Daemon visits his wife, Lady Rhea Royce, in the Vale and murders her. Before departing King's Landing, Otto warns Alicent that Rhaenyra becoming queen would make Alicent's sons a threat to the crown. Viserys and Rhaenyra broker their agreement with the Velaryons: Rhaenyra and Laenor are betrothed, mollifying Lord Corlys, and understanding Laenor's homosexuality, Rhaenyra proposes they fulfill their royal duty to produce heirs while pursuing their own lovers. Criston is humiliated when Rhaenyra declines his proposal to elope to Essos, preferring their current liaison. Alicent, seeking the truth about the princess, questions Criston about Rhaenyra and Daemon, but after a misunderstanding he confesses to being Rhaenyra's lover.
During the betrothal celebration, Alicent enters late, interrupting the king's speech in a green gown, the signal color for House Hightower's call to arms. Daemon also unexpectedly attends; confronted by Rhea's cousin, he denies murdering her and asserts a claim to inherit her lands. Laenor's lover, Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, surmises that Criston is Rhaenyra's paramour, and Criston, believing Joffrey threatens blackmail, brutally kills him, devastating Laenor and horrifying the guests. Rhaenyra and Laenor are privately wed late that night. Viserys collapses after the ceremony, and Alicent intervenes as a disgraced Criston is about to take his own life.