What just happened? The downfall of Cersei happened. In retrospect that seemed inevitable. She took over from the very able Tywin, but didn't take anyone's advice, and ignored too many warnings and made too many mistakes. She tried Tryion and Littlefinger-style manipulation and it all backfired. Ultimately it looks like she is a pawn and not a player. I'm not yet sure what it means for the other Lannisters. Will Jaime and Kevan be able to sort things out?
Sam travelled to Oldtown, briefly meeting Arya along the way. Presumably now he'll study to be a maester and return to the wall.
Arya is having adventures in Braavos. I'm not sure what will happen to her now she has killed Dareon. She'll either advance to the next stage of assassin training, to return later to effect a major plot twist, or else be booted out of the cult and go on to have further adventures.
The Ironmen are trying to woo Dany to their cause of overthrowing Westeros. They are also threatening Oldtown.
The Mage is trying to get Dany to, do what, exactly? Fullfill her part in a prophecy to save the universe?
The Dornish are trying to woo Dany to their cause of wiping out the Lannisters.
The Tyrells are trying to save themselves from the Ironmen and secure their daughter's place beside Tommen. That's all looking pretty precarious.
Petyr is trying to win the Eyrie and Winterfell, though with the coming of Dany / Monsters from the North, all this seems a bit of a sideshow, for all his clever scheming.
Stannis has lost a castle but possibly gained some ships. I'm not sure what else he has been up to on the wall. Keeping the realm safe from monsters, presumably, but the realm seems mostly unaware of it for now.
Brienne went looking for Sansa and found Catelyn, who is about to hang her.
The Great Septon is raising an army, and will probably try to overthrow the Lannisters.
Lancel is off to join the Great Septon's army, but it occurs to me he feels guilty about the whole business with Cersei. Might he rescue her?
Meanwhile we know very little about the North. A lot of the North was held by Ironmen but they are distracted elsewhere now. Roose Bolton is out there doing things; helping or hindering Lannisters, I forget which. Who knows what is happening at the wall and beyond it, with Bran and Coldhands. We also don't know what Tyrion is up to. We still don't know what Rickon Stark is doing. Mance Rayder won't have been idle.
Lots of people are "presumed" dead, but probably will turn up later: Brienne, Loras, The Original Hound, GREGOR, Davos, Theon, Benjen Stark (remember him?).
And Dany is in Meereen, ready to take over Westeros, reunite the kingdoms, end slavery, thwart the monsters beyond the wall, and bring back the age of dragons. Any day now!
Tuesday 28 May 2019
AFfC 45: Samwell 762
Sam and Gilly make it to Oldtown, despite Ironmen attempting to attack their ship. Everyone is surprised that Ironmen are so close to Oldtown and Sam is very worried about the security of the realm. An Oldtown captain is not at all happy about Cersei keeping the Redwyne fleet tied up at Storm's End (or is it Dragonstone?)
Sam plans to visit Archmeisters in Oldtown then take Gilly to his family home Horn Hill, assuming he thinks it is secure enough with his dad in Maidenpool.
Sam goes to the Citadel, which is the university for maesters. He wants to give all his information to the Seneschal, who is presumably in charge of the Citadel, but instead is intercepted by Alleras the Sphinx, an acolyte, which is at least one rank above a novice in the maester hierarchy, I think. Sphinx is an interesting name because Maester Aemon talked about sphinxes before he died. Alleras takes Sam to see the Mage, who it turns out is behind this interception of Sam from the beginning, because he saw Sam's coming in a dragonglass candle. Having heard all of Sam's story about wights and Coldhands (remember the freaky guy Bran has gone off with?), and about Dany being the prophesied saviour of the universe, the Mage sets off immediately to go and see Dany before anyone else gets to her.
The Mage seems to think that the other Maesters don't like all this magic and scorcery and will kill people who talk about it too much. It does seem as if there is a theme here about the end of magic in the world, but unlike with Tolkien's Middle Earth where the fading of magic is inevitable, here magic is attempting to make a bit of a comeback. Certainly it seems as if the Valyrians, before the Doom of Valyria, had powerful magic including the Internet of Candles. That magic and dragons were then lost. And now we know dragons are back along with assassin shadows, wargs and wights. Maybe it's a cycle, somehow involving comets or winters. But it does make me wonder if the maesters, far from believing that magic is all a load of nonsense, are in fact trying to bring about the end of magic. Or in general have an agenda beyond just being good doctors and scientists.
And what's this? The Mage's apprentice is Pate? And Pate is kind of pasty looking? Wasn't he killed in the prologue? Let me see... Yes. He stole something from the Mage for the Alchemist and then got killed by the Alchemist. Did the Mage bring him back to life Beric-style? Or is it something weirder? Is the Alchemist warg-mind-controlling Pate's reanimated corpse now, to get at the Mage? Sam has taken a disliking to Pate: that must mean something.
But can Sam really trust the Mage and the Sphynx? He's been told not to tell the other Archmeisters his story. But maybe the Mage is just trying to keep things hidden for his own benefit.
It's all getting a bit complicated.
Sam plans to visit Archmeisters in Oldtown then take Gilly to his family home Horn Hill, assuming he thinks it is secure enough with his dad in Maidenpool.
Sam goes to the Citadel, which is the university for maesters. He wants to give all his information to the Seneschal, who is presumably in charge of the Citadel, but instead is intercepted by Alleras the Sphinx, an acolyte, which is at least one rank above a novice in the maester hierarchy, I think. Sphinx is an interesting name because Maester Aemon talked about sphinxes before he died. Alleras takes Sam to see the Mage, who it turns out is behind this interception of Sam from the beginning, because he saw Sam's coming in a dragonglass candle. Having heard all of Sam's story about wights and Coldhands (remember the freaky guy Bran has gone off with?), and about Dany being the prophesied saviour of the universe, the Mage sets off immediately to go and see Dany before anyone else gets to her.
The Mage seems to think that the other Maesters don't like all this magic and scorcery and will kill people who talk about it too much. It does seem as if there is a theme here about the end of magic in the world, but unlike with Tolkien's Middle Earth where the fading of magic is inevitable, here magic is attempting to make a bit of a comeback. Certainly it seems as if the Valyrians, before the Doom of Valyria, had powerful magic including the Internet of Candles. That magic and dragons were then lost. And now we know dragons are back along with assassin shadows, wargs and wights. Maybe it's a cycle, somehow involving comets or winters. But it does make me wonder if the maesters, far from believing that magic is all a load of nonsense, are in fact trying to bring about the end of magic. Or in general have an agenda beyond just being good doctors and scientists.
And what's this? The Mage's apprentice is Pate? And Pate is kind of pasty looking? Wasn't he killed in the prologue? Let me see... Yes. He stole something from the Mage for the Alchemist and then got killed by the Alchemist. Did the Mage bring him back to life Beric-style? Or is it something weirder? Is the Alchemist warg-mind-controlling Pate's reanimated corpse now, to get at the Mage? Sam has taken a disliking to Pate: that must mean something.
But can Sam really trust the Mage and the Sphynx? He's been told not to tell the other Archmeisters his story. But maybe the Mage is just trying to keep things hidden for his own benefit.
It's all getting a bit complicated.
Monday 27 May 2019
AFfC 44: Jaime 746
Riverrun is taken. The former castellan Blackfish Tully has escaped by swimming under a submerged portcullis. He is highly likely to cause trouble in future, so Jaime wants to find him. Jaime is letting the Tully garrison go free, because that is what he promised Edmure. Jaime's aunt Genna thinks this is a mistake and Jaime to chivalrous. Jaime thinks he can't be all that chivalrous since he won the castle by threatening to hurl Edmure's baby away with a trebuchet. But win the castle he did, and with no bloodshed, so I think he has done the right thing here. Some of the garrison want to join the Watch, seeing as they think they won't make it as hedge knights. Jaime gets Raff the Sweetling to escort those ones to Maidenpool, where presumably Lord Tarly can make sure they get ships north to the wall.
