#asoiaf court life

[rriverrunning]

i just reached theon's first pov chapter and was really interested by his narration style. like, even more than an unreliable narrator who the reader is meant to mistrust, he almost reads as a foolish narrator who the reader is meant to look down upon a bit, because he is so obviously mistaken and we know better.

(acok theon i)

this really reminds me of a lot of sansa's early thoughts of becoming joffrey's queen:

(agot sansa i)

and while obviously these streams of thought come from very different places -- sansa is (for all she knows at the time) correct, as she's betrothed to the king, while theon's aspirations are a lot less based in reality -- they do share this arc of using fantasies to deal with unpleasant realties, until the reality becomes too unpleasant to justify or romanticize any longer.

and i think (knowing what happened to sansa & vaguely knowing what happens to theon) this is a really interesting aspect of their stories to compare and contrast, the theme of disillusionment and disappointment with somewhere they believe they belong.

at the end of agot, we see sansa longing for winterfell after her father's death, once she's learned that king's landing and court life are not all that she dreamed they'd be.

(agot sansa vi)

which makes me wonder if (or likely when) theon will do the same: how long will it take for his cold experiences with his family, estrangement from his former home, and subsequent bad experiences to make him long for winterfell or the starks.

this isn't a crazy deep analysis, like i know that "you don't truly appreciate what you have until it's gone" and "all that glitters is not gold" are really common themes, but i think that the sequence of these stories is really interesting. just after sansa has been faced with the horrors of king's landing, theon arrives at pyke bright eyed with fantastic expectations of grandeur. and since we've just witnessed sansa's journey, the reader is primed to expect the worst for theon's future too (the tone of his chapter also contributes to this). very interested to see where these arcs go!

[fromtheseventhhell]

I'd be interested in seeing Sansa's reaction to Robb's will and the news of her being disinherited. She's spent so much of the story being tangled in the plots of others because of her claim to Winterfell and it's something she reflects on often, and quite bitterly. I wonder if the news is going to be met with relief on some level; she's no longer the valuable pawn that has motivated so many people to use her.

[lemonhemlock]

people have such a weird view on cupbearers in this fandom, acting like they get demoted to "servants", like, what? being a cupbearer is an honour! you get to perform a very simple duty but are included in gatherings of great consequence where the important decisions are made? you are privy to all the politicking, get to hear all the hot gossip and in return you just have to pour a few glasses are you kidding me*

historically speaking the position of cupbearer was a high ranking one and given only to people considered trustworthy since the very nature of the job ensured that they had access to a lot of sensitive information. meanwhile on this website we have people claiming with their whole chest that rhaenyra and rhaena are treated like the help

[thedeadthree]

IOVANNA DAYNE / CALLA STARK née TARGARYEN

VISENAERA TARGARYEN / VALAENYA TARGARYEN

UNA ULLER / ELAENAERA STARK née TARGARYEN

ILLYRIA ILMESTYS / CESSAIR TARGARYEN née CELTIGAR

the dears @50sjello, @chuckhansen and @queennymeria tagged me to make a few of the asoiaf loves using this cutest medieval inspired picrew! ty ty so much!

TAGGING: @feystepped, @griffin-wood, @kingsroad, @risingsh0t, @aartyom, @denerims, @fragilestorm, @anoras, @marivenah, @lavinet,, @shadowglens, @veisshaupt, @jendoe, @phillipsgraves, @bloodofvalyria, @noonfaerie, @pearlcscent, @shellibisshe, @florbelles, @morvaris, @yennas, @leviiackrman, @unholymilf, @heroofpenamstan, @pheedraws, @celticwoman, @leondaltons, @girlbosselrond, @echo3-1, @jackiesarch and you!

[jeyneofpoole]

no matter how far astray i roam i will always return to the asoiaf community like a bird coming to roost because where else am i supposed to get into life or death shitfights with internet strangers about bastardry morals in the 21st century. the bloggers yearn for medieval court politics and this is the closest we can get nowhere else on earth is as beautiful as the kingdom we’ve built here!!!!!

[georgescitadel]

George R.R. Martin on power and Varys' riddle

Interviewer: I think one of the things that is so involving about the story is that the people who start out with power might be quite limited in some ways and lose it while the people that are allegedly powerless with the right kind of cunning and guile and smarts and heart can find a way out of situations that seem hopeless. Did you intend to examine this idea of power and hierarchy and how these things are not as fixed as people think that they are?

George: Definitely! The whole subject of power is fascinating to me! How does power work? What’s it based on? In Varys’ riddle - which I was very glad they included (in the show), I think it’s one of the most important parts of the book – he asks Tyrion who has the real power in that situation. The rich man, the priest and the king are each telling the sellsword to kill the other people… It’s actually the sellsword who has the power since he's the one who has a sword in his hand. He has the power of life and death over the other three, but he’s going to obey one of the other three because of some allusion of power… When I see that scene played out in my mind’s eye, these are three old fat guys and none of them can do anything themselves to the sellsword and yet they command him because they can summon other sellswords… Well, why do all of those other sellswords obey? Our societies are built on this structure of sand and you see that periodically with the falls of great empires and nations… The Soviet Union, it looked solid and eternal and one day it just blew away – “we're not going to follow those guys anymore, let's get rid of them and we'll bring in some new guys.” and suddenly the Soviet Union was gone overnight. Why does that happen?... I was reading a book a couple months ago about the history of Jerusalem and this one particular crazy sultan or caliph. At one point he decided his doctors were trying to kill him so he had all of his doctors killed… okay. Then he decided that the women of the court were conspiring against him, but he liked women as they had babies and other uses, sexually and stuff like that, so he commanded his guards to cut off the hands of all of the women in the court, not only his own wives and concubines, but evidently their wives and concubines as well, and they did it! Now… what the hell was going on there? Why doesn’t the captain of the guard say to the sergeant: “this guy is fucking nuts! We have swords!!! Why don’t we kill him instead of cutting off our wives’ hands?”. I don’t really know where the matter comes from, but it’s a fascinating issue to explore and huge drama comes out of that. Don’t be surprised if sometime in ASOIAF I have a crazy king cutting off the hands of a bunch of people!

