Bran takes his first ride out of Winterfell on his new horse, Dancer. With him are Robb, Theon, Summer, Grey Wind, Joseth,Maester Luwin, and four guards, including Quent and Wayn. On the way out of town, Theon calls out to Bessa and Kyra, two women he has lain with on more than one occasion. As they ride on into the wolfswood, Robb tells Bran about the death ofJory and Eddard’s injury. Theon thinks Robb should call the banners, but Robb is undecided as of yet. He has, however, fortified Moat Cailin after receiving a letter from Catelyn. Bran loses his enjoyment of the ride and wants to go back, but they need to find the direwolves first.
Robb and Bran slowly outdistance their guard. They hear the direwolves in the distance, and Robb goes off to bring them in. Soon after, Bran is set upon by four men, including Stiv and Wallen who deserted from the Night’s Watch, and two women,Hali and Osha. Bran identifies himself and threatens them. Hali wants to kill him, but Osha says he would be worth more toMance alive. Stiv says he is not going back to face the white walkers.1 As Stiv prepares to cut Bran off Dancer, Robb returns with Summer and Grey Wind. They charge, and soon everyone is dead except Osha and Stiv, who takes Bran hostage. Suddenly, Stiv is felled by an arrow from Theon as the guard arrives. Robb is furious at Theon for such a reckless act, and is even more enraged to learn that the guard did not get there sooner because Theon went off hunting turkey. They take Osha back to Winterfell for questioning.
by Mel
First of all, this post has spoilers here and there concerning the rest of the series. You may not want to keep reading if you don’t want to know certain things that are coming.
We are back at Winterfell and Bran finally gets to try out his new saddle. First thing I noticed on this re-read is Bran’s thoughts on Theon… Was it supposed to be foreshadowing of things to come that he doesn’t neccessarily share Robb’s opinion of him?
Robb seemed to admire Theon and enjoy his company, but Bran had never warmed to his father’s ward.
Reading it the first time, I don’t even remember thinking too much of Theon either way. He was just another name that came along with the many Winterfell clan. I wouldn’t forget it now. Reek rhymes with Geek. Too much? Sorry, I will carry on then. Robb is trusting to a fault, which leads to his ultimate demise. Later in the book when Catelyn argues with Robb about sending Theon back to Pyke, I remember having a sense of doom at the time. I didn’t, however, even imagine the repercussions of him going to visit his family. Having read ‘A Dance with Dragons’ I now find myself cheering for him again and reasoning with myself that it was the lack of love from his father and wanting to please him that led him to his unspeakable acts.
I had also forgotten that when Robb tells Bran about what happened to Jory in King’s Landing, that the name Lannister brings him a little bit of anxiety. I couldn’t wait for him to remember what had happened to him but by the time he actually does, his mom and dad have already figured it all out. Theon wants Robb to call the banners and Robb is hesitant in what to do. Again, Bran has the presence of mind to remind Robb that their mother and father listened to Maester Luwin’s council, even though Theon regards him as being “timid as an old woman”.
A sense of doom comes again when Robb leaves Bran to go find the direwolves. It is then that I realize just how completely helpless Bran is strapped to his horse. He is confronted by some very unwholesome characters that are running from beyond the wall. If anyone should know why they are running it should be Bran because he actually saw what was going on there in his dream with the three eyed crow. Which, by the way, we finally had confirmation of who the three eyed crow actually is. Brynden ‘Blackraven’ Rivers who was always known as having a thousand eyes and one. I actually read the Dunk and Egg books and found it very interesting when everyone said that Bloodraven knew everything that went on in all the Seven Kingdoms. Which makes me wonder, could he warg into the crow at that time and see what everyone was doing? It may have already been answered in the forums but I haven’t seen it clarified yet. Ok, back on track… so we have four wildings that are threatening Bran and the wilding Osha is quite excited to hear that Bran is Benjen Stark’s nephew…
“You’re as stupid as you are ugly, Hali,” said the tall woman. “The boy’s worth nothing dead, but alive … gods be damned, think what Mance would give to have Benjen Stark’s own blood to hostage!”
“Mance be damned,” the big man cursed. “You want to go back there, Osha? More fool you.
Stiv is bound and determined to get as far south as possible, which, they should have just been on there way because direwolves to the rescue, and we have two torn up Wildings. Stiv is holding a knife to Bran and here comes Theon to the rescue…YAY…but then wait? That was incredibly stupid of him to shoot an arrow with him holding Bran. Robb is pissed and Theon is sullen.
“Jon always said you were an ass, Greyjoy,” Robb said loudly. “I ought to chain you up in the yard and let Bran take a few practice shots at you.”
“You should be thanking me for saving your brother’s life.”
Best thing I’ve heard come out of Robb’s mouth so far this whole book. They take Osha as a prisoner and head back to Winterfell to question her and Robb is quite relieved that he doesn’t have to chop off her head.
Book to HBO
There’s a few notable differences here. First and foremost, the complete lack of direwolves, in a scene where they play a fairly important (if gruesome) role in helping to save Bran. Robb is actually on horseback during the fight, as well. Furthermore, Maester Luwin and members of the Winterfell guard come across the carnage after it’s done, but it does not seem they are at all evident. The chapter actually starts in Winterfell, and introduces us to a common girl named Kyra that Theon is rather familiar with. The other notable change is that this scene has expanded Theon and Robb arguing over what to do, making it the reason Theon departs. In the novel, Theon and Robb leave Bran alone to go find the direwolves. Last but not least, the character of Osha is rather different—thanks to the much-younger, rather a lot prettier Natalia Tena—than in the novel.
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