Rereading Tyrion VI (ADWD)

[Lummel]

And here is the long awaited rereading Tyrion VI!

Welcome back to everyone who has been following along and hello to everyone joining for the first time :)

Here are some rules that help the thread to keep together:

• Don't over anticipate - don't have whole posts discussing future events. Yes, allude to or mention or bring in the future, but please keep the focus on the present chapter.
  
• Be relevant. If you are drawing parallels or bringing in other material don't be shy, but please show how this relates to Tyrion and his story.
  
• It is a reread not a general love or hate Tyrion thread. The intention is to be critical. To pull apart the POV and the story. To question the honesty of the narrators and wonder about what GRRM is doing with the character and why he made certain decisions.
  
• The only requirement in taking part is that you find Tyrion and/or his story interesting. But it certainly helps if you reread the chapters too. :)
  
• No roughhousing, sniping or punching below the belt, we want a clean orderly discussion here!
  

Aside from that we are half way through the reread at the start of ASOS. The reread is hosted by Butterbumps!, Ragnorak and myself. We aim to introduce two chapters of the book each week. The previous threads can be found here: Tyrion I, Tyrion II, Tyrion III, Tyrion IV, and Tyrion V. We had a brief round up AGOT and ACOK here , roundups of ASOS and a Tyrion relevant AFFC summary here.

Please feel free to bring critical perspectives, special knowledge, other information from outside GRRM and his works to the reread if it is relevant and adds to the discussion but in any case come along and share your reactions and tell us what stood out for you what you found striking.

The most recent chapter post was Tyrion VI

ETA and a Jon Connington spin off thread is here.

[Lummel]

... about collective blooding, but I fear that with this conclusions Tyrion is setting himself down a path to become the next Tywin Lannister. After all, the family name with which Tyrion commanded respect back in AGOT was bought with blood. Though the Lannisters were always rich it is evident that events such as what happen to the Reynes of Castamere or Rhaegar’s children is what compels others to fear/respect House Lannister. While in AGOT Tyrion commanded respect through a name that was bought with blood by his father’s actions now he’s concluding for himself that the blood is indeed a necessary evil along with gold. I don't thin is a coincidence that we get so many elements evoking the image of a father in this new chapter!

...Fire Eater, I got lots of hints at potential foreshadowing too. "Even so, it is a small prize. If I were khal, I would feint at Selhorys, let the Volantenes rush to defend it, then swing south and ride hard for Volantis itself" stuck out in particular and made me wonder about Dany's eventual return trip...

Now see Tyrion's thought about riding for Volantis puts me in mind of what Winterfellian was saying there and all those mentions of the colour red that you picked up on Ragnorak. Tyrion is not thining about how to defend Voltantis or where ever from the Dothraki he's thinking more violently and aggressively, he puts himself in the position of the Dothraki - here's what I would do if I had an army - sack and burn places. There's a Tywin element to that. His mind at one level is set on bringing destruction and pain to people, although he does notice the fear and the whipping scars on the prostitute's back he's no more gentle with her.

Again I thought Tyrion watching his semen trickling out suggested futility. Before in ASOS there was a jollity about how he described strewing his seed up and down the land, here the reality is bitter, although not impotent it is futile, doubly so in that there is (apparently) no conception but also no satisfaction. The sex is another expression of his anger and maybe a need to assert himself, just like his treatment of Aegon.

Hi all, first time poster for this thread...

Hello!

... It is a thing that stuck with me from the first read. It felt like a sign, that Tyrions luck is about to change. His being a dwarf was regarded as an ill omen by his family and most other people, too. But now suddenly people in Essos take the dwarf as a good omen. Though it is really demeaning for him to be taken for a talisman, my thoughts jumped right away to him bringing good fortune to Dany. It seems as ifTyrion is bad news in the West but good news in Slavers Bay.

good point, but in the end he is still a talisman, for Tywin of the punishment of the gods for his hubris, in Essos of good luck. He's still being perceived in the first as a DWARF rather than as Tyrion. That's something that was the threat hanging over him wasn't it? Being downgraded from lannister to dwarf?

