Wednesday 20 June 2012

Clash of Kings ends Tyrion, Sansa and the Lannisters

There is only one of the House of Lannister characters in Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin who I wish well and where the characterisation by the actor in the TV series won awards at the end of the first season bringing to television of the Game of Thrones, Tyrion Lannister, eldest son of Tywin and elder brother of the twins Cersei and Jaime. I begin with him and also Sansa, the eldest daughter of Lord Stark, of Queen Cersei and King Joffrey as their story ends, in terms of the book and second TV series. The story of Catelyn, Robb, Brienne, Jamie and Davos will follow and then of Bran and Ricken and Theon Greyjoy.

From the outset Tyrion showed only an interest in spending his life in the taverns and being entertained by one or more ladies of generous virtue. As a disabled height challenged man often referred to as the Imp, he gained favour with his father and was sent to Kings Landing to represent his father’s role as the King’s Hand leaving Lord Tywin free to concentrate as Commander of the armed forces stopping the approaches of newly crowned Kings Robb, Stannis and Renly with the latter two intent on seizing the Iron Throne of all Seven kingdoms. This is not to say that Tyrion was not without abilities, capable of wielding sword, of analysing situations and working out the likely most effective way of resolving problems and challenges.

He had no confidence in the ability of his sister to manage her wild, irresponsible and volatile son who had been placed on the throne as a means of bring her power. Cersei was not best pleased with the decision of her father and that Tyrion should be  the Hand  especially when Tyrion set about neutering her influence while establishing his own, placing his nominee as head of the city guard while outposting the previous incumbent  to become the eventual head of the Night Watch, imprisoning a member of the Counsel who was acting as a spy for the Queen and deciding that he needed to gain the support of a Lordship and his men by arranging the betrothal of his niece and sending her be raised as a ward by the family in question.

He had also been sceptical about the decision of Cersei to authorise the creation of a vast supply of incendiary devices called Wildfire until seeing what damage they could achieve he had ordered a scheme of training in the use of the weapons and also developed a plan which he kept secret including from the readers! In an attempt to mute his growing power his sister had kidnapped the woman who had become his consort out of love although because he had initially paid for her time he continued to doubt the strength of her relationship with him.

He had no part in the attempt to kill Bran and had managed to escape when captured on behalf of Catelyn, freeing himself by a test of arms. He also paid a visit to the Wall calling in on Winterfell on his return. He was angered by the decision to execute of Lord Stark, taking the pragmatic view that the man would have been useful in bargaining for the life of his younger brother Jaime.

Tyrion has more coverage than other characters in the Clash of Kings and I take up his story again with pages 430 to 442 when he saw off his niece having argued that at least she would safe where she was going having little confidence in his ability to hold off the forces now descending upon the capital.

Tyrion witnessed yet another threat to kill Sansa by Joffrey speculates if his sister is aware of the kind of monster her son has developed into. It was on the return  from seeing his niece set sail that a woman with a child dead from starvation overheard a comment by the Queen to ignore her and led to cry of brotherfucker and into a riot calling out for bread. Sansa had gone missing but was found having been pulled off her hose and injured by things that had been thrown. The daughter of a court lady was not rescued until she had been raped by several dozen men who had quickly become a mob.  It was a fearful warning of what could be in store for them all.

We rejoin Tyrion again on pages 465 to 474. He has decided to send the Queen’s second son away for his protection and the Queen believed correctly that Tyrion had a plan to make the younger boy King in place of Joffrey.

Tyrion has a happy time with his woman and then he is contacted in the night by the Eunuch, the Lord Varys to be given the news that the citadel of Storm End had been taken quickly and that its lord had been killed in mysterious circumstances. Previously we had learned that Davos, Stannis trusted man for special missions had to take the Red Woman to the close to the entrance gate where she had given birth yet again to the devil creature.

Tyrion’s next task is to try and arrange for his woman to made safe much against her wishes and then he muses at the humour of the situation were he alone, ridiculed and dismissed by his family now stands between their defeat and death.

In the chapter 517-524 Tyrion became busy organising the forces available to him to try and thwart and slow up any army advancing on the city. He considered the strength of the City Watch of 6000 most of whom were not fighting men and who had joined because they were provided with bread, ale and safety and he reckoned that the first who threw down his spear in funk would have a thousand follow. He insisted on clearing the space outside the walls, involving the movement of people who he anticipated some would resist as their properties were burned. In addition learning of the fall of Storm End he had heard of the rising of Greyjoy as King of the Islands and the North and considered sending someone to reach agreement on borders and his neutrality.
 
