I should be completing my reading of Le Carré’s Russia House but the pull of the second series of Game of Thrones with the first two episodes watched before the trip to London and the third and fourth upon my return led to commencing to read the opening chapters of A Clash of Kings, the second of the George R R Martin monster volumes of his series A Song of Ice and Fire with seven volumes in all but with one in two parts and each having at least 700 pages.
It is a good test of the effectiveness of the 10 episode first series and my reading and writing of the first volume as to how much I now remember. There were three principal groups in the first series.
The Stark family are the chosen family to represent integrity, loyalty, justice and honour. The family are happy and content together living in their stronghold Winterfell in a long period of unprecedented peace which appears to have been created through the reign of the King who lives at Kings Landing in the South. He and Lord Stark were close friends who fought to achieve the stability. The King had married the daughter of an ambitious noble family, the Lannister’s, although his heart remained attached to the dead sister of Lord Stark. When the Chief Adviser cum Prime Minister to the King dies in questionable circumstances he visits Winterfell to persuade Lord Stark to return with him to become in his “Hand” and to bring with him his eldest daughter who is beautiful but still a child to become the bride of his son, Joffrey, when he reaches the age of fourteen. He also brings his youngest daughter, Ayra who is a tomboy and realising that that the situation at the Court is thwart with danger he enables his youngest daughter to become skilled in self defence.
Lord Stark has three sons. Robb the eldest son is also a boy who finds himself the head of the family when his father is executed and after the murder of the King and the coming to power of Joffrey who the daughter Sanza has willingly married and made to declare her father a traitor and witness his death. Unbeknown to her mother and the rest of the family the youngest daughter Ayra escapes by pretending to be a boy. A feature of the first volume is that many of future central characters are all in effect children and as they were during the Middle Ages until Victorian times and prepared to fight and to marry as soon as they became adolescents and if they were high born to participate in arranged marriages which furthered the interests of Kingdoms and Noble families.
Robb supported by his mother, Catelyn, assumes not just the title of Lord Stark but is recognised by the Nobles as the King of the North of the Seven Kingdoms which comprises a land area not dissimilar to that of the British island. Robb with the help of the northern nobles has engaged the forces of the family of Joffrey’s, mother, her twin brother and her father. He has defeated them three times and captured the twin brother. He would gladly cease fighting and return home if Joffrey and his allies would accept the division of power and exchange the two daughters for the “uncle“.
Lord Stark has two other sons. The eldest is Jon Snow the name given to an illegitimate child, accepted into the family by Catelyn and who is persuaded by the brother of Lord Stark to joining the Night Watch, an order which guards and patrols the great Wall with separates the lands controlled by Joffrey and the Starks, and others, from the wild cold far North
The seasons in these lands do no go in conventional cycles but cover prolonged periods of Summer, as now or Winter, except that at and beyond the Wall it is a permanent Winter, dark, mysterious and threatening. The Wall is a giant construction with only one access to the world beyond through a tunnel. Jon faces a crisis of conscious when his uncle disappears after investigating developments beyond the wall and seeks to return to Winterfell on learning of the death of his father and the position of his half brothers and sisters. However he stays after saving the life of the head of the Order after a Joffrey associated plot to kill the head and take control of the Order.
There have been disturbing developments north of the wall which heralds the approach of a new and prolonged winter. There was a time of magic and devilish spirits and of dragons.
The youngest son of Lord Stark remains at the family home cared for and protected since he lost the use of his legs having been thrown from a window by Joffrey’s twin brother, Ser Jamie Lannister after accidentally witnessing an adult relationship with the twin sister, the then wife of the King. It emerged that Joffrey was not the legitimate son of the King and but the product of this relationship and was therefore not the rightful heir. Joffrey’s sister and young brother were also conceived through this incestuous relationship. It also emerged that the King had fathered a considerable number of illegitimate children. Joffrey sets out to kill these children reminding of King Herod.
Having mentioned Dragons it is perhaps an appropriate point to introduce another family who form a central role, albeit in parallel to the events involving the Starks and the Lannisters.
