Hand of the Queen

19

"We've been here for some time." Cersei says through clenched teeth, Daenerys smiles at her.

"My apologies." Is all the Queen says, never breaking away from Cersei's gaze. Silence hangs between them before I finally stand and make my way to the middle of those who have gathered. I hold my posture strong and fold my hands in front of me.

"We are all facing the unique situation-" I begin before another voice cuts through.

"Theon." Euron Greyjoy calls, looking across to his nephew. I do not allow the intrusion to break my unwavering face, knowing my husband's words will likely come next. "I have your sister, if you don't submit to me here and now, I'll kill her." I hear Aegon's hand move to his hilt.

"Interrupt the Lady Hand again, and all you will be submitting is your tongue." Aegon says, anger seething behind his eyes. I look to Cersei with slight confusion in my eyes, she closes her own and nods.

"I believe we should begin with larger concerns..." I start again, though my sentence is again cut short.

"Then why are you talking? You seem to be one of the smallest concerns here." Euron says, standing and taking a few steps toward me. Aegon immediately rises from his seat, I hold a subtle hand out to him.

"Were the terms of this meeting not clear, Lord Greyjoy?" I ask, a forced smile pulled on my lips.

"Men would rather kill a woman than allow her to speak as you do on the Iron Islands, Lady Hand." Euron says, standing only a step from me now.

"Perhaps you ought to sit down." Jaime says, anger growing in his voice.

"Why?" Euron says, his eyes travel down my body. It will be only moments now before his head topples to the ground by my husband's sword if this continues, I believe Cersei senses this.

"Sit down or leave." She says, her monster steps forward. With one last gaze to my breasts, Euron swiftly returns to his seat.

"It is painfully apparent among all of us the disdain we hold for one another, if our opening ceremony has proven anything." I say, holding Euron's eyes before continuing. "We have suffered at each other's hands, many have lost loved ones at the hands of another who sits among us. If all we wished for was more bloodshed, there would be no need for this meeting to take place. We have proven that we are more than capable of waging war against one another without meeting face to face."

"So instead we should settle our differences and live together in harmony for the rest of our days?" Cersei mocks, I smile at her.

"I'm sure you know that is not possible." I say, looking around to meet eyes with all who sits around me.

"Then why are we here?" Cersei asks, Jon steps forward and takes his place beside me.

"This isn't about living in harmony, it's about living. The same thing is coming for all of us; a general you can't negotiate with, an army that doesn't leave corpses behind on the battlefield. Lord Tyrion has told the both of us that a million people live in this city. There are about to become a million more soldiers in the Army of the Dead." Jon tells her, I watch the false-Queen carefully.

"I imagine most of them will be an improvement." Cersei says, I clench my jaw against her senseless words. Jon moves to stand in front of me.

"This is serious. I wouldn't be here if it weren't." Jon says, Cersei grins.

"I don't think it's serious at all. I think it's another bad joke." Cersei says, I have to stifle the scoff in my throat. "If my brother Jaime has informed me correctly, you are asking me for a truce."

"Yes, that's all." Daenerys says.

"That's all?" Cersei asks. "Ask my armies to stand down while you go on your monster hunt? All while you solidify and expand your position. Hard for me to know which it is with my armies pulled back. Until you return and march on my capitol with four times the men."

"Your capitol will be safe until the Northern threat is dealt with." Daenerys assures her. "You have my word."

"The word of a would-be usurper." Cersei fires back.

"There is no amount of conversation that could erase the last fifty years." I say, stepping between the two Queens. "We have something to show you, Lady Cersei." I move to take my place beside Daenerys once more, crossing my legs as Jon returns to his own seat. Aegon takes my hand in his own, rubbing his thumb against the back of my palm.

Behind me, the Hound emerges from the dungeons carrying a massive box on his back. He slowly sets it atop the ground and unlocks the chains that hold it shut. He carefully slides the lid off the top before dumping it over to reveal the wight hidden inside. The corpse writhes against the ground, flipping onto its feet and running straight for Cersei. The Hound catches the chain holding it back and stops its jaws only inches from Cersei's face. The wight quickly runs back to the Hound who slices the monster in half, leaving it to tumble on the floor in an effort to stand. The Hound stabs his sword through the corpse one last time before it crumbles to ash and bone. Jon picks up the dead man's hand who's fingers still remain moving as Ser Davos hands him a torch. Jon lights the arm on fire and the rest of it crumbles away.

"We can destroy them by burning them, and we can destroy them with dragon glass." Jon says, showing Cersei the dagger. "If we don't win this fight, then that is the fate of every person in the world." Cersei looks in utter shock at the dead man, seeming to be at a lose for words for the first time today. "There is only one war that matters, the Great War. And it is here."

"I didn't believe it until I saw them. I saw them all." Daenerys says.

"How many?" Jaime asks her.

"Hundred thousand at least." Daenerys says, Jaime's eyes widen in fear. I watch as Euron stands without a word, pausing to look at the dead man.

"Can they swim?" Euron asks.

"No." Aegon tells him, his tone dark as he speaks to the Greyjoy before him.

"Good." Euron says, leaving the pits without another word.