A Song of Ice and Fire

[bushido_man96]

A Game of Thrones; Eddard

The city is filled to the brim with people arriving for the tourney, and we meet Commander of the City Watch, Janos Slynt. He is asking for more men to help keep the peace. Ned tells him to hire 50 new men, and he offers 20 of his own men.

The conversation turns to Stannis Baratheon, and Ned wonders when he will return to council. The others have a laugh about him, and his stern, duty driven attitude.

Back at the Keep, Eddard had been searching the giant tome for what Arryn may have been searching for. He was looking in the Lannister section, but found nothing. He has been speaking with those who remained that were close to Arryn, and has come up short. The potboy stated that he had been quarelling with the king. He also stated that he went with Stannis to an armorer to have a new suit made (clue here…). The watchman (once horseman) stated that Arryn rode often with Stannis, and that they once went to visit a brothel (clue here, too…).

Ned goes to see the armorer, who is named Tobho Mott. He goes on about his skill for a while, and then Ned asks if he made anything for Lord Arryn. He stated that Lord Arryn just asked to see “the boy.” Ned, questioningly, requests to see “the boy” as well. They went to see him, and Ned questioned him. The boy was about Robb’s age, and big and strong. He had black, thick, curly hair, and a beard to match; his name is Gendry. He asked what Arryn had asked him. He spoke to him of his mother, who worked in an alehouse, and was blond haired, blue eyed, and had passed away. Upon looking closer at Gendry, he sees the facial features of Robert in him. Ned dismissed himself, and asked Mott who paid the apprentice fee. He was reluctant, but stated it was a man a bit shorter than Ned, stout and round of shoulder, but he couldn’t see the face. He had a black beard with red in it.

Notes: He makes mention of Lann the Clever, the start of House Lannister, from the Age of Heroes, who procured the Casterly Rock with his wit alone. Renly showed Ned a locket with a painted figure in it, and asked Ned if it reminded him of someone. Ned said no, and Renly said it was his sister Margery, and many claimed she looked like Lyanna. Ned didn’t see it, and found the incident odd.

[bushido_man96]

A Game of Thrones; Catelyn

Cat and Rodrick are heading back north on the Kingsroad. They pass a group of riders; Ser Jason Mallister, a bannerman to Lord Hoster Tully, and the riders did not recognize Cat or Rodrick. They decide then to stay at an inn, since they look so tired and battered. Cat remembered the innkeeper, Masha Heddle, who was sweet and kind. Upon entering, she was not of the same demeanor Cat remembered when she was young.

At the crossroads, she considered her options: west to Riverrun, with her father lived in failing health, or east to the Mountains of the Moon and the Vale of Arryn through a dangerous mountain pass. She decides to continue north, back to Winterfell. She reviewed the bannerman of House Tully in her mind, and if it came to war, who would come. There were those who had fought for the Targaryens, and she wondered if they would fight for the North.

At supper, Tyrion and his entourage arrive, and recognize Cat. He announces them as well, and Cat can think of nothing other than Bran and the assassin. In the end, Cat ends up having Tyrion arrested as the attempted assassin of her son.

Notes: We learn of Lord Frey, among the bannerman of the Tulleys, who is called the Late Lord Frey for showing up after the battle was won for Robert. This man has also outlived 7 wives, and has more children, grandchildren, and greats than most houses have total. We also meet a singer named Marillion, who figures in later.

Edited April 18, 2008 by bushido_man96

[A_Train]

I apologize for not being as active in this as I once was, I just haven't had time lately.

Some interesting points have been brought up over these chapters. Obviously (at least having read all the novels so far) Jon and Dany are showing he sort of leadership skills they will need in the near future. Both characters annoy me a little from time to time, but tend to have enjoyable chapters.

I'd never considered Varys to be among the Eunuch warriors, however what a twist that would be, hah.

I'm not sure if you are just glossing over it, but Renly presenting Maergery to has a lot of significance. First off, it is not Renly's sister, but Loras'. The Tyrell's are often suggested to be ambitious and have a desire to have family sitting on the Iron throne and this is an example of that. Robert clearly still loved Lyanna, and I think that Renly was working with the Tyrells in an attempt to bring Margery to court in order to have Robert put Cersei aside for the girl that resembled Lyanna. This can also be used of evidence against the Tyrells in later events where power in concerned, such as marrying off Sansa in Highgarden or the death of Joffrey.

