Vicki’s Comments (group member since Jul 17, 2015)

Vicki’s comments from the A Song of Ice and Fire - A Chapter a day group.

1. Varys informs the council that Renly has been murdered, but by whom it is not clear, though Catelyn Stark is a suspect. Cersei is irritated and threatens Varys’s position on the council (or life, more like it) if he is caught lying to them. I’m surprised Varys talks back, saying her son won’t have a council at all if she continues like this.

2. Littlefinger and Varys playfully bicker over which of them will lose their place on the council next by the Hand, since Pycelle was the first to go. It’s odd Tyrion has nothing witty to say about that.

3. I just don’t understand why Cersei is so pissed off at Varys. Don’t shoot the messenger!

4. Tyrion is sure that whoever did it was backed by Stannis. “The gain is clearly his.” Neither Tyrion nor Cersei are happy because they had hoped Stannis and Renly would decimate each other. Now the greater part of Renly’s army has joined Stannis’s cause, just like Catelyn knew would happen. Loras Tyrell, Randyll Tarly, and Mathis Rowan still haven’t switched sides, though, nor has Storm’s End. Ser Cortnay Penrose refuses to yield the castle up until he sees the body, but the body has vanished. One-fifths of Renly’s army followed Ser Loras while the rest went over to Stannis. Wtf...it’s said Loras was so pissed he killed three of Renly’s own men, including Emmon Cuy and Robar Royce. Well that sucks! Ser Robar could have told everybody what Catelyn told him.

5. Tyrion tells the council they still have a chance at surviving this war if they manage to win Loras Tyrell over to their cause. Ser Loras has no love for the Lannisters but hopefully his hatred for Stannis is greater. Tyrion implies they should set up some terms to entice him to take their side. Littlefinger automatically says gold will win him over; well, the Lannisters have a lot of that! Tyrion says bribing won’t win Highgarden. After all, the Tyrell’s, I believe, are the second most richest House in Westeros. Tyrion suggests a marriage pact, just like Renly did.

6. Cersei says Joffrey is still betrothed to Sansa Stark but Tyrion says marriage contracts can be broken. Ha! True, “What advantage is there in wedding the king to the daughter of a dead traitor?” Littlefinger also adds that Margaery is richer, prettier, and beddable. Oh good lord... lol. Cersei says Joff’s too young to care about that but Tyrion points out he was 13 when he married.

7. Apparently Varys and Tyrion decided Joff needs to discover Chataya’s establishment after he had Sansa stripped bare. Tyrion hopes whores will sweeten him up a little, lol, don’t count on that.

8. This is highly creepy to me: Littlefinger says Sansa’s body may be sweet but Margaery also brings 50,000 swords and Highgarden’s support with her. A 12-year-old girl’s body should not be called sweet, not even in this world, I’m sorry. That’s just gross.

9. Ha! Varys agrees with this match and says as much as Joffrey loves Sansa (more like loves torturing Sansa), “...kings must learn to put the needs of the realm before their own desires.”

10. Cersei does not like it, but I think she’s being overly protective of her oldest cub and therefore cannot see the logic in what they’re saying. Regardless, she allows them to at least propose the idea to Loras Tyrell. This is interesting: “Candlelight gleamed green as wildfire in Cersei’s eyes.” That’s not the first time wildfire has been linked to Cersei. She would rather Tyrion go to treat with Ser Loras since he’s the Hand, and it’s his idea, but Tyrion says a mother is more appropriate for these matters, not uncles.

11. They argue over who should go when Littlefinger offers to go in their stead. Tyrion wonders what his reason is for volunteering. Petyr gives his reasons, including he got along well with the Tyrells when they were at court, has no quarrel with them, and he’s a good negotiator. Tyrion uneasily agrees with this. There’s no better alternative. Littlefinger also offers to return the Redwyne twins as a token of good faith so they can also gain the Arbor’s fleet. Cersei doesn’t want to lose both hostages so they decide to send one and keep the other, just to make sure Lord Paxter Redwyne doesn’t try anything funny. Of course Littlefinger wants a reward for doing all of this for them. Nothing is free with him.

12. Once Littlefinger and Varys depart Cersei asks how Tyrion’s chain is coming. He says it’s coming along. I’m assuming she knows what it is for, seeing as there’s no hint of derision in her voice. Wow! Cersei actually compliments her brother! She even apologizes for being harsh on him earlier. I wonder if she is being sincere or if there’s something she wants from him. She even gives him a peck on his brow, holy shit. Moments after she departs Tyrion realizes she’s up to something, and he wants Bronn to find out what that is. Yeah, because it’s so unlike Cersei to be humble and kind. Too good to be true.

Your point 10, I agree. Maester Luwin seems to be losing his patience with Bran and his fantastical thinking, but Ser Rodrik surprisingly was very kind, whether he believed it or not at least he doesn't shoot Bran's thoughts and ideas down like Luwin's been doing more of lately.

Your point 11, you know what, I think you're right! It makes complete sense why Meera would be upset about that. She desperately doesn't want to believe that will happen.

1. For some reason it surprises me that Bran would be found in the forge, helping Mikken the blacksmith out. I understand he would want to be useful, but I never saw Bran as much of a fighter, though I suppose you don’t have to wield the stuff you make.

2. Maester Luwin summons all four children into his turret (including both Walders) and says Robb is kicking ass in the Westerlands, winning battle after battle. Big Walder says Lord Tywin is the only one who matters and Robb still has yet to clash with him. Bran agrees.

3. Poor Rickon, all he cares about is having Robb come home, “...and Mother and Father.” Though Rickon is old enough to know his dad is dead, Bran thinks he willfully “forgets.” That’s sad; he is only 4. I don’t know if a 4-year-old can grasp the concept of death yet. The finality of it...usually.

4. Maester Luwin sadly informs the Walders their Uncle Stevron died in battle; he was the one who treated with Catelyn on behalf of his father, Lord Walder Frey. He was the heir to the Twins. Instead, both Walders argue over who’s next in line instead of grieving and Luwin scolds them for their indifference. They lie and say they’re sad, lol. Bran is starting to see what Jojen’s dream meant: “They like the taste of this dish better than I do.” About death, I think. Bran needs to be excused.

5. Bran asks Osha how to get to the Wall and beyond it. They have a constellation called the Ice Dragon, which I find highly intriguing. I wonder if ice dragons really exist in this world and if so, will they have a role to play in the series? I mean, why not...lots of other shit is real, lol. He asks her about the fantastical creatures he’s heard of and she says she’s either seen them herself or heard of them. Then Bran asks if she’s seen or heard of a three-eyed-raven. She laughs, says no, and she wouldn’t want to either. It seems the three-eyed-raven is an anomaly even to Osha.

6. Right after Osha leaves his room, Jojen and Meera enter. Bran says Robb’s letter was the supper and his green dreams were right. Bran received good news, the Walders received bad news, but they’re more pleased than Bran is. Jojen admits his dreams take strange shapes sometimes and it’s not always easy to decipher what they mean. (That’s like Melisandre and her visions). It seems Bran believes Jojen again. :) He wants to know all about Jojen’s bad dream, the thing that’s coming to Winterfell. Jojen says he saw the sea coming. The waves crash against the walls of Winterfell and floods the entire castle. Men drown. He had dreamed this back at Greywater; that’s why his father sent them, as a warning. Jojen predicts specifically which men die; including Mikken. Jojen says this will happen sometime at night. Bran wants to warn Alebelly, Mikken, and Septon Chayle but Jojen says it won’t save them. They wouldn’t believe him even if he tried to explain.

7. Jojen wants to know what Bran dreams now. Bran is scared but he comes clean this time. He tells them about the wolf dreams, which aren’t so bad. There’s the three-eyed-raven dreams where it tells him to fly, sometimes the tree is there too, calling his name. Those are scary, but the worst one is where he’s falling. He used to never fall, but now he’s falling all the time in his dreams.

8. Jojen tells Bran he is a warg. Oh good, I can say it now! He explains it’s a shapechanger. A warg is something most people are afraid of and it’s not something he should go around telling everybody; not many would understand. Bran remembers warg stories Old Nan used to tell; they were always evil. Bran is scared and promises he’s a good person. Jojen says these wolf dreams aren’t really dreams but Bran’s third eye, seeing through the eyes of Summer. During the day his third eye is shut but at night it opens of its own will, seeking the other part of his soul. I like that. :) Jojen says this power is particularly strong in him. He also says Bran will never fly until he can learn to open his third eye when he’s awake and pokes him between the eyes, lol. Poor Bran doesn’t grasp the abstract concept of having a third eye, lol.

9. After they leave Bran tries to open his third eye but isn’t successful. He tries to warn the others of the sea but most laugh at him, as predicted. I forgot Septon Chayle grew up at White Harbor, makes sense. He says he’s an excellent swimmer so he won’t drown. :( Bran is taking Jojen’s dream too literally again!

10. Finally Ser Rodrik returns, and with a prisoner. He is smelly and ugly and is called Reek, charming. Bran learns Reek served the Bastard of Bolton but the Bastard was killed after Ser Rodrik found out he’d killed poor Lady Hornwood; the Bastard had starved her to death. That’s awful. Gods, when Rodrik found her she had eaten her own fingers! At least the poor woman doesn’t have to suffer anymore. Unfortunately, the marriage is binding, so the Bolton’s have the right to her lands now. That should not have been allowed to happen! Luwin argues vows made at sword point are invalid. Ser Rodrik is keeping Reek as prisoner so that when Robb returns Reek can be witness to what happened.

