Littlefinger seems like he has everything under his control. He's the Lord of Harrenhal,
he's the Lord Protector of the Eyrie and he has control over the Lord of the Vale, Sweetrobin.
On top of this the "Littlefinger, Debt Scheme" seems to be working.
He has countless lords indebted to him and every day more and more lords of the Vale
fall in line. He also has Sansa in his possession and under his control.
She even thinks he's an okay guy and Sansa is betrothed to the heir of the Vale Harry Hardyng.
What could possibly go wrong? Well, Littlefinger did miss something.
Something big. And because of this slip up House Royce is now an enormous threat.
Oh, not the senior branch of House Royce with Bronze Yohn Royce. No, Littlefingers bigger
threat is the junior branch of House Royce. Littlefinger needs to fear Nestor Royce and his daughter Myranda. You see,
Myranda and Nestor know more than they let on.
Specifically they know that Lysa wasn't murdered by Marillion. What do I mean well?
Let's go back to Lysa's death. Lysa Tully fell from the Moon Door.
This means that she fell and fell and
fell and went splat on the mountain. Nestor Royce is in charge of the bottom of the mountain.
And so Lord Nestor would be in charge of cleaning up the body. Lysa Tully is highborn and would certainly require a proper burial.
After all ,she is the mother of the Lord of the Vale. And so Lord Nestor's men would most certainly have to go out comb
the mountain and find her body.
And when they found Lady Lysa, they would find two eyes and two
hands and two feet and two ears and two kidneys and three shoes. That's right three shoes.
Lysa threw herself into Littlefinger's arms sobbing. As they hugged,
Sansa crawled from the Moon Door on hands and knees and wrapped her arms around the nearest pillar. She could feel her heart pounding. There
was snow in her hair and her right shoe was missing. It must have fallen.
Three shoes. So now Nestor Royce has this mysterious extra shoe.
Who does it belong to? It's certainly a twist on the Cinderella tale.
Now, let's keep in mind that Nestor Royce was trying to Littlefinger the Vale out from Lady Lysa before Littlefinger was. He wanted to marry Lysa
to become Lord Protector
And he wanted to have his daughter marry Harry the Heir before it was totally the hip thing to do.
He cannot be very happy that the Vale has been stolen from him using the exact same plan.
Yes, Littlefinger has given him a consolation prize of the Gates of the Moon, but is that really enough, especially after finding this shoe?
You see Littlefingers story is that Marillion killed Lysa.
Marillion is many things
but a man who wears women's shoes he is not. So who could the shoe belong to? One of Lysa's servants?
And so the fact-finding mission begins. Lord Nestor comes up to the Eyrie to ask everyone questions.
His first question is to Sweetrobin. "Did your lordship see this happen?" "Alayne saw it and my lord stepfather"
So now Nestor knows exactly who the shoe belongs to. Marillion, Littlefinger, Lysa and Alayne were all in the room.
He has Lysa's two shoes and the remaining people are men so the shoe belongs to Alayne.
She was near the Moon Door for some reason. But why?
The story gets stranger as Sweetrobin says that Littlefinger was in the room, but later Littlefinger claims
he wasn't there. Of course, if anyone asks the guards, they would testify that Littlefinger was, in fact, in the room when they ran in.
Now, yes, one could clarify and say that Littlefinger was not in the room, but entered at the very moment Lysa was pushed,
but we don't see this clarification made.
Additionally, Littlefinger's given reason for the meeting between Lysa and Marillion was that Lysa was going to send
Marillion away. So, Lysa called the meeting to see
Marillion. Yet Marillion claims that he called the meeting in order to declare his love for Lysa.
So, we have a contradiction on who called the meeting. And Marillion claims that he barred the door
so no one would disturb them. Yet Alayne was clearly in the room. And if anyone asked the guards, they would testify that the meeting
was between Lysa and Alayne.
That's what Marillion told the guards right before he barred the door. So, a close examination of the stories finds lies in them.
