eddard pg 305

In this chapter, Ned is at the tournament for the hand. It is the second day of the tournament, and the day before a young boy had died. Ned took his death hard. Ned convinces Robert not to fight in the tournament. The reader gets to see the relationship between Robert and Ned, realizing how close they could be. There is a brutal fight between the Hound and his brother. The hound is the victor of the lance part of the tourney. When Ned makes it back to his room he gets a visitor. The visitor is Varys and he has a lot more information.

I always love Ned's chapters. I feel like I get the most of the scoop when I read his chapters. I love to see how compassionate Ned's character is. He is also very quick. "Slain by a Lannister bannerman before Ned could even speak to him; could that be happenstance? He supposed he would never know." Later in the chapter we find out from Varys that the young squire was a big part of Jon Arryn's death before he was knighted. He was in fact killed before Ned could have spoke to him for a reason. We get to see a comical view of Robert and realize how bored he is in his position and how he misses his thrills. He also releases some intimate information about his relationship with Cersei and how he regards his son. Robert says he has dreamed of giving up the throne but the thing that stops him is..."The thought of Joffrey on the throne..." After this they continue to breakfast and then to finish the rest of the tournament. The entire tournament through Ned and Sansa's point of view reminded me of the movie Knights Tale. Especially when they tell Robert that no one would fight him they would let him win. Reminded me of the prince that wanted to joust but everyone would forfeit. The is a sticky situation with Sandor Clegane and the Knight of Flowers. Sandor's temperament is exposed. I had seen the Hound as such an evil character until this chapter. Once all was finished the conversation with Varys and Ned was the most important part to me. We find out that some of the people we like are not trustable and we find out the Lannisters wanted Robert to fight so they could kill him. Varys thinks that Ned is really tho only friend of Robert's. Another attempt for Robert's life is imminent but they do not have any hard evidence to put before the king. At the very end of the chapter we realize that the boy that died in the tournament had to be the one that poisoned Jon Arryn, and he used Tears of Lys to do so. Now he was slain to keep the secret hidden.