Jon Arryn

It was hurtful to look at what Robert has become. He always loved women, they were his weakness, he could hold himself together even for bLyanna, but still he was sure and strong and a fine lord he would make. But putting a crown on his head ruined him. He only sat and drank, dishonorable his wife at every turn. He had no love for the Lannister woman, yet with some form of pity he felt for her when he saw Robert practically throw himself at the castle maids.

Ruling the Seven Kingdoms passed to Jon, he took his role as Hand seriously and did his best to ensure that the realm was at peace. It was in a way his penance for what he allowed Robert to become. It was not an easy task, especially after the Greyjoy Rebellion, which was when Robert had shown his former glory one last time. But his Council was efficient. Varys and his little birds kept all the secrets in King's Landing in check, while his wife's friend Petyr Baelish, though Jon found a strange and sneaky man, was clearly skilled in his works and made a good master of coin. Stannis was wary of off he was a man of honor yet he was ambitious and envious of his brother. But the man was clever and that made him useful.

As Jon thought hard on his council, a knock at the door brought his attention.

"Enter," he said softly.

The door opened and his wife strolled, a formal smile on her face. They're marriage was made purely out of politics and not an easy one. He was dutiful and faithful to her yet he knew how unhappy she was with him despite his attempts to appease her. She took her miscarriages hard and it took an even greater toll on the two of them. Though when Robert came along it got easier, sickly as he was. His long awaited boy was precious to them both, though he sometimes was worried she was being clung to him too much but he could not blame her after all that happened.

"Lysa, how are you?" he asked with a smile. His wife and their son came back from Winterfell a few weeks prior. His son had grown while his wife was much brighter than before, she walked around with a smile and he even caught her singing, seeing her family did her well, he thought.

"I am well husband" she answered quietly, her face filled with what looked like worry.

"Lysa?" he asked.

"Jon, there is something I must tell you. Something that's been on my mind for a very long time".

Her tone surprised him. He had never heard his wife so concerned.

"My lady?"

She looked him heavily in the eyes.

"When I was in Winterfell, Helga told me something she had seen in the Godswood"

Jon raised his eyebrows. Helga was his wife's maid, a young girl from the Vale. Jon never liked her, she was snidely and arrogant. But his wife was fond of her and so she let her stay. What could have happened in Winterfell? Was this about Ned? Had his goodson done or said something to upset Lysa?

"What happened my lady?" he asked suspiciously.

"Helga saw the princess go off into the Godswood"

Jon was surprised. This was about Princess Joanna? He thought quite fondly of the girl, she was sweet and intelligent and seemed to have inherited none of her mother's nature.

"She saw her going off with Lord Stark's bastard"

Ned's boy? His namesake? He almost laughed a bit, the princess was beautiful and growing children did silly things.

"Well as long as it was harmless? She's a clever girl and I'm sure he's a clever lad, they'll grow out of it."

"Nothing like that Jon '' she said, shaking her head. "Helga was concerned and she followed, probably suspecting what you did. She found them together, the girl was making him swear secrecy on what she was about to tell him"

"Which is?" Jon asked, growing concerned.

"She told him about how her brother would hurt her. Punish her for things she didn't do, even broke her wrist."

Jon was overcome with sadness. The Prince's nature had become clear by the time Joanna was sent to Ned, and Jon suspected she was at the receiving end of his tantrums.

"She told him about her accident at Casterly Rock, she said her brother pushed her off that cliff. She's a girl I know, and she might be wrong... but..."

Jon was horrified. God Robert, what have you let your son become?

"And then she told him of how she awoke and she saw her mother kissing her brother, Ser Jaime."

Jon blinked as the words dawned on him. Kissing? What did this mean? No. No, the girl had a dream, she was eight name days old. The Queen and her brother were close that he noticed but surely not. Even if.. surely they would not be so foolish.

"Lysa".

"At the feast I told her about her brother Tommen abd she seemed uncomfortable when I told her how he looked like his mother, just like his mother. Then she suggested to the bastard that perhaps the Queen and her brother..."

