Chapter Summary: Cersei and Jaime's final encounter with the monkeys and they depart from the island.

Chapter beta'd by RhaenaTargaryen on ao3

Some notes now regarding the travel time. I'm using this map: atlasoficeandfireblog. files. wordpress .

com /2019/12/asoiaf-known-world-new-mountains . jpg

I've tried to research to make this as accurate as possible, but alas there isn't too much info about how many miles per hour it takes to travel by rowboat. I'm getting everything from people saying it would be about a mile to 10 miles an hour. I want them to get to their next destination sooner rather than later so I'm going with the faster travel times.

It's about 320 miles from Kings Landing to Sharp Point according to a post I read here reddit r/gameofthrones/comments/8aigvw/spoilers_how_far_is_dragonstone_from_kings_landing/ I couldn't find how far from King's Landing to Sweet Point but judging by the map I'm thinking about 280-300 miles? If I'm having them travel too fast just assume the wind is on their side helping the rowboat along lol.

Also, If the boat they showed Jaime looking at before fighting Euron is supposed to be the boat Cersei and Jaime were to travel on then I think Tyrion's crazy. That looked to be a rowboat and you can't usually row across a sea lol. Dunno how he expected them to make it. I guess we're to assume Esso's seas are different. Tyrion did say sail but that def looked to be a rowboat with paddles so no idea what the writers were thinking with that one. tbh I sorta wish I'd gone with that boat not being the boat they were meant to leave on but I guess it was fun having Cersei have to row like that and having them on that island with the monkeys!

When Jaime next woke up, it was first light, which meant the sun would start to rise in under an hour's time. 'Perfect timing' he thought, pleased that the day was off to a good start. Cersei was still sleeping peacefully in his arms. He carefully untangled himself from her. He would let her sleep a bit longer, while he caught some fish.

As before, he undressed so that his clothes wouldn't get wet. He was already hungry, so before getting to work he decided to have a few bananas from Cersei's pile. She had so many that he knew she wouldn't miss any. Then he quickly got to work setting up the net and catching their breakfast.

By the time he was satisfied that he had procured enough fish for them both, the sun was rising. He took a moment to enjoy the sight then secured the net with the fish inside and glanced in Cersei's direction. She was still sleeping. He hated that he would have to wake her, but unfortunately, he would need her help with the fire again.

It wasn't until he got closer that he realized his clothes were gone. He looked all around, confused. He was sure he had left them in this spot. He noticed that the pile of bananas Cersei had gathered was gone as well. Had Cersei awoken sometime in the past hour or so and moved the bananas and his clothes, only to go back to sleep? While he stood in his name day suit and pondered this, Cersei stirred. She was waking up. "Jaime?" She asked groggily.

"Did you move my clothes and the bananas?" He asked.

"What?"

"My clothes. I took them off to go in the water to cast the net and now they're gone. I laid them right next to the bananas that were here which are now gone as well."

"How in seven hells would I have moved your clothes? I was sleeping!"

"I thought maybe you woke up and moved everything somewhere." Once the words were out of his mouth he realized what had likely transpired. The monkeys. Jaime had forgotten all about them. They hadn't bothered him or Cersei all night and he had thought they had seen the last of them. But perhaps they had retaken the bananas and taken his clothes as well. He was about to voice this to Cersei but she beat him to it.

"I bet it was the-" she started.

"Monkeys." He finished for her. He had always loved finishing her sentences. Sometimes she was annoyed by it, other times she would find it enduring. A few times it had even aroused her. This time she seemed mildly amused by it, though perhaps she was more so amused by the fact that monkeys had run off with his clothes.

"Yes, the monkeys. I guess you will have to go get them back," she said, clearly suppressing a laugh.

"Would you at least come with me? This is your fault, after all."

"My fault?! My fault?!" Her amusement seemingly gone, she seemed annoyed with him now.

"If you wouldn't have aggravated them by taking all the bananas back to our camp I wouldn't be in this predicament," he stated.

"So what was I supposed to do? Simply forget how that stupid little beast attacked me?"

"Actually yes! You have to learn to let some things go! It's a fucking monkey for crying out loud!"

"Hmm. Interesting thought. Well, good luck with finding your clothes."

"Fine." He stomped off, clearly pissed.

"Wait!" She called.

