CHAPTER 26. THE HAND OF DEATH
To my dear brother and sister
Gendry and I are alive and doing well…Cersei's forces have been defeated…Euron Greyjoy is fleeing back to the Iron Isles…Soon I will strike and Cersei will be dead and Jaime Lannister will pay for crippling our brother…After this letter you will not hear from me for a while, but do not worry…Soon all this will be over and we will all be together again…
Love Your Sister
Arya Stark
Arya as Qyburn seals the letter and draws a wolf on the side of it. Then she places it on the Raven for Winterfell and sends it off. The next morning when Qyburn/Arya checks the Ravens a message has arrived from High Garden. She laughs after reading it.
CERSEI
Everything is falling apart word had come that the Lannister forces had been defeated. Euron Greyjoy's fleet had been defeated; somehow the Dragon Queen and her allies knew. Now there is panic in the streets as the Martell forces surround the city. Everyday more troops arrive to join them; including free riders, sell-swords, and the Dothraki. The Unsullied forces had been seen marching pass Deep Den. Blackwater Bay is blocked off by the Dorne and Dragon Fleets.
"Your Grace…" Qyburn/Arya enters and hands her a message, "A Raven just arrived from High Garden…"
"Read it to me…"
"To the…" He looks at her.
"Go ahead…"
"Whore who sits on the Iron Throne…I wanted to say this in person, but a letter is just as good…As the noose tightens around your neck…You can spend your last days knowing that it was I…Olenna Tyrell who poisoned that monster Joffrey…In all good conscious I could not allow such a person to marry my beloved Granddaughter…"
Cersei snatches the letter and reads it herself. She tares it up screaming, "I will kill that old cunt!" The doors open and in walks Jaime with Bronn, "Jaime! Jaime…You're alive…"
"I would have been taken prisoner if not for Bronn…"
She looks at him, "You have my thanks…"
"They were waiting for us…They knew we were coming…"
"How could they have known…" Cersei asks.
"Bronn and I are of the opinion that there is a spy among us…"
Cersei looks at Bronn, "What if he is the spy?"
"I am many things…A traitor isn't one of them…"
"You are a sell sword…You changed your cloak for my brother Tyrion…Then again when he fled…How do we know that you aren't the one who has been feeding Tyrion information…"
"Your Grace…My little birds have been watching Bronn…He is no traitor…"
"Who else could it be?"
"Cersei…I trust Bronn…with my life…He didn't betray us…" He grabs her hands, "Now is not the time for this…We are surrounded…It's over Cersei…The gold we have will only keep the City Watch Loyal for so long…" All the gold in the vaults of Casterly Rock had been bought to King's Landing. "We need to negotiate…"
She yanks her hands away. "You want to surrender? Give up…We still have Baelish and the Knights of the Vale…"
"The Vale can't fight House Tyrell and Martell…The Dothraki and the Unsullied…Let me reach out to Tyrion…He will help us…"
ARYA
There are twenty-seven armed men in the Throne room including the Queens Guard. As they talk, they fail to notice the large man seal the throne room. A few days ago Gendry installed heavy locks on the doors to the throne room. Arya is now ready to reveal herself to them. Gendry is in disguise hiding among the Lannister men standing by his war hammer which is hidden in the wall. "Tyrion is a traitor…A monster who only wants to bring our family to ruin…"
"It was your accusations that drove him to that in the first place…"
"He murdered our father…Are you actually defending him."
"I cannot forgive him for killing our father, but he's still my brother and if anyone can help us now it is him…"
"The Dragon Queen will kill us all…What of our child?"
Qyburn/Arya raises an eyebrow, "Child?" Jaime asks.
"I am carrying our child…" She looks at Qyburn. "Tell him…"
"Oh is this part you want me to lie…Your Grace?" They all stare at him.
"What?"
"I'm sorry I can't play along with this anymore…I told Varys of your plans…" The Hands of Bronn and the King's Guards fall to their swords. "I also killed Qyburn…Meryn Trent…Illyn Payne…I freed Elia and Tyene Sand from prison after I gave Tyene the cure…The Freys I did that…and the I am responsible for the Boltons' fall and the Starks return to Winterfell…Winter has come for House Lannister…"
"You said you killed Qyburn…But you are Qyburn…" Bronn says.
His voice changes, "No I'm not…" He raises his hand and removes his face.
