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XX

Away

Joanna would not be going to Casterly Rock.

She had made this decision shortly after her uncle had come to her chamber and told her that he planned to send her away. It was not that she didn't want to leave; it would be rather a relief to get away from her mother breathing down her neck, from her cruel - and now murderous - brother. There was an uncomfortable feeling sitting low in her gut, a distrust newly sowed. Joanna knew she was being foolish, and paranoid, but she felt she could not trust her mother. Every awful thing that Joffrey had ever done in his life, Cersei had always had-waved them away. There was nothing to say that she would do the same this time, but nothing to say that she wouldn't.

Convinced as she was in the rightfulness of these thoughts, they were poisonous. Cerenna and Myrielle, who Tyrion had suggested accompany Joanna back to Casterly Rock so they could see their family, were surely going to insist that Joanna's newfound belief in Stannis Baratheon's rumor was utter nonsense. She didn't want to imagine the kinds of excuses they would come up with to explain away the vicious murder that Joffrey had planned for her. This poisonous mistrust seeped into thoughts of her other family members. Did Tyrion know? He did, didn't he? She knew her uncle and the way he carefully crafted his words in every response. When she had asked him if the rumor was true, he hadn't denied her, and she was sure that was as good as an affirmation.

Late, late in the evening, she sat at her desk with her head in her hands. Her mind was in such disarray, from sleepiness and from the medicine Maester Pycelle had given her for the pain. For a moment, she felt like she was going completely mad. What were these thoughts she was having? Were they practical, or simply the result of an addled brain? Nevertheless, she felt like the only way to gain perspective was to gain distance from her family, which would be impossible when they were suffocating her at Casterly Rock.

The first step was to deny accompaniment by Cerenna and Myrielle, who hardly ever entertained Joanna's grand schemes. Tyrion was fine to allow Desmera to accompany her. Joanna had asked, almost as an afterthought, for Sansa to come as well. This suggestion was not quite as well received by her uncle. He had insisted that the King's betrothed could not leave the city, despite Joanna's vehement protests that Sansa was in just as much danger (if not perhaps more) in the Red Keep.

Which meant the next thing for her to do was write Sansa a note before she left. She tried to keep her words concise, assuring Sansa that she would not be gone forever, and reminding her young friend to keep strength during her time in the city. Finishing this letter, Joanna considered briefly writing a reply to Robb Stark. She had not yet responded, not having the time or opportunity to figure out how to send a response to him without her mother finding out. It would have to wait, she decided; doubtless, Robb Stark would surely not be longing to hear the news that Joanna could no longer be of any help.

In the morning, Joanna and Desmera dressed in their travel wear and went down to the courtyard, servants carrying trunks of clothes at their heels. A small wheelhouse had been prepared for the two, and a hefty retinue of soldiers was to accompany them. Many of them were the brutish, wild-looking mountain men that Tyrion had somehow brought into his employ. Hesitant, Joanna looked them up and down.

"These are the best men you thought to send me with?" she asked her uncle when he arrived.

"Of course," he replied. "They are loyal to me and my money alone; I needn't worry about anyone over my head giving them orders."

This explained the lack of Kingsguard accompanying her on her journey. Joanna found herself feeling rather relieved. Nonetheless, still nervous at the prospect of leaving, she fidgeted and looked around. There was no great to-do over her departure the way there was when the court had left for Winterfell. It was something of a relief, though the quiet allowed her brain to rattle with thoughts.

"Does my mother know I'm going?"

"Yes," Tyrion replied. "Though I've made sure that Joffrey won't be aware that you're leaving until you've left."

Joanna shifted on her feet, looking over her uncle's head at all the faces around them. There was a war in her chest regarding whether or not she was glad her mother wasn't here.

The side of her that was bitter – and sad – spoke up and said, "It seems she doesn't care enough to see me off."

Tyrion held her hand.

"Or," he offered, "Perhaps she cares so much that it would hurt her to watch you leave." Joanna looked down and didn't reply. "How are you feeling? I can send a maester if you're still in pain."

"I'm alright," Joanna said, shaking her head and looking up. "It only hurts if I move it too much."

"Try to rest while you're traveling," Tyrion said. "I know that's a lot to ask of you."

Joanna gave him a smile. She held out the letter to Sansa that was clasped in her hand. She had been gripping it so hard earlier that it was nearly crumpled. Tyrion took it, smoothing it to look at her seal stamped in honey-yellow wax.

"I want you to give that to Sansa Stark," she told him. "And don't just hand it off to your squire – I want you put it in her hand."

