Recaps

Daemon attended a victory feast at the Eyrie, welcomed young nobles who wanted to serve him, and arranged aid for the Vale’s people. The night ended with William offering him Yorbert Royce’s tactical notes and Daemon reassuring Gael and Mysaria of his loyalty.

• Daemon visited the Eyrie’s sky cells with Jennie Arryn and reflected on how even strong castles could not withstand dragonfire or keep people from going home.
• At the victory feast, Lyonel Corbray and the Hunter boy asked to serve Daemon, while Rhea Royce mocked two young men from a cadet branch of House Royce.
• Marquess Sunderland urged Daemon to marry Lady Jeyne, but Daemon instead described plans to assess village losses and buy grain for the Vale.
• William gave Daemon Yorbert Royce’s tactical notes, but Daemon returned them after recognizing William’s divided loyalties to his family and ambitions.
• Daemon sent Mysaria to comfort the angry princess and told her to assure the princess that his sword and heart would not change.

Daemon led his growing party through the Bloody Gate and into the Riverlands, where he reunited with Daemon Targaryen and received a supportive letter from Baelon. He decided to continue his tour, planning to visit Quiet Isle the next day.

• Daemon passed through the Bloody Gate with Gael and his followers after Ser Lyonel welcomed them and explained the gate's defenses.
• A string of knights, squires, bastards, and a merchant's son joined Daemon's party as it traveled toward Saltpans.
• A messenger met Daemon at Saltpans, and Daemon Targaryen arrived on Caraxes to deliver a letter from Baelon.
• Daemon read Baelon's letter, which praised him, dismissed Otto Hightower's and Lyman Beesbury's complaints, and urged him to continue his tour.
• Gael made Daemon Targaryen return to the inn to rest, while Daemon said he would remain in Saltpans and visit the harbor the next day.
• Daemon reread Baelon's assurances at the inn and planned to visit Quiet Isle before continuing through the Riverlands.

Gael, Daemon, Mysaria, and their companions visited Quiet Isle, where penitents lived under strict silence, and explored the island before departing. Daemon reflected on the island’s quiet and the brief peace he shared with those beside him as they headed toward the Riverlands.

• Daemon arrived at Saltpans with Caraxes and joked with Gael about joining the visit despite his injured leg.
• Ser Harwick explained that most people on Quiet Isle could speak only one sentence every seven days, and the Elder Brother welcomed the visitors.
• Gael and Daemon explored the island’s eastern hillside and discussed the dangerous Path of Faith.
• Gael caught Daemon Targaryen instructing a penitent in wood chopping, and he hurriedly defended his actions.
• As the ferry departed, Daemon Targaryen admitted that Quiet Isle had not been so bad, while Daemon considered the quiet peace ahead of their journey through the Riverlands.

Daemon and Gael arrived at Lord Harroway’s Town, where Earl Roote welcomed them and warned that Harrenhal was cursed. Gael and Mysaria sought comfort from Daemon that night, while he reflected on the castle’s history and the dangers of political struggle.

• Daemon and his party reached Lord Harroway’s Town, where Earl Roote greeted them and showed them House Roote’s horse, River King.
• At dinner, Earl Roote praised Ser Ryam and recounted the tragic fates of the houses that had held Harrenhal, calling the castle cursed.
• Gael grew angry when Daemon Targaryen flirted with Earl Roote’s daughters and dismissed the Harrenhal curse.
• Gael and Mysaria came to Daemon’s room, frightened by stories of Harrenhal and the families that had been destroyed there.
• Daemon comforted Gael by explaining that human choices and war, not a curse, had caused those houses’ downfalls, then wondered whether Harrenhal might truly be cursed.

Daemon and his party arrived at Harrenhal, where Daemon Targaryen provoked House Strong during the feast before Daemon stopped him and apologized. That night, Daemon, Gael, and Mysaria spotted an eerie green light in the Godswood, leaving Daemon suspecting Harrenhal’s curse was real.

• Daemon and his party reached Harrenhal, where Earl Bywin Strong welcomed them and led them into the Hall of a Hundred Hearths.
• At the feast, Daemon Targaryen mocked House Strong and Ser Lucamore’s many children, angering Harwin, Bywin, and the castle’s guards.
• Daemon struck Daemon Targaryen with Blackfyre’s pommel and had Jarman Waters and Mys Rivers remove him from the hall.
• Daemon apologized to Bywin, while Gael explained that Daemon Targaryen was injured and muddled; Bywin accepted the apology and spoke of his heir Leonno forging his chain at the Citadel.
• On the Kingspyre Tower terrace, Daemon discussed Harrenhal’s curse with Gael and Mysaria, then saw an eerie green light flickering in the Godswood.

