Arryk Cargyll

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House Cargyll.svg Ser
Arryk Cargyll
Kingsguard.svg
Erryk Arryk Cargyll.png
Ser Erryk and Ser Arryk Cargyll

Alias one of "the celebrated Cargyll twins"[1]
Title Ser
Allegiances
Culture Crownlands
Born In or before 89 AC[2]
Died In 129 AC[3]Dragonstone
Books

Played by Luke Tittensor
TV series House of the Dragon: Season 1 | 2

Arryk Cargyll was a knight from House Cargyll. He and his twin brother, Ser Erryk Cargyll, were members of the Kingsguard during the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen.[1] During the Dance of the Dragons, Arryk sided with King Aegon II Targaryen, while his brother Erryk sided with Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen.[4]

In the television adaptation House of the Dragon, Arryk is portrayed by Luke Tittensor.[5]

Appearance

Arryk and his twin brother, Ser Erryk, were physically identical, to the point that even their fellow Kingsguards could not differentiate them.[6]

History

Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk Cargyll, knights of the Kingsguard, were both unhorsed by Ser Criston Cole at the tourney for King Viserys I's accession at Maidenpool in 105 AC.[1] Arryk visited Dragonstone often during the reign of King Viserys, and was very familiar with the castle.[6]

According to Septon Eustace, Arryk found Prince Daemon and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in bed together, a few months after the tourney to celebrate King Viserys's and Queen Alicent's fifth anniversary in 111 AC. Court fool Mushroom claims that Daemon was instructing his niece Rhaenyra so she could better seduce Ser Criston. This led to Viserys exiling Daemon from the Seven Kingdoms.[1][7]

The Dance of the Dragons

After the death of Viserys in 129 AC, Arryk sided with King Aegon II Targaryen and the greens faction in King's Landing. However, his twin Erryk supported Aegon's rival, Queen Rhaenyra, and her black faction on Dragonstone. After the coronation of Aegon in the Dragonpit, Arryk led the king into the throne room of the Red Keep.[4]

Arryk was in the retinue of Grand Maester Orwyle when he traveled from King's Landing to Dragonstone in an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile the rival Targaryens. A song, composed long after the fact, claims that before Arryk left Dragonstone, the brothers tried to convince each other to change sides. According to the song, when this attempt failed, they exchanged declarations of love and parted, knowing that when they would meet next, it would be as enemies. It is possible that such a farewell did indeed take place that day, but no historical records mention it.[4]

After the murder of Aegon's son Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen by Blood and Cheese,[8] Aegon wanted revenge on Rhaenyra. Ser Criston, the Lord Commander of Aegon's Kingsguard, ordered Arryk to infiltrate Dragonstone in the guise of his twin, Erryk. It is disputed whether his mission was to kill Rhaenyra or her children, but whichever it was, Arryk did not take the assignment happily, and prayed for forgiveness from the Mother in the Red Keep's sept the night he left. Arryk arrived on the island disguised as a fisherman, changed to his Kingsguard armor and white cloak, and easily entered the castle. However, as Arryk was making his way to the royal apartments, he coincidentally encountered Erryk, who immediately understood why his twin was there.[6]

Accounts of the fight that followed greatly differ. Septon Eustace's account simply states that the Cargyll twins slew each other.[6] According to singers, the brothers professed their love for each other as they drew their swords.[3][6] Per Grand Maester Munkun's The Dance of the Dragons, A True Telling, Erryk and Arryk battled for most of an hour. The noise of the fight woke half of Rhaenyra's court, but they could only watch, as none could tell which twin was which. In the end, Arryk and Erryk mortally wounded each other, and died in each other's arms, weeping.[9][3][6] And finally, per The Testimony of Mushroom, the fight lasted only moments, and the brothers did not declare their love, but rather called each other traitor. Erryk struck the first mortal blow, nearly cutting off Arryk's arm at the shoulder. As Arryk collapsed, he grabbed Erryk's cloak and pulled him close to stab him in the belly with a dagger. Arryk was dead before anyone found them, but Erryk took four days to die from his gut wound, screaming in pain and cursing his brother the whole time.[3][6]

Legacy

Singers and storytellers have generally preferred Munkun's account of Arryk and Erryk's last battle.[6]

Many songs have been written about the Cargyll twins, including "Farewell, My Brother", a sad ballad by Luceon of Tarth, which is still sung today.[4]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Bran Stark recalls the stories of several legendary members of the Kingsguard, including the twins Ser Erryk and Ser Arryk, and how they killed each other during the Dance of the Dragons.[10]

A Clash of Kings

When King Joffrey Baratheon chides his brother Prince Tommen for crying, Sansa Stark says that the twins Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk died with tears on their cheeks after each had mortally wounded the other.[9]

A Storm of Swords

Sansa Stark encounters Lady Olenna Tyrell's personal guard, twins named Erryk and Arryk, who are evidently named after the legendary Kingsguards.[11]

A Feast for Crows

Queen Cersei Lannister thinks that if Ser Loras Tyrell returns from the siege of Dragonstone, she will send him to deal with Bronn at Stokeworth. She hopes that each of them will kill the other, like Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk.[12]

Quotes

Erryk: I love you, brother.
Arryk: And I you, brother.[6]

Erryk and Arryk Cargyll, drawing their swords

Behind the Scenes

Arryk and Erryk Cargyll are inspired by two brothers from Arthurian legend, Balin and Balan.[13]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
  2. See the Arryk Cargyll calculation
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon II.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Blacks and the Greens.
  5. WarnerMedia Pressroom: House of the Dragon | Character Descriptions
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Red Dragon and the Gold.
  7. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Viserys I.
  8. Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son.
  9. 9.0 9.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 41, Tyrion IX.
  10. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 8, Bran II.
  11. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 6, Sansa I.
  12. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 32, Cersei VII.
  13. So Spake Martin: Ser Erryk and Ser Arryk, January 28, 1999