Re-reading Song of Ice and Fire

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.

Chapter 22, Arya
Summary
Arya gets angry at Sansa at the dinner table and has run to her room. This is where Ned finds her. He discovers her sword, The Needle. Father explains to Arya that those are trying times and that she needs to be strong and show her best behavior. He also finds a way to keep her occupied. Ned hires Syrio Forel, who becomes Arya’s “dancing master”.

Quotes

“Arya, what did you think to do with this . . . Needle? Who did you hope to skewer? Your sister? Septa Mordane? Do you know the first thing about sword fighting?”
All she could think of was the lesson Jon had given her. “Stick them with the pointy end,” she blurted out.
Her father snorted back laughter. “That is the essence of it, I suppose.”

“Let me tell you something about wolves, child. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.”

“Now you will try to strike me…”
Arya tried to strike him. She tried for four hours, until every muscle in her body was sore and aching, while Syrio Forel clicked his teeth together and told her what to do.
The next day their real work began.

Commentary

This is one of my favorite chapters for one simple reason. Syrio is introduced. The Braavosi Master of Sword is the kind of character that gets your respect from the moment he appears. Immediately there is a bond between the “boy” and the teacher.

Syrio’s role in the book is short, however Martin manages to make him a memorable character, not just another face that you forget once you turn the page. You don’t get the feeling that this character was created just to be killed (even though that’s pretty much what happens).

Chapter 7, Arya
Summary
Sansa and Arya Stark are practicing stitches along with princess Myrcella and other girls. The topic of the conversation is the crown prince Joffrey. Sansa and her friend Jeyne are excited about him while Arya shares the opinion of Jon, that Joffrey looks like a girl. After an exchange of angry words Arya storms out of the room and seeks out Jon.

Jon and Arya are watching boys train swordplay under the eye of Ser Rodric Cassel. The fighters use wooden swords. Bran defeats prince Tommen. Next in line are Robb and Joffrey, however the crown prince doesn’t like the fact that he’s been treated like a kid and demands real weapons instead of wooden swords. Ser Rodric does not allow it, Joffrey makes fun of the “childish frolics” and leaves.

Quotes

Sansa could sew and dance and sing. She wrote poetry. She knew how to dress. She played the high harp and the bells. Worse, she was beautiful. Sansa had gotten their mother’s fine high cheekbones and the thick auburn hair of the Tullys. Arya took after their lord father.

Joffrey feigned a yawn and turned to his younger brother. “Come, Tommen,” he said. “The hour of play is done. Leave the children to their frolics.”

Commentary

More characters get introduced. We meet Stark girls, the noble, beautiful Sansa and angry Arya “horseface”. It’s clear that there is a rivalry and conflict between the sisters. Arya is jealous of Sansa, of her looks and skills. She feels much closer to her half brother Jon than to her sister, who clearly thinks of him as a lesser man.

The second beat in this chapter is swordplay training and introduction of two more characters key to the story. The Crown Prince Joffrey Baratheon and his personal guardian, his “dog”, Sandor Clegane. The scene with Joffrey stands in direct opposition to the one with Sansa, who is excited about being betrothed to him. Seeing the prince in action we’re starting to wonder if Ned is not making a mistake.