[King's Landing - Red Keep, Balcony]
Margaery Tyrell sat at the table with her grandmother, Olenna Tyrell.
"So am I the queen?" Margaery asked.
"More than you were with Renly. Less than you would have been if Joffrey had done you the courtesy of consummating the marriage before dying. In any case, this would not be an opportune moment to press the issue."
"Clawing at his own throat, looking to his mother to make it stop... it was horrible."
"The world is overflowing with horrible things. But they're all a tray of cakes next to death. They brought me your grandfather's body when he died, you know? Made me look at it."
"What was it like?"
"They took me to the Great Hall and there he was. The man I'd married and suffered to father my children. A great doughy lump I'd sat next to at endless dinners and tedious gatherings. There he was... lying on a table."
"One of my husbands preferred the company of men and was stabbed through the heart. Another was happiest torturing animals and was poisoned at our wedding feast... I must be cursed."
"Nonsense. Your circumstances have improved markedly. You may not have enjoyed watching him die, but you enjoyed it more than you would have enjoyed being married to him, I can promise you that."
"But I would have been the queen."
"Our alliance with the Lannisters remains every bit as necessary to them as it is unpleasant for us. You did wonderful work on Joffrey. The next one should be easier."
What they failed to realize was one of the palace handmaidens, loyal to Aelinor had overheard them.
[Great Sept Of Baelor]
Joffrey's body was laid on a table in the center on the room, his eyes covered with stones that had green eyes painted on them. Cersei, Aelinor, Tommen and Tywin and stood around him.
Tywin turned to Tommen. "Your brother is dead. Do you know what that means?"
Tommen remained quiet.
Aelinor, looked at her grandfather shaking her head. She may not have liked Joffrey, but did her grandfather have to speak of Tommen becoming king while they stood in front of the recently deceased one?
"I'm not trying to trick you."
"It means I'll become king."
"Yes, you will become king. What kind of king do you think you'll be?"
"A good king?" Tommen sounded unsure.
He didn't expect to become King. That title he knew would go to his older brother.
"Mm, I think so as well. You've got the right temperament for it. But what makes a good king? Hmm? What is a good king's single most important quality?"
"This is hardly the place or the time." Cersei interjected.
"Holiness?" Tommen guessed.
"Hmm. Baelor the Blessed was holy. And pious. He built this sept. He also named a six-year-old boy high septon because he thought the boy could work miracles. He ended up fasting himself into an early grave because food was of this world and this world was sinful."
"Justice."
"Yeah. A good king must be just. Orys I was just. Everyone applauded his reforms. Nobles and commoners alike. But he wasn't just for long. He was murdered in his sleep after less than a year by his own brother. Was that truly just of him? To abandon his subjects to an evil that he was too gullible to recognize?"
"No."
"No."
"What about strength?"
"Yes. Strength. King Robert was strong. He won the rebellion and crushed the Targaryen dynasty. And he attended three small council meetings in seventen years. He spent his time whoring and hunting and drinking until the last two killed him. So, we have a man who starves himself to death, a man who lets his own brother murder him, and a man who thinks that winning and ruling are the same thing. What do they all lack?"
"Wisdom."
"Yes!" Tywin said as it seemed Tommen had landed on the correct answer.
"Wisdom is what makes a good king."
"Yes. But what is wisdom? Hmm? A house with great wealth and fertile lands asks you for your protection against another house with a strong Navy that could one day oppose you. How do you know which choice is wise and which isn't? You've any experience of treasuries and granaries or shipyards and soldiers?"
"No."
"No. Of course not. A wise king knows what he knows and what he doesn't. You're young. A wise young king listens to his counselors and heeds their advice until he comes of age. And the wisest kings continue to listen to them long afterwards... Your brother was not a wise king. Your brother was not a good king. If he had been, perhaps he'd still be alive. Now, as the king, you will have to marry. Do you understand why?"
Tywin and Tommen began walking up the steps to leave the Sept.
"A king needs a queen."
"Yes, but why? To further the family line. As your sister has. Do you know how that happens?"
If Aelinor didn't wish to strangle her grandfather any of the other times he had angered her, she certainly did now.
The boy's brother's body wasn't even cold, and here he stood telling the King of ten and four he needed to marry and produce heirs.
Because if he died without an heir, the crown would fall to her, and Aegar after her, his children after him, and so on.
