The Blood and Cheese plot is among the darkest moments in the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. It was a calculated act of vengeance that pushed the conflict into new levels of brutality. Below is the conspiracy breakdown, its execution, and its consequences.
Step 1: The Call for Vengeance
- Event: Prince Lucerys Velaryon, son of Rhaenyra Targaryen, is killed at Storm’s End.
- Culprit: Prince Aemond Targaryen, riding the dragon Vhagar.
- Impact: Queen Rhaenyra is devastated. Daemon Targaryen vows retribution, declaring that a son of Aegon II must pay for the death of Lucerys.
Step 2: Recruiting the Killers
- Daemon’s Agents:
- Blood: A former Goldcloak stripped of rank, known for his violent reputation.
- Cheese: A rat-catcher who knew the secret passages of the Red Keep.
- Objective: Slip into the royal chambers undetected and kill one of Aegon II’s male heirs.
Step 3: Infiltration of the Red Keep
- Using hidden tunnels and Cheese’s knowledge of the keep, the two assassins gained access to the royal apartments.
- Their knowledge of the guards’ routines allowed them to enter at night without raising alarms.
Step 4: The Hostage Situation
- Target: The Queen, Helaena Targaryen.
- Action: Blood and Cheese seized her and her children, forcing her into a cruel position.
- Demand: Choose which of her sons should die, echoing Daemon’s command for a son to be taken in revenge.
Step 5: The Murder
- Helaena pleaded for her youngest son, Maelor, to be spared.
- Instead, Blood and Cheese ignored her cries and killed Prince Jaehaerys, the eldest son of Aegon II and heir to the throne.
- The killing was brutal, leaving Helaena traumatised and powerless.
Step 6: Escape and Capture
- Blood escaped temporarily into the city’s underworld.
- Cheese was eventually caught and put to death.
- Blood’s fate remains unclear in some accounts, but his role cemented his place in infamy.
Step 7: Aftermath and Escalation
- King Aegon II was devastated and enraged.
- Queen Helaena’s mental state declined sharply after the murder of her son.
- Both factions doubled down on war, abandoning any chance of reconciliation.
- The atrocity became a rallying cry for the Greens, fuelling further violence and vengeance.
Legacy of Blood and Cheese
The Blood and Cheese plot is remembered as one of the Dance of the Dragons’ most horrifying episodes. It symbolises the cycle of revenge that defined the war, where losses on each side led to escalating cruelty. The killing of Prince Jaehaerys hardened the conflict, ensuring that peace was impossible and that the war would only grow bloodier.
