Chapter 3: Vinos and Cerenna

Her ladies stood around unsure how to approach their mistress. She had been acting strange for weeks. Sure, she did her duties as normally, but the intake of wine was far superior to the size of her and soon she was wobbling and tripping over herself while commanding everyone as usual. The unsettling sound of yet another vase of flowers shattering as she stumbled upon it echoed through the halls of the castle. Her ladies gasped as she fell, and one of them was quick enough to pull her away from the broken shards. She still fell on the floor quite hard and unceremoniously. Before any of her ladies could touch her, she showed them her empty glass, "More."

"There is no more," they lied, "You've drunk it all, my lady, and it's not even noon yet."

Cerenna attempted to glare at them, but it was hard to focus on the moving shapes. They avoided her gaze, finding the floor and windows far more worthy, "That cannot be all of the wine in this bloody place." she scolded them as she tried to stand by using the wall as support, only to slip and fall right back.

"My lady-"

"I don't want to hear it. I know I've only had honeyed wine. Where's the arbor gold and the Dornish reds?"

"You said those were for a special occasion, my lady. Something like a wedding, or when your family came to visit.-"

She smiled bitterly and laughed at the irony of it all. She was getting married, but she couldn't tell anyone. Not because that monster had told her not to, but because if she did, she was sure she was as good as dead. If Tywin Lannister didn't kill her for taking liberties that were not her own, her possible husband would when he realized this wasn't a real engagement. Tears escaped her eyes as she realized she would never be able to share this news, and would never be able to celebrate it. Not with her family, and not with her people. The man she had doomed herself with couldn't be marrying her for anything besides gain and he would gain nothing from their union if his allegiances were known. If Tywin was made aware, he would do worse to them than he has done to those who mocked him.

Her ladies took a step back when she screamed in frustration. She had done so well to avoid the scrutiny of her uncle and cousins. She'd send multiple letters with proof of betterment without the need for supervision. All they had needed were coins, and she had plenty to spare to prove her good work. She had gotten to enjoy a life of certain freedoms whilst the rest of her family burdened themselves with family scandals and battles.

She should have known it wouldn't last, but to have done it to herself is too much to bear sober.

"My lady, please, tell us what is wrong."

Cerenna cringed at how worried they sounded. She couldn't help but change her mood around them since that night. She'd grown restless and paranoid, and every time they assured her she was safe and no one was going to abduct her as it had been done to a certain wolf lady, she would just scoff. It was only her pride or foolishness that kept her from telling them someone had attacked her in her chambers already, someone she had accidentally invited. She could almost feel her damnation if she thought the words too loudly.

"What's wrong is that my damned glass is still fucking empty!" She screamed in uncontrollable madness and they ran away from her in tears. Cerenna sighed, feeling guilty and tired. She wanted to be alone but was terrified of what would happen if he got to her again. Looking around, she could see clearly as the morning light how her paranoia was affecting the people around her. The guards looked more like statues than men and the women cowered afraid to meet her unforgiving gaze. She had to change, but everywhere she felt his eyes on her. The thought of his touch burning every logical thought inside of her and making her act mad was enough to need a drink or five. Cerenna bit her lips and tried to think of anything else but of the man that had kissed her so outrageously more than a fortnight ago. Her lips didn't feel entirely hers anymore, and she wanted to drink the madness away.

How long was she supposed to wait for his threats to become real? None of her guards had seen anyone that night or any of the nights before or after that night. Her mind was playing tricks on her. Maybe they were right and he was gone, never to be seen again. Maybe he was a ghost.

The thought sent shivers down her body, and she continued to try and stand on her own. A fellow guard clumsily knelt before her and offered his aid. She glared at him but took pity on him when he offered his arm as support. She slowly took it and pushed herself upwards before ordering him to summon her ladies back to her.

"Yes, my lady. Right away." He bowed respectfully and ran from her the opposite way he should.

Cerenna sighed and realized he had no idea where his ladies would be. "If I demanded wine, they should be at the wine cellar, indubitably." she slurred and wobbled her way down to where she'd announced. She'd boasted to herself about her new arrangement of guards below her bedroom window. If a certain someone tried to climb it again, he'd never come close to whiffing the air she breathes much less kissing her again. Cerenna cursed the burning memories of it, and still, she wet her lower lip with her tongue curiously.

