How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Narrator.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Cressen tried to reply, but his words caught in his throat. His cough became a terrible thin whistle as he strained to suck in air. Iron fingers tightened round his neck. As he sank to his knees, still he shook his head, denying her, denying her power, denying her magic, denying her god. (1.Prologue.186)
We don't know what Martin has against prologue narrators, but he offs one in every book. Just getting us into that mortality mood, we suppose.
Quote #2
"There's one," Tyrion said quietly. "Deem. Tell the captain it would not be taken amiss if that one should happen to be swept overboard before they reach Eastwatch."
"I'm told those northern waters are very stormy, my lord." Ser Jacelyn bowed and took his leave, his cloak rippling behind him. (9.Tyrion.65-66)
Death comes in many forms in A Clash of Kings, but one of the most prevalent is as a move in the political game. You can think of it like a game of chess with the only difference that the pawns don't scream quite as loudly when they're taken off the board.
Quote #3
Their captors permitted no chatter. A broken lip taught Arya to hold her tongue. Others never learned at all. One boy of three would not stop calling for his father, so they smashed his face in with a spiked mace. Then the boy's mother started screaming and Raff the Sweetling killed her as well. (27.Arya.12)
In movies and television, there is one unbreakable rule when it comes to writing death: You cannot kill children. Ever. Okay, not really, but you know what we mean. The death of this child—and such a violent death no less—knocks us out of our comfort zone and serves as a potent reminder that death can come to anyone, at any time in these novels. Just like in life.