VI

Scheme

The week passed slowly. Following her confrontation with her parents, Joanna had been kept in her room, only allowed out for meals, once for needlepoint, and once to call upon Lord and Lady Stark. She'd actually been excited for needlepoint, glad that her mother was finally allowing her out of her chambers, but that joy turned to lead in her stomach when Sansa fell into tears halfway through and had to be lead out by her Septa. Winterfell had turned darker and more glum than it had ever been before. The presence of the royal party had brought a bright streak to the drab castle, a lightness that had now been stamped out.

Leaving Winterfell had once been a prospect that Joanna dreaded, but now being here was starting to leave a bad taste in her mouth. She couldn't have packed her clothes fast enough. The morning of their final day in Winterfell, Joanna had been collected for breakfast with her family, bundled up in a thick shawl with her hair loose. She didn't say a word to her mother, only bade Tommen and Myrcella quiet good mornings as she took her place at the head table beside her mother.

"Well," said Jaime as he came to sit at the table, "It seems Ned Stark hasn't changed his mind. He'll be coming south with us tomorrow."

Cersei gave a thoughtful hum. With the fate of his young son in question the past week, no one had been sure if Ned Stark would turn his back on his acceptance of the King's offer.

"He won't be in King's Landing long," she said. "I'm sure soon enough he'll have to return to bury his son."

The other children at the table went pale. Myrcella set down her fork and placed her hands in her lap. Neither Jaime nor Cersei seemed to notice their behavior, and Joanna wanted to tell them to stop talking. If the topic was making her upset, she couldn't imagine how her younger siblings felt. She tightened her grip on her fork and shoveled more food into her mouth to keep herself from talking.

"Hopefully the King won't make us all come back with him," Jaime half-joked, then dug into his food once it was served.

Joanna stared down at her plate, feeling a little sick. She continued to eat regardless, wary that any slight misstep might reignite her mother's temper with her. Before too long, a new set of footsteps came down the hall and into the room, echoing despite their carrier's small stature. Tyrion announced his presence in the room by calling out orders to the servants, asking for fish and beer and bacon. He stepped up to the high table, picking up Tommen and depositing the giggling boy further down the bench to make room.

"Little brother," Jaime greeted, turning.

"Beloved siblings!" Tyrion replied with a smile. Cersei gave him a hard look, before allowing a corner of her mouth to rise in a hint of a smile as Tyrion pulled a plate of sausage closer.

"Is Bran going to die?" Myrcella asked, leaning forward in her seat towards her uncle. The entire table seemed to hold its breath. Joanna paused in her chewing, waiting to hear Tyrion's answer. He took a bite of sausage, looking between her and Tommen.

"Apparently not," he answered. She gave a pleased little smile at that, but Cersei's body stiffened. She fixed Tyrion with a stony look.

"What do you mean?"

"The Maester says the boy may live," he replied. He watched as Cersei and Jaime shared a look. Despite the happy news, the sickened feel in Joanna's stomach never left. There was an odd tension at the table that made it worse, but she couldn't decipher what it was.

"It's no mercy letting a child linger in such pain," Cersei said finally. Tyrion rose his eyebrows and gave a gentle shrug.

"Only the gods know for certain," he said, chewing. He didn't seem to feel the same tension that the rest of the table did – or if he did, it certainly didn't affect his stomach. "All the rest of us can do is pray. The charms of the North seem entirely lost on you."

"I still can't believe you're going," said Cersei, muscles a little looser with the change of subject. "It's ridiculous, even for you."

Joanna's head snapped up. She felt thoroughly out of the loop, a feeling she did not enjoy. "Going where?"

"The great Wall of the North," Tyrion replied exaggeratedly. Cersei gave no reaction. "Where's your sense of wonder? The greatest structure ever built, the intrepid men of the Night's Watch, the winter abode of the White Walkers!"

He lowered his voice dramatically at the end, turning towards Tommen to make him laugh. He was being dramatic to be comedic, but he had Joanna enraptured. She had never thought about seeing the Wall before. She wondered how tall it was. She wondered what it would be like to stand at the very top and look down, if she would even be able to see the ground below.

"Tell me you're not thinking of taking the Black," said Jaime.

"And go celibate?" Tyrion asked in disbelief. "The whores would go begging from Dorne to Casterly Rock!"

That made Joanna chuckle. Despite his size, her uncle did seem to have a way with the whores. She wasn't sure if it was his charming personality or his money.

"No," Tyrion continued with a small chuckle. "I just want to stand on top of the Wall and piss off the edge of the world."

"Children don't need to hear your filth," said Cersei lowly, never mind that all three of her children present were giggling. She stood from her seat. "Come."

The three had no choice but to obey, dutifully rising despite unfinished breakfasts and following their mother out of the room like ducklings. As she left the room, throwing a quick look over her shoulder at her uncles at the table, Joanna began to scheme.

