Re-reading Song of Ice and Fire

Chapter 9, Arya
Summary
Yoren leads the Night’s Watch recruits through side roads trying to stay away from the fighting and the Lannister men looking for them. Whey they make camp Arya sneaks out to make water and sees a pack of wolves.

Quotes

At one place, she spotted a man perched up in a dead tree, with a bow in his hand and a quiver hanging from the branch beside him. The moment he spied them, he notched an arrow to his bowstring, and never looked away until the last wagon was out of sight. All the while, Yoren cursed. “Him in his tree, let’s see how well he likes it up there when the Others come to take him. He’ll scream for the Watch then, that he will.”

Her belly clenched tight as she grabbed for Needle, not caring if she pissed herself, counting eyes, two four eight twelve, a whole pack… One of them came padding out from under the trees. He stared at her, and bared his teeth, and all she could think was how stupid she’d been and how Hot Pie would gloat when they found her half-eaten body the next morning. But the wolf turned and raced back into the darkness, and quick as that the eyes were gone.

Commentary

Very short chapter, a “breather” after the intensive Tyrion chapter.

The Night’s Watch recruits are moving closer to the teritory taken by war. The travelers are fewer and they are better armed. Where there’s war, laws and rules tend to dissolve. There is also less room for compassion and trust. Being the man of the Night’s Watch is not enough to get a warm meal anymore.

One interesting episode in this chapter is Arya’s encounter with the pack of wolves. We’ve been hearing about a pack led by a great bitch, the biggest wolf men have ever seen. That screams like Nymeria to anyone who sees it. Could it be that Arya came close with her lost direwolf in this chapter? There is no proof either way, but it’s certainly possible.

Chapter 5, Arya
Summary
Yoren and the Night’s Watch recruits reach an inn. Yoren decides to stay there for a meal and a bath. While they prepare for rest a group of gold cloaks reaches the inn. They have queen’s order to bring a boy back to King’s Landing. Arya thinks it’s her they are after and share’s it with Gendry. It turns out the gold cloaks are after Robert’s bastard. Yoren refuses to give Gendry up and threatens the soldiers. Gold cloaks leave but they promise to be back.

Quotes

“A boy has more courage than sense,” the one who had named himself Jaqen H’ghar observed.

“You’ll have no one,” Yoren said stubbornly. “There’s laws on such things.”
The gold cloak drew a shortsword. “Here’s your law.”
Yoren looked at the blade. “That’s no law, just a sword. Happens I got one too.”

“Don’t see why no one wants neither o’ you,” Yoren said, “but they can’t have you regardless. You ride them two coursers. First sight of a gold cloak, make for the Wall like a dragon’s on your tail. The rest o’ us don’t mean spit to them.”
“Except for you,” Arya pointed out. “That man said he’d take your head too.”
“Well, as to that,” Yoren said, “if he can get it off my shoulders, he’s welcome to it.”

Commentary

The recruits slowly move towards the lands ruled by fire and sword. Although Yoren is confident that the fact that Night’s Watch does not take part in realm wars will guarantee them safe passage other travellers are not so certain.

The journey does not become any safer when Yoren decides to stand up to gold cloaks sent by the queen after Robert’s bastard. Cersei, knowing that the truth about her offspring may see the light of the day wants to make sure that whoever comes out with the news does not have Robert’s heir with him. Each bastard Robert fathered in theory has the claim to the throne as the King didn’t have any legitimate children. Cersei should be more concerned with Stannis and Renly, who have a stronger claim, but lacking the power to reach them she chooses to go after the easy prey - children.

As for Arya, she makes a mistake assuming she’s the only one queen would have interest in. When the gold cloaks show up she reveals to Gendry that she’s the one they are after peaking his interest. Is this a beginning of a romantic relationship between the two outlaws? Maybe Robert’s son will wed Ned’s daughter after all…

There is one more thing worth mentioning in this chapter. The character of Jaqen H’ghar. He’s introduced as dangerous criminal travelling in a cage with two other men, however he claims that it is not the company he chose for himself. He doesn’t sound like a criminal that needs to be locked in chains. His true identity (if you can call it that…) will be revealed later on as will be his role in Arya’s life.