11. Shit, now there’s civil war going on between the Boltons and Manderlys. Ser Rodrik lacks the men to stop them. Maester Luwin informs both Bran and Rodrik that the Stony Shore is being harrassed by raiders in longboats. The Tallharts are attempting to stop it but Luwin is sure the raiders will only come back again. Rodrik curses the fact that all their main force is down south when so much trouble is brewing at home.

12. Bran feels better when Ser Rodrik takes Jojen’s dream as a possible omen and takes heed, but later Jojen says nothing can be done to save them. The results from these events can’t be changed. Surprisingly, Meera is angry and asks why the gods would bother showing Jojen this if there’s nothing they can do. Meera, in her anger, says Bran and the others should fight, but Bran doesn’t know what she means. How can you fight the sea? Jojen then says he saw the man Reek butcher Bran and Rickon in a dream. Meera says she could murder Reek down in the dungeons; then this could never happen. Jojen tells her the gaolers would stop her. It’s interesting that she is so invested in trying to alter the course of events when she is a Reed. For her to stubbornly fight fate so much and has a father and brother with magical abilities, I find this quite interesting. I hadn’t noticed this before, the differences in their personalities. She does remind me of Arya a lot.

13. The end of this chapter is horrible. Bran tries to bargain with Jojen but Jojen sadly reminds him it’s a green dream and what he sees always comes true, no matter what you do to try to stop it. He clearly saw Bran and Rickon dead; he saw them in their tombs inside the crypt with all the other Starks that came before. :( *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN A CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler)[I’m so glad I know what really happens! The first time I read this book I was outraged. Bran miraculously survives a great fall and is beginning to learn he’s a powerful shapeshifter, only to die chapters later? Then at the end I was relieved to find out Theon killed the miller’s boys, not the little lords. I mean, I still feel bad for the miller’s sons, but Bran is one of my favorite characters in the series. He can’t die! (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, I am not sure if the color of her eyes are ever mentioned throughout the series thus far. I really, really want to know! It's weird to take note of Jojen's eye color but not the sisters, if it is different.

Your point 10, I often wondered what in the world made Howland Reed feel comfortable sending his only two children ALONE to Winterfell, and how he'd feel about his children embarking on a journey up north of the Wall. I know he has some magical ability, but to what extent, I don't know. Maybe he sees visions too?

Your point 16, I'm sure it wasn't too scary, seeing as she is trained to fight and that's her job, to protect the boys. :) But it is nice of him to apologize, anyway.

Your point 10, the dragons were enough for Aegon the Conqueror! She just needs to wait until they grow into adulthood, and learn to tame them so they don't get too wild.

Your point 12, I think Viserys had biased views of their father. Aerys was crazy, but he loved little Viserys and kept him close always. Of course Viserys would only remember good things about his father. Unfortunately, Dany hasn't heard the real story from everyone else. After all, how do you tell a princess, who loves her father by default, that he was batshit crazy?

Your point 14, that's true, I don't know how many of hte common folk know that Daenerys is still alive, or if they would even want another Targaryen on the throne, hoping this one will turn out all right.

Your point 7, that's true, I often wonder how Ghost gets any time to sleep if he's always moving day and night, lol.

1. They arrive at the Fist of the First Men. It’s a large rocky hill that juts out from the forest. You can see it from miles away. It’s called that because it looks like a fist punching up from the earth and forest. It is very steep.

2. As they’re riding up, Ghost keeps returning back to ground level. On the third whistle Mormont tells Jon to leave the direwolf alone.

3. The top is crowned with a chest-high wall of tumbled rocks. It’s a good fortification site and they’re going to camp here until the rangers from the Shadow Tower arrive. Jon particularly is interested in the ringwall. It’s said the Fist was a ringfort of the First Men in the Dawn Age. It’s old but strong, and easy to defend because it’s up so high.

4. After they set up camp Jon goes back down the Fist to search for Ghost. He finds the wolf and takes him back up the hill but as soon as they reach the ringwall Ghost retreats, not liking the smell, interesting. Jon even tries to drag him up the hill, but Ghost is stronger. Jon is perplexed; his direwolf doesn’t usually disobey him like this. Finally he gives up, all the while the wolf looks at him silently with those red eyes.

5. That night Jon has a sense of foreboding. He feels the ghosts of the First Men are among him, then tells himself to stop being childish.

6. The landscape sounds spectacular! The Northwest is full of snow-capped, inhospitable mountains and the Southeast is covered in forest. He can’t see anything under the forest canopy, and he worries for Ghost, I can tell. Anything could be in the Haunted Forest.

7. Jon visits Sam and the ravens. Sam is finally gaining courage so Jon doesn’t want to spook him by admitting he himself feels uneasy about this place. The ravens can feel the disquiet too.

8. Jon listens in on Mormont’s council about how to deal with Mance Rayder. Mormont seems to favor waiting at the Fist for Mance’s army to emerge out of the mountains via the Milkwater, which is the only route large enough for a host. Even though there’ll only be 300 Night’s Watch brothers and thousands of wildlings, the ringfort should help them survive the attack.

9. Mormont turns down Thoren’s request to send rangers out ahead to see if they can scout the wildlings; Mormont wants all his men close. After Thoren leaves the tent Mormont asks for Jon’s opinion. At first Jon says it’s not his place to say, but Mormont says it is if he’s asked. :) I like that Mormont values Jon’s opinion, despite being young and new to ranging. I think this means a lot. Jon says they won’t be able to find his uncle if all the rangers stay at the Fist. Finding Benjen Stark seems to be Jon’s greatest concern still. Jon then realizes that it’ll be easier for Uncle Ben to find them than for all of them to find him. After all, they aren’t trying to hide their position, what with bonfires and all. They don’t like to admit the possibility but Ben Stark may come to them even if he’s dead, in the form of a wight. It’s creepy that the raven keeps screaming “dead.” I really hope that doesn’t mean he’s dead!

10. As Jon’s eating with the rest of the camp, a ranger named Dywen boasts he smells the cold in the air and doesn’t like it. Another man named Hake tells him there is no smell for cold but Jon knows there is. I live along the snow belt and during wintertime the smell of frost is a common odor in the air. It is bitter, and I wonder if that’s what Dywen means by cold. Jon thinks the cold smells like death (I don’t know what death smells like, lol) and suddenly he’s not hungry any more. Remembering dead Othor made him lose his appetite.

11. At night Jon hears the distant sound of wolves howling. It is a chilling and lonely sound. I wonder why lonely? Does it remind him of his family? He turns and sees that Ghost is watching him; he finally decided to show up. Ghost circles him and is uneasy. Jon is alarmed, knowing by experience now that Ghost warns him when trouble is brewing, like when the dead came to life in Castle Black. Jon is afraid the Others are nearby. Ghost looks like he wants Jon to follow him so he does.

12. It must have been terrifying for Jon to go down that steep hill in the black of night. He follows Ghost into the underbrush. Jon had never seen Ghost look at him so fiercely before, but it’s not him he was looking at; he darts off behind Jon. Jon is angry with the wolf for not obeying his commands. Ghost keeps leading him around the Fist through the forest until he finds a spot and digs furiously. Something was recently buried down here and Jon helps dig it up. He expects to find a corpse but instead he finds something rolled up in some cloth. I like how Ghost sits and watches him now.

13. Inside the cloth are a dozen knives and countless spearpoints and arrowheads, all made out of dragonglass, aka obsidian. There’s also an old warhorn, banded in bronze. Then he notices the cloth is still good; it couldn’t have been buried here for long, and it is black. It’s a cloak of a Brother of the Night’s Watch. So mysterious! When I first read this I thought it might have belonged to Benjen Stark. But where did he find all that dragonglass? Had he come across the children of the forest? So many questions left unanswered. We’ll just have to wait and see!

Your point 8, that is true, I didn't think of that correlation! I assumed Renly wears so much green to honor the Tyrells. I still don't really understand why Cersei wears so much green, except to bring out the color of her eyes I suppose.

1. They are just now visiting the sept. The village name is unknown to them; I find that odd.

2. Again we learn a little more about the Seven gods-in-one religion. It greatly reminds me of the Christian Holy Trinity, only there are seven aspects of one god, not three. I really like that the sept has seven walls, one for each god. One building, seven walls. The richer cities could afford ornate statues to represent each god but in Winterfell there were only hung masks, and in this village only charcoal drawings. Each had its own image to represent them but the Stranger only gets a black oval with stars for eyes. This one represents the mysteries of God, I’m assuming. It makes Cat uneasy.

3. As Catelyn prays she wonders if Ned’s gods ever heard or answered him. I wonder if she believes her gods can hear and answer her. In hard times it’s easy to doubt your faith.

4. Very interesting that the warrior reminds Cat of Jon Snow. Seeing as she’s never seen him in action, I find this interesting. Perhaps it’s because he would always be seen in the yard, training. He always took his training seriously. She even saw Arya in the Warrior, if only for a moment. I think Cat is well in tune with her faith to be able to glimpse some of these things, or perhaps it’s just wisdom.

