Once a Lion, Now a Stag

Chapter 4 Family Dinner

Satisfied with his uncle Jaime's punishment, Orys smirked and made his way to the family dining room where his parents and brother were waiting for him. He walked in and smiled when Orys saw his father playing with Tygett. He was tickling the two-year-old, making Tygett giggle. Robert would chuckle every time the baby would throw himself backward in a fit of giggles. Sitting next to her husband, Cersei watched happily as Robert played with his second son.

Cersei had been worried that since Tygett wasn't Robert's, the king would treat him differently from Orys. But Robert was treating Tygett as if he was his blood, this made Cersei happier than she thought possible, and she loved Robert all the more. When the door opened, Cersei looked up and beamed at seeing Orys come in. She turned to Tygett and got his attention.

“Look, Tygett; it's Brother.”

When the blonde baby turned and saw Orys, he squealed and clapped happily. Orys smiled at his brother and walked over to him; he kissed the baby's cheek, “Hello, Tygett.”

Then Orys walked over to his mother and kissed her cheek, “Good evening, Mother.”

Cersei kissed her son back, “Good evening, Orys.”

“Orys, my boy!” Robert bellowed.

Orys grinned at his father, “Good evening, Father.”

Robert reached out and ruffled Orys's hair. The five-year-old huffed at his father and starting patting his hair down. Robert roared with laughter at seeing the angry look his son gave him. The little boy sat down next to his father. He looked at his mother and asked if his half-siblings would be joining them.

Cersei smiled at her son, “Yes, my love, Edric, and Mya will be joining us.”

Twice a month, Cersei would have Robert's children join them for dinner. She would no longer call them bastards even though they were. It wasn't fair to call them that when technically so was Tygett. When they would get together, Cersei would expect a full report on what had been going on since the last time they had dinner. Which usually meant that Edric was telling them about his training. Cersei already knew what Mya was doing since she was her handmaiden.

While the Royal Family waited for Robert's other children, Orys told his parents how his day went. He told them about his training with Ser Aron and that Orys had so much padding on he could barely move, “Mother, do I have to have so much padding,” Orys whined

“Yes, you are only five years old, and I will not have my sweet boy hurt.”

“But, Mother, I cannot move!”

Robert chuckled, “You will have to get stronger, Orys. That is the only solution.”

Orys crossed his arm and huffed, causing Robert to chuckle again. He loved it when Orys would get upset. The Baratheon trait would come out in him; it made Robert so proud.

“That's what Ser Aron said,” Orys grumbled.

At that moment, a servant came in and announced that Edric and Mya had arrived, “Let them in,” Robert said.

Robert's oldest and middle child came in, the bowed to the Royal Family. Robert smiled at his children and bid them rise. “Good evening, Father,” Edric and Mya said, “Good evening My Queen, My Princes.”

“Good evening, children, now that you have arrived, we can begin our meal,” Cersei said.

The children quickly took their seats next to Orys, and the servants began to serve dinner. They ate in comfortable silence, Orys would look up from his meal and smiled when he saw Tygett sitting between his parents and being fed by his father and mother. Tygett would turn his head and open his mouth so that his father could give him something. He would eat it and then do the same thing to his mother. Queen Cersei was a stoic queen, but her soft side would come out when she was alone with her family.

When Tygett had enough, Cersei had his nursemaid take him and put him to bed. But not before the two-year-old leaned down and kissed his mother and father. Then he was taken over to Orys and kissed him goodnight as well. Once the baby had gone to bed, Cersei set her green eyes on Edric. Cersei began to bombard the boy with questions about how he was doing in his squiring with Ser Barristan.

“Things are going very well, My Queen. Ser Barristan has said that I am catching on quickly.”

Cersei glanced at Ser Barristan, who was standing behind the king. Ser Barristan nods, “It is as the boy says, Edric catches on quickly. And he works tirelessly.”

“Good, remember that you represent House Baratheon, and you will not bring shame unto our House.”

“No, My Queen, I will do my very best to make you and father proud,” Edric said.

Then Cersei turned her attention to Mya and asked her how her studies were going. Cersei wanted Mya to have a good education and to be trained as a lady so that she may be able to run her castle when they married her off. But in the meantime, Cersei wanted to elevate Mya from her handmaiden to her lady in waiting. Cersei knew that if Mya were made a lady in waiting, she would have an ally against the other vipers in court.

Once dinner had concluded, Edric and Mya said goodnight to the king and queen and Orys. Orys' nursemaid came in to take him to his chambers and get him ready for bed, “I will be in shortly to say goodnight to you, my boy.” Robert told Orys.

“Alright, Father.”

Orys got up and kissed his mother goodnight then followed his nursemaid out of the dining room. When Orys got to his bedroom, his nursemaid helped him take his boots off and undress. She changed him into his sleep clothes, then put Orys to bed. A little while later, Robert comes into the room to say goodnight to Orys.

Robert smiles down at his son and tucks him in, “Goodnight, Orys.”

“Goodnight, Father.”

“Tomorrow, after we break our fast, I want you to join me in the small council. If you think you are old enough to begin training, then you are old enough to begin learning how to become a king.”

“Aye, father.”

Robert nodded. He then leaned down and kissed Orys' forehead. “Sweet dreams, my boy.”