The Shadow Queen of Tywin Lannister

LXV. Private Lion Discussions

Visenya & Tywin's Chambers, Red Keep – King's Landing, Crownlands – Early hours of the night

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After the talk with Tywin, Visenya had chosen to retreat early. She knew Tywin would take more time to finish with his work, choosing never to leave them in the middle. She helped him partially but he dismissed her soon after since the rest of the things could easily be handled.

After all, it was merely a few letters sent as a reply and some reports he had to check double; left by Tyrion's lack of organization.

Visenya had asked one of the handmaidens to draw her a bath but dismissed her soon after, wishing to be alone while bathing. She had learnt from a young age to be independent of almost everything whether be reading, training, riding, getting ready or even bathing.

She thought the idea of being dependent on someone else, especially for the most basic of notions, was ridiculous. Common folk women did everything just fine on their own, and few were truly rich to have had handmaidens rushing behind them.

She also believed that handmaidens could never truly be trusted, for they could easily be intimidated, bribed or tortured for information. They were often known to gossip and sometimes their loyalty might ally to someone else.

She did not wish to take such risks and was always very closed when it came to any helper she had over the many years she had been alive. Accepting the basic help when needed, she often did things on her own; that proved far more useful on the battlefield as well.

After the bath was done and the water had grown cold, the Dragoness chose to return to her chambers. She doubted Tywin would have returned and she could choose to read a book while waiting since she had yet to receive a reply from her spies in the East.

Visenya chose a simple red dress that she mostly had for when spending time in her chambers or in private. It was made of thin silk, a very light material and quite airy. It fell on her body and offered modesty but also fluidity in her range of motions. The dress had an open neckline and exposed her shoulders while the sleeves stopped halfway through her elbow.

She had pinned her hair up into a messy bun to keep them off the water, having taken care of them the day prior and she did not wish to go into all that trouble of letting them dry. Tywin had often commented that he preferred them being long and she had reached them halfway through her back; which was the maximum length she would allow herself and he accepted it.

She entered her chambers and was surprised to find that she was not alone.

"Cersei" she greeted the Queen Reagent and her step-daughter.

The lioness was sitting on one of the armchairs, which she had turned to face the door and was simply waiting for her good-mother to return. She had already made herself scarce to her parents' private wine stock and had filled herself a goblet, which she held in one hand.

"Good-mother" she greeted as she sat a little more relaxed on the armchair as if the chambers were hers and not of the man she was always terrified of. As the Dragoness approached, the Lioness took notice of the markings by the side of her neck and the faint traces lower towards her chest, as well as the bruises around her wrists. "I see father has been busy. No wonder he was in an oddly good mood in the morning"

When Cersei met him early in the morning, he was indeed in a better mood than she had expected him to be. He even went as far as to tell her he would meet Tyrion, which was how she had ended up in his chambers in the first place.