The Horned Lion that Could 3 - (ASoIaF, Tommen!SI)

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Myrcella POV

It takes a rather unique touch to know how to handle someone like Tommen Baratheon.

Something that Myrcella Baratheon, twin sister to the boy, was very aware and very dutiful about. As much some may think of her as someone that preferred to not put herself into troublesome affairs, the truth was that Myrcella was only willing to put herself on the line for two people: her father (and that would be out of filial duty), and her twin brother.

Tommen was her only sibling as far as she could care. Joffrey was a prick, rude and cruel, but he stood no match beside Tommen himself. Cella had shared the crib with 'Tom', and she knew how much of a protective cuddler he was. Likewise, he was also someone as soft as he could be harsh. Taking steps to hurt their older sibling the moment he tried to be particularly unpleasant around those around them. Especially if she was the one being crossed by Joffrey.

Myrcella always had a fond thought of her brother, and yet she hardly felt as intensely as her mother told her 'twins should feel'. Cersei was unusual around the way Myrcella was meant to treat Tommen, saying that it was 'fine' to be quite exposed around him, that he was her other half... as if he was meant to be her husband or something.

The idea, if left within the realm of silly dreams, felt cute. But then the reality of the matter made her aghast at the thought of doing more than hugging and cuddling with her brother. They were family! And they definitely were not Targaryen.

Still, Myrcella loved her brother a lot. And she found a way to convey that love with a goal she forged through their visit to Winterfell: she would find him a lady-wife worthy of him. And Arya Stark was just that!

Some may think of this as a childish desire considering their age, but Myrcella had heard and been told many times of how dangerous taking an unloyal wife can be. And it was a common instance within those nobles not from the North.

Northern wives may have rough shells, and may be extremely boyish at times with their attitudes, but it was also true that Tommen cared little of that. In fact, he didn't utter a word of contempt over Arya wearing pants, or wanting to play with wooden swords, or generally being quite the unlady girl.

Heck, it would have been more shocking if he had a problem in that regard considering the past experiences they had over it. Myrcella loved how permissive and helpful her twin brother could be. She once heard her mother's tales of when she would sneak in Uncle Jaime's clothes to try out being him for a few days.

And Cella didn't have to do that since Tommen just found a way to give them some free time for her to try out a sword and pants without feeling seen or shamed by anyone in the Red Keep. The end result? Cella loved skirts more. And while sword-fighting is fun, she wouldn't put herself at risk of being scolded by anyone for it.

Still, the gesture stuck to her - like the other interactions that further latched her to her loving twin brother. Hence why he deserved a good wife! And why Arya may be the one.

Not only was Myrcella looking for a loyal and impressive lady around their age, but she was looking for someone that could 'challenge' Tommen's mindset like Arya tended to do. Where Tommen was a smart-man at heart, Arya would be someone with Martial Desires, and... Myrcella would be there too, a girl in the shadows that would make someone like their grandfather proud of them.

Still, they were far from home and the trip back home saw them making a stop by the Trident. The king wished to walk with Ned where he had slain Rhaegar. A bit of a nostalgic gesture, a good way to draw pleasant feelings for the hurdle Robert had given to his friend. Uncle Ned (as Tom had wanted to call him) was not a bad man, but he was too kind and polite to be thrown into the burdening task that was being the Hand of King Robert. And yet, their father had decided as such.

There was little opportunity to fix that, even worse when he suggested Uncle Jaime should have claimed the Eyre instead of Jon Arryn's son, Robin. Thankfully for them, Lord Eddard had dissuaded the king from going along with this last option, but it still didn't make this stop any pleasant.

After all, this is the day Myrcella killed someone.

Part of her wants to feel upset over the thought, but it was something that was needed after a rather infuriating sight - that last thing needed to break her patience with Joffrey.

