Cersei

"How long have I been here? Days, weeks, months, years? How long have I sat here naked and shivering on the floor with nothing more than a pallet of straw to sleep on and an old thread bare blanket to keep me warm?" She had never known such misery. When she'd been held here before it hadn't been this bad or so she kept telling herself. She'd been the Queen Regent then that may have made her first imprisonment less harsh, as bad as it had been.

She wasn't Queen Regent anymore thanks to Sandor Clegane. "What had happened to Qyburn?" He'd been standing near the ring watching the fight when she'd seen him collapse to the ground. Not long after Qyburn fell her champion had. She remembered screaming and collapsing herself then nothing else until she awoke in this cold cell naked and shivering.

When she had come to her pleas to see the High Septon had been ignored. Her only visitors were two silent Septas that brought her food and emptied her slop bucket, neither saying a word no matter how loudly she cursed at them. She'd stopped screaming, ranting, cursing and threatening two days ago. Now when they came she was as silent as they were. Dangerously silent.

They had no idea what she was thinking now behind her cold, emotionless eyes. "I'll get them all", she vowed to herself as she thought and waited away the long, dark, cold hours of her imprisonment.

She heard the rattle of the key in the door way earlier than she expected. When the door open her eyes were stabbed by the light of a lantern that she had to turn away from. Through the fingers of the hand she held in front of her face she could see the hand and arm of the person holding the lantern. It was covered with a long white sleeve, as her eyes adjusted to the light she saw that the sleeve was attached to a white robe. "So he's finally come to see me. I wonder what new torture he has in mind."

He bent over and with the hand not holding the lantern he scooped up a stool from outside the door, walked in, dropped it to the floor and had a seat. "Cersei", he said. She said nothing. "I've come to tell you that you'll be leaving us this very night". A spear of hope as white hot as the flame in the lantern pierced her heart. "I'm sending you somewhere you'll find much more comfortable, somewhere that's much warmer, somewhere you can serve God in quiet contemplation for the rest of your life. If you behave yourself and do as you're told you will have the freedom that every other faithful septa enjoys. With certain restrictions of course. In time, I'm sure you will come to embrace the peacefulness of your new life as you earn The Father's forgiveness by taking care of his less fortunate children". "Where?", she mumbled expecting the worst. "You're going to Braavos to the Sept-Beyond the Sea", he replied. " It's a long way to Braavos you bastard", she thought but didn't say.

As if reading her mind he said, "I hope you behave on the trip Cersei, the septas and the Warrior's Sons who will be going with you will treat you as well as you treat them. It's up to you if you walk on your own two feet or have to be dragged, if you wear chains or go unbound." She looked at him for a moment afraid that he would see the truth behind the lie she was about to tell him.

"There is nothing left for me Most Holy. I have no family left that cares about me. I'm sure Tyrion has killed Tommen and will soon kill Myrcella if he hasn't already. Jaime abandoned me to my fate. I have no home. I'm tired Most Holy. Tired of fighting. Sick to my battered soul of King's Landing. I want nothing more than to cast off the burdens of family and crown and retire somewhere quietly to live out my days in peace be it in Braavos or where ever you send me."

He looked at her for a long time before saying, "I believe you Cersei". "Do you High Septon? I find it hard to believe that anyone would or could believe a word I said no matter how true the words are". "I'm a very good judge when it comes to the truth child and I see the truth in your eyes". "Idiot and fool" she thought, "I'll kill you before this is over."

She burst into tears but not for the reason the fool sitting across from her thought. She would be free of this cell and him where she could put her plan into action. Once she was not even god would be able to help the ones that were responsible for where she was now. She'd get them all starting with him, Mace Tyrell and his slut of a daughter and not stop until she killed Sandor Clegane. In the mean time, she continued to weep and thank her jailor. She'd grovel at his feet if need be.

She was finally given clothes and a bath if one considered a plain gray robe clothes and a bucket of water and a sponge a bath. She said nothing to the two septas dressed in similar gray robes that attended her other than to offer them an apology for her previous behavior. They nodded but said nothing. "I'll kill you too", she thought as she put the robe on.

