children with him can also be considered selfish.

but guess what? love in general is a very selfish state of being. you are prioritizing your partner and your desires over everything and everyone else in your life.

one of the greatest love stories of all time, romeo and juliet, is a tale of two selfish lovers who seek to be together despite the immense hatred between their families. selfless and dutiful children would never love an enemy. and yet, despite romeo and juliet’s love story ending in tragedy, no one would ever argue that these two lovers were in the wrong for simply trying to be together even though their love caused their families great grief. why? because the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets was stupid. and the story ends with the characters agreeing that this feud went on for long enough and acknowledging the fact that this petty feud between the families was the cause of their misery and the tragedy that befell them.

though the circumstances of all three love stories are different, it’s undeniable that these lovers were selfish for prioritizing their own desires over their duties to their houses.

to end this little spiel, i’d like to mention that the reason i first brought up a modern au was to remind people that the only reason rhaelya and rhaenyra’s relationship with harwin can be so decisively called selfish is because these characters live in westeros. and westeros is a fucked up society rooted in systematic oppression, violence, and abuse and other forms of exploitation in order to further the agenda of the powerful despite the harm it causes. any modern comforts and progressive ideas hinder the control the patriarchs have over their families and put a name to the bigotry expressed against these unconventional relationships. so yes, their love is selfish because being unconventional in such a backwards society is a recipe for disaster, especially since both of these relationships hinge on a woman deciding to take control of her sexual autonomy, which is a big no no in westeros since a woman’s body only belongs to her father and husband. so yes, these love stories are selfish because these characters are prioritizing themselves in a society that benefits from them losing their autonomy and harms them and their loved ones when they try to take back their autonomy.

to finish off, the reason i brought up the tragic love story of romeo and juliet is to remind people that even though rhaegar and lyanna’s love was selfish, other characters still need to be held accountable for their actions that helped to escalate this misunderstanding into a tragedy that consumed all of westeros.

[writerswhy]

Someone once said Aemond was a school shooter’s fantasy realized and they’re not wrong.

Soooo like, are we supposed to just accept that Aemond’s 180 degree switch-up is totally in character and absolutely not a contrived effort to force the plot in one direction when 80% of s1 was spent veering towards another? ‘Cause I am confused.

Who is this Aemond and where did he come from?

[thebenjiblackwoodexpress]

The Blackwood Knight prt.8

Disclaimer: I wrote this because Victoria is a Shakespeare girlie and loves Romeo and Juliet. She also loves Crimson Peak, which inspired the last two parts.

Description: Benjicot resorts to drastic measures to win back his lady's trust and love, having accidentally placed doubt in her mind as to his true intentions.

Part 7

Playlist:

Gold Rush~ Taylor Swift

The Way I Loved You~ Taylor Swift

How You Get The Girl~ Taylor Swift

Adore You ~ Harry Styles

Warnings: female reader. Nothing else I don't think. Robb being an iconic twink with access to the blueprints for Bracken Hall and too much sass for Westeros to handle.

"Let me get this absolutely crystal clear in my mind. You described your union as 'mutually beneficial'!" Robb cried incredulously, striking Benjicot on the shoulder from behind, as he sat slumped onto a desk in the library of his ancestral seat. 

The glow cast by the lit lanterns, attached to the ancient stone walls, cast shadows over his face which bore signs of the deepest distress. 

"It sounds beyond reprehensible when you repeat those words, words which I most bitterly regret. I did not mean them in the way that both yourself and my lady have interpreted them, but it makes them no less acrid when you repeat them." He responded dejectedly, slumping his head once again upon the desk. 

Mumbling almost incomprehensibly so that Robb had to tilt his head down towards his friend to hear him. 

"What can I do to make amends? She hates me. I fear she will never speak to me again." 

Robb cast a contemptuous look at his friend before retorting. 

"You bloody fool. Not only did you make her sound to even my indulgent ears like a prize to be bartered between Houses, but you also did so with the very fiend from whose taunts you once defended her. Can you not see that you have made a shy, sweet girl who loved and trusted you feel as if the one person who she believed cared for her and would protect her above all others was nothing more than a cipher of the bullies she has sought to shield herself from?!" 

Seeing Benjicot's increasingly pained expression, as he roughly gripped his hair in both hands, Robb relented a little. 

"The damage you have done in your carelessness will be very difficult to remedy. You must show her that you love her and value her above all else. Words are not enough." 

Lifting his head, Benjicot's expression became resolved as he turned it to meet his friend. 

"I will, even if she will never again allow me to be in her presence," He struggled to continue, the thought causing him physical pain, "I must at the very least convince her that my love for her was never a lie. I cannot bear the thought that I have only cemented her insecurities. That I have born my own part in making her feel as if I mocked her...just like her contemptuous cousin." 

At this, he began to rise.

"I must see her." 

Perking up at this and slapping his friend approvingly on the back, Robb moved to lift his sword from the table and responded. 

"Glad to hear it. I'll get the Lads together and we can defend your flank whilst you hop over the border and get on your knees to beg your lady for forgiveness, you're favourite past time I know." 

Looking at him with mild irritation, Benjicot rose, placing a firm hold on Rob's shoulder. 

"Whilst I greatly appreciate the support, I must go myself. She's shy and frightened enough of me, after my misdemeanor, and I don't want you and your cronies scaring her off before I can even apologise." 

Laughing at this, Robb retorted smugly. 

"More likely you're afraid of her falling in love with me. Fear not, my interests lie in another direction entirely, but I'll hold off if you are determined. Of course Kermit will be devastated not to have a free shot at a Bracken, but I will assuage him." 

With this, Benjicot nodded at his friend before rising quickly and striding from the room, through the halls of Raventree as he continued to ruminate with anguish on the distressed face of his lovely lady and the part he had played in causing her distress. He would explain that he loved her and valued her above all else. That he meant every word he had said to her. That he would protect, serve and adore her if she would only let him, only forgive him. He would beg for her forgiveness, even if she could never herself love him again. It would be enough if she would only permit him to continue in her presence as a loyal knight.

It had been a day since Y/N had fled from the man she had come to trust and love, the only one she believed had ever cared for her and seen her as more than a shadow in the background of life....mistakenly. After Aeron had carried her back to her quarters in Bracken Hall she had locked her doors and allowed no visitors, barring her handmaiden. 

She spent the intervening hours between that of the previous days events and the advent of night on her balcony, her still pained ankle raised on a cushion on her chaise, as she read of Visenya. She was mentally and physically retreating to the shelter of her room and her books, determined never to open her heart to another person, as she had so foolishly done this time. She was silly to believe that Benjicot could love her for herself, rather than the political promise she could represent for him. She had trusted him where she had never invested anyone else with such trust. She had begun to gain in confidence in her dreams, her beliefs, and in his love, all for it to be shattered in a moment. Her embarrassment at having opened her heart to another person, to revealing herself so freely, where she was always so careful to be a shadowy presence in others' lives, was overwhelming, as she sunk further into her seat and further into herself. 

Wrapped in these painful thoughts, it was a few seconds before she heard a muffled voice calling her name from the direction of the dark expanse underneath her window. Rising carefully from her seat, using the pillars lining the portico of the balcony to balance herself as she moved towards the edge of it, she looked down to see the hopeful and desperate expression of the man she both hated and loved. Seeing her come into view, his face lit up with irrepressible delight, before quickly falling when she began to quickly turn away, book pressed protectively to her chest as she made to retreat to her room. She did not want to speak with him. 

Seeing her retreat, he quickly called out. 

"Please my love, please, I entreat you to let me explain what you overheard in the woods." 

Stopping where she was, she turned and moved once again back to the edge of the balcony. 

Speaking quietly and timidly, but not so much so that he could not hear her, accustomed as he was to listening for her quiet voice, she responded. 

"Please leave, I do not wish to speak with you now or henceforth. I can't understand why you are here now when you have made it abundantly clear that I myself am not what you seek. I would like you to leave."

Taking a deep, pained breath, Benjicot's expression underwent several changes before it became resolute and he stepped determinedly towards the pillar bolstering the balcony from the ground. 

Confused at his movements, Y/N became panicked when she realised he was climbing the pillar, frozen in position. It wasn't until he had swung his leg over the top of the balcony and had landed gracefully that she turned to flee, forgetting her injured ankle in the attempt, causing herself to stumble and hold onto a nearby pillar for support. Feeling gentle hands enclose around her elbows, she heard Benjicot speak quietly near her cheek. 

"Please don't run from me, my love. Your ankle is still injured. Please just allow me to help you." 

Looking down with concern at the ankle in question, he slowly, with great caution lest his lady should be offended, raised her arm around his neck and held her waist, fully supporting her weight so that he could place her on her chaise.  

Distressed to see his lady look away from him, her expression betraying embarrassment as well as displeasure, he knelt before her, bending his head low, before gently, reverently holding her hands in both of his own. 

"I will not disturb you further if you do not wish it, but I must convince you of the truth of my feelings for you and beg for your forgiveness for making you believe otherwise." 

Stopping him abruptly, Benjicot immediately desisted in deference to her speech, so important was anything she had to say to him, even if she meant only to order him away from her forever. 

Speaking quietly, she interrupted him. 

"I already heard what both you and my cousin said of me when you believed me not to be listening. I know that your protestations of love for me were all a ruse and that you were both in league together." 

Benjicot's expression betrayed the deep pain he felt at her response, drooping his head to rest it on her knees. 

