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Chapter Sixty-Three - Victarion 1 - A Dance with Dragons | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Victarion Greyjoy follows Moqorro’s advice and gains many victories. He believes that he is now blessed by two gods. Simon and Mackelly wonder if poly-religiosity is frowned upon by the deities.
Chapter Review: Victarion Greyjoy is advised by Moqorro where to sail. Repeatedly the red priest comes up with the goods and the Iron Fleet swells with each captured vessel. Victarion emulates his intended (well intended by him) Daenerys Targaryen by freeing the galley slaves. They still have to row, but now as freemen.
The captured captains don’t do so well. Particularly those who tell him that Daenerys is dead or that he is a fool - well the Drowned God needed some offerings.
Moqorro inspects the dragon horn that Euron gave to Victarion. The priest can read the runes and explains that the horn will bind the dragon to the master of the horn, but that he must establish that mastership with blood.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Victarion Greyjoy - Younger brother of Euron Greyjoy, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet. Euron Greyjoy - King of the Iron Islands. Daenerys Targaryen - Queen of Meereen, wanted as bride by Euron Greyjoy to allow him to claim the Iron Throne. Moqorro - Red priest of R’hllor. Recently shipwrecked from the Selaesori Qhoran. Dusky woman - Unnamed and tongueless slave given to Victarion by Euron before the journey. Meereen - Largest city on Slaver’s Bay. Isle of Cedars - Island at the mouth of Slaver’s Bay.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Sixty-Two - The Sacrifice - A Dance with Dragons | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Asha Greyjoy watches a preview of her own possible gruesome fate, listens as Stannis’ army argues over their best course of action, and has a most unexpected reunion. Mackelly and Simon must remember their names.
Chapter Review: Asha Greyjoy stands, cold and hungry, as the Queen’s Men chain four naked men to poles before setting the men on fire. The condemned men’s crime was cannibalism. Asha isn’t surprised. The lords and knights have access to horse meat and a warm longhall. The smallfolk are left to starve and freeze. King Stannis attends with Arnolf Karstark at his side. After the show is over, Ser Clayton Suggs asks Asha if she enjoyed watching her own fate play out? He’s chased off by Aly Mormont and Ser Justin Massey.
After Justin escorts Asha to the longhall for dinner, she eats horsemeat while noticing the clear divide between King Stannis’ army. The northmen sit on one side while the southrons sit on the other. When Justin begins to argue with the others about the best path forward, Arnolf says if they march on Winterfell they will defeat Bolton’s army within a moon’s turn. Justin disagrees, and when his courage is called into question, he storms out of the hall.
Asha follows him out but is immediately lost in the snow. She’s once again accosted by Suggs. However, they’re distracted by the sound of horses. Out of the snow and night comes a band of riders. After a tense few moments, Tris Botley bends his knee in front of her. He and several other Iron Born were ransomed by Tycho Nestoris, who urgently needs to speak with King Stannis. When the Braavosi banker realizes who Asha is, he says he brought her a gift. He presents an old man and a young woman. Asha is confused until the old man calls her sister.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Asha Greyjoy - princess of the Iron Islands. Stannis Baratheon - Claimant to the Iron Throne, as Cersei's children aren't Robert's. Justin Massey - Knight of the Crownlands. Clayton Suggs - Knight and Queen’s Man. Arnolf Karstark - Castellan of Karhold, sworn to King Stannis. Tycho Nestoris - Envoy of the Iron Bank of Braavos.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Fifty-Three - Jon 11 - A Dance with Dragons | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Jon negotiates terms with Tormund, introduces Val to Queen Selyse, and not for the first time tries to convince his underlings of the true meaning of their vows and the sanity of his plans. Simon and Mackelly try to shake the feeling that it is Groundhog day, again.
Chapter Review: Lord Commander Jon Snow and Tormund Giantsbane discuss terms for Tormund’s band of roughly four thousand free folk to pass through the Wall at Castle Black. After much arguing and threats of violence, Tormund finally agrees. His band won’t be happy with the concessions, including forfeiture or any valuables and 100 boys at wards of the Night’s Watch. They will meet again in three days to begin the process of transitioning south of the Wall.
Jon rides with Val back to Castle Black. She wants to continue helping with the relocation of the free folk. Jon takes her to meet Queen Selyse Baratheon. Selyse is happy Jon secured the deal with the wildlings, but becomes angry when she learns there was no mention of bending the knee or taking R’hllor as their god. Val says if they are made to kneel the free folk will rise, blades in hand.
Outside the tower, Val comments on Princess Shireen’s greyscale. She calls it grey death and says the girl is already dead. She wants her nephew Little Monster away from the girl. A shocked Jon says he’ll try. Val says he’d better succeed. He owes her.
Jon meets a group of Night’s Watch leaders and two wildling chiefs atop the Wall. Jon explains the situation with the wildlings relocating. The men push back on every detail of Jon’s plan. How will we feed them? What about the Weeper? How will you keep them at the Wall? Will you train the wards in combat? Jon’s answers are unsatisfactory, and Marsh says Jon is committing treason. Jon gives his brothers their assignments and can’t help but think of Melisandre’s warning of daggers in the dark.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Queen Selyse Baratheon - Queen to King Stannis. Val - Sister to Mance Rayder’s wife Dalla. Tormund Giantsbane - Leader of a large group of free folk. Bowen Marsh - Lord Steward at Castle Black. Othell Yarwyck - First Builder at Castle Black. Clydas - Acting maester at Castle Black. Torghen Flint - Leader of House Flint of the nor
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Eleven - The Kraken's Daughter - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Asha tries to bring her mother’s family to her aid in gaining the Seastone Chair. But she hadn’t heard of her uncle Aeron’s call to a Kingsmoot. She thinks she can win by force of reason, but her family think that uncle Euron’s wealth and magic might prevail. Mackelly and Simon rattle Nagga’s bones.
Chapter Review Asha Greyjoy is on Harlaw, the wealthiest and most populous of the Iron Islands. Her mother was a Harlaw, and their Lord Rodrik has called his bannermen to support Asha’s claim to the Seastone Chair. There are many, but Asha’s knows deep down that there aren’t enough.
She arranges for her captives, the Glovers, to be treated with respect and her men to be properly fed. She then seeks out her uncle who, as is his wont, is reading. Rodrik tells her of Aeron’s plan to host a Kingsmoot on Great Wyk. This is news to Asha. Euron will go, there is no word from Victarion. She believes she can convince the captains, as the only descendent of Balon. But Rodrik warns her not to go. They’ll never accept a woman, Euron has already moved to bribe and intimidate the captains, and the history of Kingsmoots suggests that the losers don’t get to leave in one piece.
She takes her leave, knowing that despite his protestations, her uncle will be there. She meets Tristifer Botley, a childhood friend. He professes his love for her, but she denies it. He’s saving himself for her, she’s doing nothing of the sort. He’s a lord now, worthy of her hand. But she tells him no. When he grabs at her, her knife is at his throat before he can blink. She’s not his wife, she’s his queen.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Asha Greyjoy - Daughter of King Balon Greyjoy. Balon Greyjoy - Recently deceased King of the Iron Islands. Euron Greyjoy - Recently returned brother of Balon. Victarion Greyjoy - Younger brother of Balon. Last heard of at Moat Calin. Aeron “Damphair” Greyjoy - Youngest brother of Balon. Zealous follower of the Drowned God. Theon Greyjoy - Brother of Asha, presumed dead in the sack of Winterfell. Rodrik Harlaw - Asha’s mother’s brother. Lord of Harlaw. Known as, "The Reader." Tristifer Botley - Former ward of Pyke, childhood friend of Asha. Ten Towers - Holdfast of House Harlaw. Old Wyk - Site of Nagga’s Bones and host of the Kingsmoot.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Ten - Sansa 1 - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Sansa considers the two sides of Petyr Baelish’s character. She witnesses Marillion falsely implicating himself in the murder of Lysa Arryn, and Nestor Royce being wooed by Baelish. Simon and Mackelly wonder if these life-lessons are standing her in good stead.
Chapter Review: Sansa is being kept awake by Marillion’s singing. A problem with those sky-cells being so open. Apparently he’s only got his voice left, as Mord has taken care of several fingers and both eyes. She assumes that when Nestor Royce arrives Marillion will be kept quiet, but Littlefinger says quite the opposite. The singer will be brought before the Keeper of the Gates of the Moon to sing the song that Baelish wants him to. Sansa is worried, but Petyr is relaxed - even if Marillion doesn’t play ball, it is his word against theirs.
Marillion admits to the murder before Royce, his empty sockets bandaged in silk. Littlefinger entertains the High Steward in his solar afterward. There he presents Royce with a hereditary lordship of the Gates of the Moon - elevating him and his descendants at a stroke. The document is signed by the new Lord Protector of the Vale, so Nestor has a very strong reason to back the widower’s claim.
Sansa follows the machinations, and Baelish is impressed - she really is his daughter (only, you know, she isn’t). But he insists that she maintain the ruse, that she is Alayne, Petyr’s natural-born daughter. Even in private.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Sansa Stark - Eldest surviving Stark child. Currently in the Eyrie with Petyr Baelish. Petyr Baelish - Aspiring Lord Protector of the Vale, widower of Lysa Arryn, former Master of Coin. Nestor Royce - Keeper of the Gate of the Moon, head of a lesser branch of the Royce house. Bronze Yohn Royce - Lord of Runestone and head of House Royce. Most powerful lord of the Vale. Robert “SweetRobin” Arryn - Eight-year-old Lord of the Vale. Orphaned by his mother’s murder of his father, and his step-father’s murder of his mother.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Nine - Brienne 2 - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Brienne continues to search for Sansa Stark. None of her leads pan out in Duskendale. But not all is lost, she gets a fancy sigil on her shield. She considers Sansa’s possible alternative locations and gets awfully close to the truth. She discovers that a familiar face (to us) is following her. Simon and Jenny wish Brienne would follow her instincts.
Chapter Review: Brienne of Tarth arrives in Duskendale; her first official destination on her journey to find Sansa Stark. Her House Lothston shield gives her trouble at the town gate and the guard suggests his sister as an artist to repaint the shield. After dropping the shield off and describing a sigil she’d like to see on it, she makes for the Dun Fort. The lord of the Dun Fort is absent so she is shown to his maester. After reading her letter from King Tommen proving she is on official royal business, the maester reveals she’s not the first to ask about Sansa and Dontos Hollard; more like the 21st.
The maester breaks it to Brienne that Ser Dontos had little ties to Duskendale, as the rest of his family was wiped out years previously. Dejected, Brienne leaves and returns to the inn to wait on her shield. At the inn, she meets a dwarf holy man who tells her of a fool in Maidenpool with two travel companions. It intrigues Brienne enough to consider it as her next stop. The next morning the shield is delivered to her and exceeds her expectations. Brienne heads north up the coast but realizes she’s being followed. She springs a trap on the unwanted company. When she has the man where she wants him, it’s revealed that he’s Podrick Payne, who was hoping that following Brienne would lead him to Tyrion.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Brienne of Tarth - Charged with rescuing Sansa Stark. Sansa Stark - Eldest surviving Stark child. Currently in the Eyrie with Petyr Baelish. Dontos Hollard - Knight turned fool. Last seen fleeing with Sansa. Duskendale - Coastal town in the Crownlands. House Darklyn - Extinct royal house from Duskendale.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Eight - Jaime 1 - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Jaime might’ve bitten off more than he can chew with standing vigil over his father for seven days and nights. While battling sleep, he recalls his last conversation with Rhaegar Targaryen as well as his recent one with the chief undergaoler. He’s visited by Cersei and again rejects her plea to be Hand of the King. Finally, he brokers a lunch for Cersei and feeds her exact steps to success. Simon and Mackelly wonder if she’ll still muck it up.
Chapter Review: While Jaime Lannister stands vigil over his father's body, he thinks of how if he’d known that Tyrion was going to kill their father he’d have stopped him. He thinks of the conversation he had with the chief undergaoler of the Red Keep dungeons. He gets the same story Cersei got regarding Rugen, the missing undergaoler. Jaime is furious to learn that the turnkeys who fell asleep the night of Tyrion’s escape were murdered, by order of the queen.
