Chapter 164: The Death of Cersei

Dragonstone, Stone Drum Keep, Painted Table Chamber.

The Painted Table Chamber is located in the main keep of Dragonstone, at the top of the Stone Drum Tower; it is a large, circular room with four tall, narrow windows facing the cardinal directions.

Inside the hall sits a massive long table, carved with a detailed map of Westeros—this is the famous "Painted Table." During the Conquest War, Aegon I and his elder sister Visenya used this table to formulate their battle plans.

The "Painted Table" is over fifty feet long, about half that width at its widest point, and less than four feet at its narrowest. The position corresponding to Dragonstone was meticulously designed to allow one to take in the entire tabletop at a glance.

Arthur, who had secretly brought men into Hobber's army, was currently discussing the upcoming operation with several high-ranking Redwyne officers.

To minimize the possibility of the operation being exposed, he brought only a few people, including Symond Frey, the marksman Anguy, and the volunteer Bloodthirsty Aegon along with three or four of his powerful subordinates.

On the side of the Redwyne Fleet, only a few of the highest-ranking Knights and officers were sent to participate in the meeting; because Hobber was only temporarily in command of this fleet, most of the discussion was initiated by Ser Velo Quy.

This Knight hailed from House Quy, a vassal of House Hightower; because House Hightower and House Redwyne had always been on good terms, Velo had joined the Redwyne Fleet and, through a dozen years of hard work, became one of the captains of the Redwyne Fleet.

"Your Grace, please look: this is the Lion Gate. Lord Randyll's ten-thousand-strong army is stationed not far from the Lion Gate. Once there is a change in the situation, our inside men in the city can quickly open the gates, and then we can charge in."

The Lion Gate is the eastern gate of King's Landing; outside the gate lies Rosby Road, which is the very road Randyll took to march north.

This gate faces the largest gathering place for the poor in King's Landing, Flea Bottom, where the population is exceptionally dense, making it not a very good route for marching.

But this was only a minor problem; they had not even agreed on how to enter the Red Keep to kill Cersei.

Moreover, Lord Randyll Tarly, who excelled at command, should be able to think of a way to resolve this.

"What about the Lannister army? They have quite a few men in the city," Arthur asked after glancing at the Painted Table again.

Hobber Redwyne pointed to the Dragon Gate, "A detachment of the Lannister army is stationed here. It is currently unclear who is in command, but they are indeed preparing to defend against Randyll's army."

"What about inside the Red Keep? How many men are there? Do you know the number of soldiers in Maegor's Holdfast?"

There is no need to mention the Red Keep; this castle has many isolation measures. Without an army of over ten thousand, it is impossible to storm the Red Keep from the outside.

As for Maegor's Holdfast, it is another layer of fortress; it has a dry moat on the outside, which can be filled with water quickly should the need arise.

Furthermore, the walls of Maegor's Holdfast are twelve feet thick, and the attached towers have no direct paths leading into the holdfast itself. Coupled with the circular staircase at the bottom that leads directly to secret passages, the Targaryens had already left themselves an escape route when they first designed it.

Fortunately, neither House Baratheon nor House Lannister is very familiar with this system of secret passages beneath the Red Keep and Maegor's Holdfast.

"There are about a thousand soldiers inside the Red Keep. There are likely only a few Knights in Maegor's Holdfast that Cersei trusts, including the few Kingsguard she re-selected. But these Kingsguard are not in Maegor's Holdfast at all times; the white cloaks not on duty should be resting in the White Sword Tower."

Because the royal family lives entirely within Maegor's Holdfast, the warriors allowed to enter the holdfast are all renowned Knights approved by the royal family; at certain times, only the Kingsguard are permitted to enter.

As for the White Sword Tower, that is the residence of the Kingsguard, built behind Maegor's Holdfast, overlooking the entire bay.

Although the two are connected, there is no direct passage; just as the Tower of the Hand is adjacent to Maegor's Holdfast, yet the King must still climb many stairs to see the Hand.

Arthur recalled the methods for entering and exiting the Red Keep, "The path Littlefinger used for climbing should be near the cliff behind the Tower of the Hand. There are fewer guards there; you can have a squad of soldiers enter from there."

Ser Velo Quy took out a notebook and scribbled it down.

"As for the secret passage system that enters the Red Keep from the sewers, I remember the exit there is in a cellar, and it is some distance away from both the Tower of the Hand and Maegor's Holdfast. What is that place called? It seems to be the Chunvju?" Arthur asked.

Because Arthur only knew of Maegor's Holdfast, the Throne Room, and the Tower of the Hand in the Red Keep, he was not very clear about where exactly the cellar containing the secret passage exit was located.

"Chunvju? That would be troublesome; the Lannister soldiers in the Red Keep are basically stationed near there." Hobber was finally able to interject, and he shared the information he knew with Arthur.

The Riverlands King said, "That is not an issue. I remember that the secret passage can hear the sounds of the Red Keep's dungeons; perhaps we can attack from the dungeons. Besides, the secret passage system is interconnected. With so many of us entering, at worst we can try them one by one; we will eventually find the secret passage leading to Maegor's Holdfast."

