| Sansa VII | ||||||
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| A Clash of Kings chapter | ||||||
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| POV | Sansa Stark | |||||
| Place | King's Landing | |||||
| Page | 630 UK HC (Other versions) | |||||
| Chapter chronology (All) | ||||||
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Sansa VI ↑ | ||||||
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↓ Sansa VIII | ||||||
Within Maegor's Holdfast, it is believed that all is lost during the Battle of the Blackwater. Sansa returns to her bedchamber, where Sandor Clegane lies in wait. She refuses to depart with him, however. Dontos later informs Sansa that King's Landing has been saved, with Stannis defeated.
Synopsis
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The wounded Ser Lancel informs his cousin, Queen Cersei, that the battle appears to be lost. Tyrion and Ser Mandon Moore are believed to have died when the bridge of boats broke apart, and the Hound has disappeared. When Cersei had her son, King Joffrey, brought back to the Red Keep, the gold cloaks lost heart and threw down their spears. Osney Kettleblack adds that there is fighting on both sides of the Blackwater Rush, the King's Gate is under attack again, there are mobs at the Iron Gate and the Gate of the Gods, and there are drunken riots in Flea Bottom.
Cersei orders that the drawbridge of Maegor's Holdfast be raised after Joffrey is brought inside. When Lancel pleads with Cersei that Joffrey be allowed to stay at the gatehouse to inspire the defenders, the queen strikes Lancel's wound and leaves the Queen's Ballroom. Sansa watches as Lancel falls to his knees, severely injured. She attempts to calm Cersei's guests and orders others to help Lancel receive medical care from Maester Frenken.
Dontos persuades her to lock herself in her room, and when Sansa arrives at her chambers, she finds Sandor Clegane hiding in the shadows. The Hound, drunk and battered from the fighting, tells her he has lost, and that he wishes Tyrion to be burned. Sandor claims he is leaving King's Landing, maybe to head north somewhere. Sandor forces Sansa to look at him, and then tells her he could protect her.
Sansa thinks that Sandor is going to kiss her, but he does not. Sandor instead asks that she sing for him, as she had once promised she would. Sansa is too frightened to remember the words of the song he wants, and can only sing a verse from the Mother's hymn. After that, some instinct makes her cup his cheek with her fingers, and she can feel tears on his cheeks. Sandor strips off his white cloak and leaves her room.
Some time later, Sansa hears bells ringing across the city. Dontos returns at dawn to bring her the news—the battle is over, King's Landing has been saved by the Tyrells and Lord Tywin and all their men. Tywin held the right wing on the north shore, Lord Randyll Tarly the center, and Mace Tyrell commanded the left. Yet it was the vanguard that won the battle, some say led by Renly's ghost who slew Ser Guyard Morrigen in single combat.
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References and Notes
[edit]- The synopsis was copied from AOL member vbkorik27 previously at [1].
- Analyses and summary of the chapter in the course of a 10th reread by Slynt.
- Review and summary by Leigh Butler.