Authors Note: This chapter takes place almost 2 years after Chapter 1.
Warning: contains swearing.
Chapter 2: The Cub That Would Be King
Cersei
Cersei stared down at her new-born child with complete adoration. The small boy was lying asleep peacefully in the blankets breathing softly as if aware of his mother's protective presence.
The Queen was practically glowing with pride as she reclined on her grand four poster bed and gazed lovingly at her baby son. The sunlight streamed in and shone on the pair as if a halo of innocence and purity enveloped mother and child.
The birth had been far more difficult than the birth of her first child had been, although Cersei inwardly assumed that that was because she had gotten something far more worthwhile out of it. Before her was a beautiful boy with shining eyes and a wisp of golden hair atop his small and fragile head.
Cersei lay back in her bed and luxuriated in the feeling of triumph that warmed her body and calmed her aching muscles. She was so proud of the son that she had carried inside her and nurtured for so long and how perfect he was.
But, she supposed, he was a Lannister after all. A true Lannister.
Unable to hold in her joy, Cersei laughed as she considered her situation. She was the Queen of Westeros, the most powerful woman in this shitheap of a land born of the most powerful family and here, lying asleep next to her, was the future King, the fruit of her loins and her greatest achievement.
Giggling to herself, she thought about the secret of her adultery. It seemed comical to her that the future King was actually Jaime's son, not Roberts, and that the only person brave enough to confront her about her crime was too stupid, arrogant and drunk to ever realise what she'd done. She felt completely safe in the knowledge that no one would ever discover her son's true parentage. Revelling in her own intelligence and the safety of her position Cersei ran her hands over her aching, youthful body and enjoyed the perfection of that moment in the sun.
The doors to her birthing chamber opened briefly and Cersei raised an eyebrow as her twin brother and lover, Ser Jaime Lannister, entered the room. He had been present at the birth of his first son but had left with the rest of the maids and maester's to contact Robert and tell him it was safe to return, the child was born healthy.
Now he strode up to the bed with confidence and checked on his son with a warm smile.
"He's finally off to sleep then? I thought he'd be demanding your constant attention all day." He grinned and for a second his hand hovered over his son, the urge to stroke his soft face and check he was still there and not a mirage seemed to fill every corner of his body before his mind took over and reminded him to let babies sleep and not to wake them up. He'd learnt that the hard way with Amara.
"Yeah he drifted off but whenever I went to wash he woke up and started crying. He doesn't want me to leave him." The pride in her voice was obvious and for a second she noticed Jaime glance at her and raise his eyebrow.
"What?" She asked, too tired to work out what her twin was thinking.
"Nothing, I just can't help but think how much happier you are now than when Amara was born."
Cersei looked away from her brother, feeling anger bubble away under the surface that he would mention her first child in such a perfect moment.
"Well she was different wasn't she? He's ours Jaime… our baby boy." Looking back into her sons face, Cersei smiled and hugged herself, feeling as though her frail and aching body would burst from the force of the happiness she was feeling.
"I know…" Jaime pulled his sister into his arms and kissed her hair, wanting to savour this moment and enjoy his little family while he could. Well, while the husband of the mother of his child wasn't there.
"What shall we call him?" Cersei asked, stroking Jaime's chest softly as she looked down at the small child they'd created.
"I don't know love, you pick a name. Anything you like."
"Joffrey. Let's call him Joffrey." She smiled and rubbed her face into Jaime's chest enjoying his muscular chest and reassuring presence. She never felt quite as safe as she did in Jaime's arms.
The sun was still streaming into the room and Cersei looked up into her brothers eyes and felt her body tingle with pleasure. Seeing the familiar look in her eyes, Jaime leant down and kissed Cersei gently on the mouth, enjoying the sweet scent of her body that clung to her as he moved her body roughly up against his.
He knew she was tender after the mammoth effort of giving birth but the aching need to be close to her sparked within him and he pulled her on top of him, moaning with pleasure as her hands snaked down his torso and continued on their path downwards.
Her awareness of her surroundings began to melt away as she pulled Jaime closer and Cersei only noticed something was wrong when her son woke and began to cry loudly.
She stopped what she was doing immediately and turned to see her young daughter Amara, now almost 2 years old, kneeling on the bed and looking down at her half-brother with wonder and confusion.
"What are you doing? You woke him up you stupid child." Cersei snapped, immediately moving to pick up her son and comfort him.
"Amara when did you get here sweetie?" Jaime asked nervously, aware that one slip of the tongue from the small child and his world would crumble.
Blushing, the toddler took a few wobbly steps towards her uncle before falling onto his lap with a grin.
Hugging the small child Jaime saw the look of irritation spread across Cersei's face.
"Take her. And make sure she understands not to say anything." Cersei commanded, standing up with Joffrey in her arms before walking over to look out of the curtains at the view of the empty garden in the bright afternoon that her chamber afforded her.
Refusing to look at her lover as he picked up her eldest child and left the room with her, Cersei looked down at her sons face and smiled reassuringly.
"It's alright darling, that's just Amara, your big sister. Don't worry, in a few years she'll be married to some Lord far away and you'll only have to see her if you want to. It's alright love; it's alright Uncle Jaime's taken her away."
Stroking her sons head, Cersei grimaced as she heard horns sound in the distance to sound King Robert's return. She would be expected to present their son and his heir to him in the throne room in front of the whole court.
Sighing, Cersei put her son back down on the bed and moved to her bedside table where there was a small bell to summon her maids. She would need to make herself look presentable before she was able to leave her chamber and, considering she had given birth less than 4 hours ago, she would definitely need all the help she could get.
Her long golden hair hung down her back in greasy rats-tails while her skin shone with sweat and oil. Rubbing her tired eyes, Cersei sat down on a stool in the centre of the room and allowed her maids to attempt to make her look like the Queen she was.
