As a young woman, Mya Stone’s fear of royalty intensified after the squire she loved, Mychel Redfort, got married to someone else at the order of his father. Though she is the bastard daughter of King Robert I Baratheon, Mya’s interactions with others show she might not have known who her father was.
Mya Stone Personal Details
- Name: Mya Stone.
- Year of Birth: 279 or 280 AC in the Vale of Arryn.
- Parents: Robert Baratheon and a peasant woman.
- Half-Siblings: Gendry, Bella, Edric Storm, Barra.
- Culture: Valemen.
- Religion: Faith of the Seven.
- Allegiance: House Royce of the Gates of Moon.
- Hair Color: Black.
- Eye Color: Blue.
Appearance and Personality
Mya has the typical characteristics of the Baratheons. She is tall, has coal-black hair and deep blue eyes, and is sturdy and agile. According to many, Mya has a lustful aura to her personality. Though she has the beautiful looks of House Baratheon, she behaves masculinely and wears leather dresses. She serves as a guide leading mules, like Whitey, transporting food from the foot of the Giant’s Lance to the Eyrie.
Biography
Early Life
Mya got conceived when Robert Baratheon was fostered in the Vale of Arryn by Jon Arryn with Eddard Stark. During their stay at the Vale, Robert got romantically entangled with a peasant woman and ended up sleeping with her; this led to Mya’s birth.
Upon learning what Robert did, Lyanna Stark, his betrothed, lost interest in her future husband, and though her brother, Ned, tried explaining that Robert would change once they got married, she told him that he would love her but could never change his ways. Robert eventually lost interest in Mya’s mother but kept visiting his daughter.
Robert’s Rebellion
When Lyanna got allegedly kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen, her father and brother, Lord Rickard and Brandon Stark traveled to King’s Landing to demand justice. However, they got killed, and King Aerys II ordered Jon Arryn to hand over Eddard and Robert; this sparked Robert’s Rebellion.
After defeating Rhaegar at the Battle of the Trident, King’s Landing got sacked, and Robert became King. He married Cersei Lannister, and after the birth of Joffrey Baratheon, he suggested taking one of his baseborn daughters to court. However, Cersei meekly threatened Mya’s life, stating King’s Landing is no healthy place for a growing girl.
Mya remained at the Vale, and when she was of age, she began serving as a guide leading trains of mules carrying foodstuffs on the treacherous rocky climb from the Vale to the Eyrie. Though she was known as the bastard daughter of Robert by some people, she never got acknowledged by her father and might not have known who he was.
Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire
A Game of Thrones
When Catelyn Stark travels to King’s Landing to inquire about the assassin that tried to kill Bran, she meets Petyr, who tells her Tyrion won the knife the killer possessed. On the journey back to Winterfell, Catelyn meets Tyrion at the Inn of the Crossroads and has him arrested. She then detours to the Vale to meet her sister. She meets Mya, who leads her on the journey to Eyrie.
Along the way, Mya tells Catelyn she loves Mychel Redfort, a squire from House Redfort. Knowing that House Redfort is of First Men’s nobility, Catelyn realizes there is no way Mya will get married to Mychel as she is the baseborn daughter of Robert. Later, Tywin Lannister calls his banners and begins raiding the Riverlands. Robert dies, and Lord Eddard Stark gets killed; this starts a Civil War.
A Feast for Crows
After Sansa Stark reaches the Vale, she becomes Alayne Stone. Myranda Royce tells her that Mya lost her virginity to the newly-knighted Mychel and hoped to marry him. Mya becomes sad when the new knight’s father, Lord Horton Redfort, orders him to marry Ysilla Royce, daughter of Lord Yohan Royce. After watching her lover marry another woman, Mya becomes skeptical of high borns. Ser Lothor Brune gets attracted to her after she leads the descent of the Gates of the Moon.
The Winds of Winter
Though the information from ‘The Winds of Winter’ is not final, Mya makes an appearance in the novel. She informs young Robert that Lady Anya Waynwood’s party has arrived for the Brotherhood of the Winged Knights’ tourney. With the arrival of more highborn in the castle, Mya gets sad, and Sansa notices her change in demeanor.
Mya Stone: A Bastard Girl in a Cruel World
Though Mya is a minor character in A Song of Ice and Fire, her appearance shows that George R. R. Martin’s world reflects the real world. In the series, Mya gets cast away by her father. Though she falls in love, Mya realizes she cannot be with the person she loves because of her birth; this makes her bitter. Mya’s life showed how the world treats people of less privilege. It shows the difference between the high and low classes of human society.
FAQs
Why did Robert Baratheon not acknowledge Mya Stone as his daughter?
King Robert Baratheon acknowledged Mya. As she was his first child, he loved her and wanted to bring her to King’s Landing. However, when Cersei threatened to harm her, he changed his mind.
Did Robert ever legitimize Mya?
No, Robert did not legitimize any of his bastard children. He tried but could not because of Cersei, who always ensured terrible things happened to them. Unknown to him, Cersei feared having her children’s legitimacy questioned.
Did Mya marry the love of her life?
No. Because Mya got seen as a bastard child, she could not marry Mychel Redfort, the man she loved. He got ordered to marry Ysilla.
What would happen if Robert took Mya Stone to court?
If Mya came to court, everyone would immediately notice how she looked exactly like her father; this would cause everyone to question the legitimacy of Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen. Cersei will likely have Mya killed to prevent any further rumors.