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.

Well, he is one of my favorites. Not my #1 favorite. :) I just love how loyal and good he is, that he is a commoner doing great things, making good use of his bad past. And he's good with children.

About Renly, when I read the book for the first time I forgot completely about his rainbow guard, so I didn't think much of his possibly being gay until I watched the show. Now that I read about his rainbow guard I can definitely see why the producers of the show would present him as being gay, lol. But you're right; just because a man likes colors that doesn't automatically make him gay...but a rainbow? I just don't know. I always thought a Kingsguard wears white because white represents their pure, undying loyalty to the king. Plus, it is the opposite of black, which Queen Visenya borrowed the idea of the kingsguard from the Night's Watch. The fact that Renly is breaking tradition says something; but whether it's good or not, I cannot say.

Your point 2, I hadn't thought of that, but that's a good question! I would think Cersei might see the bruises, or at the very least Sansa trying to cover them up. It seems Cersei is good at turning a blind eye to many things though, so perhaps she chooses not to notice.

Your point 14, that's true, Ser Dontos probably did remind Joffrey of Robert. That would make a lot of sense. He obviously didn't hold his father in much regard, and the fact that he wants to kill him makes you wonder just how badly he hated his father.

Your point 23, I don't know, I have to disagree. A small part of her wants to believe he's not like the rest, but I think a big part of her refuses to be fooled again; self preservation. She was a fool for thinking the queen and Joffrey were great people and they broke her trust in the worst ways possible, so she doesn't want to trust any more Lannisters, not even the nice ones (because after all, Cersei sounds genuine too, but we all know she's a bitch).

1. Sansa seees the red comet too, and it's Joffrey's name day, probably the 13th. When she asks Ser Arys Oakheart what it means he boasts it's in honor of Joffrey ascending the throne, psh...yeah right. Though it is true red is a Lannister color. Sansa hears it's called the "Dragon's Tail." I like that better. :) Sansa knows her mom and brother Robb are now enemies of Joffrey. Sansa recalls Joffrey is supposed to be a Baratheon, which is a black stag on a golden field, no red at all there. I like this: "Shouldn't the gods have sent Joff a golden comet?" Ha!

2. At least Ser Arys seems more of a gentleman than the other Kingsguard. Apparently when Joff heard Robb is now being called the King in the North, Joff sent Ser Boros Blount to beat her. What happened to Ser Meryn? Sansa prefers Ser Arys over the other Kingsguard. It's nice to know that Ser Arys tried to object to hitting her. Though he did hit her eventually, he didn't hit as hard as the others. And it's really strange that Joff never asks the Hound to hit her. That's good, but odd. Lol, watch Sandor once threatened that he'd beat him if he ever tries to command him to hit her! I don't know if that would've happened, though, but it makes me smile at the possibility.

3. Sansa's being escorted down to watch a tourney in Joff's honor. It's not nearly as big as the last tourney because the war is preventing so many people from attending in peace. Interesting Sansa prefers that Cersei be with her so she can restrain her son. :(

4. I like that the white cloak of the Kingsguard looks unnatural on the Hound. :) I also like that Joff's little siblings are still nice to her. Tommen is excited to tell her he gets to ride in the tourney too, their mother said he could. He's only 8! Bran's age. Sansa is glad Bran is safe back at Winterfell, "...a cripple, yet safe." She'd give anything to be with him. So sad!

5. Now that Joff is king he doesn't seem to be wearing any stags, only crimson and gold lions, ugh. It's like he knows he's a bastard. At least he's not being rude to her today.

6. So they finally found out Viserys is dead. Ugh, Joff thinks it's funny that the Dothraki crowned him with molten gold when his House's sigil is the dragon. Of course he'd be amused by that. "It's almost as good as if some wolf killed your traitor brother." Figures he'd start back up on this inappropriate talk. He boasts he intends to challenge Robb to a single combat, and I love how Sansa really wants to see that. I do too!

7. I like how Sansa sounds proud of the fact that the Hound won the championship in the last tourney. I guess he doesn't feel like joining the lists today; says it'd be too easy. That is probably true! Everyone here are "gnats."

8. I had forgotten the Redwyne twins, Hobber and Horas, are unwilling guests of Queen Cersei; like Sansa. She doubts they actually wanted to be part of the tourney, ha!

9. Even though Joffrey rewarded the Slynts with a knightship and Harrenhal, Joff makes fun of Janos's son, calling him an "upjumped oaf." Wtf... He really picks no sides; he's rude to everybody.

10. Apparently Janos lifted Ned's severed head high up for all to see. Arya luckily didn't see that, but poor Sansa did.

11. Funny Ser Dontos shows up at the tourney without his pants on, running around with is cock out, omg, lol. That's the sort of thing that happens when you're pissed drunk! Joffrey is the only one not laughing and he demands the knight be drowned in wine for being too drunk in his tourney to function, but Sansa protests -- oops! She hadn't meant to speak, but she felt bad for poor Ser Dontos. :) She has a good heart.

12. I like how the Hound once again stands up for Sansa, going along with her lie that it's ill-luck to kill a man on your name day, lol. He at least sounds more convincing than her. "What a man sows on his name day, he reaps throughout the year." lol, Sansa isn't quite sure if it was actually true or not, he spoke it so casually. I like the Hound. He didn't have to stand up for her.

13. Sansa goes even farther and says Ser Dontos doesn't even deserve death on the morrow -- he should be stripped of his knighthood and be turned into a fool, to be laughed at all of his days. This gets on Joff's good side. Whew... "Perhaps you're not so stupid as Mother says." :(

14. I really like the fight between Tommen and Joffrey! Especially when Myrcella says they are children -- "We're supposed to be childish." The Hound laughs at that. :) Yay! Tommen wins! He's so excited he gets to fight a straw knight, lol. The straw knight wears an antler helm, though, and Sansa can't tell if that's supposed to be their father, the late King Robert, or their traitor Uncle Renly. What about Uncle Stannis? Who knows...

15. I love that Sansa is such a kind person to Tommen, like she's another big sister to him. :) Cheering him on. Joffrey is bored...until the quintain spins and knocks poor Tommen off his horse, lol, Joffrey laughed the loudest, ugh. Myrcella hurries over to see if he's okay but Joffrey doesn't give a shit about his brother. He doesn't care about anyone.

16. Love this: "If only Tommen were the elder instead of Joffrey, Sansa thought. I wouldn't mind marrying Tommen." :)

17. Suddenly a host of Lannisters and barbarians (the mountain men from the Vale) arrive at the Red Keep following Tyrion. Woot! Tyrion let his beard grow in and it is a bristly tangle of yellow and black. What happened to it being white? I thought I remembered his head hair was so blond it was almost white. Interesting coloration, there. It's like his dwarf body doesn't know what color to stick with, not even his eyes. Even though he comes across as gallant on his pony with a fearsome shadowcat skin cloak on his back and a battle wound on his one arm, he is still the ugliest man she's ever seen -- wtf. Still all about looks after what you've learned from Cersei and Joffrey, Sansa?

18. It is so adorable how Tommen and Myrcella are so happy to see their Uncle Tyrion! He's an excellent uncle to these two. :)

19. I laughed when Tyrion and Joffrey interact:

The dwarf went to one knee before the king. "Your Grace."

"You," Joffrey said.

"Me," the Imp agreed, "although a more courteous greeting might be in order, for an uncle and an elder."

-Love it! Tyrion is so funny.

20. It just intrigues me that Tyrion's eyes are mismatched black and green. The whites around them would spell all three colors of Dany's dragons -- I can't help but think about that. And lets not forget his obsession with dragonlore.

21. I also love that the first thing Tyrion says to Sansa is how sorry he is for her losses. This takes her aback and the first thing sh thinks is whether or not he's mocking her, oh Sansa... :( "How could he be sorry for her losses? Was he mocking her? It wasn't the gods who'd been cruel, it was Joffrey." Nice! She has gotten so distrusting, especially of Lannisters, that she's always on guard now.

22. I laughed when Tyrion also offers condolences for Joff's loss, Joff doesn't know what he's talking about -- omg... Tyrion has to remind him that his dear old dad is gone. Joff remembers now, but he obviously doesn't care. I just can't... Wow.

23. I'm glad Sansa apologizes on behalf of her mother for kidnapping him, even if it is only done as courtesy. And he thanks her for the sentiment. :)

24. Lol, omg, Joffrey tells Tyrion this: "Your brother Jaime keeps losing battles." He gave Sansa an angry look, as if it were her fault. Good grief. "...and now her stupid brother is calling himself a king."

25. I laughed when Tyrion comes back with this: "All sorts of people are calling themselves kings these days." Haha! He certainly knows how to throw Joffrey off balance!

26. Everyone leaves Sansa alone with Tyrion as they fall back inside the castle. Good Sansa states he hurt himself, but Tyrion can tell she's not really eager for conversation; she's just being polite, spews out that her father was a traitor, her mother and brother both, then adds she's loyal to her "beloved Joffrey." Omg...how pre-recorded can you sound?

27. Love Tyrion's response to that: "No doubt. As loyal as a deer surrounded by wolves."

"Lions," she whispered, without thinking.

-Ha!

28. The way Tyrion treats her gently is so sweet and caring and so unlike all the other Lannisters by far. He empathizes with her -- some of his own family hates him too. She doesn't know how to take it. She remarks to herself that he speaks more gently than Joffrey, but the queen does that too, and she's also dangerous. Therefore, he must be dangerous too, simply because he's a Lannister. This is sad. The poor girl is so distrusting. King's Landing is not good for her mental health.

You're right about point 8, I hadn't really thought about it before. So much is going on in her life at this point so fast I kind of thought she wouldn't have much time to stop and mourn for herself. I always thought that she would grieve once she got back to Winterfell, but for now, gotta stay in the present!

Your point 13, I want to know too! I hadn't thought it could be Gendry, but it makes sense. Ned did offer to take Gendry in if he ever decided he wanted to learn how to fight with the weapons he made, despite being a bastard. He is Robert's bastard, and Ned is such a good guy you can tell he's not the usual man to think so low of bastards because he raised his own in Winterfell; of course he'd extend himself to his best friend's son.

1. Lol, Arya thought nothing could be worse than being called horseface but now she's being called lumpyhead! The woes of a 9-year-old! (Or is she 10 now?)

2. Turns out Yoren was only cutting her hair short so she'd look more like a boy, and to get out the matting in her hair. He plans to pass her off as another boy to join the Wall, but as they stop by Winterfell he intends to drop her off without saying anything to anybody. :) He calls her Arry. I forgot he had thirty boys and men with him, and none are like her bastard brother, he says! Ha! I'll bet this is the first time she realizes the kinds of men the Night's Watch are. He gives her very good advice: never tell any of them who she is because they'll sell her to the queen as quick as spit, and half would rape her first. :( Also, don't pee near any of them: dead give away.

3. Yoren is Arya's only ticket out of King's Landing so she takes it. The guards are looking for a highborn girl, not a dirty orphan boy. Nice!

4. I like that Arya doesn't want her sister to get washed away like the rest of them. :)

5. Most of Yoren's pick were found in prison, but a few orphans come along too for the promise of food and shoes, awe. :( Maybe they won't mind being prisoners at the Wall all the rest of their lives; it's got to be better than always starving to death! And of course these orphans are bullying her again...

6. Um, if the three Yoren found in the black cells needed to stay chained in the wagon the entire trip to the Wall, why bring them if you sincerely doubt they'll not try to kill you and/or escape once they get to the Wall? I wouldn't want a brother beside me like one of them!

7. Lommy and Hot Pie bully her, thinking she's a scared little boy. They call her lumpyhead. I forgot Lommy used to be a dyer's apprentice before he started stealing, and his arms are forever stained green to the elbows. They make fun of Needle and Arya can barely stand it, lol. She takes the bait and starts insulting them back, as she would. Talking about Jon Snow again, "Maybe she had to let them call her Lumpyhead, but she wasn't going to let them call Jon a thief." Loyal sister!

8. Interesting Arya is afraid of Yoren finding out she killed the stableboy in the Red Keep. As if that would make him change his mind about taking her back home!

9. Finally another boy tells them to leave her alone. :) He's nicknamed the Bull because of his horned helm that he polishes all the time but never wears, interesting. The first time I read this I didn't register that this was Gendry until later, but now I see it plainly. I like this kid. :)

10. Ugh, Hot Pie is trying to come across as scary but he's just making me laugh, about kicking a boy to death in the balls.

11. I forgot Arya tried letting him keep the stick sword. Nice of her, though she only wants him to leave her alone. Haha! She totally kicks Hot Pie's ass with that stick! The Bull even helps her! He's big but he's not a bully, and I noticed he doesn't physically intervene, though I'm sure even he could've seriously done some damage to these two boastful idiots. Of course Yoren sees what's going on and pulls her off to punish her for causing a scene.

12. That one in the wagon that snapped his teeth and hissed at her is really freaky, lol. I can't imagine how he'll fit in at the Wall, ha.

13. I won't lie; the first time I read this I thought Yoren might rape her, but he's just smacking her butt for being out of line. She refuses to cry. "I'm a Stark of Winterfell, our sigil is the direwolf, direwolves don't cry." But she certainly howls like one. :( He made her bleed, too. Damn! She's a girl but she acts like a boy so she gets treated like a boy.

