Post by shymaid on Sept 23, 2018 8:01:03 GMT
With my mind whirling in all directions these days, I came to think about some of the curious things Aerys did the last years of his life, and primarily after the Duskendale incident.
After he was freed from captivity and the Darklyns stood down, he put them all to the sword. The only survivor was Dontos, who would have died as well, but for Barristan. To a degree, this could be understandable; they had wronged him, and he was a king in a world where being a king means true power and they use it.
The curious thing happens after his return to the Red Keep: he refused all blades in his presence with the exception of the Kingsguard. Something I've always found very very odd! We are told he got more and more paranoid of plots (fanned by Varys' whispers), even suspecting his own Hand and his heir. But he trusted his Kingsguard because of a... vow? I've always thought that a weak argument to be honest; I'd trust my own blood over a vow any day of the week. Not that I am Aerys, mind you! Still, I've always found that odd.
We also learn that he was particularly suspicious of Tywin, refusing to meet him unless all seven White Swords were with him. Until one of these seven, Old Ser Harlan Grandison, (supposedly) died in his sleep ...
Now things started happening!
For some strange reason, Cersei thought she had the power to have Jamie appointed to the open position as a new sword. Something I've always found suspicious... Seemingly she was, as Jamie was indeed appointed to the Kingsguard. Naturally this made Tywin furious! Aerys had "stolen" his heir, leaving him only his hated second son Tyrion. Further more, he stopped the Lannisters joining the alliance of Stark, Arryn, Tully and Baratheon.
And Jamie was, as so many has noted, practically a hostage for his father's loyalty. Another thing about Aerys' trust in his White Swords that I've found odd. Granted, Jamie was of the young idealistic sort, and being knighted by Ser Arthur himself this might be known in Aerys' inner circles. But still... Vow over blood...? In particular a vow to protect Aerys' own life with his own...? Let's say I have my doubts.
We hear early on that Aerys was mad, and over the story that the Targaryens had a mad strike in their family history. Even they themselves seemes to have been aware of it:
"Taint?" Dany bristled.
"I am no maester to quote history at you, Your Grace. Swords have been my life, not books. But every child knows that the Targaryens have always danced too close to madness. Your father was not the first. King Jaehaerys once told me that madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin. Every time a new Targaryen is born, he said, the gods toss the coin in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land."
"I am no maester to quote history at you, Your Grace. Swords have been my life, not books. But every child knows that the Targaryens have always danced too close to madness. Your father was not the first. King Jaehaerys once told me that madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin. Every time a new Targaryen is born, he said, the gods toss the coin in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land."
Daenerys VI, Storm
If he showed mad tendencies before Duskendale, he certainly seemed to worsen after. He was held in the dungeon there, probably in total darkness. This is the closest thing a human can get to be deprived of sensations, which can open ones mind, without equipment. It's implied he could have been hurt while imprisoned, and so he might have been fevered at times, and we see how that effects Ned. So it's possible that his third eye was opened, like Bran's was.
Another thing we learn of the Targaryens are:
"There have always been Targaryens who dreamed of things to come, since long before the Conquest," Bloodraven said, "so we should not be surprised if from time to time a Blackfyre displays the gift as well. Daemon dreamed that a dragon would be born at Whitewalls, and it was. The fool just got the color wrong."
The Mystery Knight
In The Hedge Knight and The Mystery Knight, we seemingly see dreams come true. Both dreamers have Targaryen blood.
So, could Aerys have been a dreamer? Hard to say, though his idea of a second Wall beyond the Wall is interesting in this light. But perhaps his time at Duskendale woke this ability. Perhaps the wife of Lord Darklyn, Lady Serala, gave his some potion? Not to mention, the Dun Fort was an old castle, and we don't know what might have been there. As you see, there are several possibilities for how Aerys might have had some ability awaken.
After this round-about, I finally come to my proposition here:
What if Aerys had a dream that frightened him? Like his grandfather's brother Daeron:
"I dreamed of you," said the prince.
"You said that at the inn."
"Did I? Well, it's so. My dreams are not like yours, Ser Duncan. Mine are true. They frighten me. You frighten me. I dreamed of you and a dead dragon, you see. A great beast, huge, with wings so large they could cover this meadow. It had fallen on top of you, but you were alive and the dragon was dead."
"Did I kill it?"
"Did I? Well, it's so. My dreams are not like yours, Ser Duncan. Mine are true. They frighten me. You frighten me. I dreamed of you and a dead dragon, you see. A great beast, huge, with wings so large they could cover this meadow. It had fallen on top of you, but you were alive and the dragon was dead."
"Did I kill it?"
"That I could not say, but you were there, and so was the dragon. We were the masters of dragons once, we Targaryens. Now they are all gone, but we remain. I don't care to die today. The gods alone know why, but I don't. So do me a kindness if you would, and make certain it is my brother Aerion you slay."
The Hedge Knight
What if Aerys had one or more dreams of a knight killing him? Hence his fear of blades.
What if he saw that knight was a Lannister? His insistence on having all Kingsguard present when talking to Tywin. We get a description of Tywin's armor in Game, and he might have had the same before the rebellion or something similar.
Even from afar, his lord father was resplendent. Tywin Lannister's battle armor put his son Jaime's gilded suit to shame. His greatcloak was sewn from countless layers of cloth-of-gold, so heavy that it barely stirred even when he charged, so large that its drape covered most of his stallion's hindquarters when he took the saddle. No ordinary clasp would suffice for such a weight, so the greatcloak was held in place by a matched pair of miniature lionesses crouching on his shoulders, as if poised to spring. Their mate, a male with a magnificent mane, reclined atop Lord Tywin's greathelm, one paw raking the air as he roared. All three lions were wrought in gold, with ruby eyes. His armor was heavy steel plate, enameled in a dark crimson, greaves and gauntlets inlaid with ornate gold scrollwork. His rondels were golden sunbursts, all his fastenings were gilded, and the red steel was burnished to such a high sheen that it shone like fire in the light of the rising sun.
Tyrion VIII, Game
Did he have a dream of Jamie? As he took Jamie? In this line of thought I find it interesting that Jamie specifies that he used his golden armor instead of his white when he killed Aerys, though he did wear his white cloak.
Or was it a dream of a more general golden knight? As he feared Tywin and took Jamie?
So did Aerys try to prevent a prophesy by turning Jamie from a golden knight into a white one? Like Bran tried to prevent Jojen's dream of coming true by warning three men of their coming drownings?