Edmure reminisces about playing with wooden blocks with Littlefinger in the Riverrun solar as a child. It must be a real bummer losing the family home like that. You can see why Emmon Frey is worried that keeping it will be difficult.
There has been some arrangement between Tywin Lannister and the Westerlings. I'm not quite sure what it is, but Jeyne's mother is in on it, and seemingly it involved abortion of Robb Stark's baby. Jeyne is still grieving for Robb and the baby, but her mother has no time for all that. She needs Jaime to help arrange a new marriage to an appropriately Lannister-friendly lord's heir. I get a vague sense that Jeyne's mother was in on the Red Wedding somehow, too. Edmure and the Westerlings are now headed for the protection of the Lannister family castle, Casterly Rock.
The drunken Ser Ryman Frey, whom Jaime booted out of the camp, has been killed by Beric's outlaws. His sons are suspicious that the outlaws knew just where to find his party and how strong it would be. It turns out that the singer from Ryman's pavillion, whom Jaime had sing the Rains of Castamere to Edmure to torment him in the previous Jaime chapter, is none other that Tom o' Sevens, friend of Lem Lemoncloak. So clearly he is the spy. He is planning to stay at Riverrun for the winter. Beric's (or is it now Catelyn's) outlaws will cause a lot more trouble yet, I think. Tom also mentions another singer, Wat, who went off to King's Landing. It was Wat who Catelyn tortured into lying about Margaery.
Jaime orders the Freys to give all the Red Wedding captives to Tommen. I suspect he sees the need to start making peace with more factions, and hostages to trade will help. Not among the captives is Jeyne's brother Reynald Westerling, who was loyal to Robb until the end and is now only presumed dead, so perhaps we will see more from him later.
Ser Dermont is out looking for Blackfish but only get trouble from wolves. Jaime wonders if Arya's direwolf is still at large.
Now that Dragonstone has fallen, Jaime expects Storm's End will next. He does not know all the ways things are looking better for Stannis now that Cersei is imprisoned. He does hope that he can somehow make things better for Tommen by getting rid of Cersei and her cronies and installing Kevan Lannister as hand. Little does he know Kevan has already been summoned.
Jaime's mother visits him in a dream. She seems to know about Cersei because she cries when Jaime says he is a knight and Cersei a queen, just as Tywin wished for. He awakes and it is snowing. This is pretty bad because everyone has been so busy with war that they have not stockpiled enough food, and now there is unlikely to be another harvest. It makes me wonder what the growing seasons are like on this planet. If the winters and summers are years long, how often are the harvests? Anyway, I don't see things going well for any but the most powerful lords when half the continent is starving. This winter is going to be grim even without monsters from beyond the wall.
Finally Jaime gets Cersei's letter begging for help. He burns it and does not answer her. It seems like he will ignore her plight. It's certainly a convenient way to get rid of her.
Edmure reminisces about playing with wooden blocks with Littlefinger in the Riverrun solar as a child. It must be a real bummer losing the family home like that. You can see why Emmon Frey is worried that keeping it will be difficult.
There has been some arrangement between Tywin Lannister and the Westerlings. I'm not quite sure what it is, but Jeyne's mother is in on it, and seemingly it involved abortion of Robb Stark's baby. Jeyne is still grieving for Robb and the baby, but her mother has no time for all that. She needs Jaime to help arrange a new marriage to an appropriately Lannister-friendly lord's heir. I get a vague sense that Jeyne's mother was in on the Red Wedding somehow, too. Edmure and the Westerlings are now headed for the protection of the Lannister family castle, Casterly Rock.
The drunken Ser Ryman Frey, whom Jaime booted out of the camp, has been killed by Beric's outlaws. His sons are suspicious that the outlaws knew just where to find his party and how strong it would be. It turns out that the singer from Ryman's pavillion, whom Jaime had sing the Rains of Castamere to Edmure to torment him in the previous Jaime chapter, is none other that Tom o' Sevens, friend of Lem Lemoncloak. So clearly he is the spy. He is planning to stay at Riverrun for the winter. Beric's (or is it now Catelyn's) outlaws will cause a lot more trouble yet, I think. Tom also mentions another singer, Wat, who went off to King's Landing. It was Wat who Catelyn tortured into lying about Margaery.
Jaime orders the Freys to give all the Red Wedding captives to Tommen. I suspect he sees the need to start making peace with more factions, and hostages to trade will help. Not among the captives is Jeyne's brother Reynald Westerling, who was loyal to Robb until the end and is now only presumed dead, so perhaps we will see more from him later.
Ser Dermont is out looking for Blackfish but only get trouble from wolves. Jaime wonders if Arya's direwolf is still at large.
Now that Dragonstone has fallen, Jaime expects Storm's End will next. He does not know all the ways things are looking better for Stannis now that Cersei is imprisoned. He does hope that he can somehow make things better for Tommen by getting rid of Cersei and her cronies and installing Kevan Lannister as hand. Little does he know Kevan has already been summoned.
Jaime's mother visits him in a dream. She seems to know about Cersei because she cries when Jaime says he is a knight and Cersei a queen, just as Tywin wished for. He awakes and it is snowing. This is pretty bad because everyone has been so busy with war that they have not stockpiled enough food, and now there is unlikely to be another harvest. It makes me wonder what the growing seasons are like on this planet. If the winters and summers are years long, how often are the harvests? Anyway, I don't see things going well for any but the most powerful lords when half the continent is starving. This winter is going to be grim even without monsters from beyond the wall.
Finally Jaime gets Cersei's letter begging for help. He burns it and does not answer her. It seems like he will ignore her plight. It's certainly a convenient way to get rid of her.
Sunday 26 May 2019
AFfC 43: Cersei 728
Well, that escalated quickly. The High Septon has arrested Margaery after whichever Kettleblack it was "confessed" to rumpy-pumpy with her. Cersei has the Gold Cloaks arrest a bunch of other people who are implicated. She arranges things so that Margaery will either be tried by the Faith or else be defended in trial by combat by Kingsguard Ser Boros Blount whom her Kettleblack can beat. She's pretty pleased with herself for thwarting the prophecy that a younger queen would replace her (even though it's obviously predicting Dany, not Margaery).
There are snags, though. For a start, Cersei realises she did not consider the reaction of the smallfolk, who love Margeary, which is a fairly amateur miscalculation. She's a bit surprised when Margaery herself figures the whole thing out and calles her a vile, scheming, evil bitch, an epitaph worthy of an Eastenders villainess. Neither does she anticipate the fervour of the Septon. Instead of just believing Kettleblack and letting him go (so Cersei can send him to the wall to kill Jon before giving him a Lordship), he whips him until he blabs about not only this whole scheme to set up Margaery, but also the one where Cersei had him assassinate the previous High Septon (for knowing about her and Jaime). And now Cersei is locked up in the Sept just like Margaery. It's hard not to laugh. She's facing trial now, too. And since she has established that only a Kingsguard champion can defend a queen, she can't even deploy whatever Frankenstein's monster Qyburn has been cooking up for her (with the over-sized armour; is it a resurrected GREGOR?)
Now she's relying on Jaime. Maybe he can fight better with his left hand by now, or maybe he can recruit someone quickly into the Kingsguard (after all, there is a vacancy since one of them died in Dorne and I don't think Cersei knows that yet).