- George R.R. Martin, Chicon 7

[dwellordream]

"she's patriarchy-pilled" and why it doesn't apply to fictious pseudo-medieval women

a pretty common meta commentary leveled at certain female characters in ASOIAF is that you can divide the women of the setting into two groups.

the first group is full of strong feminist women who resist the patriarchy in all corners, and who refuse to submit to victimhood. the second group is full of placid, smug sheep, who enjoy being weak and condescended to by men.

reasons why this is bullshit:

comparisons between modern day 'trad wives' or 'red pilled women' who advocate for rejecting feminism and returning to lives of happy homemaking and female submission and fictional characters living in a pseudo medieval world just... don't work well.

Westeros has never had a feminist movement. there is no sense of 'getting back to tradition' because they are still living in a feudal patriarchy. while internalized misogyny can still be displayed in the books, and women certainly judge other women, these characters aren't actually 'rejecting their own freedom', because they quite literally have no choice in the matter.

for example, while a woman in 21st century America might willingly quit her job or drop out of school for a relationship with a man, a female character like Catelyn or Alicent or Cersei... isn't actually sacrificing hopes of a career or an education. they are being shunted down a path with little to no alternatives.

sometimes fans go "well, they could have run away! they could have joined the Faith?" how? with what money and resources? who is going to protect them on the road? how are they going to subvert the will of their fathers/brothers/etc?

don't get me wrong. there are absolutely unironic examples of internalized misogyny in ASOIAF. Cersei, for example, spends much of her time sneering at and degrading other women for being victims or weak-willed. HOWEVER, what many fans don't seem to grasp, is that being sexist towards other women doesn't magically make Cersei 'win' at the patriarchy. she herself is still abused, demeaned, and used as a political pawn, well into her tenure as Queen Regent.

in the endless battle of Sansa versus Arya stans, for example, Sansa stans will often claim that Arya is 'not a victim' and 'deserves less sympathy than Sansa', because Arya for a time is treated as a young boy and has training with a sword. yet this ignores the fact that Arya is still constantly threatened with or exposed to sexual violence, even while masquerading as a boy, and while she can defend herself in some instances, is far from this super-powered action chick on a 'fun road trip in the Riverlands'.

conversely, Arya stans will insinuate that Sansa 'deserves less sympathy than Arya' because 'being at court is what she always wanted' and 'the patriarchy favors her due to her self-serving, submissive ways'. yet this ignores the fact that while Sansa has more material privileges than Arya, being afforded regular meals, a soft place to sleep, and the veneer of civility, she is still regularly viciously abused by Joffrey and his Kingsguard, and ostracized and isolated from the rest of the court. Sansa's not winning any competition here.

to move on to Catelyn, many of Catelyn's proud 'antis' will claim that Catelyn is a woman who willingly and knowingly profits off the patriarchy while condemning women who do not fit that mold. yet while Catelyn and Arya's relationship is complex, we also see Catelyn treat Brienne and the Mormont women, all female warriors, with warmth and kindness, and there is an underlying current of resentment and anger in her chapters towards the men in her life, even though she is in many ways the 'ideal Westeros wife'.

finally, to dabble briefly in HOTD, Rhaenyra and Alicent's different reactions to the prospect of marriage and motherhood are often compared to triumph Rhaenyra's strong will and sense of rebellion. while Rhaenyra's determination to choose her own spouse and her disregard for the ridiculous notion of 'virginity' should be admired, she is also actively groomed by her uncle, a man thrice her age, and she ultimately does agree to an arranged marriage with Laenor.

meanwhile, Alicent is often derided by fans for 'allowing herself to be used as a pawn', yet this ignores the fact that Alicent is a 14/15 year old girl with no incomes or property of her own, who does not even have the threat of a dragon to demand respect. what was Alicent meant to do? kick and scream as she was dragged down the aisle? defy her father and the King, and be, best case scenario, permanently ostracized from court and her family for it? this sort of blatant victim-blaming dominates in the tumblr HOTD fandom.

in conclusion: to claim that women play no role in promulgating patriarchal and misogynistic views is silly.

women do play an active role in shaming and abusing other women, and this is often handed down from mothers to daughters. it allows patriarchs the veneer of genteel nature, in that the 'dirty work' of berating young girls for not conforming is passed off on mothers, sisters, and aunts.

however, in fandom discussions, the the woobification of male characters is so strong that we spend most of our time blaming women alone for patriarchal restrictions and values, as if it were something girls developed in their free time, purely for their own amusement.

to imply that a character in a fictional feudal patriarchy has the same range of choices and autonomy as modern day women do is absurd. the trad-wife movement is defined by its knowing, pseudo-intellectual rejection of second and third wave feminism. the entire point is to turn away from abortion, from birth control, from reproductive and LGBT rights, to leave behind women's suffrage, sex positivity, and criticism of gender roles.

but what do Westerosi women have to 'reject', exactly? they're not playing with the same full deck.

