Chapter Summaries

Danyla brought the Heart of the Stars to the Green Fork, reunited Laena with Princess Rhaenys, and joined her family after the dragons’ battle. She approached the wounded Purple Prince and began to tame him with the Old Valyria Prosperity Song.

• Danyla had Dreamfyre carry the Heart of the Stars toward the Green Fork as she planned to settle the unrest and search for Rafa in Old Valyria.
• Viserys, Daemon, and the other Great Dragons brought the dead dragons to their camp and guarded the wounded Purple Prince.
• Danyla found Laena at Riverrun and took her to the Green Fork, where she reunited with Princess Rhaenys and Viserys.
• Princess Rhaenys wept after learning Laenor had died, while Viserys comforted her and Daemon watched Danyla from a distance.
• Danyla approached the wary Purple Prince and sang the Old Valyria Prosperity Song until he lowered his head.

Danyla assigned Daemon to settle the wounded Purple Prince at Oldstones and oversee a canal project while she dealt with the black dragon’s remains and prepared to reforge Dawn. With Walda and Harold suppressing the Riverlands rebellion, Daemon and Maggie began rebuilding Oldstones and surveying the canal route.

• Rhaenys left with Laena after Danyla tamed Purple Prince, while Daemon remained behind to speak with Danyla.
• Danyla sent Daemon to lead Purple Prince to Oldstones, oversee a canal between the Blue Fork and Ironborn Bay, and trouble the Iron Islands when possible.
• Danyla transported the black Great Dragon’s corpse to the Stepstones so its skull and weirwood could help improve the islands’ environment.
• Danyla returned to Oldtown with Red Princess’s remaining dragon bones and the Heart of the Stars to reforge Dawn, leaving Walda and Harold to hunt rebels in the Riverlands.
• Daemon reached Oldstones with Purple Prince, and Maggie brought hired craftsmen who began rebuilding the ancient city and forging Dragonstone.
• Daemon and the craftsmen surveyed the canal route and planned to quarry rock there for both the canal and the city’s reconstruction.

Danyla oversaw Oldtown’s recovery and prosperity, then reforged Dawnlight and forged the blazing sword Proud Sun and a suit of Valyrian steel armor. She remained in Oldtown afterward, inspecting her businesses and finding Rouge’s administration in good order.

• Antheros returned to her lair to heal, while Dreamfyre and Myracis benefited from Oldtown’s dense magical energy.
• Oldtown and Sunhouse Castle prospered under Rouge’s administration, drawing merchants and gradually winning over residents who had been loyal to House Hightower.
• Danyla and her dragons performed two days of Funeral Rites, cremating the bodies stored in Oldtown’s underground chambers.
• Danyla worked with Oldtown’s craftsmen to reforge Dawnlight and forge Proud Sun and a suit of Valyrian steel armor, completing them with blood sacrifices.
• Danyla discovered that blood strengthened Proud Sun, especially when she used the Blood Sacrifice Spells, and arranged for both swords to be nourished by runed scabbards and Magic Gems.
• Danyla toured the surrounding areas and checked her business ledgers, finding Rouge’s work satisfactory and Oldtown’s Hightower well maintained.

Danyla returned to the Hightower, where Maester Garry showed her the unusually intelligent white ravens that had hatched after a magical energy tide. After receiving Duke Tyrell's letter asking her to send a dragon to Highgarden, Danyla prepared to honor her promise and departed with Antheros and Myracis, leaving Dreamfyre to guard Oldtown.

• Maester Garry welcomed Danyla to the Hightower and told her that all twelve of her white raven eggs had hatched during the sea monster's attack.
• Maester Garry explained that the magical energy tide had caused raven eggs to hatch and made the ravens more intelligent, and Danyla visited the Raven Tower to see them.
• Danyla told Maester Garry to have Maester Riven send more young white ravens and raven-study apprentices to Oldtown.
• A smith's apprentice brought Danyla a letter from Duke Tyrell, who had completed the Cremation Tower and dragonpit and asked her to send a dragon to Highgarden.
• Danyla chose to leave Dreamfyre guarding Oldtown and send the recovering Antheros to Highgarden, then departed with Antheros and Myracis.

Danyla left Eyriehold in Ser Roxton’s care and traveled to Highgarden with Bennard, Bethany, Mungo, and a menagerie of animals. On arrival, she sensed powerful magic coming from the ancient weirwood in Highgarden’s gardens.

• Danyla entrusted Eyriehold and the Prince’s Pass to Ser Roxton, who commanded a thousand soldiers and the dragons stationed there.
• Bennard caught up with Danyla and insisted on accompanying her, so she ordered him to serve as Mungo’s attendant.
• Danyla departed for Highgarden with Bethany, Mungo, Bennard, her dragons, and numerous animal companions.
• Duke Tyrell and the duchess were astonished by Danyla’s many pets when she arrived at Highgarden.
• Danyla sensed powerful magical energy radiating from the ancient weirwood at the heart of Highgarden’s gardens.

