Daena the Defiant

If it is from Lady Sipcer than I would be pleased since the prologue POV character always dies.

in your scenario, Rhaenyra is in an amazingly strong position, and if the Hightower family and Alicent's children do revolt (because of some residual "but a woman cannot rule!" resistence) they'd probably be squashed.

This was an excellent post. I thank you.

Here's a controversial opinion: For her strict policy of neutrality and non-confrontation, Lysa Arryn as Lady Regent did her subjects a solid by keeping the Vale out of the Wot5K. Yes, yes, she was a deeply disturbed woman, and she made bad choices regarding her own life, but she spared the people of the Vale a lot of strife. The life of a cotholder or tradesman in the Vale is definitely more secure than say, a Riverlander.

Welp. I was planning on so produtive today, too.

This is, of course, the correct answer.

Indeed, the only "warrior woman" that would have been in Catelyn's "cultural vocabulary" would probably have been Lady Danelle Lothston of Harrenhal, who did lead men in battle (or at least ride out with them), and she had a storied set of black plate armor, but in her lifetime, she was decried as "Mad Danelle" and was considered mentally ill, and when she died, she passed into Riverlands culture as a witch who stole children and ate them. These are things that a marriage minded and politically savvy noblewoman like Catelyn would most certainly like to avoid for her own daughters.

They were just being ruthless and also trying to eliminate any witnesses - as a high placed servitor in the Stark household, who can say what she was told or had overheard, i.e. had Ned confided in her what he learned at the parentage of the Baratheon children? Is that why she was told to take the Stark girls home? I also strongly suspect that poor Jeyne Poole was probably supposed to have been killed, but Littlefinger had another idea.

I approve.

Or, Lancel Lannister and Ami Darry, as another recent example.

Hrrm. I did not remember that. Interesting; yes, that is pretty fucking ruthless.

Yes, and no - what examples do we really have about his ruthlessness? He abided the... fickle vassalship of House Frey and he pretty much allowed the never ending Bracken and Blackwood feud. I am not suggesting he would have went the Full Tywin and destroyed some of his primary bannermen, but he seems to have played a strong hand to the best of his ability in a measured way that ensured relative peace. I suppose you can say that forcing Lysa to drink an abortifacient was ruthless, but .. in a feudal world, marital alliances are key, and her proven fertility in a round-about way allowed Lysa to make a FANTASTIC marriage that one would not expect for a daughter who was not exactly the maiden bride. Honestly, the fact that Hoster was able to place his grandchildren in line to assume the rule of three of the seven kingdoms was nothing short of breathtaking.

Robert was also valiant, carelessly generous and an inspiring leader who had the ability to turn enemies into friends. Cersei preys upon her friends (hello, Stokeworth family), and only instills obedience through threats (like ordering maiming of any smith who fails to meet her quota). I daresay that Cersei finest moment was how she put up a brave example by hosting all the gentry women in the Holdfast suring Stannis' siege (of course, we know that she was fatalistic and threatening Sansa), but she was serving as a courageous queen to those clustered around her for protection (untill she fled to see to Joffrey's "wounds").

Deicide was used also, as one of the charges leveled against Cersei.

Don't forget that was after her beloved father died and her home wad burned to the ground.

Yes! But, I would counterpropose (and this is drifting off-topic) *another* colossal retcon is the Maggy the Frog prophecy which has sent Cersei into a death spiral of paranoia and meglomania all because of her perception that Margaery is the "Younger, More Beautiful Queen" (the YMBQ), when waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the series, it seemed that Sansa should have been recognized as the potential YMBQ and *that* should have triggered Cersei, far, far earlier.

This. Even years later, I don't understand what her goal was - yay. So you have crowned a queen off-site in the hands of a quasi-autonomous/quasi-hostile ruler, where she is a) betrothed to member of the ruling elite and b) basically a hostage. Was she expecting anyone else except the Dornish to rise for Queen Myrcella, especially since two of the mightiest houses (Lannister and Tyrell) are occupying the capitol and holding the reins of power. I'm still baffled.

Wait so the wedding is next episode already? Wowsers

[quote name='grinachu' post='1337055' date='May 1 2008, 06.21']I was skimming through ACOK when I came across this curious passage which I had hitertho overlooked. Any idea on what the book is? It might be something to do with geneaologies and the parentage of Joffrey Baratheon, since Roose later hints to Jaime that he knows the truth, but it might be something else entirely. Either way I doubt the passage is there for no reason whatsoever, and that Roose burns the book is particularly significant since it implies that there is information there that he does not wish to share. At this point he has already decided to sabotage the Stark war effort, by sending Tallheart and Glover to Duskendale. So, any guesses?[/quote] He was just burning all the books in Harrenhal as general measure of making Harhenhal less of an asset to whomever would assume it when he decamped.

[quote name='Maia' post='1331292' date='Apr 27 2008, 12.34']I was never a fan of this theory and now I think that it is highly unlikely. If the Ironborn weren't impressed with Theon as he was, they won't be ready to accept him now that he is a broken wreck. He can't even provide an acceptable facade anymore. And it is past time for GRRM to kill a few more POVs, or he'll need to split the next volume also. If Asha survives ADwD and gets another chance at the Iron Islands, then she'll have to look for a suitable husband and make their combined clout count.[/quote] I kick the idea around that Asha will marry Stannis. To what end, I don't really know, of course. Stan will need to get rid of his Florent wife, obviously, and Asha will need to divorce her sealion.