A Clash of Kings-Chapter 32

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Sansa III
A Clash of Kings chapter
AClashOfKings.jpg
POV Sansa
Place King's Landing
Page 355 UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Sansa II
Catelyn III  ← Sansa III →  Catelyn IV

Sansa IV

Synopsis

Sansa is escorted by the Hound before Joffrey, who berates her for her brother’s actions. The king has just learned that Robb’s men, and supposedly an army of wargs, fell upon Ser Stafford Lannister’s new army not three days ride from Lannisport, routing the army and killing Ser Stafford. Joffrey threatens to shoot her with his crossbow, but was told by his mother that if he kills her, they’ll kill his uncle Jaime in retaliation. But Joffrey will have her punished, and commands the Hound to beat her.

Ser Dontos tries to prevent this by beating her with a melon, but Joffrey is not amused. He has Ser Boros and Ser Meryn beat her severely, and even when Sandor yells "Enough", Joffrey has them tear her clothes off down to the waist. However before they can strip her naked, Tyrion Lannister arrives, accompanied by Bronn and Timett, and intervenes, his voice cracking like a whip, "What is the meaning of this?" Tyrion mocks Ser Boros for his notion of chivalry, and when Blount and Trant begin to draw their swords, Bronn makes a dry threat to kill them, warning them to be careful not to get blood on their white cloaks.

The Hound throws Sansa his cloak to cover up her nakedness at Tyrion's command. Tyrion berates his nephew for his actions; when Joffrey retorts that as King he can do as he pleases, Tyrion reminds him what happened to the last king who thought the same. When Ser Boros warns him not to threaten the king, Tyrion replies, "I am not threatening the King, ser, I am educating my nephew. Bronn, Timett, the next time Ser Boros opens his mouth, kill him. Now that was a threat, ser."

Tyrion continues to berate Joffrey, telling him brutality to his subjects will lead to his undoing. Tyrion and his men take Sansa to the Tower of the Hand.

After she has been given time to recover from Joffrey's treatment, Tyrion speaks with Sansa and details the truth of her brother's actions at Oxcross, how his direwolf caused the horses to panic and how his men took the Lannister army completely by surprise and killed Ser Stafford, Ser Rupert Brax, Ser Lymond Vikary, Lord Roland Crakehall and Lord Antario Jast in the chaos. When Sansa asks about the wargs and sorcery, Tyrion snorts, "Sorcery is the sauce fools spoon over failure to hide the flavor of their own incompetence", believing it more likely that the presence of Robb's direwolf has been exaggerated, compounded by his uncle Stafford's stupidity in having not posted sentries to give warning.

Tyrion offers that if it is any solace, he does not intend for her to wed Joffrey, realizing that nothing can ever reconcile Stark and Lannister, musing that it is a great pity as the marriage was one of Robert's better ideas. Sansa is hopeful that Tyrion means what he says, and when Tyrion suggests she wants to be as far from the Lannisters as possible, he smiles and tells her that as a child, he wished for the same thing.

Tyrion advises Sansa to hope her brother is smart enough to bend the knee soon, as his father is moving against Robb with his own army and explains that he intends to send Sansa home once the north is restored to the King's peace. Tyrion also states he plans for Sansa to remain in the Tower of the Hand and give her several tribesmen as bodyguards to protect her from Joffrey and his sycophants, but Sansa, fearing Ser Dontos will not be able to rescue her if this happens, refuses. When Tyrion asks why, Sansa claims she would be haunted by the ghosts of her father's murdered household if she stays in the Tower. Tyrion, saying he is no stranger to nightmares himself, accepts this explanation and escorts Sansa back to her chambers in Maegor's.

References and Notes