#but i like to think she views him more than just her husbands bastard

[lesbianbanana]

Hera's relationship with Apollo is something that should be studied, in this essay I-

[stheresya]

"I love him, Father, I truly truly do, I love him as much as Queen Naerys loved Prince Aemon the Dragonknight […]" (Sansa III, AGOT) “Wed?” Sansa was stunned. “You and my aunt?” “The Lord of Harrenhal and the Lady of the Eyrie.” You said it was my mother you loved. But of course Lady Catelyn was dead, so even if she had loved Petyr secretly and given him her maidenhood, it made no matter now. (Sansa VI, ASOS)

I find that these little passages reveal something interesting about sansa's personality. specially when you juxtapose how she's characterized in the text and her worldviews here, and how at first glance they may seem contradictory. but first, let's take two things into account:

the patriarchal society of westeros is very strict on women's sexuality. which means that not only is female virginity held in great value, but also female adultery is very firmly condemned by everyone, unlike men who are allowed to maintain public mistresses and flaunt their bastards everywhere.

sansa is characterized as the conformist, the one who internalizes her society's rules. she's very religious, she's a proper lady in every sense of the word and she often says and does exactly what she's told.

and yet, in these passages we can see that sansa does not care much about societal rules when it comes to intimate feelings. she often hails aemon and naerys' (supposed) forbidden love without a single care that queen naerys was bound by duty to a husband and aemon was meant to be loyal to his king. but most astonishing of all is her nonchalant response to petyr's (false) information that her mother was not a virgin when she married. on one hand it may speak on sansa's views towards women's sexuality, since her current friends (mya and randa) are girls who engage in sex out of wedlock, and she never judges them, just like she doesn't judge her mother for apparently doing the same, and catelyn continues to be the person she admires the most. sansa also doesn't view her parents' relationship any differently because of this, the marriage between ned and cat is still as happy as she remembers, because all that matters to her is that there was love in the home she grew up in. the thing about sansa's character is that she plays by the rules up until a certain point, but on the inside she always prioritizes emotion over societal norms, and that's why she looks more upset at petyr for marrying someone while claiming to love another, because in her mind he's being unfaithful to his heart by marrying out of practicality. we have examples that showcase sansa's prioritizing feelings in AGOT when she, the good daughter, disobeys her father for the first time because she thought she was in love with joffrey, and in ASOS where she never thinks she owes tyrion anything just because he's her husband. so it comes as no surprise that she's so infatuated with the love story of an adulterous and incestuous relationship like aemon and naerys'. one of the main themes in this series is that feelings don't care about honor. and if love is the death of duty then sansa seems more than happy to see duty killed for the sake of love.

of course this doesn't mean she'll stay that way, specially when she's already lost her so much of her innocence and is now tangled in petyr's schemes where she must set her own feelings aside in order to act on his plans. and despite her silent judgement of petyr marrying someone he didn't love, her current betrothal with harry is an entirely practical union on her part since she feels nothing for him and only sees him as a means to an end. there have been many instances since book 1 where she was able to turn off her feelings in order to withstand certain situations. so... what even is sansa's mind? an interesting universe on its own for sure.

I just think sansa's romanticism is one of her most interesting traits (for better and for worse), something that truly contributes to the distinctiveness of her character, and I really hope petyr or anyone else are unable to completely kill that in her.

[idiotgojo]

Hello, hope you're healthy! If it's not too much trouble, can I request an angst to fluffy scenario with Toji, with a fem/gn S/O who has a mutilated face? Something like Sally face that she hides with a mask and everything, and when asked about it, S/O says that her previous romantic partner wasn't so nice to her.

Drink water and get in loser lets ignore Canon together! Take the kids(Megumi, Yuuji, Nobara and Yuuta) and your husbands(all jjk men) and run!

sorry this took a while, hope you enjoy <3

warning; scars, s/h, insecure reader, drunk ex, domestic violence(?), hurt comfort to fluff

It was quiet on the rooftop, and the night air was cool as it drifted around the two of you. After a simple but sweet date, you and Toji found yourselves sitting side by side, legs dangling over the edge of the building. The city was alive below and everything felt peaceful.

You pulled your jacket tighter around yourself, your mask still firmly in place as you stared at the skyline. Toji leaned back on his hands, his gaze flickering between you and the view. You could sense something was on his mind, the usual ease between you both replaced by a subtle tension. He wasn't the type to press or pry, but tonight, it seemed like he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"…Why do you always wear that thing?" His voice was quiet, almost careful, like he didn't want to push too hard. He kept his eyes forward, not looking directly at you.

You stiffened slightly, your fingers tightening around the fabric of your jacket as the question you had anticipated finally surfaced, making the words feel harder to form. "I don't like talking about it," you began, your voice softer than usual, feeling the weight of his gaze shift fully toward you despite the silence between you. Toji remained quiet, waiting that somehow made it easier to continue, even though the subject felt like a raw wound. "It's not… something I share with many people."

"My ex," you said, the words tumbling out slowly. "He did it. He was drunk, angry. It wasn't the first time, but… that night was worse."

The silence between you stretched, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Toji shifted slightly beside you, his hands resting on his knees as he leaned forward, his expression unreadable. You felt exposed, vulnerable in a way you hadn't expected, but something about the way he was just there—solid and steady—made it bearable.

"I've worn the mask ever since. It just… feels easier to hide."

Toji exhaled quietly, his jaw tightening for a brief moment. "You don't need to hide from me," he said, his voice low but firm. There was an edge of protectiveness in his tone, simultaneously a softness you rarely heard from him. "That bastard isn't here. I am."

You swallowed hard, his words sinking in, but the vulnerability wasn't as suffocating as before. You'd shown him your face before, but now with more comfort and less anxiety, you took off the mask. A small part of you decided you didn't need it around him.

"It's not easy," you mumbled, eyes on the city lights. "Some days, it's all people see. I try not to let it get to me, but…"

Toji's gaze stayed on you. "But?"

You sighed softly. "But then I see how you look at me, and I don't feel so… different."

In silence, Toji's hand found yours, warm and calloused, a simple gesture that made your chest feel lighter. "Good," he said, almost gruffly. "'Cause I'm not in the mood for babysitting your self-esteem." He smirked, squeezing your hand gently.

You chuckled at his bluntness, but it was the exact response you needed. "Wow, romantic as ever." you say eyes going wide, eyebrows lifting mockingly.

"Hey, you knew what you were getting into," he teased, his lips twitching into that familiar half-smile. His eyes softened just a little, enough to make your heart flutter. "Besides, if anyone says somethin about your face again, I'll handle it. Personally."

You rolled your eyes, but a smile tugged at your lips. "I don't think punching people is the answer to everything, Toji."

"No?" he tilted his head playfully. "Guess it depends on who's asking."

You both laughed quietly, the tension that had been there earlier completely dissipating. It was the little things—like the way his hand never left yours, the way his eyes stayed soft whenever he looked at you—that reminded you he cared, even if he didn’t always say it.

"Thanks," you murmured, leaning your head against his shoulder.

"You do not have to thank me for not being an asshole."

[aphroditelovesu]

What if Alicent's eldest daughter for whom everyone is yanderes is actually the daughter of Daemon? no one knows except daemon and alicent, daemon hates all of alicent's sons except his little girl who he has a soft spot for (and he dies of jealousy every time he sees viserys with his daughter). It would be even cuter if the princess had Grandma Alyssa's eyes, one green and one purple.

I thought of this a while ago but forgot to mention. I love this idea. The idea of Y/n!Princess being the daughter of Daemon and Alicent brings me ideas. In the books, there are rumors that say that Alicent gave her virginity to Daemon and in this scenario it could make sense.

Or the situation could also be as follows: After the marriage of Alicent and Viserys and the birth of Aegon and Helaena, Alicent, dissatisfied with her husband, ended up letting herself be involved by the Rogue Prince, who had had his eye on the young queen for a long time. Feeling seduced by Daemon's intense gazes, Alicent gave herself to him that night and many other nights, until she eventually became pregnant. They stopped seeing each other after Daemon's exile and the rumors about Rhaenyra and him, but Alicent had gotten pregnant and it wasn't her husband's. She knew and Daemon knew it when he returned from his exile and found Alicent holding her newborn daughter in her arms, Daemon knew that child was hers and by the look on Alicent's face, he knew it was true.

Alicent was extremely attached to her precious daughter, sometimes reaching the level of being possessive and would not allow the maids to take her away. She could go so far as to want to breastfeed her daughter. Which may seem normal to us, but for the time, the Queens did not breastfeed, their babies had wet nurses.

One of the most curious things about Princess!Reader was that she had the appearance of her grandmother Alyssa, her eyes at least, one green and one purple. One thing I like to think about is, what if she was more like Alicent? I won't say identical, but maybe the color of Alicent' hair and the eyes of Alyssa. The only one of Alicent's children who looks anything like her, and I would imagine that would have a bigger impact on her mother's obsession.

You're right, Daemon hates all of Alicent's children, except maybe Helaena, but I can't say he likes her, he has nothing against her at least, in my point of view. He hates all of them but his little girl. How could he? He loved her the moment he saw her in her mother's protective arms and, not caring about other people's eyes, he took the little princess in his arms and played with her.

Daemon undoubtedly dies of jealousy of Viserys with his little girl, he hates to see how his brother is titled her father and he does his best not to let it slip that he is the father of Y/N and not Viserys. Unfortunately he can't do that, he can't put his daughter at risk or be called a bastard. He wouldn't do that to her. I can see Alicent encouraging Daemon's obsession towards the reader too, as a way of gaining his support and she enjoys watching him interact with her precious baby.

Aegon, Aemond and Helaena would definitely be attached to their sister as well, especially Aemond and Helaena. The three are inseparable, and when Aegon joins in, may the Seven have mercy on the poor servants who try to control the four together. Perhaps Alicent decides to marry Princess!Reader to Aemond, just as she did to Aegon and Helaena. She doesn't like the idea of marrying her daughter off, but she'd rather it be her son than anyone else. Daemon obviously wouldn't accept that and would be furious with Alicent and even Aemond. He doesn't want his little princess to marry, much less one of Alicent's children. He will do everything in his power to prevent this.

It's a really cool concept and one I'd be happy to talk more about! Thank you for submitting it, anon!! <3

(I couldn't help it, sorry, but this is Daemon when he finds out that Alicent plans to marry Princess!Reader to Aemond)

[just-some-random-blogger]

Hey! Loved your stories ten and one and the second part :)

Could I get an imagine or one shot when reader is married to Daemon but he’s not interested in her and thinks she’s boring until one night he sees her un flea bottom with friends in a tavern just having fun and gets to know her and maybe some smut?

It's The Ale

Daemon Targaryen x Reader

Summary: Having no legitimate daughters, your father decided to claim you as his own for no other reason than to marry you off to the Prince. And so for the sake of your family that he threatened to destroy if you act up, you forced yourself to be a complacent wife. Your husband was sure shocked when he realized you were anything but.

Word Count: 1k+

Warnings: Mentions of drunkards, mentions of violence, fem!reader, wife!reader, annoyed at daemon's bs!reader, forced marriage, old ye strip club vibes lol, typos, etc.

A/N: OLRIGHT I SAID I WOULD WRITE THIS AFTER FINISHING THE FINAL CHAPTER OF WANT YOU DEAD cos i have school stuff, but i'm feeling generous so yall better leave replies and reblogs or i will abandon you 👿🤡 AHHAHHAHAH jk i love you all So it has been brought to my attention that I used gypsy, not knowing it was racial slur and for that I would like to apologize. I did a quick google search on it, and honestly didn't get what it meant but used it anyway, clown shit for real, anyway, we are not about degrading cultures so I removed it from the fic.

I saw him the moment he walked in, and I knew, by all the gods, he saw me just the same.

Prince Daemon looked more like one of the haughty lords that came here to be entertained but would eventually get their hand cut off after mistaking the establishment to be a brothel.

My repulse for him veered sharply into a begrudged possessiveness when I saw one of my younger sisters sway her hips at him to catch his attention. Daemon was too preoccupied by the bareness of my belly to even take notice.

I grab Sinti's arm before she could make her way to him, "he's mine."

She turns over, eyes narrowed, "I saw him first."

"You mistake me, he is-"

"Why do you always feel entitled to get the good looking ones?" she snaps, ripping her arm away from me, "aren't you married?"

"Exactly," I quip, "that man is my husband."

Sinti's face contorts. She crosses her arms, "you invited your prince husband here?"

I shake my head, beginning to walk off, "I did no such thing."

"But-" she stutters, then calling out, "you said he was repulsive!?"

Daemon watches as I sit on the vacated stool on his table. His eyes dart down to scarf wrapped around my breasts and leans in on the table.

"Husband," I mutter, leaning in close to him.

His lips part when he gets a better view of my supple flesh.

Falling for my bait, I chuckle dryly, "or should I say ogling gremlin?"

