Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or anything related. It belongs to George R.R. Martin, the creator of this wonderful universe and David Benioff and D. B. Weiss who created the show.
Face Claim for Queen Sanira: Caitlin Stasey.
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Faith Militant.
Sitting in her chair looking around at the small council that consisted of Maester Pycelle, Qyburn, Mace Tyrell, and an empty chair; she was angry that people just didn't see her way of things and refused to bend to her will. There had been no progress in taking back Casterly Rock from the usurper, his army still had a strong hold on the Lannister ancestral home; she was Lady of Casterly Rock now and she knew something had to be done.
"The Iron Bank has called one tenth of the Crown's debts. Given the expense of rebuilding the royal…" Mace Tyrell said trying to explain the situation that the Crown currently found itself in, his voice grating on Cersei's last nerve. The last place that she wanted to be was here right now listening the bumbling fool ramble on about debts that would be dealt with later; she had so much to do right now to secure her own son's reign.
"How much can the Crown afford?" Cersei stated interrupting him, she knew that weakening the Tyrells would be her first move; she would not allow them to snatch her son from her, she was the only person that Tommen needed. Already her plan to put the Tyrells in their place was coming together; she knew that she had to act quickly and carefully so not to attract attention to what she was doing.
"With winter coming, half what they ask. Less," Mace explained with a shake of his head, the war had put a drain on the Crown's finances; the fact that they had yet to put down Stannis did not help matters. The Baratheon Usurper had made no further moves since the taking of Casterly Rock, the forces being used to sure up the front line and secure his hold on the current lands that he had.
"You're the Master of Coin. How do we pay them?" Cersei asked him, she tapped her fingers against the table as she watched the man that was her first step in removing the Tyrell control from the city. There was nothing that was going to stand in her way, she knew what she wanted and she wasn't going to let things stand in her way; she knew that for her plan to work then she needed Mace out of the city.
"Well, House Tyrell could front the gold, and the Crown will pay us back in time, or I'll have words with my daughter," Mace joked as if expecting a laugh, but both Qyburn and Pycelle looked down and the smile faded from his face. It was so isolating being on this council despite the fact that his daughter was now the Queen, they all looked down upon him as if he was nothing.
"You've already given us too much," Cersei said shaking her head, she got to her feet and walked over to the window to look out of it; a smile appearing on her face when her back was to the man. "No, we must arrange better terms with the Iron Bank," Cersei insisted knowing that with Mace away dealing with the iron back that she would be able to go forward with her plan to sure up her own power for the crown. If Tommen was to remain in power then it would be her doing rather than the ambitious actions of those around him that sort to use her sweet boy for their own gain even if he couldn't see it.
"Absolutely," Mace agreed nodding his head, completely missing where Cersei was leading him; he didn't see the looks that Qyburn and Pycelle offered him as he stared at the Queen Dowager. He truly did not see the danger in which his family were being placed in, obvious of what Cersei was truly planning to do to his family to keep control of her son for her own gain.
"In person," Cersei mused turning to look at Mace, she could see the surprise on his face as it dawned on him what she was asking him to do; he would be out of the city for weeks if all went as planned. "We must send an envoy to the Iron Bank, someone of importance, to show these bankers our respect. As the King's Master of Coin, I can think of no one more qualified," Cersei stated signalling for Ser Meryn to come inside the small council chamber. It would not do for anything to happen to the King's father-in-law on his voyage, Mace was speechless; his very own King's guard to assure his travels.
"I will be honoured, Your Grace," Mace gushed bowing to Cersei before leaving the room, Pycelle looked rather disgruntled by the news while Qyburn smirked as he too stood to make his leave along with Cersei.
A note lies on the desk, stamped with the seal of the High Sparrow while the High Sparrow sits behind his desk, across from Cersei. She pours a glass of wine out before them as she ponders her next move which such a central part of her plan, she had to play this just right. Baelish had given her quite an interesting piece of information before he had gone to the Vale to secure the Arryn alliance for the Crown. He hadn't been in touch since it had been announced that he had married Lady Arryn and Cersei was sure that the younger Tully was a handful; she would certainly need to be brought to heel.
"May I offer you some wine, Your Holiness?" Cersei offered moving to push the glass of wine towards the man before her, things were working out just like she had wanted them to. The High Sparrow declined with a smile leaving Cersei look unsure, since she had assumed that he would say yes to her but after a moment she smiled and pushed the wine away from her.
"The old High Septon would have asked the vintage," Cersei mused shaking her head, she didn't know what it was about the old man that made her so nervous; she had played more important men that him before. It had been so easy to control the others, the last High Septon had been a fool and she had dismissed him from his position because he wouldn't be able to do what she needed him to.
"I could say that our minds are temples to the Seven and should be kept pure. But the truth is, I don't like the taste," the High Sparrow chuckled amused slightly, his beady eyes staring straight at Cersei making her feel even more uncomfortable about how he looked at her. She didn't know what she saw in those eyes, she knew how most men looked at her; gazes filled with lust or fear, neither of those were present when he stared at Cersei.
"How may I serve?" the High Sparrow asked not sure what had brought the Queen Mother to his door again, he didn't know why she kept searching him out when he was here to serve the people. He wanted to make the world a better place, one were the poor weren't treated like dirt beneath the rich's feet as they walked all over this city.
