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A few weeks had passed since I killed Bran Stark and Euron Greyjoy was defeated. Jon had taken the news hard and locked himself away for a few days. He even had offered me his body again so that he could cease existing for a few hours. It had felt like he was asking me to violate him so I had refused.
But today he didn't show any of his weaknesses in the throne room. He and Khaleesi had allowed Cersei Lannister to sit on the Iron Throne for just awhile longer. I stood between Jon and Khaleesi as we all faced Cersei. Our men were also in the room to watch this historic trial. This included Sansa who stood beside Jon. Yara and Theon Greyjoy were also standing by each other.
I smelled tears that were dried on Sansa's face. She looked at me and had to turn away. There was no angry scent coming from her, just a great sense of emptiness. She had been beside Bran's body when I had killed him. From her account it had not been pleasant to witness. Since I hadn't been there I couldn't confirm if the cries were from Bran or the Three-Eyed Raven. I doubted that it mattered to her. All that mattered was that her brother had died in her arms.
Arya Stark had stayed in Winterfell so that at least one of her family would remain there. It probably also had to do with the fact that her brother had died. Staying away from King's Landing meant she was free to mourn in peace. She was free to appear strong to the world and weak to herself.
The sounds of Drogon and Rhaegal had quieted hours ago. Unlike the rest of us, the battle had made them grow even wilder. According to Khaleesi it had been hard to land Drogon for the brief time it took to dismount him. Him and his brother had chased each other for days afterward. Though they must have eaten in brief moments without landing. Or maybe we had all been asleep when they had rested.
I looked at my love and I saw fire in her eyes. If she had her way today then Drogon would burn Cersei. The only thing stopping her was Jon who had different ideas about execution. Though he could be so angry now that he would throw his honor to the wind. We all had our limits, after all.
"Are we going to wait all day?" Cersei asked and tried to appear bored. "I know how this play will end. It's not like I haven't been part of trials like this in the past."
"I remember." Tyrion retorted with bitterness in his voice.
The Imp had come into Khaleesi's service after he had been blamed of killing Joffrey Baratheon and later killed his own father. Cersei had testified against her own brother and Tywin had used the trial as an excuse to get rid of his least liked child. It seemed like he still retained some bitterness from that trial.
"No, we won't make you wait." Jon said as his hand drifted briefly to Longclaw. "Cersei Lannister, you are blamed for various crimes to Westeros and its people. I, Jon Stark, and Queen Daenerys Targaryen will be the judges. You caused the death of most of my family and you didn't send forces to Winterfell like you promised."
"You seem to have survived without my help." Cersei replied. "What would my forces have actually done? How many would be saved because Lannister soldiers were there to die?"
If not for my direwolf nose, I might have been fooled into thinking she was calm. Though even if I were still human, a woman like the Lannister being unafraid of death wasn't likely. She had fought her whole life to keep breathing and gain power. At the day of her execution, she would be feeling helpless. Might she even question if the quest for power had been worth it?
"You had still promised me your support to defeat the dead." Khaleesi said angrily. "You had still assured me that I could count on your men."
"And you believed me?" Cersei replied with a chuckle. "Why would I help you to defeat the dead? Better my enemies die and to fight the remnants. The only reason I helped you to defeat Euron was because there was no other choice."
"So you admit you never intended to send troops to me."
"I'm surprised you aren't killing me outright."
"Because we have honor."
"Oh, that is how you get to sleep every night."
Khaleesi looked angrily at the former queen and I growled. My love was honorable and fought every day to make sure she didn't fall as her father had. The Lannister had no right to insult the queen that would soon sit on the Iron Throne. It was not her place to question anyone's honor. But Cersei was about to die, why would she worry about anyone's anger?
"You are also charged with committing incest." Jon said. "Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella Baratheon had only Lannister blood in their veins. You had sex with your twin brother. Who is, at this moment, growing closer to someone who isn't his kin."
Sansa's calm facade broke and a smirk could briefly be seen on her lips. Jaime and Brienne of Tarth had continued to grow closer as the days continued. It was because of their bonding in Winterfell that neither had decided to come to King's Landing. I barred my teeth in the knowledge even Jaime had not cared enough to see Cersei before she died.
"And for many generations House Targaryen committed incest." Cersei argued. "Why not ask the Targaryen if she would **** her own kin?"
"It is perfectly acceptable for Targaryens to commit incest." Khaleesi retorted and avoided looking at Jon. "A Lannister, on the other hand, does not have the right to sleep with her siblings."
"So you're no different than your ancestors. From what Tyrion told me before, you want to break the wheel. You want to change the world to be better than before. Strange then that you use things your family defended for generations."
"Sometimes they were right. What woman would I be to deny that fact?"
I could smell fear scent coming off of Khaleesi. Cersei must have known how badly her words would hurt my love. The woman I had dedicated my life to wanted to push the darkness away from her. It hurt her to realize how much she still had to work on to become better than before. Now with her attempt to burn King's Landing to the ground behind her, she was even more afraid about what she could become.