But there are already other socio-political consequences of Cersei's arrest:
There are snags, though. For a start, Cersei realises she did not consider the reaction of the smallfolk, who love Margeary, which is a fairly amateur miscalculation. She's a bit surprised when Margaery herself figures the whole thing out and calles her a vile, scheming, evil bitch, an epitaph worthy of an Eastenders villainess. Neither does she anticipate the fervour of the Septon. Instead of just believing Kettleblack and letting him go (so Cersei can send him to the wall to kill Jon before giving him a Lordship), he whips him until he blabs about not only this whole scheme to set up Margaery, but also the one where Cersei had him assassinate the previous High Septon (for knowing about her and Jaime). And now Cersei is locked up in the Sept just like Margaery. It's hard not to laugh. She's facing trial now, too. And since she has established that only a Kingsguard champion can defend a queen, she can't even deploy whatever Frankenstein's monster Qyburn has been cooking up for her (with the over-sized armour; is it a resurrected GREGOR?)
Now she's relying on Jaime. Maybe he can fight better with his left hand by now, or maybe he can recruit someone quickly into the Kingsguard (after all, there is a vacancy since one of them died in Dorne and I don't think Cersei knows that yet).
But there are already other socio-political consequences of Cersei's arrest:
- The other Kettleblack no longer commands the city watch, reducing Cersei's influence there.
- Qyburn is dismissed from the council, reducing Cersei's influence there.
- Ser Harys Swyft and Grand Maester Pycelle are in charge of which documents Tommen attaches his royal seal to.
- They have asked Kevan Lannister to come and rule.
- Mace Tyrell has stopped besieging Storm's End (good news for Stannis).
- Lord Waters, in charge of the navy against Jaime's advice, has taken all the ships, probably to join Stannis (good news for Stannis).
- Taena Merryweather (whom I'm pretty sure Cersei should not have been trusting so much) has disappeared back home with her husband.
Saturday 25 May 2019
AFfC 42: Brienne 712
At first I was, like, "yay! Brienne is still alive!" But now I'm all, "hey, GRRM, stop trying to kill Brienne all the time!" This is the second Brienne chapter in a row where she's left ambiguously-probably dead at the end.
It turns out Biter's sword-like tongue was actually a sword, or at least Gendry's spear, which is, duh, obvious now. And it's good that Gendry finally joined the fight. But now Brienne has been captured by Beric's men, and the trouble with that is they are really Catelyn's men, since it seems like Beric probably died bringing her back to life. He ought to have known, I think Thoros was warning him about his draining life-force last time we read about him, right before Arya escaped into the clutches of the Hound.
Oh, Lem Lemoncloak is now the new Hound, since he has the helmet now, having taken it from Rorge, who was wearing it when he massacred Saltpans. And of course Biter was at Saltpans; that should have been obvious from the descriptions of some of the atrocities there.
Anyway Brienne's reunion with Catelyn was not the happy affair I might have hoped for. It turns out Catelyn thinks Brienne is now on the Lannister's side, and I can see how it looks like that. She's talking about Jaime in her sleep, has his sword and his letter and Tyrion's squire, and Catelyn is supposed to believe Jaime really does have Sansa's best interests at heart? Even I am doubting that, now.
But they can't all just be hung, can they? Brienne screams a word. What word could save her?
It turns out Biter's sword-like tongue was actually a sword, or at least Gendry's spear, which is, duh, obvious now. And it's good that Gendry finally joined the fight. But now Brienne has been captured by Beric's men, and the trouble with that is they are really Catelyn's men, since it seems like Beric probably died bringing her back to life. He ought to have known, I think Thoros was warning him about his draining life-force last time we read about him, right before Arya escaped into the clutches of the Hound.
Oh, Lem Lemoncloak is now the new Hound, since he has the helmet now, having taken it from Rorge, who was wearing it when he massacred Saltpans. And of course Biter was at Saltpans; that should have been obvious from the descriptions of some of the atrocities there.
Anyway Brienne's reunion with Catelyn was not the happy affair I might have hoped for. It turns out Catelyn thinks Brienne is now on the Lannister's side, and I can see how it looks like that. She's talking about Jaime in her sleep, has his sword and his letter and Tyrion's squire, and Catelyn is supposed to believe Jaime really does have Sansa's best interests at heart? Even I am doubting that, now.
But they can't all just be hung, can they? Brienne screams a word. What word could save her?
Friday 24 May 2019
AFfC 41: Alayne 686
The Eyrie is being closed for the winter. Suddenly its impregnability does not seem like such a guarantee of safety. In the winter, and presumably during even a small siege, nothing can be brought up to it so its occupants will starve. Sansa has to coax the awful Robert out of bed. I want to hate him but he seemed to get more sympathetic towards the end of the chapter. I admire Sansa's patience, nonetheless.
On the way down the mountain she meets the amusing but dangerous Lady "call me Randa" Myranda Royce. Between gossip she shares the news that Riverrun (held by Sansa's uncle) has yielded but Dragonstone and Storm's End (Stannis') still hold. We know better about Dragonstone, but I am not sure whether Jaime really did win Riverrun first or whether the news just arrives to places like the Eyrie in the wrong order. Myranda also tells that Jon Snow is now commander of the Night's Watch. Sansa wishes she could see him but knows it will never be, so certain is she that she will be Alayne forever.
Myranda apparently had an affair with Marillion, and is a bit sorry about it since he turned out to be murderer. Except that Sansa knows he was not, and this is exactly the sort of secret that I suspect Myranda will be very good at extracting. Once again Sansa seems naive in comparison.
Petyr turns up with news that Sansa will be betrothed to Harrold "Harry the Heir" Hardyng, described by Myranda as Lady Waynwood's ward. Myranda wanted to marry him but Waynwood wouldn't have it, but now she thinks herself lucky considering he already has a bastard, and Petyr knows of a second bastard. It turns out that, via some complicated family connections, he is the heir of Little Lord Robert, who will probably die at some point. Petyr is hoping for Tyrion to die, Sansa to marry Harry, then reveal herself as Sansa and claim both the Eyrie and Winterfell. Quite where this leaves Petyr himself I'm not entirely sure, except that I am sure he would do well out of it somehow. One slight problem is that Cersei's inevitable downfall is happening faster than Petyr had planned, so he has to work fast.
On the way down the mountain she meets the amusing but dangerous Lady "call me Randa" Myranda Royce. Between gossip she shares the news that Riverrun (held by Sansa's uncle) has yielded but Dragonstone and Storm's End (Stannis') still hold. We know better about Dragonstone, but I am not sure whether Jaime really did win Riverrun first or whether the news just arrives to places like the Eyrie in the wrong order. Myranda also tells that Jon Snow is now commander of the Night's Watch. Sansa wishes she could see him but knows it will never be, so certain is she that she will be Alayne forever.
Myranda apparently had an affair with Marillion, and is a bit sorry about it since he turned out to be murderer. Except that Sansa knows he was not, and this is exactly the sort of secret that I suspect Myranda will be very good at extracting. Once again Sansa seems naive in comparison.
Petyr turns up with news that Sansa will be betrothed to Harrold "Harry the Heir" Hardyng, described by Myranda as Lady Waynwood's ward. Myranda wanted to marry him but Waynwood wouldn't have it, but now she thinks herself lucky considering he already has a bastard, and Petyr knows of a second bastard. It turns out that, via some complicated family connections, he is the heir of Little Lord Robert, who will probably die at some point. Petyr is hoping for Tyrion to die, Sansa to marry Harry, then reveal herself as Sansa and claim both the Eyrie and Winterfell. Quite where this leaves Petyr himself I'm not entirely sure, except that I am sure he would do well out of it somehow. One slight problem is that Cersei's inevitable downfall is happening faster than Petyr had planned, so he has to work fast.
Thursday 23 May 2019
AFfC 40: The Princess in the Tower 665
Oh this is good.
