Let's Talk About Hotd's Deleted Scenes

Season 1 from Alicent's POV:

You wake up one morning and your mother is dead. You are told to ask no questions. Your father didn't use to pay much attention to you, but now he calls you to Red Keep. Maybe you will be useful. The King has an only daughter after all, close to your age. You like it there, and you become friends with the King's daughter. But then, her mother dies. You are not allowed to relive the grief of losing your own mother or grieve with your friend, because suddenly, the Queen is dead, and that leaves up space for another. Your father says so. More importantly, the King's Hand instructs you so and tells you to be the King's friend. "But we don't have anything in common," you say, "He very well could have been my father," you think. No matter. "You should wear one of your mother's dresses." And you do. And you try hard not to say the wrong thing, but you don't know whom you should please and you're not allowed to be yourself. "What would Rhenyra think? What would father think? What would the King think? What would The Seven think? What does that mean for me?" you wonder. You are advised to not talk about what you are doing to anyone. Oh, and don't tell your best friend you are secretly meeting with her father. Let this poison your relationship. Your King tells you so.

It has now become known that the King wants a new wife. You pray you'd get out of this somehow, but you realize that he wants you. Now, what will you do? Well, your father would be pleased and proud for once. Viserys would make you his Queen. Maybe Rhaenyra will understand? Maybe this is what you want too? No, don't think about what you want. It doesn't matter anyway. The King has declared that he will marry you.

The wedding is on. You see Otto's eyes glowing with pride and his smile is beaming. Rhaenyra does not even look at you. It pains you so much and you want to tear up but the King is watching. The feast is over and your father calls you to his chambers. He tells you about your duties as the King's wife. "If your mother was alive, she would know how to best put this," he says, as he explains that you have to yield to Viserys' desires. Yes, he uses that very word. So you do that. You go to your husband when he calls you. He says he will try to be gentle with you, but you loathe his very touch. Somehow it feels so wrong; he is your friend's father, and he is twice your age. But he is the King. And you are a Queen now.

The days pass without Rhaenyra's friendship. When did you stop dreaming? When did you stop being a little girl? Why can't you roam the halls again, arms linked together? Oh. You suddenly find out why. You are pregnant. You are a big girl now. Your first thought is to tell your friend, go to Rhaenyra, and share the news with her. But she wouldn't like that. Then who can you tell? Who else do you have to share such big and important news with? Your father doesn't need to be told, he guesses right away and calls you to him. "You will have to be very careful now," he says. "Queen Aemma had lost six children." Somehow, everyone is suddenly more attentive. Not to you, but to your royal womb. You panic when it's time to give birth. Everything is so new and terrifying. Viserys is happy. It's a son! You send word to Rhaenyra, to meet her baby brother. "I hope that is alright?" you think. "It's not like my son will be heir to the throne. That's still Rhaenyra's."

Your father hits you with the stark reality, however. Your children are growing up in an uncertain future with Rhaenyra as heir, constantly vulnerable to the threat of war. You still try and support her, you trust her, and you encourage her father to find a suitable match for her. But she lies to you. Or does she? You can't be sure. She is serving you half-truths. Does she really think you are stupid and you will not find out that she is no longer a maiden? How can you trust her again after that? If she is lying to your face, then why wouldn't she threaten the lives of your children if need be? No, you need to act. Your father was right. It's you or her.

Ten years have passed and you can still see through Rhaenyra's lies. She still thinks you are a fool, doesn't she? Of course none of her children are Laenor's! Why can't nobody else see that? But you can. Because you used to be friends once. And as usual, she is getting what she wants without questions and she avoids all consequences, whereas you have to fight for all you have, alone. She will always have Viserys' support, and you will always have four heirs. It's not about you and Rhaenyra anymore, but about the survival of your family. Yet, you still want decency and honor to prevail, and you want to serve the realm above all.

At this vulnerable time when you need council the most, your informant over the years finds a way to cast his net over you. Did you really think he was being a genuine friend, and that he would not want anything in return? Now you could be implicated in two murders. How did you end up in this situation? Larys becomes another person to whose wishes you should comply.