With her children safely back in their chambers, Cersei made a beeline through the castle towards Bran Stark's room. Ned Stark and the rest of the Stark family had since left, begrudgingly continuing their day-to-day life. Catelyn Stark had remained. She hadn't come down for any meals, and rumor was she slept in the chair beside her son's bed. After what Tyrion had said at breakfast, Cersei had wanted to see the boy for herself.

She passed through the guarded door without pausing, not bothering to announce herself to ask permission to come inside. Catelyn Stark noticed immediately. She stood, setting down the prayer wheel she had been crafting. Cersei gave her a hint of a smile.

"Please," she said softly. Lady Catelyn looked down at her clothes; she wore only her dressing gown, and her hair was unbound and unbrushed.

"I would have dressed, Your Grace..."

"This is your home, I'm your guest," Cersei replied, stepping further into the room. She paused at the foot of the bed, looking down at the prone form of Lady Catelyn's son. He was peaceful, looking almost as though he was sleeping. Part of Cersei hated that. All she could think of when she looked at him was looking up and seeing him peeking through the window, the delight of being with Jaime turning to stomach-turning fear upon being discovered.

The boy looked tiny. The rise and fall of his chest was so shallow that it hardly moved the furs that covered him. Very suddenly, Cersei was brought back to the night Joanna was born; she remembered bringing the tiny bundle close just so she could hear each quivering breath. Every time the pause between breaths was too long, she'd felt her heart drop into her stomach. The mixture of hatred and lingering sorrow she felt when she looked at him made her clench her hands. She pulled her shawl closer around her shoulders, wrapping it around her like a shield.

"There's nothing worse than when they're on the edge like this," she said. "And there's nothing you can do to help them...only wait, and pray. Joanna was born too early. The Maester handed her to me and told me that she wouldn't live long enough to see the daylight." She paused, closing her eyes. The memory was still so fresh in her mind; it was as though it had just happened. She still felt the choking misery of that night whenever she thought about it. "Forgive me. This must be the last thing you want to hear."

"I didn't know," said Lady Catelyn softly.

"I didn't sleep at all that night," Cersei continued. "Just held her in my arms...listened to each little breath, each tiny heartbeat. She was such a little thing. A bird without feathers..." Trailing off, she realized that she had let her guard fall. Lady Stark may be fine with being vulnerable, but Cersei was not. "I prayed to the Mother that she would live, but in the darkest hours I prayed for the gods to take her. I could not bear to know that she was suffering...that she was living in pain. I loved her too much to let her live in agony. But she was a fighter. I pray to the Mother every morning and every night that your son will be a figher, too."

"Thank you," Lady Stark replied, hands held tightly in her lap. Cersei nodded once. She turned and left the room without another word, without another sweeping glance behind her. She might have shared too much, but she remembered.

For the rest of her life, she would remember how it felt to be sitting with her firstborn in her arms, teetering on the edge of death. How frustrating it was to have just gotten something and almost have it taken away. How she wrestled with her prayers of life and death and forgiveness. The anger and anguish she felt at herself and at Joanna. A small part of her felt glad that she knew what kind of pain Lady Stark was in. Cersei knew that pain intimately.

There was a nasty feeling of glee in her chest to know that Catelyn was suffering. Cersei was at the mercy of the boy's memory if and when he woke, but she still had the upper hand. It was not an easy pain for a mother to handle, but Cersei had all of her children under her control. She had them all with her, safely guarded. Until the boy woke, that was her victory.

Joanna knew that she didn't have long to bring her scheme to fruition. She waited an appropriate amount of time for her mother to leave her chamber, before she cracked open her door. Ser Boros Blount, one of her father's Kingsguard, was standing post at the door. He was there ostensibly to keep the King's daughter safe, but in reality Cersei had him posted there under strict orders to prevent her from leaving without permission.

"Ser Boros?"

"Do you need something, Your Grace?"

"I would like for you to take me to my father's chambers."

He rose an eyebrow at her. "You know you're not supposed to leave your room."

"It's only to see my father," she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's not as though I'm running off to make trouble."

"Your mother will be angry if she hears I let you leave."

"So will my father, if he hears you didn't let me see him."

Ser Boros was on the edge. Joanna gave him a pointed look, and that tipped him over. He sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. She couldn't imagine it was very fun to be at the mercy of the orders of someone half your age, but she wasn't averse to using her influence when it could get her something she wanted. He stepped aside, allowing her to open the door fully and step out into the hall.

"Don't think I won't take you to your mother if you try to run off," he warned.

"I promise I won't," she replied sweetly.

Ser Boros walked beside her as they trailed through the halls to her father's chambers. She was relieved to find two more Kingsguard were flanking his door, meaning that her father was inside. Now she just had to hope that he wasn't drunk or with a woman.

