Chapter 66 Chapter 66: Sansa

Inside the throne room is a sea of ​​jewels, furs and bright brocades.Lords and ladies clustered at the back of the hall, standing under high windows, jostling each other like fisherwomen on the quayside. Joffrey's courtiers were vying for comparison today.Jalabah Thor was dressed in luxurious plumage, and his strange and exaggerated costumes made him look like a giant bird eager to take off.Every time the archbishop's head moves, the crystal crown emits colorful lights.At the council table, Queen Cersei was shining in a burgundy velvet gown with gold stripes, and Varys beside her was wearing a lavender brocade robe, shouting and giggling.Moonboy and Ser Dontos wore new jester costumes, as clean as a spring morning.Even the Countess of Tanda, mother and daughter, changed into gowns of green silk and fur to complement each other, and Lord Gales' cough square was replaced by a bright red silk handkerchief trimmed with gold.King Joffrey sat above them all in his Iron Throne of swords and thorns.He was clothed in crimson brocade, with a black cloak studded with rubies, and on his head a heavy crown of gold.

Sansa passed through a large group of knights, attendants, celebrities and wealthy businessmen, and finally squeezed to the front of the gallery, when the horn suddenly sounded: Lord Tywin Lannister was coming. He rode his horse across the hall, and did not dismount until he was in front of the throne.Sansa had never seen such gorgeous armor: the shiny red steel plate was inlaid with intricate gold scrollwork, and the huge helm was surrounded by a ring of sunburst diamonds. The roaring lion on the top of the helmet had ruby ​​​​eyes, and the The lioness on the top clasps a long, heavy golden mantle that hangs down over the horse's rump.The horse armor was gilt, too, and the harness was of shining crimson silk bearing the lion of House Lannister.

The Duke of Casterly Rock is such an awe-inspiring figure that everyone was taken aback when his mount suddenly dropped a pile of dung under the Iron Throne.Joffrey had to walk around it carefully to hug Grandpa, calling him the savior of King's Landing.Seeing this, Sansa quickly covered her mouth to hide her smile. Xiao Qiao pretended to be sincere and asked his grandfather to take charge of the whole kingdom on his behalf. Duke Tywin solemnly accepted the position, "I will work tirelessly until Your Majesty comes of age." Then the attendants helped him remove his armor, and Xiao Qiao personally took the The Prime Minister's necklace was hung for him.Lord Tywin sat down beside the Queen Mother at the council table.After the horses were taken away and the floor was cleaned, Cersei nodded for the ceremony to continue.

The heroes entered the hall one by one through the huge oak doors, and each time they entered, a loud blast of brass horns sounded in tribute.The master of ceremonies loudly announced their names and deeds, and the knights and ladies present cheered enthusiastically, just like the audience at the cockfighting arena.The first to enter the stage was Mace Tyrell, Duke of Highgarden. It is said that he was a burly man back then, but now he is a little fatter, but he is still handsome.His two sons followed close behind: Ser Loras and his brother Garlan the Mighty.All three were dressed in green velvet robes trimmed with sable.

The king stepped down from his throne again to greet them.This is a special honor.And he fastened each of them a necklace of soft gold roses, and the pendant was a gold medal with a lion of Lannister carved from a ruby. "The rose stands for the lion, as the power of Highgarden stands for the kingdom," Joffrey declared. "If you ask me, it is all right, and I will accept your request." it has started!Sansa thought. "Your Majesty," said Ser Loras, "I beg you to join your Kingsguard against your enemies and keep you safe." Joffrey lifted the Knight of Flowers and planted a kiss on his cheek. "That's it, brother."