They all gasp, "Son of Bitch!" Bronn says.
"I am Arya Stark of Winterfell and it is time the Lannisters paid their debts…"
Ser Dory of the Queensguard who had replaced Meryn Trent draws his sword swinging at Arya. She leans back and steps to the side spinning around producing a sword from beneath her robe and takes off his right leg in one swing. Down he goes cradling the stump; as the other members of the Queen's Guard attack. Arya twirls Winter the name of the sword she stole from Jaime Lannister side to side, blocking attacks from three men at the same time.
"GREGOR!"Gregor, Cersei, Jaime, and Bronn whip their heads towards the owner of the voice. Sandor Clegane stands by the door with a large sword. "Come brother…It is time to die!"
"Kill that traitor!" Cersei orders. He rushes across the floor and the two start fighting. Meanwhile Gendry grabs his war hammer and bashes a Lannister man in the head killing him. "Look out you fools!" Cersei screams as two more men go down to Gendry's War Hammer.
Ser Arys Oakheart tries to flank Arya from behind, but she rolls backwards and to his left, then she slashes him across the lower back and down he goes. Ser Balon Swann attacks, Arya leaps up and wraps her legs around his throat and thrusts her sword out at Osmond Kettleblack. She stabs him in the throat and twists around bringing Swann down. Yanking her sword out of Kettleblack she sits up and stabs Swann in the neck.
"Dam you are dog ugly…" Arya hears Sandor say after the clang of a helmet hitting the floor.
One by one the Queensgaurd falls to Arya's sword. She blocks an overhead attack from Ser Blount and takes out Fang, then she stabs him in the groin with the thin blade. Arya ducks when she gets to her feet and leaps up onto Blount's back as he is now on all fours. She leaps up and buries her sword in the head of Ser Greenfeild. As he hits the ground Arya draws Needle from her robe and starts walking towards Jaime Lannister and Cersei.
Her path is blocked by four Lannister Man, "Hold it right there you little bitch…" The first man says.
He swings but Arya leans to the side glancing the blade off Fang and then she stabs him in the face with Needle. She stabs him again in the head and walks passed him. The last three men attack her and one by one they fall to Arya's speed and grace. Meanwhile Gendry shatters swords, breaks legs, arms and crushes skulls. After he kills the last man he joins Arya and they watch as Gregor and Sandor fight.
"Weapons!" Gendry commands.
"Who are you?" Jaime asks dropping his sword. Bronn drops his sword and removes his dagger.
He removes his helm and Cersei's eyes bulge as if she is looking at a ghost, "My name is Gendry…Robert Baratheon was my father…"
"What's taking you so long?" Arya asks.
"Shut up…" Sandor replies.
Arya sighs, draws a dart, and when Gregor and Sandor separate she throws it into his head as Sandor had knocked off his helm. He reaches up and yanks the dart from his head. "I don't need your help…" Sandor roars.
"He's going to kill you…" Arya replies observing the fight. Now the only sound being made is their swords hitting. Then a new sound echoes through the throne room; a battering ram at the main doors. "You really need to wrap this up…" Arya says annoyed.
SANDOR
"GREGOR…" His brother looks in his direction, "Come brother its time to die…" As he rushes across the floor Sandor glimpses at Arya Stark who is cutting down the Queensguard like a blade through grass. "Dam!" He says giving Gregor his full attention. They fight and their fight is more of a brawl than a duel. Punches are thrown in conjunction with sword attacks.
They lock swords, Gregor is strong, stronger than the last time Sandor fought him and that was at the Tourney of the Hand. He manages to hit Gregor in the head with his sword knocking it off. "Dam you are ugly…"
"What is taking so Long?" Arya asks.
"Shut up!" Sandor replies.
They lock swords for the second time and when they separate Gregor pauses and yanks something from the back of his head. "I don't need your help…" Sandor roars. Then there is a banging at the door, someone is using a battering ram.
"You really need to wrap this up…" Arya yells.
. "Cocky little bitch…" He whispers under his breath. Once again they lock swords, only this time Sandor kicks him in the balls and down he goes. He roars and brings his sword down on Gregor's head. The Mountain is no more.
