Difference between revisions of "A Game of Thrones-Chapter 40"

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[[Catelyn Stark|Catelyn]] gets news from [[Riverrun]] that [[House Lannister]] is gathering an army at [[Casterly Rock]]. As Catelyn and Ser [[Rodrik Cassel|Rodrik]] arrive for Tyrion's trial-by-combat they meet Ser [[Brynden Tully|Brynden]], who has resigned his post and plans to join the defense of [[Riverrun]]. In the fight, [[Bronn]] kills  [[Vardis Egen|Lysa’s champion]] and Lysa sets Bronn and Tyrion set free outside the [[Bloody Gate]] to take their chances with the [[Mountain clans]].
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[[Catelyn Stark|Catelyn]] gets news from [[Riverrun]] that [[House Lannister]] is gathering an army at [[Casterly Rock]]. As Catelyn and Ser [[Rodrik Cassel|Rodrik]] arrive for Tyrion's trial-by-combat they meet Ser [[Brynden Tully|Brynden]], who has resigned his post and plans to join the defense of [[Riverrun]]. In the fight, [[Bronn]] kills  [[Vardis Egen|Lysa’s champion]] and Lysa sets Bronn and Tyrion free outside the [[Bloody Gate]] to take their chances with the [[Mountain clans]].
  
 
==Synopsis==     
 
==Synopsis==     
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She asks and Ser [[Rodrik Cassel|Rodrik]] continues with his news. Ser [[Jaime Lannister]] is gathering an army at [[Casterly Rock]]. Catelyn’s brother, Ser [[Edmure Tully|Edmure]], writes that he has commanded Lords [[House Vance of Wayfarer's Rest|Vance]] and [[Clement Piper|Piper]] to guard the pass below the [[Golden Tooth]]. Edmure’s letter goes on to declare that he will yield no foot of Tully land without soaking it in [[House Lannister|Lannister]] blood. Catelyn is in a foul mood and asks why the letter makes no mention of [[Hoster Tully|her father]], the lord of [[Riverrun]]; he would not give the defense over to Edmure unless he is very sick.  
 
She asks and Ser [[Rodrik Cassel|Rodrik]] continues with his news. Ser [[Jaime Lannister]] is gathering an army at [[Casterly Rock]]. Catelyn’s brother, Ser [[Edmure Tully|Edmure]], writes that he has commanded Lords [[House Vance of Wayfarer's Rest|Vance]] and [[Clement Piper|Piper]] to guard the pass below the [[Golden Tooth]]. Edmure’s letter goes on to declare that he will yield no foot of Tully land without soaking it in [[House Lannister|Lannister]] blood. Catelyn is in a foul mood and asks why the letter makes no mention of [[Hoster Tully|her father]], the lord of [[Riverrun]]; he would not give the defense over to Edmure unless he is very sick.  
  
When Catelyn says that she should have been woken immediately when the letter arrived, Ser Rodrik explains that her sister [[Lysa Tully|Lysa]] thought it was better to let her sleep. He also mentions that her sister plans to speak with her after the combat. Catelyn declares the combat a mummer’s farce, angry that Lysa cannot see that [[Tyrion Lannister]] has tricked her. In Catelyn’s opinion it is past time that she and Ser Rodrik leave for [[Winterfell]], planning to take a ship north from [[Gull Town]]. Ser Rodrik pales at the thought of another sea voyage.
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When Catelyn says that she should have been woken immediately when the letter arrived, Ser Rodrik explains that her sister [[Lysa Tully|Lysa]] thought it was better to let her sleep. He also mentions that her sister plans to speak with her after the combat. Catelyn declares the combat a mummer’s farce, angry that Lysa cannot see that [[Tyrion Lannister]] has tricked her. In Catelyn’s opinion it is past time that she and Ser Rodrik leave for [[Winterfell]], planning to take a ship north from Gull Town. Ser Rodrik pales at the thought of another sea voyage.
  