14. He says she'll get twice the spanking if she hits her brothers again. Interesting he says this since she's not actually going to join the Night's Watch, but maybe he says this in case the others overhear. "They're not my brothers." She thinks to say, but luckily knows better than to say it out loud.

15. Yoren seems wise, says hurting Lommy and Hot Pie won't bring her father back. They're not the real enemy, anyway.

16. Here we learn that Ned was never supposed to die. Yoren received a letter that said to stick around and wait to pick up Ned Stark because he's going to join the black, but something went wrong. Right away Arya says it's Joffrey and that someone should kill him. Yoren says it may be but it won't be them who kills him. Night's Watch does not intervene in the affairs inside the realm.

17. Apparently sourleaf helps with pain. I assumed it was like chewing tobacco. Poor girl, her butt hurt for days, too sore to ride a donkey. :( She had to walk for three days, though Hot Pie had it much worse. And Lommy stayed the hell away from Arry, lol. The Bull tells her every time she looks at him he twitches, lol. I like the Bull. He seems nice to her when he doesn't have to be. I wonder what he thinks of Arry. Little but badass. Perhaps he's only trying to suck up to him. It's good to stay on the badass's side.

18. They also see this red comet. The Bull calls it "the red sword" because it looks like a sword. :) *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN A CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler)[Later we learn there's a red sword called Lightbringer, and this reminds me of that. (hide spoiler)]. To her it looks like how Ice would look after it was used to sever her father's head. :(

19. Once again she thinks of Jon Snow, wishing she could visit him at the Wall. There is nothing she'd like more than to spend time with Jon again, doing what they used to do before all this shit happened to them. :) But Winterfell is before that on the kingsroad, unfortunately. But she's still looking forward to being back home with the rest of her family. Oh gods, it hurts!! *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[I really, really hope they get back together at some point in the series! I think he'd be so proud of her, and vice versa! (hide spoiler)]

I think you're right, maybe Theon was being nice because of Ned. That makes sense!

That's an interesting question, about Renly. I don't really know! I think maybe it's because he spent a great amount of time with Robert so he got a chance to see how things work at court and he felt he would be really good at this? That, and I think he realized how life would be like under a king like Stannis and he would rather take his seat if Ned didn't. I still don't quite understand why he abandoned Ned. I think we need to keep reading to find out; the answers may be in other chapters!

30. Sounds like Stannis is almost jealous of Ned Stark being like a brother to Robert. "I was his brother, not Ned Stark, but you would never have known it by the way he treated me." Poor Stannis; Robert thanked Ned for lifting the siege but gave Stannis no thanks/credit for holding it for a year before that. The man gets no credit due him. Maybe that's why he's so sour. Thhis man just won't stop pissing and moaning about all the injustices that have been done to him...omg, get over it! Leave the past in the past. Like Cressen says: "...the past is dust."

31. Then Cressen and Stannis discuss the Arryn's. I'm surprised Cressen is able to convince Stannis to consider taking his daughter to be fostered at the Eyrie. He must not realize how crazy Lysa is! She probably would throw Shireen out the moon door, lol.

32. And introduction to Lady Selyse, the sleeze. I hate this woman, Stannis's wife. Sounds like Stannis doesn't entirely love her either, by the way he scolds her and calls her woman, lol. The poor woman is not described as pretty; in fact she grows a mustache she has to pluck out everyday. Must be an estrogen problem. Her voice is like a whip. She is a huge follower of the red woman and her god, not gods, called the Lord of Light. Totally sounds reminiscent of the Judeo-Christian God. Of course Stannis isn't the same way. This man sounds like an athiest, lol. Hmm... they only have sex 1-2 times a year, small wonder you have no sons! Big miracle you even have one daughter! lol. How can a man take no joy in sex unless he's gay? It's not just Selyse either. It's said he's uncomfortable around women.

33. Selyse's family are the Florents, a lord banner to Mace Tyrell of Highgarden. She says they'll fight for Stannis but Stannis believes otherwise.

34. Lol, and of course Selyse believes the red comet is a sign that they are meant to follow this Lord of Light. Everyone sees something in that comet. She believes he's the next Aegon the Conquerer, come to reunite the Seven Kingdoms.

35. Oh gods! I forgot the plot to kill Renly was Selyse's idea! Of course Cressen is against fratricide. But you can tell Stannis is intrigued by his wife's idea. Oh man...Selyse says Melisandre (the red woman) has seen it in her fires, Renly dead. Cressen is horrified. At least Stannis is willing to listen to his wife's council instead of shutting her out or backhanding her like Robert. Instead he kicks Cressen out. Poor maester!

36. Cressen watched the Baratheon boys grow up and he feels like a father to them ever since Steffon died. To see them quarrel and plot against each other must really hurt him. He feels this is all Melisandre's fault. The servants are afraid to even speak her name. She is another sorceress from Asshai; a shadowbinder, and a priestess of R'hllor, the Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, the God of Flame and Shadow. He is so sure she is the reason for this madness. So far, from what we've learned of shadows, they are nothing good.

37. Cressen pulls out a stopper from his medicinal supplies and pours the contents-- 12 purple crystals come out. Apparently each one has the power to kill someone. These crystals are made from a plant that can only be found on islands of the Jade Sea, in the Summer Isles, far far away. I can't even see it on the map in The World of Ice and Fire. Apparently it's hard to make. It does not sound the same as the tears of Lys, but alchemists from Lys apparently know how to make it and the Faceless Men in Braavos use it too. It's kept a secret from outside the Citadel. It's called "the strangler" in the Citadel, because it closes the windpipe so fast and efficient than hands. *SPOILER FOR STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)[Joffrey dies from this! (hide spoiler)] He's totally going to poison Melisandre! Cressen, you old rascal.

38. Poor Cressen is never woken for anything anymore, too old I guess. How terrible!

39. Poisoners of Lys would keep these crystals in a hollow ring, interesting.

40. The doors to the Great Hall are set in the mouth of a stone dragon, intimidating! The dinner feast is not full of raucous laughter; Stannis would not allow it. Of course...

41. After Cressen collides into Patchface and falls, Melisandre helps him up, "...her deep voice flavored with the music of the Jade Sea." Interesting. All she ever wears is red. She wears a red gold choker tighter than any maester's chain, ornamented with a single great ruby. Curious. She has deep copper hair and even her eyes are red, very curious (is she an albino and she dyed her hair?). Only her skin was smooth white -- which kind of reminds me of a heart tree. She is beautiful, but terrible, according to Cressen.

42. "The night is dark and full of terrors." She says this a lot throughout the series. I love it! Even if it is R'hllor's prayer and I am suspicious of this red woman. It's still a badass line. :)

43. He tries to tell her only children fear the dark, but you can tell he's deeply disturbed by Patchface's singing. "The shadows come to dance, my lord..." Ha! But then Melisandre calls him a fool and puts Patches' hat on Cressen, making people laugh. :( I feel bad for him! That's not nice to make fun of an old man.

44. OMG! Poor Pylos had the unpleasant task to tell Cressen that Lord Stannis doesn't want Cressen here. Rejection! Salladhor Saan, the pirate captain, is from Lys. Okay. Lys sounds scary so far. Cressen looks at everyone sitting silent at that, no one would face him, none but Davos who looked at him with pity.

45. Omg, and Stannis himself tells Cressen he is too sick and confused to be of any more help to him. Pylos can help him from here. Wtf... That is just like when Cersei rejects Ser Barristan! A maester also serves for life, I believe. And in any case, you should at least be nice enough to invite him to dine with the others. Poor Cressen remembers how he had loved Stannis growing up, like his own son, "...for you were the one unloved, the one who needed me most." :( Of course Melisandre is to Stannis's right.

46. I love that Davos offers Cressen to sit beside him for dinner. :) He informs Cressen that Melisandre has seen victory in her flames so Stannis will continue pressing on. Davos does not trust Melisandre either. He thinks she'll get them all killed, ha!

47. Ugh, when Cressen urges Stannis to make common cause with Lord Stark and Lady Arryn Selyse tells him he'll make common cause with no one, "No more than light makes common cause with the darkness." Interesting. (What is the point to "A Song of Ice and Fire" then if there can be no harmony between the two? This, hence, I believe, is the root of all conflict in the series). Stannis says they're all usurpers; they're all his enemies, and Cressen knows he's lost him now. Cressen says but he needs allies but they say R'hllor is his ally, psh, okay then. Cressen makes the mistake of saying that god has no power here and he thought he saw a bright light in Mel's ruby at her neck, hmm...

48. Oh gods, Stannis makes him wear the fools crown! How humiliating! Cressen thinks this is not like Stannis...he was hard and just but never cruel. He's being cruel now. :( He never understood mockery, yet he mocks him now. This does seem really strange.

49. Now Cressen decides to suck up to Melisandre by saying maybe he was a fool and wants to toast her god now, lol; I sincerely doubt she doesn't know what he's doing. He poisoned the wine; only Davos saw, and he tries to hold him back but Cressen shakes him off. A single drop hit the rushes, interesting.

50. She eagerly enough takes the cup and drinks most of it, then offers the last bit to him, oh shit. He drinks it, trying to be brave. But magic or something happens with her ruby necklace, and she says fire cleanses as Cressen dies from the poison but she is totally fine. Freaky shit is going on here!

51. Such a long prologue, but we get so much out of it! With the second book we get a new perspective with characters in Westeros we haven't seen before now but heard of in A Game of Thrones and lots of new characters are introduced to the set as well. A Clash of Kings emulates A Game of Thrones's prologue in similar ways, except we see a very scary "fiery" threat here, compared to the icy threat that are the Others. This world is full of SO much detail! I dunno; I love it. :)

This prologue was incredibly long and I have been pretty busy this week, so I apologize about falling behind a little. And of course I apologize for all the notes I took!

1. So we are in Dragonstone, looking up on the dawning sky and we see this red comet, the same one Dany saw at the end of Game of Thrones. We are introduced to new characters, some we have already heard about but not seen yet. Stannis of course rules Dragonstone, the ancient seat of the Targaryens, and Dany was born here.

2. Twelve feet tall gargoyles, those are mighty big! Maester Cressen stands beside a hellhound and a wyvern, both fiery beasts. There are thousands on the fortress. Maester Cressen describes the comet as amazingly bright and terribly red, like "blood and flame and sunsets." I like the visual.

3. This is eerie: "If stone tongues could speak..."

4. White ravens are rare. One came bearing news that summer is at an end. People expect the news but dread it.

5. Cressen is old! He is nearing 80. Pylos is a younger maester, sent to Dragonstone to help Cressen, and replace him when he dies. Pylos is a nice young man of 25, but solemn and humorless. Perhaps he's in the right place! All of Dragonstone sounds gloomy and lonesome.

6. We are introduced to Shireen Baratheon, Stannis's only child, and her fool, Patchface. Shireen survived the greyscale sickness but it left a permanent disfigurement on one side of her face, all crusty grey and flaking off, it is hard not to notice it when you see her. Poor girl. It almost killed her as a baby but it's not explained how she got it. She is 10-years-old now. Cressen describes her as the saddest child he's ever met, and he blames himself. I guess for her disfigurement, possibly at not knowing how to prevent it from happening or not knowing how to get rid of the aftereffects.

7. Dragonstone is dismal; the only citadel on the island amidst storm and salt and a smoking mountain at its back -- that sounds like a volcano!

8. Patchface creeps the hell out of me, lol. He talks nonsense, almost always about the ocean, going "oh, oh, oh..." so depressing and disturbingly. Apparently he used to be funny, until he almost drowned...now he's depressing and the only one who still laughs at him is Shireen.

9. Shireen has dreams that dragons come to eat her. :( She always gets nightmares, awe. I just want to hug this sad girl! Cressen reminds her the dragons are made of stone and they cannot come to life -- ha! Apparently they can! If it is hot enough, and a life is paid for death, we have learned the incubation requirements from the last chapter in A Game of Thrones. But of course nobody in Westeros knows this yet.

10. Maester Cressen sheds a little history about Dragonstone; that it was the Westernmost outpost of old Valyria, where the Targaryens are from. Valyrians raised this citadel, and apparently "...they had ways of shaping stone since lost to us." Probably the dragons melted it and remolded it.

11. We also are introduced to Lady Melisandre, also called "the red woman." Cressen does not like her!

12. The white ravens are bigger and smarter than the black ones and they are only sent out from Oldtown to deliver the most important messages -- I forgot this. I thought they only came to inform everyone when a new season begins. This summer lasted ten years, two turns, and 16 days, "the longest summer in living memory." I believe a turn is a month. The smallfolk say a long summer means an even longer winter -- a scary omen, then. *SPECULATION ON TALK OF RAVENS IN A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[Now that I think about it, most people think of the color black when they think of ravens, and the Night's Watch are all dressed in black, so they often get called crows. Apparently there are such things as white ravens, NOT albinos, as their eyes are black, but they are much more rare than their cousin. The Kingsguard all wear white, and it is said in The World of Ice and Fire that Queen Visenya created the Kingsguard in likeness to the Night's Watch, because she was impressed by their unfailing loyalty to their realm. Of course there are far fewer Kingsguard than black brothers, which is the same of the ravens. The white ones are bigger and smarter. I'm wondering if this in any way correlates to Jon Snow possibly being a "white raven" among all of his black brothers? He has a white direwolf, after all. And he is smarter and better at fighting than most of his brothers. Because it's possible he's secretly a prince's son, he otherwise would have been living in King's Landing. I just don't know. Just thought I'd speculate on that. (hide spoiler)] The White raven is white as snow and bigger than a hawk, holy cow! Its eyes are black so it's not an albino, but a truebred bird. The bird is so smart it repeats, "Lady" when introduced to Shireen. She just loves it, omg, so cute!

