Joffrey is dead.
He died of a colorless, odorless poison.
Following the royal meeting, the Hand of the King decided to hold a formal trial for Tyrion Lannister, who stood accused of the murder.
Tywin himself served as the chief judge, alongside Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne, Lord Paxter Redwyne of the Arbor, and Lord Mathis Rowan of Goldengrove as jurors.
Uncle Kevan asked Tyrion to write down the names of witnesses who could prove his innocence.
Tyrion had sent his young squire to find the sellsword Bronn, requesting his presence. As for witnesses, he picked up the iron pen and silently wrote a single name: "Sansa."
The squire was gone for an entire day, and Tyrion could only place his hopes in this thirteen-year-old boy. The next morning, he returned with Ser Bronn of the Blackwater.
Bronn refused to fight as Tyrion's champion for one simple reason—Cersei had appointed The Mountain as her champion, and his sister wanted Tyrion dead.
To win Bronn's loyalty away, Cersei had even arranged a marriage for him. The sellsword was set to marry Lollys Stokeworth, a thirty-three-year-old noblewoman known for being both cowardly and simple-minded. To put it bluntly, she was half-witted.
During the riots in King's Landing, she had been dragged from her horse and raped by the mob. When the Gold Cloaks found her, she was wandering naked on Sowbelly Row. Now she carried a child.
Originally, her mother, Lady Tanda Stokeworth, had hoped that Tyrion might marry her slow-witted daughter, thinking him a perfect match.
At first, Tyrion had thought that if he were forced to marry that fat, dim-witted woman, he would rather cut off his manhood.
He sat weakly in his chair. Would he have to defeat the giant himself, like Serwyn of the Mirror Shield?
Tyrion had witnessed the Mountain's power on the banks of the Trident. The massive sword seemed custom-made for him, yet the Mountain could wield it one-handed.
In the Vale, trial by combat had saved his life, but who would fight for him now?
On the third day before the first trial, Cole was invited to attend. As a witness from the wedding feast, he was qualified to serve on the jury and had the right to object during the proceedings.
Addam Marbrand, commander of the City Watch, led a dozen Gold Cloaks to escort Tyrion to the throne room.
The long table beneath the Iron Throne had been removed, leaving only a single table. Seated at the center were Lord Tywin and Prince Oberyn, with Lord Redwyne and Lord Rowan below them.
The High Septon prayed to the Father Above to preside over the trial.
Lord Tywin asked, "Tyrion, did you kill King Joffrey?"
"No," the Imp denied firmly.
"Then was it Sansa Stark who did it?" Lord Tywin pressed.
Though Tyrion believed in his heart it might have been her, he said, "The gods killed Joffrey. He choked to death on pigeon pie."
After questioning by the judges, Lord Tywin called forward witnesses who would identify him as the murderer, stating that no one could interrupt them during their testimony.
First came the Kingsguard. Ser Balon Swann spoke initially.
Ser Balon had helped escort Princess Myrcella Baratheon to her marriage in Dorne and survived the King's Landing riots. His testimony: Tyrion had struck Joffrey during the riot.
The Kingsguard vividly described Tyrion's threats against Joffrey during the chaos, using them as evidence of his guilt.
Afterward, more witnesses came forward to recount his misdeeds, with every threatening word he had ever spoken becoming testimony identifying him as a murderer.
That day's trial ended inconclusively—it remained difficult to prove Tyrion's guilt based solely on things he had said.
Lord Tywin immediately announced that the trial would resume the next day.
The second day's witnesses were maesters. The two who had examined Joffrey's body determined the king had died of poisoning.
Grand Maester Pycelle accused Tyrion of poisoning Joffrey with "the Strangler" and claimed Tyrion had taken all his medicinal supplies when serving as acting Hand.
Later, various lords, nobles, knights, and ladies came forward as witnesses.
The third day's witness was Varys, the spymaster. He presented a complete set of documents as evidence, stating that Tyrion had conspired to separate the Hound from Joffrey, discussed with Bronn the benefits of making Tommen king, and visited the maester's chambers to steal potions.
The Spider's little birds had heard everything, and he even indicated dates and locations on his parchment records.
Gods be damned, the eunuch was determined to send Tyrion to the seven hells.
One final witness remained, and the trial would continue.
That night, Tyrion sat by the window, drinking alone. Over these three days, he had discovered just how many enemies he had.
Uncle Kevan believed he had killed Joffrey; his attitude toward Tyrion had grown cold, and he even advised Tyrion to confess.
Tyrion couldn't help but smile bitterly. The drink in his mouth seemed not to be wine but bitter gall. "Until the day I die, I will bear the infamy of a kinslayer. No, for a thousand or ten thousand years to come, my name will be spat upon. In the ballads, I'll forever be the evil dwarf who murdered his nephew at a wedding feast."
There came a knock at the door, and someone Tyrion hadn't expected entered.
He stood and bowed to Prince Oberyn. "May a judge visit the accused?"
"A prince may go wherever he wishes—that's what I told the guards."
"You'll offend my father by doing this."
"Tywin Lannister's mood ranks rather low on my list of concerns. Are you drinking Dornish red?"
"From the Arbor."
"Flavorless juice," the prince said of the Arbor's wine. "Water mixed with paint. Is it poisoned by you?"
The prince spoke of brothels and prostitutes, of "dwarf's pennies."
This was a form of prostitute tax, where clients paid a copper coin each time they visited a whore. They called this the dwarf's penny.
"Spread your legs for the Half-man, bitch." Such was the joke in Flea Bottom taverns.
"Everyone thinks you guilty, boy," the prince reminded him.
"What do you think?"
The prince shrugged. "Appearance and reality often differ. The crime seems unquestionable, but I believe in your innocence. Yet regardless of what I think, it seems you cannot escape this disaster. Justice is extremely difficult to find on this side of the mountains. Elia and her children never received justice—how could you expect to?"
Indeed, Dorne never forgot to avenge its own.
"Isn't it up to you to deliver justice, Your Grace?"
The prince smiled. "Do you think I wished to come see you?"
Tyrion was confused. If he didn't want to visit, why was he here? The Imp couldn't figure out the prince's motives. Had he come merely to mock him?
Surely the Red Viper wasn't so petty?
"Someone asked me to tell you something—Lannister, all debts must be paid, and don't forget the double commission." The prince drained his wine, then stood and left.
Tyrion remained frozen in his chair.