The Princess and the Queen

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The Princess and the Queen
Author George R. R. Martin
Country United States
Language English
Series A Song of Ice and Fire
Genre(s) Fantasy
Publisher Tor Books
Released December 3, 2013
Media Type novella in Dangerous Women anthology edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois
ISBN ISBN 978-0765332066 (Dangerous Women)

The Princess and the Queen, or, the Blacks and the Greens is a novella published on December 3, 2013 as part of the Dangerous Women anthology, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. It replaced the fourth in the series of "Dunk and Egg" stories tentatively named The She-Wolves of Winterfell. It is the history of the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons as written by Archmaester Gyldayn of the Citadel of Oldtown.[1] It was later slightly expanded and incorporated into Fire & Blood.[2]

Plot

For a full summary on the war of succession, which this novella partly describes, see the Dance of the Dragons

Arrax beneath Storm's End by Ashley Hunter Rice

The story begins on the third day of the third month of 129 AC, when King Viserys I Targaryen dies in his sleep. Queen Alicent Hightower and Lord Commander Criston Cole are the first to be notified of the death of the king, but instead of warning the silent sisters and making preparations for Viserys's cremation, they lock the king's rooms, post guards, arrest everyone who knows about the death of Viserys and assemble the small council. There, instead of preparing to warn Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Viserys's heir as proclaimed in his will, and the current Princess of Dragonstone, they begin to discuss the coronation of Alicent's eldest son by Viserys, Prince Aegon.

Rhaenyra, confined at Dragonstone due to being pregnant for six months, goes into labour when hearing how her father has died and her half-brother has been crowned king. The female child, Visenya, is stillborn, leaving Rhaenyra more furious than before.

Both sides try to find allies, and both sides reach out to Lord Borros Baratheon, with Aegon's greens sending Prince Aemond Targaryen, and with Rhaenyra's blacks sending Prince Lucerys Velaryon. Borros refuses Lucerys, and to make matters worse, Aemond chases Lucerys on his dragon Vhagar and kills both Luke and Arrax. This leads to Prince Daemon Targaryen, Rhaenyra's husband, countering the greens by arranging the murder of six-year old Prince Jaehaerys, in front of his mother Helaena, his brother Maelor, his sister Jaehaera, and his grandmother Alicent. These two events mark the end of the possibility that this war of succession will be resolved peacefully. The fighting begins.

The Dance of the Dragons lasts for almost two and a half years, of which The Princess and the Queen covers the first two. It is the first civil war during the Targaryen dynasty, and sees the deaths of many Targaryens and dragons.

Editions

The Princess and the Queen is currently only available in the anthology Dangerous Women, released on December 3, 2013. However, it was slightly expanded and incorporated into the first part of the history of the Targaryens, Fire & Blood, released on November 20th, 2018, as five chapters ("The Dying of the Dragons—The Blacks and the Greens", "The Dying of the Dragons—A Son for a Son", "The Dying of the Dragons—The Red Dragon and the Gold", "The Dying of the Dragons—Rhaenyra Triumphant", and "The Dying of the Dragons—Rhaenyra Overthrown").[2] Additionally, a preview of the novella was released by Tor Books on July 30, 2013.

References and Notes

  1. Not A Blog: The Princess and the Queen
  2. 2.0 2.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons.