Onward
So I've read through the part where Ned gets waylaid by Jaime Lannister and company. This came as quite a shock to me, for its suddenness. Just like that, this war which had gone from cold to warm has become suddenly very hot. Ned is now in a very vulnerable situation. Jaime is striking back in response to the taking of Tyrion, but questions remain about Littlefinger. He helped Ned find the young woman who was the mother of one of the king's latest offspring, but why is he doing this? As you know, I'm operating under the assumption that Littlefinger is up to no good at all.
Meanwhile, Catelyn's spine-tingling climb to the mountain retreat of her sister, whom she discovers to be verifiably insane, leaves her in quite a spot also. Man, talk about cliff-hangers!
"No longer a game for two players . . ."
I've reached Arya's chapter--the one that begins with Arya chasing cats, continues with her following a sinister duo through (it would seem) the bowels of the earth, and finally with Eddard's frustrating dismissal of her story even as the Black Brother, Yoren, brings news of Catelyn's apprehension of Tyrion Lannister.
Wow. First of all, note how similar this chapter is to that which described Bran's climbing about the rooftops of Winterfell. It's like an inverted image. Bran climbed to the very heights of Winterfell, while Arya winds up descending to the very depths of the Red Keep--and both of them overhear a stunning secret.
I'd been expecting for some time for the Daenerys thread to begin to be woven into the Stark/Lannister tapestry, and so here we have the return of Illyrio, last seen arranging the marriage of Daenerys to Khal Drogo, conducting a sinister conversation with the Spider (at least that's who I think it is). Sure, it doesn't look like Varys, but then we have already seen that he is a master of disguise (see p.319).
As I had surmised, the Dothraki seem be involved in formenting chaos. So Varys, it seems, is not on the side of the Lannisters, but of the old Targaryen dynasty. From this secret conversation we are more certain than ever that the Lannister's tried to kill Bran (of course), but still not sure why they would lay the deed at Tyrion's door. And here's the money-quote:
"... the gods only know what game Littlefinger is playing. Yet Lord Stark's the one that troubles my sleep. He has the bastard, he has the book, and soon enough he'll have the truth. And now his wife has abducted Tyrion Lannister, thanks to Littlefinger's meddling."
So it looks like Jaime and Cersei Lannister tried to have Bran killed, and Littlefinger must certainly have been in on the plot since he "meddled" by having Tyrion's knife be the weapon of choice, thus laying the blame, if the assassin were to be caught, at Tyrion's door. Littlefinger, it seems, has his own private motivation, as yet unknown. So we have the Lannisters plotting the downfall of Robert, and the Dothraki intent on taking advantage of the situation.
Questions: what is "the truth" that these two are afraid Eddard will soon find out? What's in the book that Arya finds her father pouring over? Why would Varys (if it
is Varys), who earlier had urged Eddard on in his search for the truth about Jon Arryn's death, now seem to be concerned that Eddard knows too much? Is Varys playing all sides at once, so that no matter who winds up winning "the game of thrones," he will still have his place of power at the side of the king?
Looking For Puzzle Pieces
The chapter from Arya's POV, where she goes down into the depths of the Red Keep, kept me poring over pages and glancing back through the book for, well, a while. I am puzzled about who the "torch-bearer" was. It seems from his mention of "birds" that it was Varys, which is also supported by the fact that Varys is one of the few people the torch-bearer doesn't mention in the third person. But he has a beard, and he's wearing armor. And there's a scar on his face. None of these three things fit the profile of the powdery, hairless, lilac-smelling Varys we've come to know and hate. Perhaps someone in the pay of Varys, high up in his ranks of eyes and ears? I can't help feeling I'm missing something obvious. The other, the foreigner, seems to be Magister Illyrio, which explains where the King's intel about Viserys and Daenerys comes from. It wouldn't surprise me that these two creeps(Varys and Illyrio) were in cahoots.
I had never considered that Varys was loyal to the Targaryen House. It does seem strange that he would sympathize with Ned's search for John Arryn's killer. Anyway, judging by the way he spoke to Illyrio in the bowels of the Red Keep, it seems he didn't have a hand in John Arryn's death(if it is truly Varys that Arya overheard) or in Bran's attempted murder. And for his talk in the private encounter with Ned, he has no love for the Lannisters. Littlefinger seems sort of the same, although the torch-bearer says "the gods only know what game Littlefiner is playing." But now he also seems(in Eddards chapter following Arya's) to be willing to help Ned find this "truth" that Ned is so close to. So is he loyal to the crown, is he his own man, or is he simply another Lannister hater(sort of a"anyone-but-the-Yankees" style)?