Marillion is one of those characters I didn't notice was introduced early in the novels until my second read through.

[bushido_man96]

I'm not sure if you are just glossing over it, but Renly presenting Maergery to has a lot of significance. First off, it is not Renly's sister, but Loras'. The Tyrell's are often suggested to be ambitious and have a desire to have family sitting on the Iron throne and this is an example of that. Robert clearly still loved Lyanna, and I think that Renly was working with the Tyrells in an attempt to bring Margery to court in order to have Robert put Cersei aside for the girl that resembled Lyanna. This can also be used of evidence against the Tyrells in later events where power in concerned, such as marrying off Sansa in Highgarden or the death of Joffrey.

I guess I rushed through that part too quickly. You bring up some good points here. I will have to consider them as I read on.

Here is a sad note on my part: I own all of the hardback books so far, and have now taken to buying the paperbacks, for easy carry to work and travel. Is that not sad???

[Patrick]

You're like a machine in here, Brian. You must really enjoy these books.

[bushido_man96]

They are great books. Lots of character developments and plots twists and turns. They are kind of like the Tolkien books, but a bit more adult rated, I guess you could say.

[bushido_man96]

A Game of Thrones; Sansa

The day of the Hand’s Tourney is arrived, and George R. R. Martin forces us to view it from the clear-seeing eyes of Sansa. . As annoying as it may seem to listen to Sansa spill on about songs, heroes, do-daring, yada-yada-yada, it seems fitting that we have to view this event through her eyes. Sansa is the epitome of the romantic, and she is totally naive when it comes to the true ways of men in the world. She sees gold and beauty first, and everything else seems to come secondary.

During the joust, an interesting event happens. During one of Gregor Clegane’s tilts, he kills the opposing rider. Sansa describes the rider as a young knight of the Vale of Arryn. This is not a coincidence, as we learn later. I do believe it was the young man to be questioned by Eddard. Gregor had conveniently removed the young man. As a side note, Sansa doesn’t react with remorse to the death.

The finalists of the joust: Jaime, the Cleganes, and Ser Loras of Highgarden. Ser Loras likes to pranse around after winning, and give out white roses to fair madens. Loras is the youngest in the field, at the age of 16. On his final joust of the day, he gives a red one to Sansa, who is melted by him. She thinks he is lovely, blah, blah, blah… After this incident, Sansa meets Petyr, who recognizes the Tully in her.

The finals are put off till morning, and now they retire to supper. Joffrey sits all night with Sansa, who is enamored once again. She had not spoken with him since the incident with Arya and Mycah, but was pleased with his company. When supper grows late, there is a tussle at the head table, where Cersei and Robert were arguing about him fighting in the melee the next day. In reality, it is a hoax by Cersei to get him to fight in it, by telling him he can’t (revealed later). Robert is drunk, and yells at Cersei, who leaves, and then pushes Jaime to the floor and taunts him as well. At this point, Joffrey excuses himself, and has the Hound escort Sansa to her quarters.

Here, the Hound kind of gives us a break back to reality. He sees through Sansa’s polite training from her septon, and calls her things like a “little bird” trained to repeat niceties, no matter the occasion. The Hound gives a bit into what Joffrey is truly like as well, as Joff would not escort Sansa himself. The Hound also reveals that Gregor killed the boy in the joust on purpose, and the story of how the Hound was burned. Gregor was always big, and when he was 6 or 7, he took one of his brother’s toys. Gregor, 5 years older, took Sandor and put his face to the coals of a brazier. The story was covered by the father. Sandor truly hates his brother.

Notes: I guess this is as good a place as any to make a guest list. The seven knights of the Kingsguard are present, but mainly Jaime and Ser Barristan are named. The Cleganes, Sandor the Hound, and his brother Gregor, the Mountain that Rides, are present. Gregor is a HUGE man, and is a terror. Lord Yohn Royce, called Bronze Yohn, for the color of his armor, colored with protective runes, along with his heir Andar, and younger son Robar. Lord Jason Mallister, and his son Patrek. Thoros the Red Priest of Myr. Ser Beric Dondarion. Ser Balon Swan. Lord Bryce Caron of the Marches. Ser Horas and Ser Hobber of the Redwynes, twins. Six Freys of the Crossing: Ser Jared, Ser Hosteen, Ser Danwell, Ser Theo, Ser Emmon, Ser Perwyn, and the illegitimate Martyn Rivers. Lord Renly is also present. And Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers.

