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The Tournament & Wedding of Destiny
- A recurring sentiment that the Targaryens have amongst themselves is to raise their children properly so that they have a united family without the factionalism that plagued their house.
- Getting a rare gimpse into the Stark home life before everything went crazy is sweet, with the wild Lyanna drawing Brandon and Benjen into a mud fight after their sword fighting is over.
- Lyanna and Rhaegar get acquainted after he finds out about her being the Knight of the Laughing Tree. From Lyanna's first true romantic kiss, to the sweet talk about culture and letting Lyanna have freedom in her new role as a princess. It truly establishes to each other that theirs will be a new match of joys to change everything. The first song of Ice and Fire.
- While both Elia and Lyanna were originally trying to manage their expectations for how to talk to each other, it was Rhaenys being excited to hear about snow that broke the ice and brought them together for the first time.
- The 2 wives find out about Rhaegar as a secret patron for the orphans of King's Landing. Showing that while martial and brooding, a great heart lies under the last dragon's armor.
- The wedding of Rhaegar and Lyanna. A new hope for the future, in all the love and friendship Lyanna and Rhaegar can have.
Rise to Rebellion
- Elia and Rhaegar finally airing their own hurt feelings fully from their marriage. And then having make-up sex, which culminates in Elia finally being able to say with true confidence, "I love you."
- Even despite his own ruthlessness, Tywin won't even think about killing his bastard grandson once Cersei makes plain why she won't marry Robert Baratheon.
- Rhaegar has to endure the agony of losing another child in the womb. But the one thing to keep him going is the vision Melisandre helped him see. The future of his house keeping him sane in dealing with the unimaginable.
- Dacey Mormont and Arthur Dayne finally talk properly about Dacey's pregnancy, with Arthur recognizing that even though he can never claim it as a child, he will still love the child dearly as much as he loves the wild Dacey.
- Ellaria and Oberyn's reunion of hesitance and rejection, before going into a wild coupling of passion. And then later in the visit, bringing their partnership public. Elia and Rhaegar immediately are all for them finally finding someone just as wild, and having someone who'd truly make them happy. And most of their immediate family also congratulate them for the decision.
- Arthur's triumphant return to Starfall and meeting his siblings again. And in turn, introducing them to Dacey.
Rhaegar's Rebellion & The Great Sickness
- During the tumult of waiting out the rebellion, Ashara Dayne and Benjen Stark talk about oaths and choices, but it ends with the two of them sharing their First Kiss.
- Jamie confesses his love for Rhaella. And in their subsequent tryst of passion, Rhaella is met with a the first good sex of her life, and beginning their secret relationship to support each other.
- In the middle of the carnage of Harrenhal, a calm religious partnership is struck up, with Septon Meribald and Lady Melisandre forming a kind dialogue and friendship in their steadfast support of Rhaegar. A surprise given the hostility the faiths of Planetos typically have towards each other.
- The joys of love bringing Benjen to courage during the storming of Starfall. That as a kingsguard, he, Dacey and Arthur are going to survive and defeat anyone going after the queens.
- Jamie takes on the greatest of curses for love. While Rhaella was the one who saved her son by killing her brother/husband, Jamie decided that he couldn't let her live with the crime, and took on the Kingslayer moniker as a way to ensure some trust for the Dowager Queen in the years to come.
- Despite Garlan's own vexations on being forced into a marriage, his first true moments alone with his wife leave a good impression, with the two growing a stable if not flashy marriage.
- In her lowest moments before the blood ritual, Elia begs many around her who she thinks can't hear her for forgiveness. But when she asks the gods for forgiveness, the fire changes. And Tessarion, her secret Patron God only whispers one sentence: "You are forgiven, Queen Elia."
- Elia and Lyanna make up after the plague dies down. Both apologizing profusely and promising to keep loving from hereon out.
- It says something about Tessarion's feelings about humanity that while all her fellow gods have their own desires and hangups, she took on the mortal hero Azor Azai as her paramour through eternity.
The Greyjoy Rebellion
- At the King's Tourney, Lyanna and Rhaegar end up as the Joust finalists. When Lyanna wins, she ends up giving her winnings to the poor of King's Landing, and crowning her co-wife Elia with the crown of Love and Beauty.
- Even though there's suspicion hanging on him, Viserys bonding with his dragon is sweet, especially in how he smiles earnestly when his mother Rhaella tells him how proud she is of the deed.
- Lyanna meets her nephew Robb for the first time. Who's very excited to meet an aunt from his "legendary" father.
- Cersei and Lyanna get properly aquainted, and in seeing her sincerity and self confidence, Lyanna gives her a hopeful blessing.
- Cersei, Robb and Ned reunite.
- Cersei is overwhelmed in surprise that the gods actually heard her prayers.
- Robb is thrilled to finally meet his poppa.
- Ned is grateful and joyous to be with his lost love once again.
- Despite their family's own hesitations, the reunion between Rhaella and Ser Bonifer is more civil than tense. Both have their own regrets about paths not taken, but both are mature enough to see the limitations of their youthful dreams. And despite some sadness, Bonifer doesn't push anything, and is just glad that Rhaella is happy with Jamie.
- Cersei lovingly caring for Ned's children by Catelyn as if they were her own.
Vacation in The North
- Seeing the growing Dragon Pack giggle over cookies. Even their "ward" Asha admits that the cookie was good.
- Post-Rebellion, there's something beautiful in seeing Stannis find some real happiness in not just fatherhood but in marriage. As Lyneese proves to be a devout wife, and a smart Lady to help with fixing up The Stormlands.
- In a bittersweet kind of way, Rhaella and Jamie's talk about children. That just when she found a man who deserved spousal love (in all but name), Rhaella just got too old and too hurt to have any more children which she wanted to give to Jamie. But, he comforts his queen by saying that he has his honor, his love and his daughter, so he is content with life.
- Aemon being glad to have Melisandre "back". That he recognizes "her" despite the time they spent apart, but respects her enough that he'll keep whatever secret she has.
- Dany and Sansa meeting for the first time in person. Recognizing each other from the vision the Old Gods passed on in their younger days, and falling into being playmates together.
- And in sizing up young Robb, Jon decides that he's fit to play Orys Baratheon, thus completing the circle of starks and targs as playful youths.
- While they might still snip at one another, it's nice to see in this timeline that even though Tywin still has his expectations of his children, House Lannister as a whole is in a much more healthy emotional state. And Cersei can even be civil with Tyrion now.
- Ned telling his step-niece that even though she'll never have the blood of a Stark, she does have the spirit of one.
- Rhaenys's hopeful joy at finding Direwolf Pups for her muna to raise and eventually expand the pack for her to have too.
- While a bit bittersweet, Ned, Benjen and Lyanna have a late night drink together, talking about how none of them ended up where they thought they would. And all of them admitting that what they got was beyond their wildest dreams.
- To give a good going away present in the north, Rhaegar conducts a marriage before the old gods for his wives to give them a nice shine.
- And on that note, Howland Reed who was a part of that first chaotic meeting, gets to officiate to them as well.
