I will begin this second record of my reading of the Clash of Kings, the second volume in the George Martin series of Fire and Ice books after watching the fourth episode of the TV series the Game of Thrones, season two, not from page 54 which concerns Ayra once more but with pages 138-149 on the story of Daenerys Targaryen my favourite of the female characters although Ayra Stark comes a close second.
On seeing the comet Daenerys is convinced it is a sign that her time has come following her emergence from the fire of her husband’s funeral pyre and the hatchings of the dragons from their eggs. Where would she go? Ser Jorah Mormont her adviser now appointed to head her paltry Queensguard was clear, there was only one direction to travel if she was not to be destroyed by those who never accepted her or would now do anything to acquire the three only living dragons in the known world, albeit fledglings without their potential power.
Unlike the TV series the book is explicit on the extent to which the weak in her party commence to die, the old men, the young infants and how everyone suffered from the lack of food and water. She protected the dragons by searing the dead horseflesh and the creatures consumed several times their weight each day, growing in size and strength. The remaining follows retained their belief in her and never questioned her decisions because of what had happened
Just when everyone commenced to fear for their immediate future they came across and empty ruined city but here they found cold water, food and shelter to replenish themselves. Some were hesitant about staying long fearing the place was full of ghosts. It is at this point that the books parts company with the TV series for in the latter they send out riders in each direction to find the best way to go and one returns saying he reached a city on the shore and they had promised a welcome having heard who she is and that she was the mother of dragons. In the book representatives of the city, of the thirteen who governed this city come to Daenerys and ask to see the dragons. In the TV series she approaches the city where all the thirteen wait and demand to see the dragons and when she refuses insisting that her people must enter and be fed and given water first they make as to return and close the gates. One of their numbers dissents and uses his position to act a surety for her and thus she and her party are allowed to enter. My feel us that her story, her role in the series will take time to develop and emerge.
It is therefore to Ayra Stark that I turn next on way to the Wall in secret dressed and shorn to appear a boy (50-59). There is a good description of the state of Kingdom as they travel north and they encounter a posse of Kingsguard on a mission from the Queen to find a boy. The eldest surviving illegitimate son of the late King’s eight known illegitimate offspring brought up as the son of a blacksmith. Ayra who is out of sight thinks they come for her.
The group of thirty orphans, villains and volunteers is led by Yoren the leader of the Crows, those with the power to recruit for the Night Watch. They manage to get the upper hand of the men and send them packing but with the threat that on return they will have the disobedient Night Watch group leader. Ayra has also shows her defiance and lack of fear at the three men who are shackled and caged.
In a second scene (100-108) the position threatened when they narrowly miss encountering remnants of a battle without knowing which side the men are fighting, They are forced to lie low one night with fires, and short of food the water is said to have the taste of rotting bodies upstream. Ayra is confronted by wolves when she needs to relieve herself. She is miserable, dirty and misses her family and home. The third piece (156-167) brings the story up to the end of the fourth episode in the new series. The group of 30 destined for the Night Watch come across a deserted town where nearby they had hoped to find boats to cross the water. Here they shelter against the instinct of Ayra. Before the night is done they are surrounded by a troop of Tyrion‘s men acting for the said true King Joffrey they say and insisting they yield their secure place while the rest of town is burning.
The group resist when the battle appears lost, Yoren presses Ayra to take the other children away but while she endeavours to do this the men enchained plead with her to set them free. She provides them with an axe before getting into the tunnel of escape. However as they felt this was safe from all the death and fire above ground she hears a noise as the tunnel fills with hot smoke and dust so she bends down to the mud which she kisses and cries, trying to hold her breath. Throughout the ordeal her journey north she has clutched the special sword, “needle” given to her by half brother Jon Snow to whom she had become the closest attached during their childhood together.
Jon as I have said elected to becme a member of the Night Watch after his uncle had taken him to the Wall before disappearing believed dead on an expeidition through the tunnel into the wilding country on the other side. Jon had wanted to leave on learning what had happened to his father and other family members but had stayed after saving the life of the leader of the Night Watch and being appointed his squire.
