23 AGOT Arya II: Dancing Lessons
- Jan 15, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 24
When her father finds Needle, Arya is sure he'll take her sword. Instead, he tells her they've come to a dangerous place and explains their house words: winter is coming. The next day, she is called to dancing lessons, but finds her father has employed a Braavosi sword master to teach her, in secret.
"She hated the sounds of their voices now, the ay they laughed, the stories they told. They'd been her friends, she'd felt safe around them, but now she knew that was a lie. They'd let the queen kill Ldy, that was horrible enough, but then the Hound found Mycah...And no one raised a voice or drawn a blade or anything, not Harwin who always talked so bold, or Alyn who was going to be a knight, or Jory who ws captain of the guard. Not even her father." 218
One reason Arya must learn to use a sword is to understand how no man could object to Mycah's murder.
Swordplay is one way to learn the fundamentals of politics. It teaches one to weigh opponents before engaging, to hide, to retreat, to guard.
After being chastized for her outbursts, Arya has resorted to sullen silenes. Ned tells her she has the wolfblood in her, like Lyanna and Brandon. She even looks like Lyanna, which shocks Arya since everyone says Lyanna was beautiful and nobody ever said that of Arya. (A lovely example of Unreliable Narration. Arya is plain too young to be decribed as beautiful. She has to hear her sister called beautiful, but not be called beautiful, herself. The moment is comedic, but that hides a tragic misunderstanding: Arya is not ugly.
House Words
Ned explains to Arya that squabbles between sisters is for summer. When winter comes, we have to keep each other warm. Arya says she doesn't truly hate Sansa, only half lying. He says they are in a dangerous place and must stick together. He says its time for her to begin to grow up. Arya says she will.
You are a Sword
Syrio promises to teach Arya the water dance of the bravos. He instructs her to try to strike him. She tries for hours until every muscle is sore.