#‘i thought i was the warrior and cersei was the maid’ | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

agentrouka-blog · 10 months ago

Note

The rulers of Tarth are called "the Evenstar" and "Evenstar" is the famous nickname of Arwen in LOTR. Does this mean that Martin is pointing out Brienne and Jaime as the Arwen and Aragorn of ASOIAF ? Since Brienne will eventually become lady of Tarth after the death of her father Selwyn. But Brienne is also a blonde warrior lady like Eowyn. Should either parallel be seen as meaningful ?

Hi there!

I am not a LOTR expert by any stretch of the imagination, so I wouldn't be able to give you a credible answer on the finer details of that nickname within those books.

(I do, however, doubt that it's meant to imply a parallel between this couple and Jaime and Brienne, mainly because they don't share literally any other parallels with these characters either jointly or separately, that I can think of. Eowyn comes closer, but that doesn't make Jaime any kind of Aragorn.)

An interesting I thing I found after a cursory search is that Arwen got this nickname in reference to the world as they knew it nearing its end. If that's true, then that's rather melancholy, but it would fit with the general theme in ASOIAF of upheaval, endings and renewal, best summed up by Leaf, one of the children of the forest:

The gods gave us long lives but not great numbers, lest we overrun the world as deer will overrun a wood where there are no wolves to hunt them. That was in the dawn of days, when our sun was rising. Now it sinks, and this is our long dwindling. The giants are almost gone as well, they who were our bane and our brothers. The great lions of the western hills have been slain, the unicorns are all but gone, the mammoths down to a few hundred. The direwolves will outlast us all, but their time will come as well. In the world that men have made, there is no room for them, or us." (ADWD, Bran III)

This imagery of the setting sun is matched by the concept of the Evenstar and both of these indicate endings.

Something often overlooked is that Cersei shares this imagery, too.

All hail his lady mother, Cersei of House Lannister, Queen Regent, Light of the West, and Protector of the Realm." (AGOT, Sansa V)

Also in reference to Tywin, her father:

By the time they left Maegor's Holdfast, the sky had turned a deep cobalt blue, though the stars still shone. All but one, Cersei thought. The bright star of the west has fallen, and the nights will be darker now. (AFFC, Cersei I)

Warden of the West, in the westerlands, the Lannisters in all the glittering golden light are still associated with the finality of the sunset and evening.

The evenstar and the morning star both actually refer to the same thing, though: the planet venus, all depending on its visibility in the night sky. It was also historically referred to as "lucifer", which can be translated as "lightbringer", the name of the sword forged by Azor Ahai, which is a hugely ambivalent tale in the books and resonates with both Dany's dragons and several special swords named in the series. The powerful weapon as a mark of a hero or a knight is a central theme in the series, and GRRM is begging us to look closer at what is truly heroic and what is merely a show of power or conceit.

An interesting twist here is that Brienne's House and island of Tarth is equally ambivalent. Their arms are sun and moon both. And their seat has an interesting predecessor associated with a significant knight.

The Sapphire Isle, as some call it, is ruled by House Tarth of Evenfall Hall—an old family of Andal descent that boasts of ties to the Durrandons, the Baratheons, and more recently to House Targaryen. Once kings in their own right, the Lords of Tarth still style themselves "the Evenstar," a title that they claim goes back unto the dawn of days. Many of the folk of Tarth, highborn and low alike, claim descent from a legendary hero, Ser Galladon of Morne, who was said to wield a sword called the Just Maid given to him by the Seven themselves. Given the role that the Just Maid plays in Ser Galladon's tale, Maester Hubert, in his Kin of the Stag, has suggested that Galladon of Morne was no rude warrior of the Age of Heroes turned into a knight by singers a thousand years later, but an actual historic figure of more recent times. Hubert also notes that Morne was a royal seat of petty kings on the eastern coast of Tarth until the Storm Kings made them submit, but that its ruins indicate that the site was made by Andals, not First Men. (The World of Ice and Fire - The Stormlands: The Men of the Stormlands)

Evenstar and Evenfall vs. the Morning. Obviously, there's a hidden history there that may be as interesting as the more recent connection of House Tarth to Duncan the Tall, another noted knight. But clearly, we are seeing a tension here between evening and morning. Brienne is the daughter of the Evenstar, but must she be an evenstar herself?

Given Brienne's connections to knighthood, to Galladon whose story she tells in AFFC, it may well be that she herself represents that renewal, a shift from evening to morning. Where the story of Duncan is one of disintegrating ideals, Brienne represents the choice to uphold them. She chooses to take up Duncan's abandoned arms, commissioning to have them painted on her shield:

It was more a picture than a proper coat of arms, and the sight of it took her back through the long years, to the cool dark of her father's armory. She remembered how she'd run her fingertips across the cracked and fading paint, over the green leaves of the tree, and along the path of the falling star. (AFFC, Brienne II)

Which GRRM goes out of his way to associated with finality and endings:

She had made a better job of it than he could ever have hoped for. Even by lantern light, the sunset colors were rich and bright, the tree tall and strong and noble. The falling star was a bright slash of paint across the oaken sky. Yet now that Dunk held it in his hands, it seemed all wrong. The star was falling, what sort of sigil was that? Would he fall just as fast? And sunset heralds night. "I should have stayed with the chalice," he said miserably. "It had wings, at least, to fly away, and Ser Arlan said the cup was full of faith and fellowship and good things to drink. This shield is all painted up like death." "The elm's alive," Pate pointed out. "See how green the leaves are? Summer leaves, for certain. (The Hedge Knight)

The falling shooting being likened to death is another interesting nod to the comet that lights the sky through much of ACOK. The one that heralded the birth of the dragons. Death.

It is the tree that represents life here. Given this context, Duncan's arms may not be her final arms.

A parallel in terms of imagery, knighthood and even history, may be House Dayne. Much like House Dayne (of Starfall) has an ancient origin and a fancy special sword named Dawn, you could argue that it has fallen from grace, the last "Sword of the Morning" (named so for the star constellation only visible before dawn) having been killed after guarding an imprisoned teenaged girl dying from childbirth. That's not knightly honor. Gerold Dayne is called "Darkstar" and describes himself as "of the night". He does not carry Dawn. Ham-fisted metaphors, no?

This is all my convoluted way of saying that no, I don't think this nickname is meant to tie Brienne and Jaime to Aragorn and Arwen, but rather part of a broader metaphor for disintegration and renewal, especially in association with knighthood, all expressed through Brienne herself.

Brienne, caught between Duncan (evening) and Galladon (morning), represents renewal, life, the way forward.

Jaime lacks this imagery entirely. He's no Aragorn. He's walking into the sunset with the Light of the West.

#brienne of tarth #star imagery #sunset imagery #metaphors #knighthood #true knights #false knights #anti braime #<- for filtering

22 notes · View notes

jedimaesteryoda · 10 months ago

Text

"I'd waited long enough. I hated watching Robert stumble to your bed every night, always wondering if maybe this night he'd decide to claim his rights as husband." -ASOS, Jaime IX Jaime Lannister put a hand on the king's shoulder, but the king shoved him away hard. Lannister stumbled and fell. The king guffawed. "The great knight. I can still knock you in the dirt. Remember that, Kingslayer." He slapped his chest with the jeweled goblet, splashing wine all over his satin tunic. "Give me my hammer and not a man in the realm can stand before me!" -AGOT, Sansa II

Jaime and Robert's relationship can be described as one of mutual jealousy in spite of their similarities. Both are noted warrior who killed Targaryens in relationships with Cersei, and down to having children killed with Robert ordering Dany's murder and Jaime pushing Bran out a window.

Robert secretly envied Jaime for being the image of what Robert once was in his youth before he had gone to seed: the handsome, prodigious warrior. Jaime envied Robert for being married to Cersei and being able to lay with her whenever he wanted as well as being celebrated for killing a Targaryen.

Craven, Jaime thought, as Brienne fought to stifle her moans. Can it be? They took my sword hand. Was that all I was, a sword hand? Gods be good, is it true? -ASOS, Jaime IV "Rhaegar … Rhaegar won, damn him. I killed him, Ned, I drove the spike right through that black armor into his black heart, and he died at my feet. They made up songs about it. Yet somehow he still won. He has Lyanna now, and I have her." The king drained his cup. -AGOT, Eddard X

Jaime didn't know that killing Rhaegar never brought Robert any peace as it didn't replace the loss of Lyanna anymore than his marriage to Cersei. Robert never realized that in spite of being the handsome, famously skilled knight he wished he still was, it didn't bring Jaime any happiness. If anything, Jaime built his whole identity around his martial ability, and wanted to die after losing his hand.

They also share a lack of self-awareness with Jaime saying people only hate him for killing Aerys when he pushed a child out a window, and Robert saying his marriage was failing because Lyanna was the only woman for him rather than him being a shitty husband.

Jaime loses his famous martial ability as Robert does, but where they differ is how they choose to respond. While initially, Jaime has the same ableist attitude as Robert with regards to debilitating injuries, ie better to die than be a cripple, he moves past that.

When Robert lost his martial ability, he didn't try to find new skills like in administering his realm. He just drank, feasted, hunted and whored dumping all the responsibility of ruling onto his Hands. He also isn't active in his kids' lives, dumping that onto Cersei and the septas. After losing his hand, Jaime worked on rebuilding his identity, and learns to use his head in solving problems rather than his sword exemplified by his taking Riverrun without battle. Jaime tries to be more active in his kids' lives such as when he gives emotional support to Tommen and backs him against Cersei. He chooses to be kore active in politics and do what Robert should have dine to check Cersei. He also tries to adhere to the values he once looked up to in his youth.

I thought that I was the Warrior and Cersei was the Maid, but all the time she was the Stranger, hiding her true face from my gaze. -AFFC, Jaime IV

Jaime later realizes that Cersei wasn't all she was cracked up to be, and by AFFC, he effectively dumps her. He seems to be doing what Robert didn't do, and moving on with someone else who interestingly enough, is the image of Lyanna: a highborn girl who loves chivalry, swords and participates in a tourney.

#asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #house lannister #jaime lannister #robert baratheon

20 notes · View notes

inlovewithquotes · 1 year ago

Text

I thought that I was the Warrior and Cersei was the Maid, but all the time she was the Stranger, hiding her true face from my gaze.

