#Willow Heddle

[ravellasmallwood]

“Are you the innkeep?” Willow shook her head. “That’s my sister Jeyne.”

[bookhousestark]

ARYA STARK + stand-ins (insp.)

[laurellerual]

Some random gurlz

[dr3adlady]

❄️💠Winter Roses💠❄️

[fromstormsend]

Arya Stark&Willow Heddle (Little Sisters)

First we all know Willow Heddle is a character who have parallels with Arya Stark. But it’s not just paralles. If we look in detail she and her sister Jeyne and their aunt Masha both have paralles with Sansa and Catelyn. Three of them are living in an alternative universe for Arya&Sansa and Catelyn. Look at their surnames; Heddle aka needle.

I am going to focus on Arya and Willow’s paralles. I found some of them from the forums and some of them myself.

1) Willow and Gendry together look after the orphan children and before Gendry did this with Arya too. They looked after Weasel, Hot Pie and Lommy.

2) Both of them threatened with rape by Rorge with tools in their hands;

“You shut your mouth!” Arya tried to think what Syrio would have done. She drew her wooden practice sword. “Come closer,” Rorge said, “and I’ll shove that stick up your bunghole and fuck you bloody.” -ACOK Arya II

“Willow stepped out into the rain, a crossbow in her hands. The girl was shouting at the riders, but a clap of thunder rolled across the yard, drowning out her words. As it faded, Brienne heard the man in the Hound's helm say, "Loose a quarrel at me and I'll shove that crossbow up your cunt and fuck you with it.” -AFFC Brienne VII

3) Arya&Gendry paralles;

-When Brienne first saw Gendry she thought he is Renly and said;

"My lord?" she gasped. "Lord?" The boy pushed back a lock of black hair that had fallen across his eyes. "I'm just a smith."

She thought Gendry is a lord. And after that she noticed Willow’s attitude on the children;

“Gendry was the closest thing to a man grown, but it was Willow shouting all the orders, as if she were a queen in her castle and the other children were no more than servants.”

Brienne started to think if Willow could be more, if she could be a highborn lady like Arya Stark;

“Brienne wondered whether Willow might be more than she appeared. The girl was too young and too plain to be Sansa Stark, but she was of the right age to be the younger sister, and even Lady Catelyn had said that Arya lacked her sister's beauty. Brown hair, brown eyes, skinny . . . could it be? Arya Stark's hair was brown, she recalled, but Brienne was not sure of the color of her eyes. Brown and brown, was that it? Could it be that she did not die at Saltpans after all?”

And the last shot comes from Ser Hyle;

“"One day that little girl will make some man a frightful wife," Ser Hyle observed. "That poor 'prentice boy, most like."

-Willow is stobborn girl too like Arya and made polemics agaisnt Gendry(again like Arya :)

“We better be careful. I’ll go around west, see if there’s some road. There must be if you saw a wagon. You take the shore. If you need help, bark like a dog.” “That’s stupid. If I need help, I’ll shout help.” (Just an example)

“"No," said the boy smith. "Yes," said the girl Willow. They glared at one another. Then Willow stomped her foot. "They have food, Gendry. The little ones are hungry."”

But of course real Arya says “no” with him at the same time 😂;

“"NO!" Arya and Gendry both said, at the exact same instant. Hot Pie quailed a little. Arya gave Gendry a sideways look.”

BONUS;

“We have beds, though. Some featherbeds, but more are straw.”

[asoiaf-fancasts]

Willow Heddle - Fancasts

Age: 10

Appearance: She has brown hair, brown eyes and is skinny.

Character[s]: Danielle De Barbarac [Younger] & Emily [Younger]

Actress: Anna Maguire

Movie[s]: Ever After: A Cinderella Story [1998] & David Copperfield [2000]

[She was 7 - 11 during these movies so around the right age for Willow. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She wears medieval clothes in Ever After and early Victorian in David Copperfield.]

