This chapter opens up with Ned being awoken to go riding with the king to discuss affairs of state. On the ride Robert laments that they are no longer the carefree young men they once were and years for the days prior to his rebellion and becoming the king.
After Ned reminds Robert of the duties they have in life now and how even if they both wished to go back to the way things were they couldn’t. Robert points out that Ned was never really carefree and always a bit reserved even back in the days.
One significant thing of this conversation is that Ned tells Robert the name of Jon Snow’s mother was Wylla, and then Ned asks Robert to not talk about it any further. Robert does make a couple of interesting statements here though:
“Wylla. Yes” the king grinned. “She must have been a rare wench if she could make Lord Eddard Stark forget his honor, even for an hour. You never told me what she looked like...”
So Ned tells Robert Wylla was the woman who is the mother of Jon. Very weird Ned never mentions what she looks like to Robert and gets really defensive saying:
“Nor will I. Leave it be, Robert, for the love you say you bear me. I dishonored myself and I dishonored Catelyn in the sight of gods and men.”
So apparently Ned and Wylla were together after Ned wed Catelyn.
I'm sure at this point everyone who supports the theory R+L = J are nodding.
But is this simply a quick use of carefully selected words? Note that Ned doesn’t specifically say sleeping with Wylla and fathering a bastard was how he dishonored Catelyn.
Regardless the conversation eventually gets to affairs of state when Robert presents Ned a letter from his Spymaster Varys. Here we learn that Varys not only serves Robert but also served the Mad King Aerys Targaryen prior.
As it turns out it’s a report that Daenerys has wed Drogo. Ned questions the source of the information and we learn that Ser Jorah Mormont is acting as a spy in order to hopefully get a pardon for the crime of selling poachers into slavery.
 |
| A Double Agent? |
We also learn of a sore spot for Ned. He disapproves of the killing of children as was done by the Lannisters to the Targaryen children at the taking of Kings Landing. We learn that Tywin Lannister's men dragged the girl from under a bed where she was hiding and killed her. Her younger brother, who was still nursing, was taken from the mother and his head smashed against a wall.
In addition we see how disturbed Robert is by the news as well as what lengths he is willing to go to as he suggests sending assassins. Ned provides him with good council in that the Dothraki have not ships and hate the open water. In addition when he is told that the child of Jon Arryn won’t be the Warden of the East. Ned counters and makes an excellent suggestion in putting forth the King’s Brother Stannis.
In spite of this it becomes clear that Robert has already named a Warden of the East and that man is Jaime Lannister. Again Ned is unhappy with this choice and warns Robert that when he went into the throne room of the Red Keep, towards the end of the rebellion Jaime was sitting upon the Iron Throne.
Ned also points out that it was Jaime Lannister, also known as the Kingslayer who broke his oath as a member of the Kingsguard and killed the Mad King prior to Robert claiming the crown. Ned questions not only Jaime's honor but his trustworthiness as well.
This gives the Lannisters a great amount of power. With Cersei as Queen, Jaime as Warden of the West and their father Tywin as Warden of the East and Joffrey set to become the next king the Lannisters are certainly gaining in political power and now in a time of war will be in control of half the armies of the Seven Kingdoms.
At this time Ned has not vocalized his concerns to Robert, but his sister in-law’s accusation that the Lannisters had Jon Arryn killed does cross his mind.
The clear question to be asked is why not Stannis? Stannis held on to Storm's End for Robert during his rebellion and was named Master of Ships. As Master of Ships he brilliantly defeated the fleet from the Iron Islands at sea during the Greyjoy Rebellion. That Robert isn’t picking his trusted and accomplished brother suggests strongly that the Lannisters heavily influenced this decision.
Lets look at the track record for Stannis Baratheon up to this point. First a quote from Stannis in A Clash of Kings:
"I held Storm's End for him, watching good men starve while Mace Tyrell and Paxter Redwyne feasted within sight of my walls. Did Robert thank me? No. He thanked Stark, for lifting the siege when we were down to rats and radishes. I built a fleet at Robert's command, took Dragonstone in his name. Did he take my hand and say, Well done brother, whatever should I do without you? No he blamed me for letting Willem Darry steal away viserys and the babe, as if I could have stopped it."
Ok so Stannis held out while under siege and also was able to take the isle of Dragonstone after. Now keep in mind this means all the while that Stannis and his men held out at Storm's End the armies of Highgarden were unable to march and contribute to the war efforts elsewhere on the part of the Targaryens.
OK fine so Stannis holds out and the siege is lifted by Ned. But later he takes Dragonstone. In A Dance With Dragons we learn of how masterful a tactician Stannis was at sea. Victarion Greyjoy laments:
The memory of Fair Isle still rankled in the iron captain's memory. Stannis Baratheon had descended on the Iron Fleet from both north and south whist they were trapped in the channel between the island and the mainland, dealing Victarion his most crushing defeat.
Lets keep in mind Victarion is of the Ironborn who are master seamen. That Stannis dealt such a crushing and complete defeat to him that he years later laments it is more than significant. This proves that Stannis is more than capable of being in charge of a large military force dealing with both land and sea power.
It is clear that the growing influence of the Lannisters is coming into play here with the appointment of Jaime as Warden of the East. It begs the question that had Ned brought the widow Arryn’s accusations to light would Robert have at the least reconsidered. After all a Warden who calls the armies forth and gets no reply isn’t going to be all that effective.
Ned even has a feeling of helplessness at the end of the chapter and even thinks that he really doesn't belong in Kings Landing and really belongs in Winterfell.
No comments:
Post a Comment