Ashara Dayne's child

[Greymoon]

Who is the father of Ashara Dayne's child? Rumors say she was dishonored at Harrenhal.

But Ashara’s daughter had been stillborn, and his fair lady had thrown herself from a tower soon after, mad with grief for the child she had lost, and perhaps for the man who had dishonored her at Harrenahal as well. She died never knowing that Ser Barristan had loved her. How could she? He was a knight of the Kingsguard, sworn to celibacy. No good could have come from telling her his feelings. No good came from silence either. If I had unhorsed Rhaegar and crowned Ashara queen of love and beauty, might she have looked to me instead of Stark?

Barristan Selmy, Chapter 67, DwD Hardcover.

At the feast, Ashara Dayne danced with a white sword (Barristan? Arthur?), Oberyn Martell, Jon Connington, and Eddard Stark. She also spoke to Brandon Stark.

"That evening there was to be a feast in Harrenhal, to mark the opening of the tourney, and the she-wolf insisted that the lad attend. He was of high birth, with as much a right to a place on the bench as any other man. She was not easy to refuse, this wolf maid, so he let the young pup find him garb suitable to a king's feast, and went up to the great castle.

"Under Harren's roof he ate and drank with the wolves, and many of their sworn swords besides, barrowdown men and moose and bears and mermen. The dragon prince sang a song so sad it made the wolf maid sniffle, but when her pup brother teased her for crying she poured wine over his head. A black brother spoke, asking the knights to join the Night's Watch. The storm lord drank down the knight of skulls and kisses in a wine-cup war. The crannogman saw a maid with laughing purple eyes dance with a white sword, a red snake, and the lord of griffins, and lastly with the quiet wolf . . . but only after the wild wolf spoke to her on behalf of a brother too shy to leave his bench.

"Amidst all this merriment, the little crannogman spied the three squires who'd attacked him. One served a pitchfork knight, one a porcupine, while the last attended a knight with two towers on his surcoat, a sigil all crannogmen know well."

Meera's tale, Chapter 24, Storm of Swords.

Others were present at the tourney. According to the citadel the people mentioned in Meera's tale are as follows:

• "a curious lad who lived in the Neck" - Howland Reed.
  
• "the king" - King Aerys II Targaryen.
  
• "the dragon prince" - Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.
  
• "the White Swords" - Aerys's Kingsguard. Lord Commander Ser Gerold Hightower, the White Bull. Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. Ser Oswell Whent. Prince Lewyn Martell. Ser Jonothor Darry. Ser Barristan Selmy, the Bold.
  
• "a new brother" - Ser Jaime Lannister.
  
• "the storm lord" - Lord Robert Baratheon..
  
• "the rose lord" - Lord Mace Tyrell.
  
• "the great lion of the rock" - Lord Tywin Lannister.
  
• "the daughter of the great castle" - Lord Whent's daughter.
  
• "her famous uncle" - Ser Oswell Whent.
  
• "the wife of the dragon prince" - Princess Elia Martell.
  
• "the she-wolf" - Lyanna Stark.
  
• "the wild wolf" - Brandon Stark.
  
• "the quiet wolf" - Eddard Stark.
  
• "the young pup" - Benjen Stark.
  
• "moose" - House Hornwood
  
• "bears" - House Mormont.
  
• "mermen" - House Manderly.
  
• "the knight of skulls and kisses" - Ser Richard Lonmouth.
  
• "a maid with laughing purple eyes" - Ashara Dayne.
  
• "a white sword" - Probably Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning.
  
• "a red snake" - Prince Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper.
  
• "the lord of griffins" - Lord Jon Connigton.
  
• "a pitchfork knight" - A Haigh.
  
• "a porcupine" - A Blount.
  
• "a knight with two towers on his surcoat" - A Frey.
  
