If Lyanna loved Rhaeger - why did she need to be rescued?

[Ingelheim]

Wasn't she 16? She was betrothed to Robert, so it's nit like she was a little girl by Westeros standards. It's not like when we see little kids in the book married or betrothed for alliance. House Stark already had a strongtire to House Baratheon through Ned and Robert's friendship.

Yes. She was 15 when the war started. So she died at 16. And Rhaegar was 23 (24 old when Robert killed him). 8 years of difference, not 14.

[Bat Of The Canals]

Umm, she was a fourteen year old girl that ran off with a man twice her age. She needed rescuing.

Judging the situation by the fully justified laws of democratic societies on this world certainly. Think you'll find though that this isnt the only example of things being somewhat different in the aSoIaF universe. By their own lights, she was a woman flowered.

First thing HBO did was advance the book age of characters like Dany to prevent GoT making all the wrong headlines.

[King Robert's Warhammer]

I do not believe that Robert would have killed the child of R&L.

And Rhaegar only leaves them with 3 guards? WTF!

[Real Heir of Bear Island]

Judging the situation by the fully justified laws of democratic societies on this world certainly. Think you'll find though that this isnt the only example of things being somewhat different in the aSoIaF universe. By their own lights, she was a woman flowered.

First thing HBO did was advance the book age of characters like Dany to prevent GoT making all the wrong headlines.

Well technically the law of the land is that the girl's Lord is responcible for setting up a marriage. When she went off with Rheagar, he broke the rules of society, which is why she needed "rescuing". Rheagar robbed Rickard of a right that he had.

[King of Winters]

Lyanna didn't need to be rescued. She was in a safe place with three great knights to protect her.

It's only people like Ned (at first) and Robert who thought she needed to be rescued because they didn't know she went willingly with Rhaegar.

[Bat Of The Canals]

Well technically the law of the land is that the girl's Lord is responcible for setting up a marriage. When she went off with Rheagar, he broke the rules of society, which is why she needed "rescuing". Rheagar robbed Rickard of a right that he had.

Agreed and agreed, but whether Rhaegar (& Lyanna) broke the law of the land is a somewhat different question than whether she needed 'rescuing', as such.

[King Robert's Warhammer]

Lyanna didn't need to be rescued. She was in a safe place with three great knights to protect her.

It's only people like Ned (at first) and Robert who thought she needed to be rescued because they didn't know she went willingly with Rhaegar.

So why then only a 7 man rescue party and not thousands of Northmen?

[Nami]

I do not believe that Robert would have killed the child of R&L.

And Rhaegar only leaves them with 3 guards? WTF!

Someone else would and he would turn his back to it, like he did to the murder of Elia's kids

And a child from Rhaegar and Lyanna? makes me think that yes, maybe he would have done it himself in this case

He would probably say the baby is a product of rape

[King of Winters]

So why then only a 7 man rescue party and not thousands of Northmen?

Why would he need thousands of Northmen when he thought it would be a simple rescue?

[Nami]

So Ned was supposed to leave Lyanna alone with the KG?

Rhaegar was dead, she was alone, with no family

at least he wanted to bring her back to Winterfell

[Nami]

So why then only a 7 man rescue party and not thousands of Northmen?

no need for so much people

there was no army protecting Lyanna, and he probably got that info along with the info to where she was

[King Robert's Warhammer]

Why would he need thousands of Northmen when he thought it would be a simple rescue?

Why would it be a simple rescue? Did they know how many men Rhaegar had? Could they be certain?

[Ingelheim]

Why would he need thousands of Northmen when he thought it would be a simple rescue?

I think the answer for that is pretty obvious...Ned went with 6 friends to rescue Lyanna. 5 of those friends are dead

With a hundred man, no one would have died but the three Kingsguard knights

[Where is Rickon]

I think the answer for that is pretty obvious...Ned went with 6 friends to rescue Lyanna. 5 of those friends are dead

With a hundred man, no one would have died but the three Kingsguard knights

Yes. There would be too many surviving witnesses otherwise. The story needed a mystery.

[King of Winters]

Why would it be a simple rescue? Did they know how many men Rhaegar had? Could they be certain?

I think the answer for that is pretty obvious...Ned went with 6 friends to rescue Lyanna. 5 of those friends are dead

With a hundred man, no one would have died but the three Kingsguard knights

Ned wasn't going forcefully, he knew where Lyanna was and was just going there to get peacefully,but then the KG wouldn't let him take and the new Targ King, so they fought, which Ned didn't expect to.

[Nami]

Maybe Ned knew beforehand that Lyanna was pregnant/had a child?

So he only took trusted people with him, so this situation could be hidden somehow

[Ingelheim]

Ned wasn't going forcefully, he knew where Lyanna was and was just going there to get peacefully,but then the KG wouldn't let him take and the new Targ King, so they fought, which Ned didn't expect to.

I know, I know, but it's still dangerous to the Warden of the North and a few nobles go alone out there ...

It's just what this user has said: GRR needed mistery

Yes. There would be too many surviving witnesses otherwise. The story needed a mystery.

[The Duke]

Ned likely suspected she wasn't kidnapped and wanted to keep it on the down low. He probably didn't expect Kingsguard to be there.

[Lost Umber]

It's not only Robert who felt that Lyanna was abducted. When Dany is thinking of Dario, she thinks to herself "If he loved you, [Dario] would come and carry you off at swordpoint as Rhaegar carried off his northern girl."

In that respect, Dany's version coincides with Roberts. Why would Rhaegar have to carry Lyanna off at swordpoint if she was a willing participant? The evidence points to him forcing himself upon a 14 yr old girl. There is no evidence that she wasn't kidnapped... its interesting that this notion persists so strongly.

The only possible contrary views IIRC are Neds thoughts of Lyanna being wild and willful but that doesn't mean she went willingly.

Of course Dany is a bit unreliable since she would have only heard her info second hand, but her version would have come from Viserys and Willem Darry who are obvious Rhaegar supporters.

Ned arrived to the TOJ with only 7 because he was rushing to get there and left his forces behind him after relieving the siege at Storm's End. A small party can travel much faster so he took his super seven and post-hasted his way to get Lyanna.

[silentwanderer]

Can you explain? I don't get it.

Because, in a society based on arranged marriages, whatever Lyanna may or may not have felt didn't matter: she was betrothed to one Robert Baratheon and only he had any rights over her.

ETA:

Ned likely suspected she wasn't kidnapped and wanted to keep it on the down low. He probably didn't expect Kingsguard to be there.

Ned had already joined Rober's Rebellion, it was nearly impossible for him to keep a low key in any of this.