-Jaime Lannister

#quotes #book quotes #literature #books & libraries #life quotes #relationship quotes #george rr martin #asoiaf #asoiaf quotes #a song of ice and fire #a feast for crows #affc #jaime lannister #jaime x cersei

5 notes · View notes

themotherofblood · 2 years ago

Text

Call It What You Want

Tywin Lannister x Reader

Tears of Gold AU

A/N: okie now we get fluffy Tywin for little bit.

tw: smut!!!! Dom/Sub dynamics. In the word’s of Charles Dance himself doggie fashion sex. Wax play!!!

Lord Tywin of House Lannister yet again found himself with hope. Of doing better than the time before. His sons laid babbling in their bassinets as their mother rested. He had always admired youre strength but after last night he saw you in a different light. All that blood, all the pain. All while using all your might to push those babies out of you. You were mostly asleep for the next two weeks, Tywin had asked visitors to come only after you were stronger. You were practically bed ridden from how weak your body had gotten, plus the pain from the birth in itself.

There was a horde of nurses, septas and maids that took care of your sons. They sang to them, and fed them, bathed and clothed them. All while you could barely move to sit up. There was a day when you were extremely upset, as a wet nurse took your crying babies from your arms to feed them. Tywin sat behind you to keep you upright as you held your boys, and only after the nurse left; you began to cry. “I can’t even feed my own sons!” You cried in frustration and anger at your self. “I cannot sing them to sleep, or walk to their nursery when I want.” All the motherly hormones in you were fired up and Tywin rubbed your shoulders as he tried to understand what you were feeling.

“A few days more. You are only getting stronger.” He said shushing you, his hand delicately moving you to lay back down. These last few days had been rather noisy. With the rotation of nurses, and your ladies while your husband dealt with the aftermath of the war. You’d hear numerous lords, come and go through your husband’s receiving chambers. When your husband wasn’t busy with politics, he was with you and your sons. You saw him in a light you never thought you would. But he would talk to his sons as if they understood every word. Every time they’d cry, nurses would all take turns to try and calm them down but all it would take was the voice of their father. Tywin reading to you all those nights surely took effect to this.

On the sixth week, you were cleared by the maesters, your health was exceptional and now you were a mother; you were cleared to have your husband too. A few weeks of pain lingered in your lower abdomen but Tywin was right. You had gotten stronger by the day. Strong enough to feed your sons by yourself. A few days ago Tywin had returned from a council meeting to find you, laid against the headboard. Little Jamie nestled by your breast as you looked down upon him smiling. You’d felt the bed dip and looked up to your husband. He reached forward to tuck a stray hair behind your ears. Jamie had caught hold of one of your fingers and wouldn’t let go. “Aren’t you my strong little boy. You’ll make a warrior.” You husband had said to him.

The day after visitors started pouring in to lay eyes on the Lannister babes. Your maids had managed to put you in a crimson robe with a gold waist corset over it. You sat down in your shared receiving chambers, a pretty gold bassinet held both your boys as you sat with a book and glass of wine. Relishing the taste of grape after a long time, a few ladies of court had filed in first, taking turns at holding both boys and complimenting their hair, their plump cheeks. Then came Cersei, with Myrcella and Tommen glued to her. Both children almost bouncing in excitement to see Lady Y/N again, the babies were a bonus to them. While Cersei admired her half siblings in silent jealousy, a finger caressed their cheeks menacingly slow as the royal children beat each with pillows. What they started the fight over, you had no idea. When you told your daughter by law the name of your boys, her eyes sparked in further annoyance at your youngest being named Jamie.

Jamie came after, his hair much shorter than what it was before. He bowed before entering as he slowly walked over to the bassinet and kneeled before them. “You two gave us a fright.” He scolded the two of them making you smile. “Which one is which?” Him stating that made you giggle.

“The smaller one is Tyeon, the other is Jamie.” You reluctantly told him, awaiting his thoughts on your son’s name.

“You sure you want to name your son after a Kingslayer, my lady.” Jamie said to you while lifting, a now babbling Tyeon and handing him to you. While picking little Jamie up for himself.

“They would not be here, if not for you.” You stated simply, your voice held a gentle assertiveness to it. “Plus, I doubt anyone would have blamed you, after the mad king would have burned half the city down.” You said it as a matter of fact. “You are too hard on yourself, Jamie.” Your squeezed his shoulder before leaning back into the couch.

“He wanted father’s head.” Jamie said while deep in thought. You brows raised in subtle shock, though it wasn’t as shocking to hear that Aerys wanted your husband dead. Tywin practically ran the Seven Kingdoms for him, just as he his now.

“You did what you had to do, to protect your family.” You said making him look at you “Just as your father has. You did what you had to do.” You repeated so that he might believe you.

After Jamie came Joffrey with only Meren. Had Sandor died in battle? Joffrey looked at the boys that laid awake in the bassinet, squirming around in their blankets. Joffrey laughed, almost an evil laugh. “How little, puny.” He scoffed and reached down to lift Tyeon up by his leg. Making the babe cry out.

You pushed your book off of your lap trying to stand up, the sheer fury of a lioness filled you as you shot up and stalked over to the king. “Your grace, let the him go!”

“Why grandmother? Lannisters don’t cry like cowards.” He pulled his dagger from its sheath. “Maybe it will cry less if I cut it’s tongue.” Your ladies rushed to stop you, but you caught Joffrey’s wrist in a tight grip, making him since and try and tug his hand away, which came to no avail. Puny king, you thought.

“Put the child down!” Tyrion’s voice called out from behind the commotion. His small frame came to your view as he walked in between people. Your eyes widened in shock at the bandages he sported across his face. One thing was for sure, the boy king was terrified of Tyrion and put the babe down. Tyrion walked over to help you sit back down as Joffrey marched out of the room in annoyance.

“He is going to go kill a puppy for sure.” You huffed as you sat down. You kept Lion confined to your quarters, quite genuinely afraid that Joffrey would one day kill him.

Tyrion had told you about what had happened at the battlefield which led to your profusely apologizing to him for not checking about him. He sat with both his brothers, making them giggle and laugh as he played with them. Until the nurses came to put them down for their evening naps. Both you and Tyrion found yourself in atleast 2 cups of wine. You truly hadn’t felt this light in a long time. As the evening passed, both you and Tyrion had settled on the floor with furs by the hearth. Arm against arm as you held a melting candle in between, eyes fixated on each other. A game the two of you learned from Shae.

“Why do you do this, you know you are going to lose.” You taunted him.

“Mhmm.” He disagreed in a hum. He knew he was going to lose too. But he tried nonetheless.

“What is going on here?” Your husband’s stern voice made the both of you jolt the candle of your arms and onto the furs. Making you squeal and out out the candle before it burned the furs to ash. Tywin did not look happy as his son stood up, he walked around to hold up your arm that held the candle. A small red patch formed around it as he looked to the two of you. “Lannisters don’t act like fools.” He scolded and ordered his sons to leave

“You are a mother now, you should act like it.” Tywin said while helping you up. “Are you drunk?”

You scowled at him. Putting your pointer finger on the tip of your nose “No, my lord I am not drunk. I just wanted one night without any drama.” You yanked your hands off from him “And we weren’t being fools, if you don’t believe me. Try it yourself.” You pointed the candle at him. He narrowed his eyes at you “Afraid?” You taunted him. Maybe you were a little intoxicated.

“You are an infuriating woman.” He shook his head at you before lowering onto the fur. You placed his arm against yours, placing the candle in between as you lit it up again. It was easier doing this with Tyrion, you could hold his gaze much longer to taunt him. Tywin on the other hand, every time he looked at you like that, you felt like you’d melt into a puddle. You still tried to hold onto his eyes, the green of his eyes twinkled in the light of the candle. His lips curling into a small smirk as heat rose to your cheek. He knew you would be squirming in intimidation in just a little while. You had no idea how long Tywin and you stayed like that, the wax slowly melting on your arms. You were not going to be bested by him, yet you had no choice but to yield, Tywin caught the candle with his other hand as you pulled away.

“I always win.” He said to you looking smug.

“Damn you. What is you skin made of, husband.” You scowled at him, rubbing your arm. He just cocked his brow in amusement before pulling you forward by your arm, his lips ghosting over the red mark and pressing soft kisses to it, trailing all the way up to your shoulders. His lips found the spot, ever so sweet and sensitive at the crook of you neck and latched on. You didn’t realize how much you missed having him like this, as your skin erupted in the flames of passion. A soft moan escaping your lips as Tywin’s assault persists. “I- um.” Your words fail you to the sensations of your body. “The maester said I’m well. That I can…” Your words trailed off at end.

“You have given birth to my children, and yet your words shame you my love.” He said in between his kisses “We cannot have that.” He tutted, moving your hair away, so he can have more ground to conquer. You watched as his other hands trailed to your breasts. “Tell me my love, after all this time…” His hands trailed lower to undo the bodice of your dress. “Did you want me to be gentle?” His hands pulled your dress past your shoulders before trailing his hands to the front of your corset, right above the curve of your breast. “Or did you want me to be rough.” He ripped your corset like it was nothing, making you gasp out in shock. “I think we have a winner.”

He pushed you down onto the furs, taking a moment to admire your naked body underneath him, the glow from the fire. Iiluminating just the right parts for him, and your breasts. He would pay extra care to them, they were bigger than before and while he’d never admit it to be vulgar. He couldn’t help but let his hand knead your bosom making your back arch into him.

“There are so many ways of torture, my love.” You looked up at him confused and slightly scared by what he meant. “The way your body has tortured me these past few days. Have you any inkling?” He said as his nails raked down your body. “Those corsets and these…” He let’s out a flithy hum, before leaning down to suck onto one of your nipples. Making you moan as your hands tangled in his golden hair

He sat straight again, reaching for the candle next to him and lighting it up. “Do you trust me, my wife?” His voice flipped to a softer tone. You nodded to which he smacked your thigh. “Use your words, wife.” He warned you.

“I do, my love.” You nodded and almost on queue. Tywin tilted the candle right over your chest, the melted wax dropped right onto your skin, making you hiss. There was a burn, it wasn’t painful. Not the malicious kind of pain. Gods only knew what kind of pain, for you felt yourself getting wetter. Gently hissing and gasping at each drop, as the bud between your legs throbbed harder and harder. He bought the candle lower and lower, to just below you navel, making you moan out. He blew the candle off, before putting it away. Almost aggressively undoing his clothing, he grabbed you forward by your ankle and flipped you over onto your belly.

