Chapter 8: A Mother's Thoughts and Arriving in King's Landing
POV - Cersei Lannister
I found myself once again watching one of my eldest through the window in the carriage door.
He was riding with that sweet little Northern girl in front of him and he seemed to be teaching her how to ride.
Even through my pickiness, I could confidently say they were a brilliant couple. Tommen's dashing good looks and his wavy blond locks flowing in the wind were matched well by the Stark girl's beauty and long auburn red hair. They seemed blessed with a rapidly growing affinity for one another as well, if how closely the girl had placed her behind to Tommen's lap.
...Yet I found myself somewhat aggravated by this. Tommen had always been, let's say, hard to control. Unlike his twin, Joffrey, Tommen was studious and his curiosity was near boundless. As much as I loved all my children equally, I would secretly have to admit that Tommen was my favored child. The only one of my children to make my father show a semblance of pride, as well, which admittedly played into that opinion I have of Tommen.
Tommen was everything good about Jaime and I, thrown into one person. Proof of our boundless love for one another and how much of a good fit we were. Tommen was athletically inclined, just as Jaime was, but he also had a razor sharp wit that he'd more than likely gained from me. Yet he had the patience and control I never had, inherited perhaps from his grandfather.
If he were such a shining example, how could he not be my favorite?
But the problem starts when you get to how independent Tommen was. By the time he was five namedays old, he was off to Casterly Rock to Page under my father, Tywin. I'd tried to talk him out of it but he was adamant and as stubborn as a mule. Just like Jaime and I were.
I sighed, stroking Kevan's* hair, my youngest sitting on my lap.
(*A/N - Just a reminder that this is Tommen's younger sibling and not Kevan Lannister, his great-uncle.)
With the addition of Sansa Stark, I feared that Tommen would become even more resistant to my control. Even if all I ever did was for his own good, he seemed intent on finding his own way in life.
Though, seeing him happy, I was happy. I was still his mother and I'd love him whether he listened to me or not. Besides, while he wasn't very vocal about it, Tommen loved me in his own way and he was openly grateful about what little he did allow me to do for him. Still...it didn't stop me from feeling down about him finally getting a wife of his own - he was leaving the nest fully, so to speak. I remembered simpler days when I would carry him and Joffrey from place to place in the Red Keep, and I smiled to myself.
However there was an inkling of worry in the back of my mind. The Stark boy who'd seen what I and Jaime were doing in that broken tower.
I could neither blame Tommen for successfully helping the boy nor for being kind enough to even try in the first place. But I still allowed myself to feel a semblance of annoyance that he hadn't just let it go. If that boy woke and told his mother what he'd seen...
I stopped those thoughts with a scrunch of my brow, not allowing myself to stress any further.
Tommen had helped the boy but even still, he showed no signs of waking when we left Winterfell. I could only hope that Tommen's medical skills weren't as good as I'd heard they were.
Pursing my lips, I stopped looking at Tommen and his wife to-be and down at Kevan and Myrcella who were lying asleep. I still had quite a few years with these two before they got old enough to begin thinking for themselves, so I could be happy knowing that. Stroking their hair, I rested the back of my head against the cushioned seat behind me.
King's Landing wasn't too far away now.
. . .
POV Change - Tommen Baratheon
From behind Sansa, I reached forth and took the reins before speaking softly into Sansa's ear, "Allow me to take the reins for a moment," I said and she nodded, happily letting go of the reins and leaning backwards into me while holding my forearm tightly with her hand in an almost possessive manner.
I chuckled, letting her do what she wanted as I pulled lightly on the reins, making Wisp come to a stop before directing her off the road so the people behind me could pass.
Wisp waited patiently, as did I, and once my mother's carriage had gone passed alongside her guards, we rejoined the travelling party. Only this time we were right in front of the main Stark carriage that was carrying the clothes and goods of Sansa, Arya and Ned.
Seemingly bored of being in the enclosed carriage, Arya was on the front of this one, sitting just behind the man with the reins. Behind her were Nymeria and Lady, guarding over her with due vigilance like they were looking after one of their own.
As I approached, Wisp seemed uneasy being so close to the direwolves but I kept her steady and gave her mane a comforting stroke as Lady and Nymeria turned their heads to look at me. The latter with curiosity and the former with an alert look, her ears pointing straight up and forward while her mouth open and her tongue out. Though the main thing she was showing were her sharp teeth. She seemed like she wanted to jump off the carriage and walk besides us but Nymeria seemed to sense this as well and gave a soft bark that made Lady's ears drooped.
I raised an eyebrow in surprise - I knew they were intelligent but to see them act like this...it made them look almost human.
