The Young Lioness

Dark Wings, Dark Words

When Joanna arrived at the Red Keep, the guards did not let her in "Hey, where do you think you are going, girl?" "I am Joanna Lannister, so if you please let me in, I have urgent matters to discuss with my sister, Cersei Lannister, the Queen." she said with a serious tone in her voice and crossing her arms. "You are the Queen's sister? I don't think so. Go away, girl. Before I make you." one of the guards said with a ironic tone. "Just try." Joanna said raising an eyebrow. Then she unsheathed Sharp Claw, pointed it to the guards and said "You are going to let me in, or you will have to explain to King Joffrey why did his aunt have to force her entery in the Rep Keep. Are we clear?". The guards looked at each other and then unsheathed their swords and pointed them to her. Joanna backed off two steps and then started battling with the guards. She put her sword against one of the guard's sword and then against the other, dodging from their strikes, and when she caught them off guard she cut their legs slightly, however in a way that they could not get up. "Idiots..." she sighed, putting Sharp Claw into the sheath again and walking away from the guards into the castle. Let's see what are we going to find, she wondered while she was walking inside the castle.
Once inside, she sneaked out into the throne room. When she entered she saw her nephew sitting on the iron throne and her sister next to him. Joffrey was listening to some singer that was mumbling a disguting song about King Robert and Cersei. Well, the singer has imagination, you have to give him that. It still is disguting and could not be more true, except for the fact that Cersei would never sleep with that man, Joanna thought to herself while hearing the song, leaning against a wall, in the shadows. When the singer was done, Joffrey started to pass judgement on the singer.
He's an idiot and a cruel boy. It's just a song, is he going to excute every fool who sings stupid songs? Probably, he would if he could, she thought. When he was done, he left the throne with a young girl with beautifull abourn hair. That must be Sansa Stark, poor girl, Joanna thought. She had not forgiven the Starks for taking Tyrion, however the girl had just lost her father and had to marry the stupid boy, who murdered him.
When the audience ended, Joanna walked to her sister, "Still the most beautifull woman in the Seven Kingdoms, I see". Cersei stopped, when she heard her. She's back! My little sister is back! Cersei thought to herself before she turned "Not for much time, I suppose.". Joanna gave her sister a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Look at you! You've grown so much, since the last time I saw you. I can't believe father did not marry you, yet. You look so gorgious." Cersei said. She could not believe her little sister had turned into a beautifull grown woman in just 3 years. To her she still looked like the girl, who she thaught all the courtesies of being a lady. Of course, she is not dressed like a lady. She is a fighter like our brothers. she thought to herself. "Well, he could try, but I don't think he would succed." Joanna said with a giggle. Cersei was just like she rememebered, beautifull, long, golden hair and gorgious green eyes, in which she could see love, anger and even a little madness, nothing like the sweet green eyes that were left in tears when she passed through the castle's gates 3 years ago, when she left.
"Come. I will show you your chambers and make sure that you are settle in." Cersei said taking her hand and leading her to her chambers. "Thank you. Do you have any words from Jaime or Tyrion?" Joanna asked when they were heading to her chambers. "Yes, Tyrion is in the Rock with father. I think that there was a battle, but they won. And Jaime succed in taking Riverrun, although, it was weeks ago." Cersei answered with a calm tone and by the end of the sentence with a more serious tone. "Don't worry, Jaime is the best fighter in the Seven Kingdoms. Besides he will do anything to get back to you." Joanna said holding her sister hands tightly. "I just don't want him to get caught, Joanna." "If he get caught, I will save him. I said, I'll always be there for him and that's what I am going to do. I promise you, Cersei, he will be home one way or another." Joanna said with a firm tone in her voice and looking at her sister. "Ah, sweet child. I'm sure you will do what you can, if that time comes. For now, let's just settled you in and show you the dynamic of the court." Cersei said arriving at Joanna's chambers.