Said queen appears in person, as Jaime stands vigil. She’s dressed as a commoner to escape notice. She says Kevan refused her offer of Hand of the King and that he knows about Jaime and Cersei’s relationship. She begs Jaime to reconsider taking the role of Hand of the King. Jaime again refuses. Again, in no uncertain terms. A furious Cersei stalks off after unleashing a barrage of angry words toward Jaime.
When the sun comes up, mourners again flood the Great Sept of Baelor. Tywin’s body has continued to decay and the odor has intensified greatly. When Queen Cersei and King Tommen approach the corpse, Tommen gags and runs for the door. Jaime goes after him and consoles the little king. Queen Cersei arrives and admonishes her son for embarrassing her. Mace Tyrell is close on her heels. Jaime sets up a lunch between Cersei and Mace, to Cersei’s annoyance. But Jaime explains that it’s an opportunity to send Mace on a task out of the city, where he might get himself killed.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jamie Lannister - Twin and lover to Cersei. Biological father of Tommen. Cersei Lannister - Mother to King Tommen, Queen Regent of the Seven Kingdoms. King Tommen Baratheon - Child king of the Seven Kingdoms. Tywin Lannister - Lord of Casterly Rock, recently murdered by his son Tyrion. Kevan Lannister - Brother to Tywin. Grand Maester Pycelle - Elderly member of the Small Council.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seven - Cersei 2 - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Busy day for Queen Cersei. She fends off mourners expressing regret and vying for her favor and works to keep the Tyrells off the Small Council. She bonds with Qyburn before finally having a highly contentious dinner with her uncle. Mackelly and Simon are in shock that Kevan went there.
Chapter Review: Queen Cersei Lannister and King Tommen kneel before her father Tywin’s body. The odor emanating from the late Hand of the King is not missed by those in attendance, so all are glad when the prayers end. Afterward, mourners approach Cersei to express condolences. Falyse Stokeworth offers that if her sister Lollys has a son, they’d like to name him Tywin. Cersei shoots the idea down. She congratulates Lancel on his betrothal and his new lordship. He’s not thrilled about either. He met with the high septon. Cersei reminds him of the power of silent prayer.
She’s approached by Mace Tyrell. He’s angling to be named Hand of the King, but says his uncle Garth is on his way to King’s Landing to serve as Master of Coin. Cersei has no interest in another Tyrell on the Small Council, so lies and says she’s offered the role to Gyles Rosby. Mace is shocked, but his mother steers him away. Later, she asks Rosby to be Master of Coin and to act as though it was offered yesterday.
Back in the Red Keep, Qyburn says he's found a gold coin in the missing gaoler Rugen’s chamber. It’s from the Reach, which causes Cersei to question whether the Tyrells were involved in the plot to free Tyrion. Cersei plans to call for the headsman for Gregor Clegane. Qyburn asks to move Gregor to the dungeons, to continue to work with him.
Her uncle Kevan arrives for dinner. Cersei asks him to be Tommen’s Hand of the King. Kevan says he will, if he’s also made King Regent. Cersei is to go back to Casterly Rock. She refuses. Kevan says he’s taking his brother and going home. Tommen has his mother… and his father too.
Characters/Places/Names/Events Cersei Lannister - Mother to King Tommen, Queen Regent of the Seven Kingdoms. King Tommen Baratheon - Child king of the Seven Kingdoms. Tywin Lannister - Lord of Casterly Rock, recently murdered by his son Tyrion. Jamie Lannister - Twin and lover to Cersei. Biological father of Tommen. Kevan Lannister - Brother to Tywin. Qyburn - Former Maester, stripped of his chain by the
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Six - Arya 1 - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Arya arrives in Braavos. Inside the temple of the Many-Faced God, she meets a man who isn’t fooled by her aliases. He tests her on her fear of death, and she passes with flying colors. She hopes to feed a hunger, but it’s not for food. Mackelly and Simon wonder what it is she’s hungry for.
Chapter Review: Arya Stark, or “Salty” as she’s known by the ship’s crew, sees the lights of Braavos on the eastern horizon. Soon the enormous titan statue that guards the city comes into view. As her ship The Titans Daughter passes underneath, she can see the defenses built into the titan. The ship’s captain Ternesio Terys is all too happy to get rid of Arya, and has his oldest son Yorko row her to land. However, before he lets her go, Ternesio makes sure she knows his name and is aware of the favors he’s done for her.
Yorko provides a comprehensive, if slightly biased, guided tour as he rows her through the canals of Braavos. He leaves her at the stairs to the temple of the Many-Faced God. Arya tries the doors of the temple but they’re locked. She shouts that Jaqen H’ghar sent her, brandishes the iron coin he gave her, and says “valar morghulis.” The doors suddenly open on their own. Inside, she finds statues to many gods as well as several people weeping quietly. A man sits by a pool weeping. Arya gives him a cup of water from the pool and he drinks it. He stands and staggers to an alcove between the statues. Arya notices a stab wound in his gut.
She’s met by a young girl and a man, both in cowed robes. The man asks Arya her name. She tries several of her aliases, but the man isn’t fooled. It’s only when she says she’s Arya Stark of Winterfell that the man is content. He says this is no place for her, but she begs him. She has nowhere to go. He asks if she fears death. When Arya says she doesn't, the man lowers his hood to reveal a skull with a worm in the eye socket. He asks for a kiss, and Arya obliges. She then tries to eat the worm. It disintegrates and the skull turns into the face of a kind man. He asks if she’s hungry. She thinks that she is, but it’s not for food.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Arya Stark - Younger daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Braavos - A free city in Essos. Titan of Braavos - Huge statue that guards the sea entrance to Braavos. Multi-Faced God - A god worshiped in Essos.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Five - Samwell 1 - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Lord Commander Jon Snow sends Sam to Oldtown to earn his maester’s chain. Gilly, her baby, and maester Aemon are to go with him. Simon and Mackelly dream of a warmer future.
Chapter Review: Samwell is scouring the Castle Black libraries for information on the Others. Pickings are surprisingly slim. He’s tired and hungry so he heads up to the castle. In the yard, he’s met by Edd, Grenn, and Pyp. Jon wants to see him.
The guys think that Jon is too good for them now he’s Lord Commander, but Sam defends his friend - he does have a lot on his plate. First order of business is rebuilding the stairs up the Wall, and training every single brother in archery.
Sam meets Gilly at Jon’s door. She’s upset and he’s clumsy in her presence. Within, Jon tells Sam that she was begging for Mance’s life on behalf of Val, but Mance’s crimes are unforgivable even if Stannis and Melisdanre didn’t have an eye on Mance’s royal blood for their magic. Jon wants Sam to take Gilly, her baby, and Maester Aemon to Oldtown. There Sam is to earn his chain as Aemon’s replacement. Sam is conflicted - he wanted to be a maester but his father forbad it. At dawn the next day, they ride toward Eastwatch, with Aemon and a tearful Gilly in a wayn.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Samwell Tarly - Bother of the Night’s Watch, friend to John Snow. Slayer of Others. Stannis Baratheon - Claimant to the Iron Throne. Gilly - Daughter of Craster. Beloved of Samwell. Jon Snow - New Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Melisandre - Priestess of R’Hellor, advisor to King Stannis. Maester Aemon - 102-year-old maester of the Night’s Watch.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Four - Brienne 1 - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Brienne begins her wild goose chase in the hunt for Sansa Stark. She meets some unusual travelers on the road and makes some unexpected travel companions, on her way to Duskendale. She also learns that she’s not the only one looking for the Stark girl. Simon and Mackelly worry about saddle sores.
Chapter Review: Armed with Oathkeeper, Brienne of Tarth rides through the Crownlands asking all and sundry if they have seen a high-born maid of three and 10 riding with a portly knight or a fool. She doesn’t mention Sansa’s name, and gets no help from anyone.
She camps down with a couple of hedge knights for the night. Ser Creighton tells of his amazing, hardly believable, exploits at the Battle of the Blackwater. Ser Illifer is a quieter soul. But it is the latter who figures out who she is. He accuses her of Renly’s murder, but she denies it.
They meet a group of “sparrows” the next day. These adherents of the Faith of the Seven are heading to King’s Landing with the bones of murdered holy people. They hope to find protection from King Tommen when they get there. Another knight, Ser Shadrich, tells Brienne that she is not the only hunter. Varys has offered a reward for Sansa’s whereabouts. Brienne feigns ignorance. That night she slips away from the others - preferring the lonely road.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Brienne of Tarth - Charged with rescuing Sansa Stark. Sansa Stark - Eldest surviving Stark child. Currently in the Eyrie with Petyr Baelish. Illifer the Penniless - Taciturn hedge knight. Creighton Longbough - Loquacious hedge knight. Ser Shadrich - Hedge knight, also seeking for Sansa to claim the reward offered by Varys.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Three - Cersei 1 - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Cersei is awakened to the news that her father is dead. She can hardly believe it, but is not exactly broken up about it. At least her little brother is locked up and will be a head short by this evening. Ah, about that: he’s escaped. Mackelly and Simon spot many of Cersei’s character flaws, while ignoring their own.
Chapter Review: Cersei dreams of sitting the Iron Throne. It’s a great dream until Tyrion appears, and her clothes disappear. Then it takes a nasty turn. She gets cut and the Iron Throne fights her. Tyrion laughs. A maid wakes her. Not to save her from the dream but because the Kingsguard are here to let her know that Tywin is dead. Cersei’s struggling to separate the dream from reality. But she begins to piece it together. She dresses and is escorted to the Tower of the Hand.
En route, she ponders how she should react and how she and her rivals will use her father’s death to their advantage. Jamie has followed the secret passage in the fireplace, and Loras Tyrell has been sent to check on King Tommen. She sends Boros Blount to confirm that Tyrion is still secured. She wants Pycelle to prepare her father’s body, but he’s been and gone and not even bothered to remove the quarrel from Lord Tywin’s guts.
Qyburn comes in and prepares the body, and asks what’s to be done with Shae. Cersei hadn’t even noticed her. She wants her removed quietly, so nobody gets the idea that Tywin was consorting with a prostitute. Jamie arrives back, no sign of the murderer. She offers him the role of Hand, he refuses. Uncle Kevan demands that they stop squabbling. Blount returns with news that Tyrion is escaped. Cersei recalls a prophecy in which the Valonqar will choke the life from her.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Cersei Lannister - Queen regent and mother to King Tommen. Tywin Lannister - Lord of Casterly Rock, recently murdered by his son Tyrion. Jamie Lannister - Twin and lover to Cersei. Biological father of Tommen. Loras Tyrell - Knight of the Kingsguard. Boros Blount - Knight of the Kingsguard. Kevan Lannister - Brother to Tywin. Grand Maester Pycelle - Member of the Small Council. Qyburn - Former Maester, stripped of his chain by the Citadel. Shae - Former lover of Tyrion, murdered by him. Valonqar - High Valyrian for “little brother”.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Two - The Captain of Guards - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Areo Hotah observes as Prince Doran Martell is visited by three Sand Snakes, each with a plan to seek revenge for their father Oberyn’s murder. The prince hears each niece out but makes no commitments. Doran does commit to sending Areo to round up all the Sand Snakes and confine them in the palace indefinitely. Simon and Mackelly worry about their venomous bite.
Chapter Review: Areo Hotah, the Captain of Guards for Prince Doran Martell, bars Obara Sand's way, as she attempts an unscheduled visit with her uncle Doran. To avoid bloodshed, Doran allows her passage. The oldest of Oberyn Martell’s bastard daughters, Obara is loud, brash, and filled with vengeance for Oberyn’s murder. Doran reminds her that it was a trial by combat, and Oberyn willingly participated in it. Obara wants to take the Dornish hosts and attack. She will lead a host to Old Town while her sister Nymeria follows the Kingsroad with the other host. Doran says he’ll think on the matter.
When Obara storms out, Doran announces it’s time to leave the Water Gardens and return to Sunspear. He fears the Sand Snakes are riling the populace over Oberyn’s death. Along the way, they are met by Nymeria Sand. She has an alternative plan to Obara’s. She wants the heads of Tywin, Jaime, and Cersei Lannister, along with King Tommen’s. Doran asks her to be patient. She will not.
