[tWoW, Alayne I spoilers] Brotherhood of Winged Knights

[Hos the Hostage]

tl;dr - What next?

So we've had the much anticipated "controversial" Sansa chapter. While it provided an enjoyable read and quenched our thirst for little while, I think most of the fans will agree that there was nothing eventful in the chapter. However, a perfect stage is set for something important to happen soon. This thread is to discuss what. My guesses are:

1) Something unexpected happens.

For example,

a. Someone comes riding a winged creature. (I'm thinking Tyrion on a dragon, but most likely impossible due to time constraints)

b. Sweetrobin gets really sick or dying. Suspected poisoning. Someone gets the blame. Or Petyr gets killed.

c. Ser Shadrich kidnaps Sansa and takes her to Sisterton/KL/White Harbor. I believe Wyman Manderly have spies in some parts of the Vale.

d. (News of) Ironborn invasion. (The sea maybe far away, but the current Iron King is one hell of a raider)

e. News of Aegon taking Storm's End or better, Iron Throne. Littlefinger facepalm.

f. Some intervention by Bran(he wanted to be knight and now he is winged) and/or Bloodraven

..

2) Someone unexpected turns up.

Ony knights with invites can compete for the BoWK position, but there is also a melee, in which anyone can partake.

a. Brienne and/or Pod (If they escape somehow, and hear about the jousting: Brienne and Pod can try their own luck, Dontos was a knight once, and Sansa loved tales of knightly valor. What better place to look for them?)

b. Septon Meribald

c. Jaime Lannister, going under the false name Arthur Halfhand, or something better. If he's the one that escapes unscathed from BwB.

d. Ser Gendry of Hollow Hill, catches Mya's attention by wearing a mule's head helm.

e. Sandor Clegane

f. Blackfish

...

Lot of possibilities, but my money's on 1b,1c and 2c.

What do you think? Surely, something eventful must happen whenever there is a big tournament in Westeror, shouldn't it be so?

[Beorn Snow]

Not the someone arrives on a winged creature.

Too early for news about Aegon as well ... I guess ...

But Shadrich kidnapping Sansa or Sweetrobin poisoned seem plausible as a next event.

And Bran doing something, the winged wolf, seems not utterly impossible. (But we are specifically told they don´t have Weirwoods there aren´t we?)

[juanml82]

I seriously doubt Sandor Clegane will go to a tournament. Even if he has physically healed and wishes to get into a fight again, that tournament is everything he hates about chivalry. The Blackfish might do it, if he's planning to go to the Vale. I doubt he'd be able to win the melee, mostly due his age. Then again, we have Barristan Selmy in this universe, so old age might not mean as much.

It doesn't seem to be the type of event that will entice Septon Meribald either. As for Ser Shadrich, he can't act alone, and I'm not sure he can tell for sure that Alayne is Sansa. Even if he was personally in touch with Varys and Varys gave him a detailed description of her, how easy would it be to make a mistake in an age before photography?

There might be a weirwood at the Gates of the Moon, we don't know for sure. Sansa should have mentioned it, though. She went around most of the Gates of the Moon through the chapter.

As for news, it's about time they start to filter in the Vale. There is the Ironborn raid on the Reach, Aegon's landing, more concise news of Daenerys, news about the White Walkers from the wildlings released at Braavos, Cersei's walk of shame, the rise of the Faith Militant (and would it be limited to King's Landing? Wouldn't they want to expand into the Vale). All those summer knights are happily partying in their niece shelter, and that has to end.

[Ibbison from Ibben]

other possibilities-

something goes wrong at the tourney - for example

someone gets killed in the lists

Lyn Corbray kills someone

Harry gets hurt

Harry accidentally hurts someone and problems ensue

SweetRobin challenges Harry to a duel

something happens between Mya and Mychael

something weird happens between Alayne and Harry -

Harry tries to go too far with Alayne and gets killed by Lothar Brune, since that was LF's plan

Harry reveals he knows Alayne is Sansa

Sansa doublecrosses LF and reveals her name to Harry

[aryagonnakill#2]

I think it was definitely set up further for Sansa to play matcchmaker with Mya and Lothor. Mya is upset because Michael married another woman even though he promised he would marry her, Sansa knows Lothor likes her and what better way to make Michael jealous?

