When the army wakes up, a thick fog has settled in during the night. Stannis walks out of his tent, dressed for the battle and smiles slightly: it's a perfect weather. He silently hopes Asha is as close from King's Landing as they are. Last night, when they settled the camp, they could see King's Landing from where they were. He had waited for a messenger; maybe a peace proposal from the Lannisters but no one came. He was neither surprised nor disappointed. The Lannisters would cling on the throne to the very end. If they would have made peace, his advisors would have told him to spare them. He didn't want to.
The only question remaining was: what would he do with the children? Exile them would be a good idea, Edmure Tully said. He didn't know if Joffrey would be among his men during the battle. He hoped so, that would be a problem solved. Tommen to the Wall, but Jon had not decided what he would do yet. Could they both live together in Castleblack, knowing the hate between the two families? And what about the young Myrcella?
He stops walking and stands in front of the fog, but he knows King's Landing is standing right in front of him. He's so close from his goal. Stannis turns to his men, getting ready, and he feels the beatings of his heart increasing their pace. He has fought some battles, and he's as scared as when he was a young, too young man. Robert was never scared, which was only a way to show his stupidity. It's normal to be scared of death. It's normal to be scared of going to a battle. One of his soldiers brings him water and a piece of bread. He thanks him with a nod and eats slowly. He can't help thinking about Margaery and the children. Were they alive? He would not even know. He closes his eyes, seeing Margaery in his head. When he is imagining her, sun is always shining bright, revealing the shades of her hair, of her eyes. He then thinks of the baby who is born in Highgarden: he wonders if it is a boy or a girl, whose name Margaery has chosen for him or her, if he will get the chance to know him.
"Your Grace?"
Lost in thought, he does not answer right away. The voice gets more insistent:
"Your Grace?"
He turns to Edmure, all dressed up for the battle.
"Men are ready, your Grace"
Stannis nods and another soldier takes his horse to him. He gets on it and, silently, starts riding to King's Landing. The sound of the whole army walking all of a sudden is very deafening. The horses pulling the catapults neigh a lot. The people of King's Landing would know soon enough they are coming.
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In the Red Keep, Cersei watches the sky by the window. She had gotten up early, and, since then, she feels weirdly nervous. She has heard Stannis was walking on King's Landing. Rumors spread in the town as fast as a river running after too much rain. She had sent spied in the town, has arrested the people wanting to support Stannis. The tension is palpable in the city. As Stannis's allies, Highgarden has stopped sending food to King's Landing. Of course, Cersei never suffered from it. But the people did and soon, some of her advisors suggested that they should surrender. "You cannot win", they said. "And if the population is against you, you've lost." She had executed them. Soon, Jaime was the only one left. She turns to him, lied in their bed and she grabs a glass, pours it with wine. She is about to sit with him when a servant knocks on the door. Cersei rolls her eyes:
"What is it?" she walks to the door and opens it. With the servant is a soldier. He looks at her with widened eyes, and she can read panic in it.
"Speak" she orders him.
"Stannis is here, your Grace"
"Does the King know?" she asks.
"Yes, your Grace. I told him before coming here."
She stares at him, blankly, no feelings showing on her face. She simply nods and closes the door, before waking Jaime up.
The fog is still present, even though it is not dawn anymore. Among his soldiers, Stannis can hear "The Gods are with us today". He holds back a snort and stops when he feels he can hit the city with the catapults. He can see the Lannisters bending their bows on them. Stannis turns to Edmure, who nods at him, before looking behind him. The soldiers stare at him, probably hoping for a speech. But Stannis has never been good at that. His eyes leave the army to look further, on the hills. He had no news from Renly either, who left weeks ago with Jon and a good part of the army. He silently hopes his brother is alive. Without a word, he takes the handle of his sword and swiftly unsheathes it. His men follow and shout with excitement.
"Lord Edmure", he commands. "Warn them we're here."
Edmure nods and turns to the soldiers:
"Catapult!"
