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Defiance of Duskendale to the Tower of Joy


King Ned Stark

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I'm sure some, perhaps even all of has been posited somewhere on this board or another, if so, my apologies.  I haven't really seen it all put together, and was hoping some people might be able to expound or prove wrong this grasping, hard to connect theory.

 

Duskendale

 

There are plenty of places to choose as a starting point, in an attempt to concisely put this all together I'll start with Darklyn's defiance of the throne.  Aerys is taken hostage, and Tywin seals of Duskendale by land and sea, and the standoff ensues.  Lord Denys warns Tywin that at the first sign that they intend to storm the town Aerys will be executed.  From the WoIaF, we supposedly learn that Tywin's intial response during a council is, "he may and he may not, but if he does we have a better king right here," and points to Rhaegar.  Rhaegar's lack of a reaction or response is deafening to me.  Barristan steps in and offers to sneak into the Dun Fort in disguise (hooded, a middle-aged hooded kingsguard knight sneaking in a castle) and rescue his king.  As formidable a warrior as Barristan is, it seems to me that he is somewhat of a mental plodder, and outside of Rhaegar's circle of trust, and as such is the perfect "unreliable narrator" that GRRM loves.  Alas, Aerys is rescued and life goes on, but he starts to spiral down into madness.

 

Prior to Tourney of Harrenhal

 

We know that Aerys is well informed, and that he grew to believe that Tywin had conspired with Rhaegar to have him killed during the defiance, and grew increasingly mistrustful of his Hand and heir, and others.  The world book tells us that there was even talk amongst the royalists to disinherit the disloyal crown prince in favor of Viscerys.

 

A rift begins to grow within the capitol between father and son, with, I believe, the divide extending into the kingsguard; with Arthur, Oswell, and Prince Lewyn on Team Rhaegar, and Jon Darry, the White Bull, Barristan (not sure if he totally picked up on the political tension or not), and Jaime (probably unknowingly as well, as he was little more than a child and newly cloaked).  Apropos to the political climate, Tywin (who is more fox than lion) resigns and retires to the Rock.

 

I believe Rhaegar at this piont comes under considerable pressure to preemptive strike and unseat Aerys.  While Aerys my only disinherit his son, Rhaegar's loyalists distinctly remember the brutal aftermath of Darklyn's defiance and the fate that befalls those who oppose King Scab.  Rhaegar reluctantly acquiesces, adding to his "melancholy", and comes up with the most merciful, and lawful, plan.

 

Knowing his father's reclusiveness, arranges the Harrenhal tournament through Oswell, with possibly Tywin as the financial "shadow" backer, to ferret out the feelings of his lords on the matter.  Aerys is tipped off, and ironically was somewhat justified in his paranoia (about Duskendale, Southron Ambitions, and Harrenhal) and goes to Harrenhal.

 

Tourney of Harrenhal

 

Again, this is just my humble opinion (and probably wrong) of the events leading up to, during, and after the famous tournament.  It might  help explain some of the questionable decisions made by some of the principle people involved; convoluted and far-fetched as it may seem.

 

Lyanna brings Reed into the Stark fold.  They go to the feast, where Ashara is fawned on (noticed by Reed and Aerys).  She dances with Ned and gets to know him - earnest, honorable, kind.  Later Lyanna enters the lists as a mystery knight and rouses the ire of the Mad King.  In another turn of irony, he sends Rhaegar, with Arthur and Lonmouth (I think I adhere to the Lem is Lonmouth theory) in tow, and they do discover that it is Lyanna.  While they are gone that night Aerys, with his blood up, sends for Ashara and dishonors her.  Ashara, in such a precarious position, and afraid to go to Arthur (who I thend to think was the driving force and big brother type to Rhaegar, and not such an adherent to his vows) and therefore she turns to Stark (Ned).  Meera says that Reed stayed in the Quiet Wolf's tent.  So, Ned leaves her with Reed (yes, I also adhere to the Howland + Ashara = Meera + Jojen) to consult with his family.  Lyanna happens to be with Rhaegar, and Brandon tells Ned not to get involved, but as it happens, Reed presents the solution as they fall in love and Meribald marries them on the Isle of Faces.  Ashara then goes home to explain to her family, but realizes she is pregnant, and is in a conundrum and needs to allay any suspicion that it is the Mad King's child because Targ's hate Blackfyre's as much as Robert hates Targ's.  This helps explain why the adventuresome little Crannogman never left the swamp again.

 

The Abduction

  

Somewhere Aerys finds out who the KotLT was, and sends men to arrest her, and essentially head off Rickard's "southron ambitions".  The world book says that Rhaegar and a half dozen companions (3-6 I think) companions abduct Lyanna on the road, but to me it makes more sense if he rescues her in the nick of time from his father's henchmen.  I think his companions were, but not limited to, Arthur, Oswell, Prince Lewyn, Lonmouth and maybe Mooton.

 

In an attempt to salvage the operation, a fanatical royalist in the party tells Brandon that is Rhaegar who kidnapped his sister.  The Wild Wolf, knowing Ashara's story from Harrenhal with Aerys, rides to his doom.  Aerys, in an attempt to make lemonade out of lemons, uses Brandon's rashness to trap and break Rickard's southron ambitions, but ironically cements the alliance, sealing his own fate.

 

Meanwhile, Rheagar and Lyanna get married and conceive.  There is correspondence between the king and prince, basically with Rhaegar asking his father to validate the marriage and their child as a Targaryen heir.  Aerys refuses.  Helps explain Rhaegar's prolonged absence and his reluctance to help his father break the rebellion if Aerys refuses to concede to the Lyanna marriage.  At this point, Rhaegar instructs Prince Lewyn to spirit his family out of KL, but Lewyn is caught and ordered to take charge of the Dornish army, essentially making Elia and the children hostages to his good behavior.  

 

The rebellion gains traction, however, and Aerys's poisition starts to become untenable.  In a desperate act, he agrees to sanction the marriage if Rhaegar will put down the rebellion (better the devil you know than the devil you don't) and send the faithful White Bull with the decree (which is in Lyanna's tomb) to Rhaegar.  Ned and Robert win the war and Ned learns of Lyanna's whereabouts, possibly from Lonmouth.

 

Tower of Joy

 

Ned and Co. descend on the ToJ, with Ned possibly already knowing what's what.  The group at the ToJ I think are pretty exclusive (Arthur, Oswell, Gerold, Ashara with Meera, Wylla, Lyanna, maybe a few others).  Here it gets pretty foggy, or even foggier, but either Ashara comes outside to tell them Lyanna is dying as only combatants left are Ned, Reed, and Dayne; or, Dayne is with the women and Ned and Reed survive the 7 on 2 fight.  However it goes down, Ned brokers a deal, getting Arthur to stand down and retire to the swamps with Reed and his wife Ashara, explaining how they helped her at Harrenhal (Arthur is the hooded man at winterfell after Robb's decree reaches Reed - hooded middle-aged kingsguard sneaking into castle).

 

Lonmouth (Lem) and the Blackfish will be the angle the Martin uses to write Jaime out his current predicament, and a catalyst to free Edmure, Mallister, and the Greatjon; and quite possibly bend the knee to Jon.  Jon comes back from his death, is done with the wall, descends on winterfell with his army of wildlings, where the North will bend the knee to pledge him fealty.  Robb's decree, Aerys's decree.

 

Okay, pretty outlandish and full of holes, but I haven't posted here in a long time and the whole Harrenhal tourney and ToJ this has bothered me everytime I read the series.  Many decisions made and actions taken don't really sync up.

 

Sorry for the length.

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