Tear Jerker / Song of a Northern Sorcerer

• Chapter 14: Dacey Mormont is acknowledged in-universe as a strong woman who faces even the stonemen of Valyria and a dragon bigger than Balerion the Black Dread without fear. Thus, her reaction to hearing of her uncle Jorah's canon act of selling poachers into slavery is heartbreaking; she almost collapses and breaks down in tears and even offers up first the Valyrian steel mace she found in Valyria and then her own life to Ned Stark as penance for his crimes.
• Chapter 16 is full of these. Bring out the tissues.
  • Jayne Poole freaks out when she hears about her father's death. When Lyn Corbray confirms it, she gives out a Death Wail. Then the co-conspirators attempt to rape her. Fortunately, it doesn't happen but the poor girl is tramatized afterwards.
  • As she lays dying, Nyra's last words are to tell Sansa & Jeyne to run & hide & to tell Nox that she loves him.
  • Arya makes her first kill. Keep in mind that she's barely 10. Her fear of what's happening seeps through as she begs Jon not to die.
  • The deaths of Catelyn and Rickon Stark, with Robb and Jon arriving moments too late to save them. Robb crying & begging Jon to save his mother. Unfortunately, neither Jon or Robb are adapt at Force Healing & removing the dagger would just kill her, so there's nothing they can do. Cat's last words are to beg Jon for forgiveness and to beg Robb to be strong for the rest of the family. Robb's reaction to Cat's death is heartwrenching, particularly if you remember the Red Wedding when Robb dies infront of Catelyn. Feeling like a complete failure, Jon wonders why he hasn't heard any sounds from Rickon, only to see that poor baby Rickon & Shaggydog had their throats silt to the point that bone could be seen. Jon then pulls a blanket to cover the heartwrenching sight & just falls numbly to the floor, losing what strength he has. Robb shakily asks about Rickon & when Jon non verbally confirms it, Robb then angrily asks why this had to happen. When he sees the assassin who killed his mother, Robb furiously beats him to death, asking why & why over & over even after he was dead.
  • The aftermath is no less heartbreaking with listed casualties & damages:
  Ned: If those had been the extent of the casualties Ned would've considered themselves fortunate. But that was not to be the case. For it wasn't just the nobles nor those in the great hall that had suffered. Or perhaps it was more correct to say that those in the great hall had suffered the least. The damage done across Winterfell and Winter Town had been far more extensive than he could've ever imagined. A hundred strong of the small folks were dead with twice as many now injured. Some so severely that it was doubtful that they would recover. Dozens of men-at-arms belonging to all houses were dead or dying. And at least a dozen women, both young and old, had been found brutalized and raped. While the toll of the attack was indeed high, Ned was not foolish enough to believe it was as worse as it could've been. He'd been through two wars and had seen the immediate aftermath of the Sacking of Kings Landing. If not for the quick, yet inebriated actions, of those that were loyal to House Stark and if not for Nox's quick recovery, then Ned was positive that the death toll would've been far greater. While many had risen to House Stark's defense there were two, outside of Nox, that could truly be credited with bringing an end to the attack within the great hall before rushing out to defend Winterfell. Greatjon Umber and Maege Mormont. Though neither managed to escape from the attempt unharmed. The Greatjon had taken several crossbow bolts and daggers to both his front and back. The fact that the man was even still amongst the living was a testament to Lady Talisa's skill as a healer. But as good as she was, she was no miracle worker. And while the Greatjon would live his left arm was now next to useless and he would be cursed with a limp for the rest of his life. And Maege Mormont had received a dagger across the face, leaving a scar from temple to jaw that cross her left eye and destroying said eye in the process.
  • Ned having the longest day of his life a day after the attempted coup, a day he ever had since the deaths of his father & brother at the hands of the Mad King. Ever since finding Cat & Rickon dead and Robb beating the corpse of the one responsible, he wants to do nothing more than to stay with his children. But being the Warden of the North doesn't allow him that luxury. But the man is clearly hurting.
