The Official Re-Read of Book 1: A Game Of Thrones

[Avaleigh]

Eddard XII

 

Grand Maester Pycelle is telling Ned that the pain means that his leg is healing as it should be and says that he should be thankful. Ned replies that he'll be thankful once his leg finally stops hurting so Pycelle offers him milk of the poppy to help him cope.

 

Ned says that he's sleeping too much as it is and Pycelle tells him that sleep is a great healer. Ned responds that he had hoped that the great healer was Pycelle and the Grand Maester notes that Ned has not lost his sense of humor.

 

Ned learns from Pycelle that the Queen has received a raven from her father and that Tywin is all kinds of ticked that Ned has sent Lord Beric and the others after Gregor. Pycelle has an I-told-you-so moment but Ned makes it seem like he isn't troubled by the idea of Tywin being angry and gives his reasons.

 

Pycelle is suddenly ready to leave and Ned is pretty sure that he's going to Cersei to tell her everything Ned has just said. Ned hopes that he can rattle Cersei a bit even though he isn't terribly confident that Robert will back him when he returns.

 

Ned drinks honeyed wine and thinks back to the moment where Sansa made him realize that Joffrey is nothing like Robert.

 

Littlefinger comes to visit Ned and after some small talk on Littlefinger's end, Ned asks him just how long Robert plans on hunting. Littlefinger smirks and says that if Robert had it his way he'd probably stay in the forest until Ned and Cersei die of old age. Failing that his best guess is that the King will come home once he's finally killed something. It seems a pack of wolves got to the white hart before the King could so now he's chasing after some wild boar.

 

Some members of the hunting party have already returned including Prince Joffrey and Ser Balon Swann.

 

Ned asks if the Hound has returned as well and Littlefinger confirms that the Hound returned with Joffrey. Littlefinger says he would have paid good money to see Sandor's reaction upon learning that Lord Beric had been given the task of beheading Sandor's brother.

 

Littlefinger is off to dine with Lady Tanda and as he goes to leave he notices the huge book that Ned has been reading and asks if Ned has been using it as a kind of sleeping potion.

 

For a brief moment Ned considered telling him all of it, but there was something in Littlefinger’s japes that irked him. The man was too clever by half, a mocking smile never far from his lips. “Jon Arryn was studying this volume when he was taken sick,” Ned said in a careful tone, to see how he might respond.

Littlefinger jokes that Jon's death must have come as a relief if that was the case. He bows and leaves Ned cursing to himself.

 

Ned's feelings about Littlefinger are mixed at best. He credits the man for helping conceal Catelyn's visit to the city and for helping him with his investigation but, at the same time, it rankles Ned that Littlefinger was so quick to ride away in order to save his own neck the day they ran into Jaime and his men.

 

Ned thinks that Varys is even worse than Littlefinger and thinks that Varys knows a lot but does very little. Grand Maester Pycelle meanwhile seems like he's on Team Cersei more and more each day. Ned thinks that Ser Barristan will simply tell Ned to do his duty.

 

Arya and Sansa will be traveling in three days on a Braavosi ship that will take them back to Winterfell.

 

Ned dreams about the deaths of Rhaegar's children at the hands of House Lannister. He thinks to himself that he doesn't want to see more children being murdered and that he has to find some way to save them.

 

Ned thinks of several notable times where Robert has been merciful but knows that in this case there's absolutely no way. Ned knows that Robert will kill everyone involved and that will include the children.

 

Silence is an option that Ned feels he cannot take and he feels that he has duty to Robert, to Jon Arryn, and the realm. He also thinks that he has a duty to Bran and realizes that Bran must have seen something to help prove the truth in all of this.

 

With Alyn off with Beric, Fat Tom now has the head of Ned's household guard and it's only now that Ned thinks it might have been a bad idea to send off half his guard (including all his best swords) during such uncertain times.

 

Ned tells Tom that he'll need his help getting to the godswood. Tom asks him if this is wise and Ned says that it might not be but it's necessary so he wants to be taken anyway. As they're heading down the steps Ned tells Tom to have the guard doubled and gives instructions that no one is going to leave or come in the Tower of the Hand without his approval.

 

Tom tells Ned that they're already stretched pretty thin as it is but Ned insists that it will only be for a little while and they'll have to lengthen the shifts of the men if necessary. Tom dares to ask if he may ask why and Ned tells him that he'd better not.

 

Once they get to the godswood and find a spot for Ned, he gives Tom a message fixed with his sigil and asks him to deliver it. Tom immediately looks and sounds anxious so Ned tells the man to simply do as he's told.

 

It's peaceful in the godswood and Ned is sitting in the grass by a heart tree. He feels the presence of his gods and thinks to himself that his leg doesn't hurt as much anymore.

 

The sun is setting by the time Cersei arrives in the godswood to speak with Ned. She has come alone and Ned notes for once that she has dressed simply. Her face is still bruised from where Robert hit her but the swelling has gone down.

 

Cersei wants to know why Ned wanted to meet in the godswood and Ned tells her it's because he wants the gods to see. She goes to sit next to him in the grass and Ned thinks to himself that her every move is graceful and makes note of her beauty. He tells her that he knows the truth Jon Arryn died for.

 

Cersei wants to know if Ned plans to seize her as Catelyn took Tyrion but Ned knows she wouldn't have come if she believed that to be true. He touches her cheek and asks her if Robert has hit her before. She pulls away from him and admits that it has happened once or twice but never in the face where Jaime could see because Jaime would have killed him. Cersei tells Ned that her brother is worth a hundred times more than Robert.

 

Ned asks Cersei if Jaime is her brother or her lover.

 

“Both.” She did not flinch from the truth. “Since we were children together. And why not? The Targaryens wed brother to sister for three hundred years, to keep the bloodlines pure. And Jaime and I are more than brother and sister. We are one person in two bodies. We shared a womb together. He came into this world holding my foot, our old maester said. When he is in me, I feel . . . whole.” The ghost of a smile flitted over her lips.

 

Ned then asks about Bran and Cersei admits that Bran saw her with Jaime.

 

Cersei asks Ned if he loves his children and Ned thinks back to how Robert asked him this very question on the morning of the melee. He tells Cersei that he loves his children with all of his heart and she says that this is no less than the way she loves her own.

 

Ned acknowledges to himself that he doesn't know what he would do if he had to choose between his own children and the life of some kid he didn't know. He wonders what Catelyn would do if it were Jon's life against one of her own and prays that he'll never have to find out.

 

Ned states that all three of Cersei's children are Jaime's and Cersei thanks the gods that this is a fact. Ned now understands why Jon was saying "The seed is strong" prior to his death. It also explains what he was looking for in that book about lineages and appearances of various people from Great Houses. Any time there has been a Baratheon/Lannister union the kids have ended up having black hair.

 

Ned wants to know how it's possible that Cersei hasn't had any of the King's children after having been married to him for so long and Cersei admits that Robert did manage to get her pregnant once but that Jaime was able to find a woman to perform an abortion for her. She makes it clear that she loathes Robert's very touch and admits that she hasn't had vaginal sex with him for years. She says when he leaves his prostitutes to visit her that she finds other ways of pleasuring him and that he's usually so drunk that he hardly remembers what happened the next morning.

 

Feeling sick at listening to what Cersei is telling him, Ned thinks back to the day Robert took the throne and says that there were at least a thousand other women who would have gladly taken Cersei's place. What exactly was it that made her grow to hate Robert so much?

 

Cersei tells Ned that on her wedding night Robert got drunk and called Cersei "Lyanna" while he was having sex with her. Ned feels like he wants to cry and says that he does not know which of them he pities more.

 

Cersei seems amused that Ned would pity her and tells him to save his pity for himself because she doesn't need any of it. Ned tells Cersei that she knows what he must do next.

 

Cersei puts her hand on Ned's good leg and tells him that a real man will do as he will. Her fingers are brushing up against his thigh as she tells him that the realm will need a big, strong Hand like him. She adds that Joffrey won't come of age for years and that she doesn't want the realm to be plunged into war either. She touches his face and his hair and says that there is no reason that they can't become friends. She points out that Catelyn is far away and that Jaime will be at Casterly Rock for the foreseeable future. She says Ned won't regret being kind to her.

 

Ned bluntly asks Cersei if she made the same pass at Jon Arryn so Cersei gives him a full on slap in the face. Ned proves that he hasn't lost his sense of humor and tells Cersei that he'll wear the slap as a badge of honor.

 

Cersei tells Ned that she can't believe that he's pulling the honor card on her considering the fact that everyone knows that he has a bastard child of his own and she's even seen the boy for herself. She asks if the mother was some Dornish woman he raped after he burned down her holdfast. She then asks if the mother was Ashara Dayne and says that she heard Ashara threw herself into the sea so asks if she'd do such a thing over the brother of hers that Ned killed or the child that he stole. She wants to know how Ned thinks he's any different than Robert, Jaime, or herself.

 

Ned says for starters he isn't a child killer the way that they are. He tells Cersei to listen up because he isn't in the mood to repeat himself. He says that when Robert comes back from the hunt he's going to tell him each and every fucked up detail so he advises that she and her children had better get going by then. He says that Casterly Rock won't be safe and that they should try to head for one of the Free Cities. He even suggests they try the Summer Isles or the Port of Ibben.

 

The Queen doesn't sound happy with the idea of living life in exile but Ned tells her that it's a better option than her father Tywin offered Rhaenys and Aegon. He says it's also a better offer than she deserves and tells her that Jaime and Tywin would be wise to go with her. He says they have enough money to live comfortably and buy protection.

 

Cersei stands up and asks Ned to consider her own wrath. She tells Ned that he should have taken the throne for himself and that he could have the day that he forced Jaime up from the throne. She thinks it was a mistake that Ned didn't jump at the chance. Ned says that he's made more mistakes than she'd expect but that day wasn't one of them.

“Oh, but it was, my lord,” Cersei insisted. “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”

She turned up her hood to hide her swollen face and left him there in the dark beneath the oak, amidst the quiet of the godswood, under a blue-black sky. The stars were coming out.

Edited July 22, 2015 by Avaleigh

[DigitalCount]

There's obviously a lot there, and other people will go into this chapter a lot deeper, but it hurts me to see Pycelle and Ned laughing and joking like buddies when Pycelle is probably planning to kill him in his sleep. Ned is often characterized as being a grim stone wall, so for one of his humorous moments to be completely false is sad in its own way, to me.

[Avaleigh]

What I love about this scene is the way Ned and Cersei are both perfectly honest with each other (in front of the gods no less) and yet they each still utterly mistake the other's nature. Ned actually thinks that after this conversation that he can still count on Cersei to do the "right"/legal thing. He's seen what she's capable of, sees that she shows no remorse, indeed thinks her behavior is totally justified, and yet somehow he thinks this woman will flee rather than fight because she's been confronted with the truth. Meanwhile Cersei actually thinks that she can seduce a man who practically has honorable tattooed on his forehead. (And just what did she plan on doing if Jaime were to find out?) She knows that Ned loves Robert like a brother. 

 

When she proposed the absurd scenario of Ned raping some Dornish woman while her holdfast burned down I couldn't help but hear Dillane's Stannis saying "That wasn't Ned Stark's way" and then I thought 'Lady, you're describing your father's own bannermen.'

 

I like how even Tom knows that it's a BAD IDEA for Ned to meet up with the Queen in the godswood. He even knows it's a bad idea before Ned gives him the note. 

 

As far as suggesting cities for Cersei and her family to spend their days in exile I laughed out loud that Ned thought he could ever sell a place like the Port of Ibben. Not that she would have entertained the idea but how about pumping up Lys or Volantis and mention the abundance of slaves that she'd be able to kick around? Obviously I'm joking here I just don't know why he had to mention either of those places because it makes him sound like he's dreaming and has know idea who he's dealing with. 

 

Regarding Pycelle--yeah, he's totally suspect. I still think it's odd that Ned was basically passed out for a week after that business outside of the brothel. 

 

I think what's sad here to me is that even though Ned made a dumb move in giving her a chance that he still has time to turn it around and I know that he won't. He still seems like a man who could win especially with that badge of honor line. 

 

I've definitely come out of this reread having new appreciation for Ned. 

[Lady S.]

