#long live Ser Erryk cargyll

[lilycatttt]

R.I.P ERRYK CARGYLL

We lost a REAL DAY ONE ☝️

[vanilleandclove]

the meadow in which you lay | 1

ser erryk cargyll x arryn!reader | chapter one: the king and his men

After the tourney, your encounters with Ser Erryk have been slim to none. Yet, with your cousin's wedding festivities, you reunite with your dear knight even with the unturn of events.

word count: 2k | warnings: description of violence, innuendo to an anxiety attack.

previous - next

taglist: @holb32 @callsignwidow

When the news broke that Queen Aemma had died during her labors, your father became suspicious. Thereafter, in the dark hours of night, news of Prince Baelon's death rang through the halls, only prompting an urgent meeting on the King's succession.

"I would like to see my sister Viserys" your father spat, consumed with grief as your brother and you peeped during the council's meeting, mourning the loss of your sweet aunt Aemma. You glanced at your brother, his eyes glassy and jaw tightened, he had always been fond of your aunt Aemma as he was always taken care of by her whenever your parents had to oversee engagements in the Vale.

"Might I remind you of formalities Lord Arryn" Otto Hightower spoke in reply, only earning the deadliest of glances from your father whom cared deeply of his sister and now must see to the engagements in the Vale as Jeyne must take the seat as your father's health was faltering.

"Piss off with your shit formalities Otto, my sister dead in childbirth knowing well of her conditions and how her past births and pregnancies had been. I would prefer to see my dear little sisters corpse before she is burned" your father spat, raising his voice at the Lord-hand. Truth be told, Aemma was part Targaryen, child of your grandsires second marriage, being cremated by a dragon was a festivity.

Your father never saw his sister, though he sobbed violently at her funeral, the Kingsguard worried he would dehydrate. As you saw your dear aunt's corpse burn alongside your cousin whom never was able to live, to love. To your left you saw the Kingsguard an obscured view beneath the flames.

You chose to comfort Rhaenyra during the loss of her mother, Alicent showing empathy to the situation. Rhaenyra dismissed you during the late of night, Alicent long gone to attend to her father's summons. As you paced through the halls, searching for your chambers, you were met with heavy silver nearly knocking you off your feet.

"Are you alright my Lady Arryn?" the knight said frantically, gripping onto your waist in order to catch your fall, feeling your body as it shook erratically. Your breathing was uneven, body grown heated; you bit your lip in order to stop the flow of tears, faltering greatly and becoming putty in the knight's hands.

"I am d-deeply sorry Ser, I cannot-" your words were taken by grief and anxiety, the flow of tears never-ending. Erryk quickly wiped your tears and embraced your figure tightly, in order to stop your nerves overpowering your body. Lightly cooing in your ear to help ease your worries. Your love, deep as it may, eased every bone.

"Sshh darling, it is alright. I have you" Erryk whispered into your ear, as whimpers left your mouth and shuddered your body. You knew of Erryk's duties, as Ser Ryam's health further faltered. Yet your worries laid in the man who held you, as the Stepstones became a threat.

Near the end of the night, you could not forget the touch of your once lover. Nor could you forget a year and a half later, as you were called to court in King's landing once again as Rhaenyra's lady in waiting. After catching Rhaenyra and Lord Commander Harold, choosing the knight for a replacement in the Kingsguard.

"Cousin!" Rhaenyra smiled, hugging you deeply, "I did not think you'd journey this far, how is Jeyne?". It had been far too many moons since you've seen your cousin, within that time, your father had been kissed by death leading your mother to become a dowager. Your brother had business to attend to as he was now betrothed to one of the Tully girls. Leaving you to find your place in court, specifically that of the rightful heir, Rhaenyra.