He halted, turning back to look at her. He could hear the amusement in her voice as she began to speak.

"Actually you know what. I think I will come with you. It isn't as though there is anything else to entertain me on this island and this should provide ample amusement."

"Well, I'm pleased this amuses you. Need I remind you that you have a long day of rowing ahead and this is only delaying our start?"

"We have a long day of rowing ahead. I've figured out a way that you can help."

Before he could ask how with one hand he could at all help, she spoke again. "Will you run the little beasts through with your sword when you find them?"

"If I can get to them. They'll probably be up in the tree. When we get closer, be quiet. I might be able to sneak up and steal back my clothes without incident."

"Yes, because being quiet worked so wonderfully for me with those little beasts," she replied sarcastically.

"Well, have you got a better idea?" He asked, unable to hide the irritation in his voice

"We could throw rocks at them. Perhaps one would connect with one of their ugly little heads."

"And have an angry mob of the rest of them coming after us? I don't think so. Just be quiet. Please."

Cersei rolled her eyes but thankfully did agree to be quiet.

They had barely been walking for a minute when he spotted a shoe on the ground. His shoe. Cersei must've noticed it too. They stopped and he grabbed it. He looked around and even behind some trees for the other one, thinking it must be nearby. Cersei stood waiting for him, being of no help. Not seeing the other shoe anywhere they resumed their walk.

It was less than a minute later that they reached the tree where the monkey who had bothered Cersei seemed to live. Jaime's clothes were hanging on a branch just out of his reach. A monkey was next to the clothes, eating a banana. Slowly and quietly Jaime lifted Widow's Wail, hoping that he could use the end to grab or knock his clothes down. This action didn't go unnoticed by the monkey, but Jaime was faster and managed to get his clothes down.

Quickly, he grabbed them off the ground, then followed Cersei behind another tree so that they wouldn't get hit by the bananas the monkey had begun throwing. He quickly examined the clothes. They didn't look to have monkey feces on them, at least. They didn't smell too great, but he had been wearing them for over a day in the hot sun, he and the clothes both unwashed. He got dressed vowing silently that as soon as they got to Pentos he would buy new clothes. Both for him and Cersei. He wondered why Tyrion had not given them changes of clothing if the servant quarters were really accessible as he had claimed, unless...

"You look deep in thought," Cersei commented.

"Nothing important." Telling her that he had concluded that their clothes had come off of actual dead servants would be one truth he would spare her. "But, I'm still missing a shoe. Can you help me look around here?"

"I see little point. It could be anywhere. Even up in a tree. Just get new shoes in Pentos."

"That's still quite aways to walk half bare-footed! And some of the terrain will be rocky!"

"You may get some cuts but I'm sure a maester can mend them. Of course, you might find it rather unpleasant to walk for a week or two." He was sure that she was speaking from experience here. Both her feet had needed mending after her walk of shame years ago.

He sighed, "Fine. I will look for them myself."

"Could you not? Or at least wait? I'm hungry."

"Just a few moments. It shouldn't take long."

"Very well then, but hurry."

After several minutes of searching nearby, he resolved that they must be elsewhere. Frustrated, he headed back to where Cersei was. He saw that she had decided to occupy herself by gathering more bananas.

"What are you doing?" He asked wearily.

"Obviously retaking the bananas that the monkey stole. Since you clearly cannot climb a tree to kill that little beast, this will be the only justice I get."

"Do you want them to come and bother us at our camp?"

"They will not dare, and they would not have dared before had I been awake. Wherever we decide to settle had best have none of those wretched beasts!"

Again she had hinted at not settling in Pentos. This time he couldn't help but voice his opinion. "Wherever we decide to settle? I thought that we would settle in Pentos."

"I don't think that wise, though I certainly wish to head there first. One of the other free cities will surely be safer. We can travel the rest of the way by wagon."

"I don't see anything wrong with settling in Pentos but we can discuss this after we actually get there." He didn't think she should be traveling further in her condition. However, he just wanted to eat and get on with the long day ahead of them. Getting into an argument would do neither of them any good. Besides that, there was still plenty of time left to discuss the matter.

"Let's head back to shore. You obviously aren't going to find that shoe," she said.

He agreed with her on that front, but her unwillingness in the matter annoyed him. "So I am to spend the rest of our journey with only one shoe?"

