#robb mirroring ned himself during the rebellion

[kronulv]

you go to war to save your father and sisters. your sisters are lost (one deemed a traitor, the other lost), your father dead.

is the honor worth the pain?

[fineosaur]

first line game 

thank you for the tags @littlerockerao3 and @salty-wench, i haven’t done one of these in a while and this one was super fun to compile (fair warning this IS quite long)

rules: list the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). see if there are any patterns. choose your favourite opening line. then tag 10 of your favourite authors.

pieces of you stuck on me (but i’m careless and i’m wicked) -- a rickon x lyanna fwb multichap

He’d woken up alone, something he was often used to, but in the last months, he had grown more accustomed to waking up beside just one particular person. More or less a year if he was being honest with himself. But he wasn’t completely alone either, he was just alone in her bed.

we both coincide (when the world’s wasting time) -- a rickon x lyanna story that shows their relationship spanning over a few years

The moon is already out when he still finds himself at her side. She’s solid and warm in his embrace, swaying lazily with him to the strumming harp and the melodic voice that sing the words that seem to weave their way in his head, taking root as he tries to focus on just being there with her.

in the highlands of our dreams -- a single dad!rickon x lyanna fic that’s a lot on the softer side than my usual work

Most of his life had felt like there was an errant thumb on the fast forward button. At times he knew it had much to do with the way his thoughts often ran too fast, and even with long enough legs to chase them, they just kept their brisk pace. Other times, he wasn’t so much to blame. 

watch me wary -- a rickon x lyanna fic where rickon goes off the grid for a few years and has to come back to face his family (aka rickon’s apology tour)

“You’re late again, kid.”

He rolled his eyes despite the verity in the statement. Pulling off his helmet, he held a hand out to shake the shorter man’s hand. 

watch me wary (prequel) [title in progress] -- set in the stormlands 2 years after rickon leaves home and involves him falling in love with steffon seaworth

There was a feeling between relief and guilt that followed leaving home. Often times thought of as ‘running away’ or ‘disappearing’, at least ‘leaving home’ sounded so much more tempered. 

an empire for two -- a canon-divergent robb x theon & rickon x lyanna fic which involves established throbb and an arranged marriage for lyckon

It was warmer inside the castle. It always was; with the hot water from the springs running through its walls, the castle lived and breathed through each change of season, chilling winters and weeping summers, not buckling for any. 

where the stars do not take sides -- a oneshot set in a canon-divergent setting where rickon x lyanna spend a few last hours of peace together before they return to war

The snow falls around them rather gracefully. There’s often peace in the Godswood, and the distant howls of the wolves do nothing to deter from that. Though nightfall has come and its chill alike, they stand stiffly facing one another. 

be with you -- a rickon x steffon oneshot that shows their relationship as well as how they fell in love

The floor manages to feel warm despite the hour. If he thinks hard enough, he guesses that they’re one of the only two left there. 

His father’s office is littered in papers, stacks of words that blur into one with his boredom. Really what keeps him going is the way the man in front of him continues to push his mop of brown hair back, no matter how many times it falls back into his face as he leans over the glass desk. 

sight for sore eyes -- mixed pov which has tommen pining for rickon who is pining for lyanna — true heather style

There’s a moment of reprieve that comes once the moon has passed its apex. Its scattered light plays amongst the stars that pepper the sky and the hazy streetlights that guide them through the night. 

to feel like gold -- a lyanna x myrcella oneshot where myrcella chooses to indulge in a little rebellion with the girl that’s been on her mind for months

The room is almost too bright for her liking. It hardly fits her resentment. The brisk night air streaming through her windows suits her well enough, rippling over her arms in goosebumps as she feels the frown between her eyebrows deepen.

forest fires -- an arya x gendry oneshot set with a lunar eclipse and a brief moment of repose for the couple

The night’s brisk breeze doesn’t unsettle him like it used to.

It’s still cold though. The wind makes the hair on his arms stand up and he wonders why he hadn’t thought to wear a jumper over his thin cotton t-shirt.

help! -- a stark family -smutty crack fic- that involves ned and cat accidentally stumbling into each one of their kids in precarious situations with their partners

It almost felt like nothing had changed like her children were all still children.  Like they’d never flown the coup. But as she stood there, holding a jug of freshly squeezed orange juice, she knew that a lot had changed, that every one of her kids had grown up, fallen in love and were seemingly happy. It flooded her with such relief to know so, though the still gentle tug at her heart was there, telling her that her babies would no longer run to her begging to be held after a nightmare.  

it’s all hope -- canon compliant robb x theon oneshot that involves a love confession before theon sets off to pyke

Much like the fire within the hearth that beckoned him with its flickering warmth, he felt disquiet within himself.

