All Roads Lead to King's Landing (Sort of)

[GreatjonUnchained]

I'm not sure if this has ever been discussed before, but here it goes:

I'm sure many of you are like me and love looking at maps. I constantly flip back to the front of theses books to see if I can pinpoint exactly where the characters are on the map when a new location is mentioned. This got me thinking of the network of roads that currently exists in Westeros and if, perhaps, they are more than just mere roads. Perhaps they are symbols that pertain to the people and places that they lead to.

The Goldroad (Caterly Rock - King's Landing):

This road was famously used by Tywin Lannister (he has lots of gold) when he marched to King's Landing and sacked it during Robert's Rebellion. Tywin married Cersei to Robert and then proceeded to build his influence with gold. The Lannisters were in control.

The Roseroad (Oldtown - Highgarden - King's Landing):

This was the road used by the Tyrells (the roses) when they marched to King's Landing to help Tywin relieve the city during Stannis's assault. Mace Tyrell married Margaery to Joffrey/Tommen and then proceeded to build his influence with food for the starving smallfolk (I'm sure it smelled sweet). The Tyrells then started fighting for control.

The Riverroad (Casterly Rock - Riverrun):

While it doesn't lead to King's Landing it functions the same way. Jaime Lannister marched down this road to try and take Riverrun and failed. Genna Lannister succeeded (with Jaime's help) and now she and her Freys control Riverrun and the Riverlands.

The Searoad (Casterly Rock - Highgarden):

I'm not sure yet. It hasn't been used much in the story.

The Highroad and The Crossroads (The Crossroads - The Eyrie):

This road is more of a metaphor. It represents the "Highway" or the path of most resistance. This is best exemplified when Catelyn makes here decision at The Crossroads to take Tyrion Lannister to The Eyrie. Leaving Tyrion alone would have been considered the easier way. This road is hard and arduous and seems longer than it really is. One may travel this road, though they have a high chance of Death. There are many places you can choose to go from the crossroads and these places have choices of their own: King's Landing/Storm's End, Winterfell/Castle Black, Riverrun, and Harrenhal isn't too far off the path.

The Kingsroad (Storm's End - King's Landing - Castle Black by way of Winterfell):

This is perhaps the most obvious. This is the road Kings take to get to King's Landing. Robert marched down the road after the Battle of the Trident. Stannis sent his army up the road from Storm's End in his failed attempt to take King's Landing. But, I think the northern part of the road also holds a lot of significance. The Kingsroad does not go through Winterfell, but passes it and I believe there is some symbolism in that. More importantly, it ends at Castle Black. Or is that where it starts? (You knew it was coming.)

The King's Journey Down the Kingsroad (Castle Black - King's Landing by way of Winterfell):

Let's pretend we're making the journey ourselves, shall we?

You start at Castle Black and there is much amiss around you. The only thing that can be helped is happening at Winterfell, so you head south. This part of the Kingsroad is narrow and is almost not a road at all, so much as a trail. There might be danger lurking behind each bend and you push on hoping that the journey may become easier. Once you reach Winterfell you realize some of your prayers have been answered. You find help in friends, both old and new, and you might even find some lost members of your pack. There will be much talk of crowns and marriage, but the word on everyone's tongue will be revenge. You'll want it too, but it will probably take some convincing from others until you bestir yourself from such a familiar place.

The next phase might more treacherous than the last. You head further south with your new pack as the night gathers, knowing full well that you don't have as much time as you would wish to complete your journey. But first, you must let the dark wetness of the Neck engulf you. The land is a great swamp where the slightest misstep may be your doom. The swamp teems with frogs and lizard-lions, but the most interesting things that lurk there are the crannogmen and all their secrets. Their secrets will become your sorrow as you soon find out that some of the crannogmen know more about you than you do.

This phase will be final one; your crowning moment. Your first action would be to halt your pack and build two twin funeral pyres to your fallen pack-mates. Soon after your pack's thirst for blood is satisfied, you'll want more and so will some of your new friends, whether they be trout, falcons, or whatever else dwells in the South. You also notice that the cold winds are blowing further south than they have before, so you make all haste to the end of your journey. However, you are delayed at an inn at the crossroads. There are so many familiar names that you become confused as to how you might continue, but you must make a decision. Some will be hard for you, but you must continue on to your destination and hope that by now, you would have recovered what friends and pack-mates you had lost. Once the journey is over, though, a new one starts. For the the cold and the dark have finally come and you must gather what strength remains of your pack to face the night and bring the dawn.

I'll leave the rest up for discussion. (Any help with the Searoad would be much appreciated. It's annoying the hell out of me.) :D

But first, I'll like to end with a quote:

(To Arya) "Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle. Who knows?" - Jon Snow