Catelyn
The Stark castle is built on natural hot springs, and Catelyn describes her bed chambers as the hottest in the entire castle. Ned insists on the fact that the Starks were made for the cold, to which Catelyn always responds that they built the castle in the wrong place if that is the truth of it.
While we're getting this little view in to Catelyn's mind, her thoughts are broken off by the beginning of a paragraph that goes like this:
"So when they had finished, Ned rolled off and climbed from her bed, as he had thousands of times before."
o.O
They were having sex? No where, and I mean absolutely no fucking where in the previous two paragraphs that started this chapter was there even the smallest, infinitesimal hint at them being in bed together. That to me just looks like poor writing.
And then a scene straight out of the movie 300 comes to mind as I read the rest of that paragraph. Ned crosses the room, throws up the window and stands butt-naked, staring out in to the darkness.
*Disclaimer*
I have no problem with sex. I quite enjoy it, actually. However, I have a problem with writers who ... write about sex poorly. And I'm not talking about the subject of the sex (i.e. incest, rape, torture, etc.). I'm taking about this type of crappy writing right here. I had no clue Ned and Catelyn were in bed and the line that told me they were was really out of place! "So when they finished". That's Martin's way of saying they were doing the hibbidy-dibbity?! "So when they finished, Ned rolled off and climbed from her bed, as he had a thousand times before."
Their sex life must really be boring if this is over the thousandth time they've had sex and he simply rolled off of her, climbed out of bed, and opened the windows. And yet she says the lovemaking was urgent, and she ached with that urgent lovemaking and she could feel his seed within her and she hoped it took so she could be pregnant again.
The Score:
Medieval Accuracy: 10
Jeanna: 0
I apologize for the tangent, I just felt I should make myself clear. I don't have a problem with reading about various types of sexual encounters in books. I have a problem with poorly written sexual encounters.
After a few minutes, Ned says, out of nowhere "I will refuse him."
Okay, sure Ned, you keep telling yourself you'll tell your best friend Robert no.
Catelyn tells him he can't do that (duh). Ned says that Robert wouldn't harm them if he said no, he's his best buddy, a brother almost.
He keeps arguing with Catelyn and she eventually gets pissed. And then Catelyn brings up Sansa's betrothal to Joffrey (which had been agreed upon, apparently between now and the last/first time it had been brought up), saying that she could very well be queen one day (foreshadowing!). Ned complains that she's only eleven.
He then tries to say Joffrey is a pompous little douche bag, but doesn't put the words to it, and Catelyn finishes with "prince and heir to the Iron Throne" as though that excuses his douchebaggery. She adds that she was only twelve when she had been promised to Ned's brother Brandon.
So that further excuses promising your own daughter away to a little prick?
The Score:
Medieval Accuracy: 11
Jeanna: 0
I give up.
They continue talking about Brandon a bit, and just about when Catelyn decides to go comfort Ned, there's a knock at the door. It's Desmond asking if Maester Luwin may enter. Ned agrees to see him only after determining it was extremely urgent.
Luwin enters, and we get a little description of him. He reminds me a bit of a wizard, specifically a wizard I once knew named Giller ...
That does not bode well for Maester Luwin.
Anyway, after Maester Luwin enters he explains his reason for this necessary meeting because he had been left a message, not by a rider, but in a slightly different way. While napping, someone left a carved wooden box on his desk in the observatory. Inside he found a new lens for the observatory, which looked to be from Myr.
Ned grew impatient and asked what this had to do with him. Catelyn pipes up that a lens is intended to help them see, and that the lens must be a hint or clue. Maester Luwin agrees, and they go back and forth a bit until Maester Luwin says that he dismantled the box, finding a false bottom and a letter inside but it is not for him. Ned demands it but Luwin says it's for Catelyn.
Go figure.
Catelyn is afraid to open it, seeing it's from Lysa, with the falcon seal in blue wax on the letter. Ned urges her to open it.
She opens and reads it. She then immediately lights a fire and burns the letter. Ned insists on knowing what is going on, Maester Luwin averts his eyes in response to Catelyn's nakedness (which is silly because he helped her deliver all of her children), and Catelyn then states that the message is a warning.
Ned pushes her to tell the rest and Catelyn states that Lysa believes Jon Arryn, her husband, was murdered. In response to Ned asking, Catelyn say that Lysa also thinks that the Lannisters did this, specifically the queen.
I knew that bitch was trouble.
