A Clash of Kings-Chapter 2
Sansa Stark attends the Tourney for King Joffrey's 13th Name Day. After several poor contests, Joffrey becomes enraged when the drunken knight Ser Dontos Hollard arrives half naked and too drunk to compete. Sansa manages to convince Joffrey to make Dontos his new fool instead of executing him. Afterward, while Prince Tommen is riding against a quintain, Tyrion Lannister arrives to assume his position as acting Hand of the King.
Synopsis
Sansa Stark is watching the comet from her tower window when Ser Arys Oakheart arrives to escort her to the tourney celebrating King Joffrey’s name day. She asks Ser Arys what the comet might mean. The knight declares that it is a good omen for her betrothed on his name day: a banner of Lannister red raised by the gods in honor of Joffrey’s ascent to the Iron Throne. Ser Arys also believes that it signifies that Joffrey will triumph over his enemies. Sansa wonders if it is true; her mother and brother are Joffrey’s enemies now. The comet is red, but Sansa wonders whether the gods should have sent Joffrey a Baratheon gold comet instead.
A compliment from Ser Arys leads Sansa to remember that if she must be dogged by a member of the Kingsguard she prefers it to be him. Ser Arys is courteous, cordial, and once even objected when Joffrey commanded him to strike her. He eventually had hit her, but not as hard as the others might have. The others all obey without question, except the Hound, but Joffrey never commands the Hound to hit her.
Sansa asks who Ser Arys favors to win the tourney. The knight names himself, but explains that since the competition is so poor there will be no glory in the victory. Sansa thinks back to the splendor of the Tourney of the Hand that the late King Robert had staged in honor of her father; noble lords and fabled knights had come from all over the Seven Kingdoms. Now both her father and King Robert are dead and the turnout of knights is understandably low, with three kings vying for power and war raging in the Riverlands.
When they arrive at the lists, which have been erected in the outer bailey of the Red Keep for safety, Sansa can see that the turnout of spectators is almost as sparse as the competition. In the royal box, she is greeted shyly by Princess Myrcella and excitedly by Prince Tommen. Tommen eagerly explains that he is to ride in the tourney. Joffrey quickly interjects that Tommen will be riding against a straw quintain. When Joffrey comments on her choice to wear the jewels he has given her, Sansa is relieved that Joffrey has chosen to play the gallant today, thanks him, and wishes him a lucky name day.
Once they are seated, Joffrey informs her that Viserys Targaryen, the Beggar King, is dead. Joffrey is very amused by the irony of a dragon king being killed with a molten gold crown. He declares that it is almost as funny as if he were to feed Sansa’s brother Robb to wolves and boasts that he intends to challenge Robb to single combat. Sansa says that she would like to see that. Joffrey is immediately suspicious of what she might mean by the comment, so Sansa distracts him by asking if he will compete in the tourney. Joffrey insists that his mother claims it would not be seemly for him to ride in his own tourney, but that if he did he would win. After Joffrey enlists the Hound’s agreement, Sansa asks if the Hound will participate. The Hound, who won the Tourney of the Hand, insists that the victory wouldn’t be worth his time, given the poor competitors.
Joffrey suggests that he should make the victor fight the Hound to the death. Sansa remembers that Joffrey is fond of making men fight to the death. The Hound only declares that Joffrey would then be one knight the poorer. Sansa recalls that the Hound is not a knight and despises knights because his brother is one.
In the first joust, Ser Meryn Trant of the Kingsguard defeats Ser Hobber Redwyne (another hostage like Sansa) on the second pass. Joffrey is disappointed by the poor show. Next, Ser Balon Swann faces the new-made squire Morros Slynt. The sight of Janos Slynt’s heir takes Sansa back to the day her father was beheaded; it had been Janos Slynt who had thrown her father down and held him while Ser Ilyn Payne swung the sword. Her prayer for Morros to embarrass himself is answered when the former commoner is violently unhorsed. Joffrey hoots in derision. Then it is Ser Horas Redwyne’s turn. He fares better than his twin, unhorsing an old knight bedecked with silver griffins. Joffrey is disgusted by the feeble show.
