Celene found herself standing at the entrance to a great domed structure. She knew she was dreaming, especially since the building in front of her had been destroyed many years ago during one of the Targaryen wars. She had only just recently glimpsed the blackened ruin atop the Hill of Rhaenys and it had not crossed her mind to wonder what it had looked like before it had been destroyed.
The Dragonpit towered over her, reaching into the sky as if to touch the darkening clouds. The gates of the entrance stood open in invitation.
Celene felt compelled to enter, as if there was something within that she needed to see but dread held her back. She knew whatever waited inside would be a revelation of some sort and would change her life forever. What made her hesitate was that she wasn't sure she wanted to be anything other than who she already was. She was content, in a way, to be the younger daughter of Tywin Lannister. It was who she had been all her life and she wasn't sure she was strong enough to be anyone else.
There seemed to be no choice though, as her feet seemed to move of their own accord.
As Celene moved past the outer door she found herself in a corridor, facing a giant door constructed of iron. It was ajar, as if someone had left it open for her.
As before, her feet carried her forward even though her mind was whirling with uncertainty.
She noticed the warmth of the air around her and the ground changed from rammed dirt to sand beneath her bare feet.
The room she found herself in was enormous and seemed somehow bigger than it had looked from the outside.
But the majesty of the space paled in comparison to what it held.
It should have already occurred to her, what could be inside but it hadn't.
The dragon was reclining in the middle of the pit, seemingly relaxed and asleep but Celene could see a glimmer of golden iris peering between the scaly lids; it was fixed on her.
The beast's scales looked to be silver at first but as they moved with each breath of the great beast the torchlight from the walls showed them to be iridescent, the colour being not only silver but blue and green too with the different angles of light.
All fear fled as awe washed over her in a pleasant tingling sensation on her skin.
Celene moved slowly, wanting to get closer to the dragon and maybe even close enough to touch. This was her beast; she was certain it had been waiting here all along, waiting for her to come home.
After what felt like an eternity, Celene was standing right by the head of the dragon. All she had to do was reach out and rest her hand on it's scales. So she did.
The beast opened its eyes, revealing in full the golden colour she had only just seen before. A quiet rumbling noise filled the pit, wrapping around Celene like a blanket and the heat that had been building slowly suddenly exploded in intensity as fire flared all around her.
After a moment of shock Celene could see that she wasn't being affected by the flames like a normal person would be. Instead the heat felt good. It had a cleansing feeling, healing instead of destructive.
The flames dies down and disappeared completely but Celene could feel the fire still burning within her. A feeling of contentment washed over her and for the first time in her life she felt truly comfortable in her skin. Now she knew why she had never felt quite right. The dragon fire had helped her realise something.
She was a Targaryen.
Celene opened her eyes and sat bolt upright in bed. Her heart was hammering against her breast and she felt light headed, as if she might faint. Taking a deep breath seemed to help as she tried to calm down but even as her body slowly went back to normal her mind was racing as she tried to comprehend her 'dream'. Because that's all it could have been. Right?
She began to shiver as the cool night air hit her bare arms and was just reaching for her dressing gown when a soft knock sounded at her door. A second later and Tyrion was closing the door behind him, the light of the moon through the windows revealing his small form. He moved to sit in one of the chairs before the barely burning fire.
Celene joined him after adding wood to the embers to make it burn brightly. The heat and flames reminded her again of her dream and she sat down suddenly on the rug.
The twins were silent for a while, then Tyrion spoke.
"I always thought we were different to our siblings. Apart from my obvious imperfections, I never felt like one of them, a Lannister. And now I believe you have come to realise you feel the same way."
He watched his twin watch the fire dance around the logs.
Ever since his dreams had started to feel so real, Tyrion had begun to doubt his true parentage. When he was old enough to really know the true depth of hatred his father had for him he had begun to hope he was a changeling. He'd hoped he belonged to another family, greater and more powerful than the one he had been placed in. But as he had grown and matured he had reconciled with what he had and had gotten on with life.
Now, after knowing that his sister had had a dream of her own, hope sprung to life again.
"I don't know what to think. How could my dream be real? Dragons don't exist any more. And I can't imagine father would raise us as his own if he knew we were another man's offspring. He's too proud. Once mother died he could have easily left us out in the weather to die."
Tyrion scoffed.
"Yes, he's proud. Can you see him admitting to anyone that his beloved wife had an affair, especially if it happened to be with a Targaryen? There are rumours of the Mad King wanting her for himself. What if it really happened? We know she stopped visiting King's Landing all of a sudden with her last visit ending abruptly. And then less than a year later she gave birth to us."
Celene finally lifted her eyes to stare at her brother. His words had the ring of truth to them, though she wondered where he had gleaned the information from.
She sighed and told him of the vision she'd had when they entered the Great Hall for the first time. Her mind was still a jumble but she couldn't deny that she could still feel the fire burning inside her. That feeling hadn't gone away when she had woken up.
Tyrion stayed silent after she stopped speaking. His mind was working hard to process everything. Celene's vision and their dreams made him more certain than ever that he was right. He just didn't know what to do next.