Ned then goes to explain that Lysa must be delirious with grief over the death of Jon. Catelyn specifically points out that the letter was coded and was sent in a manner that it was not intended to be found. Lysa took extreme caution that the letter did not fall in to the wrong hands.
So now we have a murder mystery. Because of this, Catelyn insists that Ned accept Robert's offer to the position of Hand of the King and head south. He doesn't want to, he belongs in the north, but Catelyn convinces him he must go. He then insists that she stay in Winterfell to continue to govern in his stead and prepare Robb to take his place.
And then that line comes up again. Winter is coming ...
For whatever reason, Ned insist that, besides Robb, only Rickon (the baby) stay behind. He also notes that it is apparent Sansa must wed Joffrey to avoid any disrespect or give the Lannisters cause to question their devotion. He even mentions that Arya will need to learn ways of southron court because she'll be old enough to marry as well.
So now he's okay with marrying off his daughters at eleven years old.
Catelyn pleads with Ned to leave Bran in Winterfell but Ned insists that Bran must go with him. It will ultimately make their house safer in the future if Bran befriends the princes. Catelyn submits, knowing he is right.
Luwin mentions Jon. Catelyn immediately begins brooding about Jon and his parentage, she thinks of the rumors she had heard of who Jon's mother might be and the name Ashara Dayne comes up. She remembers asking Ned about this once and he simply defended Jon, stating that Jon definitely is his son, and that he would then determine where Catelyn heard the name. After that, Catelyn never heard the name ever again.
She then thinks that the reason Ned would never send Jon away was because he loved Jon's mother. I don't get that. Did she ever stop to think that maybe Ned loves Jon and doesn't want to send Jon away because of that love?
It's almost like a woman getting raped and she ends up pregnant from that rape. She doesn't want living proof of that rape walking around her for the rest of her life ... but the baby did not ask for his life to start in this fashion. It's not the baby's fault she was raped.
Ned didn't want to get the woman pregnant (so in my head I say "then he shouldn't have been boinkin' her"). But in lieu of that discussion, his intent was not to produce a bastard. However, the result of his actions were just that and because it was not Jon's fault, Ned took responsibility for his actions and cares for Jon.
I'm a little miffed that Catelyn doesn't recognize that. She was completely aware of the fact that many men produced bastards, but she's angry at Ned for keeping Jon around? I find that takes a lot of guts, in a position of royalty and public eye, to admit you made a mistake, had a child out of wedlock, cheated on your wife, and accepted the responsibility of your actions and cared for the child. I have respect for Ned in that he didn't just send his mistake away.
The Score:
Medieval Accuracy: 11
Jeanna: 1
Catelyn: 0
Catelyn does redeem herself though. I can see where she's coming from, not appreciating the proof of her husband's infidelity walking around the castle, and she demands that Ned to Jon with him. Ned says he can't because he will be shunned there. Catelyn makes a wise crack on Robert, saying he's sired dozens of bastards. Ned further confirms my suspicion of Cersei. She has made it a point that none of Robert's bastards have seen court.
Does that mean she's just ensured that another family take care of them? Or did she have them killed?
Cersei, I am watching you like a hawk watches the field on the hunt. /Glare
Maester Luwin proposes another solution that has recently come to light. Jon wants to join the Night's Watch. Catelyn omits herself from the decision and let's Ned figure it out; he's Ned's son, not hers. Makes sense.
Ned agrees, and determine to tell Jon later just before they're ready to leave.
Murder?
Now we're getting in to the meat and potatoes of this story. I was wondering when a plot would surface. We'd gotten a hint of something going down in the first chapter with the direwolf omen but after that, only read about some shady characters and the goings on in Winterfell.
But now we've got ourselves a murder mystery. And I know Cersei Lannister is at the center of it all.
Luwin enters, and we get a little description of him. He reminds me a bit of a wizard, specifically a wizard I once knew named Giller ...
That does not bode well for Maester Luwin.
Anyway, after Maester Luwin enters he explains his reason for this necessary meeting because he had been left a message, not by a rider, but in a slightly different way. While napping, someone left a carved wooden box on his desk in the observatory. Inside he found a new lens for the observatory, which looked to be from Myr.
Ned grew impatient and asked what this had to do with him. Catelyn pipes up that a lens is intended to help them see, and that the lens must be a hint or clue. Maester Luwin agrees, and they go back and forth a bit until Maester Luwin says that he dismantled the box, finding a false bottom and a letter inside but it is not for him. Ned demands it but Luwin says it's for Catelyn.
