House of the Dragon

Kneel.

I can make it clean, or...

Might I at least know the accusation, my prince?

Where is he?

- Who? - My brother, the king.

In his quarters!

You are a traitor to the crown.

- I sentence you to die. - No!

My prince.

It appears Lord Larys has fled the Keep as well.

Mm.

I need milk of the poppy.

I'm afraid in our hasty flight that I neglected to bring any.

Ah, the pain!

Please. Please.

Take heart, my king.

These are dark hours, but

brighter days lie ahead.

No. No.

I'm the king of nothing.

With raven shit for a throne and a cripple for a protector.

Oh, I'm fucking pathetic.

Oh, fuck!

Draw your hood.

Wait, no, wait!

Who are you?

Simple men in service of the Citadel.

We're taking these ravens to White Harbor.

You're in the queen's lands.

If you mean to pass, you first have to denounce the usurper,

bend the knee.

You swear fealty to Her Grace, the one true queen, Rhaenyra Targaryen.

We denounce the usurper

and swear to Her Grace, Rhaenyra Targaryen.

Come on, friend.

Affirm your fealty so we might be on our way.

The captain said kneel.

Fuck you.

Forgive my friend, he can be so stubborn.

They're for Aegon.

Put them to the sword.

- Wait, please. Please. - It's a very lucky day for you, my lord.

The reason this man won't swear fealty to Rhaenyra

is because he is Aegon Targaryen.

What?

No, no, that's...

What are you playing at, friend? Always jesting.

- That true? - No.

No, of course not. These are lies.

He was lustrated in dragon fire by Rhaenys Targaryen...

- No. - and her dragon

at the Battle of Rook's Rest.

My companion is always the gifted mummer.

- I am His Grace's loyal councillor... - Always making grand claims

- for his entertainment. - and the Lord of Harrenhal...

Outrageous fucking lies!

Someone's lying.

- His crown. - No.

Pretty hair.

Take their heads.

We'll make a rich bounty for the queen.

- Forgive me, my lord... - No, no, no, please.

but you would lose your own head for such a misstep.

This is the challenger himself.

You can name your price for delivering him,

and his most trusted confidant to the queen as living hostages.

Who are they, then?

No one of consequence.

What's the nearest port?

Duskendale.

Bar them within.

We'll take them there.

And hire a ship to Dragonstone.

I have to believe

that Alicent's offer was genuine.

It is a ruse cloaked in stale friendship.

The risk she took in coming here is beyond question.

And the risk she now asks you to take?

To fly to the Greens' stronghold based on her word alone.

It is a trap, Mother

to lure you and Daemon into Vhagar's jaws.

No! Vhagar and Aemond are gone. They have flown to Harrenhal.

And Aegon is bedridden.

I could take both Aegon and the throne

in a single stroke.

No.

You cannot trust her.

Mother.

Alicent came to Dragonstone.

- Alicent? - Under a banner of peace.

Surely, this is not possible.

The Greens know already that their defeat is written.

Aemond flies on Vhagar to join Cole in the Riverlands.

With him gone, Alicent will open the gates of the Red Keep

and surrender Aegon to me.

I will then take his head and the throne.

What are her terms, Your Grace?

That she, Helaena, and Jaehaera are spared,

and that this war ends without further bloodshed.

That is a low price. Do you believe she can be trusted?

Get word to Lord Corlys in the Gullet.

I require ships to deliver fighting men enough to secure the city.

Your Grace, I protest this action with all my po...

And Daemon must return with haste.

I'll write to him.

We'll fly to King's Landing in two days' time,

and take the city.

Good morrow, ser. My queen.

The king requires an audience.

Rather to the throne room, Your Grace.

Aemond.

Why are you here?

Aegon has abdicated the throne.

Abdicated? What do you mean?

Fled King's Landing with that toad Larys.

No, Aegon was bedridden.

Where could he have gone? Why?

Because he's even more stupid than he is craven.

We must send a search party. He needs to be found immediately.

Where were you, Mother?

You've not been seen in the Keep in days.

I was in the Kingswood, Aemond.

I have found myself of little use here of late.

And what of Harrenhal?

You and Vhagar were meant to fly to meet Ser Criston

and challenge Daemon together.

Aegon has left me no choice but to remain here and defend the city.

But aid is coming.

Lord Ormund and 15,000 Hightower men

presently march up the Mander with Daeron and his dragon.

And the Triarchy fleet will, at any moment,

ambush the blockade with a force thrice the Sea Snake's strength.

We only need to bide our time.

The Lannister host has scattered, my prince.

The vanguard was smashed and the rearguard broken and fled.

And what of the golden Lord Lannister?

Fled when the cavalry broke rank.

Our scouts believe they may be regrouping near the God's Eye.

Then we'll continue the fight there.

We must pursue them till the last.

- Have graves dug for our dead. - Aye, my lord.

Caraxes would make short work of these bodies.

And burnt flesh carries no plague.

That is not our way.

Rivermen must be returned to the mud.

My lord!

To arms!

Form on me!

We have come to die for the dragon queen.

Very good. We've got more lions to hunt.

Good morrow, Lord Hand.

Has there been word from Prince Aemond?

None. As yet.

He and Vhagar were supposed to have joined us

back at the Antlers.

We march ever exposed.

- If he does not come... - He has to come.

There is another matter.

One of our men has ravaged a village girl.

I witnessed the events myself.

Something must be done.

Hang him then, if you wish.

I am not his Lord Commander.

A punishment is due, yes, but also a statement to the men.

That we are not beasts, but knights,

and soldiers of honor.

Look around you, Ser Gwayne.

Look to the sky. To the horizon.

Doom and ruin surround us.

We will all become beasts before our end.

Only if we abandon our principles.

Never knew my mother.

Same as most of the gutter-rats.

Was kicked about more than a mongrel dog.

Wished for death more days than I wished to live.

There was this priest from Essos.

He fancied me. Paid me coin.

To do things.

He said I had king's blood.

That I was born for a purpose.

I liked that story.

So I owned it.

Ulf the Dragonseed.

And that red cunt was right.

And you?

Where'd you get your dragon's blood?

Did you hear something?

Don't like this place.

All this hanging about.

Vhagar was supposed to be here already.

We have to wait until she comes.

The queen didn't say nothing about waiting.

She said, come here, kill Aemond.

I wouldn't be too keen to meet Vhagar.

She and the One-Eye have slain at least two dragons already.

Fight'll be worth it, though.

For the castle.

What castle?

The queen promised to make us knights,

so we get a castle.