AdwD Epilogue 1100

Ser Kevan Lannister is no longer the hand of the King Tommen, he's given that job to Mace Tyrell for some reason. The Tyrells seem to be rather successfully taking over the kingdom from the Lannisters, notwithstanding the small matter of Margaery's pending trial by the faith for treason by way of fornication.

Ser Ronnet Connington, Jon's nephew, is having to pledge his loyalty to Tommen but neither Mace nor Kevan trust him. Jaime gave him a bunch of GREGOR's men (probably some still on Arya's list), but Ronnet gets confined to his quarters for now. Reports are that Jon Connington is going to try to take Storm's End. And that Prince Aegon Targaryen is back. Kevan thinks this is possible because the dead boy he saw all those years ago was so badly injured as to not be recognisable. Tywin Lannister claimed it was Aegon but Kevan is not sure.

The power balance with the High Septon is a real problem since Cersei gave them arms. That's partly why Margaery needs to face a trial.

The crown is broke. They're begging Myrish bankers to pay of their Braavosi loans. They can't raise more taxes because they're over the Laffer curve. Kevan is worried he's going to have to bail them out with Lannister gold.

Cersei's trial is in 5 days. Kevan means to give her those few days with Tommen. Ser Robert Strong will be her champion at trial and Kevan thinks he knows what Strong is (i.e. a resurrected zombie GREGOR). If Cersei survives Kevan is going to send her back to Casterly Rock where she can do no further harm to Tommen. Her queen days are over now everyone has seen she's just a middle-aged woman like any other, and Kevan reflects how Cersei brought that on herself, since it was the High Septon who, now suddenly more powerful, needed to be appeased.

There is concern that Doran Martell will join up with Jon Connington. The plan is to ask him to attack Connington instead. Good luck with that!

Kevan is worried that Randyll Tarly, now on the council, is shrewd and therefore dangerous, should he take the Tyrell's side. Pycelle is worried about Tyrells too. Lady Nym of Dorne is on her way (sent by Doran Martell to infiltrate and spy, if I remember correctly). Kevan wants to unify everyone.

We get treated to yet another what-if moment: what if Rhaegar had married Cersei instead of the sickly Elia? He might not have done whatever it was with Lyanna Stark, she would not have died (I'm still not sure how she died) and the rebellion might not have happened.

Kevan goes to dinner with Cersei and Tommen. Tommen only cares about his kittens. Our friend the black tomcat with a torn ear pays a visit. Is it *just* a cat? It keeps showing up. Is someone warging it? Varys, perhaps? That would explain how he knows so much!

The Kettleblacks are in the dungeon now. Cersei admits she was wrong to raise them up.

Kevan receives a message to go to Pycelle's tower for a raven. It's cold outside so Kevan sends the messenger boy to go and warm up by a fire and gives him some money too. What a decent bloke Kevan is.

Uh oh.

Kevan is a decent bloke. He can't be long for Westeros, then, I think as I read that line.

Sure enough, he almost immediately gets shot in the chest by Varys (haven't seen him in a while). Apparently Kevan is doing too good of a job unifying everyone. Varys needs the kingdom in disarray so that it will be easier for Jon Connington and Dorne to re-take the kingdom and put Aegon Targaryen back on the throne.

And you know what, it might even be for the best. The Lannisters and the Tyrells are just ordinary feudal lords. Tommen is a spoilt brat. Aegon has been raised to understand how to serve the people and be a Good King.

Having delivered his speech, the villain/hero Varys summons his weird pale children to finish Kevan off. For now I'll assume they're just ordinary pale children and not Children of the Forest or somesuch. Because that would be too weird.