"All over Westeros we hear about septs being burned. Silent sisters raped. Bodies of holy men piled in the streets," Cersei said as if she cared for those that had suffered during the war. As far as she was concerned, it was not her doing that this blasted war had broken out; honourable Ned Stark had brought all this down up them.
"Wars teach people to obey the sword, not the Gods," the High Sparrow stated without revealing much else, he was cryptic whenever Cersei spoke with him; it was far more annoying than dealing with most of the former High Septons. It made it hard for her to judge what his opinion was on most things; she often found herself lost when it came to their conversations as she never felt like she knew where they were heading.
"Perhaps the Gods need a sword of their own. the days before the Targaryens, the Faith Militant dispensed the justice of the Seven," Cersei mused knowing that if all worked out her own issues would be solved. They were surrounded by enemies on all fronts, those who would cast them down and take everything from them without so much of a second thought. Cersei had never felt so alone, her own son was trying to send her away at the suggestion of Margaery so that she could control him no doubt.
"Well, the Faith Militant was disarmed more than two centuries ago," the High Sparrow stated not sure where Cersei was going with this, she was far too transparent in everything she did. He had heard much of the Lannister wit, there was no denying that Tywin and Tyrion had been smart men; not much could be said about Jaime from where he stood but Cersei clearly thought she was smart than she actually was.
"If I explain the holy purpose to my son, the king, I have no doubt he will sign a decree arming the believers you felt worthy," Cersei stated with a sweet smile, she spoke as if she was the one doing him a favour when she had much to gain from the proposal. The High Sparrow stared at her, his beady eyes searching her face as he wondered if she even understood what she was offering him right now.
"An army that defends the bodies and souls of the common people," the High Sparrow reminded her, he would not do anything that would jeopardise his place with the Gods not even with her pretending that she was doing him a favour. The city was a cesspit because of the actions of Cersei and others like her in power.
"An army and service to the Gods themselves. And to you, of course. As the chosen representative of the Seven," Cersei told him, offering up the position on a golden platter for him. With the faith militant on her side, she would be able to control the city; spread the word that it was the Lannisters that would be the savours of the city. The High Sparrow was silent for a moment, no emotion crossed his face as he stared at Cersei and nothing could tell her what was going on in his mind right now.
"An honour I never expected. Or indeed, ever wished for," he replied eventually, his face not showing much as he stared at her and Cersei smiled as he fell right into her trap. There would be no one to stop them with the faith militant on their side no one would be able to take the city from them, the reign of Tommen would be secure and she would start by removing the leeches from court that wanted to take his power.
"Which is why you were chosen. You and I both know how the world works. Too often the wicked are the wealthiest, beyond the reach of justice. The king himself cannot always punish those who deserve it most," Cersei said pretending she gave a damn about anyone else in this city. All that mattered to her was her children, she would do anything for them even burn this god forsaken city to the ground if she had to do so. Jaime had gone to Dorne to fetch Myrcella back, her daughter would come home and Cersei would make sure that she was kept safe; she would never let her children out of her sight again once she was home.
"All sinners are equal before the Gods," the High Sparrow stated speaking fact, he stared at Cersei in a way that made her nervous for just a second before she pushed forward with what she was saying as a smile formed on her face.
"What would you say if I told you we have a great sinner in our very midst? Shielded by gold and privilege," Cersei told him seriously, leaning forward slightly as if she was speaking to a conspirator. It was all just to perfect in her mind, she would deal with the Tyrells which would deal with them in a way that they would never recover from.
"May the Father judge him justly," the High Sparrow stated with a smile, this was working out better than he could have ever imagined.
Taking a deep breath, Sansa clutched at the reins of her horse as the march continued through the Northern wilderness; she had never thought that she would be back home again after what had happened in King's Landing. With the death of her father, watching his head by chop off was not something that she could ever forgive but to be trapped with those that had brought about her father's death had been a nightmare she had never thought she'd escape.
For the last four years, she had never thought that she would live to see any of her family again; when the news had come that Robb and their mother had been murdered, she had felt like there was no escaping anymore. Now here she was, free from those who would have sort to use her for their own gain and to control the North; she had been married to the imp to secure the North in Lannister claws and if all went well she would soon have that marriage annulled.
Sanira had offered to send her to Riverrun where her mother was with Rickon and Karlon now after the Lannister attempt to steal her nephew away. However Sansa had refused although she had taken the chance to send her mother a letter, she knew that there was nothing that she could do if she was at Riverrun; no, she needed to be here to make amends.
It was her fault that her father had lost his head, she had been a stupid little girl when she had begged Cersei to speak to her father so that she could stay and marry Joffrey. Everything that had happened to her family from there was her fault, she had been a stupid little girl who couldn't see the danger that her father was trying to save them from and she'd do anything to take that back.
Staring ahead of her, Sansa's eyes caught on Sanira and she sat a little straighter to copy the Queen; if she was to make amends then she needed to be useful in all that she did. Sanira was everything that Sansa wanted to be, she was brave and strong; no one was going to be using her to hurt their family and Sansa was eager to learn from her.
In the past she had wanted to be a Queen like Cersei, one that seemed so perfect and the people adored; now she wanted to be like Sanira, one that was fighting for her people and doing everything she could to put right the wrongs done to the North.
Please Review, Favourite and Follow xx