King's Landing, The Red Keep.
At this moment, the atmosphere inside The Red Keep in King's Landing was extremely heavy, the air almost solidifying as if to crush everyone's bodies; everyone feared the tragic fate about to befall them.
Stannis Baratheon's army was coming; if the city fell, their end was easy to imagine.
Joffrey Baratheon summoned the ministers of the Small Council to the meeting hall to begin the final Small Council meeting before the war.
Now that the moment of life and death had arrived, the ministers were somewhat despondent, many thinking about how to flee faster or how to surrender without being killed.
Joffrey Baratheon knew that at such a time, one must not lose hope; as long as they followed the strategy formulated a few days ago, they still had a chance of victory.
"Uncle, is Ser Jeslyn Beesbury ready on his end?" Joffrey asked Tyrion on his left.
"He is prepared and can set out at any time," Tyrion replied, sitting upright.
Early this morning, Tyrion had suggested that Ser Jeslyn Beesbury, the commander of the City Watch, take Joffrey's brother Tommen Baratheon to Rosby for refuge.
This way, even if something happened to Joffrey in King's Landing, his brother Tommen Baratheon could still rely on the prestige of the iron throne to regroup forces in Rosby and hold his own territory.
After Joffrey adopted his uncle Tyrion's suggestion, he added a condition: once they arrived at Rosby, they should first lock up the lord of Rosby, Gyles Rosby—that consumptive who was always coughing in the original story; the man was a fence-sitter and could not be easily released.
If Stannis Baratheon won in the end, this man would definitely open the gates to surrender and hand over Tommen.
"Is the boom chain ready?"
"It is ready."
"Is the equipment all fitted?"
"It is."
"Have the ships been requisitioned?"
"They have."
"..."
King Joffrey Baratheon and the hand of the king Tyrion Lannister went back and forth at the meeting table. Finally, Joffrey nodded, indicating he understood clearly.
Then, Joffrey turned to the Master of Coin Petyr Baelish and asked, "Where are Lord Tywin and the Tyrell allied forces now?"
"Your Majesty, news received yesterday said they have nearly reached the Kingswood."
"Good, I understand."
When House Tyrell agreed to the alliance, Joffrey took the initiative to release the Knight of Flowers Loras Tyrell as a gesture of sincerity.
Because those in the South who had not surrendered to Stannis were Renly's die-hard loyalists; they clearly hated Stannis Baratheon far more than they hated the Lannisters.
When Loras Tyrell learned that his beloved King Renly Baratheon had actually been killed by Stannis, he completely broke down, drawing his longsword and hacking wildly at everything around him.
It wasn't until Joffrey Baratheon, fearing Loras might hurt himself, ordered three or four men to tackle and pin him down.
Actually, Joffrey's impression of Loras Tyrell was decent, and he knew that Loras Tyrell truly loved Renly deeply.
Looking at the wailing and grief-stricken Loras before him, Joffrey sighed deeply, recalling the classic line Loras said in the original story: "When the sun has set, no candle can replace it."
...
Listening to Littlefinger's report, Joffrey recalled the words he had spoken a few days ago when discussing and finalizing the plan with his uncle Tyrion and Petyr Baelish.
"Let my sister Myrcella Baratheon marry Willas Tyrell; I remember she likes roses very much."
Originally, Mace Tyrell had proposed marrying his daughter Margaery Tyrell to Joffrey, but Joffrey already had Sansa Stark in his heart, and it was difficult to find room for anyone else.
Moreover, his sister Myrcella liked roses quite a bit, so it was better to send her to Highgarden.
In truth, Joffrey knew that Myrcella was very fond of Robb Stark, but in the current situation, things could no longer go as she wished.
"Go tell Prince Doran of Dorne that my brother Tommen Baratheon will marry his daughter, Arianne Martell. If I die in the battle of the Blackwater Rush, my brother Tommen Baratheon will be crowned king."
"Furthermore, I allow Dorne to send one person to serve on the Small Council."
...
Returning to the present, after questioning Petyr Baelish.
Joffrey then asked the master of ships, the master of whisperers, and others several questions to confirm the current state of war preparations.
Finally, as the meeting was nearing its end, Joffrey Baratheon stood up, bowed to everyone, and said:
"We have now reached a moment of life and death. I hope you all will strive together with me. Let us be of one heart, monarch and subject, to overcome these difficulties. I'm counting on you!"
Seeing His Majesty the King lower his posture so much, the ministers also expressed their willingness to advance and retreat with the nation, to give their all until their dying breath.
Of course, that's what they said; who knows what they were thinking in their hearts.
...
After the Small Council meeting ended, Joffrey Baratheon went to Sansa Stark's room.
As soon as he entered, the beauty threw herself into his arms. Sansa Stark, with teary eyes, held Joffrey tightly as if she might never see him again.
Joffrey cupped Sansa's beautiful face, gently wiped away her tears, and smiled:
"Why are you crying? It's not like I'm not coming back."
"But, I..." Sansa was choked with emotion.
