Tainted // Tyrion Lannister

61. Sins

'My queen?' Margaery looked up to Tommen anxiously 'There was no way to free sir Loras without violence,' Tommen told her and she came in from the balcony her face dropped off the news

'You're the king of the andals,' she reminded him 'the Lord of the seven kingdoms the protector of the realm and a band of fanatics imprisoned your brother by law.'

'I'm going to speak with a high sparrow.'

'Are you? When?'

'I don't know.' he admitted

'You don't know?'

'He was praying just now I...' Tommen told her

'I have to send word to my grandmother,' Margaery said walking past him out the door

'will you come back later?" Tommen questioned

'I need to be with my family your Grace,' she said before stomping down the hall

'Of course.'

+

'Rumors and gossip that's all they've got it's the theater Nothing More.' Olena told margaery when she arrived back at the capital. 'If they collected all the pillow biters in Kings Landing they'll be no room left in the dungeon for anyone else.'

'Everyone knew about him and Renly,' Margaery reminded her.

'Renly Baratheon shagged half the staple boys,' Olena reminded her 'Hell in the seven kingdoms everyone knew they did not care.'

'He was the kings brother,' Margaery told her

'And Loras is the queen's brother... no no no this is unacceptable.'

'Cersei is behind it.'

'Of course she is. she wants to drag our names through the dirt put us in our place get some rest dear.' Olenna said patting her granddaughters cheek 'and let me deal with Cersei Lannister.'

++

Queen Margaery sat with her grandmother as they waited for Loras to be released but the high sparrow had other things in mind.

'The faith calls queen Margaery forward,' the high sparrow declared

'you call me forward?" Margaery questioned incredulously

'Yes we have some questions for you'

'I am the queen.'

'You are and according to the law of the seven neither Kings nor queens are exempt from testimony at a holy inquest.' The high sparrow reminded her. Margaery looked between Cersei, Tommen and her grandmother. Oleana sat back down as Margaery stood up sitting in front of them all

'How do you respond to these charges against your brother?'

'They are lies.'

''all of them?'

'all of them.' Margaery confirmed

'Queen Margaery... In the presence of the gods do you swear that your brother is innocent of these charges against him to the best of your knowledge?'

'Yes I swear it.'

'Thank you your grace,' the sparrow said and she moved back to her seat they nodded to the door and Oliver was brought in, the man she had found Loras with previously before her own wedding he sat before them and Loras shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

'Do you know this man?' The sparrow asked Oliver

'Yes very well,' Oliver agreed 'he is Ser Loras Tyrell of high garden.'

'How did you come to meet?' The sparrow asked

'I squired for him he took a liking to me summoning me to his chamber the first day we met,' Oliver told him

'And what occurred in his chamber?'

'We engaged in intimate relations.'

'You lay with him?' The sparrow questioned.

'That night and many others.' Oliver confirmed and Loras jumped up screaming.

'He's a liar a liar.' Loras spat

'Is there anyone else who can support your claim?'

'Yes,' Oliver said 'yes queen Margaery she walked in on us once not long ago. She didn't seem surprised.'

'This testimony is an insult to a great house why should the faith or anyone else take the word of a squire over the heir of high garden?' Cersei said cautiously she couldn't help the smirk pulling at her lips

'He has a birthmark your grace quite high on his thigh,' Oliver said 'wine colored and roughly the shape of Dorne.' Loras lunged for Oliver, but two of the sparrows men grabbed him pulling him back and then dragged him away

'What are you doing let us pass!' Olena said standing up to defend her grandson

'The faith of the seven has decided there is enough evidence to bring a formal trial for Ser loras... And queen Margaery.'

'What?" Olena said appalled

'Bearing false witness before the gods is as great a sin as any, my lady.' the sparrow told her 'take her.' and Margaery was dragged away as well.

++

'The Seven hells, the souls of sanity of men they scream in agony and their shame is so great they do not feel the flames, for now they see if not for a single sin they concealed they were saved.'

'I'd like to see my brother.' Margaery requested as one of the faith stood over her reading their gospel

'Confess.' she said simply

'Please.' Margaery begged from her knees 'how is he at least tell me that.'

'Confess.'

'I am the queen and I demand to see my brother.' Margaery demanded.

'Sinners don't make demands they make confessions,' she said slapping the book close Margaery scurried back into the corners as the woman stepped forward threateningly

'Our other guests need you,' the high sparrow said coming in Margaergy looked up hesitantly at him he brushed her hair from her face and she flinched back. 'septa Unela can be overzealous at times. I'll speak with her.' he told her

'my brother can I see my brother?" Margaery begged.

'I'm not here about Ser loras I'm here at your husbands request, he misses you dearly. The love between a man and his wife is sacred. But that's sacred vows suffered with sin and only confession can purge sin.' The sparrow reminded her.

'I have nothing to confess,' she told him

'So you believe you are pure? Perfect? Holy without sin?'

'None of us are,' she told him

'You have started down a path but you have many miles to go,' he told her confidently as he left her to sit in her cell and ponder.