Of Lions and Wolves

Victory

Robb

If Robb had any choice in the matter he would have dragged the pretend queen through the streets in chains. But it wasn't up to him so he only tied her hands and practically threw her on his horse. As for the Kingslayer, well, he knew the queen would not mind if he was delivered chained. Robb rode through the streets as the sun was setting, bathing everything in golden light, and Robb was struck with how beautiful it was, really beautiful. You could almost forget the frightful smell, of sewage and death. You could almost forget that blood stained the stones and stuck to the horses hooves and to the soldiers feet.
Myrcella gagged in front of him, attempting to cover her nose with her bound hands. He shouldn't have cared, because she was the enemy, he shouldn't have cared because her soldiers had killed his, and her brother had murdered his father. But he placed a handkerchief in her hands anyway, and cut the rope around her wrists.
He could not see her expression, but he imagined she was shocked, and probably contemptious, she was a Lannister after all. 
"Thank you"
Now it was his turn to be surprised.
"You're welcome," he replied a bit too gruffly.
Robb expected this to be the end of their conversation, but he was once again surprised.
"Where is the dragon queen?", Myrcella asked softly, almost too soft for Robb to hear over the din of conquering soldiers and conquered.
"She should be at the Red Keep by now."
Myrcella nodded her head slowly,  as if contemplating something.
Robb turned into a larger street, and at last the mountainous castle was visible, looming high above them.
"Is the dragon recovered?" The girl asked suddenly.
"Pardon me?", Robb pulled the reins of his massive warhorse, bringing the whole parade to a halt.
"One of the dragons, it was injured yesterday, with the dragonbolt. It came down outside the city gates."
Robb growled in anger and turned Myrcella to face him, " The dragonbolt that you ordered to be fired. The dragon is clearly not you first concern, so don't pretend to be distressed by it's health."
"Sometimes good dragons do bad things, when controlled by bad people." Myrcella said plainly, looking into his eyes.
Robb gritted his teeth and spit out, "I think it wise for you to be silent, my lady,"he mocked,"the queen will decide the punishment for your crime."
With that Robb hastily spurred his horse onward in the courtyard of the Red Keep.