His fingers soon found your cunt as he placed a pillow underneath you to angle your hips up. “So wet and ready.” He could swear his composure was faltering, he had gone without the feel of your warm walls of eight whole months. He felt like a juvenile, a mere boy about to fuck a tavern whore. But you were no whore, you wanted him to fuck you. He wanted to hear you say it though. “I’m right here love. Just have to ask it, my lady.” He says in strained huffs, trying his best not to devour you right then and there.

“I want your cock, Tywin. Pl- Please.” You said trying your best not to hide your face in the furs, in shame.

“Louder!” He demanded

“I want your cock.” You replied

That’s all it took before he pulled his fingers out of you and positioned his tip to your entrance before pushing in. A guttural groan fell from his lips as he buried himself deep within you. His hand curled underneath you, to hold your torso for leverage as he pulled back to slam back into you, in hard and determined thrusts. You fingers curled tighter onto the furs you laid on, as all you could hear was the crackling of the fire and your skin slapping against you husbands. His pace soon quickened as his hand held you head down, making you cry out in pleasure. His other hand snaking forward to intertwine with the back of your hand.

“Gods! Please…” You prayed for what you knew not, but no god could save you as the old lion feasted on your body.

He pulled out abruptly, the finesse of it all giving you whiplash as he spun you onto your back and immediately latching his mouth to yours. One hand held both of yours above your head, while the other circled around your clit, flicking it swiftly making you cry out into his mouth. His hands yet again positioned his cock to you before pushing through in a sharp thrust. Barely giving you anytime before fucking into you furiously. His hands skillfully working onto your nerves. Your pussy clenching around him, making his head fall to your shoulder in a groan. A sharp grunt falling from him after every other thrust, your legs wrapped around his back to grind into the pace he had set. He freed your hands, letting them rake your nails down his back as the other tangled in his hair. He could feel it, you were clenching on him harder, almost fluttering

“My love. Let go for me.” He said before letting out a strained moan, and so you did. You body erupted in pleasure, crying out as you fluttered around his cock. “There…there it is. So good for me.” He said as he fucked you through your orgasm, your body in a gentle static laid underneath him as he finished himself within you before falling next to you. Pulling you atop him in the process. He pressed a kiss to your head as he sighed in content, you naked body pressed to his as you drew patterns on his broad chest. A meek squeak left your mouth as he turned to lay you down on your back. Holding his body weight up on his rested elbow.

His hands slowly picking at the hardened wax on your chest and torso. Almost satisfying as pieces of it peeled of your body. You blushed as he watched your naked body, without having any reaction whatsoever. He spent the next few minutes kissing you and peeling pieces of wax of your body. Your mind however was else where, thinking of something you know your husband would give you undoubtedly.

“You really did make it happen.” You said looking at him and reminiscing to all those months before as you spoke of children. Tywin immediately knew what you were speaking of.

“With how things are looking, I am sure we will have our girls in no time too.” Tywin said as he pulled a blanket atop you

“You’d really want them, girls?” You asked him

“I’m not a complete monster. I had rarely been there to raise Cersei through her teenages. I might not even be here for ours.” Your frown deepens and Tywin looked at you like it was a fact. You knew it was true. Any man in Westeros that pushed past one and sixty was blessed by the gods. “The death of my first wife had crippled me in a way, I cannot describe. Maybe in my own vain, I had made mistakes I do not wish to make again.” You listened to him as your stroked through his hair, he rarely ever spoke about it his wife, but you sympathized with him nonetheless. You had lost a lover to, you knew the gaping hole it leaves behind. The best you to could do for each other was try and fill it, as best as possible.

next chapter

#Spotify #tywin lannister x reader #tywin lannister #desiblr #got x reader #house lannister #tywin lannister smut #tywin x reader #got x you #game of thrones #lannisters #tyrion lannister #ruiewrites #tears of gold au

558 notes · View notes

istumpysk · 2 years ago

Text

Operation Stumpy Re-Read

AFFC: Jaime II (Chapter 16)

The funeral procession departed King's Landing through the Gate of the Gods, wider and more splendid than the Lion Gate. The choice felt wrong to Jaime. His father had been a lion, that no one could deny, but even Lord Tywin never claimed to be a god.

How is Daenerys losing against Tywin? Tywin.

+.+.+

Ser Kevan snorted. "So do we all. How fares your king?" His tone made the question a reproach.

"Well enough," Jaime said defensively. "Balon Swann is with him during the mornings. A good and valiant knight."

"Once that went without saying when men spoke of those who wore the white cloak."

No man can choose his brothers, Jaime thought. Give me leave to pick my own men, and the Kingsguard will be great again. Put that baldly, though, it sounded feeble; an empty boast from a man the realm called Kingslayer. A man with shit for honor. Jaime let it go. He had not come to argue with his uncle.

I'd love to see who he'd put on the Kingsguard. Guaranteed he'd remain as one of the seven.

Is it too much to ask for Jaime to move off of Aerys, and start reflecting on other things that make him a terrible person?

+.+.+

"Will you remain at Darry after the wedding?"

"For a while, mayhaps. Sandor Clegane is raiding along the Trident, it would seem. Your sister wants his head. It may be that he has joined Dondarrion."

Jaime had heard about Saltpans. By now half the realm had heard. The raid had been exceptionally savage. Women raped and mutilated, children butchered in their mothers' arms, half the town put to the torch. "Randyll Tarly is at Maidenpool. Let him deal with the outlaws. I would sooner have you go to Riverrun."

Notice how no one in the story is having a difficult time believing it's Sandor Clegane doing this?

Hell, I'd love to know how many readers never questioned it.

+.+.+

"Addam Marbrand could deal with these outlaws just as well as you. So could Brax, Banefort, Plumm, any of these others. But none would make a good King's Hand."

"Your sister knows my terms. They have not changed. Tell her that, the next time you are in her bedchamber."

+.+.+

He had hoped against hope that Cersei had somehow misunderstood, but plainly that was wrong. He knows about the two of us. About Tommen and Myrcella. And Cersei knows he knows. Ser Kevan was a Lannister of Casterly Rock. He could not believe that she would ever do him harm, but . . . I was wrong about Tyrion, why not about Cersei? When sons were killing fathers, what was there to stop a niece from ordering an uncle slain? An inconvenient uncle, who knows too much.

Is Jaime going to think Cersei killed Kevan?

Is this about anyone else? I can think of plenty of uncles and aunts who would slay their nephews and/or nieces, but I'm drawing a blank going the other way.

+.+.+

"That's just the thing a bride wants on her wedding night," said Jaime. "A husband who knows how to do his duty."

A flush crept up Lancel's cheeks. "I pray for you, cousin. And for Her Grace the queen. May the Crone lead her to her wisdom and the Warrior defend her."

"Why would Cersei need the Warrior? She has me." Jaime turned his horse about, his white cloak snapping in the wind.

Ohhh! We love to see it! Sister and brother as the Maiden and the Warrior!

I thought that I was the Warrior and Cersei was the Maid, but all the time she was the Stranger, hiding her true face from my gaze. - Jaime IV, AFFC

❤️ The Maiden lay athwart the Warrior, her arms widespread as if to embrace him. - Davos I, ACOK ❤️

+.+.+

The Imp was lying. Cersei would sooner have Robert's corpse between her legs than a pious fool like Lancel. Tyrion, you evil bastard, you should have lied about someone more likely.

Tee-hee.

+.+.+

Garlan the Gallant had taken half the Tyrell strength back to Highgarden, and his lady mother and grandmother had gone with him. The other half had marched south with Mace Tyrell and Mathis Rowan to invest Storm's End.

As for the Lannister host, two thousand seasoned veterans remained encamped outside the city walls, awaiting the arrival of Paxter Redwyne's fleet to carry them across Blackwater Bay to Dragonstone.

Ignore me.

Half the Tyrell strength with Garlan at Highgarden.

Half the Tyrell strength with Mathis Rowan at Storm's End.

Two thousand Lannister men at Dragonstone with Paxter Redwyne.

Got it.

+.+.+

Then the Knight of Flowers mounted up and put the others all to shame.

Jousting was three-quarters horsemanship, Jaime had always believed. Ser Loras rode superbly, and handled a lance as if he'd been born holding one

I was trying to understand why I was reading about jousting for an entire page, until I came to this and remembered.

Knight of the Laughing Tree clues.

+.+.+

"Oh, look," purred Lady Merryweather, "your brave brother has returned, Your Grace."

"Most of him."

lmfao. brutal.

+.+.+

The queen was in her cups, Jaime realized. Of late, Cersei always seemed to have a flagon of wine to hand, she who had once scorned Robert Baratheon for his drinking.

Perfect, a blasted Cersei talking with Lady Merryweather. That's exactly what we want.

+.+.+

Pycelle looked desperately uncomfortable. "There has been a bird," he said. "From Stokeworth. Lady Tanda sends word that her daughter Lollys has been delivered of a strong, healthy son."

"And you will never guess what they have named the little bastard, brother."

"They wanted to name him Tywin, I recall."

"Yes, but I forbade it. I told Falyse that I would not have our father's noble name bestowed upon the ill-gotten spawn of some pig boy and a feeble-witted sow."

"Lady Stokeworth insists the child's name was not her doing," Grand Maester Pycelle put in. Perspiration dotted his wrinkled forehead. "Lollys's husband made the choice, she writes. This man Bronn, he . . . it would seem that he . . ."

"Tyrion," ventured Jaime. "He named the child Tyrion."

If I wasn't aware of all the things Tyrion has said and thought about Lollys Stokeworth, I might be able to find this amusing.

By the way, Tommen is sitting right there and hearing all this feeble-witted sow talk.

+.+.+

Jaime knew the look in his sister's eyes. He had seen it before, most recently on the night of Tommen's wedding, when she burned the Tower of the Hand. The green light of the wildfire had bathed the face of the watchers, so they looked like nothing so much as rotting corpses, a pack of gleeful ghouls, but some of the corpses were prettier than others. Even in the baleful glow, Cersei had been beautiful to look upon. She'd stood with one hand on her breast, her lips parted, her green eyes shining. She is crying, Jaime had realized, but whether it was from grief or ecstasy he could not have said.

