Wolf in Lion's Clothing
Chapter 6: Possibilities
Robert
The Kingswood was a magnificent forest. It stretched on for leagues, even reaching into the border of the Stormlands. And it was all his, by his right as the King. He hadn't arranged for a hunting party, just a few guards to bring with Cersei and Renly. Ser Barristan finally had sworn brothers once more, with Ser Nestor Royce, the cousin of the newly-appointed Master of Laws, and the young Ser Lyle "the Strongboar" Crakehall, the middle son of one of Lord Tywin's bannermen having taken their oaths earlier today. The young man was large for his age, being just a little older than his own goodbrother, Ser Jaime, yet almost as large as he was. He seemed capable with a sword and his wife had been reassured by a Westerlander knight being in the Kingsguard.
There were a few more members of his household, Ser Lyle's squire and Ser Nestor's own young son. Aside from that it was an intimate party. Cersei had insisted that there be as few people as possible, and he had only understood why when he met her in the Royal Stables.
Her hair was tied back into a single braid, and she had foregone her usual dresses and skirts, instead wearing some conservative riding leathers. It clung tightly to her legs and her arse, and while it covered her upper body somewhat, she definitely wouldn't want to be seen in the middle of the royal court in her current attire. She wore little makeup, giving her usually otherworldly beauty a more down-to-earth tone. He was entranced from the moment he saw her walk, her leggings showcasing the plump nature of her rear.
He had heard the whispered orders from Ser Barristan to his sworn brothers. "If I see any of you staring, you'll wish the King was the one punishing you. Keep your eyes scanning for threats, not at your Queen. Is that clear?"
He was grateful to the aging Stormlander, he doubted that it would seem proper if he made the threat himself.
She was beautiful, and somehow he was married to someone who didn't outright hate him for fucking so many whores. She was courteous, shrewd, and, sometimes, kind. But right now he was staring at her for a different reason.
She was smiling. As they raced through the wood she turned her mount expertly to dodge any large tree roots or felled trees. She looked around to see the life around them, the animals and plants that seemed to care not about them or their presence.
He had seen her smiling before of course. In court, in small council meetings, in front of other Lords and Ladies, and even in private, when they were about to have sex.
But not like this. There was no… falseness in her smile. Her eyes expressed joy and the smile reached them.
They reached a clearing, sun poured through the holes between the branches and a field of flowers filled the circular area. "Let's stop here." She said suddenly and all he could was nod his assent, waving for the guards to stop. Ser Barristan directed them towards spots that would cover the clearing from any outside intruders, human or animal.
"Oh Renly, are you having trouble?" She said suddenly, looking back to his youngest brother dismounting his smaller pony.
"Ah. No your Grace. Just not as good with horses as you or my big brothers." He meekly replied. He seemed to awkwardly say "your grace" as if he had just learned it. Likely Maester Cressen had taught him to say it when addressing his wife in preparation for this outing.
As Cersei dismounted her smile didn't disappear as she handed off the horse's reigns to a servant and walked towards the boy, who had done the same.
"Please Renly, I'm your sister. Call me Cersei when we're not at court." She said sweetly before taking his hand. "Look at this field of flowers. Why don't you look for ones you like and make a bouquet for me?"
"Alright… Cersei." He hesitated, likely remembering a lesson from Cressen on etiquette before deciding that following the orders of his Queen took precedence. "I'll get the best ones!" he exclaimed as he ran off.
She motioned towards a large tree that provided good shade and one of her handmaidens produced blankets to place on the ground, as well as a basket.
"What's this?" Robert asked, intrigued.
"Well it is almost midday." She said while pointing upwards at the warm sun. "We should have our lunch" She smiled again. He liked seeing it. That smile.
He ordered the servants to stay out of the clearing, and walked beneath the tree, where Cersei was already seated, loosening her leathers a little. He could see a substantial amount of cleavage now, but he was still transfixed on her face. Her smile hadn't left, and her eyes tracked the young boy as he slowly traipsed through the field.
He sat beside her, and she opened the basket to place a club of roast meat on a plate for him.
