A Dance with Dragons

by George R. R. Martin

  his eyes, opened them again. “There are… there are hundreds of Lannister guardsmen in this castle.”

  “But none in this room, thankfully. This pains me, my lord. You do not deserve to die alone on such a cold dark night. There are many like you, good men in service to bad causes… but you were threatening to undo all the queen’s good work, to reconcile Highgarden and Casterly Rock, bind the Faith to your little king, unite the Seven Kingdoms under Tommen’s rule. So…”

  A gust of wind blew up. Ser Kevan shivered violently. “Are you cold, my lord?” asked Varys. “Do forgive me. The Grand Maester befouled himself in dying, and the stink was so abominable that I thought I might choke.”

  Ser Kevan tried to rise, but the strength had left him. He could not feel his legs.

  “I thought the crossbow fitting. You shared so much with Lord Tywin, why not that? Your niece will think the Tyrells had you murdered, mayhaps with the connivance of the Imp. The Tyrells will suspect her. Someone somewhere will find a way to blame the Dornishmen. Doubt, division, and mistrust will eat the very ground beneath your boy king, whilst Aegon raises his banner above Storm’s End and the lords of the realm gather round him.”

  “Aegon?” For a moment he did not understand. Then he remembered. A babe swaddled in a crimson cloak, the cloth stained with his blood and brains. “Dead. He’s dead.”

  “No.” The eunuch’s voice seemed deeper. “He is here. Aegon has been shaped for rule since before he could walk. He has been trained in arms, as befits a knight to be, but that was not the end of his education. He reads and writes, he speaks several tongues, he has studied history and law and poetry. A septa has instructed him in the mysteries of the Faith since he was old enough to understand them. He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows that kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them.”

  Kevan Lannister tried to cry out… to his guards, his wife, his brother… but the words would not come. Blood dribbled from his mouth. He shuddered violently.

  “I am sorry.” Varys wrung his hands. “You are suffering, I know, yet here I stand going on like some silly old woman. Time to make an end to it.” The eunuch pursed his lips and gave a little whistle.

  Ser Kevan was cold as ice, and every labored breath sent a fresh stab of pain through him. He glimpsed movement, heard the soft scuffling sound of slippered feet on stone. A child emerged from a pool of darkness, a pale boy in a ragged robe, no more than nine or ten. Another rose up behind the Grand Maester’s chair. The girl who had opened the door for him was there as well. They were all around him, half a dozen of them, white-faced children with dark eyes, boys and girls together.

  And in their hands, the daggers.

  APPENDIX

  MAPS

  WESTEROS

  THE BOY KING

  TOMMEN BARATHEON, the First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, a boy of eight years,

  — his wife, QUEEN MARGAERY of House Tyrell, thrice wed, twice widowed, accused of high treason, held captive in the Great Sept of Baelor,

  — her lady companions and cousins, MEGGA, ALLA, and ELINOR TYRELL, accused of fornications,

  — Elinor’s betrothed, ALYN AMBROSE, squire,

  — his mother, CERSEI of House Lannister, Queen Dowager, Lady of Casterly Rock, accused of high treason, captive in the Great Sept of Baelor,

  — his siblings:

  — his elder brother, {KING JOFFREY I BARATHEON}, poisoned during his wedding feast,

  — his elder sister, PRINCESS MYRCELLA BARATHEON, a girl of nine, a ward of Prince Doran Martell at Sunspear, betrothed to his son Trystane,

  — his kittens, SER POUNCE, LADY WHISKERS, BOOTS,

  — his uncles:

  — SER JAIME LANNISTER, called THE KINGSLAYER, twin to Queen Cersei, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard,

  — TYRION LANNISTER, called THE IMP, a dwarf, accused and condemned for regicide and kinslaying,

  — his other kin:

  — his grandfather, {TYWIN LANNISTER}, Lord of Casterly Rock, Warden of the West, and Hand of the King, murdered in the privy by his son Tyrion,

  — his great-uncle, SER KEVAN LANNISTER, Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm, m. Dorna Swyft,

  — their children:

  — SER LANCEL LANNISTER, a knight of the Holy Order of the Warrior’s Sons,

  — {WILLEM}, twin to Martyn, murdered at Riverrun,

  — MARTYN, twin to Willem, a squire,

  — JANEI, a girl of three,

  — his great-aunt, GENNA LANNISTER, m. Ser Emmon Frey,

  — their children:

  — {SER CLEOS FREY}, killed by outlaws,

  — his son, SER TYWIN FREY, called TY,

  — his son, WILLEM FREY, a squire,

  — SER LYONEL FREY, Lady Genna’s second son,

  — {TION FREY}, a squire, murdered at Riverrun,

  — WALDER FREY, called RED WALDER, a page at Casterly Rock,

  — his great-uncle, {SER TYGETT LANNISTER}, m. Darlessa Marbrand

  — their children:

