Jump to content

Ashara Dayne's (sinister) role in Robert's Rebellion


Hangover of the Morning

Recommended Posts

Disclaimer: Considering that there are 100+ threads dedicated to R + L =J, I venture that the idea that I am proposing is not novel and might be that I simply preaching years-old news to the choir or that my ideas have been debunked hundred times over. If, that’s the case, I’m truly sorry. Either way, I am really interested in your opinion and at discussing Ashara Dayne and her role in Robert’s Rebellion.

There’s a summary at the end so jump right there if you’re unsure. This post is certainly way longer than it needs to be as the main point of the "theory" is quite simple. 

This theory tries to explains Ashara Dayne’s role in Robert’s Rebellion and the implications for R+L=J.

Prerequisites

This theory operates under the following four premises. If any of these go deeply against your conviction, then you will probably not like my conclusions. You've been warned J 

  • R + L = J (no baby swaps)
  • Ashara Dayne is dead: she committed suicide by jumping from the Palestone Sword 
  • Ashara has slept (most likely willingly) and have been impregnated by Brandon Stark at the Tourney at Harrenhal 
  • Ashara's child was born stillborn or died soon after (there's some wiggle room for the baby to be Allyria but it doesn't add or detract anything from the theory and just muddles the scene so I'm leaving it out)

Ashara Dayne's role in the books

Let's just step back from any speculations and wild crackpot theories and think what has Ashara's character added to the story so far.

  • Smokescreen for R + L = J: both Neds explicitly state that Wylla is Jon's mother but most smart, yet casual readers would identify Wylla as the smokescreen, and Ashara as the real culprit, thus missing the double bluff.
  • Adds a layer of tragedy to the Robert’s Rebellion and show that there are war casualties outside of the battlefield
  • Brings House Dayne to the forefront of our minds: the honourable and deadly Sword of the Morning definitely got our attention and we all love him but give him a smoking hot sister who’s rumoured to have a fling with Ned Stark and who died tragically, and our brains are guaranteed to lit a light bulb every time House Dayne is mentioned in the novels. 
  • A homage to the real QoLaB of George's youth, i.e. Elizabeth Taylor: this is a meta reason and technically doesn’t add anything to the story but I am throwing it in nonetheless

We can probably add a few more reason but all they have in common is that they don't exactly paint Ashara as a full fleshed character but rather a symbol, a passive plot point with no agenda of her own. I personally think that it could just be it and there not need to be any more to her. Not every character has to affect the story significantly and GRRM even emphasized it by revealing very little about her personality. 

However, GRRM has also put on record:

Quote

... Ashara Dayne was not nailed to the floor in Starfall, as some of the fans who write me seem to assume. They have horses in Dorne too, you know. And boats (though not many of their own). 

That SSM is at least 10 years old and things might have chained since then but it implies that Ashara might have played an active role in the events surrounding Robert's Rebellion. Hopefully, that adds a credit to my theory and it won’t be dismissed as just me trying to make a favourite character  appear more important and interesting than she really is.

The premise is that Ashara is by no means the key to all the mysteries surrounding ToJ and Robert’ Rebellion, but she is a one crucial piece of the puzzle that is essential to uncover in order to understand the events that took place. 

Ashara's suicide

Let's start at the end. We hear all sorts of rumours about why Ashara decided to end her life, all adding a rather romantic vibe to her premature departure. Most of the in-story-reasons, if taken in isolation, generally don't feel like good enough to off yourself, though I understand that everyone's different. Let’s look at them one by one:

  • The loss of her lover: Ashara lost Brandon twice, first to Cat (as he was on his way to the wedding) and soon after to Aerys' madness. Both occurred at least a year before her suicide. (Even if Ned was her true love, he too was lost to her for nearly a year before she decided to kill herself).
  • The death of her child: Post-natal depression is a real thing and losing a child is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone. However, the suicide took place at least a year after the death of her baby.  
  • The death of her brother: Unless someone was already severely unhinged, the death of even the most beloved sibling rarely drives people into suicide. Particularly given that her brother was a soldier in the middle of a war. Even his peacetime job was to "take the bullet for the king". I'll further add that Ashara was likely surrounded by a loving family (if Edric Dayne's nature is any indicator) at home at Starfall so it's not as if Arthur was her only relative. 

