Game of Thrones 1. Chapter 1

A black-haired beauty

Chapter One

Cersei Lannister looked down at the small baby that was sleeping soundly in her arms, she took a deep breath when a sharp pain shot through her, the birth had not been to difficult on her all things considered, it wasn't as hard on her as Joffery had been but it still wasn't pleasant.

Cersei couldn't stop a smile from crossing her face as the baby let out a little sneeze in his sleep, he was a cute little thing and she was surprised by how much she already loved him.

To be honest she didn't think she would love him at all, the babe wasn't the son of her darling Jamie, the head of black hair it was born with put any doubts to the contrary to rest. And when the babe had first opened his eyes and looked at her with eyes that were identical to her own she couldn't help but love him.

And despite her better judgement she couldn't help but hope that perhaps this babe might fix the damage in her relationship with Robert. Did Cersei hate him? Yes, but sadly hate and love weren't much exclusive to one another.

She looked up as her the door to her chambers opened and Robert and Joffery walked in, Joffery clinging to his "father's" side. Cersei couldn't stop a smile, Joff had always been such a sensitive boy.

She told the midwife to leave them, the midwife bowed and hurried out of the room after giving curtsey to her king and prince.

Once the midwife had pulled the door closed Joffery broke away from Robert and climbed on the bed to be closer to his mother.

Cersei smiled adoringly at her oldest son and pulled him close to her with a free arm and kissed him gently on the top of his head where one day a crown would sit. "My darling boy, met your little brother."

Joffery looked wide-eyed down at the little bundle his mother held in her arms. He slowly looked up at his mother. "He's tiny mother, he's never going to be able to play with me!"

Cersei and Robert for the first time in a long time shared a laugh. "He'll grow my boy." Said Robert clapping his meaty hand down firmly on to Joffery's shoulder.

"How long will that take!?" Joffery near shouted, the baby whimpered and Cersei shushed him until he was quiet once again.

"As long it takes my darling." Said Cersei as she stroked Joffery's check soothingly. "Now, why don't you go and play? Your father and I have much to discuss."

Joffery nodded and jumped off the bed and walked over to the door, he pulled it open and left the room and ran down the corridor two members of his father's guard trying to keep up with him. Joffery had such a fun idea for a game he could play!

Cersei looked up at her husband who came closer after Joffery left, he slowly stroked his son's head and smiled softly as the baby's eyes landed on him.

He looked up at Cersei and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I am as well." Cersei sighed, looking down at her sheets.

"Can we try again? For the babe and Joffery's sake?" Asked Robert hopefully.

"You don't love me, you still love her." Said Cersei, she didn't need to say the Stark bitch's name, she knew that Robert never forgot.

"No I don't and yes I do." Robert admitted, "But I think if I gave us time, then I could come to love you, I cannot and will not promise more."

Cersei sighed and looked back down at the baby, he and Joffery both deserved a better father, if nothing else. A proper one, not one who spent all day sleeping with whores lovingly provided by Littlefinger.

Cersei nodded. "Very well we will try again." She laughed. "You have lived to see an historic day my king, the day I give someone a second chance."

Robert returned the laugh but their was no humour in it. He looked back down at the baby, memorising his features. "So, what shall we name him?"

"How about Jon?" Cersei suggested, knowing how much her husband cared for and loved Jon Arryn she felt it was a good name.

Robert nodded his approval and then no more words were said.

None needed to be said.

The two of them just enjoyed the quiet and the presence of their new baby.

Who knew what would happen now? 

End of Chapter One

**(A/N My first game of thrones fic guys! Be gentle but constructive criticism is always welcome.)  
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**(A/N I have this theory that Robert has always subconsciously known that Jamie's children weren't his, that's why now that Cersei has had a son that is without a doubt is he is willing to try and make amends with her.) **


	2. Chapter 2

A black-haired beauty

Chapter 2

**(Quick bit of a warning guys, this chapter gets a bit gory towards the end.)**

Jamie Lannister was tapping his foot on the ground as he waited for his little brother to finish relieving himself. Tyrion came back to the road and pulled himself back on to his horse. "Shall we carry on to see our new nephew brother?"

Jamie sighed and pulled himself on to his horse, their horses began to gently trot down the kings road, if they kept at this pace then they would arrive at King's landing within in the week.

Tyrion looked at his brother, studying him. It was one of the things he was best at, studying people. When no one expected you to amount to anything and thus no one gave you any attention it was easy to blend into the background and study people easier.

Jamie treated Tyrion better than anyone else in their family aside from a few distant uncles but even so he still made the mistake of underestimating him. And thus he knew things about him and his dear sister that would surprise him.

He knew what his brother and sister had been doing, he knew that Joffery was Jamie's son not Robert's and he knew that they were still sleeping with one another.

When word had reached them at Casterly Rock that Cersei was pregnant Tyrion knew it wasn't Jamie's, Robert wasn't half as stupid as he seemed and thus made a royal decree that one member of the king's guard would be sent to each of the great houses to serve as an envoy and Jamie was the one who was chosen to be sent home, which made their Father happy or at least less annoyed, Tyrion wasn't sure if Tywin Lannister even understood the word happiness.

When Jamie had heard the news that Cersei was pregnant he walked out of the family dining hall and went straight to his room, later on that night when Tyrion was walking back to his chamber he walked past Jamie's chambers and he swore he could hear something that sounded almost like crying.

He thought about comforting him but honestly what he could he say to him to make him feel better? What do you say to your big brother when his twin sister cheated on him but didn't really as she only had sex with her husband and was now pregnant with his son who was his nephew and said nephew was now going to be raised with his son who was also his nephew.

When word had come nearly nine months later that Cersei had given birth to her son Tywin had "Suggested" that they go to king's landing to visit the newest Lannister and thus here they were.

As the horses carried on their way down the road, Tyrion opened his mouth. "So, rumour has it that the baby is named after Jon Arryn."

"I don't care." Said Jamie as he kept his gaze straight ahead.

"Charming." Said Tyrion as he smirked. "Can I expect you to be pleasant?"

"What do you mean?" Asked Jamie confused.

"Let's not play games, I have kept my mouth shut but I know what you and Cersei have been doing and I know why Joffey doesn't look a thing like Robert." Tyrion pulled his horse away from Jamie's, he knew his brother loved him but Jamie could have a temper when he wanted to.

Jamie pulled his horse's reins hard and the horse reared up and neighed loudly. "You shut your mouth!"

"And that is all the confirmation I need." Said Tyrion with a smirk. "Now, we both know that the baby is Robert's so I will ask again dear brother can I expect you to be pleasant?"

"Of course, I suppose having that fat, drunken, whoreing son of a bitch's seed taking root in her womb and having to have his child is hard enough on her, anything I could say or do would just be icing on the cake." Said Jamie as he resumed riding down the road.

"Honestly, I feel like I should be having this with Cersei of all people not you." Muttered Tyrion as he followed his brother down the road.

This was not going to end well.

Well, at least on the bright side he could go into one of Kings Landing's many fine brothels, there was one whore, a dark haired pretty thing who had eyes so brown they looked like melted chocolate.

With thoughts of her driving him forward Tyrion kicked the side of his house telling it to pick up the pace.

**XXXxxxx**

Little Joffery Baratheon was so bored, his mother and father were spending so much time with the new baby and weren't playing with him and the baby was to young to play with him yet.

Joffery hoped that when the baby was old enough he would want to play with him, but Joffery was worried he was already four when the baby was four, he would be eight a big boy what if he and the baby couldn't play the same sort of games?

Joffery shook his head, he had to find a way to bond with his little brother, when he heard the pitter patter of claws on the marbel floor ahead of him he looked up and saw the old cook's cat and just like that little Joffery had an excellent idea.

The cat's belly was fat, just like mother's had been when Joffery's little brother had been growing inside of her, the maester had called it a big funny word that Joffery couldn't remember but he did remember that it had started with a p.

What ever it was, Joffery knew that whatever the p word was, the cat was just like his mother and had baby's in her tummy and this is wear Joffery's excellent idea came in, he could give his brother a kitten and then he could a keep a kitten and that way they would always be connected to one another.

Now, the only problem was that it took mother a long, long, long time until his baby brother was ready to come out, a real long time almost as long as it took for his name day to come around and he couldn't wait that long!

And then Joffery had another great idea, he quickly and quietly slipped into the red keep's kitchens and quickly grabbed a knife and exited be for anyone saw him. Joffery hated that he had to sneak into the kitchens, one day when he was king he would come into the kitchens whenever he liked and would take as many knives as he liked and if anyone tried to stop him…

He would make them sorry that they ever thought they could tell him what to do.

It took Joffery a long time to find the cat again, but it would be worth it. He cornered the cat in a corner and drew his knife, the cat tried to run through his legs but Joffery was faster and grabbed the cat's tail then, the cat had the never to swipe at him.

Joffery sneered and plunged the knife straight into the cat's round belly, the cat let out a sound that sounded almost like a scream and then it went quite.

Joffery pulled his knife down like he had seen the fishmongers do and the cat's belly opened, red sticky blood flowed out and formed a puddle on the floor.

Joffery frowned at what he saw, those weren't kittens! They were red slimly shapeless things, half of them didn't even have eyes!

Then another a idea came into Joffery's head, these must be baby kittens, he though to himself. When they grow up they will look more like cats.

And Joffery smiled as he realised that there were more than two, if he had anymore brothers and sisters he could give them cats as well!

With a proud smile on his face Joffery scooped on the kittens and made his way to his chambers, the kittens had to be kept warm.

When he was half way to his chambers he had already forgotten about the cat's carcasse and the bloody kitchen knife.

End of Chapter Two


	3. Chapter 3

A Black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Three

**(A/N Just a fair warning guys, this chapter has some NSFW content.) **

Cersei smiled as she put her baby down in his crib to sleep, it had been such a long day. She had been spending most of the day in the nursery, little Jon had quite an appetite, got that from his father.

As she left the nursery and closed the door she gave instructions to the nanny to keep an eye on Jon through the night, babies were most vulnerable in the first few weeks after being born and so just as with Joffery, Jon was being constantly monitored.

Cersei however was exhausted and needed some sleep, she arrived at the chambers she shared with Robert. She undressed and pulled the thick covers that covered the large bed down and climbed into bed.

Cersei had her eyes closed when Robert walked in, she kept her eyes tightly shut and just hoped that Robert was so tired that he just went straight to bed.

"Cersei, wake up." Robert said as he gently shook her, Cersei's eyes popped open, Robert sounded almost…sober?

Cersei took in her husband, he looked sober. "What's wrong?" She asked, worried.

Robert looked confused. "Nothing's wrong, what makes you think that something would be wrong?"

"You aren't drunk, I don't even think you're tipsy." Cersei leaned in closer to Robert and sniffed him. "Have you even had a drink tonight?"

Robert groaned. "Seven hells woman, I can go a night without a drink you know."

"I know you can, you just chose not to, often." Said Cersei with a smirk.

"I did come to talk to you, but if you would rather make jokes then I can go and sleep in another room." Robert offered.

"No, it's alright what do you want?" Cersei asked.

Robert leaned in and gently took Cersei's face in his hands and pressed his lips to Cersei's genteelly, Cersei gasped, she was surprised to put it lightly, Robert had never been this tender with her, it was nice.

Robert laid her down and pulled the covers down from Cersei and exposed her beautiful, mature body to the pale moonlight that streamed in from the large windows.

Robert stopped kissing Cersei and started kissing his way down Cersei's body. When he reached Cersei's breasts he took one of her nipples into his mouth and began to suck on it as he massaged and groped her other breast with his hand.

Cersei groaned and tilted her head back, this was…this was…this was amazing! She had never felt anything like this, Jamie never did anything like this!

Robert stopped sucking on her breast and pulled away, a tiny trickle of milk slipped down Cersei's breast. Robert leaned in and licked it up and smiled as the sweet taste, his son was a lucky little bastard.

Robert carried on kissing his way down Cersei's body, he held Cersei's hips firmly and leaned in to lick at Cersei's pussy. He licked gently at Cersei's lips and lapping up all her juices. After a few minutes of doing this he brought his lips up to Cersei's nub and sucked on it firmly.

With her mouth open wide and her eyes opened like a deer who the lights of hunting touchs in the distance Cersei had no idea how to process what she was feeling, What ever she felt when Robert sucked on her tits, it was absolutely nothing compared to this!

As Robert continued with his licking and sucking, Cersei felt a strange tightening in her stomach, She moaned in confusion not sure if she found the sensation painful or the best pleasure she ever had.

As his queen moaned Robert continued with his feast, sucking and licking harder and harder, his beard rubbed hard against Cersei's inner thighs and her clit causing Cersei to moan even harder.

After a few more minutes of this Cersei screamed in pleasure and exploded in her husband's face, Robert smirked and licked Cersei's up all of her juices, not stopping until he got all of them.

Cersei breathed heavily as she tried to calm down, that had to be the best sensation she ever had, Jamie never even tried to do that to her. As her king continued with cleaning her up she found herself thinking about what Jamie didn't do.

Jamie didn't kiss her during sex, Jamie didn't suck on her breasts and Jamie definitely didn't do THAT. To be honest Jamie most of the time simply bent her over and thrust until he was done, most of the time Cersei had gotten off as well due to Jamie's large size but their had been more than a few times when she hadn't gotten off as well.

Cersei didn't mind most of the time, she loved Jamie, he was her twin and she would love him no matter what and she would love him even if he never got her off but she did really love him when he did.

Cersei was pulled out of her thoughts when Robert placed another kiss to her nub, he looked his wife in the eye and spoke commandingly. "On your hands and knees woman."

Cersei swallowed as a lump suddenly formed in her throat. She turned over and got on her knees.

Robert quickly pulled his clothes off and gave his penis a few pumps, he climbed back on to the bed and draped himself over Cersei's body. He slowly slid his cock into Cersei's pussy and gave her a few minutes to adjust to his girth.

Cersei took a few breaths to help herself adjust to the foreign intrusion, while Robert was not as big as Jamie he was definitely not a small man.

Robert began to thrust slowly into Cersei who tightened herself around her husband's cock.

As Cersei tightened around him, Robert moaned loudly and began to thrust widely until, finally he came.

Cersei groaned and came as she felt her king filling her up and she came as Robert gave a few weak thrusts.

Robert collapsed on top of Cersei. "Damn woman, just damn." And with the he rolled off of her to his side of the bed.

Cersei giggled, and rested her head on her husband's chest. "I live to please."

Robert kissed the top of her head while slowly stroking her arm. "And you do it so very, very well."

Cersei smiled and then frowned, she sat up and looked Robert straight in the eye. "Are we actually getting along?"

Robert frowned before nodding in agreement. "Gods, I think we might be."

"I suppose that dragons will be returning to Westeros next." Murmured Cersei as she trailed a finger gently through Robert's chest hair.

"It is no less likely." Said Robert with a shrug of his shoulders, he then sighed. "I did say I wanted us to try and get along better and we do have two children now, I want them to have two parents that at least like one another."

"Are you saying you like me?" Cersei asked in disbelief.

"I did say I would try and love you, and so far since I have made that promise it hasn't been as difficult as I thought it would be so yes, I would say I like you." Said Robert. "Don't make any smart remarks woman."

"Me? Never." Said Cersei with a smirk. "And I would say I like you to." Better to pretend that she didn't care about him at all before than make him feel bad, he admitted that he liked her and he gave her the best sex she ever had, not just with him but in her entire life.

"Good, now I'm tired." Said Robert as his eyes closed, within a few moments he was soundly asleep and snoring as loudly as a bear.

Cersei rolled her eyes and laid her head back down on Robert's chest, listening to her husband's heartbeat and listening to his snores Cersei had to admit that this was a bit nice, just a bit through.

Within a few moments Cersei found herself following her husband into sleep.

End of Chapter three.

**(A/N Sorry that this is so short you guys, but I mainly wrote this chapter for two reasons, one I wanted to show Cersei and Robert's relationship strengthening and two I wanted to see if I could write a sex scene, let me know how I did in a review because constructive criticism is always welcome, the next chapter should be a little longer as Jamie and Tyrion arrive at King's Landing.)**


	4. Chapter 4

A Black Haired Beauty.

Chapter Four

**(A/N just a warning guys one character does attempt to rape another character in this chapter.)**

Jamie and Tyrion both stood waiting for their sister in her tea room, the door opened and Cersei, with their nephew in her arms and her handmaidens flanking her walked into the room.

"Jamie." Cersei greeted her twin with a nervous smile. When she turned to Tyrion her smile turned to a frown. "Tyrion."

"Dear sister." Said Tyrion with a smirk as he lifted a golden goblet full of wine towards his sister. "How lovely it is to see you, and this must be the newest addition to our happy little family."

"Yes, this is Jon." Said Cersei plainly. "I trusted you both had a present ride?"

"Oh yes, quite pleasant." Tyrion said as he took another sip of wine.

"Jamie, did you have a pleasant ride?" Cersei asked as she unconsciously held Jon closer to her chest.

Jamie nodded before taking a deep gulp of wine from his goblet.

Cersei sighed.

"Can we get a better look at our new nephew, dear sister?" Tyrion asked as stood from his chair. Cersei sighed and leaned down to so Tyrion could get a better look at the baby.

"Oh yes." Tyrion murmured as he looked down at the dark haired baby. "This one is definitely Robert's son."

Cersei took in a sharp breath, she turned to her handmaidens and spoke quickly and sharply. "I would speak to my brothers in private, leave. Now!"

The handmaiden's jumped at their Queen's command and quickly hurried our of the room, when they had closed the door Cersei turned to face Tyrion with a glare of utter hate on her face. "What did you mean by that you little bastard!?" 

Jon shifted in his mother's arms and whimpered at his mother's loud voice. "I'm sorry darling." Cersei quickly soothed Jon and walked over to a crib that she had ordered be set up in here so when she had her daily tea that Jon could always be in reach.

Once Cersei was certain that the baby was settled she stormed back over to Tyrion and glared down at him. "I will only ask this once more, what did you mean by that you little piece of shit."

Tyrion shrugged. "I simply meant that this boy looked so much more like Robert than Joffery does, what did you think I meant? Surely you aren't implying that I was implying that you have been doing something…immoral, are you?"

Cersei glared and breathed heavily, she turned to glare at Jamie. "You told him?! Have you completely lost you're bloody mind!?"

"I didn't tell him anything." Said Jamie with his voice full of scorn and neither Cersei or Tyrion could tell who it was directed towards. "He put it together all by himself."

"And you dear sister, simply gave me the final conformation." Said Tyrion as he sat back down on his chair. "I take it then, that Joffey is not in fact Robert's son?"

Neither Jamie or Cersei said anything, Tyrion chuckled. "Your silence only condemns you more my dear siblings."

Cersei stared Tyrion down. "If you even think about telling anyone, especially Tywin or my husband I will make sure that your head is on a pike by dawn and that it won't be taken down until either the next winter or until the ravens eat it, which ever comes first you putrid little half-man."

Tyrion looked bored at his sister's threats. "If you even tried to do anything to me I would go straight to Robert and then, my dear, dear vile cunt of a sister it will be your and your little bastard's heads on pikes."

"Both of you stop it right now!" Cersei and Tyrion both jumped back at Jamie's sudden shout. "I have had it up to here with both of you, Tyrion you are not going to tell a soul and Cersei I don't think you are in a position to make any sort of threats!"

Neither Cersei nor Tyrion knew what to say, Cersei turned on her heel and stormed over to the crib and picked up baby Jon and then stormed out.

Tyrion blinked. "Well, I think that went splendidly!"

Jamie took a deep breath before turning to Tyrion. "Tyrion, you are my little brother and I love you very much, but even so there are moments when I truly do feel like shoving my sword up your ass so far that it is sticking through your mouth." And with that Jamie turned, opened the tea room door, walked out and slammed it shut.

Tyrion took another sip of wine before placing his goblet back on the table next to the flagon and getting out of his chair.

He was going to go and get laid.

**XXXxxxx**

Cersei made sure that Jon was settled in his crib before pacing up and down the nursery, how dare that little fucking bastard say that to her!? He had already taken her mother and now he was making threats towards her and her son!?

Cersei looked up as the nursery door opened and Jamie walked in. "You should've knocked, this my son's nursery you can not just walk in."

"It's true then, you did have sex with that boar of a man." Jamie said quietly.

"Well that is our son in the crib so I would say it's a safe bet." Said Cersei as her brother had said the stupidest thing in the world and to be fair what her brother said had been pretty stupid.

"Do not talk smart to me, not now. You swore you would never let him in you, you swore to me and to yourself that you would never have his child!" Jamie spat.

"Yes, well on the night Jon was conceived, Robert was only slightly tipsy and in his own words he wanted to, "Finish inside my tight cunt." I could hardly tell him no, he was sober enough that he would remember if I just used other ways to finish him." Cersei explained.

"So that was it, the night the boy was conceived. That was the only time you slept with him?" Jamie asked.

Cersei glanced down at her feet for a moment, before standing tall. "I am the Queen Ser Jamie, I hardly need answer such a question."

Jamie's mouth dropped open like a fish. "You've slept with him more since then!? How many times!?"

Despite Cersei telling herself that she didn't have to answer him she couldn't help but do it anyway, she had spent so much time in her life telling Jamie everything that it felt wrong to keep something from him. "Twice, one a few days ago and again last night."

Jamie tried to say something but all that came out of his mouth were some choked up noises. He put his face in his hands and Cersei couldn't help but feel terrible, which was somewhat of an obscure feeling for her. "Jamie, I'm sorry."

"Do you love him? Cersei if you love me tell me that you do not love that fat bastard." Jamie said and he almost sounded like he was pleading with her.

"I don't love him." Cersei said honestly. "But I've grown found of him, at least I don't hate him quite as much as I did and I think he would say the same."

"This is a nightmare, this just had to be a nightmare." Jamie muttered as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Do you still love me?"

"You are my brother and my twin Jamie I will always love you." Cersei said honestly.

"No." Jamie said as he turned to look at his sister fully. "Do you still love me?"

"I…don't know." Cersei answered honestly, what else could she do? 

"No." Jamie said as he walked over to his sister and grabbed her arm, he pulled at the front of her dress until a large piece of fabric came away in his hands. "I'll show you that you love me."

"Jamie! Jamie! No!" Cersei screamed as she tried to get away from her brother, where were the guards.

As if he read her mind Jamie answered his sister. "Screamed as loud as you want sister, I had this whole wing cleared out, of course you might want to keep it down, don't want to wake your son now do you?"

Cersei screamed again and brought her knee up to Jamie's groin, with her brother stunned Cersei leaned in and bit down on hard on her brother's ear, as Jamie screamed Cersei pulled back and a chunk of ear came with her.

As Jamie fell to the ground holding one hand over his bleeding ear he looked up at his sister, Cersei spat and rid the ear and blood from her mouth before glaring at her brother.

"You are my twin, we came into this world together and once I hoped that we would exit it together, but never forgot that I am Queen to King Robert Baratheon and I can have your head on a pike if I tell my husband what you did today, it is only because you are my brother and the father of my eldest son that I will refrain." Cersei explained whilst still glaring at her brother.

"Now, you will find Tyrion and you will leave king's landing by nightfall or I will tell the King what you have done today, do you understand?" Cersei asked while not making it sound really like a question.

"I understand perfectly." Jamie said as he stood up. "I'm not sure how I will explain this to Tyrion or father." He said whilst pointing at his mutilated ear.

"I'm sure you will think of something." Cersei said coolly.

"I'm sure I will, good day your grace." Jamie said just as coolly, and with that exited the nursery not once looking back.

When Cersei was certain that Jamie was gone she closed her eyes and started to cry.

**XXXxxxx**

Robert walked through the corridors of the red keep in a jolly mood, the hunt had been excellent. He had killed many a beast who thought that they could take him, he even managed to take down a boar or two.

When he arrived at his chamber door he opened it and stepped inside, he was more than a little surprised to see his queen waiting for him in front of the bed, utterly naked.

She walked over to him and pressed her lips to his. "Don't say anything, please don't just…just take me, please?"

Robert knew that something was wrong and he would ask about it later but right now, he got the feeling that they both needed this.

And so, he wrapped his arms around Cersei's waist and picked her up before carrying her to bed and joining her.

End of Chapter Four


	5. Chapter 5

A Black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Five

**(Some NSFW content in this chapter you guys!)**

Cersei strode through the red keep, her handmaidens frantically trying to keep up with her pace as she made her way to her son's room, she and Robert had been so busy between caring for Jon, fixing their relationship and their own duties to spend any real time with Joffery and so Cersei had decided the night before that she would spend the whole day with her little golden lion.

Cersei had worried that Joffery would grow to dislike his baby brother but so far he seemed to be completely enamoured with Jon, it warmed her heart to see it and that was something Cersei didn't say often.

All in all things seemed to be turning out well, she and Robert had been getting along more than…than ever. And the sex was really good. Her son's were happy and healthy and with a little luck they would be joined by more son's and even one or two daughter's.

And even through it was selfish of her, to her it was the most important thing that she was happy, truly happy in what had been in far too long and if she was to be honest she was happier than she had been in ages.

Even so her happiness was underscored with sadness, her relationship with Jamie was basically dead with no chance of repair, she flinched as remembered telling Joff that his 'Uncle' wouldn't be visiting him anymore, Joffery might not have known that Jamie was his Father but he was still heartbroken at losing his Uncle.

Cersei stood in front of her son's door and waved her handmaiden's away. Once they had gone Cersei opened the door and strode inside.

Her little Joff was standing in the middle of the room swinging his little wooden sword around fighting an imaginary battle, paying her no heed. Cersei made a gesture to dismiss Joffery's nanny, an old woman with flame red hair who was knitting in the corner.

The old woman nodded quietly and stood up from her wooden rocking chair, she slowly waddled out of the room closing the door behind her.

Joffery didn't look up, still entranced by his own little world of great battles and saving princesses from high towers guarded by great dragons. Her little Joff had such a wonderful and active imagination, Cersei's old septa had always said that an active imagination was a sign of great intelligence.

Cersei could never forgive Jamie for what he tried to do to her but she would always be thankful to him for giving her such a wonderful child.

"Joff." Cersei called out softly and she couldn't stop a wide smile from breaking across her face as son stopped swinging his sword and looked at his mother with a bright smile.

"Mother!" Joffery ran over to his mother and near tackled her as he wrapped his arms around her middle.

Cersei smiled and slowly and gently rubbed her little lion's golden hair, the most Cersei thought about the more she realised how different Jon and Joff already were to one another. Joff of course had her blond hair and green eyes while even as a baby Jon had his father's dark brown hair and pale skin, even as babies it was obvious Joff was a lion and Jon was a stag.

Joff pulled away from his mother and smiled. "Mother guess what? I've got Jon a present!" Joffery exclaimed, excited about the fact that he could show his mother what he got his baby brother, she would be so proud of him and when told father he would be proud of him as well.

"Oh Joffery! That is so sweet of you!" Cersei smiled proudly as she got on her knees and hugged her little lion close to her breast. "You're such a good big brother Joffery, now show me what you got your brother."

Joffery smiled and ran over to his bed, he knelt down and reached under it to pull out a small wooden box with a half a dozen air holes. He walked back to his mother and offered the box for her to take.

Cersei smiled sweetly and took the box of course, Jon was far, far to young for any sort of pet, which was what the gift undoubtedly was otherwise why would it have air holes? But regardless Cersei was thrilled that Joffery was trying to do something nice for his little brother.

And so Cersei lifted the lid of the wooden box so she could see what was inside. When she saw what was inside Cersei went as pale as a sheet, Cersei considered herself to have a strong stomach, she had seen her fair share of executions as a large amount of violence and she couldn't deny she had also been responsible for a large amount of violence as well.

But what she had seen in the box shook Cersei, she took a deep breath and slowly closed the lid. She put the box down on a nearby table and slowly knelt in front of Joffery before looking him straight in the eye. "Joffery." She began calmly. "What are those things?" She had to be sure, it was possible that she misunderstood what she had seen.

"They are kittens Mother!" Joffey said with a roll of his eyes, honestly his mother could be so stupid, what else would they be? "I got them for Jon, when he grows up I mean. Do you think he will like them?"

Cersei nodded dumbly, not really registering what her child was saying, it all made sense now. What had happened to the cook's cat that a servant had found in one of the corridors of the red keep, it belly cut open and it's children stolen, a bloody knife laying near the body, her little Joff had done that, her little Joff was a monster.

"Mother!" Joffey's shout brought Cersei out of her troubled thoughts, Joffrey glared at his mother annoyed. "I asked you a question, do you think Jon will like them?"

Cersei cleared her throat and tried to find the words to tell Joffery, to explain to him that what he did was wrong despite his good intentions. But as Cersei looked into Joffery's green eyes she couldn't find the strength to do it, Joff had only tried to do something nice for his brother.

Cersei stood up and smiled down at her precious little golden lion. "I think your brother will absolutely love them."

Joffery smiled so brightly at his mother's praise that it struck any doubts from Cersei's mind that she hadn't done the right thing.

Cersei walked back over to the table and picked up the wooden box, she took a deep breath and opened the lid again. She made a show of examining the 'kittens' before closing the lid once more, Cersei turned to Joffery and put a sad frown on her face. "Joffery…" She began sadly.

With a frown that was almost identical to his mother's appearing on his face Joffery looked up at his mother and waited for her to continue.

"I think these kittens are a little sick Joffery." Cersei soothed in her most comforting tone of voice. Tears welled up in Joffery's eyes at the thought that his present to his little brother was ruined.

Cersei hurriedly put the box back on the table and quickly pulled Joffery into a tight embrace while stroking his hair and caressing his back. "Shus, love it's alright, it's not your fault it's just that when kitten's are this young they need to stay with their mother."

With a hiccup Joffery rubbed at his eyes. Cersei placed a kiss to Joffery's head and held for a few minutes longer, she then stood up and picked up the box. "I will take the kittens to Grand Maester Pycelle and see if he can do anything to make them better, alright sweetling?"

Joffery nodded before picking up his wooden sword and re-entered his made up world where he was a great king and would lead massive armies against anyone who would dare to defy him or try and hurt him or his family.

Cersei silently left the room and closed the door behind her, as she walked away she shuddered, and made her way to a window that overlooked the sea. Cersei took a deep breath before tossing the box into the sea and watched as the waves carried away the box.

After making sure that the waves had taken the box Cersei turned and walked away.

**XXXxxxx**

Robert looked down at the letter and made sure it read well before walking over to where his own personal raven was perched on a windowsill. He tied the message on to it's foot and sent it on it's way, with luck it would reach Winterfell within the next few days.

When his door opened Robert looked up and smiled as Cersei walked in, it had been a long time since he felt happy to see Cersei but recently it seemed like he was always happy to see her. "Hello my queen."

Cersei smiled softly, when her father first announced that she was to marry to Robert she had dreamed about the day that he would call her his queen with such affection, it had taken a long time, a very, very, very, very long time, far too long a time in fact but they had finally made it to where he felt comfortable enough with her that he would call her his queen, Cersei would never admit how happy it truly made her.

A dark thought entered her mind, perhaps in time Robert would finally forget about that dead Stark bitch once and for all and Cersei and their children would become the centre of Robert's world, but until that day came Cersei would just settle for being second in Robert's life but as anyone who knew her would tell you Cersei Lannister didn't settle for being second in anything for long.

"Hello to you as well my king." Said Cersei with a soft smile as she walked over to Robert and slid down into his lap and rubbed his chest with her hands. "And what have you been doing today?" Cersei whispered into her husband's ear.

"I've spent some time with Jon and I've sent a message by raven to Winterfell thought I would ask Ned if he wanted to visit and see Jon, thought he could bring his wife and kids." Robert responded as he pressed kisses to queen's neck.

Cersei moaned gently and relaxed into her husband's embrace, she needed this today. It took her mind of Joffery and Jamie. When Cersei felt Robert reaching for the strings on her back that held her dress together she stopped him and slid out of his lap.

With Robert looking at her in confusion Cersei slid down to her knees and undid Robert's breeches and pulled out his cock, before Robert could say anything Cersei opened her mouth wide and swallowed Robert down to his base.

Robert's eyes went wide in shock before he moaned in pleasure as Cersei swallowed around his length sending pleasant vibrations up and down his length, Cersei reached out and gently cupped Robert's balls and softly caressed them.

Robert moaned as he felt heat curling in his loins and before he could warn Cersei he exploded into her mouth. Cersei gagged a little as the salty fluid hit the back of her throat before swallowing it down. Cersei pulled of Robert's cock and wiped at her lips and smiled at her handy work as she looked up and saw the state Robert was in.

Robert breathed heavily as he came down from his high, it had been a long time since he had a woman's lips on him. Yes he had whore's but to do that cost a lot extra.

Cersei stood back up before sitting back in Robert's lap and pressing her lips to his. "Did you enjoy that my king?" Cersei asked as she pulled away from him.

"Damn woman." Robert said as he groaned and reached for the strings once more intent on returning the favour. Before he could undo anything a loud knock resounded through the room.

The both of them groaned before they got up and sorted themselves out, Robert walked over to the chamber door and opened it. Standing there was Cersei's handmaiden with a letter clutched in her hand's.

"Oh forgive me, your grace." Said the handmaiden while doing a quick curtsey. "I was just looking for the queen and she wasn't in her chambers nor was she with the little prince or the baby so I thought I would try here."

Cersei walked over to the door and held her hand out for the letter which was obviously for her before her husband could say anything, the handmaiden quickly handed over the letter and quickly left when Cersei shoot her a look that told her to leave.

Robert shut the door and Cersei opened the letter and began to read it. Her eyes went wide at the contents. Robert frowned at his's wife's alarm. "What is it?" He asked.

Cersei looked up at Robert and swallowed painfully. "My father is coming."

End of Chapter Five.


	6. Chapter 6

A Black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Six

**(NSFW Content in this chapter, like serious hardcore NSFW content so be warned!)**

Cersei paced back and forth across Robert's chambers while wringing her hands together as thoughts of her father's imminent visit. Why was he coming? Was he coming to find out what happened to Jamie? Had he told their father that she had injured him?

She didn't see how Jamie could have, he would have to explain what he tried to do to her and her father would have locked him up and thrown away the key, unless he had already done that and was coming to King's Landing to take her.

But that didn't make any sense either, if her father was coming to take her he would have to explain to Robert why he was taking her and then he would loss a great deal of power and influence not only in King's Landing but over the king as well.

