AGoT Reread- Eddard

[Barba]

Eddard IV

Introduced: Grand Maester Pycelle (maester of the Citadel, member of the King’s small council, pardoned by King Robert; served six kings: Aegon V, Jaeherys II, Aerys II, Robert Baratheon, Joffrey and then Tommen).

Ned has just arrived at King’s Landing, and is told that the small council is having an urgent meeting. Ned looks at the members of the small council, and remembers Robert saying how he is surrounded by flatterers and fools, and sees the truth in the statement. A letter sent ahead by the King proclaims that a tourney and feast would be held in honor of Ned’s appointment as Hand. Ned wants nothing of it, but has no say. He learns that over the last 14 years, the King and his council have beggared the realm, with the crown in debt some 6 million gold, most of it owed to the Lannisters. Ned cannot believe that Jon Arryn allowed this to happen, but Littlefinger says it was Robert’s extravagance. Ned leaves to return to the Tower of the Hand, but is intercepted by Littlefinger, who takes him on a long journey through the castle and into the city in an effort to mislead anyone who might be watching them.

He takes Ned to a brothel that he owns, where Catelyn and Ser Rodrik await. Ned nearly kills Littlefinger in disbelief until Ser Rodrik appears. Cat tells Ned everything that has transpired, and Ned feels that he should take his case and the dagger to the King. Littlefinger tells him there is no proof, and that he should throw away the dagger and forget it ever existed. Ned tells him he is as big a fool now as when he took up a sword against Brandon. Littlefinger is eager to help them find the truth, but Cat is worried about Varys, and how he seems to learn things through sorcery. Littlefinger tells them not to worry about Varys, "I hold the man in the palm of my hand. You see, if the pie is opened, the birds begin to sing, and Varys would not like that." Ned leaves Cat instructions for his bannermen to fortify Moat Cailin and to keep a careful watch over Theon Greyjoy in case his father’s fleets are needed, and then takes his leave.

[The Adequate Jon]

When I first read this chapter, I thought that although Littlefinger is clearly hostile toward Ned, he might be on the Starks side for Cat's sake. Now when I read it, it seems he doesn't really care about Cat at all, he's just using her to further his own goals.

I liked Ned's jibe at Littlefinger when LF asks him if Cat had mentioned him: "She has...I understand you knew my brother Brandon as well."

Ned remembers Robert telling him he was surrounded by flatterers and fools. Ned wonders which are flatterers and which are fools. Of those present at the council meeting, I'd say LF and Varys are the flatterers and Renly and Pycelle are the fools.

Timeline:

Ned thinks about how Arya and Sansa have been acting since he killed Lady. They have been acting this way for a fortnight. The king's party must have picked up speed after that episode to get to Kingslanding so fast. I got the feeling that Cat had already been there for a week or two.

[Barba]

Nice chapter. first view of the small council. Builds tension with words of war at the end. But let's start from the beginning.

King's Steward appears. And we don't know his name. And he's not even listed in appendix. I wonder who he is?

“I should have thought that heat ill suits you Starks,†Littlefinger said.“Here in the south, they say you are all made of ice, and melt when you ride below the Neck.â€

I read somwhere ironic about this quote. Ned's father was melted, and his brother was killed while that was happening. Not to mention Ned's and Robb's fate later in the series.

Pycelle is described as being old, and he 'tires easily'. Yet his chain is 'two dozen heavy chains wound together into a ponderous metal necklace that covered him from throat to breast'. Sounds heavy to me . I bet he get's tired every morning when he wakes up and puts that chain around his neck

As the others took their accustomed seats, it struck Eddard Stark forcefully that he did not belong here, in this room, with these men.

Just like his final thoughts in his first chapter

It is mentioned here that the crown owns some money to Iron bank of Braavos. In FFC they demand that money back. We learn their motto in FFC 'Iron Bank shall have it's due' It kinda makes me wonder weather George has something planned for them later in WoW or DoS. Who knows. It could be that they will hire FM, maybe one newly recrooted member :cool:

Noticed talk with LF and Ned. I don't know what to make of LF's behaviout. He is full of sarcasam, and I'm sure he is doing it with a reason. I just can't quite figure out why

“My counsel is to drop that in the river and forget that it was ever forged.â€

Now, I can't quite figure this out. Did LF said this cause he knew how Ned would react. That could just make Ned more angry, and more focused on finding out who killed Bran.

