The Golden Stag

ARC 2: Demon in the dark.

MARGAERY TYRELL

The torches shimmered brightly against the hammered metal of the wall sconces, filling the Queen's Ballroom, her ballroom with silvery light. Yet there was still darkness in that hall. Dove stood ever silent, she was a quiet girl, maybe twice her age, never talking without a call. Her black hair was long but today she had fashioned it into a bun over her head in a tight bundle, a silvery barb pierced through it like a spear, and at its blunt tip was a beautiful enameled dove taking flight.

Margaery could almost see the pale eyes of Ser Ilyn Payne, who stood by the back door still as stone, taking neither food nor wine. He had taken Lord Stark's sword, Ice, apparently, Sansa had made notice of it when she had arrived with her new handmaiden.

"That is the Lord Hand's whore." Dove whispered to her after Sansa had taken her along to greet Cersei after she had greeted her. Cersei didn't like that, she knew, that having to become the second one, the second most important, the second most desired, and second anything was not a desirable adjective to earn.

cersei's spies had been frequent, appearing and disappearing often whispering to her some and others they would speak with ease. Her mother sat beside her, and her grandmother, they were not at ease either. Her father had decided to take what little household guards they had and had volunteered to keep the king's peace inside the city wall while the battle raged outside it. Joffrey had almost laughed at him but then thanked him for his consideration and left it at that.

They were finishing their broth when Ser Osney Kettleblack came in the first time, entering through the back. She glimpsed him talking to his brother Osfryd. Then he knelt beside the Cersei and whispered something.

Loras didn't hide his voice when he entered. "They had a spy in our midst." He shrugged, "They found out about the wildfire in the ship and set it ablaze before they even started to float their dredges."

Margaery saw the women huddle together closer, they were scared no doubt. She frowned, "Shouldn't be much of a problem, if the whispers about the Bronzegate are anything to go by, the King's dragon can melt stones, he can easily do what the wildfire was intended for." She spoke loud and clear. "Fear not, my ladies, the king has contingencies for everything."

Cersei rolled her eyes at them and grabbed the hands of Myrcella who had taken to consoling her mother, the news that Joffrey had commanded Tommen to put on his armor and fight with him did not sit well with Cersei.

"The wildfire explosion breached the wall near Kings Gate." He said, "I was closer to the Mudgate, the king has taken Edric and Tommen toward the breach to defend it, they are getting ashore, but the Hound cut many of them to pieces." Loras swiftly left promising that he would come back if anything of notice happened.

Cersei beckoned to her page for another cup of wine, a golden vintage from the Arbor, fruity and rich. The queen-mother was drinking heavily, but the wine only seemed to make her more beautiful; her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes had a bright, feverish heat to them as she looked down over the hall.

"If she drinks any more she will die before they even get past the walls." Her grandmother sighed, "A breached wall, means they will come pouring in soon enough."

"The king can control the elements, my queen, that means he can control earth too if he hasn't already mended the breach, then it is a trap to draw men away from the Mudgate and towards the king's gate," Dove whispered to her as if to console her, she nodded silently and then smiled.

Musicians played. Jugglers juggled. Margaery was with her king on the walls, the music was dull in her ears."

After the broth came a salad of apples, nuts, and raisins. At any other time, it might have made a tasty dish, but tonight all the food was flavored with fear. She noticed Sansa was not the only one in the hall without an appetite. Lord Gyles was coughing more than he was eating, Lollys Stokeworth sat hunched and shivering, and the young bride of one of Ser Lancel's knights began to weep uncontrollably. The Cersei commanded Maester Frenken to put her to bed with a cup of dreamwine.