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Myrcella Baratheon I
Winterfell, North, Year 298 AC
Myrcella was pleasantly surprised with everything the North was providing her…It was all so different from the tales she heard about barbarians and cannibals that many people told her about, including her mother…the people were so nice and kind…their smiles looked different as well…there was also a sense of unity that you clearly were not able to see in the capital and this made her curious.
"If My Princess was to move the needle a little more to the left…there we go." The woman who spoke was called Ros and it was her who thought the girls at Winterfell how to sew and behave like ladies… "A stag from House Baratheon."
Mother would certainly have given it more thought to it had she knew that it was Ros, a baseborn woman who instructed the womanly arts to Stark girls but for Myrcella it mattered not, the woman was nice, kind and funny, unlike the many Septas who gave her the very same lessons at King's Landing.
"It's pretty," Myrcella admitted as she picked it up and gave it a proper glance…it was definitely her best piece…she had help but she made it herself. She smiled at the woman. "Thank you lady…what may I call you?" she asked confused, baseborn women held no titles but Ros was older than her so she definitely needed to threat some sort of respect…
"Ros is enough, My Princess." The older woman smiled. "It will make fewer problems for you and me this way."
"Thank you Ros." she thanked the red-haired woman.
"Your welcome, My Princess," Ros said as she looked towards Arya Stark, the middle Stark daughter who Myrcella saw as not the conventional lady type. "Arya…have you done your stitches?"
"I did…" The girl replied though she looked not so secure with her work…
"Let me see…" Ros demanded with an expressionless face and Arya got up from her seat and brought her stitches to the woman, failing to meet the older woman's eyes. "Ah Arya, I already showed how to do it properly…" Ros remarked disappointed with how the stitches looked.
"I hate embroidery!" Arya hissed towards the older woman. Myrcella never once heard a girl say such a thing so she was quite surprised. "I want to go practice sword fighting or ride!"
A girl that fought with swords and rode horses? Myrcella didn't really like weapons but she would love to ride a horse…she liked horses. When younger she begged her mother for one but she refused and convinced her father to do the same.
Ros sighed as she glanced the stitches once more. "We will do it like this, you will try to fix these stitches as I taught you and we may go see the boys fight for a while."
"Why can't I practice with them?" Arya insisted.
"Your mother told you why Arya," Ros said in a louder tone. "I'm putting my neck on the line here so please be nice to me."
Arya looked towards the older woman with a disappointed look. "Fine…" she then returned to her seat and stood there for a while, trying her best to fix her stitches like she was told.
Myrcella picked some more sewing threads from the nearby basket and began to make another piece. Ros was watching her, making sure everything was going smoothly. The woman did a better job than the Septas. "What is it going to be now Princess? A lion?"
"Do you know how to do one Ros?" she asked curiously.
"Can't be so different from a wolf…let's see what we can do…"
"What are you talking about?" Arya asked suddenly and Myrcella couldn't but be startled by it, she looked towards the Stark girl wondering who she was talking to. She found out that Arya was speaking to her sister and friends. One of her sister's friends was giggling, the other was blushing and Elianna was smiling. "Tell me!" Arya insisted.
"We were talking about the Prince." Elianna confessed, her voice so melodic like Lady Stark's voice. The older Stark girl looked every bit like her beautiful mother.
"Joffrey likes your sister." The one called Jeyne whispered. I don't think Joffrey likes anyone but himself though… "He told her she was very beautiful."
"He's going to marry her." The little one, Beth said all dreamily, hugging herself and Myrcella felt pity for the three of them…they did not know Joffrey as well as her. He was nothing but mean. "Then Elianna will be Queen of all the realm."
Elianna blushed a little bit. "Beth nothing is decided yet and my parents have not told me anything about any potential marriage, I don't wish to raise my hopes only for them to be crushed." Myrcella noticed a smile forming on Ros' lips then. "What do you think of the Prince, sister?" Elianna asked her sister with curiosity.
