Difference between revisions of "A Clash of Kings-Chapter 21"

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Jump to: navigation, search
Line 11: Line 11:
 
}}
 
}}
  
[[Bran Stark|Bran]] is hosting the [[harvest feast]] at [[Winterfell]], being the eldest [[House Stark|Stark]] there. Most of the bannermen are present. In the middle of the feast, [[Meera Reed|Meera]] and [[Jojen Reed]] arrive to represent their father [[Howland Reed]].  
+
Acting as Lord of [[Winterfell]], [[Bran Stark|Bran]] hosts the [[harvest feast]] and greets [[Meera Reed|Meera]] and [[Jojen Reed]], who arrive to represent their father [[Howland Reed]].That night, Bran dreams of the Reeds visiting the [[direwolf|direwolves]] in the [[godswood]].
 +
 
 
==Synopsis==
 
==Synopsis==
[[Bran Stark]] rides his horse [[Dancer]] into the crowded Great Hall of [[Winterfell]]. He would have liked to have [[Summer (direwolf)|Summer]] with him but Ser [[Rodrik Cassel]] was unyielding. As he passes, the men call “Stark!and “Winterfell! Winterfell!for the harvest and [[Robb Stark]]’s victories. [[Osha]] and [[Hodor]] help him out of his harness and carry him to the high seat. Ser Rodrik is seated to his lift with his daughter [[Beth Cassel]] beside him, and Maester [[Luwin]] beyond Beth. [[Rickon Stark|Rickon]] is to his right, his hair uncut since [[Catelyn Tully|Catelyn]] has left because he bit the last girl that tried to cut it. Rickon tells Bran that he rides better and wanted to ride into the Great Hall like him. After Ser Rodrik bellows for quiet, Bran bids the bannermen and their escorts welcome and thanks, and makes a toast to the old gods for the feast and Robb’s victories. This brings cheers and Ser Rodrik tells Bran he did well.
+
[[Bran Stark|Bran]] rides his horse [[Dancer]] into the Great Hall of [[Winterfell]] for the [[harvest feast]]. He wishes [[Summer (direwolf)|Summer]] was with him, but Ser [[Rodrik Cassel]] was unyielding. From the crowded benches, men shout "Stark!" and "Winterfell!" as he passes. Bran knows they are cheering for the harvest, for victory, and for all the [[House Stark|Starks]] who came before rather than for him, but he still swells with pride and even forgets he is broken until he reaches the dais. There [[Osha]] and [[Hodor]] unstrap him and carry him to the high seat. Ser Rodrik, his daughter [[Beth Cassel|Beth]], and [[Maester]] [[Luwin]] are seated to Bran's left and [[Rickon Stark|Rickon]] to his right, his hair uncut since [[Catelyn Stark|their mother]] left because he bit the last girl to try. After Ser Rodrick bellows for quiet, Bran welcomes the guests and asks them to thank the gods for [[Robb Stark|Robb]]'s victories and the bountiful harvest. His toast of "May there be a hundred more," brings an echoing cheer and Ser Rodrik says [[Eddard Stark|his father]] would be proud.
 +
 
 +
They feast on course after course, including seafood brought by Lord [[Wyman Manderly]] from [[White Harbor]]. Manderly has also brought musicians,  but only [[Hodor]] seems to be listening and the songs are drowned beneath the talk and laughter. Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin talk over Beth's head, while Rickon screams happily with [[Walder Frey (Little)|Little Walder]] and [[Walder Frey (Big)|Big Walder]]. Bran did not want the Walders at the high table but Maester Luwin reminded him they would become kin when Robb weds one of their aunts and Arya marries their uncle [[Elmar Frey]], though Bran argued Arya would never stand for that.
 +
 
 +
Each dish is served to Bran first, and soon he is full and must nod approval rather than taste everything. As instructed, he sends particularly delicious dishes to the lords as a gesture of friendship: salmon to sad Lady [[Donella Hornwood]], boar to [[Mors Umber|Mors]] and [[Hother Umber]], goose-in-berries to [[Cley Cerwyn]], lobster to [[Joseth]] the master of horse for training Dancer, sweets to Hodor and Old [[Nan]] because he loves them, and beets and turnips to the Walders because Ser Rodrik insists he give them something.
 +
 
