[TWOW Spoilers] March 2014 Chapter Part III

[DrunkSister]

I am unsure of what the line 'The gods have given me a gift.' was referring to. Did she mean there was something special about her ability to recognize a prey? Or was it that the FM literally that the gods gave her the right to deliver the 'gift' to anyone. I'm not sure, but I'm pretty certain that understanding the exact meaning of this line would be quite enlightening on what was Arya's possible mission (or absence of any) in this chapter.

Well, if we could know for certain it would explain a lot, which is likely why the chapter was written as it was.

My hunch is that Mercy was supposed to be killed in some fracas to sabotage the Westerosi envoy and the negotiations, and Raff was a gift from Stranger.

The Weirwoods Eyes, on 28 Mar 2014 - 6:29 PM, said:

Mercy dreams of wolves again she wakes confused about who she is the dream had her running through a dark pine forest She tells us her name and that all anyone ever calls her is Mercy except in her dreams she thinks on the dream and says a tree was watching her.

My interpretation is just a bit different: she doesn't wake confused about who she is, but of who she is supposed to be playing. Because she was night woolf during her dream. Touching her shaved head she remembers who she is playing. Mercy, I’m Mercy, and tonight I’ll be raped and murdered.

Beeswop,

I noticed a lot of tubular and snakelike imagery but had no idea what to make of it lol, it makes sense now.

[The Lord of the Waters]

I'm not understanding at all how anyone thinks that there's any possible way that Cersei can lose her trial with Ser Robert Strong as her champion.

The only better questions that could be asked are: How does she regain the Regency? Simple answer: Tommen. Does Margaery survive or not? And if not how does this whole Tyrell/Lannister alliance look right now?

Well we know that there is something incredibly creepy going on with Robert Strong; We have no guarantee that he is un-defeatable, also there is always the possibility that whatever is going on with him will be uncovered.

As for the regency, how does Tommen guarantee her regaining that?

With regards to the Tyrell/Lannister alliance, I believe we see in the Kevan Lannister chapter in DWD; Kevan is concerned by the number of Tyrell loyal men in positions of power at KL. We also know that Pycelle was Lannister loyal.. so with Pycelle and Kevan both murdered by Varys it suggests that the Tyrell's are in a position of control. Varys appears to want rid of the Lannister's at this point. But with Tommen still being a boy, it pretty much allows him to be controlled by whomever is in the position of Regent.

Cersei has very few allies at KL now it would appear.

As for Margaery, I would assume the ideal for the Tyrell's would be to return her as Tommen's queen and rule through her.. whether or not she will survive is difficult to determine I think, I can't decide her significance in the future plot and I still think Margaery s a character we don't know much about as of yet.

[DrunkSister]

I saw her taking his boots as more of a feline thing. She is proud of her kill and brings a prize back to her "master".

*spit take*

In regard to Arya's mortality, she has shown herself be perfectly capable of killing innocents when it suits her purposes or is convenient. The idea that she represents justice does not really follow.

Vengeance, after justice has failed.

"iron key" - Keys seam to be coming up often with Faceless men. First the key in the Citadel and now this.

"The long way also took her across the Bridge of Eyes with its carved stone faces."

Eyes and carved faces make me think of Bloodraven and old gods. Maybe Arya will take the long way home in some way influenced by BR and OG.

"All cats are gray" - Cat of the canals and cats being associated with Arya / gray as Stark color.

"All men are killers" - all men must die

"The fog opened before her like a tattered grey curtain" - This may be nothing but it still sounds interesting.

The key in Oldtown is to open something and either steal an object or knowledge. I doubt the keys are connected. Unless you meant it as a motive with a symbolic meaning?

The stone faces watching reminds me of Kings of Winter watcing in the crypts. And we really don't know that they aren't! They seemed very judgemental to Ned. Or of Bittersteel's grinning skull.

The fog opening like a curtain is IMO another hint that everything we see in this chapter is mummer's play? This is soooo meta.

