Chapter 42 Chapter 42: Tyrion

The girl never cries.Myrcella Baratheon was a born princess despite her young age.She was Lannister, and though she didn't have that name, Tyrion reminded himself, she had Lannister blood in her.Blood of Cersei and Jaime. When her brothers bid her farewell on the deck of the Seaswift, there was a tinge of tremor in her smile, but the girl knew how to handle it, and her words were brave and dignified.When it was time to part, Prince Tommen wept, and Myrcella comforted him. Tyrion stood on the lofty deck of the King Robert's Hammer, looking down at the farewell.King Robert's Hammer is a huge battleship with 400 oars. The oarsmen simply call her "Robert's Hammer". She is the main escort for Myrcella on this trip.In addition, the Lion Star, Gale and Miss Lyanna will also travel together.

Many ships in the Royal Fleet of the Evening Sun attacked Dragonstone Island with Duke Stannis and never came back. The navy has always been weak, and now it is necessary to separate part of it. Tyrion is deeply disturbed, but Cersei will never Allows to reduce guards.Maybe she's wiser than me.Had the princess been captured before reaching Sunspear, the alliance with Dorne would have collapsed in an instant.So far, Doran Martell has only called the lords.Once Myrcella reached Braavos safely, he promised to move the army to the Pass, thereby threatening the lords of the Marches, shaking their loyalty, and slowing down Stannis' northward march.In fact, this is just a bluff.The Martells would never actually go to war unless Dorne itself was attacked, and Stannis certainly wouldn't be that stupid.But it might spur follies on his lords, Tyrion thought, and I should take that into account.

He cleared his throat. "Is the order clear, Captain?" "Yes, my lord. We follow the coast, keeping land within sight, until we reach the Crabpaw peninsula. From there we cross the Narrow Sea, on our way to Braavos, never entering the line of sight of Dragonstone." Inside." "What should I do if I encounter an enemy by chance?" "If the opponent has only one ship, we will take the initiative to drive it away or sink it. If the opponent dispatches a fleet, the Gale will be close to the Haijie for protection, and other ships will organize the battle."

Tyrion nodded.Even if the situation is not good, the small Seaswift should be able to escape the pursuit.She's big and small, and faster than any current warship—or so her captain claims.As long as Myrcella arrived in Braavos, she would be safe.He had sent Ser Arys Oakheart as her bodyguard, and he had Braavos escort her to Sunspear.Braavos was the most powerful and powerful of the Free Cities, and Stannis had to buy it.From King's Landing to Dorne, though not the shortest route, it was the safest... or so he hoped. If Stannis got the information of this escort, he would not take this opportunity to attack King's Landing, let alone when.He couldn't help but look back at the estuary where the Blackwater River flows into the bay. There was a green line in the sky, and there was no sail at all. He just felt relieved.The latest information indicates that the Baratheon fleet is still besieging Storm's End as Ser Cortnay Penrose continues to hold the city in the late Renly's name.Meanwhile, Tyrion's capstan tower was three-quarters completed.At this very moment men were hoisting heavy stones up and setting them in place, no doubt cursing him for making them work during the festive hours.Let them scold.Two more weeks, Stannis, I just want two more weeks from you.Everything will be ready in half a month.

Tyrion watched as his niece knelt before the High Septon, receiving his blessing for a safe journey.The sun shines through the crystal crown, scattering colorful lights, and shining on Myrcella's upturned face.The noise on the shore made him unable to hear the prayers, and he hoped that the gods had better ears than he.The Archbishop was as fat as a house, more airy and voluble than Paycelle.Enough, old man, call it a day, Tyrion thought angrily.The gods have heard enough of your nagging, there are important things to do, and so do I. When he finally finished his ramblings, Tyrion said goodbye to the captain of King Robert's Hammer. "Get my niece safe to Braavos, and you'll be a knight later," he promised.

