A Feast for Crows: The Golden Company/Dance with Dragons II (Spoilers Extended)

Looking back GRRM did a great job of setting up not only the Golden Company, but also the upcoming Dance of the Dragons II in A Feast for Crows.

Mentions of the Golden Company and Dance of the Dragons in AFFC

Note: There are obviously mentions of the first Dance, Blackfyres, etc. before this, but my goal was to focus on this post abandoned 5 year gap book, wherein GRRM is already sowing seeds for this conflict.

The Return of the Golden Company

While discussing what she assumes to be Quentyn/Doran's treachery, Arianne (wrongfully) believes that they might have hired the Golden Company to help him press his claim:

Are you aware that the Golden Company has broken its contract with Myr?"

"Sellswords break their contracts all the time."

"Not the Golden Company. Our word is good as gold has been their boast since the days of Bittersteel. Myr is on the point of war with Lys and Tyrosh. Why break a contract that offered them the prospect of good wages and good plunder?"

"Perhaps Lys offered them better wages. Or Tyrosh."

"No," she said. "I would believe it of any of the other free companies, yes. Most of them would change sides for half a groat. The Golden Company is different. A brotherhood of exiles and the sons of exiles, united by the dream of Bittersteel. It's home they want, as much as gold. Lord Yronwood knows that as well as I do. His forebears rode with Bittersteel during three of the Blackfyre Rebellions." -AFFC, The Soiled Knight

And while she is wrong about the "who" of the broken contract, she isn't wrong about the "why" (them wanting to return home".

The Golden Company/Arianne

The Golden Company then comes up again in Arianne's chapter:

And the Golden Company broke its contract with Myr, just as the Myrmen were about to go to war with Lys."

"The Lyseni bought them off," suggested Sylva.

"Clever Lyseni," Drey said. "Clever, craven Lyseni."

Arianne knew better. If Quentyn has the Golden Company behind him . . . "Beneath the gold the bitter steel," was their cry. You will need bitter steel and more, brother, if you think to set me aside. Arianne was loved in Dorne, Quentyn little known. No company of sellswords could change that. -The Queenmaker

And again Arianne gets part of the picture right, but it should be noted that now Arianne (well loved in Dorne) is potentially allying with this sellsword company.

Dance of the Dragons II

Since we get Teora's vision of the upcoming Dance of the Dragons in TWOW, Arianne I, it makes this line about the Tolands so much more potent:

She took Ser Arys by the hand, and wove her fingers through his own. "Have you ever seen the arms of House Toland of Ghost Hill?"

He had to think a moment. "A dragon eating its own tail?"

"The dragon is time. It has no beginning and no ending, so all things come round again. Anders Yronwood is Criston Cole reborn. He whispers in my brother's ear that he should rule after my father, that it is not right for men to kneel to women . . . that Arianne especially is unfit to rule, being the willful wanton that she is." She tossed her hair defiantly. "So your two princesses share a common cause, ser . . . and they share as well a knight who claims to love them both, but will not fight for them."

"I will." Ser Arys sank to one knee. "Myrcella is the elder, and better suited to the crown. Who will defend her rights if not her Kingsguard? My sword, my life, my honor, all belong to her . . . and to you, my heart's delight. I swear, no man will steal your birthright whilst I still have the strength to lift a sword. I am yours. What would you have of me?" -AFFC, The Soiled Knight

Especially after it mentions Criston Cole (major player in the dance of the dragons), two princess (princess/queen), split kingsguard, etc. etc.

It should also be noted that Arianne's version of the Toland sigil is disputed:

In later days, the Tolands would take a new banner, showing a dragon biting its own tail, green on gold in memory of the motley of their brave fool. -TWOIAF, Dorne: Dorne Against The Dragons

More Dance of the Dragons references

"The first Viserys intended his daughter Rhaenyra to follow him, do you deny it? But as the king lay dying the Lord Commander of his Kingsguard decided that it should be otherwise."