13. Okay, Patchface is now singing creepily! "The shadows come to dance, my lord...The shadows come to stay, my lord..." And it scares Shireen when he sings this, too. Okay so it's not just me, lol. She says he sings this all the time. And Maester Cressen thinks to himself, "Once I might have silenced him forever, but now..." wth? Patchface had come from Volantis as a boy, when Lord Steffon, Robert's father, was sent to look for a bride for Rhaegar, interesting. I forgot it was Steffon who did that. According to Steffon, Patchface can do all sorts of songs and dances, and he can do magic and speak in four languages, hmm... Steffon really thought he was a great find. He had hoped the fool would teach Stannis how to laugh and smile, but on their way back to Westeros his ship wrecked in Shipbreaker Bay (aptly named), killing Steffon, his wife, and many others. Patchface was found three days later, but he lost his wits and isn't really funny. They swore his skin was corpselike and "clammy cold." It is a very peculiar event.

14. In Volantis they tattoo their slaves and servants, so Patchface's face is tattooed with red and green squares, hence Patchface. I just think of some deranged thing from Alice in Wonderland come to life. Creepy!

15. They had talked of putting Patchface out of his misery, because apparently he was in pain, but Cressen refused to do it. Now Cressen tries to tell Shireen the songs mean nothing because he's witless, but you can tell he has his doubts, and it seems just too eerie to ignore. ESPECIALLY when he sings of dancing shadows! Totally brings me back to Mirri Maz Duur and her dancing shadows in the hut. It seems just too significant of a topic for George Martin to write about, otherwise why make a big deal of it if all of this means nothing?

16. Poor old Cressen, hates these stairs! Sea Dragon Tower is a strange name, almost sounds whimsical.

17. Stannis's war galley is triple-decked with 300 oars, sounds huge!

18. Introduction to Davos! One of my favorite characters in the series! He wears earthy colors and has the look of a commoner, whatever that looks like. He used to be the most notorious smuggler in all of Westeros before Stannis knighted him. I guess lords are allowed to knight people too.

19. They are talking about whether or not the people would follow Stannis as their king. He is capable, just, wise, yes, but not merciful. Davos had been off trying to gain men over to Stannis's side but with no success. Everyone loves Renly, or follows the Lannisters. Lol, Renly has a "kingsguard," but he calls them his "Rainbow guard," each guard wears a different color of the rainbow instead of the customary white. That kind of really screams gay to me, but nobody comes out in the book and says it. Loras Tyrell is his Lord Commander, of course. Apparently Renly had been an attention whore since he was really young. He still likes his colors and games, but he's 21 now and gaining an army and Stannis is not.

20. Davos: "In the end words are just wind." :) Davos will only tell Stannis the truth. He will not lie to him. It's not looking good. I like honest characters.

21. I had forgotten why Davos is nicknamed the onion knight. When the Reach sieged Storm's End for an entire year, starving them out, Davos bravely smuggled onions and salt fish to keep everybody in the castle from starving to death long enough for Lord Eddard Stark to reach Storm's End to lift the siege. Stannis was lord of Storm's End at that time and he rewarded Davos for keeping his people from starving to death, risking his life to do it. He also gave him land and gold, but to punish him for being a smuggler he cut off one finger for every year he was a smuggler, so Davos has four shortened fingers on his left hand. Hard man! But Davos was honored. He made himself a lordly name, Seaworth, and his sigil is black ship on pale grey field, with an onion on its sail, very apt.

22. Sounds like Maester Cressen and Davos Seaworth get along.

23. In the middle of the council room is the famous great Painted Table, a table in the shape of Westeros, and painted as an accurate map in Aegon the Conquerer's time. It's more than 50 feet long. Very detailed. Aegon the Conquerer had it made. Only one chair is in the room, and it's situated right where Dragonstone would be on the map. It's raised to give a good view of the table top.

24. What's up Stannis's butt? He is always so cold and bitter! It seems his two brothers stole all the happiness from him, leaving his personality with none. "Hard was the word men used when they spoke of Stannis, and hard he was." He's only 34, too! "...it was a mouth made for frowns and scowls and sharply worded commands...a mouth that had forgotten how to smile and had never known how to laugh." I'm scared of this Stannis! What happened in this man's life to make him this way?

25. Stannis is so blunt. Seems to have no tact. Maybe he's a bit autistic? Small wonder so many people would rather follow Renly as a king than Stannis. You attract more bees with honey than vinegar, Stannis! I simply love how in depth each character is in ASOIAF! George Martin's showing us the extremes of different types of rulers, each with their own pros and cons, but none are worthy to sit the Iron Throne.

26. We find out how angry Stannis is that he is stuck with dreary little Dragonstone while Renly got Storm's End when Robert became king. Stannis feels gipped. By rights Stannis should have inherited Storm's End because it's been ruled by Baratheons for centuries, Stannis's right -- but obviously Robert was stupid and blundered it up. Though Cressen says Robert felt Stannis was an adult, capable of defending Dragonstone from the Targaryens, and Renly just a child at the time, someone needed to hold the ancient Targaryen fortress. Stannis, in his fury, says Renly has never done anything to win the throne; all he does is sit in council, jest, and play in tourneys. "I ask you, why did the gods inflict me with brothers?" Obviously this family does not value close family relationships, lol.

27. Wow, Stannis is so rude to Cressen. What did this poor old man ever do to him?

28. Apparently Renly is like Robert in that both were impulsive, heedless to council. Kind of reminds me of Jaime.

29. Stannis refuses to make common cause with Renly to fight the Lannisters. Division is what will kill them both. 'The lone wolf dies but the pack survives.' Something tells me that's not just good advice for the Starks! Speaking of Starks, Cressen suggests working with Robb Stark, but Stannis doesn't want to divide the realm in half. Psh...beggars can't be choosers. Half a realm is better than none!

Not enough space!

Yeah I agree, reading it a second time was even better than the first because I really got a chance to understand what's going on in this incredibly detailed, amazing world. So excited to start Clash of Kings soon!

1. So Dany's khas are building a funeral pyre. They sacrifice a stallion for Drogo, because when a khal dies he needs a stallion to ride in the next world. It really reminds me of the ancient Egyptians, except where they worshipped cats, the Dothraki worshipped their horses.

2. Mirri Maz Duur says "maegi" simply means wise. Hmm, interesting. She chides them about their rituals, saying she can help them with whatever bloodmagic they are doing...omg...this woman. Not after what you've done!

3. They pile up everything that belonged to Drogo, but Dany says not the three weapons she got on their wedding, those are hers, lol. Damn right, don't forget that!

4. This is when Ser Jorah starts calling her queen instead of princess. He also tells her she should go east wit him, go see the world, anything, but please do not do what he thinks she's going to do, which is kill herself. He loves her too much to let her do this. But she promises she will not burn. ;)

5. The funeral pyre is at least three levels high, wow. Of the branches and matting, it is said: "They laid them north to south, from ice to fire..." Interesting. Is there no such thing as a south pole? Keep going south it should eventually get cold again. But I don't know the science of this world.

6. Dany wonders how many people Aegon the Conquerer started with. She only has 100. Good question! It almost seems like she knows what's going to happen.

7. Dany frees the slaves and calls all who are left her khalasar. :) To her khas, she names them her bloodriders and gifts them with her three wedding gifts. :) They are confused and politely explain a woman cannot be a khal. It would shame them. Just you wait, boys!

8. I think ko means bloodrider.

9. Dany turns to Ser Jorah and promises him she will gift him a valyrian longsword like the world has never seen. This sounds like a big deal! Of the four, he is the only one who accepts her offer -- probably because the Mormonts are used to strong female leaders, like his aunt and cousins! Jorah vows to serve, obey, and die for her if need be. He is first in her Queensguard.

10. They lay Drogo's head toward the Mother of Mountains, far to the northeast. She has them pour oil over everything and personally lays the eggs in there. Jorah urges her to sell them instead, lol, of course he'd say that. She sets the black one beside Drogo's heart, the green beside his head, and the white one between his legs. Interesting. I wonder if this detail matters for what's about to happen.

11. Mirri Maz Duur calls Dany mad, ha! She probably thinks it's an insane waste to "ruin" the eggs, like Jorah thinks. Dany commands Jorah to add Mirri Maz Duur to the pyre. For some reason, he protests, but she commands him so he does it. I like that Dany tells the maegi, "I thank you, Mirri Maz Duur, for the lessons you have taught me." That's a good way to look at this shitty situation.

12. When Mirri Maz Duur says she won't hear her scream, Dany says she will, but she only wants her death, hmm.. "Only death can pay for life." Dany really is starting to sound like she knows what's going to happen! The maegi's face loses her contempt; she may be afraid. Hell, I would be! You don't fuck with the dragon queen!

13. I like this passage: "The more fiercely the man burned in life, the brighter his star will shine in the darkness."

14. Just as they are doing this ritual, they see the red comet in the sky. "Bloodred; fire red; the dragon's tail. She could not have asked for a stronger sign." :) I think I believe the comet was meant for Dany, as it moves westward, I believe.

15. Even the heat off this pyre is too hot for Dany as she steps back, wow. I thought she automatically moved forward.

16. I kind of feel bad for Mirri Maz Duur, who lost everything, suffered so much, and is now suffering being burned at the stake. But not too bad. :) She did not have to kill Rhaego. She should have recognized that Dany was only trying to help, but she punishes the girl anyway. Her death is necessary, though.

17. Wtf...part of Dany wanted to run in there and fuck Drogo one last time before the flames turned them both to char. This girl... lol.

18. "The heat beat at the air with great red wings..." Interesting analogy. Everyone stands back but Dany. The fire was in her. Now she moves toward the pyre, reaching for the fire. It is so hot she sweats like crazy. She describes the flames as beautiful, robed sorcerers, hmm... She sees many animals in the flames, one being the stallion, and she thinks it's Drogo, mounting to ride in the night sky. I think she's going a bit senile!

19. Her clothes burst into flame and she shakes it off. She hears a crack of shattering stone! The pyre starts to fall apart and she sees bits of broken rock, pale and veined with gold. I always wondered which dragon hatched first.

20. The second crack is louder, like thunder. Dany knows she is the mother of dragons. The pyre breaks and the flames leap 30 feet, holy shit! The third crack is the loudest, "...as loud and sharp as the breaking of the world." Hmm...

21. When the flames finally die out, Jorah goes to Dany, who is miraculously unhurt. She totally survived the fire, but is naked, as all her clothes burned off. Even her hair is gone. But she stands, with three motherfucking dragons! The white one suckles her left breast, the green one at the right. She cradles them close. The black one is draped across her shoulders. The black one's eyes are "...as red as coals." Who else's eyes are red as coals? Ghost. Just sayin'.

22. At that, all three of her khas lay their weapons at her feet, acknowledging her as "blood of my blood." :) lol...Yes, we'd be totally honored to be your bloodriders, lady who just hatched three dragons! Even the others are all hers now; hers as they have never been Drogos, and that's saying something!

23. I absolutely love the last paragraph to the ending of A Game of Thrones. I was gonna recite it, but Clara got to me first, lol. And I really need to get going!

Your point 16, It is explained why in Dance with Dragons. I remember because I recently looked it up. :)

1. Didn't know Cat took a boat down the Tumblestone river to get to Winterfell with her new baby. I guess that's the easiest way to get around in the riverlands, though.

2. They are welcomed into Riverrun, shouted for, but Cat's heart isn't lifted, not sure if it will ever lift again. Ned is dead. :( This breaks my heart!

3. Lord Tytos Blackwood has a hooked nose and his armor is bright yellow with elaborate vine-and-leaf patterns. Interesting, since the Blackwood family sigil is a white tree surrounded by flying ravens, black on red.

4. At least Theon is being polite; he gently sets her off the boat to dry land without getting her wet. Strangely odd for him; perhaps he's trying to suck up to them?

5. First we meet crazy Lysa, Cat's sister; now we meet Edmure, Cat's brother. He looks like a man who smiles a lot, but right now he's too tired and worn in battle to smile. When he tells her he grieves for Ned too and promises the Lannister's will pay, I find I like Edmure.

6. Poor Edmure! Cat snaps at him and asks will that bring Ned back; the pain is still too fresh.

7. She hasn't seen her father in a long time. She hears he's bedridden, dying of old age it sounds. First her husband dies, and soon her dad. :( She's most angry that he never told her he was sick, but Edmure says he didn't want anyone to know how weak he's gotten, afraid the Lannisters would attack sooner if they knew.

8. As angry as she is, she knows it's her fault, for seizing Tyrion. But she didn't know. She was set up!!!

9. Riverrun is three sided, to fit the shape of where the three rivers meet, and so is the keep. I'm trying to imagine a three sided castle, lol.