Go figure.
Catelyn is afraid to open it, seeing it's from Lysa, with the falcon seal in blue wax on the letter. Ned urges her to open it.
She opens and reads it. She then immediately lights a fire and burns the letter. Ned insists on knowing what is going on, Maester Luwin averts his eyes in response to Catelyn's nakedness (which is silly because he helped her deliver all of her children), and Catelyn then states that the message is a warning.
Ned pushes her to tell the rest and Catelyn states that Lysa believes Jon Arryn, her husband, was murdered. In response to Ned asking, Catelyn say that Lysa also thinks that the Lannisters did this, specifically the queen.
I knew that bitch was trouble.
Ned then goes to explain that Lysa must be delirious with grief over the death of Jon. Catelyn specifically points out that the letter was coded and was sent in a manner that it was not intended to be found. Lysa took extreme caution that the letter did not fall in to the wrong hands.
So now we have a murder mystery. Because of this, Catelyn insists that Ned accept Robert's offer to the position of Hand of the King and head south. He doesn't want to, he belongs in the north, but Catelyn convinces him he must go. He then insists that she stay in Winterfell to continue to govern in his stead and prepare Robb to take his place.
And then that line comes up again. Winter is coming ...
For whatever reason, Ned insist that, besides Robb, only Rickon (the baby) stay behind. He also notes that it is apparent Sansa must wed Joffrey to avoid any disrespect or give the Lannisters cause to question their devotion. He even mentions that Arya will need to learn ways of southron court because she'll be old enough to marry as well.
So now he's okay with marrying off his daughters at eleven years old.
Catelyn pleads with Ned to leave Bran in Winterfell but Ned insists that Bran must go with him. It will ultimately make their house safer in the future if Bran befriends the princes. Catelyn submits, knowing he is right.
Luwin mentions Jon. Catelyn immediately begins brooding about Jon and his parentage, she thinks of the rumors she had heard of who Jon's mother might be and the name Ashara Dayne comes up. She remembers asking Ned about this once and he simply defended Jon, stating that Jon definitely is his son, and that he would then determine where Catelyn heard the name. After that, Catelyn never heard the name ever again.
She then thinks that the reason Ned would never send Jon away was because he loved Jon's mother. I don't get that. Did she ever stop to think that maybe Ned loves Jon and doesn't want to send Jon away because of that love?
It's almost like a woman getting raped and she ends up pregnant from that rape. She doesn't want living proof of that rape walking around her for the rest of her life ... but the baby did not ask for his life to start in this fashion. It's not the baby's fault she was raped.
Ned didn't want to get the woman pregnant (so in my head I say "then he shouldn't have been boinkin' her"). But in lieu of that discussion, his intent was not to produce a bastard. However, the result of his actions were just that and because it was not Jon's fault, Ned took responsibility for his actions and cares for Jon.
I'm a little miffed that Catelyn doesn't recognize that. She was completely aware of the fact that many men produced bastards, but she's angry at Ned for keeping Jon around? I find that takes a lot of guts, in a position of royalty and public eye, to admit you made a mistake, had a child out of wedlock, cheated on your wife, and accepted the responsibility of your actions and cared for the child. I have respect for Ned in that he didn't just send his mistake away.
The Score:
Medieval Accuracy: 11
Jeanna: 1
Catelyn: 0
Catelyn does redeem herself though. I can see where she's coming from, not appreciating the proof of her husband's infidelity walking around the castle, and she demands that Ned to Jon with him. Ned says he can't because he will be shunned there. Catelyn makes a wise crack on Robert, saying he's sired dozens of bastards. Ned further confirms my suspicion of Cersei. She has made it a point that none of Robert's bastards have seen court.
Does that mean she's just ensured that another family take care of them? Or did she have them killed?
Cersei, I am watching you like a hawk watches the field on the hunt. /Glare
Maester Luwin proposes another solution that has recently come to light. Jon wants to join the Night's Watch. Catelyn omits herself from the decision and let's Ned figure it out; he's Ned's son, not hers. Makes sense.
Ned agrees, and determine to tell Jon later just before they're ready to leave.
Murder?
Now we're getting in to the meat and potatoes of this story. I was wondering when a plot would surface. We'd gotten a hint of something going down in the first chapter with the direwolf omen but after that, only read about some shady characters and the goings on in Winterfell.
But now we've got ourselves a murder mystery. And I know Cersei Lannister is at the center of it all.
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