It would not be the first time that Ned had been forced to make common cause with a man he despised

And when did it happen before, I wonder?

“Leave Lord Varys to me, sweet lady. If you will permit me a small obscenity—and where better for it—I hold the man’s balls in the palm of my hand.â€

This is most interesting sentence in the chapter to me. Thing is, I belive this. I posted not long ago that I thinkLF found out about Cat's arrival in KL from Moreo. Now I think that it was Varys who told him. But Why? How does LF hold Varys in his hand?

[Spring Bass]

Well, I finally did my re-read on this chapter! Here are some observations:

1. Ned describes Varys as his least favorite councillor. Why? Is it merely because Varys served Aerys as a Master of Spies before coming to Robert, and Ned (who hates subterfuge) dislikes him for both reasons?

2. Pycelle's chain is described as having 'every metal known to man.' I wonder if this includes Valyrian Steel. Although Ned doesn't describe it, he certainly knows what Valyrian steel looks like.

3. Ned's comment that he "already knew which were the flatterers and fools." This is somewhat ironic, especially since you find out later on that Varys is anything but a pure flatterer, Littlefinger plays his own game, and Renly is willing to become a usurper after Robert's death.

4. Some Travel Observations:

-The Starks and their household are described as riding well ahead of the main column after the Trident. This seems to indicate that they did travel by road the whole way south.

-Winterfell is "hundreds of leagues" from King's Landing. (p.165)

-In a bit of irony considering his earlier complaints, Robert had apparently been travelling in the wheelhouse, at least when he arrived.

5. The quote about Varys by Littlefinger had me wondering, too. I think, most likely, and considering the fact that Littlefinger knows at least one passageway out of the castle, that he's already figured out at least an idea of how Varys always seems to have his information. This is especially the case, since we know that in ASoS, when he sets up Dontos to meet with Sansa, it is in the Godswood, where nobody else can hear.

Varys himself also seems to indicate this, since he has no idea what game LIttlefinger is playing.

[A wilding]

“Leave Lord Varys to me, sweet lady. If you will permit me a small obscenity—and where better for it—I hold the man’s balls in the palm of my hand.â€

This tells us that LF believes he has a hold over Varys.

Varys political strategy gets explained later. He has no powerbase, so his approach is to be useful to all the key players, because any of them, if they so decided, would probably be able to have him killed or exiled. His usual approach is to befriend them and feed them tit bits of useful information. We see him doing this to at least some extent with Ned, with Tyrion and with Cersei.

LF is certainly a key player, and could probably bring Varys down before long if he thought it necessary. Varys is at least a potential obstacle to LF's plans. So it seems to me somewhat suspicious that LF has this convenient hold over Varys, and so is happy for him to stay in his post. The hold might turn out not to be as strong as LF believes it is.

Afterthought: Actually, thinking it through again, all that quote tells us is that LF wants Catelyn to believe LF has a hold over Varys. Anyone want to run with that?

[Blue Roses]

This tells us that LF believes he has a hold over Varys.

Afterthought: Actually, thinking it through again, all that quote tells us is that LF wants Catelyn to believe LF has a hold over Varys. Anyone want to run with that?

Actually I expect this is a case of bragging. Like a high school reunion, LF wants to show the prom queen he done good and that he a powerful man at the heart of government, not a skiiny boy from the Fingers. More seriously though, LF is big into appearances. He doesn't have a standing army or retainers (well not many) and his appearance of power is almost as powerful as his hold on the money. Smoke and mirrors. Keep your enemy and friends guessing.