Tyrion walked along the sloping planks to the dock, feeling unkind glances from all around him.The hull swayed slightly, making him stagger even more than before.I bet they want to laugh.Only no one dared, at least no one dared to laugh openly, but he heard murmurs amidst the creak of plank ropes and the sound of the river washing over the stakes.They don't like me, he thought.Well, no wonder.I was full and ugly, and they were hungry. Bronn escorted him through the crowd to his sister and nephews.Cersei just pretended not to be someone like him, and smiled more enthusiastically at her cousin.He watched her glance at Lancel, her eyes as green as the emerald necklace on her fair neck, and smiled knowingly.I know your secret, Cersei, he thought.My sister had been visiting the High Septon a lot lately, hoping that the gods would bless them in their coming struggle with Stannis...or so she hoped he believed.In fact, after a short visit to Baelor Cathedral, Cersei would change into her plain brown traveling cloak and slip out to meet some hedge knight who seemed to be named Ser Osmund Kettleblack, who had two Brothers like him—Osney and Osfry.Lancel told him all this in full, that Cersei planned to use the Kettleblack brothers to buy a group of her own mercenaries.

OK, let her enjoy the thrill of plotting.Whenever she thought she was better than him, she became cuter.The Kettleblacks would please her, take her money, promise her everything, and why not?Because Polon will give the same price, not one cent worse.The three brothers appeared to be kind and friendly, but in reality they were rascals, who were far better at deceiving than fighting.Cersei bought herself three big drums; beat as loud as she wanted, but there was nothing in them.Tyrion found it extremely amusing. The horn sounded, and the Lionstar and the Miss Lyanna rolled off the embankment and down the current to clear the way for the Seaswift.The crowd on the shore let out a few scattered cheers, scattered like clouds in the sky.Myrcella stood on the deck smiling and waving.Ser Arys Oakheart stood behind her, his white robes billowing in the wind.The captain ordered the hawsers to be slackened, and the oars pushed the Seaswift into the rapids of the Blackwater, with sails set against the wind—the usual white sails, not the Lannister crimson cloth, Tyrion insisted.Prince Tommen sobbed. "You cry like a baby," his brother hissed at him. "A prince shouldn't cry."

"Prince Aemon the Dragonknight wept the day Princess Nelish married his brother Aegon," said Sansa Stark, "after the twin brothers Ser Erik and Ser Alec gave each other the fatal blow , and both shed tears." "Be quiet, or I'll tell Ser Meryn to kill you," Joffrey told his fiancée.Tyrion glanced at his sister. Cersei was listening to Balon Swann intently.Was she really so blind that she couldn't see what he was?he thought suspiciously. On the river, the Gale followed the Haijie with oars and glides downstream.In the rear is King Robert's Hammer, the backbone of the royal fleet... Especially after many ships went to Dragonstone with Stannis last year, it became more and more precious.These five frigates were carefully selected by Tyrion. According to Varys' intelligence, he deliberately avoided those captains whose loyalty was in danger... However, Varys's own loyalty was also questionable, so he was still a little worried.I'm too dependent on Varys, he reflected, I need my own sources of information.But whoever it is, I won't trust it.Trust can lead to death.

He thought of Littlefinger again.As soon as Petyr Baelish went to Bitterbridge, there was no news.It may not mean much—or it may matter.Even Varys couldn't tell the truth.The eunuch guessed that Littlefinger might encounter an accident on the road, and might even be killed.Tyrion sneered at this, "Littlefinger is a dead man, then I am a giant." A more realistic possibility is that the Tyrell family is deliberately postponing marriage negotiations until the situation becomes clear.This move Tyrion had expected.If I were Mace Tyrell, I'd rather have Joffrey's head on the point of a gun than have his thing in his daughter.

When the small fleet went deep into the bay, Cersei ordered to return to the city.Bronn led Tyrion's steed and helped him mount.This was originally the task of Podrick Payne, but he left Pod in the Red Keep. In public, it was more reassuring to have this slender mercenary waiting on him. On the narrow street, the city guards lined up on both sides, blocking the crowd with spears.Ser Jacelyn Bywater led the way, with a column of Lancers in black mail and gold robes.After him came Ser Alan Santagar and Ser Balon Swann, bearing the king's standard, the roaring lion of Lannister on one side and the crowned stag of Baratheon on the other.

