[twow Spoilers] Arianne II, Part 2

[Raventhal]

Didn't Little Fingers get the dragon banners. Seems like a good time to whip them out if your holding the card of Dany coming back with dragons. Aegon plus Sansa = Dorne, North, Riverlands, Targ and they have storms end.

[Cydal]

House Baratheon started the war that killed Elia. I don't see Dorne considering an alliance with them any time soon, nor the Starks, Tullys or Arryns. He didn't spare a thought for the Young Wolf either.

But then again, The young Wolf wasn't contending for the throne of the seven kingdoms. Just the north, There was no reason to ally with him considering the how far apart both are.

[DaeneryStormBorn]

I'd say he's covering all the bases. He has already thrown in with the Targs, it will become known at some point. He knows Dany is the real deal for sure. He also knows that Quentyn is not he most handsome, dashing, or even smart fellow, so the chance of failure to marry him to Danny is high. Why not treat with YG...not to mention it is his nephew (allegedly). He's in bed with the dragons already, best find out if YG is real and what he is about.

Let us not forget the out of all the House's Martells are the only line that keeps on marrying the Targs, He have a blood of a Targ.

[Bastard Walder]

Who's Elia? Is she one of sand snakes?

[ledlevee]

Elia was Rhaegar's wife and the mother of Aegon (if he's for real) and Rhaenys:

http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Elia_Martell

[Cydal]

Who's Elia? Is she one of sand snakes?

Elia was Rhaegar's wife and the mother of Aegon (if he's for real) and Rhaenys:

http://awoiaf.wester...hp/Elia_Martell

Yes there is also an Elia who is one of the Sand Snakes. One of the younger ones. The one being referred to this post is Elia Sand - Sand Snake.

[ledlevee]

Ah right, she's the one who was causing problems in the Water Gardens, right?

[Glyn Tarvoke]

because Doran (1) sees a weak King, (2) Cersei as Queen Regent, (3) they tried to kill his son (Trystane), (4) he has heard reports that Quentyn is on his way, and (5) he thinks sealing an alliance with the Golden Company and Jon Connington, may smooth the way for Dany, (6) because he can't trust any other envoy, and (7) because Connington would be an idiot to inform King's Landing that Doran is contemplating an alliance when he needs Dorne much more than Dorne needs him.

Also, Doran knows he is going to die soon. He needs Arianne to get some experience quickly. He knows that if Dorne throws in with JC and IMO the mummer's dragon, she will need to deal with any aftermath. Therefore, its important she herself check out the situation with JC and Aegon.

[Drunkenspeton]

Didn't Little Fingers get the dragon banners. Seems like a good time to whip them out if your holding the card of Dany coming back with dragons. Aegon plus Sansa = Dorne, North, Riverlands, Targ and they have storms end.

No they were tapestries that had belonged to Robert. I think they depicted hunting.

[daenerys snow]

supposedly all the old decorations from the targs are in storage somewhere.

[Drunkenspeton]

supposedly all the old decorations from the targs are in storage somewhere.

The targs had dragon skulls on the walls which we know are now under the redkeep.

Lord darry had targ tapestries and hid them when Robert visited. Tyrion found them in a basement.

Lord darry's dead, the castle changed hands during the fighting they might still be there, or stolen, burned, who knows?

Thats all we know regarding targ decorations.

[Trebla]

Okay, okay...I finally got around to typing up the chapter. My sincerent apologies for the delay. Old Man Back reared his head and I've only been online with a laptop which I hate typing on. I'm back on my desktop and able to sit long enough to type this up. Enjoy!

ARIANNE

The chapter opens with a party of Dornish traveling across the Stormlands. Arianne is traveling to meet Jon Connington on behalf of her father.The Griffon's men have been raiding and plundering the area. While traveling Arianne has been seeking news. She's been sending her men into the inns for news.The news has been mostly ill but mostly sounds like lies.

The plan is for her to travel to Mistwood, then across the Rainwood to Griffon's Roost. The Rainwood is described in great details with several kinds of trees, including weirwood. The going is quite slow. Arianne is amused by the arguments between the maester and the septon accompanying her. Doran used to remark that the differences between septons and maesters are like the differences between Dorne and the Stormlands.

Besides septon, maester, and her guards, she is also accompanied by by Elia Sand and Daemon Sand. Nym and Tyene had also left Dorne with 300 spears and the Princess Myrcella. Doran decided to send her home but her betrothed Prince Trystane has stayed in Sunspear. Arianne also thinks of her other brother Quentyn. She's quite doubtful that Queen Daenerys will like her brother.

While making camp, they lose track of Elia Sand. Searchers are sent and she is later found in a cave that Arianne belives was once inhabited by the Children of the Forest. Elia is berated by Arianne in a manner much like Doran Martell might have done. Later she asks Daemon what her father was thinking to send Elia with them. Bemused, Sand answers, "Vengeance."

