A Game of Thrones-Chapter 47

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Eddard XIII
A Game of Thrones chapter
AGameOfThrones.jpg
POV Eddard
Page 419 US HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Eddard XII
Daenerys V  ← Eddard XIII →  Jon VI

Eddard XIV

Synopsis

The King’s steward wakes Ned, telling him the King demands his presence. When Ned reaches Maegor's Holdfast, he finds Kingsguard guarding the bridge, and inside the royal apartments, Robert Baratheon lies dying, gutted by the boar. Robert had called everyone off to try to take the boar himself, but he had drunk a great amount of wine. Robert tells Ned to write his final testament, naming Ned Protector of the Realm and Lord Regent until his heir comes of age. Ned changes that part, but he does not have the heart to tell the King that the children are not his. Outside, Varys asks Ser Barristan who gave Robert all the wine, and the Lord Commander tells them it was the King’s squire, Lancel Lannister. As Ned is helped across the bridge by Tomard and Cayn, Lord Renly asks for a moment. Renly tells Ned he has 100 swords to offer him, and if they strike now, they can take the Red Keep, seizing Cersei and the children.

Ned denies him, stating Robert is still alive, and he will not shed blood in the castle. Renly leaves, and Ned returns to his Tower, commanding Tomard to take 20 men to guard his daughters on the ship to Winterfell that leaves on the morrow. He also tells Tom to stop at Dragonstone on the way and deliver a letter to Lord Stannis, for his eyes only. The letter offers the throne to Stannis as the rightful heir. Ned sends for Littlefinger, telling him he knows the secret that Jon Arryn died for, but Littlefinger obviously knew the secret all along. He tells Petyr that he intends to offer the throne to Stannis, but Baelish tells him he is a fool if he does not bow to Joffrey. Stannis's ascension will mean war for the realm; he will seek the heads of Cersei and the children to secure his postion on the Iron Throne, those of Lords Tyrell and Redwyne as revenge for the siege of Storm's End, and even Lord Balon Greyjoy for his uprising: according to Littlefinger, any who stood by the Targaryens during Robert's Rebellion or rose with the Greyjoys will have cause to fear. At the same time, Littlefinger proposes another course of action; that Ned make his peace with the Lannisters, wed Sansa to Joffrey and rule as Hand of the King and Protector of the Realm until Joffrey comes of age in four years time, which should be sufficient to deal with the threat of Stannis and, should Joffrey prove unsuitable, they can reveal the truth of his parentage and place Renly on the throne.

Ned dismisses such a course of action, viewing it as treason, and reiterates that he will offer the throne to Stannis, as he is honor-bound to do so. Ned asks Littlefinger to secure him the City Watch of King's Landing in order to secure the succession, to which Baelish agrees to pay off the Watch Commander and his men.

External links

References and Notes

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