1st draft theory, why Sarella is at the citadel

[R.O.Edwards]

So we know Dorne is going to side with the Targeryans and Doran has been subtly plotting and moving his pieces for years. My thought is that he sent Sarella to the citadel to try and uncover some answers about dragons.

While their under the guise of Alleras or the sphinx she discovers a bit about how the Archmaesters are responsible for the death of dragons. She reports this back to Doran who sends Quentyn off to Dany while sending word to Sarella to try and find a Pro-magic ally at the citadel.

She succeeds and comes up with Archmaester Marwyn the Mage.

This would explain for me at least

1. Why Doran doesn't seem to bothered that she is free when he arrests the other sandsnakes.

2. Why Alleras seems trusted by the Mage after being there only a short time.

3. Why she is in Oldtown in the first place.

4. Why they take Sam seriously with no questions asked.

This is a work in progress as I only just considered this, so there is bound to be some holes in this theory at the moment. However I have seen several people wonder why Sarella is in Oldtown, this is a more satisfying theory for me than "she wants to be a maester".

Any thoughts?

[The Dornishman's Widow]

Nice thoughts, and they do explain several questions about Sarelleras.

However, I'm curious how you would interpret this exchange:

[Areo:] "What of Sarella? She is a woman grown, almost twenty."

[Doran:] "Unless she returns to Dorne, there's naught I can do about Sarella save pray that she shows more sense than her sisters. Leave her to her . . . game.”

Doran indicates that he doesn't think overly much about Sarelleras's "game" in Oldtown. He has few secrets from Areo I think, so why the need for deception? On the other hand, Areo seems to be in the know about her location, so if the mission is secret even from him, why even tell him that?

[R.O.Edwards]

I did have trouble with that I was hoping Doran was being evasive because he can't trust Areo Hotah but I don't think that's it. Were there other people listening to that exchange ?

[The Dornishman's Widow]

I did have trouble with that I was hoping Doran was being evasive because he can't trust Areo Hotah but I don't think that's it. Were there other people listening to that exchange ?

Good point, I'll have to look that up.

[TalalOfDorne]

Thank you for posting this OP. Ive always had this idea in my head, so its nice to see someone starting a thread about this.

[TepidHands]

2. Why Alleras seems trusted by the Mage after being there only a short time.

My theory is that even after a short time at the Citadel, Alleras already has forged three links on his chain, including the one for history (!), and probably asks just the right questions (Sarella was always asking questions as a child, IIRC).

[Clariana]

Doran dismisses what she is doing as a "game", but we know that in the Game, all games are deadly serious...

Sarella and Sam will get on, I hope. One's learning all about dragons, and more than likely how to kill them, the other wants to learn about Wights and Walkers and how to kill them. Isn't it obvious they need to put their heads together?

[R.O.Edwards]

Doran dismisses what she is doing as a "game", but we know that in the Game, all games are deadly serious...

Sarella and Sam will get on, I hope. One's learning all about dragons, and more than likely how to kill them, the other wants to learn about Wights and Walkers and how to kill them. Isn't it obvious they need to put their heads together?

If Sarella is pro-Targaryan why would she be learning to kill dragons ?

[Clariana]

If & if...

But anyways, why not? You know, just in case...

By the way the picture of Arellas or Sarella on the wiki is rubbish: "... his own skin was a dark as teak" the picture is a comely pale skin... Needs fixing.

[R.O.Edwards]

Well this is the first actual theory I have posted before this it was only questions and comments.

So thanks for not just shooting it down as stupid.

:)

[Shebara]

Me thinking that Danaerys will (after Mereen) march into Westeros via Dorne...to report on Quentyns death and turn the Dornishmen into her allies against the Iron Throne (Ariane had visions of dragons in Dorne)...Next station could well be Oldtown...to get further help/infos on how to master dragons (the infamous book!).

If Sarella/Alleras is already there as a spy...how helpful! Alleras could help to find the book, help to make Sam and Dany acquainted...and much more (infos on Ironborn fleet etc etc, who knows)

[Veltigar]

I think the quote posted by The Dornishman's Widow pretty much sends this theory to the graveyard:

AFFC, Captain of the Guards said

[Areo:] "What of Sarella? She is a woman grown, almost twenty."
[Doran:] "Unless she returns to Dorne, there's naught I can do about Sarella save pray that she shows more sense than her sisters. Leave her to her . . . game.”

She could be there to hunt for hidden dragon lore but I rather doubt it. I think that the text points to her being there to forge her chain and nothing more.