At the Highgarden banquet, Danyla impressed the Reach nobles and used her Palm Fire Seed to alter the garden’s weirwood. She overheard Sansa defend giving a child to young Lord Tyrell to secure his future, then left reflecting on the need for wealth and strength.

• Bethany helped Danyla prepare for the banquet with Moon Goddess Balm, fine clothes, and jewelry, while the young noblewomen admired her fragrance and appearance.
• Danyla entered the banquet hall, where Reach nobles courted her favor and young ladies showered Lukao with gifts.
• After dancing, Danyla slipped into the gardens and branded Highgarden’s weirwood with her Palm Fire Seed, changing its face into a maiden’s.
• Danyla overheard Sansa argue with Matthew that she had given a child to young Lord Tyrell so her sister could be spared punishment and the child could have a secure upbringing.
• Danyla quietly withdrew, concluding that dignity depended on wealth and strength.

Danyla oversaw Highgarden’s first cremation rites, where her dragons cremated the gathered dead and helped House Tyrell advance its pursuit of Valyrian steel. As Duke Lannister and other Westerlands nobles traveled to Highgarden, Danyla waited to see what price they would offer to save themselves.

• Danyla attended Highgarden’s first Funeral Rite, where Antheros and the other dragons cremated the bodies while priests returned the ashes to their families.
• Duke Tyrell praised Antheros and explained his efforts to bring people from across the Reach to Highgarden for cremation.
• The dragons cremated bodies until nightfall and ate hundreds of cattle and sheep after the exertion and blood sacrifice ritual.
• After hearing that Highgarden’s Cremation Tower was operating smoothly, Duke Lannister set out from Casterly Rock with several Westerlands nobles, including Earl Reyne’s wife, Earl Tarbeck’s wife, and Lilith Banforth.
• Danyla stayed in Highgarden, where Bennard drew the attention of young ladies and Bethany teased her about being jealous.
• Danyla let the Red Shadow Leopard and direwolf pups follow her as the Reach’s noblewomen fed them, while she considered what the arriving Westerlands nobles would pay to save themselves.

Danyla dismissed fears that a changed weirwood foretold misfortune and defended Miss Rowan from further embarrassment after Bennard rebuked her. Two days later, Duke Lancaster and the Westerlands nobles arrived in Highgarden, where Danyla welcomed the guests and recruited Tyland to help rebuild Light Oldstones.

• Miss Florent noticed that the weirwood’s bloody old face had changed into a maiden’s silhouette, and the young ladies debated whether it was a good or bad omen.
• Bennard sharply criticized Miss Rowan for suggesting the change might foretell trouble, but Danyla reassured Miss Rowan and ended the dispute.
• After returning to their room, Bethany praised Bennard for defending Danyla, and Danyla commended his vigilance.
• Two days later, Duke Lancaster and his party arrived in Highgarden, and Danyla burned the intelligence Mungo had given her about the visiting Westerlands nobles.
• Danyla entered the lavish banquet with Bennard and Mungo, greeted Tyland, and offered him work managing accounts for the rebuilding of Light Oldstones; Tyland accepted.

At a banquet, Danyla warned the Westerlands nobles against challenging her authority and promised House Lannister a Great Dragon for Casterly Rock. She then trained two young dragons near the Shield Islands, where they hunted Great Sea Dogs.

• Tyland celebrated Princess Danyla’s favor, while Jason mocked him and questioned why House Tyrell had received a Great Dragon before House Lancaster.
• Danyla told Duke Lannister and Duke Tyrell that anyone reaching for the Iron Throne should expect punishment, and rejected the idea of sparing houses to win support for Doctor Vaegon.
• Danyla asked about Casterly Rock’s Cremation Tower and Dragonpit, then promised to send a sufficiently grown young dragon for the Funeral Rite.
• Danyla brought Digral and Ophiral to perform the Funeral Rite each day and trained their hunting and fighting skills near the Shield Islands.

Danyla learned about the magical sea creatures around the Shield Islands while Digral and Ophiral hunted large fur seals to practice their skills. After their first successful hunt, the young dragons grew confident and pursued more seals underwater.

• Ophiral caught Little Sea Monsters, Phantom Octopuses, and Starsea Veil jellyfish, while Danyla examined the creatures and collected jellyfish venom.
• Danyla considered the Shield Islands' abundant marine life and how her dragons could hunt there without using dragonfire.
• Digral concealed herself in the waves, caught a large fur seal, and killed it after struggling to hold it down.
• Ophiral leapt from the sea and caught a fleeing male fur seal, then the dragons carried both seals back to Danyla's ship.
• Digral and Ophiral returned to the sea and pursued the remaining seals, dragging them to the surface and killing them with their teeth.

