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Rhaenicent is the femslash ship between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower from the Game of Thrones fandom.
Canon[]
House of the Dragon[]
In the TV show canon, Lady Alicent Hightower became a childhood companion to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the only child of King Viserys I Targaryen, ruler of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros on the Iron Throne, after her father Ser Otto Hightower became Viserys' Hand of the King. The two grew up together, developing differing personalities, Rhaenyra becoming strong-willed and adventurous, while Alicent fitting into more traditional standards of the women of her time, yet still being inseparable best friends with unacknowledged mutual feelings.
The main story picks up in the year 112 AC, during one of the many pregnancies of Queen Aemma Arryn, Viserys' wife, unable to produce any male heirs. Rhaenyra and Alicent are 14 years old and close friends, gossiping about the nobility and accompanying each other around except when Rhaenyra rides on her dragon Syrax, with Rhaenyra expressing the wish to fly away from the politics of King's Landing to beyond the Narrow Sea, where she and Alicent can have a more freeing life. However, both of the young girls' lives quickly turn around when Queen Aemma dies giving birth to a son, who dies a day later. Comments from Viserys' younger brother and theoretical heir, Prince Daemon Targaryen, get him removed from the line of succession, leading to Viserys proclaiming Rhaenyra as Princess of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, Ser Otto, who suggested the idea of Rhaenyra as heir, manipulates young Alicent to sneak into Viserys' chambers to seduce him, though unintentionally on her part. After her mother and little brother's death, Rhaenyra is filled with grief, so she visits a sept where she and Alicent pray together, bonding over their lost mothers. Eventually, after confiding in her about his grief, dreams, and after turning down another marriage proposal, Viserys makes his intention to marry Alicent public, driving a hedge into the girls' relationship and making Rhaenyra feel betrayed by her closest friend.
Three years into Alicent and Viserys' marriage, the young Queen has given birth to two children, including a son named Aegon, an event that has further divided her from Rhaenyra as many lords believe him to be the rightful heir due to traditional Westerosi male primogeniture. Despite Alicent's attempts to reconnect with her old friend, Rhaenyra remains distant, still feeling resentment towards Alicent for marrying her father and Aegon for posing a threat to her role as heir.
After Prince Daemon's return to court from warring in the Stepstones, Alicent tries to assert herself as queen, but is looked down upon and mocked by the men in power. It's only Rhaenyra, for the first time in a long while, making an effort to reconnect with Alicent that cheers her up and the two share a moment of tenderness by holding hands. However, this peace does not last long as after a night where Rhaenyra almost sleeps with her uncle Daemon and then actually sleeps with the Kingsguard Ser Criston Cole, Alicent confronts Rhaenyra over the rumors' of her affair, where she lies on her mother's name, something that shakes Alicent and makes her believe her, in spite of her father's word.
Daemon's insistence to marry Rhaenyra has him exiled from King's Landing, while Rhaenyra persuades Viserys to have Otto Hightower removed as Hand, but in exchange agreeing to marry Laenor Velaryon. On Driftmark, Rhaenyra is made aware that Laenor is gay, but the two agree to compromise. Meanwhile in King's Landing, Otto leaves as a tearful Alicent says her goodbyes, but not before he fearmongers to her the threat Rhaenyra poses to her children. Alicent makes new allies through Larys Strong, and later, Ser Criston, disillusioned after sleeping with Rhaenyra and scared of the consequences of breaking his vows, but not before admitting the truth to the queen, making her realize that Rhaenyra had in fact lied. Between her forced marriage, forced motherhood, and the truth of her best friend breaking her trust, Alicent reaches a breaking point. At the night of Rhaenyra and Laenor's wedding, Alicent arrives late dressed in a green dress, a traditional color of House Hightower, and one specifically used to indicate war, before for the first time ever coldly addressing Rhaenyra as her stepdaughter, simultaneously making a political statement about her allegiances and changing the dynamic of their relationship forever.
