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

[John Potts]

The thing that strikes me: Jorah returned Longclaw to his father. Given I presume he didn't do so in person (I can't imagine the Old Bear would be all "Oh you've decided to go into exile? Sure, no biggee!") you have to wonder who he trusted that task to - I doubt he (metaphorically) tossed the keys to his Ferrari and asked some random stranger to drop it off at the wall!

[WearyTraveler]

The thing that strikes me: Jorah returned Longclaw to his father. Given I presume he didn't do so in person (I can't imagine the Old Bear would be all "Oh you've decided to go into exile? Sure, no biggee!") you have to wonder who he trusted that task to - I doubt he (metaphorically) tossed the keys to his Ferrari and asked some random stranger to drop it off at the wall!

 

Probably to Maege, or one of her daughters.  My guess is he left it and the women decided that the Old Bear, having "lost" his son and being on the Wall would need it more than they did.  They trusted that upon the Old Bear's death his sword would be returned to the family (as Ned returned Arthur Dayne's sword).  I hope the Lord Commander sent a raven to Bear Island letting them know he was giving his sword to Jon.

 

ETA:  There's also the possibility that Jeor, upon being informed that Jorah had left the sword, went to get it himself.  The NW is not a prison.  They do go leave the Wall to go to other places in Westeros.  The Lord Commander might not leave for a trip to King's Landing, as that might take him away from his post for too long, but Bear Island is a lot closer.  Benjen, who was Head Ranger, went to Winterfell, which is a lot farther from the Wall than Bear Island (I think, but if it's not farther, it probably is about the same distance).

Edited August 23, 2015 by WearyTraveler

[Avaleigh]

Daenerys VII

 

Khal Drogo's khalasar has just destroyed a Lhazareen town and Dany is now riding through what remains of it. The level of destruction inflicted on the Lhazareen people is brutal and there are dead animals and bodies everywhere. Meanwhile those who are wounded are being taken out with axes by the so-called mercy men. The other survivors are now slaves in Drogo's khalasar.

As Dany takes in the scene, she feels pity for the people and thinks to herself that she still remembers what terror felt like. She sees one poor boy who tries to make a run for it only to be cruelly played with and whipped by a circle of riders until they get bored of torturing the kid and finally put an arrow in his back.

 

Ser Jorah is dressed in his armor and it seems that some of the Dothraki riders gave him a little bit of shit for that since they think wearing armor is cowardly. Jorah ends up killing the guy who was the loudest about taunting him.

 

Jorah tells Dany that Drogo is waiting for her inside of the town and Dany asks if Drogo has been hurt at all. Jorah says that Drogo got a few cuts but it isn't anything serious.

 

Drogo has just killed two khals and completely annihilated their khalasar. Dany thinks about how Khal Ogo and his son Fogo attended her wedding.

 

It seems that Khal Ogo's khalasar had been attacking this Lhazareen town when Khal Drogo and everyone showed up. Drogo's side ended up smashing both groups and now his men are going around brutalizing and raping.

 

Dany sees one girl in the process of being gang raped so she turns her head away and tells herself that she's the blood of the dragon.

 

Even though some of Ogo's riders were able to flee, Jorah says that Drogo now has some ten thousand captives. Dany thinks about how they're going to be sold into slavery and thinks she wants to cry. She tells herself that this is the price for wanting to take the Iron Throne.

 

Jorah has advised Drogo to head for Meereen because they're in need of slaves due to a plague and would be willing to pay top value.

 

Dany hears another girl being raped and is moved by the girl's cries. She asks Jorah to make the men stop. Jorah seems confused at first and then tells her that this is the way that it works with these people. They think because they've shed blood for their Khal that they deserve these sorts of rewards.

 

The girl Dany sees being raped is now being raped by another man and one of Drogo's bloodriders says they shouldn't care about this girl because she's one of the Lhazareen. They go so far as to say that the girl is being "honored" by being in this situation. Then the bloodrider actually offers to cut out the girl's tongue to stop her screaming, thinking that this might please his Khaleesi.

 

Dany insists that the girl not be harmed and says that she claims her. She asks the bloodriders to do as she commands or she'll tell on them to Drogo. Dany asks Jorah to go with the bloodriders and Jorah tells Dany that she truly is her brother's sister. Dany is confused thinking that Jorah is referring to Viserys but Jorah clarifies and tells her that he means Rhaegar before riding off to join the bloodriders.

 

Jhogo ends up shouting at the rapists to stop and has to decapitate one guy in order to get the message across. Dany can see that Jhogo is explaining to the others that these are Dany's orders and it's clear that the men are pissed that she's keeping them from doing anymore raping.

 

Jorah gets the rapist off of the woman and Aggo then kills the guy with an arrow to the throat.

 

Dany has Doreah see to the woman who has been raped and then heads into the wreckage of the town. Lots of houses are on fire and there are numerous corpses everywhere. They pass a lot of women being raped so Dany gets the men to help her put an end to it by claiming the women as slaves. One woman thanks Dany in the Common Tongue for helping her but the others are suspicious of Dany's intentions and fear that she has something more horrible planned for them. 

 

Jorah tells her that she can't possibly claim all of these women and Dany reminds Jorah of her titles and tells him that he can't tell her what to do because she's the blood of the dragon and stuff.

 

When they finally reach Drogo, Dany sees that his arm is wounded but Drogo blows it off as no more than a scratch. Dany fawns a bit over Drogo and tells him that she knows no man stand before him when it comes to battle.

 

The men complain to Drogo about Dany taking their spoils so Drogo asks Dany to tell him what's going on. She tells him what she did and he explains to her that this is the way of war. Dany tries to compromise and asks Drogo why the women can't be taken as wives so that they can have proper places in the khalasar. Bloodrider Qotho laughs in Dany's face as she suggests this and arrogantly says that horses don't breed with mere sheep. Dany thinks to herself that this guy reminds her of Viserys so she tells him that dragons eat horses and sheep alike. Drogo gets a kick out of this and likes how fierce Dany is becoming.

 

Drogo tells Qotho to get over it and tells the other guy to find another woman to have because the women that Dany is protecting now essentially belong to her.

 

As Drogo reaches out to touch Dany, she can see that he is in pain and wants a healer to see to his wound. One of the women that Dany has saved from more rape volunteers to see to Drogo's wounds. Qotho wants to have the woman's tongue cut out for daring to suggest such a thing. Dany reminds Qotho that the woman is hers and asks the woman to speak.

 

The woman introduces herself as Mirri Maz Duur and says that she was the godswife of the temple in the town. Haggo says that the woman is a maegi and maegi are said to be women who practice the darkest sorts of sorcery.

 

Qotho puts it to Drogo and says that they should kill Mirri and wait for the eunuchs to see to his wound.

 

"My mother was godswife before me, and taught me all the songs and spells most pleasing to the Great Shepherd, and how to make the sacred smokes and ointments from leaf and root and berry. When I was younger and more fair, I went in caravan to Asshai by the Shadow, to learn from their mages. Ships from many lands come to Asshai, so I lingered long to study the healing ways of distant peoples. A moonsinger of the Jogos Nhai gifted me with her birthing songs, a woman of your own riding people taught me the magics of grass and corn and horse, and a maester from the Sunset Lands opened a body for me and showed me all the secrets that hide beneath the skin."

 

Based on what Mirri is saying, Jorah believes that she probably did train with a maester and says that these guys do know about healing.

 

When Mirri makes a comment about how she was meant to heal "lambs" wherever she may find them, Qotho slaps her in the face and says that Dothraki aren't sheep. Dany tells him to stop and again reminds Qotho that Mirri is hers now.

 

Mirri tells Drogo that his wound is going to fester so Drogo allows her to see to it. Mirri says that all of her healing tools are back at the temple, so they all end up going over there. When they get inside the temple, Mirri has Drogo lay on the altar and then tells the rest that it will be better if they wait outside. The bloodriders make it clear that they aren't leaving and Qotho warns Mirri that if she messes up and hurts their Khal that she's going to suffer.

 

Dany tells Qotho that Mirri isn't going to do any harm and thinks that she can trust the woman because Dany saved her from her rapists.

 

Mirri says that if they're going to stay then they can help her. She asks them to hold Drogo down so that she can remove the arrow. As Mirri tends to him, it's clear that Drogo is in pain from what she's doing but he keeps himself from screaming. When she's done she says that there will be scar and Drogo tells the woman that he sings about his scars so it isn't a big deal to him. Mirri advises him to not drink wine or milk of the poppy. Drogo says that he's the Khal so he can drink whatever he likes.

 

Dany asks Mirri if she'd be willing to assist her with her labor once her due date approaches and Drogo seems amused that Dany is asking Mirri as opposed to telling her since the woman is now one of their slaves. Drogo's ready to ride so they all leave the temple and as they're heading out, Qotho reminds Mirri that she'll suffer the same fate as their Khal if she's done anything to harm him.

 

Mirri tells Qotho that's fine and mentions to him that the Great Shepherd is guarding the flock.

[benteen]

It's interesting that Drogo's injury is a little more severe in the books while on the show it is "but a flesh wound."

[Lady S.]

Man, that Drogo is such a romantic figure with his raping and pillaging and selling children into slavery. I'm so torn up about Dany's impending widowhood. But you know who else comes off as a swell guy? Jorah with his advice that the Meereenese brothels are "paying double for healthy young girls, and triple for boys under ten." /sarcasm 

 

Anyway, interesting that Mirri, like Mel, studied in Asshai and that the maester she met was named Marwyn as in

Marwyn the Mage, who shows up in Feast.

ETA:

The thing that strikes me: Jorah returned Longclaw to his father. Given I presume he didn't do so in person (I can't imagine the Old Bear would be all "Oh you've decided to go into exile? Sure, no biggee!") you have to wonder who he trusted that task to - I doubt he (metaphorically) tossed the keys to his Ferrari and asked some random stranger to drop it off at the wall!

Jeor said his sister returned it to keeping. Seems kinda rude tbh that he then gave it away while Maege was off at war. Even assuming he sent a raven off to Bear Island to her daughters and grandkids, it's a fait acclompli that the ancestral sword is gone from the family, complete with the bear being removed from the pommel. Edited August 26, 2015 by Lady S.

[Avaleigh]

Out of all of the chapters in this book, this was easily the least enjoyable to read so far. I basically have moments where I dislike or outright loathe pretty much all of the characters here. 

 

There's Dany and her blood of the dragon bullshit meanwhile she's irritated with similar superior nonsense coming from Qotho without seeming as though she recognizes it in herself. Yet she can recognize it in Qotho, Viserys, and others. 

