Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen Cersei

"Oh, I pray to the Seven that it will not rain at the king's wedding," said Jocelyn Swyfer, girdling the Queen Mother. "No one wants rain," Cersei replied.As far as she is concerned, what she wants is hail and snow, howling wind and thunder, smashing the Red Castle to pieces, and she wants a storm that can express her anger.But what she said to Jocelyn was, "Tighten up, tighten up, you smirking little idiot." The wedding made her furious, and the mentally retarded Swyfer girl became the object of anger.No way, for the sake of strengthening Tommen's throne, she dared not offend Highgarden—as long as Stannis Baratheon still occupies Dragonstone Island and Storm's End, as long as Riverrun is still fighting, as long as the Ironmen are still fighting. Staring at the ocean like a tiger, she dared not do that.It's up to Jocelyn to put up with Cersei's disdain for Margaery Tyrell and her hideous grandmother.

For breakfast, Her Majesty ordered two boiled eggs, a loaf of bread and a jar of honey.She cracked the first egg and found a bloody, half-formed chick inside, and her stomach churned. "Go away, give me mulled wine with spices." She told Serena.The air was cold, bone-chilling, and a dirty day awaited her. Even Jaime didn't put her in a good mood.The younger brother is covered in white armor and is still unshaven. He promises that her son will not be poisoned again. "I sent men into the kitchen to oversee every step of the way," he explained, "and Ser Adam's golden robes watched over every servant who served the food, making sure nothing happened on the way from the kitchen to the great hall. Ser Boros will be in Tommen Try it before you dine—if all precautions prove in vain, and Maester Barabard, who sits at the back of the hall, carries with him a bowel cleanser and an antidote of twenty deadly poisons. In short, I assure you, Thor Manta is absolutely safe."

"Absolutely safe." The word made her extremely bitter.James didn't understand, and no one understood.Only Melaya had heard the old hag's hoarse curses with her in that tent, and Melaya was long dead. "Tyrion will not poison again, he is too cunning to use the same trick twice. At this moment, he is probably hiding under the floorboard, listening to every word we say, and then planning how to cut Tommen's throat." "Really?" said Jaime. "He's a stunted dwarf after all, and Tommen has the best knights in the Seven Kingdoms to protect him. The Kingsguard will keep him safe."

Cersei glanced at the sleeves of her brother's white silk coat, where the severed limbs were wrapped. "I remember your glorious white knights, and how they protected young Jo. I want you to guard Tommen all night, understand?" "I'll send guards outside the door." She couldn't help grabbing his arm. "No guards, I want you. And I want you in the bedroom." "In case Tyrion crawls out of the fireplace? I don't think so." "Don't worry about it. Do you dare to say that you have figured out all the secret passages in the Red Castle?" They all knew that was not the case. "Listen, I won't leave Tommen and Margaery alone, not even for a moment."

"They're not alone, the girl's cousins ​​will be there." "And you, in the king's name, I order you to be present." In fact, Cersei didn't want Tommen to share the bed with his wife at all, but the Tyrells were very much insistent on it. "Of course a husband and wife sleep together," declared the Queen of Thorns, "even if neither of them do anything else but sleep. Of course, His Majesty's bed should sleep two, right?" Lady Ellery echoed Her mother-in-law, "Just let the children warm each other at night, it will bring them closer together. You know, Margaery used to invite her cousins ​​to sleep with her, and when the candles were out, they sang and played Playing games, whispering a little secret."

"Happy," said Cersei dryly. "It seems to me that they might as well keep the habit—in the Virgin's." "I'm sure your Majesty knows what's best," Lady Olenna told Lady Ellery, "after all, she's the boy's mother—that's something we'll never forget. You see, Can we reach a consensus on the wedding night? You can't separate the groom and the bride on the wedding night, it's a bad omen." One day, I will let you understand the meaning of "bad omen", the queen vowed silently. "Margaery can sleep with Tommen for one night," she agreed reluctantly, "for one night only."