 
As the servants dress her, Catelyn hopes that she can talk to her sister before the duel.  The shy girl that she knew at Riverrun has changed. When the message had come that Tyrion wanted to confess, Catelyn had tried to convince Lysa to talk to the dwarf in private, but her sister had insisted on public show.
 
As the servants dress her, Catelyn hopes that she can talk to her sister before the duel.  The shy girl that she knew at Riverrun has changed. When the message had come that Tyrion wanted to confess, Catelyn had tried to convince Lysa to talk to the dwarf in private, but her sister had insisted on public show.

Revision as of 18:21, 26 January 2013

Catelyn VII
A Game of Thrones chapter
AGameOfThrones.jpg
POV Catelyn
Page 360 US HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Catelyn VI
Eddard X  ← Catelyn VII →  Jon V

Catelyn VIII

Catelyn gets news from Riverrun that House Lannister is gathering an army at Casterly Rock. As Catelyn and Ser Rodrik arrive for Tyrion's trial-by-combat they meet Ser Brynden, who has resigned his post and plans to join the defense of Riverrun. In the fight, Bronn kills Lysa’s champion and Lysa sets Bronn and Tyrion free outside the Bloody Gate to take their chances with the Mountain clans.

Synopsis

Catelyn watches dawn break over the Eyrie. Below is the waterfall called Alyssa’s Tears named after a woman who had seen her husband, brothers, and all her children slain but never shed a tear. Catelyn wonders how large a waterfall her own tears will make when she dies.

She asks and Ser Rodrik continues with his news. Ser Jaime Lannister is gathering an army at Casterly Rock. Catelyn’s brother, Ser Edmure, writes that he has commanded Lords Vance and Piper to guard the pass below the Golden Tooth. Edmure’s letter goes on to declare that he will yield no foot of Tully land without soaking it in Lannister blood. Catelyn is in a foul mood and asks why the letter makes no mention of her father, the lord of Riverrun; he would not give the defense over to Edmure unless he is very sick.

When Catelyn says that she should have been woken immediately when the letter arrived, Ser Rodrik explains that her sister Lysa thought it was better to let her sleep. He also mentions that her sister plans to speak with her after the combat. Catelyn declares the combat a mummer’s farce, angry that Lysa cannot see that Tyrion Lannister has tricked her. In Catelyn’s opinion it is past time that she and Ser Rodrik leave for Winterfell, planning to take a ship north from Gull Town. Ser Rodrik pales at the thought of another sea voyage.

As the servants dress her, Catelyn hopes that she can talk to her sister before the duel. The shy girl that she knew at Riverrun has changed. When the message had come that Tyrion wanted to confess, Catelyn had tried to convince Lysa to talk to the dwarf in private, but her sister had insisted on public show.

As they come to the doors of Lysa’s apartment, Ser Brynden the Blackfish is coming out. He is angry that Lysa has refused to grant him a thousand men to aid the defense of the Riverlands. He declares that he has resigned as Knight of the Bloody Gate and will go alone. Concerned about her uncle travelling the High Road alone, Catelyn suggests he return to Winterfell with them and receive his thousand men from her. Ser Brynden agrees and Catelyn and Ser Rodrik enter Lysa’s apartment.

Lysa’s apartment overlooks a grassy area scattered with statues (the remnants of a failed attempt to plant a godswood) where the duel will take place. An elegant looking Lysa is holding court on the terrace, surrounded by her many suitors. The young Lord Robert is in a chair on an elevated platform being entertained by a puppeteer. As she looks at Bronn, Catelyn is reminded again that it was no accident that he survived the ride to the Eyrie.

Catelyn tries to convince Lysa that the Lannisters (especially Jaime Lannister) will not be satisfied that they had a trial before executing Tyrion but Lysa insists that Tyrion’s head will serve as a warning to the Lannisters. Catelyn also tries to warn her sister about how dangerous Bronn is, but Lysa and her suitors insist that any knight is superior to a mercenary like Bronn.