King Joffrey followed on a big gray horse, with a golden crown atop his golden curls.Sansa Stark rode beside him on a sorrel mare, eyes never turning, her bushy auburn hair falling over her shoulders in a moonstone net.The two Kingsguard stood guard on either side of them, the Hound on the king's right and Ser Mandon Moore on the Stark girl's left. Next came Tommen, still sobbing, followed by Ser Preston Greenfield in white robe and armor, and then Cersei, accompanied by Ser Lancel and protected by Ser Meryn Tran and Ser Boros Braun.Tyrion followed his sister.Behind them came the High Septon in a palanquin and a long line of courtiers - Ser Horace Redwyne, Lady Tanda and her daughter, Jalabhar Thor, Lord Gales Rosby and others .Finally, two columns of guards came to the rear. Behind the line of spears, the filthy and unkempt folk stared sullenly at the horsemen with hate.I don't like this at all, Tyrion thought.He had ordered Bronn to send twenty mercenaries into the crowd to prevent accidents.Perhaps Cersei did something similar with her brother Kettleblack.But Tyrion didn't think it would do much.If the fire is too hot, even if the raisins are thrown into the pan, the pudding will still burn. They rode through the Fisherman's Square, along the Sludge Road, and then turned into the narrow, winding Hook Lane, and began their climb up Aegon's High Hill.Some shouted "Long live Joffrey! Long live! Long live!" as the young king passed, but ninety-nine per cent were silent.Crossing the ragged, starving sea of ​​people, the Lannisters faced a gloomy, oppressive rage.In front of him, Cersei was laughing and laughing with Lancel, but he suspected her pleasure was fake.It's impossible for my sister to ignore the weird uneasiness in the surrounding atmosphere, but she always likes to be brave. Halfway up the climb, a wailing woman squeezed her way between two guards, rushed to the middle of the street, and held a dead baby above her head, blocking the king and his companions.The body was swollen and bruised, and the shape was weird, but the most terrifying thing was the mother's eyes.At first it seemed Joffrey was going to run her horse down, but Sansa Stark leaned over and said something to him.So the king groped in his wallet, and finally threw a silver deer coin at the woman.The silver coin bounced off the child, rolled past the feet of the gold-cloaked guards, and fell into the crowd, immediately setting off a fight.But the mother didn't even blink her eyes, her bony arms seemed to be having difficulty supporting her son's body, and she couldn't help shaking. "Come along, Your Grace," Cersei called to the king, "poor thing, we can't help her." Her words taught the mother to hear.Somehow, the Queen Mother's voice destroyed what was left of her sanity.Her otherwise dull face contorted in disgust. "Bitch!" she screamed, "Kingslayer's bitch! Incest!" She pointed at Cersei, throwing the dead baby at her like a flour sack. "Incest! Incest! Incest!" Tyrion was so focused ahead that he didn't see who threw the camel dung, but Sansa gasped and Joffrey roared and cursed.He turned his head, and the king was wiping the brown filth off his face, and there was a lot of it on his blond hair, and some splashed on Sansa's legs. "Who threw it?" Joffrey shrieked.He pushed his hair back, shook off a handful of dung, and looked furious. "Catch me!" he yelled, "Whoever hands him over will be rewarded with a hundred gold dragons!" "Up there!" someone shouted from the crowd.The king rode his horse around and surveyed the roofs and balconies above.The crowd was pointing, jostling, cursing, cursing each other and cursing the king. "Please, Your Majesty, just let him go," Sansa begged. The king ignored her. "Catch the man who threw the filth!" Joffrey ordered. "If he won't be licked clean, I'll have his head! Dog, catch him!" Sandor Clegane dismounted at orders, but he could not get through the wall of flesh, let alone the roof.People nearby squirmed and pushed to make way, while those far away wanted to squeeze closer to watch the excitement.Tyrion smelled disaster. "Clegane! Stop! The man is gone." "I'm going to get him!" Joffrey pointed to the roof. "Up there! Dog, cut a way and bring him—" His words were drowned in a commotion, and thunder of rage, fear, and hatred rolled from every direction to engulf them. "Bastard!" some screamed at Joffrey, "Bastard! Beast!" Others