The also adolescent young Daenerys Targaryen is the exiled princess of the Targaryen dynasty who were associated with the use and power of Dragons. She is effectively controlled by her brother (with suggestions also of incest and physical abuse) who seeks the position lost by his ancestors and the two are advised and to some extent protected by someone who facilitates their stay in warm climes with deserts suggesting a location similar to southern Europe. Her bother arranges her marriage to the powerful Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo because he promises to use his forces to help the brother regain power.
Daenerys is at first afraid of her new husband but after learning the Dothraki language, she genuinely falls in love with him, after learning that he is a good leader and a kind man. After embracing the Dothraki culture, she becomes stronger and rebels against her brother. She later becomes pregnant with Drogo's son who is prophesied by the Dothraki to be the conqueror who will unite the world.
Her brother resenting the position she begins to hold plots against her but is killed and the former King, on learning of he prophecy also attempts to kill her. The Drogo vows that he will use his forces to conquer the Seven Kingdoms so that she will regain her rightful place and for their son. During the journey to the coast Drogo suffers an infected wound incurred during a fight with a Dothraki tribesman which forces Daenerys to seek the help of healer Mirri Maz Duur to save his life using blood magic. But Mirri tricks Daenerys by using her unborn son's life as a sacrifice to heal Drogo which leaves him a permanent catatonic state, forcing Daenerys to end her husband's life. Losing both her husband and son, Daenerys punishes Mirri by burning her into a pyre which helps hatch the three dragon eggs Daenerys carries. With her baby dragons, Daenerys and what is left of her husband's tribe must find a way to gather new allies to protect themselves and reclaim the Iron Throne.
This brings me to the Lannisters, effectively headed by Cersei Baratheon, nee Lannister, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and was the wife of King Robert Baratheon. As stated she and her twin brother Jaime have been involved in an incestuous love affair since childhood. She had one son by Robert, who died in infancy of a strange illness. And her three surviving children are her bothers and not the former King’s’ She is calculating, ruthless, and cares only for power and the advancement of her family.
The twin brother is a member of the Kingsguard. He is nicknamed "Kingslayer" for killing the previous King, Aerys II, whom he was sworn to protect. He was allowed to keep his post in the current Kingsguard as he and his influential father helped Robert win the war, but no one feels he deserves this post which frustrates him. Away from the control of his twin sister he has shown some unexpected positive characteristics. The first is his respect for Lord Stark and a commitment to fair play. The second is his support for his brother, the height challenged Tyrion. The brother is captured by Lord Stark’s widow believing that Tyrion was complicit in the attempting killing of her youngest child and in the imprisonment and death of her husband. Until his capture Tyrion was only interested in wenching and drinking but this near death experience as well as a visit to the Wall, changes his approach to life and he seeks the approval of his father by joining the battles against Robb Stark.
His mother died during his birth, for which his father, Tywin Lannister, blamed him as does Cersi his sister. While not physically powerful, Tyrion has a cunning mind, and often uses to his advantage the fact that others constantly underestimate him. His brother captured, his father recognises that Tyrion can play an important part in maintaining order while the war continues as the two brothers of the former King declare Joffrey a usurper and seek to gain the crown for themselves. Tyrion is appointed to be the King’s Hand in place of his father while the war continues, much to the opposition of his sister who sees her power challenged. Peter Dinklage, the only American among the leading cast won a number of awards as best supporting actor for his role in the series.
The new King, Joffrey, is unaware of his true parentage. He has shown himself to be vicious, cruel, a coward and a short tempered. He believes he could do anything he wants when the Crown Prince and on becoming King he quickly begins to act without the guidance of his mother and official advisers. He orders the death of Lord Stark and the killing of the illegitimate children of the former King which he still believes was his father. So it is time for the second volume which begins with a prologue.
A Clash of Kings begins not with the Starks, the Lannisters or Daenerys Targaryen but with the King of the Narrow Sea Lord Stannis Barathon the older of the former Kings brothers and a rightful claimant to the throne over Joffrey. The TV series covers all the events and storylines of the book but in a different order, I will follow that of the book until the end of the fourth part although cover the story in two parts.