"Princess Joanna wishes to speak with her father," Ser Boros announced. Ser Barristan knocked on the door behind him, opening it once a muffled shout replied.

Joanna stepped into the room, closing the door behind her and leaving all three Kingsguard outside. Turning back, she found her father sitting at his desk once more, crown sitting atop a wide vase of wine. He threw back the rest of his drink, pouring himself another as he waited for her to address him. She rocked on the balls of her feet, curling and uncurling her hands as she tried to remember the plan she had come up with earlier. She had to go about this carefully, or else her father would dismiss her and send her away.

"Father," she began, keeping her tone light. "I've heard that Uncle Tyrion is going to the Wall when we leave tomorrow."

He didn't reply, instead raising his eyebrows at her. She took a deep breath.

"I won't be any trouble. I won't misbehave and I won't wander off. I promise I'll mind Uncle Tyrion very well."

Robert took another drink of his wine, then set the goblet down on the desk with a heavy clink.

"You know," he said, voice gruff, "every time you ask for something, your mother comes and yells at me."

Joanna figured. Cersei hated it when she went behind her back to Robert. He was the only one who had greater authority than she did with regards to their children, though generally he was content to only see them occasionally and let her take care of them the rest of the time. Still, even as a young girl, Joanna knew that Robert was the only way to undermine Cersei's control. Even after all these years the same tactics still worked on him. She rushed forward, kneeling at his feet and taking hold of his hand, looking up at him with the most pitiful look she could muster.

"Oh, please!" she said. "I'll never ask for anything else ever again."

He wheezed out a chuckle, which transformed into a full-bellied laugh. Joanna grinned, confident that she'd convinced him.

"Get up," he said, trying to catch his breath. She stood but didn't release his hand, bouncing on her feet in excitement. "Fine, fine, if that's what you want." He sighed with a small shake of his head as he poured himself more wine. "Sometimes I wonder if pleasing you is more trouble than you're worth."

But Cersei was going to find something to be angry about, anyways. She always found something to be upset about. Robert figured it might as well be something that would make his daughter happy. If he granted her this, perhaps she would be content when she returned to King's Landing; she got into much less trouble when she was content, though keeping her satisfied frequently came at the expense of Cersei's happiness. But Robert could appease Joanna, or he could appease Cersei. He didn't believe that there was a man alive in the world who could do both.

With an excited squeal, Joanna threw her arms around his shoulders. He patted her back with a smile, then shooed her away.

"Go on," he said. "Go and pack your things before I change my mind."

"Thank you so much, Father!" she said, pressing a kiss to his hairy cheek before happily trotting off out of the room.

With a heavy sigh, Robert poured himself more wine. He would need it for later, when Cersei found out. Everyone, Cersei included, liked to remind him that Joanna had gotten her personality from him. It was times like these that his respect for Jon Arryn grew tenfold. He couldn't imagine the hell it must have been to raise him. By the time he was Joanna's age, he had already fathered a bastard in the Vale. By the grace of the Seven, his promiscuity seemed to be the only thing she didn't inherit.

For now.

That thought made him refill his cup to the brim.

A/N: Those last lines weren't foreshadowing, Joanna's not going to go around sleeping with everyone and end up with twenty bastards. I promise.

Some Lannister/Baratheon family bonding this chapter, and a little bit of insight into how Cersei's brain works. Sorry for the bit of a wait and for the short chapter, but we're getting things moving!

HUGE HUGE thanks to ZabuzasGirl, Guest, darkwolf76, amrawo, smoonchester, Wombat8, xtheGoldenEaglex, Lt-Spork89, recey2010, Blizzardfang, and Amy for the reviews! I really appreciate hearing all of your feedback. (And don't ever feel bad about spamming reviews on each chapter, I love it!) Also a massive shout out to everyone who's added this story to their faves and follows! I see you out there, and I appreciate you.

Really quick, I'd like to address something that needs clearing up: this story will not have a love triangle! Joanna is going to be involved romantically with Jon and Robb at separate points in the story, but that's really all I can say without giving too much away. I'm really sorry about the confusion, listing it as Robb/OC/Jon was the best way that I could think to put it; I didn't want to put separate Robb/OC and Jon/OC tags because then it might seem like there was another character involved. Hope that makes sense!

This chapter was written quite quickly, and though I've looked it over, I wouldn't be surprised if there are errors that I've missed. Since this story is unbeta'd, I'd be eternally grateful to you readers if you let me know if there are any glaring errors in the story. And, if you have any kind of constructive criticism, I'd be very glad to hear it!

I'm back in school now, but I'm hoping to keep updates on a fairly regular schedule. With as excited for this story as I am, I'm not anticipating any long breaks in updating anytime soon, so hopefully I can stick to that.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I hope I'll be back relatively soon with the next one!

Until next time,

Rex