Edited April 18, 2008 by bushido_man96

[bushido_man96]

A Game of Thrones; Eddard

This chapter opens with Selmy speaking with Eddard as he stood vigil for the young knight that was slain by Gregor Clegane in the tourney. Eddard wondered if this was mere happenstance. He wondered if the boy was dead because of his own inquiries. Ned mentions that he thinks that war should not be a game, displaying his disgust once again for the tournament. On the other side of this, is the fact that Robert has chosen to fight in the melee, and Ned doesn’t like this at all. However, when Robert speaks in drunken bravado, he follows through. Ned and Selmy visit Robert at his tent, and they are able to talk him out of fighting in the melee by telling him that he would be allowed to win, for no one would consider harming him.

Selmy is asked to leave, before being deprived of life by good Robert, but Ned stays, and Robert vents to him. He hates being king, and never wanted to marry Cersei. It was an arrangement that would keep Tywin Lannister on his side. He didn’t want to marry after Lyanna’s death. He wants to give up his position as king, and head for the Free Cities. He doesn’t because of Joffrey, who would succeed, and Cersei, whispering in his ear, ruling the land through him. He doesn’t know how he even had a son like Joffrey (ding, ding, ding!!!).

At the joust, Jaime is beaten by Sandor (the Hound) Clegane. Next is Ser Sandor’s ride against Loras. Ned describes some of the foul things that Sandor has been said to be responsible for as Tywin’s muscle. He is nearly 8 feet tall, with broad shoulders, huge arms; a giant. I can’t wait to see who plays him in the series. This joust is somewhat rigged, as Loras rides a mount that is in heat. When Sandor’s horse falls to the ground, he calls for his sword, kills the horse, and then attempts the same to Loras. Loras is knocked from his mount, dazed, but the Hound arrives to fight off Sandor, and does so rather well, although never sending a killing blow to his open head. Loras thanks Gregor by giving him the day as champion. Thoros of Myr, the Red Priest, wins the melee, with his flaming sword.

Ned spends the evening trying to piece together the puzzle of Jon’s death, Bran’s fall, and the dagger. He knew that Gendry had to be Robert’s. He also notes a child on Storm’s End, housed by Renly’s castellan that is Robert’s, and Robert’s first, a daughter in the Vale (we meet both later).

Upon reaching his room at the Keep, he gets a visitor; Varys, but he is disguised in a cloak and cowl, and stinks of sweat, not sweetness. He came through the passages of the Keep that are not as well known, past Ned’s guards. He tells Ned that today was a near miss, and that Robert is in danger. Cersei challenged him to force him to fight in the melee, in order to have him killed. Ned is the only true friend that will stand by Robert. They are certain that Cersei is behind it, but Ned has trouble believing it at first. Ser Boros, Ser Meryn, and Jaime of the Kingsguard are not loyal, but to the Lannister cause. Varys is not liked, and he is trusting in Ned, who he can help, to be of a notion to see him as useful to keep around as well. Ned then asked who killed Jon Arryn, and how. Varys said he was poisoned, with the Tears of Lys. Given by his own squire, Ser Hugh, the boy killed by Sandor. He was poisoned for “asking questions.” Whether the boy new it or not, he was the culprit.

Notes: Robert brings up Loras Tyrell’s sister, who Renly spoke of again. You were right, A-Train…more to this than I supposed earlier. Someone name Anguy wins the archery competition. I believe we meet him later. Ned also makes mention of the squires of Robert; both Lannisters. The Lannisters surround him, and Ned likes it little. We are also introduced to the Silent Sisters, who tend the dead. They are always shrouded, and you can never see their faces.

