You Know Nothing || Cersei Lannister (GxG)

XXVI.

<Olenna Tyrell>

"Another golden rose. How original." I said to the poor girl. "I eat from plates stamped with roses. I sleep in sheets embroidered with roses. I have a golden rose painted on my chamber pot, as if that makes it smell any better. Roses are boring, dear." I shook my head with a patronizing look.

"'Growing strong.'" I chuckled as she leaned forward, showing me her needlework. "The dullest words of any house. 'Winter is coming!' Now that's memorable. 'We do not sow.' Strong. Strong. Those are houses you watch out for. Direwolves and krakens, fierce beasts. But a golden rose growing strong, that strikes fear in the heart." I leaned back, glimpsing a welcome sight; The Spider. No doubt he had some interesting gossip up his long sleeves.

"Look, little loves." I told them. "A spider in the garden. Run along now. Grow strong."

"My lady." Lord Varys greeted me. "I wanted to personally welcome you to King's Landing. The city has been made brighter by your presence."

"The city is made brighter by my presence?" I asked, putting a hand to my chest in mock swoon. "Is that your usual line, Lord Varys? Are you here to seduce me?"

"A little obvious, perhaps."

"No, please. Seduce away. It's been so long." I told him. "Though I rather think it's all for naught. What happens when the nonexistent bumps against the decrepit?" He looked down at himself, offended, as I smiled and touched my temple. "A question for the philosophers. But you've come mincing all this way for something. So?"

"Might I sit?" He asked, moving towards a chair.

"No." I replied, and he stopped. "Come, I've heard you're such a clever man. I'm curious why you've sought me out."

He took a deep breath. "You've taken an interest in the Stark girls."

"Have I? Because I spoke to them once in this garden and one of your little spies came running to tell you? Why shouldn't I take an interest? They're interesting girls."

"Are they?
"No, not particularly, I'm afraid. The redhead is a timid little thing and the one that wears trousers is clearly as gay as my grandson."

"I've heard she is, sadly. Well, forgive me for wasting your time, then. I thought we shared certain hopes for their well-beings." He begun to walk away and I scoffed.

"Come, come. You surrender rather easily." I said as I stood to meet him. "Walk with me. I know the walls have ears but apparently the shrubbery does, too." I slipped my arm in his and we walked out from under the gazebo at a steady pace.

"I choose my allies carefully, and my enemies more carefully still."

"Which are the Stark girls?"

"Neither. A babe in the woods and her lost sister. I admired their father."

"Yes. Ned Stark had many admirers, and how many stepped forward when the executioner came for his head?" I bit back, knowing that this would take him.

"I could not help Lord Stark. Perhaps I can help his daughters."

"You're not the only one who has taken an interest in Sansa."

"That's hardly surprising. She's a beautiful girl with a famous name. Not much can be said about the other one, I'm afraid."

"Indeed, but Paityn would make a lovely match for the right suitor."

"It almost feels as if you're about to arrive at the point." I took my arm from his and clasped my hands together, awaiting his proposal.

"Ned Stark knew of his eldest daughter's... preference, and he made sure that she was never forced to do anything she didn't favor, which is why she fell from the light like her sister, Arya. But what people forget is that when Robb Stark falls, the girl will be key to the North. Littlefinger knows what Ned Stark knew, and that he would have a difficult time getting Paityn to leave King's Landing due to certain... complications."

"The Queen Regent." I said, and Varys nodded. "I knew that woman had odd tastes."

"My sources tell me that when Littlefinger leaves the capital, Sansa Stark goes with him. As long as Paityn stays here, with the Queen, she can't hold the North. Now, I recommend that you marry Loras to Paityn and take her away to Highgarden- quickly and discreetly, because I assure you, once Cersei catches wind, she will tell her father, and Tywin Lannister will put a stop to it, in any way that he thinks need be."

"The Knight of the Flowers and the Queen's private bedmaid. It sounds like the start of a bad joke." I scoffed.

"I suggest you act fast, my lady. Get the news to Paityn and Loras, quickly. Have your granddaughter speak to the girl or something of the sort. And urge her not to tell anyone."

"The Tyrells thank you, Lord Varys." I told him genuinely. "I will call my granddaughter at once. But I must ask you... you must despise Littlefinger to so eagerly want to undermine him."

"I rather enjoy him, actually." He sighed. "But he would let this country burn if it would make him king of the ashes."

"You are a clever man, Lord Varys." I told him. "But the ones who aren't willing to sacrifice what they never had, will never have it in the future."

Some dialogue from Season 3, Episode 4, And Now His Watch Is Ended