Rhaegar Targaryen's friend, Jon Connington, was Aerys II hand during Robert's Rebellion.
But Jon Connington failed to capture and or kill Robert Baratheon at Stoney Sept, so Aerys
fired Jon Connington and exiled him. After Rhaegar was allegedly killed by Robert
at the Trident, Aerys sent his pregnant wife, Rhaella, and their second son, Viserys, to
Dragonstone with the Red Keep's master-at-arms, Ser Willem Darry. Rhaella then gave birth
to Daenerys during a storm, ergo the nickname, Daenerys Stormborn.
But Aerys kept his daughter-in-law, Princess Elia Martell, and her two children, Rhaenys
and Aegon, with him in King's Landing. They were hostages. By keeping them close, Aerys
was able to prevent Dorne from turning against him.
Nonetheless, Aerys's side lost the war. Ser Amory Lorch brutally killed Prince Rhaenys
and the Mountain killed Prince Aegon, then raped Elia and killed her too.
Or at least, that's what most of the characters believe, and that's what we were told until
" Dance with Dragons." In book 5, George R.R. Martin introduced to the characters Griff
and Young Griff. Tyrion eventually deduced that Griff was Rhaegar Targaryen's friend,
Jon Connington. And Young Griff told Tyrion that he was Rhaegar's son, Aegon Targaryen.
Young Griff told Tyrion that Varys had bought a tanner's son and switched that baby with
himself. But is all of that true? Probably not.
We know from his thoughts that Jon Connington believes that Young Griff is Rhaegar's trueborn
son, Aegon. And Septa Lemore and Young Griff himself both appear to believe that as well.
But that doesn't mean that Young Griff actually is Aegon. It's possible that they were all
tricked by Varys and Illyrio Mopatis. However, in the "A Dance with Dragons" epilogue,
Varys shot Kevan Lannister with a crossbow. As Kevan was dying, Varys told Kevan that
Aegon was going to raise his banner at Storm's End, and Kevan responded that Aegon is dead.
But Varys said, No. Aegon is here. Since Varys was speaking to Kevan Lannister as he was
dying, Varys had no reason to lie. That suggests that Young Griff is, in fact, Rhaegar's son
Aegon. So I am going to skip over the pros and cons to Young Griff being some sort of
Blackfyre although, admittedly, it would be cool if he was a Matryoshka doll of secret
identity upon secret identity. Secret identity inception. But he's not. Unless George R.R.
Martin was using a cheap trick with Varys's statement, then Young Griff is Rhaegar's first
son, Aegon. But there is still one outstanding mystery
which has implications for the story going forward. And Tyrion has already wondered as
much. Tyrion figured out who Griff and Young Griff were, but he wondered who was Lemore?
Who was she, really? And why was she there? What was this prince to her?
Septa Lemore traveled around with Young Griff and tutored him in the Faith of The Seven.
Tyrion believed that Septa Lemore was past forty, more handsome than pretty, but still
easy on the eye. She has dark brown hair and stretch marks on her belly that Tyrion believed
to have come from childbirth. Because of her age, her beauty, and her dark hair, many fans
believe that Septa Lemore is Ashara Dayne. The one thing that's missing though is that
Tyrion never made note of Septa Lemore's eyes. And according to both Lady Catelyn and Barristan
Selmy, Ashara Dayne had haunting, purple eyes. Eyes similar to Daenerys Stormborn's eyes.
So if Septa Lemore is Ashara Dayne, it s strange that Tyrion never made note of her eyes. Maybe
he was too drunk. Or maybe he was too busy staring at her boobs. But still, it's strange
that he wouldn't have noticed her eyes at some point, especially since it's written
that she brushed back her hair from her eyes. But let's entertain this idea and its implications.
Ashara Dayne was one of Princess Elia Martell''s companions at court, and Ashara Dayne's brother,
Ser Arthur Dayne of the Kingsguard, was Rhaegar's closest friend. Ashara's nephew, Edric Dayne,
told Arya that Ashara and Ned Stark had fallen in love at the Great Tourney at Harrenhall.
But unfortunately, Ned fought against Ser Arthur Dayne at the Tower of Joy and afterwards
he returned Ser Arthur Dayne's sword back to Ashara Dayne at Starfall. Ashara supposedly
had a stillborn daughter, after which, Ashara threw herself from a tower into the sea in
her grief over either the child or Ned Stark, depending on who you ask. But did she really
do that? Did Ashara Dayne actually die? Or did she just leave Westeros?
Here's my hypothesis. At some point before the war, the lovers Ned Stark and Ashara Dayne
made love. Ashara gave birth to a child during Robert's Rebellion. Her daughter was not stillborn
though as the stories say. Instead, Varys swapped Ashara's child with Elia Martell's
child. So the Mountain didn't kill the real Aegon. The Mountain killed Ned Stark and Ashara
Dayne's child, and that crushed Ashara. She didn't jump from a tower to her death. She
simply fled across the sea where she was connected with Jon Connington, took on the name Septa
Lemore, and began tutoring Aegon. If this is all true, then Ashara Dayne has been taking
care of her friend's child, Elia Martell's child. And if Young Griff actually is Aegon,
then Ashara has taken up her brother Ser Arthur Dayne's mantel by dedicating her life to protecting
the Prince: Prince Aegon Targaryen. Trueborn son of the Rhaegar Targaryen. Nephew of Daenerys
Stormborn. Just like Jon Snow. And here's the kicker. If Tyrion's dream was
prophetic, then Barristan Selmy will survive the upcoming battle at Meereen. Selmy may
finally reunite with his Queen of Love and Beauty, Ashara Dayne. Unfortunately, elements
to Tyrion's dream suggest that it was not prophetic.