You Signed Up for This / Jaime Lannister (2.1)

19. Foolish Ones

"Thats what they want to do!" Rieka declared. "They want to overthrow the empire, the castle, the royals, they want to make themselves Gods."

"How do we stop them?" Jaime countered as Rieka paced. 

"I know what you are thinking." Cersei murmured. "I never would have found him if I knew what he was capable of."

"We could have gotten rid of loras another way." Rieka remarked. 

"Father was setting it up, he wasnt going to stop." Cersei countered. 

"And now bird brain isnt going to stop until you and Tywin and probably Tommen are bowing down before him." RIeka remarked. 

'Is there no other way?'

'You're afraid for her.' the high sparrow questioned

'of course I'm afraid for her.' Tommen said annoyed 'it just seems very dangerous.'

'She'll be protected the entire way. the Faith militant are very stern with those to overstep their bounds. And queen Margaery isn't your mother I suspect the gods were predisposed the common people to gentleness on her behalf she's truly opened her heart to them.'

'She's always been very devoted to the poor and unfortunate.' Tommen agreed.

'And now she's devoted to the gods as well.' the sparrow told him as they walked through the septa 'would you like to see her?''

"The only good thing is that Margaery will be stripped, her hair chopped her body stoned and tormented such as mine was." Cersei rasped. 

"Cersei-"

"I hate that I was so foolish. I was the foolish one believing I could win alone. That I could trick father and get out of this union, the world would be mine but his kindness... wasnt kindness it was like he knew that pleasing me in getting rid of the Tyrells would be better than revenge as he locked me up too." Cersei told them. 

"He is a mean man," Jaime agreed. "We will stop him." 

"I wasnt innocent but I didnt deserve that." Cersei whimpered. "I want the crowds to scream out for Tommen, saying long live, I want him to have a long life, and never grow up, I love that he has such a good heart and this man is manipulating him. Just like I worried father and margaery would do and yet he is still being manipulated." 

"And it feels like our castles are crumbling around us." Rieka agreed. 

Margaery was allowed to leave her cell but she was not allowed to leave she sat reading the gospel when the door opened and Tommen walked in she dropped her book down immediately and hugged him.

'Have they hurt you? Have they mistreated you?' Tommen questioned

'No your grace,' Margaery answered.

'I've missed you.' Tommen told her 'more than you could know."

''We will be together soon and everything will be better than it was before.' Margaery told him

'But how soon? The walk of atonement...' he told her 'he says there's no other way.''

''Have you spoken to him at all? The high sparrow?''

''Yes a few times.' Tommen agreed 'have you?''

''Yes I have he's not quite what we thought he was is he?'' Margaery questioned and Tommen stared at her. 'Do you think I'm mad? I sound mad.' she admitted turning away from him.

"We have to show strength, get Margaery out." Cersei decided. Rieka and Jaime shared a look of confusion. "I know what I said." Cersei agreed. "We can't let the sparrow win." 

"You are a good woman Cersei." Rieka assured. 

"I'm really not." 

'What are you talking about? You're a good person you've always been a good person.' Tommen told Margaery 'you're the best person I know I was just telling him about your devotion to the poor.'

'Yes I visited their hobbles and I fed them soup.' Margaery agreed 'and I made sure I was seen doing it I never gave them what they really need it though.' she admitted 'I've had lots of time to think about how good I was at seeming good. All those stories I told myself about who I was and why I did the things I did there were so many lies in those stories.' she admitted

'I don't understand.'

'It's all right it really is.' Margaery told him 'it's such a relief to let go of those lies' she told him sitting them down on the bench.

'What about Loras?'

'I love my brother I will always love my brother. His soul is pure and perfect his sins don't erase that purity they only obscured he just... Needs to atone for them it we all do sooner or later when we are judged.' she told Tommen 'the gods have a plan for us all.''

+

Walk of atonement. Margaery stood clothed and ready to be striped and shamed for then this hell would be over. RIeka stayed with Cersei and Leona as jaime took the guard, the Tyrell's army as well to the sept to try and free her before she was made a mockery as well. 

'Richer poor noble or common if we sin we must atone Margaery of house Tyrell came to us a sinner she stood before the gods in the holy sept and lied. She turned a blind eye to her brother sins, she disgraced her house her king and herself.'' the high sparrow told the people as they stood before them but Jamie Lannister came along with his guards marching ahead. Margaery saw her father ride up as well. Her face didnt change though, she didnt show excitement or fear or thankfulness, she just stared, blankly back at them. 

'Sorry to interrupt we're here for Queen Margaery and Loras Tyrell give them to us and will be on Our Way,'' Jamie said confidently and Margaery felt a breath of relief fill her, Olena looked up confidently at her granddaughter. 

'I don't have the authority to give them to you and you don't have the authority to take them.' the high sparrow told him. Jamie marched his horse up the steps and the kings guard prepared themselves.

''I speak for King Tommen of the house Baratheon first of his name.'' Jamie corrected. 

"HOw do you think its going?" Cersei questioned staring out the window.

"Jaime is in charge, its going swimmingly." Rieka assured as she bounced Leona in her arms. "Daddy's got it covered, yes he does." She coed. 

'The gods don't recognize his authority in this matter.'

'You've already insulted one great house it won't happen twice. every last sparrow will die before Margaery Tyrell walks down that street.' Jaime told him.

'to die in the service of the gods would please each and every one of us.' the sparrow told him 'we are prepared for it. But there is no call for that today.' he admitted 'there will be no walk of atonement.' Margaery tried to keep her head held high. Show the strength of a true queen. 

'Margaery has already atoned for her sins by bringing another into the true light of the seven,' he admitted 'together we announce a new age of harmony a holy alliance between the crown and the faith.' he said as Tommen emerged joining hands with his wife there was a roar of approval from the towns people below. All Jamie's hard work he stared up at them but he was happy there's less blood shed since he had returned one handed he wasn't much of a fighter anymore. 

But working with the man that made Tommen's own mother do a walk of atonement her hair cut her body stripped of clothes as she walked the streets people shouted at her throwing stones and food at her. Jaime couldn't believe his son would do such a thing. He had to keep reminding himself that Tommen was his nephew these days, but it was hard when Tommen looked so much like himself as TOmmen grew. Jaime was going to have a family of his own with Rieka, daughters and sons and he was getting a do over. His children wouldnt be so foolish. 

'The crown and the faith-' Tommen declared. '-are the twin pillars upon which the world rests together we will restore the seven kingdoms to glory."