The wedding of Sigorn and Alys Karstark occurs in 300 AC in the aftermath of the battle beneath the Wall. Sigorn, the new Magnar of Thenn, marries Alys Karstark at Castle Black in a union arranged by Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.[1]
Prelude
Styr, Magnar of Thenn, dies during his attack on Castle Black,[2] and the free folk host led by Mance Rayder, King-Beyond-the-Wall, is defeated in the battle beneath the Wall.[3][4] Styr's son Sigorn, the new leader of the Thenns, submits to Stannis Baratheon at Castle Black.[5]
Harrion Karstark, heir to Karhold after the death of his father, Lord Rickard, is held captive at Maidenpool on behalf of King Tommen I Baratheon.[6] Rickard's uncle Arnolf, the castellan of Karhold, declares for Stannis instead of Tommen, hoping that when the Iron Throne learns of this they will execute Harrion, thus making Harrion's sister Alys the new heir to Karhold.[7] Arnolf's plan is to wed his own son, Cregan Karstark, to Alys and thereby claim Karhold.[8] Arnolf's declaration for Stannis is also a plot orchestrated alongside Lord Roose Bolton; their plan is to turn against Stannis once his forces reach Winterfell.[9] Roose's legitimized son, Ramsay Bolton, is to wed a girl claimed to be "Arya Stark", though his bride-to-be is actually Jeyne Poole.[10]
Melisandre has a vision of a girl fleeing a marriage on a dying horse. She tells Jon Snow, the new Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, that it is his half-sister Arya coming to him at Castle Black.[11][12]
Rather than Arya Stark, the girl fleeing toward Castle Black is actually Alys Karstark. Ty and Dannel find her south of Mole's Town and escort her to the Wall. Alys tells her story to Jon, explaining that she fled Karhold before she could be forcefully wed to Cregan.[8] Cregan has been pursuing Alys, but his party is intercepted by Lord Commander Snow and the Night's Watch the day after Alys's arrival at the Wall.[1] To ensure Alys's safety and to help integrate the two hundred Thenns into the Seven Kingdoms, Jon arranges for Alys to wed Sigorn. Ser Patrek of King's Mountain is displeased, as he hoped to wed Alys himself.[1]
Ceremony
Jon has the stewards make cloaks for Alys. The maiden's cloak is a black wool cloak of the Night's Watch lined with white fur, with the Karstark sunburst sigil also made of that fur. Jon tells the stewards to improvise the new arms of House Thenn, and the bride's cloak is made of white wool, with a bronze disk surrounded by flames made of wisps of crimson silk. Satin also finds Alys a swirl of lace to wrap her hair.[1]
Queen Selyse Florent, the queen's men, and Thenns attend the ceremony. A few members of the Watch are also present, with more black brothers watching from a distance. Septon Chayle briefly watches before returning to his small sept, and Othell Yarwyck and Bowen Marsh decline to attend.[1]
Melisandre, a red priestess of R'hllor, officiates the wedding in the traditions of the Lord of Light. During a light but windy snowfall, a fire is set in a deep ditch dug near the Wall at Castle Black. Once Melisandre offers prayers to R'hllor, Jon gives Alys away in the absence of her late father. After Alys and Sigorn exchange vows, they leap across the ditchfire while holding hands. Afterwards, Melisandre declares, "Two went into the flames. One emerges. What fire joins, none may put asunder." Sigorn almost rips off Alys's maiden's cloak but is more tender when replacing it with her bride's cloak, and he kisses her cheek. The queen's men sing a song of praise.[1]
After the ceremony, Jon visits Cregan in the ice cells to inform the captive of the wedding. The Lord Commander tells Cregan that Alys expects Karhold to yield to her and the Thenns, and suggests that Cregan take the black, but he refuses.[1]
Feast
The wedding feast is held in the new common hall of Castle Black, a cellar beneath the armory. Stewards serve multiple courses of food prepared by Three-Finger Hobb, beginning with an onion broth of goats and carrot along with loaves of coarse brown bread. Hobb has also mulled wine with cinnamon and cloves. The Norrey and Old Flint are honored by having seats near the dais. Ser Axell Florent toasts his niece, Queen Selyse, and her absent husband, King Stannis Baratheon. When Owen the Oaf begins playing his fiddle, free folk join in with their pipes and drums.[1]
Axell and Selyse begin the first dance between courses, with the queen's knights and ladies following their lead. Ser Brus Buckler dances with Princess Shireen Baratheon, and Ser Narbert Grandison accompanies each of Selyse's ladies. The queen's serving girls join the dancing, as do some of the Watch, including Ulmer of the Kingswood and Satin. The guests laugh when Owen dances with Patchface, the queen's fool. Alys suggests that Jon dance with her, as they once did when they were children. Jon refuses and tells her she should dance with her husband, but Alys does not think Sigorn is a dancer. Jon has some slices of roast elk sent to Leathers at Hardin's Tower and three platters of roast vegetables sent to Wun Wun. During the fish course, Alys brings a drunken Sigorn to the floor, and they dance together.[1]
Clydas brings Jon a message from Cotter Pyke, and the Lord Commander discusses the marriage possibilities of Val with Axell. As the guests celebrate, the feast is interrupted by two blasts of a horn, announcing the return of Val, who has brought Tormund Giantsbane to the Wall.[1]
Attendees
From the north
Alys Karstark
Sigorn, Magnar of Thenn
Lord Brandon Norrey
Lord Torghen Flint
From the Night's Watch
Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch- Mully
- Owen the Oaf
- Satin
- Ulmer of the Kingswood
- Ghost
From Dragonstone
Queen Selyse Florent[1] with her ladies and serving girls
Princess Shireen Baratheon
Melisandre- Ser Axell Florent, the Queen's Hand
Ser Brus Buckler
Ser Narbert Grandison
Ser Patrek of King's Mountain- Ser Malegorn of Redpool
- Ser Lambert Whitewater
- Patchface
Quotes
Snow during a wedding means a cold marriage. My lady mother always said so.[1]
The night is dark and filled with terrors. Alone we are born and alone we die, but as we walk through this black vale we draw strength from one another, and from you, our lord. Two come forth today to join their lives, so they may face this world's darkness together. Fill their hearts with fire, my lord, so they may walk your shining path hand in hand forever.[1]
—Melisandre praying to R'hllor
Jon: My lady. Are you ready?
Alys: Yes. Oh, yes.
Jon: You're not scared?
Alys: Let him be scared of me.
Jon: Winter's lady.[1]—Jon Snow and Alys Karstark
Melisandre: Sigorn, will you share your fire with Alys, and warm her when the night is dark and full of terrors?
Sigorn: I swear me. By the red god's flames, I warm her all her days.
Melisandre: Alys, do you swear to share your fire with Sigorn, and warm him when the night is dark and full of terrors?
Alys: Till his blood is boiling.
Melisandre: Then come to me and be as one.[1]
Jon: If her brother is dead, Karhold belongs to Lady Alys. And she has given her hand in marriage to Sigorn, Magnar of Thenn.
Cregan: A wildling. A filthy, murdering wilding. I see what you are, Snow. Half a wolf and half a wildling, baseborn get of a traitor and a whore. You would deliver a highborn maid to the bed of some stinking savage.[1]—Jon Snow and Cregan Karstark
Whether Alys Karstark would find any joy in her marriage he could not say, but this one night at least should be one of celebration.[1]
—thoughts of Jon Snow
A northern maid and a wildling warrior, bound together by the Lord of Light.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 49, Jon X.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 55, Jon VII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 73, Jon X.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 75, Samwell IV.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 10, Jon III.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 3, Jon I.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 44, Jon IX.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 32, Reek III.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 20, Reek II.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 28, Jon VI.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 31, Melisandre I.