Literally This

Literally this

People are very fond of saying that Alicent is the one who put her family's lives in danger because she made the decision to press Aegon's claim to the throne. According to them, Rhaenyra would never have done anything to her brothers if they simply never challenged her rule.

I just don't think that holds up for a number of reasons but one is in fact Ser Laenor.

Let's consider that from Alicent and the Greens perspective, this guy was enabling Rhaenyra's lies. It wasn't a matter of just being uncertain over whenever he fathered those children and just choosing to believe in the end that he did, it was a matter of being fully aware those boys weren't biologically his.

And I have played my part here, faithfully… for 10 years.

The part Laenor is talking about here is "faithfully" maintaining that he is the boys' biological father for a decade. That's a long time to lie for someone. But he does it.

And yet despite this, he ends up being "murdered". And who does Rhaenyra marry very soon after despite the suspicions about her being guilty that surround her for years after? Daemon.

As Alicent obviously isn't all knowing, with what she is given, Rhaenyra & Daemon chose to get rid of someone who never once put the claims of her children in danger.

How then do people expect Alicent to think "well, as long as I don't do anything we should be fine." As if Laenor wouldn't be an example to her of that obviously not being the case.