Chosen Allegiance

An important subtheme of Brotherhood and Turncloak

2 AGOT Bran I: Bran wants to understand how both can be right when Jon and Robb disagree. He goes out of his way not to take sides but to comprehend.

3 AGOT Catelyn I: Jon Arryn chose his allegiance to Robert & Ned over his allegiance to King Aerys.

5 AGOT Eddard I: Robert chooses Ned to be his Hand and is eager to offer him every incentive.

6 AGOT Jon I: Jon would join the Night's Watch to feel proud of himself, as Benjen seems to.

17 AGOT Eddard III: Ser Raymun Darry is displeased at Robert's imposition. He lost three older brothers in the rebellion.

19 AGOT Catelyn IV: Littlefinger offers his services.

20 AGOT Jon III: Here For Life. On arriving at the Wall, Jon chooses isolation. He doesn't respect the other boys and isn't respected by the men. After his talks with Donal Noye then Tyrion, Jon decides to apologize to Grenn and treat his fellows as brothers.

27 AGOT Jon IV: Jon chooses Sam.

43 AGOT Tyrion VI: Bronn agrees to enter Tyrions service, despite his insistence on starting a fool's fire, because it's the smart long term gamble. Tyrion translates his being taken hostage by the mountain clans into allying with them against the Vale lords.

45 AGOT Sansa III: Sansa has chosen Joffrey and the queen over Arya. Though she saw what happened and told Ned a version that he assessed as the truth, Sansa prefers the version where she still gets the happy ending with the handsome prince over the one where she is engaged to a violent coward who would smile at his mother condemning her innocent wolf.

47 AGOT Daenerys V: Daenerys has chosen to embrace Dothraki culture and has a good sense of how to be creative within it.

48 AGOT Eddard XIII: Ned turns to Littlefinger because Catelyn vouched for him. But Littlefinger was the mastermind behind even the Lysafinger letter.

49 AGOT Jon VI: Sam has chosen the Night's Watch wholeheartedly since appointed to the library and ravens. Jon would rather return to Winterfell, but thinks Lady Catelyn is there so says the words. But, when Ghost joins and Jon realizes he has weirwood coloring, Jon begins to think he may have a destiny within the Night's Watch.

54 AGOT Bran VI: Robb is not sixteen and could theoretically name a commander while remaining at Winterfell, so the bannermen challenge him, angling for influenc and honors. Robb knows he must master them and lead. He wins over each in turn. "somehow he bent them to his will." 574

57 AGOT Tyrion VII: The mountain clans choose to ride for Tywin. On one hand, they may have shown up with a hostage but cannot collect payment at all if they do not deal. On the other hand, riding into battle together is normal and suggests allegiance rather than extortion.

61 AGOT Jon VIII: "The men of the Night's Watch knew that only their courage shielded the realm from the darkness to the north. They knew they must have no divided loyalties to weaken their resolve. So they vowed they would have no wives or children... They kept their pledge. When Aegon slew Black harren and claimed his kingdom, Harren's brother was Lord Commander on the Wall with ten thousands swords to hand. He did not march." 663

71 AGOT Jon IX: Jon's allegiance to Ned is so strong that he deserts when Ned is beheaded, to join Robb and exact vengeance. Jon's smoldering anger continues to be an unaddressed problem.

72 AGOT Catelyn XI: When the Greatjon nominates Robb their king, moving to seceed, everybody is for it, even the river lords. The feeling of defiance in that moment is so necessary that it doesn't seem to matter that the forging of a new nation is no small thing to attempt and unlikely to last long. The men's allegiance is not to Robb but to vengeance.

73 AGOT Daenerys X: Daenerys sees devotion in the faces of her people after se emerges unburnt from the fire, having hatched her dragon eggs.

74 ACOK 1 Prologue: "The storm lords will not rise for me. It seems they do not like me, and the justice of my cause means nothing to them." 14

79 ACOK 6 Arya II: Gendry has allied himself to Arya as protector. He intervenes on her behalf and watches out for her.

81 ACOK 8 Catelyn I: Despite Robb's objection to Renly's claim, Catelyn decides she must pay homage to Renly as king to forge an allegiance against the Lannisters.

82 ACOK 9 Tyrion II: Tyrion has allowed himself to be won over by Varys and is now being ruled through and leveraged against Littlefinger. Tyrion realizes he took Bronn into service in a time of desperate need but that he's only so promotaeble and might be a worse man than the one he just sentenced to death.

