A Game of Thrones-Chapter 43

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Revision as of 22:28, 28 December 2012 by Qck1 (talk | contribs) (Significant increase in detail)
Jump to: navigation, search
Eddard XI
A Game of Thrones chapter
AGameOfThrones.jpg
POV Eddard
Page 386 US HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Eddard X
Tyrion VI  ← Eddard XI →  Sansa III

Eddard XII

Eddard Stark hears a petition as Hand of the King from some of House Tully’s men concerning raiding on holdfasts by Gregor Clegane. He sends a force under Lord Beric Dondarrion to dispense the King’s Justice, and strips Gregor Clegane of all lands and titles and his life.

Synopsis

Eddard Stark is in the throne room where hunting tapestries have replaced the dragon heads in the throne room. He is extremely uncomfortable after hours in the Iron Throne with it spikes and jagged metal. It was impossible to lean back and his shattered leg was throbbing more sharply each minute. Robert had told him that it was a hellishly uncomfortable chair. Aegon I Targaryen, who had commanded his armors to create the throne out of the swords laid down by his enemies, had said a king should never sit easy. At this point Eddard is damning Robert and Aegon. Robert had gone hunting with half the court. Eddard’s only conciliation was that at least he could sit, him and only councilors in attendance: Varys, Littlefinger, and Grand Maester Pycelle. The rest, including the petitioners, lords, and guards must stand.

The kingdom had been a tinderbox since |Catelyn had seized Tyrion Lannister, and Eddard has the task of figuring out how best to stanch the hemorrhaging. Ser Karyl Vance tells Eddard that the kneeling men woman and children are all that remains of the holdfast of Shiera, while those of Wendishtown and Mummer’s Ford are all dead. The villagers tell of the brutality, killing, rape, and destruction. These men were not interested is stealing, only destruction, so they were not bandits. Ser Raymun Darry continues by telling how the people of Wendishtown took refuge in their holdfast but it was made of wood, and the perpetrators burned the holdfast and shot any that tried to run out. The Shiera holdfast was made of stone, so this tactic did not work. Eddard asks for proof that they were from House Lannister and is told that there were 50 or 100 men and all were all mounted on war horses, armored in mail with good weapons. The armor was plain but the leader was as big as an ox; the Mountain. Pycelle rises and states that there are many large men in the kingdom, but others state there is none as large as the Mountain. Pycelle asks why the Mountain, who holds lands and is an anointed knight, would turn brigand. Ser Marq Piper states he is a false knight, Lord Tywin’s mad dog, Pycelle asks Eddard to remind the knight that Lord Tywin is the father of their gracious queen. Eddard states that the court might have forgotten that if Pycelle had not reminded them. It is then Eddard looks up to see men going out the door and also spots Septa Mordane with Sansa; he has a flash of anger since this is no place for a girl, but the Speta would have known this was no ordinary day.

It is then that Littlefinger asks where the knights, who were responsible for protecting these holdfasts, were when this destruction was going on. The knights tell the council that Ser Edmure Tully has dispersed men to guard all the holdfasts in the protection of Riverrun, but now are have positioned their forces to protect the holdfasts close to the border. Eddard thinks to himself this may be exactly what Lord Tywin wants, to bleed off the strength of Riverrun as Edmure scatters his swords. Catelyn’s brother is young and more gallant than wise, he would try to defend all his soil, and Tywin Lannister was shrewd enough to know that. Littlefinger than asks what the knights are looking for if they have already protected their lands. They reply that they want to repay this slaughter, but wanted the king’s approval before they strike. Pycelle wants the knights to go to Lord Tywin for justice, and Eddard states that it is all the king’s justice. Then Pycelle states they should then wait for Robert to return, and Eddard replies that he speaks for the king and he will do just that. He spies Ser Robar Royce, whose father is hunting with the king, and tells him to ride to the king and tell him what had happened. Eddard does not give the knights permission for vengeance and then tells the villagers he cannot give them back what they had lost, but can give them justice. He continues by telling the villagers that the First Men believe that the man who passes judgment should wield the sword, but he must send another to do his killing. Ser Loras Tyrell asks for the honor of slaying Ser Gregor, but Eddard denies him, saying that the goal was justice, not vengeance. Eddard looks at the assembled lord and orders Lord Beric Dondarrion, [[Thoros of Myr], Ser Gladden Wylde and Lord Lothar Mallery to each assemble 20 men. Eddard also sends with 20 men of Winterfell. Lord Bericas befits his rank is given command. Then Eddard announces in the name of Robert that these men are charged with bringing to justice the false knight Gregor Clegane, and that Gregor is stripped of all lands and tittles and sentenced to death. Then he tells them to ride at first light so it can be done quickly, and the throne will hear not more petitions.

At the base of the throne Varys is gathering papers, the other two councilor having already left. He tells Eddard that he is a bolder man then him, and that he should have sent Ser Loras, as a man who is an enemy of the Lannisters would do well to make the Tyrells his friends. Varys also tells him it was a slight not to send Ser Ilyn Payne since he is the King’s Justice. Eddard does not like the man, but tells Varrys that would prefer not to send a Lannister man to kill a Lannister bannerman. Then Varys tells Eddard he saw Ilyn in the back and he did not look pleased, he so loves his work.

External links

References and Notes

  • The synopsis was copied from AOL member vbkorik27 previously at [1].