On the other hand, we have some more info about Stannis now. It seems he knows at least part of what John Arryn knew, which makes him a threat to the Lannisters. And he and Loras Tyrell want a new queen. Could this thing that Lord Arryn knew pose a "legal" threat to the legitimacy of the Lannisters influence over the throne? And what's with Renly's picture of the Tyrell lady(is this correct? I don't have the book in front of me) who he thinks is the spitting image of Lyanna Stark? Could this be some kind of clue, or am I chasing a red herring?
Curiouser and Curiouser
Littlefinger and Varys have both visited Eddard Stark on the sly, dropped a few hints as if to spur him on and yet revealing very little in the way of real evidence. Are both of them playing Stark for a fool? I would not be surprised if there was more "cahoots" between these two than appears. I can't help thinking Eddard is walking right into a trap.
There are so many touches in Martin's writing that convey a sense of reality, a sense of his being right at home in this strange world. Take the routine and very human way people curse ("seven hells"), or the sights and sounds of the Tournament. Oh, and just as I was getting to like Tyrion, he manages to find time--while in the midst of battling a horde of bloodthirty bandits on horseback--to crush the fingers of a yound man who is struggling under the weight of a fallen horse. Man, that's hard!
On the other hand, Tyrion's defense to Catelyn seems convincing. Yes, he is not so foolish as to send a half-wit stablehand with his own easily-identifiable knife to kill Bran, and he's also probably quite right in avowing that as a Lannister he would never have bet against his own family in the tournament.
Here's a crazy conjecture. Littlefinger wanted to provoke all this, or perhaps Littlefinger and Varys both. He wants to stoke the already overheated enmity between the Starks and the Lannisters in order to create a state of civil war in the realm. Why? Well, maybe he's in the pay of a Dothraki horselords. That would provide the point of contact with the whole Daenerys story-line. And perhaps he thinks that, when it all shakes out, he'll wind up with Catelyn in the bargain. Just a thought . . .
More Questions
I like your list of questions, Nate. My big question is, how will the Daenerys story intersect with the whole Stark/Lannister conflict? It seems so distant just now, but perhaps there are already unseen connections. Hmmmm.
I don't think I want to speculate overmuch about John Arryn just yet. You may be right that Catelyn has made a big mistake in having Tyrion arrested, but then you see she had been spotted, and by the very man who, as she believes, was responsible for the attempt on Bran's life. Given that fact, and the fact that all she had for a guard was one elderly knight, she might have feared for her own life if she did not act first. So perhaps she thought it was her only possible gambit.
Another intriguing question: what of Jon? The way this story seems to be setting up, Jon is looking more and more like a hero in the making. He has leadership skills, the respect of his mates, great intelligence, and a core of decency. He also has powerful enemies. How will his story, which right now seems somewhat marginal to the main action, come to play a central role in the unfolding events? Because I have no doubt that it will.
Cersei/Jaime seem like the obvious culprits in the attempt on Bran's life, but that answer may be too pat, too obvious.
Like Ned, I don't trust Littlefinger one bit. I think we're going to find out much more about him. Remember that he seems to be a sort of treasurer for the crown, and remember also that much has been made about the crown's lack of funds. Are moneys being diverted secretly? Hmmm.
And isn't this the kind of book that makes you go, hmmmm. By the way, Ned hasn't exactly been secretive about his investigations. The same people who knew that John Arryn had found Robert's bastard son will undoubtedly know that Ned has done so as well. I expect nothing but BAD for Ned in the not too distant future.
What a bastard!
Here is my newest food for speculation: Ned's discovery at the armorer.
The question of course, is voiced by Ned at the end of the chapter: Why was Jon Arryn so interested in a King's bastard, and why did it get him killed? (paraphrase)
Here's my immediate gut reaction: As it stands Cersei and Robert's son Joffrey will inherit the throne, edging the Lannisters closer to supremacy in the realm. Jon Arryn, an honest and strong leader, plots to prevent this from happening by ferreting out Robert's illegitimate children in the hopes of fenagling the throne for one of them. Cersei learned of the plan through "eyes and ears," and poisoned Lord Arryn to keep Joffrey as the only contender. The catch of course, is how can Joffrey's claim be challenged as Robert's firstborn legitimate son? Unless Arryn planned on an "accident" for the boy, but that would probably put Robert's brother Stannis in power, rather than a bastard son. Or perhaps there's some loophole where the oldest son, legitimate or not, has some credible claim to the king's inheritance(doubtful given the realm's view of bastards). Or maybe Arryn, willing to risk war, believed he could raise considerable support among the houses for this blacksmith's apprentice, against the likes of Cersei Lannister's bloodline. Ok, so there's lots of holes in this theory.
