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Lord Eddard's words/Theon/spearwives


TheWhiteBull89

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In one of Theon's chapters when he is with the Bolton host inside Winterfell. While talking to one of Mance Rayder's spearwives he says 'winter is coming'. The spearwife responds threateningly with 'dont you say Lord Eddard's words, not you'.

I know everyone thinks of Theon as a turncloak for betraying the Starks by capturing Winterfell and supposedly killing Bran and Rickon. But why do the Wildlings care so much about that? It struck me as odd that she would have that sort of reaction. Any thoughts?

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I found that odd too. I thought maybe it was cause of ned being jon's father. But maybe the wildlings respected the stark words. The starks are an ancient house of the north. And they got their start at the wall with brandon. Winter has a profound relationship with the wildlings and life beyond the wall. That and winter has a profound relationship with the stark house. so that could be why she took offense to him using the words of the north. But she specifically say lord eddard..so idk

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I found that odd too. I thought maybe it was cause of ned being jon's father. But maybe the wildlings respected the stark words. The starks are an ancient house of the north. And they got their start at the wall with brandon. Winter has a profound relationship with the wildlings and life beyond the wall. That and winter has a profound relationship with the stark house. so that could be why she took offense to him using the words of the north. But she specifically say lord eddard..so idk

This. Also, as most people (let alone military-connected, if we could call the wildling army "military), they hate and don't trust turncloaks.

I also don't believe Lord Eddard mentioned had any specific significance. If it was another Stark lord, she would have said his name.

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I think there may be several reasons, possibly even a combination of reasons. The Starks have had a close relationship with the Wall and to some extent with the free folk for thousands of years. It's not out of the realm of possibilities that there's a lot of respect for them among the free folk.

Another way to connect the Starks and the spearwives is through the daughters of northern lords stolen by wildlings. Some may have adapted and may enjoy the new way of life, but they could still have the same type of loyalty to the Starks that most northerners have.

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The spearwives are the daughters of other northern lords or their descendants. Also, remember that for all we know Mance could have stolen many women when he went to Winterfell to see Robert in A Game of Thrones. Everyone in the North (but that f@kin bastard Ramsay SNOW) respected Lord Eddard without a question. Also, most wildlings are aware of the Starks as, I believe Ygritte mentions, they share the same blood and believe in the same gods.

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Yeah I remember in one thread, probably "The Pink Letter" someone was speculating that the "spearwives" were in reality daughters of the hill clans facilitated by the clandestine meetings between Mance and the Lords of the Hill Clans while he was still at Castle Black. Sorry I don't have a link or remember the exact theory, but that was the gist of it and would explain the spearwives being fiercely loyal to house stark.

I think between Robert's rebellion, and the Greyjoy rebellion, that we don't have to suspend disbelief to think that the wildlings knew who Lord Eddard Stark was as they trade with and get news from Nights watch and kneelers alike. They may be as pointed out upthread simply admiring from afar a great warrior and noble lord of the north/descendent of the kings of winter.

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@Ser Endrew Tarth, i think you're referring to a post in the Northern Conspiracy thread, made by someone called 'TheOldGodsNotTheNew' or something like that. Don't have a link at the mo, though. :)

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At Winterfell these women are playing the part of laundresses a.k.a. prostitutes, it hardly seems likely the are actually highborn northern ladies in disguise.

I think the best candidate for Crowfood's daughter is the mother of Tormund's children. The age is approximately right, she was stolen 30 years ago and his younger children are young adults. Plus it suits the names, Tormund is 'Giantsbane' and his son is Tall Toregg.

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If you consider the Umbers "high born," I guess...

You're right though, I suppose the spearwives are too young for that idea to pass muster. It's definitely a kneeler thing to say, I'm guessing she was just a northern girl of little (or Liddle?) consequence that got stoled at some recent point.

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At Winterfell these women are playing the part of laundresses a.k.a. prostitutes, it hardly seems likely the are actually highborn northern ladies in disguise.

I think the best candidate for Crowfood's daughter is the mother of Tormund's children. The age is approximately right, she was stolen 30 years ago and his younger children are young adults. Plus it suits the names, Tormund is 'Giantsbane' and his son is Tall Toregg.

The Crowfood's daughter is one woman only, out of hundreds of viable candidates.

We know the free folk have been raiding and stealing women south of the Wall for possibly thousands of years. For instance, we know the

Weeper stole/raped/killed three women related to the Flints.

ADwD, Jon

The Norrey hawked and spat. “As well make peace with wolves and carrion crows.”

“It’s peaceful in my dungeons,” grumbled Old Flint. “Give the Weeping Man to me.”

“How many rangers has the Weeper killed?” asked Othell Yarwyck. “How many women has he raped or killed or stolen?”

“Three of mine own ilk,” said Old Flint. “And he blinds the girls he does not take.”

Given that we're talking about thousands of years of free folk raiding/stealing women, it makes sense that there are several among the wildlings that are descendants of many northern houses and clans.

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I don't that's why she took such offense. Noble wildlings. No their fathers aren't gunna let the mothers teach them kneeler ways. I think its from a grudging if not mutual respect. The starks have put down one wildling rebellion after another. Raised the wall. And built winterfell. Its most likely something lots of wildling children hear "winter is coming"

I imagine the spearwife took offense at her disgust for theon. Traitors are a big deal among the free folk. I'm sure she had heard the story of theon's betrayl and was reminded of so when the words came out his mouth. As she heard what theon said she told him off out of her respect for starks and lord eddard.

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@Ser Endrew Tarth, i think you're referring to a post in the Northern Conspiracy thread, made by someone called 'TheOldGodsNotTheNew' or something like that. Don't have a link at the mo, though. :)

Very possible, I stay in ADwD section and have def read that thread.

At Winterfell these women are playing the part of laundresses a.k.a. prostitutes, it hardly seems likely the are actually highborn northern ladies in disguise.

I think the best candidate for Crowfood's daughter is the mother of Tormund's children. The age is approximately right, she was stolen 30 years ago and his younger children are young adults. Plus it suits the names, Tormund is 'Giantsbane' and his son is Tall Toregg.

:smileysex:

HAHA good point, it was not my theory just trying to add something to the "washerwomen are more than they seem" (beyond being wildlings in disguise) theory.

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In the past didn't the Stark in Winterfell join forces with The King Beyond the Wall to take down the Nights King. This could lead the wildlings to have a deal of respect for the Starks even centuries down the line.

I also subscribe to the theory that some of the spearwives with Mance may have originally been taken in raids, or descended from women who were.

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