[Isildur's Mane]

I posted this on the other page just as the new page was getting made, so I thought I'd repost here

Hi all, first time poster for this thread.

I feel weird posting so late in the thread, but I have been following it for awhile and would like to join in. I was originally going to wait for another thread to start (if there is another one going to start) but I couldn't help myself.

I will have to catch up on the reading though, but I read this one a few months ago so it is kind of fresh in my mind.

I liked Ragnorak's suggestions about who could be Septa Lemore, at first I thought she could be Ashara, like a lot of other people, but Wenda the White fawn is an interesting suggestion. The only thing nagging me is that i keep thinking that she is dead. but as Ragnorak said, that doesn't necessarily mean anything in these books.

I think I will re read the chapter before I post anything else, to refresh my mind. I just wanted to basicly say 'good job' to everyone.

[Uncat]

Lummel, you are absolutly right there. From Tyrion's point of view it is all the same, he stays dwarfed. Though I had the feeling, the Tyrion-Talisman might actually work. By the irony of the author and because of - how should I put it? - some kind of self fulfilling thing. The death of his mother marked him as the bane and bringer of doom (as far as Tywin is concerned, at least). And doom he brought. Now a reborn Tyrion leaves the womb of the Shy Maiden and is marked as a positiv talisman, a bringer of good fortune. And more then that: In the same chapter, the guards mark the talisman and then Jorah snatches this talisman in order to bring it home to his queen in the hopes of changing his fortunes.

[Isildur's Mane]

I re-read the chapter and here is what I found.

Tyrion has a dream about his father who is also the Shrouded Lord. He wakes from that dream with 'the taste of blood and his heart hammering in his chest'

I took this to mean both that he is scared to die and that even in death he is scared of his father.

He thinks of Aegon/Young Griff as prince - so he thinks he is real... for now? I can't remember if he thinks he is fake or not.

When he is asking Haldon if he will ever know if he is safe (from the greyscale) and Haldon replies that he will never know, that left me with a bad feeling and felt like an omen to me. - But hopefully it is just a hint about Jon Con

Also, when Tyrion says that Haldon kept the table between them when they ate; I'm not sure if it is just because Tyrion is feeling dirty or tainted because of the near miss with greyscale, or if he still has some maturing to go or just takes things too personally or all of the above.

But generally people sit opposite each other at a table, unless everytime Tyrion got up Haldon also moved?

Tyrion's thoughts on the Dothraki and Selhorys. To me I feel like Tyrion is projecting his views/feelings onto something else again. Unless I'm wrong and he is only talking about bigger plunder or something in Volantis, it feels like he is talking about conquering. But Dothraki are nomads and, to me, they remind me of pirates on horses, who wouldn't be interested in conquering, just pillaging, raping and plundering.

...

Hello!

...

Thanks for the greetings :)

[Lykos]

Uncat, if you regard a talisman as an increaser or catalyst of luck good or bad depending on what you see in it, then it fits to some extent for Tyrion.

But doesn´t Tyrion want to and need to be taken seriously as a person in his own right, has anyone who rubbed him for good luck had any?

People who are not afraid of seriously rubbing shoulders with Tyrion might profit from his potential and that includes himself. What does Tyrion see himself as - A monster or a man?

I think after his "rebirth" he still is in the process of self realisation with all the setbacks of adolescence, if it was a rebirth. The near death experience, when he was prepared to die and the return to life leaves him with a life to spare so to speak, he wasted one and starts a new one he didn´t expect to have.

It´s similar to the escape from the Eyrie, where he gambled for his life because he knew he wouldn´t survive the "calling of the blue" and he won and afterwards on his path down, recklessly whisteling, a chance of revenge presented itself and he took it.

