Difference between revisions of "A Game of Thrones-Chapter 45"

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{{Infobox Chapter AGoT
 
{{Infobox Chapter AGoT
| pov = [[Eddard Stark|Eddard]]
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| pov = [[Eddard Stark]]
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| place        = [[King's Landing]]
 
| title = Eddard XII
 
| title = Eddard XII
 
| page = 401
 
| page = 401
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}} __NOTOC__
 
}} __NOTOC__
  
As Grand [[Maester]] [[Pycelle]] is treating [[Eddard Stark|Eddard]], he tells him that [[Cersei Lannister| Cersei]] received a message from [[Tywin Lannister|Tywin]] that he is not happy with sending me against Ser [[Gregor Clegane]]. Later Eddard meets Cersei and tells her that he will tell [[Robert Baratheon]] about the incest after he returns. Cersei warns that he has made a mistake.  
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[[Eddard Stark|Ned]] now knows the truth [[Jon Arryn]] died for. He also learns from [[Pycelle]] and [[Petyr Baelish]] that Lord [[Tywin Lannister]] is preparing for a war. Later, Ned meets with Cersei and tells her that he will tell [[Robert I Baratheon|Robert]] the truth when he returns, offering her the chance to flee and save her children. Cersei warns that Ned has made a mistake.
  
 
==Synopsis==     
 
==Synopsis==     
Grand [[Maester]] [[Pycelle]] tells [[Eddard Stark|Eddard]] that the pain means that the bone is healing, but Eddard only replies that he will be happy when the leg stops throbbing. Pycelle provides him that the Milk of the Poppy for the pain, and Eddard tells him that he sleeps too much already; Pycelle tells him sleep is good for healing.
+
[[File:Thwhandudgement1200bythaldir.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Lord [[Eddard Stark]] reads ''[[The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms]]'', by Tiziano Baracchi © Fantasy Flight Games]]
 +
[[Maester#Grand Maester|Grand Maester]] [[Pycelle]] tells [[Eddard Stark]] that the pain means that the bone is healing, but Ned only replies that he will be happy when his leg stops throbbing. Pycelle provides him with the [[milk of the poppy]] for the pain, but Ned says he sleeps too much already. Pycelle tells him sleep is good for healing.
  
[[Pycelle]] informs [[Eddard Stark|Ned]] that [[Cersei Lannister| Cersei]] had received a bird from Lord [[Tywin Lannister|Tywin]] stating that he is wroth with him for sending men to bring Ser [[Gregor Clegane]] to justice. Eddard replies that it does not bother him as he is thinking about [[Jory Cassel|Jory]] in his arms and [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime’s]] smile; he tells Pycelle that Ser [[Beric Dondarrion]] rides under the [[Robert Baratheon|the King’s]] banner and that he will have Robert to answer to, and that the only thing Robert likes better than hunting is making war on defiant lords. Pycell leaves, telling Eddard that he will come again the next day. Eddard knows Pycelle is [[Cersei Lannister| the Queen]]’s creature, and doesn’t care. He is not actually confident of Robert, but he does not want Cersei to know that. He calls for honeyed wine, which will not cloud the mind as badly as the Milk of the Poppy; he needed to think.
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Pycelle informs Ned that Queen [[Cersei Lannister|Cersei]] has received a letter from her father. Lord [[Tywin Lannister|Tywin]] is angry about Ned sending men to bring Ser [[Gregor Clegane]] to justice. Ned replies that it does not bother him; Lord [[Beric Dondarrion]] rides under the king’s banner and if Lord Tywin attempts to interfere he will have [[Robert I Baratheon|Robert]] to answer to, and the only thing Robert likes better than hunting is making war on defiant lords. Pycelle leaves, telling Ned that he will come again the next day.
  
Eddard thinks how sometimes a child’s innocent eyes can see things that grown men are blind to and how some day he will have to tell [[Sansa Stark|Sansa]] how she had made it all come clear to him.
+
Ned knows Pycelle is Cersei's creature, and does not care. He is not actually confident in Robert, but he does not want Cersei to know that. He calls for honeyed wine, which will not cloud his mind as badly as the milk of the poppy, because he needs to think. Ned thinks how sometimes a child’s innocent eyes can see things that grown men are blind to and how some day he will have to tell [[Sansa Stark|Sansa]] how she made it all come clear to him.
  