[duncanrohanne]

♛ ASOIAF AU ♛ ↴

(based on the original outline)

Sansa and Joffrey are wed and shortly she gives him a golden-haired son. Soon the capital's glory and splendour starts chipping away and Sansa has to face the harsh reality of the court life and her young husband. Sansa misses her family and regrets certain choices she made herself and laments about others she had no control over. Not wanting to plunder into despair even further, the young queen takes matters of her heart into her own hands and seeks comfort with an unlikely friend — her husband’s sworn shield. The man is a grim and brutal warrior but Sansa quickly finds that hardened armor he built around himself might have a weakness yet.

[aphroditelovesu]

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✿.｡Welcome to my blog! My name is Larissa, but feel free to call me Lari or Lady L, which is how you know me. I'm Brazilian 🇧🇷 and I was born on October 15th. English is not my first language. My pronouns are she/her and I am bisexual 💖💜💙. I am Libra ♎️ and INTP.

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⤷✿.Here I've gathered all my series, masterlists and some additional things to make them easier to find. Enjoy my blog, dear reader.

© aphroditelovesu, 2022. all rights reserved. do not translate or repost my work without my permission. you are free to use my edits, but I only ask that you credit me.

⤷♡.+ disclaimer: some of my works may have nsfw content in addition to the yandere genre. if you are sensitive to these topics, I recommend not reading.

⤷♡.+ genre: yandere/dark!au.

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⤷♡.+ Greek Mythology; ⚡

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⤷♡.+ Historical Characters; 📜

➷ The Lost Queen | Yandere!Alexander the Great ❝You woke up near a military camp without remembering how and why you got there, you didn't understand why they were dressed like ancient Greeks, all you knew was that you weren't safe and you needed to get out of that place as soon as possible. Too bad for you that you found yourself attracting unwanted attention from the Macedonian King and he won't let you go so easily.❞ The Lost Queen Series Masterlist

⤷♡.+ The Vampire Diaries + The Originals; 🧛

⤷♡.+ House of the Dragon; 🐉

⤷♡.+ Game of Thrones; ❄️

⤷♡.+ The Sandman; ⌛

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➷ The Bloody Viscount | Yandere!Anthony Bridgerton ❝You had fallen in love with Viscount Bridgerton and he had fallen in love with you. The marriage seemed perfect, but then why did Anthony Bridgerton always come home late and bloodstained?❞ Prologue; Chapter 1; Chapter 2; ➷ The Shadow of the Golden Dragon | Yandere!ASOIAF/HOTD/GOT ❝You have always been an avid reader and your greatest passion was delving into the pages of "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin. You knew every character, every twist and every detail of the Seven Kingdoms as if they were part of your own life. But what you never imagined is that an unexpected encounter with a mysterious antique book seller would change your life forever.❞ The Shadow of the Golden Dragon Masterlist

⤷♡.+ Percy Jackson; 🌊

⤷♡.+ Harry Potter; 🔮

⤷♡.+ A Court of Thorns and Roses; 🌹

⤷♡.+ A Song of Ice and Fire; 🔥

‘‘We were born to be alone but why we still looking for love?’‘ ˚˖੭ Lovesick Girls, BLACKPINK.

⤷♡.+ Attack on Titan; ⚔️

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➷ A Black Rose | Yandere!Ian Daerier ❝A cruel and narcissistic reaper falls in love with the woman he was supposed to take the life of.❞ Oneshot;

[15-lizards]

Not sure if you've been asked this before but I love the detail and research you put into your ASOIAF material. What do you think ladies of various houses did for fun? What talents would they be encouraged to develop as they grew older? What did different kingdoms view as being an "accomplished" lady? I know this is HUGE, but I'm always so curious about domesticity and the interior lives of women in fantasy.

I loveeeee the domestic lives of historical women I love material culture and decorative arts that shows us how they lived

-northern noblewomen are usually taught a variety of textile arts, to repair old cloaks, embroider gowns, weave tapestries, quilting blankets, etc etc. A lot of it is practical, as everyone is needed to pitch in on household preparations, especially when it's getting close to winter, but it still functions as entertainment, like when Sansa goes to needlepoint circles to make pretty wall hangings and gossip. Other entertainments include singing and listening to traveling bards (though "refined" instruments are not common up north). An "accomplished" northern lady is one who can do a wide variety of domestic tasks in order to provide what she can for her family.

-Iron Islands womens' domestic life is as bleak as everything else on the islands :/ Women do a lot of practical sewing and weaving, but there isn't much time or product available to do it for leisure. Entertainment often comes in the form of drinking, feasting, and (oftentimes lewd) songs, but highborn women are not allowed to participate as much as the men, though they participate significantly more than mainlander women. The concept of an "accomplished" women is kinda sneered upon on the islands, as men think that kind of stuff is for uppity southerners, but there is still an unconscious expectation for noblewomen to be able to complete practical domestic tasks and be able to run the household, though not so much as they overstep the men.

-Riverlander highborn women take great pride and enjoyment in textile art especially I think. Obviously they do it for practical uses, but there is soooo much woven art in a Riverland women's household. Long, detailed tapestries that run the length of the wall and all of the pillows and gowns and blankets have cross stitch decoration. Outside of textiles, riverlander women love love love traditional songs and ballads, passing them down from generation to generation, especially the bittersweet ones about Jonquil or Simeon Star Eyes. An accomplished riverlands woman is well-rounded and able to apply her domestic talents to many areas, and creating a warm and comfortable home is the most important aspect.

-Noblewomen of the Vale are expected to be paragons of domesticity. Their leisure time is often filled with very feminine pursuits. Praying for her family in the sept. Shyly dancing with kings and lords at balls. Doing delicate lacework and needlework upon her gowns or gifts for others. Doing these things makes one an "accomplished" lady in the eyes of Vale culture. A pious and virtuous young woman who can offer her domestic talents to her family, as well as expertly navigate a complex social web full of gossip and drama, while still staying above all of said drama.

-In the Reach, noblewomen are given a masterclass in aristocratic leisure activities. Not only do they delicately sew and stitch, but they are also taught pretty songs, court dances, how to ride and hunt and hawk like a lady, and even how to gossip slyly appropriately. Because there is more room for comfort over practicality in the south, "accomplished" women are not expected to contribute as much in the way of household management. Instead they are molded into perfect ladies, who can lure in any suitor or charm any guest, one who clearly has the resources to learn so much in the way of entertaining. Overall expected to become a symbol of refinement for their father and/or husband's name.

-Westerlands women are very similar to Reach women in their leisure activities and domestic lives and what they consider to be "accomplished", due to their proximity. However I think there's more of a focus in the Westerlands for women to be more practical, so that they can be more apt in household management and "useful" domestic tasks. This is due to an underlying seriousness in western culture, which I think is the main difference between them and their neighbors. Both charming and sly and self-interested, but present themselves in different manners.

-Crownlands women have the most available to them in terms of leisure and entertainment (rivaled only by the Reach), both social and domestic. Large balls, public plays, and royal feasts are expected to be attended if you're a noble lady, but one is also free to privately garden, read, ride, bind books, make dolls, sew gowns, paint, etc etc. What counts as an "accomplished" women fluctuates on whoever has the most influence, so many nobles play it safe and teach their daughters the basics of court manners and needlepoint and dancing. However since Kings Landing especially is a large mix of cultures and values, there are many noblewomen who are differently talented and in their own right.

-Stormlands women often enjoy outdoor activities for their leisure. Even in the rainy, muggy weather, they are out on the hills to ride or hawk or hunt. They pursue domestic activities as well, like the other noblewomen of Westeros, but are also expected to enjoy the outdoors like the men, in order for their health and constitution. They feast and dance and sing and drink, and its not uncommon for them to match the men in these activities. An "accomplished" woman in the Stormlands is someone who can easily juggle domestic tasks, running a household, and be able to keep up with the men in their activities, and do it all without complaint. More "frivolous" activities are not required.

-Dornish women's domestic culture is fairly unique compared to the rest of Westeros. Due to the weather in most parts, many noblewomen do their leisure activities indoors. These include games like Cyvasse, reading fictions and Dornish poetry, arguing philosophy, playing instruments, singing, and dancing. Due to the general equality between genders (and no im not calling Dorne a feminist utopia) women are allowed to take part in more mental pursuits. Because of this, an "accomplished" Dornish woman is expected to be one who is well read and knowledgable about many fields, and can carry on intelligent conversations with anyone, as well as being charming and hospitable to all who meet her.

[yanderes-galore]

If you were serious about accepting more ASOIAF/GOT requests, could I request a Jaqen H'ghar concept? Only if you feel like it!

This is a bit difficult due to how... complex he is, but I hope to do him justice >:) Might be short due to his character?

Yandere! Jaqen H'ghar Concept

Pairing: Romantic (?)

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Murder, Blood, Violence, Stalking, Dark themes, Mentions of bedding/courting, Dubious/Forced relationship.

The Faceless Men are a mysterious assassin group who worship death.

It's yet another one of the strange religions within the world of ASOIAF.

Jaqen is merely a name and identity used by one of these assassins.

This group utilizes magic to disguise themselves, to wear a new face and spread bloodshed by those who are willing to pay for it.

They have no identity and hide within the shadows to do the dirty work.

Due to this, I feel Jaqen's motives with an obsession would be dubious in nature.

He isn't entirely looking to court and bed you, he's mostly drawn to bloodshed.

The scariest part about him is how fast he kills.

Just one name given and the deed is quickly done.

Having such a man fond of you is a... terrifying thought.

Even if you try to avoid him, he'll find you again... yet another new face and name in an attempt to win you over.

For a concept like this I have to tweak his character a bit.

Perhaps the assassin takes an interest in you for one reason or another.

For the most part, Jaqen likes to observe.

He doesn't worry too much about his identity, such a thing can easily be stripped away.

In fact, such a thing allows him to manipulate you into his grasp.

It merely takes one time to make you catch his eye.

One fateful encounter before he's following you everywhere.

He might as well be your shadow with how close he is all the time.

Jaqen doesn't entirely possess you.

To do such a thing would require an identity.

No, instead he has his fun with you throughout different identities.

He courts you, perhaps even managing to get you alone a few times, all while pretending to not be anyone significant.

He may start with the face known as Jaqen, expressing interest in you as he plays you.

But the next time you meet may not be as Jaqen.

He's a mysterious character to think about.

I doubt you could ever fully get away from him if he had an interest.

Just imagine the paranoia of having a Faceless Man after you.

No matter what you do, even if he seemingly dies, he could still be around.

You'd be none the wiser that your admirer is still there.

Unless Jaqen gave away a certain behavior, you may think he's simply another person trying to woo you.

That's the scariest part of Jaqen.

The fact he lingers, waiting to strike, just like death.

Speaking with death, such a thing follows you with him around.

It's so easy for him to get rid of those around you.

In one sense you could view him as a guardian of sorts.

He's fond of you enough to protect you no matter the identity.

Your guardian angel of death.

On the other hand, Jaqen may target any other sort who wishes to court you.

A one night stand? Someone perhaps even managed to gain your hand?

They're mysteriously dead later...

As though it's a punishment for loving anyone but him.

