Game of Thrones: Chapter 16: Eddard AKA Truth & Justice?

This chapter opens with Eddard being told that Arya has been found by Jory after being missing for the last four days. Turns out both she and Mycah ran off after what happened at the Trident with Joffrey.

Arya was taken directly to the King once Jorry and her arrived. We also learn that they entire group has moved to the castle of Ser Raymun Darry who had actually fought against Robert in the rebellion. Tensions are running high as it’s just an unusual and uncomfortable situation.

But before going on lets take a closer look at House Darry and why tensions are so high.

First the Darrys were Targaryen loyalists and did very well under the old regime. As said before during Robert’s Rebellion they fought on the side of the king and against the Rebels who included House Tully the liege lords of the Riverlands.  

Being on the wrong side of History cost the Darry’s greatly. Ser Raymun lost three of his older brothers at the battle of the Trident where Robert famously slew Rhaegar Targaryen. In addition to this it was Ser Willem Darry who also smuggled Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen from Dragonstone to Braavos effectively keeping them out of the reach of King Robert.

The loss of family wasn’t the only thing House Darry suffered as a result of Robert winning his Rebellion. They also lost half of the lands they held, a great deal of their wealth and nearly all of their power.

House Darry was so loyal to the Targaryens that Viserys names them specifically as one of the houses he can count on to support him upon his return to Westeros.

So things are pretty tense as there is a lot of bad blood between the hosts and clearly the uninvited guests.

Regardless Ned finds Arya with Robert and the rest of the court in the Darry audience hall. Arya is in the center of the room with Jorry when Ned enters. Fortunately she isn’t hurt and we learn she was just living off wild berries for the last few days.

Robert asked that Arya be brought before him immediately as he wanted to get things taken care of as quickly as possible. Most likely this is born of the uncomfortable situation of being hosted under House Darry that was his foe just a few years prior.

Here we learn that Joffrey lied about what happened days prior. He is present and his arm is in a bandage from the wound inflicted by Nymeria. Joffrey claims that Arya and the butcher's boy attacked him with sticks while Nymeria was set upon him. This is of course different from Arya’s version of the events.

Renley actually laughs when Arya relates that Joffrey was disarmed. He gets kicked out by his older brother Robert but on his way out he bows to Joffrey and does manage to deliver a really good line before departing.

Renley: “Perchance you’ll tell me how a nine-year-old girl the size of a wet rat managed to disarm you with a broom handle and throw your sword into the river.”

The only other person who was present and is brought forth is Sansa. Ned knows the truth of what happened as Sansa told him prior. Sansa however says she doesn't know what happened as it all happened so quickly and she didn’t see.

This ticks off Arya who calls Sansa a liar and attacks her. Arya is quickly pulled off and Robert decides he had enough of this and decides that no real lasting harm was done and chalks it up to children just being children. He decides that Ned should discipline Arya and he will do the same with his son.

Cersei is not happy and asks about the dire wolf that attacked Joffrey. Jory says that he found no trace of Nymeria, which seems to satisfy Robert. Cersei offers a reward to whomever brings her the pelt of Nymeria and Robert doesn’t feel like paying for it and tells her she can pay for it herself.

Cersei shows how her influence over Robert works in this scene. She not only calls him cheap but also says the though the king she married would have laid the wolf's pelt before her by sundown. When Robert says he doesn’t have a wolf Cersei knows she has him and points out they do have a wolf. She of course is referring to Lady.

After a bit more of discussion and argument it is decided that they will put Lady down as punishment. This is of course upsetting to all the Starks who feel this is an injustice as Lady wasn't even present.

King Robert: “Enough, Ned, I will hear no more. A direwolf is a savage beast. Sooner or later it would have turned on your girl as the other did on my son. Get her a dog, she’ll be happier for it.”

This actually brings a smile to Joffrey’s face. He is described as “beaming” at the decision. In the end Ned does the deed himself, but he denies Cersei her prize by instructing Jory to have four of the Stark men to take the body of Lady back to the north and bury her at Winterfell.

