That no one chapter in the second volume of the Fire and Ice series by George R R Martin is headed by King Robb Stark, the eldest son of Lord Stark could suggest that the young man, an adolescent boy in the books, is not to play an ongoing role in the saga for in each volume one or more of the central characters departs. Throughout the first two volumes Game of Thrones and Clash of Kings Robb is a young man thrust into a role not of his making or inclination and yet he also shows the independent judgement and determination of his father as well as the same overriding sense of duty.
Following the departure of his father and sisters to the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, Kings Landing at the request of the so called Iron King, Robert Baratheon, to become his chief adviser and manager and to cement the role by his eldest sister marrying the boy, the King regarded as his son and heir, Robb had to assume the role of family head, responsible for the family home of Winterfell and the care of his mother, younger brothers and people. With the death of his father his role quickly developed from that of the Lord Robb Stark to that of King Robb of the North, crowned with the authority of all the Lords of North and set on protecting the new realm as part of seeking the safe return of his sisters and the remains of his father.
He had engaged the forces of the Lannisters three times and forced their withdrawal taking prisoner Lord Jamie Lannister, the son of the army commander of the Lannisters, Tywin Lannister, named Jaime, twin brother of Queen Cersei, and in fact her long time lover and father of her three children including Joffrey now the boy King of the Seven Kingdoms. It was Jaime who had cast down Robb’s younger brother, Brandon from a window high in the castle after he had been unintentionally spied upon him with his sister when they had accompanied the Iron King on his journey to request the help of Lord Stark. King
The new Lord Stark had been forced by his mother to agree to marry one of the many daughters of the Lord Frey whose castle provided the quick route which enabled Robb to achieve his first victory over the forces of the South. Lord Frey was married eight times and therefore had many sons and daughters as well many natural children by others too numerous for Martin to mention. Two of the family known as Big and Little Walder had been fostered by Lady Catelyn as her Wards at Winterfell while another Olyvar had become a squire to King Robb and yet another Elmar was officially betrothed to Ayra and listed as only nine years of age. Such is the way the noble families of this Saga entwine and reinforce their position through alliances
The story of Robb is partly told though his mother Lady Catelyn Stark with two dedicated chapters towards the end of the Clash of Kings. I say partly because I have not found in the text the central development of his life which occurs as the season ends. Previously Catelyn she had been sent on missions by her son who had become concerned that she was attempting to influence his decisions and actions, as all mothers naturally do, but in a situation where he felt he had to quickly become his own man. He had suggested that she visit the Freys to determine which of the daughters he should marry but as a priority she was to visit the two bothers of the murdered King who were competing with each other for the crown to plead with them to join forces with her son to defeat the Lannisters in common cause. Robb had moved his forces to the south using the Castle fortress of Riverrun as his base.
As a consequence of her visit to Renly Baratheon of Highgarden, younger brother of the late King she had witnessed his murder by what appeared to be a black smoke apparition. Renly was married to an ambitious worldly young woman of only 15 years who was aware that her husband had love for her brother. The apparition born from the womb of the sorceress the Lady Melisandre of Asshai called the Red Woman, a priestess of R’hillor, the Heart of Fire. Having achieved his objective of being the soul legitimate claimant to the throne of his brother, Stannis, self declared King in the Narrow Sea, had heeded the call of his faithful servant and made commander of his fleet, Ser Davos Seaworth, called the Onion Knight and sometimes Shorthand, once a smuggler and captain of the ship the Black Betha. Although Renly’s widow of the House of Tyrell had attempted to rally Renly men behind her and her brother, many of Renly’s men had gone over Stannis. That Martin has explained in detail the House of Tyrell of Highgarden, some twenty characters suggest the widow Margery may yet have some role to play in the rest of the series. In this I was to be proved right as the my reading and the TV series progressed when after the victory of the Lannisters at kings landing, the bother of Margery suggests that King Joffrey marry he as his response to being asked to be granted a favour. She makes a speech saying she had admired and loved the Joffrey from afar which causes Sansa to gasp in disbelief. As mentioned in the previous writing on Tyrion and Sansa prearranged by Queen Cersei, Joffrey is freed from his betrothal to Sansa and agrees that Margery should become his Queen.