Danyla trained her young dragons, sold their abundant seafood, and revealed she planned to demand the Westerlands nobles’ valuable mining rights in exchange for their release. After House Reyne and House Tarbeck debated their options, Lilith Banforth arrived at Highgarden to meet Danyla.

• Danyla trained Digral and Ophiral near the Shield Islands while the dragons hunted sea beasts and gathered valuable seafood.
• Danyla sold seafood through Tyland Lannister’s contacts, sharing some with House Tyrell and earning over fifty thousand Gold Dragons.
• Tyland asked Danyla whether she would release Earl Reyne and the other Westerlands nobles, and she said their release depended on what they surrendered, including their mines.
• Lady Reyne and Lady Tarbeck argued about whether to surrender their houses’ mining rights, while Tyland and Duke Lannister warned them against resisting Danyla.
• Mungo informed Danyla that Miss Lilith Banforth had requested an audience, and Danyla ordered him to send her in.

Danyla discovered that Lilith Banforth possessed the power of invisibility and recruited House Banforth to serve her in exchange for freeing Lilith’s father and elder brother and strengthening the family’s bloodline. Lilith’s agreement angered the wives of Houses Reyne and Tarbeck, who challenged her decision.

• Danyla warned Lilith after sensing her scrutinizing gaze, then demanded that she explain House Banforth’s supernatural bloodline.
• Lilith revealed that her family descended from the Children of the Forest and demonstrated her ability to turn invisible.
• Danyla offered to free Lilith’s father and elder brother and help restore House Banforth’s bloodline if the family served her as eyes and swords in the dark.
• Lilith accepted Danyla’s offer, and Danyla planned to use House Banforth’s seat as a base for taking the Iron Islands and its members as her own Faceless Men.
• Lady Reyne and Lady Tarbeck confronted Lilith over making an agreement with Danyla without consulting them, but Lilith defended her choice.

Danyla traveled with House Lannister’s caravan to Old Oak, where Reach nobles welcomed her and praised her occupation of Eyriehold. She met Fiona of House Crane and invited her to serve at her side.

• After another week of training, Danyla left Highgarden for Casterly Rock with House Lannister’s caravan, while Digral and Ophiral hunted under Myracis’s guidance.
• Tyland sold the dragons’ seafood haul to nobles along the route and bought cattle and sheep, earning more than ten thousand gold dragons by the time they reached Old Oak.
• The Earl of Oakheart warmly welcomed Danyla and hosted a feast attended by nobles who praised her for occupying Eyriehold.
• The Earl of Oakheart introduced his niece Fiona of House Crane, and Danyla sensed Fiona’s magical power and drew her close.
• Danyla invited Fiona to serve at her side, and Fiona accepted.

More than a hundred assassins infiltrated Old Oak during Danyla’s banquet and attacked the castle. Danyla and her defenders fought back, but dozens of assassins broke into the hall and began slaughtering the nobles.

• Danyla’s influence and the prosperity of her allies were celebrated as nobles presented her with lavish gifts at the banquet in Old Oak.
• More than a hundred assassins entered the castle through its sewage outlet and silently killed guards on their way to the Main Keep.
• Myracis’s roar alerted Danyla, who used her falcons to scout the grounds as the attackers reached the hall entrance.
• Mungo, Bethany, Fiona, Bennard, and Tyland rallied to protect Danyla, while concealed assassins among Lady Reyne’s attendants attacked her and Mungo cut down two of them.
• Myracis and the other dragons burned many attackers outside the castle, but thirty or forty assassins reached the banquet hall and began slaughtering the nobles.

Assassins attacked the banquet hall, and Danyla and her allies fought back as the Great Dragons struggled to maneuver inside the crowded Castle. Danyla recognized the assassin leader as Prince Qoren and challenged him over the deaths of his men.

• The assassins stormed the banquet hall, killing noble warriors while their spears wounded Ophiral and forced Digral to withdraw from the cramped hall.
• Danyla armed herself with pointed candlesticks and fire seeds, killing several assassins as Bethany and Fiona brought her more weapons.
• Danyla ordered Mungo to attack the assassin leader, and Mungo cut through the assassins while Bennard and the Reach warriors joined the fighting.
• Danyla identified the assassin leader as Prince Qoren and asked whether he intended to let all his men die.

Princess Danyla challenged Qoren Martell to single combat after he taunted her and House Targaryen. She defeated him with Nightfall and the Firefall Dagger, leaving him unconscious as Myracis entered the Main Keep.

