The Seven Kingdoms have enjoyed nearly two decades of uneasy peace under King Robert Baratheon, but that peace is beginning to crack. After the mysterious death of Jon Arryn, the King's Hand, Robert journeys north to Winterfell to ask his oldest friend, Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark, to become the new Hand of the King. Reluctant to leave his home, Ned accepts out of duty and travels south to King's Landing with his daughters, Sansa and Arya. Meanwhile, Queen Cersei Lannister, her powerful family, and the royal court are tangled in secrets and political schemes. Prince Joffrey has been promised to Sansa Stark, though his cruel nature has only begun to show. Across the Narrow Sea, the last surviving children of the fallen Targaryen dynasty, Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen, live in exile. Viserys has married Daenerys to the mighty Khal Drogo in hopes of gaining an army to reclaim the Iron Throne. What begins as a political arrangement slowly changes as Daenerys grows into her own strength. Far beyond the Wall, the Night's Watch guards the realm against dangers most people believe are nothing more than old legends. Jon Snow, Ned Stark's bastard son, has left Winterfell to join the Watch, where he quickly learns that life on the Wall is far harsher than he imagined. Throughout Westeros, noble houses maneuver for influence, old rivalries simmer beneath polite smiles, and whispers of betrayal spread through every castle and council chamber. Every lord and lady has their own ambitions, alliances, and secrets. The Iron Throne remains the ultimate prize, and while open war has not yet begun, the game of thrones is already being played.