I'm willing to accept that Ashara has been depressed for a year due to the loss of Brandon and her child (possibly even the deaths of Elia and her children) and Arthur's death was just the final straw that broke the camel. However, it does paint her as a very passive figure who was struck by tragedies beyond her control. It somewhat contradicts GRRM's statement about her being a bit more proactive in her fate and makes me wonder if there’s more to in. 

Guilt is one of the most common reason for why people chose to commit suicide and I’m certainly not the first fan who proposes that Ashara was the person who tipped of Ned about the location of the Tower of Joy. The guilt over causing her brother’s death together with the loss of Brandon and their child is what ultimately drove her to suicide. Reasonable enough.

While, I strongly believe that's the case, I feel like it still doesn't give us the full picture. For once, it doesn’t explain why Ashara suddenly sought out Ned and told him about the location of the Tower of Joy, nor does it explain why Ned doesn’t feel any remorse over Ashara’s death when she was so instrumental in helping him find his sister.

There's subtle hints in Ned's POV that he feels guilty for all sorts of things, such as lying to Cat, Jon and Robert; for the deaths of his comrades at ToJ; for killing Arthur Dayne; not preventing the deaths of Elia and her children; coming too late to save Lyanna; Robert's inept rule; Robert's death ... but Ashara's suicide is surprisingly absent. We can argue that by this point, Ned has lost so many people he cared about and witnessed so much death and suffering that the death of one hot Dornish chick is just a footnote in his journey and he has no reason to ponder over it, especially when he has his hands full with Jon Arryn's murder mystery and making sure that he and his family won’t get killed in King’s Landing. 

Suicide is different though (and dare I guess a rather unusual type of death in Westeros) as it tends to stick with people, even if it happens to someone we don’t know well or particularly like. We often feel that we could have done something to prevent it. It would be surprising if Ned didn’t feel some kind of regret, since Ashara killed herself soon after his arrival to Starfall, and maybe even while he was still there. No matter her reasons for suicide, Ned’s presence and baring of the news about Arthur’s death acted as a catalyst that finally pushed her over the edge. 

For that reason, I propose that Ashara's guilt runs much deeper and further back in time beyond her simply tipping off Ned about the whereabouts of Lyanna.   

I believe that it was Ashara Dayne, who fed Brandon Stark false information, that lead him to abandon his wedding and storm the Red Keep, in order to challenge Rhaegar to a duel.

Ashara's role in Robert's Rebellion

Beware incoming fanfic J Just want to give a brief overview as to how I picture the events taking place.  

Ashara let herself to be seduced by Brandon at Harrenhal. The eldest Stark might have promised her to break it off with Cat and marry her. He might have even meant it or he might have been lying to Ashara to get into her pants but either way, sooner or later she found herself pregnant and had to leave court. The society rising star who turned so many heads and had a chance to wed way above her status thanks to her beauty, connection to the royal family and ancient family name was suddenly facing a ruin; all because of one night with Brandon Stark. If he only married her, it'd all be good and well but sooner or later, her dream was shattered and she was on her own and had to face the consequences of her actions, as her pregnancy and “shameful” actions at the Tourney were an open secret in King’s Landing.

Meanwhile Rhaegar decided to run away with (or kidnap) Lyanna Stark with the help of Ashara’s brother. The party either took shelter at Starfall or were in some way in contact with Ashara via Arthur. Ashara was either personally charged with sending a letter informing Brandon or Rickard that Lyanna is safe or more likely had a chance to alter it. Alternatively, Rhaegar and co decided not to send anything and Ashara went behind their backs and informed Brandon of the “kidnaping”.

Basically, Ashara took the opportunity to deliberately fed Brandon false information regarding his sister been kidnapped (or even murdered) by Rhaegar, who’s hiding in the Red Keep. I won't go as far as to claim that she had necessarily malicious intent or wished Brandon harm (thought that's quite possible) but maybe just hoped to interrupt his wedding to Cat and didn’t think through the consequences of her actions. An alternative, albeit highly unlikely, explanation would be that Rhaegar truly kidnaped Lyanna against her will (or Ashara thought that he did) and all Ashara tried was to genuinely tip Brandon off about his sister. Either way it didn’t end well for impulsive Brandon and doubtless, Ashara was horrified when she eventually find out what her meddling caused. I wouldn’t find it too far-fetched to suggest that the shock caused her to go into labour prematurely and lose her child as a consequence. Even if Ashara though that Brandon got what he deserved, she would have been sorry for Rickard and the chain of events it started.  

