Who are the children from the last chapter in ADWD

[Lord_Tyrell]

interesting ... thanks for that ... but why are they so ill treated. I always that that varys isn't the most evil guy in kings landing. I thought he is kinder than littlefinger (kinder to people that didn't hurt him)

Varys actually treats them very well. He makes sure the children are well fed, can read, are educated, and provides them shelter. Varys protects those who serve him.

[BranBrokeLegs]

I suspect some of the "better" little birds are eventually carted off to Illyrio's pad. I suspect though that a lot of them are killed once they grow too old.

There is the one serving woman at Illyrio's manse that Tyrion talks to. She doesn't answer him, so he assumes she doesn't understand Westerosi, but it could be that she's mute. She apparently reports back everything Tyrion says and does to Illyrio. Likely a grown up "little bird".

[Lord_Tyrell]

Varys' spies that wander around the hidden passageways of the Red Keep. Illyrio finds them, trains them, and ships them off to Varys for use. They're made mute and it's implied they're killed off once they grow too much.

I think the rest of the realm would catch on if all of Varys' spies had their tongues ripped out. I don't think he does that, and then he makes sure his older birds get in offices that suit their attributes.

[Scipio Africanus]

There is the one serving woman at Illyrio's manse that Tyrion talks to. She doesn't answer him, so he assumes she doesn't understand Westerosi, but it could be that she's mute. She apparently reports back everything Tyrion says and does to Illyrio. Likely a grown up "little bird".

My thoughts as well.

[Scipio Africanus]

I think the rest of the realm would catch on if all of Varys' spies had their tongues ripped out. I don't think he does that, and then he makes sure his older birds get in offices that suit their attributes.

In contrary to populair belief, Varys doesn't have a legion of little birds at his beck&call throughout Westeros and Essos. Varys relies on info outside of KL other people use and rely upon. Which is why Qyburn could easily take over Varys' job. The network simply reported to Qyburn instead of to Varys.

Little birds are hard to come by and are likely very expensive (they need to be literate, understand Westerosi and pliable aka slaves) and are found only in KL and probably only in the Red Keep.

[rejndjer]

but most important thing why they could only operate in KL is that there is no way he could control them anywhere else, also it would be much harder for them to operate anywhere else then in a half-million people populated city that is KL.