"I might admit, the Red Keep seems quite smaller than when we last saw each other my dear cousin" you joked, greeting Ser Harold as well, "Looking rather dashing as always Ser Harold", the knight smiled and nodded his head at your words. He knew of your affections with his once squire, granted, he would be a fool to not notice the way Ser Erryk would straighten his posture as well as you would when you two would encounter one another.

"Oh! You should join my father and I to supper, he would be delighted to have your company as much as I" Rhaenyra mentioned, though her enthusiasm quickly diminished as she glanced over to Alicent, walking with none other than the King. "They spend an awful amount of time with one another" she lightly spited, she had not talked to Alicent since their prayer.

"I wish I could but the journey has me spent, may I go wash up- my princess" you spoke, Rhaenyra's temper became airy once again, she ticked her tongue.

"You do not have to use formalities, we are family" Rhaenyra smiled.

You often wondered how it would be had you be Targaryen, your hair would be pale, kissed by snow. Your irises would be purple, like that of precious gemstones. You would be closer to a god than that of a man. Though, you do not envy your cousin, having the royal duties and having to pretend almost all of the time.

You bid your goodbye's and went to your assigned chambers, not much has changed within a year; though you must note, Rhaenyra was right back Alicent's time being spent mostly around the King. You hoped, by the old gods and new, that Alicent was not hoping to be the new wife of Viserys, that her father has not sunk his fangs and claws into her yet and she has some sort of rationality.

"Would you like us to run a bath for you Lady Arryn?" one of the handmaidens spoke, their smiles always gleaming when you came, "Oh how your hair is that of silk!".

"It is ok, you all are dismissed" you nodded, "I will settle down and run my bath, you all should catch some sleep my ladies" the handmaidens were shocked at the lack of your need.

"Though, Margot" you spoke up as the others left your chambers, "Do you happen to know the status of the Cargyll brothers?". Margot, your sworn confidant that follows you everywhere, from the Vale to King's Landing. She piqued at your inquiry, smirking lightly.

"A Kingsguard is no match for a husband my sweet Lady" Margot quirked her eyebrows, "Though I heard murmurs of their duties to be sent to the Stepstones; granted I believe it is just a rumor dearest".

Your heart leaped from your body, you've heard rumors time and time again. But one that focused on the enlistment of your dear lover and his twin? God's save us all, you'd hope he'd never leave to be sent to a death sentence. Your thoughts wandered to the urgency of the Stepstones, over to the remarriage of the King, and much to that of your cousin.

For next several days, you stood by Rhaenyra's side, in her angriest of moments as the King had declared he'd to be wed to Lady Alicent Hightower. Every emotion that followed, how fear raked through her body as she wondered if she'd be overshadow by the potential children Alicent would sire her father, if the child, had they be male, if it was dismantle her claim to the throne.

The wedding, was lackluster. After all, Alicent did not feel as your friend as she once was now that she was now your cousin's step-mother and your Queen. The months that followed, Alicent became with child. Rhaenyra's hand still not given to be wed, neither that of yours which left a distaste to your brother whom has heard far too many marriage proposals for your hand. Within the turn of the year, Prince Aegon, was born. Donning the Targaryen, pale, white hair, Aegon was paraded around the Great Houses as they hoped he would be made heir, not Rhaenyra, not a woman. There were words of House Stark asking for your hand, as well as House Blackwood. Dashing, honorable, and driven young men they were, but they were not the knight of your heart. They were not Erryk.

Within the next three years, Erryk and Arryk were called to join Prince Daemon to fight in the Stepstones. Prince Aegon, on his second name day, dealt with the earnest jewels one could have on their name day, as Rhaenyra dealt with more marriage proposals than that of the Streets of Silk's finest of women. That have you, assisting your brother in his duties, the Riverlands complemented you, House Tully greatly welcomed you as your brother was now married. Now, you return once again to King's Landing to celebrate Rhaenyra's wedding to Ser Laenor Velaryon, though you must say, you never sensed they'd be match, romantically speaking.