Daemon went to Harrenhal’s Godswood at night, where Larys Strong offered his services and introduced him to Alys Rivers. Alys recognized Daemon as a “Black Dragon from the future,” leaving him with his sword drawn and the encounter poised to turn dangerous.

• Daemon investigated the Godswood after suspecting House Strong was hiding something.
• Larys Strong met Daemon by the Heart Tree and offered to serve him in exchange for an opportunity to prove his worth.
• Larys revealed Alys Rivers, whom he said had lived at Harrenhal since before his father was young.
• Alys called Daemon the “Black Dragon from the future,” and Daemon drew Blackfyre on her.

Alys Rivers put Daemon to sleep and showed him visions of Harrenhal’s doom, the Targaryen civil wars, the Dance of the Dragons, and the Red Grassland. The visions ended with Alys telling Daemon Blackfyre that his life’s suffering was not the end.

• Alys Rivers smothered Daemon with her embrace and used her touch and words to send him into a vision, while Larys Strong watched from the Heart Tree’s shadow.
• Daemon witnessed Aegon the Conqueror burn Harrenhal and House Hoare, while Alys spoke of black blood being burned away.
• Daemon saw Aegon the Uncrowned and Quicksilver fall to Maegor and Balerion at the Gods Eye, with Daemon appearing beside the man wielding Lady Forlorn.
• Daemon watched Daemon Targaryen leap onto Vhagar and kill Aemond with Dark Sister before both dragons fell into the Gods Eye.
• Daemon saw the aftermath of the Red Grassland, including the deaths of his sons and allies and his own corpse beneath Bloodraven’s arrows.
• Alys held Daemon tightly and told him that the suffering he had lived through was not the end.

Daemon dreamed of Robert killing a silver-haired Targaryen prince at the Trident, then confronted Alys Rivers about whether she had shown him the future or a future altered by his actions. He left Harrenhal on Glutton, determined to discover the truth and rewrite what he had seen.

• Daemon dreamed of Robert and Rhaegar fighting at the Trident, where Robert killed the silver-haired knight and shattered the rubies on his armor.
• Daemon awoke in Alys Rivers's embrace with his shoulder brand burning, then demanded to know who the two men were and why the battle lacked dragons.
• Alys told Daemon the vision was his future and pointed out the Heart Tree's blood-red sap, while Glutton roared in agitation.
• Daemon declared he would rewrite the future, then rode Glutton away from the Godswood as Alys said he would return.
• Alys watched Daemon depart and whispered to the Heart Tree, while Larys questioned what she had shown him.

Daemon visited the Isle of Faces with Alys Rivers and met Leaf, who guided him through a dream revealing dragons and a White Walker in the future. He learned that his return had stirred the White Walkers and that preserving the dragons could prevent their early advance, then left determined to face the threats ahead.

• Daemon and Alys Rivers traveled by dragon to the Isle of Faces to seek answers about his vision of the future.
• Leaf identified Daemon as the Black Dragon and explained that the Greenseer saw many possible futures, then led him to a spring to dream.
• Daemon dreamed of a silver-haired girl with three dragon hatchlings and of a White Walker transforming an infant in the frozen north.
• Leaf told Daemon the White Walker was from two hundred years in the future and that his rebirth had stirred it from its slumber.
• Leaf warned that the White Walker could revive early and cross the Wall if the dragons became extinct, and Daemon flew back toward Harrenhal with Alys Rivers.

Daemon and his companions departed Harrenhal for Riverrun, with Larys Strong joining them on a gray donkey and Alys Rivers riding with Gael on Dreamfyre. As the dragons flew over the Gods Eye, Daemon noticed signs that Larys and Alys might be concealing plans of their own.

• Daemon mocked Larys Strong for arriving on a donkey, while Larys played along with the joke and joined the departing party.
• Alys Rivers brought Larys a wooden chest, then asked to travel with Gael so she could speak to her about what she saw in the flames.
• Daemon Targaryen mistook Alys's call for him and joked about her appearance before Gael silenced him.
• Daemon helped Mysaria onto Glutton, while Alys embraced Gael from behind and rode with her on Dreamfyre.
• The three dragons departed for Riverrun, and Daemon noticed Larys's knowing smile and Alys tapping Gael's waist as if sending a secret signal.

Daemon watched House Bracken and House Blackwood resume their feud beneath High Heart, while memories of the Red Grassland haunted him. He ordered the fighting stopped and threatened to burn High Heart if the houses refused mediation with him and Lord Tully.

