Brienne and the Seven Dwarfs

[Shadrich The Mad Mouse]

At the start of A Feast for Crows Brienne is in Rosby village asking about Sansa, she catches a glimpse of Podrick and leaves on the road to Duskendale (north & east). At dusk she sees a camp fire by the brook, this is where she meets the first two dwarfs:

  The Father and the Mother

Ser Creighton Longbough is young, big bellied wears a doeskin jerkin, has a shaggy beard that covers his cheeks and chin, the colour of old gold (faded yellow?). The first thing he utters is an invitation to dinner.

 

Ser Illifer the Penniless is old, at least sixty years old, his face pinched and wears a mantle (a woman's cloak?) with a hood. He is mail-clad. He is cooking the trout.

 

Ser Creighton invites Brienne to dinner twice, tells her the trout almost done even though Ser Illifer is the one cooking. Brings the trout to Brienne. Advise her to ride with them for her safety.

 

Ser Illifer identifies the sigil on her shield as the one belonging to the Lothstons. He calls it a “liar's shield” from that and her freakish size he concludes that she is the “the Maid o' Tarth, who opened Renly's royal throat for him.” That must be the biggest leap in logic ever recorded in literature; Ser Illifer would put Sherlock Holmes to shame.

 

After Brienne swears by the seven, at Ser Illifer's behest, he judges her to be innocent and puts his dagger away. Afterwards they sleep.

 

Ser Creighton is caring and nourishing, he is not much of a warrior with his belly and near-sighted eyes and most probably is lying or exaggerating his exploits at the battle. Brienne catches quickly to this quirk and is amused by his exaggerations.

 

Ser Illifer looks like a typical hedge knight. His conclusion about the identity of Brienne is not from her Lothston shield. Someone carrying a Lothston shield would only have found it in Harrenhal, the logical conclusion (and even then it's a stretch) is that she was from the North and yet Ser Illifer puts her in the Stormlands in Renly's host!

 

Ser Illifer says that Brienne opened “Renly's royal throat” this remark is notable for two reasons: first it is accurate Renly's throat was pierced by the shadow (“He had time to make a small thick gasp before the blood came gushing out of his throat.”) and second because Renly's throat is only royal if one acknowledges his kingship; Renly's father was a lord and not a king.

 

Ser Illifer didn't identify Brienne from the Lothston shield, he wouldn't have so much information about her and Renly if he wasn't actually in that camp. Most probably he joined Stannis after that and fought on the wrong side of Blackwater Battle; Ser Creighton was with him by all indications.

 

When Brienne wakes up she judges them as “decent men” and when they flank her on their road she describe the situation so: “this lady dwarfed both of her protectors.” Apart from Ser Creighton lies the two men are honest with Brienne.

 

Ser Creighton informs her of what he saw during his watch: Podrick first and then a group of armed men who fled when they saw Ser Creighton.

 

They meet a group of Sparrows on their way.

 

Later they meet a merchant and his serving men, accompanied by a hedge knight.

  The Stranger

Ser Shadrich of Shady Glen, who is neither called Shadrich nor is from Shady Glen, is the most honest man in Westeros; listen to his assessment: “The one is old, t’other fat, and the big one is a woman.” brutal honesty!

 

Ser Shadrich is employed by a merchant, a position no knight in Westeros would consider unless he was in dire needs, very dire needs. Even though the merchant is the master, he actually refers to Ser Shadrich and when the latter tells him: “Let them come.” he is the one who answer: “As you say.”

 

Ser Shadrich is wiry, fox-faced, sharp-nosed man with orange hair. He rides a seemingly good horse: a rangy chestnut corsair.

 

He honestly tells Brienne that she is a “strapping healthy wench” and when she takes a jibe at his size he answers: “I am big enough where it counts,” but where does it count? The obvious is that he is referring to his genitals, but I have my doubts.

 

He identifies himself as “Ser Shadrich of Shady Glen” and tells Brienne that he seeks blood and battle and that he is no tourney knight, he saves his valour for battle. Shadrich is a strange name and Shady Glen is a hidden valley that no one knowes where it is located.

 

He tells Brienne that he knows she is looking for Sansa Stark. Some have wondered how he made that connection, well, unlike our super sleuth Ser Illifer, Ser Shadrich is looking for the same girl with the same description so when Brienne (an armed and armoured woman) described her “sister” it was obvious to him that they are both looking for Sansa.