He laughs, eyes flicking from the table to my eyes, "if you wore that around the house, then I wouldn't-"

"How did you know I was here?"

Daemon stills. He watches my expression for a moment then responds, "I did not."

My brows quirk. He mirrors my expression. I narrow my eyes and knit my brows, "then you are here as a customer."

He breaks into another laugh. He shifts on his seat, maneuvering to face me as he stretches his arm out to the table, "should I pay my wife to fuck me when I did not even touch her on our wedding night?"

My eye twitches at his words. It takes everything in my not to slit his throat with the dagger in my skirt's pocket.

He seems to be aware of how I tick, considering he chuckles as I release a heavy sigh.

"My sisters and I are artists-"

"Funny, I thought you were all bastards," he purses his lips, "considering none of you look alike, I'm guessing it's a sisterhood of bastard-whores."

I grit my teeth and growl, slamming my fist on the table, "those women you fuck in brothels only become whores after you taint with your filthy seed."

"Careful," he tuts, "I might fill you with my filthy seed if you keep running your mouth."

My eyes darken, clenching my hands tightly, "then you would be dishonoring your promise not to touch me if I stayed out of-"

"Well, you're in my way now, aren't you, girl?"

I stand abruptly from the stool, Daemon eyes lift up as I do. I turn with anger laced in my movements and heave as I walk away to calm myself, lest I do something I regret. It seems I am just in time to be able to join the performance.

Daemon spreads his legs and leans on the table, watching intently from his seat.

When I am close to the stage, Sinti is upon me, grabbing my arm, looking back and forth behind me, "that went well."

"You think he's good looking?!" I snap at her.

Sinti recoils her hand, eyes wandering off. I scoff at her and go up to my spot on the platform. I didn't need one of my sisters to nudge me to know the man with the long silver-blonde hair was looking straight at me.

My sisters quit their bickering. Music begins to play.

I take in a breath and close my eyes, allowing the song in the air to take my mind off of the fucker across the room. The enchanting voice of one of my sisters begin to recount the tales of our family, its joys, its heartaches, its magic.

It doesn't take long for me to fall back into my groove as I wind my hands up around and move my hips to the rhythm. I relax into myself. I release a breath of relief. Following the normal choreography we had, I begin to lift one of my legs up in front of me.

My eyes rip open when I feel a hand grab my ankle.

I grunt in disgust and rip my foot away from him. The grimy man does not understand this and takes it as an invitation to hiccup from his chair, lean towards the stage, and grab my leg again.

This time, I waste no time in kicking him in the face, hard enough so he would finally get it.

It takes him a moment to register the pain. I look down at him pathetically as red trickles down from his nose.

"You fucking whore!" he cries in anger, making everyone but my sisters turn to him.

Having my day completely ruined at this point, I easily dodge the sluggish man's lunge attack and kick him again on the face. This time he crashes back onto his table, and by the time I jump up beside him, I see Daemon halt a few steps away.

I turn to Daemon with a repulsed look, as the man who touched me groans in pain. Before the vermin can even think to touch me again, I grab his arm and twist it behind his back, making him scream in pain, "don't make this any harder for yourself," I speak loud enough so both gremlins could hear, "just leave while I'm being generous."

"You call that generous?" the annoying prince chuckles beside me, making me rip at the the drunken man's arm even tighter, causing him to scream louder.

I shoot Daemon a glare. He revels in the attention.

When the vermin begins to beg, I rip my dark gaze away from the man I unfortunately had to go home to and usher the drunkard in my grips out of the establishment.

I shove him to the ground with one furious shove. I watch him writhe, feeling nothing for him, then turn to go back to my performance.

"And you do this every night?" Daemon asks, blocking my passage with his large body and stupid face.

My stoic expression sours at the likes of him, "just as you indulge yourself in brothels, my prince."

He chuckles, crosses his arms, and steps forward.

Having enough of his shit, I grit my teeth and finally rip my weapon out and point a blade to his neck, pressing it firmly against his skin.

Daemon lets out a breath, feeling the sharp prick just below his jaw. I look up at him, practically begging with my eyes to give me a reason to kill him. Yet he chuckles, and like a lunatic, pushes deeper into the sharp edge. I am so shocked by the red that gushes out, I rip the blade away from him with a gasp.

His laughter bubbles further, "clever fool."

Taking advantage of my shock, Daemon grabs the blade from my hand and brings it up to my throat. I gulp as he ghosts it all the way down to my rib. A breath escapes me when he cuts a piece of my scarf. He presses it to his bloody neck, handing me back my dagger.

I only stare at him, which is why he grabs my hand and pushes the object in my grip.

"I expect you to go straight home after you accomplish your duties here."

I blink at him.

"I'm going to need you to respond before I leave you, dear wife."

I open my mouth but then grind my teeth at the smirk he gives me.

"I'll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine."

He chuckles, nodding his head, "I..." he smiles, "intend to do no such thing."

With that, he leaves.

[backjustforberena]

I’m new to the fandom; I recently caught up on the first season and watched the second. I fell in love with Rhaenys as a character; I think she’s very strong and particularly cunning. However, one aspect I’ve noticed, which I realize isn’t a common opinion, is that her relationship with Corlys seems absolutely toxic to me but people celebrated it as a great love story.

I genuinely don’t understand why people consider this couple to be solid - and compare them to Ned and Cat, when I’ve always seen Rhaenys as very lonely, she can count only on her own strength. Corlys is portrayed as so ambitious that he doesn’t value what he has, including his wife and children, he takes them for granted and he's even ready to silence them or put them at risk solely for his own pride. It seems to me that Corlys is fine with his wife as long as she agrees with him, but as soon as Rhaenys has a different opinion, he leaves her alone. I think that Corlys was written like a husband that did love his wife in the past but now it's more like routine- she's my wife and that's all. Also, rationally, the only times he does something for her, it's always driven more by guilt or shame (left his family after Laena and Laenor died -> so he joins the war; Rhaenys told him that she's aware of his bastards -> he changes his ship) than by love, affection, or respect for her.

So, I’d like to know from you and those who support this couple, what makes you talk about "great love"? what is the thing you like so much? I'm genuinly curious and interested in reading different opinions on the topic.

I just want to have a look at the word "toxic" because, in my view, that's a rather serious accusation to link to a relationship, and one that I don't think this relationship meets. To me, and I only speak on my views and I do want to say that I have been fortunate enough to never have been in or witnessed a toxic relationship, the label of "toxic" is one of an extreme.

To me, it brings to mind abuse and the idea of being trapped and of a significant power imbalance in favour of one participant in the relationship: lack of support, jealousy, controlling behaviours, unhealthy communication and criticism, isolation, eroding of self-confidence, high stress levels, and behaviour veering into physical and mental abuse. There are no other red flags such as a large age gap, chronic infidelity, or fear of the other. Rhaenys and Corlys are not cowed or belittled by their partner. They've been allowed to thrive: they are bettered by one another.

Corlys and Rhaenys do not meet any of the behaviours that would label them as toxic. Rhaenys and Corlys are not scared of one another, they engage in meaningful discussions, and they've had (for the most part) a stable relationship and committed relationship for decades, and one built from the fact that they love each other. It wasn't a political match. It isn't a question of whether they love each other either: they do. There's no power imbalance and no controlling behaviour exhibited. No one behaves irrationally. They aren't violent with one another, they treat one another with respect and care, they don't even really raise their voice, even if they can be curt and terse with one another. They confide in one another as well. Other than the complicated issue of Alyn and Addam, they have no secrets.

I don't think they're toxic.

Are we shown moments of conflict? Yes. Of course we are. For the majority of the time, but that's because this is a show that (certainly in Season 1) jumps from conflict to conflict and, for the most part, shows the characters in extraordinary circumstances. They are under pressure.

We aren't shown, for example, the ten years between Episode 05 and 06, where, presumably, everything was hunky-dory: with Corlys and Rhaenys just chilling on Driftmark. Instead, we meet them when they are at their most vulnerable, after the loss of their daughter, when the realities of Rhaenyra and Laenor's sons are reaching boiling point. We do not see their "normal", except in short glimpses and what we can infer or when they are on the periphery of the conflict, such as. And we rarely see their informal as well, where they are allowed to show their unguarded feelings and domesticity, because so much of them is either in political situations and at court - but when they are alone, we do have that. We have handholding, proximity, acts of care and a wish for/to comfort. Kisses to hands, flirtation, affection.

We can view Rhaenys as lonely for a portion of the time because, for the last three episodes of Series 1, to a large extent, she is. She's been alone, he did "abandon" her. When he's with her and it's normal (such as the first half or so of Season 1) there's no sense that she's lonely at all, even if she does have moments alone.

But it was never about a lack of love or a lack of care for her. It was about Corlys's own grief, a war already brewing in the Stepstones and even his love for her having an impact - he thought he'd lost her. It's an immature, and (to her) hurtful thing to do but it is an extreme. It is something that happens because of copious pressure and large events that uproot that relationship. In deleted dialogue, we know, he couldn't bear to face her. And whilst we acknowledge that this happens, we also have to acknowledge that she understands and forgives him for it. She holds him accountable, and then they are a unit once again.

It's not all sunshine and roses as we continue into Season 2, because again, external pressures force them into places where they find it hard to be vulnerable with one another. It's a continuation of their individual character journeys, but it's never undermining the love they have for one another or how they wish they could be, if given the chance.

For me, I get the impression that they'd love nothing better than for no one to die, everyone to be healthy and they can stay in bed all the time, eating nice food. If that's the baseline, if that's what they want from life, then that's not toxic. That's showing love. If this war hadn't happened, they would have been absolutely fine. Things out of their control and their individual vulnerabilities and worries drive the conflict in Season 2: losing Luke, the succession, the war, Corlys healing, Rhaenys being here, there and everywhere. But that's not a failure in their marriage. Their marriage doesn't fail. It just becomes unsure ground for once.

I'm aware I'm rambling so I'll just go with bullet points for what you've said and answer with counter-points and if you've got anything else you'd like to follow up on, please do come back. I like answering stuff like this.

She can count only on her own strength -> We see multiple points at which Rhaenys and Corlys are shown as a unit and that they take comfort from each other. From Rhaenys's POV, Corlys is regularly an advocate for her, a source of company, someone who seeks to soothe her worries and makes her laugh and get out of her own head a bit. There is an upgrade in her confidence from how she is when having to deal with things alone vs how she is when she has her husband by her side. No less capable, but on a lot surer footing (particularly in S1E10. She can count on him (for the most part). And she does. And she likes to.

Corlys is portrayed as so ambitious that he doesn’t value what he has, including his wife and children, he takes them for granted and he's even ready to silence them or put them at risk solely for his own pride -> Corlys's ambition is absolutely his major flaw. He does view his ambition as very important, but it does come from a place of love. I don't see how he "takes them for granted", though I concede, certainly with his children, that he's not above using them politically. But this is, contextually, normal. All the fathers do it or concede to it. And it is done with Rhaenys's awareness and consent. What I find interesting, as well, is that Corlys's ambitions are as much fueled by his love and hopes for his family as his own self-interest. So much is about justice for Rhaenys and her claim, and restoring how things should have been for her. His surprise at her accusations in S1E07 wouldn't have worked without this conviction. But he never silences her. I am absolutely clear on this. He never silences her. If you have examples, I'd love to dissect them with you.

Corlys is fine with his wife as long as she agrees with him, but as soon as Rhaenys has a different opinion, he leaves her alone -> the only example I can think of where this happens is S1E07. And he retreats because he's hurt. Again, this is a massive extreme and I've spoken about the layers to this scene before but she's uprooted him. She's gone for where he's vulnerable at a time in which he's vulnerable in the efforts to have a conversation and so he leaves the room because he can't deal with that. That's a normal reaction. He leaves her by the fire. But that's not a red flag. That's not an overreaction on his part, it's just a reaction that hurts her. Just as she has reactions that hurt him. If there is another example which suggests a pattern of behaviour, let me know, because otherwise, I don't see it.

I think that Corlys was written like a husband that did love his wife in the past but now it's more like routine -> they are literally post-sex in S2E03.

The only times he does something for her, it's always driven more by guilt or shame (left his family after Laena and Laenor died -> so he joins the war; Rhaenys told him that she's aware of his bastards -> he changes his ship) than by love, affection, or respect for her -> I would say that's a massive oversimplification on your part and I don't agree with your logic there at all. I also think it does a disservice to Rhaenys. He joins the war not because he's rolling over to Rhaenys's whims and would have done so anyway - she has to convince him. He protests to start with. She has to lay out an argument and give him context of what's been going on. Is he more amenable because he feels like he's let Rhaenys down? Probably. But that doesn't mean he doesn't love her. It implies it, if anything. And Corlys doesn't change his ship because she's aware of his bastards. He does it because she died. Because he wants to honour her. If they'd never spoken on the subject at all, do you think he wouldn't have done what he did? I do. Not once, during his mourning, has he ever mentioned them parting on bad terms, has he ever spoken about her in relation to that subject, or implied that he is motivated by that one fact. It wasn't the last time they spoke or saw one another. There's the unsaid and the undone but that was always going to be the case because she died. He changed his ship because he wanted to honour her. Because he misses her. Because he loved her. Because he's doing this (being Hand, fighting this war) for her.

