[TWOW SPOILERS] March 2014 Preview Chapter Part IV

[Ibbison from Ibben]

She saw a peddler selling chunks of cheese, ripping them off the wheel with his fingers whenever he found a buyer.

Does this foreshadow bad news for our favorite cheesemonger, Illyrio Mopatis?

[Lady Fevre Dream]

That was Beric's seventh life. I know the Faith isn't R'hllor but it feels like it is the last life of the miracle and 7 is a holy number.

Which Mountain Man do we think the older big bellied man is? I don't think it was Dunsen because it would have distracted Arya from Raff. He did swear enough for Shitmouth. Tobbot? Eggon?

I don't even think it was one of the Mountain's men that was travelling with Raff and Swift. By his remarks about Tywin and going to Lys, I think it more likely he was actually someone that served Tywin for many years. I wonder if it was one of the guards Tyrion heard on the way to killing Tywin....in the Tower of the Hand. I can't recall their names offhand, Lum I think was one of them, not sure about the other.

[Mithras]

I don't even think it was one of the Mountain's men that was travelling with Raff and Swift. By his remarks about Tywin and going to Lys, I think it more likely he was actually someone that served Tywin for many years. I wonder if it was one of the guards Tyrion heard on the way to killing Tywin....in the Tower of the Hand. I can't recall their names offhand, Lum I think was one of them, not sure about the other.

That man must be a an old knight in service to House Lannister. The Mountains's men refer to Gregor as Ser. He refers to Gregor as Clegane which implies he must not be a baseborn soldier. Besides, he showed that he is smarter than Mountain's men and he does not have any taste to do the shit they do.

[Lady Fevre Dream]

That man must be a an old knight in service to House Lannister. The Mountains's men refer to Gregor as Ser. He refers to Gregor as Clegane which implies he must not be a baseborn soldier. Besides, he showed that he is smarter than Mountain's men and he does not have any taste to do the shit they do.

ITA, I'm not sure who he is exactly (I want to reread with attention to any physical and age detail, etc., to see if the description rings a bell), but I thought it was obvious that he wasn't a Mountain Man (so to speak, LOL) and served House Lannister for many years, probably Tywin in particular if he made it to Lys with him. I've had it in my mind to check the description of Lum and that other guard the night Twyin died, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[DrunkSister]

You guys think that Arya's still warging a cat here? She noted they have lots of cats.

I am suspicious about this sentence:

In the fog all cats are grey, Mercy thought. In the fog all men are killers.

Because grey is a Stark color and somebody uptread mentioned how in previous books she at one point noted that a cat was grey and connected it to her House. But I can't remember where she did that.

Cat spy network sounds hella cool, though. In fact, a spy network might be another nod to Varys, along with Mercy's shaven head.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Mirijam

[ARYa_Nym]

“Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” she sang sadly. A foolish, giddy girl she’d been, but good hearted. She would miss her, and she would miss Daena and the Snapper and the rest, even Izembaro and Bobono. This would make trouble for the Sealord and the envoy with the chicken on his chest, she did not doubt.

She would think about that later, though. Just now, there was no time. I had best run. Mercy still had some lines to say, her first lines and her last, and Izembaro would have her pretty little empty head if she were late for her own rape.

It is pretty obvious that she will abandon Mercy persona and she will even leave the Gate. Sorcery requires years of practice and sacrifice. She does not have that much time. As we see in Mercy POV, she has learned almost everything she needed to. Her basic desire was to learn the necessary skills to kill those people in her list. I think she will definitely leave Braavos.

“The first Black Pearl was black as a pot of ink,” said Daena. “She was a pirate queen, fathered by a Sealord’s son on a princess from the Summer Isles. A dragon king from Westeros took her for his lover.”

“I would like to see a dragon,” Mercy said wistfully. “Why does the envoy have a chicken on his chest?”

This dragon is not Dany or her dragons but Aegon himself. By that time, rumors of his appearance should have reached Braavos. I think she will go to Westeros and possibly King’s Landing first where she knows for sure that Cersei is present. She may be disguised as a boy, especially as one of the little birds of Varys. She has an unfinished business with Cersei.

Yes, I think it's very much possible that that line is referring to Aegon although I think she will see Dany/her dragons. The dragons and seamonster line of ACoK were paired together and we know they're going to around each other soon.

I've also thought Varys' line about him applied to Arya a lot.

He has been trained in arms, as befits a knight to be...He reads and writes, he speaks several tongues, he has studied history and law and poetry. A septa has instructed him in the mysteries of the Faith....

He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows that kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them.

Arya has been trained as an assassin which would be different.. But she reads and writes and speaks several languages. She lived with a fishmonger. Worked with her hands. Jon said she swam like a fish. She wanted to work about the Titan's Daughter and splice ropes, reef the sails, and steer a course. She washed her own clothes in the fist book. She helps Umma with cooking. She bound up the Hound's wound. She definitely knows what it's like to be hungry, hunted, and afraid.

