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.

Your point 18, *SPECULATION ON THE END TIMES* (view spoiler)[I am kind of hoping Dany can take Vaes Tolorro and its smaller cities as her own kingdom after saving the day, where she can rule the way she wants, without slavery, and leave Westeros to the people who've lived there their whole lives. (hide spoiler)]

1. The Dothraki call the red comet the “Bleeding Star” and cal it an ill omen, but Daenerys thinks it’s a good omen, for the herald of her coming. That’s interesting the Dothraki don’t like it, since so many think it’s a good thing. Hmm... She believes it’s sent from the gods to show her the way, which is to go east, however that’s conveniently the only way she can go since there are enemies north, south, and west of them, so they have nowhere else to go but to cross the rest waste.

2. The red waste is a desolate desert. Many who try to cross it don’t live.

3. South of them is Slaver’s Bay, and they can’t go south there because Khal Pono rode that way. I forgot these cities are named so early on in the book series. There is so much I’d forgotten!

4. Jorah reminds her that her dragons are priceless, there are only three in the world, or are there? Everyone will want to get their hands on them so she must be careful.

5. Dany believes they are born from the deaths of her husband, her unborn son, and Mirri Maz Duur. I still think it’s weird they drank milk from her breasts. I didn’t take dragons to be mammals.

6. I forgot her hair had all burnt off in the fire so she has a naked scalp. She wears the cloak made from the white lion her husband had killed. I think it’s cute Viserion sinks his claws into it like a cat and curls up on her shoulders around her head. :) You would think her black one would do that, or perhaps she doesn’t play favorites yet.

7. Dany is called “The Unburnt” and “Mother of Dragons.” “Her word was their law.” :)

8. It is horrible that so many die on their way across the red waste. Her khalasar wasn’t big to begin with, and most are women and children, cripples and elderly. She has to be strong for her people. “If ever she had truly been a girl, that time was done.” Such a hard life to live! She’s only 14!

9. Of everyone who’s dying of thirst, hunger, and exhaustion, she fears most for her dragons. The gods took away all of her family; they will not take her dragons, too.

10. The dragons sound beautiful! Especially when they stretch out their wings. Interesting they will only eat cooked meat, and right now they can’t breathe fire yet.

11. I like how Dany describes Aegon the Conqueror and his sister’s three great dragons. Aegon had Balerion; his fire was black and he was the largest. Vhagar was Visenya’s, who breathed the hottest flames. And Meraxes was Rhaenys’s, who could eat a whole horse in its mouth. I don’t know if Vhagar and Rhaenys’s colors are ever described, but I’m assuming Vhagar was the white one and Meraxes the green one. The names are also somewhat similar, though Dany says she named hers after those she loved. Her white one is Viserion, named after Viserys, which surprises me at first but I really like how she says, “His dragon will do what he could not.” This shows she is very forgiving, I think, and honorable. He was her king, after all. It makes sense she’d want him to get a second chance. Viserys, Viserion, Vhagar, and Visenya...they all sound about the same, and I recall the first shell that cracked out of the fire was white. Visenya was also the oldest of the three siblings. Daenerys calls her green one Rhaegal, after Rhaegar, her gallant brother who most likely was named after Rhaenys because the three sound the same. Rhaegar also died on the green banks of the Trident. And her black one she names Drogon, after Drogo, obviously. Aegon rode Balerion, and he was king. *SPECULATION ON WHO RIDES THE DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[Right now I’m favoring Jon to ride Viserionbecause he seems to favor white animals, and Viserion’s second color is gold, a kingly color. Rhaegal is green and bronze, so I figure someone who’s possibly related to the children or at least associated with it, like Bran, will ride that one. Then he can fly and be a hero! Also, it’s fitting that the hottest dragon belongs to Azor Ahai, whom may be Jon, aka the “last hero” or “the prince that was promised.” Lots of speculation; so little facts to go by... (hide spoiler)]

12. Among those who died in that desert is Doreah, the servant girl who taught Dany the arts of lovemaking. Sad.

13. Eventually the Dothraki whisper fears that the comet had led them to some kind of hell, awe. Jorah says they may die if they press on, but they will die for a certainty if they try to go back. They apparently lost a third of their number, and I believe she had about 100, so her khalasar is tiny at this point. Thankfully they find a city. I don’t know what would’ve happened if they hadn’t come by it, and it almost seems too good to be true. Jorah has never traveled this far east before.

14. They enter this abandoned city of pale whiteness among a barren red waste. Very strange, to me. It doesn’t even have a name; it is godless and abandoned. The gates were broken when they found it. Spooky. Her bloodriders say when the gods are gone evil takes over and advises her not to stay. It appears the city might have been abandoned for a long time because the walls are cracked and crumbling. Very interesting: “Everything was white, as if the people who lived here had known nothing of color.” Spooky! The city sounds large, as if it once was a metropolis. The place looks like it has also been raided at least once, since a marble column is missing. Dothraki stole it, probably. But would any khalasars have traveled this far? Viserion hisses on her shoulder. Awe! I wonder what he’s frightened of?

15. At least this ghost city has fruit that’s safe to eat! And working wells, too! It’s a godsend! But there’s dead bones everywhere, too, creepy! No one thought to bury their dead? Did these people not have time before they suddenly had to leave? Her people are spooked and say there are ghosts here.

16. Dany’s hair is already starting to grow back and she considers letting it grow out to show how long she has never lost a battle, like Drogo had done.

17. So cute, Rhaegal seems to be trying to fly but he’s too little right now. He seems frustrated. :) His tail lashes back and forth in fury. She tries to imagine what it would feel like riding dragonback one day. I think it would feel like ultimate freedom!

18. All of the fruit sounds healthy and edible, but small. I wonder why.

19. Jorah thinks they should rest here for a while and get strong again, and says there are ghosts everywhere; they follow us wherever we go. True. Perhaps they shouldn’t question a good thing.

20. Now we learn Ser Jorah had a wife who died, and seems pained to speak of it, but he tells his story because Dany asks. Apparently Lynesse was a Hightower from Oldtown, very beautiful. The Hightower family is very old and very proud. Dany adds loyal, too; she heard they stayed true to her father. Sounds like Jorah used to be a lady’s man -- had his fair share of women before and after his two wives. His first wife was a Glover from Deepwood Motte, forgotten that. They were married for ten years, she was plain and he came to love her eventually, but only out of duty, and she kept having miscarriages, died on the fourth one. Sad. When she died his father had already joined the black so Jorah was lord of Bear Island. Before he could marry again the Greyjoy Rebellion happened and he earned his knighthood there for his valor. Apparently a priest from Myr stormed Pyke first. ;) During a tourney celebrating their victory he met Lynesse and fell head over heels in love with her. Ser Jorah kicked ass at jousting and won the championship, impressing Lynesse, and they quickly got married with her father’s approval (now I’m wondering why he approved, lol). But when they got back to Bear Island Lynesse was disappointed with how humble it was, wtf... sounds like she was a snotty golddigger, never pleased with anything. She sucked him of all his gold and put him in debt. “The rest...I did things it shames me to speak of. For gold.” So that’s why he tried to sell poachers into slavery, for gold. I remember now. The man was desperate to buy her love, but it was never enough. By the time Ned Stark was coming to pass judgment on him, he ran away with his wife into exile, bet she loved that! Soon he lost all his gold in Lys and had to take service as a sellsword. He was fighting Braavosi in the Rhoyne river, wow, totally forgot that! His wife left him to become a chief concubine to a merchant prince named Tregar Ormollen. How horrible! I wonder what her father thought of that! lol. Stupid little slut... He loved her but he hated her also. Of course she looked like Daenerys, that must have felt awkward for her! She realizes now that Jorah doesn’t love her like a knight loves his queen but as a man loves a woman. I’m surprised she goes through the trouble of imagining what it would be like to make love to him. All she can think about is Drogo, though. She’s not over him yet, of course. It will take some time. Jorah can never have her, but one day she can give him back Bear Island, at least, his honor too. :) I don’t know, an old man lusting after me would make me feel terrible awkward, lol.

21. The next day she commands three of her bloodriders to scout out and search for whatever they can find and come back to her. She does not want to strike out blind again, smart.

22. They’ve named this place Vaes Tolorro, city of bones. *SPOILER FOR STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)[This would be the perfect place for her to rule, instead of Slaver’s Bay! (hide spoiler)]As they wait for her bloodriders to come back they explore the place and recuperate. Interesting they find old bronze coins, bits of purple glass, and stone flagons with handles carved like snakes. So the place isn’t all white then. I wonder how many other ghost towns like this are there.

23. Rakharo, who had gone straight south, found only barren desert until he reaches the poison water, which would be an ocean. He swears he saw the bones of a huge dragon on his travels, so big he rode his horse through its jaws. Wow! She commands him and others to pull up the plaza to let more grass grow. They have no lack of water, so I think she means to irrigate some. I wonder how they found water in a barren waste? Is it situated near an oasis or something?

24. Aggo, who went southwest, says he saw two other cities smaller than this one, but also the same: abandoned. One is warded by a ring of skulls mounted on rusted iron spears so he dared not go in. I wonder what he might have seen if he did? The other city had an iron bracelet with an uncut fire opal the size of her thumb. There were scrolls there as well, but they crumbled when he touched them so he left them there. Interesting. Who the hell lived in these mysterious cities??? She has him repair the gates in case more enemies think to return.

25. Jhogo was gone for so long Dany feared him lost, but he returns from the southeast, with guests. Jhogo says he found Qarth and three who are anxious to meet her. One man has blue lips and tells her in thick Dothraki that he is Pyat Pree, the great warlock. A bald man with jewels tells her in High Valyrian he’s Xaro Xhoan Daxos, a merchant prince of Qarth. And a woman hidden behind a wooden mask says in Common Tongue that she’s Quaithe of the Shadow, uh oh, lol. They all want to see her dragons. :) Interesting they each speak a different language. I am really looking forward to reading more about these people a second time around, because the first time I’d gotten everyone confused because there were so many new names to people and places. It gets hard sometimes to keep track of everybody and every event, lol.

22. Forgot that Seagard was built to protect the coast from reavers from the Iron Islands. I often forget about the Mallisters. Apparently Patrek Mallister, Lord Jason Mallister’s heir, gets along well with Theon, but his father reminds him who he is, awe. Seems Theon gets a lot of hate on both sides. Accused of being a Greyjoy on one side, accused of being a Stark-lover by his own family. He just can’t win.

23. At Seagard there is a Boom Tower that supports a huge bell to be wrung whenever they see a reaver’s ship. They’ve only had to use it once, when Theon’s older brother, Rodrik, stormed Seagard and was killed. Forgot all about this.

24. Oh gods, Theon... talking about Robb Stark will only show that you endear him. This Uncle Aeron is very depressing. Of course he believes the comet is the Drowned God’s sign, says it proclaims a rising tide. They take this as a sign they should set sail again with fire and sword.

25. When Theon enters his father’s castle, he sees no one he recognizes and feels this homecoming is a great letdown. He feels his father is colder than Ned Stark, ha! For not coming to see him straight away. A new servant welcomes him and informs him every servant he remembered is dead now. “Nothing has changed, and yet everything has changed.” At least the Great Stone Bridge he remembers, slick and spotted with lichen while the ocean pounds the rocks beneath. Sounds dangerous! Theon’s new bed chambers, not his old one in the Sea Tower, are in the Bloody Keep, so named because a thousand years ago the sons of the River King were butchered to pieces in the very room he is to stay in. Cheery. He recalls Greyjoys very rarely murder each other in Pyke, except for once in a blue moon a fratricide, but Theon’s brothers are dead and he seems okay with that. It doesn’t sound like he ever got along with them anyhow. No one’s been taking care of the Bloody Keep! This is no Winterfell, Theon!

