It already seemed like an eternity had passed since Cersei Lannister said goodbye to Casterly Rock for the first time in her life and what could very well be the last time. She now sat in her very own room in the Red Keep overlooking the Kingdom that her future Lord Husband had complete and total rule over. Soon she would be Queen. It felt like a dream, it had to be a dream. She lived in a lavish suite - three times as large as her room at Casterly Rock – she had more handmaidens and ladies in waiting than she realized would be necessary, and when the sun rose tomorrow she would be readying for her wedding to the leader of the Seven Kingdoms.

"M'lady," one of her young and mousey handmaidens appeared suddenly in her doorway. Cersei took her time to turn her attention away from the view out her window to acknowledge the girl who called on her. She couldn't have been much younger than Cersei, who was only nineteen herself, but in appearance and demeanor she seemed years younger.

"Yes?" Cersei didn't mean to sound so annoyed by the girl. The girl recoiled as if she was frightened when Cersei's green eyes pierced hers.

"His Lordship requests your attendance."

Cersei's heart jumped in her chest. She hadn't expected to meet with King Robert again until their wedding the next day. Her nerves began to swell as she grew curious and anxious.

"Did the King give reason?"

"No, m'Lady," the girl bowed her head as she spoke to Cersei, as she had no doubt been instructed to do.

"Very well, will you help me into a new dress?"

"It sounded urgent, what you're wearing I'm sure will suffice."

"It can't have been that urgent or he would've sent someone a tad more important than you," Cersei felt an instant pang of guilt as the girl's head bowed low at the insult. "Please, do as I say and help me into one of my new dresses."

The girl followed orders and went with Cersei to her wardrobe where a slew of brand new gowns hung. They both knew well that they were not to be worn until after the wedding and coronation; they were dresses meant for a Queen. But Cersei didn't want to disappoint his Lordship; they'd only met but twice before. Why leave him with a less than satisfying vision to dream of the night before his wedding? The young handmaiden helped her into a green silk dress with gold trim and velvet panels. It was lavish and heavy and too hot for the summer heat, but she looked like a Queen in it and after catching a glimpse of herself in her looking glass she decided she never wanted to look any less than a Queen again.

"His Lordship requested my presence?" Cersei said from the doorway of her betrothed's bed chamber after an introduction from one of his guards.

"Um yes… Cersei," Urgency did need seem apparent in his tone, and Cersei cursed her handmaiden for making her hurry when she no doubt had plenty of time to restyle her hair.

"I hope there's not a problem, my Lord," she said, batting her eyelashes as coyly as she could muster. She wanted to appear the youthful and innocent girl that Robert thought she was; the youthful and innocent girl her father had sold her as. Her youth and innocence were what held her family that much closer to the throne. Not her brother's strength and nobility, but her own.

"No, I simply thought I could break tradition for a chance to speak with you for a few moments before we are to be-"

"Husband and wife."

"King and Queen. It is no secret to me that this marriage is... well… not what either of us would have picked for ourselves."

Cersei's nostrils flared as she struggled to not speak her mind. Had she any man in the land Robert may not have been at the top of her list; but the King, the King had always been at the top of her list.

"Please have a seat, I do not wish to frighten you."

Cersei followed his instruction and took a chair across from his own. Her heavy silken dress spread canopied out around her as she sat. She felt regal already, as if this small armchair in the King's chamber were her royal throne. All that was missing was her crown.

"My lord, you do anything but frighten me. I simply don't know what you mean. I have long admired you, for your strength and diplomacy and…" she dare not say power. "Handsomeness."

She was not lying. King Robert was a handsome man. Large and imposing, kingly by all standards. His hair long and dark and his beard thick, he certainly looked the part.

"Our marriage is already bound, sweet Cersei, no need to flatter me now."

Cersei nodded. He was not agreeable, that she was soon learning. Though of course, neither was she.

"All I called you here to say was, I do not pretend that any of this feels natural or normal to me. It doesn't. I barely know you and I do not yet find myself loving you but…"

"Marriage is rarely formed out of love, my King. Especially between people of our standing in the world." Her father had spoken near those exact words to her when he'd delivered news of the arrangement he'd made.

"This is true, and I don't pretend not to understand that either."

Cersei nodded and found herself suddenly dreading her wedding. If this is what the marriage was to be like, Robert talking on and on about being in love or not being in love. She was already bored of it. It was no secret to her nor anyone else in the Seven Kingdoms that he still loved that dead Stark girl. He started a war for her, he overthrew the Targaryen king for her. Cersei was not his choice wife, this was no secret either. But she was still to be his Queen, the details surrounding it simply didn't interest her.

"M-maybe this is a conversation better had after we're wed," Robert retreated and Cersei had half a mind to question why he'd wasted her time with his blabbering on.

"Perhaps it is my Lord, I'm still uncertain what it is you're trying to say."

"I just I hope that, even though our marriage is political… I hope one day we can find it in ourselves to have love for one another."

"I hope the same, my Lord. I do not anticipate this being a challenge."

