Cersei LannisterI have sinned. I see that now. How could I have been so blind for so long? I want to be clean again. I want absolution. The Crone came to me with her lamp raised high and by its holy light...
Do you wish to make a confession?
Cersei Lannister
Once I've confessed, will I be free?
Your Grace will be dealt with according to her sins.
Cersei Lannister
The Mother have mercy then. I lay with a man outside the bonds of marriage. I confess.
Cersei Lannister
Lancel Lannister.
Your cousin? And the King's squire?
Cersei Lannister
I was lonely and afraid.
Cersei Lannister
A husband off whoring every chance he...
His sins do not pardon your own.
Cersei Lannister
May the Gods forgive me.
Cersei Lannister
No.
Cersei Lannister
No
Speaking falsehoods before the Gods is a great crime. You understand this?
Cersei Lannister
I do.
There are those that say your children were not fathered by King Robert. That they are bastards born of incest and adultery.
Cersei Lannister
A lie. A lie from the lips of Stannis Baratheon. He wants the throne but his brother's children stand in his way, so he claims they are not his brother's. How filth! There is not one shred of truth to it. I deny it.
Good. But these are terrible charges, and the Realm must know the truth of them. If your Grace has given honest testimony, your trial will prove your innocence.
Cersei Lannister
Trial? I have confessed.
To a single sin. Others you have denied. Your trial will separate the truths from the falsehoods.
Cersei Lannister
I bowed to the wisdom of your High Holiness. But if I might beg for just one drop of the Mother's Mercy. I haven't seen my son...I don't know how long it's been. I need to see him please.
You have taken the first step on the path back to righteousness. In light of this, I will permit you to return to the Red Keep.
Cersei Lannister
[Tearfully] Thank you. Thank you.
The Mother is merciful. It is her you should thank.
Cersei Lannister
I will, I will. I swear it day or night.
Cersei Lannister
Am I free to go?
Cersei Lannister
My atonement?
Cersei Lannister
The Small Council meeting is postponed, on the King's orders.
I would have thought we were perfectly clear the first time. You're not welcome.
Cersei Lannister
You once spoke of your respect for our father, because he understood the necessity of working with one's rivals.
My dear, you have been stripped of your dignity and authority, publicly shamed, and confined to the Red Keep. What's left to work with?
Cersei is the mother of the King. She has the King's ear and his trust. And, the King has been speaking regularly with the High Sparrow about Queen Margaery, and Ser Loras.
Cersei Lannister
The High Sparrow seized power, knowing full well we'd bicker among ourselves, instead of seizing it back. Here we are. Well done to us. Now, the future of the Seven Kingdoms rests in his dirty peasant hands. In a few days, he'll have a trial for me but, before that, Queen Margaery will make her walk of atonement. Yes. Margaery will repent her sins before the good people of the city.
Ohhh, no. That cannot happen. That will not happen.
Cersei Lannister
I agree.
You've got the second largest army in Westeros. You will bring them into the city, stop Queen Margaery's humiliation before it starts, and take her back into Crown custody.
The King has ordered me to take no action against the High Sparrow, or the Faith Militant- out of fear for the Queen's safety.
You will take no action at all. When the Tyrell armies come, you will stand down. Were you expressly forbidden from standing down?
No. But, if the King should call...
The whole thing will be over before anyone can call upon you to do anything. When the High Sparrow's back in custody or dead, preferably, and Margaery's back at Tommen's side, do you think the King will be angry at the outcome?
Cersei Lannister
You hate these fanatics as much as we do. You hate what they've done to your son. Do you want Lancel back? Or have you given him up for good?
Of course I want him back.
Cersei Lannister
Then, stand aside. And let the people that took him from you be destroyed.
If it doesn't go as planned the Sparrows have many friends in this city. We'll have civil war. Many will die.
Many will die, no matter what we do. Better them than us.
Cersei Lannister
I heard you were leaving King's Landing.
That is hardly your concern.
Cersei Lannister
Your grandson is still a prisoner - you'll leave him rotting in a cell.
Loras rots in a cell because of you. The High Sparrow rules this city because of you. Our two ancient Houses face collapse because of you and your stupidity.
Cersei Lannister
You're right. I made a terrible mistake. I carry it with me every single day.
Cersei Lannister
I delivered an army of fanatics onto our doorstep. And now we must fight them together. We need each other.
