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 Thirty-Nine: The Siege of King's Landing.
It is a quiet and beautiful morning, the warm sun beating down upon despite the tension that was building around the city; Lannister archers hustle into position at the outer wall, below them, city dwellers run towards the Red Keep for protection.
"Archers, close up!" an archer commanded as the people of the city rushed about trying to find somewhere to take cover from the impending carnage that was about to descend on the city. A stream of citizens rushes anxiously towards the Red Keep, Lannister soldiers march double time in the opposite direction; above the crowded street, citizen shutter their windows.
Below people take shelter in their homes, one MAN grabbing his wife and picking up his child; more citizens rush through the streets as others shutter their windows. In a doorway, a woman soothes her infant as the crowd hurries past and her daughters carry their belongings inside.
Cersei walks to the window and surveys the great capital city, in the far distance is the wall where her loyal forces are stationed, and the great plain beyond where the Baratheon forces await. Behind her, Jaime and Qyburn stand to attention waiting for her orders; she rested her hand on the balcony wall knowing that whatever happened today that she would not go without a fight.
The crowd surges, crushing soldiers and citizens against a closed gate; the clamour rises and people become even more desperate to enter the safety of the Red Keep. The crowd screams and shouts, growing larger by the minute; the shouts of the citizens have reached Cersei's ears, she looks down soberly knowing that they couldn't take everyone.
If the city was to survive then sacrifices had to be made, they could not keep everyone safe and it was a sacrifice that Cersei was happy to make. There was no way that she would concede the city to Stannis, she would rather burn it to the ground than allow him to have it. Qyburn had carried out her orders, the man had tried to dissuade her from her plans but his words of caution had fallen on deaf ears.
Outside the gates of King's Landing, the Golden Company stands to attention some of their faces betray their trepidation towards the forthcoming battle. Harry Strickland guides his mount in front of them, his eyes are fixed on the gates knowing that there was much depending on this day; he wanted to make his Queen proud.
Queen Sanira was seated upon her horse amongst the army, Jon Snow riding beside her as they prepared for the coming battle; she had refused to stay at Duskendale while they rode out to battle. The last place Sanira wanted to be was left behind, she felt like she had to be here that she had to see the fall of House Lannister for herself.
There was also the issue of her mother that needed resolving when possible, there was no ignoring the fact that Arlenna had murdered Rolan and had all but gotten away with it. Sanira stared up at the walls of King's Landing, she knew that whatever happened next that they had to be prepared for the worst.
There was no telling what Cersei had up her sleeve and would do when she realised that there was no way out for her; surrender wasn't a word that her cousin understood and Sanira feared for the common folk. The destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor was not something that had been done lightly, her desire for control had destroyed not only the Faith Militant but had seen a lot of the court killed along with most of House Tyrell.
Olenna had been furious about what had happened with the new Lord Tyrell pledging his remaining forces to Stannis after the death of Queen Margaery. There seemed no one left to stand in the corner with House Lannister, their vessels all but depleted once Casterly Rock had fallen to the alliance and now they had lost the support of the Tyrells.
Sanira didn't want to think about what Cersei would do when it became clear that the battle was lost, she wasn't known for being rational especially when it meant everything that she held dear. Tightening her hold on the reins of her horse, Sanira could only pray to the Old Gods that this battle would be over and they would be able to bring the Lannisters to justice for what they had done.
Beneath the city, using the secret tunnels that he had used to escape from King's Landing three years earlier; Tyrion led a small force of men that he had been given to infiltrate, he had instructions to open the gates to allow the army to enter. Making his way through the dark tunnels, Tyrion couldn't help but wonder what would come next for them all; he knew that there was still much to be decided upon in all of this.
It didn't seem real that after everything that had happened that he was back here, tasked with the important job of ensuring the army's entry into the city. Stannis would attack from the South, coming through the Kingswood with the Martells attacking from the Southwest and Robb coming from the North, the Golden Company coming from Northeast with the Greyjoy fleet holding Blackwater bay leaving no way of escape.
Tyrion felt a pit in his stomach at the very thought, he knew that there would be no pleading for his siblings lives even when this was all over. There was a small part of him that regretted that it had come to this moment, that there was no going back and he would be the last of his family when all was said and done.
