Chapter 4: Into the Lion's den (2/5)

Tyrion Lannister:

It had been a month since the arrival of the Prince and the Queen and not much had happened during this time, except Tyrion noticed the Prince already got along with his cousins. Though more with Myrcella than Tommen but that was probably because of the age difference. he noticed some interesting things about the Prince. For starters that his sister is very clingy towards him, which he wouldn't know since he didn't meet his mother but he knew Cersei. And he started to notice some strange ways that Cersei has been around her son. Right now he was more curious about the child's knowledge. On repeated occasions he caught his nephew reading some very advanced books that some grown man have difficulty finishing which Tyrion got curious about. Then he saw him in the training yard and noticed that he was fairly decent with the sword even at such a young age.

Right now everyone was preparing for a tourney that Lord Tywin decided to throw to celebrate Raziel's seventh name day which everyone was excited about. Tyrion didn't really care much, but Jaime was going to compete so he was just waiting to see. He was just making his way to the brothel that he usually frequented in the boring days.

"Tyrion!" Tyrion heard someone calling him and when he turned, it was his favorite uncle Gerion Lannister.

"Uncle Gerion!? What are you doing here?" Tyrion quickly moved to give him a hug.

"Oh, I was passing by and decided to pay a visit." He said with his usual smile. "Especially after I heard that Cersei has brought her son to the Rock."

"Well uncle, you'll be surprised." That was all that Tyrion could say to his uncle.

"Please tell me he's not spoiled little shit."

"Well..." Tyrion was trying to find the right words to use.

But before he could finally speak up, they heard the window opening. When they turn around to see it, it was the Prince entering through the window. Tyrion was instantly shocked by that because they were in the second highest tower in the castle. When he finally made his way in, he stared at the two of them while they were staring at him.

"Please don't tell my mother," Raziel begged.

All that Tyrion and his uncle manage to do was stare at him. Until Tyrion finally managed to speak up.

"What were you doing?" Tyrion asked his nephew.

"Climbing," he answered like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"That's a really long climb." Uncle Gerion pointed out as he looked down the same window that Raziel entered.

"Not really. The Tower of the Hand was much harder to climb." Raziel objected.

"You climbed the Tower of the Hand?" Uncle Gerion asked.

Raziel just shrugged. Tyrion was trying to see if he was lying or exaggerating but he couldn't find a single sign that he was.

"You must be Raziel Baratheon." Uncle Gerion said.

Raziel just nodded.

"I'm Gerion Lannister," he presented himself. "I'm your mother's uncle."

"So you're my granduncle." The boy said with a smile. "It's very nice to meet you." The boy added before hugging Gerion.

Gerion returned the hug and gave a stare to Tyrion. The stare basically said "Is this really Cersei's child?"Which Tyrion could only respond with a nod. Raziel let go of Gerion.

"Father?" The three of them heard a voice calling from behind. They turned around and noticed a girl, it was his Uncle Gerion bastard daughter Joy.

Joy was born three months before Myrcella from a a common woman named Briony. Joy had light skin, thick, dark blond hair that fell to her shoulders; and almond-shaped, dark green eyes. Tyrion believed that she took more after her mother than her father.

"Hello Joy, I thought you were going to look for Myrcella?" Gerion asked his daughter.

"We were together but then she asked me for help to find the Prince," she explained.

"You found me," Raziel lifted his hand. "Raziel of house Baratheon." He extends his hand to her.

"Joy of... House Hill?" The poor girl was trying to find the right words. Gerion already explained to the girl why her name was Hhill.

"There's a house Hill?" Raziel asked in curiosity.

"No, I... I'm a bastard," Tyrion noticed that Raziel didn't react at this.

"Oh, Okay then. Shall we find Myrcella?" Tyrion was glad that Raziel didn't care. Cersei had a deep disdain for bastards.

"You don't mind?" Joy asked.

"No. Should I?" Raziel asked but Tyrion couldn't tell if he was serious.

"No, you really shouldn't." Uncle Gerion finally got in the conversation. "She still you're family no matter what her last name is."

"Oh, that's right. You're my cousin." Raziel finally figured out. He then wrapped his arms around Joy and gave her a hug, she was surprised but quickly returned the hug. Uncle Gerion actually smiled at that.