yelled "Bitch!" !"s attack.The invective was mixed with cries of "Justice!", "Long live Robb! Long live King Robb! Long live Young Wolf", "Long live Stannis!", and even "Long live Renly!" Stones, dung, and all manner of filth whizzed overhead as the crowd surged toward the spearheads as gold-cloaked guards struggled to hold the line. "Give us something to eat!" a woman yelled. "Bread!" a man behind her yelled. "We want bread, bastard!" In an instant, a thousand voices shouted together.King Joffrey, King Robb, and King Stannis were all set aside, and only King Bread ruled. "Bread," they kept shouting, "bread! bread!" Tyrion kicked his spurs and ran to his sister, shouting, "Back to the castle. Quick." Cersei nodded slightly, and Ser Lancel drew his sword.At the front of the queue, Jacelyn Bywater was yelling the order, and the cavalry immediately raised their guns and formed a wedge-shaped formation.The king anxiously rode his horse around, and countless hands crossed the defense line of the golden-cloaked guards and grabbed him.One hand managed to grab the leg, but only for an instant before Ser Mandon raised his sword and that hand snapped at the wrist. "Run!" Tyrion yelled to his nephew, slapping his horse's rump hard.The horse stood on its hind legs, neighing to the sky, followed the cavalry, and rushed forward, and the crowd dispersed in front. Tyrion, on the heels of the king's horse, burst into the gap, Brontir's sword following.As the horse galloped, a bumpy stone flew past his scalp, and a rotten cabbage hit Sir Mandon's shield, flying in all directions.On their left, three gold-cloaked guards were knocked down by the surging crowd, and then the crowd stepped on their bodies and rushed forward.The Hound's horse was still following, but the master was nowhere to be seen.Tyrion saw Alan Santagar being pulled from his saddle and the black and gold banner of House Baratheon ripped from his hand.Ser Balon Swann threw down the Lannister lion banner and drew his sword.When he slashed left and right, the falling flag was torn apart by the crowd, thousands of tattered fragments whirled like red leaves in a storm, and became invisible in an instant.A man staggered before Joffrey's horse, and the king trod over him.There was a scream from under hooves, but Tyrion couldn't tell if it was a man, a woman, or a child.Joffrey was pale, and he just ran forward, Ser Mandon Moore at his left, like a white shadow. Suddenly, that crazy world was behind them as they clattered across the cobbled square in front of the castle.A line of pikemen guarded the gate.Sir Jacelyn was regrouping the Lancers, ready to charge again, while the line of Lancers separated to the two sides, allowing the king and his party to pass through the iron gate.The reddish city walls towered overhead, filled with crossbowmen, reassuring. Tyrion could not remember how he dismounted.Ser Mandon was helping the trembling king down, and Cersei, Tommen, and Lancel rode through the gate, followed by Ser Meryn and Ser Boros.Boros' sword was stained with blood, and the white robe on Marin's back had been torn off.Ser Balon Swann's helmet was gone, and his mount was sweating and spitting blood.Horace Redwyne escorted Lady Tanda back, but her daughter Norris was knocked off her horse, unable to escape, and she was nearly mad with anxiety.Lord Gyles, paler than usual, stammered out how the archbishop had fallen out of his litter, and he screamed prayers as the crowd swarmed upon him.Jalabhar Thor seemed to have seen Ser Preston Greenfield of the Kingsguard rush back to the High Septon's overturned litter, but he could not be sure. Tyrion was dimly aware that a maester was asking him if he was hurt.Without saying a word, he pushed away from the crowd in the courtyard and came to his nephew.His crown was on one side, clotted with feces. "Traitors!" Joffrey was yelling excitedly. "Chop off their heads! I'll—" The dwarf slapped Joffrey across the flushed face, knocking the crown away.Then he pushed him to the ground and kicked him, "You big blind fool!" "They are traitors!" Joffrey screamed on the ground. "They insulted me and attacked me!" "That's because you put your dogs on them! What do you think they'll do? Kneel down and be slaughtered by the hounds? You spoiled brat, you have no brains, God knows how many other than Clegane Someone killed you and you escaped unscathed! Damn