And even her father did want to take her she didn't think Jamie would ever reveal their secret, if not for her sake then at least for Joffery's.

Cersei was about to turn around to pace once more but was stopped when Robert grabbed her arm. "Will you stop pacing woman?! It is only your father."

Cersei wanted to laugh at that, only her father? Only her father!? Cersei always thought that Robert was a bit naïve but she never thought he was addled, only an insane man would not be worried when Tywin Lannister came to call.

Robert sighed and brought his wife over to his chair, he sat her down and knelt in front of her. "It is going to be fine, and whatever you might think I am not as naïve as I look and I'm well aware of how dangerous you're father is and how much power he wields."

Cersei's eyes widened, had she said some of that out loud?! She thanked the gods that she hadn't said most of it out loud or more than likely both her head and Joffery's would be on pikes by next morning.

"It is going to be fine, now relax." Robert said in his most kingly voice.

Cersei took some deep breaths to try and calm herself, it wasn't working. She shook her head. "I can't, I thought I was free of him, so long as I did as he asked in his letters to me I thought he would have no more reason to come to King's Landing!"

Robert shook his head as he saw the state his wife was getting herself in, if she didn't calm down then she would probably have a full blown panic attack if he didn't do something to calm her down.

Robert reached out, grabbed his wife by the shoulders and tossed her over his shoulders. Cersei let out a gasp of surprise as Robert carried her over to his large bed, with surprising gentleness he laid her down on the bed and knelt on the floor in front of the bed.

Cersei tried to speak but stopped when Robert grabbed her dress and hitched it up, with her smalls exposed Cersei tried to speak again. "Robert…I-" 

"Shh my Queen, you need to relax, let me take care of you." Robert soothed as he reached up with his fingers towards Cersei's underclothes.

At Cersei's nod Robert ripped of her underclothes and exposed her sweet pussy to him, all for him Robert thought with a grin. He traced a finger over his wife's lips and grinned at the shiver it caused.

Robert grabbed Cersei's legs and pulled her down closer to him. Robert gave his wife a smirk before diving in, licking and sucking and nibbling on Cersei's sweet, wet, dripping pussy.

Cersei groaned and clawed at the bed sheets, trying to find something with which to ground herself on. Robert was the only man to ever do this to her but he had to be the best at it, he simply had to be because if their was someone out their who could do this better than they probably killed whatever poor girl they did it to with pleasure.

Robert continued to lick and suck, making indecent noises at Cersei's taste, he was a lucky bloody man indeed.

Cersei felt the familiar tightening sensation building up in her stomach, she tried to warn Robert but all that came out was a chocked whimper, she then exploded.

Thankfully Robert had been expecting it and closed his eyes in time to avoid any of Cersei's fluids getting in his eyes. He licked up all the remaining slick before starting into his wife's face. "Feel better?" He asked.

Cersei took some deep breaths to try and get her body back under control. "Much" She panted.

Robert climbed atop the bed and pulled Cersei into an embrace before kissing her on the top of her head. "Good." He breathed.

"My father wants something, I don't know what but he does, there is no other reason he would leave the rock for King's Landing." Cersei said as she rested her head on her husband's chest.

"You don't think he's coming to see his new grandson?" Robert asked while rubbing a hand up and down Cersei's back to sooth her, he didn't want her to start panicking again.

"My father would not come all this way to see Jon, even if he did want to see him why didn't he come with Jamie and Tyrion?" Cersei pointed out.

"So, what do you think he wants then?" Robert asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know, but we should be on our guard." Advised Cersei.

"You think your father will try and hurt you?" Robert said in surprise, he always thought that Tywin Lannister's one goal in life was to assure that the Lannister's survived no matter what.

"I don't know but what I do know is this, my father is ruthless and he gets what he wants. He will do anything to get it and I don't think he would hurt me or our children, we are his family after all and he wouldn't want the title of Kinslayer hanging over his head."

"But you are not family." Cersei continued. "At least not in his eyes and that makes you fair game, so when I say we should be on our guard-"

"You really mean I should be on my guard." Finished Robert with a heavy sigh. "I knew I should have had you father killed, he served as Hand of the King to the Mad King I would have been well within my right."

"If you had done that we would never have been married." Cersei pointed out.

"That would have been a shame." Robert said with a smile.

Cersei shot up and stared at Robert in disbelief, unable to believe what she just heard. "Do you really mean that?" She asked.

Robert looked confused. "Do I really mean what?" He asked slowly.

"That you think it would be a shame, if we were never married." Cersei said the last part quietly, she cursed herself for sounding so weak.

Robert was quite for a moment before nodding his head slowly. "Yes, yes I do mean it, it would be a shame if we never married."

Cersei couldn't stop herself from smiling, it wasn't love, not yet, and she could see in Robert's eyes that he still loved Lyanna Stark but it was a drastic improvement. "I'm glad." Cersei said with a soft smile before laying back down on the bed.

Robert couldn't help a small smile either and laid back down with his wife. "So." He began. "Does your father mention when he will be gracing us with his presence?"

"In about a month's time." Replied Cersei, she really didn't want to think about it right now, she could make plans on how to deal with her father tomorrow.

"I don't suppose we could arrange an accident for him when he is on his way here?" Suggested Robert with a smile, he didn't really mean but all the same it would be satisfying to know that Tywin Lannister was gone for good.

Cersei laughed, the idea of assassinating her father was both a delicious one and a tempting one but she knew it wouldn't work, assassin's worked for money and no one had more money than Tywin Lannister, if an assassin could, by some miracle reach her father, who would no doubt bring a large contingent of guards, then he could just pay them off, after all…

A Lannister always pays their debts.

"Speaking of arrivals in the coming weeks, I've sent a message to Ned Stark, inviting him, his wife and his children down to see Jon." Robert said casually.

Cersei frowned heavily, wonderful. More reminders of Lyanna Stark for Robert, just what Cersei needed right now, why had he decide to invite them now all of a sudden? It had been years since Robert had seen any of them.

Of course she said none of this and simply smiled warmly. "How lovely my king."

Cersei once again buried her head into her husband's chest and frowned, perhaps it was the Starks who needed to have an accident.

Again Cersei know it was pointless and counterproductive and it would just throw all of Westros into chaos but she could at least dream of that, it would help her get some rest.

And so, with thoughts of that Starks dying on her mind Cersei feel into a deep slumber, followed shortly by her dear husband.

End of Chapter Six


	7. Chapter 7

A Black Haired Beauty

Chapter Seven

Cersei took deep breaths to try and calm herself as sat up straight in her queen size bed, today was the day. Today was the day that her Father and the Starks came to King's Landing. Why did they both have to come to King's Landing on the same day?

Regardless, she couldn't avoid what was coming so she might as well face it head on and try to limit the damage, somebody knocked on Cersei's door, when Cersei have given her permission for whoever it was to come in a handmaiden walked in and smiled at her lady. "Good morning your Grace, are you ready to get up?" 

Cersei nodded and got out of bed, the handmaiden walked over and unlaced her dress at the back and Cersei shrugged it off. "I want to look gracious, you understand? I want to look beautiful and powerful and like a queen, I want everyone to beg for my attention, do you understand?"

"Of course my queen." the handmaiden said as she opened the dresser and pulled a stunning red gown with gold lace and encrusted with blue sapphires, it also had plates of steel around the middle, it might have seemed like an odd design decision but it worked for Cersei and it made her feel safer and she had made it incredibly popular.

She also had her favourite ruby earrings put on as well a ring with a blue sapphire and finally, a golden lion pendent with ruby's where it's eyes would be.

After a few minutes Cersei was fully dressed and her hair properly braided. She then dismissed her handmaiden with a look, she stepped out of her chamber and made her way to the nursery. She pushed it open and walked in.

Her son's nanny raised and greeted her queen with a curtsy, Cersei gave her a nod before walking over to the crib in which her baby lay. Cersei smiled down at her baby boy and gently stroked his cheek. "Hello my little stag."

The black haired, green eyed boy smiled a gummy smile at his mother and began to mumble at her and made grasping motions with his hands. "Mama! Mama!"

Cersei reached down and picked Jon up, she cradled him close and placed a kiss to the top of his head, Cersei turned to the nanny and spoke commandingly. "Help me to get him ready."

The nanny nodded. "Of course, Your Grace."

After a few minutes Jon was properly dressed, which probably wouldn't have taken so long if Jon hadn't been squirming so much, Cersei sighed and examined Jon. He was dressed in black breeches, a red shirt and a golden vest, the colour's of his father and his mother's houses.

Cersei said a brief thank you to the nanny before leaving the room with Jon in her arm's and making her way to her tea room. She walked in just in time to see two of her handmaidens readying her tea before they stopped and curtsied to their queen.

"Finish what you are doing and then leave me." The handmaidens nodded with a curtsey and after pouring the tea the two women left the room. Cersei sighed before picking up her cup and taking a sip of the peppermint tea that was in the cup.

She placed the cup back down on the table before turning her attention to Jon who was sitting on her lap, his fist in his mouth and his little feet kicking out in front of him. Cersei placed kiss atop his curly-haired head whilst rubbing his arm, taking comfort in her baby's presence.

Cersei didn't want to admit but she was worried, very, very worried. Her father coming couldn't mean anything good and what ever he wanted would probably bring nothing but pain.

A terrible thought then entered Cersei's mind, what if her father was coming for Jon? He needed an heir to inherit Casterly Rock and there was no possible way in all the seven hells would her father ever give it to her monster of a little brother and if he couldn't find an heir it would either go to one of his brothers or one of his nephews and Tywin Lannister would never accept that.

He would want an heir who was directly his and if either of his sons weren't fit enough to do it one of his grandsons would have to do and he couldn't have Joffery as he was the crown prince, the heir to the Iron Throne so he would have Jon instead.

Cersei felt ill, she brought Jon closer to her breast, she wouldn't let her father take her baby away from her, she wouldn't allow it.

Cersei downed her cup of tea in what was not a very ladylike fashion but right now she couldn't find it in herself to care very much. She placed her cup down and walked out of her tea room with Jon held firmly in her arms, after she exited her tea room two handmaidens tried to follow her but she shot them both a look that said to stay where they were.

She had to go and see Robert, but first and foremost she had to go and see Varys, she had to make certain precautions.

Cersei arrived at the master of whispers chambers and rapped her first on the door, after a moment the door opened and Varys smiled one of his infuriating little smiles, the sort of smile a man would were when he thought he knew everything about everything, which Cersei supposed was appropriate for a man in Varys position.

"Your Grace, I am honoured that you would take time out of your incredibly busy schedule to come and see me and on the day of your father's arrival no less." Varys said in what was a generally pleasant tone and Cersei had to admit that she liked that about Varys he might be a eunuch that you couldn't trust as far as you could threw him but he was always pleasant if you were willing to be pleasant to him.

Varys glanced down at Jon who was looking at Varys with wide and bright eyes that shinned with curiosity, Varys gave the babe a soft smile. "And you've brought the little prince as well, a true honour."

Cersei smiled. "Might I come in Varys?" Varys was not a lord, that wasn't why he was appointed as master of whispers but most called him Lord Varys to try and gain his favour but Cersei had been playing the game for a very, very long time and she knew that false curtsies wouldn't work on Varys.

"Of course Your Grace." Varys said with a smile as he stood to the side to allow Cersei to step into his chambers, Cersei walked over to a large, stuffed chair and sat down in it.

Varys walked over and sat down in his chair. "I would offer you some wine your Grace, but I'm afraid I don't have any on hand."

Cersei shook her and put on a gentle, false smile on her face. "I do not want any wine Varys, I want to talk to you about an important matter, one that concerns the fate of the realm."

Varys raised an eyebrow. "My, how interesting." He folded his arms. "What is this important matter, your Grace?"

Cersei sighed before placing her hands over Jon's ears before speaking. "My husband's bastards."

Varys's eyes widen. Cersei laughed before taking her hands of Jon's ears and lightly tickling his stomach, delighting in his sweet giggles. "Have I shocked you, Varys? I needed the names of my husband's bastards."

"Your Grace I-" Varys began before Cersei held up her hand.

"I don't want to here it, there is no discussion, no argument, I need to know the names of my husband's bastards and that is the end of it."

"You care about the realm Varys, this will help the realm, those bastards will be a threat to my sons and if they aren't taken care of then it will only be a matter of time until one of them finds out who their father is and will want what they are owed, and before long everyone will start clamming the throne, Robert's brothers will make their own claim and old tensions will rise and it will throw the kingdoms into chaos and it will end if with my sons in danger, I will not let that happen and I don't think you will let it either, so give me the names and I will do the rest." Cersei commanded before standing up and walking over to the door.

She turned back to Varys. "I want those names by the start of the next moon, you have until then to decide or I will be forced to use more extreme measures." Cersei then left the room and the door then swung shut behind her.

Varys sighed, the things he did for the realm, he supposed he had no choice, Cersei painted a grim picture but it was probably an accurate one.

And so he had no choice.

His little birds would have a lot of work to do.

**XXXxxxx**

Cersei arrived at her husband's chambers and walked in with a nod to the two guards in golden armour before stepping inside and smiling at what she saw.

Robert and Joffery were sitting in the middle of the floor, in between them was a large, brown bear. They both looked up when they heard the door, Joffery smiled, picked up the bear and ran over to his mother and baby brother.

"Look what I've got Jon, Mother." Joffery said as he held up the bear for his mother and brother to look. Cersei smiled, it was a cute little thing and at least twice the size of Jon, but he wouldn't sleep with it until he was older so Cersei didn't have to worry about it crushing him.

"It's a lovely gift Joffery, isn't it Jon?" Cersei asked the baby, who simply gurgled before holding out his hands to try and get his father's attention.

Robert smiled and, surprisingly gently for a man of his strength and size, took Jon from his mother's arms and into his own before readjusting him to make him as comfortable as possible. Cersei watched as her husband and her son interacted, he didn't think that Robert could be that gentle, she wouldn't call Robert a gentle man not even a gentle lover, a passionate one no doubt but not a gentle one.

But with Jon, even with Joffery, Robert seemed like a different man, a better man, he reminded her more of the man she married.

Joffery warped his arms around his mother's middle after placing the bear back down on the ground, Cersei smiled gently and rubbed her son's hair. It was moments like this that she felt as if she nearly had the life she always wanted, the life where she was married to a man who loved her.

Did Robert love her? She couldn't say for sure, they had promised that they would try to get along better for the children and so far they had been, he had been passionate, attentive, a better father and husband than he had been in a very long time.

But none of that meant he loved her, he had said that he didn't regret marrying her but that didn't mean he loved her.

Lyanna Stark still owned Robert's heart and for a dead woman she had a very tight grip and the dead bitch wouldn't loosen her grip. She would never let go even if Cersei did get Robert to love her there was nothing she could do to get the bitch to let go, a piece of Robert's heart would always belong to Lyanna.

If it was a song Cersei thought she might have found it sweet, but life wasn't a song and Cersei didn't want to share Robert because…

Because Cersei loved him, she had never stopped and yes she did hate him as well but the love she felt for him outshined the hate, so she would not share Robert with a dead whore who ran away from her responsibilities and duties to chase and live in a dream and a song.

So she would do what ever had to be done to ensure that before too long, Robert would never even think about another woman ever again, she would make sure her sons would never have to worry about some bastard boy walking in and demanding the throne.

She would do whatever was necessary.

Cersei was brought out of her thoughts when Robert pressed a kiss to her forehead. "What's wrong my Queen? You're staring into space." He asked with a smile as he rested his hand on Joffery's head.

Cersei shook her head with a smile, all the most important men in her life were right here and there would no need for dark thoughts at this exact moment. "Nothing my king, absolutely nothing is wrong." she said as she pressed her lips to Robert's.

"Ew!" Joffery exclaimed disgusted as he covered his eyes to try and avoid watching the travesty that was occurring in front of him.

"I'll give you ew!" Robert shouted with a laugh as he quickly handed Jon over to Cersei and he started to chase the screaming Joffery around the room.

Cersei laughed as she watched her husband and her son run around the room as she held Jon close to her, right now she didn't have to worry about anything, not her father, not Lyanna, not the rest of the Starks, not her husband's bastards and not Jamie or Tyrion.

Right now, at this very moment, her life was perfect.


	8. Chapter 8

A Black-haired Beauty

Chapter eight

Cersei took some deep breaths to calm herself as sat in a large chair that was next to the large, ugly monstrosity that was the iron throne. Honestly if it was up to her she would have the damn thing melted down, the iron could be used to make new swords and shields, at least the ugly thing would have some bloody use.

She would have it replaced with a throne of gold, which would have been created by the finest Lannister smiths and only the finest gold and she would have it be encrusted with rubies and sapphires. She could just see it in her mind's eye as the sun shone through the windows and made the gold glimmer.

But Cersei know that it would never happen. She was just a mortal woman and that damn chair had been sitting in this room for thousands of years and there was no chance in all the seven hells that anyone would allow her to get rid of it. Not Robert and certainly not his hand, Jon Arryn.

The old man was in the throne room as well, he was standing next to the throne and was talking to Robert who was sitting on the throne. He couldn't quite hear what he was saying but she had an idea, he was probably giving him advice on how to deal with her father.