[the-king-andthe-lionheart]

Also love the fact that willows represent friendship and they were used as parting gifts. Like what better name could GRRM have picked for a girl to be by Gendry's side as an Arya stand-in character? Also Willow is the one with the bow trying to protect the Inn, just like how placing a willow branch on the front door is meant to ward off harm. And let's not forget that Arya at this time is learning humility with Valar Dohaeris. And once again Arya has rebirth and immortality symbolism in her arc. Anyone who thinks GRRM doesn't purposely use symbolism in his books just isn't paying attention especially in Arya's chapters. The sheer richness found in them is just staggering. The amount of symbolism and motifs and parallels is out of this world. I haven't noticed any other character, besides maybe Dany, getting the same amount of layers and depth, as Arya.

something something about how a willow tree is also known as a weeping willow because its leaves are meant to imitate the appearance of rain drops and that means that the tree is crying.

something something about willow heddle being a stand-in character for arya, about willow being placed near a boy who met, traveled with and befriended arya stark and is currently going through his own process of mourning and grief, because she's no longer at his side.

something something about jeyne heddle, having one of the most common names you can find in westeros, but her little sister is named after a tree, a crying tree.

[daenystheedreamer]

i always think its a bit funny when renly and loras are brienne's friends in modern au. renly okay but loras... that man has pretty privilege &uglyphobia. but maybe he's nicer when he's not being a teenage superstar widower at 16

[jackoshadows]

"No," she said, "that's Sansa." - Eddard, AGoT

It's skillful the way GRRM sets up a situation with Sansa and then subverts with Arya in the books.

First, Robert Baratheon wants a redo of his relationship with Lyanna Stark by fixing a marriage between Sansa and Joffrey. Except Joffrey is not really his son and the marriage ends up not happening.

Meanwhile Ned (and several other characters including Bran with his visions) compares Arya to Lyanna in terms of looks and personalities in the text of the story. And it's Arya who has the love of both Robert and Rhaegar's sons Gendry and Jon Snow.

Secondly, it's the way the Southerners see Sansa as the key to the North. From the Lannisters to the Tyrells and even Littlefinger in the Vale, all plotting to marry Sansa off for her claim.

Meanwhile, it's Arya Stark for whom the North is rising up and waging war. Arya Stark for whom the LC of the NW has broken his oaths. Arya Stark whom the King Beyond the Wall/Abel the Bard was trying to steal out of Winterfell. Arya Stark whom Stannis Baratheon has promised Jon Snow that he will save.

While unbeknownst to the south and even LF, Robb Stark has written a decree that disinherits Sansa and Jon Snow supports Stannis as King even as he vows to never let Sansa Lannister get Winterfell while he lives.

And thirdly, even with Jaime sending off Brienne to find Sansa (because he and everyone else assumes that Arya is dead), we see Brienne following in Arya's footsteps through the Riverlands, meeting the same side characters. She meets Gendry and Willow Heddle who is a stand in for Arya with similar characteristics and Hyle Hunt even ships them together! And the constant references to the great big wolf pack hunting in the Riverlands - we know who that is!

All this is subtle and yet build up steadily over five books. And Arya has not returned to Westeros yet and still GRRM has several plots revolving around the character. Can't wait to read what happens when she actually gets back as Arya Stark in TWoW.

[chthonic-cassandra]

for your lovely domesticity question! the three objects that first occur to me: i have a clothbound copy of pride & prejudice from a small letterpress that my partner got me; the numbered edition corresponds with our anniversary and the book is beautiful. i have a green suede bomber jacket that i got from my dad who got it from his german landlady in 1985, which has excellent pockets & always makes me feel cool wearing it. and my rigid heddle loom, companion of my idle hours; i have been using it to make table linens, so it feels particularly domestic. i spend the most time with my phone, but i don't feel the same way about it as an object

I realized I never posted this, and it is such a lovely answer! Reading it I feel like I get a very precious window into your life; thank you so much for sharing it.