What I love about this scene is the way Ned and Cersei are both perfectly honest with each other (in front of the gods no less) and yet they each still utterly mistake the other's nature. Ned actually thinks that after this conversation that he can still count on Cersei to do the "right"/legal thing. He's seen what she's capable of, sees that she shows no remorse, indeed thinks her behavior is totally justified, and yet somehow he thinks this woman will flee rather than fight because she's been confronted with the truth. Meanwhile Cersei actually thinks that she can seduce a man who practically has honorable tattooed on his forehead. (And just what did she plan on doing if Jaime were to find out?) She knows that Ned loves Robert like a brother. 

 

When she proposed the absurd scenario of Ned raping some Dornish woman while her holdfast burned down I couldn't help but hear Dillane's Stannis saying "That wasn't Ned Stark's way" and then I thought 'Lady, you're describing your father's own bannermen.'

Even if Ned wasn't so concerned with faithfulness, there's also the larger issue that they're enemies and he really does not like her. She never denies murdering Jon Arryn, her affair with Jaime cost Bran his legs, a second attempt by an undetermined Lannister nearly took out Bran and Cat, and Jaime killed Ned's best men while Tywin is already starting to ravage the lands of Ned's in-laws, that's not to mention the nastiness with Lady's death, so it's a little late to let bygones be bygones. I can only assume she meant to kill him eventually, since there's no way they could really have a partnership even if Ned was dumb enough to want her, Jaime and Joffrey would both have some objections, and Tywin likely wanted to get back in power as Joffrey's Hand. Ned would have to be a true idiot to trust her that much.

The musing about Jon's mother almost seems reasonable compared to thinking Ned could be seduced by her. I mean, not that raping some Dornishwoman is a reasonable scenario, but I can at least kind of understand Cersei's thinking there. She's trying to say that he's no better than Robert or Jaime or herself and has no right to judgement because they all have bastards, and then she takes the men think with their pricks idea one step further. Cersei seems to have a rather poor opinion of the human to justisfy her own lack of empathy. She can understand Ned loving his kids because she believes she's a good mother, but she can't understand her rapist husband's bff with a bastard being totally sincere in his morals, and his lack of any lust for power or glory just baffles her.

I still love Cersei in this scene though, the line about Ned saving his pity for himself is one I wish made into the show.

[DigitalCount]

Yeah, I can't fathom how Cersei could have thought Ned would sleep with her after admitting that she tried to kill his son. That is such a non-starter that I can never take complaints about later Cersei being dumber than early Cersei seriously. This is probably one of the more shocking examples of Cersei's narcissism. <= remember this, it'll be important

[Avaleigh]

Daenerys V

 

Dany has to eat the raw and bloody heart of a stallion if she doesn't want her baby to be weak, deformed, or female.

 

She's been practicing and she starved herself for a day and a half to help her get through the ordeal but it's still an unpleasant process and the omens don't favor well for women who end up vomiting.

 

Khal Drogo is watching her every move and Dany feels that she draws strength from him.

 

Once she finishes she tells the old women of the dosh khaleen in Dothraki that a prince is riding inside of her. The crones begin to chant and they agree that there is a strong prince riding inside of Dany.

 

Finally a silence falls and Drogo and others nervously await what the dosh khaleen are going to predict for this child. The oldest of the crones says that she hears the thunder of his hooves.

 

“As swift as the wind he rides, and behind him his khalasar covers the earth, men without number, with arakhs shining in their hands like blades of razor grass. Fierce as a storm this prince will be. His enemies will tremble before him, and their wives will weep tears of blood and rend their flesh in grief. The bells in his hair will sing his coming, and the milk men in the stone tents will fear his name.” The old woman trembled and looked at Dany almost as if she were afraid. “The prince is riding, and he shall be the stallion who mounts the world.”

 

The old crone wants to know what name Daenerys will give the Stallion Who Mounts the World and she answers that he will be called Rhaego. The crowd begins to chant the name Rhaego and Drogo starts leading her away from the pit.

 

The women of the dosh khaleen are all former khaleesis and it seems that once a khal dies a khaleesi has no choice but to go to Vaes Dothrak and join the dosh khaleen. Dany gets the chills thinking that she might have to go there permanently one day whether she wills it to be so or not.

 

As they all walk down the godsway Drogo asks Dany about the name Rhaego. Drogo is speaking to Dany in the Common Tongue and has been been steadily learning new words that Dany has been teaching him. His accent is quite heavy though so Viserys and Jorah aren't able to understand him.

 

Dany explains that the name is after her brother Rhaegar who was a fierce warrior but died before Dany was born. She adds that Ser Jorah says that Rhaegar was the last of the dragons. Dany thinks she can see Drogo almost smiling and he tells her that she chose a good name.

 

When they arrive at a lake the Dothraki call The Womb of the World, Dany gets in and cleans all of the blood off of her body as everyone watches her. Once she's finished, Doreah runs over to bring her a robe but the Khal waves the girl away because he wants to have sex with Dany; it's over after three thrusts.

 

They all ride back to Drogo's tent where a feast is being prepared. Dany hears people making comments about the Stallion Who Mounts the World.

 

Dothraki strippers are dancing on tables but there isn't going to be any fighting like there was at Dany's wedding feast because bloodshed and weapons aren't supposed to be used in this sacred city.

 

Once Dany is seated she begins to look for her brother but doesn't spot him anywhere. Dany does see Jorah though and has Jhiqui go and invite him to join her. Jorah tells her that he is honored and she soon asks him where her brother is.

 

Last time Jorah saw Viserys he'd been headed over to the Western Market in search of wine. It seems that Viserys is also looking to hire some sellswords and Dany worries that Viserys could be putting himself in danger since he doesn't exactly have money to pay for sellswords. She asks Jorah why he wasn't with Viserys if he's supposed to be his sworn shield. Jorah tells Dany that there isn't much he can do to protect Viserys now that he's forced to be unarmed while he's in the city.

 

Dany points out that men still die in the city people just find loop holes like the merchants who keep eunuchs on handle to strangle the men who are foolish enough to steal from them. Jorah says then they'd better hope that Viserys is smart enough to keep himself from stealing anything.

 

Jorah mentions that Viserys did actually try to steal Dany's dragon eggs and only backed off once Jorah informed him that he'd cut off his hands if he so much as touched them.

 

Dany is shocked and wonders why Viserys would want them when they're only stones. Jorah points out that dragon eggs are more valuable than any precious stones and Dany apparently hadn't realized this until now. She tells Jorah that she would have given them to Viserys if he'd asked her because he is her rightful king.

 

Jorah says Viserys is her brother and Dany feels that Jorah doesn't understand her. She tells him that it's because of Viserys that she even knows any details about her family at all. She says that he is the only one left and that he is all she has.

 

Jorah replies that this might have been true once upon a time but a lot can change in a few months and now, she's Khaleesi and she's carrying the Stallion Who Mounts the World. Dany asks Jorah who this stallion is exactly and he tells her that he's basically the long awaited for khal of khals that was promised in an ancient prophecy. Supposedly this stallion will unite all of the khalasars and they'll be totally unstoppable. He tells her that her choice of name will likely make the Usurper Robert Baratheon's blood chill.

 

Doreah is giving Dany a little tug and she tells her that Viserys has arrived.

 

Viserys is completely wasted and looks disheveled and because this is Viserys he's also wearing his longsword. The music suddenly stops and the party atmosphere instantly dies as everyone starts eyeing the sword that they know shouldn't be there.

 

Dany tells Jorah to go to Viserys and tell him that he can have the dragon eggs if he wants.

 

Viserys is shouting to know where Dany is and acts all outraged that the feast has started without him. He calls her a whore and says that she can't hide from the dragon.

 

Jorah attempts to bring Viserys off of the ledge but Viserys totally rebuffs his attempts and tells Jorah that he doesn't have leave to touch the dragon. The two other khals who are in the tent laugh at something that Drogo has just said and Viserys tells Drogo that he's there for the feast.

 

Drogo looks at Viserys and tells him that his place at the feast is over with all of the Dothraki losers. Viserys tells Drogo that he doesn't think that place is fit for a king. Drogo tells him that it is in fact his place and makes a joke about Viserys being the Cart King.

 

While all of the Dothraki are laughing at Viserys, Jorah tries one more time to convince to the Cart King to stop and shouts something at him that causes Viserys to shout back. Whatever it is that he says is enough to make Jorah knock Viserys to the ground and this causes Viserys to draw his sword.

 

Viserys tells Jorah to stay away from him and then he gets back on his feet. The Dothraki are shrieking at Viserys but he doesn't seem alarmed. Dany on the other handed is freaking out because she knows what it means for a person to draw a weapon in Vaes Dothrak.

 

Dany's cry gets her brother's attention and he goes over to her. She tries to get him to put away the blade and tells him to join her for the feast. She even tells him that he can have the dragon eggs if that's what he really wants. She tells him he just needs to throw down the sword.

 

Jorah shouts at Viserys to do what Dany says before he gets them all killed.

 

Viserys laughed. “They can’t kill us. They can’t shed blood here in the sacred city . . . but I can.” He laid the point of his sword between Daenerys’s breasts and slid it downward, over the curve of her belly. “I want what I came for,” he told her. “I want the crown he promised me. He bought you, but he never paid for you. Tell him I want what I bargained for, or I’m taking you back. You and the eggs both. He can keep his bloody foal. I’ll cut the bastard out and leave it for him.” The sword point pushed through her silks and pricked at her navel. Viserys was weeping, she saw; weeping and laughing, both at the same time, this man who had once been her brother.

 

Jhiqui cries and seems to fear being subjected to a long and painful death if she translates what Viserys has just said for Khal Drogo so Dany tells Jhiqui that she'll tell Drogo herself.

 

Dany tells Drogo what Viserys said and it seems that she and her Khal understand one another.

 

Viserys wants to know what Drogo had to say and Dany tells Viserys that Drogo says he shall have "a crown of gold that men will tremble to behold." Viserys smiles now and drops his sword arm saying that this is all he's ever wanted. He claims he only wanted what was promised.

 

Dany watches as Drogo's bloodriders seize Viserys and break his sword arm with one easy motion. Even after this happens Viserys still doesn't get what's happening so he goes into his thing about how he's the dragon and starts demanding again to be crowned.

 

Drogo takes off his belt of gold medallions and has it melted down in an emptied iron pot. Once Viserys begins to understand what Drogo is going to do he begins to panic and scream. He kicks and cries and tries to twist away but the Dothraki keep him in place.

 

Jorah tells Dany not to look but she refuses to turn away.

 

In the last moments Viserys looks over at his sister. He asks her to tell them not to and pleads with her. He calls her "sweet sister".

 

The gold is melted down enough so Drogo tells Viserys that his crown is ready and dumps the contents of the pot onto Viserys's screaming head. Dany notes that not a single drop of blood has been spilled.

 

She then thinks to herself that Viserys was no true dragon because "Fire cannot kill a dragon."

[Holmbo]

So many "chosen one" prophecies in this series. I wonder if Dany could be the one who fulfills all of them. Stallion, AA, PTWP. I guess prophecies are more interesting in how people interpret them than if they actually come to pass, and why. Dany is kinda making her own little prophecy for her child, thinking that he will be a dragon who will sit on the iron throne.

Do you remember your reaction to your first read of this chapter? I, as usual, do not. But I'd be interesting if you expected it or thought Viserys would be around longer.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Holmbo

[Avaleigh]

I actually remember my initial reaction to this pretty well at least with regard to Viserys. It was the first thing that truly shocked me because I thought Viserys would be in it for the long haul. I thought maybe Viserys would be thrown out on his ass with a dragon egg and maybe some dishonored Dothraki warrior for protection. The detail about him crying and weeping as he's claiming that he was only asking for what was promised--that chilled me. I didn't feel sorry for him but I did feel like a got a sharp reminder of the fact that people in this series are brutal. 

 

I'm less clear on what my early impressions of Jorah are but he's seems pretty committed to Dany already and I can't say that I ever felt there was a period where he was acting as a sworn shield to Viserys. I do know that this wouldn't be the best time to tell Dany the truth about his spying activities. I'm keeping it in the back of my mind during the reread when might have been an appropriate moment for him to confess without being banished or executed. 