It is Stannis who writes to all the Lords in the land of the Seven Kingdoms to claim the Kingship over all, correctly stating that Joffrey and his brother and sisters are the children not of his older brother but of the incestuous relationship between his brother’s wife and her twin brother,
This is the land of the Dragon stone, the former homeland of Daenerys and her now dead older brother. Here Lord Stannis was cared for by Maester Cressen, his former tutor and healer and now an old man but still wise and anxious for the once boy of the three sons who he helped raise after the early death of their father.
His place now had been taken by the woman, the red woman Lady Melisandre of Asshal, called red because of hair and her dress, a priestess, a witch, sorceress, a dealer in the black arts and who no was driving Lord Stannis to take on Joffrey alone without the help of his estranged younger brother or of Robb Stark. Cressen who dismissed the horrible visions of the Stannis young daughter Sireen, only ten years, as nightmares and saw no meaning in the appearance of a great red comet in the sky pleads with his Lord as had to find common cause with Stark and brother, Renly, something which is also supported by Ser Davos Seaworth, his principal adviser a man with seven sons, but their view is challenged by the Lady Melisandre and who in the matter of what their Lord should do was supported by his wife despite his lack of regard for her since her inability to provide him with sons from their occasional couplings. Concerned at the decision which events are being directed Cressen plots the death of Melisandre only to be thwarted by her skills as she turns the tables on his attempt to poison her with wine. He dies instantly but she drinks the rest of the wine without adverse effect.
It was Ayra’s good fortune to be discovered by the man entrusted with the task of replenishing the men sent to join the Night Watch at the Wall. He had been allowed by her father to take his pick of the cut throats and thieves held in the dungeons as well as the volunteers with authority to leave the city and journey north. He cuts the girl’s hair and warns her take care when she passes water so that no one else knows of her sex and identity. Also in the caravan is the eldest of the surviving illegitimate children of the king and therefore a rightful claimant to the throne. They have not travelled long before one of the other youths takes a fancy to the sword given her by Jon Snow. Faced with his challenge she resists his request and beats him badly in their subsequent fight. She is stopped from killing him by the leader who gives her a gently smacking out of sight of the others telling her to cry out in protest and warning her and the others what will happen if they engage in further conflict between themselves. He warns her that half of the company would gladly give her up to the Queen and the other half would rape her first before doing so.
Back in Kings Landing a tournament was held to mark the birthday of the King, but there was to be a poor showing because of the situation. Sanza was expected to play the role of the loving betrothed although her situation had become one of constant torment as she was regularly beaten not just by Joffrey but by his younger brother and his adult companions at his command. She hoped the Queen would also attend because was able to restrain the wilder behaviour of her son. Unfortunately the Queen would not be present having arranged a Council because her father instead of coming to the city to support her was staying away.
When one of the participants worse for drink displeases Joffrey, he is nearly put to death being forced to drink until Sansa intervenes and saves her and the young knight by suggesting he is appointed the King’s fool. She is also supportive of the eight year old overweight brother when he makes a fool of himself trying to be an adult in the lists. This is cue for Tyrion to arrive and surprises Joffrey who believed him dead. Tyrion advises that he has brought his wit as a present for the King and tells Sansa that he is sorry for her loss and she in turn regrets what happened to him when taken by her mother. She has learned quickly to say the right thing although she finds it difficult to control her emotions as well as her words.
Tyrion then has to insist on being allowed into the Council when the news that he has been appoint the Hand by her father and only brought his own men, a few hundred, fills her with dismay and anger. She wanted an army now that Stannis and Renly as well as the Starks had risen again against her son. Tryion is able to convince of his value in acting as a brake upon the wilder actions of Joffrey that she has so far been unable to control. He demands that Sansa remains unharmed as he works out a way to free their brother and he is impressed at almost all the ensures that have been taken to defend the city except for “quickfire” where the quantity created is enough to burn down the city. She demands his allegiance to her and insists that he gets approval from her for everything he plans to do.