Once she was bathed and dressed they left her, leaving behind the lantern so she wouldn't be plunged into darkness again. When the door closed behind them, she grinned. Had someone been there to see it they would have told her the grin was more akin to a twisted snarl. They would also have said that she was completely insane judging by the look of her face. A face she kept hidden when someone was around.

She waited and waited for someone to return. "Has this all been a lie, some new form of torture?", she wondered as she waited. She was close to renewing her screams and rantings as she paced back and forth across the tiny cell that seemed to be getting smaller with ever step she took. When she finally heard the familiar sound of the key in the lock, she stopped in her tracks and composed herself. When the door opened the High Septon once again entered he saw a robed woman, quiet and repentant with her head bowed, eyes down cast. "It's time child", he said reaching out his hand to her. "If he calls me child one more time", she thought as she timidly took his offered hand, and he led her out of hell.

Outside the door, he introduced her to two septas in blue robes. "Septa Roslyn and Septa Alynni will be your traveling companions Cersei". The shapeless robes could not hide the fact that both woman were bigger than she was. She nodded once and mumbled a hello that she hoped sound polite despite what she was thinking, they followed along behind her and the High Septon as they made their way down the hall.

She almost betrayed herself when they reached the bottom of the stairs and entered the great hall where she saw five Warrior's Sons waiting for them. It wasn't the fact that they were Warrior's Sons that came close to destroying all of her plans it was the fact that Lancel was one of them. "Your escort to Braavos Cersei", the High Septon said. "I thought that you would appreciate your cousin being among them". It took everything she had not to attack Lancel. He was smirking at her, goading her to do something. He escorted her once before as she'd walked naked through the streets of King's Landing.

She took a deep breath and smiled from the confines of the cowl of her robe. "Lancel, I'm so very glad that you'll be coming to Braavos with me." "I wouldn't miss this for anything Cersei", he said smugly. "Lancel is one of our best most devoted and devout Warrior's Sons", the High Septon grinned. "I'm very glad you'll be there to defend us if there's trouble", she said warmly. "I'll kill you too you smug little bastard", she thought. "Just you wait". Lancel looked somewhat disappointed by her reaction. A test and judging by his face she past it. She turned to look at the High Septon and smiled, "May I have a moment to light some candles at the statues Most Holy?" "Of course child, take all the time you need."

What she prayed for as she lit the candles at the feet of all the statues wasn't what the normal pious person would have prayed for. Though she lit a candle for the Mother and Maiden for show, she had nothing to say or ask of them. The mercy of the Mother and the innocence of the Maiden had no place in her plan. Strength of mind and body so that she could take her revenge she asked of the Warrior. From the Smith, she asked that her labors toward her revenge be successful. The Crone she asked for the wisdom to see opportunities for revenge when and where they presented themselves. She asked the Father to let her sit in judgment on all of those who wronged her. And last but not least she paused before the Stranger and asked that he let her be his instrument of death.

When she returned to where her future victims stood waiting the High Septon narrowed his eyes and looked at her. "The Stranger child, what could you have to pray to him about I wonder?" She smiled at him, "I asked that he let the old Cersei and all the bad things she's done die and let a new Cersei take her place". The fool was so impressed with that tears of joy filled his eyes.

Her escort of Warrior's Son surrounding they walked toward the door, the High Septon himself in the lead, the two Septas bring up the rear. When the door open and she looked out for the first time in she wasn't sure how long she was surprised to see that it was night. She'd lost all track of time while in her cell, had, in fact, thought that it was day.

Once in the plaza she was hurried over to a coach where Lancel opened the door and then shoved her inside. Once the Two Septas and the High Septon joined her inside he shut the door, hollered at the driver and the coach lurched forward. She could hear but not see the horses the rest of her escort rode surrounding the coach as they made their way through town to the docks. "They really must not want anyone to see me leave in the middle of the night she thought, are they afraid that someone will try to rescue me?" She never considered for a moment that maybe it was to protect her from an angry mob who wanted her dead.

