A Lioness In Winter

I

The dream was different, the waking was the same.

In the dream she was back among the worms, the fine people of King's Landing were jeering and screaming at her and throwing their filth at her. The faces twisted into long shapes, their teeth became pointed and their eyes turned into the same yellow as the witch in her tent when Cersei had just been a young girl before the swarmed over her, and a thousand hands chocked the life from her.

She was awoken by a hand upon her shoulder and Cersei blinked at the face that hovered above her, for a moment she thought that it was Melara Hetherspoon starring down at her but when the Queen blinked again it was only one of the novices from the great sept who had been charged with seeing to her spiritual wellbeing, as her uncle had explained it to her.

The girl had been weeping and over her shoulder Cersei could see Ser Meryn Trant standing over her shoulder, holding a lantern just as Osmund Kettleblack had once done when he had come to rouse her from her sleep.

When Ser Meryn told her what had happened Cersei did not believe him, but she had been summoned all the same and so her attendants quickly dressed her and she left her rooms for the first time since she had been confined to them.

It hurt to draw a breath as Cersei stepped across the drawbridge from Maegor's Holdfast, she had never known cold like it and she had never seen the snow piled up so high either. Cersei had known winters before, but they had never been like this before. Even when she had gone North with Robert and the children to Winterfell and she had thought that she had never been so cold, it was nothing compared to this.

It was hard to walk through the snows and she was glad of the warmth when she stepped into Pycelle's tower, Cersei could not recall the last time she had stepped foot in here. If she had ever had need of Pycelle then she would simply summon him.

Cersei began to make her way up the tower, the many steps causing her breath to catch in her throat and she was glad of it when she finally reached Pycelle's chamber under the rookery and stepped into the room.

Mace Tyrell and Randyll Tarly were already within, and Cersei had to fight off the urge to laugh, she had been summoned last just as she had been when her lord father had been found in the privy with a crossbow bolt buried within him.

Pycelle was at his desk, his head in the middle of pool of blood and melted wax with lumps of brain and bits of skull floating within it. Cersei looked at him for a moment before her gaze went over to the seat beneath the open window.

Kevan Lannister was slumped there, covered in frost with a crossbow bolt buried in her chest and his entire body covered with stab wounds.

Tyrion!

Her first instinct when she saw the bolt, the fear of her valonqar rushing to the forefront, but she stopped herself. Cersei knew that Tyrion was too cunning to kill the same way twice, he would not announce himself knowing that Cersei would tear the Red Keep apart to find him.

No, this stank of treachery and treason smelled so much like roses. Her uncle was the last westerman on her son's small council and the regent as well, the Tyrell would be glad to be rid of him and why not do it in a way that they could blame it on the imp, to distract her attention.

But Cersei would not be played for a fool, and she would not let them take her son from her. She would kill them all first.

Mace Tyrell smiled at her, perhaps he thought it looked comforting but in truth all it did was turn Cersei's stomach. "Your Grace, there are not words that can express how deeply sorry I am for you in this moment. To lose an uncle after all you have suffered so far, but know that House Tyrell stands, as always, as your firmest friend and will be here to aid you through your grief."

It took all Cersei had not to spit at him, still she forced a smile and kept her voice as meek as she had done ever since she had returned to the Red Keep. Humbled and chastised, just as they all wanted. "My Lord of Highgarden is too kind, have the monsters behind this vicious murder been apprehended?"

"No." Spoke Lord Tarly as he glared at Pycelle's corpse, as if it had personally offended him. "No one was seen leaving the tower and Grand Maester Pycelle's serving girl can not be found anywhere."

Most likely the girl had been spirited away already, either to Highgarden or more likely to have her throat cut in an alley in Flea Bottom when the Tyrells had no more use of her. "I pray she will be found quickly, if she had a hand in this vile murder then she must be brought to justice."

"Hm," Lord Tarly said before he turned his gaze to her and stared deeply into her, perhaps he thought to unnerve her but Cersei had been stared at by Tywin Lannister, had walked the length of the city in her nakedness, she would not cringe for him. "Your Grace, I understand that you had dinner with the Lord Regent before he was summoned away by the Grand Maester, is that so?"

The sheer gall of it sickened her, this pawn of the roses trying to pin the blame of this murder on to her. Cersei would not stand for it. "I have been confined to my chambers since my return from the great sept of Baelor my Lord, the only ones that have attended me are sweet novices and holy septas, who does my lord suggest that I sent to do this foul deed?"

