5th Month of 298 A.C. Winterfell
Queen Cersei Lannister nee Baratheon
She disliked the north, it was cold and it was a damned sight poorer than King's Landing and the south. The people here were complete savages, they did things that the south had long ago given up, and were still fighting to hold onto ways that made them seem backward and barbaric. The Starks were cold as well, grim eyes, long faces, she felt sorry for Catelyn Tully stuck here with that grim faced Lord Stark, and his frozen cock. She supposed it made sense that they had so many children, there was little else for them to do here other than fuck. And of course one of the children was now her son's betrothed, Sansa, the girl was certainly beautiful, but she could not be the one the witch had said would bring her downfall. The girl was too naïve and stupid by half to be of a real threat. She was sweet and nice, but she had no fire, she would be eaten alive in King's Landing and how Cersei looked forward to that. She was not good enough for her golden son, no Joffrey deserved better, preferably a Lannister, but the only two girls old enough for him were uncle Stafford's daughters and they were too much like their mother to be of use to Cersei.
And then there was Tommen, her second son, the son she had not wanted but loved all the same. She had been angry when Robert had decided to send the boy north to Winterfell, she did not want any other children to be raised by the savages, and they were lions not stags, all of them. And yet she did have to admit to herself, that after Tommen had left she had been relieved. The boy had been too much of a handful, he had always wanted her help for something or the other, and she had not been able to devote enough time to Joffrey, to her eldest son, the son who needed her more. With Tommen in the north she had been able to do that, and now Joffrey was the golden prince he was supposed to be. as for Tommen, well Tommen was a disappointment, he was more of a northmen than she thought acceptable, when she had first seen him she had thought he was Jaime as her brother had been in his youth, but then she had heard him speak and seen him act and she was reminded of Robert, and her heart sunk. She did not know what to make of her second son, but she only hoped it was not too late.
As it was she had seen some of what her eldest son was doing, speaking to that bastard of Eddard Stark's and she wanted to know why he was degrading himself by associating with the bastard. And so she had asked to speak with him privately in the rooms she had been given by the Starks they were sparse rooms and she despised them but nonetheless they would do their duty. Jaime, her golden twin stood guard inside the room whilst two red cloaks stood guard outside, her golden son was sat opposite her as they ate bread and cheese, and so she began. "Tell me sweetling, why is it that you are allowing the bastard of Winterfell to be part of your squires activities? Surely you know that his presence within your group, will only lower what others think of you? He will encourage bad habits to appear in amongst the squires, and yourself and that is not something you want to happen."
Her son was silent a moment and then responded. "I am allowing the bastard to be with my squires because I want to teach Tommen a lesson."
"A lesson? What sort of lesson does your brother need to be taught, that requires you to degrade yourself be associating with a bastard?" Cersei asks.
"He needs to be taught that these people are not our friends they are our slaves. Just like you taught me mother, so too does Tommen need to be taught. He sees the bastard as a friend maybe even a brother, and that is not right. The bastard is nothing more than someone hoping for further advancement in the world, and he can be used. I am trying to show Tommen that." Her golden son responds.
"And what does this bastard aspire towards?" Cersei asks intrigued. "Do you know?"
"He wishes to be a true Stark. He wants that as his name not Snow, he hungers after it, he craves it. He wants the name of the family his father is from. I know he is willing to do anything to achieve that, and I am the one who can give it to him, I am the crown prince, I will make sure father gets the idea into his head and does it. Or if not father, then I will do it." Her son responds.
"That is true, but what makes you so sure you can keep this bastard true to your tune?" Cersei asks wanting to see whether her son paid attention to his lessons with her.
"It is simple enough mother. The bastard craves approval, especially from his superiors. I am as far up as it gets without involving father, and as such I wants my approval. I am giving it to him in small amounts, letting him into the squires is one way of showing him I mean what I say." Her son responds.
"And how has your brother responded to this?" she asks.
"Not well, he seems torn between wanting to allow it to continue and wanting to stop it. There is something wrong with him mother. He sees these people as our equals not as our servants. They will play him for a fool and leave him to dry when it suits them. He needs to realise that." Her son says.
Cersei has never felt prouder of Joffrey than she does then. "Very good my sweetling, very good. But how are you going to keep the bastard under your thumb, after all they are treacherous in nature."
Her son smiles then. "No one else will offer him this. Tommen is too much of a Stark boy to ever consider offer the bastard this. Father will do it if I ask him to, and if father does not do it, then father can be removed."