"Is it that important?" he asked with suspicion and surprise.

"Pretend like it is," she insisted. Seeming to agree, he turned to hand it to the young squire who stood behind him.

"I'm going to get that back," he promised.

With a small, halfhearted chuckle, Joanna carefully knelt to wrap her arms around her uncle. Her shoulder twinged only slightly, an easy price to pay to bid a proper goodbye to one of the only family members she truly liked, and who truly liked her.

"I'll miss you," she said. "Try not to die like Ned Stark and Jon Arryn."

"I do every day," he replied with a smile. Joanna pulled away and stood to her full height. "Travel safe, my dear."

Joanna and Desmera entered the wheelhouse, waving once more to Tyrion as it began to move and roll shakily over the cobblestones and out of the courtyard. Tyrion said that this was safer for her, and she believed him. It was only frustrating knowing that she was not the person in the most danger in the Red Keep. The most she could do now was hope that her letter would reach her safely and give her a semblance of comfort about being alone.

Over the course of several hours, the city faded to countryside, occasionally passing farmsteads or small villages. Desmera had managed to doze off, spread across one side of the wheelhouse and covered in a cozy-looking fur. Joanna, spread out on the bench opposite, had tried to doze, but found herself stuck in the ever-worsening loop of thoughts springing to her mind just as she was about to fall asleep. She found herself staring out the window at the trees that passed, fiddling with her hands in her lap.

When they stopped to rest for the night, and they were far enough away from King's Landing, that was when Joanna planned to leave. She was anxious thinking of trying to escape – and carefully reminding herself every few moments that she wasn't escaping, because she wasn't a prisoner, even if it certainly felt like she was.

Before dusk fell, they trailed off from the Gold Road and set up camp some distance away. Joanna paced around the wheelhouse as the tent she and Desmera would be sharing was set up by several Lannister footmen, ostensibly to stretch her legs, but mostly because she was antsy. While the tent was being set up, she called over the closest soldier, one of the towering and brutish mountain men.

"Have dinner made," she said. "I want to eat before we lose the light."

"I can't cooks," the soldier said. Joanna blinked.

"Tell a servant who can cook," she replied. The man looked at her, puzzled.

"One of thems?" he asked, pointing at a Lannister soldier setting up her tent.

"Try one of the servants with our trunks," she said, impatient. That hadn't seemed to occur to the tribesman before. He stood blankly for a moment, staring from person to person before finally walking off to – hopefully – ask the right person to start food.

If Joanna played her cards right, this may end up being much easier than she had thought.

She turned to Desmera.

"Can you arrange horses for us?" she asked. Desmera frowned.

"Horses? Whatever for?"

"I want a quick ride tonight before the sun sets," she replied. She reached for her friend's hand. "Won't you please? After we eat – it'll be so much fun."

"Gods, why do you always have to drag me along when you want to get in trouble?"

Joanna grinned. "Because you're the most fun to get in trouble with."

Desmera rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Gods," she said again, "fine. I can't believe the things I do for you."

Once the tent was set up, and the trunk of Joanna's clothes deposited inside, she changed into a riding habit and more comfortable boots. Should she pack a cloak, she wondered? She threw one on around her shoulders just in case. If she loaded herself up with too many things, it would be too obvious that she planned to leave.

Desmera returned once she had convinced a guardsman to keep two horses saddled so she and the princess could ride after they took their supper. They ate together in dim candlelight that evening; Joanna shoveled her food into her mouth, eager to get riding before they lost too might daylight. It was not safe to travel alone as it was, let alone in the evening hours when there was no light and less people around.

As soon as they finished eating, Joanna leapt up and urged Desmera out of the tent, urging her to be quick so they could ride as long as they could before night fell.

"This isn't the last chance in your life to go riding," Desmera reminded her. "In fact, you may even be able to spend more time riding at Casterly Rock."

"I know, I know," hurried Joanna. Ensuring that no one was around to hear her, she said, "We're not going to Casterly Rock."

Desmera stopped in her tracks. "What?"

"Keep going," Joanna urged. "We have to go."

She pulled Desmera by the arm to where the horses were tethered – but paused when she saw one of Tyrion's tribesmen standing by his own third horse.

"You're not supposed to be here," she said without thinking.

"M'lord Tyrion told me not to let you out of our sights," he told her. "I hafta go with you."

"No you don't," Joanna said flippantly, with a wave of her hand. "I've been riding all my life, and we won't be going far. Enjoy your night off."

"M'lord Tyrion pays me to do as he says," the soldier responded. Joanna worried her lip.