Upon entering Sunspear, the populace is in an uproar, calling for vengeance. Inside the palace, he's first greeted by his daughter Arianne, but then met by Tyene Sand in the throne room. Her plan for vengeance is to marry Myrcella Baratheon to her cousin Trystane Martell, then hail Myrcella as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. When the Lannisters ride against Dorne for challenging Tommen’s claim, the Dornish army destroys them. When Tyene is gone, Doran commands Areo to round up all eight of the Sand Snakes and confine them to a palace tower.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Areo Hotah - Captain of Guards for Prince Doran Martell. Doran Martell - Prince of Dorne. Older brother to Oberyn Martell. Obara Sand - Oldest bastard daughter to Prince Oberyn. Nymeria Sand (AKA Lady Nym) - Bastard daughter of Prince Oberyn. Tyene Sand - Bastard daughter of Prince Oberyn. Sunspear - Seat of House Martell. Water Gardens - Private retreat of House Martell.
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Chapter Fifty-Two - Daenerys 9 - A Dance with Dragons | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Daenerys attends the reopening of the fighting pits. It’s pretty much as she expected until Drogon arrives and whisks her away. Simon and Mackelly try not to get carried away.
Chapter Review: Daenerys Targaryen dons a tokar for the reopening of the fighting pits. Barristan Selmy reports that he freed Meris of the Windblown who assured him that she and the rest of the Westerosi deserters were in fact emissaries from the Tattered Prince who was ready to switch sides. All he wanted was the city of Pentos. Dany laughs at the price.
They head to the reopened fighting pits where Dany witnesses horrors a-plenty, two dwarves joust for her entertainment, and Strong Belwas gets sick on the honeyed locusts that Hizdar had suggested Dany sample.
Dany’s ready to leave when a boar dines on the innards of Barsena Blackhair. A shadow passes over the pit as Drogon arrives and feasts of boar and Barsena. Pandemonium descends as pit-men try to kill Drogon. Dany drops to the fighting floor and stares down her eldest. She finds a whip and wins the battle of wills. She climbs aboard and Drogon takes flight.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Daenerys Targaryen - Last remaining descendent of the royal Targaryen line, Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, claimant to the Iron Throne of Westeros. Barristan Selmy - Former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard in King’s Landing. Now Lord Commander of the Dany’s Queensguard. Hizdahr zo Loraq - Noble of Meereen, husband to Daenerys. Quentyn Martell - Son of Prince Doran Martell. In Essos to offer his hand in marriage to Daenerys. Meereen - Largest city on Slaver’s Bay.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter One - The Prophet - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Aeron “Damphair” Greyjoy, learns of his eldest brother Balon’s death and their brother Euron’s claiming the Sea Stone Chair. He is not happy with that outcome and calls for a kingsmoot to decide the next king. Simon and Mackelly consider the options.
Chapter Review: Aeron Greyjoy is drowning men in the sea (to bring them back with the kiss of life) when news arrives that his brother King Balon is dead. Aeron doesn’t break down or anything, but he recalls Balon with awe and reverence for his returning the Iron Islands to its traditional god (the Drowned God) and practices (they really don’t sow).
At Hammerhorn (Lord Goodbrother’s seat) Aeron learns further that his eldest remaining brother Euron has returned to Pike. He was banished for life by Balon, but has conveniently arrived back the day after the king’s death. Goodbrother wants to know if Euron’s claim should be supported, but the prophet needs time to pray on this one.
Aeron had spoken with Balon recently, and knows that Balon thought Asha should succeed him - and she too has claimed the throne. But Aeron is skeptical that the Iron Islanders would accept a queen. Theon is believed dead and Aeron despises Euron - he won’t have someone so unrighteous on the throne. He doesn’t want the honor for himself, so that leaves only Victarion, Aeron’s older, but Euron’s younger, brother. While praying, he's struck by inspiration: in the old days kings were chosen not by hereditary. He calls for a kingsmoot on Nagga’s Hill on Old Wyk. All claimants and captains should go there to choose their next ruler.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Aeron “Damphair” Greyjoy - Youngest brother of King Balon Greyjoy. Priest of the Drowned God. Balon Greyjoy - King of the Iron Islands. Died falling from a bridge at Pike. Euron “Crow’s Eye” Greyjoy - Younger brother of Balon, elder brother to Aeron. Was banished by Balon, but now returned to Pike. Victarion Greyjoy - Next younger brother of Balon. Currently holding Moat Cailin for the Iron Islands. Asha Greyjoy - Daughter of Balon. Fierce fighter and reaver. Well respected. Theon Greyjoy - Younger brother to Asha. Grew up in Winterfell as ward of the Starks. Betrayed them. Was last seen losing Winterfell to Ramsay Bolton. Kingsmoot - Ancient rite, whereby king’s of the Iron Islands were chosen from th
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Prologue - A Feast for Crows | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
The Citadel novice Pate and his fellow maester-hopeful friends discuss the existence of dragons, while Pate dreams of winning the love of Rosey the tavern girl. Later, Pate sells a stolen key to the Citadel to a man known as “the alchemist.” When the transaction is complete, Pate becomes suddenly dizzy and collapses. Mackelly and Simon fear the worst for Pate.
Chapter Review: Pate the Citadel novice sits at the Quill and Tankard Inn with his fellow maesters-in-training. They’re celebrating Alleras earning a new link for his maester’s chain. They discuss news of dragons in Essos. Pate’s only half listening. He’s mostly focused on Rosey, a server at the tavern. He hopes to earn the coin to take her maidenhead and fantasizes about a life together with her. Problem is, he’s broke. He hopes to change that by selling a stolen key to a man called “the alchemist.” The key is said to open every door in the Citadel. The man has offered a golden dragon for the key, which coincidentally is exactly how much Pate needs for his rendezvous with Rosey. However, the alchemist is nowhere to be seen.
Lazy Leo Tyrell arrives and provides a mixture of mean-spirited barbs along with news about a Targaryen queen and her three dragons. The others take his news with a grain of salt but there’s stunned silence when Leo says a glass candle is burning at the Citadel. He says it indicates nothing good for the future. The men grow tired of Leo and head for home. Pate leaves separately and is finally met by the alchemist. The pair move to a secluded alley to trade key for coin. Leo bites the coin to make sure it’s truly gold. With that they go their separate ways. However, after a few steps Pate becomes dizzy and collapses. His last thought is of Rosey.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Pate, Alleras, Mollander, Leo Tyrell, and Roone - Novices at the Citadel. Armen - Acolyte at the Citadel. Citadel - Institution of higher learning in Westeros where maesters earn their knowledge and links for their chain. Old Town - Large port city in the Reach where the Citadel is located.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Epilogue - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Merrett Frey is lured to a ransom payment by the Brotherhood without Banners. They have his great nephew Petyr Pimple. Upon arrival he learns that his kinsman is dead, and that he’ll be joining him because Catelyn Stark points the finger at him for his involvement in the Red Wedding. Simon and Mackelly are almost as speechless as she is. Chapter Review: Merrett Frey heads toward Oldstones with ransom money to secure the release of his great nephew Petyr. He bemoans his rotten luck that has brought him to this juncture. A concussion as a squire means he can no longer fight and was never knighted. As Walder’s ninth son, he’s got no hope of rising very far. But at least he can bring back Ser Ryman’s son and get some favor that way.
He wasn’t even involved in the planning for the Red Wedding. His only role was to get the Greatjon Umber drunk. And even in this he failed. Umber fought like a giant before finally being chained.
When he arrives at Oldstones, he is robbed of the gold by members of the Brotherhood without Banners. Petyr is already dead and Merrett will join them if they can prove he had a hand in the Red Wedding. Merrett knows that there are no witnesses. But the brothers reveal Catelyn Stark, risen from the dead. Lem asks her if she saw Merrett at the wedding and she, unable to speak, nods. They string him up.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Catelyn Stark - Murdered mother of the Stark children. Brought back to life. Merrett Frey - Ninth son of Lord Walder, known principally as the Frey who drinks the most. Petyr Pimple - Great grandson of Lord Walder Frey. Lem Lemoncloak - Member of the Brotherhood without Banners. Tom Sevenstreams - Singer in the Brotherhood without Banners. Lord Beric Dondarrion - Head of the Brotherhood without Banners. Has been repeatedly resurrected from death by Thoros of Myr. Thoros of Myr - Priest of R’hellor, member of the Brotherhood without Banners. Able to raise the dead to life. Oldstones - Riverlands holdfast. Long abandoned. Former seat of House Mudd.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Eighty - Sansa 7 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Sansa builds a snow-castle, and squabbles with Robert Arryn. Petyr Baelish kisses her against her will. Lysa confronts Sansa about trying to steal Littlefinger from her and threatens to push her out of the Moon Door. Baelish intervenes and pushes Lysa out instead. Simon and Mackelly try to pick up the pieces (not of Lysa, that would be nasty).
Chapter Review: Sansa Stark wakes early to snow falling. It makes her wistful for Winterfell. She dresses and builds a snow castle, which quickly turns into Winterfell. She’s joined by Petyr Baelish who says she is even more beautiful than her mother was at her age. He kisses her, she yields briefly before pushing him away. Cousin Robert arrives and uses his doll as a giant to smash the walls. Sansa tries to stop him, and his beloved doll is destroyed.
Later she’s summoned to her aunt by the singer Marillion. He’s a favorite of Lysa Arryn, to whom he’s unfailingly pleasant. He uses this as a license to abuse the servants and force himself on the unwilling. They proceed to the great hall. Lysa saw Sansa kiss Baelish, but blames the child. Sansa protests. Lysa compares Sansa to Catelyn - both want to steal away Lysa’s love Petyr. She describes how he deflowered her and the termination of the subsequent pregnancy.
She threatens to push Sansa out of the Moon Door, but is prevented by the timely arrival of Lord Baelish. He talks Lysa down. She reveals that it was she who murdered her husband Jon, with the help of Petyr. He reassures Lysa that he only ever loved one woman. She softens, but then he adds “Only Cat” and pushes her out of the door. He calls for guards to arrest Marillion.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Sansa Stark - Elder daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish - Former member of the Small Council, now lord of Harrenhal and Protector of the Vale. Lysa Arryn - Lady of the Eyrie. Widow of Jon Arryn, wife of Petyr, and sister to Catelyn. Robert Arryn - AKA Sweetrobin. Son of Jon and Lysa Arryn. Lord of the Vale. Eight going on three. Marillion - Singer and favorite of Lysa Arryn. The Eyrie - Seat of House Arryn in the Vale. The Moon Door - Door to the outside in the Eyrie. Used for execution of prisoners.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seventy-Nine - Jon 12 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Jon decides that he will accept Stannis’ offer and become Lord of Winterfell. But at that moment Ghost returns, reminding him of his belief in the old gods and his outsider status to the Starks. He joins his brothers for the vote for the new Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and is surprised as anyone when he wins. Mackelly and Simon start drawing up a transition team.
Chapter Review: Jon Snow spars in the yard of Castle Black with Iron Emmett. A ringing blow to the head brings back memories of Winterfell, sparring with Robb, and Catelyn’s enmity. When he is back in the present he discovers he’s viciously assaulted Emmett and is being restrained by several brothers.
Jon takes a bath to ease his muscles. While there he overhears Alliser Thorne, Bowen Marsh and a reluctant Orwell Yarwyck plotting to install Janos Slynt as Lord Commander. Jon heads north of Wall to consider Stannis’ offer of legitimacy, Winterfell, and Val’s hand in marriage. He admits to himself that it is all he ever wanted and that he’ll give up his vows and his gods for it. At that moment Ghost returns, his red eyes and white fur redolent of a weirwood. They reunite and Jon takes it as a sign that his decision was wrong.