 +
Bran watches the feast detachedly, seeing everything yet a part of nothing. He sees Osha break a flagon over the head of a [[House Tallhart|Tallhart]] man for sliding his hand under her skirts, though another woman does not seem to mind [[Mikken]]'s hand down her bodice. He watches [[Farlen]] make his red bitch beg and Old Nan pluck at the crust of a hot pie. On the dais, he sees Lord Manderly attacking a plate of lampreys in his special wide chair, sad Lady Hornwood picking listlessly at her food, and the Umber brothers playing a drinking game.
 +
 
 +
The heat and noise soon grow too much and Bran finds himself dreaming of the cool in the [[godswood]]. Studying his father's ornate goblet, Bran recalls the [[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 5|welcoming feast]] for King [[Robert Baratheon|Robert]] and realizes everyone else is gone—either to war, captivity, [[the Wall]], or their graves. Even the men at the tables are new, since everyone who went south with his father is dead and the rest rode to war with Robb. When he wonders who will be missing next year and the year after, Bran feels like crying but reminds himself he is the Stark in Winterfell and almost a man grown.
 +
 
 +
[[File:Jojen and Meera Reed.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Meera and Jojen Reed - ©Amok]]
  
They feast course after course, much of it brought by Lord [[Wyman Manderly]] from [[White Harbor]], who has also brought the musicians that are playing. Hodor gleefully listens to the music, and Osha serves while Ser Rodrik and Luwin talk over Beth’s head, and Rickon screams happily with [[Walder Frey (Little)|Little Walder]] and [[Walder Frey (Big)|Big Walder]]; Bran did not want the Walders at the high table but was overruled by Luwin, who told him that Robb would soon marry a [[House Frey|Frey]], as would his sister [[Arya Stark|Arya]]. Bran assured Luwin that Arya would never do so. He always gets the first serving of each dish, and soon he is full, and has to nod approval instead of tasting everything. He also sends particularly delicious dishes to specific lords as he has been told to do by Maester Luwin: the sad Lady [[Donella Manderly|Donella Hornwood]], the [[House Umber|Umbers]], [[Cley Cerwyn]], [[Joseth]] the master of horse who trained Dancer, sweets to Hodor and Old [[Nan]], and, at Ser Rodrik's insistence, the Walders.
+
The doors to the hall open and [[Alebelly]] leads in two new guests: [[Meera Reed|Meera]] and [[Jojen Reed]] of [[Greywater Watch]]. Bran recognizes them as [[crannogmen]] from [[the Neck]], a shy and simple folk who rarely leave their swamps, but he hears Little Walder calling them "mudmen" and explaining to Rickon that they are thieves and cravens with green teeth from eating frogs. As places are hurriedly prepared on the dais, Ser Rodrik explains that these must be the children of [[Howland Reed]], a great friend and staunch companion of Bran's father during [[Robert's Rebellion]].
  
Bran watches as one of [[Leobald Tallhart]]’s men puts a hand under Osha’s skirts and she breaks a flagon over his head in response. [[Mikken]] has a hand up a woman’s bodice but she does not seem to mind. He also sees [[Farlen]] making his red bitch beg, Old Nan plucking at the crust of a hot pie, and Lord Wyman in a special wide chair attacking a plate full of Lampreys, and at the other end of the hall Hothen and Mors playing drinking games. It is getting too hot and noisy for Bran's liking, but as the lord, he has to stay. He remembers the welcoming feast when King [[Robert Baratheon|Robert]] arrived, and notices that now all the faces are new; he likes [[Hayhead]], [[Poxy Tym]], [[Skittrick]] and the others well enough but misseds his old friends: [[Jory Cassel]], [[Tomard]], [[Porther]], [[Alyn]], [[Desmond]], [[Hullen]], Septa [[Mordane]] and [[Vayon Poole]]. He feels like crying, but reminds himself that he is the Stark in Winterfell and has to be strong.
+
The slender girl Meera is armed with woven net, bronze knife, and frog spear as well as an iron helm, leather shield, and bronze-scale jerkin. Her younger brother Jojen is unarmed and dressed all in green, which brings out the deep green of his eyes. Kneeling before the dais, the Reeds explain that they have come to renew [[House Reed]]'s fealty to the [[King in the North]]. Bran explains that Robb is away fighting but says they may say their words to him. Together, the Reeds recite their ancient oath, swearing by earth and water, by bronze and iron, and by ice and fire never to fail the Starks of Winterfell. Unsure how to respond, Bran finally decides on "May your winters be short and your summers bountiful," and bids them rise. Meera offers gifts of fish, frog, and fowl, and Bran offers them the meat and mead of Winterfell in return.
  
