#corlys the sea snake

[silmarillaure]

Unpopular Opinion:

Aegon III should have married one of his half sisters so Rhaenys, the true robbed heir, could have her descendants on the throne like she deserved.

I feel like this was the one moment Corlys should have been selfish, would have been the best for everyone in the long run.

[sarcasticsweetlara]

Laena Velaryon

Credits to @alaynasansa

For all of those who have said Aegon the Younger and Viserys II would not care about Laena Velaryon, let me tell you that they would.

Here is why: Even if they never met her, they would hear stories from Baela and Rhaena about their own mother, how the daughter of Rhaenys The Queen Who Should Have Been, was friends with Rhaenyra and supported her despite the fact they could have been rivals for the throne, as before the Great Council, the conflict was between Rhaenys and her uncle Baelon, and Laena was born amidst all the chaos.

Laena had royal blood and a claim to the Iron Throne and she supported her dear cousin Rhaenyra.

The show has done a lousy job portraying their relationship, but at least they hinted Rhaenyra and Laena got along and that Laena always was leal to her and wanted to see her ascend as queen.

There is also the fact that the book hinted there was a possible romantic relationship between them, Rhaenyra would have talked about the woman who was there by her side and that did not abandon nor judged her, unlike Alicent.

Laena was the mother of Baela and Rhaena, Aegon the Younger and Viserys' beloved sisters, the people who always protected them, Rhaena and Viserys II were similar in that their original dragon eggs never hatched, and imagine Viserys' thrill at flying with his sister, and how she probably told him her own mother took her flying.

Laena was Daemon's first cousin once removed and Rhaenyra's second cousin, the link between their Targaryen branch with the Velaryon branch of Corlys and Rhaenys', the reason why Corlys and Rhaenys chose to support Rhaenyra, and her memory alongside the daughters of Laena brought them back, honoring Laena's loyalty to Rhaenyra.

Aegon III and Viserys II must have heard Laena was the rider of Vhagar before their dreadful uncle (sorry Aemond, but it's the truth), and look how different the perspectives would be for them, that with Laena, Vhagar was a symbol of the hearth and fruitfulness but with Aemond Vhagar only meant destruction; surely they would prefer their aunt (second cousin once removed).

Laena's friendship and love for Rhaenyra was what ensures the loyalty of House Velaryon to the Blacks, and her memory and her descendants was what brought them back.

Rhaenyra's descendants became kings and queens, and Laena's descendants were powerful allies that supported House Targaryen.

Rhaena's descendants must have married into the marcher houses of the Reach and also married the Lords of the High Tower many times, as we see Alerie (Rhaena's descendant) has silver hair.

Rhaena, the daughter of Aegon and Daenaera was probably the one who reconciled House Velaryon with House Targaryen after Elaena's involvement with Alyn, and even after what happened House Velaryon kept being an ally of the Targaryens and even if not many Targaryen-Velaryon marriages happened after that (Aelinor and Maegor could have been wed to Velaryons after being discarded as heirs) they were still bound by blood and history.

House Velaryon helped Daeron the Young Dragon in the Conquest of Dorne, and House Hightower remaining a steadfast Targaryen ally in all the Blackfyre rebellions.

So you see, Aegon III and Viserys II did have reasons to care and admire Laena Velaryon, what are your excuses for saying they did not?

Laena's blood is still alive through her daughters, in House Velaryon, House Hightower and many other houses, and they still hold privilege and power.

[sarcasticsweetlara]

Laena would always get Dark Sister as the widow of his wielder and as the sword was originally meant for a woman's hand.

And of course Laena would make sure that Baela, Jace, Luke and Joffrey are trained alongside her cousin Daeron Velaryon, convincing Vaemond to fight for Rhaenyra with the promise Laena would give Vaemond and his firstborn Daemion a fortress in The Crownlands with a fleet of ships, and she would take Daeron with her to fight in the Stepstones and with Vhagar and Laena's wit aiding the strategies of Corlys they would win the war in the Stepstones.

And I know Laena would ask Viserys to give a fortress to Aemon Targaryen (her son who was named in honor of Laena's grandfather) as a homage to the son of the Rogue Prince, and send him as a ward to other branches of House Velaryon (the branches of Jorgen and Victor Velaryon, Corlys' uncles) so they can win them over, and later betroth him to the cleverest one of the Four Storms - Maris Baratheon.