5. I forgot all about Cat’s mother, named Minisa Tully. She died in childbirth, trying to give her husband a second son. Both her and the boy died. She remembers her mother always being so calm. I think most mothers have that aura about them. :)

6. Poor Cat feels unwanted by Robb and an ineffective mother to the rest of her kids. She even feels like a bad wife for not being there with Ned when he died. Cat does not lack in humility, that’s for sure.

7. It’s interesting how the presence of shadows is everywhere in this chapter. Obviously the candle is creating many of these shadows, and every time the flame flickers the shadows morph and sway. It also doesn’t help that Cat did not eat at all today. She’s not as hungry lately, ever since she lost Ned. :( She feels they killed her too when they killed Ned. So sad. She’s finally allowing herself a little time to grieve.

8. Cat also sees Lysa and Cersei in the Mother. No matter how foolish and cruel they are, they still love their children. No matter who fathered Cersei’s children, she still felt them kick inside her, this is so moving for me. She wonders if Cersei prays to the Mother too. She knows Robert would easily have killed Joffrey if he had known he wasn’t his’. Bastards are common, but incest is regarded as a monstrous offense to the gods, old and new. Only the Valyrians saw it as necessary. They answered to no god or man.

9. Cat finally figures out that Bran knows Cersei’s secret, that’s why he nearly died, twice. They tried to silence him. Convenient, now that he can’t remember any of it.

10. Ser Robar politely tells her time is up; they need to head back to the pavilion now, before she can pray to the Stranger. She prayed to all the others. I find it strange she ignores that faction, knowing all Seven are equally important. I mean, they’re called the Seven, not the Six, lol.

11. As they pass the banners she can only see the color grey in the predawn gloom, and she calls Renly’s knights “shadows.” Storm’s End still looks black, with yellow torches moving around, shows that they’re awake and active too.

12. Catelyn enters the royal pavilion where Brienne is arming Renly before battle. The candlelight makes the silk walls glow and colors look sickly. Lords Tarly and Rowan are there, too, talking about battle tactics.

13. Cat refers to Renly as “Your Grace” this time, in an effort to appeal to him. She’s put aside her son’s pride for this.

14. Rowan wants to attack before dawn to surprise Stannis, since they’re all ready, and Tarly agrees. If they charge they’ll be charging into the rising sun, not smart. Renly wants to fight honorably, and he told Stannis dawn. He argues the sun won’t be a problem once they’re in the thick of melee, which should be quick. He also commands Stannis’s body not to be mutilated; he is his own blood, after all. That’s better than Tywin! He also wants to spare Ser Barristan Selmy if he is found among Stannis’s army. That’s noble as well. It seems Renly cannot tolerate barbarism.

15. Once alone, Renly permits Catelyn to speak, though Brienne is still there. Cat explains to him how she believes Cersei and Jaime were caught at incest by Bran, who had fallen from a tower in Winterfell when they were visiting. She thinks he was pushed off for his silence. Cat begs permission to go to Stannis with this information and request that Robb, Stannis, and Renly put aside their crowns and hold a Great Council meeting, which hasn’t been done in over a hundred years, to vote on who should be king. Let the people decide. This shouldn’t trouble Renly since he’s very popular. But Renly laughs and asks if direwolves vote who should lead the pack. Good point. Democracy is not a well known alternative in this world. In this world it’s the strongest that’s the fittest. Funny of Renly to say, since I’m pretty sure Stannis would easily beat Renly in single-combat.

16. As Cat continues to beg a sudden gust of wind bursts into the tent. Cat thinks she saw movement out of the corner of her eye but when she turns to look she only sees Renly’s shadow. Renly goes to make a jest but as he does so his shadow pulls out its shadowsword and raises it. Cat immediately knows something’s wrong as she sees Renly’s sword is clearly still in its sheath. Renly softly mutters it’s cold in here right before he is stabbed by the shadowsword.

17. Brienne screams and holds Renly as he’s dying. All the candles have blown out. Ser Robar and Emmon and a few others come rushing in to see what’s the matter and immediately jump to the conclusion that Brienne did it; she’s covered in his blood. It’s surprising they didn’t ponder the possibility that Cat might have done it and Brienne was trying to save him. Brienne clearly is upset, but all the men believe she did it. Ser Emmon even grabs a battleaxe to kill her when Cat screams no! But it’s too late, they’re fighting now. She pulls Ser Robar aside at least and tells him it wasn’t Brienne, it was Stannis. He used sorcery somehow, a shadow killed Renly. Brienne loved Renly; she could never have killed him. Ser Robar rushes in to stop the men and tells Cat to get Brienne away. He only does this because she swore on Ned Stark’s grave and on her honor as a Stark. Seeing as the Royce’s aren’t northerners but they still worship the old gods, perhaps he knows there’s honor among Starks and Cat therefore is telling the truth.

18. Ser Robar hits Ser Emmon with the brazier and now the pavilion is on fire. Cat leads Brienne out of the tent. More men arrive to see what’s the matter as they walk away calmly, so as not to throw suspicion on them. As they move farther away from the pavilion Brienne asks Catelyn what she saw. Cat says it was a shadow, Stannis’s shadow. She even felt his presence. That’s proof enough for Brienne. She is livid and swears she will kill Stannis.

19. They reach Catelyn’s escorts and explain what happened. They mount their horses to leave. The battle is over before it begun, and Cat urges Brienne to come with them. They should not linger; they were both at the scene when Renly died and people will soon be looking for them. They immediately ride north.

20. As they hurry away, Cat realizes all of Renly’s men belong to Stannis now, even though they don’t know it yet. All of Highgarden and Storm’s End will follow the last living Baratheon, having no one else to turn to. I wonder why they wouldn’t turn over to the Lannisters? You’d think they’d hate Stannis for what he’s done, unless they fail to believe it was Stannis’s doing. They will hate the Starks even further if they believe Catelyn is to blame. :( Perhaps now they will follow “the rightful king.”

21. The chapter ends with Catelyn fearing for Robb when Stannis finds him. He is a traitor in Stannis’s eyes, like Renly. If he can kill Renly in an encampment of 80,000 warriors, what’s to stop him from killing Robb the same way?

That's okay! I just wanted to make sure, because I thought a wight and a warg are two very different things, lol.

Yes you're right. Up until now I haven't gotten a very good vibe from this red god, but it is all about how one chooses to worship him. If you are like Melisandre and you go so far as to burn people alive, that is horrible. George Martin informs us in his writings, and through other novels I've read, that burning to death is one of the most painful ways to die. But Jaqen also worships, I'm assuming, the red god, and he does not seem evil. If anything, he reminds me of a Buddhist.

Yes, and Raff the Sweetling is the same way. He isn't really a sweetling, lol.

That's true. Even if Tyrion believed him no one else would. They'd think Tyrion is stupid for believing Ser Alliser and likely reconsider having him as the King's Hand. That's why I think Tyrion struggles to be taken seriously. So many people look at his physical malformations and automatically decide he's inept, so he has to be firm in his diplomacy. Spreading the word that the Others are back and going to kill us all will only make people think he's all the more crazy.

Your point 3, I often wondered why they named him Tickler. My best guess is to be ironic, like how people squirm when someone tickles them, only here they're squirming in pain, not laughter.

Your points 3 and 9, does it say in your book it was wights Robb fought with? In my copy it says wargs. I was just curious.

Your point 12, yeah, that part puzzled me as well. Don't get me wrong, I like Sansa a lot, but I never thought her to be "wise," at least not at this point in the series, lol.

1. Joffrey is pissed off again and Sandor says it’s her brother’s doing, not her. Still, she knows she’ll get punished for it. Sansa chooses to wear the dress Joffrey has always liked on her. She worries Robb has hurt Jaime. She knows that if Jaime dies she’s done for.

2. Omg, Joffrey crossbowed a cat! I’m a cat-lover, so I feel particularly terrible about this. Joffrey also makes Ser Dontos ride a broomstick horse, to go with his fool accouterments, I suppose. Dontos tells her to be brave. :( This sounds particularly bad.

3. Joffrey makes Lancel tell Sansa what Robb has done now. Lancel looks at her coldly, and omg, I laughed. He says Robb Stark descended on Ser Stafford Lannister with an army of wargs while they were sleeping and ate their flesh. Sansa is horrified. Dontos speaks up for her, not a great idea, and says the poor girl is shocked witless. Joffrey silences him and tells Sansa the Starks are as unnatural as their wolves; he hasn’t forgotten how “your” monster savaged him. Sansa reminds him it was Arya’s wolf, but he killed Lady anyway. Nice.

4. Omg, Joffrey goes on and on about shooting people with his new crossbow (which I believe it was Jon who always said a crossbow is a coward’s weapon), and he’d shoot her too but for his mother who says if he does that Robb will kill Jaime. Like Joffrey cares about his uncle.

5. Okay, now Joffrey tells Sandor to hit her, but Dontos offers to do it instead. He hits her over and over with a melon, getting her all sticky, and the crowd laughs. She hopes this will make Joffrey laugh and be satisfied, but he doesn’t even snicker. He sics Ser Boros and Meryn on her. Gods, right in front of the entire court, too! They beat her till she screams and wants to die. Finally the Hound tells him to stop it. Joffrey commands the two knights to undress her. The dress Joffrey had always liked is torn apart and she is publicly humiliated.