He joins his brothers in the latest round of voting for the Lord Commandership. Stannis has promised to keep them sequestered until they have made a choice. Edd has put forward Jon’s name. Thorne invites Yarwyck to speak but is surprised when the First Builder advises every man to vote with his conscience. Jon’s case is bolstered by Mormont’s raven who lands on Jon’s shoulder announcing “Snow” over and over again. Jon wins in a landslide.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Member of the Night’s Watch. Robb Stark - Jon’s dead half brother. Catelyn Stark - Robb’s mother. Never a fan of Jon. Maester Aemon - Elderly, blind maester of the Night’s Watch. Castle Black - Headquarters of the Night’s Watch. Ser Alliser Thorne - Senior member of the Night’s Watch recently returned from King’s Landing. Janos Slynt - New recruit to the Night’s Watch. Formerly commander of the Gold Cloaks in King’s Landing and briefly Lord of Harrenhal. Stannis Baratheon - brother of dead King Robert Baratheon, claims the Iron Throne because Cersei’s children are not Robert’s.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seventy-Eight - Samwell 5 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Sam and the men vying for Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch attend an audience with King Stannis. Stannis wants a Lord Commander chosen tonight. Sam hatches a plan to consolidate the votes between the leading contenders. Both men agree a new candidate might suffice. Sam knows just the guy. Simon and Mackelly pick up what he’s putting down.
Chapter Review: Samwell Tarly assists Maester Aemon to a summons by King Stannis Baratheon. They are accompanied by the current vote-getters for Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. King Stannis has had enough of waiting for the brothers to agree on a leader. He wants this wrapped up today. When Janos Slynt suggests King Stannis offer guidance to the brothers, Stannis says anybody but Janos should suffice.
King Stannis has other needs from the Night’s Watch, and the Lord Commander should have a say in the matter. He wants the Gift and the abandoned castles. The brothers don’t take this news well. Stannis says he needs to rebuild the castles to garrison a force to stop the Others’ attack.
Before leaving, Maester Aemon asks to “see” Lightbringer. Sam describes the beautifully glowing sword to the blind maester. Afterward, Aemon finds it odd the sword gave off no heat. Later, Sam hatches a plan to stop Slynt from being voted Lord Commander. He asks Cotter Pyke to back Ser Deny Mallister. Pyke has no interest. Sam asks Ser Denys to back Pyke. Again, no interest. Sam suggests a different candidate. To Ser Denys he touts the mystery brother as well-educated, from old blood, castle trained, and highly trusted. To Pyke he describes the man as a good fighter but a bastard. Both men agree this unnamed candidate has potential.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Samwell Tarly - Brother of the Night’s Watch, friend to John Snow. Slayer of an Other. Stannis Baratheon - Lord of Dragonstone, rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms. Denys Mallister - Commander of the Shadow Tower. Cotter Pyke - Commander of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Janos Slynt - New recruit to the Night’s Watch. Formerly commander of the Gold Cloaks in King’s Landing and briefly Lord of Harrenhal. Maester Aemon - 100 year-old maester of the Night’s Watch. The Gift - The lands south of the Wall that are owned by the Night’s Watch.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seventy-Seven - Tyrion 11 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Tyrion is rescued from his cell by Jaime, but learns the awful truth of Jaime’s previous betrayal. Tyrion, in turn, tells Jaime he killed Joffrey. The two part ways acrimoniously. On his way to freedom, Tyrion stops to visit his father. He finds a familiar face waiting in Tywin’s bed and Tywin in the privy. Tyrion deals with them both in similar fashion. Simon and Mackelly wallow in the sadness and betrayal.
Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister prepares to attack, as the door to his cell opens. It turns out to be his brother Jaime. Jaime is here to rescue him. When Tyrion thanks him, Jaime says he’s repaying a debt. Tyrion insists on knowing the secret of this debt. Jaime tells him he lied to Tyrion about Tysha, on their father’s command. Tyrion’s wife truly was a crofter’s daughter, met on the road. The news sends Tyrion into a fury. He tells Jaime that Cersei has been unfaithful to Jaime and that, yes, he killed Joffrey. With that the two part ways.
Tyrion meets Varys, to escape through the dungeons and to the sea, bound for Essos. Along the way, Tyrion realizes he’s below the Tower of the Hand. He insists Varys tell him how to find his father’s bed chamber. When Tyrion arrives, he finds Shae in Tywin’s bed. She says she was forced to say horrible things about him at trial. She calls him her Giant of Lannister. At that, Tyrion strangles her with the Hand of the King chain she wears.
He finds a crossbow and tracks his father to the privy. Tywin says he doesn’t know what happens to the “whore” Tysha after Tyrion’s “sharp lesson.” Tyrion says if he uses the term again, he will kill his father. True to his word, when Tywin says it again, Tyrion shoots him dead.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Former Hand of the King. Tywin Lannister - Tyrion’s father, Hand of the King. Shae - Prostitute and lover of Tyrion. Tysha - Tyrion’s first wife. Sansa Stark - Oldest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark, wife to Tyrion. Lord Varys - Master of Whisperers in King’s Landing, has served multiple monarchs as chief spy.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Please enjoy some outtakes, miscues, and general mayhem that we suffered through and saved just for your listening pleasure. Thank you all for being part of this journey.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seventy-Six - Jon 11 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Jon is summoned by King Stannis. The king offers Jon his dream come true; the title of Lord Stark of Winterfell. Stannis also plans to let the wildlings through the Wall, if they bend the knee. Jon agrees with the wildling plan but needs time to think about being legitimized and made lord of Winterfell. Simon and Mackelly consider shopping for castle-warming gifts.
Chapter Review: Jon Snow spars in the yard of Castle Black with Satin. Melisandre interrupts; King Stannis wants a word with Jon. Stannis tells Jon he’s heard much about him. Jon confirms some facts and dispels some rumors. The bottom line is that he never turned his cloak. The king believes him. Stannis knows Janos Slynt and knew Ned Stark. Stannis reveals that he plans to let the wildlings through the Wall, as long as they bend the knee and take R’hllor as their true god. The king explains that he’s here to fight the true enemy: the Great Other. They will need the wildling’s help in that fight.
Stannis then tells Jon the primary reason he sent for him. The king doesn’t need another sword in the Night’s Watch. He needs the North. There’s no better way to rally the North than through a son of Eddard Stark. He plans to legitimize Jon, making him Jon Stark the Lord of Winterfell. It was a dream of Jon’s when he was young, but he never wanted harm to come to his siblings. However, he’s likely the last of them alive. But there’s another issue: he’s taken The Black. Melisandre says his vow is meaningless, since it wasn’t said to R’hellor. The final detail of the plan is that Stannis wants to marry Jon to the wildling Val. Jon asks for time to consider the offer.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Member of the Night’s Watch. Stannis Baratheon - Brother of dead King Robert, claims the Iron Throne because Cersei’s children are not Robert’s. Melisandre - Red Woman of Ashaii. Priestess of R’Hellor, the Lord of Light. Janos Slynt - New recruit to the Night’s Watch. Formerly commander of the Gold Cloaks in King’s Landing and briefly Lord of Harrenhal. Mance Rayder - King Beyond the Wall, a former brother of the Night’s Watch. Val - Sister to Mance's woman Dalla.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seventy-Five - Samwell 4 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Sam and Gilly have made to Castle Black. Gilly has taken on a second baby to feed. Sam has a crafty idea to ensure Gilly and son are cared for. Janos Slynt is making waves in the vote for Lord Commander. Mackelly and Simon consider voter fraud to keep Slynt out of the top spot.
Chapter Review: Samwell Tarly, Gilly, and Gilly’s baby have finally made it to Castle Black. Gilly has begun feeding Mance and Dalla’s newborn son. Dalla’s sister Val has heard that Melasandre plans to burn Mance and asks that he be allowed to see his son first. Jon Snow says he’ll ask.
Later, Jon asks Sam about his feelings for Gilly. Sam says he knows there’s no future for them but tells Jon of a plan to send Gilly and the baby to Sam’s mother at Horn Hill. Sam will lie and say that the boy is his. Jon thinks it could work, but it depends on the type of man the boy grows up to be. It is killing Sam to keep a secret from Jon. Sam knows that Bran is alive but swore multiple times not to reveal it, and he holds true to his word.
That night the men vote on a new Lord Commander. Nobody is close to the two-thirds vote necessary to win. Denys Mallister and Cotter Pyke are the front-runners but Janos Slynt continues to climb in the voting. Sam knows that if Mallister and Pyke could agree on only one of the men running, they’d be very close to having the numbers. However, Sam is too craven to raise the idea to his superiors.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Samwell Tarly - Brother of the Night’s Watch, friend to John Snow. Slayer of Others. Gilly - Wildling daughter/wife of Craster. Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Member of the Night’s Watch. Stannis Baratheon - Lord of Dragonstone, rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms. Denys Mallister - Commander of the Shadow Tower. Cotter Pyke - Commander of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Janos Slynt - New recruit to the Night’s Watch. Formerly commander of the Gold Cloaks in King’s Landing and briefly Lord of Harrenhal. Mance Rayder - The King Beyond the Wall, a former brother of the Night’s Watch. Val - Sister to Mance’s woman Dalla.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Fifty-One - Theon 1 - A Dance with Dragons | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Theon watches as a child's body is laid before Lord Roose instigating in-fighting in the castle. Roose calls for battle preparations against Stannis. Theon is called into duty to smuggle Arya out of Winterfell. All goes well, until it doesn’t. Mackelly and Simon hope for a soft landing.
Chapter Review: Theon Greyjoy sits at the back of the Great Hall of Winterfell, alongside the bard Abel and some of his women. Ser Hosteen Frey bursts through the doors with Little Walder’s dead body in his arms and lays him below the dais. A bloody Big Walder and several knights accompany Hosteen. Big Walder says Little Walder went looking for a man who owed him coin from dicing, and it was the Manderlys who taught him the game. Fighting breaks out between the Freys and Manderlys, leaving Lord Wyman Manderly bleeding and several men dead.
Lord Roose announces that they will ride out against Stannis, and the Freys and Manderlys will lead the charge. Abel’s women say that now is the time to enact their plan. Theon meets the women in the godswood. They’re all dressed as servants. After filling buckets of hot water, they gain entrance to Lady Arya’s room. Theon coaxes Jeyne, who almost reveals she’s not Arya, into cooperating. She trades clothing with a washerwoman, who remains behind to keep the numbers accurate, and they walk Jeyne out of the keep.
Several of the women go off to find Abel and two go with Theon and Jeyne. When the women kill two guards, Jeyne lets out a scream, which brings more guards. One woman stays behind to hold them off, the other takes Theon and Jeyne up the stairs of the outer wall, only to realize she doesn’t have the rope to repel down. When she is killed by a crossbow bolt and Theon and Jeyne are surrounded, Theon grabs Jeyne and they jump off the wall.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Reek - Broken shell of Theon Greyjoy. Ramsay Bolton - Newly legitimized son of Roose Bolton. Nasty piece of work. Roose Bolton - Lord of the Dreadfort and Warden of the North. Arya Stark - Youngest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Princess of Winterfell. Jeyne Poole - Married to Ramsay Bolton masquerading as Arya Stark. Wyman Manderly - Lord of White Harbor. Abel - Bard in Winterfell. Possibly Mance Rayder.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seventy-Four - Arya 13 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Arya and the Hound return to the Inn at the Crossroads, where they meet some of the Mountain’s men. Trouble ensues, leaving three dead and the Hound mortally wounded. Arya refuses him mercy and leaves him to die. Finally, she uses her mysterious iron coin to earn her passage out of Westeros. Simon and Mackelly wish Arya a bon voyage.
Chapter Review: Arya Stark and Sandor Clegane (AKA the Hound) find themselves back at the Inn at the Crossroads. As soon as they enter, Arya knows there’s trouble. She recognizes two of Gregor Clegane’s men: Polliver and the Tickler. They’re accompanied by a young squire. The men recognize the Hound.
The soldiers fill them in on news of the realm: King Joffrey is dead, Sansa Stark killed him, and Sansa’s sister has been found. The Hound finds that last bit funny but doesn’t share why. When the Tickler wants Sandor to come with them to Harrenhal, chaos breaks out. Sandor has his hands full fighting Polliver and the Tickler. Arya is distracted by the fighting and is surprised by the squire. She turns and stabs him with a dagger. The Hound kills Polliver and Arya stabs the Tickler repeatedly. Sandor makes Arya finish the squire off. She pulls Needle from Polliver’s belt and slides it into the boy’s heart.
