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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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"Get out." – Catelyn said as soon as she entered her chambers.

"My lady?" – her handmaiden asked, rising from her seat near the bed.

"I said get out, stupid!" – Catelyn screamed, grabbing her wrist and pushing her out of the room. The girl, terrified but used to her lady's change in moods, only complied to her wishes. She had already experienced the strenght of her slaps and it was something she didn't want to live through ever again.

Once alone, Catelyn started throwing her expensive things to the floor, not caring that they shattered on impact. The only thing on her mind was to unleash her fury before she did something stupid.

'It is not fair. He was supposed to choose me.' she furiously thought. 'He was supposed to choose me. I was supposed to be queen. Only me!'

"I was supposed to have all the power and the riches. I deserved that crown." – she muttered, now moving onto the dresses she had left on her bed and ripping them. – "But no, that imbecile Eddard Stark had to choose that blond Lannister bitch, taking everything that was supposed to be mine!

"Catelyn, what in the name of the Seven happened down there?" – her father asked, angrily slamming the door of her private chambers and advancing towards her.

"I don't know, ok? Leave me alone!" - she yelled again, throwing all her jewelry to the floor.

Her father walked up to her and slapped her to get her to calm down. She was so shocked by this action that she could only stare at him silently.

"You assured me he was going to marry you. What happened?" – he repeated in a low but dangerous voice.

"I... I don't know. He was supposed to..."

"Supposed? Ever since we left Riverrun you swore it was a fact that he would marry you."

"I told you it was the logical course of action, father. He was Brandon's brother and it was his duty to keep the promises made to our family."

"Well, it seems that he cares not for such promises and that this wedding won't happen anymore."

"How could he have chosen that vapid Lannister? I can't comprehend it. This must all be the old lion's work." – she concluded, pacing around the room and later sitting by the window.

"I don't think so, Cat." – Hoster explained, giving her a cup of wine and taking one for himself. – "He looked as astonished as everyone else when the Stark boy went to his daughter."

"Father, please. As if Tywin Lannister wouldn't take advantage of any opportunity to put her daughter on the throne."

"I'm not saying he wouldn't, I'm just saying that what happened at the feast wasn't planned. At least not by him. Or by her." – he added, sensing his daughter was about to insult the king's betrothed.

"So what do we do now?" – she asked finally.

"Nothing."

"What? Nothing?" – she was incredulous.

"Calm yourself, child. I have no doubt that if the king is as in love with that woman as it seemed at the feast, there will be no way to discourage him from making her his wife. But... he will want his only living brother to be here for the wedding and..."

"I'm not going to marry the lord of a wasteland!"

"Shut up and listen, you insolent child!" – he yelled again. – "It means that he will not marry without his only living relative present. So we still have some time to plan something to separate them."

"That will only gives us two weeks. Three at the most." – she interrupted.

"And we will take advantage of that time. Even if he ends up marrying her in the end, it might take her a long time to get pregnant And the more it takes, the more desperate he will be for an heir. Also, accidents happen all the time. Something could happen to her that may render her sterile. That will be your chance to gain his favour."

"Would you have me be just his whore? Your daughter as the king's whore?" – she was livid. She was meant to be a queen, not a lowly prostitute ready to spread her legs for no real gain.

"Never that, my sweet Cat. But once you enthrall him and take him to your bed and he puts a son in you, you will have more power than the Lannisters and he would soon replace her. Then the crown will be yours."

"Do you think it will work?"

"Men need sons, especially a king." – he explained.

"I will do as you tell me father." – she agreed. Her father had always given her everything she had ever wanted. He would never let her down.

"It wouldn't hurt to be friendlier to the Lannister girl."

"Why? She has taken everything from me. Why should I be her friend?" – that was something she was not willing to do.

"Remember Cat, keep your friends closer and your enemies even closer. Always remember it. - Hoster reminded her what he had told her since she was a child.

She smiled cunningly then, determined to do everything her father recommended. After all he had always had her best interests at heart.

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Unbeknowst to them, now that Ned and Cersei were officially engaged and said betrothal had been accepted by her family, they had started spending more time together without worry of might see them. Unfortunately, their usual outings had been cut short since property dictated the couple always be accompanied by someone, frustrating both of them. It was only due to their cleverness that they always found ways to escape and be alone for a few minutes. And now was one of those times.

"You're driving me crazy." – Ned whispered, pulling Cersei into his bedchambers and closing the door, only to push her against it and start attacking her neck.

"You… you do the same to me… all the time… my love." – she sighed happily, running her fingers through his dark hair, pulling him closer. She needed to feel all of him and he, sensing a desperation so similar to his own, grabbed her skirts and raised them until they were around her hips. Before he could think, he hugged her thighs and lifted her off the ground, encouraging her to wrap her long legs around his hips.

"Ned... Ned..." – Cersei moaned, pushing against the bulge she felt inside his breeches and feeling her smallclothes wet with her desire. She was too excited by what they were doing to be concerned about property at the moment. Nothing matter then but him.

