#'HotD is different' really? Where?

[la-pheacienne]

Y'all. Probably the most UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED criticism against grrm is the abundance of gratuitous extreme sexual violence against women in asoiaf. GoT doubled down on that and is endlessly criticized for that. On the ONE (1) INSTANCE where sexual violence was NOT part of a female character's arc in grrm's work, HotD decided to introduce it as a means of giving "nuance" to a story and making a character more sympathetic. And now not only is this not considered a sexist narrative but on top of that you call this an inspired twist ffs I'm gonna eat my hair

#like there is no way to be so unserious guys #just decide #i can't believe we have been trashing GoT for centuries now for the exact same thing we are appreciating in HotD right now #'HotD is different' really? Where? #because of the lesbian drama? WOW #Is it based on shock value? yeah #does it have gratuitous violence? yeah #does it have MORE gratuitous violence than the author? YEAH #does it use rape as a means of sympathizing with a character like in Show!Sansa's case #which was THEN considered Oh So Problematic for some reason? #YEAH #asoiaf #fire and blood #anti hotd #aspa rambles #forever mad

[dirtytransmasc]

I'll rephrase, Alicent in the first episodes after the time skip treat rhaenyra like shit before aemond's episode and whisper to aegon how he will become king, so, in this time rhaenyra did nothing to be seen as a threat to alicent's children. And mostly because alicent is aware that viserys loves only rhaenyra, alicent should have preserve her relationship with rhaenyra if she really care for her children, not give rhaenyra a reason to hate her. The cold truth is that before aemond's episode most of alicent's choise are guided not by the love she have for her children but by her resentment toward rhaenyra. Alicent herself plant the seed for the dance, not rhaenyra. She crown aegon aware that rhaenyra will not bend the knee and that houses will support her but still forces aegon to take the crown and start a war, the reason why her children are in danger ARE HER NOT RHAENYRA. When people say that they're happy for alicent's end honestly i can't agree more because all the blood of the dance, not only her children or rhaenyra's but the blood of everyone, is on her shoulders and on her choise.

***EDIT AT BOTTOM***

ok, so, gonna try and be nice, but I've tackled takes close to this one before, and I'm getting a wee bit tired of it, but I'm gonna do it again anyway.

Alicent had no reason, to respect, love, or foster a relationship with Rhaenyra during the timeskip, and tried her hardest to prior to the timeskip, only to get walked all over, so she stopped trying.

I've gone over this in a few posts like this, this, and this one (these are similar takes, not exactly catering to this one exactly, so like, take them with a pinch of salt and focus on what caters to this take if your gonna go through reading them), but Alicent does not owe Rhaenyra any good will, at all, point blank.

Alicent tried for years, long enough to have 2 children, to reforge her relationship with Rhaenyra. this was after she was prayed upon by a grown ass man who forced her hand in marriage (after her own father sent her to the mans chambers, and if you try and argue she had any choice or say, or try to blame her for her marriage to Viserys I will gladly just send you to my many posts as to why that's a straight up lie, cause I've beaten that horse beyond death, its pulverized) and Rhaenyra treated her like absolute garbage, abandoning her in her greatest time of need. but she still tried to rekindle that bond, tried to include rhaenyra, tried to befriend her, she tried, and Rhaenyra walked all over her, leaving her completely alone outside of Viserys, her father, and her children.

Alicent tried, time and time again to help Rhaenyra as well. she tried to give Rhaenyra a choice in her marriage, kept Viserys's temper calm with her, helped set up a grand tour with dozens of suitors for her to pick from, a good grace no noble girl, or any girl really, could ever dream of.

when Rhaenyra had her scandal with Daemon and Criston, she tried her hardest to protect her then, even when it hurt her to do so. she believed Rhaenyra when she lied to her, on her dead mothers name, making a fool of herself in front of Viserys. she proclaimed Rhaenyra's innocence only to find out she had not only lied, but from her prospective, she had slept with two men in one night, one of those times it was coerced (since she had no way of knowing Rhaenyra hadn't gone all the way with Daemon), and that while her father received punishment and was removed from KL (leaving her alone at court), Viserys still didn't believe her and sent her the tea.

that is a lot for one person to process, especially from someone they considered a close friend to do to them. to be treated with cruelty over a marriage she had no say in and was hurt by immensely, lied to, used, walked all over, and abandoned none the less? I would have hated her too.

Rhaenyra goes on to do whatever she wants at court, while Alicent suffers her fate of duty. she has bastards and proclaims them legitimate, showing she has yet to change whatsoever since that event, an event that has had a negative impact on Alicent's life. Viserys turns a blind eye to it, as he practically had with the scandal (cause a moon tea and a marriage is barely anything compared to the consequence's Rhaenyra should have faced. not wishing ill on Rhaenyra either, just saying the heir to the iron throne deserves a little more than a pat, not even a slap, on the wrist for that). she's angry, its understandable.

and yet, even through her anger, she keeps her temper. sure she speaks to Viserys and Cole about it, but thats her husband, Rhaenyra's father, and her sworn sword and seemingly only trusted friend. at court (especially prior to the time skip) she is amiable, if a little passive aggressive. she protect Rhaenyra's name more than she has to, is respectful when she doesn't have to, even keeps those around her to honor some level of repsect when it comes to Rhaenyra when she doesn't have to (namely calling Criston when he calls her a cunt).

when they usurp her, she orders no harm to come to Rhaenyra and stands up to her manipulative father after years of falling to his words, and orders that he follow her lead, because she doesn't want to hurt Rhaenyra if its not necessary.

will I say she was the kindest person in the whole wide world to Rhaenyra? never, that's laughable. will I say she was kinder, more respectful, and protected her more than Rhaenyra ever even attempted to be, let alone was towards her? 100% absolutely.

she never wanted to have a bad relationship with Rhaenyra, but one person can only take so much before they break. she couldn't try anymore, Rhaenyra made it clear that Alicent was nothing more than a means to an end for her, that she would step on her if she needed to. Alicent shouldn't be expected to put up with that.

she attempted to remain amiable over the years, to keep some semblance of peace within the house until Rhaenyra was a threat, which honestly would have most likely happened regardless, as we've seen, Rhaenyra will step over whoever it takes to keep her head above water, being friends probably would have doomed Alicent and her kids even faster.

Alicent was never the seed of the dance, Rhaenyra and Viserys were. Viserys allowed Rhaenyra to grow into the person she was, a person who sought self benefit with little care for the realm and her image, she doomed herself and Alicent was caught in the crossfire. to

expecting someone to kiss another person's feet, even after that person has kicked them into the dirt time and time again, when that person had even tried to grovel and make friends once more for years, only to blame them when they don't, when they pick themselves up out of the dirt and brush themselves off and act in their own (rightful) self interest, for a war that they never wanted and were merely a pawn in, is actually wild to me.

Alicent acted well in her own rights towards Rhaenyra and it brought her nothing but pain. she tried to be respectful and dutiful for the house and the courts sake and Rhaenyra only became more of a threat. she tried her best to protect her children, the kingdom, and rhaenyra, and was faced with war, the death of her children, and her own demise. one woman can only do and be so much, and its never enough.

and if you want to point out the ways Alicent could have been better, start pointing out the ways Rhaenyra could have been, cause her list is a lot longer. they both weren't perfect, but Alicent was forced into a life she did not ask for, given children to protect that went unloved and unwanted by their father, thrown into a conflict that had been building for years, and still tried, Rhaenyra made her own bed and refused to lay in it. one deserves more blame for the war than the other.

Edit: one thing I forgot to mention in both posts. Alicent stopped trusting Rhaenyra after her father was removed from court, rightfully so, cause she saw Rhaenyra would always get away with anything at the expense of others, and then years pass, so yeah, she wants Aegon to be king. is this wise or kind of her? I don't know, I think she's fucking earned it, we have 0 idea what has happened in those years inbetween, other than Rhaenyra having 3 bastards and claiming them as legitimate. I'd be pissed, I'd be scared (cause thats threat enough alone in my opinion), and I'd want to push my own legitimate children, especially if I had been at the but of Rhaenyra's behavior prior, I would not trust that situation to go anyway but belly up for me. if you disagree so be it, I'm not gonna convince anyone to change their minds on this specific scene. she told Aegon he would be king because despite not being a massive sore thumb of a threat, she's still, as a female heir with a firstborn son right behind her, a threat to her children nonetheless (cause politics, yippee, I don't like it but its true). she knew it would be Rhaenyra or her child, and she would always pick her son.

