Disclaimer: I don't own Game of thrones or anything associated with the show or the books.

AN: I'm sorry about the wait, I tried to get this typed up as quickly as the muse came to me but school and work stuff got in the way, and it will continue to do so for the next six weeks, which really sucks. But before we move onto to Chapter four, I just wanna point out that, no matter how long it takes me to get new Chapters up, you can count on there being an update. I know exactly how annoying it is when stories are left half finished and I have no intention of letting any of mine end up like that.

Chapter Four.

"Have you talked to him yet?" Tyrion asked as Cersei walked past him, seeming to not even register her brother's bothersome presence in her chamber. Beneath her cursory exterior the Queen Regent's heart was thundering in her chest. Cersei leaned against the front of her desk and crossed her arms, pointedly keeping her attention firmly on the Imp standing in front of her and off the red drape to the right, the Lannister sigil imposed proudly at the centre, which separated the receiving and quiescency areas of her chamber. Fearing that if her attention strayed, it would reveal exactly who has hidden behind the abstracting material. Behind the Queen Regent, outside the window, the sun was still lazily making its way into the pinkish sky.

"The sun is not even in the sky yet and you are asking me whether or not I have spoken to my fifteen year old son" Cersei arched her eye brow sardonically. When she and Jaime had been Joffrey's age, her twin had never been seen before mid-day, of course it had all changed once their father had given Jaime the opportunity to take up sword-training. He'd been up, dressed and in the courtyard before she was even out of bed. A soft stab of pain struck at her chest. She missed her idiot of a brother. She would detest his constant attendance when he was out of Robb Stark's hands and back at King's Landing, but for now she missed her twin and his comforting witticism. She didn't have to be mindful of her actions around Jaime, her brother accepted her for who she was and not who she pretended to be.

"I assumed you were going to talk to Joffrey yesterday afternoon..." The way Tyrion drawled betrayed that he knew what she'd been doing the previous day. She smiled inwardly as she recalled watching Myrcella and Tommen playing with Duchess while she enjoyed Sansa's company, outside of her bedchamber for once. Had she been a lesser woman, she would have shifted uncomfortably as the slight morning breeze drifted in through the window, encouraging the drape to dance mockingly at the corner of her eye.

"I knew I could detect your stench clinging to one of those attendants. Which one was it?, the scullery or under kitchen maid, couldn't possibly have been anyone of worth" Cersei sneered cruelly. The imp was bedding someone at the Palace, she knew that much, someone their father would have boiled alive if Tyrion repeated his past mistakes, the fact may prove to be useful if Tyrion ever discovered her relationship with Sansa.

"You're telling me you haven't already uncovered it my wise and all-knowing sister?" Tyrion replied sarcastically. Cersei narrowed her jade coloured eyes, it was really far too early for a verbal sparring match and she was hardly dressed for it, the white night gown and red over-gown provided more than enough coverage for a brief encounter with the vexing imp. But hardly enough for a task that required every layer of amour she could gather.

"Uncovered what?, that you cannot win the attentions of a respectable woman. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I discovered that decades ago as did everyone else" Cersei replied slyly. Tyrion's small stature was the only thing that truly bothered him, he hid it well from his 'friends' and his whores, but she knew better and she knew how to utilise it to her advantage in their ever ongoing controversy.

"Is Lancel among them?" Tyrion smirked.

"Who?, oh that clumsy simpleton that stares at my backside whenever he gets the opportunity..." She laughed humourlessly, first her twin then her bumbling idiot of cousin. Who was she going to be accused of bedding next? "...I've been overestimating you Imp, I had thought you boasted average intelligence. Now I see that not only are you stain upon the House of Lannister in appearance but you also lack our cunning" Cersei drawled, her voice was dripping with malice, she truly regretted that Sansa would be able to hear her, her lover was out of sight on the other side of the heavy red screen, where they had spent the night together.

