command [joffrey baratheon]

[22] the Stark's revenge

I visited a herb woman from time to time over the weeks, to make sure that everything was alright with my child. She gave my boiled water mixed with herbs and blossoms.

"This one is for the greatness of your son. May he become as great as his father. A rightful king and rose leafes, that he may become as beautiful as his mother.", she said in a foreign accent, before she handed me an edgy cup, filled with liquid.

Joffrey didn't like that woman. He thought what she said and did was stupid peasant superstition. But he didn't stop me from visiting her, which was noble of him to do. Joffrey was stubborn and convinced to be right in every situation. I never dared to speak up against him to avoid trouble or violence.

"Your stomach grows, my queen.", the herb woman told me when she touched my stomach carefully. "No child can grow as fast as this. Not even a strong king's heir. Two of them, my lady."

"Two?", it left me speechless after I heard it.
"Can...can you tell me if they are boys or girls?", I asked her confused.

"Only the gods know that, child.", she smiled at me with the three left teeth in her mouth.

I didn't want two children. Not at once. If they were both girls, Joffrey would be furious and if they were both boys one of them would always be his least favourite and suffer. No mother wanted to see one of her children suffer.

I drank the herbal mixture and let the warmth spread my body. I was staying some more time, because nothing told me to go back to the castle with these news. I didn't know if it was a terrible or great message, so I stayed at the building of the kind woman.

Alone, covered in beige cotton, I walked back to the castle as inconspicuous as possible.

That didn't work out too as well as all the times before. A foreign man started following me. I slowly turned around while I was walking and noticed his fast walking and that he had a dark beard.

I got faster. So did he.

"REVENGE FOR THE KING OF THE NORTH", he suddenly screamed and when I turned around scared I saw that he was starting to run, pointing at me with a knife. I turned around once more and started running. Because of the pregnancy I wasn't able to run as fast as normally and my stomach started to ache. I stumbled and fell.

I noticed him, coming closer. I heard his steps on the sand.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO THE STARKS." I kept hearing his threats and closed my eyes so tight that I saw white spots behind my eyelid.

A stab. A suffocating scream in pain. A lifeless corpse on the floor.

"Mylady.", I heard a much more friendly voice close to my head. I opened my eyes again and saw Lord Tyrion's squire Podrick, trying to help me to get up the sandy floor.

I was shaking the whole way back. I didn't even understand why he was blaming me for the Stark tragedy of the red wedding. I wasn't there killing people. I didn't plan it. I didn't send my regards.

"I will bring you to Lord Tyrion. He sent me.", Prodrick smiled and guided me.

"Thank you Podrick.", Tyrion said and gave his squire a nod.

"I owe you so much my lords.", I said and was close to tears.

"You don't owe anybody anything.", instead of Tyrion or Podrick I saw Joffrey's lips moving. He had appeard out of nowhere suddenly.

"Joffrey!", I sobbed and ran directly into his arms where I started crying silently.

"Touching moment, nephew. So sorry to interrupt it. The city should be clear of dangers until your wedding, shouldn't it? Command your guards to make sure everything will be safe."

Joff ignored him for a while. Then he gentle pushed me away. "Uncle, why don't you go and tell them. I'm very busy." His hand embraced my waist and he pulled me closer. "I want the poor peasants not closer to our celebrations than 10 miles. I want everyone's head on spikes who says the name Stark. Will you care for that, uncle."

Tyrion didn't respond to that. He got up his chair and talked to Podrick. "My beloved nephew is too busy for ruling his kingdom. Let's save the crown's arse once again."

Joffrey looked angry to be insulted but could stop himself from screaming at his uncle.

The two left.

"I never want you to visit that old woman again.", he said.

"But she relieves my pain. And she tells me about the children.", I denied. I waited for him to respond, but he was caught in his own thoughts and didn't hear that we were expecting two instead of one children.

"I said no."

"Understood."