Littlefinger continued, "Of course, there are also Renly's and Stannis's armies. Between them, they have more than fifty thousand men. They may not recognize His Grace's legitimacy, but the Targaryens are everyone's enemy. They should send troops."
"Them?" Cersei narrowed her eyes and sneered. "Those two fools are busy fighting each other. Would they listen to King's Landing?"
Petyr smiled faintly. "That depends on what His Grace says. We can tell them that if King's Landing falls, none of us will survive. The Targaryens won't spare anyone who ever betrayed them. However fiercely Renly and Stannis fight, they should still understand that much."
"Will that work?"
"I can't guarantee it." Littlefinger spread his hands. "But we can try."
Cersei fell silent for a moment. "Very well. Pycelle, arrange for ravens to be sent to Renly and Stannis. And send several more to my father."
She paused, then turned to Joffrey. "Your Grace, is there anything you wish to say?" In front of others, she always tried to preserve some dignity for her son, especially now that Joffrey had become king.
Joffrey merely replied with a sour expression, "Hmph. You've already decided everything. Why bother asking me?" With that, he rose and left, furious that all those ministers had been reporting to his mother instead of him.
Just as Joffrey was leaving, a guard happened to enter.
"Your Grace." He dropped to one knee. "There is a letter addressed to... to Sansa Stark."
Cersei frowned. "Who sent it?"
"We don't know. It came in hidden on a cart delivering vegetables. By the time the Red Keep's guards discovered it, the deliveryman had already fled."
Cersei held out her hand. "Give it to me."
The guard stepped forward and handed her the letter. It was unsealed, and Cersei pulled out the parchment