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In King's Landing, the population, frightened, runs inside their houses. Joffrey tells his mother to join the other women and stay safe. Cersei watches him, very pale, getting ready for the battle. She begs him not to go, but he insists the men need their king with them. She watches him leaving with Jaime and her heart swollen with pride. Father and son, side by side.
The people from the City, tho, have nowhere to hide. And when they hear the sounds of the catapult, panic spreads among them. Everybody looks for a place to hide, children lose their parents and cry with fear, old people fall and shout with pain as the younger ones run on their bodies. A man is running in the streets, unable to find somewhere to be safe. He hears weird noises and, as he looks up, he sees something dark flying in the air and falling right on him. "I'm gonna die", he silently thinks and, as a reflex, he places his arms on his face to protect himself. He shouts when the object hits his face and, immediately, he frowns: he should be dead. He looks around and down to his feet: it is here, by his feet, and he clumsily takes it. A smile lightens up his face and he shouts to warn the others: "Bread! It's bread!" As the other people shyly come out, he grabs breads all along the streets. Soon, he is followed by the others. He sees an old man leant against a wall, his leg bleeding and he kneels by him to give him bread. The man's eyes widen, his face hollowed by the hunger. "Where did you find that, boy?" his quaking voice asks.
"Stannis sent them", he whispers to him, scared soldiers could hear him.
Tears come to the old man's eyes:
"The gods blessed him."
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Edmure can't help smiling when he hears the noises of the population cheering. Stannis, him, is still on his horse, ready to start the fight. "When we'll take city", he says quietly but all the soldiers are listening to him. "I want no rape, no plundering. We're here to save the city, not to ruin it." With a same voice, the soldiers shout:
"Aye!"
He looks at them and nods:
"Take it."
The first soldiers run to the city yelling. On the battlements, the Lannister commanders shout their men to be ready. Stannis places his archers close enough to hit them, but far enough to have the minimum casualties. He stares at his men running to the city, the Baratheon flag everywhere, mixed with the Tullys and the Tyrells. Garlan and Loras Tyrell lead them, Edmure leading the Tullys. The Lannisters shoot arrows endlessly and kill numerous men but still, some are able to place the ladders against the wall and to start climbing up. Stannis, behind them, watches everything, shouts orders when something does not suit him. They've attacked all the gates simultaneously. Stannis knows a town is easier to defend than to take, but the number is with them. Brienne is staying with him, they are alone, watching the soldiers fighting. Sandor has been one of the first to reach the city, even tho he should have stayed by the King. But Stannis understands his thirst for finding and killing his brother. Brienne and Stannis turn with the same swift movement when they hear foghorn resounding on the sea. From where they are, they just see little black points getting closer from the city. Stannis can't hold back his smile:
"Asha", he whispers and Brienne and him exchange a knowing look.
On the battlements, the Lannisters heard the foghorn too. A captain rushes to the sea:
"Protect the city! Pro-"
An arrow shuts him up by getting through his throat. Asha, on the bow of her ship, lowers her bow.
"Get ready to land!" she shouts and her men shout. She turns to them:
"Let's get rid of Lannisters" she smiles.
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Panic spreads into the Lannister ranks. Joffrey stares at his men, unable to do whatsoever. Th e captains yell at each other, some turns to the young king:
"Your Grace, what are your orders? Your orders, your Grace!"
Joffrey mumbles something:
"Fight til your death."
The captains nod and organize the defense of the city. They had not seen Asha coming and, by time they realize, she was too close to do whatsoever. Joffrey feels lost, completely lost. Gregor Clegane protects him the best he can, but soon, the boy feels sick. The noises, the yells of the men dying, the smell of death, blood and shit. One of his captain asks him if he's okay. The second after, Joffrey's face is spotted with blood. The captain had received an arrow breaking through his face. Joffrey looks at him and throws up on his dead body. He looks for his uncle but Jaime is nowhere to be seen. The King turns to the sea and gasps when he sees Asha's ships.
