Thank you so much for all the positive reviews. The feedback so far has encouraged me to update sooner. I hope everyone likes this chapter as much as the first. This one will be focussing on Cersei/Joanna and Jaime/Joanna interactions but next chapter will return to Winterfell.

Joanna

The month long ride was taking its toll on Joanna both mentally and physically. She considered herself quite a resilient and determined person but watching the familiar hot environment transition into bleak wasteland was unsettling to the young princess. The furthest she had ever been from Kings Landing was Casterley Rock, where the Queen would often bring her children when they were younger.

Joanna had fond memories of disregarding her septa's concerns as she would leap from the cliffs into the sapphire waters below. This had been one of the views times when she had ever argued with her twin. Joffrey hated it whenever she would do anything remotely dangerous and once he discovered her favourite activity he ordered her never to do it again. Of course, being the strong-willed girl she was she completely ignored him and proceeded to go behind his back.

It made her feel free, jumping from the cliffs, as if she could forget every responsibility that a Princess has and she could just be herself. In those brief moments she wasn't Princess Joanna Baratheon of House Baratheon and House Lannister, she was just Joanna. She remembered sitting there, dangling her feet off the edge. Her crimson gown replaced with breeches and her feet bare, staring off into the horizon. The sun was just rising and the dark sky was beginning to be illuminated.

That was the first time she every truly bonded with her uncle. Her mother's twin had requested to accompany their family to the Westerlands and had barely left his twins side.

"I used to come here when I was your age." Her uncle had said, sitting beside her. "Your mother hated me jumping as much as Joffrey hates you doing it. However, like me, you ignore it."

For the rest of the visit it became tradition for them to sit and talk as the sun rose and before anyone noticed their absence. It made Joanna realise how similar she in fact was to her uncle, both in appearance and personality. She had inherited the traditional Lannister looks, golden locks and emerald eyes but it was more than that. Her strong jawline and almond-shaped eyes resembled Jaime much more than they did her mother. Not suspecting anything Joanna just counted it on him and mother being twins.

They perhaps had such a connection was because they truly understood each other. They both were extremely sarcastic people who in public hid behind a façade of pride and arrogance. Behind closed doors, however, they shared an open and loving heart and a wish for freedom. This friendship of sorts remained when they returned to Kings Landing and by the time of the journey Joanna cared for Jaime more than anyone else except for maybe Joffrey and Cersei.

Despite her cunning and intelligence Joanna Baratheon never once suspected that their connection was anything more than uncle and niece.

Cersei

The wheelhouse trundled along the Kings Road and Cersei glanced around at her family. Her eldest son was riding at the front of the party as expected whilst her oldest daughter was disregarding her formalities and had joined her brother on horseback. Her younger two sat giggling at Tommen's kitten as Ser Pounce was trying to swat Myrcella's hair.

Their naivety and childish innocence both made her smile and frown at the same time. Whilst she was happy their lives where luxurious and without hardship she was a mother and a mother always worried about her children. She knew that summer would end soon, and her babies would be forced to grow up much faster than they should.

Opening the window Cersei glanced out at the other travellers. Just in front of the carriage was her daughter and brother. Her child's fascination with her true father disturbed her and was something to be encouraged. Whilst she was glad the King wasn't the only paternal influence Joanna had she was also worried about others reading too much into the relationship. Cersei knew that out of all her children Joanna resembled her true father the most and any close analysis of her features hinted at the truth that Jon Arryn had died for.

A laughter escaped Joanna's lips and she slowed her horse to have better control.

"Concentrate Joanna." She warned, noticing the unevenness of the road and her daughters distracted mind.

"Of course mother" was the reply.

Cersei's twin turned to her, "I was just reminding Joanna of the time she disguised as a boy and spent hours exploring Flea Bottom. You were about to send the Kingsguard to look for her when she returned. She was covered in dirt and ran up to you; throwing her arms round you. Do you remember what she said?"

Scowling, she replied. "You shouldn't encourage her, Jaime."

"Lighten up dear sister." He laughed, "Joanna here isn't nearly as serious as you were at her age. She's a princess and is therefore allowed to relax every once in a while."

"When I was her age I was just a Lords daughter. It was my duty to act properly so that I could find a suitable husband. I am the Queen, remember, so I must have done something correctly.

I hope chapter was as good as the first even though not much happened. These first few chapters are more about building Joanna's character. I tried to make her relationship with Jaime as realistic as possible. Joanna cares a lot about her family and her intelligence will be shown more in the following chapters but I think one of her most defining traits is her ignorance when it comes to family. She is extremely close to both Joffrey and Jaime yet fails to see both Joffrey's sadisticness and the true connection to Jaime.

If the positive reviews continue for the next few chapters I might consider doing Joanna one shots and accept prompts. But I want to build on the story a bit more first.

For anyone who had read by other story about a different Joanna I should be updating within the next few days. So sorry about the inconsistency. In case anyone gets confused, the stories are completely separate even though my OC's have the same name.