"What are you saying?" whispered Jon, his breath shaking. The thought was unimaginable, terrible, and yet...

"She thinks the Queen might have fucked her own brother and got incestuous bastards on her" said Lysa impatiently. "She thinks that's my she was treated differently"

Jon's stomach turned as he took this in. Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella, all looked like their mother. Joanna had Robert in her, he remembered, his features, his hair, his grin, which only Tyrion Lannister seemed able to bring out in her. She at times reminded him of Cassana Estermont, Robert's mother. Robert's bastard Edric looked like his father as well. But in the other three there was nothing but Lannister, Tywin, his wife Joanna, Cersei, Jaime...

"Why are you telling me now?" He whispered after a while.

She looked down avoiding his eyes.

"I was confused, Jon. I didn't know what to think of it. She's just a girl of eleven, Jon, she was even younger then, perhaps she's confused. Strange that she would confide in a bastard really..."

But Jon's mind was already far away from Lysa. He thanked her for her words and when she left he poured himself some wine. His mind was full of uncertainty.

Could this be? Could he be so blind to not realise this? If it was even true. But then Cersei Lannister was a fool. A dead fool, fir Robert's wrath would come for House Lannister. Gods even the children.

Joffrey was a beast, that was clear. He had observed the boy carefully, hoping to ensure that his successor can deal with a willful king like him, and the reports were worrying. The boy was spoiled, entitled and arrogant. His mother doted on him far too much and passed on her worst traits. But Robert was not blameless. He spent little time with the children and left them to be raised by the lioness. Tommen and Myrcella were different, quieter than their brother, but that was because their mother's attention was mainly on Joffrey. But the affection was clear when it came to them.

With Joanna it was different. Cersei artery ignored when she could, when she did speak to her it was out of necessity, or to keep up appearances. Mostly the girl kept out of everyone's sight, sitting in the corner, reading or drawing, barely uttering a word. When Jon happened to speak with her she was formal but less tense than with others. But the one person with whom she seemed genuinely happy was Tyrion Lannister. The Queen clearly resented her brother, but she seemed to encourage him to spend time with her daughter almost as if to keep her occupied. All the other children were sources of pride to her, so why not Joanna.

Because she's Robert's, saud a voice in his head. Jon knew the marriage between the King abd Queen was loveless, like his own, but with him and Lysa there was at least some respect. These two presented each other deeply and only their younger children seemed to not notice. Robert sadly made his distaste for the woman clear, Jon loved his foster son but the way treated Cersei, as sneaky and unlikable as she was, was truly terrible and disappointing.

The woman resented Robert... would she resent his child. The Queen acted odd throughout her first pregnancy, her movements were automatic. When he entered her chambers on the day of Joanna's birth, Robert was excited to meet his child, while the Queen stared at the girl like she couldn't know what to think of her. With all the others it was pride and joy.

He signed.

He needed to get to the bottom of this. He needed to know if the heir to the Iron Throne could truly not only be another man's, but the Queen's own brother. He needed to find out the truth, study the Baratheon line and its unions with the Lannisters, analyze the relationship between the Queen and her brother. And speak to Joanna. He could write to her, he needed to look her in the eyes and ask her if she was sure of what she saw.

He drank some more wine then turned in for the night, he needed his energy fir the days to come. And the trials they would bring if he was right.

Cersei

Spending the night with Jaime was exquisite. The Stag was drunk in a brothel and wasn't even done, according to her handmaiden Bernadette's whore friend, whom Robert too humbled. But right now she didn't even care. Jaime was here with her, a part of her. The risk was a thrill even.

They didn't get out of bed until dawn, when the knock on the door from the guard signaled it was time to say goodbye.

"Dont go" she begged him. "My love, don't go".

He gave her a smile.

"And if Robert catches us? He'll take my cock then both our heads. We won't make much love then. Next time sister".