• Daemon and his companions saw House Bracken and House Blackwood gathering allies and fighting beneath High Heart.
• Daemon recalled the rebellion and the deaths of Aegon and himself on the Red Grassland, seeing echoes of Aegor Rivers and Brynden Rivers in the rival houses.
• House Bracken charged House Blackwood, whose archers answered with a volley, while House Tully's messenger was pushed aside.
• Larys urged Daemon to intervene before the clash became a slaughter, and Daemon ordered Gael to bring House Tully's messenger to him.
• Daemon used Glutton's roar to halt the battle and demanded that both houses lay down their swords and await mediation or face a sea of fire and ash.

Daemon stopped a battle between House Bracken and House Blackwood at High Heart, then discovered their feud had begun over a confused marriage arrangement at Pinkmaiden. He led the nobles toward Pinkmaiden to settle the matter, while the Dragon Mark and Blackfyre stirred as he rode.

• Daemon and Daemon Targaryen charged into the Bracken-Blackwood fight, disarmed the combatants, and subdued both companies without killing anyone.
• A Piper knight explained that Ser Henrik and Ser Torrhen had fought after misunderstanding Earl Piper’s plans for his daughters’ marriages.
• Daemon ordered Lyonel Corbray and Corlys Celtigar to take the bound leaders to Pinkmaiden, where Earl Piper could resolve the dispute.
• Daemon and his companions set out for Pinkmaiden as Daemon Targaryen joked about the Piper daughter and Alys Rivers.
• Daemon felt the Dragon Mark on his shoulder and Blackfyre’s hilt grow warm as he rode onward.

Daemon's party stopped at Acorn Hall for Joseth's Name Day before continuing toward Pinkmaiden to arbitrate between House Bracken and House Blackwood. The celebration eased tensions between the two forces, and Earl Barring ton sent the party on with acorn wine.

• Edmund Smallwood invited Daemon, Gael, and their party to Acorn Hall for his son Joseth's first Name Day.
• Earl Barring ton welcomed the party and introduced Lord Armistead Vance, Lord Robert Vance, and Ser Clayton Goodbrook, who had gathered at the hall.
• Daemon gave Joseth a dragonglass pendant as a blessing, and the Bracken and Blackwood men raised their cups together.
• Daemon entertained the Vance ladies while the guests celebrated, and Earl Barring ton reflected on his father's lessons about surviving Riverlands politics.
• The next morning, Earl Barring ton gave Daemon's party a cartload of acorn wine as they departed for Pinkmaiden, with the Bracken and Blackwood forces less tense than before.

At Pinkmaiden, Daemon Targaryen watched a dispute over Lord Piper’s daughters’ marriages turn into a contest between Ser Torrhen and Ser Henrik. Henrik ultimately left with Lord Piper’s eldest daughter, while Daemon departed for Riverrun grieving that his own marriage to Rhea kept him from pursuing her.

• Lord Piper explained that he had planned to marry his daughters to Ser Torrhen and Ser Henrik, and his younger daughter admitted she favored Torrhen.
• Ser Henrik challenged Ser Torrhen to three contests for the younger daughter’s hand, and Lord Piper agreed to the arrangement.
• Torrhen won the archery contest, but Henrik unhorsed him in the joust; seeing the younger daughter comfort Torrhen, Henrik conceded and withdrew from the marriage.
• Lord Piper’s eldest daughter later offered to marry Henrik, and the two rode away from Pinkmaiden together.
• Daemon Targaryen learned the eldest daughter would not defy the marriage arranged for him with Rhea, then left for Riverrun on Caraxes, heartbroken.

Daemon's fleet reached Riverrun, where Lord Grover Tully welcomed the party and hosted them at a lively feast. Daemon agreed to stay several more days, leaving the tour paused as he settled in to explore the castle and its history.

• Daemon's fleet traveled down the Red Fork, passed Mummer's Ford, and reached Riverrun at the rivers' confluence.
• Lord Grover Tully welcomed Daemon, Gael, Mysaria, and their party, while his daughter Leia gave Daemon a wooden trout.
• Daemon inspected Riverrun's defenses before joining Grover and the Tully family for a feast of local dishes.
• Leia and the other children asked Daemon for stories about Glutton, while Daemon Targaryen quietly worried over his romantic appeal.
• Grover invited the party to remain in Riverrun, and Daemon accepted the offer to stay for a few days.

