[CERSEI is a bit drunk, and still drinking wine.]
"Sansa, come here, little dove. What are you doing?"
"Great, she's drunk" Jaime muttered under his breath. His sister was perfect in every way. Except for when she was drunk. She became stupider when she was drunk.
"Praying."
"You're perfect, aren't you? Praying."
"That's the most normal thing to do" Arya whispered to Bran.
Bran shrugged.
"What are you praying for?"
"For the gods to have mercy on us all."
"Even me?"
"Of course, Your Grace."
"Even Joffrey?"
"Joffrey is my-"
"Oh, Cersei is going to love that," Tyrion said with a dry chuckle.
"What do you mean?" Myrcella asked, her tone slightly sharp.
Tyrion looked at her strangely.
"Your mother knows Sansa is speaking bullshit" Tyrion clarified. "Dear niece have I offended you somehow?"
"You have not" Myrcella muttered and looked away.
Tyrion's frown did not move away.
"Oh, shut up, you little fool. Praying to the gods to have mercy on us all. The gods have no mercy. That's why they're gods. My father told me that when he caught me praying. My mother had just died, you see. I didn't really understand the concept of death, the finality of it. I thought that if I prayed very, very hard, the gods would return my mother to me. I was four."
Joanna pursed her lips, nervously massaging her knee. She had died, that was the end for her. But for her family, the pain had continued. It warmed her to know that she was loved, but to see them in pain…
"Your father doesn't believe in the gods?"
"He believes in them, he just doesn't like them very much."
[CERSEI holds out a glass for her servant to fill. The servant pours another glass of wine at CERSEI's orders. She hands it to SANSA.]
"Here. Sit. Drink."
[SANSA sits and takes a sip of wine.]
"Not like that. Drink, girl."
[SANSA takes a bigger gulp.]
"I should have been born a man. I'd rather face a thousand swords than be shut up inside with this flock of frightened hens."
Jaime winced. Drunk Cersei had no filter.
"They are your guests under your protection. You asked them here."
"It was expected of me, as it will be of you if you ever become Joffrey's queen. If my wretched brother should somehow prevail, these hens will return to their cocks and crow of how my courage inspired them, lifted their spirits."
"Thank you for your confidence," Tyrion said dryly.
"And if the city should fall?"
"You'd like that, wouldn't you? The Red Keep should hold for a time, long enough for me to go to the walls and yield to Lord Stannis in person. If it were anyone else outside those gates, I might have hoped for a private audience, but this is Stannis Baratheon. I'd have a better chance of seducing his horse."
Renly snorted.
"Have I shocked you, little dove? Tears aren't a woman's only weapon. The best one's between your legs. Learn how to use it. Drink."
[They both drink.]
"Do you have any notion of what happens when a city is sacked? No, you wouldn't, would you?"
"Because she hasn't been in a siege before? Because she hasn't seen war before?" Catelyn asked no one, puffing up angrily at the Cersei on the wall.
"If the city falls, these fine women should be in for a bit of a rape. Half of them will have bastards in their bellies come the morning. You'll be glad of your red flower then. When a man's blood is up, anything with tits looks good. A precious thing like you will look very, very good. A slice of cake just waiting to be eaten."
Sansa shuddered, gripping her mother's hand tightly. She did not want to get raped. She did not want to be some cake for bloodlusty men to devour at their will.
[CERSEI takes a drink and SANSA joins her, panicking.]
[HARBOR WALL]
"They're coming. They're coming ashore."
"Rain fire on them."
"Archers!"
"There are too many."
"The King panics. Not a good look for his men" Olenna tutted.
"It is his first time at war" Margaery defended not too solidly.
"He should keep it to himself and not show it then" the old woman argued.
"Hound, form a welcome party for any Baratheon troop that manages to touch solid ground. Pod, run to the King's Gate. Bring any men guarding it here, now."
"Yes, my lord."
[BELOW THE HARBOR WALL]
"Let's go. Stannis is sending us fresh meat. You, too."
[THE HOUND punches LANCEL in the chest as he walks past. LANCEL is stunned.]
"That was unnecessary" Sansa muttered.
"Any of these flaming fucking arrows come near me, I'll strangle you with your own guts."
[HARBOR WALL]
[The archers prepare to fire.]
"Loose! Loose!"
[The archers let their flaming arrows fly.]
[The arrows land as the soldiers rush from the boats to the shore. Some hit their mark. Some Baratheon men fall while others pour ashore.]
"Draw! Draw! Loose! Loose!"