[[Petyr Baelish|Littlefinger]] pays a visit and hour after the maester leave, asking about Eddard’s leg and that he needs to heal quickly: [[Varys]] has heard whispers that [[Mercenary|sellswords]] have been flocking to [[Casterly Rock]]. Eddard asks about Robert, and is told that he would stay in the forest until Eddard and Cersei die of old age. The White Hart was found dead, and is now after a fierce boar. Most of the hunting party returned, including [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey]] and [[Sandor Clegane|the Hound]]. Littlefinger states how he would have liked to have heard what that Lord Beric is after his brother. With that Littlefinger leaves for a dinner, but not before noting the book of Lineages and Histories of the Seven Kingdom, and teasing asks if it is a sleeping potion.  
+
[[Petyr Baelish|Littlefinger]] pays a visit an hour after Pycelle leaves, bringing news that [[Varys]] has heard whispers that [[sellsword]]s are flocking to [[Casterly Rock]]. Ned asks about Robert and is told that, having found the white hart dead, the king is now after a fierce boar. Most of the hunting party has returned, however, including Prince [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey]] and [[Sandor Clegane]]. Littlefinger states that he would have liked to have seen the [[Hound]]'s reaction to learning that [[Beric Dondarrion]] is after [[Gregor Clegane|the brother]] he hates. With that Littlefinger leaves for a dinner, but not before noting the book of ''[[The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms]]'', and teasingly asking if it is a sleeping potion.
  
Eddard considers that outside of his retainers, there was not a man in the city he trusted; Littlefinger’s leaving before the slaughter of his guard rankles him, Varys knows way too much and does to little, Ser Barristan is too rigid telling him to do his duty. [[Arya Stark|Arya]] and Sansa will sail in three days. Eddard knows that honor will require him to go to the King with all he knew when he returns. Last night he had dreamed of when Lord Tywin had presented the bodies of Lord Raegar’s children to Robert: he must find a way to save the children. He remembers that Robert could be merciful if a man were brave and honest; he had pardoned Ser Barristan, Varys, Pycelle, Balon Grayjoy, and Littlefinger and let them keep their office for an offer of fealty. However for poison in the dark he could never forgive, and would kill them all. Bran must have learned some part of the truth; otherwise they would not have tried to kill him.  
+
Ned considers that, outside of his retainers, there is not a man in the city he trusts: Littlefinger leaving before the [[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 35|slaughter]] of [[House Stark guards|his guard]] rankles him, Varys knows too much and does too little, Pycelle is Cersei's, and Ser [[Barristan Selmy|Barristan]] is too old and rigid in his sense of duty.  
  
Eddard calls in Fat [[Tomard|Tom]], now in command of the [[Hand of the King|Hand’s]] guard with [[Jory Cassel|Jory]] dead and [[Alyn]] gone. Eddard is nervous with him in command since he was never energetic, and maybe he should not have sent off half his guard, his best swords. He asks Tom to take him to the godswood. With [[Varly]] they managed to get him down the steep tower steps. Eddard tells him to double the guard, and Tom tells him that they are shorthanded. , Eddard sends Tom to find the Queen with a letter to invite her to join him. He feels the presence of his gods under the faceless [[Heart Tree]] and his leg does not seem to pain him as much.
+
[[Arya Stark|Arya]] and Sansa will sail in three days. Ned knows that honor will require him to go to Robert with all he knows when he returns. Last night he dreamed of when Lord Tywin had presented the bodies of Prince [[Rhaegar Targaryen]]'s children to Robert. Ned remembers that Robert could be merciful if a man were brave and honest; he had pardoned Ser Barristan, Varys, Pycelle, [[Balon Greyjoy]], and Littlefinger and let them keep their office for an offer of fealty. However, poison in the dark he will never forgive and would kill them all. [[Bran Stark|Bran]] must have learned some part of the truth; otherwise they would not have tried to kill him. Ned decides that he must find a way to save the children.
  
