Vicki’s
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(group member since Jul 17, 2015)
Vicki’s
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from the A Song of Ice and Fire - A Chapter a day group.
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1. The food sounds so delicious, lol. There's that food orgy we hear so much about this series. 2. Septa Mordane clearly favors Sansa, helping convince Ned to let her go to the tourney. Arya, on the other hand, hates the tourney. :) I wonder if a small part of this reminds Ned of the tourney at Harrenhal?
3. Arya's trying not to cry. She and Sansa have both been reprimanded in front of 50 Stark guards, too. Arya hates it here, misses her brothers. Awe. :(
4. Wise words from Ned: dine with your men, let them know their lord, and "...don't ask your men to die for a stranger." :) Everyday Ned would have someone from the North sit and eat with him, even bakers and servants! Love this idea. The kids would listen to his guests talk about their lives. :) Arya loved it.
5. But now she blames all of them for letting Lady die... :( And for not talking about Mycah. Unfortunately this is what happens to lowborns... very sad. Arya knows it's wrong. She's make a great leader, because she is like her father with his servants.
6. Did Arya not have a bolt on her bedroom door in Winterfell? More crying... much crying.
7. Awe... she believes it's her fault... damn Sansa and Jeyne!
8. LOL at Fat Tom walking away when she said "no!" Because she said she wasn't in there. "Fat Tom was always so easy to fool." :)
9. She wants to run away to Winterfell or to the Wall to be with Jon. With Jon she doesn't feel alone. :)
10. She is so careless about Needle that she forgets to hide it when she lets her dad in. Seeing him sad rather than angry makes her feel worse. :(
11. Ned knows it's a "bravos blade." Funny when he says he's expected to rule the seven kingdoms yet he can't rule his own household.
12. Love how Arya refuses to betray Jon, not even to their own father. That's loyalty! And I'm glad he doesn't push the issue.
13. Odd how one minute Ned says it's no toy, then another calls it a toy.
14. Did not remember Ned admitting Lyanna having "a touch of wolf blood" as he says his father called it. "It brought them both to an early grave." I understand why he says this about Brandon, but for Lyanna dying from a fever...? Curious!
15. Ned doesn't often speak about these people, and she hears sadness in his voice. And here he tells her she reminds him of Lyanna. :) Oh gods I love this!!! But Arya doesn't believe it because Lyanna was beautiful and she doesn't think she's beautiful. "...beautiful, and willful, and dead before her time." :(
16. Love when Ned laughs when Arya says, "stick them with the pointy end." :) Also love when Ned hugs her when she cries about Mycah. And how he tells her to grieve but never blame yourself. Even Ned calls hte queen cruel.
17. "We all lie," her father said. Even him! "And even the lie was...not without honor."
18. I really like how Jory was king enough to help Arya shoo Nymeria away so she wouldn't get killed and kept her secret. It's so sad how she had to throw rocks, even hitting her, to get the point across. Nyrmeria must feel abandoned! :(
19. I love Ned's wise words about the lone wolf, too. "...The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives." Ned is full of wisdom. Summer is the time for squabbles. In winter, we must protect one another, keep each other warm, share our strengths." Also love how he explains she and Sansa are complete opposites but the same blood flows in their hearts. "You need her, as she needs you..."
20. I love how honest Ned is with her too, about not being safe in King's Landing. He's treating her like an adult now. Telling her a nice way to grow up. And love how Arya vows she will, and has never loved her father more than at that moment. :)
21. LOL when Ned says if he took away Needle he'd only find a morningstar under her pillow within a fortnight. :) Yeah, probably!
22. I forgot it took four days for her first water dancing lessons. I thought Ned told her straight forward... that was probably in the show.
23. Love how Syrio calls her boy.
24. The wooden sword is heavier than Needle. It's heavy so she can get stronger, exactly what Jon told her to do.
25. Arya is left handed. Syrio says it's good because it'll throw off her enemies.
26. Love how he asks if she can drop part of her arm.
27. I wonder what it means to be first sword to the sealord of Braavos. *SPOILER FOR LATER BOOKS IN A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)
28. I like that Ned doesn't send her a knight to teach her Westeros fighting but Bravos fighting, perfect for her form. I wonder where he found Syrio.
29. Love this too: "All men are made of water, do you know this? When you pierce them, teh water leaks out and they die." Very true, it is a water dance.
30. I love how not just Jon but Ned supports her wish to learn to fight. :) They love her and accept her for who she is. (They also happen to be true Starks.)
I'm beginning to think the reason GRRM has Tyrion not take winter is coming seriously is because he wants us the reader to grasp how much the vast majority of people who live in Westeros don't believe there's anything too life threatening above the Wall anymore. That the Night's Watch has become a joke. A sort of prison camp where you conveniently drop off your criminals. It is really sad, to me. And for someone as clever as Tyrion to not take it seriously really speaks volumes. Even many of the Sworn Brothers don't believe in the Others. The only ones who do take their job seriously are obviously the ones who've seen the fishy things that've been going on of late, and it's not the wildlings. And you're right about Lord Mormont -- he must be getting tired of having to beg for more men all the time. I hadn't thought of that.1. Lord Mormont is okay with Tyrion, so Lord Mormont is okay with me. :) It's pretty crazy that he can break a crab leg with his fist!
2. Tyrion is a jokester, something that most, but not all, like. The men could probably use a bit of humor, as their life on the Wall seems pretty grim. Ser Alliser hates him, but then again he hates everyone, so this isn't surprising.
3. Now we know why Thorne is at the Wall in the first place; he and Ser Jaremy Rykkar had fought for the Targaryens at King's Landing, and Tywin made them choose to take the black or die. *SPECULATION ON SER ALLISER THORNE AND JON SNOW* (view spoiler)
4. "We all need to be mocked from time to time, Lord Mormont, lest we start to take ourselves too seriously." -- says Tyrion. I like this, because it's so true.
