Chapter 7

I was spending time with Jaime today as a reassurance for him. Unfortunately, and I very much probably should have seen this coming, introducing Lanna at the same time as telling him we're being moved into different rooms was not the brightest idea I ever had.

He threw a tantrum, plain and simple.

The first and only tantrum I had ever seen him throw in his life.

It was… Jarring to say the least. I knew my brother Jaime was going to be very different from what his canon self would be but I couldn't help but compare Jaime the tantrum-throwing child to Jaime Lannister the Kingslayer.

I knew I needed to stop doing so, that it was utterly unfair of me to judge him against a future version of him that would never truly exist, but it was difficult at times since Jaime Lannister was a point-of-view character. I had, in essence, been inside his head, read his thoughts, and understood his character motivations. The image of that Jaime from the book weighed heavier at times when compared to the child next to me.

Eventually, I managed to soothe his feelings and calm him down.

Change could be a daunting prospect, for both adults and children alike.

In the end, I promised that nothing would change and whispered to him that if he wanted to, he could sneak back into my bed.

He would just have to share it with Lanna too now.

It was a thing they did enough in canon so hopefully it would be fine.

ROB, I hope I wasn't encouraging something I shouldn't but I didn't know how else to placate tantrum-throwing children!

I also played on his male pride. Like how he could possibly be a knight if he was scared of sleeping alone.

That did the trick well enough. Kids always had some fixation with something. Maybe superheroes, a cartoon, or other stuff. I had a younger cousin who was obsessed with all things Transformers.

Jaime's thing was knights. I kinda felt a bit manipulative about it all but it worked well enough.

I mean he only climbed into my bed once in the past three nights so it was progress I guess?

Anyway, that whole reason was why I found myself hanging about in the training yard with Jaime.

"That's Ser Taemon," Jaime pointed at some dude in full plate stomping into the fighting ring. "He's fighting Ser Uyther today." He shifts his pudgy finger at another dude in full plate.

How the hell is he even telling them apart? There's no heraldry or anything.

Oh course I don't let those emotions out. "Ser Taemon and Ser Uyther," I repeat. "Who do you think is going to win?"

Jaime's eyes glazed over in thought while I checked everything out.

The training yard was more a large hall carved out of the Rock and unlike most of the Rock, lit by sunlight via holes cut out of the wall as windows but at the moment, Jaime and I were actually on a terrace that jutted out into the open air, putting us outdoors. It was nice and so much less gloomy compared to the rest of the Rock. Guess knights deserve the best.

Back inside the cavern, there were racks holding weaponry of every type with both metal and wooden varieties, straw-filled training dummies, wrapped pell targets, and archery butts among other accoutrements necessary to hone a human being into a killing machine. This place was large enough to even possess its own dedicated stables and I could see a quintain being worked at the other end of the hall as squires practiced their lance work against it.

It's pretty cool too be honest. If I was born a dude, I could easily see myself spending all my time here. There really was a certain man's romance about knights and swords.

Unfortunately, I was born a girl so all of this was unavailable to me. With my frame, I lacked the brute force necessary in combat.

Not everyone was built like a brick shithouse like Brienne of Tarth seemingly was.

But that was a-okay with me because, in exchange, I got cool Avatar powers! A trade I would make any day.

Fight on all you would-be and actual knights! I'm sure all that sweaty sword-swinging thing you do will help you if I ever launch a fireball at you!

Okay, I was kinda jealous still.

I see why canon Cersei complained so much cause at the end of the day, swords are fucking cool. I would have been tempted to do the whole switcheroo thing Cersei did with Jaime in canon but it wasn't possible.

While Jaime and I had pretty similar facial features, our hair was a different matter entirely. His was cropped short while mine was long and flowing.

It was nice, shiny, and pretty! And also a major pain in the butt to take care of but that was what my servants were for!

Mwahaha!

Wait, that would be Lanna's job now so perhaps I shouldn't be laughing about increasing her workload.

"Ser Taemon will win," Jaime said confidently after his deliberation.

"So confident?" I noted. "Why do you think that?"

"Ser Uyther is more skilled but I've been watching Ser Taemon in the yard. He's dueling more often and he's been winning more. I think Ser Taemon will take the day."

Before I could say anything, the sharp sound of steel meeting steel filled the air.

Clash after clash, their swords met. Attack and defend. Parrying and blocking. There was a particularly meaty clash and as their blades slid against each other, sparks erupted forth, showering them both in its golden glow momentarily before the moment ended and they pulled back and attacked again.

