To Rhaemon Targaryen - I hope you forgive my boldness but I believe a marriage between us would be more than satisfactory. Sincerely, Cerenna Lannister.

Chapter 1: Cerenna Might Have Just Signed Her Death Certificate

"Where is it?" shouted Cerenna while frantically looking at every piece of parchment in the castle, "Where is it?"

All her ladies chased her from one room to the other, carrying all the little rips Cerenna Lannister tossed at them. They were afraid to ask what it was, but whatever it was, it had her in a state no one had seen her in.

Cerenna Lannister was the most put-together Lannister in the bloodline. It was a well-kept secret since she wasn't as high up as Tywin's lineage, and anyone that dared to be mysteriously ended up worse for wear. No, her people protected her secret just like she protected them as much as she was able. All of her siblings were married away living in bigger and better castles, and somehow, when her parents passed of illness five years prior, she had been left to manage the castle and all it commanded, without any prior knowledge, training, or experience in such things. Her parents had expected her to care for them until the perfect husband presented himself, but that dream was laid to rest when their illness worsened, and then, even more, when she had to keep the property afloat. Her dreams of being courted in the gardens of the capital were replaced by other more important dreams; keeping her people roofed and fed. It was all that mattered to her and despite everything, after five years, she can confidently say she had achieved it. Just a fortnight ago, she took her daily stroll, and not a soul was in immediate need. They were all warm and full, and she celebrated too damn hard. The townspeople were just as happy and before she could take a fifth glass, the event had turned into a festival of sorts. Cerenna hadn't realized how much her people loved her until they all gathered around to entertain her and keep her happy.

After years of administering their welfare, Cerenna could feel an attachment to everyone, and soon she felt the heat of tears roll down her cheeks. She blushed and tried to hide it but it wasn't missed and soon everyone chimed in with ways to make her feel less lonely.

Lonely?

"Weren't you engaged once to a Targaryen? What happened?"

The crowd fell silent around the little boy that shouted so effortlessly. Her mother protectively put a hand over his mouth apologetically and cried out an excuse, but Cerenna took a deep breath and corrected her.

"It's alright, yes I was, almost everyone was at some point or another." She was thankful no one named her, but everyone knew she spoke of the engagement that broke all engagements with the Targaryens; Cersei's and Rhaegar's. After that unfortunate event, Cersei threatened her life and Tywin has done as much to her family to end any ties to the Targaryen dynasty. Cerenna should have found it humorous, she only met her betrothed once when she was maybe twelve and he was barely eighteen, and they never spoke, only one curious glance from her his way, but he never looked back at her. The entire experience had left her drained. The only thing she could remember was thinking he was terrifying. After accepting another drink, she realized they hadn't returned to noise and felt forced to continue talking ", but that engagement was annulled long ago, unfortunately." She had to be careful because she almost slurred her last word there.

"Why unfortunately?"

"Well, I guess because, I uhm…" the folks around her leaned in as her blush deepened before she grinned cheekily "always wanted to ride a dragon."

The room screamed and burst with laughter, some ladies gasped and started reprimanding her, but she quickly apologized and blamed the booze. Gods bless it.

"It's not too late, go and get your dragon!"

"Yeah! You deserve it!"

Cerenna heard the shouts and stood up "Ah, but I cannot fly and leave my nest. My eggs could crack!"

More laughter erupted in waves around her, and even more sermons from her septa, which she waved away. The septa was adamant in trying to drag her away from the people, keeping a firm grip on her arm even as the people tried to push her away.

"A letter then!" Another man shouted, "Entice the man to your door with twenty-five words or less."

Cerenna laughed, "Are you my governess to assign me homework? It's not even daylight, sir."

The crowd laughed again and she had to wonder if she was really that amusing or that wealthy. Either way, her words had done enough to quit them from pestering any longer on the matter of marriage, at least for the rest of the night.

After a couple more drinks, she realized her mood had dampened and finally let her septa take her back to her castle to rest. Not even drunk would the septa spare her a damn lecture but Cerenna bared it all until her hand reached her chamber doors. "Goodnight and good riddance, Septa," she told her before slamming the door in her face.

She sighed and made mocking faces at her Septa lazily. She forgot to call her maid and could not for the life of her get the laces off her garments untied. She frowned and sat on her desk feeling dizzy from the drink and woozy from all the thoughts running through her mind. She had stacks of little pieces of parchments for her ravens. Only a handful of people knew she occasionally did deals in whispers, all for the betterment of her village, of course, but it was important that she played the game. It was exciting but terrifying, and she knew she had to be careful of what she wrote.

A snort escaped her as she remembered the assignment the town had left her with. It was incredulous, and absurd, really.

Maybe it was the booze, or the absurdity of it all, but she decided to humor it and grab a blank parchment.

"Twenty-five words or less to entice a man to my door," she said playfully as she grabbed the quill and dipped it ink, "alright, it shall be done." she laughed and hiccupped as she raised her quill in the air, accidentally dropping some ink onto her forehead as she shouted, "For the people!"

Where the fuck is it?!

"Y-your grace?" one of her ladies stuttered for her attention, "What are you looking for?"

"A letter I wrote a fortnight ago-" Cerenna tossed another piece of furniture in anger as she blushed remembering what she wrote this morning. How could she have forgotten writing such a thing? She hazily remembers stamping the Lannister seal, but did she send it with her birds? It was all too blurry. Gods, save her if she did. She couldn't imagine the repercussions of such a scandal, especially now with the tension between the Mad King and Tywin Lannister. All Lannisters were explicitly forbidden from any sort of alliance with a Targaryen, until Robert's Rebellion had real legs to stand on, the Lannisters were to remain neutral.

The last thing she needed was to propose to fucking Rhaemon Targaryen.

Cerenna looked behind her and noticed the handful of ladies scrambling to keep up with her. They had been whispering to each other but she had been too preoccupied to pay any mind.

"Are… you alright, your grace?" Mela asked timidly and Cerenna had to stop herself from answering.

"You're all dismissed. I want to be alone."

They looked as betrayed as the Starks must feel at this moment, but the information was too dire to share. Any of them could have that letter. They could have gone through her things and taken them.

Just remembering what she'd written made her want to scream in unfiltered mortification. Cerenna ran into her room and slammed the door. She ran to her bed and screamed into the pillow as hard as she could.

It didn't help in calming her, so naturally, she reached for the pitcher of wine on her nightstand and poured herself a glass. The moment the sweet nectar ran down her belly, she relaxed slightly. "I need to…" She didn't even know what was the end of that sentence. The letter was gone. It could be anywhere. It had her signature, her family's seal, her intended sender's name…

She groaned and downed the glass. "Alright, what's the worst that could happen?" Cerenna could almost picture her head on a spike when someone grabbed her neck tight and threw her back into the bed facing up. Cerenna's scream died in her throat and her glass of wine clattered across the room.

Opening her eyes, she gasped for air and realized whoever had her neck was not trying to kill her yet, just holding her in place. Cerenna grabbed him by the wrist. The lights from the candle did not help make out his face, and she saw him upside down. It made him look monstrous.

"Who-what?"

She didn't know which to ask or how much she would be allowed to speak. It was then a glint of silvery hair glimmered and lilac eyes gazed back into hers and his face became shockingly familiar.

He revealed a familiar slip of parchment with her signature and indecent proposal intact. Her face grew red with realization and shame and she wished she could look anywhere but back at his Targaryen eyes.

"Your eyes, your mouth, and your very life," his voice was hoarse, tired, and angry, "hangs on your next fucking words, Lady Lannister."