so the luck is ours alone, then? @princerenly - Tumblr Blog

"Episode 5 is about being lost in the maze, being lost in the labyrinth. Alicent and Helaena are trying to find their way out of the Red Keep in the tunnels where Rhaenyra found freedom as a young girl." – Phillipa Goslett

night’s watch

Criston Cole When specing from Protection to Retribution went terribly wrong

#criston cole #art #hotd

goldcrescent

Gwayne’s little speech was not a genuine offer btw, he was pretty clearly bullshitting Criston to try to talk him out of what they both know is a suicide mission. He’s freaking the fuck out and taking the information Criston gave him last episode (Criston’s father lost everything when the lord they served lost favor) to try to offer a solution (I am highborn and I will make sure you have a place, see? No need to kill us both). There was a stilted tone and a grimace when Gwayne said “A knight of your…stature would be….most welcome” and Criston caught it immediately because he’s lived in king’s landing for 20 years and besides the fact that he knows goddamn well when someone’s trying to talk him down because this isn’t even the first time a Hightower tried to talk him down from killing himself, what exactly did living get him then? What would it get him now, a few more months of life being a guard dog at the whims of a different jackass? To Ormund, who Gwayne has just told him is a miserable cunt? No, he’s delayed his death for long enough and he will not be choosing a clean death, and it can’t be an easy one — those are too easily avoidable. No one will be coming to take the blade from his throat this time, he will make sure of it.

goldcrescent

bye I paused the episode and wrote this whole thing out only for Criston to just say that himself in the episode a couple of minutes later I coulda just let him finish

goldcrescent

putting these two posts together because I’m having a hard time adding to the other one but in addition to this: I do think Criston fully believed the men he allowed to desert were just walking into another dead end but he chose to let them go and live a few more days, months, weeks, what does it really matter? He can’t make them accept it, they’ll find out soon enough. Surely they have to, there’s never been any other choice for anyone. It’s out of his hands. It was always out of his hands, he’s just a cog in the war machine. He is the hand cranking the war machine. It’s been in his hands for years. He is the king’s hand. His hands are around his neck. It’s out of his hands.

Criston also lost the last remaining shred of his will to live when he thought Aemond, the boy he helped Alicent raise who turned out so much like him (is there any point in being ashamed?), abandoned him like a lowly servant instead of the only father he’d ever had (or is he already dead?). Gwayne meanwhile gets to go home to his own surrogate son, Aemond’s little brother who is so much like Gwayne. Did Criston know that? Did they ever talk about the boys they raised to be so unlike their real father, who could not be bothered to so much as look at them? Did Criston resent him for being a real part of the family unit, not the attack dog, not the servant, not the shameful secret but someone who can publicly kiss Alicent’s hand and be asked after by the boy he helped raise? (She has not given him leave to speak her name). Here is another Hightower offering him a warm place at the foot of their high seat, with that smiling little grimace that he recognizes as them keeping their word for their own honor’s sake and because they think it’s the right thing but not because they want him around as a real person. Maybe he hates them and he forgives them in the same breath.

goldcrescent

somehow I completely forgot to mention the most important caveat which is that Criston is sworn to the kingsguard for life so even if he left what exactly is he going to do? If the greens win he can what, be the craven household knight nobody trusts or speaks to bc he fled a war for the hightower king and wait to get knifed for it? Of if the blacks win, wait a little longer to be summarily executed anyway? There’s nowhere on that continent he can go without being completely fucked except the wall and they both know it

#gwayne hightower #criston cole #hotd

goldcrescent

he thinks himself a scholar

#he’s a real one #hotd

visenyaism

Rhaenyra administration dashboard simulator

🤲 fleabottomtop Follow

“queen rhaenyra is like maegor with tits” okay and i’d fuck him too what about it

🐦‍⬛ raventr33 Follow

DNI if you support the usurper!!!!!!!!

🐎 brackennation

💯 peakesweep Follow

❤️‍🔥 harrenwhore

y’all apparently @ muchandmore, like the tumblr witch who got caught stealing bones from the harrenhal graveyard for “protection charms” last year, keeps getting spotted on dragonback with PRINCE AEMOND ONE-EYE????

🎀 realms-delight Follow

like the k*nslaying war criminal???? isn’t he missing in the riverlands right now

🔮 muchandmore

not to those who know how to truly see the way…

🏵️ riverscrossing Follow

@ muchandmore y’all burned down my house yesterday. i hate this fucking website

🍒 rhaenyrathecool Follow

“but his old tweets said-“ look at prince daemon and tell me he can’t reclaim. come on now

🍄 mushroomed Follow

yoooooo streets are saying princess rhaenyra is using your tax money to have 80 person orgies every night

🦚 motheralicent Follow

is this true????? unfollow me if you support this wh0re

🌟 savvysab Follow

hey op where are the orgies. the ones with queen rhaenyra where are those happening. so i know how to avoid them because they’re a sin. if i wanted to not be involved in that where would i not go specifically

🌷maidens-smile Follow

it literally says in the seven pointed star that b*stards are inherently sinful and base??? i don’t know why we’re trusting them with dragons now let alone the throne

🌊 spicetowngirl-deactivated1326953

hey just because someone’s parents aren’t married doesn’t mean they can’t be loyal and true!!!! prince jacaerys is a bastard and he’s doing a great job leading the war effort!

👑king-viserys-bot Follow

@ staff seize them and take their tongue🫵

[beep boop! i look for examples of the highest of treasons, questioning the paternity of mine own grandsons, the princes jacaerys, lucerys, and joffrey velaryon. if you think I’m doing a good job, tell me here!]

🏅 tequilasunfyre Follow

i might get high in my tower but call me a targaryen the way i stay in bread

💥 sheepherder Follow

the targ taxes are literally the reason why we DONT have any bread you dumbfuck lizard loyalist. suggest everyone block and unfollow i don’t want to see this child murder apologist on my dash again

🌖 crownbandz Follow

march back to KL boring as hell AND this edible ain’t shit

🌖 crownbandz Follow

why are the trees…..howling

🌖 crownbandz Follow

who the fuck is cregan stark

🪲 teamgreenies Follow

guys i’m starting to think some of you don’t really care that much about andal succession law and actually just don’t like women???? this isn’t who we are

🐎 brackennation

💯 peakesweep Follow