5. Odd that Maester Aemon calls Tyrion a "giant come among us, here at the end of the world." This makes Tyrion speechless, but polite. It seems really odd, but an omen, perhaps? *SPECULATION OF THE END OF THE BOOK SERIES* (view spoiler) And then Aemon says he's been called many things but kind is not one of them. Funny. But it's strange he says that because I find Maester Aemon very kind throughout much of the series.
6. In total there's less than a thousand men of the Night's Watch guarding the entire three castles remaining of use. Only a third are fighting men. Really sad. The Wall is a 100 leagues long, three men per mile to guard it. Very sad.
7. We learn a little more about Ser Waymar Royce... that Benjen was sent to find him, who'd gone off on his first ranging, insisted on commanding the small group. Lord Commander Mormont didn't want to offend him because of his father. Green as grass, he is described. Mormont calls himself a fool for letting him go. And now Ben's gone missing too. I can feel his frustration, desperation, as he asks Tyrion to beg for more help from the King and his family, anyone.
8. Already Lord Commander Mormont can tell the wildlings are running south, running from something. He just doesn't know what yet.
9. I love how serious and dramatic Mormont is in his pleading, and all Tyrion can think about is how tired he is and he wants to go back home. Not even Tyrion takes the Night's Watch seriously, which is weird, because I always thought of him as smart, but there's a difference between intelligence and wisdom, I guess. "...sleepy from wine and tired of doom." Tyrion says, lol.
10. Interesting how a "strange madness" took hold of him and instead of going to the King's Tower for warmth and sleep, he went to the Wall one last time -- some urge took him there. Seems very important, for the words 'strange madness' and 'some urge,' incredibly important in the story line. And then it turns out he runs into Jon Snow one last time, lol. Once again, it makes me think of Jon as the most important character in the series.
11. "The top of the Wall was wider than the Kingsroad often was, so Tyrion had no fear of falling..." Wow... the Wall is bigger than I imagined.
12. Jon is actually kind of sad to see Tyrion go. :) Awe.
13. It's odd Jon tells Tyrion to help Bran. When Tyrion asks how, what can he do? Jon says Tyrion helped him with words when he needed it, so help Bran with words -- which is also odd of him to admit, but very kind. Very touching Jon shakes his hand and calls him friend. :)
14. Jon promises he'll go out and find his uncle and Tyrion says he believes him, but then thinks to himself: "And who will go find you?" Witty, the first time I read this, but now I see it more like an omen... *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)
I don't think Robert is the kind of king who would punish, or even kill, someone just for strongly urging him not to get into more debt. So I don't think it's their fears of that stopping them from having a heart to heart with their king. I'm beginning to think these people just don't care if Robert gets himself into deeper trouble with debt -- as long as they're not the ones suffering because of it, who cares? It's terrible, though, because Robert doesn't have any money left for the citizens of King's Landing to, you know, eat and stuff. The rich don't care about the poor, and that is sad.
Ruben highly recommended it to me. I'm glad I bought the book! Worth every penny!
You're right about Renly and Littlefinger, I had forgotten about that. It seems nobody likes Littlefinger in King's Landing, but everybody needs him because he's the Master of Coin and he has Robert by the balls, if you ask me, monetary-wise. For being Master of Coin, you'd think he'd say something to Robert about how horrible it is he is in a ghastly amount of debt. Kind of reminds me of most of the world these days. Debt is no big deal to a lot of us. We all turn a blind eye to credit card payments. We all want our tourneys, our wine, our time to hunt and have fun, but none of the responsibility of paying it all back. 1. I wonder if Ned got to King's Landing before or after Cat?
2. As much as Ned wants to rest, he is dutiful enough to go into his first councilors meeting as Hand right as soon as he arrives. Impressive. Very dutiful. Ned is such a good, responsible man.
3. Tried looking up the word 'rushes' in my dictionary but wasn't satisfied with any of its answers, so I looked it up online and this is what I got (because rushes on the floor confused the crap out of me): "Rushes (Juncaceae family) are a sweet smelling, flowering plant that has been used for a number of domestic purposes including flooring material. When fresh, they added both insulation and a pleasant aroma to cover up the--frequently--muddy earthen floor. When old, some homes/cultures simply strew more rushes over the top to cover them and either rarely if ever cleaned them out. Other families might clean them out weekly or monthly."
If this is the case, I didn't expect the Red Keep to have earthen floors, like, anywhere. lol...
4. Ned likes Varys the least. Has he met him before? The first thing he says is how sorry he is about their troubles and hopes Joffrey gets better, ha! Like Ned cares... And why does Varys leave powder on Ned's shoulder? Is it perfume? For some reason this makes me think Varys is creepy.
5. Ned feels Renly has "grown into a man so like his brother that Ned found it disconcerting." Apparently Renly looks like a younger version of Robert, so he must be handsome and strong compared to fat and ugly. It's sad how Robert allowed himself to get this way. He was impressive once.
6. Renly's in dark green again, this time velvets, with golden stags embroidered, and an emerald brooch. He really likes the color green for the Baratheon sigil being black stag on gold...
7. Ned has no patience with this game they play -- dueling with words. To me it's petty, so I agree with Ned here. Interesting for the first five minutes, then it gives even me a headache, lol.
8. In the beginning I really like Grand Maester Pycelle. He seems like a cute old man. He even has two dozen chains, indicating he has mastered 24 subjects of learning. Pretty impressive.
9. Just as he's about to start Ned realizes, forcefully, how much he doesn't belong here. I hadn't realized these premonitions occurred so often the first time I read the book. That things are going to go very badly for Ned if he stays here.
