Re-reading Song of Ice and Fire

Chapter 44, Sansa
Summary
Lord Beric’s party leaves King’s Landing. Arya and Sansa argue again. They are brought in front of Ned, who tells them that they are going back to Winterfell. In the girl quarrel Ned sees the truth Jon Arryn died for.

Quotes

“You have juice on your face, Your Grace,” Arya said.
It was running down her nose and stinging her eyes. Sansa wiped it away with a napkin. When she saw what the fruit in her lap had done to her beautiful ivory silk dress, she shrieked again. “You’re horrible,” she screamed at her sister. “They should have killed you instead of Lady!”

“Who cares about your stupid dancing master?” Sansa flared. “Father, I only just now remembered, I can’t go away, I’m to marry Prince Joffrey.” She tried to smile bravely for him. “I love him, Father, I truly truly do, I love him as much as Queen Naerys loved Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, as much as Jonquil loved Ser Florian. I want to be his queen and have his babies.”

Sansa felt tears in her eyes. “He is not! He’s not the least bit like that old drunken king,” she screamed at her sister, forgetting herself in her grief.
Father looked at her strangely. “Gods, ” he swore softly, “out of the mouth of babes…”

Commentary

I’m not going to repeat myself. Sansa is a spoiled brat and this chapter only confirms it.

Ned understands how dangerous things are going to be now. The girls have to be sent away for their own protection. If Ned wants to go after Lannisters he needs to be certain that his family will not suffer the consequences. Arya is unhappy with the decision, but lightens up when she hears that Syrio is going with them. Sansa on the other hand is destroyed, all her dreams taken away from her. The knights, tourneys, lemon pies and most of all, her glorious future as the queen.

This is quite a long chapter and again, the key element is easy to miss for someone storming through the book. I think I missed the first time I’ve read it. When girls argue about Joffrey, Sansa says that her prince is nothing like the king, to which Ned comments “Gods, out of the mouth of babes…” . The girl noticed what adults failed to see. This is what Jon Arryn found out, this is what he died for.

Tags: Sansa

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