Chapter 4

Cersei 1

King's Landing - 296 AC

Cersei bit her lip while she witnessed her precious golden Prince Jojo slaps a random maid's butt while laughing raucously with Tyrion, Renly, and Loras. Sometimes, at times like this, she wondered on who is his real father, because it pained her mind that her child, her precious golden cub, end up having more traits that would be easily recognizable as Robert's, especially regarding his flirtatious attitudes with women. While outwardly, Prince Jojo definitely has her own gleaming green eyes with lustrous golden mane (that actually looks as beautiful as her own), Jojo's build coupled with well developed muscles at such tender age of ten means everyone who knew Robert always end up comparing him to the younger self of the Baratheon King.

The boys group's previous discussions regarding politics are good enough, but why the hell they end up stopping that after Tyrion mentioned the old coot Jon Arryn, and everything end up in chuckles and lewd jokes, culminating with a dare that somehow involve slapping the butts of some maids that pass by their table.

Not that most of the maids bothered with that, Cersei bitterly noticed. They giggled when Prince Jojo compliments their asses and boobs, and generally flirts back to the group in question. This is all Roberts fault for indulging Her Son too much in what he called 'Let the Boys be Boys', and her own Imp of a brother made everything worse by being there and nudging Jojo to emulate him as well. With both Robert himself, his air-headed brother Renly, and Tyrion making efforts to corrupt her Jojo, she only hopes that at least let Jaime being close to him as well will eventually offset, or at least slow down their efforts to transform Jojo into some sort of mini-Robert. But even with Jaime trying to steer Jojo away from the obnoxiousness of Robert's womanizing excess, she feared that in the end that Robert's imprint might be too strong.

And she's not being a hypocrite with her affair with her true love Jaime, at least she deserves that and she only does that discreetly, dammit.

Speaking of which, as if Jaime could hear her thoughts (it's possible, they are being part of one, in her mind) Jaime gave her a sad yet understanding look from the other side, before joined the group laughing on their table. Cersei gave a silent glare to Jaime, trying to made him steer the conversation of said group toward something less reminding her of Robert, and Jaime quickly gave her an understanding nod.

Cersei could look that Jaime now try to steer the talks toward something more proper, as the group now talking something about weapons, noticeable very well from the fact that Sandor Clegane also joins in the conversations properly now, instead of just laughing at the back but usually never joined their conversation (unless those involving fighting, weapons, or some things that has his main competency in), it seems that the lewd jokes are over.

Not that she want to hear more about the boys' talks, as someone coughs politely at her back, and she instantly knew that the old coot must want to speak something with her right now.

"What is it now, Lord Arryn?" asked Cersei with neutral expression, as she quickly raises her mental shields and gauge the old coot in front of her.

"About Prince Joffrey, my Queen." Jon Arryn said with thin smile on his face. "Let me said that I'm on the opinion about the Crown Prince's well-being. While he is a fighting prodigy and his wit is as sharp as a valyrian steel blade, I'm afraid that he would need some sort of experience outside the Red Keep to round up his upbringing."

"You wish to have him raised somewhere else don't you?" said Cersei with a smirk on his face. The old coot, despite how much Robert think highly of him, is actually a fool compared to the sharp minds of the Lannisters, so much that Cersei decides that being direct with him would be better than beating around the bush.

"Your assessment is correct, my Queen." said Jon Arryn with a slight smile of him remains in his face. "I'm on the opinion that Prince Joffrey would only benefit in the future if only he has the experience of learning firsthand from the best Lords of the realm. And at the same time, there are concerns about the bad influences of his uncles..."

Cersei smirked deeper at the unsaid words between them, both Jon Arryn and herself knew that neither want Joffrey to end up just like Robert, or worse. "Distancing my son from my dwarf brother you say..."

Jon Arryn make a solemn nod while continuing "Correct, and there's also the matter of Lord Renly's influence on the Prince." Cersei bit her lip while noticing the overall 'FABULOUS' apparels of Jojo's group. Not that she did not appreciate the sweaty, muscled men clad in barely concealing cloths, but if the rumours about Renly being a sword swallower is true, or worse.

"Your sincere concern is noted, Lord Arryn, that you brought both the worst elements of my family and the King's own family to your concern, is there anything you want to suggest remedying those problems?" said Cersei.

"Some years in either Casterly Rock or Dragonstone, or both, might suffice, my Queen. Both places have their benefits and drawbacks." said Jon Arryn calmly.

"I will gladly write to my Lord Father to arrange for Prince Joffrey's fostering at Casterly Rock with your help, Lord Arryn." Cersei smiled while she makes a mental victory dance against the old coot Jon Arryn, that he is either too stupid or too much being boot-licker to appease the Lannister family. "I might also notify my Lord Father to effectively forbid my Imp of a brother to interfere at Casterly Rock, but anything regarding the behaviors of Lord Renly shall be your duty."

"I understand." said Jon Arryn with a neutral expression. "I shall speak to the King himself about this. I hope that your father, Lord Tywin, would be most gracious to took a share on his grandson's upbringing."

As she exchanged polite nods with Jon Arryn, Cersei smiled in triumph. That was laughable indeed, the old coot actually speak what she wanted to told Robert about removing Renly's bad influences from her precious Golden Prince. Still, the old coot has Robert's ears better than her, and nobody in their right mind would DARE to actually try to foster Jojo at Dragonstone, that would like fostering him at somewhere far and poor like Winterfell, but worse.

Triumph is Triumph, however, and Cersei smirked at the prospect of having her Jojo raised as true lion of Lannister. While some part of her actually never wanted to be apart with her precious Prince, the more level headed part of her mind actually agree that the best way to wash out the imprints left by Robert, Renly, and Tyrion, is by letting her Lord Father do a job to wash said bad influences clean with discipline.

Cersei silently raise her cup of wine and savor her small victory. Her own maternal instinct could be used to dote on her other golden cubs, Tommen and Myrcella, her ideal children who has no noticeable imprints from Robert, AT ALL. She sips her wine and imagine the day when Lord Tywin deemed Prince Jojo ready to took over the realm, having washed him clean from the corrupting influences that he carried, and Robert could be silently offed and swept under the annals of history.

All is good and would go according to her plan.