Assuming Daemon dropped dead (or was just removed from the game for whatever reason) after Laena and Laenor also died in the Red Spring, who would have been a good remarriage match for Rhaenyra? This should take into consideration that the theft of Vhagar, the “Strongs” name-calling and the eye incident also happened, so there’s considerable bad blood between the Blacks and Greens. Also, do you think Rhaenyra could have pulled off a marriage to Ser Harwin, or even just stayed unmarried? Thanks!
Maybe Daeron Velaryon (father of Daenaera, who wasn’t born yet in 120AC), if he himself was old enough? Or another Velaryon cousin, although not one of those who would have accused Rhaenyra’s sons of bastardy? I don’t really know. I honestly can’t think anyone would have been a good marriage match for Rhaenyra, if by “good” you mean saving her politically; that whole situation was screwed up from the moment Viserys insisted she marry Laenor, if not before.
I doubt she could have pulled Harwin, Viserys wouldn’t have allowed it. (He was one of the suspects of the murder, after all.) And since Rhaenyra was only 23 in 120AC, I doubt she could have remained unmarried even if she had three sons already. (BTW, if there’s ever an example of “GRRM can’t math” leading to ridiculous age compression, it’s the fact that Lucerys Velaryon took out Aemond’s eye with his dagger when he was five.) Though if Daemon’s dropped dead, and Harwin’s a no-go, then I can’t see who Rhaenyra would want to marry, and well… The real trouble is that I could see Viserys stubbornly doing a Tywin-like “you will marry and you will breed, every child you birth makes those rumors of bastardy more lies”, but if Rhaenyra doesn’t marry Harwin and if Daemon’s the one who killed him, unless she has a really attractive new husband she’s just going to end up sleeping with him again. So even more bastards, which just makes things worse.
Though speaking of worse, Aegon is yet unmarried in 120AC and is 13 – and even though Alicent would not nearly be as into it as she had been back in 114AC (what with all the bad blood and the violent incidents and the bastards), I can still see her pushing Viserys again to make Aegon and Rhaenyra marry… (while planning to have the Velaryon/Strong boys poisoned or something, why not, everyone else is dying)… and maybe Viserys would give in this time? Figuring that, yes, Alicent wants Aegon to get the throne, but at this point Rhaenyra needs him for her legitimacy? Or maybe Viserys stubbornly rejects it once more, and does allow Rhaenyra to stay unmarried in order to spite Alicent? It’s so hard to tell what he’d do, with that odd combination of passivity and stubborn contrariness.
IDK, maybe @goodqueenaly would have an idea? I’m at a loss, and and my “a plague on both your houses” feelings are overwhelming me to the point that it’s very hard for me to care, sorry…
