A Song of Ice and Fire - A Chapter a day discussion

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1-Things are going down. There is a host in Winterfell, and the Karstarks are the last to arrive. They have Stark blood, and their lastname is really similar.

2-Bran wanted to go and ride among them, but Robb said no. Seems not all of them get along, since a man knifed another. This situation sounds really difficult to handle.

3-I forgot men only were knighted under the oils of the Seven Gods, and that's why there are no knights in the North. It seems unfair, since there are a lot of men in the North who should be knights.

4-Of course Robb called his father's bannermen because they are going to war, and won't bend the knee in front of Joffrey. Also, seems like Bran has this wicker seat now, and it doesn't embarrassed him that much, like when Hodor had to carry him around.

5-Interesting how when he goes to the godswood now, Bran is not scared anymore. He still feels the red eyes in the trees watch him, but he feels comfortable. Really interesting.

6-Poor baby Rickon is so upset about Robb leaving. It was mention before Rickon was always with Robb, so sad! And because of what happened in the crypts he doesn't even has his direwolf with him. Maester Luwin told Robb not to go, but Robb replied, really wisely: “My lord father would never have sent men off to die while he huddled like a craven behind the walls of Winterfell.” I am really liking Robb now, he doesn't want to go, but he has to, so he will.

7-Lol at the lord's request. I smiled a lot reading them, so ridiculous.

8-The Greatjon situation was so stressful to read, even this time. But I understand why they are testing Robb, he is not even 16 yet and he is supposed to command an army. I have to say though, I like how the Greatjon reacted to the fact he no longer has those two fingers. Not everybody would have had the same reaction, and I liked he later became really close to Robb.

9-This is so hard, Robb went to Bran's chambers at night, and confessed he thought the Greatjon was going to kill him. He is 15, and has to carry so many weight in his shoulders. He is scared, and it's very understandable. I totally forgot about the mention of that room the Boltons have in the Dreadfort, where they hang the skins of their enemies. Robb also said Roose Bolton is really quiet. So creepy.

10-Sansa sent the letter, and I LOVE how Robb is mad because she didn't even mention Arya. Of course Cersei told her what to write, but I don't know what Sansa would have written if she used her words, since she didn't asked about her sister.

11-Nobody knows if they will return, and Bran doesn't lnow if he will ever see his family again. I really hope he does. Rickon thinks they won't, and that's why he doesn't want Robb to go.

12-Really interesting what Osha tells Bran. About the gods sending the wind, and saying they won't be able to protect Robb since there are no trees with red eyes in the South. Also, now I wonder why they took them all out, couldn't a lord in the South believe in the old gods and live there still? She also says Robb should go North, she has seen a lot of things, and talked about the giants and the wrigths. They should listen to Osha more, she seems to know a lot of things they don't.

13-But at the end of the chapter Robb left anyway, and Theon with him. Bran and Rickon stay in Winterfell, and it's so sad when Bran thinks people will never cheer him like they cheered his brother. Who knows, maybe they will, but not in the way he thinks.

About your point 3, I didn't get the feeling the North was unhappy at the small amount of knights they have. I think they think on the same lines as the Hound, that just because you are a Ser that doesn't make you a good person, and there are plenty of decent gallant fighters who are NOT knighted, like a lot of them are in the North, I'm sure.

Yeah, I get the feeling Bran will never get his good deeds recognized, but that will be okay with him by the end of the series, I think. I think Bran is fated to be a total badass character, using his awesome warging powers to do good for the realm.

1. I forgot about the Karstarks visit to Winterfell. They brought 300 horsemen and 2,000 foot soldiers from Karhold, too. Two of Lord Rickard Karstark's men are named after Starks: Eddard and Torrhen. (Torrhen I believe was the King Who Knelt).

2. Old Nan says they have Stark blood in them but they don't look like Starks to Bran. Karstark banner is white sunburst on black. Wonder why they chose a sunburst and not a direwolf?

3. Oh yes, Robb called the bannermen because Ned told him to. That's why they're all here.

4. Apparently one of Bolton's men knifed one of Lord Cerwyn's men in winter town. Robb doesn't want Bran to leave the castle because it's not safe, not even their own lordling is safe in his own home... Ever since the wildlings tried to attack Bran in the wolfswood Robb has been over-protective of him.

5. Together, they have 12,000 fighting men.

6. According to Maester Luwin, to become a knight you need to be annointed in a sept to consecrate your vows; there aren't many knights in the north because so few worship the Seven. Basically, just because you're a knight doesn't mean you're any better than the other fighting Northern men. "A man's worth is not marked by a ser before his name." :)

7. Robb plans to move south soon to join the rest of his bannermen; if he doesn't leave soon they'll eat all of Winterfell's food. They're going to help the Riverlands.

8. Riding in a wicker basket on Hodor's back apparently doesn't shame Bran as much as Hodor carrying him in his arms. And I LOVE when Hodor sometimes forgets to duck for Bran, between doorways, lol!