Under the Red Keep, Cersei and the women stay together. Tommen is huddled up against her, Myrcella sobs with the others. She is fed up with hearing them cry and pitying themselves. Joffrey is going to win. Jaime is going to win. He had constantly told her they would not win this battle but Cersei knows her brother. He's better than a million soldiers. He could kill Stannis's army with his lonely arm. The women can't stop crying so she walks away from them and, by a little window, she tries to see how the battle goes. But she only sees dead bodies and black shadows on the sea. If she is sure the city is lost, she knows what she will have to do. She looks at her children, smiling slightly. The Gods know what Stannis would do to her children. She cannot let him do. She shall not let him do. With a sigh, she turns to the servant and asks for another cup of wine.
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The battle keeps going all morning long: injured soldiers start getting back to the camp, and the masters take care of them the best they can. Stannis checks Davos's sons are not among them before getting back to the battle. He sees a first Baratheon flag inside the city and his heart hammers in his chest. The flag is torn down tho and the soldier who was holding it is thrown over the battlements. He cannot hear his yell with the row but he winces when he sees the body falling. The soldiers don't look like they care: they keep climbing up, some fall, some are pushed off, some make it and get in the city. And suddenly, the River/Mud gate opens. It's Asha, he thinks, as he watches the Greyjoys rushing in by the door. Stannis's horse can feel his nervousness and he neighs loudly. Brienne looks at him and suddenly freezes.
"What is it?" Stannis asks.
She points her finger on Stannis's empty side and he looks this way. He almost yells with joy: Renly is galloping to them, his men following him, Jon by his side.
"Hello brother!" Renly smiles huge.
"Renly", Stannis nods. "How was Casterly Rock?"
"Pretty. But the visit was short", he replies. "Brienne", he nods at her.
Stannis watches her blushing slightly and he holds back a dismayed sigh. He looks at Jon:
"Glad to see you back, Lord Snow. How many dead?" he nods at the army.
"A few thousands. We also left men to keep Casterly Rock"
"Good", Stannis nods. "Are your men fit?" he asks Renly again.
"Aye, they are. Ready for this battle", he smiles.
Stannis nods at them to join his men already fighting and they do so. Renly places his horse by Stannis' side.
"Have you seen Asha?" he asks him.
"She landed a few hours ago", he points at the ships waiting on Blackwater. "They opened a gate already, and I'm pretty sure the others won't last."
"Good", Renly nods smiling. "I can't wait to see her. What about Margaery?"
Stannis shakes his head:
"She is in Highgarden. I hope. I told her to not send messages in case someone would intercepted them. I sent Davos joining her a few weeks after she left, because I was worried about her and the children. He didn't come back. He's either there, or dead. I will know only once I take this city."
His hands tighten on the reins and his eyes stare at the battlefield. He sees another gate opening, then a third. Lannister flags start falling down, one after the other. "We're here", he thinks. "We're winning".
"What are you gonna do with the Lannisters?" Renly asks.
"I don't know yet. I'll have the Kingslayer and Cersei executed for treason and incest, if they survive the battle. As for the children… I don't know. I'll need your advice, as well as Jon's and Edmure's and the Tyrells'."
Renly nods and looks back at the battlefield.
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Sandor is walking in the city, killing all the soldiers he sees. He doesn't care about them, he cares only about one. Suddenly, he sees him. He cannot mistake his brother for someone else. No one can. He sees him grabbing a young Tully soldier's skull, lifting him up and throwing him on a wall. Probably the same thing that he had done with Aegon. Sandor spits on the ground and walks to him. Gregor slowly turns around to face him. He has changed, Sandor thinks. What the hell did they do to him. Gregor rushes on him, Sandor does not even know if he had recognized him. Gregor punches him hard in the face and he stumbles backwards but he remains on his feet and attacks him back. Their swords crash against each other, Sandor blocks his brother and tries to aim his legs, because he knows with his weight and height, he couldn't stand back up. He strikes again and again and again, he knows he hits him, he can see him bleed but Gregor doesn't look like he feels anything. He roars with rage, grabs Sandor's throat and lifts him up as easily as if Sandor was a kitten. Sandor knows what he's gonna do and panic spreads into his veins. He strikes his neck with his sword, and, as blood rushes on him, Grego doesn't show any weakness. Sandor widens his eyes with fear: it's like Gregor cannot die. He keeps striking him, blood spurted out of his throat and, after long minutes, his grip weakens. Sandor doesn't stop striking, his face covered with his own brother's blood. The giant man slowly loses his grip, falling on his knees. Sandor lets out a groan of despair and rage and keeps hitting him.
