166 ASOS 23 Arya IV: Lady of the Leaves

After visiting the Lady of the Leaves in a hidden treetop village, the kingsmen take Arya to Sallydance, High Heart, and Acorn Hall. Lady Smallwood has seen Lord Beric Dondarrion recently when Thoros brought her sheep. Arya ruins a pretty acorn dress wrestling with Gendry.

The Haughty Tullys

The leader at Sallydance has a lightning bolt stitched into his cloak, but where is the Tully fish? Tom's song about a floppy fish suggests local contempt for the imperious regional lords. However, that Edmure wanted to be a man of the people enough to speak to the likes of Tom O' Sevens suggests he, who was targeted, was the least haughty of his house and possibly represented a new attitude about class.

You'd Know For Certain If There Was a Song

Is this the bridge Lord Lychester held?

Tales of Dondarrion's death

1. Lannisters hung him near th God's Eye. False. Thoros cut him down

2. The Mountain put a dagger through his eye. True, but Lord Beric survived.

Seeking a Ghost

Lord Beric Dondarrion is hiding, many rumors of his many death circulating. At High Heart, a ghost appears and demands a certain song.

"I dreamt I saw a shadow with a burning heart (Stannis) butchering a golden stag." (Renly)

"I dreamt of a man without a face (a Faceless Man) waiting on a bridge that swayed and swung (Pyke). On his shoulder perched a drowned crow ith seaweed hanging from his wings (widely believed to be Euron). "

I dreamt of a roaring rier and a woman that was a fish. (Catelyn) Dead she drifted, with red tears on her cheeks, but when her eyes did open, oh I woke from terror." (Stoneheart)

It seems the ghost told them where to find Dondarrion?

Lord Lychester only recounts the battle glory of holding a certain local bridge, described as mad since his sons died.

Sallydance is now a dozen men in a cellar. Their leader's cloak has a crude lightning bolt stitched into it, for Dondarrion. Also, as a decoy Dondarrion!

Acorn Hall

Lady Smallwood tells Arya she'd keep her safe if she could but doesn't have enough men to hold the keep.

Setup for Stoney Sept

News 300 Karstark men have been raiding and looting like Bloody Mummers as they hunt Jaime Lannister.

Arya feels guilty about the behavior of the northmen. She worries Robb should not pay her ransom.

They Must Be Lying

About her mother having freed Jaime Lannister.

Scenes

1: Seeking Dondarrion

2: High Heart

3: AcornHall

Ironies

Parallels between Arya as captive of the kingsmen

and Jaime as a captive of Brienne

Tolkien Homage

Reminiscent of Frodo and Sam's stay with Tom Bombadil, Arya travels the war ravaged countryside through picturesque villages where the people still live bravely in ruin.

Mnemonic Titles

2019: Lady of the Leaves: Referring to Tom's song, to the village in the treetops, even Arya's acorn dress. But primarily to the idea of autmn as a time of collapse, even ruin, of being driven to warmer climates and into deeper holes. Even Lady Smallwood worries she cannot hold her keep.