The old fool, there was no advice that would help any man in dealing with her father. Her father was like a wild storm. You couldn't stop it or reason with it only hope that when it cleared it didn't do too much damage and that there was enough left to rebuild your life.

Cersei saw Jon Arryn shot her a brief glare and she sent one back but was sure that Robert didn't see it. Robert loved Jon Arryn and knew that he wouldn't stand for them to be in opposition, so she would play nice and wouldn't do anything to him, in front of Robert anyway. But there would be a day he would be sorry for crossing her.

The stupid old man probably thought that she was a threat to Robert and was loyal to her father and that was more proof than any that the man was an idiot. Cersei had no loyalty to her father, when she was younger she might have stilled loved him but that love had since dried up long ago.

Cersei couldn't say was loyal to Robert either but Robert was the father of at least one of her children and he had been treating Joffery well even though she was fairly sure that he at least suspected that he wasn't Joffery's real father.

Cersei turned her head to look at Joffery who was sitting at the side of Cersei in his own little chair, his little feet kicking back and forth with a bored expression on his face. Cersei stretched out her arm and ruffled little Joffery's golden hair. Joffery pouted and shook his head, he didn't see why he had to be here for this, he had never even met his grandfather before.

Cersei smiled softly at Joffery's reaction. She wished Jon was with her, but she didn't want her father to see him and she hoped that for the duration of his visit she would be able to keep the two of them apart.

She had hoped she would also be able to keep Joffery away from him as well but Robert had insisted that he be present for his grandfather's arrival, why she didn't know but she also knew that she wouldn't be able to change his mind and she would just after to accept it for the moment.

She wasn't as unhappy with this as she would have been if Jon was here, Cersei was certain that her theory of her father coming for Jon so he could have an heir was correct and there was nothing she wouldn't do to prevent that.

Joffery was the crown prince and so he was in no danger of leaving but Jon wasn't as protected, he was the spare and Robert had been fostered before and he had been very happy with being fostered in the Vale and thus would more than likely be more open to the idea.

Also, Robert would probably only want the best for his children and if his second son was to become the heir of Casterly Rock then he would probably think that was what was best for Jon. Cersei doubted her father would ask outright for Jon to be fostered at the rock but he would probably plant the idea in Robert's mind and let it grow.

Her father would then command her to nurture the idea, telling Robert that it was a good idea to go to the rock and to tell him stories of her childhood and about how happy she was there.

She wouldn't do it, she was queen of the seven kingdoms and she would not do it. If her father commanded her to do it she would remind him of his place. She wouldn't lose her baby, she couldn't lose her baby. She would do whatever was needed to stop that from happening. If the only option to stop her father from taking Jon was to kill her father, then so be it.

Robert groaned loudly which drew Cersei's attention. "Honestly Jon, don't worry about I am Tywin's king and he will show me the respect I am due, he's a smarter man then that and if he doesn't than I will handle him." Robert boasted confidently.

Jon sighed and shook his head. "Robert as your hand I must insist that you must be very, very careful. Tywin Lannister is one of the most dangerous and powerful men in all the seven kingdoms and he has been playing this game for a very long time."

"Robert listen to him, I know my father and if you aren't careful he will devour you, he might be coming here my king but we are the ones walking into the lion's den." Cersei said and she hated the fact that she was agreeing with Jon but they both cared about Robert and they could at least agree on the fact that her father was a dangerous man.

Jon Arryn raised an eyebrow at the fact that his king and foster son's wife actually agreed with him on something but he didn't stay focused on that because his attention was drawn by the sound of Robert groaning. "Honestly woman don't worry about, I can handle him."

Both Jon and Cersei had to fight the urge to groan out loud, this was going to end very badly.

A young servant ran into the throne room and kneeled in front of Robert, Cersei, Joffery and Jon. "Your grace, my lord hand. Lord Tywin Lannister has arrived and is asking for permission to enter." He said nervously.

Robert nodded. "Well don't just stand there boy, send him in!" Robert barked and the servant hurriedly got to his feet and ran out of the room. Jon sighed and shook his head. The large doors opened and Tywin Lannister walked in…with Jamie following him in.

Cersei felt her breath caught in her throat, what was Jamie doing here?! Her father hadn't said in his message that Jamie was coming with him. The left side of his face was heavily scared and his left ear had looked as through a dog had been at it.

Cersei bite the bottom of her lip, she didn't realised she had been that violent. What Jamie had tried to do to her was wrong and she was well within her right to do what she had to do to make him stop but even so she couldn't help but feel a little nauseated at the sight of the damage she had done.

Tywin got to his knees as did Jamie and both paid their respects to Robert. "Your grace, I must thank you for your hospitality, we are most thankful."

Robert nodded. "Not a problem for my father-in-law." He turned his head to look at Jamie. "What happened to you, Ser Jamie?"

Jamie glanced at Cersei for a moment before turning his head back to Robert. "On our way back home your grace my brother and I were besieged by bandits, I was able to fight them off but…one of them got lucky."

"I can trust that they didn't stay lucky." Asked Robert.

Jamie nodded.

Tywin glanced at his daughter. "Your grace I have a great many things I wish to discuss with you but first I wonder if it would be possible for me to have a moment alone with my daughter."

Robert turned his head to look at Cersei, Cersei nodded slightly. "Very well." Said Robert as he stood up from his throne. He walked over to Joffery's chair and picked him before putting him on his shoulders. "You may speak to your daughter in here, Ser Jamie if you would come with me I think we also have a great deal to discuss."

And with that Robert left the room and he was followed by Jamie who trailed behind him and by Jon who hurried after his king.

Tywin turned to his daughter. "Now then, we have a great deal to discuss girl."

End of Chapter eight


	9. Chapter 9

A Black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Nine

Cersei held her head up high as her Father studied her intently, she was familiar with the look on his face, she had seen it many times when she was a little girl and he had summoned her to his study to criticise her about something or other.

But she wasn't a little girl anymore who was desperate for his approval, she was the queen of the seven kingdoms and that made her his superior. She wouldn't be scared or forced into anything that she didn't want to do, she was the queen.

And yet even so, when her father stared at her firmly she couldn't help but want to give in to the desire to run and hide, but she would not. She was the queen, she was the queen, she was the queen.

"I am your queen father, there are proper ways of addressing me." Cersei said in her strongest voice while trying to show that her father's presence did not affect her in any way.

Tywin did not react at all at his daughter's statement aside from letting out a small chuckle. "You were my daughter long before you were the queen girl, you would do well to remember that. Do not forget who put you on that throne."

"My husband put me on this throne, he choose me." Cersei stressed, trying so hard to believe what she was saying, she knew deep down that the only true reason Robert married her was because her father had helped him to capture king's landing and he needed a bride and in the absence of Lyanna Stark, Cersei was the best option.

Even so it didn't mean she had to admit it and she was the one Robert had married, she had given him two sons. She was the one who held his heart now, not the dead wolf bitch who had run off with a dragon as soon as she could.

But she didn't hold Robert's heart, at least not completely but she would! She would give him as many children as he desired and anything he wanted until she held his heart completely, she had a taste of his love and she would not stop until he and their children were the only ones who mattered to him.

And soon Lyanna Stark would be nothing but a faded memory, Cersei couldn't help but smile slightly at that thought.

"Maybe or maybe not." Tywin said as he crossed his arms. "You and I have much to discuss regardless of wither the king chose you to be his queen. First of all, where is my new grandson?" He asked but he somehow made it sound like a command.

Cersei felt the cold fingers of fear encircle her heart and squeeze hard, she was right, her father had come for her Jon and was trying to take her baby from her. She would let him, she would kill him first and burn their house to ground if she had to!

But she said none of this and kept a pleasant mask on her face to hide her fear and her anger. If her father knew she was scared then he would know how to work her to get what he wanted and she could not let that happen, she couldn't lose Jon, she wouldn't.

"He is asleep father, he needs his rest. You may see him tomorrow." Cersei said with a self-satisfied smirk, she was Jon's mother and the queen and her father would have to obey her command wither he liked it or not.

Tywin inhaled through his nose to calm himself, the girl had forgotten herself but that didn't matter at the moment. "I see, well. It doesn't matter we must discuss the boy's future, as the second son of the king his future well never be as bright as Joffery's but we can ensure it is still a worthy future."

"I am sure my husband is already making every plan to ensure that Jon's future is bright." Cersei said flatly, she know what one of her husband's plans were, there was a reason he had invited the Starks from the north and if he thought he would send their son to that frozen wasteland she would make sure that Robert leaned the error of his ways.

"To be the lord of Storm's end? Do you wish that for your son? To be the lord of that grim and dark place of little import?" Tywin asked. "When he could be the lord of the rock and be of more use to everyone there."

"My son is not even four months old yet, must we discuss this now?" Cersei said as she crossed her arms, she know that her sons wouldn't be able to stay with her forever but she wanted to keep them with her as long as possible.

"The family name is what survives Cersei, you know this. I need an heir and Jamie will not and the little monster is not at all suitable for it but none of your uncles will agree to take it due to the fact they believe Tyrion deserves it and that only leaves your cousins." Tywin said as he shot her a look that made it clear he would never even consider having one of her cousins inherit the rock.

Cersei couldn't blame him from wanting an heir he could mould into the perfect Lannister, her younger brother was a horrible choice and her uncles wouldn't take it and her cousins were half-wits, the idea of Lancel Lannister being the lord of the rock was enough to make Cersei shiver.

But she would endure it if it meant she could keep her son with her, she would even suffer the rock going to her monster of a little brother first.

"I understand your concern father but he can't even speak, surely you could have left this for a year or two?" Cersei asked quietly, it wasn't as if her father wouldn't get what he wanted in the end, deep down she know that but she wanted to be wrong.

"I will not be taking him back to Casterly yet, more than anything we will need the king to agree to it. I will be staying in King's Landing not only to teach your son what it means to be a Lannister but also to convince the king to allow him to ward at Casterly." Tywin revealed.

Cersei felt her breath catch in her throat, her father was already planning it and was planning for her to be involved with it somehow. She wouldn't, she wouldn't!

"No." Cersei said and held her head up high. "I am the queen and I and Robert shall decide what is best for children father, not you!"

The shocked look on her father's face soon faded away only to be replaced with a look of barely restrained fury, Tywin took in a deep breath and gave her a threatening smile which spread across her face, Cersei had only seen that look one time before, when her father had looked up at the hanging bodies of house Reyne.

"Very well your grace, but keep in mind that your husband is over two million gold dragons in debt to me, I will leave you to consider that and I will bring this matter up at dinner with your husband, so keep it in mind." Tywin bowed to his daughter mocking and left the room.

Cersei stumbled back as her father left and pressed her hands to the iron throne to try and steady herself.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't even notice when the blades cut into her palms and her lifeblood flowed like a river out of her wounds.

End of Chapter Nine

**(A/N, Please follow, favourite and review guys! And I am so so sorry that this took as long as it did to get out but I hope you like it.)**


	10. Chapter 10

A black haired Beauty

Chapter Ten

Robert, Jamie, Joffery, Jon Arryn and Ser Barristen walked steadly down one of the long stone passageways of the red keep, Robert reached down and scooped Joffery up placing him on his shoulders, he grinned widely as he heard his son's delighted laughter. He wasn't a great father, he knew that but ever since Jon had come he had been trying to do better and he thought he was doing well so far.

He also couldn't help but smirk as he noticed Ser Jamie shooting daggers into his back, he wouldn't deny that a part of him had wanted to do this to irate his wife's brother.

He wasn't quite as stupid as his wife and Jon believed, he was well aware that his eldest son was not his blood. But that didn't matter to him really, he had plenty of bastards so it wasn't as if he was in any strong position to judge anyway and Joffery was his son now, not Jamie fucking Lannister's. And Cersei was definitely his as well and if the fucking Kingslayer had any problem with that...

Well, he wasn't an insane old man who was so stupid as to keep the son of the man who was leading an army against him as his personal guard. There was a reason he had sent Ser Jamie home as his envoy as soon as he realised that Cersei was pregnant, mainly because he didn't want him near his wife and second by sending him back to Tywin he earned some favour with the old man, enough to maybe at least sway him more to his side.

He knew why Tywin was here, he had come for his second son to be heir to Casterly Rock, he was smart enough to realise that. It wasn't going to happen he had invited Ned and his family here for a reason, if Jon was going to be fostered anywhere it was going to be with Ned, he was a better father than he would ever be, Ned could teach Jon how to be a good honourable man.

He knew that Cersei wouldn't be happy with Jon being fostered anywhere but she wouldn't want Jon away from her and under her father's thumb, Ned was the better option overall. He was a far better father than he would ever be no matter how hard he tried, a far, far better man...

It would be better that way, Cersei would hate him and all the progress they had made would go to waste and he would miss the little mite greatly but if his son turned out to be a good man then it would all be worth it.

The four men and the little boy arrived in a passageway that overlooked one of the training grounds for the knights, Robert smiled and reached up to gently put Joffrey down on the floor. "Why don't you go with Ser Barristen and get your sword and you can show me and uncle Jamie what you've learned?"

Joffery smiled brightly and took off down the corridor before anyone could stop him, Ser Barristen glanced back at his King before following the crown prince. Ser Jamie was more than skilled enough to protect him, even though he wore no armour and wield no sword every man of the kingsguard was sworn to die for the king.

"Jon, why don't you go after them? I need to speak to Ser Jamie alone for a moment." Robert said in a voice that made it clear that it was not at all an option.

Jon Arryn wanted to argue but he knew that it was impossible to argue with Robert at the best of times and so with a weary sigh he nodded and followed the crown prince and the old knight down the ancient stone passageway.

When the three of them were out of sight Robert turned around and smiled...before drawing his fist back and slamming it into Jamie's gut, Jamie gasped soundlessly as the air was completely knocked out of his lungs, the king may have been fatter than he was a few years ago but he was still freakishly strong, he was certain he heard a few ribs snap.

Before he could recover Robert rushed him, pinning him against the wall and wrapping his meaty hands around his throat, closing off his airway.

Jamie chocked. "Your...your grace!" He begged as he tried to pull Robert's hands off of his throat, he was starting to hate himself for leaving his amour and sword in his trunk, he didn't think he would need it.

"Do you think I am a fool?" Robert growled darkly, tightening his hold slightly. How much he would love to just use slightly to much force and break Jamie's neck like a twig.

"Your grace...I-I don't understand?!" Jamie gasped, everything was getting darker and darker. He couldn't breath no matter how hard he tried.

"Bandits, Ser Jamie?" Robert said before letting out a dark laugh. "You expect me to believe that you were maimed by a bandit, do you think I am so blind as not to notice teeth marks? Do I strike you as that much of a fool?"

Jamie couldn't say anything, he was trying to save his breath but simply shook his head.

"It strikes me as odd that the day you and your brother arrive in King's Landing to met your new nephew, you leave that exact same day and the night you leave my wife comes to me for comfort." Robert pointed out as he tightened his hold even more. "I am no half wit Ser Jamie, I am more than capable of figuring out what happened."

Jamie didn't say anything, he couldn't. His vision had gone totally dark and he could barely hear the king anymore.

"You come near my wife again and I will make sure that I take my war hammer and smash your head open like a rotten watermelon, I won't be unfair. I'll let you have a sword to defend yourself but that won't help you. The damn dragon was a better swordsman than you and I beat him easily." Robert said but it was useless, Jamie was completely dead to the world, he only needed to hold on for a little longer and he would be gone for good...

"Your Grace!" A shocked voice exclaimed and Robert looked up to see a terrified manservant standing there, when Robert looked at him he went even paler and looked as though he was going to soil his pants.

Robert let go of Jamie and the unconscious knight slid against the wall down to the floor. "What is it? speak up man!"

"I...Lord and Lady Stark and their children have arrived your grace, they have been escorted to your solar as you commanded." The servant said quietly.

Robert nodded before walking down the corridor before stopping and holding up his hand to stop the servant from following him. "Go and get two guards and move Ser Jamie to his room, if anyone asks he was taken ill and be quick about because my son will be coming this way soon and I'd rather not have him seeing his uncle this way."

"Of course your Grace." The servant know better than to argue and ran to get some guards.

Robert smiled and walked down the corridor that would lead him to his solar.

It was good to be king.

**(A/N, Robert is still Robert and that means he is wrathful and he does believe that means that as king he can do whatever he wants without paying any attention to any possible consequences. Please review, favourite and follow.)**


	11. Chapter 11

A black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Eleven

Ned glanced around the solar from the chair he was sitting in and he had to admit that he was taken back by how extravagant the room was, especially compared to his solar in Winterfell. His solar was a large room but it was made of cold grey stone with a large fireplace and a wooden desk as it's only furnishings.

In comparison the royal solar of the Red Keep was far more...generously furnish to put it lightly. The walls were lined with bookshelves which he knew that Robert never read, the desk was at least twice as large as the one in his solar and was topped with small statues, one of which showed a stag with red antlers standing over a dragon's carcass.

There was a pleasant breeze flowing into the room through the open balcony through which he could see the large garden that was bathed in the golden sunlight, it was a very pleasant room to wait in but it bothered him that he was waiting at all to be honest.

Robert was his best friend and would've been his brother in law if things had worked out differently, when he arrived in King's landing he had expected Robert to meet them. He didn't think he was important enough to have the king met him at the gates exactly but he did think that when he and his family were escorted to the solar that Robert would at least be waiting for them.