 

Reading it this time around I definitely heard Harry Lloyd's voice. 

 

I was hoping that Dany would go back in the lake to wash off again but no luck. 

 

I'm pretty sure I rolled my eyes both times at the withered dugs description. 

 

What if a khaleesi wants to remarry? The Dothraki culture really does suck even for the elite. Joining the dosh khaleen should be an option not a requirement. 

 

As for Dany and the prophecies...I can see her maybe fulfilling the Stallion one but I think Jon is the PWWP/AAR. If Dany had been trained to wield a blade I'd think she might turn out to be AAR but that part of it makes me think it's going to be Jon. 

 

I do think that Dany is going to be taken back to Vaes Dothrak on the books and in the show. I think that blood is going to be spilled there. 

[Avaleigh]

Eddard XIII

Ned dreams of walking through the crypts of Winterfell. As he gets to his father's tomb and Lyanna's statue he hears Lyanna's voice telling him "Promise me, Ned." She's wearing a garland of blue roses and her eyes are weeping blood.

He wakes as if from a nightmare and hears loud knocking at the door and a voice calling to him. With Tom and another of Ned's guard present, the King's steward informs Ned that the King wants to speak to him immediately.

When Ned gets to the royal apartments he sees Ser Barristan standing guard but looking pale and Ned can immediately sense that something is wrong. After his presence is announced, Robert calls out to Ned from his bed and as Ned goes over to him with help from his men he feels as though he's still in some sort of dream.

Cersei, Lord Renly and Grand Maester Pycelle are all with the King and Ned thinks that the room smells of blood, smoke, and death.

Robert asks Ned to come closer and Lord Renly tells Ned that it was the boar and Ned sees that Renly's cloak is spattered with blood. Robert admits that it was his own fault, that he'd had too much wine, and that he ended up missing his thrust.

Ned wants to know where the hell everyone was while this was happening and Renly explains that Robert had commanded them all to stay back so that he could take on the boar alone.

Ned lifts up Robert's blanket and sees the mess that the boar has made of Robert's body. They've done the best they can do to stitch him up but his bandages are all dark and bloody, and the wound completely reeks so Ned lets the blanket fall back down because his stomach is churning.

Robert acknowledges the horrible smell and says that he knows it's the stink of death. He tells Ned that he did ultimately kill the boar with a knife to the eye. They've brought the boar back with them and Robert says that it's going to be served at the feast.

Robert orders everybody to get out so that he can have some time alone with Ned. Cersei briefly tries to protest but Robert tells her to leave and asks her what part of that does she not understand. Once Cersei gets up to leave the others follow including Lord Renly.

Pycelle tries to give Robert some milk of the poppy but Robert backhands it out of the way and tells Pycelle that he'll be going to permanent sleep soon enough. He tells Pycelle to get out.

Ned isn't sure if it's the pain in his leg or the grief he's feeling over his friend but his eyes are starting to get cloudy. He damns Robert to his face for being so headstrong.

Robert is like, fuck you, dude, at least I killed the beast. He tells Ned that he was right about the whole matter with Daenerys Targaryen and feels that the gods probably sent the boar to punish him for ordering the murder of a child. He says he was wrong and says that everyone else on the small council has been worthless even his own brother Renly. (He leaves Selmy out of this conversation entirely.)

Robert asks Ned to get some paper and ink so that he can take down his final will and testament. He wants Ned to serve as the Hand of the King until Joffrey comes of age.

“Robert . . . ” Joffrey is not your son, he wanted to say, but the words would not come. The agony was written too plainly across Robert’s face; he could not hurt him more. So Ned bent his head and wrote, but where the king had said “my son Joffrey,” he scrawled “my heir” instead. The deceit made him feel soiled. The lies we tell for love, he thought. May the gods forgive me. “What else would you have me say?”

Robert says that Ned can decide for himself if there is anything else that needs to be said. He says he'll sign it and then Ned can have it delivered to the council after he's dead.

Ned is pretty broken up now and asks Robert not to die. He tells Robert that the realm needs him and Robert tells Ned that he's a bad liar. Robert says that the realm knows that he's been terrible king and probably, gods help him, as bad a king as Aerys. Ned says that he really wasn't as bad as Aerys.

Robert smiles and says that at least people will say that he managed to get one thing right and that's in making a good man like Ned Hand and now Lord Protector of the Realm. He warns Ned that he'll hate ruling but at least he'll do a better job of it than Robert did.

He asks Ned if he's done writing so that he can sign and be done with it. Robert signs the document without reading it and doesn't notice Ned's omission of Joffrey's name. When he signs he leaves blood on the paper. Ned says that the seal should be witnessed.

Robert again makes the request for the boar to be served at his funeral feast and gives instructions on how it should be prepared and eaten. He asks Ned to promise him and Ned can't help but have another Lyanna "Promise me, Ned" flashback.

Robert asks Ned to see if it isn't too late to call off the order to assassinate Daenerys. He also asks him to try to help make Joffrey into a better man than he was. Robert calls on the gods to have mercy on him and Ned tells Robert that they will. Robert can't believe that he was killed by a pig and says that he'd laugh if it didn't hurt so much.

Ned asks if he should call everyone back and Robert says that he can if he wants to. Robert thinks it feels cold in the room. Cersei doesn't return with the others and Ned hopes to himself that she'll leave soon and wonders why she hasn't fled already.

Renly and Pycelle are there to witness Robert's seal being fixed to his will. Once that is done Robert asks Pycelle to give him something for the pain. He's ready to die.

He gulps down the milk of the poppy and asks Ned if he'll dream. Ned says he thinks that he will and this makes Robert smile. He tells him that he'll give Lyanna Ned's love. He asks Ned to take care of his children for him. Ned thinks of Robert's bastards and tells Robert that he'll look on his children as he looks on his own.

Ned wants to know how long Robert has and Pycelle says that it shouldn't be much longer and by all rights he should be dead already. He says he's never seen a man have such a fierce will to live and Renly comments on how strong his brother has always been. Ned thinks that Renly could be Robert's ghost for how closely he resembles a young Robert.

As Ned is leaving he orders Selmy to make sure that Robert isn't disturbed unless they have leave from Ned. Selmy agrees and speaks for a moment on how he feels that he's failed in protecting the King. Ned tells Selmy that even an honorable knight like him can't protect the king from himself. In any case, Robert went hunting so often, how could anyone have predicted that this would be the hunt that would kill him?

Selmy admits that Robert was visibly drunk while he was in his saddle yet he still commanded everyone to stand aside when they managed to get the boar out of its lair. Varys wonders who gave the King his wine and Ser Barristan eventually reveals that Robert's squire Lancel Lannister was the one who made sure that Robert kept getting his wine refills.

Ned thinks back to the way Robert treated his squires at the tourney and how he mocked them at the feast later that evening. Varys says that he hopes poor Lancel doesn't blame himself and comments on how innocent and vulnerable children are. Ned briefly thinks to himself that Varys might have been young once but he doubts that Varys was ever innocent.

Ned tells Varys that Robert changed his mind about wanting to have Daenerys killed so he commands him to do whatever he can to keep the murder from happening. Varys says it may already be too late since the birds have been sent but he'll do what he can.

Renly wants to have a private word with Ned and once they are alone Renly wants to know if Ned has been made Lord Protector. He says all Ned needs to do is give him the word and he'll have a hundred extra swords for Ned to work with.

“Strike! Now, while the castle sleeps.” Renly looked back at Ser Boros again and dropped his voice to an urgent whisper. “We must get Joffrey away from his mother and take him in hand. Protector or no, the man who holds the king holds the kingdom. We should seize Myrcella and Tommen as well. Once we have her children, Cersei will not dare oppose us. The council will confirm you as Lord Protector and make Joffrey your ward.”

Ned seems offended by Renly's plan and feels compelled to remind him that Robert isn't even dead yet. He says he has no intention of dishonoring Robert's last hours in this world by having men killed in his halls while they drag three terrified children from their beds so that they can be kept from their mother.

Renly takes a step back from Ned and tells him that every moment Ned delays is giving Cersei an advantage and time to prepare. He says by the time Robert dies it might be too late for both of them. Ned says if that's the case they'd better pray that Robert doesn't die.

Renly says there's no way that Robert is going to survive but Ned says that sometimes the gods are merciful. Renly says even if the gods are merciful the Lannisters most certainly aren't.

By the time Ned reaches his chambers he's starting to wonder if he did the right thing by refusing Renly's offer. He thinks that he might need a lot more than a hundred extra swords if Cersei chooses to stay and fight.

Ned tells Cayn to get Littlefinger for him. He then asks Tom about the escort he's prepared to have his daughters taken to the ship. Ned has Tom double the number and tells him that he'll command the men. Tom is grateful to be leaving King's Landing and says that he misses his wife.

Ned tells Tom to deliver a note since they'll be passing Dragonstone. Tom isn't too wild about this idea and it seems that the ancestral fortress of the House Targaryen has something of a sinister repuation. Ned says that they can hoist the banners of House Stark when they get near just to be safe. He emphasizes that the letter should only be put into the hands of Stannis himself.

Once Ned is alone he is overwhelmed with grief and he wants nothing more than to seek relief in the godswood so that he can pray for Robert. He thinks that Robert was more than a brother and hates the idea of people thinking that he'll be betraying Robert after his death by disinheriting the three most everyone thinks are his children.

Ned writes his letter to Stannis letting him know that Stannis is the King and he hopes that Stannis will be able to bring his strength to King's Landing before the Lannisters can march. He's positive that Tywin and Jaime will choose to fight rather than flee.

Ned thinks that his Regency will be a short one and assumes that he'll be able to go home once Stannis takes the throne.

Just thinking about Winterfell brings a smile to Ned's face. He thinks about his three sons and Catelyn and somehow he thinks that he won't be plagued by dreams once he goes back home.

Cayn returns with Littlefinger and once Littlefinger and Ned are alone, Littlefinger immediately irritates Ned by asking him if congratulations are in order. Ned is basically like, 'my best friend is lying wounded and dying, you insensitive prick' and Littlefinger tells him that he's already heard about how he's been made Lord Protector.

Ned wants to know how Littlefinger could possibly know this already and Littlefinger points his finger in Varys's direction saying that the eunuch hinted as much. Ned damns Varys and his little birds and thinks that Catelyn was probably on to something when she said that Varys practices some black art.

Littlefinger says he's glad to see that there's somebody in King's Landing who Ned doesn't trust. He says he's pretty sure though that they aren't there to discuss Varys and wonders what it is Ned wants of him.

Ned admits that he's learned the truth that Jon Arryn died for and says that Robert doesn't have any legitimate sons. He says that Joffrey and Tommen are incestuous bastards and Ned sees that Littlefinger isn't shocked about this news at all.

Ned starts talking about how Stannis is the rightful heir and Littlefinger tells Ned directly that if he's smart he'll make sure that Joffrey succeeds to the throne rather than attempting to back Stannis. Ned glares at Littlefinger and asks him if he has even a shred of honor. Littlefinger concedes to having at least a shred.

Littlefinger makes his case for why it's better to back Joffrey over Stannis...for the time being anyway.

Meanwhile Joffrey is only twelve and Robert has already given Ned the regency. He can make peace with the Lannisters and have Joffrey and Sansa married and maybe even have Robb marry Myrcella. Four years is a nice amount of time to work with and if Joffrey proves to be troublesome well, they have options.

When Ned hears that Littlefinger is including himself in these plans Littlefinger tells Ned that he won't be able to manage everything himself and insists that the price he'll ask to be of assistance will be totally reasonable.

Ned says that what Littlefinger is suggesting is treason and Littlefinger points out that this is only true if they lose.

Ned tells Littlefinger that he's forgetting everything that's important like the deaths of Jon Arryn and Jory Cassel. Ned remembers that these are the people who sent a man to cut open his son's throat.

Littlefinger says that it seems he has forgotten. He's forgotten that he's talking to a Stark and can't help but smirk. He confirms that Ned is set on choosing the path to war. When Ned claims that there is no other choice, Littlefinger wants to know what Ned wants of him since he clearly has no interest in taking his advice.

Ned wants Littlefinger to secure the loyalty of the City Watch. With two thousand gold cloaks at his command he thinks that he should be able to hold his own against the Lannisters if it should come to that.