26. I imagine Theon was so excited and nervous to finally meet his father, and Balon Greyjoy is such a letdown. A total ass. He dressed to impress his father and instead all he gets is insults, no real welcome. Everything about Balon Greyjoy is “flinty,” chipped and sharp. He calls Theon a girl, wearing so much velvet and silk, lol, I feel bad for Theon. He asks Theon if he bought his gold necklace with the gold or iron price. The gold price is simply buying it with coin, but the iron price is stealing it to keep for yourself. Theon realizes how much he’s forgotten about his old world. Real men buy things with the iron price here. Balon snaps the chain off his son and says it’s as he feared, he’s a Stark now. Theon tries to convince his father he is not, but he keeps talking about Robb and slips up and calls him a brother, which angers Balon. He commands him never to call him a brother, Rodrik and Maron were his brothers, killed by Ned Stark. Though Theon remembers Ned didn’t personally do it. Rodrik was killed by Lord Jason Mallister in Seagard and Malon was crushed in the collapse of the old South Tower that Robert Baratheon hammered to pieces. This is sad:

“I remember my brothers very well,” Theon insisted. Chiefly he remembered Rodrik’s drunken cuffs and Maron’s cruel japes and endless lies.

:( Theon, you’ve had it so much better at Winterfell...

27. The plan is a good one; Robb will lure Ser Stafford Lannister out of Lannisport, leaving it undefended, and the Greyjoy fleet goes in to take down Casterly Rock. Balon says Casterly Rock has never fallen, but Theon seems sure it will work. Robb will give him a crown if he helps destroy the Lannisters. Theon is so proud of himself for coming up with this plan. In reward Theon wants Casterly Rock, that’s ambitious to ask for!

28. Theon doesn’t realize till it’s too late that his father will never consent to being “given” something. That just means it can be taken away. Balon Greyjoy takes, he doesn’t receive. He burns the letter and hits his son for calling him mad. “I pay the iron price. I will take my crown, as Urron Redhand did five thousand years ago.” I don’t know who that is, but he sounds like an ancient ironborn king. Balon says he means to carve out his own kingdom, but not in the Westerlands, somewhere else, and it’s hinted he means the North. I’ll bet Theon’s wondering what he’s gotten himself into. And guess what? Now there are five self-proclaimed kings in Westeros!

done!

Your point 15, no, the Drowned God is a very old god to them. I think when the Andals came they tried enforcing their new gods on them and built a sept, but it was never very popular. When the sept was destroyed among everything else they never bothered to rebuild it since no one really worshipped the new gods on the islands. At least, that's how I understood it.

Your point 28, yeah, I didn't know what he meant the first time I read it either. But I think it is pretty obvious. It's funny we thought the same way!

1. Another new POV! We know Theon a bit already by what other characters have said about him in their POV’s, but now we get to see inside Theon’s mind and how he perceives things. Should be interesting...

2. Pyke is the name of Balon Greyjoy’s castle, which is basically the capital of the Iron Islands as Winterfell is to the Northlands. Theon was taken from his home ten years ago, after his father lost in his rebellion, and became a ward at Winterfell. Now we get a sense that he’s really looking forward to his homecoming. He hasn’t seen home in ten years!

3. Pyke reminds me somewhat of Dragonstone, a castle on a dreary island surrounded by raging salt waves crashing against grey cliffs, except hte Iron Islands faces an ocean, not the Narrow Sea. These ironborn remind me very much of the Vikings. The Iron Islands are made up of three bare and barren islands broken up over time by the ocean and about a dozen towering stacks of rock rising out of the water “...like the pillars of some sea god’s temple...” interesting. I’ve heard there are theories about this floating about, but so far I haven’t read them. Personally this place sounds just as depressing as Dragonstone, but if this was my home I suppose I’d be excited to see it again too!

4. Pyke is situated on a smaller island separated by a main body island and can be reached by a great stone bridge. Each keep is on its own tiny rock islands, and I assume they are all interconnected by bridges. Sounds neat! And also dangerous. The Sea Tower rises on the outmost island and is the oldest part of the castle. It’s interesting that the castle is colored over the ages by white salt, green lichen, and black soot from endless watch fires. Those are the colors of Dany’s three dragons! On top of the castle flies the Greyjoy flag: a golden kraken on a black field. Below it flies the direwolf flag of House Stark, because the Iron Islands are, after all, part of the Northern territory. He confesses the castle looks smaller than he last remembered. They always do...

5. Theon also sees the red comet, and of course he believes it’s his comet.

6. I like that Balon once told his son that hard places breed hard men, and hard men rule the world. And they say every captain is a king aboard his ship, so it’s no wonder they named these islands the land of ten thousand kings. :) I didn’t know that!

7. I find this amusing that Theon is happy to be here, undrowned, *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[when we later find out followers of the Drowned God purposely “drown” themselves only to come back to life, via CPR, to be “reborn.” They don’t always make it, but they are hard men for sure! It’s a ritual, I seem to remember. Damphair performs it on people, drowns them and brings them back. A very curious concept to me. (hide spoiler)]

8. Theon has no problem with fucking the captain’s daughter on the trading vessel they’re on. The girl was a maiden too, and she came to him willingly. The poor girl is enamored with him and he’s using her, of course. I think he does this because he takes pride in being an ironborn, and they do this all the time, plundering and raping, like the Vikings. And basef off of other chapters in Game of Thrones, sounds like Theon frequented whores in winter town. The worst part of this is that Theon thinks it’s funny her father is infuriated but there’s nothing he can do about it because he’s lowborn and he’s promised Theon’s gold. Horrible...lol.

9. As it turns out, Theon should be about 20 by now, and he acts like a boy still. The trauma of always feeling like a hostage in Winterfell seems to have stunted his growth in certain ways. Geez... he thinks this girl looks stupid, but he never requires his women to be clever. Most don’t, it seems.

10. As it happens, the Iron Islands don’t produce a whole lot of resources so it’s no wonder the men here turned to raiding. Theon explains the old tradition, called the Old Way, the ironborn had where men had their rock wives, their true wives, ironborn like them, and then they had their many salt wives, women captured on raids, and he’d take them willing or no. A very harsh life, back then. I guess they don’t do salt wives anymore; it’s outlawed. Obviously no more raiding, either. Now they primarily mine and fish, but their hearts yearn to raid still. Aegon the Conqueror destroyed the Old Way when he burned Black Harren to death in Harrenhal. Interesting, I’d forgotten that. “War was an iron man’s proper trade.” Their captives used to mine and farm and fish while they raided. The Greyjoy words are: “We do not sow.” :)

11. The ironborn consider the riverlanders weak. Balon Greyjoy started his rebellion ten years ago to try to bring back the Old Way but was defeated. Perhaps with no Targaryen’s around he thought they could go back to the Old Way again but Robert Baratheon, along with Eddard Stark, kept that from happening. “...but both men are dead now. Mere boys ruled in their stead, and the realm that Aegon the Conqueror had forged was smashed and sundered.” Sounds like Theon wants badly to bring glory to his House! Succeed where his father failed. This young man has high hopes.

12. I like that the sounds of the sea and of sails and shouting men on board brings back comfort to Theon’s ears. :) I myself grew up around a lake and lots of railroads so the sounds of gulls and trains are a comfort to me. “I must remember this, Theon vowed to himself. I must never go far from the sea again.” Oh Theon...

13. Damn, the girl says once Theon leaves the ship her father will punish her for being with him all this time. “He’ll call me names and hit me.” The poor girl is beggint to be his salt wife. “Father’s are like that,” he says. Ugh... Not Ned! “He should be pleased. As many times as I’ve fucked you, you’re likely with child. It’s not every man who has the honor of raising a king’s bastard.” The girl doesn’t get it, awe. Theon is an asshole, and he fancies himself a king one day. A very arrogant prick, indeed! *SPECULATION ON THEON GREYJOY* (view spoiler)[I had a sweet thought. Wouldn’t it be nice if, after the final end battle with the Others, Theon and Jeyne Poole could marry and live at Winterfell, and then they get news that he has a child for Theon to raise because the “stupid Captain’s daughter” died? So even though Theon is now a eunuch, he can still carry on his line through a bastard. However, it might make more sense if he dies a hero, making up for his betrayal to the Starks. But I don’t know. I used to hate Theon, especially in this book, but now I like him and I want him to redeem himself! (hide spoiler)]

14. I forget there are trees on the Iron Islands, like pine. This makes the place sound prettier. The ship docks in Lordsport, a small village near the castle of Botley. Last time he saw it it was in smoking ruins. Seems they’ve rebuilt it, this time in stone. Less likely to burn down that way. Everything was rebuilt but the sept. Robert’s fury apparently soured their taste in the new gods, ha! I suppose this port is where Pyke keeps its ships, because Theon sees his father’s Great Kraken. It displeases him to think his father knew he was coming, and I don’t know why. He carries a letter from Robb Stark and himself. He thinks he’s rather clever for coming up with the idea and they didn’t trust a raven to deliver the message. Right, because this has nothing to do with you wanting to get away from the Starks!

15. We learn Theon has at least two uncles, one is commander of the Iron Fleet, Victarion. The other is of a different sort, Euron. His ship is called Silence, which already sounds spooky as is.

16. When he lands in port, he ses no one he recognizes. He’d expected an honor guard to welcome him back because Robb had sent a letter telling them of his coming. I like how out of nowhere the captain tells all the merchants he’s brought their heir back to them, after giving a long list of wares to sell first. :) Everyone stares, no cheering. Seems like no one knows who he is, lol.

17. Theon doesn’t recognize his other uncle, Uncle Aeron, aka Damphair, who is now a priest of the Drowned God. When he arrives to fetch Theon everyone bows to him, the priest, not Theon. Last he saw him he was the very opposite of a priestly type, so this is shocking to Theon. As he hurries to catch up to his uncle he says he was expecting his father and mother, not him. Uncle Aeron says it’s not up to Theon to question the Lord Reaper of Pyke. He abruptly asks if Theon worships the “wolf gods” now. Wow...lol. Theon says no, though in truth he doesn’t pray much at all to any god, and his uncle blesses him. Very bossy about it, though! The Drowned God’s famous phrase is: “What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger.” *SPOILER FOR DANCE WITH DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[Like Jon Snow! (hide spoiler)] I like this a lot! :) The salt water stings his eyes and he almost cries out, lol. What a wuss he must look like to his uncle.

18. When asked of what news, his uncle drolls on that basically nothing ever changes. I laughed when Theon thinks: “Gods, he has grown grim.”

19. For some reason I thought his mother died, but according to Uncle Aeron she dwells in Harlow with her sister, though she has a troubling cough, so it sounds like she’s not far from it after all. His sister, Asha (not Yara as in the show, that really bothered me, by the way!), is a captain of her own ship called Black Wind, whichis surprising because most captains and sailors are men. His sister is a tough woman, a true ironborn Greyjoy. Somehow he knew his sister had named her ship this and thinks it’s odd because Robb’s direwolf is named Grey Wind. He takes pride in the fact that Greyjoys are black, not grey, though this sounds redundant to me. Greyjoy?

20. Theon learns that his uncle nearly drowned several years ago and when he came back to life again he saw things “clearly.” He became a priest to the Drowned God, the god of the ironborn. Theon thinks he’s gone insane, more like it. He liked his old Uncle Aeron better, more jovial, fun. His uncle treats him like he’s ten still, which angers him. He fancies himself an experienced fighter. He feels like it’s a slap to the face that his father might give his inheritance to his sister instead of him, his last remaining son, though she is three years older than him. His father does not want to give his castle over to a Stark. Ouch.

21. Theon never felt like a Stark in Winterfell. He feels even Jon Snow, a bastard, received more honor there than he did. Awe. :( At least he recognizes Ned tried to play the father figure to him, but poor Theon never could get past the fact that he was taken from his family nonetheless. Interesting that he lived in fear of Ned Stark and his great dark sword in the beginning, but even more from his wife, for some reason. Theon recalls Jon being very sullen, quick to sense a slight, and jealous of his high birth and Robb’s regard for him, lol, I don’t know about that last part...but he knows not to bring that up to his family. They still harbor great hatred for the Starks, it seems. “The Iron Islands lived in teh past... forgetting nothing and forgiving less.”

ran out of space....

lol. It seems Arya has a thing for bastards! Right now I think Gendry thinks of her as a little sister, but that could change, especially in Book 3, I believe, when *SPOILER FOR A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)[Gendry is approached by a whore in that inn and protects Arya from those men. I seem to remember his face is beat red, haha! I can't wait to get to that part again. (hide spoiler)] And I agree I think Jon and Gendry will get along, much like Ned and Robert did. They are both bastards so they understand each other. And both have important fathers.