He is anxious about the expedition beyond the wall that will follow a day of fasting which he admits to gently Sam Samwell Tarly, also a Steward appointed such because neither the fighting skills and abilities to become Rangers, and who had disappeared over night having been sent to the Libary to find some maps for places they would be going. The young man had become so absorbed with the treasures that he had lost all sense of time and of his need of food before the journey commenced. Jon who knew of books kept by his father was not impressed failing to appreiate what books have to offer, This was not to be a small expedition but involve three hundred men, with three quarters of them Rangers.
An interesting revelation reflecting the position of those who take the vow of celibacy is that two of their young friends who were “recruited” and trained at The same time, had gone to enjoy the company of professional ladies of the night. Jon resisted sayng that he had taken the vow, of celibacy.
A new party of recruits arrives at the Wall led by another of the Crows, with news of those outside, especially that Robb, his half brother, has been proclaimed King of the North and there is speculation about this on the eventual life which Robb will lead compared to that of Jon his older but illegitimate half brother. Robb who has declared there is no shame in being afraid of what they will confront on the expedition admits to be troubled by this news but he tells the Old Bear as Ser Jeor Mormont is known, the Commander of the Night Watch, I be troubled but “ keep my vows.” (69-78)
(150-155) Jon then comments on his travels with Mormont as they pass from the tunnel to the land beyond the wall and finds that the villages are deserted of the wildings, the people of these lands. Mormont insists that they continue to journey north to find a lake shown on one of the maps where they will camp and perhaps catch fish for their supper. There was a sense of an enemy being out there which Mormont promised to find, or as John thought in silence, “they find us.”
Back at the fortress home of the Starks the second bother, Bran (179-190) is effectively in charge despite his disabilities cause by Jaime Lannister at the instigation of his lover and twin sister Queen Cersei. He is required to entertain Lord Wyman Manderly the second son of the Lord of White Harbour. He had come to argue that with sufficient gold he could build a navy within a year for sufficient size to take Kings Landing and the Dragonstone. He also suggested that they use the Harbour to build a mint so that Robb would have his own coin.
There is much talk about forging alliance to build up the strength of the new Kingdom but Bran is still troubled by the memories of his fall and the nightmares which continue to beset him.
His reluctant care mother, Catelyn who husband had never spoken to him or her about his birth mother. She was proud that her first born now wore a crown, specially made as the original was lost, and he only a boy of fifteen years. Under the guidance of his mother King Robb, Robert Stark, given the name of his father best friend and former King of the Seven Kingdoms, has entrusted one of the prisoners from the House of Frey with a special mission.
We had met Walder Frey senior during the first season when he had allowed Robb and his men to the use the Crossing short cut and agreed to recognise his cause on the understanding that when the fighting was done Robb would marry one of the man‘s daughters from his eight wives. As part of the deal Ayra had been betrothed a nine year old son of his seventh wife and where Olyvar of the Freys had bcome squire to Robb and where a grandson of the fourth wife Big Walder had become a fostered ward to Catelyn while a grand son of his third wife was also fostered and a ward of Lady Catelyn, known as Little Walder. Despite this entwined connection and agreement to support the cause of the Starks against the Lannisters, one of the sons of first the wife, had married the sister of Tywin Lannister, father of Queen Cersei, twin brother Ser Jamie and the new Kings Hand Tyrion and their son Cleos had fought and been captured by Robb along with Queen Cersei’s twin brother Ser Jaime.
It is Cleos who is asked to volunteer to take the terms of a peace to Joffrey at Kings landing accompanied by a retinue of thrity of Robb’s best men. First he is made a knight and then asked to vow that after delivering the message to Queen Cersei he would return remaining a prisoner. In exchange for his two sisters and the ending of the betrothal to Joffrey Robb stated he would release two of the Queens other cousins now in his captivity. He required the remains of his father and those of the men who died with him to be returned together with his father’s sword. There would then be an exchange of prisoners except for Jaime who would be kept until all was resolved to ensure good faith. He would then be released upon the acceptance that he was reognised by them as the King of the North. They would also yield ten high born hostages who would be treated as guests and released two a year to secure the peace.