"Not the Ghiscari wine!" Cerenna screamed to no one in the wine cellar. She had ordered the guards to find her ladies, who should be here, getting her blessed wine. Still, instead she was here rummaging the barrels with no other maids in sight, "Why do we have this? Ugh!" she dramatically gagged at the thought of drinking the inferior vintage before tossing it behind her and hearing it shatter violently. She smiled a second at her actions before she was ungraciously dragged backward. Before she could scream, she was familiarly muted by a large pale hand. It almost took over her nose and suffocated her. She struggled and screamed, trying to look back to who had her, already fearing she knew exactly who it was.

"These drunken rages will not do well for our marriage, Cerenna."

Cerenna's eyes widened as she was taken past what should have been a stone wall. It was hollow beneath the first layer of rock and it revealed an old mining tunnel she hadn't known was there. She screamed into his palm as he kept the force of his hand to keep her quiet whilst struggling to close the entrance with her fighting and kicking in his one-armed grasp. The screeching sound of rock echoed around her as he sealed them on the other side of what she had known and into complete darkness. She froze amidst the echoing silence, only having his arm around her and his hand on her mouth to know she was real and still amongst the living.

"You're shaking. Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark…" the teasing warmth of his words sent shivers down her spine, and she shook from it. He confused it with more struggle and held her tighter against him. "I told you I was coming for you, didn't I? There was no need to cause such a spirited display on my behalf."

She was rightfully appalled by his assessment and attempted to elbow him on the side. He wasn't a simple man, however, and her drunken and unsteady movements were far too slow for the seasoned warrior who held her.

"Promise not to scream and relax." In her drunken state, she almost fell. "Just keep moving forward and you'll be fine princess." he commanded as he nudged her again. It was hard to find balance and she was afraid she would hit the walls of the cave with her face if she wasn't careful. She'd never been in such darkness. Even when her siblings or cousins locked her in a room or a cupboard, there was always a sliver of light peeking through somewhere, but there was nothing and she felt suspended in darkness, suddenly entirely alone.

She jumped from her delusions when his hand took hold of hers. The gesture was foreign to her and the warmth and security she felt from it unsettled her. "I expect complete transparency from my wife. If you have fears, if you have ailments, if you have enemies, you should tell me." He walked fast and true. It made her disoriented.

His words sounded more like a cursed spell than marriage demands, and she laughed at the latter of his grievances, "I am a Lannister. Our enemies are our friends and our friends are our enemies."

He abruptly stopped, causing her to slam into his hardened chest. He raised her arm at eye's length and forced her to search for him in the void, "This is not a game, Cerenna. People with all the power in the world have died for far more than you lay claim to."

She glared at nothing and tried to get her arm down, but he forced her closer to him until she could see the white of his eyes leering at her, and the notorious lavender-like irises. She wanted to look away, to accept his words as true and submit to everything he deemed the law. He was her light in the shadows, if he did know where they were going, but something inside of her had snapped and she refused to ignore the hypocrisy of it all, "You say people with all of the power when we both know you mean men with all of the power." He hissed, and she noted the way his eyes looked away from her and felt confident enough to continue, "Yes, you did. You're bitter the woman you cleverly wanted to marry was as well off as you thought. This is true, I have enjoyed the life of a golden lioness with not a lion in sight to oversee it, much less a dragon to ruin it all." She gasped when he pulled her closer by the waist with a low growl.

"Do be quiet," he commanded again, but she ignored him.

"Is the truth too damning to bear, my disgraced prince?" she mocked in slurred jest, "You men are all the same. You think you should have it all. I heard how you always loathed Rhaegar for what happened at Harrenhal and yet you do exactly as he did to Lyanna Stark-".

"Ah but, unlike my ill-conceived little cousin, it was you who summoned me, was it not, my dear lady Lannister?" He had pressed her to him in such a way that their noses touched, and Cerenna froze at the proximity of their lips, tormented once again by the memories of their first encounter while he continued, "I can take what you offered so candidly, Cerenna. Your letter was quite clear in its intent to offer me complete satisfaction and I for one cannot wait to receive what was promised. I can trust a Lannister to keep their word, can I? Your word is my debt owed and a Lannister always pays their debts." His words left her speechless and he took advantage of it. "And, unlike Lyanna Stark, you are not a child Cerenna, far from it." It took nearly nothing to steal a kiss from her already wrapped around him, and she hadn't fought it this time. He wondered if the darkness of the tunnels had made her shameless, but enjoyed the way her body molded into his so effortlessly. He pressed her against a wall and relished in the drunken sweetness of her mouth. Turning around, he lifted her to wrap her legs around his waist. She made a sound of protest, but he didn't give her the space to argue and held her backside even while she squirmed uncomfortably in his grasp. It was enough to almost make him lose the yarn he had tied to his belt to escape the tunnels.