The doors to the hall open and [[Alebelly]] leads in two new guests: [[Meera Reed|Meera]] and [[Jojen Reed]] of [[House Reed]] from [[Greywater Watch]]. Big  Walder mutters  “frogeaters”  and when Rickon asks who they are, Little Walder calls them “Mudmen,” going on to claim that they are thieves and cravens, and eating frogs has turned their teeth green. Ser Rodrik welcomes them as places are hurriedly prepared for them. Bran knows them as [[Crannogmen]], from [[the Neck]]. Ser Rodrik tells Bran that [[Howland Reed]] was a great friend of his father's and these are probably his children. Both are near Robb’s age, small and slender, and dressed all in green. The girl is armed with a woven net and a long bronze knife with a shield on her back. They both kneel and the girl tells them that their father has sent them there to again say the words of fealty to the King of the North. Bran tells them that Robb is not there, so they say the words to him. Bran looks for words to respond and finally decides on “May your winters be short and your summers bountiful.” They ten tell Bran they have brought gifts of food, and Bran offers meat and mead of Winterfell to the children of one of his father’s staunchest companions during the war for King Robert’s crown.  
+
Jojen immediately asks where the [[direwolf|direwolves]] are and Rickon answers that they are in the godswood because [[Shaggydog]] was bad. When Meera says that Jojen would like to see them, Little Walder warns that they will bite. Pleased by the Reeds' interest, Bran promises that Summer at least will not bite and will keep Shaggydog away. He cannot recall ever meeting a crannogman and would like to talk more, but the feast is too noisy. When he learns from Ser Rodrik that they truly eat frogs, Bran sends the Reeds mutton, [[aurochs]], and beef stew, which they seem to like. When Meera catches him staring, Bran blushes.
  
Jojen immediately asks where the direwolves are and Rickon replies that they are in the [[Godswood]] because [[Shaggydog]] was bad. Little Walder warns them that they will bite, but Bran calms them by saying [[Summer (direwolf)|Summer]] will not and he will keep Shaggydog away; this is the first time the crannogmen have ever called on Winterfell, and he wants to talk more.
+
After the tables are cleared away, the music and singing grows wilder. Mors Umber grabs a passing serving girl and begins whirling her about the floor and others soon join in. Hodor dances by himself, while Wyman Manderly and then Cley Cerwyn partner with little Beth Cassel. Ser Rodrik approaches Lady Hornwood, but she excuses herself. Once again unable to participate, Bran watches long enough to be polite, then calls Hodor to carry him to bed, conscious of the stares of onlookers.
  
The singers in the Great Hall sing of "[[The Night That Ended]]", where the [[Night's Watch]] rode forth to fight the [[Others]] in the [[Battle for the Dawn]]. [[Mors Umber]] is the first to start dancing after grabbing a serving girl, Hodor starts to dance by himself while Lord Wyman asks Beth Cassel to dance with him. Ser Rodrik approaches Lady Hornwood but she excuses herself and takes her leave. Bran watches for a while, and when he thinks he has waited long enough to be polite, calls to Hodor to carry him out.
+
Just outside the hall, they come upon Joseth and giggling woman with her skirts above her waist. The girl screams when she sees Hodor watching, so Bran has to tell him to leave them be. After getting help with his boots and breeches, Bran dismisses Hodor and lies down to sleep. Then he recalls his father telling him the [[Kingsguard]] were once a shining example, and the finest knight he ever saw was Ser [[Arthur Dayne]], who would have killed him but for Howland Reed. His father became sad at that and spoke no further, but now Bran wishes he had asked what he meant.
  