It also made it apparent to me that they had already worked out the pecking order.
Nymeria who was bigger than Lady, and most likely stronger, was obviously the leader of the two. She looked much more menacing with her dark grey fur and golden eyes as well.
Nevertheless, I turned my gaze back to the front of us and I saw King's Landing not too far off in the distance. I'd maneuvered Wisp back to this part of the procession because the King and my mother would split off onto a different road soon and I don't think Sansa would appreciate being split from her family too much.
Besides, I would follow Ned to the small council meeting. I'd taken it upon me to join in regularly so as to know the situation of the kingdom and when asked, I gave my opinion and ways to right certain situations.
Of course some on the council were unsure what I could add with my young age but when the solutions began to work...they soon began listening to me despite my age.
As I rode besides him, Ned looked to me and I returned his gaze with a nod. He looked to Sansa and saw how wide she was smiling and smiled himself before he looked to me and gave a nod. Turning my gaze back to King's Landing in the distance, I thought about how I'd need to talk to Ned soon.
I'd do my best to stop him from meeting the same fate he had in the original series.
At the very least, I'd keep him alive. Even if I had to commit treason myself. It was a hard line to toe, I'll be honest. But if it meant keeping a good man alive, I could easily win him a trial by forcing a Trial by Combat and then pleading him to keep his mouth shut by explaining to him what they'd do to Arya and Sansa if he didn't keep his silence.
Or I could go with my gut and explain to him how Lysa Arryn had been the one to kill Jon Arryn. It'd ruin Petyr's schemes and after finding evidence, I could have him tried and executed. Obviously I wouldn't straight up point out that Lysa had done it...but I could turn his suspicions that way.
Either way, I'd keep him from dying. Then I would wait for a short while, and enjoy my time with Sansa.
It was all for the plan. Everything. What would the Seven Kingdoms love more than a great King? A great King who saved the Realm from the mistakes the three previous kings had made. One a Mad King. The next, a Drunken King. The third, an Arrogant King who didn't deserve the throne.
I wouldn't wait for Joffrey to die via poisoning as per Olenna Tyrell's and Petyr Baelish's plans.
He'd die sooner than that but not soon enough that he'd show the Realm and the Lords in it that he was unfit to be King. That he was a man-child who should never have been let near a crown. It carried risks to allow him to come to power, but risks I full well knew I could manage. Once I came into power and made things better, I would be well loved and respected by the Lords and Small Folk alike.
If all went well with Ned, I would only have to really worry for Stannis and Renly's plans. Most of all that Melisandre - she was one I was most worried about, truth be told.
But worries and future plans aside, I came back mentally just in time to see my mother and father's part of the travelling party split off down another route which would take them straight to the Red Keep's main housing for the royal family. Where I and the Starks were heading would be considered the guest area of the keep - it was also closer to the Tower of the Hand.
Minutes passed in silence and I absentmindedly rode Wisp with Sansa, though my silence didn't go unnoticed.
"Tommen...are you okay?" Sansa asked with a worried tone and even without seeing, I could tell she was frowning slightly, "You've been silent for a little while now," her words trailed off toward the end like she was unsure it was her place to ask this but I felt some of my tension melt away as I dropped a hand from the reins and pulled Sansa tighter into me by her waist.
"I'm only thinking of future events, my dear," I said, injecting a little bit of energy into my voice, "And how gorgeous you'll look on our wedding day," I added this and it seemed to placate Sansa's worry as she began wondering aloud about our wedding and what would be done for it.
I just let her speak. I wanted to listen to her voice and just relax. The future could wait for one horse ride, and I so dearly wanted her opinion on the wedding layout because I had no idea what to do.
So, we rode on. With her talking and me listening.
. . .
Ten or so minutes later, we'd arrived in through the gates guarded by lines of guardsmen and ended up in the courtyard for the guests of the Red Keep. I got off Wisp and helped Sansa off also, before taking the reins and handing them off to a nearby servant. I gave Wisp's long mane and neck a good stroke and a pat before she was taken off to the stables to be cleaned and groomed.
Turning to Sansa, I caught the panting man running toward us from the Red Keep from the corner of my eye.
"It would seem I have some princely duties to attend to," I came up close to her and held her waist, her own hands resting against my chest and stomach as she looked up at me, "I'll come find you after I'm done and we can go to the kitchens. I vividly remember offering to cook you Lemon Cakes," I smirked down at her, my eyes narrowing in joy at seeing her blush a little. Bending down, I spoke in a quieter voice, "Deal?"
She nodded, adding with an equally quiet voice, "Deal," she breathlessly said, her eyes darting to my lips for a second before she reached up on her tiptoes and pecked me on the lips with more confidence than she last had.
