A Clash of Kings-Chapter 5

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Arya II
A Clash of Kings chapter
AClashOfKings.jpg
POV Arya
Place An inn near God's Eye lake.
Page 60 UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Arya I
Bran I  ← Arya II →  Jon I

Arya III

Arya Stark notices the refuges traveling south as they travel north. After a number of days of travel from dawn to dusk Yoren halts them at an Inn. Here they hear of the war further north. Six Gold Cloaks arrive looking for a boy who is wanted by the queen. Yoren refuses and there is a confrontation, but Yoren gets the upper hand, and orders the Gold Cloaks to return the King's Landing; he will not let them have either Gendry or Arya.

Synopsis

Yoren’s group travel dawn to dust, and at night they would eat by the light of the Red Sword, and took turns standing watch. There is more traffic on the Kingsroad every day, refugees, heading south towards King's Landing, and Arya wonders why there are not more going north. Some, armed give linger looks at their wagons, but their 30 was too. Soon they start hearing of the war to the north, and a merchant offers to buy everything warning that they will take what they want, and they would be better selling to him at a quarter of their worth. Soon they start coming upon the graves. One night Arya finds the night unusually quiet, and in the morning she realizes that the sellsword Praed had not been coughing; they dug a grave for him, and Yoren gives the sword to Bull who Yoren thinks has the arms to learn to use it.

At an inn Yoren gives them an opportunity to bath but Arya did not dare and thought it ashamed to drown the creatures living in her cloths that had come all way from Flea Bottom; Bull, Tarber, and Hot Pie take the opportunity to get a bath. In the inn common room they are served food and ale; Arya had enjoyed ale when her father let them have some and she remembers how Sansa would make a sour face, preferring wine. Thinking of them makes her sad. When the crowd learns that they are heading north the rest of the crowd, who are all heading south, it erupts in scorn. They are told that half the fields are burned, the fold remaining are walled up in holdfasts, and there are wild men from the Mountains of Moon. Yoren insist that whether it is Tully or Lannister, it does not matter to the Night's Watch. Then Arya hears them talking about the dead Hand’s son, Robb, and she listens hard to hear “I heard the boy rides to battle on a wolf,” which people do not seem to believe. Then they start talking about the large packs of wolves, which have become much bolder, killing sheep, cows, dogs, whatever. A woman then tells of a great pack lead by a “she-wolf, a bitch from the seventh hell.” This wolf apparently even took a baby from a mother’s arms. Arya cannot be quiet, and tells everyone that “Wolves don’t eat babies.” Yoren tries to shut her up, but she keep going on about wolves not eating babies. Yoren has to take her by the arm, and commands her “Outside, boy…and see that you stay there until you learn to shut your mouth when men are talking.”

Outside, the youngest and handsomest of the three in the wagon with bars, with red hair on one side and white on the other, calls to her and asks if she can get him another beer. He also says he could use a bath, and that “A boy could make a friend.” When Arya replies she has friends, the man without a nose states “None I can see.” The last man hisses when he opens a mouth with only a stump of a tongue. The first man then says the other two have no courtesies, and asks her forgiveness, and tells her his name, Jaqen H'ghar from Lorath. There is something about him that reminds her of Syrio Forel, same but different. He then introduces the noseless one, Rorge and Biter—Jaqen gave Biter his name because of his mouth full of pointed teeth. Rorge starts getting nasty, and orders her to get the beers. Arya tries to think what Syrio and draws her wooden sword. With this Rorge tells her to come closer and he will fuck her with it. Arya forces herself to come closer (she refuses to be overcome with fear), and when Biter grabs for her, she whacks him between the eyes. Jaqen observes “A boy has more courage than sense.” Then the Bull places his hand on her shoulder, she spins round and asks what he's doing, he tells her that Yoren told them to stay away from those three. When Arya tells him they do not scare her, he states “then you're stupid. They scare me“.

She lets Bull lead her back to the inn. As they walk she asks if he would fight her. He warns her he is strong, but she wants to hit something, and will not be dissuaded telling him he does not know how quick she is. It is then that Bull sees the six Gold Cloaks on lathered horses. Arya pulls them out of sight and tells him to be quite. The officer asks some of the recruits outside the inn if they are the ones that are taking the black, and that they want a certain boy. Then Yoren steps out and asks who wants the boy. The officer tells Yoren that the queen wants the boy, and gives Yoren a warrant. Yoren tells them that they cannot have any since there are laws. The officer draws his blade, then Yoren draws his blade, and then the officer says it is six to one. Then all the recruits come to stand beside Yoren; first Tarber, then Cutjack, Kurz, Koss, Reysen, Dobber, and finally Hot Pie. Arya, thinking they want her, tired of running, and not wanting to go down without a fight, a joins the other recruits with Needle drawn. She tells the officer that she is the one they want. The officer, calling Arya girl, points to Bull and says he is the one he wants. Arya screams “I’m not a girl!” The officer had taken his eye off Yoren, who, quick as a snake, has a sword at the officer’s throat. He orders the officer to drop his sword and tells him to return to the city. When the Gold Cloaks are out of sight Yoren asks who wants the officer’s sword, and Hot Pie asks for it.

Yoren tells Bull that the Queen wants him bad. Arya exclaims “Why should she want him?” Yoren asks and Gendry reveals him name. Then Yoren then says that the Gold Cloaks cannot have them, and tells them to ride the two coursers. At the first sight of a Gold Cloak, make for the wall fast. Arya points out that they now also want Yoren’s head and Yoren states that if they can take it, they can have it.

References and Notes