Ser Rodrik asks Catelyn quietly if she truly thinks Tyrion did it. She states that she believes the Lannisters murdered Lord Arryn, but cannot say whether it is Cersei, Jaime, or Tyrion; Lysa had named Cersei in her warning letter, but now she seems certain it was Tyrion, perhaps because she has Tyrion as her captive. Ser Rodrik states that poison is said to be the weapon of dwarves and women but that Jaime is not the sort; he is too fond of blood to have used poison. Catelyn wonders how else they could have made it look a natural death.

When Catelyn hears her nephew shriek in delight at the antics of the puppets, she states that the boy is too undisciplined; he will never be strong enough to rule unless he is taken away from Lysa. Maester Colemon, having over heard, pipes in that Jon Arryn agreed and was planning to send the boy to Dragonstone. Catelyn corrects him that it was Casterly Rock, but the Maester states insists it was Dragonstone.

Tyrion Lannister is led forward and Robert asks if he can make him fly. Then the two champions appear from either side of the garden. Ser Vardis Egen is armored in plate from head to toe with a narrow slit for vision, but Bronn wears only ringmail over boiled leather and a half helm making him look almost naked next to the knight. Catelyn notices that Bronn is half a hand taller with a greater reach and 15 years younger than Ser Vardis.

The septon goes through his spiel before making a hasty departure. Robert is impatient for the fight to start. The knight’s heavy kite-shaped shield is strapped to his arm by a squire. When offered a shield, Bronn refuses. The knight is handed an elegant double-edged sword that Lysa announces belonged to Jon Arryn for ceremonial occasions. Lysa explains that she thinks it is only fitting that the Ser Vardis avenge Lord Arryn with his own blade but Catelyn notices that Ser Vardis shows some discomfort with the strange sword. Finally, Robert is allowed to initiate the fight. After an initial probing exchange of blows, Bronn starts to leap away from the knight’s advances. The crowd starts declaring that Bronn is craven, but Ser Rodrik tells that Catelyn that Bronn is trying to tire the knight.

As she watches the fight, Catelyn remembers the fight between Brandon Stark and Petyr. When Brandon had seen the limited armor Petyr was wearing, he had taken off most of his own armor. Petyr had begged her for a favor, but her father had promised her to Brandon. As she had given the favor to Brandon, Catelyn had begged him to not kill the boy that loved her and he had promised her. The fight was ended quickly with a deep cut to Petyr’s ribs, which Catelyn was sure was fatal. That was the last time she had seen Petyr until King’s Landing.

When Catelyn returns her attention to the fight she can tell Bronn is quicker. Robert complains that the combatants are not fighting properly but his mother assures him that the sellsword cannot run all day. Eventually Ser Vardis is addled by a fall, and loses sight of Bronn because of his narrow visor. Bronn uses this opportunity to place a serious blow to the knight’s elbow. Now the knight’s parries begin to grow slower and lower and Bronn attacks with more energy. Blind to the fact that Ser Vardis is losing, Lysa calls for him to finish the sellsword as if he were delaying the end on purpose. The knight charges and Bronn almost loses his balance but manages to jump back from the blow and push a statue onto the knight. With Ser Vardis pinned under the fallen statue, Bronn delivers the killing blow and a silence fall over the crowd.

Robert asks if it is over, and Lysa is force to admit it is. Robert than asks if he can make the little man fly and Tyrion joyfully says “Not this little man.” When Lysa makes a thinly veiled threat to execute Tyrion anyway, the dwarf asks if Lysa remembers House Arryn’s words: “As High as Honor.” Robert insists that he wants to make Tyrion fly, but Lysa is forced to admit that the gods have proclaimed Tyrion innocent. She orders Tyrion and Bronn escorted to the Bloody Gate and provided with supplies but they must take the High Road alone. Everyone in the court recognizes the proclamation as another sort of death sentence. Tyrion favors Lysa with a mocking bow, saying he and Bronn already know the way.

External links

References and Notes