The next rebirth, if we discount the "Pickelhaube" to horsebelly incident, that marked Tyrion´s coming into power, was the Batle at the Blackwater, that left Tyrion powerless - a babe - then the beardless son of Tywin that ended his life along with his fathers, since the act made it impossible to replace him.

After crossing the water we witness another rebirth, all mess - no magic, Tyrion is delivered to Illyrio. Tyrion never grows up! Does he he have to be born to a true

?

ETA: Isildur´s Mane, welcome. :)

ETA II: (New cordless keyboard is not taking all my commands)

[Winterfellian]

When he is asking Haldon if he will ever know if he is safe (from the greyscale) and Haldon replies that he will never know, that left me with a bad feeling and felt like an omen to me. - But hopefully it is just a hint about Jon Con

Welcome!

About this observation I took it to be a reference to his father. In Tyrion's nightmares the Shrouded Lord and Lord Tywin are merged into one and the same. We see all through his ADWD chapters how the figure of Lord Tywin is still haunting Tyrion not only because of Tyrion's part in his death but because Tywin's influence all throrugh his life is something Tyrion can't just shake off to the point where he starts exhibiting a similar ideology in certain aspects. And as other posters have pointed put there are many father imagery in Tyrion's chapters. So looking at it fron this angle: Greyscale=shrouded Lord=Tywin we can see it as Tyrion asking if he will ever be safe from his father's presence and the ominous answer we get is never.

About JonCon, I think if anyone is going to take greyscale to Westeros is definitely him.

[Ragnorak]

I'm glad others think there's some potential to Lemore being Wenda. I like Fire Eater's Septa-White connection and Harlow's Book's theme parallels.

Welcome Isildur.

Interesting observation on the talisman UnCat. It strikes me that a talisman is a piece rather than a player no matter how lucky, magical, or otherwise valued it might be.

Nice observation about the Dothraki, Lummel. Identifying with the Dothraki is identifying with the aggressor over the victim. There's also a Dany connection there that ties in with the earlier "monster" reference. It also stands out in contrast to the cloak symbolism we saw so much of earlier in Tyrion. A cloak represents protection. Tyrion wrapped his cloak around Tysha, around Sansa, around himself and failed to protect all of them in the end. In CoK he was inside the cloak of stone walls in KL in an act of protection. Now his inclinations run the other way.

[Uncat]

Lycos, looks like a karma thing. Let's see... First death is on the Eyrie. He is reborn out of the blue and grows into a Mini-Tywin. Then comes Blackwater, Mini-Tywin dies an is reborn to the Tyrion, that grows into a monster. Monster-Tywin dies in the Black Cells and out of a barrel is born Tyrion the ... can't find an apropriat punch word. Tyrion, the Searcher may fit. Tyrion-Searcher dies saving Aegon - or a new found purpose, if you will. He is reborn from Mother River and grows into... what's next?

On the talisman thing, yes Lycos, he deserves that so much. And that's what I meant with the author's irony. While the good people of Selhorys (the place that Sells hores btw. :lmao: ) reduce Tyrion to his physical apearance as anyone else did, it is the author that on top of it all, in a way makes this superstition even work.

[Lummel]

Dear all, I have posted the first Jon Connington chapter in a spin off thread for your amusement and (hopefully) interest. The theme of mummery continues...

...I think after his "rebirth" he still is in the process of self realisation with all the setbacks of adolescence, if it was a rebirth. The near death experience, when he was prepared to die and the return to life leaves him with a life to spare so to speak, he wasted one and starts a new one he didn´t expect to have.

It´s similar to the escape from the Eyrie, where he gambled for his life because he knew he wouldn´t survive the "calling of the blue" and he won and afterwards on his path down, recklessly whisteling, a chance of revenge presented itself and he took it.