Tyrion chooses to reside in the official quarters despite knowing the fate of all those who have held the position in recent times, with the exception of his father. However he has brought with him the young woman, only eighteen years and a professional whore who has shown genuine affection and loyalty towards him. His father had insisted that she was not brought into the court so against her wish to be always with him he promise a home of her own close to him in the city so he can visit he as often as his duties permit. One of the members of the Council, the Eunuch Vaerys is waiting for him at the Inn where he is staying, announcing that eh has come to see the woman for himself thus announcing that hi intelligence service remains as strong as every. Tyrion retaliates by warning that he kills any enemy and he has already shown his serious intent by demanding the heads of those killed be removed from the battlements despite Joffrey ordering that they remain until accompanied by those of Robb Stark, Lord Stannis and Lord Renly.
It was always my belief that the second youngest of the Stark sons Bran, short for Brandon is to play an important role. It is noteworthy that Martin in introducing Bran into his second book explains to the reader that one the boy was so fearless and nimble that he would climb the out walls and spent more time on the roofs of the city than he did in the other pursuits of a son of the a ruler. He is cared for and dependent on his Maester Ser Rodrick Cassels who dismisses his concerns about the dreams and the arrival of the comet.
For explanation Bran turns to Osha a wilding woman taken prisoner and employed in the kitchen but who has a relationship with Bran as well as appearing to know of the ancient powers and ways. She warns that the Comet means blood and fire and nothing sweet and she is also altered that the howling of the dire wolves signals time of change and trouble. The dire wolves play some part in the first volume when the cubs of the mother slain are given as pet guardians to each of the children with that of Sansa killed, that of Ayra Nymeria run off but surely to have an important role in her survival, that of Brandon called Summer, that of the youngest brother called Shaggydog now aged four, that of Jon Snow with him at the Night Watch and called Ghost and that of Robb the Grey Wind.
Osha bring him a potion mixed with honey to make him sleep without the dreams of his being able to run and climb but always ending in tragedy and pain. He is still being called to go beyond the security of the Castle and its grounds. He is certain he has to answer the call or die. The books returns to the situation of Ayra while in the first episode we have also visited the Wall, Robb’s camp where he is accompanied by his mother and across the Narrow Sea to where Daenerys, her young dragons, her adviser and a few of the Dothraki still accompanying her go in search of sanctuary and revenge, across the unforgiving desert.
It is a good test of the effectiveness of the 10 episode first series and my reading and writing of the first volume as to how much I now remember. There were three principal groups in the first series.
The Stark family are the chosen family to represent integrity, loyalty, justice and honour. The family are happy and content together living in their stronghold Winterfell in a long period of unprecedented peace which appears to have been created through the reign of the King who lives at Kings Landing in the South. He and Lord Stark were close friends who fought to achieve the stability. The King had married the daughter of an ambitious noble family, the Lannister’s, although his heart remained attached to the dead sister of Lord Stark. When the Chief Adviser cum Prime Minister to the King dies in questionable circumstances he visits Winterfell to persuade Lord Stark to return with him to become in his “Hand” and to bring with him his eldest daughter who is beautiful but still a child to become the bride of his son, Joffrey, when he reaches the age of fourteen. He also brings his youngest daughter, Ayra who is a tomboy and realising that that the situation at the Court is thwart with danger he enables his youngest daughter to become skilled in self defence.
Lord Stark has three sons. Robb the eldest son is also a boy who finds himself the head of the family when his father is executed and after the murder of the King and the coming to power of Joffrey who the daughter Sanza has willingly married and made to declare her father a traitor and witness his death. Unbeknown to her mother and the rest of the family the youngest daughter Ayra escapes by pretending to be a boy. A feature of the first volume is that many of future central characters are all in effect children and as they were during the Middle Ages until Victorian times and prepared to fight and to marry as soon as they became adolescents and if they were high born to participate in arranged marriages which furthered the interests of Kingdoms and Noble families.
Robb supported by his mother, Catelyn, assumes not just the title of Lord Stark but is recognised by the Nobles as the King of the North of the Seven Kingdoms which comprises a land area not dissimilar to that of the British island. Robb with the help of the northern nobles has engaged the forces of the family of Joffrey’s, mother, her twin brother and her father. He has defeated them three times and captured the twin brother. He would gladly cease fighting and return home if Joffrey and his allies would accept the division of power and exchange the two daughters for the “uncle“.
