Rhaenys Went to Hell: the Dornish Letter Mystery

[Mithras]

I think the true parentage of Aenys was much more likely to give Aegon sleepless nights. I believe Aegon was sterile and Rhaenys found a sperm donor upon Aegon's orders to produce the needed heir for the survival of the dynasty. The Dornish learned that information from Rhaenys. Normally, if the Dornish had revealed this information, Aegon could have easily claimed that the testimony was taken under torture and it held no bearing. However, if the Dornish kept Rhaenys alive and well while claiming that Aenys was a bastard, it could have created some inconvenience, least to say.

So, the Dornish might have offered this: “We will put Rhaenys out of her misery and forget that Aenys is a bastard if you stop invading our country.”

[para]

All of this seems needlessly complicated. Aegon could hold a grudge and had a good hostage in front of him. I have some serious doubts that threats of blood magic would have impressed him or stopped him from seeking revenge. Rhaenys being a hostage also doesn't seem the thing that would inspire that sort of lasting peace with no attempts to free her.

But his reaction is very emotional nevertheless. So I am thinking break-up letter. Rhaenys didn't die, she just left him and that letter proved it one way or another. (She still might have died.) But if the whole mess was Rhaenys' fault in the first place then the reaction and the non-grudgy peace makes sense.

[SeanF]

Metaphorically speaking, Rhaenys did go to hell, if the darkest tales of her captivity are true.

[MaesterSam]

And then Aegon Balerions Hellholt into ashes, and probably the rest of Dorne with it. Plus, if Rhaenys was alive, using her as a hostage would have been the logical move when Aegon and Visenya were turning Dorne into a smoking ruin as retribution for her death.

It makes more sense that it was either blood magic, or maybe they got something out of Rhaenys that they could use to blackmail Aegon.

Victarion said that based on the size of the horn it must have come from a dragon larger than Balerion. I guess he's not an expert though.

Oh poo. The wiki says Meraxes skull was returned to Kings Landing. I think we would hear about a missing horn. Probably a dead end.

Yeah and the horn is also black. So that doesn't fit. I still like the idea of a weapon though, especially as it was mentioned as a possible reason for Aegon not attacking Sunspear even before Rhaenys was killed/captured. Uniquely in the Seven Kingdoms, the Dornish have a lot of Rhoynar living amongst them, who have experience fighting dragons.

[LmL]

I think the true parentage of Aenys was much more likely to give Aegon sleepless nights. I believe Aegon was sterile and Rhaenys found a sperm donor upon Aegon's orders to produce the needed heir for the survival of the dynasty. The Dornish learned that information from Rhaenys. Normally, if the Dornish had revealed this information, Aegon could have easily claimed that the testimony was taken under torture and it held no bearing. However, if the Dornish kept Rhaenys alive and well while claiming that Aenys was a bastard, it could have created some inconvenience, least to say.

So, the Dornish might have offered this: “We will put Rhaenys out of her misery and forget that Aenys is a bastard if you stop invading our country.”

That begs the question: what did Aegon have to go to Dragonstone to verify in this scenario?

Very interesting idea, that he was sterile. Is there a literary correlation to a conqueror who can’t have offspring?

The idea neither of his children are his is pretty wild. Bu then, they are both messed up in different ways. Have you found any clues about who may have been the fathers?

[LmL]

Yeah and the horn is also black. So that doesn't fit. I still like the idea of a weapon though, especially as it was mentioned as a possible reason for Aegon not attacking Sunspear even before Rhaenys was killed/captured. Uniquely in the Seven Kingdoms, the Dornish have a lot of Rhoynar living amongst them, who have experience fighting dragons.

Hmm.... Rhoynar.. that makes sense for not attacking sunspear.. I think the suggestion is that there are secret weapons against which the Targs are vulnerable. Lord Uller was an Andal, for what it’s worth.

The big clue to this puzzle is figuring out WHAT he verified on Dragonstone. If anyone can come up with a good answer to that, we’ll have it. Let’s start fro that end: what kind of things could he be checking on? His children, sure, but checking for what in regards to his kids?

[Mithras]

That begs the question: what did Aegon have to go to Dragonstone to verify in this scenario?

Good question. I don't have an idea. Maybe the Dornish learned something from Rhaenys that even Aegon did not know and told him that as a proof of what they say is the truth. So, Aegon went to Dragonstone and once he saw that the dornish are telling the truth, he went mad.