"Your Majesty is wise." The Queen of Thorns readily agreed, and everyone around her laughed. At this moment, Cersei's nails dug deep into Jaime's arm, bleeding from scratching. "I need someone to watch inside." She said word by word. "Watching what?" he asked. "There's no way they could consummate it. Tommen is too young." "And Osphy Plumm is too old to have children, is he?" The younger brother didn't understand, "Who is Osphee Plumm? Is it Lord Philip's father, or... Who are you talking about?" He was almost as ignorant as Robert, and he missed the point. It seemed that his brain was in the hand with the sword. "Enough, forget about Plumm, just remember my words. Swear to me now that you won't leave Tommen's side until sunrise."

"Of order," he said lightly, when her fears were all groundless and unfounded. "You still insist on burning the Prime Minister's Tower?" "Burning after the wedding feast," was the only thing Cersei felt happy about today's big day. "Our lord father was murdered in the tower, and I can't bear to look at it again. Gods have mercy, I hope the fireworks of the burning tower can smoke out a few mice." James rolled his eyes, "You mean Tyrion." "Not only him, but also Lord Varys, and the jailer." "If they were still in the tower, they would have been discovered a long time ago. I sent soldiers with picks and hammers to search, knocked open the walls, dug through the floor, and found dozens of secret passages."

"You know there are probably dozens more!" In fact, some passages were so narrow that Jaime had to send a waiter or stableboy to crawl in and explore.They found a tunnel that led into the dungeon, a stone well that seemed bottomless, and a room full of skulls and charred bones, and four great sacks of tarnished silver from the time of Viserys I.They also encountered a thousand rats... but with no sign of Tyrion, nor of Varys, Jaime finally decided to stop his futile actions.During this period, a boy was stuck in a narrow passage and struggled to drag it out; another boy fell from a ladder and broke his leg; two guards disappeared while exploring a side passage, and the other guards Claimed to hear faint cries through the stone wall, but when Jaime sent men to overturn the wall, there was nothing but dirt and rubble on the other side. "The little devil is a cunning little monster, he is probably still hiding in the wall, and the fireworks can smoke him out and show up."

"Even if Tyrion is still hiding in the castle, he can't be hiding in the Prime Minister's Tower. That tower was almost smashed into ruins by us." "Just smash this filthy castle to pieces," Cersei declared. "When the war is over, I'm going to build a new palace by the river." Last night she was dreaming of this, a magnificent white castle. The castle, surrounded by woods and gardens, is far from the noise and stench of King's Landing. "This city is like a big cesspit. If conditions permit, I would rather move the court to Lannisport and govern the country in Casterly Rock."

"That's more folly than burning down the Chancellor's Tower. Listen, as long as Tommen sits on the Iron Throne, the hearts of the nation will regard him as the true king; if you hide him under a rock, he's a coveted A local lord on the throne, on the same level as Stannis." "I know that," said the Queen sharply, "I mean I 'wanted' to move the court to Lannisport, not really. Have you always been so dull? Or is it that people are stupid without hands? ?” James ignored her sarcasm. "When the fire starts, it will probably not obey your orders, and spread from the tower to the whole castle. Wildfire cannot be trusted." "Lord Harlem assured me that his pyromancers can control the fire." In the past half month, the Alchemist Guild has been working overtime to catch the wildfire. "Let the whole of King's Landing see this fire, as a lesson for my enemies." "You talk just like Aerys." She flared her nostrils. "Watch your words, Sir." "Well, farewell. Remember I love you, dear old lady." How could I fall in love with you stinky monster?After he left, she thought suspiciously.He is your twin brother, your shadow, your other half.A voice whispered.That was a thing of the past, a thing of the past, she thought, and it won't be anymore.He is a stranger to me now. Compared with Joffrey's magnificent wedding, King Tommen's wedding is much more modest and smaller.No one wanted to go through the trouble again—especially the Queen; no one wanted to spend so much money—especially the Tyrells.So in the end, the little king simply took Margaery Tyrell by his arm and went to the Red Keep Sept to swear his marriage vows. Less than a hundred nobles testified, while