The chapter ends with Ned coming across Sandor Clegane as he returns with the body of Mycha wrapped up and slung over the back of his horse. Ned looks at the body and notes that Sandor rode the boy down nearly cutting him in half.

So a few things in this.. First the demand for a wolf pelt from Cersei seems to harken back to the first Tyrion Chapter:

“The queen shuddered. “There is something unnatural about those animals,” she said. “They are dangerous. I will not have any of them coming south with us.”

So it seems Cersei has been looking for a chance to be rid of the Direwolves and certainly took this opportunity as it presented itself. This again continues to show that the Queen and Joffrey are more interested in flexing and abusing their power than they are in justice.

Perhaps Cersei sees this as asserting dominance over the Starks. The notion being that perhaps if she sets the expectation that they are there to serve her and the rest of the royal family without question things will go easier. That this is the first real disagreement that wasn’t handled between Ned and Robert is of some significance and maybe Cersei just wants to make sure the Starks understand that message. She could have been counting on Sansa to not be truthful as it may put her betrothal to Joffrey at risk. In such a case the only one who would have been able to prove Joffrey a liar would have been Mycah who we know was killed by the Hound.

In the prior chapter we have the following quote:

Joffrey: “He’s my mother’s dog, in truth. She has set him to guard me, and so he does.”

So perhaps The Hound was sent out with orders to kill Mycah instead of bringing him back.

Also Roberts words of “Get her a dog, she'll be happier for it.” is a bit of foreshadowing to Sandor’s interactions with Sansa in the future as he becomes her protector in some instances.

Lastly what I think most readers miss is what Jory did for Arya.

The king stopped, turned back and frowned. “I’d forgotten about the damned wolf.”

Ned could see Arya tense in Jory’s arms. Jory spoke up quickly “We found no trace of the direwolf your grace.”

Robert did not look unhappy “No? So be it.”

Now all of the Stark children are rarely ever mentioned in the book without the direwolves near by at this point in the story. Hence the reason for Arya becoming tense as Nymeria is still free. It seems Jory has lied about Nymeria.

Game of Thrones: Chapter 9: Tyrion AKA a Typical Lannister Breakfast

This chapter opens with Tyrion awaking in the Stark library. Here we learn that the Starks have amassed quite a large collection including some rare scrolls and texts. As he leaves the library to get breakfast he encounters Sandor & Joffrey discussing Bran’s condition.  Sandor seems eager or at the least to have little patience for Bran to die as we learn Bran is in a coma from his fall. Joffrey meanwhile seems to be more annoyed with the fact that Brans wolf howls at night and disturbs the princes sleep.

After being the butt of an ongoing joke from Sandor, which amuses the prince, Tyrion tells the prince he must go and offer his comfort to Lord and Lady Stark in light of the recent events. Joffrey argues and Tyrion slaps him a couple of times and then we assume Joffrey goes on his way to do as his uncle requested. Joffrey even looks like he is about to cry, but just nods before leaving.  

We then the get the following exchange between Tyrion and Sandor.

The Hound: “The prince will remember that little lord.”

Tyrion: “I pray he does. If he forgets, be a good dog and remind him.”

It’s a small exchange but considering future events it seems to be something that Sandor has actually taken to heart. Later actions will show that Sandor Clegane actually takes steps and measures to curb Joffrey's more base nature, as we shall see in the scene with Sir Dontos, as he tries to indirectly influence him towards a more decent path.  

This scene also serves to set up tyrion as a likable character. The author has established the Lannisters as the bad guys who are doing underhanded and disgraceful things, but Tyrion seems to be the exception to this rule.

This scene certainly goes a long way to setting that up as well as setting the tone going forward between Joffrey and Tyrion.

Tyrion then goes and joins his sister, brother, niece and other nephew at breakfast. Cersei is not pleased to see him join them and is somewhat cold to him. Again this begins to set the tone for the relationship between the two and the reader gets a sense of mutual disgust between the two that goes far beyond the normal sibling rivalry. In addition we also get a glimpse of the relationship between Jaime and Tyrion and that they are clearly on far better terms as opposed to his relationship with his sister.  