As they are leaving the hall, they come upon [[Joseth]] with a woman who is giggling with her skirts above her waist. She screams when she sees Hodor, who has stopped to watch. Bran tells Hodor to leave them and take him back to his chambers. After helping him with his boots and breeches, he tells Hodor he can go back to the feast. As he lies in his bed in the darkness he remembers asking [[Eddard Stark|his father]] if the [[Kingsguard]] were the finest knights in the realm, and Eddard replied, "No longer. But once they were a marvel, a shining example to the world." Bran asked who the best of them was, and Ned replied, "The finest knight I ever saw was Ser [[Arthur Dayne]], who would have killed me but for Howland Reed." His father became sad then and would not speak any further. Later, Bran dreams through the eyes of [[Summer]], and sees Meera and Jojen enter the godswood. When Jojen reaches out his hand to touch Summer, Bran loses contact and feels like he is falling again.
+
Bran goes to sleep thinking of knights, but his dreams are of wolves in the godswood again and he can hear and smell the feast still going on. At the rattle of iron, he and his brother race to confront the strange intruders: a female and a young male with no taint of fear. Bran recognizes Meera's voice when she asks if Jojen knew the wolves would be so big. Jojen points out they are still growing and opines that Shaggydog is full of fear and rage but Summer is stronger than he knows. Meera cautions her brother, but Jojen insists this is not the day he dies and reaches out to touch Summer. At his touch, Bran loses contact and suddenly feels he is falling again.
  
 
==References and Notes==
 
==References and Notes==
 
{{References|2}}
 
{{References|2}}
  
* The synopsis was copied from AOL member vbkorik27 previously at [http://web.archive.org/web/20080228051425/members.aol.com/vbkorik27/summary/legend.html].
 
 
*Analyses and summary of the chapter [http://slynt.blogspot.se/2011/09/re-read-bran-iii-reeds-in-garden.html in the course of a 10th reread] by Slynt.  
 
*Analyses and summary of the chapter [http://slynt.blogspot.se/2011/09/re-read-bran-iii-reeds-in-garden.html in the course of a 10th reread] by Slynt.  
 
*[http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/03/a-read-of-ice-and-fire-a-clash-of-kings-part-10 Review and summary] by Leigh Butler.
 
*[http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/03/a-read-of-ice-and-fire-a-clash-of-kings-part-10 Review and summary] by Leigh Butler.

Revision as of 18:29, 25 July 2014

Bran III
A Clash of Kings chapter
AClashOfKings.jpg
POV Bran
Place Winterfell
Page 237 UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Bran II
Tyrion V  ← Bran III →  Catelyn II

Bran IV

Acting as Lord of Winterfell, Bran hosts the harvest feast and greets Meera and Jojen Reed, who arrive to represent their father Howland Reed.That night, Bran dreams of the Reeds visiting the direwolves in the godswood.

Synopsis

Bran rides his horse Dancer into the Great Hall of Winterfell for the harvest feast. He wishes Summer was with him, but Ser Rodrik Cassel was unyielding. From the crowded benches, men shout "Stark!" and "Winterfell!" as he passes. Bran knows they are cheering for the harvest, for victory, and for all the Starks who came before rather than for him, but he still swells with pride and even forgets he is broken until he reaches the dais. There Osha and Hodor unstrap him and carry him to the high seat. Ser Rodrik, his daughter Beth, and Maester Luwin are seated to Bran's left and Rickon to his right, his hair uncut since their mother left because he bit the last girl to try. After Ser Rodrick bellows for quiet, Bran welcomes the guests and asks them to thank the gods for Robb's victories and the bountiful harvest. His toast of "May there be a hundred more," brings an echoing cheer and Ser Rodrik says his father would be proud.

They feast on course after course, including seafood brought by Lord Wyman Manderly from White Harbor. Manderly has also brought musicians, but only Hodor seems to be listening and the songs are drowned beneath the talk and laughter. Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin talk over Beth's head, while Rickon screams happily with Little Walder and Big Walder. Bran did not want the Walders at the high table but Maester Luwin reminded him they would become kin when Robb weds one of their aunts and Arya marries their uncle Elmar Frey, though Bran argued Arya would never stand for that.

Each dish is served to Bran first, and soon he is full and must nod approval rather than taste everything. As instructed, he sends particularly delicious dishes to the lords as a gesture of friendship: salmon to sad Lady Donella Hornwood, boar to Mors and Hother Umber, goose-in-berries to Cley Cerwyn, lobster to Joseth the master of horse for training Dancer, sweets to Hodor and Old Nan because he loves them, and beets and turnips to the Walders because Ser Rodrik insists he give them something.

