How did Eddard knew where exactly is Lyanna?

[AstronautMargaery]

I think Lyanna just posted a pic of Rhaegar and her in Facebook.

No, seriously, in my re-reads I'm gathering information regarding how the dornish felt about Lyanna. I mean, it's widely known that they ran away before the war started. But I don't think Lyanna is ever mentioned by any of the dornish characters and we're talking about a culture in which is acceptable to have a paramour.

I'm kinda divided if Rhaegar and Lyanna's hideout was revelead by some dornish with a grudge....

[Djinn]

Ned caught her scent in the Stormlands(after lifting the seige of SE). What the point of having wolf's nose if you not going to use it.

[three-eyed monkey]

This is one of a number of mysteries surrounding the ToJ. We don't know how many people knew Rhaegar, Dayne, Whent and Lyanna were at the tower. If it was a well known Rhaegar love-nest, as some people seem to think, then it would probably be last place they'd choose to hide.

It would have been a safe bet to think the 3 missing KG were with Lyanna as Dayne and Whent were not seen for the duration of the rebellion and so were probably with the prince since the abduction. And while Rhaegar returned and was accounted for on the Trident, Hightower, Dayne and Whent were surprisingly nowhere to be found, the obvious conclusion being that the 3 KG were wherever Lyanna was.

Interestingly, I don't think Aerys knew where Rhaegar was. The king surely didn't know Lyanna was there or he would have had her brought to KL as a hostage. Lyanna would have probably been as valuable a hostage as Aerys could wish for in the rebellion. So if Varys knew about the ToJ then it seems he kept it from the king. (Personally, I don't think Varys did know).

Gerold Hightower knew where to find Rhaegar though, and this is a very curious point imo. If Ser Gerold knew, did he too keep it from the king? You'd think not, given what we know about the man. But this raises the question of how the LC knew while the king seemingly did not? Again, surely Aerys would have told Hightower to return with Rhaegar and the Lyanna, not to mention Dayne and Whent.

In AFfC Jaime recalled that Rhaegar returned to KL from the south but never mentions the ToJ. So I think the little party at the ToJ was a closely kept secret amongst Rhaegar's inner circle of Dayne, Whent, possibly Hightower and Ashara Dayne, and maybe Wylla arriving from Starfall by necessity at a later stage. I don't subscribe to the idea that the ToJ was staffed with servants etc., as is often postulated on this forum. I see it as a simple building, and probably built of un-mortared stone considering Ned tore it down to build cairns for the dead.

So, with regard to Ned finding the tower, I think if he was told then Ashara was most likely the one that told him. This might have been at Storm's End or even Starfall. Considering Dayne was missing too and Rhaegar's closest friend, then perhaps Starfall was the next logical place to look after the the KL and SE business was taken care of.

Unless of course Howland Reed's greendreams guided them to Lyanna.

[Four-Eyed Crow]

After Aerys revealed to Ned that he was his father and unceremoniously cut off his sword hand, Ned threw himself down a garbage chute and clung to an antenna after being dumped below the city like so many wolf droppings. In his distress, he cried out, "Lyanna! Hear me!" and bawled like a baby until Lyanna reached out with the Force, feeling Ned and sending Howland Reed and his faithful co-pilot, Hodor, to pick him up in the Millennium Falcon. After a much younger pre-betrayal Walder Frey pulled Ned into the ship, he received a replacement hand. He and Howland then gathered a posse and rushed to the ToJ, only to find that Lyanna had befriended the natives, a small furry people garbed in white cloaks and armor.

This is where Ned's memory picks up in GoT.

[Guest]

I think Rhaegar even named the Tower of Joy, so it was something that was linked to him. Besides, Ned and his men had already searched the Tower of Happiness, the Tower of Pleasure, the Tower of the Hand, the Tower of the Elbow, and the Tower That Is Not a Tower (but Evil Incarnate), and the garrisons there kept telling them, "your princess is in another tower." So, really, it was process of elimination.

+1 Internets. You sir have earned a cookie. {::}

[manting]

[manting]

https://www.geeknative.com/40832/reddit-does-a-star-wars-vs-game-of-thrones-meme-off/ Four eyed crow this should please you

[corbon]

Gerold Hightower knew where to find Rhaegar though, and this is a very curious point imo. If Ser Gerold knew, did he too keep it from the king? You'd think not, given what we know about the man. But this raises the question of how the LC knew while the king seemingly did not? Again, surely Aerys would have told Hightower to return with Rhaegar and the Lyanna, not to mention Dayne and Whent.

This is easily answered. Hightower didn;t know initially, but having been given a mission to bring Rhaegar back, he first went and found out where Rhaegar was.

In Hightower's shoes. The first place I'd look, given no other information, is Starfall. Arthur Dayne is Rahegar's best friend and closest companion, and is with him (and Ashara Dayne was Elia's companion until her disgrace).

If there is any place in westeros that might have a clue to Rhaegar's location, its Starfall.

I'd postulate that Hightower probably went there, informed them that by order of the King Rhaegar was needed to come back and take charge of the defences, and he was directed to ToJ.