Having set this action in train Rob suggests that his mother should become his envoy gaining support from the Lords for more men and also to help him decide which of the Frey girls he should marry. Catelyn then heard news that the Lannisters were raising another army and concludes that she needed to try and gain the support of of the former Kings brothers-the Lord Renly and the Lord Stannis (79-89)
Meanwhile back at Kings Landing Tyrion is already fast at work in his appointed role of the King’s hand when he approaches the Master of the City Watch Ser Janos Slynt and explains that the head of the Night Watch expressed concern to Tyrion on his visit that he had no one to succeed him. The Hand had decided that Janos would join the Watch with view to becoming its Commander and that his family would be provided for.
Ser Janos explodes with resentment sayng that the Queen and King Joffrey would not agree. It was Janos who had put Lord Stark to the sword despite Tyrion and father wanting to use the man as a bargaining counter and it was Ser Janos who was responsible for the carrying out of the order to murder the children of the late King including the child of the whore at the brothel run by Lord Petyr Baelish, known as Littlefinger, the Master of the Coin in the house of the Lannisters and who had always coveted Catelyn Stark.
Ser Janos then finds that Tyrion is well prepared for this reaction and has the newly appointed replacement at head of the City Watch, ready to escort Ser Janos an his trusted men to a ship waiting to take them north to the Wall. Tyrion later speculates how Queen Cersei will take the news that has taken command of the City Watch without consulting her.
He is also approached by Lord Varys, the Eunuch, some call Spider because of the web of intrigue surrounding him through his spies and information gatherers as Council member. He is inclined to appear all things to all men but he has his uses on providing some valuable information that in addition to the now murdered baby of the former kings there is another, a son and older. Tyrion also appreciate of some of the advice and thoughts of the Spider, particular that power resides where men believes it resides no more no less. It is a shadow on a wall but Lord Varys adds that a small man can cast a very large shadow (90-100).
It was Grand Maester Pycelle of the Council who brought the news of the letters circulated by Lord Stannis denouncing the King and his mother (168-178) the queen was full of rage which amused Tyrion because what was being said was true. She fumed that she was being accused of being a whore, something which Tyrion points out was not being claimed, he does not say you were paid for bedding your brother he wickedly fanned the flames. Nor could he see any point in burning all the letters as the claims were now already generally known throughout the Seven Kingdoms.
The queen now wanted the Council to issue an edict that anyone heard repeating the claims would have his tongue removed. Tyrion successfully argues that this would only give credence to the talk and suggests a different approach with the counter accusation that the daughter of Stannis comes from a union between his wife and the court fool. Later at his residence Lord Varys explains that the real problem is that the three children of the Queen are faired headed while the known eight illegitimate children of the King were all dark haired thus giving credence to the charges against the Queen and the illegitimacy of Joffrey. Something which was still being kept from him.
Tyrion (192-204) is holding a kind of court hearing petitions delivers personally deciding who to see and who not, revealing a mixture of common sense thoughtful diplomacy and personal prejudices which could quickly appear to have been counter productive as when a visitor from the Wall is held in virtual captivity because Tyrion disliked the man on his visit without first learning why the man come all this way with a decaying hand in a jar.
He encounters the Queen who is on her way inspecting he defences at the gates and again calls on Tyrion to call on their father to bring his army to defend the city, because of the news that Lord Renly with the power of Storm End and Highgarden is approaching the city with allegedly one hundred thousand men. Tyrion is sceptical about the numbers and the immediate intentions of Renly who he believes is playing a waiting game in the hope that either Robb will defeat the South which will be handed over without shedding the blood of Renly’s men or they will be so weakened throught the protracted conflict that Renly will be able to Kings Landing with the minimum of casualties on his side. He is more concerned that he other brother Stannis would take to his ships they would be sandwiched between the sea and the advancing Renly.
