Remedy / Tywin Lannister

15. Replacement

Cersei didnt like having a new mother. She liked alice well enough. She made his father happy. She hadnt seen her father smile so much in her life but she missed jaime.

Cersei did like alice. She liked her easy smile and her kind words. How she was always trying to be a mother to cersei.

Alice and tywin were always sneaking off like teenagers finding quiet places to steal a lingering kiss before heading back to their duties.

Alice colored pictures with tyrion while tywin did lessons with sandor, gregor and cersei. Tyrion smiled holding up his finished product. Alice was quick to praise him kissing his cheek as she held him close in her lap

"You are a quicker study than jaime." Tywin told gregor. He stared back at tywin a long moment. His father had never thought education was important. Alice did of course but when korge was alive he said boys didnt need to use their minds only their hands. They were not lords they were swords. Tywin thought otherwise and alice was glad her boys had a good role model. One that used his bronze and his brains.

Alice could watch tywin for hours. He sat at his desk finishing up work his back bare to her and she knew his ass was cold against the chair as well but inspiration struck mid snuggle session.

When he came back to bed his arm wrapped around her soothing her back to sleep it was cersei that woke them. She hated to interrupt but she needed something.

Tywin narrowed his eyes at his daughter but alice was quick to throw on a robe.

"You look pale, are you alright?" Alice questioned touching her cheek and forehead "should i summon a maester?"

"My monthly tidings came early." Cersei whispered. "Do you have any..."

"Oh yes of course. Im due for mine coming up. We are synchronized." Alice remarked.

"Yay." Cersei rolled her eyes

"Sorry. Thats strange." Alice agreed awkwardly as she got the premade padding. She just wanted cersei to love her. Was that so difficult? Apparently it was. "I get bad cramps... do you?" Cersei didnt answer. "I have a good remedy if you wanted to learn. Easy to make too," cersei hesitated before nodding and following alice.

"We'll get some mint, 'cause that makes the whole thing taste nice." Alice assured as she prepared the tea. "Dandelion... But not the flower, obviously... Is perfect for those cramps. Secret remedy." She added softly. Cersei quietly thanked her  "All those herbs that we picked, we're going to make tea into your favorite cup." Alice held it out

"It is my favorite cup." Cersei answered touching the little flower detailing

"It is your favorite cup. I know. You said it was your mothers when we first met..." alice recalled. "Alright... um..." she looked to the herbs. "And swirl, and dip. And take a sip, and the pain will be gone. An easy remedy."

"Thank you Alice."

She hoped one day cersei might even call her mother but that was wishful thinking.

"Oh no, Sandor!" Alice was quick to jump up. "Baby what happened?"

Cersei remembered when she was little and got hurt chasing after jaime how Joanna would tend to her wounds tsking that she was a lady and shouldnt be chasing after the boys. Cersei wondered if her father and alice had a child of their own if they had a daughter what kind of mother alice would be to her. Kind no doubt, loving of course. Dutiful and devoted but if she wanted to play with swords with her big brothers or wear her hair short? Would alice condone it? Cersei didnt think so as alice knelt before sandor tending to his wound

Wounds were cleaned and vinegar that cleansing agent would kill disease. Mint was used in treating venom and wounds. Myrrh was used as an antiseptic on wounds

Sandor flinched as alice cleaned out his cut. Tywin peered down worried but Alice waved a dismissive hand. Nothing her boys hadn't done before.

"It was an accident." Sandor whispered as she wrapped the cut. "I will be more careful mama." He assured. Alice got up kissing his forehead

"No matter how old or how tall you get," Alice informed him. "You will always be my baby boy. I'm always going to be worried about you."

"Even when you have a new baby with lord tywin?" Sandor whispered

"If i happen to be graced with another child you will still be my baby just like your brother ands just like tyrion." Alice assured "i would never-could never replace you my handsome boy." She touched his cheek kissing him again.