The sight had filled him with disquiet, reminding him of Aerys Targaryen and the way a burning would arouse him.

I'm positive it's supposed to remind us of someone else.

But please, continue with these Cersei-Aerys parallels.

+.+.+

A king has no secrets from his Kingsguard. Relations between Aerys and his queen had been strained during the last years of his reign. They slept apart and did their best to avoid each other during the waking hours. But whenever Aerys gave a man to the flames, Queen Rhaella would have a visitor in the night. The day he burned his mace-and-dagger Hand, Jaime and Jon Darry had stood at guard outside her bedchamber whilst the king took his pleasure. "You're hurting me," they had heard Rhaella cry through the oaken door. "You're hurting me." In some queer way, that had been worse than Lord Chelsted's screaming. "We are sworn to protect her as well," Jaime had finally been driven to say. "We are," Darry allowed, "but not from him."

Jaime had only seen Rhaella once after that, the morning of the day she left for Dragonstone. The queen had been cloaked and hooded as she climbed inside the royal wheelhouse that would take her down Aegon's High Hill to the waiting ship, but he heard her maids whispering after she was gone. They said the queen looked as if some beast had savaged her, clawing at her thighs and chewing on her breasts. A crowned beast, Jaime knew.

I'M SO SLOW.

This is when Daenerys was conceived! I didn't know that!

It would be totally unfair and in poor taste to suggest any of this influenced her disposition, but I'm going to do it anyway.

BAD OMEN BABY.

+.+.+

By the end the Mad King had become so fearful that he would allow no blade in his presence, save for the swords his Kingsguard wore.

Why, were Usurper's Knives chasing him?

+.+.+

His beard was matted and unwashed, his hair a silver-gold tangle that reached his waist, his fingernails cracked yellow claws nine inches long. Yet still the blades tormented him, the ones he could never escape, the blades of the Iron Throne. His arms and legs were always covered with scabs and half-healed cuts.

Let him be king over charred bones and cooked meat, Jaime remembered, studying his sister's smile. Let him be the king of ashes.

Tee-hee.

+.+.+

"I am growing very fond of Lady Taena. She amuses me."

"She is one of Margaery Tyrell's companions," Jaime reminded her. "She's informing on you to the little queen."

"Of course she is." Cersei went to the sideboard to fill her cup anew. "Margaery was thrilled when I asked her leave to take Taena on as my companion. You should have heard her. 'She will be a sister to you, as she's been to me. Of course you must have her! I have my cousins and my other ladies.' Our little queen does not want me to be lonely."

"If you know she is a spy, why take her on?"

"Margaery is not half so clever as she thinks. She has no notion what a sweet serpent she has in that Myrish slut. I use Taena to feed the little queen what I want her to know. Some of it is even true." Cersei's eyes were bright with mischief. "And Taena tells me everything Maid Margaery is doing."

At what point did Cersei forget all of this?

+.+.+

She knows I can do more for her than Margaery, so she makes herself useful to me. You would be surprised at all the interesting things she's told me."

"What sorts of things?"

Cersei sat beneath the window. "Did you know that the Queen of Thorns keeps a chest of coins in her wheelhouse? Old gold from before the Conquest. Should any tradesman be so unwise as to name a price in golden coins, she pays him with hands from Highgarden, each half the weight of one of our dragons. What merchant would dare complain of being cheated by Mace Tyrell's lady mother?"

That's the information she gave Cersei? Weird, that almost makes her seem like a Varys agent.

I know, I know, I'll save the tinfoil for Bran.

+.+.+

"Roose Bolton is our Warden of the North. He will deal with Stannis."

"Lord Bolton is trapped below the Neck, cut off from the north by the ironmen at Moat Cailin."

"Not for long. Bolton's bastard son will soon remove that little obstacle. Lord Bolton will have two thousand Freys to augment his own strength, under Lord Walder's sons Hosteen and Aenys. That should be more than enough to deal with Stannis and a few thousand broken men."

Ignore me.

Two thousand Frey men in the north.

A few thousand Stannis men in the north.

Got it.

+.+.+

"You still require a Hand, however. If not our uncle, who?"

His sister laughed. "Not you. Have no fear on that count. Perhaps Taena's husband. His grandfather was Hand under Aerys."

Lady Merryweather has already managed to secure one of the most powerful positions in all of Westeros for her husband. Who is playing who here?

+.+.+

"I govern the realm."

Seven save us all, you do. His sister liked to think of herself as Aegon Lord Tywin with teats, but she was wrong. Their father had been as relentless and implacable as a glacier, where Cersei was all wildfire, especially when thwarted.

Tywin is ice, and Cersei is fire?

But. . . jonerys??

+.+.+

"A weak ruler needs a strong Hand, as Aerys needed Father. A strong ruler requires only a diligent servant to carry out his orders." She swirled her wine. "Lord Hallyne might suit. He would not be the first pyromancer to serve as the King's Hand."

Can everyone please go to the wiki, and look at the image used for Lord Hallyne? Thank you.

What's dumber, making a pyromancer your Hand or giving the job to Tyrion Lannister? Tough, right?

+.+.+

No. I killed the last one. "There is talk that you mean to make Aurane Waters the master of ships."

"Has someone been informing on me?" When he did not answer, Cersei tossed her hair back, and said, "Waters is well suited to the office. He has spent half his life on ships."

"Half his life? He cannot be more than twenty."

Sure, but consider this: he's hot.

+.+.+

"A weak ruler needs a strong Hand, as Aerys needed Father. A strong ruler requires only a diligent servant to carry out his orders."

"Half his life? He cannot be more than twenty."

"Two-and-twenty, and what of it? Father was not even one-and-twenty when Aerys Targaryen named him Hand.

I love when they put daddy on a pedestal.

+.+.+

"You are a child, Jaime. Redwyne is Tyrell's bannerman, and nephew to that hideous grandmother of his. I want none of Lord Tyrell's creatures on my council."

"Tommen's council, you mean."

"You know what I mean."

Too well. "I know that Aurane Waters is a bad idea, and Hallyne is a worse one. As for Qyburn . . . gods be good, Cersei, he rode with Vargo Hoat. The Citadel stripped him of his chain!"

"The grey sheep. Qyburn has made himself most useful to me. And he is loyal, which is more than I can say of mine own kin."

The crows will feast upon us all if you go on this way, sweet sister. "Cersei, listen to yourself. You are seeing dwarfs in every shadow and making foes of friends. Uncle Kevan is not your enemy. I am not your enemy."

I think it's a bit concerning Qyburn is being grouped with other bad decisions like Aurance Waters, and Hallyne.

+.+.+

"Get out, I said. I am sick of looking at that ugly stump of yours. Get out!" To speed him on his way, she heaved her wine cup at his head. She missed, but Jaime took the hint.

Evenfall found him sitting alone in the common room of White Sword Tower, with a cup of Dornish red and the White Book.

Thrown out by Cersei, and straight to Evenfall. This is big foreshadowing in Braime Land.

Every single day I feel spoiled.

+.+.+

"I saw you in the yard today," said Jaime. "You rode well."

"Better than well, surely." Ser Loras poured himself a cup of wine, and took a seat across the half-moon table.

"A more modest man might have answered 'My lord is too kind,' or 'I had a good mount.'"

Both Cersei and Jaime having to deal with younger (less evil) versions of themselves is a riot.

+.+.+

"This one is for us. The history of every man who has ever worn a white cloak is written here."

"I have glanced at it. The shields are pretty. I prefer books with more illuminations. Lord Renly owned a few with drawings that would turn a septon blind."

PORN.

+.+.+

"Good enough. He died, but his king lived. A lot of brave men have worn the white cloak. Most have been forgotten."

"Most deserve to be forgotten. The heroes will always be remembered. The best."

"The best and the worst." So one of us is like to live in song. "And a few who were a bit of both. Like him."

A bit of both, eh? You're running out of time, and I see little opportunity left.

+.+.+

"The best and the worst." So one of us is like to live in song. "And a few who were a bit of both. Like him." He tapped the page he had been reading.

"Who?" Ser Loras craned his head around to see. "Ten black pellets on a scarlet field. I do not know those arms."

"They belonged to Criston Cole, who served the first Viserys and the second Aegon." Jaime closed the White Book. "They called him Kingmaker."

Does pushing a child out of a tower count as kingmaking? Heh, kingslaying and kingmaking, he did a bit of both!

Anyway, Criston Cole is the Kingsguard who was rumoured to be Rhaenyra Targaryen's lover. Let's ignore the rest of the history, and pretend it was unavailable at this point.

We first learn about Criston Cole in a chapter where Arianne Martell is being intimate with a member of the Kingsguards. Now he's being brought up again to close out a Jaime chapter, and the word 'CERSEI' follows in big, bold letters.

Based on that alone, it feels like this has less to do with kingmaking, and more to do with sexual relations between Kingsguard and would-be queens. But what the hell do I know?

Final thoughts:

The more we get into the history, the more I'm in serious trouble.

Only gifs from here on out.

-> return to menu <-

#operation stumpy re-read #affc #jaime ii

42 notes · View notes

teiasviago · 3 years ago

Photo

the pain of bittersweet love

“Doubt Comes In,” Hadestown / “The Tesla Effect,” Murdoch Mysteries / S2E6, Fleabag / “Trust No 1,” The X-Files / “Something Beautiful,” Better Call Saul / “Jaime IV,” A Feast for Crows / “The Lame Duck Congress,” The West Wing

Image 1:

ORPHEUS: It’s you…

EURYDICE: It’s me… Orpheus…

ORPHEUS: Eurydice…

Image 2:

William: I’d hoped I’d find you here.

Julia: William, I didn’t think I’d see you under the circumstances.

William: Julia, nothing in this world means more to me than you.

Julia: William, I—

William: And I believed you’d felt the same for me.

Julia: …But I do.

William: Then I simply don’t understand. There must be something you’re not telling me. Why are you leaving? Julia, please. I have to know.

Julia: Very well. […] I—I—I should have told you before now, but I—I was frightened of losing you to something I couldn’t control. And so I decided to assert control myself.

William: By leaving?

Julia: It’s for the best. Isn’t it? Well, this way you can meet a woman who can…give you the life you deserve. …William, please say something.

William: I—I—I don’t know what to say.

Julia: Yes, well, that says it all, doesn’t it?

William: No, I…

Image 3:

Fleabag: It’s God, isn’t it?