The air felt thick, far more humid than that of the North’s. He could easily make out the Red Fork by where he stood, pulling at the laces of his tunic. It unsettled him, the rushing water, so fresh, unlike the brine of his home.

take one last look back-- a jon x satin drabble where the couple has a little spat in the car

The wind becomes distracting. With the way it whistles through his ears, blowing at those perfect curls of his, it even makes it abundantly clear how much his eyes sting.

When he leans back in his seat, his eyes meet the rearview mirror, where he can see his grey eyes, dark and stormy, the perfect juxtaposition to the gleaming sun that threatens a headache.

second nature -- a rickon x lyanna drabble that has a drunk rickon confessing his affections for his best friend, lyanna

She’s sitting in her car with one leg crossed when she sees him take a minute to check each side of the road before crossing. It’s 4 am, her car is really the only one on the road.

Her car is flanked on the side of the road and it’s completely unsurprising that his first instinct is to lower himself to her opened window and flash his stupidly white grin at her.

a troubled mind -- a robb x theon oneshot, after his parents’ deaths, robb overloads himself with responsibility and on the verge of falling apart he seeks comfort in the one person who’s always been there for him

He’s never gotten the opportunity to let it all get to him. There’s never been time for it. Not when there’s always been at least one other person that needs the safety his arms provide.

It’s part of being the oldest son, he tells himself far too often.

calmest wave -- an arya x gendry drabble, a post-show canon fix it where the couple are parents in the stormlands

The shattering waves could still be heard, breaking onto the rocky coast of Shipbreaker’s Bay, even from where they walked, with withered leaves crumbling underfoot.

There was tranquillity within the godswood, interspersed by the humidity carried across the Summer Sea and yet he still felt a breeze pick up, cooling him down as he gently held the small hand in his palm.

you were just dancing on your own -- an arya x gendry drabble where arya seeks comfort with gendry after a bad night

It’s still dark when Arya wakes up in her car; windshield covered in a think layer sleet. Her teeth chatter as she pulls her jumper tighter around herself, yellow haze in her eyes from the streetlights.

She’s in the passenger seat of her car, seat pushed back the most it can go. Her heater doesn’t work, no matter how much she bruises her knuckles against the vents.

high, high love -- an arya x gendry oneshot - set in the pieces of you stuck on me universe. after a few years away, arya returns to the man who she’s always loved

She had been back in Winterfell barely two weeks, in a way, things fell into place, though it was in the most disjointed way possible.

Arya found her footing, day by day, acclimating to the changes she had missed, she had to anyway; this was her family, and no matter how much they had changed, how many things she had missed, they made her feel like home, and she  was  back home now, for good.

stubborn-hearted blue -- an arya x gendry oneshot where arya moves into the same building as a man she had a fwb arrangement during her college days

She was still adjusting to life in the new city.

Arya hadn’t been in the Riverlands since university, and at this point, it felt like a lifetime ago, a distant memory, more like a dream. But now she had been back for almost a month and boxes still littered her living room, still waiting to be unpacked. between her new job and just trying not to pass out as soon as she was back home, there wasn’t much room for unpacking.

okay WOW i cant believe that managed to date back to over a year. this is pretty much a whole year of my writing summarised in opening lines. 

if it isnt obvious, about half of these have yet to be posted, but this was still fun to give a little teaser for those ones. 

i’ll be tagging @yanak324, @evax3, @selkiedams, @livhatesolives, @lightninginabottle0613, @watersandwolves, @estrangedandwayward, @jeynepoole, @sneetchstar, @treaddelicately, @bobafettsslut, @nalgenewhore

also, hi! enjoy! 

ps, i hope everyone is taking care of themselves and keeping safe x

[sailorshadzter]

and the wolves will come to take you home.

Chapter One. 

find me on ff.net 

He's not seen her in nearly ten years.

Despite how long it's been, he can still recall the glimmer of her smile in the morning sunlight, that day she left. He can still remember the pure happiness that lit her up from the inside out. It's been ten years, but he still remembers.

The King in the North isn't quite certain how he's gotten himself here. Well, that's not true, he supposes, he knows what's brought him here. He's been summoned by King Joffrey (ordered more like it) because of the crown he had accepted just a few weeks before. With the help of the free folk he had befriended during his years with the Night's Watch, Jon had reclaimed Winterfell in the name of House Stark from the Bolton's. And though his last name was Snow, the Northern lords named him their king. He knows it belongs to Sansa, the oldest surviving child of Ned Stark, but his letter to her had gone unanswered. That had left him with little choice but to accept the crown offered to him. He wouldn't let the North fall into usurper's hands ever again.