The next rebirth, if we discount the "Pickelhaube" to horsebelly incident, that marked Tyrion´s coming into power, was the Batle at the Blackwater, that left Tyrion powerless - a babe - then the beardless son of Tywin that ended his life along with his fathers, since the act made it impossible to replace him.

After crossing the water we witness another rebirth, all mess - no magic, Tyrion is delivered to Illyrio. Tyrion never grows up! Does he he have to be born to a true

?...

Lycos, looks like a karma thing. Let's see... First death is on the Eyrie. He is reborn out of the blue and grows into a Mini-Tywin. Then comes Blackwater, Mini-Tywin dies an is reborn to the Tyrion, that grows into a monster. Monster-Tywin dies in the Black Cells and out of a barrel is born Tyrion the ... can't find an apropriat punch word. Tyrion, the Searcher may fit. Tyrion-Searcher dies saving Aegon - or a new found purpose, if you will. He is reborn from Mother River and grows into... what's next?...

What strikes me reading your posts is that Tyrion is stuck in a cycle. He is going round and round in these cycles but never actually breaking free. You have put together that very interesting list of life changing moments, even rebirths, but we see that Tyrion never actually gets anywhere - spiritually , or in terms of internal / personal development. He reaches a decisive moment and then restarts that same pattern again.

Heh, Pickelhaube and Sell whores :laugh:

[Isildur's Mane]

Welcome!

About this observation I took it to be a reference to his father. In Tyrion's nightmares the Shrouded Lord and Lord Tywin are merged into one and the same. We see all through his ADWD chapters how the figure of Lord Tywin is still haunting Tyrion not only because of Tyrion's part in his death but because Tywin's influence all throrugh his life is something Tyrion can't just shake off to the point where he starts exhibiting a similar ideology in certain aspects. And as other posters have pointed put there are many father imagery in Tyrion's chapters. So looking at it fron this angle: Greyscale=shrouded Lord=Tywin we can see it as Tyrion asking if he will ever be safe from his father's presence and the ominous answer we get is never.

About JonCon, I think if anyone is going to take greyscale to Westeros is definitely him.

Thanks for the welcome :)

You are right, it makes more sense that way :)

I'm glad others think there's some potential to Lemore being Wenda. I like Fire Eater's Septa-White connection and Harlow's Book's theme parallels.

Welcome Isildur...

Thanks for the welcome :)

[the Scorpion Knight]

back to the decapitatted stautue of the triach:

I think it's a Warning to tyrion if he ever goes back to westeros he won't be having a happy end there

[greensleeves]

Hey everybody,

I'm catching up with the thread. As I'm reading I noticed that there was some talk about Tyrion's red and white mushrooms and their relation to the Weirwoods. When I realized they were red and white, I immediately thought of a particular species of mushroom....occasionally deadly, often magic (well, psychoactive anyways... this isn't the species known as *the* magic mushroom): Amanita Muscaria.

I'm still reading... so sorry if that was already pointed out.

[Mark Antony]

Saying thanks, Been reading and following along.

[Elba the Intoner]

Regarding the father and the stone man being one and the same in Tyrion's dream, there's also Jon Con whom Tyrion refers to as father and who reminds him of Tywin. Then we find out in the Jon Con chapter Lummel posted that he has contracted greyscale which will eventually turn him into a stone man. That theme seems connected. If Connington is in fact the one who brings a greyscale epidemic to Westeros, that would all have started with Tyrion too. Also, could this in any way be a reference to the stone dragons of Dragonstone? Just thought of that now as I was typing.

[Lummel]

...Tyrion's thoughts on the Dothraki and Selhorys. To me I feel like Tyrion is projecting his views/feelings onto something else again. Unless I'm wrong and he is only talking about bigger plunder or something in Volantis, it feels like he is talking about conquering. But Dothraki are nomads and, to me, they remind me of pirates on horses, who wouldn't be interested in conquering, just pillaging, raping and plundering...

yes there is a fixation on violence and being the person who will be violent. That's continued in the Jon Connington chapter when one soldier is happy to invade westeros just so long as they can kill some Fossways. The motivation is just a desire to destroy rather than to achieve some political goal or anything constructive.