When Cersei arrives as night falls, Eddard notes that she is proudly displaying the bruise Robert had given her, and Eddard can see her beauty. Eddard reveals that he knows what [[Jon Arryn]] died for. Cersei makes some nasty comments about Eddard seizing her like his wife seized her brother. Eddard responds telling her that is she believed that she would not have come. He then asks about the bruise, and if Robert does that much. He is told he does but not on the face before, and if Jaime had seen the bruises he would have killed Robert. When Cersei states her brother, Eddard asks if it is her brother or lover, and she states both; they had been making love since they were children, and when he is in her she feels whole. Eddard then asks about [[Bran Stark|Bran]] and she honestly tells him that he saw her and Jaime. Eddard states that all three children are Jaime’s. The last time a [[House Baratheon|Baratheon]] had a child with a [[House Lannister|Lannister]] was 90 years before when [[Tya Lannister]] wedded [[Gowen Baratheon]]; the single child was large and lusty boy with a full head of black hair. Thirty years before that a Lannister had taken Baratheon maid; all the children had black hair. This is always the case in the ”Lineages and Histories of the Seven Kingdom” that the children of a  Lannister and a Baratheon had black hair.
+
Ned calls in [[Tomard|Fat Tom]], now in command of his guardsmen, and asks to be taken to the [[godswood]]. Ned also orders the guard doubled despite the shortage of manpower. Ned sends Tom to find Queen Cersei and give her a letter inviting her to join him. As he sits in the godswood, Ned feels the presence of his gods under the faceless [[heart tree]] and his leg does not seem to hurt as much.  
  
Eddard then asks how it is possible that she never had a child by the king, and she tells him that she did, and that Jaime found a woman to “cleanse her.” She continues by stating that she cannot stand to touch him and have not let him insider her for years; she pleasures him in other ways when he leaves his whores, and he is always so drunk he does not remember anything. Eddard cannot understand how all this time everybody had missed this. Eddard asks what made her hate him so and she tells him that Robert had called her ‘[[Lyanna Stark|Lyanna]]’ the first night they made love after being married. Eddard tells her that he does not know which one of them he pities most, and she knows what he must do. She makes sexual advances while telling him that the realm needs a strong hand, and he should be kind to him. He asks if she made the offer to [[Jon Arryn]], and she slaps him. Then she brings up [[Jon Snow]] and accuses him of other possible debauchery. Eddard makes it clear that he intends to tell the King when he returns, and warns her to leave [[King's Landing]]. He recommends that she take a ship to the [[Free Cities]], along with her children, brothers and [[Tywin Lannister|father]] to escape Robert’s wrath. Cersei stands and laughs at him, and telling him he was a fool not to take the throne for himself fourteen years ago when he forced Jaime off the seat. Eddard tells her he has made many mistakes in his life, but that was not one of them. Cersei replies that "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground." She leaves him in the godswood.
+
When Cersei arrives at nightfall, Ned notes that she is proudly displaying the bruise Robert has given her. For the first time in a long time, Ned can see her beauty. When he declares that he knows the truth [[Jon Arryn]] died for, Cersei scoffs whether he has brought her here to pose riddles or to kidnap her. Ned replies that if she believed such things she would not have come. He then asks about the bruise, and if Robert does such things often. She replies that it has never been on the face before and that her brother Jaime would have killed Robert if he knew.  
  
==External links==
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[[File:Winona Nelson The Only Game that MattersII.JPG|350px|thumb|right|[[Eddard Stark]] and [[Cersei Lannister]], by Winona Nelson © Fantasy Flight Games]]
*[http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/09/a-read-of-ice-and-fire-a-game-of-thrones-part-22 Summary and analyses of the chapter] by Leigh Butler.
+
 
*[http://towerofthehand.com/books/101/046/index.html Summary of the chapter] on Tower of the Hand.
+
When Ned suggests a correction of “brother” to “lover,” Cersei does not trouble to deny it. Cersei admits that she and Jaime have been lovers since they were children and that when Jaime is in her she feels whole. When Ned asks about his son Bran, Cersei admits that he saw her and Jaime, offering her love for her own children as a reason for the attempted murder. Ned counters with a declaration that all three of Cersei’s children are Jaime’s. The last time a [[House Baratheon|Baratheon]] had a child with a [[House Lannister|Lannister]] was ninety years before when [[Tya Lannister]] wedded [[Gowen Baratheon]]; the single child was large and lusty boy with a full head of black hair. Thirty years before that a Lannister had taken a Baratheon maid; all the children had black hair. According to ''The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms'', the children of a  Lannister and a Baratheon always had black hair.
 +
 