"What I would really like to do is speak to another Targaryen. Or speak to someone who was at court at the same time as mother's last visit."
Tyrion sighed and got to his feet, preparing to go back to his own room.
"Ah well. I should leave you to some sleep sister. No doubt our crowned sibling will ask you to attend her tomorrow. Though if your weariness affects your looks she will be happy to be the most beautiful in the land again, if for a short time."
He winked at her and left quietly.
Celene smiled and shook her head. Before she got up from the floor an idea struck her. She turned to face the fire and raised her hand, hesitating. Then before she could think of it further she thrust her hand into the flames.
There was no pain, just heat. Her lack of surprise made her think that she had known, on some level, that she wouldn't burn. Just like in the dream.
She sighed, just as Tyrion had, and got up slowly from the floor. After draping her dressing gown over one of the chairs she got under the covers of the bed. Her mind was blessedly blank and she dropped off to sleep almost instantly, breathing in the scent of roses.
OoOoOo
Celene had just finished pinning her hair back in a braided bun at the nape of her neck when a single knock on the bedroom door sounded before it opened almost immediately.
A young woman entered and dropped into a curtsy.
"Queen Cersei would appreciate it if you could attend her this morning, my lady."
Celene turned the words over in her mind and decided that even though it sounded like a request it was more likely a command. She had no choice but to go, though it would be with reluctance. A leisurely morning of breakfast with Tyrion and exploration of the castle had been shattered but she held back the disappointed look that threatened to appear on her face. No doubt this woman was just one of the pairs of eyes her sister had around King's Landing.
So she smiled at the servant before taking a last look in the mirror and said," Of course. I'm ready to go now if you could show me the way."
The woman's face remained blank as she nodded then turned to exit the room.
Celene sighed and got up from her seat, hurrying after her guide. It reminded her of last night, when the knight had escorted her back to her bedchamber. Naturally, this brought her mind to Ned Stark and she smiled.
She spent the short trip to her sister's chambers lost in fuzzy thoughts of the Stark but when she eventually stood before her sister and curtsied the warmth fled and was replaced with a creeping coldness that made her skin prickle. Nothing was worse than being summoned by someone like her father without knowing why. And Cersei was just such a person, especially as queen.
"Good morning little sister. Come, sit with me."
Celene watched as Cersei gestured to a chair across from her at a little table laden with food. She approached slowly, noting that her sister seemed to be uninterested in the bread and fruit, only drinking from her goblet every now and then.
Once she was settled in her seat, Celene found she was reluctant to meet her sister's eyes. So she looked around the room, noticing that the colours were of house Lannister, not Baratheon. It wasn't so odd really, considering the room was obviously for Cersei's use only. It looked like it was her main chamber. She found it to be a little bit sad that after only a short time of being married that the king and queen appeared to be living in different rooms. She wondered what had happened.
It wasn't so long ago that Cersei had seemed excited to marry Robert. Part of that excitement had been due to being made The Queen but Celene had glimpsed affection and even love there too when she had spoken of the soon to be king and what their married life would be like.
The silence started to wear on the young Lannister; she felt like a mouse waiting for the cat to smack her with its paw. When she finally met Cersei's eyes she found the other woman surveying her over the rim of the goblet she held. The smell of wine hung in the air and the dark smudges under the Queen's eyes explained why she hadn't been present at dinner the night before. It appeared as if she had been hidden away in her chambers, drinking the afternoon and night away, though her voice was only very slightly slurred when she spoke.
"It's been quite some time since I last saw you Celene. So much has happened. And you've grown into a beautiful young woman. Father must be proud."
She snorted into her goblet at some private joke, then took a long drink.
"And now here you are, sent to the Capital to be given to the highest bidder. Just like me."
Her eyes glazed over as she stared past her sister at some invisible scene, or perhaps she saw nothing and was lost inside herself instead.
Celene shifted uncomfortably in her chair, wondering if she should leave. It was obvious that Cersei was rather drunk. It was out of character for her to talk in this way. Loss of control was not something she indulged in very often and certainly not in front of anyone.
Before she could move, the Queen snapped out of her trance and leant back in her chair, reclining as if she had no care in the world.
"I'm pregnant again. I haven't told anyone yet. Not even Robert."
She giggled, sounding a little mad.
"This one's going to have black hair, I know it will. I don't know how he managed it this time but he finally got me pregnant."
A booming knock on the door startled them both. A man servant entered the chamber and bowed.
"Your Grace. My lady. The King asks that Lady Celene meet with him right away."
Cersei sat up straight again.
"He knows that I am currently breakfasting with my sister? It has been too long since I saw her, the king can see her this afternoon."
The man servant bowed again before holding up a piece of parchment.
"I am sorry your Grace but he says it is important that he sees the lady now."
Cersei opened her mouth to argue further but instead she seemed to deflate as she settled back into her chair. She waved her hand dismissively, not even bothering to ask what was written on the paper. She turned her emerald eyes to her sister.
"Go. The king wants what the king wants. Perish the thought that anything I want or say is more important."
