A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

Stannis
. . . if
we move quickly.”
    â€œWhat sort of reasons do you mean to give them?”
    â€œGold reasons,” Littlefinger suggested at once.
    Varys made a
tsk
ing sound. “Sweet Petyr, surely you do not mean to
suggest that these puissant lords and noble knights could be
bought
like so many chickens in the market.”
    â€œHave you been to our markets of late, Lord Varys?” asked Littlefinger.
“You’d find it easier to buy a lord than a chicken, I daresay. Of course,
lords cluck prouder than chickens, and take it ill if you offer them coin like
a tradesman, but they are seldom adverse to taking
gifts . . . honors, lands,
castles . . .”
    â€œBribes might sway some of the lesser lords,” Tyrion said, “but never
Highgarden.”
    â€œTrue,” Littlefinger admitted. “The Knight of Flowers is the key there. Mace
Tyrell has two older sons, but Loras has always been his favorite. Win him, and
Highgarden will be yours.”
    Yes,
Tyrion thought. “It seems to me we should take a lesson from
the late Lord Renly. We can win the Tyrell alliance as he did. With a
marriage.”
    Varys understood the quickest. “You think to wed King Joffrey to Margaery
Tyrell.”
    â€œI do.” Renly’s young queen was no more than fifteen, sixteen, he seemed to
recall . . . older than Joffrey, but a few

years were nothing, it was so neat and sweet he could taste it.
    â€œJoffrey is betrothed to Sansa Stark,” Cersei objected.
    â€œMarriage contracts can be broken. What advantage is there in wedding the king
to the daughter of a dead traitor?”
    Littlefinger spoke up. “You might point out to His Grace that the Tyrells are
much wealthier than the Starks, and that Margaery is said to be
lovely . . . and beddable besides.”
    â€œYes,” said Tyrion, “Joff ought to like that well enough.”
    â€œMy son is too young to care about such things.”
    â€œYou think so?” asked Tyrion. “He’s thirteen, Cersei. The same age at which
I married.”
    â€œYou shamed us all with that sorry episode. Joffrey is made of finer
stuff.”
    â€œSo fine that he had Ser Boros rip off Sansa’s gown.”
    â€œHe was angry with the girl.”
    â€œHe was angry with that cook’s boy who spilled the soup last night as well,
but he didn’t strip him naked.”
    â€œThis was not a matter of some spilled soup—”
    No, it was a matter of some pretty teats.
After that business in the
yard, Tyrion had spoken with Varys about how they might arrange for Joffrey to
visit Chataya’s. A taste of honey might sweeten the boy, he hoped. He might
even be
grateful,
gods forbid, and Tyrion could do with a shade more
gratitude from his sovereign. It would need to be done secretly, of course. The
tricky bit would be parting him from the Hound. “The dog is never far from his
master’s heels,” he’d observed to Varys, “but all men

sleep. And some gamble and whore and visit winesinks as well.”
    â€œThe Hound does all these things, if that is your question.”
    â€œNo,” said Tyrion. “My question is
when.
”
    Varys had laid a finger on his cheek, smiling enigmatically. “My lord, a
suspicious man might think you wished to find a time when Sandor Clegane was
not protecting King Joffrey, the better to do the boy some harm.”
    â€œSurely you know me better than that, Lord Varys,” Tyrion said. “Why, all I
want is for Joffrey to love me.”
    The eunuch had promised to look into the matter. The war made its own demands,
though; Joffrey’s initiation into manhood would need to wait. “Doubtless you
know your son better than I do,” he made himself tell Cersei, “but
regardless, there’s still much to be said for a Tyrell marriage. It may be the
only way that Joffrey lives long enough to reach his wedding night.”
    Littlefinger agreed. “The Stark girl brings Joffrey nothing but her body,
sweet as that may be. Margaery Tyrell brings fifty thousand swords and all the
strength of Highgarden.”
    â€œIndeed.” Varys laid a soft hand on the queen’s sleeve. “You have a mother’s
heart, and I know His Grace loves his little sweetling. Yet kings must learn to
put the needs of the realm before their own desires. I say this offer must be