You Know Nothing || Cersei Lannister (GxG)

XLI.

4k reads😋 thank you all so much! I have a lot of plans for this story, but bear with me, it's going to be a few [several] chapters more than I expected, maybe 80 or 100? But some of them are pretty short, anyway, so... thanks for readinggg.

<Paityn Stark>

"You look exquisite, child." Lady Olenna approached me as I sat absentmindedly in a chair positioned beside Tyrion's. The whole day had passed slowly, and I was ready to retire to my chambers when the wedding feast rolled around.

It was a rather pretty day, wisps of clouds in the blue sky and the chatter of people around me, even if they weren't my people, making me feel more safe than I had on my own wedding day.

"Thank you, Lady Olenna." I told her, surprised by sweetness in her voice. She was wearing gold and a mix between green and blue, one of her familiar headdresses tumbling down her back.

"I haven't had the opportunity to tell you how so I was to hear about your brother." She told me, playing with strands of my dark brown hair. I chose a more simple, northern look today- much like most other days, a simple braid down the back of my head with the rest of my hair hanging in waves down my shoulders. My dress was a fig purple with feather gray laced into the sleeves and hem. And, the necklace I had told Margaery I would wear. It was beautiful, anyhow, even though I had threatened the girl only a day or two before.

"War is war, but killing a man at a wedding," she shook her head. "Horrid. What sort of monster would do such a thing? As if men need more reasons to fear marriage." She stroked my cheek, and I suddenly hoped that Margaery hadn't told her anything. Perhaps this was just her way of offering condolence.

"My lady. My lady." Tyrion walked past, greeting us both as he did so.

"Lord Tyrion, you see? Not as bad as all that." She waved her hand. "Perhaps if your pauper husband were to sell his mule and his last pair of shoes, he might be able to afford to bring you to Highgarden for a visit. Now that peace has come and all is right with the world, it would do you good to see some of it." I smiled politely at her, unsure of what to say. "You must excuse me. It's time I ate some of this food I paid for."

"An odd woman, isn't she?" I asked Tyrion, as he poured himself a glass of wine, and more into my goblet as well.

"An interesting woman." He shrugged his shoulders, and I stopped, hearing the familiar lyrics I had once read and several times heard.

"What song is this?" I asked Tyrion, straining to hear, even though the words frankly gave me chills.

"The Rains of Castamere." He replied. "It's about House Reyne, and what happened to them when they defied my father."
"Ah." Was all I said, taking a drink from my glass. The wine was sweet and rich on my tongue, and suddenly, as if being called, I looked over to Cersei's chair, finding her green gaze on me.

But as soon as our eyes met, she looked away, and Joffrey was standing up to speak.

He hit his glass with his spoon, and a hush fell over the crowd. "Everyone. The Queen would like to say a few words."

I watched as Margaery stood up and I clapped, sighing softly. "Do we have to be here?" I asked Tyrion softly, and he nodded, drinking more from his cup.

"We are so fortunate to enjoy this marvelous food and drink. Not all among us are so lucky. To thank the gods for bringing the recent war to a just end, King Joffrey has decreed that the leftovers from our feast be given to the poorest in his city."

Everyone clapped and I wondered how Margaery could seem such a good person but be rather manipulative when she wanted to. I could forgive her for kissing me the first time, and maybe even the second time, but kissing my sister, Sansa, when she was sad and vulnerable just to get to me was cruel.