She didn't know how long she'd straddled his waist and kissed him back. It was shameful and addictive. She could understand why so many had gone to war for it. Kissing was exquisite, wicked, and delicious. Feeling his hands squeeze under her as he tasted her lips and tongue was a type of heaven no amount of gold or exotic wine could imitate. This was raw unencumbered passion. She would blame the darkness, the man holding her, the wine… anything but her wanton curiosity. A lady of her caliber could never admit to feeding the fire he stoked in her, even if a part of her grew more scared with each kiss and step he took as if she was stepping deeper into her doom blinded by the untried sins of the flesh. Even with knowing the catastrophe of their union, it felt too good to kiss him again. She hadn't been sure before, but now she knew she liked kissing this man, and nothing was more dangerous than admitting it to herself. Nothing besides acting upon it, which is what she was currently doing.

The realization was enough to give her pause and break her mouth away, awkwardly attempting to free herself from his grasp.

He made a curious sound as if pondering if her and her mouth had been near enough to sate his hunger for the time being. He set her down easily after, but not before whispering a soft message by her ear "Besides my family, what else have you learned about me, Cerenna?"

She scoffed shakily and backed away from him, only for him to take her hand and pull her towards him once more, "L-learned about you? The Targaryen line is common knowledge. One need only extend their ear, to hear its extensive damage. Why, knowledge is practically enforced upon us!"

"You don't have to be so defensive, my lady. I learned quite a bit about you, as well."

"What did you learn?"

He thought about it, "I learned you could be Lann the Clever incarnated."

She smiled despite herself. If he was flattering her, it was working. Lann the Clever was believed to be the founder of the Lannister lineage, and his way of attaining a family banner with such high regard started with merely the wits of his shiny blonde head. She tried to frown and sound unaffected when she replied to the comparison, "How come? In what way?"

He started walking again with her hand in his, and she had no choice but to continue alongside him, "Well," he started, one of his hands guiding her away from a sharp stone by the small of her back, "you, my dear Cerenna, managed to enchant all of these poor people to serve your spoiled Lannister ass under the pretenses of gold, safety, and prosperity."

Cerenna tried to stop, outraged by his words, but he forced her to move forward, so she used her words instead, "I learned," she announced, "you aren't even a true Targaryen. Your father abdicated everything to be with your mother; including the Targaryen name." His hand gripped hers a bit harder and his pace quickened in the darkness. Her heart was beating fast, but she continued, "After the numerous deaths it caused, and they were about to welcome you back into the royal goodies,-" she gasped as he held her throat. She could see the rage in his eyes, clear as day, but continued nonetheless, "Your parents, and everyone that vouched for you died, and you disappeared into the rat holes of the seven realms until the king mentioned your name in his mad mumbles and tossed you a bone to sniff upon." She smiled, pleased with the look on his face. Whatever he did next would not erase the satisfaction of beating him.

"You're a Lannister through and through, alright," he said, but it wasn't the compliment it should be, "If words are anything but admiration and respect, you cut us to size. You wound me with tragedies of old while I unveil truths you are too fresh to bear the weight of." His hand let go of her throat with a defeated sigh, "Your words have bite and you are a spiteful woman, but your spoiled is not yours to fault but to carry as a burden," his hand softly caressed her cheek as he spoke, "Until I marry you, that is. Which will be happening presently, then all that is yours will be primarily and exclusively mine."

"I knew that was all it was for you, you greedy bastard!" She laughed at his announcement, "I think your lack of an education has made you forget a few requirements. You can't marry me in this dark tunnel with no witnesses." she pointed out, and not a moment after, she jumped into Rhaemon's arms when a loud spark ignited the room she was currently in. Rhaemon smiled down at her and held her whilst she quickly adjusted to the sudden light, and noticed, to her horror, Rhaemon wasn't the only man in these tunnels.

What she believed to be the High Septon stood beside another man, who smiled at her, "If you don't want to, it will be my honor to marry her for you." His smile was incorrigible towards her, and Cerenna began to realize just how dire her situation was. She tried to back away from the three men, but Rhaemon pulled her back to him by the wrist.

"Don't say shit like that in front of her. I can't have her running away in a place like this."

"My apologies if I scared you, Lady Cerenna," He bowed respectfully, "I am Richard Lonmouth, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Rhaemon has said nothing of you, no matter how much I pry."