10. So Stannis up until recently has been on council? Didn't know that. Totally glossed this over my first read.
11. Here we learn just how much Robert cares about running a kingdom: zilch. He can't even be bothered to go to council meetings, ever. No wonder the country has gone to shit; the king knows how to conquer, but he can't rule, because he finds it boring. He's an unfit leader. Even Ned thinks: "Was there no end to Robert's folly?" What Robert thinks is urgent Ned thinks is stupid; holding a tourney when he's already in debt! How ignorant can you be, Robert? Why isn't anyone, besides Jon Arryn and Ned, strongly urging their king to pay attention to their finances? Why isn't the Master of Coin doing this??? This makes me distrust Petyr Baelish even more.
12. Of course the Lannisters would love to bear your debt... They already owe Tywin three million gold dragons as it is! And another three million in other places. Apparently this is not Aerys's doing either, as he left loads of money in the bank when Robert took the throne. This is really sad.
13. I like that Ned forgot he's now among equals; he's no longer in Winterfell. He can't always be so final with these people as he could to his subjects up North. Despite Varys telling Ned earlier that as Hand they wait on him, I think Ned is wise in realizing that they are ALL equal on the council and he should remember to treat them as he would want them to treat him.
14. "Eddard Stark dreamed of a frozen hell reserved for the Starks of Winterfell." Oh dear...this almost sounds like a premonition.
15. I'm not liking Petyr when he jokes he'll keep Cat for himself; it sounds like he's still not over her. And how rude can you get, saying that to her husband?
16. I think Littlefinger's enjoying making it seem like he's insulting Cat, at a brothel, just to piss Ned off.
17. I find it funny how husband and wife will refer to each other as 'my lady' and 'my lord.' So formal.
18. Now that he heard how Summer saved Bran's life he feels guilty murdering Lady. How horrible is that? Now he fears he's pissed off the gods because the direwolves were supposedly their gifts to his children. Ned remembers Sansa's pleading, "as Lyanna had pleaded once." Hmm... This in the same paragraph that said Robert talked of killing Dany, and turning his head away at Rhaegar's murdered infant son... How Robert doesn't care about killing innocent children to get what he wants... *SPECULATION ON A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)
19. *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)
20. "It would not be the first time that Ned had been forced to make common cause with a man he despised." Like who, exactly?
21. Anything Littlefinger says I distrust. He's saying worry about the Lannisters, but I already worry about the Lannisters at this point, and so does Ned. Cersei, particularly. Now Petyr's saying to worry about them, making me question whether Petyr's actually on Ned's side or not.
22. It's so sad, their final goodbyes, between Cat and Ned. *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN GAME OF THRONES* (view spoiler) And the way she holds him... "...as if to hold him safe forever in the shelter of her arms." *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN GAME OF THRONES* (view spoiler) I had forgotten how much of a sheltering character Catelyn Stark is.
23. I roll my eyes at sarcasm, and Petyr does it so much. It's aggravating.
24. Ned wants a careful watch over Theon? Why? *SPOILER FOR A CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler) Odd, since he's not mentioned at all this whole chapter. He says he'll need the Greyjoy fleet. Is it going anywhere? lol
Yeah, you should definitely read it! I haven't finished the whole thing yet, but it's a history of Westeros, including other parts of the world as well, so I've been bouncing back and forth whenever I have time to read it. I still have yet to read GRRM's other books, particularly the anthology. In the part about the history of Baratheons, the patriarch, Orys Baratheon, was best friends with Aegon the Conquerer, rumored to be his bastard half-brother on their father's side, and at least one of his descendants married a Targaryen, Aemon Targaryen, son of Jaehaerys I and Good Queen Alysanne Targaryen. They are an off branch. I wish I brought my book with me... there's a family tree in the back of the book.
It goes to show you how much generations can change.
@Clara, I think you're right about the coldness turning people eventually into cold, bitter people. And the phrase: 'having a cold heart' can almost be literal here. Hadn't thought of that until after I read what you said. And also about your point with Jon feeling guilt at imagining his uncle dead when Benjen left north without him, I had totally forgotten about what Tyrion told him in Jon's earlier chapter! Even in my second read I didn't believe Jon would think of something like that to his kin, but here it is! It puts a different light on Jon's character for me, not bad exactly, but more human, and it shows just how much he is hurting. He's the only bastard in the family, and being 14 of course he wants to go out on what he thinks are heroic adventures but Uncle Benjen tells him he's not ready yet. I completely forgot he wished for his death, and now he doesn't want it to come true (kind of reminds me of Catelyn and Bran back at Winterfell -- be careful what you wish for).
1. At first I like Ser Alliser Thorne, but quickly begin to change my opinion of him by the end of this chapter.
2. Jon hates being called Lord Snow. It's meant to mock him. Thorne himself named him that. He gives everyone nicknames. He's just a right old bully, to me, egging Jon on to humiliate the others. Not very "brother-like" if you ask me.
3. Black hair and onyx eyes, Thorn even looks Night's Watch. I wonder why the color of his eyes and hair is emphasized here when so many others aren't.
4. Weird that Thorne brings up the Others, since I thought everyone thinks they're not real, or ever were. Maybe he was just kidding, but it doesn't sound like it. Of all the fabled creatures to use, he brings up the Others. A part of me wonders if he knows something no one else does.
5. I like that Jon doesn't immediately get along with anybody. He always seems sullen, like Mr. Darcey in Pride and Prejudice, but eventually warms up to them. Jon's not an ass; and it also shows that his first impressions of people aren't always correct. People can change.
6. Interesting that the chill is always with him here, and he'd soon forget what it's like to be warm. Training certainly heats you up, though!
7. Jon is hurt at the thought that Ned knew it'd be this bad at the Wall and never told him. Only Tyrion told him the truth. I feel bad for Jon here. His dreams shattered. He doesn't even get much time with his uncle, and when he does, Benjen is not very genial. He must feel abandoned, and cheated.
8. "We put aside our old families when we swear our vows." No you don't... remember the prologue?
9. What made Jon imagine Ben Stark lying dead? Was he really that mad that he left without him? "What was he becoming?" I don't know, Jon... I guess there's a savage in all of us at times.