They entered the chambers and Cersei showed her around. The chamber was large and had a balcony overseeing the southside city. Her bed was brown and red and very detailed framework. The room also had a closet, a table and some chairs, and a candle holder right in the middle of the ceilling. "If you are all settle in, little sister, I am going to see the kids. I'll be right back to call you for dinner." Cersei said leaving the room. However, before she left Joanna said "Sister. Can I talk to you for a moment?" "Of course, what is it that bothers you, child?" Cersei said closing the door and taking a sit at the table in the room. "Why did Joffrey chopped Ned Stark's head off?" Joanna asked with a serious tone. "You saw that?" her sister asked with a concerned tone in her voice. "Yes. We needed him to trade, in case of war. What are we gonna do, now?" she said taking a sit next to her sister. "I tried to stop him. It won't happen, again. He is a kid. Besides, we still have Sansa Stark to trade. We will work this out. I promise." her sister said with a calm tone. Cersei did not want to fright her little sister. However, she knew that she could not control Joffrey. "Thank you, for calming me down. You are always there for me, when I have these crises." Joanna said with a joycefull tone and taking her sister hands in hers. She knew that her sister was not telling her everything and that she was liying, therefor she decided ending the conversation there and then. "You're wellcome. See you in a moment for dinner. Prepare yourself." Cersei said leaving.
When Joanna found herself alone in the room, she removed her armour and her sheath. She shearched her bags for a dress she liked. After some time deciding, she found one. It was a light pink long sleeve dress with a few roses on the waist. She loosened her ponytail and left her hair fell straight with a few waves. She put also a small golden tiara with one little rose on the center.
When she was done preparing herself, she sitted at the table and pulled from her bag a mount of loosed papyris and started drawing on them. She was drawing the Red Keep, when she heard a knock on her door, "Come in" she said.
"Hello, aunt Joanna. My mother told me to come get you for dinner, because it was expected of me." Joffrey said forcing a smile and entering the room like it was his own. "It is very kind of you, my dear nephew. I am ready, shall we go, Your Grace?" Joanna said with a kind tone. She could not let him know what she thinked of him. He is only doing this, because my sister told him to. He doesn't even know what is expected of him and what is not. She thought to herself, while heading to the door. "What were you doing?" Joffrey asked looking at the table she was in. "I like to draw sometimes." she answered with a smile. "You know, a lady shouldn't draw. She should embroider clothes and make dresses and be worried about getting mar-" he said with a ironic and judging tone. "And a King should know that it isn't correct to leave the guests waiting, so let's not keep them waiting." Joanna said calmly and opening the door.
Joffrey left the room to the corridor and Joanna closed the door. He offer her his arm and she took it. It was a courtesy that needed to be made, however she would gladly punch him in the face instead. Joanna pulled him closer and whispered in his ear, "Make one more coment about how I should behave and you'll loose your tongue.". Joffrey looked at her in shock and swallowed dry, "I am your King!" he yelled at her. "And I am your aunt and much older than you, so I know better." Joanna said with a calm tone. "I'm going to tell mother!" he said in total anger. "Go ahead, tell her." she said teasing him. The boy shutted up and they continued their way to the dinning room.
That will teach him not to mess with me, she thought to herself.
When they arrived at the dinner room, Tommen and Myrcella left they sits and ran to their aunt "Aunt Joanna!". "Hello, little ones! You've grown so much!" she said giving them a hug. Joffrey took his sit next to Cersei and sighed.
Joanna leaded Tommen and Myrcella to theirs sits and gave each one a kiss. Then she took her sit next to Tommen.
"Dear sister, this is Lady Sansa Stark." Cersei said pointing to a girl sitting next to Myrcella. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady." Joanna said to the girl. "You too, Lady Joanna." Sansa said tembling a bit. "Don't need to call me that, just Joanna is fine." she said calmly. Cersei managed a smile, when she heard her.
Joanna did not like to be called "lady", eventhough she was one.
The food arrived and they ate in silence and then, she went to her room.
In the way to her room, she saw Sansa and went talking to her, "Hello, is everything alright?". "Hello, my lady. I mean Joanna. Yes, it is and with you?" she said with a fake smile. "I'm allright. I am sorry for your father. He didn't deserve to die like that. I know you don't like Joffrey or my sister, why should you? They make your life miserable. But, please, know that I am not like them. I'm not going to lie to you, I did not like your family, because they took my brother. However, a child shouldn't take blame for her parents or family actions. I want to be your friend." Joanna said softly and taking her hands. "I-I don't know what to say. I understand how you must feel, your family took my father and I don't even know where my sister is. And Joffrey, well he is-" Sansa said shaking. "An idiot, I know. If he frightens you again, let me know. Allright?" Joanna said looking at her eyes. "What will you do?" Sansa said. "I will make sure, he won't bother you anymore. Trust me, he won't. Now, you better get some sleep. Good night, Sansa." Joanna said bliking her a eye and giving her a hug. "Good night, Joanna. And thank you." Sansa said leaving for her room.