After a ten-year time skip, Rhaenyra gives birth to her third son Joffrey and Alicent requests to see the babe immediately after birth. This results in Rhaenyra, minutes after giving birth and still bleeding, walking to Alicent's chambers with Joffrey in hand as her then husband Laenor Velaryon assists her. Alicent and Rhaenrya are shown to have a tense relationship as Viserys' health declines, fueled by their past and opposed political allegiances. At a small council meeting a few days latter, Rhaenyra offers that her son Jacaerys Velaryon wed Alicent's daughter, Helaena Targaryen. Alicent refuses this offer, suggesting that Jacaerys is a bastard.
Alicent indirectly has Rhaenyra's lover, Harwin Strong, murdered via the Lord Larys Strong's bidding. Alicent and Rhaenyra attend a seperate funeral for Laena Velaryon at the Velaryon's ancestral home, Driftmark. Alicent's son, Aemond Targaryen, fights with Rhaenyra's children, Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon, and Laena's children, Baela and Rhaena Targaryen, after Aemond claims Laena's dragon, Vhagar. The fight ends when Lucerys blinds Aemond in one eye. The immediate aftermath results in a large, public argument between Rhaenyra and Alicent. Alicent demands retribution for Aemond's eye, and declares that Lucerys must lose an eye as punishment. King Viserys denies Alicent, and demands the family makes peace. Alicent takes Viserys' Valyrian steel dagger, Catpaw, and charges at Rhaenyra to the court's horror. There, they exhange terse words, and Alicent ultimately ends up cutting Rhaenyra at the wrist as they pull back from one another. A bleeding Rhaenyra surrounded by her family stares at Alicent as they watch blood drip from Rhaenyra's hand.
Rhaenyra leaves King's Landing and moves to Dragonstone, now married to her uncle Daemon Targaryen. Six years after Laena Velaryon's funeral at Driftmark, tensions have only grown worse. Rhaenyra and her family are summoned back to King's Landing when Vaemond Velaryon - Corlys Velaryon's brother - challenges Lucerys' claim to the throne. After arriving, Rhaenyra is informed that Alicent and her father, Otto Hightower, will be determining whether Vaemond's challenge is successful. Believing Alicent to be biased against her, they engage in a brief argument as they first meet in King's Landing.
At the hearing the challenge for the Heir to the Velaryon house, Viserys arrives despite his body actively rotting from leprosy. He declares that Rhaenyra's son, Lucerys, will remain heir to house Velaryon. At this, Vaemond grows furious, and publicly declares that Rhaenyra's children are bastards and that Rhaenyra is a whore. Daemon beheads Vaemond at this insult, and Viserys demands the family share a meal and make peace. The Greens and Blacks attend a terse dinner party, until Rhaenyra gives a speech thanking Alicent and apologizes to her. Deeply moved at Rhaenyra's attempt to rekindle their friendship, Alicent thanks Rhaenyra. Dinner is served, but when the Black's children laugh at a course of pig served - a reference to a prank they played on Aemond in their youth - Aemond gives a backhanded speech where he indirectly calls Rhaenyra's children bastards. This results in a physical fight between Alicent and Rhaenyra's children, ending with everyone being sent off to bed but unharmed. After, when Rhaenyra and Alicent are left in the dining room, they speak with each other and rekindle their friendship after 18 years. Rhaenyra says she must see her children back to Dragonstone; she does not believe them to be safe in King's Landing with the rising tension between their families. Alicent expresses sadness at this, saying that Rhaenyra had just arrived at King's Landing. Rhaenyra promises to return to King's Landing after she has seen her family back to Dragonstone. They depart for the night on good terms.
Rhaenyra's family leaves back for Dragonstone. Shortly after their departure, Viserys passes away. Alicent is present for the King's final words; a reference to the Song of Ice and Fire, a prophecy regarding the Prince that Was Promised to save the world from the white walkers. She misunderstands his final words without the knowledge of this prophecy, and belives he is telling Alicent that he wants their son, Aegon, to be King instead of Rhaenyra being Queen.
