Cersei’s Dream, Cersei VIII, Feast

[Lost Melnibonean]

Part I The Crone

She dreamt an old dream, of three girls in brown cloaks, a wattled crone, and a tent that smelled of death.

The crone's tent was dark, with a tall peaked roof. She did not want to go in, no more than she had wanted to at ten, but the other girls were watching her, so she could not turn away. They were three in the dream, as they had been in life. Fat Jeyne Farman hung back as she always did. It was a wonder she had come this far. Melara Hetherspoon was bolder, older, and prettier, in a freckly sort of way. Wrapped in roughspun cloaks with their hoods pulled up, the three of them had stolen from their beds and crossed the tourney grounds to seek the sorceress. Melara had heard the serving girls whispering how she could curse a man or make him fall in love, summon demons and foretell the future.

Notice that one of the attributes listed is the ability to summon demons and recall...

One day at Myr, a certain man came to our folly. He gave me a potion that made me powerless to move or speak, yet did nothing to dull my senses. With a long hooked blade, he sliced me root and stem, chanting all the while. I watched him burn my manly parts on a brazier. The flames turned blue, and I heard a voice answer his call, though I did not understand the words they spoke.

...

Yet I still dream of that night, my lord. Not of the sorcerer, nor his blade, nor even the way my manhood shriveled as it burned. I dream of the voice. The voice from the flames. Was it a god, a demon, some conjurer's trick? ... .

Tyrion X, Clash

Maggy later had Cersei cut their fingers, so she could suck their blood. Qyburn later explained to Cersei that blood magic was the darkest and possibly the most powerful of sorceries. (And that's coming from Qyburn, yikes!) It seems Varys's sorcerer and Maggy were practitioners of the same sort of blood magic.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Part II The Smith

In life the girls had been breathless and giddy, whispering to each other as they went, as excited as they were afraid. The dream was different. In the dream the pavilions were shadowed, and the knights and serving men they passed were made of mist. The girls wandered for a long while before they found the crone's tent. By the time they did all the torches were guttering out. Cersei watched the girls huddling, whispering to one another. Go back, she tried to tell them. Turn away. There is nothing here for you. But though she moved her mouth, no words came out.

As those who have read the Tales of Dunk and Egg know, a mist is one of the ways Bloodraven is believed to have disguised himself, and there are several places in the text of the main novels where the presence of mist appears to be a clue as to some involvement by Bloodraven. Mist is also highlighted later in the dream. Moreover, as we note all the torches going out, we should recall Bloodraven's advice to Bran about using the darkness. And keep in mind that at least one of Jaime's dreams appeared to be inspired by Bloodraven. Perhaps this one was inspired by Bloodraven as well... to what end though? Bloodraven would like to see Cersei fall as much as Varys, no? Why wouldn't he use the same strategy of fomenting dissension between the two queens?

[Lost Melnibonean]

Part III The Mother

Lord Tywin's daughter was the first through the flap, with Melara close behind her. Jeyne Farman came last, and tried to hide behind the other two, the way she always did.

The inside of the tent was full of smells. Cinnamon and nutmeg. Pepper, red and white and black. Almond milk and onions. Cloves and lemongrass and precious saffron, and stranger spices, rarer still. The only light came from an iron brazier shaped like a basilisk's head, a dim green light that made the walls of the tent look cold and dead and rotten. Had it been that way in life as well? Cersei could not seem to remember.

Here, we have a clue as to Maggy's relationship to House Westerling. But what should we make of the brazier shaped like a basilisk's head? Is there any symbolism there? I can't see it. The green light burning in it, though, suggests that Maggy had wildfire to fuel it.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Part IV The Maid

"Begone," croaked Maggy, a third time.

Listen to her, the queen would have cried if she had her tongue. You still have time to flee. Run, you little fools!

The girl with the golden curls put her hands upon her hips. "Give us our foretelling, or Ill go to my lord father and have you whipped for insolence."

"Please," begged Melara. "Just tell us our futures, then well go."

"Some are here who have no futures," Maggy muttered in her terrible deep voice. She pulled her robe about her shoulders and beckoned the girls closer. "Come, if you will not go. Fools. Come, yes. I must taste your blood."

