Re-reading Song of Ice and Fire

If there was a culmination point in A Game of Thrones, the chapters described in this part of the re-read are *it*. The Lion comes out from the shadow and roars. Welcome to the Part 10 of Song of Ice and Fire summary.

Chapter 46, Daenerys
Summary
Dany goes through the ceremony of eating stallion’s heart. The prophecy for her son is announced. Viserys joins the feast that follows. He has a sword and threatens Dany. He demands army from Drogo. Khal melts his gold medallions and pours molten gold on Viserys’ head.

Quotes

“The prince is riding, and he shall be the stallion who mounts the world.”

“I want the crown he promised me. He bought you, but he never paid for you. Tell him I want what I bargained for, or I’m taking you back. You and the eggs both. He can keep his bloody foal. I’ll cut the bastard out and leave it for him.”

When the gold was half-melted and starting to run, Drogo reached into the flames, snatched out the pot. “Crown!” he roared. “Here. A crown for Cart King!” And upended the pot over the head of the man who had been her brother.
The sound Viserys Targaryen made when that hideous iron helmet covered his face was like nothing human. His feet hammered a frantic beat against the dirt floor, slowed, stopped. Thick globs of molten gold dripped down onto his chest, setting the scarlet silk to smoldering… yet no drop of blood was spilled.
He was no dragon, Dany thought, curiously calm. Fire cannot kill a dragon.

Commentary

The customs of Dorthaki are barbarous, however Dany finds it in herself to embrace them. She has always been a loyal sister to Viserys and now she transfers the loyalty to her husband, Drogo. And Drogo in turn repays her with kindness and pride from her doings, unlike Viserys, who only threatened and hurt her.

By finding a new family in Dorthaki Khalaasar and being respected and loved Dany finds herself detached from her obsessive brother. When Viserys comes to the feast, threats her like she’s his property again and threatens her child she does not hesitate. Knowing what will happen, she translates Viserys’ words to Khal Drogo. Horrible death of a “man who used to be her brother” does not move her. Dany is finally free.

Chapter 47, Eddard
Summary
Ned is summoned in the middle of the night. King is back from the hunt and he’s mortally wounded. Robert asks Ned to write his will. He commands that Ned becomes Protector of the Realm until his son Joffrey is of age. Renly tries to convince Ned to strike before Cersei has time to prepare, however Ned refuses. Stark intends to put Stannis on the throne and asks Littlefinger to grant him loyalty of Golden Cloaks.

Quotes

“The milk of the poppy, Your Grace,” he said. “Drink. For your pain.”
Robert knocked the cup away with the back of his hand. “Away with you. I’ll sleep soon enough, old fool. Get out.”

“Wrong, it was wrong, I… only a girl… Varys, Littlefinger, even my brother… worthless… no one to tell me no but you, Ned… only you…”

“Will I dream?”
Ned gave him his answer. “You will, my lord.”
“Good,” he said, smiling. “I will give Lyanna your love, Ned.”

“I know the secret Jon Arryn was murdered to protect. Robert will leave no trueborn son behind him. Joffrey and Tommen are Jaime Lannister’s bastards, born of his incestuous union with the queen.”
Littlefinger lifted an eyebrow. “Shocking,” he said in a tone that suggested he was not shocked at all.

“You wear your honor like a suit of armor, Stark. You think it keeps you safe, but all it does is weigh you down and make it hard for you to move.

Commentary

As I’m re-reading the series and digesting everything over and over I find myself liking Robert Baratheon more than any other character in the book, more even than Ned. His story is the story of a man, who has everything except the things that make man’s life worthwhile. The love of his life died. Throne he won was an empty victory. Life in court was more of a burden than reward. And on top of that it turns out that his children are not his own. The only children he made were born on the wrong side of the bed. Being killed by schemes of his own family is a truly tragic ending to the story of his life.

You can call me a cry-baby, but I actually had a tear in my eye when I was reading this chapter. Just as he’s about to die Robert gets a moment of clarity, he starts to see things differently. The vicinity of death gave him new perspective. He *understands* now that killing Dany would be wrong. He sees that the only man true to him, honest no matter what, was Ned. It breaks my heart to see him get to that point hours before his death.

As for Ned, he’s facing a very difficult time and makes a grave mistake. At this stage he knows what Lannisters are capable of doing. He *knows* they are not going to stop at nothing and playing “fair” is not going to cut it. There are two mistakes he makes in this chapter. Turning down Renly’s offer, who had genuine interest in securing the throne, and trusting Littlefinger after he turned down his offer to pretend that Joffrey is the legal heir to the throne. When I was first reading this chapter I wanted to shout: “Ned, you fool, this is no time for honor!” but he would not listen…

Chapter 48, Jon
Summary
The boys are officially accepted into the ranks of the Night’s Watch. Each one gets an assignment that fits their skills. Jon is sent to the Stewards, not to Rangers like everyone expected. Samwell and Jon go out beyond the Wall to say their words in front of the Old Gods, at the heart tree. Before they go back to the Wall Ghost brings them hand of a fallen Ranger.

Quotes

“A man of the Night’s Watch lives his life for the realm. Not for a king, nor a lord, nor the honor of this house or that house, neither for gold nor glory nor a woman’s love, but for the realm, and all the people in it. A man of the Night’s Watch takes no wife and fathers no sons. Our wife is duty. Our mistress is honor. And you are the only sons we shall ever know.