After the Sack and the deaths of Rhaegar, Elia and their children, Ashara was likely completely wretched with guilt and desperate to do something right and to atone for her actions. She might have pleaded with Arthur and begged him to return Lyanna to her family, as the war was lost, but his Kingsguard duty was clear to him and he wouldn’t budge. She either sought out Ned on her own or was contacted by him, but either way, she let him know the location of his sister. Ashara would ask Ned to spare her brother’s life but instinctively she must have known that Arthur was not going to kneel and that she was sentencing her brother to death. I’m guessing that because Arthur’s party didn’t seem all too surprised when Ned and his men showed up so Ashara either warned her brother about the upcoming party or Arthur had guessed that she might have snitched on them. After Arhtur's and Lyanna's deaths, Ashara was too far gone. Wretched with guilt and having so little to live for, she decided to commit suicide. 

Significance for the story

1. It gives a plot purpose to Ashara's fling at Harrenhal 

Ashara’s affair at Harrenhal is a nice little mystery but ultimately adds little to the story. However, if Ashara “betrayed” Brandon, their affair gives her strong motivations to do so.

 => Establishes a connection between Brandon and Ashara and gives Ashara a motive to wish him ill

2. It explains why Brandon charged for King's Landing with the intent to confront Rhaegar 

Someone must have tipped off Brandon and one of the biggest mysteries of the books is who and why. Why was he so adamant that his sister was kidnapped, and by the crown prince of all people? What made him go to King's Landing.

=> Aside for Littlefinger, who had no means to be involved, Ashara was the only other person who could have wished for Brandon’s wedding to Cat to be interrupted and to get him into trouble.

3. It partly explains the "radio silence" from Rhaegar after Lyanna's alleged kidnapping

I'm the last person to be excusing Rhaegar and Lyanna’s actions but Ashara’s forgery of the letter might get them off the hook ever so slightly. Either way, they should have sent letters to every fkingdom to make sure that Rickard and Robert were aware that Lyanna was alive and well, not rely on just one messenger. 

=> If Rhaegar’s party thought that a letter explaining Lyanna’s whereabouts and ensuring her father/brother of her safety has been sent (or on the other hand if they assumed that nobody knew that it was Rhaegar who took Lyanna), then it might partly explain why they were seemingly unconcerned about the potential consequences of their actions.

4. It gives Ashara a solid reason to divulge the location of ToJ to Ned at the end of the war

Ashara would find it hard to not to try to make things right, after so many people she cared about have died as a consequence of her actions. 

=> Ashara tried to atone for the deaths of Brandon and Rickard by telling Ned the whereabouts of his sister.

5. It gives Ashara an almost ironclad motivation to commit suicide

Her actions killed the father of her child and the man she probably still loved, and helped to put to an early grave her brother and friend Elia and her children. 

=> After losing her child and causing so much death to people she loved, she had little to live for.

6. It explain the surprising lack of guilt/remorse over Ashara's suicide in Ned's POV

Ned’s not likely to overlook if Ashara, albeit inadvertently, caused the deaths of his brother and father. However, he’d also understand her motivations and how Brandon mistreated her. 

=> Ned feels neither sympathy nor remorse because it’s a closed chapter for him. Ashara caused a lot of harm to his family but she also had understandable reasons and tried to atone for her actions. Ultimately, she paid the steepest price.

I am the first one to admit that I am not a huge fan of the "idiotic meant to be harmless misunderstanding" snowballing into a catastrophic chain of events. We saw on a much smaller scale with Arianne and Doran and it was no fun to read. I’m also not trying to shift blame onto Ashara in order to make Rhaegar and Lyanna look better. They and Aerys have their fare share of blame and Ashara’s meddling was just one of the many events that eventually lead to the Rebellion. Similar to Cat taking Tyrion captive in AGoT. It didn’t start the war, that would have happened either way but it helped set things into motion.

