A Feast for Crows-Chapter 32

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Cersei VII
A Feast for Crows chapter
AFeastForCrows.jpg
POV Cersei Lannister
Place King's Landing
Page 473 UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Cersei VI
Brienne VI  ← Cersei VII →  Jaime V

Cersei VIII

Synopsis

Margaery is fuming at Cersei and her council that the Throne must respond at once to the ironmen's attack on the Shield Islands. Cersei does not appreciate the young queen's tone, and claims that it must fall to Highgarden to retake "these rocks". Loras Tyrell interjects as his sister seethes, stating that his brothers Willas and Garlan have the men, but not the ships, to win back the islands. He requests that Cersei pull Lord Redwyne's fleet from their siege of Dragonstone, so they may return to gather troops at the Arbor. The Queen Regent denies his request, implying that the Redwyne fleet would not depart until Dragonstone fell. Knowing that Lord Paxter intended to starve them out, Ser Loras asks leave to lead the assault, and promises Cersei Dragonstone within a fortnight. Pleased by this unexpected "gift", Cersei grants him permission.

Returning to her apartments, Pycelle objects to her sending Loras, but Cersei is hoping the knight will die besieging the walls of Dragonstone; but if not, she would still strike a blow against Stannis. When she meets Qyburn, he mentions that he has a "champion" to replace Loras should he fall. Cersei is not so sure of Qyburn's "paragon", and informs him that the smiths she hired believe the weight of the armor he requested cannot be borne by a human.

Later, in bed, Lady Taena asks her certain questions; Cersei becomes concerned the woman may report her answers to Margaery. But Taena assures her that all her secrets are safe. However, their chat is interrupted by a guard pounding on her door with word that Falyse Stokeworth begged to see her. Cersei finds the woman battered, and listens to the tale of her husband's death. After Bronn defeated him in single combat, but before killing him, Bronn forced Ser Balman to confess who put him up to this. Bronn then told Falyse to leave immediately or meet the same fate. When Falyse told her mother's guards to arrest Bronn, they laughed and told her to listen to "Lord Stokeworth". Fearful that Falyse would spread rumors of Cersei's involvement, Cersei summons Lord Qyburn so that he could take another female subject to his lab in the black cells. Back in her room, a very inebriated Cersei contemplates how to deal with Bronn, and then begins to fondle Taena, "claiming her rights as queen" the way Robert would do to her when he was drunk.

References and Notes