Your point 7, most poisons have antidotes and I am wondering if she somehow saw in her fires the type of poison Cressen would try to kill her with and so she took an antidote for it ahead of time? That's the only logical reasoning why she could have survived that, either that or her god R'hllor really did save her life, but I somehow doubt that.

Your point 10, I am pretty sure they are only bones at this point, lol.

Your point 29, I agree with you, that's why I like him so much too! He is smart and honest and very humble. I think he would fit right in with the Starks if he gets the chance.

Your point 32, I like how you called Melisandre his new hawk. I suppose I read that too when I read it a second time but I didn't put two and two together until just now. :)

This chapter was incredibly boring to me the first time I read it but I enjoyed it so much more the second time around!

35. Stannis also wants Davos and his son Dale to sail up and down Westeros coastlines to deliver more copies of the letter. Stannis knows many lords will not want to hear it, but the truth needs to be sent out. He wants his other son, I'm assuming Allard, to deliver more of these letters all throughout the Nine Free Cities in Essos; he wants the whole world to know.

36. Oh gods, Davos brings up their loss of Maester Cressen, whom he mourns, and Stannis says, "Is it [Pylos's] fault the old man died?" However, Stannis does admit that though he was angry with Cressen, and didn't want him at the feast, he didn't want him to die, either. Stannis hesitates, and I think a part of him struggles with expressing some regret that the old man who helped raise him died, but then he says Pylos serves him well now. :( So he's not completely cruel.

37. Stannis had already shown the letter to his lords before Davos showed up. He obviously doesn't trust their opinions are genuine; they won't be honest with him because he is king. That's why he wants his council. Davos will always be frank with him and Stannis honors him for that. Well, so did Cressen, but you didn't want to hear it! Davos tells Stannis it was blunt and strong and though it's true, he has no proof they are bastards born of incest. Stannis says they have one of Robert's bastards in Storm's End. The boy was conceived by Robert and a Florent during Stannis's wedding night, in the very bed they were to use! Gods, Robert! Robert actually acknowledged this one because his mother was a maiden at the time. His name's Edric Storm and he looks just like Robert, as they all do. Stannis means for everyone to see him and then look at Cersei's kids and see the difference.

38. Davos also tries tellinghim maybe he should not add, "Done in Light of the Lord..." but something more like, "By the grace of the gods old and new..." instead. He won't get much favor by discrediting the old gods and the Seven. Davos bravely tells Stannis he doesn't know this Lord of Light, but he knows the Seven kept his ships safe and gave him seven strong sons. :) "Your wife has given you seven strong sons. Do you pray to her? It was wood we burned this morning." Definitely a skeptic! A very harsh skeptic. But the door swings both ways. Melisandre worships fire and shadows! Others worship trees. :)

39. Davos challenges Stannis, saying when he was young and had no coin, the septons would feed him. Stannis says he feeds him now. Now Davos frankly tells him no one will love him if he burns their gods and thrusts a foreign one on them. Of course Stannis asks when have they ever loved him? How can he lose what he never had? True...

40. I'm surprised I forgot this... Stannis admits he lost faith in gods when he saw his father's ship break up on the bay on his way home. :( The only reason he's giving this Lord of Light a chance is because he sees that Melisandre has power. Davos wonders what sort of power, though? So do I! *SPOILER FOR A DANCE WITH DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[In DwD, Melisandre's only chapter states she uses powders and tonics to fool with illusion. She needs Jon Snow for real power. (hide spoiler)] I do not trust Melisandre. Stannis says he knows of the four self-proclaimed kings, he has the least amount of men. He has ships, and he has her. He means to use her for all her worth if it helps him get and keep the Iron Throne.

41. I forgot he had a goshawk he nursed back to health but she could never soar again. Sounds like he really loved her, but Robert had a gyrfalcon that never missed her strike and he made fun of his brother's bird. :( He was told eventually to use another bird because the one he had now was making him look like a fool. Awe. :( Now he intends to ditch the new gods in favor of a red god. In the few times in his life Stannis loved someone or something it dies on him or lets him down, which understandably explains why Stannis does not trust in love, and he makes it very hard for people to love him. This is sad, and though Stannis is a harsh man, I find I cannot dislike him because he has his reasons why he is such a prude, lol.

Done.

This is a longer chapter with lots of notes!

1. A new character POV! I remember the first time I read this I was highly annoyed, due to the many characters we have to keep track of, but ever since the *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN A CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler)[Battle of the Blackwater (hide spoiler)] I began to really like Davos. This time I'll be sure not to gloss over his first few chapters!

2. The first paragraph catches my eye: "The morning air was dark witht he smoke of burning gods." I can only imagine how pissed the gods are!

3. Interesting the statue of the Stranger looks more animal than human!

4. Interesting also that Davos's son, Allard, would have been taken to join the Night's Watch had he stayed a smuggler, but Stannis spared him, one more thing Davos owes him. Sounds like he's a young man who freely and frequently speaks his mind.

5. How horrible it must feel to watch your gods be burned to the ground, gods you've worshipped your entire life, and now you're forbidden to worship them because your king commands you to take up another.

6. Interesting Melisandre speaks her prayer three times, once in Asshai, once in High Valyrian, and once in the Common Tongue. It makes sense in Asshai and in common, but did the Valyrians worship R'hllor? Why Valyrian? I wonder if R'hllor approves of the ones who could tame dragons.

7. Stannis is there, watching impassively, you can tell he doesn't exactly believe in the red god, but he must not fear the wrath of the Seven either, to allow Melisandre to do this. Interesting he dresses up nicer for this than what he's used to.

8. Apparently these statues were the gods Aegon the Conqueror prayed to before he sailed to conquer Westeros. This clearly is a big deal, as it's not only an insult to their faith but also an insult to their history.

9. Any who tried to protect their holy sept was taken down. :( I don't believe one should punish another for trying to defend their faith! I like that Guncer Sunglass, who had always been mild and pious of Stannis's lords bannermen, told him he could no longer support his claim. You go, Guncer! Now he's in prison next to Septon Barre.

10. Davos was not a religious man, though he occasionally honors them from time to time, but even he's offended by this. He's smart to keep quiet about it, though.

11. Davos also wants to kill Melisandre, especially for somehow surviving Maester Cressen's poison, but if a maester failed, how could he expect to succeed? True! I wonder if this is a premonition.

12. Apparently the Seven gods in Dragonstone were carved out of the masts of the ships that carried the first Targaryens from Valyria, according to Septon Barre. Wow... Burning up historic relics there. This sounds like a very bad omen for them!

13. Someone had thrust a longsword in the chest of the Mother...that's just going overboard!

14. Davos wants so badly to know what Lord Velaryon is thinking about this. Lord Velaryon is known as the Lord of the Tides, and his family had three times married into the Targaryen line. They are also of the blood of ancient Valyria, and possibly are upsnot prudes.

15. Poor Davos knows his House is still very new and these other lords will scorn him and even his sons, but his grandsons may fit in one day. I like this: "In time my little black ship will fly as high as Velaryon's seahorse or Celtigar's red crabs." :) But only if Stannis wins. All he has he earned from Stannis. If Stannis loses then he loses everything. Ah, so I see now why he's so damn in love with him! *SPECULATION ON THE END OF THE SERIES* (view spoiler)[I'm sure the Starks will reward Davos and his family if he switches loyalty over to them like he was loyal to Stannis! (hide spoiler)].

16. Davos has lots of sons! Four are aboard on ships, and one is Stannis's squire. Two more one day may be knighted when they grow up. That's seven sons right there. Any daughters?

17. Melisandre says that there's an ancient prophesy in Asshai when after a long summer there will come a time when the stars bleed and the cold will fall heavy on the world. A warrior will wield a burning sword called Lightbringer, "the Red Sword of Heroes," and he's called Azor Ahai come again. He'll destroy the darkness like he did once before. Sounds kind of like Jesus, and R'hllor is the Father. Azor Ahai is "the Son of Fire." Apparently she thinks Stannis Baratheon is this man. Interesting that one of Stannis's squires puts a glove on his right hand so he won't get burned by the flaming sword! Oh I see, the sword that was stuck in the Mother IS Lightbringer. Stannis retrieves it with his gloved hand. Everyone chants "a sword of fire!" and "It burns!"

18. LOL! Stannis's glove starts to smolder and he curses at being burned so he thrusts the sword into the ground to beat out the flames against his leg. I don't remember this scene being so funny. If he is the son of fire, why does he not like the heat? *MY SPECULATION OF WHO AZOR AHAI IS* (view spoiler)[I think Daenerys is Azor Ahai; since she LOVES fire. (hide spoiler)] Melisandre keeps on going, however, lol. Notice the flames are dying out now.

19. Interesting Davos isn't sure if he should chant/cheer for Stannis as well, not sure if he truly is the son of the fiery god. But he is loyal to Stannis so he wants to support him.

20. *MY SPECULATION OF LIGHTBRINGER* (view spoiler)[I'm wondering if Lightbringer HAS to be this particular sword, or if it can be any sword that Azor Ahai claims as his own? In the history, Azor Ahai stabbed his wife to get the sword to work. Does it still have to be that particular sword, or can the new Azor Ahai "activate" another fiery sword? Say, Oathkeeper? Perhaps there are actually three Lightbringers, one might be Blackfyre, one Oathkeeper, and the short sword companion to Oathkeeper (I forgot its name), the other half of Ice? It would make a LOT of sense if Jon had part of Ice. (hide spoiler)]

21. Clearly Stannis wasn't a huge fan of this show and he escorts his wife back into the castle. Doesn't seem like a heroic thing to do. The sword is now charred and dirty, ha! "The Red Sword of Heroes looks a proper mess, thought Davos."

22. Allard does not like that they burned the Seven, or that his little brother wore a fiery heart instead of the Baratheon sigil as fitting for a squire to a Baratheon. I like this he says too: "I'm a knight's son, Father. If you won't remember, why should they?" True! Davos reminds him to be quiet and not meddle in the king's affairs. He says to trust the king and do his bidding, that is all. True loyalty. :) Interesting that Davos will talk to the king about his son's concerns, not trusting them to speak to royalty. All they see when they look at their sigil is the tall black ship, not the onion. That's interesting to me. :)

23. After this affair, Davos goes to an inn and visits his friend, Salladhor Saan, the Lysene pirate in service to Stannis. The man likes to dress flaunty! He calls himself the Prince of the Narrow Sea. "When a pirate grows rich enough they make him a prince." Hmm... Davos convinced his friend to join Stannis's cause.

24. Ha! Salladhor is amusing. He says the red priests on Lys are always burning things and praising their R'hllor; sounds like a bunch of pyromaniacs! He says they bore him with their fires. "Soon they will bore King Stannis too; it is to be hoped." :) Salladhor loves his grapes! Salladhor knows Tyrion is filling in as Hand in King's Landing and that he god rid of Janos Slynt, replacing him with a man with an iron fist, quite literally! Salladhor knows a lot! Interesting he considers his concubines his wives. He is only helping Stannis for gold and Davos assured him Stannis will reward him once they reach King's Landing's treasury. Ha! What gold? He is impatient to sack the capital now, not later. There is no better time; they are at their weakest.

25. They also speak of King Renly and his bride, marching on King's Landing. At this rate they will get there before they do. Salladhor says Stannis doesn't like him, but he won't change just because Stannis doesn't like him. Lol at: "I am an honest man, he must suffer me in silk and samite. Or else I shall take my ships where I am better loved." And then I am shocked at this: "That sword was not Lightbringer, my friend." And lol at, "Men tell me things, it is my pleasant smile." :) I am really liking Salladhor Saan more my second reading! He says it was a burnt sword, not a burning sword. He tells Davos the history of Lightbringer; I forgot about this! He calls Azor Ahai "the hero," which reminds me of Old Nan's tale of the last hero back in Game of Thrones that she never got to finish telling. One interesting part of the tale is that Azor Ahai plunged the second sword into a "lion's red heart," though this too shattered the sword. When I think of lions I think of Lannisters. To get the sword to work, he had to kill his wife whom he loved above all else. It's said her cry cracked the moon; this reminds me of the tale of how dragons were made. Her soul went into the steel. He says be glad that sword Stannis has is only burnt, not burning, because too much light hurts the eyes, and fire burns. Very true! Too much of one thing is never a good thing.

