Hello,
One more chapter! This will be the last one primarily centered on King's Landing.
Enjoy.
Myrcella
Climbing the steps leading to the Great Sept of Baelor, she felt like she was walking to her execution, the same way Ned Stark probably had, but it was not an execution, it was a royal ceremony. Queen Daenerys had invited the whole city to watch her name her heirs. Myrcella still had no idea who the Queen would name. Her, or her brother? She hoped it would be Tommen, that way, she could negociate going back to Dorne more easily. She resented the Queen greatily for separating her from her child. She resented her for Trystane's death that would never have happened without her. She even resented her for making her dress in the Baratheon colours and not in black as she did since she was widowed. Her gown was yellow, covered with cloth-of-gold and lined with black fur.
Jaime had gasped when he had seen her. She had easily guessed why. Dressed in the fashion of the capital, she had to be the spitting image of her mother when she was younger. Her 'uncle' had had the presence of mind not to make any comment though. Myrcella guessed her fury was written all over her face.
When she reached the top of the stairs, she saw Daenerys. The Queen had a bright smile and looked proud, dressed in the colours of her House. For once, she had decided to wear her crown, she seldom wore the silver circlet with the three dragonheads, she had been crowned with, weeks before. She looked happy to see the young princess, but Myrcella did not return the false courtesy. There, facing her, she refused to smile. She only forced the mask back on when she turned to look at the crowd and wave, standing next to the dragonqueen.
Tommen arrived shortly after. He looked dashing with his black velvet doublet, yellow silk shirt and gold leather breeches. At his arm, Margeary smiled but the light had left her eyes. Something had happened. Myrcella knew she had been sick in the previous week. It had changed her and Myrcella's little brother also looked increasingly grim. The former Queen was dressed in a tight-fitting gown with golden metal pieces fashioned as roses. Myrcella's family stood, all wearing false smiles, and waited for the dragonqueen to speak.
"Good people of King's Landing, I believe it is high time for the Realm to know some stabilities as the wars torn it appart for many years." The Queen spoke loud and clear. "Any Queen needs heirs. I have not been blessed with children yet, but the Seven Kingdoms cannot have me without successors. My cousin was very clever to restore the crown to my company. Still, he and his sister are my closest living relative."
Tommen
Tommen listened to Queen Daenerys adressing the people. The silence was religious, nobody dared interrupt her, not the nobles nor the common people. The former King was highly aware of the small pressure of his wife's hand on his arm. Margeary had insisted on being present even though he had urged her to stay in the Red Keep. The conversation they had had with Daenerys on the former day had taken its toll on her.
Tommen had requested an emergency audience with the Queen. On her face, he had immediately seen that she was not happy about that. Tommen explained with a voice as even and stable as possible, what affliction had befallen on his couple. Daenerys looked concerned, at least.
"What do you want to do from now on?" Tommen had been horrified by the question it hid. Did he want to set his wife aside? Judging by the gasp he heard from Margeary, she understood the same thing.
"Your Grace…" He stuttered. "We are going to keep living our lives and serve you as best as we could."
The Queen had nodded to his relief. "This changes things. Thank you for telling me." She was sending them on their way after so short a time. No explanation, no indication as to what things were 'changed'.
He had had time to think of what the Queen might have thought. She desperately needed stable heirs, Margeary's infertility caused a problem. And Myrcella already had a child. The changes appeared obvious then.
"It has come to my ears that Tommen of the House Baratheon and Margeary of the House Tyrell, have no wish to sit the Throne once more." This was a lie coming from the Queen's mouth, it made Tommen shocked and angry but he hid it. It was better that she said that instead of the truth. "It is my wish to grant my friends their wish. Therefore, I declare Myrcella of the House Baratheon to be my lawful heir until a child is born to me." Myrcella looked overwhelmed but Daenerys had already moved on to other subjects. "My heir and I, will be accompanying Jon Snow, King in the North, to defend one of our kingdoms from the threat that would fall upon it. We leave this city in the good care of Lord Tommen and Lady Margeary. When I return, I hope to see Lord Tommen on my Small Council. As our new Master of People, in charge of the welfare of every citizen in this city, and beyond." Tommen had not been aware of that plan, but he had to admit, he was gladly surprised despite the lack of protocol. Though he anticipated a storm coming from Myrcella.
His fears had been right. No sooner had they walked into the red Kepp, that she was already shooting.
"What sort of trick was this? Their wish?" She screamed. "What is the meaning of this?"
The Unsullied soldiers looked on edge, uncertain as to what to do. Thankfully, Margeary intervened before it got out of control.
"I'm barren." The simple phrase had the great advantage of silencing Myrcella.
"Lady Margeary has been poisoned, they cannot have children. It has been prophecized that I wouldn't procreate either." This was news. Queen Daenerys kept going. "The future of the Crown can only rely on you Lad… Princess Myrcella."
