A Song of Ice and Fire - A Chapter a day discussion
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A Storm of Swords
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12/28/15 - Chapter 20: Catelyn III
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1. Well Rickard Karstark has really done it this time. He killed Tion Frey and Willem Lannister, cousins to Jaime, Cersei, and Tyrion. They were Robb’s prisoners. Actually, Karstark required eight men to kill two unarmed squires. They killed two of Edmure’s men as well, trying to get into the tower. 2. Rickard Karstark says it wasn’t murder, it was vengeance. Robb says Tion Frey did not kill Torrhen Karstark. Willem Lannister did not kill Eddard Karstark. His sons died honorably in the Whispering Wood. This is just plain murder. Karstark says blood pays for blood. But they were only kids. Karstark says Catelyn is just as guilty of this as he is. Um...no. Don’t blame others for your own actions.
3. Wow...this man does not respect Robb. He mocks him and says he will scold him, then forgive him, because that’s what Robb did with Cat. The Greatjon deals him a hard blow, which he deserves, but Robb says to leave him be. Greatjon Umber wants nothing more than to kill Rickard Karstark. Right on!
4. Brynden Tully arrives late. Robb tells Greatjon to hang the other seven that helped Karstark and keep him in the hall till he returns. It is badass how Robb tells the watcher to watch the other six hang before he is hung last. Watching but not doing anything is just as guilty.
5. Once they are alone the Blackfish announces all the Karstark men are gone. Of course. They apparently stole away in the night. Rickard Karstark swore to his men that he would marry his daughter to the man who finds the kingslayer and kills him. That’s not good at all for Catelyn. Or Robb, since he wants him alive and in chains at Riverrun. Three hundred Karstark men are now lost to him as well. It is just blow after blow for Robb.
6. Edmure suggests they keep this secret in Riverrun, do not let Lord Tywin know his nephews are dead. He may have Sansa killed. But the Blackfish and Robb both would rather he tell the truth. There’s no fixing this; Tywin will find out somehow anyway. Robb says he owes him the truth, and justice. Robb has no choice but to kill Karstark. I forgot Karstark has another son, the heir to Karhold, who is still alive. Right now he’s Tywin’s captive, Harrion Karstark. Robb seems sure Harrion will hate Robb for killing his father but the Blackfish says he might not; he might forgive him for making him the new lord of Karhold.
7. Robb had hoped Lysa would at least open the Bloody Gate to let his men through to Gulltown to sail up to White Harbor so they could take Moat Cailin from the north, but Lysa will not get involved for anyone.
8. Robb despairs. He wonders why anyone would want to be king. He can’t even tell friend from foe anymore. Tion and Willem were his enemies and Karstark was his friend; now he must kill his friend for his enemies’ deaths. It’s an overall fucked up situation. The Blackfish says Tywin won’t even thank him for it. Robb says Rickard Karstark killed more than just Tion and Willem, he killed Robb’s honor. He must die for it. Interesting Edmure is against this. Honestly, at this point it doesn’t even matter; Robb is fucked either way. But it’s better to be honorable, even to your enemies, than dishonorable, right before you die.
9. I forgot the execution takes place in front of the heart tree. Rickard tells Robb he respects him at least for being man enough to execute him himself, but nothing else. Karstark says how loyal he’s always been to House Stark, they are kin, but Robb says it didn’t stop him from betraying his king. Apparently the Karstarks can be traced back to Karlon Stark a thousand years ago when he dispatched a rebel lord in the north. He received lands and a castle for that, the castle being called Karl’s Hold, but centuries later it became known as Karhold, and all Starks on that line became Karstarks. I wonder where they got their sunburst sigil.
10. Karstark’s last words are eerie, “Kill me, and be cursed. You are no king of mine.” Though Robb kills him with one blow, it takes three hacks to sever the head. Lovely. Robb shakes and looks at the heart tree. I wonder what he’s thinking.
11. Cat visits her father afterward. The maester says it won’t be long now. Just die already, Hoster! She’s doing needlework when Queen Jeyne comes in to speak with her. Even though she’s a queen she definitely doesn’t act like one, so timid. This girl feels bad for Robb and says he should use a headsman if taking lives is so hard for him. Ugh...she doesn’t get it. I like how Cat explains to Jeyne her husband taught their sons that killing should never be easy. The poor girl wants to help Robb somehow but doesn’t know what to do for him. She asks Cat for advise. Cat wishes someone would give her advise, too. She says to be patient; sometimes the best thing you can do for someone you care about is nothing. Be there for him when he needs it. She adds he also needs an heir, lol. Jeyne gives too much information when saying they try for a baby everyday, sometimes multiple times a day, lol. She says she prays to the Mother that she’ll be pregnant and Cat says she’ll pray too, to both new and old gods. :)
About your point 3, I think Karstark lost respect for Robb a while ago, when he did nothing when Catelyn let Jaime go. I'm sure they sent a letter to him.