#Alicent owed Rhaenyra no kindness and still tried to anyway #she wasn't a saint towards her but who can blame her #her cruelty is really only one scene where rhaenyra pushed herself to make a point #(alicent asked to see the baby with viserys present. she didn't ask for rhaenyra to bring him herself. big difference) #and than rightful frustration towards her after years of Rhaenyra spitting in the face of her. the court. the kingdom. her station. etc. #she was pissed #she earned the right to be pissed #it shows cause she's human #but I would hardly call that cruelty compared to what rhaenyra did to her time and time again #stop expecting victims to lick their abusers teeth like some kicked puppy #its weird #alicent hightower #pro alicent hightower #pro team green #anti team black #anti team black fans #hotd #house of the dragon #the way TB minimizes the abuse of some characters and amplifies the slights of others is wild #and calling alicent the seed of the war and blaming all of the bloodshed on her is actually insane #like what? #just cause she wouldn't worship rhaenyra and ignore years of pain and suffering she brought her. let alone the threat she posed to her and- #her kids. somehow equates to her causing a whole fucking war when it was Viserys's naivity. Rhaenyra's lack of care for her image and- #position in the realm. and the overall house of cards waiting to topple of shitty decisions by half the cast that did it. but yeah. blame- #alicent. makes total sense. #I'm tired of this shit man #this fandoms wild

[swordpen]

On Criston/Alicent and Queerness

I think the biggest surprise of House of the Dragon for me wasn’t the gore or the truly batshit political decisions some of the characters make—it was how much I connected to Criston and Alicent’s relationship as a queer person.*

(*Standard disclaimer that my personal experience isn’t universal, queer people aren’t a monolith, I’m just analyzing this relationship within a context.)

Of course, when you think about queerness and HOTD, I’m sure Criston/Alicent is the last thing on your mind. In fact, in the parts of the fandom that interpret Alicent as queer/a lesbian, Criston/Alicent is basically the embodiment of compulsory heterosexuality. It’s two people violently clinging to the roles assigned to them: as knight and queen, man and woman, heterosexual and chaste. Criston especially is toxic masculinity walking around in armor, an incel who puts Alicent on a damaging pedestal and becomes bitter and violent when Rhaenyra refuses him.

I think this reading is pretty valid (although that last part is vastly oversimplified, and—well, we don’t have time for that). It’s probably what the show wants us to take away. But metaphorically, I saw a lot of my own struggles with queerness reflected in Alicent and Criston.

For all the power they wield relative to the smallfolk, Alicent and Criston both lack the privilege afforded to Rhaenyra: Alicent as a woman, and Criston as a lowborn knight sworn into the royal family’s service. Unlike Rhaenyra, when things get tough, they cannot leave—they must hide their feelings and continue to work within society. When Rhaenyra has sex with Criston, she holds a damning secret over his head, and while Viserys might forgive her, outing Criston will get him killed or worse. Alicent saves him, and he becomes the person she puts the most trust in, a second parent figure to her children. But if they do have romantic feelings for each other, they must keep that effectively closeted, while Rhaenyra and Laenor fairly openly pursue anyone they want. There’s also the whole underlying thread of religious guilt and repression, which is of course not limited to queerness at all, but is a dimension of Alicent and Criston’s relationship that hits home all the same--as does the ambiguity around Criston's celibacy and desire for sex, with the narrative making it clear that their bond is meaningful without it.

In all fairness, courtly love as a trope has always felt especially queer to me, even for how blatantly unhealthy it is: unfailing devotion that can never really become a relationship, deep feelings cloaked in several plausible deniability layers of “duty” and “honor.” And as someone incredibly careful and anxious, I really can’t imagine being as brazen as Rhaenyra. (I also have a bad habit of getting attached to characters other people don’t like as much.) It’s probably no wonder I connected to Criston and Alicent in a different way than Alicent and Rhaenyra. 

Both relationships are tragedies: Rhaenyra and Alicent are two girls whose love for each other is twisted by the patriarchy, yes, but also the wildly different positions they hold within the power structure. As much as they love each other, their conflicting philosophies and experiences have made it almost impossible for them to truly understand each other. 

Criston and Alicent also hold wildly different positions in the power structure, but their philosophies and experiences align far more. They do understand each other, the roles they have to play, the powerlessness they have to combat. They’re good at it. Their tragedy is that it still will not be enough.

#criston cole #alicent hightower #alicole #house of the dragon #hotd meta #tldr criston/alicent's relationship reads as a marginalized and non-normative relationship #where both parties have to be extremely careful and aware of the society they live in #which really connected with me as a queer person #it's really interesting how many different facets the show is playing with - undeniably alicent and rhaenyra #understand what it's like to be women in this world #but criston and alicent both understand what it's like to lack agency and privilege in a way rhaenyra doesn't yet #and since neither of them have experienced that freedom #they cannot understand why rhaenyra takes such risks with it

[daisyswift3]

RHENRYA AND ELICENT SHOULDVE KISSED OR BEEN KINDA IN LOVE WHY AM I GETTING SUCH IN LOVE VIBES WHEN SHE HAD HER HEAD ON HER LAP AND THEY WERE TALKING WHILE WATCHING THE FLOWERS BLOOM SHIT IS GAY AND I FEEL LIKE THE BETRAYAL WOULDVE BEEN SO MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL IF HER DAD GOT WITH HER BEST FRIEND WHO SHE COULD NEVER HAVE BECAUSE ITS IS NOT HER PLACE HER PLACE IS SUPPOSED TO BE MARRY A KING AND PRODUCE AND HEIR BUT HER FATHER GETS HER OMFGGG GAY GAY GAY GAY I WNAT MORE LINGERING GLANCES AND FORELON TOUCHES

Lol I feel you and yeah I totally agree it would’ve been even more impactful if they had gone the friends to lovers to enemies route but alas…..at least we have the cast interviews that confirm that they are indeed a little in love w each other

Speaking of which the latest official hotd podcast ep w Emily Carey was really great, she went into more detail abt the intentional queer undertones as well as her process for getting into character. In the other interviews I’ve seen she didn’t get to talk as much but in this one she went into a lot of detail abt her character and the intentions/thought processes behind some of the scenes that might clear up some confusion for the audience. She’s very well spoken and intelligent and I really hope she and Milly can somehow make an appearance in later seasons maybe in flashbacks

#all of the anti alicent fans should really listen to that ep bc i think a lot of them have trouble separating book alicent from show alicent #and they’re completely different characters at least starting out #like she’s quite literally a victim of the patriarchy who was groomed by her father she’s not this scheming traitorous person who #intentionally tried to go behind her friends back she’s just a confused anxious rule-following girl #tbh i think a lot of the hate towards her character is just straight up misogyny #like where’s this energy for otto or daemon huh?? just admit you hate women #and ​let’s not forget alicent is a MINOR a whole ass CHILD #i have a lot of sympathy for her #anyway end of rant #house of the dragon #hotd #hotd spoilers #alicent hightower #rhaenys targaryen #rhaenicent #rhaenyra x alicent #emily carey #milly alcock

[matchmadeinsevenhells]

Someone please tell me why Daenys, Daenerys, Rhaenys, and Naerys are female Valyrian/Targaryen names but Viserys, Jaehaerys, Aerys, Lucerys, Jacaerys, Aenys, Matarys, Maelys and Corlys are male ones,,,,

#hotd #house of the dragon #asoiaf #pls i am BEGGING #it's really hard to write fanfic if i am CONSTANTLY thinking about the why and how of names okay #where is the fucking difference????

[very-straight-blog]

I have a deep love-hate relationship with HOTD. I was thinking about it again today because of the Emmys, where the series only won a single award for "Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes".

I really love HOTD emotionally - mainly because some of the characters make me feel THINGS.

However, thinking rationally, this series is bad. The script looks like it was written by ten different people with polar views on the plot and different visions of what they need to get in the end. Everyone changes their character to the opposite in each episode. The motivation is unclear, and the actions are illogical. The idea of timeskips is awful for the narrative, and it's better not to remember what they did with the original story from the books at all. And yes - the costumes are bad too, they are made cheaply and lazily (maybe one day I will make a big post about them). At the same time, the series has a huge potential that is completely unused and it hurts me. So, every time HOTD doesn't take the award again, I'm happy, because I really want the creators to finally stop and think about what they are doing wrong.

#house of the dragon #hotd #team green #team black #hotd critical #i only feel sorry for the actors #they deserve better #opinion

[madame-fear]

Hello sweetness! I am here to requests something from you, feel free to ignore since I know you probably have so many requests right now. But I’m back in my hotd faze and wanted one of my favorite writers to write something. <3

Could I request a Lucerys Velaryon where he is newly betrothed to a lovely girl, us, who he falls head over hells for. The two being very sweet to one another, and the reader being scared to be married to a prince but he is there always. But the plot is about how closer to the wedding date the reader is trying back on her dress and just dreaming and Luke comes in and sees it? I really love lovestoke Luke! Please and thank you.

-Love, Ash.

*ೃ༄ 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐊 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒.ೃ࿐

★amira speaks! : hello my lovely !! 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 Oh my god, you have NO idea how happy I felt when I got your request on my askbox 🥺 I made this as fluffy as possible for one of my favourite writers too, and I hope you enjoy your reading, darling! 💕 — summary : [ — ✧ request. ] — word count : 2.5k

— genre : purely fluff. — pairing : lucerys velaryon x reader.

The word ‘betrothal’ had always been a term that frightened you.

From a young age, you had learned that betrothals were most often — actually, it was always — done as an act of political convenience; to ally different Houses together and strengthen their bond. Knowing it was an unwanted marriage, and often women were unhappily stuck in them, you forever kept yourself reluctantly terrified towards the idea of having to marry a Prince, or a Lord by the time you were a grown girl; not wanting to suffer.

