A/N: Hey guys! Shorter chapter than usual, which means - you guessed it - we're stopping by at the Capitol!

I want to thank you all again for still being here, reading this. I know I was gone for a good, long while!

Anyway, hope you enjoy this one, and we'll be back to normal length chapters next time. Those waiting on a new chapter of United We Stand as well, that will be a little while longer, I'm afraid. I'm not quite happy with it yet - but I'm nearly there!

Guest: Thank you very much!

unnamed visitor: Thank you so much, it's great to be back, thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and the Robb/Myrcella moments. Hope you enjoy this one too, and thanks for still reading!

Boramir: Thank you so very much, you're very kind. I'm doing much better, even if it means updating less frequently, it at least means I will be updating at all haha. Totally agree with your thoughts on Arya - she's a very capable woman, but you're right, even she won't be slipping off during the winter months!

Guest: Thank you!

Guest: Thank you very much, very glad you be back. I'm glad you're enjoying the characters and the story, hope you continue to!

Right-ho folks, on we go!

:)


Interlude: Burning Fury


Cersei


The afternoon's session in court was dragging on and on. She was barely listening. Standing beside the Iron Throne while Tommen conducted audience after audience with men and women who grew progressively boring was not what she wanted to be doing. Still, it had to be endured. Her father had insisted upon her attendance. What he meant by it she didn't know. Likely it was some form of punishment. He had admonished her twice in recent weeks for not being publically attentive of Tommen and the queen.

A dark look crossed her features, but it was quickly disguised. Her eyes flickered to the other side of the throne, where Alysanne Bulwer was sat on a beautifully carved wooden throne. She swallowed the irritation. If she were asked her opinion, she would say that the girl scarce deserved it. No one did ask her opinion though, and so she stood as still as a statue and let the droning wash over her.

By the Gods it was tedious…

"My lords, ladies, and gentlemen," Tommen had risen from the Iron Throne as yet another groveler backed away from his presence, bowing all the while. She rolled her eyes, before politely fixing her gaze on her son. "This concludes court for this afternoon," he continued on, his voice stronger and more powerful than she had noticed it being before. It vaguely surprised her.

"Before we part company," he continued on, his gaze sweeping the hall, "I have glad tidings which I wish to share with you."

He had Cersei's attention now, though her eyes flickered towards the serenely smiling Alysanne for a moment, her suspicions peaking. Oh Gods, if she was with child then there would be no hope of being rid of the unworthy little brat. Her eyes moved back to Tommen.

"I have received glad tidings from my sister, Myrcella, the Queen in the North and of the Trident," Tommen went on smilingly, and Cersei bristled at the title that had been forced upon her daughter. "It is my delight to share with you that she will soon be bearing an heir for the North and the Trident, over which she and her husband justly and fairly reign. I ask that you pray for the health and good fortune of your princess," Tommen bowed his head, and Cersei felt as though a slab of ice had slipped into her stomach.

She didn't bow her head in prayer like those congregated. It was all that she could do to stop it from spinning. She felt as though she would pass out.

Eventually she became aware of movement in the throne room. The people were filing out. Tommen had come down from the Iron Throne and moved to escort his wife back towards the keep's living quarters. He didn't even look at her. Her father spared her a glance, his look withering, before he too made his way out of the door Tommen and his wife had just gone through. There was no one left now but a few stragglers and the usual guards.

Cersei blinked stupidly before finally regaining some of her senses. She walked numbly from the hall, back towards her own chambers. She didn't bother to acknowledge the guards who followed her, nor the ones who were stood on either side of her door. Once inside she slammed the door, making her way further in.

She froze.

"Jaime!" she choked out, relief washing the numbness away.

He didn't smile.

"Jaime, I've just heard," she shook her head despairingly, taking a few steps towards him. "I wonder what I ought to do! Is it too late to send something to her? By the Gods, she would not think of taking anything for herself… But then…if she loses the child, there is no telling what Stark might do to her… What happened, Jaime?! Did you not say you would bring her back? Did you manage it? Jaime?!"

His silence was starting to irritate her. She was about to berate him for his lack of news when she finally took a proper look at him. Her words died on her tongue. Jaime had never looked at her in such a way. She swallowed hard.

"Jaime?" she asked, tentatively, almost quelling under the look he bestowed on her.

"I saw Myrcella," he told her, and her heart leapt. "She was very confused by my presence," he continued, a smile coming to his face. It didn't comfort her. It chilled her. "She had absolutely no idea," he went on, slowly and deliberately, his eyes boring into hers. "What I was talking about," he finished, and again, she swallowed hard. "She was horrified," Jaime spoke again before she could find any words. "Absolutely disgusted," he almost spat the word and she flinched, "at the suggestion that Stark was causing her harm."

"Jaime…" she whispered, but he spoke again before she could find more words.

