"“When their hosts closed around him on the banks of the river Honeywine… Lord Hightower saw his lines crumble. Defeat seemed imminent… until a shadow swept across the battlefield, and a terrible roar resounded overhead, slicing through the sound of steel on steel. A dragon had come.”"Fire and Blood, p. 448
Prince Daeron Targaryen, known as Daeron “The Daring,” was the third-born son and youngest child of King Viserys I Targaryen and Queen Alicent Hightower. Like many in his family, he is a dragon-rider, mounting the cobalt she-dragon, Tessarion. He was regarded as the most popular of Alicent’s three sons, something that could and (I believe) should be attributed to his guardian and second-cousin, Lord Ormund Hightower.
Another character we have not yet seen in House of the Dragon, Lord Ormund is the first- cousin of Alicent and Gwayne Hightower, making him the second cousin to Alicent’s children. There is little information regarding Ormund in George R.R. Martin's book Fire & Blood; he's mainly a background character. In the book, his sole purpose is as the leading general of the Green army in the Reach during the Dance of the Dragons. (SPOILER INCOMING) He's also important because cohesion and order begin to fall apart upon his death. Not even Daeron could exert control over the likes of Lord Unwin Peake and “Bold” Jon Roxton, a testament to the underlying importance of this seemingly “background” character.
When trying to understand the relationship between Daeron and Lord Ormund, it is important to remind ourselves what we already know about Daeron’s character. Nature is one thing, but to be nurtured in the right way goes an even longer way into becoming a good person.
So far in House of the Dragon, we have two notable descriptions of Daeron. At the second episode of season 2, "Rhaenyra the Cruel," Otto Hightower is preparing to leave King’s Landing following his dismissal as Hand of the King. In his private conversation with Alicent, he despairs at the state of affairs they now face. For a moment, he turns his focus to Daeron as a potential new protégé. It is only a small comment, hinting more at Daeron’s age, rather than any specific character trait: “…and you [Alicent] have a son there who’ll take more kindly to instruction.” This is not an unreasonable comment to make; Daeron, being the youngest brother, at only 16, has not been given any leadership roles so far in his life, thus Otto’s assumption that he'll be able to influence him better than he can Aegon or Aemond.
The second, far more revealing comment about Daeron is made by Gwayne Hightower in his conversation with Alicent in Episode 6. “He’s stalwart, clever, as adept with his lute as he is with his sword and a feature in the fancies of many a young lady, I’ll wager," Gwayne tells his sister. "He’s kind.” Yes, Gwayne is trying to comfort Alicent in her obvious anguish, but by the look in Gwayne’s eyes, he is not lying. And Gwayne would know far more than Otto, considering he lived with Daeron in Oldtown for several years and likely contributed to his nephew’s adolescent growth.
There are numerous other reasons why Daeron is the most popular of Alicent’s sons. Firstly, Oldtown is far from the backstabbing and political manuevering of King’s Landing. Daeron has far less pressure on his shoulders than his brothers, simply being allowed to be a child and grow accordingly. The formative years of a royal princeling can make the difference between a peaceful reign or a tyrannical one.
Second, House Targaryen and House Hightower hold very different roles. Obviously, the Targaryens are the royal family, the figurehead of the Seven Kingdoms. Their Valyrian ancestry and history as dragon riders, makes them appear “closer to gods than to men,” as Rhaenyra pointed out to her sons Jace and Luke in the season 1 Finale. It is a façade that must be maintained without fault – any chink in the armor opens them up to sedition, dissent, and insurrection. These pressures have driven some Targaryens to great feats, like Aegon "The Conqueror" and Jaehaerys "The Conciliator." For others, it has been to their detriment and downfall, like Aegon "The Unworthy" and Aerys "The Mad King."
House Hightower has not nearly the same pressures placed upon it. They are not even the Wardens of the South; House Tyrell is. Despite their strategic importance, wealth and military gravitas, their position is actually fairly comfortable in comparison with House Targaryen. This is the kind of environment that provides Daeron with the healthy conditioning required to become "kind.” Aegon and Aemond have had no such mercy in King's Landing, having expectations forced upon them before they truly even knew what expectations were.
"“…Oldtown became the unquestioned center of the Faith for all of Westeros… Oldtown became their holy city, and many devout men and women traveled there to pray at its septs and shrines and other holy places. Doubtless it was in part due to these ties to the Seven that the Hightowers were so often able to keep themselves separate from House Gardener’s countless wars.”"The World of Ice and Fire, p. 216
Thirdly, House Hightower is closely linked with the Faith of the Seven. The Starry Sept is located in Oldtown, built by a former Hightower lord. The Faith plays a major role in Westerosi society, providing a moral structure for its worshippers. That structure is key to a nobleman’s honor and reputation and therefore their ability to maintain their authority. Daeron, being squire to the Lord of Oldtown, would also have this close connection to the Faith.
Something that many may overlook is that Daeron, although a dragon rider, does not possess the same power as most other dragon riders. For example, his elder brother Aemond has Vhagar, the largest, most powerful dragon in the world. Following his first ride upon the great dragon, Aemond's arrogance skyrocketed tenfold, as seen in the first season of House of the Dragon. This is not an uncommon thing. Towards the end of season 2, even Rhaenyra tells her newly minted dragon-riders the effects of taming a Dragon: “If you survive, you will be transformed. No man or woman can face a dragon and be otherwise.”
On the other hand, Daeron's dragon Tessarion is a young dragon and thus has no laurels to rest upon, unlike the mighty Vhagar, the fearsome Vermithor or the magnificent Sunfyre. Daeron and Tessarion are equally inexperienced and thus must forge their own destiny. Had Aemond bonded with a younger dragon, he would likely not be as arrogant as he is with Vhagar.
