At Harrenhal Daemon dreams of being in the Red Keep's throne room where he decapitates a young Queen Rhaenyra for berating him, though her severed head continues accusing him of treason. Later, he follows a figure who looks like himself but is dressed as Aemond. Awake, Daemon meets Alys Rivers, a mysterious woman and a
Riverlands bastard of House Strong. She claims Harrenhal is haunted because weirwood trees were cut to build it. After drinking her sleep potion, Daemon experiences missing time and hallucinates seeing his late wife, Laena Velaryon, during a council meeting. Oscar Tully, the adolescent grandson and heir of the aged and incapacitated Lord Grover Tully of the Riverlands, arrives at Harrenhal to meet with Daemon in his grandfather's place. He hesitates making any decisions for the Riverlands while Grover still lives. An impatient Daemon suggests hastening his death, alarming Oscar. Ser Willem Blackwood, one of Rhaenyra's former suitors and a vassal of House Tully, also meets with Daemon. He pledges an army in exchange for subjugating House Bracken.
On Driftmark Rhaenys meets Alyn, thanking him for rescuing Corlys. Corlys arrives, and Rhaenys implies that she knows Alyn is his illegitimate son. She tells Corlys he should be elevating Alyn rather than hiding him "beneath the tides" but Corlys dismisses her inquiries. They travel to Dragonstone after Baela encounters difficulty steering the Black council in Rhaenyra's absence.
At Duskendale Ser Criston Cole captures Duskendale and beheads its master, Lord Gunthor Darklyn, who refuses to renounce his loyalty to Rhaenyra and scorns him as 'Kingmaker'. Criston orders his troops to ride to Rook's Rest, the last Black stronghold on Blackwater Bay, and attack the castle during the day as a surprise maneuver. Gwayne believes a night attack is safer and cautions a daytime assault might attract Rhaenyra's dragons from nearby Dragonstone.
In King's Landing Grand Maester Orwyle prepares an abortifacient tea for Alicent, who claims it is for someone else. She asks Orwyle if Viserys truly wished Aegon to be his heir, but Orwyle denies any knowledge. Larys arrives and notices the empty tea bottle, which Alicent says was for indigestion after feasting too much. Larys slyly remarks that she should be allowed some indulgences. While meeting with his council regarding Criston's military advances, Aegon is irked that Daemon seized Harrenhal and scolds Larys, the castle's lord, for allowing it. Larys remarks that the castle itself is useless but he still controls its gold. Aemond asserts capturing Rook's Rest will geographically isolate the Blacks from the rest of the realm, but Aegon remains steadfast on reclaiming Harrenhal. He is angered upon learning that Aemond and Criston planned the campaigns without his knowledge or authority, including pursuing Duskendale and Rook's Rest rather than Harrenhal. Aemond berates Aegon in High Valyrian, further humiliating him as Aegon can barely speak it. Alicent discovers that Aegon has had Viserys' history books removed. Aegon vents his anger to Alicent over the council excluding him from important matters. She dismisses this, saying he, lacking wisdom and knowledge, is inferior to Viserys as a king. She advises that he can best serve the realm by doing nothing and letting the experienced council wage the war. Frustrated, bored, and drunk, Aegon flies to Rook's Rest on Sunfyre.
At Dragonstone During Rhaenyra's absence, the council concurs that a dragon should be sent to defend Rook's Rest, which is council member Lord Staunton's castle. Rhaenyra returns and reports on her meeting with Alicent. She now agrees that war with the Greens is inevitable. Jace wants to go to Rook's Rest, but Rhaenyra forbids it, insisting on flying herself. Rhaenys persuades Rhaenyra to let her go instead, arguing that her dragon Meleys is the Blacks' most capable. As Rhaenys prepares to depart, Rhaenyra passes on the prophecy of Aegon the Conqueror, the Song of Ice and Fire, to Jace.
At Rook's Rest Criston's troops advance on the castle amidst the archers' raining arrows. Rhaenys arrives on Meleys and begins burning the Greens' troops and siege equipment with dragonfire. Criston, having laid a trap, signals Aemond, who is hidden nearby with Vhagar, to attack. Seeing Aegon approaching on Sunfyre, Aemond delays acting. As Meleys mauls Sunfyre, Aemond flies in on Vhagar and commands her to burn both dragons, harming mainly Aegon and Sunfyre, sending them plummeting to the ground. Rhaenys and Meleys then attack Vhagar and Aemond, sending the two crashing to the ground. However, as Meleys circles the battlefield, Vhagar rises and attacks from below, fatally crushing Meleys' neck with her jaws. Rhaenys plummets to her death, still strapped to Meleys. Criston, who was knocked out during the battle, regains consciousness. He finds Aemond with his sword drawn near Aegon, who lies motionless next to the heavily wounded Sunfyre. == Production ==