[King's Landing - Red Keep]
Today was the new King's nameday, and a tournament was being held in his honour.
Aelinor had the unfortunate luck of attending her brother's name day tournament.
While she would much rather be doing anything else, her prescence was not only expected, but ordered.
Though she did try to get out of it.
She currently sat under the large oak tree in the palace gardens, reading a book about the Targaryens.
Lady Eleanor sat with her, neither speaking, simply enjoying each other's presence.
"Aelinor," Eleanor called, attracting the Princess' attention. She gestured for her to look over.
The palace steward stood, awaiting the attention of the Princess. Once he had it, he said, "Princess, I have been asked to inform you of the celebrations in honour of your brother, His Grace, King Joffrey."
"I am well aware of who my brother is and what day it is. I've decided to stay here and read instead." She turned back to her book.
"Your Grace wishes for you to join in the celebrations."
"The King has much to celebrate, I'm sure. He does not need me."
Eleanor, seeing the nervous demeanor of the steward, said, "Perhaps it could be fun."
Aelinor sent her a brief look before asking, "Is it the King's command?"
"Yes, but..."
She shut her book dramatically, tossing it beside her. "Then at once. Surely we cannot keep His Grace waiting."
She stood up, Eleanor following suit as the steward led them to where her brother was celebrating his nameday.
When they arrived, The Hound was dueling with a man neither of them recognized.
"Ah, sister! Glad to see you made it to your King's nameday celebrations."
"But of course. There is absolutely nothing else I'd rather be doing."
He glared before turning back to watch The Hound.
The Hound and the other man grunted as they dueled, men and women looking on from nearby.
Finally, The Hound knocked the other man's shield away, and knocked him off of a wall.
"Well struck..." Joffrey muttered to himself before repating it louder. "Well struck, Dog."
The Hound removed his helmet Joffrey turns to Sansa.
"Did you like that?"
"It was well struck, Your Grace."
"I already said it was well struck."
"Yes, Your Grace."
Two men drag the man away, leaving behind a trail of blood. A boy walked over to clean up the mess.
"Who's next?" Joffrey asked.
"Lothor Brune, freerider in the service of Lord Baelish." The announcer gestured to a man, who then walked over. "Ser Dontos the Red of House Hollard." The announcer gestured in the opposite direction, but no one came forward. "Ser Dontos the Red of House Hollard!"
"Here I am." The man walked down some stairs, awkwardly clutching his helmet and weapon. "Here I am." He dropped his helmet. "Sorry, Your Grace." He put his helmet on backwards. "My deepest apologies." Finally he put it on correctly.
"Are you drunk?" Joffrey asked.
Ser Dontos took off his helmet.
"No. Uh, no, Your Grace. I had-I had two cups of wine."
"Two cups?" Dontos nodded. "That's not much at all." Joffrey gestured to some wine. "Please, have another cup."
"Are you sure, Your Grace?"
"Yes, to celebrate my name day." He smiled. "Have two, have as much as you like."
"I would be honoured, Your Grace."
Ser Dontos bowed to Joffrey who looked over to Ser Meryn.
"Ser Meryn, help Ser Dontos celebrate my name day. See that he drinks his fill."
Ser Meryn and two other kingsguard grabbed Ser Dontos. They brang him into a more open area nearby where Ser Dontos was forced on his knees. One kingsguard held Ser Dontos down while Ser Meryn the other kingsguard grabbed a funnel and a barrel of wine. Ser Meryn forced the funnel into Ser Dontos's mouth. The kingsguard with the barrel began pouring the wine down the funnel. Ser Dontos began gurgling and struggling a little bit.
Aelinor shook her head, turning to Eleanor who was biting her fingers, a nervous habit she had yet to outgrow.
Aelinor pulled her hand from her mouth and brought her in for a hug, shielding her from the sight.
"You can't!" Sansa told him.
"What did you say? Did you say I can't?"
"I only meant... it would be bad luck to kill a man on your name day."
"What kind of stupid peasant's superstition..."
"The girl is right. What a man sows on his name day, he reaps alll year." The Hound confirmed.
Joffrey sighed. "Take him away. I'll have him killed tomorrow, the fool."
The barrel and funnel were removed, and Ser Dontos was released. He puked out a mixture of blood and wine onto the ground.
"He is. A fool - you're so clever to see it. He'll make a much better fool than a knight. He doesn't deserve the mercy of a quick death." Sansa told him, catching Aelinor's attention.
It appeared the girl was in fact following her advice. Learning to survive.
"Did you hear My Lady, Ser Dontos?" Ser Dontos was forced onto his feet. "From this day," he stood up. "You'll be my new fool."