The next day the Hound is unable to continue riding to Saltpans due to his injuries. He wants mercy from Arya, and spews horrible things at her to get her to do it. She leaves him to die on the side of the road and continues to Saltpans. At the port town, she sells Craven and tries to buy passage on a ship for Eastwatch. The ship is going to Braavos, and she doesn’t have the funds to catch a ride. She pulls out the iron coin Jaqen H’ghar gave her and utters "Valar Morghulis." The shocked captain offers her passage and her own cabin.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Arya Stark - Younger daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Sandor “The Hound” Clegane - Former personal bodyguard to King Joffrey Baratheon, younger brother of the Mountain (Gregor Clegane), deserter from the Lannister forces. Polliver - Soldier in Gregor Clegane’s company. Tickler - Torturer in Gregor Clegane’s company. Needle - Small, thin sword given to Arya by Jon before they left Winterfell. Inn at The Crossroads - Inn at the intersection of three major roads in the Riverlands.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seventy-Three - Jon 10 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Jon gets a reprieve from the ice cell and noose that Thorne and Slynt had promised. Hooray! It's so he can go on a suicide mission to assassinate Mance Rayder. Boo! But at the last second redemption comes from an unlikely source. Simon and Mackelly consider the new power structures at the Wall.
Chapter Review: Jon is lowered down the north face of the Wall in a cage. It beats the tiny ice cell in which he’d been held for the last 4 days. Thorne and Slynt’s plan to hang him had been foiled by Maester Aemon. But they’ve found a sure-fire alternative. He’s to go parlay with Mance Rayder, murder the King Beyond the Wall in the middle of his army, and then make it back alone to Castle Black - this will prove his loyalty.
Tormund guides him through angry faces - none are pleased to see the turncoat back in black. Mance’s woman Dalla is about to give birth. Mance himself is relatively sanguine about Jon’s return. He never trusted Jon enough to tell him that they had found the fabled Horn of Winter in the Frostfangs. Mance says that the Night’s Watch will let the wildlings pass through the Wall or the horn will be blown in three days, and they’ll pass through the rubble instead.
Jon concedes that the Night’s Watch might consider this, if Mance and his people bend the knee. But Mance won’t promise that. Seeing an impasse, Jon looks for ways to carry out the assassination. But before anything happens, an army attack the wildlings. It’s Stannis coming west from Eastwatch, and he routes Mance’s forces with ease. During the chaos, Dalla goes into labor.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Member of the Night’s Watch. Maester Aemon - Elderly, blind maester of the Night’s Watch. Ser Alliser Thorne - Senior member of the Night’s Watch. Recently returned from King’s Landing. Janos Slynt - New recruit to the Night’s Watch. Former commander of the Gold Cloaks in King’s Landing. Mance Rayder - King Beyond the Wall. Former brother of the Night’s Watch Dalla - Mance’s pregnant partner. Thormund Giantsbane - Wildling leader. Stannis Baratheon - Brother of dead King Robert Baratheon, claims the Iron Throne because Cersei’s children are not Robert’s.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seventy-Two - Jaime 9 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Jaime has a curious goodbye with Arya Stark. He refuses to leave the Kingsguard, despite a strong push from his family. He resists an advance from his sister, which results in a heated argument between the two. Finally, he gives Brienne a jaw-dropping gift and then tasks her with a surprising mission in return. Simon and Mackelly squint hard at “Arya Stark.”
Chapter Review: Jaime Lannister grows bored of watching the king sign documents that offer rewards or punishment to houses, for their roles in the war. He returns to the White Sword Tower. On his way, he runs into a girl claiming to be Arya Stark. Jaime is skeptical.
Cersei waits for him in his chambers. She begs him to talk to their father about Tywin’s plan to send her back to Casterly Rock, effectively separating her from her son Tommen. Jaime doesn’t think it’ll do any good, but Cersei believes it will, if he agrees to leave the Kingsguard. Jaime refuses. Cersei makes a sexual advance that Jaime rebuffs. She throws insults as she storms out.
Jaime calls for Ser Loras Tyrell and Brienne of Tarth. Loras admits Brienne might be telling the truth about Renly Baratheon's death. After dismissing Loras, Jaime gives Brienne the Valyrian steel sword his father gave him. In return, he asks she use it to find Sansa Stark and keep her safe.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jaime Lannister - Member of the royal Kingsguard. Twin brother to queen Cersei and older brother to Tyrion. Nicknamed the "Kingslayer" for killing King Aerys Targaryen. Ser Loras Tyrell - Member of the Kingsguard. Young, dashing, talented knight from the Reach. The third son of Lord Mace Tyrell of Highgarden. Brienne of Tarth - Warrior woman. Once "Brienne the Blue" in King Renly's Rainbow Guard. On a mission to rescue the Stark girls for Catelyn Stark. Cersei Lannister - twin to Jaime, mother to Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella. Tywin Lannister - father of Jaime, Cersei, Tyrion. Lord of Casterly Rock. Hand of the King. Tyrion Lannister - youngest sibling of Jaime and Cersei. Imprisoned awaiting trial for murdering his nephew King Jofrrey. Tommen Lannister - King of the Andals, Roynar, and the First men. Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. Protector of the Realm.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seventy-One - Daenerys 6 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Daenerys has taken Meereen, but Astapor and Yunkai are backsliding. She forgives Barristan Selmy for his failures to protect her family, but banishes Jorah Mormont from her sight. She’ll stay in Meereen and rule. Mackelly and Simon settle in to watch some dragons grow.
Chapter Review: Daenerys Targaryen surveys Meereen from the great pyramid. She’s bothered by flies who’ve gathered to feast on the many dead, including the 163 she crucified as payment for what they did to the slave children.
She meets an envoy from Astapor. The council she appointed have all lost their heads, literally, and a former (and apparently current) butcher Cleon, has made himself King. He offers his hand in marriage. Dany is distinctly disinterested. The second petitioner is a Qartheen trader. He has goods he wants to trade for slaves. He’s surely barking up the wrong tree. Only Daario Naharis confirms that many freed slaves are down at the docks offering to reenter slavery. Dany begrudgingly allows it and imposes a tax on the trade to swell her own coffers.
Next she sees Ser Barristan Selmy and Ser Jorah Mormont. The former gives it to her straight. Her father was mad, Viserys had the hallmarks too. Robert Baratheon was a great knight, and could have been a good king. She appreciates the candor and reinstates him to her service. Mormont tries a similar tack. He spied for Varys for a pardon, as recently as Qarth. But this is too much for Dany. She banishes Jorah forever.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Daenerys Targaryen - Last remaining descendent of the royal Targaryen line, Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, claimant to the Iron Throne of Westeros. Ser Jorah Mormont - Exiled former Lord of Bear Island. Daenerys’ bodyguard and loyal advisor. Unsullied - Eunuch slave soldiers. Renowned for their fighting prowess. Barristan Selmy, aka Arstan Whitebeard- Former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard in King’s Landing. Sent by Illyrio Mopatis to bring Dany to Pentos. Strong Belwas - Eunuch former slave, sent by Illyrio Mopatis to keep Dany safe. Daario Naharis - Leader of the sellsword company the Stormcrows. Meereen - Largest city on Slaver’s Bay.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Seventy - Tyrion 10 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Tyrion’s is betrayed by Shae and demands a trial by combat. Oberyn Martell steps up and defeats the Mountain, but then lets his guard down and the Mountain crushes his head, and Tyrion’s hopes. Simon and Mackelly rue the day.
Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister weighs the offer of Oberyn Martell, but for now allows the trial to continue. Podrik Payne cannot vouch for Tyrion’s innocence, which suggests that few will. The last witness is a surprise: Shae. Of course Cersei would have interviewed, and coerced, Sansa’s handmaids. But Shae is not only going to lie for Cersei, she’s also going to tell the truth. Tyrion and Sansa plotted the murder and Tyrion used her sexually and forced her to refer to him as “her giant of Lannister.” The crowd’s laughter is too much for Tyrion and he demands the trial by combat.
Cersei is thrilled to announce that the Mountain Gregor Clegane will fight for her, but the whole room is stunned when Oberyn Martell offers to champion Tyrion’s cause. Tywin is furious. Tyrion realizes that this situation has no good outcomes for Tywin. If Oberyn wins, the Tyrells will be annoyed, and Tyrion freed. If the Mountain wins, Tyrion will be dead and the Martells might crown Myrcella, Plunging Westeros into another civil war.
Oberyn outwits and defeats the Mountain, with his poisoned spear. But then stands on the vanquished Clegane’s chest to extract a deathbed confession. He gets one, Gregor did rape and murder Elia, and murder her children, but it’s Oberyn’s deathbed. The Mountain trips him and crushes his skull. Tyrion’s hopes die with the Red Viper.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Former Hand of the King. Tywin Lannister - Tyrion’s father, Hand of the King. Kevan Lannister - Tyrion’s uncle, as well as brother and trusted advisor to Tywin Lannister. Sansa Stark - Oldest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark, wife to Tyrion. Cersei Lannister - Mother of the late Joffrey Baratheon, sister to Tyrion. Oberyn Martell - Brother to Doran Martell the Prince of Dorne. In King’s Landing to seek justice for his murdered sister Elia and her children. Shae - Prostitute and lover of Tyrion. Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane - Feared fighter and Lannister loyalist.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Sixty-Nine - Jon 9 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Still no rest for the wicked. Jon and his Black Brothers continue to repel the wildlings. But reinforcements on this side of the Wall spell bad news for Jon. Simon and Mackelly share their fears.
Chapter Review: Morale is running low for Jon Snow and his Night’s Watch brothers, as they defend the gate against the wildlings. The handful of brothers eat, sleep, and fight on top of the Wall, while Mance Rayder can throw limitless fresh troops against them. Mance's latest twist is a huge rolling shelter that can shield many wildlings from attacks from above. The Black Brothers named the contraption “the turtle.” Jon has his men drop barrels of ice and rocks on the turtle and send the wildlings scurrying back to the safety of the forest.
Jon then returns to his little chamber in the King’s Tower for some much needed sleep. When he wakes, four unfamiliar men stand over him. They lead him to Ser Alliser Thorne and Janos Slynt. Slynt says he’s taken control of Castle Black and says Jon has been accused of treason, listing all of the things Jon did while with the wildlings. Jon defends himself and says he was doing as Qhorin Halfhand commanded, but it falls on deaf ears. Slynt decides that Jon will hang for his transgressions.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Member of the Night’s Watch. Pyp - Friend of Jon’s in the Night’s Watch. Grenn - Large brother of the Night’s Watch. Friends with Jon. Maester Aemon - Elderly, blind maester of the Night’s Watch. Castle Black - Headquarters of the Night’s Watch. Ser Alliser Thorne - Senior member of the Night’s Watch recently returned from King’s Landing. Janos Slynt - New recruit to the Night’s Watch. Formerly commander of the Gold Cloaks in King’s Landing and briefly Lord of Harrenhal.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Sixty-Eight - Sansa 6 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Sansa discovers that Littlefinger’s “you’re sailing home” comment is not exactly what she was expecting. She finds herself in a run-down tower on a rocky coast. She gets a new name, attends a wedding, narrowly avoids sexual assault, and has a reunion with a family member. Mackelly and Simon hold their breath, hoping for no deaths at this wedding.
Chapter Review: Sansa Stark and Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish arrive at Petyr’s ancestral home in the Fingers. It’s a dismal place but the staff is friendly and happy to see their lord. Petyr informs Sansa that she must take a new name, as it’s not safe to be a Stark at the moment. He names her Alayne, after his mother. She will play his natural-born daughter. He also tells her that he will wed Sansa’s aunt Lysa Arryn, who is on her way to meet them at the tower. Finally, Petyr divulges to Sansa that he was working with Olenna Tyrell to murder King Joffrey. It was Olenna who put the poison in the chalice.