Jaime is fighting bravely, his heart hammering in his chest. The hours of training are finally useful: his sword crushes Stannis's men, chops skulls, and goes through bellys, cuts arms or legs. He feels alive suddenly, as if all these years at court had anaesthetized him. He pants hard, his arm and his legs are hurting him terribly but at least he feels something. He has known, from the moment he had gone to the battle, that it was lost. Cersei cannot understand that, Cersei has never fought a battle in her life. Stannis had the number, the strategy. When men had yelled that ships were coming, Jaime had snorted. Well done, Stannis, well done. He had not given up the fight, tho. He knew his fate was sealed: he would die, either on the battlefield or executed by Stannis. Honestly, he would prefer that than going to the Wall, freezing for the rest of his life protecting people who had always spit on him. His movement get slower with time and he feels suddenly blinded by a bright light. He closes his eyes and winces but, after a moment, he realizes it's just the sunset. He looks around him and sees bodies piled up on each other, Lannisters, Baratheons, Tullys, Tyrells, united in death. Silence brutally strikes him: he looks up, and around again. He's alone. Where are my soldiers? He wonders. He wants to walk but stumbles and falls down: his eyes stop on his leg, badly bleeding, and he leans on the handle of his sword to stand up again. He stumbles to the battlements, and sees his men walking out of the castle, armless, and the Baratheons chaining them up.
"What are you doing?!" he yells. "Come back and fight!"
The soldiers do not even look at him. They keep walking and sit down. Jaime stares at her and suddenly, Cersei. He rushes as fast as he can to the Red Keep but it's too late. The door is open, the women are all gone. He walks in, calling at her weak. "Cersei?" his voice is like a whisper. He stumbles harder and almost falls down. He is tired, so tired. He just wants to sleep, now. Jaime feels something weird under his foot and looks down. His eyes widen with horror and he gasps, wants to walk back but he stumbles harder than the other time and falls back. His mouth swirls in a weird expression: he has walked on Cersei's hair. Here she is, lying on the cold floor, her hair looking like a wheat field. Her beautiful emerald eyes are closed and he crawls to her. Maybe she's asleep, he thinks. But as he crawls closer, he notices the two little bodies by her side.
"Cersei…" he whispers, then his voice grows into anger. "Cersei, what have you done?"
He grabs her by her dress and shakes her violently. But her body is as limp as a rag doll. As he moves her, a phial falls from her hand. He takes it, looks at them and understands. She had often told her how living with Robert was like being in a prison, and he remembers how she had refused to marry someone else after his death. She had known what her fate was when the battle was lost. Jaime closes his eyes: if only he could sleep. Sleep and never wake up. He is too weak to open his eyes, and slowly falls by Cersei's body.
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Stannis walks in the city on his horse, acclaimed by his soldiers. They have made hundreds, maybe thousands of prisoners among the Lannisters. He looks at the dead bodies scattered everywhere on the road to the Red Keep. His eyes then focus on it: standing proudly, the red Keep has not suffered from the battle. Cersei's court has been made prisoners. Renly is following him. He let the soldiers rest, they deserved it after such a day. He gets off his horse and slowly climbs up the stairs to the red keep. The great hall is empty. He remembers, when Robert was king, how it was to be there, to serve a King. Now, he is the King. He stares at the Iron Throne, enlightened by the last sunray of the day. He closes his eyes, sees his family in his head and sits on the Iron Throne.