Editing Alys Rivers

{{Infobox character
| firstname = Alys
| lastname = Rivers
| arms1 = blank 
| arms2 = Targaryen
| image = AlysRivers by Hylora.jpg
| image_caption = Alys Rivers, by Hylora
| Alias = [[Witch queen]]{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand}}
| Title =
| Allegiance = [[House Strong]]<br>[[House Targaryen]]<br>[[Greens]]
| Race =
| Culture = [[Rivermen]]
| Father = [[Lyonel Strong]] <small>(disputed)</small>
| Mother =
| Spouse = Prince [[Aemond Targaryen]] <small>(allegedly)</small>
| Issue = Stillborn children{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}}<br>[[Alys Rivers's son|Son by Aemond]]{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand}}
| Place_of_Birth =
| Date_of_Birth = In or before {{Date|89}}<ref>''See the [[Years after Aegon's Conquest/Calculations Ages#Alys Rivers|Alys Rivers]] calculation.''</ref>
| Place_of_Death =
| Date_of_Death =
| Books = ''[[Fire & Blood]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[The Rise of the Dragon]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[The Princess and the Queen]]'' (mentioned)
| coat-of-arms =
| Played_by = [[w:Gayle Rankin|Gayle Rankin]]
| TV_series = ''[[House of the Dragon]]'': [[House of the Dragon - Season 2|Season 2]] {{!}} [[House of the Dragon - Season 3|3]]
}}

'''Alys Rivers''' was a [[bastard]] of [[House Strong]], a [[wet nurse]] at [[Harrenhal]], and a bedmate of Prince [[Aemond Targaryen]].{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}} She could allegedly see [[Dreams and prophecies|visions of the future]],{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}} and she was considered a [[witch]] queen by some.{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand}}

In the television adaptation ''[[House of the Dragon]]'', Alys is portrayed by [[w:Gayle Rankin|Gayle Rankin]].

==Appearance and Character==
{{See also|:Category:Images of Alys Rivers|l1=Images of Alys Rivers}}
Alys had long black hair.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}} She is said to have looked younger than her years.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}}

According to [[Aemond Targaryen]], Alys could see [[Dreams and prophecies|visions]] in storm clouds, pools of water, and flames.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}}

[[Septon]] [[Eustace (Dance of the Dragons)|Eustace]] considered Alys to be a [[simple]] slattern.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}}

==History==
===Origin===
[[File:Alys Rivers by chillyravenart.png|thumb|350px|Alys Rivers, by Chillyravenart]]
According to [[Grand Maester]] [[Munkun]] and Septon [[Eustace (Dance of the Dragons)|Eustace]], Alys was a [[bastard]] sired by Lord [[Lyonel Strong]] on an unknown woman when he was young. Munkun claims Alys was a serving wench with an interest in potions, while Eustace states she was a [[woods witch]]. However, the [[fool]] [[Mushroom]] claims Alys was from an older generation, and that she had served as a [[wet nurse]] to Lyonel's sons, [[Harwin Strong|Harwin]] and [[Larys Strong|Larys]], and possibly even to Lyonel. Mushroom wrote that Alys was an enchantress who bathed in [[maiden]]s' blood to remain youthful. Both Eustace and Munkun considered Mushroom's claims fantastical, but even they agreed that Alys looked unusually young for her age, as she had to be at least forty by the outbreak of the Dance of the Dragons.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}}

Although all of Alys's children were stillborn, she served as a wet nurse to many children at Harrenhal.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}}

===The Dance of the Dragons===
[[File:Alys Rivers by Fkaluis.jpg|thumb|350px|Alys Rivers, by Fkaluis]]
Alys was at least forty years of age during the [[Dance of the Dragons]], although she appeared younger. She survived the [[assault on Harrenhal]] by Prince [[Daemon Targaryen]] and the [[blacks]].{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}}

After the [[greens]] retook [[Harrenhal]], Prince [[Aemond Targaryen]] ordered the deaths of the remaining members of [[House Strong]] at the castle. The [[dragonrider]] spared Alys's life, however, and took the older woman for his bedmate as a spoil of war.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}} When informed of the greens' defeat in the [[Battle by the Lakeshore]], Alys prevented an enraged Aemond from strangling the [[squire]] who brought the message to Harrenhal. Eustace disagrees with Mushroom's claim that Alys used [[love potion]]s and philtres to entice Ser [[Criston Cole]], [[Lord Commander of the Kingsguard]] and [[Hand of the King]], in addition to Aemond.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}}

While Criston marched south along the [[Gods Eye]], Aemond began burning the [[riverlands]] with [[Vhagar]]. When Lady [[Sabitha Frey]] seized the undefended Harrenhal, she found only Alys within, with the wet nurse claiming to be pregnant with Aemond's child. Alys eventually escaped with Aemond when the prince returned to Harrenhal and chased away Sabitha.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}}