 

Yes, she reflects on how this is the price to take the Iron Throne but she just doesn't seem that broken up about it at the end of the day. Seeing that boy who tried to run for it being toyed with before he's ruthlessly killed--she didn't seem all that disturbed. 

 

Irri (and likely Jhiqui) isn't upset about what she's seeing, and is apparently used to it. The bloodrider saying that the woman being gang raped is being honored. Seeing that the Dothraki khalasars refuse to respect one another unless they're at Vaes Dothrak--these people truly suck IMO. The idea of them wreaking havoc in Westeros is something that is just impossible for me to root for. 

 

Jorah sounded like a complete Littlefinger worthy slimebag with that comment about brothels wanting to buy the healthy young boys and girls. He's also still totally fine with people being enslaved and doesn't so much as blink about all of the rape in general. I can understand him thinking that Dany is fighting a losing battle and that he might have been speaking out of concern for her but I think it would have been nice if he'd at least been described as looking troubled or looking as though he thinks it's in bad taste. It's not that I'm expecting him to be enlightened but I feel like there are other male characters in the story who would have been a lot more troubled by the scene even if they didn't necessarily do anything about it. 

 

It's frustrating too to know that asshole Qotho is dead on about Mirri Maz Duur. 

 

About Drogo's injury, it definitely seems more serious in the book, I agree. I didn't remember him losing a nipple.

 

I was surprised too that Marwyn was the maester. Probably the most interesting bit of information from the chapter. 

[nodorothyparker]

I don't much love this chapter either because up until this point in the book, it's fairly obvious that we're following this group far removed from the main story back in Westeros because they're eventually going to become important, say through an invasion to be named later.  And we're clearly supposed to be rooting for Dany and company because she's tough and managed to outlast assholes like her brother.  After this chapter, though, pretty much everybody in the Essos crew looks like an asshole too and you don't want them or their Dothraki horde anywhere near the seven kingdoms.  I'm also reminded that most of anything I like about Jorah is because of Iain Glenn and not so much of anything the book character says or does.

 

I think we're supposed to see it as a victory that Dany is running around scooping up all the raped women.  It certainly does make her look better in comparison that at least this really bit of awfulness happening around her is registering, even if it takes her long enough.  But at the same time, it's clear from the reactions of all the men, including Drogo, that they're not really taking her seriously and that there's likely to be fallout later from her depriving the men of their spoils.  This, along with immediately trusting Mirri Maz Duur, makes her come off as rather naive. 

Edited August 26, 2015 by nodorothyparker

[Lady S.]

It also kinda says something about how messed up her marriage to Drogo was (and how desensitized she is to Dothraki culture after living among them for however many months), that she would ask Drogo why his men can't at least marry the women they're raping. Reading this, it's hard for me to imagine that Evil Santa really meant for Dany/Drogo to be entirely consensual and romantic, and I feel pretty safe in interpreting that painful period where she was losing the will to live as marital rape.

I've realized that even in Dany's pre-Meereen days, I've just kinda lost interest on re-reads. I remember all of this being pretty interesting my first time through s1, but re-living the plot on-page just doesn't do much for me.

Edited August 26, 2015 by Lady S.

[Holmbo]

I also wonder if a reread of Dany is less interesting because we know it's not going anywhere. With a lot of the pov we're introduced to people and information which we know now will be important later. But Dany's story in the first book is in a way just a red herring so far. Even if the Dothraki have a part in the story to come I doubt they will ever be as important as the Others or the politics in kingslanding.

[nodorothyparker]

I tend to heavily skim or completely skip most of Dany's chapters on rereads.  Sure, there are high points along the way I'll give a go if I happen to remember them, but for the most part no.  Because five books later, here we still are and we can probably safely assume that most of the people she's met along the way aren't going to be important if she ever remembers she's got someplace else she's supposed to be.

 

You know, I'm not a huge Stark fan but I don't feel that way about their chapters at all.  Even with poor doomed Ned, there's so much going on in their chapters with so much backstory and so much setup for what's to come.

[Avaleigh]

Yeah, I was surprised how bored I was by this chapter. The upcoming Tyrion one should be good though and I think we get the introduction of Shae so that might be interesting. I've been curious about her character ever since GRRM made it seem like there might be more to her that we haven't learned yet. I can't recall now when/where he said this but I definitely remember getting the impression that we might eventually learn something about her background or who else she might have been connected to. I know he was talking about show Shae when he made the comment. 

 

I'll post the next one tonight or tomorrow for sure. Sorry I've been slacking a bit. I'm ready to move on to ACoK. 

[Holmbo]

I'm not actually reading along anymore since I felt after the introduction of all the characters and settings was over I had very few new thoughts on each chapter. I've already read the book many times and Avaleight's summaries makes me remember what happened in which chapter.

I don't remember that much of my first read but I think Dany was my favorite. When reading this chapter for the first time I can imagine I expected her to learn and grow in the future, to see things with more perspective. But in 5 books she really hasn't changed.

Edited August 26, 2015 by Holmbo

[Avaleigh]

Tyrion VIII

 

Tywin and all of the VIPs in his camp are having dinner outside of his pavilion. Tyrion gets there late and feels self conscious about his waddling walk as he approaches the table. He apologizes for being late and thinks to himself that he wants to get wasted later.

 

Tywin is unimpressed with Tyrion's tardiness and suggests that perhaps Tyrion should be tasked with burying their dead since it's possible that the fighting could be over before Tyrion arrives for the battle. Tyrion is clearly annoyed at being given shit over being late to dinner and replies that Tywin should surely be able to save a peasant or two for Tyrion to kill.

 

Tywin says that the Stark host has moved south from the Twins and that Lord Frey's men have joined. He tells them that Robb and his men are about a day's march away.

 

Tyrion complains that he's trying to eat and this makes Tywin wonder if Tyrion is feeling scared at the idea of facing this teenage kid in battle. Lord Lefford comments that he hopes Tyrion's clans men aren't as reluctant as Tyrion seems to be when it comes to fighting. Tyrion replies that his men will put their new steel to excellent use and soon finds out from Kevan that he and his men will be expected to be in the vanguard.

 

Tyrion is dismayed to hear this and basically thinks that his father is hoping that he ends up dying in the battle. Kevan says that Tyrion's men seem pretty fierce and suggests that they'll probably be able to handle themselves. Tyrion admits that his men are ferocious but also points out how difficult they are to control.

 

Tywin tells Tyrion that if his men are undisciplined then the fault lies with Tyrion as he is their commander. Tyrion asks Tywin if he's trying to say that Tyrion would be able to have more discipline over his men if he weren't a dwarf but Tywin doesn't answer. Instead he turns to Kevan and says that if Tyrion's men won't obey his command then perhaps the vanguard isn't the place for him after all. He suggests Tyrion would be more comfortable guarding their baggage train.

 

Angry and frustrated, Tyrion says that he doesn't want Tywin doing him any favors and says that he'll lead the van. Tywin rubs more salt in the wound and tells Tyrion that he didn't say anything about giving him the command. He says that Tyrion will serve under Gregor Clegane. Tyrion spits out the food that he was chewing and says that he's no longer hungry. He excuses himself from the table and Tywin completely dismisses him. He can tell that they're all watching him as he leaves and once he's gone he hears them all starting to laugh. He thinks to himself that he hopes they choke on their food.

 

Tyrion walks through the camp and thinks that even though there are twenty thousand people there that he still feels totally alone.

 

He passes the area where the Stone Crows are hanging out and Shagga invites Tyrion to join them for dinner. Shagga is laughing and seems like he's in a good mood. He says they have an ox so Tyrion tells him to have someone fetch him once everything is cooked.

 

Tyrion heads back to his tent and finds Bronn outside of it along with his new servants and squire.

 

His squire, a boy with the unfortunate name of Podrick Payne, swallowed whatever he had been about to say. The lad was a distant cousin to Ser Ilyn Payne, the king's headsman . . . and almost as quiet, although not for want of a tongue. Tyrion had made him stick it out once, just to be certain. "Definitely a tongue," he had said. "Someday you must learn to use it."

 

There's also a girl with them who looks to be about eighteen. She says that her name is Shae and makes it clear that she's a prostitute. Apparently Bronn was tasked with finding a camp follower for Tyrion and Shae is who he ended up finding. He instructed Bronn to warn her beforehand that he's a dwarf. It seems that Tyrion never again wants to experience the look of disappointment on the face of a woman after they see that he's a dwarf.

 

They head into the tent and Tyrion looks over Shae's body and asks her if she's a virgin. She tells him that she can play the maiden if that's what he's into but he says he just wants to know the truth. Shae responds that the truth is going to cost him double so, once she says this, Tyrion decides that they're going to get along perfectly.

 

Shae listens as Tyrion gives her the rundown of what all will be expected of her while she's with him. She says that his demands are fair enough and proceeds to undress for him.

 

They have sex and Tyrion suspects that she's faking when she acts as though she likes it, but he doesn't really care. Tyrion hasn't been able to have sex since before they all left for Winterfell and thinks this might even be his last chance since there's every possibility that he could be killed in the battle the next day.

 

After they're finished, Tyrion starts humming a song and Shae asks him about it. He says that it's a song he learned when he was a boy.

 

Tyrion leaves a sleeping Shae and heads outside. He asks Bronn where he found her and Bronn says that he got Shae from a knight who was reluctant to give her up. Tyrion is like, great, and tells Bronn that he doesn't exactly need any extra enemies at the moment.

 

They banter around for a bit and Tyrion asks Bronn to help make sure that he survives the battle. He says that Bronn can name his reward if they both come out of the fighting alive. Bronn asks Tyrion who would want to kill him anyway and Tyrion replies that his father is one such person and explains that he's been put in the vanguard. Bronn points out that Tyrion being a little man with a small shield is going to be tough for an archer to take out. Tyrion tells Bronn that he finds him to be curiously cheering.

 

Tyrion goes back inside his tent and Shae is awake again. He asks her about the man that Bronn took her from and it seems this guy is the son minor lord, so Shae tells him he shouldn't have anything to worry about. She comments that the guy was a small man so Tyrion wonders if that makes him a giant. Shae tells him that he's her "giant of Lannister" and proceeds to ride him until Tyrion thinks to himself that he actually believes it.

 

They are awoken abruptly to the sound of trumpets and it's clear that a battle is about to take place.

 

Tyrion yells for his squire to help him get ready but Pod is fast asleep so Tyrion ends up kicking the kid in the ribs to get him to wake up.

 

Bronn soon approaches and he's already on his horse and dressed in his armor. He informs Tyrion that Robb's host is less than a mile away. Tyrion tells Bronn to make sure that all of the men from the clans are ready.

