House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 was aired recently and focused on attempts to evade the 'bloody war'. House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 started with Daemon riding his dragon Caraxes to Harrenhal and conquering the place without any major resistance. However, the strong and focused Daemon sees a nightmare in which he sees young Rheanyra stitching their baby's neck. It signifies that Daemon is feeling guilty after the assassination of 'usurper' Aegon's child in his bed by 'blood & cheese'. However, what caught everyone's attention was a woman in black attire who comes near Daemon and predicts that he will die in Harrenhall. It is for the first time, that Prince Daemon hears about his death prophecy. Now, the question who is the woman who predicted Daemon's death in Harrenhall? The answer is Alys Rivers. (Spoilers Ahead)
Who is Alys Rivers?
Known as the 'witch queen of Harrenhall', Alys Rivers is a bastard daughter working as a healer at Harrenhal. Alys has adopted the last name 'Rivers' as is commonplace in the Riverlands. For instance, Kit Harrington's character Jon had the surname of Snow.
Alys Rivers is played by actress Gayle Rankin. As per the Dance of the Dragons, after the greens re-took Harrenhal, Prince Aemond Targaryen ordered the deaths of the remaining members of House Strong at the castle. However, Prince Aemond (one-eye) spared Alys's life, however, and took the older woman for his bedmate as a spoil of war. (Spoilers Ahead)
As Aemond takes Alys as his war trophy, he starts to like her due to their common intellect. Aemond falls in love with her and starts to follow her every prophetic word. She becomes pregnant with his son, and he brings her back to Harrenhal for a final confrontation with Daemon, the very duel that would end in both their deaths — just as she predicted in this episode.
After the death of Aemond while fighting Daemon at aerial battle over the God's Eye, a lake close to Harrenhal, Alys continues to remain in Harrenhall. As per reports, years later after Aemond's death, Harrenhal is said to be under the rule of a witch queen who had amassed a following of former soldiers. When some of the Kingsguard go to investigate, they find the “queen” is actually Alys, who has not only claimed Harrenhal as her own, but has also claimed that her son is the trueborn heir of Aemond and therefore of the Iron Throne. Alys claimed that Aemond married her in secret, however, could not provide any proof.