[The archers release more salvos. STANNIS's forces take heavy casualties, but they do not give up. Yelling, the first of them make it to the base of the harbour wall. Above them, Lannister forces drop rocks, which crush the skulls of the unlucky. STANNIS himself gets sprayed with the blood of his bludgeoned soldier. They place their shields above their heads.]
Shireen winced seeing the carnage, especially considering how close her father had been to getting squashed.
"To the Mud Gate, go now!"
"First and second squads, to the gate! To the Mud Gate!"
[INSIDE THE HARBOR WALL]
[THE HOUND leads a charge of Lannister men.]
"Any man dies with a clean sword, I'll rape his fucking corpse."
"Gods the language" Elia winced.
[He and LANCEL engage with the sieging forces. They each cut down a number of Baratheon men before LANCEL is struck in the chest by an arrow. He stumbles and screams. Panting, he retreats.]
"Gods" Lyanna muttered with wide eyes.
[MAEGOR'S HOLDFAST]
"When we were young, Jaime and I, we looked so much alike even our father couldn't tell us apart. I could never understand why they treated us differently. Jaime was taught to fight with sword and lance and mace, and I was taught to smile and sing and please. He was heir to Casterly Rock, and I was sold to some stranger like a horse to be ridden whenever he desired."
"She always did think she should have been born a man because she could handle a sword" Jaime chuckled.
"Could she?" Myrcella asked.
"Not any better than she could sing" Jaime smiled warmly. Cersei was many things a woman of her standing dreams to be, but a singer she was not.
"You can sing" Tommen said to Myrcella. "I heard you sing, you're really good."
"Maybe you could sing for me sometime. I'd love to hear" Joanna said warmly.
Myrcella ducked her head and nodded, hiding her blush.
"You were Robert's queen."
"And you will be Joffrey's. Enjoy. I don't think I know this one."
[CERSEI walks over to SHAE. SHAE rises and curtsies.]
"That's the worst curtsy I've ever seen. Here, it's not difficult. I mastered it when I was four. Straighten your back and bend."
[CERSEI demonstrates and SHAE mimics her.]
"Better. You learn fast. How long have you been in Lady Sansa's service?"
"Dear sister is about to find out who your true paramour is" Jaime chuckled.
"Maybe" Tyrion muttered. He may not know the woman yet, but he wouldn't wish Cersei upon her.
"A few weeks, Your Grace."
"I had a Lorathi handmaiden once. When did you leave Lorath?"
"Oh she definitely knows something is amiss" Oberyn leaned forward a bit.
"Don't look like you're enjoying it too much, brother" Elia rolled her eyes.
"As if you don't enjoy watching someone's half-baked ploys come undone" Oberyn teased, making sure he was loud enough for Tyrion to hear.
Tyrion heard but said nothing.
[SHAE smiles]
"But she was a nobleman's daughter. You're not. When did you come to Westeros?"
"Ten years ago, Your Grace."
"From Lorathi commoner to the Red Keep in ten years, all without learning how to curtsy. I imagine that's a very interesting story. What's your name?"
"Shae, Your Grace."
"Tell us a story, Shae."
"When I was thirteen, I-"
[A door opens. LANCEL stumbles in past the guards.]
"What news?"
"The Imp has set the river afire. Hundreds of ships are burning, maybe more. Stannis' fleet was destroyed, but But But his troops have landed outside the city walls."
"Where is Joffrey?"
"On the battlements with Lord Tyrion."
"Bring him back inside at once."
"Oh, that utter fool!" Olenna snapped. "Does she intend to insult her own son?!"
"I believe she is drunk and thinking like a mother" Margaery whispered.
"She isn't thinking like a mother. She's thinking like an idiot! No mother would wish an insult on their son like that."
"Your Grace- The king's presence is good for morale."
"Bring him back to his chambers now."
"Not here?"
"With the women and children? Do you want him to be mocked as a coward for the rest of his life?"
"As if he wouldn't otherwise" Yara Greyjoy snorted in disgust. He hated women like that, soft and thick-headed who think too much of themselves.
[LANCEL exits. CERSEI sits, requesting more wine. She turns to SANSA.]
[THE HARBOR SHORE]
[THE HOUND decimates his foes as the chaos of battle continues. Both sides take brutal casualties. A flaming man runs screaming towards THE HOUND, who is frozen by the horror of the sight.]
"It would seem the thing with his brother left more scars than just those on his face" Doran mused in amusement. He wasn't one to forget things easily, so he had been the only one to make that connection.