When Prince Aemond returned to Harrenhal to confront Prince Daemon and [[Caraxes]], he took the pregnant Alys with him. Aemond told Daemon that it was Alys who told him where to find him, as she had seen in her [[Dreams and prophecies|visions]].{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}} Aemond left Alys on the ground, kissing her one last time, before Vhagar and Caraxes leapt as one into the sky above the [[Gods Eye]] with their dragonriders. The pregnant Alys watched the ensuing [[Battle Above the Gods Eye]] atop [[Kingspyre Tower]] in Harrenhal below. Aemond and Daemon were both slain in their duel in {{Date|130}}.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}}

===Witch Queen===
[[File:Alys Rivers by Laura Avellino.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Alys Rivers, by Laura Avellino]]
[[Larys Strong]], [[Lord of Harrenhal]], was executed in {{Date|131}} during the [[Hour of the Wolf]].{{ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}}

In {{Date|132}} during the [[regency of Aegon III]], a number of [[broken men]] and predatory outlaws began to gather at [[Harrenhal]] under the rule of a sorcerous [[witch queen]]. Tasked by Ser [[Tyland Lannister]], [[Hand of the King]], with reclaiming the castle, Ser [[Regis Groves]] of the [[Kingsguard]] and Ser [[Damon Darry]] marched from [[King's Landing]] and [[Darry|Castle Darry]] to Harrenhal with a hundred men.{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand}}

The alleged witch queen was revealed to be Alys, who claimed to be the widow of Prince [[Aemond Targaryen]]. She presented [[Alys Rivers's son|a young boy]] as their trueborn son, who she said was the rightful king instead of [[Aegon III Targaryen]]. Regis abruptly died after insulting Alys. Some claim she used [[magic]] to burst his skull, while others state he was killed by crossbowmen or slingers. Alys's rabble then rode from Harrenhal and overwhelmed the loyalist men. Damon led thirty-two survivors back to Castle Darry.{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand}}

Alys sent a captured loyalist to Darry as a messenger the following day. The survivor claimed that a dozen other captives had been tortured to death, and that he had been [[curse]]d by Alys so that he would die if anyone laughed at his story. He said Alys had instructed him that any man who approached Harrenhal without submitting to its occupants would die. The man also insisted that he had seen a [[dragon]] inside. Despite Damon's assurance that no one would laugh at the messenger's story, an onlooker did so. The messenger then choked to death in moments, with some saying they had seen the imprints of a woman's fingers on his throat.{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand}}

Back in King's Landing, Tyland was troubled by Regis's death. Lord [[Unwin Peake]] disbelieved Damon's claims of dragons and magic, however, and the other regents agreed with Unwin's conclusion that outlaws were to blame. Aegon's regents concluded they would need to gather a larger force to recapture Harrenhal, but their plans were interrupted by the [[Winter Fever]] in {{Date|133}}.{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand}}

==Quotes by Alys==
{{Quote|I have [[Aemond Targaryen|the dragon's]] [[bastard]] in me. I can feel his fires licking at my womb.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}}|Alys to [[Sabitha Frey]]}}

{{Quote|'''Alys''': Kneel before [[Alys Rivers's son|your king]].<br>'''Regis''': I do not kneel to [[bastard]]s, much less the baseborn whelp of [[Aemond Targaryen|a kinslayer]] and [[Wet nurse|a milk cow]].{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand}}|Alys and [[Regis Groves]]}}

==Quotes about Alys==
{{Quote|Was she in truth a witch who lay with [[demon]]s, bringing forth dead children as payment for the knowledge they gave her? Was she a [[simple]]minded slattern, as [[Eustace (Dance of the Dragons)|Eustace]] believes? A wanton who used her [[poison]]s and [[love potion|potions]] to bind men to her, body and soul?{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}}|writings of [[Gyldayn]]}}

{{Quote|'''Daemon''': Who told you where to find me?<br>'''Aemond''': My lady. She saw you in a storm cloud, in a mountain pool at dusk, in the fire we lit to cook our suppers. She [[Dreams and prophecies|sees much and more]], my Alys.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}}|[[Daemon Targaryen]] and [[Aemond Targaryen]]}}

{{Quote|Don't come again unless you mean to bend your knees, she says. Any man who comes near [[Harrenhal|her walls]] will die. There's power in them stones, and the widow's woken it. [[Faith of the Seven|Seven]] save us all, she has a [[dragon]]. I seen it.{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand}}|Messenger to [[Damon Darry]]}}

==Family==
{{Strong tree Dance}}

==References==
{{References}}

[[Category:House Strong]]
[[Category:House Targaryen]]
[[Category:Bastards|Rivers, Alys]]
[[Category:Characters from the Riverlands|Rivers, Alys]]
[[Category:Characters with black hair|Rivers, Alys]]
[[Category:Greens|Rivers, Alys]]
[[Category:Lords of Harrenhal]]
[[Category:Mistresses and paramours|Rivers, Alys]]
[[Category:Rebels|Rivers, Alys]]
[[Category:Wet nurses|Rivers, Alys]]
[[Category:Woods-witches|Rivers, Alys]]

[[tr:Alys Nehir]]
[[es:Alys Ríos]]
[[fr:Alys Rivers]]
[[pt:Alys Rivers]]