A Feast for Crows-Chapter 34

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Cat of the Canals
A Feast for Crows chapter
AFeastForCrows.jpg
POV Arya Stark
Place Braavos
Page 504 UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Arya II
Jaime V  ← Cat of the Canals →  Samwell IV

A Dance with Dragons
The Blind Girl

Synopsis

Arya Stark in Braavos, by Marc Simonetti ©

Acclimated to the routine of Cat of the Canals, Arya is learning the Braavosi tongue and trying to learn three new things every time she is sent forth from the House of Black and White, as the kindly man told her she must. Selling clams by day, she sleeps in a bed with Brusco's daughters by night, and for three days during each black moon, she returns to the House of Black and White. She delivers all three things the kindly man wants her to learn, but he still sends her back to Brusco. He tells her of the Many-Faced God; especially how all religions are aware of him, even if they do not worship him. Even within the Seven there exists the Stranger, whom the kindly man calls "Him of Many Faces".

One night when the black moon begins, she meets Dareon after he departs the Happy Port. Arya is angered by the singer's abandonment of his vows as a black brother. Returning to Brusco's, she gives him the coin she has collected selling his mollusks and a pair of new boots, then heads to the House of Black and White for three nights.

The waif teaches her how to identify certain poisons like Sweetsleep and the Tears of Lys, and then tells her the full story of how she came to the temple. She claims to be the eldest child from an ancient house, but when her stepmother had a true daughter, the woman tried to poison the waif. When her father discovered this, he delivered two-thirds of his wealth to the House of Black and White, and soon after, his second wife was dead and the waif now a servant in the temple. She reveals that she lied about part of that tale, but before Arya can guess which part, the kindly man visits her. She tells him the three new things she has learned, finishing with the knowledge that Dareon is dead- his throat was slit and his body dumped in the canal. When the kindly man asks who killed him, she replies, "Arya of House Stark." The priest again asks her who she is, to which she answers, "no one". But, as always, he tells her she lies, then asks the waif to bring Arya some warm milk to help her sleep. Arya goes to bed, but upon awakening in the morning, she discovers that she is blind.

Character List appearing/mentioned

Places and terms mentioned


References and Notes