Hot Priest: Yeah.

Fleabag: Damn. Damn. You know, the worst thing is…that I fucking love you. … I love you. No, no, don’t. No, let’s just leave that out there, just for a second on its own. I love you.

Hot Priest: It’ll pass. [...] I love you, too.

Image 4:

Scully (V.O.):

One day, you’ll ask me to speak of a truth—of the miracle of your birth. To explain what is unexplained. And if I falter or fail on this day, know there is an answer, my child, a sacred imperishable truth, but one you may never hope to find alone. Chance meeting your perfect other, your perfect opposite—your protector and endangerer. Chance embarking with this other on the greatest of journeys: a search for truths fugitive and imponderable. If one day this chance may befall you, my son, do not fail or falter to seize it. The truths are out there. And if one day you should behold a miracle, as I have in you, you will learn the truth is not found in science, or on some unseen plane, but by looking into your own heart. And in that moment you will be blessed—and stricken. For the truest truths are what hold us together…or keep us painfully, desperately apart.

Image 5:

Jimmy: And he signed it just, “Chuck.” Well, say what you want, the man could write a letter.

Kim: (wiping tears from her eyes) Sorry.

Jimmy: Hey…

Kim: No, I didn’t—I didn’t mean to make it—

Jimmy: No, it’s okay, it’s okay. It’s—it’s a nice letter. Hey.

He reaches out to touch her.

Kim: No, just— …Just—just give me—just give me a minute.

She turns away and walks towards the bedroom. After a beat, he follows her.

Jimmy: Kim…

Image 6:

He glanced about the sept, at the gods. The Mother, full of mercy. The Father, stern in judgment. The Warrior, one hand upon his sword. The Stranger in the shadows, his half-human face concealed beneath a hooded mantle. I thought that I was the Warrior and Cersei was the Maid, but all the time she was the Stranger, hiding her true face from my gaze. “Pray for me, if you like,” he told his cousin. “I’ve forgotten all the words.”

Image 7:

Bartlet: Is this personal?

C.J.: Excuse me?

Bartlet: I hear things. I don’t understand most of it, but I hear it.

C.J.: No, sir, it’s absolutely not personal.

Bartlet: He’s a great reporter, and you’re a great press secretary, and that’s why it wasn’t gonna work as long as the two of you had those jobs.

[...]

C.J.: I know about the job offer.

Danny: …I figured.

C.J.: I’ve known about it for…a couple of days.

Danny: Yeah.

C.J.: You don’t wanna be an editor?

Danny: I’m a White House reporter.

C.J.: I know, I just thought by taking a job outside the press room—

Danny: C.J., I have no problem with a reporter dating a press secretary.

C.J.: …Well… I have a problem, so…

Danny: …Yeah. …Okay. I’ll see you later.

C.J.: Okay

#mine #idk what to tag it as #web weaving #and now i subject you all to my favorite shows!!!#+ the 'a song of ice and fire' book series

53 notes · View notes

ilynpilled · 2 years ago

Text

"When we were little, Jaime and I were so much alike that even our lord father could not tell us apart. Sometimes as a lark we would dress in each other's clothes and spend a whole day each as the other. Yet even so, when Jaime was given his first sword, there was none for me. ‘What do I get?' I remember asking. We were so much alike, I could never understand why they treated us so differently."

"Jaime and I are more than brother and sister. We are one person in two bodies. We shared a womb together. He came into this world holding my foot, our old maester said. When he is in me, I feel … whole."

"Jaime lost himself in her flesh. He could feel Cersei's heart beating in time with his own and the wetness of blood and seed where they were joined."

"What a jape the gods have made of us two," she said. "By all rights, you ought to be in skirts and me in mail."

Within the tower, the smoke from the torches irritated her eyes, but Cersei did not weep, no more than her father would have. I am the only true son he ever had.

It was queer, but he felt no grief. Where are my tears? Where is my rage? "Father," he told the corpse, "it was you who told me that tears were a mark of weakness in a man, so you cannot expect that I should cry for you."

Sometimes he even wept, until he heard the Mummers laughing. Then he made his eyes go dry and his heart go dead, and prayed for his fever to burn away his tears.

Cersei gave them all the words that she had in her, gave them everything but tears. That they will never have, she told herself.

"Would it amuse Your Grace to be a man one night?" If I were a man I would be Jaime, the queen thought. If I were a man I could rule this realm in my own name in place of Tommen's. My brother, Jaime, thirsts for battle, not for power. He's run from every chance he's had to rule.

"Is that what you would do, if you were a woman?" If I were a woman I'd be Cersei. "If I were a woman, I'd make them kill me.”Deep down Robert Baratheon was a coward. In time the assaults did grow less frequent. During the first year he took her at least once a fortnight; by the end it was not even once a year. He never stopped completely, though.

"Pull his mane, I dare you." He never did. I should have had the sword, not him.

If the gods had given her the strength they gave Jaime and that swaggering oaf Robert, she could have made her own escape. Oh, for a sword and the skill to wield it. She had a warrior's heart, but the gods in their blind malice had given her the feeble body of a woman.

But Jaime's walls were gone. They had taken his hand, they had taken his sword hand, and without it he was nothing. The other was no good to him […] It was his right hand that made him a knight; his right arm that made him a man.

"The lovers," Shagwell sighed loudly, "and what a lovely sight they are. T’would be cruel to separate the good knight and his lady." "Ah, but which one is the knight and which one is the lady?"

"What is this woman to you?" "My protector."

"Was it your hand they hacked off in Harrenhal, or your manhood?"

"Oh, an angry cripple. How terrifying." She laughed. "A pity Lord Tywin Lannister never had a son."

I thought that I was the Warrior and Cersei was the Maid…

Ser Galladon was a champion of such valor that the Maiden herself lost her heart to him. She gave him an enchanted sword as a token of her love. : She reddened. "My name is …" "Brienne of Tarth." Jaime sighed. "I have a gift for you."

#asoiaf #valyrianscrolls #jaime lannister #cersei lannister #gn 😴#sonopost

216 notes · View notes

esther-dot · 3 years ago

Note

The Warrior and Maiden could also be interpreted as Jaime Brienne . Cersei isn't a maid .

(in response to this ask)

Absolutely! Jaime (warrior) did rescue Brienne (maiden). My point was, these characters revolve through different roles depending on where we are in the story or even who is perceiving them. So, Brienne is a maid (literal), she is certainly a version of the maiden for Jaime (the role), but she is also a warrior. One doesn’t detract from the other, she’s multifaceted. I was going to talk about duality in another ask, but I’ll mention it here. One explanation of it is this:

Martin really likes this. The series title has one “A Song of Ice and Fire,” but he writes duality into the story over and over. Cersei and Dany are mothers (life) and also the stranger (death). I truly think Martin looked at these contrasts (that are standard in fiction) and decided to take a much more complex view of them. I didn’t mean Cersei isn’t who she is, just that Jaime’s “I know who she is and I am a victim” view isn’t something we’re meant to totally adopt, and I don’t think it’s the final verdict on how Jaime sees Cersei either.

IMO, Jaime is the warrior, but he’s also the stranger just as Cersei is. His big moments were attempting to kill Bran and pre-canon killing Aerys. Think about that. The Bran attempted murder was evil. But then we learn that killing Aerys saved the lives of the people in KL, so murder, being death, is another means to preserve life.

And of course, we have Dany "give birth" or bring dragons to life, and we know, actually what she did was bring death into the world and we see that in a much more explicit way with Melisandre. Martin just likes to complicate things and prevent seemingly opposite ideas from being distinct, so taking an absolutist interpretation of a character as this one thing and only that doesn't quite feel right to me. I think he is consciously moving his characters through these roles/evolving them, and wants our perspective to change or at least...develop along with his revelations.

So, for Cersei and Jaime, I didn't mean Cersei is his "maiden" as in virgin, I meant, I think she may once again occupy that role in relation to him. He rejects her/refuses to, but my previous anon was talking about the end of GoT, and I didn't think it was wrong to see that warrior/maiden idea play out there because it did. None of us know exactly how their ending will go in the books, but I think their relationship needs a resolution because he wasn't able to protect her from Robert, didn't go back to her when she asked, so it wouldn't surprise me if the end of their relationship involves him assuming the role he thought he had before but actually never truly occupied in relation to her.

I'm not a Jaime/Cersei shipper, and I do think Jaime/Brienne is romantic, but that's where I'm at right now. Thanks for the message, anon!

#ask dot #duality in asoiaf

10 notes · View notes

une-nuit-pour-se-souvenir · 4 years ago

Text

random thoughts on jon connington’s chapters

This is part 2, part 1 can be found here.

The Griffin Reborn

Aegon and Danerys

The first part of this chapter details Jon Connington taking over his former castle Griffin's Roost as well as remembering how he lost the Battle of Stony Sept.

Some Daniella stans have cried about how the show made her bad (ahah she's already bad), by giving her Jon Connington's supposed endgame. I believe they're partially right. Jon Connington's thoughts on Stoney Sept are foreshadowing of the burning of King's Landing, but of Danerys doing it.

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

He had lost it all at Stoney Sept, in his arrogance. (...)

And so he swept down on Stoney Sept, closed off the town, and began a search. (...) The townsfolk were hiding him. They moved him from one secret bolt-hole to the next, always one step ahead of the king's men. The whole town was a nest of traitors. At the end they had the usurper hidden in a brothel. What sort of king was that, who would hide behind the skirts of women? Yet whilst the search dragged on, Eddard Stark and Hoster Tully came down upon the town with a rebel army. Bells and battle followed, and Robert emerged from his brothel with a blade in hand, and almost slew Jon on the steps of the old sept that gave the town its name.

For years afterward, Jon Connington told himself that he was not to blame, that he had done all that any man could do. His soldiers searched every hole and hovel, he offered pardons and rewards, he took hostages and hung them in crow cages and swore that they would have neither food nor drink until Robert was delivered to him. All to no avail.

Bobby B was very much loved by the people in general, in fact that's the whole thing with Stoney Sept. The townsfolk hid him because they loved him, despite the violence inflicted towards them. As Connington says, they endured everything for Bobby B's sake, they rebuffed bribes and they endured executions, even a hunger strike. Not one turned traitor, not one turned over Bobby B. Such we have a town hiding a "ruler" they love.

