CERSEI
The next morning after Maester Pycelle saw Jon Arryn he goes to see the Queen. Pycelle has always been on the Lannister payroll. "Are you sure?" Cersei asks pacing up and down.
"Very…Lord Arryn's man awoke me last night. I tested his tea. Someone tried to poison him."
She looks at the elderly man, "Does he suspect me?"
"I am not sure Your Grace…He would not divulge the information."
"Leave me I need to think." The thing about playing the Game of Thrones is not to panic. Cersei may be a Baratheon by marriage, but she is a Lannister through and through. Her father's lessons on legacy, being feared, and commanding respect, had taken root and she was not about to make a rash choice. She would pay off Jon Arryn's servants to spy for her and increase her own spy network in the red keep.
A few days later Cersei meets with her handmaiden, "Are you sure?"
"Yes my lady…It was Lady Lysa…She and Baelish conspired to poison Lord Arryn…He had him beheaded and sent Lady Lysa back to Riverrun."
Cersei dismisses her handmaiden and summons Lord Varys, "Lord Varys do you remember when my husband the King wished to dismiss you?"
"I do your grace."
"It was I who convinced him of your usefulness…You owe me everything…So this thing with Lysa Arryn. Tell me about it."
"Lord Arryn wanted to keep this as private as possible Your Grace. Petyr Baelish and Lady Arryn or Tully now conspired to poison Lord Arryn."
"Why?"
"He was planning on sending his son to ward with Lord Stannis…The boy still feeds at the breast and Lady Lysa has always been in love with Baelish."
"I heard he was in love or still in love with her sister Lady Catelyn."
"True…Baelish was always an ambitious man…His ambition caught the better of him."
Cersei stares at Varys, "Did you have something to do with Jon Arryn avoiding the poison?"
"I did your grace."
Cersei is angry, because if Jon had died then her secret would be safe. She secretly wondered if Varys knew. He probably did, but if he did, he is wise enough not to show it. "Why?"
"Because they were planning to blame his murder on your family." Cersei narrows her eyes, but Varys quickly adds, "It is a well-known fact that you have been trying to get your husband to name your father or brother Hand of the King in Lord Arryn's place."
"I want you to keep an eye on Lord Arryn and report everything he does from now on…"
"Yes your grace…"
"You may leave." She watches him and considers whether or not Varys has outlived his usefulness. "He knows." She whispers, but if he knows why hasn't he told the King or used the information to his advantage. Varys is one of those people who could hide his emotions. Little to nothing is known about his background. Cersei considers hiring assassins to take care of her Varys problem. He is an unknown in the game and Cersei could not have an unknown when everything depended on it.
She set aside the Varys problem for now and sends a message to her brother; Ser Jaime Lannister of the King's Guard. Often referred to as the Kingslayer Jaime had killed the Mad King and saved the people of King's Landing from a fiery death by Wild Fire. He told her that story during one of their nights of passion.
They meet in the old Dragon Tower; it is one of three places they meet to be intimate. The other two are Maegor's Tower and the Red Sept built by Baelor the blessed who later built the Great Sept. The Tower was built by Aegon the Conqueror to keep his Dragon close, but the smell became unbearable so the Dragon-pit was built. No one hardly ever goes into the tower. The perfect place for Cersei and Jaime to meet in private. As usual Robert is spending the night with some kitchen wench or castle maid.
"Cersei…" Jaime calls out.
"I am here." He runs into her arms and starts kissing her. Their incestuous relationship started when they were but nine. She pushes him away, "I did not call you here for that."
She can see he is disappointed, "What then?"
"Have you heard about Baelish and Lysa?"
"I have."
"The bitch and that bastard were planning to blame us for Jon Arryn's death."
"Mother fucker!"
"That is not the worst of it…He knows…Jon Arryn knows about us. He also knows that the children aren't Robert's."
"Damn…Better had he died from poison then."
"That is what I said."
"How did he find out?"
"Varys. I think he knows about us as well."
"Well I should kill them all then…Jon, Varys…"
"Don't joke like that."
"The only reason Robert is not dead is because of you…By now you would be Queen Regent and our children would be safe."
"I cannot live in a world without you. Let me handle this my way."
"Then why tell me if you don't want my help or council?"
"I wanted you to be aware of what is going on. I must go."
He grabs her arm, "Robert is with some woman…We have time."
She pulls away, "No!"
He grabs her and pulls her close, "No! You mean yes…I want you and want you now."
"Jaime stop it! We can't!"
He undoes his pants and raises her dress, "You say that all the time…" He leans her against the wall and enters her. He cups her breasts and kisses her passionately. Then he spins her around and takes her from behind. When their passions are fulfilled, she returns to her quarters. Cersei sleeps until midday, "My Queen the King wishes to see you." Her handmaiden says after Cersei awakens.
"I summoned you hours ago." Robert says sitting behind his desk.
"I had a rough night last night…I couldn't sleep."
"Well I called you here because it is time to plan our son's future."
"How so?"
"He's the crown prince…14 name days old and he is not betrothed."
Cersei frowns, "Joffrey is young…There is time for that."
"The time is now. I am sending a raven to Winterfell…My old friend Lord Stark has a daughter…"
She rolls her eyes, "The Starks…Them again? That family is cursed."
"Eddard Stark is my friend and closest ally next to Jon Arryn."
"And when was the last time you saw this friend?"
"I don't want to argue woman."
"There are other maidens in the south, why that House? Or does this have to do with your long-lost love again?"
Robert stands up, "As I said woman…I have no wish to argue. It will happen whether you like it or not. I am also planning a Tourney to announce the betrothal…You will have to host Lady Stark so get everything ready…"
Cersei leaves Robert's solar unhappy with this news. Then there is Jon Arryn, how will he handle this knowing her secret. ("Perhaps Varys still has his uses…") She thinks to herself needing information on the Stark family.
"You summoned me your Grace?" They meet in the garden this time.
"House Stark what can you tell me about them? More specifically Sansa Stark."
"Pretty young girl with her mother's hair and eyes. She has a talent for the harp and lute. Writes poetry, loves to make her own clothes. A bit sheltered by her father and mother. She just made her twelfth name day."
"Is she strong willed? Politically minded?"
"I know not your grace."
"Find out. And the rest of the Starks." Cersei listens for hours sizing up her enemies as she sees the Starks. Anyone who is not a Lannister is an enemy in her mind; as Cersei is always mindful of a prophecy, she received from a witch long ago. "Do the Starks have any rivals in the North?"
"House Bolton…Roose Bolton is the current Lord, he has a bastard son…Ramsey Snow by name. If not for the Starks the Boltons would rule the North…But there are the Karstarks and the Manderlys loyal to the Starks along with the rest of the North…The Boltons would never raise a sword against the Starks."
("Not without the proper backing.") Cersei thinks to herself. She dismisses Varys and considers every angle.