Okay.

I was very jealous.

Bending was hella cool.

But sword fighting was just as cool.

"It's ending soon," Jaime suddenly said while I was admiring the martial prowess happening in front of me.

I looked closer, trying to see what Jaime was seeing but I had nothing. Maybe one was flagging? Yet they both seemed equally out of breath to me.

Suddenly, Ser Taemon slid in close to Ser Uyther and managed to grapple and throw him to the ground.

The master-of-arms quickly got in between them and called the match.

"Huh, how'd you know that was happening, Jaime?" I asked.

"Ser Taemon set up a trap and Uyther walked into it," Jaime replied plainly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I honestly had no idea. Damn, I guess Jaime Lannister the master swordsman isn't changing at all. Didn't Jaime win a tourney at like thirteen or something?

I always chalked it up to one of those book things. The idea that a thirteen-year-old in full plate could beat a fully grown adult knight who was equally plated was absurd to me but I guess my brother is just that fucking good.

I smiled. "Good job Jaime. You're really smart."

He puffed up at that. Compliments for children were a good thing, especially when it was warranted like this.

Another knight started walking into the ring and promptly pointed his sword at another man. "Ser Yaren. You spend much time polishing your sword, why don't you try using it!" He bellowed his challenge.

Oh, someone beefing?

A man who must have been the called-out Ser Yaren stepped forward and into the ring without an ounce of hesitation before retorting jovially. "Ser Kean, you must see to your armorer! Your codpiece is clearly ill-fit! Why, it looks to me that it's much too large!"

Amidst the laughs and jeers that erupted from the sidelines, I giggled. No matter the dimension, boys will be boys.

A tug on my dress sleeve had me turning to Jaime who had a confused expression upon him.

Oh boy.

"I don't get it Cersei," Jaime asked innocently.

"Whatever do you mean Jaime?"

"Why are they laughing? Ill-fitting armor is no jape." Jaime spoke while nodding seriously.

…

Perhaps discretion is the better part of valor?

"Ask Mama. Or better yet, ask Uncle Tygette or Gerion." I deflected. "They can explain better."

He pouted at me, showing me those innocent little eyes. "But you know. Why can't you tell me, sister?"

To my relief, a voice interrupted us.

"I've returned from my lessons, m'lady. M'lord."

Utterly fantastic timing Lanna.

"Lanna," I turned to her with a relieved smile. "Welcome back! How were your lessons?" Being a handmaid was an actual job and like all jobs, required a bit of training so Mama Jo had assigned her to shadow and learn from the head maid.

"Well, m'lady. I was taught various braids today." Cool cool. Westeros had a rich hair-braiding tradition. Again, a pain in the butt but servants took care of all of it for me.

I was going to be spoiled as fuck.

Before I could say anything further, I felt arms suddenly wrapping around my neck.

Shifting my head was a bit of an awkward movement with the way Jaime was holding me, I could see he was glaring at Lanna.

"M'lord," Lanna greeted with a nervous smile.

Alright, enough of that. I pulled Jaime's arms off of me and flicked him on the forehead. "Jaime, don't bully Lanna!" Lanna was a good girl. "She's my friend so you can't be mean to my friend."

He pouted at that.

"Fine," He huffed.

"Nu-uh. You have to say sorry, Jaime." I strongly suggested.

In response, he looked askance at the very idea. Lordly pride? Pure stubbornness?

"It's a behavior unassuming for knights," I followed up. I knew I was hitting him with something on the level of if your bad, Santa won't get you anything for Christmas but heck, the way his expression morphed to thoughtfulness indicated it worked.

"There is no need, m'lord." Lanna denied deferentially.

"No," Jaime shook his head. "Cersei is right. I'm sorry Lanna. " Jaime said.

I beamed.

Lanna accepted his apology gracefully.

Hmm. Since everyone was here, might as well get it over with.

Jaime was startled as I suddenly stood up and pulled at him before saying. "Come on Jaime, I wanna show you something."

He was reluctant at first but he eventually relented against my insistence.

I hadn't actually had a chance to start any waterbending lessons with Lanna yet on account of her own duties but it was high time I shared this part of my life with my twin.

Lanna trailed behind us as I dragged Jaime through the winding tunnels until we arrived back in our room.

My twin looked confused as I shut the door and dragged my bedchest across the floor to block the door. I didn't want to risk anyone stumbling into this conversation.

