#rhaelia

Day 5: Marriage | A Dornish Bride for the Dragon Prince

You fool, it's exactly BECAUSE the marriage was 'political' that Elia would 100% mind it.

A political union is by definition for the benefits of ALL parties involved.

Rhaegar got a pretty fertile wife. He got a woman who was already a born princess in her own right. From her he got a male heir and a female spare in TWO years of marriage, his two heads of the dragon. He got her uncle serving House Targaryen loyally as a Kingsguard until Lewyn died fighting in Rhaegar's war. He got the Dornish army fighting to the death with him at the Trident.

What did Elia/Dorne get in return from this "political marriage"?

They were supposed to get a Dornish woman as Queen Consort -

Instead they found out she was rap*d and split in half and her skull was crushed through her eye sockets.

They were supposed to get a future half Dornish King of the Seven Kingdoms -

Instead, they found out their baby prince was bashed into a pulp against a wall, and then his murderer rap*d his mother with Aegon's blod and brains on him.

They were supposed to one day get the half Dornish princess Rhaenys with a beneficial match that would have her dubbed "The Envy of Westeros" -

Instead, Dorne learned Rhaenys was stabbed half a hundred times to death at the age of three, while she hid under her uncaring father's bed, hoping he would come save her. He didn't. He couldn't even save himself.

Dorne was supposed to get influence at court, increased power. House Martell was supposed to be able to strengthen their power in their region through this dynastic union -

Instead, Dorne got a rap*d and murdered daughter and her murdered children whose corpses were never even returned to them, whose murders, r*pe, and mutilation became a badge of honor on Tywin Lannister's endless list of crimes against humanity.

Tywin The Sexual Sadist got a crown for his psycho daughter. Dorne got told to shut up and suck it up.

Dorne kept it's end of the bargain.

Rhaegar made sure to pay them back with incomparable humiliation on a national stage, by crowning another woman his queen of love and beauty when his pregnant wife was right there, and so was his infant daughter, and all of Westerosi nobility.

Then he again taught them just what their place in his mind was, by running off with his side piece when Elia was post partum, struggling to stay alive.

Rhaegar's no. 1 fanboy, Jon Con, himself told us that the birth of Aegon nearly killed Elia. What perfect timing Rhaegar kept choosing.

Elia kept her end of the bargain.

Rhaegar decided, while using and discarding Elia for all she was worth, till his last breath, repeatedly, that clearly he was above such politics.

Prince Rhaegar Targaryen with his wife, Princess Elia Martell

Got a request to sketch Rhaegar and Elia’s wedding but with my spin on it❤️

Martell x Targaryen colours❤️💛🧡

Mostly referenced outfits from a stage production of Macbeth (https://pin.it/l0pikpJ5P)

@eliaweek 𖤓 Day 5: Marriage