"Jon and Arthur say he looks like a girl." Arya plainly replied. "I think so too."
Elianna looked towards her younger sister aghast. "Arya, Princess Myrcella is here! Have some decency!"
"I'm only stating the truth." Arya insisted as if it was nothing. "Father told us we should tell the truth."
"And mother told us to omit it when we risk hurting people." Elianna countered. "You were there when she said this!"
"So you admit he looks like a girl," Arya said. "Because if you said the truth, you would hurt the Princess."
"No, I did not!" The older sister hissed. "You know what I mean Arya!"
"Girls," Ros called the sisters as she led Myrcella's hands in the stitches. "You ought to stop bickering, you are both shaming us in the presence of the Princess. And have decency in the way you speak of the Prince, Arya."
"Sorry…" Arya sighed defeated but then it looked like she got some idea as she glanced Myrcella and Ros stitching. "My Princess, what can you tell us of your brother? You know him better than us."
Elianna's glance befell on her as well, just as the other girls. "Yes, My Princess, can you tell us more about him?" The older Stark begged, curious about Joffrey.
She didn't quite know what to tell them though…there was not much about Joffrey that would make them marveled…he was not smart even if he thought he was…he could barely count to ten and he was twelve…and he was very cruel. "Joffrey is…Joffrey is…Joffrey is handsome…" she managed to squeal in a stutter.
Myrcella hoped it was enough to stop the questions…but they didn't seem too convinced with any of it, especially Arya…she also noticed Ros stopping her movements with the needle. "Girls, I think this is enough sewing for the day." Ros proclaimed as she got up from her seat and helped Myrcella do the same. "Let us go see the boys fight for a little bit."
"Yes!" Arya shouted happily. "Finally!"
"Oh, I wish to see the Prince fight." Elianna proclaimed and her two friends nodded in excitement. "Takes us there Ros, please." They seemed to have forgotten about their question…Thanks to Ros.
"Calm down girls." Ros smiled at the impatient girls. "Go fetch your pups, and keep them controlled."
"We will." The Stark girls assured as they ran out of the room.
The walk to the courtyard wasn't long. Ros led them to some benches away from the fights but with a good sight to the courtyard. Myrcella petted Arya's puppy who seemed to take an interest in her somehow.
Down in the courtyard, her brother Tommen was fighting Brandon Stark amidst a loud crowd of men shouting, the loudest amongst them was the handsome Arthur Stark.
"They have been fighting for a while I'm sure," Arya stated while she cuddled her pup. "They are panting already."
"It seems so." Ros agreed. "A little more exhausting than needlework, right Arya?"
"Much more fun than needlework." Arya retorted and Ros laughed as she wrapped her arm around the Stark girl, bringing her closer.
"And you, My Princess? Are you bored or are you enjoying?" Ros asked. "Please do tell me your honest opinion, I'm tasked with keeping you entertained and not bored."
"It's quite alright." Myrcella dismissed. "I have seen jousts but not duels so I'm quite excited."
"Are jousts like my father says? A waste of time?" Arya inquired. "A stupid and dangerous game?"
"I can't say it so…" she confessed saddened. "I don't understand much of it other than the objective is to send the opponent to the floor…I don't find much amusement in it though, nor does my mother."
"Then I guess my father is right in his words." The Stark girl admitted. "A southron fancy."
Tommen fell to the floor, defeated by Brandon Stark, Myrcella sighed, her brother was not made to fight either…at least he gave it a try… "I could do just as well as Bran, he never defeated me." Arya hissed disappointed.
"Perhaps some other time Arya, you know what your mother told you, no boyish things while the King is here." Ros insisted.
"But it's not fair!"
