A Shadow and a Wolf

Cersei IV

"There wouldn't be sunflowers. I don't like yellow. But roses are very nice. There would definitely be roses. And many other flowers. I don't know all their names, but they would be there. I would have music too. I adore music. But without flutes. I hate flutes. A harp maybe, but no flutes. Perhaps bells too. And the food. That would be the most important thing. And the guests too. Guests are even more important."

Cersei had to refrain to not hit Lollys Stokeworth in the face. She had been babbling about how she would make her marriage for months now. It was always the same stupid comments about flowers, food, music, dance and guests. She ignored the second daughter of Lady Tanda Stokeworth, focusing on the flowers of the garden she knew only too well now. For six months now she had wandered in this garden every day, not knowing what else to do. It was so small that she knew every corner by heart now. And she had to support the company of a Stokeworth almost half the time she came here. Today it was Lollys who came to tell her again how she would imagine her marriage. Only a sellsword or a dwarf would accept to marry you, and only if he was given enough gold. Cersei wondered for a moment why her father didn't marry the Imp to Lollys instead of Sansa. How much trouble would they have avoided then?

"Isn't it what you ate in the capital?"

Lolly's question came from nowhere. Cersei turned to face her. "You were saying?" She had no intention to show any interest to Lollys Stokeworth. She couldn't send her away, but nothing obliged her to listen to her incessant jabber.

"About the pigeon pies. Isn't it what they eat in King's Landing for weddings?" The ugly woman didn't seem aware of Cersei's indifference.

"Yes." Cersei said nothing more.

"Then we should have some. And many other things they eat for weddings."

Cersei had to support a long monologue from Lollys she tried to not hear before she could excuse herself and go back to her rooms. The ill-favoured maid talked about the wedding she could have had again and again ever since her betrothal with the Imp's sellsword was called off. Cersei regretted she didn't marry the ugly thing to the mercenary. She would be away in the Westerlands right now, and Cersei's wretched brother would be the one to suffer Lollys Stokeworth. But a Lannister always pays her debts. Bronn helped Tyrion to escape the judgement he deserved, and Cersei wouldn't give anything to the sellsword in retaliation.

She was accompanied by two guards on her way back to her rooms. Kevan gave them to her along with fifty others to officially ensure her protection here, and to prevent her from leaving the castle officiously. Cersei had already tried to convince them to let her go back to King's Landing to visit her son, or to let her wander through the castle and its surroundings without them on her trails, but all her attempts had failed. They were her uncle's men, and didn't obey or listen to her orders.

All this unnerved Cersei and made her angry more than she could show. These men should be hers by right, and follow her orders. She was their legitimate lady, the only true Lady of Casterly Rock, and yet they kept her prisoner here among fools. While Cersei was stuck here, the little monster occupied the castle and the golden throne of the father he killed. Cersei would have him killed one day. And the Tyrell bitch as well. And Sansa too.

Cersei couldn't understand how she had been blind enough to not see Sansa's real nature. She was a traitor from a family of traitors, and yet Cersei mentored her and advised her in the hope she would make a fine queen one day. And to reward Cersei of her help, she turned against her, spread lies about her and took the title that was hers. It made Cersei sick to think that Sansa Stark was now acting as Lady of Casterly Rock at Tyrion's side when both had no right upon it. She would have them all killed.