In the prologue for A Feast for Crows, we meet Alleras, a Maester-in-training in Oldtown. Alleras is a young man who has earned one of his links for his Maester’s chain. Alleras is a mystery, which, naturally gives us an Alleras theory.
But who is Alleras, “the Sphinx”? This is strange character, but there is plenty of evidence that Alleras is not only not who he says he is — but that “he” is actually a she.
Alleras Theory: Is Alleras really Sarella Sand, one of the Sand Snakes?
The Alleras theory states that Alleras is really Sarella Sand, one of Oberyn Martell’s bastards and one of the famed Sand Snakes.
First and foremost, the most obvious clue is that Alleras is simply “Sarella” spelled backwards. This part of the theory is pretty self-explanatory. But Alleras’ backstory lines up with Sarella’s, too.
Alleras was the same: his father was a Dornishman, his mother a black-skinned Summer Islander. His own skin was dark as teak. And like the green marble sphinxes that flanked the Citadel’s main gate, Alleras had eyes of onyx.
-A Feast for Crows, Prologue
Sarella Sand’s father is a Dornishman (Oberyn), and her mother is a Summer Islander. Oberyn also had black eyes. Alleras is also described as slim and comely, which could also easily describe a younger female. From a features and backstory standpoint, Alleras and Sallera match up.
Alleras also says, “I am no lord’s son,” which would still technically be true as the bastard daughter of Oberyn, who was a prince, not a lord. This all helps support the Alleras theory.
Alleras’ skill with a bow
Alleras is a very skilled bowman (or bow-woman), who connects two arrows with apples as they fly through the air — and probably purposely misses a third to ensure there was still “room to improve.”
All of the Sand Snakes have been trained in weaponry by Oberyn. Alleras’ skill with bows would be explained away by her true identity as a Sand Snake.
Prince Oberyn had armed each of his daughters so they need never be defenseless.
-A Feast for Crows, The Princess in the Tower
Sarella is missing from Dorne
“Unless she returns to Dorne, there’s naught I can do about Sarella save pray that she shows more sense than her sisters. Leave her to her . . . game. Gather up the others. I shall not sleep until I know that they are safe and under guard.”
-Prince Doran Martell in A Feast for Crows, The Captain of Guards
Is Sarella’s “game” her pretending to be Alleras in Oldtown? What exactly she’s hoping to accomplish there remains to be seen, but we’ll undoubtedly find out. At the very least, this comment confirms that Sarella is not in Dorne.
Maester Aemon’s comments to Sam: The Sphinx is the riddle
When speaking to Sam Tarly, Maester Aemon sais, “the Sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler.” When Sam meets Alleras later in the book, he remembers this comment and wonders if Alleras is the Sphinx Aemon warned about.
Alleras hasn’t made an appearance in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” yet, but she’s setting up to be an important character in the book series. We know that Sam will be in Oldtown in Season 7 of “Game of Thrones” — will we meet Alleras there?