"I'm not the only one who stains the respectable name of House Lannister though, am I?" Tyrion leaned forward on his feet as he stared up at her with accusing eyes. Picking up on her brother's meaning, Cersei could've screamed in frustration, she didn't know whether or not Tyrion believed the common lie, a large part of her didn't care what his opinion was, but she did care that Sansa was listening to every word that she growled at her brother and that, he in turn, hissed at her. Like two lions scraping over the same prestigious territory.

"No, most of our cousins share the same good-for-nothing traits that you do, only they are more than half a man" Cersei smirked as the insulted look that flashed in Tyrion's eyes. Triumph was reflected in her own when he couldn't answer her back.

"I will talk to my son, your King, when I so please. Now get out, you wouldn't want to ruin more of my morning now would you?" Cersei tilted her head as he turned and started for the half-open door without a word.

"Its nice that the Hound has a companion of his own kind is it not?" Tyrion mused as he headed for the door. Cersei felt her heart leap into her throat as Tyrion exited and pulled the door closed behind him. Sandor was standing guard outside her chamber, presumably Sansa had entrusted her canine companion into the care of the one man who knew their secret. Cersei took a deep breath in an attempt at dispelling the panic churning in her stomach as Tyrion's words echoed in her ears. He couldn't know, the blonde Queen Regent assured herself, she began to pace the length of her closed off chamber without realising what she was doing. She stopped on the eleventh segment, a sigh of relief left her lips, she could explain away the presence of Sansa's wolf outside her chamber this early in the morning. She just prayed it wouldn't be needed, even the smallest suspicion could blossom into something more. Moving towards the door to her chamber, she used the golden key, already inside the lock, to secure the door. Turning on her bare heel, she headed toward the screen, with her right hand she drew it back and slipped back into the disclosed side of her chamber. Her eyes took a moment to readjust to the darkness, but she had no difficulties locating the silhouette of her younger lover, laying on her side in the Queen Regent's four-poster bed with the crimson sheets drawn up to her slender waist. Cersei shed her outer-gown and climbed back into her bed silently, she didn't move closer to her lover, didn't pull the redhead into her arms like she wanted to. Tilting her head to the side, she winced, even in the dim light she could plainly see the tension in her lover's body, hunching Sansa's delicate shoulders inwardly.

"Tyrion and I have never had a loving relationship" Cersei murmured. She wasn't apologising for what she'd said to her brother or how she'd said it, but she did regret that Sansa had to hear it. She rued saying anything at all when nothing but Sansa's soft breathing answered her. She tried to delude herself into thinking her lover may have slept through her cruel exchange of words with her brother, but the redhead's tense body beside hers didn't allow her illusion the time to take root. She couldn't name the emotion roiling in her stomach as her lover remained quiet for long minutes. The Queen Regent sighed mournfully, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she'd lost the connection they'd slowly began building over the past month. Finally, after what seemed like a life-time, Cersei felt the mattress dip, she closed her eyes when she felt Sansa move closer to her. Her lover snuggled into her side beneath the sheets, laying her head on the Queen Regent's shoulder, Cersei wrapped her arms around the younger woman and held her tightly, inhaling Sansa's soft vanilla scent.

"He is the reason my mother is dead, I cannot forgive nor forget the pain he has caused me" Cersei could hear the words falling from her lips, but she didn't know why she felt the need to explain her hatred of her brother. She had only ever talked about the death of her mother with Jaime, and even he didn't truly understand how much she missed her mother.

"...H-he didn't choose to be born" Sansa stammered nervously, obviously fearing what the Queen Regent's response would be. Cersei's oval shaped jaw clenched bitterly, she wouldn't, she couldn't, hurt her SheWolf, be it physically or verbally. She had thought that Sansa knew that.

"Don't fool yourself into thinking that Tyrion is a victim, Sansa, he is more dangerous than you know" Cersei found herself tracing small circular patterns on the silky smooth skin of Sansa's back as she spoke, the impulsive motions were mesmeric to both women.

"Fate turns us all into victims at some point" Sansa whispered. Cersei bit the inside of her cheek, she couldn't quite determine if those words were meant to sting as they did.