"Yes." Tommen answered.
"Yes, but has anyone explained the details to you?"
"I don't think so. It's all relatively straightforward."
Jaime entered. "How are you?" He asked Tommen, his only remaining son, even if he didn't know it.
"I'm all right."
"You are. You will be. I'll see to that."
Tywin and Tommen exited.
"Please give the queen a moment alone with her son." Jaime said.
"Yes, my lord. All of you." The High Septon snaps his fingers and the priests exit.
Sensing they wanted to be alone, Aelinor did not wait to be asked to leave. It wasn't a hard decision. Some may call her cold and unfeeling. Sure they had met Joffrey, the King, but they hadn't met Joffrey, the brother. The brother who took great pleasure in the suffering of everyone, especially his siblings. And, as heir to the Throne, he often got away with it.
He approached his twin who was staring at her eldest son's body.
"It was Tyrion. He killed him. He told me he would. "A day will come when you think you are safe and happy and your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth." That's what he said to me. You saw it. You saw Joff point at him just before he..."
"I don't know what I saw."
Everything had happened so fast.
"Avenge him. Avenge our son. Kill Tyrion." Cersei pleaded.
"Tyrion's my brother. Our brother. There'll be a trial. We'll get to the truth of what happened."
"I don't want a trial. He'll squirm his way to freedom given the chance. I want him dead." She cried. "Please, Jaime. You have to. He was our son. Our baby boy."
Jaime consoled Cersei, kissing her. Cersei stepped back, gasping.
"You're a hateful woman. Why have the gods made me love a hateful woman?" Jaime grabbed Cersei and forcefully kissed her, pressing himself against her.
"Jaime, not here, please. Please."
Jaime ripped at her dress. They ended up tangled on the floor by the altar.
"Stop it. Stop it. Stop."
"No." Jaime refused.
"Stop it. Stop."
She continued to resist, but her resolve was weakening. They kissed, and Jaime brought her to the ground and forces himself on her.
"Stop. Stop. It's not right."
Jaime ignored her, grunting.
"It's not right. It's not right." She kept repeating.
"I don't care."
Cersei continued to cry. "Don't."
"I don't care."
"Don't. Jaime, don't."
"I don't care."
[King's Landing - Brothel]
Prince Oberyn and Ellaria had been engaging in one of their favourite activities.
With them; Marei, Olyvar and an unnamed whore.
They had been enjoying themselves until Tywin Lannister stormed in.
"Prince Oberyn."
"Lord Tywin."
"May we have the room?" Tywin requested, though there was belief it was a command rather than a question.
"Call my name if you need me, lover." Ellaria said before she, Olyvar, Marei and the unnamed whore exited.
"Would you like to sit?" Oberyn offered.
"No, thank you."
"Some wine?"
"No, thank you."
Oberyn put on a robe before pouring some wine. "I'm sorry about your grandson."
"Are you?"
"I don't believe that a child is responsible for the sins of his father. Or his grandfather. An awful way to die."
"Which way is that?"
"Are you interrogating me, Lord Tywin?"
"Some believe the king choked."
"Some believe the sky is blue because we live inside the eye of a blue-eyed giant. The king was poisoned."
"I hear you studied poisons at the Citadel."
"I did. This is why I know."
"Your hatred for my family is rather well known. You arrive at the capital, an expert in poisoning, some days later my grandson dies of poisoning."
"Rather suspicious. Why haven't you thrown me in a dungeon?"
"You spoke with Tyrion in this very brothel on the day that you arrived. What did you discuss?"
"You think we conspired together?"
"What did you discuss?" Tywin repeated.
"The death of my sister."
"For which you blame me."
"She was raped and murdered by the Mountain. The Mountain follows your orders. Of course I blame you."
"Here I stand unarmed, unguarded. Should I be concerned?"
"You are unarmed and unguarded because you know me better than that. I am a man of reason. If I cut your throat today, I will be drawn and quartered tomorrow."
"Men at war commit all kinds of crimes without their superiors' knowledge."
"So you deny involvement in Elia's murder?"
"Categorically."
"I would like to speak with the Mountain." Oberyn said.
"I'm sure he would enjoy speaking with you."
"He might not enjoy it as much as he thinks he would."
"I could arrange for this meeting.
"But you want something in return."
"There will be a trial for my son. And as custom dictates, three judges will render a verdict. I will preside. Mace Tyrell will serve as the second judge. I would like you to be the third."