If the very act of putting on a play to honor the guest is a mummer's play - then what?

[ARYa_Nym]

*spit take*

It's not literal which is why I used quotations. When cats make a kill they often bring something back. Like say they kill a bird and they leave the dead body on your door step as if to say look what I did. She brought back boots instead of a body.

[Ice Turtle]

Speaking of fog and mummers, does anyone else remember this:

He had never seen the godswood like this, though—grey and ghostly, filled with warm mists and floating lights and whispered voices that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Beneath the trees, the hot springs steamed. Warm vapors rose from the earth, shrouding the trees in their moist breath, creeping up the walls to draw grey curtains across the watching windows.

Then the mists parted, like the curtain opening at a mummer show to reveal some new tableau. The heart tree appeared in front of them, its bony limbs spread wide. Fallen leaves lay about the wide white trunk in drifts of red and brown. The ravens were the thickest here, muttering to one another in the murderers’ secret tongue. Ramsay Bolton stood beneath them, clad in high boots of soft grey leather and a black velvet doublet slashed with pink silk and glittering with garnet teardrops. A smile danced across his face. “Who comes?” His lips were moist, his neck red above his collar. “Who comes before the god?”

Theon answered. “Arya of House Stark comes here to be wed. A woman grown and flowered, trueborn and noble, she comes to beg the blessings of the gods.

[liknar]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned but has GRRM ever underlined things before in his texts? What is the importantes of the underline? Will the underline make it to the book?

[The Lord of the Waters]

The fog opening like a curtain is IMO another hint that everything we see in this chapter is mummer's play? This is soooo meta.

If the very act of putting on a play to honor the guest is a mummer's play - then what?

It seems it is like the curtain opening for Arya's performance as Mercy.

[Kienn]

I don't feel like going through her water thread again but here are some mud quotes:

ETA: I just noticed the roar like a monstrous beast line. Pair that with the fire and blood this could be a dragon reference.She seems to seek mud as refuge but idk what mud stands for in this context.

Tyrion's latest chapter said:

Oh, and you know Nymeria's eyes looked like 2 golden coins which can relate to Charon and the River Styx.

There was mention of mud when Nymeria got Catelyn's body out of the water.

I think tyrion's chapter tells us the link directly.

Heroes get covered in mud and blood repeatedly.

[The Lord of the Waters]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned but has GRRM ever underlined things before in his texts? What is the importantes of the underline? While the underline make it to the book?

The underline is in-place of the italics used in the book to quote the POV character's thoughts.

[ARYa_Nym]

I think tyrion's chapter tells us the link directly.

Heroes get covered in mud and blood repeatedly.

Oh, ok. Thanks. I only read his chapter once but that line stuck out to me.

I wonder who her hero is then. Although the dragon seemed antagonistic but I know in AGoT the dragon skulls at first seemed like they loved her not then they seemed like old friends.

I always assumed that it was only about Dany but then again it's not like Dany will have all 3 dragons.

What do you make of the mud and green in her chapters meaning?

[liknar]

The underline is in-place of the italics used in the book to quote the POV character's thoughts.

Thanks, It looks like it is also used to place emphasis on a word in a sentence. Which is also italicized in the books.

[DrunkSister]

It's not literal which is why I used quotations. When cats make a kill they often bring something back. Like say they kill a bird and they leave the dead body on your door step as if to say look what I did. She brought back boots instead of a body.

Sorry. I was trying to communicate that I found the comparison funny and quite brilliant.

[The Lord of the Waters]

What do you make of the mud and green in her chapters meaning?

Mention of green in an Arya chapter = She will ride Rhaegal. #sarcasm

Thanks, It looks like it is also used to place emphasis on a word in a sentence. Which is also italicized in the books.

Yeah, I assume he can't use italics in whatever he is using to type up this chapter.

[Kienn]

Oh, ok. Thanks. I only read his chapter once but that line stuck out to me.