The wedding festivities were one of fond memories you hold in the times of your youth. Your cousin and her now husband, the future consort were certainly a match, despite the boisterous interruption of the now, Queen Alicent Hightower, during the first feast. You noted the spite Alicent threw to your cousin, rolling your eyes as she feigned pride and congratulations for Rhaenyra. Though, you simply did not care towards the end of the night that was filled with dancing and feasting. You did however take into account Ser Harwin Strong and his protectiveness to your cousin, your heart fluttered as you then realized, the man loved her. As she did to him as well, just as Ser Laenor had his heart sworn to another. Duty is in fact, the death of love.

"May you grant me one dance my Lady Arryn?" Erryk questioned, as you were shamelessly eating, your mouth stuffed, looking up at the man who asked for your hand only to be met with embarrassment, he smiled, allowing you to chew and wiping the corners of your mouth for you.

"I'd be delighted" You smiled as you joined your cousin on the dancefloor, herself finding company in Ser Harwin, a gentle man he was to her.

"It has been years my Lady" Erryk murmured, you lock eyes as the song progresses, now noticing Daemon and Laena sharing a dance, Laenor off to the side with another. "I pained myself with the idea of you forgetting me I must admit".

"You truly are a sadist Ser Erryk" you giggled, holding his hand lightly, not squeezing enough for people to note intimacy, "I could never forget you my dear knight, nor that of your brother".

"Now that right there pains me" he ticked his tongue and just as you were about to bump into a Lannister, he shifted your position by grabbing a hold of your waist, "My brother and I may have been born together but we are quite different".

"I know that better than anyone I'm afraid" you teased, "One day the histories will remember me as the breaker of oaths if I continue to fancy you".

"I'd break a million of oaths to wed you Lady Arryn" he whispered, a part of you wants to believe him wholeheartedly, to know that this is not just teasing.

"You would have already done so".

"I can live without a keep to call my own" he began, "It is you I cannot fully disregard".

"But you can partially…".

"With great restr-".

The night was soon dimmed into a fight, as Ser Criston bashed the man of Ser Laenor's affections into a pulp, the graphic form of violence put a somber and unneeded memory onto the night. But how Harwin protected Rhaenyra was how Erryk protected you. You held onto his forearm tightly, fearing if you'd let go, you'd be trampled. Your heart was beating erratically, and he made his way through the crowd, not caring if one decided to fight him, but you? He'd commit murder and treason if one laid even a finger on you.

[inknopewetrust]

merciful writer may we get a snippet of the cargyll fic 🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼 I am withering in the sun 🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼🤏🏼

oh great anon... of course you can! snippet below!

For a moment, Erryk wondered if he had overstepped. Each day that had passed with no word, no idea of what you were doing, his mind forgot that things may not be as they once were.

He loved you and it was ravaging his soul.

Even so, you took his hand and everything felt complete once more.

The privacy you both longed for was unreachable in that moment. The onlookers, those who would rather see you in a noose than let freedom ring, stood around waiting for a stone to drop. Whether that be an accident in the ring or a scandal to distract them from their own lives, the level of care you had both become overfamiliar with was worn like a shield in the safest of places.

And with seconds you held his hand to descend the steps he held on with brutal strength because when it was gone, his hand was cold once more.

"It is good to see you again," you spoke quietly as you walked around the spectators and to Arryk.

"The castle is not the same with you," he responded in kind. As he took his place next to Arryk, you felt emboldened by the distraction of the spectators and grazed your hand with his.

It was small, but enough to turn his head back to you as you stood next to him. His eyes met yours and in them, you could see the blaze of want that you felt surge within yourself. Your heart beat faster; blood rushing in your body and you were frozen in the time you wanted to stay in.

Only the sound of Ser Criston's morningstar colliding with the ground broke your stares.

can't wait to finish this part and put it out in the world!