As we'll learn later, Maggy was clearly referring to Melara.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Part V The Warrior

Melara paled, but not Cersei. A lioness does not fear a frog, no matter how old and ugly she might be. She should have gone, she should have listened, she should have run away. Instead she took the dagger Maggy offered her, and ran the twisted iron blade across the ball of her thumb. Then she did Melara too.

In the dim green tent, the blood seemed more black than red. Maggy's toothless mouth trembled at the sight of it. Here, she whispered, give it here. When Cersei offered her hand, she sucked away the blood with gums as soft as a newborn babe's. The queen could still remember how queer and cold her mouth had been.

Notice how badly Maggy wanted that blood. As Qyburn said, blood magic is evil and powerful.

Being obsessed with the color symbolism of ASOIAF and how it relates to the three heads of the dragon and the dancing of dragons, I found this line to be the most fascinating line from Cersei's dream. I don't think it has anything to do with Cersei. The Dance of Dragons involved the faceoff between Aegon II, the leader of the greens, and Rhaenerya, the leader of the blacks. The George has told us that we will see another dance, and we can assume that Daenerys, who rides Drogon will be the black this time around and that Aegon will be the green. (Jon is blue... "Under the sea, smoke rises in bubbles, and flames burn green and blue and black," Patchface sang somewhere. "I know, I know, oh, oh, oh.") So, Aegon's green tent will be camped across the lines of battle from Daenerys's black tent. But Daenerys is a true Targaryen, a red dragon. Here we see that In the dim green tent, the blood seemed more black than red, so we can assume this is another clue that Aegon is not a true Targaryen, but a Blackfyre, a black dragon.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Part VI The Father

"Three questions may you ask," the crone said, once she'd had her drink. "You will not like my answers. Ask, or begone with you."

Go, the dreaming queen thought, hold your tongue, and flee. But the girl did not have sense enough to be afraid.

"When will I wed the prince?" she asked.

"Never. You will wed the king."

Beneath her golden curls, the girl's face wrinkled up in puzzlement. For years after, she took those words to mean that she would not marry Rhaegar until after his father Aerys had died. "I will be queen, though?" asked the younger her.

"Aye." Malice gleamed in Maggy's yellow eyes. "Queen you shall be . . . until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear."

Anger flashed across the child's face. "If she tries I will have my brother kill her." Even then she would not stop, willful child as she was. She still had one more question due her, one more glimpse into her life to come. "Will the king and I have children?" she asked.

"Oh, aye. Six-and-ten for him, and three for you."

That made no sense to Cersei. Her thumb was throbbing where she'd cut it, and her blood was dripping on the carpet. How could that be? she wanted to ask, but she was done with her questions.

So, we have two things here, the more beautiful "queen," and confirmation that Maggy knew what the heck she was talking about with Cersei later marrying Robert but having Jaime's children. I don't believe the more beautiful "queen" needs to be a queen. She just needs to be another, younger and more beautiful. Cersei believes its Margaery, while the reader is led to believe its Daenerys, similar to Melisandre's belief that Stannis is the PTWP, while the reader is led to believe it's Daenerys. However, in that situation, the astute reader knows that the PTWP is Jon (There can be only one!) So, the astute reader should be looking for someone other than Margaery or Daenerys. I am almost convinced its Brienne.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Part VII The Stranger

The old woman was not done with her, however. "Gold shall be their crowns and gold their shrouds," she said. "And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you."

Maggy was right on about marrying Robert and having Jaime's children, and she was right about Joffrey becoming king and dying, and Tommen becoming king, so we should expect that Tommen will die, and that Myrcella will be crowned and die before Cersei is killed by the valonqar.

"What is a valonqar? Some monster?" The golden girl did not like that foretelling. "You'e a liar and a warty frog and a smelly old savage, and I don't believe a word of what you say. Come away, Melara. She is not worth hearing."

"I get three questions too," her friend insisted. And when Cersei tugged upon her arm, she wriggled free and turned back to the crone. "Will I marry Jaime?" she blurted out.

You stupid girl, the queen thought, angry even now. Jaime does not even know you are alive. Back then her brother lived only for swords and dogs and horses and for her, his twin.

"Not Jaime, nor any other man," said Maggy. "Worms will have your maidenhead. Your death is here tonight, little one. Can you smell her breath? She is very close."