Arianne was last seen trying to cross a river with Myrcella and her conspirators. Captain Aero Hotah captured them. Kingsguard Ser Arys Oakheart threw himself at Hotah's axe and died, presumably to save Arianne whom he loved since she seduced him into helping her. In the confusion, the mysterious Darkstar tried to kill Myrcella, which he thought would bring on war with the Lannisters more quickly. Her horse moved away just in time, saving her life, but she lost an ear and her face will be scarred.
Arianne is locked in a tower for several days or weeks. She broods about the uselessness and cruelty of her father, Doran Martell. He's the typical awful father that important lords make, having to be more concerned about the security of the realm than the happiness of their daughters. He tried to marry her to a succession of awful old men. He kept her coddled and out of state affairs. She was the rightful heir to the throne of Dorne but she spied a letter to her brother Quentyn promising him the kingdom instead of Arianne. Even now Quentyn is across the narrow sea hiring The Golden Company so he can take Dorne from her.
Except that almost none of that is true. Doran Martell is not the meek and useless man everyone thinks he is. He's playing a longer game, is all. Ever since the Lannisters killed his sister Elia and her children, he has been plotting revenge by marrying his family with the remaining Targaryens. The letter was to Viserys. He would marry Arianne to him and Viserys would, through her, inherit Dorne. He didn't tell Arianne about it because she is a blabbermouth, and the parade of old men was deliberate: he had to make it look like he was trying to marry her off but knew she would refuse them. Drogo put paid to that plan when he poured gold over Viserys' head all the way back in book one. So now Quentyn is off trying to find Dany and marry her, and bring her and her dragons back to finish off the Lannisters. I'm even wondering if he had something to do with Dany getting those dragon eggs.
The trouble now is that Arianne's foolishness means that when Kingsguard Ser Balon Swann turns up with GREGOR's head, he's going to find out what happened to Myrcella and war with the Lannisters might come too soon.
Arianne was last seen trying to cross a river with Myrcella and her conspirators. Captain Aero Hotah captured them. Kingsguard Ser Arys Oakheart threw himself at Hotah's axe and died, presumably to save Arianne whom he loved since she seduced him into helping her. In the confusion, the mysterious Darkstar tried to kill Myrcella, which he thought would bring on war with the Lannisters more quickly. Her horse moved away just in time, saving her life, but she lost an ear and her face will be scarred.
Arianne is locked in a tower for several days or weeks. She broods about the uselessness and cruelty of her father, Doran Martell. He's the typical awful father that important lords make, having to be more concerned about the security of the realm than the happiness of their daughters. He tried to marry her to a succession of awful old men. He kept her coddled and out of state affairs. She was the rightful heir to the throne of Dorne but she spied a letter to her brother Quentyn promising him the kingdom instead of Arianne. Even now Quentyn is across the narrow sea hiring The Golden Company so he can take Dorne from her.
Except that almost none of that is true. Doran Martell is not the meek and useless man everyone thinks he is. He's playing a longer game, is all. Ever since the Lannisters killed his sister Elia and her children, he has been plotting revenge by marrying his family with the remaining Targaryens. The letter was to Viserys. He would marry Arianne to him and Viserys would, through her, inherit Dorne. He didn't tell Arianne about it because she is a blabbermouth, and the parade of old men was deliberate: he had to make it look like he was trying to marry her off but knew she would refuse them. Drogo put paid to that plan when he poured gold over Viserys' head all the way back in book one. So now Quentyn is off trying to find Dany and marry her, and bring her and her dragons back to finish off the Lannisters. I'm even wondering if he had something to do with Dany getting those dragon eggs.
The trouble now is that Arianne's foolishness means that when Kingsguard Ser Balon Swann turns up with GREGOR's head, he's going to find out what happened to Myrcella and war with the Lannisters might come too soon.
Wednesday 22 May 2019
AFfC 39: Cersei 650
The master of coin Lord Gyles is dead and Cersei is not happy about it, and blames Maester Pycelle. She gets Pycelle to tell her that he has been giving Margaery Moon Tea, which is a bit like the morning after pill and thus this is evidence that she has been treasonously having sex with her courtiers. Cersei, with Taena's help (and I'm not sure she should really be trusting Taena so much since it was not that long ago that Taena was spying on Cersei for Margaery) cooks up a complicated plot to prove that Margaery and her cousins are all having orgies all the time so that even Lord Tyrell won't be able to complain when his daughter is beheaded.
I thought this was all going to come about more easily a couple of Cersei chapters ago when Cersei was trying to get one of the Kettleblacks to seduce Margaery. I guess this proved too difficult. I strongly suspect that Margaery is not having orgies at all and the moon tea is for something else. Or else Pycelle is lying.
Qyburn and Cersei torture Margaery's singer Wat the Blue Bard into confessing what they need him to confess and giving them a list of names of people involved in the sex parties. It's all a bit vague how much of this Cersei believes and how much she knows she is faking it all just to get rid of Margaery. I'm not sure even Cersei knows. Nobody likes to think of themselves as the baddie so they will believe whatever fiction is necessary to think themselves good.
Cersei thinks this is all going to work and that Maggy's prophecies will be thwarted. She dreams about being locked up in the dungeon and Tyrion saying that all her children would be crowned and she would see them die. I think this was another part of the prophecy. She tells Taena also that she thinks Tyrion is meant to kill her.
Cersei tells Osney Kettleblack to go and see the new Great Septon and confess that he has been indulging in obscenities with the young queen. She says his punishment will be to go to the wall, where, if I remember rightly, he is to kill Jon Snow. He says he'll do it if she lets him commit obscenities with her, you know, just so he won't totally be lying to the Septon. Cersei goes along with it, because that's how she rolls.
Things are not looking good for Margaery, but I can see about a million ways this scheme can go wrong. Cersei has to trust quite a lot of untrustworthy people. The Tyrells themselves have successfully done quite a lot of skullduggery to get Maergery into this position. They must have felt somewhat secure in leaving her at King's Landing with only young cousins and Cersei. Don't they have any insurance policies?
I thought this was all going to come about more easily a couple of Cersei chapters ago when Cersei was trying to get one of the Kettleblacks to seduce Margaery. I guess this proved too difficult. I strongly suspect that Margaery is not having orgies at all and the moon tea is for something else. Or else Pycelle is lying.
Qyburn and Cersei torture Margaery's singer Wat the Blue Bard into confessing what they need him to confess and giving them a list of names of people involved in the sex parties. It's all a bit vague how much of this Cersei believes and how much she knows she is faking it all just to get rid of Margaery. I'm not sure even Cersei knows. Nobody likes to think of themselves as the baddie so they will believe whatever fiction is necessary to think themselves good.
Cersei thinks this is all going to work and that Maggy's prophecies will be thwarted. She dreams about being locked up in the dungeon and Tyrion saying that all her children would be crowned and she would see them die. I think this was another part of the prophecy. She tells Taena also that she thinks Tyrion is meant to kill her.
Cersei tells Osney Kettleblack to go and see the new Great Septon and confess that he has been indulging in obscenities with the young queen. She says his punishment will be to go to the wall, where, if I remember rightly, he is to kill Jon Snow. He says he'll do it if she lets him commit obscenities with her, you know, just so he won't totally be lying to the Septon. Cersei goes along with it, because that's how she rolls.
Things are not looking good for Margaery, but I can see about a million ways this scheme can go wrong. Cersei has to trust quite a lot of untrustworthy people. The Tyrells themselves have successfully done quite a lot of skullduggery to get Maergery into this position. They must have felt somewhat secure in leaving her at King's Landing with only young cousins and Cersei. Don't they have any insurance policies?
Tuesday 21 May 2019
AFfC 38: Jaime 635
Jaime is brutally awesome in this chapter. First he goes to see Brynden Blackfish Tully, who is unmoved by the threat to Edmure on the gallows and will not take Jaime's word for anything on account of the whole Kingslayer oath-breaking reputation. He knows his situation is desperate but is prepared to die rather than yield.
