JOANNA

Joanna both loved tourney's and hated them at the same time. She loved the idea of them, her uncle had taught her how to fight and joust away from the prying eyes of her mother. After an 8 year old Joana had expressed her annoyance that Joffrey was allowed to fight but she wasn't, Jaime took it upon himself to teach his favourite niece how to handle a sword. She was a natural and soon she surpassed Joffrey in ability, unbeknown to everyone except her teacher.

She loved watching others fight, she could analyse their techniques and practice them with Uncle Jaime. However it also made her jealous seeing others fight whilst she just sat there looking pretty.

In the end it came down to four; the Hound and his monstrous brother Gregor, Jaime Lannister the Kingslayer, Joanna's favourite to win, and Ser Loras Tyrell, the youth they called the Knight of Flowers.

Ser Loras was the youngest son of Mace Tyrell, the Lord of Highgarden and Warden of the South. At sixteen, he was the youngest rider on the field, yet he had unhorsed three knights of the Kingsguard that morning in his first three jousts. Joanna imagined that if her heart wasn't already Joffrey's she would be quite taken with the young knight. His plate was intricately fashioned and enameled as a bouquet of a thousand different flowers, and his snow-white stallion was draped in a blanket of red and white roses. After each victory, Ser Loras would remove his helm and ride slowly round the fence, and finally pluck a single white rose from the blanket and toss it to some fair maiden in the crowd.

His last match of the day was against the younger Royce. Ser Robar's ancestral runes proved small protection as Ser Loras split his shield and drove him from his saddle to crash with an awful clangor in the dirt. Robar lay moaning as the victor made his circuit of the field. Finally they called for a litter and carried him off to his tent, dazed and unmoving. Ser Loras rode round to the seating area, pulling a single rose from his blanket and stopping in front of the Royal family. Much to Joanna's surprise he stopped in front of her, his armour shimmering in the sunlight.

To the other maidens he had given white roses, but the one he plucked for her was red. "Sweet lady," he said, "no victory is half so beautiful as you."

Joanna sat stunned at the open affection. A few knights had shown her attention before, usually followed by a quick exit after Joffrey talked to them. However Joanna had spoken to Ser Loras before and she knew that he was one of the suitors that the King was considering. His hair was a mass of lazy brown curls, his eyes like liquid gold. She inhaled the sweet fragrance of the rose and sat clutching it long after Ser Loras had ridden off. Quickly glancing to the side Joanna was not surprised to see a look of immense hatred and anger across her brothers face. Loras was a Tyrell, which meant that he was unique in power. His sister was married to her Uncle Renly and Joffrey couldn't threaten him without there being serious consequences. But Joanna on the other hand, Joffrey could get angry at. His love for her didn't dent his possessive jealousy.

After the tourney Joanna excused herself from her family and went in search of Ser Loras to thank him for his favour. She may be completely dedicated to Joffrey but she did appreciate a handsome man when she saw one.

Someone grabbed her arm and pulled her into a tent aggressively, Joanna almost stumbling over her own feet. She barely had time to register that it was her brother before he pushed his lips against hers.

The shock almost caused her to struggle but as Joffrey's hands wandered south her resistance vanished. Joffrey's hands firmly grasped her hips and kept her from pulling away. Though it had been weeks since he had been this attentive so she wasn't going to complain.

"I don't want you… talking to the Tyrell. Even if… the rumours about his preferences… for men… are true then I don't want… him anywhere near you. You are… mine… and until fathers forces you… to marry I won't… share you." Joffrey mumbled between kisses.

Normally Joanna would make a witty and rebellious comment which she knew would annot Joffrey. But Loras was one of the only suitors who Joanna knew would be a good match. She was fairly certain that he would rather be having a relationship with Uncle Renly but as long as they produced one son then they could both ignore eachother.

"Loras is nice, Joffrey. Besides, he prefers men, so if we have an heir then we could both pursue other romantic interests. Which means I can still be with you." Joanna explained, stroking her brothers face caringly.

"If you think I am happy with this then you are mistaken. If your future husband so much as glances at another person, male or female, then I will not hesitate to cut him with his own sword from balls to brain." Joffrey threatened menacingly, his eyes glowing with anger.

Joanna pulled away from her brother, opening the tent curtain. "We better go before anyone becomes suspicious."

Joffrey left the tent and a few moments later Joanna joined him. She barely made it three paces when a voice stopped her.

"Does anyone know about this?"

Joanna spun round to see Ned Stark standing at the edge of the tent, having heard everything that happened in the tent.

Words failed Joanna as she stared helplessly. Her heart raced as her brain struggled to process the situation. She had never truly imagine what would happen if they were ever caught, but she knew it wouldn't be good.

"I can't begin to understand your feelings but this must stop. End this thing you have with your brother and I won't report this atrocity to your father." The Hand of the King said without blinking, his grey eyes staring into her soul unflinchingly.

"Yes Lord Stark." Princess Joanna Baratheon lied. She may be a Baratheon but she was also a Lannister. Ned Stark had just angered a lioness and he was going to hear her roar.

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUH. When I began writing this chapter I hadn't planned on Ned finding out but my evil mind just had to make everything harder for Joanna. From now on the story will begin to deviate from canon drastically. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.