Sunday, 15 September 2019

ADwD 51: Theon 783

Little Walder (who is big, but still a boy) turns up dead. Wyman Manderley makes rude jokes about it to Hosteen Frey. Does he have a death wish? He gets a slice through his chin for his troubles, and the ensuing fracas leaves seveal men dead. None of this seems to interrupt breakfast too much, though.

Still, Roose Bolton can see that the men are getting a bit antsy for blood so sends some of them out of the castle to attack Stannis. Not great strategy but tactically necessary, perhaps.

Anyway, all this activates Abel's plan to rescue Jeyne Poole. Theon goes to fetch hot water for her bath, taking five handmaidens who are actually Abel's spearwives. They do a switch in Jeyne's room then make for a gate. One of the women kills a guard, which makes Jeyne scream, so more guards start chasing them. After this it's all a bit of a shambles. Most of Abel's women are either dead or missing. Theon jumps over the wall.

The last person who went over the wall broke his leg and got shot by a crossbow. I wonder how Theon and Jeyne will faire? Will they go to the wall so Jon can be disappointed that it's not Arya and Theon can take the black? What will happen to Abel who is probably Mance Rayder?

For that matter, this whole operation was hugely risky. Why were Abel and these women so determined to take such a big risk? Quietly failing the rescue mission seems like it would have been a much better option for them.