Jaqen knows he can not possess or court you like any other man can.

A price to pay for giving up your identity... for no one to truly know your name.

Yet Jaqen knows you can be his in other ways.

He molds your mind by preventing you from settling down.

The only romantic comfort coming from the flings you have, all with him one way or another.

In a way you're his... yet also not.

He is complex, making his obsession and interactions with you complex.

He'd be like a phantom in your life.

He knows he can't fully have you, he can't give you a pretty ring or make vows...

But he can keep you alone, he can tease you with temptation...

Then, when he no longer wishes to share you with the rest of the world...

He may be your personal Grim Reaper to keep you as his alone.

[writingwenches]

Aegon ii Targaryen’s Wives of the Seven Kingdoms AU

“I shall marry her in the tradition of our House.” — references King Meagor “The Cruel” Targaryen

What would be better leverage when seeking alliances during the Dance of the Dragons than a gaggle of beautiful hostages ladies, one from each of the Realms. See, sometimes Aegon can have great ideas too, MOM–

This seems like a project meant for collaboration~ I would love to hear any/all ideas, inspiration, suggestions, head-canons, regarding the idea~ Throw your OCs at me, if you want LOL

I’ve been watching too much asoiaf lore videos, and I can’t stop thinking about this AU idea.

Having a larger presence of Ladies at court can be a blessing and a curse. The scene where the nobles were forced to pledge allegiance to King Aegon ii could have gone differently, if those nobles knew before the meeting Seven of their daughters had been rounded up and wedded to the King. 😈

below is the current brain rot I have so far, and a place to keep track of ideas lol, I'm totally open to new suggestions and ideas! I have a longterm fic in the works, and it's slowly becoming less "fix-it" and more "make it worst" 😈

The Reach — Oletta Redwyne

Oletta has been raised at court for the majority of their life, being the only child of Lord and Lady Redwyne, whoever marries her would be the new Lord of Redwyne, and who better than a Prince? She has been instructed to court the prince from an age so young that she molded her entire personality around his likes and dislikes. Perhaps, she does not know who she is without him?

The Crownlands — Aemma Velaryon

i hate the idea of Helaena being married at 14 so I say its fake news never happened. I tried to create a "Rhaenyra's Daughter OC" that would be Rhaenyra's worst nightmare, and staunchly Team Green, and I love everything about her. Theoretically, Aemma marrying Aegon and ruling the Seven Kingdom's should be what's best for everyone...but is not what's best for Rhaenyra.

Iron Islands — Sansa-esque Greyjoy

An idea just as I'm writing them all down. A Greyjoy daughter born and raised on the Iron Islands to the hard and harsh life. Built by the sea, and trained by the sword, and hated every moment of it. She dreamed of being a fancy lady at court. Perhaps, when she is forced to wed Aegon, she refuses to use her fighting skills to help the other ladies...or perhaps she uses her skills against them, because no one is ruining her chance at an easy life...

Dorne — Need Ideas

In this era of Westeros, I treat dorne very much like "Dornish People: More like the SIX Kingdoms, am I right? *highfives all around*" soOo, my only idea here was a noble Bastard from another house, that Aegon took out of convenience. But, Dorne takes this as an offense and stands up for her, even if she never lived in Dorne proper? But, that's not fun for people who love Dornish culture so...I need better ideas lol

The North — Need Ideas

I have an OC northern house that would visit the capitol often, but also there's to many fun Northern OCs~

Westerlands — Need Ideas

Give me all the ideas~

Riverlands — Need Ideas

Give me all the ideas~

The Vale — Need Ideas

Give me all the ideas~

Stormlands — Need Ideas

Give me all the ideas~

[knightsickness]

general q: how much do you think people factor in race to the way they view Criston on the show? i hope i dont sound ignorant but when i see him i perceive him as a (conventionally attractive) white man, and so sometimes i have to remind myself of asoiaf racial connotations. obviously real life race and ethnicity is much more complicated then this, but in the show it seems like his race is only brought up for gwayne to macro-aggress him. also for context i am brown and very visibly so, so that might affect my viewing of this

superr interesting question thank you. i think part of why it comes up infrequently is bc everyone in the main cast has known him for twenty years and is used to him it would be weird if aemond suddenly mentioned criston being dornish having known him for literally his entire life. much has been made by other people about how rhaenyra assuming he’d be fine with an extra-marital affair reflects in-universe stereotypes about dornishmen i think that was pretty unintentional on the writers’ part but that doesn’t mean it isnt there. i also think criston doesnt consider himself dornish/would like people to forget he is. combination of him not self-identifying as dornish ever, the emphasis he places on him fighting against the dornish incursions, and the decision to have a) lord dondarrion who criston’s family serves be one of rhaenyras suitors b) his main argument for why hed be a good match be about how well-situated blackhaven is to fight against the dornish and c) criston not acknowledge him at all i feel like blackhaven was a not-great place to look dornish. i understand your point about him being white-passing though considering they’ve had several characters see him and immediately identify him as dornish without being told i do think in-universe he is meant to be visibly dornish

given westerosi racial politics in the main series + the rest of targaryen history (racism against dornish people at court a non-insignificant cause of the later blackfyre rebellions, motivation enough for lords to back the previous king’s bastard over a king who had a half-dornish heir) ⬇️

it feels like if anything the greens’ kingmaker and aegon’s hand being dornish when dorne is still considered a dangerous foreign power immediately next to the six kingdoms (+ an enemy of house targaryen specifically) should come up more especially after the propaganda war starts in earnest. though im aware the doylist reason they dont do this is having anyone affiliated w team black saying ‘you’re going to support the greens when one of their leaders is a dornishman? you want the martells to take over westeros?’ to sway racist lords to their cause would make rhaenyra look bad

[tessarionbestgirl]

Alicent was married when rhaenyra slept with criston. She had no right to criston. She was a slut shaming religioous zealot and rhaenyra was right in lying to her. Alicent is unsafe and would’ve tried to take her agency away.