Cerenna smiled tensely, but before she could utter a response, the High Septon stepped in with his introduction, "You may call me High Septon, if you wish, dear. I have much to officiate and document and unfortunately, I won't be able to stay past my role in the ceremony."

"That works out perfectly. I assure you, that is all we would be needing today." Rhaemon placed a headdress on her hands and she looked back at him curiously and then back at the accessory. They were strings upon strings of large white flowers, and when she didn't do anything with them fast enough, he frowned and took them from her hands. He arranged them atop her head, a little below where a crown would stand a queen's head, but somehow it clipped in place.

"Where did you get this?" She couldn't help blushing at the look of admiration in his eyes.

"It was my mother's and no, it wasn't easy to acquire. What did you think I was doing all this time I was away? Strategizing my Lannister retirement fund?" He teased, and she laughed without meaning to, but he didn't tease her any further, mesmerized by the sparkle in her eyes and her dazzling smile. He could now understand why men choose to risk it all for a woman, but he couldn't let her bait him in her honey. He had a mission to complete, and a family to gain.

Cerenna had been so enamored with the flowers in her hair and the story behind it that by the time she had noticed Rhaemon's dragon glass, it was already too late to stop him from cutting her lower lip with it. He'd wrapped his hand about her neck whilst she silently pleaded with him and winced as the cut made blood run down her chin. She wanted to clean the blood, but he placed the dragon glass in her hand and lowered his arm to press around her waist and draw her in closer.

"Now you cut me, but don't get too excited on me, Lady Lannister" he warned her, keeping a firm grasp on her knuckles holding the sharpened edge.

Cerenna had never seen dragon glass before, but had heard enough to know she was now holding the strange stone between her fingers. It was sharp and smooth, but what surprised her was the darkness of it and how multiple colors glistened under the firelight. She smiled at the sparkling colors it caused when she turned it. Everyone was suddenly bathed in rainbow spheres, and she could see hints of precious metals twinkling between the walls of the cave they were in.

Rhaemon pressed the blade for her and cut his lip himself. He smiled since he could easily tell she hadn't liked that. He took the blade from her and she quickly wiped the blood on her chin with her thumb, probably worried about the stain it would leave on her pretty pink jeweled gown. Rhaemon grabbed her bloodied finger, and she struggled to let him guide her even then. Richard pleaded with him to be patient with his new bride, but time was unforgiving, and he had none to explain Targaryen's marriage rituals to her. When she tried to pull away, he wrapped his other arm around her and ordered the High Septon to start reciting the Valyrian rites as his bride fought him. The High Septon was momentarily shocked before he was snapped into the right dialect. Rhaemon forced her small, bloodied thumb to draw on his forehead. He attempted to draw a simple line, but would not be sure what in the seven hells did it end up resembling after all of her kicking and struggling. He set her down, not having realized until then he had lifted her in his desperation to continue the damned ritual. They were both a bit out of breath and Cerenna was on guard, as she should be. The ritual was not over yet, and not only did this Lannister bride not like darkness, but she seemed to dislike blood just as much. Rhaemon stalked his prey as she took a tentative step backward. He drew his thumb to his bloodied lip and grabbed her, quickly drawing a proper arrow's sharp edge on her forehead with his blood. She glared at him as the High Septon slowly continued. He sliced at the inside of his palm to draw blood and she gasped when she saw just how much of it dripped onto the floor. She shook her head violently at him but he forced her palm open just the same. She looked away and closed her eyes, and he took pity on her, only nicking the smallest of incisions upon her skin, and drawing the smallest of drops of her blood. It was not enough to drip past her hand. She slowly dared look at what he'd done to her, but he'd quickly pressed his bloodied hand to hers.

She recoiled when she felt his warm blood brushing against the palm of her hand. Cerenna silently wondered if this was happening. Was she getting married in an old, dark, and cold underground mining tunnel? It was difficult to believe. The Targaryen's customs for a wedding resembled an attempt at summoning a dragon more than anything else. The High Septon smiled at her whilst approaching them to tie a ribbon around their joined hands which was the only custom she could recognize. Richard Lonmouth handed the High Septon a large glass and the High Septon handed it to her. Cerenna looked at its golden contents and took a curious whiff of the drink. "Arbor gold!" She exclaimed and almost choked from drinking the rich nectar too fast.

Rhaemon had to pry the glass from her little hands to get a sip as part of the marriage union. He scolded her, "Yes, I hear it is your favorite," Richard then handed another glass over to Rhaemon which he eagerly drank as he stared at a curious Cerenna, "You also had my favorite Dornish red. I thought it proper that we share these."