It is also with Davos whose apparent ending was also covered in the previous writing that there is need to mention how Lord Stannis and self styled King achieved victory at Storm End (442-454). He had brought his ship to join the rest of the fleet below Storm End and wanted to speak with King who remained cut off, according to the son of Davos who had become a squire to the self proclaimed King. He said the King was troubled ever since the death of his brother and appeared to be comforted only by the Red Woman who now shared the King’s tent.
It is here that Davos having gained the ear of the King counselled strongly against the plan of the Red Woman that because she had seen it in the Fire he should lay siege and take Storm End, where in the view of Davos they should go straight to the capital Kings Landing as the younger brother self styled King Renly had intended. The King was not however to be deterred from the course which the Red Woman had set for him and he commanded Davos to once more take her his ship and go as commanded. The Red woman directed him to a passage below the entrance to Storm end where once more she seemed to give birth to a phantom creature and he was in no doubt that this was a creature of the devil.
Indeed we learn that this act worked on page 468 as Tyrion Lannister temporary Hand on behalf of his father to King Joffrey is told that the citadel had fallen when it should have held out for half a year or more and this meant that the forces of Lord Stannis could immediately set their sights on the capital city as Davos had recommended. In the text there are only rumours about what happened to Lord Stannis after his defeat at Kings Landing. In the TV series he appears to have returned to his castle and the influence of the Red Woman. She counsels him that his destiny is still to unfold and that he will do more evil things than kill his brother, an act which torments day and night. She tells him to look into the fire and see his future. She tells him he is now on fire and that the devil she had borne is now within him.
Meantime Lady Catelyn had returned to the camp of her son with the Lady warrior Brienne who had sworn to protect King Renly and was now blamed by all for his death except Catelyn who had experienced what had occurred. Brienne had freely become the guardian of Lord Stark’s widow and her new liege as Catelyn said farewell to her brother Edmure as he led his men in support of her son. Catelyn was full of doubts and fears about the course of events. When he returned from a successful confrontation with some of the force of Lannisters they had with them Ser Cleo Frey, emissary from King Joffrey, his mother and Tyrion with the terms of peace, which were no terms at all except of the offer exchange her daughters for Jaime Lannister. She had pressed for confirmation that both girls were well and Frey, determined to stick to his mission and not disclose that Ayra was missing had said that he had seen Sansa at Court and that Ayra had been mentioned.(473-484)
We next find Lady Catelyn at the house of her father distraught at the news that Wintefell had been taken and her youngest sons slain. The Lady Brienne tried to comfort her as she reported that it was Theon Greyjoy, a boy she had nurtured at her table since the age of ten who had placed the burnt heads of her son on stakes on the walls.
Lady Catelyn’s grief quickly because emerged with anger and hate and a determination to kill all those who had injured he so grievously. But first she had to think of having her daughters freed She then chose to confront Jaime who admitted being the father of Joffrey and Cersei‘s other children and then he admitted to have caused the disability of Bran by throwing him off the window when by accident he had came on him with his sister. Catelyn would have slain him there and then was he not needed for a greater purpose. The scene comes to an end when taunted further by Jaime Catelyn calls for Brienne and a sword (572-584).
This appears to be the end of story in the text although I may have missed the decision of of Lady Stark to take Janie from captivity and place him under the control of Brienne with the mission to take him to Kings Landing and negotiate the release of her daughters. We witness the two arriving from a small boat ashore and encountering a number of men who Brienne has to fight and kill the men to be able to continue with her mission. She and Jaime remain unaware of the events that have occurred.
Not did I find the decision of Robb to break the commitment to marry one of the daughters of Walder Frey. I have previously mentioned the development of a relationship between Robb and the travelling healer who had gone to the aid of one of the wounded enemy who Robb had attempted to assist. She could be described as a pacifist criticising his involvement in the bloodshed which claimed was not of his making but through self defence and seeking the release of his sisters. They fall in love and it is as a consequence of this he tells his mother of his decision not to marry a Frey girl. In the TV series he is seen to marry the girl of his choice through a New Age kind of ceremony.
