Ashara Dayne

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House Dayne.svg
Ashara Dayne
House Dayne.svg
Elena-maria-vacas-ashara-dayne.jpg
Ashara Dayne, by Elena María Vacas.

Allegiance House Dayne
Culture Dornishmen
Born or between 260 AC and 269 AC[1]
Died 283 AC
Starfall
Books

Ashara Dayne was a noblewoman of House Dayne and a sister of Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. She committed suicide shortly after the end of Robert's Rebellion.

Appearance

See also: Images of Ashara Dayne

Ashara was a young, beautiful, tall and fair maiden, with haunting violet eyes.[2][3] Her long dark hair tumbled around her shoulders.[3]

History

Ashara was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Elia Martell, the wife of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. She was present at the tourney at Harrenhal, where she danced with a knight of the Kingsguard, Prince Oberyn Martell, and Lord Jon Connington. Ashara then danced with Eddard Stark after his brother Brandon spoke with her.[4] According to Allyria Dayne, Ashara and Ned Stark fell in love at Harrenhal.[5] Barristan was also in love with Ashara, although he never told her so. Barristan believes that Ashara was dishonored by someone at Harrenhal.[3]

After the combat at the tower of joy, Ned went to Starfall to inform House Dayne of Ser Arthur Dayne's death and return to them his greatsword, Dawn. Some time afterwards, Ashara jumped from the top of the Palestone Sword, one of the towers of Starfall, into the sea.[5] Ashara is said to have done so because of a broken heart,[5] with some blaming a stillborn child,[3] a stolen child,[6] or grief over Arthur's death.[5] Her body was never found.[7]

Eddard returned to Winterfell with the infant Jon Snow. This sparked rumors that Ashara had been the mother of Ned's bastard,[8] and that grief at learning that her lover had been responsible for her brother's death was the cause of her suicide.[2][5] The stern Lord Stark halted all gossip at Winterfell that Ashara was Jon's mother.[2]

Recent Events

A Storm of Swords

When Meera Reed tells Bran Stark the story of the Knight of the Laughing Tree, she refers to Ashara as a maid with laughing purple eyes.[4]

Edric Dayne tells an unknowing Arya Stark about his aunt Ashara, who died before he was born.[5]

A Dance with Dragons

Ser Barristan Selmy regrets losing to Prince Rhaegar Targaryen during the tourney at Harrenhal and not being able to name Ashara the queen of love and beauty. The knight thinks that Queen Daenerys Targaryen sometimes resembles Ashara.[3]

Quotes

Ashara Dayne, by Jena Velour.

How dare you play the noble lord with me! What do you take me for? You've a bastard of your own, I've seen him. Who was the mother, I wonder? Some Dornish peasant you raped while her holdfast burned? A whore? Or was it the grieving sister, the Lady Ashara? She threw herself into the sea, I'm told. Why was that? For the brother you slew, or the child you stole?[6]

If Jon had been born of Ashara Dayne of Starfall, as some whispered, the lady was long dead; if not, Catelyn had no clue who or where his mother might be.[8]

—thoughts of Catelyn Stark

The crannogman saw a maid with laughing purple eyes dance with a white sword, a red snake, and the lord of griffins, and lastly with the quiet wolf... but only after the wild wolf spoke to her on behalf of a brother too shy to leave his bench.[4]

Ashara Dayne, by Bella Bergolts.


Lady Ashara Dayne. It's an old tale, that one. I heard it once at Winterfell, when I was no older than you are now. I doubt there's any truth to it. But if there is, what of it? When Ned met this Dornish lady, his brother Brandon was still alive, and it was him betrothed to Lady Catelyn, so there's no stain on your father's honor. There's nought like a tourney to make the blood run hot, so maybe some words were whispered in a tent of a night, who can say? Words or kisses, maybe more, but where's the harm in that? Spring had come, or so they thought, and neither one of them was pledged.[5]

His choice would have been a young maiden not long at court, one of Elia's companions ... though compared to Ashara Dayne, the Dornish princess was a kitchen drab.[3]

—thoughts of Barristan Selmy

She died never knowing that Ser Barristan had loved her. How could she? He was a knight of the Kingsguard, sworn to celibacy. No good could have come from telling her his feelings. No good came from silence either. If I had unhorsed Rhaegar and crowned Ashara queen of love and beauty, might she have looked to me instead of Stark?[3]

—thoughts of Barristan Selmy

Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lord Dayne
 
Unknown
wife
 
Arthur
 
Ashara
 
Allyria
 
 
Gerold
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Edric
 


References