  • Rickard Karstark & Medger Cerwyn are more confirmed casualties but while Rickard's son Harrion is old enough to take up the mantle of Karhold, the same can't be said for ten year old Clay Cerwyn. Fortunately, Castle Cerywn is a day's ride from Winterfell so Ned could provide him with aid as best he could but could hardly be considered a good thing. Yohn Royce's oldest son, Andor succumbed to the wounds he'd received during the attack. Septa Mordane may have made few friends in Winterfell, but her brutal rape and murder during the attack was seen by everyone as far too brutal a fate.
  • The Blackfish's composure cracking for a few brief moments over the deaths of his niece, Catelyn, who he viewed as a daughter & his great nephew Rickon.
  • Nyra attempts to protect herself, Sansa & Jayne....only to get stabbed by Lyn Corbray. While she does live thanks to Sansa's Healing Hands, the same cannot be said for the baby, who turned out to be a boy. Nyra had decided upon naming him Khem, after Nox's former servant & friend & now he will never get to live, having died before he was born. Nyra is heartbroken by the loss, while Nox can only comfort his wife as best he can. Nox himself is devastated but is unable to shed tears due to his blindness.
  • The surviving Stark children reacted in their own ways to the events: Robb & Jon, who'd bore witness to Cat's death, both blame themselves for not being fast enough to save her & Rickon. Bran broken down in tears & held on to Ned until he fell asleep. Arya simply freezes. At first, it's that she's too young to understand what happened but it's then made very clear that she's in full Tranquil Fury, something that causes Ned no small amount of worry.
  Ned: Arya's reaction had worried him the most. She hadn't cried, she merely went mute and just stood there while staring off into the distance at nothing. At first, he'd thought that it was simply that she was too young to understand just what was going on. But after seeing Nox's reaction, he knew better. She was reacting to the news of her mother and brother's death in the same manner that Nox had reacted to the news of his own son's death: a quiet rage. One that had him more than slightly worried about what she would do next. She'd already killed one man, something that filled him with no small amount of anguish as no child her age should ever have blood on their hands. But he knew full well that while the first kill was the hardest, it got progressively easier which each additional kill. And given what she was capable of…he would have to keep a close eye on both her and the prisoners until the trials and executions were over and done with.
  • Poor Sansa was the one affected the most of the ordeal. Having greatly enjoying herself on the wedding: with its perfect skies, the visiting Lords & Ladies, along with the Knights of the Vale that are nothing short of the epitome of honor & chivalry, Nyra's wedding dress, wearing the cloak that Sansa herself sewed for her, seeing the Maiden herself blessing Nyra (Ashara's ghost), Sansa can only hope that her own wedding is as perfect one day. It's nothing short of a fairy tale come to life for her. Then her life goes straight to hell with the attempted coup. To sum it up: Sansa's faith in chivalry is completely shattered when Ser Lyn Corbray stabs the heavily pregnant Nyra on her wedding day for bearing Nox's child & refuses to defend her friend Jeyne from being raped by his co-conspirators. What truly breaks Sansa is hearing about Cat's death. Ned's thoughts are what summed it up perfectly.
  Ned: Sansa's reaction had been what he'd expected and more. She'd broken down completely. Crumbling into a heap and wailing uncontrollably. She'd been the closest of his children to Cat, and he knew that her death would affect her deeply. But it wasn't just Cat's death that had obviously brought his daughter to such a state. He'd always been afraid of the day when his daughter would discover the truth of the world. That it wasn't picture-perfect like in the stories she loved to hear from her mother and Septa Mordane. He'd just hoped that when that day came that it wouldn't be too hard of a blow. But that request had been denied. Sansa's view of what she thought of the world and of the nobility and knights had not been broken. It'd been shattered. And then stomped upon by a team of horses.
  • A funeral procession is held for those who died.
• Chapter 17: Littlefinger of people gets one. No matter how twisted his feelings for Catelyn were, his shocked reaction at her death was genuine. Too bad, he uses her death as greater motivation to make everyone else suffer.