"I can never apologise enough, nor beg for your forgiveness enough, for making you believe such a horrific notion. I had never spoken to your cousin of you before that dreadful moment, except when I first had the honour of meeting you. You were never just a bartering tool between us. I would break his legs if even tried to make such a suggestion. I had only meant to convey to him that I would repair the conflict between our houses so that in choosing me as your husband you would not also be choosing to abandon all that you knew. It is my mistake that I so brazenly worded my intent, my love." He added, casting his face down in desperation. 

"I have loved you since I first saw you sitting with your nose tucked into your histories under the Brackentree and have persued your love ever since. I have meant every word I have said to you since, and will continue to prove it to you in any way thay you will allow me."

His lady slightly turning towards him, Benjicot grew at once desperate and hopeful that she would listen to his entreaties, gripping her hands tighter in his as he raised his face to hers, hoping to convey the truth of his feelings in his eyes. 

"You speak very elegantly but I now know that you are so to all ladies and that this charade is not reserved for me alone." 

Reaching out to touch her face before quickly retracting his hand once he saw Y/N move away from him in discomfort, he instead responded. 

"Whilst I would consider myself to be a gentleman, there is only one lady I would traverse miles of enemy land and scale walls to get to." Saying this with a gentle smile, he continued to gaze upon her reverently. 

When she did not respond, he removed a brown leather volume from its place, stashed underneath his cloak. 

"I found this in my library and I thought it might be of interest to you." 

Hesitantly reaching to take the volume from his hand, she examined it before opening it. 

As she did so, he interposed "May I?" Pointing at the book. 

He turned the pages to an earmarked section, coloured with a rich illustration of a knight kneeling in homage before a queen. 

"This tells the story of a knight loyal to his queen above all else, swearing to protect, serve and..." He hesitated "love her for all of his life".

She gazed curiously down at the illustration in her hands as he spoke. 

"I thought you would like to have it, even should you order me away from your presence now. But I should like it to serve as an illustration of the devotion I feel towards you and as a reminder that I will always protect and adore you, even if only as your knight. Without any conditions. Without any expectation for you to love me in return. Just....let me adore you." He faltered staring up at her penitently, anxiously awaiting her response. 

It was a few agonising moments for Benjicot before Y/N raised her hand towards his shoulder, causing him to hold his breath lest he frighten her in his shock. Delicately placing her hand on his shoulder, she placed the other one on his other shoulder, causing him to subconsciously lean into her touch. 

Looking timidly away from him, she began to speak. 

"So you really did not mean that I was a...political tool." 

Leaning further towards her face, he quickly refuted such a notion. 

"I would thrash any man who suggested it. You are my lady, my love." 

Gazing into his eyes searchingly, she seemed to find what she sought in them, and leant her head gently upon his shoulder. 

Shocked, yet rejoicing at her affectionate gesture and in the comfort she seemed to look to from him, he lost no time in wrapping a protective arm around her waist, pulling her into his torso as he held her head gently in his other hand. Closing his eyes in relief, he held her like that for a few peaceful moments, scarcely believing that his love had forgiven him and that she had initiated their embrace. Taking it as a sign of the trust she had reinvested in him to protect her heart as well as her person, he solemnly swore in his own mind to guard it with more sucess than he had yet done as of late.

She pulled away too quickly for his liking, wishing as he did that she could always be so close to him.

"How did you even find your way here with impunity, let alone my balcony?"

Smirking at this, Benjicot threw his cloak dramatically over his shoulder to amuse her with his antics.

"I of course practiced great stealth, opting for a cloak and daggers approach."

Raising a disapproving eyebrow at him but with her mouth turned up at the corner, Benjicot rejoiced to have made her smile and to have amused her.

"In truth i just walked past the Red Ford and straight until i found Bracken Hall, i wasn't too worried about encountering any Bracken men. I'd just run them through if they tried to prevent me from reaching my Love. As far as finding your balcony goes, i was just blessed to see your pretty person upon it....and my good friend Robb also has an encyclopedic knowledge of Bracken Hall, having planned to storm it so many times." He added, slightly sheepishly.

Rolling her eyes at him, lightly swatting his chest.

"You're crazy."

Smirking again he rose to put his arm against the wall by her face, leaning his face towards hers.

"Crazy about you."

"And ridiculous," she added, laughing.

Reaching out to hold her chin gently in his other hand he leaned in further, before whispering in response "ridiculously in love with you", as his lips crashed onto hers, his arm moving to encircle her waist and support her weight as he did so.

Breaking the kiss, he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, gazing up at her as if she were the sun. 

"Can i come and see you tomorrow?" He asked tentatively, unable to fully conceal his fear that she would still order him hence.

"I'd rather you didn't risk your life in such a dangerous attempt. I can always come to meet you."

Frowning at this, he stroked the back of her cheekbone with his nuckle. 

"You think i would allow my darling to cross that distance with an injured leg when i can cross it myself?"

Seeing her blush at his appellation, he smiled and reached forward to increase her blush by kissing the corner of her mouth.

"I think not. I have no fear of your Bracken bannermen. Although I do fear having to inform my disapproving lady love that i've despatched all of them because they tried to stop me from seeing her."

Benjicot walked away from his lady love's balcony that evening, not before blowing her a kiss, and silently rejoicing that she had forgiven him and permited him to remain in her presence and in her heart.

@lovebabe18-blog @poppyflower-22 @ithilwen-blackwood @spinachtz @lady-callisto @twistytimesandthoughts @abookloverlawyerfan-blog @mymoonempress @drwho-ess @dancingbaek @aemondslove @cheendrella

[freetobeafcknriot]

hey all! question for science. we agree that davos and aeron are the romeo and juliet of westeros, but i need to know. which adaptation? like, if you had to pick one that works best for them. again, for science :)

[alishaaxo]

im sorry but i can never be a lyanna stan guys.

just lemme explain.

obviously this is only if she willingly went w rhaegar

To begin with, the situation in its simplest form is that Rhaegar and Elia are married, amicable yet not in love, and Rhaegar runs off with Lyanna, causing chaos to ensue amongst the realm.

Even if no war occured and everything was fine, how can Lyanna try to justify running away with a married man, especially on the way to her brothers wedding which feels very selfish, even if Brandon didn’t want to marry Cat, like she still ruined their wedding day.

Not to mention, that running with Rhaegar meant that shes inserted herself into his marriage which is Elia’s place. How nonsensical it is to run away with a married man and somehow marry him!

There’s two routes people go to justify it, and I’ll explain why I think they suck:

1) E-R-L is a polygamous marriage: This is not appeasable to the realm at all! Nobody will accept that. The only reason Aegon+Rhaenys+Visenya were accepted was because they were conquering Westeros, and like you can’t say shit about the guys conquering you!! Also the Targs were on thin ice then, and Maegor also tried, and look what happened afterwards!

2) E-R was annulled and R-L are married: I don’t think this is reasonable at all. Considering that Rhaegar is only HEIR, just like Daemon, for example. Both wanted annulments and both need the permission from the King and/or High Septon, but also considering how the likes of Aegon IV couldn’t annul his own marriage, do you really think a measly heir could?! At least in Daemon’s situation, he had no children, but as Aegon IV and Rhaegar both had kids (Elia giving birth twice in 3 years) theres no grounds for annulment, and it would disinherit his children potentially anyway, or even start a second Dance. As soon as you have a second wife, whether polygamous, annulled or dead first wife, war will be almost inevitable between the potential heirs.

Also Ik its not possible.. but can we stop with the E/R/L shipping in a serious manner (crackship is fine but in canon is 😐)

Like genuinely thinking mid-20s Elia would want to romance a 14 year old girl, would be fine with her husband romancing said 14 year old, or join in together, is so crazy to me. Like, yes Rhaegar is very much in the pedo-realm but why would Elia also follow suit??!

And like not to be a huge Robert Baratheon stan here (i hate GOT era him) but you can’t deny that it is the rebellion+it’s repercussions on his life, that change him so heavily into this twisted abusive, pedo man. He was not a great guy pre-rebellion, he slept around, was loud and rowdy, but I feel like you can’t really say that Lyanna somehow predicted that he would be this abusive evil man, tbh it seems like she just disliked his promiscuity which is valid, but in doing the same to Elia, her point gets invalidated in my eyes.

Also next point is the age-situation.

Now i know that obviously in a real life situation, a 14 year old girl is at no blame for the groomer actions of the adult…. however just look at how GRRM perceives this. like not as an “oh medieval girls married at 14, its fine” because they were still mentally children… but i mean how GRRM perceives relationships akin to R-L and characters by Lyannas age in ASOIAF-verse.

Ok so GRRM thinks R-L is romantic, which means that the groomer undertones aren’t necessarily meant to be there, and its meant to be more of a Romeo-Juliet situation (which heavily fucked over Romeos girl Rosaline ie Elia). He also believes Dany-Drogo and San-San is healthy, so I don’t think age heavily affects characters romantic feeling and actions much then.

Then if we see character Lyanna’s age, they’re treated as adults (yes some do have child impulses but overall adults). You have Robb acting impulsively like a kid, but ultimately being treated as an adult and being killed. I feel like even though they have kid impulses, they’re meant to get adult consequences for their actions.

Also ages as a whole is fucked up in ASOIAF in comparison to real world, like you have baby Rickon Stark going feral in Skagos, you have 3 year old Joffrey Velaryon/Strong squaring up to Aemond, and you even have 11 year old Benjicott Blackwood being an absolute beast of a warrior when in the real-world, he’d be just a kid, useless in defence.

[swordsandarms]

i know you just tend to lurk (me too) but your fandomised rhaegar thoughts are very validating lol. ive always thought blue roses are symbolic of a child born from love, not symbolic of a woman. like lyanna has the roses cause she's jon's mother and rhaegar's love, not because they're her "thing"? never thought that was far fetched til coming online lmao.