Once the Stepstones are completely apart of the Seven Kingdoms, many fortresses would begin to be built by Corlys and Laena to protect it (and later used for the Dance), as well as reach out to Laena and Rhaenyra's great-aunt Saera Targaryen and her children and struck an alliance by giving them fortresses of their own.

Laena would also travel to the Vale to improve the relationship between House Targaryen and the Vale, and would streak a deal of betrothing one of her Velaryon cousins (a son of Malentine Velaryon) to one of Jeyne Arryn's female cousins, and she herself would arrange the betrothal of Joffrey with Daeron Velaryon's daughter: Daenaera Velaryon, and eventually arrange betrothals between her other Baratheon cousins Cassandra, Ellyn and Floris to grandsons of her cousins Malentine, Rhogar, and Daemion, while also building fortress personalized for every single one of them in the Stepstones, all under the agreement they will fight for Rhaenyra.

And Laena would eventually make a Valyrian Longsword for her son Aemon: 'Lealty'.

And then as queen, Rhaenyra would announce Laena as her Mistress of Coin, Mistress of Ships, and announce her as the Duchess of the Crownlands

And I'm sure Laena would gain over the Reach with her persuasion *cough, Vhagar, cough* and the betrothal of one of her Velaryon female cousins to the Lord of House Redwyne.

Rhaenyra and Laena would eventually meet and make a deal with the Rogare family, in the exchange of betrothing another of Laena's Velaryon female cousins to one of the Rogares.

Ser (and eventually Lord) Aemon Targaryen would soon claim Seasmoke, while Morning would hatch and be claimed by a grandson of Saera: Maerion Targaryen - we know Saera would give her surname to her children just to spite her parents - and other grandchildren of Saera would claim Vermithor and Silverwing.

Laena would be Rhaenyra's major asset.

A HOTD au where instead of Laena dying by dragon fire/childbirth, she lives on to give birth to a son, Daemion Targaryen, and her husband mysteriously dies of a burst belly. With her newborn son in her arms, Dark Sister at her hip, her two grieving daughters, and an equally grieving Caraxes claimed by Rhaena, Laena returns to Dragonstone for the funeral of her husband. Queen Alicent and her father, once again appointed Hand, secretly rejoice in the death of their despised foe and brazenly make moves to put Aegon II on the throne. The death of Daemon Targaryen has left Viserys a shell of the man he used to be and Rhaenyra struggles to accept the death of her beloved Uncle and the pressure of her inheritance.

But Laena refuses to cave under grief and uses it to drive her to ensure that her children are well cared for and that Rhaenyra's inheritance remains intact and away from the Greens. But envy and restless hearts threaten her plans and Laena finds herself romantically entangled with yet another dragon of fire.

Outside the towering walls of Dragonstone, the wind raged as if joining Laena in her fury. The sea was foaming under the gleaming moon like a cold caress, the sound a small comfort for Rhaenyra as she wrapped her black cloak tighter around herself. She searched one end of the beach to the other before glimpsing Laena standing with water up to her knees, fingers playing with the Dark Sister's hilt.

Rhaenyra didn’t need to see her expression to know she was furious.

Poor, sweet Rhaena with tears on her cheeks and trembling hands had given Caraxes the command to burn Daemon's body, her family standing in support behind her as Queen Alicent along with her father and brood stood a little ways from the flames, but no one had missed the small smile of triumph in the Queen's eyes or the grim look of satisfaction on Otto's face.

Their happiness and Alicent's constant need to force Rhaenyra into a conversation to offer her false condolences had nauseated her to the point where she practically had fled to the beaches to gather herself and speak to Laena...alone.

Heart in her mouth, Rhaenyra strode over towards her, each step shrinking the vastness that had come in between them. Laena did not turn, watching the waves sweep up on the sand before her, her body tensing with each step Rhaenyra took.

“Laena, I'm sorry,” she blurted. “Please, Laena, you mustn't be alone--”

Laena's shoulders moved convulsively, halting her words. “Let us speak plainly, cousin. My husband, your Uncle, is dead and now the vultures show their brazenness without shame and have even expressed an interest in having Dark Sister given to Aemond who displays nothing but Daemon's worst traits. Surely his mother isn’t blind to his viciousness….” Laena's voice trailed away.

