Cersei hears from one of her maesters, Pycelle, that Margaery has taken “moon tea.” This is a drink to induce abortion, so Margaery must, reasons Cersei, have a lover. Still, as she says, “we need to catch them during the deed” (654) and identify the lover to prove Margaery’s “treason.” This will force the other Tyrells to disown her. To accomplish this, she arrests a singer, “The Blue Bard,” who has often been seen with Margaery. He is tortured into confessing that he had carnal relations with Margaery and that he saw her with other men as well. Cersei also convinces Osney Kettleblack to lie about having slept with Margaery and her cousins.

Arianne is taken into custody by her father Doran for plotting rebellion against him. She is imprisoned in a tower in Sunspear and only allowed to see a handful of servants, who are forbidden to talk with her. Arianne convinces one servant Cedra to smuggle out a letter about her situation to potential supporters, but it is intercepted. As she says, “The loneliness was like to drive her mad” (675). When she is finally allowed to see Doran, she is unrepentant and asks why her younger brother Quentyn rather than her is Doran’s heir to the rule of Dorne.