OK, this was in my drafts for like a decade.

The roses aren't really the child or the woman, but a representation of the (tragic, but bittersweet) love itself. Though, of course, Jon as the "fruit"/"proof" of it is still at the centre of it all.

Used to hate the concept of "tragedy" and not understand how that can be compelling/satisfying. Turns out a lot of tragedy is badly done, hence the feeling of meaningless/pointlessness of it all some of them give you. Look at HOTD. The problem with the writing is that everything is made meaningless, not that your "favourite" isn't winning everything. It is the fact that it's all bitter and no sweet at the end of the day. (Not the book version, which is also a matter of how much better ASOIAF handles the "continuation" of the tragedy better than GOT).

I see Rhaelya as a representation of the concept: "The love was there. It didn't save anyone, it didn't change anything, but the love was there."

Once you get to look at it like that, it becomes very annoying when people in the fandom sound like a broken record of "what's nice about this?? EveRYoNE dIeS". Yeah, that's how tragedies work, but look at it as such and you'll see the nice, too.

It's not about how "oh, why would you think the author is trying to paint Romeo and Juliet as a romance when he liked Rosaline before, and now suddenly her overnight?"/"oh, it's all about how they are dumb teenagers messing up"/"oh, isn't Orpheus the dumbest for turning round".

Romeo and Juliet are young people finding a shiny thing in a shitty society that creates generational cycles of pain and hate for stupid reasons. The ending is satisfying not because the love is successful but because the characters - and readers are meant to - finally get that. Orpheus turns round because he loves Eurydice and if you did you would, too.

Westeros is a hellscape of ambition, heartlessness, and corruption. Everyone is stabbing everyone's back for a bit more of land, a bit more of wealth, a bit more political influence. Selling and pawning their loved ones for a corn chip. (Controversial opinion, neither Elia or Lyanna should have been in that position, but that's the reason why, "loving families" and all. Even more Controversial, Rhaegar shouldn't have been in that position also. And that's the "good" people - as Controversial as people might think that statement is for Rhaegar. But also OH, you mean selling off Cersei didn't work out well cause she was meant to be a pretty object and didn't have to be taught about armies and resources, just vanity? Or Lysa for some reason wasn't all that grateful to papa to give armies to the great alliance when they needed them, for reasons of keeping the one "trueborn child" she had sheltered, cause that's the one thing you promised her she could get if she did your bidding?) Looking away from what is fair when it is "lawful" according to the status quo (and fandom finds it easy to pinpoint it when it's someone deemed hateworthy, but will be 1000% lenient towards a Ned Stark, and will even hold characters they hate accountable when putting FAIRNESS ABOVE LAW).

And the thing about ASOIAF fandom is THEY LOVE THIS SHIT. They love to romanticise it all. But there's the paradox of it all. Romanticising comes with this idea of unrealistic wistfulness, I guess. If a character lives in "the cruel real world", the romanticised ideal is nice to think about. If they actually reach for ideals, they are fools who should get real about living in the "cruel real world".

Oop, I ventured far from the point. But I just love the whole CONCEPT of the blue rose at its roots. 💙 It literally means just that at its roots. Something wistful but unattainable.

[melrosing]

I just find so much of the whole Lyanna Rhaegar thing so interesting. And its something I've explored more in my fanfics (that I've not really posted). But it's really weird to me that so many people's take away was that they were starcrossed lovers when... Rhaegar was like 23 (idk, an adult), married with a kid and Lyanna was a 15 yo. regardless of many factors, Rhaegar was still in the wrong in kidnapping her (no matter how willing of a victim she was). I totally buy that they thought their love story was that of starcrossed lovers.

also I love Ned having a complicated relationship with Brandon. I'm a sucker for Ned/Cat, and it's always strange to think that had things gone right she would've married Brandon. Like, it must be weird to look at the family you love and know you wouldn't have any of it if your brother (and to some extent sister) hadn't died.

Anyways, love the ending of season 1! I've found the whole thing super fun!

Yeah, I talked a bit about how I see Rhaegar and Lyanna here - like I'm sure they felt like star-crossed lovers, and GRRM the Shakespeare fanatic has certainly incorporated a handful of Romeo & Juliet tropes into their story. But they're also a lot more complicated than that. I can't disregard Lyanna's age, I can't disregard Rhaegar's obsession with prophecy and how that may have played a part in his pursuit of Lyanna (and his pursuit of a child from her body), and I can't disregard how he treats Elia and their children.

And people do minimise the affront to Elia which is really irritating to me, like as you can see per my sparknotes thing I don't believe that Elia ever came to love Rhaegar - I think at best she may have thought in the early days she was lucky to have such a worthy match, but that there's otherwise no suggestion they were close or even had any especial rapport. So, fine - it was a political match and not a love match - so if either of them privately committed adultery, that would be one thing.

But humiliating Elia in front of virtually all of Westeros by making a show of disregarding her, when she is either pregnant with his child or has just given birth to his child... and then later leaving her and their two young children in the charge of a teenager and a pyromaniac??? like sorry no i'm just not having it babes. it's not on

And yeah I definitely like the idea of Brandon and Ned having a kind of spiky relationship! I think Ned loved his brother but I can imagine there were things he disliked about him. And that Brandon could be quite callous towards Ned, treating him a bit like a doormat, condescending to him etc, and not even realising he's doing it because Ned's feelings hardly register with him.

It would kind of make Ned's close friendship with Robert more interesting, because I think Brandon was probably a lot like Robert - but here's a version of his brother who has time for him and jokes with him and confides in him etc etc. So it was easier to look past Robert's foibles and failings.

But then obviously Ned would feel a lot of guilt for having resented his brother once Brandon is gone (and Brandon dies proving how much he truly values his family), and for having inherited everything he was meant to have. It makes me think again of Jon as like a twisted outlet of penance for Ned. like he would always have cared for and protected Jon for Lyanna, yet part of him thinks he deserves Catelyn's resentment and the judgement of society that comes with Jon, but for own private guilt.

anyway thanks so much for reading they're really fun to write! working on plotting out the next bunch tonight....

[eliaakgae]

I know Robb x Rhaenys is the most popular Rhaenys ship but we really need to get into Rhaenys x Willas because there is so much there. Westeros Romeo and Juliet if you will. The Tyrell’s hate the Martell’s, even more so after Oberyn crippled Willas… like idk there’s something there.

[ohmtoff]

DO U HAVE ANY ANGST PROMPTS FOR NEW WRITERS?? tbh it could range from light angst to heavyyy angst i just need angst prompts (nick centric plsss)

omg i think there are much better ones if you search on tumblr but i do have some in mind

- Nick never had a gay male friend all of his teenage years so he always feels a bit lonely navigating his queerness alone.

- (Character/reader) and Nick are dating in secret while Nick is constantly shipped with another public figure. (Character/reader) tries to not let it get to him but leaked pictures from a party leads to insecurities and bottled resentments to surface

- Nick is the only out gay guy in high school so “straight” guys always use him to experiment. Because of this he always feels wanted, but never loved. When (character/reader) approaches Nick, he automatically assumes he only wants his body like the others. (Character/reader) shows Nick what it’s like to finally be the first choice.

- romeo + juliet!au: rivalry between two mafia families, the Sturniolos and (family name), affects the blossoming relationship of their children, Nicolas and (character/reader)

- shameless!au, gallavich inspired: Nick is drunk and heartbroken at (character/reader)’s wedding to a woman his homophobic father forced him to.

- game of thrones!au, gendrya inspired: Nicolas Sturniolo left Westeros to find what’s west of Westeros and also run away from the pain of the realm. When he returns, he reopens old wounds and meets his childhood friend and also past lover, (character/reader)

- Nick and (character/reader) have both been overworked and lacking sleep. Soon they were arguing more often than not, leading to an impulsive breakup.

- Nick has a complicated relationship with food and (character/reader) is determined to help him get through it

that’s all i have rn and sorry most of these is nick suffering lmao

[alexandradel7]

Literally one of the last posts is "vile worm", because of what a man in Westeros wants to do to a girl who is 13 years old, who has already been married officiously since - period - according to the laws she is a woman (it's early, but it's already ok in Westeros damn) and her smile and consent is the necessary thing for a man here. Do you think I'm talking about Petyr? Tyrion here. :D It's just the fandom picking a target for their negative experiences from irl that they can spout off. Instead of understanding the character and the freaking context.

By the way I think Sanasa's consent and smile is needed for Petyr as well. But he's a jerk character, antoganistic, so he doesn't deny himself the pleasure of kissing the girl he likes, knowing that it might be uncomfortable to refuse because she depends on him so much. Sansa, in the social conscience of Westeros - a woman - who was already a bride, who was already being climbed on by a naked dwarf. I'm not saying the orders of the time are cool, I'm saying this character (I'm talking about Petyr now, well Tyrion too) isn't a grooming paedophile lol. The problematic stuff here is that he was complicit in her father's murder. But for Sanasa there are no problematic things here, she knows nothing like Jon Snow. Everyone in Westeros is problematic. Sanasa considers him as friend. She's not disgusted by him. Well I already wrote about that here. I honestly don't think Martin wants to write a story about grooming, in a world where many Lords' wives are about that age. Besides, people in the Middle Ages were a lot less infantile than they are now. (much) 13 then and 13 now are different 13s in terms of world perception and upbringing. Now at 17 is a lil kid. Before, it was already a man capable of leading an army of thousands of men. Rob is 16.

