JON

"I bet she wants to intimidate her by receiving her here rather than in a private setting," Lord Renly softly said.

"I don't bet," Lord Stannis replied.

Understanding who the 'she' the master of laws referred to was, Jon glanced at the queen, who haughtily looked at the courtiers from her place near the throne. Her children stood beside her chair. It had taken Jon many years to realize something was wrong, but now that he knew he was astonished that no one else saw it. Then again: the less people understood, the more chance he and Lord Stannis had to right the wrong on their own terms. He wondered what Ser Barristan, standing behind the king, would do if he knew. Would he be an ally?

"It's been a while since you weren't seated there, Lord Hand," Lord Renly said.

"I'm comfortable standing here, Lord Renly," Jon softly and curtly replied. He tried to communicate that it were best to be silent with the king having an audience, but the topic Robert was handling wasn't important and it didn't take long or Lord Baelish asked Varys after Lady Lannister. "What can you tell me about her? She hasn't been here in years, has she?"

"Indeed. It is said that after giving birth to a still born child the lady's health has been poor."

"It has been twenty-five years since that unfortunate day, hasn't it?"

"Yes indeed. But what do we men know about the workings of the female body?"

Lord Renly snorted at that. Like the other Council members he kept his gaze at the Iron Throne and when he spoke he barely moved his lips. "She must be strong enough for the journey now, though Her Grace believes her to travel by wheelhouse. She thinks her lord father sent her away because he can't stand weakness: our queen is convinced that her mother suffered a stroke."

"Ser Jaime believes that Lady Lannister lost her memory," Varys said.

"And she comes to King's Landing to regain it? She hasn't set foot here in years has she? That makes one wonder as to how much of her memory she lost."

"I fear for the worst Lord Baelish, especially since my little birds told me that Her Grace prefers her lady mother to have stayed at Casterly Rock," Varys offered. "When Lady Lannister visited King's Landing to admire the new-born crown-prince, the queen made her leave within a week and she never allowed her to see Prince Joffrey."

Jon recalled that. Back then he hadn't spared a thought on it, thinking it to be a women's thing. Right now Varys's words gave him the shivers.

"Did she?" Baelish said. "It saddens me to think there might be an argument between our gracious queen and her lady mother."

"I feel the same way. We must be kind and helpful to the lady."

"You arrived here after she'd left for Casterly Rock, didn't you Varys?"

"Indeed Lord Renly. But I wouldn't be a master of whisperers if certain tales about her days at the court of the dragons were unknown to me."

The king meanwhile had handled another court matter and the next applicant was about to step forward to plead his case, when the doors opened and Lady Lannister, accompanied by her son, the Grand Maester, Ser Gerion and several nobles from the Westerlands, entered. The court awed at the sight of her.

"She's very well preserved. Maybe she bathes in the gold her husband shits, what do you think Stannis?" Renly asked.

Stannis didn't comment. Jon wasn't surprised that Baelish chuckled.

JAIME

Jaime had reminded his sister that she'd felt the need to keep Mother away from court, cautiously leaving unspoken why that was so. "Everything she says now will be considered the ramblings of a crazy woman," Cersei had predicted.

Jaime had escorted his lady mother through King's Landing. On greeting him she had shown more emotion than he was used to her displaying in public: she'd caressed his hair and face and admitted that the last time she recalled seeing him, he'd been seven years old. It became clear though that she was her intelligent self and that made Jaime happy. It wasn't until they'd entered the Throne Room and he saw the dark haired oaf, his glorious sister and the three golden children that he felt a pain in his bowels. Keeping a close look at his mother he concluded that she saw nothing out of the ordinary. Uncle Gerion had never spotted it either, had he? Should mother remark how the princes and the princess resembled their mother, he'd simply joke that in that respect Cersei had something in common with Lady Stark, most of whose children were said to have the Tully countenance.

After welcoming his good-mother King Robert briefly handled the remaining court matters and after that the members of the Small Council were introduced to Lady Lannister. Robert first introduced his Hand and after that Mother greeted the commander of the kingsguard. "Yours is a face that hasn't changed Ser Barristan. I'm grateful that His Grace has you to rely on."

Ser Barristan merely inclined his head in reply, but Jaime sensed that the great knight felt pleased.

"This is my youngest brother, Lord Renly. Master of laws and Lord of Storm's End."

"I heard you being described as the most fashionable courtier and I must say I've never seen a man dress more exquisitely than you do."

Jaime wasn't sure whether or not Mother was mocking the master of laws for her smile seemed genuinely admiring. Renly beamed at her and offered to assist her should she want to get in touch with present day styles. Mother, who wore a gown that was the height of fashion, replied that she would take him up on that offer.

"My brother Stannis," Robert boomed. "Master of ships."

"Lord Stannis. I've heard of your excellence as master of ships. You resemble your lord father in appearance."

