Arya Stark
Arya Stark in Season 4 of "Game of Thrones." HBO

Fans of “Game of Thrones” have something else to look forward to before the Season 4 premiere date, and it seems like George R.R. Martin certainly knows how to keep readers engaged and excited. The author behind the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series has given fans something even HBO can’t, a never before seen chapter from his forthcoming sixth book, “The Winds of Winter.” The highly anticipated novel is the next installment in the “Game of Thrones” saga and with a growing legion of loyal readers, its no wonder that the Internet nearly imploded when Martin sneakily snuck in a new chapter! With about a week and half until the April 6 Season 4 premiere, Martin took to his personal website to reassure fans of the work he has completed on the delayed sixth book.

Recent reports and fans have brought up the serious concern that the HBO TV series may surpass Martin’s lengthy book saga, something that to readers would be a catastrophe. With the TV show getting set to premiere it’s fourth season which encompasses plots from book 5 “A Dance With Dragons,” the pressing concern is valid, if Martin fails to release “The Winds of Winter” soon, one of two things will most likely happen, he will be lapped by the TV series, or the TV series will experience heavy release delays -- both options are ruinous.

But before we start creating a contingency plan, let's take a look at the unseen chapter from “The Winds of Winter.” Martin released the chapter with an explanation, writing, "The new chapter is actually an old chapter. But no, it's not one I've published or posted before, and I don't even think I've read it at a con." Martin also revealed that the title of the chapter is “Mercy” but after reading the first few lines, it doesn't seem like the narrator is going to be begging for mercy, instead the opposite might be true. Small clues in the chapter indicate that this is most certainly narrated by none other than Arya Stark, the youngest wolf girl goes on a long journey through the “Game of Thrones” series, but it seems like we know just the start of it.

The beginning of the chapter was the biggest indicator that the voice of “Mercy” belongs to Arya. The section reads, “She woke with a gasp, not knowing who she was, or where. The smell of blood was heavy in her nostrils… or was that her nightmare, lingering? She had dreamed of wolves again, of running through some dark pine forest with a great pack at her hells, hard on the scent of prey.” Despite releasing her direwolf Nymeria on the Kingsroad, it seems like Arya still holds a deep connection to her house sigil.

Be sure to read the full-unseen chapter from “The Winds of Winter” at GeorgeRRMartin.com.

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