26. Odd that Davos tells Salladhor Saan that Stannis is his god, careful what he says around so many ears. It was also bold of Salladhor to tell Davos to tell Stannis to give him 30,000 golden dragons by the next new moon for not giving him the Seven statues; they were too beautiful to burn, and they could have sold for so much, man... He also says he'll forgive him if he gets Queen Cersei in his bed though, lol.

27. Davos sits alone, thinking about Thoros of Myr when he saw him at a tourney in honor of Joff's name day, another one. Thoros is also a red priest, wielding a burning blade. He made quite the spectacle but everyone says he'd simply set it aflame and there's no magic to it though. Or is there?

28. Davos can't imagine killing his wife in order to forge Lightbringer. "I am not made of the stuff of heroes, he decided." :)

29. Davos knows they don't have enough men to hold King's Landing, but I think Salladhor is only interested in sacking it, not ruling it. Davos was a smuggler so he understands patience.

30. Ser Axell Florent is Queen Selyse's uncle and he's been the castellan at Dragonstone for ten years. Davos doesn't trust him because House Florent declared for Renly. It seems Ser Axell is enamored with the red god, like his niece. He believes he saw a dozen beautiful dancers in the flames and assumes they're celebrating King Stannis's ascension to the throne, but Davos knows Stannis would not approve of those dancers, ha! Ten years he's been castellan and he still doesn't know Stannis all that well!

31. Davos, being born a common man, still doesn't know how to read, something we all take for granted. Though he can read maps and charts, it's words he has trouble with.

32. He named his younger sons Steffon and Stannis. :)

33. Robert and Stannis's mother was an Estermont, okay. A sea turtle on green, according to The World of Ice and Fire.

34. Stannis has Maester Pylos read aloud the letter they've been workingon and he wants to know what Davos thinks of it. At least Stannis gives a shit about what Davos thinks. In the letter they state that Cersei's kids are bastards born of incest so Stannis is the true king of Westeros. Lol, Stannis tells Pylos to make a few corrections. He calls them a lie. This man is blunt! He means to use every raven they have to send a copy of the letter to every corner of the realm so all who get it will know who the true king is. Smart, and truthful. However, in the letter he calls Cersei's kids abominations, which I think is a little harsh; only Joffrey, lol.

ran out of room!

Your point 3, I am pretty sure (but not 100% sure) that Gendry doesn't know who his father is. I'm sure lots of orphans don't know who their fathers are either, so I don't think he cares quite as much as Jon Snow, who wants to know who his mother is. Most people know who their mothers are; she has to carry you for 9 months! *SPOILER FOR DANCE WITH DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[I'm also pretty sure he still doesn't know by the end of Dance with Dragons. (hide spoiler)]

Your point 5, I agree with you! My husband told me I'm twisted for shipping a 9 year old girl with a 15 year old boy (I can't remember exactly how old Gendry is, but I'm pretty sure he's at least as old as Jon). But I don't care! Did you know GRRM had originally planned five years to pass between books 3 and 5? I think he realized the timeline would not make sense so he ended up changing it. But I think he still wants at least 5 years to pass by the end of the series, so that would leave Arya about 14, a much more appropriate age in this world to be dating someone. :) And can you imagine what Jon would do if he saw Gendry and Arya together? Ha! Arya is supposedly a carbon copy of Lyanna, and Gendry sounds like a young Robert Baratheon, except he's a bastard so he has the benefit of not being spoiled growing up. I think it would be an interesting irony for a Stark girl and a Baratheon (by blood, at least) to get together this time around. Hopefully Gendry doesn't think whoring around is fun.

1. I'm surprised the kingsroad is not well maintained the further north they go. Weeds in the middle of the road, sometimes vanishing entirely until a league ahead when they almost gave up hope of finding it again! Someone should probably do something about that! After the war, that is. The road winds and is narrow and crooked, but at least the environment sounds pretty! The problem with this is it's slowing them down, with their wagons constantly getting stuck. That is not good!

2. Arya is looking out for the Gold Cloaks to return. How frustrating it is to be going so slow! But she realizes it's safer to be with others in case she ever gets caught.

3. Lol, all the orphan boys admire Gendry now that they know the queen wants him dead, though he doesn't like it. He doesn't know what he ever did to her, awe. He doesn't know why he's on teh run, but he doesn't ask questions but does as he's told. I wonder why Gendry never wears his helmet.

4. Ha! The boys rumor Gendry's Ned Stark's bastard and Arry yells he is not! She is very protective of her family, especially Jon.

5. They made it as far as the God's Eye, almost. That's smack dab in the war zone! Yoren says they won't be safe until they cross the Trident. They're going to go around the lake on the western side, to get off the kingsroad, just to be safe from the Gold Cloaks.

6. I like that Arya shared her rabbit leg with Gendry. :) You can tell they're friends, though I get the hint they don't talk much. The rest eat a spoonful of the rabbit soup Yoren made. I like that Jaqen H'ghar politely thanks her. :)

7. I completely forgot how rude the farmers are when they do catch them picking from their crops. They demand coin and insult them for being "stinking old black birds." Wtf?!? Seems everyone has forgotten what the Night's Watch is for! Yoren says back in the day it used to be an honor to share their table and roof with a brother in black. They all see the Night's Watch as a prison camp now, full of "sneaks and stabbers." Poor Yoren is so upset about it.

8. One of their scouts sees a band of about twenty men in arms up ahead, but they only have one horse and one of them is hurt bad. They don't recognize the banner: spotted treecat, yellow and black, on a mud-brown field. Hmm, I don't remember this one either, and I don't see it in The World of Ice and Fire. It must not be too significant then. Yoren doesn't know who they are but doesn't trust them either way. He decides to go around them, just to be safe. It'll take two days longer, but there's no hurry to get to the Wall, assuming the Gold Cloaks don't find them. They could have ridden ahead on the kingsroad, though!

9. It's sad how all the farmers have guards to protect their crops, but of course they're doing this because of the Mountain and his raiding party.

10. One night they watch a village catch fire and burn to the ground. As they get close the next day they see everything is destroyed, and bodies impaled on sharpened stakes along the wall, their bodies in poses that hint they were trying to fend off the fire, gods... Yoren finds a crazed little girl in the wreckage and an injured woman. The girl literally won't stop crying and the woman can only say "please," clearly traumatized. :( Rorge thinks this is funny, of course. The man is a monster and they STILL want him on the Wall.

11. Lol, awe, Hot Pie admits to Arry he's never kicked a boy to death before, only sold his "mommy's pies." He's scared. Arry admits she's scared too. These newcomers freak them out.

12. Arya recalls a story Old Nan used to say, and I think it's odd the Others drank a man's hot blood. I thought they abhorred the heat; why would they want to drink it?

13. The woman doesn't make it so they bury her under a willow, but the breeze through the tree sounds like it's saying, "Please. Please. Please." and this freaks Arya out. Even in death!

14. That night she really has to pee but Hot Pie's standing sentry and says she's not allowed to go far, Yoren's orders. She tricks him and runs off anyway. As she's peeing she sees eyes watching her, a pack of wolves. Freaky! One wolf even goes up to her, baring his teeth at her, but then he leaves and all the eyes disappear with him. Spooky! I wonder why they left her alone? Once finished with her business she goes back to camp and sits next to Yoren, saying there's wolves out there and it scares her. Yoren says he thought her "kind" was fond of wolves. Ha! She says Nymeria was a direwolf, so that's different. I don't see how, except she and the direwolves had a chance to "imprint" on each other right when they were pups, so of course they got along. I doubt if Nymeria first met her as an adult it would go the same way! It is right for a man to fear and revere wolves. They are mystical and beautiful creatures, but dangerous too. Yoren says the only wolves they need to fear are the ones wearing "manskin, like those who done for that village." True.

15. Awe! Arya tries so hard to be brave and strong, but sometimes she feels like the little girl that she is.

16. Yoren tells her for thirty years he's traveled up and down the kingsroad finding recruits for the Wall, and in all that time he only lost three. Those are good odds of staying alive if you stick by him! I think that's his way of reassuring her he'll get her home safe.

17. Spooky ending to this chapter! As she's trying to sleep she hears wolves, of course, and something fainter on the wind...the faint sound of screams. Oh dear!

I agree it is a very complicated situation. I would not want to be Robb! The first time I read this I was on Robb's side, and I admit I am being biased in my second reading a bit.

Well he wouldn't have ONLY asked for his sisters if he traded Jaime away. He probably could have gotten Ice back, his father's bones, all their prisoners of war, and maybe even a separate kingdom, if he had simply given away Jaime.

1. I wonder what it sounds like to laugh like a man chopping meat.

2. Tyrion is getting Janos Slynt drunk for the classic investigation move. Lord Janos sure likes wine!

3. Rich! Lord Janos certainly likes that word!

4. Not sure if Lord Janos got to choose which castle to take, but he doesn't seem concerned that Harrenhal is said to be cursed.

5. Ha! Tyrion's been looking in to see who's taken Janos Slynt's place as Lord Commander of the City Watch. His name is Allar Deem. Janos thinks he's a good man, therefore he must be trash. I wonder if that's the man who was humiliated by Yoren?

6. Tyrion questions him as to why not Ser Jacelyn Bywater, a good loyal man in service for three years, knighted by Robert after the Greyjoy rebellion, and Janos says he's too rigid, and a cripple besides. Oh dear, guess he didn't know Tyrion has a soft spot for cripples and bastards! He says Allar Deem is feared in the city; fear is good, according to Janos Slynt.

7. Apparently Allar Deem was sent to the brothel to kill a baby. Slynt says it's not his fault the mother got in the way. Oh gods... :( Slynt says it takes a certain man to do that job and Deem's just the man to do it. He makes it seem like it's not a big deal, since the woman was only a whore, and we are getting the distinct suspicion this is that whore who was in love with RObert and had one of his bastard daughters.

8. Ha! Tyrion brings up Jeor Mormont, the Lord Commander up on the Wall. He says he's been also looking for good men in his Watch. "The Watch gets so few good men these days." Sounds like a threat! No one wants to join the Night's Watch, however. Kingsguard and City Watch are good, but not the black. That's like prison camp for all eternity. "He'd sleep easier if he had a man like you, I imagine. Or the valiant Allar Deem." Ha! I really don't think Jeor would, but I get the point!

9. This makes Janos roar in defiance. So Tyrion says Eddard Stark probably didn't expect he'd end up dying in front of Baelor's Sept. And OMG! Janos laughs at that! What a prick... Tyrion says even Varys was surprised. I don't think much surprises that man, so that's saying something. Slynt thinks that's funny too.

10. It seems Janos Slynt didn't know about the agreement that Ned Stark was supposed to be pardoned so he can take the black. Janos says the king commanded it, and I like that Tyrion reminds him he's only 13, but I guess that means nothing to Slynt. "The Lord of the Seven Kingdoms." Tyrion reminds him more like 1 or 2 kingdoms anyway. Ha!

11. Now Tyrion "admires" Slynt's spear sigil and questions if he was the one who stabbed Ned Stark in the back or did he command someone else to do it. Of course he commanded someone else. The vermin couldn't even do it himself. He defends himself, saying Ned Stark was a traitor and he tried to buy him, lol! Tyrion hits the nail on the head -- he was already bought. Ha! "A lordship and a castle for a spear thrust in the back, and you didn't even need to thrust the spear."

12. Janos is angry now, calling him Imp and dwarf. Oh ho! Now Tyrion is angry, saying he should've stopped at Imp. He tells him he should be thanking the gods it was Tyrion he's talking to and not Tywin Lannister. That gets through to him.

13. Slynt is fearful now, for his four children, for pissing off Tywin Lannister. Luckily Tyrion is compassionate and swears his children will not be harmed. I've noticed Slynt has reverted back to using "m'lord" instead of "my lord." Tyrion says if his eldest son squires well he can be knighted one day and inherit a castle but it will not be Harrenhal. Janos, however, is to join the Night's Watch tomorrow morning. He tells him that when he sees Jeor Mormont to tell him that Tyrion did not forget the needs of the Night's Watch. Initially I felt good knowing Tyrion just put Janos Slynt in his place, but another part of me thinks that Tyrion still doesn't take the Night's Watch seriously. I mean, he's giving them more criminals! He thinks of them as a convenient prison camp, still, conveniently far away from the capital. Ugh, the Night's Watch needs good men!