[An arrow takes down his assailant. THE HOUND looks up to see that he has BRONN to thank. BRONN quickly dispatches some more Baratheon men with his knife. THE HOUND is in a bit of a daze, overwhelmed by the fires, reliving his own trauma. He turns and re-enters the gates. Many of the Lannister forces follow.]
[STANNIS ON THE HARBOR SHORE]
"Get the ladders up!"
[His forces bring ladders to the wall. They set them, and STANNIS begins to climb, dodging rocks. He makes it to the top and engages with the Lannister forces atop the wall.]
"How did no one hit him there" Renly muttered under his breath.
[COURTYARD BEHIND THE HARBOR WALL]
"Faster, you bastards! Faster! Come on, kill the scum!"
[THE HOUND is still in a daze.]
"Someone bring me a drink."
[A soldier hands him a skin. He drinks and spits it out.]
"Fuck the water. Bring me wine."
[Another soldier gives him wine, and he drinks deeply. He shuffles through the courtyard, passing TYRION.]
"Can I get you some iced milk and a nice bowl of raspberries, too?"
"Eat shit, dwarf."
"You're on the wrong side of the wall."
"I lost half my men. The Blackwater's on fire."
"Dog, I command you to go back out there and fight!"
[THE HOUND looks down at JOFFREY]
"He looks like he'd going to hurt Joffrey" Tommen pointed out.
"Maybe he should" Myrcella whispered.
Tommen looked at his sister having heard what she said. He took her hand with both his hands and squeezed it.
Myrcella looked at her brother and smiled tightly, squeezing his hand back
"You're a Kingsguard, Clegane. You must beat them back or they're going to take this city. Your king's city."
"Fuck the Kingsguard. Fuck the city. Fuck the king."
"Good" Robb muttered darkly. Nobody should protect that bastard, no matter whether those who swore an oath to do so break them.
[THE HARBOR]
[More boats come ashore. The soldiers overturn the boat to use it as protection from the arrows. While the overturned boat makes slow progress, another group of men with a battering ram overtakes them and reaches the wall.]
"Forward ladders!"
[Another ladder is raised against the wall. The boat is placed over the ram. Meanwhile, men are crushed by thrown rocks.]
[BEHIND THE WALL]
[LANCEL runs to join the royal group.]
"Your Grace, the queen has sent me to bring you back to the Red Keep."
"If you won't defend your own city, why should they?"
"What would you have me do?"
"Lead. Get down there and lead your people against the invaders who want to kill them."
"What did my mother say exactly? Did she have urgent business with me?"
"He's going to fucking desert!" Jaime muttered. The whole interaction of Cersei, Lancel and Joffrey was infuriating him. How could a King think about abandoning his people? How could a man leave in a war he's leading?!
For the first time in a long time, Jaime felt shame in Joffrey being his son.
"She did not say, Your Grace."
"Ser Boros, Ser Mandon, stay with my uncle and represent the king on the field of battle."
"That fucking coward" Robert growled, slamming his hand on the chair arm so hard that it cracked. He may not be his son, but he had a hand, no matter how small, in raising him. How could he have raised a coward?!
[JOFFREY and LANCEL exit. A bundle of stones is mismanaged at the top of the wall, and it comes crashing down.]
"Stand fast!"
"No! Get up, you fool."
"We need more arrows!"
"It's fucking chaos" Jaime grunted. No leader, men deserting, this was utter chaos and humiliation.
[The Lannister men gather in the courtyard, looking for direction.]
"Where is the king? Why isn't he with us?"
"Who are we fighting for?"
"Who leads us?"
"We may see turncloaks now" Tyrion chuckled dryly.
[PODRICK ascends the stairs to TYRION.]
"I'll lead the attack. I'll lead the attack!"
Tyrion choked on air, as did Jaime and Joanna.
"Me?!"
"You?!"
The three Lannisters looked at each other in shock, while Oberyn barked a laugh at their comical looks.
"Pod, my helmet. Ser Mandon, you will bear the king's banner. Men, form up. Men Men! They say I'm half a man. But what does that make the lot of you?"
"The only way out is through the gates. And they're at the gates."
"There's another way out. I'm going to show you. We'll come out behind them and fuck them in their arses."
Jaime couldn't help it. He broke laughing.
"It pleases me to see that my situation brings you much joy," Tyrion said angrily.
"It's not that" Jaime waved his brother's anger off. "You're speaking like a warrior there! It's surprising but a pleasant one."
Tyrion grumbled under his breath.
[BASE OF THE HARBOR WALL]
[The battering ram pounds relentlessly into the wooden door.]
[BEHIND THE WALL]
"Don't fight for your king and don't fight for his kingdoms."