"Thank you, Your Grace." He bowed. "And you, My Lady, thank you."
Ser Dontos was then taken away by a kingsguard.
"It's over," Aelinor whispered, her friend now being to able to look up.
"Beloved nephew." A voice was heard to the right of them.
Tyrion, Bronn, and a number of hill tribesman appeared from the right, people murmuring and looking their way.
"We looked for you on the battlefield." Tyrion told his nephew who sat down. "You were nowhere to be found." Tyrion began to pour himself a glass of wine.
"I've been here, ruling the kingdoms."
"What a fine job you've done." He turned to Myrcella, kissing her on the cheek. "Look at you. More beautiful than ever." He then turned to Tommen, ruffling his hair. "And you! You, you're going to be bigger than The Hound, but much better looking." Tyrion smiled as he and Myrcella laughed. "This one doesn't like me." Tyrion gestured towards The Hound.
Bronn looked over at The Hound and smiled wryly. "Can't imagine why."
"Ahh, and my eldest niece," he walked over to Aelinor, also kissing her on the cheek. "My favourite," he whispered, before returning to Joffrey.
"We heard you were dead."
"I'm glad you're not dead." Myrcella cut in.
Tyrion took a sip of his wine. "Me, too, dear. Death is so boring, especially now with so much excitement in the world." He looked at Sansa. "My Lady, I'm sorry for your loss."
Tyrion bowed to Sansa. Joffrey looked over at her, and back to Tyrion.
"Her loss? Her father was a confessed traitor!" Joffrey exclaimed, causing Aelinor to glare and shake her head.
"But still her father. Surely having so recently lost your own beloved father you can sympathize."
"My father was a traitor. My mother and brother are traitors, too. I am loyal to my beloved Joffrey."
"Of course you are."
Tyrion smirked sympathetically, causing Sansa to look away.
"Well," he gulped down his wine. "Enjoy your name day, Your Grace. Wish I could stay and celebrate, but there is work to be done."
Tyrion began walking away from the tent.
"What work?" Bronn and the tribesmen followed Tyrion as Joffrey stood up. "Why are you here?"
Tyrion did not answer as he continued walking away.
[Red Keep - Small Council Meeting Chamber]
The council members sit at a table. A man walked to the table with a covered bird cage.
"The raven arrived from the Citadel this morning, Your Grace. The conclave has met," Pycelle said as the man set the cage down and removed the cover. "Considered reports from Maesters all over the Seven Kingdoms, and declared this great summer done, at last. The longest summer in living memory."
"The peasants say, a long summer means an even longer winter." Varys commented.
"A common superstition." Pycelle rebutted.
"We have enough wheat for a five-year winter. If it lasts any longer," Baelish shrugged indifferently. "We'll have fewer peasants."
"The city's drowning in refugees, Your Grace, fleeing the war. We have nowhere to house them, and with winter coming, it'll only get worse." The City Watch Commander notified them.
Cersei gestured to a servant who stepped forward to take the raven off of the table. "You command the City Watch, do you not, Lord Slynt?"
"I do, Your Grace."
"And are you not a Lord at my command?"
"I owe my title and lands to your generosity, Your Grace."
"Then do your job. Shut the gates to the peasants. They belong in the field, not our capital."
"Yes, Your Grace."
Tyrion began whistling from a distance, everyone at the table turning to watch as he approached.
"Don't get up. More ravishing than ever, big sister." He kissed Cersei on the cheek. "War agrees with you. Forgive the interruption, carry on."
"What are you doing here?" Cersei asked with a glare she resrved specifically for her youngest brother.
"It's been a remarkable journey." He sat down, grabbing a glass and pouring himself some wine. "I pissed off the edge of the Wall, I slept in a sky cell. I fought with the hill tribes. So many adventures, so much to be thankful for." Tyrion began drinking his wine.
"What are you doing here? This is the small council."
"Yes. Well, I do believe the Hand of the King is welcome at all small council meetings."
"Our father is Hand of the King."
"Yes, but in his absence..." Tyrion pulled out a letter, handing it to Varys, who opened it, and began reading it aloud.
"Your father has named Lord Tyrion to serve as Hand in his stead while he fights-"
"Out! All of you out." The small council members all filed out until it was only Cersei and Tyrion. Cersei stood up and approached Tyrion. "I would like to know how you tricked father into this."
"If I were capable of tricking father, I'd be emperor of the world by now. You brought this on yourself.
Cersei sat down. "I've done nothing."
"Quite right. You did nothing when your son called for Ned Stark's head. Now the entire North has risen up against us."
"I tried to stop it."
"Did you? You failed. That bit of theater will haunt our family for a generation."
