When Tywin receives the title of the Hand at the end of the second season, why did he ride a horse into the halls just to receive the pin and go away?
Is it that way in the books as well?
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Sign up to join this communityWhen Tywin receives the title of the Hand at the end of the second season, why did he ride a horse into the halls just to receive the pin and go away?
Is it that way in the books as well?
This scene does take place in the book in basically the same manner in Sansa's last (8th) chapter of A Clash of Kings:
He rode his warhorse down the length of the hall and dismounted before the Iron Throne. Sansa had never seen such armor; all burnished red steel, inlaid with golden scrollwork and ornamentation. His rondels were sunbursts, the roaring lion that crowned his helm had ruby eyes, and a lioness on each shoulder fastened a cloth-of-gold cloak so long and heavy that it draped the hindquarters of his charger. Even the horse’s armor was gilded, and his bardings were shimmering crimson silk emblazoned with the lion of Lannister.
The Lord of Casterly Rock made such an impressive figure that it was a shock when his destrier dropped a load of dung right at the base of the throne. Joffrey had to step gingerly around it as he descended to embrace his grandfather and proclaim him Savior of the City.
And as pointed out in the comments, we know Eddard did the same thing after the Sack of King's Landing based on Jaime's recollection of it in his 6th Chapter in A Storm of Swords:
He remembered Eddard Stark, riding the length of Aerys’s throne room wrapped in silence.
As to why he did this, we can't be sure as there's no chapter from his perspective, but it could be because of tradition as the above would suggest (though that would be strange as Eddard arrived after the Lannisters had already sacked the city), or it could simply be a lack of interest in what less important people think of him as he often shows:
Isn't there a chivalric tradition in Britain that the King's Champion is allowed to ride into the throne room (or wherever the court is gathered)? I seem to remember reading something of the kind.