A Dance With Dragons

 

Welcome to my A Dance with Dragons re- read. This week we are reading Jon XI and Cersei I. The first chapter picks up with Tormund Giantsbane at the Wall to treat with Jon. Then we check in with Cersei who we haven't seen since book four- a prisoner of the Faith and the High Sparrow. So let's take a look...

Jon and Tormund are negotiating the terms of the wildlings joining with Jon. They come to an agreement and Tormund is not happy, and Jon talks to Val. He assigns the giant to guard her, and she says she can help him sell the wildling deal to the queen. They meet Selyse and it doesn't go well, the queen finds Val impertinent and is not happy with Jon either. There are almost two hundred giants and eighty mammoths coming the long way around the Wall, and Val takes exception to Shireen due to her greyscale. 

Jon then meets with Bowen Marsh and some of the other leaders and tells them about the deal. That doesn't really go well either, as the rest of the Nights Watch leadership have deep misgivings about taking in wildlings. Also present are two of the mountain clan chiefs and they seem a bit more reasonable. 

MY THOUGHTS: 

The writing is on the wall here for Jon. He can't really sell the wildling deal to the Nights Watch guys, try as he might, so he's putting himself in a tough spot. Val is back, with Tormund, so he may be getting wildling allies even as he alienates his own people.  

CERSEI I

Cersei has been imprisoned for some time apparently and finally comes to the conclusion that she must confess in order to get free. She does so but is not entirely honest- she denies having anything to do with killing Robert and denies that her children are born of incest. The Sparrow of course is not convinced and says she will have a trial. She is given better chambers though for having confessed, and allowed to have someone visit. She asks for her uncle Kevan and he comes, and he gives her updates on what is going on. Margaery is with Tommen and Mace Tyrell is Hand- Margaery is fre because Tarly brought an army and had her released. 

Kevan tells her that the Sparrow is pushing a walk of shame as penance. He also tells her that Myrcella was injured, and that Jaime has missing. 

MY THOUGHTS: 

Kevan basically updates Cersei on everything going on and we get Cersei's perspective on things, which is always hilarious. She wants nothing more than to punish and kill everyone who has wronged her (in her eyes) but at the same time we see that events are passing her by. Or are they? She may get back to the Keep and cause more trouble, but long term I think she's done.