"What am I? A brood mare?" His sister stormed away.
Jon
North. He was finally going North. Once Queen Daenerys had taken her decision, it all happened very quickly. Rather too quickly for the taste of the southern lords. They had only been given three days after the declaration of the heirs. Jon guessed this was not the norm here in the capital. It was not his problem though.
His problem was the North and he was going back there. Accompanied by the force he had hoped for. All the Dothrakis and the Unsullied as well. A host of southerners were with them but would be left at the Neck, in case the North fell… More surprisingly, Daenerys' newly named heir was a part of their journey. The tension between the two women was often palpable. Jon did not understand the reasoning of the dragon queen. Why bring her heiress to the most dangerous place in the world? And why choose her over her brother? The young Tommen always seemed more inclined toward Daenerys than his simbling. The dragon queen was an odd one and her style of ruling did not help to make that better. She had a disturbing habit of taking decisions on her own and not inform anyone. Not even her Hand, nor her closest advisors, the foreigners. Jon could not even imagine acting in the same way. He relied heavily on Ser Davos, or Sansa and the lords of the Nords. Seven hells, he even took council from Lord Royce, a man he had known for mere days.
Those tensions caused him to dread the rest of the journey. He hoped the Queen and Princess would mend their differences on the way to Winterfell. He could not help but worry what the spark that was Sansa do to an already critic situation. Even more considering Sansa and Myrcella knew each other and his sister had not been in favour of him going to see the dragon queen in the first place.
As for now, the young King in the North was talking with one of his fellow Northmen. Ser Jorah Mormont was one of Daenerys' eldest advisors. The man was considered as a disgrace in the North. Knighted after the Greyjoy Rebellion, he had sullied his family name by selling slaves. Jon's own father had ordered his execution, but the man had fleed. His arrival in his natal kingdom was sure to cause some frowns, at best.
To his surprise, Ser Jorah was very eager to hear stories about his late father. Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch before Jon. Somehow, the young king had imagined that the knight would have renounced to his family like they had to him. But he laughed at Jon's tales.
"He had a talking raven that frightened off recruits?" The man bursted out. "That sounds like him! Always playing the big frightful bear but I'm sure he cared for every brother as if they were his own." He added with an hint of nostalgy.
"That he did." Jon confirmed. "He cared for every single one of them, even the least trustworthy. That was his downfall…" Thinking about his Lord Commander made him sad.
"Were you cith him, when…" Jorah choked up before finishing his question.
"I wasn't… I had been captured by wildlings, lived with them for a few moons." It had not been his proudest moment. "But when I was elected Lord Commander, I led the charge to avenge him. It sickened me to know that the Lord Commander had been killed by such cravens."
"He would be proud of you, I'm sure." Jorah said and Jon could not say if he was sincere or not.
"Some days I wonder… I did so many things he would have hated…" He thought of Ygritte, of letting the Wildlings through the Wall, of dying and of leaving Castle Black. On every occasion, he could swear he had heard the Old Bear whispering in his ear that he was making a mistake. He had ignored the whispers everytime, yet the only one he truly regretted was following Olly to his death.
"You are a good leader. You're not afraid to make sacrifices for your people. He wouldn't have necessarily agreed, but he would have been proud." The knight affirmed. "I bet he would have prefered to have you as a son. Rather than me." Jon was about to protest. In his mind, the old knight had made amends for his sins and was a man any father could be proud of. Jorah did not give him the occasion to voise his opposition. "Don't say anything. I know I speak the truth… My remaining family must hate me also, and I do not blame her."
Jon smiled, thinking of the young lady of Bear Island. "Lady Lyanna is a fierce little thing. She was one of the only northern lords to come to my aid against Ramsay."
"I look forward to meeting her then… even if she probably won't say the same about me." He continued with a sad grin.
Margeary
When she looked at the host departing, she felt a weight she had not known was there, lift from her shoulders. The very presence of Daenerys Targaryen stressed her out. It was childish and naïve, but she was looking forward to having her home to herself once more. Especially in a time where she needed to grieve for her ability to have children. She was taking it badly… very badly.
As far as qhe could remember, she had been taught one thing: you want to be Queen, this is your goal in life. Her father had said that, her grandmother had been more subtle but it was what she wanted as well. And Margeary had come to believe she wanted this as well. But what she desired most was to be a mother. She realised. She had not grived like she was grieving when she had learned that she would have to give up the crown.
Tommen tried as best as he could to comfort her. He talked about his kittens, tried to make her laugh and ordered her favourite foods from the kitchen. She could almost forget that he had to be depressed as well.
One night, he held her in his arms as he usually did now and started talking in a serious tone that he rarely had. "Margeary, I have to speak to you about something…"
"Go on, husband… When have you ever been afraid to talk to me?" She tried to sound playful.