JAIME
Jaime is frozen in place after Qyburn removes his face and becomes a woman and not just any woman; Arya Stark. Many believed Arya was dead all these years, but here she is fighting like a seasoned warrior cutting down the Queensguard as if they were boys just learning to fight with a sword. She was everywhere at once; dodging, slashing, thrusting, twisting, bending her body to avoid multiple attacks from different sides.
He too was shocked when the young man removed his helm. It's like staring at a younger ghost of Robert Baratheon, but no it is one of his bastards; a bastard who didn't die in Joffrey's purge. "I have waited for this moment for so long…" Arya says "I have imagined so many ways to kill you…" She was talking like a woman receiving pleasure in bed. "I'm going to do it slowly and painfully…Every inch of your body will know pain and bleed…"
Jaime loved Cersei and he couldn't imagine her dying in such a way. He grabs the dagger off Gendry's belt and plunges into Cersei chest.
"No!" Arya screams.
Both Gendry and Sandor try to pull him off her; that is when Bronn yanks the dagger from her chest and stabs her again. "Jaime!" Cersei yells as she falls back and hits the floor.
"Cersei! I am sorry! Cersei!" He screams.
"Jaime!"
"No this is to fast…You were suppose to die slowly!" Arya says dropping to her side.
"Get away from her you bitch!" Jaime screams.
Sandor grabs Bronn, "Can I kill him?"
The boy Gendry is just as strong as his late father. Jaime watches as Arya grabs Cersei's face, "Look into my eyes…My face will be the last thing you see bitch…" Cersei breaths her last breath.
"Can I kill him?" Sandor asks again.
Arya stands up and looks at Bronn and he at her. "If you're gonna kill me at least give me a sword and let me die fighting. "Gendry my Love…"
"Yes My Lady…"
She looks at Jaime, "You made my brother a cripple…" She walks up to Jaime and stabs him in the knee. Down he goes to the floor cradling his leg. "Break his legs…Make it so he never walks again…"
"Aye!"
She looks at Bronn, "Let him go…"
Jaime remembers the pain he felt when he lost his hand. That was nothing to the pain he feels as Gendry hits his knee with his war hammer. Jaime's screams drown out the hitting of the battering ram.
BRONN
The doors open and the men who enter pause dumbfounded at the sight. There are bodies everywhere and only a few are still alive. "What happened?" The City Watch Captain asks.
"Never mind that now…Find a healer for Lord Jaime…" Bronn commands.
A healer is found and he works tirelessly to ease Jaime's pain. "My lord there may be a Maester with the army outside the walls…"
Bronn nods, "Let them in on the condition they do not sack the city and send a Maester to help Lord Jaime…"
Bronn is sitting on the steps of the Red Keep as the Tyrell and Martell forces enter the fortress. "So you are still alive…" He looks up to find Tyene.
"Well if isn't the most beautiful woman in the world…"
She smiles, "You remembered…"
"Where is Jaime Lannister?" They are joined by Elia Sand, "My men tell me that Cersei is dead and Jaime Lannister has been crippled."
"It is as they say…You may want to check everyone in the castle…Especially their faces…There is a girl running around the Castle who can change faces…"
"Are you saying there is a Faceless Man in the Castle…"
He hunches his shoulders, "She could have been trained by the Faceless Men…Its Arya Stark…"
PETYR
Petyr had been in his room for the past few weeks under House arrest. He had not seen Cersei or Qyburn in all that time. The guards at his door would tell him nothing. Then one day the bells start ringing and the door opens and in walks Elia Sand. "Petyr Baelish…"
"Lady Elia…Surprise seeing you here…I thought you had been a prisoner…"
"I was freed weeks ago…The city now belongs to the Dragon Queen…You will remain here until she arrives…"
"When will that be?"
"In a few more days she will be here…"
"Perhaps I can persuade you to let me go…I can make it worth your while…"
"The Starks have a price on your head…You should have gone into exile when you had the chance…"
She turns to leave, "Wait!" She pauses, "Is Lord Arryn here? A message was sent weeks ago for him to come to the Capitol…"
"No he is not here…"
She closes the door and leaves. When Petyr turns around Arya Stark is standing behind him. "Arya Stark…Where did you come from?" He grunts as she stabs him in the gut.
"She was right you know…You should have left Westeros when you had the chance…I would not have followed you across the sea…But since you are here I get the pleasure of killing you myself…"
When he tries to scream Arya slits his throat and down he goes dead. When the door opens Arya is gone.