Author's Note: So far, I am enjoying writing ideas about this story. I hope I get more reads and reviews soon. But anyway, here's chapter 1. I still don't own Game of Thrones or any of the characters (with a few exceptions). Enjoy!
Long Live the Boy-King
Chapter One: Nightmares in the Morning
"You'll never be king." His voice echoed on my walls. There's always something in his voice. A dash of malice and cruelty, perfect recipe for a walking nightmare. "You'll never be king." He repeated over and over again. I covered my ears but his voice penetrated through my brain leaving me even more horrified. It wasn't long before his voice formed a body. Golden hair, unusually pale skin, green hateful eyes, wicked grin all dressed up like a king. Even his hands had rings of gold.
"Get out, Joffrey! Get out of my head!" I screamed at him but he didn't listen. He never listens to anyone but himself. This angers him. I can see it in his eyes and the way his lips curl up into a sadistic beam. He took one step forward, closing in on me. I tried to get away from him but the wall's blocking my way.
I feel the tears pooling on my eyes. "Princes don't cry. How much more if you are to be king?"
I tried to push him but my hands were frozen on my sides. I can't move any of my limbs. He keeps on walking forward, fists balling on his sides ready to punch me or slap me. He'll hurt me again. He'll hurt me, give me bruises and scratches. And I can't do anything about it.
"You'll never be king!" I closed my eyes and waited for his fists to connect with my face but it never did. Instead, I heard loud choking noises. I opened my eyes again and saw him on his knees. His eyes turning red as if to pop out of his head anytime. Veins on his cornea started to show and tears escaped from his orbs. His cheeks gradually became purple and swollen like a grape. It's horrible. And blood… Blood trickled out of his nose and created deep harsh lines as they rolled down his face. His mouth spit out frothing vomit.
"Joffrey?" I asked silently.
One of his hands clasped his neck and one pointed at me.
"You… ughk… will… ughk… never be… ughk… king!" Then he grabbed me by my collar and pulled me close to collide with his face.
Tommen's Point of View
I gasped loudly as I wake up from my nightmare. I can't have this again. The images of Joffrey dying keeps on creeping up at me during my slumber. I can't see his dying face again. I just can't. I thought he was dead but the memory of him still lives in my mind. The way his hands grab and punch me when I do something that annoys him. His voice lingers through my ears like it was only yesterday that he keeps on shouting at me for knocking on his chamber door. I have to get him out of my head. I have to forget Joffrey and his dying face. If I don't, I might die a lunatic.
I slapped my face and head several times trying to calm down. "No." I'm awake now but the thought of Joffrey emerging from the darkness still haunts me. "No!" I finally shouted through the night. No one could hear me. No one but the moon outside my window. At least the moon would not snicker at me for being pathetic or weak. I felt hot tears roll down my face. I can't hold them back any longer so I kept on crying into the sheets and pillows. "You're dead, Joffrey," I whispered to myself. "You're dead and you can't hurt me anymore." At least, not physically. I wiped away the salty tears from my cheeks and lit up a candle on my bedside table.
The flame illuminated the room partially. It must be midnight. I looked around and made sure that I am truly awake. No Joffrey. No blood. No horror. Then, I heard a purring sound on the bottom of my bed. I carefully pushed away my blankets and called out for my friend.
"Ser Pounce? Where are you?"
Ser Pounce, my cat, hopped up my bed and rested on my leg. He stared at me with his beady eyes as if asking me a question. He always has this look on him, curiosity and kindness. Two looks that I rarely see from a real human being. I stroked his head gently earning a soft purr from him before closing his eyes.
"Yes, I'm okay, Ser Pounce." I told him. I stopped petting him and he crawled next to me in my bed, turning into a ball of fur. His perked up ears lowered, indicating a sign of peacefulness in him. "It's just a nightmare. It can't hurt me." I whispered more to myself than to my furry companion. Joffrey is dead. He can't hurt me anymore. I blew the flame out and see the white smoke rise up from the candle before lying back down again covered in blankets. Joffrey is dead. He can't hurt me anymore. I repeated those words in my head before submitting to sleep.
Cersei's Point of View
Nothing is more comfortable than slippers with velvet insides. It's like walking with clouds for feet. These are the little things that I particularly find fondness of. That is, before my life made a sudden sharp turn, taking a path to nothing but trouble and despair. All I wanted was to live in a castle with my King husband. All I wanted was a perfect marriage in which I kiss him whenever I want to and he would kiss me back with pure passion. All I wanted was having beautiful and smart children whom I'll love all my life. All I wanted was a happy life.
But my life, as it turns out, is a big but, unfortunately, however.