"During the whole first year of our marriage!" He reminded her. It was true and so absurd that she let out a small chuckle. "A few weeks ago, I went to see the woman Myrcella employed for her birth. Allys. To talk to her about our problems." Margeary's heart sank. "She made me an interesting suggestion…" She did not see where this was going. "We cannot have a child, but… there are many children who cannot have their parents by their side. Maybe we could…" He seemed to be looking for words.
"Foster?" She completed.
"Yes, but not like that… More like, become their new parents, consider them as our own." He finished. Margeary was not sure she understood.
"You mean we would go to an orphanage and… pick a son or daughter?" It sounded less appealing that way.
"No, that would not be appropriate… But there are many orphan lordlings being raised by servants in their small keeps after the war. We could help them. Maybe a child from the Stormlands… or the Westerlands…" He started.
"Or the Reach?" She added.
"Yes! Or even a bastard, it does not have to be a lordling… We could give them a name." She saw her husband was gone far in his reflection. He really wanted this. She found it sweet, she did not know if she could go with it, but it was sweet.
Myrcella
A week of riding and sleeping in small tents under the rain had not helped her anger. Therefore, she was very surprised when her guard announced the Queen wanted to talk to her. She let her in, obviously, who could deny a Queen. She offered her tea, as politeness dictated.
"You are furious with me." Daenerys said with her first sip of the tea. Myrcella was so set in her head on painting the Queen as a monster that she had not thought the woman would have noticed. She hesitated before answering. "It's alright, you're my heir now, I hope you can talk to me freely."
"I am." Myrcella kept it simple.
"You blame me for separating you from your daughter…" The Queen commented. Myrcella's jaw was trembling, she nodded, that was all she could do, she felt. "I understand… I would be mad too."
"Then why did you send her away from me." Myrcella hissed.
"Dorne is the farthest place from the North. The safest, if what Jon Snow claims is true…" The Queen answered. Myrcella had not seen this explanation coming.
"And why could I not go there too? You said it, I'm your heir." She reasoned.
"I don't believe Jon Snow yet… But I want the North to join the Realm again." The Targaryen answered mysteriously.
"I'm there to be married again." Myrcella deduced.
"If an opportunity arises yes. But don't worry, at the first sign of real danger, I will send you away immediately." Daenerys tried to sound reassuring. Myrcella was unconvinced but said nothing. "You will see your little girl again. Some of us never get this chance." Myrcella frowned at the sad tone. But the Queen quickly explained. "I had a son, Rhaego. With my first husband, Khal Drogo. He was murdered in my womb by a black sorceress who also killed my husband."
"I'm sorry to hear that, your Grace…" Myrcella said genuinely.
"Daenerys." She replied.
"Daenerys."
"I'm not evil, you know? I know of your pain, but I have to think of the entire Realm, some sacrifices will be necessary." Myrcella wished this simple fact could be enough to comfort her. But it wasn't. AT least she got to understand the Queen a little better now. She could not say it had completely erased her anger though.
Tyene
Sunspear was in view. Tyene stood at the prow with the little Arianne in her arms. Looking to the dais, it seemed Prince Doran had made his way to the capital from his beloved Water Gardens. He was welcoming his heir, though Tyene doubted the little baby cared much who welcomed her. Arianne had been fussy from the moment she left her mother's arm. AT the beginning of the journey she even had Tyene extremely worried. She had refused to eat for a few days. Now she had gotten better, and slightly bigger, stronger.
Prince Doran wanted his grandchild in his arms immediately. Tyene obliged, she even noticed the small tears in her uncle's eyes. He was still grieving for Trystane, they all were. Tyene found, with surprise, that her mother had been invited as well. She was happy to see her and hugged her close, though she knew they had much to discuss. Her uncle invited them to go discuss inside, away from the unwanted ears of the Shadow Town.
"What happened? Why is Myrcella not allowed to be here?" Doran seemed genuinely concerned about his gooddaughter.
"Queen Daenerys forbade it. She needs Myrcella to remaryy and have more babies to secure the future of the monarchy…" Tyene replied bitterly thinking about the injustice of her friend's situation.
"How is this new Queen?" There was concern in the prince's voice.
"Not what we expected." Tyene revealed. "She does not listen to her Westerosi advisors very well… There has been much tension at Court since she arrived. Some want to see Tommen back on the throne."
"Is she her father's daughter?" This time, he frowned and the worry was plain to see for everyone.
"I don't think so… She does not seem mad. Just… cold and highly unprepared for the life in King's Landing." Tyene explained. "She knows very little of the customs, the etiquette, the quarrels. And it's like she doesn't care. She thinks it will change for her."
What did you think? Do you like that Dany is never a POV character?
Next week: the Queen's party arrives North, some reunifications and a problem with dragons.