I wonder who her hero is then. Although the dragon seemed antagonistic but I know in AGoT the dragon skulls at first seemed like they loved her not then they seemed like old friends.

I always assumed that it was only about Dany but then again it's not like Dany will have all 3 dragons.

What do you make of the mud and green in her chapters meaning?

I think the mud is an indicator that Arya is/will be a hero, I haven't looked up everything but from a quick search in text it looks like everyone who gets covered in mud is easily argued to be a hero.

Dunk, Egg, Dany, Jaime, Tyrion, "mudmen"(crannogs/Howland).

The green I still don't know, best guess is the greens and blacks - linking it to Dany or Aegon.

[ARYa_Nym]

Sorry. I was trying to communicate that I found the comparison funny and quite brilliant.

Oh, lol. Okay. My fault then. :)

Anyways, the snake bit was interesting.

What Nature wants us to do is to move with a snake-like motion. … The snake is the symbol of the great wisdom of Nature, for the too direct way is not the best way; the crooked way, the detour, is the shorter way.”

Jung says about dreaming of snakes: “ Snake dreams always indicate a discrepancy between the attitude of the conscious mind and instinct, the snake being a personification of the threatening aspect of that conflict”.

I'm reminded of this a bit:

"But I always liked side-paths, little dark back-alleys behind the main road—there one finds adventures and surprises, and precious metal in the dirt."

Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

ETA: Actually the extended quote is more interesting:

"I am speaking figuratively, brother. In the town I was in, there were no such back-alleys in the literal sense, but morally there were. If you were like me, you'd know what that means. I loved vice...I loved cruelty...It was dark, it was winter...she allowed me much in the dark."

Eve was tempted by the snake. Then comes the fall and with it mortality (death) and nakedness.

I think the mud is an indicator that Arya is/will be a hero, I haven't looked up everything but from a quick search in text it looks like everyone who gets covered in mud is easily argued to be a hero.

Dunk, Egg, Dany, Jaime, Tyrion, "mudmen"(crannogs/Howland).

The green I still don't know, best guess is the greens and blacks - linking it to Dany or Aegon.

Interesting. I've always thought that Arya and Egg (as a child) were quite similar. Although maybe not anymore now.

[boojam]

George says he wrote that 'chapter' a long time ago.

I can't remember if he said how long ago?

Before he had finished Dance?

Because an odd feeling I get is that , in this segment, that Arya is older than Mercy.

I am also one of those who finds that GRRM has not revealed much about the FM.

This whole narrative seems like a FM related operation, except it may be part of Arya apprentice ship.

In falconry there is a process called 'flying at Hack' or just 'Hack'.

This means a falconer lets a young falcon fly free in order to gain confidence in hunting.

It , of course, would be different here but Arya could be ordered to live independent of the FM to practice immersion and yet ply the tools of her trade, so to speak.

We may have a portion of ASoIaF where the '5 year' gap has happened, or maybe 3 years?

Arya seems to know have more adult knowledge than she has ever had before, a natural process tho.

[Bastard of Godsgrace]

Yeah, I assume he can't use italics in whatever he is using to type up this chapter.

Yeah, he uses WordStar which IIRC doesn't have italics, only underline.

[Ferocious Veldt Roarer]

As someone else pointed out, Tyrion would've been six or seven at that point, so it couldn't be related.

Not to mention, it would be an awful lot of hassle. If Tywin did anything with Tysha after teaching Tyrion a lesson, he simply had her strangled and buried (maybe in a pot of brown). Travel across the Narrow Sea to leave her in one of the Free Cities? Why, was he particularly fond of her?

[Lord Varys]

Back to that Faceless Man transformation stuff:

1. It's nowhere established that Arya has to be a skinny girl close to her own age. She is in the story, but that doesn't mean she could not have impersonated somebody else.

2. The fact that Arya sees her own face/body when looking in a mirror, doesn't mean that her appearance is an illusion. It's just as likely, even more likely in my opinion, that what she sees in the mirror is an integral illusion that helps the whole spell to work properly. Everyone would intuitively react strangely if his own image in a mirror would look differently, and it would be very difficult to change that.