 

At Casterly Rock Tyrion has a suit of armor that was specially made for him, but here he's forced to wear stuff that mostly doesn't fit.

 

As Tyrion is getting ready to leave he tells Shae to cry if he ends up dying. She asks him how he'll know since he'll be dead but Tyrion insists that he'll somehow know and Shae tells him that she believes this. She also tells him that he looks fierce in all of his mismatched armor. Tyrion at least knows that she's full of shit with this comment but thanks her for being kind anyway.

 

Tyrion is totally nervous now and wonders to himself if Jaime ever contemplates death before a battle.

 

A warhorn sounds in the distance as Tyrion joins up with the clansmen and Tyrion notes that several of the men are drunk.

 

Ser Kevan is leading the center of the army and Tywin is stationed on the hill where his pavilion is so that he'll be able to watch the progress of the battle.

 

Even from afar, his lord father was resplendent. Tywin Lannister's battle armor put his son Jaime's gilded suit to shame. His greatcloak was sewn from countless layers of cloth-of-gold, so heavy that it barely stirred even when he charged, so large that its drape covered most of his stallion's hindquarters when he took the saddle. No ordinary clasp would suffice for such a weight, so the greatcloak was held in place by a matched pair of miniature lionesses crouching on his shoulders, as if poised to spring. Their mate, a male with a magnificent mane, reclined atop Lord Tywin's greathelm, one paw raking the air as he roared. All three lions were wrought in gold, with ruby eyes. His armor was heavy steel plate, enameled in a dark crimson, greaves and gauntlets inlaid with ornate gold scrollwork. His rondels were golden sunbursts, all his fastenings were gilded, and the red steel was burnished to such a high sheen that it shone like fire in the light of the rising sun.

 

The drumming has started and Tyrion briefly thinks about how Robb looked when he last saw him at Winterfell. He starts thinking about the scary encounter he had with the direwolves and is concerned that Robb has brought the direwolves with him into battle.

 

The van is massing and Bronn thinks it'll be beneficial for them to follow Gregor Clegane into battle since Gregor is so huge that he'll be an easy target for the archers.

 

Gregor tells the men that he will personally cut down anyone who tries to make a run for it. 

 

Tyrion instructs the men to stay close to the river and to make sure that they don't let the enemy get in between them and the water.

 

Shagga acknowledges Tyrion's instructions by smashing his axes together and shouting "Halfman!" The other clansmen starting shouting "Halfman!" too with the exception of the Burned Men who limit themselves to rattling their spears and swords.

 

Tyrion's heart is pounding and he's breaking out in a cold sweat. He also sees that the vanguard is filled with men who are more or less considered to be the dregs of the west. Bronn mutters to Tyrion that these men are clearly going to be food for the crows.

 

Bronn draws his sword and the enemy is now in view and rapidly advancing towards them. Tyrion spots the standards of Houses Stark, Karstark, Frey, Hornwood, and others but doesn't see Robb Stark.

 

A warhorn from the northern side sounds and the Lannister trumpets answer in response. Tyrion feels queasy now and hopes that he doesn't die being sick.

 

The northerners are running towards the Lannister side but they soon have arrows raining down on them. Tyrion shouts to the clansmen about keeping to the river but they soon ride ahead of the Halfman and totally leave him in the dust.

 

The Mountain ends up breaking through a wall of spears with his massive horse so even though he loses his mount, Clegane ends up being uninjured.

 

Tyrion tries again to get the clansmen behind him but most of them are still ahead of him. Arrows are coming down on them again but Tyrion isn't sure which side they're coming from. He notes that these arrows are falling on men from both sides.

 

The northerners are beginning to lose and Tyrion watches as Shagga kills a northern spearman. A spear is thrown at Tyrion but his shield ends up catching it. He goes after the man who threw it and gets him off of his feet, but ultimately chooses not to finish him off.

 

Tyrion begins fighting with a tall northerner and the guy tells Tyrion to die a few times before Tyrion finally puts an axe in the man's head.

 

As Tyrion is trying to free his axe he ends up being charged upon by a knight who is shouting "For Eddard and for Winterfell!" The knight both disarms and unhorses Tyrion and asks Tyrion if he yields. Tyrion doesn't answer so the knight tells him that he either has to yield or die. Tyrion stands up and guts the horse so that it ends up falling on the knight. The knight becomes trapped and tells Tyrion that he yields to him.

 

Tyrion is covered in blood and mud and notices that the battle has moved on from where he is. Tyrion tells the knight who is trapped under the horse that the Stark side appears to be losing.

 

Bronn rides up towards Tyrion and Tyrion gives Bronn some shit for not being much help. Bronn replies that Tyrion seems to have done well enough on his own.

 

Tywin has taken the field now with the reserve and whatever is left of the Stark host is quickly shattered.

 

Half of the clansmen are dead including Conn and Ulf. Shagga for his part seems pretty bummed about losing Conn. Chella appears to be uninjured and seems to have killed at least four men since she now has their ears as souvenirs from the battle.

 

Tyrion goes to visit with his father and uncle and Kevan compliments Tyrion saying that his men fought well. Tyrion is chilled by his father's eyes asks Tywin if his men fighting so well screwed up any of his plans, commenting on how he thinks Tywin expected them to be butchered. Tywin explains that he did indeed expect Tyrion's men to quickly fold and says that he was hoping he'd get Robb charge through the gap and then they'd be able to capture him.

 

Tyrion is upset for not being informed but Tywin responds that a feigned rout wouldn't have been very convincing and in any case, Tywin doesn't confide in people who trust sellswords and mountain men. Tyrion sort of sarcastically apologizes to his father for the clansmen upsetting his plans. 

 

Tywin admits that Robb is more cautious than he would have expected for someone so young but he's still happy with their victory.

 

Tywin notices that Tyrion is wounded and just as Tyrion is asking if he might be able to see one of the maesters, Ser Addam Marbrand comes to tell Tywin that they've captured some of the commanders of the Stark side. Roose Bolton has escaped but they have Lord Cerwyn, Harrion Karstark, and Ser Wylis Manderly among others.

 

Tywin asks about Robb and Ser Addam hesitates before answering that Robb is with the greater part of his horse and that they're riding hard for Riverrun.

 

Tyrion wants to laugh as he remembers Tywin talking about how Robb was more likely to be brave than wise.

Edited August 29, 2015 by Avaleigh

[benteen]

I saw season one first before reading the book so I was disappointed that the battle wasn't adapted.  Tyrion's fighting is a little more easier to buy here than at Blackwater where he turns into the second coming of Jaime Lannister.

[Holmbo]

I read an AMA on reddit recently with a man who had no tongue and he said he could speak pretty well without it. After this the idea of people being mute from getting their tongue cut out doesn't really make sense to me.

The descriptions of Tywin's armor make me laugh. I'm reminded of the joke I heard that the reason these people need to fight each other is because their entire economy is based upon armorment making.

[Lady S.]

I saw season one first before reading the book so I was disappointed that the battle wasn't adapted.  Tyrion's fighting is a little more easier to buy here than at Blackwater where he turns into the second coming of Jaime Lannister.

idk, he did survive through having a spike luckily attached to the helmet he was stuck with.

 

Tywin tells Tyrion that if his men are undisciplined then the fault lies with Tyrion as he is their commander.

 

This from the guy who claims Gregor was just being a loose cannon when he raped and murdered Elia. Tywin is so full of bullshit. Also I like how not only did Robb trick Tywin, he likely wouldn't have been tricked by Tywin's planned feigned rout anyway. 

 

ETA:

 "Might I trouble you to send for your maesters? Unless you relish the notion of having a one-armed dwarf for a son . . . "

 

This isn't exact foreshadowing, I know, but Tywin will end up with a one-handed knight for a son.

Edited August 30, 2015 by Lady S.

[Avaleigh]

This chapter was on the long side but I enjoyed it. My only real complaint is that we don't get a description of Tywin's facial expression once he realizes that this green Stark boy has successfully tricked him.

Holmbo, I thought the bit about Tywin's armor was funny too that's why I singled it out. It's just ridiculously ornate. I had similar feelings of amusement during the tourney chapter.

Shagga came off surprisingly well in this chapter. He isn't wasteful. Wanting to keep his old axe after being given two new superior quality ones. He's more welcoming to Tyrion during dinner than Tyrion's own family and their friends. He starts the Halfman moment where they're getting all pumped up. He survives the battle and barely notices that he has a bunch of arrows in him cause he's more upset about Conn not making it. He was clearly sad about the death and I thought that was unexpected.

I love that Chella can just handle herself in this world.

The image of Tywin overlooking the progress of the battle on the hill totally made me think of the White Walkers watching the battle of Hardhome.

If Shae was Tywin's all along how do we explain how Bronn just happened to find her? Isn't it odd that she was with this other minor guy?

I didn't remember Shae being a teenager.

Roose escapes but all of those other guys get themselves captured. I'd be curious to know exactly what happened there.

The show makes less of a thing about Tywin being tricked than the book does.

ETA:

A few other thoughts--

I laughed at Tywin finally noticing that Tyrion is injured and bleeding. You'd sort of think that nice uncle Kevan would be the one to comment.

I can't recall if Pod was introduced at this point in the show or not. I mainly remember this being where Tyrion tells Bronn and Shae about Tysha. Here we just get him humming Tysha's song.

Very surprised that Tyrion has gone so long without sex. No northern brothel visits for him apparently.

Edited August 30, 2015 by Avaleigh

[Holmbo]

If Shae was Tywin's all along how do we explain how Bronn just happened to find her? Isn't it odd that she was with this other minor guy?

I never bought in to the idea that Shae was anything more than she appeared to be, a camp follower who was dreaming of a life of luxury and comfort.

Or at least book Shae. For a while I thought perhaps the show planned to have her working for Tywin.

 

 

Roose escapes but all of those other guys get themselves captured. I'd be curious to know exactly what happened there.

 

I do wonder what Robbs orders were for these guys. Attack and then run away?

In the show it was presented as if Robb sent all of the men to a certain death and I recall viewers joking how that was such a Stark thing of them to go along with it. "March to our deaths? Ok"

It seems a bit unrealistic of the men agreeing to go into a battle they had no way of winning. Or did they think they stood a chance?

[Avaleigh]

I'm reminded of the northern guy who tells Arya that one northerner is worth ten southron men. Maybe they were swayed to march by some silliness like that?

Another thing I liked is how Tyrion's thoughts turn to Jaime and he's wondering if Jaime ever gets nervous or thinks about death before a battle. He's so used to thinking of Jaime as the golden son that he can't help but question whether or not Jaime would ever have a human moment where he contemplate death prior to battle just like I would imagine most people would.

