.

.

...

EXPECTATIONS

...

.

.

The next morning Cersei was the first to wake up, finding herself still in the same position from the night before: her head resting on her husband's chest and their naked legs intertwined. She couldn't stop the giggle that came out of her mouth when she remembered all they had done the night before and the movement made Ned stir seconds later. They looked each other in the eye for several moments, simply enjoying their moment of closeness.

"Good morning, wife." – he greeted her.

"Good morning, Your Grace." – she smiled cheekily.

"So now I am your king?"

"Always, Your Grace."

"Well then… as your king, I command you to…" – he grabbed her by the hips and placed her on top of him, forcing her to part her legs and place them on both sides of his. – "… kiss me."

She laughed and lowered her head until their lips were nearly touching.

"Like this, Your Grace?" – she brushed her lips delicately against his.

"Cersei…" – he warned, seeking to bury his fingers in her hair and bring her closer, but she was faster and grabbed his hands with hers instead.

"Or maybe like this?" – now she kissed him passionately, her tongue entering his mouth. He responded to the kiss instantly and freeing his hands, he grabbed her by the hips to encourage her to start moving over his half hard cock.

"Like that. Definitely like that." – he said once she stopped kissing him and moments later he started running his fingers through her hair and pulling her into another passionate kiss.

Very soon, Ned flipped them, Cersei laying on her back with him resting between her hips and rubbing himself against her core. He couldn't wait to be inside her again and judging by her moaning and desperate movements under him, she felt the same, so he simply raised her left leg over his shoulder and entered her as deep as he could.

"Ned!" – she screamed, loving the pleasurable pain of his thrusts and having just the strength to hang on to his shoulders.

"Do you like this?" – he asked, moving in and out, making her feel breathless and ready to combust.

"Yes… right… there… there…" – Cersei kept moaning, throwing her head back and giving him a perfect view of her neck, several spots covered with marks from his furious kisses and bites form the night before. Ned, encouraged by her moans, kept moving in and out of her until she found her climax with a mighty yell and tightening her walls around his manhood.

With the last of her strength, she tightened her free leg around his waist, prompting him to keep going, to find his pleasure in her. And it took him no time to fill her with his seed, groaning and falling on top of her after releasing her leg on his shoulder. Cersei hugged him as hard as she could and started crying softly, still fighting to catch her breath.

"What… Cersei, what's wrong?" – asked Ned, frowning. The last thing he had expected was to see his wife crying after making love. He definitely didn't like her to cry.

"No… Nothing, my love." – she whispered, trying to control her tears.

"Why are you crying, dearest? Did I hurt you? Gods!" – he tried to move and call a maester to see her but she simply hugged him harder and now wrapped both legs around his waist.

"No! Don't go!"

"If I have hurt you, I need to…"

"You didn't hurt me, Ned." – she told him, running her hand through his face. Tears were still falling down the sides of her face. – "I'm just… I'm so happy. You have made me so happy."

"Not as happy as you have made me, Cersei." – he answered, kissing her again. He could never get tired of kissing her. Or making love to her.

Neither uttered another word, simply basking in their love and staying as close to each other as they could. After all, they were both aware that their duties as king and queen would come knocking on their door no matter what.

.

.

A week after the announcement of their marriage, Cersei was summoned to her father's chambers. Until that day, the newly married couple have been able to spend most of their time together and away from court life, like a sort of short honeymoon. Ned would have loved to take ger to Winterfell, to marry her again in its godswood and present her to Benjen and to all the castle inhabitants, but his duties had not allowed him to leave the capital. And now their time alone was ending and the next day they were expected to return to public life and Cersei couldn't help being nervous about her new obligations around the Red Keep and towards her new subject.

For this reason, she was hoping against hope that her father had called her to advise her on how to do good to her people.

"Good morning, father." – she saluted the older Lannister, entering his chambers.

"My beautiful, darling girl." – Tywin answered, standing up and kissing his daughter's cheek lovingly. – "How is married life? Are you happy?"

"Yes, father. I couldn't be happier. My Ned has made me the happiest woman in all of Westeros." – she confessed truthfully.

"And are you making him happy?" – Cersei frowned at his question.

"I… I guess… I…"

"You guess?" – Tywin interrupted her. – "Has he told you so or not?"

"Yes, he has told me so." – she replied, lowering her head in embarrassment, remembering the noises Ned made when they were together in bed.

"Good. That is good." – he left her side and sat on his desk before motioning her to do the same. – "Now we have to discuss what to do next."

"Well, father, my lord husband wants me to be in future council meetings and…"

"That is not important." – he interrupted her.

"What do you mean, father?"

"The king may be happy with you right now, but he is only a man. We have to make sure you are in his favour at all times. That means you have to make sure he doesn't take a mistress. At least until you have given him a son."

"A… mistress?" – 'No, it can't be.' she thought. Ned would never cheat on her. He loved her.

"Yes, a mistress. You can't be so stupid as to think he won't bed as many women as he can now that he is king."

"He would never…"

"He would and he will."

"Father!"

"And he won't hesitate to cast you aside if you displease or even fail to give him an heir. Do you understand?" – he finished.

Cersei wanted to say they he was wrong, that her husband wouldn't seek other women's beds and that he would never get rid of her to marry another. She desperately wanted to say all this, but the truth was that, she was not so sure it wouldn't happen.

After all, she was now a married woman.

Of course, being married to the man she adored was not the problem. The problem was that she now had to meet many expectations. She very well knew that after getting married, a lady was expected to change her behaviour completely, becoming submissive to her husband and accepting every single one of his commands.