Ser Criston Cole. Criston the Kingmaker had set brother against sister and divided the Kingsguard against itself, bringing on the terrible war the singers named the Dance of the Dragons. Some claimed he acted from ambition, for Prince Aegon was more tractable than his willful older sister. Others allowed him nobler motives, and argued that he was defending ancient Andal custom. A few whispered that Ser Criston had been Princess Rhaenyra's lover before he took the white and wanted vengeance on the woman who had spurned him. "The Kingmaker wrought grave harm," Ser Arys said, "and gravely did he pay for it, but . . ." -AFFC, The Soiled Knight

Cersei

The Golden Company is mentioned as the Iron Throne initially thinks that Stannis somehow found the coin to hire the Golden Company:

The Golden Company has broken its contract with Myr. Around the docks I've heard men say that Lord Stannis has hired them and is bringing them across the sea." -AFFC, Cersei IV

If interested: "By Guile": How the Golden Company takes Storm's End

I think this next part is hilarious. Qyburn brings Cersei info on the 3 or 4 biggest threats to Tommen's reign and Cersei dismisses (mostly) almost all of them since she is so focused on Tyrion/the Tyrells:

• Young Griff/Golden Company

He smiled sympathetically. "As you wish. There is talk that the Archon of Tyrosh has offered terms to Lys, to end their present trade war. It had been rumored that Myr was about to enter the war on the Tyroshi side, but without the Golden Company the Myrish did not believe they . . ."

"What the Myrish believe does not concern me." The Free Cities were always fighting one another. Their endless betrayals and alliances meant little and less to Westeros. "Do you have any news of more import?"

• Daenerys/Dragons

"The slave revolt in Astapor has spread to Meereen, it would seem. Sailors off a dozen ships speak of dragons . . ."

"Harpies. It is harpies in Meereen." She remembered that from somewhere. Meereen was at the far end of the world, out east beyond Valyria. "Let the slaves revolt. Why should I care? We keep no slaves in Westeros. Is that all you have for me?"

• Dornish Plot

"There is some news from Dorne that Your Grace may find of more interest. Prince Doran has imprisoned Ser Daemon Sand, a bastard who once squired for the Red Viper." -AFFC, Cersei V

The Gold Dragon Coin in the Prologue

A gold dragon coin dances across the alchemist's knuckles:

And then the coin was in his hand, dancing across his knuckles, the soft yellow gold shining in the candlelight. On one side was a three-headed dragon, on the other the head of some dead king. Gold for iron, Pate remembered, you won't do better. Do you want her? Do you love her? "I am no thief," he had told the man who called himself the alchemist, "I am a novice of the Citadel." The alchemist had bowed his head, and said, "If you should reconsider, I shall return here three days hence, with my dragon." -AFFC, Prologue

Since the FM seem to have infiltrated the Citadel (potentially after the Death of Dragons and they also potentially have an egg as well), this was at least worth noting in my opinion.

Marillon singing Dance of the Dragons

If the Eyrie had been made like other castles, only rats and gaolers would have heard the dead man singing. Dungeon walls were thick enough to swallow songs and screams alike. But the sky cells had a wall of empty air, so every chord the dead man played flew free to echo off the stony shoulders of the Giant's Lance. And the songs he chose . . . He sang of the Dance of the Dragons, of fair Jonquil and her fool, of Jenny of Oldstones and the Prince of Dragonflies. He sang of betrayals, and murders most foul, of hanged men and bloody vengeance. He sang of grief and sadness. -AFFC, Sansa I

This song is also sung in AGOT and ASOS, but it is sad ballad:

Collio began with his version of "The Dance of the Dragons," which was more properly a song for two singers, male and female. Tyrion suffered through it with a double helping of honey-ginger partridge and several cups of wine. A haunting ballad of two dying lovers amidst the Doom of Valyria might have pleased the hall more if Collio had not sung it in High Valyrian, which most of the guests could not speak. -ASOS, Tyrion VIII

TLDR: GRRM did a great job of weaving the upcoming Golden Company invasion and subsequent Dance of the Dragons into A Feast for Crows, even though none of the characters actually appear.