A Game of Thrones, Chapter 32, Arya
Summary
Arya is catching cats as an exercise for Syrio. She’s spotted by Myrcella and Tommen, they take her for a low-born boy, who stumbled to the Keep. Their Septa orders guards to take her out, but Arya escapes. She ventures into a room where the dragon skulls are kept. Not knowing the way she stumbles into a secret passage and overhears conversation between two strangers. When she finally gets back to her father he will not listen to her as she tells him the story about wizards and monsters.
Quotes
“The fools tried to kill his son, and what’s worse, they made a mummer’s farce of it. He’s not a man to put that aside. I warn you, the wolf and lion will soon be at each other’s throats, whether we will it or no.”
“Too soon, too soon,” the voice with the accent complained. “What good is war now? We are not ready. Delay.”
“As well bid me stop time. Do you take me for a wizard?”
“If one Hand can die, why not a second?” replied the man with the accent and the forked yellow beard. “You have danced the dance before, my friend.”
(…)
“Before is not now, and this Hand is not the other.”
“I’m Arya Stark of Winterfell, and if you lay a hand on me my lord father will have both your heads on spikes. If you don’t believe me, fetch Jory Cassel or Vayon Poole from the Tower of the Hand.” She put her hands on her hips. “Now are you going to open the gate, or do you need a clout on the ear to help your hearing?”
Commentary
We’re getting the first glimpse of dark future in front of Ned Stark. Two strangers Arya overhears in the dungeons are Varys and Illyrio. The two of them are obviously planning for Targaryensto return to power, but the recent turn of events is not to their liking, Ned is getting closer to the truth and war hangs on a thread.
This is one of my favorite plot twists of the whole series. Finding out what is the truth behind lies inside lies. I’m assuming that at least in this conversation Varys reveals his true loyalty. Bringing Dany to the throne while Lion and Direwolf are at each other’s throats? Brilliant scheme.
There is another intriguing thing in the conversation between the two men. Who was the Hand that Varys helped to depart from the land of living? Was it Jon Arryn? This would mean that Lannisters are playing entirely different role in this theater of deception.
Tags: Arya