• Chapter 25: Nearly the entire conversation between Robert with Myrcella & Tommen. Robert seeing Tommen with Myrcella comforting him over the death of Ser Prance. When attempting to ask what was wrong, Tommen cries out, startled as if Robert was going to hurt them, burrows himself further into Myrcella's arms. Myrcella just glares at Robert & flatly calls him, 'your grace'. Just that & nothing else. These things that shouldn't be present for a child of her age. Robert to his own surprise is hurt by this & doesn't know why. This finally makes him realizes that's been a neglectful parent to Myrcella & Tommen. Thankfully, Robert vows to do better with them & does keep to his word.
  Robert wasn't sure just what was worse. The fact that Tommen let out a startled cry and hugged his sister tighter. Or the fact that Myrcella glared at him with a look that did not belong on a young girl her age, or her flat tone when she responded to his presence with a 'your grace' and not 'father,' not 'Robert.' Just…'your grace'. As if she were not his daughter at all. He didn't know why, but it hurt. The hole that'd been created by the loss of Lyanna, hearing that cold tone from his daughter and the reaction of her holding her brother tighter…it made the void left within him ache something fierce.
  Robert: By the gods…have I really been this shit of a father that my own children act like this just in my mere presence?
  • Even Robert promising to be a better parent to Myrcella & Tommen is saddening because he doesn't know that they aren't actually his children.
• Chapter 29: Tyrion feeling slightly out of place upon witnessing Gerion & Joy's loving parental relationship. Especially that he himself never experienced such a relationship ever in his life due to how he came into the world & what it resulted. What's worse? Joanna Lannister was killed by the Order of the Guiding Hand via prolonging her childbirth, meaning that what happened to her wasn't Tyrion's fault at all. Yet despite this information being made known, Tyrion still blames himself' for 'killing her' & earning the scorn of his father & sister. It's a sad reminder that a lifetime of abuse, guilt & sorrow won't simply go away that easily.
• Chapter 29: Tyrion expressing legitimate fear of Tywin learning of Anna. After what happened to Tysha, he's right to be so & doesn't want it to happen again.
• Chapter 30: Tyrion finally speaking with Jamie about Tysha & Jamie's role in what happened to her. To say it wasn't an easy conversation is an understatement. For the first time in his life, Tyrion hates Jamie, something he never he had the slightest touch of before. As for Jamie, he clearly regrets what he did but there's nothing he can say or do than can fix what he did. And as painful Tyrion feels about his brother's state, Tyrion refuses to be moved over it. Not now, perhaps not ever over it. As to the current state of their relationship...
  Jamie: Where does this leave us, brother?
  Tyrion: I don't know, brother. I truly don't know.
• Chapter 31: Just little poor Bran Stark. He loses his mother & younger brother not too long ago & he's already starting to forget about them, which is an unfortunate reality of growing up. He wants to go to his father or Nox for help but unable to because he doesn't want to admit he's weak. And the crux of his 'weakness' is the fact that he did nothing to help the night the coup happened & just hide away & pray he wouldn't be found while everyone else was fighting. It's why he puts so much effort into his training with Nox so he wouldn't have to feel that helpless again! What makes this heartwrenching is that there was literally nothing Bran could've done that night. He was a small child, who couldn't do anything at all to help & yet, he blames himself for it. Hiding away for his own safety was literally the only thing he could do! Someone just give this little boy a hug.
  Bran: His mother and brother only passed onto the realm of the gods, or the Force, perhaps a year or two past… But already he was finding it hard to remember them. He could remember his mother's soft voice, the songs she used to sing him when he was scared or when she was putting him to bed. And Rickon…He could remember his laughter. But, with each day that went by, he was starting to forget just what they looked like. He wanted to go to father and tell him, perhaps his father could do something to help him, or Master Nox. There was nothing that Master Nox nor his father couldn't do! But…But he didn't. He didn't want to admit that he was so weak that he was forgetting what his brother and mother even looked like! He'd been so weak that night when they died. While his brothers and even his sisters were fighting against the ones who broke the laws of gods and men…all he could do was hide in a corner like a craven and pray to the gods and the Force that he would not be found. He never wanted to feel that…helpless again! Which was why he put so much effort into his training under Master Nox. He wanted to be the best knight, or sorcerer, in all of Westeros! He wanted to make sure that what happened to his mother and brother would never, ever, happen again.
