Post by shymaid on Feb 8, 2018 19:45:27 GMT
THREAD NUMBER 1500!!!
Sorry, couldn't help my self after noticing the number of threads at the front page... )I'll just stop saying a chapter is full of infromation! I have managed to sort out some of the things I found in my 7 pages of notes. It's not really that much directly on parentage, but I will include clues on Lyanna's arc here. No matter what, she's important when it comes to our mystery babies!
So he listened, and she told it all, from the fire in the library tower to Varys and the guardsmen and Littlefinger. And when she was done, Eddard Stark sat dazed beside the table, the dagger in his hand. Bran's wolf had saved the boy's life, he thought dully. What was it that Jon had said when they found the pups in the snow? Your children were meant to have these pups, my lord. And he had killed Sansa's, and for what? Was it guilt he was feeling? Or fear? If the gods had sent these wolves, what folly had he done?
Ok, nothing really parentage-y here, but the thought does bring the kids to mind, and more importantly Jon's words. So the reader is reminded that he too got a wolf. From there it becomes a question of who was elligable for a wolf, if it was the Stark blood in general or Ned's blood spesifically.
"A fool I may be, Stark … yet I'm still here, while your brother has been moldering in his frozen grave for some fourteen years now. If you are so eager to molder beside him, far be it from me to dissuade you, but I would rather not be included in the party, thank you very much."
Mincing words here, perhaps too much. This part of what he says is very interesting considering the timeline. We learn in the last chapter that Jon has turned 15, so when is Petyr talking about? From Brandon died or when he was buried if that happened after the rebellion. With that lasting close to a year, we end up with a shifted time of birth for Jon indeed.
Or it's author's error. As we see the same in Cat's previous chapter, that could be the case.
Over to the tinfoil workshop!
Renly had been a boy of eight when Robert won the throne, but he had grown into a man so like his brother that Ned found it disconcerting. Whenever he saw him, it was as if the years had slipped away and Robert stood before him, fresh from his victory on the Trident.
"I see you have arrived safely, Lord Stark," Renly said.
"And you as well," Ned replied. "You must forgive me, but sometimes you look the very image of your brother Robert."
"A poor copy," Renly said with a shrug.
"I see you have arrived safely, Lord Stark," Renly said.
"And you as well," Ned replied. "You must forgive me, but sometimes you look the very image of your brother Robert."
"A poor copy," Renly said with a shrug.
Renly is secretly Robert's son!
Robert was about 15 when Renly was born, so I guess his parents could have taken the blame. Two of the brothers have names that start with «R» while Stannis' does not and is also very unlike his brothers both in looks and personality. Not saying Renly is a copy of Robert in personality as well, but they do have more in common than with Stannis.
Just something I've been playing with in my mind for a bit, mostly based on his looks to be honest. It would make some sense of him wanting Robert's crown after his death, though. Bastardy be damned.
Over to clues about Lyanna! Like Sansa's chapter seems to give a lot of what might have happened when Lyanna disappeared, this chapter seems to focus on her last days or weeks. Or rather, what Ned went through in the last part of the rebellion, probably from his short stint in King's Landing and to her death. As this could also give hints to other mystery babies I'll include it. (Also because I'm unable to resist... )
The councillor Ned liked least, the eunuch Varys, accosted him the moment he entered. "Lord Stark, I was grievous sad to hear about your troubles on the kingsroad. We have all been visiting the sept to light candles for Prince Joffrey. I pray for his recovery." His hand left powder stains on Ned's sleeve, and he smelled as foul and sweet as flowers on a grave.
First, that he notices that Varys' touch leaves a stain, is that an indication that he thinks he stains, or befouls, everything he touches?
But the most interesting thing here is «he smelled as foul and sweet as flowers on a grave.» For some odd reason I hadn't noticed that in my other reads, and I think everyone understands why it jumped out to me!
"I was with her when she died," Ned reminded the king. "She wanted to come home, to rest beside Brandon and Father." He could hear her still at times. Promise me, she had cried, in a room that smelled of blood and roses. Promise me, Ned. The fever had taken her strength and her voice had been faint as a whisper, but when he gave her his word, the fear had gone out of his sister's eyes. Ned remembered the way she had smiled then, how tightly her fingers had clutched his as she gave up her hold on life, the rose petals spilling from her palm, dead and black. After that he remembered nothing. They had found him still holding her body, silent with grief. The little crannogman, Howland Reed, had taken her hand from his. Ned could recall none of it. "I bring her flowers when I can," he said. "Lyanna was … fond of flowers." Eddard I
Lyanna and flowers are connected in Ned's mind, sweet smell is connected to rot and death in this story. And as we see, a grave he visits with flowers is Lyanna's grave.