The relationship between Daeron Targaryen and Lord Ormund Hightower
Daeron serves as Lord Ormund’s squire. In such positions, many begin to understand the importance of servitude and thus, humility. We can imagine a kind of surrogate father-son relationship. There are other examples of this in Martin's work, with Dunk and Ser Arlan of Pennytree in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and Jon Snow and Lord Commander Mormont in A Song of Ice and Fire. The words of Jeor Mormont to Jon Snow offer some insight here: “You want to lead one day? Then learn how to follow.”
Daeron learns from those with experience of leadership as the Dance progresses and begins to mature. It is my deepest hope that House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal really digs deep into this type of relationship; it would give us a different kind of relationship than we have thus far seen in the show. Yes, a healthy relationship! How rare is that in Westeros?
The fact that British actor James Norton has been cast as Lord Ormund indicates to me that he will play a significant role on the show.
Beware MAJOR SPOILERS for House of the Dragon below
The progression of Daeron and Ormund’s story could progress like this: The Battle of the Honeywine is Daeron, Tessarion and Ormund’s baptism of fire. With the Hightower host surrounded by numerous Black allies (Houses Beesbury, Rowan, Tarly etc), Ormund’s army is about to be overwhelmed until the timely arrival of Daeron upon Tessarion. In the battle’s aftermath, Daeron is personally knighted by Lord Ormund, dubbing him Daeron "The Daring."
"“…Ormund Hightower feasted Daeron on aurochs and strongwine, and dubbed him a knight with the storied Valyrian longsword Vigilance, naming him “Ser Daeron the Daring.” The prince modestly replied, “My lord is kind to say so, but the victory belongs to Tessarion.””"Fire and Blood, p. 449
The Prince’s humility in passing the victory to Tessarion could be a moment of pride for Ormund, like a father watching his son win his first sports medal, knowing that Daeron is truly an honorable man, despite his youth.
As the season progresses, the slow march towards King’s Landing through the Reach includes the gradual introduction of new characters like Lord Unwin Peake and Ser “Bold” Jon Roxton, adding to an underlying unease within the Green camp, maintained only by the personal leadership of Ormund. There could be several conversations between Daeron and Ormund, offering a chance for the prince to understand the difficulties of leadership, learning how to manage difficult personalities and ambitious lords. This could also be another area of bonding between the Lord and his Squire.
A key moment of difficulty in Daeron and Ormund’s relationship could be the tragic incident at Bitterbridge. In the book, this is where young Maelor Targaryen — the young son of King Aegon and Queen Helaena, and Daeron's nephew — is killed by a mob. We haven’t seen any evidence that Maelor exists in the show, and with the likelihood that there will only be eight episodes in season 3, it's quite possible that we won't see the incident at Bitterbridge unfold at all. However, imagining that the Tragedy of Bitterbridge will take place, this could open up a rift between Daeron and Ormund. Maelor's gruesome end shocks both warring factions, marking the beginning of the end for Rhaenyra's short-lived rule in King's Landing. Being the Blood of the Dragon, Daeron would naturally want vengeance for the cruel death of his nephew; Targaryens are renowned for having a furious temper. Ormund, however, may take a slightly more reserved approach. In the book, Lady Caswell (Lady of Bitterbridge) sought Ormund’s mercy for the town and her family, if not for herself, as the Hightower army surrounded Bitterbridge, but Daeron openly refused and rode Tessarion as they burnt down the town.
"“You shall receive the same terms you gave my nephew Maelor.” …Inns, guild halls, storehouses, the homes of the mean and the mighty, dragonflame consumed them all.”"Fire and Blood, p. 473
The Green Army then stormed Bitterbridge and massacred many of its inhabitants. Ormund, perhaps proving some of my theory correct that he would take a more merciful approach, did ultimately spare the lives of Lady Caswell’s children.
"“When Lord Hightower rode up, he found her [Lady Caswell] standing atop the gatehouse with a noose about her neck. “Have mercy on my children, lord,” she begged, before throwing herself down to hang.”"Fire and Blood, p. 473
It could be a moment that strains the relationship of the older father figure and the younger, slightly more impulsive dragon-rider. Imagine seeing this moment onscreen, a deeply dividing moment in what is otherwise a healthy relationship. It would show that any character, no matter how brief their appearance, can make a massive impact in the story and drive the deepest wedge between two close characters. I really hope that this subplot takes place.
The most important part of Daeron’s story is the First Battle of Tumbleton. It is one of the turning points in the Dance of the Dragons, affecting the rest of the war. During this battle, the Green army engages the Black army outside the walls of the town of Tumbleton. The leader of the Winter Wolves, Roderick Dustin, known as Roddy "The Ruin," leads a suicidal charge and ultimately slays Lord Ormund, leaving the Green army leaderless thereafter.
"“Whilst King’s Landing quailed in terror, the foes they feared had yet to advance a foot toward the city, for King Aegon’s loyalists found themselves leaderless, beset by division, conflict, and doubt.”"Fire and Blood, p. 494
This is where the surrogate father-son relationship would meet a bloody, bitter end, leaving Daeron without a guiding voice, forcing him to rely upon all that Ormund had taught him as he is, despite his youth, now technically the de-facto leader of the Green army. It would be a perfect end that would set up this storyline for the fourth season and how Daeron will cope with being the figurehead for the entire Green faction during the long, mysterious absence of King Aegon.
In all, there is a lot of potential for this upcoming relationship. It is a dynamic between two characters that will alter the fate of many thousands during the Dance of the Dragons. My sincere hope is that both are given the justice they deserve.
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