his brother invited thousands of people when he married the same woman. guests. The bride is beautiful and cheerful, with high spirits, and the groom is still a baby-faced, fat figure.He recited the oath of fidelity in a child's shrill voice, binding himself to Mace Tyrell, daughter of his third marriage.Margaery wore the same clothes as Xiao Qiao on her wedding day: a pure white and light ivory silk dress, a Myrish lace skirt with countless small pearl decorations.Cersei still wears black mourning in mourning for her eldest son.Yes, Jo's widow could laugh, drink, and leave her ex-husband behind, but she, the mother, couldn't forget her child. You are very wrong, thought the queen mother, you are too impatient.Wait another year, two years, can't you?Highgarden should be content with being engaged to the royal family.Cersei glared fiercely at Mace Tyrell, who stood between his wife and mother.As a result, you forced me to hold this ridiculous wedding while Xiao Qiao was still alive, my lord, I will never forget this. Then it was time for the exchange of cloaks, and the bride knelt gracefully for Tommen to fasten her a heavy golden cloak—the groom's cloak Robert wore when he married Cersei, spelled out with onyx beads. Crowned stag of House Baratheon.In fact, according to Cersei, she wanted to use the fine red velvet cloak Joffrey wore at the wedding. "It was the cloak my lord father wore when he wed my lord mother," she had explained to the Tyrells, but the Queen of Thorns would not budge even that. "Is it? That old cloth again?" cried the old woman. "It's old and tacky, as far as I'm concerned... and, to be honest, isn't it a little ominous? A stag would be a better fit for King Robert's true heir." Well, at least in my day, a bride was supposed to wear her husband's colors, not her in-laws'." Damn it, because of Stannis and his nasty accusatory letters, there are now rumors about Tommen's parentage all over the kingdom.Cersei couldn't add fuel to the fire by insisting on Lannister crimson, so she backed off with as much dignity as possible.Seeing this golden cloak decorated with onyx now, the queen mother could not help but feel angry.Tyrells who don't know good and bad, really climbed trees and walls! After the oaths were spoken, the king and queen came out of the church to be congratulated. "Look! Now there are two beauties wearing the crown of Westeros, both young and old, with peerless beauty." Sir Lile Crakehall shouted-this is a reckless man, Stupid, just like her ex-husband.Two crowns?She really wanted to slap him.Gales Rosby tried to kiss her hand, but used her finger as a cough kerchief; Lord Redwyne kissed her on one cheek, Mace Tyrell on both; Grand Maester Pycelle Tell her that she has not lost a son, but a daughter; to her relief, she avoids the warm embrace of the Countess of Tanda--the three women of Stowworth are all absent, and the Queen Mother is very sorry for it. gratitude. Last to step forward was Kevan Lannister. "As far as I know, you plan to leave Beijing immediately to attend another wedding." The queen mother said to her uncle. "The Rock has cleared the disabled around Darry for us," he replied. "Lancel's bride is waiting for him." "Will my aunt come to the wedding, too?" "No, the Riverlands are still too dangerous, with the remnants of Vargo Holt roaming about, and Beric Dondarrion hanging the Freys one by one. Sandor Clegane is said to be in too. Is it true that you lost them?" How does he know so much? "The legend is so. But these reports always conflict with each other." Last night, a crow just flew from the monastery on the small island at the mouth of the Trident River, reporting that a group of bandits had looted the nearby Salt Fields town. Survivors said Among them was a gangster wearing a hound helmet. This man not only killed a dozen men, but also raped a twelve-year-old girl. "There is no doubt that Lancel will bring Clegane and Lord Beric to justice, and restore the kingdom to the riverlands." Kevan looked into her eyes for a moment, "My son can't handle Sandor Clegane." At least we agree on this. "His father can do it." Uncle pursed his mouth even tighter, "Even if you don't need me to work for you in Casterly Rock..." I need your services in King's Landing.Cersei has appointed a cousin, Damion Lannister, as castellan of Casterly Rock, and another cousin, Davon Lannister, as Warden of the West.Your arrogance has cost you, uncle. "Send Sandor's head, and I promise His Majesty will reward you. Don't you like to save money? Little Joe likes this man, but Tommen has always been afraid of him... There is a reason for that." "A dog is a dog." Ser Kevan dropped the