A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)

by George R.R. Martin

Varys lifted the knife with exaggerated delicacy and ran a thumb along its edge. Blood welled, and he let out a squeal and dropped the dagger back on the table. “Careful,” Catelyn told him, “it’s sharp.” “Nothing holds an edge like Valyrian steel,” Littlefinger said as Varys sucked at his bleeding thumb and looked at Catelyn with sullen admonition. Littlefinger hefted the knife lightly in his hand, testing the grip. He flipped it in the air, caught it again with his other hand. “Such sweet balance. You want to find the owner, is that the reason for this visit? You have no need of Ser Aron for that, my lady. You should have come to me.” “And if I had,” she said, “what would you have told me?” “I would have told you that there was only one knife like this at King’s Landing.” He grasped the blade between thumb and forefinger, drew it back over his shoulder, and threw it across the room with a practiced flick of his wrist. It struck the door and buried itself deep in the oak, quivering. “It’s mine.” “Yours?” It made no sense. Petyr had not been at Winterfell. “Until the tourney on Prince Joffrey’s name day,” he said, crossing the room to wrench the dagger from the wood. “I backed Ser Jaime in the jousting, along with half the court.” Petyr’s sheepish grin made him look half a boy again. “When Loras Tyrell unhorsed him, many of us became a trifle poorer. Ser Jaime lost a hundred golden dragons, the queen lost an emerald pendant, and I lost my knife. Her Grace got the emerald ba...

One thing I’ve wondered about is if Varys knew what Littlefinger was planning, considering all the attempts he makes to circumvent him attaining actual power save for the position he holds at the Small Council. It would make sense to play along until Joffrey grows of age to become the King— oh I get it. I always wondered why Varys was so loyal to the Lannisters despite his characterization being so adamantly against their brutal methods but it makes sense, propping up this terrible ruler in Joffrey while he schemes to try and put Young Griff on the throne later in the series. As for Littlefinger, he later tries to get Ned to usurp the throne from them so it’s clear that he also doesn’t really wish for the Lannisters to keep their power, twas likely just a means to an end for him. Starks on the Throne, Lannisters on the Throne, doesn’t matter as long as he gets what he wants which is why he betrays Ned in the first place.