[TWOIAF Spoilers] Elia and her children

[Pigeon Pie]

So... after their marriage, Rhaegar took Elia and they lived on Dragonstone. And when his escape/abduction of Lyanna happened, Elia had still been on Dragonstone.

Prince Rhaegar was not in the city to observe them, however. Nor could he be found in Dragonstone with Princess Elia and their young son, Aegon.

This removes one of the most popular opinions against Rhaegar that he left the safety of his wife and children at the hands of mad Aerys in King's Landing, being a neglecting father. Well, it appears he didn't, he had, instead, left them at the safety of Dragonstone. It also removes another, less popular argument that he didn't care about Dragonstone and its populace and spent his time singing emo songs at court instead.

But then, without explaining whether Elia had gone with her children to KL or if they were summoned/arrested, suddenly... it's stated she was in KL.

[Aerys] sent his pregnant queen, Rhaella, and his younger son and new heir, Viserys, away to Dragonstone, but Princess Elia was forced to remain in King’s Landing with Rhaegar’s children as a hostage against Dorne.

So... what happened? Why was she and the children relocated, when they could have waited in DS and escaped with Dany and Viserys? Was it by her own will, did she think KL was safer for her? Or did Aerys order her summoning from DS to be a hostage?

[Toos]

I think that Aerys send for Elia and her children, so he could use her as hostage against Dorne.

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

I doubt it was every by her own free will. Aerys would have summoned her and her children when Rhaegar proved to be unfindable, perhaps even hoping that that would get Rhaegar to return to KL.

[Pigeon Pie]

I think that Aerys send for Elia and her children, so he could use her as hostage against Dorne.

I doubt it was every by her own free will. Aerys would have summoned her and her children when Rhaegar proved to be unfindable, perhaps even hoping that that would get Rhaegar to return to KL.

Thank you for replying :) Yes, I agree this is more plausible, too. What made it a little confusing to me is that the book never mentions that Elia was relocated and all of a sudden it mentions she's somewhere else.

[The Lady Lannister]

It is stated somewhere in the books that they were hostages in KL to ensure Lewyn (?) Martell's and his 10 thd Dornish spears' loyalty.

[Danelle]

It is stated somewhere in the books that they were hostages in KL to ensure Lewyn (?) Martell's and his 10 thd Dornish spears' loyalty.

I think that in SOS when Jaime confesses to Brienne, he tells her that Aerys blackmailed Lewyn and the Martells-whose primary concern was Elia and her children- to offer military assistance to the Targs.

[Anath]

Now we know Aerys' suspicions of Rhaegar grew specifically because of his gesture of giving Lyanna the crown. And what does Rhaegar do? Runs away with the very same girl, leaving Elia and his children not in the Red Keep but still in a place where Aerys could easily reach them, as evidenced by the fact that they went to KL to serve as hostages. Granted, that was probably the only way he could get Lyanna at all, since Aerys would not let him marry her just because. Still, we know Aerys was madder than previously thought well before the Rebellion. Such an action was certain to infuriate him, with him likely to lash out at the ones he could get his hands upon - Rhaegar's supposed co-conspirator who chose to live at Dragonstone with him.

Given the fact that Dragonstone was the place that was considered most safe, Elia would not go to KL on her own will, especially when knowing that Aerys disliked at least one of her children - Rhaenys who "smelled Dornish".

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

It is stated somewhere in the books that they were hostages in KL to ensure Lewyn (?) Martell's and his 10 thd Dornish spears' loyalty.

Difficult to do when Elia and kids aren't in KL yet.. So while that might have been the purpose once they arrived, it is entirely possible that Aerys had them summoned to KL earlier for another, but similar, purpose.. Not as a hostage against Lewyn, but perhaps in an attempt to get Rhaegar to return..

[BearQueen87]

I think that Aerys send for Elia and her children, so he could use her as hostage against Dorne.

Yup. But like Rhaenys_Targaryen says, I doubt that's the reason Aerys gave when he summoned Elia.