"Your grace?"

He turns, it's Ser Davos, the man he calls his Hand, an unlikely ally he found in Stannis Baratheon's once most loyal man. "Are we close?" Jon asks, gesturing towards the Red Keep just there in the distance. The streets as busy as they ride through, though many stop to gawk at the black clad king in his furs.

"The archway just here leads right to the Keep," Davos replies, pointing to the stone arch some yards ahead. Etched into the stone is a Lannister lion and a Stark wolf, which Jon finds amusing, considering Joffrey was a Baratheon. It just proved how much control that Lannister witch and her family had over the king and his court. "I'm certain the Lannister's will be waiting for your arrival." Jon smirks and kicks his horse into a faster pace, suddenly quite eager to dismount and find his sister.

Just as Davos had predicted, the three Lannister siblings stood in a semi circle at the top of the stone stairs, just outside the double doors that would lead inside the Keep. Jon squints as he slows his horse to a stop at the base of the steps, looking up at the golden siblings standing just above him. Tyrion Lannister was as he had been when Jon had met him all those years ago, though with a few new scars on his ugly face. Jaime Lannister was still a handsome lion of a man, though his golden hair had been cropped short and he sports a beard. Then there's Cersei, the king's mother, with her green eyes and long, golden hair, he supposes she's a beautiful woman, but not really his taste. She wears a blue gown with sweeping sleeves and gold thread running through the length of the skirt. The elaborate head piece she wears is more like a crown and Jon wonders if Joffrey is even king at all.

"Welcome to King's Landing, my lord." Cersei is the first to speak, descending a single step, skirts trailing behind her. Her pointed use of my lord makes Jon chuckle and beside him, Davos prickles. "I hope your journey was a pleasant one." Anyone who traveled the road between King's Landing and Winterfell knew it was a long, hard one.

"It was well enough, thank you." Jon replies, putting a hand in front of Davos to keep him from interrupting.

They're led up the steps and into the Keep, a massive place that's well lit with a golden glow. The Lannister's are quite rich, he remembers, and considering the Tyrell's they've married into, their riches have only tripled. He catches sight of a set of doors, doors that surely must lead to the throne room. "This way, Jon Snow," Cersei Lannister's voice brings him back, making him realize he's fallen out of pace with all of the others. "You will meet with the king soon enough," her smile is like that of a serpent and Jon can't help but to shudder. He wonders how his sister has lived with these people all these years, when he can't stand them even for a few minutes.

He's settled into his rooms a few minutes later and Jon can do nothing but pace, now that he's here he feels trapped, he feels like a wolf pacing its cage.

[ x x x ]

"He's here?"

She turns away from the looking glass, eyes seeking out Shae's gentle brown eyes; Shae was the only person in all of the world that she could trust and when she nods, Sansa knows it's time. A strange warmth rushes through her and she swivels back around in her chair to give herself one last look in the mirror. "I can't believe he's here..." She murmurs as she looks into her own reflection, reaching up a hand to touch the soft coil of braids at the back of her head. Though Joffrey prefers when she wears her hair like his mother, she's adopted a style more seen in the North, a style her own mother had worn more than once. Despite living in the world of the Lannister's, she tries to keep her own Northern roots a part of her. Though Cersei Lannister controls how she walks, talks, and dresses, Sansa never takes off the direwolf pendant from around her neck. It hangs low on a silver chain, given to her by her father many years ago.

It's been nearly ten years now since she's last seen anyone in her family- and though back then she might have called Jon her bastard brother, now she longs to see him as much as she longed to see any of the others. Not that she could see any of the others, of course. Her mother and father were both dead, Robb was dead, and the youngest ones... Bran, Arya, and Rickon had been missing for several years now. Jon was the only family she had left.

A knock sounds on her door and she flinches, she can't help it. Shae notices and her heart sinks but she calms her anger so she might turn and open the door. It is Jaime Lannister, come to escort Sansa down to the throne room. "It is time to greet our guest," Jaime says as he steps into the room, eyeing his niece with that same green-eyed gaze of his sister. Jaime offers her his arm and Sansa loops her arm with his, her other lifting her long silk skirts as they began to make their way down the hall. "Your bastard brother is every inch a Stark, you know." Jaime says as they go, surprising the young queen. It was true, she recalled how much Jon had looked like a Stark back when they were kids. Such a thing had made it all the more painful for her mother, that her husband's bastard looked more like him than any of his true born sons.

