Chapter 4
"I knew it! I knew it dammit!" Cersei exclaimed, as her brother's beastly friend stepped out of the car.
The brute looked confused, "You knew I was driving him home?"
"No you imbecile, I knew those black cats from that witch Olenna would bring me all sorts of bad luck. The imp is in my house, supervising my child. And now I have you besmirching my house with your ghastly presence," Cersei said hotly.
Jaime shot her a glare. "There's no need to be rude, Cersei," he said stiffly.
"Well she didn't say anything wrong did she?" Joffrey said, as his mother glared right back at his uncle.
Cersei, busy agreeing with Joff, didn't see the pointed look Brienne gave him.
Joff didn't miss it however and decided he'd better go harass Tommen for his gifts before his mother could ask him where Renly was. Except, unluckily for him, Jaime didn't miss the look either.
...
Brienne felt her face turn red from embarrassment and anger. She took a deep breath to calm herself. It wasn't worth getting riled up for the likes of Cersei and her progeny. And the boy better keep his mouth shut before she accidentally let it slip where he'd been. But she reminded herself that she promised Sansa she wouldn't and for Sansa's sake she forced down her ire.
Jaime gave her a questioning look and she mouthed later to him.
...
She may have agreed to tell him the story later, but Jaime wasn't in the mood to let Joff get away scot free. Besides, if Cersei was concerned about Joff she'd leave him alone.
"So, Joff," he started, as the boy was about to sneak past them, "How was the movie?"
The boy looked at him wide-eyed. "It was good," he forced out.
"Oh really, what was it about? I was considering watching one myself this weekend," Jaime said.
"Um..uh..it was.." he started, but was saved from answering by his mother who finally realised the implications of Brienne being there rather than Renly.
"Wait a minute. What happened to Renly?" she asked him.
He looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Jaime gave a satisfactory smirk.
...
Joffrey knew he needed to come up with a cover story, and fast. His mother would be angrier that he was with Sansa than that he took the car. But he didn't care that she didn't like Sansa. Sansa was hot. And he was sure she could be easily persuaded to...see things his way. If only his uncle's ugly friend hadn't interrupted.
"Uh Renly," he said and his was ashamed to hear his voice crack slightly, "Renly...um he..."
And then it came to him.
"He had a last minute modelling gig!" Joff said, smiling now that he had a viable excuse, "I already had the movie ticket so I just went by myself." He was glad his uncle had such a hectic career. It made the lie come easier. And it certainly helped that his mother knew that it was possible from her own past as a model.
...
Brienne heard the name Renly and flinched. She had long since gotten over him but it was still a sore spot for her. She couldn't believe she'd been so foolish when it came to him. But still she composed herself and tried to back up the boy's lie, for Sansa's sake.
"That's right, I saw him there after the movie and I knew he wasn't supposed to be driving the car so I offered to take him home," she said.
Cersei turned to look at her, her eyes narrowed as if trying to pick apart the story. Finally she just seemed to accept it, as Brienne knew she would because Cersei let the boy get away with everything and Brienne had given her the perfect excuse to turn a blind eye.
Cersei cleared her throat, "I suppose that's fine then."
Brienne knew that's the closest thing to 'Thank You' that she would get from the woman.
...
Cersei turned to scrutinise Joff, just to make sure he was in one piece. Who knew how the beast drove after all.
Satisfied that he was okay she turned back to Brienne.
"Well, you've done your duty and delivered him safe and sound. You can leave now," and with that she turned up her nose and walked into the back yard to rescue her Tommen from the imp.