Whom do you foresee Arya having to marry, if anyone at all?

[Sand Snake No. 9]

Maybe someone from Freys? :laugh:

Hey, Arya was betrothed to Walder's 22nd son, who is something like 100th in line to become Lord of the Crossing. Luckily for Arya, perhaps even luckier for the Frey boy (whose name escapes me at the moment) Walder declared that betrothal off when he heard about Robb's marriage.

Although it might be damned entertaining to read about any attempt to marry Arya to a Frey. Presumably she'd bring her new-and-improved mother to the wedding. :cool4:

[ARYa_Nym]

Gendry? Bastard? In no way. He is too lowborn for her.Let's go for Robin Arryn. Sandor would be happy. :laugh:

He thinks it's funny if she's miserable for the rest of her life.

Grazie very much. :D

It's interesting you mention a Martell. What about a Dayne? She's shown to have a connection to Edric Dayne who even shares her father's nickname, Ned. Also the previous coffuffle between Ashara Dayne and Ned/Brandon. Not to mention the Nymeria references. Just a thought.

You're welcome.

IDK if he fits or doesn't fit what I was saying.

[Blackfyre the Bold]

If she marries, which she probably will, assuming she is reunited with her family, it will be to a prince. Either her or her sister will marry a prince. And Arya will be a warrior.

[Florina Laufeyson]

Where's the dang "like" button when I need it? Like, like, likety like.

It seems to me that many of the same people who say that Arya is too young, at age 9, to decide that she'd never marry a king (and in the book it was "king") and pop out princes, want to pair her up with Gendry, who she met and was with for a few months when she was what, 9 ½?

I have to say that pairing Arya up with the first guy she meets (AT AGE NINE!) shows a rather sad lack of imagination.

Furthermore, Gendry is totally unsuited to be Arya's husband: he's Southron, R'hllorist, and Baratheon (hello! direwolf with an antler in her throat? Stark/Baratheon is not a healthy combination), he's already abandoned Arya once, and he's since been claimed by that girl at the inn. Besides, Sansa's going to marry the burly blacksmith or fat-faced innkeeper, not Arya; so said Jaime.

Arya's arc has, so far, taken her farther and farther away from the average domestic life of a highborn Westerosi girl. As far as I'm concerned, it can take her further still, because I just don't see her settling down to be Lady Breeder of Castle Boring.

Also, why shouldn't we speculate about her sexual preference? Seems as valid a question as any other, although I also have to say that it seems unlikely, what with the J'aqen sniffing and all.

If the question is who will Arya have to marry, I'd say no one, because at this point who and what army is going to make her do anything? If she didn't take off – and if Arya's anything, she's a runner – she's certainly capable of killing her husband and his whole damn family. Actually, I assume the family of the groom, or the groom himself, would want to know where she's been since she escaped from KL. The truthful answer would put an end to any match very quickly.

I'd like to see her choose the Mormont option, that is, have the lovers she wants and tell the world her children were fathered by wolves.

LAWL. Jaqen sniffing is probably the biggest clue to Arya ultimately liking dudes. She seems to get more descriptive with the blokes than she does the ladies. ;)

And yeah, Gendry is on a different path. One that isnt compatible with Arya.

I can see Arya getting on with the likes of dudes like Aurane Waters. But who knows about romantically...shes still pretty young.

[They see me R'hollin]

LAWL. Jaqen sniffing is probably the biggest clue to Arya ultimately liking dudes. She seems to get more descriptive with the blokes than she does the ladies. ;)

And yeah, Gendry is on a different path. One that isnt compatible with Arya.

I can see Arya getting on with the likes of dudes like Aurane Waters. But who knows about romantically...shes still pretty young.

IDK I'm a lesbian and I still have a thing for Stannis.

[ARYa_Nym]

Well in that case, I can see her with Elia Sand.

Also because being bisexual/gay doesnt seem like that big a deal in Dorne.

I saw Arya shipped with Elia on another site. I wonder if this ship will gain traction when TWoW comes out.

[Bran's Legs]

I'm fairly certain men will be lining up to marry the long-lost Stark who can change her appearance. Sounds pretty kinky to me.

