Chapter 9: Tyrion I

Tyrion Lannister stays up all night reading and eats breakfast.

Characters Present:

• Tyrion Lannister – a dwarf. Likes to read
• Chayle – a septon
• Sandor Clegane – has a rasping voice. Also called the Hound.
• Joffrey Lannister – terrible human being. Teenager. Kind of the same thing in most cases, but Joff is really, really terrible. Nephew to Tyrion.
• Jaime Lannister – Tyrion’s older brother. Twin to Cersei Lannister.
• Tommen – Prince. Younger brother of Joffrey. Sweet boy, Not at all like Joffrey.  

Location: Winterfell

Recap:

We meet Tyrion as he is closing the cover on a book about the changing of the seasons. He has read all night  and listened to a wolf howl in the distance. He leaves the library and interacts with Sandor Clegane and Prince Joffrey. Prince Joffrey clearly subscribes to The Red Pill, and makes everyone hate him in this early chapter by being an insufferable asshole. Tyrion tells Joff to call on Lord Eddard Stark and offer them comfort. Joff refuses.

Quote

“I cannot abide the wailing of women.”

Tyrion does what everyone else would like to do and slaps the prince across the face. Joffrey, being 12, says he is going to tell and gets slapped again. Joffrey runs away. Sandor Clegane warns Tyrion that the prince is likely to remember these events. Tyrion is unfazed by this idea.

Tyrion meets Jaime, Cersei, Myrcella and Tommen for breakfast.  Tyrion inquires to the whereabouts of the King. Cersei tells him that the King is with Lord and Lady Stark, taking their sorrow to heart. Tommon asks about Bran. Tyrion announces that Bran has not changed and the maester thinks it is hopeful. Bran may live. Tyrion watches the reaction of his siblings, rather than the children, and notices that Jaime and Cersei exchange a glance.

Tyrion mentions that he plans to go north to the Wall and piss off the edge of the world. He is not joining the Night’s Watch though.  Jaime suggests ending Bran Stark’s torment. Tyrion advises against bringing that suggestion to Lord Eddard. Tyrion hopes the boy will wake, and Jaime questions Tyrion’s loyalty. Tyrion grins “wolfishly” at Jaime, reminding him how much he loves his family.

Characters that are mentioned:

• Summer (Unnamed) – Bran’s direwolf
• Grand Maester Aethelmure – Chayle is reading a book by this author. Implied to be quite boring.
• Arymidon – Author of Engines of War
• Eddard & Lady Stark
• Robert – King. Sort of.
• Brandon Stark – Lord Eddard’s brother. Murdered by Targaryen.
• Benjen Stark – younger brother of Eddard. Member of the Night’s Watch.  

Thoughts: (SPOILERS)

• Tyrion is reading a book about the changing of seasons, which is obviously some sort of foreshadowing.
• I don’t think Chayle is ever mentioned again.  
• Shame that the Winterfell library burns down in a few. There seem to be quite a few books/scrolls that could be useful in there.
• We start with wolfs howling. We end with Tyrion grinning “wolfishly.” Nice.
• Sandor Clegane offers to shut up the wolf (by MURDERING IT) and Jaime offers to end Bran’s life.
• Joffrey is amused about Clegane killing a wolf, seeing that Clegane is a dog himself.
• Tyrion suggests that Joffrey can’t count past six. That amuses me.
• Only Jaime had shown [Tyrion] the smallest measure of affection or respect, and for that Tyrion was willing to forgive him most anything.  - L
• Tyrion wondered what it would be like to have a twin, and decided that he would rather not know.
• Poor Tyrion. He really is quite ugly, unlike show Tyrion.

• Jaime says that Brandon stark was a hostage murdered by Targaryen. This isn’t exactly the story he later tells Catelyn. Who else would know the full story? Or did he just short it to hostage to temper his language in front of Tommen and Myrcella?

• Tyrion asks Cersei if she is leaving. She replies with “Gods, don’t tell me you are staying here?” As though she wouldn’t want Tyrion far away from her.
• Cersei thinks the animals (direwolves) are unnatural. And Tyrion swears the wolf is keeping Bran alive.

Quote

Even if the boy does live, he will be a cripple. Worse than a cripple. A grotesque. Give me a good clean death.

 

Something tells me that Jaime will change his mind.