I wonder if you're the worst person I've ever met. At a certain age it's hard to recall, but the truly vile do stand out through the years. Do you remember the way you smirked at me when my grandson and granddaughter were dragged off to their cells? I do. I'll never forget it.
Cersei Lannister
You love your granddaughter. I love my son. It's the only truth I know. We must defend them.
I'm leaving this wretched city as fast as I can before that shoeless zealot throws me into one of his cells. If you're half as bright as you think you are, you'll find a way out of here, too.
Cersei Lannister
Never. I'll never leave my son.
What'll you do, then? You have no support. Not anymore. Your brother's gone. The High Sparrow saw to that. The rest of your family have abandoned you. The people despise you. You're surrounded by enemies, thousands of them. You're going to kill them all by yourself? You've lost, Cersei. It's the only joy I can find in all this misery.
Your Grace, several members of the Faith Militant have been permitted entry into the Red Keep.
Cersei Lannister
"Have been permitted". That's rather a tortured way of putting it.
They demand to see you, Your Grace.
Cersei Lannister
Who permitted them into the Red Keep? [Qyburn remains silent] The King is aware of their presence?
He is, Your Grace. He is currently in his chambers at prayer. [Cersei leaves her chambers]
BLBrother Lancel
Your Grace, His Holiness the High Septon wishes to speak with you at the Great Sept of Baelor.
Cersei Lannister
His Holiness the High Septon is welcome to see me here in the Red Keep.
BLBrother Lancel
Your Grace, this is not a request.
Cersei Lannister
It is a request, cousin Lancel. You are asking me for something, I am refusing.
BLBrother Lancel
The High Septon commands you. Are you sure you want to refuse him?
Cersei Lannister
He promised me I could stay in the Red Keep until my trial.
BLBrother Lancel
He made no such promises. If you refuse to come of your own free will...
Cersei Lannister
Get. Out. [Lancel motions for two of his men to seize her when the Mountain moves forward to block their path]
BLBrother Lancel
Move aside, ser. [The Mountain growls angrily, and Lancel looks to Cersei] Order your man to step aside or there will be violence.
Cersei Lannister
I choose violence.
[One of the Faith Militant attempts to subdue the Mountain, only to be violently killed]
Cersei Lannister
Please tell His High Holiness he's always welcome to visit.
Cersei Lannister
[pouring wine onto Septa Unella's face] Confess. [Unella struggles] Confess. Confess. Confess... it felt good. Beating me. Starving me. Frightening me, humiliating me. You didn't do it because you cared about my atonement. You did it because it felt good. I understand. I do things because they feel good. I drink, because it feels good. I killed my husband, because it felt good to be rid of him. I fuck my brother, because it feels good to feel him inside me. I lie about fucking my brother, because it feels good to keep our son safe from hateful hypocrites. I killed your High Sparrow... and all his little sparrows... all his septons, all his septas, all his filthy soldiers... because it felt good to watch them burn. It felt good to imagine their shock and their pain. No thought has ever given me greater joy. [chuckles] Even confessing feels good, under the right circumstances. You've always been quiet. I said my face would be the last thing you saw before you died, do you remember?
SUSepta Unella
Good. I'm glad to see your face. I'm ready to meet the Gods.
Cersei Lannister
What? Now? Today? [smirking] You're not going to die today. You're not going to die for quite a while. Ser Gregor. This is Ser Gregor Clegane. He's quiet, too. [Ser Gregor removes his helmet] Your Gods have forsaken you. This is your god now.
[As Cersei leaves and closes the door behind her, Unella begins screaming]
Cersei Lannister
[smirking] Shame. Shame. Shame.
[Cersei and Jaime watch a fleet bearing the Greyjoy sigil approach King's Landing]
You invited the Greyjoys to King's Landing?
Cersei Lannister
Not all of them.
Well it looks like all of them.
Cersei Lannister
I invited Euron Greyjoy, the new King of the Iron Islands. You said yourself we need stronger, better allies. There you are.
How are they better allies? How are they different from the Freys? They both broke their promises and murdered their former friends as soon as it suited them.
Cersei Lannister
So does everyone, when it suits them. Unlike the Freys, they have ships, and they're good at killing.
They're not good at anything. I know the Ironborn. They're bitter, angry little people. All they know how to do is steal the things they can't build or grow themselves.
Cersei Lannister
Euron Greyjoy didn't come here for that.
What did he come here for, then?
Cersei Lannister
A queen.
