A Game of Thrones Reread - Part 25

Happy Wednesday everybody. Welcome back to South of the Wall for the next installment of the Game of Thrones reread. Not much to talk about today, so let's just get on with it, shall we?

Please note, this and every post here may contain spoilers for all currently published A Song of Ice and Fire work.

DAENERYS

Summary

Daenerys rode into Vaes Dothrak flanked by Ser Jorah and Viserys. Vaes Dothrak wasn't a true city, and the path to it was just a grassy plain littered by monuments taken on past Dothraki raids. Viserys was dismissive of the Dothraki, referring to them as savages... but making sure to only speak the common tongue that they did not understand. Viserys was impatient, insisting that he was promised a golden crown. Ser Jorah explained that Dany must first be presented to the dosh khaleen. Viserys was again dismissive and rode away. Ser Jorah explained to Dany that the horselords were not traders. Drogo sees Daenerys as a gift, and will give Viserys a gift in return. You cannot demand a gift from a khal.

Dany asked Jorah if the Dothraki could truly conquer the Seven Kingdoms. Ser Jorah explained that the Dothraki are fierce, and there are so many of them, that they could likely defeat an army in the field. However the Dothraki have no art for siegecraft, and would likely be stymied by the smallest of castles.

The khalasar reached Vaes Dothrak proper, filled with buildings - and no two alike. The buildings were constructed by slaves, each after the manner of the slaves own culture. The city was empty now, as only the dosh khaleen dwelt there permanently, but there were enough buildings to house every member of every khalasar as the old crones had prophesied one day will come to pass. As each rider from Drogo's khalasar dismounted, they turned their weapons over to a slave. It was forbidden to carry a blade in Vaes Dothrak.

Once Dany was settled into the hollow hill that was prepared for her, she took a hot bath and had food brought to her. She then sent Doreah to invite Viserys to dinner, where Dany hoped to bestow him a present. Viserys arrived shortly after, with a bruised Doreah, and he was in a fury. He was furious that Dany had commanded him, and that she was lucky he didn't kill "the whore" for delivering the command. Dany tried to temper his anger by saying Doreah misspoke. She then presented Viserys with his present, new clothes that would fit with the rest of the Dothraki. Viserys' clothes from Pentos had been ruined by the sun, dirt, and sweat. Viserys was disgusted with the "Dothraki rags," and that Dany would presume to dress him.

"Next you'll want to braid my hair."

"I'd never . . ." Why was he always so cruel? She had only wanted to help. "You have no right to a braid, you have won no victories yet." 

He accosted her, with his fingers digging painfully into her arm. He called her slut, and told her the babe in her belly would not protect her from the dragon. Dany was able to grab a chain of heavy bronze medallions and swung it Viserys. It caught him in the face and sliced open his cheek. She ordered him to leave, and to hope Khal Drogo didn't hear of it, or he would feed Viserys his own entrails. Viserys stormed off. Dany then lay down gripping one of her dragon eggs, and felt her child move inside of her.

"You are the dragon," Dany whispered to him, "the true dragon. I know it. I know it." And she smiled and went to sleep dreaming of home."

My Thoughts

And the rise of Daenerys and the fall of Viserys take another step. Viserys' descent is more apparent now than ever. Not only did the Dothraki make him walk, and then insult him by allowing him to ride in a cart, but Viserys was completely clueless to the insults. I don't know if Viserys was always insane, I doubt he would have lived this long if he were, but he is truly descending into madness. He has lied to himself for so long, that he was the true king, and that the kingdom would be his again, that he believes his own importance no matter all the evidence to the contrary. It would be tragic if he wasn't so vicious.

The more interesting part was the conversation between Jorah and Dany. The Dothraki seem so remote from the rest of the goings on, that I never really considered a battle of Dothraki against Westerosi knights, but Ser Jorah's words ring true. There are just so damn many of them in Drogo's khalasar, and they are all fierce, do not fear death, and can shoot a bow accurately from horseback. I could see them tearing through a Westeros army, moving faster than the knights, and tearing through anyone on foot. As Jorah said, however, I don't see them laying siege to a castle for months on end. I wonder if we will ever have the opportunity to see such a battle.

As for Vaes Dothrak itself, I don't think I have much to say. It's a cool visual, picturing the multitude of statues and whatever else strewn across a grassy field, and then a large empty city where no two buildings were constructed the same way. The rest of the talk is of the dosh khaleen which is leading up to the prophecy of the "Stallion who will Mount the World." I'll have more to say about that prophecy when we see it, but for now - what does everyone think of the prophecy that one day all of the khalasars will be called to the Mothers of the Mountain? Will Dany be able to take over all of the Dothraki? I'm not so sure.