6. Tyrion comes storming in, completely outraged by this. Woot! Bronn and Timmett are with him. He insults Ser Boros for beating a defenseless maid and tells someone to cover Sansa up with some clothes. Sander immediately pulls his cloak over her. :)

7. Tyrion rounds on Joffrey next, telling him he has the wits of a goose, lol. Joffrey is offended. I’m sure he’s not used to being insulted like that, especially in public. He says he’s king and can do whatever he likes. I love how Tyrion says Aerys Targaryen did whatever he liked, has his mother told Joffrey what happened to him? Ha!

8. I loved this the first time I read it, and I loved it in the show, just as I love it now, how Tyrion informs Ser Boros what a threat is. Tyrion is so full of wit I just love him.

9. Joffrey says his mother taught him that fear is better than love. Ugh...I hate Cersei. Sansa, his future queen, certainly fears him! “A pity Stannis and Renly aren’t twelve-year-old girls as well.” Ha!

10. Bronn and Timmett take Sansa to the Hand’s Tower instead of her bedchambers. She hasn’t been here since her father was arrested and feels sick. Gods, I feel so bad for her! Some female servants clean her up. She has lost faith in knights now. Not one of the knights did anything to stop it. Only Dontos tried to help, but he’s not a knight anymore, nor is Tyrion or the Hound. It’s all ass backwards. A new maester named Frenken heals her hurts and gives her dreamwine to sleep.

11. When she wakes she wants to go to the godswood but Chella prevents her from leaving and says she can pray here, the gods can still listen. I wonder if the mountain men worship the old gods too? Suddenly she realizes she’s in Arya’s old bedchambers. That’s got to sting! She eats a little until Tyrion knocks and enters. He says she’s his guest, not prisoner.

12. Tyrion explains why Joffrey was so angry: Robb won a crushing victory against his uncle Stafford Lannister. Sansa truly is trained well; she tells Tyrion that’s awful and her brother is a vile traitor. :( Sansa says Lancel claimed Robb led an army of wargs and Tyrion laughs it off. It’s true, Robb had Grey Wind with him, but that’s all. The wolf scared all of the horses, which greatly helped the northerners when Lannister horses trampled over their own knights. Ser Stafford himself was slain, too, killed by Lord Rickard Karstark. Several other Westerling lords died as well. I love this: “Sorcery is the sauce fools spoon over failure to hide the flavor of their own incompetence.” This was the army in training, slaughtered before they could get too strong. The only mystery is how Robb and his men passed the Golden Tooth to attack Oxcross unnoticed when the Golden Tooth is full of sentries.

13. Now Tyrion asks how Sansa feels about Joffrey, and like a trained little bird, she says she loves him with all her heart. :( Tyrion laughs and says someone taught her to lie well. I’m surprised, since in an earlier chapter Sandor said she’s a terrible liar. Unless Tyrion was joking, which very well may have been it. I’m surprised he asks if she started puberty yet, but after having been humiliated earlier this is nothing. He tells her it’s good she’s still a child and he intends her never to marry Joffrey, then asks if this pleases her to know. This throws Sansa off; of course this pleases her to no end, but she is too afraid to say it out loud, not even to Tyrion, who’d been nothing but kind to her. She fears it’s a trick. He figures she wants to get as far away from all Lannisters as possible, just like him when he was young, lol. He knows she visits the godswood everyday, too, and asks what she prays for. Now he’s just begging her to confide in him.

14. Tyrion can read her like an open book. He is kind to her, but honest too. He believes Tywin will win and tells her to pray Robb finds the wisdom to bend the knee. Tyrion wants to send her back to Winterfell after the war is over. He invites her to spend the night in his tower if she wants, with his own guards to protect her, but she says no; the “wildlings” frighten her. He smiles and says they also frighten Joffrey and his stupid Kingsguard, so having them around will keep them from hurting her again, true.

15. Sansa lies and says she doesn’t want to stay here because the memory of her father is still too painful, which is partly true, but truthfully she just wants the freedom to go find Dontos. Out of everyone in the castle, she trusts him only.

16. I find it interesting Tyrion says he’s no stranger to nightmares. I wonder what kinds of things haunt him at night?

Your point 13, oh I thought the northerners hadn't tried to ransom their captives yet, since Robb needs them with him in battle. But since there are so many Freys, the Frey family could afford to ransom their family members back. That, and it shows how wishy-washy Lord Walder Frey is.

1. Harrenhal’s towers all have pretty depressing names to match the overall mood of the place.

2. Here Arya is able to eat. It’s not as bad as starving on the road with nothing but bugs to eat. Hot Pie serves in the kitchens. It’s sweet of him to try to give her a tart and took a beating for it. She saw Gendry even less, and she tried not to make friends with the others who serve under Weese.

3. That’s interesting, talk of Tywin possibly planning to restore Harrenhal to its former glory and take it as his seat when the war is done. I doubt it. The Lannisters are proud; he’d stick with Casterly Rock.

4. Weese uses Arya to send messages, draw water, fetch food, mostly run around for him. She also does a lot of cleaning. Most of Harrenhal has not been tended in 80 years so that sounds like a lot of work! The topmost story is infested with huge black bats, wow!

5. Harren and his sons died in Kingspyre Tower, the tallest of the five towers, though it is lopsided from the dragon fire.

6. I forgot Arya briefly wonders what Tywin would do if she went up to him and announced she’s Arya Stark. That would be a stroke of luck for the Lannisters! Instead she decides no one would believe her so she doesn’t bother trying. Whew!

7. Weese smacks people around at the slightest provocation and his dog is just as mean as he is. He set the dog on a boy once and it tore out a big chunk of his leg and Weese laughed. WTF?!?He also makes Arya’s to-kill list.

8. I like that in Harrenhal she feels like a mouse, whereas before she felt like a sheep.

9. Harrenhal is three times larger than Winterfell. Their great hall is called the Hall of a Hundred Hearths even though there’s only 30. Everything was built to an inhuman scale and it reminds Arya of the giants Old Nan used to speak of in her stories. :)

10. Among many of the whispers Arya hears while working is that Joffrey is a bastard and that Tywin ordered the letter burned and never to speak of it. She also heard Stannis and Renly are fighting each other in the south. Even the Lannister men doubt Joffrey will remain king for long, wow. Much of the talk is about Beric Dondarrion, though. People keep swearing they saw him die, but he keeps showing up again like he won’t stay dead. ;)

11. Introduction to the Bloody Mummers. These odd copper-skinned men ride under a black goat banner. I am pretty certain at least some of these men are Dothraki, with bells in their hair! They look like they are a bunch of mummers from Essos. The leader is Lord Vargo Hoat. Weese tells Arya she doesn’t want to get close to them. They’re Tywin Lannister’s sellswords. They call themselves the Brave Companions and they hurt people who call them anything other than that. Vargo Hoat isn’t actually a lord but he hurts anyone if they don’t call him by that title. He is a dangerous man, even though he slobbers while he talks. I just love this: “How many monsters does Lord Tywin have?”

12. The Brave Companions luckily are housed in the Widow’s Tower, so Arya doesn’t have to serve them. But it’s no matter, they soon depart again. To where, I don’t know.

13. Arya finds out Robb is in Riverrun, which is closer to her than Winterfell is. She really wants to see her family again, even Sansa. I like that she’ll kiss and beg her pardons like a proper lady, knowing her sister would like that. :) She also finds out that the top floors of the Tower of Dread houses all the captives from the battle on the Green Fork. Amazingly, they have freedom of the castle as long as they don’t try to escape. She hopes they’ll help her to escape, at least. The Frey’s ransomed their own family but not any of the northerners. Two of them belong to Tywin, but Arya doesn’t remember their sigils; she’s not as good at that as Sansa is. I believe the fat one is a Manderly and the one with the suns may be a Karstark, but that one was taken by a hedge knight who meant to get rich off him. Interesting. I don’t remember much about any of this. She did know Lord Cerwyn, though. He would visit Winterfell often with his son, Cley. She never gets to see Lord Cerwyn; they say he’s recovering from an injury but days later he dies. :( Rotten luck.

14. Arya catches glances at Lord Tywin but only from afar. Interesting there’s something about his face that reminds her of her father. She tells herself it’s the “lord’s face.”

15. Ser Amory Lorch and his men arrive one day, and Arya is full of hatred. They’re the ones that killed Yoren and the other Night’s Watch recruits. His men look wounded and Arya hopes they all die. I don’t blame her. They arrive with Rorge, Biter, and Jaqen H’ghar. That shocks Arya. Jaqen is still smiling. :) Arya regrets having saved them now; they look like Lorch’s recruits.

16. That night Jaqen goes to her in secret and calls her and him friends. He smells clean and soapy. I suppose this matters because it shows that, unlike the vast majority of his fellow soldiers, he gives a damn about his hygiene and therefore is more likely to be a good person. He murmurs that she was a boy who became a girl and she says she was always a girl, lol. He tells her in thanks for saving them from burning to death he now owes her three lives. I am shocked Jaqen brings up the red god and only death may pay for life. This sounds similar to Mirri Maz Duur, except here Jaqen tells Arya to give him three names and he will kill them to replace the would-have-been deaths of Rorge, Biter, and himself. He gives Arya some time to decide who to kill but tells her not to take too long. I forgot he kisses her hair before he goes, strangely endearing.