[mercurygray]

After the Storm

@latibvles asked: “ after the storm had passed ” for Naera and a character of your choosing !! :)

Pairing: Erryk Cargyll x Original Female Character (Naera, a dragonkeeper) Rating: Mature

Thanks for the prompt, friend! I'm experimenting with a new format for these.

If someone ever asked, she'd say the storm had made them wild.

Outside the Dragonpit the sky was ablaze with lightning, the wind howling at the high windows. But dragons did not care for storms - deep under the Dragonpit they slept, unafraid. And the word came to her chamber - Someone is asking for you, Naera.

He looked almost hopeless, standing there in his muted browns, dripping rain from everywhere. Where is your white cloak, Ser, and your sword and armor? Where are your badges of office? And, perhaps the thing she wanted to know most of all - "Where is your lord?"

"He bid me leave him," Erryk said, shaking a little in the cold. "And for once I did not want to disobey." He swallowed. "My night is my own." And then he said a single word, spoken so clearly she could not mistake it - "Kostilus, Naera." Please.

How could she refuse?

It had been too good, to bring him to her little cell and strip him naked, bid him untie her belt and let her tunic down. It had been many moons, since she'd last taken a lover, and he took to her like a flame, his lips everywhere he could reach while she sat astride him in her narrow cot and called him sweet names like a dragon she meant to coax, ñuha azantys, ñuha rhovio, ñuha perzys, my knight, my thunder, my fire.

(They built strong men, in the Stormlands. He might have been out of practice but she was mostly pleased.)

And in the light of morning, after the storm had passed, they were still here, and the Seven had hardly called down the end of the world. Erryk was still sleeping soundly, his hair loose on her pillow. She'd never quite noticed the color of it before, sandy brown in some places and almost copper in others. Like a dragon's shell.

He turned over a little as she stroked his chest, his eyes still heavy with sleep as his hand met hers and brough it to his lips. "Ñuha perzys. My fire."

So he knew more than a simple please. "When does a Kingsguard find time to learn High Valyrian?"

"Aegon has lessons every week. A man must do something to pass the time."

Naera could have laughed - lessons every week, and his kingsguard speaks better than he. "Where is he, do you think?" When he orders you away, where does he go?

"Flea Bottom. Docks. Mouth of Hell. I'm not sure he cares as long as there's wine and a girl to fuck." It was the first time he'd spoken so openly and disdainfully, and she would have laughed if she'd had the time, but he remembered himself too quickly. "Sorry, I'm -"

"-allowed to say what you like in my bed," Naera said, cutting him off before he finished his apology. "My gods don't judge like yours do."

She knew, then, that she shouldn't have said anything - his face fell. "Yes, my gods do judge - traitors and oathbreakers alike."

The Doom take his Seven and their damned oaths. "You are no traitor, and you've broken no oath."

"I swear to ward the king," Erryk repeated. "I will never flee, nor falter in my duty. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, and father no children."

"I am no wife," she reminded him, gently stroking his hair. "And when I bear children, I will name no father. They will be Naera's only, and none of my people shall mind." She sighed. "Why would they ever ask such a thing of you?" To be so lonely, and live such a life?

"Ask Visenya," Erryk replied, almost irritable. "It was she who wrote the oath, in the Conqueror's day. We swear it still." He took a deep breath and dragged his hand over his eyes. "I suppose I should go find him."

"I could go with," Naera offered. "Four eyes are better than two."

Erryk shook his head. "I don't want him to know about us. The King's house is full of secrets and I don't want any of them knowing mine. He'd hold it like a knife to my throat - or to yours. He already dislikes you," he added, quietly. "Because you stand up to him. Bad things happen to women like that - and to men who take what he wants."

Now that I do believe. "Then we will be silent." She rose from the bed, letting him collect his shirt and tunic while she poured water for him to wash. "When will you come again?" she asked, watching him as he got dressed and prepared to leave.

"When?" Strange how even a simple word could make him laugh, even now. "You're not tired of me and my complaints?"