What I like about they find solace and love in each other. They can react against each other and have differing opinions from one another but that doesn't undermine the love they have for one another. They are flirty with each other, care for one another, and seek one another out. They trust one another, they seek to empower the other, they are a team and present a united front. They discuss things, they advocate for one another, they are both political powerhouses. They don't try and change the other, either, which is a big thing.

Corlys did his voyages to prove himself worthy of Rhaenys which is like the biggest romantic gesture I've ever heard of. Rhaenys adopted her marital house and fought for it like she was born to it. She ruled in Driftmark and he trusted her to do that, despite having brothers of an age to do so. The fact that rocky waters for their marriage is such a destabilisation for them shows how much they value the support they give each other. It's not perfect. It's obviously not. But it is worthy to ship them. And they do possess a "great love". Great doesn't mean perfect.

[faces-ofvenus]

hi :) i saw this post https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/faces-ofvenus/698378142804557824 and was wondering how do you think they would react to their children with reader (if she was aegon's wife and aemond's "lover" or aemond's wife and aegon's "lover" but in reality she is with both of them (basically the last option of your publication where she ends up dating both) and how do you think they would react if someone pointed out the fact of his dubious paternity *ahem bastard ahem *?

thanks for your time, your blog is the best thing I've ever read <3 I'm obsessed with your beautiful posts 😫

You could try to hide it and indeed you did, but none of the princes really wanted that, it was strange, when Aemond your husband was away for some political reason, on the nights you would show up with various marks all over your body, scratches, bites and even hickeys, all caused by Aegon, you were in an open love triangle, absolutely no one knew about it, Alicent had her suspicions of course, already confronting her children and yourself, but nothing was going forward, whispers roamed the halls, the princess is having extramarital affairs, look at her neck, have you looked at her arm? The prince doesn't seem to care!

Everything got worse with her pregnancy, honestly one would think that her child would be born, a boy or girl with some different shade of hair, not the most beautiful white like her husband's (and in the case of her beloved king) but no, beautiful violet eyes, strands as soft and white as snow, that's how one could describe her children, but whose children were they? They could not be Aemond's, he was not there at the time, but was he?

With the second son almost the same thing, the same whispers, the same voices, they got louder, but they had no way to prove it, they couldn't really, the sons were the same as Aegon, not pera Aemond... It was hard to tell, and it seemed that none of the princes cared, Aemond loved his sons like everything else in his life, and Aegon also seemed to feel deep affection for them, almost like a father. You loved them because of this.

You didn't know the context of the conversation, you were more distracted, tending to your offspring and honestly didn't want to know, something about your eldest son inheriting land, but you could exactly hear the word coming out of his mouth.

— These children should have no right to anything, my son a true Hightower who should inherit everything, for these children with Velaryon blood running in them, cannot be Aemond's, not when this harlot lays with others when my poor nephew is away.

His tone was angry, contemptuous to say the least, the lord was furious about the whole thing, he knew in his mind at least that they were bastards, silence may have been the trademark on his face, but it didn't last long, the fright was enormous when Aegon hit his desk hard, his purple eyes seemed to glow like fire at the same time that Aemond had the same look, it was rare for the two princes to agree on something, but at that moment they knew, heads would roll, Aemond came very close to the lord, grabbed him by the shirt, and looked at him with perhaps the coldest eyes you would ever have the displeasure to witness.

— How dare you accuse my children of being bastards, my children, my blood, my wife, you know I won't care if you are my uncle, when my sword is around your neck, and then I hand you over like dragon food.

His voice could be heard all over the room, he wasn't trying to hide it, no, he wouldn't hide any of it, you glanced at King Aegon, he just had a malicious, maybe bloodthirsty look, he wouldn't forget, sometimes he scared you more than Aemond himself, the council followed almost normally except for the fact that his uncle was no longer there, the king dismissed him, and even spoke in a sickly sweet voice, that he would think about the case, take the land from his nephew, to give to his cousin, may the gods have and protect him from everything, because he will need it.

The next day you slept in your shared quarters normally, except for the fact that you saw neither Aegon nor Aemond all night, which was strange, the two were always with her, if not only one, she was afraid, maybe a little, afraid of the previous day, but this was all ceased with the news, poor thieves murdered in cold blood the lord Hightower, some people passing by the dark street saw two men entering the castle of your husband's uncle, and all you knew is of his painful death, how he had been tortured, thieves, bloodthirsty, monsters was what they said, after that the thieves took him outside and his body was almost completely charred, who were the people, it was hard to know, it could be "anyone", but y/n knew well, knew that they could not be just anyone. ..

Going to the family cafe you saw everyone at the table, Aegon and Aemond seemed to have a pleasant conversation which was rare, when they saw you passing by their children, they opened perhaps the most beautiful of smiles, smiles that took beats from your heart, it was as if the painful news in the morning had not even shaken them, not even Otto showed anything, but it was hard to read the same, and maybe he knew, not for sure he knew, but no one saw the men, at least not their faces, you sat between the two, Aemond gave you a chaste kiss on your cheek,while you felt Aegon's hands running up and down your thigh.

I really hope it turned out the way you wanted it to, thank you for liking what I write.

[themotherofblood]

Everything’s Not Fine

Tywin Lannister x Reader

Tears of Gold AU

A/N: eeeeeeeee war has begun!

Weddings, you hadn’t attended many but goodness was they a nightmare, sure some adorable little cottage marriages would upstage the pretentious chaos that looms within noble marriages. However your wedding wasn’t scarce of such intentions, and yet here you were attending the wedding of your good grandson at an age where you were old enough to marry him.

Games were being played, and your recent hold on the household had earned you a whisper or two, some obvious and some surprising but either way. You would do anything to protect your sons.

Which brought you here, in a crimson-red gown with gold adorning your neck as you leaned against the railing of the viewing balcony in the throne room, sipping on a cup of cool lemonade as your good daughter-by-law found amusement in today’s ruse.

“I thank the gods that this isn’t my wedding.” She whispered, making you smile.

“Look at them,” you gestured at Margery and Cersei sizing each other up “One has been a queen for twenty years and changed nothing, the other barely is queen and wants to change everything.” You scoffed.

“You think she is toying with Joffrey?” Sansa looked at you puzzled, to her Margery was an honest friend.

“That’s the beauty of being bystanders while the one’s who believe are playing the game, loose their chances.” Ever since the incident with your children, it’s as though a veil had been lifted from your eyes, you trusted no one; other than the ones who had held you at your lowest.

“They rip each other’s head off and we survive.” Sansa cocked her brow at you, she was learning and you were proud. You lifted you cup to clink against hers.

“To the Queen.” The two of you toasted.

“Lady Y/N” Ah the formalities, hearing your titles pour out of your husband’s mouth was such a beautiful sin, since just the night before it whispered the most obscene things in your ear.

“My lord.” Sansa froze, immediately curtsying and partially wedging herself behind you.

“What stories are being cooked about?” It was so obvious the two of you were sizing the room up, there was a subtle curiosity behind his question.

“Queens and their whims.” Sansa blurted out before biting her tongue and darting her eyes to the ground.

You gave her a tight-lipped smile, her untimely humour was something you wished she would show it off more, especially within the safety of her family. Though she was terrified of your husband, just as what she said absorbed into your body. You squeezed Tywin’s arm to not cue a lecture, however behind his stoic stance he looked amused.

“How are you faring today, Lady Sansa.” He asked out of charm

“Well, my lord.” The fear in Sansa’s eyes was prominent. Just as the lot of you awkwardly looked around the room, a rush ran down your spine making your head spin as your weight fell against Tywin for a moment before you found your footing; holding on tight to his coat sleeve.

“Are you alright?” You heard your uncle’s voice approach you as you steady yourself.

“Yes, just…I’m not sure what that was.” You shrugged, shooting your husband an “I’m okay.” Glance.

“Lord Tywin, Lady Sansa.” Ellaria greeted the two nobles with grace and poise. It was odd seeing her full of dignitaries, you smiled at her before pulling her into a hug.

“Ellaria Sand, my paramour.” Oberyn introduced

You could clearly see the disdain behind Tywin’s green eyes, he never liked mixing pleasure with business. Nor did he like mingling with people that were beneath him, to them they were dogs, you’d feed them and coddle them but would not serve them a plate at your table. Clearly being in presence of a bastard made him uncomfortable.

“Forgive the intrusion, my lady.” A hand maiden spoke up nervously, interrupting five nobles at once would be terrifying for anyone considering their king has beheaded people for less. You pulled away from Tywin, leaning in to hear what the girl had to say.

“There has been an incident, my lady. The king’s quarters” She looked horrified as she recollected the details of what she had seen. You frowned at her before excusing yourself to follow along. Eldra had trailed right behind you, a hand hovering over the small of your back, she had been with you since you were a girl and seeing you like this reminded her of the tumultuous pregnancies your mother had gone through. 

When you walked through the doors of Joffrey’s apartments, staff of the household had already gathered amongst the outer doors of his bed chambers. Most of them were hesitant to let you through but what other choice did they have?

A red-haired woman remained bolted on a bedpost with arrows, her blood dripping down her naked form, just as your eyes fell upon her; you looked away in shock. Lifting a palm to your mouth.

On his wedding day…

Your mind was racing in thoughts until another voice pulled your attention behind you.

“This one belongs to Baelish.” Varys took in the scene in front of him. “My lady, looking upon such things in your state…” He sounded concerned.

“H-have her body taken down, cleanse the room. Twice if need be. The Tyrells mustn’t know.” You couldn’t believe that you were covering this up, but it’s what your husband would have had done as well.

“Have my husband called to Maester’s chambers.” You ordered as you followed the lot, carrying the girl’s body covered in a blanket.

When Tywin was discreetly made aware of your request for his presence at the Maester’s laboratory. There was a silent panic that ran through his spine, as calmly as possible excused himself before making a beeline out of the throne room. He saw you standing in front the laboratory doors, looking distressed and all he could think off was if the baby truly had been affecting you sourly.

“What is it? Are you alright?” His eyes darted all over your body and ghostly complexion.

“Your grandson has left no crime untouched.” You sighed, opening the doors to the lab, were on a table laid the dead pleasure maid. “Curtesy of his aiming skills.”

Tywin’s body went rigid, as though anger seeped into his bones. Did he care that a common whore was dead? No. Did he care that his grandson had killed a girl for no reason? Yes. That too under the roof of the red keep, hours before his chambers would now hold his martial bed. He shook his head in dismay.

“I will see to this later, you have to make your way to the sept wife.” His hand instinctively found the small of your back, leading out of the chamber and towards your ladies “There is a palanquin waiting for you.”

You gave him a tight-lipped smile, trying your best to shake off the image that lay in the king’s chambers.

“Find out if she had a family.” You instructed Ser Aryyk

“But…my lady. She is- was a “

“A whore? She was a woman nonetheless, with people that might have cared for her. Find out.” You cut off as he helped you climb into you palanquin. Your sons let out a loud giggle as they saw their mother enter the palanquin

The Sept had been decorated wonderfully, commoners had huddled by the bottom of its steps to see their favourite nobles and most importantly Margery. She was to arrive last with her father, Joffrey and Cersei got out first, while Cersei merely grimaced at the lowborn, Joffrey gloated in the merriments of men. You required some additional help as you took Fredrick’s arm as you got out. The second the red dress fell within the eyesight of the people below, the cheers and hollers grew louder. You steadied yourself before Fredrick moved behind you, letting yourself be visible to the masses below as they cheered your name. You took a moment to look around, before pulling your sons out. Tyeon decided to stand holding onto your skirts as Jamie clung to your side.

You gave the people a wide smile and a polite wave and the cheers grew louder, the little boys mirrored their mother; sticking their hands out and moving them with all their might. You turned to climb up the stairs one at a time; helping Tyeon climb, where Joffrey stood glaring at you. You walked closer to him, still ashamed at what he had done. However in the public eye, he needed to win the love for his people. The already admired him since the charitable work you and Margery had been doing was in his name.

“Wave at them, my king.” You whispered next to him as he looked at you confused. “Acknowledge them, they will love it. Keep your finger together and your arm up high. Wave.” You nodded at him.

He looked at you absurdly but did as he was bid, he kept his finger together and lifted his skinny arm above his head, flicking his wrist in a way. The hollers grew even louder as their king. You weren’t sure if it was they mother in you, but seeing Joffrey smile at the way his people loved him made you wonder how he could be so cruel. Just as you stood by him, you could feel Cersei's glare burning a hole in your head.

