The Queen's Hound

Chapter Three

Cersei hummed happily as she nibbled at a piece of toasted bread, honey spread thinly atop it, and it was the finest food she had ever eaten. And made even more so considering she ate it in her own bed

She had been so tired from training with Sandor the day before that she had gone straight to her bedchamber and slept straight through till the morning, her lady mother had come to see her in the middle of the night and woke her with a gentle hand on her shoulder and Cersei, still half asleep, had needed to lie to her mother and tell her that she had simply gone looking for seashells on the beach and had tired herself out.

She wasn't sure if her mother believed her, Lady Joanna had always known how to see through her and Jaime, it did not matter if they were lying or if they playing at dressing up as one another, Lady Joanna had always known all.

But she had not pressed her on it and allowed her to go back to sleep, it was later than normal when she finally awoke from her sleep and Cersei had felt happier than she had done in awhile.

Cersei had finished her toasted bread and considered reaching for another piece when the door to her bedchamber opened and her brother walked in, Jaime had a frown on his face and Cersei already knew what was wrong.

But, she wasn't going to indulge him today, not when she had better things to do. "Don't you have lessons with father today?" Cersei asked as she rose from the table, she had her own lessons with her septa today as well but they had been pushed back when her lady mother had allowed her to slumber on, Father would not have allowed her to sleep she knew.

But Cersei would not have truly minded that, if she was allowed to take part in all the lessons that their lord father and the maester taught Jaime. Warfare and how to rule, how to demand the proper respect from those who owed their fealty to House Lannister.

And how to fight, with sword and lance and mace. Cersei wasn't even allowed to watch, she had asked Lord Tywin once if she might and Lord Tywin had simply stared at her with his cold green eyes, the eyes that had always made her feel smaller than she was. "It is not your brother's duty to entertain you at all hours of the day, your brother must train in order to prepare himself for the battles he will face as a man of House Lannister, you have your own duties to tend to, now go and take your lessons with your Septa."

Cersei had obeyed, when it came to her father what else could she do? Her Septa had taught her about more needlework, a little history and what was expected from her when she became someone's wife.

That afternoon she and Jaime had a meal with their father and mother, Jaime was breathless as he spoke about his training and father and mother had both looked so proud of him, Cersei had tried to speak of her own lessons but her mother had shushed her quickly. "Cersei, those lessons are just for you and are not to just be shared out in the open."

She didn't speak after that, but it was so unfair.

Jaime's frown deepened as he looked at her, "I'll go later," he muttered and crossed his arms over his chest, looking unsure and Cersei didn't think she had ever seen her twin look unsure before. "I missed you yesterday, we were supposed to play together yesterday, where were you?"

"I was with Sandor," Cersei admitted though she would not tell Jaime about them fighting one another with sticks, Jaime would tell on her and Sandor would no doubt be punished and Cersei wouldn't be able to train again. "He was frightened about being in a new place and the Rock is so large, I agree to show him around so he would more easily be able to find his way."

Her words did not seem to placate her twin, he seemed more annoyed than before in fact. "Someone else could have helped him find his way, why did it have to be you?" There was a small hint of suspicion in Jaime's voice then, Cersei had always been able to tell what he was feeling ever since they were small.

"He's my sworn shield Jaime," Cersei said with a roll of her eyes, wondering how it was that someone so like her could be so foolish. "We're going to have to speak to one another at some point, that's how it works."

"I know that," Jaime muttered and shuffled his feet, looking down at them. "I just...I missed you, next time why don't we all explore together?"

If we do that then you'll know our secret and you'll run straight to Father. But Cersei knew she could say that and so instead she simply gave Jaime a smile, one she had practiced and perfected with her lessons with her mother and septa, before pulling him into a hug. "That would be nice, I think you would like him."

After that Jaime sat with her and helped her to finish off the rest of the bread and honey before he went to attend his lessons with their father, Cersei had also set off to attend her lessons with her septa.

As always Septa Isteria's lessons were dull and it took all Cersei had not to fall back to sleep, even so her thoughts kept drifting back to Sandor and their fight on the beach.

It had been so much fun, she didn't think anyone other than Jaime had ever made her laugh so much. And Jaime wouldn't sword fight with her.

Even when Sandor had hit her hard enough on the arm with his stick to make tears spring up to her eyes she had not minded, it had hurt a lot and a part of her had wanted to drop her stick and go running to her mother for comfort, but it had been a new kind of pain, a pain that was born from doing something that she had actually wanted to do.

And she made promise to herself, that if she felt that pain again then she would work hard and harder each time to make sure that she never felt it again, she'd work her stick until she was perfect.

Eventually the lesson came to an end and Cersei was free to do as she wanted until it was time to take a meal with her father, mother and brother once again.