A soft coo draw his attention and he turned to look with a tender smile towards his baby daughter, his little Sansa. She was being held gently in the arms of his beautiful wife, she was a lovely baby. Her mother's blue eyes and a fine dusting of red hair on top of her little head. Ned actually had wanted to stave off the trip for a few months to give Sansa some more time to settle but one doesn't make the king of seven kingdoms wait.

Catelyn was sitting in a chair to the right of him, his wife's beautiful eyes were bright with excitement as they had been ever since the message had arrived at Winterfell by rider. He knew his wife had missed the south ever since she moved to Winterfell, she had adjusted well in his opinion especially given the fact that a great deal of people had thought that she wouldn't be able to handle the responsibilities that came with being the lady of a northern house.

But she had proven everyone who ever doubted her, including him it shamed him to admit, wrong when she not only adapted but thrived in her new role. She seemed to even enjoy the new responsibilities.

But she was still a lady of the south and as soon as they got far south enough to change into lighter clothes her smiles got brighter and wider and she laughed far more easily and freely, sang songs to their children far less reservedly and spoke to their guardsmen and Ser Rodrick and Ser Jory which she normally never did.

Ned knew his wife wasn't unhappy with him or their children or their home but the south was her environment as the north was his, she was nearly bursting with excitement when the red keep came in to sight, he briefly had to remember which of the people in wheelhouse was the child.

Speaking of the children Robb was sitting on his left in his own chair, his little legs kicking restlessly back and forth. It was difficult for any small child to remain sitting still for any amount of time but is was especially difficult for Robb since he was one of the most energetic children Ned had ever met and they had been sitting here for a long time, at least, a long time for a child.

Robb looked at him and begged him with his eyes to let him get up and run around but Ned simply reached across rubbed his bright red hair and gave him a warm smile to settle him, Robert wouldn't be much longer.

As soon as he thought this the door to the solar opened and Robert walked in, as soon as he laid his eyes on him Robert gave a wide grin and shouted his name before scooping him into a hug. "It's been too damn long Ned."

"It has your grace." Ned said warmly as he patted Robert's back firmly.

"Oh, none of that shit from you Ned, it's just Robert." Robert then let go off Ned and turned to face Cat who had stood up from her chair. "Cat!" Robert exclaimed with a warm smile and pulled her into a warm embrace, being careful not to squash Sansa while he did so. "Still as lovely as ever, you tell me when your bored of this savage and I'll ride all the way to Winterfell to come and get you."

"I shall your grace." Catelyn with a laugh, shifting Sansa in her arms before looking up at Robert. "Would you like to hold her your grace?"

Robert looked a little surprised at first but then glanced back at Ned asking for his permission silently, when he saw Ned nod he gently took Sansa in his arms and smiled down at her. "Well, aren't you a little darling? Apple of your father's eye I bet sweetheart."

After holding Sansa for a few more moments he handed her back to Catelyn and knelt down in front of Robb ruffling his hair gently. "Well, aren't you getting big Robb, last time I saw you, you weren't that much bigger than my little finger."

Robb gigged and Ned smiled, it was good to see that Robert had gotten better with children when he was younger he certainly enjoyed the process of making babes but he often didn't show much interest in them after other than sending the mothers money so they could care for them. He wondered if what he was seeing was Cersei Lannister's influence.

Robert drew himself to his full height. "Anyway, Ned I need to ask you something in private."

Catelyn understood that he wanted to speak to her husband in private so she left the room, saying that she would take the children out to the garden so they could enjoy the sunshine.

"I'm glad you came as soon as you did Ned. I know I took you away from Winterfell but I need to ask you something." Robert explained as he sat down behind his desk.

"I was glad to come Robert, it has been far too long, not just since I've seen you but since I saw lord Arryn as well. How is he by the way? And how are Cersei and your children?" Ned asked as he sat back down on his chair.

"Jon's fine, I'm sure that you will speak to him before you leave. Cersei and the boys are fine, I think they are anyway." Robert said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"I want you to take Jon, my youngest son, back with you to Winterfell and raise him as your foster son." There was no need to soften it, it had to be done and it was the best option Robert had. Even so, despite knowing that Robert was surprised when he told Ned that he felt a sharp pain in his heart.

To say that Ned looked shocked was an understatement, he looked as though his old friend had suddenly grown a second head. "Robert...I can't do that. Jon is only a few moons older than Sansa, he is still a babe. He needs to be with you and Cersei."

Robert sighed and rubbed his face tiredly. "Ned, this isn't a request it's a royal command. You will take Jon back with you to Winterfell to be fostered. Please Ned, don't argue or ask needless questions. Just do it as a favour to me."

Before Ned could say anything to try and change his friend's mind the door to the solar flew wide open and Cersei stormed in, a look of absolute and utter fury on her face. "What in the name of the fucking Seven did you do?! You foolish bloody man!"

For a moment both Ned and Robert were both to shocked to say or do anything about the sudden interruption but it passed and Robert stood up from his chair and glanced at his friend. "Ned. Would you please give me and my queen a moment or two alone." It was not at all a question.

Ned said nothing for a moment, merely glanced between the two of them before standing up and leaving the room.

"You do not speak to me that way and you do not burst in here!" Robert roared as he slammed his hands down on to his desk so hard that Cersei was fairly sure that she heard something crack.

She refused to be intimidated however, if her father could not then Robert had no chance whatsoever. "What did you do to my brother Robert?" She asked quietly and coldly.

"What!?" Robert shouted in disbelief.

"My brother Jamie, you remember him?" Cersei said slowly as if she was speaking to a particularly dim child. "He was found unconscious a few minutes ago by one of the servants and had to be carried to a room, Grand Maester Pycell is attending to him. So, I will ask again. What did you do to him Robert!?"

"Why do you care!? He tried to rape you!" Robert shouted.

"What?" Cersei said in numb disbelief, how did he find out? She had made sure that no one knew.

"I am not as stupid as most everyone seems to think I am Cersei, it didn't take much effort on my part to piece together why you came to my bedchamber that night upset considering your brothers both had to suddenly leave." Robert said as gently as he could manage, suddenly feeling bad for yelling at her like he had.

Cersei bit her lip and took in a deep breath. "It doesn't matter." She said quietly. "If my father finds out what you did...he will do everything in his power to make every moment of your life from now till the day you die, which he will probably have something to do with, a living hell."

Robert walked around the table and placed his fingers under her chin and gently tipped her head up so he could look into her eyes. "Listen to me, I do not give a single fuck about your father. I don't give a fuck that I am in debt to him. I give a fuck about you and our children. I would do what I did to your brother again and again if I could."

Cersel closed her eyes and sighed before gently pressing her lips to Robert, Robert deepened the kiss and placed his hand on Cersei's shoulder which he rubbed gently. He slowly slid his hand down her back and slowly began to undue her dress strings when suddenly she asked a question. "What were you talking to Lord Stark about?"

Robert stiffened and kissed her again. "It doesn't matter."

Cersei stepped back and crossed her arms. "I am fairly sure that it does, tell me."

Robert sighed, now was as good a time as any and she would find out sooner or later. "I've asked Lord Stark to take Jon back to Winterfell with him to raise him."

For a moment Cersei was utterly silent, her face a blank mask and Robert wondered if she had heard him. Then she laughed and shook her head. "No, I won't allow it. You can't do this!" She screamed.

"It is better this way, Ned is a good man and can make sure that Jon becomes one as well. I can't, it's too late for Joffery he's been around me too long but there is still time for Jon." Robert said slowly and calmly, trying to make Cersei understand.

It hadn't worked, Cersei looked more enraged than before. "Has your mind be addled?! What are you talking about!?"

Robert sighed. He had never told anyone this before in his entire life, not Jon Arryn, not Ned, no one. "When I was sixteen years old my mother and father were by the mad king to Volantis to find a wife for Prince Rhaegar, on the return home their ship was caught in a windstorm and sank, it was in view of storm's end and I saw it happen with Stannis."

"I became lord of Storm's end and house Baratheon, I was sixteen years old and I just saw my parents die. I wasn't ready, I should've been stronger. I was selfish, I cared more about my own pain than my brothers and you've seen the results of that. Stannis was never the happiest man but he took the responsibilities that I neglected and now he looks older than our father. Renly is completely closed off to me, I can not talk to him off anything, he is a stranger to me."

"I failed them both, I do not want to fail our sons and for that reason Jon must go. For Joffery it is too late, I want to be a good father to them both Cersei and I have tried but I know that I will fail them both again and again." He exclaimed, all through the speech tears were flowing down Robert's face.

Cersei was utterly dumbstruck, she had no idea what to say. Taking a deep breath she strode forward and placed her hands on either side of Robert's face, wiping his tears away gently. "Listen to me now, you are not raising them alone. I am with you but you can not send Jon away, that isn't a dealing with a problem that is running away from it and do you really think that if you sent Jon anywhere I would not go with him?"

"And it is not to late for Joffery there are...things about him that we must discuss but it is not to late for him. If nothing else my king, can we not wait until Jon is a few years older? Give us a proper chance?" She asked, near begged.

Robert sighed but he nodded all the same, he wasn't convinced but he would rather not fight about it now and besides he knew that Ned would fight him tooth and nail on it as well.

"Thank you Robert." Cersei said with a sigh of relief before she pressed her lips to his again.

Robert said nothing, merely placed his hand on the back of her head and deepened the kiss before reaching down once more and finished loosing the strings of her dress, which then fell to the floor in a clump.

Robert picked Cersei up in her arms and while still kissing her placed her on the edge of the desk before sweeping the papers and statues on to the floor and then laid her down and pulled her legs apart to see what he wanted, he leaned in and began to nip and lick on the outside of Cersei's lips. "Your cunt tastes like honey my queen." He whispered gruffly before he began to feast on it.

Cersei whined and whimpered and tried to squirm free but her husband kept a tight grip on her hips so she couldn't move anywhere that he did not want her too, meaning she could only lay back and experience the pleasure. "Robert..." She groaned.

Robert said nothing, simply kept licking and sucking until Cersei came all over his face with a scream. He licked up her juices with a smirk before standing up and freeing his cock from his breeches and walked further up the desk and presented his cock to her. "Be a good queen for your king and take it in your mouth."

Cersei grinned and did as she was commanded, who was she to deny her king and husband? She sucked and licked around the shaft in her mouth, moaning as well to give her husband some pleasant vibrations.

Cersei was very good at what she did and it didn't take long for Robert to spill down her throat with a loud moan, Robert pulled his cock out of her mouth and walked down to her legs before picking her up and putting her back down on the desk but this she was lying on her stomach. He slowly but surely slid into her tight wet heat.

They stayed like that for a moment, just enjoying being so closely connected before Robert began to thrust into her deep and hard, holding her by her hair. Cersei's moans and Robert's grunts filled the air.

It took a few moments of this before Robert was shooting his seed deep inside of her, but he didn't stop thrusting until Cersei clenched around him and came with a scream of her own.

And then the true fun began, Robert had Cersei again and again. Sometimes he pinned her against the wall and ravaged her, other times he had her against the desk and on top of it again. Others times he just picked her up and fucked her in his arms and still other times he made her kneel on the floor and he took her like a dog.

Eventually, despite the natural stamina that came with being a Baratheon, they were both far to tired to go on. They were both sitting in his chair, or, rather Robert was sitting in her chair while Cersei was sitting on his lap, both of them breathing heavy and to tired to even try to and stay awake.

So, they fell asleep right there. The warm light of the afternoon sun and their own body warmth luring them to sleep.

End of Chapter Eleven

**(Well, that happened. Honestly didn't think I had it in me. Anyway, please follow, favourite and review if you liked this and I would love constructive criticism.)**


	12. Chapter 12

A black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Twelve.

Cersei slowly came around with the cool night air caressing her bare back and her cheek pressed against her husband's strong chest a pleased smile crossed her face as she remembered how she got here, there was an ache in her bones but it was a pleasant one, a very pleasant one that she hoped would never leave her.

She rested her head on Robert's chest and sighed deeply, she wished that they didn't have to move but she knew that they would have too soon. The day had slipped away while they had been indulging one another and she hadn't spent any real time with her children and her father would most likely be very upset with being kept waiting.

That thought made her smile even wider, maybe they could stay here like this for just a little while longer.

She hummed pleasantly when she felt her husband kiss the top of her head. "I wish that this room was the entire world." She hummed with her eyes closed.

Robert chuckled deeply. "If it was I wouldn't complain, I wouldn't have to deal with your father or your brother." On the other hand if the world was just this one the room then he would never get the chance to behead them both, he would get the chance sooner rather than later and he didn't think his wife would complain about it too much, Jamie might get some complaint but he was sure she would get over it in time.

They stayed there for a while, just relaxing with Robert buried deep inside of her before a quick knock at the door made them both groan as they realised thay would have to separate, Cersei placed her hands on Robert's chest and she closed her eyes as she enjoyed the feel of the muscles under her hands.

When she opened her eyes she had to resist the urge to slap him in the face when she saw that he had that insufferable arrogant smirk on his handsome face. She got up, her husband's manhood slipping out of her which caused her to moan softly, before she went over to where her dress laid in a heap, she picked it up and began to dress herself.

Robert sighed and stood up while picking up his breeches and slid them on, he groaned and their was once again another knock on the door. "Give us a damn minute!"

Ned's voice came from the other side of the door. "Apologies your Grace, but it is rather important." His voice made it clear that he didn't partially want to interrupt them but it seemed as through he had little choice.

"It's fine Ned and for fuck's sake man, Robert!" He stressed before he stormed over to the door, glanced back to make sure his wife was actually dressed, and pulled it open.

"Hope you weren't just waiting out here all the time Ned." Robert said with a loud laugh and Cersei shook her head behind him. "Anyway, what is it you want?"

"While you and the queen were...engaged I went to go and spend time with my wife and children in the garden, while there I was...met by Tywin Lannister." The way he said it and the expression on his face made it clear that it was not a pleasant encounter. "Regardless, he invited me and Cat to dinner tonight and you don't refuse Tywin Lannister."

Cersei sighed as she knew quite well how true that was and was once again frustrated that her husband didn't quite seem to understand that yet, it didn't matter that he didn't care that he was in debt to her father he was still in debt to him and her father would never let Robert forget that till the day he died, but again her husband showed no concern to this fact and seemed to be more angry that his best friend and his wife had been forced into something.

"Ned, you and Cat don't have to do anything. I'll talk to Tywin Lannister." He said quietly, dangerously with a stormy look on his face.

Ned and Cersei both shared a concerned look, while the two of them may have only met a half dozen times before today they both knew what Robert could be like when his temper got the better of him and if he snapped and attacked Tywin...

It would be the worst mistake made in the history of the world and it would most likely end with him getting killed.

"That isn't exactly the reason I am here Robert, Lord Tywin asked me to tell that he would consider it an honour if you and Queen Cersei would join us for dinner." Ned said with an awkward expression on his face which made Cersei realise that while his father may have used the word request it was definitely not a request and there would be hell to pay if they didn't come to dinner.

She was trying to think of how she would be able to convince Robert when he suddenly smirked. "Ned, please go back to Lord Tywin and tell him we would be honoured to have dinner with him, will be there in a few moments."

Again Cersei and Ned shared a look but now it was one of utter confusion and shook but Ned didn't want to argue with his king and best friend so he nodded and left the room, once the door shut and she was sure that he was far enough away from the solar Cersei turned to face Robert.

"Do you have any idea what you've done!?" Cersei hissed loudly with fury in her eyes. "Sitting at a dinner table with my father is more dangerous than any battlefield, what will it take for you to realise that my father is dangerous!"

"And when will you realise that I already know that but I refuse to be your father's little bitch, if you give into him then he's won." Robert hissed through his teeth before he sighed. "You need to be strong and I need you to do this with me, will you?" He asked as he held out his hand for her to take.

Cersei sighed heavily before taking his hand.

This was going to end badly but she refused to run this time.

End of chapter Twelve.

**(I know it's short but I wanted the dinner to be it's own chapter. Please review, favourite and follow.)**


	13. Chapter 13

A Black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Thirteen

Cersei felt the familiar knot of fear forming in her stomach when she did anything that had to do with her father, as much as she wished that she could believe that as the queen that she had nothing to fear from him anymore she knew that it was not true. Her husband was three million in debt to her father as long as that was true then he had them around a tight leash.

As much as Robert said he was aware of the danger he didn't seem to show it as they walked down the corridor that would lead them both to royal dinning room where her father, brother, Lord and Lady Stark and Jon Arryn would be waiting for them. It was traditional for the queen and king to arrive last for dinner and as much as she was still afraid she couldn't help but admit that she loved making her father wait.

She was dressed in a beautiful blue gown which had red embroidery and wore a golden belt around her middle and she wore a delicate silver crown on her head which contrasted with her golden hair beautifully.

Robert was wearing a large black doublet and leather pants with a belt which had a sliver buckle which showed a stag standing over a dragon which was one of his favourites, he was also wearing a crown but it was made of gold and was far more masculine then Cersei's was.

They eventually arrived in front of the double doors that would lead them in to the dining room, Robert reached out for the handle but Cersei stopped him by placing her hand on top of his. "Be very careful Robert and please try and remember what I said to you, my father is far more dangerous at a dinner table than he is on any battlefield."

