Cersei hosts in the ballroom. Osney comes in from time to time to give updates, which Sansa is able to hear. Moon Boy and Dontos are entertaining the attendees. One of the younger women begins weeping, and Cersei has Maester Frenken take her away and give her something to help her sleep. Cersei tells Sansa some of the terrors that await if the castle falls and gives her some advice on how to use her womanhood as a weapon. The guests are nervous. Lollys eats too fast and vomits, while Lord Gyles drinks too much and passes out. Osney returns with Osfryd and reports that the wildfire has gone up,¹ while Osfryd reports that three servants tried to leave the castle with horses. Cersei has Ser Ilyn go attend to them. A while later, Osfryd comes back to report that a group of rich merchants are at the gates of the castle asking for refuge; Cersei tells the sellsword to disperse them. As the day goes on, Cersei becomes more and more drunk. She bitterly laments that even though she and Jaime are virtually identical she was never allowed to learn the sword or warfare or the other fields reserved for men. Osney comes with another report that the Mud Gate is under attack and Tyrion has led a sortie out the King's Gate.² Cersei is worried for Joffrey and orders Osney to see that he is brought back to the castle. After the meal ends, many of the guests, including Lady Tanda, Falyse, and Lollys, go to the sept to pray. Cersei forces Sansa to drink some wine and tells her that she knows about the trips to the godswood. She tells Sansa that she had better stop praying for House Lannister's defeat, because she will go down with them. Ser Ilyn, back from beheading the traitors, is in the hall to kill Cersei, Sansa, and all the rest should the city fall.