"He does, a bit," the king agreed. "This is Lord Baelish, master of coin."

"A man of whom I heard much."

"Good things I hope," Baelish said with a charming smile.

"Absolutely."

"I'd say that King's Landing was deprived of you for too long my lady. Just like Lord Renly I'd like to offer you my services."

"Trying to make yourself likeable Baelish? Beware Lady Lannister he can charm the Maiden herself," the king said.

"I have nothing to fear then," Mother replied. Jaime felt that she wouldn't have said that had Father been present. The laughter of the king, his youngest brother and Lord Baelish caused Cersei, who was the centre of a group of female courtiers, to cast him an angry glance, as if he could be held responsible for the merriment. The royal children weren't present anymore.

"What can you tell me about Lord Varys Your Majesty?"

The eunuch, who'd stood so silently that Jaime had forgotten about his presence, inclined his head for being acknowledged.

"My master of whisperers is my eyes and ears, aren't you Varys?"

"Indeed I am Your Grace. And I hope to be of good service to you. In fact…"

Varys gestured at some foreigners and Robert sighed. "Kingly business awaits. Come Jon, let's see what they want. My lady."

Mother inclined her head to the oaf and talked to the remaining council members. Just when Jaime thought that he'd worried for nought about Mother seeing Cersei's children, Baelish asked whether Princess Myrcella reminded her of Her Grace.

"My granddaughter resembles her mother in looks, but she seems as calm as her paternal grandfather."

"Ah!" Pycelle exclaimed. "Well spotted my lady. Lord Steffon was a patient, calm man."

"Perhaps you are too modest Lady Lannister," Baelish said. "The princess might very well have inherited her calmness from her Westerlands' grandmother."

"Modesty is not a trait I'm known for Lord Baelish."

The only one who didn't smile or laugh at that was Lord Stannis. When shortly afterwards Mother announced that she cared to retire, Varys told her that he'd personally made sure that she would be comfortable. Before Pycelle could delay her leaving Jaime offered his mother his arm. Cersei, on seeing that Mother wanted to walk toward her, turned her back to her to pay attention to some hitherto neglected courtier.

Mother smoothly changed course toward an exit. "Mors, Myra and Alyn gave me presents to hand to you," she told him, nodding at various lords and ladies. If she was aware of the fact that she was the talk of the Throne Room, she didn't show it: she mentioned how kind his children had been to her after her concussion. Jaime was by now fully convinced that she had seen nothing to worry about in the very Lannister faces of Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen. On arriving in his mother's apartment he therefore didn't anticipate being kneed in the groin.

"I thought I was tired, but I now feel that the excitement of seeing you and your twin will keep me awake for some time," Mother said, her words covering the cries of pain that escaped him. "Will you join me for a stroll?"

Jaime would much rather hide himself in a snake pit. His lady mother gave him time to recover by going through her luggage to find the presents she'd mentioned while chatting about her journey to King's Landing. She only stopped talking about that when they'd reached a remote part of the garden where she seated herself on a simple wooden bench.

"There's a lovely sitting area over there," Jaime pointed out, eager to delay the onslaught. His balls still hurt.

"I like the clear view from here. Behind those lovely rose bushes and lovely trees over there lovely spies may hide."

She handed him Myra's letter. "Read this while answering my questions."

It took Jaime a moment to focus on his daughter's words.

"How many know?"

"I don't know," Jaime whispered, not even bothering to claim not to know what Mother was talking about. "The king doesn't."

"Obviously. Varys will know. Baelish too: 'Westerlands' grandmother!'"

Alyn and I went fishing Father, but we didn't catch anything.

"He's a small man," Jaime objected.

"Your father told me he's cunning."

"How did he respond to your…"

"Don't change the topic boy. Who else might know?"

Jaime shrugged and fell his mother's nails sink into his arm. Gone was the loving mother who'd hugged him at the Lion Gate. Gone was the regal lady he'd seen in the Throne Room. Lady Lannister had turned into a lioness on the hunt.

I like history classes.

Jaime swallowed hard and for the first time in years he gave the subject a thought. "Lord Arryn and Lord Stannis spent time together these past weeks."

"Doing what?" Mother asked while pointing out a line in Myra's letter and laughing a laugh that was no doubt meant to be heard by some ladies passing by at a distance.

Uncle Gerion gave me the puppy he'd promised me for my name day. I named it Cat.

"Visiting places in King's Landing, an armourer among them according to Ser Barristan. Going riding."

Jaime answered more questions while faking an interest in Myra's letter, the drawing her twin had made him and the assignment Mors had written about King Robert's victory against the Dragon Prince. "Mother I…"

"You are no doubt deeply sorry. Sorry for being caught that is."

Jaime bit his lower lip, ashamed that his mother was right and that he'd disappointed her. He felt sick to the stomach and without interrupting her he listened to her instructions.