"Daenerys didn't want to debate and negotiate." Tyrion said trying to make Cersei see reason. "She wanted to bring you fire and blood until I advised her otherwise. I don't want to destroy our family. I never have."
And yet all of what Cersei said next was right. Him killing Tywin left them open to destruction. Even though Tywin deserved it for treating him so poorly, he wished he had never done it. Myrcella and Tommen's deaths were too steep a price to pay for it, and Tyrion would always be sorry. When Cersei didn't kill him even though he taunted her (and perhaps he even believed he deserved it for what he did to her), he was dumbfounded. He sighed and immediately went for the wine. He poured her a glass and waited until she looked back at him.
"Just Jaime, challenging Jon Snow, wanting Casterly Rock- pray tell me Cersei, it seems like Joanna knows about you and Jaime," Tyrion said with his eyebrow raised. Surely they would have denied their incestuous relationship had Joanna started asking questions. Joffrey, Tommen, and perhaps Myrcella (if he had seen her before she was murdered) denied the truth. He didn't believe that a ten year old would think anything of it.
Cersei folded her hands on her desk and frowned. Whatever he was going to say, she didn't expect it to be that. "She's a bit like you, more than I would care to admit. Always reading, and spying, and getting into things that she is not supposed to." Cersei looked distant for a moment, and Tyrion had almost thought she smiled. It didn't completely answer his question, but he could infer that the girl knew in some capacity.
"I am more sorry about the children than you will ever know. I loved them. You know I did." Tyrion said even though he knew Cersei didn't want to hear it. But she had to know how much he had cared.
Cersei didn't care. She would never be able to forgive him for what he did. He had cost them their future. Joanna was much too young to be the Queen. No matter how many precautions they took, she was still more vulnerable than Tommen had been. Even though they had antidotes for every poison, kept her with guards and trusted servants at all times, and locked the window in her bedchamber, Cersei was still terrified that something would happen to her. Whether it was something else or Daenerys Targaryen who would be out for her daughter's blood, Tyrion had put a target on Joanna's head the moment he killed Tywin.
"That thing you dragged here, I know what it is. I know what it means. And when it came at me I didn't think about the world." All she could think about was Jaime and her children. "Maybe Euron Greyjoy had the right idea. Get on a boat, take those who matter..." She sighed and put her hand on her belly. She thought of those creatures killing her little girl and ripping the baby out of her arms, as she and Jaime could do nothing to stop it.
Tyrion's eyes went wide. He now knew why Cersei had allowed them to meet and didn't touch the wine he offered. "You're pregnant." There was a pause as she stared at him. He wondered if she would deny it. When she looked away, he knew how to gain her support; he only wished he would have thought of it sooner. "I swear to you if you will help us, I will make sure Joanna and the baby will not be harmed by Daenerys or her army."
"You cannot possibly guarantee that," Cersei said dismissively. That's what she wanted, but she didn't believe in the slightest Daenerys wouldn't kill or imprison Joanna.
"I cannot guarantee how much mercy Daenerys will show you or Jaime, but she has no other choice to spare the children if she wants your support." Tyrion said standing up. "I will set up a betrothal between your child and the first child Daenerys has of the opposite sex, and perhaps if the Gods are good, a Lannister and a Targaryen will rule the Seven Kingdoms in peace."
"A Lannister girl already rules the Seven Kingdoms in her own right," Cersei scoffed. "What will happen to Joanna?"
"A Baratheon hiding behind a Lannister rules the Seven Kingdoms. Should anything happen to you and Jaime, Joanna will be fostered by Daenerys and be declared my heir in order to inherit Casterly Rock."
"You're not as clever as you think you are. I may run the Seven Kingdoms, but it is Joanna who wears the crown. You would give my Joanna to the foreign whore that lusts after her throne after what happened to Myrcella." Cersei shook her head in disgust. She should have known that his best idea was to give Joanna and her unborn child to her enemies.
"Daenerys doesn't harm children," Tyrion said. "I think she would even take a liking to Joanna."
"The Dornish don't harm children, the Tyrells don't harm children, the Baratheon's don't harm children, the Lannister's don't harm children… why should a Targaryen be any different?" Cersei mused thinking of Joffrey and Myrcella, Shireen, and little Rhaenys and Aegon. She thought of the Boltons, the Freys, the Karstarks, and all the others who didn't pretend they were above killing children. For once Tyrion kept his mouth shut as she chuckled darkly. "Joanna asked to be legitimized as Jaime's heir as a Lannister, and I granted it. You have no claim to Casterly Rock after all you have done to us," she said with half a mind to throw the wine glass that relentlessly teased her at his head.
"Joanna of the House Lannister, the first of her name, Queen of the Andals and the first men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and protector of the realm does have a certain charm to it. You signed the decree because Joanna knows, and you don't care." Tyrion scratched his chin wondering how Joanna had mustered up the courage to ask for such a thing.