They step into the throne room from the back door and she can see that Joffrey already sits upon his. "Husband," she murmurs when she's let go of Jaime's arm and come around front, dipping her husband a quick curtsy. He waves his hand at her, gesturing for her to sit, and she does so, hyper aware of how quickly her heart has begun to beat. It's always like this, she knows, when she must come face to face with her horrid excuse of a husband. Fear creeps into her heart and settles onto her soul, it's an imprint upon her existence. Though Joffrey did not raise a physical hand to her (his men were there for that) he caused her plenty of pain in other ways.

"I've traded one troublesome Stark brother for another," Joffrey seethes to her as he sits more upright, casting a glare in her direction. "The White Wolf will last about as long as the Young Wolf, I think." He means to insult the memory of Robb, who was called the Young Wolf by all of the North, dead at the hands of the Lannister's order. "And I see you wear a new gown- thinking you might impress your bastard brother?" He asks, his voice scathing, and Sansa keeps her gaze straight ahead. She knows better than to provoke him when he's like this. The last time she'd done such a thing, she'd carried the bruises for weeks. "He'll leave here as Lord Commander or he won't leave at all." He means to continue, but his mother steps up to stand beside his side of the thrones, her gentle touch the only thing able to calm him.

Up ahead, the doors open and she sees him.

He is as she remembers him- wild, dark curls with those solemn Stark colored eyes. What Jaime Lannister had told her was true, he was his father's son without question, he was truly a Stark. Seeing him reminds him of Arya and the pain that rushes through her is so strong she must hold her breath to keep from crying out. Jon approaches the dais and bows low, first to Joffrey and then in turn to her. Their eyes meet as he raises his gaze up and she feels her heart skip a beat. "Welcome to King's Landing," Joffrey says, shifting how he sits upon the Iron Throne, his dark green eyes narrowing slightly as they fall upon the Northern bastard.

Jon cannot believe how beautiful she's become.

Sansa was always lovely- always the prettiest of the Stark children, everyone said so, but now... She had grown into a creature so lovely Jon was certain she could not be real. Her Tully red hair was long, elaborately braided like a Northern queen, with a golden crown upon her head. Her gown mimicked that of the one Cersei wore, with long sweeping sleeves and a sqaure cut neckline that was just low enough to show off the swell of her breasts. Jon starts, realizing these are all thoughts a man should not have about his sister and so he tears his gaze from hers, but feels empty when he does. "Thank you, your grace." Jon says, hoping his voice does not betray the dozens of thoughts and feelings racing through him.

"You know why I've sent for you then?" Joffrey asks, settling back, hands gripping the uncomfortable arms of the chair he's sitting in. He hates the Iron Throne, if he's honest, but it is his all the same. "I am the King of the Seven Kingdoms and yet you dare to name yourself King of one of those kingdoms. You and the North are in open rebellion against me." His tone is dangerous, but his eyes are menacing. It would seem the rumors of this king's madness might not have been just rumors. "It is out of the love I bear my queen that I have not had you murdered in your bed," the king spits out, shaking his golden head. Jon spares Sansa a quick glance and notes the look upon her face- as if she is wearing a mask that is moments from slipping. "Denounce your so called throne and bend the knee to me and we will overlook this little act of rebellion."

Jon returns his gaze to the king and sighs, closing his eyes for one long moment. "No," he finally says when he opens his eyes again. "I cannot do that." He goes on, speaking before Joffrey's anger spilled over. "I was chosen to protect the North and I will do just that." Beside the king, Sansa's face changes, something like relief spreading into her eyes. "I've come for more reason than to challenge you on who rules what kingdom," Jon says, knowing if nothing else, he must do this.

"What else could bring a traitor to his own death?" Joffrey glares at him from where he sits and it is Sansa who looks to him then, her blue eyes full of worry when she hears the tone he speaks in.

"The Night King is coming."

Every pair of eyes in the room focus on the King in the North then, all etched with surprise, some even amusement. It is only Sansa who turns to look at him with true concern, having heard the stories of the white walkers during childhood. Of course, most just said the story of the Night King was just that- a story- but seeing Jon's face made her question those stories. "The Night King?" Joffrey laughs, thinking this to be a distraction from the true problem at hand. "You come all this way to speak of ghost stories?" Behind him, Cersei approaches, a hand once again settling upon the king's shoulder. "No matter, such things can be discussed at another time." Joffrey sits up straighter and Cersei steps back. "I have matters of the realm to attend to, we shall talk again, bastard of Winterfell." He rises up to his feet and offers Sansa his arm, which she takes without a word, rising up to surprise Jon with her height. She is tall and thin like a willow tree and he sees now that her hair is so long that it nearly brushes her waist. She casts him only one backwards glance before she vanishes through the door with Joffrey.