17. The next day she gives it a lot of thought. I like how Arya doesn’t trust Jaqen, she wants to kill these people herself; her father always did the deed himself when he condemned a man to death, and she is a Stark. It doesn’t seem right that she should let someone else do her killing for her. She avoids Jaqen for a few days but when Ser Gregor and his lot come back from raiding, one of his men, Chiswyck, boasts about how Gregor and the rest of his men raped a poor serving girl and laughed about it. It’s sick, though that shit happens all the time, even in our own world. She says nothing, but you can tell she is livid with his story. Two nights later she finds Jaqen and gives him Chiswyck’s name. Three days later Chiswyck mysteriously falls off a wallwalk and people are saying he must’ve been drunk or maybe it’s ghosts, but Arya has a newfound feeling of power. “I’m the ghost in Harrenhal, she thought.” I like Jaqen H’ghar! Though I am still surprised he worships the red god. That changes my opinion of the religion a bit. *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN A CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler)[I know the Faceless Men respect the worship of all gods, but I suppose Jaqen favors R’hllor more than the others, just as Arya quite possibly will end up favoring the old gods over the others. (hide spoiler)].

Your point 10, that's right, I forgot Renly said the Stark words! Maybe he only said it to be ironic to Catelyn? Or perhaps it's the truth, winter indeed IS coming, which might mean no more fresh peaches for a while.

1. Cat’s guards think it’s folly to remain here; it’s not their fight, but Cat reminds them that she was sent to speak on behalf of Robb. She wants to see if she can get the two brothers to make peace and ally with the north against the Lannisters. She knows it won’t be easy but she has to try.

2. They can see Storm’s End in the distance. Stannis’s army encircles the castle, seemingly small and insignificant. Storm’s End is ancient and has its lores about how it was built, including a sea-goddess and the wrath of the gods by terrible storms battering at it. It took seven tries to finally hold up against the weather, because seven is a holy number after all. It stands here still, after centuries of being battered by rain and wind. The castle is smooth and its walls incredibly thick. There is only one tower and it is massive. It serves all purposes that multiple towers would have done in a standard castle.

3. Cat watches Stannis come up to greet her. She notes his banner looks different than Renly’s. Renly waits further behind before arriving to greet his brother. “Renly would do no waiting.” I suppose that would make Renly look weak somehow if he did. Stannis’s banner is a red flaming heart with the black stag within the heart. Stannis wears reds and yellows, in the colors of fire. Melisandre is with him, too, a curious sight to Catelyn. Red priests are common in Essos but not here.

4. I like that Stannis does not correct Cat when she calls him lord. He offers condolences for her husband’s death, though admits they were never friends. I also like how Cat tells him Ned was never his enemy, either. Though Stannis shoots her kind words down, he does promise that she’ll have justice for Ned’s murder. A bunch of people keep telling her that, lol.

5. Stannis explains why he’s here. He has no quarrel with Renly so long as he swears fealty to him like a younger brother ought to do. He asks if Robb threw in his lot with Renly and Cat explains Robb calls himself King of the North now; he won’t bow to anyone, but he will offer his hand in friendship. Stannis says kings don’t have friends, only subjects and enemies. No, that only sounds like you, Stannis.

6. Renly shows up, friendly as ever. Brienne is his bannerwoman, though she hides her face under her plate armer so as not to give away her gender.

7. Melisandre explains the fiery heart is the Lord of Light’s sigil. I laughed when Renly says that’s excellent, it would be terribly confusing if they used the same sigil in battle. Now Cat takes the opportunity to say there should be no battle, except for the three of them to join forces and take down the Lannisters. It seems Stannis at least considers this, but once again says he is the rightful king and all those that deny it are his foes. What Renly says to that is so sad. :( No one wants him as their king. Sorry.

8. According to Catelyn, Tywin Lannister has 20,000 men at Harrenhal. All over the Riverlands the Lannisters are at war with Robb and the Lannisters have their precious Iron Throne. Yet neither of them have done any fighting, leaving Robb the only one opposing the Lannisters, of which their kingdom is bleeding. Renly seems content to wait till the last minute, then come in and finish the war, ugh. I guess it is smart, but to me it is just cowardly, and sounds a little too much like Walder Frey. Stannis is more accommodating, but not for patience; he wants to hear her proposal or he will just leave.

9. Renly offers his proposal: kneel to him as his king. Wow, the arrogance. Stannis is outraged. According to the law, Stannis would be the next rightful king, assuming Robert is not a usurper (which to me he is). Of the brothers, I’m personally on Stannis’s side. Who cares what he’s like behind the scenes, just as long as he rules the kingdom well.

10. I love what Catelyn says next -- if they were her sons she’d bang their heads together and lock them in the same room until they remember they’re brothers. :)

11. Wow! Stannis turns on her and says Robb is just as much a traitor as Renly is and his day will come as well. “The naked threat fanned her fury.” She brings up Joffrey and Tommen having more claim than either of them but Stannis informs her they aren’t Robert’s, they’re bastards born from incest. He even calls them abominations. :( This is news to Catelyn. I forgot she didn’t know. Ned never got a chance to tell her, plus she’s been traveling the whole time the letters were sent out.

12. Renly makes it seem as if he doesn’t believe it and asks Stannis if he has any proof. I thought Renly knew it. Maybe he only suspected.

13. So it was Stannis who suspected it first, then he told Jon Arryn to look into it. He and Robert weren’t on good terms so Stannis didn’t think it would help their relationship if he told Robert his suspicions. It would only estrange their relationship further. Catelyn says Lysa Arryn even accused the queen of killing her husband, so this news sounds even more plausible.

14. Then Renly pulls out a peach, lol. He offers it to Stannis, saying it’s from Highgarden and takes a bite of it. Stannis fumes. Renly says that’s not a threat; he’d know it if he truly threatened him. Renly says he’ll even give Storm’s End to Stannis as a brotherly gift, once Renly is king.

15. I keep forgetting Renly originally wanted Robert to marry Margaery Tyrell, but now that he’s dead Renly married her instead. I wonder why Margaery needs to be queen. I mean, she would make an excellent queen, I’m sure. Stannis actually says in Renly’s bed Margaery is likely to die a maid, but Renly expects he’ll have a son by her within a year. Then he goes too far, making fun of Stannis’s wife, daughter, and fool with that outrageous rumor about Selyse and Patchface. This of course makes Stannis livid. He pulls out his sword and Catelyn notices it gleams fiery colors and radiates heat around it. Brienne rushes between them to protect Renly.

16. Stannis is still angry with that insult but calms down some and says he’s not without mercy. He doesn’t want to kill his brother, so for the sake of their mother that bore them he’ll give Renly one night to think about it and by the morrow come to him with all his bannermen and swear fealty to him. He’ll even name Renly his heir until a son is born to him. Otherwise, he’ll destroy him.

17. Renly only laughs in his face and says the names of all the Houses that follow him who will make him king. He asks how in the world will he destroy him? Stannis only has 5,000 men. Compared to 80,000 he’s vastly outmatched, no matter how seasoned a warrior he may be. Stannis sheathes his sword and says “we shall see,” then rides away. Melisandre tells Renly to look to his own sins, then follows after Stannis. A disturbing omen.

18. As Renly and Catelyn ride back, Catelyn tells Renly he has a cheerful way of grieving. Renly confesses he never loved Stannis much growing up. Obviously the Baratheon brothers weren’t brought up the same way the Stark children were. Renly says the primo-geniture law is stupid. Why should the oldest son rule when another is better suited? Renly sounds full of himself, saying all the reasons he would make an excellent king. I laughed when Catelyn asks if humble is one of those words that describe him. Renly laughs at that, too. It is hard to hate Renly.

19. Poor Catelyn knows it was all in vain. The Baratheon brothers are still going to fight each other while Robb fights the Lannisters alone, so her work here is done. She feels like a terrible envoy, but at least this means she can go home to see her dying father again.

20. Renly, in haste to meet his brother at Storm’s End, took half his army with him, leaving the slower ones behind at Bitterbridge to protect Margaery. Renly is several days away from his food supply lines, so now he must come to battle soon or starve. That was not the smartest thing to do, and Cat realizes that unlike Robert, Renly doesn’t have a Ned Stark to talk sense into him.

21. They get back to the pavilion and Renly tells his lords bannermen that nothing’s changed. Lord Rowan tries to convince Renly to ignore Stannis as he tries to besiege Storm’s End. He’ll grow tired of it and starve while the full of Renly’s army can focus on King’s Landing. Makes sense to me. Storm’s End is very hard to besiege, apparently. Stannis should know this. However, Lord Tarly thinks Stannis is a danger and should be dealt with first. He says after the battle with the Lannisters, Stannis’s army will be as large as theirs, if not stronger. Everyone else agrees with Tarly.

22. Catelyn asks leave to return to Riverrun but Renly doesn’t allow it. :( He does plan to keep her safe during the battle. He wants her to watch it so she can tell Robb about the glory, but Cat says she’s seen enough bloodshed.

23. All of his men trample over each other, begging the honor of leading the vanguard. Catelyn sullenly remembers they’re all “knights of summer.” Renly in the end chooses Ser Loras, of course, and Brienne will hold his banner. Brienne is distraught she will not fight beside Renly, awe. Catelyn realizes Brienne loves Renly and doesn’t care if the others laugh at her.

