[TWoW SPOILERS] March chapter mercy part ii

[Grey Words]

I do have to confess, sometimes the over arguing of the imposition of modern day standards gets old for me. This chapter, I suspect, will set it off on a roll for years to come. SMDH and LOLing all at the same time. That's how I get through it. :thumbsup: ;)

:agree: SMDH and LOLing all the way till the next book's release.

[MyaStoned]

Maybe their "years" are 500 days long.

After all, how do you judge a year when the seasons and day lengths are unpredictable?

I think Martin would have pointed that out by now - it's too fundamental a difference and would completely change every character and the whole narrative. It's a fantasy world with fantasy explanations. We're supposed to take for granted that their days are as long as ours and their years are as long as ours.

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

Thank you for that, I knew it had to be while she was 12 and that it happened in ACOK. That seems sooooooooooo long ago, even in universe time, I'm thinking it's time for the kids to sit back for a second and have them figure out what age they are. It would certainly be helpful for the rest of us. Last I remember, in AFFC, Sansa was still 13 and making Alayne 14, a bit older.

Indeed, Sansa turned 13 in between her own wedding and Joffreys wedding. The last time Arya mentioned her age was in very early 300 AC, when she was on the ship to Braavos, IIRC. At that moment, she wasn't entirely sure if she was still 10, or had just turned 11. Less than a year passed since then, so Arya should be about 11,5 now. The fact that Harys shows up in the first Arya chapter shows she's not that far ahead in time as was originally thought.

[Florina Laufeyson]

I do have to confess, sometimes the over arguing of the imposition of modern day standards gets old for me. This chapter, I suspect, will set it off on a roll for years to come. SMDH and LOLing all at the same time. That's how I get through it. :thumbsup: ;)

And how. It was an interesting argument to begin with but two years later, im fucking done with it. This chapter is supposed to be uncomfortable. Raff's companion says it:

"You're disgusting," the other one said.

[Lady Fevre Dream]

And how. It was an interesting argument to begin with but two years later, im fucking done with it. This chapter is supposed to be uncomfortable. Raff's companion says it:

"You're disgusting," the other one said.

Oh yeah, I'm just so happy to see Arya right now, but it is interesting how using sex sets the bells and whistles off when the girl has been girling her way through how many books? The 5 year gap information is interesting too, I swear, I think there I times I wonder how well GRRM is keeping track of their ages. The idea of Sansa not aging much from ACOK and noting her birthday and her flowering up until now, seems a bit of a stretch. There is just something that feels off about how much time has passed from ACOK and say, a known change for Sansa and now.

[The Dragon has three heads]

Everyone is so precious about arya getting groped and using her wyles to lure her mark into his death.

Get over it. WHAT ABOUT THE SPELLING ERRORS.

and why THE FUCK would mercy be playing shae!? No. Just. No. Learn to read.

[Lady Fevre Dream]

I had a thought about all the worries people have about Arya and her disconnectedness. While she is NOT stopping to contemplate her family like The Bloody Hand should enable her to do so, I love that she still makes friends while living with her differing identities, genuinely seems to like most of the people surrounding her, but also, and I love this the most, she always seems to have affection for the person she is playing, too. I think that might say alot about her chances to connect to the important things, eventually. I hope, anyway. I love that she misses Cat and will miss Mercy, too. There is something sweet about that.

ETA: NOT stopping to contemplate her family, oops.

[Jojosh]

arya has grown up on us. now she seduces,kills,and japes.

[Pod The Rod]

I had a thought about all the worries people have about Arya and her disconnectedness. While she is NOT stopping to contemplate her family while The Bloody Hand should enable her to do so, I love that she still makes friends while living with her differing identities, genuinely seems to like most of the people surrounding her, but also, and I love this the most, she always seems to have affection for the person she is playing, too. I think that might say alot about her chances to connect to the important things, eventually. I hope, anyway. I love that she misses Cat and will miss Mercy, too. There is something sweet about that.

ETA: NOT stopping to contemplate her family, oops.

That's because Arya Stark, underneath the shell she's built for herself and all the trauma she's endured, is a fundamentally good person. It's just been buried underneath layers of horrors at this point after what she's seen.

[Pablius]

Great chapter, good to see the raw, crude ugly reality of the world

I hope Arya becomes an assassin with her own agenda, giving not much care nor interest to his Stark origins and family tragedies, but probably that`s not her path giving how Arya almost fully "comes back" close to the end of the chapter

And the play within the play...how shakespearean...

[Greg B]

I can't find any definitive evidence that Mercy's role was Shae, but I do know this: If her role was Sansa on her wedding night, the line "Please, m'lord, I'm still a maiden" becomes an invitation for her new husband to consummate the marriage, and not a protestation against impending rape. So, I think clearly not Sansa.

[RoamingRonin]

So Izembaro is just a fat guy. Figured that. Those theories of him being Gendry's master are done and thank the gods.

What a satisfying chapter. HOW GROCE she had to kiss and fondle Raff the Sweetling. I wonder if this is Arya's ticket home? Killing for revenge was expressly forbidden and I can't imagine this not getting back to the Kindly Man. Even though she loves killing for revenge, that's a no-no in this series for some reason... It must be just.

ETA: If Sansa's chapter is supposedly be controversial... Let me just go ahead and cry/vomit now.

ETA: Its easy to accept Arya seducing and such because she's clearly had more training, we just haven't seen it. She's acting. To be honest, she did very little. Raff is an idiot.

[Lissa Nymeros Martell]

I think after everything she's been through Arya is incredibly resilient. I'd be rocking back and forth in a corner. She's still just Arya. Everywhere she goes she makes friends. She's consistently resourceful. Highly adaptable. Practical.

