Darkstar is a Brightflame

Lost Melnibonean · July 10, 2015

Part I

In Game, Pycelle told Eddard that Varys was born in Lys. In the Hedge Knight, which was published after Game but before Clash, we learned that Aerion was temporarily sent to Lys. Ever since Jon I, Clash 6, we have known that Aerion had a legitimate son, who was passed over as an infant for the crown in favor of Aegon V. But we did not know who the boy's mother was. The speculation was that he was from Lys.

The Brightfyre theory grew out of dissatisfaction with the widely accepted Blackfyre theory, which posited that Jon Connington's Aegon was actually the son of Illyrio Mopatis and his wife, Serra. The Blackfyre theory assumed that Serra was the sister of Varys and they were descendants of Daemon Blackfyre. The Brightfyre theory was developed by readers who concluded that Illyrio was the Blackfyre descendant, and that Serra and Varys, the latter of whom surely has at least a drop of dragonblood, were descendants of Aerion.

However, in The World of Ice and Fire, we learned a bit more about Aerion's wee son, who was named Maegor. After his return from Lys, Aerion was wed to his cousin Daenora Targaryen. Daenora was the daughter of Rhaegal Targaryen, who was Daeron II's third son, and Alys Arryn. We also learned that Aerion's father was wed to Dyana Dayne. Thus, Maegor really had no connection to Lys. We can only speculate what happened to Maegor after Aegon V stepped over him to take the Iron Throne as per the will of the Great Council, but when did that stop us from constructing theories, eh?

Aegon V most likely would have had Maegor fostered at the Red Keep, Dragonstone, or Summerhall. Alternatively, he could have let some other lord foster him. If so, the most likely houses would have been the house of Maegor's maternal grandmother, House Arryn, or the house of Maegor's paternal grandmother, House Dayne. And it should be pointed out that House Dayne was the house of Aegon V's own mother.

Now, if we assume that Maegor was fostered by House Dayne, it's not too difficult to assume that Aerion is the great grandfather of Gerold Dayne (as Rhaegar is the great grandson of Aegon V).

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Arianne Martell arrived with Drey and Sylva just as the sun was going down, with the west a tapestry of gold and purple and the clouds all glowing crimson. The ruins seemed aglow as well; the fallen columns glimmered pinkly, red shadows crept across the cracked stone floors, and the sands themselves turned from gold to orange to purple as the light faded. Garin had arrived a few hours earlier, and the knight called Darkstar the day before.

The Queenmaker, Feast 21

Many readers have taken this description of the sunset as a symbol of the emergent power of Houses Lanninster and Tyrell. But red is also the color of House Targaryen. Since this is the introduction of the chapter, could it be a signal that a new Targaryen was about to be introduced?

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"Garin the Great," offered Drey, "the wonder of the Rhoyne."

"That's the one. He made Valyria tremble."

"They trembled," said Ser Gerold, "then they killed him. If I led a quarter of a million men to death, would they call me Gerold the Great?" He snorted. "I shall remain Darkstar, I think. At least it is mine own." He unsheathed his longsword, sat upon the lip of the dry well, and began to hone the blade with an oilstone.

Arianne watched him warily. He is highborn enough to make a worthy consort, she thought. Father would question my good sense, but our children would be as beautiful as dragonlords. If there was a handsomer man in Dorne, she did not know him. Ser Gerold Dayne had an aquiline nose, high cheekbones, a strong jaw. He kept his face clean-shaven, but his thick hair fell to his collar like a silver glacier, pided by a streak of midnight black. He has a cruel mouth, though, and a crueler tongue. His eyes seemed black as he sat outlined against the dying sun, sharpening his steel, but she had looked at them from a closer vantage and she knew that they were purple. Dark purple. Dark and angry.

He must have felt her gaze upon him, for he looked up from his sword, met her eyes, and smiled. Arianne felt heat rushing to her face. I should never have brought him. If he gives me such a look when Arys is here, we will have blood on the sand. Whose, she could not say. By tradition the Kingsguard were the finest knights in all the Seven Kingdoms . . . but Darkstar was Darkstar.