Daemon Targaryen toured Riverrun while Larys Strong secretly surveyed its defenses, and Daemon grew closer to Lysa Tully at the smithy. After the feast, Larys reported what he had learned and implied that he had pledged himself to Daemon; Daemon recognized the value of the shadowy alliance.

• Daemon Targaryen asked Hoster Tully to take him to Riverrun’s smithy so he could have a new lance forged, while Jarman Waters led Mys Rivers and House Hunter’s second son to a bowyer.
• Lysa Tully slipped away from the tour, and Larys Strong vanished from the group as Daemon signaled the others to continue.
• Daemon had a lance forged with Colin Celtigar, while Lysa joined them at the smithy; Jarman later reported that she had wiped Daemon’s sweat three times.
• Hoster showed the group Riverrun’s godswood, and Duke Grover described House Tully’s history and its willingness to change sides to survive.
• After the feast, Larys told Daemon about Riverrun’s defenses and supplies, and Daemon understood that Larys had brought both intelligence and a pledge of allegiance.

Daemon and his companions spent their last days at Riverrun before setting out toward the Inn at the Kneeling Man. Daemon Targaryen’s growing attachment to Lysa Tully worried both Daemon and the Tullys as the company departed.

• Daemon watched the group train and study at Riverrun while helping Gael practice archery.
• Daemon Targaryen arrived on Caraxes with Lysa Tully, who brought honey cakes, and his obvious affection for her concerned Daemon.
• Lord Grover and Hoster noticed Daemon Targaryen’s closeness to Lysa and decided to watch the situation rather than warn her.
• At the farewell, Lysa gave Daemon Targaryen an embroidered trout ornament, and he gave her a ruby accessory, troubling Daemon and upsetting the watching Royce knights.
• Daemon and his companions left Riverrun by dragon and carriage, heading toward the Inn at the Kneeling Man while Daemon Targaryen looked back at Lysa.

Daemon and his party stopped at the Inn at the Kneeling Man on their way to Fairmarket, where Daemon Targaryen spent the night in indulgence. In the morning, a Bracken invitation drew them off course to Stone Hedge, and Daemon decided to attend the wedding despite the risk of worsening the Riverlands’ feuds.

• Daemon and Gael arrived at the Inn at the Kneeling Man with their companions and dragons, and Daemon Targaryen requested wine and women from the innkeeper.
• At supper, Alys Rivers and Larys Strong discussed the inn’s history and House Bracken’s recent submission to Targaryen power.
• Daemon Targaryen spent the night with women while Daemon, Gael, and the rest of the party prepared to travel toward Fairmarket by river.
• At dawn, a Bracken knight invited Daemon and Gael to Ser Henrick Bracken’s wedding at Stone Hedge.
• Daemon and Gael chose to accept the invitation and changed their course for Stone Hedge, despite the unresolved Bracken-Blackwood feud.

Daemon Targaryen attended the Bracken and Blackwood weddings, balancing the rival houses after their mediation at Pinkmaiden. The party left for the Inn at the Kneeling Man and planned to continue to Fairmarket, with their balancing act in the Riverlands still ahead.

• Daemon Targaryen congratulated Ser Hendry and House Piper's elder daughter at Stone Hedge, then left before the Brackens could claim his favor.
• Daemon Targaryen revealed that the bride had secretly signaled him about the Blackwood wedding, prompting him to attend both feasts and avoid favoring either house.
• Daemon and his party traveled to Raventree Hall, where Ser Torrhen Blackwood welcomed them and showed them the dead weirwood tree.
• Daemon Targaryen toasted Torrhen and House Piper's younger daughter, while Daemon and Gael also celebrated the newlyweds.
• The party returned toward the Inn at the Kneeling Man, and Daemon asked whether they would leave for Fairmarket the next day.

Daemon and his company explored Fairmarket before Larys mapped out their northbound route through the Riverlands. Daemon chose the route and ordered them to leave the next morning, while Larys lingered over the map with an unexplained scheme.

• Daemon and his companions arrived in Fairmarket and toured its busy market, where Gael browsed cloth, Alys bought herbs, and Corlys Celtigar acquired a sword.
• Mys Rivers and the others practiced archery while Daemon disappeared into a tavern and returned drunk.
• At the evening feast, Larys explained a route north through Oldstones, Seagard, the Twins, and the Neck.
• Daemon approved Larys's route and ordered the company to depart at first light.
• Larys studied the map alone after the feast while Daemon snored in the next room.

Daemon’s party reached Oldstones and rescued its villagers from Walder Frey and his armed men. After learning the attackers were disguised as bandits, Daemon had them killed and their deaths staged, then prepared to leave for Ramsford.