The dungeons of the Red Keep are located beneath the Traitor's Walk. The Traitor's Walk is a semi-circular low tower, and the cells on the top floor are specifically used for confining people of status. The entrance to the dungeons is at the base of the tower; in fact, the dungeons are directly beneath the low tower.

In the Traitor's Walk, there are also rooms for the Jailer, the Grand Inquisitor, and the King's Justice; there are not many Lannister soldiers here.

Ser Velo Quy nodded, "That will work too. As long as we are fast enough, we can finish these things in the night."

The group discussed in detail for a long time and finally determined two relatively reliable plans.

First, if they can find the secret passage leading to Maegor's Holdfast, they will charge up directly, kill Cersei, and then go to the neighboring Tower of the Hand to protect the members of House Tyrell.

It is said that the lords and lesser noble lords of the Reach are being held in other places, but Hobber and Randyll have not figured out where.

Second, if this surprise force does not find the secret passage leading to Maegor's Holdfast, they can only reach the surface from near the dungeons and then launch an attack from the Traitor's Walk.

Then, let the brave and invincible Arthur lead the best fighters to attack Maegor's Holdfast, while the remaining soldiers go to the Tower of the Hand to provide protection.

As for the forces under Randyll Tarly, they will storm King's Landing after Cersei is dead.

Once the foolish Queen Regent is dead, the Lannister officers with normal intelligence should not hold King's Landing; after all, both the soldiers and officers are Westerlanders, and holding the capital in the east is of no use to them.

Therefore, this Lannister army should withdraw in time, leaving King's Landing to the Reachmen.

"If there are any further changes, we will adapt to the situation once we arrive at King's Landing," Arthur concluded.

Ser Velo, Hobber, Bloodthirsty Aegon, and the others nodded.

"By the way, how many soldiers have you picked for the surprise attack, and what types of troops are they composed of?"

The Riverlands King was uneasy about this, so he inquired personally.

Ser Velo Quy replied, "Six hundred elite soldiers. Lord Randyll Tarly originally indicated that he could also send men, but for the sake of secrecy, I declined. Most of the soldiers are top-tier archers by trade, fully capable of handling this operation."

As far as Arthur knew, in a medieval setting, troop types like archers, scouts, and heavy cavalry could almost be equated to legendary units like cooks, medics, and political commissars; generally, only the soldiers with the strongest physical fitness and fastest reaction speeds in the entire army could serve in these roles.

A top-tier longbow takes years to craft, and a qualified archer also requires over five years of practice to be combat-ready, and they must continue to participate in training afterward.

Initial training alone requires two and a half years, which shows the value of an archer.

"Very well. And the merchant ships we are taking—have they been secured?" Arthur asked again.

These details concerned the subsequent operation, and he had to have a clear idea in his mind.

Hobber replied, "They have been secured. They are grain transport ships under the name of a certain Jiu Jiu Jiu Jiu Zongdu of Pentos, four ships in total. You and the warriors will hide in the bottom holds and then enter King's Landing Port. After several major battles, food is in extreme shortage in King's Landing, so these kinds of merchant ships will not arouse the suspicion of the Lannister soldiers."

Actually, what he wanted to express was that it would not arouse the suspicion of the Royal Navy, because there were still several warships fighting for the royal family.

But because the Baratheons in King's Landing are now synonymous with the Lannisters, Hobber just said it that way.

Everything was ready; the Riverlands King had no more questions, waiting only for the moment of the decisive battle to arrive.

Six days later, King's Landing Port.

The sunset glow reflected on the black waters of the bay. Dozens of merchant ships were anchored quietly on the south side of King's Landing, and one or two warships flying the banners of the Roaring Lion and the Crown Stag were patrolling back and forth in Blackwater Bay.

A small fleet sailed in from the east. Seeing this, the Lannister officer captain on the warship dispatched several small boats to inspect them.

It is wartime now, and everything must be done with caution.

Time passed quickly, and the inspection boat returned from near the merchant ships.

"It's all wheat, potatoes, and pumpkins. F***, we couldn't even scrape up a bit of profit," complained the captain of the hundred-man squad who had taken the soldiers over.

The soldiers following him knew their captain had received a bribe of four Gold Dragon coins, but they wisely kept their mouths shut.

By custom, the captain would distribute a few Silver Stags to his subordinates; this was the key to keeping the soldiers quiet.

In peacetime, the soldiers lived on meager pay, but once a great war began, they could quickly make a fortune.

The captain gathered from the squad leader's tone that he hadn't managed to scrape up any extra money, because merchant ships entering the port had to pay a transit fee, and this fee was split among all officers and the soldiers doing the work, so the captain was also a bit dissatisfied.

"What's going on lately? Are all the incoming ships run by poor people?"

The captain cursed and swore, but still allowed these merchant ships to enter the mooring area.

It was already dusk, so the cargo on these merchant ships could not be unloaded in time. By tomorrow morning, the soldiers on duty near the port would enter the holds again for a thorough search.

Of course, it was called a thorough search in name, but in reality, it was to scrape up things the soldiers needed and to get some extra money.