If she really regretted viserys Alicent should’ve been grateful her dad was sent away because he was the one pushing her into viserys life out of ambition.

Ok, the thing is, that is not how the show is framed or tell it story. First, Rhaenyra not telling Alicent the true has nothing to do with Alicent being religious, in the world of asoiaf Alicent is not a religioous zealot, she not approving Rhaenyra going to a brothel and fucking her uncle or Criston is something morally frowned upon by society in general, it is common sense for them,there are religious fanatics in this universe, that make Alicent get shy of how insane they are.

Secondly, Otto is Alicent's father and her only ally at court, he wants her to marry Viserys and what any father in that society would do, and when Viserys sent him away he isolated Alicent and confirmed all her fears, because he made it clear that Viserys would put his daughter's advantages above the kingdom. So not anon, there's no reason for her to be happy about Otto being sent away.

Rhaenyra's move was one of the few clever moves she made, and I really liked her in that episode, but it's not the "right" one, is a very calculated and selfish move. There is no right side in this universe, there never will be, new fans have to stop analyzing things from such a morally modern and emotional perspective. That's not how the rules of this universe are based.

[ride-thedragon]

Nettles: A Retelling of Snow White.

This post comes from the conceptualisation from my mutual @lilyofthevalley-11

She pointed it out, and I've been spiralling about the concept ever since. Nettles is a character you can find a lot of parallels/ foils with in both her own story and context (dance era) and the main ASOIAF series (Daenerys and Brienne come to mind most obviously). So with both those characters being major subversions of the fantasy and story formation (Daenerys as the lead and saviour in the narrative/ Brienne as the white Knight and beauty of her story) it makes sense for George to use that method on a character he favours. With that in mind, this is meta and entirely speculative with proof I find, let's begin:

Tldr: Nettles is like snow white in the same way Jaime and Brienne are like Beauty and the Beast. George loves weird stuff like that. It's not exact, but it's prominent enough for this post.

THE OBVIOUS PARALLELS.

1. THE EVIL QUEEN:

The evil queen in the original story is the wife of the king after his first wife dies. In Nettles' story, the evil queen would be Rhaenyra. The similarity posed with both would be being replaced by a younger woman. Nettles is positioned as a character foil to Rhaneyra much as the evil queen is positioned as the foil to Snow White. Nettles is Rhaenyra's exact opposite in the narrative.

2. Mirror Mirror

Daemon gives Nettles a silvered looking glass as a gift in Maidenpool. we are told. Mysaria, in this instance, is the proverbial mirror that alerts the queen that Nettles is sleeping with Daemon.

3. Ways to kill.

Rhaenyra wishes for Lord Mooton to take Nettles head of at a table (eating) or in bed (sleeping) to 'free' Daemon from the spell he has placed on her.

This is the equivalent to the huntsman who was asked in the story to kill Snow White and bring back organs as proof of the murder.

4. Gifts and So on.

So Daemon at this point is essentially training Nettles in the ways of court and etiquette. He's also buying her a lot of gifts. In Snow White, she gets a lot of gifts as well, but they are meant to kill her.

Nettles gets a hairbrush, and Snow White gets a comb. Snow White gets a ribbon, and Nettles gets a bunch of clothes, but the famous apple can be seen as either the romantic relationship she and Daemon have that calls for her life or the actual food they were eating which technically was red due to the beets. But I have a third and better option for the apple.

5. Ser /Prince Florian.

Ser Florian is a character that adds a plea that Nettles is a child no matter what she's accused of or is doing. He shares a name with the prince from Snow White.

6. Caves, Houses, and Cottages.

It's basically up for grabs because she is sentenced in Maidenpool (like the dwarves cottage), and then she is in the Vale for a time but is found by the Arryns who fought for Rhaenyra to her knowledge (another cottage) but when Sheepstealer takes her away she finds the burned men who devote themselves to them (kinda like the castle in the end). Again, this isn't a 1 to 1 comparison.

INTERPRETATIONS

1. An obvious Appearence.

They both have distinct appearances that cause them some strife. Snow White is the most fair girl alive, and that's why the Queen wants to kill her. Rhaenyra reasons that Nettles is so common and un- Valyrian that she must've used spells to claim a dragon and get with Daemon.

2. Apples and Letter

In this context I think the most symbolic thing for the apple would be the letter and decree Rhaenyra sends to Maidenpool, disguised as a plea to save Daemon.

3. Dwarves, Maidenpool Men, and The Burned Men.

Thematically, I believe that both the men of Maidenpool and the burned men serve as different counterparts to the dwarves, Nettles learns and lives there for about 5 months and helps about by protecting them from Vhagar.

But when she leaves after the letter she runs into the burned men who become a sort of protection from what she believes would be a call on her life by a queen she doesn't know is living or dead.

MORAL PURPOSE.

Innocence and True Beauty.

I think the strongest argument for this comparison stems from the way both stories play out and how they are meant to be interpreted in a moral sense.

Both are stories where a vain queen can not fathom being replaced, so they choose to murder a young girl rather than deal with it.

The point of Snow White was that true beauty is more so aligned with behaviour more so than just looks. Snow White, being the fairest, doesn't mean a lot because we don't know anything about the queen other than the fact that she's older than Snow White.