Following the departure of his father and sisters to the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, Kings Landing at the request of the so called Iron King, Robert Baratheon, to become his chief adviser and manager and to cement the role by his eldest sister marrying the boy, the King regarded as his son and heir, Robb had to assume the role of family head, responsible for the family home of Winterfell and the care of his mother, younger brothers and people. With the death of his father his role quickly developed from that of the Lord Robb Stark to that of King Robb of the North, crowned with the authority of all the Lords of North and set on protecting the new realm as part of seeking the safe return of his sisters and the remains of his father.
He had engaged the forces of the Lannisters three times and forced their withdrawal taking prisoner Lord Jamie Lannister, the son of the army commander of the Lannisters, Tywin Lannister, named Jaime, twin brother of Queen Cersei, and in fact her long time lover and father of her three children including Joffrey now the boy King of the Seven Kingdoms. It was Jaime who had cast down Robb’s younger brother, Brandon from a window high in the castle after he had been unintentionally spied upon him with his sister when they had accompanied the Iron King on his journey to request the help of Lord Stark. King
The new Lord Stark had been forced by his mother to agree to marry one of the many daughters of the Lord Frey whose castle provided the quick route which enabled Robb to achieve his first victory over the forces of the South. Lord Frey was married eight times and therefore had many sons and daughters as well many natural children by others too numerous for Martin to mention. Two of the family known as Big and Little Walder had been fostered by Lady Catelyn as her Wards at Winterfell while another Olyvar had become a squire to King Robb and yet another Elmar was officially betrothed to Ayra and listed as only nine years of age. Such is the way the noble families of this Saga entwine and reinforce their position through alliances
The story of Robb is partly told though his mother Lady Catelyn Stark with two dedicated chapters towards the end of the Clash of Kings. I say partly because I have not found in the text the central development of his life which occurs as the season ends. Previously Catelyn she had been sent on missions by her son who had become concerned that she was attempting to influence his decisions and actions, as all mothers naturally do, but in a situation where he felt he had to quickly become his own man. He had suggested that she visit the Freys to determine which of the daughters he should marry but as a priority she was to visit the two bothers of the murdered King who were competing with each other for the crown to plead with them to join forces with her son to defeat the Lannisters in common cause. Robb had moved his forces to the south using the Castle fortress of Riverrun as his base.
As a consequence of her visit to Renly Baratheon of Highgarden, younger brother of the late King she had witnessed his murder by what appeared to be a black smoke apparition. Renly was married to an ambitious worldly young woman of only 15 years who was aware that her husband had love for her brother. The apparition born from the womb of the sorceress the Lady Melisandre of Asshai called the Red Woman, a priestess of R’hillor, the Heart of Fire. Having achieved his objective of being the soul legitimate claimant to the throne of his brother, Stannis, self declared King in the Narrow Sea, had heeded the call of his faithful servant and made commander of his fleet, Ser Davos Seaworth, called the Onion Knight and sometimes Shorthand, once a smuggler and captain of the ship the Black Betha. Although Renly’s widow of the House of Tyrell had attempted to rally Renly men behind her and her brother, many of Renly’s men had gone over Stannis. That Martin has explained in detail the House of Tyrell of Highgarden, some twenty characters suggest the widow Margery may yet have some role to play in the rest of the series. In this I was to be proved right as the my reading and the TV series progressed when after the victory of the Lannisters at kings landing, the bother of Margery suggests that King Joffrey marry he as his response to being asked to be granted a favour. She makes a speech saying she had admired and loved the Joffrey from afar which causes Sansa to gasp in disbelief. As mentioned in the previous writing on Tyrion and Sansa prearranged by Queen Cersei, Joffrey is freed from his betrothal to Sansa and agrees that Margery should become his Queen.