"Are there people who still supported me?" For a moment in her mind's eye, she saw Jaime riding to her rescue cutting down everyone in his path. "That's not going to happen, he's abandoned me like all the rest. His turn will come." If there were others who thought to rescue her they made no attempt to do so as they continued on their way.

"You'll be sailing to Braavos on the merchant vessel High Hope; she'll be ready to leave as soon as we get there, you and your escort will be the only passengers, I've made sure of it". "Thank you Most Holy she murmured and isn't that a fitting name?" "How so Cersei?" "I have high hopes of putting my time here behind me and starting a new life." He grinned, reached over and patted her hand. "It makes me feel good to hear you say that child." She returned his smile. It was going to make her feel good to plunge a knife through his heart. Either she was a better liar than she thought or he was a bigger fool than she gave him credit for. Whichever, it really didn't matter, he'd be dead soon.

The coach came to a stop and, within seconds of it doing so, the door was snatched open, and they climbed out. She loved the smell of the ocean, always had, but the odor here at the docks was redolent with the smell of fish,tar and unwashed men. She wrinkled her nose, lifted the hem of her robe up as if it had been one of her finest gowns and followed where the High Septon lead.

They walked almost the entire length of the dock until at last they came to a ship riding the swells all alone far beyond where the other ships were moored. He really doesn't want anyone to see this she thought as she came to a stop beside him. "This is it Cersei, this is where your old life ends and your new one begins". I hope you will make the best of the chance you're being given". "I will Most Holy", she told him while mentally seeing herself plunge a knife into his chest. "You've been most kind to me, more so than I know I deserve." "The Father forgives his children Cersei, who am I not to? Safe journey child", he said as he kissed her on both cheeks. She followed the Septas up the gang plank and boarded the ship without a backward glance. "You and God may forgive but I never will."

She stood on the deck of High Hope looking at the lights of the sleeping city that had been her home for twenty and five years slide past as the ship glided away from the dock and made its way into the Blackwater Bay. "My home, my city, my throne", she thought as the sailors scurried around her. "I'll be back, soon." The two Septas stood not far from where she leaned on the rail whispering quietly to each other of the perils of sea travel and the terrible sickness that came with it. They knew their charge had nowhere to run so they relaxed their vigil over her.

"I know you're up to something Cersei", a man's voice whispered to her in the darkness, to low for the Septas to hear. It was his voice. "Whatever do you mean Lancel?" "Don't play the innocent penitent with me Cersei. I know you to well and wish to God I didn't." "Have you repented Lancel? Did you fall down on your knees and beg forgiveness for climbing into my bed and murdering Robert?" "I did, I spent hours on my knees begging forgiveness Cersei and finally it was granted. I prayed I would see you fall, and you did." He was baiting her. Was he foolish enough to think she didn't know it?

"I spent hours in my cell begging for forgiveness too Lancel and when I'd lost all hope that it would be granted the High Septon came to me and told me I was leaving this place. I knew that I had been given a sign that it was time to start over and begin a new life. I was forgiven." She turned to look at him in the lantern light.

What she saw there almost made her laugh out loud. He wanted to believe her. Almost did. It would take very little to push him over the edge to true belief. "Perhaps The Father has a plan for us and this is the part of his plan where we forgive each other as he has forgiven us. I'm weary of fighting Lancel. I long for peace inside myself and with those around me."

He was so close, then he stopped. "I'll think about what you've said Cersei. In the mean time, I'll be watching you closely." She nodded then looked at the deck of the ship. "I don't blame you Lancel after everything I've done but I know you're a good man and you'll see the truth about me soon." She looked up at him and smiled as sweetly as she could. He trembled all over, excused himself and walked over to his men.

