Orryn
My father knew what to expect. The journey from Dragonstone to the capital was quick, but preparations had to be made, some were still being made, and my mother was left to take care of them.
After our conversation at his solar, I pondered his words and how I should act. I'd met Joffrey a few times, and none of those times had given me a good impression of him.
He was gallant, but also something else. But it was my duty to be his friend, so I would do it, it was my duty to be Robert Arryn's friend, I would do it too.
"Listen Shireen, no matter what happens you have to keep a smile on your face. Say nothing but frivolous things to the queen and if she asks you something serious, pretend you don't know anything, be the silly, gullible girl." I instructed her once more before we left for dinner with the royal family.
Ciri smoothed Shireen's hair again and I could see my little sister's nervousness.
"Does it have to be just the two of us? Isn't our lord father going to be there?".
"No, he won't be. Uncle Renly will be, and be as careful with him as you are with the Queen. Now come, give me your hand".
"Can't Ciri go with us, be our personal servant?" Shireen asked hopefully.
"No, it's too risky to put a Valyrian in the same room as Uncle Robert." I said apologetically to my sister, looking at Ciri at the same time.
In my youth, I thought it would be enough to make her read and learn etiquette to be Shireen's lady-in-waiting, but I was wrong. Such a position was only for those born of noble blood, and no narrow sea house seemed to have daughters of a suitable age. So I got Ciri to be Shireen's handsmaid, and that was accepted, even for her.
I walked hand in hand with Shireen to the door of the hall where a banquet was being held. Some might say it was in our honor, but I know that Uncle Robert would never miss an opportunity for a feast, whether he remembered why.
The conversation wasn't too loud yet, which meant the participants weren't too drunk. I took a deep breath to calm myself and felt Shireen squeeze my hand even tighter.
If I showed fear, she would feel even worse. I swallowed all my fear and spoke to her quietly again.
"Remember, eyes forward, only forward. Focus on something at the back of the hall and look only there, no one else exists around us."
Shireen nodded, still afraid but also trying to control herself, and the herald announced us. There was no need for a haughty look that overflowed with arrogance, it was enough to keep your eyes wide and your expression firm, so as not to belittle anyone, but not to appear weak.
A lot of whispering came from the hall as we arrived, but we continued on until we stopped in front of our uncle's raised seat. I bowed formally next to Shireen, keeping my head down.
"Your Grace, it is an honor to be here by your invite" Uncle Robert didn't answer, he didn't tell me to stand up, so I stayed there until he finally laughed.
"By the seven hells, you two get up here, I want a good look at you!". We did as ordered and I looked at Shireen, she should have known how to behave, but it wouldn't hurt to remind her.
I smiled slightly as I finally got close to the giant that was my Uncle Robert. His huge hands grabbed my shoulders and he smiled again.
"Look at you! A strong boy I see, I bet you'll be a great warrior, too bad you have the same serious face as your father! But I'll teach you to smile properly" He said, laughing again.
"You flatter me your grace". I said, still smiling slightly, the kind of smile I tried to keep as real as possible, the kind of smile I practiced in front of a mirror.
"I'm your uncle, kid, cut the crap and go sit with your cousins." Uncle Robert replied by slapping me hard on the shoulder, I took a few steps to the side but held on well compared to the force of the slap.
"See, I told you he could take a good beating old Barry. I want you to train him in the yard tomorrow."
"As you wish, Your Grace." Ser Barristan said solemnly.
"Now it's your turn, my niece." Uncle Robert laughed, twirling Shirren in the air with ease. I ignored Uncle Robert's speech, Shirren's scream, and the look I received from the legendary old Knight of the Royal Guard before turning to my "aunt", Queen Cersei.
"My Queen, I am honored to be in your presence." I bowed once more and kissed the hand that was extended to me.
The Queen's smile was perfect, but it didn't reach her green eyes, she wasn't happy to have us here, she wasn't happy to be here.
Her hands went around my face and she looked me over. "Any nephew of Robert's is like blood of my blood." Lie. "And that reminds me, this beautiful lady at your side has not yet been introduced to me." Lie again.
"I am Shireen, and I am honored to be in your presence, Your Grace." Shireen answered, and though her voice didn't waver, I could tell she was nervous.
"That's a beautiful dress, no doubt the Baratheon crest was embroidered by you, wasn't it, my dear?" She asked smiling.
"N-not Your Grace, I don't have that skill yet." Shireen said with red cheeks.
"Then we'll have to work on that, won't we, dear?" The queen smiled at her mockery. "Have you at least learned the basics?".
"Shireen still has a long way to go, my queen. I myself didn't learn to ride a pony properly until I was ten days old". I said, trying to take the attention away from my sister.
"And what does riding have to do with embroidery, cousin?" A blond boy asked from beside the queen. Joffrey was only a year younger than me, and like his brothers, preferred his mother's Lannister looks to his father's Baratheon.
