A Game of Thrones, 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.
Tags: Arya