  

So let us examine candidates (I'm going with theories I've read on the forums, mostly)

Eddard Stark

It is generally assumed in universe, that the man who dishonored Ashara Dayne was Eddard Stark. Cersei, Catelyn and a few others are the source of that assumption. This rumor is basically based on the fact that Ned Stark has a bastard son of 'unknown' parentage.

cons:

• that assumption is usually linked to the question of Jon Snow's mother. We know from the timeline, that Jon was not conceived at Harrenhal, so if Ashara's pregnancy resulted from her being 'dishonored' at Harrenhal, the child born of this dishonor, was not Jon Snow...
  
• furthermore, Barristan believes the child was a still-born girl.
  
• Ned is said to be a man of honor. He wasn't betrothed at the time, so what exactly prevented him from marrying Ashara?
  

pros:

• the two were seen dancing together at Harrenhal
  
• Edric Dayne believes Ned Stark broke his aunt's heart and that this is the reason she killed herself after the war. That and the fact that Ned killed her brother, Arthur.
  
• Ashara looked to Stark, Ned is a Stark. The first immediate meaning of that sentence points toward a Stark having 'dishonored' her.
  

Brandon Stark

pros:

• Brandon is not called the 'wild wolf' for nothing. In fact, we are lead to believe that it was in his character to 'dishonor' women. This comes to us from Barbrey Dustin, a self-proclaimed former lover of Brandon Stark.
  
• Since he was betrothed at the time, he couldn't have married Ashara without angering Hoster Tully and Rickard Stark.
  
• Brandon and Ashara spoke at Harrenhal.
  
• unless I'm mistaking, there's an SSM confirming that Brandon never fathered any sons... But what about daughters?
  
• Ashara looked to Stark, Brandon, like Ned, is a Stark, and the first immediate meaning of that sentence points toward a Stark having 'dishonored' her.
  

cons:

• none I can come up with...
  

Howland Reed

There's a whole theory on that, and it's nice, but overall... I don't think he's a good candidate, though you are free to discuss it ;)

Aerys Targaryen

pros:

• Aerys Targaryen was known to enjoy women outside of the marriage bed. He was also known to be forceful, to rape his own wife.
  
• looked to Stark, can mean looked to Stark for help. Stark would be a better candidate to defend Ashara's honor then any member of Aery's Kingsguard, safe for Arthur Dayne. But would Ashara ask her brother to betray his vows? And why turn to a Stark, instead of some other lord there present?
  
• Barristan Selmy compares Daenerys to Ashara's daughter. Dany is Aery's daughter. If Aerys fathered Ashara's child then the comparison would make an awful lot of sense.
  

cons:

• there's not a single rumor pointing to any such event happening at Harrenhal. I'd expect Barristan Selmy, a sworn brother of the KG, to have heard of it. The KG witness a lot of things, even if they are bound to keep their King's secrets.
  
• Was Aerys in any condition to force himself onto someone?
  
• no one burned at Harrenhal, that we know of. No one woke the dragon ;) .
  

Rhaegar Targaryen

pros:

• the comparison between Dany and Ashara's daughter.
  
• the 'three heads of the dragon'
  
• his friendship with Arthur, and Ashara being a companion to Elia - repeated physical proximity, leading to possible affection between them.
  
• it explains Brandon's reaction at Lyanna's crowning.
  

cons:

• It was Lyanna Stark that Rhaegar crowned Queen of Love and Beauty. Not Ashara.
  
• Rhaegar doesn't have the reputation of Aerys, in spite of rumors concerning Lyanna's 'abduction.'
  
• why would Ashara look to Stark, to 'protect' her from Rhaegar, if Rhaegar contrarily to his father, wasn't the violent sort?
  
• Rhaegar is already first candidate for Jon Snow's father. There's no need to make him the father of Ashara's girl too! that's not a true argument, but from a narrative perspective, it would be sort of redundant.
  

and,

• Targaryen polygamy. If we assume that Rhaegar married Lyanna, why wouldn't Ashara be deserving the same treatment? Of course, the marriage is nothing certain. But still.
  

Robert Baratheon

pros:

• Robert has fathered many bastards, on many different women. He already had at least one, at the time the tourney took place.
  
• He's not known for assuming responsibilities and usually lets others deal with the repercussions of his acts.
  