“Ah, but when the queen proclaims one king and the Hand another, whose peace do they protect?” Lord Petyr flicked at the dagger with his finger, setting it spinning in place. Round and round it went, wobbling as it turned. When at last it slowed to a stop, the blade pointed at Littlefinger. “Why, there’s your answer,” he said, smiling. “They follow the man who pays them.” He leaned back and looked Ned full in the face, his grey-green eyes bright with mockery. “You wear your honor like a suit of armor, Stark. You think it keeps you safe, but all it does is weigh you down and make it hard for you to move. Look at you now. You know why you summoned me here. You know what you want to ask me to do. You know it has to be done . . . but it’s not honorable, so the words stick in your throat.”

After listening to Littlefinger, Ned feels so angry that he doesn't trust himself to speak.

Littlefinger laughs in his face and promises Ned that out of love for Catelyn he'll go to Janos Slynt and bring them the money to secure the loyalty of the gold cloaks.

Edited July 24, 2015 by Avaleigh

[benteen]

Man, Ned really should have taken Renly up on his offer.  I'd forgotten the exact details.  He would have been able to protect Robert's "children" that way.

[WearyTraveler]

This is the chapter I wanted to discuss. Particularly, the dream Ned had of the crypts at Winterfell.

When Jon dreamt of the crypts earlier, he didn't go all the way down to Lyanna, Brandon an Rickard's tombs, as he woke up before he reached that place. And in his internal monologue we read that Jon was afraid of what he would find if he got that far into the crypts.

Now we have Ned also dreaming of the crypts, but he does reach Lyanna, Brandon and Rickard. What I was thinking when contrasting these two dreams was:

1) That the dreams are profetic. They both dream of the crypts because they will both die.

2) That Ned will be sad because he couldn't keep his promise to Lyanna.

3) That Jon is afraid of getting all the way to the end of the tunnel because on some level he knows that he'll find "his father" there (at the time Jon had his dream, Ned was alive and well in KL)

4) That in WoW, we will read about Jon having the same dream as he dies on the snow in Castle Black. Only this time he will reach the end of the passage, and he'll find Ned there waiting for him, finally ready to tell him all about his mother.

And then Jon will be pulled back into life by Melisandre.

Thoughts?

Edited July 24, 2015 by WearyTraveler

[Avaleigh]

For some reason I thought it was an earlier chapter that you wanted to discuss. 

This is the chapter I wanted to discuss. Particularly, the dream Ned had of the crypts at Winterfell.

When Jon dreamt of the crypts earlier, he didn't go all the way down to Lyanna, Brandon an Rickard's tombs, as he woke up before he reached that place. And in his internal monologue we read that Jon was afraid of what he would find if he got that far into the crypts.

Now we have Ned also dreaming of the crypts, but he does reach Lyanna, Brandon and Rickard. What I was thinking when contrasting these two dreams was:

1) That the dreams are profetic. They both dream of the crypts because they will both die.

2) That Ned will be sad because he couldn't keep his promise to Lyanna.

3) That Jon is afraid of getting all the way to the end of the tunnel because on some level he knows that he'll find "his father" there (at the time Jon had his dream, Ned was alive and well in KL)

4) That in WoW, we will read about Jon having the same dream as he dies on the snow in Castle Black. Only this time he will reach the end of the passage, and he'll find Ned there waiting for him, finally ready to tell him all about his mother.

And then Jon will be pulled back into life by Melisandre.

Thoughts?

I love this. I don't know if I'm totally sold on the idea of Ned being the one to tell him but I do think that he'll reach the end and that's when he'll learn about Rhaegar and Lyanna. 

 

If Ned can have the conversation with Jon then why wouldn't Lyanna or maybe even Rhaegar be able to? 

 

Re: the dreams being prophetic--I agree. There's also a bit of foreshadowing in the next chapter that's sort of connected to this and makes me wonder if there are going to be more examples of this as the series continues.  

 

Man, Ned really should have taken Renly up on his offer.  I'd forgotten the exact details.  He would have been able to protect Robert's "children" that way.

Yeah, I'm just shaking my head at all of the life rafts that Ned is just throwing away. 

 

Ned had so many options and he goes for the one that's going to cause everyone including his own family the most heartache. It's impossibly sad and frustrating. 

 

Renly must have wanted to smack Ned upside his head during most of that conversation especially when Ned was talking about how they should pray for Robert to live. Renly is like 'what part of 'these guys probably want to have us both killed' aren't you understanding?

 

I wonder what Littlefinger would have expected to get from Ned if Ned had gone along with that plan. If Ned had remained Lord Protector would he want to continue to be Hand as well or would that be too much? Was LF angling to try to replace Ned as Hand? He probably knew that Ned would never go for it but if he had, I wonder what LF's next move would have been? 

 

Ned really has it in for Varys. He's so distracted by this guy that he can't see the greater danger in Littlefinger. 

 

I thought Tom's lack of enthusiasm at the idea of stopping by Dragonstone was interesting. What is it that he thinks might happen, I wonder? 

[Holmbo]

I think I'd be OK with Ned making stupid choices if he weren't so confident about them. If he'd consider Renly's proposal thinking: that would certainly ensure Cersei's cooperation but I'm not gonna do it because I'm a means-are-the-ends kinda guy.

He seems very Sansa-ish in his view of things. I've seen it suggested that Sansa takes after Ned and Arya after Cat, personality wise. And Ned's view that he, as the protagonist of his own story, will be rewarded for doing the right thing seems very similar to how Sansa views the world.

About Jon I think him dreaming about the crypts but not going down in them could just as well mean that he's not going to die. He's about to meet the dead Stark's but he doesn't do it.

I do like the thought of him having a conversation with Ned but I don't know how that would fit into Martin's view of his universe. We haven't seen any ghosts or spirits or anything like that before. Or at least not in any way that could not just be a dream.

[Avaleigh]

I think I'd be OK with Ned making stupid choices if he weren't so confident about them. If he'd consider Renly's proposal thinking: that would certainly ensure Cersei's cooperation but I'm not gonna do it because I'm a means-are-the-ends kinda guy.

He seems very Sansa-ish in his view of things. I've seen it suggested that Sansa takes after Ned and Arya after Cat, personality wise. And Ned's view that he, as the protagonist of his own story, will be rewarded for doing the right thing seems very similar to how Sansa views the world.

About Jon I think him dreaming about the crypts but not going down in them could just as well mean that he's not going to die. He's about to meet the dead Stark's but he doesn't do it.

I do like the thought of him having a conversation with Ned but I don't know how that would fit into Martin's view of his universe. We haven't seen any ghosts or spirits or anything like that before. Or at least not in any way that could not just be a dream.

What about Jaime's dream/vision of Joanna? That didn't seem like a normal dream. Jaime even essentially gets confirmation that it wasn't a dream. I can see Jon maybe having some sort of experience like that.

 

ETA:

 

Now that I'm thinking about the possibility of Jon having a dream/vision where he's told the truth about who he is, I'm feeling undecided as to which character I'd most want to see Jon have a conversation with. 

 

Lyanna was my first thought and I still lean towards this I only wonder if Rhaegar wouldn't be the one to tell Jon that he's the son/prince who will end up fulfilling the prophecy. To me it makes more sense coming from Rhaegar since he was so obsessed with the prophecy back when he was alive. I also wonder what Lyanna would have to tell Jon apart from telling him about his identity and her love for him and Rhaegar. With Rhaegar I feel like there's potential for him to drop some little unexpected nuggget. 

 

That being said, I really do like the idea of Ned being the one to clue Jon in and fulfilling his promise on the show to finally tell Jon about his mother. Ned had the strongest bond and relationship with Jon because he was able to be around so I can see how it would be deeply moving to have Ned be allowed to have a final sort of conversation with Jon. 

 

I'm also fine with Bloodraven or Bran telling Jon what the deal is. 

Edited July 25, 2015 by Avaleigh

[benteen]

Ned being very Sansa-ish is a good description.  He just assumes Stannis will come in and be the new king and completely doesn't see Cersei as a serious threat.

[Holmbo]

The Jaime dream is the reason I added the sentence about the ghost just being a dream. That's not to say it wouldn't mean something. In this universe it's clear that dreams are often more than just random neurons firing in the brain. We don't know that was actually Joanna's ghost communicating with Jaime in a dream. It could be a vision sent by someone through the weirwood tree. I think if it was possible to communicate with the dead in this universe there would be much more magic practices aiming to do that.

I'm not rejecting the possibility of a ghost meeting though. It all makes me wonder if Martin has some thoughts to life after death in his universe. Is there an afterlife? Heaven? Hell? A spirit world?

Edited July 25, 2015 by Holmbo

[Lady S.]

I think I'd be OK with Ned making stupid choices if he weren't so confident about them. If he'd consider Renly's proposal thinking: that would certainly ensure Cersei's cooperation but I'm not gonna do it because I'm a means-are-the-ends kinda guy.

He seems very Sansa-ish in his view of things. I've seen it suggested that Sansa takes after Ned and Arya after Cat, personality wise. And Ned's view that he, as the protagonist of his own story, will be rewarded for doing the right thing seems very similar to how Sansa views the world.

I think you've nailed why I think Sansa is the most Nedlike, and the confidence is definitely what makes his bad choices so annoying for me, compared to other characters' mistakes. Cersei's true nature should be just as clear as Joffrey's should be to Sansa what with Ned not even doubting her murdering Jon Arryn or the account of her having two of Bobby's bastards killed and selling the mother into slavery, but at least Sansa has the excuse of being an 11yo. The fact that he has no back-up plan to Cersei refusing to flee and then chooses to trust Littlefinger over Renly just keeps baffling me, and it feels like it's maybe going beyond the made for war, not politics problem. Maybe all the opiates Pycelle had him dosed with really were affecting his thinking.

What if a khaleesi wants to remarry? The Dothraki culture really does suck even for the elite. Joining the dosh khaleen should be an option not a requirement.

I always wonder what would have happened to Dany/Drogo's newfound wedded bliss if she had had a stillbirth, miscarriage or even a girl(!) even after passing the horse heart test. I'm guessing their twu wuv would take a serious hit.

Edited July 25, 2015 by Lady S.

[benteen]

I can understand the Varys mistrust but he really should have trusted him over LF.

[Avaleigh]

Jon VI

 

It's breakfast time on the Wall and Sam comes in all excited and tells Jon that he's just been passed out of training, so he's going to be made a brother along with Jon and the others.

 

Jon is happy to hear it and Sam tells him that he's going to be working with Maester Aemon by helping him with the library, the ravens, and with reading and writing letters. Jon tells him that he knows he'll do well in the position.

 

Inside of the sept at Castle Black, the septon is actually sober for a change and everyone is surprised to see Sam but nobody dares to comment on his presence. Jon is reminded of Catelyn's sept at Winterfell.

 

The Lord Commander gives a speech and emphasizes the idea that they are now a single unit and that they are essentially a kind of Great House in their own right. When the sun sets the men will take their vows and all of their past crimes and debts will be washed away. They are expected to give up all ties to their past.

 

“A man of the Night’s Watch lives his life for the realm. Not for a king, nor a lord, nor the honor of this house or that house, neither for gold nor glory nor a woman’s love, but for the realm, and all the people in it. A man of the Night’s Watch takes no wife and fathers no sons. Our wife is duty. Our mistress is honor. And you are the only sons we shall ever know.

 

Mormont cautions the men the men to think carefully before they swear their vows because there is no turning back. He tells them if there's anyone who wishes to leave that now is the time to say so and that nobody will think any less of them for opting out.

No one decides to leave. 

 

Mormont is happy to see that nobody is planning on bailing and says that they'll swear their vows in the sept before Septon Calledar unless there are any men who worship the old gods.

 

Jon speaks up and says that he wants to say his vows before the old gods. Grenn and Pyp whisper about the fact that there isn't exactly a godswood in Castle Black. Mormont explains that they don't have one because there's an entire grove of weirwoods in the Haunted Forest beyond the Wall that supposedly hasn't been touched since the Dawn Age.

 

Sam asks if he'll be allowed to say his vows in front of a heart tree too and Mormont asks him if the Tarlys keep to the old gods. Sam admits that he was raised to worship the Seven just like everyone else in his family but says that the Seven have never answered his prayers. He hopes that maybe the old gods will.