"Life is not fair I'm afraid…" Myrcella found herself saying. "No matter how good we are or do, we will always be disappointed." she said this while remembering that her mother forgave Joffrey for everything he did, even killing poor and innocents animals while she and Tommen were simply forgotten unless they were not present somehow…
Myrcella was enjoying her time with Ros and the Northern girls more than with her mother and that saddened her of course.
"Indeed My Princess." Ros smiled a proud smile. "Life is nothing but unfair."
"This is a game for children, Ser Rodrik." she heard her brother say in a loud voice.
The Greyjoy boy and Arthur Stark broke into laughter. "And you are not a child?" Greyjoy asked amused.
"Jon and Arthur might be." Her brother said. "But I am the Crown Prince and I grow tired of swatting at Starks with a play sword.
"Are you afraid of getting a beating, My Prince?" Arthur Stark questioned smirking.
Joffrey glanced the handsome Stark. "Oh, terrified!" he said in sarcasm. "I don't fear Starks since you are all a bunch of weak children." Some Lannister men that her brother surrounded himself with began laughing and smirking. "I will prove you so with a steel sword."
Perhaps he thought he could kill one of the Starks…for some reason she found it absurd, Joffrey barely knew which part of the sword he should attack with…the Starks seemed to know what they were doing.
"If that is what you want, My Prince," Arthur said with a confident look. "Then who am I to disagree?"
"Arthur." Jon Stark stopped his brother from moving further by placing his hand on his brother's shoulder and shook his head in a clear no.
"Live steel is too dangerous." The Master-at-Arms, Ser Rodrik proclaimed. "I will permit tourney swords with blunted edges if it pleases you."
Joffrey said nothing but Sandor Clegane came in front of the Prince. "This is your Prince, who are you to tell him he may not have an edge on his sword, Ser?"
"I'm the Master-at-Arms of Winterfell, Clegane, and you would do well not to forget it."
"Are you training women here?" Sandor inquired. Somehow she thought he wanted Joffrey to be beaten…there was no way Joffrey would defeat any Stark and Sandor knew it.
"I am training knights." Ser Rodrik plainly stated. "They will have steel when they are ready. When they are of age."
Sandor looked towards Arthur. "How old are you, boy?"
"Thirteen." Arthur replied.
"I killed a man at twelve," he said smirking and with pride. The thought alone made Myrcella shudder. "You can be sure it was not with a blunt sword."
"It's not me who is forbidding this fight, Ser." Arthur barked back. "I will gladly put the Prince to the dust…"
"Enough!" Ser Rodrik shouted. "You may fight with tourney blades but not live steel."
Joffrey shrugged. "Come and see me when you are older, Stark. If you are not too old already…" There was laughter from the Lannister men following and Arthur was cursing angrily, Jon Stark and the Greyjoy held him by the arms to stop him from doing something he could regret.
Her brother simply feigned a yawn and turned to Tommen. "Come Tommen, the hour of play is done. Leave the children to their frolics." The line brought more laughter from the Lannisters and more curses from Arthur who was proving to have a lot of strength with his arms. Even the Master-at-Arms seemed angry with all…well…now the girls know how Joffrey is…a small glance of it at least…
"He is a cunt!" Arya proclaimed bitterly.
"Arya! Watch your tongue!" Ros scolded. "Don't curse around other people, it's not proper."
"But he…"
"He is the Prince still. You don't want your father to have problems with the King do you?"
Arya scoffed and said nothing more while Elianna and her friends were surprised with it all…their vision of Joffrey being the ideal Prince just shattered all because Joffrey did not notice them there because if he did he would certainly not act that way.
"Jon, Theon want to have a go at it? While Arthur comes down a bit?" Ser Rodrik inquired the elder boys who went to their respective end of the courtyard. Arya forgot her anger for a while and began cheering from her brother and Myrcella was certainly curious as to see two handsome boys fight and better yet, without her brother there to spoil it all.
Cersei Lannister I
Winterfell, North, Year 298 AC
Cersei and Jaime were both laying down in the improvised bed they made in the abandoned tower of Winterfell in which they had their coupling ever since they arrived at Winterfell. They were resting for the first round.