"Be good, go with my brother Tommen to Rosby to hide for a while."
Joffrey was silent for a long time; he looked at Sansa Stark and promised, "I will be fine, we will all be fine. When I return, I will marry you as my queen."
Looking at his beloved, Joffrey kissed her lips deeply and lingeringly.
As soon as they parted, Sansa Stark took the initiative to wrap her arms around Joffrey Baratheon's neck, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his lips.
Cold blood radiated burning love, only for the safe return of her lover.
"Promise me, you must come back alive."
"I promise you."
...
Finally, Joffrey went to his mother Cersei Lannister's room.
As soon as he entered, he saw his mother Cersei sitting in a chair weeping silently, while his brother Tommen Baratheon held up his hand, trying to wipe away her tears.
His sister Myrcella Baratheon sat blankly on the bed, lost in thought.
"Mother, I've come."
Joffrey spoke and walked to Cersei, taking his mother into his arms.
Cersei Lannister, her eyes misty with tears, said to her eldest son, "Joffrey, can you go to Rosby with Tommen?"
She did not want any of her children to die, just as she loathed the prophecy from her youth. She feared her three children would truly be as Maggy the Frog said—shrouded in gold, dying before her eyes.
Joffrey leaned his head against his mother's and comforted her with a smile: "Mother, I am the King of the Seven Kingdoms. I need to lead my people to resist the invasion; this is my responsibility and duty."
He continued, "If I am no longer here in the future, you shall serve as Queen Regent to assist Tommen and manage this country in my stead."
Cersei Lannister shook her head sadly upon hearing this and stroked her eldest son, saying, "Joffrey, my son. I don't want to be any Queen Regent; I only want you safely by my side."
A piece of flesh from ten months of pregnancy is not something easily parted with.
"Joffrey, I beg you as your mother. Go, leave quickly. Leave King's Landing; do not stay here to be buried with that iron chair." Cersei wept; she only wanted her son to survive.
Tommen, standing aside, also chimed in for his mother, "Yes, brother. Come with me, so Uncle won't be able to catch us."
Tommen Baratheon, only about five years old, could not yet understand what responsibility or duty meant; he only wanted his brother Joffrey to be safely with him.
Hearing this, Joffrey smiled and patted Tommen's little head, saying, "Tommen, my brother. You must remember: there are things a man does not do, and things he must do. Since ancient times, the Emperor guards the gate, and the King dies for the shrines of the state. As King, I must live or die with my country and my people."
Saying this, Joffrey took off the antlered crown he wore and solemnly placed it on Tommen Baratheon's little head.
He said, "Tommen, from childhood until now, I have never given you an order. But today, I give you my first order, and perhaps my last."
After speaking, Joffrey Baratheon suddenly took a step back, drew the longsword at his waist, and rested it on Tommen's shoulder. He said with a serious expression:
"Tommen Baratheon, hear my command!"
Tommen, who had studied royal etiquette since childhood, immediately knelt on the ground upon seeing this. He tried hard to set his baby-fat face, and with a voice that was still developing and childish, he responded loudly:
"Please give your command, Your Majesty!"
Cersei Lannister watched her two sons, one big and one small, and couldn't help but burst into tears. She covered her mouth, trying her best not to let her sobbing affect them.
Joffrey looked seriously at his brother Tommen's face and said:
"In the name of the Warrior, I charge you to be brave."
"In the name of the Father, I charge you to be just."
"In the name of the Mother, I charge you to defend the weak and the innocent."
"In the name of the Maiden, I charge you to protect all women."
"In the name of the Smith, I grant you strength."
"In the name of the Crone, I grant you wisdom."
While speaking, the longsword in Joffrey's hand moved from Tommen's right shoulder to his left, and then from the left shoulder back to the right.
After the entire ceremony ended, Joffrey Baratheon sheathed his sword. He helped his brother Tommen up from the ground and straightened the slightly tilted crown on the boy's head.
He said, "My brother, I now formally dub you a knight. I hope that under my expectations, you will keep your vows like a knight."
Joffrey glanced at the crown on Tommen's head and continued, "Remember: he who wears the crown must bear its weight."
Then, Joffrey took a deep breath and spoke his final words: "Tommen, if King's Landing truly falls and I do not return alive... from that moment on, you will be the King of the Seven Kingdoms."
With that, Joffrey turned and left resolutely.
The moment he stepped out of the room, he heard his mother Cersei Lannister's heart-wrenching cries from behind, calling his name.
Joffrey really wanted to turn back and hug his mother, but in the end, he did not look back.
He had already made arrangements; his mother Cersei Lannister would go to Rosby for refuge with his brother Tommen Baratheon and his beloved Sansa Stark, and his sister Myrcella Baratheon would be sent to House Tyrell in Highgarden for a marriage alliance with Willas Tyrell.
Walking out of The Red Keep, Joffrey Baratheon took the gold helm with stag antlers handed to him by The Hound, Sandor Clegane, and under the expectant gazes of everyone, he walked step by step toward the battlefield.