As she looked out across the water, she grinned. He was as big a fool as all the other men she'd met in her life, when she saw the effect her smile had on him, the way he trembled, she knew that despite his vows to be chaste he still thought with the head between his legs. She didn't need him for her plan to succeed what she did need was for him to trust her enough to be able to put it into action. She needed him to relax and feel at ease. She wanted it to be a surprise when she killed him. She joined the Septas and told them she was ready to go to their room. They looked relieved to hear it.

A week into their trip she was the only one aside from the captain and crew that wasn't suffering from seasickness. Both Septas were so sick that she could have fucked every man on board, neither would have noticed. She delighted in their discomfort. She had begun to think of them as the cows, Cow Roslyn and Cow Alynni. Cow Alynni had big, dumb, brown eyes and about as much sense as the cow she looked like. Cow Roslyn was older and a little smarter but nowhere near as smart as she thought she was. She was as big as a cow and had a large mole on her left cheek that sprouted a ridiculously long hair that she had to fight the temptation to snatch out. They were both slow and stupid and believed every word she said about wanting to forget the past and start a new life serving God. The only problems she had was trying to find a place away from all the retching and keeping Lancel as convinced as the cows were.

If she stayed below in her room, the sound of their retching would almost make her scream, the smell enough to make her sick. When she would leave the room to go on deck for some air and solitude, she'd find all five of the Warrior's Sons retching over the rail. She'd had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at the sight of Lancel's face.

Instead of laughing she'd play the good septa in training and bring them water and wine, telling them that they had to eat and drink no matter if they sicked it all back up because the dehydration brought on by all the retching would kill them. It helped that the sailors all agreed. Had she had a vial of poison she could have killed all of the Sons and the Septas too.

The captain and crew would have thought the sickness took them if she killed them off one at a time. She didn't have poison. What she did have was a knife, a big one that she'd taken from the cook when he wasn't looking. It was wrapped in cloth and tied to her upper thigh under her robe. All she was waiting for now was a chance to use it and a likely victim to use it on. Her chance came on the eighth night at sea.

The sea was particular angry, not so much that it bothered or alarmed her but enough to keep everyone below deck except the captain who stood at the wheel, volunteering to take the night watch to give the crew some much needed rest. He'd told her earlier in the day that they had just passed Crackclaw Point and were heading north, far out from both the eastern shore of Westeros and the western shore of Essos so as not to run into any pirates. That had worried her. "If I'm killed in an attack by pirates I'll never get my revenge."

She'd returned to her room to find Septa Roslyn near comatose from dehydration. She'd done her part to get the woman to drink and made sure that everyone knew she had, but the fool had refused. When Lancel had ordered several of the men to hold her down while he poured water into her she'd sicked back up what little she gotten. She would be an easy kill.

Septa Alynni was little better but was trying to drink and eat. She'd made some progress in doing both and was strong enough to walk around. "I'm feeling better", the cow had smiled when she'd come back in from the deck. "I'm so glad to hear it Septa Alynni", she'd lied. She spent the rest of the day helping one cow take care of the other and waiting for the chance to kill the one so determined to hang onto life. She was quite convinced that the idiot had thrown up everything inside of her including her toes.

Well after midnight as the sea was acting up even more, Cow Alynni started to look at little green. "Why don't you take a walk on deck Alynni? I'm sure the fresh air will make you feel better. No offense to Septa Roslyn but this cabin reeks." "It does doesn't it?", the cow replied. "Poor thing", she said as she tucked the covers around Cow Roslyn. "Will you come with me Cersei? I'd be afraid to go up on deck in the dark." "Of course I will dear, I could use some air myself." "Do you think Roslyn will be all right?" "The Mother will watch over her Alynni."

Quiet as mice they opened the hatch and went out onto the deck. From where he stood at the wheel above and forward of the hatch the captain never saw them, the noise from the waves slapping the side of the ship hid any sound they may have made. When Cow Alynni started to walk forward, she took her by the arm and led her to the back of the ship, in the darkness where no one would see them. "This way Alynni, the motion of the ship will be less noticeable back here", she whispered. "Thank you Cersei, I didn't know that." "I lied foolish cow", she thought.