10. He considers Robb his best friend and constant companion. :) He even misses Sansa. He really misses Arya, accepts and loves her just for who she is. She could always make him smile. :) (I really hope they run into each other again!)
11. Jon standing up against boys bigger than him reminds me of Ghost versus that female dog, and even his litter mates. He doesn't even seem afraid, either. Just reckless, and angry.
12. They go there -- insulting his mom. Because they know they can't beat him in the yard, they'll attack him in other ways in order to preserve their pride.
13. "Jon was cold with rage." Usually, to me anyway, rage is associated with heat.
14. Interesting how they're making a big deal about whether Jon's mom was a whore or not. I like Donal Noye's handle on it: "She was what she was, and nothing Toad says can change that." It's true, too. It's just words. It's what Tyrion said earlier: make it your armor. Though I can see why Jon is offended -- he doesn't want his parent's honor smudged, though everyone knows he's a bastard anyway. In a way, this is Ned's fault, for having let Jon live under a rock this whole time, sheltered from the scorn that most bastards deal with everyday since they can remember. They're just words. And he needs to make an effort to get along with them, because like it or not they're going to be his new family soon.
15. "He knew nothing of his mother." Haha, premonition! I forgot that he dreamed of her often, though. In his dreams she was beautiful, highborn, and her eyes were kind. :)
16. Sounds like Jon looks up to Donal Noye, a real hero from the past, and he's only here because he lost an arm. Though he can still make armor for everybody with that one arm!
17. Donal comes right out and calls him a bully, wow, but it's the truth! Exactly what I'm thinking... Ser Alliser turned Jon into a bully without him realizing it, feeding off his need to prove himself, to be something great. Donal manages to make Jon feel ashamed of himself, that he was indeed being a bully.
18. The Wall shines, alive with light. Sounds beautiful, like our Northern Lights. Here I think GRRM is showing us by dropping small hints every now and then that cold and light, and heat and darkness, CAN coexist together. "...Somehow Jon knew that if it fell, the world fell with it."
19. "...but it was better not to speak of the things you wanted." Oh, Jon... :(
20. Tyrion gives him the same advice again...which proves all the more how important it is to make your weakness your strength.
21. Castle Black could house up to 5,000 fighting men; now it only holds 500. That is incredibly sad.
22. Oh, he wished his uncle was dead in the snow... ouch, now he feels terrible, because he was angry that Benjen didn't take him with him.
23. It's a little annoying at this point that Tyrion keeps joking about the grumpkins... This is serious, losing rangers for no known reason! And all you can do is joke about grumpkins and snarks? Here this reminds me that while Tyrion is smart, he's not as wise as I want him to be.
24. It's sweet, though, that Tyrion sits with Jon at dinner so he doesn't have to eat alone. :) Reminds me of grade school and how important it was to have friends.
25. And then Ser Alliser Thorne chides Jon, love how Tyrion stands up for him.
26. And Jon cries, AGAIN, lol, when he reads that Bran woke up. But this time it's tears of joy. It's so cute how happy he is -- even swinging Tyrion around in the air. I forgot about that!
27. Jon is now smiling, joking, and even offers his kindness to Grenn and the other boys he'd beaten up just moments ago -- making a 180 degree personality change. This suddenly gets him on Thorne's bad side, but at that point I'm so happy for him I think to myself: Good, jerkoff. Someone should stand up to you.
1. I laughed at the part where Catelyn says, "but they'll take the silver anyway." It's true. She's realistic. That's what I like about her. 2. I like that the Tyroshi like to wear bright colors. Also find their manners appealing, somehow, even if it is indeed fake.
3. Forgot Edmure named Petyr Baelish "Littlefinger." And she hadn't seen Petyr since the fight with Brandon. Such a long time ago. I wonder why he was Hoster Tully's ward in the first place... I was under the impression that wards are a nice word for hostage.
4. Like this: "...it is one thing to be clever and another to be wise."
5. King's Landing is only 300 years old. Not old at all, considering the rest of Westeros.
6. Interesting how Visenya's Hill has the Great Sept and Rhaenys's Hill the Dragon Pit, since Rhaenys especially loved her dragon, Meraxes. And Aegon's Hill has the Red Keep, of course. Was Visenya religious? Aegon's son, Maegor the Cruel, saw the keep's completion and then killed everyone who worked on it. Jerk off... Apparently there's secrets inside the keep he wanted to stay secret. I think Maegor is Visenya's son, too.
7. It's funny, because in The World of Ice and Fire, it's said the Baratheons were close friends and kin to the Targaryens. Now they're complete opposite.
8. I like that Catelyn personally hands out each stag to its oarmen to make sure they got it. I suppose Tyroshi captains cannot be trusted. And politeness is a farce.
9. Catelyn felt the eyes of the city on her as she rode, surrounded by the guard in their golden cloaks -- sounds like Lannistermen, though. Wouldn't it be white for city guard? Or is that Kingsguard only? I get confused.
10. So much about Petyr is grey and silver. His silver mockingbird sigil. His grey-green eyes. His grey hair, though he's only 30. "Even as a child, he had always loved his silver." I wonder what that means...does he love money? Already he seems quite suspicious. Is he still in love with her? Quite a risk for her to trust him.
11. I wonder if he secretly hates Catelyn for letting him get humiliated when he lost so awfully to Brandon Stark and nearly died. For a clever boy, that must have stung particularly fierce.
12. I wonder if Varys did indeed tell on Cat, or if Littlefinger had his own spies and blamed it on Varys in order to get her to trust him more. Of course, later Varys even admits he spied on her, but he could be pretending in order to study Cat. Who knows with these people.
13. Yes, you certainly were a friend to Lysa... *SPOILER FOR A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)
14. "Old sweet friends should never hesitate to rely upon each other." Except you were never really her friend, were you? I do not trust him. But I know it must be hard for Cat to get to the bottom of his knife business, and I don't think she's ever been to King's Landing before, so she doesn't have a lot of options, especially when Petyr basically forced her to visit him.
