A Game of Thrones Reread - Part 22

Just a short post tonight. The Eddard chapters start coming more frequently, but none of them are very long. In other news, I hope everyone saw that HBO already renewed Game of Thrones for another season. So we will have the show at least through Clash of Kings, which is great news.

Remember, spoilers are likely and all that. I need to type up a standard spoiler warning that I can just cut and paste here.

Now, let's see what our good friend Ned is up to.

EDDARD

Summary

Ned was sitting with the small council, begging the king not to have a child killed. Robert had discovered, through Lord Varys' information, that Daenerys Targaryen is pregnant, and he intends to have her killed before she can birth the child. Robert is vehement in his desire to have Daenerys and Viserys both dead, and Ned argues that there is no honor in killing a girl and her child, and there is no proof she is with child anyway. Lord Varys insists that he received the information from Ser Jorah Mormont, and that the information is good.  Ned continues his argument that if the information is wrong, there is nothing to fear, if the girl miscarries there is nothing to fear, if the child is a daughter there is nothing to fear, if the child dies in infancy there is nothing to fear. And even if she has a son that lives, there is still the narrow sea between them, and the Dothraki's horses cannot run on water.

Ned continues to argue against having the girl killed, and Robert appeals to the rest of the council. Varys spoke first:

"It is a terrible thing we contemplate, a vile thing. Yet we who presume to rule must do vile things for the good of the realm, howevermuch it pains us."

Lord Renly joined in, saying the last Targaryens should have been killed years ago. Ned continued his argument, and his words were beginning to insult Robert. Finally the king had enough and put it to a vote. Renly, Varys, Littlefinger, and Pycelle agreed the girl must die, and only Ser Barristan Selmy sided with Eddard. They then began discussing tactics, Renly suggested having Mormont do it, but Varys councils that as much as Mormont desires a pardon he desires life more - and the Dothraki would not let him leave Vaes Dothrak alive if he killed their khaleesi. Varys suggests poison. Ned tells Robert to do it himself if he must do it. Finally Ned tells him to do it if he must, but Ned would not affix his seal to it. Robert tells him if he doesn't he will find a Hand who will. Ned wishes the future Hand success, and removes his badge of office. Robert, furious, tells him to leave and return to Winterfell before he puts his head on a spike.

As Ned left the room he heard Pycelle suggest using the Faceless Men from Braavos, but Littlefinger says they are far too expensive. Ned instructs his men to ready for departure and thinks about his friend, the king. He thinks that fifteen years dead, and Robert still hates Rhaegar as much as ever. Ned was relieved to be heading back to Winterfell, but still thinks of all the business left unfinished. He felt that he was very close to discovering the truth behind Jon Arryn's death. And there was still the matter of why Tyrion would have sent an assassin after Bran, and surely news of what Cat had done would make its way to King's Landing soon. Ned then thought of getting a ship and stopping at Dragonstone on his way north, so he could speak to Lord Stannis. Stannis may have the truth that Ned sought.

And when you have it, what then? Some secrets are safer kept hidden. Some secrets are too dangerous to share, even with those you love and trust.

 As Ned was pondering these things, Littlefinger arrived and requested audience. He told Ned that he convinced them not to hire the Faceless Men and instead just let it be known that they'll make a lord of whoever does in the girl. He explains that this actually protects the girl, as whoever makes the attempt will likely botch it, causing the Dothraki to be on their guard. If they sent the Faceless Men, she would have been as good as buried. Ned doubts Littlefinger's intentions, and Littlefinger laughs. Ned asks him if he finds murder amusing.

"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 berlieve I heard the first crack this morning."

Before he leaves, Littlefinger tells Ned that if he was still here that night he would take Ned to the brothel that Ned has had Jory searching for.

My Thoughts

Ned is way out of his depth here. Now, a couple of things in this discussion. First it is clear that Ned is taking the "moral high ground," but is he right? To truly protect Robert's claim to the throne shouldn't the Targaryens be killed, or at least be made prisoner? Instead, they have apparently been fine letting them run around Essos for the past fourteen years. Ned is so adamant that Daenerys not be harmed, but we who know what is going on over there, realize this is a terrible plan. Sure, we like Daenerys, but from Ned and Robert's point of view she is a HUGE threat! So I like Ned's intentions, but I have to agree with the small council, she needs to go. From their point of view I mean, I love Daenerys and of course wouldn't want them to really send an assassin.

It's also strange that they only mention Viserys in passing. He is a Targaryen male in his early twenties, and the rightful heir to the throne. He is really a king in exile, not even a prince, and yet he is only mentioned as an afterthought to having Dany and her unborn child done away with. They all seem more fearful of the possibility of Dany having a son than they are of the actual living male Targaryen. Perhaps this is simply because the child will be the son of a powerful Dothraki lord, but their dismissal of Viserys is telling.

Also of note, Varys is not only for sending assassins, but he is the one that brought the information that caused the conversation anyway. If Varys truly supports Daenerys (and I believe he does) why tell Robert that she is pregnant at all? The only explanation I can come up with is that Robert would eventually find out, and Varys didn't want his reputation hurt. I suppose with Varys's knowledge he could get word to Illyrio about the assassins and make sure he gives notice of any plots. Better to know who your enemy is and which way he is coming from.

I think we get a glimpse at the true Littlefinger at the end of the chapter here. He has realized that Ned is so out of his depth that Littlefinger is barely even playing the game with him anymore, he is just speaking his mind. Ned is a fool, he is dancing on thin ice, and he will make a very loud splash in the near future. Of course Littlefinger had to play the game a little bit, and tell Ned about the brothel, to prevent Ned from leaving too quick. And if I remember correctly, Ned has a run-in with a certain blonde member of the kingsguard on his return trip from said brothel. Wonder if Lord Petyr Baelish knew that would happen. The devious bastard.

We also get a line from Ned about keeping a dangerous secret from even those he loves and trusts. Things like the parentage of a certain bastard child with the look of a Stark...

Last thing, why the hell is Stannis hiding on Dragonstone? If he knows the truth about Cersei and Jaime, why wouldn't he tell Robert? Stannis doesn't seem the type to run away and hide his knowledge, so I feel like I'm missing something. If anyone knows the answer or has any ideas why Stannis is hiding on Dragonstone for the entire book, please let me know in the comments.

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And that's it for this post. Next time, we will finally arrive at the Eyrie and meet the delightful Lysa Arryn.