Cersei considers this and then says. "Very good, very good my sweetling. Your brother is far too under the influence of the Starks, he seems to associate more with them than us. And that is dangerous, Stark might not have the intelligence to use that, but his with certainly does. We cannot allow them to use his love for them against him, we must show him how treacherous they are. Starting with the bastard is a very good idea my sweetling, bastards are known for being the traitors, once the bastard goes for your squires, Tommen will begin to realise just how fickle the Starks are."
Her son nods eagerly. "I saw that Myrcella and the Stark heir are getting very close to one another. Is that deliberate, or has the Stark boy gotten her under his charm?"
Cersei feels something of a pang when her daughter is mentioned, her daughter looks so much like she did when she was young but there is more naivety there, than Cersei herself ever had. She would protect Myrcella if she could. "I am not sure my sweetling. Why do you ask?"
"Because Robb Stark is a boy, and Myrcella is quite a beautiful girl, there is no reason why we could not use Myrcella as a way to charm Stark and take him away from Tommen and towards us. It would be a harder blow for him because the boy is clearly a true friend to him, without him, Tommen has nothing holding him to Winterfell." Joffrey responds.
Though she does not quite like the idea of using her daughter like that, she sees the benefit in doing so. "Very well, we shall let Myrcella do what she does best. Let her charm the Stark boy as she would do normally. I shall see what suggestions I can allow to the Stark woman to think of as her own."
Joffrey nods and then Jaime speaks. "There is one other way you could get the bastard to stay in line."
"And what is that uncle?" Joffrey sneers.
"The Kingsguard. The boy is a bastard, but he is also a very talented swordsman, offer him the chance to get a knighthood and a place in the Kingsguard and he will be yours." Jaime replies.
Cersei smiles at her brother, he timed that perfectly, just as they had discussed, she turns to see Joffrey considering this. "Hmmmm, the Kingsguard, yes, yes I like that a lot."
"Good so we are decided then. Let us venture forth from here to the Great Hall, and one more damnable meal with the Starks." Cersei says.
She stands then and her son stands with her, and together they walk from the room and out into the hall. As they come towards the pathway to the Great Hall, she sees her uncle Gerion walking toward them, a smile on his face, and she wonders why he is so happy. "Ah well is this not just a wonderful sight. A mother and her son, together. Have you two been plotting something?" he asks.
"What we talk about is none of your business uncle. And besides you did not greet us properly." Her son responds.
Her uncle presses a hand to his mouth and then says. "Oh my pardons Your Grace, I forgot. You see I thought you were already aware of who you were, and did not need reminding of such facts. But if you wish to be reminded of who you are then by all means ask Ser Jaime behind you."
Cersei grits her teeth but her son responds. "You cannot speak to me like that Uncle. I am the crown prince, I am your social better, bow and apologise now."
There is a moment's silence as her uncle stares at them and they stare at him and then he merely says. "Bowing? You will have to forgive me Your Grace, I am an old man, and my back is not what it once was. Though if you wish for someone to bend to you, Ser Jaime and your dog could bow."
Her uncle laughs then and she feels her anger growing. Through gritted teeth she asks. "What do you want uncle?"
Her uncle takes on a look of mock offence then and says. "Can an uncle not merely come to speak and walk with his niece? After all it has been a long time since we spoke Cersei. Surely you wish to speak with me?"
"I have no reason to speak with you uncle. There is no pressing need for us to speak. So unless you have something to ask me, be gone." Cersei responds.
The joviality is still there in her uncle's voice but the light has left his eyes. "Well, I am sure you have noticed how Jon Snow has begun cavorting around with the squires, your squires Prince Joffrey, and I did find it quite curious. Considering half those squires are people who normally take offence when someone not their equal looks at them."
Cersei looks at her son then and Joffrey merely responds. "Jon asked to have someone new to spar with and after the disgraceful way the Starks treated him at the feast, I thought it would be good for him to have some new company. He seems to be enjoying the company, and has not voiced a complaint to me."
Cersei looks at her uncle then and sees the way his eyes begin to narrow. His voice is still jovial when he responds. "Interesting that you say that, for if I recall correctly I seemingly recall you saying to Tommen that the boy was nothing more than a slave. So I am quite surprised that you are now saying that he asked you for some new company."
Her son begins to founder then and so Cersei says. "Is it so strange that the bastard might well look for some new company in the face of how his family treated him? Truly uncle you are not so stupid, now tell me what you want."
Her uncle looks at her then and his voice is still jovial when he replies. "Stay away from Jon, and end this betrothal with Sansa, before you come to regret it." And with that he turns and walks away.