Tyrion XII

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister in HBOs Game of Thrones

Tyrion is signing notes. Over fifty of them lie before him, each promising gold to the bearer. While he signs them, the sums grow bigger and bigger. He quips with Inkpot, the paymaster, and Brown Ben Plumm. They shoot witty remarks at each other of trust and honor, but in the end, Tyrion signs everything, thinking that he will be a beggar if he ever gets Casterly Rock. The last note, Ben Plumm's, promised 100.000 dragons, a castle, lands and a lordship. After all the signing is done, Tyrion signs himself into the book of the company, becoming a mercenary. He and Penny then go to the wagons where the company keeps their storage of armor and weapons.

Penny is devestated due to the loss of Crunch and Pretty Pig. Tyrion heard that the beasts were killed, but he shielded Penny from the news so far. Tyrion fears for a moment she might be ill with the pale mare; however, it seems to be psychological. They are led to the company steel by a boy named Kem, whom Tyrion indentifies of being from King's Landing and who fought with Stannis and was left behind. He hates Tywin Lannister, and Tyrion mocks him without the boy even knowing. At the steel wagons, they encounter Ser Jorah, who looks frightening in his new steel and seems to have overcome his prior weakness.

After finding some ill-fitting pieces of armor, Tyrion tells Penny that they need to arm and defend themselves, but Penny wants nothing but to return into the comfortable slavery. Tyrion slaps her over the face, telling her that Crunch and Pretty Pig are dead and that he will get her a new master if she wishes after it is over, but that she has to get act together. Mormont draconically states that the Yunkish don't realize as yet that they lost the war, since Meereen has the Unsullied and, provided Dany's return, dragons, while Yunkai has weakened, unorganized and uncoordinated slave troops. Tyrion concurs, saying that it's time for another defection of the Second Sons, and that he will create it.

Tyrion now has a power base again. It's nowhere near the Lannister house power, but it's a start. It's not quite clear what his plan is, but somehow he wants to talk Ben into defection - which shouldn't be hard - and then to present himself to Dany. He can't really plan to stay in the company any longer than necessary, and besides Ben won't have him. He needs him as lord of Casterly Rock to fulfill his promises. It's likely that Tyrion counts on some of the Second Sons not so survive everything. Especially Brown Ben Plumm's part itself is tricky, since Daenerys doesn't take his defection as lightly as Ben himself does. If Tyrion doesn't support the mercenary, he could well end up dead. Tyrion seems to go the line he does the whole book already: let's accept every toad and then see how it turns out in the long run. So far, he was succesful. His talent in improvisations can't be argued.

Besides that, there is nothing really new in this chapter. Tyrion has finished the character development for this book and prepares to launch the next big step in his personal story arc, finally joining Dany. What will become of that will have to wait for "The Winds of Winter". So, at this point, we have to say goodbye to Tyrion. His roadmovie through Essos was entertaining to a certain point, but nevertheless failed to compel as the northern storyline did.

As to side notes, one Rodrik Stark, nicknamed "The Wandering Wolf" is named in the annals of the Second Sons. Have we heard of that guy before? I don't think so. Perhaps we meet him in the next Dunk and Egg story, who knows?