And by the time it was your turn to get betrothed, your parents and yourselves travelled to Dragonstone, preparing to meet the Prince you would be married to in a future. Such overwhelming nerves and fright seemed to burden you more than anything during your entire journey, feeling as if you could melt right in the spot, with a desperate need to get out of there.

But fortunately for you, by the time you reached Dragonstone, you had been blessed with an eternally loving, timid young Prince. It was none other than the secondborn son of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the future Lord of Driftmark: Lucerys Velaryon.

You had all been warmly welcomed by the Targaryen Princess herself, whom immediatly made you feel comforted as you noticed her tender, sweet nature around you — treating you as if you were her own daughter. And by her side, awkwardly stood Lucerys. It was nearly impossible to ignore him, feeling his gaze fixed on you the entirety of the time as you were received by House Targaryen.

Much like you, it was quite notorious the young Prince carried a timid nature. By the moment your gaze met with his own gorgeous, vivid green hazel eyes, he rapidly adverted his stare elsewhere, shyly smiling to himself and trying to hide the fluster that kept growing on his pale face as the seconds passed. Luke had both of his arms hidden behind his back at that moment, yes, but you could still tell that he was nervously fidgeting with his own hands and fingers. Gods, you were such a pretty, graceful lady, and Lucerys was already over the moon for you despite having merely shared a brief moment of eye contact together.

The idea of having to leave your home to live with your betrothed was, initially, a complicated thought to process; especially during the first days of your staying in Dragonstone despite how kind and patient everyone treated you. But of course, as you were often sat next to Lucerys during dinner and had some small chats together throughout the day — as awkward as they were in the beginning — you were quick in taking a liking for the future Velaryon Lord. Most definitely, it was his endearingly shy self the one that had carved it’s own way into your heart, and the one that managed to completely twist in a good way your sense of frighten at the thought of the word ‘betrothal’.

Tranquil, leisure strolls through the gardens, hours of reading to one another together, and sneaky late night talks was how you both spent your days until your wedding ceremony arrived. And even, Luke had gone as far as teaching you some High Valyrian so you would know the language and culture of his own family.

Of course, the nervousness regarding your marriage and the wedding continously lingered in you, gnawing every bit of your mind despite having a perfectly sweet relationship with Lucerys. And knowing how you felt, becoming used to freely speak up your mind whenever you were alone together, Luke never failed to comfort and soothe you by expressing his own nerves, but at the same time, reassuring you that he was certain all would go more than well as every preparation for the occassion had been carefully organisated properly.

It was the warmth that the Velaryon Prince constantly offered to you, that made you be over the moon and clouds for him, just in the exact way he felt around you. It had taken no time for you to become his ‘gevie rūklon’ — his pretty flower, being as delicately graceful as the petal of a rose. The one he was more than eager to cherish and show his undying adoration with each day that passed, and you couldn’t help but often thank the Seven for blessing you with such a loving future Lord Husband. With each passing day, you found yourself balancing between the thin string of feeling jittery, and an increasing zeal the closer you were to your wedding day.

And there you stood two nights before your official wedding date, staring at yourself in front of the mirror, simultaneously swinging between such emotions that equally made your heart violently pound against your chest in a way that your hands were visibly trembling. Softly, you adjusted the silk wedding dress that they had prepared just for yourself. As expected, you had already tried the dress on the moment the seamstresses were finished with sewing the very last details — but you were allured into trying it again, imagining how everything would go and practising for the official date.

Faintly, a soft sigh escaped from your nostrils, with a little grin tugging at the corner of your lips. Both your hands were clasped in front of your body, grasping the delicate texture of your dress against your skin. Your breathing became hitched softly, processing the thought of becoming officially married to a future Lord whom you already wholeheartedly adored.

You had spent endless hours in front of your mirror, reading your own wedding vows to yourself and making sure that you wouldn’t either stutter, mess up, or stumble upon your words. And even so, despite already knowing by heart your vows to your betrothed, you still continued to re-read them again, or mentally repeat it.

Your gaze lingered on the ground for a few seconds, admiring quietly the dedication the seamstresses put into your wedding dress, before you managed to raise it to stare at your own face. A nervous frowny grin tugged at the corner of your lips, feeling a flustered heat creeping to your cheeks. As your chambers were silent, the only thing you could ever hear was the sound of your heartbeat increasing by the passing of the seconds, along your soft huffing.

Overall, digging deeper beyond the obvious nerves you felt, there was an immeasurable feeling of joy. The thought of having been blessed with such an endearing future Lord Husband, who had also became your best friend and companion, brought a warming comfort in you that made you eager to the official wedding day. The sight of your own reflection on your dress was more than enough for you to helplessly wander through your own daydreaming.

Dumbfoundedly, your grin became wider as you could already imagine how your wedding would go. And not only you daydreamt about the wedding feast, the way you would be delightfully surrounded by your family, closest relatives, and perhaps how other Lord and Ladies would attend the celebration — but as well, you couldn’t help but imagine how joyful you would be spending the rest of your days by his side, pampering one another with tender caresses, and soft kisses.

Having one another for the joyful and sorrowful moments in your life, and even, having precious little children of your own surrounding both of you. The early prospect you had of how your marriage would be made you nearly melt from adoration. Your gaze remained fixed in your own reflection, smiling to yourself as your mind solely focused and dreamed of what was yet to come.

The door of your chambers were swung open swiftly, yet quietly — provoking a faint creaking sound before it was closed shut. Upon hearing the faint noise, you were quick in snapping out of your little daydreaming, adverting your gaze towards the person entering the quarters. It was, of course, none other than your betrothed; as he had gotten used to entering your chambers in the middle of the night without even knocking, especially when he couldn’t sleep.

A heated dark shade of red crept in your face, gulping timidly as soon as you made eye contact with Luke through the reflection of the mirror. Before managing to mutter a word, his green hazel eyes were fixed on you. The way you so gracefully stood in front of the mirror, using the wedding dress prepared just for yourself that was adorned with dragons and dragonscales imagery, made him awkwardly stand at your door.

Part of him wished to advert his gaze elsewhere, in a poor attempt to hide his overwhelmingly shy fluster; but another part of him, insisted on remaining with his stare on you. Gods, you were such a precious girl— how could he not swoon over you, like he always did? And seeing you in such a beautifully detailed wedding dress made his heart skip one, or two beats. Needless it was to mention the fact that since you were two days away from officially getting married, that already provoked on him some sleepless nights; and seeing you wearing that wedding dress made him feel as if he could melt right there.

The first time you had tried on your wedding dress, he didn’t have the opportunity to take a peek of how you would look. But now, curiousity was eased delightfully. If anything, it served to fuel his already undying adoration for your sweetly graceful nature.

Clearing his throat shyly, his green eyes gazed down to the floor. Both his hands were clasped in front of his body. “I’m... Sorry,” he began speaking meekly. Noticing the timid fluster notoriously creeping on his pale skin made you have to fight back a giggle. “Am I interrupting something, my love?” his eyes lingered on the ground, before reluctanctly gazing up at you shyly. You shook your head in response, before being able to mutter a response.

“Good.” with soft footsteps, Luke approached you. “You can’t sleep, too?” a scoff escaped from you, fixing your gaze on his features as he walked towards you very slowly. “Is it too obvious?” you inquired back teasingly as a helpless grin appeared on your lips, getting a chuckle from him as a response. “I can tell, my love.” as soon as Lucerys stood by your side — noticing him slightly taller than usual —, his green eyes stared at you through the reflection.

The way Luke so endearingly admired how precious you looked for your wedding ceremony made you want to squirm under his gaze, and giggle like a little girl with a crush. “I haven’t been able to sleep either,” his arms remained behind his back, feeling as if his staring to your reflection wouldn’t allow him to do anything else, just... Stare foolishly in love. “Our wedding ceremony is two nights away, and I feel restless.”

Seeing you in the wedding dress was too alluring to get lost in the daydreaming of your near future together. His smile seemed sheepish as his green eyes carefully observed every inch of yourself, treasuring you as his future Lady Wife. You had rapidly turned into his greatest pride, and Luke knew he would eventually show you off to everyone. Not like he wasn’t already doing so, either way.

“But overall...” his arms appeared from behind his back, walking to stand behind of you. Gently, his arms wrapped themselves around your waist, pulling you tightly against his chest in an adoring way. The warmth of his firm embrace was soothing, as he placed his chin on the crook of your neck, moving his stare towards your reflection once again. “I’m proud of having you as my future Wife.”

Of course, all his compliments were genuine — but most of the time, Lucerys appreciated seeing you become flustered at his displays of affection. Your hands were placed on his arms, caressing them gently. “You look more than beautiful,” he cooed, nuzzling the tip of his nose softly against your skin, “I can’t wait until our wedding ceremony. I know you will be such a loving wife and companion, as you already are.” with his words, his lips placed soft kisses on your skin, moving from your neck, to your cheek.