After nightfall, two more warships replaced their colleagues who had been on duty during the afternoon and evening. While they were changing shifts, several small boats slipped out from near the merchant ships that had arrived at dusk and drifted toward the mouth of the Blackwater River to the west.

That was also where the sewers of the Red Keep were located.

Arthur took Velo Quy, Hobber Redwyne, Bloodthirsty Aegon, and a few other warriors, along with a dozen selected soldiers skilled at seeing in the dark, to scout the path.

The small boats landed at the shallows, and the people on board, covered by the night, quickly entered the Red Keep's sewers.

To ensure he wouldn't be discovered by the enemy, Arthur specifically wore a black cloak over his bright silver Plate Armor. As for his main weapon, it was naturally still the Gold Jiu Jiu Jiu Jiu Dadao reforged by Gendry. Likewise, this blade was also wrapped in black cloth.

Arthur had many sidearms, and he chose to carry the Valyrian Steel Sword "Lady Forlorn."

According to the "World" compiled by Maester Adal, Lady Forlorn had already been the ancestral sword of House Corbray when the Andals invaded The Vale, but that was five or six thousand years ago, and at that time, the Valyrian Freehold had not yet risen.

Therefore, the young Maester pointed out that there might be an error in the ballads, and that House Corbray had not possessed Lady Forlorn for very long.

After all, the Stark family's Valyrian Steel Sword "Ice" only had a history of four hundred years.

But there was also a possibility that Lady Forlorn, like Ice, was a later Valyrian Steel Sword that shared the same name as an ancestral sword from thousands of years ago.

After entering the foul-smelling sewers, they climbed back and forth between stone-paved tunnels and wooden spiral staircases until they reached a three-way fork.

"Alright, we will split into three groups, each taking men to find the way," Arthur whispered to those behind him. "Remember, the secret passage near Maegor's Holdfast allows you to hear the voices of people inside the building. Bloodthirsty Aegon, come with me."

The exit of this secret passage was on the south side of the Red Keep, so Arthur chose the secret passage on the far right, continuing forward with Bloodthirsty Aegon and five Redwyne soldiers.

Velo Quy and Hobber Redwyne each took six or seven men and went to the remaining two secret passages.

Groping in the dark required courage. After choosing at several more intersections, Arthur and Bloodthirsty Aegon reached the end of the secret passage.

Fortunately, they were indeed able to hear the sounds coming from Maegor's Holdfast.

At this time of night, the nobles had generally already rested, but the servants attending to the nobles were just preparing to wash up and sleep.

Arthur leaned into Bloodthirsty Aegon's ear and whispered, "Mark this path, return to the first fork, wait for them to return, and I will stay here waiting for you all."

Upon hearing the King's order, this taciturn Frey set off to return.

After he left, a long time passed before Maegor's Holdfast finally fell completely silent.

Surrounded by darkness, Arthur felt time begin to stagnate, and the whole world went quiet, which made him feel inexplicably panicked.

Fortunately, a sound came from the secret passage.

"It's me, Hobber Redwyne."

It turned out to be Bloodthirsty Aegon and the others returning; he had brought Hobber and seven or eight Redwyne soldiers back.

As previously agreed, Velo Quy went back to bring the troops.

The group crowded into the pitch-black secret passage, and after an unknown amount of time, they finally heard a large amount of movement.

Ser Velo arrived with the soldiers.

The time to act had come; Arthur had no more concerns. He flipped open the stone slab at the secret passage exit above his head and was the first to climb up.

This was a small room, stuffed with miscellaneous items like wooden chairs, long tables, and carpets.

"Cersei's quarters should be above. I will take men to storm up, Hobber will take men to clear the guards of Maegor's Holdfast, and then go to the Tower of the Hand."

After the noble Knights came up first, Arthur whispered the Task assignments.

Although they couldn't see clearly in the dark, everyone nodded to indicate they understood.

After tearing the black cloth off the Jiu Jiu Jiu Jiu Dadao, Arthur was the first to push open the door and then strode toward the staircase.

Behind him, dozens of selected, powerful warriors followed.

Climbing up one floor, they reached a great hall.

According to the known information, this should be the "Queen's Ballroom."

Since they didn't know which floor Cersei lived on, they started from the second floor, searching room by room.

Upon reaching the fourth floor, Arthur and the others finally found their target, because a Kingsguard was standing guard outside the door.

Coincidentally, this was also an acquaintance.

Meryn Trant, who killed the Water Dancer Syrio Forel.

As soon as this man saw a large number of soldiers rushing up, he knew something was wrong, so he hurriedly pounded on the door while shouting, "The enemy is here! The enemy is here! Your Grace, run!"

Besides giving the warning, Meryn Trant himself also thought about escaping from the other end, but he was surrounded and killed by the soldiers rushing up.

Arthur used his sword "Lady Forlorn" to hack open Cersei's door and then let Bloodthirsty Aegon rush in.

A few breaths later, a scream of "Ah" came from inside.

Then Bloodthirsty Aegon walked out, carrying a head.

Arthur took a close look, "Confirm it is Cersei. You take this head outside and show it to the Lannister soldiers."

PS: The side story has been written.

Recommending a novel.

(End of this chapter)