"Robert is angry with Stark." she said to her twin whilst looking at the old stoned ceiling.
"Is that so?" Jaime asked with a smirk but it seemed like a forced smirk... "It has been a while since they had an argument…what cause it this time?"
"Stark told Robert he would only be Hand for a year." she began explaining. Still surprised with the fact that the honorable Eddard Stark wanted to fill his now deceased foster father's shoes. "He apparently intended to find a better successor to Lord Arryn."
"Then it looks like Stark isn't as stupid as he seems." Jaime laughed, now a genuine laugh.
"I do not like it, Jaime," Cersei confessed, afraid with the prospect. "You should be the Hand, not Stark nor anyone else."
"Me?" he glanced her with a smirk. "It's not an honor I would want, there just too much work in it. Besides I was never worthy of ruling anything."
Can't he see it? Can't he see what I see in that Stark is too righteous? Too honorable to be corrupted just as Jon Arryn. Can't he see that he is a threat to them? "Don't you see the danger that it could put us in?" she asked aghast. "Robert loves the man like a brother!"
"Robert can barely stomach his own brothers," Jaime said. "And this fight they had just proves that perhaps they don't understand each other that well."
"Robert has been more distant than normal, he is considering the counter offer that Stark did," she said. "Robert will accept the proposal, I know he will. He would have commanded us to leave otherwise. You know how he doesn't like to be denied and quits quickly."
"Nothing is decided yet…"
"Don't be a fool Jaime!" she hissed. "You know I'm right! Damn them both! I should have insisted that he named you, but I was so certain that Stark would refuse him!"
"The likelihood of me being nominated is as big as one of his whores. You should have whispered father's name and not mine." Jaime dismissed. "And you ought to count yourself fortunate, Cersei." he continued. "He could have named one of his brothers…What do you think of Stannis as Hand? Surely a wonderful sight for all the realm to see. Or perhaps Littlefinger…Give me honorable enemies rather than ambitious ones and I'll sleep more easily at night."
Jaime was right in it for as much as she hated it…Stannis as Hand of the King would be a nightmare just as anyone else really… "We will have to watch him carefully," she said. "I don't like the looks of it."
"I would sooner watch you." Jaime with that smile of his…
"Eddard Stark has never taken any interest in what happened south of the Neck in fifteen years." Cersei insisted. "I tell you that he means to move against us! Why else would he leave his seat of power?"
"A hundred reasons…" Jaime whispered in her ear. "Duty…honor…to write his name further in history…get away from his wife…actually…no…I doubt he wants that…perhaps he wants to see her in Dornish laces? Good old Eddard Stark wants to have the full experience of a Dornish wife…" Her foolish brother laughed quite loudly with this horrible jape of his.
Speaking of Ashara Dayne Stark… "I bet it's that Dornish viper of a wife that is pulling the strings in the back…and now she is getting her hands on Robert through Stark." Cersei murmured, the clarity in everything made her question why she didn't see this sooner. The Dornishwoman had been in the capital three years…she knew how the game works and perhaps she wants more than that plain looking husband of hers…perhaps she wishes for more than a cold wasteland to rule…
"Ashara Dayne?" Jaime asked curiously. "I doubt it…her brother wasn't ambitious nor dishonorable…but you never know…"
"What else could make an honorable fool accept such offer?" she asked confused. "And she is setting her own terms, Jaime! She is making Robert think of it, a counteroffer she likely made!" The Dornishwoman was smart, she would give her that but Cersei was a lioness and much smarter. She wouldn't let some Dornish whore defeat her or no she wouldn't.
"I think you are overreacting Cersei," Jaime said as he rubbed his cock on her skin. "Not everyone is a schemer like you…"
"I know what I'm talking about!" she hissed bitterly. "I know she moving against me, just as I know Lysa Arryn is doing the same!"
