Eddard is woken from sleep by Tomard and Cayn who have brought the King's stewart with a summons to see Robert, who has returned from his hunt. Eddard passes Ser Boros, Ser Preston, and Ser Barristan on his way to the king's chambers and knows something is wrong when he sees Barristan's face. When he enters the king's chambers, he sees Pycelle, Renly, and Cersei all hovering around Robert, who is mortally wounded. He had drunk too much wine and missed a thrust against a boar, which tore him from groin to nipple. Robert orders everyone to leave so he can speak to Eddard alone. He repents for sending assassins after Daenerys and tells Eddard to get paper and ink. He dictates his will, naming Eddard Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm until Joffrey comes of age. Eddard starts to tell him the truth about Joffrey, but cannot bring himself to hurt Robert more. Instead, he just writes "heir" in the will instead of "Joffrey." Robert also tells Eddard to let Daenerys live. They call Renly and Pycelle back in to witness the sealing of the will and then Pycelle gives Robert milk of the poppy so he will sleep.

As Eddard exits the king's chamber, Varys comes up to him and Ser Barristan and asks how Robert came to be so drunk. Barristan replies that the king's squire, Lancel, provided him with a steady supply of wine,¹ and Eddard realizes that the Lannisters killed the king. Eddard orders Varys to cancel any arrangements he made to kill Daenerys. As he walks back to his own quarters, Renly approches him and offers to give him one hundred swords to seize Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella so that the small council will confirm Eddard as lord protector and ward of Joffrey. Eddard refuses the offer and Renly stalks away.

When Eddard returns to his quarters, he tells Cayn to find Petyr, then tells Tomard to personally escort his daughters to the Wind Witch the next evening with twenty men and to stop by Dragonstone on the way back to Winterfell to deliver a letter to Stannis. Afterwards, he writes the lettter to Stannis, which urges him to sail to King's Landing with all his strength to claim the throne. As he finishes the letter, Cayn and Desmond arrive with Lord Petyr. Eddard tells him about Cersei and the children, which does not seem to surprise him, and Petyr advises Eddard not to deal with Stannis, claiming that it will mean war as the Lannisters will fight and the Tyrells, Greyjoys, and others whom Robert pardoned will also rise for fear of punishment from the far more taciturn Stannis. Petyr offers to aid Eddard in ruling as regent for a modest price, but Eddard refuses and says it must be Stannis. He wants Petyr to insure the loyalty of the city watch, and Petyr says he will pay them six thousand gold so they will join Eddard in overcoming Cersei's soldiers when the time comes.