...

The valonqar shall wrap his hands about your throat, the queen heard, but the voice did not belong to the old woman. The hands emerged from the mists of her dream and coiled around her neck; thick hands, and strong. Above them floated his face, leering down at her with his mismatched eyes. No, the queen tried to cry out, but the dwarf's fingers dug deep into her neck, choking off her protests. She kicked and screamed to no avail. Before long she was making the same sound her son had made, the terrible thin sucking sound that marked Joff's last breath on earth.

We have two things going on here as well, the identity of the valonqar, and Melara's death. We find out later that Melara fell down a well, and that Cersei heard her screams. And while Cersei did have a future, Maggy said one of them would not, leaving only Melara with no future. Obviously, Melara was not going to last long since worms--grave worms--would be crawling through her before she reached puberty, but note that Melara's death was there that night--it was described as feminine, and it was very close. It would seem reasonable to assume then that Cersei killed her before sunrise. Cersei was angry and jealous when she heard Melara ask if she would marry Jaime.

Cersei clearly believes that Tyrion is the valonqar, the little brother. But we learn that Jaime followed Cersei out of the womb, so he's her little brother too. The reader really isn't led to this like the reader is led to Daenerys in the case of the more beautiful "queen" and the case of the PTWP, so I think the reader should conclude the valonqar is Jaime.

[Bryanfury]

Reserved

:leaving:

[TerrorVoid]

Here goes the question: were Mel's shadows demons or not?

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

Part II

As those who have read the Tales of Dunk and Egg know, a mist is one of the ways Bloodraven is believed to have disguised himself, and there are several places in the text of the main novels where the presence of mist appears to be a clue as to some involvement by Bloodraven. Mist is also highlighted later in the dream. Moreover, as we note all the torches going out, we should recall Bloodravens advice to Bran about using the darkness. And keep in mind that at least one of Jaimes dreams appeared to be inspired by Bloodraven. Perhaps this one was inspired by Bloodraven as well to what end though? Bloodraven would like to see Cersei fall as much as Varys, no? Why wouldnt he use the same strategy of fomenting dissension between the two queens?

The wording would suggest the mist hadn't been there in life, only the dream.

Part IV

As we'll learn later, Maggy was clearly referring to Melara.

Poor girl :(

Part V

Being obsessed with the color symbolism of ASOIAF and how it relates to the three heads of the dragon and the dancing of dragons, I found this line to be the fascinating line from Cerseis dream. I dont think it has anything to do with Cersei. The Dance of Dragons involved the faceoff between Aegon II, the leader of the greens, and Rhaenerya, the leader of the blacks. The George has told us that we will see another dance, and we can assume that Daenerys, who rides Aegon will be the black this time around and that Aegon will be green. (Jon is blue Under the sea, smoke rises in bubbles, and flames burn green and blue and black, Patchface sang somewhere. I know, I know, oh, oh, oh.) So, Aegons green tent will be camped across the lines of battle from Daeneryss black tent. But Daenerys is a true Targaryen, a red dragon. Here we see that In the dim green tent, the blood seemed more black than red, so we this is another clue that Aegon is not a true Targaryen, but a Blackfyre, a black dragon.

How does this associate in this context to Targaryens and/or Blackfyres?

[Monctonvike]

Sorry I forget what was the third girls fortune

[Blazfemur]

Part I The Crone

Notice that one of the attributes listed is the ability to summon demons and recall...

Tyrion X, Clash

Maggy later had Cersei cut their fingers, so she could suck their blood. Qyburn later explained to Cersei that blood magic was the darkest and possibly the most powerful of sorceries. (And that's coming from Qyburn, yikes!) It seems Varys's sorcerer and Maggy were practitioners of the sort of blood magic.

Varys' sorcerer, Maggy, Mirri Maaz Duur, Marwyn the Mage (possibly the sorcerer who cut Varys??) and obviously Melisandre. Weren't there "demons" dancing in the tent that Mirri was performing the ritual in with Drogo?

