Rhaella Targaryen, Queen of Westeros, 36, Played by Charlize Theron, Taken
Rhaella Targaryen is the second child and only daughter born to the late King Jaehaerys II Targaryen and his sister-wife, Shaera. The very epitome of a princess, in her youth many songs had been written about the Targaryen Princess’s beauty, flawless manners, and good heart. As a girl Rhaella had never been known to step out of line. Although her love for Ser Bonnifer Hasty, who had once named her the Queen of Love and Beauty, had been a well known secret among the Red Keep, the affair had been a brief thing as the young landed knight from the Stormlands was of too low birth to ever be seriously considered a suitor for a Princess. Thus, the short courtship had never stained the Princess’s flawless reputation. By all accounts a once lively and lovely woman, as the sister-wife and Queen of Aerys Targaryen the years have not been kind to Rhaella. Although the beauty and kindness remain, the spark that once defined the Queen is said to have extinguished the day she had been married to her elder brother.
Aerys and Rhaella had never been neither the closest nor the most loving of siblings. Thus, the marriage had never been something either sibling wanted, but it had been arranged at the command of their father after King Jaehaerys had been influenced by a woods witch. She had prophesied that the Prince that was Promised would be born from Aerys and Rhaella’s line. Although Aerys himself also believed in the woods witch’s words, there was no affection between Rhaella and Aerys, a fact that was all too apparent on their wedding day to those witnessing it. At the beginning of their marriage, Aerys had always been rather indifferent towards his sister-wife rather than abusive. She gave birth to their first son early in the marriage, but it was an event marred by death, destruction and tragedy. Rhaegar was born in Summerhall whilst the famed tragedy raged on, decimating the Targaryen line. While there was no fondness between the siblings, Rhaella was always mindful of her duty as wife and Queen Mother however. Going so far as to subject herself to her husband’s brutality without a whisper of complaint as his madness grew.
Rhaella was a proud woman, but a woman nonetheless, and she had desperate hopes of producing heirs strong enough to rear their dragon heads, and rain fire down upon their enemies. The prophecy of the Prince that was Promised echoing through her head as she birthed her first son, Rhaegar, who would fulfill his duty or birth a child of his own to do so. However, the Queen’s luck ran thin after Rhaegar was born, the Gods snatching seven children from her as she tried to produce her son and her husband a princess. With every child that died, Rhaella’s hope diminished, and Aerys’s insanity increased, as well as the Queen’s screams echoing down the hallways as she was beaten or isolated. Her second son, Viserys, was a blessing, and her only daughter, Daenerys was a miracle. Especially since both survived until adulthood. While the births of her son and daughter eased the King’s paranoia, ensuring that a Targaryen line of succession would continue, the abuse inflicted upon his Queen did not wane. But Rhaella must stay strong for her children , as there is unease in Westeros despite the announcement of a royal wedding.
(+) intelligent, kind, strong
(-) prideful, timid, tolerant
Aerys Targaryen: Rhaella and Aerys have been married since they have come of age, despite the fact that they barely get along. While at first, Aerys had comforted Rhaella in her grief, the multiple stillbirths, miscarriages and dead children eventually caused Aerys to become suspicious of her. He accused her of being unfaithful and claimed that the dead children had been bastards. Aerys had Rhaella confined to Maegor’s Holdfast and had decreed that two septas would sleep in Rhaella’s bed every night, to ensure she would remain faithful. The death of Prince Jaehaerys shifted his suspicion to others and finally himself, after which he declared that he would only sleep with Rhaella and thereby ceased to have mistresses. In the later years of their marriage, as Aerys’s insanity began to set in, he grew sexually abusive towards Rhaella as he developed a sexual fetish for fire and death, only sleeping with Rhaella after he had executed someone by burning them. Rhaella tries to avoid her husband as best as she can, but knows that she has a duty to serve him as wife and Queen, standing by his side silently during royal functions, and accepting his violent tendencies in bed.
Rhaegar, Viserys, and Daenerys Targaryen: Rhaella adores all three of her surviving children as they do her. Even though she wasn’t allowed per Aerys’s degree to see Viserys and Daenerys for their first six namedays due to her husband’s paranoia, Rhaella does her best to make up for lost time. With Daenerys in particular she spends every moment she has free with the girl, teaching her the lessons she will need to be a married woman, and telling her stories of the Prince that was Promised. During their childhood, Rhaella did her best to protect all three children from the worst of Aerys’s excesses, keeping them oblivious to the fact that their father was sliding deeper into madness. However, as Rhaegar and Viserys in particular grew older, they began to understand what their mother’s bruises and silence meant. While all three children respect their father as the king, Viserys in particular has developed an unbreakable loyalty towards his mother and would not hesitate to commit treason should it mean keeping Rhaella safe from Aerys.
Ariella Martell: Rhaella and Ariella met when the already grown woman became the young Princess Rhaella’s handmaiden, and quickly became close friends due to the close nature of Ariella’s job, especially as Aerys’s brutual nature developed. Due to their age difference, in Rhaella’s youth Ariella had often fulfilled the role of a mentor towards Rhaella and Joanna Lannister. As Rhaella became Queen, the girl took several pointers from how her dear friend ruled Dorne and was determined to become just as much of a beloved ruler. Ariella has had to clean up the crowned Queen on many occasions, but Rhaella is determined to keep their relationship light and refuses to talk about her husband’s insanity with the other. The news of her friend’s illness has Rhaella plagued with worry and depression. She wishes to see her friend, but knows that Aerys would never allow her to travel to Dorne and she does not wish to subject Ariella to Aerys’s cruelty by bringing her to King’s Landing in her condition.
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