Myrcella

Myrcella was seething on the inside. As if he was any better than her. She could forgive Lord Stark's anger for the injustice dealt to him and his family. But the contempt! Her Lannister pride flared up in her heart and something like resentment settled itself into her being as the line of soldiers marched into The Red Keep.
Robb Stark pulled her down from the gigantic horse and ushered into her into the keep, signalling the guards to follow with her father.
Myrcella sneaked a look at Jaime. His head was high and defiant, and he offered her a sad smile when she caught his eye.
He's going to die, she realized, the dragon queen will kill him.
At this realization, Myrcella sprouted an idea, a desperate idea certainly, but an idea, nevertheless.
Myrcella was torn from her thoughts with a grunt of annoyance from Lord Stark as he stood confused at two intersecting corridors. Myrcella held her tongue but could not hide her amusement at the puzzled warrior. His ignorance gave her satisfaction even if it was hardly unusual for someone who had never visited the Red Keep before.
"Seven hells!", The young Lord exclaimed," Where is the damn throne room?"
" Did you not bring your map, Lord Stark?", Jaime smirked.
Myrcella sent him a reproachful look,
" That is not the way to treat a guest to our home, uncle",
she smiled kindly at the Northernman.
"Take a left, my Lord.", she forced sweetly out, even if she detested the man, it benefited her to hide her emotions.
Robb grimaced gratefully at Myrcella and followed her instructions.
After many other twists and turns they arrived at the doors to the throne room, where Daenerys Targaryen had already set up court. Entering the long hall, Myrcella felt like an intruder, as if  she hadn't spent her whole life in these walls, as if she wasn't the daughter of a king (pretend daughter anyway).
The new queen was seated on the iron throne, her silver and gray dress shimmering around her, as if it too was made of iron. Next to this victorious conquerer, Myrcella looked like a beggar. Her blond hair was matted with mud and streaks of blood. Dust clung to her simple frock the hem of which was caked in a strange mixture of blood, dirt, and at least a bit of vomit and extrament. King's Landing really was a dirty city.
A young girl standing to the left of the queen began to speak,
" You stand in the presence of Daenerys Targaryen, queen of the andals and firstmen, protector of the realm, khalessi of the great grass sea, queen of meereen, the unburnt,  mother of dragons, the breaker of chains."
Myrcella swallowed down the rising terror, I am queen of nothing, protector of no one, she thought. To the Targaryen she said simply,
"I welcome you, Queen Daenerys."
" You welcome me?" The queen ached a dark eyebrow, her voice cool and level, "that's not the first impression I received."
A little man cleared his throat and only then did Myrcella notice her uncle Tyrion, standing to the queen's right. He shared a look with the queen and she gestured towards the huge doors that Myrcella had just come through. The doors opened and her mother was dragged in, flanked by two hulking Northmen.
A small gasp escaped Myrcella's lips, and her father squirmed against his bindings. It looked as if Cersei had tried to fight the soldiers, her mouth was bleeding as if struck by a metal gauntlet.
"Mother", Myrcella whispered as her mother was dropped on her knees directly to her right, "Are you injured, Mother?"
Cersei, slowly nodded and pulled herself to a sitting position and glared up at the throne and the Targaryen Queen.
Tyrion cleared his throat again and loudly proclaimed.
"Jaimie Lannister, you stand accused of treason and murder, Cersei Lannister you stand accused of treason and murder, Myrcella Lannister," Tyrion's voice caught slightly in his throat  before continuing,"You stand accused of treason. How do you answer these charges?
A loaded silence filled the expanse of the throne room and all eyes turned towards Jaimie to answer first.
Jaimie, looked at Myrcella and smiled again,
"I have nothing to say," he started,"I murdered many men, your father was just one of them, I wounded many young boys", at this he nodded towards where Robb Stark was standing behind Myrcella, "your brother was just one of them. But I am no more of a killer than any of the men standing in this room. If today is my day of reckoning, then all here be warned, your day is coming." Jaimie's voice had risen slowly to a grand crescendo that echoed throughout the entire hall, and he seethed with anger as he shouted these last words.
Myrcella stared at him and asked the gods why they had given her such a stubborn father, nevertheless she had expected nothing else from him.
Daenerys looked as if she wanted to breathe fire at him, and she folded her fisted hands in her lap, in an attempt to hide her rage.
But instead of demanding his head, as Myrcella had expected, Daenerys only turned to Cersei and asked her the same question.
" How do you answer these charges, Cersei Lannister?"
Myrcella held her breath and waited for the inevitable storm that was her mother's anger. Cersei sneered viciously up at the dragon queen and spat out, " You're not a queen, you're a Dothraki bitch."
The room was dead silent, Myrcella sucked in a deep breath and waited again for Daenerys to release hell on her parents, but she remained motionless in her throne. In fact Myrcella though she saw a sneak of a smile on Daenerys' exquisite face as she turned towards Myrcella.
" Myrcella Lannister, how do you answer these charges?"
Myrcella took a deep breath, drew herself up to her full height, and forced her shaky legs to gracefully approach the fearsome throne and look Daenerys Targaryen, queen of the the seven kingdoms in the eye.
" Your majesty," she began,"I have surrendered the city to you, and I will surrender the kingdom, and...", Myrcella let out another long breath. "and I will surrender my right to the iron throne."
Daenerys lifted her eyebrows and her corner turned up in a smug smile. Myrcella trained her eyes on the queen as she sank to her knees, her dirty frock billowing behind her.
" I have only one request," Myrcella's voice was quiet, almost inaudible, " please, gracious majesty, mercy for my mother, for my uncle. I would ask that you would give mercy to my soldiers and allow them to return to their families." Myrcella finished and gazed pleadingly into the violet eyes of the girl above her. 

"And why should I do that? Your parents have no remorse for their crimes, their punishment is death."

"No!", Myrcella exclaimed hastily, "No, please! If anyone must be punished let it be me. 

Her mother gasped behind her, "Myrcella no!" Cersei struggled to her feet and rushed towards her daughter, but was halted by her two guards. 

Myrcella didn't even turn, but held the queen's gaze.

" Do what you will to me, but let my mother and...," Myrcella hesitated, unsure of whether she should acknowledge what everyone knew to be true, "...my uncle live the rest of their lives at Casterly Rock. Please, even if they can never leave that place, let them live!" 

Myrcella had not really noticed to absolute silence that echoed against the stone walls of the chamber. Every eye was turned toward her kneeled frame, quizzically sizing up this small, frail child who dared to sacrifice everything for her family. 

Daenerys' eyes remained fixated on Myrcella's for a small eternity when she finally declared to the court. "Jaimie and Cersei Lannister shall be sent to Casterly Rock and placed under house arrest for the duration of their lives. The Lannister forces shall receive full pardons if", here she paused and gave Myrcella a pointed look, "they bend the knee to me. And the Lady Myrcella shall be allowed to go to Casterly Rock with her parents." With that Daenerys Targaryen rose from her iron throne and swept out of the shocked throne room.