words, turned and walked away. Jaime escorted her to the small hall, where the banquet was ready. "It's all your fault!" the sister whispered in her brother's ear. "'Let them marry' is a bad idea of ​​yours. Margaery should be mourning Joffrey instead of marrying his brother, She should be grieving as much as I am! Besides, I don't believe she's a virgin. Renly has a life, doesn't he? He's Robert's brother, how can he be dead? That disgusting old woman thought I'd let me son--" "You will be free of Lady Olenna soon," Jaime interrupted quietly. "She will be returning to Highgarden tomorrow." "That's what she said." Cersei didn't believe Tyrell's promise at all. "She will go when she says so," insisted my brother, "and half of the Tyrell army will be led by Mace to attack Storm's End, and the other half will follow Ser Garland back to Brightwater to defend the Reach. In a few days, the roses in King's Landing are only Margaery, her female companions and some guards." "And Ser Loras. Have you forgotten your 'sworn brother'?" "Ser Loras is a knight of the Kingsguard." "Ser Loras is a Tyrell who pisses on rosewater! He shouldn't be wearing white robes at all!" "That's right, if I were asked to choose, I wouldn't choose him—but who has bothered to ask my opinion? But I think he will do a good job. A white robe can change a person's mind." "At least it changed your mind - and not for the better!" "I love you, dear old lady." He opened the door for her, and accompanied her to the king's seat on the high platform.Margaery was arranged to sit on the other side of the king as a show of respect.The Tyrell girl and the baby king walk in arm in arm, pausing in front of Cersei to kiss her on the cheek and reach out for a hug. "Your Majesty," the girl brazenly announced, "I have a second mother today. I pray that we will love each other and be bound by your lovely son." "My two sons are lovely." "Joffrey is also in my prayers," Margery assured. "I loved him madly, but fate played tricks, and I didn't have the blessing to accompany him." Liar, the queen mother thought, if you still have a little affection for him in your heart, how can you bear to marry his younger brother impatiently.All you see is his crown.She really wanted to slap the blushing bride on the high platform in front of the whole court. Similar to the simplicity of the ceremony, the wedding reception is also modest.This time, Mrs. Ellie took care of everything. After the Joffrey incident, Cersei didn't want to work anymore.The banquet consisted of only seven courses, during which Butterbread and Moon Boy entertained the guests, and musicians played music, including several flute players and fiddlers, a lute player, a flute player, and a harp player.The only singer is Margaery's favorite, dressed in sky blue, he is a defiant flashy boy, he calls himself the "Blue Poet" and sings several love songs. "What a pity," Madame Olenna complained loudly, "I want to hear "The Rains of Castamere" again." Seeing this old woman, the face of "Toad" Wu Ji appeared before Cersei's eyes for no reason, that wrinkled, terrifying, yet shrewd and wise face.Old women are like this, she tried to comfort herself, nothing special.In fact, the hunchbacked witch looked nothing like the Queen of Thorns, but somehow, Lady Olenna's malicious smile brought her back to the witch's tent again.She couldn't forget the smell there, the strange oriental spices in the air, and the blood from Wu Ji's soft gums sucking her fingers.You will be the mother of the world someday, the old witch promised her, the blood glistening on her lips, until another woman comes, younger and more beautiful than you.She will overthrow you and take everything you hold dear. Cersei looked past Tommen to see Margaery sitting in a chair laughing with her father.She was indeed beautiful, the queen mother had to admit, but her beauty was only due to her youth.Even peasant girls can be pretty at a certain age, when they're so tender and innocent and chaste, with brown hair and eyes like Margaery's.Yes, it would be a fool to think she is more beautiful than me.It's a pity the world is full of fools, especially at her son's court. Her mood was even worse when she saw Mace Tyrell rise to lead the toast.The Duke of Highgarden held up the golden cup, smiled at his beautiful little daughter, and shouted in a bell-like voice: "To Your Majesty the King and Queen!" The sheep in the hall responded with "baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa . "To Your Majesty the King and Queen!" they cried together, clinking their glasses together, "To Your Majesty the King and Queen!" She had no choice but to echo.If only