Hating Her (Cersei x Daenerys)

Daenerys

Nothing could have prepared Daenerys for this meeting with the Queen, but she could not say that she was negatively impressed. Obviously, Cersei posed a threat to her regardless and could not be trusted, but having gotten a relative picture of her, Dany could have thought of many a worse match. In fact, she found her kind of attractive, her sharp features made for a fierce beauty. Furthermore, she was a challenge, and Daenerys Stormborn could never turn down a challenge. Cersei was like a big code to crack, a sheep in wolf's clothing, threatening unless you knew her insides and how to handle her. And she was determined on finding out exactly how she had to handle her to be the true ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, disarming her wife to take over her power as she had always planned.

Drogon's reaction had told her everything she needed to know. The woman was dangerous. If her dragon mistrusted her, so should she. But already, Daenerys found that she had formed a certain bond with the Lannister lioness. Whether it was reciprocated, she did not know, but despite her feigned coolness she had taken a liking to her. So when she now continued the wedding preparations, she did not feel hardly as unwilling about them as she did before.

She had been temporarily housed in a mansion in King's Landing, near the Iron Gate. Her dress had been completed and she was now occupied with choosing the jewelry and anointing her company from the staff she had brought with her from Dragonstone. Aemon himself had not come, he had given Daenerys a letter to deliver to Lord Tywin that held all the important information on his expectations of the arrangement. She picked Missandei to be her maid of honor, with Grey Worm and Jorah being her best men. As for the jewelry, she chose a thick silver collar inlaid with white and grey gemstones and matching earrings. Her rings were adorned with mother-of-pearl.

Strangely, Daenerys found herself taking quite a lot of interest in her appearance for this wedding. She wanted to look beautiful for her spouse, not just in the way she always wanted to make an impression on an enemy, but on a purely human level. Why she suddenly cared so much about Cersei's opinion on her, she did not know, but she started to actually feel a kind of nervous excitement for the wedding. So it did not come as a surprise when Dany began to listen in on and wanted to have a say in the preparations more and more.

There were some things, though, that she could not plan on her own with her staff. Two days after her last visit, Daenerys had to return to the Red Keep to go over the last points with Cersei and her family. As she rode through the castle gates, she wondered whether she would see the Queen's chambers today, where they would spend their wedding night. But for now, she was escorted into a council chamber that appeared to be used for the Queen's closer circle's business meetings.

Before they could come up with details of the decorations and seating arrangements together, Cersei presented the parts her and her family had worked out to Daenerys, who in turn gave a report of Aemon's ideas. Cersei had taken to planning the feast, which would consist of five courses. "I'm afraid we do not eat horsemeat here, so lamb will have to suffice, despite not being your usual custom", she smiled with icy courtesy. "I think you have mistaken me for my followers, Your Grace", Daenerys replied politely, without letting show whether she had taken any offense. "In Valyria, we hold the same meal customs as in the Seven Kingdoms." "Please, call me Cersei", the queen answered, ignoring Dany's remark. "If we are to be wife and... wife, we should step past the courtesies." Ironic, Dany thought, you have been nothing but courteous ever since we met. Even so, she granted her request. "So, Cersei, shall we talk about the seating?" "Yes, to be sure. Since the wedding feast is to be held in the throne room, we will have plenty of space for guests from both parties. Up on the dais will be the guests of honor, of course, all the highborn lords and ladies sworn to our House, and others of your choosing. Who do you suggest?"

It appeared like an innocent question of good intent, but Dany knew what the queen was playing at. There were no Houses in liege to the Targaryens anymore, and Cersei was well aware of that. Still, Dany would not give her the satisfaction of admitting to her lack of popularity. "Well, I am afraid I cannot serve with highborn such as you know them, but I do have some people of high position that I like well. Magister Illyrio, for starters, he has always been a true friend to our house and has supported us loyally. Then, the captains of each of my armies: Grey Worm, Daario Naharis, my three Dothraki bloodriders. And Ser Jorah Mormont shall attend too if he likes, though I doubt he will. I don't suppose my children will fit into the hall, will they?" That last part was meant as a conciliatory jest, and Cersei laughed politely while she wrote down the names of the men Dany had appointed. "I am afraid not. You'd find the chairs to be awfully narrow for them, I think." Dany smiled and looked over the papers.

"Now there are only the decorations left to discuss, aren't there?" "Yes, and I don't think those will be too difficult to figure out. Naturally, we will need the colors of our houses displayed, gold and crimson for me and red and black for you. I'll have the seamstresses sew banners of our sigils united, to hang above the dais. As for the rest, we're free to choose whatever. Do you like flowers?" Dany nodded. "I do. What kind do you suggest? I think roses would go great with the red of both our banners, and perhaps some goldenrod and black petunias." Cersei seemed to like that proposition. "That will do beautifully. What of the cups and plates? Gold is customary for a Lannister wedding, but of course, if you would prefer something else..." Her voice was dripping with false flattery, yet Dany forced herself to smile at her, without mirth. "Gold will do", she said. "It is after all a most gorgeous metal, no matter what House you're from."

After they had finished, Dany rode back to her mansion. Over Cersei's icy attitude toward her, it had been easy to forget her previously found fondness of the queen. Still, the nagging feeling remained that Dany's heart was not in the courteous enmity she showed her. And so did a certain hope that Cersei's sharpness too was just a charade...