Other responses that question (three objects you own which are dear to you for their beauty, utility, or emotional association), preserved for posterity:

@fourpatch said: i have been thinking of this for days! beech spinning wheel stained dark that wiggles its axle out of its housing if you aren’t physically relaxed while using it; cracked 18th c delft blue vase filled with willow trimmings my late friend harvested from her favourite willow ditch; my grandmother’s singer featherweight buttonhole attachment

@forthegothicheroine said: My engagement ring (a beautiful red stone- maybe but not definitely a ruby- from his side of the family), a teddy bear I had as a baby, my great-grandmother’s pears she supposedly bought one at a time

@rulesforthedance said: My cello banjo is my most prized instrument. It has the most resonant tone. And if you talk, sing, or make noise within ten feet of it, it sings softly with you

@orpheanrush said: It would take me a while to come up with the top three but one that came to mind instantly is my great-aunt’s “kitchen wizard” which is sort of a large knife I inherited that also has a bottle opener, a grater, a planer, a serrated side and a fork built into the blade. It’s older than me (predates the company switch to plastic and multi-part models) and i mostly use it to open bottles. But it’s a lovely piece of gadgetry and family history :-)

@sewer-swan said: There’s the old jeans a girlfriend once gave me; perfectly fit, boot-cut, and an indigo that’s only just more dark than light. My american national park posters I’ll count as one, all very stylized and vivid images of places I’ve never been to: Saguaro, White Sands, Mammoth Cave, Lassen Volcanic. For a third, probably my gray thermal blanket. Scowled through a lot of terrible unheated winters under it.

Thank you all very much for these generous and beautiful responses!

[the-king-andthe-lionheart]

I’m actually surprised I never looked into the symbolism of willow trees before now considering GRRM goes hard with symbolism surrounding Gendrya, especially the tree symbolism.  And looking momentarily into it I think it’s definitely safe to say that GRRM knew what he was doing when he named Willow:

A large tree with long, flowing branches and leaves, the willow tree often symbolizes flexibility and adaptability. The limber and supple nature of its extremities means it bends to accommodate and withstand strong winds and adverse weather. Many, therefore, see it as inspiring and symbolic of humans’ capability to withstand hardship, loss, and difficult emotions. Thanks to its long life and the ease with which new trees can be rooted from cuttings, the willow tree is also seen as a survivor and a symbol of rebirth.

The willow can withstand strong winds and Gendry is connected to the storm, not only because of his Thor symbolism but also because of his true heritage as a Baratheon.  Willows are also symbolic of loss, withstanding hardship, and difficult emotions.  When we visit Gendry in AFFC it’s clear to see that Gendry is a harder and meaner person than he once was only a few months prior.  It’s clear he is going through difficult emotions, as well as loss.  And it’s clear that loss pertains to Arya as Gendry’s rage is more directed at the Hound than ever before, the man who took Arya.  Not to mention Gendry is doing something, helping to protect the orphans, that is clearly meant to honor Arya.

This is also interesting:

The willow tree originates from China, and in Ancient China, people believed that willow branches could ward off evil. They were often carried around or placed at doorways to keep evil spirits away. The concept of the willow tree bringing good luck and protecting against evil is also prevalent in countless cultures across the world.

Willow in the books is seen more than once with a crossbow in a doorway protecting others from danger.

Yes, it’s obvious that Willow is a stand-in for Arya, and is meant to narratively tell us through foreshadowing and symbolism that Gendrya will happen.  And suffice it to say, the willow tree also symbolizes flexibility, survival, rebirth, fertility, new life, protection, and healing.  The willow tree is also associated with Hecate, a powerful Greek goddess of the Underworld, who in turn is associated to the water and the moon, as well as sorcery and witchcraft.  And anyone who has delved into the symbolism of Arya, they would know that she is connected heavily to nature, especially to water and the moon, but also to the earth and to the acorn and to the trees, especially the oak tree.  Arya also has a shit ton of rebirth and fertility symbolism in the Riverlands as well.

I should look more into this symbolism and write about it sometime. :)

I just realized that grrm named the arya replacement assigned to gendry after a tree and one that is associated with sorrow lol he's such a shipper

it had to be on purpose lol. her sister has the most common female name in asoiaf, jeyne, but i can only think of one willow. it wasn't enough to have brienne wonder if willow = arya and have hyle comment that she'll marry gendry. he had to throw a lil tree reference in their too.

[laurellerual]

I just wanna say thank you for not demonizing Ned Dayne and Bella in your Gendrya work. Unfortunately, I had the misfortune of reading some fics where those characters (along with Aegon and the Heddle sisters) were made into these ooc villains and it made me lose interest in the pairing for a while. Not saying all Gendrya shippers are like this because usually Gendrya shippers don't resort to character-bashing, probably because Gendrya gets hate over Arya supposedly not being pretty/feminine/empathetic enough for Gendry according to fandom misogynists. But it does dishearten me when "rival" characters are bashed because frankly, they shouldn't be a threat to Gendrya at all.

