Although Game of Thrones season 4 hasn’t aired yet, actor Michiel Huisman has already signed on for season 5. Mild spoilers ahead.

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Last year we learned that Michiel Huisman would be taking over the role of Daario Naharis (previously played by Ed Skrein), captain of Daenerys’ (Emilia Clarke) newly acquired sellsword company the Second Sons.

Now, TV Line reports that Huisman, whose role in the book series is somewhat substantial in later novels of the A Song of Ice and Fire saga, has signed on to become a regular character – but not until season 5.

While this should not be taken as confirmation that Game of Thrones season 5 is a sure thing, it’s a pretty good indicator that the team behind the hit HBO series is expecting to be renewed, and is trying to secure one of their new actors (and maybe make sure they don’t need to pull a Mountain and replace him once more).

In A Song of Ice and Fire, Daario Naharis is first introduced in the third novel of the saga, A Storm of Swords. George R.R. Martin describes him as blue-haired and golden-bearded with a golden tooth and brightly coloured clothes.

Ed Skrein’s version was cleaner, with light brown hair and plain clothing. We expect that Huisman’s Daario will be much the same, based on previously released production skills.

Daenerys was very taken with the sellsword, who was willing to kill his co-captains in order to join her growing band of soldiers and subjects. He and Dany were last seen in Yunkai, where the slaves were hailing the queen as their “mhysa.”

Huisman has previously starred on Treme and Nashville, and will also play a recurring character in season 2 of Orphan Black.

Game of Thrones season 4 begins airing in the spring of 2014, and will run for 10 episodes. It roughly spans the second half of A Storm of Swords. According to IMDb, Michiel Huisman is slated to appear in the first episode.