A Certain Queen's Reign Lasts About 3 Months (Spoilers Extended)

I forgot to repost this from awhile back after it was taken down for spoilers. The original title was Cersei's "reign" lasts about 3 months.

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Due to the length of time between book releases, pacing changes and a location split (AFFC/ADWD), I have always assumed Cersei's "reign" was a little longer. For instance before he abandoned the 5 year gap, GRRM had Cersei in charge, going through multiple Hands, etc.:

A: It worked for characters like Arya and Dany but not so much for the adults or those who had a lot of action coming. He was writing chapters where Jon thought, "Well, not a lot has happened these past five years, it's been kinda nice." And Cersei chapters where she thought, "Well, I've had to kill sooo many people the last five years." So he ended up dropping it. He said he would have done it sooner if he hadn't told so many fans about it. And there is no gap anymore. "If a twelve-year old has to conquer the world, then so be it." -SSM, US Signing Tour: November 18, 2005

With the abandonment of the 5 year gap, Cersei is the highest power in the Seven Kingdoms for only about 3 months, from Lord Tywin's death up until her imprisonment.

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#Timeline

Using the ASOIAF Timeline (which is a great tool, although not perfect and its important to keep in mind that GRRM has stated not to let small timeline errors ruin the story):

Lord Tywin dies in ASOS, Tyrion XI, which takes place on/around February 7, 300 AC

Cersei is imprisoned at the Sept of Baelor in AFFC, Cersei X, which takes place around May 17, 300 AC

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During this time period she lurched from one folly to the next (arming the Faith, paranoia about Tyrion, giving Aurane Waters command of the royal fleet, etc.).

While it is indeed possible that she regains power now that Kevan is dead (TWOW, Mercy hints at this possibility although it is by no means 100%), it is also very possible that since:

• as mentioned in ADWD, her walk of shame has ruined her politically

• she has very minimal support in King's Landing outside of Qyburn/UnGregor as Kevan/Pycelle are dead, Mace Tyrell has an army outside the city, most of the Lannister army left with Jaime, etc.

That fAegon is able to take King's Landing relatively easily in TWOW and if she does regain and semblance of power it will be very brief.

It is also possible that the Euron/Cersei plotline from the show takes place and she (although others are theorized as well) is his "queen" from the The Forsaken vision. But I'm getting ahead of myself as this isn't the point of this thread.

Varys kills Kevan because he was fixing Cersei's follies

"But none in this room, thankfully. This pains me, my lord. You do not deserve to die alone on such a cold dark night. There are many like you, good men in service to bad causes … but you were threatening to undo all the queen's good work, to reconcile Highgarden and Casterly Rock, bind the Faith to your little king, unite the Seven Kingdoms under Tommen's rule. So …" -ADWD, Epilogue

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I just found it fascinating that Cersei was basically able to "achieve" all this in a few months.

TLDR: Due to things like the show, pacing changes, abandonment of the 5 yr gap and a location split, I didn't realize that Cersei is only "in power" for about 3 months