"What worries me most now is Three Storm," the old maester said. "They're far too close to us."
"We know that too. What matters is a countermeasure, Maester," Queen Mother Cersei said uneasily. The Lannister forces were in the Riverlands now. Her greatest fear was that while the lion fought the trout and the direwolf, Stannis would seize the chance to land. Stannis was a seasoned commander, and utterly merciless. No one in the world was more frightening than a man of absolute, unbending integrity, and Stannis's Dragonstone was far too close to King's Landing.
"He will certainly recruit troops and buy horses," Varys said. "But I think Stannis may be more likely to fight Renly to the death. Renly wants Stannis's great fleet, and Stannis wants the Stormlands."
"Then that is our opportunity," the queen mother declared. "I want an Eddard to appear, to appear before everyone. Then he will confess his wicked treason, command his heir to lay down his arms and acknowledge Joffrey as the true king, and denounce Stannis and Renly as ungrateful rebels. That will suffice."
"I believe I shall think of something," Varys said, his perfume wafting toward them.
"I trust your ingenuity, Lord Varys." The queen mother nodded. "As for the real Lord Eddard, we shall keep him beneath the Red Keep for now."
"There is one more matter: that bastard," Cersei said angrily.
"He is beyond our reach, Your Grace. Even if he wants that throne, he will need some time before he can land."
Chapter 186: Confession and beheading
Night lay heavy over King's Landing. Though the king was dead, human merriment had not ceased. The brothels, gambling dens, and fighting pits remained busy.
With Rosso guarding him, Littlefinger arrived at a three-story wooden building that looked ready to collapse. Light