He was pleased but also suspicions when the alchemists claimed to have created far more pots of the quickfire than anticipated and they explained this was because they had recovered skills considered lost which in turn led to questioning over the existence of dragons because it was said that once the dragons were no more so was the art of magic. The news of Daenerys and her dragons is yet to reach them.

He also knew that many in the city had no belief that the Lannisters would triumph and was not surprised when a list of established traitors was brought to him of those who were conspiring to support Stannis. While many were merchants and city traders the name of the armourer was also on the list. They were arrested and condemned.

And during this uncertain and threatening time what of Sansa, the eldest of the Stark daughters (548-556). She had become insufferable when the marriage was first suggested; taking the side of Joffrey, eager to gain his approval, angry at the way Ayra opposed everything her future husband did. She had even supported Joffrey and the Lannisters when they declared her father a traitor and she had urged him and her sister to accept the new Order to protect her betrothal and becoming Queen. She had been made to witness the execution of her father and she was to experience beating given her on the orders of Joffrey who appeared to hate her and yet the betrothal had stood until she was to be used for bargaining to gain the return of Jaime Lannister.

Sansa saw and heard of much burning, by Tyrion in preparation for the defence of the city, and by Stannis before the taking of Storm End. She expressed the wish that the great Sept Building (of the High priest) with its seven crystal towers and marble walls would also burn. Once it had been the most beautiful building in the world to her, but that was before she had witnessed the execution of her father on its steps.

That night as many nights she experienced again the terror of what had happened when the mob had attacked her. This night the situation became worse as she menstruated for the first time and having expected something more magical than messy she had set fire to the bedding and destroyed most of her clothing with the smoke damage. This caused merriment more than concern on the part of Cersei She tried to bring some reality to the girl suggesting that her claim to love Joffrey was unwise as something Stannis would not want to hear. She chided Sansa for wanting to be loved, a disease which her former husband possessed along with Tyrion. She shared a womanly wisdom “Love is poison, a sweet poison, yes, but it will kill you all the same.”

It was Tyrion who broke the news to the reader, or more accurately it was the Lord Varys who gave Tyrion the parchment with the news which he told his sister and us readers that Theon Greyjoy had put to death Bran and Ricken Stark and which in turn put immediately into jeopardy the life of Jaime although at least they still held Sansa, and Catelyn and Robb believed they also had Ayra, wherever she now was, alive or dead. (564-573). He had released some of them loyal to Cersei as a gesture of goodwill. She said she had his whore. She was a hostage   taken because of his plotting against her and plans to put Tommen, the younger of the Cersei’s boys on the Throne. She was opposed to his decision that Joffrey should appear with the troops on the battlement as he was requesting. Tyrion had reassured her that this was for morale and he would be taken away if there was any threat to him or the battle was being lost.

In the next Chapter on Sansa (593-598) Tyrion asks why she is not with Cersei and the high born ladies in the provided refuge from the fighting to come. Sansa has been invited and returning there but first she had been asked by Joffrey to see him off to play his part. Joffrey had asked her to bless his sword with a kiss. With Cersei she sang hymns for protection and for victory as other women would be singing all over the city. Cersei was her usual sarcastic self at the naivety of Sansa and her belief in romantic and wondrous rescues.

It is through the eyes of Davos (599- 611) see 2306 on the role of Catelyn, King Robb, Lord Stannis and his trusted friend(Davos) that we first learn of the sea battle. His counsel had been ignored as usual. He had wanted a few  of the fastest moving ships to have gone ahead and tested out what waited for them down  the river  towards the city fortress before leaving the open sea, rather than the whole fleet charging in to face whatever had been prepared for them. The soldiers the ships carried were hyped up for the battle but he would have preferred caution.  They travelled from the open sea up river using oars not sails to avoid the damage caused by what would be hurled from the battlements as they approached the fortress walls. He did not understand why the river had not been closed to them!

He was convinced of a trap when he could see some ships of the opposition fleet and not their biggest craft. It was also significant that The Red Woman as she was known, the consort of Lord Stannis self styled King Stannis, was not with them. She has been sent home after the men suggested that if she remained the victory would be said to hers and not that of Stannis. Yet she had been instrumental in the death of his brother Lord Renly and the taking over of his forces and with the easy taking of the fortress of Storm End when a siege of months had been anticipated.

It was when the burning pitch and arrows were replaced with Wildfire that Davos began to understand their fate. Although it was only when he realised what was in the barges and other ancient craft that had been floated ahead of the mini fleet of the enemy that he realised the extent to which they had prepared and well laid their trap. Soon the fleet was a blazing inferno and his craft was blown apart under him. He was thrown into the water and commences to swim back from the blaze towards the river mouth. However the river chain had been raised and ships on fire had crashed into it there as now a wall of flame before as well as after him.