The Queenmaker, Feast 21

I understand that many Daynes have platinum blonde hair and purple eyes, but Darkstar is described as a Targaryen. Dig the description of Aerion. . .

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Slim and straight as a dirk, though only of middling height, he was near Dunks own age. Curls of silver-gold hair framed a face sculpted and imperious; high brow and sharp cheekbones, straight nose, pale smooth skin without blemish. His eyes were a deep violet color.

The Hedge Knight

A couple of posts below, Falcotron points out the discrepancies between these two descriptions. I still think they have a similar look, at least seperated by three generations. And Arianne suggests that he looks like a dragon lord.

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Once the kindling caught, they sat around the flames and passed a skin of summerwine from hand to hand . . . all but Darkstar, who preferred to drink unsweetened lemonwater.

. . .

Arianne knew better. If Quentyn has the Golden Company behind him . . . "Beneath the gold the bitter steel," was their cry. You will need bitter steel and more, brother, if you think to set me aside. Arianne was loved in Dorne, Quentyn little known. No company of sellswords could change that.

Ser Gerold rose. "I believe I'll have a piss."

"Watch where you set your feet," Drey cautioned. "It has been a while since Prince Oberyn milked the local vipers."

"I was weaned on venom, Dalt. Any viper takes a bite of me will rue it." Ser Gerold vanished through a broken arch.

When he was gone, the others exchanged glances. "Forgive me, princess," said Garin softly, "but I do not like that man."

"A pity," Drey said. "I believe he's half in love with you."

"We need him," Arianne reminded them. "It may be that we will need his sword, and we will surely need his castle."

"High Hermitage is not the only castle in Dorne," Spotted Sylva pointed out, "and you have other knights who love you well. Drey is a knight."

The Queenmaker, Feast 21

And the aquiline nose is a Valyrian feature...

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Ser Laenor had the aquiline nose, silver-white hair, and purple eyes that bespoke his Valyrian blood.

The Rogue Prince

Here, the author subtly compares the bitterness of Aegor Rivers to Darkstar, who prefers to drink unsweetened lemon water, a very bitter drink, to wine. This is a bit tricky because Aerion drank wine. But the important point here, I think, is that Aerion is as bitter as Aegor. Bittersteel was bitter because of his failure to install a Blackfyre on the Iron Throne. When Aerion was drinking wine, he had not been passed over for the throne. Four generations later Darkstar was drinking lemon water. What grievance was he nursing?

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"Princess." Ser Gerold Dayne stood behind her, half in starlight and half in shadow.

"How was your piss?" Arianne inquired archly.

"The sands were duly grateful." Dayne put a foot upon the head of a statue that might have been the Maiden till the sands had scoured her face away. "It occurred to me as I was pissing that this plan of yours may not yield you what you want."

"And what is it I want, ser?"

"The Sand Snakes freed. Vengeance for Oberyn and Elia. Do I know the song? You want a little taste of lion blood."

That, and my birthright. I want Sunspear, and my father's seat. I want Dorne. "I want justice."

"Call it what you will. Crowning the Lannister girl is a hollow gesture. She will never sit the Iron Throne. Nor will you get the war you want. The lion is not so easily provoked."

"The lion's dead. Who knows which cub the lioness prefers?"

"The one in her own den." Ser Gerold drew his sword. It glimmered in the starlight, sharp as lies. "This is how you start a war. Not with a crown of gold, but with a blade of steel."

I am no murderer of children. "Put that away. Myrcella is under my protection. And Ser Arys will permit no harm to come to his precious princess, you know that."

"No, my lady. What I know is that Daynes have been killing Oakhearts for several thousand years."

His arrogance took her breath away. "It seems to me that Oakhearts have been killing Daynes for just as long."

"We all have our family traditions." Darkstar sheathed his sword. "The moon is rising, and I see your paragon approaching."

His eyes were sharp. The horseman on the tall grey palfrey did indeed prove to be Ser Arys, white cloak fluttering bravely as he spurred across the sand. Princess Myrcella rode pillion behind him, swaddled in a cowled robe that hid her golden curls.