10. Hoster Tully has always been described as a big man, tall and broad. But age has made him small and frail. This must be hard to see. He calls her "little cat," omg, so cute! He remembers Robb as a baby, keeps saying he has his eyes. :) I love this. We see the Stark kid's other half of the family tree now. Cat says they brought him Jaime Lannister. Hoster says he heard the battle and asks if it was Robb who did it. Cat says yes and is full of pride. :) Then adds his brother is here too. They also haven't seen each other in a long time. Interesting to see how this goes. Hoster and Brynden Tully never got along, though they both seem like good men.

11. It's heartbreaking how badly he'd hoped to see Lysa as well, but the bitch refused to come. He is sad to hear of it. But he remembers Robert Arryn, too. At least this sickness hasn't affected his memory...too much. But when asked if he wants to see his brother he goes on a tangent about why the Blackfish still hasn't married, lol. I don't see why he should care so much, since he should be caring more about Edmure getting married, unless he doesn't want his son to rule when he dies?

12. At least Hoster admits Brynden's a great warrior, and he'll see him, but later. He wants to sleep.

13. When she sees Brynden it is so sweet how he cars about his brother. They may have their differences, but they're still brothers. And the Tully words are: Family. Duty. Honor.

14. Of course Theon is drinking in the hall and boasting about the Whispering Wood.

15. It is good that Robb is praying in the godswood like his father would have done. Apparently Riverrun's heart tree is still a weirwood, interesting. It is slender, though, so it sounds relatively young, but I don't know. It's face looks sad, not fierce. Actually, all the northern lords are praying, even Tytos Blackwood, a riverlander. "These are the ones who keep the old gods, she realized. She asked herself what gods she kept these days, and could not find an answer." :( She is angry with all the gods, currently, for taking away Ned. :( This is understandable. But she is respectful and waits for them to finish before speaking with them.

16. Sounds like Petyr Baelish was the lady's man when he was younger! lol. She remembers playing kissing games with him and her sister; she was no older than Sansa, Lysa no older than Arya, and Petyr even younger, but eager -- ha! Sounds like Cat was very much like Sansa when she was younger. Makes sense, then, why Littlefinger seems so interested in Sansa back at King's Landing. Petyr liked chewing mint, apparently. He was considered a bold little boy, always in trouble. Hmm... Lysa liked French kissing Petyr, while it sounds like Cat did not. Yuk! Cat looks at Robb and wonders if he's ever been kissed. She thinks he must have, since Jeyne Poole drolled after him, and many of the serving girls, too. He fought in a battle; certainly he's been kissed! lol. Why does this feel so awkward?

17. Catelyn is shocked to hear that Renly stole his brother's crown. He is younger than Stannis. No one saw this coming!

18. The council meeting holds all the Stark bannermen as well as the other lords in the riverlands, the Darrys sent a boy no older than Bran. :( The Brackens and Blackwoods sit as far apart from each other as possible, ha!

19. So Roose Bolton and his remaining host reset up camp at the mouth of the causeway, which I'm assuming is the Kingsroad, east of the Twins and south of Moat Cailin.

20. They discuss their next plan and argue, as men do. Blackwood is all for marching to Harrenhal and finish the Lannisters off. I respect this Blackwood, so I am guessing this is a good plan. Of course the Brackens propose the opposite, going so far as saying they should join forces with Renly's men down south, but Robb reminds him that Renly is not king. If they were to do that they would be traitors, though he will not follow Joffrey, either. Robb seems to favor Stannis, like Ned. Of course Stevron Frey would say wait and join the winning side...or oppose them when they are weakened. Ugh.

21. There Robb goes again, unsheathing his sword that he does not intend to use in the room... He says this is the only peace the Lannisters shall receive.

22. Cat tries explaining that Ned is dead, and many other good men too, so why must they add more to the list? What they need now is peace, she says. But of course they say she is a woman with a weak heart. Love when she says: "Give me Cersei Lannister, Lord Karstark, and you would see how gentle a woman can be." Ha! She makes a valid point about focusing on the living, like her daughters. War may get them killed.

23. Unfortunately, not even the Blackfish can agree for peace. All the lords are respectful, but they want their vengeance, else, what did their loved ones die for? I can see both sides. Even the Blackwoods and Brackens agree on this, so that tells her something.

24. In fact, the Greatjon comes up with a plan -- make Robb Stark King of the North! Make the Starks kings again! The Targaryens made them kneel, but the Targaryens are all gone now. It's time the North was its own kingdom again, and everybody likes this idea, even the riverlanders. They're all shouting in unison for the King in the North, and it is very moving. Nice positive upbeat for the nearing of an end to the first book!

Okay, I see now. Tywin isn't honoring Tyrion because he loves him; he's honoring Tyrion because he's all that he has left of the Lannister Legacy, because he believes Jaime's as good as dead. That disgusts me.

30. Oh GODS I want to repeat everything Mormont says!! It's all so good! "When dead men come hunting in the night, do you think it matters who sits the Iron Throne?" Very true! And love that "Jon had not thought of it that way." Now Mormont tells Jon his plans -- to go behind the Wall. He thinks Jon is meant to be here, and his direwolf. He wants him to come with them. This excites Jon. You can tell he wants to go beyond the wall, perhaps because he really wanted to be a ranger, and/or have a chance to go find his uncle. :) Mormont wants to find Benjen alive or dead, find out what's happening, yay!

31. "Are you a brother of the Night's Watch...or only a bastard boy who wants to play at war?" Wow... I'm questioning myself that Jon isn't fated to stay a member of the Night's Watch... Though Jon realizes he's right, Jon does seem to hesitate:

"I am...yours, my lord. Your man. I swear it. I will not run again."

Notice he swears he is Mormont's man, not a man of the Night's Watch. Very interesting.

Okay, I'm done now. :)

Your point 5, that is true, I forgot he doesn't have a godswood to pray to at Castle Black anyway! That just makes it that much harder for him to receive guidance, because even though he has his doubts about the gods I really do believe he is more inclined to believe in his father's gods than Catelyn's.

Your point 13, I was under the impression he would hunt for his food or forage somewhere, maybe pay at an inn if he hides his identity. I'm sure the Night's Watch taught him survival skills.

Your point 14, you're right! Ned DID choose family over honor! How did I forget that? But I don't think Jon knows exactly what happened his father's last minutes of life.

Your point 27, I agree, I don't think Jon is too transparent but Mormont is very smart and has had a chance to get to know him. He can predict what Jon will do before Jon even knows!

This chapter speaks to me so much! I wrote especially a lot for this one, so bear with me:

1. "Wind whispered through the stable, a cold dead breath on his face, but Jon paid it no mind." Things I didn't notice before.

2. Ghost's eyes are like embers. Hot again.

3. This scene between Sam and Jon kind of reminds me of LOTR with Sam and Frodo, lol, where Sam follows Frodo when he's trying to leave the Fellowship, except Jon gets away from Sam and Sam gets help. The mood is tense, though. Sam knows what would happen if Jon leaves; he'll be a deserter, and deserters get executed.

4. Though Jon ran over Sam, he hopes the boy didn't hurt himself falling over because he's so fat, lol, awe.

5. I like how he flexes his hand. A characteristic trademark. And he likes that his bandages are finally off. It must have been itchy with it on. It still hurts but it feels good to have it off. :)

6. I'm wondering what it says about Jon that he purposely ran away to join Robb to avenge their family when he knows he's a sworn brother of the Night's Watch now. Maester Aemon warned him, but he ran off anyway. He loved his father that much. Maybe he's not quite cut out to be Night's Watch. *SPOILER FOR DANCE WITH DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[Especially when he tried going south of the Wall for family a second time, though he swears it's to kill Ramsay, but we all know he really wants to protect his little sister, and the thought of her getting raped and beaten is more than he can bear. It makes me think he's meant to rule a kingdom, not sit atop a Wall and do as he's told, ESPECIALLY with his recurring dreams of Winterfell's crypt. I think some force of nature wants him to go to Winterfell. Find out his destiny. What we are reading now is just a taste of that. (hide spoiler)] His heart is with his family. The lone wolf dies but the pack survives. He's a long way away from family. He mainly joined the Wall for the glory, anyway, and perhaps as punishment for being a bastard. He wants to be a hero. He wants to be a Stark.

7. Jon left Longclaw behind. Good. Just like Jorah did when he ran away. He never felt like he deserved it anyway, though it was hard to abandon it. Hmm... He knows his running is salt in Mormont's wound, about his son running away too. Awe!

8. "No matter what he did, Jon felt as though he were betraying someone." *SPOILER FOR A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)[Isn't that how Jaime Lannister felt when he killed Aerys? (hide spoiler)]

9. Interesting how Jon envies the southron's gods, how they have a septon to talk to to help sort out right from wrong. But all the old gods ever did was listen; they never spoke. So it's harder for him decide if this is right.

10. Jon really put thought into his flight = trading the mare for a fresher horse, pace himself, steal new clothes so he doesn't look like a deserter, buy food...

11. It's kind of sad when you think of it, that men of the Night's Watch are hunted down in nearby villages when the Night's Watch used to be such an honorable position in the realm. Now it really does seem like a prison camp when one wishes to escape. He will be killed if caught. I think they need to rework their job description, personally. Have a family in the Gift if they want one, but always keep the Watch number one. And they should be able to leave if they want, especially if they volunteered to join. More people might volunteer if the job was more accommodating, less depressing, trapped. You swore your undying loyalty but how can you continue to do that when you feel like a prisoner there? or when you're forced to join or die?

12. Jon won't even be safe at Winterfell. That should tell you something, Jon! "Bran might want to let him in, but Maester Luwin had better sense." Though he misses it like hell, he didn't leave the Wall for that. "...he had left because he was after all his father's son, and Robb's brother." Interesting.

13. He is not Maester Aemon. Three times the old man was challenged and three times he chose honor. "Even now, Jon could not decide whether the maester had stayed because he was weak and craven, or because he was strong and true." Interesting.

14. Poor Jon, he thinks he is done with denials. He is who he is. "Jon Snow, bastard and oathbreaker, motherless, friendless, and damned...he would be condemned to be an outsider...wherever he might go throughout the seven kingdoms, he would need to live a lie, lest every man's hand be raised against him..." So sad... *SPOILER FOR DANCE WITH DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[And right now he's practically in the same position! The Night's Watch calls him a traitor and killed him instead of helping steer him back because he pushed all his friends away. He's an outlaw now...with his band of wildlings, also outlaws, though he let them in. He actually has the right of it, though. He's in the right. Personally, I think Jon should have gone south to face Ramsay! He's a danger to the realm, and Jon has sworn to protect the realm, even from itself. Sometimes changes need to be made. (hide spoiler)]

15. Jon tries to picture Robb being glad he came to help avenge their father but he just can't. He remembers Gared's death, his own father executed him. If it had been Benjen instead, would he do it? Itwould have been really hard, but I believe Ned would have. But Jon's not quite willing to see the truth yet. He is making a huge mistake running away. *SPOILER FOR DANCE WITH DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[It's only okay in DwD because he was intending to come right back, whereas here I don't think Jon intended to come back. And now his Watch is ended, so now he is released of his vows. Things happen for a reason, and at the right time. He is not fated to leave the Night's Watch just yet. (hide spoiler)] But no one can blame him. His father was unjustly murdered and his sisters are in trouble. There's a reason it's so hard to abandon your family, I think. We were made to protect each other. Our family, and friends (our chosen family), accepts us and loves us. Of COURSE we want to protect our family. This is such a hard decision; I will not lie, I actually cried thinking about it. I don't usually cry either. I imagined Robb with Ice, trying to stay strong in front of his men and Jon pleading not to do it, he came all this way because he wanted to help!, the look on his face when he realizes he should have stayed on the Wall, and Robb having to execute his own brother. I just can't... I need a moment.

16. It is so sad, "Let them say that Eddard Stark had fathered four sons, not three." He wants to die with a sword in his hand, fighting his father's killers, even though he'd never been a true Stark, but he wants to die like one at least. Robb has to take the Night's Watch vows seriously. Jon would be a deserter, no matter the reason why. Jon knows this, but he can't accept it yet. He is too full of pain to be thinking clearly.

17. I like that 3/4 of Mole's Town is underground, so it is bigger than it seems. Probably ideal to protect themselves from the harsh winter, and wildling raids.

18. Omg, lol, the brothers call the whores here "buried treasure." And some would come here to "mine." lol... It's oathbreaking doing that too, but no one seems to care. There are certain levels of oathbreaking, it seems. Though I don't know if the vows specifically said no sex, no sex at all.

19. Poor Jon, he tries to tell himself he's doing the right thing, but he feels bad. It's because deep down inside he knows he's doing the wrong thing! Saying words is easy; living by them is harder.

20. Jon slows down because he doesn't want to kill his horse and because he is concerned about Ghost being gone too long. Because he stopped to eat, his friends were able to catch up. :) Divine intervention! Jon hadn't thought of Sam going to his friends to hunt him down for him. Good Sam!

21. His friends were taking a risk going out to find him. If morning broke and they weren't back they'd be named deserters, too. Jon doesn't want that, but he's being a hypocrite.

