𝔼𝕦𝕣𝕠𝕟'𝕤 military support already proved useful before the real battle began. On their way back to Dragonstone, Daenerys' forces had been anticipated by his fleet. But not only were many of their ships destroyed, no, Euron had managed something far greater: he had killed one of the dragons. Under different circumstances, I might have mourned the loss of such rare magic, but right now, it was a massive help to us. And there was something else that had come from this incident too. We had a hostage - Missandei, the dragon queen's advisor and best friend. With her in our grasp, our choices were no longer plead for mercy or fight and pray. Now, we could potentially force Daenerys to surrender. Surely she would not sacrifice her own friend for a throne that never belonged to her in the first place, in a country she did not know, especially when she already had a significant region to rule elsewhere. All of a sudden, we had a leverage. Just to be safe, though, Cersei created another. I stood beside her at the window as people flooded in through the gates, desperate to get into the safety of the castle walls. Even up here, high in one of the spires of the Red Keep, you could faintly hear the noise arising from the masses; children crying, men shouting, guards calling orders to each other to keep the flow of people under control. "Human shields", I remarked. "Clever. But are you sure they'll work, once they're all that stands between her and the throne? These are your supporters, after all. Daenerys might see them as her enemies and send you a fiery thank you for the easy way to rid herself of them all." Cersei shook her head. "From what we've heard, her empathy for the defenseless is her one defining quality. She's like you, kind-hearted. She won't risk hurting them, even if they are on our side." "I've learned to play the game", I objected. "I'd do whatever's necessary." Cersei smiled and ran her hand in circles over the small of my back. "Oh, you have for sure. Let's hope she hasn't."

"Everything will be decided in these coming days", I said. "Who sits on the throne, how this country will be shaped, whether we will live or die - it will all be determined, now. It feels strange to think that so much can change in such a short time." "Nothing will change", Cersei replied firmly. "We will continue to rule, the dragon queen will surrender or die, and we will finally have peace. We can go on that journey we talked about, or stay right here, whatever you want. We'll bribe a septon and get married, and then I can rightfully call you my consort - even though you've always been my wife, no matter if we have the gods' blessing or not - and life will be good. It's only a matter of time, not a question." I went to pour myself a glass of wine, and Cersei followed me. "I want to believe that", I began cautiously, taking a sip, "but... just in case." I took her hands and held her gaze steadily. "If we don't survive this, I want you to know how much I love you. I want you to know that my life would have been nothing without you, and I cannot imagine a world in which I would not have had you. I am yours, and you are mine, in this life and whatever comes after, whenever it comes." Cersei repeated the vows under her breath, not wanting to interrupt me. "Together, we have been through Hell and back, and we have also known all the Seven Heavens. Everything I do, I do for you; I live for you, I breathe for you, I have devoted myself to you like others devote their lives to a god or seven. And death itself could not keep me from you, that much I promise you." Cersei's eyes were glistening with tears. "I can only agree with all you have said. You and me, we are forever, in this life or the next. But this one will still go on for quite a while, because we will not die in this war. Just think of all the things we have been through. That time you drank a whole bottle of poison during the Battle of the Blackwater, I thought for sure you would die, but you did not. And when I was nearly shot with an arrow, somehow, you saw it coming and saved me. After that, Joffrey would have likely had us killed, but that didn't happen either. We have always braved all odds and protected each other. Remember, how we had to pretend to be enemies in front of my father!" I laughed as the memory came back to me. "He totally believed it, meanwhile we were enjoying ourselves greatly - at least I was." "How was I to know you'd like me strangling you?", Cersei grinned, shaking her head. "But then, you always were good at taking pain. I'll never forget how you stood up to the Faith when you were imprisoned with me." "It was nothing against your resilience when they made you take that horrible Walk of Atonement. I could have never, I would have just broken down in the street and refused to get back up. Yet you stayed strong throughout all of it." "Oh, I don't believe that. You're tougher than you think. You would have made it too", Cersei smiled.

"I'm just scared", I admitted, growing serious again. "There's so much that can go wrong with this plan. If Daenerys ends up not caring enough about her friend or the innocents to lay down her arms... Do you believe our army could truly defeat her Unsullied, Dothraki and dragon?" Cersei said nothing. "We are resting our safety on the mercy of the Mad King's daughter. I don't like it." Cersei pulled me into her arms, stroking my hair. "Do you remember what you told me when Myrcella died?", she asked. "I felt like everything was falling apart, and you said: 'I know it seems that way to you right now, but you have been through a lot of shit lately and are understandably panicking, and this is not the end.' The same applies now. This is not the end. We killed part of her army, we killed one of her dragons, the White Walkers already did both of those things as well before, we hold her closest friend hostage - it's not looking good for her. Euron Greyjoy's fleet and the Golden Company are on our side, we have tons of those Scorpions that took down the dragon, and the Red Keep was built by Targaryens, which gives me cause to believe it could withstand a dragon attack. And even if it couldn't - there's many more places accessible for us to wait until our armies ultimately succeed." She took my face into her hands. "We'll be perfectly safe. It's like you said: we must continue living, for my children's legacy, for our legacy, for everything we built. Our time has only just begun. We will do so much more. More than any king or queen ever did. Side by side, you and me." Cersei kissed me deeply, and I returned the kiss, pressing up close against her body. "We will. You're right, this is our time to shine. We'll show them all what we can do. They'll sing songs about us for centuries to come, the queens who restored the Seven Kingdoms to their former glory. Let our love stand as an example for the change we will bring. We will make this world a better place than we found it - we already have, and we will continue to do so. Looking at you, it's so easy to believe it, it all seems so simple." I studied the lines and shapes of her face thoughtfully, tracing them with one hand. "Sometimes, I feel like we are the only thing that's real. Not this city, not this castle, not the ground beneath our feet, only us. You, me, and the love we share. It's all that matters, all that will last. One day, these stones will crumble, this flesh will rot, these names will fade to nothing, all reduced to a whisper in time, but our love, that is real, that is permanent. That will be what remains when all else is gone, the core of us." "I couldn't have put it better myself", Cersei said solemnly. "So let's go put it to work. I believe we have a hostage negotiation to lead."