you!" He kicked him hard.It felt good, and he wanted to kick a couple more, but Ser Mandon Moore pulled Tyrion away when Joffrey wailed, and Bronn hugged him.Cersei threw Lancel to Ser Balon Swann, and knelt beside her son.Tyrion shook off Bronn's hand. "How many people are out there?" he yelled, not knowing who he was talking to. "My daughter!" cried Lady Tanda. "I beg you! Someone has to save Loris..." "Ser Preston has not returned," Ser Boros Brawne reported, "and neither has Alan Santagar." "The 'Nurse' didn't come back either," said Ser Horace Redwyne.That was the nickname the squires had given young Tyrek Lannister. Tyrion looked around the yard. "Where's the Stark girl?" There was a moment of silence.At last Joffrey said, "She rode beside me at first, and I don't know where she went after that." Tyrion pressed numb fingers to his aching temple.If something happens to Sansa Stark, James will die. "You are her guard, Ser Mandon." Ser Mandon Moore was unimpressed. "When they began to lay siege to the Hounds, the king was the first thing I thought of." "As it should be," Cersei interjected. "Boros, Marlin, go back and find that girl." "And my daughter," Madam Tanda sobbed, "please, lords..." Ser Boros didn't seem to want to leave the safety of the castle. "Your Majesty," he told the Queen Mother, "I am afraid that our white robes may irritate the mob." Tyrion had had enough, "The White Walkers take your fucking robes! Take them off if you don't wear them! You bloody fool...but you gotta get Sansa back, or I'll I swear, I will let Xia Ga split your ugly head in half, and see if there is anything else inside besides the black paste!" Sir Boros turned purple with anger, "You say I'm ugly, is it you?" He raised the bloody sword and held it tightly in his armored hand.Bronn pushed Tyrion behind him. "Stop!" Cersei snapped. "Boros, do as I am told, or we will give this robe to someone else. Remember your oath—" "There she is!" Joffrey yelled, pointing. Sandor Clegane rode Sansa's sorrel steed briskly through the gates.The girl sat behind him, her arms wrapped tightly around the Hound's chest. Tyrion yelled at her, "Are you hurt, Miss Sansa?" There was a deep gash in her scalp, and blood dripped down her forehead. "They...they threw things...rocks, rubbish, eggs...I kept telling them I had no bread. But one man tried to pull me down anyway. The hounds killed him, it seemed...his arm... ’ She opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth. "He chopped off his arm!" Clegane lifted her to the ground.His white robe was tattered and stained, and blood oozed from a jagged slit in the sleeve of his left hand. "The little bird is bleeding. Someone! Someone take her back to the cage for treatment." Bachelor Franken hurried forward. "Santagar is dead," continued the Hound. "Four men dragged him down, and took turns pebbing him on the head. I killed one, but I couldn't save Ser Alan." Countess Tanda approached, "My daughter—" "Not at all." The Hound frowned and looked around the courtyard. "Where's my horse? If there's something wrong with that horse, I'll have to find someone to settle the score!" "It followed us for a while," said Tyrion, "but I don't know what happened to it." "Fire!" There was a scream on the wall. "My lords, the town is on fire! The flea nest is on fire!" Tyrion was terribly tired, but now was not the time to give up on himself. "Bron, take your men and make sure the waterwheel is safe," Gods bless, Wildfire!If a single spark hits those... "The flea nest can be abandoned if you have to, but the fire must not spread to the Alchemists' Guild Hall, understand? Clegane, you go with him." For a moment, Tyrion seemed to catch a glimpse of fear in the Hound's dark eyes.Fire, he remembered, White Walkers take me, he hates fire, he's had enough of it.But Clegane's terrified gaze was fleeting, replaced by a familiar sullen expression. "Go," he said, "but not at your order. I'm going to find the horse." Tyrion turned to the three remaining Kingsguard. "Each of you escorts a herald into the city with an order to tell the people to go home. Anyone who stays in the street after the last evening bell will be shot to death." "It is our duty to protect the king," said Ser Meryn sweetly. Cersei was furious, "It is your duty to carry out my brother's orders!" She shouted viciously, "The prime minister is the king's spokesman, and