  — TYREK LANNISTER, a squire, vanished during the food riots in King’s Landing,

  — LADY ERMESANDE HAYFORD, Tyrek’s child wife,

  — his great uncle, GERION LANNISTER, lost at sea,

  — JOY HILL, his bastard daughter,

  — King Tommen’s small council:

  — SER KEVAN LANNISTER, Lord Regent,

  — LORD MACE TYRELL, Hand of the King,

  — GRAND MAESTER PYCELLE, counselor and healer,

  — SER JAIME LANNISTER, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard,

  — LORD PAXTER REDWYNE, grand admiral and master of ships,

  — QYBURN, a disgraced maester and reputed necromancer, master of whisperers,

  — Queen Cersei’s former small council,

  — {LORD GYLES ROSBY}, lord treasurer and master of coin, dead of a cough,

  — LORD ORTON MERRYWEATHER, justiciar and master of laws, fled to Longtable upon Queen Cersei’s arrest,

  — AURANE WATERS, the Bastard of Driftmark, grand admiral and master of ships, fled to sea with the royal fleet upon Queen Cersei’s arrest,

  — King Tommen’s Kingsguard:

  — SER JAIME LANNISTER, Lord Commander,

  — SER MERYN TRANT,

  — SER BOROS BLOUNT, removed and thence restored,

  — SER BALON SWANN, in Dorne with Princess Myrcella,

  — SER OSMUND KETTLEBLACK,

  — SER LORAS TYRELL, the Knight of Flowers,

  — {SER ARYS OAKHEART}, dead in Dorne,

  — Tommen’s court at King’s Landing:

  — MOON BOY, the royal jester and fool,

  — PATE, a lad of eight, King Tommen’s whipping boy,

  — ORMOND OF OLDTOWN, the royal harper and bard,

  — SER OSFRYD KETTLEBLACK, brother to Ser Osmund and Ser Osney, a captain in the City Watch,

  — NOHO DIMITTIS, envoy from the Iron Bank of Braavos,

  — {SER GREGOR CLEGANE}, called THE MOUNTAIN THAT RIDES, dead of a poisoned wound,

  — RENNIFER LONGWATERS, chief undergaoler of the Red Keep’s dungeons,

  — Queen Margaery’s alleged lovers:

  — WAT, a singer styling himself THE BLUE BARD, a captive driven mad by torment,

  — {HAMISH THE HARPER}, an aged singer, died a captive,

  — SER MARK MULLENDORE, who lost a monkey and half an arm in the Battle of the Blackwater,

  — SER TALLAD called THE TALL, SER LAMBERT TURNBERRY, SER BAYARD NORCROSS, SER HUGH CLIFTON,

  — JALABHAR XHO, Prince of the Red Flower Vale, an exile from the Summer Isles,

  — SER HORAS REDWYNE, found innocent and freed,

  —
SER HOBBER REDWYNE, found innocent and freed,

  — Queen Cersei’s chief accuser,

  — SER OSNEY KETTLEBLACK, brother to Ser Osmund and Ser Osfryd, held captive by the Faith,

  — the people of the Faith:

  — THE HIGH SEPTON, Father of the Faithful, Voice of the Seven on Earth, an old man and frail,

  — SEPTA UNELLA, SEPTA MOELLE, SEPTA SCOLERA, the queen’s gaolers,

  — SEPTON TORBERT, SEPTON RAYNARD, SEPTON LUCEON, SEPTON OLLIDOR, of the Most Devout,

  — SEPTA AGLANTINE, SEPTA HELICENT, serving the Seven at the Great Sept of Baelor,

  — SER THEODAN WELLS, called THEODAN THE TRUE, pious commander of the Warrior’s Sons,

  — the “sparrows,” the humblest of men, fierce in their piety,

  — people of King’s Landing:

  — CHATAYA, proprietor of an expensive brothel,

  — ALAYAYA, her daughter,

  — DANCY, MAREI, two of Chataya’s girls,

  — TOBHO MOTT, a master armorer,

  — lords of the crownlands, sworn to the Iron Throne:

  — RENFRED RYKKER, Lord of Duskendale,

  — SER RUFUS LEEK, a one-legged knight in his service, castellan of the Dun Fort at Duskendale,

  — {TANDA STOKEWORTH}, Lady of Stokeworth, died of a broken hip,

  — her eldest daughter, {FALYSE}, died screaming in the black cells,

  — {SER BALMAN BYRCH}, Lady Falyse’s husband, killed in a joust,

  — her younger daughter, LOLLYS, weak of wit, Lady of Stokeworth,

  — her newborn son, TYRION TANNER, of the hundred fathers,

  — her husband, SER BRONN OF THE BLACKWATER, sellsword turned knight,

  — MAESTER FRENKEN, in service at Stokeworth,

  King Tommen’s banner shows the crowned stag of Baratheon, black on gold, and the lion of Lannister, gold on crimson, combatant.