Tyrion knew that his plan had worked but they had only won the first part of the battle. Some of the enemy ships had reached the shore and put their men onto the ground. The odds had been ten to one against beforehand and his plan had reduced these to less than half but there was no cause to feel victorious. He had difficulty rousing his men and took it upon himself to lead the defence as the enemy closed in on the city. He urged them to fight for their city and their lives. He did not mention the King, the Queen or himself. He hoped they were following his call but he dared not look behind (612-616).

Sansa had the soup which Cersei provided her and who was getting drunk on wine as news of the battle was relayed to her (617-622). The news was good with over a hundred of the enemy ships ablaze. Cersei also knew the reality of their situation

She explained to Sansa that if circumstances enabled she would surrender and plead for the lives of the women and their children but if otherwise there was rape, torture, mutilation and death awaiting them. She admitted that their birth might protect them as hostages for ransom but after the heat of battle men often had different things on their mind, including revenge for the death of comrades. In such circumstances she had arranged for the trust Ser Illyen who stood by them to put them to death. “Us” appealed Sansa? “Yes” replied he Queen. The Starks will not benefit from the fall of the House of Lannister.

Tyrion found himself in the thick of battle and in his won words became drunk on the slaughter (623-629). We are provided with a vivid description of the battle. Tyrion appears to survive but was sword slashing across his face and loses consciousness.

Sansa overhears the Queen being told that the battle is lost and so it also appears is her brother (630-636). Sansa retreats to her room where she was approached by the hated Hound Sandor Clegaine, of the Kings guard who on Joffrey’s orders has treated her roughly. Now he has something else on his mind. It is not clear from the text what happened  but the next she hears is news that that the City is saved, the battle won as Lord Tywin,  head of the Lannisters had arrived with his men and other supporters  but there was also the allegation that Lord Renly had also appeared and attacked his brother.

As the novel moves to its conclusion Sansa  witnesses the pomp and splendour of the official reception to mark the arrival if Twyin Lannister, Lord of Castlerock, the official Hand to the King at the Court with Joffrey in full regalia and Queen Cersei triumphant. There was also warm greetings for Mace Tyrell and his three sons, Lord of Highgarden who and served the cause so well. For their good service Joffrey offered to meet any request. One son asked to serve in the Kings guard and this was granted. Then the senior brother mentioned that his sister Margery (who we know is 15 years and was married to Lord Renly) says that the marriage was not consummated and asks that the King marries her and unites their two houses (662-669).

Joffrey states he was betrothed to another but the Queen intervened to say it would be wrong to now marry the daughter of a condemned traitor who had admitted his guilt before the people (albeit under threat to save his daughters if he did not).  This greeted with enthusiasm by the court. Joffrey says he has sworn to marry Sansa. The High Septon (priest) then intervenes declares that no spiritual ceremony had taken place moreover the crimes committed by the family also released him from his commitment. There was a great cry of support for the widow of Lord Renly. Joffrey declared that the Gods are good and that he would marry the sister.

This had all been prearranged by Cersei who had warned Sansa to look distraught at the news and to ask what would become of her despite feeling elation inside that she was free of Joffrey and she hoped free to return to her family.  Innumerable others are rewarded including the making of 600 new knights. Back in her quarters Sansa was to learn that the Queen would continue to hold her as a hostage and the Joffrey would also take her as his whore. She had to flee to survive. But she had a friend Ser Dontos offering to help her escape on the night when Joffrey was to wed.

Tyrion survived his wounds (681-688) and found himself being cared for in a place he did not now but later learned it was at the command of his sister who wanted to be kept closely informed of his recovery. He wanted the plaster and bandages removed from his face to see the extent of his injuries despite being warned he risked the recovery and properly healing of the wound. He was cheered to learn that his father had arrived and assumed his appointed role as the Hand. He longed to see his woman but wondered how she would react to his injuries. Thus the book ends but the TV series is different. I have resisted the temptation to see if this is a brought forward endomh from aspects of the next novel.

Tyrion learns that supported by his father he had been stripped of all his official roles and that in addition to suffering further deformity he has become an outcast. He had never trusts the feelings which his woman had shown him, given the circumstances in which they met and her background. When she comes to him an wants to show her devotion and share his banishment he shows her his deformed face. She only shows him her love and perhaps he has gained more than he has ever anticipated.

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