When she's gone, Jon feels cold.

[ x x x ]

"You must speak with him."

Sansa stares into Shae's eyes, hands clutching together in her lap. "He is your brother, he will help you." Shae goes on, reaching out to touch her queen's shoulder. They have been together several years now and Shae knew this could be the only chance at saving Sansa from the misery that was her life in King's Landing. But, Sansa shakes her head, turning around to face the mirror, reaching up to begin pulling pins from her hair.

It's late and they've just returned to her rooms from the main hall, having spent many hours drinking and dancing after the feast. Joffrey had been drunk and stumbled off to his own chambers with his latest mistress, leaving Sansa a night alone. "I can't ask such a thing of him." Is all she says, hands lowering only when Shae's take over. Jon could not save her from her fate- no one could. Sansa had long since given up on her dream of being rescued from the abuse of King's Landing and had rather hardened her heart against it. The people of Westeros called her the Ice Queen, a queen who never smiled, a sad queen. And yet they loved her for it. They cheered her on the streets, they prayed for her in their septs, they adored their Northern born queen more than their bastard born king. Most people knew that their king's birth was questionable, all of his siblings were thought to be born of their own uncle's loins, but there were none alive who were brave enough to question it. Sansa's own father had once tried and had lost his head for it.

When the pins have all been pulled from her hair and she's stripped from her long, heavy gown, a knock sounds on her door. Surprise filters through her and Sansa nods at Shae, giving her permission to open it as she tugs her dressing robe on over her white nightgown. Thinking it will be Joffrey or perhaps a maid with a glass of wine, she bends over the trunk at the end of her bed, rummaging through it for the gown she thinks she might wear tomorrow. "Sansa..." The gown falls from her hands as she slowly rises up, turning around at the sound of her name on his lips. It's the first time in years that she's heard her name spoken in such a way, the way her father had once said it.

"Jon..." She whispers, taking a single step towards him, heart hammering so hard within her chest she thinks surely he must hear it. That is all it takes before he's striding across the room and taking her into his arms, the force of his embrace sweeping her off of her feet. "I can't believe you're here," she whispers into his neck, his arms tight around her waist, hers draped across his shoulders.

He's breathing in the scent of her; rosewater and tears, her hair as soft as he had imagined it to be. Setting her back onto her feet, Jon cannot let her go and so his hands remain at her her hips, the feel of them sharp beneath his palms. She is thin, he realizes, thinner than a noble woman might usually be, and worry rushes through him. Standing here so close to her, he notices things he had not noticed in the throne room and suddenly the urge to smuggle her away returns to him. "I came because the threat of the Night King is real, but also... I wanted to see you." He admits softly, voice raspy, a thread. It's true, they hadn't had the best relationship as kids, but she was the only family he had left. He had to see her.

Across the room, Shae ducks behind a curtain, out of sight, but a chaperone to the queen's good name. She knows what will happen if word got out that a man had visited the queen's rooms, half brother or not. "He won't rest until you give up your crown." She says softly, shaking her vibrant red head, blue eyes finding his. "Not with Cersei in his ear." She worries for him now, making an enemy of the Lannister's. She knows what they can do to people they view as a threat.

"I care little for the crown, it should be yours, anyways." Jon says with a shake of his own head. "It won't matter when the Night King comes. He will kill us all if we don't do something to stop him." In the movements of their embrace, the long chain she wears tucked against her chest has come loose and it hangs over her gown, prompting Jon to reach for it. It's a well made silver direwolf pendant, something Ned Stark had given her for her nameday that summer before they had all left Winterfell. Returning his gaze to hers, Jon smiles, his heart skipping a single beat. When Sansa's lips curve with a smile of her own, Jon feels a warmth rush through his entire being, a feeling quite unlike anything he's ever felt before.

She gestures then for him to sit and she pours him a goblet of ale from the pitcher on her desk. They settle into chairs and they begin to talk; they talk until they laugh, until they cry. They talk about the past and they talk about the present. It isn't until hours before the morning call comes that they part ways, Jon returning to the rooms given to him earlier that day. "Get some sleep," she says as he slips from her rooms and into the darkened hall, unaware of the eyes that watch him go from around another corner.

When she shuts the door behind him, Sansa leans back against the door, her heart racing. She dares not feel happy, but she can't stop the flicker of it from rising up in her body. For the first time in years, she had something to hold onto.