The Duke of Tyrell bowed his head and said: "There is no greater honor than serving Your Majesty. I am willing to use this meager body to consult with Your Majesty at the imperial meeting, and I will spare no effort." Little Joe put a hand on Duke Tyrell's shoulder and kissed him when he got up, "Sure." Ser Garlan Tyrell was five years older than Ser Loras, and they looked alike.Compared with his more famous brother, Garland was taller, with a beard, a thicker chest, and broader shoulders. Although he was handsome, he did not have the shocking beauty of Sir Loras. "Your Majesty," Garland said when the king approached, "I have a young sister, Margaery, who is the jewel of my family. Your Majesty knows she was married to Renly Baratheon, but The Duke went to the battlefield before consummating his marriage, so his sister's virginity was not broken. Margaret heard of your majesty's great achievements, and was fascinated by your wisdom, courage and chivalry, and fell in love with him far away. I implore your majesty to give her up immediately Take over the capital, join hands in marriage, unite the two families, and create glory for generations together."

King Joffrey pretended to be surprised: "Ser Garland, my sister's appearance is famous in the Seven Kingdoms, but I have a marriage contract first. No joke." The skirt was whirling, and Queen Cersei stood up, "Your Majesty, the imperial council believes that it is neither wise nor appropriate to marry the daughter of a traitor who has been punished by the Ming Dynasty with the body of my king Wan Jin, and her brother is still stubborn today. Don’t change, don’t want to lower the rebellious flag, and submit to the court. Your Majesty, for the benefit of the country, the imperial council begs you to make up your mind to cancel your engagement with Sansa Stark and make Miss Margaery your queen.”

All the noble men and women in the hall immediately shouted eagerly like well-trained dogs. "Margaery," they chanted. "We want Margaery!" "Not a traitor queen! Give us Tyrells! Give us Tyrells!" Joffrey held up a hand. "As a king, I should obey the will of the people, but my mother learned that my marriage contract is established before the gods, and it is a solemn matter." The archbishop stepped forward. "Your Majesty, although the gods care about the marriage contract, the Stark family did not reveal their betrayal when the late king—King Robert, who was favored by the gods—married in Winterfell. Now his family's deeds have been revealed, and their evil deeds are heinous, The gods and men are indignant, and everyone can be punished, so there is no need to remember the old alliance and keep the past promises. Your Majesty, I hereby announce in the name of the gods that your obligations have been released and the marriage contract is invalid!"

Noisy cheers resounded through the hall, and shouts of "Margaery! Margaery!" rang out around her.Sansa leaned forward, clutching the wooden railing of the gallery.Although she knew what was coming, she couldn't help worrying about Joffrey's words—fearing that he would refuse to free her regardless of the overall situation.She felt as if she were back on the marble pulpit outside the great sept of Baelor, waiting for her prince to forgive her father, only to let him order Ilyn Payne to cut off his father's head.Gods, please, she prayed fervently, please let him speak, speak.

Lord Tywin stared at his grandson.Joffrey gave him a sullen look, stepped forward, and helped Ser Garlan Tyrell to his feet. "Because the gods are merciful, I will do what I want to do. Sir, it is a great joy to marry your sister." He kissed Ser Garland's bearded cheek, and cheers echoed around him. Sansa felt a strange dizziness.I am free!Countless eyes fell on her, and she couldn't laugh!she reminded herself.The queen mother had warned her that no matter what she thought in her heart, she must show a look of grief on her face. "I will not disgrace my son," said Cersei. "Do you understand?"

