George R.R. Martin has revealed an unexpectedly fascinating story from the ‘Game of Thrones’ universe that he would still like to explore, and it has nothing to do with another Targaryen war or a new political conspiracy.
The Romance We Never Got to See
When asked about an unexplored relationship he would like to write about, Martin pointed to the romance between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Harwin Strong during the Dance of the Dragons. “She had three children with him, but we never saw their first kiss, or the first time they slept together. We don’t know exactly what happened, and how he felt about it and how Laenor felt about it.”
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Their relationship is one of the biggest open spaces in Fire & Blood, yet it has enormous consequences for the story. And perhaps most intriguingly, we don’t know how Laenor Velaryon truly felt about it. Fire & Blood deliberately presents Westerosi history through conflicting accounts and incomplete information.
That works beautifully for the book’s historical style, but it also means some deeply personal moments remain hidden behind rumors and speculation. Rhaenyra and Harwin are perfect examples. We know what their relationship produced, and we know how dangerous the consequences became.
But the emotional story itself is mostly missing. That leaves an enormous amount of room for Martin to explore. Was their romance passionate from the beginning? Did Harwin struggle with his position at court? Did Rhaenyra see him as an escape from the pressures of being heir? Those are the questions that make the story so compelling.
A Story Big Enough For A Novel
Martin believes there is enough material for at least a novella, and potentially even a full novel. Unfortunately, the format of Fire & Blood didn’t allow him to tell that story in detail. It’s honestly one of the more bittersweet possibilities in Westerosi history.
“There’s a whole story there, at least a novella, maybe a full novel, but we simply didn’t have time to tell it, and it didn’t fit the format of my history book. But it’s a story I’d love to tell.” ‘House of the Dragon’ gave audiences glimpses of Rhaenyra and Harwin, but the series also had to move quickly through years of political upheaval.
Their relationship was important, yet we never really got to see it. Maybe that’s exactly why the story remains so intriguing. What we don’t know is how two people got there, and sometimes, that missing story is the one worth telling most.
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