Tywin Lannister arrived on his horse, dramatic and regal as always. The crowd yet again parted, still gasping at whispering at his arrival. The holler quoted down, as each an every one of them remained entranced by him, or wanted to murder him. He watched as his grandson waved at crowds before turning and walking up to the Sept with his mother. You waited at the centre of the grand stairs for him, just as you took his arm the crowds broke out in another set of cheers making you laugh. Tywin lifted Tyeon up who had now made himself comfortable on the marble stairs.

“You being my husband makes you more likeable.” You chuckled, covering your mouth with your finger. He narrowed his eyes at you and shook his head. You gave them one last wave before clutching onto Tywin’s sleeve and walking up the stairs. Right at the top waiting for Kinerva, she looked ethereal in her deep maroon gown, clearly styled to a more Westerosi style and her long red hair still sat free; ending at her hip. You took her hand and smiled at her.

“Neva!” Tyeon wriggled in Tywin’s arm, happy to see his friend again.

“You look marvellous, thank you for coming.” She smiled at you.

“This is my husband, Lord Tywin Lannister and this husband are Kinerva.” You introduced.

His face remained stoic as he nodded at her “I have heard much about you.”

“As have I.” Kinerva grinned.

Tywin led you inside the Sept as Kinerva followed behind with Fredrick.

They hall was bustling with people, mostly distinguishable by the colours they wore or how they did their hair. Tywin led you to a mass of blond people, your family by law. The Lannisters. In the past two years, other than his children and Kevan. You hadn’t been introduced to anybody else. Your body went rigid as you realized he was taking you to them, he looked at you and gave you a slow blink. These were cues that you had learned over the years, Tywin could not behave the way he does with you behind close doors. Instead his reassurance were delivered in the form of squeezes, taps and blinks. You were happier for it, since being at court not very long. It is something you had also been teaching Sansa.

“Ah, it is such a pleasure to meet you my lady” Genna Lannister gushed, she was rather eccentric for a Lannister. “Oh and you too.” She smiled at Jamie who rested his head on your chest.

“May I?” She asked for permission and you nodded, letting her take Jamie from your arms as the other Lannister wives took Tyeon from Tywin’s arms. Genna then noticed your belly.

“Another?” Her eyes were wide with elation.

“Five moons, next fortnight.” You smiled at her.

The procession was commenced by the ringing of the Sept bells, people yet again divided themselves onto each side of the aisle.

“Would this be a horrible time to tell you that I’d always wanted a grand wedding.” It was a joke but internally it was also the truth, every time you would witness a grand wedding this Sept, the little girl in you would boil in jealousy and curse your name for conforming to the small wedding you had. Tywin shook his head in amusement, without faltering his stern look once.

The muffled cheers outside grew ten fold, marking the arrival of the the queen to be. The music began to be played, as disciples of the Sept readied themselves at the door. Then there was silence, everyone waiting in sheer anticipation for the bride.

The bell rang once more.

With that, the door opened.

There stood Margery in a flowered gown, her hair done up a coiled curls as she stood next to her father. You smiled at her wide, she looked gorgeous in her ivory dress. Even Joffrey looked stunned by looking at her and Cersei as expected wished Margery were dead. You were sure Margery’s hairdo was going to be the court’s newest addiction for the season. It didn’t really matter to you, since you never really liked time consuming hair styles.

She took slow steps down the aisle, she caught your eye halfway through, smiling at you as you winked at her. Making her smile grow further, she climbed the steps to the podium where Joffrey awaited her as Mace Tyrell handed his daughter off.

Initially she was to adorn the Baratheon cloak, however since Lannisters held more power over the crown’s name, you were to give your cloak for her to be wrapped in. Cersei suggested that the Lannister cloak and the Baratheon cloak had been cut in half and made into a new one for Margery. However your cloak meant a lot more to you than Cersei’s did to hers. You didn’t want to have yours destroyed for a new one, and clearly the frown on your face was indicative enough for your husband as he ordered for a new Baratheon-Lannister cloak to be made all together.

You watched as the Septon wrapped their arms together as the said the words, the prayer was longer than most noble weddings however beautiful nonetheless. Just as they finished saying their words, Joffrey declared openly his kiss to his new queen. When their lips met, the Sept broke out into an applause, you clapped along smiling at the pair.

“We have a new queen.” Sansa whispered.

“Better her than you.” Tyrion whispered.

[darklinaforever]

Let's be real for two seconds.

Viserys is the type of guy who will pass everything to Alicent.

Symbolically declaring war on Rhaenyra's marriage. Constantly suggesting that his grandsons are bastards. Calling Rhaenyra's children "simple beings", or something like that I think. Refusing a marriage between Jace and Helaena that he approved of, and instead letting him marry Helaena to Aegon. Remarks on Laenor's sexuality. Overlooking the fact that she tried to take Lucerys' eye. Brief.

Very clearly Viserys is far from being mean to Alicent and there she lets her do absolutely whatever she wants in general without ever punishing her. While these are relatively serious things that deserve punishment.

It's not an exaggeration to think that if Alicent hadn't stayed silent and said no to having sex with Viserys late at night, he probably would have agreed.

I'm not saying it's 100% certain, but it's very likely.

Alicent literally lied to him, and is still manipulating him at the behest of his father.

Becoming his wife therefore implies sleeping with him if he wants (in addition to always having made Viserys believe that she like him) and from her point of view, in relation to the religion she is a follower of, etc. It is her duty to do what her father and husband desires because she believes it is her duty as a woman, no matter how she feels. Duty. Sacrifice. Etc. So the problem here is not really Viserys. But the faith of the seven and Otto who instilled it in Alicent.

Once again, Otto is the culprit for his daughter's suffering.

Viserys is as much a victim as Alicent in my opinion. Alicent is in a union forced by her father that she never wanted. And Viserys is being manipulated by Otto and Alicent in order to be his queen, stay in his good graces, and have children so that there will be possible Targhtower heirs.

Once again, during sexual intercourse, he noticed that Alicent was staring at the ceiling and sought to catch her gaze accordingly and what did Alicent do ? She smiled, reassuring Viserys that she was probably fully OKAY from the Viserys point of view.

And then, I remind you that Viserys is not very smart and very easily manipulated. It took Rhaenyra telling him for him to open his eyes to the situation concerning Otto and Alicent.

Viserys is a fairly nice and simple guy, I remind you (even if yes, he screws up a lot). But stop seeing him as some kind of disgusting willful abuser in Alicent life... (look Otto for that)

Yes, from Alicent's unique perspective, without much thought, one can conclude that it was marital rape, and it kind of is, but if you take the whole situation as a whole, it's much more complicated than that. The situation is not all black and white.

I am told that I risk ending up in prison for making comments like this by a commentaters...

But what do you really think the justice system would think if they had all the pieces of the puzzle ?

Namely, that Otto forced his daughter Alicent to seduce Viserys to become his wife and queen in order to produce likely future male heirs to the throne ? And that during the sexual intercourse in question, Viserys noticed that Alicent actually seemed elsewhere, and consequently caught her gaze and she then smiled at him, telling him that everything had actually gone well.

Yeah... I don't think therefore that they would also live on the evil abuser and rapist Viserys. Probably / Maybe he would still receive some form of sanction for what happened in episode 4, but I think that justice would also and especially apply to the case of Otto who mentally manipulated his daughter so that she forces herself to do all these things with Viserys, also manipulated by these two in this affair.

The situation is not as simple as the Greens and Alicent stans try to make it out to be.

Yes. What is happening to Alicent is horrible.

But no, just saying that Viserys is a horrible rapist and abuser for Alicent is false for the second and quite more complex than that for the first option.

As I said, not everything is black, not everything is white.

Yes, Alicent forces herself to have this sexual relationship. But we must ask ourselves for what, for whom, and for what purpose ?

The scene actually has quite a context.

And again, if Alicent had simply said no, I don't think Viserys would have forced her to do anything, given the examples presented at the beginning of my post. That's what I think.

[mumms-the-word]

A Room in Redcliffe

Part 1

Characters: Warden Alistair x Warden Amell (Lucy) Summary: It's 9:42 Dragon and Lucy Amell has finally returned from her quest out west to search for a cure to the Calling. In the last letter she wrote to her husband, Alistair, she asked him to meet her at Redcliffe at the start of summer. She's just arrived to get a room in Redcliffe for the two of them...and hope that he shows up. A/N: A (late-posted) gift for the AWESOME AND TALENTED @elspethdekarios! Glad you've joined me in my DA obsession and that you love Alistair as much as I do! This fic is a continuation of sorts of these Love Letters. Part 2 is here!

“One room, please,” Lucy said, placing a few coins on the tavern bar. “For three nights, if possible.”

“Aye, it’s possible,” the innkeeper said, scooping the coins into his hand. “Just gimme a moment, these old eyes, you know…”

He began to sift through the coins in his palm, counting them out. As he counted, Lucy let her eyes trail over the room, slowly taking in the guests, the furniture, the space. It had been some time since she last set foot in this old tavern. So much had changed since then.

The old Gull and Lantern. She had barely noticed the name or the sign the first time she’d walked in, all those years ago. Too busy trying to prepare the village for a horde of undead to notice things like tavern signs, and then too busy arguing with the owner at the time to ask him the name of the place. She’d been certain that the tavern would be destroyed by dawn, no matter how well they fought the shambling corpses. Names hadn’t mattered at the time.

But it was a hardy old building. It had made it through the attack of undead and the Fifth Blight, as well as every conflict that had cropped up since then—including the drama of the last year, all of which she had missed entirely. Mages versus Templars, holes in the sky, mage refugees in the village, Venatori plots, and who knew what else. And that was just in Redcliffe. It was strange to hear about it all secondhand.

She wondered what that greedy old bastard of an innkeeper would think, knowing his humble tavern had made it through the end of the world two or three times over? Thanks in part to the woman who’d come in threatening him to get him to defend the village, plus a dozen other heroes he’d never met in the years following.

Thankfully this new innkeeper was not that man. She didn’t recognize him in the slightest, thank the Maker, which meant he hadn’t the faintest idea who she was either. Even so, she kept her cloak hood up. Better to stay unnoticed for now.

He sniffed loudly and pocketed the coins. “Looks to be in order, ma’am. Now ye said three nights? Got a room just down the hall there, and then another in the back. Which would ye like?”

“Is the first upstairs room available? The first one on the left. If so, I’d prefer that one.” She allowed herself a small smile. “I think it has a better view.”

The innkeeper scratched his stubbled cheek and shrugged. “Does it? I never much noticed the view meself. Let me check the keys, one moment.”

As he moved off to sift through the keys in an old cabinet behind the bar, she looked around the room again. It was a little strange coming back to find it so unchanged and yet so different. The bar looked as greasy as ever, but the dining area was bigger. They had more rooms now, but it sounded like her usual room had been left alone. Not that the room was anything special. The “view” was little more than the branches of some hardy old tree too stubborn to let Blights or Breaches bring it down. But then, they’d never selected it for the view.

It felt wrong, now, to rent the room alone.

“Yer in luck,” the innkeeper said, placing a key on the counter. “Looks like that room is available for the takin’. But I’ll cost ye extra. For the view, o’ course.”

She snorted softly, but produced another few silvers. “Of course.” She could haggle, she knew that, but she had coin to spare and…well if a few extra silvers would pay for privacy…

“Thank ye kindly,” the innkeeper said, gathering up the coins. As he did so, hunching a bit over the bar, he glanced up at her, eyes searching beneath her hood. Before she could pull her hood further over her face, his face shifted to an expression of shock. “Hey, ain’t you—”

“Nobody important, I promise,” she said. She picked up the key from the counter and shouldered her bag. “Have a good evening.”

Without waiting for him to respond, she made her way up the stairs to the second floor. Though it had been a few years, she could find her way to the room they always rented even if she were blindfolded. There were so many good memories here. Now, those memories jostled for attention as she fit the key in the lock and turned the bolt, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

Just as she remembered it…give or take some new furniture and a new quilt on the bed. She took a deep breath as she closed the door behind her and set her bag down by the bed.

“Welcome home, Luce,” she whispered to herself. “Now we wait.”

Wait. With nothing but her memories to keep her company.

———

Dawn streamed in through the open windows, spilling hazy golden light over a pair of bodies half-tangled in the sheets on the bed. They’d pulled the newly-painted shutters wide open hours before to let in the night breeze, hoping for some relief from the heat of the summer’s day, something to cool the sweat that slicked their skin from a night of impassioned lovemaking.

Lovemaking. Lucy smiled into Alistair’s shoulder as the dreamy, waking thought came to mind. There truly was no better word for it, was there? Not when it was her and him, her Alistair, her would-be husband.

She breathed deeply of his scent, unwilling to open her eyes just yet. Just days ago, the pair of them had smelled little better than road dust, blackened darkspawn blood, metal, and acrid smoke. Now he smelled faintly of his natural musk and the soap they had used last night in their shared bath. Something earthy and lightly floral. It suited him. She had half a mind to purchase a few bars of the soap from whoever made it locally here in Redcliffe.

