You Win or You Die

Ned is going to pay a price for the King's odd lack of foresight. He has been badly wounded by a wild boar he was hunting. He knows he has little time left. Two things come in to play in this episode. First of all, it is the king just signing a piece of paper giving Ned dominion over his kingdom until his son is of age. The other is a man, trying to poison the queen of the horse people. The first sets up Ned as a traitor, and the queen responds with a vengeance. The second incites Drogo to cross the water and gain control of the Seven Kingdoms. Before this, he was happy to maintain his own kingdom and stay put on one side of the water. Now he is a force to be reckoned with. More complications. Ned's daughters' lives become more complicated. The one who would be queen is now seen as a traitor's daughter. The little one gets her first taste of blood. The last we see, her "dancing instructor" (teacher of swordsmanship) stands with a wooden stump to face a knight with a sword. She rushes away at his advising.. Things are now split wide open, with Ned no longer useful to the monarchy.