"I am certain that Lord Tarly did not mean to imply such a thing your grace," Mace Tyrell rushed to answer and Randyll Tarly clenched his jaw so tightly that it looked like his teeth were moments away from shattering. "We simply wish to find the villains behind this crime, whoever they may be."

Cersei swallowed her rage and forced a smile. "Of course, can I trust that the king is being guarded?"

"Ser Boros has the watch on the king's bedchamber and thirty of my guardsmen have been stationed near his grace's apartments." Lord Tarly grumbled and Cersei thought of Tommen, her sweet little king who at any moment could be stolen from her.

Cersei blinked as she felt tears burning behind her eyes, she would not show her weakness to these men who would gladly see her dead. "I beg my lords leave to return to my chambers, it seems I have an uncle to mourn."

There was not much for her to mourn, Ser Kevan had made it clear he would not name Ser Robert Strong to the Kingsguard unless she undertook the walk of atonement. Cersei hoped he was rotting in the worst of the hells for that betrayal.

Still the lords gave her their leave and Cersei returned to her chamber where Septa Scolera and the three novices were waiting for her, hoping to give her comfort by joining her in prayer. Cersei wanted nothing more than to scream, but she had to play the game for a little while longer and so she sunk to her knees with a sad and gentle smile.

In the morning, they brought her the king. Tommen was looking thinner and his eyes were red and the two halves of Cersei warred within herself, the part of her that was his mother wished simply to hold him close, kiss his curls and promise him that all would be well.

While the Queen wished to tell him to dry his eyes, to tell him that he was a lion and a king and that he could not weep or his enemies would see his weakness, that they would take advantage of him and hurt him and she would not be able to protect him.

In the end it made little matter, Cersei held him but her words could not be her own while the septa and the novices watched her.

It was later in the afternoon when Cersei was summoned again, but this time to the small council chamber. It wasn't much of a council in truth, with Pycelle and her uncle murdered, Paxter Redwyne sailing to deal with the Ironborn and Harys Swyft sailing for the free cities all that was left was Mace Tyrell and Randyll Tarly.

There was someone else however, Septa Moelle was standing in front of the council chamber and bent her back when Cersei walked in. "Your Grace, his high holiness wishes for you to know that his prayers are with you at this terrible time, he would also like you to know that he is praying for the souls of Grand Master Pycelle and Ser Kevan, he has no doubt they have gone to their just reward."

"We can only hope," Cersei said with a demure smile. "Please thank his high holiness for his kindness in thinking of me."

"I shall your grace," the olive skinned septa said. "This is not the only reason I have come, however. His High Holiness wishes you to know that, in light of this tragedy, the trials of both yourself and Queen Margaery have have been pushed back to allow for you both to attend the funeral and to mourn your uncle."

"Also, I am do bring some glad news your grace. New evidence has come to light that allows us to clear her grace of the charges of incest and adultery." At the septa's words Cersei's heart soared, but only for a moment.

They were not as clever as they thought, Cersei saw their game. If she was found guilty of incest or adultery then Tommen was not a legitimate king and if he was not legitimate than neither was Cersei's regency or the decrees she made during it.

Including the one she had made to rearm the faith militant.

Cersei swallowed her scream and smiled. "I am so glad to hear this, am I still to be tried for the other charges against me?"

"I am afraid so, your Grace."

Mace Tyrell spoke then with a smile that made his look too much like his mother. "I have no doubt that your Grace will be found innocent of these other lies, considering new evidence was found to rid her of these charges perhaps you would like to reconsider having a trial by combat?"

"I thank my lord for his consideration, but I have faith that the gods will give strength to Ser Robert Strong and thus prove my innocence." She had faith in Qyburn, in the end he had proved himself as her only true friend and he had promised that Ser Robert would not fail her.

For a moment, she thought of Jaime. He had been her first choice, the only choice, but he was still not returned. He would come back, she knew that he would. They would be one again, and he wouldn't leave her again. He would be her hand, as he always should have been.

Cersei was allowed then to return to her chambers and, after her prayers and a bath, dreamed of Jaime returning to her in his golden armour with Tyrion and the High Septon's heads in a bag for her.

End of Chapter

This is my interpretation of how Cersei's story will go in the WINDS OF WINTER, as such in a way this is simply a focused look on Cersei and her chapters. There will references to other events that Winds should cover, but only in how they affect Cersei's story going on.

I hope you enjoy!

DiscordantSymphony