"Jaime." Perhaps it was the seriousness of my voice but Jaime looked a bit apprehensive." I want to show you something."

"What is it?" He asked while peering about.

"This is serious Jaime! I mean it. You can't tell anyone. In fact, I need you to make me a super kind of promise." I solemnly nodded my head.

"Super promise?" Jaime repeated questioningly.

"Yes." I raised my clenched fist up into the air between us before releasing my pinky from it. "A pinky promise specifically."

"A pinky promise?" Jaime repeated questioningly. Again. He lifted his pinky into the air opposite mine. "What happens if I break a pinky promise?"

"That's oathbreaking, Jaime. Knights don't do that. But if you do break a pinky promise…" I trailed off for a dramatic pause before leaning closer to him and whispering. "You have to cut the pinky off as amends."

Seeing the look of terror etched upon Jaime's face made me wonder if I might be taking this too far but I needed to be sure. I didn't care too much if Jaime ratted on me about other stuff since it was generally harmless and I was okay with it in general since it meant he was being an honest boy but this was something I was trying to keep secret.

My brother cradled his pinky close to his chest, as if scared I was about to perform the deed upon him now. "I'll lose my pinky? I need my pinky Cersei!"

"Only if you break the promise. And breaking promises is a bad thing, Jaime. What happens to a knight if they break their oaths?"

"They are no true knights anymore," Jaime said determined. "Their reputation tarnished, and word mistrusted."

"One day, you will swear the oath of Knighthood, Jaime. I merely ask you to take this oath as seriously as you will that."

Fear and uncertainty filled Jaime's expression and for a moment, I worried I pushed too hard. That he would reject this, and in turn, me and what I was.

Then it was wiped away with determination. With only the barest hint of a tremble, he raised his fist and showed me his pinky.

My little brother is a brave one and I felt proud.

I lifted my own pinky and hooked it around his, officially sealing the deal.

"We've made a pinky promise Jaime," I say deliberately. "It is sworn and it is known."

Jaime matched my gaze with a grim his own grim one before I saw his eyes flick to Lanna who had been witnessing this whole scene behind us.

Whoops.

I forgot about her.

"Lanna," I call to her. "Come pinky promise."

She approached and without a fight, raised her pinky.

I hooked my pinky on my off-hand and hooked it around hers while Jaime copied my motion with his off-hand.

If anyone walked in, they would have seen three children in a ring while hooked together by their pinkies.

They would have cooed and laughed at the adorableness and perhaps weirdness of us children.

But to us, this was very serious business.

"Okay, we're all sworn." I took a deep breath and looked Jaime in the eyes. "Jaime… I'm a mage. And so is Lanna."

"A mage?" He questioned. "Like a witch?"

In place of a response, I stamped my foot against the ground and a chunk of rock floated into the air between us.

My brother's eyes went wide as he stared at the piece of stone floating magically in front of him. Slowly, he reached his hand forward and poked it. It spun on the axis he pushed it but remained in the same place. Continuing his examination, Jaime swiped his arms under and over it, as it examining it for something holding it aloft.

He would find nothing of course.

Soon enough, his examination yielded nothing and he asked a simple question.

"How?"

"I was born with the power," I answer. "As was Lanna." I looked to Lanna who met my eyes. I gestured to the basin of water to the side of the room.

The girl understood my meaning and walked over to it. While Jaime looked impressed by the little bit of water Lanna managed to bend into the air, I wasn't. I thought it was a bit of a piss-poor example of waterbending but thankfully, I think I knew what her issue was and would be bringing it up to her soon.

"I found Lanna practicing in the bowels of the Rock so I made her my handmaid," I explained to him. "Tell me, Jaime. If you wanted to be a better swordsman, how do you do that?"

He looked confused at the sudden question but answered nonetheless. "Training."

"Training. Yup. But can a swordsman who never tests himself against another become a good swordsman?"

"No. Uncle Tygett says steel sharpens steel." Jaime denied.

"Well, Lanna is going to be the steel to my steel. She's going to be my sparring partner. You wanna come watch?"

He nodded his head vigorously.

"Oh wait." I ran over to a corner of the room and earthbent a section of the floor away to reveal my little hidey-hole. I felt bad throwing my footwear out the window since they were so expensive and extravagant so now I stashed them here instead. I reached in and pulled out a little figurine before a gesture had the hidey-hole closed again.

I handed it over to Jaime before speaking. "Here Jaime. I made this for you."

