Template:Lore "The Red Keep" is part of the Histories & Lore, a special feature from Game of Thrones: The Complete Third Season. It is narrated by Jack Gleeson as King Joffrey Baratheon.
Synopsis
King Joffrey Baratheon describes the Red Keep and the various methods of torture that it has housed throughout its history.
Narration
Joffrey Baratheon: Mine. That's what the Red Keep is. The smallfolk say that it's color comes from the blood Aegon spilled to win his crown. Fools. Blood doesn't soak into stone, no matter how hard I try.
Aegon built his castle of red rock to remind people of the fires he had roasted his enemies in, so whenever King's Landing looked up, they'd see the price of defiance. He knew the first rule of kings: only fear keeps men in line. Fear... and punishment, a lesson he taught his son Maegor. When the builders finally finished the Red Keep, Maegor executed them all to keep it's secrets safe. Rumor has it, miles of hidden passageways run behind the walls and under the floors. One day I'll have to find them.
Traitors and women work in shadows. A king has no need for secrecy. Now, people name Maegor "the Cruel", but I doubt any dared in his day. His strength was all too rare in the degenerate Targaryen blood. The simpering Baelor, "the Blessed", created the Maidenvault to imprison his own sisters and save himself from carnal thoughts. Disgusting! Though I admit a "Princevault" could be amusing... when Tommen bores me.
My favorite place in the Red Keep? There are so many. The Traitors' Walk, where I mount the heads of my enemies. Its a shame flesh rots so slowly. I always run out of spikes. The dungeons are also quite nice once you get past the first two levels, a stable for... common criminals and private cells for useful highborns. How boring, I know. But then, you come to the black cells. No windows, no torches, just darkness and whatever you hear in there with you. Here we keep the greatest traitors until the king is ready for them, and with these... I often like to take my time.
But I've heard rumors of an even lower, hidden level, Maegor's favorite. Once a man was taken there, he never saw the sun again nor heard a human voice, nor breathed a breath free of agonising pain! Varys must know the way, but that overgrown girl pretends not to. Maybe he fears I'll make him a victim. Maybe I will...
Then again, torture chambers are just so...private. Better to punish your enemies where everyone can see, and remember. Like that Targaryen who forced his nephew to watch as he fed the boy's traitor mother to a dragon. Oh, what I could do with a dragon...
Even Aerys, fool as he was, knew to burn men alive with an audience; to spread the terror far and wide across his kingdoms. Of course, I know my favorite place now! When I sit on the Iron Throne, high in the Red Keep, all of Westeros scuttles below me... like insects, waiting for my heel to land.
Notes
The only known Kingsguard present during the execution of Rhaenyra Targaryen is Ser Marston Waters. However, it is known that Ser Gyles Belgrave and Ser Willis Fell survived the war.
Appearances
Characters
- King Aegon I Targaryen, the "Conqueror" (mentioned)
- King Maegor Targaryen, the "Cruel"
- King Baelor Targaryen, the "Blessed" (mentioned)
- Queen Daena Targaryen (not mentioned by name)
- Princess Rhaena Targaryen (not mentioned by name)
- Princess Elaena Targaryen (not mentioned by name)
- Prince Tommen Baratheon
- King Aegon II Targaryen (not mentioned by name)
- Prince Aegon Targaryen, the "Younger" (not mentioned by name)
- Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (not mentioned by name)
- Ser Marston Waters (not mentioned)
- Ser Gyles Belgrave (not mentioned)
- Ser Willis Fell (not mentioned)
- Sunfyre, the "Golden" (not mentioned by name)
- Lord Varys
- King Aerys II Targaryen, the "Mad King"
- Lord Rickard Stark (not mentioned by name)
- Brandon Stark (not mentioned by name)
Locations
Institutions
Events
- Dance of the Dragons (not mentioned by name)
Miscellaneous
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