Jaime then calls a council of his men to decide the best way to attack the castle. There's an interesting idea about feigning an attack in order to put an arrow in Brynden but this is seen as dishonorable and an argument breaks out between Freys and another lord whose son is held hostage by Freys, and the whole thing is a bit of a shambles.
So Jaime outmaneuvers everyone. He takes Ilyn Payne to see Edmure on the gallows and we think he is going to chop off his head. But the drunken Ryman Frey comes to object. Jaime dismisses Ryman and releases Edmure. And he makes a clever bargain: I'll let you back into Riverrun where you outrank Brynden. Then you can yield the castle since he won't. This works because Edmure has so much to lose. He has a wife and a child on the way. He could live at Casterley Rock as a hostage in comfort and his child could become a squire and his immediate family will be well cared for. Or he could try to keep the castle but Jaime will ultimately win it at great cost and destroy everything Edmure lost. He has to make terrible threats because that way Edmure will have no choice but to acquiesce.
In any logical universe this ploy should work. But GRRM has a way of making surprises, so we will see.
By the way, at one point an un-named someone calls after Jaime as he makes his way through the Frey camp and he ignores it. I wonder if we will see events from that person's perspective in the next book.
Jaime then calls a council of his men to decide the best way to attack the castle. There's an interesting idea about feigning an attack in order to put an arrow in Brynden but this is seen as dishonorable and an argument breaks out between Freys and another lord whose son is held hostage by Freys, and the whole thing is a bit of a shambles.
So Jaime outmaneuvers everyone. He takes Ilyn Payne to see Edmure on the gallows and we think he is going to chop off his head. But the drunken Ryman Frey comes to object. Jaime dismisses Ryman and releases Edmure. And he makes a clever bargain: I'll let you back into Riverrun where you outrank Brynden. Then you can yield the castle since he won't. This works because Edmure has so much to lose. He has a wife and a child on the way. He could live at Casterley Rock as a hostage in comfort and his child could become a squire and his immediate family will be well cared for. Or he could try to keep the castle but Jaime will ultimately win it at great cost and destroy everything Edmure lost. He has to make terrible threats because that way Edmure will have no choice but to acquiesce.
In any logical universe this ploy should work. But GRRM has a way of making surprises, so we will see.
By the way, at one point an un-named someone calls after Jaime as he makes his way through the Frey camp and he ignores it. I wonder if we will see events from that person's perspective in the next book.
Monday 20 May 2019
AFfC 37: Brienne 617
There are outlaw corpses hanging everywhere. These are the bad outlaws who raided Saltpans and I am assuming they have been hung there by good outlaws led by Beric. "These are just the sort of fellows who are most improved by death," observes Ser Hyle.
Brienne and party arrive at the Inn at the crossroads, which is now a sort of orphanage. Septon Meribald provides food from his donkey for all the orphans. Brienne is planning to depart in some new direction with Pod before the others awake.
Brienne notices Gendry, now a follower of the Lord of Light and presumably Beric, who looks a lot like Renly and even more like Robert. She is about to tell him this when some of the bad outlaws turn up, including Biter and someone else Brienne recognises. She kills the leader but is set upon by Biter who overwhelms her and does her serious injury. During this fight I am wondering where Gendry has got to, with all his talk of being a knight. I forgot about Ser Hyle, who also turns up too late. It was an exciting fight, not least because you never know if the good guys will win.
But sadly Brienne is now added to the list of ambiguously probably about to die characters. And what is the deal with Biter's tongue?
Also what is it with inns? They seem pretty dangerous. Seemingly every time we visit an inn (usually the one at the crossroads or else the one where Lem took Arya) we learn that the previous innkeeper has been massacred, or else a fight of some sort breaks out. Who would be an innkeeper in Westeros? It seems even more dangerous than being a knight.
Brienne and party arrive at the Inn at the crossroads, which is now a sort of orphanage. Septon Meribald provides food from his donkey for all the orphans. Brienne is planning to depart in some new direction with Pod before the others awake.
Brienne notices Gendry, now a follower of the Lord of Light and presumably Beric, who looks a lot like Renly and even more like Robert. She is about to tell him this when some of the bad outlaws turn up, including Biter and someone else Brienne recognises. She kills the leader but is set upon by Biter who overwhelms her and does her serious injury. During this fight I am wondering where Gendry has got to, with all his talk of being a knight. I forgot about Ser Hyle, who also turns up too late. It was an exciting fight, not least because you never know if the good guys will win.
But sadly Brienne is now added to the list of ambiguously probably about to die characters. And what is the deal with Biter's tongue?
Also what is it with inns? They seem pretty dangerous. Seemingly every time we visit an inn (usually the one at the crossroads or else the one where Lem took Arya) we learn that the previous innkeeper has been massacred, or else a fight of some sort breaks out. Who would be an innkeeper in Westeros? It seems even more dangerous than being a knight.
Sunday 19 May 2019
AFfC 36: Cersei 597
Aurane Waters comes to tell Cersei that Dragonstone is taken. They were about to take it anyway by digging a tunnel under the walls, when Loras came along waving his sword about and got thousands of men killed. Then he got boiling oil poured over himself and is now at death's door. Yet another character is ambiguously dying off-screen; I suppose they can't all live. Cersei takes great pleasure in telling Maergery all this.
She cares rather too much about getting one over on Maergery, and rather not enough about the Septon turning up with 6 armed men complaining about the brothels. Cersei wants to keep the brothels open for the tax revenue and trade benefits. Before long the Faith is going to be using this sort of thing as an excuse to depose her. And they'll have the power to do it, too.
Meanwhile there are more dwarves heads to look at and no real news about Tyrion, though the rumour that he is hiding out in the Riverlands on a haunted hill sounds vaguely plausible. Jalabhar Xho wants men to retake Red Flower Vale, wherever that is. The Guild of Alchemists wants to try to hatch dragons' eggs from Dragonstone. Cersei has the idea of setting up her own bank. Tommen is getting bolshy about being king so Cersei has him whip the whipping boy. Lady Tanda had died leaving Bronn the heir of her castle. Qyburn is still torturing Falyse.
Cersei dreams about the prophecy she got from the witch, who Pycelle says was a Meagi. Dany has had trouble with them, so we know it is serious. She correctly predicted that the Cersei's children would not be Robert's children, and also that Cersei would be replaced by a younger queen and killed. Will it be Maergery as Cersei thinks or will it be Dany? In any case, Cersei is cooking up some new scheme to get rid of Maergery involving Boros Blount and Osney Kettleblack.
She cares rather too much about getting one over on Maergery, and rather not enough about the Septon turning up with 6 armed men complaining about the brothels. Cersei wants to keep the brothels open for the tax revenue and trade benefits. Before long the Faith is going to be using this sort of thing as an excuse to depose her. And they'll have the power to do it, too.
Meanwhile there are more dwarves heads to look at and no real news about Tyrion, though the rumour that he is hiding out in the Riverlands on a haunted hill sounds vaguely plausible. Jalabhar Xho wants men to retake Red Flower Vale, wherever that is. The Guild of Alchemists wants to try to hatch dragons' eggs from Dragonstone. Cersei has the idea of setting up her own bank. Tommen is getting bolshy about being king so Cersei has him whip the whipping boy. Lady Tanda had died leaving Bronn the heir of her castle. Qyburn is still torturing Falyse.
Cersei dreams about the prophecy she got from the witch, who Pycelle says was a Meagi. Dany has had trouble with them, so we know it is serious. She correctly predicted that the Cersei's children would not be Robert's children, and also that Cersei would be replaced by a younger queen and killed. Will it be Maergery as Cersei thinks or will it be Dany? In any case, Cersei is cooking up some new scheme to get rid of Maergery involving Boros Blount and Osney Kettleblack.