'I will become just one of his possessions.' She thought, feeling a painful tightening in her chest. 'I will never be free again.'

There would be no more outings on her own or just with Ned.

No more giggles and running free around the Keep.

No more playful banter with her handmaidens. Instead, they would be changed with new handmaidens who would remind her of her duties and watch every one of her moves.

No more play time with Tyrion.

No more time to read from obscure books found in the Keep's library.

Instead of her previous freedom, now there would be family members and high lords trying to win her favour and trying to use her to improve their own situation in court.

Her own father and twin brother pressuring her into conceiving a son, more Lannister than Stark and who will turn them into the most powerful men in the realm.

Her own husband expecting a son. An heir. A baby boy to carry on the Stark name and to secure his place as the new ruler.

And worst of all, her husband taking mistresses during her pregnancies if not in other times too. She didn't think Ned would be capable of being unfaithful to her just as she would rather die than cheat on him, but he was a powerful man, the most powerful in the land, and among them it had always been considered fashionable to bed as many women as possible. And despite of her awareness of future indiscretions, she prayed that he would wait at least a few years before he broke her heart.

She was aware that her father was still talking, but she could only nod sporadically and as soon as her father gave her permission to leave, she practically run to her solar.

As soon as she closed the door she saw her husband leaning of the balcony and didn't doubt to run into his open arms and rest her head on his chest. There was no need for words, she only needed to feel him close to her. Who knew for how long she would be the only one there?

.

.

The next morning and too soon for Cersei's liking, her handmaidens came knocking on the door. With them also came Ned's own servants and the couple had to go their separate ways.

'Duty calls.' thought Cersei, letting her maidens lead her to her bath and select a gown for her to wear. This would be the last day she would have her faithful ladies with her, as in a few hours new ones would be presented to her.

She wanted to enjoy what little time they had together but despite her tries, she only felt sadness when they started stilyng her long hair into a tight bun and covered it all with a veil and then a hood. She wanted to beg them to leave her hair running down her back, just like her husband had always seemed to like it, but then she reminded herself that now he too was going to expect her to dress and present herself accordingly to her new status. She sighed, surrendering to her fate.

By the time she was ready, Ned was already waiting for her in their solar.

"Beautiful." – he told her as soon as she stood in front of him. Then to her surprise, he frowned.

"Is something wrong, husband?" – she asked. She had her hands in front of her and was fighting the urge to twist them nervously. 'Have I offended him already?' she asked herelf, horrified and on the verge of tears.

"No, nothing my love. Shall we?" – he said, moving one of the chairs for her to sit. She smiled at him politely and sat.

They had a quiet breakfast and soon came the time for Ned to leave. His presence was requested in the King's council and it could no longer be avoided. So he stood up and knelt beside his wife's chair, running the tips of his fingers over her long, pale neck. She sighed, closing her eyes and pressing her forehead to his.

"Would you like to go horse riding this afternoon?" – he asked his wife.

"What?" - she opened her eyes. He wasn't supposed to ask her this. Or was he trying to make her suffer with what she could no longer have?

"We haven't done it in a while. And I know you must be missing your horse."

"But... I..." - she stammered in confusion. She could see in his eyes that he was not mocking her, he looked sincere in his offer.

"I've grown used to it being just us. I need you to myself after a whole day as King Eddard." - he kissed her gently. – "I need us to be just Ned and Cersei."

"Ok." – she accepted happily, kissing him while hugging his neck and bringing him as close to her as possible.

Suddenly, she couldn't wait for it to be time for them to leave. She wanted them to be just Ned and Cersei already.

.

.

While Ned and Cersei were making plans for later, Catelyn walked around her chambers, also planning.

Using her connection as the Hand of the King's goodsister, she had learned everything about the king's routine. Of course, it had changed during his honeymoon period, but she knew that he was returning to his duties today. It was her moment to act.

And she was more than ready.

She had taken great care to choose her dress and had made her handmaiden brush her hair until it shined like liquid fire. She had also chosen her jewelry carefully, particularly a pendant that rested just between her breasts, held high by her corset.

'He won't be able to refuse me now. I actually pity the Lannister bitch. Soon, her husband is going to change her for a more suitable wife.' She thought while leaving her apartments. She had to hurry if she wanted to catch the king.

And catch him she did.

She had just turned a corner when she crashed into him and only thanks to his warrior reflexes she didn't ended up on the floor.

"Your Grace!" – she squealed, acting startled.

"Lady Catelyn." - he said, helping her regain her feet.

"I am so sorry, Your Grace." – she apologised, running her hands over his doublet, as if getting rid of any wrinkle. It was the perfect way to get close to him and give him a perfect view of her cleavage. – "I didn't mean to run like that into you." - she added worringly.

"No harm done, my lady. Are you alright?" – he asked, releasing her arms and discreetly stepping away from her.

"Yes, Your Grace." – she whispered.

"I'm glad, Lady Catelyn. Now if you'd excuse me." – he finished, bowing and leaving her standing in the hallway.

'That was odd.' Ned thought with suspiscious. But he forgot everything about her as soon as he rembered the woman he was meeting in a few hours. His woman.

Meanwhile, Catelyn make the walk back to her chambers, feeling victorious already.

'It's going to be so easy to drive him wild with desire.' She told herself, remembering the way he kept looking into her eyes the whole time. She didn't even mind that he hadn't notice her chest pressed so close to his. 'He must have been fighting so hard not to show his interest so soon after his wedding.' She rationalised.

She kept thinking this while changing her dress again.

It was time to meet the queen and offer her uninterested friendship.

.

.

A/N: New chapter and editing the next one. Hope you liked it :)