But she was right to be wary, for what good thing could ever truly last?

[lilbreck]

AGoT Prologue - Chapter 3: Daenerys I

Notes:

Since I’m going to be more than likely addressing GRRM in a… less than praising manner a lot of the time, I’m going to call him Mr. Martin here. It’s my way of trying to soften my attack.

To the people who refer to the chapters only as the POV [insert number], what did chapter numbers ever do to you? Did they poison your dog, dry up your well, and run off with your girl? What the fuck did they ever do to you? To whoever didn’t put the chapter number in the actual chapters of this book: I fucking hate you.

Mr. Martin, have you ever actually interacted with children? Because, going by your writing, it doesn’t seem like you have. While Dany’s advanced mental age could be due to a life the run due to her brother’s paranoia and his probable mental, emotional, and physical abuse, I side eye why Bran is written so old.

Having said all that. I have the maps open, the appendix with children’s ages a click away, and I am ready to read.

Prologue

Royce is pretty much a young Hot Topic manager that everyone who works with him secretly (and not-so secretly) thinks is fucking useless and full of himself. He also apparently has the survival instincts if a particularly stupid rock.

But, hey, he’s a sharply dressed pretentious idiot!

They do a really good job of describing how it feels to freeze to death. Damn. I also like the that Others don’t appear to be mindless. It makes them far more threatening, IMO. I also like that it’s not just the dead coming back, there’s that supernatural cold that comes with them that just adds an edge of terror to it all.

Question: To those who use this prologue to speculate on Jon’s future (because of how it kind of mirrors his death), does the fact that Royce was blinded before he died change the idea for you that Jon might lose an eye? Just curious.

Chapter 1: Bran I

Age 7

And we’re going to have a seven-year-old see a man beheaded. Life’s hard, y’all. It’s the third guy from the prologue so I guess he ran fast enough for the Others not to get him? It’s interesting that, apparently, Ned didn’t tell them any of what was going on, just that they were off to behead someone. I say this because Robb was under the impression they were going to kill a wilding sworn to Mance Rayder. Speaking of wildings, can I just say, there is some major anti-wilding propaganda coming from Old Nan. I wonder how much of it is close to what they’re like. Obviously not the laying with Others bit.

You have to wonder, if it’s not even winter yet, and their breath is already showing… how fucking cold does it get in the North? Also, how many thirty-five-year-olds is Bran seeing to recognize that his father may look older than thirty-five? Most kids I know either think their parents are forever the same age, or always old. Or, you know, both.

Theon (who is about five years older than both Jon and Robb) is an ass. He just straight up laughed when a man got his head cut off and then kicked the head away. I’m with Jon.

I see we have the first sign that Jon sees a lot that others don’t (the man was afraid). Also, I wonder how long he’s been calling Robb “Stark”. I wonder if this is only under certain circumstances, or if it’s all the time. It’s been a long ass time since I’ve read this.

I’d like to take a moment to say that I’ve been thinking a bit more harshly of Cat than I possibly should have. I forgot that Jon and Robb are the same age. What this means is that, as far as Cat knows, as soon as Ned got her pregnant, he fucked off South and got another woman pregnant. Now, we know that’s not what happened, but still.

I also completely forgot that the direwolf they found had been killed by, presumably, a stag. Damn, but Theon was fucking eager to kill the pups. I mean, it’s easy to say “of course” since when know what happens now, but still…

And Bran noticing that Jon had deliberately excluded himself as Ned’s son, even called him “Lord Stark”, in order to save the pups. I’m all emotional over here.

This chapter we see that Theon’s an ass, Jon is willing to draw attention to what probably hurts him the most to save even puppies lives, and Jon either has some freaky sensitive ears, or there’s already a call between the direwolves and the Starks. I’m guessing the latter.

Chapter 2: Catelyn I

Age (32 or 33, IIRC)

Married to Ned – 15 years.

I really like how the differences in religion really say a lot about the mindsets of Southern houses and Northern houses. Now, when she (and everyone, I assume) refer to “the children of the forest”, I’m assuming they mean a people, not just actual children roaming around the forest. I’m putting that out there, because you can never really tell in fantasy.

I think it says a lot that, even after years, and a political marriage turned to love and trust, she still doesn’t seem comfortable with their religion. She even talks about how the eyes of the heart tree followed her. She still very much views herself as a Southerner. I wonder if, when she married Ned, she brought any lady’s maids or anything of that nature with her. Other Southerners to help her feel less isolated. I’m thinking not, and I feel so much for her.