As a side-note, in the books the bells tolled to warn the citizens of the battle and to persuade them to stay inside their houses. It was a statement, marking a rebellion against the invading force and not a surrender signal. I believe it's in the show that is said, bells ring for dead kings, weddings (bride of fire, meaning biurning shit), and the beginning of war (this was waaay before they came up with the accident that is season 8).

Daenerys IV ~ ACOK

(second stanza) A tall lord with copper skin and silver-gold hair stood beneath the banner of a fiery stallion, a burning city behind him. (...) A cloth dragon swayed on poles amidst a cheering crowd. (...) A corpse stood at the prow of a ship, eyes bright in his dead face, grey lips smiling sadly.

Epilogue ~ AFFC

Aegon has been shaped for rule since before he could walk. (...) He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows that kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them."

Aegon (who's associated with boats, the Shy Maid) will be loved, he's the cloth dragon the people are cheering for (it doesn't mean he's fake, LMAO) and Danerys will burn King's Landing in retalliation. Like Cersei Lannister ended up "loved" in the penultime episode of the show, when she took the townsfolk inside the Red Keep. Forced, I know, but that's what they depicted and what Daniella thought just before she burned them all, the townsfolk preferred Cersei to Daniella. And we highly suspect show!Cersei took book!Aegon's role, such it will be him that will be sitting in King's Landing in the books.

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

"Tywin Lannister himself could have done no more," he had insisted one night to Blackheart, during his first year of exile.

"There is where you're wrong," Myles Toyne had replied. "Lord Tywin would not have bothered with a search. He would have burned that town and every living creature in it. Men and boys, babes at the breast, noble knights and holy septons, pigs and whores, rats and rebels, he would have burned them all.

he would have burned them all.

This is Bran's prophetic visions in sequence, linking Drogon, flying over King's Landing, then an "equivalence" between Aerys saying "burn them all" and Danerys with Drogon.

It's also worth mentionioning for the milionth of time, that "Daenerys" is is an anagram for "Aerys End", you know the guy who wanted to burn King's Landing to the ground instead of letting beloved by the people Bobby B take the throne.

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

He was not wrong, Jon Connington reflected, leaning on the battlements of his forebears. I wanted the glory of slaying Robert in single combat, and I did not want the name of butcher.

Daenerys IV ~ ADWD

Dany was appalled. He is a monster. A gallant monster, but a monster still. "Do you take me for the Butcher King?"

"Better the butcher than the meat. All kings are butchers. Are queens so different?" (...)

What have I done? she thought, huddled in her empty bed. I have waited so long for him to come back, and I send him away. "He would make a monster of me," she whispered, "a butcher queen." But then she thought of Drogon far away, and the dragons in the pit. There is blood on my hands too, and on my heart. We are not so different, Daario and I. We are both monsters.

Danerys accepting her dragon side, which haappens at the end of ADWD and this is why she manages to ride Drogon, is directly connected to being a monster, a butcher. This is word play that translated to the show as well.

GoT 7x02 - Stormborn

DAENERYS picks up a dragon figurine from the table.

DAENERYS: If Viserys had three dragons and an army at his back, he'd have invaded King's Landing already.~

TYRION: Conquering Westeros would be easy for you. But you're not here to be queen of the ashes.

DAENERYS: No.

DAENERYS puts down the dragon figurine.

TYRION: We can take the Seven Kingdoms without turning it into a slaughterhouse. If the great houses support your claim against Cersei, the game is won.

Danerys clothes when she burned King's Landing have red staining the skirt, like a butcher's apron stained with blood as he works.

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

"Wait, I say. Gather our power, win some small lords to our cause, let Lysono Maar dispatch his spies to learn what we can learn of our foes."

Connington gave the plump captain-general a cool look. This man is no Blackheart, no Bittersteel, no Maelys. He would wait until all seven hells were frozen if he could rather than risk another bout of blisters. "We did not cross half the world to wait. Our best chance is to strike hard and fast, before King's Landing knows who we are.

In the show, Danerys is impatient to attack King's Landing, she doesn't want to wait, and has to be convinced REPEATEDLY to not "strike hard and fast". And in one of them, Daenerys and butchering linked together makes yet another appearance (the script above).

Aegon the Conqueror

Maegor the Cruel

Danerys the Butcher. Bitch deserves it.

Aegon and Jon Connington

In the second part of the chapter, Aegon arrives at the Griffin's Roost and Connington and Aegon discuss the attack on Storm's End.

Sansa VII ~ ASOS

The Broken Tower was easier still. They made a tall tower together, kneeling side by side to roll it smooth, and when they'd raised it Sansa stuck her fingers through the top, grabbed a handful of snow, and flung it full in his face. Petyr yelped, as the snow slid down under his collar. "That was unchivalrously done, my lady."

"As was bringing me here, when you swore to take me home."

She wondered where this courage had come from, to speak to him so frankly. From Winterfell, she thought. I am stronger within the walls of Winterfell.

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

A solid man, and true, Connington thought as he watched Duck dismount, but not worthy of the Kingsguard. He had tried his best to dissuade the prince from giving Duckfield that cloak, pointing out that the honor might best be held in reserve for warriors of greater renown whose fealty would add luster to their cause, and the younger sons of great lords whose support they would need in the coming struggle, but the boy would not be moved. "Duck will die for me if need be," he had said, "and that's all I require in my Kingsguard. The Kingslayer was a warrior of great renown, and the son of a great lord as well."

At least I convinced him to leave the other six slots open, else Duck might have six ducklings trailing after him, each more blindingly adequate than the last. "Escort His Grace to my solar," he commanded. "At once."

Prince Aegon Targaryen was not near as biddable as the boy Young Griff had been, however. The better part of an hour had passed before he finally turned up in the solar, with Duck at his side. "Lord Connington," he said, "I like your castle."

"Your father's lands are beautiful," he said. His silvery hair was blowing in the wind, and his eyes were a deep purple, darker than this boy's. "As do I, Your Grace. Please, be seated. Ser Rolly, we'll have no further need of you for now."

"No, I want Duck to stay." The prince sat. "We've been talking with Strickland and Flowers. They told us about this attack on Storm's End that you're planning."

Jon Connington did not let his fury show. "And did Homeless Harry try to persuade you to delay it?"

"He did, actually," the prince said, "but I won't. Harry's an old maid, isn't he? You have the right of it, my lord. I want the attack to go ahead … with one change. I mean to lead it."

As I said in the part 1 of this series, there are many parallels between Aegon's story and Sansa's story. One is a future event, where Sansa and Aegonwill escape the toxic mentors that pose as their fake parent (even if Connington isn't 1/10 as bad as Littlefinger).

In Sansa's case, this most likely will happen when she flees north if "Sansa is Grey Girl" theory holds true (and it happened in the show, moreover this is a parallel she has with Arya and Bran as well, both will also have to flee their toxic mentors soon) and she'll grow more independent from Pedofinger as she regains her identity as Sansa Stark and with her cousin (and the North) by her side.

In Aegon's case, we can see that he's already more indepedent than he used to be (it all started when he stepped up at the Golden Company higher-ups and convinced them to fight for him and his cause). Connington suggests this is because the boy is now Aegon Targaryen and no longer Young Griff, in other words Aegon is growing more confident the more he regains his identity.I suspect that like Sansa, Aegon will grow even more confident with his cousin Arianne (and Dorne) by his side.

Sansa II ~ AGOT

When Sansa finally looked up, a man was standing over her, staring. He was short, with a pointed beard and a silver streak in his hair, almost as old as her father. "You must be one of her daughters," he said to her. He had grey-green eyes that did not smile when his mouth did. "You have the Tully look."

Sansa VII ~ AGOT

"I won't." He sounded almost like Marillion, the night he'd gotten so drunk at the wedding. Only this time Lothor Brune would not appear to save her; Ser Lothor was Petyr's man. "You shouldn't kiss me. I might have been your own daughter . . ."

"Might have been," he admitted, with a rueful smile. "But you're not, are you? You are Eddard Stark's daughter, and Cat's. But I think you might be even more beautiful than your mother was, when she was your age."

The Griffin Reborn ~ ADWD

But when Jon Connington stepped out onto the high battlements, the view was just as intoxicating as he remembered: the crag with its wind-carved rocks and jagged spires, the sea below growling and worrying at the foot of the castle like some restless beast, endless leagues of sky and cloud, the wood with its autumnal colors. "Your father's lands are beautiful," Prince Rhaegar had said, standing right where Jon was standing now. And the boy he'd been had replied, "One day they will all be mine." As if that could impress a prince who was heir to the entire realm, from the Arbor to the Wall. (...)

"Lord Connington," he said, "I like your castle."

Pedofinger and Ebonington. Leave the children alone! *screams*

#aegon VI targaryen

36 notes · View notes

agentrouka-blog · 2 years ago

Note

Jaime think he is Warrior to Cersei's Maiden. He wanted to fit them in roles all times. He forget that Cersei is also a Mother. He saw her as Stranger when he felt betrayed. People think that Jaime put her on pedestal so he feel betrayed by her when she step out of her role. But Cersei has many facets and it was him who wants to force one aspect on her and refused to see others.

Yeah, I think there's a great deal of symbolism in the way Jaime sees Cersei kneeling at the alter of the Mother, mourning their son, and decides to disrupt that image of maternal grief by forcing himself on her right on that alter, moon blood and all, next to their son's corpse. He felt nothing at his son's death, and neither is he comfortable with Cersei's grief. Jaime requires her to be focused on himself, on his needs, to be sexual available. The image of the Mother has to be desecrated and soiled.

Why?

Jaime had seen him born, that was true, though more for Cersei than the child. But he had never held him. "How would it look?" his sister warned him when the women finally left them. "Bad enough Joff looks like you without you mooning over him." Jaime yielded with hardly a fight. The boy had been a squalling pink thing who demanded too much of Cersei's time, Cersei's love, and Cersei's breasts. Robert was welcome to him. (ASOS, Jaime VII)

Cersei being a mother was always an issue for him because it took away her primary attention from him. He tries to blame her afterwards for preventing him from having a relationship with his children, but that's hardly the true and sole reason. Jaime rejected the children all by himself, for what they meant for Cersei.

He placed himself in competition with Joffrey, as if he were a child himself. As if Cersei was stealing something from him by being a mother to someone else.