Summary

Ashara Dayne was seduced by Brandon at Harrenhal but he either refused or was unable to break his betrothal to Catelyn, and as consequence Ashara’s reputation and status were ruined. When Rhaegar “kidnapped” Lyanna, Ashara took the opportunity to send a letter to Brandon and fed him false information; unbeknownst to the ToJ party, who thought that Rickard, Brandon and Robert were informed about Lyanna's safety. Horrified, once she discover that her actions lead to the death of Brandon and many more, and after losing her child, she decided to atone for her actions by telling Ned Stark the location of ToJ, despite knowing that it will lead to her beloved brother's death. Overwhelmed with guilt and sadness, and having little to live for, she decided to commit suicide. 

Fort the super lazy: I am suggesting that it was Ashara Dayne, who fed Brandon Stark false information, that lead him to abandon his wedding and storm the Red Keep. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although it is interesting, I still can not see why ashara would tell ned where is TOJ when she knew her brother guarded lyanna there. She should know that ned is rebellion and arthur is loyalist so they will fight for sure. If she told ned where is TOJ, she is literally murdering her brother. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, purple-eyes said:

Although it is interesting, I still can not see why ashara would tell ned where is TOJ when she knew her brother guarded lyanna there. She should know that ned is rebellion and arthur is loyalist so they will fight for sure. If she told ned where is TOJ, she is literally murdering her brother. 

Thank you and you are very right. I am indeed arguing that Ashara told Ned about the location of the tower despite knowing that it would likely lead to her brother's death. I think she would try to argue with Arthur beforehand and make him surrender Lyanna to the Rebells but he wouldn't hear of it. She later warned him about Ned Starks forces and possibly tried one more time to persuade each party to lay down swords and find common ground. She might have even believed it until Eddard returned with Dawn. 

The books don't give us anything in terms of how Ned discovered Lyanna's whereabouts so all we have are wild guesses and speculations. However, the number of people who could have known the location of Tower of Joy and would be willing to tell and have access to Ned is quite limited. Ashara seems like a better guess than most due to her connection to ToJ and Starks as well GrrM's note about her "not being nailed to the floor at Starfall".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always liked this idea. I posted a similar hypothesis in a thread a month or so ago, but it was off the cuff, not anywhere as thoroughly worked out as yours. I did propose that Ashara actually persuaded Arthur to alter the letter, though. (Who else would have a better opportunity? He was right there with Rhaegar and Lyanna.) It would be a convenient way for House Dayne to avenge Brandon's insult to their house. (Arthur probably couldn't take care of House business formally himself, since he was sworn solely to the king.)

It's all speculation, of course, but it is by far the best explanation for Ashara's suicide, as you have pointed out. It's also entirely in-character for Ned. I can easily picture him, when he returned Dawn to Starfall, giving Ashara the same accusing look he gave Jaime when he found him sitting on the Iron Throne after killing Aerys.

It would also be just like GRRM to set up Ashara and Arthur as almost perfect characters, and then have them involved in something sinister.

I'm not sure it was Ashara who tipped Ned off about the ToJ, but that's a minor point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lyanna was taken from the Riverlands. Brandon was at the Riverlands. Starfall is far away. Unless Ashara was travelling with the party, there's no way that she got to know before Brandon. Or unless Rhaegar and the rest of them were actually stupid enough to explain it all in a long letter to Starfall, at which point we get to the predicament of Ashara being able to send a raven to find Brandon who was actually travelling and not staying in a castle. Or a man who'd have to go all the way from Starfall to the Riverlands.

Besides, why would Ashara have either the task to write the letter (it must be an important one, given the identity of everyone concerned) or the chance to alter it? Was she a part of Rhaegar's inner circle? We have no hints to that. Again, that's if they even got together before Brandon got to know which I find highly improbable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, Anath said:

Lyanna was taken from the Riverlands. Brandon was at the Riverlands. Starfall is far away. Unless Ashara was travelling with the party, there's no way that she got to know before Brandon. Or unless Rhaegar and the rest of them were actually stupid enough to explain it all in a long letter to Starfall, at which point we get to the predicament of Ashara being able to send a raven to find Brandon who was actually travelling and not staying in a castle. Or a man who'd have to go all the way from Starfall to the Riverlands.

Besides, why would Ashara have either the task to write the letter (it must be an important one, given the identity of everyone concerned) or the chance to alter it? Was she a part of Rhaegar's inner circle? We have no hints to that. Again, that's if they even got together before Brandon got to know which I find highly improbable.