The Starks having promised that Lord Karstark could execute Jaime and there was no way that Cersei would be allowed to live; her actions with the Faith Militant meant that she was too dangerous to be left alive. Tyrion had decided to name Tommen is heir, the boy was kind hearted and he knew that it was the least that he could do considering what Tommen had sacrificed.
He truly was the best of the Lannisters, perhaps there was hope for their house after everything that had happened; he doubted he would ever marry again nor father children of his own. Myrcella would remain in Dorne, Trystane was besotted with her and he would keep her safe; she would be free from the tensions that were growing here with each passing day.
Slipping into the Red Keep, Tyrion held his breath as he stood within the walls and listened for any sound that people knew what was happening; everyone was far too distracted by what was happening outside the walls of King's Landing to know the enemy was already within the walls of the city.
"Is there anything that you need Your Grace?" Arlenna asked stepping into Cersei's chambers, she had been in her constant presence since Cersei had been crowned Queen. There was never a moment were she wasn't attempting to aid her niece in anyway that she needed, Arlenna was determined to make her own mark on this situation.
"No," Cersei spat not looking to her aunt, the thorn in her side since she had taken control over the city; her one regret about blowing up the Great Sept of Baelor was that Arlenna wasn't inside of it. It had worked well enough to free her from the Tyrells and the Sparrows, then there had been those that thought they could undermine her that had to go as well. Maester Pycelle and her Uncle Kevan were removed for their actions against her, they had refused to fall inline and do as she wished and Cersei couldn't have then around.
"What news?" Cersei asked hearing the door to her chambers open and Qyburn stepped back inside, he had a grave look on his face as he looked at the other occupants that were inside waiting for the battle to begin. There was a tension in the air that only seemed to grow with each passing moment, Cersei knew that today would either bring down or cement her reign.
"It appears the news from the Twins was incorrect Your Grace," Qyburn stated awkwardly, he peered at Jaime and Arlenna who were waiting with the Queen; he did not look forward to breaking the news that they had been deceived. Cersei turned away from the balcony and stepped back into her chambers, her eyes looking at Qyburn as she waited for him to tell her just what they had been incorrect about.
"Robb Stark and his wife live it seems," Qyburn announced awkwardly, he did not know how they had missed such news but it was clear that they were hopelessly outnumbered. Arlenna felt the colour drain from her face at the news that her daughter had survived the slaughter at the Twins; she knew that there would be no mercy for her if Sanira was at the gates with her husband and his army.
"They had united with Stannis Baratheon as have the Martells," Qyburn murmured clasping his hands in front of him, he knew that there was no way that this could end well; he didn't dare bring up the fact that the Golden Company were also stationed outside their walls. Nor the fact that they seemed to be marching under the Stark banner, they were hopelessly outnumbered and there was nowhere for any of them to go. The room was silent for a moment, the news settling in that it wasn't just Stannis that they would have to deal with today but the army from the North and the Martells that had turned on them.
"Excuse me," Arlenna announced making her exit, she had no intentions of going down with this sinking ship and if she was anything then she was a survivor. Cersei didn't say a word as her aunt scurried from the room like the rat that she was, she pressed her hands to her stomach as she stumbled back slightly to rest her hands upon the table. Their enemies had united against them, Cersei knew that should the city fall then she would be executed on whatever chargers Stannis wanted to throw at her; her hands shaking as she tried to steady herself.
"Your Grace?" Qyburn asked stepping forward, his eyes watching his Queen with great concern and he knew that this was not the news that they had been expecting this day. It was bad enough that they had to deal with Stannis, it was worse knowing that Baratheon had formed some sort of alliance with the Starks and the Martells; there seemed to be no one that the Lannisters could turn to now. Jaime watched his sister in silence, his mind reeling knowing that if cornered Cersei could do something rash; a sense of dread filling him, that it could fall on him to stop her.
"Do you have any orders?" Qyburn pushed stepping closer, all Cersei had to do was say the word and he would ensure that her bidding was done. Not that he would stick round to be blown to pieces, if the Queen intended to blow herself and the city up so Stannis couldn't have it that was her business but he wasn't going to stay and watch.