"Well, that's some start to a speech" Renly snorted.
"Don't fight for honour. Don't fight for glory. Don't fight for riches, because you won't get any. This is your city Stannis means to sack. That's your gate he's ramming. If he gets in, it will be your houses he burns, your gold he steals, your women he will rape. Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let's go kill them."
[The Lannister forces raise their swords and shout in support. TYRION strides off, and they follow.]
"He ended it well, hit it right where it hurts so the men would rally. That was smartly done" Robert grunted his approval. Maybe he had underestimated the desperation in the imp.
[MAEGOR'S HOLDFAST]
[CERSEI and TOMMEN sit. LANCEL reports.]
"The battle is lost, Your Grace. Stannis' troops are at the gates. When the gold cloaks saw the king leaving, they lost all heart."
"That utter FOOL!' Jaime roared with frustration. The battle was not lost, the men were still fighting! Oh, how he'd love to beat his cousin bloody right now for being a coward!
"Where is my son?"
"I want to escort him back to the battle."
"Why do I care what you want? Bring me-"
"Now listen to me-"
"This is the singular worst time to grow a spine" Tyrion winced.
[Enraged, CERSEI leaps up and stabs LANCEL, who falls to the ground, writhing and screaming in pain. She walks over him and exits with TOMMEN. The women begin to panic.]
"Why would she do that?" Myrcella gasped in horror. Lancel was just trying to do what was best for the battle.
"Your mother is panicking. Even under normal circumstances, she does not like being told what to do by people she thinks are below her. Right about now, she's ready to kill anyone if they try to tell her what is right and what is wrong" Tyrion explained.
Myrcella paled, gripping Tommen's hand tightly.
Tommen stayed strong and did not cry out from pain. The sight of people being stabbed, or people dying did not bother him, because he'd shut his eyes every time he knew it would happen.
"Don't be afraid. The queen has raised the drawbridge. This is the safest place we can be. Joffrey's not hurt. He's fighting bravely. His knights have rallied behind him. They will save the city. Shall we sing a hymn? Gentle mother, fount of mercy... "
[SHAE grabs SANSA from behind, startling her.]
"You must go. Run to your chamber and bar your door. Stannis won't hurt you. This one will."
[SHAE indicates ILYN PAYNE, who stands guard.]
Catelyn bit her lips while Ned's brows furrowed, both in worry.
"Come with me."
"I need to say goodbye to someone."
"The queen said they'd rape everyone."
"No one is raping me."
[SHAE reveals a dagger bound her her calf, beneath the dress.]
"Smart girl" Tyrion chuckled.
[SANSA'S CHAMBERS]
[SANSA moves fleetly through the corridor. She enters her chambers and bolts the door. She picks up a doll.]
"The lady is starting to panic."
[She turns around in fright to find THE HOUND sitting quietly in the corner.]
"Why's he there?!" Catelyn muttered with half a cry. He wouldn't hurt her, she knew it. He saved her once, he'd do it again.
"What are you doing here?"
"Not here for long. I'm going."
"Where?"
"Someplace that isn't burning. North, might be. Could be."
"Take her with you" Jon whispered, almost begging, too quietly for anyone to hear. He didn't want Sansa to have to be subjected to all that which would surely befall her.
[THE HOUND takes a drink.]
"I can take you with me. Take you to Winterfell."
The Starks look with hope. A way out! And after Catelyn botched a hostage exchange, this was the only way out now.
[THE HOUND stands.]
"I'll keep you safe. Do you want to go home?"
"I'll be safe here. Stannis won't hurt me."
"You idiot! Why aren't you going with him?!" Arya shrieked.
"I don't know!" Sansa wailed, confused herself. How could her future self not see the danger she was in?!
[THE HOUND stumbles forward. SANSA whispers.]
"Look at me. Stannis is a killer. The Lannisters are killers. Your father was a killer. Your brother is a killer. Your sons will be killers someday. The world is built by killers. So you'd better get used to looking at them."
"You won't hurt me."
"No, little bird, I won't hurt you."
[THE HOUND turns and unlocks the door. SANSA considers whether to join him.]
"Go with him!" Robb, Bran and Arya shout in unison.
[THE SEWERS]
[TYRION uses his axe to remove the chain from the sewer's gate. He steps out onto the shore and the Lannister men follow quietly.]
"Oh clever plan, brother" Jaime was grinning. Tyrion was turning the tide in their favour!
[The battle rages. The ram has made further progress. Flaming arrows still rain down. TYRION comes up behind the man and slices his ankle wide open. He falls and TYRION lands another heavy blow, blood spurting.]
