Bronn is staying at the Crossroads Inn when Tyrion Lannister arrives. He volunteers to give up his room to Tyrion in return for gold. Catelyn Stark and Ser Rodrik Cassel take Tyrion prisoner before he can fulfill the promise. Bronn accompanies Catelyn and Tyrion's party to the Vale of Arryn and listens to Tyrion promising a handsome reward to any man who helps him. Along the way they are attacked by hill tribesmen, and Bronn holds his own in the skirmish, killing several opponents. Both Tyrion and Catelyn take note of his prowess in combat.
Bronn remains the personal bodyguard of Tyrion Lannister when he takes up his position as acting Hand of the King to Joffrey Baratheon. Tyrion rewards the sellsword's loyalty by making him commander of the City Watch, having ousted his treacherous predecessor by sending him to the Wall. Tyrion tests the loyalty of the small council by feeding them different versions of a planned marriage alliance involving his niece Myrcella Baratheon. Grand Maester Pycelle proves untrustworthy by revealing the specifics of his version to Queen Regent Cersei Lannister. Tyrion has Bronn and Timett arrest Pycelle and orders Bronn to cut off the old man's beard, Tyrion doesn't go through with this and Bronn simply snips off a bit of Pycelle's beard and imprisons him in the black cells.
Bronn is knighted by King Joffrey himself as a reward for the vital role he played in the Battle of the Blackwater. He now styles himself as "Ser Bronn of the Blackwater", and while possessing no lands, wealth, or titles, this drastically elevates his social standing - and in his mind, his pay. He tells Tyrion that he still thinks of him a friend, but he is still a sellsword, and as a knight Tyrion should pay him double what he used to.
Bronn is present with Podrick and Tyrion to welcome all the embassy of nobles from Dorne who have come to King's Landing for the royal wedding. Bronn wonders why they sent Tyrion to welcome the prince of Dorne, and Tyrion explains that there is bad blood between the Lannisters and Martells. Bronn assumes that if the Martells have come to spill Lannister blood, Tywin has deemed Tyrion expendable. They greet the embassy but find that instead of Prince Doran Martell, his hot-headed younger brother Prince Oberyn Martell has come in his place, and that Oberyn already entered the city before dawn. Tyrion correctly guesses that Oberyn will be relaxing from his journey in a local brothel. Tyrion and Bronn arrive as Oberyn is arguing with two Lannister soldiers. Oberyn asks if Bronn is Tyrion's hired killer, and Bronn casually admits that it started that way, but he's a knight now. Oberyn asks how that came about, to which Bronn surmises that he supposes he must have killed the right people. Oberyn is amused at his honesty.