Aerys is well out of the loop by the tmime Hightower gets anything to go on.

In AFfC Jaime recalled that Rhaegar returned to KL from the south but never mentions the ToJ. So I think the little party at the ToJ was a closely kept secret amongst Rhaegar's inner circle of Dayne, Whent, possibly Hightower and Ashara Dayne, and maybe Wylla arriving from Starfall by necessity at a later stage. I don't subscribe to the idea that the ToJ was staffed with servants etc., as is often postulated on this forum. I see it as a simple building, and probably built of un-mortared stone considering Ned tore it down to build cairns for the dead.

There don't have to be a lot of servants, no full staff or anything, but there must be some level of logistical support. I'd agree keeping it small and low key works best for secrecy. But if Wylla can get/be there (and it seems someone did by the 'they') then so can one or two other staff.

So, with regard to Ned finding the tower, I think if he was told then Ashara was most likely the one that told him. This might have been at Storm's End or even Starfall. Considering Dayne was missing too and Rhaegar's closest friend, then perhaps Starfall was the next logical place to look after the the KL and SE business was taken care of.

Ashara does seem likely at this stage. And it would be just as logical for Ned to g there and for Hightower, assumig he didn;t run into Ashara somewhere else first. But its just guessing.

[Light a wight tonight]

Ned rode about the countryside inquiring after a maid of 15 years, with brown hair and a long face, accompanied by a crown prince with silver hair.

[Belisarius09]

Ned rode about the countryside inquiring after a maid of 15 years, with brown hair and a long face, accompanied by a crown prince with silver hair.

Lol I see what you did thar.

but srs, it was most likely Ashara, considering their relations at the tourney of Harrenhall.

[MasterJack]

What I find weird is the guy only bring 6 guys with him. If Lyanna is "abducted" I am sure a lot of Northmen would want the follow the Ned, who just fought a good number of victorious battles and was a top 3 headman of the rebellion, to freed their Stark flower . They had no more others (signifiant) fighting to do either.

Ned had to have a serious doubt about her willingness to desert her family and start the war ( well #3 or #4 on the "guilt" list: after Aerys and Rheagar, and fighting for the third place with Varys and Brandon)

[SolFreer]

The men he took with him were his close friends, only a fool travels alone with expensive shit like a valyrian sword. He was looking for Lyanna, it made sense to only bring people he trusted... regardless of whether or not he expected to meet the remaining KG. Which I think he did.

He didn't expect to meet the remaining KG, he even says himself that he was sure that they would have fled with Dany and Viserys to which Hightower replies "Ser Willem is a good knight and true, but *not* of the kingsguard, we do not flee".

I think that Ned honestly just knew that wherever Lyanna was, she was likely protected and so he brought strong, loyal companions. Once he realised she was in Dorne (from whatever source) it made sense to have a strong force with him, since the Dornish were Loyalists and known for guerilla tactics.

[corbon]

What I find weird is the guy only bring 6 guys with him. If Lyanna is "abducted" I am sure a lot of Northmen would want the follow the Ned, who just fought a good number of victorious battles and was a top 3 headman of the rebellion, to freed their Stark flower . They had no more others (signifiant) fighting to do either.

There is no one mentioning Lyanna being 'abducted' until 15 years later - and thats Robert, who deliberately thinks of the world in whatever way suits his self-image, and Bran, who wasn;t born for years and years later.

Its also clear that Ned never believed Lyanna was taken against her will. Which means he expected that whenever they found her, there would be things that needed to be kept hidden from Robert. Perhaps even her location and that she was still alive, who knows.

So he took only his closest companions, mens who were loyal to him personally and he could trust to choose their loyaltye to him over their duty to Robert.

Ned had to have a serious doubt about her willingness to desert her family and start the war ( well #3 or #4 on the "guilt" list: after Aerys and Rheagar, and fighting for the third place with Varys and Brandon)

There. Is. No. Evidence. Lyanna's. Abduction. Has. Anything. To. Do. With. The. War.

War was started because Brandon committed treason, and Aerys over-reacted, and Jon Arryn refused to let Ned and Robert be murdered for no reason.

Lyanna was almost certainly the reason Brandon acted the way he did, but she was never mentioned again in the lead up to war that we know of, and the instant he opened his mouth and called for Rhaegar to come out and die, she became utterly irrelevant.

[MasterJack]

There is no one mentioning Lyanna being 'abducted' until 15 years later - and thats Robert, who deliberately thinks of the world in whatever way suits his self-image, and Bran, who wasn;t born for years and years later.

Its also clear that Ned never believed Lyanna was taken against her will. Which means he expected that whenever they found her, there would be things that needed to be kept hidden from Robert. Perhaps even her location and that she was still alive, who knows.

So he took only his closest companions, mens who were loyal to him personally and he could trust to choose their loyaltye to him over their duty to Robert.

There. Is. No. Evidence. Lyanna's. Abduction. Has. Anything. To. Do. With. The. War.

War was started because Brandon committed treason, and Aerys over-reacted, and Jon Arryn refused to let Ned and Robert be murdered for no reason.

Lyanna was almost certainly the reason Brandon acted the way he did, but she was never mentioned again in the lead up to war that we know of, and the instant he opened his mouth and called for Rhaegar to come out and die, she became utterly irrelevant.

When you are 14 yo and you disappears, your brother has every right to be crazy mad at the 22yo married man who decided to sleep with you. :D and when your brother and father have been burned/hanged because of your youth hormones, you need to head home girl. :P

[corbon]

When you are 14 yo and you disappears, your brother has every right to be crazy mad at the 22yo married man who decided to sleep with you. :D

Every right to be mad. But not to commit treason as a response, and certainly not to do so without even checking any facts.

and when your brother and father have been burned/hanged because of your youth hormones, you need to head home girl. :P

They weren't killed because of her youth hormones. They died because Brandon committed treason after choosing vigilanteeism as his first option. Neither investigation (basic fact confirmation) nor due processes ever entered his head, apparently.

And when everything has happened months before you find out, and there is now a raging civil war on, and possibly you are pregnant and have difficulty travelling safely, going home isn't necessarily an option. Nor does it make any difference.

15, BTW, and a woman grown, not a child. Don't make the mindless mistake of thinking of her as a teenager, because there was no such concept in those times and children were raised differently and developed differently.

[Aderyn the Sly]

I don't think anyone from King 's Landing told him. If that were the case, he would have relinquished command to someone else to lift the siege and gone straight for his sister. And since ravine cannot always find men in the battlefield I doubt someone wrote to tell him. Therefore, some one at Storm's End must have given something away even if they didn't know about Lyanna explacitly. For example, Lord Commander Gerold Hightower is Mace Tyrells Great Good Uncle, and I'm sure Ned would have found it interesting that he didn't fight in any part of Robert's Rebellion.

[Theostru]

I asked this a little while ago, and we concluded there was no guaranteed answer. Most people concluded that Ned probably found out when he lifted the siege of Storm's End, as that was the last major military action of Robert's Rebellion and he was the commander for it. But exactly how wasn't clear.

[Ygrain]

When you are 14 yo and you disappears, your brother has every right to be crazy mad at the 22yo married man who decided to sleep with you. :D and when your brother and father have been burned/hanged because of your youth hormones, you need to head home girl. :P

A brother who puts the revenge above his sister's safety has no rights at all.

[three-eyed monkey]

This is easily answered. Hightower didn;t know initially, but having been given a mission to bring Rhaegar back, he first went and found out where Rhaegar was.

In Hightower's shoes. The first place I'd look, given no other information, is Starfall. Arthur Dayne is Rahegar's best friend and closest companion, and is with him (and Ashara Dayne was Elia's companion until her disgrace).

If there is any place in westeros that might have a clue to Rhaegar's location, its Starfall.

I'd postulate that Hightower probably went there, informed them that by order of the King Rhaegar was needed to come back and take charge of the defences, and he was directed to ToJ.

Aerys is well out of the loop by the tmime Hightower gets anything to go on.

There don't have to be a lot of servants, no full staff or anything, but there must be some level of logistical support. I'd agree keeping it small and low key works best for secrecy. But if Wylla can get/be there (and it seems someone did by the 'they') then so can one or two other staff.

Ashara does seem likely at this stage. And it would be just as logical for Ned to g there and for Hightower, assumig he didn;t run into Ashara somewhere else first. But its just guessing.

I don't disagree with anything you say here really, Corbon.

I think it is very plausible that Hightower set off not knowing where Rhaegar was, and probably headed for Starfall as you say. It is however curious that he stayed at the ToJ, presumably under Rhaegar's orders, rather than return to KL as Aerys might have expected of his LC. As you say, he was given a mission to bring Rhaegar back, not just send him back. Under normal circumstances an order from a prince should not override an order from a king. But as Rhaegar tells Jaime he was considering making changes, is it possible that Hightower, as well as Dayne and Whent, was already on-board with these changes? Hightower was a very honourable guy by all accounts, so despite the line he gave young Jaime after the burning, what was he thinking privately? I think a man of honour must have been somewhat conflicted over his vows to protect a king who was burning people.

[Ygrain]

I don't disagree with anything you say here really, Corbon.

I think it is very plausible that Hightower set off not knowing where Rhaegar was, and probably headed for Starfall as you say. It is however curious that he stayed at the ToJ, presumably under Rhaegar's orders, rather than return to KL as Aerys might have expected of his LC. As you say, he was given a mission to bring Rhaegar back, not just send him back. Under normal circumstances an order from a prince should not override an order from a king. But as Rhaegar tells Jaime he was considering making changes, is it possible that Hightower, as well as Dayne and Whent, was already on-board with these changes? Hightower was a very honourable guy by all accounts, so despite the line he gave young Jaime after the burning, what was he thinking privately? I think a man of honour must have been somewhat conflicted over his vows to protect a king who was burning people.

There could be other explanations - for example, Hightower staying at ToJ being a condition of Rhaegar's return. I can think about two reasons why Rhaegar wouldn't want Hightower come back to Aerys - he would reveal Lyanna's location to Aerys if the king ordered him, and he might also be an obstacle in removing Aerys.