He then confers with Lord Baelish and we learn something of how the man rose to power and his ongoing skill in making money for himself, making appointments which secure his position and avoiding offending anyone who might threaten his situation. To him Tyrion discloses his plan to but the neutrality of the wife of the previous Hand to the former King by betrothing his niece to her son and giving the girl to the woman in the meantime has her ward. Baelish speculates on the reaction of the Queen to this.
The action then moves to the Kingdom of Dragonstone and the influence of the woman Melisandre over the Lord Stannis who would be King not just of the South but all the Seven Kingdoms. The story is viewed through the eyes of the former smuggler Davos now given the place of Maester Cressen who had sacrificed his life in the hope of
ending that of Melisandre and her influence over Lord Stannis. It was she responsible for the burning of alleged enemies as a form of sacrifice to gain support for the cause. It was she who had arrange the theatrical seizing of a flaming sword from one of the fires by Stannis who had had been protected in advance by a padded gauntlet so as to be proclaim that he would fulfil an ancient prophecy that there would come one who would draw a sword from fire who would be the Warrior of Light, the son of fire, the Light bringer, once more to rule and bring his people to their proper place.
It Davos when arranging the ships that news comes that the brother of Stannis, Renly is aso taking to the road in his own cause accompanied by his wife. (I08 -120)
It is not clear how important and what role Theon is to play (121-137) of the House of Greyjoy and who at the age of ten years had been surrendered by his father to Robert Baratheon and given to be a ward of Robert Stark brought up alongside his brothers. He an envoy of Robb to gave to his father a parchment seeking his assistance in the war against Joffrey and the South. He is not a nice man having seduced the captain’s daughter, a maiden, on the voyage and then abandoned her as soon as his homeland shore is sighted.
The TV series introduced one change from the book in that at the he is offered assistance by one who he assumes is a local girl and therefore open to his sexual advances only to discover this is older sister on arrival at the castle keep. In fact in the book he is greeted by another relative aware of his arrival and visit purpose as is his father. His father ridicules the dress and ornaments of his son and then burns the parchment saying he has no intention of siding with the family of those that killed his two brothers. He has plans of his own which will lead him to being king again but for the moment he refuses to disclose to his the son why he has gathered his ships in the bay.
On seeing the comet Daenerys is convinced it is a sign that her time has come following her emergence from the fire of her husband’s funeral pyre and the hatchings of the dragons from their eggs. Where would she go? Ser Jorah Mormont her adviser now appointed to head her paltry Queensguard was clear, there was only one direction to travel if she was not to be destroyed by those who never accepted her or would now do anything to acquire the three only living dragons in the known world, albeit fledglings without their potential power.
Unlike the TV series the book is explicit on the extent to which the weak in her party commence to die, the old men, the young infants and how everyone suffered from the lack of food and water. She protected the dragons by searing the dead horseflesh and the creatures consumed several times their weight each day, growing in size and strength. The remaining follows retained their belief in her and never questioned her decisions because of what had happened
Just when everyone commenced to fear for their immediate future they came across and empty ruined city but here they found cold water, food and shelter to replenish themselves. Some were hesitant about staying long fearing the place was full of ghosts. It is at this point that the books parts company with the TV series for in the latter they send out riders in each direction to find the best way to go and one returns saying he reached a city on the shore and they had promised a welcome having heard who she is and that she was the mother of dragons. In the book representatives of the city, of the thirteen who governed this city come to Daenerys and ask to see the dragons. In the TV series she approaches the city where all the thirteen wait and demand to see the dragons and when she refuses insisting that her people must enter and be fed and given water first they make as to return and close the gates. One of their numbers dissents and uses his position to act a surety for her and thus she and her party are allowed to enter. My feel us that her story, her role in the series will take time to develop and emerge.
It is therefore to Ayra Stark that I turn next on way to the Wall in secret dressed and shorn to appear a boy (50-59). There is a good description of the state of Kingdom as they travel north and they encounter a posse of Kingsguard on a mission from the Queen to find a boy. The eldest surviving illegitimate son of the late King’s eight known illegitimate offspring brought up as the son of a blacksmith. Ayra who is out of sight thinks they come for her.