Celene got to her feet quickly and searched for something, anything to say. All she could manage was a nod which went by unobserved. Cersei had her eyes closed as she rested her head on her hand. She looked calm but her jaw was clenched as she ground her teeth together.
After another short walk through the halls of the Red Keep, Celene found herself sitting alone in the king's study. In front of her was a massive table made from mahogany. It was a very dark brown-red colour and shone as if it had just been polished. Some papers were scattered on the top but mostly the table held empty platters and goblets. Scraps of silk were here and there as well. The refuse told a story of what the king filled his days with; food, drink and women.
The rest of the room was much like her father's study at home. Bookcases were built into the walls, except the wall behind the table which was lined with floor to ceiling windows. The books looked like they hadn't been disturbed for quite some time. They were all neatly placed on the shelves and looked to be more for decoration than reading.
The only other things in the room were the rugs on the floor and a large chandelier that hung from the centre of the ceiling.
Celene sighed and slouched a little. She was getting tired of visiting with people this morning, royalty or not. And she was hungry. She regretted not eating anything during her brief meeting with Cersei but the food on the table had seemed more like a prop than anything else. She didn't know why it had felt that way. Even though she had been in King's Landing for less than a day, Celene sensed that what she saw and heard was only the surface of things. There was more to everything that happened in this place and she knew she would never grasp it all.
Her thoughts drifted to her sister and the small amount of one sided conversation they had had.
She knew that Cersei doted on the not yet one year old Joffrey, the nephew she had yet to meet. She had always dreamed of a large family, first with Rhaegar and then with Robert. It was very important to her to be surrounded by family. 'Creating a dynasty' was what she had called it.
So it seemed odd that she would be teetering on the edge of hysterical behaviour at the idea of bearing another child. Celene felt like she was missing something, an important detail that her sister had unwittingly revealed in her drunken stupor but it alluded her for the moment. All she could think of was how unhappy Cersei was, even though she had apparently gotten everything she desired. It made her wonder how bad it would be if you got nothing but disappointment out of your arranged marriage. What kind of life would that be?
The sound of the door banging on the wall as it was opened with force jerked her out of her thoughts. Feeling nervous, she clasped her hands in her lap but then realised she should have gotten and curtsied as King Robert walked into her view to sit on the other side of the table. He didn't seem to notice as he bid her good morning.
"I'm sure you know that your father sent along some letters with your party. Most of it was empty enquiries of this and that but one thing he asked was that I find a husband for you."
He paused, then seeing that his good sister wasn't about to faint from the somewhat expected revelation he continued.
"There was a list of suitable candidates included. My Hand has read it but I see no need to bother with boring twaddle. Ned is the choice I've made and he's got no objections. Apart from wanting to travel North for the ceremony but since we have a godswood here, I see no reason to delay."
A servant entered carrying a tray with a pair of goblets and a jug of wine. It seemed everyone imbibed no matter what the time of day was. It contrasted starkly with Casterly Rock. Wine of any kind rarely flowed there and only at large gatherings. And Celene had never seen her father touch a drop of the drink.
A cup was offered to her after the king had drained half of his drink but she declined. Her stomach was churning with a mixture of warring feelings: anxiety and excitement. She wasn't sure what she should be feeling. It was happening too fast really. She knew she should feel afraid as well. In the space of a few weeks her life had gone from quiet solitude with only Tyrion for company to a flurry of people and events that were moving too fast for her to be able to catch up to them.
Tyrion!
She sat forward in her seat. Worry joined the mix in her belly.
"Your Grace. What will happen to Tyrion once I'm married? Would he be allowed to come with me?"
King Robert stared at her for a moment then burst into noisy laughter.
Celine's face flushed with irritation. Why was her concern for her brother a source of amusement for some and scorned by others?
She pressed her lips into a thin line, her eyes sparkling as her irritation turned to anger while she waited for the king to calm down. He downed another cup of wine before he noticed the frosty attitude of his good sister.
"Your father should have brought you to King's Landing sooner. Shutting you up in that dank old castle has done you more harm than good."
He nodded, almost to himself as his thoughts sped past what he'd said already.
"Aye, I'll make sure to give you a wedding that'll be talked of for years to come, a feast to rival the one my own daughter would have one day."
Celene's anger drained away slowly. She realised there was no point being angry with such a man. He was only interested in his own thoughts and pursuits. Her thoughts turned to the coming days and everything that would need her attention. New clothing would be a top priority. Everything she owned was for a southern climate; she would freeze in the snows of the North if she didn't get more appropriate things.
Both of them were lost in their own thoughts for a moment until the king slammed a hand down on his desk, startling not only Celene but the serving boy who stood by waiting with the jug of wine.
Robert rose from his seat and strode to the door, opened it and left the room without another word.
The serving boy stood as if stuck to the floor for a moment then snapped into motion, running after the king without spilling a drop of wine.
The air seemed to rush back into the room at the great man's exit and Celene felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her.
She decided to find her brother and some food before someone else wanted her to sit with them and listen to whatever seemed to pop into their head. Her mind was too full of the marriage to come and her husband to be. For the moment her dream had been pushed to the back of her mind and it was like she had almost forgotten that she might not be a Lannister after all.