...I'm catching up with the thread. As I'm reading I noticed that there was some talk about Tyrion's red and white mushrooms and their relation to the Weirwoods. When I realized they were red and white, I immediately thought of a particular species of mushroom....occasionally deadly, often magic (well, psychoactive anyways... this isn't the species known as *the* magic mushroom): Amanita Muscaria...

interesting detail!

Saying thanks, Been reading and following along.

You are welcome!

Regarding the father and the stone man being one and the same in Tyrion's dream, there's also Jon Con whom Tyrion refers to as father and who reminds him of Tywin. Then we find out in the Jon Con chapter Lummel posted that he has contracted greyscale which will eventually turn him into a stone man. That theme seems connected. If Connington is in fact the one who brings a greyscale epidemic to Westeros, that would all have started with Tyrion too...

It seems to be another way in which Tyrion is the messenger and not the message. Here he brings greyscale to Westeros (well indirectly!). I think that Tywin is often described as being stony faced, certainly he doesn't display emotion. There is a sense of his being stiff and statue like himself, although in part because he is a Lord and playing the role of being Lord as per Arya's recollection in ACOK of Catelyn telling The Ned to put on his Lord's face to go sort out some problem or other.

Just a note to all readers the next chapter post - Tyrion VII - will be brought to you by Dr.Pepper in association with Redviper9, or possibly by Redviper9 in association with Dr. Pepper. This on account of Butterbumps! being in foreign parts and busy doing...foreign things ;)

[Dr. Pepper]

Hello rereaders. Below is a guest post by redviper9 and Dr. Pepper

Tyrion VII

Summary

Tyrion is trussed us and taken to Volantis. At the Red Temple, Benerro talks of the perils Daenerys is facing. Jorah sells his horse and has Tyrion shackled as a slave so that any words he said would be ignored by others. They make their way to the Merchant's House. Tyrion hopes Griff and co will find him there. Tyrion learns that someone has hired the Golden Company and is genuinely shocked that Young Griff may have followed his advice. Jorah and Tyrion meet with the widow and are directed to a ship that will lead them towards Dany. Penny recognizes Tyrion and attempts to attack him in vengeance for her murdered brother.

Observations:

Tyrion sensed a ship in his immediate future. Perhaps he was a prophet after all.

This little comment on prophets reminds me of fortune tellers, who are adept at reading the body language of their clients.

They were moving again, through the gate and beneath the city’s massive walls...Crossing the bridge felt like passing through a torchlit tunnel.

The concept of a tunnel representing rebirth, which seems to be an ongoing theme for Tyrion. It's a double rebirth as they move from the gates into the city to Long Bridge. Along Long Bridge, heads are on spikes with their crimes written below. Tyrion asks what the crimes are. A woman raised her hand to her mistress, a man accused of inciting rebellion and a young boy killed his father. Once on the other side of the bridge, Tyrion begins to learn where his new adventure will take him -Meereen, which Tyrion says means life, or a hope for life at least.

...wagon laden with melons had gotten its wheels tangled with one piled high with silken carpets and brought all wheeled traffic to a halt.

The food cart gets tangled with the cart material goods. May be stretching here, but it seems there's a bit of Tyrell/Lannister imagery going on.

As secure as a gaol, the dwarf thought bitterly, but at least there are those windows.

The room they take at the Merchant's House, on the fourth floor, has a sloping floor that reminds Tyrion of his time as a prisoner at the Eyrie.

Food:

As the symbolism of food has been found to be quite symbolic, we've noted two of Tyrion's meals and the citrus fruits that lead him into the city.

• They joined the queue behind a wagon laden with limes and oranges.
  