This figure was not like the plain one I made for Lanna. This one was just over half a foot tall and depicted a grown-up Jaime with a shield in one hand and an unsheathed sword in another all while adorned by a flared and flowing cape behind him. It looked suitably dramatic and I thought it was more than enough to merit it adorning any weeb's figurine shelf full of anime figures. Well, if it wasn't all in shades of brown.

This was the culmination of over a fortnight of intense focus and earthbending practice. The base was originally a stone cube which I compressed over and over and over again in an attempt to potentially shift the state of matter from solid to liquid.

Unfortunately, I was not receiving any dreams about how to lavabend so I was trying to figure it out on my own. I was no geologist but I was pretty sure the compression of rocks should make heat right? It was how the Earth's lava core functioned after all but without easy access to Google, it was a barely educated guess at best.

In the end, my efforts were for naught. I instead just ended up with an impossibly hyperdense cube of solid stone. Emphasis on impossibly. I had absolutely no idea where the energy that had to be created from the compression was going as there was no heat and the fact it hadn't exploded.

In the end, I played around with the rock and practiced bending with it since it was pretty hefty before decided to use it for fine earthbending practice.

"Whoaaaaa," Jaime let out excitedly while examining it closely. "Is this me?"

"Yup." A lie. It was in fact, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau but it's the thought that counts. "It's you when you're a man-grown."

"Thank you Cersei," Jaime spoke appreciatively, holding it close to him.

"You're welcome. One day when I can control metal like I do earth, I'll replace the sword and shield with actual steel."

Metalbending was still something I hadn't achieved yet but I had a feeling I was inching closer. These days, I'd taken to carrying a few coins of copper, silver, and gold to try and acquaint myself with the feel of them but it was still a work in progress.

"You can control metal?" Jaime asked.

"No, but…" With a flourish, the water from the basin Lanna bent out of earlier leaped into the sky by my whim. It flowed around Jaime and me momentarily before I split the single stream in twain, each one following a different hand as I ran through a waterbending kata.

I capped it off by bending most of the water back into the basin, leaving only three small balls of water floating. "Hold out your hands underneath them. I'm going to show you something… Cool." I say with a giggle.

Both Jaime and Lanna did so eagerly. This was Jaime's first experience but I hadn't had any opportunity to showcase to Lanna just how advanced I was compared to her.

I closed my fist and commanded the water to harden in a sense. In a moment, they turned into ice before I released my hold on them to gravity.

Lanna and I caught our respective ice balls but Jaime must have been startled by the cold and immediately dropped it, causing it to shatter into tiny pieces against the floor.

I quickly gave him mine to ease his sad expression.

No sad Jaime. Jaime is my little golden retriever and he deserves to always be smiling and happy.

"How did you do this m'lady?" Lanna asked in amazement, holding the ice up to her eyes to look through it.

"Practice! And don't worry Lanna, I'll teach you." I tell her. At first, I thought I might have been able to create some form of business from this. I was pretty sure I'd read Stark uplift fics where they exported ice for Southerners but it was a pointless endeavor in this dimension as the South already had ice.

Hell, even in my past life, ancient desert civilizations knew how to create ice during the winter months and had the ability and knowledge to store it through the summer months.

It wasn't anything groundbreaking at all.

Then I thought maybe I could make ice cream with it or something but I also realized I had no fucking clue how to make ice cream. Hell, I couldn't cook at all in my past life and my knowledge of avocado toast was utterly useless here as I didn't even think they existed here.

ROB, can you send me a dream dm with the time-travelers cheat sheet, please? I felt like a shitty isekai protagonist at times with my utter lack of uplift. Hell, Casterly Rock had privys and running water to wash them away along with a running sewer network so plumbing was already a thing as well.

Jaime let out a huffy laugh. "It's cold."

I nodded in agreement. "It's ice after all."

Then with a whip-like movement, I commanded more water and splashed his face with it before instantly freezing it.

He shrieked at the sudden coldness that enveloped him. "Cersei!" He shouted and turned to me accusingly.

I let out a little giggle. It was only a bit of water so it wouldn't hurt him.

He looked put out of it so I de-iced the water and pulled it back into the basin.

"Here, to warm you up." Thankfully, our room had windows to the outside world so I cupped both my hands and drew a breath.

A fireball emerged floating gently above my palm, bathing us all in its warmth.

