Jhiqui

Jhiqui is a Dothraki handmaid to Daenerys Targaryen, one of two young women given to the khaleesi upon her marriage to Khal Drogo. She serves as a constant companion, assisting with dress, bathing, and courtly rituals, and her voice often carries the collective wisdom and superstitions of Dothraki women, reinforcing the cultural distance between Daenerys and the Ghiscari world she must rule.

Identity and Background

Jhiqui is a young Dothraki woman, bigger-boned than her fellow handmaid Irri, with wide hips and heavy breasts. She was given to Daenerys when the khaleesi wed Khal Drogo, and she has remained in her service ever since. Along with Irri, she forms part of the small circle of Dothraki attendants who tend to Daenerys's personal needs, helping her dress, bathe, and prepare for court. Jhiqui speaks the Dothraki tongue and a limited amount of the Common Tongue, and she often serves as a cultural interpreter, reminding Daenerys of Dothraki customs and beliefs.

Role and Actions

Jhiqui's primary function is that of a personal servant. She helps Daenerys wind the cumbersome Ghiscari tokar, a garment that requires careful layering and balancing, and she assists with the queen's hair and crown. She is present during many of Daenerys's most significant moments, from the discovery of the dead Unsullied Stalwart Shield to the tense negotiations with Xaro Xhoan Daxos and the wedding to Hizdahr zo Loraq. Jhiqui also participates in the daily rituals of the court, fetching food and drink and attending to the queen's comfort. When Daenerys flies away on Drogon from Daznak's Pit, Jhiqui is among those left behind, and she later departs with the other Dothraki to search for her lost khaleesi.

Relationships and Conflict

Jhiqui's relationship with Daenerys is one of loyal service, but it is also marked by a subtle cultural tension. She frequently voices the collective wisdom of the Dothraki, often prefacing her statements with "It is known." This includes warnings about bad luck from touching the dead, the accursed nature of salt water, and the necessity of a khaleesi having a khal. These pronouncements sometimes clash with Daenerys's own instincts and decisions, highlighting the gap between the Dothraki way of life and the complex political realities of Meereen. Jhiqui also engages in petty rivalries with Irri, particularly over the affections of the bloodrider Rakharo, whom both desire. Their bickering provides a moment of levity amidst the queen's heavy burdens.

Change and Ending

Jhiqui's story arc is one of displacement and loss. She begins as a handmaid to a khaleesi with a powerful khalasar, but she ends up in a foreign city, serving a queen who has married a Ghiscari nobleman and whose dragons have grown wild. When Daenerys disappears, Jhiqui is among the Dothraki who ride out across the Skahazadhan to search for her, leaving the familiar routines of the pyramid behind. Her fate, like that of many of Daenerys's followers, is left uncertain, tied to the fate of the queen she serves.

Thematic Significance

Jhiqui represents the persistent presence of Dothraki culture within Daenerys's entourage, a living reminder of the khaleesi's past and the world she left behind. Her superstitious pronouncements and her adherence to Dothraki customs serve as a counterpoint to Daenerys's attempts to rule Meereen, underscoring the theme of cultural conflict that runs throughout the narrative. Jhiqui's simple, uncomplicated loyalty also contrasts with the complex betrayals and political machinations of the court, making her a figure of stability and continuity in a world of constant change.