15. Varys is so good at being polite, just like the Tyroshi captain. It's hard to know who to trust. LOL at this: "...and I know we do both love King Robert."
"Yes," she was forced to say. "For a certainty."
16. "She trusted Littlefinger only a little, and Varys not at all." He says it's good to see her again, have they met before?
17. Apparently Littlefinger can throw a Valyrian knife...
18. And then he pins the blame on Tyrion...of course, since everyone likes to jape at him and/or make him the scapegoat. It's interesting that Varys watches Cat's face here, for some kind of reaction? Does he already know who did it?
@Clara on your sixth note, I think you're right! I hadn't thought of that before! It makes a lot of sense, too. *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN A GAME OF THRONES* (view spoiler)There is so much in this really short chapter!!!
1. The first time I read this I thought the voice inside Bran's head was himself, or his alter ego or something. *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)
2. "It was cold here in the darkness." Thought that was interesting to note. I wonder if he is in a real place or if this is totally made up by *A FUTURE CHARACTER WE WILL MEET IN A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)? There is no sun, no stars, but a grey mist and the whispering voice. Spooky but cool illusory at the same time!
3. The voice becomes a crow. Ironic, since the Night's Watch are sometimes called "crows."
4. "There are different kinds of wings," the crow said.
I like this a lot. He's introducing Bran for the first time to *A CONCEPT WE WILL BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH IN A CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler) without actually saying it. I didn't catch this my first time, obviously, because I hadn't read it before, or watched the TV show.
5. Jaime's face frightens Bran and he screams. The crow tells him to put that memory aside. Interesting. Now he's not just saying Bran can "fly" but he can also sift through memories like pages in a book. Cool concept.
6. Interesting how Bran tells the crow he's afraid when Jon had earlier told comatose Bran he's afraid. Maybe this is just a coincidence and it means nothing, because of course Jon's afraid; he's afraid his little brother will never wake up, and right now Bran is afraid of plummeting to his death, two very real fears. (In my opinion, admitting you are afraid is a strength, not a weakness. So for three boys: Robb, Jon, and Bran so far, to admit they are afraid is pretty impressive to me.) Because, of course, the only time a man can be brave is when he's afraid!
7. Bran can see the entire realm and everyone in it, so clearly he forgot to be afraid. I'm now thinking what he's seeing is what's actually happening -- that it's not just a dream. Even the weirwood stares at him "knowingly." Creepy, but cool!
8. Bran can hone in on his family, even from such long distances, because they're familiar to him. Very cool. The first time I read this I didn't know what to think of it.
9. Of Arya: "He saw Arya watching in silence and holding her secrets hard in her heart." What secrets? This intrigues me.
10. And, "There were shadows all around them." One had the face of a hound, Sandor Clegane. Another armored like the sun, Jaime? Over both loomed a giant in armor made of stone: The Mountain, probably, a guy even more bad than the first two. Inside there was nothing but darkness and thick black blood; he has no soul, probably is what that means.
11. He can even see past Asshai by the Shadow, "where dragons stirred beneath the sunrise." Oooh! Is this a foreshadow?
12. He sees Jon Snow sleeping at the Wall, and then beyond. North and north and north, till he sees a curtain of light at the end of the world. Then he looked beyond that curtain into the heart of winter and cried out, afraid, "and the heat of his tears burned on his cheeks." Wow... forgot about this part. *SPECULATION ON THE RED GOD* (view spoiler)
13. "Now you know why you must live..." "Because winter is coming." Deep. Already you can tell Bran is fated to be a very important character.
14. "He saw the bones of a thousand other dreamers impaled upon their points. He was desperately afraid." Does this mean thousands of others have seen this "truth" and died, because they failed to "fly?"
15. Now that he's "flying" it's strange the crow attacks him now, and he's suddenly awake now. :) *SPOILER FOR A CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler)
16. Love Summer's golden eyes come to greet him. :) Absolutely LOVE the ending to this chapter. How he all of a sudden knows his direwolf's name is Summer, counter to winter. Hope. That the long winter to come will eventually fade out and humanity will live to see another summer...is how I took it.
Clara, you have a good point there -- about whether Sansa would still stick up for Joffrey if she knew Lady's life was on the line. I think she would tell the truth, then. Though I don't believe Sansa really chose a side. She just said everything went so fast she didn't see anything, which is still a lie. She was mostly trying not to piss off either one of them, and I think she was pressured by her father hovering over her not to come right out and say "Joffrey's right" when she had already told Ned the truth earlier anyway. I think at this point she doesn't yet grasp quite how horrible Joffrey is turning out to be. This goes along with her naivety, that she wants, no -- needs, to believe her betrothed is still that wonderful prince she's always dreamed of marrying. 1. It took four days for them to find Arya. Wow... Either everyone in the party had suddenly forgotten how to track or Arya is really good at evading! (Right now I'm thinking of Dungeons & Dragons skills role checks, lol).
2. Ned is furious and frantic. Such a loving father. I love Ned! I would think that, in this world anyway, most fathers wouldn't freak out so much over one daughter. It says a lot about Ned.
3. Darry, I've heard that name before. Ser Willem Darry helped Daenerys and her family escape Westeros! Ser Raymunn Darry is lord of an unnamed small castle, a half day's ride south of the Trident. Would it by any chance be located at or nearby Lord Harroway's Town on the map? The Darry's weren't pleased to invite Robert's party into their home, being once on Rhaegar's side of the war 15 years ago. How terribly awkward.
4. Interesting here it is said, "Cersei Lannister and her son stood beside him." Not their but her.
5. Arya is crying again, but I understand she's scared. I like how Robert admits he didn't mean to frighten her. :)
6. Ned notices Joffrey never glances at Arya when accusing her, a classic "I'm totally lying right now" sign.
7. I like how Renly laughs when Arya says she threw Lion's Tooth into the river and makes fun of Joffrey for letting a nine-year-old girl beat him.
