A Feast for Crows-Chapter 12

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Cersei III
A Feast for Crows chapter
AFeastForCrows.jpg
POV Cersei Lannister
Place King's Landing
Page 172 UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Cersei II
The Kraken's Daughter  ← Cersei III →  The Soiled Knight

Cersei IV

Synopsis

Cersei is remembering her concession to the Queen of Thorns to allow Tommen and Margaery to sleep in the same bed on their wedding night only, when Jaime arrives to speak to her. He asks if she still means to burn down the Tower of the Hand after the wedding, but she is determined to see it destroyed, and hopefully smoke out a few rats in the process. We begin to notice changes in Cersei, including weight gain and overindulgence in alcohol. Tommen's wedding is a modest affair compared to his brother's, and the ceremony goes over well enough. Afterwards, Kevan comes over to Cersei and mentions that Sandor Clegane is reported to have joined Beric Dondarrion's outlaws. The queen is already aware of this, having heard that outlaws have pillaged Saltpans and savagely raped the townswomen. The report mentioned that they were led by a huge man in a hound's head helmet.

Cersei suggests that Lancel hunt down the Hound, but her uncle scoffs that his son is not the man to deal with Clegane. When she then suggests that he go after Clegane himself, Ser Kevan responds, "When a dog goes bad, the fault lies with its master." Talking to Jaime, she wonders if Margaery is really a maiden, and he tells her that Mace Tyrell will be marching on Storm's End in a few days, while Garlan Tyrell will take half the Tyrell host to Brightwater Keep and then on to Highgarden, including Lady Alerie Tyrell and Lady Olenna. During the reception, Cersei recalls her visit to a woods witch when she was younger, and the old hag's words: Queen you shall be, until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all you hold dear. Drinking heavily during the feast, she begins to wonder if Margaery is the one in the hag's prophecy, which also mentions the valonqar.

When Tommen chokes on his wine accidentally, Cersei flees the hall for some air. She is met outside by Lady Taena, who informs her that one of Cersei's maids is a spy reporting to Margaery's cousins. Cersei assumes it is Senelle, and promises to reward Lady Merryweather if this is true. Asking why the beauty from Myr would venture this info, Taena responds that she wants what is best for her husband and son, and Cersei could provide advancement for her family. Back inside, Cersei refuses to dance with anyone, but takes note of how attractive the Bastard of Driftmark, Aurane Waters, is: with his silvery hair - a mark of house Velaryon which is descended from the Freehold of Valyria like the Targaryens - he almost resembles Prince Rhaegar.

Towards the end of the night, Cersei leads everyone outside to watch as the pyromancers set the Tower of the Hand on fire. As the green flames of wildfire consume the Tower, the queen regent compares the beauty of the spectacle to Joffrey. As the others begin to depart for bed, Cersei remains behind to watch the fires burn, arm in arm with Ser Osmund Kettleblack.

References and Notes