And in his words, there was no lacking in honestly. Each time his eyes took a peek at you, especially at the current moment where you tried back on your dress, his breathing got stuck on his throat; with his heart pounding loudly against his chest. Your giggles with each one of his loving kisses encouraged Lucerys to keep going, and if it were possible, he would shower you in his kisses eternally.

A contented growl spurred from your lips, craning your head lazily towards him, managing to place your lips on the skin of his rosy cheeks. “Sometimes I wonder, what have I done to possibly be blessed by the Seven to earn such a sweet, and attentive betrothed such as yourself?” you could feel his smiling lips grasping against your skin, holding a protective grip around your body.

Sighing, he managed to rest his chin on the crook of your neck, trying to catch his own breathing before continuing to fill you with kisses. Those sleepless nights were more than worth it, marrying such a precious beauty as yourself — and who could blame him? If he managed to even get some rest the two days before your wedding, Luke knew his dreams would be invaded by you walking down the aisle, in such detailed dress. “I can only wonder to myself the same thing, my sweet.” he replied briefly.

Allowing your head to rest against his own, his eyes stared at you through the reflection of the mirror. There weren’t enough words to express his admiration towards you, swooning inwards to himself at the sight of your vibrant grace.

Despite the obvious anxiety you equally felt regarding the ceremony, such as everything going as planned, and none of you stumbling upon your words when it came to reading your vows to one another, there was an exuberant eagerness to refer to each other as your own.

But, if anything— there was one thing that would be difficult for him to overbear during the ceremony. The sweet scent emanating from you was merely intoxicating, and his lips continued to playfully grasp against the skin of your neck, admiring you quietly.

“I do have to warn you,” shortly, he trailed off. His lips became in a dumbfounded grin, drunken with the feeling of a loving worshipping towards your entire self. Adoring you so much, that could make his heart combust at any second. You were bewitching at the sight.

Your eyebrows furrowed in curiousity before he continued, gripping your waist tighter, before one of his hands found your own, and squeezed it faintly. “I plan on not keeping my lips to myself during our wedding, especially if you are to look this gorgeous.”

♡ taglist : ♡

@jacesvelaryons @jjamieberry @anemicroyalcore @countsmoon @beeebo234 @manuholland6 @capellaadara @kyuupidwrites @tchatso @dopepersonacloudllama @phantasyy @tasty-nutella @mstxdes @valeriecash @cookielovesbook-akie @zzz000eee @bellarkeselection @feliuuuksks @visenya-reigned @maria699669 @mariaelizabeth21-blog1 @sweethoneyblossom1 @jamiemydeer @snowprincesa1

#꒰ 🤖 𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐓 | crazy little thing called queue. ꒱ #lucerys velaryon x reader #lucerys velaryon #lucerys strong x reader #lucerys targaryen #lucerys strong #hotd x reader #hotd imagine #house of the dragon x reader #hotd fic #hotd x you #house of the dragon x you #luke velaryon x reader #lucerys targaryen x reader #ash <33 #lady-ashfade <33

[jacesvelaryons]

it's yours.

REQUESTS OPEN

jacaerys (jace) velaryon x twin sister!reader

word count: 2.2k

rating: PG-13 (with hints of suggestiveness of you squint)

summary: jace returns from a voyage amassing wealth and knowledge like nothing before, yet after a year, it's only you he craves.

please like, comment, share and subscribe if you loved it! please share me your feedback on what you'd like. i'm open to requests from hotd characters especially jace, luke and daemon.

this is my first hotd fic here so please enjoy! thanks!

Your twin Jacaerys had always grown up beside you, raised by the hip by your mother Princess Rhaenyra and your father, who wasn’t exactly your father really Lord Laenor Velaryon, who stepped up to be the father that was there for every milestone for you and your siblings.

You have her Valyrian features, of silver hair and lavender eyes. Many ask for you hand, sing songs of my beauty, paint my likeness, but you refuse at the moment. You will not settle down or marry until I have decided and been courted properly. You know you offer much more than your beauty.

Jacaerys was away for a voyage with your grandsire Lord Corlys and Lucerys. He had returned much more learned, confident and more of a man than the boy he was the day he left, having grown taller and more muscular. Meanwhile, you have grown more womanly, shapely and beautiful. He holds a Valyrian steel necklace with amethysts in his hand, the steel shimmering in the sunlight.

“ Jace, you've returned!”

You run towards him, not caring how unlady like it seems when you pull up your skirts to not trip on your feet, and to get to him as soon as you can. He wraps his arms around you, more toned and buff than he was when he returned, slightly tanned from his time on voyage and a musky scent of sea salt lingered from him.

Jacaerys was back in your arms, alive and well in one piece and he was right here in the flesh. He pulls away from you, the smile on his face still there, as he takes in that he is back to you, and how you have changed in his absence.

He steps back in awe as he admires you, unbelieving how much you had transformed over the years.

“Oh, how you have grown sister.”

“So have you, Jace.” You smile sweetly, tension hanging in the air.

Digging into his pockets, he unveils a velvet case and opens it up to you, revealing a Valyrian steel necklace similar to your mother’s own, but studded with amethysts.

"It's yours, sister."

You gasp in shock, hands shaking as your eyes flicker between his tanned form and the pendant in his hands.

“You did not! I will not accept this.” Your smile can’t fall off your face as you cross your arms and turn away from him but he insists, holding the case over his shoulder.

“I insist, sister. For me, please?” He pleads with his signature hazel puppy eyes that he knows you can’t refuse and you sigh and shake your head as you surrender.

Jace grins in victory when you accept, taking your other hand in his and brushing his thumb against your knuckles.

“Turn around. Let me put it on you. I want to see my girl wearing my gift for her.”

Facing your back against him, you hear his footsteps creak against the wood of the dock as he comes closer to you, chest pressed against you, feeling every crevice of his muscle against your own.

As his warm breath tickles the crook where your shoulder meets your neck, you feel a shiver down your spine and your mouth is nearly agape by the time he locks the necklace before you put your hair down.

Turning you over by the waist, he admires his creation with a satisfied smirk and a hand on his chin.

“Beautiful. My, how you have blossomed into a great beauty sister. Even more than I have imagined in my wildest dreams.”

A blush formed on your cheeks as you shyly looked down,yet he caressed your face, prompting you to look him in the eye as he looked down on you, the height difference between you two more apparent than ever before.

“Don’t hide your beauty, my love. You have blossomed into a great beauty. I am sure every lord is lucky to be your suitor, clamoring for your hand.”

Gathering yourself, you smile and nod, grasping onto his forearm and feeling the breeze against your warm skin.

“Yes, many have tried and still persist. Yet none has caught my eye.”

“Truly? None?” He teases with a raised eyebrow as you both chuckle and you beckon him to join your family inside.

…

Jacaerys is welcomed back by the realm with open arms, heralded with weeks long celebrations and festivities. As he has his moment in the sun, you watch from the sidelines, observing quietly with a sense of pride and a drink in your hand as the kingdoms unanimously cheer and celebrate their future king.

Observing the sunset glowing into warm orange and pink and purple hues, as you stood by the balcony admiring the scenery, you did not expect him to appear by your side wordlessly, with a curious expression on his face.

“Been ignoring me, sister? How you have been wounded by pride, where I have been away so long and now you wish to be apart from me again?” He jests lightheartedly, posture relaxed as he rests his hips on the balcony next you.

You couldn’t help but chuckle at his playful nature, an ease to himself that was not naturally found before his voyage, when he left as a scared, pensive and overthinking boy, and returned a confident, self assured, cultured and intelligent young man.

“I am not ignoring you at all. On the contrary, I wanted to give you your space for time in glory, so that the night would be all about you. The realm awaited your return and now they have their prince.” You defended yourself with a smile, sipping on your goblet.

He quirked an eyebrow amusedly. “And did you await your prince?”

Rolling your eyes, you put your drink down on the balcony and face him, standing right in front of him. His eyes followed your every move with piqued interest, an entertained smirk on his face as his hands tugged on the necklace on your neck possessively, the cold steel stinging deliciously onto your skin like a mark all over you.

“Of course I did. I wrote back to you every single time your letters arrived to me. Even when I wouldn’t get anything from you, I would hope for any word from grandsire or Luke, any message from you or any signs that you were alive.” You spoke defensively, as if offended by the accusation that you were indifferent towards him throughout all his eyes threading the dangerous seas.

“You did. How lovely to hear my sister cared so much for me. I saved every letter you sent.”

“Every letter?”

He nodded proudly, looking out briefly into the night skies before returning to seeing only you. “Every single one. I too was dismayed when I would not get a letter from you or missed a day from our messengers.”

“I thought you could have died while you were away, Jace! Or even…I thought you would have found the company of someone else and forgotten all about me back in Westeros.”

Jacaerys sneered in glee, resting his palms on your shoulders, feeling your bare skin on his rough, calloused palms and pushing you closer to his warmth. “Was my sister jealous of my travels?”

You scoffed and glared, avoiding his intense stare. “I am not! I was merely concerned for you and our family members’ well being. On behalf of the kingdom at large, I was concerned with making sure you, Luke and Grandpa Corlys came back home safe!”

