Chapter Text
Over the years, Myrcella exchanges hundreds of letters with her Stark family. She writes to them as a whole, she writes to each of them individually- even Baby Rickon, who cannot yet read- and she even writes to Theon Greyjoy, because he is interesting and disowned and without a family, for all the Starks treat him as such.
It is Aunt Cat and Sansa that she writes to the most, though she may be tied for third, letter wise, with Arya, Robb and Bran, who she writes one big letter to, where she passes on Tommen's stories.
Father finds out about her letter writing two years after it starts. Myrcella is honestly surprised that it went undiscovered so long- Uncle Kevan had found out about it in the first few months, and apparently he'd left it unsaid.
Father steeples his fingers together, looking at her with his cold green eyes as the letter lay between them. By the seal, Myrcella can tell that it's one from Aunt Cat simply relaying the status of the Starks and Winterfell. Probably a rather mundane letter, in truth, not like the ones she has stored in a loose floorboard under her bed that had once solely held love letters between someone called C & J.
"Why?" Father asks quietly, his eyes not any less hard for speaking.
Myrcella, feeling rather defiant, tosses her head back and chin up. "Because you took Tommen away. Because I am as much Tully as I am Lannister. Because I deserve to know my family. Because I have no court to let hear me roar so I instead must honor my duty to my family."
She sounds impressively like Cersei and is rather proud of it; she'll be disgusted with herself later.
"I see." Tywin leans back into his chair, staring at her for a moment before calling Uncle Kevan's son, Lancel, who is Father's squire, into the room. He whispers something into Lancel's ear, and Lancel nods hurriedly before rushing to follow orders like the Stranger is hot on his heel.
Myrcella doesn't understand when he brings Joy in, doesn't understand why Joy is crying or why she is taking her clothes off until Lancel brings the whip and flogger.
And then she understands. Joy, who's Lannister enough to bother bringing to Casterly Rock and acknowledging as Uncle Gerion's daughter but not Lannister enough that she's immune to Myrcella's actions like Myrcella herself is.
Father could strike Myrcella a thousand times and she would never consider to stop writing Aunt Cat. And he knows that- so he goes after Joy, her best and only friend, because Tommen is in King's Landing and as much as every strike on Joy's skin hurts Myrcella, it would hurt a thousand times worse if it had been Tommen.
There is no discussion of her stopping, once Joy/Myrcella's punishment is done. Father just looks at them coldly and says, "Get out," not offering to let Joy get dressed.
Her hurting, bleeding cousin is forced to walk to their chambers in naught but her linen shift that Lancel had hurried into her hands like a penance.
"Bring me hot water, clean bandage linen and the Maester!" Myrcella barks at random servants as she passes them in the hall. "Have them brought to my room! Hurry!"
Joy, who had been crying quietly, finally sobs out on the first step on the stairs before their chambers.
Myrcella has just gotten Joy out of her sticky, bloody shift and laid her down on her belly when Maester Pate comes flying in the room. "Move aside, my Lady." He commands in the voice of a professional.
She goes-not to leave Joy's side, never to leave her side, not after this- but to shut the door, only to find the door is gone. A quick check shows her the door to her room is gone, too.
There are no Gods at Casterly Rock but Tywin Lannister, and you will not have any secrets from him, Myrcella knows is the message.
She will worry about doors and privacy later, though. For now the Maester asks for her help and she gives it, gladly, letting only a few tears slip as Joy is bandaged and stitched where some of the deeper wounds require.
She will never be able to show Joy how sorry she is, except to stop writing Aunt Cat and Uncle Ned and Robb and Sansa and Arya and Bran and Baby Rickon and Theon.
Father comes later that night (as she knew he would) as she writes furiously from Joy's bedside to Tommen. He arches a cool eyebrow. "Surely you couldn't have unlearned the lesson from this afternoon so quickly?"
Myrcella does not look up, just keeps writing, though slower. "I'm not quite sure 'lesson' is what I would call it. And I write to Tommen. Or do you intend to take away that part of my family, too? I figured he'd be alright, since he's a Lannister and all."
"Watch your tongue, girl."
"I thought it was my words you wanted watching, Father, I'm confused. Aren't you supposed to Hear Me Roar?"
There is nothing but silence for a long time. When Myrcella finally dares to look up, she sees him staring at her, the letter from Aunt Cat dangling between his fingers, seal broken, obviously read.
His piercing eyes meet hers, and he lays down the letter on Joy's vanity. "You may keep writing to your Aunt and her family." There is silence for a moment, and she does not take her eyes off of him, because she knows he's not done speaking.
"Do not attempt to keep secrets from me again. Or it will be worse for her."
With Father's face as cold as she imagined it was when he eliminated the Reynes and Tarbecks root and stem, he leaves.
Myrcella waits until his footsteps have long faded before even reaching for the letter.
She understands, when she reads it, as Aunt Cat writes of Sansa- thirteen and truely lovely, Myrcella has no doubt, she has heard whispers of it even this far south- and of her betrothal to Prince Aegon.
Sure this is what spurred Father to allow her to write, she almost misses the phrase- King Rhaegar has insisted that Aegon take a second wife, thougg he refuses to wed either of his sisters; and our prince holds such a fond regard for Sansa that he wants her help choosing such, it's even part of their betrothal contract.
And then she truly understands Father's motives.