In a cage with a lioness

Chapter One

Please kill me. Serious, god if you can hear me then please kill me right now. After the night that I had I was more than willing to go to my death. Anything, so long as where ever I ended up afterwards was not the same place that Cersei Lannister would end up as well. Mind you, maybe I was already dead and this was hell. It certainly had to be.

I got absolutely no sleep the night before as Cersei Lannister had been screaming in my head, well it was her head to be fair but that distinction did not seem all that important after such a sleepless night. I hadn't been able to close my eyes for even five minutes as every time that I did Cersei would start up again, and because her voice was...well, more like her thoughts screaming at me inside the head that we shared with one another and it wasn't like she had a throat that could get sore, so she had no reason to stop.

I had begged, I had pleaded, I had tried almost every single thing that I could think off in order to get her to stop and yet nothing had worked. I had breifly thought about maybe making a threat to throw myself out of a window if she didn't stop but while I wasn't an expert on making threats, I know enough about them to know that you shouldn't make threats that you were not prepared to carry out on and I wasn't there yet.

Not yet.

Eventually, she fell quiet when she realised that there was nothing that I could do to give her control of her body back, or she realised that shouting wasn't doing anything except waste her time or she just got bored. It was one of them, I knew that.

Regardless of the reason behind it, it was enough to give me an hour of sleep before someone came knocking at the door to her chamber and all I wanted to do was to scream at them to go away so that I could catch up on all the sleep that I had missed but it seemed that the knock on the door had woken Cersei up as well and she had started up again

So, with a long sigh I pushed myself up from the bed and walked over to the doors and pulled it open. It was one of Cersei's handmaidens and I was about to order her to go away but she spoke before I could say anything, saying that my brother wished to speak with me. I was about to tell her that I didn't have a brother, only a sister but that was when I remembered.

Cersei did have brothers, she had two of them and considering that right about now one of them was being transported rather roughly in a crate across the Narrow Sea, well that meant that it could only be Jaime.

As I told the handmaiden to send him in, Cersei began to scream again about something, considering that she didn't actually have a voice in any real sense she was actually very, very loud. Apprently she believed that because I know something about Tyrion's whereabouts that I must be working for him. I'd give her credit, for her it was a logic conclusion to draw.

Well, more logical than the truth which was that she was a fictional character in a book series and I had somehow woke up inside of her head and the only reason that I knew where Tyrion was because I had read all of the books before now. You know, now that I think about it Cersei only responded when I actually spoke out loud but it didn't seem like she was able to ready my thoughts or anything like that, so work that out.

But Jaime chose that moment to walk in, which would at least distract me from dealing with his sister for a moment but then I didn't actually think that Jaime would be all that much better, certainly it wouldn't be great if he tried to do anything to me while thinking that I was Cersei as the guy really had issues when it came to respecting his sister's personal space, as in he seemed to think that she did not have any.

"Cersei, are you well?" Jaime asked as he stepped towards me and I took a few steps back, wondering if I should have called the handmaiden to stay in the room with me as at least Jaime wasn't so much a fool that he would try anything while someone else was in the room with us but before I could consider opening my mouth to do that, Jaime took hold of me and pulled me in for a kiss.

It took all that I had not to bite at his bottom lip and to claw at him in order to get him to let me go but I managed to hold back, even if I could still taste the bile burning at my throat. Still, it was clear that Jaime noticed that something was wrong with his sister as in his arms I was as stiff as a board. "Are you well? Father's gone, of course you aren't I'm sorry. I miss him as well, I did not think that I would but I do."

"Yes, I miss him as well. I'd like to be alone Jaime, I'd like to grieve on my own." I hoped that he would but that and just leave me on my own, even as the actual Cersei was screaming at her brother to stay, for her lover to notice that something was wrong with her and that she was not acting like herself and that she would never be so meek.

In the end, it seemed that neither of us would get what we want as Jaime frowned and stepped closer as soon as I had pulled away, and seriously mate, personal space it is a thing that exists; "Don't Jaime." Crap, Cersei had her flaws. Her major, major flaws but at least she could sound commanding when she absolutely had to.