"The blood of the dragon runs hot," she murmured with a grin. "I need a storm to slake it." She kissed him on the cheek, lingering close. "Go find your prince. And come to me when you can." You have something he wants, she wanted to whisper. Let that comfort you.

Any errors with the Valyrian are entirely my own - grammar isn't my strong suit when learning new languages. You can read more of Naera's story here on tumblr or here on AO3. Comments and tag commentary are read and appreciated!

[horizon-verizon]

Her first act as queen was to declare Ser Otto Hightower and Queen Alicent traitors and rebels. “As for my half-brothers and my sweet sister, Helaena,” she announced, “they have been led astray by the counsel of evil men. Let them come to Dragonstone, bend the knee, and ask my forgiveness, and I shall gladly spare their lives and take them back into my heart, for they are of my own blood, and no man or woman is as accursed as the kinslayer.” Word of Rhaenyra’s coronation reached the Red Keep the next day, to the great displeasure of Aegon II. “My half-sister and my uncle are guilty of high treason,” the young king declared. “I want them attainted, I want them arrested, and I want them dead.” Cooler heads on the green council wished to parley. “The princess must be made to see that her cause is hopeless,” Grand Maester Orwyle said. “Brother should not war against sister. Send me to her, that we may talk and reach an amicable accord.” Aegon would not hear of it. Septon Eustace tells us that His Grace accused the Grand Maester of disloyalty and spoke of having him thrown into a black cell “with your black friends.” But when the two queens—his mother, Queen Alicent, and his wife, Queen Helaena spoke in favor of Orwyle’s proposal, the truculent king gave way reluctantly. So Grand Maester Orwyle was dispatched across Blackwater Bay under a peace banner, leading a retinue that included Ser Arryk Cargyll of the Kingsguard and Ser Gwayne Hightower of the gold cloaks, along with a score of scribes and septons, amongst them Eustace. The terms offered by the king were generous, Munkun declares in his True Telling. If the princess would acknowledge him as king and make obeisance before the Iron Throne, Aegon II would confirm her in her possession of Dragonstone, and allow the island and castle to pass to her son Jacaerys upon her death. Her second son, Lucerys, would be recognized as the rightful heir to Driftmark, and the lands and holdings of House Velaryon; her boys by Prince Daemon, Aegon the Younger and Viserys, would be given places of honor at court, the former as the king’s squire, the latter as his cupbearer. Pardons would be granted to those lords and knights who had conspired treasonously with her against their true king. Rhaenyra heard these terms in stony silence, then asked Orwyle if he remembered her father, King Viserys. “Of course, Your Grace,” the maester answered. “Perhaps you can tell us who he named as his heir and successor,” the queen said, her crown upon her head. “You, Your Grace,” Orwyle replied. And Rhaenyra nodded and said, “With your own tongue you admit I am your lawful queen. Why then do you serve my half-brother, the pretender?” Munkun tells us that Orwyle gave a long and erudite reply, citing Andal law and the Great Council of 101. Mushroom claims he stammered and voided his bladder. Whichever is true, his answer did not satisfy Princess Rhaenyra. “A Grand Maester should know the law and serve it,” she told Orwyle. “You are no Grand Maester, and you bring only shame and dishonor to that chain you wear.” As Orwyle protested feebly, Rhaenyra’s knights stripped his chain of office from his neck and forced him to his knees whilst the princess bestowed the chain upon her own man, Maester Gerardys, “a true and leal servant of the realm and its laws.” As she sent Orwyle and the other envoys on their way, Rhaenyra said, “Tell my half-brother that I will have my throne, or I will have his head.” [...Arryk/Erryk Cargyll in song and legend...] Aegon II was two-and-twenty, quick to anger and slow to forgive. Rhaenyra’s refusal to accept his rule enraged him. “I offered her an honorable peace, and the whore spat in my face,” he declared. “What happens next is on her own head.” What happened next was war.