Hopefully they’d survived the darkspawn. Or the undead.

The room continued to brighten as the sun rose slowly, waiting for no one, a brand new day in a nation that had the two of them to thank for it surviving the Fifth Blight. As the light grew too bright to ignore, Lucy gave up on dozing and stretched, careful not to wake her sleeping lover, and then lightly rested her hand on Alistair’s chest and her chin on top of her hand, watching him. Waiting for him to wake up.

He was so handsome, especially in this light. Tanned skin with a faint dusting of freckles on his nose, a gorgeous, expressive mouth that she loved to kiss. As he dozed, she tilted her head, admiring the brush of his lashes against his cheek and the fine mess his hair had turned into. She so rarely got to see him this vulnerable. He was usually awake before she was.

A flicker of his eyelids warned her that he might not be as deeply asleep as she thought. She bit her lip against a smile and reached up, lightly tracing a finger down the bridge of his nose to the tip. No reaction. She traced the curve of his lips next, fully expecting him to react with a kiss. But he “slept” on.

She brushed his cheek next, her touch trailing back to his ear. A soft pinch of his earlobe—she was certain she saw his expression shift—then a light touch along the shell of his ear, slowly, slowly, up to the slightly pointed, almost elfin tip—

He gave a dramatic shiver and, in a flash, grabbed her wrist to stop her. “Maker’s breath, woman, you don’t have to torture me like that,” he said, cracking one eye open to squint at her. “I’m awake!”

But he ruined any sulky irritation he was faking with the smile that threatened to take over his lips. She laughed, sitting up, her wrist still caught in his grip.

“Just checking.”

“Suuure,” he said, dragging the word out, the doubt in his tone obvious. But even so, he smiled at last, pulling her arm up and pressing a few kisses to the thin skin of her wrist. He kissed her palm, next, and finally laid her hand flat against his chest, over his heart.

“Good morning, my love,” he said softly, gazing up at her with such blatant adoration that it made her cheeks flush.

She giggled. “Good morning, my darling. Ready to start a brand new, Blight-free day?”

“Mmm, in a moment,” he murmured. He switched his hold on her, looping an arm around her waist, and pulled her on top of him. “I’m not done admiring my beautiful wife.”

“I’m not your wife yet, Alistair,” she reminded him, untangling their legs to straddle him. She sat up, shaking her dark hair back over her shoulders, and couldn’t resist a smirk as she saw his eyes trailing down the length of her body, lingering over her breasts especially. “But admire away, darling.”

He grinned, his hands smoothing up her sides, his touch already raising gooseflesh on her skin.

“Don’t mind if I do.”

———

Lucy sighed, eyes open and staring at the dark ceiling overhead. She turned to lay on her side, but that brought the empty side of the bed into view, and the rest of the empty room beyond. She rolled over to her other side, facing the wall instead. If she stared hard enough, long enough, she might be able to find images in the rough texture of the aged plaster. Maybe that would lull her to sleep.

It had yet to work.

Instead, she stared at the wall, thinking back on that first morning here in this room. How the world had seemed so simple in those days. The threat of a major evil had been eliminated. They were the heroes of the Fifth Blight. Nothing could possibly be worse than what they had already faced, surely.

She scoffed softly to herself. They’d been so young at the time. So naive. There had been no Calling ringing in their ears in those days. No ancient god-like darkspawn to contend with, not yet. The future had seemed so bright.

Twenty or thirty more years to live had seemed so long.

She sighed again, shifting to lay on her back again, her hand absently smoothing over the empty side of the bed. A cool breeze slipped through the crack between the shutters, which she had kept closed for tonight. Old travel habits died hard after more than ten years on the go. Ten years of attempting to avoid as much notice as possible, for safety, for privacy, for peace. Heroism wasn’t all it was cracked up to be—she had realized that long ago. Not when everyone wanted you to fix their problems.

Maybe she ought to open the shutters now. Now that there were other heroes that people wanted. Inquisitors and Champions and the like.

She mulled the thought over in her mind before dismissing it. Not tonight. Not while she slept alone. But tomorrow…

Her love would be by her side again tomorrow.

Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow.

That’s why she wouldn’t sleep. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough. The thought kept her awake even when she knew sleep would bring the dawn faster than anything else. But still sleep wouldn’t come.

Because of course those darkest hours before the dawn played cruel tricks on her mind. Whispers of doubts. Dark visions. Her imagination ran wild with worry, if she didn’t keep it distracted. What should have been a night tossing and turning with anticipation and excitement was instead a slow crawl of hours filled with a churning dread.

What if he didn’t come?

She squeezed her eyes shut and rolled over again, grabbing one of the pillows. Stop thinking like that. She wrapped her arms tightly around the pillow, the way she would if he were here, if the pillow were her husband instead of a sack filled with downy feathers. Time for another distraction.

Memories. Back to that first rosy dawn in Redcliffe after the Blight. Back when she thought the two of them were invincible, and nothing would ever drive them apart.

———

“You know,” Alistair said, murmuring the words lazily into Lucy’s hair as they lay, spent, her body on top of his, the mid-morning sun warming the room around them. “If you think about it, we don’t have any orders. Nothing major to save. No big tasks to accomplish. For the first time, maybe ever, we can do whatever we please. At least for a little while.”

Lucy lifted her head from his chest, curious what he was getting at. “What do you mean?”

He half-shrugged his shoulders. “I mean that it will take weeks for word of the end of the Blight to reach Weisshaupt, and several weeks more for them to issue any orders to the two of us. Assuming they even know what to do with the two of us. I don’t see any need to jump into our next adventure immediately if you don’t.”

“Does that mean you want to stay here?” she asked, propping herself up on her elbows. “In Redcliffe?”

He gave another shrug. “We could.”

“And get married here?” she asked, grinning like a giddy schoolgirl.

A slow smile stole over his lips as he skimmed his fingers up and down her back. “I’m sure Eamon wouldn’t mind hosting a small wedding, if we ask him. If here is where you want a ceremony, that is.”

She sat up, then, straddling him again, her excitement getting the better of her. Ideas were crowding in her mind now, dreamy visions of idyllic futures starring just the two of them, a whole variety of domestic adventures and adventurous domesticity. “And we could get a house?”

He laughed, his hands resting on her hips. “Is that what you want?” he asked, squeezing her curves affectionately. “A house in Redcliffe?”

“I want a house with you,” she said, taking both of his hands and lifting them over his head. She pressed them into the mattress beneath him, using his hands as leverage to keep herself upright. She let her hair fall like a curtain to one side, the ends brushing over his chest and shoulder. “Is that too much to ask?”

“Not if you ask it like that,” he murmured with a crooked smile. He lifted his head to try and snag a kiss from her lips but fell just a few inches short. He flopped back with a pout, making effective use of those big brown eyes she loved so much. The message was obvious.

She rolled her eyes fondly but leaned in and gave him a kiss. “Is that a yes?” she asked, pulling away but keeping his wrists pressed to the mattress. “To finding a house?”

He made a thoughtful noise in the back of his throat. “It’s a maybe. Grey Wardens rarely stay in one place, you know.” He tilted his head to one side. “Are you sure you want to get a house you might not spend that much time in? I thought you liked to travel. After so long in that tower…”

“I do,” she said. “But I…I don’t know, I like the thought of having a house here, too. Somewhere that’s ours, where we’re free to come and go. Where we can hide from the world for a bit and just be ourselves. Does that make sense?”

“Why Redcliffe, though?” he asked, arching an eyebrow. “Why not Amaranthine or some remote village to the east? Not that I’m advocating for any specific place or anything, I’m just curious.”

“I don’t know. Because here is…special?” At his dubious look, she sighed and let go of him, sitting up again.

“Look, maybe the whole idea is silly,” she said, her fingers absently drawing circles in his skin, over his chest. “And maybe it’s really impractical, but…you were raised here. This is your hometown. It’s not terribly far from my mother, if we travel by boat. It’s quiet here. Well, now it is, anyway. It just…seems like a pleasant place to settle down. Eventually. If you want.”

She could feel her cheeks burning to admit so much to him all at once, but at the same time, she didn’t care to take any of it back. Maybe it was too much to ask. Maybe he’d call her foolish. Maybe he’d dismiss the whole idea. But at least she had tried.

And a girl could dream, couldn’t she? She hadn’t had cause to craft little dreams like these in years. Even though mages could marry, weddings were rare in the Circle. Houses were impossible. Families…

Well…she would have to think about that later.

With his hands now free, he rested them on her thighs again, palms warm and slightly rough with callouses from years of wielding a sword and shield in training and in battle. She loved the feel of them on her skin, no matter where he put them.

“A place to settle down?” he asked softly.

She nodded. “Eventually.”

A smile flickered on his lips. “I think I’d like that very much,” he murmured. He reached up with one hand and sank his fingers in her hair, his gaze softening on her face as he played with her dark waves, winding a lock of hair around his finger. “A home somewhere with you? It sounds perfect.”

He brought her down for another kiss, and she could taste the promise on his lips before he even uttered it.

“We’ll find our forever home one day soon. I promise.”

[fromtheboundlesssea]

HotD Season 2 Episode 2 Live Watch Thoughts

Seriously, I absolutely adore this new opening style. I really hope that they continue with this for the coming seasons (and in the other shows). The tapestry stuff is so pretty! Like I’m actually willing to watch through it. I usually just skip intros after watching them the first time.

Ugh. The bloody sheet. 😭

And now there are a ton of people 🫥 where were they before?

And Cole got dressed fast.

AND DESTROY THAT STUPID LEGO SET AEGON!

DECLARE WAR

ooooooo is Aemond going to find out that he was the one targeted? Are we not even going to get a proper reaction to him being told that his nephew is dead?

Man Otto looks shaken.

Take all of Alicent’s pain and give it to Daemon.

CALL HIM BY HIS NAME!

“But what they’ve done to my girl” 😭😭😭😭😭

I hate that Alicent is always made to feel as though she is at fault for everything but NONE of the other characters seem to feel the same sort of guilt, worthily had or otherwise?

Oooooooof yelling at Criston!

“The sanctity of my family!” 😭

“The Bitch Queen of Bastards” is a killer title though.

“You wished her life to be spared!” I’M—

THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE HIM TALE JAEHAERYS’ HEAD!!!??? 😭

Who else would it be random dude I have yet to know the name of (Jasper)? Who else? Sure someone who wants to start conflict.

Why are Rhaenys’ actions not viewed negatively? She killed hundreds of people.

“I will not have my little son’s body dragged through the street like a dead dog” WHERE ARE THE EMMYS?!?!

TOM MY LOVE YOU DESERVE THE WORLD FOR YOUR ACTING

AEGON LOOKING TO HIS MOM!

“My darling” 😭😭😭😭😭😭🤣🤣

HELAENA!!!!!

“I don’t want them closer. I don’t know them.” MY BABY

“This is for my boy” 😭

Why would you still use the goldcloaks? Especially since we don’t have Alicent’s brother leading them yet?

THE HEAD SHAKING MORE THAN THE BODY!!!!!!!

YOU CHILD MURDERER DO NOT GET TO ACT SO SORRY AND LIP TREMBLING!!!!!

THE SEWN HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH MY GOSH THIS IS LIKE ROBB ALL OVER AGAIN!

“Are you going to hurt me?” YOU MURDERED A CHILD!

The petals like ashes 😭

My poor child who does not want to be touched 😭

GIVE THE CHILD SOME DIGNITY IN HIS FUNERAL!

GIRL YOU PUBLICLY ASKED FOR YOUR RECENTLY WOUNDED BROTHER TO BE SHARPLY QUESTIONED!

DAEMON YOU ARE A MONSTER!

Girl, you have shown no interest in your sister until it now suits you.

Rhaenys is catching on.

You are not even talking about how that CHILD is your nephew.

Whichever twin do you wonder if things would have been different had you stayed?

Good Rhaenyra seems to have caught on too.

Good. Don’t believe him Rhaenyra. He destroys so much of your good PR. People think he killed his first wife and murdered your first husband! People are going to assume bad things!

GIRL.

Good call him out. But why did you not notice all these things when PEOPLE POINTED THIS OUT TO YOU.

Do not like Rhaenyra, but get the HECK AWAY FROM HER DAEMON

OOOOOO still calling it his brother’s throne instead of Rhaenyra’s!!!!

Emma out here with their acting!

Rhaenyra. Rhaenyra mention your brother! Mention Baelon!

Ooooo Daemon calling out why part of Viserys named her heir.

Emma is so gorgeous. I am distracted.

“It was a mistake” this entire war is based on mistakes and misunderstandings apparently.

Yay! Baela talked!

Ooooo! Baela and Rhaenyra will actually have a conversation!

So Baela is going to watch King’s Landing?

Is it just me or does Baela’s dress sort of remind you guys of the ribbing of Sansa’s coronation dress? That ribbing embroidery thing? At first I thought it might be meant to mirror Rhaenyra’s dress, but it looks more like Sansa’s coronation dress.