Lord Stark has two other sons. The eldest is Jon Snow the name given to an illegitimate child, accepted into the family by Catelyn and who is persuaded by the brother of Lord Stark to joining the Night Watch, an order which guards and patrols the great Wall with separates the lands controlled by Joffrey and the Starks, and others, from the wild cold far North
The seasons in these lands do no go in conventional cycles but cover prolonged periods of Summer, as now or Winter, except that at and beyond the Wall it is a permanent Winter, dark, mysterious and threatening. The Wall is a giant construction with only one access to the world beyond through a tunnel. Jon faces a crisis of conscious when his uncle disappears after investigating developments beyond the wall and seeks to return to Winterfell on learning of the death of his father and the position of his half brothers and sisters. However he stays after saving the life of the head of the Order after a Joffrey associated plot to kill the head and take control of the Order.
There have been disturbing developments north of the wall which heralds the approach of a new and prolonged winter. There was a time of magic and devilish spirits and of dragons.
The youngest son of Lord Stark remains at the family home cared for and protected since he lost the use of his legs having been thrown from a window by Joffrey’s twin brother, Ser Jamie Lannister after accidentally witnessing an adult relationship with the twin sister, the then wife of the King. It emerged that Joffrey was not the legitimate son of the King and but the product of this relationship and was therefore not the rightful heir. Joffrey’s sister and young brother were also conceived through this incestuous relationship. It also emerged that the King had fathered a considerable number of illegitimate children. Joffrey sets out to kill these children reminding of King Herod.
Having mentioned Dragons it is perhaps an appropriate point to introduce another family who form a central role, albeit in parallel to the events involving the Starks and the Lannisters.
The also adolescent young Daenerys Targaryen is the exiled princess of the Targaryen dynasty who were associated with the use and power of Dragons. She is effectively controlled by her brother (with suggestions also of incest and physical abuse) who seeks the position lost by his ancestors and the two are advised and to some extent protected by someone who facilitates their stay in warm climes with deserts suggesting a location similar to southern Europe. Her bother arranges her marriage to the powerful Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo because he promises to use his forces to help the brother regain power.
Daenerys is at first afraid of her new husband but after learning the Dothraki language, she genuinely falls in love with him, after learning that he is a good leader and a kind man. After embracing the Dothraki culture, she becomes stronger and rebels against her brother. She later becomes pregnant with Drogo's son who is prophesied by the Dothraki to be the conqueror who will unite the world.
Her brother resenting the position she begins to hold plots against her but is killed and the former King, on learning of he prophecy also attempts to kill her. The Drogo vows that he will use his forces to conquer the Seven Kingdoms so that she will regain her rightful place and for their son. During the journey to the coast Drogo suffers an infected wound incurred during a fight with a Dothraki tribesman which forces Daenerys to seek the help of healer Mirri Maz Duur to save his life using blood magic. But Mirri tricks Daenerys by using her unborn son's life as a sacrifice to heal Drogo which leaves him a permanent catatonic state, forcing Daenerys to end her husband's life. Losing both her husband and son, Daenerys punishes Mirri by burning her into a pyre which helps hatch the three dragon eggs Daenerys carries. With her baby dragons, Daenerys and what is left of her husband's tribe must find a way to gather new allies to protect themselves and reclaim the Iron Throne.
This brings me to the Lannisters, effectively headed by Cersei Baratheon, nee Lannister, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and was the wife of King Robert Baratheon. As stated she and her twin brother Jaime have been involved in an incestuous love affair since childhood. She had one son by Robert, who died in infancy of a strange illness. And her three surviving children are her bothers and not the former King’s’ She is calculating, ruthless, and cares only for power and the advancement of her family.