Thank you, I'm glad you appreciate my interpretation of these guys.

On the other hand, I realize that writing about the characters you mention is difficult for a fanwriter. We know very little or nothing about the type of people they are so they end up being essentially OCs most of the times.

[pixiecactus]

Martin said that some characters who survived in tv show will not survive in the books. And I'm terrified that Gendry will be one of them. In the TV show, he was merged with Edric Storm, so I doubt he will be legitimized. And George killed Ygritte after 2 books, it haunts me. LSH's business is so dangerous too

how do i wish i could reassure you that most likely that wouldn't be the case, nonnie, but i'm right there with you, sharing the exact fear.

what we have to take into account is that grrm doesn't kill characters for cheap shock value; from the way i see it, he kills characters that had already served their narrative purpose in the story.

and i know that people tend to discard gendry's importance in the text because he's one of the lowest-ranking characters in a social standard and that he was just another lowborn boy that arya made friends with, but if we add the fact that he was a bastard and he reminded arya of her beloved brother jon, it seems that gendry's existence is meant to convey that arya has a type already.

but i don't think that is his actual narrative purpose, and the fact that he's still kicking in affc means for me that he has a bigger role to fill yet than people may think, because to that moment he was (and arguably still is) a minor character that the author could have easily gotten rid of.

here's a link to an old post of mine (x) that left me with the belief that gendry being stationed alongside willow heddle is really significant because we see willow being the one protecting the inn with her crossbow, and willow branches used to be put in front of doors to ward off harm and repel evil spirits so i chose to interpret this as: until arya and gendry meet again, and meanwhile gendry stays at the crossroads inn he's going to be safe and sound, angry and heartbroken? sure, that too, but safe and sound nonetheless.

also let's think that arya already lost a lowborn friend before, and mycah was brutally killed... unless grrm really wants to really hurt one of his favourite characters again, because arya already learned with mycah's death the lesson that most highborns don't care about the smallfolk, i don't see the need to have gendry killed with this in mind as the reason why.

and to end this, i want to add that let's think about how most likely the name "gendry" is a mix of the words "gentry" and "gendre" and i'm going to put the definitions of each here below.

the translation from french to english goes like this: "a person's husband, in relation to that person's parents"

this is just funny and not serious at all speculation, but could this mean that gendry gets recognized as an official knight rather than an outlaw, and he gets rewarded with some land? because from what i got, the gentry is connected to landed state, and they get their riches from the property that generates the income without having to work the land. (oh god, this is the bad ending; like, this is almost gendry becoming a landlord, fuck that!!)

or gendry gets to be ned stark's son-in-law because he got married to arya. (good ending, but what is important here is that in some kind of way, gendry, a boy that is part of the smallfolk, has actually met both of arya's parents. i will not accept any discusion about other siblings being potential marriage candidates; it's arya or nothing, and i think that my boy gendry agrees with me on that!!)

thank you so much for your ask nonnie, i really hope that any part of what i've written can help you a little bit, but i'm still not so sure myself, and i'm sorry for that.

oh, and in any case, if the anon that sent me an ask while i was writing this response today, the ask was about arya, jon and genes (iykyk) is seeing this post, i'm sorry to inform you that responding will take me a while because i'm way past of my social quota, and my mind currently is a mess.

let me be an obnoxious asshole and say that this feels like i'm suffering from success because i really wanted to go, kill, and leave this blog behind. but i think that i could work around those feelings if i currently take some time off.

[agentrouka-blog]

I am so enamored by this perspective on the story of Ned's journey.

And it reminded me of this bit:

My brothers feared I might die before they got me back to Maester Mullin at the Shadow Tower, so they carried me to a wildling village where we knew an old wisewoman did some healing. She was dead, as it happened, but her daughter saw to me. Cleaned my wounds, sewed me up, and fed me porridge and potions until I was strong enough to ride again. (ASOS, Jon I)

The daughter repairs Mance's cloak with her crimson silk thread, and ultimately she sets him on the path to defect the Watch and become the King Beyond The Wall.