After that, Joanna went to her room.
When she closed the door, she saw a letter in her bed. She took it, opened it, and started reading it. At the first, she knew that the letter was to her sister and that the seal was broken, which meant that Cersei had left it there for her to read. By the time, she finished reading it, her eyes were filled with tears. No, not him. Not Jaime. Please, stop hurting my family. First Tyrion, now Jaime. Cersei is mad. Joffrey is a total spoiled brat, with no heart at all. I hope they don't get to Tommen and Myrcella. It is all falling apart, how can everything fall apart in just 3 years? I'll kill them all, before they destroyed my family! Joanna thought while crying in her bed. She cried herself to sleep that nigth. She was sad and also angry. She had made a promise and, at that moment, she could not keep it. She had promised to be there for her eldest brother, however she had also promised that she would keep her sister and her nephews and nice safe. At this point, for the first time, she did not know what to do.
Joanna got up before dawn, she could not sleep. She dressed her training outfit, which was a black pair of pants and a red leather tunic, and went to the training yard. When she got there, she picked up a training sword and started to beat the fighting dummy, with all the strenght she got. It was her way of throwing out her anger, sometimes she would picture faces in the dummy. That day, it had only two faces, Joffrey or some Stark. To her, it was Joffrey's fault that they could not get Jaime back, he had thrown the agreements of piece to the ground, just because a stupid wish that he had. And the Starks did not make things easier, either.
By then, her anger intensified, she was beating the dummy with such rage that it almost fell. After some time, she heard, "Don't you think he is dead, yet?", it was Cersei. She turned around and her eyes were filled with tears and anger. Cersei rushed to give her a hug. As they hugged, Joanna let go of her sword and it fell on the ground. "They have him. They have Jaime and I couldn't stop them." Joanna said crying while hugging her sister. "Oh, sweet child. We are going to get him back. You'll see." Cersei said giving her little sister a kiss in the forehead. "How? We don't have Ned Stark or Arya Stark. We just have Sansa. They will not trade him for her." Joanna said separating from their hug and looking at her sister in the eyes. "I don't know, but I am sure father is doing everything he can to get Jaime back and he will succed." her sister said looking at her and then at the ground. "Yes, you are probably right." Joanna said with a sad tone in her voice.
"Now that you are more calm, we have to talk." Cersei said with a serious tone. "About what?" Joanna said confused and drying her eyes. Please not about Joffrey, I don't want to loose my temper more than I have, today, she tought to herself. "About what you said to Joffrey, yesterday. You can't say that type of things to him. The poor boy got scared." her sister said with a bossy tone. "Good! That way, he might learn how he should behave towards people." Joanna said in an angry tone. "Excuse me?! He is your King." her sister said in a surprising tone. What did she said? What happened to her? Cersei thought. "He is a cruel insensitive spoiled brat, Cersei. If you can't teach him how to behave properly, at least let me do it!" Joanna said already out of patience. "You can try, but you won't succed! Besides, if father sent his little precious girl to this city is because he wants her to get married, and I intended to get you a husband so that you can leave my son alone!" Cersei said in total anger and grabing Joanna's arm. That will teach her how to speak to me more softly, Cersei thought. Joanna realesed her arm from her, picked up the training sword and said "If father wants me to get married, he will have to get me a husband himself. I am not the girl, I was 3 years ago, Cersei. I changed and you can't fright me that easily.". Then she went back to beating the training dummy. Get me a husband, like to see her try, Joanna thought to herself while swinging the sword.
Some days passed by and when it was Joffrey's name day, Joanna decided that she would not wait any longer, she would rescue Jaime herself, like she had promised. During these days, she tried to live her life, however she could not be around Joffrey or her sister without losing her temper. She could only spend time with Sansa or Myrcella and Tommen, and Cersei would not let any of them get near her. Because of that, she would spend most of her time in her room drawing or in the training yard practicing.