• If Robert 'dishonored' Ashara, her looking to Stark makes sense, as in, she looked to Eddard Stark, Robert's foster brother, to speak on her behalf.
  
• If Robert 'dishonored' her, at the end of the war Ashara would feel pretty terrible. Robert went to war in the name of Lyanna Stark, was crowned King of the 7K, and rejoiced at the death of Elia and her children. Elia, whom Ashara would have know quite well.
  
• It would be just like Ned, to 'assume' responsibility for something Robert did and let others believe he dishonored Ashara. (leading to Edric's misconception on the topic.)
  

cons:

• we have no indication that it happened...
  

Oberyn Martell

pros:

• He has many daughters, all of them from different women.
  
• He danced with Ashara.
  

cons:

• Oberyn usually assumes his responsibilities, he's not shy about claiming his daughters for himself...though that's not a true argument, if the girl was still-born.
  

.... Are there any others? Who do you think fathered Ashara's child?

[Consigliere]

I vote Brandon and the child was either stillborn or the child is Allyria (not a fan of this theory but admit that it is a possibility).

[Minuteman]

I think Ned was the father of Ashara's stillborn girl. The reason he couldn't marry her immediately is because he wasn't the head of his family and it isn't known if Ashara's eldest brother was there. I think it likely that Ned asked his father to arrange the marriage and it was in negotiation or even agreed to when Lyanna was abducted. In aCoK when Tywin informs Tyrion that Robb has set aside the Freys to marry Jeyne Westerling Tyrion expresses bewilderment. Tywin then says a telling line: "Jeyne Westerling is her mothers daughter and Robb Stark his fathers son." Robb Stark, unlike Ned, was free to make his own decision on whom to marry.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

I believe the father was Ned and the child is alive and is Allyria SnowSand.

[Queen of dragonstone]

Aerys.

[Ser Brandon Badwater]

I`d pluck for Arthur Dayne. Might seem unlikely but would explain Ashara`s suicide as one of shame. And Arthur hung around with Targs so he could have picked up their traits

[Bael's Bastard]

I interpret Selmy's comment to indicate that the man who dishonored her at Harrenhal was already dead. If so, that would eliminate Ned, Connington, Oberyn, Howland, Robert, Mace, and Jaime. I also interpret Selmy's comment to indicate that Selmy knows or thinks he knows the identity of the person, and thinks Ashara perhaps grieved for his death.

Personally, I don't think it was Aerys or Rhaegar. Don't know about Lonmouth. I could buy that it was Brandon. But I think I lean toward a KG, someone she could never marry. Of Darry, Hightower, Whent, and Martell I might lean toward Martell for superficial reasons. But he also seems to have had a serious relationship with someone still alive.

[Marcel]

I believe it was Brandon Stark. It would explain why Rhaegar gave the crown of blue winter roses to Lyanna. It fits Barristan's memories and why Rhaegar defeated so easily both Arthur Dayne and Barristan Selmy. It provides a reason for Lyanna's trip to Dorne and to Ashara's suicide. Finally, it explains why Ned is taken in such high regard at Starfall. Brandon's and Ashara's daughter is dead.

[Minuteman]

I interpret Selmy's comment to indicate that the man who dishonored her at Harrenhal was already dead. If so, that would eliminate Ned, Connington, Oberyn, Howland, Robert, Mace, and Jaime. I also interpret Selmy's comment to indicate that Selmy knows or thinks he knows the identity of the person, and thinks Ashara perhaps grieved for his death.

Ned was dead before we had the first Selmy POV.

[Bael's Bastard]

Ned was dead before we had the first Selmy POV.

Ned only died in the last couple years. He was alive when, "Ashara's daughter had been stillborn, and his fair lady had thrown herself from a tower soon after, mad with grief for the child she had lost, and perhaps for the man who had dishonored her at Harrenahal as well."

[Sansa Snow]

I believe Aegon is Ashara's son, so the father would have to be someone who is or looks like a Targaryen. Why would Brandon be the father? I mean, what would that revelation bring to the story?