"Is that what you see yourself as little SheWolf, my victim?" Cersei muttered, she felt as though her head were on an executioner's block as she waited for an answer, she stared upwards, towards the ceiling instead of where her eyes longed to be.

"I used to...I don't anymore" Cersei couldn't prevent her gaze from latching onto Sansa. A strange emotion swept over her, it made her chest tighten, her stomach rolled in an uncomfortable yet addictive way and her head felt light but oddly focused. This curious sensation was...overwhelming. While all other thoughts seemed to spiral out of control, one thing became crystal clear in her mind and in her heart. This thing with Sansa was quickly blossoming into something more, something she hadn't known she'd wanted until now.

"And you never will again..." Cersei promised, in the back of her mind, she knew she had to leave the warmth of her bed in favour of the cold council chamber. She had another meeting with the small council regarding rationing in the event of war, if and when Stannis Baratheon attacked the city, sieges could last for weeks and they needed to be prepared for such an outcome. But she found that she held little motivation to depart, she would just as soon send all day in bed with Sansa tucked into her side, the only reason she would ignore her impulse was the knowledge that if she failed to attend the meeting then all political decisions fell to Tyrion, as acting Hand of the king. She scowled inwardly as each disastrous consequence presented itself to her with frightening clarity.

"You will be spending the day with Tommen and Myrcella..." Cersei murmured gently, she reluctantly disentangled her arms from around her lover's waist and regretfully slide out from beneath the Lannister red silk sheets.

"But Joffrey said..." Sansa began to protest, Cersei looked over her shoulder at the younger woman. Her chest constricted at the fear she could observe shinning in Sansa's beautiful eyes. She turned around to face her SheWolf, she crossed her arms beneath her breasts and cleared her throat in a way of interrupting. For the first time she was thankful that Sansa was still mindful of who she was as the redhead fell silent.

"Joffrey will respect and abide by my judgement. As far as he will be concerned, you are to act as a nursemaid to my children. The truth is, that I had already planned to have you removed from his 'loving' care, the decision to have to have you tend to Tommen and Myrcella came at their request" Cersei smiled as she recalled looking in on her two youngest children the previous night, as she had sat in their respective chambers, patiently waiting for them to drift away from her arms and into sleep's warm embrace, all they could do was chatter about their day with Sansa.

"The only concept you must follow, is that they are to remain within the Red Keep. Under no circumstances are they to leave, no matter how much Myrcella begs and Tommen silently pouts" Cersei smirked, her children were formidable opponents when they determined they wanted something, in the past three years they'd had over twenty three nursemaids and they all made the same common mistakes. Her smirk slowly diminished as she untied the laces at the top of her white gown, while she had attendants to assist her dress and undress, she detested feeling unwanted hands touch her.

"Sansa?..." Cersei frowned, realising her lover had failed to answer her for the past several minutes. Stilling her elegant hands, the slender middle finger of her right hand was still adorned with her signet ring, glancing back over her shoulder she found Sansa staring intently at her body with heated eyes, the gown she wore was extremely thin and clung to her curves in all the right places. She barely stifled a shiver of awareness. Countless times she had seen that very same look over the past month, though it normally took some coaxing touches and seductive words on her part, her signature smirk found itself playing at the corner of her mouth even as desire pooled in the pit of her stomach heedless of the previous night's pleasures. She was close enough to the heavy screen that all she had to do was reach out with a graceful hand, pulling the red, luxe material to the side, she could just define that the sun had yet to reach it's morning peak in the East. By her estimate she had a full hour before her meetings began, a heated gleam shimmered in her jade coloured eyes as she let the screen fall back into place. She turned to look at Sansa with a seductive curve to her lips.

"Would you mind helping me with this?" Cersei whispered temptingly, lifting her hands back to the laces that held the front of her gown closed from neck to waist, the deep neckline displayed an immodest amount of cleavage. She didn't miss the dilation of Sansa's pupils nor the hitch in her lover's breathing, sexual exhilaration poured through her own veins. Pulling one of the intricate knots free, then another as she walked back to her bed and her shamelessly aroused SheWolf.