• Qoren Martell revealed himself and mocked Danyla, who challenged him to a duel and ordered her allies to let him through.
• Tyland Lannister tried to stop Danyla, but she insisted on defending House Targaryen's dignity while Mungo and Bennard guarded the duel.
• Danyla and Qoren exchanged attacks, with neither gaining an advantage as Qoren intensified his assault.
• Danyla hurled Nightfall into Qoren's arm, nearly severing it, then struck his chest with the Palm Fire Seed-wrapped Firefall Dagger.
• Qoren was blasted unconscious, and Myracis crawled into the Main Keep.

Danyla survived a Dornish assassination attempt at Oakhart castle and ordered an investigation into the people who helped the assassins infiltrate the castle. The captured conspirators were brought before her, and she confronted Lady Tarbeck about her suspicious actions.

• Myracis, Mungo, Bennard, and the Reach knights defeated the assassins, while Prince Qoren was captured alive as evidence against the Dornish.
• Danyla ordered Qoren treated, demanded that Duke Lannister find the traitors, and sent Tyland and Fiona to investigate.
• Mungo's search uncovered Brother Leonardo, maids, and servants who had colluded with the Dornish, while Lady Reyne and Lady Tarbeck were also accused.
• Danyla questioned Lady Reyne and Lady Tarbeck, and Lady Reyne admitted the plot while Lady Tarbeck claimed she had been deceived.
• Danyla challenged Lady Tarbeck about sending her eldest son away and keeping her children from the banquet.

Danyla sentenced the Reyne and Tarbeck families and other conspirators to brutal punishments, then had more than a hundred criminals burned by dragonfire before the gathered nobles. As the dragons consumed the corpses, she reflected on the tactics that had thwarted Aegon the Conqueror’s invasion of Dorne.

• Danyla stripped Houses Reyne and Tarbeck of their lands and status, condemning their direct lines to dragonfire and the rest to slavery in the Stepstones for treason and violating guest right.
• Lady Reyne cursed Danyla and was knocked unconscious by Mungo, while Lady Tarbeck pleaded for mercy and offered House Tarbeck’s mines; Danyla rejected both appeals and ordered the prisoners taken away.
• After interrogating the prisoners through the night, Danyla gathered the castle’s nobles in Oakhart Castle’s courtyard as Tyland Lannister recited the condemned criminals’ crimes.
• Danyla ordered the dragons to burn more than a hundred prisoners, and the dragons devoured their corpses as the nobles were forced to watch.
• Danyla considered how the Dornish had avoided dragonfire during Aegon the Conqueror’s invasion by hiding, using guerrilla tactics, and ambushing the invading armies.

The Dornish Wars brought secret attacks, strange calamities, and deadly reprisals against the Targaryens and their allies. The chapter ended with the Vulture King’s rebellion and its lasting changes to Dornish customs.

• Stonecutters carved twelve hidden channels beneath Shadow City, allowing mobs to enter Sunspear and massacre the royal troops and nobles.
• Harlan Tyrell led eight thousand armored warriors toward Vance City, but the legion disappeared into the desert amid conflicting reports of its fate.
• The Iron Throne ransomed Orys Baratheon, whose captivity and the spread of copper snake charms reflected the Dornish hatred of House Targaryen.
• Dornish defenders struck Myracis with poisoned ballista bolts at Hellholt, piercing her eye as Rhaenys rode her over the fortress.
• Dornish light cavalry burned the Rainwood, and years later Princess Dairyla brought a secret letter to Aegon while strange events unfolded beneath the Red Keep.
• The Vulture King attacked wedding feasts during his rebellion, and Dornish brides began wearing necklaces of venomous snake fangs to ward off misfortune.

The aftermath of the Third Dornish War was marked by the brutal defeat of the Vulture King's rebellion and a series of bizarre military schemes and accidents. Later discoveries revealed unexpected consequences of the war, including a potion residue on Samwell Tarly's blade that became an early treatment for greyscale.

• Orys Baratheon tortured Walter Wyl to death after the rebels were defeated beneath Stonehelm.
• Lady Caron of Nightsong pursued the fleeing rebels, and the moonstone on her spear lodged in the Vulture King's eye socket.
• Samwell Tarly hunted down the rebels while Jaehaerys I and Vermithor burned their last camp, and Duke Roga Baratheon attacked through the mountains.
• Prince Marion Martell's warships collided because their plans had been reversed, while his supposed vampire bats turned out to be harmless flying foxes.
• Doctor Galdan described the Red Mountains' war-scarred fault line, and later maesters discovered that the blue residue on Samwell Tarly's blade came from a Dornish potion that helped inspire a treatment for greyscale.