Part II The Smith

As those who have read the Tales of Dunk and Egg know, a mist is one of the ways Bloodraven is believed to have disguised himself, and there are several places in the text of the main novels where the presence of mist appears to be a clue as to some involvement by Bloodraven. Mist is also highlighted later in the dream. Moreover, as we note all the torches going out, we should recall Bloodraven's advice to Bran about using the darkness. And keep in mind that at least one of Jaime's dreams appeared to be inspired by Bloodraven. Perhaps this one was inspired by Bloodraven as well... to what end though? Bloodraven would like to see Cersei fall as much as Varys, no? Why wouldn't he use the same strategy of fomenting dissension between the two queens?

nooooooooooo not you too! Bloodraven ISNT involved in EVERYone's life!! come on...

Part IV The Maid

As we'll learn later, Maggy was clearly referring to Melara.

whats interesting is Maggy knew this, before obtaining the blood. Prophetic dreams, perhaps?

Part V The Warrior

Being obsessed with the color symbolism of ASOIAF and how it relates to the three heads of the dragon and the dancing of dragons, I found this line to be the most fascinating line from Cersei's dream. I dont think it has anything to do with Cersei. The Dance of Dragons involved the faceoff between Aegon II, the leader of the greens, and Rhaenerya, the leader of the blacks. The George has told us that we will see another dance, and we can assume that Daenerys, who rides Drogon will be the black this time around and that Aegon will be the green. (Jon is blue... "Under the sea, smoke rises in bubbles, and flames burn green and blue and black," Patchface sang somewhere. "I know, I know, oh, oh, oh.") So, Aegon's green tent will be camped across the lines of battle from Daenerys's black tent. But Daenerys is a true Targaryen, a red dragon. Here we see that In the dim green tent, the blood seemed more black than red, so we can assume this is another clue that Aegon is not a true Targaryen, but a Blackfyre, a black dragon.

can you explain the correlation between Daenerys/Aegon with the blacks and greens? i read the novella one time when i first got it so i cant remember any symbolic correlation between blacks/greens with today's daenerys/aegon.

Part VI

So, we have two things here, the more beautiful queen, and confirmation that Maggy knew what the heck she was talking about with Cersei later marrying Robert but having Jaimes children. I dont believe the more beautiful queen needs to be a queen. She just needs to be another, younger and more beautiful. Cersei believes its Margaery, while the reader is led to believe its Daenerys, similar to Melisandres belief that Stannis is the PTWP, while the reader is led to believe its Daenerys. However, in that situation, the astute reader knows that the PTWP is Jon (There can be only one!) So, the astute reader should be looking for someone other than Margaery or Daenerys. I am almost convinced its Brienne.

it could be brienne, and i agree it doesnt have to be a woman in power (yet). i kinda want it to be myrcella through dorne haha. thatd be one hell of a twist. why is it assumed through her dream that her children MUST die BEFORE she does?

Part VII

but I think the astute reader should conclude the valonqar is Jaime.

But how would Jaime wrap his "hands" around her throat? Unless it's metaphorical and he uses The Strangler poison to do it, but even then thats not Jaime's style and it's reiterated that poison is a woman's weapon. Would he do it with his gold hand strapped on?

amazing post. great analysis. id love to keep this going.

[Blazfemur]

How does this associate in this context to Targaryens and/or Blackfyres?

lol ninja'd, also, id like to know this too

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

But how would Jaime wrap his "hands" around her throat? Unless it's metaphorical and he uses The Strangler poison to do it, but even then thats not Jaime's style and it's reiterated that poison is a woman's weapon. Would he do it with his gold hand strapped on?

If he does eventually become Hand of the King, he will have a chain of hands :)

[Lost Melnibonean]

The wording would suggest the mist hadn't been there in life, only the dream.

Poor girl :(

How does this associate in this context to Targaryens and/or Blackfyres?

As I suggested Bloodraven inspired the dream in the present and the mist is a clue for the reader. I'm not suggesting he had anythingvto do with Maggy's prophecy.

You have to believe Aegon is a Blackfyre. So I would concede the logic is pretty circular.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Sorry I forget what was the third girls fortune

She took one look at Maggy and bailed. Cersei muses that she was the smart one since she married her brother's bannerman and whelpped a whole litter. She's still alive on Fair Isle.

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

As I suggested Bloodraven inspired the dream in the present and the mist is a clue for the reader. I'm not suggesting he had anythingvto do with Maggy's prophecy.