The twin brother is a member of the Kingsguard. He is nicknamed "Kingslayer" for killing the previous King, Aerys II, whom he was sworn to protect. He was allowed to keep his post in the current Kingsguard as he and his influential father helped Robert win the war, but no one feels he deserves this post which frustrates him. Away from the control of his twin sister he has shown some unexpected positive characteristics. The first is his respect for Lord Stark and a commitment to fair play. The second is his support for his brother, the height challenged Tyrion. The brother is captured by Lord Stark’s widow believing that Tyrion was complicit in the attempting killing of her youngest child and in the imprisonment and death of her husband. Until his capture Tyrion was only interested in wenching and drinking but this near death experience as well as a visit to the Wall, changes his approach to life and he seeks the approval of his father by joining the battles against Robb Stark.
His mother died during his birth, for which his father, Tywin Lannister, blamed him as does Cersi his sister. While not physically powerful, Tyrion has a cunning mind, and often uses to his advantage the fact that others constantly underestimate him. His brother captured, his father recognises that Tyrion can play an important part in maintaining order while the war continues as the two brothers of the former King declare Joffrey a usurper and seek to gain the crown for themselves. Tyrion is appointed to be the King’s Hand in place of his father while the war continues, much to the opposition of his sister who sees her power challenged. Peter Dinklage, the only American among the leading cast won a number of awards as best supporting actor for his role in the series.
The new King, Joffrey, is unaware of his true parentage. He has shown himself to be vicious, cruel, a coward and a short tempered. He believes he could do anything he wants when the Crown Prince and on becoming King he quickly begins to act without the guidance of his mother and official advisers. He orders the death of Lord Stark and the killing of the illegitimate children of the former King which he still believes was his father. So it is time for the second volume which begins with a prologue.
A Clash of Kings begins not with the Starks, the Lannisters or Daenerys Targaryen but with the King of the Narrow Sea Lord Stannis Barathon the older of the former Kings brothers and a rightful claimant to the throne over Joffrey. The TV series covers all the events and storylines of the book but in a different order, I will follow that of the book until the end of the fourth part although cover the story in two parts.
It is Stannis who writes to all the Lords in the land of the Seven Kingdoms to claim the Kingship over all, correctly stating that Joffrey and his brother and sisters are the children not of his older brother but of the incestuous relationship between his brother’s wife and her twin brother,
This is the land of the Dragon stone, the former homeland of Daenerys and her now dead older brother. Here Lord Stannis was cared for by Maester Cressen, his former tutor and healer and now an old man but still wise and anxious for the once boy of the three sons who he helped raise after the early death of their father.
His place now had been taken by the woman, the red woman Lady Melisandre of Asshal, called red because of hair and her dress, a priestess, a witch, sorceress, a dealer in the black arts and who no was driving Lord Stannis to take on Joffrey alone without the help of his estranged younger brother or of Robb Stark. Cressen who dismissed the horrible visions of the Stannis young daughter Sireen, only ten years, as nightmares and saw no meaning in the appearance of a great red comet in the sky pleads with his Lord as had to find common cause with Stark and brother, Renly, something which is also supported by Ser Davos Seaworth, his principal adviser a man with seven sons, but their view is challenged by the Lady Melisandre and who in the matter of what their Lord should do was supported by his wife despite his lack of regard for her since her inability to provide him with sons from their occasional couplings. Concerned at the decision which events are being directed Cressen plots the death of Melisandre only to be thwarted by her skills as she turns the tables on his attempt to poison her with wine. He dies instantly but she drinks the rest of the wine without adverse effect.
It was Ayra’s good fortune to be discovered by the man entrusted with the task of replenishing the men sent to join the Night Watch at the Wall. He had been allowed by her father to take his pick of the cut throats and thieves held in the dungeons as well as the volunteers with authority to leave the city and journey north. He cuts the girl’s hair and warns her take care when she passes water so that no one else knows of her sex and identity. Also in the caravan is the eldest of the surviving illegitimate children of the king and therefore a rightful claimant to the throne. They have not travelled long before one of the other youths takes a fancy to the sword given her by Jon Snow. Faced with his challenge she resists his request and beats him badly in their subsequent fight. She is stopped from killing him by the leader who gives her a gently smacking out of sight of the others telling her to cry out in protest and warning her and the others what will happen if they engage in further conflict between themselves. He warns her that half of the company would gladly give her up to the Queen and the other half would rape her first before doing so.
