A Game of Thrones-Chapter 52

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Jon VII
A Game of Thrones chapter
AGameOfThrones.jpg
POV Jon
Page 462 US HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Jon VI
Sansa IV  ← Jon VII →  Bran VI

Jon VIII
The bodies of two of the men that accompanied Benjen Stark are found. Their skin is milk white and hands are black. Ser Jaremy states that Mance Rayder, must be responsible, but Sam points out discrepancies. When they return to Castle Black the message that King Robert is dead and that Eddard Stark is a traitor. At dinner that night Ser Alliser Thorne mocks Jon Snow and his father, and Jon attacks him. Jon is confined but allowed to keep Ghost in his room. That night Ghost gets upset, and Jon investigates, finding the bodies of one of the dead men they found in the Lord Commander’s room. Jon kills the monster, saving the Lord Commander.

Synopsis

Jon remembers his dream where he was in the crypts of Winterfell again, but this time it goes further: he hears the seen the vaults opening with the dead kings coming stumbling out. He woke up in terror and dare not go back to sleep.

Ghost had led them to the bodies, the hounds being useless. The area makes both the hounds and horses nervous, and even Jon feels uncomfortable. Jon hears the names of the two men that were found dead staring up with blue eyes: Othor and Jafer Flowers. They were his uncle’s men, and Jafer’s right hand is missing, and the other is black. These are only two of the six men that Benjen had taken with him. Later the asks Ser Jaremy others of Benjen’s men are, and how it could be that two men could die so close to the Wall and the rangers heard nothing, and one of the men wears as hunting horn. Ser Jaremy claims that no horn was blow or it would have been heard, he do not have sufficient men to mount the patrols he would have liked, and the Lord Commander’s ordered them to stay closer to the wall since Benjen disappeared.

The Lord Commander asks how they died, and Ser Jaremy states Jafer killed was with an axe to the neck. Orthor has blanched flesh except his black hands and his eyes are open and sapphire blue. When asked who killed them Ser Jaremy states it is Mance Rayder, which the Lord Commander finds questionable this close to the wall. Ser Jaremy replies that it could be no one else. Jon knows that it was not Mance Rayder but the Others but they are a story and if they lived at all they have been gone for 8000 years, and Jon thinks they all know. The Lord Commander states that if Benjen had been attacked by wildings a half day’s ride from Castle Black he would have chased them and brought back their heads. Ser Jaremy guesses that Benjen was slain and these were the last of his party; it had been close to half a year. This two were only recently killed.

Jon had forced Sam to look at the eyes of the corpses since he is supposed to be the eyes of [[Maesters|Maester] Aemon. Now Sam gives a frightened shout that this is not true. The impatient Ser Jaremy states that Sam’s opinion was not asked for. Jon tells Ser Jaremy to let him speak; the Lord Commander agrees with Jon. Sam shows them that the blood in the corpses’ veins is dry and crusty, as if they were dead for a long time. However, there is no corpse stink, and no pools of blood were found, indicating the bodies may have been moved. Dywen sidles up to the corpses and notes there is no corpse stink. Sam now notes were they are not decomposing, no maggots, no worms, and the dogs and the horses will not come close to themThe Lord Commander orders Chett to bring one of the hounds close, but no matter how hard he tires, the hound fights her handler and then attacks. Dywen states that the bodies could have been moved and then points out that neither man had blue eyes.

Several men yell that the bodies should be burned, but the Lord Commander was Maester Aemon to see them. After being wrapped in cloaks, it was not possible to tie the bodies to the horses because they became violent. The corpses had to be carried back on crude slings.

Lord Commander orders Ser Jaremy to search the area within ten leagues, using hunters and foresters if he does not have enough men. If Benjen or his men are around he will have them found, and if there is anyone else around, he will have them found.

As they ride back Jon follows the Lord Commander, and it is too warm with the wall weeping copiously. This weather is called by the old men “Sprit Summer,” when the season was giving up its ghosts, and winter is coming, and a long summer means a long winter. He now thinks back to the stories that old Nan told of the Others come riding in the dark, and everything falls before them, including cities, and how they feed their servants on the flesh of human children.

