Listen to Story 'House of the Dragon' Season 2, episode 4 was a bittersweet one. We finally got to see the first dragon fight of the season, which didn't exactly lead to the most cherished outcome. Rhaenyra, the Queen Who Was Promised, decides to go to war in a full-fledged fashion.
After her failed attempt at discussing peace with Alicent Hightower, the queen dowager, in the Red Keep, Rhaenyra announces to her council that she has done everything in her power to avert war, but there seems no other solution than to embrace it after all. Led by Ser Criston Cole, an army of (false) King Aegon II marches on House Darklyn, which previously pledged its loyalty to Rhaenyra. Cole announces, "Those who bend the knee to Aegon and fight in his name against 'The Whore of Dragonstone' will be spared.
Those who refuse will die." He then beheads Lord Darklyn and begins marching towards Rook's Rest. This is surprising because, as per the initial plan, Ser Criston Cole is expected to move towards Harrenhal , where Daemon is already strategising to take control of the Riverlands.
However, a secret discussion between Cole and Aemond leads to a slight change in the plan which, of course, upsets Aegon. So much so that he, quite foolishly, decides to join the war himself and takes his dragon Sunfyre to Rook's Rest. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra tries to convince her council that she should go to Rook's Rest with her dragons to fight Ser Criston Cole - a suggestion which is shot down as soon as it is uttere.