"You fret too much, Cersei." Jaime as always dismissed. "Lysa Arryn is nothing but a frightened cow and Ashara Stark is no threat to us."
"That frightened cow shared Jon Arryn's bed!" Cersei hissed.
"If she knew anything, she would have gone to Robert before she fled," Jaime said. "Robert is the only man that can go against you in such a way."
"When Robert had made that weakling son of hers to be fostered at Casterly Rock with father?" she asked. "I think not, she knew her son would be nothing but a hostage. She may grow bolder now that they are both safe at the Eyrie."
"Mothers…" Jaime sighed. "I think birthing does something to your minds…and you ought to be all mad." And with that, he laughed once more. Thankfully no one visited the old tower so the risk was none. "Let them both grow as bold as they wish, they have no proof of anything."
"And do you think Robert will require proof?" Cersei asked. "I tell you, he loves me not."
"And I wonder whose fault is that sweet sister?" he asked as in a jape and she slapped him.
"You are as blind and stupid as Robert!" she hissed.
"If you mean that I see the same thing, then yes," Jaime admitted. "I see a man who would sooner die than betray his King even with multiple quarrels."
"I don't deny that Stark is loyal to Robert that is obvious," she said. "But what happens when Robert dies and Joff takes the throne? The sooner it happens, the safer we will all be," she explained. "Robert grows restless every day and having Stark beside him will only make him worse and don't tell me Robert will not accept the offer because he will." Stark the brother of that stupid bitch Lyanna who torments my life even when dead. "I wonder long before he puts me aside for some new Lyanna?"
Jaime sighed, clearly bored with it all. "You should think less about the future and more about the pleasures at hand." And with that, he began rubbing her clit, making her moan. "Forget them all and focus on us only. We are the only ones that matter."
She wanted to say no but…she couldn't really dismiss her other half…and he was kissing her so wildly so she embraced it all. There would be time to take care of the Stark fool and his Dornish whore.
Eddard Stark III
Winterfell, North, Year 298 AC
"So you are telling us that Joffrey was mocking Arthur, Jon and Ser Rodrik?" Ashara asked just to be sure after hearing of Ros' report. "That little weasel…"
"I also found it weird when Arya asked the Princess Myrcella, which by the way is a wonderful thing, about the Prince. She hesitated for way too long and ended up saying he was just handsome before returning to silence and glancing the girls hoping they would ask for more." Ros elaborated.
"I fail to notice the problem with it," Ned said to both women who looked at him with confused eyes as if he was a fool. He simply didn't understand what problem was there in a girl of eight just saying her brother was handsome. "What problem is there with what the Princess said?"
"Ned, you simply don't just say your brother is handsome without giving him more qualities such as kind, smart or funny," Ashara explained. "Something is not right with the Prince, the looks of disdain, the mocking, and his sister merely saying he is handsome just make me uncomfortable."
"I share the same opinion, Milord." Ros came in her tutor's defense. "The boy just gives me a feeling of foreboding…I simply don't like his presence…I feel like I need to be as far away from him as I can."
"Feminine intuition is powerful Ned." Ashara insisted. "We know what we are speaking of, we can feel it."
"I can't simply tell Robert that the betrothal cannot happen because of female intuition," Ned said. "Not after we made that counteroffer. We need something concrete."
"I guess we need to continue watching then." Ros sighed, for some reason, she reminded him of someone…but he just didn't know who…it was someone close but he did not know who and thought had been messing with his head for more than a decade.
"Indeed…" Ashara sighed as well. "You said the Princess was a wonderful thing?"
"I did, she is sweet, kind and oh so very smart…"
They were startled by a knock on the door. They exchanged looks between each other before Ashara glanced Ros and leaned her head towards the door so that the younger woman would open it. Ros, of course, did as she was told.
More startled they became when they found out it was Robert who knocked. "Your Grace." Ros bowed before Robert still shaken by the surprise.