  THE KING AT THE WALL

  STANNIS BARATHEON, the First of His Name, second son of Lord Steffon Baratheon and Lady Cassana of House Estermont, Lord of Dragonstone, styling himself King of Westeros,

  — with King Stannis at Castle Black:

  — LADY MELISANDRE OF ASSHAI, called THE RED WOMAN, a priestess of R’hllor, the Lord of Light,

  — his knights and sworn swords:

  — SER RICHARD HORPE, his second-in-command,

  — SER GODRY FARRING, called GIANTSLAYER,

  — SER JUSTIN MASSEY,

  — LORD ROBIN PEASEBURY,

  — LORD HARWOOD FELL,

  — SER CLAYTON SUGGS, SER CORLISS PENNY, queen’s men and fervent followers of the Lord of Light,

  — SER WILLAM FOXGLOVE, SER HUMFREY CLIFTON, SER ORMUND WYLDE, SER HARYS COBB, knights

  — his squires, DEVAN SEAWORTH and BRYEN FARRING

  — his captive, MANCE RAYDER, King-Beyond-the-Wall,

  — Rayder’s infant son, “the wildling prince,”

  — the boy’s wet nurse, GILLY, a wildling girl,

  — Gilly’s infant son, “the abomination,” fathered by her father {CRASTER},

  — at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea:

  — QUEEN SELYSE of House Florent, his wife,

  — PRINCESS SHIREEN, their daughter, a girl of eleven,

  — PATCHFACE, Shireen’s tattooed fool,

  — her uncle, SER AXELL FLORENT, foremost of the queen’s men, styling himself the Queen’s Hand,

  — her knights and sworn swords, SER NARBERT GRANDISON, SER BENETHON SCALES, SER PATREK OF KING’S MOUNTAIN, SER DORDEN THE DOUR, SER MALEGORN OF REDPOOL, SER LAMBERT WHITEWATER, SER PERKIN FOLLARD, SER BRUS BUCKLER

  — SER DAVOS SEAWORTH, Lord of the Rainwood, Admiral of the Narrow Sea, and Hand of the King, called THE ONION KNIGHT,

  — SALLADHAR SAAN of Lys, a pirate and sellsail, master of the Valyrian and a fleet of galleys,

  — TYCHO NESTORIS, emissary from the Iron Bank of Braavos.

  Stannis has taken for his banner the fiery heart of the Lord of Light—a red heart surrounded by orange flames upon a yellow field. Within the heart is the crowned stag of House Baratheon, in black.

  KING OF THE ISLES AND THE NORTH

  The Greyjoys of Pyke claim descent from the Grey King of the Age of Heroes. Legend says the Grey King ruled the sea itself and took a mermaid to wife. Aegon the Dragon ended the line of the last King of the Iron Islands, but allowed the ironborn to revive their ancient custom and choose who should have primacy among them. They chose Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke. The Greyjoy sigil is a golden kraken upon a black field. Their words are We Do Not Sow.

  EURON GREYJOY, the Third of His Name Since the Grey King, King of the Iron Islands and the North, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind, and Lord Reaper of Pyke, captain of the Silence, called CROW’S EYE,

  — his elder brother, {BALON}, King of the Iron Islands and the North, the Ninth of His Name Since the Grey King, killed in a fall,

  — LADY ALANNYS, of House Harlaw, Balon’s widow,

  — their children:

  — {RODRIK}, slain during Balon’s first rebellion,

  — {MARON}, slain during Balon’s first rebellion,

  — ASHA, captain of the Black Wind and conqueror of Deepwood Motte, m. Erik Ironmaker,

  — THEON, called by northmen THEON TURNCLOAK, a captive at the Dreadfort,

  — his younger brother, VICTARION, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, master of the Iron Victory,

  — his youngest brother, AERON, called DAMPHAIR, a priest of the Drowned God,

  — his captains and sworn swords:

  — TORWOLD BROWNTOOTH, PINCHFACE JON MYRE, RODRIK FREEBORN, THE RED OARSMAN, LEFT-HAND LUCAS CODD, QUELLON HUMBLE, HARREN HALF-HOARE, KEMMETT PYKE THE BASTARD, QARL THE THRALL, STONEHAND, RALF THE SHEPHERD, RALF OF LORDSPORT

  — his crewmen:

  — {CRAGORN} who blew the hellhorn and died,

  — his lords bannermen:

  — ERIK IRONMAKER, called ERIK ANVIL-BREAKER and ERIK THE JUST, Lord Steward of the Iron Islands, castellan of Pyke, an old man once renowned, m. Asha Greyjoy,

  — lords of Pyke:

  — GERMUND BOTLEY, Lord of Lordsport,

  — WALDON WYNCH, Lord of Iron Holt,

  — lords of Old Wyk: