Editing Varys (section)

===''A Dance with Dragons''===
[[File:SaraWintersVarys.jpg|thumb|350px|Varys, crossbow in hand, by Sara Winters © Fantasy Flight Games]]
Varys has [[Tyrion Lannister]] smuggled across the [[narrow sea]] to [[Pentos]], where Tyrion meets Varys's old friend, Magister [[Illyrio Mopatis]].{{ref|ADWD|1}} Tyrion learns that during [[Robert's Rebellion]], Varys, a [[House Targaryen|Targaryen]] loyalist, allegedly switched the baby [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Rhaegar)|Aegon]] with that of a [[pisswater prince|peasant baby]]. With the realm believing the prince had died during the [[Sack of King's Landing]], Varys had Aegon smuggled to [[Essos]] to be raised by Lord [[Jon Connington]], the exiled [[Hand of the King]] and the friend of Aegon's father, Prince [[Rhaegar Targaryen|Rhaegar]]. To conceal Jon's activities, Varys concocted the false story that Jon had drank himself to death in [[Lys]] after being caught stealing from the [[Golden Company]].{{ref|ADWD|22}}{{ref|ADWD|24}} Varys, Illyrio, and the Golden Company now plot to wed the teenaged Aegon to [[Daenerys Targaryen]], [[Queen of Meereen]], and place him on the [[Iron Throne]].{{ref|ADWD|1}}{{ref|ADWD|5}}{{ref|ADWD|24}} The [[landing of the Golden Company]] begins in the [[stormlands]].{{ref|ADWD|63}}

Varys employs the secret passages of the [[Red Keep]] to enter the chambers of Grand Maester [[Pycelle]] and kill him. He then dispatches one of his [[little birds]] to fetch Ser [[Kevan Lannister]], now Lord Regent after Cersei's disgrace, under the pretext that the Grand Maester has a message for him. Varys [[Assassinations of Pycelle and Kevan Lannister|shoots Kevan with a crossbow]], going on to apologize and note that his actions are not out of malice but rather because Kevan's competent leadership threatens to undo Cersei's follies and years of Varys's careful planning. Kevan's death will sow further dissent between the Lannisters and Tyrells, making the realm easy prey for Aegon to arrive and be proclaimed king, for the good of the realm. Varys then summons several of his little birds to end Kevan's suffering.{{ref|ADWD|72}}