Then the most tragic thing of all happens. Your son, Aemond, is maimed. He loses an eye. You have never felt more excruciating pain at the sight and a flaming rage toward those responsible. It was Lucaerys, Rhaenyra's son. He should apologize. She could show she's sorry and deeply saddened over what happened. But no, she manages to use the incident to position herself as the victim. "Is she for real now?" you think. "How can she be so heartless, so cold, so cruel? Doesn't she know what I have lost, all in her hands? Does she really have the nerve to pretend that she is offended by mere words, while MY SON LOST AN EYE? She really knows no limits, does she?" And you finally snap, and you hurt her. You have never done this before, and now you see her blood trickling. Goodness, it's really her blood you spilled!

How can things ever be right now that she has that visible proof? Yet, you still think she would make a great queen. That is, until Viserys tells you that "Aegon" should be King and that you must "unite the realm against the cold and the dark." You are the only one who can do it. Now what? Once again, you face a dilemma. Should you stand by Rheanyra as heir, or should you trust Viserys' dying words? Can you really trust that Rhaenyra will ensure the survival of your children, after all her lies? And what is really best for them, and for the whole realm? Before you even have time to think, your father and the Small Council tell you that the succession is settled and that Aegon is to be crowned King. Once again, the desires of others precede yours. They want to kill Rhaenyra! Now, that's too much. You could never consent to anything like that. You were once friends and still--you still don't know how you quite feel about her. But you know you could never be the one to kill her.

The Silent Sisters cover up Viserys' body and you can finally mourn him, along with your lost years of innocence. Your abuser is finally dead. But your ordeals are not over yet. You will have to crown Aegon as King, this is the only way. Rhaenys violently disrupts the coronation and now you know that no one is safe. She will go to Rhaenyra, and Rhaenyra will react. Did you do the right thing? Did you try and protect your children and the realm as best you could? Time will only tell. You are used to the twists of fate after all. But one thing is certain: nothing will be the same again because you are the Green Queen and she has the blood of the dragon.

Which version of this do you prefer?

Further notes:

I've done a combined ASOIAF books vs GOT/HOTD poll before, but I said in the tags then that I was thinking of doing an individual F&B/HOTD poll, so here it is!

Screaming crying throwing up this is the best thing I've seen all day

"when you called me normal... that made me so happy."

"because you're the girl that saved me that day. the worst girl in the world."

Tell me you don’t understand the medieval setting without telling me you don’t understand the medieval setting

BT: omg consistent laws on who gets power is basically supporting slavery!

At this point I can only laugh

If you must know why keeping consistent laws around power transfers are important, I’ll draw a little comparison. Imagine if the US president decided that Joe Shmo from Canada will be the next US president without any election. That’s basically what Viserys did in medieval terms. Does it look weird to modern people? Yeah, but when you actually put yourself in that time frame you understand why having consistent laws creates stability and avoids war. Like how the inconsistent handoff of power from Viserys to his kids caused war!

So... don't think about Flapjack...

Don't think about a palisman coming to life into a vast world of colors, seeing first a cowlick of blonde hair, a wide enthusiastic smile and eyes so very proud and so very full of love. The immediate connection, the will to learn about each other, how it was suddenly a duo where there was nothing before.

Don't think about how it was the carver and the palisman, then it became Caleb and Flapjack, two souls facing a world with so much to discover and so much to see. Their adventures, their experiences, their dangers and their joys, never leaving one's side as it was a bond meant to last beyond the magic.

Don't think about Flapjack singing Caleb, Caleb feeding Flapjack. Flapjack pulling Caleb's cowlick when the man was really tired but was begging for another chapter from that new book of magic. Last one Flapjack.

Don't think about Flapjack noticing that only his Caleb has round ears. He doesn't care why, he likes that Caleb is unique.

Don't think about people being wary of Caleb because of his appearance, but eventually growing fond of him, because that was simply how Caleb was. Looking in control of it all... while being as lonely as it could get

Don't think about Caleb telling Flapjack stories about a different world, one never seen by the palisman, where the rain was cold and people had round ears. How he used to belong to a place, but never felt a purpose, and eventually realized it wasn't the life he wanted. How he missed only his brother, but that he left him with their village to watch over him and he was to grow up into a man just fine.

Don't think about just another day, only to turn out into that meeting, when the girl with the brown mane came into the picture. And Flapjack couldn't stand her at first.

Don't think about when he started to like her. How she was nice, fun. And how she made Caleb so incredibly happy.