Edited April 24, 2008 by bushido_man96

[bushido_man96]

A Game of Thrones; Tyrion

Tyrion and his men are being led to the Vale, under the arrest of Catelyn Stark. She claimed she was heading to Winterfell, and when Tyrion was unblindfolded, he noticed his plight. He was disgusted that he had been outwitted. Afterwards, he did not ride blindfolded. Cat and Tyrion begin speaking of his capture. He brings up Littlefinger, and the lies he told at court about being with Cat. This angers her, but allows him to speak. As they go on, he begins to put together the story of how Littlefinger came to own the dagger that attempted Bran’s life. The conversation is broken off as some of the mountain clans ride up to attack them. Cat arms the captured men, Tyrion included. Tyrion actually engages in combat, coming out alive and unwounded. He even goes to assist Cat during the battle. Afterwards, making jokes with some of the free riders, he notes that he has “a start.” Cat allows him to keep his weapons at this point as well. To finish what he was discussing about Petyr before the battle, he states to Cat that the one flaw in Petyr’s tale is that Tyrion never bets against his family (Petyr said that Tyrion lost the dagger when he bet against Jaime at Joff’s tourney).

Notes: Tyrion noted that when men stood for Cat, only about a dozen of the 50 did so, and those of Lord Frey did not hardly act at all. Two of them stood, but returned to sitting when their captain did nothing. In this chapter, we meet Bronn for the first time, and Tyrion takes note of his actions in battle. On a side note, during the battle, Marillion the singer is wounded. Tyrion took the pleasure of stepping on his playing fingers when a horse landed on him.

[bushido_man96]

A Game of Thrones; Arya

This is a big chapter; an important one.

Arya is catching cats as part of Syrio’s training. One in particular has lead her all over the castle, and she is pretty much lost. Down an alleyway, she is spotted by Princess Myrcella, Prince Tommen, their septon, and two guards. They don’t recognize her; they even think she is a boy. She eludes them, causing all kinds of stir, and gets even more lost. She finds herself in a dark room, housing the old dragon skulls. She begins running some more, and finds herself in a room with a well, and stairs coming up from it, as near as I can make out. She hears voices, and hides. Two men are talking; one is from the Free Cities. The other is dressed in a half cape, boiled leather, mail, carrying a dirk. He has a scarred face and a stubble of a beard. Wearing heavy boots, he still walked softly; Arya recognizes something about him, but can’t place it (it is Varys). They are talking of what Eddard has found already about Gendry, and of the attempt on Bran’s life; “they made a farce of it, too.” They say that the Lion and the Wolf will be at each other’s throats soon, but it is too soon. The Free Cities man, who is Illyrio Mopatis, wants it to be stalled. The death of the current Hand comes up as well. This alarms Arya. Varys seems to put it off, though, as it is not the same as before. The princess of the khal being with child also comes up, and that they will not act until Drogo’s son is born (they are waiting on the khal). Somewhere, Varys activates a switch to shut off the well in the floor.

Varys says that this is not a game for 2 anymore. Stannis and Lysa Arryn have fled beyond his reach, and they are gathering swords about them. The Knight of Flowers writes Highgarden to send his sister to court; Renly and Loras want Robert to wed her and give a child and make a new queen. He does not know what game Littlefinger is playing. What bothers him most is Eddard. He has the book, the child, and will soon learn the truth. He also knows that Cat has arrested Tyrion and taken him North. He fears that the Lannisters will ride soon, and the Tully’s will become involved as well.

Mopatis calls him a true sorcerer, and tells him to stall as long as he can. Varys says he needs gold and another 50 birds. Now it gets weird…the birds are special; young, may know letters…and from here, they step to far from Arya, and she can’t make out any more of the conversation. Something about keeping their toungues…the risk…and that is all. She follows them down, and eventually comes out at the sewer, outside the gates.

She gets to Eddard, and trys to explain things to her, that he could be in danger, asks if the book he is reading is “the book,” (it is), and if Jon is the boy they are talking about. She is confused, but the mass of information that she heard could have done so much in the right hands. She is interrupted by a visitor, Yoren. He has come to give news that happened in the tavern.

Notes: This is a pretty big chapter in the grand scheme of things. Lots is learned here. Another note is Arya’s lack of being recognizable to those that should know her. Things to come. We now know the significance of Renly showing the picture of Loras’ sister to Eddard, and what her likeness to Lysa meant. It also show why Renly reacted the way he did to Ned’s reaction. Although, with Ned’s stake in honor, it should not be so surprising.