Myrcella had been asleep when they came to take her. The pounding on the door startled her into alertness.
"Wh-Who is it," Myrcella called out into the darkness. As she became more aware of her surroundings she heard faint yelling and what sounded like the clash of steel from outside her window.
"Open the door in the name of the King!" An unfamiliar voice shouted through the wood. The pounding resumed with more intensity than before.
Groggily, Myrcella threw back the covers and slipped out of bed to the door. "I'm coming, I'm coming," she said quickly. It sounded as though whoever was on the other side would start breaking down the door soon.
Myrcella unlatched the door and threw it open, finding herself face to face with a couple knights and what appeared to be about six or so Gold Cloaks. All were unknown to her with the exception of the Kingsguard, Ser Meryn Trant.
"Ser Meryn, what is this about?" she asked squinting into the light of the torches.
"Be calm my Princess, we have come to take you to safety. There is fighting in the castle."
"What? Who's fighting?" Myrcella was confused. Who would be attacking the Red Keep?
"Never you mind about that, come with us." It was the other knight, Myrcella thought she vaguely recognized him. His shield was blue and white with three red hart's heads, but with her sleep-addled mind she could not recall what house those arms belonged to. Myrcella noticed that the knight was glancing at Ser Meryn strangely.
The men gave her no choice as they surrounded her and marched her down the hall where they were met by another group of men-at-arms, these ones leading a bleary-eyed Tommen. He was rubbing the sleep from his eyes and, Myrcella saw with in an inward groan, he was still clutching his little lion doll that he always slept with.
"'Cella, what's going on? Where are we going?" He was looking scared, like he might cry at any moment.
"These men are taking us somewhere safe, from the fighting." At least I hope they are.
"Okay," Tommen mumbled, and he grabbed onto her hand. For the gods sake, he's seven now! Why can't he grow up and stop being a baby about everything? She would have shaken him off, but she was afraid that might make him more upset.
The men led them to the door out of the apartments they lived in and they stepped out into the corridors of the Red Keep. The sounds of fighting were definitely clearer out here. Ser Meryn and Ser Boros Blount, who had brought Tommen, were up ahead seemingly having a whispered argument. Myrcella noted that Ser Boros kept glancing back at the Gold Cloaks nervously.
Unexpectedly, Ser Meryn turned around, blocking their path. He had his sword drawn and was pointing it at the men behind him. Ser Boros was quick to follow his lead.
"What are you doing, Ser Meryn? We don't have much time!" The hart knight was looking around in alarm.
"I'm sorry, Ser Elwood, but I can't let you take the Prince and Princess into custody. Men!"
Suddenly, about a dozen Lannister guardsmen burst from in front and behind them. The Gold Cloaks were taken unawares and were overwhelmed quickly. But Ser Elwood was able to draw his sword and cut down one of the Lannister men before Ser Meryn's sword took him from behind. Tommen gave a small shriek as the man fell before them. He squeezed her hand more tightly. Myrcella said nothing, but watched with horrid fascination as blood pooled around them.
The Lannister guardsmen quickly surrounded her and Tommen. Myrcella was still disoriented by the sudden chaos, but Ser Meryn seemed impatient.
"Come on, we need to get out of the castle before they can catch us." And they were shuttled through a confusing labyrinth of corridors. Myrcella quickly became lost as they were hurried through the Red Keep, finally emerging out a narrow side gate. As they raced through the outer courtyard, Myrcella could see figures in combat, but the torchlight was insufficient to see who was fighting whom. What's going on? Where are we being taken?
Then they were in the city, running through twisty cobbled streets. The sounds of battle diminished behind them, obviously the fighting was confined to the Keep itself, but that made Myrcella even more confused as to what was happening. Finally they came to a stop outside a deserted warehouse.
"Quick, in here," Ser Meryn bustled them inside glancing up and down the deserted street. Myrcella found that she was still holding Tommen's hand and let go quickly. She looked around at the warehouse, but the interior was hid in shadows.
Ser Meryn seemed to be giving orders and soon two Lannister men slipped back out onto the street. Ser Boros came over to them.