The moment I was chosen Lord of the Iron Islands, they turned on me, their own uncle! They stole my best ships and ran, sailed them right across the world and gave them to the Dragon Queen, so she could bring her armies here to attack you. It's nothing compared to the treason you've suffered at the hands of a family member, from what I hear, but still, it bothers me. Murdering them would make me feel a lot better...and since it appears that all our treasonous family members are fighting for the same side, I thought we rightful monarchs could murder them together!
You're not a rightful monarch though, are you? The Greyjoys rebelled against the throne for the right to be monarchs, but as I recall, you were soundly defeated. Come to think of it, weren't you the one who started that rebellion by sailing to Casterly Rock and burning the Lannister fleet? You certainly caught us there. Very smart move on your part. Of course, we all made it to the Iron Islands anyway. I was there.
I remember very well; I saw you. I heard so much talk: 'The best in the world, no one can stop him'. I didn't believe it to be honest, but I must say, when you rushed through the breach and started cutting people down, it was glorious! Like a dance.
[repulsed] The people I was cutting down were your own kin!
[ambivalent] Place was getting crowded. I enjoyed watching it, I truly did.
And I enjoyed killing Greyjoys.
A good thing for me. If you hadn't crushed us, I wouldn't have gone into exile, and if I hadn't done that, I wouldn't be the greatest captain on the fourteen seas!
Cersei Lannister
If not the most humble.
You're not humble. [Cersei inclines her head, conceding the point] You're the Queen of a great nation. You don't care about the Iron Islands. There are nothing but rocks and bird shit there and a lot of very unattractive people. The Iron Fleet, on the other hand...that's something else entirely. It's the greatest armada Westeros has ever seen; with the Iron Fleet, you own the seas! You can defeat the invaders in the east and the pretenders in the north and south.
Cersei Lannister
What do you want in return?
Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to grow up and marry the most beautiful woman in the world. So here I am, with a thousand ships...and two good hands!
Cersei Lannister
I decline your proposal.
Cersei Lannister
You're not trustworthy. You've broken promises to allies before and murdered them at the nearest opportunity. You murdered your own brother.
You should try it. It feels wonderful! I don't expect you to trust me outright. You need proof of my honest intentions. In my experience, the surest way to a woman's heart is with a gift, a priceless gift. I won't return to King's Landing until I have that for you.
[Cersei has a bound and gagged Ellaria and Tyene Sand captive in the dungeons of the Red Keep]
Cersei Lannister
I want you to know I understand. Even though we're enemies, you and I, I understand the fury that drives you. I was there that day when Ser Gregor crushed your lover's head. I close my eyes, I can hear the sound of Oberyn's skull breaking, the sound of your scream. I never heard a sound like that; I thought "That's true love". Oberyn looked beautiful that day, he really did. No one moved like him, no one had such skill with the spear, even Ser Gregor couldn't stop him. If only he hadn't taunted him: he could have walked away and left poor Ser Gregor to die. But that wasn't your lover's way, was it? Now he's buried somewhere, and here's Ser Gregor, stronger than ever. That must be difficult for you. When my daughter was taken from me, my only daughter...well, you can't imagine how that feels unless you've lost a child. I fed her at my own breast even though they told me to give her to the wet nurse; I couldn't bear to see her in another woman's arms. I never got to have a mother, but Myrcella did. [her voice breaks in anger] She was mine and you took her from me! Why did you do that?!
[Ellaria gives her a defiant, mocking grin in response]
Cersei Lannister
Doesn't matter now. Your daughter's a beauty too. Those brown eyes, those lips, perfect Dornish beauty. I imagine she's your favourite. I know, I know we're not supposed to have favourites, but still, we're only human. We love whom we love. [Ellaria makes muffled pleading sounds through her gag] I'm sorry, I can't understand you. The gag makes it impossible to understand what you're saying. Must be frustrating. We all make our choices. You chose to murder my daughter; you must have felt powerful when you made that choice. Do you feel powerful now? I don't sleep very well, not at all really. I lie in bed and I stare at the canopy and imagine ways of killing my enemies. How to destroy Ellaria Sand, the woman who murdered my only daughter?! I thought about having Ser Gregor crush your skull the way he did Oberyn's. It would be poetic, I suppose, but fast, too fast. [removing Tyene's gag] I thought about having him crush your daughter's skull. She's so beautiful. [caresses Tyene's face] The thought of this lovely face cracking open like a duck egg...no it's just not right!