Although I'm skeptical if the real Aegon has those qualities but we did see that he is very intelligent and proficient with languages at least and is possibly skilled with a sword. He still has similar qualities though with being bold, proud, wanting to prove himself and be in the thick of battle, and is stubborn and reckless. Tyrion said he risks all for a quick kill which is Arya behavior.

I'm not about the Varys/Illyrio thing though because I thought she at least would be against Illyrio.

I've also wondered how long this masquerading as a boy thing will go. Pretty soon she's going to look decidedly female.

Anyways, back to this line:

“Mercy,” he sang as she tied him tight, “Mercy, Mercy, come to my room tonight and make a man of me.”

“I’ll make a eunuch of you if you keep unlacing yourself just so I’ll fiddle with your crotch.”

“We were meant to be together, Mercy,” Bobono insisted. “Look, we’re just the same height.”

It somewhat reminds me of Robert's unrequited feelings on Lyanna except that was talk of marriage not sex.

“…it was the girl I prayed them for. Your sister, safe…and mine again, as she was meant to be.”

But as I said it's most similar to Asha/Tristifer.

"You think you want to wed me, but you don’t.” “I do. All I dream about is you. Asha, I swear upon the bones of Nagga, I have never touched another woman.” “Go touch one… or two, or ten….”

“Botley blinked,, as if he did not quite understand what she had said. “You…I thought you would wait. Why…” He rubbed his mouth. “Asha, were you forced?” “….You are a sweet boy, and always were, but I am no sweet girl. If we wed, soon enough you’d come to hate me.” “Never. Asha, I have ached for you.”….”Find a brothel, Tris. They’ll cure you of that ache.” “I could never…” Tristifer shook his head. “You and I were meant to be, Asha. I have always known you would be my wife, and the mother of my sons.” He seized her upper arm. ”

I found another link to Asha from the Kingsmoot too.

“What will you give us?” asked Lucas Codd. “Knitting?” “Aye, Lucas. I’ll knit us all a kingdom.” She tossed her dirk from hand to hand.”

This reminds me of Arya and her "needlework."

[Elaena Targaryen]

Loved your post ARYa_Nym, you made good points and connection as always! :)

[Artemis]

Yes, I think it's very much possible that that line is referring to Aegon although I think she will see Dany/her dragons. The dragons and seamonster line of ACoK were paired together and we know they're going to around each other soon.

I haven't really entertained the possibility of Arya crossing paths with Dany until only recently, tbh. But the more I read/re-read, the more connections I'm finding between Arya and Targaryen imagery. Then there's this vision from the HotU that Dany sees:

Faster and faster the visions came, one after the other, until it seemed as if the very air had come alive. Shadows whirled and danced inside a tent, boneless and terrible. A little girl ran barefoot toward a big house with a red door. Mirri Maz Duur shrieked in the flames, a dragon bursting from her brow.

Arya, perhaps?

Edited April 12, 2014 by Elia Sand

[DrunkSister]

I've been talking about Varys and his motives here and it occurred to me that his murder of Kevan and Arya's killing of Raff have similar tactic.

Varys used a long range weapon to kill Kevan, but then delayed by talking until Kevan weakened, then Varys called the hidden children to finish him off with daggers.

Arya used a hidden weapon to incapacitate, the quickly moved out of reach and delayed by talking and acting confused and scared. When Raff weakened enough she moved in for the kill with hidden dagger.

[mushroomshirt]

Speaking of the house with a red door, have these threads on the Mercy chapter discussed Dany's Braavos house with the red door and the lemon tree yet?

Based on the following quote it seems like Dany must be remembering the lemon tree. (sort of like Sansa's unkiss?)

I wonder if this is sort of a sign that Dany will never be happy because her house with a red door and lemon tree doesn't actually exist.

“Seven hells, this place is damp,” she heard her guard complain. “I’m chilled to the bones. Where are the bloody orange trees? I always heard there were orange trees in the Free Cities. Lemons and limes. Pomegranates. Hot peppers, warm nights, girls with bare bellies. Where are the bare-bellied girls, I ask you?”

“Down in Lys, and Myr, and Old Volantis,” the other guard replied. He was an older man, big-bellied and grizzled. “I went to Lys with Lord Tywin once, when he was Hand to Aerys. Braavos is north of King’s Landing, fool. Can’t you read a bloody map?”

Anyway sorry if this has already been discussed. I can't seem to find the older Mercy threads.

[Muggle]

Speaking of the house with a red door, have these threads on the Mercy chapter discussed Dany's Braavos house with the red door and the lemon tree yet?

