Lion's Game

CH 7

"Father I was told you wished to discuss wedding plans?" Amara asks as she raises the teacup to her lips. The sooner the wedding took place the happier her father would be, his power was waning by the day.

Her father nods, he hadn't eaten or drank anything and that usually meant that he was in deep thought or about to chastise her. Her father pauses, his eyes rake over her appearance which included a new dress given by Queen Rhaella to celebrate the engagement.

"I see you're already dressing in your betrothed's colors." Amara's hand went to smooth her skirt, representing House Lannister was of vital importance to her father. She knew even once she was queen she was expected to wear her house's colors.

"A gift from the Queen, father, she simply wishes to congratulate me. I must applaud your efforts father, I had my doubts the plan would work." She takes the opportunity to bite into a lemon cake. Of course, her father's plan had yet to fully succeed, she needed to marry Rhaegar, and then no doubt her father would arrange for some accident to befall King Aerys. Only once she and Rhaegar were crowned would her father truly be satisfied.

"There is something else I wish to discuss with you. Tomorrow, your sister will start working as your Lady-in-waiting." The lemon cake Amara intended to take a bite out of stops short of her mouth. Much like Rhaegar, his words were not a question, but why her sister and why now? Surely as the future Crown Princess, she could have her pick of ladies.

"May I ask what your aim is father? Surely Cersei will object, she hates to work for anything other than herself." It was all too true, Cersei might have looked up to her elder sister in a way but rarely was she willing to go to the lengths that Amara was. The girl liked three things power, pleasure, and Jaime.

"Your sister will do as she is told, perhaps she can learn a few things." Both knew it was very unlikely that Cersei's vanity would ever be tempered. Amara nods, she was a woman grown but still knew obedience was her only option for the time being.

"You are dismissed, do inform your sister of her new duty and discipline her should you see fit. If she grows too proud I intend to marry her off to a lesser lord and show her the error of her ways." Her father had always intended to marry his daughters off to rich and powerful men. But both girls had always known and feared their father's wrath and disappointment. No matter how much Amara craved love and freedom she had been bent to her father's will, it was difficult to disobey him.

Amara exits her father's solar and lets out a long sigh, it felt as though the weight on her shoulders just kept growing. She makes her way down the corridor thinking of the best way to break the news to her younger sister. Cersei had once imagined herself being wed to the prince, serving her elder sister was a dramatic step-down. The servants who bow out of her way as she passed them were certainly something she was still getting used to. Her sister's chambers weren't far away from hers but Amara's had been positioned so that she might get closer to the prince.

"Come in!" Her sister's voice calls from the other side of the door. Amara takes a deep breath and pushes open the door to find her sister at her vanity brushing her long golden hair. The Lannister sisters had very few things in common but their appearance was something they both took great pride in.

Cersei turns to look at her sister, she knew it must be important if her elder sister was coming to call on her.

"Sister! What brings you here?" Cersei asks in a surprisingly pleasant tone. Amara had known her sister long enough to know this was an act. It was true though that since arriving in Kings Landing she and Cersei had not spent much time together. But now that a good deal of her work had paid off, perhaps having Cersei as her Lady-in-Waiting wouldn't be such a bad thing.