"I made sure the Kitchens knew to make you your favorite." She explained before getting out the other foods in the basket, more meats, some vegetables, and some bread.
"Thank you." He whispered. "I- I didn't think this was something you'd want to do." He admitted.
"What? Eating outside? I may be a Lady, but I've done this before." She rolled her eyes.
She smiled again as Renly tripped, before getting back up and waving to the two of them. "I'm alright big brother, Cersei!" he said as he picked up a particularly nice-looking daisy.
"Your smile…" He started before stopping. What was he trying to say? Damn it all, he was fine when speaking to soldiers before a battle, or seducing a tavern wench, and he didn't stutter when his wife was all courtly and business-like. So why now?
"You look beautiful." He decided to say.
She looked at him in the eyes and chuckled. "You really know how to compliment a lady Robert. I barely have any makeup, I'm wearing leathers and my hair is a mess." She seemed about to continue when he decided to cut her off.
"It doesn't matter. You're more beautiful now than the day we got married." He blurted it out without thinking.
She looked at him curiously. Red tinged her cheeks and she smiled a little, which made his stomach flutter a little. "You don't mean that." She insisted.
"No. I do." He said. He had blurted out the truth before, he would stand by the statement. "It's… It's your smile. I've never seen you smile like that." He admitted.
Her smile grew another character, a sadness he hadn't seen before.
"It's… I used to ride often. With my brother." She admitted.
"You miss him?"
"Yes. He meant so much to me." He raised his eyebrows at that, she spoke as if he was dead. The young Lannister was just at home, at Casterly Rock.
They both turned their head to see that Renly was running their way. The child stopped before them and fixed the flowers in his arm into a single bouquet. "Here you go Cersei!" he exclaimed.
"They're beautiful Renly!" She said as she took the flowers. "However can I thank you, brave knight?"
The boy puffed up a little, looking proud. "I know… I know big brother Stannis said that knights always ask for a lady's favor, or at least that's what he says Robert does! That's what I want, your favor. Whatever that is." He decided after thinking for a few moments.
She laughed. It was an angelic sound, her voice carried through the clearing. He didn't know if he had ever heard her laugh before.
"Well, who am I to deny a brave knight his favor. Come here." As the boy stopped in front of them, she kissed him on the forehead, to which he got confused and wiped his forehead.
"Is that what a favor is?" He asked confused. Then he saw that they had been eating. "Is there any food for me big brother?"
"Well-" He started.
"Yes. I made sure that some of your favorites were packed." She cut him off as she pulled out a plate of sandwiches that made his eyes go wide. "Thanks! I'm so glad you're my sister now Cersei, I've never had one before."
He hugged her and she placed the plate on his lap as she was taken aback. "I'm glad to be your sister Renly." She chuckled as she returned the hug.
'I'm… glad. Yes, glad that Jon chose her.' Robert thought with a smile. Renly seemed happy, and that made him happy as well.
Suddenly Cersei's cheeks went red, and she slowly turned her head to him, looking sheepish. Looking down at Renly, his head was resting on her breasts.
"Renly…" He started.
"They're so soft. Like pillows!" He said, with a childlike innocence.
She laughed. He laughed with her. "Alright Renly. Now eat"
The boy let go and went to sit and picked up a sandwich.
"I… I'd like to do this more Cersei. Riding out I mean. And… spending time together." Robert finally said, as a companiable silence fell on the three Baratheons.
"Mowe of dis?! Renly said, his mouth full. He looked to Cersei with pleading eyes.
She looked at him, her emerald eyes seemed filled with hope. She moved her hand to hold his. "Yes. I'd like that too."
The two smiled and finished eating in companiable silence. He wanted this, more of this. It was so different to fucking whores and tavern wenches. She was his wife, of course, and that carried certain duties with it, but sex wasn't the only thing they did. They ate together, ruled together, slept together. She didn't disappear after sex, never to be seen again unless the local brothels sent the same one again.