He laughed in barely hidden amusement at your flustered expression. “You are adorable, aren’t you? Are you sure you were not wondering whether I was with another in more intimate situations? I was in exotic lands, so it must have-”

An ugly, all-consuming tugged at the pit of your stomach as he described the picture, rearing its ugly head as you wished to drown out any visions of him physically entangled with another.

You feigned indifference, raising your chin proudly and crossing your arms wanting to appear indifferent. “Like I cared. You’re a man now anyway. Targaryen men have never learned to keep it in their pants. The fire in your blood hungers and craves for satisfaction and desire.”

Jace only laughed at your attempt, patting your head affectionately as if he was petting a dog.

“Oh, sister. I see right through you. You care for me, so much that you’d worry about me with someone else. Worry not, many women may have offered their services and company, but I only crave one lady’s heart and hand. Yours.” He circles his hands around your waist, staring you in the eye with a sincere, loving expression.

You didn’t want to believe or listen to him - a wall placed around your heart for protection from getting hurt, from the possibility of getting so close and losing him.

“As dutiful and honourable as you are, I wouldn’t be surprised if your guard was down and you indulged yourself in the pretty ladies at your feet.”

He shakes his head, a hand on his heart as he swore. “I mean it with my life and blood. I may have heard and seen things about how the act and romance goes, but I have saved myself for one woman only. The one and only who deserves my heart and favour. That is you, sister.” Cupping your chin, he rubs his thumb against your bottom lip, feeling the pout forming on your mouth.

“You promise?” You ask quietly, a hushed whisper only he can hear amidst the loud echoes from the crowd bustling metres away inside the Keep.

“I promise, with everything that I am and ever will be. There was only one name I thought of as I slept at night, that I prayed for and wrote in my journal alongside my travels. The only one whose letters I awaited on baited breath, who caused me despair when I thought you wanted nothing to do with me when days came without a letter, but relieved when I found out only a storm en route to the voyage may have lost the letter or delayed it by days or weeks.” Jace insists solemnly, all jest gone from his words as he meant every single thing he said.

“I feared some knight or great lord could have swept you off your feet in my absence, that I could have lost you and could do nothing about it, that I would have been too late to make a difference if I tried to return.” His voice grew shaky and weary, pulling you closer to him as if he was afraid you would perish or melt in his arms.

You looked at him with wide, concerned eyes, watching the uncertainty and fear take over him, which was hidden by the assured, suave image he tried to project, but with you, he could not hide for too long. That has not changed.

“I could never. I tried looking for you in every suitor that came my way, but they are not you. They all missed something, they didn’t have your eyes or your smile, they were smart but not as smart as you, caring but not with the same edge you had.” You spoke, releasing a deep breath you did not know you were holding in, resting your palms on his broad chest, as if to soothe and calm him.

To feel him against your own flesh, that he has returned, that he was yours, and yours alone. His scent flooded your senses in the familiarity, how he had changed but stayed the same simultaneously.

“I want your hand. I want you.I want you to be my wife, in the tradition of our house. I have only imagined being king with you as my queen by my side. I want you to be mine, to have your heart and hand. I want to make you the happiest woman alive by my side, as my wife, as my lover, as the mother of my future children. Do you want that too?” He takes your hand into his and looks at you pleadingly, hopeful and anticipating.

You considered his proposal carefully, but there was only one answer for you. One you already knew deep within you.

“Yes. Even if mother and grandsire may have alluded and wanted for this marriage politically and for the realm, I want this for myself. For you. As people, as young lovers, as humans, not future heirs to the throne.” I nod enthusiastically.

Jace erupts in a joy like no other, his smile bright and joy undeniable as he pulls you into a tight embrace, pressing his nose against your neck.

“May I have a kiss to seal our union, my love?”

Tears brimming in your eyes from reprieve, you rest your palm on the back of his neck as you press your lips against his, standing on your tiptoes. It was warm, passionate and longing, as if needing release from so long apart.

He grinned into your kiss, soft lips pressing against yours, tongue swiping at your bottom lip before he pulled away in victory. His broad palms explore your form as if studying every crevice, pleased by the woman you have grown to become and the one he loves more day by day.

“My queen.”

#jace velaryon x reader #jace velaryon #team black #house of the dragon x reader #hotd x reader #jacaerys velaryon x reader #house of the dragon #house of the dragon imagines #house of the dragon scenarios #house of the dragon headcanons #game of thrones #game of thrones imagines #jacaerys velaryon #hotd fanfic #house of the dragon fanfic

[blayresmuses]

HOW THEY SHOW AFFECTION

summary: how the hotd characters show their affection in relationships.

includes: aemond, aegon, alicent, rhaenyra, daemon, jace, harwin

warnings: mentions of sex and mentions of violence

authors note: i honestly don’t even know if this concept makes sense but oh well enjoy :)

once aemond accepts his feelings for you he’s surprisingly attentive and affectionate. everyone at court can see how he dotes on you - not that they’d mention it in front of him - and how even the briefest mention of your name has his head turning. he does shower you in affection physically but you notice more that quality time together seems to be his way of showing his love to you. he often invites you to the library with him or offers to take you out on vhagar. his favourite is when you sit and read to him, his head in your lap and your hand absentmindedly running through his hair. more often than not be finds excuses just to be in your presence - he even returns in the evening after doing his daily activities to have dinner with you, most times even following you to the bathtub after. he just can’t stay away.

aegon is much different, more reluctant to openly declare his feelings but wanting you to feel special all the same. it mostly comes out behind closed doors, a gentle, softer side of him exposing itself. he’d take his time undressing you, caressing you slowly and actually putting your pleasure before his own, something he hasn’t done much with the many girls he’d been with over the years. additionally he often surprises you with lavish gifts, helpfully chosen by his mother more often than not but you appreciate it all the same.

alicent dotes on you sweetly but what makes you really feel special is how much trust she puts in you. she openly confides her deepest secrets in you and tells you her fears, just like you do with her. the two of you share dinner nearly every night where you discuss your days and stresses, you’re often the first one she comes to for council. it’s more about emotional intimacy than anything that shows you how special your relationship is. your chambers are usually filled with your shared whispers well into the night as the two of you lay in each others arms.

when rhaenyra is younger, especially after her brothers are born she is all for being rebellious and you love how special being included in that makes you feel. the two of you are constantly trying to outdo each other and it makes for some fond memories for the two of you as the years pass. she shows her affection to you by simply making you feel wanted and important - she invites you everywhere, always asks for your advice and she especially loves when you reassure her of her position. rhaenyra is also always complimenting you - your dresses, your body, your hair - she’ll say anything to make you blush. it’s been noted in court how often she leans over to you to whisper something in your ear, often leaving you giggling or blushing.

daemons way of showing affection is purely sexual. he’s handsy at the best of times and lecherous at the worst, often pawing at you even when there’s others around - showing everyone that you’re completely his as he is yours. in the bedroom he takes utter care of you, even when he’s rough you can see it in his eyes how much he cares, can hear it in his voice when he murmurs dirty words in valyrian to you. it’s addicting and he refuses to stop until you’ve had a few orgasms at least. what makes your heart flutter the most is how protective he is of you and your marriage, even when he’s blunt when asking of your feelings and often doesn’t have much constructive things to make you feel better. he’d never hear a bad word about you, even if it’s from your own mouth. he’d kill for you and he has no problem proving it.

jacerys is nothing but devoted to you, completely. he surprises you constantly with little trinkets or books, things that mean something to you. he’d do anything to make you smile, only so he can compliment you on it. he’s loving and doting, always clearing gaps in his day to spend quality time with you when he can. he’s affectionate in every way, loving to give you soft kisses on your forehead or on your hand.

harwin is just completely soft for you and only you. he’s affectionate always, keeping a hand on you at all times. he’s protective but not overbearing, letting you do your own thing at balls and when you’re out in kings landing but keeping an eye on you all the same. he adores touching you and it’s usually the first thing he does when he returns to your chambers, takes you in his arms and holds you until he’s content to let go. when you’re alone together he’s glued to your side, even offering you massages just to get to touch you. he also loves teaching you to yield a sword, he laughs the whole time at your determination because let’s face it, you’re not beating him but the two of you enjoy it all the same. it always ends up with the two of you rolling around on the ground after you’ve thrown down your sword and tried to tackle him for too many teasing comments.

#aemond targaryen x reader #aegon targaryen x reader #alicent hightower x reader #rhaenyra targaryen x reader #daemon targaryen x reader #house of the dragon #harwin strong x reader #jacerys velaryon x reader

[meraxesmoon]

Modern AU HOTD Yandere HCs

note: idk what possessed me to make this lmao

warnings: yandere content, dark content, toxic relationships, sexual innuendo in aegon's part, college students au, helaena is my sweet baby ily helaena targaryen

┍━━━━━━━ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗━━━━━━━┑

Aemond Targaryen

☆ He meets his darling in college and is charming enough for them to trust him almost immediately. Aemond is smart, and often offers to tutor his darling in any subjects they're having trouble with, even going as far as renting out a room in the campus library so they can study without being bothered by other students.