24. Catelyn requests to at least go to the nearest sept and pray. Renly allows this and says it’s been so long since he’s last prayed to the gods. He doesn’t seem to take religion seriously. Ser Robar Royce escorts her to the sept, interesting. He had come all the way from the Eyrie. He’s one of Bronze Yohn’s sons. He is one of Renly’s Rainbow Guard. She questions him about why he doesn’t serve the Warden of the East and he says his father and elder brother swore fealty to Lady Arryn but he must find glory wherever he can, and he puts his faith in Renly. Robar and Renly are 21, but her 15-year-old son has more wisdom than the two of them combined.

25. When Cat gets back to her own camp she tells her men not to join the fight but pray instead. They’re going to need it.

I'm feeling a bit better than last week, but so many things have gotten backed up without a car and being sick and all, including my readings. I appreciate your patience. I have a lot going on right now. Hopefully I'll catch up soon, and have some time to read your statements too.

Your point 19, that is true, I completely forgot about Renly asking Ned if Margaery looks like Lyanna to him! Ned didn't understand at the time, but now we do!

I think the whole thing about Ser Alliser being publicly humiliated at court is to cause more conflict in the story, that the main conflict in the whole series is largely becoming a problem behind the scenes, but only a very small amount of characters are aware of it. And it shows, I think, Tyrion's struggle to be taken seriously. Even he doesn't believe Ser Alliser, and Tyrion is an intelligent man. The fact that the Others are mostly seen as made up nowadays does not help. All the more struggle for the Night's Watch to be taken seriously. Most of them are rapers and thugs, always begging for more men, and now they're complaining about something most people think doesn't exist. It's maddening. I wanted to smack Tyrion in the back of his head for making fun of Ser Alliser!

1. It’s interesting that Cersei chose this time to send their cousin Lancel to deliver the warrant to let Pycelle out of prison instead of doing it herself, and at such a late hour. Lancel has gotten very brave lately, calling Tyrion Imp, retorting, and commanding him about. Tyrion asks the very same question I’m wondering: Why didn’t she come herself?

2. Technically Lancel is right; the Hand serves and the Regent rules. Lancel also refuses the wine. Cersei prepared him well.

3. Nice! Tyrion outright confronts him about sleeping with Cersei; however, that’s not so disgusting in this world. It’s legal to marry first cousins. The problem here would be Cersei’s fidelity to her dead husband. Either way, Cersei is a slut. I just love this: “Well, no one can ever claim that my sister does not love her family.”

4. Tyrion has a point; imagine what Joffrey would do to Lancel if he finds out what he did to his father and then bedded his mother. Even if Joffrey hated his father, it’s the perfect excuse to torture someone.

5. Lancel is frightened now. He swears Tywin told him to obey Cersei in everything. I guess that includes fucking her, lol. Tyrion uses this knowledge as blackmail. He controls Lancel now! Lancel will do anything to keep his little secret hidden, so Tyrion tells him to stay in court and keep pretending to be Cersei’s informant, but really he’s Tyrion’s informant for now on. Tyrion says if he is clever he could gain a lordship out of this. He orders Lancel to go back to Cersei and tell her his intimidation worked and Tyrion freed Pycelle, which he will do. But he won’t have Pycelle back on council.

6. I just love this: “With King Robert dead, it would be most embarrassing should his grieving widow suddenly grow great with child.” And I love how Lancel gives too much information away, about finishing on her belly. The Pull Out and Pray method doesn’t always work, lol. I also laughed at this: “I want no more nephews, is that clear?”

7. It’s kind of sad to know that Lancel very likely will not survive long if Cersei ever finds out he betrayed her to Tyrion, or if Jaime came back. The boy is a pawn in their game. At least Tyrion feels bad about it.

8. Tyrion seems to frequently compare himself to Lords Stark and Arryn, the last two Hands. He knows he needs to be careful around his sister or he too will be dead. Cersei is not above fratricide. He’s playing her at her own game, something the other two didn’t do so well.

9. Bronn and Tyrion visit Chataya’s brothel, oddly busy at this hour. He waits to be led up the turret again with Alayaya, but she is busy with another customer. I like how Tyrion thinks to himself how Chataya has elegance and dignity, despite being a whore, but remembers she sees herself more as a priestess. “Perhaps that is the secret. It is not what we do, so much as why we do it. Somehow the thought comforted him.”

10. Interesting that Tyrion will not lie with another whore because he already has Shae. That’s faithful.

11. Alayaya apparently sleeps while Tyrion goes through the secret entranceway while up in the turret, alone. People must believe they are busy together up in there. In actuality he’s on his way to visit Shae. Smart, since he has alibi’s saying he’s at a brothel, assuming he doesn’t get caught on his way to and from the manse where Shae is hiding.

12. It’s funny that Tyrion ordered all of Shae’s guards be gay, eunuchs, or ugly, to discourage her from fucking them. Tyrion is aware that he’s ugly too and Shae fucks him anyway like it’s no big deal. How insecure, lol.

13. Tyrion has his way with Shae and afterward revels in feeling like he’s in control of the whole city. A bit arrogant, perhaps, but he knows it. He’s honest with himself about it. Throughout his whole life he’s been the butt of japes and blames. Now he has a taste of power and he loves it. He feels he’s made for it. But Tyrion has to be careful not to sit too easily. It’s precisely the men who love power who should not have it.

1. It is so cute how Summer plays with Bran and Meera. He has such patience with them. Meera and Jojen stayed with Bran as constant companions even after all the other lords and ladies left after the harvest feast. It’s precisely what Bran needed, too: friends.

2. Meera reminds Bran of Arya, but she is almost 16, about Jon and Robb’s age. Jojen is so solemn that Old Nan calls him “little grandfather,” cute. :) They’re both older than Bran, who is now 9, but they never treat him like a child.

3. Meera tells Bran there are no knights, master-at-arms, or maesters at Greywater Watch. Ravens can’t find them because their castle is constantly moving. I so want to read more about this place!

4. We find out that as soon as Lady Hornwood returned from the feast Ramsay Snow, Bolton’s bastard, stole her and forced her to marry him in order to gain her lands. Lord Manderly stole her castle, claiming he is only protecting it from the Boltons. Ser Rodrik is over there now, trying to sort this mess out. That poor woman!

5. Jojen tells Bran it’d be good for him to leave Winterfell. He sees visions in his dreams, called green dreams, things that happen. It’s very peculiar how Jojen sadly corrects Meera, saying there is no “sometimes,” and Meera looks defiantly at him; it’s as if they’ve had this argument before. Why would she be defiant? Did he tell her something she hopes won’t come true?

6. The Reeds know Bran suffers from terrifying nightmares but Bran refuses to discuss it, not even with them. They tell him the whole town knows he wakes in the middle of the night, shouting and sweating. :(

7. There it is again... Jojen’s eyes are clearly described as green as moss, but Meera’s eye-color still isn’t mentioned.

8. Jojen says the crow came to him when he was little and almost died of Greywater fever. Since then he’s had these green dreams. Bran blurts the crow came for him after his fall and while he was in his coma. It seems there’s more to this three-eyed-raven than mere happenstance. Jojen says they are here to break Bran of his stone chains so he can “fly.” The crow lives north of the Wall. The crow gave Bran a third eye, to see more than what two can. This is all very mystical.

9. Jojen pushes it with the wolf dreams, making Bran angry. I wonder why he fights it so much? Oh right, he’s trying to forget. It’s the falling he’s most scared of. Bran doesn’t realize his anger is flowing into Summer, making Summer angry with Jojen. Meera steps in between them in case her brother gets attacked. Now Shaggydog joins in with Summer, circling the Reeds, smelling his brother’s rage and joining in.

10. I like how bossy Meera gets with Jojen, screaming at him to climb the tree to get away from the direwolves. Of all the trees, Jojen climbs the weirwood. Meera climbs it too, abandoning her net. I guess two is too many. In the end it took Bran shouting for Hodor to shew the wolves away; they wouldn’t hurt Hodor. Bran feels frightened and ashamed at the incident. He doesn’t understand how they both got so wild.

11. Bran goes to see Maester Luwin in his turret. He asks Luwin about the green sight, that the children of the forest were said to have it too. Luwin, of course, says it’s not really magic, just a different sort of knowledge. He explains the legend, that greenseers can see through the eyes of the weirwood faces; that’s why the First Men chopped so many of them down in the beginning. The seers also had control of all the animals. He asks if Jojen claims he can do these things and Bran says no, he just sees the future in his dreams. Luwin, once again, shoots this idea down, saying everyone sometimes has dreams that come true, that doesn’t mean we have the sight.

12. Maester Luwin shows Bran one link on his chain that is Valyrian steel, wow! He says only 1%, 1 out of 100, have this link. It represents he studied the higher mysteries, or magic. He says it’s fascinating, but of small use, that’s why so many don’t bother learning it. We find out that when Luwin was a boy he tried dabbling with magic, enticed by it, but no matter how much he tried he couldn’t wield magic, so he believes magic doesn’t work. Bran asks about he mages and warlocks in the east. Luwin says they title themselves that, but it is only illusion, like pulling a rose out from behind your ear. There is much we still don’t understand. He says it’s possible magic was real once, but not anymore. Valyria was the last place full of magic, but it’s been dead for over 300 years, there are no more dragons, ha! No more giants, no more children of the forest. Luwin is a complete skeptic, so certain magic is dead and everything can be explained by science. It’s hard to disagree with logic.