[Barba]

Eddard V

Ned is speaking with Grand Maester Pycelle in the maester’s solar. Pycelle was a young man forging his maester’s chain during the reign of King Maekar, and he mentions the foretold Great Summer, a fabled summer that never ends. Ned learns that Jon Arryn was melancholy but healthy, and then suddenly became ill. Pycelle sent away Lord Arryn’s maester because he felt Maester Colemon didn’t understand the older body as well as Pycelle. On his deathbed, Jon Arryn called out Robert’s name several times and said "The seed is strong". The only ones in the room were Pycelle, Lysa Arryn and King Robert. When Ned asks Pycelle if poison had killed Jon Arryn, the Grand Maester rebuffs him, asking who would do such a thing? Ned replies that he heard poison was a woman’s weapon. Pycelle says poison is the preferred weapon of women, cravens and eunuchs. He tells Ned that Varys was born a slave in Lys, and that Ned shouldn’t trust him. On the way out, Ned also learns that the Queen was not in King’s Landing when Jon Arryn died, and he asks to borrow the book Jon Arryn was reading just before his death. Later, Littlefinger visits Ned in his solar, telling him that he has a lead for Ned. Lord Baelish reveals the name of Ser Hugh of the Vale, squire to Jon Arryn who was knighted after his Lord died, as well as 3 other servants of Jon Arryn still in King’s Landing. Littlefinger shows Ned two spies outside his window, one is Varys’, the other is the Queen’s. He cautions Ned to send one of his men to question these servants, rather than doing it himself. Littlefinger leaves by telling him that the smartest thing the Hand had done was not trust him.

[Barba]

He was purging Lord Arryn with wasting potions and pepper juice, and I feared he might kill him.

Pycelle moght be lieing, considering how Colemon refuses to giwe milk of the poppy to Robert Arryn. But it might indicate that he wil be doing it untill young Robert dies

Pycelle was maester during dizaster at summerhall. maybe he can tell us something, but I doubt it. but I hope we will see him in some final volumes of D&E

we have some trouble with dates here. check this:

“One last question, if you would be so kind. You mentioned that the king was at Lord Arryn’s bedside when he died. I wonder, was the queen with him?â€

“Why, no,†Pycelle said. “She and the children were making the journey to Casterly Rock, in company with her father. Lord Tywin had brought a retinue to the city for the tourney on Prince Joffrey’s name day, no doubt hoping to see his son Jaime win the champion’s crown. In that he was sadly disappointed. It fell to me to send the queen word of Lord Arryn’s sudden death. Never have I sent off a bird with a heavier heart.â€

so they were making jurney to CR. When you travel that far, you don't go there for day or two. you go for looong time. It might be that on their way they found out about Jon, but they still needed time to return. It srtiked me as odd that Robert send message of Lord Arryn's death and his journey in the same leter. but, then again, it could be done if Robert left KL, and Lannisters followed River Road, and they met at Trident.

[Barba]

Eddard VI

Introduced: Janos Slynt (Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing [also known as the Gold Cloaks], later member of Joffrey’s small council and appointed as Lord of Harrenhal, then sent to the Wall by Tyrion);

Varly* (member of the Hand’s household guard);

Lord Beric Dondarrion* (Lord of Blackhaven the Lightning Lord, later sent by Ned to kill Ser Gregor Clegane in the name of the King, later leader of the outlaw brotherhood without banners [or the knights of Hollow Hill]; raised from the dead 6 times by Thoros of Myr, died while raising Catelyn Stark from Dead);

Tobho Mott (master armorer in King's Landing);

Gendry (apprentice to Tobho Mott, bastard son of King Robert but ignorant of his heritage, later a runaway with Arya then joins the Lightning Lord; nicknamed the Bull).

Legends: Lann the Clever (legendary trickster from the Age of Heroes, used his wits to gain Casterly Rock from the Casterlys);

Grand Maester Malleon (author of Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms).

Ned and the small council hear Commander Slynt’s plea for more men during the tourney. Ned agrees to hire more men for the City Watch, and donates some of his own household guard. Lord Renly shows Ned a locket with a picture of Margaery Tyrell, and asks him if she resembles Lyanna, but Ned tells him no, to Renly’s disappointment. Later, Ned is in his solar looking at the book Jon Arryn had been reading, Grand Maester Malleon’s Lineages of the Great Houses. Jory arrives to tell Ned that Littlefinger’s leads are not panning out. Ser Hugh was rude, and the others knew little (although one potboy mentioned Jon Arryn was sending his son to foster with Lord Stannis on Dragonstone). The stableboy mentioned Lord Arryn rode a lot with Lord Stannis, and even visited a brothel together, to Ned’s incredulity. But Lord Stannis had taken himself to Dragonstone, and could not be reached. Although what could cause Lord Stannis fear, Ned knew not, because the man had held Storm’s End during a year-long siege by the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne. Ned and Jory go to visit the master armorer Tobho Mott, who tells Ned that Jon Arryn and Lord Stannis had visited him, but wanted to see the boy, Gendry. Ned immediately sees Gendry’s resemblance to the King when he was younger. Ned confronts Mott, and learns that an unknown lord had visited and paid twice the normal apprentice fee for Gendry, and told Mott to remain silent. Ned still doesn’t understand how this line of inquiry led to Jon Arryn’s murder.

