Would the Greens have kept their word if Rhaenyra had acquiesced?

[Floki of the Ironborn]

Simple question. Assuming that Rhaenyra did bend the knee, would she have been allowed to keep Dragonstone and pass it on to her heir?

It seems like a rash decision for the greens to cede the ancestral Targaryen home and assume there wouldn't be any trouble in the future about it. Plus Lucerys would be at the head of House Velaryon as well, and that was when they were at their most powerful. What would happen when another succession crisis occurred?

Edited June 23, 2023 by Floki of the Ironborn

[Curled Finger]

Let's break it down.  Viserys, THE Targaryen, is dead.  His son, the traditionally accepted heir, is of age to inherit and rule.  The Hand is a Hightower.  The Queen is a Hightower.  Rhaenyra was pledged fealty years previously.  As her story unfolds the land is in fact torn by war to instill her on the throne as the Targaryen heir.  

The Hightowers had their seats in Oldtown and Kings Landing.  Dragonstone and Hightide are Valyrian associations.  Not necessarily seats of real power as we see in Stannis' bouts of great pouting.  Being in Dragonstone doesn't make a person powerful, only secondary and waiting.  

Otto was not a powerful Hightower.  One hopes he used his power and influence as Hand wisely to establish lands elsewhere to enhance his opulence and name.  I don't think he did, but he should have.  A smart man would have, same with Allicent because they didn't have places like Casterly Rock or Storm's End to retire to.  Their time in the sun was fleeting, but these people don't seem to understand that, living largely in the present.  

Had Rhaenyra acquiesced she would have been no problem in Dragonstone nor her children as Velarions.  They would have publically sworn their loyalty to Aegon II and his rule.  In the end, she could have made that choice and didn't.  All the parties involved here appeared to have been very honest in their actions and reactions, for both peace and war.  It's just a shame they were allowed to speak to each other at all.  

[Green Stag]

I think it is hard to say.  The intention may have been to keep their word, however with so much bad blood between the two groups, it seems it would have only been a matter of time before things broke down.

Also, things were different on Dragonstone and Driftmark pre-Dance.  The Blacks would still have more dragons, riders (7 vs 4, I believe).  The Velarions were the richest house in the Seven Kingdoms and apparently controlled the largest single fleet in Realm as well.  They would have been a threat.  

[BlackLightning]

Absolutely not.

Even if you could completely discard Rhaenyra and her Velaryon sons on account of the bastardy issue, Rhaenyra's Targaryen sons are legitimate threats. Especially with Daemon as their father.

[Maegor_the_Cool]

I don’t think Aegon would’ve done anything of his volition to her. It’d be Otto behind the scenes. Perhaps he’d managed to hire Faceless Men, who knows. But no I don’t think they’d have been safe. Nor do I think the Green kids would’ve been safe if Rhaenyra ascended. She herself may not have wished them harm, but I’d have become apparent during her rule that some lords would prefer him and his brothers. Conflict would be inevitable.