A Song of Ice and Fire - A Chapter a day discussion
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A Storm of Swords
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12/22/15 - Chapter 14: Catelyn II
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1. Interesting how Catelyn can tell Robb is back by the dogs barking and going crazy because of Grey Wind, who goes everywhere with Robb. Cat is so perceptive! I hadn’t noticed this my first reading.2. Edmure hasn’t once seen her since the first time he came back from fighting to yell at her, but Cat is sure Robb will see her. I’m sure he will, lol. Not one person in this castle is glad she set Jaime free.
3. Man, her father is really clinging onto life! He could die at any moment but is dragging it out for so long. It’s clear he wants to make amends with this Tansy he keeps muttering about.
4. So Cat knows Ser Robin failed to catch Jaime and came back on foot instead of ship, because it sunk. At least the man didn’t die. He seemed like a good man. Lol, it lightens her spirits. I’m not sure why this should cheer her up seeing as Edmure made it out to look like he escaped instead of it being a trade. Maybe she hopes Jaime and Brienne will swear to Tywin he didn’t escape, he was let go?
5. Gods, hours after the argument with her brother she saw a quarrel outside and one knight threw the direwolf banner in the mud and trampled over it on his horse and left. Someone is unhappy with the Starks. Cat isn’t allowed to know what happened but she knows whatever it is it came from Edmure’s army. About 40 men left and never came back. She thought she saw some were Freys but couldn’t be sure.
6. Robb came back with another triumph. He has never lost a single battle. Cat hopes he will forgive her; Sansa and Arya are his sisters and he loves them too. She is summoned to the Great Hall and now she dreads it. There is a crowded audience, how stressful. She feels like someone is missing from his party, though, but can’t recall who. Robb is charismatic as ever and she seems very proud of him. The lords of the riverlands shout “The king of the trident!” He is loved in both kingdoms. But everyone shushes when they see Cat come in. All she cares about is her son’s forgiveness, damn anyone else’s opinion.
7. Cat sees some new faces beside Robb on the dais. Knights and ladies with seashells for their sigil, she can’t recall the house but knows it’s lesser in nobility.
8. It is kind of funny how Cat is afraid of Robb being angry with her but his look is not anger, it is apprehension, lol. She must be looking like that to him as well! Ser Brynden is warm with her as ever, giving her a big hug. Their conversation is rather awkward between Robb and Cat. Robb knows she let Jaime go for his sisters. He does not disdain her, but Lord Rickard Karstark tells her she robbed him of his vengeance. Cat calmly reminds Lord Rickard his sons are dead, there’s nothing they can do to bring them back, but her daughters still have a chance at coming home alive. Lord Rickard yells at her but the Greatjon tells him to leave off, it’s a mother’s folly, lol, wow dude... I’m not sure who I’m more offended by. Robb tells Lord Rickard off, saying no man is allowed to call his mother a traitor. Robb is softer to his mother, telling her he personally would rather Jaime be back in Riverrun in chains, but knows what she did was out of love. He says he learned love is not always wise, but we follow our hearts anyway, hinting at something.
9. Lord Rickard is mourning his two dead sons, I get that, but he really ought not to blame it on Cat. He is really harsh to her apology. She wants to make amends but he throws it in her face and leaves without being dismissed. Robb apologizes on his behalf and tells his mother he forgives her. Whew. She knows she hasn’t lost this son. *SPOILER FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)
10. Robb dismisses the meeting so it is only her, him, his uncles, and the six strangers beside him. Now she realizes who is missing: his direwolf. Very odd. Lady Mormont and the Greatjon are warm with her as they depart but everyone else is cool with her, though respectful.
11. Robb introduces these people to Cat as members from House Westerling from the Crag. They certainly are devoted to King Robb of the North! They were sworn to the Lannisters until Robb wedded one. He married Jeyne Westerling, the oldest daughter, and her younger brother is his new squire, Rollam Westerling. It’s funny how the first thought that comes to Catelyn’s mind is he’s still a child, and then he’s promised to a Frey. This is a big deal. Robb has insulted House Frey. That’s why the Freys are so pissed. Why should they swear fealty to a king who breaks his oath? Granted, there are way too many Freys, but Robb married out of love, so that’s why Robb can’t be wroth with his mother. They both fucked up and aren’t ashamed of it.
