James Fenimore Cooper XXII

Daenerys Targaryen = Aegon the Conqueror Lyanna Stark = Shiera Seastar Asha = Nymeria

The hypothetical strayed from the source material in such a way as to make it a different story. A very different story. The Khalasar under Drogo, with the help of Barristan, could surround King's Landing and starve the people out. I believe that is how that game will have played. The townsfolk would give up the city. Sansa is not important enough for Prince Rheago. Margery Tyrell is another story though. The age gap is quite large but it can be managed. It's not about love. I also think Daenerys will work her way to the throne regardless of her status as Khaleesi. She is clever. It will be many years before Rhaego is secure. The boy may prefer Essos to Westeros.

The Targaryen family hold the most prestige and are held in the highest esteem over any other family. Aerys was arrogant. He spurned the best match for his son, Cersei. Now, was it due to simple arrogance or something deeper. The Lannisters do not have the qualities needed to resurrect the dragons. In my opinion it is this rather than arrogance that kept Aerys from picking anybody but a Martell. While the dragon genetics are severely diluted in the Martells, as they say, it is better than nothing.

Preston Jacobs (Youtube commentator on all things related to the books) believes it was Strong Belwas who was the intended target of the locusts.

The assassination prevented a sitting Lord Commander from leading a Wildling attack on the Warden of the North. It washes away the guilt on the Night's Watch for the heinous crime that is about to happen when the Wildings attack the people of Westeros. The deterioration of the Order of the Night's Watch began when Lord Commander Jon Snow sent Mance Rayder to carry his sister away from her husband. This illegal move was the beginning of the end for the ancient Order because it is corruption from the top. Perhaps the corruption began before when Jon gave preferential treatment to Mance Rayder and gave the criminal something akin to a pardon. The Wall will Fall because the men of the watch did not stay true to their vows. And the corruption all began with the Order's lord commander.

The gender is ambiguous and we believe it is because it comes from ancient Valyrian. But the meaning also works if the murderer is Arya Stark wearing the face of a dead Tommen. A girl with the face of a boy.

The song is about a non-Dornish who was messing with the daughter of the Dornishman. In this case, it is probably that the Dornish in the song is a Martell. The song is an old one and would predate any of the romances of the living characters, Mance included. The edited song has a similar story. A non-Northman messed with the daughter of a Northman. This is what Bael did to the daughter of Winterfell. He seduced and made love to her. Furthermore, he got her pregnant. mance/Abel was being silly in his sly manner. He is the outsider who slept with a daughter of Winterfell, Lyanna Stark. I would further suggest that he is the father of Jon Snow. Val is blonde and fair. Physical features that are not known in the Starks. The Starks are known for their unusually elongated faces. The horse like face shape we've been told of in Game of T. Blonde is not common in the north. It is not usual. I agree there is something unusual about her parents. I am doubtful she is a Stark though. If there is an importance to the mystery, the possible source of the blonde hair is Brynden Rivers. BR had plenty of time to sleep with a Free Folk during his service at the wall and father children. One of these social interactions resulted in Val's grandmother.

The Dothraki are dangerous customers. Magister Illyrio Mopatis is not foolish enough to misrepresent the agreement if it were not as he said. It is very possible to deliver the 7K, tied with a pretty bow, to King Viserys.

It is possible for low-born in Essos and Westeros to rise high enough to grow rich and comfortable. Social mobility is closed but it does not mean they are not allowed to become rich. A skilled armorer and weaponsmith can grow rich from their trade. Skills are rewarded for those who possess them. Put yourself in place of a low-born young fellow. How would you prosper?

Dany is the main protagonist in ASOIAF. If we look at the times when she chose to go into battle, it is to protect or to liberate people. So it is very safe to assume that when she makes her decision to go to Westeros, it will be because the people will be calling for help.

Dangerous man in Dorne implies a threat to the ruling house Martell. Darkstar has a claim to the high seat and he has the proof to make that claim strong. A claim of direct descent from Nymeria and proof would be enough to rally some houses to his cause.

Renly would have been mediocre. He is a political beast who will spend the first decade of his reign handing out favors to pacify the great houses.

I can choose to see Lyanna's drama from another angle. She loved a man. Take your pick. She broke a duty to her family and her betrothed to be with that man. So it is the woman's love for the man who sparked the rebellion.

The "Gift" is not what is normally considered a present. It is rather an obligation. So yes. The Dothraki would do as they had promised to do: deliver Westeros to Viserys. Drogo's khalasar will have increased in size and given more than 10K men to the job.

Jon was assassinated for a very good reason. For the good of the watch and the survival of Westeros. The marriage of Arya Stark to the Bolton heir messed with Jon's head to the point where could no longer function as the commander of the forces tasked with defending Westeros from the Others. His ethics as a leader were already in serious doubt with his differential treatment of Slynt and Rayder. His attempt to lead the wildlings to raid the Boltons sealed his fate. The description of that chapter would indicate his passing. But we already know that the dead can be brought back for a short time to finish what they need to do. Jon could choose to do right and defend the wall. He could easily choose wrongly and pick up where he left off. He was readying to attack the Boltons for his sister moments before he was assassinated.