Fire and Blood, by GRRM, pg 408-410 []

[hvrricqneeee]

Its characters like these who actually enrich the story and show how the events within House Targaryen influence and affect the realm around them.

DAVROS BLACKWOOD AND AERON BRACKEN

Davros Blackwood and Aeron Bracken gave a tense interaction fuelled by an age long feud between their houses, and actually linked nicely to the Small Council scene in 01x06 when they discuss the discourse between houses Bracken and Blackwood and talk about the boundaries. The Dance of the Dragons was an excuse for the two houses to act on their feud, and the catastrophic number of losses at the battle of the burning mill shows how tragic this civil war was, and not just for the House of the Dragon, but for Westeros itself, for which it never truly recovered.

CREGAN STARK

Cregan Stark gave a wonderful opening monologue about duty and sacrifice, and while it was an ode to Game of Thrones (which I believe was touched on and alluded to far too often in HOTD season 2 to feel clever and authentic), it quite appropriately set up the whole premise of the dance of the dragons, and how prevalent ideas such as duty and sacrifice are within the story. The immediate introduction of Cregan Stark in this season, and a small lesson in some Stark history, broadened the scope of the series, momentarily shifting the focus from Targaryen/Velaryon/Hightower characters, creating a sense of depth to the world. However brief his time on screen was, Cregan is immediately established as an incredibly dutiful and honourable man, much like most Starks (“there has never lived a Stark who forgot an oath” and all that stuff). It contrasts him well to many of the characters established in season one, who toy with the concept of honourability and duty, and are very much grey characters that slide along the spectrum of morality. Cregan is portrayed to sit firmly on the more moral, dutiful and honourable side of the scale, which elevates the sense of amorality of many main characters.

SER GWAYNE HIGHTOWER

Brother of the Queen, oldest son of Ser Otto. The reintroduction of Gwayne in season two sheds a light on House Hightower in a way that witnessing Alicent and Otto does not. As many may recall, in 01x01, Gwayne Hightower participated in the tourney to celebrate the birth of Prince Baelon Targaryen (may he rest in peace), and Daemon chose him to be his opponent, inevitably unhorsing the Hightower on the tourney field. When we next see Gwayne, it’s been over two decades and he’s barely seen his sister. They’re estranged, and immediately he’s established to have a distaste for Criston Cole (he did take his father’s position as Hand of the King after all), and he is also presented as being much kinder than his sister Alicent. It alludes to what the rest of House Hightower is like since Alicent was raised at court and became a rather cruel woman in terms of her relationship with Rhaenyra, Rhaenyra’s children, and she has difficult relationships with all of her children. However, Gwayne was raised in Oldtown, as was Alicent’s youngest son, and they are both far kinder than Alicent or Otto, highlighting how the Greens are not as righteous as they would claim and amplifying how no one at the centre of this conflict is truly good, but those distant from it, those who are innocent, will suffer the most.

SER ERRYK AND SER ARRYK CARGYLL

The tragedy of the Cargyll brothers is not acknowledged enough by many fans of the show. As many may recall, Shireen Baratheon is seen to be reading about the Dance of the Dragons in Game of Thrones (don’t ask me when. I don’t remember). One of the many things she says as she recounts the tragedy is that ‘brothers fought brothers’. That isn’t just about Aegon and Aemond. Erryk and Arryk were twins sworn to the kings guard when they were 18, both swearing to defend the whole of the royal family, and when Viserys died, they chose sides. Erryk chose Rhaenyra and Arryk chose Aegon. In the end, they fought one another, and Erryk killed Arryk, however, he could not live with the guilt of killing his own brother, and killed himself. I think this relationship perfectly encapsulates how tragic the dance of the dragons is because it is not a tragedy that befalls anyone belonging to the house of the dragon or its extended family. These were two knights - twins - who were born together and parted by their loyalty, but could not survive the guilt of killing each other, and so they had to die together. It thickens the plot and sets the somber tone very early on of how much death and loss and tragedy come from this dispute for the throne.

