Editing A Clash of Kings-Chapter 59 (section)

==Synopsis==
[[Tyrion Lannister]], standing on top of the [[River Gate|Mud Gate]], watches motionlessly as half of [[Stannis Baratheon|Stannis's]] fleet is ablaze in the [[Blackwater Rush]], along with most of King [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey's]] ships. It seems like the river itself is on fire. The air is full of smoke, arrows and screams. The wildfire is drifting downstream towards ships that desperately, but futilely, try to escape. The low-hanging clouds reflect the green glow, creating an eerily beautiful scenery. Tyrion is reminded of dragon fire and wonders whether he feels the same way as [[Aegon I Targaryen|Aegon the Conqueror]] did when he watched the [[Field of Fire]]. He is captivated and cannot turn away, although he realizes that this is only half a victory and that the celebrations of the [[City Watch of King's Landing|gold cloaks]] behind him are premature.

Tyrion sees another ship loaded with [[wildfire]] exploding and has to shield his eyes. Hundreds of people are dying in the water, either burning to death or drowning. He thinks of Stannis, who might be sitting on his warhorse among the mass of people on the southern bank of the Blackwater, watching the same spectacle. Tyrion hears King Joffrey, huddled among his guards on the wallwalk below, complaining about the fate of his fleet, as the ''[[Kingslander]]'', ''[[Queen Cersei]]''. and ''[[Loyal Man]]'' are already burning and the ''[[Seaflower]]'' is about to be engulfed by flames as well. He advises his nephew that there was no alternative to sacrificing the own fleet, thinking by himself that Stannis would have sensed the trap, if the royal fleet had not come forward for battle. [[Bronn]]'s position under the [[Red Keep]] is too far away for Tyrion to see anything, but the sellsword must have set the [[oxen]] into motion the second [[Fury|Stannis's flagship]] had passed and the enormously heavy chain was pulled up by the [[winch towers|winches]], creating a barrier that now prevents most ships from escaping the wildfire inferno.

Some do, though, as Tyrion observes with dismay. While the main channel of the Blackwater is all aflame, the north and south banks are not, as the wildfire has not spread as evenly Tyrion hoped it would. A good part of Stannis's ships have made for the southern side of the Blackwater, from where they can bring the enemy troops across later on, while at least eight ships have already landed under the city wall, putting men ashore there. Stannis's main host might need some time to regain their courage, but when they start to attack again, the risk of the city forces breaking will be acute, as Lord [[Jacelyn Bywater]] has warned Tyrion. Seeing shapes moving among the charred ruins of the city wharves, he sends order to Jacelyn to make another sortie against soldiers stumbling ashore.

Tyrion commands Ser [[Arneld]] to swing the [[Three Whores]] thirty degrees west. King Joffrey brings up that his mother has promised him that he could use the [[Three Whores]] and Tyrion allows him to go through with his plan for the [[Antler Men]]. When they were brought before the king for justice, Joffrey promised them that he would send them back to Stannis. The traitors are now naked and trussed up in the square, antlers nailed to their heads, and Joffrey intends to catapult the bodies over the city wall in Stannis's direction. Tyrion tells Joffrey to proceed swiftly, as the catapults will be needed for other things soon. As the happy king is about to leave, escorted by members of the [[Kingsguard]], Tyrion orders Ser [[Osmund Kettleblack]] that they should keep Joffrey safe under any circumstance but also keep him among the defenders. He wonders whether [[Cersei Lannister|Cersei]] will be true to her promise of protecting [[Alayaya]] the way he protects Cersei's wretched [[bastard]] son.

Tyrion gets word that hundreds of enemies have landed on the tourney grounds and prepare for battering down the [[King's Gate]] with a ram. He curses, hurries to his horse and, followed by [[Podrick Payne]] and Ser [[Mandon Moore]], gallops through the [[River Row]], kept clear of traffic on Tyrion's command to allow movement between the gates, towards the King's Gate. When he arrives there, the ram is already in place outside and crashing against the wood. Some of the defenders on the gatehouse square are wounded, but Tyrion spots a good many sellswords and knights who are not, and he orders another sortie, asking who is in charge.

[[Sandor Clegane]] steps forward and objects to Tyrion's order, dropping his helmet to the ground. His face is covered in blood from a gash on his forehead and the left ear of his dog's head helm is sheared off. Tyrion insists on a sortie, but the [[Hound]] tells him to bugger that and bugger himself. A sellsword seconds Sandor, explaining that three sorties left half of the men wounded or dead. Tyrion sarcastically asks him whether he thinks he has been hired to fight in a [[tourney]]. He repeats his order, addressing the Hound in particular, but then is shocked to notice that Sandor is actually scared. Tyrion changes his tactics and tries to coax the men into action, but Sandor is adamant that he will not lead the men into the fire again. He suggests to open the gate instead and kill the enemies when they rush inside. Mandon advises him to obey the order of the [[Hand of the King]], but the Hound just curses Tyrion some more, then asks for wine.

Sandor's face is white as milk and Tyrion thinks he is dead on feet, worn out by the battle and his terror of fire. Even worse, the Hound's fear has shaken the will of those he commands. Tyrion is looking around for another man to put in charge, but dismisses his own idea of using Mandon, as he remembers a comment by his brother [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime]] that Mandon is not the kind of man others would follow. Tyrion hears another crash of the ram and announces that he will lead the sortie himself, thinking to himself that this is madness but madness is better than defeat. The Hound laughs at the suggestion with contempt, but Tyrion gives orders to prepare the attack. However, only twenty men respond to his call while the others follow Sandor's example. 

Tyrion shames the holdouts by suggesting they are less than a [[dwarf]] if they refuse to fight their enemies. Within a few moments, twice as many men respond to Tyrion, who encourages them to defend their city. Tyrion unsheathes his axe and trots towards the sally point without looking back to see if he is being followed.