Of course that doesn't mean she won't get caught up in Jaqen's game to get to the book. My personal theory is that Sarella will be impressed by Sam's incredible knowledge (I'll believe that Sam is going to forge a lot of links in a very short time) and really become his friend when she finds him practicing archery (her other love besides knowledge).

They'll both be creeped out by Jaqen and learn more about his singular interest in dragons. I believe that when Euron takes Oldtown (probably after Jaqen helps the Ironborn get inside of the city), the city will panick. And during the sack, Sam and Sarella manage to steal the book Jaqen is after, just before the later can arrive to take it.

[Winds of Winter blow cold]

If Sarella is pro-Targaryan why would she be learning to kill dragons ?

You have to know how a poison works to find a way to counter act it.

[CJ McLannister]

I don't think Doran knows exactly why she's there. The Sand Snakes don't seem overly concerned with asking permission before they act. I don't think she wants to become a maester, but just wants to learn as much as she can before she has to get out of town. I really don't know what her ultimate goal is, or whether it involves thrones, ice and/or fire.

[Queen Alienor]

I'm not sure how much control Doran has over the Sand Snakes. He locks up all of them he can reach, even the little ones as Arianne laments (I think). I've always read this line as Doran acknowledging that Sarella is to far away for him to do anything. Also, I think it indicates that he trusts her to keep a cool head more than her sisters. Obara, Nymeria and Tyene immediately want revenge, while Sarella as Arellas probably can't be seen as to affected by Oberyn's death because that would raise questions. The Sand Snakes seem to be pretty much doing what they want, and I guess Sarella wanted to learn. Of course, there is always the possibility that she spied for Oberyn. Doran says somewhere that he and his brother worked much closer together than anybody knew. Maybe they decided that Sarella was trustworthy enough to be a spy? That would fit the scenario of the OP then. I just don't think it's likely that only Doran told her to spy. The Sand Snakes seem to fiercly love their father, and I always got the vibe that they don't really trust Doran. If Sarella's a spy, Oberyn had a hand in that.

[TheBlackViper]

My belief is she went to the Citadel to study and forge links. There are hints that she was fond of learning and, being as headstrong and independent as the rest of the Sand Snakes, she tried her luck at the Citadel. There, due perhaps to her interest in learning and her intelligence, she caught Maester Marwyn's eye and got pulled into his schemes.

By the way the picture of Arellas or Sarella on the wiki is rubbish: "... his own skin was a dark as teak" the picture is a comely pale skin... Needs fixing.

The picture in Sarella Sand's page is definitely not how she's described. Or rather, how Alleras is described. If I had to guess I'd say that was Nymeria. But Allera's one is fine by me. Curly hair, window's peak, skin a mixture of the darker Summer Islander's tone and her father's lighter one.

[Alta1r]

How old is Alleras? 19? Are Dornish women generally busty? Summer Islanders? Either way, I know it's not impossible to disguise her identity, but around 19 a girl has a very definite feminine figure (hips, breasts, even face etc.). It's much more believable for 10 year old Arya to pass as a boy; this one is stretching it. Is Sarella described as being kind of manly, physically? I know Alleras has slender arms, but hips/legs wise, is she more masculine? And it seems (s)he's pretty chummy with her other Oldtown bros, have they never wrestled around? Has she never had to use the restroom around them? All gotten drunk together and accidentally done something dumb? Again, not saying it's impossible for Alleras to be Sarella but it sounds like a logistical nightmare for her.

Also, the disguise is pretty weak. Even for people who can't read, Alleras and Sarella sound very similar - just say it out loud. I guess a lot of people in the Citadel wouldn't have heard of Sarella, but surely the maesters probably have (and they CAN read!). Plus the matching features to Oberyn. Plus going around telling people that his mother was a Summer Islander, just like Sarella. It's likely that most people would never know or even think about Alleras = Sarella, but again, in the heart of maester territory it seems like a particularly weak disguise. Why not any other name (take Ned it Barry or literally anything else that isn't just Sarella backwards), and any other plausible descent (my father was a Summer Islander and my mother from Braavos)?

[Not Dead Just Broken]

I think her game might be pretty straightforward and that might be why Doran doesn't care. If I recall, Summer Islanders have a fairly egalitarian culture when it comes to the sexes. Her mother is the captain of a ship for instance. Dorne is fairly egalitarian for Westeros as well. Even Oberyn, who is a notorious playboy, has raised his daughters in a fairly egalitarian fashion. The fact that the Maesters don't admit women into their order undoubtedly offends her sensibilities. Her "game" may be as simple as forge a Maester's chain and then reveal her gender, proving that women can do it if given the chance.