The group of thirty orphans, villains and volunteers is led by Yoren the leader of the Crows, those with the power to recruit for the Night Watch. They manage to get the upper hand of the men and send them packing but with the threat that on return they will have the disobedient Night Watch group leader. Ayra has also shows her defiance and lack of fear at the three men who are shackled and caged.
In a second scene (100-108) the position threatened when they narrowly miss encountering remnants of a battle without knowing which side the men are fighting, They are forced to lie low one night with fires, and short of food the water is said to have the taste of rotting bodies upstream. Ayra is confronted by wolves when she needs to relieve herself. She is miserable, dirty and misses her family and home. The third piece (156-167) brings the story up to the end of the fourth episode in the new series. The group of 30 destined for the Night Watch come across a deserted town where nearby they had hoped to find boats to cross the water. Here they shelter against the instinct of Ayra. Before the night is done they are surrounded by a troop of Tyrion‘s men acting for the said true King Joffrey they say and insisting they yield their secure place while the rest of town is burning.
The group resist when the battle appears lost, Yoren presses Ayra to take the other children away but while she endeavours to do this the men enchained plead with her to set them free. She provides them with an axe before getting into the tunnel of escape. However as they felt this was safe from all the death and fire above ground she hears a noise as the tunnel fills with hot smoke and dust so she bends down to the mud which she kisses and cries, trying to hold her breath. Throughout the ordeal her journey north she has clutched the special sword, “needle” given to her by half brother Jon Snow to whom she had become the closest attached during their childhood together.
Jon as I have said elected to becme a member of the Night Watch after his uncle had taken him to the Wall before disappearing believed dead on an expeidition through the tunnel into the wilding country on the other side. Jon had wanted to leave on learning what had happened to his father and other family members but had stayed after saving the life of the leader of the Night Watch and being appointed his squire.
He is anxious about the expedition beyond the wall that will follow a day of fasting which he admits to gently Sam Samwell Tarly, also a Steward appointed such because neither the fighting skills and abilities to become Rangers, and who had disappeared over night having been sent to the Libary to find some maps for places they would be going. The young man had become so absorbed with the treasures that he had lost all sense of time and of his need of food before the journey commenced. Jon who knew of books kept by his father was not impressed failing to appreiate what books have to offer, This was not to be a small expedition but involve three hundred men, with three quarters of them Rangers.
An interesting revelation reflecting the position of those who take the vow of celibacy is that two of their young friends who were “recruited” and trained at The same time, had gone to enjoy the company of professional ladies of the night. Jon resisted sayng that he had taken the vow, of celibacy.
A new party of recruits arrives at the Wall led by another of the Crows, with news of those outside, especially that Robb, his half brother, has been proclaimed King of the North and there is speculation about this on the eventual life which Robb will lead compared to that of Jon his older but illegitimate half brother. Robb who has declared there is no shame in being afraid of what they will confront on the expedition admits to be troubled by this news but he tells the Old Bear as Ser Jeor Mormont is known, the Commander of the Night Watch, I be troubled but “ keep my vows.” (69-78)
(150-155) Jon then comments on his travels with Mormont as they pass from the tunnel to the land beyond the wall and finds that the villages are deserted of the wildings, the people of these lands. Mormont insists that they continue to journey north to find a lake shown on one of the maps where they will camp and perhaps catch fish for their supper. There was a sense of an enemy being out there which Mormont promised to find, or as John thought in silence, “they find us.”
Back at the fortress home of the Starks the second bother, Bran (179-190) is effectively in charge despite his disabilities cause by Jaime Lannister at the instigation of his lover and twin sister Queen Cersei. He is required to entertain Lord Wyman Manderly the second son of the Lord of White Harbour. He had come to argue that with sufficient gold he could build a navy within a year for sufficient size to take Kings Landing and the Dragonstone. He also suggested that they use the Harbour to build a mint so that Robb would have his own coin.