"I suppose so."

"This is your fault, so perhaps you could at least let me look for as long as I'd like."

"My fault? Perhaps you should blame your incompetence. How could you not have heard or seen monkeys running from camp?"

"I was out in the sea. You were right there. How did you sleep through it?"

"I suppose I was more tired than usual since I have been the one doing all the work to get us here!"

He sighed. This wasn't going to go anywhere. "Fuck it. Let's just get back to the camp and make a fire so we can eat. I'm sure we are both eager to get off of this damn island."

Once they arrived back at camp, they set to work making a fire. It seemed to take just as long if not longer than the first time. Finally, it was made and they proceeded to eat in awkward silence. In between bites of food, Cersei informed him that he had one working hand, not zero and that he would row on one side and she the other.

"I don't think that will work very well. We would have to be next to each other for that to work. The dinghy is too small to sit side by side. What you're suggesting would make the boat unsteady." He commented.

"You're just being lazy," she accused.

"It won't work well. But I suppose we can try," he sighed in defeat.

It was then that he remembered that he still had to tell her that they were off course. That his fuck up had cost them perhaps several hours of time. "Cersei?"

"What?"

"I made a mistake."

"You've made hundreds of mistakes in your life. I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific."

"We're a bit off course for Pentos. I just made a mistake in not giving you the proper directions, but it's not a big deal. It's nothing paddling the boat more north won't fix though."

"And how many hours has this mistake of yours cost us?"

"A few or perhaps several hours."

She looked at him with murder in her eyes. "Great, just great!"

"I'm sorry."

She sighed, "I feel like such an idiot! I know the quickest way to Pentos isn't a straight path. If I would have just stopped for a moment to think! But I was so worried about the baby and then you distracted me with stories of the North."

'Stories you insisted upon hearing,' was what he wanted to say. Best not to upset her even more though. "I'm very sorry. And as you've said I'll be helping row now so it's as much me as you that will suffer now."

Cersei was quiet for a while while they continued to eat and he thought that was to be the end of the matter.

"Jaime?"

"Hmm?" He didn't like her tone. It was the tone she used when she was about to inform him what was going to happen. There was no arguing with her when she used that tone.

"I believe your foolish mistake may actually be a blessing."

"A...blessing?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"Aye. We are on course for Rambton."

"Why would that matter? We can't go to Rambton. We'd be recognized the second we got on land."

"There may be a sailboat there we can use to take to Pentos."

"What would we do? They aren't just going to let us take a sailboat."

"We'll wait till night. It will probably be night by the time we get there anyway. We will steal one."

He eyed her doubtfully. "And then what happens in the morning when they notice a missing sailboat? They'll come looking and find us."

"Then we'll stow away on a cargo ship if they have one docked. I don't care. I cannot row to Pentos. Not even with you now helping!"

"That plan won't work either."

"You want to know what won't work? Me sailing a rowboat across the sea! My shoulders and back are already killing me! Blackwater Bay is one thing, but the sea? How did Tyrion think such a thing possible?"

"I admit it does seem risky. But it's our only option."

"Why should you get to decide what our only option is? You set us on the wrong path. Had you not been so stupid we wouldn't even be on course for Rambton."

He inwardly sighed. This was sure to go badly but there wasn't any convincing her. However, perhaps he could suggest a slightly safer alternative. "Since you insist on this, why don't we head to Sweet Port instead?"

"Why would Sweet Port be any better? If I recall, it is more populated than Rambton."

"Be that as it may, House Sunglass went extinct during the battle for the living. Until some new lord takes it over, things will be chaotic. Perhaps that will work to our advantage."

"Alright, I suppose."

Once they finished their food, he grabbed the sack which held all their worldly possessions. Oddly it seemed to have been left open. Shit. The monkeys! Anxiously he checked inside the bag. Cersei's broken crown, rings, and necklace were all still there, as was the food and remaining jug of water. The copper coins he had had in his pocket when he died Tyrion had even taken care to put in. It looked like a silver stag was now included as well. The monkeys thankfully had not stolen anything. He breathed a huge sigh of relief. He could just imagine having had to tell Cersei that they would have to live not only in exile but poor and in exile.

