Sansa Stark struggled to keep her eyes open, even as she realised that they were only two days from the city. The moment they reached the city, she could rest for longer than a few hours. Tyrion could rest. Since about two days after they had fled Winterfell to bring their message south, Sansa had regretted allowing Tyrion to come. Riding so hard caused him so much pain and it made Sansa feel guilty every time she hurried on.
But Tyrion understood. Bran's message had been too important to wait.
Finding Bran at Winterfell had been a wonderful, welcome surprise, especially after time spent with the Ironborn, sending them off to King's Landing to join Daenerys. He had greeted them with cold eyes, though. He was no longer the boy that they had known. And, within moments, he was explaining what he had seen, what he knew, and he was hurrying them away.
Apparently, a raven wasn't safe enough but Sansa knew that wasn't true. Bran had seen something more, something that he believed meant that Sansa and Tyrion were needed in King's Landing.
They left Rickon with Bran and their staff there and galloped off to the coast, to get on a ship and then off just before King's Landing.
It would be a miracle if they made it in time, before Cersei blew up the casks of wildfire that she had restached beneath the city, ready to destroy every person invading her city, even if it cost her her own life.
XXX
Daario Naharis was waiting outside the city. Jon looked sideways at his wife and found that her eyes were narrowed, ever so slightly. They continued riding their column until they reached Daario. Jon held his hand up to have their soldiers stop when they were within talking distance. Now that they were closer, Jon could see around the hill that had blocked his sight of the Second Sons. Swallowing his distaste for Daario, he turned to Dany to hear her address him.
"You were supposed to be in Meereen," she said simply. "You were supposed to be serving me in Meereen. I do not take kindly to disobedience, Daario."
Daario smiled. Jon's eyes roamed his face for any sign of disingenuity but found none. "I want to serve you best, your grace. I serve you best at your side, fighting for you. I could not bear to leave, not when your battles were not yet won."
"There are battles to fight in Meereen."
"But not battles that will determine the course of a continent." Dany observed, her eyes narrowed. "I would serve you here, my queen. I would fight by your side and help you to destroy Cersei Lannister and create a new Westeros." Daario's eyes flicked to Jon and then away.
"A new Westeros that will be ruled by my husband and I," Dany said, gesturing at Jon. The thought made Jon swell up with pride. To be Dany's wife was the greatest reward he could imagine. Seeing her smile was the joy of his every day.
"Of course," Daario said, bowing his head at Jon, as though in respect. "I apologise for my hasty words, your grace. I plead to be allowed the chance for the Second Sons and I to storm King's Landing with you and be part of the army that delivers Westeros back to its rightful queen."
Dany inclined her head. "Very well. You may attack with the Unsullied." The sound of a distant roar had Jon, Dany, Daario, and most of the army, looking above as the three dragons swooped and looped through the sky.
"Will your children be joining us in battle, your grace?" Daario asked. Dany regarded him coolly.
"They will not. I do not come in fire, Daario. I will not have my people hurt when there is another way."
"You believe that your armies can defeat Cersei?"
Dany nodded. "I am the rightful queen of Westeros. Cersei's paltry troops and Golden Company are of no comparison." Daario inclined his head.
"Of course, my queen."
XXX
Jaime and Arya rode their troops to meet Queen Daenerys and her new husband, King Jon. Brienne remained behind, with their babe growing in her belly, and Gendry was working with the troops, to ensure every soldier had a weapon. Since Jaime's arrival, he and Arya had bickered and sniped at each other almost constantly, amusing Gendry greatly and irritating Brienne. But Jaime's respect for the young Stark had only grown. Where Sansa was Catelyn and Jon was Ned, Arya was Robb, strong and powerful - and clever.
They had wanted to attack. Arya had campaigned for it, to every military commander as they arrived in the city. The Ironborn had agreed but every raven sent to Daenerys warned caution, asked them to wait for her. So they did. They waited, as the Golden Company arrived and entered the city, multiplying Cersei's forces no end. There were still more on Daenerys' side and it made more of a fair fight, in Jaime's eyes, but he could see the anger flashing behind Arya's eyes, every time they heard of an attack by the Golden Company, every time they heard of an act of small rebellion being put down with a mass execution.
Though Arya was of the North, Jaime could see that she considered herself one of the People's Army that had done so well in fomenting dissent in King's Landing. Whether that was out of loyalty with them particularly, or it had more to do with Robert's bastard whom she was fucking, was a subject that Jaime truly enjoyed employing to make Arya go red and get angry. She was not so good at stinging him when she was angry.
Gendry also gave Jaime a wonderful opportunity to rip Brienne, because he looked just like Renly. She did not appreciate it whatsoever.
But he would continue, just as soon as they had put Daenerys on the throne and killed Cersei. The thought made Jaime's stomach roil. Cersei dead, at the hands of an army that he was in part commanding. Briefly, he wondered what his father would think.
