I suppose, you can observe it, but it's that willingness to use pressure and subterfuge, that Garland wouldn't use, or at least, he does it in a way that would seem by modern standards, to just be politically manoeuvring, not even by marriage or killing people, it's just making things exist, be it men in the capital, or the fact that on paper at least, the Tyrells are not wanting to incite war, they won't cast the first sword...while we know that Alerie plans to do it so indirectly, it basically is. It's why half his letters are pretty inclusive, it's that sort of surface PR you see, in some ways...and I would say that honestly, while he's provincial and he is a little cynical at times, he knows how to put a smile on his face and be that image. As I've chatted with Blue before, he still has to learn a lot, and no doubt, his character is one that has problems, many of which come with the fact that he isn't born for his Lordship. I wouldn't dare compare him to Eddard, he isn't the person who would make the same mistakes, but he IS similar in that he probably is too bound to the ideas of the "Realm" when others just see it as something to snatch. It wouldn't be slavish honour that would kill him, it would be someone that just would flat out kill him, just because of reasons.

Remember, the Tyrell word is still really, really strong- would anyone know they were responsible for killing King Joffrey because they felt he was a bit of a dickhead and had to get taken down? Nope, and neither does anyone know that right now outside of that tower, they're going to, well, starting with the south-west coast of the Westerlands, basically start giving a green light to steal Westerosi freeholders and peasants for Yunkish purposes, with not a single Tyrell man involved, and even right now, no great exchange of gold. That is where Alerie shines the most- she knows how to control that trust, and knows that at the end of the day, Jehrilla is a means to an end who wants to do that. It's a risky buisness, and who knows, Jehrilla could run and use that information to help the Crakehalls, or the Martells, or the North, anyone to say "They have lots of shit", but Alerie wouldn't have taken her up to that tower to tell her what she said if she didn't have a prior knowledge that it would work, that it simply just would not backfire for the both of them. It's that beautiful mixture, it is so well controlled, that within the family, they have a huge respect, this sort of really golden image, unlike many other families for what they do, the Tyrells are liked by many, or just a bit too fancy for some people's liking. People like Garland are never going to rule, mind- he's either going to win and be exactly where he was you know, before all this shit happened (which is depressing for the best of us), or he's going to end up dead, and the Reach is going to spend the next decade, regardless of any external war, in it's own civil conflict, or just really, really uncontrolled.

Remarkably, I haven't seen a SINGLE character even like Tyiron Lannister, thinking about it. If there is, then I haven't felt it yet, the wit and the absolute badassery hasn't hit me just yet. There are one or two in my mind that I have seen, but I am not sure. 

And yeah, I will wait for Vale/River, I feel like we have left them for a while, and I am still reeling- though I think it will basically wrap up all of the posts, including pork maester, and Willas seeing dragons afar from the hills over Flea Bottom.