Ah. The dream... Ok. I had missed that :)

You havevto believe Aegon is a Blackfyre. So I would concede the logic is pretty circular.

No, it still isn't logical.. for colours to br associated with something, there has to at least be something to associate it with?

[Sanset]

Part V The Warrior

Being obsessed with the color symbolism of ASOIAF and how it relates to the three heads of the dragon and the dancing of dragons, I found this line to be the most fascinating line from Cersei's dream. I dont think it has anything to do with Cersei. The Dance of Dragons involved the faceoff between Aegon II, the leader of the greens, and Rhaenerya, the leader of the blacks. The George has told us that we will see another dance, and we can assume that Daenerys, who rides Drogon will be the black this time around and that Aegon will be the green. (Jon is blue... "Under the sea, smoke rises in bubbles, and flames burn green and blue and black," Patchface sang somewhere. "I know, I know, oh, oh, oh.") So, Aegon's green tent will be camped across the lines of battle from Daenerys's black tent. But Daenerys is a true Targaryen, a red dragon. Here we see that In the dim green tent, the blood seemed more black than red, so we can assume this is another clue that Aegon is not a true Targaryen, but a Blackfyre, a black dragon.

It is a very interesting analysis, but it was Cersei's dream, so what about Cersei's blood black and red: Daemon was a bastard son of a king that was legitimized. If Cersei is Aerys' blood daughter, she would be a bastard that lived as a trueborn "legitimized" by her father who gave her her name. That works for Jaime as well because he's got Cersei's blood. About the wildfire, there is a connection from Aerys to Cersei through the substance. After all, she wears green dresses and she married the Usurper, so she is somehow seated in the IT, though her rights are questionable.

If Bloodraven is involved in this by inducing Jaime and Cersei to have weird misty dreams, I can't help to get suspicious about it. After all, I still think they are Aerys offspring. This seems to work well in that direction.

[Giant of Tarth]

I really enjoyed the way you broke up your theory into the seven. Have you ever considered that her dream showing the similarities of her death with Joffreys might mean the Strangler poison as well, or is that just too repetitive?

[Lost Melnibonean]

can you explain the correlation between Daenerys/Aegon with the blacks and greens? i read the novella one time when i first got it so i cant remember any symbolic correlation between blacks/greens with today's daenerys/aegon.

Well, there is an SSM somewhere indicating that we will see a second Dance of Dragons. Aegon was the leader of the greens in the first Dance of Dragons, so it stands to reason that our Aegon, assuming he will "dance" with Daenerys, can be associated with green.

And, well, um... the babe was the leader of the blacks, right? So it stands to reason that our babe, the hot chick on the black dragon, can be associated with black. If you search a bit, you'll find all kinds of green and black contrasts and combinations throughout ASOIAF. Perhaps it's nothingore yhan coincidence, but I highly doubt that. There was a reason for all those green and black color references. And with the publication of TP&TQ or the Blacks and the Greens, we finally found the Rosetta Stone.

Some of those green and black sets in the books include blue. Well, the astute reader has associated Jon with blue ever since he or she figured out R+L=J.

There are an awful lot of red and black combinations too. We've known about the red dragon versus black dragon for sometime. And as Kevin tells us we have no reason to question Daenerys's parentage. She is a true Targaryen, a red dragon. Do we have a black dragon? Well, I think it's Aegon. Can we get there by deductive reasoning? I don't think so. But given the way the plot sets up, should we ecpect it? I think we should. Yes there are reasons against it, but I don't agree with those. And Aegon fits the bill.

So, when we have red and black, Daenerys is red and Aegon is black. When we have black and green, Daenerys is black and Aegon is green. When we see blue in there, that's Jon, Aegon is green, and Daenerys is sometimes black and sometimes red.

it could be brienne, and i agree it doesnt have to be a woman in power (yet). i kinda want it to be myrcella through dorne haha. thatd be one hell of a twist. why is it assumed through her dream that her children MUST die BEFORE she does?

Cause she says that each will be crowned. So, we know Tommen has to die for Myrcella to be crowned. And Maggy says Each will wear a shroud, i.e. die, before the valonqar will kill Cersei.

amazing post. great analysis. id love to keep this going.

Thanks.