They found Jon and Daenerys looking regal and ready to fight. Daenerys herself would send them into the battle but she had no skill with a sword, only with her dragons. She would be on the outskirts, with her dragons, ready to ride in if things were going badly - or to ride in as victor.
"Targaryen, Stark and Lannister," Daenerys said as they set their eyes on the gates. "Who would have believed it?"
There were troops within the city. The city watch was there, and the Golden Company, and the paltry troops of the Reach, Crownlands and Stormlands. Whoever Cersei could drag from their homes was here and fighting for her. Jaime wondered how long it would take for them to surrender.
He hoped not long. The last thing he wanted was for Cersei to have a drawn out death. She deserved to die peacefully. Jaime glanced away. Thinking of Cersei was not helpful. He pictured his wife, waiting anxiously for him, her hand on her sword, desperate to be here fighting. That steadied his stomach and had him itching for this to be over, to be with her and their babe.
XXX
Brienne looked up sharply as her tent ruffled, giving entrance to an average-sized woman with dark hair and eyes. From her clothing, she immediately identified her as an Ironborn and, from her statue, as their leader, Yara Greyjoy.
"Lady Brienne," Yara said, meeting her eyes. Brienne stood. "I am shocked to find that a husband has turned you away from the battlefield."
Brienne shook her head, a small smile at her lips. "A babe."
Yara quirked a brow. "I see. Jaime Lannister would allow his wife to fight, then, if it were not for the babe?"
Brienne chuckled softly. "He would."
Yara cocked her head. "I'm afraid I have bad news to deliver before we join her grace in the city." Brienne furrowed her brow.
"The queen is -"
"Watching the city from atop her dragon." Brienne swallowed, nodding. "I'm asking you because I know that you can get the message in." Brienne's eyes went wide. "I have spies on my uncle Euron in the city. The spies say that Daario Naharis is going to betray the dragon queen halfway through the battle, when the bells ring."
Brienne covered her mouth with her lips. "Daenerys does not have her own spies to tell her this?" she asked, her mind racing. Getting the message in would mean going in herself. She would not trust the message to anybody else. Jaime would be furious, would be petrified. And he had enough to think of on this day of all days.
Yara met her eyes. "Are you sure you want to trust that she already knows when the Second Sons turn on your husband and his troops in battle?"
The thought had Brienne's stomach turning over. She nodded hastily and Yara turned to leave. She paused at the exit. "I am sorry to ask this of you," she said before ducking her head and leaving. Brienne pressed her hand to her stomach and sent a prayer to the Mother and the Warrior.
She scrawled a quick note to Jaime, hoping that he would never have to read it, and wiped her eyes before she left her tent, collected her horse and rode into the fray, searching for Jon or Daenerys, before it was too late.
XXX
Addam could lead Jaime's troops as well as he could. Better, even, on today of all days. Today, Jaime had to put his family first. He would get back to Brienne and their baby, but, first, he had to kill Cersei himself, to protect her from the worst of it.
He would not sit by and watch them burn her or torture her or hang her. She had to die at his sword, quickly. He would not let her die publicly.
The Red Keep was easy to access. As soon as the soldiers saw it was him, they admitted him. He wasn't sure if Cersei had made that order, if she had made sure that they would admit him, or if the soldiers were too scared of her possible wrath to do otherwise. Either way, Jaime would take advantage of it and enter her presence, so that he could finish this for good.
He was escorted to the King's chambers. Unsurprised that his sister had chosen to take over Robert's chambers, Jaime glanced at the guards at her door. Neither were the Mountain, which meant that he was inside. Jaime swallowed, glancing at his wrist. Had he made a terrible mistake? How would he get back to Brienne if he was dead? She would never do this to him, never put herself in harm's way, not even for the greater good.
Cersei turned away from the window and smirked at the sight of him. The Mountain was, in fact, standing next to her. Jaime met Cersei's eyes. "Hello, sister."
Cersei strode towards him. "Jaime. You dare to come to me? Are you here to surrender?"
"Surrender to what, Cersei? Your slaughtered City Watch? Your sellswords?"
Cersei's face flushed red in her anger. "My own army marches against me. You stole the Lannister troops from me."
Jaime shook his head, chuckling. "The Lannister troops belong to me, Cersei. Nobody can lead them but me."
"What about your wife?" she challenged. "Did you think I hadn't heard that that was why you'd run up north?"
"I went up north to save Brienne's life. I wouldn't expect you to understand."
"They put me in prison," she told him, "made me walk the streets of King's Landing naked and I did it all alone." Jaime flinched. "But none of that matters now, Jaime. I am Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, no matter how much that little dragon queen wants to play. Bow to me and I will spare you, and your wife, in the aftermath."
Jaime shook his head. Her confidence didn't shock him. She never believed that anybody could be cleverer than her. "I'm not here to bow to you, Cersei."