Additionally, Nestor Royce clearly thinks Marillion was craven. Yet, somehow
he was bold enough to push Lysa from the Moon Door. Perhaps the other lords might miss these inconsistencies,
but it's unlikely Nestor Royce would. Not with that shoe in hand. Now, right after Lord Nestor's inquisition about the murder,
Littlefinger bribes Nestor Royce with lordship of the Gates of the Moon. So, perhaps Nestor knows everything but just doesn't care.
However, Nestor's words are filled with lies as well.
"I will not say I had not hoped for this.
Whilst Lord John ruled the realm as Hand, it fell to me to rule the Vale for him.
I did all that he required of me and asked for nothing for myself. But by the gods,
I earned this." Of course, Lord Nestor didn't hope for the Gates of the Moon. He hoped for the Eyrie
He did want something for himself.
He wanted to marry Lysa and marry Myranda to Harry the Heir. Littlefinger's gift is generous,
but Lord Nestor's aspirations were much higher. He claims himself dutiful, but we know that he is a schemer.
Nestor also seems to be feigning feelings for Lysa. Keep in mind, Lysa
Specifically said that Lord Nestor didn't love her and just wanted her castle.
His greedy antics were so obvious that Marillion wrote a song about it.
It seems very unlikely that Nestor had genuine feelings for Lysa, a woman who showed him nothing
but disdain.
Yet he pretends to be touched by Littlefingers gift of the Gates of the Moon, a gift that Littlefinger
claims Lysa wanted to give. A gift which is likely
insufficient. Still, after these events Nestor becomes Littlefinger's best friend. When the Lords Declarant arrive
Bronze Yohn seems to recognize Sansa.
But it's Nestor Royce that tells him that Sansa is Alayne.
And Nestor sits next to Littlefinger and supports Littlefinger's claim as Lord Protector of the Vale. So, perhaps Nestor knows something is up
but is looking the other way. Or perhaps
he simply cannot prove his doubt. Well, both of these are unlikely. You see, next up the mountain comes Lord Nestor's daughter,
Myranda, who is ver,y very interested in Alayne. Now, keep in mind,
Myranda rode all the way up the mountain just to see Alayne.
This is a dangerous trip. A death-defying trip, in fact, that causes people to wet their pants. And, yet, to Sansa's surprise,
Myranda is there. Myranda's goal, according to Myranda herself, is to learn Alayne's secrets.
So, what does Myranda learn? "May I call you Alayne?" "If you wish, my lady"
"I am 'my lady' at the Gates
but up here on the mountain, you may call me Randa." So, right off the bat, Myranda notices the way Sansa speaks.
She's likely highborn
"How many years have you, Alayne?"
"Four-and-ten, my lady"
This seems to be a callback to Arya playing the game of lies with the Waif.
The first question they ask each other is "how many years have you." Sansa's lie though is not a great one.
Littlefinger's story is that Alayne was raised by the Faith and left when she first flowered.
Alayne's first menstruation would be a little late
It would be a year and a half after Sansa's. Not impossible, but strange especially when one considers Sansa's breast development,
which is highly correlated to a girl's first menstruation.
Myranda seems very interested in Sansa's boobs and remarks that they're very ample for a girl her age.
So, ample breasts, yet only recently flowered?
I also wonder if Sansa's timeline melds with Littlefinger's. Sansa decided Alayne was a year older than Sansa,
but that would mean that Littlefinger would need to be in charge of the Gulltown port a year earlier as well.
We aren't sure if he was. And I doubt Sansa is sure either. "Are you still innocent Alayne?"
She blushed. "You should not...
yes, of course."
Sansa forgets her place for a moment again revealing that she's highborn.
But her blush and innocence seems genuine. This would go against her being in a relationship with, say, Marillion or Littlefinger.
"Saving yourself for Lord Robert or is there some ardent squire dreaming of your favors?"
"No." "She's my friend. Terrance and Gyles can't have her."