He felt… happy. He hadn't felt that in a long time. He had spent the last month as king burying his sorrow in the tits of black-haired whores. Lyanna a voice in his mind said, and his mind froze for a little before he made an effort and batted it away. She was dead, and he was sad, but he could be happy too. He could imagine doing what he and Cersei just did in the future, with a child that was theirs.
Their child. He smiled again as his eyes wandered to her. She held herself with poise and elegance, but could change at the drop of a coin to being a fun, enjoyable person.
His mood was high, and he could tell hers was too. The whitecloaks seemed to have straighter backs, the handmaidens giggled, Renly was smiling. This felt good. Like being King wasn't all bad.
Then they got back.
"Robert, your Grace." Jon Arryn greeted them at the stables. "Robert, we have to speak about something. Perhaps after your appointment."
"What appointment?" He asked, confused.
"One of your usual. In the bedroom near the keep entrance." He explained.
He wracked his head before realizing that he was talking about a whore.
He whipped his head around to look at his wife. Her shining emerald eyes seemed duller. Her stance was cold, her lips… she smiled no more.
"I shall be in my room, husband." The tone was cold, polite, clinical. He hated it. He hated this. She turned, Ser Lyle and her handmaidens following, while Renly had a servant bring him to his quarters.
He was angry now. Angry at her, at Jon, at the whore. He wanted to lash out, to hit someone or something.
'Why didn't I go after her?' he thought after she had walked out of sight. 'What is wrong with me? I should have told her… told her…'
'Told her what? That you'd send her away? Maybe you will, but you know it won't last. You'll go straight back to the whores after a month at most.' A dark voice in his mind lectured. His anger spiked again, and he turned to shout at Jon.
"Damn you Jon! What was- Why did- Argh!" He raged, until he finally calmed down, the rage left him. All the anger that was left was directed at himself. This was his fault, not Jon's, not hers.
"Damn it all Jon. It was- It was going so well." He sighed.
The Vale Lord looked not the least bit troubled. "I'm sure it'll be fine Robert." He assured before leaving.
As he made his way to the room where he fucked whores, his thoughts were dark, and he was quite sure things weren't going to be fine.
Jon/Cersei
"Faster!" She commanded. The beautiful blonde did as she asked, and her hand entered and exited more rapidly. Rena Lannister of Lannisport was her most loyal handmaiden and one of the few she trusted not to report this to Lord Tywin. She went back to kissing Alyce Mallister, whose hands gently and gracefully caressed her breasts.
As she arced her back and her own hands caressed the Riverlander's rear, her cousin's hand finally caused the queen to climax.
"Ahhhh" she moaned, before breathing heavily. She motioned for the two to stop.
After a few moments of recovering, staring at the bare breasts that lay before her. "Now…" Cersei breathed out, "Kiss each other." She stared lustfully as her handmaidens complied with the command.
She maneuvered her own hands on the girls' breasts, one hand on each pair. 'I want to finish one more time' Jon thought, and Cersei wholeheartedly agreed.
"Both of you. One hand each. Finish me one more time." She breathed out.
The two looked at each other before turning and placed their hands together and started to slowly push in and out of her.
While this was happening, she moved her own hands to their rears and her mouth to their mouths, taking turns kissing with one of them.
It took another few minutes to climax a second time, at which point she ordered for her room to be cleaned and her smallclothes to be brought to her, and her handmaidens complied as she sipped on a goblet of Dornish Red.
'Fucking Robert. And his fucking whores! Were the thoughts in her head. Jon and Cersei had both been surprised at the King's seemingly softer and caring nature during the trip to the Kingswood, and they were hopeful that maybe this marriage wasn't as hopeless as they thought it would be. They had been in such a good mood until Jon Arryn had arrived.
A part of his plan, they had agreed. The man didn't want them to actually like each other, else the Lannister influence on the King might be unassailable. Jon couldn't blame him too much for it, but Cersei definitely did (and Jon's own feelings aligned with her). She wanted love, or at the very least a husband that liked her, now that Jaime was back home. Jon thought that his duty would be easier if the relationship between them was better.
As she started to clean up, bathing and getting dressed in a nice emerald evening gown to wear for the dinner. Mace Tyrell and his lady wife would be dining with the royal couple this evening, and the events of the early afternoon wouldn't affect that.