22. Well, they find him, thanks to Ghost, and I smiled when he called him a traitor. I forgot he pulls his sword on them, though. He tells them to stay back or he'll hurt them, and he really doesn't want to have to do that. There are seven, though! Interesting number! They spread around him and tell him they're here to bring him back, talk sense into him. Maybe they're his septon! They recite their vows, reminding him. At first he's angry, but later he gives in, realizing they won't let him go without dying in the process, and he just doesn't have it in his heart to do that. His family isn't so important he has to kill his friends to get there. He has good friends! Though he does curse them plenty, ha!

23. Very interesting that when they get back to the Wall, it does not look like home this time.

24. Though he gets back, he still thinks about running off again, interesting. I forgot that. He thinks the west through the mountains is the "wildling's way, hard and perilous..." but it would be the easiest way to escape. Still planning...

25. So Sam did not go with them but he waited for them to get back all night. He's glad they found him, but Jon's not, lol.

26. Thanks to Jon, no one got any sleep last night and they still have their duties to attend to. Ha!

27. When he sees Mormont he reminds him the things we love destroy us every time, but Jon doesn't want to remember his father's death. :( Ha! "Was your moonlight ride so tiring?" Jon is surprised Mormont knew. The bird repeats "know." :) Mormont says Aemon told him he'd go and Mormont said he'd be back. "Honor set you on the kingsroad...and honor brought you back." :) "My friends brought me back." "Did I say it was your honor?" This made me laugh at first, but now I realize Mormont did not relinquish calling Jon ditching the Wall honorable. Very interesting.

28. As it turns out, Jon isn't as smart as he thought. Mormont anticipated he'd run; that's why he sent a Watch to look out for him. If his friends hadn't have brought him back, less friendly hands would have. "I know the penalty for desertion, my lord. I'm not afraid to die." Omg the bird cries "Die!"!! Mormont knows him too well. :) He calls his plans to escape another time as well. "Anyone of [Robb's] lords bannermen commands more swords than you'll find in all the Night's Watch. Why do you imagine that they need your help?" Mormont reminds Jon that his sister and nieces are also in the war and he loves them as much as Jon loves his half-sisters. :) "My place is here...where is yours, boy?" Jon wants to say he has no place. "I'm a bastard, I have no rights, no name, no mother, and now not even a father. The words would not come." Poor kid! He admits he doesn't know where his place is; that's honest.

29. Now the bird says, "Ben Jen." :) And "War. War. War. War." OMG this bird...!

crap! Ran out of space...

1. So Tywin is distraught his favorite son is captured. Even Tyrion is sad to hear of it, but not as much as Tywin is.

2. Wow, Tywin rides his men hard. A lot of injured are left behind to fend for themselves or are ridden to death trying to keep up. What an ass. Why is he in such a hurry to get back down south? Weren't they trying to get to Riverrun, which is west? Maybe they need to go south to find the nearest bridge to cross the Green Fork.

3. I like how Riverrun can turn itself into an island by opening up sluice gates in order to protect the castle. It is well situated for defense. And because their army was broken up into three groups, each separated by the rivers, when Stark surprised them from the north, they couldn't form up quick enough to fight such a large host. That's smart of Robb!

4. "A man who sees nothing has no use for his eyes," the Mountain declared.

Wtf... And telling him to cut their eyes out and give it to the next outrider so they'll have four eyes to see is just barbaric. Even Tywin studies him, but not even Tyrion can tell if it's a look of approval or disgust. Interesting Tyrion doesn't know his father well enough to know if he would approve or disapprove of something like that. Tywin often stayed quiet in council, preferring to listen before he spoke. Yes, that is wise. And Tyrion tries to emulate that. It gets hard to fully hate Tywin in this chapter.

5. Look up tabard: a sleeveless jerkin consisting only of front and back pieces with a hole for the head. (I'm kind of not fluent when it comes to medieval fashion, lol).

6. Lordd Brax sounds stupid for wearing armor while trying to raft across a river at night so he can meet an army on the other side to battle with. Tyrion wonders if he felt gallant as his armor dragged him to the bottom of the river. What a horrible way to die!

7. Grey Wind is said to have killed four men and a dozen horses. Good boy!

8. I want to learn more about this Tytos Blackwood; he led the sortie out of Riverrun to flank the Lannister army when they saw Stark attacking from the opposite side. And then he freed Edmure, along with other captives, ha! He sounds brave and smart, like the Blackfish.

9. Apparently the Lannisters had a Tyroshi sellsword army with them who, after seeing Stark beat the first two camps, betrayed them by going over to the foe and struck the third camp. That's sellswords for you!

10. I find it ironic that Kevan Lannister is the one who says, "A man who fights for coin is loyal only to his purse." Easy to say when your House has all the money! And anyways, the Tyrioshi didn't break sides for gold; they turned sides because they saw which side was winning! The only thing sellswords value more than gold is their lives.

11. Tyrion makes an excellent point: Robb Stark will never stop and accept peace now that Joffrey killed Ned Stark, their most valuable hostage in King's Landing.

12. When they discuss a trade for prisoners, Ser Addam says Robb would be "...an utter ass to trade Jaime Lannister's life for two girls." As much as he might want to, Robb is not that stupid. Jaime is worth quite a lot.

13. Oh gods, all Tywin can say through all this bickering at council is, "They have my son,." Yes, you said that already. We all know how much you love that son. When Tywin dismisses everyone, he commands Tyrion and Kevan to stay. Uh oh... Instead, Tywin surprises Tyrion and myself when he gives him his wine and admits Tyrion is right about Ned Stark. Now Tyrion defends Joffrey, saying he made a few mistakes at his age as well. :) (Joffrey made more than a few mistakes, Tyrion, but it's nice of you to play devil's advocate.)

14. Tywin informs his brother and other son about Renly declaring himself king and married Margaery Tyrell, and Cersei commands her father to ride hard to King's Landing at once to defend the Red Keep from him, who seems more likely to attack than Stannis at this point.

15. Problem is, Cersei's afraid Joff will run off to meet Renly in battle, leaving all of King's Landing undefended, easy prey for Stannis. Tywin then looks at Tyrion and says basically that he thought Tyrion was the fool but apparently that's his grandson instead. I laughed when Tyrion says, "Why, Father, that almost sounds like praise." Ha!

16. When asked about Stannis, Tywin says he's surprised he's not doing anything, or so it seems. He hears Varys telling him things, one being Stannis has brought a shadowbinder from Asshai. *SPOILER FOR A CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler)[From what it sounds so far, nothing good comes from Asshai, and Melisandre is called a shadowbinder here. That does not sound good! I thought she was a 'simple Red Priestess!' The show does a good job making Melisandre seem like a bad guy, and I already had my suspicions in the book about her not being a true Red Priestess, though she may think she is one, like Thoros. So far Melisandre wanting Jon Snow alive, it makes me worry she's going to use him to do terrible things. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Melisandre manipulated the situation so Jon would be backstabbed by his brothers. Because then he would be in her debt when she brings him back. I don't know what she's planning, because she does seem to be against the Others, but how she helps the realm just seems wrong, evil shadows...burning people at the stake...destroying other god's temples... It is also full of destruction. And her one chapter in A Dance with Dragons she seems to seek power and chides Jon for being too humble by not wanting to make use of his power. Those who want power are precisely the ones who should NOT have it! (hide spoiler)]

17. Tywin explains how bad their predicament is, and Tyrion jokes, saying, "Take heart, Father. At least Rhaegar Targaryen is still dead." Curious he chooses to say this.

18. Tywin decides their best bet is to bunker up in Harrenhal and finish the war with Robb Stark before dealing with Robert's brothers.

19. Oh dear, Tywin wants people to fear Harrenhal. They will be less likely to be attacked, I'm guessing. And he wants Vargo Hoat, Ser Amory Lorch, and Gregor Clegane to burn all the riverlands from the God's Eye to the Red Fork... That's poor innocent farmers who are going to suffer! They have nothing to do with the war!!! They grow your fucking food, you asshole! lol. And winter is coming! You'll starve everyone before next spring arrives! Ugh, what is the purpose to this? Tywin is so cruel. You can tell he doesn't care about the people. And he even invites Tyrion's mountain men to join the plunder, because that's what they enjoy.

20. Interesting Tyrion calls them wildlings and he wants them to stay with him. :)

21. Now this is interesting -- Tywin places Tyrion in charge to be Hand at King's Landing in his stead, since Tywin is supposed to be Joff's Hand. Ha! Cersei commands her father to return at once to King's Landing; instead, Joff and Cersei get Tyrion! :) That's one good thing Tywin does, I think. Even Tywin admits the boy will ruin everything if he continues this way without guidance. He blames Littlefinger, Pycelle, and Varys, hmm...

22. "Who's notion was it to make this Janos Slynt a lord? The man's father was a butcher, and they grant him Harrenhal!" I agree with Tywin on that! Janos is a bloody cunt who does what is commanded solely for gold and reward; he has no morals. I think Slynt is a coward and doesn't deserve praise for backstabbing Stark, whereas Tywin thinks Slynt doesn't deserve it simply because of his social status, ugh.

23. Tywin even disagrees with the dismissing of Selmy, which I agree, too. It's stupid. But Tywin only wants Selmy in the Kingsguard for the legacy of his name, because apparently the Hound is an insulting sight to have at the high seat because he's just a dog, ugh... The Hound is just as loyal as Ser Barristan! Tywin has it all wrong...

24. "If Cersei cannot curb the boy, you must. And if these councillors are playing us false..."

Tyrion knew. "Spikes," he sighed. "Heads. Walls."

"I see you have taken a few lessons from me."

-Ugh! You can really tell Tyrion does not agree with the whole spikes, heads, walls treatment, but obviously that is Tywin's way. Rule with fear. Buy your loyalty. Protect your pride. All bad advise, in my opinion. Karma always gets you in the end. Maybe I'm too idealistic but I believe that honesty, loyalty, and kind service for no self-gain is the best way to rule. But I am a girl and know little in the ways of war. ;)

25. When Tyrion asks why him, his father says he's his son, and Tyrion realizes he's already given up on Jaime; he's all he has left. This angers Tyrion so much, but I confess I don't understand why. I know Tyrion loves his brother, but is he really so humble that he doesn't want Jaime's spotlight?

26. Haha! And just as Tywin commands him not to take the whore to court with him, Tyrion tells the whore to come with him! Direct disobedience!

Your point 16, yeah I believe at this point she really did come to love him. I think that's the best situation you can get when you are in an arranged marriage with someone you didn't get to choose. Luckily they came to love each other, just as Cat and Ned came to love each other. It's a roll of the dice, honestly, and hopefully your parents, or older brother, will factor personalities into the wedding arrangement. I still don't understand how she could turn a blind eye to the many things Drogo did with his khalasar. And you're right, Mirri Maz Duur does have a point.

1. So now Dany is in a trippy dream, watching people in her life come and fade. "You don't want to wake the dragon, do you?" slowly disintegrates into just, "...the dragon..." which I personally thought was annoying how much it repeated itself, but I know it's important and this dream feels prophetic to me.

2. The part where the icy darkness behind her is chasing her and she knows she needs to keep away from it because if she lets it catch her she'll be worse than dead, it reminds me of the Others, though I don't know if she's ever heard of them before. "If it caught her she would die a death that was more than death, howling forever alone in the darkness. She began to run." I wonder if this dream is a prophesy or a warning, if she is fated to battle it out with this "icy darkness."

3. Interesting she watches her grown son burn to ashes because of a fire inside his heart consumes him from the inside out. Maybe she feels the fire inside of her is too powerful and that killed her son? *SPECULATION OF DAENERYS TARGARYEN* (view spoiler)[I wonder if she will one day have children again, or if this simply means her son literally becomes the dragon, like I thought at first. I like the idea of her having children again, despite what Mirri Maz Duur insinuates. (hide spoiler)]

4. Ghosts show up in her dream, old kings with "swords of pale fire." (For some reason this reminds me of Dawn, the Dayne's family sword. I believe this was mentioned at least once in A Game of Thrones. Sir Arthur Dayne, the last Sword of the Morning, was one of the three Kingsguard Ned Stark had to kill to get to the Tower of Joy. His sword, Dawn, is ancient and pale in color, yet is still made of Valyrian steel.) These ancient kings must be good, because they're screaming for her to run faster. I thought maybe the icy darkness got her, but it's just her back sprouting wings and she is a dragon! This is so badass!