• Tyrion and Jorah dine on ale and duck for dinner.
  
• They broke their fast with warm soft flatbread, pink fish roe, honey sausage, and fried locusts, washed down with a bittersweet black ale.
  

Volantis:

Volantis is a crumbling city with a noble, illustrious history.

Old Volantis, first daughter of Valyria, the dwarf mused. Proud Volantis, queen of the Rhoyne and mistress of the Summer Sea, home to noble lords and lovely ladies of the most ancient blood.

Now it has been in decline since the Doom. Some parts of the city are being swallowed up by the earth. Flowers and vines grow in nooks and crannies, young trees have taken root in the walls of abandoned buildings, and some areas are sinking into the mud. The air has a queer smell; There’s fish in it, and flowers, and some elephant dung as well. Something sweet and something earthy and something dead and rotten.

Some of the city is still prosperous and trade keeps the streets busy. Nobles maintain a distance from the others.

No freedmn may dwell within the Black Wall.

There's a comparison to be made here of the Wall in Westeros separating the free people and the kneelers.

Gold and Politics:

The politicians of Volantis buy their votes by whatever means necessary. Some use food and spectacle as currency, others slave girls. Only the wealthy landowners are permitted to vote. Jorah shows some respect for the system of triarchs as they've never had to suffer a boy leader (as noted often, boy lords and kings are the bane of Westeros) and there are checks on those who go mad during their term. The spectacle of the ten days of election makes it appear that money is the only currency for someone to get what he wants.

Tyrion has relied on his wealth to get him what he wants and needs, but as he's now become a shackled slave, without even the power of using his tongue, he's forced to see things a bit differently and adjust to what his new position allows.

When Tyrion had noted the smell of the city, he likened it to whores. “With whores, the young ones smell much better, but the old ones know more tricks.” Jorah takes Tyrion to visit the widow of the Waterfront. She is a freed slave and the widow of the late Vogarro, a former triarch and businessman. She now runs several businesses he left behind.

“Seek the widow of the waterfront, someone told you, but they should have also warned you, beware the widow’s sons.” The widow of the waterfront has her own loyal soldiers. She's another unimposing old woman with cunning and methods of defense, similar to Dany's Mirri Maz Duur and the Green Grace.

The visit with the widow reveals yet another instance of the limits of gold as Jorah attempts to play the honorable knight and pay her coin for word on how to reach Daenerys. Fool, thought Tyrion. It’s not coin she wants, it’s respect. Haven’t you heard a word she’s said? The brutal (and disturbing) honesty from Tyrion works towards getting them the information they seek.

Tyrion's Interactions with Other People

Tyrion has a number of interesting interactions with other people in Volantis, most notably with Jorah Mormont, the Widow of the Waterfront, and Penny.

"Cut me loose friend, and I'll see you're well rewarded."

His captor overheard. "Save your lies for those who speak your tongue, Imp," he said, when the Volantenes waved them on.

They were moving again, though the gate and beneath the city's massive walls. "You speak my tongue. Can I sway you with promises, or are you determined to buy a lordship with my head?"

Here we see Tyrion once again trying to buy his way out of a difficult situation, as he has a number of times in the past.

As their conversation continues, Jorah tells Tyrion that he was a lord in his own right once, while Tyrion -- still under the impression that he's going to be handed over to his sister -- warns him that Cersei's bargains are never what they seem to be. The next passage sheds light on both Tyrion and Jorah's current states of mind:

"Might be all I want is to see you pay for your crimes. The kinslayer is accursed in the eyes of gods and men."

"The gods are blind. And men see only what they wish."

"I see you plain enough, Imp." Something dark had crept into the knight's tone. "I have done things I am not proud of, things that brought shame onto my House and my father's name...but to kill your own sire? How could any man do that?"

"Give me a crossbow and pull down your breeches, and I'll show you." Gladly.

"You think this is a jape?"

"I think life is a jape. Yours, mine, everyone's."