"After Myrcella and Tommen things were put into perspective. Who is left to care besides a Targaryen born from a brother and a sister, a bastard from the North, and a traitorous dwarf? I will let Jaime have his chance while we still have time," Cersei said smugly.
"A noble sentiment that I'm sure he will appreciate," Tyrion said not remembering a single time where Jaime wanted to interact with his children. Cersei wanted them, so he obliged and was content to play the role of Uncle. He wondered if all of the death and destruction of their family made him reconsider. However, Tyrion could not dwell on Jaime's transformation. His more pressing matter was to convince Cersei that her children would be spared. "Daenerys knows who runs the Seven Kingdoms, and she will not harm the children if we can win your support."
"What happens to a caged bird? Will you force it to sing? Perhaps you ought to ask Sansa Stark how my sweet little girl will be living for the rest of her life, but you don't care." Tear pricked at Cersei's eyes as she thought of Myrcella. "After sending Myrcella to Dorne, you would dangle Joanna to the Targaryen whore like a piece of meat."
"Cersei, I am guaranteeing that Joanna and the baby will live should Daenerys defeat you. To everyone on our side, it will be more than you deserve," Tyrion said. "Should Daenerys allow it, she can stay at Casterly Rock. She didn't let the Unsullied destroy the castle because it was meant to be mine. Aunt Genna moved back in since her husband was killed with the rest of the Freys and is watching it in my stead. You know how fond she is of Lannister children, I'm sure she would take Joanna in."
"Fine," Cersei said, knowing that his offer was the best she was going to get, even if Aunt Genna wasn't a suitable alternative. Cersei knew the woman had a vendetta against her ever since she lied to her about marrying Rhaegar.
…
After Cersei had almost killed him and decided not to help with the fight in the North, Jaime decided that he was going to warn Tyrion that help would not be coming. He had gathered supplies and Bronn was readying his horse, so he could slip out of the castle without anyone knowing.
"Jaime!" Joanna shouted, and skipped over to him happily. He swore to himself that she of all people had caught him. "I've been looking for you everywhere."
"Not now, Joanna, I'm doing something very important," Jaime said, hoping she would take the hint or that the guards behind her would usher her away.
"Look! Read it!" she said and waved a piece of paper in his face. He took it from her and quickly scanned the writing. "It's declaring me your heir, so I can be a Lannister. Mother signed it for me."
The letter was carefully worded to declare her the heir of House Lannister, thereby changing her name. It was not a legitimization document, but he was surprised that Cersei had signed it at all. It was evident that she didn't care for him as he cared for her, and to now give him rights over Joanna made no sense.
"Now we can be a family here," Joanna said and grabbed his golden hand. When he finally took his eyes away from the paper she could tell something was wrong. He tried to hide it with a weak smile, but she saw through it. "Does it please you?"
She smiled ever so sweetly that he nearly had half a mind to scoop her up and take her with him. Instead, Jaime sighed and reached in his pocket, knowing she would be safer in the South. He took out the gold Hand's pin and held it out to her, for he would not need it anymore. She frowned and didn't understand. "I'm leaving. I'm going North," he said.
"What do you mean you are going North? I need you to be my Hand. You have to stay here. I'll talk to Mother, surely she will let you stay," Joanna said refusing to take the pin from his hand. Mother would want him to stay away from all the fighting.
"No, Joanna. I cannot be your Hand, and you don't need me. I cannot protect you here anymore. I have to go to the North," Jaime said. That was the only way he could save her if Cersei refused to provide troops.
"You can't protect me if you're there and I'm here! We're supposed to be a family now, and I order you to stay here!" Joanna shouted and started crying. A few servants gawked and quickly looked away when he met their eyes. Jaime tucked a piece of hair behind her ears, not caring what anyone else thought, and he felt guilty as he looked into her watery eyes.
Jaime patted her on the head, "You're a Lannister now, and I don't have to take orders from my heir, your grace," he said, knowing that his words weren't technically true. Joanna glared at him, but he had already decided that he was leaving. If he helped the living prevail, there was a chance that he could convince Daenerys to spare her life. He nodded to the guards to come over, "Her grace is tired. Take her to bed, gently."
"I'm not tired," Joanna said as the guards grabbed both of her arms and began to drag her away. "Jaime!"
He handed one of the guards his Hand pin, "Tell her servant, the Lannister one, to discreetly get milk of the poppy from Qyburn to calm her down."
"Yes my Lord," the man said as he walked after them.
Jaime took it as his opportunity to leave without her trying to follow him or alerting Cersei before he could get far enough away. "I command you to let me go!" she struggled and screamed. The guards ignored her protests. "Jaime, please come back! Jaime, please!"
A tear slipped down his cheek as her screams faded away.
He was long gone before Cersei found out.
Author's Note: I'm sorry this took so long, but I have a lot going on in my life right now. I'm preparing for exams, and I'm graduating college next week! I will definitely have more time to write after next Sunday. Who else is terrified for the next two episodes? Being a Daenerys and Cersei fan is going to suck tonight.