So, Sweetrobin fancies Alayne. Is Myranda wondering if Alayne wants to marry Sweetrobin?
"We have had a letter from your father. He is on his way home, he says, and hopes to see his darling daughter soon
He writes that Lyonel Corbray seems well pleased with his bride and even more so with her dowry
I do hope Lord Lyonel remembers
which one he needs to bed.
Lady Waynewood turned up with the Knight of Nine Stars for the wedding feast, Lord Petyr says, to everyone's astonishment."
"Anya Waynwood? Truly?" Now Myranda mentions both Templetons and Waynwoods showing up to the wedding, but Sanaa only shows interest in the Waynwoods.
This is because Littlefinger told Sansa that achieving Waynwould support would be difficult,
but not Templeton support. Keep in mind, the letter said that both Waynewood and Templeton support were a surprise.
So, clearly Littlefinger is sharing different information with Nestor than he is with Alayne.
And now Myranda knows this. Of course, perhaps Alayne is interested in Lady Waynwood because of her ward, Harry.
"The war goes on everywhere
but here. Riverrun has yielded, but Dragonstone and Storm's End still hold for Lord Stannis."
"Lady Lysa was so wise to keep us out of it."
"Yes, she was the very soul of wisdom, that good lady." Sansa seems to be honest here,
but it's pretty clear that Myranda doesn't believe Alayne. "There's a new High Septon
did you know? Oh, and the Night's Watch has a boy commander, some bastard son of Eddard Stark's." "Jon Snow?"
"Snow, yes, it would be Snow, I suppose."
Oof, this one gives away almost everything. Alayne is supposed to be raised by the Faith. She should be very, very
interested in who the new High Septon is. And Jon Snow?
Why should Alayne know who Jon Snow is? Sansa Stark would, of course. "Our cousin Bronze Yohn
had a melee at Runestone. A small one just for squires
It was meant for Harry the Heir to win the honors, and so he did."
"Harry the Heir?"
"Lady Waynewoods' ward, Harold Hardyng. I suppose. We must call him Ser Harry now. Bronze Yohn knighted him."
"Oh, I pray he proves a worthy knight." So here Sansa reveals
she doesn't know very much about Harry the Heir. So, Littlefinger does keep some things from Alayne. She's not his partner;
she's a pawn.
It's interesting that Myranda calls Harry 'Harry the Heir.' Only Myranda, Littlefinger
Sansa and Lother Brune have called him this.
I wonder if everyone calls Harry 'Harry the Heir' or just schemers who are waiting for Sweetrobin to die.
"I pray he gets the pox. He has a bastard daughter by some common girl, you know."
Here Myranda straight-up insults bastards and common girls to Alayne's face and she has no reaction.
"My lord father had hoped to marry me to Harry, but Lady Waynwood would not hear of it.
I do not know whether was me she found unsuitable or just my dowry. I do need another husband.
I had one once, but I killed him." "You did?" Alayne is shocked by the topic of murder.
Probably because Sansa has never killed anyone. Of course, Myranda suspects that Alayne killed Lysa.
And if she knows Alayne is Sansa she also suspects that she killed Joffrey.
"Oh, yes. He died on top of me. In me, if truth be told. You do know what goes on in a marriage bed, I hope?"
Alayne nods to this but of course Alayne was raised by the Faith
and I doubt they would have taught her about the birds and the bees.
"So here I am a widow, but scarce used. Harry could have done much worse
I dare say that he will. Lady Waynwood will most likely marry him to one of her granddaughters,
or one of Bronze Yohn's." "As you say. my lady."
So here, again, Alayne shows ignorance about Harry the Heir and doesn't seem to show any jealousy either.
"You will think me a dreadful slut, I know, but I bedded that pretty boy Marillion...
He sang beautifully, and could do the sweetest things with his fingers.
I would have never taken him to bed if I had known he was going to push Lady Lysa through the Moon Door. I do
not bed monsters as a rule."
Now, it seems likely that Myranda's story about Marillion is a lie. Tyrion broke Marillion's fingers.