Walking into the dining room, she stood beside Robert who was waiting for her, standing close enough to insinuate notions of familiarity to anyone watching.
"Cersei. I want to-"
"Not now." She whispered. "After dinner, this is important."
He nodded.
The dinner went well. Mace's wife, Alerie, formerly of the House Hightower, was the obvious smarter one of the two. Cersei knew that had she been invited, the Queen of Thorns would have led the political discussions. Still, Alerie was taking charge of the Reach side of the political conversation, and better her than Mace. The two women had made some concessions and agreements. She doubted Stannis or the Lords who had been with him at Storm's End would like some of them, but Robert gave his approval to everything in the end, trusting Cersei's own political instincts than his own.
While Alerie and Cersei spoke, she also listened to the shallower conversation between the two men.
"Ahhh. Remember Ashford? We broke the back of your army and sent you north your grace!" the Fat Flower chuckled. Robert looked about to retort, to say that it was actually the lord of Horn Hill who had beaten him, when a hand under the table went to calm him and hold his hand. While she kept her face straight, he looked to the left at his wife before one-upping the Reach Lord.
"Yes, but my brother took the whole brunt of the Reach for a year, my Lord." He asked. "Stannis is a more stalwart man than I."
The conversation turned back to taxes and tributes, and with a quick glance she could see both of them were focused on eating instead of contributing to the conversation. By the end, Robert had agreed to keep the man as Warden of the South, which made the overweight man puff up with pride.
"A great dinner, your grace. My husband and I enjoyed it very much." Alerie Tyrell curtsied.
"And you were a wonderful guests, my lord and lady." Cersei replied with grace.
Which left the King and Queen to walk in silence to their shared quarters.
As they both let out a sigh of relief as the political aspect of the day was finally over, Robert looked at her with surprisingly open eyes.
"Cersei… about earlier."
She raised her hand to stop him. "I am over it. Lord Arryn is a clever man, and it was my fault to expect more from this marriage than what we've already established." She said as she was left in her smallclothes, just like him.
"No, please. It isn't your fault, its mine. I will- I will stop. Stop whoring." He said.
The hope that they both had earlier in the day returned a little for the two inhabitants of Cersei Baratheon.
"Words are wind Robert. But… we shall see." Her voice was… unguarded. Like maybe she could trust him. Robert's face lifted a little, a small smile on his face. Then he frowned.
"Jon? What did you mean earlier, about Jon?"
She rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious Robert? The man ambushed us at the stables and reminded you of your "appointment" precisely because he saw us in a good mood coming back, and Gods forbid we actually have a good relationship, else Lord Lannister would have far too much influence on you." She said sarcastically.
"What- He wouldn't- he." He paused a little. "You're saying that to get me to distrust him." He accused.
"Yes. I am." Cersei admitted as she climbed into bed. "The thing is Robert, that doesn't make what I said wrong."
He had not reply, and instead stayed silent for a long few moments.
"I hate this. This politicking. It's why I left it with Jon. Now he- now I- now I'm not sure." He admitted. "I'm no good at being King… so I might as well do what I am good at." He lifted the covers that Cersei had already ensconced herself in. he grabbed her, and pulling her close to him they kissed before they engaged in the age-old act of ensuring the realm had an heir.
"You're right." Cersei breathed out as they broke the kiss for a moment. "You are good at this". Both personas within the woman were in agreement as they continued on throughout the night.
That's it for this Chapter
I think making the two seem closer is a good direction to take on, while also exploring Robert's own reasoning behind whoring and his own self-doubt as to his capability to be a good husband. With a more politically-savvy and seemingly smarter Cersei, Jon would obviously feel the need to curtail her influence in some way and keeping the relationship as distant as it is while not sabotaging the possibility to have heirs is something I think he'd try to do.
Cersei's handmaidens are few right now, but they will expand. And it will likely put Jon and Cersei at odds in the future. Right now I'm sure Robert will fail and end up whoring again, but will likely try to stop every so often. We'll see.