[Spring Bass]

A huge part of this chapter consisted of descriptions of the city of King's Landing. There was not a lot that I picked up this time around. But here's some things:

1. The description of the woman's severed head floating in the rainbow pool in the high sept is probably foreshadowing for Ned's beheading there.

2. I think it is very, very likely that Littlefinger is misleading Ned. We know that he is pretty capable at gathering intelligence and ferreting around discretely with informants; he managed to secure Dontos in ACoK, after all. So four bad leads from him?

3. I believe that by the time Arryn and Stannis went to see Gendry, they already very strongly suspected that Robert's 'trueborn' children were not actually his. Gendry describes them asking about his mother; what she looked like, and so forth. She apparently had blond hair.

4. Who was it that payed Gendry's apprentice fee? It's most likely Varys, since the lord who payed the fee is described by Tobho Mott as being 'stout', which Arya also describes Varys as being when she stumbles across his secret meeting with Illyrio. Varys has been known to wear purple also, and, as we find out later in the series, he's been arranging for the care of Edric Storm, so it's not too farfetched to imagine he's done the same for Gendry.

I'm wondering at his motivation, though. Why would Varys go to the trouble of ensuring the survival of Robert's bastards? Did Robert ask him to?

[Barba]

Eddard VII

Introduced: Lancel Lannister (eldest son of Ser Kevan Lannister, squire to King Robert, later knighted; later still named Lord and given the lands of House Darry, but forsakes the title in order to take vows as a Warrior's Son- the newly reformed militant branch of the Faith);

Anguy (a commoner from the Dornish Marches, later called Archer, member of the brotherhood without banners).

Eddard and Ser Barristan see that Ser Hugh is taken by the silent sisters. When they come upon the King’s pavilion, they hear him raging at his two squires, both Lannisters. His armor won’t fit and he calls for Ser Aron Santagar. Ned tries to dissuade him from entering the melee, but Robert won’t listen, until Ser Barristan tells him that no man would dare to strike him during the melee. This makes Robert reconsider. We learn that Jon Arryn had recommended the marriage between Robert and Cersei. Robert tells Ned that he was sure Joffrey lied regarding the incident with Arya, saying "how could I have made a son like that?". Robert mentions that Renly has told him about Ser Loras’ sister Margaery, as Robert is tired of Cersei. At the tourney later, Sandor defeats Ser Jaime, and then Ser Gregor faces Ser Loras. Loras’ mare is in heat, and Ser Gregor cannot control his horse, allowing Ser Loras to unseat him. Gregor gets up in a rage, slays his horse, and then comes at Ser Loras. The Hound prevents his brother from killing Ser Loras, and Gregor begins to slash at his brother. Ned notes that while Gregor swings at the Hound's head, Sandor never actually attacks his brother, only defends himself.

The Kingsguard finally stop the fight. Ser Loras defers the championship to the Hound, who takes the winner’s purse. A boy named Anguy wins the archery event, and Thoros of Myr wins the melee. Ned returns to his solar, thinking of what he has learned. He thinks of Robert’s bastards and how they might relate to Jon Arryn’s death and the attempt on Bran’s life. He remembers Edric Storm, a bastard Robert fathered on Stannis’ wedding night and was forced to recognize because his mother was highborn. A knock at his door brings a stranger, who turns out to be Varys in disguise. The Spider reveals that the Lannisters had hoped to kill Robert during the melee, telling Ned that Cersei’s forbidding Robert from entering the melee was the surest way to get him to swear he would enter! Varys tells Ned that he now trusts him as loyal to the realm, and explains why the Queen fears Ned- because the King will not harm him, not even at Cersei’s command. He reveals that the Kingsguard are a paper shield, that Ser Boros and Ser Meryn are the Queen’s men for sure, the others he is not sure on, and Ser Barristan is too old. When Ned asks Varys how Jon Arryn died, the Spider tells him that the Tears of Lys, a deadly poison, was used. Varys claims it was given to him by his squire, Ser Hugh, who now lies dead. When Eddard asks Varys what Lord Arryn had been doing to bring upon his murder, Varys replies, "Asking questions."

