Will House Royce resume control of the Vale?

[Canon Claude]

There’s a lot of speculation about whether Harry or Robert Arryn will end up in charge of House Arryn by the end of the story, but frankly, I wonder if there might be a third possibility.

Littlefinger is playing a dangerous game, and he’s not afraid of people dying along the way to his own monstrous ambitions. I wouldn’t put it past him to have contingency plans where both Robert and Harry get killed off.

If that does happen, though, will House Royce resume control of the Vale?

They’ve often played a very important role in the Vale, enduring the Andals, the Targaryens, and hopefully the Others too. They are tied closely to the First Men, and they’ve played crucial roles in the story so far. I worry for Yohn Royce, given that he’s an honourable man, and Littlefinger has lots of experience getting honourable men killed, but maybe he could survive? Maybe he could even take charge of the Vale? It would be a fascinating twist in the story of House Royce.

[HoodedCrow]

I’m guessing the Vale ends up with Sansa, Robyn, Harry, Timmet, or even Tyrion in charge. I think having Waymar Royce die at the wall in the beginning may not be great foreshadowing for the Royces. The tournament may change a lot though:) Someone could even rule via one of Harry’s bastards if they get control of enough might.

[EggBlue]

aren't there still some rich Arryns in Gultown who could inherit after Harry? 

and to answer your question , yeah , I think it's possible...

[Canon Claude]

33 minutes ago, HoodedCrow said:

I think having Waymar Royce die at the wall in the beginning may not be great foreshadowing for the Royces.

That worries me a lot too. I like House Royce, and they’re being picked off like flies. It’s wishful thinking that Yohn might survive to the end (the abomination was surprisingly kind to him in that regard, but I’m not going to rely on that for guidance).

[Curled Finger]

The Royces are an interesting bunch.  Yohn has that ancient armor with runes of the 1st men on it.  His son wears a replica in the Hand's tourney in AGOT.   ASOIAF open with Yohn's 3rd son, Waymar, being an ass in general and paying dearly for it.   You are not wrong in seeing a much more important perhaps prominent role for this family in the story to come.   LF panders to Nestor, but I do wonder if there isn't some counterplay at work in this much like the Umbers with Roose Bolton.  While I am not sold that Bronze Yohn will lead the Vale I do see a much larger role for him in the ousting of LF and perhaps in the battles the Vale is finally ready to join.  This army was not held back from disinterest like Dorne was, they were grounded by their lady.  I am not so sure the Arryns are dying out.

43 minutes ago, EggBlue said:

aren't there still some rich Arryns in Gultown who could inherit after Harry? 

and to answer your question , yeah , I think it's possible...

No one ever remembers that--great catch.  

[Seams]

Do not underestimate Myranda. She will send a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. 

I'm wondering whether the Vale is somehow a special portal that can be used only by flying.

We have been told that ravens can fly through the door between life and death (and crones can peer through that door). I don't think this is the same kind of door, exactly, but maybe it is sort of an Achilles Heel for Westeros; a place where a conqueror can gain access. 

The Winged Knight was a legendary ruler.

The Andals began their conquest at the Vale with House Arryn (falcon sigil) coming out on top.

The Arryns bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror (dragon sigil).

Near the end of the Dance of the Dragons, the dragonseed Nettles flew Sheepstealer (dragon) deep into the Mountains of the Moon. She was spotted there again during the reign of Aegon III. 

Robert's Rebellion began in The Vale and Robert was victorious with the help and direction of Jon Arryn.

Granted, not a huge amount of data in support of the flying notion. 

And maybe the Vale is more of a place for hiding people and things, not so much a door. 

Although we do see Uncle Brynden Tully guarding the door at the Vale during Lysa's marriage to Jon Arryn. I think he is a key player and he would not have taken that job unless it were really important. 

The Targaryens begin a couple of successful lines of conquest by persuading the Arryns to "let them in" that door. 

And now we see Littlefinger putting the junior branch of House Royce in charge of the Gates of the Moon. So you may be right. House Royce is ascendant in the Vale, even if they (or their sigil) can't fly. Maybe we need to decipher the message in their runes to try to understand whether there is a flying spell written on their shield or their armor. 

(But the wordplay on the Royce heir, Andar, as well as 'Randa, may tell us that the Royces are symbolic "others". "Ander" is a German word for "other". So layers of complication will surely ensue.)

[Rondo]

I don't think so.  Robin will wise up and toss Baelish and Sansa out of that door to the moon.  A dragon will come flying in when Empress Daenerys lays her claim and Robin will be convinced to bow and show his loyalty to her.  The cycle repeats what Visenya did to win over the Vale.  

[The Jingo]

No. 

Even if Robert and Harry both get killed off there are other cadet branches of the Arryn family who will fight for the Vale. The Gulltown Arryns are only the most famous and most rich of the Arryn cadets, but there are other branches as well.

The only way the Royces take power is by usurpation, and even then they'd have to fight for it with so many Arryn claimants running around. If they tried most like the Gulltown Arryns would put some of their gold to work and hire a sellsword army to appear and burn Runestone to the ground. 

[Floki of the Ironborn]

Personally, I think House Royce will die out and get replaced by the off-branch. Yohn is an honourable uncomplicated man, and as it's been said, Littlefinger's good at getting such men out of the way. He seems utterly determined to resist Littlefinger's seizure of the Vale, and I'm fairly sure that he's going to get himself killed somehow. I doubt Littlefinger will do it himself, but he'll pull a Tywin and tug the right strings so things fall into place.

[chrisdaw]

Yes, Bronze Yohn will have control of SR and the Vale for the safekeeping of Sansa and Tyrion when the Vale Storyline plays out and Sansa moves on to King's Landing with Tyrion.

Nestor and his ilk I'm not sure about.

[WhatAnArtist!]

12 hours ago, Canon Claude said:

That worries me a lot too. I like House Royce, and they’re being picked off like flies. It’s wishful thinking that Yohn might survive to the end (the abomination was surprisingly kind to him in that regard, but I’m not going to rely on that for guidance).

I agree. I see the Royces sort of like the Blackwoods - they're not one of the Great Houses, and they don't show up all that often, but everything we've seen of them makes me respect them for their honour and decency. The series needs houses like that - not everyone should be filled with lying cretins, cowards and schemers.