Tyrion takes his breakfast with Grand Maester Pycelle. He gives Pycelle two copies of a letter for Prince Doran Martell that must go out by raven at once. While Pycelle is out sending them, Tyrion goes to the Grand Maester's collection of herbs and potions and takes a vial. After breakfast, he comes across Bronn, now the captain of his personal guard, studying some knights training below. Bronn points out a hedge knight named Tallad as the best of them, but says that he falls into a rhythm. Bronn reports that Lady Tanda is looking for him again. She has been having him over for savory dinners in an effort to get him to marry her large, soft, dim-witted daughter, Lollys, who is still a maid at age thirty-three. Others begging an audience include a moneylender from Braavos looking for repayment of a loan, a river lord asking for recompense for his slaughtered peasants, some bakers, butchers, and greengrocers asking for protection after a baker was burned alive in his own oven for charging too much for bread, and Ser Alliser Thorne with a rotted hand in a jar.¹ Tyrion decides he will not see Ser Alliser and orders poor quarters found for him. Bronn departs, and Tyrion continues on his way.

As Tyrion nears the main gate, he sees Cersei preparing to ride into the city with Ser Boros, Ser Balon, Lord Gyles, Hallyne the Pyromancer, Cersei's new favorite, Lancel, who is now a knight, Vylarr, and twenty Lannister house guards. She is inspecting the progress on the city's defenses and is alarmed because she has learned that Renly is marching up the roseroad towards King's Landing. His host includes all the Tyrell bannermen save the Redwynes; Lord Paxter did not march because his sons are hostages.² Tyrion is unconcerned because Renly is taking his time, feasting at every manor he passes and holding court at every crossroads. Cersei demands that Tyrion make Tywin bring his army to the city. Tyrion says that is impossible, and Cersei declares he is useless and rides off.

When Tyrion returns to his chambers, Podrick tells him that Lord Petyr awaits. Petyr beckons Tyrion over to the window to see Joffrey, guarded by Ser Preston, using hares for target practice with a crossbow. He is not hitting all that many of them. Tyrion notices that Petyr is wearing a dragonbone dagger and knows Petyr is doing so to taunt him.³ Tyrion has been trying to find out all he can about Petyr since he is a certain opponent. Lord Jon Arryn made him a minor sinecure in customs ten years ago, and he soon brought in three times as much gold as the king's other collectors. Three years later, he was master of coin and soon increased revenues to ten times their previous level, though the debt has also grown greatly in that time. All the major treasury offices and most of the minor ones are held by men he appointed. Tyrion asks if Petyr grew close to the Tullys while he was fostered there, and he states he had both Catelyn's and Lysa's maidenheads.⁴ Tyrion tells Petyr that he wants him to send a message to Lysa promising Lord Jon's killer, respite from mountain clan raids that have grown more intense in recent days, Myrcella betrothed to Robert, and Robert named Warden of the East in exchange for her fealty and support against Renly and Stannis. Lord Petyr asks what is in it for him, and Tyrion says Harrenhal and overlordship of the Trident.

Soon after Petyr leaves, Galt comes in to announce that Varys has arrived. Tyrion says he has a plan, and Varys says he may already know it. Tyrion tells him to continue. Prince Doran has called his banners but has not moved to join any side. Tyrion wants to convince him to join the Lannister cause. Tyrion says that this is correct and that he will offer the prince a seat on the small council, his sister Elia's killers brought to justice, and Tommen as a ward. Varys wonders how Tyrion plans to pry both Tommen and Myrcella away from Cersei, and Tyrion says he will do it by keeping his plans a secret. Varys then asks what happens if someone tells her before the arrangements are made, and Tyrion says that he will then know who is an informant for Cersei.