"We know you were implicit in the murder of King Robert Baratheon." Jon said as calmly as he could.
"If it were any other day, I'd ask you for proof." Cersei replied. "But as I'm going to die anyways, I'll assume you have proof you're not telling me."
"My recently deceased brother, Bran Stark, told me." Sansa said with barely restrained cruelly. "If it were any other day, I'd gather all the evidence for you. But you're going to die anyways. Everyone knows at least some of the crimes you are guilty of."
Cersei had not expected the Stark girl to speak. She must have expected Sansa to remain silent as Jon and Khaleesi spoke. The Lannister had never seen Sansa as anything other than a scared girl. The young woman in front of Cersei was much different than the one who had fled the city so long ago. The Lannister looked scared from the coldness in Sansa's eyes.
"And how did your brother die?" Cersei asked cruelly.
"That is not your concern. He was more honorable than you are and he was so much younger." Sansa replied.
"I am going to die soon, why would it matter if you told me?"
"I am the Lady of Winterfell and I have no need to answer to traitors."
It wasn't common knowledge about my fight against the Three-Eyed Raven. Most didn't even know where I had been during the battle against Euron. It wouldn't be good for the truth about Bran Stark to be revealed. Many wouldn't understand that he had been trapped while his body had been used by a monstrous force. Bran's name needed to be spotless as he was one of the few remaining Starks.
"I did murder Robert Baratheon." Cersei said. "And why is that a crime? The fool was a horrible ruler and preferred whoring to being a king. Someday someone stronger would have murdered him. The only reason people don't praise me for killing him is the fact he wasn't like the Mad King. He didn't burn people with dragonfire. How he would love how his daughter uses her dragons."
"I am sure he would be more pleased with you." Khaleesi said stoically. "You destroyed the Sept of Baelor with dragonfire. He never accomplished his task of burning King's Landing down with the substance."
"That's why Jaim-"
"That's why your brother killed my father."
Cersei was a woman who cared for nothing but power. She only wanted to sit on the Iron Throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms. If things had gone differently it was likely her armies would've invaded the North to subdue the Northerners. Yet I smelled sadness and regret coming from her. Whatever horrible atrocities she had committed, she did love her twin. Albeit in a sadistic way. The scents coming from her were strong enough that I pitied her for a moment.
"You should stop with this charade and kill me." Cersei said and managed to keep the pain from her voice. "Everyone here knows you don't intend to let me live."
"This is a fair trial." Khaleesi argued. "The only reason you think it's a charade is because you know the crimes you have committed. You know you don't deserve mercy."
"You really believe your lies, don't you?"
I looked at Jon and saw different emotions pulling at his face. He wanted to tell the truth but he didn't want to lose the loyalty of his men. No one standing here wanted Cersei to live, she hadn't earned that loyalty from her followers, but it wouldn't look good to everyone for Jon to admit the truth. If I had a mouth I still wouldn't contradict my queen in front of others.
"You have committed too many sins for you to survive today." Jon said right as Khaleesi was about to speak. "What ruler would Daenerys be if she allowed someone like you to live? You helped your king and husband die. You used wildfire inside of King's Landing. You committed the sin of incest. How could even the most kindhearted ruler allow you to live?"
"You want me to live?" Cersei replied mockingly.
"You killed Lord Eddard Stark, my father. I am not on your side."
The Lannister nodded in understanding. Everyone in the room was happy at the confirmation Cersei would die. No one would mourn her or seek vengeance on those who killed her. It wouldn't surprise me if more than a few wanted me to tear her throat out. The thought of being the one to end her life pleased me. It had been a long time since I felt this amount of bloodlust. The direwolf side of my mind was ready to kill her and it took all of my strength to keep still.
Khaleesi's stance told me that she wanted nothing more than to give Jon a verbal lashing. Yet she knew disagreeing with him now would be a poor political move. Everyone didn't want Cersei to live and there was no use denying the truth. Her stand for morality, no matter how false, could be seen as a defense of the Lannister. That was not something that the men gathered in the throne room could stand.
"I guess we shouldn't keep the Lannister waiting." Khaleesi said. "She has not once tried to defend herself. Sansa, show us where Lord Eddard Stark was murdered."
"With pleasure." Sansa replied with a wicked smile.
Grey Worm and a few of the Dothraki lead Cersei to the rubble of the Sept of Baelor. All the way the commoners hurled perverted insults to the former queen. Although I couldn't voice my opinions of Cersei, I made up with my lack of voice with howls. I howled as loud as I could which scared people just as much as my love's dragons.
"You destroyed the Sept of Baelor." Khaleesi said loudly as both dragons roared. "You used wildfire inside King's Landing. One of your many crimes."