"...Robb Stark continues to move south west, Your Grace." Cersei wasn't truly listening as one of the Maesters reported on the position of the Stark and Baratheon armies. She leaned back in her high-backed chair, her body may be in the council chamber but her thoughts were back in her bed chamber. She managed to restrain her smile, instead her signature smirk found itself firmly in place, as her collection of delicious aches pulsed in a delectable reminder of her morning.

"...Your Grace?" Cersei was pulled out of her thoughts sluggishly. She glanced around the table as she clasped her hands together atop the polished surface. The bewildered expressions on the council members gave her some small focus.

"I'm well aware of how the Stark boy is advancing..." Cersei replied vaguely, she had already liaised with Lord Balon Greyjoy via letter, he was all too willing to lay siege to Winterfell on behalf of her family, not that the men before her knew about the interactions. She enjoyed leaving them floundering in chartered seas, particularly since she knew exactly how many of them had bribed her handmaidens and other members of her household to spy on her.

"I'm more concerned with the Baratheon movements" She arched a delicate blonde eyebrow as the Maester hurriedly shuffled through the documents on the table in front of him. Silence descended like a thick fog over the small council. Cersei rolled her eyes as the Maester muttered incoherently to himself.

"Were none of you aware of the rumours that Stannis and Renly move to attack each other?" Cersei drawled, allowing a small, arrogant laugh to fall from her lips. The men around her all cast their eyes downward, she leaned back in her chair and glanced around at them. Annoyance rose up within her, each glance at the individual Maesters added to her vexation, by the time she reached the last member, she was ready to call in the Hound with an order to execute them all for their sheer incompetence. The lot of them were more concerned with watching her, judging her for crimes and insults she hadn't committed when they should be focusing on the threats coming their way.

"I thought not..." She muttered, her eyes flared with anger "...We are adjourned. I won't be recalling this council until I deem it necessary as it seems that I can do all of your tasks myself. Now get out" Cersei snapped. Like a pack of well trained dogs they all rose to their feet, the sounds of chair-legs scraping against the stone floor resounded through the chamber, even as the Maesters' heads lowered as a sign of obedience she could see the burning resentment in their eyes. She sent them all her signature smirk, as they filed out of the chamber. Of course Tyrion lingered in his chair beside her, an ever present thorn in her side.

"If you can carry out all their duties, tell me sister how do you intend to protect the city when Stannis attacks?" Tyrion asked. His attempt at remaining insouciant was almost amusing, his wasn't an interest in caring for the people of King's Landing. Tyrion simply wanted to know what her plans were so he could gain some benefit.

"All you need to know is that I have no intention of letting Stannis taking control of this city" Cersei assured him easily. By her order, Hallyne the Pyromancer of the Alchemists' Guild had increased the production of 'wildfire', the volatile chemicals were being stored at the Guild and according to her daily reports, there were approximately four thousand jars with the quantity growing at an hourly rate.

"You didn't answer my question" Tyrion growled in annoyance.

"Tell me Imp, in what world so I answer to you?" Cersei sneered disdainfully.

"You've made it quite clear that you answer to no one but yourself, its a shame really, if this City falls you won't be able to blame anyone else" Tyrion mused.

"I'm sure thats all you're concerned about" Cersei narrowed her eyes. So long as she was Queen Regent King's Landing would not fall. No matter what Stannis pitched against her, there was too much at stake for any mistakes.

"Obviously...I'm also unworried about the morale of what little troops we have. Depending on what happens between Renly and Stannis, there is a very good chance that we will be facing insurmountable odds" Tyrion drawled. Cersei's jaw clenched, though she hated to admit it, her brother was correct. But she couldn't just pluck thousands of seasoned soldiers out of nothing.