9. Love this: "Let them mock, Bran thought. No one mocked him in his bedchamber, but he would not live his life in bed."

10. There are more guests in Winterfell now than when King Robert visited.

11. There it is again, the heat: "The wolf glanced up from time to time, eyes smoldering like liquid gold."

12. Summer drinks from the pool by the weirwood. :)

13. Bran had always liked the godswood, but after his fall he's been liking it more and more. :) The heart tree no longer scares him. The face watches him, *SPOILER FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[He's watching himself! (hide spoiler)], and he takes comfort in it now. :) Bran prays Robb would stay, and if he has to go, come home safe, and with Mother and Father and the girls, and make it so Rickon will understand.

14. The boy's gone "wild as a winter storm" when he learned Robb was riding off to war. This seems worse than a mere child tantrum. It almost seems as if he might become a black sheep, which might correlate to why he is the only one with a black direwolf.

15. Once Rickon went missing, and when they found him in the crypts he'd slashed at them wit a rusted sword, "...Shaggydog had come slavering out of the darkness like a green-eyed demon." !!! The wolf attacked them, being as wild as he is, and now Shaggydog's chained up in the kennels now. That's a little too alarming not to address, to me!

16. Surprised Maester Luwin counciled Robb not to go. He's not going because he wants to; he's going because he has to. Robb's acting a lot different to Bran, now. He's not even 16 yet, but in a lot of ways he's an adult now, really fitting right in with his destiny.

17. I think Maege Mormont is Jeor Mormon't sister. She runs Bear Island and is a fierce warrior. I like that a lot!

18. And I love the scene of Robb and the Greatjon Umber. How he insulted Robb and took out his sword, and Grey Wind bit off two of his fingers, and after that, Greatjon somehow became Robb's right hand, ha! Also his staunchest champion who tells everyone Robb really is a Stark, so they'd better bend their knees to him.

19. I really like that afterward Robb confesses to Bran, alone, that he really thought Greatjon was going to kill him, and he was so scared, ha! But he's not the worst; Roose Bolton never says a word, but all Robb can think about when looking at that man is all the skins of his enemies hanging in the Dreadfort. And I laughed at Lord Cerwyn bringing his daughter, in hopes he'll marry her off to Robb. "Theon is certain I'll find the girl in my bedroll one night. I wish...I wish Father was here." :(

20. Bran has heard all kinds of rumors of what happened in King's Landing and in the Riverlands. One drunken taleteller even claims Rhaegar Targaryen had returned from the dead and was marshaling a vast host of ancient heroes on Dragonstone to reclaim his father's throne. Hmm...interesting.

21. Robb crushes Sansa's letter, pissed. He's angry that she never mentions Arya. He probably can tell it's not her words, though. Bran reminds him Sansa lost her wolf. Oh gods, he remembers how the three direwolves howled in mourning as Lady's bones were brought back to Winterfell. :( How sad! She is buried in an ancient lichyard, where the old kings of winter buried their faithful servants. :)

22. Bran remembers every single family member who'd gone to King's Landing had never come back, not even their servants. Now Robb wants to go to Riverrun to fight them; Bran is afraid Robb will join the statistic. :(

23. I smiled when Theon is mixed in with Bran's list of people to watch over: "And Theon too, I suppose." :)

24. Osha certainly believes in the old gods. She works in the kitchens and must always wear chains so she doesn't run away. I think Gage is the head cook. Strange that Osha tells Bran how she lets Gage do as he likes under her skirts and she likes the smel of flour on his hands and he's gentle... Then she gives an awkward bow -- not used to bowing, I'm sure. In return, Gage lets her pray in the godswood.

25. Osha tells Bran about the gods. How they can hear him, and they speak through the wind. She tells him they're sad; and Robb's not going to get any help from them if he goes south because they've got no power in the south anymore. "How can they watch your brother when they have no eyes?" All the weirwood trees were chopped down in the south. Maybe someone should carve faces out of newly planted trees?

26. I love how happy Hodor is as he emerges from the trees, naked. :) "Hodor, you forgot your clothes." "Hodor," Hodor agreed. Ha!

27. Osha says Hodor has giant's blood in him; that's why he's so big. She counters Bran's argument that they're extinct by saying her brother killed one north of the Wall once, and they can grow 12-13 feet tall and are hairy all over; women have beards like their husbands so you can't tell them apart. The part about female giants taking human men for lovers and starting half-blood breeds seems far-fetched to me, though. What kind of men would lay with a woman like that?? I can't imagine the giant women being seductive enough to cuckold them, lol. Makes more sense when Osha says it's harder when male giants mate with human women...Ouch! Haha, then Osha grins and says he probably doesn't know what she's talking about but he insists he does. He's seen dogs and horses mate. But talking about it makes him uncomfortable. Well of course! He's probably only 8!