• Chapter 32: Jorah explaining his backstory to Dany of how he came to leave Westeros for Essos. By the end of it Jorah is heavy with shame for the things he did & Dany who was initially unimpressed for his inability to take responsibility for his actions, truly feels sorry for him.

  Dany: Now Dany truly did feel sorry for the man. He'd given up everything for a woman he loved, his wealth, his home, his family, and his honor. And in the end, she jumped into the arms of the first man she ran across that could offer her a better life. "I am sorry for what you have had to go through, Ser Jorah."

  Jorah': "I appreciate your sympathy, Princess."

• Jon goes to speak with Robert, only to find the King alone simply gazing out of the city. He barely acknowledges Jon's presence until he addresses him solemnly.

  Robert: I can't remember the faces of my parents. I can barely even remember what Storm's End looks like. And with the gods as my witness…I can't even remember what Lyanna looked like. But what I can remember is that day on the Trident. That day I buried my hammer into that dragon fucker's chest. I felt like a god amongst men that day. No, I was a god amongst men that day. Even with the wound Rhaeger had given me in return, I felt unkillable. Like I could take on the entire army and they would be able to do nothing but cower in fear, waiting for my hammer to end them. And it was on that day, perhaps one of the greatest days of my life, that I realized that that moment was the type of moment I wanted to die in. But…as you're so fond of reminding me Jon…we rarely get what we want in life. Or even death for that matter."

  • Concerned at the sudden & unexpected words from the King, Jon moves to comfort him...only for Robert to start violently coughing. Covering his mouth with a cloth, Robert then withdraws it, only for it to be covered in blood. Then Robert delivers this heartbreaking line.
    Robert: "Sickness of the lungs. My death. Not the death of a warrior…but the death of an old sickly man. No offense intended, Jon."
    Jon: "How…How long?"
    Robert: "The Maester isn't sure. Says it depends on how…aggressive it is. And it's still apparently in the early stages, so it's hard to say. He's given me five years. Maybe ten at best before this sickness claims me. And that's if I follow the Maester's treatment exactly. And even then, it's not a guarantee."
  • Jon is being driven to despair at the news. He is losing his son in all but name. But this is also mixed with Crown matters as the Realm is also losing it's first non-Targaryen King. And Joffrey was nowhere near ready to take up the throne…if he would ever be. Which readers knows he isn't. Though he personally loathes it, he decides to ask Nox for help. Not just because the Realm needed Robert but because Jon needed Robert.
  • Though other avenues are being considered for treatment, that's all it is. Treatment. Not a cure. Robert Baratheon is dying. Plain and simple.
    Robert: So, for now, there is nothing I can do besides sit back and watch as a fucking sickness brings me low. Not some mighty warrior or during a battle…but a fucking sickness I can't even see. What a way for the 'Demon of the Trident' to finally meet his end."
  • When Jon attempts to press Robert about Crown matters, Robert waves him off not wanting to 'play the game' today, saying that while he knows that, there is something else he must truly do before any of that. Cue Ser Barristan bringing in Myrcella and Tommen. This dying man simply wants to be a father to his children for now.
  • Mixed with Heartwarming. Robert wanted to spend with Joffrey as well inspite of the strained relationship between them. Joffrey being Joffrey.....
• Jory and his men's Heroic Sacrifice Last Stand. Nyra pleads with them to come with her, or at least follow after setting up some traps to delay the enemy, but Jory and the Stark guards all refuse and sadly are all slaughtered to the last man buying time for the ladies to escape. Arya has to be restrained from going back to help them, only relenting when Nyra points out that her getting captured will negate those loyal men's sacrifices.