- Daemon visits his wife in the Vale. Viserys and Rhaenyra broker agreements with the Velaryons. Alicent seeks the truth about the princess.
- In the Vale, Daemon murders his wife, Lady Rhea Royce. Before departing King's Landing, Ser Otto warns Queen Alicent that Rhaenyra becoming queen makes Alicent's children a threat to the crown, for they are the King's sons. Rhaenyra and Ser Laenor Velaryon are betrothed, mollifying Lord Corlys. Understanding Laenor's homosexuality, Rhaenyra proposes fulfilling their royal duties to produce heirs, while being free to pursue their own lovers. Ser Criston is humiliated when Rhaenyra declines his proposal to elope to Essos and assume new identities; she prefers their current sexual liaison. Alicent questions Criston about Rhaenyra and Daemon, but misunderstanding, he confesses to being Rhaenyra's lover. During Rhaenyra and Laenor's betrothal celebration, Alicent enters, interrupting Viserys' speech, wearing a green gown, the signal color for House Hightower's call to arms. Daemon also unexpectedly attends. Confronted by Rhea's cousin, Daemon denies murdering her and wishes to assert his claim to inherit her lands. Laenor's lover, Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, surmises Criston is Rhaenyra's paramour. When Criston believes Joffrey is threatening blackmail, he brutally kills him, devastating Laenor and horrifying guests. Rhaenyra and Laenor are privately wed late that night. Viserys collapses after the ceremony. Meanwhile, Alicent intervenes as a disgraced Criston is about to commit suicide.
- In the Vale, Daemon murders his wife, Lady Rhea Royce, staged as riding accident. Before leaving King's Landing, Ser Otto warns the Queen -his daughter- that Rhaenyra succeeding as queen would make Alicent's sons a threat to the crown, spelling murder or civil war. Rhaenyra and Ser Laenor Velaryon are betrothed, mollifying Lord Corlys. Understanding Laenor's homosexuality, Rhaenyra proposes fulfilling their public duties to produce heirs while pursuing their own love lives. Ser Criston is deeply hurt by Rhaenyra declining to elope to Essos assuming commoner identities, unwilling to be her whore. Alicent probes Criston about Rhaenyra and Daemon, but misunderstanding, he confesses to being Rhaenyra's lover, expecting the death penalty. At Rhaenyra and Laenor's betrothal celebration, Alicent enters, interrupting Viserys' speech, wearing a green gown, the signal color for House Hightower's call to arms and Daemon invites himself. Confronted by Rhea's cousin, Daemon denies murdering her and wishes to assert his claim to inherit her lands. Laenor's lover, Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, surmises Criston is Rhaenyra's paramour. Believing Joffrey is threatening blackmail, Criston brutally kills him, devastating Laenor and horrifying guests. Rhaenyra and Laenor are privately wed late that night, shortly after Viserys collapses. Alicent prevents disgraced Criston falling on his sword.—KGF Vissers
- In the Vale, Daemon Targaryen murders his estranged wife, Lady Rhea Royce, framing her death as a hunting accident.
King Viserys and Princess Rhaenyra sail to Driftmark to arrange the princess's marriage to Ser Laenor Velaryon, the son of Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys, thus uniting the Targaryens and Velaryon Houses. Knowing Laenor is gay, Rhaenyra says that, once married, they can perform their royal duties and be free to have lovers. Later, Ser Criston Cole proposes that he and Rhaenyra run away to Essos and assume new identities. Rhaenyra refuses to give up the throne and says they can continue their current relationship. Criston feels used and despairs over breaking his Kingsguard vows.
Before leaving King's Landing, Ser Otto Hightower warns Alicent that if Rhaenyra becomes queen, Alicent's children will be considered a dangerous political threat to the throne. Ser Larys Strong slyly asks Alicent about Rhaenyra's health, mentioning she was given a medicinal drink. Alicent questions Criston about allegations that Rhaenyra and Daemon had sex; Criston, misunderstanding, confesses that he slept with the princess. Criston expects execution, but Alicent merely dismisses him and keeps the secret; Rhaenyra's dishonesty distresses Alicent.
At a feast celebrating Rhaenyra and Laenor's forthcoming nuptials, Alicent interrupts Viserys' speech, entering the hall wearing a green gown matching House Hightower's signal color for a call to arms. Her uncle, Lord Hobert, promises her full political support. Daemon unexpectedly attends the feast. Ser Gerold Royce confronts him, claiming he murdered Rhea. Daemon denies it and demands he inherit Rhea's lands. Daemon flirts with Lady Laena, Lord Corlys's daughter. Daemon privately questions Rhaenyra about her marriage; she teasingly suggests they wed.
Laenor's lover, Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, realizes that Criston is Rhaenyra's paramour. Joffrey tells Criston that they should protect the wedding couple's secrets. Criston perceives this as blackmail and brutally beats Joffrey to death, bringing the feast to a disastrous end and devastating Laenor. Rhaenyra and Laenor are hastily wed in a private ceremony the same night. The frail Viserys collapses immediately after the ceremony. Later, as Criston is about to commit suicide over his misdeeds, Queen Alicent interrupts him.
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