☆ There comes a time where Aemond becomes romantically involved with his darling, after careful planning, and he invites them over to his apartment. He's a Targaryen, so he lives lavishly, but his apartment is tasteful, and you wouldn't know that he's rich just by looking at his home. Inside resides his large Maine Coone, Vhagar. She's this huge, extremely old and grumpy cat, who surprisingly takes a liking to Aemond's darling, and is always more active when they come around.

☆ Aemond is smooth with his relationship, yet he's far from perfect. Aemond is jealous, possessive, and obsessive when it comes to his lover, and hates sharing them with anyone else. He's more on the traditional side, as well, and desires to make them his little housewife as soon as possible.

☆ He most definitely tells his mother about his darling! Alicent and Aemond have weekly lunch dates, and she loves (Name) already from just hearing her son talk about them. She wants to meet them so bad, and once she does, she absolutely adores them. Aemond is a mama's boy. Not meeting his mother is out of the question!

Aegon Targaryen II

☆ The resident fuckboy, Aegon desires his darling more than any of his hookups, but she just doesn't seem interested in casual stuff. I can definitely see Aegon going for the nice girl, and he's an absolute menace when it comes to his darling! Aegon is high key annoying, but he's definitely an art student, which makes a lot of sense.

☆ I feel like his darling would be good friends with Helaena, so he asks her to put in a good word for him. Despite his reputation, Aegon is really devoted to his darling and has a hard time with anyone else that he tries to bring into his bed. It's a very toxic situation because while he's in bed with someone else he's thinking of (Name).

☆ Aegon is a bitch, like he'd let a pretty girl walk all over him kind of bitch. Once he does get involved with his darling, he's incredibly good at pleasing them. It doesn't matter what they want. He's there. This isn't just a sexual thing. Either way, he'd literally do anything for their approval.

☆ He's dependent on his darling, as well. He loves his sweet girl so much that he's unable to imagine his life without her! He wants to crawl into her body so she can never be without him, and Aegon recognizes how creepy that is, so he settles for keeping her in his bed as long as humanly possible.

Helaena Targaryen

☆ This sweet girl is an entomology student! She loves her bugs and is so passionate about them that she goes into that kind of career path. She meets her darling through her mother, unsurprisingly. Helaena doesn't have many friends, and so when she finally finds herself a companion, she's very happy!

☆ Helaena's feelings for her darling don't stay platonic, obviously, and she ends up wanting them to be more than friends. I definitely think she's neurodivergent, so Helaena isn't quite sure how to navigate her emotions when it comes to romance, but she knows that she absolutely adores (Name).

☆ She's a stalker. That's the only way to describe Helaena. She loves observing. She always has, but it's different when it comes to (Name). They're very close, and Helaena just loves looking at them! She thinks that her darling is so pretty, the prettiest in the entire world. So, Helaena follows her darling around constantly. When they're not hanging out together, she tries to steal glances of them. She's so sneaky about it, too. You'd never catch her in the act.

☆ Helaena hyperfixates on things, so she really appreciates it when people take in interest in her hobbies or whatever she's into currently. Like, she went through a phase where she was absolutely fixated on doing crochet, and she was making little bugs to give to her family and darling. She blabbers on to Aegon about her darling. I feel like in a modern AU, they would be very close :((((

☆ She has a pet tarantula named Dreamfyre 💕

#cw: yandere content #cw: yandere blog #cw: yandere #yandere aemond targaryen #yandere aegon ii targaryen #yandere helaena targaryen #yandere hotd #yandere house of the dragon #yandere headcanons #yandere imagines #yandere drabble #yandere #kay writes

[eroselless]

MOTH TO A FLAME

Chapter One: The invitation

Chapter Summary: After starting a new job at a prestigious museum in London, you form a close friendship with Helaena Targaryen. You're surprised when she invites you to stay at her family's estate for the summer holidays. [1.4k]

[aegon targaryen x reader, modern!HOTD AU ]

masterlist

Warnings: 18+ for explicit language, smut in future chapters, and talk of bugs. If there's any I missed let me know!

note: this is my first story in a really long time, I hope y'all like it! also, I actually have no idea how curating a museum works, this is just a general idea of what I thought it might look like lol

You're running out of breath when you reach the back doors of the museum. Your skin feels moist from a mixture of light rain and sweat beading on your skin from your run from the station. You quickly plug in the code to the door and step through, quickly shaking off your jacket and putting your things in your assigned locker. You check your watch and wince at the time, making your way out of the employees-only area into the lobby of the museum. The museum always has a scent of dried paint mingled with a faint aroma of coffee emanating from the café at the entrance of the museum. 

You spot Helaena from a distance. She’s leaning against a pillar, fiddling with her key card that hangs around her neck.  As soon as she sets her eyes on you, her eyes light up. She straightens up and moves to meet you halfway, pulling you into a hug.

“I thought you weren’t going to make it.” she laughs. You roll your eyes, fixing stray hairs. You can’t help the smile that makes its way onto your face.

“I swear Ari has it out for me” you sigh. Ariadne was your Australian shepherd puppy. She was the cheekiest little thing, taking socks, shoes and now apparently your keys to play with. “I swear I’m always putting the keys in the key bowl when I get home but she manages to take them and hide them.” 

“Sure,” Helaena says, leading you into the Entomology department. “Blame it on the dog.”

You met Helaena when you started working at the museum three months ago. You had been job searching for ages and finally came across a job that happened to be in a country completely different than the one you resided in. You packed your bags and took a leap of faith, moving to London on your own, only accompanied by your trusty puppy. 

You had always loved the idea of working in a museum and hadn’t thought it all the way through so where you arrived you were placed in the entomology department alongside Helaena. Together, you carefully managed the ever-growing collection of beetles, butterflies and moths, dragonflies and damselflies. 

You settled into your respective desks, papers stacked high and your computer buzzing with incoming research articles and showcase preparations. Helaena sits across from you, fiddling at her own desk, pulling up her email. 

“Oh shit, did you see the new collection of dragonflies we have coming in?” she asked, fingers suddenly dancing over her keyboard. “It looks like they’re butterfly dragonflies.” She enthuses and you both gradually get lost in your screens.

After a couple of hours, the day slows down and starts to go by agonizingly slow. There was only so much excitement a small batch of dragonflies could provide and you found yourself mindlessly combing through different online stores. 

After lunch, you hadn’t much left to do anyway. Showcases were mostly set up and you had already sifted through and organized a set of potato beetles you hadn’t done last week. Your eyes flicker over to Helaena as walks back to her desk, sliding her chair from one point of her L-shaped desk to another. She’s holding her phone up to her ear, listening fervently to the person on the other side. She nods every now and then, letting out small mhms. Her eyebrows are furrowed in concentration, her lips in a tight line as she uses her free hand to jot down notes on a pad. She nods one last time before bidding the person on the line goodbye and placing her phone down on her desk.

You watch her with your hands tucked under your chin, eyebrows raised as if to say sooo. She leans back in her reclining desk chair, stretching her feet out in front of her. She lets out a whistle and taps her fingers on the wood of her desk.

“You got anything planned for the holidays?” she asked, squinting at you, lips pursed out. You pretend to think for a second, eyes floating up to the ceiling before answering.

“I don’t think so. I don't have the funds to fly back home just yet so I’m gonna be here.” You state. A smile breaks out on Helaena’s face and she claps her hands.

“Great,” she begins, sauntering over to your desk and leaning over it. “Then you can come with me to the family estate.”

You blink, caught off guard at the invitation. “Your family’s estate? You’re sure I wouldn’t be impeding?” 

“Babe, no!” she says, shaking her head. “It’ll be a blast, the property is huge and I think my mom is even holding a gala or some shit.” Your mind races at the thought of spending the holidays with Helaena, surrounded by the English countryside and the hospitality of her family. You knew very little about her family, having only heard of her brothers in fleeting comments. You had briefly met her mother over the phone, having been at Helaena’s apartment one night when she face-timed her. 

“Okay,” you say, a smile growing on your lips. “I’d love to come.” Helaena’s smile only widens, her arms going around your shoulders in a tight hug. 

“I’ll let Mum know!”

The sun streamed through your apartment window as you pull clothes out of your wardrobe, tossing them at Helaena. She sits perched on the edge of your bed, gingerly folding t-shirts and pants into your bag. There were tops strewn across your bed, shoes littered all over the floor and small bags of toiletries and makeup set next to your nearly empty suitcase. You can hear Ariadne chewing on a shoe you gave up trying to get her to stop playing with. At this point, she only really played with household items instead of the actual toys you bought her. Helaena winces as you pull out a dress and hold it up to your chest.

“What about this?” you ask, swaying slightly. Her face stays in a slight grimace, shaking her head and laughing.

“We need to get you some new dresses, these look like they were taken off of a raggedy Anne Doll.” You let out a boisterous laugh, shoving her shoulder and you tuck the dress back into the wardrobe. She pulls a knitted sweater from the edge of your bed and tucks it tightly into your bag. 

Once your outfits seem coordinated enough, Helaena begins to place them carefully in your suitcase, making sure you have enough to last you all the days you’re there. She speaks up once you flip your suitcase closed, struggling slightly with the zipper. 

