What I was going for with chapters like this one is more to get into the heads of the characters. Daemon’s working through things and has a pretty rough mindset right now, and I’m sorry that came across to you as seeming like he’s unappreciated, etc. I think show canon Daemon *is* under-appreciated for years by Viserys and probably Rhaenys as well, his two closest family members save Rhaenyra, and that can get in your head. (And I have LOTS of thoughts about episode 10 and Daemon and his purpose/belief about his usefulness). The darkness in here is more his own thoughts than a representation of everyone else.
Fic Rhaenyra definitely appreciates him and wants him by her side (which I hope comes across in her chapters so far and especially in the next two Rhaenyra chapters). Fic Aegon is a little more complicated because it’s all tangled up in his head. He’s always thought he could never measure up to his father, things would have been different if he survived, etc, and to find out that he essentially planned a suicide run was a big blow. But he still feels shame for his own actions and thinks fic Daemon is ashamed of him. This will be discussed next chapter, and I hope that makes a couple things about their relationship a little clearer for you.
This has been long and rambly, but I think overall, I was going for each character having to overcome their own thing, and Rhaenyra’s things (worries about motherhood, reconciling her mixed feelings about Alicent and her rosy view of her father with the future they’re heading toward, learning how to develop her own power at court) don’t hit as close to home for Egg or for the person Rhaenyra becomes later (she’s still v young rn). Future Daemon’s “failures” are very present for Egg and Daemon both, so I think that’s why it feels more like piling pain on him. They only think about what they *know*, also, so that limits things, as a couple other commenters have said.
Thank you for reading! I hope that clarifies my intent a little at least? I hope you like the next chapters and they resonate better with you.
It's more a critic of almost every fic I've read and the show in general. The show writers hate Daemon and the worst way that hate has manifested is a total and complete lack of Daemon's emotional validation.
His thoughts, worries, dreams and feelings are legit non existent in the show. He just exists to serve Rhaenyra. I know it's absolutely not like that in the books and Rhaenyra and Daemon's devotion for one another is very obvious. That's sort of what I'm desperately looking for in fics cause that show ain't giving me anything.
Ep10 was so bad it legit made me laugh. Rhaenyra's actions was straight up equivalent to a scam. She lied about being together, united and burning together completely. Daemon's fears were essentially mocked and it made their entire relationship seem like it was nothing but a ploy to get his support because Rhaenyra knew she had fucked up by having obvious non-Valyrian kids. Daemon was made to be little more than a support bodyguard and at best, sperm donor to his kids in the show. I guess it made me rather bitter about how Daemon's emotions are written in my favorite fics because that's all I have now.
Rhaenyra is such a precious girl. Aegon is such a precious boy. And Daemon is such a precious character. I desperately want to see them happy and more than that, loved and cherished.
I think the only part I disagree with is, Aegon should know how badly his mother messed up. She was paranoid to the point of never leaving her kids alone. Aegon was called her 'little shadow.' He definitely saw her order Corlys' arrest, Addam's execution, raising taxes, ordering beheadings/torture of Green Lords etc. (The green Lords part is very justified btw.) And, by the time Jaehaera died, he was king for around 3 years. He was surrounded and trained by Green and Black Lords alike and they had to have told him of both Aegon ii and Rhaenyra's mistakes. So technically, he should have a more nuanced/critical idea of how Rhaenyra was as a Queen and be able to acknowledge her faults as well (which sadly, since she's a woman, become way more glaring than if she was a man.)
Your fic is one of VERY few with so much nuance and I guess I'm more attached to Daemon and more bitter because of how much of him as a lover and dad (by extension, Daemyra) we were robbed of in the show.
Comment on Someone You Knew In Another Life
Spreta_Invidia on Chapter 48 Thu 05 Oct 2023 12:04AM UTC
Comment Actions
DaddiestDaemon on Chapter 48 Sat 07 Oct 2023 12:15PM UTC
Comment Actions