I was wedded to Robert Baratheon, one of the bravest men that I knew. I thought he was going to be the perfect husband. He was going to be brave, handsome, and loving, I told myself. Oh, he was brave, alright. He could kill a man with only one hand and eyes closed. He was not too bad in the eyes, too. His brown hair and twinkly eyes were his greatest features. And he was loving. Too loving, in fact. But… he didn't love me. I thought he did but every time I kiss him, he'll pull away and whisper her name. I would pretend I didn't hear because the night will end, I told myself. The night will end with me on my chambers crying and wishing I was that Stark girl.
Just when I started thinking that I could get by with his whispers, that's when worse things happen. I knocked on his chamber doors one afternoon to offer him some cakes and wine. I even pushed myself to invite him for a walk. But… I heard him moaning and shouting out in pleasure. When I opened the door, I saw a naked whore riding him like he was nothing but a horse. And he loved it. I pushed away the slut and pulled her hair and slapped her face. I shouted for her to get out and never come back but he grabbed me by my shoulders, pinning me against the wall. He shouted at me, told me to shut up. Then, he slapped me across the face as if it didn't hurt at all. Is this because our first child didn't survive? Does he think that I could not give him another one? He's seeking pleasure from other women because I can't give it to him, is that it?
That was the moment I knew he would continue doing this to me, hurting me and playing with me. That was the moment I knew what it feels like to care and not care at all at the same time. So, I got out and went straight to find comfort. Little did I know that that would be my brother, Jaime.
Ever since I was birthed in this world, Jaime has been my companion, from the womb until now. He is the perfect example of a knight in shining armor. He does everything to protect those who need protection especially his family. We were sixteen, then, when we randomly decided to take a stroll around Casterly Rock's gardens. He took my hand as we look around the roses and carnations decorating the paths to our secret place. Our place.
"What?" I asked him when I saw his eyes fixed on my face. He was watching me stroke the vines crawling on the marble statues. I instantly wiped away my cheeks, thinking that there must be something on my face. He laughed when I did that. Up close, I could see the crinkles forming on his eyes and forehead when he laughs. His pearly white teeth showing and all.
"What? What are you laughing about?" I said again with a hint of annoyance on my voice. He senses my irritation and stopped immediately. It's amazing how his face transforms from a laughing angel to a brave man in a matter of seconds.
"I just…" he started, clearly picking up the right words in his mind. "I just thought you look like mother. You know, with your hair, that is." I turned away from him slightly and felt my cheeks burn up. I asked myself why I felt that way. I shouldn't feel butterflies in my stomach. Jaime is my brother and it would be wrong for me to feel this way for him. And if father finds out, we would sure be dead. I walked away from him to calm myself down. But he was too fast and blocked the way I was taking out of the gardens.
"Did I say something wrong?" Jaime asked. His eyes full of wary.
"No, you didn't. I think it's time for us to be back in the castle. You still have your lessons, right?" I tried my best to change the topic. This conversation shouldn't continue. It's wrong and sinful. Stop this, Cersei. Jaime is your brother.
He opened his mouth to speak but closed it instantly. He took one step forward and I held my breath. "Jaime…" I whispered to him. "Shh… Don't worry." He told me. His voice was sickly sweet. We were inches apart when I closed my eyes. It was only a few seconds before our lips collided. I shouldn't kiss him back but my body had a mind of its own. His tongue pleaded to enter and I let him. Electricity shot up in me when his hands moved to my face. Then lower… and lower… until he cupped my breast with his left hand. I need to stop myself.
"Jaime!" I broke the kiss and pushed him hard. He stumbled back but remained standing. My eyes widened at the sudden realization that my brother kissed me and I kissed him back. I feel disgusting. I feel like such a disgrace to the Lannister name. "Why did you do that?" I asked him loudly, tears starting to form in my eyes.
"Cersei, I'm…" He took a step forward with his hand raised as if to touch my cheek, to comfort me.
"Don't! Don't… touch me." I said. Tears were already streaming down my face. What if father finds out? He would be angry. Very angry. We shouldn't have done it. It's so wrong. My mind made up ugly scenarios if my father finds out. I could never let him hurt me or spit out horrible words at me because I've had enough of that. "Why did you do it?" I finally managed to ask Jaime. I can't look at him because all I see is my own reflection, disgusting and sinful.
"I… Cersei…" I heard him struggle. "You know… Targaryen siblings… they have relationships together to strengthen their bonds, to make sure that they preserve their own bloodline—"
"I don't care about them! We are not Targaryens, Jaime. Lannister is our name. Answer my damn question now!" My voice shook. I didn't mean to sound broken or weak in front of the golden Lannister child that is my brother. It's pathetic. I forced myself to look at him directly in the eye, hoping that I would claw out the answer from his mind.