Oh good. Helaena has ladies.

AEGON AND HELAENA! My babies are hurt!

Do you think this is the same nursery Criston watched the Green kids grow up in?

Rhaenyra sort of staring at her kids.

I wish we saw them interacting more with the babies.

My guilt ridden babies. They are Guinevere and Lancelot coded and it hurts.

But honestly, I wish this episode had been their first sex scene and the implied first time they have ever had sex. But you know. Game of Thrones. HBO. They have to make one woman be the sex-ed character. Who cares about writing?

all the guys getting up and leaving is SOOOOO funny. It’s giving “calling my significant other’s full name in front of his family”

Acting is giving this episode. I will give them that.

I like that while the Green twin does not like being question, you can tell he is not fully angry because he knows that everyone is angry about this.

Is Criston the one to send the Green twin to kill Rhaenyra in the book? I know the twins fight, but is this how it is initiated?

I wish we actually saw more of the twins before episode 9 so we could care a little more that the twins die. Both of them die don’t they?

Ooo Baela and Jace are going to talk?

“Too many empty seats” maybe because a child was murdered?

You hate your dad Baela? Would have loved some characterization last season.

You definitely have Dad issues Jace.

Wish we saw Laenor be a dad. Like actual parenting. Time skips really robbed us of growing to like characters.

You’re asking about Harwin?

Are you flirting while talking somewhat casually about Jace’s bastardry?

They really did find an actress that kind of looks like Phia for whatever this prostitute is going to be used for.

Also, if this is in King’s Landing, that prostitute might have been one of the women Daemon would have went after.

Good lord. No. Really. Aemond deserves more.

Ewan is also skinny. I can see that boy’s ribs!

“When prince’s lose their temper it is others that suffer” is a great line wasted on a character who seemingly preyed on a child.

Oh, Hugh has a kid? Is that canon to the books? OH! That was one of the women at the funeral crying over Jaehaerys.

“Did he say when?” Probably better to ask if he promised before HIS SON WAS MURDERED!

Addam! I wish he had white hair so I could use him as a faceclaim. But I get it. Who wants an ugly wig distracting from the beautiful face?

Interesting. Are Alyn and Addam going to serve as an older version of Jace and Luke?

Post sex Corlys and Rhaenys?

“Let us take him at his word.” Why? What has he done to inspire so much confidence when he already is the reason for the murder of a CHILD

Why is Mysaria granted the title of Lady?

“I had nothing to do with it” you are connected.

Does Rhaenyra not remember Mysaria? They met in episode 2 last season? I think she was even named in his letter as his “wife” and future mother of a bastard?

Oh good. Now she remembers.

Is that the actress’ actual accent?

“I have no interest…” Mysaria, again, why would she trust you?

Mysaria’s character is so confusing. I think it’s partially because she doesn’t have any sort of characterization.

Mysaria, are you not still a whore? You are just a madam now?

How did you get that scar?

Again, the spaces inbetween episodes are so important. And I don’t watch the after the episode stuff because if it’s not in the episode then I won’t use it to cloud my judgement of what is going on.

Is Alyn going to claim Seasmoke? So is Laenor just going to be dead? Or are they going to make it so dragons can claim more than one person? Or is Laenor alive and to keep up the facade is just going to pretend to be Alyn?

“What did they do?” At least inform the people why the boys are hung.

Poor dog lost his child murdering master.

“Oh~ I had them hanged.” I’m sorry that choice is 🤣

No, but why would you not state that the rat catchers are some how connected to the murder of a prince?

That gaze shift from Criston was a “don’t drag me into this” look

If people get annoyed with Criston calling Rhaenyra a bitch then they need to go after Daemon with the same amount of energy. He has said it WAY more.

“You never think of your father” HE BARELY KNEW HIS FATHER BECAUSE HIS FATHER DID NOT CARE TO KNOW HIM

Viserys is the reason the realm has gotten to this point Otto.

“He was right about you.” Viserys had no thought about his son at all to have an opinion.

Would have loved to see more of a relationship between Otto and his grandchildren so all of this could feel more weighted.

And Criston does not want this. 😬

“You will regret this” Otto you need to figure out how to talk to people. You are smarter than this.

Why would you trust someone Daemon trusted?

Oh? Mysaria is going to be sent away? Okay. The point then?

Oh, is she going to notice the Green twin? Is that her only purpose then? Girl? You are about to be free! Why do you care? (Jk. I know it’s for plot)

Again. I wish I knew these brothers and Mysaria more so I can feel the weight of their actions. Mysaria’s need for freedom being thrown away or make it obvious that she is trying to curry favor. Something.

And Emma’s color is blue.

The man also doesn’t know his way around Dragonstone. It’s a stupid plan.

Why is this scene building more tension than Blood and Cheese by flipping between the Green twin and Rhaenyra? Like???? This is how B&C should have been set up?

Also, if you knew someone had a twin on the other side, why would you not do something to distinguish them?

WHY IS THIS SCENE GETTING MORE TENSION?!?!?!?

Jk, again, I know why, it’s for the sake of making the Blacks ALWAYS looking better and deserving more sympathy.

Again, I would care more about these twins if I knew them

Once more. This tension would have been better served for B&C.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CANNOT STAY THERE OTTO?!?!?!?

DAERON MENTION!?!?!?!? He exists?

“The young are peacocks” does that not also describe Viserys too?

“I have sinned.” “I do not wish to hear of it.” The only actual father-daughter relationship that has any sort of solid development.

Loved the close up on Aegon’s short finger nails and Viserys’ ring.

AND ALICENT TALK TO YOUR SON. Ugh. But no. Let’s just have Alicent be used for the necessary sex scenes needed in a GoT/HBO show instead of having more character plot with her children.

I do think this would have been a better introduction to them having sex.

This was a meh episode.

Thoughts on the promo for Episode 3:

So Jace won’t be the one to suggest the dragonseed?

Also, where was Rhaena? I thought she was in the promo for episode 2?

[melhekhelmurkun]

Watched The Shining by Kubrick last night, and I can honestly understand why Stephen King hates it so much. It’s definitely not the best adaptation of the book at all, and the film really did destroy all the characterization the book goes through for each of the characters.

He might’ve been a bastard and a drunk, but Jack Torrance did love his wife and son, and the book does show that. It’s only towards the late middle and end that he really goes psychotic, and that’s mainly because of the hotel itself essentially possessing him and bringing out the worst of him. I am in no way excusing his actions, because he is an attempted murderer and an abusive father, but he did love Wendy and Danny, and he wasn’t a psychopath. Ultimately, it was his love for his son that stopped him when he managed to catch up to Danny, and it was what made him try to kill himself in an attempt to save his family. Unfortunately, at that point the Hotel was too powerful, and it didn’t matter if Jack was alive or dead; it just needed his body. The movie really failed to show his descent into madness; it just jumps right into crazy, with nothing to show the man he was before everything at the hotel happened. It also failed to show that the Hotel - the ‘manager’, as was stated - was truly what was behind everything. Had the Torrances not gone to the Overlook, would Jack have snapped and killed his family? It’s a possibility, but a low one - it’s more likely that Wendy would’ve ended up divorcing him, or he would’ve carried out his suicidal thoughts.

Wendy Torrance was not a weak woman - she not only had the courage and drive to stand up to her husband when he went batshit crazy, she locked him in a pantry, stabbed him, and went up multiple flights of stairs while very badly injured… and then she lived to be happy afterwards! She survived having her back broken by her husband when he tried to kill her, and lived a happy life afterwards! I can name maybe three people in my life who I am confident could do that. Kubrick’s decision to depict Wendy as an emotionally fragile woman was just demeaning to her character. Shelly Duvall did an incredible job, however, and I respect her immensely for it. That’s not an easy role to be put into in any way, especially not when you’re working for a nightmare of a director who decides that the best way to get results is to psychologically torture the star actress. She depicted the movie version of Wendy perfectly. I was cheering for her the whole way.

And then there’s all the other changes which I can understand from a filmmaker’s perspective as being more logical to making a movie, but they did change the story quite a bit. Having Jack use an axe rather than the roque mallet was an understandable change, as it was more recognizable to the public as a dangerous weapon, however… it meant that most of the important scenes, such as when Wendy’s back gets broken, never happen. You can’t exactly do that with an axe, can you? But that scene is one of the most impactful (pun not intended) and important to the book, at least in my view, since it shows her resilience and her love for her son, as mentioned in the above paragraph about her character. The choice to use the axe also meant that that Dick Hallorann died when he should not have.

That man, the chef with the Shine, was more important to the book, I think, than any character. He was the first to tell Danny that he wasn’t alone, that there were more people out there who had the same abilities he did, and that it wasn’t a bad thing. He was the one to tell Danny of the strange happenings at the Overlook, and to tell him that the visions might be scary but ultimately he didn’t think they could hurt him - which ended up being a major part of Danny’s choices. The main part of the reason Danny went into room 217 (237 in the movie) was because he remembered Dick telling him that the visions couldn’t hurt him, that all he had to do was look away when he saw them. And then there was how Dick came all the way across the country to help Danny when he was called. He pledged to help that boy if needed, and when he was needed, he came immediately, and ended up saving the remaining Torrances. His refusal to let that boy and his family die was such a big part of the story.

I can also understand the decision to turn the hedge topiary into a hedge maze. Making bush animals move is not at all easy, especially for a movie made in the 80’s. However, the animals were also fairly important to the story; they were the first real visual of Jack’s descent into madness, and then later a big factor of his possession by the Overlook; when he refused to believe that he’d seen them move, he essentially shut down any possibility of belief that there was something wrong at the hotel. By the end of the book, we sort of find out that the hotel itself was influencing his willingness to believe that, but his initial refusal did push that along. Once someone has made up their mind about something, even something they’ve seen with their own two eyes, it’s often very difficult to get them to change it, especially in a scary situation. The topiary was the first big turning point in Jack’s psyche.

Then there’s the decision to change his death scene - having him freeze to death after getting lost in the hedge maze and suffering a mild heart attack. It was… definitely a choice? In the book itself, after Jack ‘kills’ himself (again, the Hotel was possessing him fully at that point and no longer needed him alive, just needed his body, so him fighting back and bashing his own face in really did nothing in the long run but was a rather important scene - see the paragraph on Jack Torrance for clarification) the boiler in the hotel begins to overheat. The Hotel (possessing Jack’s body) goes to release the steam from it to prevent it from exploding - the problem here is that Jack was told by Watson that the boiler would blow long before the pressure gauge reached its red zone, because it was so old. But since it was not Jack present in that body but the Hotel itself, it had no idea about this and believed the boiler was now safe, as it had managed to reach it before the needle hit the red… and then the boiler exploded. Having Jack freeze to death in the hedge maze (and thus forcing us to experience that absolutely ridiculous final scene where we see him frozen) was a much less final and impactful death than that of the boiler exploding. With the explosion, his body was destroyed, and so the ‘manager’ of the Overlook was destroyed (the ghost/demon). It was a finale; the evil perished, the good guys got away, and everything was right in the world. With the freezing, it was much less final, and much less satisfying.

Objectively, if you separate the book from the movie, the movie wasn’t terrible. I did like it, and I had a lot of fun watching it. But as an adaptation, I found it VERY lacking. I can understand why King hates it so much.

[writtenrouge]

Helaena Targaryen ramble (maybe this could count as drabble idk though, I’m just typing out daydreams here lol)

Being betrothed to/marrying Aemond but becoming very close “friends” with Helaena.

Okay so, the latest daydream that’s been plaguing my mind:

After being picked for a rather rushed marriage purely of convenience to prince Aemond you became fast “friends” with his sister Helaena, to the vast majority of people with importance to the Targaryen family it’s either paid no mind to or thought of as great since Helaena now has someone she’s bonded with + it has you staying out of Aemonds way which leaves them unable to connect the dots and realise you’re both far more than friends. You’d be viewed as having such a kind heart for letting Helaena show you bugs, for always intently listening as she shows you how to stitch and to even go as far as letting her spend hours in your chambers to help you get your stitching just right, nobody would even notice that your embroidery hadn’t been touched at all.

The glances you’d share across the dinner table would lead to rather condescending laughs from Aegon as he’d regard the looks as those of two gal pals who just couldn’t keep control of their dire urge to gossip at bay, maybe Aemond would chime in and snicker at the comment thus making him miss the raised eyebrow and slight smirk Helaena throws your way, they really do have no idea who has the upper hand in this situation do they?