14. Wow! Once Janos realizes he's not going to be executed he starts calling him dwarf again. Wtf... He boasts he has lots of friends at court who will stop this from happening. Psh...they're all using you, will throw you under the bus whenever it suits them. Joffrey obviously doesn't seem impressed by Slynt, calling his son an "upjumped oaf." But when he tries to leave, he sees Ser Jacelyn Bywater in gold cloaks with six others behind him, come to arrest him, ha! And what's more, Tyrion commands Ser Jacelyn to round up the six men Lord Slynt wanted as part of the City Watch, including Allar Deem. :) They will also be joining the black. Omg...Tyrion on a side note says to tell the captain of the boat to throw Deem into the sea where storms are the worst. That's a little too much, if you asked me.

15. Now Varys arrives once everyone except Tyrion exits the hall. Of course, lol. He probably heard it all. He applauds Tyrion for how he handled Slynt, but Tyrion says he half wanted to throw Varys in the sea too. Wtf?

16. Tyrion figures out it was Cersei who had sent Slynt and his men to murder the poor bastard babe in the brothel, and Varys knew, but he didn't say anything. Yes, to know but to do nothing also makes you at fault, in my opinion. Tyrion is angry with Cersei and Varys, but he can't touch her yet. It bothers him that he can punish Slynt and Deem but not Cersei, she gets to go about her business unscathed when she is ultimately at fault. Ugh. I hate her.

17. Ha, Tyrion tells Varys to tell him everything he knows for now on, but Varys says that will take a long time then, because he knows a lot.

18. Ah, so it was Varys who made sure Gendry safely got away. He was too busy doing that to save the infant girl. :( Why does Cersei want all of Robert's bastards dead now? Even when the world finds out about her children, that still won't give the bastards any right to the throne. They are no threat. Apparently Varys didn't expect Cersei to feel threatened by a whore's daughter. Right! "She was Robert's," Tyrion said bitterly. "That was enough for Cersei, it would seem." She is horrible. I just can't stand her. You will do everything it takes to protect your own children but you freely murder other people's children for pleasure. That is sick.

19. Interesting Tyrion imagined the whore looking a lot like Shae and Tysha. He wonders if a whore can ever truly love someone, but doesn't want to know. Poor Tyrion is still messed up about his past.

20. Interesting that Tyrion gave Shae that nice house with lots of jewelry and a bird and everything nice but she still wanted to "serve" and "help" him, whatever that means. He tells her she helps him most here, when they're fucking. Wtf... She didn't want to hear that. I think she is so used to being a whore that sitting around doing nothing is driving her crazy, lol.

21. So it seems Cersei was telling the truth about Ned Stark's death being unplanned. But Janos and Ser Ilyn did it without question and so swiftly that it seems planned between Joffrey and the two.

22. Apparently Varys recommended Ser Jacelyn Bywater, hmm... and Tyrion is not threatened by Cersei's Lannister guards, since he's also a Lannister and sent by his father. They won't dare harm him, hmm! Though varys has been very helpful, Tyrion still doesn't trust him. Varys swears he only serves the realm, the king -- of which he never specifically says which one! -- and Tyrion.

23. Varys brings up the riddle agin, and Tyrion says what I said earlier -- a riddle with no answers. It all depends on the sellsword. Very true, what Varys says: "...yet if it is the swordsmen who rule us in truth, why do we pretend our kings hold the power? Why should a strong man with a sword ever obey a child king like Joffrey, or a wine-sodden oaf like his father?" Why do any of them obey one man? Very intriguing question; who truly killed Eddard Stark? Joffrey, who gave the command, Ser Ilyn who swung the sword, "or...another?" Wtf? Who else? This gives even Tyrion a headache, lol.

24. Varys says power resides where men believe it resides, that's all. Hmm... Power is a mummers trick. A shadow on the wall. "Yet shadows can kill." Varys knows!!! "And ofttimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow." Spooky!

25. LOL! "Lord Varys, I am growing strangely fond of you. I may kill you yet, but I think I'd feel sad about it." Omg, lol...

26. Tyrion talks about his issues being a dwarf, but I find this strangely compelling: "...and one day I may take a wife and sire a son. If the gods are good, he'll look like his uncle and think like his father...Dwarfs are a jape of the gods...but men make eunuchs." Tyrion was borna dwarf, but Varys wasn't born a eunuch. Their situation is a bit different. Tyrion knows what he wants, but what's Varys's motives? I like that Tyrion looks forward to having a family one day. I'd forgotten that!

27. In other news...Varys talks about a master of a king's Galley plotting to switch sides to Stannis. I had forgotten this too. Wow, and another man, Tyrion tells Varys to send him off the the Night's Watch for being bribed to rescue the Redwyn twins. They really want to leave! They should take Sansa with them, lol.

28. Also interesting is that the red comet has brought forth a lot of religious men who foretell doom and destruction in the city. Not helping the overall mood! Tyrion casts it aside saying they're soon approaching the 300th year anniversary since Aegon's Landing. Of course people are going to see signs and prophecies.

29. Ha! Tyrion wonders how Cersei will take the news of Janos Slynt's dismissal. Not happy, ha! Tyrion feels secure in King's Landing with the Gold Cloaks on his side now and his mountain men and growing sellswords, but he realizes this was how Ned Stark felt, true!

30. I like Bronn's interview assessment when recruiting sellswords, lol. Though it greatly disturbs me that Bronn said he wouldn't kill a babe in her mother's arms without question; he'd ask how much first. Ugh...that's the only part about Bronn I don't like. But I have to remember they're not friends; it's strictly business to him. He would have chosen the rich man for sure, from the riddle. So it seems Tyrion has 100 Allar Deems in his service! What's it say about Tyrion to have Allar Deem thrown out to sea to die but he keeps 100 men like him all around for protection? Bit of a hypocrite.

I'm sorry I didn't get to type this yesterday, I was SUPER busy this whole week!

1. It's interesting to me that RObb has a brand new crown freshly forged. It's a shame what happened to the Stark crown, lost over 300 years ago when it was yielded to Aegon the Conqueror. I hope Aegon didn't destroy it! No one knows what he did with it. In The World of Ice and Fire, I gathered it was a private conversation between Aegon and Torrhen Stark, the King who Knelt. It sounds like the North posed just as difficult to obtain as Dorne, but unlike Dorne, Torrhen mysteriously agreed to kneel, despite having a strong host behind his back. I don't think his men knew why he knelt. But I guess it was wise of him; dragons "fly." A part of me wonders if Torrhen had a vision that a Stark would one day rule all 7 Kingdoms, but only if they became lords for several centuries. Dunno. It is said that Torrhen was highly regarded and not seen as a coward; they named a town after him: Torrhen's Square, and Barrowton is named because that's supposedly where Torrhen is buried. Curious he's not buried in Winterfell. I'm just throwing that out there! Might be far fetched. More likely he simply was wise enough to realize that having a huge army and a good natural defense against the rest of Westeros is not enough compared to someone with three fire-breathing dragons.

2. Ser Cleos Frey doesn't look like a lion. He is part lion on his mother's side, being a son of Genna Frey, who is Tywin's sister. He looks every bit a Frey, but they call him Lannister because he chose to fight with the Lannisters rather than the Freys. He is temporarily set free to deliver a message to his cousin, Cersei Lannister, of his terms for peace. Among them he wants his sisters back, his father's bones and all of his servants who died in King's Landing with him, he wants his father's greatsword, Ice, and prisoners of war, in return he would return a few cousins here and there, and to recognize that the North and the Riverlands are a separate kingdom from here on out, and overall he can't hope to expect Cersei to agree to these terms because Robb refuses to give up Jaime Lannister. I wonder what would have happened if he DID offer him up. I bet Cersei would be much more willing to give him a lot more for him. But Robb is just being overly cautious. After he delivers the message Robb expects Ser Cleos to return back into captivity and makes him promise in front of everyone that he will return. Robb can't possibly expect him to honor his word! He is part Frey, part Lannister!

3. It's sad that Cat feels it's her fault Ned went south to his death. She knew he knew he belonged in Winterfell, but she urged him to go anyway. :( She was fooled!

4. Cat doesn't like Theon's sly smile. I wonder what's up.

5. Robb's terms are already asking for too much with so little for Cersei to gain, and then he also adds he wants ten hostages, promising to return two of them each year for every year the Lannisters behave! He can't seriously expect Cersei to agree to these terms?

6. That was a bit over-dramatic, with the loud chanting/cheering and Grey Wind howling, lol.

7. Cat later reminds Robb that Lord Karstark is not happy with peace, nor is Edmure Tully, who wants vengeance still. Robb admits they lack men to continue fighting. Cat approves of setting up terms for peace, but she knows what Cersei really wants is Jaime, and Robb will NOT let the Kingslayer go, no matter how much Cat tries to talk sense into him. RObb won't even let him go to get his sisters back. Which I think is harsh. He would have been willing to trade for Eddard Stark but his sisters aren't as important? Important for whom, Robb, or his people? I seriously doubt his people care two shits for Robb's sisters. It's Eddard Stark they wanted. And Robb is really starting to sound like his men. He's even starting to treat his mother differently, and she can tell. This is sad: "...Catelyn was finding that kings do not listen half so attentively as sons."

8. Wow, Robb is really firm against giving Jaime up! She says who cares if Robb's lords bannermen won't want him as king anymore if he gives the Kingslayer up for his sisters. And I agree. Why is being king more important than family? Let someone else be king, then! But I think Robb is full of pride. I wonder what Ned would do in Robb's shoes. The Tully's value family above all other things. Their words are: "Family. Duty. Honor." But it seems Robb would rather be king than have his sisters back home safe and sound. The worst part is that half his lords bannermen want Jaime dead, which would do Robb no good at all, resulting in the death of his sisters. It seems no matter what Robb chooses he's disappointing someone.

9. Poor Edmure Tully was only trying to support Robb but ends up pissing RObb off when he called him 'boy.' Hmm... Grey Wind is getting angry too.

10. Her voice was icy quiet. "Girls are not important enough, are they?"

--At least he looks hurt when she says this. He should feel bad! I know it's an overall shitty situation all around, but I have to side with Cat on this. Robb is being too stubborn. Or maybe I'm biased because I know what happens later...who knows. I'm just glad I don't have to face hard decisions like this!

11. Now we find out why Theon is so happy: Robb is setting him free to treat with his father so Balon Greyjoy can join forces with Robb to fight the Lannisters. Of course Cat thinks this is a bad idea. She thinks he can get Balon Greyjoy to do this with Theon by Robb's side, but Robb doesn't see it that way. I think a part of him feels bad for his "friend" and wants him to no longer be a hostage. But it seems he's forgotten why he's a hostage; Balon Greyjoy led a rebellion in the past. What's to stop him from trying to be king again? But Robb says who cares if Balon is King of the Iron Islands, as long as he helps him destroy the Lannisters, he doesn't care. Oh Robb... :(

12. Now Robb doesn't want his mother there anymore. He's fed up with her advice. I thought she was rather smart, but it seems he doesn't want to hear it anymore and doesn't know how to straight up tell her to leave. He even tells her he can command it of her; he could, as king. What an ass. Cat refuses to leave her father's side, though.

13. I like that the leaves on the trees in the godswood are "ignorant" of the white raven's message. :) Autumn sounds so frightening in this world! I suppose it was scary back in our time too, before electricity and stuff. You never know if this winter will be your last.

14. Cat visits her father and sees the Blackfish is already there, visiting him in his sleep. Awe. :) Even though they've had their differences, they're still brothers and care about each other, even though Hoster Tully probably doesn't know Brynden is there.

15. I wonder what kind of regrets Hoster Tully has? And who was Catelyn's mother? She apparently looks like her.

16. Brynden Tully's men call the comet "the Red Messenger." He wonders what the message is. So do I! Cat says the northmen say the comet was sent by the gods as a sign of vengeance for Ned. Edmure thinks it's an omen of victory for Riverrun, since it kind of looks like a fish with a red tail on a blue sky, the Tully colors. But she says red is a Lannister color. It means something different for everyone. Spooky what Brynden says: it's not crimson nor Tully red; it's blood red, "...smeared across the sky." Cat wonders whose blood, and Brynden says both sides of the war bleeds.