13. Later Bran tells Meera what Maester Luwin said and apologizes for the direwolves from earlier. Meera says his maester could be wrong. She tells him one of Jojen’s green dreams -- about being served a king’s choice meat; the Frey’s liked their disgusting meat better than he liked his. She says he will eventually understand what it means, and when he does they’ll talk again. To be honest, I forgot what it means, lol.

14. The ending to this chapter is just depressing. Bran wants to believe in magic but it seems that Maester Luwin is right. And if there is no maic, that means he can never walk, fly, or be a knight. :(

1. Dany goes to Qarth, an ancient, great city that is described as the center of the world, gate between north and south, bridge between east and west, and ancient beyond memory. It is described as magnificent, too, very colorful and elaborate. The three outer walls are described in great detail. I wonder if it becomes significant later on in the series.

2. It seems everyone in Qarth has been prepared for Dany’s coming and they celebrate it with flowers and shouts of joy.

3. Snakes are a popular theme among this city, it seems.

4. Everything about this city is elaborate and colorful, incredibly cultured, and Dany feels barbaric among them. The Dothraki call the Qartheens “milk men” because of the paleness of their skin, and it seems they covet this city, wanting to plunder it, lol, omg. “How savage we must seem to these Qartheens.” Yet they all seem so happy she is here!

5. Interesting that horses shy away from camels, which Qarth seems to prefer over horses.

6. Pyat Pree the warlock and Xaro Xhoan Daxos the merchant argue over what Dany deserves more from Qarth but Dany says all she wants is the Iron Throne in Westeros. Because of Mirri Maz Duur, she distrusts sorcery. Xaro and Pyat Pree don’t seem to like each other much. Ser Jorah tells her she’d do well to avoid both of them. In fact, he tells her he doesn’t like the smell of this place either. Dany says the Qartheens seem sweet to her, but Jorah says sometimes sweet smells are used to cover up foul odors, very true.

7. Xaro lets her stay at his house while she is in Qarth. Xaro’s palace is even larger than Magister Ilyrio’s in Pentos, wow! And incredibly ornate. She tells him he is too kind, but he says anything for the Mother of Dragons. He goes over the top to please her, lol, and an incredible suck-up. Dany realizes he’s only interested in her because of the dragons, not really her.

8. Before Pyat Pree leaves he gifts her with a jar of ointment that he swears will let her see “the spirits of the air.” whatever that means. Quaithe is the last to leave and all she offers is to beware of the others. She tells Dany these people only want to see her dragons and they will lust after them. “For dragons are fire made flesh, and fire is power.” Ser Jorah says he doesn’t like her much either. Dany finds Quaithe interesting, and puzzling. The other two showered her with gifts and grand promises but Quaithe rarely spoke to her except to give her a cryptic warning. Her mask also disturbs Dany, because she cannot even see her face.

9. Dany orders her bloodriders to guard her dragons at all hours of the day. Smart. She also orders her people to look around the rest of Qarth that Pyat Pree did not show her so they can learn more about these Qartheens. Dany orders Jorah to go to the docks and look for Westerosi ships but Jorah says the Usurper may try to kill her if they cross now. They apparently aren’t aware yet that Robert Baratheon is dead. Since he knows several languages and isn’t afraid of the sea, he is the best candidate for this. Hard to argue there.

10. That pool she bathes in sounds so luxurious! She loves the pampering here and hopes it’s the same at the Red Keep, ha. Probably not. She also feels disquieted about her current situation. “The Dothraki sacked cities and plundered kingdoms, they did not rule them.” Dany doesn’t want to destroy King’s Landing. I like how she wants to have a kingdom where it’s beautiful, prosperous, and everyone is happy and thrilled to see her as she rides by. :)

11. It’s so strange to hear Lord Eddard Stark be described as cold-eyed with a frozen heart. The Lannisters are described a bit more accurately, lol. Dany has never met these people so all she knows she learned from her brother, of which she ought to know should be taken with a grain of salt.

12. Dany feels the bleeding star led her to Qarth for a purpose. What that is specifically, she doesn’t know. *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler)[I think it’s for her visions at the House of the Undying. (hide spoiler)]

13. Jorah returns from the docks with a captain of a ship called Cinnamon Wind; his name’s Quhuru Mo. His skin is as black as jet, wow. That is a deep shade! He speaks Valyrian of the people of the nine free cities. Quhuru Mo gives her the news that Robert Baratheon is dead; he’d been in Oldtown just six months ago. This is great news to Dany! It sure sucks that no one knows Robert ordered a stop for her murder right before he died, and the only other witness is dead too. Drogon hisses at this, interesting. It probably means nothing. Viserion flaps his wings on her shoulder at this too. Quhuru Mo says Joffrey reigns now, but it’s the Lannisters who rule. Also, the Lannisters killed Stark for treason. Jorah sincerely doubts this, lol. :( Dany is happy to hear that the Usurpers dogs are attacking each other. She doesn’t know... I can’t wait for the day when she learns the whole situation.

14. I forgot Rhaegal’s eyes are of molten gold. I thought they were bronze. All he does is stare at Quhuru Mo, eerie.

15. Quhuru Mo says he’s not traveling back to Westeros for another year. He sails east, to make a sweep around the Jade Sea first. He says he’s happy because he’s seen dragons, which is reward enough for his news. I liked that a lot. He seems genuinely thankful to have met them, without covetous eyes.

16. After the captain leaves Jorah says Joffrey sitting the Iron Throne doesn’t change anything, but Dany insists it changes everything. Instead of one king there are several contending for the throne, all divided, like what happened after Drogo died -- several new khals were made that day. She reminds him she is the blood of the dragon and the things she’s endured. Jorah says she has more of Rhaegar in her than Viserys, but even Rhaegar could be slain. He just wants her to be careful.

1. This is the start of hell for Arya. They stayed in this room for eight days before the Mountain decided to march, and everyday she saw someone die in that storehouse. The Mountain picks one person per day for “questioning.” There’s no order to it. They are questioned in front of the others so they can see what happens to traitors. A man called the Tickler asks the questions, he seems so normal that it’s hard to believe he’s capable of torturing innocent people. The questions are always the same, and there are a lot, most having to do with Beric Dondarrion and his crew. The thing is, no matter how many questions you answer truthfully, you always died. They throw the bodies out for the wolves once they’re done with them.

2. Poor Arya feels she is not a water dancer. Syrio Forel would never have gotten himself into this mess. Poor girl. She needs to realize she is still very new to fighting and Syrio has had many years of practice. Yet she compares herself to him anyway and feels deficient. :( She’s even angry with herself for being so inconsequential for being a Stark. She feels more like a lamb than a wolf.

3. While they were on the road she couldn’t hold it any longer and peed like a girl in front of everyone, losing her secret to the whole party. This is shocking to Hot Pie, lol, but no one else cared. Still, it really upset her.

4. Arya feels it’s useless to be brave because brave only gets you killed. She feels terrible for watching so many people get killed for stupid reasons and do nothing about it. Stepping in will only get you killed as well, and there were too many of them to try to take a stand.

5. Mostly they kept women and children, but they kept Gendry because he’s a proven blacksmith and that’s useful.

6. They are being taken to Harrenhal where Lord Tywin Lannister is staying, and where they’ll be serving for now on. The Mountain calls them treasoners, but they did nothing wrong, except be at the wrong place at the wrong time. The Mountain is also bringing back loot he picked from raiding, mostly food.

7. A man named Polliver has Arya’s sword, but he’s not as bad as some of the others. A man named Dunsen wears Gendry’s helm, and Arya hates him for it. That is sweet of herto give a damn about Gendry’s favorite thing in the whole wide world. Perhaps it reminds her of Needle, her most cherished item.

8. There are so many people Arya hates, lol, and almost all of them are Lannisters or Lannister followers. The Tickler is almost too scary to hate. When he’s not asking questions he looks like any other soldier. This is the start of her ritual list of people to kill, like a prayer.

9. I forgot that Harrenhal is right beside the lake. The God’s Eye seems so holy, and Harrenhal is a cursed place, full of grief and torture. The captives are sure it’ll be better once they get to Harrenhal, but Arya’s not so sure. Just you wait. Old Nan says Harrenhal’s mortar was built with the blood of men mixed in it. Harrenhal is huge!

10. Apparently Arya can tell Lord Tywin has been here for a while, based off how much human waste had accumulated around it.

11. Harrenhal’s gatehouse is as big as Winterfell’s Great Keep, so that’s saying something. And it seems to be crumbling. The shortest tower in Harrenhal is as tall as Winterfell’s highest tower, and they resemble a melting wax candle. Each tower is grotesque and misshapen.

12. As soon as they enter through the gates they are cleansed in the bathhouse and these two women think Arya is a farmer’s daughter. They tell her she’ll rise high in this castle if she works hard, but she’ll be beaten if she doesn’t work hard. She calls herself Weasel, after the little girl that ran away, and that works for the serving women. They want to shave her head to treat for lice and have her work in the kitchens. She argues, wanting to work in the stables instead, and gets slapped so hard her lip breaks again, damn! Because she spoke out, they’re giving her to a man named Weese, instead.