Saturday 18 May 2019
AFfC 35: Samwell 586
Sam and Gilly are on board the Cinnamon Wind. Maester Aemon is dead. Before he died he rambled a lot but also figured out that Dany must be the prophesied chosen one who will save the world, not Stannis. He was able to figure that out because Sam brought Xhondo to him, and Xhondo had seen Dany and her dragons. And also because he had detected that there was something not quite right about Stannis' glowing-but-cold sword. Aemon thought Melisandre was mistaken, but I think she's evil and deceptive. Aemon wanted Sam to warn the Archmeisters when he gets to Oldtown.
Aemon says the sphinx was the riddle, not the riddler. Probably that is hugely important but indecipherable, as these things often go.
Sam lets Gilly show him a good time, then gets ridiculously guilty about it. Good grief, Sam, vows of chastity are not meant to be taken seriously, sort yourself out! The captain's daughter, Kojja Mo sorts him out instead. "All of you Westerosi make a shame of loving. There is no shame in loving. If your septons say there is, your seven gods must be demons." Then Gilly tells him that what happens at sea stays at sea. Good times, Sam my boy!
Aemon says the sphinx was the riddle, not the riddler. Probably that is hugely important but indecipherable, as these things often go.
Sam lets Gilly show him a good time, then gets ridiculously guilty about it. Good grief, Sam, vows of chastity are not meant to be taken seriously, sort yourself out! The captain's daughter, Kojja Mo sorts him out instead. "All of you Westerosi make a shame of loving. There is no shame in loving. If your septons say there is, your seven gods must be demons." Then Gilly tells him that what happens at sea stays at sea. Good times, Sam my boy!
Friday 17 May 2019
AFfC 34: Cat of the Canals 569
Arya seems pretty happy selling seafood for Brusco and even has something of a family life in his house. Once a month she visits the temple to give intelligence to the Kindly Man. She meets a sailor whose captain was killed by Salladhor Saan, last seen helping Stannis and Davos, as I remember. She seems to know all the whores in Braavos because they are good customers. The best brothel is Happy Port, where she goes to sell oysters and bumps in to Dareon, with whom she is not impressed for abandoning his vows to the Night's Watch. He is singing about a princess who jumped from a tower because her prince died. I think that sounds like her dad's mistress, Jon Snow's mother. Or possibly I am confused. I remember Arya being told about this by one of Beric's men. GRRM mentions his boots. Dareon mentions Lord Snow being in charge of the watch. Arya doesn't seem to react, but the next thing we know she is delivering boots to Brusco along with the day's profits. It is clear she has killed Dareon. Brutal!
She vistits the temple and chats with The Waif, a mysterious girl who teaches her about poisons. This girl was born the heir of an ancient house but had an evil stepmother who wanted her dead. It is probably possible to identify her from this information but I have not managed it.
Arya tells the kindly man about killing Dareon. He thinks these are the actions of Arya Stark, not the "no one" she is supposed to be now, so he poisons her milk, naturally. I'm assuming the blindness will be temporary.
She vistits the temple and chats with The Waif, a mysterious girl who teaches her about poisons. This girl was born the heir of an ancient house but had an evil stepmother who wanted her dead. It is probably possible to identify her from this information but I have not managed it.
Arya tells the kindly man about killing Dareon. He thinks these are the actions of Arya Stark, not the "no one" she is supposed to be now, so he poisons her milk, naturally. I'm assuming the blindness will be temporary.
Thursday 16 May 2019
AFfC 33: Jaime 550
Jaime arrives at Riverrun. He meets up with his cousin Daven, who seems like a thoroughly reasonable and capable chap. In particular he's a bit surprised at being the Warden of the West and admits to not being entirely qualified. The seige of Riverrun is ongoing. Inside are Catelun's uncle Brynden Blackfish and Robb's widow Jeyne Westerling. Outside is Edmure, who has been removed by the Freys and is made to stand on a gallows all day to try and get Brynden to come out. But Brynden doesn't give in to the demands of hostage takers! Jaime remembers visiting Riverrun as a boy and admiring Brynden for fighting the Ninepenny Kings, which I think is the war Septon Meribald fought in. It goes to show how times change, but everything is really the same.
Men keep being found hung in the woods and there is debate about whether it is Lord Beric Dondarrion or else Northmen who are still loyal to Starks and Tullys.
Raff the Sweetling is here, playing about with some half-naked girls in the river. I wonder if he will come to a sticky end, somehow: a lot of Arya's prayers come true.
Jaime seems to be getting better at fighting left-handed, but he's not that good yet.
Jaime's aunt Genna turns up. She's married to the useless Ser Emmon Frey, who is technically the lord of Riverrun now. But Genna is formidable and awesome in a similar way to Grandmother Tyrell whose name escapes me: cantankerous and outspoken. She is concerned that Riverrun will be problematic to hold as long as the Tully house lives on, since there will always be a chance Tullys will go to war to win it back. A lot depends on the births of sons. This is probably why Kevan chose Darry for Lancel, because the Darry line has died out.
Genna is properly concerned about Cersei letting the Grand Septon take up arms. She remembers the history: Warrior's Sons and Poor Fellows rose up against Maegor, who put bounties on them. Maegor died and the next king, Jaehaerys said he would pardon them if they would lay down their swords, which seemed to do the trick. Now Cersei has given them their swords back. Genna is suspicious that Kevan refused the offer of being Hand. Jaime thinks it might be because Kevan knows about Jaime and Cersei. She also gives us some insight into Tywin. He stood up for her as a 10 year old boy when she was betrothed at 7 to Frey. She is worried that Tyrion is not still around, since she recognises that he is the one who inherited Tywin's talents, when even Tywin did not see it. Neither Jaime or Cersei are so skilled. I wonder if she will later play some part, perhaps rehabilitating Tyrion to save house Lannister after Cersei destroys it.
Men keep being found hung in the woods and there is debate about whether it is Lord Beric Dondarrion or else Northmen who are still loyal to Starks and Tullys.
Raff the Sweetling is here, playing about with some half-naked girls in the river. I wonder if he will come to a sticky end, somehow: a lot of Arya's prayers come true.
Jaime seems to be getting better at fighting left-handed, but he's not that good yet.
Jaime's aunt Genna turns up. She's married to the useless Ser Emmon Frey, who is technically the lord of Riverrun now. But Genna is formidable and awesome in a similar way to Grandmother Tyrell whose name escapes me: cantankerous and outspoken. She is concerned that Riverrun will be problematic to hold as long as the Tully house lives on, since there will always be a chance Tullys will go to war to win it back. A lot depends on the births of sons. This is probably why Kevan chose Darry for Lancel, because the Darry line has died out.
Genna is properly concerned about Cersei letting the Grand Septon take up arms. She remembers the history: Warrior's Sons and Poor Fellows rose up against Maegor, who put bounties on them. Maegor died and the next king, Jaehaerys said he would pardon them if they would lay down their swords, which seemed to do the trick. Now Cersei has given them their swords back. Genna is suspicious that Kevan refused the offer of being Hand. Jaime thinks it might be because Kevan knows about Jaime and Cersei. She also gives us some insight into Tywin. He stood up for her as a 10 year old boy when she was betrothed at 7 to Frey. She is worried that Tyrion is not still around, since she recognises that he is the one who inherited Tywin's talents, when even Tywin did not see it. Neither Jaime or Cersei are so skilled. I wonder if she will later play some part, perhaps rehabilitating Tyrion to save house Lannister after Cersei destroys it.
AFfC 32: Cersei 534
Oh how Cersei is becoming the archetypical evil queen. At one point she even cackles with laughter.