84 ACOK 11 Davos I: Stannis's lords are leaving him, replaced by Melisandre. Some even fight against Stannis's destruction of Aegon's historic sept on Dragonstone. Stannis's allegiance to Melisandre is making him unpopular and burdening Davos's loyalty. Subthemes: Turncloak

85 ACOK 12 Theon I: Theon, allied to Robb, must choose allegiance to his father or lose his position as heir. It may already be lost. Subthemes: Turncloak

92 ACOK 19 Sansa II: Littlefinger secures Sansa's allegiance by conceiving of a song for her to be the heroine of and luring her to participate in it.

93 ACOK 20 Arya V: Gendry asks Arya to team up with him, abandoing the others, because she's the only one whose good for anything. He can't keep carrying ungrateful Lommy, who is fortunately going to die soon no matter what they do. Attrition as counter example to chosen allegiance.

95 ACOK 22 Bran III: The Reeds pledge heartfelt fealty to Robb at the Harvest Feast.

96 ACOK 23 Catelyn II: Renly inspires allegiance partly because he has the numbers partly because he often proposes allegiance.

99 ACOK 26 Tyrion VI: Pycelle's allegiance to Tywin means he extends his total allegiance to Cersei, making sure Arryn dies of poison he assumed Cersei administered.

102 ACOK 29 Bran IV: Bran must doubt Luwin, his lifelong educator, to believe Jojen. Subthemes: Turncloak

105 ACOK 32 Catelyn III: Renly expects many of Stannis's men to come over to him before the battle, swayed by the numbers. Subthemes: Turncloak

107 ACOK 34 Catelyn IV: With Renly dead, Catelyn assumes his entire force will join Stannis. But the Tyrells wouldn't want to raise Stannis's Florent wife to queen, so return to Bitterbridge.

108 ACOK 35 Jon IV: Mormont's raven is vocal, at Craster's, about its desire to return to the Wall. Sam notices his caged ravens wanting their freedom, and knows they'd return to the Wall, too. Why doesn't Mormont's raven? Does he choose allegiance to Mormont that he stays to advise? If so, doesn't that suggest that he means to influence the Lord Commander? Does that make him less of a follower?

113 ACOK 40 Catelyn V: Brienne swears into Catelyn's service. Catelyn saved her life by vouching for her innocence.

116 ACOK 43 Davos II: Ser Cournay's allegiance is to Renly. Stannis's is to Melisandre. Davos's is to Stannis but, should it be, since he disapproves of Melisandre? Subthemes: Turncloak

121 ACOK 48 Arya IX: Vargo Hoat hates Ser Amory Lorch and so it comes as less of a surprise that he has turned cloak to Bolton. Subthemes: Turncloak

123 ACOK 50 Tyrion XI: Everyone keeps telling Tyrion his defense will break hard and fast if the battle turns against them. They feel allegiance to their lives over who sits the throne and are not knights whose hnor may be sung of. They will choose life over death every time. Subthemes: Turncloak

Tyrion thinks Lord Swann has sent one son to Renly, another to the crown, hoping divided loyalties will ensure his house's survival.

125 ACOK 52 Jon VI: Qhorin Halfhand does not need to rule because he leads. Each man volunteers, much as it is among the wildlings. A wise ruler knows each man chooses his allegiance.

128 ACOK 55 Tyrion XII: Cersei reveals Varys has betrayed Tyrion's plan to assassinate Joffrey to her. Tyrion is so spun by Ceresi having seized Alayaya that he doesn't think about Varys's loyalty further, except to search for the secret door in the Tower of the Hand, but Cersei explains that Varys only pretends loyalty to individuals, buddying up and betraying them as he will. She says he only feeds them each enough intel to seem irreplaceable and that his only allegiance is to himself. This is an impression Varys labors to create. Subthemes: Turncloak

129 ACOK 56 Catelyn VII: When Jaime argues that he has honor, Catelyn decides to trust him enough to send to King's Landing as a hostage traded for the freedom of her daughters.

131 ACOK 58 Sansa V: Many among the soldiers who man the walls against Stannis prefer him. They may not be allowed to say so openly, yet Ser Jacelyn reports that open talk of treason is heard in the barracks. Subthemes: Turncloak

134 ACOK 61 Sansa VI: Cersei assumes Sansa dreams of rescue by Stannis. It's even strange that Sansa does not seem to ever think of what may happen to her should Stannis prevail. It shows her heart is set on Dontos's plan for her escape.