[The Adequate Jon]

Eddard (VIII)

Ned is trying to persuade Robert against sending men to kill Dany, after learning of her pregnancy from Varys. Robert wants every Targaryen dead, and gets very angry at Ned’s resistance. The other Counselors agree with the King except Ser Barristan, Renly stating that Robert should have had Viserys and Daenerys killed years ago, but he listened to Jon Arryn. Ned points out that at the Trident, Ser Barristan slew a dozen of Robert and Ned’s men, yet when Roose Bolton urged them to cut his throat, Robert instead absolved him and he stood Lord Commander and at the table with the small council. Pycelle says that the realm will bleed if Dany brings an army to Westeros, so the murder of one is justified. Renly suggests that Ser Jorah craves a pardon, so use him. But Varys suggests using poison, the Tears of Lys, to which Pycelle seems to awaken from his sleepy look. Ned, disgusted, tells Robert to do it himself, then resigns from office as Hand, and leaves the room, overhearing Pycelle mention the Faceless Men on Braavos, but Littlefinger is appalled because they are so expensive to hire.

Ned gets to the tower, and tells Vayon Poole to make preparations to leave King’s Landing and return to Winterfell. He says they must be gone soon, a fortnight is too long. But Ned doesn’t want to leave yet with so much undone, especially not discovering why Jon Arryn died. He thinks of sailing to Dragonstone to find out what Stannis knows. But if he learns the truth what then, Some secrets are safer kept hidden. Some secrets are too dangerous to share, even with those you love and trust. Littlefinger arrives as Ned is thinking, and tells him that Robert will offer a lordship and land to anyone who kills Daenerys. Ned makes it known that he is leaving for Winterfell, but Littlefinger tells him if he is still in King’s Landing come evening, he will take him to the elusive brothel his men have been searching for.

[The Adequate Jon]

Interesting quotes from the Councel meeting:

Pycelle: "Once I counceled King Aerys as loyally as I counel King Robert now...." Wasn't Pycelle the one who told Aerys to open the gates for Tywin?

LF: "When you find yourself in bed with an ugly woman, the best thing to do is close your eyes and get on with it." Foreshadowing of his marriage to Lysa?

Yoren said he came as fast as he could from the crossroads, yet he apparently was well behind the Mallisters, who participated in the Tourney, and who were seen by Cat and Rodrik no more than a half day from the crossroads.

Yoren also said that Tywin already knows the situation with Tyion and Cat because Casterly Rock is closer to the crossroads than Kingslanding. However, on the map it looks about twice as far as KL.

[Spring Bass]

The brothel situation makes me wonder if what happens later on (when Jaime Lannister comes upon them, and Littlefinger takes off to 'get help')is simply an accident, or if Littlefinger set it up. He seems to know a number of ways to get around (and out of the castle) undetected, so I suspect that it is the latter.

On the other hand, we know that Cersei sends people to kill Robert's bastard children, so it might have been that she had the brothel under watch.

[The Adequate Jon]

Eddard (IX)

Introduced: Chataya (owner of a brothel in King’s Landing, from the Summer Isles);

Heward*, Wyl* (warriors of the Hand’s household guard);

Tregar* (Captain of the Lannister guard);

Barra* (infant bastard daughter of King Robert and a whore).

Ned and his men prepare to leave the brothel Littlefinger brought them to, Ned having met the prostitute with Robert’s bastard daughter named Barra. The child resembles Robert, especially her nose and hair. Ned vows that she and the child will be well cared for. That was Ned’s curse, he always kept his vows. He thought of the promises he’d made Lyanna as she lay dying, and the price he’d paid to keep them. Ned recalls Lyanna telling him that Robert would never keep to one bed. Ned also thinks of Rhaegar Targaryen for the first time in years, and wonders if the Prince had frequented brothels; somehow he thought not. Ned and Littlefinger talk of Robert’s other bastards, including Edric Storm, a boy he fathered and was forced to recognize because his mother was a Florent, cousin to the Lady Selyse, Lord Stannis’ wife. When the boy was born on Dragonstone, Stannis shipped him to Renly, and he was in the care of Renly’s Castellan.