"Why don't you two go find you other cousins." Uncle Gerion said.

The two just nodded and went on their way.

"He seems like a nice boy." Uncle Gerion added.

"He is. How did someone like him came out of Cersei is a mystery though." Tyrion jested.

Gerion just laughed for a bit. "Tyrion can I ask you for a favor?"

Cersei Lannister:

Cersei was currently sitting on a table with her father Tywin Lannister while he was writing letters. She was just waiting for him to finish so she could speak to him about Raziel. Tywin had been having conversations with Raziel behind closed doors and she would like to know the nature of those talks was

"You wanted to speak to me?" Tywin spoke with his usual low voice.

"Yes, about Raziel," Cersei replied.

"What about him?" Tywin asked.

"You have been taking him to meetings and talking to him behind closed doors. I'm simply curious about what you two talk" Cersei was actually somewhat afraid that her father was making some type of judgment on Raziel.

"Nothing that you need to concern yourself with," Tywin answered.

It was a habit that always annoyed Cersei. Her father keeping her in the dark about anything that was important, but this was not some political decision or some war tactic. It was her beloved son that they were talking about and she was not going keep down about it.

"Anything that involves my son is my concern father," Cersei protested.

Tywin finished sealing the latter he was writing. He then put down the quill and looked at Cersei.

"The boy actually came to me to ask a question," he responded.

"And what was the question?" Now Cersei was curious.

"If Aerys was always mad or did he become mad later on," Tywin answered with a low voice. Cersei knew that her father wasn't fond of talking about the Mad King.

"And what was the answer?" Cersei really wanted to know.

"There was always some madness in him, he was quick to anger, vain, proud, and unpredictable " Cersei was now paying full attention to her father. "After the Defiance of Duskendale, these characteristics became more pronounced."

"But what about the meetings that you were taking him to?" Cersei asked.

"After our conversation was over, I asked him a question." Tywin waited a bit. "What kind of King does he want to be?" Tywin finished.

Her cub will be a great King. Cersei always believed that. "What was his answer?" She needed to know.

"He asked me. 'What was a King for anyway'." Tywin repeated the exact words.

"Wh...What?" Cersei didn't understand.

"I asked him the same question." Tywin pointed out. "He told me that I ruled the Kingdoms when Aerys sat on the throne and Jon Arryn rules now that his father sits on the throne. So what was the point of a King if someone else does the ruling for them? "

Cersei was shocked but she actually couldn't blame him for asking that. His father was King yet all he did was drink and whore around, he knew Jon Arryn was the one who did the ruling so how could her son know what a strong King was like if all he saw was a drunk who never took his duties seriously. But Cersei noticed that her father didn't look displeased or anything for what he said. "Did you answer the question?"

"I did," Cersei waited for him to continue. "When your enemies defy you, you must serve them steel and fire. When they go to their knees, however, you must help them back to their feet. Otherwise no man will ever bend the knee to you. And any man who must say 'I am the King' is no true King at all. Aerys never understood that, and neither does your father." Cersei was listening closely. "So then I asked what makes a good King?"

Cersei now really wanted to know what her son answered.

"He said. 'Wisdom'," Tywin answered. "Then I challenged him, what is wisdom?"

Cersei just stood there waiting for the answer.

"Raziel said. 'Knowing what you know and what you don't. That's the purpose of the small council isn't it, to give counsel on things that the King doesn't have much knowledge about'." Tywin just repeated what Raziel said. "After that, I invited him to attend the meeting as my cupbearer."

Cersei was both pleased and angry. Pleased that her father was showing interest in her son. Angry that her perfect little Prince was acting as cupbearer to a bunch of lowly Lords.

"The boy is smart and I only have one year with him so I better make it count. He's very young but already showing promise, with the right guidance he might become a much better King than your husband." Cersei had to hold her laughter for that. Her son would be a much better king than that drunk buffoon even without her father's guidance.

There was a knock on the door. Without bothering to wait for an answer, the door opened revealing to be her uncle Gerion.

"Hello my dear niece and brother." He said with his usual smile.