It is also with Davos whose apparent ending was also covered in the previous writing that there is need to mention how Lord Stannis and self styled King achieved victory at Storm End (442-454). He had brought his ship to join the rest of the fleet below Storm End and wanted to speak with King who remained cut off, according to the son of Davos who had become a squire to the self proclaimed King. He said the King was troubled ever since the death of his brother and appeared to be comforted only by the Red Woman who now shared the King’s tent.
It is here that Davos having gained the ear of the King counselled strongly against the plan of the Red Woman that because she had seen it in the Fire he should lay siege and take Storm End, where in the view of Davos they should go straight to the capital Kings Landing as the younger brother self styled King Renly had intended. The King was not however to be deterred from the course which the Red Woman had set for him and he commanded Davos to once more take her his ship and go as commanded. The Red woman directed him to a passage below the entrance to Storm end where once more she seemed to give birth to a phantom creature and he was in no doubt that this was a creature of the devil.
Indeed we learn that this act worked on page 468 as Tyrion Lannister temporary Hand on behalf of his father to King Joffrey is told that the citadel had fallen when it should have held out for half a year or more and this meant that the forces of Lord Stannis could immediately set their sights on the capital city as Davos had recommended. In the text there are only rumours about what happened to Lord Stannis after his defeat at Kings Landing. In the TV series he appears to have returned to his castle and the influence of the Red Woman. She counsels him that his destiny is still to unfold and that he will do more evil things than kill his brother, an act which torments day and night. She tells him to look into the fire and see his future. She tells him he is now on fire and that the devil she had borne is now within him.
Meantime Lady Catelyn had returned to the camp of her son with the Lady warrior Brienne who had sworn to protect King Renly and was now blamed by all for his death except Catelyn who had experienced what had occurred. Brienne had freely become the guardian of Lord Stark’s widow and her new liege as Catelyn said farewell to her brother Edmure as he led his men in support of her son. Catelyn was full of doubts and fears about the course of events. When he returned from a successful confrontation with some of the force of Lannisters they had with them Ser Cleo Frey, emissary from King Joffrey, his mother and Tyrion with the terms of peace, which were no terms at all except of the offer exchange her daughters for Jaime Lannister. She had pressed for confirmation that both girls were well and Frey, determined to stick to his mission and not disclose that Ayra was missing had said that he had seen Sansa at Court and that Ayra had been mentioned.(473-484)
We next find Lady Catelyn at the house of her father distraught at the news that Wintefell had been taken and her youngest sons slain. The Lady Brienne tried to comfort her as she reported that it was Theon Greyjoy, a boy she had nurtured at her table since the age of ten who had placed the burnt heads of her son on stakes on the walls.
Lady Catelyn’s grief quickly because emerged with anger and hate and a determination to kill all those who had injured he so grievously. But first she had to think of having her daughters freed She then chose to confront Jaime who admitted being the father of Joffrey and Cersei‘s other children and then he admitted to have caused the disability of Bran by throwing him off the window when by accident he had came on him with his sister. Catelyn would have slain him there and then was he not needed for a greater purpose. The scene comes to an end when taunted further by Jaime Catelyn calls for Brienne and a sword (572-584).
This appears to be the end of story in the text although I may have missed the decision of of Lady Stark to take Janie from captivity and place him under the control of Brienne with the mission to take him to Kings Landing and negotiate the release of her daughters. We witness the two arriving from a small boat ashore and encountering a number of men who Brienne has to fight and kill the men to be able to continue with her mission. She and Jaime remain unaware of the events that have occurred.
Not did I find the decision of Robb to break the commitment to marry one of the daughters of Walder Frey. I have previously mentioned the development of a relationship between Robb and the travelling healer who had gone to the aid of one of the wounded enemy who Robb had attempted to assist. She could be described as a pacifist criticising his involvement in the bloodshed which claimed was not of his making but through self defence and seeking the release of his sisters. They fall in love and it is as a consequence of this he tells his mother of his decision not to marry a Frey girl. In the TV series he is seen to marry the girl of his choice through a New Age kind of ceremony.
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