Excellent counter-points. Thank you. You are right that Brandon must have fond out about the kidnapping mere days later so it's unlikely that the party would havesend out a letter only after they reached Dorne. 

@Ibbison from Ibben idea of Arthur being the one who sent out the "false letter" could still work though I'm slightly hesitant to accept it. I feel that Arthur not being the party directly involved would have been a bit more level-headed and would realise the possible consequences of his actions, mainly the not informing Rickard/Brandon/Robert that Lyanna's in safe hands. Even if he didn't agree with Rhaegar's actions and wanted Brandon punished, I'm not sure he'll outright go behind his superior back and disobey a direct order. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Hangover of the Morning said:

I feel that Arthur not being the party directly involved would have been a bit more level-headed and would realise the possible consequences of his actions, mainly the not informing Rickard/Brandon/Robert that Lyanna's in safe hands. Even if he didn't agree with Rhaegar's actions and wanted Brandon punished, I'm not sure he'll outright go behind his superior back and disobey a direct order. 

I agree.

As to Ashara being the one to inform Ned about the Tower of Joy thing, I could never accept it as a viable theory. It sounds good and tragic and all that but there's one important detail: what Ned did after the fight would be completely out of character, in this case. Sure, returning Dawn in person immediately after the fight might be the height of honour but if any Dayne, Ashara included, was the one to fill him in, it would also read plainly as "Thanks for helping me kill your Arthur. Here, now let me hand you this lovely white sword." Salt in the wound. A mockery, even. Rubbing their faces into the final, painful result. I have trouble believing that Ned wouldn't know it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Anath said:

I agree.

As to Ashara being the one to inform Ned about the Tower of Joy thing, I could never accept it as a viable theory. It sounds good and tragic and all that but there's one important detail: what Ned did after the fight would be completely out of character, in this case. Sure, returning Dawn in person immediately after the fight might be the height of honour but if any Dayne, Ashara included, was the one to fill him in, it would also read plainly as "Thanks for helping me kill your Arthur. Here, now let me hand you this lovely white sword." Salt in the wound. A mockery, even. Rubbing their faces into the final, painful result. I have trouble believing that Ned wouldn't know it.

Fair enough. But what else he could have done? Send Dawn back via a messenger or keep it for himself?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Hangover of the Morning said:

Fair enough. But what else he could have done? Send Dawn back via a messenger or keep it for himself?

At least send one of his men who weren't this far from the Prince's Pass. Everything else would be more compassionate than arriving in all his glory, Dawn in hand. Even keeping Dawn and sending it back after a while.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Anath said:

At least send one of his men who weren't this far from the Prince's Pass. Everything else would be more compassionate than arriving in all his glory, Dawn in hand. Even keeping Dawn and sending it back after a while.

You are making it sound like Ned arrived all high and mighty on a Dornish steed, wiped off the sand from his eyes with pieces of Arthur's white cloak as he dismounted and proceeded to knock of a few heads from the nearby statues with Dawn, before he reluctantly gave it back; all the time making crass remarks about how the Swords of the Morning are overrated. 

Now, I can't get that image out of my head. :-)

Either way, Ned was bringing the news of Arthur's death to Starfall and it doesn't make that much difference whether Ashara told hime about the location or not. If she indeed told Ned, she must have known that a fight and Arthur's death were a strong possibility. I doubt she was just trying to trick Ned so he can go and get himself killed. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Hangover of the Morning said:

You are making it sound like Ned arrived all high and mighty on a Dornish steed, wiped off the sand from his eyes with pieces of Arthur's white cloak as he dismounted and proceeded to knock of a few heads from the nearby statues with Dawn, before he reluctantly gave it back; all the time making crass remarks about how the Swords of the Morning are overrated. 

Now, I can't get that image out of my head. :-)

The image is a priceless one! But I'll tell you a secret: after the world book, I am inclined to think that the Swords of the Morning might have been quite overrated. We aren't told anything this great that those guys ever did, are we? Even Arthur who might have been the best of them but sounds quite unremarkable, just praised. I think there must be more to it because they do look overrated.