[Roza Ahai]

After thinking about it for a bit, I guess it's possible that she ends up with Gendry (she definitely doesn't care about social status or legitimacy, so he'd fit nicely)

Affection for someone in childhood does not remain necessarily the same in adulthood. Arya is only 11, and she changed significantly since the second book, she is not the same Arya as she is in the first 2 books. Arya had to go through a lot of awful events and learn many things. Gendry is smart but narrow-minded boy incompatible to current Arya. I don't see her as blacksmith's wife, that would be a very bad match for a Stark girl. Arya is proud to be a Stark.

[Newstar]

Stark/Baratheon is not a healthy combination

Interesting idea. Although historically the houses have been allied/friendly, Robert Baratheon's engagement to and love for Lyanna Stark certainly proved to be disastrous for both houses. Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon's friendship ultimately had disastrous consequences for both houses as well. I can't see that Gendry and Arya's relationship was poisonous for either of them (except maybe in that Gendry deciding to part from Arya embittered her somewhat), and Mya and Sansa's relationship hasn't been poisonous for either of them yet ("yet" being the operative word).

I can't see Arya marrying anyone she doesn't want to marry. As for marriage in general...she never expressed any interest in it, but a lot of girls have similar feelings at that age and go on to get married later, so I don't know that her current lack of interest in marriage is determinative of anything. However, I could easily see her swearing off marriage forever.

I agree that Aurane Waters seems like the kind of guy who might be her "type" in a few years.

Either her or her sister will marry a prince.

Or they could both marry princes. (There's an admitted lack of princes these days, but if Aegon/Sansa and Arya/Trystane Martell happen...) It would be a little much, but it's possible, is all I'm saying.

Besides, Sansa's going to marry the burly blacksmith or fat-faced innkeeper, not Arya; so said Jaime.

Sansa/Hot Pie = the ship of the future.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

Lord Edric "Ned" Dayne the Lord of Starfall. He would be Ashara to her Ned. It is known.

[Waylin Stark]

No one. She'll die in the last book, with Needle in her hand. When winter comes, it is the pack that survives, and the lone wolf perishes. If she doesn't die, she'll probably find Nymeria and live somewhere simple. Maybe she will get married when she falls in love after she's older.

[Lady Gwynhyfvar]

Affection for someone in childhood does not remain necessarily the same in adulthood. Arya is only 11, and she changed significantly since the second book, she is not the same Arya as she is in the first 2 books. Arya had to go through a lot of awful events and learn many things. Gendry is smart but narrow-minded boy incompatible to current Arya. I don't see her as blacksmith's wife, that would be a very bad match for a Stark girl. Arya is proud to be a Stark.

I disagree. Gendry is changing too, from the glimpse we have of him at the end of DwD. I think you left out the part of my quote where I said the early affection/flirtation was foreshadowing. As for being baseborn, he's a king's son. Arya doesn't care about convention and I doubt even in the glorious future where Starks are triumphant anyone will be able to make her do so ;)

Having said that, I could just as easily see it being Ned Dayne.

[ARYa_Nym]

Arya seemed to get along better with Denyo Terys than the other boys we've seen her interact with. He was the son of the captain of the Titan's Daughter. She did briefly want to stay aboard the ship and work but knew she couldn't.

"Denyo had taken her up to the crow’s nest once, and she hadn’t been afraid at all, though the deck had seemed a tiny thing below

her. I can do sums too, and keep a cabin neat."

She let him grab her which seems like no big deal but is a touchy spot for her.

“Salty, look!” Denyo took her by the arm and turned her. “Can you see? There. ” He pointed.

And make fun of her more than once.

He eased her when afraid.

A thousand seabirds took to the air at once, and Arya flinched until she saw that Denyo was laughing. “He

warns the Arsenal of our coming, that is all,” he shouted. “You must not be afraid.”

“I never was, ” Arya shouted back. “It was loud, is all.”

For a moment it seemed as though they must surely smash up against the stones beneath his legs. Huddled by Denyo at the prow, Arya could taste salt where the spray had touched her face.

The city has no walls. But when she said as much to Denyo, he laughed at her. “Our walls are made of wood and painted purple,” he told her. “Our galleys are our walls. We need no

other.”

She felt bad for not being able to say goodbye.

"The boat was ready before she was, and Yorko was at the oars. He was the captain’s son as well, but older than

Denyo and less friendly. I never said farewell to Denyo, she thought as she clambered down to join him. She wondered

if she would ever see the boy again. I should have said farewell."

They didn't get to spend much time together though. Only the journey from Westeros to Braavos.