‘Romeo and Juliet’ - Juliet was 14 years old, Romeo was 16.

Instead, I'm pretty sure this is a story about the beginnings of feelings. Petyr, who probably hasn't fallen hard for anyone else besides Cat, focused on power, recalls those feelings when he almost lost his life because of it.

His heart has probably become very cold and he can only believe in lust. Brothels and whores where intimacy is sold for a few coins and feelings are simulated. Pretty ironic work for a man who has a scar all over his body from real feelings.

I wonder how Martin will show it. Maybe he won't show it as sensually as I think he might. Maybe ‘’Littlefinger‘’ will win with calculation. But Martin said no, ‘he'll never let go of Sansa,’ I believe. I think Sansa is the first person at all to touch him deeply in a dozen years.

Well, then the question then is how he will demonstrate those feelings, how careful he will be in moments of crisis. Just so you understand, I find ‘cutting off Petyr's head and killing him’ by Sanasa's hands incredibly banal and boring thing. Like any strong conflict between it is incredibly boring. What new and interesting things can be learned there? She'll scream, he'll try to calm her down, she'll turn the table over, she'll try to escape, from the castle (death and\or rape by some vagrants, ofc there could be a positive outcome), he'll lock her up. Turn into a tyrant and stop being a Limon dude. Jeez. Okay. I've been bored with angst stories for the last two years. She can cheat and escape, they'll be looking for her. Anyway… meh.

Much more interesting that Petyr will actually help Sansa survive in this world, and be sincere about it.

Petyr was involved in her father's death. Which of course is a huge elephant in the room, lol. I don't think he really cares about other people's lives, especially Stark lives. Although I think some cruelty is part of life in medieval times where people died all the time. Cat wished death on a little boy just because she was so angry about the affair. A wealthy woman who had everything, including food and warmth for her family wishes the boy dead. Psychopathy, no? No, just medieval. So Petyr's cruelty, given his scar and long time among the nobility, is understandable. But Petyr may care about those he feels are important. Giving lemons, featherbeds. By the way these signs of his attention are much deeper, he is from a poor family, the fact that he has someone important and the ability to give something to this person - I think for him it is a special thing This much more interesting dilemma is his real feelings in his cruel heart and everything around him. He is Lord Paramount of the Trident now, but he's literally flashbacked to when he was 17. I think he's greedy, he's going to treasure his feelings. After all that was one of the triggers of his path to power. I can't be with her because I didn't have power, status like Stark. When Stark inflicted his wounds, the river carried his blood away. Now he's King of the River himself. And the river princess's daughter, a little redfish, swims beside him. Anything could have gone wrong, but everything went lucky for Petyr. I wonder how Martin will kill him. And I don't want this character to die a miserable death.

At least it won't impress me much. Much more I'll feel from his death when it's so touching, so honest, that it resonates with the beginning of his story. (or not to die at all, only to die of old age in his castle looking at his grandchildren)

[addaerontruther]

I feel like it's worth discussing that Daeron didn't get involved in the Dance until after Addam did.

Lord Ormund Hightower had issued forth from Oldtown with a thousand knights, a thousand archers, three thousand men-at-arms, and uncounted thousands of camp followers, sellswords, freeriders, and rabble, only to find himself set upon by Ser Alan Beesbury and Lord Alan Tarly… Lord Ormund had therefore decided he could not proceed without support from King’s Landing. “We have need of your dragons,” he wrote.

If that wasn't enough to show that he wasn't with the army, it's repeated again that he didn't leave Oldtown... even after Aegon was wounded and Helaena was despondent, leaving only Aemond on the field.

With Sunfyre wounded near Rook’s Rest and unable to fly, and Tessarion with Prince Daeron in Oldtown, only two mature dragons remained to defend King’s Landing… and Dreamfyre’s rider, Queen Helaena, spent her days in darkness, weeping, and surely could not be counted as a threat. That left only Vhagar.

A few paragraphs later, Addam claims a dragon.

And Seasmoke, who had once borne Laenor Velaryon, took onto his back a boy of ten-and-five known as Addam of Hull, whose origins remain a matter of dispute amongst historians to this day.

Then he fights alongside the Blacks.

It is one thing to face a dragon, another to face five. As Silverwing, Sheepstealer, Seasmoke, and Vermithor descended upon them, the men of the Triarchy felt their courage desert them.

And then Daeron appears, clearly unexpectedly, to fight with the Greens.

Defeat seemed imminent…until a shadow swept across the battlefield, and a terrible roar resounded overhead, slicing through the sound of steel on steel. A dragon had come. The dragon was Tessarion, the Blue Queen, cobalt and copper. On her back rode the youngest of Queen Alicent’s three sons, Daeron Targaryen, fifteen, Lord Ormund’s squire, that same gentle and soft-spoken lad who had once been milk brother to Prince Jacaerys.

Fire and Blood is being presented from the point of view of a Maester that benefits from the social structures reinforced by the Green "victory" and his take is based on other men in similar positions. If one of the main Green's had doubts about their cause, there's no way they would document it. Aegon II's own brother being hesitant to support his claim weakens their cause considerably.

I really, truly, and in my bones believe that Daeron didn't want to get involved in the war because he had something else to live for. He'd been away from his family for years, but Addam was always on one of his mother's ships, and Oldtown is the number two principal port in the realm. It's beyond feasible that they met. Tessarion and Seasmoke's dance seems to prove my theory, but that's a different post.

I think Daeron didn't want to die for something he didn't believe in, and then when he found out Addam was fighting for the opposing side, his hand was forced. Jace was shot down by common soldiers, and Vhagar had already established herself as a serious threat to smaller dragons. Most of Daeron's victories were bloodless because he wasn't blood thirsty... until Maelor. But again, that's another post.

He couldn't let the war just go on without attempting to stop it before something happened to Addam. He wanted to get to King's Landing and force a peace before something horrible happened to the person he loved. And, despite Daeron being Rhaenyra's biggest threat (that's a direct quote, don't come for me), Addam didn't go for him immediately. He visited the Isle of Faces first, and whatever happened there sent him south.

In conclusion — they were in love, your honor. The Romeo and Juliet of Westeros if you will.

All quotes are presented in chronological order from Fire & Blood, Chapter 15: The Dying of the Dragons — The Red Dragon and the Gold.

[sunfyresrider]

Romeo & Juliet AU

Part 1

Synopsis: Two households, Targaryen and Velaryon, both alike in dignity in Westeros, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes. A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Whose piteous misadventures buries their parents' strife. 

pairing: Jacaerys Velaryon x Reader warnings: kissingg and mutual simping word count: 6k + note: I used a mix of Westeroi, modern English, and Shakespearean language so I hope it's still an ok read. I never realized how fast paced it was until I read the screenplay and scripts, so this is a shorter series than others.

ACT I

It was excruciatingly hot, even at eight o’clock. King’s Landing was coming to life: people poured out of the houses and filled the streets while market traders set up their stalls in the grand piazza. It was an excellent place for business of those who lived and worked in the rich houses that lined King’s Landing’s main square. The Targaryen mansion was by far the largest – filled with servants and king’s guard, always buzzing with activity. 

Lately, Jacaerys had been faithfully ignoring his dear brother due to a recent heartache. Lucerys had carefully planned out today how he was going to catch him off guard and bless him with good tidings. Lucerys strolled slowly behind his brother and down the street. “Hi.” he spoke as he got near to Jacaerys, his tiding was ignored. 

Lucerys ran in front of Jace and bent his head to catch his brother’s eye. “Good morrow.” Jacaerys pretended not to see him. Lucerys wrapped an arm around his elder brother so he could ignore him no longer. “Good morrow,” Lucerys sang. 

Jacaerys sighed a long, mournful sigh. “Is the day so young?” Lucerys walked in unison with him carefully studying his face. “Only just past eight.” He sighed again, “how slow time goes when you’re depressed.” Luke raised a brow, “What sadness plagues you that makes time drag so?” Jace rolled his eyes, “not having what I need to make it go fast.” Luke gasped, “not in love…!” His brother stopped walking, “no, out… Out of the favor of the girl I love.”

“Oh my,” Lucerys whispered, attempting not to giggle. “It’s a hard life. Love, tis’ such a gentle thing, yet so rough when it comes down to it.” Luke did not know much of love, but he knew this was just another crush that failed to come to fruition. His elder brother was quite talented at being overly dramatic. “Tis’ true,” muttered Jacaerys. 

The youngest brother was struggling to hold his composure as he listened to his brother's woes. Jacaerys shook his head sadly. “The world is filled with hate… I’m thinking only about love. Oh, everything feels upside down.” Jacaerys ears perked up when he heard a hushed giggle behind him. He whipped his head around and looked sharply at Lucerys. “Are you laughing at me?”

“Would I do that, dear brother o’ mine,” jested Lucerys. “You make me want to cry.” The elder brother grew tense, “Why?” Luke patted his back, “because you’re so pathetic it’s saddening.” Jace scoffed, “It’s love that makes me pathetic, but don’t give it another thought.” His eyelids slowly began to brim with tears. “If you start feeling sorry for me it’ll only make things worse… So go home.”

“Be serious right now. Tell me who has caused such despair.” Jacaerys pouted like a child, “I won’t dare speak her name… but she is a girl.” Lucerys made his best attempt to not tease “Oh. well done,” remarked Lucerys. “I assumed that when you said you were in love.” His elder brother smiled to himself reminiscing on his memory of her, “Her name is Baela and she’s beautiful.” That she was her skin glistened with the oil she used to soften it. Her dark eyes glistened brighter than any star and her lips were plush and red like the most beautiful rose. Luke was growing bored and mildly annoyed. “Good for you.”