5. Now that she's a dragon she's getting much closer to her red door and her enemies further and further behind. Home for her is green fields, great stone houses, and arms to keep her warm. *SPECULATION OF DAENERYS'S EARLY CHILDHOOD* (view spoiler)[Which honestly doesn't sound like Braavos, to me. (hide spoiler)] Through the door she sees Rhaegar in his black armor. She pulls open his visor and sees herself instead. Hmmm... After that there's only pain and "the whisperings of stars." Double hmmm... *MORE SPECULATION OF DAENERYS'S EARLY CHILDHOOD* (view spoiler)[Something about all this reminds me of the Dayne's and Starfall. A part of me wonders if Dany was secretly raised in Starfall but everyone told her it was Braavos, in an effort to protect her and young Viserys from Robert's wrath. Makes sense, since Robert would spend most of his time throwing out assassins in Braavos, searching for them. Also, Doran Martell is said to have a sad personality, and has his secrets. Perhaps he knew about this and kept silent? That would explain why Dany remembers green fields, great stone houses, sunny skies and her lemon tree. She was in Dorne! Specifically Starfall, which also happens to be situated right beside a very large port. She could have thought she was in Braavos because of this, perhaps. (hide spoiler)]

6. Finally she wakes and protests...probably about not going into the tent still. She's really out of it at this point. She feels as if her body fell to pieces and was remade. *SPECULATION OF DAENERYS TARGARYEN* (view spoiler)[Could she be reborn? Azor Ahai is said to be reborn. (hide spoiler)] She knows she needs someone or something and it's important but can't remember. Interesting. "It was the only thing in the world that mattered." She tries crawling to her dragon eggs, interesting. The first thiing she thinks about are her eggs, not her son. Hmm... And the second time she wakes she asks for someone to bring her a dragon egg, though it sounded at first she was going to say her son. Very interesting.

7. When Dany wakes a third time she's holding the white egg. Hmm, wonder if this is coincidence. Of the three, she's holding the white one. And when she touches it, she feels it stirring! That's exhilarating!

8. Now she remembers to ask about her husband. He is alive but no one wants to say anything else on the matter. And then she remembers her child, finally. "Why had she not remembered the child until now?" Exactly! Her handmaid sadly tells her the boy didn't live. She realizes she already knew this from her dream, and even now doesn't weep though she knows she should. Her grief was burned out of her. "...She could feel Rhaego receding from her, as if he had never been." So sad, and yet I don't feel too bad, perhaps because she's not grieving for him.

9. She asks Jorah how her son died and he can't do it; he's too ashamed to say what he heard, but Mirri Maz Duur, Dany knows, is stronger than Jorah, crueler, and "infinitely more dangerous." She's the one who tells Dany the child was twisted and ungodly malformed. "He had been dead for years." Well that's not possible, lol. *SPECULATION ON WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO RHAEGO* (view spoiler)[Now I'm thinking the "dead" thing was what was inside the ancient dragon egg and Rhaego's spirit switched places into the stone shell. That's why Dany could feel it moving and the heat radiating off of it. It's also mentioned multiple places in The World of Ice and Fire that evil sorcerers from Essos have been the cause of many stillbirths with creepy deformities. So this was certainly no coincidence. (hide spoiler)] Though Mirri Maz Duur never mentions a cold darkness, what she says reminds Dany of the Darkness that chased her in her dream. Very curious!

10. So Jorah saw shadows dancing, too, though he doubts if they were Death. Mirri Maz Duur says, "The grave casts long shadows, Iron Lord. Long and dark, and in the end no light can hold them back." *SPOILER FOR A CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler)[OMG I think Lady Melisandre is a sham! She says shadows are the work of R'hllor, the god of fire and light. Unless of course what Mirri Maz Duur is describing is a different kind of shadow, like the kind that causes greyscale. A very evil kind of shadow. (hide spoiler)] Poor Dany realizes Jorah feels extremely guilty for taking Dany inside the hut when he shouldn't have. Awe. :( In the end he helped kill Rhaego, by offering him up to the shadows. "The shadows have touched you too, Ser Jorah." I wonder what that means for him?

11. She goes outside and sees only about 100 people left, women, children, and old men. The rest of the 40,000 dispersed into a dozen different khalasars. "A khal who cannot ride is no khal." Is right!

12. It is despicable what the men did to Eroeh, the first girl Dany saved. "It was her fate, khaleesi," says Aggo. I suppose that's true; but it doesn't make it right. Dany was only trying to help! This world sucks balls. Dany swears by every god out there, even to the Mother of Mountains, that these men will plead for mercy and they shall get none -- as they did not do for Eroeh. It is noble, but her people are doubtful, as they are khals and bloodriders of 20,000 men now, and they are only women, children, and old men. Dany reminds them she's the blood of the dragon and they will die screaming. :) *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN A GAME OF THRONES* (view spoiler)[20,000 men against one dragon; lets see who wins! lol (hide spoiler)]

13. When she finally sees Drogo, he is basically a vegetable. He is also apparently blind. He's become zombified. His body is alive, but nothing's there anymore. The bitter irony... Dany allowed so much death to save Drogo but this isn't what she meant to have. How depressing.

14. The talk of much debate: Drogo will come back to her "When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. Then he will return, and not before." At face value, this basically means he'll never return. But there are some theories floating around that are intriguing. *SPECULATION ON MIRRI MAZ DUUR'S PROPHESY* (view spoiler)[Like that her "Drogo" will turn out to be someone entirely different but will be her future husband and lover, but he won't come into her life until 'the sun rises in the west' being Quentyn Martell coming to visit her from Westeros -- his family sigil is the sun-spear. '...the seas go dry...' meaning the Dothraki Sea -- the grasses all die out I believe in a later book. 'Mountains blow in the wind' meaning the pyramids at Meereen eventually fall apart. And 'bear a living child', some speculate someone will knock her up, probably Daario -- as at the end of A Dance with Dragons Dany is said to have started her first menstrual cycle since she lost Rhaego, so it is possible now for her to get pregnant again. I kind of like the idea, but like George Martin says: a prophesy is like a bad whore giving you a blow job; it feels really good in the beginning, until she bites the end of your cock off. lol. But I am still of the mind where we can't simply toss aside a prophesy when it is told, just because George tells us they don't matter. What Mirri Maz Duur says really does sound like a prophesy in disguise. (hide spoiler)]

15. Dany sets Mirri Maz Duur aside and says she knew what she was paying for and didn't say anything. Now Mirri Maz Duur says it was wrong of them to burn her temple. "That angered the Great Shepherd." So he has her do bloodmagic on his enemies??? I think it angered her more than this god, to be honest. And Dany calls her on it, ha! "This was no god's work...You murdered my child within me."

"The stalliion who mounts the world will burn no cities now. His khalasar shall trample no nations into dust."

I like this comeback. I can see her side completely. Especially when Mirri Maz Duur says how exactly did she save her when three riders already raped her before Dany got to her, "...not as a man takes a woman but from behind, as a dog takes a bitch." Exactly! Not that I'm condemning that sexual position, lol. "Tell me again what you saved."

"Your life."

Well, Dany, Mirri Maz Duur saved Drogo's life too. But what is life after you've lost absolutely everything? This woman feels the same way. She was only paying them back, and the biggest part is, they deserved it, I believe. Dothraki way of living is barbaric, and there's a reason why civilization did away with barbarism.

16. Dany recites the prophesy of when Drogo will come back to her, and this is very curious: "Never, the darkness cried, never never never." *SPECULATION ON MIRRI MAZ DUUR'S PROPHESY* (view spoiler)[Don't trust the darkness!!! (hide spoiler)]

17. In the end, Dany kills Drogo, because he's already dead. I take this as she's also letting him go. This poor girl has gone through more than I think any of the other characters in A Game of Thrones so far, in my opinion. And she's not even 16 yet!

This chapter is one of my least favorites, and I cannot stand this Joffrey kid. I rarely read a book and hate a character so much I want to jump in and ruin him like I do with him. *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[I can't remember which book we read about Ramsay Snow, but this guy is right up there with Joff. In fact, I fantasize Ramsay flaying Joffrey, and I would be happy to hear his screaming, honestly. I'm normally a good person, but I don't have ANY empathy for those two characters. (hide spoiler)]

1. Sansa's very distraught by what happened, trouble eating and sleeping and barricading herself in her room.

2. It is so sad how she remembers how her father's legs jerked when Ser Ilyn took his head off. OMG the feels!

3. Even now she thinks of how they'll write songs of her, how she killed herself out of grief over the loss of her father, "...shaming all those who had betrayed her." Well they'd be one less of a hostage in any case! Not that I'm cheering for her suicide attempt.

4. Um, why does it seem creepy that Pycelle needed to touch her naked body all over, to see if she was sick? That seems grossly inappropriate!

5. I can't believe Joffrey just saunters in her bedroom and orders her around. At least he's not shouting or threatening, too much. But he's definitely got no empathy for her, at all. I like that Sandor Clegane is "almost gentle" with her. Gruff enough so he can please Joffrey, but he's trying to be as gentle with her as possible and gives her advise in a kind way, I thought. In his own way he cares about her. :)

6. The poor girl practically begsd to go home; she's done all she's been asked, but she doesn't realize she's Cersei's prisoner and Joffrey's plaything. :(

7. And now she's finally being brave. "I don't want to marry you," Sansa wailed. "You chopped off my father's head!"

8. Joffrey's idea of mercy is sick...he would have had him torn or flayed but his idea of mercy is giving him a clean death. I believe in the North that is the only way to execute someone. I hate the miscommunication he seems to purposely do so he can get away with insane shit that I think he knows most people would not agree with. Joffrey truly is a sociopath.

9. I like that Sansa stares at him when he says this about her father. She is "...seeing him for the first time." She can't believe she ever found him handsome. All she sees now is how ugly and cruel he is. She's even brave enough to whisper, "I hate you." You go, girl! She's learning. I'm starting to respect Sansa! It takes a sort of courage to stand up to Joffrey like she does. Some might call it stupid, but I think it's rather brave. I don't know what I'd do if I were in her shoes.

10. Another thing I do like about Cersei: she tells her son it's not fitting for a king to strike his wife. I really believe she meant it, based off all the times Robert would hit her. She wouldn't want her son to pick up Robert's bad habits. Unfortunately, Joffrey finds a loop hole around this, and he has Ser Meryn Trant do it. This man is a member of the Kingsguard! Joffrey is a horrible little shit, and Ser Meryn is sick for even going along with it. Ugh. Oh gods, he even draws blood. Joffrey calls this "chastisement." I call it straight up cruel and unusual abuse.

11. When Joffrey and the Kingsguard leave, Sandor stays behind and insists she try to stay on his good side, even if she doesn't feel like it. It'll go a lot worse for her if she doesn't. He doesn't have to do this, but I think a part of him feels awful about hurting an innocent, distraught young girl, and he wants to see her not get into more trouble with Joffrey if she can help it.

12. Her face has swollen up, ugh, but Joffrey still wants her to be pretty.

13. I like that thoughts of Winterfell gives her strength. :) I really hope she makes it safely back home one day!

14. I am utterly disgusted at Ser Meryn, who, three hours later, pretends nothing ever happened, not even looking at her bruise. And when she asks if Joffrey commands him to beat her if she doesn't come, Ser Meryn simply asks if she's refusing to come, without emotion. There's something seriously wrong with this man. He has no soul. He's also the same guy who fought Syrio Forel when Arya ran away. Sansa hates this man so much, but I like that she remembers the Hound's advise and takes it. :) Though she does tell him he is no true knight, ha! She thinks the Hound would laugh at that, yup! I like that she thinks of the Hound now. Perhaps thinking about him helps give her a bit of strength, too. Luckily, Ser Meryn doesn't punish her for saying that, even if it's only because he doesn't care. She doesn't need to get beaten again for it.

15. Ugh, she watches Joffrey deal "justice" to the petitioners in the throne room, being a fucking tyrant, not even Cersei can talk sense to him, now that he's king. I wonder what she's thinking; her beloved son being an absolute tyrant to the realm. Cersei is cruel, but Joffrey takes it to a whole new level.

16. OMG, and Janos Slynt is nodding his approval at every sentence Joffrey pronounces, ugh, where do they find these assholes? The Lannisters are corrupting everything!

17. This caught my attention: "Sansa stared hard at his ugly face, remembering how he had thrown down her father for Ser Ilyn to behead, wishing she could hurt him, wishing that some hero would throw him down and cut off his head." *SPOILER FOR A DANCE WITH DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[OMG Jon Snow does just that! Obviously I didn't see it the first time I read it, but now I see the subtle hint George Martin gave us there. This is awesome! (hide spoiler)] But then she reminds herself there are no heroes. :( "In life, the monsters win, she told herself..." The poor girl is realizing life is not a song. But that doesn't mean heroes don't exist! There's been some mighty famous ones in the past, but there will always be some people in your lifewho do heroic things, but so much of it never gets nationally recognized, so the world forgets.

18. When Joffrey decides to be merciful to the singer by letting him choose his hands or his tongue to keep, I think it's obvious, if not already, that Joff really believes to be feared is to be loved by his people, something Cersei probably taught him. He has such a bad notion for what mercy means...his mercy instills fear, and self-amusement, for a 12 year old. He still gets his death and gore by the end of it. And perhaps he really believes he's being just. But this boy is just a boy. Shouldn't they really be taking orders from Cersei? Shouldn't Cersei have the last say to any of this? Why doesn't she? That's the whole point of a regent! To rule in his stead till he comes of age, not be just another council member. She is so stupid. Unless of course she's afraid her own son would kill her if she disobeyed his commands.

19. Afterward, Joff takes her out on a romantic evening walk...lol. Just you wait, Sansa! "The touch of his hand would have thrilled her once; now it made her flesh crawl."