Willow and Jeyne Heddle take over the Crossroads Inn that belonged to their aunt Masha, who was killed by Tywin's men after Tyrion was captured there. And they make it a shelter and a home to those who need it most. This is the place where Brienne fully comes into her own.

The parent generation cannot finish what they start, but the child generation takes over, carries the legacy and builds up on it. Creates opportunities for remarkable change. The daughters, specifically.

"To get home and call his banners, Stark had to cross the mountains to the Fingers and find a fisherman to carry him across the Bite. A storm caught them on the way. The fisherman drowned, but his daughter got Stark to the Sisters before the boat went down."- Davos(ADWD).

The daughter finishes what her father unable to. Seems like Ned-Sansa especially if Sansa will go through same route back to North.

Oh! I love that! People have talked a lot about the Sansa and Ned parallels, but I’d never read this quote that way. Lovely!

Here's a wonderful post explaining the similar paths back home and Sansa as Ned's heir idea. This post talks about their personalities and relationship, more parallels, and a nice visual of the Cat and Arya & Ned and Sansa parallels.

[daenystheedreamer]

Top 5 extremely minor characters?🤔

oooo i gotta go with wenda the white fawn wylla manderly willow heddle of course. but wylla and willow DO have speaking roles thats not minor enough. i will be listing these in order of least to most minor

5. DANELLE LOTHSTON ms bathory and dragonseed tease... mentioned a couple times in relation to harrenhal and mentioned in d&e. this makes her a main character in my eyes compared to some of the minor minor minor characters of planetos

4. WENDA THE WHITE FAWN of the kingswood brotherhood actually mentioned in the main series more than once. branding merrett frey on the ass lmfao QUEEN

3. POXY JEYNE POORE mx joan of arc of westeros yasss. maegor executing her for being a witch when his mother is visenya and his wife is tyanna. lmfao. not mentioned in the main series but DOES get extensive (a scene.) coverage in f&b.

2. PRINCESS DAERYSSA only ever mentioned by sansa in AGOT and possibly intended to be a targ until grrm figured out his timeline. early instalment weirdness. serwyn of the mirror shield got retconned/mythologised into a kingsguard member and mentioned in twoiaf and by several characters in asoiaf but daeryssa never gets mentioned anywhere again. people's princess baby I remember you

finally URSULA UPCLIFF random coming of the andals character only mentioned in twoiaf not important to anything at all. witch who said she was wed to the merling king and fought on the side of the first men. won over by robar royce's "honeyed tongue" which may be about him being charismatic or maybe he got down on his damn knees and ate her pussy out like she deserved. had her head ripped off by torgold tollett (omg dolorous edd tease!!!) and he had to jump on her blood red horse to do it. and her name is probably either a reference to ursula littlemermaid (she's from house upcliffe which has the sea as their sigil and they're from WITCH ISLE.) or ursula k le guin either of which is iconic

[jackoshadows]

What I don't understand is why Sansa stans, who want to get rid of Arya in Winterfell, go for the laziest fanon of Arya being a tourist - a theory that's borrowed from ultimate hacks D&D and the garbage TV show and which ending GRRM has repeatedly disavowed.

Arya becoming some kind of world explorer at the end pretty much ignores her book story, narrative arc, characterization and throws away the material in her so far written 32 pov chapters for an ending they came up with because of a made up headcanon. An headcanon which is far removed from the book character.

If one wants to get rid of Arya in Winterfell to make way for Sansa, the least they could do is actually read Arya's chapters and attempt to come up with an ending that makes more sense for the character.

Arya is a character who wants to help. From Mycah to Weasel to Samwell Tarly, Arya is someone who stands up against injustice even at great risk to herself. She's selfless and would sacrifice her personal happiness for the greater good. She wants things to be better, for herself, for her friends, for the smallfolk.

One ending could be Arya Stark as a leader of the Riverlands, helping rebuild from the ravages of war, helping the people who survived. Arya, who has the empathy and the skillsets to help them, who has listened and learned from her father on how to govern. We see Willow Heddle take care of orphans and managing an inn with a quiet efficiency that mirrors Arya's and Gendry hanging around helping her. I could see Arya and Gendry continue their relationship, fall in love, marry and settle down in the Riverlands while Arya either rules the Riverlands as the Tully heir/Cat's daughter or as Lady of Harrenhal helps Edmure Tully rebuild the Riverlands.

