George R. R. Martin’s Fire And Blood tells about two twin brothers – Ser Erryk Cargyll and Ser Arryk Cargyll. Both started as Kingsguard members but ended up siding on opposite sides during the Targaryen’s Dance of the Dragons. One of them, Ser Erryk recently appeared in the latest episode of HBO’s House of the Dragon. However, the fate of the brothers is nothing but a tragedy. So who are they? What were their roles during the Targaryen civil war? Let us see.
House Cargyll
One of the noble houses of the Crownlands, House Cargyll is sworn to House Targaryen. Their Sigil is a golden goose on a sinister striped black and red background. Although, not much is said about this house in the books as they were long extinct before the events of Game Of Thrones (GOT) began. Probably, the most notable knights belonging to this house are the twin brothers – Ser Arryck Cargyll and Ser Erryck Cargyll.
Ser Erryk: Your Grace… a matter has arisen that requires your attention.
Alicent: Whatever it is, Ser Arryk, it’ll need to wait.
Ser Erryk: I’m Erryk, Your Grace. Of course. My apologies, ser. It’s about the Prince. There’s been a delicate situation in his apartments.
– HOTD (S1, E8)
Arryk Cargyll
A Knight from House Cargyll, Ser Arryk served as a member of the Kingsguard during the reign of King Viserys I. In HBO’s adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s book Fire and Blood, named House of the Dragons (HOTD), both the brothers are portrayed by Luke Tittensor. During the tourney for King Viserys I’s accession, both Ser Arryk and his twin brother were unhorsed by Ser Criston Cole.
According to the book, Arryk was the one who found Prince Daemon and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in bed together, a few months after the tourney to celebrate King Viserys’s and Queen Alicent’s fifth anniversary. However, Mushroom (the muppet fool) claimed that Daemon was merely instructing Rhaenyra on ‘the ways to please men.’ However, after the death of King Viserys I, Arryk chose to fight alongside the next king – Aegon II Targaryen i.e. the ‘Greens’.
Erryk Cargyll
Another knight from House Cargyll, Erryk also served as a member of King Viserys I’s Kingsguard. It is said that both the brothers were so identical that even their fellow knights of Kingsguard could not differentiate between them.
Once King Viserys I died, as opposed to his brother Arryk, Erryk sided with the ‘Blacks’ and fought for Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. He joined Rhaenyra’s Queensguard along with Ser Steffon Darklyn and Ser Lorent Marbrand. He was the one who stole King Viserys’s crown and handed it to Rhaenyra Targaryen in Dragonstone.
Brother vs Brother
During the Dance of Dragons, the Targaryen civil war between the ‘Greens’ and the ‘Blacks’, the Cargyll twin brothers fought on opposite sides. Although the war is yet to commence in HBO’s ongoing series, the book it is based on (Fire And Blood) talks about it in length. Mushroom claims they called each other traitors.
According to it, Ser Criston (from Greens) commanded Ser Arryk to infiltrate Dragonstone by disguising himself as his twin brother. He allegedly asked him to murder Rhaenyra and her children. However, to Arryk’s surprise, he came face to face with Erryk – his twin brother. They met in one of the castle’s hallways, and a furious swordfight among the brothers ensued. But, the brothers were equal in might as well as they were in their appearances. Both Arryk and Erryk fought each other to death.
According to the songs that were sung across the kingdoms afterward about them, the brothers professed their love to each other and died in one another’s arms after fighting for an hour. It is believed that Arryk and Erryk Cargyll are inspired by two brothers from King Arthur’s legend, Balin and Balan.