I’ll wager that’s why Lord Mormont requested you, Jon. What else could it be? He wants to groom you for command!”
Jon was taken aback. It was true, Lord Eddard had often made Robb part of his councils back at Winterfell. Could Sam be right? Even a bastard could rise high in the Night’s Watch, they said. “I never asked for this,” he said stubbornly.
“None of us are here for asking,” Sam reminded him.
And suddenly Jon Snow was ashamed.

Commentary

Jon makes a mistake in thinking that the best thing that could happen to him is getting assigned to the rangers. He’s guilty of looking down on stewards. He’s not making new friends with his reaction on the news that he’s about to be one of them. Luckily Samwell manages to open his eyes and look on what is really going on, how this assignment means much more than being responsible for “washing old man’s smallclothes”.

Second part of the chapter brings us outside the Wall. Boys say their words at the heart three. Martin hints that there are powers beyond the walls that have not been introduced yet. “The gods are watching.” There is a hope that beside the Others there are more things from the old world occupying this land. For now though, it’s the white walkers that make a first move against the world protected by the Wall. The ploy with leaving the undead for the Night’s Watch to be found suggests malicious intelligence. The Others are going to be a cunning foe.

Chapter 49, Eddard
Summary
The king dies. Ned summons the small council to read the will. Before he’s accepted by the members of the council as the Protector of the Realm they are summoned by Joffrey. Cersei’s son demands their oaths of fealty. Ned is forced to reveal that Joffrey has no claim to the throne. He commands the Golden Cloaks commander to take the queen and their children into custody. The Golden Cloaks attack his men instead.

Quotes

“King Robert is gone. The gods give him rest.”
“No,” Ned answered. “He hated rest. The gods give him love and laughter, and the joy of righteous battle.”

The queen glanced at the words. “Protector of the Realm,” she read. “Is this meant to be your shield, my lord? A piece of paper?” She ripped the letter in half, ripped the halves in quarters, and let the pieces flutter to the floor.
“Those were the king’s words,” Ser Barristan said, shocked.
“We have a new king now,” Cersei Lannister replied.

As his men died around him, Littlefinger slid Ned’s dagger from its sheath and shoved it up under his chin. His smile was apologetic. “I did warn you not to trust me, you know.”

Commentary

All I can say is: poor Ned. His honor would not allow him to do what had to be done.

One of the biggest selling points for the Song of Ice and Fire series is the moral ambiguity ever present in the books. It’s for the reader to decide who’s good and who’s bad. Who’s right and who’s wrong. What was the right thing to do and what was a mistake.

This chapter is a prime example. Ned refuses to bend the rules, make alliance with the forces without who’s support he’s going to lose. He’s obviously not doing the right thing. He’s betrayed by one of his allies and the other seeing futility of all this, runs away. He should have followed their advice, right?

I can’t stop thinking about what would happen if Ned actually agreed to Renly’s proposition. Would things have been better? Probably yes. But at what cost? Heeding his advice was not an honorable thing to do. It would have been *wrong*. This begs the question: are we allowed to do bad things in the name of greater good? This is a very slippery path. Once you step on it, it’s hard to stop…

Chapter 50, Arya
Summary
Ser Meryn Trant and Lannister guards comes to seize Arya when she’s training with Syrio. Braavosi senses deceit and defends the girl. He cripples the Lannister guards and sends Arya away, while he’s facing the knight of the King’s Guard. The girl runs. She goes to the stables and finds Stark men cut down. Arya finds her sword and kills the stable boy who intends to bring her to the queen. Finally she leaves the keep through the path she discovered earlier, when she stumbled into the cellar with the dragon skulls.

Quotes

Syrio Forel stepped between them, tapping his wooden sword lightly against his boot. “You will be stopping there. Are you men or dogs that you would threaten a child?”
“Out of the way, old man,” one of the red cloaks said.
Syrio’s stick came whistling up and rang against his helm. “I am Syrio Forel, and you will now be speaking to me with more respect.”

Syrio Forel clicked his teeth together, sliding into his water dancer’s stance, presenting only his side to the foe. “Arya child,” he called out, never looking, never taking his eyes off the Lannisters, “we are done with dancing for the day. Best you are going now. Run to your father.”
Arya did not want to leave him, but he had taught her to do as he said. “Swift as a deer, ” she whispered.
“Just so,” said Syrio Forel as the Lannisters closed.

“I says, come.” He grabbed her arm, hard.
Everything Syrio Forel had ever taught her vanished in a heartbeat. In that instant of sudden terror, the only lesson Arya could remember was the one Jon Snow had given her, the very first.
She stuck him with the pointy end, driving the blade upward with a wild, hysterical strength.

Commentary

It seems that the stream of terrible events would not end. Many people died that day in Kings Landing. There is one though that I took especially hard. Syrio Forel was no main character, yet I learned to like him through Arya. This Braavosi commanded respect from the moment he was introduced. Now he also displayed unquestionable loyalty. He sacrificed himself just to give Arya a chance to escape.

Arya starts a brutal metamorphosis from the daughter of the Hand into… something different. Syrio gave her the basic training in swordplay. Now she’s in for a much tougher lesson. Knowing how to “poke them with the pointy end” is the easy part. Actually doing it is completely thing altogether. Arya kills her first man in this chapter. Sandor Clegane would be proud of her.

To be continued…

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