When Lysa arrives, Sansa is introduced as Alayne to her aunt. The couple is wed at once. After the festivities, the singer Marillion, who arrived with Lysa, attempts to have his way sexually with Sansa. His effort is thwarted by Ser Lothor Brune. The next morning Sansa is brought to her aunt, who now knows her true identity. Lysa says she’d never turn away Cat’s daughter. They commiserate over forced marriages, then Lysa says that Sansa will marry her young cousin Robert.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Sansa Stark - Elder daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Forcibly married to Tyrion. Lord Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish - Former member of the Small Council, now lord of Harrenhal. In the Vale seeking an alliance with Lysa Arryn, with whom he grew up and possibly had a relationship with. Lysa Arryn - Lady of the Eyrie. Widow of Jon Arryn and Catelyn’s sister. Ser Dontos Hollard - Drunken jester of King Joffrey, but friend to Sansa. Fingers - Group of five peninsulas in the Vale. Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Master of Coin. Now accused of murdering King Joffrey. King Joffrey Baratheon - King Joffrey Baratheon First of His Name. Bastard son of Jaime Lannister and his twin sister Queen Cersei. Killed at his wedding feast.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Sixty-Seven - Jamie 8 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Jaime reminisces about the bygone glory days of the Kingsguard. He turns his attention to righting the wrongs of the current White Swords. He goes man-by-man through his sworn brothers, calling them out on the issues he has with them. Lastly, he has a heart-to-heart with Loras about his claim that Brienne killed Renly. Jenny and Mackelly applaud Jaime’s closing arguments.
Chapter Review: Jaime Lannister reads through the White Book, the written history of the Kingsguard, while waiting for his sworn brothers to join. When his brothers arrive, Jaime admonishes them for allowing the king to die under their watch. He then gauges their opinions on Tyrion’s involvement in the death.
He goes through each man and calls them out on issues. Ser Boros Blount will now be King Tommen’s taste tester, as he’s unfit to protect the boy he gave up so easily. He then questions why he’s never heard of Ser Osmund Kettleblack before. After that, he asks Ser Meryn Trant to show him where in their vows it says to beat women and children, like he did to Sansa Stark. He praises Balon Swann's character but questions how he’d handle his family challenging Tommen’s rule. Finally, he turns his attention to Ser Loras Tyrell, who reminds Jaime of himself at that age. Jaime makes a case for Brienne’s possible innocence in the murder of Renly Baratheon. His argument is enough to seed doubt in Loras’ mind. Jaime tasks Loras with talking with Brienne and deciding her innocence or guilt. Whatever Loras determines is the case, Jaime will abide by it.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jaime Lannister - Member of the Kingsguard. Twin brother to queen Cersei and older brother to Tyrion. Ser Boros Blount - Member of the Kingsguard. Gave up Tommen to Tyrion’s men without a fight. Ser Meryn Trant - Member of the KIngsguard. Beat Sansa Stark on the command of King Joffrey. Ser Osmund Kettleblack - Member of the Kingsguard. Former sellsword, with a mysterious past. Ser Balon Swann - Member of the Kingsguard. Seemingly honorable and valiant. Ser Loras Tyrell - Member of the Kingsguard. Young, dashing, talented knight from the Reach. The third son of Lord Mace Tyrell of Highgarden. Brienne of Tarth - Warrior woman. Once "Brienne the Blue" in King Renly's Rainbow Guard. On a mission to rescue the Stark girls for Catelyn Stark.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Sixty-Six - Tyrion 9 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Tyrion stands trial for the murder of the king. The prosecution has no end of witnesses, while Tyrion has none. But at the 11th hour a glimmer of hope appears. Mackelly and Simon weigh the scales of justice.
Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister languishes for days in a Red Keep tower cell. He’s well-treated and fed as befits his station, but the crime of which he’s accused holds only one possible punishment. He’s getting advice and daily visits from his uncle Kevan, but neither of them is very optimistic of his chances. Cersei is amassing a deluge of witnesses to testify against him.
Tyrion pins his hopes on trial by combat, but knowing that the opponent will be Gregor Clegane, Bronn demurs. The trial, before a three-judge panel of Tywin, Mace Tyrell, and Oberyn Martell, goes very badly for Tyrion. The witnesses either exaggerate, downright lie, or in the case of Varys: accurately report Tyrion’s various threats and comments on the dead king. Kevan advises confession and the Night’s Watch, but Tyrion doesn’t trust his father’s mercy.
On the final night of the trial, Tyrion is visited in his cell by Oberyn. He’s not necessarily there to reassure Tyrion, but knowing that he’s doomed he’s hoping to get the truth about his sister’s death. Tyrion confirms some suspicions: while it was the now dead Lorch who dispatched Princess Rhaenys, it was The Mountain who raped and murdered Elia and killed baby Aegon. But Tyrion denies that Tywin ordered the deaths. Oberyn throws Tyrion a lifeline. He’ll be his champion in trial by combat against Clegane.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Former Hand of the King. Tywin Lannister - Tyrion’s father, Hand of the King. Kevan Lannister - Tyrion’s uncle. Brother and trusted advisor to Tywin Lannister. Sansa Stark - Oldest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Former hostage of the Lannisters. Wife to Tyrion. Cersei Lannister - Mother of the late Joffrey Baratheon, sister to Tyrion. Mace Tyrell - Lord of Highgarden. Oberyn Martell - Brother to Doran Martell the Prince of Dorne. In King’s Landing to seek justice for his murdered sister Elia and her children. Lord Varys - Master of Whisperers in King’s Landing. Has served multiple monarchs as chief spy.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Sixty-Five - Arya 12 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Arya continues to plot the Hound’s death but never goes through with it. She has a wolf dream that convinces her that her mother is dead. The Hound changes the target of his plan to ransom Arya. Then changes the target again. Arya has a third family member in mind to deliver her to. Simon and Mackelly hope Arya is getting rewards points for the miles she’s logging.
Chapter Review: Arya Stark and Sandor Clegane (AKA the Hound) continue to ride together, despite what transpired at the Twins. Arya’s head hurts from the axe blow the Hound gave her to prevent her from entering the castle to find her mother. However, that’s nothing compared to the hurt she feels in her heart, after being so close to her mother and then having the reunion ripped away. Arya isn’t convinced that her mother is dead and wants to go back. The Hound is having none of it. When Arya has a wolf dream where she finds her mother and drags her body out of the river, she is convinced that her mother is indeed dead.
The Hound finally tells Arya where they’re headed. He plans to ransom her to her aunt Lysa Arryn. The pair stop in a village in the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon, where the Hound is hired to help build a palisade around the village. The Hound’s ransom dreams are once again shattered when he learns that getting through the mountains is an impossibility due to attacks from the mountain clans. He’s also told that he and Arya must leave now that the palisade walls are constructed. The Hound decides it’s back to the Riverlands for them. He’s going to ransom Arya to her uncle Blackfish instead.
Characters/Places/Names/Events Arya Stark - Younger daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Caelyn Stark - murdered mother of Arya. Sandor “The Hound” Clegane - Former personal bodyguard to King Joffrey Baratheon, younger brother of the Mountain (Gregor Clegane), deserter from the Lannister forces. Mountains of the Moon - Mountains that surround the Vale. The Twins - The seat of House Frey.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Fifty - Daenerys 8 - A Dance with Dragons | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Daenerys hosts her conquerors, the Yunkai’i. Peace has cost her more than she can stomach. Mackelly and Simon sympathize with her.
Chapter Review: Daenerys Targaryen attends a banquet thrown for the Yunkai’i to celebrate the peace. The accords hold, no re-enslavement, no more freeing of the existing slaves, but Daenerys is far from pleased that a slave market has been opened outside her walls - technically not in violation, but an obvious goad to her.
To ensure a peaceful evening, hostages have been sent to the Yunkai’i, including Daario Naharis. Probably for the best because one of the envoys from Yunkai is Brown Ben Plum. He tries to smooth things over with Daenerys, but she’s still bridling at his betrayal. She asks Barristan Selmy to make overtures to the sellsword companies, not believing that this peace can truly last. She takes Quentyn Martell to see the dragons, and urges him to go home. He wants to stay and fight for her.
That night Hizdahr Zo Loraq drunkenly consummates his marriage and hopes for a son as he falls asleep. Daenerys has reason to doubt that his wish will be answered. The queen cannot sleep, tomorrow sees the unwelcome reopening of the fighting pits. She passes the small hours chatting with Missandei about sweet things.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Daenerys Targaryen - Last remaining descendent of the royal Targaryen line, Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, claimant to the Iron Throne of Westeros. Hizdahr zo Loraq - Noble of Meereen, husband to Daenerys. Barristan Selmy - Former Lord Commander of the Kingssuard in King’s Landing. Current Lord Commander of Daenerys' Queensguard. Daario Naharis - Lover to Daenerys and leader of the sellsword company the Stormcrows. Quentyn Martell - Son of Prince Doran Martell. In Essos to offer his hand in marriage to Daenerys. Skahaz mo Kandaq (Shavepate) - Ghiscari noble of Meereen. Convert to Dany’s cause. Despised by the Sons of the Harpy. Brown Ben Plum - Commander of the Second Sons. Betrayer of Daenerys. Meereen - Largest city on Slaver’s Bay.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Sixty-Four - Jon 8 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
No rest for the wicked. Jon and his black brothers mount the Wall to defend it from the thousands of wildlings of Mance’s army. It’s a long night. Simon and Mackelly flex their tired bow-fingers.
Chapter Review: Jon Snow’s dream of walking in the Winterfell crypts is disrupted by two horn blasts. Wildlings are approaching. Jon limps his way to the cage winch and up to the top of the Wall. It’s night so only sounds can be heard from the northern side. Donal Noye has the men fire casks of burning oil into the darkness. With the fire from the casks, the Black Brothers see mammoths and giants charging the Wall. Noye takes a few men with him to protect the gate and leaves Jon in command on top of the Wall.
Jon and his brothers unleash arrows, rocks, and flaming casks on the huge wilding host below. When the wildlings finally retreat, Jon takes the cage winch back down to check on Noye and the gate. He discovers that Noye and the other brothers who accompanied him are dead, along with the giant Mag The Mighty. Mag destroyed the outer gate and killed the men. However, Noye killed the giant before he died.
Jon tells Maester Aemon about several steps that the new interim commander of the Night’s Watch needs to implement immediately. Aemon tells Jon there’s nobody left to fill the role but Jon. He was chosen and groomed for this. Until Bowen Marsh returns, the Wall is Jon’s.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Member of the Night’s Watch. Ygritte - Wildling girl who Jon developed a romantic relationship with. Mance Rayder - King Beyond The Wall. Leader who has united the wildlings groups. Donal Noye - One-armed blacksmith of the Night’s Watch. Grenn - Large brother of the Night’s Watch. Friends with Jon. Maester Aemon - Elderly, blind maester of the Night’s Watch. Castle Black - Headquarters of the Night’s Watch.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Sixty-Three - Davos 6 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Davos, with the aid of several co-conspirators, returns to his smuggling ways. When he comes clean to King Stannis and Melisandre they are really angry. Stannis prepares to take more than just a few fingers from Davos. However, Davos has what he hopes is an ace up his sleeve. Mackelly and Simon sure hope Davos knows what he’s doing.
Chapter Review: Davos Seaworth, and several trustworthy king’s men, enter Maester Pylos’ chambers. They ask for Edric Storm, and the maester tells Edric to listen to the King’s Hand. The men take Edric to a boat. The boy tries to be brave but it becomes clear he’s nervous and uncertain. Davos persuades him to get on the boat and Edric’s cousin Andrew Estermont and several other men accompany Edric.
Davos makes his way to the Painted Table to wait for Stannis and confess his treachery. When Stannis and Melisandre arrive they are arguing about whether Joffrey Baratheon is indeed dead. Melisandre saw it in her flames, but Stannis doesn’t trust the accuracy of the flames. Davos confirms Melisandre’s story. He’s been told that Joffrey died during his wedding feast. With that, Melisandre feels the case has been proven for her work with Edric’s blood and asks for the rest of the boy to wake the stone dragons and win Stannis his throne.
Davos explains why that’s not possible. Stannis is extremely disappointed with his Hand. Davos explains that, as Hand, it is his job to help the king protect his people. Edric is one of the king’s people. When Stannis draws Lightbringer, Davos explains that he’s learned to read and begins to read a letter. He hopes it’ll be enough to save his life.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Davos Seaworth - The Onion Knight. Former Smuggler, Hand of the King to Stannis Baratheon. Stannis Baratheon - Lord of Dragonstone, rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms. Andrew Estermont - Cousin to Stannis and Edric. Melisandre - Red priestess of R'hllor. Confidante of King Stannis. Selyse Baratheon - Stannis’ queen and fervent follower of R’Hllor. Axel Florent - Brother to Queen Selyse. Edric Storm - Bastard son of Robert Baratheon.