"Robb Stark is a child." Cersei commented.
"Who's won every battle he's fought. Do you understand we're losing the war?"
"What do you know about warfare?"
"Nothing. But I know people. And I know that our enemies hate each other almost as much as they hate us."
There was a long pause as Cersei looked over at Tyrion.
"Joffrey is King."
"Joffrey is King." Tyrion repeated.
"You are here to advise him."
"I'm only here to advise him. And if the King listens to what I say, the King might just get his Uncle Jaime back."
"How?"
"You love your children. It's your one redeeming quality. That and your cheekbones. The Starks love their children as well. And we have two of them."
"One."
"One?" Tyrion asked.
"Arya, little animal, she disappeared."
"Disappeared? What, in a puff of smoke? We had three Starks to trade. You chopped one's head off and let another escape. Father will be furious. It must be odd for you to be the disappointing child."
Tyrion smirks, and takes a sip of his wine. Cersei looks away.
After she had left, Cersei, flanked by a few members of the Kingsguard, happened upon Petyr Baelish.
"Lord Baelish."
"Your Grace."
"I wonder if I might ask you for a favour."
"Of course, Your Grace."
"Ned Stark's youngest daughter Arya... we can't seem to locate her."
Baelish began walking with Cersei and her guards.
"If she's escaped the capital, Winterfell seems the logical destination."
"And yet my friends in the North report no sign of her."
"Curious."
"If we choose to negotiate with the Starks, the girl has some value. Whoever finds her, well, you know what they say about Lannisters and debts."
"Well, you could ask Varys where she is. He'll have an answer for you. Whether you believe it,,, Myself, I have always had a hard time trusting eunuchs." He smiled. "Who knows what they want?"
"A mockingbird." She pointed to the pin on Baelish's shirt. "You created your own Sigil, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Appropriate for a self-made man with so many songs to sing.
"I'm glad you like it. Some people are fortunate enough to be born into the right family. Others have to find their own way."
"I heard a song once about a boy of modest means who found his way into the home of a very prominent family. He loved the eldest daughter. Sadly, she had eyes for another."
"When boys and girls live in the same home, awkward situations can arise. Sometimes, I've heard, even brothers and sisters develop certain affections. And when these affections become common knowledge, well, that is an awkward situation, indeed. Especially in a prominent family. But prominent families often forget a simple truth, I've found."
Cersei instantly knew he was referring to the rumours about her and Jaime.
"And which truth is that?"
"Knowledge is power."
"Seize him." Cersei's guards grabbed Baelish. "Cut his throat." A guard held a knife to Baelish's neck. "Stop. Wait. I've changed my mind. Let him go." The guards let Baelish go. "Step back three paces. Turn around. Close your eyes." The guards did as she bid and Cersei turned to Littlefinger. "Power is power. Do see if you can take some time away from your coins and your whores to locate the Stark girl for me. I would very much appreciate it."
Cersei walked away from Littlefinger, her guards following close behind. A servant boy who had been scrubbing the floor looked up at Lord Baelish.
After leaving Lord Baelish, Cersei and her guards entered the throne room. Extensive work was being done, overseen by Joffrey.
"What is all this?" Cersei asked her son.
"Returning this room to its proper appearance. Say what you will about the Targaryens, they were conquerors. That is a seat for a conqueror. It needs a room to match it, not vines and flowers."
"We can't find Arya Stark."
"With luck, she's dead in a ditch somewhere."
"Perhaps. But if not, we need her. They'll nevr give Jaime back to us for Sansa alone."
"I think they might. They're weak. They put too much value on their women." He said, walking towards the throne.
"We need to set our armies to the task of finding her. Send out as many men as we can. I'm sure if you asked grandfather-"
"The King does not ask; He commands. And my grandfather's stupidity in the field of battle is the reason Robb Stark has Uncle Jaime in the first place."
"His life is in danger."
"We're at war. All our lives are in danger. I heard a disgusting lie about Uncle Jaime. And you."
"Our enemies will say anything to weaken your claim to the throne."
"It's not a claim. The throne is mine."
"Of course it is. No one believes this foul gossip-"
"Someone believes it. Father had other children? Besides me and Aelinor, Tommen and Myrcella?"
"What are you asking?"
"I'm asking if he fucked other women when he grew tired of you. How many bastards does he have running-"
Cersei instinctively slaps Joffrey. It grew quiet as many workers looked over at Joffrey and Cersei. Joffrey looks up shocked, and then around to the workers in the room. Cersei was noticeably nervous at what she had done.
"What you just did is punishable by death. You will nevr do it again. Nevr." Joffrey began to walk away. "That will be all, Mother."
What an eventful day it had turned out to be.