"There is nothing to worry about, I've got Jon on my right and Ned on my left and you at my side. There is nothing to worry about, I promise you." Robert said before leaning in to give her a kiss and Cersei returned it willing even those his kind words while welcome did little to sooth her fears.

He pushed open the door and they walked in together, Her father was sitting at the left of the head of the table which meant that he would be at Robert's left and was sitting opposite Jon Arryn.

To say that Robert looked annoyed that the place he had in mind for his best friend was filled by his father-in-law was far more than a understatement, he looked like a dark storm cloud made flesh and Cersei could believe that he had spent most his time growing up in a place called storm's end.

Thankfully Robert was at least wise enough to hold his tongue for the moment as he made his way to his rightful place at the head of the table, Cersei took her place by sitting at the opposite end.

As she sat down she noticed three things, one that Ned Stark and his wife were sitting next to one another and both of them looked very uncomfortable as they picked up on the silent tension, two that her brother looked absolutely terrible with dark purple bruises around his neck and some strange device around his middle that the grand master had told her was to stop him from aggravating his ribs or breaking any more and the third was that there was no sign of Jon Arryn.

"Is there a specific reason that my hand is nowhere to be seen?" Robert asked with barely hidden irritation in his voice.

"I am afraid you just missed the messenger your Grace, Lord Arryn is not feeling well and will not be able to attend tonight but he does humbly beg your forgiveness." Ned said with an apologetic look to his old friend.

"It's fine and honestly Ned, how many times?" Robert asked with a sigh and a shake of his head before he turned his head to look at Jamie and it was clear that he was trying to surpress a grin. "My, Ser Jamie, I had heard that you had taken ill but I wasn't quite expecting this, what happened?"

Jamie looked like he was about to say something that he would regret later but before he could Tywin subtly put his hand on his shoulder and told him with a look to control his temper. Jamie sighed and spoke. "I...fell your grace, I wasn't watching were I was going and I fell down a stair case."

"My, that was rather clumsy of you Ser Jamie. What good is a clumsy knight? If you can not safely walk down stairs then are you really the best person to be protecting me and mine?" Robert asked and Cersei shoot him a glare, now was not the time to be provoking her brother.

Jamie at least to give him some credit did not bite and Robert was smart enough not to continue to bait him when he saw his wife glaring at him.

There was then an awkward silence that lasted until the first course came which was an onion and leak soup, a little bland perhaps but it was only meant to put them on.

The first course would have ended with silence but Cersei couldn't handle it, she needed to talk to her brother. "Are you alright Jamie? Are you in much pain I mean?" She asked quietly, she wasn't sure as to why she was asking. She wasn't even sure why she should care and a part of her was glad about what had happened to Jamie, he had deserved it for what he had tried to do to her.

But he was her other half, her twin. He had been with her through everything and they had shared everything from their mother's womb to the lose of their virginity to their first child. Jamie had always been there when she needed and she had needed him a great many times over the years and the idea that there relationship was over hurt her, no matter how much she loved Robert.

"I am quite well your grace." Jamie said coldly, just like he did earlier and Cersei tried not to let it upset her. Deep down inside of herself she knew that it was better this way.

"Did Robb and Sansa enjoy the gardens Cat?" Robert asked as he took a spoonful of soup and looked at his best friend's wife.

"Oh yes Your Grace, well, Sansa did. She is a little lady and I think that in time she would thrive here but Robb, well." Catelyn trailed off with a laugh. "He's definitely his father's son. He kept complaining he was hot, you would think that he was going to melt."

"It is said that wolves don't do well in the south." Her father said with subtle smile, Cersei stared at her father in alarm in what he just said. At first it didn't seem all too outrageous a statement. A wolf would not do well in the south, their thick fur protected them from the harsh cold of the north but in the south where it was much warmer they could did from being too hot.

But there was more to her father saying it then that, Lyanna, Brandon and Rickard Stark had all died in the south.

Robert didn't seem to notice but Catelyn, Jamie and most certainly Ned Stark noticed and none of them could say anything, he was Tywin Lannister and he could get with saying something like that so long as it wasn't an direct insult.

But the worst thing was that it had proven what she already knew, her husband was no match for her father no matter what he liked to say about not worrying and that he wasn't as stupid as she seemed to think that he was, he wasn't a match and if he wasn't careful...

If he wasn't careful then her father would trick him and he would take Jon, her Jon, her baby away.

She couldn't let that happen, she wouldn't let that happen!

She would do whatever she had to...No one would threaten her sons or take them away from her.

As the dinner went on in to the night she offered only the most basic of conversations as her mind whirled with dark thoughts, as Robert took her back to their chambers to sleep they laid together and he fell asleep, which had been fairly easy as he had great deal of wine at the dinner, she stood up and walked over to her small desk where she picked up piece of paper.

She wrote in black ink at the top:

Tywin Lannister.

End of Chapter Thirteen

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**Please review, favourite and follow.**


	14. Chapter 14

A Black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Fourteen.

With a soft hum Ida smiled as gently rubbed her damp rag on to her baby's skin, the smile growing as Gendry laughed with the sort of pure delight that only a baby could have. She knew that all the people who lived around her looked at her and pointed and jeered and called her son a bastard but she didn't care, not even a little bit. Gendry wasn't a bastard, not to her. He was her son.

"You're my little prince, you know that?" She asked as she pressed a kiss to his forehead, in another life perhaps he would've been the prince of all seven kingdoms but that wasn't to be, Ida wasn't some highborn lady who thought her farts smelt like roses, she was a tavern wench who got felt up by men who though that because she was a woman that they simply could.

And then one day a King had come to their tarven, she had no idea why as their tarven was hardly something a noble would walk into without complaining about the smell but they didn't complain, you couldn't when it was the king. The king certainly did not complain about the ale, Ida didn't think she had ever seen a man drink so much and be able to keep standing but keep standing the man had.

Who would ever think that a king could also be the life of a party? The man hadn't only nearly drank them out of business but he had joked and flirted and she had to admit that in a way the man was quite charming and was certainly generous with all the money he was spending.

That night everyone went home with several gold dragons in their pockets, more money than they had ever seen before or would likely ever seen again, and Ida left with something extra, she had left with Gendry. She hadn't regretted sleeping with him, sure he was a married man but from what she had heard the queen was hardly the warmest woman in the world and the man clearly needed some comfort.

When she had realised that she was pregnant she was more than a little worried, would the king find out? What would the queen do if she found out? Would her child be taken from her? But her entire pregnancy she had not heard a word from the king or anyone noble or anyone who looked they had enough to eat well, she was a one time thing it seemed and she had been forgotten.

And that did not bother her at all, she did not care for riches and she certainly had no interest in being a king's mistress all she wanted was to live as peacefully with her son as she could and so far she had gotten her wish, and Gendry was her son, not the king's bastard, her son. She might call him her little prince but she had no intention of ever telling him the truth, he would just wind up getting himself killed if he ever tried to do something foolish like claim a throne that he had no right too, even Ida knew that her son had no right unless the king acknowledge him.

But she didn't want that, she just wanted peace and for her to grow, strong and happy. Which was not going to happen if she left the little mucker in the wooden tub any longer, he was already starting to resemble a prune. "All right little mite, time to get out." She mummed as took the boy out and wrapped him up in a small towel. She dressed him in a shirt and some pants that were both a few sizes to big and placed him inside a small cot that she had set up on the other side of the hovel.

She had to admit, she might not want to be the king's mistress but she had hoped for perhaps some money to keep her quite, she wouldn't have spoken either way but they did not have to know that, most of those gold dragons had been spent before she realised she would have another mouth to feed and the last of the coin had gone to buying a nice cot, it was the nicest thing in her little hovel by far.

Her stomach growled like a lion and Ida couldn't help but wonder when she had last eaten, she had gone more that a few days without anything she knew that much at least, looking after a babe was full time work and she wasn't well like by anyone and she didn't trust anyone around here to watch Gendry so she could go and get a bowl of brown, she would kill for some brown right now. The last time she had some the meat had been rabbit and it was one of the best meals she had ever had.

The thing was that even if it was for the poorest of King's Landing you still had to pay for it and even two coppers was a strain on her right now, considering she hadn't been able to go back to the tavern for months and the money she had saved was now almost completely gone, she couldn't deny that she was more than a little worried about it now.

She bit her lip and glanced at her door for a moment before she glanced back at Gendry who was gumming on his fingers, she hadn't had her milk since yesterday and the boy was clearly hungry, she needed to feed them both. There was a woman near one of the bowl of brown shops had a goat and Ida knew that if she scrounged then she could get herself a bowl of brown and a bottle of milk for Gendry.

With a heavy sigh she pressed a kiss to her babe's head and made her way to the door, she would be back before she knew it and Gendry would be fine, she would only be out for a few minutes. Everything would be fine.

Ida opened the door, stepped out, closed it and began to walk down the cobblestone path before she could change her mind, she had to do this. She knew that she had to do this but it didn't help ease the knot in her gut or the sense that something terrible was going to happen.

As she walked down the cobbles she couldn't help but feel guilty as she looked around her, she might not be drinking wine or have some lordly husband but she had a roof of her head and some clean clothes some days of the week, all around there were people sitting and looking at her with jealousy, they were so thin, like their skin was a trap that had been stretched over their bones and they were either dressed in ripped clothes or naked as the day that they entered the world.

Ida picked up the pace and began to hurry down the street, she wanted to get home as soon as possible.

The goat woman was a bad tempered and ugly old woman but after a few minutes she had left her little hovel with a bottle of goat's milk, it looked odd but the woman hadn't been beaten to death or ripped apart for being a cheat so if it kept Gendry alive for a few more days while she found some more money then that was all she cared about. Besides, you couldn't be picky in Flea Bottom.

She quickly rushed and grabbed a bowl of brown and the man who handed her the bowl took pity on her and handed her a chunk of bread that looked and smelt that it had only just turned stale. The meal was small, the vegetables were all limp and brown and she didn't even want to think about what the meat is, with luck it might be pigeon, but it filled her up and she felt better than she had done for days even through she had rushed the meal.

She began to make her way home, she still felt bad about leaving Gendry on his own but it had barely been ten minutes from what she could tell, and she couldn't trust anyone with him. She couldn't trust anyone at all but it didn't matter cause she was heading home and everything was going to be fine.

She turned on to her street and she felt her stomach beginning to tense as she noticed that the street was entirely clear, all the people had vanished. As she began to near her home her breath caught in her throat at what she saw, men dressed in crimson and black armour with swords were standing outside her hovel and the door was wide open. The bottle of milk slipped out of her hands and shattered against the cobbles as she ran over to the them.

"Back off wench, King's business." One of the men said, she could see his green eyes through the slits in his helmet. He looked like no gold cloak and he was certainly not a king'sguard.

"I live here, this is my home and I've done nothing wrong. You can't do this!" Ida shouted as she tried to look past them to see inside but they were both tall and broad and she couldn't see anything. Why wasn't Gendry crying? What were they doing here? She hadn't told anyone.

Suddenly from inside Gendry let out a cry which sounded more like a shriek and Ida glanced at the guard's cold and unfeeling green eyes and she couldn't stop the scream escaped from her mouth as she charged past the guards and as she got into the hovel her blood ran cold at the sight before her.

Gendry was whimpering with tears in his eyes as he was held in the arms of another man dressed in the same armour. as the other men but that wasn't what had made her stop. Clutched in the other man's hand was a silver dagger which was currently only inches away from her baby boy's throat. The man seemed as thrown by her as she was off him and he didn't move.

She was broken out of her trance when she felt hands encircling her wrists and holding her back, she couldn't turn her head to see but the voice that spoke out identified which of the two guards it was. "Don't just stand there with your mouth hanging open like a fucking half-wit, cut it's throat and be done with it."

"No! No please don't!" Ida shouted as she tried to break out of the man's grip but he was far stronger then her and the metal of his gauntlets bit into her skin and she told herself that it was only the pain of the cuts they were forming that was making her cry. "Please he's just a babe, I haven't told anyone I swear! I swear! By all of the seven I swear! Please don't do this!"

The guard turned his gaze from Ida to the guard who was holding her back. "I...I can't. He is just a babe and no one knows and if the King finds out-

"The King isn't going to find out! He is not! But the queen will find out if you don't do this now and I do not personally want to know what she will do if we fuck this up not to mention what her father will do not cut that babe's throat but I do it and then I fucking cut yours!" The guard shouted and the guard that was holding Gendry looked between Ida and Gendry before he sighed and began to lower the knife down.

Ida began to scream and scream, louder and louder until it began to sound like she was a wild animal instead of woman. She thrashed in the guard's grip but it still did no good and she began to feel everything below her wrists becoming wet. Another guard stepped in front of her and reeled his hand back.

As his fist collided with her eye and everything went black, Gendry stopped crying.

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Cersei took a sip of her wine as she looked over the paper in front of her, it was one of several lists that Varys had given her and to say she was upset that her dead husband had enough bastards to fill out multiple lists did not quite describe the rage that she was feeling, if she hadn't grown so fond of him she might have even tried to slip poison into his wine.

Not as if that would be easy anymore considering that he barely drunk any wine anymore, two or three cups if there was a feast and one or two cups with dinner. It pleased her a great deal, he had not been drunk in an extremly long time.

A soft cooing noise made her turn her head and she smiled as she saw Jon being propped up by several soft pillows while Joffery was playing with his feet, she couldn't stop the gentle smile from spreading on her face as she saw her two boys getting along so well. She watched them quietly for a few minutes before there was a soft rap at the door.

"Enter." She spoke and the door opened and one of her guards walked into the room, she was always supposed to be guarded by members of her husband's guard but one of the conditions so her father paying back her husband's debt was that there was a small group of men that answered to her father first protecting her. She knew this one was the captain of the guard, Leon or something similar to that.

"Your grace, I simply wished to let you know that everything on the list you gave us has been completed." He said as he stepped forward and handed the list over to Cersei who took it and looked down at the list with smile. every name was run through with a thin black line.

"Thank you, that will be all." She said and the guard nodded before he left the room and shut the door behind him, she folded the list and placed it to the side. She would burn it later.

Her eyes went back to Joffery and Jon whose attention had not been taken by the guard, it was all for them. She would do anything for her sons.

Anything.

End of Chapter Fourteen

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**I am really sorry Gendry fans but...yeah, if you hoped for him to have a major role later on in this story then I am afraid that your hopes have just been dashed.**

**Please follow, favourite and review and please don't be afraid to give constructive criticism.**


	15. Chapter 15

A Black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Fifteen.

Jon Arryn took a deep breath as he approached the chambers of the Small Council, it would not look good if the hand of the King was late for a small council meeting. Still, the king himself was there and he was proud of that, it seemed that ever since his little namesake was born that Robert was trying to take his duties far more seriously and he didn't think that he had ever been prouder of Robert.

He hated to admit it, even to himself but he didn't think that he had ever truly been proud of his foster son, not really. Eddard was never a child that it was hard to be proud, an excellent warrior and always dedicated in his studies, he had always thought it a pity that the boy was not first in line to inherit Winterfell, he would make an excellent lord.

And he had, but he knew that Eddard had never wanted to be the lord and if he had then he never wanted to become it by his father and elder brother dying, his father by burning to ashes and his brother being chocked in a cruel mockery of a trial by combat. What was a castle and a lordship compared to a father's love or a brother's smile after all?

Still he could not change the past, there was no point in even trying to do so. He pushed open the door of the small council chamber and took in the sight before him.

Robert was obviously sitting at the head of the table, his rightful place as King after all, he was dressed in a black doublet and had the crown atop his head. His expression was one of utter boredom but he was at least trying to listen and that was better than nothing in Jon's mind.

Sitting to Robert's left, in what really should be Jon's seat, was Eddard who looked more than a little uncomfortable being there when he saw Jon walk in but in all honesty he did not mind, the men worked better when they were working alongside one another in his mind, Robert was the bolder of the two and more ambitious while Ned held him back from doing anything too dangerous while Robert motivated Ned to better things.

At times he thought that it might actually be better if Eddard was Robert's hand, Jon had to admit that he had been coddleing the boy ever since he assumed the throne, allowing him to shirk his duties and allowing him to do as he wished, a part of him actually enjoyed being in control even while he was disappointed in Robert, he should've been pressing him to attend these meetings.

Still, he was hear now and he supposed that was all that mattered in the end.

Sitting across from Eddard was Grand Maester Pycelle, to say Jon Arryn did not like the old man was an understatement, he could not stand him. Not that this was uncommon of course, almost none in King's Landing could stand the man, while it was true that he was somewhat knowledgeable about a great many subjects the man was a shameless sycophant and would say or do anything just to survive and remain in some form of power.

The old man disgusted him.

Sitting down from him was the Spider and Master of Whispers himself, "Lord" Varys. Jon did not think that he had ever met a more dangerous man, oh, men like Tywin Lannister and Hoster Tully were dangerous as well but it was easily to tell why they were dangerous, you heard the stories, gazed on their armies and you know simply that the best way to survive was to simply not to anger them or to appear to be a threat.

With Varys, you could never tell what he was thinking, his mind was a complicated map of schemes and you never know where you were within it, you could be vital to his plan one day and then completely expendable to them the next.

He was the most dangerous man in the room, perhaps even the entire realm. That was the truth of it.