"What do you suggest I do, pay for Sell-Swords like your mercenary..." She scoffed "...The battle would be over before it had begun. And you know exactly what Stannis will do every Lannister he finds, starting with us no doubt" The undeniable fact plagued her thoughts whenever it had the opportunity, when she was alone with her work, when she was cradling Sansa's spent body against hers in the very early hours of the morning, and most certainly when she was alone with her cherished children.

Sansa. Myrcella. Tommen. Joffrey

She would give up everything to them safe. Lands. Titles. Possessions. Wealth. Her very life. They meant more to her than anything material . Her hopes and dreams lay with them, at times she felt as though her only purpose was to keep them safe and happy. And Stannis Baratheon was threatening that.

"It's a pleasant prospect isn't it?" Tyrion drawled sarcastically, his sardonic tone failed in disguising the fear in his voice and eyes.

"I can certainly think of better uses for my time" Cersei responded with equal satire, she forced a laugh though it was patently devoid of any humour. She wouldn't let the Imp know how much she feared the up coming days and weeks. She felt like she were alone on a ship watching helplessly as a violent storm mounted, casting her into darkness with nothing but fright and uncertainty as her doting companions.

"You and me both" Tyrion nodded slowly. Cersei felt a frown tug at her brow as they fell into a silence that was neither awkward or comfortable, she couldn't recall the last time she had sat in a room with Tyrion alone without the two of them tearing shreds out of each other. Unbidden Sansa's words from the morning came back to her;

"Fate turns us all into victims at some point"

Maybe she had been unjustly cruel to Tyrion over the years, like Sansa had said the Imp hadn't chosen to be born, he didn't choose for their mother to die so that he could live. Her chest constricted tightly, as though small shards of ice were being plunged into her heart. She cleared her throat discreetly, swiftly containing her decades-old grief with practised simplicity.

"I must speak with Joffrey" Cersei rose to her feet gracefully, she tilted her head at Tyrion, a gesture he returned, before she walked towards the chamber door, several deep breaths dispelled the haze of sorrow that her mother's memory always brought with it.

"Have a good morning Cersei" Tyrion called after her as she pulled the door open, Sandor was waiting diligently outside, she looked over her shoulder at her brother. There was a foreign look on his face, one she had never seen before, her jaw clenched tightly. She held a verbal armoury of harsh words she would usually employ whenever she spoke with Tyrion, but she had no response to his seemingly innocent and genuine colloquial.

"We're in the middle of a war Tyrion" Cersei settled for after a moment of gathering appropriate responses, she didn't wait for a reply she simply walked out of the chamber with her head held high. As the Hound moved to flank her along with Ser Arys, she couldn't help but think that may very well have been the most civil conversation she'd ever had with her brother. Tilting her head to the side, she smirked in a calculative way.

"How long do you intend to keep Sansa on as their nursemaid?" Joffrey demanded. Cersei glanced at the Hound and inclined her head towards the door to her chamber. Sandor lowered his head before he stalked out of her chamber, his heavy footsteps thudded against the stone floor, he pulled the door closed behind him, leaving her alone with her eldest son.

"Until I find someone better" Cersei lied, her expression stayed blank as she leaned back in her chair. Joffrey glared at her and began to pace the length of the room, not unlike the way she had that very same morning, except his reasoning's fell short of the apprehensive mark. She didn't feel guilty for lying to her son, not when she was perfectly well aware of his recent behaviour.

"Sit...We need to talk" Cersei gestured toward the chair opposite her on the other side of her desk.

"The king has more important things to occupy his time" Joffrey snapped irritably, still pacing furiously, obviously he was not content to leave her to her work until he had what he wanted. He was going to be sorely disappointed if he thought she was going to return Sansa into his care. Her hands balled into fists as assertion began to pour through her veins.

"Things more important than his mother?" Cersei drawled, she allowed a small amount of hurt to shin in her eyes. Joffrey stilled his wild movements and stared at her with covetous blue eyes. He slumped forward and threw himself into the offered chair.

"Well what is it?" Joffrey asked loudly.