"Why?"
"Not long ago, the Tyrells sided with Renly Baratheon. Declared themselves enemies of the throne. Now they are our strongest allies."
"Well, you made the Tyrell girl a queen. Asking me to judge at your son's trial isn't quite as tempting."
"I will also invite you to sit on the small council to serve as one of the new king's principal advisors."
"I nevr realized you had such respect for Dorne, Lord Tywin."
"We are not the Seven Kingdoms until Dorne returns to the fold. The king is dead. The Greyjoys are in open rebellion. A wildling army marches on the Wall. And in the East, a Targaryen girl has three dragons. Before long, she will turn her eyes to Westeros. Only the Dornish managed to resist Aegon Targaryen and his dragons."
"You're saying you need us? That must be hard for you to admit."
"We need each other. You help me serve justice to the king's assassins and I will help you serve justice to Elia's."
He left Oberyn to consider.
After Tywin had left, Oberyn was surprised to hear another voice.
"Vindicating isn't it? His dog murders your family and here he is crawling to you, asking for your help. Trying to appease you with positions and power." Aelinor walked forward from the second entrance. "It's a bloody shame you were right about why you couldn't kill him. I'm waiting for someone to. With all the enemies he's made..."
"Princess? Just how long have you been there?"
"If you're worried about me watching, don't be. It's not my thing."
"Just what is your thing?" He asked, striding forward.
"Warriors... and a certain lady."
Oberyn raised his eyebrows. "Lady? Huh. It seems you have more in common with your husband than I realized."
"She has been there for me, far more than I can say for the majority of my family."
"Ah, so she is your Ellaria?"
"I guess you could say that. Anyway, she's married now, the same as me. Luckily, her husband has agreed to our arrangement."
Oberyn chuckled. "The Silver Stag. Who knew she could be so cunning?"
"You do." Aelinor responded. "I'm sure you've figured out I was the one to kill Amory Lorch."
"I had my suspicions."
"Well, you'd be right. He was to leave to Harrenhal that day to aid my grandfather against Robb Stark. I knew if I didn't do it then, I might have lost my chance. He didn't deserve the 'honour' of dying in battle. Not after what he did."
"So the rumours are true?"
Aelinor nodded. "I invited him into my chambers and offered him laced Dornish wine. It incapacitated him, but left him able to feel everything I was going to do to him... powerless to stop me."
"Like my niece."
"I stabbed him fifty times with a Valyrian Steel dagger and watched as his face contorted in pain with each one until his heart gave out. Poetic justice, wouldn't you say?"
"Aye, it was." Oberyn agreed. "You're not like your family, are you?"
"And I thank the Gods for it. Neither are Tommen and Myrcella. But Tommen is still a child. He has been babied by my mother. Do you think my grandfather really cares about Joffrey's death. He's only concerned with punishing the culprit so he can show Westeros no one harms the Lannisters without consequence. Then he'll move on to manipulating Tommen, being a King in all but name."
"I think you would enjoy Dorne. As happy as my nephew is with your sister, it's a shame you weren't sent."
"My Uncle Tyrion arranged that betrothal."
"And your brother, the former king, arranged yours."
"Indeed he did. A form of punishment I'd say. For talking back to him in front of his subjects. My husbands preferences are one of the worst kept secrets in the Seven Kingdoms."
"Much worse than those of your mother and her twin."
Aelinor stood silent.
"It's okay. I know you won't say anything. But, no need to worry. As I said, we do not despise bastards in Dorne."
"I'm glad. I hope to visit. Aegar should meet his aunt. And your daughters, the Sand Snakes, I've heard stories. I think we could be great friends."
"Aye. I think you could too."
"I should get back before it's discovered I'm missing. With Joffrey's death, mom is in overprotective mode."
"I may not care for your mother or her family, but can you blame her? A parent's love for their children knows no bounds. We would kill for them, die for them, but first we must live for them."
"I suppose you're right. I would kill for my son. I would die for him. But I intend to live so I can protect him."
"An honourable pursuit."
Aelinor nodded. "I hope we can speak again soon."
"As do I," he bowed "Farewell Princess."
"Farewell Prince Oberyn," she curtsied in response, letting out a laugh before heading out the door she arrived in.
Perhaps not all who carry Lannister blood are so bad, Oberyn thought to himself, watching her leave.