"Yes. Well... now I can't be queen, what should I do in the future?" "This matter will be decided later. For now, you have to stay in the court and accept our guardianship." "I want to go home." The Queen Mother became impatient: "Haven't you figured it out? No one can do whatever they want." But I've had enough, Sansa thought.I got rid of Joffrey.No need to kiss him, no need to give him his virginity, no need to conceive his child.Leave it to Margaery Tyrell, poor girl. When the shouting subsided, the Duke of Highgarden also took a seat at the council table, and his sons retreated to stand together with other knights and lords under the high window.The heroes of the Battle of the Blackwater River continued to enter the hall to receive their rewards, and Sansa tried her best to look distraught. Paxter Redwyne, lord of the Arbor, steps forward along the hall, flanked by his twins Sir Dreadful and Ser Drooling, the former limping from a leg wound in battle .After them came Lord Matus Rowan in his snow-white coat, with a great tree tattooed in gold threads on his breast; and Ser Kevan Lannister, a bald man with a close-cropped beard; Ser Adam Marbrand with his long coppery hair that fell over his shoulders; Brax. Then there are four men of poor birth, but with great achievements in battle: Philip Ford, the one-eyed hedge knight, killed Lord Bryce Cullen in a one-on-one duel; Surrounded by the soldiers of the Wei family, they captured Sir Jon of the Fossoway family of the green apple alive, killed Sir Brian and Sir Edway of the Fossoway family of the red apple, and won the title of "Rosso the Apple Eater" for himself; Special, a grizzled veteran of Sir Harris Swyfer, dragged his master from his dying horse at a critical moment, and repelled the attack of more than a dozen enemy soldiers; the hairless squire Josmine Pike Dunton, not yet fourteen years old, killed two knights in battle, wounded another, and captured two.Among the four, Willett was carried in, and his injuries were too serious. Ser Kevan had already sat down next to his brother, Lord Tywin, and stood up when the master of ceremonies finished reporting the stories of the heroes. "At this time of national crisis, you have served so faithfully and without regard for your own safety. Your Majesty is deeply impressed and determined to reward you. Therefore, in accordance with your Majesty's wishes, Sir Philip Ford will be named Earl Philip of the Ford family, formerly of the Caron family. The land, rights and taxes he owned belonged to him; Rosso Brun was promoted to a knight, and once the sea calmed down, he would be granted his land and castle in the Trident River Valley; Josmine Piketon was given a long sword and A pair of armor, and you can choose a war horse in the royal stables, and you will become a knight immediately after reaching adulthood; finally, reward Mr. Willis with a silver-handled spear, a newly-made mail armor, and a full helmet with a visor , In addition, his son will enter Casterly Rock to serve the Lannister family, the eldest son will be a servant, and the second son will be a bartender. If the two are loyal and capable, they will both have the opportunity to be promoted to knights. Your Majesty has ordered, and the Prime Minister and important ministers agree. " Next, the captains of the royal battleships Wildwind, Prince Aemon and River Arrow were honored, as were some lower-ranking officers from the Divine Favor, the Lance, the Silk Lady and the Sheephead.Their chief achievement, as far as Sansa knew, had been surviving the battle on the river—an achievement few could boast, really.Harlem, the fireman of the Alchemist Guild, and other masters were also thanked by the king. Harlem himself was promoted to earl, but Sansa noticed that his title was just like Varys, without land and castles .By far the most conspicuous dulcet was to Ser Lancel Lannister, to whom Joffrey transferred the lands, castles, and interests of the Darrys, for the Darrys had been exterminated in the War of the Three Rivers, "The Dai Rui family has no legitimate heirs, but only one illegitimate distant relative." Sir Lancell did not show up and was sealed. It is said that his injury may require the amputation of an arm, or even his life.Rumor has it that the imp is also dying from a blow to the head. Finally, the master of ceremonies sang: "Lord Petyr Baelish." He was dressed in rose and plum colors, and his cloak was embroidered with mockingbirds. Shi Shi ran in and knelt before the Iron Throne with a smile.He looked really smug.Sansa had heard little of Littlefinger's valor in battle, but it seemed he had come to be rewarded. Sir Kevan stood up again, "At this dangerous time of frequent turmoil, Your Majesty's loyal advisor, Petyr Baelish, has dedicated himself to the country and the people with his consistent integrity. : It is hereby proclaimed to the world that Petyr Baelish will be crowned Duke, and the historic Harrenhal and all its fiefs and taxes will be awarded, so that he will move his city to this place someday, governor of the Trident River Valley, and his heirs This honor will be inherited from generation to generation, and the lords of the Three Rivers Valley must regard their clans as lords. Your Majesty has an order, and the Prime Minister and important ministers agree." Littlefinger knelt and looked up at King Joffrey. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness. I will try to get a few descendants out." Joffrey laughed, and the court laughed too.Lord of the Trident, Sansa thought, Lord of Harrenhal.She didn't understand why he was so happy, couldn't he see that these titles were just like the titles given to Pyromancer Harlem and Eunuch Varys, they were all vain titles!Everyone knew that Harrenhal was cursed, and that it was not in the hands of the Lannisters, and that the Three Rivers lords were loyal to the Tullys of Riverrun and the King in the North, so they couldn't accept Littlefinger as their lord.Unless they are defeated.Unless my brother, uncle and grandfather are all overthrown and killed.The thought disturbed Sansa, and she told herself, don't be silly.Robb is invincible.He would also defeat Lord Baelish if need be. More than six hundred knights were awarded that day.They kept vigil all night in the Great Sept of Baelor, and walked barefoot across the city to the Red Keep in the morning to show their humility.Now they stepped forward one by one in their undyed woolen tunics to receive the knighthood of the Kingsguard.The canonization ceremony lasted for a long time, because there are only three white-robed brothers currently operating it.Mandon Moore was killed in battle, the Hound was missing, Alex Oakheart was protecting Princess Myrcella in Dorne, Jaime Lannister was Robb's prisoner, and only Baron Smith was left in the Kingsguard. Wen, Marin Tran and Osmond Kettlebrook.The knights got up and fastened their sword belts, and stood under the high window. Many of them had worn the soles of their feet when they toured the city, but in Sansa's eyes, they were still tall and proud. Before the new knights were conferred, the atmosphere in the hall became restless, especially Joffrey.Someone in the gallery had already slipped away. Unfortunately, the princes and dignitaries standing below were not allowed to leave without the king's permission under the watchful eyes of everyone.In fact, judging by the way Joe fidgeted on the Iron Throne, he was happy to approve the adjournment, but today's affairs were far from over.Now, after fulfilling the procedure of meritorious reward, the captives were brought in. There were also great lords and famous knights in this group: sullen old lord "Red Crab" Celtigar; Ser Bonifer "The Good Man"; Lord Varner, who staggered on his knees and would not accept any assistance; Ser Red Rowland, fierce of Griffin's Roost; Ser Dermot of the Rainforest; Lord William and his sons Josula and Ellis; Jon Fosso Ser Timon "Broken Sword"; Aurene, the illegitimate son of Tidehead Island; Lord Stonemon, known as the "Earl of Gold Worshipers"; and hundreds of others. Those who had surrendered in battle now had only to swear their allegiance to Joffrey, but those who had fought to the end for Stannis must speak, and in this way determine their own fate.If he repents of his treason, asks for forgiveness, and promises to be faithful in the future, Joffrey welcomes him back to the king's rule and restores his old lands and rights.However, there is still a group of people who openly resist. "Don't think it's over, kid," warns a bastard who appears to be from House Florent. "The Lord of Light is and will be watching over King Stannis. When the time comes, use as many troops and tricks as you want." It's all useless." "Your hour has come." Joffrey called to Ser Ilyn Payne to drag the man out and behead him.The man had just been drawn away when another serious knight with a flaming heart on his coat called out: "Stannis is the true king! The monster sits on the Iron Throne, the root of incest! " "Silence!" roared Ser Kevan Lannister. Instead, the knight raised his voice. "Joffrey is the black maggot that gnaws at the heart of the kingdom! Darkness is father and death is mother! Destroy him, or you will all be corrupt! Slay the whore queen, slay the maggot king, and rid the wicked dwarf and Tell tale spiders, and ignite false roses. Save yourselves!" A gold-cloaked guard kicked the knight to the ground, but he continued to shout. "The Holy Fire will cleanse all evil! King Stannis will return!" Joffrey staggered to his feet. "I'm the king! Kill him! Kill him quickly! I order