Sitting across from the eunuch was Petyr Baelish, lord of the Fingers and Master of Coin, he still regretted appointing the man to the position but the position needed to be filled and the man had more than proven, both before he was appointed and during it, that he was more than capable and his wife had practically begged him to name him to the Small Council.

He was still a little surprised that Lysa had wanted Baelish on the Small Council but he knew that they had been close friends since childhood and he wanted to do at least one thing to make his wife happy so he had allowed it, even though he had come to regret it. The man was utterly insufferable and like Varys he always got the feeling that he was plotting something, only a fool would trust the man.

The last man sitting at the table, and in all honesty the one that he was most surprised at seeing there Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, the man had served the Mad King before Robert and thus Jon was always a little unsure of his loyalty to Robert but he was one of the greatest knights in the history of the seven kingdoms and a kingsguard's vows were supposed to be for life so it was not like Robert could simply dismiss the man.

If he could then Jon know that not only would Robert have done such a thing but he would have also released Ser Jamie from his vows as well instead of just sending him back to Casterly Rock. Still, Robert did not like having a man who served another king advising him so he had basically banned him from any meetings which from what Jon understood Ser Selmy did not have much of a problem with as he did not much like his king, still considering him to be nothing more than a usurper.

"Jon!" Robert called with a grin, making everyone at the table who had not noticed him walk in turn to face him, their faces showing various levels of surprise. "There you are! Where you've been man?"

"I received a letter from the Vale your Grace, it could not wait. I wondered if I could speak to you alone for a moment." He asked and watched as Robert's eyes narrowed for a moment before he nodded and got to his feet.

"All right, everyone clear out! My hand and I have things to discuss!" All of the small council members gave mumbles of agreement and stood from their chairs and slowly left the small council chamber.

"Eddard!" Jon called after him just as he was about to leave. "You don't have to leave, I think I would prefer for to be here."

Eddard blinked once in confusion but didn't say anything before he moved back to at Jon's side.

Jon waited until the room was empty and the door was shut before he began to speak. "Robert...I am sorry."

"About what?" Robert asked he narrowed his eyes at his foster father.

"The letter from the Vale, it was from House Royce. It seems...It seems as though Mya was walking on one of the narrower pathways of the mountains, her body was found at the bottom of a crevice." He revealed and there was a sudden intake of breath from Robert who was starring at him with a mix of disbelief and horror, his face paling.

He knew that this was going to be hard, Mya had been father by Robert when he was still his ward in the Vale and was his first child, even after Robert had lost all interest in his mother he still visited the girl, he was quite fond of her and would give her gifts and played with her, he loved her a great deal. He supposed that it was a good thing that he decided to neglect to mention that she had been found with her head split open on a rock.

"Rob...I'm so sorry." Ned said as he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder as he slumped back down into his seat, he had often accompanied Robert on his visits to see Mya, she had been a sweet girl and the fact that her life had been cut so short hurt him a great deal.

"I used to throw her in the air, she would laugh." Robert said quietly as he closed his eyes. "I always promised I would catch her, I wasn't there to catch her that time was I? I was here."

"You are where you were meant to be, what happened to Mya is terrible but it could not be helped, it was simply an unfortunate accident." Jon spoke quietly as he stepped forward and placed his hand on his other shoulder, trying to give his foster son any form of comfort that he could.

Suddenly, the door to the chamber burst open and a dark haired woman with a round face and plump body burst through the door, she was dressed in the clothes of a kitchen wench and tears were rolling down her face. "Robert!" She shouted.

Ser Barristan and Ser Mandon Moore both came into the room after her, Ser Mandon came up to the woman and grabbed her arms and began to pull her back while Ser Barristan spoke. "Apologies Your Grace, this woman came and said that you had ordered some ale but I had never seen her before, she threw the tray at us and ran past us before we know what had happened."

"Wait, I know her." Robert said and walked over to where Ser Mandon was struggling with the sobbing woman and tilted her face up to look into her eyes. "It's...Ida, isn't it?" He asked, uncertain. "What are you doing here?"

"They killed him." The woman whimpered brokenly.

"Killed who?" Robert asked with a frown.

"Gendry, my son. Our son, they came to my home while I was out and they held a knife to his throat and they were going to kill him and they knocked me out and when I came too, Gendry, he...he..." The woman could say no more as he began to break out sobbing even more and Robert sighed heavily and Jon wondered how much more of this he could take. "I didn't tell anyone, I didn't tell anyone." She repeated over and over.

"Who killed him?" Robert repeated firmly as he told Ser Mandon to release the woman and gently put his large hands on her shoulders. "I promise you that whoever killed him will be punished, I swear it but I need to know who did it."

"Men in black and red armour, they said they had to do it because the Queen and her father would punish them if they didn't!" She shouted in between her broken sobs and she fell to the floor, no longer able to stand on her feet.

For a moment, aside form Ida's sobs, there was no sound in the room. Jon looked to Robert's face but it was stony, almost like a mask before something clicked and his eyes almost glowed with rage. "Look after her." Was all he said before he left the room, beckoning Ser Barristan and Ser Mandon to follow him out of the room, Jon and Ned glanced at one another before Jon followed Robert out of the room, leaving taking care of Ida to Ned.

Jon tried his best to keep up with Robert but it was difficult, Robert may have gained some weight since becoming King but he was not fat and was still young and he had lost some of that weight, Jon was getting older and it was getting more and more difficult to keep up with him. He kept asking where he was going but all he got in answered was a grunt as he walked deeper into the keep.

It didn't take long for him to recognise where they were headed, he supposed that he shouldn't be surprised all things considered. Robert stormed over to the door of Cersei's chambers and before he could say anything to stop him he shoved the door open and stormed inside.

Cersei, Catelyn, Lysa and half a dozen other ladies of court jumped in their seats as the door slammed open, they quickly got to their feet when they saw it was the king who had come in, little Jon whimpered at the sound of the loud noise and grabbed a fistful of his mother's light blue dress while Joffrey hugged his mother's legs and stared up his father with wide eyes.

"Please take my sons to the nursery and leave the room ladies, I must speak with my wife." The ladies of the court were all stricken silent for a moment but they did not dare defy their king, Lysa gently took Jon from Cersei's arms and Catelyn gently took Joffery's hand and the ladies of the court left the room, not unaware of their queen's fury.

"What are you doing, you can't just take my children from me without good reason?!" Cersei shouted, her eyes burning like green flames.

"Where are your father's men, aren't they supposed to be guarding you when the kingsguard are not?" Robert asked calmly. but Jon Arryn was certain that he could hear some rage in his voice. "Where are they now?"

Cersei looked surprised for a moment but she quickly tried to cover it up. "I don't know, most likely they are out getting drunk or visiting a whorehouse. I will make sure they are dealt with, what are you trying to say?"

"Mya, my bastard daughter, do you remember her? I asked you if I could bring her here to King's Landing after Joffery was born, do you remember what you said?" Robert asked as he slowly stepped forward to her, his voice dipping slight. "Do as you must, but this city is a dangerous place for a growing girl" That is what you said."

"Robert, I don't-" Cersei began but Robert interrupted her.

"She's dead, did you have your men kill her? Another of my bastards was killed here in King's Landing, if I ask Varys to find out all the names of my bastards, will any of them still be alive?" Robert asked. "Answer me!" He roared.

"Robert, my love I swear to you I did nothing to them, I swear it!" Cersei shouted.

Robert sighed heavily and stepped back, turning away. "I hope you are right, and you had better pray that I do not find anything that will prove your guilt." He looked to Ser Barristen. "The queen is not to leave her chambers with out my permission and she is to be under constant guard and she is not to be allowed any visitors unless I allow it." He ordered as he began to walk out of the room.

"What?" Cersei asked in disbelief as Jon and Robert left the room and began to walk away. "Robert! Robert! Robert, you can not do this! Come back! Robert! Robert! Robert!"

As they walked away, the screams of the Queen rang in Jon's ears...

End of Chapter Fifteen

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	16. Chapter 16

A Black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Sixteen.

Three days. Three days she had been locked in her own rooms and away from her children. If she didn't get out of here soon then she was going to kill someone and that someone might in fact be her own dear husband. How had this happened, everything had been going so well.

She had her King, the spectre of Lyanna Stark seemed to be fading from his mind and she was the first in his thoughts, she had two sons to adore and be adored by and she was the Queen, respected and feared by all around her. And now all her joy had turn to ashes, she was locked away in her rooms and from her sons and all of her ladies.

She was not allowed to send any letters meaning she could not inform her father or Jamie as to what had happened to her, her handmaidens were allowed to tend to her, to dress her and bring her food and wine but she had to be watched by members of the kingsguard, she had to be watched even as she was dressed, even the thought of the indignity made her want to scream until her lungs burst.

At least she had managed to burn all of Varys's lists but that was scant comfort, if Varys spoke out against her then she was lost. All she could hope for now was that the eunuch did not fancy risking his own neck to simply reveal her hand in all of this.

She knew that the Lannister guards would not be found, Ser Meryn and Ser Boros and had dealt with all of them before Robert had her locked in here, there bodies were disposed off and none would ever find of them now, both knights had assured her of that, but if anyone ever did then they would simply assume that they were simply some poor unfortunates from the city.

Not that any of that helped her at the moment, she was still locked in here.

She picked up her glass of wine and sipped at it for a moment, what glass was this? Her third, her fourth? Her fifth perhaps? She didn't care, it was the only thing that made her feel even slightly better about any of this, that distracted her from her rage and her sadness and her fear.

She had been so close, so close to her perfect future and now it was turning to ashes all around her, she was going to kill those guards. she was going to kill whoever told Robert about his bastard in the Vale. It had to be Jon Arryn, he was the only one who would be receiving any messages from the Vale and had access to Robert, when she got out she was going to have him drowned in the Blackwater and when she found out who sent him the message she was going to have them and all the people they cared about thrown into the deepest pit she could find and have it filled with water.

The problem was that she was stuck in here and there was nothing she could do, even if she could send a message to father or Jamie, she didn't want her father's help and she didn't know if Jamie would even want to help her, she liked to think that he would but the way he had acted at that dinner...

She couldn't count on him, and that hurt her to admit as she always thought that she could count on Jamie. Her golden twin, her reflection.

Suddenly the glass was thrown from her fingers, it shattered against the wall and the red wine staining the wall looked so much like blood, the blood of her enemies that it made her feel so much better for a moment, though drinking it would've probably made her feel even better.

She thought of Jon, her sweet little baby with his dark curls and green eyes who looked at her like she was his entire world, how long had it been since anyone had looked at her like that? He was such a sweet little babe, her sweet little babe who she sung for and feed him from her own breast, she wouldn't let that toothless wet nurse feed her son.

She thought of Joffery, her brave little prince, her golden lion. He had been all that she had once and she loved him more than anything, aside perhaps from Jon. They were her sons, they needed her. She would not be looked away or have her head taken from her shoulders by the headsman, she would have all of King's Landing burned to ashes first.

But she could not burn anything from in here and there were no allies, Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Boros Blount had been loyal to her and to her alone but they had never been sent to guard her together and she could not take to one of them without whoever else was guarding her going straight to Robert or Jon Arryn, she was utterly alone and without any allies.

She really should not have thrown that glass of wine at the wall. She eventually found another one and filled it with wine and drank it all down in a matter of seconds before she filled it again, it did not dull her anger any but it dulled the pain and the hurt quickly enough.

She though about Robert in that moment, before that day he came to her and locked her in here he came to her bed every night and he had not drunk any wine or ale in nearly a moon turn, he held her close and loved her and she felt more happy than she had in far too long and now he hated her once again. All she had tried to do was protect them from any threats, couldn't he see that? Why did he even care about those bastards? He had two trueborn sons and her, what more did he need?

The door opened suddenly and Cersei very nearly dropped her glass of wine but managed to keep a hold of it, she whirled around and glared when she saw the hand of the king walk in, Jon Arryn looked so smug and all she wanted to do was throw her glass at his face. "Are you sure you're a high lord? Surely you must know it is rude to come into a queen's room without announcing yourself first."

"I do, and I would announce myself if you weren't confined to your rooms and under investigation for the murder of several of the King's bastards." The old man said with a heavy frown, Ser Barristan standing behind him. "Thankfully, not all of his children are dead. Edric Storm is beyond even Lannister reach so long as he remains at Storm's End."

Cersei had to fight the frown that was practically begging to form on her face, she hated the fact that her husband had any bastards but if there was one she truly hated as a person then it was Edric Storm, the little shit was arrogance personified as if he was Robert's true son and not the result of Robert shamming her, his brother and his brother's new wife.

The bastard was in Storm's End where she nor any of her men could reach him, how she was going to dispose of him, she did not know and it cause her no shortage of long nights as she thought about it. Still, she supposed that it did not matter much at the moment. "Why are you here Lord Hand? Have you come to see if I have changed my mind and will confess to this vile crime which you know I had nothing to do with, well, I must send you away in disappointment."

Jon Arryn frowned heavily and glanced at Ser Barristan who left the room and shut the door behind him, Jon sat at the table and glanced up at her. "I know you are behind this, you know that you are behind this so let us not pretend otherwise. I do not have the evidence to prove it yet but I will. Would it not be easier to simply confess? Threw yourself on to Robert's mercy now and he may yet spare you, wait for me to find the evidence I need and there will be no saving you."

"And what happens if Robert does show me mercy? Will I be sent back to Casterly Rock to live out the rest of my days in shame? Perhaps not even there as my father will more than likely try and stay as close to the king as possible, more than likely I will be sent to a small house and my name will be a warning for all other noble ladies." Cersei began before she sat down at the table.

"Do you honestly think that I will leave my sons? Leave them all to Robert? To whatever whore that would want them out of the way so her children could take the throne, no. I will never leave my sons. Not ever, you have no evidence not at all." Cersei grinned as she poured herself another glass of wine, she saw right through this fool.

Jon Arryn simply kept frowning and shook his head before he got to his feet and looked down at her. "No, I don't have any evidence and I am unlikely to find any of it, there has been no sign of any the guards under your command meaning we can't question them but would you like to know what I do have? Your Grace." He asked.

He continued before she could speak. "A list, I have a list of names. Gendry Waters, Mya Stone, Tomas Flowers and seven other names, ten children. some barely more than babes, some only babes and all of them dead now, because of you. I simply wonder how you are able to sleep at night, is that why you drink so often I wonder? So you can try and forget for a moment that you are a monster?"

Cersei would hear no more, she scooped up the glass and threw the Dornish Red into the old man's face, he spluttered and raised his hands to wipe the wine away, once he was able to see her again he sighed and stood from his chair. "I know the truth of things, you murdered this children and I will see you held accountable for it if it is the last thing I do, I promise you that."

And with that the old man turned and began to walk over to the door of the room. "Lord Hand!" Cersei called after him and Jon turned to face her. "It will be the last thing you do, I promise you that. You know what my father did to the Reynes of Castamere? Do you think he will react well when he finds out that I am locked in my rooms and accused of a crime that I did not commit? And he will find out, there are many allies of House Lannister here and many who do not wish to anger my father, someone will send him a raven."

Cersei may not want her father's help, not even remotely but right now it wasn't a matter of what she wanted. She needed help and her father was the only person who could help her, he was the only one who demand anything of a king. If there was ever a time that her husband was in debt to her father then it was now.

Lord Arryn let out a low chuckle. "My lady, we've killed all the ravens."

Cersei mouth dropped open and she did not have the time to react more than that as Jon Arryn left the room and slammed the door behind him.

End of Chapter Sixteen

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	17. Chapter 17

A Black-Haired Beauty

Chapter Seventeen**.**

Ned sighed heavily as he made his way through the corridors of Maegor's Holdfast, they had called Maegor the cruel and perhaps that explained why everyone inside felt so miserable, how could a palace named after such a man hold any joy? The sky was overcast and rain had made the brown ground outside the holdfast sodden and muddy, his boots were stained with it.

He felt bad for tracking it inside and making more work for the servants but there was much more important things to worry about at the moment, Robert had locked his wife up in her rooms and the poor children had been asking after her ever since, well the older boy had. Little Jon was still a babe and most of the time he simply wailed his unhappiness when someone who wasn't his mother held him. Cat had taken it upon herself to look after the royal children but it had been an tiring experience for her as both boys were so upset, and she had their own children to look after as well.

Ned would offer to help but he and Jon Arryn had their hands full with Robert most of the time now, he had been caught between bouts of rage that seemed to teeter on murderous and bouts of depression when he remembered that his wife had apparently ordered that all of his bastards were to be killed. Ned wasn't entirely sure then who he was mourning, his bastards who aside from Mya he had very little contact with or he was mourning his marriage, Ned had been surprised to see how much Robert had actually been trying with Cersei as he had been devastated when he had heard that Lyanna had died.

But now his wife had been killing his children and Robert felt that it had all been for nothing, Ned hated to see his friend like this but he wasn't sure what he could do to fix it. If Queen Cersei had been responsible for the death of Robert's bastards then she deserved to be punished for that but Robert had clearly been growing more fond of her as of late, Ned would even dare to say that he might even love her.