"Because… because I love you, Cersei."
Silenced enveloped us and it sure was awkward. I don't know how to act, how to feel. I felt like whatever I was going to do, it would make our situation worse. I love Jaime, my brother. But do I love him in the way that he loves me? Should I listen to him? Should I love him back?
I can't answer my own questions out loud because my lips captured his again. I kissed him once more and he kissed me back. Starting that day, he would visit me in my chambers and touch me wherever he felt like touching me. Months passed when I flowered for the first time. I had my septa brewing me copious amounts of moon tea to prevent possible accidents with Jaime. No one should know what we're doing especially now that he took my maidenhead. I'm not fit to be a proper wife if anyone knows. We did that every night, made sinful, blissful love in the dark.
When my father announced my betrothal to Robert, Jaime figured we'd put stop it. He joined the Kingsguard and vowed never to marry. I agreed with his proposal and never touched him again. We even tried to avoid each other, hoping that if we did, we might put the past behind us and carry on with our new lives. What a joke.
Now, I'm running towards him for comfort after finding out about Robert's lustful acts. He joined me in my chambers and hugged me as I cried into his arms. He listened to me, made me feel better. One look from him and I was instantly brought back to Casterly Rock, back to the gardens where we first kissed. I let him do that to me again. I let him kiss me and touch me and make me feel good. I brewed more moon tea and made loved to him more without the King knowing. I told myself that if he can fool around behind my back, I can, too. That went on for months, Jaime and I doing sinful acts. But I was happy. I thought that if we kept on doing this, I would feel fine. After all, I've got two men in my life; the King who gave me power and my brother who gave me pleasure.
Unfortunately... after months of secret meetings in chambers, the moon tea refrained from taking effect. I stopped bleeding for two months, when I told Jaime about what is happening to me, he calmly conversed with me. He told me not to be scared. If we were smart, he said, we could get away with it.
That night, I got Robert drunk, enough to let him think that I am that Stark girl. I undressed him and touched him for the first time in a few months. The morning after that all he remembered was my face and his clothes scattered around his chambers. Jaime was right. We did get away with it. Soon we had Joffrey, then Myrcella, and Tommen. They were not Robert's children but he's too foolish and drunk to notice that. I didn't care as long as my secrets are kept between myself and my brother. No one suspected a thing. And anyone who did, died.
Only days after King Robert's death, my first son, Joffrey, claimed the throne. He was perfect to sit on the Iron Throne and have his crown sitting on top of his head. He was stubborn, yes, but I'd rather have my stubborn child rule the Seven Kingdoms and have the Lannister name plastered on the walls than have one of Robert's black-haired bastards be glorified. I can't let that happen. The Realm is in much better protection of my beautiful son.
However… the war was starting and my brother, Tyrion the Imp, decided to ship my only daughter off to Dorne where she is to be protected, he said. I was furious, of course! I am a mother and to have my only sweet rose be taken away from me was like putting hundreds of thorns in my skin. But I can't do anything about it. As much as it pains me to admit it, Tyrion might be right. He might be in safer hands. I got all my worries off of my chest when my son won the war against Stannis. My sweet boy protected our city. My sweet sweet Joffrey.
However… during the day of his wedding to the Tyrell whore, he was poisoned. Right in the middle of the royal event, my son choked and bled in front of his people. I lost him that day. I lost him to some sick stuff poured into his wine. I mourned for him for nights. I never prayed to the gods because I know they couldn't bring my sweet child back to life. All I can do for now is cry and whisper his name as I reminisce stroking his golden hair. All I can do for now is remember what it felt like to see him smiling at me on his crib the first day I ever called him 'Joffrey'. All I can do for now is to be sad.
But I can't lose my faith and give in to weakness. I still have my second son, Tommen, to rule the Seven Kingdoms. He is not as strong or as admirable as his brother but the Lannister blood, my blood, still runs through his veins. And if I squint hard enough, I might just see Joffrey in his face.
"Your Grace?" I heard one of the handmaidens call for me. "Are you alright? The King is waiting for you to have breakfast with him."
I snapped out of my trance and ascended from my seat. "Don't you dare tell me my duties again. Or else, I will have your head mounted on the wall over there." I said gesturing to the wall directly in front of my bed. "Leave me." She hurriedly curtsied and exited the door. I love having this power over them. I am the lion and they are the scared little sheep trying to survive.
I took one last glance in the mirror and fixed my hair before heading out of my chambers to meet my son.
Author's Note: So that is the first chapter! I hope you guys liked it. I'm focusing more on Cersei in this first chapter and knowing more of her story as it is essential for the chapters to come. Don't worry, the next chapters are going to be more about Tommen. Don't forget to favorite and leave a review!