8. Lion's Tooth = Lannister tribute. Absolutely no stag in him at all, it seems. Weird, since you'd think he'd be proud to be a Baratheon, son of the king who conquered the Targaryens. ;)
9. I like how Ned had already heard Sansa's story earlier so he'd know if she was lying.
10. Cersei is such a bitch here... I just hate her.
11. And I like how forgetful Robert is with the direwolf. He clearly doesn't give a damn about what happened -- after all he's right, children fight. It's over. Joffrey and Cersei are vastly overreacting. If it were any other kid, it'd be no big deal. So stupid...and unfair. Robert is even happy they couldn't find Nymeria. Probably just so he can get out of punishing anybody. And it's total injustice by punishing Lady, who did nothing wrong. Even Arya defends Lady. By doing so, she defends her sister.
12. Still hard to believe Robert gave into Cersei's request, though I guess it's only to placate her womanly wrath later on. Not even Ned, who swears on Robert's love for Lyanna (which I think is where he went wrong -- not in front of Cersei!), could get him to change his mind. Robert is trying to keep the peace with his wife. Throwing Lyanna in the mix was a big no no for Robert, and that alone might have been the thing that sealed the deal.
13. I love how Ned coldly tells Robert to do it himself, then. Be a man and do it yourself. Strange how Robert looks at him flatly and just leaves without saying anything. That was kind of rude, to me. Or maybe Robert's still angry about Ned throwing Lyanna in the fight.
14. The fact that Joffrey is smiling and isn't protesting for them to go back and cut off the right wolf's head speaks a lot about his character. He doesn't even have the decency to pretend to be sorry for Sansa, his betrothed.
15. How very noble of Ned to bear the burden himself, though he is sick at having to do it, since he knows it's not right. And it's weird that Cersei would be suspicious of this. "Why would you do such a thing?" she asks him. Because he's from the North and it's noble, you idiot! Why does she even care who kills the wolf in the first place? I love how Sansa even is the one who says it. :) I'm proud of her there, and I'm not often proud of Sansa, so that's saying a lot. I hope she stays true to the North... but I have a feeling she's going to continue to drift away from her Northern heritage, the longer she's away. Maybe losing Lady is symbolic that Sansa loses her Stark heritage? *SPOILERS FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)
16. Apparently Lady is the smallest of the litter. "The most gentle and trusting." :(
17. Hadn't realized Lady was to be buried at Winterfell. How sweet of Ned. :) "The Lannister woman shall never have this skin." Here he treats the direwolf like a citizen of the North. I like this very much.
18. Funny how Mycah was a butcher's boy -- and he and Lady had been "butchered" in this chapter.
Yeah Sansa is not one of my favorite characters, but she certainly isn't one of my least favorites either. I like and appreciate her personality, right now anyway. How innocent and naive she is. And she is the foil character to Arya... everything a little lady should be. She is definitely groomed well to become a future queen. And I do agree that with Lady she is, in a way, rebelling against that arcanum world. *SPOILER FOR LATER BOOKS IN A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)
Especially since I thought I read somewhere that the Valyrian dragonlords didn't believe in gods anymore, they were that powerful and ignorant.
1. Even Sansa, who is the least Stark-like, loves her direwolf. And it's said of Sansa: "...when it comes to that creature you're as willful as your sister Arya." 2. I forgot they were staying at an inn, somewhere on the banks of the Trident.
3. And I completely forgot about Arya talking about Rhaegar's rubies in the ford to Sansa here. Hadn't realized they were briefly discussing it. I always assume these two never talk to each other if they can help it. Also surprised how Arya sounds like she hates Rhaegar. Then again, I suppose she would, wouldn't she? His family murdered her grandfather and uncle, and Rhaegar himself "stole" Lyanna who later died. She has no love for the Targaryens, and she's caught up in the grand stories of how the king killed the "evil" Targaryen prince, scattering his rubies all over the Trident.
4. I love how Arya mentions the 36 different kinds of flowers she'd never seen before to her sister, explaining how nature can be fascinating. But all Sansa cares about is royalty.
5. Also love how Arya got all muddy getting the flowers for her father, and how Ned hugged her and never tried to make her be a lady. :) And when it gave her rashes she laughed about it and put more mud on. :)
6. "Arya would make friends with anybody." Really? She doesn't come across as genial as that to me. But she is really cute. I was a tomboy at that age, myself.
7. It's interesting how Arya has a hard time controlling Nymeria. Same personalities, I guess. Both are wild and cannot be tamed. And gutsy. She's not afraid to admit she doesn't like the queen.
8. Seems like Lady is the only thing keeping Sansa tied to her Stark heritage.
9. Even in Sansa's chapter she speaks of Jon...weird. I didn't think he mattered at all to her. He just seems like such a keystone character in the book so far, to be able to matter in almost every chapter, whether he's there or not.
10. Love the part where Sansa asked their mom if Arya wasn't a bastard like Jon, and Catelyn laughed and said they are in fact trueborn sisters.
11. Hadn't realized how much the Hound laughs in the book.
12. Interesting how Lady growled at Ilyn Payne, *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN A GAME OF THRONES* (view spoiler) And how she is uneasy with the Hound, but isn't so frightened of him as much as she is with Payne.
13. I forgot Ser Barriston was there with them, outside of King's Landing so early on in the book. He is Lord Commander of the Kingsguard at this point, though, so I suppose it makes sense he'd make sure they arrive safely home.
14. Wonder why Renly wears dark green armor when the Baratheon colors are black on gold. He is only 20 here, Lord of Storm's End already.
15. It's amazing how polite Joffrey can be when he wants to be. *SPOILER FOR LATER CHAPTERS IN A GAME OF THRONES* (view spoiler)
16. "Oh I love riding," Sansa said.
Psh, you do not. You hate how it hurts your butt. What a suck-up.