They made their way to the rail at the back of the ship and stood looking out at the cold, black restless sea. "See its not so bad Alynni once you get use to it." The woman's hands grasped the rail tightly as she tried to be brave. Walking around behind her, she pretended to be looking out at the sea from both sides of the ship while talking about her childhood and how much she loved the sea. In the darkness she lifted her robe, reached under it to her thigh and drew her knife. "How do you feel dear?", she asked approaching the cow from behind. "Not so well I'm afraid", she said just before leaning way out over the rail and retching.

It was to easy. No cow, no matter how big, was a match for a lioness. Snatching hold of Cow Alynni's hair and yanking her head back, she brought the knife around and cut her throat. Both blood and puke spewed from the gaping wound. She held the cow's body wedged between her own and the rail as her life faded away. It was as simple as taking a step back and letting the upper half of her body still hanging over the rail drag the lower half over and into the sea. She made a louder splash than she thought she would and stood frozen at the rail waiting on the sound of the captain's voice, bloody knife still clutched in her hand. Seconds past that seemed like hours as she waited, she heard nothing. Taking a deep shuttering breath, she stepped back from the rail into the shadows.

She retrieved the rag she had wrapped the knife in and used it to clean away the blood then checked the rail which was clean and tossed the rag into the sea. There was blood on her hand and the sleeve of her robe. Shit, she whispered. If she ran into anyone going back chances were good that it would be too dark for them to see it. She waited until the waves boomed against the ship before opening the hatch and silently returning to her room.

When she opened the door to her room the smell almost made her gag. Ignoring it as best she could, she locked the door, walked to the bucket of water, removed the lid and quickly washed her hands and the sleeve of her robe. In the light she could see that it wasn't really all that bad, just a drop or two on the cuff and like the blood on her hands easily washed away. She then turned her attention to Cow Roslyn.

"Not doing so good are you?", she said leaning over the woman despite the reek coming off of her and listening to her shallow breathing. "The question is do I kill you or do I let nature take its course? You're a tough old cow; you might pull through, unfortunately for you, I can't take that chance."

Her intentions were to smother her with a pillow but just how much life did she have left in her and how much of a struggle would she put up? That the cow out weighed her was obvious, she doubted that she'd be able to hold her down, keep her quiet and smother her all at the same time. She thought about knocking her out but worried that doing so would leave a bump on her head that Lancel or one of the others would notice. She had an idea.

When Lancel came to check on them before going to bed, he brought with him a vial of milk of the poppy that he'd gotten from the captain. The now dead cow Alynni had dosed dying cow Roslyn and when she'd tried to return it to Lancel he'd told her to keep in case they needed it during the night. She'd placed the vial in her pack which still rested next to her cot.

Opening the pack she found the vial and removed it. Looking at it, she pondered how much to give her to knock her out past the point of struggling but not make it look by what was left in the vial that she'd been purposely overdosed. I'll tell him that Alynni insisted I take a dose to get some sleep. When I awoke Alynni wasn't here, and poor Roslyn had passed at some point while I slept. She would then make the assumption that Alynni had gone on deck for some air, had gotten sick and fallen over board in the rough seas. She grinned and removed the stopper from the vial as she walked to Roslyn.

She measured out the drops directly onto Roslyn's tongue and waited several minutes for it to take affect. Listening to her breathing grow more shallow she picked up and placed a pillow over her face then grinned, turned around and sat down on top of the pillow. "Kiss my ass", she hissed as the woman's body jerked weakly beneath her.

She waited a few moments after she was still before standing and removing the pillow. She checked for breathing and a heartbeat and found neither. Reaching out and gently closing the dead cow's eyes and mouth, she giggled. "The cow says moo, unless its dead of course." She replaced the vial back in Cow Alynni's pack. "The smell in here is atrocious, but I can live with it one more night", she whispered as she laid down and fell asleep next to the corpse of the second woman she'd killed that night.

Thanks for reading!