"Attack!"
[Their surprise attack is successful, and they quickly dispatch the vulnerable men.]
"Roll it over!"
[They overturn the boat, and someone above drops a torch inside to set it aflame. They all celebrate with a resounding cheer.]
"Halfman! Halfman! Halfman!"
"Never thought I'd love hearing someone call me that" Tyrion muttered, trying and failing to hide his blush.
[TYRION turns around to see a host of soldiers coming upon them from the short. The battle begins again.]
"Oh fuck me."
"Oh, fuck me."
Jaime snorts.
"You're repeating yourself uncle" Tommen said with a small smile.
Tyrion chuckled and smiled at his nephew.
[TYRION battles a soldier with a mace. The soldier gains the advantage but is then tackled by one of TYRION's men. He smiles, while a Baratheon knight notices him and walks forward. He swings his sword at TYRION, and slices open his cheek.]
Joanna stifled a gasp. He was alright. It was a cut and nothing more. He was still standing.
[TYRION reels. Suddenly, a spear pierces the knight's face. He falls to reveal PODRICK wielding the fatal weapon.]
"Good man!" Tyrion roared. He was so glad he had a squire. Maybe he'd get this boy early. Podrick Payne… yes he would get him. And maybe also take some lessons with an axe too.
[THE THRONE ROOM]
[CERSEI and TOMMEN sit in the dark on the Iron Throne.]
"No one's going to hurt you. I'll tell you a story. You know the one about the mother lion and her little cub? They lived in the woods."
"The Kingswood?"
"I do like that story" Tommen mumbled.
"Yes, my love. In the Kingswood, there lived a mother and her cub. She loved him very much. But other things lived in the woods. Evil things."
"Like what?"
"Like stags."
Robert and Renly snorted. No subtlety.
"Stags aren't evil. They only eat grass."
"And wolves."
This time the Starks snorted for the same reason.
[Another wave of soldiers approaches from the shore. Some are mounted.]
"He could hear them howling in the night. The little cub was frightened. His mother said, You are a lion, my son. You mustn't be afraid."
[STANNIS looks down from his perch. The mounted soldiers attack.]
Stannis leaned forward. So far the battle has been very push and pull, at an equilibrium almost. He needed to do something to win the tide in his favour now or he'd lose.
"For one day, all the beasts will bow to you. You will be king. All the stags will bow. All the wolves will bow. The bears in the north and the foxes of the south, all the birds in the sky and the beasts in the sea, they will all come to you, little lion, to rest a crown upon your head."
"And the cub said, Will I be strong and fierce like my father?"
[CERSEI uncorks the vial she holds.]
"No," Jaime said in horror. With the circumstances at hand… that could only be one thing.
Myrcella seemed to come to the same conclusion and held her brother close in a hug.
"Yes, said his mother. You will be strong and fierce just like your father."
[CERSEI presents the vial for TOMMEN to drink.]
"Foolish woman!" Jaime roared in anger and fear for his son. She couldn't do this, Cersei could not do this to his son!
Joanna coaxed him back to sit.
"She is afraid and wishes to save her son from a worse fate" she whispers to her son.
"She will kill him!" Jaime hissed.
"A painful death compared to whatever Stannis would have in mind for him" Joanna argued. She understood the fears of a mother more than her son did and saw the reason in it more than her son did.
Jaime grits his teeth and slams his fists on the arm of his chair.
Tommen leaned forward to sneak a peek at Jaime before leaning back in his seat again.
Myrcella though was sneaking a peek. She was plainly staring at the man.
"I will keep you safe, my love. I promise you."
[The chamber door bursts open and CERSEI and TOMMEN stand. Soldiers march in. LORAS TYRELL takes off his helmet.]
"Loras?" Margaery asked in confusion.
Olenna on the other hand snorted.
"They convinced us to pick a side" Olenna muttered.
The realisation came to all that understood war. Especially Stannis who knew the balance was tipped. The battle was lost.
[THE HARBOR SHORE]
[The Baratheon forces are in retreat. Men grab STANNIS and restrain him.]
"No!"
"Not even your heathen of a god could give you a victory" Renly taunted.
Stannis was silent, gripping the arm of his chair tightly.
Renly snorted at that.
"Became a Kinslayer for nothing" he muttered and looked away.
[THE THRONE ROOM]
[TYWIN enters.]
"Father."
[She drops the vial, spilling its deadly contents. The vial shatters.]
"The battle is over. We have won."
Jaime let out a shuddering breath and finally relaxed. The battle was won, his family would live to see another day.