17. Almost a man grown, at 12? Arrogant prick. Her two older brothers are almost men grown...by age AND maturity level.
18. "The sound of steel on leather made her tremble." Why? Joffrey's supposed to be protecting her.
19. Joffrey's clearly being a bully here yet Arya shows no fear, not even to a prince. And Arya DID strike Joffrey first, I'd forgotten that, though he did cut Mycah for no reason other than to be a bully. She even drew blood on his head. Joffrey swings a real sword at Arya, which I think is truly unfair, and keeps swearing and missing -- which shows his true colors, and immaturity -- but Arya is quick and wild so I guess it evens out the fight.
20. Love how Arya comes back with: "She didn't hurt you... much." Mocking him earlier. And how she flung his sword into the river. I just love Arya!
21. Crazy how Sansa could see that "there was nothing but loathing there, nothing but the vilest contempt." Definitely signs of a sociopath.
1. I like the tension between Maester Luwin and Catelyn when he gingerly asks for her attention on the finances, but all she has energy for is obsessing over Bran. There is no steward left to do these things for her; she must take responsibility, but she can't emotionally handle it right now, and it's been over a week. And I like how Robb takes over for her, being only 14. It is good practice for him, anyhow. 2. She is so wishy-washy with Ned leaving. Now she wants him to stay, for Bran. Her heart is in a tumult.
3. Also like how Robb reminds her that Rickon needs her, too. She can't neglect her other children, too. The poor boy is only 14, and it's a strength to admit he needs help running the castle, especially in this kind of world where men must be strong. It's her job to help him, after all. Ned told her to help him.
4. The howling is too much for her and she falls over. Probably because of her lack of sleep; it's hurting her head, and she's going delusional, it seems.
5. It's the library tower that's on fire. All those books...now gone up in flame. It's a good thing then that Tyrion took off with the rare volumes before he left!
6. Ironic, when all the rest of the castle has gone raucous over the fire, the direwolves have gone silent.
7. Amazing how bravely she fights the mystery man, like awakening protective mama bear.
8. Also love how Catelyn whispers, "thank you" to Bran's wolf for saving her son, and her. And how it licked clean away the blood on her hand. :) And then she laughs hysterically, lol.
9. Finally she sleeps, and it takes four days for her to resurface. Much needed sleep. And she feels "resolute, as if a great weight had lifted from her." She is ashamed of herself and promises she won't do it again. See here, she CAN adapt. I like Catelyn for this.
10. There's been talk Hodor's been acting queer of late. Interesting...
11. So it works out that Catelyn was madden with grief; it saved her son's life when she wouldn't leave his side. Everything happens for a reason!
12. Catelyn is not stupid. She figured out someone wanted Bran killed because he knows something; not because it would be a mercy. Note this isn't paranoia anymore, but a real threat to be dealt with. Already her mind is thinking clearly. She is a strong female character, in my opinion.
13. Forgot the blade was Valyrian steel, and dragonbone hilt. Wouldn't that shatter her finger bones, then?
14. Amazing how quickly she figures it out, about Jaime, that Bran was pushed.
15. Ser Rodrik is wise when he says: "Never draw your sword unless you mean to use it." Sounds like something Ned would say.
16. Robb is trying to be a man, but the master-at-arms makes him feel like a child, whereas his own mother is giving him a chance to prove he's grown up - by letting him choose where to put the guards and the right to wear armor and hold a sword. I like that about her. She doesn't want to make him look weak by being too much of an influence. I imagine most mothers would get in the way, especially for their first born sons!
17. "There must always be a Stark in Winterfell." There it is again; even Catelyn says it. It sounds noble, but could it mean more?
18. Interesting the use of color in the three men described: Ser Rodrik with his great white whiskers, Maester Luwin in his grey robes, and young Greyjoy, lean and dark and impetuous. *SPOILERS FOR LATER CHAPTERS AND BOOK 2 IN ASOIAF* (view spoiler)
19. Love also how Catelyn now realizes there's nothing else she can do for Bran but to do her duty to her family, which means leaving Winterfell.
That's true, I also love the description of the North. Last chapter we learned a little more about the barrowlands, and here we learn about the wolfswood and mountains on the way further north to the Wall. (If you like maps, The World of Ice and Fire has some really nice ones...in color!)1. It takes at least a fortnight to make it to the Wall from Winterfell. I believe that's two weeks. I wouldn't think the road here would be well trafficked, though I guess the farther north you go does get less busy. I guess I just read that wrong.
2. I wonder if they call it the wolfswood for a reason...other than the fact that wolves inhabit it. Ghost prickles his ears at the howling but never howls back in reply. Weird...
3. This is Jon's first taste of how things are at the Wall. He seems disappointed that all the recruits are thieves and rapers.
4. Strange that even Benjen dislikes Lannisters. He seems so easy going.
5. "The Lannisters took what was offered." I like that.
6. Eighteen nights... Interesting Tyrion happens to be reading about dragons now. Ned had apparently given him permission to borrow some rare books, rather kind of him. I wonder if dragonbone can be used to kill the Others? It is said Tyrion has a "morbid fascination with dragons." Black as onyx. Teeth like black diamond. Beautiful.
7. There's that number again, 19. It also happens to be my favorite number. :) Nineteen dragon skulls. Nineteen castles along the Wall. Nineteen united wildling clans...
8. I wonder why the dragons died out. I don't think it ever gets explained.
9. The three great dragons: Balerion, Meraxes, Vhagar, all named after gods. Gods from what religion, though? The only time these dragons were released all at once was on the Field of Fire -- when they fought Casterly Rock and the Reach. King Loren of the Rock had five times as many men, but was defeated by three great dragons. Bad ass, if you ask me! He swore fealty since.