12. Catelyn is horrified, of course, but finds she can’t be angry with him. She welcomes Lady Jeyne, acknowledging her as a new daughter, awe. :) The poor girl is terrified. Technically she’s a queen now. Cat thinks she’s very pretty and can see how she stole Robb’s heart. Lol, Cat also notices she has good hips, good for bearing children.
13. Robb is so warm with Rollam, his new squire and brother-in-law. :) I forgot how warm hearted and easy going he is, especially since he never gets his own chapters. In a lot of ways he seems to resemble a Tully more than a Stark. Ned was rumored to have loved Ashara Dayne but he never married her. Lord Eddard Stark never broke a vow, remember? ;) But Robb did. Yes, it was out of love, but there are going to be major consequences for this.
14. Apparently Lord Gawen Westerling, Robb’s father-in-law, is being held ransom at Seagard by Jason Mallister. Robb of course is going to free him now, but he doesn’t expect the man to come over to his side; they wed without his consent. The Crag isn’t very strong, so Tywin Lannister can easily crush him. Jeyne is risking a lot by marrying Robb. Cat gingerly reminds Robb that he lost the Freys too. He gained 50 knights from the Crag but lost 1,000 mounted knights and 3,000 foot soldiers from the Twins. Ouch. I hope she was worth it! Catelyn thinks he’s being stupid but also knows he’s young and fell in love. Lecturing him won’t serve.
15. The story goes when Robb overtook the Crag he had been shot in the arm by an arrow. It festered so Jeyne nursed him back to health. When he learned about Theon’s treachery and his little brothers Jeyne “comforted” him. Being an honorable man, he married her the next day.
16. I like how humble Robb is here. He says he made a botch of everything except the battles. He admits he should have held onto Theon like she suggested, then they wouldn’t have lost Winterfell and the boys. If Ser Stevron were still alive Robb is certain he could have made amends, but Ser Ryman, the new heir of the Twins, is stupid and Black Walder even threatened to have Jeyne killed so he can marry a Frey girl. Robb almost had that man killed were it not for Jeyne telling him to be merciful. Oh I see, Olyvar Frey, Robb’s other squire, left with Ser Ryman when they went back home.
17. Robb had hoped Walder Frey could marry off several daughters to other lords in the North who aren’t opposed to it. But Catelyn reminds him how stubborn Walder Frey is. He wanted to be grandfather to a king, and now Robb mucked that up. And what’s worse, Robb married a girl from a lesser house; that is incredibly insulting. According to Robb, the Westerlings are an ancient house, descending from the First Men. I forgot King Maegor the Cruel wed a Jeyne Westerling. All of that doesn’t matter to Lord Frey, though.
18. Before he goes into a council meeting with the Blackfish, Cat asks where Grey Wind is. Robb says outside. He apparently gets furious sometimes and scares Jeyne and her mother. Cat is dismayed. She says Grey Wind is a part of him. To fear Grey Wind is to fear him. How wise she is!!! Robb says despite what everyone calls him, he is not a wolf. Oh dear, it’s like he’s shunning his Stark heritage. He basically calls Grey Wind rabid. Grey Wind particularly hates Ser Rolph, Jeyne’s uncle. Cat gets shivers and tells Robb to send Ser Rolph away at once. Robb says he’s a good man but Cat begs him to send Ser Rolph off to do his bidding anywhere but near him. Heed Grey Wind’s nose. If he doesn’t like someone, heed it. Cat reminds him these wolves are special. The old gods sent them to “us,” she says. Cat says there were five but Robb corrects her; there were six, one for Jon too. Ah, I see. Robb lost faith in their wolves when Bran and Rickon died. Where were their wolves then? That really sucks they don’t know what actually happened! Robb agrees to send Ser Rolph on some errand but only to appease her.