“Laena, I know..,” she murmured. When Laena did not reply, Rhaenyra breathed in the salt wind through her nose to clear her mind. She knew. Everyone knew. She was trying so hard and now Daemon-- “I don't think you do know, cousin.” Laena's silver head whipped around, presenting her with the full extent of her grief and Rhaenyra crumbled at the look of agony on her beautiful face. "I don't think you understand just how far your beloved Hightower will go to make a mockery of your grief and twist it to her advantage. You don't...you don't..." Laena's voice trailed off and her expression twisted in a look of despair as she fell to her knees and sobbed. Rhaenyra dashed forward into the water with her and held the sobbing woman in her arms, two dragons of sea and fire lost in their grief as the waves crashed.

"What is to happen to us now?"

"We protect your crown and our children's rights with Fire and Blood. Daemon is gone, but his progeny lives and I swear by the sea, House Hightower will never be free of his shadow." Rhaenyra barely heard Laena's oath, the wind pushing her curly hair into her mouth. She was dragging it free when Laena crushed her palms to her temples and, looming in, crashed her lips to Rhaenyra's with bruising force, a kiss that Rhaenyra immediately returned. The force of their passion consumed them as the two women embraced under the cold moonlight, a promise on their lips.

By fire and sea.

[joycieillustrations]

A WIP I really need to finish - ‘La belle reine sans couronne’, perhaps?

Do not repost without my permission!

[valyrianheirs]

Steve Toussaint - Corlys Velaryon | House of the Dragon Season 2 BTS Shot

[rxnefairs]

Rhaenys, I think your husband has a crush on you…

[archangel-lucerys]

Worst part about the removal of this scene is the fact lucerys is finally accepting his role as the hier.

Him placing that marker is symbolising him acting as representative of driftmark!

He was finally accepting of the future he wasn't going to have! The tragedy we could have had!

We saw lucerys nervous and unwilling to accept his status as hier because of his fears about corlys's death, and he used his unsuitability to make his mother understand and remove him, but corlys being there, alive and healthy, made him confident that he has a teacher and a leader for when the time comes

And the fact we know corlys came for his grandsons, yes grandchildren but the boys are more at risk in the moment, we know this feeling is shared. They didn't want us to have anything ����

[queenviserra]

Holding hands and stay close to each other

[pyrrhicsm]

“Find riders to master Silverwing, Vermithor, and Seasmoke, and we will have nine dragons against Aegon’s four. Mount and fly their wild kin, and we will number twelve, even without Stormcloud,-” Princess Rhaenys pointed out. “-that, is how we shall win this war.”

“It should’ve been you,-” the Sea Snake shouted at Her Grace. “-Staunton sent to you, yet you left it to my wife to answer and forbade your sons to join her.” For all the castle knew, Jace and Joff had been eager to fly with Princess Rhaenys to Rook’s Nest, with their own dragons.

# you’ll be the death of me

[giiszlt]

Good bye kiss

[nicetoseesofttotouch]

My Royal Family.

[agentem]

This interview with Steve Touissant is interesting. (It's about three hours--not kidding--into the video.) He says he didn't read Fire and Blood and didn't know Corlys had bastard children and hasn't quite figured out how to reconcile Corlys' love of Rhaenys with the relationship with Marilda that produced two children.

He thinks some of the Nine Voyages were to "earn" Rhaenys. Leave me here to die.

[saltandfire-blog]

Ok so I have a theory! Reading F&B over again, im reminded of Lucamore Strong.

If you remember, when it was found out he had married thrice, every child was named bastards and the marriages illegitimate. Anyone remember where one of the wives were sent to be fostered?

To Driftmark with Daemon Velaryon!

Perhaps at that time, Corlys would have been a small boy and met the poor bastard children sent to Driftmark. When considering why Corlys might have been so forgiving and accepting that Laenor’s children were not his grandchildren by blood but Rhaenyra’s bastards maybe was because he befriended these Strong fosters? Maybe even became seamen and sailed with him on his voyages together? Could the Sea Snake have seen for himself how blameless it is for children unfortunate enough to carry the stigma of bastardary to their name and that’s why he never wavers claiming Lucerys was his heir (besides the political advantages of course, let’s still be realistic)?

Sorry, just thought of this and am deciding to make canon in my own head if anything, lol 😊

[mafiosaseries]

❤️🖤 TEAM BLACK 🖤❤️

[imjulia-andilikecats]

We Know, We All Know

Art: SRGRAFO

[archangel-lucerys]

Lucerys agreed- “Our uncle calls us Strongs, but when the lords see us on dragonback they will know that for a lie. Only Targaryens ride dragons.” The Sea Snake grumbled at this, insisting that the three boys were Velaryons, yet he smiled as he said it, with pride in his voice.