We dive into the mind of Dr. FrankenGregor himself, as he advises his queen.

And we finally get to see Cersei! That took a long time, but I couldn't come up with anything too different for her to do until now. I do have some interesting future plans for her, but I won't spoil them here. Enjoy.

28. Enemy of my Enemy - Qyburn

Qyburn had little interest in titles. Hand of the Queen, Master of Whispers… They are simply means to an end. The pursuit of knowledge was all that consumed his attention. His curiosity about the higher mysteries of life and death was what ultimately had him stripped of his chain at the Citadel in Oldtown. The grey sheep hate those who don't follow orders.

Sitting at his desk in the Tower of the Hand, Qyburn mulled over the letter from Harrenhal. Euron Greyjoy was claiming the title of King of the Seven Kingdoms and demanding a marriage to Cersei Lannister, who would share the title of Queen with Daenerys Targaryen when they both became his wives. The man doesn't lack for ambition. He also claimed to hold Ser Jaime Lannister hostage, threatening to kill him unless she replied within a week.

She won't like this.

He had spent enough time with his Queen to reasonably predict her behavior in most, if not all situations. Disbelief will be followed by anger, then by copious amounts of alcohol, then finally by acceptance. The gambit with Lord Randyll Tarly would have changed everything, but now that Euron Greyjoy had betrayed them there was little doubt as to who would win this war. Without a standing army, without dragons and without allies… Our cause is doomed. Unless I convince her…

With this mentality, he walked over to his Queen's apartments. The Red Keep was filled with cats, some of which he spotted on the way, darting and weaving along. At least they keep the rats away. Qyburn had several experiments in progress down at the dungeon, many that would attract all manner of vermin to feast on the necrotic tissue.

Ellaria Sand was one of them. Having been kept alive to watch her daughter Tyene die, now she herself lay rotting there. It was remarkable to observe precisely how the human body behaved under so much stress. He visited her frequently, taking notes to make sure he wouldn't miss any development, and now he had enough material to write an entire book. But why would I share knowledge? Let them figure it out for themselves.

Eventually, he reached his destination. Standing at the door was his greatest achievement, Ser Gregor Clegane. Manticore venom was usually deadly and killed quickly, but Oberyn Martell had used a delaying agent to prolong his enemy's suffering. Now he suffers forever. Qyburn had managed to replace his blood entirely, a grueling and painful process which had turned the man into something… more. He wasn't alive, in the strictest sense of the word, but he was even stronger now. No blade shall kill him.

"Stand aside, Ser Gregor." He spoke calmly.

The great knight did as he was told. The brain still works in limited capacity.

His Queen was standing near an open window, looking out at the city she ruled. Dressed in dark red, with golden metallic shoulder pads, she seemed ready for both court and war. A young woman with pale blonde hair was standing by her side, holding a pitcher of wine. Joy Hill. Qyburn had his misgivings about the girl being allowed such confidence, but both the queen and Ser Jaime held a deep affection for her. She's the only daughter of their lost uncle Gerion.

He cleared his throat, gaining their attention. "A raven has arrived from Harrenhal, Your Grace."

"It must be from Jaime." She picked up the parchment and started reading, her features growing darker and darker as she reached the end. "Do you know if this is true?" She asked, crushing the paper in her hands.

He nodded. "Yes, Your Grace. There have been several reports that Euron Greyjoy has taken up residence at Harrenhal with his dragon."

The Green Death, as survivors had referred to the beast. Qyburn had only seen the creature once before, when the pirate came to boast about his victory against the dragon queen. It's a shame I couldn't get closer. He had been working on crafting weapons designed to kill them, but without examining their scales up close, he had to rely on second-hand accounts written hundreds of years ago.

Qyburn doubted any of those old fools had even come close to a dragon. Except for Septon Barth, he admitted. Though it was difficult to find, Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History was probably the best account on dragons that anyone would ever write. He had only read a few fragments of the text, which were enough to greatly impress him. Death comes out of a dragon's mouth, but it does not go in that way, said one passage, dispelling the common belief that their gullets were vulnerable.

"Still doesn't mean he has Jaime." His Queen remained unmoved. "We know he's a traitor now, and it's not much of a leap from that to a liar. There will be no negotiation."