6 minutes ago, Hangover of the Morning said:

Either way, Ned was bringing the news of Arthur's death to Starfall and it doesn't make that much difference whether Ashara told hime about the location or not. If she indeed told Ned, she must have known that a fight and Arthur's death were a strong possibility. I doubt she was just trying to trick Ned so he can go and get himself killed. 

I doubt this either. But I do think the difference is a marked one because if any Dayne did tell Ned, it was likely hoping that he'd be able to negotiate peace between himself and the KGs. Making his return in person a particularly painful blow.

I can see why you don't share this opinion, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a nicely thought out theory, good job.  As with all Ashara theories which involve her actually being dead, however, it's difficult to figure out how on earth this would ever be revealed in the text - do you have any ideas along these lines?  

I always assumed that Ashara was, like her brother, a staunch supporter of Rhaegar. She's the best candidate IMO for helping to put into action a plan to smuggle Jon and Lyanna out of Westeros after the fall of KL, which probably would have occurred if Lyanna didn't fall ill after giving birth to Jon.  My belief here is that Ashara probably was never pregnant, but rather left Elia's service shortly after Harrenhal Tourney in order to lay the groundwork at Starfall and the ToJ for Rhaegars plans.  Elia might very well have been involved and actually asked her to go.  The rumors about Ashara and one of the Stark boys provided the perfect cover for her absence (and who knows, maybe Ashara did actually have a romance with one of them they hoped to pursue later).  

If Ashara revealed the plans to Ned I'm guessing she received a promise from Ned that he would not harm Arthur.  And here her motivation would be similar, guilt that her friends the Starks had been torn apart by Rhaegar's ambitions, and wanting to make amends as she could.  

But in that case (and also in your theory) why does Ned seem to know nothing about what's going on when he gets there?  Shouldn't Ashara have filled him in on the details?  And shouldn't Ned say "your sister sent me, we mean you no harm, please I just want to see Lyanna".  Or Ashara could even have ridden there with Ned. But that's not what happened. Instead Ned rides up with 6 companions loyal to Robert and the KG are put into a position where they believe they have to kill Ned and his companions else Robert will have Jon murdered.  

I personally don't think either way that Ashara divulged the location of Lyanna to Ned, or if she did it was only with extreme reluctance. The only scenario where it makes sense is one where Ashara knows the location of Lyanna but absolutely nothing else.  Which seems unrealistic to me.  Perhaps Ned found out from a servant, or he and his men went to villages and Did some detective work (anyone seen a stranger riding a knights' horse seeking food and supplies?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My belief is, how Hightower found rhaegar, then how Ned found them. Court heard rumor that rhaegar was in the south in toj and then sent Hightower to fetch him, then Ned can get same information too. All you need is to search those watchtowers in the red mountain and make some investigations among local people, it is time consuming but it is doable. 

Toj is not in another planet and rhaegar and his men needs to have food and servants and all living necessities. There is no way that they can keep it as a absolute secrecy. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't understand where the textual evidence is that supports Brand and Ashara, though.  Everyone seems to think that Brandon and Ashara had some huge underground love story..... There's literally one line that talks about them even existing in each other's universe.  I just can't buy it.  I like the idea of her feeding information, but I don't really see this being plausible otherwise.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, thelittlestbird said:

I don't understand where the textual evidence is that supports Brand and Ashara, though.  Everyone seems to think that Brandon and Ashara had some huge underground love story..... There's literally one line that talks about them even existing in each other's universe.  I just can't buy it.  I like the idea of her feeding information, but I don't really see this being plausible otherwise.  

Barristan, who was keeping an eye on Ashara, is convinced that it was a Stark who "dishonoured" Ashara at Harrenhal. He also thinks that said man was dead before Ashara committed her suicide, hence only Brandon fits the bill. Benjen was too young. Ned's extremely unlikely given his lack of guilt or remorse and Barristan's high opinion of him. Ned was a virgin at Harrenhal (and most likely on his wedding night too), while Brandon has already deflowered Barbrey. Unlike, Ned, Brandon was confident enough to go and talk to Ashara. Barristan also makes a remark about how young girls always chose the handsome bad boys rather than the plain faithful ones. 

Barristan can obviously be wrong and maybe Ashara didn't sleep with anyone or slept with random Whent soldier for all we know but there comes a point when double-obscuring a minor mystery surrounding a background character just seems a bit too much. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...