 

Here we get the single most important piece of information about Ser Shadrich when he tells Brienne: “My ransom ruined me.” Ser Sharich is a ruined man! Who would ransom a hedge knight? With what would a hedge knight be ransomed? Ser Sharich it seems is not what he appears to be!

 

The statement itself is vague, was he ruined as a knight, i.e. dishonoured? Or was he—as commonly interpreted—ruined financially? If the latter than his family must have had land that they could have sell to ransom him, Ser Shadrich was not a hedge knight who would deign to work for merchants before the battle of Blackwater.

 

His past life aside, we see that Ser Shadrich honestly tells Brienne that he is seeking Sansa for gold promised by Varys. Here I would like to stop at this question he puts to Brienne: “You know who Varys is, I trust?” it seems a strange question to ask, why would he have to check if she is familiar with the long-serving master of the whispers? He honestly offers Brienne to split the prize for Sansa, when she persist in denying he leaves her be.

 

The whole group rides together to Old Stone Bridge inn, where Brienne pays for Ser Illifer's and Ser Creighton's dinner and room. In the night she slips away leaving the group behind her.

 

In summary: We know next to nothing about Ser Shadrich's real identity. The Shady Glen is not mentioned elsewhere and the only other Glen is in the Vale (Grey Glen). Most probably he was not a hedge knight before the battle of Blackwater and he assumed this new identity so no shame would come to his family. He is brutally honest and as Brienne says arrogant, whether he has the skills to back that arrogance up is yet to be seen.

  The Smith

Brienne gets to Duskendale, waits for the gate to open, glimpses Podrick in the line. In the city she gives her shield to be painted with Ser Duncan the Tall's sigil (falling star above an Elm tree at dusk) and takes a room in the Seven Swords inn. Goes to the castle to get information, which leads her to conclude that the lead she was following is fruitless.

 

On the way back to the inn she bumps into Podrick. In the inn she meets a dwarf (a bona fide dwarf and not just compared to her freakish size). A holy brother “with the iron hammer of the Smith dangling down about his thick neck.”

 

The holy brother willingly gives her his seat. His holy house, besides Maidenpool, was burnt by the wolves, they rebuilt it but sellsowrds took the pigs and killed the brothers. He only survived thanks to his size when he hid in a hollow log. Afterwards he buried all his dead brothers and took the money hidden and went south to join the growing sparrow movement.

 

When she asks about her sister and promise gold for a reward the holy brother offers her his information for a bowl of crab stew; then he gives her very precise information regarding a man in Maidenpool who “fooled a fool.” named Nimble Dick that can be found in the Stinking Goose. After telling her the Crone will guide her and the Maiden will watch over her sister he leaves to continue his journey to King's Landing.

 

(It appears that having been saved from the sellsowrds in Maidenpool thanks to his size, the holy brother was killed by thugs and his head delivered mistakenly to Cersei only because he was a dwarf.)

  The Warrior

Laddies & Gentlemen here's the Squire from the Shire, the Boy you want watching your back, I present to you all: Pooooooodrick “I can fight” Payne!!

 

Next day Brienne leaves Duskendale and takes the north road to Maidenpool. After a while it start raining, Brienne continues to ride until she comes to a fork in the road: right goes north-east to Crackclaw Point and left goes north-west to Maidenpool. At the fork is the ruins of a castle, the Hollard's ancient seat. Brienne decides to camp there.

 

She notices a horse coming, she first suspect it to be the Mad Mouse but then notices that it is Podrick. He takes the left road and she rides after him. She confronts him and he tells her who he is and that he also wants to find Lady Sansa.

 

A while later we find the two of them riding together, Podrick tells Brienne: “I have a longsword. I can fight.” As a veteran of the Five Kings war and especially Blackwater battle he is more experienced than the Maid of Tarth to be honest. Brienne test him and notes his skill, but also his undernourishment.

  The Maiden

When Brienne gets to the gate of Maidenpool she runs into Ser Hyle Hunt. Ser Hyle tried to court Brienne back in the Reach as part of a bet to get her maidenhead. She dislikes and distrust him as a result.

 

Once Brienne had thought Ser Hyle had an honest face, but she doesn't think that any more. He has brown hair, hazel eyes, a little scare by his left ear. His chin has a cleft and his nose crooked and he laughed well and often.