Back in Kings Landing a tournament was held to mark the birthday of the King, but there was to be a poor showing because of the situation. Sanza was expected to play the role of the loving betrothed although her situation had become one of constant torment as she was regularly beaten not just by Joffrey but by his younger brother and his adult companions at his command. She hoped the Queen would also attend because was able to restrain the wilder behaviour of her son. Unfortunately the Queen would not be present having arranged a Council because her father instead of coming to the city to support her was staying away.
When one of the participants worse for drink displeases Joffrey, he is nearly put to death being forced to drink until Sansa intervenes and saves her and the young knight by suggesting he is appointed the King’s fool. She is also supportive of the eight year old overweight brother when he makes a fool of himself trying to be an adult in the lists. This is cue for Tyrion to arrive and surprises Joffrey who believed him dead. Tyrion advises that he has brought his wit as a present for the King and tells Sansa that he is sorry for her loss and she in turn regrets what happened to him when taken by her mother. She has learned quickly to say the right thing although she finds it difficult to control her emotions as well as her words.
Tyrion then has to insist on being allowed into the Council when the news that he has been appoint the Hand by her father and only brought his own men, a few hundred, fills her with dismay and anger. She wanted an army now that Stannis and Renly as well as the Starks had risen again against her son. Tryion is able to convince of his value in acting as a brake upon the wilder actions of Joffrey that she has so far been unable to control. He demands that Sansa remains unharmed as he works out a way to free their brother and he is impressed at almost all the ensures that have been taken to defend the city except for “quickfire” where the quantity created is enough to burn down the city. She demands his allegiance to her and insists that he gets approval from her for everything he plans to do.
Tyrion chooses to reside in the official quarters despite knowing the fate of all those who have held the position in recent times, with the exception of his father. However he has brought with him the young woman, only eighteen years and a professional whore who has shown genuine affection and loyalty towards him. His father had insisted that she was not brought into the court so against her wish to be always with him he promise a home of her own close to him in the city so he can visit he as often as his duties permit. One of the members of the Council, the Eunuch Vaerys is waiting for him at the Inn where he is staying, announcing that eh has come to see the woman for himself thus announcing that hi intelligence service remains as strong as every. Tyrion retaliates by warning that he kills any enemy and he has already shown his serious intent by demanding the heads of those killed be removed from the battlements despite Joffrey ordering that they remain until accompanied by those of Robb Stark, Lord Stannis and Lord Renly.
It was always my belief that the second youngest of the Stark sons Bran, short for Brandon is to play an important role. It is noteworthy that Martin in introducing Bran into his second book explains to the reader that one the boy was so fearless and nimble that he would climb the out walls and spent more time on the roofs of the city than he did in the other pursuits of a son of the a ruler. He is cared for and dependent on his Maester Ser Rodrick Cassels who dismisses his concerns about the dreams and the arrival of the comet.
For explanation Bran turns to Osha a wilding woman taken prisoner and employed in the kitchen but who has a relationship with Bran as well as appearing to know of the ancient powers and ways. She warns that the Comet means blood and fire and nothing sweet and she is also altered that the howling of the dire wolves signals time of change and trouble. The dire wolves play some part in the first volume when the cubs of the mother slain are given as pet guardians to each of the children with that of Sansa killed, that of Ayra Nymeria run off but surely to have an important role in her survival, that of Brandon called Summer, that of the youngest brother called Shaggydog now aged four, that of Jon Snow with him at the Night Watch and called Ghost and that of Robb the Grey Wind.
Osha bring him a potion mixed with honey to make him sleep without the dreams of his being able to run and climb but always ending in tragedy and pain. He is still being called to go beyond the security of the Castle and its grounds. He is certain he has to answer the call or die. The books returns to the situation of Ayra while in the first episode we have also visited the Wall, Robb’s camp where he is accompanied by his mother and across the Narrow Sea to where Daenerys, her young dragons, her adviser and a few of the Dothraki still accompanying her go in search of sanctuary and revenge, across the unforgiving desert.
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