"Ser Boros, what's happening? Where are we? Where are you taking us?"
"Calm down, Princess. Some bad people were trying to take you prisoner. Meryn and I are here to get you to safety." The balding Kingsguard was trying to sound calm, but Myrcella saw that he was drumming his fingers against the hilt of his sword in a nervous sort of way.
"But who are we fighting? Why did you kill the Gold Cloaks?"
"Don't worry about that now, why don't you and your brother get some rest, alright? We may need to stay here for a while."
Myrcella was not the least bit tired, but she could see that Tommen was looking terrified. She needed to act calm for his sake at least. "Fine, come on Tommen."
As she settled Tommen into a makeshift bed made from the cloaks of some of the soldiers, Tommen hugged her tightly, his green eyes wide and frightened.
"'Cella, I'm scared. What are they going to do with us?"
"Hush now, I'm sure these men will look after us. Now go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."
"Alright," he murmured, and snuggled up with his lion.
Myrcella carefully got up from beside her brother and walked silently towards the place Ser Meryn and Ser Boros were talking in agitated voices.
"Where is he?" Boros was muttering as he paced up and down. "He was supposed to meet us here with the boy. Do you think he might be working for the Old Man and the rest?"
"Patience, Preston will be here soon. He probably just ran into some trouble with the Watch."
"That's another thing, how did Renly and the rest get the Gold Cloaks to storm the Keep like that? I don't like it Meryn. What if we've been set up?"
Renly? Was Uncle Renly a part of this? Myrcella inched closer hoping to find out more.
"Just relax will you? There's nothing we can do now but wait."
"Fine, but if Preston doesn't show up soon, I'm leaving with or without the kids. I'll not be taking orders from the Queen, not if it means I'll end up with my head on a spike."
"Lord Tywin will pay us well once we get his grandchildren to him, don't worry so much."
Lord Tywin? Her mother? Myrcella was growing more and more confused the more she heard.
"It doesn't matter if we can't reach him! Someone's turned, I can feel it! We should leave, save ourselves!" Ser Boros was almost shouting now.
"Quiet!" Meryn hissed, eyeing the Lannister guards. Myrcella saw that they were looking more anxious now, as if they were expecting an attack at any second.
There was a tense silence that seemed about to burst at any moment. The seconds ticked by slowly. Myrcella felt her heart hammering in her skull.
Suddenly one of the Lannister men burst through the door. "They've closed the gates!" He said, trying to catch his breath, "The Gold Cloaks, they captured Lewys as we were scouting the Mud Gate! We're trapped!"
Ser Boros looked panicked. "We've been betrayed! I knew it!" And with that, he hurried to the exit.
"Where do you think you're going?" Meryn called after him.
"I'm being smart and getting out while I still can! They'll be on you in a moment! I'm through with this!" The Kingsguard disappeared into the night.
"You can't escape any more than we can!" Meryn yelled into the night. He cursed. "Gather the children; we'll see if we can get past that gate somehow!"
There was a scrabbling of equipment as the soldiers rushed to get ready. In the resulting chaos Myrcella was able to slip back to Tommen. "Come on, we need to go," she pushed at him trying to rouse him. Myrcella certainly didn't trust these men, but it seemed better than wandering the alleys at night or going back to the Keep and whatever battle was going on there.
A startled cry ripped through the night. Myrcella turned to see Gold Cloaks standing in the doorway. They poured into the warehouse, at least two score. She saw Ser Meryn raise his sword before the tide of gold obscured her view.
Myrcella bundled up her brother and grabbed him, running into a dark corner to hide. She held onto Tommen. She would not let go of him, lest she lose him in the confusion. Soldiers were shouting and men were crying out in pain. Myrcella clutched Tommen close to her chest hoping that it would lessen his terror. She vaguely noticed that she was sobbing. Then, the sounds of fighting ceased.
The tramp of feet was getting closer. Myrcella looked up, tears running down her cheeks, to see a Gold Cloak standing over her. "I've found two of 'em," he said with a growl.