 

The new brothers are given their assignments from Mormont. Grenn and Pyp get to be rangers, Halder gets to go with the builders, and Dareon, Sam, and Jon are assigned to be stewards.

 

Jon is in disbelief that he's been assigned to be with the stewards and wonders for a moment if Mormont read it wrong. He almost speaks to tell them that they've made a mistake but then he catches Thorne giving him the evil eye and that's when he knows it's true that he hasn't been chosen to be a ranger.

 

The Lord Commander tells the men that they'll be given further instructions about their duties and says that he hopes that the gods preserve them. As Mormont and Thorne leave the sept, Thorne has a gloating smile on his face and Jon thinks to himself that he's never seen Thorne look so happy before.

 

Ser Jaremy Rykker calls those who have been assigned to be rangers to come with him and Pyp has a moment where he can't help but stare at Jon. Grenn doesn't seem to notice that anything is wrong and the new rangers follow Rykker out of the sept.

 

The builders are called to go next and finally only the stewards remain: Dareon, Sam, and Jon. Jon's feelings of shock are turning to anger and he's wondering how the hell it is that he's been left on the bench with the singer and the fat kid.

 

The Lord Steward Bowen Marsh tells Sam that Sam will be assisting Maester Aemon with the rookery and library; Chett will now take care of the kennels and hounds so Sam will get Chett's old cell. Marsh tells Sam that he hopes he'll take good care of Maester Aemon because Aemon is precious to the Night's Watch.

Dareon is going to be sent to Eastwatch by the Sea in order to be of assistance to Cotter Pyke.

 

Marsh turns his attention to Jon and tells him that the Lord Commander has requested that Jon be his personal steward. Jon isn't impressed and asks if he'll basically be expected to perform the duties of a servant. Marsh doesn't like Jon's tone and when Jon asks if they really take him to be a servant, Maester Aemon speaks up and says that they thought Jon was a man of the Night's Watch but maybe they were wrong about that.

 

Jon is ready to bail but he just manages to keep himself from walking out. He feels like he's being condemned to a life of activities he perceives to be feminine like sewing. He asks if he is free to go and Marsh says he can do as he likes.

 

Dareon and Sam go with Jon as he leaves and when Jon goes outside and looks at the Wall he just wants to smash it into a billion pieces and doesn't care if it would damn the world.

 

Sam calls out to Jon and tells him to wait. He asks Jon if he doesn't see what it is that they're doing by having Jon be the Lord Commander's steward.

All Jon sees is Thorne being the man to sabotage his chances of ever becoming a ranger. Dareon is annoyed and says that Jon is making it seem like the stewards are fine for Sam and Dareon but somehow Lord Snow is just too fucking special.

 

Jon replies that he's a better rider and swordsman than either one of them and says that it isn't fair.

 

Dareon knows all about how fair life is and talks about how the girl that he was accused of raping invited him in. He had consensual sex with a girl and now he's stuck freezing his ass off on the Wall for the rest of his days but Jon wants to talk to him about fair? Dareon doesn't have any patience for it so he walks away.

Sam tells Jon that there isn't any shame in being a steward and Jon basically tells Sam that he's out of his mind if he thinks Jon wants to spend the rest of his life washing some old man's underwear.

 

Sam says it's different when the old man in question is the Lord Commander and points out that the duties won't be all bad. He'll take letters, attend to him at meetings, be his squire during battle, etc. Not only that but Sam thinks Jon should be excited that Mormont personally asked for Jon and that it's obvious that he wants to groom Jon to be his successor.

 

Jon hadn't considered any of Sam's points and is startled to think that they might be true. He thinks of how Benjen told him that he was still a green boy during their last conversation. Suddenly, Jon feels ashamed of himself and he admits to Sam that he was acting like a child.

 

Sam asks Jon if he's going to stay and say his vows with him and Jon replies that the old gods will be expecting them.

 

When they get to the north side of the Wall, Sam gets a little nervous and wonders if the wildlings would dare to make an attack so close to the Wall. Jon says they never have before. He then whistles to Ghost and Ghost runs out of the tunnel to join them.

 

Once they get into forest, Jon feels like they're in a different world. He compares it to the wolfswood around Winterfell and thinks that the haunted forest is unsettling. At one point he feels a chill run up his spine because of the way the wind rustles the leaves.

 

The sun was sinking below the trees when they reached their destination, a small clearing in the deep of the wood where nine weirwoods grew in a rough circle. Jon drew in a breath, and he saw Sam Tarly staring. Even in the wolfswood, you never found more than two or three of the white trees growing together; a grove of nine was unheard of. The forest floor was carpeted with fallen leaves, blood red on top, black rot beneath. The wide smooth trunks were bone pale, and nine faces stared inward. The dried sap that crusted in the eyes was red and hard as ruby. Bowen Marsh commanded them to leave their horses outside the circle. “This is a sacred place, we will not defile it.”

 

When they go inside of the grove, Sam starts looking at the faces on the weirwoods and tells Jon that the old gods are watching them. Jon agrees and they both kneel so that they can take their vows.

 

“Hear my words, and bear witness to my vow,” they recited, their voices filling the twilit grove. “Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night’s Watch, for this night and all the nights to come.”

 

Marsh tells them that when they knelt they were boys and now, when they rise, they will officially be men of the Night's Watch.

 

Jon helps Sam to his feet and the rangers that have accompanied them offer their smiles and congratulations. The only person who isn't smiling and congratulating them is an old forester named Dywen. Dywen is ready to head back to the Wall and says there's something about the smell of the air that he doesn't like. Just after Dywen says this, Ghost comes running up and Jon has a brief moment where he thinks that Ghost resembles a weirwood. Jon sees that Ghost is carrying something black in his jaws and Bowen Marsh wants to know what it is.

 

Jon tells Ghost to come to him, Sam gasps in shock, and Dywen announces to everyone that Ghost has just brought back a hand.

[Avaleigh]

The main thing that stands out to me in this chapter that I didn't catch before is how Ghost with his weirwood looking face is bringing Jon a dead hand. It's totally a hint of Ned's upcoming death. I love little stuff like this.

I like how creepy and unsettling the haunted forest is.

I also liked how Dareon was annoyed at listening to Jon whine about how unfair life is.

It's funny that Thorne is pleased about Jon not being a ranger because you'd think he'd hate the idea of Jon being groomed to be the next Lord Commander even more. At least if Jon is a ranger there's a chance he could pull a Benjen.

[Holmbo]

It popped into my mind to wonder what would happen if some recruit kept the drowned god. I guess iron borne wouldn't take the black. It would be funny though if they had to go to the sea for him to say his vow.

[DigitalCount]

The main thing that stands out to me in this chapter that I didn't catch before is how Ghost with his weirwood looking face is bringing Jon a dead hand. It's totally a hint of Ned's upcoming death. I love little stuff like this.

I like how creepy and unsettling the haunted forest is.

I also liked how Dareon was annoyed at listening to Jon whine about how unfair life is.

It's funny that Thorne is pleased about Jon not being a ranger because you'd think he'd hate the idea of Jon being groomed to be the next Lord Commander even more. At least if Jon is a ranger there's a chance he could pull a Benjen.

These are basically the main points I was thinking of for this chapter. I guess part of why Martin uses the office of the Hand is because it lends itself to symbolism? Spoiler alert, hands figure into this series pretty frequently.

[benteen]

It popped into my mind to wonder what would happen if some recruit kept the drowned god. I guess iron borne wouldn't take the black. It would be funny though if they had to go to the sea for him to say his vow.

 

Heheh.  I imagine that's what Cotter Pyke probably did.

[Constantinople]

It popped into my mind to wonder what would happen if some recruit kept the drowned god. I guess iron borne wouldn't take the black. It would be funny though if they had to go to the sea for him to say his vow.

 

 

Heheh.  I imagine that's what Cotter Pyke probably did.

 

Wouldn't they just take their vows at Eastwatch?

 

If they know how to sail, which they probably do, they'll probably be serving there anyway.

[Holmbo]

Wouldn't they just take their vows at Eastwatch?

If they know how to sail, which they probably do, they'll probably be serving there anyway.

I meant to write that they would travel to Eastwatch but the name of the castle escaped me. It's still several weeks travel. Though I guess they could assign them there before they say their vows. Edited July 28, 2015 by Holmbo

[Avaleigh]

Eddard XIV

Lannister guardsmen are training down in the yard and the sound of clashing swords wakes Ned from a too short sleep. He's still wondering why Cersei and her children haven't fled and thinks to himself that he's given her chance after chance.

Ned and his daughters are at breakfast t / ogether along with Septa Mordane but Sansa isn't eating. Arya on the other hand is shoveling food into her mouth and asks if she'll be able to have one last lesson prior to boarding the ship. Ned says that it's fine as long as Arya is ready to leave by midday.

Sansa asks why she isn't allowed to say goodbye to Joffrey if Arya is being allowed to have a final dancing lesson and Septa Mordane even offers to chaperone Sansa, but Ned says that it wouldn't be wise for Sansa to see Joffrey at present. Sansa immediately gets all tearful and wants to know why, but Septa Mordane tells Sansa that she isn't supposed to question her father's decisions. Sansa shrieks about how unfair life is and then runs crying out of the room, knocking over her chair as she leaves.

Septa Mordane rises to go after Sansa but Ned tells her to leave Sansa alone for awhile and says that he'll try to get Sansa to understand once they are all safe and back at Winterfell.

An hour later Pycelle comes in to tell Ned that Robert has died.

Ned asks Pycelle to summon the other members of the small council and Pycelle seems surprised and says that surely whatever it is that Ned wants to tell everyone can surely wait until the next morning. Ned is firm and says it has to be now so Pycelle gives his servants orders to inform the other council members to come to the Hand's solar.

Selmy is the first to arrive and asks for leave to go to the side of the new king. Ned tells Selmy that his place at the moment is to be there with the other council members.

Littlefinger shows up next and tells Ned that he's taken care of the gold cloaks.

Varys is the last to arrive and it's from Varys that Ned finds out that Lord Renly has fled from King's Landing. Ned thinks to himself that he'd been counting on Renly's support. Loras Tyrell was seen riding out with Renly and about fifty others. Varys speculates that they're heading for either Highgarden or Storm's End.

Ned is unsettled at the idea of not having the hundred swords that Renly said he'd be able to get together but doesn't feel there's anything he can do but continue on the course he's chosen. He tells the council that Robert had him record his final words and gives the paper to Selmy to read aloud to everyone.

Ned asks the council to have him confirmed as Lord Protector and just as Ned says this, Fat Tom enters the room and tells Ned that the royal steward is insisting on having a word.

The royal steward tells them that the King is demanding that the small council come to the throne room. Ned responds that the King is dead but that they'll all go to the throne room anyway.

Littlefinger helps Ned climb down the steps and what's left of the small council head over to the throne room. Ned feels reassured by the presence of many gold cloaks. Janos Slynt meets them at the door of the throne room.

The royal steward leads them all in and Joffrey's entire title is announced loud and proud. Joffrey is seated on the Iron Throne. Ned briefly wonders to himself if Joffrey will yield his throne as easily as his uncle/father Jaime once did.

Cersei, Myrcella , and Tommen are all in attendance as well. Ned notes that the Lannister guards are outnumbered five to one against the gold cloaks.

Littlefinger continues to assist Ned until Ned is in front of the throne.

King Joffrey tells the small council that he wants them to start arranging his coronation so that he can be crowned within a fortnight. Today he's planning on accepting oaths of fealty.

Ned breaks out the Letter and asks Varys to give it to Cersei. Cersei reads the will and asks Ned if he seriously think that this piece of paper is going to protect him. She rips the letter into pieces and lets them fall to the ground. Selmy is shocked that Cersei would do that to the King's words and Cersei reminds him that they have a new King now.

Cersei tells Ned that since he gave her some advice, she's decided to return the favor. She tells him to bend the knee, swear fealty to Joffrey, and then they'll allow Ned to step down as Hand and live out the rest of his days in Winterfell.

Ned says that he wishes everything could be so simple and then bluntly tells her that Joffrey has no right to the Iron Throne. He says that Robert's rightful heir is Stannis.