As they ride back to the Red Keep in the rain, they are surrounded by Lannister guardsman. Jaime Lannister appears, and Littlefinger reminds the Lannisters that Ned is the Hand of the King. Jaime laughs, saying that Eddard is no longer Hand. He threatens Eddard to draw his sword, that he’ll butcher him for having his brother Tyrion abducted. Littlefinger flees, promising to bring the City Watch. Ned says if he dies, Catelyn will have Tyrion killed. Ser Jaime doesn’t want to chance it, and tells his men not to harm Ned, but in order to chasten him, kill his men. Jory Cassel, Wyl and Heward are killed, along with 5 Lannister guardsman, but Ned breaks his leg in a fall. He is found unconscious, cradling Jory’s dead body in his arms. He is returned by the Gold Cloaks to the Tower of the Hand, and Grand Maester Pycelle attends to his injury.

[A wilding]

It seems distinctly possible that Littlefinger set Ned up. Ned was going to leave KL when Littlefinger suddenly reveals to him information that he had all along. As a result Ned gets re-embroiled in the action in KL and becomes reconciled with Robert. Ned going home would presumably not have suited Littlefinger's plans.

[Maester Yobjascz]

Eddard X

Eddard dreams an old dream of the day he was reunited with Lyanna. He rides with six friends, Martyn Cassel, Theo Wull, Brandon's squire Ethan Glover, Ser Mark Ryswell, Howland Reed, and Lord William Dustin. Before them is the Tower of Joy, hard against the Red Mountains, and three knights of the Kingsguard, Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Oswell Whent, and the Lord Commander, Ser Gerold Hightower. Eddard tells them he look for them on the Trident, at King's Landing, and at Storm's End and thought perhaps they were with Ser Willem Darry on Dragonstone, but they say that they swore a vow and do not run. Just as he and his companions close to fight the Kingsguard, Eddard wakes up.

Vayon tells Eddard he has been unconcious for six days and seven nights and that Robert commanded to be called the moment he woke up. Eddard sends Vayon to fetch the king. Alyn, now captain of the guard with Jory dead, enters and tells him that Jaime has fled the city to join Lord Tywin at Casterly Rock. Jory's body has been sent north to lay with his gradfather. His father, Martyn, is buried at the former site of the Tower of Joy with Ser Mark, Theo, Ethan, and Lord William; only Eddard and Howland survived the encounter with the Kingsguard, and Eddard pullled the tower down afterwards to make funeral cairns for his comapnions and the three Kingsguard. Vayon comes back to tell him that Robert and Cersei have arrived.

Eddard takes responsiblity for Catelyn's seizure of Tyrion, saying it was done at his command. Robert is unhappy that eight men are dead, Eddard's three comapnions, four Lannister guards at the scene, and Tregar, who died that very morning of the blow Eddard gave him. Cersei accuses Eddard of starting the fight after coming back from a brothel drunk, but Eddard counters he was there to visit Barra, which does not please Robert or Cersei.1 Eddard asks permission to bring Jaime to justice for killing three of his men. Cersei says that the seizure was unlawful and that it is Eddard who should be brought to justice. Robert wants none of it and orders Tyrion's release and for Eddard to make peace with Jaime. Neither Eddard nor Cersei are happy. Cersei insults Robert, and he hits her, then has Ser Meryn escort her back to her chambers. When she is gone, he laments that he should not have hit her and wonders how he can fight an enemy he cannot hit. He thinks Rhaegar won afterall; he has Lyanna while Robert is stuck with Cersei. He tells Eddard that he is going hunting and that, like it or not, Eddard will remain his Hand.

[Maester Yobjascz]

I don't have the text in front of me, but I seem to remember that, upon waking, Eddard thinks that it is a bad omen that he dream this dream of the ToJ... Can anyone think of a reason why that is?

[The Scabbard Of the Morning]

I would think that is pretty simple. A lot of people Ned cared about died on that day. From the sister he loved, to the 5 companions who went with him and Reed, to the three Kingsguard that he had great respect for.

Ned fears that the dream omen the death of his loved ones

[Maester Yobjascz]

That could do it... Thanks!