A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 42
| The King's Prize | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Dance with Dragons chapter | ||||||
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| POV | Asha Greyjoy | |||||
| Place | Wolfswood - crofters' village | |||||
| Page | 547 UK HC (Other versions) | |||||
| Chapter chronology (All) | ||||||
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The Wayward Bride ↑ | ||||||
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↓ The Sacrifice | ||||||
Synopsis
Stannis's host departs from Deepwood Motte. Asha is chained and carried on at the back of the baggage train under guard by Alysane Mormont. Stannis means to bring her to Winterfell to show off the Kraken's daughter as his captive and a sign of his strength. They believe the three hundred mile march through the Wolfswood should take them about fifteen days to Winterfell.
She bent her knee at Deepwood Motte, but thinks to herself that others have bent the knee before, such as Balon, who rose again to fight another day. Wise advice years earlier from her father. As part of her surrender she hopes that Stannis will spare the rest of her ironborn their lives, which he does, imprisoning them at Deepwood Motte. She listens to talk between the northmen, seeing their pride in their king, though she predicts many if not all will die in a siege attempt of Winterfell. Ser Justin Massey takes a courteous nature with Asha, treating her well. She believes he is after her lands, but takes his company over being left alone.
After a few nights, she is brought to Stannis and tries to treat with him. She says that his brother Robert Baratheon was renowned for turning his foes into friends, but learns that she should not speak his brothers name as it angers Stannis.
The snow begins to take a toll on the passage of the southern men, however the northmen are used to this weather and proceed quickly. Later she hears the queensmen, worshipers of the Lord of Light, begin to contemplate a sacrifice to appease their god and blow the storm away. Stannis does not listen to them, nor does he listen to the pleas to make camp and wait out the storm. After fifteen days, the estimated time of arrival, they have only made half the distance through nine days of storm. After thirty days, they have yet to reach Winterfell. Morgan Liddle, the man who nearly slayed her at Deepwood Motte, comes to apologize, but only for calling her a cunt, not for nearly killing her.
Later they reach a small crofters' village where they make camp and try to catch some fish. Asha realizes that Stannis is now a gaunt figure, having lost much weight on the march. They are encamped now and locked in by snow, unable to move. Worse, they have almost no provisions, and are starving.
Character List appearing/mentioned
- Asha Greyjoy
- Stannis
- Robert Baratheon
- Roose Bolton
- Justin Massey
- Balon Greyjoy
- Eddard Stark
- Qarl the Maid
- Tris
- Cromm
- Crow's Eye
- Erik Ironmaker
- Galbart Glover
- Lady Sybelle
- Melisandre
- Renly Baratheon
- Morgan Liddle
- Brandon Norrey
- Hugo Wull
- Artos Flint
- Corliss Penny
- Godry Farring
- Arnolf Karstark
- Harwood Fell
- Mors Umber
- Robin Peasebury
- Richard Horpe
- Mance Rayder
- Alysane Mormont
- Roggon
- Lady Alannys
- Theon Greyjoy
- Lyanna Mormont
- Lyra Mormont
- Jory Mormont
- Dacey Mormont
- Dagmer Cleftjaw
- Rodrik Greyjoy
- Maron Greyjoy
- Benjicot Branch
- Clayton Suggs
- Aeron Greyjoy
- Donnel Flint
- Artos Flint
References and Notes
- A Read of Ice and Fire: A Dance with Dragons, Part 24 Analyses and summary of the chapter by Leigh Butler.