He hesitated, thinking of how best to approach a difficult topic. She won't like to hear it. "Your Grace, while he might not hold Ser Jaime captive, there's little doubt that he burned thousands of Lannister soldiers."

"Along with even more foreigners from the dragon queen's army." She countered, moving to sit at her desk. "The traitor mentioned that in his letter too. Harrenhal is filled with corpses of dothraki and their horses, he wrote."

Qyburn nodded. "Yes, Your Grace. And soldiers from Dorne and the Reach as well, but what I meant to say is that there's no one left to defend the capital." He said, patiently. "Reports from Dragonstone say the dragon queen still has a considerable force waiting to be deployed. At least twenty thousand strong. And two dragons."

Surely she can't be so blind as to deny the truth when it stares her in the face? He wondered. If their plan had worked, it would be a different matter entirely. With Lord Tarly and the Reach soldiers, plus Euron and his dragon, they would have been in a far better position. Now there are two enemies, and they both have dragons.

The Queen pursed her lips. "Have you sent word to the Iron Bank? Can we expect the Golden Company's support?"

"Sadly, the Iron Bank refuses to help while the crown remains in debt, Your Grace." He had exchanged a few letters with the Braavosi known as Tycho Nestoris, who represented the interests of the bankers in Westeros, and the man had been resolute in his conviction to receive due payment. "I'm afraid we won't see the Golden Company anytime soon."

"That's disappointing. I wanted to see those elephants." She said, frowning. So did I, he thought. Having only read about the great beasts, Qyburn would relish the opportunity to study one up close. His Queen continued, "And what of Dorne? Have you managed to convince the Daynes?"

He shook his head. "Lady Allyria refused, claiming irreconcilable differences." The acting Lady of Starfall had become the main representative of the Houses that had refused to follow Ellaria Sand after the murder of Doran Martell and his son. It was a long shot, he admitted, but according to the latest information they counted no less than fifteen thousand spears among them.

"Very well. We are alone and friendless." She grabbed a glass and raised it, waiting for her cupbearer to fill it with red wine. The girl moved quickly and quietly, filling the glass. "But I still hold the Iron Throne. I still hold the city. If the traitor pirate or the dragon queen want to take what is mine, they'll have to fight for it." His Queen finished, taking a generous swig of wine.

Qyburn nodded. "Of course, Your Grace." It won't be a very long fight. He had to make her see reason, before it was too late. "If the dragons come flying, the City Watch can use scorpions to take them down." He said, pretending confidence. His misgivings about the efficacy of such weapons would only vanish after a test. Untested is the same as unfinished.

"That's right." She replied, taking another sip of wine. "We have no reason to fear the beasts anymore."

"And if the dragon queen's remaining soldiers storm the city, there's the wildfire." He continued, still trying to sound confident. I have to wait for the right moment.

A wicked smile formed on her lips. "Let's see how well she rules from her throne of ashes. I'd love to see the look on her face then."

There it is. "Unfortunately, it's unlikely she would let any of us live after that, Your Grace." He sighed, before continuing, "We won't be able to see anything if we're dead."

His Queen paused in her drinking, the wine glass hanging in the air, as she considered his words. After a few seconds, she said, "Perhaps we should reconsider negotiations with the traitor." Her voice was bitter, and her mouth moved as if she was trying to swallow something unpleasant. "All he wants is my hand in marriage. It seems a small price to pay for a dragon. And Jaime." She added, as an afterthought.

"Wise, Your Grace." He said, knowing she liked to hear compliments on her intelligence. "However, if you're open to marriage I believe there is a far better prospect." Proceed carefully, he steeled himself. She won't like it at first, but it's the best option.

She raised her eyebrows. "Is that so? Who?"

"Aegon Targaryen."

His Queen huffed. "Don't tell me you believe those wild rumors?" She asked, voice dripping with amusement. "That Eddard Stark's bastard was a Targaryen prince all along, hidden away from the world for his safety? The very notion is preposterous."