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Eight dozen Unsullied stood assembled at our gates, Daenerys at their front. Varys stood beside her, next to Tyrion and a man in Unsullied armor whom I did not know. Daenerys' one remaining dragon lingered further off behind their men - a wise choice, given the Scorpions we had trained on them. Cersei and I were on the battlements, Euron and Gregor Clegane at our backs, a shaking Missandei at our side. Six soldiers surrounded us, more were spread out across the wall, manning the gigantic ballistae and an array of longbows. Our opponents looked none too happy to be here, contrary to Cersei, who was smirking down at them self-righteously. She knew as well as they did that we had every advantage here, they could do nothing to us. The gates beneath us opened to let out Qyburn. Tyrion stepped forward to meet him. Sound carried well across the open field, so it didn't take much strain to make out what they were saying. "My Lord", Qyburn greeted with casual cheeriness. "Queen Daenerys demands Cersei's unconditional surrender and the immediate release of Missandei of Naath", Tyrion stated. Qyburn retorted, "Queen Cersei demands Daenerys' unconditional surrender. If she refuses, Missandei of Naath will die here and now." "Qyburn", Tyrion began, "you're a rational man." "Or so I flatter myself, my Lord", Qyburn replied. "We have a chance here, perhaps our last chance, to avoid carnage", Tyrion continued. "Yes." "Help me. I don't want to see this city burn. I don't want to hear the screams of children burning alive." "No, it is not a pleasant sound", Qyburn sighed. "I- I don't want to hear it", Tyrion insisted. "Help me save this city." "My Lord, I am only a mouthpiece for our queens", Qyburn spoke. "Your queens", Tyrion corrected, but Qyburn would not be deterred so easily. "Cersei is Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, Vallery is her consort. You are their subject." "Their reign is over. You understand this. Help them understand it." "We understand nothing of the sort", Qyburn returned. "Your queen's last dragon is vulnerable. Your armies are battle-weary and depleted, while ours have been reinforced with the Golden Company-" He broke off as Tyrion started to walk past him, towards us. Our archers drew their arrows as he neared. Cersei raised her hand as if to give the signal to shoot, but drew back after a few tense seconds. "I know you don't care about your people", Tyrion finally said. A bold opening for a man who had been at arrowpoint moments ago. "Why should you? They hate you and you hate them. But you're not a monster." This truly had to be one of the worst negotiation strategies I had ever seen. "I know this. I know this because I've seen it. You've always loved your children. And her." His eyes slid over to me. "More than yourself, more than Jaime... more than anything." Cersei looked away, not wanting him to see the emotion showing on her face. "I beg you, if not for yourself, then for her. Your reign is over, but that doesn't mean your life has to end. It doesn't mean your lover has to die." 

I saw the tears in Cersei's eyes and knew she was in no state to counter him in her usual witty way. But I was. "And tell me, Lord Tyrion", I called out. "How did this reign fall into her hands? She did not take the throne with fire and blood like your precious 'queen of peace' plans to do. It passed to her through the graves of her children, the death of at least one of which you caused. It is hers by right. She has lost everything, for this. She waited for over twenty years on the sidelines, for this. Your queen has no claim to the throne. She has no right to it, and she has no leverage. It just so happens that we do. So, please enlighten me, you who always claimed to be so wise: why on earth would we surrender to you? We have the numbers, we have the weapons, we have the fortifications. A betting man would say you're fucked." Tyrion stared back at me. "You don't honestly believe sellswords can hold the city against a dragon, do you? You don't stand a chance if it comes to battle." "I disagree. Two of your miracle beasts have been killed already. It appears like you're running out of dragons." I smiled. "The Mad King thought fire could solve everything, and he died for it. You seem to be making the same mistake. Once that dragon goes down, it's over for you. And as recent events have shown, they can be taken out rather easily. All it takes is one well-placed shot, and your reign is over, before it even began." Tyrion looked at me with a mix of disappointment and resolve. "I can see why my sister likes you", he said. "You're perfect for each other." I had a hunch it was meant as an insult, but all I felt was pride in being compared to her. Cersei stepped closer to Missandei. "If you have any last words, now is the time." The girl stood there, breathing shakily. "Dracarys", she spat, and I froze. Dragonfire. The message was unmistakable. Avenge me. Burn them to the ground. For just a moment, I felt doubt gnawing at the certainty I had felt when speaking to Tyrion. The meeting had not gone as Cersei and I had hoped, that much was clear. Daenerys did not surrender, she seemed determined she could win this war. And just for this short moment, I allowed myself to wonder: what if she could? What if we were not able to stop her dragon? By killing Missandei, we would officially declare the start of the battle. There was no retreating from it if we did this. It would be the final fight, win or lose. Ser Gregor's sword whizzed through the air, Missandei's head tumbled down to the ground below, and in this moment I should have been enjoying, I worried that this decision might have doomed us all.