It is quiet outside the walls of the city, the two forces still in their stand off with Harry Strickland mounted before the Golden Company and some Lannister commander before his men waiting for something to happen. Sanira was sure that she could hear her heart pounding in her ears, there seemed to be no movement at all for a moment before the gates behind the small gathering of Lannister soldiers started to open. Such movement from the gates caused panic between the soldiers, none of them sure what was happening and a sense of dread building with each passing moment.
"CHARGE!" Harry called to his men before spearing his horse forward, the Golden Company charging through the soldiers striking down those who were in their way and making their way into the city. At the same time in two other locations, the Baratheon and Stark armies made their way into the city; Tyrion's small force having been able to open up the gates to allow the armies inside.
Galloping through the gates into King's Landing, the Golden Company ripped through the Lannister soldiers just inside the walls, speeding through the city with the soldiers falling like dominoes no match for the incoming forces. Chaos breaks out across the city, the three armies converging onto a city that had no true way of defending itself from their attack once the walls had been breached.
Lannister soldiers fell left and right, scores of them fleeing through an open yard in an attempt to get out of the way of the incoming forces. Civilians try and dodge the fall out from the invasion, people screaming in horror and fright as the Lannister army fails them and the armies make their way further into King's Landing.
Stannis stares up at the Red Keep as he makes his own entrance into the city, a hard look on his face knowing that Cersei would be there watching and listening to the screams of the people. He very much doubted the bells would be rung, that she would surrender the city without a fight and he wondered just when she would release that she had lost the city.
Signalling his men forward, Stannis doubted that Cersei would give up without a fight; he had heard what she had done to the Sept and he had not forgotten why he had lost the Battle of Blackwater. If there was a chance that Cersei had even a drop of Wildfire then they had to be careful, they could not risk her blowing up the entire city if she thought that was her only option.
"Your Grace," Qyburn murmured passing Jaime who was seated in the room while Cersei continued to watch the battle that was taking place, they were losing men and fast there was no aid that was coming for them. Greyjoy forces now sat in Blackwater Bay, they were clearly for Stannis and there was no one that they could call upon to support them now.
"Our men will fight harder than sellswords ever could. They will defend their queen to the last man," Cersei said desperately, she did not turn to look at Qyburn as she spoke not wanting to face the realty that she had lost. Even if it wasn't official yet, it was only a matter of time before the realisation caught up with her; the armies were making quick work of the Lannister forces, they were in fine form after having rested at Casterly Rock for months.
"Yes, Your Grace." Qyburn agreed quietly, he didn't believe it himself and he knew that there was little that the average Lannister soldier could do against forces like the Golden Company.
"The Red Keep has never fallen. It won't fall today," Cersei said with certainly, she refused to have her reign marked by such a thing and she would not bow down to Stannis. Staring at her back, Qyburn didn't say a word as he watched her for a moment more before making his exit; he peered at Ser Jaime knowing that perhaps he would have better look talking some sense into her.
However, it didn't appear that Jaime had said a word since they had entered the Queen's chambers that morning; a look on his face that Qyburn could not place and he wondered what the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard was thinking about at a time like this. Taking a deep breath as she looked down at the city, Cersei tried to steady her nerves before she marched herself back into her chambers from the balcony to refill her goblet of wine.
"You're completely useless," Cersei spat at Jaime, he had done nothing but sit there since he had come to her chambers; sulking like a child because he could no longer fight since the Boltons had taken his sword hand. It was on her to secure their family legacy, it was her that would make the hard decisions that would ensure their survival at the end of this day and ensure that no one would ever stand against them again.
"You don't get it do you? We've lost," Jaime stated with a shake of his head, he should have known that Stannis had something up his sleeve like this; their father would have worked it out sooner if he'd had the chance. Jaime swallowed wondering what Tywin Lannister would have said about the situation they found themselves in, that they had no allies and Stannis was marching through the city on the way to the Red Keep.
"We've not lost until I say we have," Cersei dismissed pouring herself more wine, she did not look at Jaime and she refused to believe that this was how it would end. There were plans in place, things that she had organised with Qyburn that Jaime didn't know about; the lengths that she was willing to go through to make sure that they remained on top.