ELINDA MASSEY

The show does not do Elinda Massey the justice she deserves, and I feel that they really downplay her character. She is Rhaenyra’s youngest handmaiden, born to House Massey, and is said to be her most loyal handmaiden, having gauged her eyes out when Rhaenyra died. This devotion to her queen contrasts the lack of devotion Rhaenyra experiences from Daemon in the show, and the lack of devotion Aegon experiences form many of the people who have aligned with his team. Elinda seems rather inconsequential as a handmaid to the Queen, but she does some of the most crucial things for Rhaenyra season when she goes to King’s Landing, and inevitably, proves that those lower can have more value than those of royal blood .

ALYN OF HULL

Corlys Velaryon’s elder bastard. Subtracting from the fact that Alyn is in fact related to Corlys, he illuminates another area of smallfolk life, showcasing new settings and occupations that were lacked in the first season, allowing for the show to enrich our understanding of House Velaryon and its unique culture by showing the shipwrights and the Velaryon fleet. Alyn is a bastard who struggles with the fact of what he is, and shaves his head to hide his heritage, showing that the problems that Jace, Luke and Joffrey face are not exclusive to bastards raised nobly, and that no status precludes a bastard from feeling the way they do. Alyn being confirmed to be Corlys’ bastard also gives understanding to why Corlys affirmed his position in Lucerys being his heir, because he knew it would be hypocritical of him to sire his own bastards but not protect the bastards that his son claims as his own. Alyn becomes another dutiful man of honour in the series who recognises his duty and purpose, which some of the Targaryens lack, and it undermines them when the smallfolk possess the desirable qualities they do not, showing the imperfections of those characters.

Characters I’ll add to this list (there’s more I can’t think of)

LADY JEYNE ARRYN

ADDAM VELARYON

DYANA ‘THE SERVING GIRL’

SYLVI ‘THE MADAME OF THE BROTHEL’

SIMON STRONG

OSCAR TULLY

SER STEFFON DARKLYN

ALYS RIVERS

ULF

HUGH HAMMER

Are you Team Green or Team Black?

Love, I'm team characters that only get 5 minutes of screentime in the show

[captainswanapproved]

27 or 31

31. Death of a child

Daemon learned the news from Ser Erryk Cargyll. The knight came to him as he trained with Dark Sister. He was still so angry at Rhaenyra for putting so much stock in his brother’s foolish dreams, for her inaction.

She had hurt him, by reveling in the knowledge that his brother had never considered Daemon an heir, only as a place holder. Daemon had hurt Rhaenyra. Though neither blow had left visible marks. That was the trouble with loving someone as fiercely as he loved Rhaenyra. He knew best how to hurt her. And she knew best how to hurt him.

They were both dragons. They did not fight with honor.

When Ser Erryk delivered the news of young Prince Lucerys’s death, Daemon forgot his anger. He felt tears begin to fall. He had cried more in the past two days than he had in the whole of his life.

Lucerys was good. He represented the best parts of Rhaenyra mixed with the qualities of an honorable young princeling. He had been sent to the Baratheons as a messenger, and Aemond had slaughtered the boy in cold blood.

There was no body.

This would break Rhaenyra’s heart, and she had already suffered so much.

“My prince, what would you have me do?” Ser Erryk asked.

“Continue patrolling the island. I will tell the queen myself.”

***

Daemon entered the Black Council chamber. The assembled lords inclined their heads in his direction.

Rhaenyra stood at the head of the painted table. Her eyes met his. There was forgiveness in their depths.

Daemon approached her, gently taking her hand. He does not address her as a queen but as his wife. He drew her toward the fire. “Lucerys has been slain, devoured by Vhagar at Storm’s End.”