Alicent and Otto, along with the various members of Team Green, conspire to coup for the throne in the middle of the night after Viserys' passing. Alicent determines that they wish not only to overthrow Rhaenyra and prevent her from assuming the throne, but that they also wish to kill her. At this, Alicent grows furious and demands Rhaenyra be spared. She cites Viserys, her husband and Rhaneyra's father, claiming that the King did not want for the death of his daughter. Otto ultimately demands the execution of Rhaenyra by Sir Harrold Westerling, but he refuses and resigns from his post as Head of the Kingsguard immediately.
Otto goes to Dragonstone to give Rhaenyra a list of terms for her surrender. He cites the friendship Alicent and she used to share, offering her a page from book the two had read together as children, a symbol of their feelings for each other. Rhaenyra tears up at this, but refuses to surrender. The Greens and The Blacks send out various messengers to the other Seven Houses for their support in the war to come. Lucerys and Aemond both arrive at Storm's End, where Aemond demands retribution for his blinded eye. Lucerys refuses, and Lord Borros Baratheon demands Lucerys leave and that Aemond not harm Lucerys on Baratheon's lands. Lucerys leaves on his dragon, heading back to Dragonstone. Aemond chases after him on his dragon. Aemond's dragon ultimately kills Lucerys and his dragon, and Aemond returns to King's Landing. Rhaenyra is made aware of her son's death at the hands of Alicent's son.
Fire and Blood[]
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Fanon[]
Rhaenicent is one of the most popular ships in the House of the Dragon fandom. Due to the small amount of pre-House of the Dragon fanworks based on Fire & Blood in general, the ship has virtually no fanworks before the television show. The large age gap and more antagonistic relationship in the books may also have been a factor, though pairings with these and other problematic elements have always been popular in the fandoms for A Song of Ice and Fire and its adaptations. Regardless, once Rhaenyra and Alicent first appeared on screen together in the premiere of House of the Dragon their ship quickly gained a dedicated fanbase. While Alicent is a divisive character to a lot of the fandom due to being Team Green's figurehead, Rhaenicent is still extremely popular. Most fans focus on their younger versions, joking that after Episode 5 they were "children of divorce," while other parts of the fandom focus on their adult dynamic in the future, as well as the inherent tragedy of their story.
Going by AO3 statistics, Rhaenicent is the 3rd most popular ship in the House of the Dragon tag, beat out by only Lucemond and the ship's biggest rival, Daemyra. Other rivals include Rhaewin, Alicent/Viserys, Alicole and to a lesser extent, Laenyra.
Quotes[]
- Rhaenyra: – “You've gone too far.”
- Alicent: – “I? What have I done but what was expected of me? Forever upholding the Kingdom, the family, the law, while you flout all to do as you please? Where is duty? Where is sacrifice? It's trampled under your pretty foot again.”
- — - Alicent and Rhaenyra's fight at Laena Velaryon's funeral; Driftmark
- Alicent – “My husband would've desired this mercy be shown to his daughter.”
- Otto – “Your husband? Or you, his daughter's childhood companion?”
- — Otto Hightower taunting Alicent; The Green Council
Fandom[]
- FAN FICTION
- Alicent Hightower/Rhaenyra Targaryen tag on AO3
- Rhaenyra & Alicent (HOTD) works on FanFiction.net
- Rhaenicent search results on Wattpad
- TUMBLR
- Rhaenicent posts on Tumblr
- Rhaenicent tag on Tumblr
- Rhaenyra x Alicent posts on Tumblr
- Alicent x Rhaenyra posts on Tumblr
- Rhaenicent posts on Twitter
- @rhaenicentfiles on Twitter
- @rhaenicentdaily on Twitter
Lists[]
| 6th | JUL 8th 2024 | |
| 10th | OCT 17th 2022 | |
| 15th | OCT 24th 2022 | OCT 10th 2022 |
| 16th | OCT 31st 2022 | |
| 100th | 2023 |
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| Game of Thrones Ships • Game of Thrones Characters | ||
| SHIPS | het | Braime • Daemyra • Gendrya • Hashara • Helaegon • Jonerys • Khalessi • Lannicest • RhaeLya • Robbisa • Sandry |
| slash | Davron • Lorenly • Lucemond | |
| femslash | Melsi • Melyse • Rhaenicent • Sansaery | |