A Game of Thrones-Chapter 28
From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
| Catelyn V | ||||||||||
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| A Game of Thrones chapter | ||||||||||
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| POV | Catelyn | |||||||||
| Place | Crossroads Inn | |||||||||
| Page | 238 (US bantam HC) US HC (Other versions) | |||||||||
| Chapter chronology (All) | ||||||||||
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Catelyn and Ser Rodrik take shelter from the rain at the Crossroads Inn. Soon after, Tyrion and his party arrive. Tyrion recognizes Catelyn, who had hoped to remain anonymous, and Catelyn takes this opportunity to convince the men in the room to take Tyrion captive so he can face the king’s justice in Winterfell.
Synopsis
Catelyn and Ser Rodrik are on the road back north to Winterfell. It is raining, and Ser Rodrik tells Catelyn that she should cover her head to keep her from a chill. Catelyn replies that it's only water and that she's enjoying the feeling of it on her face; it takes her back to her childhood with her brother and sister and Littlefinger.
Rodrik states it would be good to have a fire and a warm meal. Catelyn tells him that the Crossroads Inn is only a short way ahead. Catelyn remembers sleeping there many times when traveling with her father when she was young, when it was run by a fat woman named Masha Heddle. Ser Rodrik reminds her that an inn is too public and that it might be best to find a small holdfast if they do not want to be recognized. However, when they pass unrecognized by a party of soldiers led by Lord Jason Mallister, a bannerman to Catelyn's father, Catelyn decides they will not be recognized at the inn.
At the inn, they are met by Masha Heddle, who gives them only a cursory look and tells them there are only two rooms available; she gives them none of the smiles or mention of sweet cakes that Catelyn remembers from her girlhood. After changing into dry clothes, Catelyn thinks that from the crossroads they could go west to Riverrun where she could get advice from her father who has been unwell lately. To the east is the Eyrie and her sister; Lysa might be able to provide some answer, but the road across the mountains is too dangerous. She decides that it is best to continue north to Winterfell. Once past the Neck they could get aid from one of the bannermen of House Stark. Then she could tell the bannerman to send riders north to Robb Stark with orders to place a watch on the Kingsroad.
Catelyn turns her thoughts to the reliability of Riverrun’s banners; Robert's Rebellion had shown how unreliable they were, in particular Freys who came to the aid of their Tully overlords only after the Battle of the Trident was won, leaving doubts as to which army they had come to join. Her father ever after called Lord Walder Frey the “Late Lord Frey". Other banners had fought for King Aerys II. She was sure her father would call his banners, but not sure they would all come. Catelyn then thinks how she must not let a war erupt.
Ser Rodrik comes to escort her to dinner, telling her that they must hurry if they are to eat, and calling her “my lady.” Catelyn tells him that he must not call her “my lady,” and they should probably pretend to be a father and daughter. Ser Rodrik agrees, but in the process calls her “my lady” again, and then comments on how old ways die hard when he realizes his mistake.
In the long and drafty common room the benches are crowded with a wide variety of people, but Catelyn doesn't see anyone who might recognize her. Ser Rodrik finds them a place by the kitchen where they are accosted by the singer Marillion, who asks about where they come from and where they are going. Catelyn answers the safest of the questions, saying they come from King's Landing. The singer tells them that is his destination for the Tourney of the Hand. The singer is disappointed when Catelyn has not heard about him, and proceeds to attempt to get paid a silver for a song. Ser Rodrik, believing that any healthy boy would prefer a sword to a lyre, tells him he might have a couple of coppers but would prefer tossing them down a well to hearing the boy’s howling. The singer then tells how he was made to sing for kings and high lords. Catelyn asks if Marillion has ever played for Lord Tully. The singer boasts that a chamber is kept for him and that the young Lord Tully is like a brother. This amuses Catelyn, who knows her brother has hated singers ever since one bedded a girl he liked.
It is then that the door bangs open and the arrival of Tyrion is announced, with a demand for room and a bath for Tyrion. When Tyrion is told that there are no rooms, he announces that his servants can sleep in the stable, and quips that he needs only a small room. After it is repeated that there are no rooms, Tyrion takes a gold coin and flips it into the air. A free rider tells Tyrion he is welcome to his take his room, and Tyrion flips the coin to the man.
Tyrion declares that he wants some sort of roast fowl and the best wine sent up to his room, and asks Yoren to join him. Marillion the singer stands and offers to sing to Tyrion of his father’s victory at King's Landing while he dines. Tyrion replies that such a song would surely ruin his supper, and then spies Catelyn. He tells her that he was sorry to have missed her at Winterfell.
Catelyn decides to play her hand. She asks some of the men-at-arms in the room directly if their lords are true to her father, Lord Hoster Tully. The Brackens, Freys and Whents are all represented in the room. Tyrion is confused, asks what Catelyn is doing, and even sniggers at one of the comments. Catelyn then tells the bannermen that Tyrion, while a guest in her home, sent an assassin to kill her son in his bed. She asks that they help her bring Tyrion to wait the king’s justice in Winterfell. A dozen of the men draw their swords. Catelyn is pleased by the look on Tyrion’s face as he is taken captive.
External links
- Summary and analyses of the chapter by Leigh Butler.
- Summary of the chapter on Tower of the Hand.
References and Notes
- The synopsis was copied from AOL member vbkorik27 previously at [1].
