Details, details details part V

[KyleLitke]

My impression is the main story that most believe is that Rhaegar kidnapped and raped Lyanna (since that's what Robert told everyone, and we don't have any evidence that Rhaegar denied it...although I do wonder what he told people when he turned up post Lyanna's disappearance), but enough people believe or suspect differently.

[PestilencE]

GRRM confirmed that the book was just a book. The significance was to show what sort of man Bolton was. The book itself was meaningless.

I don't believe that at all.

[Guinevere Seaworth]

I completely missed this - whereabouts does it say this?

I now have my copy to refer to:

It is in the US paperback, Sansa II chapter page 303.

"My father told everyone my bedding caught on fire, and our maester gave me ointments. Ointments! Gregor got his ointments too. Four year later, they anointed him with the seven oils and he recited his knightly vows and Rhaegar Targaryen tapped him on the shoulder and said 'Arise Ser Gregor'".

[Sasha Steelsong]

I always got the impression that the "RR" story was the "official" story of the new regime. It was a major reason why the Rebellion started in the first place, so it was spread almost like wartime propaganda.

I found it interesting that in Ned's POV chapters Ned never thinks to himself about Rhaegar violating his sister. And when he was riding back to the Red Keep after visiting brothels (right before the showdown with Jaime) he wonders to himself if Rhaegar ever visited brothels, and it says "some how, he thought not." I thought this was an important insight. (Not that visiting brothels = rape / not visiting brothels = no rape, but it is a good insight into Ned's opinion of Rhagaer's character).

This. The RR version is what I consider to be the official version, precisely becuase Robert won at the Trident and not Rhaegar. In fact I would have been surprised if Maester Luwin said anything other than the official story because like you said it was almost like wartime propaganda. The whole R+L theory is sort of predicated on the idea that after Ned made his decision to abide by Lyanna's wishes at the TOJ, he never waivered from the "official" story. So that was the story he told to everyone, including Luwin and Cat.

Ned's thoughts on Rhaegar in GOT were actually what first got me suspicious that something wasn't right with the RR account since it seemed like the wrong mental picture to have of a man who supposedly kindapped and raped Ned's beloved sister.

[Sasha Steelsong]

I now have my copy to refer to:

It is in the US paperback, Sansa II chapter page 303.

"My father told everyone my bedding caught on fire, and our maester gave me ointments. Ointments! Gregor got his ointments too. Four year later, they anointed him with the seven oils and he recited his knightly vows and Rhaegar Targaryen tapped him on the shoulder and said 'Arise Ser Gregor'".

I had TOTALLY forgotten about that detail. Yes very ironic indeed.