iron throne of ice and fire

Chapter 452 Lion Cage (End)

"The Seven-Star Bible says... the people pay tribute to the lord, the lord pays tribute to the king, and the king and queen must pay tribute to the seven-faced god."

"The Seven Star Bible says that ... a man and a woman swear a marriage vow before the Father and the Mother, promising to be faithful to each other until they are taken away by a stranger."

"The Seven Star Bible says... all sins will be forgiven, but first they must be punished..."

Cersei interrupted angrily: "Enough, are you betraying me? Remember, it was I who abolished the laws of Maegor I and allowed the church to have the power to wield the sword."

"In exchange, we will forgive the 1,0677 gold royals that the royal family owes the church."

Cersei: “…”

The High Sparrow shook his head slightly and continued, "Besides, I don't need to betray you. I am a servant of the Seven."

Then, without waiting for Cersei's response, the High Sparrow asked Osney in a firm and clear voice: "Please tell me again what happened when you climbed into the Queen's bed?"

The High Sparrow's kind eyes made Osney tremble all over: "The Queen Mother in front of you sent me to kill the former Archbishop... He had no guards... So I sneaked into his room while he was sleeping... and suffocated him with a pillow..."

"Shut up!"

"and then?"

Amid the roar of the lioness and the gentle questioning of the high sparrow, Osney trembled his lips and said, "She rewarded me by fucking her all night long."

Her plan failed...

Because of Osney's betrayal, her careful preparations for Little Rose are now going to backfire on her.

Cersei recalled the scene where Margaery was locked up in the dark room like a beggar...

She made a decisive judgment...she must leave here immediately!

Snapped!
The Big Sparrow tried to stop the lioness from leaving, so she slapped the frail old man in the face.

Cersei rushed out the door and then slammed it shut with a bang.

Osfryd was just outside the sept, and she needed to meet up with him immediately, then order the gold cloaks to protect her as she returned to the Red Keep.

When the time comes, she will deal with the new Archbishop just like she dealt with the previous Archbishop, as well as the traitor Osney.

besides………

Snapped!
Four wrinkled old nuns blocked her way, and she slapped the one in front.

Then she kicked another old nun to the ground, pushed away another old nun who was approaching, and rushed over.

Finally, an old nun tried to pounce on her and was scratched on the face by the lioness's claws.

The lioness successfully turned into the corridor leading to the cathedral hall, and while running away... she almost tripped several times because of her skirt.

Swish—she breathlessly tore open the long skirt with golden lace below her hips.

When Cersei, trotting with her skirt lifted, finally arrived at the brightly lit hall of the sept, she couldn't help but stop in horror.

She saw a sea of ​​women, including nuns and silent sisters.

They were waiting for her. This was the trap that the High Sparrow had prepared for her!
They surrounded them quietly, and the lioness could not help but retreat, shouting in a stern voice: "I am the regent queen mother, get out of my way! Get out of my way, I will kill you all!"

Hearing the lioness's threat, they not only did not retreat, but instead reached out to her.

She is the lioness of Casterly Rock and she will never surrender!

In the shoving and fleeing, Cersei passed by the altar of the maidens and then surrendered at the altar of the Virgin.

The still kicking lioness was dragged up the tower steps and thrown into a cell.

"How dare you offend me like this!"

"I am the Queen Regent!"

"I am a Lannister, Jaime will cut you in half!"

"Duke Green will chop off all your heads!"

"I am the King's mother!"

"The man in golden robes will come charging in soon, let me go!"

In the dim cell, several silent sisters held down the screaming lioness, while a short, stocky, dark-skinned nun roughly stripped off her clothes, even her underwear.

Another septa threw a rough gray robe over Cersei.

"You can start repenting now."

After leaving a few words, they left the cell and closed the door with a bang.

Cersei scrambled to her feet.

She was not the docile Margaery. She would never put on humble robes and be a captive obediently.

A caged lion is still a lion!
Cersei ripped her robes to shreds, smashed her water pitcher against the wall, and broke her chamber pot.

Her guards were below, waiting in the square.

If they had heard her voice, they would have come to rescue her!

When the time comes, she'll drag the damn High Sparrow back to the Red Keep with chains and put it on display!
Cersei pounded on the door with her fists and kicked it. She screamed and howled at the doors and windows.