Ser Hyle helps Brienne at the gate, then gives her directions to a stable and the Stinking Goose. He takes her to see Lord Tarly. Afterwards he tells Brienne: “It was only a game to pass the time. We meant no harm.” But Brienne refuse any further help and goes by herself to the Stinking Goose to see Nimble Dick.

 

Brienne later reflects on the courting of Ser Hyle: “He gave her a book, beautifully illuminated and filled with a hundred tales of knightly valor. He brought apples and carrots for her horses, and a blue silk plume for her helm. He told her the gossip of the camp and said clever, cutting things that made her smile. He even trained with her one day, which meant more than all the rest.”

 

She consider his courtship to be the best, whether that is because of his experience or genuine feelings he had for her is unknown. She also remembers how Lord Tarly blamed her for the game and wanted her to go back to Tarth.

  The Crone

While Brienne is sitting in the Stinking Goose thinking of her past in walks Nimble Dick, Dick Crabb of the ancient (and forgotten) House Crabb of The Whispers. Nimble Dick is ragged and common, he answers Brienne's question but only for silver coin.

 

She asks him where he sent the Fool and the two girls and he answers: “Someplace no stag ever found... though a dragon might.” House Crabb was loyal to the Targaryans and fought for them, but not for the Baratheons.

 

He offers to take her to The Whispers in Crackclaw Point and they agree a price and to go east by first light. So they set off and take the coast road. Brienne is weary of Nimble Dick and doesn't trust him. She instruct Podrick to watch her while she slept, but when he offers to protect her with his sword she tells him to wake her up if Nimble Dick tries anything.

 

When Nimble Dick wonders how she never heard Ser Clarence Crabb, she tells him a the story of the Perfect Knight from Tarth, but he laughs at the knight who have a sword from the Maiden and yet doesn't use it.

 

Crabb tells Brienne of the local history and stories and the different families in Crackclaw Point: “we bow only to our own lords, and the king. The true king, not Robert and his ilk...... We’re all good dragon men, up Crackclaw way.”

They continue on the road, sleeping in inns, then taking shelter in a barn, then camping under rocks until they reach the end of the road under a cliff with a castle on top: the Dyre Den, the seat of House Brune.

 

They take a small path along a cleft in the rock, while climbing they notice a rider some miles behind them. Again Brienne thinks of the Mad Mouse. At the top they decide to ignore the castle and the rider behind them and go into the pines.

 

Brienne is completely disoriented in the pines and she start to suspect Crabb and regret following him into such treacherous terrain. After a couple of days in the woods they suddenly come to a castle on the edge of the cliff, The Whispers, the seat of House Crabb.

 

When Crabb tries to show her the smugglers cove she thinks he is trying to push her. She instructs Podrick to watch the horses and decides to go into the ruins with Crabb. At the last minute she remembers her Valyrian steel sword, Oathkeeper, and gives her other sword to Crabb.

 

Inside the ruins she finds Shagwell, Pyg, and Timeon, Crabb gets killed but with the help of Podrick she kills Pyg and Timeon and overpowers Shagwell. She orders Shagwell to dig a grave under the weirwood tree for Dick Crabb: “He was a Crabb. This is his place.”

 

As she lays Crabb into the grave she thinks: “I’m sorry that I never trusted you. I don’t know how to do that anymore.” Shagwell tries to hit her with a rock, but she stabs him with a dagger and kills him.

 

Before interring Crabb she throws two gold coins into his grave, the payment she promised him if they found a fool at The Whispers.

 

Conclusion

From Rosby to The Whispers Brienne met 7 honest men who helped her: Ser Creighton, Ser Illifer, Ser Shadrich, the holy brother, Podrick Payne, Ser Hyle Hunt and Dick Crabb. All were honest to her, even those she didn't trust.

 

PS: The second half of the journey analysis is posted on another forum, you can read it here.

[Codename: Nymeria]

 

Conclusion

From Rosby to The Whispers Brienne met 7 honest men who helped her: Ser Creighton, Ser Illifer, Ser Shadrich, the holy brother, Podrick Payne, Ser Hyle Hunt and Dick Crabb. All were honest to her, even those she didn't trust.

 

 

That's it? No deep reveal about the Faith of the Seven or anything? 

 

 

Ser Shadrich of Shady Glen, who is neither called Shadrich nor is from Shady Glen, is the most honest man in Westeros; listen to his assessment: “The one is old, t’other fat, and the big one is a woman.” brutal honesty!

 

I'll give you anothuh: the chickpea is neither a chick, nor a pea. Discuss.