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King Robert has been mortally wounded by a boar. Ned’s plan to tell him that his children were cuckoos turns to ashes in his mouth. Cersei, Renly, Varys, Petry Baelish - all start scheming for the next round of the Game of Thrones. Is Ned morally nimble enough to keep up? Mac and Simon mourn the fallen king and consider every angle of the implications. 

Chapter Review: 
Thanks to a surfeit of wine from his loyal squire Lancel Lannister, King Robert gets gored by a boar and the two-day journey back to King’s Landing has allowed the wound to mortify. There is nothing Pycelle can do. Ned transcribes the King’s last will and testament, with a slight edit, for the good of the realm. 

Cersei departs to...who knows? Selmy blames himself. Varys blames Lancel. Renly suggests to Ned that they take Joffrey into custody to ensure adherence to the terms of Ned’s will: namely that Ned act as regent and projector of the realm until Joffrey comes of age. 

Ned writes to Stannis congratulating him on becoming king. Littlefinger paints a grim picture of the realm under Stannis, who doesn’t command the love that Robert did nor demonstrates the level of forgiveness and flexibility that a king will need. Ned is set on his path. Baelish agrees to help but he’ll need money to pay off the gold cloaks. 

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Eddard "Ned" Stark - Hand of the King, Lord of Winterfell, and king Robert's closest friend.
King Robert Baratheon - King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men. Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. Protector of the realm. Aside from being king, he's also Ned's lifelong best friend.
Queen Cersei Lannister - Wife of King Robert Baratheon, twin sister of Ser Jamie Lannister. 
Stannis Baratheon - Older younger brother of King Robert and Lord of Dragonstone.
Renly Baratheon - King Robert's youngest brother. Lord of Storm's End and Master of Laws.
Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish - Master of Coin, member of the Small Council, and childhood friend to Catelyn Tully.
Grand Maester Pycelle - Elderly grand maester of the Seven Kingdoms. Fellow member of the king's Small Council.
Lord Varys - The Spider. Eunuch and Master of Whispers.

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