A/N: So, this is the interlude chapter. It's not essential to the rest of the plot, really, since it's from Amber's POV (as much POV as my story has anyway, but y'know what I mean). But give if you liked Amber (and there's some Cersei, Jaime & Lancel in this one, too), give it a go:)))

So here's a theory, apparently the slow loris is officially the cutest animal in the world, maybe that's why Loras' name is what it is? 'Cause it sounds like loris? Idk, I wanted to believe that anyway, so he has like bush-baby eyes and that;) I'm probably wrong, but thought I'd share anyway;)

xoxo

Interlude: The Lioness

Lady Amber sat by the queen's window, watching the people go about their business below. She saw Petyr Baelish in the courtyard, clearly leaving after the small council meeting was done, since she'd spotted Lord Varys departing moments before. Robert had not been with them – he'd decided he'd rather go on a hunting trip in the Kingswood. And Amber understood what that meant. It meant that she would make sure a lot of people saw her going to the queen's chambers, she'd make sure to chat to people on the way up and make sure they knew where she was headed. Then she would sit in the queen's chambers – alone – while Cersei Lannister fucked her brother in the king's bed. Amber wasn't pleased about the part she played in their deceptions, but she ultimately had to make a choice. Do what Cersei wanted and keep the queen on side, or she could submit herself to walking her life alone. And she already felt very alone. She knew she was one of a select few to even be privy to the information she was. Actually, she knew she was one of three people, and two of those people were the ones the secret belonged to. She suspected that Varys and Littlefinger knew more than they were letting on, but they always did. At the tourney Littlefinger had made a point of addressing her in conversation, where he'd tried to be subtle in asking how she was enjoying spending time with her cousins after having been at Storm's End for so long. Amber had deftly dodged the crux of his question, giving him only a vague answer, but it was enough of answer to make it strange if he pressed for more information. She actually quite liked Lord Baelish, she admired him in actual fact. She enjoyed playing the kind of cat and mouse game he insisted on playing to find out secrets. She was pretty sure she knew a secret or two about Petyr Baelish in turn.

Amber had received another raven from Dragonstone, once again from her betrothed. His name was Willum, she had discovered, and he was a minor lord over a small holding on the edge of Dragonstone. But he was trying, she awarded him that much. He'd been doing everything humanly possible to try and make his home more to Amber's liking. This time he'd written telling her of a special kind of plant he'd had imported that cats were supposed to especially like, so that Lioness would be happy in the gardens. It pleased her that he was so considerate, but it didn't lessen much of her anger over having to marry him at all. But she knew when she was beaten. She'd have to marry him, that was certain, but she could still try to make the whole arrangement better for herself.

She turned her head to look at the door that adjoined the king's chambers to the queen's, as Jaime walked through it and shut it behind himself.

'Amber.' He gave her a nod. She nodded back and turned away from him. She loved her cousins, but after she knew what they'd been doing in there she couldn't speak to them properly. Not straight away. She'd talk to them later on as if nothing had happened, but it was too strange to do it straight away.

A few minutes after Jaime had left, Amber got up from her window seat and left Cersei's chambers. She didn't particularly want to go and find her to say her goodbyes, she'd see her at dinner, anyway. She straightened out her red dress, left her cousin's chambers and began the walk back to her own, where she would sit and do nothing while she waited for dinner. Life had become much more boring since Renly and Loras had left. Amber found herself practically friendless, with only her cousins, Lioness and her faceless betrothed's letters.

On the stairs she was intercepted by another cousin of hers, the king's squire, Lancel. He flashed her a big smile on seeing her, which she met with a frosty sort of smirk. She silently wondered if Lancel was aware of what their cousins did behind closed doors.

'Lady Amber.' He greeted her fondly.

'Cousin.' Amber answered flatly.

'Where are you going, my lady?' He asked her, though she felt like there was a reason for his asking.

'Back to my rooms.' She told him. 'And yourself?' She questioned, more because stalling Lancel would give Cersei more time to get dressed and cover up the evidence. Since Lancel was returning, it meant the king was back from hunting.

'I was just about to go and prepare some wine for His Grace… but I should escort you back to your chambers. A lady shouldn't be wandering around alone.'

'I'm in the Red Keep, Lancel, I'm hardly in danger.' Amber tried to brush him off. She was right, but she still did have that knife she kept in her garter under her dress.

'Well,' Lancel shifted uneasily at that statement, which instantly put Amber's guard up. 'you never know, my lady. It wouldn't be proper of me to let you go on your own.'