17. Ha! Brynden says Beric Dondarrion's been raiding the raiders. Attacking Lord Tywin's foraging parties and disappearing before they can get at them. Some swear they killed Beric, but he keeps coming back. Cat says some of his men are Stark men. I can't even recall who all went...it's in another notebook. She hopes they're all okay.

18. The Blackfish thinks Robb should never have let the Tully lords bannermen split up to take care of their lands. Now they've weakened themselves, spreading out too thin. Darry men were slaughtered completely, including their little lord, the last in their line. That sucks. Gregor Clegane did that. He could have made a lot of money if he had ransomed the boy, but he doesn't care about gold. He just loves the slaughter. What a monster!

19. Cat believes Tywin is the true danger. I agree. Even though Harrenhal is supposed to belong to the Slynts now, Tyuwin took up residence anyway, lol; then again, it is smack dab in the middle of a war zone. They discuss how despicable Tywin's men are, raping and mutilating and leaving corpses out for animals to eat. The Blackfish says Tywin's doing this to provoke RObb and his men to attack him. I do believe that was his intent. Cat is afraid Robb and his men will take the bait. Brynden says his first rule of war is never give the enemy his wish. Smart man, though that could mean even Brynden Tully agrees Robb should never give up Jaime Lannister.

20. So 300 years ago Harrenhal was built by Harren the Black, a tyrant from the Iron Islands who had control over the Riverlands for some time. He built the grandest castle that took 40 years of slavery and plundering to build, and on the day it was finished, Aegon the Conqueror landed on Westeros, ha! Harren hadn't taken into account that dragons can fly. And blow fire. When Harren refused to treat with Aegon, Aegon had Harren and all his men cooked to death inside their castle. Since then Harrenhal is supposedly a cursed place.

21. The Lannisters are a huge family! Lots of cousins, nieces and nephews. Ser Stafford Lannister is gathering an army at Casterly Rock. Ser Stafford is Joanna Lannister's brother, and cousin to Tywin, because Tywin married his cousin...because that's okay, but not your sister, your aunt or your niece...weird. However, he's got to train boys from the Westerlands first, so they have some time before they have to deal with them. I can see a potential problem for Robb Stark and his men, though, if they don't do anything about this soon; they'll be sandwiched!

22. Lord Tywin is patient, unlike Jaime, so he won't be in a hurry to leave Harrenhal. He'll wait for his cousin to raise the second half of the Lannister army before doing anything. Unless, Catelyn says, he is forced to leave to face some other threat. I love how her uncle understands where she's going with this. These two are the smartest in Robb's army, and he wants one of them gone! The Blackfish finishes her train of thought: Renly. So they're going to see if they can team up with King Renly to take down the Lannisters. Should be interesting. :)

34. This chapter is chock full of intriguing stuff! Here we learn Jon is getting increasingly "jealous" of Robb, but he tries to make the most out of what he has. I think George Martin is showing us two sides of a coin in this chapter. The glory of being king, and the veiled hero who gets no praise but is the reason the realm still exists. I'm still not entirely sure what it is about Robb Jon is jealous of. Is it his birthright? His status? That he'll have a wife and kids and everyone will love him? Praise? What did Jon join the Night's Watch specifically for? Glory? Recognition? The satisfaction of protecting the realm? Does he seek to be a hero, still, as he did as a boy? It kind of reminds me of the Prince and the Pauper theme, where Jon is a prince in disguise and Robb is a pauper who looks like a prince, or king, in this case. And what's up with Mormont's raven blatantly repeating "king!" many times over, his eyes never leaving Jon??? That, so far, sounds like one of the biggest hints George Martin dropped for us. That maybe, just maybe, Jon is meant to be king one day. I don't know...it sounds too good to be true, and George Martin always has to add the bitter with the sweet. Jon Snow is my favorite character in this series, but that doesn't mean I therefore demand he become the ultimate hero who saves the world and gets the girl and rules the realm with a happily ever after. That's too unrealistic. I just don't know what to expect, but I sure hope George Martin is kind to Jon for whatever he has in store for him.

Your point 2, I know right?!? I guess Jon is that typical man who doesn't find reading as fun as real world experiences. Meh.

Your point 8, I wondered about that, how long specifically Jon has been there. He makes it sound like he's been there a long time when in reality he's still a spring chicken compared to most of them!

1. I like that Jon is described as a shadow among shadows. :) So far my feelings on talk of shadows is a bad thing, but I think the Starks make an exception.

2. Maester Aemon had sent Sam to look for some maps of the north beyond the Wall for the Lord Commander before they are to head out. I wonder why they don't already have one? Poor sweet Sam has been up all night reading, sounds like me!, losing himself in the ancient books he loves so much. :) He obviously treasures history. He talks passionately of his findings and Jon politely has to bring him back to the present, to talk more of their journeys they're about to make pretty soon. However, Sam is not looking forward to going -- too craven.

3. Jon doesn't see the point in keeping many of these books and scrolls, especially ones about an inventory of food they had 600 years ago, but Sam has a point -- with that information he can tell just how many men of the Night's Watch lived here at that time and how they lived. Sam calls it treasure, but Jon thinks of gold, silver, and jewels as treasure, not dust, spiders, and rotting leather, lol. I think Sam's right, though. It's important to see how the Night's Watch lived back then. It's important not to forget your roots.

4. Didn't know Sam was older than Jon. I wonder how much older? A year?

5. Sam says there are works in this library that aren't found in the Citadel in Oldtown, but I wonder how Sam would know that?

6. I like how Jon reminds Sam the books will still be here when they return. Poor Sam is afraid they might not return. After all, many who rode out are either missing, dead, or undead. Jon reassures him they'll be fine. They're going out with 200 seasoned men. They know what they're doing. He promises he'll be as safe as when he was living at his father's castle, but poor Sam reminds him he was never safe there either. :( "The gods play cruel jests," Jon thinks. Awe.

7. It's ironic that Sam, who's craven, has to go but Pyp and Toad who really wanted to go must stay behind. Jon's doing his best to make Sam feel comfortable about going. Sam has to go because of the ravens in Maester Aemon's stead.

8. Jon still has dreams of dead Othor, with his burning blue eyes. I'm sure that's not something he can easily forget. I wonder if he still dreams of Winterfell's crypts?

9. Jon tells Sam that his father says there's no shame in being afraid, only what matters is how you face it. :)

10. I forgot about the "wormwalks" under Castle Black. I wonder if there are wormwalks under the other 18 castles along the Wall? Sounds like much of Castle Black is underground. Makes sense, to keep out of the cold, like Mole's Town. They don't use them in summer, but in winter it's absolutely necessary.

11. Snow drifts of 40-50 feet!?! I'm from a snowy region by the Great Lakes and it can get above 6 feet and higher, but 40 feet is insane!

12. Even Jon thinks of Ghost when he sees the white raven, so it's not just me! They are also white and silent.

13. I like to imagine what Jon was like when he was young. He remembers the last winter from when he was very young -- everyone agreed it was short and mild. This time he can tell this winter will be different. I think he was born in that mild winter, too, right?

14. The Wall almost seems a living thing to Jon, with its own moods. Changing colors against the light, depending where you look at it. Sounds dazzling.

15. The black brothers dubbed the red comet "Mormont's Torch," sent from the gods to light the old man's way through the haunted forest. Sam remarks it's so bright you can see it by day now. Impressive!

16. I'm surprised how common and mundane it is for rangers to be at Mole's Town's brothel. Maybe it's only because he's 15, but I like that Jon doesn't go with them. I suspect it's mostly because he doesn't want to make more bastards, but he also upholds his vows, which is apparently uncommon for most men to turn down a whore.

17. I like this: "Some men want whores on the eve of battle, and some want gods. Jon wondered who felt better afterward." Ha! He thinks about the sept and would rather keep his gods that dwell in the wild. "The Seven have no power beyond the Wall, he thought, but my gods will be waiting." Funny, since the old gods have no power in the south, according to Osha! I thought he wasn't very religious, anyways. Perhaps he took solace in his father's gods more now that his father is dead. Perhaps he feels closer to his father with the old gods.

18. Ser Endrew Tarth is gentler than Ser Alliser Thorne, but he's still giving the new recruits bruises. Jon seems entranced by the swordplay. I think he would enjoy being a man-at-arms, since he enjoys teaching men how to fight. One of the recruits was a boy whore, wow, lol. He's in the right place...

19. Donal Noye talks to Jon about Robb being King in the North now. Interesting Jon's not certain how he feels about Robb being a king. It's still hard for him to imagine; they've grown up together, and I think I can hear a little bit of resentment. But Jon loyally tells Donal that Robb will make a good king, as if saying it out loud will make him believe it. I wonder why he's unsure of it? Donal seems to call Jon out on that one. "I hope that's so, boy, but once I might have said the same of Robert." Interesting.

20. Donal Noye smithed for the Baratheons, made Robert's warhammer, the very one that killed Rhaegar Targaryen. He boasts he knew Lord Steffon well, and the three boys. He says Robert was never the same once he became king, so perhaps he really did love Lyanna. He won the crown but lost the girl. Donal says Robert was true steel, Stannis pure iron -- black, hard, and strong, but also brittle. "He'll break before he bends." Ha! And Donal calls Renly copper; brightand shiny, pretty to look at, but not worth much. Donal seems a good judge of character! Jon wonders what metal Robb is but is too afraid to ask, afraid Donal doesn't approve of traitors trying to steal Joffrey's throne. I doubt that, but Jon's young.

21. Mormont's raven looks at Jon and shrieks "Snow!" Smart bird!

22. Thoren Smallwood fancies himself First Ranger now that Ser Jaremy is dead. He's one of Ser Alliser's henchmen, and he doesn't seem pleased Mormont wants to travel up north. He feels the Lord Commander should stay at Castle Black, "lording and commanding." lol. I'm glad Mormont puts him in his place, saying until they know for certain Ben Stark is dead he is still First Ranger. I don't like this Thoren.

23. Once Thoren is dismissed Mormont says he'd sooner name Sam First Ranger before he names that title to him! I laughed when Mormont intimidates Sam, demanding to know if he thinks he's too old to ride north, lol.

24. It's smart of Mormont to want to bring ravens along. If they are slaughtered, maybe they can send messages back to the Wall of how and where they died. That's Sam's job. However, Sam is horrified at the word "butcher." Mormont asks Jon if Sam's as big a fool as he seems, lol, awe.

25. I forgot Mormont wants someone to speak with Renly about their predicament at the Wall as well. Interesting that Mormont says: "The Night's Watch is not proud, we take what is offered." *SPOILER FOR DANCE WITH DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[Sounds proud when wildlings offer to help defend the Wall and you turn them down... (hide spoiler)]

26. "House Lannister has never been a friend to the Watch." Interesting. All except Tyrion!

27. I like that Mormont remembers to ask Jon how his hand is doing. His hand sounds horribly burned! Scars halfway up his elbow, with mottled pink flesh to keep it tight together. I'll bet it's very sensitive. So I'm right; it itches. Maester Aemon was the one who instructs Jon to flex his hand. He simply continues doing it long after it's healed out of habit, a characteristic trademark I like a lot about him. :)

28. Mormont tells Jon that Maester Aemon could have been king but he gave it up to be a maester. His brother, King Aegon the 5th, the Unlikely, was his younger brother. This surprises Jon. I would have thought he'd have had a history lesson on this, back at Winterfell... Mormont explains why he is called "Unlikely." The 4th son of a 4th son of the king. Very small chances at being king. Oh, I thought Maester Aemon went to the Citadel of his own doing, but here Mormont says his grandfather the king sent him to the Citadel because he was not martial at all. That kind of reminds me of Sam Tarly. He was only 8 when he left. Lol, Jon has a hard time imagining Maester Aemon that age. :)

29. Mormont says one of Aemon's older brothers was Aerion, aka Aerion Brightflame, because he thought he was a dragon. He drank a jar of wildfire, lol, wtf. He really thought it would transform him into a dragon. All it did was transform him into a corpse. Obviously some of the Targaryens are mentally instable.