The commoners yelled out as Cersei was pushed down onto the rubble. She showed her first signs of fear as she shivered and refused to look at her executioner. Jaime had mentioned to Brienne that Cersei had believed that a younger queen would swiftly take her down. That the younger queen would take away everything dear to Cersei. Jaime believed the younger queen was Margaery Tyrell, though I would bet on Khaleesi. In any case that prophecy was true. Though I hadn't been meant to hear those words but direwolf senses ruined my honor in minor ways.
"And in this place Lord Eddard Stark was unjustly executed." Khaleesi continued to a now confused crowd. "Eddard would never betray both his king and friend Robert Baratheon. That lie was made so that you would willingly allow such a noble person to die. I am not so controlled by my impulses that I'd kill you for something you had no way of knowing. If not for Cersei Lannister you would have known the truth."
After a moment's silence the commoners again voiced their anger against Cersei. Like good rulers Jon and Khaleesi didn't stop the insults. The rage of the crowd helped ignite their own wrath. The Stark looked impatient for the Lannister's life to end. Even such a noble man could be lead to extreme emotions. Even such an unworthy man like myself could fulfill a prophecy. But had I really fulfilled the Azor Ahai Prophecy? Could something other than the Three-Eyed Raven be the Great Other? Did my grand destiny lead to some other great villain?
"And who should get to kill this scum who called herself queen?" Khaleesi asked and then turned to Jon. "Why not Eddard's son? He took back Winterfell for his family. The blood of House Stark runs through his veins, the same blood that ran through Eddard. There is only one man that could ever be worthy to kill Cersei Lannister and it is him."
"Are you sure?" Jon asked, embarrassment evident on his face. "Why not Sansa? Why not yourself?"
"Sansa can't swing a sword as swiftly as you. I would burn her alive and Cersei deserves Westerosi justice. I'll give her that honor at least."
Cersei stood up and I could smell the fear coming off of her. She knew there was no escape now. She knew that she would die without the love of Jaime. Yet even with the fear scent coming off of her, she was strong. She looked at Jon as if challenging him to kill her already. His scent was one of anticipation and I could hear the excitement in each breath. He prided himself on being honorable, but we all had our breaking points.
"For Lord Eddard Stark, Robb Stark, and all those you sentenced to die." Jon said, keeping his voice steady. "Cersei Lannister, do you have any last words?"
The Lannister glared at him. If she was going to die, she would not show any more signs of weakness. She would not shame her House or the name she had built for herself. If Cersei had been someone else, I would have pitied her. As it was I let out a low growl of anger.
Jon unsheathed Longclaw and held it high in the air as Cersei glared at him. Grey Worm had to force her to kneel so that the execution could continue. The Stark's sword was soundless as it ended the Lannister's life. The moment her head hit the ground loud cheering erupted in the crowd. I howled in excitement and the dragons roared their own happiness as they flew overhead. I looked at Khaleesi and noticed a sad smile on her face.
"You are our Queen, Daenerys Targaryen first of your name." Sansa said. "Forgive me for doubting you."
"There is nothing to forgive, Lady Stark." Khaleesi replied. "I was a stranger and I had to prove myself."
If not for my direwolf senses I would have assumed Sansa was making a show to make sure the North was kept safe. Maybe even independent. Khaleesi looked at the Stark with complete trust. Then all of us were swept up in a celebration that lasted until the sun set.
Once the commotion had stopped, I found myself in the throne room with Khaleesi and Jon. My love still retained the sadness from earlier and I worried. There hadn't been time to ask her anything and now I wish I had made more of an effort.
"I've dreamed of this moment for years." Khaleesi and touched the Iron Throne. "It always seemed like my destiny was to rule the Seven Kingdoms. I came out of the fire unburnt with three dragons and a bloody star shot through the sky. I thought there was no other explanation for the signs. Yet now with the power in my grasp I can't take it. Daario was right, I'm a conqueror not a ruler. I would be a poor choice as queen now that Westeros has a chance at peace."
[You're wrong.] I cried with my mind. [You will be a great queen, Khaleesi.]
"Jorah, I have thought long and hard about my decision. Don't make me ruin a land because of your love."
Jon looked scared as he knew where this conversation was headed. He was in this room which meant she would choose him to be king. It took a moment but he finally gathered himself.
"I do not want power, Daenerys." Jon argued. "I am fine being Warden of the North. I am fine living my days out in Winterfell."
"But Westeros needs you, not me." Khaleesi retorted. "The people love you more as you are from this land. I wish to live out my days on Bear Island with Ser Jorah Mormont. After seeking power for so long, I want nothing more than to live with no one knowing my name."
"I can see I can't argue with you. I will do my best to make you proud. If you agree, I'd like Sansa as my queen."
"You have my blessings. We'll give the announcement tomorrow."
I would have argued but the moment Jon agreed, Khaleesi relaxed completely. Never in my time knowing her had I seen her so calm. So full of life. And the only thing I wanted was to make sure she was happy.
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