Chapter Text
Jamie does not know when his sister changed, once he had thought it was when she had returned from meeting the witch in the forest, coming back to camp covered in dirt and a glint in her eye. But looking at her now, he knew it was when she had met Princess Elia, once upon a time he knew his sister to hate the Dornish Princess, with her strange words and dark eyes. But scarcely would you find them apart now, always talking in hushed tones and always with a keen eye. It had only worsened, with Prince Rhaegar's mistake at Harrenhall, bypassing his own wife to lay a crown of roses in the lap of a Northern girl. Jaime had never seen his sister fly into a rage quite like the one that day, her mouth spitting venom and treason, her hair blonde and wild, her eyes crazed. But a gentle hand from the Dornish Princess had calmed her, soft words spoken between two young women. He had once thought he knew Cersei better than anyone in the world, but watching her step off the ship from Dorne had quickly changed his mind.
Her hair darkened from the harsh sun, her skin tanner and her eyes brighter. She wore a dusty pink dress, low cut and flowing behind her as she walked, unlike anything she would have worne before. Once Cersei had sneered at Dornish fashion and now it graces her body as thought it had been made for her. Their father would be furious if he had been there to witness his daughter's return from Dorne, though Jamie doubted his sister would care. It had been a long time since they had heard from her, their letters left unanswered and no word came from Sunspear of how she was doing. He had only known she was coming back when Prince Rhaegar had spoken of his wife and children returning from their visit, his heart had begun to pound at the thought of seeing his beautiful sister again, head filled with thoughts of how much she must has changed while away from him. Did she miss him as much as he has missed her? Did she long for him in the same ways he had for her? But now, as he watched a handsome Dornish man help her from the ship, he knew that he was much as missed in her heart, as she was in his.
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Cersei had dreaded the thought of coming back here, had seen the same look pass through Princess Elia's eyes as well. They had both been running away when they had begun their visit to Dorne. She from her brother and Elia from her husband, but they had not meant to be gone for as long as they had been. It should have only been a few months but it had now been over 2 years and Cersei still hated the thought of this place, a place filled with gossip and rumours and pain. Elia had not wanted to come back, but they both knew it wouldn't take long for the North to move if they found out she was staying in Dorne. That little Northern bitch and her bastard son would have been paraded through the Red Keep as Westeros' Queen and Heir. Elia had to come back, to fight for her son and her position, but Cersei needn't have come back, but how could she leave her friend to fight those people alone? Those people who were trying to take everything Elia has fought so hard to keep, there had been, not that long ago, where Cersei would not have cared. Not even for the children, innocent and still bright eyed.
No, Cersei would not leave Elia to face these monsters alone.
Though she had not wanted to come back here.
Her heart hammering, she continued to walk forward, she would not feel shame for coming home different, still Cersei but changed. She could imagine her father's fury at how she had changed, but once she had feared him but not anyone. There were worse monsters now residing in King's Landing.
There were wolves in sheep's clothing here now and Cersei would smoke them out. Skin them alive and show Elia's enemies that she was not going anywhere.
Elia would be Queen, her son king and her grandson too. There was no space for a bastard in the plans Cersei had, no place for a Northern girl who didn't know her place.
Cersei would send them back North, should the Northern girl swear fealty to Elia. But there was no place for them here, once Rhaegar was dead and buried. No place for Aegon's claim to be threatened.
Cersei would kill anyone that got in her way.