Jon Snow arrives at Castle Black, the primary fortress of the Night's Watch, and discovers that most recruits are criminals and outcasts rather than the noble defenders he imagined. His superior combat training makes him dominant in the practice yard, which earns him resentment rather than respect from the other recruits. Tyrion observes this and bluntly advises Jon to stop acting like a privileged lord's son, pointing out that his fellow recruits never had his advantages. Jon takes the advice and begins helping the weaker boys train. Ned Stark arrives in King's Landing and immediately takes his seat on the Small Council, where he meets the key players: Petyr Baelish, called Littlefinger, the Master of Coin and a childhood friend of Catelyn; Lord Varys, the Master of Whisperers and a eunuch spymaster; and Grand Maester Pycelle. Ned learns the Crown owes millions in gold to the Lannisters and the Iron Bank of Braavos because Robert has been spending recklessly. Robert demands a lavish tournament in Ned's honor; Ned objects to the expense but is overruled. Catelyn arrives in King's Landing in secret, and Littlefinger arranges a private meeting with Ned. Catelyn shows Ned the Valyrian steel dagger used in the attempt on Bran's life. Littlefinger identifies it as a blade he lost to Tyrion Lannister in a bet, directing suspicion toward the Lannisters. Ned and Catelyn agree she must return north to prepare Winterfell while Ned investigates from within the court. Arya chases cats through the Red Keep's corridors and stumbles into the cellar beneath the castle, where she overhears two men in shadow discussing the Stark-Lannister tension and the need to delay a war until their plans are ready. She cannot identify them and fails to convince her father of the significance. Across the Dothraki Sea, Daenerys grows more confident in her role as Khaleesi. She commands the khalasar to halt so she can explore on foot, defying her brother Viserys's authority. When Viserys strikes her, Daenerys's Dothraki guards intervene, and she allows them to humiliate him. Viserys realizes with shock that his sister is no longer under his control, and that the Dothraki respect her, not him.