Chapter Seventy - The Queen's Hand - A Dance with Dragons | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)

Ser Barristan watches a man die before meeting with his queen’s new council to discuss both peace and war plans. He then talks with the Dornishmen to offer a get-out-of-jail card. Finally, he meets with the Green Grace. The Yunki’i have rejected his ransom offer for the hostages. To emphasize this point, the Yunkai begin launching corpses into the city. Mackelly and Simon duck and cover.

Chapter Review:
Ser Barristan Selmy scans the horizon for a sign of Queen Daenerys Targaryen’s return. Instead, he surveys the destruction the freed dragons have wreaked on the city. He hears a death rattle coming from indoors and steps into the queen’s apartments as Prince Quentyn Martell takes his final breaths. Soon after, Skahaz mo Kandaq arrives. He gives Selmy the “butcher’s tally.” The Sons of the Harpy killed 29 last night. The pair make their way to join the council Selmy has assembled to run the city until the queen returns.

The Green Grace has been sent to the Yunkai’i to offer a ransom for the queen’s remaining hostages. She hasn’t returned. Instead they discuss alternatives. If the Yunkai’i reject the offer, Barristan will respond with fire and blood. He presents war plans and the men debate strategy.

When the council is dismissed, Selmy goes to the dungeons to inform Archibald Yronwood and Gerris Drinkwater that their friend and prince is dead. He then offers them an opportunity to keep their heads on their necks. If they take a message to the Tattered Prince requesting that he free the hostages, Selmy will send the Dornishmen home with Quentyn’s bones. Arch accepts on both men’s behalf.

While waiting for the Green Grace to return, Selmy frets over his decisions. Are they what the queen would’ve wanted? His thoughts are interrupted by the return of the Green Grace. She wants King Hizdar zo Loraq freed. Only he can stop the violence within the city and save the peace with Yunkai. Selmy says the king will be freed, if he can prove he didn’t poison the queen. The Green Grace says the Yunkai’i rejected the ransom offer. Their discussion is interrupted by Skahaz, who bursts in to tell them the Yunkai have begun to fire their trebuchets. The Green Grace adds that it’s not rocks they’re launching. It’s corpses.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Barristan Selmy - Former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard in King’s Landing. Now Lord Commander of the Dany’s Queensguard.
Hizdahr zo Loraq - Noble of Meereen, husband to Daenerys.
Skahaz mo Kandaq (aka The Shavepate) - Ghiscari noble, loyal to Daenerys and opposed to Hizdahr.
Quentyn Martell - Oldest son of Prince Doran Martell.
Archibald Yronwood - Dornish knight and friend of Prince Quentyn Martell.
Gerris Drinkwater - Dornish knight and friend of Prince Quentyn Martell.
Green Grace - Top religious leader in the city.
Meereen - Largest city on Slaver’s Bay.