Audience chamber (Great Pyramid)
An audience chamber is located in the Great Pyramid, one level below the structure's apex.
Contents
Layout
Chamber
The splendorous audience chamber (or hall) is one level below the apartments at the apex of the Great Pyramid,[1] down a broad marble stair.[2] It is a chilly, echoing, high-ceilinged room with tiles and walls of purple marble. Tall candles burn amongst the purple marble pillars.[3]
The chamber has a fantastic throne of carved and gilded wood, all in the shape of a savage harpy.[1]
Terrace
The audience chamber has its own terrace. The lower terrace and its garden are used by Daenerys and Hizdahr zo Loraq to entertain the representatives from Yunkai to celebrate the peace. The garden includes lemon trees and night-blooming flowers.[4]
Recent Events
A Storm of Swords
After her successful siege of Meereen, Daenerys Targaryen takes the apex of the Great Pyramid for her private chambers, and uses the hall one level below as her audience chamber. Daenerys refuses to use a "harpy's lap" as a throne, so she has the old throne destroyed and its remains used for firewood. She chooses to sit a plain ebony bench instead, though she notes the Meereeneese population considered the bench unworthy for a queen.[1]
A Dance with Dragons
Unsullied stand with their backs to the pillars when Daenerys Targaryen holds court.[2] Daenerys finds herself spending long hours on the bench, listening to various petitioners and official representatives.
When Daenerys goes missing on Drogon from Daznak's Pit, her consort and co-ruler, Hizdahr zo Loraq, takes over the audience chamber in the Great Pyramid. He replaces her ebony bench with two imposing thrones of gilded wood, and their tall backs are carved in the shape of dragons. He chooses the right-hand throne for himself, leaving the vacant left-hand throne for[Daenerys in case she returns.[5] Ser Barristan Selmy thinks of the new throne as the "dragon throne".[5]
After Hizdahr assumes control in Daenerys's absence, Barristan attends a court session in the audience chamber. Barristan sees Prince Quentyn Martell, Ser Gerris Drinkwater, and Ser Archibald Yronwood in the rear of the hall. After Bloodbeard delivers Groleo's head, Barristan unsuccessfully warns Quentyn to leave the city.[5]
Ser Barristan eventually deposes Hizdahr in a coup d'etat and is proclaimed Queen's Hand, meaning that he is ruling in the name of the missing Daenerys. He decides to keep both the ebony bench and the dragon thrones out of the hall. He replaces them with his own new seat: a large round table in the center of the wall, surrounded by tall chairs. Barristan intends for the men seated at the table, the ruling council of Meereen, to discuss as peers. He refuses to hold court or accept petitioners in the hall until the return of Daenerys.[6]
Quotes
Her audience chamber was on the level below, an echoing high-ceilinged room with walls of purple marble. It was a chilly place for all its grandeur. There had been a throne there, a fantastic thing of carved and gilded wood in the shape of a savage harpy. She had taken one long look and commanded it be broken up for firewood.[1]
—thoughts of Daenerys Targaryen
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 71, Daenerys VI.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 2, Daenerys I.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 30, Daenerys V.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 50, Daenerys VIII.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 59, The Discarded Knight.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 70, The Queen's Hand.