Also to note: A Dornish warrior, Ser Criston Cole, was also pining for the love and attention of Princess Rhaenyra. However, they would have a falling out which causes him to swiftly change sides. In the book, it is never fully explained what made Cole change sides. However, we see in the show that he and Rhaenyra have sex, leading him to fall for her. After she denies his advances, he struggles with the fact he broke his knightly oath and falls into depression and rage that ends up making him allies with Alicent. In the novel, The Hand of the King, Otto Hightower, moved to place his grandson Aegon II on the throne and convinces Alicent that she and her children will be murdered by Rhaenyra if they do not. Also, Otto believed that Princess Rhaenyra’s husband Daemon would end up being the true ruler if she ascended to the throne. Otto hated Daemon, a feud that lives on throughout the civil war. However, Lord Lyman Beesbury, the Master of Coin, disagreed with denying Alicent her right to the throne. He believed they should honor the dead king’s wishes by crowning Rhaenyra. Soon after, an argument broke out about putting a woman on the throne, and also about Daemon’s ambitions. In the debate, Beesbury was murdered by Ser Criston Cole. In both the series and the novel, the Green Council arrested anyone who may have been loyal to Rhaenyra in the capital. However, in the novel, Ser Steffon Darklyn of the Kingsguard would steal the crown worn by the now-dead King Viserys I and defect to Dragonstone to side with Rhaenyra. We see in the series twin Ser Erryk Cargyll pull this move instead. Aegon II was instead crowned with Aegon I’s original crown. Rhaenyra is then crowned Queen on Dragonstone with the stolen crown of her father. She also created her own council — the Black Council. Otto Hightower, before being dismissed as King Aegon II’s hand, sent for assistance from The Triarchy. Knowing they hated Daemon for his conquest of them, he made them allies. Okay, back to the civil war. Nettles rode Sheepstealer, Hugh Hammer rode Vermithor, Ulf the White rode Silverwing, and Addam Velaryon (once a bastard in the Velaryon family tree) rode Seasmoke. This group was called the Dragonseeds.