"I want you, Cersei. I want you... so much…"

"Me, too. I need you, Ned." – her desire was so great that she no longer cared for the norms, her only wish was to give all of herself to him, to welcome him into her body and to never leave the protection of his arms. 'I just want to be yours.' She thought, kissing him full on the lips while her hands fought to untie the laces of his jerkin.

This pulled him out of his fevered state and he forced himself to let her go and helped her arrange her skirts.

"Ned... what...?" – she asked, flushed and initially confused, but little by little more aware of her previous wanton behaviour.

She gasped.

She was supposed to be a lady. Now she was sure her betrothed would think poorly of her and dismiss her.

"I'm sorry." – he apologized as he turned around, making her open her eyes in shock.

'He is ashamed of me.' She reasoned, filled with shame herself. He was repulsed by her behaviour and now he was going to leave her.

"I... I understand, Your Grace." – she whispered, turning around and opening the door to leave.

However, Ned took hold of her hand, preventing her escape.

"Cersei, where are you going?" – he asked, trying in vain to get her to look at him.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Your Grace. I didn't mean to act so forward." – she confessed, wishing he would just let her go. Instead of doing that, Ned hugged her, bringing her as close as possible to his body and burying his head in her gorgeous sun-kissed hair.

"I am the one who should apologise to you, my love. I shouldn't have taken such liberties with you." – he expressed. – "But I can't help it, Cersei. I desire you like I have never desired anything before." – he confessed at last, feeling a huge weight lifting off his shoulders. He felt Cersei suck in a big breath, finally relaxing and hugging him too.

"I desire you too, my love." – she whispered, raising on her tiptoes to catch his lips in a bruising kiss.

"Marry me, Cersei." – he said when they were finally able to stop kissing.

"I thought I was already going to." – she teased him. He smiled, relieved that they were back to feeling comfortable with each other.

"Today. Marry me today."

"But… you said you wanted to wait for your brother."

"I can't wait any longer." – he admitted. He loved his younger brother, even more now they were the only two Starks alive, but he couldn't wait a whole month until his arrival. – "Marry me today, Cersei. Be mine in front of the old gods.

"Yes." – Cersei accepted, anxious to be his wife too. To start the rest of her life with him. To be his and only his.

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Two hours later, Ned and Cersei were in the godswood in King's Landing, exchanging their vows in front of the heart tree. Despite the heat, so characteristic of the south, both were wearing heavy cloaks with the sigil of their respective houses.

Once both finished saying his vows, Ned stepped closer to his bride and took off her cloak after delicately kissing her slender neck. Then he untied his own heavy cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders, thus concluding the ceremony and being finally free to kiss her for the first time as husband and wife.

"I love you, Cersei Stark." – he whispered against her lips.

"I love you too, my beloved husband." – she answered, her heart filled with joy.

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Initially, they had wished to keep the news of their wedding a secret, at least for a while, but in the end they decided to announce it that same night, both having similar and different reasons for doing it.

Ned, because he wanted every citizen in Westeros to know she was their new Queen and to finally have her next to him on the throne and in his bed.

Cersei, on her part, wanted all the ladies to know that Eddard Stark was only hers so that they would stop trying to throw themselves at his feet. Because ever since her intended had taken the Iron Throne, she had had to hear the ladies discussing how handsome the Northman was and how they were all eager to seduce him and warm his bed. On the other side, however, she was apprehensive of how her family would react to the news. They would he glad, she was sure, but not because of her marrying a good and honorable man, but because of all the glory and prestige they would have.

As every night since the beginning of the Starks reign, long tables had been set on the Feast Hall and many people from King's Landing, from high Lords to commoners were enjoying themselves.

Ned, as his father had done before him in Winterfell, wanted to make sure his subjects knew him and he them, gaining their trust and loyalty on their own free will. And in that short time he had succeeded, as they had come to love and respect their new and just king, so very different from the last Targaryen sovereign.

That is why he had convinced his wife and chosen the same night of their wedding to present her as their new queen. He waited until everyone was on their seats before standing up from his, gaining everybody's attention instantly and asking for silence with one move of his hand.

"I want to thank you all for your presence tonight." – he started. – "As all of you are aware, it has been a fortnight since I became betrothed to Lady Cersei Lannister of Casterly Rock." – at this, everyone raised their cups to toast the couple, even though there were some who didn't approve of his choice of bride due to her father's well-known thirst for power. – "And it is my pleasure to announce that Lady Lannister and I got married this afternoon. So now I gladly and proudly present you Cersei Stark, my wife and your new queen." – he finished, leaving his place at the high table in search of his wife, bringing her from her place in one of the nearby tables next to other family members to the seat especially set for her next to his.

All the people in the hall were silent, astounded by their king's announcement. At least until one of the Northern bannermen that had come with him during the war stood up and raised his cup in direction to his rulers.

"Long live King Eddard! Long live Queen Cersei!" – he screamed.

Others followed him and within moments the entire hall was chanting and cheering for the newlyweds.

Cersei stood up and raised her cup too, saluting her new subjects. And all, including the people who weren't sure about her, were enchanted by her delicate but obvious grace and even more by the love that shone so clearly in her eyes when she turned to look at her husband and king.