"Imagine my surprise," he said, his voice dangerously low, "at travelling all that way as winter took hold, only to find I had had a wasted journey. You see, far from being miserable, Cersei, Myrcella is absolutely thriving in the North. I am no admirer of Stark's, but it is clear to me that he adores her, and her him. So I wonder, how you could have got it so wrong..?"

He tailed off deliberately, looking at her expectantly.

"Well – I – I cannot explain – Jaime, her letters -"

"Said exactly the same as she confirmed to me!" he snapped at her, and she took a step backwards.

"What?" she shook her head, ready to deny it. Jaime couldn't know. He couldn't possibly know.

"You ought to conceal your secrets more thoroughly, Cersei," he said venomously. "Though I confess, my suspicions were aroused before I found your letters."

She gaped at him, he smiled again. Not the smile she adored, but something twisted that she did not recognise, and nor did she like it.

"Tommen was rather confused when I mentioned your concern for how Myrcella was settling at Winterfell," Jaime went on before she could speak. "He was rather abrupt with me, actually, told me in no uncertain terms that Myrcella was happy in the North. Of course, it crossed my mind that she might be coddling him, she always was protective of him. Obviously, she would not want her brother to know if Stark was beating and raping her, would she?"

"Exactly!" Cersei gasped out, tears welling in her eyes.

"But as I said, I found your letters," he said coldly, "the ones you thought you'd hidden. The ones begging you to believe that she was happy and well cared for. She loves him, Cersei, and while I question her tastes, I cannot deny her happiness. How can you? She is your daughter!"

"And she belongs here!" Cersei screamed at him. He didn't look surprised.

"No she doesn't," he shook his head at her, something akin to disgust in his eyes.

"Of course she does! She doesn't belong up there in that frozen wasteland! Tied to that savage, forced to bear his brats! You think that is what she deserves?! Do you?!"

"Yes!" Jaime bellowed at her. "Yes I do! Because I have seen her, heard from her own mouth that she is happy! Do you know what she asked of me?! She begged me to make you stop, to make you see reason! She made me promise not to tell you that she was with child, because she was afraid of what you might do if you found out about her condition!"

"She wouldn't -," Cersei started, but apparently Jaime wasn't finished.

"She also told me that she would raise the banners of the North and the Riverlands against you should any harm come to her husband," he finished, his tone softer, but no less angry. "Are you not the least bit ashamed?" he shook his head incredulously.

"Ashamed?" she repeated, shaking her head. "Ashamed of wanting the best for my daughter? Never."

"If you want what is best for her, then you will leave her well alone!" Jaime snapped.

"You don't understand…you can't understand…" she shook her head, looking murderous.

"I understand," his tone was the softest she had heard it. She met his eyes, seeing disgust shining back at her. Again, she almost flinched away from him. "I understand that you would destroy your daughter's future, and the happiness she so desperately deserves to avenge the son who has been dead for nearly a decade –"

Jaime cut off as she slapped him hard across the face.

"Robb Stark didn't kill Joffrey!" he grabbed her shoulders and shook her. She fought against him, desperate to shake him off so she could hit him again. So she could hit him, and hit him and never stop until he had stopped. She had to make him stop! "You have to stop this!" he hissed at her, shaking her more violently.

"Never!" she snapped back defiantly.

"Fine," he squeezed her upper arms so hard she knew he would leave bruises, "then you leave me no choice."

"What are you talking about?!" she demanded.

"I'll tell father, and Tommen, and you will be banished to the Rock this time, Cersei, you mark my words," he told her harshly.

"You wouldn't," she said, though she was not nearly as certain as she made her voice come out.

"I would," he said, "for my daughter, I would."

Tears filled her eyes then. She couldn't stop them. Jaime relaxed his grip on her arms, and she sagged back away from him. She couldn't believe it. She had assumed, always assumed, that Jaime would always back her. No matter what. Now he was standing before her, threatening to have her banished to the Rock. She never would have believed it of him.

"Drop this, Cersei," he said softly, and she nodded automatically. "Say it," he urged.

"I'll stop," she heard herself say.

"If I get one hint that you have sent anyone to the North, to Stark, then I -"

"I won't!" she snapped, cutting him off.

She meant it. She wouldn't. She wouldn't send anyone to the North to finish Stark. Not now. Not now that Jaime was watching over her, ready to foil any plot. No, she would have to go back to waiting. Myrcella would have to bear the Stark brat. With luck, spring would soon come, and with it would come a visit from the royal court of the North. She would be charming, perhaps suggest a tourney. From there, it would be painfully easy. Accidents occurred in tourneys all the time. Robb Stark had survived so many years and so many battles through sheer luck.

Cersei was now more determined than ever to see his luck finally run out.


A/N: Hope you enjoyed guys, even if it was a shorter chapter! As I said, usual length will be resumed next time. And, we're back with Robb, I believe - seems like ages since I've written him - looking forward to getting back to it!

:)