'If you say so.' Amber sighed. She knew he wouldn't back down about it and she'd rather spend her time bored in her chambers than arguing with Lancel. He didn't make for a good partner for and argument. She instantly missed Renly on thinking about that. They used to argue constantly, but they'd be intelligent arguments. And they'd always make up after. She couldn't bare it that she'd have to wait until her wedding to see him again, it felt like being separated from a brother. Though, with herself and Renly she felt they were closer than that, more like twins. Then she thought of Cersei and Jaime and instantly retracted the idea.

'How is Lord Renly since his departure from King's Landing?' Lancel asked her. Amber bit back a smirk on hearing him ask. She'd done her fair share of watching from her room while she'd been locked away after the 'incident' and she was fully aware of why Lancel was inquiring about Lord Renly… and who he would be asking about next.

'I believe he's fine, Lancel.' She told him. 'He does usually run Storm's End, I doubt anything unusual has occurred since his return.' Though Amber suspected that by now something unusual may have, in fact, occurred, given how close Renly and Loras had become while in King's Landing.

'Good.' Lancel said awkwardly. 'And… his squire?'

'Loras?' Amber started. 'Oh, I suspect he's perfectly fine, as well. Why do you ask?' She'd only added the last part to wind up her cousin, knowing it would make him nervous. It made for excellent sport making Lancel uncomfortable.

'Why?' He repeated quietly. 'Oh… n-no reason, my lady. I was just wondering, I…' he began muttering the rest of his nonsensical reply to himself and Amber stopped paying attention.

They reached Amber's chambers and Lancel opened the door for her. She tried to offer him a smile, but she was almost certain she'd failed at that. 'Well… thank you, Lancel.' She said simply, unsure of what else she was meant to say.

'I, um… I wanted to ask something, if that's alright, my lady.'

'Of course.' She answered flatly. If there was one thing she didn't want Lancel doing, it was asking questions, but it would raise more questions if she said no to him.

'I was wondering if… if the king would be in attendance to your marriage? On Dragonstone?'

'The king?' Amber repeated. 'I don't know, Lancel. I should hope the queen will be there, but I could not speak for the king. Why do you ask?'

'Well,' Lancel tried, but words seemed to evade him. 'well, it would mean that I would be allowed to go as well, as the king's squire.'

'Yes.' Amber agreed. 'It would. Why would you want to?'

'You're my cousin, of course I want to.' But it was clearly a blatant lie.

'As convincing as that was, Lancel, why would you really want to go?'

Lancel flushed a crimson sort of colour and brushed his blond hair off his face. 'W-well, it's just… I imagine Lord Renly would be there – since you two are such good friends and… and Loras, of course, so…'

'Gods, Lancel, never let me trust you with secrets.' Amber told him with a laugh. Lancel broke a small, nervous smile, but still looked sheepish. 'But let me just give you a little bit of advice.' She continued. She beckoned to her cousin to come into the room and told him to shut the door. He dubiously sat down on the edge of her bed.

'Lancel, I wouldn't recommend getting involved with what you're implying.' Amber said, deliberately careful with her words. 'I really don't think Lord Renly would look too kindly upon it.'

'It's got nothing to do with him.' Lancel muttered darkly.

'No, Lancel, it has. Loras is his squire, anything he does will reflect on Renly, as well. And equally, anything you do will reflect on the king. Do you really want that?'

Lancel sighed and shook his head. 'I suppose not.'

'Besides, I think that both yourself and Loras Tyrell are destined for bigger things than this. You'll both end up married to some lovely, important young lady and you'll both be very happy for it – once you're accomplished knights, of course.' She told him with a smile. Lancel seemed somewhat pleased with that response, even if it wasn't the answer he wanted.

'Thank you, my lady.' He said with a sigh, getting up the leave the room.

'Lancel,' Amber called to him. He turned back around to face her. 'I'm your cousin, you can call me Amber, you know.'

'Yes, my lady.' He told her with a smirk, before continuing. 'I know I can, Amber. You just never know who's listening.'

Amber smiled at him and let him leave. She knew all too well why you could never be too careful in King's Landing. Both Lord Varys and Lord Baelish had their own little spies running around the castle with their ears pressed to the doors of anyone remotely influential. She'd awarded her best lies to both of them while she'd been in King's Landing, but she knew it was only a matter of time before they found out Renly's secret. It was getting difficult to lie about it since they evidence they had was so compelling.