19. At the council meeting, Ser Brynden Tully scolds Edmure for his folly on the Fords. Edmure doesn’t understand what he did wrong. His uncle tells him he was commanded to hold Riverrun, that’s all. Edmure still doesn’t get it. Robb says the reason they stayed so long in the west was so they could lure Lord Tywin to them. They were patient enough, living off his land as they waited to trap him in the west. With Tywin up here, Stannis could have defeated Joffrey, Cersei, and the Imp and they could make peace then. I sincerely doubt Stannis would let Robb remain a king. Robb scolds Edmure for doing anything more than what was commanded of him, to hold Riverrun, never mind they never told him their plan. He needs to follow his king’s orders. But because Edmure kept Tywin in the east, the southern lords reached him from Bitterbridge with the news Stannis is attacking King’s Landing. Once again Edmure fucks up.
20. Ha! Cat wonders why Robb couldn’t have fallen in love with Margaery Tyrell instead. Maybe Grey Wind would like the smell of her better. :)
21. Edmure looks grief stricken and offers to lead the van in the next battle. Robb says the next battle they’ll face is Lord Tywin’s entire host along with all of Highgarden beside him. Maybe the Freys, too, if they can’t make amends with them.
22. But Catelyn says first they need to get back Winterfell from Theon and avenge his brothers, otherwise he’s not meant to be king of the North if he can’t even defend his own land. That is so harsh and Robb is surprised. Robb says last he heard Ser Rodrik was gaining a host to retake Winterfell. He hasn’t heard back from him in a long time but hopes it went well. Besides, the ironmen hold Moat Cailin. No army has ever successfully taken Moat Cailin from the south. Maybe if they had the Freys back on their side they might stand a chance. Robb is prepared to give Walder Frey anything he requires and Cat says he’ll require a someone. I wonder why they don’t try to go through the swamplands? I’m sure Greywater Watch will welcome them and aid their journey up north. Once the crannogmen see these are northmen returning and mean no harm I see no reason why they wouldn’t help. No one ever thinks to ask for their aid, it seems. I get it’s very hard to locate the moving castle, but they should encounter some crannogmen who can send off for Lord Reed.
About your point 22, it seems the Reeds don't have any relation with anyone. I mean, Jojen and Meera went to Winterfell, but I have the idea they don't get involved a lot with the realm. They have no part in this war, and I think Howland didn't left his castle in 14 years. But I think they would have welcomed the Starks, maybe because they don't get involved they didn't consider them, and the castle is an issue as well.
2-Robb was waiting her in the Great Hall, which was full of people, and she saw Lady Mormont, the Greatjon, Mallister and Blackwood among Robb’s men. When she looked at her son, she noticed he was a man now, and he looked like a King. She was waiting for this momento, but she was also scared Robb might not want her near anymore. Poor woman, she suffers so much!
3-When people started to notice she was there, she hold her head high and didn’t care what they thought, only what Robb thought mattered. I liked that! She saw the Blackfish as well, and also people she didn’t know, from a lesser house. She wondered why Robb brought prisoners with him. I have to say though, the first time I didn’t expected at all what happened in this chapter.
4-When Robb looks at her, she sees fear, and wonder why. Brynden greeted her, he didn’t care what people thought and I liked that as well. Turns out Robb took an arrow in his arm while storming the Crag. She finally brings up Jaime, and I really like she didn’t try to make it any worse than it really was. Robb says he knows she did it for the girls, and seems to understand it. But Karkstark is not having it, he said she took his vengeance for him, even when she said she could get her girls back if he was alive, but couldn’t bring his sons to life, which is true. Lord Karkstark also said this was treason, and Robb said he won’t call her mother like that in front of him. Rickard left. He won’t let this go, he seemed really mad, and has his reasons.
5-Robb said he knew what it was like to love so greatly to forget everything else, and even thought it gave me an idea, I never thought he got fucking married, and I don’t think Catelyn thought it either. Catelyn noticed Grey WInd wasn’t there, which is weird of course. I really liked Lady Mormont and the Greatjon were so nice to her, when she expected everyone either to hate her or to don’t even look at her.