Bran watches the feast detachedly, seeing everything yet a part of nothing. He sees Osha break a flagon over the head of a Tallhart man for sliding his hand under her skirts, though another woman does not seem to mind Mikken's hand down her bodice. He watches Farlen make his red bitch beg and Old Nan pluck at the crust of a hot pie. On the dais, he sees Lord Manderly attacking a plate of lampreys in his special wide chair, sad Lady Hornwood picking listlessly at her food, and the Umber brothers playing a drinking game.

The heat and noise soon grow too much and Bran finds himself dreaming of the cool in the godswood. Studying his father's ornate goblet, Bran recalls the welcoming feast for King Robert and realizes everyone else is gone—either to war, captivity, the Wall, or their graves. Even the men at the tables are new, since everyone who went south with his father is dead and the rest rode to war with Robb. When he wonders who will be missing next year and the year after, Bran feels like crying but reminds himself he is the Stark in Winterfell and almost a man grown.

Meera and Jojen Reed - ©Amok

The doors to the hall open and Alebelly leads in two new guests: Meera and Jojen Reed of Greywater Watch. Bran recognizes them as crannogmen from the Neck, a shy and simple folk who rarely leave their swamps, but he hears Little Walder calling them "mudmen" and explaining to Rickon that they are thieves and cravens with green teeth from eating frogs. As places are hurriedly prepared on the dais, Ser Rodrik explains that these must be the children of Howland Reed, a great friend and staunch companion of Bran's father during Robert's Rebellion.

The slender girl Meera is armed with woven net, bronze knife, and frog spear as well as an iron helm, leather shield, and bronze-scale jerkin. Her younger brother Jojen is unarmed and dressed all in green, which brings out the deep green of his eyes. Kneeling before the dais, the Reeds explain that they have come to renew House Reed's fealty to the King in the North. Bran explains that Robb is away fighting but says they may say their words to him. Together, the Reeds recite their ancient oath, swearing by earth and water, by bronze and iron, and by ice and fire never to fail the Starks of Winterfell. Unsure how to respond, Bran finally decides on "May your winters be short and your summers bountiful," and bids them rise. Meera offers gifts of fish, frog, and fowl, and Bran offers them the meat and mead of Winterfell in return.

Jojen immediately asks where the direwolves are and Rickon answers that they are in the godswood because Shaggydog was bad. When Meera says that Jojen would like to see them, Little Walder warns that they will bite. Pleased by the Reeds' interest, Bran promises that Summer at least will not bite and will keep Shaggydog away. He cannot recall ever meeting a crannogman and would like to talk more, but the feast is too noisy. When he learns from Ser Rodrik that they truly eat frogs, Bran sends the Reeds mutton, aurochs, and beef stew, which they seem to like. When Meera catches him staring, Bran blushes.

After the tables are cleared away, the music and singing grows wilder. Mors Umber grabs a passing serving girl and begins whirling her about the floor and others soon join in. Hodor dances by himself, while Wyman Manderly and then Cley Cerwyn partner with little Beth Cassel. Ser Rodrik approaches Lady Hornwood, but she excuses herself. Once again unable to participate, Bran watches long enough to be polite, then calls Hodor to carry him to bed, conscious of the stares of onlookers.

Just outside the hall, they come upon Joseth and giggling woman with her skirts above her waist. The girl screams when she sees Hodor watching, so Bran has to tell him to leave them be. After getting help with his boots and breeches, Bran dismisses Hodor and lies down to sleep. Then he recalls his father telling him the Kingsguard were once a shining example, and the finest knight he ever saw was Ser Arthur Dayne, who would have killed him but for Howland Reed. His father became sad at that and spoke no further, but now Bran wishes he had asked what he meant.

Bran goes to sleep thinking of knights, but his dreams are of wolves in the godswood again and he can hear and smell the feast still going on. At the rattle of iron, he and his brother race to confront the strange intruders: a female and a young male with no taint of fear. Bran recognizes Meera's voice when she asks if Jojen knew the wolves would be so big. Jojen points out they are still growing and opines that Shaggydog is full of fear and rage but Summer is stronger than he knows. Meera cautions her brother, but Jojen insists this is not the day he dies and reaches out to touch Summer. At his touch, Bran loses contact and suddenly feels he is falling again.

References and Notes