Re-reading Song of Ice and Fire

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.

Chapter 35, Eddard
Summary
Ned and Littlefinger visit brothel where they find another one of Robert’s bastards. Petyr doesn’t have any explanation why this meant death for Jon Arryn. On their way back to the keep they are stopped by Jaime and the Lannister soldiers. Jaime tries to provoke Ned to fight and when he’s unsuccessful he decides to kill his men.

Quotes

“They say the Hand dreams the king’s dreams, speaks with the king’s voice, and rules with the king’s sword. Does that also mean you fuck with the king’s-”

Ned Stark grimaced. Ugly tales like that were told of every great lord in the realm. He could believe it of Cersei Lannister readily enough… but would the king stand by and let it happen? The Robert he had known would not have, but the Robert he had known had never been so practiced at shutting his eyes to things he did not wish to see.

“Tregar, see that no harm comes to Lord Stark.”
“As you say, m’lord.”
“Still… we wouldn’t want him to leave here entirely unchastened, so” - through the night and the rain, he glimpsed the white of Jaime’s smile - “kill his men.”

Commentary

While Ned finds another bastard of Robert Baratheon Jaime Lannister learns about his brother’s fate.

I find Song of Ice and Fire books a full level higher in my excitement scale than most of other books I read. Most books, even those interesting ones, have some kind of story with action beats that make me sit up and think “That’s interesting!” . With SOIAF I read the books sitting up and every few chapters there are action beats that make me think “I can’t believe this is happening!”

This chapter is one of those beats. Jaime crosses the line again and confirms his position as the major evil character in the book. To teach Ned a lesson he orders his men killed. There was no point in this killing other than making Stark suffer.

As for the impact this has on the reader, again, Martin displays his mastery. He kills Jory, the same Jory that was Ned’s most trusted man, the same Jory who laughed and joked with Ned during his stay in Kings Landing. I could not believe that this was happening. After reading this chapter I thought that this book is too cruel for me to enjoy. But I kept on reading.

Chapter 33, Eddard
Summary
Small council meeting, after finding out that princess is with child Robert wants to have Dany killed and will not listen to any advice. Ned and King get into a huge fight, Starks steps down wishing Robert’s new Hand “every success”. He intends to leave King’s Landing as soon as possible. Before he can do it though Littlefinger pays him a visit. He tells Ned that King has offered Lordship to Dany’s killer. Petyr also promises to take Ned to the brothel Jory was looking for.

Quotes

“You are the King’s Hand, Lord Stark. You will do as I command you, or I’ll find me a Hand who will.”
“I wish him every success.” Ned unfastened the heavy clasp that clutched at the folds of his cloak, the ornate silver hand that was his badge of office.

“It’s not murder I find amusing, Lord Stark, it’s you. You rule like a man dancing on rotten ice. I daresay you will make a noble splash. I believe I heard the first crack this morning.”

Commentary

Another fight between the King and Stark. This time it’s big. Ned will not put his seal on child murder. Old Robert is gone though, this new one will not listen and Ned loses his patience. He quits.

What’s interesting in this chapter is the position Varys takes. It’s a mystery to me, because just in the previous chapter he was plotting her ascending to the throne (or am I going too far with my assumptions?) and now he wants to send a killer after her. It may make sense though if he was to be behind the planned murder and he could make sure it fails. Just like Petyr arranged it.

Chapter 30, Eddard
Summary
The knight that died on the tourney was one of the Ned Stark informers, ex-squire to Jon Arryn. Ser Barristan and Ned discuss his untimely demise. Ned is afraid that his interest in the boy might have been the cause of his death. Both Ned and Barristango to visit King in his tent. Robert intends to go fight in a melee, but his struggling with putting on the armor, it’s too small for him. Ned and Barristan talk him out of participating in the event explaining that no one would care to strike the king. Robert is miserable, he tells Ned how much he hates being a king and hopes that with his help everything will be better.