[Lady S.]

 

I do wonder what Robbs orders were for these guys. Attack and then run away?

In the show it was presented as if Robb sent all of the men to a certain death and I recall viewers joking how that was such a Stark thing of them to go along with it. "March to our deaths? Ok"

It seems a bit unrealistic of the men agreeing to go into a battle they had no way of winning. Or did they think they stood a chance?

I wonder about that because the whole point of not giving the Greatjon the command was so they wouldn't rush into their deaths, wasn't it? Forcing an all night march to surprise Tywin sounds like what the Greatjon would have done anyway. Only difference being the Greatjon would have been in the thick of it while Roose led from the rear like Tywin and was able to safely retreat. I don't think Roose was actively planning sabotage against Robb already, but I can imagine he saw some benefit in Lord Hornwood's death and the capture of Manderly and Karstark's sons. Funny how Hornwood and Karstark are his neighbors and Manderly is the richest house in the north, his possible rivals take the brunt of the losses in the attack while none of the Dreadfort men are even seen by Tyrion. The book battle wasn't as mismatched as the show's though, awoiaf says Roose had 17,300 men with 500 of them cavalry. But still the Greatjon-style forced march is notable to me, when they were outnumbered in men and horses and the whole point was to just distract Tywin, not defeat him, and especially since Roose is supposed to be known for more caution. Maybe he was seizing the chance to see other lords take losses in a battle he never expected to win, and the bold attack makes it seem to Robb that he was just trying to win against the odds.

[Avaleigh]

Catelyn X

Catelyn is in the Whispering Wood with a guard of thirty men. It was Robb's preference to have fifty men assigned to protect his mother and escort her back to Winterfell if they end up losing the battle. Catelyn told Robb that she would have preferred having only ten men providing a guard for her since she knows that Robb needs every man, so the compromise of thirty that they end up reaching doesn't satisfy either of them.

Hallis Mollen is the new captain of the Winterfell guard and he's in charge of the thirty men guarding Catelyn. He says it shouldn't be long before before the battle begins. Catelyn knows that death is right around the corner for a bunch of people including herself and Robb.

Catelyn thinks about how she's used to having to wait for the men in her life and how this waiting game started with her father. She evens thinks back to how Brandon Stark told her to wait for him only to never return. With Ned, she remembers how they got married and how he then had to go off to war a couple of weeks later.

She remembers how Robb was born at Riverrun while Ned was still off at war. She thinks about how she's waiting for Robb now. Robb and Jaime Lannister.

According to Brynden Tully, Jaime isn't good at being patient and is a person who gets angry quickly so this should work in their favor.

Catelyn notes that Robb doesn't appear to be scared and is doing what he can to be a strong presence for his men. She thinks about how he's nearly as tall as she is and hopes that he'll live and grow to be taller than his father.

The Lannisters outnumber the Starks three to one but because they've laid siege to Riverrun their men are divided into three camps which are separated by rivers.

A lot of Robb's plan working depends on whether or not Brynden is correct in believing that Jaime has no idea what's up. Brynden swears that he and his men have taken down any ravens sending Jaime word of what they're planning, in addition to killing any outriders who would have given him a heads up.

Brynden swears on his life that Jaime has no idea what's about to be headed his way.

House Mallister has joined up with the Starks so Robb's host is even larger than it was prior to leaving the Twins.

Robb's new squire Olyvar Frey is all kinds of anxious as he helps Robb get ready. He assists Robb in mounting his horse and Robb then tells Catelyn that he's going to ride down the line in order to give courage to the men as Ned would have done. Catelyn wonders who's going to help give her courage but keeps these thoughts to herself. She forces herself to smile at him as she watches him leave. As always. Greywind is by Robb's side and goes off with him.

Catelyn has insisted that her son have a guard of thirty men as well, so it's mostly compromised of the sons of various northern lords including Torrhen Karstark, Daryn Hornwood, and Smalljon Umber. Dacey Mormont, eldest daughter of Maege Mormont, is also part of this group which causes some grumbling among the men, but Catelyn basically tells them to get over it saying that they need to do everything they can to keep Robb alive and in one piece.

Catelyn privately wonders if thirty men or even six thousand will be enough to keep Robb truly safe. She feels a chill when she hears the snow shrikes calling to each other.

They hear the men coming now and Hallis Mollen prays aloud for the gods to be with them.

Catelyn is easily able to spot Jaime from a distance and sees that he isn't even wearing a helm.

Robb looks back at his mother one more time before raising his sword in salute and it is then that a warhorn is sounded to signal that the last of Jaime's men have fallen into the trap.

Grey Wind howls at this point and Catelyn thinks to herself that she actually feels sorry for the Lannisters. She thinks this must be what death sounds like.

Other warhorns sound and suddenly the battle has begun.

Catelyn hears men and horses screaming and hears Robb shouting "Winterfell!".

Catelyn can no longer see what's going on but she can hear the battle and screams and various men pleading for mercy. She hears Grey Wind getting in on the fighting action too and soon, the direwolf's howling is the only thing Catelyn can hear because the battle is over.

Robb rides back to Catelyn on a different horse and he's covered in blood, but it seems that most of the blood is from Torrhen Karstark who was killed in the fighting.

The Greatjon, Theon, and a bunch of other men are dragging Jaime and they throw him to the ground in front of Catelyn. Jaime addresses Catelyn formally and tells her that he'd offer her his sword only he seems to have somehow misplaced it.

Catelyn tells Jaime that it isn't his sword that she wants but various members of her family including her daughters and husband. Jaime tells her he seems to have mislaid them too.

Theon tells Robb that he should take off Jaime's head but Robb says that Jaime is worth more alive than dead. In any case, Robb thinks that Ned would disapprove if he were to kill a prisoner right after battle.

Jaime comments that Ned is a wise and honorable man.

Catelyn tells the men to have Jaime taken away and put into irons, and Robb adds that he wants Jaime to have a guard because Lord Karstark wants to kill him due to what happened to his sons.

Greatjon assures Robb that Jaime will be guarded and escorts a bandaged and chained up Jaime away.

Robb tells Catelyn about how the Karstark sons were killed as well as Daryn Hornwood, and Galbart Glover admits that there's no denying Jaime's courage, pointing out that he very nearly made his way to Robb to cut him down.

Catelyn hears that these men died trying to save Robb and she tries to comfort Robb by saying that these men were doing their duty. She says he can honor and grieve for them later but for now, they have a war they need to win so Robb basically needs to stay focused.

"But such a battle!" said Theon Greyjoy eagerly. "My lady, the realm has not seen such a victory since the Field of Fire. I vow, the Lannisters lost ten men for every one of ours that fell. We've taken close to a hundred knights captive, and a dozen lords bannermen. Lord Westerling, Lord Banefort, Ser Garth Greenfield, Lord Estren, Ser Tytos Brax, Mallor the Dornishman . . . and three Lannisters besides Jaime, Lord Tywin's own nephews, two of his sister's sons and one of his dead brother's . . . "

Catelyn tells Theon that until they deal with Tywin Lannister that their war is far from over.

Robb says that his mother is right and that they still have to deal with the siege of Riverrun.

[benteen]

I remember when watching the show that it was quite a surprise when Jaime was captured.

 

I didn't mind the show not adapting this battle since it's only described in the book over a few pages in very general terms.  We hear more about the details of the battle than actual see them.

 

Theon has no sense of the big picture when he tells Robb they should cut off Jaime's head.

[Avaleigh]

I was hoping that the show would include this battle and make more of a thing of it because it's one of the few opportunities they had to show just how good of a fighter Jaime was. They've done a disservice to Jaime's character on multiple levels and how they portrayed him as a fighter just made him seem average at best.

I liked the mention of Dacey Mormont getting a place in Robb's guard.

Brynden has been incredibly valuable, hasn't he.

[Crossbow]

I'm glad the show doesn't include many battle scenes - I find them very hard to follow. Especially the fight scenes up north, where all participants have long shaggy cloaks and long shaggy hair.

[glowbug]

I'm not a fan of most of the battle scenes either in both the show and the books. I can't follow them and I just don't find them interesting. The exception being Hardhome. That was a great battle and I was fully engaged the entire time. The battle at the Wall that took up an entire episode season four was probably the worst. It was a necessary battle but their execution was awful. I don't think this show has ever bored me that much before or since.

I do think the show could have done a better job with Jamie in general including his fighting skills. He's one of my favorite book characters and the show doesn't do him justice.

[nodorothyparker]

I get bored fairly easily with battle scenes too because I find them hard to follow and after a certain point, it's just our few recognizable characters slashing at unnamed extras. I'm fine with it only taking up a relatively few pages here. Like someone else posted, I remember being surprised that Jaime was captured so early in the series. I obviously knew by then the series was into the fifth book but it made me wonder if maybe the war that the entire first book built up to wasn't going to be as big a deal as I would have thought or maybe he was going to be sacrificed as the Ned Stark character on the Lannister side.

I'll admit that this is where my liking for the character of Jaime starts. There's something about his utter fearlessness combined with the cheek of his answers to Catelyn that made me think there was more to him than the incestuous asshole he'd pretty much been portrayed as to that point, even if it is still going to take us a good long while before we get to any of the good stuff with him.

Edited September 1, 2015 by nodorothyparker

[benteen]

The show has definitely failed at putting over Jaime's fighting skills.  They botched the fight with Brienne pretty good.

[nodorothyparker]

Yes, they very much did.  The writing of that fight is some of the best in the series.

[Avaleigh]

We were still over at TWoP for that totally disappointing fight with Jaime and Brienne. I'm pretty sure it inspired me to rant a bit at the time.;p

Less than ten chapters to go, guys. Dany's up next and then it's the last we see of Ned.

[benteen]

One detail they never quite mention is just how Jaime was captured.  Was he surrounded?  Tackled?  Overwhelmed more like it.

[Avaleigh]

Somebody was able to disarm him and he took some sort of wound since it says that he was bandaged up.

I was surprised he got so close to Robb to the point where the northerners commented on the courage level of a southron Lannister. It would have been cool to see that moment.

Not for the first time during this reread have I had the thought of "Oh shut up, Theon." How can Robb like him so much when young Bran already basically has Theon's number? I used to think that Theon would be different with Robb but it seems like he always had a bad streak in him. I can only imagine what an asshole he would have grown into if he'd been completely raised on the Iron Islands.