Incidentally, the relationship to Cersei is something Jaime also places in opposition to his own mother:

Once their mother's maid had caught them at it . . . he did not recall just what they had been doing, but whatever it was had horrified Lady Joanna. She'd sent the maid away, moved Jaime's bedchamber to the other side of Casterly Rock, set a guard outside Cersei's, and told them that they must never do that again or she would have no choice but to tell their lord father. They need not have feared, though. It was not long after that she died birthing Tyrion. Jaime barely remembered what his mother had looked like. (ASOS, Jaime III)

Her death is almost framed as a relief, her interference punished by his lack of regard for her memory. Perhaps someone is overcompensating. Conflating his childlike confusion, the fear of punishment for something that had as of yet been innocent if alarmingly devoid of health boundaries, with a sense of guilt when she ended up dying, snatched away entirely.

How could Jaime not cling to his relationship with Cersei as a compensation, a replacement that he was entitled to? How could the introduction of competition not make him feel threatened in the same way, trying to force him out of the one bubble of childhood comfort he thought he had dug his claws into, out into full adulthood and actual responsibility?

At a later point, in another dream, Jaime comes closer to touching on that pain of loss, the same loss that drives so much of Cersei's rage.

A tear rolled down her cheek. The woman raised her hood again and turned her back on him. Jaime called after her, but already she was moving away, her skirt whispering lullabies as it brushed across the floor. Don’t leave me, he wanted to call, but of course she’d left them long ago. (AFFC, Jaime VII)

Which, of course, mirrors an earlier confrontation with Cersei, too.

Cersei wiped her tears away on a ragged brown sleeve. "Very well. If it is battlefields you want, battlefields I shall give you." She jerked her hood up angrily. "I was a fool to come. I was a fool ever to love you." Her footsteps echoed loudly in the quiet, and left damp splotches on the marble floor. (AFFC, Jaime I)

So when - in between those two hooded women - Jaime equated Cersei with another hooded image, as per your quote, we should not let ourselves be fooled.

So close, Jaime.

Jaime can't accept Cersei as a mother unless he chooses to finally grow up - and accepts that more than a son, he is a father.

He may face something very important about all the gods:

The Father’s face is stern and strong, he sits and judges right from wrong. He weighs our lives, the short and long, and loves the little children. The Mother gives the gift of life, and watches over every wife. Her gentle smile ends all strife, and she loves her little children. The Warrior stands before the foe, protecting us where e’er we go. With sword and shield and spear and bow, he guards the little children. The Crone is very wise and old, and sees our fates as they unfold. She lifts her lamp of shining gold, to lead the little children. The Smith, he labors day and night, to put the world of men to right. With hammer, plow, and fire bright, he builds for little children. The Maiden dances through the sky, she lives in every lover’s sigh, Her smiles teach the birds to fly, and give dreams to little children. The Seven Gods who made us all, are listening if we should call. So close your eyes, you shall not fall, they see you, little children, Just close your eyes, you shall not fall, they see you, little children. (ASOS, Samwell III)

They all revolve around the children.

“Did you only sing of six gods? Craster always told us you southrons had seven.” “Seven,” he agreed, “but no one sings of the Stranger.” The Stranger’s face was the face of death.

Even that one, Jaime.

#jaime lannister #cersei lannister #faith of the seven #motherhood #fatherhood #abdication of responsibility #mommy issues

80 notes · View notes

youritalianbookpal · 4 years ago

Text

[Transcription: two pictures of a citation taken from A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin. The quote reads: "Will you pray with me, Jaime?" He glanced about the sept, at the gods. Th Mother, full of mercy. The Father, stern i judgment. The Warrior, one hand upon hi sword. The Stranger in the shadows, his half human face concealed beneath a hooded mantle. I thought that I was the Warrior and Cersei was the Maid, but all the time she was the Stranger, hiding her true face from my gaze. "Pray for me, if you like," he told his cousin. "I've forgotten all the words." The sparrows were still fluttering about the steps when Jaime stepped back out into the night. "Thank you," he told them. "I feel ever so much holier now.”]

There is something so poetic and yet gut wrenching in Jaime believing Cersei’s the Stranger, after having believed for the longest time she was the Maid.

#asoiaf reread #asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #george r.r. martin #a feast for crows #jaime lannister #cersei lannister

6 notes · View notes

butterflies-dragons · 5 years ago

Text

Sansa, Jon and Sweetness

I know that “sweetness” could be a bad omen for other characters in different contexts, but in these quotes of Jon and Sansa “sweetness” means innocence, family, dreams, beauty, desires and love.

Sweet Lady

Remember when Jon Snow called his mare “Sweet Lady”?

The mare whickered softly as Jon Snow tightened the cinch. “Easy, sweet lady,” he said in a soft voice, quieting her with a touch. Wind whispered through the stable, a cold dead breath on his face, but Jon paid it no mind. He strapped his roll to the saddle, his scarred fingers stiff and clumsy. “Ghost,” he called softly, “to me.” And the wolf was there, eyes like embers.

—A Game of Thrones - Jon IX

As I said before, there are so many things to say about this quote:

Jon Snow, the guy who is supposed to like the warrior woman type, whispered to his mare “Easy, sweet lady”. He could’ve said “Easy, girl”, but he said: “Easy, sweet lady”. Oh Jon, you are such a romantic dork.

Lady is also the name of Sansa’s direwolf.

Lady and Ghost are mentioned together and linked in many passages of the Books. I love it.

At this point Lady is dead, so she is literally a ghost.

Later in the Books Jon also dies. So we have a direwolf with a dead master and a master with a dead direwolf.

And guess who is the female character that is called ‘sweet lady’ the most? Yes, the answer is Sansa.

Red haired girls calling Jon Snow “Sweet” & Jon Snow calling red haired girls “Sweet”

Ygritte:

Tormund frowned down at Jon. "Best go, if it's the Mance who's wanting you."

Ygritte helped pull him up. "He's bleeding like a butchered boar. Look what Orell did t' his sweet face."

—A Storm of Swords - Jon II

Sansa:

“There's a new High Septon, did you know? Oh, and the Night's Watch has a boy commander, some bastard son of Eddard Stark's."

"Jon Snow?" she blurted out, surprised.

"Snow? Yes, it would be Snow, I suppose."

She had not thought of Jon in ages. He was only her half brother, but still . . . with Robb and Bran and Rickon dead, Jon Snow was the only brother that remained to her. I am a bastard too now, just like him. Oh, it would be so sweet, to see him once again. But of course that could never be. Alayne Stone had no brothers, baseborn or otherwise.

—A Feast for Crows - Alayne II

Jon:

Blood meant little and less amongst the free folk, Jon knew. Ygritte had taught him that. Gerrick's daughters shared her same flame-red hair, though hers had been a tangle of curls and theirs hung long and straight. Kissed by fire. "Three princesses, each lovelier than the last," he told their father. "I will see that they are presented to the queen." Selyse Baratheon would take to these three better than she had to Val, he suspected; they were younger and considerably more cowed. Sweet enough to look at them, though their father seems a fool.

—A Dance with Dragons - Jon XII

Red Hair exists Jon Snow: Lovely! Sweet!

Sweet Dreams of Winterfell

Jon and Sansa really want to go back to Winterfell, their home:

If I could show her Winterfell . . . give her a flower from the glass gardens, feast her in the Great Hall, and show her the stone kings on their thrones. We could bathe in the hot pools, and love beneath the heart tree while the old gods watched over us.

The dream was sweet . . . but Winterfell would never be his to show. It belonged to his brother, the King in the North. He was a Snow, not a Stark. Bastard, oathbreaker, and turncloak . . .

—A Storm of Swords - Jon V

That was such a sweet dream, Sansa thought drowsily. She had been back in Winterfell, running through the godswood with her Lady. Her father had been there, and her brothers, all of them warm and safe. If only dreaming could make it so . . .

She threw back the coverlets. I must be brave. Her torments would soon be ended, one way or the other. If Lady was here, I would not be afraid. Lady was dead, though; Robb, Bran, Rickon, Arya, her father, her mother, even Septa Mordane. All of them are dead but me. She was alone in the world now.

—A Storm of Swords - Sansa IV

Sweet flowery smelling

Jon is OK with sweet flowery smells:

"Maybe he never washes, so he smells as rank as a bear."

"Then I'd push him in a stream or throw a bucket o' water on him. Anyhow, men shouldn't smell sweet like flowers."

"What's wrong with flowers?"

—A Storm of Swords - Jon V

The shield that guards the realms of men. Ghost nuzzled up against his shoulder, and Jon draped an arm around him. He could smell Horse's unwashed breeches, the sweet scent Satin combed into his beard, the rank sharp smell of fear, the giant's overpowering musk. He could hear the beating of his own heart. When he looked across the grove at the woman with her child, the two greybeards, the Hornfoot man with his maimed feet, all he saw was men.

—A Dance with Dragons - Jon VII

Sansa smells sweet like flowers:

Sansa Stark, he mused. Soft-spoken sweet-smelling Sansa, who loved silks, songs, chivalry and tall gallant knights with handsome faces. He felt as though he was back on the bridge of boats, the deck shifting beneath his feet.

—A Storm of Swords - Tyrion III

On the morning her new gown was to be ready, the serving girls filled Sansa's tub with steaming hot water and scrubbed her head to toe until she glowed pink. Cersei's own bedmaid trimmed her nails and brushed and curled her auburn hair so it fell down her back in soft ringlets. She brought a dozen of the queen's favorite scents as well. Sansa chose a sharp sweet fragrance with a hint of lemon in it under the smell of flowers. The maid dabbed some on her finger and touched Sansa behind each ear, and under her chin, and then lightly on her nipples.

—A Storm of Swords - Sansa III

Sweet as Song

Jon seems fond of sweet voices and singing:

The wildlings seemed to think Ygritte a great beauty because of her hair; red hair was rare among the free folk, and those who had it were said to be kissed by fire, which was supposed to be lucky. Lucky it might be, and red it certainly was, but Ygritte's hair was such a tangle that Jon was tempted to ask her if she only brushed it at the changing of the seasons.