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Chapter Sixty-Two - Jaime 7 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Jaime and Brienne arrive in King’s Landing. They’ve learned that bad news awaits them. Brienne is immediately imprisoned, while Jaime gets into it with his father and his sister. Simon and Mackelly hope for a bit more love and a lot less, respectively.
Chapter Review: Jaime Lannister arrives in King’s Landing with Brienne, Qyburn, and Roose Bolton’s men. It’s not changed that much, still stinks. They've learned en-route of the deaths at the weddings (the red and the purple). Jaime is struggling to find the correct emotion. He cares more about how Cersei is feeling and feeling sorry for himself about his hand.
Upon arrival, they meet Ser Loras Tyrell, who denounces Brienne as a kingslayer - of Renly that is. Jaime arranges for Brienne to be imprisoned (temporarily, for her own good). Jaime visits the sept, where Joffrey lies in state. He finds his twin mourning over their dead child. She affirms that it was Tyrion who killed Joffrey. They have sex there and then. Jaime wants to be open about their relationship, but Cersei roughly disabuses him of that idea.
Jaime visits his father, who reports that Vargo Hoat is getting his comeuppance from Gregor Clegane, who has retaken Harrenhal. Jaime is to leave the Kingsguard, marry Margaery Tyrell (Cersei will marry Oberyn Martell) and take King Tommen to Casterly Rock to be raised away from his mother. Jaime flat out refuses. Tywin disowns him.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jaime Lannister - Lord Commander of the Royal Kingsguard. Twin brother to queen Cersei and older brother to Tyrion. Nicknamed the "Kingslayer" for killing King Aerys Targaryen. Brienne of Tarth - Warrior woman. Once "Brienne the Blue" in King Renly's Rainbow Guard. On a mission to rescue the Stark girls for Catelyn Stark. Vargo Hoat - Leader of the Brave Companions. Steelshanks Walton - Soldier in Bolton’s forces, tasked with bringing Jaime safely to King’s Landing. Ser Loras Tyrell - Knight of Flowers. Brother to Margaery. Reputed former lover of King Renly Baratheon. Now member of the Kingsguard. Gregor Clegane - The Mountain. Tywin’s most feared soldier. Cersei Lannister - Twin to Jaime. Mother to Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella. Tywin Lannister - Father of Jaime, Cersei, Tyrion. Lord of Casterly Rock. Hand of the King.
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Chapter Sixty-One - Sansa 5 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Sansa flees the scene of the crime with Ser Dontos. After a scary climb she’s rowed to deliverance - which turns out to come with a familiar (although not totally friendly) face. Simon and Mackelly consider her future.
Chapter Review: Sansa Stark races to the Godswood where she has hidden a change of clothes. When she takes her hair net off, she realizes a black amethyst is missing and gets a sinking feeling in her stomach that it’s somehow related to King Joffrey’s death. Dontos arrives and denies that the hair net had anything to do with Joff’s death. He choked on pie. Dontos leads her out of the castle to a cliff where a secret ladder has been cut out of the stone that leads to the river below. When the pair make down safely, they find a man waiting to row them out to safety.
When the little boat reaches a ship, a stunned Sansa discovers Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish waiting for her. Dontos, who stayed behind to row himself back to the castle, asks for his reward of 10,000 gold dragons. Instead, he's killed by three crossbow bolts.
Littlefinger explains to a highly-upset Sansa that Dontos did what he did at Littlefinger’s command and did so because he was being handsomely paid. Once he’d drunk this payday, he’d sell Sansa again to Varys or Cersei. When Sansa asks why Littlefinger would want to hurt the Lannisters, who gave him so much, he responds that he had no motive. He likes to keep his foes confused. He says he loved Sansa’s mother Catelyn and thinks in a different world Sansa might’ve been his daughter. He tells Sansa to forget about the Lannisters, Tyrion, and King’s Landing. She’s safe with him and sailing home.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Sansa Stark - Elder daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Forcibly married to Tyrion. Ser Dontos Hollard - Drunken jester of King Joffrey, but friend to Sansa. Lord Petyr Baelish - Former member of the Small Council, now lord of Harrenhal. Understood to be in the Vale seeking an alliance with Lysa Arryn. Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Master of Coin. Now accused of murdering King Joffrey. King Joffrey Baratheon - King Joffrey Baratheon First of His Name. Bastard son of Jaime Lannister and his twin sister Queen Cersei. Killed at his wedding feast.
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Chapter Sixty - Tyrion 8 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Tyrion and Sansa attend the wedding of King Joffrey and Margaery Tyrell. Afterward, they discuss leaving town in the near future. However, things get interesting at the wedding feast culminating in a dead king, Sansa missing, and Tyrion accused of murder. Simon and Mackelly wonder if they can get their gift back.
Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister and his wife Sansa Stark attend the royal wedding. While watching the ceremony, Tyrion further considers Joffrey as the man behind the attempt on Bran Stark’s life. He had opportunity and means but Tyrion can’t quite figure out what Joff’s motive would’ve been.
On the way back to the Red Keep from the wedding, Tyrion suggests he and Sansa get out of King’s Landing before long. Tyrion feels that his nephew’s behavior toward him is getting increasingly aggressive and worries it’ll end with Tyrion being a head shorter.
At the feast, singers sing of Joff, Cersei, and Renly’s heroics on the Blackwater, with no mention of Tyrion’s efforts to save the city. Next, dwarves mock joust at Joff’s behest and the king commands Tyrion to challenge the victor. When Tyrion refuses, things get ugly. The king dumps a chalice of wine on Tyrion and demands Tyrion be his cupbearer and serve him. Tyrion does as told and the king drinks deeply. He continues to mock Tyrion but a coughing fit worsens to choking. All around, people realize that the king is dying. When Cersei screams, Tyrion knows Joff is dead. What he wasn’t expecting was for Cersei to then have him, and his suddenly missing wife, arrested for murder.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Former Hand of the King. Sansa Stark - Oldest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Hostage of the Lannister and wife to Tyrion. King Joffrey Baratheon - King Joffrey Baratheon First of His Name. Bastard son of Jaime Lannister and his twin sister Queen Cersei. Cersei Lannister - Queen Regent, mother of Joffrey Baratheon.
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Chapter Fifty-Nine - Sansa 4 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Sansa attends the breakfast feast before the royal wedding. King Joffrey isn’t a fan of hers and Tyrion's gift but he does love Tywin’s. He uses the latter to destroy the former, then insists the couple give him a new gift. Tyrion picks up on something in Joff’s behavior that gets his senses tingling. Mackelly and Simon worry about the fate of their gift toaster.
Chapter Review: Sansa Stark prepares for a breakfast feast for King Joffrey. She is helped by her handmaids Shae and Brella. Her husband Tyrion Lannister is nowhere to be seen, having woken before her and left their chambers. When Tyrion arrives, he dresses and the pair leave for the queen’s ballroom.
After the food has been eaten, the guests offer gifts to the king. Many fine gifts are proffered, not the least of which is Tyrion and Sansa’s gift. They give Joff a beautiful book illustrated by the author himself. Joff is not impressed. He is much more impressed by his grandfather’s gift of a beautiful Valyrian steel sword. Joff claims prior knowledge of the rare steel and proves it by hacking Tyrion and Sansa’s gift to pieces. The king then insists the pair owe him a new gift. Tyrion suggests a Valyrian steel dagger to go with the sword, and describes the dagger used in the attempt on Bran Stark’s life. The king gives a sharp look, but then agrees the dagger would be a good option.
Later in the litter, Tyrion asks about Bran and Joff’s relationship while in Winterfell together. He mentions Cat falsely accusing Tyrion of something but doesn’t give details. He tells her that she is safe with him. He then asks if Sansa wants the details of her mother and brother’s death. Sansa declines and Tyrion understands.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Sansa Stark - Elder daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Forcibly married to Tyrion. Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Master of Coin. King Joffrey Baratheon - King Joffrey Baratheon First of His Name. Bastard son of Jaime Lannister and his twin sister Queen Cersei. Oberyn Martell - Younger brother of the Prince of Dorne. New member of the King’s Small Council. Shae - Prostitute, consort of Tyrion Lannister. Handmaid to Sansa.
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Chapter Fifty-Eight - Tyrion 7 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Tyrion leaves his marital bed with Sansa for a late-night rendezvous with Shae. He ponders all that vexes him, including his icy cold marriage and his issues with his fellow Small Council members. Finally, he considers his future with Shae and comes to a tough decision. Simon and Mackelly grow tired of buying wedding gifts.
Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister tip-toes out of his bedchamber that he shares with his wife Sansa Stark. He remembers the day he had to give her the awful news that her brother and mother had been killed at the Twins. He recalls her stoic face that was only betrayed later when he heard sobs through a closed door.
His late-night excursion ends in a dark cellar, where Shae waits for him, amidst dragon skulls. After they finish with their intended business, Tyrion laments the weight on his shoulders dealing with his family and much of the Small Council. In his list of stressors, he includes the sight of his own reflection. Shae defends his war-torn face, and Tyrion thinks of the innocence in her voice. However, he tells himself that there is no true innocence in Shae.
He’s reminded that Varys told him that Shae’s backstory was not meant to hold up against Cersei’s scrutiny. He adds that if Cersei were to ask, Varys would have no choice but to come clean about Shae and her relationship with Tyrion. Tyrion knows the risks of having taken Shae into the service of Sansa. He ultimately decides he must remove her from his life in a permanent way. He’ll marry her to Ser Tallad.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Former Hand of the King. Sansa Stark - Oldest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Hostage of the Lannister and wife to Tyrion. Shae - Prostitute, consort of Tyrion Lannister. Lord Varys - The Spider. Eunuch and Master of Whispers. Member of the Small Council. Cersei Lannister - Queen Regent, mother of Joffrey Baratheon. Ser Tallad - Tall hedge knight in the court of the Red Keep.
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Chapter Fifty-Seven - Daenerys 5 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Daenerys and her host reach the walls of Meereen. She picks a champion to face the city’s hero in man-to-man combat. She meets an old foe and is saved by an unlikely defender. Finally, she discovers two huge secrets and reels from the shocking truth. Mackelly and Simon thank the Seven it’s not them who deceived her.
Chapter Review: Daenerys Targaryen and her host of freed people make camp outside the walls of Meereen. A hero waits for Dany outside the city walls. Dany sends Strong Belwas to face the Meereenese hero. The fight doesn’t last long, ending in Belwas decapitating the other man.
Later, Dany discusses ways to defeat the city, with her council. Nobody has any useful ideas, so she dismisses them. While ruminating on the task in front of her, she considers Daario Naharis. Dany fancies him and wonders what it’d be like to take him as a lover. She puts the thought aside and goes for a ride, with Missandei and Arstan Whitebeard for company. Dany allows her people to touch her, as she rides by. However, one man pulls her from her saddle. It’s Mero, the former commander of the Second Sons. Mero moves to kill her but Arstan instead easily defeats him.
Back inside her tent, Dany wants Jorah to knight Arstan for his efforts. Both men balk at that. It’s then that Jorah realizes who Arstan really is. He introduces Arstan as Ser Barristan Selmy, a traitor to the Targaryans, for serving under Robert the Usurper. Barristan scoffs at the hypocrisy and tells Dany of Jorah’s treason, selling information about her and her brother to Lord Varys, as part of a pardon agreement. Dany is angry and hurt and sends both men away. However, on second thought, she has a great use for the pair of liars!
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Daenerys Targaryen - Last remaining descendent of the royal Targaryen line, Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, claimant to the Iron Throne of Westeros. Ser Jorah Mormont - Exiled former Lord of Bear Island. Daenerys’ bodyguard and loyal advisor. Arstan Whitebeard- Westerosi squire of Strong Belwas. Sent by Illyrio Mopatis to bring Dany to Pentos. Strong Belwas - Eunuch former slave, sent by Illyrio Mopatis to keep Dany safe. Daario Naharis - Leader of the sellsword company the Stormcrows. Meereen - Largest city on Slaver’s Bay.