The fact that she's aligned herself with Archmaester Marwyn may allow her a certain amount of freedom. It wouldn't surprise me if Marwyn was in on her "game." This would allow the Mage to trust her implicitly because he could ruin her if she ever crossed him. I think she helps Sam because either she or Marwyn saw a vision in the dragonglass candle. I'm not sure what her interest is in magic. I think she's just generally curious and Marwyn seems to be the best pure scientist there. He's not as doctrinaire and corrupt as the other Archmaesters.

The only thing I don't understand is why she practices with her bow and arrow. It could be just for fun, I suppose. However, she seems to be doing it to keep up her skills, something she wouldn't need as a Maester. If she has a larger game, I kind of hope it involves some ridiculous feat of archery.

[Veltigar]

How old is Alleras? 19? Are Dornish women generally busty? Summer Islanders? Either way, I know it's not impossible to disguise her identity, but around 19 a girl has a very definite feminine figure (hips, breasts, even face etc.). It's much more believable for 10 year old Arya to pass as a boy; this one is stretching it. Is Sarella described as being kind of manly, physically? I know Alleras has slender arms, but hips/legs wise, is she more masculine? And it seems (s)he's pretty chummy with her other Oldtown bros, have they never wrestled around? Has she never had to use the restroom around them? All gotten drunk together and accidentally done something dumb? Again, not saying it's impossible for Alleras to be Sarella but it sounds like a logistical nightmare for her.

Also, the disguise is pretty weak. Even for people who can't read, Alleras and Sarella sound very similar - just say it out loud. I guess a lot of people in the Citadel wouldn't have heard of Sarella, but surely the maesters probably have (and they CAN read!). Plus the matching features to Oberyn. Plus going around telling people that his mother was a Summer Islander, just like Sarella. It's likely that most people would never know or even think about Alleras = Sarella, but again, in the heart of maester territory it seems like a particularly weak disguise. Why not any other name (take Ned it Barry or literally anything else that isn't just Sarella backwards), and any other plausible descent (my father was a Summer Islander and my mother from Braavos)?

1) Why would the Maesters care enough about Oberyn's bastards to keep track of them.

2) She resembles Oberyn because she has the viper eyes and the widows peak. But Oberyn wasn't the only man in Westeros with a widows peak. And the Viper eyes are only noticeable when you really stare into it

3) No Maester would expect that a girl would have the balls (pun intended) to disguise herself as a boy to study at the Citadel. Therefore, even if someone notices something funny they'll just write it off as Aleras being quire/strange.

The only thing I don't understand is why she practices with her bow and arrow. It could be just for fun, I suppose. However, she seems to be doing it to keep up her skills, something she wouldn't need as a Maester. If she has a larger game, I kind of hope it involves some ridiculous feat of archery.

She's Oberyn's girl. She loves to shoot, it's her hobby. At the same time she's able to honor her heritage since both the Summer Islanders and the Dornish are known for their great archery culture.

[Alta1r]

1) Why would the Maesters care enough about Oberyn's bastards to keep track of them.

2) She resembles Oberyn because she has the viper eyes and the widows peak. But Oberyn wasn't the only man in Westeros with a widows peak. And the Viper eyes are only noticeable when you really stare into it

3) No Maester would expect that a girl would have the balls (pun intended) to disguise herself as a boy to study at the Citadel. Therefore, even if someone notices something funny they'll just write it off as Aleras being quire/strange.

Yeah, I'm not saying it'd be impossible for Alleras to get away with it. I agree that no one's probably actively trying to find her or knows she's missing or even exists outside of certain families in Dorne. Perhaps even the maesters don't know. But I think it's a pretty stupid idea to make a disguise that makes it easier for others to uncover your true identity when it would have been incredibly easy to make the disguise that much more airtight (different name and background). It would seem like basic Disguises 101. Either way, I think physically the disguise would be much more difficult to pull off. The body shape, the height (she'll either be noticeably shorter, or if she's taller, the height will just accentuate the feminine figure), the necessity of complete privacy/hands off policy when the ASOIAF universe doesn't seem that way generally, no stubble on her face - ever, speaking in a false voice at all times (even lower pitched female voices and high pitched male voices are easily identifiable post puberty). I have nothing against Alleras = Sarella for any in-verse reasons. From a reader's perspective though I feel like GRRM is f*cking with us by having us jump at shadows over things that in-verse characters probably wouldn't (at least shouldn't) do. Or it's just a fan-service plot point. It would be disappointing if it was the second option.