There is much talk about forging alliance to build up the strength of the new Kingdom but Bran is still troubled by the memories of his fall and the nightmares which continue to beset him.
His reluctant care mother, Catelyn who husband had never spoken to him or her about his birth mother. She was proud that her first born now wore a crown, specially made as the original was lost, and he only a boy of fifteen years. Under the guidance of his mother King Robb, Robert Stark, given the name of his father best friend and former King of the Seven Kingdoms, has entrusted one of the prisoners from the House of Frey with a special mission.
We had met Walder Frey senior during the first season when he had allowed Robb and his men to the use the Crossing short cut and agreed to recognise his cause on the understanding that when the fighting was done Robb would marry one of the man‘s daughters from his eight wives. As part of the deal Ayra had been betrothed a nine year old son of his seventh wife and where Olyvar of the Freys had bcome squire to Robb and where a grandson of the fourth wife Big Walder had become a fostered ward to Catelyn while a grand son of his third wife was also fostered and a ward of Lady Catelyn, known as Little Walder. Despite this entwined connection and agreement to support the cause of the Starks against the Lannisters, one of the sons of first the wife, had married the sister of Tywin Lannister, father of Queen Cersei, twin brother Ser Jamie and the new Kings Hand Tyrion and their son Cleos had fought and been captured by Robb along with Queen Cersei’s twin brother Ser Jaime.
It is Cleos who is asked to volunteer to take the terms of a peace to Joffrey at Kings landing accompanied by a retinue of thrity of Robb’s best men. First he is made a knight and then asked to vow that after delivering the message to Queen Cersei he would return remaining a prisoner. In exchange for his two sisters and the ending of the betrothal to Joffrey Robb stated he would release two of the Queens other cousins now in his captivity. He required the remains of his father and those of the men who died with him to be returned together with his father’s sword. There would then be an exchange of prisoners except for Jaime who would be kept until all was resolved to ensure good faith. He would then be released upon the acceptance that he was reognised by them as the King of the North. They would also yield ten high born hostages who would be treated as guests and released two a year to secure the peace.
Having set this action in train Rob suggests that his mother should become his envoy gaining support from the Lords for more men and also to help him decide which of the Frey girls he should marry. Catelyn then heard news that the Lannisters were raising another army and concludes that she needed to try and gain the support of of the former Kings brothers-the Lord Renly and the Lord Stannis (79-89)
Meanwhile back at Kings Landing Tyrion is already fast at work in his appointed role of the King’s hand when he approaches the Master of the City Watch Ser Janos Slynt and explains that the head of the Night Watch expressed concern to Tyrion on his visit that he had no one to succeed him. The Hand had decided that Janos would join the Watch with view to becoming its Commander and that his family would be provided for.
Ser Janos explodes with resentment sayng that the Queen and King Joffrey would not agree. It was Janos who had put Lord Stark to the sword despite Tyrion and father wanting to use the man as a bargaining counter and it was Ser Janos who was responsible for the carrying out of the order to murder the children of the late King including the child of the whore at the brothel run by Lord Petyr Baelish, known as Littlefinger, the Master of the Coin in the house of the Lannisters and who had always coveted Catelyn Stark.
Ser Janos then finds that Tyrion is well prepared for this reaction and has the newly appointed replacement at head of the City Watch, ready to escort Ser Janos an his trusted men to a ship waiting to take them north to the Wall. Tyrion later speculates how Queen Cersei will take the news that has taken command of the City Watch without consulting her.
He is also approached by Lord Varys, the Eunuch, some call Spider because of the web of intrigue surrounding him through his spies and information gatherers as Council member. He is inclined to appear all things to all men but he has his uses on providing some valuable information that in addition to the now murdered baby of the former kings there is another, a son and older. Tyrion also appreciate of some of the advice and thoughts of the Spider, particular that power resides where men believes it resides no more no less. It is a shadow on a wall but Lord Varys adds that a small man can cast a very large shadow (90-100).