disobedience is treason!" Boros and Marin exchanged glances. "Shall we go in white robes, Her Majesty?" Ser Boros asked. "It doesn't matter if you're naked! That's good, it can remind the mob that you are still men. Seeing your performance on the street, I'm afraid everyone will forget it!" Tyrion let his sister go into a rage.Head throbbing.He thought he smelled smoke, but he was probably nervous. Two Stonecrows guard the door of the Prime Minister's Tower. "Go get Timett's son Timett." "Stone Crows don't croak after Scorchers," a native told him haughtily. Tyrion forgot who he was dealing with, "That's Shagga." "Shagga is sleeping." He had a hard time resisting the urge to yell. "Wake him up." "It's not easy to wake Shagga son of Dorf," the man complained. "His anger is frightening," he muttered and walked away. While yawning, Xia Ga stretched and swayed over. "Half the city is rioting, the other half is on fire, and Shagga is lying there snoring," Tyrion said. "Xia Ga doesn't like to drink the muddy water here, so he can only drink light beer and sour wine, which will give him a headache." "I put Shae in a big mansion in a wealthy area near the Iron Gate. I want you to go there immediately and protect her, and no matter what happens, make sure she is safe," The big man smiled, his shaggy beard parted and his jagged yellow teeth showing. "Xia Ga took her over." "No, just keep her safe. Tell her I'm going to see her as soon as possible. Maybe tonight, or tomorrow." However, when night fell, the city was still in chaos.Though according to Bronn's report the fire had been put out and most of the wandering mob had been dispersed, Tyrion knew that no matter how much he longed for the comfort of Shae's arms, he was going nowhere tonight. He was eating cold chicken and toast in his gloomy study when Sir Jacelyn Bywater brought in the list of those killed.The sky had turned from dusk to night, and the servants came in to light candles and light a fire in the fireplace, but Tyrion shouted and drove them away.His mood was as dark as the room, and the news from Bywater made it worse. At the top of the list was the Archbishop, who was torn to pieces by the crowd while screaming and begging the gods to show mercy.A priest who is too fat to walk is the perfect target for a hungry people, Tyrion thought. Sir Preston's body had been overlooked at first - because the gold cloaks were looking for a knight in white armor, and he had been poked and hacked till he was reddish-brown from head to toe. Ser Alan Santagar lay in the gutter with his helmet smashed and his head a red mud. Countess Tanda's daughter gave her virginity to dozens of vulgar men behind a certain tannery.She was wandering naked on Bacon Street when the gold cloaks found her. Tyrek was nowhere to be found, nor was the High Septon's crystal crown.Nine gold cloaks were killed and forty wounded.As for how many mobs died, no one cared. "Life or death, you must find Tyrek," Tyrion said curtly after Bywater had finished his report. "He was a boy. And his father was my late Uncle Tigget, who was always good to me." "We will find him, and the archbishop's diadem." "Let the White Walkers fuck each other with the High Septon's crown! I don't care." "When you appointed me Commander of the City Guard, you told me you only wanted the truth." "I have a hunch I won't like whatever you're going to say," said Tyrion darkly. "Until today, the capital city is still under my control, but my lord, I can't guarantee the situation tomorrow. The water in the pot is about to boil, thieves and murderers are running rampant in the city, and everyone is in danger. Besides, the damn plague Spread in the slums of Stinky Water Bay, copper and silver coins are no longer available for food. The treasonous speech that was once only circulated secretly in the flea dens is now openly preached in the halls and markets." "Do you want to increase the manpower?" "I can't trust half of my current men. Slynt tripled the size of the garrison in one go, but you can't be a guard just by wearing a golden robe. There is no doubt that there are good people with noble character among the recruits, but more There are more thugs, drunks, cowards, and traitors than you might expect. These guys are poorly trained, undisciplined, and have no loyalty at all - they are loyal only to their own skin. If there is a war, I am afraid that