Word has reached Kings Landing of the capture of the Shield Islands by Ironmen with a bazillion ships! I don't think it was quite that many, but whatever. It's a problem. The trouble is Cersei does not want to release troops and ships from besieging Dragonstone and Storm's End in order to defend The Reach and Highgarden. The Tyrells are anxious about this. In the end Loras the Flower Knight says he will go and end the seige at Storm's End himself to release the ships and troops. Cersei thinks this silly gallantry will probably be the end of Loras and she thinks this is wonderful. Oh dear.
She also doesn't believe the intelligence about the Ironmen's strategy of sailing far from the coast, preferring to think Willas Tyrell is stupid because crippled and did not man his watchtowers. This we know to be not true. More evidence of Cersei's foolishness.
She also thinks Stannis is working with the Ironmen. Again, not true. Cersei is becoming increasingly detached from reality. She has no clue about naval warfare, thinking some fishing boats and river boats can attack the Ironmen. And little care for strategy, being happy for the Tyrell forces to lose battles or drown in the sea.
She is ignoring Pycelle's advice. He thinks giving the Septon an army is madness. She thinks he's just babbling about old dead history.
There is some scheme involving Qyburn and armor that is too heavy for a normal man. Is he making some kind of Frankenstein's monster with all his vivisection?
Speaking of which, it turns out Balman Selmy, who she asked to get rid of Bronn, challenged Bronn to single combat and lost. Now lady Felyse is here, and is injured and traumatised and might just spill the beans that killing Bronn was Cersei's idea. So naturally Cersei hands her over to Qyburn for some vivisection.
Stupid and evil. Come to think of it, Cersei is probably going to do well in Westeros.
Oh, and Cersei has exactly one friend, Lady Merryweather. So she plays around with her feelings by getting intimate and then rejects her advances and pretends nothing happened. Something else to go wrong later, then.
Word has reached Kings Landing of the capture of the Shield Islands by Ironmen with a bazillion ships! I don't think it was quite that many, but whatever. It's a problem. The trouble is Cersei does not want to release troops and ships from besieging Dragonstone and Storm's End in order to defend The Reach and Highgarden. The Tyrells are anxious about this. In the end Loras the Flower Knight says he will go and end the seige at Storm's End himself to release the ships and troops. Cersei thinks this silly gallantry will probably be the end of Loras and she thinks this is wonderful. Oh dear.
She also doesn't believe the intelligence about the Ironmen's strategy of sailing far from the coast, preferring to think Willas Tyrell is stupid because crippled and did not man his watchtowers. This we know to be not true. More evidence of Cersei's foolishness.
She also thinks Stannis is working with the Ironmen. Again, not true. Cersei is becoming increasingly detached from reality. She has no clue about naval warfare, thinking some fishing boats and river boats can attack the Ironmen. And little care for strategy, being happy for the Tyrell forces to lose battles or drown in the sea.
She is ignoring Pycelle's advice. He thinks giving the Septon an army is madness. She thinks he's just babbling about old dead history.
There is some scheme involving Qyburn and armor that is too heavy for a normal man. Is he making some kind of Frankenstein's monster with all his vivisection?
Speaking of which, it turns out Balman Selmy, who she asked to get rid of Bronn, challenged Bronn to single combat and lost. Now lady Felyse is here, and is injured and traumatised and might just spill the beans that killing Bronn was Cersei's idea. So naturally Cersei hands her over to Qyburn for some vivisection.
Stupid and evil. Come to think of it, Cersei is probably going to do well in Westeros.
Oh, and Cersei has exactly one friend, Lady Merryweather. So she plays around with her feelings by getting intimate and then rejects her advances and pretends nothing happened. Something else to go wrong later, then.
AFfC 31: Brienne 519
Brienne, Septon Meribald, Podrick Payne and Ser Hyle all walk across the sand to a sort of monastery called the Quiet Isle. They get well looked after. There are an awful lot of candles, which I am suspicious about because candles should be expensive. But it turns out they have beehives and probably make their own. Though I don't know how many bees you need to make a beeswax candle. Saltpans is visible from the Isle. We learn a lot about the atrocities there from the brothers.
The Elder Brother tells Brienne that it was not the Hound who raided Saltpans. In fact Elder Brother watched the Hound die. But he made the mistake of leaving his helmet to mark his grave, which was then stolen by some other outlaws and used to impersonate him. Elder Brother also tells Brienne that it is Arya who was with the Hound, not Sansa. Elder Brother thinks the new lord at Darry (Lancel) will sort out the outlaws, but this seems unlikely.
Brienne pledges to continue her quest to find Sansa.
The Elder Brother tells Brienne that it was not the Hound who raided Saltpans. In fact Elder Brother watched the Hound die. But he made the mistake of leaving his helmet to mark his grave, which was then stolen by some other outlaws and used to impersonate him. Elder Brother also tells Brienne that it is Arya who was with the Hound, not Sansa. Elder Brother thinks the new lord at Darry (Lancel) will sort out the outlaws, but this seems unlikely.
Brienne pledges to continue her quest to find Sansa.
Monday 6 May 2019
AFfC 30: Jaime 501
Jaime turns up in Darry, now ruled by Kevan Lannister's son Lancel, who was injured badly in the Battle of the Blackwater. We learn that Jaime has sent Wylis Manderley to Maidenpool to return him to his dad Wyman for killing Davos, who I still think is probably not dead.
Lancel is nowhere to be seen and Jaime is entertained by Lancel's wife Amerei and her mother Mariya. Her father is none other than Merrett Frey who was hanged by the Yellowcloak guy and the reanimated Catelyn in the epilogue of the last book. They try to get Jaime to go after Beric's outlaws and The Hound who apparently destroyed Saltpans, but Jaime isn't having it. (They know it is the Hound because of his distinctive helmet. Now that sounds like as blatant a red herring as there ever was, and we know it's not very in character behaviour for the Hound to be raping and pillaging whole towns.) Jaime says it should be up to Lancel to defend the lands.
But Lancel is too busy hanging out in the chapel being pious and feeling guilty about killing Robert and spilling his seed on Cersei. Jaime finds out he confessed this to the High Septon, which explains why the High Septon is now dead. He also finds out that Lancel is planning to give up his Lordship and go and fight for the new High Septon, because Cersei has agreed to allow the new High Septon to take up arms. Jaime thinks it's odd that she would allow this, but does not seem unduly alarmed. But he also seems vague about his history.
Darry is where they were all staying on the way to King's Landing back in the first book, when Arya got in a fight with Joffrey. In a weird interlude, Jaime confesses to the mute Ilyn Paine that he has had relations with his sister and planned to kill Arya. It's odd how likeable Jaime is in these chapters considering his aggression towards Stark children...
Lancel is nowhere to be seen and Jaime is entertained by Lancel's wife Amerei and her mother Mariya. Her father is none other than Merrett Frey who was hanged by the Yellowcloak guy and the reanimated Catelyn in the epilogue of the last book. They try to get Jaime to go after Beric's outlaws and The Hound who apparently destroyed Saltpans, but Jaime isn't having it. (They know it is the Hound because of his distinctive helmet. Now that sounds like as blatant a red herring as there ever was, and we know it's not very in character behaviour for the Hound to be raping and pillaging whole towns.) Jaime says it should be up to Lancel to defend the lands.
But Lancel is too busy hanging out in the chapel being pious and feeling guilty about killing Robert and spilling his seed on Cersei. Jaime finds out he confessed this to the High Septon, which explains why the High Septon is now dead. He also finds out that Lancel is planning to give up his Lordship and go and fight for the new High Septon, because Cersei has agreed to allow the new High Septon to take up arms. Jaime thinks it's odd that she would allow this, but does not seem unduly alarmed. But he also seems vague about his history.
