The Red Wedding, the decisions that led to it, and the fallout from it, will continue to be important in deaths at the Red Wedding are a defining moment that shaped so much of what comes next, and that's going to be the case again in Martin's sixth and penultimate book.

Robb Stark married Talisa Maegyr in Game of Thrones, and she was killed at the Twins while pregnant. But in the books, he married a girl named Jeyne, who notably didn't attend, and thus is still alive heading into The Winds of Winter. Jeyne's role has sparked a lot of debate and speculation, which Martin could shut down in the next installment.

The "Two Jeyne Westerlings" Theory Explained

There Are Differing Descriptions In A Song Of Ice & Fire

The issues with Jeyne Westerling, which Game of Thrones avoided, come with her return after the Red Wedding, in A Feast for Crows. Following Jaime Lannister successfully laying siege to Riverun, he encounters Jeyne in the castle, and his point-of-view gives us the following comments upon her appearance:

"Jeyne was a willowy girl, no more than fifteen or sixteen, more awkward than graceful. She had narrow hips, breasts the size of apples, a mop of chestnut curls, and the soft brown eyes of a doe. Pretty enough for a child, Jaime decided, but not a girl to lose a kingdom for."

On its own, that doesn't seem all that remarkable, but it's a contradiction of how the character was previously described in A Storm of Swords. There, via Catelyn Stark's POV, the description of Jeyne reads:

"She was pretty, undeniably, with her chestnut curls and heart-shaped face, and that shy smile. Slender, but with good hips, Catelyn noted. She should have no trouble bearing children, at least."

The discrepancy, specifically in the description of Jeyne's hips, didn't go unnoticed (because nothing does in A Song of Ice and Fire). But was this a deliberate hint by Martin? Certainly, this led to speculation that the person Jaime met at Riverrun was not the same girl Robb had married, and that they had been switched at some point, with the real Jeyne in hiding away from the Lannisters and Freys.

This then extended further, into the idea that Jeyne may have been pregnant with Robb's child when the Red Wedding happened. If that were the case, then it'd be understandable why the character had been secretly switched with another. Her child would be the heir to the North; those who remain loyal to Robb would rally around his and Jeyne's child, especially if she had a son, and the Lannisters would have a new Stark threat to deal with (especially as it's believed Bran and Rickon are dead). However, rather than a tease from Martin, this was... simply a mistake.

GRRM itted His Mistake & Can Fully Fix It In The Winds Of Winter

Jeyne Is Confirmed To Return

While the speculation around Jeyne is fun, it's believed that the differences in descriptions of her hips were simply a mistake. It's an oversight on Martin's part that is, perhaps, somewhat inevitable when dealing with so many varied, detailed characters across a span of several years.

• At a Union Square book g back in 2011, in of A Dance with Dragons' release, Martin was reportedly asked by an attendee about Jeyne, and itted it was a mistake [via Westeros.org].
• Linda Antonsson, co-founder of Westeros.org, and a co-writer with Martin on The World of Ice and Fire, told Vulture they believe it was a mistake.
• Subsequent editions of A Feast for Crows have removed the mention of Jeyne's hips from Jaime's POV entirely [via Imgur].

It seems pretty clear it was indeed a mistake, but nothing is concrete - nor as canon - as Martin putting it firmly in one of his books from the get-go, rather than a revised edition that many people won't have access to. And that's where the next book comes in. The Winds of Winter will bring back Jeyne Westerling in the prologue, according to Martin himself (as revealed back at San Diego Comic-Con in 2014, unless plans have since changed, which is possible).

Jeyne's very presence could, at least, shut down the idea of Robb's heir, but if she isn't the POV character, then we could get another direct description of her.

Jeyne's very presence could, at least, shut down the idea of Robb's heir, but if she isn't the POV character, then we could get another direct description of her. One that firmly places her at Riverrun, and clarifies beyond doubt that this is the same girl Robb married. Jeyne and her mother, Sybell, could still have important roles to play (the former was distraught at Robb's death, the latter conspired with the Lannisters).

What would also be interesting here is that The Winds of Winter could have a second Red Wedding, with Lady Stoneheart and the brotherhood without banners killing people at Lannister/Frey nuptials. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that, after missing the first Red Wedding, Jeyne is present for the second, and potentially even reunites with Catelyn, now in her undead form. That, too, could shed more light on things, but either way, there's a great chance to correct the mistake once and for all when The Winds of Winter eventually releases.

• The Winds of Winter
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  Game of Thrones

  Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.