[nodorothyparker]

He got close enough to kill the Karstark boys who were supposed to be defending Robb, which we know causes all kinds of headaches to be named later.  I can't remember for certain without going and digging out the book but I've always read that as he got pretty damn close to taking Robb out and somehow got tackled or surrounded.  I would imagine that would leave an impression on the northerners.

 

Theon is wonderfully and consistently shortsighted at every turn.  I don't have to like the character to appreciate the characterization. 

[John Potts]

Having been in a couple of (fake) battles and watched a couple of others (I went to Belgium to see the re-enactment of the Battle of Waterloo for its 200th anniversary, coincidentally on my birthday) I can tell you that the defining feature of every battle: it's almost impossible to tell what's going on. Which I'm sure you're all fascinated by, but my point is: the only way for a commander to direct his troops is to be ultra visible, so Jamie's Golden Amour and Tywin's ridiculously OTT cloak actually make sense - they mean their men can actually see them (which can cut both ways, as it makes you a target for the enemy too).

 

As for how Jamie got captured, well if I'd been writing it, I would have had a simple explanation for that: Jamie was carving his way toward Robb when the Greatjohn punched him to the ground. Plate armour is great at protecting you, but knock them onto their backs and they are incredibly vulnerable and with a load of enemy soldiers ready to leap on him, Jamie'd be screwed.

[Avaleigh]

With that sort of flashy armor it makes even more sense to me why Tywin thinks it's best to chill for awhile on the hill and watch until he's ready to head down with the reserve.

I remember watching Pillars of the Earth and I sort of wondered why King Stephen wore his crown into battle since that ended up helping the other side easily spot and eventually capture him, but I guess I can see the flip side to that too as far as having your side always able to keep you in sight.

[Lady S.]

I was hoping that the show would include this battle and make more of a thing of it because it's one of the few opportunities they had to show just how good of a fighter Jaime was. They've done a disservice to Jaime's character on multiple levels and how they portrayed him as a fighter just made him seem average at best.

I liked the mention of Dacey Mormont getting a place in Robb's guard.

 

I wish they'd better demonstrated Jaime's prowess in the duel with Ned, since they felt the need to have him get into the action there. Make it clear that Ned was going to lose anyway, but Jaime was gradually wearing him down, and one of his men interfered only because the fight was taking too long. Instead, iirc, it came off as a pretty even match. They increased Ned's skills to make him more of a badass for an alpha male showdown, but that's not really his characterization on-page and it takes away from Jaime's superior skills. As for this battle, it was clearly a budget issue, but it would've been cool to see Jaime's last mad charge, cut away as if Robb was in danger, then show Catelyn waiting to find Robb bursting through safe after all and Jaime captured.

 

I think the Dacey Mormont detail and Catelyn's arguing for her is interesting in light of her later meeting with Brienne, and Arya's struggles with strict gender roles. The Mormonts have no men and a tradition of women having to defend themselves, so she doesn't question the women fighting or even whether Dacey is as fit and capable to protect Robb as the men, meaning the idea of women soldiers is acceptable to her but the Mormonts are a special case where necessity has forced them into this role. What's less understandable to her is a daughter choosing this way of life where she'll never be totally accepted by the men around her and will face that adversity on top of all the danger. She has enough trouble with Robb leaving her to go off into battle, but he's only doing what's expected of him and neither of them have much choice about it. 

 

 

One detail they never quite mention is just how Jaime was captured.  Was he surrounded?  Tackled?  Overwhelmed more like it.

If he was unhorsed by the end he'd be pretty out of luck surrounded by men still mounted, that is a major advantage. I think his PoV later mentions something like that when he's ahorse again for the first time.

 

 

Not for the first time during this reread have I had the thought of "Oh shut up, Theon." How can Robb like him so much when young Bran already basically has Theon's number? I used to think that Theon would be different with Robb but it seems like he always had a bad streak in him. I can only imagine what an asshole he would have grown into if he'd been completely raised on the Iron Islands.

I think this instance was more stupid and short-sighted than bad. As for Robb, both his parents had blind spots for the boys they grew up with like brothers so it must be hereditary. (Theon reminds me more of Bobby than Petyr with his womanizing, but even Robert would have been smarter than this.)

 

Funny that you mention Pillars of the Earth, as I've been re-reading that too lately in bored moments. The writing is not great, but the plot reminds me a lot of ASoIaF without the fantasy elements. I thought the mini-series adaptation got a bit OTT at times trying to have Stephen and Maud more involved in the story.

 

Lastly, is it weird to anyone else that Robb's only almost as tall as Catelyn here? Women tend to be shorter than men so I'd expect a 15yo boy to be at least as tall as his mother. For example the interwebs tell me Lena Headey is only 5'5", so both Joffrey and Tommen 2.0 were a little taller than Cersei. If Robb's on the small side than his book age as a warrior feels weirder to me.

Edited September 2, 2015 by Lady S.

[glowbug]

Lastly, is it weird to anyone else that Robb's only almost as tall as Catelyn here? Women tend to be shorter than men so I'd expect a 15yo boy to be at least as tall as his mother. For example the interwebs tell me Lena Headey is only 5'5", so both Joffrey and Tommen 2.0 were a little taller than Cersei. If Robb's on the small side than his book age as a warrior feels weirder to me.

 

I thought it was strange too. I think this may be another example of Martin not being familiar with children and teenagers, and not understanding both their physical and mental development. 

[Avaleigh]

Daenerys VIII

 

Khal Drogo is in bad shape and it's all he can do to stay upright on his horse. Bloodflies are swarming around his body and he makes no reaction when they begin to settle on him.

 

Drogo has been drinking heavily for the past three days but hardly eats anything. He can hardly sleep because of the pain and now he's deteriorated to the point where he isn't speaking. Dany is unnerved as this silence begins to stretch and when Drogo starts to sway in his saddle, she calls out to him but it's as though he isn't able to hear her. She calls his name again and touches him on the arm and Drogo suddenly falls from his horse onto the ground. The bloodflies briefly scatter before resettling on his body.

 

Dany jumps off of her silver and runs over to Drogo's side. The Khal is crying out in pain and he looks at Dany as though he doesn't even recognize her.

 

Drogo struggles and insists that he must continue riding. The bloodriders soon approach the scene and Haggo states that Drogo has fallen from his horse.

 

Dany doesn't want to hear what Haggo is saying so she tells the bloodriders that they've ridden far enough for the day and will set up camp where they are. Haggo tells her that where they isn't a proper area for a camping ground and Qotho adds that a woman isn't supposed to be telling them what to do anyway.

 

Dany tells Haggo to tell everyone that Drogo ordered the halt and says that they can use the excuse that it's Dany's wish to stop because of her pregnancy.

 

The bloodriders are resistant to following Dany's orders and Qotho tells Dany straight up that she isn't the one to command him. Dany tells Qotho that he's to bring her Mirri Maz Duur and if he doesn't then Dany will tell on Qotho to Drogo later. Qotho rides off looking pissed but Dany seems confident that he'll do as he's been told.

 

Once the slaves put up the Khal's tent, Dany and her handmaids help bring Drogo inside and try to make him comfortable. Drogo keeps repeating the word "no" in the Common Tongue. Dany instructs her khas to stand guard and not allow anyone into the tent without her leave; she doesn't want anyone to see Drogo in his current state.

 

Eroeh looks at Drogo and dares to say that it looks like he's dying, so Dany slaps the girl and tells her that the Khal cannot die since he's the father of the Stallion Who Mounts the World and his hair has never been cut.

 

Jhiqui repeats what Haggo said earlier: that Drogo has fallen from his horse.

 

Trembling, her eyes full of sudden tears, Dany turned away from them. He fell from his horse! It was so, she had seen it, and the bloodriders, and no doubt her handmaids and the men of her khas as well. And how many more? They could not keep it secret, and Dany knew what that meant. A Khal who could not ride could not rule, and Drogo had fallen from his horse.

 

Dany still can't accept what's happening so she instructs them all to help her bathe Drogo. As they're bathing the Khal, Dany wonders why it's taking so long for Qotho to bring Mirri Maz Duur.

 

Aggo pops his head in the tent to tell Dany that Jorah would like a word. Dany thinks to herself that she trusts Jorah and that if anyone will know what to do it will be him.

 

Jorah comes in and tells Dany that the entire khalasar is talking about how Drogo has fallen from his horse. Dany pleads with Jorah to help Drogo.

 

Jorah looks at Drogo for a long moment and then asks Dany to send her handmaids away. Once the others leave, Jorah uses his knife to scape away the stuff that the herbwomen put on his wound after Drogo rid himself of Mirri's concoction. The smell the wound releases is disgusting and what's underneath is worse. Drogo's breast is totally black and the wound is leaking with pus. Dany begins to cry as she sees how awful the wound has become and calls out to the gods for it to not be true.

 

Jorah tells her that Drogo is dying but Dany insists that she won't let that happen. Jorah says that there isn't anything she can do to help Drogo and says that she needs to save her grief for later. He breaks down the reality of her situation and proposes that they leave for Asshai and then hire a ship to take them to Pentos. He wonders if Dany's khas are trustworthy and willing to accompany them.

 

Dany doesn't understand why she should have to flee since she's the Khaleesi and she's carrying Drogo's heir. Jorah tells Dany that it doesn't work that way with the Dothraki and says that they only bow to strength. He says that once Drogo dies, the khalasar is going to have all kinds of issues with guys jockeying for power to be the next Khal. Not only that but Jorah fully expects that whoever does end up being the next Khal would probably want to have Dany's baby killed because that Khal wouldn't want to have to worry about any future rivals especially not from the kid who was prophesied to be the Stallion Who Mounts the World.

 

The child kicked inside her, as if he had heard. Dany remembered the story Viserys had told her, of what the Usurper's dogs had done to Rhaegar's children. His son had been a babe as well, yet they had ripped him from his mother's breast and dashed his head against a wall. That was the way of men. "They must not hurt my son!" she cried. "I will order my khas to keep him safe, and Drogo's bloodriders will - "

Ser Jorah held her by the shoulders. "A bloodrider dies with his khal. You know that, child. They will take you to Vaes Dothrak, to the crones, that is the last duty they owe him in life . . . when it is done, they will join Drogo in the night lands."

 

Dany knows that she doesn't want to live out the rest of her days in Vaes Dothrak, but she tells Jorah that she won't leave Drogo.

 

Mirri Maz Duur has finally arrived and she's looking pretty rough. Her feet are blistered and bleeding from being forced to travel on foot behind the khalasar and she has dark circles under her eyes.