2-They were pale because of the time they spent in the cells, and the blood was really read. She wonders if Sansa’s body will look like that when they kill her and lay her on the throne room. I guess Catelyn assumed they will kill her, Jaime was free and a Lannister kid was dead.
3-Raynald and Rolph, who I see Robb did not send away were there. Jeyne not, because she was a girl and it was a horrible thing to see. And she doesn’t sound as strong as Catelyn. She thinks she might have known the boys, even might have played with them when they were younger. For me, it is always sad to read when kids die, and I remember it was hard the first time as well.
4-The boys were Tion Frey and Willem Lannisters, and they were squires. Eight men were needed to killl two boys, and they also killed two guards to get into the tower. This was Karstark’s doing, he wanted vengeance. Catelyn thinks this is her fault, and those boys died so her daughters could live. I don’t think like that, but I understand why she feels like that. And I also understand why Karstark did this, but I don’t think it was right. Those boys didn’t kill his sons.
5-Karstark told her to look, it was her doing as well. He asks how is it treason to kill Lannisters, but not to free them? He also said Robb will scold him and then let him be, and called him King who lost the North. He was really harsh and I think he let it all out. Robb orders to keep Karstark to stay there, but the other seven will hang. One of the men said he was just a watcher, he knew what they were doing, but he didn’t do it. Robb said he was to be hanged last, so he could watch. It surprised me, but it’s not like the man was innocent.
6-Brynden told Edmure, Catelyn and Robb the Karstarks were gone, all scattered. Lord Karstark promised her daughter to any man who brings him Jaime’s head. Edmure thinks they should say nothing, not lie, just shut up about it. Brynden said the truth went with the Karstarks. I forgot Willem was Kevan’s son, and Tion Genna’s and a Frey as well. Robb says he owns their father the truth, and justice. I really like that, I know is not a nice situation for him at all, but he knows what he has to do.
7-Karstark betrayed him, and he has to die. His son Harrion will be his enemy now, and Edmure who thinks he can’t lose both the Karstarks and Freys, says Robb should let him live. Maybe have his as a hostage, but Robb said Karstark killed his honor, and he needed to kill him. It was not a hard decision to make, but it was the right thing to do.
8-They didn’t have news from Rodrik, Frey or Lysa, and Catelyn told him the truth. Lysa won’t answer or help, she won’t even open the Bloody Gate so they can go north. Robb wonders why men wanted to be kings, he was about to kill a man who fought and lost two sons for him, and was his father’s friend. He was a boy for a momento, but then go back to being a King. He can’t be a boy anymore.
9-They are in the godswood, and Karstark said they are kin, they both have the blood of the First Men, he fought for him and for his father, and called him kinslayer. His last words were Robb was not his King. Robb killed him with one blow, but it took three before he could cut his head. He was shaking after, this was really hard for him to do.
10-Brynden goes to get some Karstarks, and Catelyn goes to his father. He won’t live long now, he is really bad. Jeyne went to see her, and I liked she told Catelyn to just call her Jeyne instead of Grace, even though she was the Queen. She seems like a good girl. Jeyne asked Catelyn what to do, Robb was feeling miserable, he didn’t eat and didn’t change clothes. He wrote a letter and then burned it, and was looking at maps and didn’t answer when she talked. Catelyn told her to be there when he comes back, and be patient. Her advice was really good, she knew what it was like to be married to the north.
11-Catelyn told Jeyne Robb needed an heir, and she said her mother gave her a potion she drank every morning, to make her more fertile. *SPOILERS FOR A FEAST FOR CROWS* (view spoiler)[I read a theory Jeyne’s mother gave her a potion when she was pregnant, she was still with the Lannisters. I remember she talks with Jaime when he is in Riverrun, I’ll pay attention to that. But I wonder if this potion to make her more fertile worked the other way around. (hide spoiler)]. Jeyne said she will soon have twins she would name Eddard and Brandon, which I really liked. She said they tried almost everyday, Robb has a lot of energy, lol. It was really cute she told her father they might have a Hoster as well, but he couldn’t listen it seems. Catelyn thinks it might be more important the girl had good hips rather than a good heart. They really need an heir, and fast.