Jaime was staring at the fire with wide-eyes but Lanna didn't hesitate to drop off her little ice ball into the water basin before returning to put her freezing hands close to my little ball of warmth. Jaime quickly followed up as well.

"Don't get too close now, it is fire." I cautioned.

"Does it burn Cersei?" Jaime asked after a moment.

I shook my head.

"How do you do it?"

Slowly, I smothered the fire ball. I didn't want to launch into an explanation while trying to juggle an active flame.

"The sun. Actually, lemme start from the beginning, kinda. The sorcery Lanna and I do is called bending. So Jaime, Lanna would be called a waterbender. There's also Earthbending and Firebending like I just showed you. Additionally, there is also airbending which I haven't figured out yet." And wasn't that annoying. Still nothing from that end.

"Figured out yet?" I could see the excitement growing in Lanna's eyes as she caught onto my words the fastest.

"Can I learn this bending?" Jaime quickly followed up.

To Jaime's great disappointment, I shook my head. "I'm sorry Jaime. But bending is a trait passed down by blood. If you were a bender, you probably would have manifested some talent by now." The boy looked stricken at that and I felt bad.

"And no to you as well Lanna. All benders can only bend a single eleme– Wait." I say, cutting off Lanna's obvious interjection. "The single exception to the rule is the Avatar, who can bend all four elements."

"What exactly is the Avatar?" Jaime had regathered himself enough to ask.

"Every generation, there is an Avatar. The Avatar must maintain harmony in the world." I couldn't exactly say it was to keep balance between the four nations since they didn't exist."

"How do you know this m'lady?" Lanna followed up.

I gave a half-hearted shrug. "Dreams. All Avatars maintain a connection to their past lives. As each Avatar dies, they are reborn anew. I possess a closer connection with my past lives considering I dream nearly nightly of them."

Understanding suddenly shone in Lanna's eyes. "Is that how you are so skilled?"

I nodded. "Many dreams are of them learning to master the four elements."

My brother was still quiet so I turned to him to see him looking rather contemplative. "Do you believe me, Jaime?"

He quickly nodded. "I believe you Cersei. You're not a liar."

He was visibly surprised as I suddenly hugged him, touched by his trust. I mean, the claim was utterly unbelievable but my Jaime didn't even hesitate.

A part of the reason I had waited so long was I wanted him to be mature enough to keep a secret, the other was I was a bit worried he would reject me or perhaps grow jealous. While the latter was something that could happen, I hoped I could do enough to head it off.

"Jaime. Just as you and all the other knights spend hours at the yard practicing, so too do Lanna and I need to hone our skills. Lanna found out about my bending earlier but I thought it wouldn't be fair that she knew when you didn't. I'll be showing Lanna proper waterbending techniques today. Just as there is a correct way to hold a sword, the same applies to the art of bending."

"Hey Cersei," Jaime began quietly. "Is being the Avatar dangerous?"

The sudden question surprised me but Jaime was a pretty sharp kid. "Yup. One of the Avatar of time past, Avatar Yangchen, was a diplomat but even she had to fight at times. Another Avatar was Avatar Aang who had to fight to stop the tyranny of others." I saw his expression closing up. "Thankfully, all Avatar's have Avatar companions to help lessen the load. They are their closest friends and confidants. A team you could say," I say with a knowing smile.

Team Cersei?

Team Avatar?

I need a team name!

"I hope Lanna would one day become one such Avatar companion but we could always use a brave and skillful knight among our number," I say with a sly grin towards Jaime.

It was both a slight teasing remark and a slight joke but my twin took it seriously. "I'll be your knight, Cersei." He said it with such determination that my teasing smile waned slightly.

A goal wasn't a bad thing, right? Something for Jaime to strive towards. Did Jaime have something beyond being a knight and fucking his sister in canon?

Everyone needed a goal to drive them forward.

"Then you need to be the best Jaime. Avatar companions tended to be master fighters of their own." Not entirely true but Sokka and Katara got there in time. "They are not just friends. Avatar Yangchen brought peace to the world but in the process, two of her companions perished defending her."

"Can you do that Jaime? Can you be the best?" I knew it wasn't a simple thing I was asking of him but judging by his canon self, it was something he was capable of.

"I can. And I will." I could feel the fires of determination lacing his every word.

Let's hope it holds up then.

"Good," I say, trying to lighten the mood "Then let's go for now. Lanna has her first lesson after all!"

As we walked toward my training spot, Jaime reached out and clutched my hand.

He held it tight, tighter than ever before.

He would be fine.