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The royalty inHouse of the Dragonare people for whom dragons, armies, riches, mysterious poisons, and medicinal drinks hold allure. King Viserys I, who rots away due to a mysterious disease, is given Milk of the Poppy to ease his pain. Similarly,numerous dangerous poisonsand potions figure in the original show,Game of Thrones.
Aside from Milk of the Poppy, there is a tea with a very specific purpose inHouse of the Dragon. It is crucial to the story as it provides greater context intothe relationships between the key charactersand the medievalHotDsociety at large. At this point, it is imperative to go into this tea and the purpose it serves inHouse of the Dragon.
The Tea InHouse of the Dragon
King Viserys the First of His Nameis the first to order the use of a tea inHouse of the Dragon. He has Grand Maester Mellos prepare it for his daughter Rhaenyra. Mellos brings it to the Princess in her bedchambers at the end ofHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episode 4 “King of the Narrow Sea” and places it on the table in front of her. When she asks what the tea is, he simply says that it is from the King. He’s quick to mention that he took special care to brew because if improperly brewed, it can either be ineffective or have an unpleasant effect.
I took great care in its preparation.
Rhaenyra who has her eyes fixated on the pot is told the tea will rid her of any"unwanted consequences.“Mellos' words confirm that her father knows she isn’t innocent of the conduct of depravity in her private and social duties that Otto Hightower earlier accused her of. By the orders of the King, she is to consume it and prevent any unwanted pregnancy that could sully her name and harm her position as heir to the throne.Rhaenyra is an unmarried young woman inHouse of the Dragon’s “King of the Narrow Sea.” Having lost her mother in the final attempt to give the King a male heir, Rhaenyra also watched her father remarry her childhood companion and best friend, Alicent Hightower. Her life thus far has been a whirlwind of activity, starting from becoming a motherless daughter, and watching her father and her best friend marry and produce an heir. She lives in constant fear that this Prince will supplant her any time soon.
Viserys names Rhaenyra his heirnot on a whim or to spurn anyone but because he sees goodness in his daughter. He believes she could rule the Seven Kingdoms better than any son of his, and truly wants her to carry the responsibility. The realm isn’t perfect, people at court are cunning, and Rhaenyra is trying to figure it all out. Her father presses her to marry to shore up her succession and strengthen her claim to the throne. Amid all this, the King’s younger rogue brother, Daemon flies to King’s Landing after winning a war against the Crabfeeder and the forces of the Triarchy, and what’s worse, Rhaenyra feels strongly attracted to him.
The night of Prince Daemon’s return, he arranges for Rhaenyra to sneak out of the Red Keep, disguised as a boy, and into the dark alleys of the city. They visit a pleasure house in the Street of Silk where he brings up the topics of"sex"and"pleasure"for women. He leaves her high and dry and abandons her because he realizes she’s into the act. Daemon had planned to sully Rhaenyra’s name and by so doing, arrange his marriage to her. He doesn’t follow through, and Rhaenyra finds her way home. She ends up losing her virginity to her sworn protector,Ser Criston Colethe same night. Viserys despite everything is repulsed at the very idea of marrying her daughter to Daemon.
Viserys questions Daemon’s motivations, saying:
Of course. It’s not my daughter you lust for, is it? It’s my throne.
He also summons Rhaenyra to his bedchambers and announces the end of her courtship. He’s arranged a marriage between her andthe Sea Snake’s son, Laenor Velaryon and she is to obey the orders. Since Viserys suspects Rhaenyra isn’t entirely innocent, he orders Mellos to brew the tea at once.
What Is The Moon Tea InHouse Of The Dragon?
Prepared with great care, the Moon Tea/ Tansy Tea is used in Westeros and bythe Wildlings Beyond the Wall. It is a medicinal herbal option for unwanted pregnancies. Only a select few specialize in making the Moon Tea and they includethe Order of the Maestersand Woods Witches.
The tea is a concoction of ingredients namely mint, wormwood, a spoon of honey, and a hint of pennyroyal. The herbal preparation is seen as a viable and effective option to end an early unwanted pregnancy by the royals inHouse of the Dragon.Lysa Tully’s father, Lord Hoster, gives her the Moon Tea when she reveals she is carrying his foster, Petyr Baelish’s child. Besides Rhaenyra inHouse of the Dragonand Lysa inGame of Throneslore, Alicent sees to it thatAegon’s maid, Dyanatakes the Moon Tea to prevent any pregnancy resulting from his assault.
How The Moon Tea Amps Up The Plot InHouse of the Dragon
It is through the Moon Tea that Alicent Hightower finds out that Rhaenyra lied about her maidenhood and lost her virginity indeed. Earlier, she’d argued in her favor to the King and her father, Otto. She feels like a complete foolthe moment Larys Strong confirmsthat Rhaenyra was"unwell"due to a certain tea she’d taken on the night of her tryst with Daemon.
It’s just that on the very same night your father was dismissed, the Grand Maester delivered a tea to the Princess’s chambers.
The words"a tea… that the Grand Maester delivered himself"are enough for Alicent to see through the Princesse’s lies. Alicent later summons Criston Cole to her room and asks him the truth about the night that changed the fates of so manypeople in the realm. Ser Criston states that it was he who shared the bed with Rhaenyra, and all of this was possible because of Lord Larys Strong’s espionage and the discovery of Mellos preparing the Moon Tea.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is HBO’s prequel series to Game of Thrones. Set hundreds of years earlier, the show follows the inner machinations and rivalries of the Targaryen royal family. The show was created by Ryan Condal and George R.R. Martin, and stars Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Rhys Ifans, and Olivia Cooke.