BRAN

Summary

Bran was in the yard at Winterfell with Robb, preparing to ride out of its walls for the first time since his fall. He was strapped in to Dancer, the horse trained to accept his commands, and riding in the saddle of Tyrion's design. Bran and Robb crossed the drawbridge, and Summer and Grey Wind ran out with them. They were also accompanied by Theon, Joseth (the master of horse), four guardsmen, and Maester Luwin - there in case Bran fell. They passed two serving wenches in the street of the village, and Theon began to tell Robb a story about the two of them, but Robb silenced him. He didn't want Bran to hear such things. Robb liked Theon, but Bran never warmed to him. He smiled too much, Bran thought.

Robb and Bran let their houses go, and ran ahead of the rest of their party. They stopped to talk, and Robb told Bran there had been a raven. Bran didn't like the sound of that, the last few ravens had brought ill news - Uncle Benjen was still missing beyond the Wall, and his mother was at the Eyrie with Tyrion Lannister a prisoner. Bran thought that he liked Tyrion, but when he thought of the name "Lannister" he would feel uneasy and he didn't know why. Robb told him the new letter was from King's Landing, and that Jory, Will, and Heward were dead, killed by the Kingslayer. And more, their father had his leg shattered when his horse fell on him, and Grand Maester Pycelle was unsure when he would wake. Theon caught up with them then, and said he thought Robb should call the banners - blood for blood. Robb said he was considering all counsel, but now they should find their wolves. Robb and Bran urged their horses off of the kingsroad into the wolfswood to find their companions.

Robb left Bran by a stream while he went to get the wolves. As Bran waited he heard a noise, and several men and women came out of the woods and surrounded him. Bran realized two of them were in faded black; deserters from the Night's Watch. He told them he was Bran Stark of Winterfell, and they should leave if they wanted to live. Stiv, the leader, thought to kill him, but the tall woman (called Osha) said he would make a better hostage, that they could bring him to Mance. Stiv began cutting through the straps holding Bran to his saddle when he was interrupted by Robb. Robb told them to surrender at once, and they would get a clean death. When they refused Robb whistled and Grey Wind and Summer came out of the woods. Robb rushed to attack, and Grey Wind and Summer tore into the rest. In moments most of the men were dead, all except for Stiv and Osha. Stiv was able to grab Bran and put a knife to his throat, but just then Theon and the rest arrived, and Theon put an arrow in through Stiv's throat. Bran saw that Theon was smiling, as always. Robb was furious however, and chastised Theon saying the arrow could have easily hit Bran, or the man may not have been killed and harmed Bran. Maester Luwin tended to Bran's injuries, and Robb decided they would take Osha as a prisoner, and ask her some questions.

My Thoughts

Two main thoughts: 1) Direwolves in a fight are all kinds of BAD ASS; 2) I never want to get into a fight with a Direwolf. The utter brutality of it, especially with Summer ripping Hali's stomach open and eating her entrails while it wasn't clear if she was alive or not... yikes. Not that she didn't deserve it. Wildlings and oathbreakers attacking a crippled boy in the woods, they should have known better. Osha showed herself to be smarter than the others, but she still survived this fight by luck more than anything.

Other than the awesome fight in the wolfwood, not much of note happened in this chapter. This seemed more a touch-base chapter, where we just check in on how Bran is doing up at Winterfell. He is able to ride a horse, but he still hasn't come to terms with the loss of his legs. Bran not being able to feel the dagger pierce his leg, or the cold of the stream his foot was in, were effective reminders of what he's going through. I really feel for Bran, and I just can't picture myself in his position. A boy of eight years, living in that world, with no feeling below his waist? It may be naive, but I still hold out hope that some magic will fix his legs. When I first read the book I was positive that would happen, but now I doubt it. I think the three-eyed crows assertion that he would fly meant his warg ability. He can fly by wearing the skin of a bird, while Bran the body will stay where it is.

Robb is taking on the role of a Lord more and more, and he seems good at it. He allows no one other than Bran to see any weakness, and he seems on his way to being a strong and intelligent commander. And pretty good in a fight, it didn't seem that any of the wildlings gave him any trouble during the fight. Sure he had two direwolves with him, and he was mounted while the wildlings were on foot, but he still took a few of them out on his own. And I know we got a little bit of Theon being an ass in the first chapter, when he kicked poor Gared's head, and we see some more of that here. Bran thinks of him as smiling all the time, and as we go through the town we find out that he is something of a womanizer as well. Not to mention irresponsible, taking the guards with him as he hunted a turkey instead of catching up to his lord and friend. Still, Theon's eventual betrayal still took me by surprise. Robb had won me over so well, and Theon seemed such a staunch companion to him, that I never once thought that Theon was the son of a bitch he turned out to be.

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And that's a wrap! More character moments in these chapters instead of moving the narrative forward, but good reading all the same. What did everyone else think?