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“What you speak of is treason,” Ned hisses in a hushed voice. Even in the supposed safety of their bedchamber the walls of King’s Landing have ears. They are so close his beard tickles her chin.
Cersei places a hand on her cheek. “No, my love, it is justice,” she breaths. Ned sighs. There could be any number of reasons why; he doesn’t agree, he’s worried about the consequences if they lose, he’s still too warm. “We shan’t lose, if that is what worries you.”
He turns sharply, facing her completely now. “Winning does not worry me, Cersei, what we must do to win does.” Ned is silent and not for the first time Cersei wishes he was less honourable. Years ago if he had taken the throne for himself he could have had it all and now he is fortunate enough to get that chance again. “Think of the children…”
She can tell by the downcast of his stone-grey eyes he is already regretting what might happen to King Robert’s apparent children. Celia, Osmund, Brynden and Robyn all took after Queen Lysa form their short stature to their baby blue eyes but where Celia and Brynden have copper hair, Osmund and Robyn have dark hair. One would assume they took after their father - except on a closer look it is clear that while the king has black hair his two children of brown of hair, as Jon Arryn had told Ned before the Arryns left for the Vale.
Jon Arryn was the reason they were here. Officially he had resigned as Hand of the King due to old age and a wish to spend more time in the Vale with his family but in truth someone had attempted to poison him after he started researching Robert’s bastards.
“They are innocent children, Cersei. Robert even wanted to wed Celia to our Robb.” Yet their eldest son was in Winterfell, learning to be it’s lord. Sansa and Tommen were here though and so far Cersei had managed to avoid having them marry any Baratheons. Cersei supposed that when it came to their children Ned was right to be cautious.
“Yes, but it never will happen. Put your own children first, Ned,” Cersei advises, harsher than she meant. She is too proud to correct herself however, simply leaning into him, showing she has no further wish to argue. Ned kisses her golden hair and soon the world is at peace again.
To prove a queen’s infidelity one needed more than allies - which they did have - first you needed proof. Varys took time to help Ned but Cersei warned her husband to be careful, even as he told her about a book Jon Arryn and Varys both recommended reading.
Cersei took care not to spend overmuch time with Lysa, lest the vain woman think them friends. She makes sure Sansa sews and practises her songs with the other girls at court, particularly Stannis and Delena Florent’s daughter Cassella or the Tyrell girl who recently arrived at court. Tommen took her suggestion of practising in the yard with his cousins and Uncle Renly eagerly.
They have been in King’s Landing for many moons when King Robert becomes dangerously ill and Queen Lysa seems to glow. Cersei demands that Ned tells Robert, for their children’s sakes. “Think what Lysa might do to us if Robert isn’t here to stop her.”
The next morn Robert holds court, proclaiming with sufficient proof that Queen Lysa’s children are not in fact his, declaring them illegitimate and naming Lord Stannis his heir unless he finds another wife and has true heirs. Cersei cannot bear to imagine a world where Stannis rules but at least he is wise enough to know he owes them greatly - and Delena Baratheon has enough sense not to ban all prostitutes. For all her time at court Lysa has never been good at wearing a mask but the way her glee slides from her face is almost comical. Robert also announces that Lord Petyr Baelish shall be charged for the same crimes as Lysa and is to be thrown in the dungeons.
The matter of the children is difficult. They are named bastards, of course, but Cersei knows that while Robert was hardly an attentive father he wasn’t going to throw the four he thought to be his children in the black cells or anything. It’s decided that Osmund and Brynden, both still young, would be sent to the Citadel (Ned argued fiercely against sending them to the Wall, knowing how harsh the conditions were there) and Celia and Robyn would be wed to loyal Stormlander bannermen when they were of age, to a Estermont and Strong respectively.
Tommen does not attend the queen’s beheading but Sansa, already flowered, quietly asks if she might. Cersei allows her even though she knows Ned is hesitant. “She has been in this viper pit long enough, Ned, she knows how cruel this world can be. Besides, women see blood enough in their lifetime.”
During the execution of Lysa and her lover Ned and Sansa share the same solemn look - justice has been served but they would rather there was no need of it. Cersei has always secretly relished this for reasons she cannot truly explain. Ever since she was a girl she had found death fascinating, her mother dying had only intensified it. The fact that something so strong and proud could die for things beyond their control intrigued her as much as it terrified her.
Marrying Ned, whose family worshipped cruel gods that demand death and sacrifice, was an odd coincidence. Of course, the Northerners don’t commit human sacrifices anymore, they weren’t the wild savages the Southerners spoke of - officially. Cersei had heard the rumours of Boltons and Skagosi.
Robert is ‘eternally grateful’ to them, apparently, and pleads with Ned, who Cersei can tell is longing for Winterfell, to stay for the wedding. Fortunately the council find a new queen quickly enough and before she can blink Allyria Dayne is given a crown and a husband. She is much too young, Cersei thinks, barely older than Robb.
Sansa begs to stay as a lady-in-waiting for the new queen, who she had already befriended with her Stark kindness and Lannister charm. It is so far from home, from family that even though Cersei can see the advantages of it, would rather Sansa come back with them. Then Mace Tyrell writes to Ned, requesting a match between Sansa and his heir. Willas Tyrell is a cripple but Mace assured them he can father a child and so her daughter will one day be Lady of the Reach. Cersei can imagine her father’s pride.
Ever of a softer heart, Tommen weeps but is quickly distracted from his dramatic grief when at one of their last breakfasts in the capital (because Stannis was now the Lord Hand) Cersei announces they shall visit the Rock, afterwards they will go north, Sansa south. The children are bustling with joy and Cersei knows it’s not due to excitement of seeing their lord grandfather or Jaime’s children.
No, they cannot wait to see Jon Snow, who to all the world is Brandon’s bastard and has been fostering with her father for years now. The only reason Lord Tywin would take a bastard into his care was because Ned had told him of Jon’s true parents and having a potential king in his castle was an idea Tywin liked very much.
On the way Cersei received a raven from her father saying he wonders if perhaps it’s time Jon knows of his true parentage. Cersei knows that they are in a powerful enough position staying supporters of Robert but also that they would have wealthy allies - namely the Tyrells, and her family - if they chose to put Jon on his rightful throne.
Ned wouldn’t like it but after what happened with Queen Lysa he might finally realise that the ends justify the means and family must always be the priority.