They arrive at Mistwood, which isn't flying it's banners. They head to the castle and are met by Young Jon Mudd and Chains who take her to the castle. She is told that the Halfmaester is at the Roost but Lord Connington is on the march. She's unable to get the sell-swords to tell her where he is marching to. They stay a bit, long enough for Elia Sand to get in trouble for making out with a servant named Feathers.

Chains accompanies Arianne's party on their march through eight days of rain. Chain is more forthcoming without Young Jon Mudd's presence. He regales her many sellsword tales. He finally lets slip that Connington is marching on Storm's End. Arianne and Daemon Sand are perplexed on how Connington can possible take the castle

Lysono Maar joins the party and he instantly creeps Arianne out, They do banter back and forth. She thinks of cyvasse and that the Golden Company has it's elephant but no dragon. She has ravens with her and sends her father messages on a regular basis.

They finally arrive at the Roost and Arianne is introduced to the Halfmaester. While there she learns she is to be sent to Storm's End because it has fallen. She does not learn how it fell. An army from King's Landing is now on the march and is descending on Storm's End. The army apparently is a Tyrell one and she does not think too much of them.

On the other hand, Daemon Sand is wary and he urges Arianne not to go. However, she decides to go because she wants to meet Connington and Aegon. Sand then advises her to send him instead but Arianne refuses him. She must go because she must be her father's heir

---------

The other chapter GRRM had with him was aDamphair chapter which he described as "bleak".

I was very surprised to hear "Doran" pronounced as "Duran".

After the chapter, GRRM talked about the chronology of the next book. He knows we "greedy bastards" will want to SEE Storm's End fall and he will have to decide where to put it in the book. He compared it to the issue with the Meereenese Knot.

He noted that there were a few chapters that were cut from ADwD and moved to TWoW. He mentioned the "Ice Battle" and the "Fire Battle". We guessed later that meant the Battle of Winterfell and the Battle of Meereen.

Lastly, he was asked whether he knows the fate of all his characters. He answered that he knows the fate of all the main characters but not the minor ones.He makes that up as he goes along. So he does not know if Feather's will get into Elia's pants.

[Drunkenspeton]

Thanks for this, very interesting.

I can understand taking a maester for the ravens but wonder if the septons presence has relevance.

I also wonder why she doesn't think much of the Tyrell army. Perhaps its not numerous or led by someone not seen as to dangerous.

Maybe this points to Tarly not commanding?

Is there an Old Jon Mudd I wonder.

[tze]

The plan is for her to travel to Mistwood, then across the Rainwood to Griffon's Roost. The Rainwood is described in great details with several kinds of trees, including weirwood.

Very, very interesting that Arianne sees weirwoods in the Rainwood. I thought there weren't supposed to be any weirwoods growing "wild" in the forests of the South? We know a couple of ancient southern Houses still have a weirwood in their godswoods, but I thought that those, the weirwood at the Ravenry of the Citadel, and the Isle of Faces were supposed to be the only weirwoods left south of the Neck?

Were we just never told that the Rainwood has surviving weirwood trees? Or is it possible that new weirwood trees have begun sprouting in the south?

[Trebla]

I suspected Arianne's disdain for the Tyrells was a Dornish thing. Oberyn was the same way.

I also was very curious about the wild weirwood. I don't think it was mentioned as happenstance. Same with the cave.

[Candor]

I think there's defo something being set up with the weirwoods, at the least. I get the feeling that we're moving towards the faith of the Seven becoming the antagonist religion, and the old gods becoming the "good" or "true" gods.

Citing:

---The sparrows and their newly-reinstated relig-military order.........Problems will almost certainly ensue. It is known.

---Bran's whole story line seems to cast a good light on the COTF and old gods

[Eyron]

Lysono Maar... GRRM misses Daario I think.

The weirwoods were very interesting, it seems they only remain in places that are protected by some magic in the south. And in some godswoods. So this could be such a protected place for unknown reasons.

Very, very interesting that Arianne sees weirwoods in the Rainwood. I thought there weren't supposed to be any weirwoods growing "wild" in the forests of the South? We know a couple of ancient southern Houses still have a weirwood in their godswoods, but I thought that those, the weirwood at the Ravenry of the Citadel, and the Isle of Faces were supposed to be the only weirwoods left south of the Neck?

Were we just never told that the Rainwood has surviving weirwood trees? Or is it possible that new weirwood trees have begun sprouting in the south?

There was a weirwood sapling in the Nightfort when Bran was there, so I'm thinking the "north" and or the CotF are reclaiming their lands.

Maybe we will see saplings in other places too, I don't remember any at High heart but I could have missed that.

[daenerys snow]

or maybe the remaining cotf have been quietly planting them. there was mention of a cave. could it be linked to the caves north of the wall where bloodraven & friends are currently dwelling?

[Eyron]

I think some caves can be connected, but all the way from beyond the Wall to the south? Somehow I find it unlikely but that's just me. Anything is possible :)

[daenerys snow]

there could be a series of caves that connect together at random places the openings for these hidden and few. jon snow was in some caves near the wall that were reputed to be so vast that a group of wildlings got lost in them and were probably still wandering in them. and there are caves beneath casterly rock (jaime had a dream about them).