It was Grand Maester Pycelle of the Council who brought the news of the letters circulated by Lord Stannis denouncing the King and his mother (168-178) the queen was full of rage which amused Tyrion because what was being said was true. She fumed that she was being accused of being a whore, something which Tyrion points out was not being claimed, he does not say you were paid for bedding your brother he wickedly fanned the flames. Nor could he see any point in burning all the letters as the claims were now already generally known throughout the Seven Kingdoms.
The queen now wanted the Council to issue an edict that anyone heard repeating the claims would have his tongue removed. Tyrion successfully argues that this would only give credence to the talk and suggests a different approach with the counter accusation that the daughter of Stannis comes from a union between his wife and the court fool. Later at his residence Lord Varys explains that the real problem is that the three children of the Queen are faired headed while the known eight illegitimate children of the King were all dark haired thus giving credence to the charges against the Queen and the illegitimacy of Joffrey. Something which was still being kept from him.
Tyrion (192-204) is holding a kind of court hearing petitions delivers personally deciding who to see and who not, revealing a mixture of common sense thoughtful diplomacy and personal prejudices which could quickly appear to have been counter productive as when a visitor from the Wall is held in virtual captivity because Tyrion disliked the man on his visit without first learning why the man come all this way with a decaying hand in a jar.
He encounters the Queen who is on her way inspecting he defences at the gates and again calls on Tyrion to call on their father to bring his army to defend the city, because of the news that Lord Renly with the power of Storm End and Highgarden is approaching the city with allegedly one hundred thousand men. Tyrion is sceptical about the numbers and the immediate intentions of Renly who he believes is playing a waiting game in the hope that either Robb will defeat the South which will be handed over without shedding the blood of Renly’s men or they will be so weakened throught the protracted conflict that Renly will be able to Kings Landing with the minimum of casualties on his side. He is more concerned that he other brother Stannis would take to his ships they would be sandwiched between the sea and the advancing Renly.
He then confers with Lord Baelish and we learn something of how the man rose to power and his ongoing skill in making money for himself, making appointments which secure his position and avoiding offending anyone who might threaten his situation. To him Tyrion discloses his plan to but the neutrality of the wife of the previous Hand to the former King by betrothing his niece to her son and giving the girl to the woman in the meantime has her ward. Baelish speculates on the reaction of the Queen to this.
The action then moves to the Kingdom of Dragonstone and the influence of the woman Melisandre over the Lord Stannis who would be King not just of the South but all the Seven Kingdoms. The story is viewed through the eyes of the former smuggler Davos now given the place of Maester Cressen who had sacrificed his life in the hope of
ending that of Melisandre and her influence over Lord Stannis. It was she responsible for the burning of alleged enemies as a form of sacrifice to gain support for the cause. It was she who had arrange the theatrical seizing of a flaming sword from one of the fires by Stannis who had had been protected in advance by a padded gauntlet so as to be proclaim that he would fulfil an ancient prophecy that there would come one who would draw a sword from fire who would be the Warrior of Light, the son of fire, the Light bringer, once more to rule and bring his people to their proper place.
It Davos when arranging the ships that news comes that the brother of Stannis, Renly is aso taking to the road in his own cause accompanied by his wife. (I08 -120)
It is not clear how important and what role Theon is to play (121-137) of the House of Greyjoy and who at the age of ten years had been surrendered by his father to Robert Baratheon and given to be a ward of Robert Stark brought up alongside his brothers. He an envoy of Robb to gave to his father a parchment seeking his assistance in the war against Joffrey and the South. He is not a nice man having seduced the captain’s daughter, a maiden, on the voyage and then abandoned her as soon as his homeland shore is sighted.
The TV series introduced one change from the book in that at the he is offered assistance by one who he assumes is a local girl and therefore open to his sexual advances only to discover this is older sister on arrival at the castle keep. In fact in the book he is greeted by another relative aware of his arrival and visit purpose as is his father. His father ridicules the dress and ornaments of his son and then burns the parchment saying he has no intention of siding with the family of those that killed his two brothers. He has plans of his own which will lead him to being king again but for the moment he refuses to disclose to his the son why he has gathered his ships in the bay.
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