Probably because of the amount of practice I was giving her.
Returning her kiss, I smirked to myself as I stood up straight again and reluctantly let go of her waist, "I'll see you soon then, Sansa," I winked at her before turning and walking after Ned who'd been told there was a meeting for the Small Council.
As I caught up to him, he turned to look over his shoulder and his grey eyes widened in surprise, "Prince Tommen?" he asked before adding, "Are you also coming to the meeting of the Small Council?" to his question I nodded with a half-smile.
"Indeed," I said, "Someone of the royal family should be there, even if it's only a prince. Besides my grandfather always told me I could learn a thing or two if I listened in on the meetings."
"Do you mean to imply Robert won't be at the meeting?" Ned asked, his northern accent really coming through as he spoke.
Once again, I nodded in reply as we kept on walking, "I'm afraid that's exactly what I'm saying, Lord Stark. My father hasn't been to a Small Council meeting in a long while," I added before smirking, "Though I'll tell you where he has been and probably is right now; a brothel. I'm sure you know my father and his hobbies well enough to not be too surprised, Lord Stark," I said and while Ned looked like he wanted to refute me, he knew that the both of us would easily know he was lying.
As we walked, it was mostly silent between us until we arrived at the great oak and bronze doors that led to the Great Hall which housed the Iron Throne. Two guards were stationed to each of the massive doors and all four of them strained to open the heavy things as we approached.
The old and massive doors slowly opened and when we arrived, they were wide open and allowed us to look into the Great Hall.
Unlike the show, this hall was exactly like how it had been described in the books.
Gigantic. It could easily fit a thousand people inside it, maybe even more if you really crammed them in here. My eyes followed a long red carpet, emblazoned with House Baratheon's coat of arms at points, which stretched from the great oak doors all the way until the steep iron steps before the throne.
Said throne was also more like how it was described in the books. It was a great big ugly thing, which was in no way symmetrical like it had been in the show.
It was jagged, with swords poking outward at nearly every point. I'd tried to count how many swords there were when I was younger but I'd quickly grown bored after I neared seven hundred. There were easily a thousand or more swords, taken from the battered and bruised people of Westeros after Aegon I Targaryen came over the Narrow Sea with his Dragons and Sister-Wives and conquered the Seven Kingdoms. Well, six of the seven Kingdoms. Dorne successfully resisted their attempts to conquer them.
Sitting along the steps was my uncle, Jaime. He was inspecting his sword and golden helmet before he saw us entering and he stood, a wide smile across his face as we approached.
"Thank the Gods you're here, Stark," he began before looking to me, "You too nephew. The Small Council is going mad trying to figure out how to pick up after King Robert - you two should be able to steer them in the right direction," he laughed toward the end and I returned his smile, being able to imagine those of the Small Council looking exasperated with something else Robert has done.
Ned, however, wasn't smiling at Jaime's little joke. He frowned and gestured to the giant monstrosity of steel behind Jaime before speaking, "Glad to see you protecting the Throne," he sternly said, though Jaime seemed unabashed by this stern attitude as he continued.
"Sturdy old thing," he said with a smile while shaking his head, a ponderous expression coming over his face, "How many king's arses have polished it, I wonder? And what's the line? The king shits and the Hand wipes?" he gestured a hand to Ned who didn't seem very pleased with what had been implied by Jaime's thinly veiled insult.
Nodding to Jaime's armor, Ned spoke up in a disdainful tone, "Very handsome armor. Not a scratch on it."
"I know," Jaime smiled, looking over to me for a moment before arrogantly smiling, "People have been swinging at me for years - yet they always seem to miss."
"Chosen your opponents wisely then," Ned 'complimented' though it was more like a thinly veiled way of saying 'You've never fought anyone worthy of fighting'. It seemed to actually annoy Jaime somewhat as he narrowed his green eyes, however, his smile never left his lips.
"I have a knack for it," he replied and things went quiet, while I chose not to speak up as I'd rather let them get it out now rather than later. "Must be strange for you," Jaime started before waving his hand about at the surrounding hall, "Coming into this room. I was standing right here when it happened," he pointed to the ground before he sincerely added, "He was very brave, your brother. Your father too. They didn't deserve to die like that--Nobody deserves to die like that," his voice trailed off and I could sense his sincerity when he said it.
Ned Stark, however, didn't. It was obviously a touchy topic for him and I knew he was annoyed with what Jaime had said, regardless of sincerity, "And you just stood there and watched?" he asked in the same disdainful tone.
...I found it slightly hypocritical.