Nettles is never said to be beautiful at all, but she is often contrasted with Rhaenyra as being caring and innocent. The looks don't matter as much as the innocence of youth and kindness.

SUBVERSIONS.

1. How does innocence look?

Now George chose to make Nettles a black girl at the centre of all this. Snow White is literally as white as snow, so there is a purposeful intentionality of changing the look of innocence. There is a history of Black girls being treated as women and not seen as innocent no matter how young they are, so it is important and influences the story.

2. What is true Beauty?

The Valyrians are seen as the ideal of Beauty in asoiaf but they are also not good people by any stretch of the imagination. In every way Nettles is described, she is the opposite of Valyrian beauty in every way, but she is also a marker of how beauty can be internalised as opposed to the decisions of others. True Beauty like in the original story is internal.

3. Damsels

A complaint I keep seeing about Nettles is that she does nothing in the narrative. As in all, her actions don't have a major narrative change and that she's mostly a passive character. But that kinda makes her a damsel trope. In the story, Snow White doesn't do much but clean and get almost killed a few times. The point of these characters isn't to drive the plot with action alone (she fights in the Gullet, takes over King's Landing, becomes a fire witch in the Vale, and tracks Aemond in Maidenpool) but to motivate other characters and become a catalyst for their introduction in the story.

Maidenpool is still loyal to Rhaenyra without Nettles, Daemon lives if she remains, Aemond doesn't fight if she still flies with Daemon, etc.

4. Kisses from Princes

What does the kiss from the prince do to Snow White? It wakes her up, gives her a life she wouldn't have, true loves kiss. In the original, it's funnier because he literally moves her from her coffin and dislodged the apple in her throat. Daemon saving Nettles serves the same purpose. It has the flare of Daemon Targaryen, but the point is that when he lets her escape, he saves her life from both Rhaenyra and having to fight Aemond.

5. Wrong and Right.

Finally, wrong and right. Snow White does nothing wrong despite what the woke mob (I'm being sarcastic because I've been rambling) wants you to believe. But Nettles isn't innocent. She might be stealing sheep from the shepherds to claim her dragon. She kills innocents in the Battle of the Gullet no matter how remorseful she is and then has a probable affair with a married man. But like snow white, Nettles is consistently said to be and treated like an innocent in the narrative. Her actions don't stain her as a bad person because she isn't. Put quite literally into perspective, she's one of the most innocent characters we meet because of the world she exists in. In a world that kills children for the sake of war and revenge, that starve and tax populations for the sake of power, a girl with the infathomable height of power that is flying a dragon, cries and mourns after what she experiences. When a prince pulls a sword on a maester after reading a letter, she asks what's wrong, and when she leaves the narrative, it's in tears again. Right and wrong in both stories mean many different things, but George adapted it to fit in alignment with Nettles' story and his world.

That's it.

🍎

[marichive]

𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 : 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐄

Writing / roleplay prompts collected from the POV chapters of Catelyn Tully / Stark in A Game of Thrones , the first book of the ASOIAF saga. Feel free to adjust pronouns / etc. as needed.

tw: dark & mature themes, death, violence, suggestive / sexual content

❝ Where are the children? ❞

❝ Is he afraid? ❞

❝ He is only three. ❞

❝ He must learn to face his fears. ❞

❝ Winter is coming. ❞

❝ The man died well, I’ll give him that. ❞

❝ You would have been proud of him. ❞

❝ I’m always proud of him. ❞

❝ The poo man was half mad. Something had put a fear in him so deep that my words could not reach him. ❞

❝ It will only grow worse. The day may come when I will have no choice but to call the banners. ❞

❝ He is nothing for us to fear. ❞

❝ There are darker things beyond the Wall. ❞

❝ You listen to too many of her stories. ❞

❝ No living man has ever seen one. ❞

❝ You did not come here to tell me tales. ❞

❝ I know how little you like this place. ❞

❝ What is it, My Lady? ❞

❝ There was grievous news today, My Lord. ❞

❝ I did not wish to trouble you until you had cleansed yourself. ❞

❝ I am so sorry, my love. He is dead. ❞

❝ Is this news certain? ❞

❝ It was the king’s seal, and the letter is in his own hand. ❞

❝ I saved it for you. ❞

❝ That is some small mercy, I suppose. ❞

❝ His memory will haunt each stone. ❞

❝ She needs the comfort of family and friends around her. ❞

❝ The letter had other tidings. ❞

❝ The king is riding to seek you out. ❞

❝ We should send word to your brother. ❞

❝ And he gives us no more notice than this? ❞

❝ Where the king goes, the realm follows. ❞

❝ Please, guard your tongue. ❞

❝ Kings are not like other men. ❞

❝ Can’t you see the danger that would put us in? ❞

❝ I never asked for this cup to pass to me. ❞

❝ What is it? My Lady, you’re shaking. ❞

❝ There is grief in this message, I can feel it. ❞

❝ This is no time for false modesty. ❞

❝ My father went south once, to answer the summons of a king. He never came home again. ❞

❝ There must always be a Stark in Winterfell. ❞

❝ He must learn to rule, and I will not be here for him. ❞

❝ He must be ready when his time comes. ❞

❝ You know how he loves to climb. ❞

❝ This is hard, I know. ❞

❝ He is my blood, and that is all you need to know. ❞

❝ He cannot stay here. He is your son, not mine. I will not have him. ❞

❝ A boy with a bastard’s name . . . you know what they will say of him. He will be shunned. ❞