So why does he connect Varys and Lyanna in this way? Did Varys have anything to do with Lyannas disappearence? Did he know where to find her? A part of this chapter is about Varys' abilities as a spy, so it could be possible for him to know. And in a way it could be a clue about Aegon's story being true. For the sake of argument at least, let's say Rhaegar came back to King's Landing and feared for his Son that wad Promised if he were to fall, would he take steps just in case? Of course he could be cocky enough to believe he would survive, but again he might not have been. In a way it reminds me of the situation with Tommen right before Stannis came, so if Aegon really did survive, there could be elements to find in parallell. Ellia is said to have fought hard when her babe was ripped from her arms, and so many have used this to disprove the possibility. But what if she was told that her real son's safety relied upon the safety of this child? I doubt she and Aerys and a good relationship, and as Varys was his man couldn't he give this threat and it would be believable? So would Rheagar go along with that? Yes, if he thought it necessary for Ellia to keep quiet perhaps. No need to tell her that he was in on it, was it?
"I feared you'd never come, my lord," she whispered against his chest. "Petyr has been bringing me reports. He told me of your troubles with Arya and the young prince. How are my girls?"
"Both in mourning, and full of anger," he told her. "Cat, I do not understand. What are you doing in King's Landing? What's happened?" Ned asked his wife. "Is it Bran? Is he …" Dead was the word that came to his lips, but he could not say it.
"It is Bran, but not as you think," Catelyn said.
Ned was lost. "Then how? Why are you here, my love? What is this place?"
"Just what it appears," Littlefinger said, easing himself onto a window seat. "A brothel. Can you think of a less likely place to find a Catelyn Tully?" He smiled. "As it chances, I own this particular establishment, so arrangements were easily made. I am most anxious to keep the Lannisters from learning that Cat is here in King's Landing."
"Both in mourning, and full of anger," he told her. "Cat, I do not understand. What are you doing in King's Landing? What's happened?" Ned asked his wife. "Is it Bran? Is he …" Dead was the word that came to his lips, but he could not say it.
"It is Bran, but not as you think," Catelyn said.
Ned was lost. "Then how? Why are you here, my love? What is this place?"
"Just what it appears," Littlefinger said, easing himself onto a window seat. "A brothel. Can you think of a less likely place to find a Catelyn Tully?" He smiled. "As it chances, I own this particular establishment, so arrangements were easily made. I am most anxious to keep the Lannisters from learning that Cat is here in King's Landing."
The bolded parts really speaks for themselves don't they. Translated you get «troubles with Lyanna and the young prince» as the start of the story, «in mourning, and full of anger» after Brandon and Rikard was killed, «It's not as you think» what Ned is told in a conversation (with Varys?). Ned's questions doesn't need translating, the odd one out is «What is this place?». Now, this actually could put toj in the picture (I have my doubts she was there), but it doesn't really fit. Neither does Starfall, as the home castle of Rhaegar's bestie would be suprising imo. For now I tend to think she was in a tower of some sort, but I need more time to think on this.
Bonus points: Ned's "my love"-part, and possibly King's Landing in Petyr's contribution.
"Why?" Ned asked. He saw her hands then, the awkward way she held them, the raw red scars, the stiffness of the last two fingers on her left. "You've been hurt." He took her hands in his own, turned them over. "Gods. Those are deep cuts … a gash from a sword or … how did this happen, my lady?"
Catelyn slid a dagger out from under her cloak and placed it in his hand. "This blade was sent to open Bran's throat and spill his life's blood."
Ned's head jerked up. "But … who … why would …"
She put a finger to his lips. "Let me tell it all, my love. It will go faster that way. Listen."
Catelyn slid a dagger out from under her cloak and placed it in his hand. "This blade was sent to open Bran's throat and spill his life's blood."
Ned's head jerked up. "But … who … why would …"
She put a finger to his lips. "Let me tell it all, my love. It will go faster that way. Listen."
That's the points I have from my 7 pages!