Don't think about the years passing, a couple united, Flapjack watching over them. Love in the house, a baby on the way, another one Flapjack could pull the hair of. The eternity of two lives to enjoy the beauty of it all.

...

Don't think about another round eared person coming in. How Caleb was so happy to see.

Don't think about Flapjack feeling something wrong into such person, perhaps because he felt nothing like Caleb, perhaps because he kept glaring in his direction. But, again, it made Caleb happy. So it was fine. It was.

Don't think about when it wasn't.

Don't think about the fight, when Caleb tried to use Flapjack but got scarred instead so was pushed away. It never felt like he was an object, a bare magical staff to him. It felt like he was being cherished, protected, as a friend.

Don't think about how it was the last of Caleb. The last of his immaculate skin, the last of his gentle smiles. The last of his curious eyes, opened for the world around, because he had fallen for this world and everything in it.

Don't think about the pain, the loneliness, the guilt. How it was too inbearable to stay with the grieving mane woman and her child.

Don't think about how from then on, all Flapjack wanted was to forget.

Don't think about how guilty it made him feel.

...

Don't think about his new life, being protected by the Bat Queen with so many other palismans. A time when things hurt less, but the world doesn't have much colors, and Flapjack prefers not doing what's been told just to feel something less spent.

Don't think about a day like others, where he remembers Caleb, but not all. His face, his figure, his gesture are gone. All that is left is how he used to make him feel.

Don't think about how Flapjack still sings in the morning for him.

Don't think about adoption day, something Flapjack sees as another way to be a bit of a rascal just for the taste of it. He doesn't dislike other witches. There's even one with round ears like Caleb, she seems fun. But the Bat Queen says that there needs to be a click to truly find yourself a witch partner. Flapjack knows that, he felt that a long time ago.

Don't think about the palismans being taken, the fear, and how the round eared girl is calming them down. Flapjack likes her.

Don't think about the crash, don't think about the forest, the uncertanty.

Don't think about the confusion.

Don't think... about the meeting. How at first Flapjack is so very wary of the boy. He stole the palismans, his friends at the end, and round eared girl seems to believe he is evil and Flapjack trusts her enough. He is very rude, very annoying, very not likeable.

Don't think of the chase in the city.

Don't think of the top of the building, the plan, the forced alliance.

Don't think of that talk. One that sparks something so far it is foreign in Flapjack. Because the boy feels different in a world made of magic, he feels purposeless in a time of responsibilities, and yet there is a spark in his eyes when he talks about what a single spell can offer. It's absurd, because it's all pushed back behind a wall of rigor and harshness and yet Flapjack can see it all so clearly.

Don't think about how Flapjack wondered if he was seeing right, because this boy betrayed, lied, he did bad things.

Don't think about how Flapjack knows. My name is Hunter. This boy is much more than what he shows, what his exterior wood might show. Maybe this time it will be the palisman to carve out the best of it.

...

Don't think about how this is not Caleb.

Don't think about how Flapjack knows they are similar in some ways, but this is not him. As they go from witch and "subject of his observations", as he used to call him, to witch and palisman, to actually Hunter and Flapjack, he realizes there are several differences from Caleb and Hunter.

Don't think about how Caleb was older, free, so ready to take onto the world and experience every moment. Hunter is young, bitter and trapped into a cage made of duties and hopes for the future. Caleb was calm and serene very often, an aura of serenity and joy all around him. Hunter seems lost at times, constantly battling what he feels, what he wants and what he needs, losing every single time. Caleb was a carver. Hunter is a guard.

Don't think about the biggest difference, that makes sense to it all to Flapjack. Caleb has been nurturing him for so long, never needing his help. This boy, his new witch, he needed his help. This time, Flapjack was going to be the one taking care of someone.

Don't think about how he already knows how, as he has been taken very good care of in the past. He knows what to do, and wants to be there on every step of the way.

Don't think that Flapjack is ready to protect Hunter no matters what's to come.

And he is not going to lose another friend

✨HI I’M THE PROBLEM IT’S ME✨

“He is my son, my first son!”

For real though Floch kill him for a second time he deserves it

I want path scene where yeagerists and floch beat the shit out of eren

Yes lmao I just remembered the Tyrion one is from Got ahahah

It seems to me that Aegon said this to Otto