"Nothing, my prince, but everyone has their own battles. And one thing I always say, no matter how long it takes, the important thing is to win in the end. Your grandfather, Lord Twin, proved that". I replied politely and got a curious look from my cousin.
"I see you're getting along well, you can sit down." The queen said, dismissing us.
Shireen sat next to Myrcella and did well, the younger girl was pleasant and already being trained by her mother to be the perfect princess.
Joffrey, on the other hand, maintained a certain interest in me after my comment, and although his questions, were many, his arrogant tone undermined any goodwill towards him.
"Tell me, cousin, what's it like ruling your island of stone? I bet it has its... charms, doesn't it?".
"It's not just ruling Dragonstone, my prince, it's ruling the whole Narrow Sea. My father does it masterfully for your father, and I will surely continue to do so for you. As long as the Baratheon flag flies over the ships of the Narrow Sea, no pirate or dragon will dare approach."
"You're right, you're right. I won't have time to worry about the Narrow Sea with seven kingdoms to rule, it's good to know I have your loyalty, my cousin." Joffrey smiled charmingly. Surely many who saw his smile and didn't pay attention to his words would be fooled.
"Loyalty, my prince, is yours. It is your right to demand it and my duty to provide it." I spoke as submissively as I could, and that cheered Joffrey up even more.
"Oh come on, you can stop with this 'my prince' stuff, we're cousins aren't we? Call me Joffrey".
"Of course, Joffrey. Will you join me in the training yard tomorrow for Ser Barristan's instruction?".
Joffrey gave a stiff smile, but quickly pulled himself together. "Of course, if my duties as prince don't keep me away, I'm busy, you know."
"Of course, Joffrey. At least we'll have our lessons together tomorrow," I smiled.
"Yes, I can't wait." Joffrey smiled too, but he wasn't excited at all, just like me.
The banquet went on without any more problems, which meant I ate a bit of everything and continued to fawn over Joffrey.
I continued to watch Uncle Robert get drunk, and finally I left with Shireen when it was acceptable, that is, when the queen got drunk and left to avoid seeing her husband prostituting himself and groping every servant who squeezed her breasts in front of him.
Shireen went to her chambers with Ciri and the other servants, and they prepared her for bed. It was late night when Ciri came to my chamber to tell me she was asleep, that I finally relaxed.
I didn't want to worry her. Being in a new place, without our parents, and after all the stress of the feast, if I showed her the Baratheon guards our father had ordered to guard the hall, it would be too much, she'd think we weren't safe.
"Orryn, you look tired... Shireen was a nervous wreck as well." Ciri said as she sat down on the bed with me and began to massage my shoulders.
"It's hard being around them, it's exactly what it sounds like, it's... exhausting." I mumbled, somehow melting into his massage.
"You will be a Lord, Orryn, your life will be like this." She answered me and I groaned again in frustration. "Poor my Orryn." She continued talking and stopped her massage to kiss my neck.
"Better?" Ciri asked with a smile. I just ran my hand through her hair and moved closer to kiss her.
Honor said many things, duty too, but I couldn't keep her away. I couldn't do without the taste of her mouth, without her touch. Everything I knew about women I learned from Ciri.
My hands began to explore her lean body until they stopped at her small, but perky breasts. "Orryn..." She moaned as she tried to guide my other hand up her skirt.
I wanted her, she wanted me, it was hard to resist, but appearances had to be kept up, this wasn't Dragonstone, this wasn't my home. "Ciri, we can't..." I said, pulling away from the kiss.
"The guards will get suspicious if you stay here too long, they'll tell my father for sure."
The desire that shone in her green eyes had not yet faded. She licked her lips as she smiled and knelt on the edge of the bed. "There's something I can do to relax you that won't take too much time."
Reaching into my pants, she pulled my cock out and placed it in her mouth. The soft, warm sucking, the slow up and down movement with my entire length in her mouth was ecstatic.
I grabbed her hair but didn't force her, I just let her continue her movements for a while longer, less than I would have liked, we had to be quick.
When I finally ejaculated, I moaned and held her hair tighter, keeping my cock in her mouth, forcing her to swallow my seed.
Smiling as I released her, Ciri wiped the drool from her chin and walked with her slim hips to the door. When she had finished dressing, she smiled at me and winked.
"Next time it will be you who pleases me, my lord."
"Until you come in my face like you always do." I returned the teasing and she finally left.
If asked, IF, I would say that I instructed her to keep an eye on whatever Shireen might suffer, whatever they said to her, and it was true in the end, Ciri would help me protect my sister.
One day this would have to end, one day I would get married and it wouldn't be with Ciri, that much I knew. No matter how much I hated my wife, I would never dishonor her.
That didn't stop me from making Ciri happy, from getting her a good marriage with a knight, a good position for her future children. One day this fire between us would go out, it would have to go out, it doesn't mean that I would forget my Cirilla with her green eyes and soft lips, it doesn't mean that I wouldn't love her any less.