[Pigeon Pie]

Now we know Aerys' suspicions of Rhaegar grew specifically because of his gesture of giving Lyanna the crown. And what does Rhaegar do? Runs away with the very same girl, leaving Elia and his children not in the Red Keep but still in a place where Aerys could easily reach them, as evidenced by the fact that they went to KL to serve as hostages. Granted, that was probably the only way he could get Lyanna at all, since Aerys would not let him marry her just because. Still, we know Aerys was madder than previously thought well before the Rebellion. Such an action was certain to infuriate him, with him likely to lash out at the ones he could get his hands upon - Rhaegar's supposed co-conspirator who chose to live at Dragonstone with him.

Given the fact that Dragonstone was the place that was considered most safe, Elia would not go to KL on her own will, especially when knowing that Aerys disliked at least one of her children - Rhaenys who "smelled Dornish".

DS was still the safest option R had. The Red Keep was his father's hand, and anywhere else, for example a castle of one of his supporters, is not guaranteed to remain safe, should this castle get taken by the rebels or by his father.

[Anath]

Difficult to do when Elia and kids aren't in KL yet.. So while that might have been the purpose once they arrived, it is entirely possible that Aerys had them summoned to KL earlier for another, but similar, purpose.. Not as a hostage against Lewyn, but perhaps in an attempt to get Rhaegar to return..

That might have something to do with the fact that Arthur Dayne wasn't at KL for the spectacular deaths of Rickard and Brandon. He's mentioned to be Rhaegar's ally "at King's Landing", so it makes sense that he wouldn't be in Rhaegar's entourage when he took Lyanna. Unless Rhaegar went to KL first, of course.

[Anath]

DS was still the safest option R had. The Red Keep was his father's hand, and anywhere else, for example a castle of one of his supporters, is not guaranteed to remain safe, should this castle get taken by the rebels or by his father.

Indeed. DS was the safest option Rhaegar had, excluding Dorne. But that would look like he was repudiating Elia, so he chose one set of risks and lost big.

[Ibbison from Ibben]

Lucerys Velaryon, the Master of Ships, was on Aerys' side. Dragonstone isn't a very safe haven when it isn't supported by the navy. Rhaegar desperately needed Lucerys to be on his side. Oops.

[Hrafntýr]

Indeed. DS was the safest option Rhaegar had, excluding Dorne. But that would look like he was repudiating Elia, so he chose one set of risks and lost big.

This is a fair point, since we don't know (do we? I don't have TWoIaF yet!) what Elia and House Martell knew or their feelings about the Lyanna liaison, and sending Elia and the kids to Dorne might have caused Dorne to rebel, if they thought that Rhaegar was setting Elia and her kids aside. But Dorne would most certainly have been the safest option; I can only think that Rhaegar wanted also to try to reassure his father that he wasn't conspiring against him, and sending Elia to Dorne might have given the appearance that not only did Aerys need to worry about the North, the Riverlands and the Vale, but also Dorne.

[Anath]

Actually, we do know what Dorne thought. Their support for Rhaegar was not what it should have been and part of it was anger over his treatment of Elia.

Elia was probably in no state to be moved. And there's the "trying to reassure Aerys" factor, too, maybe. But since the opinion was that both Rhaegar and Elia chose to live at Dragonstone and Rhaegar relied on the people she brought, Aerys disliked and distrusted her and her "Dornish smelling" daughter, at least. Rhaegar had all reasons to suspect that his father would use the change to grab the enemy he could - Elia.

[Pigeon Pie]

This is a fair point, since we don't know (do we? I don't have TWoIaF yet!) what Elia and House Martell knew or their feelings about the Lyanna liaison, and sending Elia and the kids to Dorne might have caused Dorne to rebel, if they thought that Rhaegar was setting Elia and her kids aside. But Dorne would most certainly have been the safest option; I can only think that Rhaegar wanted also to try to reassure his father that he wasn't conspiring against him, and sending Elia to Dorne might have given the appearance that not only did Aerys need to worry about the North, the Riverlands and the Vale, but also Dorne.

Exactly. Dorne would have been safer indeed, but sending Elia to Dorne would indeed be understood by Doran as setting her AND Aegon aside in favor of a prettier, healthier queen and a new heir, which would be even more humiliating to Elia than the escape itself, not to mention would make Dorne desert Rhaegar's cause when it appeared that he'd had their support, via Lewyn and Elia herself and the fact that Aerys seemed to despise them (remember his cruel reaction towards Rhaenys). So he decided to keep her under his own roof instead.