Cersei's eyes dropped to his sword. "You carry our son's sword at your waist."
Jaime inclined his head. "Yes."
"You dishonour his memory."
"Joffrey dishonoured his own memory." Cersei spat at his feet. Jaime grimaced. "Cersei, I'm here to ask you to surrender. Your troops are overcome. Surrender and I will take you away, save you from this. Keep you safe."
Cersei chuckled. "You always were the stupidest of us. You truly believe that I would allow a fight if I thought I was going to lose?" Jaime blinked, not entirely sure whether she was so stupid - or whether she had something up her sleeve. Her smirk grew. "Now you understand. You can die knowing that your wife fighting down there will die, screaming and in flames."
Jaime felt everything click into place. Why divert from a once good plan? Cersei had flames beneath the city, ready to blow up her troops alongside Daenerys'. She didn't need to be queen of many as long as she was queen.
Pulling his sword from his waist, he swung as skilfully as he could at the Mountain as he approached. It hit his stomach but the Mountain did not even flinch. Jaime swallowed. If he could only kill Cersei - if he could only kill Cersei then his child would know that he was a good man.
His mind whirred. If Brienne found his body here, what would she think? Would she think that he had come to kill Cersei - or to save her? He supposed that he'd come to do both. Brienne would understand, if Cersei were dead and his sword was still inside her. Flinching at the approaching giant, Jaime ignored him and spun around to attack Cersei.
His sword plunged into her stomach, even as her eyes went wide with fury at the Mountain's failure. Blood plumed at her stomach. Jaime closed his eyes against watching her die, against the upcoming blow of the Mountain against his head.
Nothing came.
Jaime opened his eyes. Sound rushed into his ears. Cersei was lying on the floor, his sword in her stomach. Her breath was shuttering. Behind him, the Mountain's body was stumbling backwards; his head already rolled along the floor. And behind the enormous, decapitated body were Gendry Waters and Arya Stark.
XXX
The bells were ringing. Dany cocked her head as she looked down into the city. Bells. What did bells means? No part of her plan had involved bells. Nobody had even mentioned the bells ringing to her. She directed Drogon towards the square that she had allocated herself for landing and held him up until the screaming soldiers beneath had moved.
She dismounted and patted Drogon a few times before pulling out the sword that she didn't know how to use and stepping into the alleyway. Immediately, she found herself surrounded by soldiers, protecting her against the Golden Company who would kill her and have this over with. Dany knew that it would not finish with her. Jon would take the reins if she died.
A commander found her swiftly, his eyes wide with confusion. "Your grace," he said urgently. "It's not safe for you here. The Second Sons have turned against us - you must go, now."
Dany blinked. The Second Sons. Letting Daario fight with them had seemed like a kindness, to have his name in the history books. But Dany would not let this into the history books. This was a betrayal, plain and simple. Fury welled in her stomach but she allowed the commander to walk with her back to Drogon and she remounted him.
"Fight well, ser," she said, bowing her head at the Lannister commander. He bowed his head back at her. Dany swallowed as she and Drogon flew high once again. They had come into this battle feeling so confident. Was it possible that they would lose, when the odds were so fiercely for them?
XXX
Jon looked up to the heavens as he felt something shift in his chest. Victory. It was victory. They had won. Dany swooped in the air. He had heard from a commander that she had come down to ground when the bells had rung, had discovered Daario Naharis' betrayal herself. Jon sighed, glancing up as he felt the hand tap at his shoulder. He shared a smile with a Lannister soldier.
"The injured are in the market hall, your grace." Jon swallowed. He wasn't entirely sure that he would ever grow used to being 'your grace'. He followed the soldier to the market hall, to see how deep the costs had been. The Second Sons had been a costly error, Jon was sure. Before their army recovered from the shock of being turned on by those whom they thought were their own, they had lost many men at the hands of the sellswords.
The injured were lined up in the market hall, not only soldiers but citizens of King's Landing too. Jon felt his heart in his throat at the thought of the destruction that they had brought to the city. He hoped that the people would see that he and Dany only wanted good things for them, to rule them fairly.
He wondered briefly whether Arya and Gendry had managed to get inside the Red Keep and kill Cersei. That was what they had planned. Otherwise, she would be found and put on trial. It would be simpler for the beginning of their new state if she were already dead.
Jon looked up as quiet fell in the room. He found Dany walking towards him, her countenance antsy. "Is it true?" she asked as she reached him. He took her hands in his and brought them to his mouth.
"Yes. You are Queen of the Seven Kingdoms." Jon said it loudly so that the whole room heard. Dany smiled and moved her hand to cup his cheek.
"And you are its king." Jon bent slightly to kiss her and she bit her lip as she pulled away, then her brow furrowed.
Jon heard it only seconds later. The bells were ringing, again, as they had when the Second Sons had turned their swords upon their army. He met Dany's curious eyes.