135 ACOK 62 Tyrion XIV: On the battlefield, no man has time to punish another, so all do as they will. Yet, soldiers work together well enough. It even inspires fellowship among them. Each follows who he will, tends to the tasks he will and protects those he will. Its reminiscent of the wildling way.

136 ACOK 63 Sansa VII: The Hound initially chose to be Joffrey's dog because he saw him as the kind of weakling certain to be bullied, related and pitied the prince. Now, he chooses Sansa because he sees her that way. But Joffrey is the bully he helped make. Subthemes: Turncloak

137 ACOK 64 Daenerys V: Daenerys has no choice but to accept Illyrio's aid, so thinks of it as a generosity. She was similarly without much choice in entering Qarth. But Xaro's allegiance was a trap.

139 ACOK 66 Sansa VIII: It's clear the Tyrells primarily allied to Renly for the crown when they ally with his enemies, the Lannisters, for that crown. Subthemes: Turncloak

140 ACOK 67 Theon VI: Theon would choose the Night's Watch over death, but his only allegiance was always to his idea of a grand life. Ramsay betrays the northern banners and Theon, too. Subthemes: Turncloak, Rogue Support

142 ACOK 69 Jon VIII: Jon chooses the Night's Watch so fiercely that he despises the idea of playing oathbreaker among the wildlings. Jon has really less chosen the Night's Watch as chosen identity in service as an alternative to continuing to struggle with his identity as the bastard of Winterfell.

144 ASOS 1 Prologue: The mutineers choose to follow Chett out rather than follow Mormont to certain death.

145 ASOS 2 Jaime I: He's planning on using the oar to keep Brienne from getting back into the boat, but uses it to help her back in, instead.

147 ASOS 4 Arya I: When Arya realizes Gendry and Hot Pie are not as skilled of riders as she'd assumed, she realizes they aren't moving fast enough and that she might have gotten them killed. Torn, Arya decides she cannot leave them behind because they are her pack. She decides she will protect them.

150 ASOS 7 Sansa I: The Tyrells push hard for Sansa to come to Highgarden to meet and maybe marry the heir to Highgarden. They sell her on the idea.

151 ASOS 8 Jon I: Assessing the wildling camp, Jon feels superior. Their camp has no evidence of discipline. Jon's loyalty to the Night's Watch prevents him from seeing his enemy. The camp is not a military camp.

152 ASOS 9 Daenerys I: The chapter opens the question of who a ruler should hear. Dany thinks a wise ruler hears all who would speak. Jorah warns that clever men may approach with dastardly schemes. Dany thinks she'd benefit from the cunning council. Jorah warns Dany not to trust Illyrio or his servants. That Illyrio claims to support Dany doesn't mean he isn't another Xaro. Yet, Jorah himself seems to be the danger in this chapter due to his excess of allegiance. He would wed Dany and be one of her dragon riders. Subthemes: The Problem of Taking Council, Rogue Support

153 ASOS 10 Bran I: Meera tells Bran he must be the one to choose what they do next because they have assembled to serve him. Subthemes: Rogue Support, The Problem of Taking Council counter example

154 ASOS 11 Davos II: Though he says he serves Stannis for his sons, Davos does not aim to visit his wife and youngest. Instead, he aims a dagger at Melisandre to free Stannis. Whatever Davos's core motivation--duty to The Mother, the need to redirect the guilt of his own tortured conscience--it is separate from a desire to serve Stannis making Davos's chosen allegiance different than he thinks it is. He cannot aim a dagger at Melisandre and pretend to serve Stannis, accrding to Stannis. Subthemes: Rogue Support

155 ASOS 12 Jaime II: Jaime finds himself impressed with Brienne's savvy, taking another step towards adapting her as an honorary sibling.

156 ASOS 13 Tyrion II: It turns out that a mistress is a kind of wife, and every hired servant a set of risks. All allegiances are more serious than they might initially seem, and more potentially compromising.

158 ASOS 15 Catelyn II: Lady Sybell chose Tywin. That's why she pretended to turn her cloak to Robb. Subthemes: Turncloak

160 ASOS 17 Sansa II: Sansa has chosen the Tyrells. Margaery's entourage has welcomed her. She has friends. Even Dontos's warnings do not sway her.

161 ASOS 18 Arya III: The men sent with Dondarrion choose to stay with and follow him largely because his cause is noble. The other reason is that they do not have the numbers in their group to travel home in safety.