[Sansa Snow]

I believe Aegon is Ashara's son, so the father would have to be someone who is or looks like a Targaryen. Why would Brandon be the father? I mean, what would that revelation bring to the story?

[Marcel]

wut?

It was a veiled reprimand to Brandon - "It's not because you are the son of a great lord that you can freely dishonor a lady, because the same could happen to your sister". It explains why he lost his mind when he learned that Lyanna had been seen in Rhaegar's company.

[Minuteman]

I believe it was Brandon Stark. It would explain why Rhaegar gave the crown of blue winter roses to Lyanna. It fits Barristan's memories and why Rhaegar defeated so easily both Arthur Dayne and Barristan Selmy. It provides a reason for Lyanna's trip to Dorne and to Ashara's suicide. Finally, it explains why Ned is taken in such high regard at Starfall. Brandon's and Ashara's daughter is dead.

A better reason for Lyanna's trip to Dorne may have been to accompany her soon to be sister-in-law north and to educate her in the ways of the house she would be joining. Ned was eligible to marry and the match between second in line to LoW and the sister of the Lord of Starfall would be a good one. If the marriage was agreed to it could be the basis of the good feelings the Daynes have to Ned. It also wouldn't surprise me that before he married Cat he offered to honor the agreement to marry Ashara but as he now had a royal death decree against him he allowed the Daynes to rescind honorably which they did.

[Minuteman]

Ned only died in the last couple years. He was alive when, "Ashara's daughter had been stillborn, and his fair lady had thrown herself from a tower soon after, mad with grief for the child she had lost, and perhaps for the man who had dishonored her at Harrenahal as well."

If Ned had married Cat instead of Ashara then he was lost to her. Doesn't have to be that he died.

[Marcel]

A better reason for Lyanna's trip to Dorne may have been to accompany her soon to be sister-in-law north and to educate her in the ways of the house she would be joining. Ned was free to marry and the match between second in line to LoW and the sister of the Lord of Starfall would be a good one. If the marriage was agreed to it good be the basis of the good feelings the Daynes have to Ned. It also wouldn't surprise me that before he married Cat he offered to honor the agreement to marry Ashara but as he now had a royal death decree against him he allowed the Daynes to rescind honorably which they did.

If Ashara had been dishonored by Ned, he would not have waited months to marry her, he would have done it in the next day, as Robb did.

[Bael's Bastard]

If Ned had married Cat instead of Ashara then he was lost to her. Doesn't have to be that he died.

That's a good point. In that case, I would add him to my list. I still think I lean toward a KG, though. But wouldn't be surprised to learn it was Ned, as there is smoke there.

In that case, though, presumably months went by after the child died, and she only killed herself after she saw Ned again? I would be surprised to learn she and Ned were together at any point during the war.

[LordQorgyle]

Ned only died in the last couple years. He was alive when, "Ashara's daughter had been stillborn, and his fair lady had thrown herself from a tower soon after, mad with grief for the child she had lost, and perhaps for the man who had dishonored her at Harrenahal as well."

Barry also thinks about Ashara getting in love with Ned instead of him

[Minuteman]

If Ashara had been dishonored by Ned, he would not have waited months to marry her, he would have done it in the next day, as Robb did.

He couldn't. Not without the permission of his father and Ashara's brother. These people are all high nobility so the marriage is up to the heads of household not themselves as Tywin proved so dramatically. Robb was the head of House Stark so needed no other permission other than the consent of his intended's head of house. The Westerlings assented so the marriage was done. It wasn't a path available to either Ned or Ashara. Tywin's noting Robb Stark as his father's son had to do with explaining his actions. He married the first maid he "deflowered" which is not a common trait among the nobility. Ned went the same route only he had to have it negotiated and agreed to by the household heads. As said, it would be a good match but if the Lord of Starfall was at Starfall the negotiation would take time.

[Consigliere]

Does Ned think about Ashara even once during his 15 POV chapters? Not that I recall and it does not jive with what is known about Ned's character: that he would not spare a single thought for the woman he supposedly fathered a child on and presumably cared for, even if it was 15 years later. This rules out Ned as the father, imo.