4 AGOT Daenerys I: The Way Home
- Jan 9, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 4
Daenerys has no memory of Westeros, but it is her brother's mission to return with an army, overthrow the Usurper and take back his birthright. Viserys hopes to gain that army by wedding Daenerys to a fearsome savage warlord. Dressed up to look like a princess, young Dany is told she must impress a potential suitor who is described as a slaver and a savage.
Treated as living coin by her brother
She's afraid and says no, but Viserys hurts her and threatens to be angered. He's eight years older and the only family she's had since Ser Willem Darry died and they had to leave the house with the red door. Dany wishes she could run in the streets with the other children. She's poor as a beggar but a slave because her father had been a king. She's being sold as a princess for an army so her brother can take back the far away land Dany never knew.
Illyrio's servants are slaves
“There were no slaves in the free city of Pentos. Nonetheless, they were slaves.” 32
The story of Robert's Rebellion started to be told in Cateyn I. Now we hear the other side, one in which Lord Stark supposedly sacked King's Landing. The name Rhaegar sounds like a villain, yet if he died for the woman he loved, he must be a romantic hero. The question of who started the rebellion and who were the bad guys is unclear and likely to become less clear.
Where the last three chapters introduced Westeros under Robert, who we're about to meet, this one shows the children of the Mad King who was overthrown. They're exiled and would normally be the villains, except that Daenerys is Viserys's kicked dog of a little sister and feels herself to be a child who wants only freedom. She'd be better off as a beggar on the run from her brother, but is too afraid of him and conditioned to see him as her family.
Dany is the damsel in distress, Viserys the dragon.
Golden Collar
Viserys says they have the golden blood of old Valyria. Royal blood. Blood of the dragon. When their brother Rhaegar was slain in the waters of the Trident battling the Usurper, Lannister and Stark sacked the capitol. They were rescued from Dragonstone by Ser Willem Darry. He called her "Little Princess." Now she must be dressed as a princess to wed a barbarian so they can return to Westeros with armies enough to take back their father's throne. Dany's dress is accessorized with a golden collar, though not like the ones Drogo's slaves are said to wear.
Page by Page
1 The Story of Their Childhood
28 Viserys presents the dress. What does Illyrio want? Dany fears the dress.
29 Instructions to prepare well for tonight, or else.
30 The dragon remembers. Story of flight, Dany's birth on Dragonstone
31 Rescue by Darry. House w/Red Door. Living on the run.
32 Hot bath. The servants here are slaves. Drogo is an open slaver.
33 Dressed as a princess. Illyrio is pleased. Viserys is critical.
2 The Palanquin to Drogo's Manse
34 Through Pentos. Viserys fantasizes about invading Westeros.
35 Illyrio flatters Viserys. Pentos gladly pays protection money to the Dothraki
3 The Party
36 Manse and guests. Dany is the only woman. Jorah Mormont
37 Khal Drogo stands across the room
38 Dany is frightened of Drogo and wants to go home. Viserys is sharp with her, insisting she marry. Illyrio escorts Drogo over. Dany smiles and stands up straight.