[Elba the Intoner]

Lady Gwynhyfvar I completely agree with you. (Where is the like button when you need it.) I took that song that Arya-Nym referred to above as total foreshadowing of Arya and Gendry. They are both running around the Riverlands forests together plus they had just come from rolling around the floor of the smithy together! They have had the most interactions together and I don't think that was for nothing. If you take into account that at the time they were written GRRM was planning on a five year gap, it works, even factoring her young age at first. And I know many situations where younger children develop strong attachments to someone that turns into love later when they get older. I always use as a frame of reference for this Maggie and Ralph from The Thorn Birds. She was 10 when she meets Ralph IIRC.

[Lady Gwynhyfvar]

Lady Gwynhyfvar I completely agree with you. (Where is the like button when you need it.) I took that song that Arya-Nym referred to above as total foreshadowing of Arya and Gendry. They are both running around the Riverlands forests together plus they had just come from rolling around the floor of the smithy together! They have had the most interactions together and I don't think that was for nothing. If you take into account that at the time they were written GRRM was planning on a five year gap, it works, even factoring her young age at first. And I know many situations where younger children develop strong attachments to someone that turns into love later when they get older. I always use as a frame of reference for this Maggie and Ralph from The Thorn Birds. She was 10 when she meets Ralph IIRC.

like!

especially for the Thorn Birds reference :)

[ARYa_Nym]

No one. Or hopefully whoever she wants. If its a dude someone romantic and attractive who will love and cherish her. Maybe she'll become our LGBT POV. :blushing:

Jon Connington is gay. There are no lesbian POVs though.

On the Arya/Elia ship I later remembered that

she made out with a guy in one of spoiler chapters. She might be straight. Of course that scene wouldn't entirely rule out the possibility of her being into girls but this series doesn't have many or possibly any genuine lesbians.

Nymeria Sand is a suspect though because she was in bed with the Fowler twins. I'm not sure if that's enough proof though.

On the Stark/Baratheon combo I could see it specifically in the sense of Arya's water connection.

One hand in favor:

"Storms were sacred on sisterton, before the Andals came. Our gods of old were the lady of the waters and the lord of the skies. They made storms every time they mated."

In the water thread I said:

The Storm is the enemy of the sea. This can relate to what I posted on the first page about sea nymphs helping sailors fight the storms. Cats are also known to be good luck for sailors too.

Euron said:

"A smile played across Euron’s blue lips. “I am the storm, my lord. The first storm, and the last. I have taken the Silence on longer voyages than this, and ones far more hazardous. Have you forgotten? I have sailed the Smoking Sea and seen Valyria.”

There is foreshadowing that Arya will come across a kraken who will try to do her harm. Euron represents the Storm and Arya can represent water. They are in opposition to each other.

Baratheons are Storm Lords. Perhaps representing storm means someone who is in opposition to her.

Unrelated but it's interesting how Weese, Roose, and Sandor threatened to cut her tongue out and Sandor threatened to give her to the Silent Sisters and we know that Euron's ship is named Silence with:

"Even at anchor Silence looked both cruel and fast. On her prow was a black iron maiden with one arm outstretched. Her waist was slender, her breasts high and proud, her legs long and shapely. A windblown mane of black iron hair streamed from her head, and her eyes were mother-of-pearl, but she had no mouth."

As for Arya/Gendry not being compatible IA. For one in the songs the boy/man asks to guard her with her sword which is what the girl/woman did not want. That's what a knight does and Gendry has since become a knight of sorts. He didn't want the things she wanted and has found an "Arya" like girl in Willow Heddle.

She's a commoner so the bitterness and resentment won't be there. Arya probably is bitter and has developed abandonment issues because of him so there's a lack of trust there. I don't see that as a good foundation for a relationship. Although to be fair Arya tried to leave him first but not on purpose. It wasn't really about him. She just wanted to get away from her captors.

He liked the justice of the BWB because of the fair trials/being just and such but he may be disillusioned now who knows. Those things have no place with the FM. She may leave but I think it's clear their stories are taking different paths now.

On not marrying I think she won't since in the song she says he can be her lover not lord. Also, she is like Daena who did not marry after the Baelor nonsense was resolved. She was like the Mormont women in that she refused to name Daemon's father for the longest time.

[Newstar]

I'm kind of sick of there being no canon lesbians in ASOIAF, just bisexual women or women who are "situationally" bisexual (and gay men's affairs being treated with some seriousness, like Loras/Renly, while bisexuality is dabbled in by mostly-straight women and used strictly to titillate). It feeds into that stupid stereotype that women are much more sexually "fluid" than men and therefore there are no "real" lesbians, only women situated along the bisexuality spectrum tending more towards women than men.