Or, if Jon Snow leaves for beyond the Wall as the leader of the new territories and lands there, maybe Arya goes with him. Considering their close bond and love for each other and the fact that home is where each other is - something else that is again established in the books - if she had no choice but to leave Winterfell, going with Jon Snow to help him lead the freefolk beyond the Wall could be another option.

Or if Bran does end up becoming King on the Iron Throne, then she could stay in KL to help her much loved baby brother. She wouldn't like leaving Winterfell, but Arya is a character who sacrifices and does what's right, no matter how hard it is for her to do personally. Plus, she wanted to be a king's councillor and build things. Her training and skillsets with the FM would also make her alert to any future LF/Varys types trying to plot against Bran - not that someone who can see into the past and present needs a master spy...

Or Arya and Brienne start a school for young girls who are interested in learning different things and have teachers who actually develop their talents based on what they are good at instead of being hateful for what they cannot be.

In my opinion, any of these endings is better than 'Arya, world explorer' an empty, nonsensical ending that has no connection to the character's book story and is actually contemptuous of the suffering and trauma this child has been through over several books. Meet new people and learn new languages? What do these folks think Arya has been doing so far? The girl's been traveling from her second AGoT chapter, meeting countless people. sailed the narrow seas, engaged with new cultures, learned new languages. She's been there, done that.

What's even more ridiculous is that it's Sansa stans who often engage in the oppression olympics of Sansa having suffered the worst, that Sansa 'deserves' Winterfell because she suffered the most abuse, that the only ending that makes sense for Sansa is being back in Winterfell because she suffered so much etc. And yet according to these very same folks, Sansa is going to roll up her sleeves and tirelessly work to lead the people of the North, while Arya is going on a cruise ship vacation and vlog about the new cuisine she is trying out...Hey, maybe after having suffered the most of ALL characters in the series, maybe it's Sansa who deserves the cruise ship vacation, you know?

We have the author himself saying that Arya's harrowing experiences and journey through Westeros and Essos has aged her up so much that he considers the character older than some of the 40 year olds in the books! And yet there are still people harping on and on about tourist Arya ffs.

I personally think Arya will be in Winterfell at the end of the books, either helping her younger brothers Bran/Rickon lead the North or more probably as a leader in her own right.

Arya is a central character in the series, the female character with the most POV chapters. There's no way GRRM has one of his lead female characters end up playing a supporting role in her brothers or sister's story. No way.

The author has given her the character development in the books to lead the North. She has a hulking huge grey direwolf at her side - the sigil of house Stark. She is the lone Stark who has the Stark look. Her direwolf is named after the first Dornish princess who changed female inheritance in Dorne - a big clue for a character who has chafed against patriarchal restrictions on what women can and cannot do. I mean this is how we are introduced to Arya Stark in her very first AGoT chapter:

“The Lannisters are proud,” Jon observed. “You’d think the royal sigil would be sufficient, but no. He makes his mother’s House equal in honor to the king’s.”

“The woman is important too!” Arya protested. - Arya, AGoT

It's clear to me that her arc is heading towards her being the first Lady of Winterfell/Wardeness of the North, nicely bookending her arc which started with her wanting the woman to be as important as the man, arguing for equality when it comes to their house. That's how organic story telling and building a narrative actually works.

I am aware of the principal Internet forums about A Song of Ice and Fire and I really used to look at the American and English groups. Nowadays, the most important site is Westeros, but I started to feel uncomfortable and I thought it would be a better idea not to get to these sides. The fans use to come up with theories; lots of them are just speculative but some of them are in the right way. Before the Internet, one reader could guess the ending you wanna do for your novel, but the other 10.000 wouldn’t know anything and they would be surprised. However, now, those 10.000 people use the Internet and read the right theories. They say: “Oh God, the butler did it!”, to use an example of a mystery novel. Then, you think: “I have to change the ending! The maiden would be the criminal!” To my mind that way is a disaster because if you are doing well you work, the books are full of clues that point to the butler doing it and help you to figure up the butler did it, but if you change the ending to point the maiden, the clues make no sense anymore; they are wrong or are lies, and I am not a liar. - GRRM