6-The 6 strangers, her brother and uncle and Robb remain, and he introduces them. They were Westerlings, Lady Westerling and her children were there, her husband was taken prisoner in the Whispering Wood. Robb took the Crag, and Catelyn thought Tywin wouldn’t take well he lost this family. One boy, called Rollarn, was Robb’s new squire. He presents at last his wife, Jeyne, a pretty girl who was terrified. Catelyn reacted better than I remembered, even thought Robb did a really stupid thing, but she then remembered how young he was. And young people tend to do stupid things.
7-Robb said he will free Lord Westerling now, although he doesn’t know if he will join him, since he is a Lannister supporter. This was quite weird, I mean, his family joined the Starks (although he wasn’t asked for permission) and it would be kinda wrong if his whole family supports the Starks and he the Lannisters.
8-Catelyn tells him he of course, lost the Freys. And she understands why he wasn’t as mad as he should have been, he did what he did for love as well. Although, if you ask me, he married more to keep her honor than out of love, you can’t know a person in a day. This unión brought 50 swords and a doxen knights, which is nothing compared to what he lost. Jeyne took care of him when he was wounded, and he was with her when he find out about what happened in WInterfell. Catelyn knew they slept together, and Robb married her the next day, without asking anybody. I mean, I know he is a King and all, but he lost so much. And I think it was good he followed his heart if he fell in love with that girl. But seeing it as war strategy, it was a really stupid thing to do. But he is really young after all, and I understand why he did it.
9-Catelyn clearly is not happy about it, although she keep it cool while the Westerlings were there, but now she is talking. She told Robb of the great insult this was to the Freys, how much the old man wanted to be grandfather to the son of a King, and how he slighted the honot of the Twins by marrying someone of a lesser house. Some of his men offered to marry some Freys, but Catelyn knew it wouldn’t work. Frey was really proud, and Robb hurt his pride. Robb says they descended from the First Men and were royal once, and Catelyn thought that would make Frey even angrier. This is not good at all.
10-When Catelyn asked about Grey Wind, Robb said he killed too many men to fear them anymore, and Jeyne was anxious around her, and her mother terrified. I have to say, this pissed me so much. Catelyn said: “He is part of you, Robb. To fear him is to fear you.” She knows the wolves aren’t just wolves, but Robb stopped thinking that when his brothers died. If he only knew!
11-Grey Wind bared his teeth when he sees Jeyne’s uncle. Catelyn tells Robb to send Ser Rolph away, with whatever misión, but away. Robb doesn’t want to, his wife loves him a lot. She said he didn’t listen about Theon, and he should listen now. It seems Robb doesn’t have the same kind of relationship with Grey Wind, which is sad. He said he will send Rolph away just to ease her mind, not because his wolf doesn’t like the way he smells. I don’t remember what happens with this man.
12-Once they are alone, Brynden tells Edmure to stop talking about the Stone Mill, he was not happy at all about what his nephew did. He was meant to held Riverrun and nothing else. Robb is pissed as well, he wanted Tywin to go west, he didn’t want to plunder like Edmure thought. Robb told him to hold Riverrun, and no more. Edmure basically fucked up their plans, although he thought they would be proud of him. It seems he wants glory.
13-Catelyn would have preferred Robb marrying Margaery, they could have won the war with so many swords. But for some reason, I don’t think the Tyrells would have accepted. Catelyn thought Grey Wind might liked her smell. I would have payed more attention if I was Robb about who Grey Wind did and did not like.
14-Catelyn says he has to go back to Winterfell and kill Theon, otherwise he is no King. I think Robb let this pass because he knew she was not happy about what he did, and it was worst than what she did. But he can’t go back from the south, the Greyjoys have Moat Cailin and there is no way to take it with the men he has. Robb knows he has to get the Freys back, they have to offer something. Catelyn thinks they have to give her someone, and the first time I thought she was talking about her.