Prologue. V1.2
Cersei Lannister was neither a contented nor a happy woman, as her torments could always be laid at the foot of the useless excuse she called a husband.
Ever since marrying the waste of space nearly twenty years ago her life had been on a downward spiral. It didn't matter that she was in name and in fact the most powerful woman in the seven kingdoms, that wasn't worth having to put up with that man's nonsense some days.
Robert Baratheon seemed to find pleasure in humiliating and denigrating her, it wasn't enough that he constantly betrayed her in front of everyone even with the humblest of servants, the deer also allowed himself to oppose her political choices thus hindering her plans.
She who had learned game of thrones on Tywin 's knee Lannister, the only true heir of her father's wit and acumen, was being rebuked by an idiot no better at wielding a hammer.
Instead of thanking her and her house for the throne and kingdom she had won Robert seemed to be doing all he could to bring the seven kingdoms to ruin. Whether it was accumulating debt or spreading its seed, every deer's action was a mine to the Iron Throne.
Even now the king's actions in their ignorance not only went against her wishes but also jeopardized the future of her children and it was something Cersei couldn't bear.
But her hands were tied by Jon 's sudden death Arryn the king's first knight and true glue of the seven kingdoms had thrown the court into chaos.
The power vacuum that had arisen needed a worthy successor, unfortunately her dear husband had not listened to her advice and instead of appointing his father or brother to the consternation of the lioness he had decided to head north.
So now Cersei found herself shivering in the cold northern lands, the inside of her luxurious carriage was covered in the sweet crackle of the fire but it didn't seem to melt the chill she felt in her bones.
The queen admitted in her heart that part of that unpleasant sensation was not due to the harsh atmospheric conditions of the desolate land that were the territories of the Starks but from the fear of what awaited her at Winterfell .
Until a few years ago the woman would not have feared anything or anyone, with the death and defeat of the dragons there was no one who could contend with the lions for domination of the forest, it didn't matter that it was the deer who wore the crown when everyone knew who held the real power.
But not even half a decade ago things had begun to change, in the dead of winter a new power had arisen, a new hitherto unknown and ignored player had sat down at the table earning too much too fast.
And it was this that the lioness feared that the madman who called her husband would head north to appoint this hand of the king and thus effectively handing him the keys to the kingdom.
It was a horrible thought that the woman could not bear, just knowing that there was another possible candidate in the north gave him the strength to face this journey.
Eddard Stark was nowhere near her good graces, the all-too-honorable warden of the north too loyal to her husband to win her favour.
The nickname that the Targaryen loyalists had coined with such contempt for the silent wolf fit him perfectly, the Stark was every bit the king's lapdog.
But even knowing that her nomination would put such a staunch ally on her husband's side Cersei would have rejoiced in her nomination, preferable to the alternative.
Lord Stark could be an excellent fighter, strategist and administrator, but all these qualities were overshadowed by the shackles cast by his honor making him unsuitable for the intrigues and power games of the south.
Her appointment to the second most powerful position in the Seven Kingdoms would slow some of her plans but in the big picture it would be irrelevant, in the end even the wolf would bow or his head would roll that was a certainty for Cersei .
But if instead of his dearest and oldest friend the drunk deer had named the latter's bastard then the lioness did not know what she would have done.
Jon Snow didn't correct herself the Queen Lord Jon Emiya the very thought of that bastard made her tremble with fear and contempt.
Now she understood what her father's enemies had felt in the past when they thought of him and his rains of Castamere , that awe and awe that had filled the seven kingdoms for years at the sound of Tywin 's name. Lannisters were now addressed to another man, the title of most feared and revered in Westeros no longer belonged to his father.
The blanket she had been hiding under all these years no longer covered her and for the first time Cersei truly feared not only for her throne but also for her own and her children's lives.
His precious children seemed oblivious to the danger they were facing as they admired the white snowy lands of the north from the windows of their transport.
Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen her delight, proof that her love with Jamie was not only real but strong enough to bear him three beautiful children it was a shame that her twin could never be called a father to her children.
Instead that wretch that his children called father was most likely leading them into the jaws of the wolf, thus also taking away the only useful thing that could have given him the throne.
Her eyes rested on her firstborn, her handsome Joffrey would be a great king, finally claiming for himself the glory and power lions were always meant to have.
Yet her little boy might never see the day he would sit on the Iron Throne, too much power would Jon Snow gain if her snappy husband made him hand of the king.
Giving that brooch to the northern bastard would be tantamount to taking poison. The danger posed by the youngest knight of the seven kingdoms was too great.
It was a fear shared by his father too, Tywin had seen in the bastard's rapid rise a threat to his plans and his house.
But no matter what ploys his lord father set in motion the bastard not only still lived but his fame increased with every plan the old lion foiled.
In her desperation to put an end to this threat Cersei had gone so far as to hire faceless men the deadliest assassins in all the world capable of feats worthy of sorcery.
They too had failed their severed heads had been delivered to Castle Granite and the House of Black and White, Cersei had never seen her father more furious and terrified at the same time than today, Tywin 's spoken words still hurt Cersei every time he thought about it.
Her father had called her a hopeless fool fit only to spread her legs who by her behavior had endangered not only the prosperity of House Lannister but their lives as well.
To add insult to injury the Faceless Men had also returned the payment received to the sender with an attached note stating that they would no longer take commissions for that objective and that any further attempt on his part would transfer the death sentence to his head.
"You say there are direwolves out there?" Tommen asked concerned as his little eyes scanned the wastelands in search of the monstrous wolves from which the Stark seal was inspired.
His youngest son had always been the most sensitive and fearful of the three.
"What does it matter even the dragons have bowed to us even if a direwolf came I would kill him" Joffrey unlike his brother seemed to fear nothing, while loudly expressing his intentions.
It was an attitude Cersei would normally approve of, a future king needed to be assertive and ruthless qualities that his firstborn seemed to have in spades.
But now they were venturing into unfamiliar and hostile territory where such words could carry grave danger.
It had been years since lions no longer feared anything, and her young cub in deer's clothing had yet to figure it out.
Myrcella 's voice was full of anticipation and admiration as she thought of the now mythical figure of Ned Stark's bastard.
Cersei 's words, her hand itched, the desire to silence the silly little girl with slaps was strong, her daughter didn't understand that the person she admired and wanted to meet was the same one who haunted her mother's nightmares.
It had been years since the lions ruled unchallenged over the seven kingdoms, with the death of the dragons they had nothing to fear. Wolves and deer could not dent their furs.
But the birth of a sword in the far north reminded Cersei of their mortality.
"We'll see, dear" she forced herself to say to her daughter with a tight smile on her lips as she prayed.
Right now Cersei could only pray to the gods, old and new that her snap of a husband didn't commit the greatest of foolishness and name Jon Snow as her manao.
The Sage of the North, Sword of the Starks, Second Coming of Brendon the Builder , Unchained Master, Alchemist, White Wolf, Steel Wolf, Morning Sword, Bastard of Wintterfell , Jon Snow, Lord Emiya .
Cersei didn't know if she would survive his take on the field, after all when you play the game of thrones, or win or die.
Here Archer with a new fanfiction. I remind everyone that on my profile you will find my other story Naruto Shooting Star.
Hoping that you like my work, I wish you good reading and see you in the next chapter.
An Archer's Vacation.