3 weeks she had spent in her cell, with no way to record the passing of time other than how often she hungered. No matter how much she screamed to be released or at least to see her daughter her attempts were futile. The only person she had been permitted to see was an overweight woman who persisted in her torment of the young woman.

Every day she would come to her cell with food and water which Joanna would only be allowed if she confessed to her crimes. Of course she denied them, she was accused of incest, a crime which could have her executed. As much as she wanted to be with her family she didn't want to risk death, she knew she had to stay strong and resilient.

The lack of nourishment had weakened her considerably especially since she still wasn't fully recovered from her poisoning and giving birth. Soon even moving an inch tired her so she took to sitting curled in the corner, where she had claimed as her bed. There was no separate to relieve herself so she'd done that in the opposite corner. This kind of living was completely foreign to Joanna, the closest she's ever been to this was when she was returning to Kings Landing after freeing her uncle. Even then it had been nothing compared to this, which but her entire life into perspective. She desperately wanted a bath, something that before had been daily, now seemed like a distant memory.

Narrow-mindedly she had believed that Joffrey and their relationship was in the past, something to be recalled fondly in her old age. It wasn't that she didn't still love Joffrey, every fibre of her being still cared for him. However now that he was gone she could see how much better everyone's lives were. Even the servants no longer had to fear for their lives on a daily basis. Joanna loved him and it was with her that his good traits came out but even she had to admit that he wasn't a good person despite how they were together. Joffrey used to only allow her to talk to certain people, including their own family and recently she had improved relations with all their kin.

Her relationship with Cersei was slightly more complicated. Her mourning period had mostly ended by the time Joanna had recovered from the poisoning though it was obvious her mother would never be back to normal after losing a child.

Loren now filled the gap caused by Joffrey's death and Joanna even swore that she had saw Cersei laugh once or twice.

Aside from Loren she probably missed her mother the most, a mothers love was without doubts and hesitation and it was exactly what Joanna needed right now.

Curled in her cell she ran her fingers through her limp greasy hair and saw her mothers hair, looked at her pale, sun-deprived skin and imagined her mothers creamy hands.

The large, heavy doors that kept her imprisoned opened with a creak. She lacked the energy to look towards it but she could hear a woman's voice before she was lifted up slightly. Craning her eyes up to look at her visitor she saw an angel. Golden hair cascaded around her head and a heavenly smile.

"Joanna..." The angel whispered, stroking her cheek carefully. A cup was placed to her lips and she felt water run down her throat, quenching her thirst and hydrating her cracked lips. "It's your mother, can you hear me?"

The angel turned into Cersei and her heart soared. She was being rescued, she was finally going to see Loren again and leave this terrible cell.

"Mother... Are you here to rescue me?" She managed to stammer but watching the expression on her mothers face broke her hopes.

Cersei shook her head sadly and kissed Joanna's forehead softly. "I'm so sorry, darling. Despite the ridiculousness of their accusations they won't release you. Tommen and I have been doing everything we can and trust me, we will get you out of here."

Pulling herself into a seated position Joanna rested her head against her mother as if she was a small child once more, as if she wasn't imprisoned.

"I don't know what's going to happen to me. They won't let me leave until I confess but then I could be imprisoned for life or even executed." She voiced her fears as she checked to see if any of her jailers were nearby.

"Don't confess to anything. You're innocent and have nothing to hide."

It shocked Joanna that there were still people in her family who didn't know the truth or at least suspect it. Hearing the accusations should have answered so many questions that surrounded her and Joffrey so how could Cersei be that blind. In a way it reminded her of her grandfather who didn't accept the truth of her parents relationship despite all the evidence.

Meeting her eyes Joanna took a deep breath and told the truth for the first time in ages. "It's true. I'm guilty of everything they accuse me of."

There was complete silence for several seconds and Joanna was more scared than she had ever been in her life. She worked so hard to earn her family's approval that she didn't know what she would do if her mother abandoned her.

"But that would mean..." She began cautiously.

"Loren is Joffrey's, conceived the night before the weddings. I'm so sorry mother, I should have told you."

"No." Cersei announced. "Don't apologise, I should have seen it earlier, the signs were all there. I don't know how I was so blind to it."

Unable to stop herself Joanna replied. "Just as Grandfather was to you and Uncle Jaime."

The fact that the truth of their relationship was known even by her own daughter was a surprise to Cersei who struggled to form sentences. "You... knew? For how long."

"Since I returned from the Riverlands, Uncle Jaime confirmed it for me."

With no suitable reply and no desire to change the topic of conversation the mother and daughter sat in silence until Cersei was escorted out of the cell and Joanna was once again alone.