Jorah, who is still racked by guilt over the shame his slaving brought to House Mormont and Jeor's name, cannot believe that Tyrion could kill Tywin, and it appears that this crime accounts for a large part of Jorah's hostility towards Tyrion ("something dark had crept into the knight's tone"). But Tyrion shows no outward remorse for killing Tywin; if anything, his cynicism has only grown -- "I think life is a jape" -- and his remark about men seeing what they wish to see can be interpreted as another sign that Tyrion has embraced the identity of the hideous monster. That particular comment brings to mind Tyrion's advice to Jon Snow about taking what others say and making it into "armor." By this point, Tyrion isn't interested in making "armor" and is content to let people "see what they wish."

As they make their way through Volantis to where they'll be spending the night, Jorah and Tyrion come across a public speech by Benerro, the high priest of R'hllor. Benerro is telling the faithful that Daenerys is in danger and that she is the hero the world has been waiting for. Tyrion realizes with a chill that Aegon and Jon Connington will not find an ally in Benerro. When Jorah has Tyrion shackled, we get a glimpse into the worth of a slave's word in Essos:

"Or were you afraid that I would dash away on these stunted little legs of mine?"

The ironsmith did not so much as look up from his work, but the knight chuckled darkly. "It's your mouth that concerns me, not your legs. In fetters, you're a slave. No one will listen to a word you say, not even those who speak the tongue of Westeros."

Additionally, we see that Jorah has quickly realized what Tyrion's most dangerous weapon is: his tongue, and its ability to help him get out of -- or into -- any situation.

As they arrive at the inn, Tyrion reveals to Jorah that he knows who he is, and that both of them have been used by Varys, something that only darkens Jorah's mood further. They discuss politics, and when Tyrion remarks that Volantis might have two rulers too many, Jorah answers that perhaps the Volantenes are the wise ones, since they've never had to deal with a boy triarch, and a mad triarch could be restrained by his colleagues until his term was done. Jorah also reveals to Tyrion that he first went to Lys after fleeing Westeros and that he spent close to a year in Volantis; upon his return to Lys, his wife's new lover threatened to enslave him as a debtor unless he gave her up and fled the city, which he did.

The following day, Jorah takes Tyrion with him to see the Widow of the Waterfront. Tyrion hears the news that a Westerosi exile has hired the Golden Company, and learns that Jorah intends to take him to Meereen, not King's Landing. The Widow tells Jorah and Tyrion of the enemies Daenerys has made (including many in Volantis) and the stories being told of her, namely that she feeds infants to her dragons, bathes in the blood of virgin girls, and takes a new lover every night. Tyrion also spies a vaguely familiar-looking dwarf. As Jorah's conversation with the Widow continues, Tyrion realizes that she isn't interested in material rewards, but in respect, thus showing that Tyrion hasn't lost his knack for reading people and accurately gauging their desires. When the Widow mocks Jorah for wanting to rescue Daenerys, she turns her attention to Tyrion:

"-- I know who the dwarf is, and what he is." Her black eyes turned to Tyrion, hard as stone. "Kinslayer, kingslayer, murderer, turncloak, Lannister." She made the last word a curse. "What do you plan to offer the dragon queen, little man?"

My hate, Tyrion wanted to say. Instead he spread his hands as far as the fetters would allow. "Whatever she would have of me. Sage counsel. Savage with, a bit of tumbling. My cock, if she desires it. My tongue, if she does not. I will lead her armies or rub her feet, as she desires. And the only reward I ask is I might be allowed to rape and kill my sister."

That brought the smile back to the old woman's face. "This one at least is honest," she announced...

Tyrion once again manages to win someone over, but in the process he once again plays up his reputation as a "monster" and also expresses his desire to rape and kill Cersei. Despite impressing the widow, she sends him and Jorah away, but things take a turn when the familiar dwarf Tyrion spied attacks him. As Jorah pulls the attacker away, Tyrion recognizes her:

"Did you ride the pig?" he asked her. "Or the dog?"