His thoughts quickly drifted to the remainder of the journey. He wondered how in seven hells Tyrion thought they would be able to make it all the way to Pentos in a rowboat. They would surely have run out of water and died of thirst before even making it halfway. That was assuming that exhaustion didn't take its toll first. Unbeknownst to him, there had been a scroll in the very bottom of the sack. A scroll that was written by Tyrion stated that if he was able to, he was going to get Ser Davos to meet them on the docks of Sharp Point. They would then make the rest of the journey by sailboat, accompanied by Ser Davos. Unfortunately, the monkey had opened the sack in search of more bananas. When he had rummaged through a gust of wind had come and carried the tiny scroll right out of the bag and into the ocean.

"The little beasts didn't take anything else of ours, did they?" Cersei asked.

"It doesn't look like it. We should get heading out now. It's already later than the time we should have left."

Once Jaime put their sack and his sword in the boat, he helped Cersei load all of the bananas into the boat. Finally, they were ready to leave the monkey-ridden island. It was nearly two hours later than they had hoped to head out. Jaime's stolen clothes and their slowness to start a fire had slowed them. The only bright side of the morning was that the monkeys did not bother them again.

As they got into the dinghy, Cersei reminded him that she expected his help this time. After a bit of back and forth, they finally settled on a position that they felt would be the most successful for this joint rowing idea that Cersei had come up with. It took quite some time, but eventually, they were able to get the hang of rowing in this manner and start making progress. Their positioning wasn't perfect, and rowing the boat in the manner they were required adequate coordination to make good timing. For the first hour or two, they made very slow progress. Eventually, they learned to work together well enough to travel at a decent speed.

They rowed in silence for a while before Cersei spoke, "Well, that was certainly an experience. I hope I never see another monkey again in my life!"

"You seem to have come out with rather the advantage from the whole thing," he stated nodding at the pile of bananas in the boat. "I'm the one who is missing a shoe."

"At least we didn't lose anything of importance."

He sighed in annoyance. "Yes, because it is going to be great fun to make the rest of this journey with one shoe."

Ignoring that remark, she asked, "we should arrive in Sweet Port in what ten, maybe eleven hours?"

"At the rate we're rowing? More like twelve or thirteen hours. Which I suppose isn't a bad thing. The more it is the dead of night, the easier it is to get to a sailboat undetected."

During the journey, conversation was attempted by both several times. Each time they found that it wasn't such a good idea while they were jointly rowing. Any bit of distraction and their progress was slowed. They had to stay in perfect unison for this to work. She would have to wait to hear about the rest of his time in the north and he to hear of her last months as Queen.

Sitting as they were made it awkward to eat, drink, and piss, the boat nearly tipped over a few times when one of them would maneuver to do such things. Even Jaime's estimations, it turned out, had been far too generous. It took them sixteen hours to make it to Sweet Port. Thankfully they managed to do so without the boat tipping over.

I get very little feedback on this site outside of reddit comment exchange threads and my friends, which makes it rather disappointing and depressing to upload on here. Only the first chapter I have posted has gotten any feedback from users of this site; everything else is either comments I copied over from ao3, or comments from reddit exchange threads. :/

TBH were it not for the fact that I'm hoping to pick up some regular commenters at least from reddit exchange threads if nothing else, and the fact that I want to eventually have at least all the chapters I had on ao3 uploaded somewhere (along with copying those comments over), I would probably quit uploading here.

So, I've decided on a system to motivate you to comment. I'm planning to post the next chapter 30 days from now (so June 26th) and for every piece of feedback on this fic that's over 200 words I'll upload the chapter way way sooner. And also, for every comment 100-200 words I'll update 8 days sooner, 4 days sooner for 50-100 words, 2 days sooner for every comment 20-50 words or for filling out the feedback form below, and 1 day sooner for comments 20 words and under. No flames/troll reviews, not counting those.

Currently counting comments for all chapters, so you can just go back and review all the previous chapters and it will speed things up! :)

To help you review here are some questions you could answer (you don't have to when you review, just hoping this helps some to actually review)

- What do you think will happen in the next chapter?

- What do you think of the baby names? Any favorite ones? Do you like the new name I choose for Cersei?

-Any theories as to why Cersei wants the house name Drumm?

- Favorite part of the chapter or favorite chapter so far?

The next chapter is to be titled "The Calm Before The Storm"

You can find the feedback form to rate dialogue, pacing, etc for this chapter here:

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