It was a fairly pleasant day. One of the last truly hot ones of the year most likely, what with Salting Season right around the corner. Three more months of decent weather for campaigning, then Rain Season would turn the Riverlands into one giant mud pit.
The Riverlands really is fantasy Ukraine, isn't it? It also makes Tywin's hypothetical campaign especially ridiculous. No doubt he'll have his pound of flesh one way or another, but the Seven willing, we've strangled this particular Big Brain Plan in the crib.
Once the plan was set, Cersei wasted no time. Having her nights no longer spent drenchend in sweat and tossing hin her bed greatly helped to get her thoughts back into order.
Man, I'm glad the whole Shade of the Evening thing worked out so well. I'm gonna sit down and try and figure out what the dreams all meant - my best guess is that DP's on the mark about it being one of the Targ claimants. Sounds like one of them is getting their mitts involved with magic; ever a sword without hilt.
A royal decree blaming the raiding on Gregor Clegane specifically, calling him maddened from drinking and milk of the poppy, had been drafted. Letters were prepared for all the lords of the Riverlands, Westerlands and the Lords Paramount besides.
We've called the Lion's bluff, now it remains to be seen what Tywin does next.
And a second one, from Cersei to her father, simply calling him to 'do what is best for the reputation of House Lannister'. That one she stamped with her own seal,
Although he's no doubt popped a blood vessel over this one.
And only then did Cersei realise that it had been nearly half a year since it all had started. Eddard Stark as Hand. Then her as Regent. For the first time in his life, her beloved son was all alone and without her aid and protection.
"Mother," he called out when seeing her and for one terrifying heartbeat she was afraid. What if he resented his abandonement? But he did not. He smiled at her while sheating the blade. "You finally have a break from things?" The words were a dagger in her chest, even if he was excited.
"Not quite," she wearily replied. "There are some letters that should bear the Kings seal and not just that of the Regent." Cersei almost feld like Jon Arryn in that moment. Just another courtier, bothering the king about matters of state. They had spoken so little about anything else lately.
Damn, this is actually kinda sad. I do think that Joff's benefited from getting out from under his mother's skirt, but we oughta see if they can spend some time together soon. The AP hell is real, but preventing our relationship from genuinely deteriorating is still important.
"The king believes them and that's what counts. Add kinslaying to the list at least, then I will seal the new order. A father, a sister and two wives." With that Joffrey handed her back the parchments. "I will lead a party to the Riverlands to see this enforced."
I'm glad I included that part about getting Joffrey's seal, this is a golden moment for him to start establishing a reputation for himself. Realistically, Clegane being hunted down is only a matter of time, but having the King involved with the deliverance of justice to such a deplorable creature is exactly the PR we want.
And once it was, she would have some peace and quiet. Maybe spend a season or two with Jaime in the Westerlands. There was this hill she sometimes dreamed off these days. Maybe the fields of liverwort were still growing on it like all those years ago.
Man, it's barely been six months and already Cersei can't wait for the ride to stop. Let's hope she's right about things being easier once the killing stops, although Robert sure didn't agree.
In the here and now though, all she could see were tired men.
Yeah, we need to bolster the Small Council some more. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of bringing the High Septon into it - we've already hitched our wagon to the Faith's, and this allows for the official coordination of royal and theocratic policy. I hadn't pegged King Joff as someone capable of pulling a Charlemagne, but he's been turning out surprisingly sound.
He of all people seemed the most worried and started to talk before the others were even fully seated. "Your majesty, I have received a letter from Essos. One of the Targaryen pretenders." He passed the small parchment to Cersei for her to read.
To the noblemen of the Crownlands.
I have returned. Those who hold loyalty in their hearts for their true Lord, prepare for my arrival and our ascendancy.
Those who throw in their lot with the traitorous Baratheons and their ilk, I ask to see reason and sense. Give up this charade or face the eldest of House Targaryen on the fields of war!
- Caern Targaryen, first of his name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and he First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm
Tch. It seems one of the Essosi claimants is trying to strike while the iron's hot, so to speak. I'm really glad we went with the Crownlands action, otherwise this could have been much more tense. Still, time to expand the Goldcloaks and solve our total lack of a navy, King's Landing will soon be under threat.
As she looked up again, Varys cleared his throat. "All Crownlander houses, from the lordly downt to the landed knights, have received the same message. Some of them have come forth and reported this to either Lord Rykker or me, while others have not. I suspect the Pointsmen will follow this pretender and ships have been gathering on the Braavosi coast, though they are at least unaffiliated with the Sealord or the Iron Bank."
The Pointsmen provide an obvious landing zone for any Essosi invaders, we may want to pre-emptively invade the peninsula to deny such a thing. But then you also have Renly and Stannis on hand ... no, we need the loyal Crownlanders on standby. It'd leave us too vulnerable.
Meanwhile, Braavos is sending mixed signals. We'll see what the Iron Bank guy says when he shows up, maybe he'll offer some insight into their actual policy.
"How many men are we talking here?" Janos Slynt asked with a slight tremble in his voice.
Yeah, he needs to go.
Tossing the letter aside, Cersei called to the door. "Send someone to the kitchens. Wine."
It would seem we aren't
quite over with our stress issues, heh. There's certainly a lot of knives in the air - the whole Gregor situation needs to be solved ASAP before someone lays siege to the capital while all the northern kingdoms are tied up.