I sounded nothing like that, when I gave a command it sounded like I had no idea what I was doing. I sounded weak and I could hear Cersei scoffing somewhere in the back of the head that we shared and I could already tell that I was going to have the mother of all headaches before this day was done I could just tell.

"I want to be left alone, Lord Commander." I tried again and at least this time there was a bit more strength in my voice but it still wasng't enough, commanding a handmaiden who was meant to obey the person whose body you were in the middle of...possessing? Was that the right word for it? It wasn't sharing it, cause Cersei didn't seem to have any control of her body, she was like a very loud passanger.

Jaime frowned at me, his eyes narrowing and he reached out to take hold of my wrist and his hold was so tight that I was pretty sure that it was going to leave bruises and I did not bother to try and hide the wince, if Jaime noticed then he did not say anything about it. "Stop this, stop trying to send me away from you and stop trying to pull away from me. Do you know what it was like for me to try and get back here? I lost my hand Cersei, I will never be able to use a sword as I once did. It was the only worthwhile thing that I had."

I frowned at that, it seemed like a horrible way to think of yourself. "Jaime, that isn't true." I never thought in any world that I would be offering comfort to Jaime Lannister not just because it would be absolutely insane to think that I would ever end up talking to a fictional character who at that moment was as real as I was but also because if I was going to be honest I was not that much a huge fan of Jaime either.

I never really bought into the whole redemption arc thing that people kept saying that he had, after all up until the point that Jaime had gone riding off with Brienne he had still been serving Cersei's own interests. He wanted people to think that he was a better person, wanted others to think well of him. He had named the horses that were given to him when he left King's Landing honor and glory and that was the point, the things that mattered the most to him.

He certainly didn't give much of a shit about his kids, I couldn't really blame him for not being heartbroken about Joffrey as I don't think anyone other than Cersei had actually cared by the fact that he was dead, the book described that Tommen had been screaming but that might be because he was just a young kid who was seeing someone dying in front of him, instead of the fact that was his older brother dying but that might have just been me projecting on the character somewhat.

A growl made me jump and Jaime looked at me concerned and I flushed when I realised that it had been Cersei that had done it and thus I was the only one that had heard it so from Jaime's point of view his sister had just jumped for no reason at all. "I'm sorry, just a chill. Jaime, I am sorry that you lost your hand, I am sorry that you got captured and I am sorry that you felt like I've been pushing you away."

"That's probably the most times you've apologised to me in our entire lives." Yeah, that sounded about right. It was only a moment later that I realised that Jaime was looking at me, his eyes were narrowed at me like he wasn't looking at his sister, and he wasn't really when it came to that. He was looking at a stranger who was walking around in his sister's body.

"Our Father is dead." My father had died a very long time ago, I had only been eight and and my sister Anna had only been four, he had been coming home from work and it had been dark and windy and the rain had been coming down so hard. Really, he should have seen it coming. His heart had broken and both he and his sister had grived for him already.

"I am...upset Jaime, and I do not wish to fight with you." I spoke, hoping that Jaime would both buy it as a reason for Cersei's changed behavior as well as take the hint that I wanted to be left on my own, for a bit.

"And I do not wish to be sent away." Jaime stepped forward so quickly that I wasn't able to say anything to stop him as he took me back into his hold, his hand coming down to tilt my head so that I had to look into his eyes. "I am griving as well Cersei, and I do not want to be away from you. Do not send my away, we belong together and there is no greater comfort than your arms."

He leaned in and I knew he was going to kiss me, and my stomach turned. "Jaime no, let me go." I turned my head just in time for Jaime's lips to meet my check instead of my lips, I wasn't able to stop a shudder as I know that the person who had just tried to kiss the body that I inhabited was the original body's owner was her brother and while she might not have a problem with that, I very much did.

Jaime frowned at me again and for a moment I did not feel safe, and I was about ready to shout for the handmaiden to come back in as I did not think that Jaime would try anything if someone else was there to see what he could do but thankfully there was no need to as Jaime let me go and stepped away from me, looking at me like I was a stranger.