Although, she had promised to protect her sister, she could not stand by while no one was doing a damn thing to get her brother back.
She had the smith made her a new armour, in order to not be recognized while she was out there. A brown armour with no banners just a simple brown armour, that could not give away her indentity. When the armour was ready, she headed to her room to prepare the rest of the things. In her way, she had to pass through Joffrey name day's tourney. "Aunt Joanna, where are you going? it's my name day." Joffrey said before she could passed through him. "I'm sorry, Your Grace. But I have to prepare something for later." Joanna said with a calm tone. "I'm sure it can wait. Besides if you are as good with the sword as I heard, you should enter the tournement. Please, be my guest." he said teasing her and with a giggle. "It really can't wait and I could not outshine you in the tournement. I'm sure the people would love to see their King fighting. If you excuse me." Joanna said leaving. And Joffrey stood there without words.
In another day, Joanna could think more about what had just happened, however, that day, only one thing was in her mind: rescuing Jaime.
Some time later, Joanna was in her room preparing the things for her journey, after she had dressed her new armour, when she heard a knock on her door, "I am sorry, but I am not feeling good, if you could come later, I'd apreciate it.", she lied. "That didn't work when you were a child, and it still doesn't work now. Come on, open the door.", she heard. Joanna recognized the voice, besides there was only one person that she could not fool with this lie.
She opened the door and saw her brother, Tyrion. "Tyrion!" she said giving him a hug. "It's good to see you too, Joanna." Tyrion said. Joanna closed the door and Tyrion took a sit at the table. "What are you doing in KingsLanding?" she asked sitting next to him. "Well, father nominated me as Hand of the King, while he is away." he answered her with a suprising tone. She has grown so much, he thought to himself. "I bet Cersei didn't like that." she said with a sad tone. "No, she didn't. What happened between you two?" he asked with a concern tone. "Joffrey happened. And then she threatened to  married me, so that I would leave him alone." she answered leaving her sit and walking through the room. "That kid is a problem. But he is her child and she wants to protect him. Although, if she tries to marry you away, she will have to deal with me." he said with a giggle. "Thank you. I am really happy to see you, before I go." Joanna said looking down. She knew that Tyrion would not let her go. "Before you go, where? Why are you in armour, Joanna?" Tyrion said with a serious tone. "I have to save him, Tyrion." she said with a serious tone in her voice. "You know that isn't possible, we have to deal with this with time." he said looking at her in the eyes. "I promised him. I promised Jaime, that I would be there for him when he needed and that if he get caught I would save him. I have to go. Please, don't stop me." she said looking at him. "Come here, dear sister, sit." Tyrion said to her, pointing to the chair next to him. Joanna took the sit next to her brother. Tyrion took her hands and said "Listen to me. Westeros is at war. Everywhere you go, there is a battle and a man that proclaims himself King. I already lost Jaime to this war, I can't aford to loose you too." "I promised him, Tyrion. And I failed him." Joanna said trying to held the tears in her eyes without sucess. "Hey, sometimes we fail. I am sure Jaime knows that. Besides father is trying everything to get him back. You may have failed one promise, but that doesn't mean you have to fail another. You have to protect our sister and Tommen and Myrcella and even Joffrey. And you can't do that if you leave. Jaime would want you to protect them, Joanna." Tyrion said looking at her in the eyes. "Fine, I won't go. I will protect our family from here. But promise me, if we don't get him back and if everyone is safe, you won't stop me from going to save him, allright?" Joanna said with a sad and serious tone. "You have my word." Tyrion said wiping a tear on her cheek with his hand. "I don't know, what I am going to do if he dies." she said crying again. Tyrion gave her a hug and said "He won't die. I promise you. He is the strongest man I know and he will get back home one way or another. I'm sure he is planning his escape at every second." "You're right. He will be home before we know it." Joanna said wiping her tears with her hands.
After some time talking, Tyrion left and Joanna went to sleep. Don't worry, Jaime. I'll protect our family. And I'll rescue you as soon as I can, Joanna thought to herself while falling asleep.
When she slept, she dreamt that they were all toghether in Casterly Rock. Home where they belonged.
Joanna barely knew that Jaime, Tyrion and even Cersei dreamt about it too.