Jaime had killed the Mad King when said ruler was preparing a mass genocide of his city. He'd saved the city. Yet because he's broken an oath, he was shamed with the title Kingslayer.
But because Jaime had sat by as Ned's brother and father were killed, listening to his King's orders, following his oath--he was also the bad guy? Call my uncle what you will: an incestuous pervert, a smug twat, an arrogant cunt, an overall dickhead. But if you can't see what he did as right when he put a sword through Aerys II Targaryen's back, you're severely lacking in my books. He saved the city and Ned Stark would know that if he ever really looked into it.
I looked into it out of curiosity despite knowing the answer and it was written in multiple different books about the stashes of wildfire hidden throughout King's Landing. People who couldn't put two and two together when they read that the Mad King was the one who ordered they were put there...they should just give up trying to use their brain's altogether.
My uncle could never win with people like this. It was at times like this that my respect for Ned dwindled ever so slightly.
"Five hundred men, just stood there and watched," Jaime explained with a fed-up tone, "All the great knights of the Seven Kingdoms--you think anyone said a word? Lifted a finger?" he asked, his question trailing off into an echo in the vast hall we were in before he shook his head, "No, Lord Stark. Five hundred men and this room was silent as a crypt...except, for the screams of course. And the Mad King laughing."
There was a more pregnant pause, Ned looking at Jaime with eyes that could kill if his gaze were a sword. Jaime, his face taking on a more serious look as he continued.
"Later, when I watched the Mad King die, I remembered him laughing as your father burned," he spoke in a somewhat more righteous way now, "It felt like justice."
"Is that what you tell yourself at night?" Ned asked, sounding disgusted, "That you're a servant of justice? That you were avenging my father when you shoved your sword in Aerys Targaryen's back?" he asked before shaking his head in disbelief. This, is when I stepped in, however.
"Technically," I held up a hand, "It was justice. Justice for your father and brother. The sister Aerys Targaryen's son kidnapped and raped*. For the multitude of sadistic killings where Aerys Targaryen's love for fire was shown in full," I spoke calmly in a more even tone than either Jaime or Ned, "Whether you like it or not, Lord Stark, my uncle avenged those deaths when he killed the Mad King."
(A/N - Obviously, Tommen knows this didn't happen. At least it didn't in the show, anyway. He's just willfully lying and saying what is known to the public about the whole 'Rhaegar x Lyanna' debacle so he can stick up for his uncle/father.)
Jaime looked to me, surprise coming over his face before a gratefulness replaced it and he smiled.
Ned turned to me, surprised for a second before he shook his head, "It doesn't change the fact he broke his oath to defend his King, Prince Tommen."
"That may be so," I conceded, not wanting to start an argument before the Small Council meeting, "But I know my uncle and I know he must have had his reasons. He isn't some mad beast like the Mountain who kills for the pleasure of it, Lord Stark," I ended my words and Ned looked at me for a few more seconds before looking to Jaime. He sighed and walked passed Jaime, deciding it wasn't worth it.
As I turned to follow, Jaime reached up and placed a hand on my shoulder stopping me. Looking down, I saw that Jaime wasn't looking to me and was instead looking off at the oak doors to the hall behind me.
"...Did you really mean what you said just then, nephew? That you trust that I had my reasons?" he asked in an almost quiet voice which was quite unusual for my uncle.
Slapping a hand against his golden armor in a reassuring manner, I smiled, "Yes, I did. Though I have no misplaced hope that you're some saint who puts his honor above all things like Lord Stark," I stopped when Jaime scoffed before continuing again, "Even despite that, I know you, uncle. I've grown up around you, trained with you, sparred with you and talked with you. I know you have your reasons, even if you don't speak them because of how prideful you are."
Jaime went quiet at this before he took his hand from my shoulder and passed me as he started speaking, "You should hurry along, Tommen. You wouldn't want to make the honorable Lord Stark wait too long for you."
Looking over my shoulder, I looked back in front of me in the direction Ned had left.
Shaking my head, I wondered if I could change my uncle without him having to lose a hand. It felt like I could, from how he'd just reacted.
Nevertheless, I made haste and walked toward the entrance to the Tower of the Hand where Ned had walked into moments ago, and I began to climb the serpentine steps up the tower.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Kenny_Landers
Kenny_Landers Bit of a slow, not-very-important chapter but I believe dialogue is pretty important for stories like this. It lets you see characters interact and change/evolve as the chapter goes by.
Either way, expect a bit more on Tommen's plans next chapter when he speaks to Ned Stark after the Small Council meeting.
Oh, yeah, we're also in the top five books on the monthly power ranking. So, thanks for getting me there!
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