"There's no one coming to help us. We have no allies. House Lannister stands on the brink of ruin and our own children refuse to come here," Jaime stated defeated, there was nothing that he had to offer that could improve their odds. Myrcella. Sweet, innocent Myrcella had been right when she had said that her mother had brought all of this upon them.
It had been Cersei that had been hellbent on killing Tyrion that had led to the death of their father, it was Cersei wanting to get rid of House Tyrell that had lead to the Sparrows gaining power and the loss of House Tyrell's support. It was her actions that had led to the deaths of most of the court, it was Cersei who had driven Tommen to abdicate and flee in the night without so much of a word.
"We have each other that is all that matters. We shall have more children, create a better legacy that our father could never have dreamed of," Cersei dismissed turning to look at Jaime. Her courses were late and she had no doubts that her womb was filled with another child, one that she would raise as her heir; it appeared that the witch had been wrong about her only having three children.
"I shall secure our future. I will burn this place to the ground before I allow Stannis to take it," Cersei snarled stepping closer to her brother, her eyes searching his face hoping he realised how serious she was about the future that she had planned for them.
Reaching a crowd of Lannister soldiers, the Golden Company came to a stand off with them as they made their way through the streets; a trial of devastation left behind them as they moved through the streets. Lannister soldiers having made futile attacks against the soldiers that had been quickly dispatched, the streets before them were empty and clear once they got passed the wall of perhaps one hundred Lannister soldiers.
The two sides take measure of one another, separated by the width of the street, neither side making a move for a moment while Sanira rode up with Jon at her side, her eyes focused on the bell tower ahead of them. Harry Stickland the leader of the Lannister battalion stare at one another, the seconds ticking by as they gaged what was about to happen next.
The leader of the Lannister battalion started to lose faith as he looked at the men around him, he dropped his sword in surrender as the rest of the battalion followed suit and the message spreading through the troops behind him and back towards the Red Keep. It was clear that none of the Lannister soldiers wanted to fight, murmurings started as Jon looked ahead; he had sworn to keep Sanira safe when she had decided to ride with the Golden Company to King's Landing rather than travel with Robb. There was a tension that lingered between the couple since their reunion and Jon knew that Robb had enough on his plate right now without also considering what might happen to Sanira this day.
"Ring the bells! Ring the bells!" the soldiers started to chant, one by one voices added to the call for Cersei to surrender the city over to the armies that were making their way through the city. There was no hope of her winning, there was no aid that was arriving on their doorstep for a last boast like when Tywin had arrived at the Battle of Blackwater.
"The bells! Ring the bells! Ring the bells!" more calls came from around the city, all eyes turning to the Red Keep as they waited for Cersei to realise that the battle was lost.
"Ring the bloody bells! Ring the bells! Ring the bells!" more voices from the common folk called out, the chanting growing louder that it was hard to ignore from every corner of King's Landing.
Jaime stared at her, words failing him as he looked at Cersei and realised what she intended to do; the words that the Mad King chanted all those years ago echoed in his mind and he knew then what he had to do. Cersei stood by the window, listening to the cries for surrender from her citizens and her soldiers; a look forming on her face as she turned towards the door and started to make her way over to it.
"Qyburn," Cersei called out to her only ally, she didn't make it far before Jaime intercepted her before she could reach the door; a look on his face that caught her by surprise before his good hand reached up towards the golden chain around her neck. Cersei assumed that he had come to hug her, to offer her strength in her time of need so leant towards Jaime allowing him to get a better hold of the gold chain from behind her back.
Twisting the chain around his hand and pulling it taunt, Jaime wrapped his bad arm around her and held her close to him with her arms pinned at her sides, he used all his strength to hold her as she struggled against the hold that he had on her. The chants for the bells to be rung growing louder with each passing minute, the chain that Jaime was holding cutting into Cersei's pale neck as she finally freed one of her hands and started to claw at his face to make him release her.