She scoffed. He knew he liked the thrill of the danger too, so why was he so stubborn sometimes, so humorless like their father? She tightened her grip on his wrist.

"Ouch. It's not nice to hurt your brother" he said.

"Then stay" she insisted.

He grabbed her and pinned her to the bed as they both laughed. He put his best effort into it this time. She wanted this to last forever, for him to never go away.

But she was disappointed when he was done. This was far too quick. He grabbed his clothes and she watched hungrily as she slipped them on.

"Until next time, sweet sister" he told her as he left.

She signed deeply when he'd gone. Gods, why am I condemned to love a man I cannot have because of stupid laws of men. Other men were satisfying enough to fill her hunger, an adventure that broke her away from Robert and his stiff men and the whore bred bastard but Jaime was all she truly wanted.

When the Stag came back she had managed to get dressed and got Bernadette to tidy the bed sheets. Cersei stood by the bed glaring at her far husband. His beard was wet with wine and even vomit, and his eyes were red, while his shirt was wet with sweat.

"My Queen" he told her as he stumbled on the bed.

"My king" she answered, tightening her voice to stop the disgust showing.

"You look better tonight" he said, sitting on the mattress as the bed creaked with the weight. Gods how was he so fat?

"Thank you" she said with a small smile. Jaime was like a cure to her, he made her feel younger, alive. She nodded to him politely then made way for the door. The smell was making her sick

"Come to bed my dear".

She stopped in her tracks. She looked at him and saw him stare hungrily at her, so drunk he seemed to have forgotten the years of their hateful marriage, even seemed to have forgotten the wolf girl.

"My lord," she said quietly.

"Come to bed," he said, trembling. "I need you. I need you."

He reached out to her. Gods not again. Not now, not after Jaime.

"My lord, it's getting to midday. I should check on the children shouldn't I?"

His eyes lit up.

"Let's have a baby."

"Your Grace." Her voice shook.

"A boy perhaps, Tommen could use a little brother. Maybe having someone look up to him will man him up. You'll have a strong boy won't you?"

He was serious, she realised with dread. He was holding his hand out. She searched for an excuse, something else to say. But there was nothing.

Slowly she made her way to him. Let's get this over with.

It was quick. He was too drunk to do anything else, and the way she was exciting him was even amusing. If not for the fat on him or the stink of his hair she might have even enjoyed it.

"Lyanna," he whispered, touching her face.

It was a reflex. She snatched his wrist and pulled herself off him. Her hand connected with his face and the sound that came out of his mouth made her giggle. She shot off the bed and grabbed her dress.

"Bitch" he mumbled, barely conscious now. He slumped over in the bed as she walked out of the room shaking.

She lost her temper, she acknowledged. Usually she remained calm and tried to get away as fast as she could, but he ruined everything for her. Everything.

She needed Jaime. She needed him more than ever. The Stag took away what they had that morning and she needed to get it back. To have him again. She raised across the halls looking for him.

Where are you, Jaime? I need you, brother. You should be here when I need you. Why aren't you here? You traitor! You run like a coward. How dare you? You belong to me! You belong with me!

"Mother?"

The voice brought her out of her daze. She shook her head and realized she had stumbled into the children's corridor. Tommen stood in the doorway. He looks like his father, she thought with a smile. His real father.

"Are you alright, Mother?" asked her son.

She wiped her tears quickly.

"Yes my love" she answered quickly.

"Play with us, mother," he said, holding up one of his kittens. "Play with Ser Roar."

She was in no mood for her boy's nonsense. She smiled sadly at him.

"I'm most busy, my love perhaps..."

But the look on his face made her give up and she spent the next hour or so with him, playing with toy swords and those vicious things he called pets.

"Why doesn't my sister play with me?" he asked eventually.

She looked down at him in surprise.

"Myrcella? But she does, doesn't she?"

"Not Myrcella" he said, shaking his head. "Joanna, our big sister".

Cersei stumbled slightly. She hadn't spoken to Tommen of Joanna, she knew he'd been told about her, surely by Tyrion, who was always so fond of her.