The Queenmaker, Feast 21

Targaryens have family traditions too, and several Targaryens were very cruel. Aerion, was perhaps the cruelest of all. And tell me with a straight face that Darkstar doesn't come off as jerky as Aerion. . .

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Boy, let go of that nag and see to my horse.

. . . He is talking to me, Dunk realized. I am not a stableboy, mlord.

Not clever enough? . . . If you cannot manage a horse, fetch me some wine and a pretty wench.

I. . . mlord, pardons, Im no serving man either. I have the honor to be a knight.

Knighthood has fallen on sad days, said the princeling,

The Hedge Knight

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Arianne led her queen-to-be to the final member of her little band. "Last, but first in valor, I give you Ser Gerold Dayne, a knight of Starfall."

Ser Gerold went to one knee. The moonlight shone in his dark eyes as he studied the child coolly.

"There was an Arthur Dayne," Myrcella said. "He was a knight of the Kingsguard in the days of Mad King Aerys."

"He was the Sword of the Morning. He is dead."

"Are you the Sword of the Morning now?"

"No. Men call me Darkstar, and I am of the night."

The Queenmaker, Feast 21

One of the coolest lines in all of ASOIAF. . . . Just kidding

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As she led the princess to the fire, Arianne found Ser Gerold behind her. "My House goes back ten thousand years, unto the dawn of days," he complained. "Why is it that my cousin is the only Dayne that anyone remembers?"

"He was a great knight," Ser Arys Oakheart put in.

"He had a great sword," Darkstar said.

"And a great heart." Ser Arys took Arianne by the arm.

The Queenmaker, Feast 21

Darkstar is resentful and jealous of others. So was Aerion. . .

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After a pause to dip his lance to Prince Baelor, a pause so brief that was almost perfunctory, he galloped to the north end of the field, past Lord Leos pavilion and the Laughing Storms, slowing only when he approached Prince Valarrs tent. The Young Prince rose and stood stiffly beside his shield, and for a moment Dunk was certain that Aerion meant to strike it . . . but then he laughed and trotted past, and banged his point hard against Ser Humfrey Hardyngs diamonds. Come out, come out, little knight, he sang in a loud clear voice, its time you faced the dragon.

The Hedge Knight

Lost Melnibonean · July 10, 2015

Part II

The rest of this is virtually everything we know about Darkstar and some questions as to how he fits into the plot. . .

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Once I crown Myrcella and free the Sand Snakes, all Dorne will rally to my banners. The Yronwoods might declare for Quentyn, but alone they were no threat. If they went over to Tommen and the Lannisters, she would have Darkstar destroy them root and branch.

The Queenmaker, Feast 21

Does anybody think that Darkstar would really go to war against House Yronwood for Arianne? I dont see him doing her bidding, but there might be some foreshadowing here for the Second Dance of the Dragons.

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Darkstar's laughter rang out. "Are you blind or stupid, Oakheart? There are too many. Put up your sword."

The Queenmaker, Feast 21

This is very, very curious. If his plan had been to kill Myrcella, wouldnt he have egged Arys on to provoke chaos? And if he had been the informer in league with Doran, as Arianne considers later, why did he want to kill Myrcella?

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She heard Areo Hotah roar, "After him. He must not escape. After him!" Myrcella was on the ground, wailing, shaking, her pale face in her hands, blood streaming through her fingers.

The Queenmaker, Feast 21

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Hotah made no reply, except to grunt. Arianne could feel his anger. Darkstar had escaped him, the most dangerous of all her little group of plotters. He had outraced all his pursuers and vanished into the deep desert, with blood upon his blade.

. . .

Finally, she crawled back onto the featherbed. The world had grown dark, and there was little she could do but sleep. Someone told, she thought. Someone told. Garin, Drey, and Spotted Sylva were friends of her girlhood, as dear to her as her cousin Tyene. She could not believe they would inform on her . . . but that left only Darkstar, and if he was the betrayer, why had he turned his sword on poor Myrcella? He wanted to kill her instead of crowning her, he said as much at Shandystone. He said that was how I'd get the war I wanted. But it made no sense for Dayne to be the traitor. If Ser Gerold had been the worm in the apple, why would he have turned his sword upon Myrcella?