“I need them. Does Father believe they are playing us false?”  “Suspects, rather.”  “Why? What does he know?”  Tyrion shrugged¹. “He knows that your son’s short reign² has been a long parade of follies³ and disasters. That suggests that someone is giving Joffrey some very bad counsel.”  Cersei gave him a searching look. “Joff has had no lack of good counsel. He’s always been strong-willed. Now that he’s king, he believes he should do as he pleases, not as he’s bid.”  “Crowns do queer things to the heads beneath them,” Tyrion agreed. “This business with Eddard Stark⁴... Joffrey’s work? “  The queen grimaced⁵. “He was instructed to pardon Stark, to allow him to take the black. The man would have been out of our way forever, and we might have made peace with that son of his, but Joff took it upon himself to give the mob a better show. What was I to do? He called for Lord Eddard’s head in front of half the city. And Janos Slynt and Ser Ilyn went ahead blithely⁶ and shortened the man without a word from me!” Her hand tightened⁷ into a fist. “The High Septon claims we profaned⁸ Baelor’s Sept with blood, after lying to him about our intent.”  “It would seem he has a point,” said Tyrion. “So this Lord Slynt, he was part of it, was he? Tell me, whose fine notion was it to grant him Harrenhal and name him to the council?”  “Littlefinger made the arrangements. We needed Slynt’s gold cloaks. Eddard Stark was plotting with Renly and he’d written to Lord Stannis, offering him the throne. We might have lost all. Even so, it was a close thing. If Sansa hadn’t come to me and told me all her father’s plans...”  Tyrion was surprised. “Truly? His own daughter?” Sansa had always seemed such a sweet child, tender and

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