"You would tell me if there was something bothering you, wouldn't you Joffrey?" Cersei knew better than to simply blurt out her real reason for speaking with Joffrey. He would react badly and then he would strike out at whoever was ready to hand.

"You know what is bothering me mother" Joffrey answered, whether or not his pout was intentional, she couldn't help but compare him to Tommen and Myrcella. Contempt flared in her eyes, Joffrey was too old and too important to sit there sulking like a child. Especially when she knew he held no love for Sansa, he only kept her near him so he could torment her with his cruel words. The Hound had specific orders, from her, to prevent her son from physically harming her lover, if Joffrey ever raised his hand to Sansa, she instinctively knew she wouldn't be able to forgive him for it, that was why she'd set precautions in place.

"The war?" Cersei deliberately played coy.

"Why would that bother me?" Joffrey exclaimed with a frustrated sigh, as though he were talking to an imbecile. Cersei pursed her lips and frowned at her beloved son, she despised his tone but his words were what truly worried her.

"You understand that there is a very good chance that the City may fall to Stannis" Cersei prompted. She couldn't afford to understate the facts, not to herself, not the Maesters and not to Joffrey, even if her maternal instinct dictated that she shield him by keeping him in the dark about the military preparations well under way. While ignorance may be bliss for some, she viewed it as just another way for one to get killed.

"It matters little...I'm the King he knows that as does everyone else in my Kingdom" Joffrey stated firmly.

"Aerys Targaryen was once the King and everyone knew it, it didn't stop your father from ceasing power" Cersei retorted with a baffled look, how could Joffrey not see the dangers charging towards him, maybe he was choosing to ignore them, but that would make things much more problematic.

"The Mad King lost his power about the same time he lost his senses, I still have my wits" Joffrey impressed upon her with a dismissive wave of his hand. A frustrated tick formed as her jaw clenched.

"Of course you do my son..." Cersei smiled lovingly, even if Joffrey refused to recognise the dark storm cloud heading their way, it didn't matter, she would take care of matters. Her smile turned into a smirk. If her battle tactic was successful, if they managed to repel the Baratheon forces then she would credit Joffrey. Her deception would gain her son the respect and admiration from his subjects that Eddard Stark nearly destroyed with his false allegations.

"Before you go I would ask something of you" Cersei murmured.

"'When have I ever denied you anything'?" Joffrey echoed her words from a week ago, she forced a smile, she didn't appreciate her son talking down to her but she had other, more important, affairs to attend to. Starting with checking in on Sansa and her younger children.

"The next time your uncle gives you a 'gift', please refrain from breaking it" Cersei smirked with false hilarity, she couldn't believe that her son had actually beaten a woman simply because he could, overlooking the fact that said woman had been a whore, she had laughed when Tyrion had first told her, that was until she saw the young girl. She had felt physically ill as she observed the evidence that her little boy had done such a thing. And she couldn't allow this chain of vicious acts to grow anymore.

"I have no intention of doing such a thing, I won't have the time once I begin my training lessons" Joffrey boasted.

"Excuse me?" Cersei shook her head and stared at her son incredulously. She hadn't arranged any new lessons for any of her children.

"Tyrion suggested that when the City is attacked that I fight in the vanguard" Joffrey smiled as though he'd just be gifted with dragon egg, she felt as though she'd just been physically struck as the air fled her lungs. Her rejection of Joffrey's intention refused to be voiced, dizziness swamped her as Joffrey rose to his feet and walked out of her chamber. She couldn't breathe, it was as though a large weight was being pressed onto her chest, she clutched at her chest desperately. Joffrey couldn't fight in the vanguard, he had no experience except a few lessons under Jaime's tutelage. He would be killed within mere minutes. Rage and maternal instinct gave her the focus needed to gain control over her breathing once more.

"Damn that little bastard" Cersei hissed.

TBC. . .

AN: Now remember what I said, I will update again and I will try to make it as quick as possible but in all likelihood it will probably be next month some time. I'm really sorry about that but I start my WBQ, it's an A-Level thing, next week so I won't have much time for anything. Sorry again ;)