 +
Ned asks Cersei how it is possible that she never had a child by the king, and she admits she almost did but had the child aborted. Cersei goes on to claim that she cannot stand to even touch Robert now, and has not let him inside her for years. Instead she pleasures the king in other ways when he leaves his whores long enough; Robert is always so drunk that he never remembers.
 +
 
 +
When Ned asks what made her hate Robert so much, Cersei reveals that on their wedding night Robert called her “[[Lyanna Stark|Lyanna]]” in the midst of the consummation. The story leads Ned to declare that he does not know which of them to pity more, but that he must still do his duty. Cersei makes a sexual advance on Ned while telling him that [[Seven Kingdoms|the realm]] needs a strong [[Hand of the King|Hand]] and that he will never regret being kind to her. Ned immediately rejects the advance by asking if she made the same offer to Jon Arryn and she slaps him. Offended by Ned’s honorable persona, Cersei brings up [[Jon Snow]] and accuses Ned of many other possible debaucheries.
 +
 
 +
Ned makes it clear that he intends to tell Robert everything when he returns and warns Cersei to leave [[King's Landing]]. He recommends that she take a ship to the [[Free Cities]] with all her immediate family, including her father Tywin, to escape Robert's wrath. Cersei stands, laughs, and declares Ned a fool for not taking the throne himself fourteen years before, when he forced Jaime to surrender the seat. Ned replies that he has made more mistakes than Cersei can imagine, but that was not one of them. Cersei insists that it was, saying "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."
  
 
==References and Notes==
 
==References and Notes==
* The synopsis was copied from AOL member vbkorik27 previously at [http://web.archive.org/web/20080228051425/members.aol.com/vbkorik27/summary/legend.html].   
+
{{References}}
 +
*[https://www.tor.com/2011/09/02/a-read-of-ice-and-fire-a-game-of-thrones-part-22/ A Read of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones, Part 22] Analyses and summary of the chapter by Leigh Butler.
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[[Category:A Song of Ice And Fire chapters|A Game of Thrones: Chapter 45]]
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[[Category:A Song of Ice And Fire chapters--POV Eddard Stark]]
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[[Category:Chapters which take place at the Red Keep]]
  
[[Category: A Song of Ice And Fire chapters|A Game of Thrones: Chapter 45]]
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[[fr:A Game of Thrones, Chapitre 46, Eddard]]
[[Category: A Song of Ice And Fire chapters--POV Eddard Stark]]
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[[pt:A Guerra dos Tronos - Capítulo 45]]
[[fr:A Game of Thrones, Chapitre 46, Eddard]][[ru:Игра престолов, Эддард XII]]
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[[ru:Игра престолов, Эддард XII]]

Latest revision as of 07:54, 8 June 2021

Eddard XII
A Game of Thrones chapter
AGameOfThrones.jpg
POV Eddard Stark
Place King's Landing
Page 401 US HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Eddard XI
Sansa III  ← Eddard XII →  Daenerys V

Eddard XIII

Ned now knows the truth Jon Arryn died for. He also learns from Pycelle and Petyr Baelish that Lord Tywin Lannister is preparing for a war. Later, Ned meets with Cersei and tells her that he will tell Robert the truth when he returns, offering her the chance to flee and save her children. Cersei warns that Ned has made a mistake.

Synopsis

Lord Eddard Stark reads The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, by Tiziano Baracchi © Fantasy Flight Games

Grand Maester Pycelle tells Eddard Stark that the pain means that the bone is healing, but Ned only replies that he will be happy when his leg stops throbbing. Pycelle provides him with the milk of the poppy for the pain, but Ned says he sleeps too much already. Pycelle tells him sleep is good for healing.

Pycelle informs Ned that Queen Cersei has received a letter from her father. Lord Tywin is angry about Ned sending men to bring Ser Gregor Clegane to justice. Ned replies that it does not bother him; Lord Beric Dondarrion rides under the king’s banner and if Lord Tywin attempts to interfere he will have Robert to answer to, and the only thing Robert likes better than hunting is making war on defiant lords. Pycelle leaves, telling Ned that he will come again the next day.

Ned knows Pycelle is Cersei's creature, and does not care. He is not actually confident in Robert, but he does not want Cersei to know that. He calls for honeyed wine, which will not cloud his mind as badly as the milk of the poppy, because he needs to think. Ned thinks how sometimes a child’s innocent eyes can see things that grown men are blind to and how some day he will have to tell Sansa how she made it all come clear to him.