30. I didn't get to this part in The World of Ice and Fire yet, but I'm getting there! They also discuss the year of the Great Council, where, after all other heirs died, they quietly offered the crown to Aemon, choosing to skip Aerion's infant son, but he refused. He said he's a maester now; the gods meant for him to serve, not rule. *SPECULATION ON JON SNOW* (view spoiler)[And this is where I'm worried that after all this is over, Jon is going to choose the Wall over the crown, because he had also sworn a vow and will not break it. He may try to say not even a temporary death can absolve him of his vows. I just hope he won't do this! He doesn't have to be king, but I want him to rule something! I want him to have a family and be happy. There's no reason to keep the Wall once the Others are taken care of for good. I just know he'd make a good ruler and a father, but a part of me thinks something bitter like this is going to happen... (hide spoiler)] Maester Aemon came to join the Wall so that no one might try to conspire to get him on the throne instead of his little brother, interesting. I wonder why Mormont's bringing this up.

31. Mormont's raven squawks "King!" several times this chapter. OMG! This scene!

"He likes that word," Jon said, smiling.

"An easy word to say. An easy word to like."

"King," the bird said again.

"I think he means for you to have a crown, my lord."

"The realm has three kings already, and that's two too many for my liking." Mormont stroked the raven under the beak with a finger, but all the while his eyes never left Jon Snow,.

It made him feel odd.

--VERY interesting!

32. Good question, Mormont! Why did you tell Jon about Maester Aemon? Mormont asks if he has to have a reason. Both of them have/had brothers that are kings. Jon adds they also have vows. :( Mormont snorts and reminds him how many times the men on the Wall break their vows all the time. *SPOILER FOR A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)[Hell, even Jon breaks his vows! (hide spoiler)]

33. OMG! I love everything Mormont says on this last page! He tells Jon some hard truths -- Robb will get all the glory being king and Jon will be a miserable shadow on the Wall, basically, in a nutshell. Mormont says to tell him that doesn't bother him. Jon: "And if it did trouble me, what might I do, bastard as I am?" Mormont asks what will he do? Jon answers: "Be troubled, and keep my vows."

ran out of space!

Your point 12, yeah you're right, it is strange how the Gold Cloak could tell she was a girl. Either that or he was simply making fun of Arry, but I'm not absolutely sure about that. Luckily no one else in their party believes she's a girl, besides Yoren, so she was able to play it off that the Gold Cloak was just making fun of Arry.

1. Arya and the others are traveling north, but the vast majority of people on the Kingsroad are going south, toward King's Landing. She doesn't understand why. Did no one tell her about the war?

2. I forgot there was a crystal imbedded in the grave they saw and Lommy wanted to take it but the Bull tells him to leave the dead alone. :) Frankly I'm surprised no one else took it yet.

3. Didn't recall Arya waking in the middle of the night, frightened, for no immediate apparent reason. The night was eerily quiet and it unsettled her. The next morning she realizes one of the men she was traveling with wasn't coughing that night, and he was dead. Damn! I wonder how he died, since most of them probably were malnourished. I don't know if that can give a man coughs. I hope it wasn't contagious!

4. They disperse all of Praed's belongings since he obviously doesn't need them anymore. I'm surprised Yoren gives Praed's sword to Gendry!

5. Odd of Arya to think it's not right to drown the bugs she brought with her from Flea Bottom when she is given the opportunity for a bath one night. I think it's just an excuse not to get naked near so many men and boys. Plus I imagine she doesn't care so much about being stinky and dirty like Sansa would.

6. Sansa thought beer was not as good tasting as wine but Arya likes the taste. For some reason I find this interesting. She misses her sister and father. :(

7. At the inn, Arya heaqrs that Robb Stark is in battle in the riverlands, hears rumors he rides on a wolf. :) This perks her ears. Another man says the wolves in the riverlands are very bold nowadays as well; best be careful; they're not afraid of people. They say the huge pack is led by a huge she-wolf. Arya must be wondering if this is Nymeria. I think it is! Poor Arya thinks if Nym saw her she'd not remember her, or worse, hate her for abandoning her. :( Lol, they're calling her a "hell-bitch." Arya gets angry when they heard she ate a baby and objects to that, but Yoren yanks her out of the inn for speaking out. That's probably for the best.

8. This is where we meet the three chained prisoners! One keeps referring to himself as "a man." :) I find it interesting that half of his hair is red and the other half white. He's the youngest of the three, slender, handsome (odd), and always smiling. He seems polite, but there must be some reason Yoren made sure that one stays in chains with the others. He must be more dangerous than he seems. Something about the way he talks reminds her of Syrio, "...it was the same, yet different too." Very curious! He apologizes on behalf of his companions and calls himself Jaqen H'ghar, once of the Free City of Lorath. I don't remember where that is.

9. Rorge is very rude. What a frightening man! She gets so close to the bars to show Rorge she's not afraid of him when Biter tries to take a swipe at her and she hits him in the face, ha! Jaqen H'ghar says she has more courage than sense. She backs up and is startled to find the Bull behind her. She tries to tell him she's not afraid of them but he says she's stupid, then, because they frighten him. I like Gendry for his honesty. He's not afraid to admit he's afraid. That's good sense. Bier and Rorge laugh at them when they walk away.

10. Arya is so angry at them that she wants to hit something so she asks if he wants to fight. Ha, I bet Gendry's not used to sparring! He is sure he'll hurt her because he knows his strength, but she insists so he gets his sword out. She brings out Needle, wow, not bothering with the wooden sword anymore! Lol, they warn each other not to cry when the other draws blood, but the Bull stops, seeing something from far off. I can't imagine what would have happened if they continued sparring, what Yoren would have done!

11. Six of the City Guard are riding up to their inn and Arya pulls the Bull with her to hide from them. When they approach, they state they have a warrant for a certain boy. Yoren says the boy's a member of the Night's Watch now, so they have no right to him anymore, not even the queen.

12. Arya is so sure they've come for her; that they've figured it out she ran away pretending to be a boy for the Night's Watch, but I don't think the queen is that clever. It sounds as if she has absolutely no idea where she is; most likely dead, she thinks. But Arya is paranoid of going back.

13. Wow...I remember this, but it still shocks me rereading a second time how the City Watch has no regard for the Night's Watch laws. They're demanding Yoren turn the boy in. Yoren is brave, I think. He totally stands up to them, and a good number of the boys and men back him up. Nice! Already they're acting like brothers! Or perhaps they just want a fight with authority...who knows.

14. It's pretty brave of Arya to run out and join them when she thought they were all sticking up for her. Turns out it's Gendry they want, though. This surprises Arya.

15. I like when Yoren tells the guards off, and when he takes the captain's sword: "Good steel's always needed on the wall." Ha! Unfortunately these Gold Cloaks say they'll be back, and if they find him they'll kill him for defying the queen. Seems Cersei forgot her place with the Night's Watch. She thinks she's above their law. Psh... No one in King's Landing takes the Night's Watch seriously anymore.

16. I noticed they say: "...I believe I'll have your head to go with the bastard boy's." This means they want Gendry dead, too. But why? He's just one of many of Robert's bastards! What makes him so special that they want him killed over the others? And how did they find out he joined the Night's Watch??? *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[I would love it if Gendry gets his own POV in Winds of Winter! I really want to see his side of things! (hide spoiler)]

17. Yoren tells them they need to hustle! They need to get as much distance between them and the Gold Cloaks as possibleif they're going to make it to the Wall in one piece. Shit just got serious!

18. Finally Arya asks why the queen wants the Bull and, lol, the Bull asks why she'd want him. They are both confused. I just love it. Now she bothers to ask his name and it is revealed the Bull is, in fact, Gendry -- the boy Ned Stark met with in King's Landing; the late king's bastard. Turns out he's on the run from King's Landing now. No longer safe in the capital for him.

19. I like that Yoren tells the two to ride like hell if they see a Gold Cloak; it's just them they're after. Interesting Gendry doesn't ask why Arry should run too, since they weren't after him. Of course Yoren knows she's not safe if they find out who she is, but now they know she thinks they want her, so that puts suspicion on her. She reminds Yoren they'll want his head too for defying the queen and humiliating them, and Yoren says they can have his head if they can take it off first, ha! That man has guts!

1. Interesting that Bran feels Winterfell is his prison. He much prefers to look out of his window where the rest of the world is. Kind of depressing, if you ask me.

2. Very interesting that Bran can almost understand the direwolves, talking to him and each other. "...as if they were singing in a language he had once known and somehow forgotten." :) Old Nan says the Starks have wolf blood, "Though it is stronger in some than in others," she warned. Hmm... *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[George Martin has confirmed that all of the Stark children are wargs in one of his interviews. That's curious, since I thought it was rare to be a warg. It makes me wonder if Brandon, Ned, Lyanna, and/or Benjen were wargs too, but didn't know it.) (hide spoiler)]

3. The brother's howls are different, too -- Summer's are long and sad whereas Shaggy's are more savage. I think they're reflecting the attitude of their owners feelings inside. Bran is definitely sad, and longs to be with the others again, and I'm sure Rickon is still angry that everyone left him.

4. Interesting Bran refers to Sansa's deceased direwolf as "Lady's Shade."

5. Maester Luwin says wolves often howl at the moon, but these direwolves are howling at the comet. It's so bright he says they may have mistaken it for the moon. I don't think so. These direwolves are definitely something mysterious. And they are smart, for an animal, they must know something about this comet we don't yet. Very intriguing. Osha also thinks they're smart; they know truths many have forgotten. But she thinks the comet means blood and fire and nothing sweet. :( (The Targaryen words, I believe, are "Blood and fire.")

6. Old Nan, who is older than all of the rest at Winterfell, says the comet means dragons, which I agree, and she is near blind, though she claims she can smell it. Weird. It's like a part of her is an animal too!

7. Interesting the stones in Winterfell can play queer tricks with sound, and even though Ser Rodrik confined them to the godswood when Shaggy bit Little Walder, Bran can swear he hears them everywhere. Ha! It drives everyone crazy, all except Bran.

8. Bran still doesn't remember falling, but his legs are paralyzed and everyone says that's what happened so he believes them. Bran remembers the direwolves seem to know when something bad has happened before anyone else, and right now the direwolves are howling. "Who are they mourning now?" He so badly wants to understand these direwolves. Ha! He even howls at them! They howl back. :)

9. Bran feels weird to be called a prince, but now that Robb is King of the North, that would make Bran a Prince of the North, since he is his heir. Still, he's not used to it yet.

10. When Maester Luwin comes into the room and says, "Bran, those beasts make sufficient noise without your help." Ha!

11. Interesting question Bran asks: "Do dead men dream?" and "Do trees dream?" Once he asks the latter he suddenly knows that they do, despite Luwin saying no. Bran tells him his wolf dreams are better because he can taste the blood. Yikes! And lol at: "If you would only spend more time with the other children--" But Bran doesn't want the other children's company; he wants Summer back. He admits Shaggy frightens him too, at times. Wow... But Maester Luwin says they aren't little pups anymore. They're big and dangerous now. *SPECULATION ON THE DIREWOLVES* (view spoiler)[I just think they need a teacher to show them how to handle their warg powers, how to train their direwolves to behave, but they all lack that. None of them understand their gift, yet. (hide spoiler)]

12. The maester thinks Bran is punishing himself with such thoughts of what princes should be able to do, but I like that Bran wishes he could be a wolf -- he'd find Arya and Sansa and bring everyone home to be a pack again. :)

13. Interesting it was Rickon who wanted these Walders gone, but now the roles are reversed. Now Bran wants them gone and Rickon likes them, after their log game went wrong. The game seems confusing to me, lol, but I gathered there's a lot of pushing and shoving and everyone gets wet.

14. I like that Little Walder is actually bigger than Big Walder in stature, but he's called "little" because he's 52 days younger. Apparently Little Walder is related to the Crakehalls. The boys are funny together. :) I kind of like Big Walder better, though.