20. When he says she truly is a stupid girl like his mother told him, she is surprised this still hurts her. The queen had always been kind to her. Ha! I thought you hated her for what she did to your direwolf! Ugh...and then Joff adds she's worried their kids will be stupid too...I bet this is true, too, not fabricated solely to hurt her, though I think he enjoys hurting her a lot. He threatens to kill her if she produces a stupid child, wtf?!??! This boy is such a... I just can't with him... *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[Ramsay Snow can flay the shit and I'll laugh at his screaming, is all I have to say. (hide spoiler)]

21. And then I relive my emotions the first time I read this scene. I wanted to torture the hell out of this little shit so much, and never give him relief. I consider myself a good person, but with Joffrey...I love how George Martin can inflame my hatred for certain characters. All I'm saying is karma will come back to bite you in the ass, son! *SPOILER FOR A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)[And poison was much too easy...I was seriously disappointed by that. If the theory that Cersei's poisoned pie was meant for Tyrion and it kills her son instead, then that'd be a lot more satisfying. (hide spoiler)]

22. I like this a lot: "He can make me look at the heads, she told herself, but he can't make me see them." Joff's disappointed -- he wanted to see her freak out, but she's curiously calm now, numb and polite.

23. I like that the Hound says he can't recall ever calling Robb 'lord of the wooden sword.' Ha! He won't egg Joffrey's taunts on. :)

24. When Joffrey boasts he'll give Sansa her brother's head, this pushes Sansa too far and her words get the better of her. Though I smiled when she says, "Maybe my brother will give me your head." But I know this is what Joff was looking for. Oh dear...she's in for it. Ser Meryn beats her again. ugh...Joffrey is impossible.

25. I really wanted Sansa to push him off, she wanted to so badly, it'd be worth it, even if she died too, but stupid Sandor Clegane could tell what she was thinking, I bet. That's why he gets in the way before she could do it. Damn... But he's real gentle with her cut face. I'm glad the Hound doesn't have to be commanded to hit her. I don't know what he'd do if Joff commanded it of him. It makes me wonder why in the hell he protects him if he knows how bad this shithead is.

Looks like I've got the first comment!

1. First mention of the comet! Maester Luwin spots it in his lens tube, doing astronomical measurements. He sure sounds smart!

2. Bran watches Ser Rodrik training new men to guard Winterfell since Ned took the best and Robb the rest (didn't mean to rhyme!). He stares resentfully at the boys down below. You can tell he really misses having working legs! He still wants to be a knight so badly. Even if Hodor has to be his legs for him to do it, awe. :)

3. I like how Maester Luwin tries to handle telling Bran that wouldn't work. "Bran, when a man fights, his arms and legs and thoughts must be as one." *SPOILER FOR A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)[Oh but Bran will learn to be as one with Hodor! Just not in the way anybody thinks. (hide spoiler)] It breaks my heart when he says, "You must put these dreams aside, they will only break your heart." :( I know he means well, but it is tough love, and true. It would be cruel to feed Bran's hopes of becoming a knight if it's just not possible.It is good he's hearing it from Luwin and not someone who would make fun of him.

4. OMG! I completely forgot about Bran's dream including Jon! I thought he only dreamed of the three-eyed-raven and his father in the crypts. Completely forgot about it having "...something to do about Jon, I think." The dream had been deeply disturbing, more so than any of the other crow dreams."

- Now there's even more proof that Jon is fated to visit the crypts. It's not just Jon having these dreams; Bran's having them, too. :)

-- In his dream, Ned is sad and talks to Bran. I wonder what he says? Does Bran not remember any of it?

5. Poor Hodor is scared of the crypts. Not even the torchlight will stay his fear. And I laughed at Old Nan always smacking him on his head. Maybe that's why he's simple! And I really like that Maester Luwin says, "Hodor is a man, not a mule to be beaten." :)

6. It's spooky that Bran knows Ned is dead, from his dreams. He just doesn't know he knows.

7. Even though Hodor refuses to go down, Osha takes Bran. :) I really like her; she is so good to the kids. Especially like that Ser Rodrik had her chains cut because she's served faithfully.

8. He remembers playing down here with his siblings when he was little. :) It seems odd, though, how Jon is now frightened at the thought of going back down there when he shared so many good memories with his siblings.

9. Creepy how even Summer, the direwolf, bares his teeth at the Kings of Winter and refuses to leave the steps. I like how Osha says, "Winter's got no king. If you'd seen it, you'd know that, summer boy."

10. Didn't realize the crypts were cavernous, and even longer than Winterfell itself. Lots of room for past and future kings/lords. There must be far more kings than lords down here, then, if you think back on the history of Westeros. Jon told Bran once there are lower levels where the older kings are. "It would not do to lose the light." Hmm...

11. I like that one of the kings/lords is Jon Stark. He drove the raiders out from the east and built White Harbor. Interesting.

12. I like how Bran talks about his Uncle Brandon Stark, then says, "...are in the tombs beside him. Not me, another Brandon, my father's brother." Interesting how Brandon and Lyanna aren't supposed to have statues, that's only for lords and kings, but Ned had them made anyway because he loved them so much. I wonder if this angers the other spirits down here.

13. Here we hear Bran recounting the tale of Lyanna and Rhaegar. Osha says it's a sad tale. I'm surprised a brawny girl like her would admit to this.

14. Maester Luwin shows Bran his father's vault. Seems empty. Luwin inspects it when Shaggydog leaps out and attacks the Maester! OMG! Bad dog! lol. Shaggy's eyes are described again as "green fire." *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[That reminds me of wild fire and Cersei. (hide spoiler)] Summer finally springs from the stairs to stop Shaggydog. It's sad to see the brothers fighting. :( It only stops when Rickon comes out from Lord Eddard's vault, calling his direwolf to his side. For some reason he thought Maester Luwin was going to harm his father. Poor baby.

15. Apparently Rickon's had the same dream too, about their father coming home. So sad. Bran is only 7 but he's trying to reason with a 4 year old. Maester Luwin is injured. This is really getting out of hand.

16. "Bran had never seen Maester Luwin look so uncertain before." Wow. He even calls Shaggydog a beast. Normally he doesn't do that, but right now he's just gotten savaged, so I understand he's losing his patience.

17. I think it's interesting that the 4 year old, of all people, is not afraid of the dark. He wants to stay down here and wait for his father. :(

18. It's sad they don't understand yet why Shaggydog is so wild. *SPOILER FOR A CLASH OF KINGS* (view spoiler)[It's because of his hurt and anger. They're wargs, so for a scared little boy who doesn't understand what's going on is going to reflect off the direwolf. (hide spoiler)] Plus, it seems like everyone is ignoring Rickon, because how in the hell did they not notice the boy was missing for so long???

19. Bran finally manages to convince Rickon to come with him, and Shaggydog too, despite the Maester's wishes. I like how good Osha is to them, reminding Luwin that they're the lords, not him. :)

20. Back at the Maester's tower, Luwin is still going on about the logics of two boys having the same dream and explains it must because they miss their father. Luwin does not believe in legends; he believes in facts.

21. According to Rickon, he's 4 now. Did nobody remember his birthday? How sad.

22. Luwin says dreams are only dreams but Osha says some aren't. She is so wise. Luwin gapes at her, lol. She says the children of the forest can tell him a thing or two about dreaming. Ha!

23. I think it's strange how Luwin decides to show Bran and the others a jar full of dragonglass arrowheads, obsidian, cool! Where did he get them He says in place of swords the children armed themselves with this stuff. I like that he gives some to the children, but they are very sharp still! Rickon wants four because he's 4 now, lol. So cute. Luwin also tells them about the children, even though he doesn't think they exist anymore. I like that he is a wealth of information and is trying to turn this into a learning session, lol. I didn't know they were "dark." Their wisemen are called greenseers, okay. I forgot it was the greenseers who carved the faces in the weirwood trees so they can keep watch. :) 12,000 years ago the First Men came, such a long time ago! I forgot that. They crossed through the arm of Dorne when it was still attached to Essos, like how the native amaricans crossed the Baring Straight. They forged a Pact at the God's Eye, giving the children of the forest the forest domain as forever theirs. Every tree on the God's Eye was given a face. I really want to see this place!

24. Osha says they're still alive north of the Wall. That's rude of Luwin to tell her it's wrong to tell these boys such lies. What does he know about the things above the Wall? That's where she's from!

25. "So long as the kingdoms of the First Men held sway, the Pact endured." Hmm...almost sounds as if it pertains to the Starks, who boast they still are the blood of the First Men, and "there must always be a Stark in Winterfell." Kind of puts a whole new meaning to it. *SPOILER FOR A DANCE WITH DRAGONS* (view spoiler)[What if, since the Bolton's are now holding Winterfell and not a Stark, the Pact is finally broken? And this is why all this shit is happening now, because now there are no longer any kingdoms held by the First Men? Just curious. (hide spoiler)]

26. Maester Luwin explains how the Andals killed the children and burned the weirwoods when they are interrupted by a crow delivering a letter that Ned is gone. I feel so bad for those kids! Even Maester Luwin, who looks totally distraught. I think this teaches the maester that the kid's dreams were very real. They warned them what happened. Bran didn't want to believe it, but it's true. So, so sad. :(

Your point 5, now that you mention it, I think you may be right! I was under the impression they were guarding a lot of people from going out or coming in, but I'm sure Cersei especially would want to find Arya at all costs. I'll bet they were specifically looking for her. It really comes in handy for her, then, that she so easily looks and acts like a boy!

Your point 10, I just now realized that this could have been one of Cersei's traps, to try to fool Arya into thinking she would be safe with these men. She is smart not to run up to them just because they wear Winterfell colors.

Your point 16, I'm sure that if Arya wasn't so frantic for her father's life then she would have felt really, really, terrible for her sister, even though she knew she was right about Joffrey the entire time (I don't think she'd rub it in her sister's face even if they were together). But there's nothing she can do for her at this point. If Arya had gotten caught this book series would be totally different, I think.

1. The names of the streets and districts inside King’s Landing is so odd. Arya passes the Street of Flour, which makes sense since she smells bread baking, but some are called the Mud Gate, Flea Bottom, and Pig Alley...lol. Whoever named the city wasn’t very creative, it sounds.

2. As Arya’s catching pigeons, a septon happens to be walking by. I love how he hurries away when she says thisis the best place to find pigeons, like she’s a hobo, lol. You’d think he’d feel compelled to give her money for food, being a septon after all. Arya seems socially awkward around a lot of people. I just love her!

3. Interesting how a push cart says, “The Others take your pigeons,” like it’s a common curse word. They’re so far from the Wall. I like that he can read her mind and warns her not to steal anything off his cart. She’s not as sneaky as she probably thinks!

4. Arya’s avoiding the City Watch. Makes sense. She sees the rotting heads on the Red Keep’s walls, probably afraid they mean to kill her too. That is so barbaric, by the way, displaying rotting heads on the Capital’s walls... You’d think the Red Keep would have a little more class. But then again, this is Joffrey we’re talking about.

5. Arya finds out the king is dead from rumors off the streets. How he died is vague, and word of her father is even more vague. It must suck not knowing.

6. Apparently she’s stuck inside the city. All the gates are either barred or well guarded. They search every wagon to make sure no one gets out without their permission. The Blackwater river is treacherous, so she can’t swim out either. That really sucks.

7. She’d eaten two pigeons raw -- gross! -- before she discovered in Flea Bottom some pot-shops (which I’m assuming are soup shops) will trade your pigeons for a bit of food, or will even let you cook your own stuff by their fires. That’s nice of them. She didn’t want to know what they put in their soup of brown, though, lol. But these shops are always full of shady people so she has to be careful every time she goes. Some tried chasing her before but she always outruns them. That’s good!

8. Interesting she slept on top of Needle or else someone would have stolen it like they stole her other bag of belongings -- that must have been uncomfortable! It’s worth everything to her. :)

9. I’m shocked the pot-shops would pay a few coppers for a litter of pups! Would it taste anything like veal? You do what you have to to survive, I guess!

10. I can’t believe people would grab kids off the streets if they got too close to the buildings! What would they do? Rob, rape, sell you to a brothel? Ugh, even at the capital it’s not safe!

11. Arya thinks about her family again, missing them like hell. :)

12. Poor Arya sees the ship she was supposed to use to go home but it’s still docked here. She doesn’t recognize the guards, though they’re dressed in Winterfell colors. I wonder what would have happened if she told them who she was. I think it’s smart of her to not automatically run but pretend she’s a boy, to lose their interest when she offers to sell a pigeon. The poor girl wanted to cry, though. So close, but so far away! And she loses her pigeon, too.

13. All of a sudden everyone is running to see the “summoning.” They say it’s about the king’s Hand, her father. Of course she runs to join the crowd. She fits right in with all the peasants. They’re right in front of Baelor’s Great Sept on top of Visenya’s Hill. It sounds like a nicer district.

14. I think it’s interesting that Arya finds a place to watch between the statue of Baelor the Blessed. She’d gotten his white marble stained with her blood climbing up from when she’d hurt herself. Baelor is also known as “The Septon King.”

15. Here she sees her father -- he’s wearing a grey wool cloak and a white wolf sewn on it in beads. He looks much thinner, even from here, and his cast is grey and rotten, wtf The High Septon is behind him and is fat and decked out in riches. Seems odd for a religious man... Lots of hypocrites in this city!