And so, she made it her plan to hunt down Sandor so they could practice some more.

She eventually found him in one of the great training halls within the Rock, situated within one of the smaller natural caverns within Casterly Rock. Sandor was sparring within one of her father's household knights, their master-of-arms wouldn't waste his time on teaching someone who wasn't a Lannister or one of their blood, and Cersei found a comfortable place to watch.

Their swords were wooden and the fight seemed to go on and on, Sandor was just a little boy and her father's knight was a man grown and it was clear soon enough that Sandor was never going to land a blow that the knight wouldn't allow, but every now and then he would stop the fight to fix Sandor's stance or comment on how tightly or loosely he was holding his sword.

It suddenly occurred to Cersei that they really had just been children playing a silly game together the day before, but Sandor would learn and she would learn as well. She wasn't going to let anyone stop her!

"Does your father know you are here, my lady?" The voice made her jump but the shock faded into delight when Cersei glanced up and saw her favourite Uncle starring down at her.

"Uncle Tygett!" Cersei shouted and threw herself at him, her uncle's smile was small but he still scooped her up and spun her around for a moment before placing her back down on the floor. "When did you come back?"

"While you were sleeping Cersei, Your father summoned me back to the Rock as it seems my exile is at an end," Uncle Tygett said as he sat down on the floor next to her to continue to watch the sparring session, they had been noticed but the knight had drawn Sandor's attention back to him.

A part of Cersei was curious why her father would do that, he had been very angry with Uncle Tygett when he had found out that he had been teaching her how to use a sword, but she had more curiosity about another matter and so that was what she asked about. "Does this mean we can have more lessons again?"

Uncle Tygett sighed and it felt like someone had dropped a stone into Cersei's stomach. "I'm afraid not Cersei, your father has made it clear to me that if I try to teach you how to use a sword, or indeed any weapon, that I will be sent away from Casterly Rock once again. He has even suggested that he would consider a few year's exile in Pentos or Norvos."

"I don't want you to go away again," Cersei hissed and, to her horror, tears began to sting at her eyes. She brought up the back of her hand to wipe them away, she couldn't cry. A lion did not weep, she could not let her lord father see her cry.

Tygett sighed and used one arm to pull her close to his side and Cersei felt him press a kiss to the top of her head. "And I do not want to go away again either, so I will not. Somethings in the world just are the way they are Cersei, and we must bear them as best we can. Your father is our lord and he has made his will known, there is naught we can do about that."

Cersei knew that, but it did nothing for the fire in her chest. She turned her head away and continued to watch the sparring session, but she did not pull away from her uncle.

Once it was done Uncle Tygett walked with her over to the knight and Sandor, "It is good to see you again Ser August," Tygett said to the other man who nodded in greet before Tygett turned his attention towards Sandor. "So, you are my niece's sworn sword are you? An honourable position for the son of a house one step above the hordes of lowborn, I hope you are grateful for the honour."

Sandor looked like he was trying very hard not to choke on his own tongue, he had gone pale and his eyes were wide. "I-I am, my lord! I'll do my best to keep Lady Cersei safe from anyone would try and harm her!"

Uncle Tygett laughed them, it wasn't like the guffaws of her uncle Gerion or the chuckles of her Uncle Kevan or even the shark bark of sound from her own father, it was short but soft and it was one of Cersei's favourite sounds and she was surprised by how much she had missed it. "Calm yourself lad, just a little jest. I am certain that you will but you are still young, you must prepare for the day in the future and leave her protection to others for now."

"Yes, my lord."

"Yes Ser."

"Yes, my lord Ser."

That made her uncle laugh again and Cersei found herself giggling as well.

They made their farewells after that, it was time for the evening meal now and to her surprise Tygett had been invited to it as well. "We all have," He muttered as he walked beside so she could keep up. "Your father wants us all there."

Within the small chamber that was only for private meals for the main family Cersei saw that her uncle was right, her other uncles were there as was her aunt Genna. Her lady mother was smiling down at Jaime and her lord father...

He was smiling to, it was a little thing but it was there.

Lady Joanna beckoned her close and then pulled Cersei into a hug alongside her twin. "Now that we are all here, it's time for you two to know a little secret we've been hiding from you for awhile."

"What secret, mother?" Jaime asked.

"My darlings, you are both to have a little brother or sister!"

End of Chapter Three

"It was hard for all my brothers. That shadow Tywin cast was long and black, and each of them had to struggle to find a little sun. Tygett tried to be his own man, but he could never match your father, and that just made him angrier as the years went by." Why yes this quote is the basis of why I think Tygett and Cersei would relate to one another and he would be her favourite uncle.

Anywho, hope you enjoyed!

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Warmest Regards,

DiscordantSymphony