Rhaenyra did not answer. Her body shook with guttural sobs. Daemon released her hand, giving her space to grieve, yet not leaving her side. They have been divided for too long, though in truth it was only two days that had changed the trajectory of their entire lives.

Now the first strike of war had been dealt.

Rhaenyra aggressively wiped the tears away. Her eyes met his, and he saw the fire in them, blazing with righteous fury. They were united once more, and together they would destroy the Greens.

Send me a number, and I will write a one shot.

[horizon-verizon]

It is said that Viserys decreed that Alicent and her sons would return to court with him, while Rhaenyra would be confined to Dragonstone with her sons. Even now it is Ser Erryk and no longer Harwin who would serve Rhaenyra. The paragraph makes it very clear that it was Viserys who ordered Rhaenyra to stay in Dragonstone. Not her who confined herself there, although I think that decision must have helped her, because she was already living there almost full time anyway. But it wouldn't make sense for this paragraph to mean that Rhaenyra chose, since it's talking about Viserys' orders specifically.

That's very annoying of Viserys.

A)

Paragraph you refer to:

To prevent further conflict, and put an end to these “vile rumors and base calumnies,” King Viserys further decreed that Queen Alicent and her sons would return with him to court, whilst Princess Rhaenyra confined herself to Dragonstone with her sons. Henceforth Ser Erryk Cargyll of the Kingsguard would serve as her sworn shield, whilst Breakbones returned to Harrenhal. ("A Question of Succession")

If we use "self" and "her" together, it seems that Rhaenyra, as you said, decided to stay behind at Dragonstone.

The "whilst" lets us know that two separate events occurred at the same time and that while they may correlate, it's not necessarily a relationship of causation.

But in this case, they are.

B)

And like you said, anon, at this point, Rhaenyra had already stayed, ruled, and lived in Dragonstone for 5-6 years. Viserys didn't have to tell her to stay at Dragonstone -- it was her home and territory more than the Red Keep was and there would be no point in him doing that at all if she has literally nowhere else to go to be, especially to find some peace. So why tell her to stay behind?

To talk away from the book a little, in the show, Rhaenyra actually has only been there for perhaps a few months. Laena's funeral was at Dragontone, and they would not reasonably leave her charred body to rot for so long and then put her in a coffin for the sea. So it's likely that from the time Laena dies in #6 to her funeral in #7, it's been just maybe two, three, four months (and four is pushing it). Which just reduces Rhaenyra's experience once again aside from not having her develop a strong bond with Laena before her death just as she did in canon.

C)

Other than that, we do see how Book!Viserys never castigated her for traveling to the Red Keep for his hand injury or even mentioned any sort of confinement, her bringing Gerardys to heal him. And there was no mention, at all, of the court or council expressing surprise or wonder or any sort of thought to any sort of order of confinement.

......................................

Conclusion

If it wasn't for the fact that this paragraph does list events as from Viserys making commands and arranging new persons into places, I'd have disagreed with you. But I can't. It does, still, make me very frustrated with Viserys. Because the order for Rhaenyra to specifically confine herself is a nothing order that contradicts itself, more punishing than deserved. An attempt to appear "fair".

As for Rhaenyra choosing not to press Viserys to change his mind maybe through a letter, that would mean that, yes, Rhaenyra decided to use the opportunity to stay at Dragonstone because that is where her strength was and her family needed to recover from the ordeal away from the perpetrators. And/or her pride after what happened between them being bruised and at Viserys seemingly taking Alicent's side. (These are royals, but they are also family, and family tends to be resentful of each other esp when there's been an imbalance of adjudication or treatment or whatever.)

We remember that:

one of her sons' life was just threatened and he could have lost an eye if Alicent got her way...and he was present for Alicent to say this

the Red Keep is also where Alicent had been undermining, harassing, and provoking her since she was 10

Then it is more than an issue of acclimation and habitation for her and her family.