𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕔𝕦𝕓𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕠𝕠 ; (ℂ𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕚 𝕩 𝕆ℂ🐺🦁)

𝟟 - 𝕌𝕟𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡

"𝕎𝕖𝕝𝕝 struck, dog!", Joffrey exclaimed as the Hound dropped a knight over the wall limiting the fighting area. He turned to face my sister. "Did you like that?" "It was well struck, Your Grace", Sansa replied mechanically. Joffrey's voice was irritated when he responded, as if he thought her stupid. "I already said it was well struck." His contemptous gaze lingered on her a moment longer before turning back to the dead knight, while my sister submissively said: "Yes, Your Grace." My fingers dug into the arms of my chair, knuckles white. I hated the way he treated her. But I had made a promise to Cersei, and I should at least try to keep it. He did make it hard on me, though. "Who's next?", the young king asked, one leg propped up on the ballustrade of the pavillion. "Lothor Brune, freerider in the service of Lord Baelish", a man announced below. "Ser Dontos the Red of House Hollard." Brune had already stepped forward, ready for the fight, but of Hollard there was no sign. "Ser Dontos the Red of House Hollard", the man hollered again. Finally, someone responded. "Here I am", a panting man of a wide frame slurred, still fastening his armor, "here I am." He held a morningstar clutched under one arm and was struggling to put his helmet on, dropping it in the process. "Sorry, Your Grace", he muttered. "My, my deepest apologies." "Are you drunk?", Joffrey inquired. "No", Ser Dontos replied, very obviously drunk. "I, uh, no, Your Grace, I had, uh, two cups of wine." "Two cups?", the king asked, and Dontos nodded eagerly. "That's not much at all", Joffrey continued, gesturing to the wine on our table. "Please, have another cup." "Y- you sure, Your Grace?" "Yes, to celebrate my name day." Joffrey sounded suddenly ecstatic. "Have two, have as much as you like!" "I would be honored, Your Grace", Hollard replied with a bow such as only a drunk can manage. Joffrey turned to his Kingsguard. "Ser Meryn, help Ser Dontos celebrate my name day. See that he drinks his fill." Meryn Trant and two other guards seized the still unsuspecting Ser Dontos by the arms, dragged him a few feet away and forced him to his knees. With the help of a funnel, they began upending an entire cask of wine into the poor man's mouth. He was choking and sputtering almost immediately. "You can't", Sansa spoke up. Joffrey's head flicked around to look at her incredulously. "What did you say? Did you say I can't?" "I only meant", my sister stammered, "it would be bad luck to kill a man on your name day." Joffrey huffed. "What kind of stupid peasant superstition." "The girl is right", the Hound interrupted. "What a man sows on his name day, he reaps all year." Joffrey sighed. "Take him away", he ordered reluctantly. "I'll have him killed tomorrow, the fool. "He is", Sansa said quickly as the funnel was finally removed from the drunk knight's throat. "A fool, you're so clever to see it! He'll make a much better fool than a knight. He doesn't deserve the mercy of a quick death." The king considered her words for a moment, then spoke. "Did you hear my lady, Ser Dontos? From this day, you'll be my new fool." "Thank you, Your Grace", Hollard replied before he was taken away, "thank you, my lady, thank you." I exhaled deeply, glad that this cruel display was over.

"Beloved nephew", a mirthful voice sounded through the pavillion. None other than Tyrion Lannister marched toward us, accompanied by a few men I didn't know. I had only met the imp briefly at Winterfell, he had been off whoring all day. Last I'd heard, though, he was my mother's captive. Had he escaped? "We looked for you on the battlefield. You were nowhere to be found." He made direct course for the wine and poured himself a cup. "I've been here, ruling the kingdoms", Joffrey said, sounding slightly uneasy. "What a fine job you've done", Tyrion declared before turning to Myrcella and Tommen. "Ah, look at you", he said, kissing Myrcella on the cheek. "More beautiful than ever. And you, you're going to be bigger than the Hound! But much better looking." Taking in Sandor Clegane's glance, he added: "This one doesn't like me." "Can't imagine why", the sellsword he had arrived with commented. "We heard you were dead", Joffrey said nonchalantly. Myrcella showed more empathy than her brother. "I'm glad you're not dead." "Me too, dear. Death is so boring, especially now, with so much excitement in the world." Tyrion turned to Sansa and me. "My lady, my lady, I'm sorry for your loss." But that phrase displeased Joffrey. "Their loss?", he asked. "Their father was a confessed traitor!" "But still their father", Tyrion retorted without missing a beat. "Surely having so recently lost your own beloved father, you can sympathize." Joffrey didn't reply, but turned to look at Sansa expectantly. "My father was a traitor", she said, the king's words coming out of her mouth, "my mother and brother are traitors, too. I am loyal to my beloved Joffrey." Tyrion gave her a sad smile that I understood all too well. "Of course you are", he said and emptied his cup. "Well, enjoy your name day, Your Grace. I wish I could stay and celebrate, but there is work to be done." He marched off, followed by his retinue, ignoring Joffrey's questions. "What work? Why are you here?"