However, until his throat became hoarse and he had no more strength left, no one responded.

It was getting darker outside the window and the temperature was dropping. Cersei, who was naked, couldn't help but shiver.

She is the Queen Regent, how dare the High Sparrow treat her like this? !
She was beginning to regret tearing up her robes; the only covering in her cell was a thin brown wool blanket in the corner of her plank bed.

Worn, ugly and prickly, Cersei wrapped herself tightly in the stinking thin blanket and soon fell asleep exhausted.

…………

"Cersei, you will never understand power!"

My father's body was still in the church hall, and he climbed out of the ornate coffin.

…………

Cersei, who was arguing fiercely with the old lion, was roughly awakened by a rough hand. She slowly opened her eyelids, and then closed her eyes because of the dazzling candlelight.

She murmured hoarsely, "Are you here to let me go?"

A large-boned old woman knelt before Cersei, holding a candle. "I am Septa Unia, and I have come to hear your confession of murder and adultery."

The old nun's face became clearer and clearer in Cersei's sight. She moved her lips and squeezed out a hoarse voice: "I am the Queen Regent. You have no right to lock me up..."

Sister Unia repeated icily, "I have come to hear your confession of murder and adultery."

"I am the Queen Regent."

"I'm here to hear your confession..."

Cersei slapped Sister Unia's hand away and screamed, "Don't touch me! Get out!"

Sister Unia stood up and said, "I will be back in an hour, and perhaps you will confess by then." This went on hour after hour, and every time Cersei closed her eyes, Unia would appear again, wake her up, and ask her to confess her sins.

The room was as cold as an ice cave, and Cersei Lannister spent the longest night of her life except for her wedding night.

When the sun rose, Cersei was in unbearable pain, but the urinal had been broken by her yesterday... The lioness had no choice but to squat in the corner and urinate with gritted teeth.

Looking at the urine flowing on the floor, the lioness swore in her heart that she would make these nuns perform urination in front of the untouchables and beggars every day.

Breakfast was a bowl of gray porridge, and Cersei picked up the bowl and threw it at the head of the septa who brought it to her.

Then, hour after hour, she was asked again and again if she was willing to confess her crime.

The sky outside the narrow window gradually darkened, and Cersei began to fear. Why had no one come to rescue her?
Where is Lord Osfryd?
Where is Oren Weishui?

What about the Kingsguard and the Small Council?

They are traitors and cowards. When she gets out, she will chop off all of them!

The next day, Cersei throws the bowl at the Septa again.

"Grimm will not forgive you for humiliating me like this. When he comes back, he will kill all the monks and nuns here, including the High Sparrow. Don't forget, he was once called the Bloody Count. Let me go."

"We can throw ourselves into the arms of the gods at any time. I am here to hear your confession..."

Outside the window, the famished and weak lioness vaguely heard someone shouting in the square below.

But people were calling Margaery, not her as the Queen Regent.

Day three.

In the morning, as Cersei licked the last bit of porridge from the bottom of her bowl, the cell door suddenly opened and her intelligence chief walked in.

When she saw Qyburn, Cersei was so excited that she tried hard to hold herself back from throwing herself at him.

"Oh, gods, you don't know how happy I am to see your face. Take me back."

"I'm afraid I can't take you away."

Coben shook his head slightly and sighed, "Your Majesty, you will appear before the church for trial on charges of murder, treason, and adultery."

Cersei sneered. She glanced in the direction of the cell door, then leaned forward and said in a low voice: "Go and convey my order immediately. Let Osfryd command the gold cloaks..."

Qyburn's sigh interrupted Cersei's secret order: "Your Majesty, Grand Maester Pycelle and Prime Minister Harys Swyft (Kevan's father-in-law) have controlled the King's Council. Osfried Kettleblack has been removed from his position as the Lord Commander of the Durkin Cloaks. Captain of the Dragon Gate Guard, Humphrey Waters, is now the new Lord Commander. He only obeys them. And I was deprived of my seat as Lord Chamberlain by the King's Council."

After being stunned for a while, Cersei slammed the bowl she had licked clean onto the floor and said, "How dare they seize power? This is rebellion!"

Qyburn held Cersei's hand and comforted her: "You can prove your innocence through trial by combat. Don't forget that Lord Green and Ser Jaime are both powerful knights."