Cersei knew not what it was like to love in this way. She'd loved friends growing up, she'd loved her family – or she'd loved father and Jaime at least, but never a man in the way she was expected to love Robert.

"I'll bid you goodnight then," Robert rose from his chair and bowed his head to his future Queen. "A kiss, perhaps?"

He was bold to ask it, and Cersei suddenly found herself forgiving his useless conversation with her. She took his hand, rising from her seat with assistance and left a delicate peck on his lips. He tasted of musty wine and smelled strongly, not in the most pleasant of ways. She saw a glimpse into her future, the man was already oafish though now young and handsome. He would never change into the proper nobleman she'd always dreamed her Lord Husband would be.

"Goodnight, my lord. Tomorrow we shall be King and Queen."

"Husband and wife, if you will," he left a lingering kiss on her lips that she tried her hardest not to push away from. She smiled only a half false smile as she left his room and took the journey down the hall back into her own.

"Cersei!"

What now? She had nearly made it all the way back to her chamber to rid herself of her dress, which was growing heavier with each step, when another voice called out her name for attention.

"Brother?" She turned towards the adjacent hall to see Jaime standing in his armor, white cape billowing behind him.

"And what are you doing sneaking around the palace at night?"

"I'm not sneaking," she said, walking down the hall Jaime had come from to meet him. "If you must know, his Lordship King Robert called upon me and my idiot maid left me to make the walk back by myself."

"That dress is…" Jaime trailed off as he took in the sight of his twin sister. Never listening, Jaime, always onto the next thought in his head to blurt aloud. "You're trying to get the King to fuck you before you get the crown put on your head?"

"Jaime, please, hold your tongue. I simply wanted to appear regal for his Lordship," she looked down at the dress. Though she hadn't admitted it before, she would now, the dress was revealing. It hugged her curves perfectly and the low collar left little to the imagination. "And perhaps give him something to look forward to tomorrow night," she said, a smirk spreading across her face.

"I don't know that I've ever seen you blush before, sister," he said, taking her waist in his hands and twirling her once around the hall.

"Jaime, stop! You know that's nonsense," she giggled, reaching out her arms to grab onto her brother's armored shoulders.

"You know, I never properly congratulated you," Jaime's voice dropped low as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. His lips lingered there, both waiting to see if their lips would meet for a quick and forbidden kiss.

"Thank you, brother," Cersei backed away before either could make up their mind. She looked to the ground, not making eye contact with him for several moments.

"Did I offend you?" Jaime reached for her waistline again, hoping to get a tighter grip on her thin frame. Cersei continued to back away.

"No, but I think I should be getting some rest. I have an eventful day tomorrow."

"Can I walk you back to your chamber?"

"I don't think that will be necessary, thank you Ser," she bowed her head to her brother as she began to part ways with him, when suddenly he grabbed her by the wrist.

"I don't understand," he said in a loud whisper. "What have I done to you?"

"Nothing, Jaime, please. This isn't about you, none of this is about you. But I can't entertain your little fantasies when I'm to be married to the bloody King tomorrow!"

"My little fantasies? So they've nothing to do with you now?" he replied bitterly, releasing her wrist yet she stayed put.

"I'm to be the Queen, Jaime - the Queen! And the Queen lies with the King, not her brother," Cersei spat and before waiting for a reply, spun around and headed for her chamber. This time Jaime didn't try to stop her, there was no use. Cersei did this often enough for him to pay little mind to it, but this time he feared it may have been different. It wouldn't last for long, he assured himself as he continued his patrol through the palace

Cersei had a harder time sleeping that night than anticipated. Nerves coursed through her body, though she wouldn't let them show to anyone. Not her handmaidens who helped her bathe and dress for the night. They giggled in anticipation for her, asking her if she was nervous to bed his Lord Majesty.

"Don't ever speak of such things to me again," she said. She didn't like the giggling bunch of naïve children who waited on her talking and thinking about those sorts of things. She didn't like to think that after tomorrow night they'd want details on her night with the King. She didn't even want to think about what sort of details she might have to share with them. And it wasn't that she didn't want to bed the King, she had no issue with that. Robert was handsome enough, surely, and he had quite a reputation throughout the Kingdom already which she didn't dare to think about to in-depth. She couldn't complain her husband had had other lovers, for she herself had had her own secret lover. Though it was only Jaime, the foolish and brash Knight whom she called brother, the secret was one she was prepared to take to her grave. Robert could not know that she was not a virgin and the thought of playing that part convincingly made her more nervous than the actual act itself.

Cersei barely slept and she was lonely already, knowing not even the wedding would make her feel any less alone. She wanted Jaime beside her, comforting her and telling her it would all be alright. And although she had to turn him away, she wished she hadn't. When finally the prospect of falling asleep became entirely futile, she rose from her bed and went to her window. The city was still alive, even in the middle of the night. Lights were on throughout the streets below and from her perch in the Red Keep she felt larger than life. She was above reproach there, she was invincible. While she knew this wasn't entirely true, she still felt it and stared down below pretending it was.

"Tomorrow I will be your Queen," she spoke aloud to no one. "And one day, I will rule."