Rant aside, though, I'd be surprised if Arya turned out to be bisexual or a lesbian. We may never find out, though; she may remain asexual for the purposes of the story, as much as others have sexualized her and will likely do more of the same in the future. (If any Stark sister turned out to be bisexual, though, it would probably be Sansa. Bisexuality: all the queens are doing it!)

On not marrying I think she won't since in the song she says he can be her lover not lord. Also, she is like Daena who did not marry after the Baelor nonsense was resolved. She was like the Mormont women in that she refused to name Daemon's father for the longest time.

I thought of Daena (the Defiant...sounds like Arya) as well in certain respects: busts out of a prison, athletic, a fine archer and horsewoman, "willful," thumbs her nose at social convention by raising a bastard and refusing to name the father for a long time, etc. However, I also thought of Daena's sister Elaena: wore her hair short for a time, was not as pretty as her sisters but her matured as she aged, was shrewd and intelligent, and the great love of her life was a Velaryon (for those who ship Arya/Aurane). Elaena married three times, though, and twice was at the king's command, and I cannot see Arya putting up with any of that.

[Winds of Winter blow cold]

Maybe George dosen't think he can write a "real" lesbian correctly. He is a straight man after all.

[Sasha Steelsong]

If she marries anyone me too thinks it will be Edrick Dayne (because of the Nymeria parallels), or Trystan Martell. I know he is bethroted to Myrcella but that can change. Beside Queen Nymeria married a Martell as well. If I remember correctly.

But besides them I don't really think she will marry.

I agree, I think it would have to be someone Dornish and those two are the most age appropriate. Sadly I place Myrcella on my "unlikely to live out the series list" along with her brother, though they seem like perfectly wonderful children and I want to be very wrong about my instinct on this. It however does leave Trystan free if that is the case. Either way I can't see Arya married to someone who expects her to submit, and the Dornish generally are the most progressive about female rights and opinions (at least amongst the nobility). I don't know whether she would marry for the good of her house, at present I'm not sure she has any concept of House Stark (though I think that will return), but it is also hard to say cause she's still what? 11? A 16 year old Arya may feel very differently about both marriage and houshold obligation/duty, particularly depending on how the intervening years play out.

[ARYa_Nym]

I thought of Daena (the Defiant...sounds like Arya) as well in certain respects: busts out of a prison, athletic, a fine archer and horsewoman, "willful," thumbs her nose at social convention by raising a bastard and refusing to name the father for a long time, etc. However, I also thought of Daena's sister Elaena: wore her hair short for a time, was not as pretty as her sisters but her matured as she aged, was shrewd and intelligent, and the great love of her life was a Velaryon (for those who ship Arya/Aurane). Elaena married three times, though, and twice was at the king's command, and I cannot see Arya putting up with any of that.

Yes. There is also the idolizing of the brother and father.

She used to wear black then she wore white which are the two colors Arya wears at the HoB&W. She also used to disguise herself as lowborn (serving girl was mentioned) when trying to escape which does parallel Arya.

Interesting point on Elaena. She was apparently good with money and was the one who really did the work as the master of coin even though her second husband held the office.

I'm kind of sick of there being no canon lesbians in ASOIAF, just bisexual women or women who are "situationally" bisexual (and gay men's affairs being treated with some seriousness, like Loras/Renly, while bisexuality is dabbled in by mostly-straight women and used strictly to titillate). It feeds into that stupid stereotype that women are much more sexually "fluid" than men and therefore there are no "real" lesbians, only women situated along the bisexuality spectrum tending more towards women than men.

Rant aside, though, I'd be surprised if Arya turned out to be bisexual or a lesbian. We may never find out, though; she may remain asexual for the purposes of the story, as much as others have sexualized her and will likely do more of the same in the future. (If any Stark sister turned out to be bisexual, though, it would probably be Sansa. Bisexuality: all the queens are doing it!)

It does feel like it's being "played with" but not treated genuinely. I think he's capable of doing it well though because I thought the Renly/Loras relationship was beautifully written.

I think without the 5 year gap the sexual stuff in her storyline has been scrapped. The only thing that gives me pause is that Dany was only 13 in AGoT but then I think he won't go down that route again. Of course I have no guarantee that he won't do it.