When they finally see the wall the Lord Commander calls for Sam, and compliments him telling his that he is fat but not stupid.

When they arrive at the tunnel, the Lord Commander is told by Bowen Marsh, the Lord Steward, that there had been a raven: Maester Aemon in his solar with a letter. The Lord Commander orders the bodies put in a storage room. Meanwhile Jon notices everyone is looking at him: something is wrong. Jon searches out his friends and Pypar tells him that his father’s friend King Robert had died. Jon thinks that might mean that his father might return to Winterfell and when he returns he might be able to visit, and maybe he could find out about his mother. There are questions about the bodies, and Jon says they were queer.

As he walks to the Lord Commander tower he notices the stares, and when he arrives he is told that the Lord Commander wants him. When he enters the Lord Commander surprises him that he is to get some wine for himself, and to sit. Jon tells the Lord Commander that it is grievous news about his father and the King and gets an affirmative. Then the Lord Commander tells how it is said that the king loved to hunt and how the things we love destroy us every time. He then states if it had not been for the love a woman, his son, Ser Jorah Mormont, would not have thought to sell those poachers into slavery. Jon does not understand, and the Lord Commander said that he told him to sit, and to have a drink. Now he is told that his father has been imprisoned for being a traitor; it is said that he plotted with Robert’s brothers to keep the throne from Joffrey Baratheon. Jon denies that his father could ever be a traitor, but then thinks that he fathered a bastard. Then the Lord Commander tells how he is going to contact the people he knew at King's Landing to ensure that Eddard is allowed to take the black; they could use men of Eddard’s ability on the Wall. Jon thinks that it would terrible injustice to take Winterfell from him but if it would save his life. Then he remembers the new king, Joffrey, mocking Robb Stark and Ser Rodrik Cassel, and not even noticing a bastard like Jon. Jon asks if the King will listen to him, and is told that he may listen to his mother and then adds that it is too bad Tyrion Lannister is not there. It was a bad thing his mother taking him; Jon corrects the Lord Commander calling Catelyn his mother. Jon then asks about his sisters and the Lord Commander promises to ask about them. Then the Lord Commander states that he hopes that Jon is not going to do anything stupid; his duty is now here and his old life ended when he took the black. He then dismisses Jon, telling him that he can help write the letter the next day.

Jon leaves, thinking this is his father and sisters, and it has to be his concern, and that his father cannot be a traitor. The rest of the day passes like a dream, the only thing is seems to know is that Ghost is with him. At evening meal he realizes that they all knew, and then his friends try to comfort him. He thinks how they are now his brothers. Then he hears Ser Alliser mocking his father and Jon thrown himself at Ser Alliser with a knife. It is only his friends Sam, Pyp, Grenn and Todder stop him. He is marched to his sleeping cell.

Later the Lord Commander visits him and tells him he told him not to do anything stupid, and now the high officers will meet to decide his fate. A guard was left at his door, and his friends could not visit him, but the Lord Commander let Ghost stay with him. Jon goes to sleep and when he wakes Ghost is scratching at the door, and it is so cold. When he opens his door he finds the guard dead, which surprises Jon because the Lord Commander’s tower is guarded. Above he hears noises above from the Lord Commander’s chamber. He takes the guards sword and goes to the Lord Commanders chamber where the door is open and his raven is squawking. He sees a shadow of a man in black with icy blue eyes going into the Lord Commander’s sleeping chamber. Ghost attacks the man, and Jon pulls down the curtains so that he can see. Now he sees that the man has his black hands around Ghost’s throat. Jon takes off an arm with a stroke, and Ghost is able to wrench free. The next stroke cuts half way through its face, and now Jon can see it is Othor. The cut off hand now claws at his calf, and Jon pulls it off. Ghost attacks the hand as Jon strikes Othor in the neck as Orthor slams into him, knocking him down, Jon losing his sword. Othor is on him, and Othor is finally pulled off him by Ghost. He then sees the Lord Commander naked with an oil lamp, with the hand approaching him. Jon grabs the oil lamp from the Lord Commander and throws it on the drapes, setting them afire. Then Jon grabs the burning drapes and throws them on Othor.

External links

References and Notes

  • The synopsis was copied from AOL member vbkorik27 previously at [1].