On arrival in King’s Landing, a “sore, tired, hungry, and irritable” (197) Ned is summoned to a meeting of the small council, the body that governs and advises the king. In addition to Littlefinger and Varys, the meeting is attended by Robert’s charismatic, glib brother Renly and the elderly Grand Maester Pycelle. Robert has a habit of skipping these meetings, and he is absent once again. Ned remembers Robert’s comments about being “surrounded by flatterers and fools”(199) and feels out of place among these men. Littlefinger makes pointed comments about his history with Ned’s wife and brother (Littlefinger once dueled and lost to Ned’s older brother for Catelyn’s hand in marriage; later, Ned replaced his deceased brother as Catelyn’s betrothed). Ned learns that the Seven Kingdoms are deeply in debt because Robert has spent extravagantly and borrowed three million gold pieces from the Lannister family as well as other large families and institutions. Despite this, Robert wants to throw a tournament in celebration of his new Hand. Ned finds the idea ridiculous and calls the meeting to an end.

The king still has not arrived at King’s Landing, and Ned reflects on how miserable the journey has been before Littlefinger escorts him to a brothel he owns.