At a lord's court the girl would never have been considered anything but common, he knew. She had a round peasant face, a pug nose, and slightly crooked teeth, and her eyes were too far apart. Jon had noticed all that the first time he'd seen her, when his dirk had been at her throat. Lately, though, he was noticing some other things. When she grinned, the crooked teeth didn't seem to matter. And maybe her eyes were too far apart, but they were a pretty blue-grey color, and lively as any eyes he knew. Sometimes she sang in a low husky voice that stirred him. And sometimes by the cookfire when she sat hugging her knees with the flames waking echoes in her red hair, and looked at him, just smiling . . . well, that stirred some things as well.

—A Storm of Swords - Jon II

With their black hoods and thick black cowls, the six might have been carved from shadow. Their voices rose together, small against the vastness of the night. "Night gathers, and now my watch begins," they said, as thousands had said before them. Satin's voice was sweet as song, Horse's hoarse and halting, Arron's a nervous squeak. "It shall not end until my death."

—A Dance with Dragons - Jon VII

Sansa sings sweetly:

It wasn’t fair. Sansa had everything. Sansa was two years older; maybe by the time Arya had been born, there had been nothing left. Often it felt that way. Sansa could sew and dance and sing. She wrote poetry. She knew how to dress. She played the high harp and the bells. Worse, she was beautiful. Sansa had gotten their mother’s fine high cheekbones and the thick auburn hair of the Tullys.

—A Game of Thrones - Arya I

So the singer played for her, so soft and sad that Arya only heard snatches of the words, though the tune was half-familiar. Sansa would know it, I bet. Her sister had known all the songs, and she could even play a little, and sing so sweetly. All I could ever do was shout the words.

—A Storm of Swords - Arya IV

He thought of Robb, with snowflakes melting in his hair. Kill the boy and let the man be born. He thought of Bran, clambering up a tower wall, agile as a monkey. Of Rickon's breathless laughter. Of Sansa, brushing out Lady's coat and singing to herself. You know nothing, Jon Snow. He thought of Arya, her hair as tangled as a bird's nest. I made him a warm cloak from the skins of the six whores who came with him to Winterfell … I want my bride back … I want my bride back … I want my bride back …

—A Dance with Dragons - Jon XIII

Sweet Bran

Jon and Sansa remembering Bran’s sweetness:

When the dwarf grimaced, his scar tightened and twisted. "The boy's earned himself a dagger, wouldn't you say?" Thankfully Tyrion did not wait for her reply. "Joff quarreled with your brother Robb at Winterfell. Tell me, was there ill feeling between Bran and His Grace as well?"

"Bran?" The question confused her. "Before he fell, you mean?" She had to try and think back. It was all so long ago. "Bran was a sweet boy. Everyone loved him. He and Tommen fought with wooden swords, I remember, but just for play."

—A Storm of Swords - Sansa IV

When nine-and-ninety hostages had shuffled by them to pass beneath the Wall, Tormund Giantsbane produced the last one. "My son Dryn. You'll see he's well taken care of, crow, or I'll cook your black liver up and eat it."

Jon gave the boy a close inspection. Bran's age, or the age he would have been if Theon had not killed him. Dryn had none of Bran's sweetness, though. He was a chunky boy, with short legs, thick arms, and a wide red face—a miniature version of his father, with a shock of dark brown hair. "He'll serve as my own page," Jon promised Tormund.

—A Dance with Dragons - Jon XII

This post was so sweet to write ♡

#Sansa Stark #Jon Snow #Sansa x Jon #Jon x Sansa #jonsa

196 notes · View notes

ginmo · 5 years ago

Text

Telegraphing vs. Foreshadowing.

“Telegraphing is giving away too much, too soon, thereby ruining the suspense, or the impact of the event.

When you foreshadow, the reader usually doesn’t notice it when they initially read it. But later they might have an “aha” moment, remember it, and put two and two together. Often foreshadowing can’t even be detected until someone reads your novel for a second time. It’s that subtle.

But telegraphing works the opposite. The reader notices the telegraphing detail, groans, and predicts what’s going to happen. It takes the fun out of reading a novel. Envision the important event, or piece of information that your reader’s going to learn, like a balloon. Telegraphing is like letting some of the air out of the balloon ahead of time, so when the time comes for the “pop” you get a fizzle instead.” [x]

The two Mr. “Themes Are For 8th Graders” are horrible at telling the difference between telegraphing and foreshadowing. The show has both, but that’s because they treat them as the same and can’t tell them apart. My favorite example:

Jaime S5: I want to die in the arms of the woman I love.

Jaime S8: Dies, lovingly, in the arms of the woman he was surface level referring to.

Proper foreshadowing would have been Jaime dying (in battle or of old age) in the arms of the woman he loved, but the woman being someone different than he and the surface viewers had in mind at the moment he had made the comment. Foreshadowing involves subtext and subtlety, not straight up spoiling the fucking death.

As for the books, literally every popular (red flag right there) Jaime and Cersei prediction for their endgame is an example of telegraphing. Their predictions stem 100% from what's written right on the page, zero subtext, interpreting it as is.

Jaime believes he’ll only ever love Cersei, so Jaime will only ever love Cersei.

Cersei believes Jaime will always be devoted to her, so Jaime will always be devoted to her.

Brienne doesn’t think love is an option for her, so love will never be an option for her.

Westeros and surface readers think Jaime is dishonorable trash, so he will start and end as dishonorable trash.

The twins believe they will die together, no matter what, so they will die together. Since they came into the world together they obviously will go out together.

This quote from GRRM is pretty fucking telling.

“There’s an element of sociopathy to it, where it’s the two of us and no one else really counts, especially outside their family. They’re twins, they were born together, they have a feeling that they’re going to die together. There’s this bonding that they’re two halves of a whole, so who else would they pair with? Anything else is lesser.” [x]

The hilarious thing about this is some people view this as GRRM confirming that anything is lesser and that they will die together which... is... telegraphing LMAO. Why am I not surprised they take every fucking thing at face value.

I’m going to quote @jaimetheexplorer, because she explained the entire GRRM quote wonderfully

“ GRRM is careful to specify that that’s a feeling they have, it’s not a truth. He might obviously be avoiding spoilers, but I think there’s more to it than that, in the sense that he is using that belief of theirs as an example of the level of unhealthy obsession and delusion in their relationship. This is the point at which their story begins; the point at which they buy into this notion that they’re two halves of a whole and the only ones who matter. I already discussed in part 1 about narrative arcs, how perhaps the main part of Jaime and Cersei’s story is about discovering that they’re not two halves of a whole, and set off on opposite journeys. Indeed, Jaime’s quote comes from early on in his POV, before he returns to King’s Landing and his disillusion with Cersei begins to set in. And GRRM is indeed raising a question that will be addressed later, as their story unfolds: “who else would they pair with?”. Of course, at the beginning of their story, the answer is nobody because “anything else is lesser”, but will that still be the answer in the future? (6’3” hint - probably not).“

I’m going to do a checklist here:

[x] Nobody else matters (someone else matters)

He already began slowly and subtly addressing this. “no one else really counts, especially outside their family.” Brienne, someone outside the family, is stepping into a position where Jaime believes she counts. He punched her former betrothed, because the dude made fun of her. Jaime then sent him to the other side of Westeros, so he didn’t have to look at him. He literally views her as his protector. He left Cersei to die and then ran off to follow Brienne in their mission to help Sansa, another person outside the family.

________________________________________________

[x] Two halves of a whole (as the story progresses they’re finding out they’re more different than they thought)

How could I ever have loved that wretched creature? she wondered after he had gone. He was your twin, your shadow, your other half, another voice whispered. Once, perhaps, she thought. No longer. He has become a stranger to me. - CERSEI, AFFC

I thought that I was the Warrior and Cersei was the Maid, but all the time she was the Stranger, hiding her true face from my gaze. - JAIME, AFFC

________________________________________________

[x] Die together (the feeling dissipating/not telegraphing)

He even destroyed the “They’re twins, they have a feeling that they’re going to die together.” Keep in mind that they believe they’re dying together, no matter what, precisely because they’re twins.“They’re twins" starts the sentence. They literally think they’re dying together because they’re intertwined, that they can never be separated, that they’re going out at the same time because of that forever twin bond they’re tied to one another. That’s it. Good or bad (murder/suicide) doesn’t matter. Again,twins, so context doesn’t matter.

That “feeling” is also starting to go away when the realization starts to set in that they aren’t as similar as they had thought (therefore not two halves of a whole. Hello separation theme, which means dying together defeats the point). Jaime abandoned Cersei to her death and then, when thinking about going back to KL, he’s all “meh, she may already be dead idk.” That feeling seems to be dissipating on Jaime’s end.

Hm. Sounds like chipping away at the telegraphing by story and character progression.

Oh.. oh... and what’s next???

________________________________________________

[x] Who else would they pair with? Anything else is lesser (falls in love and pairs with another woman)

IDK GRRM WILL ONE OF THEM PAIR WITH ANOTHER?? LMAO HOW ABOUT NO BECAUSE YOU’VE BEEN CONSTANTLY SAYING THAT CERSEI DOESN’T THINK SO AND THEY’VE THOUGHT FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THEY WERE INSEPARABLE SO OBVIOUSLY NO

WHO WOULD THIS OTHER PERSON EVEN BE???? IDK MAN

a woman.”

“A woman?” Cersei stared at him, uncomprehending. “What woman? Why? Where did they go?”

“No one knows. We’ve had no further word of him. The woman may have been the Evenstar’s daughter, Lady Brienne.”

Her. The queen remembered the Maid of Tarth, a huge, ugly, shambling thing who dressed in man’s mail. Jaime would never abandon me for such a creature. My raven never reached him, elsewise he would have come. - CERSEI, AFFC

BTW I put that quote in almost everything I write since it’s one of my favorites because lmfao dude what a beautiful moment

So like, call me crazy, but if we’re talking foreshadowing instead of telegraphing here, then I think it’s maybe the woman who doesn’t believe love is available to her, the same woman who Cersei believes Jaime would never abandon her for because superficial looks.

AND according to his editor:

...it is easier to tell when he’s overplaying a hand and revealing things too early if you don’t actually know going in what will happen. That said, now that I’ve realized his three-fold revelation strategy, I see it in play almost every time. The first, subtle hint for the really astute readers, followed later by the more blatant hint for the less attentive, followed by just spelling it out for everyone else. It’s a brilliant strategy, and highly effective

Yeah, okay, he’s telegraphing.

#jaime lannister #jaime x brienne #brienne of tarth #asoiaf #cersei lannister #grrm

147 notes · View notes