Jacaerys plucked a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed at his eyes. “She’s not interested in boys says she never will be. When our eyes meet, she looks the other way…. I’ve even offered her coin, Lucerys, coins!” The younger brother sighed, “Well. She’s determined not to have a man.”

“Oh Gods,” Jacaerys groaned. “She’s so beautiful, Lucerys. And she’ll go through life alone and when she dies all beauty will die with her. She says she’ll never love anyone, so I’m destined for a living death.” Luke could bear no more of the self-pity, he grasped Jacaerys’s wrist. “If you trust me, I can tell you how to forget her.”

“Impossible… Tell me how.’ Jacaerys stopped crying and lifted his eyebrows. His eyes were as bright as the sun gleaming above them.  “Easy task,” exclaimed Lucerys. “Get out and about. Look at other girls.” Jace’s joy melted away and he nearly let out a sob, “It’s no use… Whenever I see a girl from now on, I’ll only think of one who is even more beautiful.” Luke chuckled to himself, “I’m taking that as a challenge, I’ll sort it out, don’t you worry big boy.”

-

It was high past noon when little Luke returned with a grand plan to free his brother from wallowing in sorrow. After a deal was made with their less than adequate cousin a plan had been hatched. He rushed through the humming streets and slammed the door open to their lush apartments. “Aha!’ shouted Lucerys announcing his arrival. “We have just gotten invited to the most lavish party, dear brother. We have finally made our way into a Targaryen affair!” 

Jacaerys leapt from his seat and rushed over to where his young brother stood. “Who shall be in attendance?” Luke waved his ticket proudly, “Your dear Baela, among some of the finest girls in King’s Landing. Let us go to Targaryen’s party, Jacaerys.” He shoved the ticket into his brother's hand. “I’ll show you that the girl you think is a swan is nothing more than a crow.”

“A girl more beautiful than Baela?” His eyes widened before they dulled once more, “never. The sun’s never seen a more beautiful woman since the world began.” Luke wanted to vomit, he had heard enough of this, “Rubbish! Every time you’ve seen her she’s been on her own. You need to make comparisons and I bet there’ll be hundreds of girls who’ll put Baela in the shade.” Jacaerys thought to himself for a long while, clearly he believed his brother but refused to admit it. “Alright, I’ll go,” spoke Jacaerys. “But not because I think you can show me anyone better. I’m going only so that I can see her.”

-

Lady Targaryen came into the sitting room where her daughter’s nurse was sewing a pattern onto a handkerchief. She gazed around the room before speaking. “Where’s that child o’ mine? I wish to speak to her.” The nurse stood from her place on the settee, “Ladybird!” she called. “My little lamb! Where are you child? Y/N!”

“Coming,” a soft voice called, and you came running in from the adjoining room. The surprise on her face was evident when she saw her mother. Lady Targaryen was so busy as of late she rarely had time to visit you. “Mother! What do you want?”

“We need to discuss a private matter,’ spoke Lady Targaryen. It was a private demand for the nurse to leave. Thus, the nurse got up reluctantly, but before she reached the door, Lady Targaryen called her back. “You might as well stay,” she sighed. “Your advice would be helpful.” Lady Targaryen cleared her throat. “Y/N’s getting to the age when…” She frowned, searching for the right word. “Let’s just say she’s at a pretty age. She’s going to be fourteen in two weeks.”

“Oh yes,” exclaimed your Nurse. “On Maiden’s Day she’ll be fourteen. She was the same age as my Susan when she died, God rest her soul. Anyway, on Maiden’s Day she’ll be fourteen. I remember it so well: it’s eleven years since the earthquake…” She took no notice of the impatient tapping of Lady Targaryen’s fingers on the table, nor the glances you were giving her to cease her gabbering. “And you stop dead now too, please, Nurse,” you pleaded.

“I swear I have finished.” The Nurse bowed her head. She tenderly gazed upon your face before opening her trap once more. “But I must say it. You were the most beautiful baby I ever nursed. If I could live to see you married, I’d die peacefully.” Your mother, Lady Rhaenyra Targaryen grinned, “Married… That’s just what I’ve come to talk about!” She clapped her hands together and motioned for you to sit on her lap and so you did. Though she now shifted under your weight unlike when you were young. “Little lamb, what do you think about getting married?’

“I’ve never even thought about it,’ you sighed. You knew where this conversation was headed. “Well give it a thought now, girls younger than you are already mothers. As a matter of fact, I was your mother when I was much the age you are now… The Count of Casterly Rock wishes to marry you.”

The Nurse clapped her hands together. “Now there’s a man, the perfect man.” Rhaenyra smiled, “The best in King’s Landing.” Your nurse’s voice reeked of excitement, “without doubt.” Your mother ran a finger through your hair.  “Well? Do you think you could love him?’ You had no clue to say. It was too unexpected and far too soon. The idea of marriage, especially to an older man did not suit your fancy. You had heard nothing but bad things about the Lannisters. They were greedy and too ambitious to trust. “You’ll see him at the party, take a good look at him. He has sound prospects and many riches.” 

You felt all the joy you once had for this evening being slowly drained away with every word she spoke. Riches and prospects… you did not care much for those either. “Come on, what do you think? Do you like the idea?” You knew a simple no would not suffice. You spoke carefully, “I shall look at him but I’m not going to rush or do anything that I haven’t thought about.”

A knock at the door caught both of your attention. One of your father’s servants came in, “Madam, the guests are starting to arrive. My master wants you.” Lady Targaryen stood up and brushed off her skirts. “I have to go, come on Y/N, the Count’s waiting.” You glanced back at your nurse praying for aid, “Go and meet your love.” The nurse was no help after all, traitor. 

-

Jacaerys was impatiently tapping his foot. “Are we going to make some excuse for coming? Or shall we just go in and see what happens?” The three boys stood in the piazza, watching the huge front door of Targaryen’s mansion open. Aegon, the one with the invitation, and Jacaerys’s best friend, sat on the ground. He was making it clear that he was the only one to have been invited and the other two were stowaways. The reason for his invitation was that he was a Targaryen too.

Lucerys was the first to stand up and speak. “Speeches are out. No-one makes speeches when they arrive anymore. We’ll just go in and pretend we belong. Tough luck if they don’t like us.” Jace nodded, there was no need to draw attention to themselves. He sighed, “Give me the torch, Aegon. I’ll carry it: I’m not going to dance.” Aegon rolled his eyes, “seven hells… No, you're dancing. That’s the entire point.”

Jacaerys sat down beside his friend and relinquished his hold of the torch. “Come on kid, lovers are always in the mood for dancing.” He wrapped his arm around Jace’s shoulder. “Not me. It’s because of love that I’m not in the mood.” Aegon laughed, he did not have the same restraint as Luke. “What a fuss about nothing.”  Lucerys hid his face as he chuckled. “So now you laugh at me?” He was offended to say the least. Of course, a scoundrel like Aegon could never understand love. He was too in love with himself to feel the agony Jace did. “You don’t know what it’s like until you’ve felt it. It hurts like hell.”

Aegon groaned, “It'll stop hurting once you’re inside. Hand me a mask, Aemond.” The other three boys gathered around him. “Now as soon as we’re in let’s all get down to some serious business.” Lucerys declared in the most serious voice he could manage. Jacaerys was reluctant, “I know we mean no harm and all, but I don’t think it’s very bright to go to this party.”

Aegon furrowed his brows in confusion. “Why?” The eldest boy sighed once again, “I had a dream last night.” His ears were filled with a symphony of groans from his friends. 

“If we don’t get a move on, all the food will be gone by the time we get there.” Aemond spoke quickly as he bounced on his feet. Jacaerys glanced at the door and realized there was a hoard of people going through the doors. “I have a strong premonition that something’s going to happen tonight. I feel it’s going to end in my having to repay a debt with my life.”

“Pray tell, when did you become a dragon dreamer?” Aemond raised his brows at him. The boys glanced at each other once last time and threw their heads up in laughter. Fools, Jacaerys realized he was surrounded by jesters. He shrugged, “Alright then, off we go.”

-

The servants were running rampant trying to clean up after the dinner and prepare for the dancing. A few bumped in Jacaerys’s shoulder causing him to become more annoyed at being here. There was no joy to be found here unless it was with Baela. 

They stood off to the side as Lord Targaryen walked upon a raised floor and waved to the crowd.  “Welcome, gentlemen. Once there was a time when I could wear a mask and charm a girl by whispering a story in her ear. No more, no more, no more. If you aren’t old like me, all the ladies who aren’t suffering from corns on their feet will dance with you. Ha ha! My ladies, now which of you will refuse to dance now? If any of you acts shyly, I’ll swear she has corns. Come, musicians, play. Make room in the hall! Make room! Dance, girls.” Jacaerys realized again at that moment his family’s greatest foe was a fool. 

You didn’t arrive early, nor did you arrive right on time. Lady Targaryen decided to arrive late to make an entrance and that you did. For a second all eyes were on you and the more than revealing evening gown you were forced to wear, twas not to your liking. Your father, Lord Daemon Targaryen had already begun making a spectacle of himself atop the hall.

Your nerves ached as you stared at the crowd in front of you. Instead of listening to your mother speak about how you need to charm your way into the Lannister’s heart you slipped away into the crowd. The guests took kindly to you and gladly swung you around as they danced. If you ever were filled with sorrow, dancing was sure to ease that pain. 

Jacaerys noticed you too late, you were already dancing with other people. He had never laid eyes upon such a beautiful maiden in his entire life. Thus, his agony from earlier melted away and soon became long forgotten. He leaned over to Aegon, “Who is that girl on the arm of that man over there?” 