it will not stand up. " "Not so much," said Tyrion. "Once the walls are breached, we're finished. I've understood that from the beginning." "Also, I must point out that most of my men are of commoner origin. In the past, they walked the streets with today's thugs, drank in taverns, and even drank 'brown soup' in the cafeteria. Don't remind me, your eunuch I should have told you that the Lannister family is not welcome in King's Landing. Many people still remember the story of your father's bloodbath in King's Landing after Aerys opened the city. For the untold crimes of your family—your brother's murder of King Aerys, your father's slaughter of Rhaegar's children, and your nephew Joffrey's execution of Eddard Stark and his daily savage trials. There are those who openly miss Lawrence. King Burg's reign, and hinted that if Stannis were to sit on the throne, good times would come again. You can hear these words in the mess hall, in the tavern, in the whorehouse, everywhere-with all due respect, I am afraid in the barracks and The same goes for the guard hall. "You want to tell me they hate my family?" "Yes... Once the fuse is lit, it's out of control." "What about me?" "Ask your eunuch." "I'm asking you." Bywater's deep-set eyes met the dwarf's variegated eyes without blinking. "They hate you most, my lord." "Hate me the most?" Turn black and white!He almost choked. "It was Joffrey who made them feast on the dead, and it was Joffrey who set the dogs on them. How can they blame me?" "Your Majesty was still a child, and the rumors in the streets were treacherous ministers. The Queen Mother was never loved by the common people, let alone Varys the Spider...but they hated you most, because in King Robert's time-they said The golden age of the city—your sister and eunuchs were here, but you were not. They accused you of letting haughty mercenaries and filthy savages into the city. They accused you of banishing Janos Slynt because they hated his candor; Bad, intending to seize the Iron Throne." "Yes, yes, besides that, I'm still an ugly and deformed monster, don't forget." He clenched his fingers into fists. "Enough! We all have work to do. You get down." My father has looked down on me all these years, and maybe he is right.I did my best, and this is all I can do, Tyrion thought alone.He stared at the leftovers of his dinner, the cold, greasy chicken retching his stomach, pushed it away in disgust, and called to Pod to send the boy to Varys and Bronn.Look, one of my trusted advisors is a eunuch, one is a mercenary, and my lover is a whore.What is this indicating? Bronn complained of the dim light as soon as he entered, and insisted on lighting a fire in the fireplace.So when Varys arrived, the fire was already burning. "Where have you been?" Tyrion demanded. "Doing business for the king, my lord." "Ah, yes, for the king," muttered Tyrion. "My nephew can't even sit on the toilet, and he's sitting on the Iron Throne!" Varys shrugged. "Apprentice, always learn." "I see that random apprentices in Smoky Alley are more competent than your king." Bronn sat down at the table and tore off a chicken wing. Tyrion was used to the rudeness of sellswords, but tonight he couldn't help it. "Did I allow you to have dinner for me?" "You're not going to eat any more anyway," said Bronn, with his mouth full of chicken. "The whole town is starving, and it's a crime to waste food. Any wine?" It's time for me to pour the wine next, Tyrion thought sullenly. "You're too presumptuous," he warned. "You are too conservative." Bronn casually threw the chicken bone onto the straw mat. "Have you ever thought that if the order of birth was reversed, everyone's life would be so much better?" He dug his fingers into the chicken and tore off a handful of breast meat. "I mean the weeping Tommen. Looks like he does what others tell him to do, and that's what makes a good king." A chill ran down Tyrion's spine as he realized the mercenary's cue.If Tommen were king... There is only one way for Tommen to be king.No, he didn't even want to think about it that way.Joffrey was his nephew, Cersei's son, Jaime's son. "For those words, I should have your head off," he told Bronn, and the mercenary laughed. "Friends," said Varys, "it's no use arguing. I beg you both to put your hearts out and work together." "Whose heart?" said Tyrion sourly.He thought of several tempting candidates.