15. I forgot that the Walders sleep in Jon Snow's old room. Bran hates this; he feels like they're trying to replace his bastard brother. Awe. :(

16. There's so many kids at Winterfell, I'd forgotten all of the servants have kids too!

17. Now we find out why Shaggydog bit Little Walder -- they were playing and Little Walder tried to make Rickon fall off the log, part of the game, but Shaggy didn't understand so he attacked him. :( He was so fast that Bran had no time to restrain him. When Shaggy drew blood in the water, ironically that's when Rickon decided he liked the Walders, laughing while everyone else was shrieking. If that doesn't disturb you I don't know what will...

18. Apparently Rickon is close friends with the Walders afterwards; he even shows them the Stark crypts. This upsets Bran so much, wow...

"That was our place, a Stark place!" But Rickon never cared.

-Well, we have to remember he is just a 4-year-old. He doesn't understand a lot of what's going on. And he is in sore need of companionship, since most of his family "abandoned" him. Also, I took this to mean Rickon was only trying to show off his proud heritage to his new friends. I don't think he meant any harm by it. But I see why Bran is offended. He doesn't like the Walders. Right now I don't hate them. They seem like normal kids. But Rickon's total disregard for his big brother disturbs me. He is getting very wild. If he keeps this up he could become a problem child.

19. I know Maester Luwin means well, giving Bran a sleep tonic, but Bran's dreams are telling him something. When Osha lingers, she says the same thing. "Might be the gods are trying to talk back." It doesn't work anyway; he still has his dreams. He's in the godswood, which is where the direwolves are right now, and he is a wolf again. This should tell you something. He sees the comet. I love the description of the environment he is walking around in!

20. Apparently his brother smells as black as his coat. I didn't know "black" had a scent... Shaggy runs along the walls, furious he's locked in.

21. I wonder what "the great grey caves of manrock" means. He remembers the word Winterfell, but is he remembering the castle with all its rooms and halls inside, or is he referring to the crypts, which are described as cavernous in a past chapter?

22. The last sentence of this chapter is spooky: "Beyond its sky-tall man-cliffs the true world was calling, and he knew he must answer or die." Some dire threat is coming to Winterfell. But what is it?

Your point 24, I'm not sure that I saw it as a threat, more like a "what kind of a man are you?" statement. But I agree, the riddle was very interesting.

1. Apparently besides Jaime, Ser Mandon Moore is the most dangerous man in the Kingsguard, because his face gives no hint what he will do next. Ser Mandon's eyes are pale grey, "...oddly flat and lifeless." Interesting. I'm finding I'm not liking people in this book series with pale eyes: Roose Bolton, Tywin Lannister, Ser Mandon Moore.

2. Lol, Cersei welcomes Tyrion te same way Joffrey did last chapter. "You." Ha! And I love Tyrion's response: "I can see where Joffrey learned his courtesies."

3. Apparently Joffrey doesn't often appear at council meetings, like Robert, and Cersei is sitting where the King's supposed to be. Hmm... I like that Tyrion climbs up into the Hand's seat, since Tywin ordered Cersei let Tyrion be Hand in his stead. Bet that pisses her off!

4. Littlefinger seems to suck up to Tyrion and he smiles, but he hasn't forgotten about that Valyrian dagger, ha!

5. Tyrion seems to often make fun of his small size. I guess it's better than having other people make fun of him for it.

6. Littlefinger offers to set up a room for him in Maegor's Holdfast, where I believe the king keeps his quarters as well as his royal family, but Tyrion would rather stay in the Hand's Tower, though evidently the last four Hands were all murdered. Tyrion gives Littlefinger a history lesson of the other two Hands that died before Lord Arryn. One didn't last more than a fortnight, the other was burned to death. For some reason I don't remember reading about them in The World of Ice and Fire. I only remember Tywin being Aerys's Hand for a long time. Tyrion says his father was the last Hand to have departed King's Landing with his name, properties, and parts all in tact. Wow! "All the more reason I'd sooner bed down in the dungeon," says Littlefinger. I like how Tyrion thinks to himself: "Perhaps you'll get that wish." Ha! He doesn't trust Littlefinger at all but he certainly can play the game with him.

7. Cersei is so angry that her father sent her brother instead of him and his host that she is so close to calling the letter a forgery and throwing Tyrion in jail. Wtf... She just hates everything about him. We'll find out why in book 3, I believe, but for now, she's coming across as impossible.

8. I thought it was smart of Tyrion to request that they work together so they can both get Jaime back, because they both love him, and that's something they an agree on.

9. Haha, Cersei admits they only have one Stark girl; the other one escaped and no one's seen her since. "A great many people died that day." Hinting she may be dead. I'm surprised Tyrion is not more outraged by this.

10. I like when Tyrion tells Cersei their father is displeased with Joffrey's bad council, because his reign so far has been nothing but disasters. "That suggests that someone is giving Joffrey some very bad council." Haha, I can't help but think he's referring to her! She raised a terrible child, sometimes that can't be helped, but when the queen is just as deceitful...it makes you wonder. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

11. Cersei says Joffrey has good council, but he is too head-strong that he doesn't take it. He was instructed to pardon Ned Stark but Joff took matters into his own hands, ugh. Interesting that the High Septon claims they profaned Baelor's Sept with blood after lying to him about their intent. Not only did they piss off the Starks but they've pissed off the gods too! That doesn't help!

12. So it was Littlefinger who made the arrangements to boost Janos Slynt to knightship and Harrenhal in exchange for his gold cloaks. Cersei was desperate; Ned threatened to give the throne to Stannis. Tyrion is surprised Sansa had a hand in this deceit, though Cersei admits she did it out of love for Joffrey. Cersei's not stupid -- she sees how Joffrey rewarded her love with her father's head. I laughed at this: "His Grace has a unique way of earning the hearts of his subjects."

13. I'm surprised Varys suggested they oust Ser Barristan from the Kingsguard, because Joff wanted to blame someone for Robert's death and Ser Barristan was in fact at the hunting party, ugh. Plus it put Jaime as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and adds Sandor Clegane to it as well. I am curious why Varys suggested Ser Barristan... *SPOILER FOR A DANCE WITH DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[I bet he knew he'd go right over to Daenerys! (hide spoiler)] I can't believe Cersei called Ser Barristan a useless old fool! "I hear that useless old fool slew two of Slynt's gold cloaks when they tried to seize him at the Mud Gate." Ha! Tyrion makes a good point -- that people talk of Ser Barristan like he's the Dragonknight, a wonder in this age, so what stops him from joining Robb Stark's army or Stannis Baratheon? Cersei admits she hadn't thought of that. Of course you didn't.

14. I love how Tyrion tells Cersei Joff doesn't take her council because she'll never hurt him, insinuating he may listen to him because he might hurt him if he doesn't obey. Ha! That's not what Cersei wants to hear, though. Tyrion must be more careful what he says around her. She's a dangerous mother bear when her children are threatened. I don't know...Tyrion says he'll never truly hurt Joff, but way back in Winterfell he smacked Joff three times!

15. Cersei decides to accept him as Hand, but Hand to her, not Joffrey, since she's regent. She orders him to tell her all of his plans and intentions before he acts on them, "...you will do nothing without my consent. Do you understand?" She still doesn't trust him. And why not, when he lies straight to her face?

16. Ha! Now he wants to know who killed Jon Arryn. Cersei honestly doesn't know, but does tell him Ned Stark thought it was her...because she slept with Jaime. I laugh when Cersei slaps Tyrion three times about it. Reminds me of when he slapped Joff three times. This family...

17. Now Cersei admits to Tyrion that Robert killed himself, really, chose to drink so much, didn't even wonder at the very strongwine, kept gulping it down. The boar killed him. She says the feast was so delicious, ugh. "...it tasted like triumph." Of course she'd say this. Still, she gave Lancel that wine to give to him. It's still her fault, to me.

18. Ha, Tyrion liked Robert, mostly because Cersei loathed Robert as much as she loathed him, lol.

19. I was wondering why she was being so forthcoming with him. She really believes Tyrion might be able to free Jaime.

20. I really like that Tyrion takes special care to remind Cersei to treat Sansa well. :) Even if it's only for the reason that they don't need to piss off the Starks any more than they already have. It just shows, to me, that he has a heart.

21. When Timett goes off to "explore," I love Tyrion's response: "I hope he doesn't kill anyone important." lol!

22. I like that Tyrion commands the Captain of the Lannister guard to take downt he rotting, tarred heads off the castle walls. I can't believe they're still up there! "Even in the midst of war, certain decencies needed to be observed." Right! When the captain says the king ordered them to stay up for Robb Stark and Renly and Stannis, Tyrion reminds him his king just turned 13 today, lol, true!

23. Tyrion also doesn't like how ugly and dangerous the city is getting -- even worse than before. There are plenty of watchmen, but none of them are really doing their job, wtf. And there are so few farmers selling food, that is a bad sign! The food that IS sold is being sold at really high prices, so many cannot afford it. Some are even selling rats. :) Obviously someone doesn't care about their city... This is the way of war.

24. Tyrion finds out Cersei's at least been doing something, but it's all to protect the city from Stannis and Renly. She even is paying for wildfire. This makes Tyrion uncomfortable. Wildfire is very dangerous. "...ten thousand jars were enough to turn all of King's Landing into cinders." Oh dear! Of course Cersei's not paying for it; Littlefinger somehow found the money -- probably through more loans...No, they're taxing people this time, those who are fleeing into the city for protection. "Clever. Clever and cruel." Paying to be safe when you are potentially running into more danger!

25. Tyrion feels more safe at an inn with his mountain men to guard him. Plus Shae is hiding there. Apparently Varys is here, too, ha! I'm surprised Tyrion is so jealous that Shae seems to like Varys, calling him "m'lord" like how she calls him, lol. Well she is a whore. She's gotten very good at making men feel wanted. Everyone here may find Varys so amusing and harmless, but Tyrion is paranoid that Varys knows about his little secret. He wants to keep Shae safe, and he doesn't trust Varys. Don't trust anyone, Tyrion!

26. Once again inanimate objects seem to watch as people ride through the Gate of the Gods -- the carvings, Varys says this to Shae. She doesn't seem to feel threatened at all. This intrigues me. Tyrion knows Varys is really saying that he saw them coming right as soon as they entered King's Landing. Varys warns her to be careful, the city is not as safe as it once was, but Tyrion reads this as a threat from the Red Keep. Varys has no laughter in his eyes as he tells Tyrion to take very good care of her, "if I were you." Hmm... I like that Tyrion tries speaking the "same language" as Varys. :)

27. Varys says on the streets people are calling the comet "the Red Messenger," interesting since it has so many names already. "They say it comes as a herald before a king, to warn of fire and blood to follow." Very interesting.

28. Varys also gives them a riddle, lol, of course. Shae believes it's the rich man, but Tyrion says it depends on what kind of man the sellsword is. I agree with Tyrion -- though it says something, to me, about who Shae is. She must think gold is the most important thing to not betray. I think this kind of riddle has no right answer. It is meant to tell what kind of person you are, depending on what your answer is.

29. Tyrion knows he is Hand of the King for as long as Tywin wants him there, and he is walking a fine line with having Shae in King's Landing. Tyrion knows Shae only wants his gold and not really him. He calls himself a fool. I personally don't believe she ever has feelings for him. *SPOILER FOR A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)[That's why she betrays him in the end; I don't think she ever cried about it, either. She saw he could no longer give her gold, and he was about to take the black or die. She most likely was paid to lie and say those things, which, to her, was way better than be the only one who stood up for him. To me, she is just like Janos Slynt, but prettier and a whore. (hide spoiler)] What he needs is a girl who will choose him over gold, when he has nothing to offer but himself. *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[Sansa, hopefully, one day! (hide spoiler)]

30. Haha, I sure hope he'd do the realm justice! He'd be the first Lannister to figure out that concept. But not the last! ;)

Not the first time I read it. As far as I know, there aren't any sure signs hinting at it in the book, other than the fact that he puts off consummating his marriage with Margaery. That part I believe is in the book, but the show ran away with it, lol.

It's just the way it was worded. With 31 men and one girl in the party, I was afraid that Yoren might show his true colors and rape her, the first time I read this. Obviously I know better now that Yoren would never do something like that, especially since he intends to return her to her highborn family, but I didn't know the full extent to his character until later chapters in this book. So sad what happens!