Based on the following quote it seems like Dany must be remembering the lemon tree. (sort of like Sansa's unkiss?)

I wonder if this is sort of a sign that Dany will never be happy because her house with a red door and lemon tree doesn't actually exist.

Anyway sorry if this has already been discussed. I can't seem to find the older Mercy threads.

Sea Lord has a private forest. And i think he loves to collect unique things. I think many assume Sea Lord is paying out the ass to keep lemon / fruit trees alive in his forest. Which means Dany was living in a cottage in the Sea Lords garden / forest. IF not the Sea Lord and another extremely rich braavos house with there own garden.

Having your own garden with real trees is a status symbol in Braavos

Edited April 12, 2014 by Muggle

[Pod The Impaler]

Sea Lord has a private forest. And i think he loves to collect unique things. I think many assume Sea Lord is paying out the ass to keep lemon / fruit trees alive in his forest. Which means Dany was living in a cottage in the Sea Lords garden / forest. IF not the Sea Lord and another extremely rich braavos house with there own garden.

Having your own garden with real trees is a status symbol in Braavos

No doubt.

Actually I have wondered about this myself: The Braavosi have a place for seemingly every religion around. Perhaps somewhere in the general area of Braavos is a godswood, and a weirwood tree ?

If so, might Arya end up there at some point ?

Edited April 12, 2014 by Pod The Impaler

[DrunkSister]

Not to mention that when Dany remembered the lemon tree it was spring-summer, and now that Arya notes that trees grown only in gardens of the rich, and Raff complains it is autumn, almost winter.

If a rich person wanted a lemon tree at the end of winter, they could have imported a grown tree+soil+fertilizer.

No need for this to be a false memory.

[FittleLinger]

It just occured to me that the reference to the queen wanting Tyrion's head doesn't necessarily mean it's Cersei.

Why would Marge cancel the bounty on Tyrion when this means that the Tyrells are off the hook?

It occured to me while I was reading the chapter where Jorah captures Tyrion and tells him he will bring him to the Queen. At this point we are to think that this Queen is Cersei, but it's in fact Dany.

[Pod The Impaler]

It just occured to me that the reference to the queen wanting Tyrion's head doesn't necessarily mean it's Cersei.

Why would Marge cancel the bounty on Tyrion when this means that the Tyrells are off the hook?

She would not have a clear political reason to, you're right. Not that Margaery wants Tyrion's head - for trial, yes, but the whole trade-a-lordship-for-the-dwarf's-head thing was 100% Cersei.

That being said, I think the men referring to "the Queen" mean Cersei. Remember these are Lannister men, and even if they do not know of Cersei's release, in any power struggle, who do they think is really the one to follow?

[Artemis]

No doubt.

Actually I have wondered about this myself: The Braavosi have a place for seemingly every religion around. Perhaps somewhere in the general area of Braavos is a godswood, and a weirwood tree ?

If so, might Arya end up there at some point ?

There must be, I think. Though the ebony chair with the weirwood face at the HoB&W was interesting. Might it be possible that Bloodraven is keeping an eye on Arya overseas? There was also a mention, both in AFfC and this new Mercy chapter about the Bridge of Eyes in Braavos which was described as having "a thousand painted eyes" carved on it.

[Gerg Sknab]

I think you'll find Ayra on the next ship back to Maidenpool, meeting up with the Mad Mouse and his accomplises who have captive Sansa hence all travelling to Quiet Isle where the Gravedigger is recognized and liberates the Stark girls..They then are all off to KL where the Gravedigger has been summoned as the Church's champion vs Gregorstein....

There we go all tied up in a nice lttle bow....( that should take up about 5/6 chapters)

[fuem]

Just read it.

Didn't once at all try to see further into it
I read it as it was and i have to say it was honestly one of the best chaps.

[Suzanna Stormborn]

It just occured to me that the reference to the queen wanting Tyrion's head doesn't necessarily mean it's Cersei.

Why would Marge cancel the bounty on Tyrion when this means that the Tyrells are off the hook?

It occured to me while I was reading the chapter where Jorah captures Tyrion and tells him he will bring him to the Queen. At this point we are to think that this Queen is Cersei, but it's in fact Dany.

That's a really good point! Can you expand a little what you mean by 'Why would Marge cancel the bounty on Tyrion when this means that the Tyrells are off the hook?'

[Whitering]

That's a really good point! Can you expand a little what you mean by 'Why would Marge cancel the bounty on Tyrion when this means that the Tyrells are off the hook?'

Yes, I also agree. If Marge is Queen, Cersei is toast. The only person in the world who would care if Tyrion was found would be Jaime and he likely doesn't want Tyrion dead or maybe even care if he is found. So, Marge seems more likely to call off the bounty because all its doing is getting a lot of dwarves killed.