"Fine, you want money? In my tent there's a silverware set that's genuine silver," she said, jerking her head the direction of her tent. "You can go take as much as you like if let us go now and don't bother me anymore."

The soldier looked unsurely between her and Desmera. Joanna tugged slightly on Desmera's arm, a signal to try and get her friend to back her up.

"It's royal silverware," Desmera agreed. "You'll earn yourself thirty gold dragons at least."

He looked interested. Finally deciding that he believed them, the tribesman re-tethered his horse next to theirs and walked away.

As soon as they were alone again, Joanna quickly got to untying their horses.

"What do you mean we're not going to Casterly Rock?" Desmera demanded.

"Get on your horse," Joanna said, already swinging her leg over the back of hers.

"I won't," Desmera said resolutely, arms crossed. "Not until you tell me what you mean."

Joanna looked down at her friend, hesitating. She supposed that Desmera did deserve to know what she was up to, if she was hoping that she'd accompany her.

"I don't trust my family anymore," she admitted. "Not even Tyrion, really. I want to go to Dragonstone. I want to know what my uncle Stannis was on about when he spread that rumor about my brother."

"What?" Desmera yelped. Joanna shushed her so she wouldn't draw attention to them.

"Come on," she urged, getting desperate. "I'll tell you more on the way."

"It's not safe for you to be travelling without soldiers with you," Desmera said, but she mounted her horse anyways. As soon as she was on her horse, Joanna kicked hers into a quick pace back towards the Gold Road. Desmera hurried to keep up. "And it's not safe for you anywhere else but Casterly Rock!"

"I can't stand the idea of being trapped in Casterly Rock, not knowing whether or not the people around me are telling me the truth about what's happening in King's Landing while I'm away."

"Do you really think they'd do that?" Desmera asked.

"Uncle Tyrion was the only person I could trust to tell me the truth. He lied about the rumor being a lie, I'm sure of it."

"But how can you know?"

Joanna pulled her horse into a slower pace so she and Desmera could talk with more ease.

"Look at me," she said. "Look at me the way my blonde-haired, green-eyed brother looks at me. I'm the only one of my siblings who is a thing like my father. Joffrey wanted to kill me because of it. If the rumor wasn't true, Tyrion... well, he would've done something else, I'm sure of it. But it is true, and he's sending me away because he knows it is."

Desmera frowned. "Joanna, I think he's sending you away to protect you. Just because Joffrey thinks something's true doesn't mean it is."

"I have to know more," Joanna insisted. "Joffrey wanted to kill me because of a rumor, and I want to hear from the man who spread it why he thinks it's true."

"And you think Stannis will be anymore truthful than your other family will be? Joanna, he probably just made that up because he wants to be king."

"Desmera," said Joanna in a hard voice, pulling her horse to a halt. "I'm going to Dragonstone. I've made up my mind and you can't change it – but you can come with me."

She looked completely reluctant, but urged her horse onward back to the Gold Road.

"Fine," Desmera said in a voice that was equally as firm. "Let's be quick about this. If we die on the road to Dragonstone, I'm never letting you rest in your death."

Joanna was undeterred by the threat and smiled, kicking her horse to move faster in her excitement. She was resolute in getting away from the Lannisters, hearing the other side of her family's story. And, she admitted to herself, she was not as worried about Stannis as Desmera was. If he did prove to be bold liar to gather power, and if he did pose a threat to Joanna, she felt quite sure that her mother would have no qualms – and certainly no trouble – in destroying him to get her back.

A/N: As ever, apologies for the wait. I got a full-time job, and that on top of my usual procrastination made this take quite a while. What didn't help was completely scrapping my plans for this story and rewriting it all lol But I think the new plans are really cool and I'm super excited to write them! And hopefully you're excited to read them :)

As usual, Desmera tries to talk Joanna out of a bad idea and, as usual, she fails. What an interesting turn of events. It's still gonna take us quite some time to get to the canon divergence but we're steadily approaching.

Huge thanks to annavale23, DarkLordofMemes, Lt-Spork89, UnknownReaderHasJoined, TheMorningMist, DarylDixon'sLover, Lulu14168, SoBoredzzz, FoAteAZombie, fallondyson, amrawo, and recey2010 for the reviews! Your comments and reactions warm my heart and really keep me motivated to write. I also want to shout out to everyone who has added this story to your faves and follows. This project is something I've been doing for fun and your interaction, engagement, and enjoyment makes it all the more enjoyable for me!

Hopefully I'll be back again before too long. I love you all :)

Until next time,

Rex