Chapter 3: Daenerys I

Age 13

Okay, give that she’s a year younger than Jon, I want to know the timeline for Rhaegar’s death, Aerys’ death, and the birth of these two. I’m sure there’s a timeline somewhere, I’ll look it up later.

I like that Dany is smart enough to question what Illyrio wants from them if he’s giving them so much, though I have to wonder what she went through to make her ask that. Also, I don’t like Viserys right off that bat. He fucking twisted her damn nipple, painfully.

Okay, so I’ve got a bit of the answer to the timeline question I had. During Robert’s Rebellion, Viserys was eight, but Dany was still an early stage pregnancy, if I’m interpreting “only a quickening in their mother’s womb” correctly. So, while not exactly a year younger than Robb and Jon, it’s close enough. And she’s going to be riding to “reclaim” a home she’s never had, seeing as she doesn’t even remember Dragonstone, and she was still with a wet-nurse when they fled there. Already I just want this poor girl freed from her brother and taken some place safe and warm where she can be a child like she obviously wants to. Maybe find a w ay to return to Braavos.

It’s also interesting to see the different views that we have on the Rhaegar and Lyanna story. The first we hear of it, he was battling and dying for the woman he loved. Of course, Dany’s only getting her information from her brother, so everything has to be taken with a grain of salt. Also, how much of their wondering was actually because of people after them, and how much was her brother’s paranoia. After all, Dany does say she never saw anyone.

Just going by Dany’s descriptions, Viserys has been full on mad for a while now. IIRC, in the show, the bath scene with Dany was mean to show that she was resistant to heat. However, in the book the servants/slaves never comment on the heat. Dany does, but she only says she likes the heat because it makes her feel clean and her brother is telling her that it was never too hot for a Targaryen. So, yeah, I’m thinking that “heat resistance” in the show has nothing to do with the book.

Poor Dany doesn’t even have a moment to pretend this is anything other than her being sold. She quickly makes the connection between the young slave’s comment about Drogo’s slaves wearing gold collars and the gold collar that’s put on her. Fuck Viserys.

Oh, I didn’t realize we got a reference to the red priests and the Lord of Light this early on. Heh. Wow, they are spread far and wide, aren’t they?

I’d like to point out that Dany has a far better bullshit detector than her brother. She’s probably had to develop a habit of being able to read people because her brother seems quick to lash out. Also notice that Viserys claims to be the last dragon… while his sister is standing right next to him. He is damn far gone.

Okay, there is obviously so much wrong with the Dany and Drogo pairing. Let’s skip over the fact that her brother is selling her to him, because that’s a common thing through this series / time. Dany is thirteen here, Drogo is about thirty. Aren’t we all glad they aged a lot of the characters up for the show? Another thing that should set off red flags is how much Drogo frightens Dany just from how fucking mean he looks.

“I’d let his whole khalasar fuck you if need be, sweet sister, all forty thousand men, and their horses too if that was what it took to get my army. Be grateful it is only Drogo. In time you may even learn to like him. Now dry your eyes. Illyrio is bringing him over, and he will not see you crying.”

Yeah, everyone involved in this (save Dany, of course) needs to die painfully. Like, you know how Vlad would impale people and the pole would go through them from ass to brain, but sometimes it wouldn’t get the brain and they’d be left up there to slowly die? I want that to happen to these people.

 We’ll leave off here and read three or four more chapters tomorrow. Hell, maybe more. We’ll see. However, feel free to comment away. Let me know if there’s something I missed, or if you want to talk about any specific thing.

Just remember, it’s been a long time since I’ve read this, so I’m only familiar with the first three chapters so far.

[dizknowzmoviezandtvshowz]

Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 1: Dragonstone

After more than a year of anticipation, theorizing, yearning, over-analyzing, and re-watching, Winter is finally here. I want to take time to both analyze the episode, and hypothesize about what is coming next. If you haven’t watched yet, mind the meme above, Spoilers are coming.

In King’s Landing:

We see Queen Cersei, first of her name, speaking with the commander of the Lannister forces Jaime Lannister.They converse about being surrounded on all sides by enemies (Olenna Tyrell to the West, Jon Snow to the North, Sand Snakes to the South, and Dany and Tyrion to their East). Jaime points out that they have no allies, nor heirs for this new dynasty, Cersei says something about being the queen anyway and that she has an idea. During this whole conversation I thought of this...

