𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕔𝕦𝕓𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕠𝕠 ; (ℂ𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕚 𝕩 𝕆ℂ🐺🦁)

𝟚𝟛 - 𝔾𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝔼𝕪𝕖𝕤

⚠ Slight content warning for this chapter: themes of su!cide + explicit gore/violence

.~~°~~*~.~*~~°~~.

Hear those bells ring deep in the soul, chiming away for a moment
Feel your breath course frankly below, see life as a worthy opponent
Today of all days, see
How the most dangerous thing is to love
How you will heal and you'll rise above
Crowned by an overture bold and beyond
It's more courageous to overcome

.~~°~~*~.~*~~°~~.

ℂ𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕚 was standing at her balcony, wine glass in hand, looking out over the city. She was wearing an elegant, high-collared dress adorned with chains and beads, rings on her hands, bejeweled pointed shoes - an outfit for a very special occasion. Yet the handmaids dressing her had left half an hour ago, and Cersei was still here. As a matter of fact, so was I, despite having been prepared in similar (though slightly less regal) fashion, and I was beginning to wonder why. Cersei hadn't said a word since telling me to stay, back when I was getting ready to depart for our likely doom at the sept. She was only staring, watching something I couldn't see. "Cersei-" She raised a hand, making me quiet momentarily on instinct, but I had sat in silence for long enough. I got up to stand beside her. "No. You owe me an explanation. We should have been at the sept for our trial about twenty minutes ago, and yet you haven't made a move to leave. Staying away will only make it worse, you know that, right?" Cersei still didn't respond. I grabbed her arm, desperate to get any kind of reaction from her. Finally, she turned her head to look at me. "Just. Watch", she said, sounding strained, as if the mere activity of looking into the distance was stressing her out. Well, at least she had replied at all. I let go of her arm and resolved to watch the city with her. But I couldn't bear this uncertainty. "What are we waiting for?" A beat of silence. The rumble of what I assumed was the sea could be heard from below. Then, finally, Cersei smiled. "Justice." The world before me tore apart in a flash of green. The sound arrived a second later, a resounding boom mingled with the unmistakable screams of perishing humans and what seemed to be bells striking against stone. It took me another few seconds yet to realize what had just occurred. Though it was a shocking scene, I couldn't help but smile too. An eye for an eye. The same amount of people that had scorned her in the streets would now die screaming. Cersei took a sip of her wine and held her face out into the faint wind that was blowing over from the explosion, relishing her revenge. She had been right. This did indeed solve all our problems. I placed a hand on the small of her back. "Good job, darling", I whispered, still smiling. She turned to me, setting her glass aside, took my face into both her hands and kissed me with such a passion as I had rarely felt from her before. I could see a fire dancing in her green eyes that had nothing to do with the one outside. "We've won", she breathed frenziedly, "it's only us left now." Except... "Your son-", I began tentatively. "-wasn't there", Cersei quickly replied. "I made sure of it." She let go of my face, but her wide grin didn't wane. "You know, it was Olenna who gave me the idea. Do you remember, when she asked me if I was going to kill all my enemies by myself? I suppose I should thank her for allowing me to dispose of her pestilent grandchildren." Some feeling of morality deep inside me cringed at hearing this, but it was long buried anyways. Cersei was my sense of justice now, her enemies were my enemies just as her idea of good was mine.

We stayed there for a long time, drinking together on the balcony, admiring the destruction that had saved us. Eventually though, a servant entered, out of breath, urging Cersei to come with him immediately. We both were immediately suspicious, wondering if some member of the Faith had survived and come to hold us accountable, but the man's genuine distress said otherwise. Still, Cersei wisely asked before agreeing to go along, "Why? What is this about?" Although the servant complied, it wouldn't have mattered whether or not he replied. Neither of us could believe his words. "No." Cersei shook her head vehemently, as if that would stop the message from being true. "No, I don't believe it. He- He's fine, he couldn't have gotten out of his room-" "It's true", the servant interjected despite the fact that he was speaking to the queen, whom he should never interrupt. "If you would like to see-" "I'll go", I said, and added more quietly to Cersei, "You stay here. If it's a trap, I'll have Rhaenys to protect me. I'm sure he's lying, or somebody lied to him, just- it'll be okay. I'll be back to tell you what this is all about." Cersei nodded, staring ahead of her without really seeing as she probably pictured the worst case, and sank into an armchair. I squeezed her shoulder reassuringly and followed the man. He took me far down to the cellars the maesters - and Qyburn - used. So far, unfortunately, everything seemed in line with the story he had told. And when I entered the room, I regretted going at all because I'd have to be the one to ultimately break the news to Cersei. There on the table, covered to the neck in a white shroud, lay the young king, one side of his head a mushy mess, his innocent blond curls stained maroon. I turned away, closing my eyes. "Do you wish to return to the queen mother, my lady?", the servant asked softly after a moment. I nodded dejectedly. When I entered, I did not bother to hide my gloom - it was easier than to speak it aloud. As soon as Cersei saw my face, the small spark of hope in her eyes extinguished, and she slumped in on herself, tears welling soundlessly from her eyes. I crouched down before her seat, taking her hands, but she gently pushed me away. "Thank you, but I need to be alone with this first", she said in the smallest voice. "Of course." I got back up, kissed the top of her head and walked to the door. "Just call for me if you need me", I offered, and she nodded without looking up. I wasn't sure she had even really heard me. I would just check in with her again later. It wasn't until I had reached my room on the other side of the eastern wing that a memory struck me like lightning, something Cersei had told me long ago: "If it weren't for my children, I'd have thrown myself from the highest window of the Red Keep. They're the reason I'm alive." She had never wanted to mourn alone before... I whirled around on my heel and rushed back down the way I had come, Rhaenys beside me giving a confused yelp as she struggled to turn on the slippery floor. Please, don't let me be too late. Please don't let this happen.