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Chapter Fifty-Six - Bran 4 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Bran and friends make it to the Nightfort. The problem is, they’ve got no way past the Wall. In the night, a huge black monster emerges from a well. It turns out to be Sam, who has the means they need to cross the Wall. Coldhands will be waiting for them on the other side. Simon and Mackelly grab their mittens.
Chapter Review: Bran Stark, the Reeds, and Hodor have finally reached the Wall. They’ve made it to the Nightfort, through instructions from Jojen’s green dream. Unfortunately, the instructions didn’t indicate how to get past the Wall. Meera scales the Wall and finds no route that way. The boys search the ruined castle and have similarly poor luck.
They spend the night in the castle kitchen. One feature of the kitchen is a large well in the center. While all else sleeps, Bran hears labored footsteps coming from the well. He knows it’s a terrible creature of legend, from Old Nan’s tales. However, when Meera nets it, the creature turns out to be Sam Tarly. Gilly and baby are close behind.
Eventually, Sam realizes who Bran is and tells Bran that Jon was his best friend but was lost in the Frostfangs. Bran says he just saw Jon on the southern side of the Wall with a wildling group. Bran then asks Sam to please not tell anyone that he’s alive. Sam agrees and tells them that Coldhands is waiting for them on the other side of the Wall. Sam then leads them down into the well and through the Black Gate, which can only be opened by a brother of the Night’s Watch.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Brandon Stark - Prince (now king?) of Winterfell. Paralyzed when pushed from tower by Jamie Lannister. Hodor - Enormous but simple-minded helper of Bran. Meera Reed - Daughter of Howland Reed. Jojen Reed - Son of Howland Reed. Has green dreams that invariably come true. Summer - Bran’s direwolf. Sam Tarly - Steward in the Night’s Watch. Best friend of Jon Snow. Gilly - New mother and wife of the deceased Craster. Fleeing south with Sam. Nightfort - Huge, ruined former headquarters of the Night’s Watch. Old Nan - Ancient storyteller at Winterfell.
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Chapter Fifty-Five - Jon 7 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Jon and his Night’s Watch brothers prepare Castle Black for battle. The wildlings overwhelm the Black Brothers with their superior numbers. However, the Night’s Watch set a trap and the wildlings run right into it. After the fighting ends, Jon finds Ygritte. She’s in bad shape. Simon and Mackelly remove their helms in respect.
Chapter Review: Jon Snow waits atop the King’s Tower with two of his Night’s Watch brothers and six scarecrows dressed as Black Bothers. He knows the wildlings are getting close, as Mole’s Town burns in the distance. Jon hopes Ygritte won’t come with the rest, but he knows better. He hopes he’ll get a shot at the Magnar of Thenn, an enemy he’ll have no qualms putting an arrow through.
The wildlings attack at night. Jon and his brothers in the towers rain arrows down on them. However, there are too many to stop. The wildlings overrun the barricade set up to protect the gate to the Wall and the steps up the Wall. The Night’s Watch men flee up the stairs and the wildlings follow. When the wildlings are fully committed to the stairs, Jon and the archers send fire arrows into flammables placed under the stairs. Donal Noye lights the stairs above the wildlings on fire, trapping the wildlings between the set of flames. The wildling force is extinguished when a huge slab of ice breaks off of the Wall and crushes them.
Jon, aided by a new brother named Satin, finds Ygritte lying with an arrow in her chest. Jon tells her that Maester Aemon will fix her up and she will see 100 real castles. She touches Jon on the face and tells him that he knows nothing, as she dies.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Member of the Night’s Watch. Ygritte - Wildling girl who Jon developed a romantic relationship with. Styr - Magnar of Thenn. Leader of the wildling group. Donal Noye - One-armed blacksmith of the Night’s Watch. Castle Black - Headquarters of the Night’s Watch.
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Chapter Forty-Nine - Jon 10 - A Dance with Dragons | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Jon has a full day at the Wall. He gives away a bride, checks on his new high-born prisoner, gets news from Eastwatch, and believes Val and Tormund have returned to Castle Black. Simon and Mackelly throw some rice in celebration of the new couple.
Chapter Review: Lord Commander Jon Snow waits with Alys Karstark as Melisandre prays to R’hllor. Jon notices that his top ranking brothers are not in attendance. Eventually, Melisandre asks who is to be wed. Jon escorts Alys to her groom Sigorn, the Magnar of Thenn. The pair say their vows, jump a ditch of fire, and it’s done. As the guests make for the feast, Jon talks to Melisandre. She tells him she still sees danger in his future. Jon is skeptical. She foresaw his sister Arya arriving and it was Alys. Melisandre insists the vision was clear, it was she who misread it. She is human.
Next, Jon stops at the ice cells. Cregan Karstark showed up a day after Alys. However, Jon met him south of Mole’s Town, to prevent any claim of guest right. Jon tells Cregan that Alys is wed. Cregan says she was promised to him by his lord father. Jon reminds him his father Arnolf is only the castellan of Karhold. Cregan tells Jon to kill him and be labeled a kinslayer. Jon suggests Cregan Take the Black before King Stannis arrives and executes him as a traitor. Never, is Cregan’s response.
At the feast, Jon tells Alys to send her old men and boys to the Night’s Watch rather than let them die when winter comes. She promises that House Karstark remembers. A letter arrives from Eastwatch, the ships have finally set sail for Hardhome and the stranded wildlings. After Alys drags her new husband onto the dance floor, Axell Florent takes her seat and again asks Jon about Val’s whereabouts. He wants to wed the wildling princess. When Jon refuses to produce her, Axell determines Jon is keeping her for himself. Jon is tired of the man and excuses himself. However, two horn blasts are heard. Val has returned. Does she have Tormund Giantsbane with her?
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Queen Selyse Baratheon - Queen to King Stannis. Alys Karstark - Daughter of deceased Rickard Karstark. Heir to her brother Harrion, the lord of Karhold. Sigorn - Young Magnar of Thenn. New husband to Alys Karstark. Cregan K
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Chapter Fifty-Four - Davos 5 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Davos is part of the king’s council when Stannis learns that Robb Stark is dead. Melisandre wants the boy Edric Storm as a sacrifice to R'Hllor, in return Stannis will receive a stone dragon turned to life. Davos questions his worth as Hand of the King, since he can’t read. While learning to read, Davos encounters a letter begging for help from the Night’s Watch. Simon and Mackelly
Chapter Review: Davos Seaworth participates in a council with King Stannis, Queen Selyse, Axell Florent, and Melisandre to hear the news from Salladhor Saan. King Robb Stark and his mother Catelyn are dead. Stannis plans to offer pardons to any lords who will repent and pledge fealty to him. Melisandre says that’s not going to work. New kings will rise to replace the fallen. He needs to show his power to the realm to unite them. She wants the king’s nephew Edric Storm as a sacrifice to R’Hllor. With the boy’s king’s blood, a stone dragon will come to life and aid Stannis in claiming the realm.
Stannis is reluctant to give up the boy. He is the king’s own blood. Davos points out that two kings are dead, but Melisandre threw three leeches into the fire. King Joffrey still lives. Melisandre says when Joffrey dies it will prove the power of R’Hllor. Stannis grows tired of them all and boots them from the room. Davos stays to plead Edric’s case. Stannis says it doesn’t matter how good the boy might be. It’s him against a realm full of people. He boots Davos from the room as well.
Davos, feeling unworthy of his station as Hand of the King, begins taking reading lessons from Maester Pylos. When Davos realizes that his reading assignment for the day is a letter from the Night’s Watch begging for support, he wonders what Stannis and Melisandre would think. Both have had visions of trouble coming from the north.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Davos Seaworth - The Onion Knight. Former Smuggler, Hand of the King to Stannis Baratheon. Stannis Baratheon - Lord of Dragonstone, rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms. Melisandre - Red priestess of R'hllor. Confidante of King Stannis. Selyse Baratheon - Stannis’ queen and fervent follower of R’Hllor. Salladhor Saan - Lysene pirate. Friend of Davos. Axel Florent - Brother to Queen Selyse. Edric Storm - Bastard son of Robert Baratheon.
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Chapter Fifty-Three - Tyrion 6 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Tyrion has an awkward dinner with Sansa then gets lost in Littlefinger’s financial books. He then has a family gathering filled with news of Robb Stark’s death and his family's involvement, as well as Tywin's plan for Gregor Clegane. Throughout it all, King Joffrey is rotten, but this time he attacks Tywin. That does not go over well. Mackelly and Simon ponder the punishments for our dear king.
Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister dines with his wife Sansa Stark. Awkwardness still reigns between them. Afterward, Sansa goes to the godswood and Tyrion digs into the crown’s financial books maintained by Petyr Baelish.
He’s summoned to the Tower of the Hand. Upon arriving, Tyrion is handed a letter indicating that a Frey married a Tully and did something with wolf pelts. Joffrey blurts out that Robb Stark is dead. Awful Joff wants Robb’s head to make Sansa kiss it. Tyrion takes umbrage and calls Joff a monster. When Joff calls him the same, Tyrion says that if he is, Joff should be careful as kings are dying like flies lately. The back and forth ends with Joff telling Tywin that he hid under Casterly Rock during Robert’s Rebellion. Joff is sent to bed and Cersei is admonished for poor parenting before also being shown the door.
Tywin tells Tyrion the price of the Frey alliance. Some Lannisters will marry some Freys and Roose Bolton is Warden of the North and will marry Arya Stark to his bastard son Ramsay.
Tywin says he doesn’t plan to give Gregor Clegane to Oberyn Martell. He’s going to feed Oberyn the deceased Amory Lorch instead. Tyrion is dubious about the plan. Tywin thinks Tyrion should focus on fathering a son with Sansa.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Former Hand of the King. Cersei Lannister - Queen Regent, mother of Joffrey Baratheon. Joffrey Baratheon - King of the seven kingdoms. Bastard son of Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Tywin Lannister - Lord of Casterly Rock. Hand of the King. Oberyn Martell - The Red Viper. Younger brother of Lord Doran Martell. Elia Martell - Murdered sister of Oberyn. Was married to Rhaegar Targaryen with whom she had two children. Ser Gregor Clegane - The Mountain - Vassal lord of House Lannister. Widely thought to be the murderer of Ellia Martell an
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M
Chapter Fifty-Two - Arya 11 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)
Arya and the Hound become aware of what might be going down inside the Twins. He gives her the brutal truth. They are attacked by three Frey knights. They survive because of his skills. But she still wants to see for herself. He stops her in less-than-gentle fashion. Mackelly and Simon give up trying to fix this poor broken child.
Chapter Review: Arya Stark and Sandor Clegane (AKA the Hound) discover that the eastern castle of the Twins isn’t closed after all, as the guard said it was. Arya fights a smile of excitement and anticipation for the reunion with her mother and brother. However, those feelings are quickly squashed when the Hound knocks her to the ground in an attempt to hide her. Frey knights pour from the castle and chaos begins to reign in the camps. The feast tents have become flaming infernos.
Three Frey knights ride toward Arya and the Hound. The Hound takes on two, and the other tries to corral Arya. She’s confused, the Freys are her brother Robb’s friends, why are they attacking people? Before she can consider the question much longer, the Hound puts an ax through the skull of the knight chasing her, having already dispatched the other two knights.
The Hound bluntly tells Arya her family is dead and they must flee. Arya isn’t convinced. She wants to enter the castle and at least look for her mother. The camps are now a butcher’s field, and the Hound gives her an ultimatum. She flees now with him or stays and dies. Arya slips past him and runs for the rising drawbridge. The Hound charges after her on the back of Stranger. His ax takes her in the back of her head.
Characters/Places/Names/Events: Arya Stark - Younger daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. King Robb Stark - Murdered King in the North, elder brother to Arya. Catelyn Stark - Murdered mother of Arya. Sandor “The Hound” Clegane - Former personal bodyguard to King Joffrey Baratheon, younger brother of the Mountain (Gregor Clegane), deserter from the Lannister forces. Trident - Primary river system that flows through the Riverlands, consisting of three main tributaries: the Green Fork, Blue Fork, and Red Fork. The Twins - Seat of House Frey.
All Music credits to Ross Bugden: INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M