I don't think the sexual stuff is outside the range of who she is. Sex happens. It's not that big of a deal. Considering her situation it's honestly more surprising that she hasn't been actually raped before. She can protect herself. She's a survivor.

Easiest way to get Raff the sweetling to follow her? Convince him he can have sex with her. It was rational and well executed. Though you can tell it wasn't a FM hit because they prefer their hits too look like accidents.

Great chapter. I can not wait until TWoW

[FalseKnight]

My point was that criticizing the author as bad when they are writing stuff you don't like is immature.

There's a limit to suspension of disbelief. I suspect each reader has their criteria for what that limit is. A good writer tries to avoid losing readers by crossing that. Every fantasy trope likly crosses that line for some readers. Sexualizing our 12 y/o assassin may have crossed the line for some fans. If that makes them call GRRM a bad writer, I don't understand why you call them immature.

[Duckfield]

I just read it now. Loved it.

I think it's not over yet for the royal envoy, Justin Massey is headed to Braavos as well and for the same reason (to treat with the Iron Bank).

I predict a Justin Massey vs Harys Swyft, I think it's pretty obvious at this point.

I also liked the references to Prince Garin and Nettles.

And I think that Dunsen might be there as well, because we know that both Dunsen and Raff were sent by Jamie to escort Robin Ryger and Desmond Grell to Maidenpool, and if Raff later joined up with Swyft then Dunsen might be there too!

[Winter Blues]

What is it with the over sensitivity about Arya's sexuality? She killed a boy at ten. Shouldn't THAT be a bit more disturbing?...

[caravaggio]

I couldn't help but notice there is another mention of Aerys sending a Hand (this time Tywin instead of Steffon) east. What his interests were across the Narrow Sea is a point of curiosity for me.

[Florina Laufeyson]

I had a thought about all the worries people have about Arya and her disconnectedness. While she is NOT stopping to contemplate her family like The Bloody Hand should enable her to do so, I love that she still makes friends while living with her differing identities, genuinely seems to like most of the people surrounding her, but also, and I love this the most, she always seems to have affection for the person she is playing, too. I think that might say alot about her chances to connect to the important things, eventually. I hope, anyway. I love that she misses Cat and will miss Mercy, too. There is something sweet about that.

ETA: NOT stopping to contemplate her family, oops.

Arya has always been quite the extrovert. She likes people and always has. She doesnt miss being the Ugly Little Girl very much cuz that face wasnt around people. She misses Cat and she will miss Mercy cuz they got to be with people and living normal lives.

That's because Arya Stark, underneath the shell she's built for herself and all the trauma she's endured, is a fundamentally good person. It's just been buried underneath layers of horrors at this point after what she's seen.

The Arya Stark thats left is the wolf in human shape. If the old Arya is still in there, its really really deeply buried. Perhaps part of that comes out when shes people like Mercy. But one thing is certain: Arya craves a normal life spent surrounded by people. Nymeria reflects this as well. Playing at being a normal wolf with a normal pack.

But Nymeria is not a normal wolf. Her pack is not a normal pack. Arya stopped being a normal little girl a long time ago. The people shes around are hardly ordinary.

*sniff* Have i mentioned how sad this chapter is imo? D:

I couldn't help but notice there is another mention of Aerys sending a Hand (this time Tywin instead of Steffon) east. What his interests were across the Narrow Sea is a point of curiosity for me.

You dont think it could possibly be Old Valyria and the search for dragons?

[FacelessMofo]

Been in the forums a while, First post. I loved the chapter and get more thirsty for WoW with every sample chapter. I say let him release the whole thing in sample chapters slowly and when the book comes out we only have to read a chapter or two... until we read the whole thing 5 more times.

Regarding this post:

The way that she reverts back to "Arya" at the end of the chapter... could it be that this was meant as a symbolic parallel with Dany's rekindling of her dragon side and Jon's decision to battle Ramsay as we saw in Dance? Seems like we may be setting up for some long-awaited eventualities here.

I sense that the Iron Key is a big clue here. For instance , Arya leaves FM because all she wants is to knock all the names off her list and not worship death. She meets up with Jaqen H'gar (sp) and that's where she gets the key to the citadel. And finishes her training with JH . He seems to be a FM but follows Rhollor.

[Lady Fevre Dream]

Arya has always been quite the extrovert. She likes people and always has. She doesnt miss being the Ugly Little Girl very much cuz that face wasnt around people. She misses Cat and she will miss Mercy cuz they got to be with people and living normal lives.

The Arya Stark thats left is the wolf in human shape. If the old Arya is still in there, its really really deeply buried. Perhaps part of that comes out when shes people like Mercy. But one thing is certain: Arya craves a normal life spent surrounded by people. Nymeria reflects this as well. Playing at being a normal wolf with a normal pack.

But Nymeria is not a normal wolf. Her pack is not a normal pack. Arya stopped being a normal little girl a long time ago. The people shes around are hardly ordinary.

*sniff* Have i mentioned how sad this chapter is imo? D:

You dont think it could possibly be Old Valyria and the search for dragons?

It is the Arya who, to Sansa's horror on the King's Road, would make friends with anyone, LOL. And, this thought is where the sadness you mention comes in for me, it's almost as if Arya must somewhat enjoy just hiding as these identities, just to make friends and to feel 'normal' for awhile, at least until a mission time and/or an appearance of a Raff leads her to put that time of 'normalcy' aside.

ETA: Your mention of Old Valyria and dragons for Aerys also reminded me of another thought, not that they tie in, just helped me with the train of thought. The fact that Phario Forel's first play is said to be Wroth of the Dragonlords makes me wonder if there is some type of message there, beyond the play and history lesson and questions about Forels and slavery and dragons and Braavosi....OH MY!! Yes, I make myself dizzy sometimes, sorry. ;)