28. Osha then tells Bran about the Others. What a wealth of information she is! Osha says Mance means well by wanting to fight, but in the end she calls him an "old black crow who flew down from the Shadow Tower. He's never tasted winter."

29. I like that Osha says she's tried warning Robb. "'M'lord Stark,' I called to him, respectful as you please, but he looked through me...so be it. I'll wear my irons and hold my tongue. A man who won't listen can't hear." And I really like how Bran pleads her to "Tell me. Robb will listen to me, I know he will." Osha then tells him that Robb's marching his army the wrong way...spooky!

30. When Bran goes to dinner, Robb sups in his solar with only the lords bannermen, leaving Bran to host all the other guests including the lord's sons. He can feel all of them watching as he is helped off Hodor's back -- how stressful it must feel to fight to be taken seriously when you're a cripple in this world!

31. Though they are all respectful in front of him, Bran hears Karstark's two younger sons talking about him, Eddard and Torrhen (the very ones who were named after Starks!!!). How cruel! They say they'd rather die than live like that, and he must be too craven to take his own life. WTF... They must not have known he could hear them. Poor Bran is afraid he'll be known as Bran the Broken.

32. Maester Luwin tells him some call maesters the 'knights of the mind' and asks has he ever considered becoming a maester? He's a clever boy; he'd make a good one. Bran says he wants to learn magic because the three-eyed-raven promised he will fly. Maester Luwin sighs and says no one can teach magic to him. Oh, I think someone could! Just find somebody in Essos!

33. When Bran tells Maester Luwin what Osha told him about Robb marching the wrong way, Maester Luwin politely tells Bran these are nonsense/fairy tales, and he shouldn't bother Robb with them -- "It's the Lannisters who hold your lord Father, Bran, not the children of the forest." :( Once again, Maester Luwin shoots down the wisdom of old legends because it's "children's stories." Sigh. I know he means well, but this maester is so deaf sometimes I can't even...

34. Two days later RObb rides out, telling Bran he's the lord of Winterfell while he's away. Rickon takes it especially hard. He's not even 4 yet, apparently. Robb says he can't be a baby forever...oh but he will if all his guardians are dead and no one is left to raise him!

35. Bran misses his opportunity to tell Robb he's going the wrong way -- probably because a part of him still thinks it'll make him look childish -- and he misses it. There's nothing he could've done, anyway. Robb would never have listened. They want their family back, and they are all down south, excluding the bastard.

36. When Bran watches Robb and all his men leave, and everyone cheers, he realizes no one will ever cheer for him like that and it is so sad. :( You know what, though? The only reason why everyone respects and fears Robb is because of Grey Wind, and Robb would never have gotten Grey Wind without Jon. Though Robb is kind, brave, and means well, I just don't think he's truly a Stark, more like a gallant Tully, like the Blackfish. *SPOILER FOR A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler)[Robb and Bran also kind of remind me of Jaime and Tyrion. Jaime is handsome and brave, but probably fated to die, like Robb. And of course Bran and Tyrion are crippled/malformed, and hopefully both survive the series! (hide spoiler)]

Yes, what I meant was that even if they don't have the title, a lot of men of the North would be called knights if they were born in the South.

I do hope Bran will get some type of recognition, but most of the people who do great things don't get it, so maybe that'll be the case here. But I do think he'll do great things. Even decisive things.

About your point 2, I don't think there are houses that have the same banner. Or maybe there are and I don't remember. But it could be they have Stark blood but aren't really that close to the Starks and have their own house, words, etc.

Wow, your point 14 was really, really interesting. It didn't cross my mind until I read it!

I also think at this point they don't really support Robb like they do later, and are just there because of Ned.

*SPOILERS FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[I only mentioned the direwolf banner because the Blackfyre family is an off-branch off Targaryen and they kept the same sigil but switched the colors. I thought maybe the Karstarks (which sounds a lot like Stark) would have a white direwolf on grey background or something. And I agree with you that a lot of the northern men would be knights if their religion allowed it.

I also didn't realize Shaggydog is the only direwolf with black hair and green eyes my first reading. I only discovered this after reading comments other people have said online and I took special care to take note my second reading. All the other direwolves are some shade of grey with yellow eyes (besides Ghost, who is an albino). I think it seems really odd to be a mere coincidence, but I don't know what it means. It could go the other way, too, that Rickon is fated to be a really, really badass character! I just don't know. But it's interesting to think about. (hide spoiler)]

*SPOILERS FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE* (view spoiler)[Oh ok, I understand now. Maybe you are right, now that I got what you meant.

Yes, it also happens to me with a lot of things I've read, I am paying more attention now to some details I didn't even remember. Interesting about the grey in their eyes as well. We haven't heard from Rickon in the last books, so I hope we get to see more of him in the next, and I think we will. I often wondered about him. It would be cool if he becomes a badass. But he's such a child, so I don't know. Maybe a badass child, lol. (hide spoiler)]