Of course Aemond and Aegon eventually pick up on the closeness but I don’t think they’d catch on to your antics, like I said before they believe you’re both just two silly girls wrapped up in nonsense, it is funny though how blatantly unaware they are. Again they joke and tease constantly, too engrossed in their own egos, they think they’re both above whatever it is that Helaena and you do in the hours yous spend alone together. “ladies stuff” yes that’s what they call it, that’s what they reply with when guards, their mother or other company ask of you both, you’re both just wasting time too caught up in “womens buisness” so whenever you’re scolded by Aemond for not being there waiting for him after he’d taken vhagar out on or ride, or whenever Helaena is berated for turning up late to whatever a drunken Aegon decided he needed her there for yous both try to speak the same tight lipped apology of “sorry dear husband I lost track of time with-” but a chuckle from Aemond would cut you off and a scoff from Aegon would halt Helaena. Aemond would throw an arm around you while shaking his head and maybe going as far as kissing the top of yours “oh sweet wife” he’d reply laughing in mock as he walked the two of you back inside, Aegon’s response would be less kinder probably uttering some telling of with an “of course” worded in their as he liked to think he knew the world before having Helaena scurrying to wherever he wanted her. Both responses vastly different but both boys still left thinking they had but two simpleminded wives, both boys still non the wiser.

If anyone did figure it out though I think it’d be Alicent however I don’t really think she’d care, I mean no bastards can come from it, it keeps yous both out of the way and Aemond and Aegon still don’t have the slightest inkling about it! Plus she said it best herself, these Targaryens do have queer customs🤭 I’m not saying she’d be encouraging of it just that if she found out she wouldn’t feel the need to put a stop to it as long as yous could keep it on the dl.

Okay now enough of them back to you and Helaena!! <33

So funnily enough it’d be after you and Aemond went from betrothed to married that yous two would become close, I’m gonna be cheesy and say she ever so heroically saved you from a spider that had gotten into your chambers🤭 it was nighttime, you were alone brushing your hair when you first spotted it, not particularly massive but still a spider so that scared you anyway. You knew you’d look a fool if you sought out your husband to get rid of it so you decided your best option was to go find a jug and then either squash it or trap it, whichever you could faster. And then that’s when you bumped into Helaena!! What she was doing out of her chambers at this time you didn’t know, maybe it was nothing or maybe the bug that ended up in your room belonged to her and she was frantically trying to find it, either way after explaining your situation to her (because she wouldn’t let you wander past her without explaining why you looked so shaken up) she offered her help! On the way back to your chambers she started to passionately ramble about the little creature in your room, this made you realise why she recoiled moments before when you told her of your trapping and or squashing plan. After Helaena had successfully scooped up the spider and let it crawl out of the window you hugged her in gratitude and Helaena couldn’t remember a time she’d ever been enveloped in such happiness. With your arms wrapped around her neck, the side of your head pressed into her chest she let her arms wrap around your waist, fastly welcoming something she didn’t know how much she needed. When you finally pulled away from her various sentences about needing to repay her came falling out of your mouth and with Helaena clinging on to the happiness you brought with all her might, all she asked from your was your company.

So the next day you made your way to Helaena’s chambers that were thankfully without the presence of Aegon, armed with a willing pair of ears ready and a hairbrush ready to braid Helaena’s hair in thanks as she told you exactly why spiders are nice beings that you shouldn’t be afraid of, of course you listened to every word and while your fear didn’t fault her you didn’t judge her love for the bugs either. I reckon in the days after this interaction the idea of planting bugs in your chambers crossed Helaena’s mind many times, I think she’d toy with the idea constantly just because she knew she’d be the one you’d seek out but ultimately she’d decide against it, too afraid of accidentally losing you if you found out about her doings and thought she was acting that way to be mean.

After awhile though the two of you became inseparable, wherever you went Helaena went and wherever she went you went! You both just liked each other’s presence. Not to go back on my word and bring up the boys again but dare I say that this would make Aemond jealous?👀 after one too many times of you and Helaena walking into a family dinner together Aemond “made the request” to you (sternly told you) that he should be the one to walk you to dinner as it was his right as your husband, you thought it was funny that this little thing annoyed him so much and Helaena definitely played up to his reaction. Reaching over and squeezing your hand as a hello as you sat down across from her at the dinner table, maybe even coming over to hug round your shoulders if she felt the need for it and she would absolutely kick at your feet under the table to get your attention.

Anyways sorry back to Helaena fr this time.

When did yous realise that there’s more to your relationship than just friends? Well I can’t give you a timeline date but yous both realising that there was more to your hugs, glances and hand holding than just friendly flattery would’ve brought it on. It was a very sweet realisation, it was the time the two of you realised that there was in fact real love and “meant to be’s” in this world and not just political marriages.

So yes you did have a kind heart and your kind heart belonged to Helaena <3

[horizon-verizon]

https://x.com/rhaenicentwin/status/1791621994053603489

They are always Rhaenicent fans…

Well, we are all entitled to have opinions even if I will never understand some or see how some are clearly just motivated by racism, sexism, etc.

And there's something to be said about how some of these characters on the black side are boring because the writers have removed some scenes we find out about a whole ass year after the first season. Plus, they simply didn't develop them or explore the children of the first set of characters enough in the first season: Baela and Rhaena, esp the latter, had almost no lines.

It's still a bit crazy when they try to argue the moral character or just plain "coolness" for "interestingness" of the greens when the "interestingness" of the green character(s) they like are really about either how physically attractive they find them or from the show's deliberate giving black traits to greens to "balance" the sides out in their misunderstanding or just noncaring about why the greens and the blacks are characterized the way they are towards this tale about misogyny and how it frames "deserving".

There's Jace, who the writers thought it'd make sense to have him not understand High Valyrian in all the time he's lived with High Valyrian-speaking people since birth (Rhaenyra, Laenor [esp with Rhaenys as his mother, and Daemon) who would all have been very proud of their heritage.

Then there is the fact they chose to emphasize how Aemond was the one to devote himself to "philosophies" and try to be the ideal "prince" or educate himself in being a proper leader...

when that has canonically more been Jace, who had the more reason to really apply himself because of the pressure of people's doubting his parentage and the belief of bastards not deserving/capable of inheriting certain types of leadership.

Aemond might have been a second son, but he was still legitimate and the son of a woman who is in her "proper" place as the consort to the King instead of a woman who is the first heir/woman also thought to be undeserving of the position. And not primarily because she's suspected of having had extramarital relationships but because she is female. The extramarital relationships and having children not her husbands are really just additional excuses made against her, to argue that she is not "responsible" and doesn't act like a "good" woman to be the next ruler of their society. Aemond doesn't have all of this to contend with, just his family's jealousy and desire to reinforce patriarchal authority.

Aemond canonically believes that it is his & his brothers' birthright, the throne. He was described/proven as "fierce" and very impulsive--more than Daemon--not just because he was much younger and eager to prove his martial and masculine prowess but also because his side of the family is so much less free & unconditional with their love in lieu of their more obsessed compulsion to "take back" what they thought should have been theirs by virtue of their male children's very existences. Further proven by how manically both he and Aegon insulted Rhaenyra or were fixated by going head to head against Daemon in the book.

In Westeros, there is actually a bit of a stigma of noblemen being "too" scholarly and not focusing more on being skilled at martial practices, especially swordsmanship. Because, again, that's how men get their glory and obtain more resources aside from inheritance or gifts. Look to how Pre-warrior Rhaegar the musician and Samwell Tarly are described by the people and historical writers and you will understand.

Therefore, I tend to think canon!Aemond would be less inclined to actually study "philosophies", and even if he did, he'd likely just read those that don't expand his world view but those that reaffirm his idea of his birthright & copy those medievalesque authors who aren't the sort of philosophers that try to challenge status quo like some people ight have assumed?

Would Aemond care to really ponder and reflect over men like Benedict rivers, who lived as a bastard of a Bracken and a Blackwood but became a king anyway to begin a long line of Justman kings? Or would that be Jace?

Jace, of the two, would have an equanimity and knowledge that Aemond just wouldn't have. And that also makes me dislike how much they didn not really show Jace having to battle between his frustrations, fears, and how he regulates his emotions and how ehe might slip up to contextualize his relationship with his family, esp with Luke. who we see him seemingly mistreat or at least unfailry take his anger out on with no apology. And "seemingly" because again, we are not given any other scenes of his development and interactions with his family. That and his fighting w/Aemond in episode 8 give more leeway to the impression that Jace is not as leader-quality as he should b, esp in comparison to Aemond (for some people, I still thought Aemond wasn't either, but the points that it leaves more room for that impression).

But many people want to just watch the show and not really engage with the themes of ASoIaF or think about stuff too "deeply". Or they already see some stupid shit in the writing and want to stay "positive" about it and enjoy the show, so If they express such I tend to leave them to it because I don't want to ruin their fun. As long as they don't say actually prejudiced stuff, and I don't just mean racist, sexist, etc. stuff. i mean where people severely try to make one feel guilty for actually understanding the story GRRM set out to make with the Dance. Like Daemon's fatherhood and the constant "he was a groomer" to try and somehow negate the effect of his presence in the black children's later post-Dance actions (Maiden's Ball). Some people either never read the book and/or do not plan on it. Or they have and they either quickly took Gyldayn's/Mushroom/Septon Eustace/Munkun/Orwyle's interpretations of mysterious/non-mysterious events to be unbiased fact. OR they read it and don't really compare the blacks to the greens and how/why they might do the things that they do themselves because, admittedly, the text is built from biased interpretations and thus it feels often like a futile pursuit sometimes with some specific phenomena that the book covers. Finally, some don't look to the So Spake Martin website for research or GRRM's own blog to see how he talks about his characters in F&B's Dance portion.

Therefore, it's not just Rhaenicent fans but some from Aegon stan circles and team black. People want to just watch the show 🤷🏻‍♂️.

[way-of-love]

The Heat of Adam (Teth-Adam x FemReader) (Spoilers) (R-RATED) (PART 3)

-Currently you are the sister-in-law to Isis, the woman who found the tomb of Teth-Adam. You are the sister of the deceased husband of Isis and the only living aunt of Among, Isis and your brothers son. You felt for Adam during your time with him knowing all along that he was filled with more good than bad. During your journey with him and your family, you finally knew you cared for him more than you should...-

PART 1 PART 2

Yes there's a PART 4 :) Also sorry for how short it is, I didn't want my poor friends to wait until the week after but I promise you its so worth it!! We've all been through heartache and I think it's about time we had a little more.

During that whole speech about how you and Adam were adults, clearly the two of you should’ve known better than to practically have sex in the middle of the kitchen where anyone, especially Amon, could have walked right in and have been traumatized. His favorite superhero shoving his tongue down his only aunt's throat...you couldn’t look up at her. It was too embarrassing! And rightfully so. You felt like a teenager all over again when you got scolded in the living room. It was fair, it was right, and it was just. You’d be mad too if a trusted member of your family who was supposed to be taking care of the house was caught swapping spit with a random boy. 

But Black Adam wasn’t random, and he definitely wasn’t a boy, you felt that much, he was a powerful man who for some reason captured your heart. And upon his return you found yourself forgiving him a bit too quickly to the point you were gripping and kissing him like a deprived lover.  

Maybe you looked too easy for him. That all he needed was a rightful justification, look ill and she was all over him. Was it that easy for him? If Isis didn’t walk in on the two of you, would he have... had his way and left again?  

That was your fear that he’d come back to loving arms and then when hes had enough run off and play a hero. Was he like other men?  

During the scolding Adam stood there listening to Isis standing right by you as you sunk deeper and deeper into the old couch praying it’d swallow you whole. Your eyes glanced over at Adam and only saw that he didn’t look ashamed, embarrassed or remorseful whatsoever. In fact, you’d dare say he looked quite proud. This bastard was ruthless! 

After Isis had her fill of discipline, she welcomed him back with a kind smile. Isis was already in on how you felt about Adam because after you came back from your mini ‘vacation’ overseas you were quiet. Too quiet for her liking so she pestered you until you told her what occurred during your visit there. As usual, she went on the defensive saying he was no longer welcomed back inside her home but after talking to her about how you felt and what you both talked about the early morning he flew you back home, her opinion . She wasn’t angry but she was smiling and comforting you telling you everything was going to be okay and one day he’ll come around. You truly weren’t sure you would though.  

At that point you were ready to forget about this Black Adam and live your life as the young woman you were and wait for no man. That was what you were planning to do before he showed up unannounced. Now, after dragging him out of the apartment promising Isis something like the public display in the kitchen would never happen again in her home, you managed to avoid the giggling stares of both your brother-in-law and your nephew on your way out.  

Adam had absolutely nothing to say as you lead him through the streets of Khandaq, well more like he flew you over the top of the buildings as you told him where to go. Flying over the rooftops when the sun was already setting gave you the perfect view of the colors that flooded the sky, it looked the same as the day he was imprisoned. You wondered if he remembered how the sky looked when you both spoke one on one for the first time, did he remember how sad you looked when he flew right out of the hole in the broken apartment wall? He probably did feel something, he must’ve, if he was willing to talk to you for goodness knew how long. Were things going to change after this, after they’d discussed what needed to be discussed? While flying over the hills and mountains you decided on a decent spot that overlooked all of Khandaq.  