"I need a word with you and your wife, Ned." Robert proclaimed, his expression somber.
"Ros, could you be a dear and check on the girls, please?" Ashara begged with her kind smile. "See if they are not making a mess somewhere…"
"Of course Milady." Ros nodded. "With your permission Your Grace."
"Go on." And so Ros did, she gave them the privacy they needed. Robert in the meantime moved towards the chair he had occupied the last time he was in Ned's desk and took a seat in it. "I…I gave it some thought…on the offer you made…"
"And?" Ned questioned, curious with what would be Robert's answer.
"I accept it." Ashara was right…she always is…I fear she might be correct about the boy too… "Perhaps I can make you change your opinion later on…make you Hand for a while longer…" he said with a weak smile. "But I accept it nonetheless."
"I do wish to come back to Winterfell after my term is done, Robert." Ned dismissed. "I can only be melted by my wife, not by the south itself."
With that Robert's spirit warmed up and he broke into laughter, that booming laugh that made everyone laugh as well. "Gods…I must congratulate you Lady Ashara, you made Ned more than a statue, you actually made him a funny man."
Ashara smiled a genuine smile for once with Robert. "Your Grace honors me, but he was like this before we met so I didn't really do anything."
"He was but you made him looser…a good thing really," Robert added. "I'm sorry for my tantrum the other day Ned…it was ill done by my part. You too, My Lady, my apologies."
"We all get angry sometimes Your Grace." Ashara began "A lot of injustices are committed to us and to those we hold dear but with ought to remain calm." Ashara always had a sharp tongue…even when she was trying to comfort someone… "Everything will work out in the end."
"Indeed…" Robert seemed like he noticed what Ashara really meant with her words but did not reply to them. "I wanted to leave in at most a week's time, is there an inconvenience to you?"
Ned glanced Ashara to see what she would say. "There is none My King." she smiled. "We will be ready when you are."
"Good." Robert smiled a weak smile as he got up. "I will do my best to enjoy Winterfell while I can, see you at dinner." he then left the room and Ned was left alone with Ashara.
"You were right," Ned said while glancing his wife. "He did accept it…"
"I know love." she grinned. "You ought to know by now that this woman has a pinkie finger that tells her things…"
"You could go easier on him though…"
"Not until Elia and her children's murders are not properly answered," she stated. "Justice will one day come, I'm sure but until then, Robert gets no love from me."
He knew better than to contradict her especially regarding Elia and the children. He too wanted them to be avenged. "Now we will have to go to King's Landing…" Ned sighed.
"Don't worry love…I will be your beautiful guide there…" she said while she began pecking him with kisses. "Perhaps we can make a run for it to Chataya's…rent a room…make the people of King's Landing afraid that a Dothraki horde came to their shores…"
"My Shining Star became a Khaleesi somehow?" Ned questioned amused as she sat on top of him.
"Yes…" she giggled. "A Dothraki screamer leading a Dothraki horde!"
"I'm sure the rooms we will be provided have a large enough bed…"
"Oh come on Ned! Don't spoil things, love!" she chided. "I know how to make things more interesting in the capital…I will be able to show you some things you never dreamt of…"
"Well…I guess I have no choice but let you guide me then…" Ned said as their lips met. "I will follow my Shining Star."
"You will not regret it…" she purred as they joined their lips. "You will have the time of your life."
Thank you all for the reviews, I appreciate them all.
Now two guests asked if Jon could end up with Yggrite or Val, he can, they are two possibilities though I wanted Val with someone else...
I decided to show a little bit of Joffrey to the Stark girls through Myrcella and Joffrey himself. Ashara and Ros have him marked.
Also what I give with one hand, I must take with the other, no one will find about the twincest at Winterfell no one will fall from the tower, this should prove rather interesting...
Thank you for sparing time reading and I hope everyone has a nice day.