 

Qotho and Haggo come in right after Mirri and both are horrified when they see the state of Drogo's wound. Haggo was carrying Mirri's medicine chest and he ends up dropping it in shock. Qotho gives some foul curse and insists that it's Mirri's fault that Drogo is in this condition. Haggo punches Mirri in the face making her fall to the ground. He then starts to kick her and it's only after Dany screams at him that he ends up stopping.

 

Qotho suggests that they let Mirri be tied up and raped by any man who's interested and after that have her given to the dogs. Dany says this isn't going to happen and again tells them that she doesn't want Mirri harmed.

 

Qotho tells Dany that she'll be lucky if they don't do the same to her since she's just as much to blame for Drogo being in this condition as Mirri is. Jorah tells him back off and reminds Qotho that Dany is still his Khaleesi. Qotho replies that this isn't going to be the case once Drogo dies. He says that Dany will be nothing once Drogo is gone. Dany says that she was the blood of the dragon before she became a Khaleesi. She asks Jorah to summon her khas.

 

Qotho backs down after Dany says this and tells her that they'll leave, but the implication is that he'll be back to deal with her later. Jorah explains that a bloodrider is only supposed to live for as long as his Khal so Qotho is angry with Mirri and Dany because he sees them as threatening his life. Jorah says that a living dead man is past fear.

 

Dany is more afraid than she'd care to admit and tells Jorah that he'd better go and put his armor on since she might end up needing him to fight for her. Jorah bows and leaves to go get ready.

 

Dany's attention turns to Mirri and Mirri says that it's twice now that Dany has saved her life. Dany asks and pleads with Mirri to save Drogo. Mirri kind of snaps at Dany and says that slaves are supposed to be told what to do rather than asked. Mirri says it doesn't matter anyway since Drogo is past being helped by the skills of a healer. 

 

Mirri examines Drogo a bit and says she can tell that he's been drinking milk of the poppy to dull his pain. She asks about what happened to the poultice she made and Dany admits that Drogo took it off because he said it itched and burned. Mirri says that Drogo shouldn't have done that since there's "great healing magic in fire". Dany begs Mirri to make another poultice but Mirri says it's too late. She says that Drogo will be dead by morning.

 

Dany feels that the gods are cruel and thinks that all of her happiness is being snatched away in one blow. She thinks there has to be some way to save Drogo and wonders if there isn't some sort of magical solution.

 

Mirri gives Dany a hard look and says that there *is* a spell but it's some seriously dark shit and there are plenty of people who would say that death is preferable. She says she learned how to do this sort of thing in Asshai and says that her teacher was a blood maege from the Shadow Lands.

 

Dany gets the chills as she realizes that Qotho and the others were right about Mirri being a maegi. Mirri smiles at Dany and asks her if she really thinks she is a maegi. Mirri says that only a maegi could hope to save Drogo.

 

Dany asks if there is any other way to save Drogo's life and Mirri says that there isn't. Drogo suddenly gasps from breath so Dany tells Mirri to do whatever it is she needs to do to save the Khal. Mirri warns Dany that there is a price and Dany tells Mirri that she can have gold, horses, or whatever it is she likes.

 

Mirri clarifies that it isn't about wanting money or anything like that. She explains that they're dealing with blood magic so only a death can pay for a life. Dany wonders if it'll be her death that is required and thinks to herself that she'd be willing to die for Drogo. She also thinks about how her brother Rhaegar died for the woman he loved.

 

Still, Dany is kind of relieved when Mirri tells her that it isn't her death that will be required. Dany again tells Mirri to do what she has to do. Mirri tells Dany to call over her servants.

 

Drogo is lowered into his bath and he's still muttering about how he needs to get back on his horse and ride. 

 

Mirri then commands for Drogo's horse to be brought into the tent. The poor animal knows what's up almost instantly and it takes three men to get him under control. Mirri says they'll need the horse's blood.

 

Jhogo bows to Dany and tells her that she shouldn't let this happen. He asks for permission to kill the maegi. Dany says that if he kills Mirri it'll be like killing Drogo. Jhogo says that blood magic is forbidden but Dany says that she's Khaleesi and she gets to decide what is and is not forbidden. She says it's no different then when Drogo killed a horse so that Dany could eat its heart for that ritual.

 

The horse is brought close to where Drogo is bathing. Mirri starts chanting in some foreign tongue and soon ends up cutting the horses throat. She sings about having the strength of the horse flow into Drogo.

 

It's clear that Dany thinks the price she's going to have to pay is the life of Drogo's horse.

 

The men drag the horse's body out of the tent and Mirri starts working her magic. Eroeh freaks out and flees the tent in tears. Dany sends the rest of her handmaids away and Mirri advises Dany to go with them. Dany tells Mirri that she has to stay because she doesn't want to leave Drogo's side. Mirri tells Dany that she'll have to leave because she's going to be waking up old and dark powers and no one must look upon them. She claims that the dead will dance with her.

 

Dany assures Mirri that no one will enter the tent during the ritual. She kisses Drogo on the forehead and asks Mirri to bring him back to her before leaving the tent.

 

Outside of the tent, Dany sees that a crowd of people have assembled to stare at her with hard looking eyes. She sees Jorah dressed in his armor and coming towards her. He tells her toher face that she's a fool and asks her what she's done.

 

Dany replies that she had to save Drogo and Jorah is telling her that they could have fled and they could be on the way to Asshai right now. He calls her princess and Dany asks him if he truly thinks of her as his princess. Jorah says that Dany knows perfectly well that he thinks of her that way so she asks him to help her now. Jorah says he would if he knew how.

 

Mirri's wailing sends a chill down Dany's spine and when she looks over at the tent, she can see shadows moving inside. Mirri is dancing and she doesn't appear to be alone.

 

The Dothraki are scared and Qotho has returned to object once more. Cohollo has always been kind to Dany and he's so upset about what's happening that he full on spits in Dany's face.

 

Qotho promises that Dany will die but first he wants to deal with Mirri. He goes over to the tent and Dany tries to stop him from going in because of Mirri's instructions. Qotho shoves Dany to the ground so she yells at her khas to kill him.

 

Qotho makes short work of young Qaro, but has more of a challenge once Jorah calls him out. Jorah is wearing everything but a helm and the left side of his face is soon bloodied up from Qotho's furious attacks. Qotho has Jorah stumbling and wounds him in the hip. At the same time, Qotho seems frustrated in having to fight a man wearing armor and does his best to taunt his opponent. He tells Jorah that he's about to die and as Dany is watching all of this, her water ends up breaking.

 

Just when Qotho thinks he's about to win, his arakh gets caught and this gives Jorah just enough time nearly cut off Qotho's arm and then bring his sword down on the guy's head.

 

The Dothraki begin shouting after Qotho dies and Mirri's wails from inside the tent don't even sound human anymore.

 

Dany is crying for help but nobody seems to hear her. The scene is chaotic and Dany's khas are now fighting with the bloodriders. Dany starts crying and says that the price is too high. People are throwing stones and Dany is trying to crawl away to the tent. Cohollo catches up to her and is about to cut her throat before he's killed by one of Aggo's arrows.

 

When Dany looks up she sees the Dothraki going back to their tents while some are saddling up to ride off altogether. When she looks over at the tent, she can still see the shadows dancing with Mirri. The maegi is still singing.

 

Jorah picks Dany up and begins to carry her. She sees that his face has blood all over it and that half of his left ear is missing. Jorah wonders where the birthing women are and is told that they won't come near Dany because they think she is cursed. Doreah cries and tells Jorah that they're all gone.

 

Someone suggests that Dany be brought to the maegi and Dany wants to object to this but the pain makes her scream instead. She's wondering what the hell is wrong with everyone and is starting to wonder if they can see the dancing shadows that she's seeing. She notes that some of the shadows don't even look human. One of the shadows even looks like a great wolf while another shadow looks like a man in flames.

 

Irri says that Mirri knows how to deliver a child and Doreah agrees saying that she heard Mirri make that claim too.

 

No, she shouted, or perhaps she only thought it, for no whisper of sound escaped her lips. She was being carried. Her eyes opened to gaze up at a flat dead sky, black and bleak and starless. Please, no. The sound of Mirri Maz Duur's voice grew louder, until it filled the world. The shapes! she screamed. The dancers!

 

Jorah carries Dany inside of the tent.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Avaleigh

[Avaleigh]

I can't believe I don't remember Jorah calling Dany a fool. I laughed out loud over that. 

 

I didn't realize how close Qotho was to killing Jorah. Why the hell didn't he put on his helm?

 

Dany slaps a girl for telling the truth. Disappointing. 

 

Do the Dothraki see the shadows dancing or not? I was confused about that.  

 

Crazy that Cohollo wouldn't care about killing his blood and Khal's child by cutting Dany's throat. 

 

Interesting that two of the shadows Dany sees are a man in flames and a wolf's head. It makes me think of Stannis and Robb for some reason even though Stannis didn't burn. I was sort of hoping there would be a shadow with a lion's head.  

 

I liked that some of the Dothraki already have the sense to bail on this shitshow. 

 

Arya is up next. Arya and...you know. 

[Holmbo]

It seems to me that Mirri did not betray Dany in any way. Drogo took off the healing potion she put on him and she only did the spell because Dany asked her to. Would her son even have died if Jorah didn't take her into the tent? Perhaps Mirri could foresee that if she made the spell it would lead to Dany being taken into the tent. The only betrayal then was that she didn't specifically warn her that her son would be the one to die.

Drogo and the sons death might actually be the thing that shocked me the most on my original read. I know most people were much more suprised by Ned but I saw Dany as the main character and the situations in Westeros being set up for her coming over with the Dothraki and that her drive would be seeing her son on the throne, since that's what's been driving her actions so far. So when he and Drogo died I felt like the while direction of the series was unknown. This is really the talk of the next Dany chapter though.

I didn't recall Jorah losing part of his ear. I guess at that time this wouldn't be a big deal while in our time it would be a serious disfigurement.

[John Potts]

Yeah, I was never sure if Khal Drogo died because he didn't trust Miri's healing (his whole "It itched" spiel reminds me of a whiny kid picking at a scab, rather than a fearsome warrior) or because she really was betraying him (not that her "betrayal" wasn't entirely understandable, if that was the case). Though it does give you a good idea of just how brutal the Dothraki way of life was, with just about everyone from the old regime being killed or sidelined whenever there's a change at the top (plenty of cases of real life examples where that happened).

 

While I recall "Weird shit" happening inside the tent, I didn't remember any of the specifics (generally, I go along with B5's version of visions: "Some dreams come true - they're prophecies: some don't - they're just dreams"). If a particular vision is important we'll hear it again. But if I had to speculate, I'd say they were referring to

the Red Weddng and the resurgence of Stannis.