Joffrey goes all red in the face and screams at Ned that Ned is lying. Myrcella asks her mother what Ned is talking about and asks if Joffrey is the King.

Cersei tells Ned that he's just condemned himself with his own mouth and orders Selmy to seize Ned. Selmy hesitates and in a moment he's surrounded by Stark guards. Cersei asks if Ned really thinks that Selmy stands alone and this is the cue for twenty Lannister guardsmen to come forward in addition to the Knights of the Kingsguard.

Joffrey starts shouting for Ned and his men to be killed.

Ned tells Cersei that she's leaving him no choice. He orders Janos Slynt to have Cersei and her children taken into custody. He asks that they be escorted back to the royal apartments and asks that they not be harmed.

Slynt shouts to the gold cloaks and a hundred of these guys start leveling their spears and closing in. As Ned is telling Cersei that he doesn't want to have any blood shed, one of the gold cloaks puts a spear through Fat Tom; Tom dies before he hits the floor.

As Ned shouts Slynt kills one of Ned's men personally. Cayn almost seems like he's going to be able to cut himself free and make a run for it, but the Hound ends up hacking off his sword hand before delivering another fatal blow.

As his men died around him, Littlefinger slid Ned's dagger from its sheath and shoved it up under his chin. His smile was apologetic. "I did warn you not to trust me, you know."

Edited July 29, 2015 by Avaleigh

[benteen]

Renly had the right idea and was smart to get out of dodge.

[Avaleigh]

Why the heck is Ned confused about Renly leaving? Last time Ned saw Renly, Renly was physically backing away from Ned like Ned had lost his mind and now it's almost as though Ned remembers them having a different conversation.

Sansa having her second meltdown about how unfair life is reminded me of Jon's rant about life being unfair in the past chapter. Oh, we also got more Stark tears.

Littlefinger going out of his way to physically escort and support Ned to his doom was a nice touch , I thought.

Joffrey is minutes into his kingship and he's already having a 'kill them 4ll!!' freakout.

I guess it's downhill for Ned from here on out.

We're roughly up to episode 7 on the show, right? I know Viserys died in episode 6.

The show did a very nice job with this scene.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Avaleigh

[Holmbo]

Yes this scene was the end of episode 7, but I think the assassination attempt on Dany was this ep too?

[benteen]

It's still mind-boggling to me that Sansa never heard from anyone that LF actually betrayed her father.

[nodorothyparker]

I've been really enjoying this read along, which is coincidental with my own because, you know, summer.  

 

I seriously can't get past this entire section of the book without a huge Really, Ned?  Really?  You were previously told by both Renly and then Littlefinger in the space of about two pages why your plan to out the twincest and crown Stannis was a nonstarter and how you should make the best of it and go along instead to keep the peace.  Cersei has not shown one inkling of going anywhere.  What on earth made you think this was going to go well for you?  Oh, the promise of Littlefinger and the gold cloaks, the same Littlefinger who had a serious thing for your wife, was once humiliated by your brother, and has told you quite pointedly to never trust him.  But no, he's confused by Renly being smart enough to get out of dodge and Cersei staying put right up to the end.  It's like the entire time he's been in Kings Landing he's been so busy being disapproving of everything that he hasn't been paying the slightest bit of attention to who any of these people actually are or how anything actually works.

[benteen]

Well, St. Ned didn't want to dishonor Robert's final hours by spilling blood in his halls *rolls eyes*  Spilling the blood of the same group that had already spilled blood against him.  Hell, spilling blood would have been the most FITTING tribute to Robert!

 

 

Seriously though, having gotten to read Avaleigh's recaps, Ned was a flaming idiot for not taking Renly's original offer, which would have protected Robert's "children."  Not that Varys was the most trustworthy but he picked the wrong horse in regards to him and Littlefinger.

 

He expects everyone to accept Stannis as king.  He expects Cersei not to do anything.  He excepts Reny to still be there with his 100 swords.  It's no wonder he got his head taken off.

Edited July 29, 2015 by benteen

[nodorothyparker]

I watched the first season before I started reading the series and I remember being kind of surprised but not really by how all of this went down, at least on my first viewing.  Because you're not privy to nearly as much of the background information on all these characters you can at least hope that Ned is right and it'll all work out the way he thinks it should.  But when you read the book and you see what Ned is seeing and what he's obviously unwilling or unable to see, it's so painfully obvious how out of his depths he is almost from the get go.  

 

His entire plan was built on the notion that just because he didn't think it was appropriate to be maneuvering while Robert lay dying that nobody else would either.  During all that, I just wanted to shake him and yell "Have you even met the Lannisters?"  I mean seriously, this is the man who was hoping that Tywin and Jaime too would meekly pack up and accept exile in the east when he made Cersei her "offer."

[Holmbo]

Well, St. Ned didn't want to dishonor Robert's final hours by spilling blood in his halls *rolls eyes* Spilling the blood of the same group that had already spilled blood against him. Hell, spilling blood would have been the most FITTING tribute to Robert!

Haha that's true. In a way it's kinda funny. Robert loves fighting so much but didn't get to do it for a long time. Then when he dies there is fighting everywhere. And he didn't get to see any of it.

[Avaleigh]

Aw, you guys, I just realized that there's only one Ned chapter left. Posting the next one in a few minutes, I just had a few other thoughts. 

I've been really enjoying this read along, which is coincidental with my own because, you know, summer.  

 

I seriously can't get past this entire section of the book without a huge Really, Ned?  Really?  You were previously told by both Renly and then Littlefinger in the space of about two pages why your plan to out the twincest and crown Stannis was a nonstarter and how you should make the best of it and go along instead to keep the peace.  Cersei has not shown one inkling of going anywhere.  What on earth made you think this was going to go well for you?  Oh, the promise of Littlefinger and the gold cloaks, the same Littlefinger who had a serious thing for your wife, was once humiliated by your brother, and has told you quite pointedly to never trust him.  But no, he's confused by Renly being smart enough to get out of dodge and Cersei staying put right up to the end.  It's like the entire time he's been in Kings Landing he's been so busy being disapproving of everything that he hasn't been paying the slightest bit of attention to who any of these people actually are or how anything actually works.

This. I totally agree.

 

When I think about Ned seeming like he preferred Littlefinger to Varys (in a situation where he's forced to choose between two people he can't stand) I can't help but feel like a huge amount of it boils down to Ned having issues with eunuchs. Like I get a vibe that there's a kind of prejudice on his part. It probably isn't even something that he's necessarily conscious of but I think eunuchs make him uncomfortable or something. 

 

 His entire plan was built on the notion that just because he didn't think it was appropriate to be maneuvering while Robert lay dying that nobody else would either.  During all that, I just wanted to shake him and yell "Have you even met the Lannisters?"  I mean seriously, this is the man who was hoping that Tywin and Jaime too would meekly pack up and accept exile in the east when he made Cersei her "offer."

This is exactly how I felt. I was literally thinking 'Dude, you have met Cersei, right?' She was totally straightforward with him, admits to all that stuff including being there when Jaime threw Bran out of a tower window, and he still doesn't get what he's dealing with. I'm just shaking my head. Meanwhile he seems like he thinks that Cersei would be able to talk he father into giving up Casterly Rock and the Westerlands without a fight.

[Avaleigh]

Arya IV

 

Arya is having her lesson with Syrio and he's putting her through her paces. She thinks to herself that bruises are lessons and that each lesson makes a person better.

 

Syrio calls out that he's going to attack her on the left but ends up attacking her on the right; he tells her that she's dead. Arya tells Syrio that he lied and cheated but Syrio points out that his movements spoke the truth of what he would do and it makes no difference anyway because she's still be dead if they were truly fighting as opposed to training.

 

Syrio tells Arya that he was the first sword to the Sealord of Braavos and asks her how she thinks he landed that position. Arya guesses that he was the best swordsman in the city and Syrio admits that this is true but asks her why she thinks he was the best. Syrio explains that the reason he is the best is because he can truly see.

 

An Emperor's New Clothes sort of situation is basically what got Syrio the position of first sword to the Sealord of Braavos and he again emphasizes to Arya the importance of being able to really see what is going on around her.

“Just so. Opening your eyes is all that is needing. The heart lies and the head plays tricks with us, but the eyes see true. Look with your eyes. Hear with your ears. Taste with your mouth. Smell with your nose. Feel with your skin. Then comes the thinking, afterward, and in that way knowing the truth.”

 

“Just so,” said Arya, grinning.

 

Syrio tells her that when they get to Winterfell he thinks that Arya will be allowed to start training with Needle. Arya is ecstatic to hear this and tells Syrio that she can't wait to show Jon.

 

The lesson is suddenly interrupted by the intrusion of Ser Meryn Trant and five Lannister guardsmen. Meryn Trant calls Arya's name and tells her to come with them. Arya asks Trant what it is they want and Trant tells her that her father wants to see her.

 

Arya steps forward for a moment but Syrio holds her back and asks why Lord Eddard would send Lannister guardsmen to fetch his daughter rather than his own men. Trant tells Syrio to check himself and says that the matter isn't his concern.

 

Arya agrees with Syrio that her father wouldn't have sent Lannister men to get her and grabs her wooden training sword as if to defend herself. This makes the Lannister guardsmen laugh but Meryn tells her to put the stick down and reminds her that he's a Knight of the Kingsguard. Arya replies that Jaime Lannister is a Knight of the Kingsguard too but that didn't stop him from killing King Aerys. She adds that she doesn't have to go with Trant if she doesn't want to.

 

Trant is out of patience with Arya now and orders his men to take her. Arya feels afraid but tells herself that "fear cuts deeper than swords."

 

Syrio calls the men out and asks them what sort of scumbags would threaten a child. One of the men tells Syrio to get out of the way so Syrio clocks the guy on his helm and tells him that he's going to have to speak to him more respectfully. The guy gets all pissed off and decides to full on attack Syrio so Syrio ends up disarming the man along with breaking his fingers.

 

Trant tells Syrio that he's pretty quick for a dancing master so Syrio the Badass tells Trant that Trant is pretty slow for a so-called knight. Trant orders his men to kill Syrio and bring Arya to him. The men close in on Syrio and Syrio tells Arya that their lesson is done for the day and says that she should run to her father. Arya doesn't want to leave Syrio but knows that he would want her to do as he tells her. She tells him that she'll be as "swift as a deer" and Syrio responds "Just so" as the Lannister guards close in around him.

 

Arya starts to leave but then ends up lingering to watch Syrio handle the Lannister guardsmen. It takes Syrio next to no time to take out all five of these guys and when she sees what short work Syrio has made of these men, Arya realizes how easy Syrio has been on her during all of their training sessions.

 

Trant sees that he's going to have to deal with Syrio himself and curses the five dead men for failing to take down the dancing master.

 

Syrio again tells Arya to leave and Arya sees that Syrio is facing a man who is in full armor with a steel blade while Syrio is only wearing leather and is armed with just a wooden sword. Arya screams for Syrio to run. Syrio says that the first sword of Braavos doesn't run and begins his duel with Trant.

 

Trant soon cuts Syrio's wooden sword in two so Arya starts crying and finally runs away. She races through the kitchens and as she's running she begins thinking about everything that Syrio has taught her.

 

When she gets to the stairs she wonders whether or not she should go up to the Tower of the Hand. She thinks about how Syrio said that it's better to not do what they would expect and consequently decides not to return back to the Tower of the Hand.

 

The direction Arya chooses takes her to a cellar with a dead end. She thinks that if she can find her father that he'll protect her.

 

She climbs up to a window where she has a view of door to the Tower of the Hand. She can see that the door has been broken down and one of her father's men is lying dead on the stairs.

 

Arya is wondering what the hell is happening and wonders where her father is. She realizes now that they're all in mortal danger and thinks about the deaths of Jory, Wyl, and Heward.

 

She squirmed out into the yard, glancing around warily as she climbed to her feet. The castle seemed deserted. The Red Keep was never deserted. All the people must be hiding inside, their doors barred. Arya glanced up longingly at her bedchamber, then moved away from the Tower of the Hand, keeping close to the wall as she slid from shadow to shadow. She pretended she was chasing cats . . . except she was the cat now, and if they caught her, they would kill her.