“So I know you sorta met Mum but I know you’ll love her now that you’ll be staying for a few weeks.” She states. “She’s been planning this gala for my father, for his retirement, for months. It’s going to be huge, my sister is even coming in from out of town with her children, everyone and their mother is going to be there.”

You let out a chuckle and bounce slightly on your suitcase, climbing over it, trying to press it shut with your knees. Helaena climbs on with you, raving about life at the estate, describing the sprawling gardens, her mother’s immense library of rare books and the little town that lies nearby.

“You know we could even get you a fancy dress from one of the shops in town, it's a tiny town but it has loads of shops.” you struggle but finally manage to zip up the bag, and you sit on top of it a little breathless. 

“Oh! Aemond and Daeron are going to be there too, though I’m not too sure about Aegon” she states, a thoughtful look on her face. It almost seems like she wants to say something more but waves her hand in the air dismissively. “But never mind that.”

You can't help but feel a flutter of excitement bloom in your chest at the thought of all that you’ll be doing. “I can’t wait for it all,” you say with a soft sigh, eyes shining with anticipation.

a/n: soo no Aegon quite yet but he’ll be appearing in the next chapter fo sho. I’m currently working on it but it’s hell week at uni right now so I won’t have too much time to sit down. If you guys are enjoying it, do not hesitate to reblog and let me know if you want to be tagged for the next chapter!

#aegon ii targaryen x reader #aegon ii smut #modern aegon #hotd fanfic #tom glynn carney x reader #moth to a flame #eroselless

[kazz-brekker]

hotd episode 5 thoughts

rip rhea royce, you seemed cool so even though i knew your death was coming i’m a bit sad about it. at least you got to bully daemon before the end.

loved that we got to see larys strong do a bit of scheming and i am quite excited to see where his character will go.

house velaryon and driftmark seem extremely cool, hope we do end up getting a spin-off about them someday.

corlys i am TRYING to stan you but trying to marry off your daughter at 12 and saying your gay son “will grow out of it” is not great behavior.

i do love that rhaenys and corlys are a total power couple who clearly respect and love each other a lot.

i liked the the scene of rhaenyra and laenor walking on the beach and forming their alliance/friendship very much since i’ve always interpreted them as being friends.

i’m glad we got to see some of the relationship between laenor and joffrey before things went south, they seemed really good together and i do wish they had gotten their life of a king consort and his sworn bodyguard.

of the different rumors surrounding rhaenyra and criston cole’s falling-out i have always thought the one where he suggested they run away together and she turned him down made the most sense so i’m glad they went with that one.

i also appreciated that his bitterness towards her is not just “criston’s crush doesn’t like him as much as he likes her” but also his sense of ruined honor.

i Do Not Trust grand maester mellos, something is up with that man. please stop with the leeches i swear to god.

the velaryons entering the wedding was ICONIC, they are legends, they are the moment, i love them.

it was nice seeing seasmoke and meleys but where! is! vhagar!

lyonel strong remains the only person on this show with common sense.

daemon showing up to rhaenyra’s wedding feast despite being in exile was legendary, i expected no less.

also rhaenyra being mean to him when they were dancing and throwing his words back at him was excellent.

alicent entering the feast in her green dress and calling rhaenyra “stepdaughter” was such a power move i literally cannot wait for her villain era.

that wedding was So Fucking Stressful even though i knew going in roughly what was going to happen i was on the edge of my seat.

oh joffrey, if only you were not so good at sussing out who is sleeping together and criston could be normal about his break-up things might have had a much happier ending :(

was hoping we would get more than the few harwin strong crumbs that we did buuuut it seems like he’ll be important in episode 6.

i’m going to miss milly alcock and emily carey but i cannot WAIT to see emma d’arcy and olivia cooke, they are going to absolutely kill it

#phew that was a lot of thoughts turns out i have many of them #pie says stuff #pie watches hotd #hotd #hotd spoilers #house of the dragon #rhaenyra targaryen #daemon targaryen #laenor velaryon #alicent hightower #joffrey lonmouth #criston cole #corlys velaryon #rhaenys targaryen #harwin strong #rhea royce #larys strong #that is. a lot of characters. why did i tag them all #anyway! love that westerosi cannot be fucking normal about weddings #it provides me with much stress and entertainment

[la-pheacienne]

What do you think is what causes this absolutely unhinged Targ hate? Like, I totally get if the Targs aren’t someone’s cup of tea, they can be a lot, but the way Targ haters talk about the Targs is just scary. I had this unhinged Targ anti reply to my comment on Reddit with an absolutely unhinged essay on why the Targs aren’t magical at all and that it’s just “supremacist propaganda.” It’s just really weird.

Idc if someone just doesn’t like the Targs, but what bothers me is when they act like they invented feudalism, are the most evil family ever, and when they demonize them for their dragons. Targ antis act as if the Targs are the only problem in Westeros and that getting rid of them is the solution. They must have watched GoT and read asoiaf with their eyes closed, because the war of the five kings was a war that was started just fine without help from the Targs.

The Targs did not create feudalism or war. It’s just strange how Targ antis fixate on the Targs and only blame them for feudalism as if feudalism wasn’t the system Westeros had for thousands of years before the Targs appeared. Sorry for the rant, I’ve just seen some really dumb comments on Reddit about the Targs and wanted to say this.

Unbiased answer: hate is stupid in general and i've seed batshit takes for every single character I like in asoiaf. It's a general phenomenon, if it makes you feel any better.

Biased answer: targs get extreme hate because they are the coolest house in the asoiaf universe and the very reason for asoiaf's popularity. they get hate because, while not everyone is familiar with the asoiaf universe, everyone and their mother knows the targaryens and recognizes asoiaf precisely because of the targaryens. they get hate because george decided to keep writing about the targaryens and they get an insane backstory where other houses get nothing. they get hate because dany is the reason game of thrones got popular and the reason hotd exists. that's why they get hate. loving the targs on SOME level is the norm and hating on the norm simply makes you seem cool and different in online spaces, which gets you clout.

Actually this is in sync with my unbiased answer because every character/house/trope that is popular and well liked will get an insane amount of very loud and stupid hate, it's just the way it goes. It is not something that only concerns the targaryens. I hope that covered you.

#the real answer for the current state of affairs is jo/nsa shippers and generally st/ansas though #house targaryen #daenerys targaryen #anonymous #asoiaf

[ninetailedfoxmanchi]

Aemond Targaryen x Reader: He takes off his eyepatch

Warnings: mentions of violence, scars

Summary: Y/N and Aemond are betrothed in an arranged marriage and barely know each other but there is definitely an attraction. However, Aemond lost his left eye in a fight with his nephews as a child after he claimed his cousin's dragon, Vhagar. He feels insecure about his appearance yet he shows his face to his future wife.

A/N: The style of writing is a little bit different than usual because I try to use vocabulary similar to one George R R Martin uses in his books. Of course, it's a completely different setting, time and universe from the things I've written of before, but still, I hope you like it.

HOTD AND GOT MASTERLIST

* * *

“How have you been, my Lady?” asked Prince Aemond, stirring Y/N from her thought. She looked up from the book in her lap and closed it. She stood up and bowed to her future husband. His eye shone as bright as the Northern Star as he waited eagerly for her reply.

“I’m…” began Y/N and contemplated whether she should tell him the truth or whether this was just a courtesy. “I’m alright, thank you. How about yourself, my Prince?”

“You do not sound quite as well as you claim. Has something happened?” asked Prince Aemond and took a step closer, turning his whole body towards his betrothed. His lips pursed into a thin line. Y/N stared up into his eyes neither focused on his eyepatch nor his healthy eye.

“No,” said Y/N and looked away. “Everything… Everything’s fine, thank you.”

Prince Aemond measured her, not convinced by her words, much less by the tension in her shoulders and her neck. She avoided his gaze unlike this morning when they broke fast together when joy glistened in her eyes, when she embraced him with the warmth of her voice.

“Will you walk with me, Lady Y/N?” suggested Aemond and offered her his arm. Y/N smiled and took his elbow. He smelled of blood oranges and sandalwood and his body felt secure by her side for which she was grateful.

“What book have I disturbed you reading?” he smiled lightly.

“Oh, you haven’t… It’s quite dull, really, I wasn’t going to finish it but have a look if you like,” stuttered Y/N and showed Prince Aemond the leather-bound book.

“The Conquest of Dorne as witnessed by Maester Harryn,” read Aemond.

“It is not the subject that is dull but the writer, I’m afraid,” said Y/N almost as an apology to her Prince. The Conquest of Dorne was one of the greatest Targaryen achievements after all. “He speaks highly of Lady Visenya. She was Vhagar’s first rider, was she not?”

“She was,” confirmed Aemond and seemed to recall something. Light disappeared from his eye and his gaze hardened. Y/N’s heart gave an uncomfortable squeeze.