3. It's clearly established that the face-changing stuff is actual magic/something deeper than a glamor. Thoughts of the dead person are transferred to the person wearing the face, and that clearly shows that this whole is deeper and more serious stuff than wearing a glamor.

4. We have the Jaqen-Pate situation. Pate is clearly not of the same height, stature, weight etc. as Jaqen and/or the person Jaqen actually is.

5. Even if we were to say that the face-changing stuff is just an 'illusion' I'd say that it's a magical illusion whose properties see to it people see and touch the things the illusion wants them to feel. Say, while Arya was wearing the face of the ugly girl, anyone touching that face would have felt exactly what he was supposed to be feel. There would be no discrepancy between sight and touch.

Having a small, skinny Faceless Man impersonate an old, fat guy would make use of the same 'magical mechanism'. It would just extend the level and range of the spell somewhat...

6. If that is the case, it's easily imaginable that a Faceless Man/Woman can impersonate a woman/man, and even have sex while 'swapping genders'. I don't know what he/she would exactly feel when doing such a thing, but my guess is that the magic involved could somehow translate 'false penis stimulation' to the real clitoris, and vice versa. Trying to imagine this is not that difficult, but I guess writing it convincingly is different case altogether.

I hope this sounds not to weird...

[Booknerd2]

Just a sidenote:

It's a funny thing. I was one of some who were concerned way back in the last book or so, that the FM/House of Black and White storyline had taken or was going to continue to keep Arya away from her identity and Westeros and her past. She seemed so fully absorbed in it for at time. I was concerned about how long, and doubts were raised at if and when she would somehow get back to Westeros and continue the list, run into family and allies, and get back to being a player within the Lannister/Stark situation.

Wrong!

The author gave us a big gift and hope for those who truly want Arya back. Could be wrong, but I am now no longer as concerned with how long she stays with the FM, if she even does. I did not expect that chapter. A demonstration, pretty much, and some insight into where her mind is really at, that was not formerly present with all the guessing in her last few chapters in the last book or so. This chapter was an Arya showcase/like we can pick her brain. That she is doing FM training yet still holds her old list as important and acts on it. All in one chapter. Older Arya chapters in the last book or so made her time at the FM seem so insular, and she seemed so cut off from her old life and old world. This was a big step.

Between never truly abandoning Needle, and the whole wrap up with Raff and the Lommy connection too, which was reassuring. The same statement he made to Raff at death and yes, choosing to slow him down by slicing the artery, but still choosing to put him down with a leg, just like Lommy's leg. The reason he died, complaining to Raff about it.

Edit: And she went for the throat also, just like Raff did with the spear to the throat with Lommy.

I am not saying that everyone on her list is going to fall into her lap that easily like Raff did. Honestly, I think her list served a purpose for her and she never completes it. But I think this chapter might have been a catalyst/fork in the road moment for her character. She may not want to leave the FM voluntarily, but when settling the score with her old life pops up, she vehemently took an opportunity to handle it as she wished. I think possibly events or people will again, after Raff, pull her from the FM. She hears of something or someone from her old life, knows she can act/make a difference, really, do something about it, and that is what is going to bring her to Westeros. I am not saying she sees a Lannister or a Lannister supporter again, or even a member of her list. She may encounter someone with ties to Westeros she knows, someone on the Stark side, and old acquaintance, or something snaps at her in Braavos. I think this is when she decides to head to Westeros. Whether alone, or with whoever she meets, I am not certain of that, of course. But it will have to be someone or something that is jarring like when she recognized Raff.

I think it is three strikes and out of the FM. This is two. Now either they warn her not to do it again, they reprimand her somehow, or I would love to think she does something again, royally pisses them off and she knows she must bounce out of Braavos and fast, or, I would love if they discover she still has Needle and has been holding out on them, and it seals the deal that she must leave. That she has never totally given herself to them.

Just some thoughts.