He placed you back down on your feet and you couldn't tear your eyes away from the view before you. The city of Khandaq looked absolutely beautiful at this time of day with the sun setting on the horizon with vibrant hues of gold, purple, and pink decorating the already lit city. With the statue of Adams son gone it gave way to new light. But you knew that the destruction of the statue made Adam feel dejected. Like, let’s be honest here, anyone would feel the same if the last piece of your own son was destroyed. He had nothing but the sour reminder of where the pillar of his son, the true champion of Khandaq, once stood. And even after all that he didn’t look unfazed by the destruction of it. Even now while you side eye him trying to decipher the expression he was wearing; there was no emotion on his sun blessed face but what looked to be content. No smile, no furrowed brows, no wrinkles on his forehead. Just contentment.  

It had your mind fill with questions you wanted answered. Why’d he come back? Why did he suddenly attack her with a kiss? Why did he look for Amon but not you? He looked content but why? 

As these questions plagued your mind you couldn't find it in yourself to ask any of them. Why? Because there was a moment brewing between you two and you weren't going to ruin it, not now at least. After what felt like an eternity he finally glanced down at you and you fully turned to face him. Even in while trying to have a moment he could see the restraint in your questioning, it was your job to gather intel after all.

" It's good to see you're doing well," He spoke up first. "I apologize for appearing so suddenly. I...I didn't want any misunderstandings between us, there's a reason why I came back here. To you."

You remained silent crossing your arms over your chest, now you knew by the tone and his stance that his return wasn't for a romantic rendezvous. What was happening now was that he was giving you information and you had yo give it to your people because the Justice League nor the Justice Society will do anything. But you can.

"There's been a rise in child trafficking here in Khandaq. After what happened with Inter-Gang, things were going smoothly but when I was gone," He looked down, you saw anger flash across his features.

"Someone, rose up and decided peace wasn't an option for our people. I know what's been happening Adam," Closing your eyes for a brief moment you looked back at the setting sun with a sorrowful expression. He was surprised to hear you knew about the kidnappings but seeing that you weren't out and about doing what had to be done irked him. Reaching out he gently grasped your upper arm.

"Y/N, why didn't you tell me sooner? Has your organization not received any information about this? Do you know who's behind this? Do you know?" It wasn't the fact that he was bombarding you with questions that annoyed you, in fact these were the perfect questions to ask during a time like this one. Standing with the man you've been pinning after, on a cliff overseeing your country during a sunset, a perfect time to ask about everything else indeed. Queue the sarcasm.

This moment was for the both of you to catch up, to discuss what will happen next between the two of you. Hell, you wanted to know why he kissed you so suddenly when he returned. It was one thing after another with this brute! Without missing a beat you uncrossed your arms and brushed his hand away from your arm, in a lesser friendly way.

"We have information that the children being smuggled aren't for anything sexual. Just being used as workers and mules for the same magical metal our previous king perished for. The location to the mines they're using is still unknown but I've been working on it, should be on towards our boarders but I'm not sure where. That's why I was in America a few months back, I knew before your little team in tights knew," You didn't bother to look him. You felt...awful. The kidnappings were serious problem and your organization had some trouble trying to find the man responsible for it. And he was a smart man indeed. Kidnapping children from a country no one cared for, no government will ask questions when paid a heavy sum, no trace to leave behind.

But if this situation occurred in America, the heroes would move and assemble to take the threat down. There are no heroes here in Khandaq, there were only people like you to keep people safe.

Adam didn't take too kindly to your tone or the dismissal of his touch but he didn't question it. Instead he gave you his hard stare that you ignored with a nonchalant one.

"So, this is what you brought me here for? To exchange information so you can run back to your little team in America in hopes they can do something? Because I can assure you that it will not happen. They've ignored us for years before you came and you ignored me for a year before you came just to ask for information, tell me, was that kiss just to butter me up and open me up to actually talk to you?"

You weren't stupid, you played the same card once or twice. Your body for information. And this time he used your feelings, how you felt about him, to open you up.

Again, he remained silent. There was your answer.

With sarcastic smile you raised your hands and brought them back down releasing a humorous laugh. "Perfect! Simply perfect!"

There was one thing about your job being spy that they always told you, use your targets emotions whoever they maybe, get close and use their emotions to get what you want. And now you had a taste of your own medicine.

"I want to go home." You mumbled.

"I'll take you home," He reached for you but you dodged his touch. You didn't want his help.

"I said I wanted to go home, not with you."

"I'll take you home and leave, I won't stay," Again he tried to reach for you but you dodged him again. "You can't get off this rock without my help Y/N."

He was right, you couldn't get off this cliff even if you wanted to. It was too steep, too high, and way to rocky to climb down. But you wanted to so bad to say no and tell him to fuck off but he was your only way down. So, swallowing your pride and anger you slipped your hand into his out stretched one. He pulled you to him and wrapped an arm around your middle securing you against his chest wile the other wrapped around your shoulders forcing you to lay your head on his chest as he took off. You hated that no matter how many times you do this you enjoyed it more each time, the flying was freeing.

The harsh reality hit you when you finally landed on the balcony of the floor you and your family were staying in; whatever you had between the two of you was probably not going to work out. Taking a step back from him you turned to head back inside but his hand grabbed your arm holding back from opening the door. You really wanted to avoid him. This...this feeling didn't settle well in your stomach.

"Back off Black Adam." You didn't yell, you didn't rip your arm away from his grasp, you didn't look at him. But what you did look at was his reflection in the glass door. The man you sought after looked like he was hurt. How ironic. He was hurt because you were giving him the cold shoulder? How did he think you felt?

Apparently Teth Adam wasn't good at reading people and he definitely wasn't good at reading you, the woman he desired to be close to. It wasn't at all his intention to deceive you, like you thought, he wanted to ask and even beg for your forgiveness if that's what it took for him to come back to your good graces but instead his raw emotions took over seeing you shocked, hurt, and angry all for a small minor thing he didn't care to explain after. He could have gone to find you during your America trip after he deliberately ignored you but he didn't.

Now, he was far from your good graces because of yet another mistake he made rushing into one subject because his raw emotion was dangerous. He hurt you and now you both were suffering. His hold on your arm was gentle, barley squeezing. The heart ached, yours and his.

So close together yet miles apart.

"You don't have to say anything. It was just a rush of emotions, you said so yourself, you didn't want me to misunderstand and that's what I did," Sighing you took your arm from his grasp and pressed a hand to the glass door pushing it open.

"I'll let you know what I have on the smugglers or kidnappers, whatever you want to call them. Then you can go back to America and do whatever heroes in tights do." And with that you left purposely leaving the door open behind you in hopes he'd follow you, grab you and spin you around just to tell you that this was just a mistake, this hero stuff, saving the world didn't matter because what mattered was here in Khandaq. What mattered was you and this little family you both had.

But instead of felling his warm rough hands on your bare arms you felt the gust of cool wind on your back bringing your hair forward into your face and sending papers around the living room to scatter.

It hurt to know that he never looked at you the way you looked at him.

You stumbled upon a man who started a fire within yourself that cannot die. However, the saddest, most awful truth you will ever come to find-

Is that he may not be the one you spend your life with.

Now that you had your answer you quickly made a bee line to your room, the door furthest from the front door, the kitchen and the place where your heart broke again. You knew you’d see him again soon and it was just to give you whatever intel you had to stop the smugglers from taking anymore children from your country. And you prayed it was enough to save them and you from seeing Adam here ever again.

[makerkenzie]

So I read your posts about the Martells and how their plans to team up with the targs are.....faulty to say the least lol and I completely agree. Your posts hit on a lot of the same issues I have had with the Martells and GRRM's handling of this plot point. We are told that the Martells in general are haughty and slow to forgive. We are introduced to Oberyn, he loved Elia more than anything, and like any overprotective brother didn't believe any of her suitors was good enough for his sister. Yet, GRRM does not allow Oberyn, and then later, Doran, to make any comments about Rhaegar's treatment of Elia. Yes, Tywin gave the order and Loch and Clegane executed those orders, but none of that would have happened had it not been for Rhaegar setting the ball in motion. This makes absolutely NO sense and gives the fandom cover to say garbage like, 'well, even the Martells don't blame Rhaegar so Rhaegar was a good guy...' Oberyn? The same man who didn't think anyone was good enough for his sister wouldn't have been enraged at her husband seemingly leaving her for another woman after she just almost died giving him a son? Seriously???

This is just....very bad writing and dropping the ball on Martin's end. On top of that, he has the Martells betroth Arianne to Viserys. Why the FUCK would any family do that after seeing how one targ man already treated their beloved sister in a previous marriage match???? It's baffling.....absolutely insane. But I can't bring myself to blame the Martells, because this is yet another area of illogical carelessness by GRRM when it comes to his handling of Rhaegar and Elia.

Parts of this fandom refuse to acknowledge that Rhaegar is significantly at fault for the rebellion and what happened to Elia and his children and it borders on gaslighting imo. The amount of times I've seen people say 'well, Rhaegar didn't start the way, it was Brandon making a mess in KL and then it was Aerys' fault for demanding Robert and Ned's heads.' Okay......but literally none of that would have occurred had Rhaegar and Lyanna not ran away. Had they not done what they did, Brandon would have had no reason to got to KL to confront the prince.

Anyway, a lot of this hits on GRRM's, imo shockingly tone deaf, handling of Rhaegar, Elia, and Lyanna. I have no doubt that back in 1996 he envisioned R and L to be some Romeo and Juliet love story with two sympathetic people that meant well, but ran into a string of bad luck 'love is the death of duty' etc. etc. Except, it's easy to romanticize Romeo and Juliet who were two capricious teens in the blush of first love. Importantly, neither of them had a spouse and two young children they abandoned to go screw their lovers in said spouse's homeland. And then had their spouse and children brutally murdered as a result of the war they started 'for loveeee' lmao. The fandom harps on the age gap between R and L and honestly that doesn't even scratch the surface as to top five worst things about this relationship. I'm not even bother getting into L's hilariously hypocritical views on fidelity and having bastards lmao. I think GRRM inadvertently had the inciting relationship of his series be, not only predatory because of the age gap, but be based on the degradation and humiliation of an innocent wife and mother, and just....like......didn't realize it??? lmao. It's very weird, very very weird. I mean, on the other hand, I do think he....kinda...gets it because if he wanted a uncomplicated romance he simply would not have had Rhaegar be married with two kids.

All that being said, I think Martin is committed to making R a tragic hero and this a tragic love story, that he refuses to allow the people who should realistically hate Rhaegar and the targs the most, the Martells, excoriate him in the text. I had a conversation with another ASOIAF fan about this and she said that one of the good things the show did was allow Oberyn to call out Rhaegar for abandoning his sister, which he doesn't do in the text. I think there's a lot of cognitive dissonance with GRRM not realizing just how bad Rhaegar, and Lyanna imo, come across to readers in the text and, tinfoil time, I think not having to explain this relationship to readers is one of the many reasons he won't finish the series. I think he now realizes just how bad it is and how much 'fixing' of that ship he's going to have to do for both of them not to be absolutely hated by the fandom.

Obviously Martin is keeping very mum on the rebellion because he doesn't want to reveal too much and obfuscates a lot so we really don't have a lot of concrete opinions on Rhaegar from non-targ sycophants.....which is good writing technique.....usually.....but when you're taking 30 plus years to finish a series and are going on year 13 of having the fandom wait on the book that should in theory answer a lot of these questions....it's not great lol.

I don't see a question here, but I'm not above poking the viper's nest when I'm bored, so: okay, I'll bite!

If GRRM is trying to write Rhaegar as a tragic hero and R/L as some epically tragic love story, then, yes, he's doing a piss-poor job of it.

I don't think that's what he's doing.

I think he's intentionally writing a deeply frustrating story around the Martells. Whatever his initial idea of the Targs was in 1996...the story he's writing now is that dragons plant no trees.

He doesn't let the Martells acknowledge the Targs' mistreatment of their family because this is not a story in which they'll be vindicated or victorious. This is a story in which they are screwing themselves over. Which isn't exactly fun to read, but the pieces add up that way. The Targs are not the heroes the Martells need for their fairytale, any more than the Lannisters are the villains they need for that tale.

Especially Rhaegar. Seven Hells, are people actually saying "clearly Rhaegar was a good guy because the Martells don't blame him"? That is really...special. Nah, the Martells' refusal to hold the Targs, and especially Rhaegar, responsible for the injury done to their family is not an argument in favor of the Targs. It's 60% or more of the way the Martells are driving themselves off a cliff.

I don't have any firm opinions on why GRRM is taking so long to finish the Winds of Waiting. It's likely the result of many contributing factors, as the series involves many, many moving parts. But I doubt very much that he intends to write the Targs as the good guys Dany seems to think they are. They're a mix of hero and villain, like many other players in the game. Meanwhile the Martells' investment in the dragon is doubly tragic because where the Targs are actually heroic, they still don't reciprocate the Martells' loyalty. They hardly even see it.