• Daemon’s party found Walder Frey and his men assaulting the villagers of Oldstones, and Jarman Waters killed Walder with an arrow.
• Daemon and his companions defeated the attackers, while Gael and Dreamfyre kept the remaining men from resisting.
• Boren Lychester identified himself as Oldstones’ lord, and Ala revealed that Walder had tried to seize their land after they refused his marriage proposal.
• Daemon ordered the prisoners taken to a secluded river valley and killed, then Larys Strong and Jarman Waters staged the scene to conceal their involvement.
• Daemon returned to Oldstones as the villagers tended the wounded and cleaned up, then ordered the party to leave for Ramsford the next morning.

Daemon compensated the villagers of Oldstones and sent his dragons to hunt for food before his party continued to Ramsford. There, they saw Seagard burning and flew toward the blaze to investigate.

• Daemon ordered Larys to compensate Ser Lychester and the villagers for their losses and provide for the children’s winter clothes.
• Daemon sent Glutton, Dreamfyre, and Caraxes to hunt, and they returned with fish, rabbits, and a deer to feed the villagers and the party.
• Ala gave Jarman Waters a handmade eyepatch, and the others teased him as the party left Oldstones.
• At Ramsford, Rayford Rosby spotted a vast fire and smoke rising from the direction of Seagard, and Larys recognized it as House Mallister’s lands.
• Daemon flew toward the burning castle on Glutton, with Gael following on Dreamfyre and Daemon Targaryen on Caraxes, while Rayford ordered the party to follow.

Daemon, Daemon Targaryen, and Gael arrived at Seagard as Ironborn raiders attacked Eagle Cape, then used their dragons to burn the longships and rout the invaders. After the battle, Daemon warned Earl Lymond Mallister to repair Seagard’s defenses, knowing the Ironborn would return.

• Daemon and Gael saw the Ironborn raiding Eagle Cape and attacking Seagard while Earl Lymond Mallister fought to hold the western breach.
• Daemon ordered Gael and Daemon Targaryen to burn the longships as he attacked the Ironborn besieging the walls with Glutton’s fire.
• Rayford Rosby and Daemon’s followers cut off the raiders’ retreat, and Lymond led his soldiers out through the breach to fight them.
• Daemon, Daemon Targaryen, and Gael helped defeat the Ironborn by burning their ships and driving them from Eagle Cape.
• After the fighting ended, Daemon thanked Lymond, urged him to treat the wounded and repair Seagard’s defenses, and warned that more raids would come.

Daemon oversaw Seagard’s recovery after the Ironborn raid, learned that Uragon Greyjoy’s men were competing to win their dying king’s succession, and executed the prisoners. The company then departed by dragon for the upper reaches of the Blue Fork, while Gael and Mysaria showed concern for Daemon’s wound.

• Daemon gave Larys Strong the captured Ironborn prisoners to question after Lymond Mallister reported that they would not talk.
• Daemon ordered Seagard’s gates and breaches repaired and watched Mysaria, Alys Rivers, and the maester tend the wounded.
• Larys revealed that the raiders served Uragon Greyjoy, one of High King Alton Greyjoy’s sons competing to become heir by plundering the most.
• At dawn, Daemon sentenced the prisoners to death and beheaded them with Blackfyre; Daemon Targaryen took the sword to execute the last prisoner.
• Gael and Mysaria asked Daemon about the arrow wound on his arm, and the company flew from Seagard on Glutton, Caraxes, and Dreamfyre toward the upper reaches of the Blue Fork.

Daemon and his party confronted House Haigh’s extortion at the Sevenstreams checkpoint, where Glutton’s dragonfire forced the guards to let travelers pass. Afterward, Rodrik Dustin joined them as they continued through Witch’s Mire, while Gael and Larys discussed House Frey’s suspicions about Walder Frey’s disappearance.

• Daemon saw House Haigh’s guards extort merchants and stop Rodrik Dustin at the Sevenstreams checkpoint.
• Awood Haigh claimed the tightened inspections were due to banditry and the disappearance of Walder the Thin.
• Daemon used Glutton’s dragonfire to stop a guard from harassing a merchant’s wife and warned Awood to follow the rules.
• Daemon’s party passed through the checkpoint, and Gael suspected House Frey had noticed what happened at Oldstones.
• Larys assured Daemon and Gael that House Frey would find neither Walder alive nor his corpse.
• Rodrik Dustin thanked Daemon and explained he was traveling south for fur deals and winter grain as the party entered Witch’s Mire.