On the side note kudos to Yoren for standing up to the gold cloaks!

Chapter 1, Arya
Summary
Arya is travelling King’s Road with Yoren and the Night’s Watch recruits. When one of the boys (Hot Pie) tries to take the Needle from her she gives him a heavy beating. Yoren stops her and takes her into the forest to punish her. He tells her that Ned was supposed to join them on the Wall, but Joffrey ordered him killed.

Quotes

Yoren had plucked some from the streets with promises of food for their bellies and shoes for their feet. The rest he’d found in chains. “The Watch needs good men,” he told them as they set out, “but you lot will have to do.”

Yoren was looking at her. “You hurt?”
Calm as still water, she told herself, the way Syrio Forel had taught her. “Some.”
He spat. “That pie boy’s hurting worse. It wasn’t him as killed your father, girl, nor that thieving Lommy neither. Hitting them won’t bring him back.”
“I know,” Arya muttered sullenly.

Commentary

Arya is still in shock after seeing her father executed, but unlike Sansa she’s not suppressing her anger with the world’s injustice. She takes it out on the first boy that crosses her. The bloody beating she’s giving him is only a way of releasing her feelings. Yoren knows this and reminds her that it’s not the Hot Pie that killed her father.

Arya starts on a very dangerous path that may eventually lead her to dark places. In the words of Master Yoda: “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” Arya is moving from fear to anger and will soon be on her way to suffering, to hurting people.

Chapter 65, Arya
Summary
Arya survives on her own in Kings Landing. She avoids the trap Lannisters set for her aboard Wind Witch. She hears the bells ringing and learns that it’s the Hand of the King brought to the Great Sept to receive King’s justice. Joffrey does not allow Eddard to take the black and orders his head taken. Arya tries to push through the crowd to stop the execution, but she’s stopped by Yoren.

Quotes

“My mother bids me let Lord Eddard take the black, and Lady Sansa has begged mercy for her father.” He looked straight at Sansa then, and smiled, and for a moment Arya thought that the gods had heard her prayer, until Joffrey turned back to the crowd and said, “But they have the soft hearts of women. So long as I am your king, treason shall never go unpunished. Ser Ilyn, bring me his head!”

Ser Ilyn drew a two-handed greatsword from the scabbard on his back. As he lifted the blade above his head, sunlight seemed to ripple and dance down the dark metal, glinting off an edge sharper than any razor. Ice, she thought, he has Ice! Her tears streamed down her face, blinding her.

Commentary

Martin doesn’t give reader time to shake off the horrors of the previous chapter. In this one we’re facing another tragedy, which is almost unbelievable for the first time readers. How often do you see your leading character killed in the first book of the series?

I think that one of the reasons for the success of Song of Ice and Fire is the great amount of feelings the books raise in readers. I’m sure that some people are turned down by the cruelty, that they are not able to cope with the death of their favorite characters, that they think that it’s not worth it, that there are other books out there that don’t make them so sad. But the people who stay with the books, stay for good. They live the story, they fear for the lives of the characters, they feel their love and pain.

I was on the verge of joining the first group. After finishing A Game of Thrones I thought that this is the last time I’m looking at the book by GRRM. A week passed. And another. I kept thinking about the book, about the characters still alive, about the fate of the realm, about the dragons… and by the third week, I reached for the second book.

And now, look at me. I’m re-reading the series for n-th time and writing this blog.

I think that I derailed the commentary a bit. Back to the topic: Ned’s death was a clear sign that the new king is more dangerous than even his family expected. In this one stupid move he made Robb the leader of all Houses in the North and Riverlands, ensured that they will not settle for peace and took the only real coin his family could bargain for life of Jaime Lannister. Joffrey adapted his “father’s” method of ruling: “This is how it’s going to be, because I say so!” but even in his craziest hour Robert wasn’t that stupid.

The fact remains, Ned died and died for nothing.

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.