"Please Jaime, just leave me alone for a bit." My words sounded weak, desperate. I did not sound like Cersei Lannister at all. I might have been able to put on a better show of it if I wasn't so tired, all I wanted to do was crawl back into the bed and sleep for a year, but I would take a day. I just needed to shut my eyes, just for a little bit.

Jaime stared at me for a long moment before he turned and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him as he left. I was to tired to wince at the noise. My eyes felt heavy, everything felt heavy.

I walked over to the bed and climbed on to it and curled into a ball, shutting my eyes and praying that I would be able to fall to sleep.

Of course, someone had to hate me as just as one Lannister twin had left the other decided to start back up to ensure that I would have no peace, not even for a second.

Do not think for a moment that you've won, you fool. Jaime already knews that there is something wrong, I would never act so pathetic. Not even when it is just myself and him on our own. He will sniff out whatever it is that you have done, whatever vile sorcery and he will put it right. And I promise you this once I am free and back in control of mine own body, there are not words for how much I will make you suffer.

And that would be different from now how, exactly? The thought would normally have just brought out a weak chuckle from me, it really was not that funny but the sheer lack of sleep of that I had up to this point in combination but the spluttering, impotent rage filled rantings of Cersei who was trapped within her own mind sent me into a laughing fit.

It was insane, it was mad and it was all so funny so what else could I do but laugh and laugh and laugh. So I kept on laughing, I kept on laughing as the Queen who was a prisoner in her own mind ranted and raved and raged and I kept on laughing until I was crying, until the body that was not my own was shaking with tears and all I wanted to do was scream.

At some point through it all, silence fell and I was laying in the middle of the bed. I must've slept, or lost consciousness more likely, at some point as I suddenly noticed a tray of bread and cheese and fruits and nuts had been placed on the table next to a bed as well as a golden goblet that I didn't need to check to know was full of wine.

It's not that I didn't drink, working in a pub would be really hard if I had a problem with drinking, but right now the idea of trying to drink wine sent my stomach to rolling and so did the thought of eating. "Are you still there?" I asked to the darkness of the room, I was alone in person but in my head could be a different matter.

Yes. Did you think I was going to crawl off and die and leave you to control my life, to let that imp use my body in one of his awful plots?

I was this close to laughing again, a voice in my head that not only answered back but argued with me as well. Ah, what a charmed life I lead. Maybe going mad was the best option, assuming that I had not already? Staying sane was surely the insane option when faced with all of this, wasn't it?

Still, I'd rather avoid it if at all possible. Mental heath care wasn't exactly perfect in the world I had come from and I doubted that Westeros's was going to be much of an imporvment and suddenly I got the horrible image of Pycelle putting leaches all over me and I didn't know what was worse. The leeches or Pycelle.

Pycelle.

It was so sudden and so quick that I could not help but laugh again, again it was that or sob until I could not breath. "Listen, I know you won't believe me but I did not want this, I am not responsible for this. Do you think I would want this, you screaming and ranting in my head to the point that I can not sleep at all? You driving me mad? I am as much a victim here as you are."

She hadn't interrupted yet, so I was going to take that as a good sign. "You're in my head, you must in someway know that I am not lying to you, your Grace." The title seemed like a good idea, Cersei always liked it in the books when people flattered her, when they told her what she wanted to hear. "So please, I want to get home and you want your body back. If you could just let me sleep and then, with a clear head in the morning, I can try and figure a way out of this for both of us. What do you say?"

If you try and turn against me, if you try and play me for a fool, I will have you flayed and dipped into barrel of salt.

Diplomacy in action.

I rested my head on the pillow and allowed my eyes to shut, and I was not raised from my slumber for the entire night,

End of Chapter One.

Yeah, when I said this was a comedy I should metion that most of it's a comedy in how much the POV SI is suffering, but hey at least he and Cersei have reached something of a truce! I mean, as much as you can ever have a truce with Cersei.

I hoped you enjoyed, and if you enjoyed then please consider leaving a review, a follow and a favourite.

With warm regards,

DiscordantSymphony