“If I have given offence, please forgive me, Prince Aemond,” she spoke carefully as she stopped on her tracks. Her hand untwined from his elbow before she bowed gracefully. The ivory silks of her dress whispered in the seaside breeze as she remained bowed. A gush of wind pushed her hair off her bare shoulders where the plain gold necklace with her house’s sigil now rested in solitude.

“You have not given offence, my Lady Y/N, nor could you even if you tried, I am sure,” said Prince Aemond and rose her chin to meet her eyes. His thumb caressed her cheek as he glanced at her lips. Y/N blushed and averted her gaze but her heart beat faster. Prince Aemond took her hand instead and kissed her knuckles. He gestured her to sit with him on a nearby marble bench overlooking the summer garden. Peaches and oranges were so ripe they kept raining onto the bright green grass, the birds were singing late in the evenings and as they turned to sleep, crickets and waves took their song.

“I was reminded of a memory,” began Aemond although he had never meant to share this story with his future wife. But there was something about Y/N’s presence, a warmth, a gentleness, an understanding that one could say anything and be met with a compassionate heart. “When I was a boy, my brother Aegon, my nephews Jace and Luke, they all had dragons. All of their eggs had hatched except my own that was given to be as a babe. It is a Targaryen tradition.

“When we have children,” paused Aemond, “they will also receive a dragon egg in their crib.” Y/N nodded as she tried not to react at the prince’s mentioning of them having children. She understood it was her duty to bare him children, to any man that would be her husband, but the thought always made her uneasy.

“They were training their dragons in the Dragon Pit and I was there too. Mother always said I could still claim a dragon when I would be older should an opportunity present itself,” continued Prince Aemond. “One day, my brother and my nephews told me they had found me a dragon. It wasn’t a dragon though… It was a pig and they strapped parchment wings on its back.”

Y/N felt Aemond’s pain and humiliation as if it were her own when she listened to the story. She was the second child herself and a woman at that which did not sit well with her family.

“I am sorry they were cruel to you,” said Y/N and took Prince Aemond’s hand instinctively. She squeezed it but had not noticed she had done so until Aemond caressed her knuckles with his thumb. His hands were large and strong enough to wield a longsword with one arm alone. They swallowed Y/N’s small, gentle hands like a sea-storm swallows a boat.

“Is that when you lost your eye?” whispered Y/N softly. Prince Aemond’s thumb stopped caressing her palm in an instant as he froze in place.

“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. I understand,” she reassured quickly and took back her hand.

“I lost my eye when I claimed Vhagar,” said Aemond out of the sudden. His hands reached to his head and unbuckled the eyepatch around his silver-gold hair. “I told my mother it was a small price to pay. I lost an eye but I gained a dragon. The biggest dragon in the world,” said Aemond and pulled the leather patch off his face. Slowly, almost fearfully, he turned to Y/N and showed the scar that marked his face. Y/N struggled to supress a gasp at the sight of a big round sapphire that gleamed in the eye’s stead. The setting sun lit a thousand glimmering stars within the crystal.

Y/N reached slowly for her betrothed’s face. Aemond turned away and Y/N stopped her hand. She licked her lips and tried again, this time caressing Aemond’s cheek. She turned his face to look at her but his gaze was still avoiding Y/N until it whipped at her eyes and faced the devil. He did not find it though. The disgust, the despise he expected to see was not there. Instead, Y/N traced her fingers gently across the scar and leaned in ever so carefully. She kissed Aemond’s brow where the scar had split it so many years ago.

#game of thrones #got #house of the dragon #aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen fanfiction #hotd fanfic #imagine

[2rats1gogh]

although i REALLY like the cast of HotD I can’t help but criticize the fact that they all are a little off for their canonical ages.

And it creates A LOT of problems.

Whenever I look at Olivia as Alicent my brain just cannot comprehend the fact that she is supposed to be the mother of Aegon, Aemond and Helaena. She looks like their older sister. I get that they were trying to go for the effect that “she was too young when she had her children” which is valid but still, she looks five years older than them at best. She is supposed to be almost 20 YEARS older than Aemond, yet in some shots of them together he looks like he’s older than her. It just makes it not really believable.

Rhaenyra is also supposed to be much much older than her siblings, yet they all also look just like three years apart. They don’t look like a woman in her mid to late thirties fighting with a man in his early twenties which is what it should’ve been. It takes away the drama and puts them on the same level.

Ewan Mitchell is amazing as Aemond but he looks so so much older than the actor who plays Luke. During Storm’s End, like many people have said, it actually looks like a grown ass man chasing a small kid, when the characters are supposed to be like four to five years apart. Where Luke is believable as a 14 year old, Aemond absolutely does NOT look 19.

Rhaenyra and Daemon also look fairly the same age because obviously there was no Daemon recast. They did a good job to make Paddy (Viserys) age throughout the years, but they kinda forgot to make Daemon age as well. And therefore Matt Smith looks the exact same in ep 1 and in ep 10, even tho these two episodes are like AT LEAST 20 years apart?? Matt Smith was in his early forties when they were filming, but by the end of season 1 Daemon is literally supposed to be in his mid to late fifties. The fact that Emma and Matt look around the same age, maybe having a 5 year age gap max, makes many people forget that they are two fully different generations of people, being around 20 years apart in the show, and hypothetically could’ve been father and daughter.

And obviously Laena. Other people have already talked about this, but I also find it super weird that the show tried to convince us that Laena went from (1) to (2) in like, i don’t know, two years maybe? And then after a timeskip of only like one decade, she suddenly looks like she aged 20 years? The actress is literally older than Emma, and Laena is supposed to be younger than Rhaenyra.

It just doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t really have a problem with changing some of the characters’ ages, but you have to consider casting the right actors as well. They did a fairly good job when adapting Game of Thrones, because they kinda aged up everyone and kept the same actors without having any timeskips. The only exceptions are probably characters like Brienne, because although I LOVE Gwendoline Christie, Brienne should’ve been a literal teenager.

#house of the dragon #hotd #team green #pro team green #anti team black #anti team black stans #hotd analysis #hotd critical #asoiaf #fire and blood #house targaryen

[thesunfyre4446]

84 years ago i've promised an alicent and rhaenyra post, and i've finally got around into making it.

so book!rhaenyra and alicent is not that complicated. alicent was fine with rhaenyra when she thought that viserys will name their firstborn son heir, and when that wasn't the case they started beefing & despised each other.

the show's decision of making them former friends is actually a good choice. it adds depth and tragedy into their relationship & makes the entire conflict more personal. instead of the stepmother x stepdaughter dynamic we get 2 childhood friends, destined to become enemies.

young!rhaenyra and alicent arc was actually really good. alicent got married to viserys and tried to mend her relationship with an angry rhaenyra. and just when things were getting better the realization that things can never go back to the way they were & they were destined to become enemies = alicent becoming the green queen & the rivalry truly begins.

and that's where... thing got... messy

because in ep 6 we see alicent and rhaenyra fighting. they seem to hate each other & constantly trying to undermine each other. then we get to ep 7 & driftmark, and we all expected that from that moment on we will get book!alicent and rhaenyra rivalry and hatred. but no? all of the sudden, one dinner and they're friends again?

i'm sorry... what?

and then alicent refuses to hurt rhaenyra and her family, rhaenyra's crying over a piece of paper (i was with daemon going "the fuck is this") rhaenyra shocked over alicent's betrayal & both women do not want to hurt each other.

so, you're telling me that after driftmark - after rhaenyra wanted to have alicent's maimed son tortured & tried to get alicent accused of high treason and after alicent demanded luke's eye these women feel anything but hatred towards each other?

you're telling me that alicent - who has spent the entire show believing that her children's lives will be in danger if rhaenyra became queen suddenly goes "you'll make a good queen" (again, i was with otto giving her the side-eye because GURL) one dinner is apparently all it takes to fix 20 years of rivalry and hatred?

and that's the problem. the show doesn't seem to be able to tell the difference between "friendship" and "relationship". rhaenyra and alicent's relationship can still be the center of the show even if they are enemies. even if they're no longer friends. look at magnificent century, hurrem and mahidevran's rivalry is the center of the show & it's very clear that these two women were forced into becoming enemies and that the real villain is the sultan.

hotd wants to force the "friendship" narrative on the show, but they still have to stick to certain book canon events, so it comes off very forced and unnatural. they're unwilling to let these 2 women become enemies, so they take their agency and give it to otto and daemon. otto and daemon are the ones who want war, rhaenyra and alicent just want to go back into being friends :( look at this page from ep 1 that you've prob forgotten all about!

they literally have to sacrifice their agency. because alicent being the leader of the green council & rhaenyra being the one wanting to go to war against the people who took away the crown she was promised doesn't fit the "friendship" narrative. so let's make alicent unaware of everything & rhaenyra doesn't even want to go to war :( it's all daemon and otto and the eViL mEn. it's honestly such a disservice to their characters. they're stripped of their ambition and agency for the sake of forcing their "friendship".

and the thing that truly made me lose hope is ryan saying that "there's still hope".

my dude.

from the first moment we see the girl. from that first scene where they're sitting under the tree - there was no hope. there was never hope. they're doomed.

#hotd #house of the dragon #alicent hightower #rhaenyra targaryen #anti hotd