Darry is where they were all staying on the way to King's Landing back in the first book, when Arya got in a fight with Joffrey. In a weird interlude, Jaime confesses to the mute Ilyn Paine that he has had relations with his sister and planned to kill Arya. It's odd how likeable Jaime is in these chapters considering his aggression towards Stark children...
Sunday 5 May 2019
AFfC 29: The Reaver 480
Victarion helps win the Shield Islands for his brother Euron, now the king of the Ironmen. The Shield Islands protect the inlet to the river that leads to Highgarden, so the Tyrells are going to be worried.
Euron is making everyone nervous with his madness: humiliating the defeated and selling them into slavery. But he has some political savvy, choosing as Lords of the captured islands those he wants to keep out of the way. He wants to go off in search of dragons and take over Westeros, and Victarion points out that it's a pretty difficult voyage for their longships. So he sends Victarion off on his own, in search of Dany, no less! What a match those two would make. She seemed to get on okay with the last crazed warlord she was married to, so maybe it is a match that could work. Euron certainly has more interest in Westeros than Drogo. And Dany could probably outsmart Euron enough to manipulate him. I think this plan just might work! Getting Victarion out of the way is pretty handy, too, since he wants Euron dead.
Euron is making everyone nervous with his madness: humiliating the defeated and selling them into slavery. But he has some political savvy, choosing as Lords of the captured islands those he wants to keep out of the way. He wants to go off in search of dragons and take over Westeros, and Victarion points out that it's a pretty difficult voyage for their longships. So he sends Victarion off on his own, in search of Dany, no less! What a match those two would make. She seemed to get on okay with the last crazed warlord she was married to, so maybe it is a match that could work. Euron certainly has more interest in Westeros than Drogo. And Dany could probably outsmart Euron enough to manipulate him. I think this plan just might work! Getting Victarion out of the way is pretty handy, too, since he wants Euron dead.
Saturday 4 May 2019
AFfC 28: Cersei 461
Cersei visits the new Great Septon who takes his faith annoyingly seriously. Baelor's sept is surrounded by sparrows: displaced faithful who are here complaining that the king is not protecting them from followers of Stannis's god. She agrees to overturn an ancient law against faithful taking up arms. The Great Septon is so keen on this idea that he forgives the crown all the debts. Cersei is very pleased with her cunning. Which means it is all going to turn out to be a huge disaster. Probably the newly armed faithful are going to either cause havoc throughout the kingdom or else just gain a lot of power and influence over the king by being able to physically threaten him. Or just replace him.
Until then, Cersei is more interested in plotting against Maergery, who is probably being incestuous with Loras, as if Cersei has a leg to stand on in that regard. I don't see her coming out on top there, either. I'm getting ready to almost feel sorry for her. And Jaime won't even be around to protect her from whatever comes next...
Until then, Cersei is more interested in plotting against Maergery, who is probably being incestuous with Loras, as if Cersei has a leg to stand on in that regard. I don't see her coming out on top there, either. I'm getting ready to almost feel sorry for her. And Jaime won't even be around to protect her from whatever comes next...
Friday 3 May 2019
AFfC 27: Jaime 439
Cersei is sending Jaime to Riverrun to sort out the seige there, and he is not pleased about it On the journey he visits the Hayford's castle, whose son Tyrek disappeared in the Joffrey riots. Jaime is suspicious that Varys ought to have known those riots were likely but did not say anything. Interesting: perhaps we will learn of more games Varys was playing. Were he and Littlefinger ever seen in the same place?
Jaime practices fighting with his left hand with Ilyn Payne (because Payne can't talk and so can't tell people how bad Jaime is at fighting). I expect he'll get better off-screen and then surprise us all later by winning a fight.
Next Jaime meets Roger Hogg, another lord in a tower. I suppose there must be quite a lot of these minor lords living in draughty towers all over Westeros. I think I'd rather take being a commoner in a 21st century first world nation, thanks. At least no-one will turn up and start killing my sheep.
Jaime meets some "outlaws" and summarily hangs them and calls it justice. Nice.
Finally he ends up in Harrenhal and installs a new lord there. He also rescues Pia and Wylis Manderly who is only just alive. It's lucky he is because Cersei promised to send him to his dad as a reward for killing Davos a couple of chapters back. He also smacks Connington, Brienne's former betrothed, for insulting her, thus accidentally revealing that he cares about her.
Jaime practices fighting with his left hand with Ilyn Payne (because Payne can't talk and so can't tell people how bad Jaime is at fighting). I expect he'll get better off-screen and then surprise us all later by winning a fight.
Next Jaime meets Roger Hogg, another lord in a tower. I suppose there must be quite a lot of these minor lords living in draughty towers all over Westeros. I think I'd rather take being a commoner in a 21st century first world nation, thanks. At least no-one will turn up and start killing my sheep.
Jaime meets some "outlaws" and summarily hangs them and calls it justice. Nice.
Finally he ends up in Harrenhal and installs a new lord there. He also rescues Pia and Wylis Manderly who is only just alive. It's lucky he is because Cersei promised to send him to his dad as a reward for killing Davos a couple of chapters back. He also smacks Connington, Brienne's former betrothed, for insulting her, thus accidentally revealing that he cares about her.
Thursday 2 May 2019
AFfC 26: Samwell 423
Sam is in Braavos. Dareon has buggered off. Aemon is ill and probably dying. Gilly is still crying. All their money has been wasted on paying for transit on ships that they have missed and on medicine for Aemon. He wants Sam to find out about dragons, so Sam goes out carrying his sword, which on a Saturday night in Braavos is asking for trouble. Luckily Sam is rescued by none other than Arya. That's the second very cool total coincidence Sam has been caught up in. The gods aka GRRM really want Sam to meet up with all the various Starks. But Sam does not find out who Cat is and they part.
Sam finds Dareon in a pub of ill repute, but he is drunk and useless. Sam gets kicked out of the pub and into the canal for punching Dareon for abandoning him. He's not having a good day. He's rescued by Xhondo, who knows a thing or two about dragons.
Sam finds Dareon in a pub of ill repute, but he is drunk and useless. Sam gets kicked out of the pub and into the canal for punching Dareon for abandoning him. He's not having a good day. He's rescued by Xhondo, who knows a thing or two about dragons.
Wednesday 1 May 2019
AFfC 25: Brienne 407
Brienne, Pod and Hyle Hunt travel back to Maidenpool with the heads of the Brave Companions. Sam's dad is mildly impressed but tells Brienne to stop all that nonsense and put on a dress. But she wants to go off and find the Hound, who she thinks has Sansa. The Hound is supposedly with Lord Beric, and some new woman called Stoneheart, who is probably the resurrected Catelyn Stark. Ser Hyle must have taken a liking to Brienne, because he quits Tarly's service to go with her on her quest, which she obviously allows in the paragraph immediately after then one where she dramatically tells him he can't come.
They travel with a poor barefoot itinerant preacher, Septon Meribald, who turns out to be rather awesome. He knows his way around, he knows about giant packs of wolves roaming around led by Arya's wolf, he might be able to find Beric and company, and he poignantly narrates the plight of men broken by being taken from their villages to fight for lords. Of course his tale turns out to be autobiographical. He fought in The War of the Ninepenny Kings, which probably turns up in one of the novellas or short stories I haven't read yet.
They travel with a poor barefoot itinerant preacher, Septon Meribald, who turns out to be rather awesome. He knows his way around, he knows about giant packs of wolves roaming around led by Arya's wolf, he might be able to find Beric and company, and he poignantly narrates the plight of men broken by being taken from their villages to fight for lords. Of course his tale turns out to be autobiographical. He fought in The War of the Ninepenny Kings, which probably turns up in one of the novellas or short stories I haven't read yet.
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