Next, Ser Dontos Hollard is called to face the freerider Lothor Brune. Ser Dontos arrives drunk and half naked, struggling to catch and mount his horse. The audience all laugh at the drunken knight’s antics except King Joffrey. Eventually Dontos gives up trying to mount, sits down in the dirt, forfeits the match, and asks for more wine. Joffrey commands that Ser Dontos be drowned in a cask of wine. Sansa protests without thinking. Joffrey turns on her, furious at being gainsaid, and Sansa struggles to make up a story that it is a curse to kill a man on one’s name day. Joffrey does not believe her, but the Hound comes to her rescue by telling Joffrey, “What a man sows on his name day, he reaps throughout the year.” Joffrey reluctantly agrees to have the fool killed on the morrow. Sansa seizes the opportunity to suggest that Dontos is a fool and should be made to wear motley and clown for Joffrey instead of being executed. Joffrey likes this idea and proclaims it.
Once Ser Dontos has been led away, the master of revels inquires whether he should summon a new opponent for Lothor Brune or proceed with the next tilt. Instead, Joffrey calls off the tourney in disgust. Tommen protests that he was supposed to ride against the quintain. An argument among the royal siblings ensues until Joffrey sullenly agrees.
Tommen is knocked from his horse by the quintain on his first attempt, inciting a gale of laughter from the crowd, most of all from King Joffrey. When Princess Myrcella rushes out to help her brother to his feet, Sansa suggests that Joffrey should accompany her to help and to give Tommen encouragement. Joffrey refuses angrily, but the Hound notes that Tommen is brave and going to try again. As she watches them help Tommen remount his pony, Sansa finds herself wishing that Tommen was the eldest; she wouldn’t mind marrying Tommen.
Just then the portcullis rises and the gates of the Red Keep open. A column of horsemen rides in bearing the golden lion banner of House Lannister. Some wear the armor of Lannister men-at-arms but the majority are freeriders, sellswords, and monstrous savages. In their midst rides Tyrion Lannister, the ugliest man Sansa has ever set eyes upon. Tommen and Myrcella rush to greet their uncle and Sansa is stunned to see that Tommen and Tyrion are the same height.
After greeting his niece and nephew, the dwarf waddles over to Joffrey, shadowed by a black-haired sellsword and a one-eyed savage. When Tyrion greets him, Joffrey expresses surprise at Tyrion’s arrival and the Hound comments that they had heard Tyrion was dead. Tyrion gives his condolences to Joffrey and to Sansa for the loss of her father. Joffrey is momentarily confused until Tyrion reminds him that his own father, King Robert, has also recently died. Sansa, armoring herself in courtesy, apologizes to Tyrion for his abduction by her mother. Tyrion responds by saying, “A great many people are sorry for that, and before I am done, some may be a deal sorrier,” before thanking Sansa for the sentiment.
Then Tyrion asks Joffrey where he might find Queen Cersei. Joffrey answers that she is with the Small Council discussing the capture of Jaime Lannister and Robb Stark’s proclamation as king. Tyrion only comments that all sorts of people are calling themselves king now. The thinly-veil criticism is not lost on Joffrey, but he ignores it and departs, leaving Sansa alone with Tyrion.
Tyrion asks if it is mourning for her father that makes Sansa so sad, but Sansa reflexively insists that her father, mother, and brother are traitors and that she is loyal to her beloved Joffrey. Tyrion is unconvinced and responds that she is as loyal as a deer surrounded by wolves. Without thinking, Sansa corrects wolves to lions, but only Tyrion hears her. The dwarf gently takes her hand and assures her that he is only a little lion and means her no harm before departing.
Sansa notes that Tyrion speaks to her more gently than Joffrey, but remembers that Queen Cersei once spoke gently as well. She reminds herself that Tyrion is still a Lannister and that she must never trust a Lannister again.