Very interesting idea, that he was sterile. Is there a literary correlation to a conqueror who can’t have offspring?

I think too much exposure to draconian radiation in the balls area took its toll on Aegon. Surely, the newly found kingdom of Aegon would face serious problems if the almighty conqueror was known to be a sterile and his heir is a bastard.

The idea neither of his children are his is pretty wild. Bu then, they are both messed up in different ways. Have you found any clues about who may have been the fathers?

For Aenys’ father, they could have chosen one of the favorites of Rhaenys and removed him immediately afterwards.

For Maegor, I think the father was Aegon but the conception was due to sorcery used by Visenya.

[Poppa Chase]

These are my speculations. I for one believe that Aegon had glass candles at Dragonstone and that they allowed him to see the goings on in the world of westeros, and that's how he made the map of the continent to such exquisite detail. So I believe that they may have sent him a letter discussing beyond the wall and the dangers that could come from it, he also mentioned that the war had killed many of the people he would need to help fight, and that if he continues this war with Dorne then they will battle until they are overrun by the forgotten species that live beyond the wall. Dorne had used their own glass candles to stay ahead of the dragons.in the years prior.

Aegon upset with the idea of being one upped, had to see this area beyond the wall for himself so he went to Dragonstone and looked through the candles into the snowy tundra. He realized the prince of Dorne had the right of it so he stayed away from War until he died.

I don't think it had anything to do with Rhaenys. If he had an idea that she was alive then he would have spent much more time dealing with Hellholt itself. I believe he knew she died on impact and he mourned with fire and blood.

Aegon raised his heir Aenys with this info, and he passed it to his son who ended up being the one to stop an invasion and build a new castle for the nights watch.

I believe the glass candles went out after the final dragon died, and came back on when these new ones were born. That's a bit over a hundred years and so should line up with the last known time of burning candles.

[LmL]

Maybe Rhaenys had something with her that was supposed to have been safe on Dragonstone?

Any ideas for that? It's interesting, I'm just trying to think of something he would be terrified of falling into the wrong hands.

A bit of a reach, but I've been thinking about dragon warging lately and I am really starting to think the reason Valyria never invaded before the Targs did when black Harren defiled the pact with the COTF by cutting down so many weirwoods near the God's Eye was because the Greenseers can skinchange them. They must have learned that lesson in the ancient past, probably at Battle Isle. And we know house Blackmont can skinchange into Vultures, and we know the Blackmonts are bros with the Ullers. So - they used dragon warging against Meraxes and that was part of the threat. Aegon would have gone to Dragonstone for a book on Valyrian lore to verify if such a thing was possible, and saw that it was. Then, he signed the treaty and never troubled Dorne. The letter:

Asshole,

You have no idea who you are dealing with. Seems it's awful hard to fly a dragon you no longer can control - ask your dead sister. Three heads had the dragon, until her own dragon bit her head off. Why would it do such a thing? Oh that's right - you have no idea who you are dealing with. Asshole. Come here again with those dragons and we will slip into their skin and feed upon your own flesh.

Don't think it's possible? Ask your precious "Signs and Portents," Rhaenys told us all about it before I ATE HER HEAD WEARING THE SKIN OF HER OWN DRAGON.

My daughter returns home safe, you never set foot in Dorne, and we won't show up at Dragonstone in the middle of the night. Are we clear, asshole?

[LmL]

These are my speculations. I for one believe that Aegon had glass candles at Dragonstone and that they allowed him to see the goings on in the world of westeros, and that's how he made the map of the continent to such exquisite detail.

<snip>

I believe the glass candles went out after the final dragon died, and came back on when these new ones were born. That's a bit over a hundred years and so should line up with the last known time of burning candles.

I just wanted to acknowledge this idea, it's a good one. I'd say more likely than not, he had glass candles. Probably important to remember that as a mechanism.

[Sandra Melis]

Mine is just a sick thought... what if the Dornish kept and raped Rhaenys to "breed" some Targaryen bastards under their roofs?

Royal bastards might always have some use... [emoji15]

[Oafkeeper]

Aegon the C seems inclined to go on a "To the last man" genocidal rampage if being told his most beloved sister-wife was being broken and tortured over years.