[Avaleigh]

It seems to me that Mirri did not betray Dany in any way. Drogo took off the healing potion she put on him and she only did the spell because Dany asked her to. Would her son even have died if Jorah didn't take her into the tent? Perhaps Mirri could foresee that if she made the spell it would lead to Dany being taken into the tent. The only betrayal then was that she didn't specifically warn her that her son would be the one to die.

I was confused about this too. I feel like it had to have been stinging pretty horribly for Drogo to feel as though he was unable to deal. I'm curious to know if she'll address the poultice at all in the next Dany chapter because I was under the impression that she'd poisoned that shit but now I'm not sure. Drogo definitely didn't follow her instructions but would him taking it off a few days early really lead to that sort of infection if she hadn't put anything foul on there? I'm sure this isn't the first time that the herbwomen have treated a wound like Drogo's. I'd be shocked if this was the typical outcome otherwise why would they have such faith in the herbwomen? 

 

I'm curious about what exactly happened when Jorah took her into the tent too. On the show, I got the impression that everyone could hear the weird sounds coming from the tent. We didn't get the visual part of what was happening with the shadows on the show but this was the first time I'd realized that Jorah and the others don't seem to be seeing what Dany is seeing. Doreah was totally scared and crying but she seemed to think that it was the best idea to send Dany into the tent with Mirri. Based on various reactions I feel like these girls would have run screaming in the other direction, their Khaleesi be damned, if they'd actually seen shit like a shadow with a great wolf's head dancing around with a damned maegi. That's some weird ass terrifying shit and there were apparently multiple shadows. 

 

Mirri definitely gave Dany the impression that the price would be the horse. Where Dany wasn't smart was not asking for specifics or clarification when Mirri tells her that some say death is preferable. Dany doesn't have the common sense to ask why when I'd think/hope that would be most people's follow up question. I'd also want to know what would happen if somebody were to accidentally walk into the tent. 

 

I also don't entirely get why Mirri has such contempt for Dany when she sees that Dany is currently the only person who gives a fuck about her well being. She admits that Dany helped her out twice so she's just going to kill this girl's baby just so that Drogo can be a vegetable? 

 

I'd forgotten about how the bloodriders are expected to die with their Khal. It makes Qotho's caution about Mirri and his later anger at what's happened to Drogo more understandable. He's definitely still the lowest sort of asshole (the punishment he suggests for Mirri and Dany?) but I feel like I do understand why he can't stand Dany. It's like not only does he feel like everything would have been fine if Dany hadn't interfered but then after what's happened he's basically expected to protect her and bring her back to the safety of Vaes Dothrak where she'll be able to live and he'll apparently be forced to take his own life. I can totally see why he's angry and frustrated about everything. 

 

John Potts, I totally agree about how brutal the Dothraki culture is. Honestly, when I think about the Ironborn and their Kingsmoot even those people understand that sometimes, sometimes it's okay to not fight and talk shit out. Even the freaking Ironborn get this.

[benteen]

I forgot about the whole scene where Jorah went into the tent and got freaked out.  I'm pretty sure we never got an explanation or mention of that again.

[nodorothyparker]

I kind of love how Dany really isn't getting it all the way through that everyone else present understands how this is going to go and how her power is about to end.  She's still her usual imperious self thinking that they'll all ignore what are probably very old and well established traditions for no other reason than just because she says so.  Ever since she married Drogo and became khaleesi she's been very taken with the power it gave her, yet here she's being forced very quickly to deal with the reality that a khaleesi without a khal or stamping her foot and insisting that she's the blood of the dragon without the forces to back either of those things up doesn't really mean much.

 

It seems to me that Mirri did not betray Dany in any way. Drogo took off the healing potion she put on him and she only did the spell because Dany asked her to. Would her son even have died if Jorah didn't take her into the tent? Perhaps Mirri could foresee that if she made the spell it would lead to Dany being taken into the tent. The only betrayal then was that she didn't specifically warn her that her son would be the one to die.

 

I have a hard time faulting Mirri here too.  It's not really her fault that Drogo completely disregarded her instructions or that Dany would rather jump to conclusions than ask for specifics.  Plus there's that whole taken into slavery and seeing her people destroyed and really doesn't owe them squat thing.

Edited September 3, 2015 by nodorothyparker

[WearyTraveler]

I think the intention in this chapter was for the audience to doubt Mirri's role in Drogo's downfall, but that in the next chapter we would doubt no more.  That is, I don't think we can make up our minds about Mirri's participation until the next chapter, when it all becomes clear with her confession.  I think she did put something foul in the poultice with the intention of killing Drogo.

[Avaleigh]

I kind of love how Dany really isn't getting it all the way through that everyone else present understands how this is going to go and how her power is about to end.  She's still her usual imperious self thinking that they'll all ignore what are probably very old and well established traditions for no other reason than just because she says so.  Ever since she married Drogo and became khaleesi she's been very taken with the power it gave her, yet here she's being forced very quickly to deal with the reality that a khaleesi without a khal or stamping her foot and insisting that she's the blood of the dragon without the forces to back either of those things up doesn't really mean much.

She basically says exactly that. She tells one of the guys that she's telling them how they should think. At the same time I thought her comparison about the ceremony where she had to eat the heart was a pretty decent argument. It's okay for Drogo to kill a horse so that she can eat its heart for a magic ritual but suddenly these guys are clutching their pearls over the idea of a horse being killed in order to save Drogo's life. 

 

She gets upset and starts slapping and yelling at people when they don't tell her what she wants to hear. 

 

I agree that she does seem somewhat taken with power. 

 

I also liked that little moment where we realize that she probably (hopefully?) wasn't being serious when she said she'd be willing to die for Drogo. I'm just like how exactly does that help their unborn child? Her little stallion is supposedly who she's doing this all for. 

[Avaleigh]

Arya V

 

Arya is living on the streets of King's Landing and has been catching pigeons in order to survive.

 

She's hungry and she tries to trade a pigeon for a fruit tart but the guy pushing the tart cart isn't going for it. Arya thinks about stealing one and running away but the cart dude seems to know what she's thinking and tells her that the gold cloaks will deal with her if she tries to steal any.

 

Arya doesn't want the gold cloaks to notice her and has already heard that the City Watch is now in the pocket of the Lannisters. She's heard other rumors too like the one about Ned being responsible for Robert's death, and Lord Renly killing Ned in retaliation. There are even whispers that Renly was the one who killed Robert. People wonder why Renly fled King's Landing in the middle of the night if he was totally innocent. There are also rumors that Robert was poisoned by Lord Varys or even the Queen. Several people think Robert died from eating too much.

 

The one thing Arya knows for sure is that King Robert is dead, and she thinks back to how the bells in the city rang for an entire day and night.

 

All Arya wants is to be able to go back to Winterfell but she's finding that it isn't going to be easy to leave King's Landing especially with the gold cloaks stationed all over the place.

 

Every day since her escape from the Red Keep Arya has visited the seven gates of the city to see about getting out but the gates are either closed, open only to those who want to come in, or closely monitored by Lannister guardsmen. They question everyone who is allowed to leave and search through people's carriages and wagons just to make sure they aren't hiding anything or anyone important.

 

She considers trying to swim but ultimately seems to decide that it would be too dangerous.

She's finding it difficult to remember why she shouldn't steal. She hasn't gone too hungry since she's learned how to catch pigeons, but she did have to eat a couple of them raw until she figured out how it works down in Flea Bottom. Arya learns that there are pot shops where she can trade pigeons for stew and bread and they'll even allow her to eat half of the pigeon that she brings provided she plucks out the feathers herself.

 

Arya thinks that she would give up just about anything for some milk and a lemon cake.

 

There are always people in the pot shops and Arya can feel them staring at her. Sometimes people stare at her boots or her cloak, and then there are the perverted people who stare and disturb her most. A couple of times she's been followed and chased but so far she hasn't been caught by anyone.

 

Arya had a silver bracelet that she'd wanted to pawn but she got robbed her first night sleeping outside of the castle. The thieves took all of her extra clothing too, and the only reason they didn't take Needle is because she'd been sleeping on top of it.

 

When she walks around she carries her wooden sword in her hand in plain sight but she knows that there are plenty of men in the pot shops who wouldn't be put off even if she were wielding something like a battle axe so, just as often as not she chooses to go hungry rather than brave the stares and behavior of questionable individuals.

 

She thinks that once she manages to get outside of the city she'll have a better time of finding food by raiding orchards and fields. She thinks she could probably even catch some rabbits and thinks about how King's Landing mostly has rats, cats, and dogs running around. She's also disturbed when she hears that there's money to be made by doing things like bringing a litter of puppies to one of these pot shops.

 

Arya has learned to keep to the center of the streets of the city. If people walk near the buildings they're a lot more likely to be grabbed.

 

She sees a gang of peasant children playing and stares at them resentfully as she remembers the times she used to play with her brothers. She misses her brothers and think that she would give anything to have Jon be there with her. She tries talking to other children hoping to make friends but it seems that they can tell that she's highborn or that something isn't right about her situation because they're all wary of her and end up running away if she gets too close.

 

Older kids ask Arya questions that she can't answer, say mean things to her, and try to steal from her. One older girl tries to steal Arya's boots so Arya ends up cracking the girl on the ear with her wooden sword to get her to stop.

 

Arya begins to make her way down the river and as she's looking down at one of the piers she spots a ship being guarded by men dressed in the Stark colors. Arya asks a passing longshoreman the name of the ship and the guy tells her that it's called the Wind Witch.

 

Arya is shocked and happy that the ship her father hired to take her and Sansa back to Winterfell is still there since she thought it had left ages ago. The fact that the ship is still there makes Arya cry and she turns away and wipes at her tears because she doesn't want anyone to think she's acting like a baby.

 

As she gets close to the men dressed as northern guards, she realizes that she doesn't recognize any of them. The guards notice her and ask her what she's doing there so Arya pretends to be a boy who is trying to sell them a pigeon. The guards tell her to get lost and she doesn't need to be told twice.

 

By the time Arya races back to Flea Bottom, she's breathing heavily and she realizes that she's lost the pigeon that she caught somewhere along the way. She almost wants to cry again and knows that she's going to have to go back to the Street of Flour in order to find another fat one.

 

On the other side of the city, the bells begin to ring and Arya looks up wondering what the ringing is about this time.

 

The smallfolk of King's Landing are wondering what's up because they know it probably doesn't mean anything good. One women wails for the gods to have mercy and another voice speculates that maybe King Joffrey has died.