"Hello uncle," Cersei said with a false courtesy. Gerion was Jaime's and Tyrion's favorite uncle but she never really liked him that much.

"If this is all you may go." Her father told her.

She simply stood up and left the room.

Jaime Lannister:

Jaime was currently preparing for the upcoming jousting. His father decided to throw a tourney in the westerlands in honor of the Prince's nameday. He was currently thinking about the competitors. Some were Freys and some small houses of the Lannisters that Jaime couldn't care less about. The actual opponents were Gregor Clegane, Jorah Mormont, Ronnet Connington and Willas Tyrell. Jaime knew that Gregor and Jorah would be a challenge but he never met Ronnet and Willas was obviously inexperienced. So it wouldn't be too much trouble. Right now Jaime was putting his golden armor decorated with the Lannister lion and ornate lion's helmet.

Whatever Jaime would complain about his poor luck he would remember that kid right there. Apparently the first match would be between Willas Tyrell and Jorah Mormont. He once saw Jorah compete in a tourney in King's Landing and he was a skilled jouster, so the boy he was competing against right now was of poor luck. The two of them were preparing for the jousting and Jaime was just watching as the two climbed onto their horses.. Just by observing he could tell that the boy was nervous. He wouldn't be surprised if the Lord Oaf forced him to compete.

"Poor boy," Jaime said as he saw him climbing onto his horse and received his lance.

The trumpet was played signalling for them both to start. Jaime just stood there and watched as the two charged at each other. It was no secret who would win this but there was always a chance. Finally, the two got close and by no surprise, Jorah Mormont hit the boy without any difficulty knocking him off his horse. But the moment it happened his foot caught in his stirrup as he fell, and he pulled his horse on top of him.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH."

Jaime could only stand there in horror as the boy screamed as the horse landed on top of his leg. The horse stood up quickly but his leg was crooked in ways that no leg should be . Jaime just stood there looking at it, he was no Maester but it would take a miracle for that leg to be completely healed.

Right now, one thing was obvious to Jaime. The heir of House Tyrell was now crippled by the Lord of Bear Island.

The first few rounds of the tourney were unchallenging. All that Jaime got were a bunch of Freys. The only actual challenge so far was Ronnet Connington but Jaime managed to unhorse him on the third try. Jorah Mormont managed to unhorse Gregor Clegane which was a remarkable feat. Now it was Jaime and Jorah in the finals. Whoever wins would get a crown of flowers to name someone his Queen of love and beauty. Jaime had no interest in that, he was fond of Lynesse but he didn't love her. The only woman he would like to crown he couldn't. He just wanted to get the jousting over with so he could go to the Melee.

Jaime climbed onto his horse and received his Lance one last time. Jorah did the same across the field and he looked at Jaime with a face of anger. If Jaime did something to piss him off, he didn't know what it was. But the two of them were just waiting the trumpet in order to charge.

Finally, the sound is finally heard and the two charge at each other.

The moment their Lances hit each other they broke in sintony as they passed through each other.

Ironically it repeated three times. They charged at each other and their lances broke but none of the two fell.

But finally when they charge for the fourth time. Jaime charged with all his strength and so did Jorah. Jaime could hear the crowd cheering and could see his father, sister, wife, son, daughter, sister and nephew were all watching in anticipation.

When they finally got close,Jorah managed to push his lance away with the shield and landed the lance into Jaime's breastplate pushing him off his horse.

As Jaime fell onto the ground in pain, he could hear the crowd, half was cheering and the other half was quiet. They probably lost some gold with his loss but Jaime didn't care. All he could focus on was the blinding pain in his chest.

"As the champion of the joust," the steward called out, getting Jorah Mormont's attention, "it is the honor that you be awarded 40,000 gold dragons and the victor's crown! You now are free to choose your Queen of Love and Beauty."

Jaime just stood up and walked not really caring who's going to be his queen of love and beauty, all he wanted to do was enter and see if the maester had something for the pain in his chest. But as Jaime passed the entrance he heard a wave of gasps behind him and , he turned around to see who was the chosen.

But Jaime could only watch with wide eyes as he saw Jorah giving the crown to no one other than his wife Lynesse.