The Showdown at High Hermitage (Spoilers Extended)
After maiming Myrcella, it seems that Darkstar has fled to High Hermitage:
"It is all true," said the prince, with a wince of pain. Is it his gout that hurts him, or the lie? "And now Ser Gerold has fled back to High Hermitage, beyond our reach." -ADWD, The Watcher
And Obara Sand/Areo Hotah/Balon Swann are sent after him:
The girl will ask him to hunt down the man who hurt her. If he is the man I judge, Swann will not be able to refuse. Obara, you will lead him to High Hermitage to beard Darkstar in his den. -ADWD, The Watcher
and:
"She has Areo Hotah with her." -TWOW, Arianne I
Lets discuss this encounter and what could come out of it
#Setting
Areo Hotah aka "The Camera that Rides will be our POV**
GRRM: Yes, Areo Hotah will continue as a POV. -SSM, A Taste of This, A Taste of That: 10 May 2016
Dorne will feature heavily in TWOW
You want to know what the Sand Snakes, Prince Doran, Areo Hotah, Ellaria Sand, Darkstar, and the rest will be up to in WINDS OF WINTER? Quite a lot, actually. -SSM, A Taste of This, A Taste of That: 10 May 2016
Dayne Family Tree could be revealed in TWOW
Elio Garcia's comments:
George's draft of the Dayne tree did indeed note Edric's mother, FWIW.
I've a feeling it's something that George intends to publish in TWoW (since, well, he said that was the plan.) comment on reddit post: House Dayne's Crazy Rebellion Timeline, and a Possible Parentage Theory.
Location
Its possible that GRRM originally wanted Edric Dayne to become Sword of the Morning after the 5 year gap. If GRRM's solution to Edric being too young is Darkstar, its possible that Darkstar will attempt to steal Dawn and become Sword of the Evening by default, but that would be at Starfall.
High Hermitage is located on the Torrentine in the Red Mountains, northeast of Starfall.
#Characters
Some more quotes regarding our characters:
You were a fool to make him part of this. Darkstar is the most dangerous man in Dorne. You and he have done us all great harm." -AFFC, The Princess in the Tower
and:
He must have felt her gaze upon him, for he looked up from his sword, met her eyes, and smiled. Arianne felt heat rushing to her face. I should never have brought him. If he gives me such a look when Arys is here, we will have blood on the sand. Whose, she could not say. By tradition the Kingsguard were the finest knights in all the Seven Kingdoms . . . but Darkstar was Darkstar. -AFFC, The Queenmaker
and:
Only Ser Gerold Dayne had escaped unscathed. Darkstar. If Myrcella's horse had not shied at the last instant, his longsword would have opened her from chest to waist instead just taking off her ear. Dayne was her most grievous sin, the one that Arianne most regretted. With one stroke of his sword, he had changed her botched plot into something foul and bloody. If the gods were good, by now Obara Sand had treed him in his mountain fastness and put an end to him.
She said as much to Daemon Sand that first night, as they made camp. "Be careful what you pray for, princess," he replied."Darkstar could put an end to Lady Obara just as easily."
"She has Areo Hotah with her." Prince Doran's captain of guards had dispatched Ser Arys Oakheart with a single blow, though the Kingsguard were supposed to be the finest knights in all the realm. "No man can stand against Hotah."
"Is that what Darkstar is? A man?" Ser Daemon grimaced. "A man would not have done what he did to Princess Myrcella. Ser Gerold is more a viper than your uncle ever was. Prince Oberyn could see that he was poison, he said so more than once. It's just a pity that he never got around to killing him." -TWOW, Arianne I
#Other
Edric Dayne
Edric Dayne who believes himself to be Jon Snow's milk brother, has left the Brotherhood without Banners after Lady Stoneheart's resurrection.
His whereabouts since ASOS are unknown. While its possible he and others who left the BWB could aid Jaime/Brienne in a save the day type of way, its also possible he has headed south toward his lands.
EDRIC DAYNE, Lord of Starfall, a squire,
- SER GEROLD DAYNE, called DARKSTAR, the Knight of High Hermitage, his cousin and bannerman,
Ashara Dayne
We could get more info on Ashara and details on her "death".
What do you think happens with this plotline? I feel like Hotah has to survive as a POV for Dorne for us and I selfishly want Balon to survive so that my SwannBowl theory can come true.
TLDR: Toughts and Discussion on the showdown between Obara/Balon/Areo/Darkstar
Posted Jul 21, 2020, 2:31 PM UTC