I know something big is going to happen I just don't know what. We know that Sr. Kettleblack arrived with an exhausted horse so he got some info, perhaps regarding his own sons, perhaps that has already happened and the news is of Aegon, as back in AFFC LF said he was already out of contact with the Kettleblack in the Kingsguard.

I feel certain that either Harry is going to die, Robin is going to die, LF is going to die, Sansa will be kidnapped by the Mad Mouse and Corbray, which I think was set up pretty well, or Sansa will be outa by Myranda out of jealousy.

[Ibbison from Ibben]

I do think a kidnap attempt by the Mad Mouse is likely. There's no way he could get out of the Vale via Gulltown, so he would need to risk the mountains, which could bring the Mountain Clans back into the story. Chella and Timmett should recognize her. (Shagga is still in the Kingswood.)

[Hos the Hostage]

I do think a kidnap attempt by the Mad Mouse is likely. There's no way he could get out of the Vale via Gulltown, so he would need to risk the mountains, which could bring the Mountain Clans back into the story. Chella and Timmett should recognize her. (Shagga is still in the Kingswood.)

That's an interesting possibility.

I also like the HR=Mad Mouse theory. Of all the people HR is theorized to be, Ser Shadrich matches the description, with short stature and battle hardened face. I thought HR had brown hair, though. But all his actions and words suggest Varys's spy.

I'd forgotten about the Oswell mention. Yes, he must be bringing news of his sons' arrest and Cersei's. Or what if LF asked Oswell to tell Osney to spill the beans about Cersei?

Whatever, the events of the Alayne chapter seems to be occurring before Cersei's walk and hence news of Aegon's invasion will have to wait :(

[Ser Sourleaf]

I thinks this chapter sets up a conflict between Alayne and Myranda. Myranda is obviously hurt and jealous about the match Littlefinger has made for his 'bastard' daughter. Somehow Myranda will discover Alayne's true identity and use it against her to steal away Harry. Therefor, Myranda must die whawhahaha

[Ser Sourleaf]

The more I think about it...

Alayne drinks too much at the ball, and Myranda walks her home. Intoxicated as she is, Alayne confides to her 'friend' her true identity. Myranda then confronts Littlefinger with the information, trying to leverage it into her own betrothal to Harry, when all of the sudden... MOONDOOR!!!

[Endymion I Targaryen]

I find 1c almost certain to happen but in the second half of the book.After Sansa has learned to seduce,rule,control she will be returned to King's Landing.I found odd in that chapter that LF was not sexual at all to Sansa.

[Hos the Hostage]

I find 1c almost certain to happen but in the second half of the book.After Sansa has learned to seduce,rule,control she will be returned to King's Landing.I found odd in that chapter that LF was not sexual at all to Sansa.

Probably because they were outside Eyrie and so many people around, and LF can't risk his father image crumbling in front of others.

If something tragic happens during the tourney:Are we sure the Vale conspiracy is definitely not happening? GRRM said 'for his cleverness, Littlefinger has no army.' The gold cloaks recruited by Janos Slynt obeyed the man who paid them, but whom will the knights of Vale support in the event of chaos? On top of that, Sansa is an unreliable narrator. What if she is already planning a coup agains LF, with Lothor Brune's help maybe? God's I'm going crazy due to this chapter..

[yankee211]

What I get out of this chapter is that LF is trying figure out a way to have Robin have another shaking spasm attack. Enough for it to kill him because it is apparent that Robin is jealous of the Sansa and Harry marriege. Thats why LF encourges Sansa to be flirtatious with Harry.

[Good Guy Garlan]

I think LF tampered with the order of the lists because he obviously can't let anyone near Sweetrobin. I think he arranged for Mychael Redfort to win because he wants him near him to use as a hostage against Lord Redfort.

But...I think Lothor Brune is not going to throw the fight. Instead, I think he'll smash Mychel to impress Mya Stone, and that will cause a rift between him and LF.