To me Cersei is everything we feared Joffrey would be. She’s unpredictable, lacks diplomacy, and doesn’t seem to have a plan that doesn’t involve killing all who oppose her. We then get a smash cut to Euron Greyjoy pleading his case for an alliance (and a marriage which Jaime wasn’t crazy about) with the Lannisters. We hear about commonalities between the two (traitorous family members) and more importantly we hear of some of Euron’s backstory.

Maester’s Note:

Euron was a major part of the Greyjoy Rebellion which took place roughly six years after King Robert’s Rebellion. Euron and the Iron Fleet destroy the Lannisters ships and sack Lannisport (the trade hub of the west). Balon declares himself King of the Iron Islands. King Robert sends a force consisting of Stannis Baratheon, Eddard Stark, Tywin and Jaime Lannister to crush the upstarts from the Iron Islands. The end result was a Greyjoy defeat. Euron was exiled, and all but one of Balon’s sons were killed. The surviving son Theon was given to Eddard Stark as a hostage.

Now in KL Euron was not able to gain the alliance he desired initially, but vowed he would not return until he had a “priceless gift” for Cersei. What this gift may be has many fans hypothesizing. Many that I’ve spoken to think it’s going to be Tyrion, but that seems both too obvious and way too difficult (more on Tyrion later). My sister thinks it will be one of the spare Sand Snakes to go after the vengeful Queen’s heart. But I think a much more perfect target will be fan favorite Olenna Tyrell. She’s old, she has no family, she is presumably in Highgarden still, and her death will be both extremely satisfying to Cersei, and actually help their cause of feeding their troops during the Winter.

In the North:

Bran, Meera and the vastly underutilized Dolorous Edd are at the Wall. Bran mentions Hardhome and the army of the undead to seemingly convince the Night’s Watch to allow the two safe passage. Word of Bran will surely reach Jon at Winterfell and could further complicate things.

Jon and Sansa have their first argument in regards to the Umbers and Karstarks, in which ultimately Jon overrules her and forgives the children of these traitorous houses. Sansa and Jon have an extremely tense conversation about this decision. Sansa believes Jon is being too soft and seems to be channeling her inner Cersei “Be smarter than father and Robb” though if we think of their mistakes Robb killing papa Karstark for defying him and killing the young Lannister cousins, and Ned both failing to side with Renly, ordering Sandor Clegane’s death, and trusting the wrong people. Jon seems aware of this and understands the two bigger pictures. The Night’s King and the White Walker army, and another thing that reminds me of the great Tywin:

Littlefinger tries to deepen the wedge between Sansa and Jon. Tormund flirts so hard at Brienne, Lyanna Mormont shows she’s the baddest motherfucker in Westeros, but not much else of note happens in Winterfell.

In the Riverlands:

Arya continues to warm all of our hearts by killing the Frey’s and then she runs into Ed Sheeran and other Lannisters men at arms. Arya seemed surprised by how human and how likeable these men are. The novels do a great job of this with Daven and Genna Lannister while Jaime helps them take back the Riverlands. Arya vows to kill Cersei, all laugh, and I’m left longing for a Nymeria reunion. Further North, and presumably to the east towards the Vale, we see The Hound, Beric Dondarrion, my dog Thoros of Myr, and the rest of the Brotherhood without Banners heading north. We learn that their purpose is to stop the army of the Night, and they are heading for Eastwatch-By-The-Sea which will lead to the Brotherhood meeting up with the Night’s Watch, and hopefully Jon.

Everywhere Else:

Samwell Tarly is in Oldtown training to be a Maester (and you thought you had a shit job) and we learn 3 things. Jorah is being studied for his Greyscale. There is a mountain of Dragonglass at Dragonstone. Finally the Maester’s believe Sam, but they see this as no major threat as long as The Wall stands. (spoiler alert this means the wall will fall)

I’ll end this with where the episode ended it. Dragonstone. Daenerys finally walks on Westerosi soil. She’s accompanied by her usual crew. They tear down the Flaming heart of the Rightful King Stannis Baratheon, and get to work. Based on their location, I imagine them plunging further inland than marching straight to King’s Landing. I see a battle at Harrenhall coming, which would lead to a beautiful parallel with the books, and the past. It was at Harrenhall where Aegon the Conqueror scorched the great fortress during the first Targaryen Conquest.

Predictions:

We see Ellaria and Yara enjoying a smooch, then Yara demanding they march on King’s Landing...cool...more importantly we see Northern lords saying the Targaryens can’t be trusted. Another possible wedge between Sansa and Jon will come up. Will Jon mirror Torrhen Stark and be the Stark King to bow to the Targaryens? Or is marriage going to be the next most likely option? I can’t wait for this season.