 

One guys shouts that the new king can't be dead since that would be cause for every bell in the city to start ringing. He tells whoever is listening that these are summoning bells so people start heading uptown to find out what's happening.

 

Arya shouts after a boy who's running up the hill and asks him what's going on. The boy tells her that the gold cloaks are taking the Hand of the King to the sept and that they'll be taking his head off shortly afterwards.

 

Arya ends up tripping and falling as she follows the boy and she's sobbing as she struggles to get back to her feet. Her thumb is all torn and bleeding and her knee is bleeding as well. She then almost gets mowed down by some some men and retainers from House Redwyne as they're passing through the street. This makes her think of how Sansa and Jeyne used to giggle and make fun of the Redwyne twins. Arya thinks that the Redwyns twins don't seem so funny anymore.

 

Everyone in the city is headed for the sept now. It's all Arya can do to keep from crying because of the pain in her thumb. She keeps hearing comments from people indicating that they think the Hand of the King is about to be killed. She hears one man call her father a traitor and she briefly tries to speak up to defend him but the people talking pay no attention to her.

 

The people around Arya continue talking and not one of them has the story right about Robert's death or Ned's overall situation. Renly's name is thrown into the mix too and there are some who think he seems like a great guy and other people who have no problem believing that he'd be the sort of man who would be willing to kill his brother.

 

The bells are louder as Arya gets closer to Visenya's Hill and she feels herself growing more and more anxious. She's fighting her way through to the front of the crowd and climbs onto the statue of Baelor the Blessed so that she can get a better look at everything.

 

A moment later Arya sees her father being supported by the gold cloaks as he's forced to walk along. Arya can see that her father is thin and weak and looks as though he's in pain. She sees that the cast he's wearing on his broken leg is filthy and rotting.

 

The High Septon is at the scene along with Joffrey, Cersei, Varys, the Hound, and four other members of the Kingsguard.

 

Arya spots Sansa as well and scowls as she sees her sister looking happy and well dressed. She wonders how it's possible that Sansa can look so happy.

 

The gold cloaks are holding back the crowds and Arya catches a glimpse of Janos Slynt commanding them. It seems that Slynt has had his armor upgraded.

 

Once the bells stop ringing, Ned begins talking but the people can't hear him so they end up shouting a round of abuse at him that makes Arya want to shout at them all to leave her poor father alone.

 

Ned begins again only this time in a louder voice. He tells the crowd who he is and that he's there to confess his treason.

 

Arya is devastated and Sansa hides her face in her hands as their father is saying this.

 

Her father raised his voice still higher, straining to be heard. "I betrayed the faith of my king and the trust of my friend, Robert," he shouted. "I swore to defend and protect his children, yet before his blood was cold, I plotted to depose and murder his son and seize the throne for myself. Let the High Septon and Baelor the Beloved and the Seven bear witness to the truth of what I say: Joffrey Baratheon is the one true heir to the Iron Throne, and by the grace of all the gods, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm."

 

Someone from the crowd throws a stone at Ned and Arya cries out as she sees it strike her father. More stones are thrown and one hits one of the guards next to Ned. Two of the Kingsguard step up with their shields to make sure that Joffrey and Cersei aren't hit.

 

Arya holds on to Needle for dear life and prays to the gods to keep her father safe.

 

The High Septon kneels before Joffrey and Cersei and asks what is to be done with Ned now that he has confessed. The High Septon mentions that Baelor the Blessed taught the people that the gods can be both just and merciful.

 

A thousand voices were screaming, but Arya never heard them. Prince Joffrey . . . no, King Joffrey . . . stepped out from behind the shields of his Kingsguard. "My mother bids me let Lord Eddard take the black, and Lady Sansa has begged mercy for her father." He looked straight at Sansa then, and smiled, and for a moment Arya thought that the gods had heard her prayer, until Joffrey turned back to the crowd and said, "But they have the soft hearts of women. So long as I am your king, treason shall never go unpunished. Ser Ilyn, bring me his head!"

 

The people roar as Joffrey says this and Arya can actually feel the statue moving as the crowd is jostling against it. The High Septon is clutching at Joffrey's cape, Varys is running over to say something, and even Cersei seems like she's trying to discourage Joffrey from taking this course of action. She whispers something to him but Joffrey shakes his head at her.

 

Various knights and lords move aside as Ser Ilyn begins to walk up the steps towards Ned.

 

Arya is vaguely aware of her sister's panicked screaming in the background. Sansa has fallen to her knees now and is sobbing hysterically.

 

Arya jumps down off of the statue and takes Needle out. She tries to use Needle to work her way through the crowd.

 

Once Ser Ilyn is at the top of the pulpit, he gives the signal to the gold cloaks to have Ned thrown to the ground. His head is in position.

 

Suddenly, an angry voice is shouting at Arya but she runs past it. She's desperately trying to get to her father and can still hear Sansa's horrified screams in the background.

 

Arya sees Ser Ilyn draw a two handed greatsword, and as he begins to life the blade over his head, Arya realizes that it's her father sword Ice. The King's Justice is about to murder her father with her father's own ancestral blade. Arya is full on crying at this point and is blinded by her tears.

 

A hand suddenly reaches out to grab her and the gesture is so forceful that Needle ends up being knocked from her hand. The man lifts Arya off of her feet and shouts at her to not look. Arya is sobbing and can hardly speak.

 

The man tells her to look at him and seems to be trying to get her to remember who he is. He keeps speaking to Arya as though she is a boy. The smell of wine on the guy's breath brings back a memory and Arya realizes that it's the man from the Night's Watch who was visiting with her father that one evening. She remembers that his name was Yoren.

 

The plaza is beginning to empty now and Arya feels numb as though the life has gone out of her. Yoren has retrieved Needle and gives it back to her, saying that he hopes she knows how to use it.

 

Arya is about to tell Yoren that she isn't a boy but he cuts her off and tells her that she obviously isn't very smart if she doesn't realize why he's referring to her that way.

 

Arya sees that Yoren has a knife in his hand and she struggles to get away from him but he has a firm grip on her hair, so much so that she thinks she feels the scalp tearing.

 

Her last thought is of the taste of salty tears.

[WearyTraveler]

So sad, this chapter.  I'd seen season one before I read the books, so Ned's death didn't surprise me, but it still got to me because book Ned is an even richer character than TV Ned, and he garnered much more sympathy from me.

 

I've seen theories that Arya hates Sansa and might eventually attempt to kill her.  But based on this chapter I can't see it.  Arya knows and sees that Sansa is in pain, and I just don't see the hatred others see.

 

Joffrey is a little shit.

Edited September 4, 2015 by WearyTraveler

[SeanC]

Now cracks a noble heart.

Good night, sweet prince,

And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

[Avaleigh]

I can't even make any jokes about getting more Stark tears here because it really is just totally sad. 

 

I can't imagine hearing all of the comments running Ned down in addition to witnessing the execution. People throwing stones at their dad as he's being humiliated and shamed. And both girls know that Ned was a good man and it's like there are maybe three people in King's Landing who still feel that way. 

 

Cersei doesn't assert her authority as Queen Regent. The High Septon doesn't have a damned thing to say in protest after his talk of how merciful Baelor the Blessed said that the gods are. There's the line about the knights and lords making way for Ilyn Payne. I realize that there isn't much they can do but there's this idea that everyone from the smallfolk to the King and Queen are all participants in making this happen.

 

I wonder what Tywin would have said if he'd been there for Joffrey's cruel stupidity. Would it just have been another 'I think His Grace is tired' type moment or would he have taken the time to explain to Joffrey why killing Ned would be a bad idea. I can't recall if Cersei knows about Jaime yet or not. 

 

Another thing I liked seeing was that Arya was briefly fooled by that evil ass smile too. It wasn't just 'stupid' Sansa. For a moment, Arya thought everything was going to be okay and that the gods had answered her prayers. For a moment she and Sansa were on the same page and both felt the gut punch when they realized they were wrong to hope.  

 

I wonder what Varys attempted to say? Littlefinger is curiously absent from being mentioned at all but we know he's lurking around somewhere and I can't recall why now but something is going to give me the impression later that Littlefinger was the asshole who put this idea in Joffrey's head in the first place. I don't know where it's said but initially I think Joffrey was going to go along with Cersei's idea for Ned to live out the rest of his days on the Wall. 

 

I liked hearing the various comments about Renly. I thought it was interesting too that Stannis wasn't talked about when Arya was hearing people discuss a bunch of rumors. Even the smallfolk seem to see Renly as more of a factor. 

 

King's Landing sounds like a truly horrible place if you don't have money and even then it kind of sucks. Puppy stew, child predators, numerous thieves, it smells terrible, fleas and rats all over the place, massively crowded, etc. Oldtown, Lannisport, White Harbor, and Gulltown all sound preferable for the peasant population. 

 

So sad, this chapter.  I'd seen season one before I read the books, so Ned's death didn't surprise me, but it still got to me because book Ned is an even richer character than TV Ned, and he garnered much more sympathy from me.

 

I've seen theories that Arya hates Sansa and might eventually attempt to kill her.  But based on this chapter I can't see it.  Arya knows and sees that Sansa is in pain, and I just don't see the hatred others see.

 

Joffrey is a little shit.

I'm curious as to what all Arya remembers of this day. She can hear Sansa screaming but it's almost like she's in a fog of a nightmare so I wonder if she recalls all of the details. I can imagine her also remembering that Sansa was initially smiling and the rest of it turning into a blur. 

 

I agree though that I don't ultimately see Arya killing Sansa. 

[WearyTraveler]

Your speculation about Littlefinger sounds very, very possible to me, Avaleigh. I can definitely see Petyr saying something to Joffrey about how the common people of KL and the nobility would see him as weak for allowing a traitor to live.  I think LF might have been absent because even he, the master actor, would have betrayed his own game by jumping for joy when Ned died.

 

As for how much Arya remembers, I think it's significant that Martin included those lines about Arya still hearing Sansa's screams when she was being led away by Yoren.  The crowd was wild, people were yelling left and right, and Arya was far from the stage and being taken farther away, yet Sansa was wailing so loudly, Arya could hear her specific screams.  There is a chapter where Jon remembers Ned teaching him and Rob about a command voice and how it needed to carry far in battle, Ned, who was admittedly weak, had to make an effort to be heard by the crowd; Sansa must have been doing some serious vocal chords acrobatics for Arya to still hear her.

 

Regarding what the High Septon was trying to say, I think it was probably trying to warn Joffrey that blood should not be spilled in the Sept's steps.  I seem to recall that later in the books the Septon complains about that saying that it was an offense to the faith and the gods.

Edited September 4, 2015 by WearyTraveler