Cersei Lannister

It wasn't often the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms left King's Landing and made a procession across the realm. When Father sent a raven that a tourney was to be thrown at Casterly Rock in honor of Joffrey's ninth nameday, Cersei jumped at the opportunity for a chance to visit her home once more. She had originally planned to attend without the Buffoon, just her beautiful cubs and Jaime. Cersei should have expected Robert wanting to join, he had that old fool Falcon whispering in his ears, ruling the Seven Kingdoms in her husband's name. She would prefer it if she was running it, not that old feathered fool, but alas, he was a good cover. Too trusting of people, which she could exploit.

Cersei pressed her lips together as Myrcella leaned against her arm, and Tommen laid in her lap. Joff, her strong and beautiful lion, had gone out of the wheelhouse to ride along Jaime and Robert. They were due to arrive any hour now, after weeks of traveling and feasting along the Gold Road. She was exhausted, all this boring talking with those who should be rightfully glad she even deigned to acknowledge their existence. And that was just the nobles, the smallfolk who came crowding out to see them pass by were worse. But the Buffoon had to put on displays for them, wave to them, he slowed their procession down who knows how long? And for what, some baaing sheep to catch a glimpse of their rightful masters?

"Is Casterly Rock as large as they say?" Myrcella mumbled, her voice sleepy and childish. Cersei ran her hand through her daughter's hair, the same shade as Jaime. The words of the old witch came to her, and she shuddered. She would not lose her children. Not while she had breath in her breast. She was a liar, she knew nothing! Her children were hers!

"Even larger." Cersei answered. The Red Keep could never compare to Casterly Rock, the finest castle in all of Westeros, and the richest. As much as of an annoyance it was having to stop and feast at every Lord So-and-So's keep, at least Cersei no longer had to deal with the stench of King's Landing. That still didn't stop her from wearing her perfumes and oils that were more expensive than a Riverlord's yearly tithe. It felt nice returning to her ancestral home, she had to admit to herself.

She was eager to return home, it had been years since she had last visited. Cersei knew every nook and cranny of the Rock, and every hidden place where she could make love with her beloved Jaime. Cersei's lips soon turned into a smirk. Jaime would win the joust and crown her the Queen of Love and Beauty, and then they would make love as Robert embarrassed himself while drunk with some whore. Maybe they should try for another child?

Another lion for Joffrey to rule over once he became king. Maybe this one could be used to entrap the heathens in the North to their side? That was more than they deserved, after all. Despite what the Buffoon thought about his precious 'Starks', they were a backwards people. She had heard all the stories from those Septons and tutors her father had gotten her. Disemboweling people and hanging their bodies in trees, blood rituals, prima nocta, she'd heard all the tales.

No-no, her cubs didn't belong in the North where they would freeze to death or wind up on some altar being plucked of all their organs. No, her cubs belonged with her, under the protection the Lannister name gave them. Her and Jaime's blood would hold onto the throne forever, they didn't need dragons which the Targaryen's used to hold onto power. No, lions didn't need such cheap tricks.

"We have arrived." A smooth, familiar, and handsome voice came from the opening of the wheelhouse. Cersei pulled back the curtain made of Myrish lace, allowing a breeze to ruffle her perfect hair.

Beautiful, lion-like eyes met her own, and Cersei smiled.

Weiss

Lannisport had changed since the Sack all those years ago. The areas closest to the docks had been rebuilt, neater and stronger, wood replaced with stone. The City Watch had also been expanded to include a hundred more Red Cloaks dedicated to serving as firefighters. That had been one of Weiss' first ideas, borne out of memories from her home. Sure, she was inspired from the rants Jacques had done about the Werkfeuerwehr he'd been forced to invest in, but the logic was sound. The City Watch was already Lannisport's primary defensive force and their law enforcement, but they needed a shield for their investments.

As Weiss looked out at Lannisport from the Gold Keep's ramparts, she could see the changes to her city. The buildings around the docks were all in stone, including many of the warehouses that had burned. She also could see the foundations of some of her other suggestions her father had eagerly considered. The chain towers were steadily rising up near the mouth of the port, which was good, as the chain was nearly completed. Meanwhile, in the market district, she could watch as the workers crowded around the steadily rising structure of the Merchant court. That one had been a bit hard to sell, but her argument of having a neutral party arbitrate disagreements between merchants, namely not him, freeing up his time, held his interest.

And if she looked out towards the ocean, she could see the island, a desolate patch of rock called Botley's Folly, where some Ironborne had been tricked into running aground one night by a Lannisport captive they had tried to use as a guide. It was all flat grassland, left uninhabited as one of the first places an Ironborn raid would hit on their way to Lannisport. So she had suggested a lighthouse, complete with a little hillfort at the base of it, to use as a warning for either raiders, or traders. However, her view of the island today was blocked, the dark masses of gathering storm clouds hinting at what was in her future. Looking at one of the flags that was blowing in the wind, she could tell that it was likely to be a very stormy couple of days.

Lannisport wouldn't suffer from another raid like the one so many years ago, not while Weiss lived, and would help prepare a defense long after she was gone. This, unsurprisingly, was one of the few projects she'd proposed that had gone unopposed by anyone. Nobody wanted a repeat of the Sack of Lannisport, and well, having a lighthouse would also aid in navigation. It was a shame it would take so long to be constructed, but-

"My Lady, your Mother is waiting."

Turning away from her view of the city, she looked at the maid who had spoken. The girl was no older than ten and five namedays, with long blonde hair. Ordinary and plain, she looked like an average Westerosi, likely a Lannister or Lannett bastard.

Weiss gave her a pearly white smile, the one she'd practiced so much back in Atlas. "Well, we mustn't leave her waiting any longer."

The maid's cheeks flushed red at Weiss' smile, looking down to avoid her sapphire eyes. "A-As you command, my Lady."

Weiss had managed to convince her Mother to allow her to wander the tourney grounds with Alis and Alysanne, under the careful watch of Cedric and a handful of Red Cloaks. Rosamund would join Mother in the Lannister box, to observe the final joust. Anyone who was someone would be there, or in the Royal Box where King Robert was accompanied by the Queen and her children, Weiss' very distant cousins. As a rather minor Lannister cousin from Lannisport and not from Casterly Rock, Weiss hadn't spent much, if any time with the Royal Family.

Though, King Robert did mention that he wished to see if her skills had improved, which they have now that Weiss was older and taller. Her aura had improved, even if it still wasn't at the level it had been during her battle against Cinder. Any challenger that would be sent her way would fall, as easy as Amory Lorch all those years ago.

She was a lioness of Lannisport. And her claws were just as long as those of Casterly Rock.

A/N

This chapter was supposed to have been released weeks ago, and be at least 2-3 times longer than what was released. A hurricane knocked out my power for a week, so this short chapter is the result.

Night: But between the storm god seeming to have it out for Krieg, among other RL events on both of our ends, this was delayed a fair bit.

Next chapter shall be the last time skip chapter, and the one following that should be near the start of A Game of Thrones!