the guests were all one face, Cersei thought, so that she could pour wine into the face's eyes and teach them who was the real and eternal queen.The only one of Tyrell's henchmen who remembered her was Paxter Redwyne, and when it was his turn to toast, the Lord of the Arbor staggered to his feet. "For our two queens!" he chirped, "Past and present!" Cersei drank countless glasses of wine, but pushed the golden plate of food away.James ate less and barely sat on the high platform.He's as nervous as I am, the queen thought as she watched her brother walk up and down the hall, and Jaime used his good hand to lift the tapestry from time to time, as if to make sure no one was hiding in it.She knew very well that her younger brother had fortified the outside of the house with Lannister spearmen everywhere, while Ser Osmond Kettleblack and Ser Meryn Tran guarded the front and rear doors separately, and Balon Swann stood behind the king. , Loras Tyrell stood behind the queen.Except for these white knights, no one was allowed to enter the hall with weapons. My son is safe, Cersei told herself, no one can hurt him, at least not here, at least not now.Still, whenever she looked at Tommen, she saw Joffrey scratching his throat: every time Tommen coughed, her heart stopped for a moment.Hastily reaching for her son, she pushed a servant girl aside. "Just a little wine to choke on." Margaery Tyrell smiled reassuringly.So saying, the girl took Tommen's hand and kissed his finger, "My little love, drink slowly, look, you are scaring your lord mother to death." "I'm sorry, Mom," said Tommen embarrassedly. Cersei couldn't take it anymore.I can't let them see my tears, she thought, feeling the moist fluid fill her eyes.So she got up, passed Marin Tran, and strode out into the rear corridor.A lone tallow candle hung high above her head, and she allowed herself to weep a little, and then another.Women can cry, but the Queen Mother can't. "Your Majesty?" A voice came from behind, "Did I bother you?" It was a woman's voice with an oriental accent.For a moment, she thought that "Toad" Wu Ji crawled out of the grave to find her, but after a while, she realized that it was the wife of Merry Weiss, the black-eyed beauty whom Earl Orton married during his exile and brought back to the Long Table Hall. "The little hall is crowded," Cersei heard herself explain. "The smoke hurts my eyes." "Me too, Your Majesty." Lady Merryweather was as tall as the Queen Mother, but her hair was not blond, but black. She had olive skin and was at least ten years younger than Cersei.She handed Cersei a pale blue silk handkerchief trimmed with lace. "I also have a son. When he gets married, I will cry like a tearful man." Cersei hurriedly wiped her cheeks dry with a handkerchief, annoyed that her tears were seen by the other party. "Thank you," she said stiffly. "Your Majesty, I..." the Mir woman lowered her voice, "I need to let you know something. Your maid has been bribed... She will report to Margaret about your every move." "Serena?" In an instant, anger boiled in Cersei's body.Who else can I trust? "you sure?" "I have followed her. Yes, Margery has never met her. She uses her cousins ​​as eyes and ears to deliver news. Sometimes it is Eluo, sometimes Yalan, and sometimes Meige. Margaery loves sisters. Your maid often meets these three Tyrells in the church, pretending to pray. If you don’t believe me, please send someone to watch on the balcony tomorrow, and your people will witness it with their own eyes. Serena whispered to Mei Ge under the virgin's altar." "Even if it's true, why did you tell me? You were Margaery's squire yourself, why did you betray her?" Cersei had learned to doubt at her father's knees; A trap for sowing discord. "Although the Hall of the Table is loyal to Highgarden," the Myr woman replied with a relaxed black hair, "but I am from Myr, and my loyalty is only to my husband and son. I want to plan for them." "I see." In the cold corridor, the queen smelled the scent of a Myr woman, a musky scent mixed with moss and earth and wildflowers, and beneath them she smelled ambition.She had testified at Tyrion's trial, and Cersei suddenly remembered that she had seen the imp put the poison in Young Jo's cup, and had the courage to say so. "I will investigate this matter carefully," the queen mother promised, "if what you say is true, you will be rewarded." If you dare to deceive me, I will pull out your tongue and deprive your husband of his territory and property. "Your Majesty the generous Queen Mother, you are so beautiful!" Mrs. Merry Weiss grinned, her teeth were white, and her lips were plump and dark. When the Queen Mother