162 ASOS 19 Samwell I: Grenn stops for Sam, then Small Paul stops for Grenn. A group is formed arund Sam's need. Subthemes: Rogue Support

165 ASOS 22 Jaime III: With Cleos dead, Jaime decides to partner with Brienne to get them both to King's Landing alive. When she insists on not trusting him, he tries to kill her. Jaime is in it for survival and rolls with the punches. That means his allegiance turns on a dime. Subthemes: Turncloak

166 ASOS 23 Arya IV: Everywhere they travel in the Riverlands the Brotherhood is welcomed. They share and know of pocket communities that will gladly shelter them. The riverlands is in desperate need of help. The Brotherhood's intention to help is enough, despite that they take as well as provide.

167 ASOS 24 Daenerys II: Identifying with the Unsullied and pitying them, Dany knows she has to help them and end the practice of making Unsullied. Subthemes: Rogue Support

168 ASOS 25 Bran II: The wolf maid chooses to defend the little crannogman, since his house is bannered to hers, strengthening the allegiance of their houses. Subthemes: Rogue Support

180 ASOS 37 Davos IV: "It is every man's duty to remain loyal to his rightful king, even if the lord he serves proves false," Stannis declared in a tone that brooked no argument. "As you remained loyal to King Aerys when your brother raised his banners?" "That was a hard choosing." 496

Varys's allegiance is brought into question. "Ser Barristan once told me that the rot in King Aerys's reign began with Varys. The eunuch should never have been pardoned." 496

181 ASOS 38 Jaime V: Varys is accused of prompting Aerys to madness again.

186 ASOS 43 Daenerys IV: Daario Nehars chooses Daenerys. Subthemes: Turncloak

188 ASOS 45 Jaime VI: Jaime can't, in good conscience, leave Brienne at Harrenhal o be raped by Vargo Hoat, especially since his own interfereing may have doomed her. (Lord Selwyn did try to ransom Brienne for gold, but Hoat thougt he was being denied sapphires because of Jaime's lie). Again, he chooses to ally himself to Brienne.

196 ASOS 53 Arya XI: Arya decides to save her mother and brother, even if it gets her killed.

198 ASOS 55 Davos V: Stannis wants to follow his conscience and claim his throne in a moral way. he's compromised himself under Melisandre's influence. Davos helps, but Stannis is flagging under the combined pressure from Selyse and Axell. Subthemes: The Problem of Taking Council

214 ASOS 71 Tyrion X: Prince Oberyn has chosen allegiance to Tyrion because it does so much for him. It's neither a cold calculation nor rooted in repoir. Tyrion is "Lord Tywin's doom." That's enough for Oberyn.

215 ASOS 72 Daenerys VI: Barristan Selmy explains that he disguised himself so as to assess Dany's character before pledging to her. He now allies to her by choice. It brings up that most men are expected to serve based on blood and without assessing their leaders. Subthemes: Own Man

216 ASOS 73 Jaime IX: Jaime sends Oathkeeper with Brienne as a favor to her as well as to attempt to make his own decisions as a man of conscience. Subthemes: Own Man

217 ASOS 74 Jon X: Jon chooses to guard Mance's tent, where Dalla is giving birth. He would have guarded against Stannis's men, even Night's Watch men, despite no particular allegiance to Mance. Jon's allegiance in this moment is to the founding principles of knighthood. Subthemes: Own Man

218 ASOS 75 Arya XIII: Arya would choose to go to Jon at the Wall.

220 ASOS 77 Jon XI: Stannis offers Jon Winterfell, provided he choose R'hllor over the old gods and break his vows to leave the Night's Watch.

222 ASOS 79 Samwell V: Samwell speaks to Pyke and Mallister about backing the other against Slynt. The idea of Jon as candidate forms.

223 ASOS 80 Jon XII: When Ghost returns, Jon has an epiphany that he'd never tear up the heart tree of Winterfell, nor can he take R'hllor as his god. Subthemes: Own Man

236 AFFC 11 Sansa I: Sansa is being won over by Littlefinger.

239 AFFC 14 The Soiled Knight: Arianne seduces Arys Oakheart because he is assigned to Myrcella. She spins him so effectively as to turn his cloak from Myrcella to herself.

240 AFFC 15 Brienne III: "When Renly donned his crown, the Maid of Tarth had ridden all the way across the Reach to join him." 299

244 AFFC 19 The Iron Captain: Asha tells Victarion she will join him if they share rule and withdraw from northern castles. He can't consider it, as his allegiance is still to Balon's vision of holding the north.

