“Daenerys Stormborn,the Unburnt, Queen of Mereen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Khaleesi of Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Shackles andMother of Dragons”Missandei called.
You should look behind you, Lord Snow. The moon has kissed you and etched your shadow upon the ice twenty feet tall.
***
The white wolfraced through a black wood, beneath a pale cliff as tall as the sky. The moon ran with him, slipping through a tangle of bare branches overhead, across the starry sky.
“Here’s your choice. Three dragons, or you teach that hellhorse how to walk on water.” “I like an honest brigand. Have it your way. Three dragons… when you put us ashore safe on the north bank.” “I’ll have them now, or we don’t go.” The man thrust out a thick, callused hand, palm up. Clegane rattled his longsword to loosen the blade in the scabbard. “Here’s your choice. Gold on the north bank, or steel on the south.” The ferryman looked up at the Hound’s face. Arya could tell that he didn’t like what he saw there. He had a dozen men behind him, strong men with oars and hardwood poles in their hands, but none of them were rushing forward to help him. Together they could overwhelm Sandor Clegane, though he’d likely kill three or four of them before they took him down. “How do I know you’re good for it?” the bent-backed man asked, after a moment. He’s not, she wanted to shout. Instead she bit her lip. “Knight’s honor,” the Hound said, unsmiling. He’s not even a knight. She did not say that either.
—A Storm of Swords, Arya IX
art from asoiaf sketch dump, by Hanieh Salehi (twitter). Posted to tumblr with permission of the artist.
Quellon Greyjoy tried to reform the ways of the ironborn and integrate them with the rest of the Seven Kingdoms by freeing thralls, forbidding most reaving, discouraging salt wives, encouraging marriages with the mainland, and bringing maesters to the Iron Islands. Quellon was succeeded by his son, Balon Greyjoy who rejected most of his father’s reforms. Balon’s desire to return to the Old Way led to Greyjoy’s Rebellion against the rule of King Robert I Baratheon.
The river wind moved through the high branches, and she could see the Wheel Tower to her right, ivy crawling up its side. As she stood there, all the memories came flooding back to her. Her father had taught her to ride amongst these trees, and that was the elm that Edmure had fallen from when he broke his arm, and over there, beneath that bower, she and Lysa had played at kissing with Petyr.
pre-asoiaf meme: six pre-asoiaf dynamics ♦ catelyn & lysa tully // eleanor tomlinson as catelyn tully, isolda dychauk as lysa tully