 

When Arya gets to the stables she comes upon a dying Hullen. Hullen has been stabbed multiple times but he's still alive and he manages call Arya by one of her nicknames and tells her to warn her father.

 

Inside of the stable, Arya sees more dead bodies including one of groom she used to play with. She realizes that the men must have been loading up for the return to Winterfell when they were attacked.

When Arya sees Desmond's dead body she thinks back to when he said that every northerner is worth ten southron men. Arya sees one dead Lannister guard among all the dead northerners and screams at dead Desmond that he's a liar and kicks at his corpse.

 

Arya's plan is to get a horse so that she can take the Kingsroad back to Winterfell. She spots a chest that has all of her clothing and comes upon Needle. As she grabs Needle, a smirking stableboy calls out to her and tells her that he knows who she is. Arya asks the boy to help her saddle a horse and says that her father will reward him since he's the Hand of the King, but the boy tells her that her father is dead and that it's the Queen who will be giving him his reward.

 

The boy goes after Arya even after she tells him to stay away so, she thinks about the first lesson of sword fighting that Jon ever told her and ends up killing the boy after stabbing him in the belly. Arya stands over his body for a moment and as she looks down at him she thinks that she needs to get away someplace safe, someplace that is away from the boy's "accusing" eyes.

 

As Arya is about to saddle her horse she realizes that the castle gates are going to be closed and that the guards will likely have orders to not let anyone pass. Arya then remembers that there's another way out of the castle and wonders if she'll be able to find the room with the dragon skulls again.

 

Arya notices that there are more gold cloaks present than usual and is worried that they'll notice her heading across the yard. When she starts walking across she thinks it's the scariest thing that she's ever done. She makes it across the yard and goes inside of a sept where she steals two candles.

 

It takes Arya over an hour to find the room again but when she sees the dragon skulls again, she isn't scared and even thinks of the monsters as old friends.

 

At the same time Arya still seems to feel afraid and thinks of the stableboy she's just killed. She briefly thinks to herself that he might be waiting around somewhere to grab her.

 

Just as Arya is starting to really freak herself out she thinks about how Syrio would say that 'fear cuts deeper than swords.' She suddenly remembers the crypts of Winterfell and thinks that they're a lot scarier than this place.

 

Arya thinks back to the first time she visited the crypts with her siblings when Bran was about three.

 

Robb took them all the way down to the end, past Grandfather and Brandon and Lyanna, to show them their own tombs. Sansa kept looking at the stubby little candle, anxious that it might go out. Old Nan had told her there were spiders down here, and rats as big as dogs. Robb smiled when she said that. “There are worse things than spiders and rats,” he whispered. “This is where the dead walk.” That was when they heard the sound, low and deep and shivery. Baby Bran had clutched at Arya’s hand.

 

When the spirit stepped out of the open tomb, pale white and moaning for blood, Sansa ran shrieking for the stairs, and Bran wrapped himself around Robb’s leg, sobbing. Arya stood her ground and gave the spirit a punch. It was only Jon, covered with flour. “You stupid,” she told him, “you scared the baby,” but Jon and Robb just laughed and laughed, and pretty soon Bran and Arya were laughing too.

The memory of this makes Arya smile and suddenly she no longer feels scared of the darkness. She thinks that if the stableboy did somehow manage to come after her that she'd just kill him again. She decides that she's going home and that everything will be better once she gets to the safety of Winterfell.

[benteen]

I really did like that memory of the Stark kids in the crypts. 

 

Thus begins Arya's loooong trip on the road.  It's amazing the journey that she's in for.

[Avaleigh]

My favorite part of this chapter is definitely the memory of the crypts. It's unsettling to think thatthey're looking at where their own tombs will be one day. It's interesting too that Robb doesn't seem to think that he'll be the only one of his siblings to end up down there.

Weary Traveler, I think your thoughts about the overall importance of the crypts to Jon's story made me take more notice of this memory than I might have otherwise. I love that Jon is in therole of a Ghost hers. I wonder if there will be anything to Arya being able to see Jon for who he truly is.

As for the age thing with the Stark kids, this was a scene where I feel like all of the characters should be a bit older. It's like, really, five year old Arya is the one who easily sees through Jon's disguise? I guess.

I'm curious if Arya believesthe stable boy's comment about her father being dead. She seems so ready to leave on her own like she doesn't think she should try to wait or anything.

Poor Tom. Guy was looking forward to seeing his wife again. Poor woman.

If Syrio doesn't flee from a fight and Trant survives the encounter then that does suggest that Syrio died. Why would Syrio let Trant live? I don't think he took over his identity and it's hard to imagine him fleeing but maybe he fled Trant in order to try to protect Arya? It was definitely set up in a way to suggest that he *might* have survived.

[Avaleigh]

Sansa IV

Sansa is summoned to see the Queen and the small council on the third day of her confinement. She and Jeyne have been locked away together and Jeyne has done little more than cry ever since shit hit the fan. Sansa thinks that Jeyne is acting like a child even though Sansa cried a lot too on the first day and admits to herself that she was terrified once people started getting killed. She thinks about the screaming and the moans of pain that she can hear from the yard and thinks to herself how the knights in the songs would never beg or plead for mercy.

Sansa tells Jeyne that she's sure Jeyne's father is well and says that she'll ask the Queen if Jeyne will be permitted to see him. Jeyne doesn't seem like she's buying it and can only look at Sansa while she cries even harder.

On the first day Sansa cries for news of her father and asks after others including Septa Mordane, but she is entirely ignored by the guards and the only time the door is opened is when they bring Jeyne inside to join her.

Jeyne is a complete wreck when she joins Sansa and tells her that everyone is being killed and that there were dead bodies on the stairs of the Tower of the Hand. Sansa stops crying when she hears this and does her best to try and comfort her friend. The two girls ultimately fall asleep in each other's arms and Sansa thinks that they're almost like sisters.

The girls are being fed but the servants refuse to speak to them or answer any questions. Sansa thinks to herself that the servants seem nearly as frightened as Jeyne.

Sansa pleads with the servants to be allowed to see the Queen and if not the Queen then Joffrey. She tells the servants that she and Joffrey are going to be married.

At sunset on the second day of their confinement, the bells of the Great Sept start ringing and Sansa instinctively knows that the King is dead. It's clear that Sansa doesn't know how the King died or why the fighting is happening.

Sansa wonders if Joffrey is the King now or if he's been killed too. She feels fear for Joffrey in addition to being worried about her father.

Later that evening, Sansa dreams about Joffrey being on the throne with herself as his queen. She imagines herself gowned and crowned with everyone she's ever met now having to bow to her.

The morning of the third day, Sansa is escorted by Ser Boros Blount to see Cersei and the members of the small council. Sansa tells Ser Boros how handsome he looks even though she thinks to herself that he's totally unattractive. Ser Boros tells Sansa that she's looking good too and then mentions that the Queen is waiting.

When Sansa is first escorted to her room, Cersei gets her to believe that the Lannister guards are there for Sansa's own protection. Cersei claims that Joffrey would never forgive her if anything were to happen to his betrothed.

As Sansa is being led out of Maegor's Holdfast, she sees a dead body impaled on the spikes below and tries not too look out of fear that it might be somebody she knows.

Cersei is waiting for Sansa in the small council chambers. Sansa was hoping that Joffrey would be there too but the only other people who are there are Pycelle, Varys, and Littlefinger. Sansa notes that they are all wearing mourning clothes.

Cersei smiles at Sansa and apologizes that she hasn't had the time to see her until now. She asks Sansa if her people have been taking good care of her. Sansa tells Cersei everything has been great with the exception of the fact that nobody will talk to them or tell them what's going on. When Sansa clarifies that she's been locked up with Jeyne Poole, it's obvious that this is news to Cersei so she gives Ser Boros a little shit for not having the sense to see that it was a mistake to lock Sansa and Jeyne up together. She says that Jeyne has probably been filling Sansa's head with all sorts of terrible stories.

Sansa says that Jeyne is just scared and wants to be able to see her father. Pycelle looks down when Sansa says this and this makes Sansa ask if Jeyne's father is well. Sansa thinks to herself that there's no way that Vayon Poole could have been killed because he's only a steward and doesn't even wear a sword.

Cersei tells the members of the small council that she doesn't want Sansa worrying over nothing and asks them what they think should be done with Jeyne. Littlefinger quickly volunteers to find a place for the girl and Cersei tells him to make sure that the place isn't in King's Landing. Littlefinger seems a little annoyed that Cersei would think that he'd do something so foolish and basically asks her who she thinks she's talking to.

Cersei ignores Littlefinger's irritation and orders Ser Boros to bring Jeyne to Littlefinger's apartments under the pretext that she'll be going there to see her father. She says that she wants to make sure Jeyne is gone before Sansa returns to her rooms.

Sansa doesn't understand what's going on and wonders aloud why Ser Boros won't just be able to take Jeyne directly to see Vayon Poole. She starts to feel scared again and tells them that Jeyne hasn't done anything wrong and adds that Jeyne is a "good girl". Cersei says that Jeyne has clearly upset Sansa and they simply can't have that. Cersei tells Sansa that she doesn't want to hear anymore about Jeyne and says that Jeyne will be just fine because nice Littlefinger is going to take good care of her.

Cersei tells Sansa to sit and says that she wants to talk with her.

Sansa seated herself beside the queen. Cersei smiled again, but that did not make her feel any less anxious. Varys was wringing his soft hands together, Grand Maester Pycelle kept his sleepy eyes on the papers in front of him, but she could feel Littlefinger staring. Something about the way the small man looked at her made Sansa feel as though she had no clothes on. Goose bumps pimpled her skin.

Cersei tells Sansa that she and Joffrey love her very much and all is suddenly right again in Sansa's world because she thinks that Joffrey loves her. Cersei adds that she thinks of Sansa almost like a daughter and knows that Sansa loves Joffrey in return. She says that they have terrible news about Sansa's father and tells Sansa that she has to be brave.

Varys informs Sansa that her father is a traitor and Pycelle says that he witnessed Ned's treachery for himself.

Sansa doesn't believe it and insists her father wouldn't do anything like try to steal Joffrey's throne. Cersei shows Sansa the letter that Ned wrote to Stannis telling Stannis that the crown is his. Sansa says there must be a mistake and asks for them to send for her father. She says that Ned was Robert's friend and there's no way he'd write that letter.

Cersei tells Sansa that while she understands that Sansa is innocent, she doesn't really see how she can allow the daughter of a traitor to marry Joffrey. Sansa protests that she loves Joffrey. She wonders to herself what has happened to her father and thinks it isn't fair of them to take Joffrey away from her because of something that her father might have done.

Cersei agrees with Sansa and mentions how Sansa informed her of Ned's plans to have her and Arya sent back to Winterfell.

"It was for love," Sansa said in a rush. "Father wouldn't even give me leave to say farewell." She was the good girl, the obedient girl, but she had felt as wicked as Arya that morning, sneaking away from Septa Mordane, defying her lord father. She had never done anything so willful before, and she would never have done it then if she hadn't loved Joffrey as much as she did. "He was going to take me back to Winterfell and marry me to some hedge knight, even though it was Joff I wanted. I told him, but he wouldn't listen." The king had been her last hope. The king could command Father to let her stay in King's Landing and marry Prince Joffrey, Sansa knew he could, but the king had always frightened her. He was loud and rough-voiced and drunk as often as not, and he would probably have just sent her back to Lord Eddard, if they even let her see him. So she went to the queen instead, and poured out her heart, and Cersei had listened and thanked her sweetly . . . only then Ser Arys had escorted her to the high room in Maegor's Holdfast and posted guards, and a few hours later, the fighting had begun outside. "Please," she finished, "you have to let me marry Joffrey, I'll be ever so good a wife to him, you'll see. I'll be a queen just like you, I promise."

Cersei asks the other members of the council what they think about what Sansa has to say.

Varys says it's sad but he doesn't really think there's anything they can do since Ned is a condemned man. Pycelle says that Sansa might be sweet and innocent now but who knows what sort of person she'll be in ten years? He suggests deception and betrayal will come naturally to Sansa.

Sansa gets super upset when she hears this and swears that she'd never do anything to betray Joffrey.

Littlefinger points out to Cersei and the council that Sansa is more like her mother than her father.