10. I like how Jon regards Tyrion "curiously." Jon doesn't strike me as a "curious" person; he comes across as a boy who sees and knows all... *SPOILER FOR A SWORD OF STORMS* (view spoiler)
11. Some things Tyrion says that I like: "You are remarkably polite for a bastard, Snow." :) "A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge." :)
12. I like this description of Jon: "He had the Stark face if not the name: long, solemn, guarded, a face that gave nothing away. Whoever his mother had been, she had left little of herself in her son." *SPECULATION OF JON'S MOTHER* (view spoiler)
13. Why would Jon think Tyrion was making fun of him when he said he wanted a dragon at his age? Did Jon secretly want the same thing?
14. I forgot about this conversation = How Tyrion dreamt of burning his father and sister, asking hasn't Jon ever had these dreams and Jon horrifyingly says, "No. I wouldn't..." "No? Never?" How Tyrion rubs salt in Jon's wounds about Catelyn, and Robb getting Winterfell while he gets the Wall. Then insulting the Night's Watch, upsetting Jon so much he balls his hands into fists and comes close to tears. I'm beginning to wonder why Tyrion is doing this, being so cruel. Does jabbing at people come so easily to Tyrion that he forgets he's talking to a sensitive 14-year-old boy? But then Tyrion suddenly, absurdly, feels guilty, which makes me like Tyrion all over again, how he even wants to console him... but by then Ghost knocks him over. "He did not growl. The damned thing never made a sound."
15. Tyrion gets what he deserves, though. It's his turn to be humiliated. He hurt Jon for no reason. He should apologize. It's a stupid question to ask, though = "Why did he attack me?" Even dogs defend their masters when they're angry at someone.
16. I wonder what a grumpkin is, and a snark. I don't think GRRM ever explains it anywhere. Tyrion says he supposes he looks like a grumpkin, which I think sounds rather cute.
17. Love how Jon handles the truth: "If that's what it is, that's what it is." And how Tyrion praises his honesty. "Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it."
18. Interesting how Tyrion saw Jon staring into the flames when earlier he'd told the boy that's what he used to do himself, thinking about his burning his family. I don't think Jon's thinking that, though.
I know Ned is one of my top favorite characters. His only fault is that he is too honorable, which makes him predictable, easy to read, and manipulate. :(1. King Robert definitely misses riding like "a man was meant to ride!" He's not very patient. I just love their relationship with each other. He can make Ned laugh. :) Robert wants to just run away. He feels "stuck" and this is his first real time away to spend with his best friend.
2. Ned is his voice of reason. Easy for him to think reasonably; he loves his family and always keeps them in mind in his decisions in life. Robert hates his wife, but does he really hate his children, too, to go whoring around like he does? This makes me dislike Robert a bit.
3. Here Ned finally gives the king Jon's mothers name: Wylla, but it is "with cool courtesy." He clearly doesn't want to talk about her. And when Robert pushes asking what she looked like, Ned's mouth tightens in anger and he directly tells his king to leave it be. I love Robert's response here: "Damn it, no woman wants Baelor the Blessed in her bed."
4. Had to look up "barrows" in the dictionary. It says, "a heap, esp. a burial mound."So the barrows of the First Men must be ancient. Ned says there are barrows everywhere in the north. "This land is old." Totally reminds me of the time I went to visit Stonehenge. Lots of mounds/graves everywhere. Makes me wonder what's in Barrowton, on the map. Let me guess, more barrows? The north is certainly a cheery place!
5. Just noticed this sentence: "Well, I did not bring you out here to talk of graves or bicker about your bastard." *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)
6. Didn't realize Ned was going to execute Jorah but Jorah had already left, set sail five years ago. All this time I thought Ned banished him, but no. Ned took it very seriously, indeed. Interesting.
7. Here it sounds like Ser Jorah eagerly wants a royal pardon by spying on Dany. I assumed he was goaded into it by either Varys, Littlefinger, or someone else at the capital.
8. Interesting to note Ned considered Rhaegar's wife and kids deaths to be murder and Robert saw it as war. He really hates the Targaryens. Even the little children. "I see no babes. Only dragon-spawn." Ugh. Disliking Robert even more now.
9. Ned was so angry with Robert that he left without him to battle the south and it took Lyanna's death to reconcile them. (In a way that's good because who knows what would've happened if Robert was with him when Ned met up with his sister.)
10. Forgot Robert named Jaime Warden of the East. Odd, since Jaime is from the west. You'd think he'd name someone, anyone, from the Vale. Someone who actually KNOWS the east. But that's family loyalty for you... Interesting dilemma, half the army under Lannisters, who've been proven most dishonorable to the realm, and barbaric (killing innocent children). Robert is so very unwise here.
11. Really like this part: Robert: "His sword helped win the throne I sit on." And Ned thinks: "His sword helped taint the throne you sit on." It is true it didn't have to be Jaime who killed Aerys, but Aerys would've trusted his kingsguard, kept Jaime close, so that just made it all the more easy to betray him.
12. So Ned was at the Trident. How did he get there so fast? I need a timeline, lol.
13. Interesting to note the Lannisters remained aloof and never took a side. They only took the Red Keep when it was weak, like vultures, and chose the winning side near the end. Ugh.
14. "He had lived his lies for fourteen years, yet they still haunted him at night." Interesting... What lies are we talking about, Ned?
15. And here, when Robert brings up Lyanna, Ned thinks about the promise he made her.
"You avenged Lyanna at the Trident," Ned said, halting beside the king. Promise me, Ned, she had whispered.
Why would he think of the promise now? What lies were you keeping for fourteen years? It must do with the Targaryens, then?
16. And now we see Robert prayed for the girl, Lyanna, not the crown. Once again, I start to like Robert again.
17. I just don't like how Robert would much rather ride off and have adventures than talk about important matters, like the loyalty of the Lannisters. I feel for Ned, who doesn't immediately ride with him. He feels hopeless, taking on a great burden, and once again thinks to himself he belongs in Winterfell with his grieving family. But he is dutiful and goes after the king instead, because he is the Hand now.