❝ How can you be so damnably cruel? ❞

❝ When the time comes, I will tell him myself. ❞

❝ I can’t leave him, even for a moment. ❞

❝ I have to be with him. ❞

❝ He’s not going to die. ❞

❝ What if he needs me and I’m not here? ❞

❝ I need you too. I’m trying, but I can’t . . . I can’t do it all by myself. ❞

❝ He needs to hear them sing. ❞

❝ Don’t be afraid. ❞

❝ Swear to me you’ll sleep. ❞

❝ It’s good to know my son’s life was not sold cheaply. ❞

❝ What I am about to tell you must not leave this room. ❞

❝ You have my oath. ❞

❝ If this is true, he will pay for it. I’ll kill him myself! ❞

❝ Never draw your sword unless you mean to use it. ❞

❝ I must go myself. ❞

❝ The honor of carrying a lady like yourself is all the reward I need. ❞

❝ The captain was just telling me that our voyage is almost at an end. ❞

❝ I have not been the most valiant of protectors. ❞

❝ The moment we go ashore we are at risk. ❞

❝ There are those at court who will know you on sight. ❞

❝ It’s one thing to be clever and another to be wise. ❞

❝ A man must make his own choices. ❞

❝ Even in a place like this, one never knows who may be watching. ❞

❝ Why have I been brought here in this fashion? ❞

❝ You were not mistreated, I trust? ❞

❝ I am not accustomed to being summoned like a serving wench. ❞

❝ I’ve angered you, My Lady. That was never my intent. ❞

❝ A wife is allowed to yearn for her husband. ❞

❝ Please don’t expect me to believe that. ❞

❝ This sudden trip of yours bespeaks a certain urgency. ❞

❝ I beg of you, let me help. ❞

❝ I know things. That is the nature of my service. ❞

❝ I am soaked through. Even my bones are wet. ❞

❝ There is an inn at the crossroads up ahead. ❞

❝ I hope I have not spoken out of turn. I meant no offense. ❞

❝ Frank talk does not offend me. ❞

❝ You are far from home. ❞

❝ Your home is in my heart. ❞

❝ Take off your helm. I would look on your face again. ❞

❝ I have not been a child in many years. ❞

❝ Suspicion casts a long shadow. ❞

❝ It seems to me she is only playing at courtship. She enjoys the sport. ❞

❝ A woman can rule as wisely as a man. ❞

❝ Pride? Arrogance, some might call it. Arrogance and avarice and lust for power. ❞

❝ I, however, am innocent as a little lamb. Shall I bleat for you? ❞

❝ I promise you, my lady, no harm will come to you. ❞

❝ I do not frighten easily. ❞

❝ I am going to die here. ❞

❝ I . . . I cannot do this. ❞

❝ I’ll come back for you. ❞

❝ I don’t want to look. ❞

❝ Keep your eyes closed if you like. ❞

❝ Have you taken leave of your senses!? ❞

❝ Isn’t he beautiful? ❞

❝ The seed is strong. ❞

❝ Not in front of the baby. ❞

❝ These are not times for delicacy. ❞

❝ You’re scaring the boy. ❞

❝ We’re safe here. ❞

❝ Don’t be a fool. No one is safe. If you think hiding here will make them forget you, you are sadly mistaken. ❞

❝ No castle is impregnable. ❞

❝ Tell me the rest of it. ❞

❝ I should have been woken. ❞

❝ Isn’t it a lovely morning? The gods are smiling on us. ❞

❝ Alive, he has value. Dead, he is only food for crows. ❞

❝ It’s said that poison is a woman’s weapon. ❞

❝ He’s too fond of the sight of blood on that sword of his. ❞

❝ Stand and fight, coward! ❞

❝ My son is leading a host to war. ❞

❝ When night falls, there are said to be ghosts, cold vengeful spirits of the North. ❞

❝ Remind me not to linger here. ❞

❝ You’ve grown a beard. ❞

❝ You are as fair as ever, a welcome sight in troubled times. ❞

❝ Can you understand why I might fear? ❞

❝ The real message is in what she does not say. ❞

❝ I know the sound of a threat, even whispered. ❞

❝ They have her hostage, and they mean to keep her. ❞

❝ Our best hope, our only true hope, is that you can defeat the foe in the field. ❞

❝ You cannot afford to seem indecisive in front of men like these. ❞

❝ It is not my intent to linger here long. ❞

❝ I’ll speak any way I like, damn you. ❞

❝ I have agreed to take them as wards. ❞

❝ Let him grow as tall as his father, and hold his own son in his arms. ❞

❝ You should let the men see you before battle. I will give them courage. ❞

❝ And who will give me courage? ❞

❝ So this is what death sounds like. ❞

❝ I would offer you my sword, but I seem to have mislaid it. ❞

❝ It is not your sword I want, ser. ❞

❝ He . . . he killed them . . . ❞

❝ If they hadn’t tried to stop him — ❞

❝ Your men did what they were sworn to do. ❞

❝ Grieve for them. Honor them for their valor. But not now. You have no time for grief. ❞

❝ Your grief is mine. ❞

❝ I swear it, you will have your vengeance. ❞

❝ Will that bring him back to me? ❞

❝ I prayed to know what to do, but the gods did not answer. ❞

❝ I shared his bed and bore his children. Do you think I love him any less than you? ❞

❝ I will mourn for him until the end of my days, but I must think of the living. ❞

❝ I want you to live your life, to kiss a girl and wed a woman and father a son. ❞

❝ I want to write an end to this. I want to go home. ❞

❝ Why shouldn’t we rule ourselves again? ❞

❝ It was the dragons we married, and the dragons are all dead! ❞

❝ There sits the only king I mean to bow my knee to. ❞