I also think Lyn will do something similar. LF is probably paying him to throw a fight with someone, but Lyn likes killing too much.

[Bironic]

I think LF tampered with the order of the lists because he obviously can't let anyone near Sweetrobin. I think he arranged for Mychael Redfort to win because he wants him near him to use as a hostage against Lord Redfort.

But...I think Lothor Brune is not going to throw the fight. Instead, I think he'll smash Mychel to impress Mya Stone, and that will cause a rift between him and LF.

I also think Lyn will do something similar. LF is probably paying him to throw a fight with someone, but Lyn likes killing too much.

I like your ideas.

I think LF will tamper the lists to ensure that Horrible Harry wins a place amongst the Winged knights.

Lyn abusing Sweetrobin and killing him is the most disgusting idea that crossed my mind...

[Mad Madam Mim]

other possibilities-

something goes wrong at the tourney - for example

someone gets killed in the lists

Lyn Corbray kills someone

Harry gets hurt

Harry accidentally hurts someone and problems ensue

SweetRobin challenges Harry to a duel

something happens between Mya and Mychael

something weird happens between Alayne and Harry -

Harry tries to go too far with Alayne and gets killed by Lothar Brune, since that was LF's plan

Harry reveals he knows Alayne is Sansa

Sansa doublecrosses LF and reveals her name to Harry

I'm leaning towards putting my money on the bolded.

It is hinted that Harry's fighting skills are not quite up to scratch:

“He is honorable. Sometimes it amounts to the same thing. If he denied the lad the chance to prove himself, it could create a rift between them, so why not let him tilt? The boy is nowise skilled enough to win a place amongst the Winged Knights.”

It could be quite plausible that the tourney is either:

a) a set-up for LF to off Harry by exploiting his lack of fighting prowess and make it look like an accident. Lyn is a likely culprit to do LF's bidding.

b ) Lyn seems pretty cheesed off in this chapter and Sansa questions his loyalty to LF. Lyn could take it upon himself to scupper LF's plans and 'accidentally' off Harry the Heir as a big 'f-you' to littlefinger.

[Ninerings]

No where did it say that THIS was the "controversial" chapter.

[Colonel Green]

No where did it say that THIS was the "controversial" chapter.

Yes, Elio confirmed that.

My personal opinion is that Shadrich will attempt to abduct Sansa (I'm not sure how he will think this is plausibly achievable, but whatever), will fail, but in the process he will expose Sansa's cover to some others, and thus shake up the status quo a bit. I really can't see Sansa being successfully abducted serving any real story purpose -- she's being schooled in court intrigue, which requires there to a be a court to intrigue in, and there's been so much time invested in setting up all these Vale characters.

[Hos the Hostage]

I think LF tampered with the order of the lists because he obviously can't let anyone near Sweetrobin. I think he arranged for Mychael Redfort to win because he wants him near him to use as a hostage against Lord Redfort.

But...I think Lothor Brune is not going to throw the fight. Instead, I think he'll smash Mychel to impress Mya Stone, and that will cause a rift between him and LF.

I also think Lyn will do something similar. LF is probably paying him to throw a fight with someone, but Lyn likes killing too much.

That would be awesome!

[pogo]

Shadrich abducts Sansa/Alayne

Takes her to KL

Charged with regicide.

Goes for Trial by Arms because Cers has her stitched up

High Sparrow gets Elder Brother to forward the grave digger to KL

Clegane Bowl

Robert Strong exposed

Cers in the poo

[Chinoiserie]

I think that Sansa stays in the Vale for a while. GRRM spend a great deal of time re-introducing the Vale charters and introducing new ones for Sansa to leave immediately. And she was abducted from King´s Landing by Dontos, to have the Mad Mouse abduct her right back there would be receptive and unsatisfying. Not that he can not try. And he might get both of them taken by the Mountain clans.

But I think that would be in a later chapter. Something however is obviously going to happen in the tourney. Maybe Harry is killed and it is not Littlefinger but everybody suspects him? This have gone too well for too long. Either he will have some kind of setback soon or he will just die. GRRM kills often charaters that are doing well.

I do not think it is Winter yet in Vale so the news should be about Cersei's arrest.