[Cersei kisses Tyene full on the lips. Ellaria's eyes widen with horror as it dawns on her exactly what Cersei is doing]
Cersei Lannister
Qyburn here is the cleverest man I know. Clever enough to learn what poison you used to murder Myrcella. The Long Goodbye, was that it?
Cersei Lannister
That's the one. How long does the poison take?
Difficult to say. Hours, days, it depends on the subject's constitution.
Cersei Lannister
But death is certain?
Oh yes, Your Grace. Quite certain.
Cersei Lannister
[crouching down so she can look Ellaria in the eye] Your daughter will die here, in this cell and you'll be here watching when she does. You'll be here the rest of your days. If you refuse to eat, we'll force food down your throat. You will live to watch your daughter rot, to watch that beautiful face collapse to bone and dust, all the while contemplating the choices you've made. [addressing Qyburn, but without breaking eye contact with Ellaria] Make sure the guards change the torches every few hours. I don't want her to miss a thing.
[Jaime has returned to King's Landing and confronts Cersei]
Cersei Lannister
How many men did we lose?
We haven't done a full accounting.
Cersei Lannister
It's not only armies that win wars. We have the Tyrell gold, we have the Iron Bank behind us; we can buy mercenaries. Not the same as our men, but they'll fight if they're well-paid, which they will be.
I just saw the Dothraki fight. They'll beat any mercenary army. They'll beat any army I've ever seen. Killing our men wasn't war for them, it was sport! Her dragon burnt a thousand wagons! Qyburn's scorpion fired bolts bigger than you, they couldn't stop it and she has three of them! This isn't a war we can win.
Cersei Lannister
So what do we do? Sue for peace? I sit on her father's throne, the father you betrayed and murdered! And in her mind, she's winning! What sort of offer do you think she'd make? Maybe we can count on Tyrion to intercede on our behalf? By way of apology for murdering our father and son...
Cersei Lannister
You saw the crossbow, you saw his body.
I'm not talking about Father. Tyrion didn't kill Joffrey, he had nothing to do with it.
Cersei Lannister
After all this time, it still amazes me that you...
It was Olenna. She confessed before she died.
Cersei Lannister
And was this before or after she drank the poison you so kindly provided for her?!
Cersei Lannister
And you believed her?
If you were Olenna, would you rather have seen your granddaughter married to Joffrey or Tommen? Which one would Margaery have been better able to control? Which one would have made Olenna the true ruler of the Seven Kingdoms? She was telling the truth. [Cersei's smug expression twists into one of fury as she realises Jaime is right]
Cersei Lannister
I shouldn't have listened to you. She should have died screaming.
She's dead, like her son, like her grandchildren, her whole House. And if we don't find a way out of this war, we'll follow them.
Cersei Lannister
So we fight and die or we submit and die; I know my choice. A soldier should know his.
We are a group of people who do not like each other, as this demonstration has shown. We have suffered at each other's hands. We've lost people we love at each other's hands. If all we wanted was more of the same, there would be no need for this gathering. We are entirely capable of waging war with each other without meeting face to face.
Cersei Lannister
So instead we should settle our differences and live together in harmony for the rest of our days?
We all know that will never happen.
Cersei Lannister
Then why are we here?
This isn't about living in harmony; it's just about living. The same thing is coming for all of us; a general you can't negotiate with, an army that doesn't leave corpses behind on the battlefield. Lord Tyrion tells me a million people live in this city...they're about to become a million more soldiers in the army of the dead.
Cersei Lannister
I imagine for most of them, that would be an improvement.
This is serious! I wouldn't be here if it weren't.
Cersei Lannister
I don't think it's serious at all. I think it's another bad joke. If my brother Jaime has informed me correctly, you're asking for a truce?
Cersei Lannister
"That's all?" Pull back my armies and stand down while you go on your monster hunt? Or while you solidify and expand your position? Hard to know which it is with my armies pulled back until you return and march on my capital with four times the men!
Your capital will be safe until the Northern threat is dealt with. You have my word.
Cersei Lannister
The word of a would-be usurper!
There is no conversation that will erase the last fifty years. We have something to show you.
[A wight is released from a crate and it charges forward. Sandor Clegane pulls it back before it can reach Cersei, and when it turns to attack him, he severs its legs and one of its arms. Jon sets the arm alight]
We can destroy them by burning them, and we can destroy them with dragonglass. [Jon draws a dragonglass dagger and stabs the wight in the heart, killing it] If we don't win this fight, then that is the fate of every person in the world! There is only one war that matters. The Great War...and it is here!