“I do not know. Perhaps a cousin o’ mine by the hue of her hair.” Jace’s heart raced as you glanced over to him before quickly being spun the other way. “She teaches the torches to burn bright! Her beauty is too precious for this world like a white dove in a flock of crows, she surpasses all the other women. When this dance ends, I’ll note where she stands, and then I’ll touch her hand and bless my ugly one. Did I ever love anyone before this moment? Renounce that love, my eyes! I never saw true beauty until this night.” Aegon looked at his friend and began laughing to himself. “By the Gods, you are pathetic.” 

You finished your dance quickly and bid the lord good night. The room was quickly becoming suffocatingly cramped so you moved to a pillar by the back wall. You watched the crowd sway in a trance-like state until you heard a voice from behind. The masked boy gently took your hand in his, “If I offend you by touching your holy hand with my own unworthy one, like two blushing smallfolk, then my lips stand ready to smooth my rough touch with a gentle kiss.” 

Even though he wore a mask you could see his handsome features underneath. You couldn’t help but blush, “you are unfair to your hand. Your hand shows proper devotion by touching mine, just as smallfolks reach out to touch the hands of septas. Holding palm to palm is like a smallfolk’s kiss.” Jacaerys squeezed your hand, “Don’t septas have lips? And smallfolk, too?” 

Quickly your cheeks became heated... was he flirting with you? Your face blessed his eyes with a smile, “Yes, smallfolk lips they’re supposed to use to pray.” His eyes were soft, and his smile warms your heart. “Oh septa, let lips do what hands do: pray. Grant my prayer or my faith will turn to despair.” Your heart beats with excitement, “Septas don’t move, though they do grant prayers.” He leaned in slowly and his voice turned into a hushed whisper, “then remain still while I pray.” 

Your lips touched in the gentlest embrace. You weren’t sure what had driven you to behave like this, but something drove you to him. Mayhaps it was the poetry he used to lure you in that drove you to madness. “Thus, your lips have cleaned the sin from mine.” 

You gazed at his charming smile, “Tis’ my lips that have the sin they took from yours.” He pulled your hand to his chest and studied your features, “Sin from my lips? How you goad me on to another crime. Give me back my sin.” It was impossible to resist the taste of affection he granted you. You leaned into his lips, “You kiss as if you’ve studied how.” 

Your lips touched once more, this time you basked in their subtle warmth and tender flesh. You tasted sweet, like strawberries freshly picked from the garden. There was never a more perfect being than you, Jacaerys thought. 

“Y/N, your mother needs to speak with you.” Your nurse’s voice immediately caused you to pull away. Jacaerys watched you walk away, and curiosity took over his newly healed heart, “What is that girl’s name, nurse?” 

“Y/N Targaryen, daughter of the good lady Rhaenyra Targaryen.” Jacaerys stood frozen at her words. What a price I’ve paid, I’ve fallen for the enemy, he thought. Love must be a monster to make him love his worst enemy. 

-

Jacaerys couldn’t stand to leave the Targaryen property until he laid eyes upon you one last time. His heart had been trapped here — nowhere else. Besides, he knew what would happen on the way home. His friends would jest at his expense, and he could frankly live without that. They would go on about Baela. Baela? Who was Baela again?

“Jacaerys! Hey Jacaerys!” The boys walked faster than he thought. He hopped behind a stone wall as they quickly approached where he was hiding. “Brother! Where art thou hiding?” Aegon began drunkenly shouting, “Ja-cae-rys! Ja-Ja-Ja-cae-rys!”

In a quick attempt to escape he climbed atop the wall and laid flat as they walked below him. Aemond, the tall lad, nearly saw him. “He’s run off home to avoid us,” Jace listened intently to Luke’s voice. “He’ll be in bed by now.” Aemond turned in in a circle and stood on his toes trying to peer over the wall. “No, I swear I just saw him a moment ago. I’ll bet he climbed over this orchard wall.”

“He’s vanished like a ghost… Let’s see if I can conjure him up.” Jacaerys lay, trying not to make a peep, listening to their drunken giggling. They huddled in a circle until Aegon emerged and began proudly shouting. “I conjure thee, Jacaerys Velaryon, in the name of Baela’s bright eyes!” Aegon spoke in the formal tone of a priest. “By her plush lips. And her round bum.”

Lucerys and Aemond burst out into a fit of giggles. “And quivering thighs! And everything else in that region!” Aegon held a hand in the air, “appear to us! Appear to us in the likeness of… of… yourself!” Lucerys slapped a hand over his mouth, “If he hears you, he’ll be furious.”

“Raising him in the name of his beloved would make him furious? That sounds fair to me,” Aegon placed his hands on his hips. “Let us waste no more time,” spoke Aemond when he had stopped laughing. “Since love is blind, leave him in the dark.” Aegon sighed, “oh well. Goodnight to Jacaerys” Lucerys raised his hands in defeat. “I’m going to bed. You’ll never find someone who doesn’t want to be found.”

-

He was stuck atop the wall he climbed onto. The moon illuminated the dark part of the world he was trapped in. On one side was the orchard and the overwhelmingly large Targaryen mansion. On the other was the alley his friends escaped through. He stared at the mansion and began wondering to himself. You were in there. What were you doing? Were you thinking about him? Have your thoughts been consumed by him as his thoughts had been consumed by you. 

A single window lit up and it reminded him so much of the sun. You were his sun and so much more beautiful than the moon. A goddess of the morning, you were. The gods granted his prayers as you opened the doors to your balcony and walked out. It’s my love, he whispered to himself. 

Jacaerys wished you could see him sitting there, mayhaps it would be less creepy. You were talking but he couldn’t hear it. Surely, it wasn’t about him. As he stared at you his head was whirling with thoughts. How could someone be so beautiful, like two of the most radiant stars left the sky and told you to take their place. Your eyes shined so brightly in the heavens that you would believe it was daytime. 

He watched you place your hand on your cheek and nearly fainted. Oh, how he wished to be a glove on your hand so he could touch that cheek. Jacaerys decided he had to get closer, he jumped off the wall and landed on his feet. He crept through the orchard until he was below your window barely hidden by a tree. 

You sighed as you watched the stars paint the night sky. Your mind had been overcome with thoughts of the boy from before. You spoke out loud to yourself to ease your heart. “Jacaerys, Jacaerys, why must you be a Velaryon.” He wanted to reveal himself but chose to stay still and listen. 

“It’s only your name that’s my enemy… If you loved me, I could take yours.” You paused and wondered about the strife between your families.  “What is a “Velaryon”? Tis’ not a hand nor foot, nor arm or face. What’s in a name anyway? The dragon we call Balerion would still breathe fire no matter its name. Whatever name Jacaerys had would make no difference: he would still be perfect.” 

Jace couldn’t handle it anymore. He leapt from behind the bush and lifted his arms. “I’ll take you at your word, just call me ‘love’ and that will be my new name,” he proclaimed. 

You stumbled back, it was shocking to hear someone out there. You couldn’t recognize the voice at all. “Who’s out there? Coming here, watching me and eavesdropping like this?” He sighed, “I can’t tell you my name since you hate it so.” The voice was familiar, you leaned over the balcony, excitement lacing your voice. “Is it Jacaerys? Jacaerys Velaryon?” 

“Neither” he said, “Since you dislike both names.” You glanced at him, “How and why did you come here? This place is dangerous, considering who you are. If any of my family finds you here your life may be forfeit.” He smiled back at you, “I climbed over the wall with the strength your love bestowed upon me. Do not fret for my safety, your eyes are more powerful than twenty of their swords. Just give me one look and I’ll be invincible.” 

“Who told you where to find me?” Jacaerys found it impossible to be serious. “Love told me. I’m no navigator, but even if you were living in Asshai I would find my way to you.”

Your cheeks flushed slightly, “It’s a good thing it’s dark or you would see me blushing… Do you love me?” Jacaerys opened his mouth to respond but you kept rambling on. “Oh Jacaerys, if you do love me, please tell me honestly… Or if you think I’m too fast tell me, and I’ll put on an act and be coy and play hard to get. I’m so in love with you: that’s why I’m being so forward. I should have been all shy, I know, and would have if you hadn’t overheard my real feelings. So, forgive me.”

He rushed to speak, “I swear by the moon…” You leaned over the balcony, “don’t swear by the moon! The moon’s too changeable.” Jacaerys’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What shall I swear by?”

“Swear by yourself and I’ll believe you. No, don’t swear. Although I love you, I don’t like this – making commitments like this. It’s too sudden, too fast. It’s not a good idea.” Jacaerys couldn’t understand what you were doing at all. You said you loved him and now you’re saying it’s not a good idea? He couldn’t let this be. “Are you just going to leave it like that?” 

You sighed, “What more could we do tonight?” He paused to think. “Make faithful vows of love.” It was high past your bedtime, and you could hear your nurse calling from the other room. You couldn’t just leave him so quickly after you said all of that. “Just a few more words and I must leave, dear Jacaerys. If you really mean it, and you want to marry me, send me a message tomorrow. I’ll send someone to you, and you’ll tell them where and what time you’ve arranged a wedding.”

You leant over the balcony and reached out towards Jacaerys. “If you’re trifling with me, please leave me alone to wallow in my sorrow.” You turned and ran towards the sound of your nurse calling. He was left dumbfounded, you left without a goodbye and claimed he did not mean it! It felt as if the sun itself had been burned out. Jacaerys turned to leave but your voice carried him back. 

“Psst! Jacaerys! Pssst!” He walked over and gazed up at you. “Jacaerys. What time shall I send someone?” He chuckled to himself, “at nine.” You laughed, “It’ll feel like twenty years till then… Oh! I’ve forgotten why I called you back.” He smiled up at you, “I’ll stay here until you remember it.” 

“Then I’ll never remember it, so that you’ll stand there forever.” He blushed, “I’ll keep standing here, hoping you’ll keep forgetting. And I’ll forget that I’ve got any other home but this.” You bit your lip and thought about speaking more but the sun peaking over the horizon caught your eye. “It’s almost morning, you must leave now.” You spoke in a hushed whisper. After you gave him one last lingering gaze you took off towards your room.  

Jacaerys had healed his heart and found a wife in the same night. He took off out of the orchard and towards the chapel to tell Septon Daeron what had happened. 

-

Septon Daeron was up early. The clouds in the southern sky were streaked with light as the night scurried out of the way of the advancing day. He wanted to fill his basket with a mixture of poisonous and healing herbs before the sun came up to dry the dew.

“Morning, Septon,” he shouted from across the field. Jacaerys ran up to him heavily panting. He looked over the boy's features, “Who’s this then, visiting me so early in the morning? Is there something wrong, being up so early?” Jace smiled, “You’re wrong, I had a better rest.”

“Gods pardon you, have you been with Baela?” Jacaerys’s brow furrowed. “Baela? No. I’ve forgotten that name and everything about her.” Septon Daeron smiled, “that’s my boy! But where have you been then?” Jacaerys spoke quickly, “I was dining with my enemies when suddenly one of them wounded me and you’re the one who can heal me.” Daeron looked at him confusingly, “I don’t understand what you’re getting at.” 

“To put it plainly, I fell in love with a Targaryen’s daughter, and she with me. You must marry us, and you must do so today.” The Septon stopped dead in his tracks. “By the seven! What a turnabout. Have you forgotten Baela? Am I to understand that young men love with their eyes and not their hearts? You cried buckets for Baela, the sound of your groans is still ringing in my ears.” 

“You told me off all the time for loving Baela.” Septon Daeron debated, “For being infatuated, not loving, my boy.” Jace sighed, “And told me to bury my love.” Daeron scoffed, “Not to dig another one up.” Jacaerys grabbed his hands. “Please, don’t reprimand me. The one I love now loves me in return. The other didn’t.”

‘Because she could see you didn’t mean it.’ Friar Lawrence was thinking. Marrying the two young people from the feuding families would be a disaster and he couldn’t possibly agree to it. Or could he? It may be the best way of bringing the families together. It could just be the salvation of Verona. It took him a second to decide. ‘Come on then, you young rascal,’ he said. ‘Come with me. This is one thing I can help you with. This could be the answer: the thing to turn your households’ hatred into love.’

-

“Where in the seven hells could Jacaerys be?” Aegon and Lucerys sat in the shade of the fountain’s wall. It was another dull day in King’s Landing. “Didn’t he come home last night?” Lucerys continued playing in the dust, “Not to fathers house.” Aegon huffed out a laugh, “Who would have thought it? The cold Baela should have the power to drive him crazy.”

“Hey!” Shouted Lucerys as Jacaerys ran towards them. “Here he is, the man himself.” Aegon stood up, “look at him. What a lad.” He bowed, “ Rytsas Jacaerys, sesīr kipi! How’s that for a nice Valyrian greeting? You cheated us well last night.” He stopped in his tracks, “Excuse me?” Aegon wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Don’t you remember kid? You gave us the slip.”

“I’m sorry Aegon. I had important business.” Aegon didn’t accept that as a proper excuse. They began making fun of each other, exchanging insults. Jacaerys’s friends were pleased to see that he was back to his normal. At least they thought he was normal again. “Isn’t this better than groaning for love? Now you’re sociable – you’re Jacaerys again, the Jacaerys we all know.”

Jacaerys was unable to take the big grin off his face. He kept looking around the square: whenever he saw any movement he looked up. And alas your nurse all dressed up in full skirts and a billowing train appeared in front of him. So, this was the messenger you had sent for him.  Jacaerys, and his friends joined him as he ran to greet the Nurse.

Aegon grabbed the train and flapped it up and down for a jest. The Nurse turned and gave him a backhand which sent him flying into the dust. “Good morning, gentlemen,” said the Nurse. “Good afternoon, fair gentlewoman,” mocked Aegon, rubbing his jaw. “Is it afternoon already?” she asked sincerely. “Oh yes, the rude hand of the dial is now right on the cock of noon.”

“Disgusting! You disgusting man.” Aegon and Lucerys burst into giggles. “Can any of you wastrels tell me where I can find young Jacaerys?” Everyone peered over at Jace.  “I can tell you, it’s me. I’m the youngest of that name. For better or worse.” 

“Well said.” The Nurse grinned. “That was well said? You’re not hard to please, are you?” Aegon grinned wider. The Nurse waved him away and he threw himself on to the ground dramatically, lifted her skirt an inch and peeked under it and received another well aimed slap for that. “If you are he, I’d like a word with you… without the scoundrels you surround yourself with.” She winced and blew on her stinging hand.

“I think she’s going to proposition him,” Lucerys leaned over and whispered to Aegon. “A whore, a whore!” cried Aegon, “Tally ho” The young men came closer and began walking around her. “Leave us alone, children.” She swatted them away like flies. Aegon finally ceased his teasing after she spouted a fair share of insults. “Farewell, old girl,” sang Aegon, walking backwards, bowing. “Lady, lady, lady.”

“Who’s the cheeky one? All those tricks!” She watched as they walked away with a face laced with clear disgust. “Just a fellow who loves the sound of his own voice.” She looked at Jacaerys. “As I was trying to say, I want a word with you. My young lady told me to find you.”

“Tell her to find some way of going to confession this afternoon and there at Septon Daeron’s chapel she’ll be given absolution and married, all at the same time.” He pulled a little bag out of his pocket. “No,” she said as she took the money and hid it in her clothing. “Not a penny. This afternoon, you say? Well, she’ll be there.”

“If you’re loyal to us I’ll pay you well. Goodbye, give your mistress my love.” She grinned, “bless you, bless you, Sir.” Jacaerys shouted as she walked away, “give her my love, Nurse!” The nurse was all smiles twirling the coins in her pocket. “Of course! With pleasure.”

-

You could see by the way the sun hung over the distant hill that it was twelve o’clock. Your Nurse had been gone three hours! She had promised to return in half an hour. Mayhaps she hadn’t found him! No, that couldn’t be. The messengers of love should be as light as thoughts, traveling ten times faster than sunbeams, pushing all doubts and fears away, as light does to threatening shadows.

If your Nurse had any feelings – any passion whatsoever – your message would travel as fast as a tennis ball. The Nurse would be the ball. You would serve and Jacaerys would return it just as fast. But like all old people, the Nurse might as well be dead. You stuck your head out of the window every few seconds, searching the alleyway along which the Nurse would come.

And alas, there she was!

You rushed downstairs and into the garden, meeting the Nurse as a servant was opening the gate for her. You flung yourself at your old friend. “What did he say? Did you find him? Send your servant away.” The nurse didn’t expect to be bombarded with questions as soon as she returned. She turned to her servant and forced him to leave. 

“Whew, I‘m exhausted, leave me alone for a while.” She sank down onto a bench and started to fan herself. You wanted to scream with impatience. “Would you just give me your news! Please, Nurse, I beg of you, tell me. Please, dear, dear Nurse, tell me!”

‘Gods, what a hurry you’re in! Can’t you wait a minute. Can’t you see I’m out of breath?’ You rolled your eyes, “How can you be out of breath when you’ve got enough breath to tell me you’re out of breath?” The Nurse shook her head sadly. “Well, all I can say is that you’ve made a bad choice. You’ve no idea how to choose a man. Jacaerys! No, not him, he’s not the one.”

She got up suddenly and yawned. “Off with you now, girl. Get on with it. Have you had your dinner?” You huffed out a breath filled with growing annoyance. “What did he say about us getting married? What about that?”

The Nurse slid back on to the bench and lay, reclining. “Lord, what a headache I’ve got. It’s pounding so hard that it feels as though it’s going to break into twenty pieces.” She tried to stand up. “Oh, my back. Shame on you, sending me all over the place like that. It’ll be the death of me.” 

You scoffed, ‘Honestly, I’m very sorry you’re not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet Nurse. What did my love say?” The Nurse heaved a huge sigh. ‘Your love says, like an honest man, and a courteous, and a kind and a handsome, and, I have no doubt, a good-” She stopped and looked towards the house. You pondered if she was doing this to drive you mad! “Where’s your mother?”

You through your hands in the air, “in there, where do you think she is? What a strange answer. Your love says, like an honest man, where is your mother?” The nurse groaned in pain… though it seemed like false pain to you. “Good Gods, my dear young woman, bad tempered with me? Is this the thanks I get for my aching bones? Do your own dirty work from now on.”

“This is impossible, come on, what did Jacaerys say?” The Nurse stopped rubbing her back and took your hands. “Have you got permission to go to confession today?” You nodded excitedly as a smile blessed your face once more. 

“Then get yourself to Septon Daeron’s as quickly as you can. There’s a husband waiting there to make you a wife.” She smiled at you genuinely before turning you and patting your bum. “Off with you. I’m going to have my dinner. Go on Hurry.”