[LmL]

Aegon the C seems inclined to go on a "To the last man" genocidal rampage if being told his most beloved sister-wife was being broken and tortured over years.

I keep coming back to that conclusion - if she was alive, he would have either attacked or sold some Valyrian swords to buy Faceless Men... something. I cannot picture a scenario where she is alive after this letter.

[Oafkeeper]

It's also one of those things where I think "This is a publicly known rumour ergo it must not be true"

Like every rumour about Tyrion.

[LmL]

Could it have taken a while to learn the secret? Maybe they shot down Meraxes legit and captured Rhaenys and were experimenting or searching for the right spell... This is a possibility under any of the proposed scenarios involving blood magic.

I do kind of keep coming back to asking why George has put this story in. What are we supposed to be figuring out? If Aegon really was sterile, thats a huge secret - that seems to be what this may be hinting at. Ride a black dragon, have no children.

Maegor couldn't have any kids, and Viserys I rode Balerion until the dragon died... And it was t until three years later that Aegon conceived Rhaenyra. It was a long time before he had another child, Aegon II. Dany bled her moon blood or had her miscarriage at the end at ADWD after riding Drogon.

[LmL]

And she had her first miscarriage after carrying around and sleeping next to the Drogon egg.

[yzq]

I keep coming back to that conclusion - if she was alive, he would have either attacked or sold some Valyrian swords to buy Faceless Men... something. I cannot picture a scenario where she is alive after this letter.

Consider this: maybe it was Rhaenys herself who do not wish to return to the Iron Throne. After her fall, she had lost her dragon, and very likely her looks and physical abilities. She could have reasoned that she is more useful to Aegon dead as a martyr, rather than alive as a crippled shadow, where the lords and ladies will forever snigger about how their lovely queen is now a broken woman.

As I theorised in the other thread, the letter was simply to implore Aegon to come to Dragonstone to see her one last time, as even with the best care, she was slipping away.

[SeanF]

Consider this: maybe it was Rhaenys herself who do not wish to return to the Iron Throne. After her fall, she had lost her dragon, and very likely her looks and physical abilities. She could have reasoned that she is more useful to Aegon dead as a martyr, rather than alive as a crippled shadow, where the lords and ladies will forever snigger about how their lovely queen is now a broken woman.

As I theorised in the other thread, the letter was simply to implore Aegon to come to Dragonstone to see her one last time, as even with the best care, she was slipping away.

It's possible that she had been left shattered and paralysed by her fall, and even without the Dornish torturing her, she had lost the will to live.

[MizasterJ]

- perhaps Rhaenys still lived, broken and mutilated, in Uller's dungeon, and Nymor promised to end her suffering

- the letter was ensorceled

- Nymor threatened to hire faceless men to kill Aegon's son, Aenys

I am proposing that that all three reasons have part of the truth.

As for Aegon gripping the letter so tightly that his hand bled, let's think about that. Unless you have long, sharp nails, like mad King Aerys, I cannot fathom a way for this to occur. Go ahead - give it a try at home. Doesn't work. So, either the letter was ensorceled, perhaps to release a bit of Rhaenys' blood for, you know, impact; or the letter contained a small, sharp object capable of cutting Aegon's hands when he gripped it -

No,No, just no. You in fact CAN clench your own fist so tight it bleeds. Have you ever heard of bursting blood vessels?

The 3 scenarios You propose do not work because.

1. Those outcomes do not constitute peace and good will in the future between the Targs and Dornish. We know that in the years that followed They would treat with each other on good terms.

2. those outcomes do not prevent further recourse from the Targs after Aenys is killed or after Rhaenys dies.

[MizasterJ]

The most likely outcome from the letter in my opinion was some thing along the lines of:

1. Rhaenys survived her fall and had fallen in love with someone from dorne and together they had a child but Rhaenys died in child birth. Aegon was furious over her death but knew that the Godly rules against Kin slaying forbade him from attacking. (even though some Targs ignored this and supposedly invoked the wrath of the gods)

As part of the pact the child would be raised in Dorne and it's ancestry be kept a secret.

Rhaenys bones were returned to Aegon on Dragonstone.

As I've said before it had to be something where Dorne held the Targs in checkmate. Maybe it was a secret about dragon binding or even blood magic as you suggested but whatever it was it promoted commonality and friendship between the two factions rather than hostility.