252 AFFC 27 Samwell III: Dareon predictably deserts, but Sam won't. Though he could run away with Gilly, marry her and have a life of his own, Sam is committed to doing right by all involved.

259 AFFC 34 Jaime V: At the siege on Riverrun, Jaime notes missing banners: Mallister, Bracken, Ryger, Paege. "Though all had renewed their fealty to the Iron Throne, none had come to join the siege...Our new friends are no friends at all. Their loyalty goes no deeper than their skins." 706

263 AFFC 38 Brienne VII: Gendry has chosen the Brotherhood, but seems angry at how things are going.

264 AFFC 39 Jaime VI: Realizing he can treat with Edmure, where the Blackfish would hear no terms from him, Jaime releases his hostage to take the castle.

268 AFFC 43 Brienne VIII: Thoros is displeased with what the Brotherhood has become under Stoneheart.

276 ADWD 5 Bran I: They really have no choice but to go with Cold Hands, despite him being an undead monster. He's clearly helping them. Subthemes: Rogue Support

277 ADWD 6 Tyrion II: Suspicious of Illyrio's motives in supporting Daenerys, Tyrion questions him in the litter to the Rhoyne.

283 ADWD 12 Daenerys II: :I was gathering my things when it came to me that I had brought this on myself by taking Robert's pardon. He was a good knight but a bad king, for he had no right to the throne he sat. That was when I knew that to redeem myself I must find the true king and serve him loyally with all the strength that still remained me." 970

289 ADWD 18 Jon IV: Jon decides to help Sannis beyond what he ought as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and guides his war council to take Deepwood Motte from the ironborn instead of being butchered trying to take the Dreadfort.

293 ADWD 22 Jon V: The wildlings who agree to defend the Wall for food ae not truly choosing allegiance. They are choosing not to starve.

297 ADWD 26 The Windblown: Having seen the bizarre, arrogant, disorganized Yunkish captains, the Tatterdd Prince sends an envoy to offer to defect to Daenerys. Subthemes: Attrition as counter example to chosen allegiance.

299 ADWD 28 Tyrion VII: The widow of the waterfront chooses to help Tyrion but not Jorah.

301 ADWD 30 Davos IV: Wyman Manderly deeply feels his family's debt to the Starks and will store the Starks to Winterfell if he can.

302 ADWD 31 Daenerys V: When Daenerys tells Brown Ben Plumm she can't field her dragons, he recalculates and says he can bring some of Yunkai's sellsword companies to come over for sacks of gold and jewels. She agrees, not realizing he's considering numbers over loyalty.

303 ADWD 32 Melisandre I: Melisandre is so sure Stannis is Azor Ahai she thinks he can't fail even though she faked his sword.

305 ADWD 34 Tyrion VIII: Tyrion decides to take responsibility for Penny.

307 ADWD 36 Jon VII:Two wildlings choose to join the Night's Watch and say vows.

308 ADWD 37 Daenerys VI: Brown Be has gone over to Yunkai. Is Daario for real?

315 ADWD 44 Daenerys VII: Dorne proposes allegiance conditional on marriage.

319 ADWD 48 Tyrion X: On the auction block, Tyrion would choose his purchaser.

321 ADWD 50 Jon X: Alys Karstark went to Jon at the Wall in her need. Now, aided, she tells him "Karhold remembers." Subthemes: Reciprocated Allegiance

324 ADWD 53 Daenerys IX: Dany has chosen Hizdahr: a non-reciprocating choice. Subthemes: Reciprocated Allegiance

327 ADWD 56 The Queensguard: Ser Barristan chooses to ally with Skahaz so as to act on Dany's behalf, but also so as to curb the Shavepates' worse impulses.

329 ADWD 58 Tyrion XI: Tyrion signs on to the Second Sons

330 ADWD 59 Jon XII: Despite generations of animosity between them, the wildlings who cross have chosen to ally with the Night's Watch against the Others.

334 ADWD 63 The Sacrifice: Ser Justin Massey is losing his faith in R'hllor and in Stannis. The army is in dire straights and in need of rescue, yet Stannis has holed up in the watchtower where it's warmest, fed best while his men die.

335 ADWD 64 Victarion I: As Moqqoro and R'hllor do more and more for Victarion, where sacriices to the Drowned God have no discernible effects, the iron captain leans ever more towards the red god.

343 ADWD 72 Daenerys X: Daenerys presents herself to Khal Jhaqo to parlay.

Related Subthemes: Turncloak, Rogue Support, The Problem of Taking Council, Own Man, Reciprocated Allegiance