Littlefinger pays a visit an hour after Pycelle leaves, bringing news that Varys has heard whispers that sellswords are flocking to Casterly Rock. Ned asks about Robert and is told that, having found the white hart dead, the king is now after a fierce boar. Most of the hunting party has returned, however, including Prince Joffrey and Sandor Clegane. Littlefinger states that he would have liked to have seen the Hound's reaction to learning that Beric Dondarrion is after the brother he hates. With that Littlefinger leaves for a dinner, but not before noting the book of The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, and teasingly asking if it is a sleeping potion.

Ned considers that, outside of his retainers, there is not a man in the city he trusts: Littlefinger leaving before the slaughter of his guard rankles him, Varys knows too much and does too little, Pycelle is Cersei's, and Ser Barristan is too old and rigid in his sense of duty.

Arya and Sansa will sail in three days. Ned knows that honor will require him to go to Robert with all he knows when he returns. Last night he dreamed of when Lord Tywin had presented the bodies of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen's children to Robert. Ned remembers that Robert could be merciful if a man were brave and honest; he had pardoned Ser Barristan, Varys, Pycelle, Balon Greyjoy, and Littlefinger and let them keep their office for an offer of fealty. However, poison in the dark he will never forgive and would kill them all. Bran must have learned some part of the truth; otherwise they would not have tried to kill him. Ned decides that he must find a way to save the children.

Ned calls in Fat Tom, now in command of his guardsmen, and asks to be taken to the godswood. Ned also orders the guard doubled despite the shortage of manpower. Ned sends Tom to find Queen Cersei and give her a letter inviting her to join him. As he sits in the godswood, Ned feels the presence of his gods under the faceless heart tree and his leg does not seem to hurt as much.

When Cersei arrives at nightfall, Ned notes that she is proudly displaying the bruise Robert has given her. For the first time in a long time, Ned can see her beauty. When he declares that he knows the truth Jon Arryn died for, Cersei scoffs whether he has brought her here to pose riddles or to kidnap her. Ned replies that if she believed such things she would not have come. He then asks about the bruise, and if Robert does such things often. She replies that it has never been on the face before and that her brother Jaime would have killed Robert if he knew.

Eddard Stark and Cersei Lannister, by Winona Nelson © Fantasy Flight Games

When Ned suggests a correction of “brother” to “lover,” Cersei does not trouble to deny it. Cersei admits that she and Jaime have been lovers since they were children and that when Jaime is in her she feels whole. When Ned asks about his son Bran, Cersei admits that he saw her and Jaime, offering her love for her own children as a reason for the attempted murder. Ned counters with a declaration that all three of Cersei’s children are Jaime’s. The last time a Baratheon had a child with a Lannister was ninety years before when Tya Lannister wedded Gowen Baratheon; the single child was large and lusty boy with a full head of black hair. Thirty years before that a Lannister had taken a Baratheon maid; all the children had black hair. According to The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, the children of a Lannister and a Baratheon always had black hair.

Ned asks Cersei how it is possible that she never had a child by the king, and she admits she almost did but had the child aborted. Cersei goes on to claim that she cannot stand to even touch Robert now, and has not let him inside her for years. Instead she pleasures the king in other ways when he leaves his whores long enough; Robert is always so drunk that he never remembers.

When Ned asks what made her hate Robert so much, Cersei reveals that on their wedding night Robert called her “Lyanna” in the midst of the consummation. The story leads Ned to declare that he does not know which of them to pity more, but that he must still do his duty. Cersei makes a sexual advance on Ned while telling him that the realm needs a strong Hand and that he will never regret being kind to her. Ned immediately rejects the advance by asking if she made the same offer to Jon Arryn and she slaps him. Offended by Ned’s honorable persona, Cersei brings up Jon Snow and accuses Ned of many other possible debaucheries.

Ned makes it clear that he intends to tell Robert everything when he returns and warns Cersei to leave King's Landing. He recommends that she take a ship to the Free Cities with all her immediate family, including her father Tywin, to escape Robert's wrath. Cersei stands, laughs, and declares Ned a fool for not taking the throne himself fourteen years before, when he forced Jaime to surrender the seat. Ned replies that he has made more mistakes than Cersei can imagine, but that was not one of them. Cersei insists that it was, saying "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."

References and Notes