It doesn't seem like Marillion would be very good at pleasing Myranda with them. Sure Marillion can still play a harp,
but these are two very different activities.
But, regardless, the story seems to be to check if Alayne shows jealousy and she does not.
"You are prettier than me,
but my breasts are larger. Yours are ample for a girl your age, but as they are bastard breasts
I shan't concern myself with them." Myranda once again straight up
insults Alayne for being a bastard and Alayne has no reaction. One would think an actual bastard which show disapproval.
"You know are Mya's not a maid, I trust?" "Maddy told me."
"Of course she did. She has a mouth as big as her thighs." And now Myranda starts to find weaknesses in Littlefinger's crew.
Maddy is a gossip. "Michael was the best young swordsman in the Vale and
gallant...or so poor Mya thought till he wed one of Bronze Yohn's daughters. Lord Horton gave him no choice in the matter,
I am sure, but it was still a cruel thing to do to Mya."
"Ser Lother is fond of her. More than fond." And now the Royce's know how to control Lother Brune
Mya works for House Royce and is like a sister to Myranda.
"Does your father plan to wed again?
We all know how devoted he was to Lady Lysa,
but he cannot mourn forever. He needs a pretty young wife to wash away his grief
I imagine he could have his pick of half the noble maidens in the Vale.
Who could be a better husband that our own bold Lord Protector? Though, I do wish he had a better name than
Littlefinger. How little is it, do you know?"
"His finger?"
I don't...I never..."
So, once again Myranda seems to be checking to see if Alayne is jealous,
but Sansa's blush seems genuine. Once again,
she seems like she's not in a relationship with Littlefinger. So, based on the conversation coming down the mountain,
It seems pretty clear that Myranda knows Alayne as a liar. Alayne is supposedly
14, a bastard and raised by the Faith. This girl is a bit younger,
highborn and didn't even care who the new High Septon was. And this girl knew who
Jon Snow was, which means she would be from Winterfell.
Highborn and from Winterfell? All of the information is there to figure out that it's Sansa. But what Sansa's game is is still in question.
Myranda should still believe that Sansa pushed Lysa.
But why? She doesn't seem romantically involved with Littlefinger or Marillion. In fact, she seems like she's still a maiden.
Sansa's motive must be perplexing for Nestor and Myranda . Now, you may be asking if Nestor knows something is up,
why has any arrested Littlefinger and Sansa. Well it seems Nestor wants to have a 100%
rock-solid argument. It also seems that he's still looking for weaknesses among Littlefinger's cronies.
The Alayne sample chapter finds Myranda doing the same sorts of things that she was doing when she was coming down the mountain.
She has Alayne meet some knights from Gulltown and Alayne isn't able to say anything about the city even though she's supposedly from there.
Sansa also spills that Lyn Corbray's weakness is money and Ser Shadrich mentions that he's only interested in gold, as well. Of course, the
Mad Mouse also works for Varys
so we're not sure what his game is. Now one may ask if Nestor and Myranda suspect Littlefinger and Sansa killed Lysa,
how can they prove it? Marillion confessed and the shoe that they have could be anyone's.
After all its mate is up in the Eyrie shut for the winter, shut for years. Well, as it happens,
we are actually told who the last person to leave the Eyrie was. "We don't want to get bunched up on the mountain.
I'll take Lord Robert and his companions.
Ossy, you bring down Ser Lothor and the rest, but give me an hour's lead.
Carrot, you'll have charge of their chests and boxes." So, Maya wants everyone spread out.
She goes first, Ossy second, Carrot third.
So Carrot is the last person to leave the Eyrie and who does Carrot work for? Why Nestor Royce.
Carrot certainly had the opportunity to go back into the Eyrie and grab Sansa's other shoe.
We will] have to wait until the Winds of Winter to find out what happens next. As always,
I'm probably wrong about half of this. And if you like this video, you should probably check out the Littlefinger Debt Scheme.