The second day of the joust. There are four competitors left. Jaime Lannister, Loras Tyrell and two Clegane brothers, Sandor and Gregor. First ones to compete are Kingslayer and Hound. Littlefinger bets on the Lannister, but the Hound is victorious. In the second joust Loras unhorses Ser Gregor, using a trick - his mare is in heat, which makes Clegane’s horse impossible to control. The Mountain gets mad after being defeated and in blind rage tries to kill Loras. The Hound stops him. Two brothers start to fight. They are both stopped by Robert and his guards.

After the tourney Ned is visited by Varys. The master of whispers comes to the Tower of The Hand in disguise and brings disturbing news. Lannisters planned to kill Robert in the melee. Varys informs Ned that he trusts him now and reveals a couple of secrets. Jon Arryn was poisoned with Tears of Lys and his squire was indeed killed on purpose.

Quotes

Gently Ned covered the boy with his cloak, a bloodstained bit of blue bordered in crescent moons. When his mother asked why her son was dead, he reflected bitterly, they would tell her he had fought to honor the King’s Hand, Eddard Stark.

“You’re too fat for your armor, Robert.”
Robert Baratheontook a long swallow of beer, tossed the empty horn onto his sleeping furs, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and said darkly, “Fat? Fat, is it? Is that how you speak to your king?” He let go his laughter, sudden as a storm. “Ah, damn you, Ned, why are you always right?”

“Look at me, Ned. Look at what kinging has done to me. Gods, too fat for my armor, how did it ever come to this?”

“Jon despaired of me often enough, yet I grew into a good king.” Robert looked at Ned and scowled at his silence. “You might speak up and agree now, you know.”
“Your Grace…” Ned began, carefully.
Robert slapped Ned on the back. “Ah, say that I’m a better king than Aerys and be done withit. You never could lie for love nor honor, Ned Stark. I’m still young, and now that you’re here with me, things will be different. We’ll make this a reign to sing of, and damn the Lannisters to seven hells.”

“She forbade him to fight, in front of his brother, his knights, and half the court. Tell me truly, do you know any surer way to force King Robert into the melee? I ask you.”
Ned had a sick feeling in his gut. The eunuch had hit upon a truth; tell Robert Baratheon he could not, should not, or must not do a thing, and it was as good as done.

“If a day should come when Cersei whispers, ‘Kill that man,’ Ilyn Payne will snick my head off in a twinkling, and who will mourn poor Varys then? But you, Lord Stark… I think… no, I know… he would not kill you, not even for his queen, and there may lie our salvation.”

Commentary

Very touching and revealing chapter. First we’re watching Ned mourn the death of a young knight, the one he was supposed to question about Jon Arryn. Ned is afraid that Lannistersgot to him because they were afraid of what he could have said. He also blames himself for his death because of the “Tourney of the Hand”, feels like the boy sacrificed his life for his amusement.

Later we see very moving scene between two old friends. Robert finally opens before Ned and pours out everything that is hurting him. He hates being a king, he hates his wife and he doesn’t love his children. He’s trapped in a golden cage and he’s painfully aware of that. “Gods, too fat for my armor, how did it ever come to this?” - those words say enough.

There is a spark of hope though. Robert says that with Ned at his side things will be different. He *wants* to fix things and with Ned’s honest (You’re too fat for your armor, Robert) advice he believes he still can become a good king.

Second part of this chapter is continuation of the toruney and while most readers would focus on lances and horses, the keen eye will catch the shout that reveals first lie of Lord Petyr Baelish. Littlefinger told Cat that Tyrion won the dagger by betting against Jaime on the previous tourney. Lord Renly reveals that to be a lie saying, after Hound unhorsed the Kingslayer, that he wishes that Tyrion was here as he would have won twice the prize. This confirms what Tyrion said earlier, that he never bets against his family. Littlefinger lied. This information is twice disturbing as we know that Catelyn already acted on the false advice and captured Tyrion as the would-be killer.

This long chapter closes with the visit of Varys, who claims that he finally believes that Ned is King’s true friend and that he can be trusted. He reveals a number of secrets, confirming Lannister involvement in the threat to Robert and the kingdom. Varys seems to be on King’s side in this whole mess, but is it really the case? Who can tell…

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.