As Penny confessed to riding the dog and told Tyrion that her brother had been killed by sailors who thought him to be Tyrion, Tyrion tells Jorah to let her down, since she won't do them any harm. Jorah expresses regret over the death of Penny's brother, despite not having played a part on it, but the Widow seems more impressed with Tyrion not seeking to escalate the conflict any further or asking for Penny to be punished:

"Monsters should be larger, it seems to me. You are worth a lordship back in Westeros, little man. Here, I fear, your worth is somewhat less. But I think it best to help you after all. Volantis is no safe place for dwarfs, it seems."

Despite the Widow having earlier cursed Tyrion as a Lannister and praised him for his honesty when he expressed his desire to rape and kill Cersei, his apparent kindness towards Penny seems to give the Widow reason to believe that perhaps he is not the monster he has been made out to be. Once the Widow makes it clear that she will help Tyrion and Jorah, Tyrion thanks the Widow and offers to gift her his chains if she removes them. She declines to free him, and reminds him that all slaves claim not to be slaves when they've been taken by slavers. The Widow then tells them to board the Selaesori Qhoran, a ship bound for Qarth but that, according to Benerro's fires, will not reach its intended destination. The Widow then implores Tyrion to tell Daenerys that Volantis is waiting for her arrival.

[Uncat]

This little comment on prophets reminds me of fortune tellers, who are adept at reading the body language of their clients.

And again it is a nice bit of irony on prophecies and foreshadowings.

No freedman may dwell within the Black Wall.

There's a comparison to be made here of the Wall in Westeros separating the free people and the kneelers.

And another turn in which the author shows, how POVs really work. Here we are identifying with the free people, who are excluded and hope for the Wall to open or for those oppressed by the Lords and Masters behind it to rise.

She's another unimposing old woman with cunning and methods of defense, similar to Dany's Mirri Maz Duur and the Green Grace.

You may want to add Lady Oleanna. In a way it also is, what Cat tried and failed to be, at least, while alive.

But there is something more about this Widow. She is kind of a judge - and for once a really impartial one. Jorah tries to buy his way through her hearing and trial and fails. Tyrion in turn confesses. But before this judge, neither gold nor words will suffice.

Tyrion is tried for being a monster based on his actions in Westeros and then juged based on his actions befor the court. In a way, Pennys attac even is some kind of trial in combat.

The outcome of the trial is (as it turns out later on) not full acquital. But instead of capital punishment for the fullgrown monster which Tyrion pretends to be, he only gets to serve time with Jorah and as a slave later on. The judge found him to be a monster, but a much smaller one.

In a way this whole scene could be taken as a farce on Tyrions trial back in Westeros.

[Fire Eater]

"And here I'd heard that a Lannister always pays his debts."

"Oh, every penny . . . but never a groat more, my lord."

This refers to Penny and Groat, and Tyrion will repay his debt to Penny.

"And the young one?"

"Killed his father."

Tyrion gave the rotting head a second look. Why, it almost looks as if those lips are smiling.

A corpse stood at the prow of a ship, eyes bright in his dead face, grey lips smiling sadly.

Tyrion could be the corpse at the prow of the ship, not a literal corpse but Tyrion before he reaches Meereen, is a little dead inside. He has been contemplating suicide a few times.

yet so steeped in shadow that she herself was nigh invisible

This describes the widow of the waterfront's modus operandi, she operates from the shadows with her influence being invisible.

For half a heartbeat he thought he glimpsed Illyrio Mopatis, but it was only one of those white dwarf elephants passing the front door.

Illyrio is being called a white elephant, something that has outlived its usefulness to the person who has it.

[Uncat]

Huh, like the last one. And you may be right, once the action - i.e. Aegon - moves to Westeros, Illyrio is of little further use.