-

The chapel was chilled today even though the sun was boiling the ground outside. Jacaerys watched heat waves rising above the wildflowers which grew unhindered across the hillside. Septon Daeron was going on a small tangent about how feelings can lead to disaster and to be careful.  But Jacaerys wasn’t listening. He had been watching the brow of the hill and when your head appeared he sprang up and rushed to the door while the Septon was still talking.

You came, running so softly that it was as if you weren’t touching the ground. You didn’t even have a chance to say hello before he embraced you. Jace clung to you like a newborn babe and kissed you again and again. Septon Daeron pulled you apart gently. 

“Dear Y/N, if you are as happy as I am and can express it better, then tell me how much happiness you imagine we have when we add it all up.” you laughed and shoved his shoulder, “as usual, you say ridiculous things… People who can count their wealth are poor: my true love has grown so huge that I couldn’t measure half of it.” 

“Enough of this nonsense. Let’s get on with it. Follow me.”  The Septon forced you two to refrain from embracing each other during the ceremony; thankfully it was quick. You both were told to sit on your knees and pray before vows were exchanged. You pretended to be praying as you snuck glances at your soon to be husband. 

Daeron told you both to stand, neither of you had cloaks to exchange so instead you skipped right to the vows. It was painfully obvious to Daeron how ill prepared and immature the two lovers he was marrying were. A subtle feeling of dread washed over him staring at the pair. 

You intertwined your hands with each other upon command. “With this kiss, I pledge my love. And take you for my lady wife.” You smiled bigger than you ever had before, “With this kiss, I pledge my love. And take you for my lord husband.” The Septon cleared his voice and declared, “one flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever.” 

Your lips crashed into each other in a searing embrace. A short-lived embrace as Daeron cleared his throat behind you. Your happiness was short lived as you both were quickly pulled apart. 

A plan was already in motion. Once the sun set and the moon rose over the horizon, the nurse would sneak out once again and inform your beloved it was safe. Then you would let a ladder fall from your balcony which he would climb up. It was the same place in the orchard where he watched you the other night.

 You would finally be able to consummate the marriage, and no one would be able to separate you. Not your parents, cousins, church, or state. Only the gods would be able to tear you from your true love… Soon you would realize how cruel the Gods could be.

[writingwenches]

House of Old Valyria

I'm watching Romeo + Juliet (1996) to get in the Shakespeare mood to tap into some minds of Old Valryians.

If you want to join us in making some fun OC houses of Old Valryia that may (or may not) die in the Doom just for the fun of throwing our characters at each other, come join in~ @rainwingmarvel7 and I have been chatting and it’s already a wild ride 😈

Bahaha, get ready for some trash! This is first thought worst thought rules, everything could change, so throw muses and ideas at me lol

Thoughts So Far

Beginning a few years, or a decades before The Doom of Valyria

Because Targcest into our thing, one way to go around it could be: the younger generations thinks its so "old school" and "so out of fashion MOM—" to marry your siblings, and rather marry into other families. The older generation gets to complain about 'back in my day, win win for everyone

The House I'm currently thinking on will be very patriarchal, or at least will have a firm separation of genders socially.

The men of these families are "real men" as in — they have a full face beat to the gods before walking out the door, they believe that to show their true status, they spend their time and resources on makeup, wigs, and fashions. This is not uncommon for the High Society of Valyria but...

This family will be in the upper middle class, but desperate to break into the Upper Class of Valyria society. They are currently bargaining their way for a seat at the big boy's table.

This family needs a name help meeee

I think with the focus on male groom/fashion, the younger generation is a lot more "layabouts" than their forefathers, the older generations worked hard and played hard, the younger generation plays all day

Valyria Freehold at its strongest was build on blood magic, slaves and incest, so...I wanted to think up some creep nonsense for this family to get up to.

Perhaps, they are not dragon lords, or perhaps they only have one/few

I think they are in the business of acquiring more slaves for the mines that power Valyria, under the city and in the volcanos

We wanted our Houses to potentially have connection to House Targaryen. So, This House has given House Targaryen money to "scout" Westeros as a potential place to conquer, what This House doesn't know is the Targaryens moved to Westeros to escape the Doom, which would make them the laughing stock of Valyria High Society.

House Targaryen swindled This House out of their gold, but the sun part it when the house find out lol

Maybe they wear powdered wigs because they won't have naturally white Valyrian-common hair? They don't want to get picked on?

AND maybe other houses color their hair brightly! For the aesthetic

Or pivot, maybe they make dragon armor? Or weapons? Like a forge focused house? Hmmm

Oh oh, what about the lore of the Dragon Keepers? I wonder if those were displaced High Society Valyrians crawling to the Targs for help after the Doom lol

Random stuff I forgot I wrote when I watched that new Anthony Hopkins Rome Show — Valyrian Vaestal Tradition

[unohanabbygirl]

Forever by your side x FMN crossover. Like how does everyone process Luke being able to remember again but still only having the memories of them locked at 14. Or would it be more painful that he doesn’t remember them at all but can make long term memories??

After stormsend every day they shared is gone same as before but to their own minds no chance of him remembering. Luke is independent doesn’t need them in the same way if he does remember his fourteen years of life from before. I feel like it would retraumatise everyone again after they had made peace with it the first time around.

How do they deal with their relationship to him then without him needing constant and specific care. He’s a champion SURFER for crying out loud (Aemond has heart attacks watching his husband now back reedy and tall before he filled out throwing himself into waves that once stole everything from him). Honestly story low-key ruined my life for the night. Such a horrible fate but so interesting to see in dynamics!!

Also history reading Luke’s journals?? They’d be Romeo and Juliet with the tragic end without the end. Sobbing just thinking about it.

Let me just say I love that whenever I post a new story we all think about doing a forget me not crossover. FMN is really that girl.

Anyway, this is the crossover that was promised because the idea of Luke remembering his past BUT still having no memory of his life post Storms End is just as painful as him having no memory at all. I imagine that this version of Luke and Aemond lived very well into old age so that’s sixty years of a long beautiful life together just gone.

It’s enough to drive Aemond into a depression. Imagine your spouse that you spent your entire life with not being able to remember a single moment of it. Their last memory of you being how you nearly killed them.

Yea, Aemond is always gonna suffer big time.

And as we all know, FMN Luke is very independent and hates anyone telling him what he can and can’t do. Not to mention that he’s never been in a dangerous accident such as a car crash for example, so he doesn’t have any trauma making him hyper aware of such things. Aemond having a panic attack every time Luke does something lowkey dangerous is sad yet kinda interesting because you just wanna see how he reacts. Imagine Luke doing something as simple as sticking his head out the car window while they’re on the highway and Aemond freaks out big time.

Luke no longer needing constant around the clock care and guidance is such a foreign concept that no one knows how to give Luke his space anymore. It’s odd that he seems to have an aversion to touch when in the past all he did was hold their hands and stay as close to them as possible as he tried adjusting for the day.

On one hand they’re excited that Luke has been able to live life without such a debilitating disability. On the other it gives them a sense that they’ve lost their purpose in a way. Of course as a family they don’t need to have an exact purpose other than to love and appreciate him, but to no longer have that role of being a caretaker is strange.

Luke’s journals fill that missing hole in history since the war never happened. There’s a while genre of film and media dedicated to Luke and Aemond’s heart wrenching love. They blow Rhaenyra/Harwin out of the water and thats just that.

Just imagine that in Luke’s final days he was no longer able to hold his pen as well and his hands were incredibly stiff and swollen due to arthritis. So every night before they go to bed Aemond sits Luke down as he rambles on about his day and what he wishes he could remember as Aemond writes it all down for him, signing both their names before tucking them in.

Hollywood spins these last days into a movie sometime in the early 90’s and its still the highest grossing film in Westeros history till this day.

[swordsandarms]

If it's oh so obvious dragons (weapon of endless fire that cost blood sacrifice) are/were Lightbringer hence Daenerys is Azor Ahai, and Bran is Brandon the Builder, then what is Jon???

Azor Ahai must have created/or bound dragons, because their derived weapons are all that works against the Others (we have yet to see dragon fire itself but MERE DERIVATES WORK), and yet he (and supposedly his brethren) left East where his legend actively actually lives. Brandon directed the building of the wall alone is solely credited with the end of the war in the West, where the First Men stayed. Something happened. Perhaps Brandon was Torrhen saying "peace you're not wholly enthusiastic about is better than people continuing to die in war". Perhaps Azor Ahai was Aegon saying "the woman I loved died for this and we're supposed to just make concessions and move on?" Perhaps it was the realism of leaving Others alive meaning one day they could break free again against the hurry to end a war.

Targaryens and Starks are alike yet opposites (dragon temper and wolf's blood and ambition and idealism), which usually means lasting cooperation but was at least once also a mutual downfall. The dragons came (back?) to Westeros. They stood by eachother for hundreds of years, until one day it all fell down over one thing, and the dragons fled East (again?).

Bran is THE Brandon. Daenerys is THE dragon. And Jon is the midway. The ointment. A contradiction in most ways and yet the perfect mix. He is a Wildling and a Night Watch man. A child of the most ancient and most powerful lineages and blood of the West, and a bastard at the outskirts of society. Ice and Fire. (He's a warg and will probably be a Dragonrider, too).

What if Romeo and Juliet left a living, breathing proof as an ongoing reminder and warning that the Capulets and Montagues were never meant to fight?

Thousands years later history doesn't remember why Brandon and Azor Ahai (would have had to, for the puzzle pieces to work) fight and part ways, only that one and the other once played their role in saving the world. Thousands of years from the ASOIAF current timeline history is unlikely to remember why Targaryens/dragons and Starks/First Men came to a downfall again. But legends about how they will without a doubt save the world again might remain.