returned to the small hall, she found her brother restlessly pacing up and down. "It's just that I choked on a little wine, but it scared me a lot." "Me too, my stomach is knotted and I can't eat anything," she complained to him. "There is only bitterness in the wine. This marriage is a mistake." "This marriage is a must. Rest assured, the children are safe." "Fool, he who wears the crown is never safe." She scanned the hall: Mace Tyrell was chatting and laughing with his knights; Lord Redwyne and Lord Rowan were whispering; Silently pondering over a glass of wine, while Lancel was talking to a monk; Serena served at the table, filling the glass of one of the bride's cousins, the wine was as red as blood; caught.I can't rely on anyone here, not even Tom, she realized grimly. Margaery and Tommen danced as the desserts, dried fruit, and cheese were cleared away.The way they turned around during the banquet was a bit ridiculous.The Tyrell girl was a full foot and a half taller than her young husband, and Tommen was a bad dancer, without Joffrey's grace and dexterity.However, he still tried his best, regardless of the number of mistakes.After the so-called "virgin" Margaery finished dancing with him, her cousins ​​stepped forward in turn, pestering His Majesty to dance with them too.They did it on purpose, exhausted Tommen with the chariot fight, so that he would stagger and make a fool of himself in front of the courtiers, Cersei thought angrily as she stared at her son, half the court pointed at the king behind his back poke. When Erlo and Arran and Meggle had danced with Tommen, Margaery danced with her father, and then with her brother Loras.The Knight of Flowers is dressed in pure white silk, with a golden rose belt around his waist, and a rose brooch made of emerald to fasten his cloak.They were like twins too, Cersei thought as she watched.Ser Loras was only a year older than his sister, and they had the same large brown eyes, the same thick brown curls that fell lazily over the shoulders, and the same smooth, flawless skin.Letting them have a bunch of rashes all over their faces at the same time teaches them humility.Loras was taller, with some brown fuzz on her face, and Margaery was a woman's figure, but otherwise they were just like her and Jaime—which irritated her. Her twin brother interrupted her contemplation, "Will Your Majesty dance with your white knight?" She gave him a blank look. "How can you jump without hands, use that severed limb? No, you'd better pour me wine, and be careful not to spill it." "Don't spill it? I can't do it." He turned and continued to patrol the hall, and she had to pour the wine herself. Cersei then rejected Mace Tyrell and Lancel.So everyone tacitly agreed, and no one stepped forward to invite.These are the friends and vassals on whom I lean.Not even the people of the West, not even her father's knights and lords could be trusted, look, her own uncle was also in collusion with the enemy... Margaery continued dancing with her cousins ​​Arran, Meggle, and Ser Tallard the Tall.Her other cousin, Elo, shared a glass of wine with Chaohead Island's handsome illegitimate son, Oren Weshui.It was the first time the queen noticed Weshui, a lean and young man with gray-green eyes and long silver-gold hair, and to see him it was as if she had seen Rhaegar Targaryen rising from the ashes.He has his hair, she told herself, but not half Rhaegar's beauty.His face was too narrow and he had a double chin.Anyway, the Velaryon family has ancient Valyrian blood, and many people in the family have inherited the silver hair of the dragon kings. Tommen returned to the dais to eat the apple cake, but her uncle's seat was vacant.The queen glanced back and forth, and finally found him standing in a corner, talking earnestly with Garlan, Mace Tyrell's second son.What are they talking about?The people of the Reach gave Garland the nickname "Brave," but she mistrusted him as much as she trusted Margaery or Loras, and she couldn't forget the gold coin Qyburn found under the jailer's chamber pot.This is Highgarden's property, and Margaery has spies all around me.When Serena came to fill her glass, she had to resist the urge to strangle him on the spot.Don't smile phony at me, black-hearted little bitch, you'll be on your knees begging for mercy when I clean you up. "Your Majesty, you drank too much tonight," said brother James quietly. No, the Queen Mother thought, even if I drink all the wine in the world, it will not be enough for me to endure this marriage.She jumped to her feet, nearly tripping, and James reached out to grab her arm, but she shook it off.Then she clapped her palms, the music