On another note, I think Catelyn has just made a grave mistake in the common room of Masha Heddle's inn. I'll say no more for the moment...
I think it would be neat to come up with a list of burning questions that we would like answered(concerning plot and intrigue). A couple of them burn very brightly at the moment:
1. Who commanded Bran's attempted murder? (my current view is that it was Cersei/Jaime in an attempt to silence him)
2. Who killed Jon Arryn and why? (my current view is expressed above)
3. Is Benjen Stark dead? (I'll go with 'yes' until proven otherwise. Or rather, dead as we know him!)
4. What exactly are Tyrion's motives?
Speculation
Interesting that, though we (Nate and I) don't really think Tyrion was part of the attempt on Bran's life, and we therefore think that whoever was involved hoped to frame him with the murder, still, Tyrion is not entirely above suspicion. I have just finished Bran's chapter, wherein Tyrion brings the present of a saddle-design that will help Bran ride a horse. Is it truly a gift offered purely out of friendship with Jon, as he claims, or does tyrion harbor a secret motive? Perhaps Tyrion just wanted to find out how much Bran actually remembered of his "fall"? Question: Is Tyrion ultimately a loyal Lannister, serving Jaime's interests above all else?
The other great thing about this chapter is Old Nan, and her story of the Others, and of "the children of the forest." Hmmm, sort of Elven folk, it seems. Long dead, everyone believes, exccept that in fact no one really knows, do they? We have seen that the Others are certainly real, after all. What about "the children?"
Finally, think about Benjen Stark. Has he become an Other? That would be dreadful indeed, since he seems to be one of the more upright adults in the whole story. We haven't seen the last of him, clearly, or Martin wouldn't keep bringing him up. When Benjen reappears on the scene, will we be glad, or horrified?
[Completed: 249 pages]
More on Tyrion
Interesting to me that Tyrion is Martin's favorite character (so says
Laura), because I've been thinking that Tyrion IS Martin. Know what I mean? You've seen the pictures of Martin on his website, no doubt. Rather an impish looking fellow, wouldn't you say? Sure, he's not a dwarf (I'm guessing) and not so cruel I'm sure as Tyrion can be at times, but as an author Martin is a bit cold-blooded himself, I'm thinking. When he's writing through Tyrion he seems most at home. When Tyrion is eating with the officer's of the Black Watch, making sarcastic remarks at the old and preposterously stuffy soldiers, don't you think Martin is just right at home in that voice? I do.
Tyrion, again
Can I just say how much I love the character of Tyrion? No, not his integrity of character, although he' s not the worst we've encountered. But his personality, his biting wit, and his whole approach to life given his deformity. He's not my most admired character in terms of goodness, but he's one of my favorites anyway. I think he could swing either way at this point: into evil or selfish intrigue, or possibly heroism. I think it depends on the situation he is in, and who else is involved. After the chapter where he and Jon meet on top of the Wall, and their friendship is very interesting to me. I find myself hoping something comes of it. And hoping that he did not hire Bran's would-be murderer.
Who done it?
Good to have you back, Dude! Three cheers for dumb library computers! Yeah, I really can't believe Tyrion is a part of this. Not this I don't think he's entirely capable of such perfidy. His response to the news that Bran was alive seems a little shady, but as one of our commenters implied, Tyrion is simply too intelligent to place his own quite unique and identifiable knife in the hands of the assassin.
I'll tell you who I suspect. This is just a hunch, but I suspect Littlefinger. He's only just come into the story, yes, but I suspect he is in on a rather complicated scheme here. Just a hunch . . .
The Others Did Not Get Me
Okay, I have returned, after a long harrying trip below the Neck, running from Lannister thugs.
I am at the point where Robert has just reunited in secret with Catelyn in King's Landing, and they are discussing the likelihood of proving that Cersei Lannister killed John Arryn, and that she or Tyrion tried to have Bran murdered. My question is how much does Robert know...is he aware of the plot but feels his hands are tied, even from helping his friend Ned, or is he completely oblivious? I have a hard time believing he was actively involved a plot to kill either. Arryn was his good friend, and he had no reason to kill Bran. I could believe that he's aware, and just weakly compliant with his wife's evil schemes. The gods know his motives are sold out to drinking and debauchery much more than running a kingdom with integrity.
But I can't decide whether Jaime/Cersei or Tyrion, or both tried to have Bran killed. Tyrion seems to have no real motive, whereas the queen and her brother have every motive. But it was the imp's knife. A framing...?
My time is running out on this dumb library computer!
Nate
