The Green Grace

The Green Grace, whose true name is Galazza Galare, is the high priestess of the Temple of the Graces in Meereen and the most powerful spiritual figure in the city. She is the voice of the old Ghiscari religion and the keeper of its traditions, and she becomes Daenerys Targaryen's most influential native advisor after the city's conquest. Her counsel is sought on matters of state, religion, and social custom, and she consistently urges the queen toward reconciliation with the Meereenese nobility rather than confrontation.

Identity and Role

The Green Grace is an old woman with white hair and parchment-thin skin, but her eyes remain green, sad, and full of wisdom. She wears a green silk veil and is attended by White Graces, young girls of noble birth. Her authority derives from her position as the high priestess of the Temple of the Graces, the central religious institution of Meereen. She is the chief intermediary between Daenerys and the Ghiscari people, and her support is considered essential for the queen's legitimacy. When Daenerys first takes Meereen, the Green Grace convinces her to adopt the tokar, the traditional Ghiscari garment, arguing that "the Mother of Dragons must don the tokar or be forever hated." She frames this as a matter of survival: "In the wools of Westeros or a gown of Myrish lace, Your Radiance shall forever remain a stranger amongst us, a grotesque outlander, a barbarian conqueror. Meereen's queen must be a lady of Old Ghis." Daenerys accepts this counsel, understanding that to rule Meereen she must win the Meereenese, however much she may despise them.

Political Counsel and the Marriage Alliance

The Green Grace is the foremost advocate for Daenerys's marriage to Hizdahr zo Loraq, a wealthy Meereenese nobleman of ancient lineage. She argues that a king of pure Ghiscari blood could reconcile the city to Daenerys's rule, saying, "When my people look at you, they see a conqueror from across the seas, come to murder us and make slaves of our children. A king could change that." She presents Hizdahr as the ideal consort, emphasizing his noble blood: "The noble Hizdahr is of the blood of Mazdhan the Magnificent, Hazrak the Handsome, and Zharaq the Liberator." When Daenerys objects that she needs a man with ships and swords, not ancestors, the Green Grace insists that "ancestors are important to us" and promises that a son born of Hizdahr and Daenerys would fulfill prophecies and cause their enemies to "melt away like snow." She also pressures Daenerys to accept the reopening of the fighting pits as a wedding gift to the people, a concession the queen reluctantly grants.

The Harpy and the Peace

The Green Grace's loyalty is a matter of persistent doubt. When the Sons of the Harpy resume their murders after Daenerys's disappearance, she is sent to treat with the Yunkai'i for the release of hostages. She returns with their refusal and the news that they have begun launching corpses into Meereen with trebuchets, signaling war. When Ser Barristan Selmy, acting as Hand, accuses Hizdahr of poisoning Daenerys, the Green Grace defends him, insisting, "Hizdahr is of Loraq. Never would he soil his hands with poison. He is innocent." When asked how she can be certain, she replies, "The gods of Ghis have told me." This answer does little to dispel the suspicion that she is either complicit in the conspiracy or willfully blind to it. Skahaz Shavepate openly accuses her of being the Harpy or knowing who is, and her close ties to the old slaving families make her a figure of deep mistrust.

Narrative Significance

The Green Grace embodies the tension between Daenerys's revolutionary ideals and the entrenched power structures of Meereen. She is not a villain but a conservative force, representing the city's ancient traditions and the interests of its former masters. Her counsel is consistently pragmatic, aimed at preserving peace and stability, but it also serves to erode the very changes Daenerys sought to bring. She is the voice of the old order, speaking in the language of religion and tradition, and her influence is a major factor in Daenerys's decision to compromise, marry, and ultimately lose her grip on the city. Her final appearance, defending Hizdahr and warning of war, leaves her role ambiguous: she may be a sincere peacemaker, a dupe, or a knowing participant in the Harpy's schemes.