stopped and everyone fell silent. "My lords and ladies!" Cersei shouted, "Please go out with me to witness a firework that symbolizes the union of Highgarden and Casterly Rock. It represents the coming of the century of peace. May the Seven Kingdoms be prosperous from now on!" The Prime Minister's Tower stood alone in the darkness, the oak doors and narrow windows were all smashed, like black holes, desolate and desolate.However, even though it had become a barren ruin, it still enveloped the outer courtyard, and the guests who came out of the small hall walked under its shadow.Cersei looked up and saw the tower's teeth gnawing at the moon. For a moment, she couldn't help but wonder how many kings had appointed how many prime ministers in the past three hundred years, and they all called this place their home. She walked a hundred yards and took a deep breath before stopping her dizziness. "Master Harlem! Let's begin!" Pyromancer Harlem replied, "Hey hey hey", and then waved the torch. When he saw the signal, the archers on the city wall drew their bows and shot, and a dozen rockets flew into the smashed windows at the same time. The tower trembled with a "huh", and within a short while, its interior was lit up with flames, red fire, yellow fire, orange fire... especially the green fire, the devilish dark green, like bile, and even more so. Like emerald, that's alchemist shit.The sorcerers called it "this substance," and the common people called it wildfire.Fifty cans of Wildfire were set up in the Chancellor's Tower, along with logs, barrels of pitch, and everything that that dwarf named Tyrion Lannister once owned. The Queen Mother bathed in the blazing heat of the green fire.Pyromancers declare that there are only three fires in the world that burn hotter than this substance: dragon flames, underground fires, and the midsummer sun.It's true that many women opened their mouths wide and couldn't close them when they saw the first flames bursting out of the windows and licking the outer walls like long green tongues.Others cheered loudly and clapped their hands. It's beautiful, she thought, as bright as Joffrey, when they put him in my arms.He took her nipples in his mouth and sucked them. No man could give her that good taste. Tommen stared at the flames with wide eyes, fascination and fear on his face, and then Margaery whispered something in his ear, and he laughed heartily.Many knights began to bet on how long the tower would last.The Earl of Harlem hummed a wild song and staggered up and down. Cersei thinks back to the Prime Ministers she's known over the years: Owen Merryweather, Jon Connington, Colton Chester, Jon Arryn, Eddard Stark, her brother Tilly Ang and her father Tywin—Lord Tywin Lannister, she thought of him most.They were burned up, she told herself contentedly, all dead and burned and no more, reduced to dust with their greatness and their cunning.Now it is my world, my castle, my kingdom. There was a violent groan from the Prime Minister's Tower, which was so earth-shattering that all conversations in the courtyard came to an abrupt halt.Then the stone fell apart, and a part of the upper tower fell down. The impact on the ground caused the whole hill to shake, and the dust and smoke that covered the sky were rolled up.Air poured into the tower from the damaged part, agitating the fire even more violently.Green fire is like a bouquet, blooming in the night sky, competing with each other to bloom.Tommen ran away in fright, and Margaery grabbed his hand, "Look, flames can dance, just like us, dear." "Yes," his small voice was full of wonder, "Look, mother, they are dancing." "I see. Lord Harlem, how long will this fire last?" "All night, my lord." "It's a beautiful candle, if truth be told," said Lady Olenna Tyrell, leaning on her cane between her left and right hands, "enough to put everybody to sleep. My old bones are tired. Well, the little ones have had enough of the show tonight, and I think it's time for the king and queen to go to bed." "Yes," Cersei greeted James, "Your Excellency, if it is convenient, please escort the king and his little queen to bed." "Yes. What about you?" "I don't sleep." Cersei was too excited to sleep.The wildfire washed her clean, dried her anger and panic, filled her with determination. "The fireworks are beautiful, I want to see them again." James hesitated, "You can't stay here alone." "I am not alone. Sir Osmond, your sworn brother, he will stay and protect me." "As Your Majesty wishes," Kettleblack interrupted. "Of course I would." After that, Cersei took his hand, and the two stood shoulder to shoulder, admiring the green fire in the sky together.