Tommen always had this thought of 'eventually' removing him if he didn't change, but Myrcella was not of that notion: Joffrey was a mindless monster. Changing was not part of his mindset due to their mother's coddling, and his vile nature was only meant to grow worse with each year.

And when he tried to force Arya to 'spar' with him, to bow to him and... to even grace him with a kiss in front of her own sister (poor Sansa, foolish enough to think that the Crown Prince had a right about it), that's where things went awful.

Tommen came to check, he walked up to Arya and then got told what occurred. Joffrey looked very nervous when his 'little brother' picked up the wooden sword. In less than a few moments, the smug attitude of their older sibling shattered as Tommen was quick and ferocious with his strikes. With Joffrey's own attempt to viciously retaliate ending in misses.

Ultimately someone called for their parents. Cersei tried to scold Tommen and Arya for 'hurting' the Crown Prince, while their father was more understanding and furious with Joffrey. There was no serious punishment onto Joffrey since their mother decided he deserved all her protection compared to her other children.

And this was... enough for Myrcella.

Enough to be patient, enough to be understanding, enough in thinking that her mother could truly love them as much as she loved Joffrey.

The plan was simple in nature, and it was something that felt poetic to Myrcella. All she needed was one of the concoctions she had brought with herself. Grand Maester Pycelle was a silly man - always trying to appear goofy and dumb, when he was actually very clever. And one of the clever things he did with her was to provide her with a little vial with liquid meant to help her sleep well. It was a common 'potion' of sort, and one that wouldn't be noticed for what she had in mind.

"Ser Clegane?"

"I am no Ser, little princess," The disfigured guard growled, but Cella stood her ground. "What is it?"

"Can you help me kill a bad sibling?"

In the rules of dialogue, the use of careful words is essential. Reading books, learning history, and then asking Tommen for help with some terms that could be more refined to use- Myrcella was not a master, but she was a keen student of the subtle art of intrigue. And she knew about Sandor Clegane's story behind that ugly scarring. Hence why the man offered her an interested look, then a reluctant look and then a defeated glance.

Getting the sleeping liquid in Joffrey's cup was an easy task considering she was the one bringing it to him. He didn't even notice her as he grumbled of 'how disgusting her and Tommen were and how they would both learn their places once he was king'.

"If you become one."

The comment drew a confused look from Joffrey and... then he slumped over Sandor's side. He was truly out for a while, long enough for Sandor to do the deed. There were no servant around the river where Rhaegar had died, and thus no one saw Sandor slamming Joffrey's head against some of the rocks underwater. Blood splattered all over, with Joffrey tainting the once blue river with his monstrous blood.

Clegane then carefully pulled the body out, turned it around and make it seem like he was trying to help before Myrcella bolted to alarm the rest. Cersei came rushing first, her blood-curdling scream stealing the attention of many as their father merely stared at the sight with grim eyes.

Cersei sobbed and lashed out at Sandor for 'not saving her baby boy', but Myrcella was quick to issue the excuse - Joffrey had told her to come with him by the river to tell her that he intended to 'teach Tommen a lesson', but as he turned to leave, he slipped on the wet ground and fell head first into the water. There he 'kissed' the harsh reality of the river, and he died there.

No one could save him, and it was indeed a 'sad day' for Westeros. Only Cersei and Sansa appeared truly devastated by the news, with Robert and Eddard soon discussing about urgent things, and Tommen... looking right at her. He always knew when she was lying, and she had to shy away from his gaze as she knew he had realized the truth.

Was he upset with her? No. But he definitely 'loathed' the ensuing circumstance: due to the death of Joffrey, Tommen was now the heir and, to respect Robert's wishes to have his heir marry a stark, Arya was now being betrothed to him.

And with that, Myrcella got three good things going with just a rock (for Joffrey's head).

AN

I think the best way to describe these three is... Tommen is Aegon, Arya is Visenya, and Myrcella is Rhaenys - except they are not as incestuous or as arrogant as the Targaryen Trio.