Re-reading Song of Ice and Fire

Chapter 27, Eddard
Summary
Ned is going through pains of organizing “The Hand’s Tourney”. Keeping the peace in the city swarming with a horde of knights, merchants, thieves and whores seems to be beyond City Watch, so Ned offers part of his personal guard as help.

After the council meeting Ned meets with Jory to discuss his findings. Apparently Jon Arryn and Stannis visited unusual places together. Ned decides to go to the armorer they went to while Jory and his men are supposed to check the brothels.

The armorer reveals that Jon and Stannis were interested in a boy he has as apprentice. The boy with ink-black hair is definitely King Robert’s bastard.

Quotes

“Knights have been arriving from all over the realm, and for every knight we get two freeriders, three craftsmen, six men-at-arms, a dozen merchants, two dozen whores, and more thieves than I dare guess.”

Ned looked at the man evenly, saying nothing, waiting. He had found over the years that silence sometimes yielded more than questions. And so it was this time.
“They asked to see the boy,” the armorer said, “so I took them back to the forge.”
“The boy,” Ned echoed. He had no notion who the boy might be. “I should like to see the boy as well.”

Tobho Mott looked horror-struck. “Boy, this is the King’s Hand. If his lordship wants this helm, make him a gift of it. He honors you by asking.”
“I made it for me,” the boy said stubbornly.
“A hundred pardons, my lord,” his master said hurriedly to Ned. “The boy is crude as new steel, and like new steel would profit from some beating.”

“Did you find anything, my lord?” Jacks asked as Ned mounted up.
“I did,” Ned told him, wondering. What had Jon Arrynwanted withking’s bastard, and why was it worth his life?

Commentary

The politics of the Small Council meeting was quite amusing, with Renlycommenting on the state of the City before the tourney. However it was the meeting with Robert’s bastard that was the key point of this chapter.

Ned finds out that the boy Jon Arry and Stannis went to see is King’s bastard. The pieces of the puzzle are falling in together. There is a secret behind Jon’s death and Ned is set on uncovering it.

Tags: Eddard

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