A Game of Thrones, Chapter 39, Eddard
Summary
Ned dreams about his encounter with Kingsguard during Robert’s uprising, when he and six of his friends fought three white cloaks. Only Ned and Howland Reed prevailed. Nightmare ends as Ned wakes up after a week of lying unconscious. King and Queen come to talk to him. Queen is furious and threatens Ned, Robert is in a grim mood, but he’s still holding Ned’s side. Cersei angers him to the point where he loses control and hits her. Robert reinstates Ned as the Hand and announces that he’s going for a hunt.
Quotes
“I came down on Storm’s End to lift the siege,” Ned told them, “and the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne dipped their banners, and all their knights bent the knee to pledge us fealty. I was certain you would be among them.”
“Our knees do not bend easily,” said Ser Arthur Dayne.
“Ser Willem Darry is fled to Dragonstone, with your queen and Prince Viserys. I thought you might have sailed with him.”
“Ser Willem is a good man and true,” said Ser Oswell.
“But not of the Kingsguard,” Ser Gerold pointed out. “The Kingsguard does not flee.”
“Then or now,” said Ser Arthur. He donned his helm.
“We swore a vow,” explained old Ser Gerold.
“By what right do you dare lay hands on my blood?” Cersei demanded. “Who do you think you are?”
“The Hand of the King,” Ned told her with icy courtesy. “Charged by your own lord husband to keep the king’s peace and enforce the king’s justice.”
“You were the Hand,” Cersei began, “but now-”
“Silence!” the king roared. “You asked him a question and he answered it.” Cersei subsided, cold with anger.
“My loving wife. The mother of my children.” The rage was gone from him now; in his eyes Ned saw something sad and scared. “I should not have hit her. That was not… that was not kingly.”
Commentary
Another installment of the drama that is King Robert. There are many things that make Song of Ice and Fire amazing, but the most important one for me is the way how he paints the characters. Robert Baratheon is the best example of this. Such a tragic character that it tears your heart watching him. True, he’s acting stupid and he’s not a good King, but he never *wanted* to be the King! He got trapped in the “job” and it destroyed him. Song of Ice and Fire is full of tragic characters, but Robert and Ned are two of my personal favorites.
Tags: Eddard
