THE LITTLE PUP (EDITING AND REWRITING)

6.

The night came faster than expected and the feast with it. Lilia had put on one of her best dresses – a blue one with long sleeves that she adored. Her mother had gotten it made specifically for the occasion. Her hair – which had been braided to get it wavier – was let loose with only a crown of winter roses to decorate it. Her mother had not liked that but Lilia ignored the advice as she would not stop dressing the way she wanted just because the Queen had come to her home. As far as she was concerned, Queen Cersei was a guest and she had best to get used to that notion.

That night, as her father escorted the Queen and the King escorted her mother, she was escorted by the King's brother, Renly, whom according to rumour was interested in her. Lilia could not care less about that, being merely courteous to him. Robb had escorted Princess Myrcella, who was rather taken with him; Joffrey walked in with Sansa since, apparently, they had been betrothed to each other; Tommen walked in with Arya and Bran and Rickon walked in alone.

The news of Sansa's betrothal to Joffrey was spread very fast and although Lilia was happy for her sister, part of her couldn't help but feel overlooked. Joffrey and Sansa were the same age, it was true, but Lilia was the eldest and she found it rather unfair to be discarded in that manner. Of course, she never voiced those thoughts as she was quite certain she didn't wish to become Joffrey's Queen... that was Sansa and the betrothal agreed with her.

As she walked inside the hall and took a seat next to Renly, she was met by more eyes than those she would like. The room was full, making her have to be split from her siblings, something she hadn't been too satisfied with. They had been overrun by Lannisters, Baratheons and only the Gods knew what more southerners there were!

Arya stood with Myrcella, who fawned over Robb from the other side of the table. Bran and Rickon were sitting next to Tommen since they were all friends with each other, and Sansa was sitting with some highborn Southern ladies.

Lilia realized that she ought to sit with Robb but he had abandoned her, which caused her to have to sit next to the King's brother, something she didn't look forward to. Renly was a handsome man who looked like his brother, or at least that's what she'd been told. He was tall, lean, black-haired, clear-shaven and broad of chest and shoulders. His eyes were blue like those of his brother and he had an easy smile, which she appreciated. Still, she'd rather sit with Robb or Jon, who was nowhere to be seen.

Lilia wanted to run from all those southerners as when she watched their behaviour, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. The boys were handsome but the ladies... the ladies were unbearable! All they seemed to care about was talking about boys, fawning over them, and gods knew what else!

She'd like to avoid them all but there were two people she couldn't run from – the King and the Queen.

Lilia was still shaken up about the incident with the King but she also didn't take it at heart and she liked the man well enough. He seemed to be a fun person to be around and he was a good friend of her father's, which should count for something. As she looked at the higher table where her father, her mother and the Queen ought to be seated, she noticed that the King was gone. Her eyes searched the room in order to find him but by then Renly touched her shoulder and pointed to the middle of the room. The King stood there, drinking wine and having his fun with a kitchen wench. It was convenient for her but very sad. Once again, Lilia found herself pitying the Queen who watched the scene barely holding her dignity together.

Septa Mordane had told her some stories about the blonde beauty of Casterly Rock. Cersei Lannister certainly had the Lannister's charm... and the arrogance as well. Nevertheless, and judging by the stories she was told about, the girl still pitied her. Those stories that her Septa had told her once didn't include the way the King treated her, the humiliating demonstrations and the insulting sights he made her go through such as the ones they were both witnessing, and just for that, she could admire her strength to keep holding on. The woman had the strength, she had a kind of strength that Lilia knew she could never have. She knew that she would never be able to endure what the woman was enduring.