What The Maester Gives Rhaenyra In House Of The Dragon
Rhaenyra denied having sex with the already-married Daemon yet Viserys still sent her the moon tea, this proves that her father doesn’t trust her. It is true that Rhaenyra lost her virginity that night, but it wasn’t to Daemon, which is the only person Viserys thought she was with. House of the Dragon episode 4’s ending thus indicates that Viserys himself is quicker to believe rumors about his daughter than trust her own word, and still believes what Daemon says even though he was lying. While Viserys was correct in that he can’t trust Otto’s judgment, he also can’t trust his own, which is further destroying his relationship with his daughter.
Although Viserys doesn’t believe Rhaenyra, he won’t let others know that he doubts his daughter and risk her name being ruined. He chose to make Rhaenyra the next queen, so just as he refuses to supplant her with Aegon, he will not allow rumors of taking lovers put an end to her claim – even if he believes them to be true himself. Rhaenyra now understands that Viserys has no trust in her word, but the moon tea proves that if she gets into a position that he disapproves of, he still won’t remove her as heir and will do anything in his power to cover it up.
Alongside the moon tea, Viserys’ most significant course of action to defend Rhaenyra’s name was to remove Otto Hightower, who came to him with the rumor in House of the Dragon episode 4. Viserys (naively) believed that Otto Hightower was the most honorable man on his council, so firing him as Hand of the King was a way to prove his support for his daughter over outsiders. This will certainly cause friction between Viserys and Alicent, but deep down, all of Viserys’ actions are motivated by securing his succession on the Iron Throne. With Rhaenyra being his heir, he’ll do whatever he can to maintain her position as the Princess of Dragonstone. Considering a bastard child would complicate Rhaenyra’s succession in the eyes of the realm, the King sending her moon tea in House of the Dragon is his way of preventing any “proof” of such actions.