16. Joffrey is here, and his council and the Queen, who is still in her black and red...Targ colors. And Sansa is there too, looking happy. Of course Arya scowls at this.

17. Poor Ned tells the crowd he’s confessing his treason; this upsets Arya because she knows he wouldn’t do such things. It is very sad to hear Ned lie so much, and then people throw rocks at him! The nerve of these people! And none of the guard are doing anything about it. Tells you a lot about this city... I smiled when the Kingsguard shielded Joffrey and Cersei, ha! I hope some were aiming for them!

18. Poor Arya prays to the gods to keep her father safe, but she’s far from the North. I don’t know if her gods can hear her.

19. I like that the High Septon says the gods are just but also merciful. It sounds like he knew hte plan was to spare Ned if he confesses his crimes.

20. Joffrey says his mother wants him to let Ned take the black, and so does Sansa, but the little shit surprises everyone by commanding Ser Ilyn to bring him his head. I remember being so totally shocked the first time I read this, even though I saw all the signs that he didn't belong in King's Landing. A big part of me thought he would outsmart the Lannisters and take the black, and then have that moment with Jon. Now I expected his death but it’s still so sad...so many people really thought Ned would be spared! Joffrey is TRULY a little shit! A saying by Jon Snow. I also see now that this wasn’t part of the plan. Cersei is seen talking to Joffrey, Varys rushes up and waves his arms around, and the High Septon is clutching Joffrey’s cloak. I don’t think it’s an act. I think they are all truly shocked, just as the reader is.

21. Poor Sansa is screaming now. Her plan hadn’t worked after all. I can only imagine what’s going on inside Ned’s mind...maybe a part of him is glad that he’ll finally be with Lyanna again, or maybe he realizes he’s just lied for nothing...how horrible! And it’s his own blade Ser Ilyn uses, too! No doubt Joffrey’s doing.

22. Out of nowhere Yoren manages to locate Arya in the crowd. He keeps calling her “boy” and tells her not to look. He takes her into a building of some sort and grabs her hair with one hand and a knife in the other. If you haven’t read A Clash of Kings yet then this scene really makes you think he’s going to kill her, but that makes no sense because the Night’s Watch doesn’t kill innocent people within the realm. So what is he doing with that knife, scaring the living daylights out of Arya? You’ll just have to keep reading!

23. And just as we left off last chapter with Dany mourning Drogo’s possible death, Arya loses her father with the swing of a sword. George Martin’s last few chapters are getting SO intense!

*SPECULATION ON VARYS* (view spoiler)[LOL! You're welcome, I guess! I just thought of it the day I read this chapter myself. It would make sense, with how good he is at pretending to look like people, and why Ned is warned that so many seemingly insignificant people could be spies...because maybe Varys is a Faceless Man, and maybe a bunch of other Faceless Men are hanging around, in case they are needed? remember Kevan Lannister is murdered by Varys's little birds... We just don't know all that much about Varys OR the Faceless Men. But it could be a possibility. I too am going to look at Varys in a different light. (hide spoiler)] :)

I think it's really strange that everybody cursed Mirri Maz Duur and were too afraid to go near her, but when Dany goes into labor, suddenly everyone wants to take Dany to her. That's weird.

1. I don't know, the flies circling Drogo sounds like a very bad sign, even to Dany, and she doesn't say anything to him sooner? And they're bloodflies, too, huge, sucking blood from both horse and man, laying their eggs in the dead and dying, eww!!

2. Apparently Drogo hates them and always catches them when they get too close. Now he's not catching them, and it's making his khalasar worried.

3. Never thought of mud as blue. Essos sounds like a colorful place!

4. I wonder what pepper beer tastes like, and I wonder if it's supposed to help burn off the infection. (I had forgotten this isn't Mirri Maz Duur saying he can use these things now).

5. Before it itched and burned, like Mirri Maz Duur said, but then Drogo starts being in pain, restless at night, and now he's silent. It worries Dany. Why doesn't it seem like the poultices are helping? (Because I had forgotten they took matters into their own hands, and I wonder how much worse it would have been if they hadn't tampered with it sooner).

6. When the flies start to settle on Drogo, Dany refers to him as her lord, trying to get his attention. I thought that was odd, since he's supposed to be her khal, a king, not a lord. Maybe she's trying to get him used to being called lord so that when they make it to Westeros it'll be more acceptable.

7. So Drogo falls off his horse...that's a huge deal! It's interesting that of the three bloodriders, only Cohollo, the old one, gets off his horse to help Dany with Drogo. :) Dany takes charge ordering them around but Qotho is angry and says it's not her place, not even for a khaleesi. She tells him to get Mirri Maz Duur anyway, wow, he is angry! She warns him of Drogo's wrath if he finds out he defied her.

8. Drogo babbles as they help him into the tent. This is not good.

9. Dany is very concerned that if the others see him weak and delirious they will leave him, I'm sure. She has her khas guard the tent. All of these people know, though.

10. The girls tell Dany the truth -- even Khal Drogo, who has never lost a battle, is dying. He can't even ride his horse anymore! Even though I've never much liked Khal Drogo, I feel for Dany here. "A khal who could not ride could not rule, and Drogo had fallen from his horse." It's looking like the end for him!

11. Drogo is so hot that "he was a fire in human skin."

12. I think it's interesting that the Mormonts are from the north of Westeros, where it is always cold, but Jorah is here in the sweltering heat. He never complains.

13. Jorah says everyone has heard that Drogo fell off his horse, even if they didn't see it. Rumors travel fast here. Dany trusts him and looks to him to help. Jorah cuts open the plaster and leaves and underneath it is black blood and pus. He tells her he's as good as dead. She cries, saying "...it was only a cut." Well, a very bad cut, really.

14. Jorah says they need to go before he dies, and quickly. This surprises me, even my second reading. I think Jorah understands the Dothraki very well and he is smart; he knows what will go down if they stay here, and he is always looking out for her. :) He suggests they travel to Asshai, which surprises me as well because it seemed he didn't trust the place. Apparently it lies far to the south, and for some reason I thought it was in the north, away from Slaver's Bay, but this makes a lot of sense. I see now, Asshai has a port, and they can get a ship there and sail to Pentos. I didn't realize the Dothraki lived so close to Asshai. It sounds like Slaver's Bay is even closer to Asshai. That place sounds like nothing good ever comes from there.

15. Dany doesn't understand why they have to leave and Jorah tells her a hard truth: Drogo's khalasar will not follow a suckling babe; they only followed Drogo because he was strong, and soon he will be dead and the khalasar will devour itself looking for a new khal. The new khal will kill her baby because he won't want rivals. Dany doesn't understand why they'd kill a little baby...lol. They'll kill innocent farmers and rape innocent women...you're surprised they'll kill babies?

16. It was prophesied Rhaego will be the stallion who mounts the world; they don't want him to grow up and take revenge, ugh. The savagery. Yet she remembers Rhaegar's children were brutally murdered, and that was by Andals. "That was the way of men." So sad... This world really sucks sometimes, lol.

17. And before the bloodriders have to kill themselves to join Drogo in death, they have to take Dany back to Vaes Dothrak to join the crones. That's the last duty they owe Drogo. I can't see Qotho killing himself to be with Drogo, though.

18. Looks like Mirri Maz Duur has taken a beating on the road. She looks haggard and her feet are bleeding and blistered. All she has to say is, "The wound has festered." No shit, Sherlock!

19. Qotho is very creative of the way they'll punish Mirri Maz Duur, lol. But when Dany stands up for her, Qotho says they should do the same to her since this is as much her fault as the maegi's. Wow! How insulting! Dany was only trying to help! I like that she tells him she was the blood of the dragon before she became khaleesi. He'd do well to remember that.

20. Jorah warns her that Qotho sees his death is looming, that is why he's behaving so rudely. "A dead man is beyond fear." The others aren't so mean, though. He tells her to be careful of him.

21. "So you have saved me once more." is all Mirri Maz Duur says to Dany. This is not exactly a thank you or a blessing, I've realized. She seems dead to the world too.

22. She chastises Dany for letting Drogo drink of the poppy and reworking his bandages. Finally she shows some emotion. Interesting that she says: "There is great healing magic in fire, even your hairless men know that." This seems odd, because I thought fire consumes and destroys. Sometimes fevers can help burn out an infection, but not always. Too much can kill you, and Khal Drogo is burning up extremely hot right now.

23. Dany wonders what she's done to anger the gods so much, just when she's finally tasted "love" and hope. She was going to go home... Really? You were in love? Okay then. Perhaps this is a sign from the gods that Khal Drogo wasn't meant to step foot on Westerosi soil. I don't think she understands that the Dothraki would destroy everything her ancesters ever built. They would bring slavery, endless raids, destruction of castles and temples, kill all the weak and keep only the strong...it's not Westerosi. But I guess "love" blinds you to all of that.

24. Dany is desperate to get Drogo back at all cost. Uh oh...

25. Mirri Maz Duur's eyes are as black as night. Interesting. They say that eyes are the window to a person's soul.

26. When Dany says she really is a maegi Mirri Maz Duur actually smiles and says, "Am I?" I don't like that. "Only a maegi can save your rider now, Silver Lady."

27. In blood magic, only death may pay for life. *SPOILER FOR A FEAST FOR CROWS* (view spoiler)[You know, that sounds an awful lot like the Faceless Men's philosophy. (hide spoiler)] Dany considers her life for Drogo's. "Her brother Rhaegar had died for the woman he loved." Hmm... I guess ruling Westeros isn't as important as saving Drogo, but this really does prove she loves him, because I believe the best way to prove you love someone is to die for them. She is relieved to know it's not her life that's needed, though. Dany doesn't even think about her son's life!!! This is odd.

28. I didn't know Jhogo is only 16. Right now he tries to warn her that bloodmagic is forbidden. Forbidden to Dothraki, or forbidden everywhere?

29. I thought it was clever of Dany to bring up the time when Drogo slew a stallion so Dany had to eat its heart and calls that the same for Drogo now, only they're using Drogo's mount.

30. Interesting a knife appears in Mirri Maz Duur's hand and Dany didn't know where it came from. The blade is old and covered with ancient glyphs, interesting. Sounds like no ordinary weapon.

31. Butchering that horse sounds like it made an incredible mess...

32. I wonder what's in the red powder Mirri Maz Duur threw in the fire that made Eroeh run crying and fill Dany with fear. She tells Dany to leave too, for when she sings it will "wake powers old and dark. The dead will dance here this night. No living man must look on them." Spooky! *SPOILER FOR A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)[I wonder if these are the same kinds of shadows that Melisandre birthed right in front of Davos to kill Renly and others? (hide spoiler)]

33. Even the outside sky is red. So much red in this chapter!

34. When Ser Jorah sees blood on her footprints he whispers, "What have you done, you little fool?" Wow... He's never spoken to her like that before! He truly is horrified. It must take a lot to horrify a knight, especially one as formidable as Jorah!

35. It's really creepy that Dany can see multiple shadows dancing with Mirri Maz Duur as she sings! all the Dothraki are afraid.

36. The hairless men are their eunuch healers, I remember now.

37. Wow,...I forgot Cohollo, who'd always been kind to Dany, spits in her face. This is clearly a big deal. Qotho calls her a maegi too, well then... He even shoves her on the ground, a pregnant woman, wtf.

38. I'm surprised Dany's khas are still on her side. Qotho kills Quaro, though, and Jorah tries him next. Lol, Qotho says "You die now!" as he's attacking the knight.

39. Dany's son is kicking wildly...probably for more reasons than because his mom's worked up.

40. Yay Jorah beat Qotho! Very gruesome, forearm dangling. he deserves it, though. If you can butcher people like that you shouldn't complain when someone deals the same shit to you. Her khas killed Haggo, the other bloodrider. Cohollo tries to kill her too, wtf...but one of her khas saves her. I remember the first time I read all this I couldn't keep straight everybody's names, but now I remember better, and Cohollo's betrayal hurts even worse the second time around. Plus I'm surprised her khas are so loyal...I don't think it's their job to make sure she gets to Vaes Dothrak; that was supposed to be the bloodriders, that had just tried to kill her. When Mirri Maz Duur said there'd be death she really meant it! Eight men fought and four died. Not to mention the rocks being thrown at Dany...

41. Now Dany's in labor *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN A GAME OF THRONES* (view spoiler)[More like to deliver the baby that had died as it was thrashing around in her belly! (hide spoiler)] but all of the birthing women had run off, too afraid to go near her. So the only other choice is to see Mirri Maz Duur (has Doreah, Irri, and Jhiqi never birthed a baby before?), and nobody knows they're not supposed to go in there!!! This has got to be Dany's worst day in her entire life. I don't think they can see the shadows, or else they probably would NEVER have taken Dany toward the tent. Some of them don't even look human -- creepy! One's a great wolf; I forgot about that!

42. The night is black, totally starless. Interesting.

The first time I read the book I was under the impression that the majority of his men went west with him, leaving only a small amount to distract Tywin Lannister. And in Tyrion's chapter, near the end, it says Robb Stark had passed the Twins and rides hard with most of his men, so I'm thinking either I read this last paragraph wrong or maybe it's worded wrong. I don't know.

Oops! You're right. It's just that I can't read my own writing, lol, and I think I have it in my head it's with an o, but it is truly Barristan.