According to the accounts of Septon Eustace, prior to her turning sixteen, Rhaenyra lost her virginity to her uncle, Prince Daemon, after he seduced her.
But, while time may heal all wounds, 10 years certainly wasn't enough time for Alicent's wounds to heal over being lied to by Rhaenyra. We last saw her find out the truth in "We Light the Way" that Rhaenyra lost her virginity to Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
The story of the princess and her valiant knight did not end as a fairy tale, though. A sordid and controversial story began to spread that Rhaenyra lost her virginity to her uncle Daemon at age 16. No one knows if that is true. But Targaryens had long married within the family to keep their bloodlines pure.
While House Of The Dragon episode 4 showed Daemon was able to seduce Rhaenyra by kissing and undressing her, he couldn't fulfill the act due to impotence.
She Lost Her Virginity To Her Uncle
Sure to be one of Matt Smith's best characters, it was clear from early on that there was a remarkable bond between Daemon and his niece, Rhaenyra. Many of the chroniclers agree that he was, in fact, the one who took her virginity.
Nothing ever happened between the kingsguard and the princess. Whereas in HOTD we are shown that Criston and Rhaenyra did indeed have sex, and as you know, Martin had more creative control in HOTD.
Rhaenyra sleeps with Ser Criston Cole, Otto Hightower spills
He initially tells the princess to stop but soon accepts her advances, and the two sleep together. The two have been great friends and Ser Criston is one of the few people Rhaenyra trusts so, can't say we didn't see this coming!
Turns out, Rhaenyra and Daemon are endgame, meaning they have a sexually tense relationship, eventually hook up, and get married—which is pretty significant from a power play perspective considering (1) they both want the throne and (2) their Targaryen union is almost sure to guarantee that happens—even though Alicent ...
Despite Rhaenyra and Daemon's excitement over having another child, their daughter will tragically never take a breath of air. Upon hearing the news of King Viserys' death and Aegon seizing the Iron Throne and being crowned King, Rhaenyra goes into dangerously premature labor.
Daemon shows his genuine care and attention to Rhaenyra several times before the two marry. This doesn't take away from the many destructive and inappropriate parts of their relationship, but the books imply that Daemon does love Rhaenyra.
Acording to "Fire & Blood"... "Childbirth exacted a toll on the princess; the weight that Rhaenyra gained during her pregnancies never entirely left her, and by the time her youngest boy was born, she had grown stout and thick of waist' the beauty of her girlhood a fading memory...." And this was before marrying Daemon ...
Some dragon-like babies are born after incredibly complicated and anger-induced births, so it's possible that the fire of the dragon being released within both Rhaenyra and Syrax during the birth somehow impacted her daughter's physical characteristics.
While Rhaenyra did go on to sleep with Criston Cole — the big problem of the episode — Viserys (Paddy Considine) was made more cautious of Daemon. In confronting him, instead of denying that he had sex with Rhaenyra and telling the truth, he instead asks Rhaenyra's hand in marriage.
Rhaenyra's children are bastards, and Vaemond finally let everyone know in Episode 8, as loudly as he possibly could.
Or, at least, his little dragon knows something his brain doesn't. According to co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik, in a featurette that aired after the episode: “Ultimately, his impotence in the scene is a reflection of the fact that he knows, deep down, that what he's doing isn't right.”
In the books, they have three: daughter Visenya, who does not survive infancy; and two sons, Aegon III and Viserys II, who will grow up to be next Kings of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men.
Laena and Daemon marry soon after. Laena and Daemon were a power couple, and their marriage was celebrated by nearly all of Westeros and Essos — except for King Viserys and his court, who considered it another sign of Daemon's disrespect.
Rhaenyra's Relationship With Criston Soiled His White Cloak
In "King of the Narrow Sea", Rhaenyra seduced Ser Criston after she herself was denied by her uncle Daemon (Matt Smith). She and her paramour spent the night together, and she was warm towards Ser Criston afterward.
So, let's agree that he is (give or take) 16 years older than Rhaenyra. This places him in his early 30s when we first see him meet his niece. Yes, his niece. His teenage niece who we immediately realise he has a bit of a thing for.
In the seventh episode of the blockbuster HBO series, Prince Daemon marries his own niece, Princess Rhaenyra. The incestuous romance had been building for some time. Before a 10-year time jump occurred in the show's sixth epsode, Daemon took a young Rhaenyra to a brothel in King's Land where the two got intimate.
Otto Hightower had informed the King of Daemon and Rhaenyra's "coupling," as he nervously called it, even though she actually slept with Ser Criston Cole.
Ser Criston Cole, we have to understand, was never a good guy. He wasn't an honorable knight who went over to the dark side. He merely wore a chivalrous façade. He didn't want Rhaenyra to run away with him because he loved her despite his claims to marry “for love.” Nor was he heartbroken over her refusal.
So, who is the real father of Rhaenyra's children? In the show and in George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood novel, it is heavily implied that Ser Harwin Strong, a knight and the captain of the City's Watch, is the true father of Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey.
While House Of The Dragon episode 4 showed Daemon was able to seduce Rhaenyra by kissing and undressing her, he couldn't fulfill the act due to impotence.