Cersei was stunned again, then nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, Green, you send a raven and ask him to bring troops back to rescue me immediately. I am the Queen Regent, and I will never allow those villains to judge me in public!"

The smile on Qyburn's face disappeared. "It's hard to hide the army's actions from Pycelle and the High Sparrow. They will definitely end your trial before the Duke of Green's troops arrive, which may be even more disadvantageous to you."

"Bastard!"

After cursing angrily for a while, Cersei suddenly asked, "By the way, where is my son? Is Tommen still king?"

Qyburn nodded. "Yes, Queen, King Tommen is safe in Maegor's Holdfast, under the protection of the Kingsguard. Please rest assured that they dare to hide your condition, but they dare not harm him."

Cersei breathed a sigh of relief, then she asked, "Where's Margaery? I heard people outside shouting her name yesterday."

Coben hesitated, and said, "Earl Matus promised the High Sparrow on his honor that Miss Margery would not be absent from the church's trial. He placed her in his house and accompanied her by nuns sent by the church."

"Damn it!"

Cersei staggered back and forth in the small room, the lioness's anger having nowhere to vent.

"Coburn, I have to get out of here right now!"

Qyburn shook his head. "If you want to leave by force, you must have the support of the army. However, the 3,000 Lannister soldiers stationed outside the city have been taken over by Prime Minister Harris (Kevan's father-in-law). Moreover, King's Landing has closed the seven gates and prohibits entry and exit. Regarding this order... neither Pycelle nor the High Sparrow... have any objection."

The lioness's cheeks twitched. This was the order she issued when she was heading to the Great Sept of Baelor. She did this to prevent outsiders from entering King's Landing and rescuing Margaery...

Cersei stood there and roared, "Damned traitors! I will never forgive them!"

She paused suddenly: "Yes, how could I forget him? Go find Oren Weishui and tell him to bring the sailors ashore and gather enough people..."

Qyburn sighed again, interrupting Cersei's words. "When word of your trouble reached the Blackwater, Oren Weaver hoisted sail and took the oars, leading the royal fleet out to sea."

"Ha... Even he betrayed me?"

Cersei was so angry that she almost laughed out loud: "The old lion once taught me that bastards are inherently fickle and treacherous. Unfortunately, I didn't remember his words."

After a moment of silence, Coben said in a gentle voice, "Your Majesty, you have Duke Green and Sir James. As long as they come back, you can at least be safe."

Coben's comfort worked. The lioness's fullness rose and fell slowly several times, and she gradually suppressed the anger in her heart.

"Yes, I have James and Green, two swords that are enough to turn all traitors into ashes."

Cersei slowly sat down on the worn bed, straightened her back and looked at Qyburn, and said, "Write two letters for me. It's best to send them by raven. If that doesn't work, arrange for a fast horse."

Coben's amiable face turned slightly serious. He bowed and said, "Chief Intelligence Officer, I am at your disposal."

Cersei nodded her chin. "The first letter was written to Green. You told him all about my predicament. When you wrote it... you had to make me look several times more miserable than you saw. Do you understand me?"

Coben nodded slightly: "As you command."

Cersei continued: "And... tell him I need a new Hand. And then..."

She licked her lips and said, "Tell him that he will be the only man in my bed from now on... That's all."

Coben paused, then said, "As you command, Your Majesty."

Cersei continued, "The second letter is addressed to Jaime. In addition to telling him about my dire plight, you should write it in my own words..."

Her body trembled: "My love, come back immediately, help me, save me. Your lioness needs you more than ever. I love you, I love you, I love you, I am waiting for you."

Then, Cersei emphasized: "Remember, write 'I love you' three times."

This time, Coben was silent for a longer time before he slowly spoke: "Yes, sir. I will follow your instructions."

…………

…………

At night, in the lord's study in Riverrun.

Brynden Tully was cleaning the blade of his sword with oiled leather in his hands.

it is tomorrow.

The sounds from the Lannister camp told him that tomorrow would be the day of the decisive battle between the trout and the lion.

His sword will accompany him until the last moment, until he dies with honor.

The door was not closed, and the captain of the guard who went for inspection hurriedly entered the study with footsteps of tapping.

"My lord, those 'smugglers' are here again, and their boats are docked under the gate of the Red Fork River."

(End of this chapter)