Gentlemen/ Superior Force

A subtle major theme incorporating Law of the Sword and Might Makes Lord,

74 ACOK 1 Prologue: Stannis and Renly are contrasted on the topic of diplomacy and political skill. "Stannis has never learned to soften his speech, to dissemble or flatter, he said what he thought, and those that did not like it could be damned." 14

76 ACOK 3 Sansa I: The chapter teems with examples of gentility and courtesy used toward a variety of effects. Sansa thinks "courtesy is a lady's armor" but misuses it as a weapon. She apologizes to Tyrion: "I'm sorry my lady mother took you captive, my lord" 50 Sandor backs Sansa's lie to spare Dontos.

77 ACOK 4 Tyrion I: In a chapter with coded language, Tyrion does not hear Littlefinger's threat

and misunderstands Varys to be threatening him when he's asking him to defect from team Lannister.

78 ACOK 5 Bran I: Treachery is central to the Frey game Lord of the Crossing, which opens with a courtly introduction. Once a deal has been agreed upon, the player crossing may try to push the Lord of the Crossing into the water, but only if they aid "mayhaps." "So the trick was to say 'Mayhaps' so the lord of the crossing didn't notice." 76 "The lord got to knock anyone in the water anytime he pleased and he was the only one who got to use a stick. In practice, the game seemed to come down to mostly shoving, hitting and falling into the water, along with a lot of arguments about whether someone said "Mayhaps." 77 Though Bran is named judge and tasked to rule on whether someone had said "mayhaps" he was never consulted, proving the game to operate without need of a king to regulate its economy. The bargaining is all pretexts for power grabs.

81 ACOK 8 Catelyn I: Robb's pageantry wth the wolf and bared sword is more gentlemanly than Catelyn sees. It's not "japery more befitting of a boy than a king," 112 He's making a display of being dangerous that couter-balances his actual generosity and trust. Robb is sending peace terms to the Lannisters on Catelyn's pressing.

82 ACOK 9 Tyrion II: Tyrion invites Slynt to dinner in order to seize him for the Wall. A dinner invitation is usually a buttering up. Slynt does not see Tyrion's betrayal coming so brings no guard and becomes tipsy. This must be Red Wedding foreshadowing.

84 ACOK 11 Davos I: Salladhor Saan is a pirate and sellsword but a gentleman because a marchant.

96 ACOK 23 Catelyn II: Robb handles Catelyn with gentility. Renly does the same. She can't even tell she's being managed.

101 ACOK 28 Daenerys II: Xaro Xhoan Daxos wins Dany into his care with promises of sunlight and sweet water. His intent is to contain her dragons on his grounds and be identified with them, but he won't steal them outright. He'll propose marriage, like a gentleman.

102 ACOK 29 Bran IV: Though Summer winds up on top n their wrestline, Meera snares him in her net. That wins because he is immobilized. Superior Force

104 ACOK 31 Arya VII: Tywin makes Vargo Hoat hug Ser Harys Swyft and promise peace between them.

105 ACOK 32 Catelyn III: Renly and Stannis parlay

106 ACOK 33 Sansa III: Tyrion rescues Sansa from Joffrey and explains to her what happened at Oxcross, promising to protect her. Tyrion is more a knight than a gentleman in this scene, but only uses his voice.

110 ACOK 37 Tyrion VIII: Stability is achieved through agreements, marriage being a long lasting one. Allegiances are desireable and create friction against war as allies are loathe to hate each other, especially when friendship is profittable.

114 ACOK 41 Daenerys III: Xaro speaks of weeping as a negotiation tactic. He haggles casually and denies her the ships she asks for, saying she cannot afford to pay the crew, since she'd have to offer more than he does.

139 ACOK 66 Sansa VIII: The festive awards cermony is phony and staged as presented through Sansa's requirement to express false sadness when set aside by Joffrey so he may make public the already arranged marriage to Margaery. Castles are awarded, titles gained: Littlefinger, sellswords raised to knight. The chapter reminds that those whith castles and titles got them by winning battles. Might Makes Lord

A Storm of Swords

148 ASOS 5 Tyrion I: Tyrion finds Tywin at his desk. "Soe battles are won with swords and spears, others with quills and ravens." 62

150 ASOS 7 Sansa I: Olenna claims both to have no real power and to rule House Tyrell through Mace. If she indeed does rule, it seems she prefers to remain a force behind the scenes. Maybe that way she can blame Mace for certain appearances, like Margaery's marriage to Renly.

151 ASOS 8 Jon I: Mance gives Jon guest right. "The laws of hospitality are as old as the First Men, and sacred as a heart tree." 102