Another direct juxtapose of mindsets is also displayed as Prince Tommen asks about how Bran is doing. This is actually a genuine concern about the boys well being as opposed to Joffrey and Sandor simply being annoyed with the situation. Tommen even states he doesn’t wish Bran to die.

Tyrion relates that the master believes Bran will live, which is news that make both Prince Tommen and Princess Marcella happy. Tyrion being observant notices a glance between Cersei and Jaime even though it only lasts a moment.

The supernatural link to the direwolves is eluded to as Tyrion notes when they closed the window to the room Bran was in the boy seemed to weaken, but when it was opened again the boys heart seemed to be stronger.

Queen Cersei states the wolves are unnatural and believes them to be dangerous and doesn’t want them going to King's Landing when they depart Winterfell.

The chapter ends with Tyrion revealing he plans on traveling to the Wall with Benjen and Jon Snow while the others return to the capital. But there are two passages that stand out to me at the end..

The first is the following exchange between Jaime and Tyrion regarding how Bran will have to live out the rest of his days should he awaken. Earlier in the conversation Tyrion noted the fall broke Bran’s back and shattered his legs and that if he wakes he will never walk again.

I think the following passage is a bit revealing on the part of Jaime.

Jaime: “Even if the boy does live, he will be a cripple. Worse than a cripple. A grotesque. Give me a good clean death.”

This passage heavily intones that Jamie may define his worth on his physical prowess and capabilities with his sword arm. After all a knight who can’t wield a blade or ride a horse may not be of much use in his line of work. We see him wrestling with these issues in A Storm of Swords when his sword hand is lost.

The last exchange between the two brothers stands out as well and may indicate a bit of differences in the mindsets.

Tyrion: “I hope the boy does wake. I would me most interested in what he has to say.”

Jaime: “Tyrion, my sweet brother, there are times when you give me cause to wonder whose side you are on.:

Tyrion: “Why, Jaime, my sweet brother, you wound me. You know how much I love my family.”

I think he does indeed have genuine affection for his brother, nieces and at least for his nephew Tommen. His ongoing issues with his sister, father and Joffrey are well noted, but I think Tyrion, being observant has a desire in some way to repair some of the damage done by his family’s reputation.

Clearly he is aware of the fact that Ned didn’t approve of how Lord Tywin took Kings Landing though trickery during Robert's Rebellion, Jaime’s reputation as a Kingslayer is another black mark upon the family’s reputation. While neither Cersei nor Joffrey have any black marks against them in the public eye, Tyrion knows exactly what type of people they truly are having had to endure the torments of his sister his entire life and as we shall see the cruelty of Joffrey.

It is in this that perhaps Tyrion seeks to in some way guide Joffrey back to being a more respectable person and thus sought to compel him to go to Ned and Catelyn and offer his sympathies and services. While it goes against Joff’s nature it’s obviously the nice and compassionate thing to do and Tyrion is well aware of this.

In doing so perhaps he seeks to in a way shape the future of his family so that in the event that something unfortunate does occur, people will recall more than just all of the underhanded, vile, dishonorable and prideful actions that his family name has come to be associated with.

In short while the Lannisters seek to attain power Tyrion seems to be attempting to offset the more ruthless and power hungry tactics the rest of the family employs by trying to ingratiate members of his family with other nobles and thus win them over as allies. In this setting where honor and loyalty is a recurring theme and something that many people judge others on,  Tyrion is trying to repair the damage done by appealing to the humanistic sides of people in their hour of need.

Nobody can argue the wealth and power, both political and militaristic, of house Lannister. But if they are thought of as being ruthless and heartless in this pursuit as opposed to being trustworthy and noble players in the game of thrones then they will not find friends that are truly loyal to them, as opposed to being bought or blackmailed into obedience hard to come by.