Husband and Wife

Cersei discarded her last piece of garment on the floor.

Tap tap tap

Her footsteps seemed to echo throughout the expanse of the room.

Her emerald eyes scanned through the room, that she will be sleeping with for the rest of her life. With someone.

She smiled at that thought.

This was different with Jaime. Not to say that she will soon forget him, after all that they've been through, after everything that he did for her. Of course, he will always be her other half. If they were both Targaryens, then, their marriage would have a match made from heaven. Alas, the Faith of the Seven forbid such marriage. Love between brothers and sisters were considered an abomination. The conquest of the Faith against Maegor the Cruel was a testament to that. Not that she thought of it the same way.

Neither of them can deny the extent of their love for each other. They have loved each other even before knowing it. They tried to fight their way against the world for their love but every moment of stolen kisses and heated touches has its end. Earlier then, standing beside Lord Baratheon as his queen and bride, she did feel a pang of guilt of declaring that moment, as the happiest in her life. She could feel Jaime's eyes on them the whole time twinged with jealousy and anger. They both knew that it should have been them who were married at Baelor's Sept.

Cersei's golden locks swept loose on her back and her breasts. The smooth expanse of her porcelain skin seemed to glow beneath the candlelight. She was praying to the gods, that mayhaps, the sacrifice was worth it. She could hardly believe the fate of Elia Targaryen when the Lannister army swept through King's Landing. Elia, along with her children, Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aegon, were brutally murdered by her father's men, ordered by her father. House Lannister rose to power when her father punished and killed every members of House Reyne. All that was left were their burnt castles, a grim reminder of the fate of those who dare to defy the Lion. Now, the dragons have felt the lion's roar. In the end, dragons no longer exist, but the lion still stands.

I am a Lion, and now Queen of Westeros.

Cersei approached the bed meant for the King and Queen but then, memories of the war ravaged her mind. This was once the chambers of the late King Aegon Targaryen, now forever known as the Mad King. Cersei Lannister, now Cersei Baratheon chilled at that thought. This was the bed where the Mad King ravaged his wife even when she blatantly refused to give in to his animalistic urges. But there was no use saying 'no' to the King who was reeked with madness. Poor Queen Rhaella Targaryen, whose pleas only fell to deaf ears. After he was finished, the King left her, just as a master who grew tired of riding his horse. Queen Rhaella covered herself from head to toe. But whispers soon fell to keen ears that the King left her with many scars and wounds, and even gnawed her breasts.

Cersei shivered at the thought.

She was determined to never share the same fate with any of the fallen women. Queen Rhaella Targaryen, Elia Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.

Lyanna Stark.The wolf-bitch.

True enough, Lyanna Stark was a beauty. Long, brown locks, flawless skin and striking grey eyes, matched with a slender, graceful figure, she was a sight to behold. But who would have thought that the she-wolf could tear an entire Kingdom apart and have two great men fight for her honor? She never really liked the she-wolf, but to have such a beauty that would cause such madness in men would be a weapon she would love to have.

She heard footsteps coming from outside. She turned towards the mirror and looked into her reflection. If only Prince Rhaegar married me, he would not have run away with Lyanna. I would have given him the three children that was prophesied as the Three-Headed Dragon.

At the corner of her eye, she saw his form leaning against the doorframe.

"When will I marry the prince?" she asked.

"Never, You will wed the King."

She turned to him and there before her is her husband, King Robert Baratheon, First of His name, King of the Andals and the First Men.

" I will be queen, though?" asked the younger her.

"Aye" Malice gleamed in Maggy's yellow eyes. "Queen you shall be ... until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear."

I will make you love me. I will be more than Lyanna ever was. She was never to be your Queen. I am. I am. Her eyes gazed on to Robert who was walking towards her. From a distance, she could smell the scent of wine, but alas, she was drunk in love. Her unrequited love for Rhaegar was worth it, seeing her King before her. Her fierce warrior king. He was a man with a powerful build, raven hair and deep, blue eyes. Now she understood why women would go weak on their knees before him. He stopped before her only a breath's close. They stared deeply into each other's eyes before his hands slowly moved to cup her face with both hands.

"My Love ..." her voice seemed to quiver and break, with the feel of his warm hands on her skin.

"My Queen..." then he lowered his lips and kissed her ravenously.

...."Will the king and I have children?" she asked.

"Oh, aye. Six-and-ten for him, and three for you."

The old woman was not done with, however. "Gold shall be their crowns, and gold their shrouds," she said.

Never, never. I will keep our children safe. They will all have raven hair and blue eyes. And will grow to be like him. Strong and fierce. She chanted to herself, as his arms snaked around her waist, and they collapsed on to bed.

"And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you."

He looked at her with those beautiful eyes of his before lowering his head to lean closer and whisper on her ear,

"Lyanna..."

She froze.

Suddenly, her world was a blur as the realization dawned her. She could smell him, his mouth reeked with wine. His dark hair disheveled. His eyes were stormy blue. There was no love in them, only the reins of wine, women, war and most of all, Lyanna. His Lyanna, who, only the gods know, ran away with Rhaegar. His Lyanna, who tore a kingdom apart. His Lyanna, who is now a dead woman. Her eyes seemed to prickle with tears.

She tried to bury down the feeling of being discarded as a second choice. She was supposed to be Rhaegar's bride and yet, Rhaegar's father chose Elia Martell for him. Robert finally won the war when the Lannisters aided his cause and secured a match by offering her, the most beautiful woman in Westeros, to be his bride and queen. Yet here he was, disheveled, drunk and dreaming of another woman.

"Get off me!" she tried to pull away from him. But his grip was too strong; it dug through her skin leaving bruises on its wake. Jaime, I need you ....

She tried to wriggle away from him but to no avail. His eyes were dazed with wine as he whispered her name over and over again.

"I got three questions too," Her friend insisted. And when Cersei tugged upon her arm, she wriggled free and turned back to the crone. "Will I marry Jaime?" she blurted out.

'You stupid girl,' Cersei thought, angry even now. Jaime does not even know you are alive. Back then her brother lived only for swords and dogs and horses ... and for her, his twin.

..."Not Jaime, nor any other man," said Maggy. "Worms will have your maidenhead. Your death is here tonight, little one. Can you smell her breath? She is very close."

Queen Rhaella Targaryen, Elia Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. All of them dead and only her left alive. Yet, it seemed to Cersei that she was amongst them. Mayhaps, she died long ago, unknowingly. She had dreaded that prophecye, ever since. She should not have asked of it, should not have known it but 'twas too late. What is done can never be undone. All she knows that whatever the gods were planning, fate has set its course. But unlike those women, I will not bend to neither dragons nor stags, nor fate, itself, for a Lion does not bend.

M