Sansa thinks to herself that she sees kindness in Cersei's eyes and Cersei tells her that nothing would please her more than to think that Sansa is nothing like her father. At the same time, Cersei admits that Varys and Pycelle are probably right in thinking that blood is stronger in the end and then brings up the incident at the Trident where Nymeria ended up attacking Joffrey.

Sansa insists that she's nothing like Arya and claims that Arya is the one with the traitor's blood. Sansa swears that she's the good one and says they can ask Septa Mordane to verify this.

Cersei tells Sansa that she believes her and tells the council that if Ned's family can be kept in line then maybe they won't have anything to worry about. Pycelle points out that Ned has three sons but Littlefinger thinks that Catelyn and the Tullys are likely the bigger danger.

Cersei instructs Sansa to write letters to Catelyn and Robb telling them about what has happened with Ned. She tells Sansa to urge them both to keep the peace. Pycelle says that if Sansa loves them then she'll encourage them to stay loyal to the crown. Cersei emphasizes that Sansa is to tell her mother that she's in the care of the Lannisters and that she is presently being well treated. Sansa hesitates and asks if she might first speak to her father about everything. Cersei gets all icy with Sansa in response and tells her that she is disappointed that Sansa would still want to see her father after everything that they've told her Ned has done.

Sansa gets teary here and brokenly says that she really just wants to see her father to make sure that he's all right. She can't bring herself to fully say it but it's fairly clear that she thinks he could be seriously injured or possibly even dead.

Cersei says that Ned hasn't been hurt and Sansa asks what will become of her father. Pycelle says that Ned's fate is a matter for the King to decide and Sansa feels relieved now because she is certain that Joffrey will listen to her pleas on her father's behalf. She knows that Ned will still have to be punished but thinks that maybe there's a chance that he'll simply be sent back to Winterfell or maybe exiled to one of the Free Cities. Sansa thinks that once she's Queen she'll be able to talk Joffrey into letting her father come home eventually.

Sansa feels determined now to try to get her mother and Robb not to do anything treasonous and tells Cersei that she'll write the necessary letters. She ultimately writes four letters with the other two going to Lysa and Hoster Tully respectively.

By the time Sansa returns to her rooms, Jeyne and all of Jeyne's things have been taken away. Sansa thinks to herself that she's happy that she doesn't have to deal with Jeyne's crying anymore but also feels that it's a lot colder now that she's on her own. She loses herself for awhile reading some of her favorite stories like the one about Florian and Jonquil.

It's only when Sansa is going to sleep that night that she realizes that she forgot to ask any questions about Arya.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Avaleigh

[Holmbo]

This is perhaps the most unlikable Sansa is in any chapter.

" She had grown up to the sound of steel in the yard, and scarcely a day of her life had passed without hearing the clash of sword on sword, yet somehow knowing that the fighting was real made all the difference in the world."

Somehow :D

Though I agree with the opinions people had in the sullying thread that Sansa having gone to the queen can't have made much of a difference. Ned had already forced her hand.

Why was the bells ringing on the second day? Bob must already be dead by then. Unless they started fighting a day before he died and Ned didn't notice :D

[John Potts]

Funny, I have absolutely no recollection of Jeyne Poole (it is Jeyne Poole not Jeyne Westerling? They're both such nonentities that I have trouble remembering which is which) being quite so prominent. Though I do remember thinking that I wanted to slap some sense into Sansa for being such a naïve girl until I remember she is still a girl, not even a teenager at this point (not that the concept of a teenager really exists in Westeros). One thing I think that the show gets wrong and the books get right is

that Sansa does in fact wise up (a bit) during the books, which she mostly fails to do on the show.

 

Also love the fact that just like Arya tends to forget to worry about/pray for Sansa, Sansa forgets about Arya here. For all their differences, occasionally they're just the same!

 

Avaleigh Sansa is to tell her mother that she's in the care of the Lannisters and that she is presently being well treated

 

 

I love the mention of "PRESENTLY being well treated". Catelyn wouldn't miss the implicit barely concealed threat, even if Sansa does.

Edited August 2, 2015 by John Potts

[Avaleigh]

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. :)

I agree that it seems like there was some delay with the ringing of the bells for Robert.

What I find interesting about Sansa and Jeyne is how Sansa can recognize in Jeyne qualities that she doesn't necessarily see in herself. Sansa can see Jeyne's silliness, her dreamy nature, her naivete but it seems like Sansa rolls her eyes at Jeyne in a way a lot of readers roll their eyes at Sansa.

The part where Sansa is somewhat unsympathetic to me is the way that she's almost hysterically suggesting that Arya is the daughter with the blood of a traitor. That was like a breakdown in room 101 and Sansa hasn't even seen how bad shit can get yet. Plus it's like while she can recognize that she and her family are in danger she can't seem to extend this concern to her sister Arya. In this moment she doesn't particularly care if her sister is the one who will end up facing serious consequences for having the blood of a traitor. She could have defended herself without throwing Arya under the bus but it was like she couldn't help herself from going there.

All that being said, my heart did go out to Sansa when she said they could ask Septa Mordane about the fact that she's the good daughter between herself and her sister. After x amount of years of hearing Septa Mordane praise her while criticizing Arya it's no wonder that Sansa would begin to feel that maybe she is the "good" one.

I also felt sad when Sansa was trying to explain to them that Jeyne is a sweet girl who just wants to know what has happened to her father. (Pycelle doesn't exactly score points with me in this scene but I did note that he's the only one who at least seems to appreciate how sadly, terribly, and permanently disrupted this girl's life is. He doesn't say anything but at least he appears to feel bad or at maybe it's some sort of shame but at least it's something. )

My what if is what if Varys had volunteered to find a place for Jeyne? Would her life have turned out better? I almost wish that this could have happened.

I too didn't remember Jeyne's role being quite so prominent in the first book.

I have to admit that if I could magically have it done over again that I'd have the show include the character of Jeyne. I think having her around really helps explain some of the dynamic between Sansa and Arya. Arya feels left out when Sansa and Jeyne are closely chatting and giggling together and Jeyne is a person who would tease Arya while Sansa would sit by and not really defend her sister. Sansa in some ways wishes that she could have a sister like Jeyne or later Margaery but at the same time there is a part of Sansa that enjoys when she feels that she's acting in the way that Arya would and she thinks this to herself on at least three separate occasions in this book so far.

I also think it would have been nice to be able to have Jeyne's journey contrasted with the journeys of Sansa and Arya. Jeyne could have been our eyes into brothel life and Jeyne could have fulfilled some of the function of Ros. I think the concern might have been that focusing too much on Jeyne would have somehow been at the expense of the characters of the Stark daughters but I don't think that this would necessarily have to have been the case.

[nodorothyparker]

I really have to remind myself in this chapter that Sansa is an 11-year-old girl.  If I can keep that firmly in mind, I can see how painfully naive and completely unprepared she is for any of this and that she's mostly just grasping at any straw she can find, where if I don't I find myself wanting to slap her for almost hysterically tossing her sister under the bus and being able to seriously think that after everything that has happened that her TRU LUV Joffrey is going to make it all right.

 

I don't blame Sansa for what happened with Ned either.  Her informing Cersei that Ned was shipping his household home post haste likely helped her firm up her timeline for what had to happen the moment Robert was dead, but Ned had already played the "I know about the twincest" card and was writing letters to Stannis. Knowing how information got passed around the Red Keep, she probably also had a pretty good idea that he'd met with Renly and Littlefinger if Littlefinger hadn't told her himself.  His fate was already sealed.

[benteen]

It would have been better for Jeyne if she had been killed in the attack than had lived.  What he had done to Jeyne is perhaps the best example of how cruel, evil and deplorable Littlefinger really is.  It's one of his worst crimes and one of the many reasons I hope he meets a fitting end, although I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

[Avaleigh]

I hope Sansa and Jeyne meet again one day. If Jeyne tells Sansa that Littlefinger is the one who took her and forced her to become a sex slave I wonder if that could be something to help get Sansa to see just how horrible Littlefinger is and that he's easily as monstrous as a lot of other characters she files under that category.

[SeanC]

For most of the book Sansa has been try to see the world as she wants to see it, but this chapter is where that goes from being purely aspirational to a defensive mechanism.  When she talks about the sound of battle, etc., you can feel her desperately fighting off any sign that things have gone completely to hell -- and hence her trying to discredit Jeyne's reaction, when in fact Jeyne has a much better understanding of what's going on.

 

There's been considerable speculation on this particular point, but I don't think Sansa really remembers the details of this conversation later in the series.  Hence, why she never even thinks about asking Baelish about Jeyne.  Sansa was undergoing a lot of trauma around this time (and for the foreseeable future), and unlike the reader she doesn't have this whole conversation written down to revisit later.

It would have been better for Jeyne if she had been killed in the attack than had lived.  What he had done to Jeyne is perhaps the best example of how cruel, evil and deplorable Littlefinger really is.  It's one of his worst crimes and one of the many reasons I hope he meets a fitting end, although I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

Littlefinger deserves all the condemnation he gets for what's done to Jeyne, but one should also remember that Cersei is as, if not more, culpable, since she was the one who gave her to Littlefinger with a clear understanding as to what he was going to do with her, when there was no reason to.  Pretty much anything could have been done with Jeyne instead.  She's yet another victim of Cersei's total disdain for any woman who isn't her (or Myrcella, I guess).

Edited August 2, 2015 by SeanC

[benteen]

You're right, Cersei deserves as much of the blame as Littlefinger with what happened to Jeyne.

[Hecate7]

My favorite part of this chapter is definitely the memory of the crypts. It's unsettling to think thatthey're looking at where their own tombs will be one day. It's interesting too that Robb doesn't seem to think that he'll be the only one of his siblings to end up down there.

Weary Traveler, I think your thoughts about the overall importance of the crypts to Jon's story made me take more notice of this memory than I might have otherwise. I love that Jon is in therole of a Ghost hers. I wonder if there will be anything to Arya being able to see Jon for who he truly is.

As for the age thing with the Stark kids, this was a scene where I feel like all of the characters should be a bit older. It's like, really, five year old Arya is the one who easily sees through Jon's disguise? I guess.

I'm curious if Arya believesthe stable boy's comment about her father being dead. She seems so ready to leave on her own like she doesn't think she should try to wait or anything.

Poor Tom. Guy was looking forward to seeing his wife again. Poor woman.

If Syrio doesn't flee from a fight and Trant survives the encounter then that does suggest that Syrio died. Why would Syrio let Trant live? I don't think he took over his identity and it's hard to imagine him fleeing but maybe he fled Trant in order to try to protect Arya? It was definitely set up in a way to suggest that he *might* have survived.

 

Maybe Trant fled.

I hope Sansa and Jeyne meet again one day. If Jeyne tells Sansa that Littlefinger is the one who took her and forced her to become a sex slave I wonder if that could be something to help get Sansa to see just how horrible Littlefinger is and that he's easily as monstrous as a lot of other characters she files under that category.

 

Unlikely. Most people in Sansa's place simply wouldn't believe Jeyne. They'd see it as attention-seeking or gold-digging, trying to bring down a powerful man out of jealousy or greed. Sansa might be a little different having been abused by Joffrey without anyone really getting it, but that's never a guarantee that a woman is going to listen to or believe another woman's story, especially if the abuser is someone she depends on. More likely if she heard Jeyne's story and then got a few pieces of the Ned Stark story, she'd figure it out.

[Holmbo]

But Jeyne was her best friend for many years. It's not like she'd be just some opportunistic peasant trying to sow discontent.

[SeanC]

Unlikely. Most people in Sansa's place simply wouldn't believe Jeyne. They'd see it as attention-seeking or gold-digging, trying to bring down a powerful man out of jealousy or greed. Sansa might be a little different having been abused by Joffrey without anyone really getting it, but that's never a guarantee that a woman is going to listen to or believe another woman's story, especially if the abuser is someone she depends on. More likely if she heard Jeyne's story and then got a few pieces of the Ned Stark story, she'd figure it out.

Jeyne was Sansa's best friend, to whom she was closer than her own sister. Moreover, Sansa knows that Littlefinger is a devious guy - she just doesn't know the extent to which he has been acting against her own family and friends.