Cerenna quickly took the offered glass and drank its sweet contents. It was only after she had drunk it all that his words seeped in, "This is my wine? You stole my wine!" she whispered in a slightly higher tone that echoed through the tunnels.

Rhaemon regarded her accusation as well as he might entertain a child's, "What's yours will be mine soon enough. It won't be stealing then."

"It makes it stealing now!" Her voice went up an octave higher.

"Uhm.. sir? My lady?" The High Septon timidly chimed in.

"It's not stealing if you drink it with me. It's called sharing."

"It's not sharing if you didn't ask and I didn't know it was my wine!"

"If you'd be so kind as to, uhm…" The High Septon stammered whilst the bride and groom continued undeterred.

"Why are you so stubborn? I didn't steal your fucking wine! I shared it with you!"

"You did steal my fucking wine!" she yelled.

"You," She flinched when he grabbed her arms and pulled her to him. He paused, his gaze softened when she scrunched her face to await his blow, "... better get accustomed to having your husband take your precious belongings, wife," he pulled her to him until her chest pressed against his and whispered, "I will take far more than your wine," She drew in his scent while he removed a honeyed blonde strand from her jaw, "I will take," her eyes widened when his hold on her tightened, "your body," Cerenna felt entranced to his whispers and his grasp on her, "your drunken heart, and your wicked incessant soul," her body fell tame to his promise, and she shook her head in trembling disbelief. It was not enough to deter his intent. His arm went up her back to grab her neck just as he inched his face closer, "But I will start with your sweet drunken lips…"

She sighed into his kiss just as the master quickly fumbled the last pronouncement. His words of "husband and wife" echoed throughout her while her allegedly brand new husband enjoyed his fill of their new roles.

She'd enjoyed kissing him just minutes ago and now, she could barely feel her legs, much less her lips. The entire world had lost its surface.

Cerenna Lannister was a successful, independent, and wealthy woman who had managed what not many had; she had kept her life afloat on her own. She had no idea what someone like Rhaemon was capable of or, even worse, what her family would do if they were to ever find out about this.

When Rhaemon drew away from the kiss, he faced a ghost of a woman.

"Cerenna?"

"Cerenna!"

She'd noticed his grasp had softened and she ran away from his arms into the screams. Flashes of light blinded her and then she was held again. Her servants asked for her well-being but she had no words for them. She could hear the chilling shrieking of iron and tried to look only to be covered by her ladies, her sight obstructed by their enveloping concerns. She still could not speak, not when they screamed, not when she heard the sound of death. One of her guards cut through all of them, deafening everything.

"My lady?" the man dressed in her family's sigil spoke to her and she forced her gaze away from the crystals to stare at the man covered in blood, "Are you alright?"

Cerenna didn't know she was shaking until one of her ladies put her hand on hers to still it. "Is he dead? Did you kill them all?"

"Just one of them, my lady."

"Which one? What happened to the others?"

The man was speechless. It never delved into her that they would not know them enough to name them. Cerenna pushed the man aside and tried to look past the guards while the man tried to explain, "He fought back. I had to. The other one helped his friend escape. I'm sorry, my lady, and well…," he paused, almost embarrassed.

Cerenna "Well, what?"

"He claims he's your husband and we aren't to lay a finger on him, much less our swords."

She paused.

"Is this true, my lady? Are you wed to the Targaryen? There do seem to be signs of…" he picked up her spilled chalice and let the few drops of red wine sprinkle onto the dirt. Cerenna bunched up her hands into fists and winced when a drop of her blood mixed with the wine. The guard looked at her curiously, "ceremony".

"My lady! What do we do with this asshole?" one of her men shouted from where they crowded the surviving prick.

They made way far enough for her to see him standing there, almost cocky enough to piss her off if it wasn't for the way his hands were up and his weapons were on the floor. He almost looked vulnerable. Anna walked towards him, close enough for his reach but knew he couldn't lay a finger on her. Her men had swords aimed at every inch of him.

"Cerenna…" he whispered, almost tenderly.

It was enough to drive her over the edge, but she contained herself and straightened her resolve. She took a step away from him and took a long, vicious gaze at the man beneath the name before condemning him like the criminal he was and the highborn lady she would always be.

Rhaemon fell on the dirt ground whilst Cerenna walked away without looking back, not when they dragged his body behind her, not when they took him down to the dungeons, and probably stripped him, tortured him, and ultimately left him for dead.