13. Weese is understeward for the Wailing Tower. He is described as very ugly. He boasts his nose never lies. He can sniff out defiance, pride, and disobedience. All he wants to smell from Weasel is fear. How terrifying! It leaves you wondering what kinds of jobs he has in store for Arya.

OMG I'm so sorry I've gotten incredibly behind! This whole week has been incredibly busy for me. And I don't have a whole lot of time today, so I'll try to at least type up one chapter today. The rest will follow hopefully soon.

1. I'd forgotten Lancel Lannister is only 16 years old. Tyrion walks in on him serenading Cersei. He is described as handsome and a good singer. He's gotten much more bold now that he's a knight, boasting he'd have the begging brother's tongues out for speaking treason on the streets. Cersei has imprisoned them with her red cloaks without telling Tyrion.

2. Tyrion had come to tell Cersei that Stannis sailed to Storm's End and Renly's riding to meet him. Luck has struck King's Landing, the two brothers are going to fight each other first, weakening themselves. Cersei is so happy that she forgets herself and hugs Tyrion, laughing with him. I did not expect that! She is so happy that she doesn't notice when he drugs her with the wine. Tyrion never gets to see Cersei this genuinely happy and notes how beautiful she is, wondering if this is what Jaime sees.

3. The next morning Cersei is "indisposed," more like stuck on the privy the whole day, lol. He did this so Cersei would not be able to treat with their cousin, Ser Cleos Frey. Many onlookers are there to watch, including Sansa. Tyrion tells Ser Cleos their terms for Robb. He wants him to stop all fighting, swear fealty, return to Winterfell, free Jaime Lannister, unharmed, and give Jaime his host so they can march down on Renly and Stannis. Each of Stark's bannermen must give them a son as hostage, or daughter if they have no sons.

4. Ser Cleos says Robb will never consent to these terms but Tyrion isn't expecting him to. Tyrion tells him to remind Stark that both Baratheons are at war with each other and Myrcella is betrothed to Trystane Martell. Robb has no allies. But he will trade Harrion Karstark, Ser Wylis Manderly, Lord Cerwyn, and Ser Donnel Locke for his cousins Tion and Willem Lannister. He'll also return his father's bones for good faith. Good deal, there. Tyrion will only give back Ice and his sister"s" after he's returned Jaime. Tyrion feels bad as he looks at Sansa when he says this, and hopes Ser Bywater can find Arya in time.

5. Haha! Tyrion tells Vylarr, the leader of the red cloaks, to escort Ser Cleos Frey back to Riverrun with his entire guard. Nice! He wasn't too happy with the Lannister guards in King's Landing anyway -- what an excellent way to get rid of them for a time. Pycelle is shocked and speaks out, saying his own father sent them to protect Cersei and her children, but Thyrion says the Kingsguard and gold cloaks are already doing that. Varys, of course, finds this amusing.

6. Out of nowhere Ser Alliser Thorne pushes past the crowd and wishes to be heard. Tyrion pretends he had no idea he was at court, lol. He requests to speak directly to the king, as he's been waiting for a long time. The matter is extremely important, this is the one good thing Ser Alliser does. Lol, Tyrion managed to distract Joffrey from being here by presenting him with a brand new crossbow that he had to try out at once. Tyrion says he can speak to him or don't speak at all. Poor Ser Alliser (I never thought I'd say that) tries to tell Tyrion what happened to the two dead rangers, coming back to life in the night, but he only gets laughed at. Tyrion is embarrassed and wonders what kind of joke this is, afraid he himself will get mocked too. He thinks of his time on the Wall and Jon Snow, of course, and felt it himself beyond the Wall, something, but not sure what, something dreadful and cold. Tyrion's instincts are telling him to believe Ser Alliser's warnings but he doesn't want to get made fun of now that he's Hand of the King, a fragile state he's in as it is. This really sucks! Tyrion answers back with derision. Poor Ser Alliser!

7. Unfortunately for him, the undead hand had rotted away to nothing but bones in the jar as he waited unheard. How inconvenient. Tyrion mocks him by gifting him with shovels, to bury his dead, and of course gives him the customary pick of the dungeons, ugh. When Ser Bywater tells Tyrion Yoren took most of the likely men Tyrion tells them to call out to the crowd in King's Landing and offer them food and clothing if they take the black. :(

8. Tyrion finishes court but Ser Alliser waits for him afterwards, saying he hasn't traveled all this way to be mocked; he's seen the dead walk for himself. Ser Alliser may have been a cruel man, but even he sees the real danger here! I forgot Ser Alliser tries to grab Tyrion but a Kingsguard has to block him. Ser Alliser calls Tyrion a fool. Tyrion once again mocks him, then tells him to say hi to Lord Mormont and Jon Snow for him, ugh, that won't go over well. Bronn has to force him out. It's surprising how George Martin managed to make me feel bad for Ser Alliser!

9. Afterward Varys praises Tyrion for how well he handled the red cloaks, for ridding King's Landing of "some hungry mouthes" and offering more men to the Wall, and for using mockery so no one would think he's spooked of some snarks and grumpkins. That's odd of Varys to say. I thought that was an inside joke between Tyrion and Jon. Varys seems so smart; I wonder if he has any notion at all of the Others in the north, or is he just pretending he doesn't know?

10. I like how Tyrion says when you've known him long enough, you'll discover he means everything he says, even his lies, lol. Tyrion is not above lying, but for the most part he does seem to be an honest man.

11. Ha! Littlefinger isn't too happy being made to look like a fool. "If Myrcella weds Trystane Martell, she can scarcely wed Robert Arryn, can she?" Lol, that would pose a problem. Tyrion apologizes for the ruse, but he wasn't sure Doran Martell would accept his offer. I'm surprised Littlefinger didn't realize Tyrion's real intent was to see who would betray him to Cersei. Littlefinger says to leave him out of his next deception, and Tyrion thinks, "Only if you'll do the same for me," as he glances at the dagger sheathed at Littlefinger's hip, true!

12. When Tyrion and Varys are alone together, Varys says Cersei will never allow her red cloaks to leave her. Tyrion says she will if she thought they were being sent as part of a scheme to save Jaime. Apparently Tyrion had Bronn seek out four false Lannister guards who will pose as red cloaks. They're going to travel north with Eddard Stark's bones, but to do what, that is not clear. But Tyrion wants Cersei to hear about this, even if it won't work getting Jaime back; it will give her hope, and though she'll still be uneasy losing all her red cloaks, she won't likely stop it from happening. Lol at Tyrion liking his sister uneasy. :)

13. That night Tyrion takes two of his mountain men and they go to harass Pycell, who was caught in bed with a naked serving girl. Such an old man, too! Tyrion calls him out as the one who sold Tyrion out to his sister. Pycelle makes a poor lie, blaming Varys, but clearly he's caught with his pants down, literally. Tyrion explains his trick, telling each a different piece of news. Whoever Cersei finds out about is the one who sold him out, and it was Pycelle. Pycelle is such a sniveling asshole... keeps on blaming Varys and even Littlefinger. Lol, he tells Shagga to cut off his manhood and feed it to the goats. Pycelle pisses himself and everything around them, gross. Instead, Shagga chops off his long white beard that made him regal looking. Now he looks piteous.

14. Now that Pycelle is good and terrified, he admits he did it all for House Lannister. We find out it was Pycelle who convinced Aerys to open the gates and let the Lannisters in, the very ones who slaughtered the king, princess Elia, Aegon, and Rhaenys all. Pycelle was part of that plot, asshole. Tyrion hadn't expected this. Pycelle hoped Tywin would become king after Aerys; I forgot that, but "Lord Stark moved too quickly." Yeah, or else Jaime would've been king, and imagine how that would go for the kingdom... Pycelle also was partially responsible for seeing King Robert's death from the boar. If the boar didn't kill him, he would've found another way to kill the king to make it look like an accident. Pycelle does not deny it; he says Robert was a wretched king. Pycelle was going to say what Lord Arryn found out but Tyrion stops him, afraid Timmett and Shagga would hear. Tyrion needs to look like he doesn't believe Cersei's children are, in fact, bastards born of incest. If Shagga and Timmett spill the beans that'll not go over well with Cersei. Jon Arryn's death was also partially Pycelle's fault, so he wouldn't go blabbing to the king.

15. I laughed when Shagga says, "Dolf fathered warriors, not barbers." In regards to cutting off the rest of Pycelle's beard.

16. Pycelle says Cersei didn't actually tell him to poison Lord Arryn, but she gave him a look and he knew she wanted him dead before he could act, for Varys was listening. But he himself never administered the poison, only gave it to Arryn's squire, the one that was recently knighted and killed at the tourney by the Mountain for his silence.

17. Tyrion is so disgusted with Pycelle, and I am too, that he commands Pycelle's arrest. Pycelle swears all he's ever done was for House Lannister. But I wonder why? Did Tywin pay him? It would be easy, since Lannisters are the richest House in the Seven Kingdoms.

18. Tyrion curiously picks up more bottles in the room and ponders who to replace as Grand Maester. Pycelle was precisely the man he'd hoped to trust. Varys and Littlefinger are no more loyal, he suspects, "...only more subtle, and thus more dangerous." True. The chapter ends with Tyrion contemplating his father's way of dealing with the council, which would be to kill them all and have their heads on pikes outside the Red Keep. I sure hope Tyrion won't go that route! Though I'm pretty sure he doesn't really mean it.