[inspecting the dead wight] Can they swim?
Good. I'm taking the Iron Fleet back to the Iron Islands.
Cersei Lannister
What are you talking about?
I've been around the world. I've seen everything, things you couldn't imagine, and this... this is the only thing I've ever seen that terrifies me. [steps towards Daenerys] I'm going back to my island. You should go back to yours. When winter's over, we'll be the only ones left alive. [leaves]
Cersei Lannister
He's right to be afraid. And a coward to run. If those things come for us, there will be no kingdoms to rule. Everything we suffered will have been for nothing. Everything we lost will have been for nothing. The crown accepts your truce. Until the dead are defeated, they are the true enemy.
[Jon and Davos sigh, visibly relieved]
Cersei Lannister
In return, the King in the North will extend this truce. He will remain in the North, where he belongs. He will not take up arms against the Lannisters, he will not choose sides.
Just the King in the North? Not me?
Cersei Lannister
[chuckles] I would never ask it of you. You would never agree to it, and if you did, I would trust you even less than I do now. I ask it only of Ned Stark's son. I know Ned Stark's son will be true to his word.
[A moment of silence, as Jon looks between Davos and Daenerys, then back to Cersei]
I am true to my word... or I try to be. That is why I cannot give you what you ask. I cannot serve two queens. And I have already pledged myself to Queen Daenerys of House Targaryen.
[Daenerys, Davos and Tyrion look dismayed]
Cersei Lannister
Then there is nothing left to discuss. [stands] The dead will come north first, enjoy dealing with them. We will deal with whatever is left of you. [leaves with Jaime, Qyburn and her Queensguard]
It's been good to see you. I imagine the next time will be across a battlefield.
We both saw what just happened. We both saw that... thing!
Yes, and I'm not looking forward to seeing more of them. But I'm loyal to the queen, and you're loyal to Sansa and her dolt brother.
[hits him on the arm] Oh, fuck loyalty!
[incredulous] "Fuck loyalty"?
This goes beyond houses and honour and oaths! Talk to the queen.
[Jaime turns to Cersei, who looks unmoved and leaves]
[He follows her out, leaving Brienne speechless]
Cersei Lannister
Twenty thousand men, is it?
HSHarry Strickland
Yes, Your Grace. A few died in transit...
They cheated at dice! Or maybe I cheated? Somebody cheated. [shrugs] They weren't good fighters. You won't miss them.
Cersei Lannister
[rolls her eyes] Horses?
HSHarry Strickland
Two thousand.
Cersei Lannister
And elephants?
HSHarry Strickland
Erm...no elephants, Your Grace.
[Cersei seethes quietly for a moment.]
Cersei Lannister
That's disappointing. I was told the Golden Company had elephants.
HSHarry Strickland
They are excellent beasts, Your Grace. But not well-suited to long sea voyages.
Cersei Lannister
In any event, you are most welcome here at King's Landing, Captain Strickland.
HSHarry Strickland
We look forward to fighting on your behalf, Your Grace. [bows and takes his leave]
Cersei Lannister
You are a true friend of the Crown. And an honored guest.
Good. So, as a true friend and an honored guest...
[He takes a step forward. Ser Gregor Clegane moves to bar his way.]
I was hoping we could talk in private.
Cersei Lannister
After the War. That was our agreement.
[impatiently] Wars sometimes last years.
Cersei Lannister
[firmly] You want a whore, buy one. You want a Queen, earn her. [she rises and makes to leave]
How? I've given her justice. An army. And the Iron Fleet. And yet, she gives me no sign of affection. My heart is nearly broken.
Cersei Lannister
You're insolent. I've executed men for less.
[Cersei moves to the door, then stops and sighs. She turns to Euron with a resigned look. Grinning lustily, Euron joins her.]
[Dany's forces storm King's Landing, as Drogon strafes the city walls]
Cersei
All we need is one good shot.
All the scorpions have been destroyed, Your Grace.
Cersei Lannister
The Iron Fleet hold Blackwater Bay. Euron killed one of her dragons, he can kill another.
Your Grace, the Iron Fleet is... burning. The gates have been breached! The Golden Company...
Cersei Lannister
Our men will fight harder than sellswords ever could! They will defend their Queen to the last man.
Cersei Lannister
The Red Keep has never fallen. It won't fall today.
Game of Thrones · 356 quotes