He was stuck, and Jon was as well. Neither of them truly knew what to do. It did not help that truly they had no evidence to say that Cersei was guilty of the crime, they had the woman who came into the Red Keep's account of the events but none of the guards who she spoke of could be found. They knew that they existed, everyone had seen them around the Red Keep at some point or another but they had all vanished, an entire group of Lannister guards has vanished like water that turned into steam. The gold cloaks had been looking for them but still there was no sign of them.

They had hoped that the Spider might have some answers for them but while he had expressed his sadness, the eunuch had claimed that he wasn't able to help them. He had said that even he couldn't know everything, not every little bird that he had could be everywhere at once. Ned wasn't certain that he believed him but they had not been able to get anything out of the man so they had to leave him be.

With each day that passed with no evidence about the queen it meant that it became more and more unlikely they would be able to hold her in, she was not without friends in the Red Keep even if those friends were only there for her out of either fear of her or fear of her father. Killing the ravens had not settled well with him but he knew that it was the best option that they had to stop Tywin Lannister from finding out that his daughter had been confined to her rooms, it was not a permanent solution, of course.

They could not stop riders from going to Casterly Rock, they had shut all of the gates leading out of the city but any of the men or women who had left the city before that could be making their way to the seat of House Lannister and there was nothing they could do to stop them. It didn't help that there were other castles near King's Landing, Stokeworth and Rosby the largest among them and they had their own ravens which they could use to send a message to Lord Tywin. They could hardly send them a royal command to slaughter all of their ravens.

Well...they could but it wasn't as if they had any was of knowing whether or not they had carried the command out. Plus, considering they had killed all their own ravens then they might actually have need of the ravens at Stokeworth and Rosby. They also needed them for their guards and their lands as both castles would make excellent staging points to launch a siege on King's Landing and were vital to it's defence.

Ned had also taken it upon himself to help Jon strengthen up the city watch, the gold cloaks were not lacking in numbers but they lacked discipline and he was certain that corruption run deep in it's ranks. After all, the gold they wore was the gold of Tywin Lannister and it was his money that the men used to buy there bread and wine.

He was exhausted and he felt far, far older than he was. He loved Robert like he was his brother but he didn't want this, he didn't want to be here cleaning up his friend's messes. He should be in Winterfell, ruling over it and his people but instead he had come here because his king had summoned him and his entire family and it did not sit well with him. Winterfell was empty, there were no Starks there and there always had to a Stark in Winterfell.

And yet, he still could not find it in himself to abandon Robert and his sons. He couldn't do it, he wouldn't do it. If he was in trouble then he knew that Robert would ride for him with all the armies of all Seven Kingdoms at his back and all Robert had asked for was him. He wouldn't leave him now.

Ned walked through the halls of the Holdfast and finally reached the door that lead into the chambers that he and Cat had been given since they had come to King's Landing, as soon as he stepped into the room his worries and frustrations faded away as the sight that greeted him caused a smile to form on his face. Catelyn was sitting on a padded chair with a high back with little Sansa held in her arms, his wife hummed a song to their daughter as the babe nursed from her breast.

Ned didn't think that he had ever seen his wife more beautiful then he did at that moment, then she looked up and smiled at him and he knew that she was truly the most beautiful woman in the world. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you as well." Ned said as he walked over to the chair and knelt down next to it, he reached out with his hand to brush his fingers through the soft red hair that was already growing quickly on Sansa's head. "Where is Robb?"

"Asleep." Catelyn muttered as tilted her head in the direction of the door that lead to the room where there son had been sleeping, she sounded exhausted which made sense as she had found it difficult to look after their own children even with the help of the new septa that had been sent to the North and with the help of Old Nan, trying to take the place of the princes mother had not been easy on her and she felt guilty for what she felt was abandoning her own children. "He has had long day, though to be true I am certain that we've all had a long day."

"My lady is wise." Ned said as he rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand, trying to offer her some comfort all though to be true he had never been good at comforting anyone. Brandon always used to say that he never had a kind face nor was he used to giving out kind words and a lady would do better to seek out a horse to comfort them, it wasn't Ned's fault that he had a long face and wasn't a natural speaker. It wasn't something he had easily forgiven his big brother for. "I will admit, I can not wait for us to be far away from here. Wolves do not belong in the south."

"There are wolves in the south, my Lord." Catelyn said with a small smile as she covered herself when Sansa pulled away from her breast and gently patted the babe's back. "I am certain that it was wolves that I heard outside my window at Riverrun, perhaps it was cows that tried to pretend to be wolves?"

Ned smiled and gave a small chuckle, it was not a very funny jest if he was being truthful but certainly appreciated his lady wife's intent. Laughter had never come easily to Ned and he knew that a great many of his men thought that meant that he was joyless but he knew joy, he wanted to be joyful but he always knew that joy often came with a heavy price and a man should not laugh too much lest someone thought that he was a fool.

Still, considering the past few days he felt that he deserved to be able to laugh and laugh and laugh, not that there was much to laugh about. "I know there are wolves my Lady, still the wolves of the south and the wolves of the north are different beasts. The wolves of the north are built for winter, their furs are thicker and they are bigger. A Stark is a wolf as well, and we don't belong here."

"Perhaps, but I am not a Stark. I am a Tully, a trout." Catelyn said and Ned had to try his best to not sigh out loud, it did not sit well with him that Catelyn still did not think of herself as a Stark. She knew that she had married her but Ned knew that she was still not used to the north all though she had been trying and she had done far better than he had been expecting of her.

At times he wondered if Brandon was still alive and Brandon had married her as he was supposed to have done then would Cat think of herself as a Stark already? More than likely she would do, she was meant to be Brandon's. Everything was meant to be Brandon's, not his. He wasn't meant to have anything.

"Have I offended my Lord?" Ned looked up so he could look into Catelyn's eyes, concern shining in those bright blue orbs. To be honest he was surprised that she had noticed, most people always thought that Ned was upset or at the very least that he was always disapproving of everything. "I did not mean to give any offense to you, truly I did not. All I meant was that I was born a Trout, a Tully of Riverrun and in my heart I can never forget that."

"I understand my Lady, you do not need to explain to me and I am not offended. I am certain, in a time where I am certain of little and less, that it is impossible to be offended by you." His words seemed to please her, a smile danced on her lips and her skin turned a light red and her eyes seemed to come alive with light. Perhaps Brandon was wrong about him, perhaps sometimes he did know what to say.

"How are the young princes?" He truly did not need to ask as he knew already, word spread quickly in the Red Keep and he knew the words that would fall from Cat's mouth but he needed to be certain. He needed to hear her speak them.

Catelyn sighed as she pulled Sansa away from her shoulder and settled her in her arms, gently prying her little fist open with her fingers as it clenches around a lock of red hair that had fallen out of the braid that she had put it in. "The princes are...they miss their mother, Ned. There is no cure for that, Prince Joffery does not understand why his mother will not come and he grows angrier and will claw at his septa, but the poor little babe has it so much worse, he can not understand. He is too young, Ned. He wails his unhappiness and little will sooth him. He thinks his mother has abandoned him."

Ned could not stop the frown from forming on his face this time, not that he truly tried to hide it. He knew what he would hear but knowing did not make the words he heard any sweeter. Robert needed to speak with his children, to try and reassure them but so far he had been too busy bathing in his own pity and if Ned was a braver man then he would march up to him and strike him across the face.

He could at least content himself somewhat with the knowledge that Robert had restrained himself from starting to frequent whores again but he was uncertain how long that would actually last. The truth of it was that Ned didn't know what to do right now, Robert had ordered Cersei locked away in a fit of peak but they had no evidence and the woman who had told her story could give them nothing else. They were truly lost.

Before long the room was filled with a soft snoring and Ned looked down into his wife's arms to see that Sansa's eyes had slid shut and she was sleeping deeply. Ned hoped that her dreams were sweet and filled with handsome knights who would rescue her from terrible villains who were as ugly inside as they were out and no good man would ever commit a terrible deed. He wanted that dream for his daughter, he wanted her to have that life and never see the true world's cruelties.

Just as Catelyn was about to stand and take Sansa into the other room where she would be put to bed the door to their room opened and Ned turned to see Jon Arryn standing in the open doorway. His foster father had not been a young man when Ned had been sent to live with him by his father and the years had not been kind to him since then, he had to fight a rebellion and rule a kingdom after all, but in these past few days the man seemed even older and much frailer then the Grand Maester.

"Ned, I apologise for bursting in but I am afraid it could not wait. I apologise to you as well my Lady." Jon apologised as he bowed his head to Catelyn but she only smiled gently and took her leave, knowing that whatever was being discussed was not meant for her ears, taking Sansa into the next room and shutting the door behind her. "Come with me Ned."

Ned was used to obeying orders, it had been that way for a long time. For the longest time in his life he had been a second son and Brandon had been his older brother and he had always been forceful. And he had been raised by soldiers. Following and obeying came naturally to him, not giving commands himself and so when his foster father ordered him to come, Ned went. "We did not need to leave my rooms. Jon. Catelyn had gone into the other and if she had stayed then she would not have betrayed us."

"Of that I have no doubt but I have been in the Red Keep longer than you have Ned, someone is always listening. Some of the Spider's little birds, no doubt. They are everywhere even when you can not see them, sometimes I am certain that the man must know some dark magic that he learned in Essos where he truly can hear through the ears of birds, and ants and cats and roaches. And if it is not his spies that we need be wary of then it is someone else, maids that serve the queen that will want her favour when she manages to get out of her rooms, spies from all the other noble lords and ladies." Jon let out a weary sigh and rubbed at his eyes. "It can be exhausting, at times I am terrified of simply asking my wife what she has planned for supper in case that someone might use the information against me somehow."

"Jon, have you been sleeping?"

"There has been little and less time for that." Jon Arryn let out a bitter laugh and shook his head. "How can I sleep Ned? I ask you that simple question, when any day Tywin Lannister could be marching up the road with the full force of the Westerlands at his back? No, sleep will come later. Sleep will come when I am dead, it won't be long now if I am any judge of things."

It disturbed Ned to hear those words out of Jon's mouth, his foster father had never struck him as the sort of man who pretended everything was going to be fine when the evidence clearly said that it would not be but he had never seen him like this before. "Do not say such things, what would Robert do without you? What would I do without you?"

"You've never needed me Ned, you've always been wiser than Robert. I think at times that you would've been more suited to the crown, though smiles have never come easily to you and it saddens me when I think that you were never truly allowed to be a child. Not even for a little bit, still we must deal with the lot we are given as best we can." They continued to walk through the Red Keep as they spoke, eventually making their way to a pair of doors which lead to the gardens.

The sky was still as overcast as it had been before but at the very least the rain had stopped and a few slivers of sunlight were able to pierce through the grey clouds. The gardens were abandoned as no one had wanted to be outside during the rainstorm. Jon lead him into a small area where a small table had been set up with a few platters of food had been left when the people at the table had abandoned it, the area was surrounded by large bushes which blocked the area from sight.

"I have grim news Ned." Jon said as he stepped around the table and pulled one of the chairs set beneath it out, once he glanced down at the seat and noticed how wet it was however he changed his mind and instead simply kept his hand on top of the chair, resting his body against it. "Early this morning a trawler's boat, that had been sailing up the Blackwater Rush up to one of it's headwaters in the Westerlands, has returned to King's Landing and they came with dire news. They saw a man that seemed to them a giant riding one the biggest horses they had ever seen riding up the Gold Road with a company of men following at his back."

Ned bit his lip and had to close his eyes, the trawlers most likely would not have known the name of the man they saw but you didn't need to know the Mountain's name to know him by sight and the Mountain's men were following him. Ned did not know the layout of the Blackwater Rush as well as he should have but he had never heard of it stretching deep into the Westerlands so it's headwater could not be far from the Westerlands borders which meant that Ser Gregor Clegane would not be far from them now and would be here soon. "How did we come to know of this? Why would this trawler even tell the tale?"

"He didn't, not to me. He had spoken of it in some tavern or over, boasting that he had seen a giant leading an army up the road. I never saw the man but as I said, there are many spies in King's Landing." That surprised Ned but he knew not as much as it should, this place had changed him and it had changed Robert and it had not changed either of them for the better. Ned hated this city all the more for that. "Regardless, it doesn't matter much how I know about it. All that matters is that we are running out of time, if Ser Gregor is coming then that means that someone has already sent word to Lord Tywin."

And the old lion had sent The Mountain That Rides to find out if there was any truth in the stories that he had been fed, but Ned know that it was much more than that. Ser Gregor was a terrifying man with a reputation that was even more terrifying and Ned had seen first hand what he was capable off, when he closed his eyes he still sometimes saw little bodies wrapped in red cloaks. Tywin had sent him to scare them, to warn them of what would happen if it was true that his daughter was being held for crimes that there was no evidence she committed.

The scars of King's Landing had not healed from the last time that Tywin Lannister had last marched on to it, they could try and raise some defences from when Ser Gregor had left them to go and tell his liege lord the truth but it wouldn't be enough. He could also run, take Catelyn and their children and run back to Winterfell as fast as he could and leave all of this behind. But as soon as the though that had entered his head it was gone just as fast, he could not do that. He wouldn't not abandoned Robert and his children and his foster father to their fates.

But that would not stop him from sending Catelyn and the children back, he loved Robert but he would not risk his family for him. He couldn't.

"What should we do?" He asked Jon as he rested his hand against the table, he did not care a whit about the dampness of it as it offered him the support that he needed at that moment.

"I don't know. I do not know." Jon rubbed at his eyes and then did something that Ned honestly thought that he would never see the old man do, he scooped up a flagon of wine that had been left on the table and tilted it back, pouring whatever wine was in it into his mouth. If he cared at all about the rainwater that would've fallen into the open flagon then he did not seem to care as he ripped the flagon away from his mouth and set it down on the table and let out a gasp of air.

"We could arrest him and his men but we can be certain that would not be bloodless and it is just as good as admission to our guilt and Lord Tywin would muster a host, assuming he is not doing so already, and march on us." Jon had shut his eyes and was rubbing at his forehead as if it was paining him. "Still, if we let Ser Gregor go when he sees that the daughter of his liege lord is arrested in her rooms then we come to the same outcome. I am afraid that I can see only one option for us now."

"What is it?"

"I will not lie to you and tell you it will be an easy thing for us to do, but I am afraid it is one of those times when honourable men must do horrible things."

"Jon. Tell me."

"The only way I can see us surviving this and stopping hundreds, if not thousands, of deaths. Is to let Cersei out and have her say that she was never arrested. I would say that we could give her access to her children but that won't be enough for her and all she needs to do is let one word slip and she will ruin us. She will want her freedom and the only person who can give her that is Robert."

"And how will we get him to do that?" Ned asked with frown, a knot was starting to form in his gut and he knew that he would not like the answer.

"The only way that Robert would let her out is if he believes that Cersei was never behind it to begin with, we have found no evidence and only the woman, Ida, has come forward with her claim. That is it." Jon sighed and shook his head. "There is no honour in what I am about to suggest but it must be done, I need you to try and convince Robert that the woman killed her own bastard and is trying to frame the queen."

Ned was certain that he was dreaming, that this was another nightmare he had slipped into, since the rebellion he had many nightmares and when he lived them he often found them indistinguishable from his life. Jon Arryn, one of the most honourable men he knew, whose words were As High As Honour, could not truly be suggesting such a thing? He simply couldn't. "But she didn't. Why would she? Why would Robert believe me?"

"The woman has not been sent away from the keep, has she? They have been grieving together and it would not surprise me if they had not lain together and if they haven't then they will soon enough. You could make the argument that she is trying to usurp the queen." Jon stepped away from the chair and stepped over towards Ned, placing his hand on his shoulder like he always used to do when he was young. "Ned, I am sorry for this. Truly sorry, but Robert would never think for even a single second that you are lying to him. That makes you the perfect person to lie to him."

Ned violently shrugged Jon's hand off and turned his back on Jon, rubbing his hand over his face. Gods, this could not be happening. "I...I can not do this Jon, I will not do this. Do not ask it of me."

"I must."

"I won't."

"I think that you will." Jon said as he walked to stand in front of him and looked into his eyes. "I will talk to Cersei and tell us of our deal but you must talk to Robert and convince him. He will believe you, and we can put all of this behind us."

"He will kill her."

"I know that. Do not think this brings me joy, the woman's face will haunt me on my death bed but this is something that must be done."

"I can't."

"Then you are putting your own honour above the lives of every single person that lives in the city, half a million of them." Jon's eyes had turned cold and his voice had gained a sharp edge and Ned realised that his voice was one of disapproval. He had heard it before of course but it had never been directed at him, often at Robert but never at him. "You can send your wife and children away, I can send my wife and child away but all the people who live here will bleed when Lord Tywin comes to call and they will bleed because of your honour. That makes you just as big a monster as Tywin's dog, that blood will be on your hands."

Ned didn't know what to say but he had to close his eyes and pretend that the wetness he felt on his face was simply the rain that had long since stopped. He let out a sigh that shook his entire body. "Very well, I will do it. Gods help us."

"Thank you Ned, it won't feel like it but you've made the right choice." Ned turned away from him and did not open his eyes until he left the small area and began to walk back towards the Red Keep, the clouds had parted and the sun was shining down on him but all Ned felt was the cold.

End of Chapter Seventeen.

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**Well, there we are. The next chapter will be from Robert's perspective but I hope that all of your enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please leave a review, a favourite and a follow.**

**Love, **

**Doctorwhofan12345.**


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