"Well, she's away, my love. Far north in Winterfell."

"Why?" he said sadly, his head down.

"Me and your uncle thought it would be nice to have her with the Starks."

"Will I ever meet her?" he asked curiously.

Cersei hesitated.

"Perhaps my love."

Before this could go anywhere, a nanny came in to take him to breakfast. She was glad to give him away, she loved him but he could be such a handful, especially when he asks questions she doesn't know how to answer.

She returned to stalking the corridors swelling her brother. He was either guarding Robert or their children but she had no idea where any of them were. She was beginning to lose hope when she came face to face with Grand Maester Pycelle. The old man annoyed her at times, but he was useful mostly, and a true servant of the Lannisters. But right now it was irritating to see him.

"My Queen" he said.

"What Maester?" she scoffed at him.

"I gave something important to say to you"

"Not now" she said, trying to force past him. He stepped in her way the nerve of him.

"My Queen, it concerns Jon Arryn"

She looked at him in surprise. What about Arryn? Has the old man finally met the Stranger?

"Perhaps in my solar" he said.

She followed him begrudgingly to his solar. He bid her to sit, but she had no intention of staying here long. She had to get to her brother.

"Speak Maester. And be quick about it" she said snidely.

He nodded, staring at her.

"Jon Arryn came to me today..."

"So what?"

"He came to ask for a book..."

"How interesting. It that's all, Maester?"

"The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, With Descriptions of Many High Lords and Noble Ladies and Their Children, my Queen" he said with a glare. "He seemed particularly interested in the previous marriages between the Baratheon and Lannister lines. Their offspring."

She blinked. What did this mean? How was this significant? Then she heaved a breath as she realised what the Maester was suggesting.

Her vision blurred and she slid in her seat. No he could have. No... She had Joanna. She looked like Robert. She should have stopped any suspicions. No...

She didn't remember leaving Pycelle's solar. She wondered about the Red Keep in a daze. She wanted to scream. No. No. If the old falcon suspected. Robert will...Robert will...

"Cersei?" whispered a voice.

She turned and breathed a sign of relief it was her brother. He stood looking at her with worry.

"Why are you here alone? Where's your guard?"

She threw herself into his arms, kissing him again and again.

"Cersei" he whispered, tempted.

"I need you," she cried. "More than ever".

She started to drag him towards the doorway.

"Not here" he said "not now".

She slapped him. He staggered back slightly, shocked.

"He knows Jaime!"

His eyes widened in shock.

"Robert...I"

"Arryn," she snapped. Why was he so stupid? "He knows. Pycelle told me. He's looking at the lineage of what children born to our house and Robert's look like. He knows...or..or suspects.."

"How?" he breathed, forcing her hands off him. "Cersei"

"I don't know, '' she cried out. "But we need to do something, brother, before it's too late..."

"Cersei" he said soothingly, "we don't know that. We can't just assume...

"You traitor" she spat, tearing away from him. "You traitor, our family means nothing to you. Nothing."

She turned and ran from him, leaving him calling after her, pretending to actually give a damn. She was furious. He didn't care about her. He wouldn't protect her or their family.

She found her guard waiting for her at her door like a fool. She meant to scold him yet she smiled and asked him if her husband was inside. He shook his head and she grabbed him, dragging the surprised idiot inside. He was a calming influence. He was good enough for her to feel happy even for a few moments. As she lay next to him in her bed, she thought hard about what to do.

She had to be clever, she realised. Jaime, as cowardly as he proved, was right to a degree, they needed to know more. If Arryn suspected, someone put the idea in his head. Someone else was involved. She had to bide her time. Watch the falcon and be ready to pounce until the time was right. But she knew Jon Arryn had to die. If not for knowing something he ought not to know, then for snooping around her beloved family. Curiosity was a deadly thing, he would learn that the hard way, she thought.

(Please leave your thoughts in the comments. I enjoy reading your reviews. Let me know if I make any mistakes or need to change something(: )