"I love you," Jaime whispered holding on tightly, he closed his eyes as he held Cersei as her gargled and gasped pleas didn't reach his ears. Her free hand doing it's best to try and push him away from her, her nails cutting into the skin of his face until he buried his head into her neck as he held her tightly in his arm. The ringing in Cersei's ears only seemed to grow louder with each passing minute, her struggles growing sluggish and her eyes turning red; there was a pressure that she felt growing in her head as the world around her seemed to grow dark.
The seconds seemed to drag by as slowly Cersei's struggles came to a stop, Jaime holding her close when she finally stopped struggling and he sunk to the floor as the door to her chambers opened. Qyburn stepped into the room to find Jaime there cradling Cersei's body, he said nothing as he made his way closer to the Kingslayer who didn't look up at him as he approached.
There were no words exchanged between the two men, Qyburn looking over the scene before him; he didn't seem at all surprised at the course of action that Jaime had taken. Jaime stared brokenly at his twin sister's dead body, his face covered in scratches as he tried to wrap his head around what he had done. They had come into this world together, forty-three years ago and now she was leaving this world alone; a lump form in his throat as he buried his head into Cersei, the tears starting to fall knowing that he would never forgive himself for this. There had been no other options, he knew what Cersei had been planning to do and he had refused to stand by and allow her to blow up the city; not when there was so much at stake.
"My Lord," Qyburn stated looking down at Jaime, he waited until the man had a moment to compose himself knowing that there was still work to be done and he was still in service to House Lannister. Jaime didn't move for a moment, he wanted the ground to swallow him up and he couldn't imagine what would happen to him now; he looked down at Cersei before moving to close her eyes. Her once beautiful blue eyes were tinged red, bloodshot as they stared up at him unseeing until he closed them; he fixed the chain around her neck and tried to make her look presentable.
"My Lord," Qyburn pushed trying to get his attention, the calls for the surrender of the city were only growing and Stannis was nearly at their door along with the Stark army. Jaime finally acknowledged Qyburn, he stared up from the floor at the man that had loyally served his sister since he had come into her service.
"Ring the bells," Jaime ordered, he held on to Cersei knowing that once Stannis made his way into the Red Keep that they would be parted. This would be his only chance to truly grieve for her, he didn't want to think about what would happen to him now that he had done this. Perhaps it was for the better that House Lannister came to an end like this, he prayed that wherever Tyrion was that he was doing okay. Wrapping his arms around Cersei, Jaime rocked her back and forth as he mourned the loss of his family, his lover and everything that he had ever known.
Staring up at the tower, watching as the bell began to sway Sanira released a breath that she didn't realise that she had been holding; the ringing rang out across the city as the bells across the city rang out in surrender. The ringing of the bells becomes a chorus across King's Landing, the sound a welcome one to all the soldiers as they realised that Cersei had surrendered; that they had won and the Lannisters had been defeated.
Robb stared up at the Red Keep as he tried to wrap his head around what was happening, it had taken six years for them to reach this point; it was surreal that he was actual here. It had felt like a dream when he had marched on King's Landing all those years to free his father and sisters, it felt sort of hallow knowing that he hadn't been able to rescue his father.
Sansa was at least safe back at home now, she had been governing in Sanira and his own absence; Arya was still missing and Robb could only hope they'd find answers here for his mother on what happened to her. Now came the hard work, Robb knew that there was so much that needed to be done before he rode back to Winterfell; they needed to bring to justice the Lannisters for what they had done and there were deals that needed to be made to secure his remain.
Beneath the city, Arlenna Lannister made her way over the rocks towards the entrance of the tunnel that she had used to escape; the ringing of the bells could be heard from here. Stepping into the cove where the tunnel came out, Arlenna paused at the man that was stood there with his crew preparing to make their own exit from King's Landing.
"My Lady," Euron Greyjoy greeted with a bow, a smile on his face knowing that all was not lost even if he had been too late to secure his own alliance with Cersei. Perhaps he would have better luck with the mother of the Queen in the North, afterall who could deny that Sanira Stark was quite the woman. Arlenna plastered a smile on her face, she dropped the skirts of her red dress as she took a step towards Euron knowing that perhaps her luck had changed; she would get revenge for what House Stark had done to her family, all she had to do was be patient.
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