them to kill him." His hand slashed frantically in anger... Sweeping across the ubiquitous sharp spikes on the Iron Throne, he couldn't help screaming scream.Blood soaked through the cuffs of the crimson bright brocade clothes, dyeing them dark red. "Mom!" he wailed. While everyone's attention was on the king, the man lying on the ground grabbed the spear from a gold-cloaked guard and stood leaning on it. "Behold, the Iron Throne rejects him!" he cried. "He is no true king!" Cersei ran for the throne, but Lord Tywin was as motionless as a rock, raising only one finger, and Ser Meryn Tran drew his sword.Death came quickly and brutally, and the gold cloaks took the knight's arms.Ser Meryn sank the point of his sword into his chest. "Not a king!" he cried again as he died. Xiao Qiao threw herself into her mother's arms.The three bachelors hurried forward and walked out of the king's gate behind the throne, surrounded by the king's mother and son.There was a lot of discussion.Gold-cloaked guards dragged the body away, leaving a bright trail of blood on the stone floor.Lord Baelish stroked his beard as Varys whispered in his ear.Is it time to adjourn the meeting?Sansa wondered.There were twenty or so captives who had not expressed their views. Who knew whether they would swear allegiance or curse? Lord Tywin rose at last. "Let's continue," the voice was clear and powerful, immediately suppressing all whispers. "My lords, after you think it over, come forward and confess your crimes and beg for forgiveness. I won't let any more farce happen." He walked towards the Iron Throne and sat on the steps three feet above the ground. By the time the ceremony was completely over, the sky had already dimmed.Sansa came out of the auditorium exhausted, limp and weak.She wondered how badly Joffrey was hurt.It is said that the Iron Throne is very dangerous for those who are not worthy to sit on it, and it can even kill people. Back in the safety of her bedroom, she quickly covered her face with a pillow to hide a scream of joy.Oh, Gods be blessed, he did say it, and he abandoned me in front of all!A maid brings dinner and she almost kisses her.Supper consisted of warm bread, freshly churned butter, a thick bowl of beef broth, chicken and carrots, and peaches soaked in honey.How delicious!she thought. After dark, she put on her cloak and went to the godswood.Ser Osmund Kettleblack stood guard at the drawbridge in white armor.Sansa greeted him, trying to sound pained and pathetic.From the way he looked at her, she wasn't sure he was convinced. The moonlight passed through layers of branches and leaves, and Dontos waited under the shadow of mottled leaves. "Why are you so sad?" Sansa asked him cheerfully. "You heard me there too. Little Joe doesn't want me anymore, he's done with me, he..." He takes her hand. "Oh, Joanki, my poor Joanki, you don't understand. The end? This is the beginning." Her heart sank suddenly. "What do you mean?" "The Queen will never let you go, never. As a hostage, you are priceless. And Joffrey... my dear, he is the king of a country, and he can have you whenever he wants to sleep with you, the only difference." The reason is that what he leaves in your stomach now is not a legitimate son, but a bastard." "No!" Sansa said in shock. "He let me go, he..." Dontos pressed a wet kiss on her ear. "Be brave. I promise to take you home, and I will. The day is set." "When?" Sansa asked. "When are we leaving?" "Joffrey's wedding night, we'll leave after the wedding feast, everything is arranged. Then the Red Keep will be full of strangers, half of them will be drunk, and the other half will go to Joffrey. Your new home. At this point, you will be forgotten for a while, and chaos is our friend." "The wedding won't take place for a month. Margaery Tyrell is far away in Highgarden and has just been sent for!" "You have been waiting for so long, please be patient for a while, okay? Come, I have something for you." Sir Dontos took out something that looked like a silver spider web from his pocket, and shook it between his thick fingers shaken.Taking a closer look, it turned out that it was a hairnet woven with fine silver threads. Sansa reached out to take it. The threads were delicate and delicate, almost weightless.Each node where the silver threads intersect is embedded with a small gemstone, so black that it seems to absorb the moonlight. "What kind of rock is this?" "Asshai's black amethyst is very rare, and its color will turn deep purple in sunlight." "It's so cute." Sansa sighed and thought: But what I want is a boat, not a hairnet. "Lovely than you can imagine, my dear child, there is magic in it. You see, the sword of justice is in your hand, and you will avenge your father." Dontos leaned closer and kissed her again. "You will go home."