"It doesn't matter what I believe, Your Grace." He insisted, keeping his voice even. "Only what the people believe. The tale makes sense. Everyone in the North already believes it, and word from Dragonstone is that even the dragon queen herself believes it too. How long until the rest of the realm buys into that notion?"

She hesitated, seeming to gather her thoughts. "Even if the tale is true, what would I stand to gain from that marriage?" A good question, which he was ready to answer, but she continued, "He's no longer a king, since that murderous wolf bitch took the crown from him. This Jon Snow, or Aegon Targaryen, or whatever else he wants to be called, can't offer me anything useful."

"He can offer his name, Your Grace." Qyburn tried not to sound too condescending. It's quite simple, really. "The dragon queen might claim to be the rightful heir, but while Aegon lives everyone will know his claim is better."

"Interesting." His Queen said, moving her wine glass in a circle. "But he would never accept it. If he's close to that red-haired whore, she must have poisoned his ear with lies and fables about me. No one who was raised by Starks would ever dare to trust a Lannister again."

He had considered that. "The offer wouldn't go to him, but to Daenerys Targaryen."

"Excuse me?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

Qyburn was confident this was the best way to ensure survival. "Promise you will step aside peacefully, in exchange for her nephew."

He had considered this situation from every angle, and there was little doubt in his mind that the dragon queen would be victorious. Euron Greyjoy was a madman, whose ambition would prove to be his own ruin. That would leave the two queens to fight each other. And only one of them had dragons. When she's done, there won't be anything left but rubble.

His Queen didn't seem very pleased. "And why would I do that? I'm the queen now. If I accept this arrangement, I'd become… what? A princess? No, even less than that. The wife of a prince." She shook her head vigorously, her voice growing higher with each word. "My lord father always said that only a fool relinquished power once they had it. And I am no fool."

You will be a dead fool, he was tempted to say. Qyburn liked the woman only as far as she allowed him to pursue his experiments unfettered. His loyalty stemmed from that, and that alone. However, blind loyalty wasn't something he was willing to give. To anyone. Though he admitted to having a certain curiosity about the mysteries of death, I'm not that eager to find out for myself.

"It would only be temporary, Your Grace." He tried to explain his reasoning. "The dragon queen has many enemies who would rather see her dead. Her dragons are a menace to all. Perhaps the illusion of safety could cause her to lower her guard, and when she dies, the throne would pass to Aegon." Qyburn allowed himself a tight smile. "And you would rule again, without any further bloodshed."

Her eyes lit up for a moment, before she narrowed them again. "You mean I would rule through him."

"If an... accident can kill one dragon, it can also kill another, Your Grace."

She seemed to be thinking hard about his suggestion, as her eyes became unfocused for a long time. Eventually, she said, "Before anything else, we have to deal with Euron Greyjoy first. How do you propose we do that?"

"Considering his demands, this seems a perfect opportunity to work together with the dragon queen." Qyburn replied, quickly. "Perhaps we could fool him into believing both of you have accepted his offer."

His Queen nodded. "Yes, that could work. And it would also fool the dragon bitch into believing we're allies." She took yet another sip of wine. "The enemy of my enemy is only a friend until I can find a quiet way to dispose of them, as father used to say."

The woman loves quoting her father. Qyburn had only seen Lord Tywin Lannister from a distance before the man died. However, after spending so much time with his daughter, it was as if he was a constant presence, hovering just over her shoulder to whisper his words and watch her trying to impress him.

"Shall I write to Dragonstone, Your Grace?"

Qyburn is a creepy POV, worse than Randyll in a way. I had originally intended to show Ellaria's current state of decay, but I wouldn't want to read that. It's gross, trust me.

I couldn't resist the elephant joke. The Golden Company also turned out to be a joke in the end, so I'm not sure if I'll bother with them. Possibly. I'll have to think about it.

Anyway, this Cersei/Jon wedding is an idea that came to me in a dream once. And I loved it, because it creates so much conflict with everyone (Sansa, Dany, Tyrion, Jaime… it's just too delicious to pass up). Sure, if Cersei were in a better position she would never accept it, but as things stand now she's desperate enough to consider.

Jon's reaction will come later. Will he accept? Stay tuned. But the answer is yes. Spoiler alert.

The date is 19/06/2019