Chapter 21

They arrived four months later. Cersei and Joanna had the castle shinning and ready to welcome their visitors. Arya had reluctantly, very reluctantly helped her sister and mother with the preparations for the welcoming feasts.

They were all decked with their finest garments and jewelry. Ned refused to have his hair cut but she forcibly trimmed his beard and combed his hair into a manly hairstyle. Jon and Robb looked less hairy too. Her sons were so alike that sometimes it was hard to believe she had not birthed Jon. Tommen and Joanna were side-by-side, golden twins, so unlike her and Jaime thankfully. Tommen loved his sister but he preferred to be in company of Bran or Jon. Arya and Bran finished the receiving line. Arya would have preferred to be between Robb and Jon. The Stark women looked beautiful, Arya's choice was very appropriate. The girl had taste; she chose a dark blue dress for her while Joanna looked beautiful with a green gown. Both girls styled their hair in the northern fashions, long braids for their long blonde and brown hairs. Cersei wore her hair like her girls in long braids, she chose a shimmering grey gown with white trimmings, Stark colors.

They were ready to receive the royal party and the Lannisters of Casterly Rock. The king and the prince rode first, behind the Kingsguard. She looked to her side and watched as Joanna smiled. The little kitten was half in love with the heir to the Crown. He was handsome, she had to give him that. He looked just like Robert had a lifetime ago. The king was fat and old. She glanced at her husband who she daresay looked more handsome than when she met him.

The queen and the princesses exited the carriage. Catelyn looked older than her years, no doubt because of the king and his mistreatment. "You got fat." The king said and then Ned looked at the king's gut. Cersei tensed for a brief moment before smiling when both men embraced good-naturedly.

Catelyn smiled tightly when Ned kissed her hand. "My queen." He said with a bow.

The king hugged her a little to tight and his hands were too free too. She endured the groping for a half a minute until Ned cleared his throat and pulled her away from the king.

The king chuckled. "This is Gendry, my son." The young man was nervous. He bowed to Cersei and her daughters. Arya locked gazes with him. The prince smiled at her.

The queen frowned a little when Robert turned and pushed the tallest of the redheaded girls. "These are my princesses, Anna, Alayne and Cassana." All the girls were pretty; they looked like well-mannered and tempered young ladies. The Crown was surely making marriage contracts for them. Cersei thought Anna would do nicely for Jon. Princess Myrcella would have been a better choice but she was dead. The girl perished two years ago to a fever. The girl had been feeble while Anna had a charm to her blue eyes. They were common blue eyes unlike Robert and the prince's piercing blue eyes. Stannis and Renly shared the same exact blue eyes.

Catelyn did nothing to hide her disliking of the prince. She talked to another pretty redhead. She was far more beautiful than any of the princesses. "This is my niece. Sansa Arryn." Catelyn said politely and the young lady curtsied. She smiled prettily at Robb and Jon.

King Robert kept his eyes on her bosom. "These are our children your grace." She said formally. It would not do for Catelyn to see her as a threat. The queen must have been used to these distasteful displays; the woman averted her eyes and engaged in conversation with her niece.

"Oh, Cersei, let me try my luck." The king boasted.

She smiled and let the king approach her eldest. "You must be Jon the heir." He clapped her son in the back.

"You are Robb, after me young lad. More handsome than your big brother aye." He chuckled and clapped him too.

The fat king moved next to Tommen. "Now this one looks like a Lannister but is at Stark, you have your father's eyes." He messed his hair.

"Brandon after your brother but he looks more like Benjen don't you think Ned?" Ned smiled. "He does." He was of course delighted that his old friend remembered his offspring's name. No doubt Catelyn had coached him or Tyrion who was said to spend all his time in court.

"This pretty face must be Joanna. A fair lady in the making." He bowed ungraciously to her. Joanna, bless her soul smiled prettily and blushed.

The king noticed Arya for the first time and he failed to produce a name. He smiled sadly. "Lyanna." He said with a longing that worried Cersei.

"My name is Arya." She said and then her eyes rounded and she hurriedly said. "Your grace."

The king regained his faculties and turned to Ned. "Take me to her." Catelyn tried to convince him otherwise but he was adamant on seeing Lyanna Stark.

Suddenly she was in the yard with the royal party. "Why don't we go inside?"

"Cersei, some things do not change do they?" Catelyn said with an ever-fixed sad smile.

"We must accept our fates." Cersei said smiling for her sake.

They walked to the castle. Her boys and the prince preferred to go to the training yards and work an appetite for the feast. The queen did not bother to say anything.

She noticed Jaime for the first time once they were inside the great hearth of Winterfell. He looked well; she was pleasantly surprised when they locked gazes. She did not feel anything inappropriate. She smiled when he kissed her. Jaime no longer aroused anything but filial feelings in her. "Stark colors." He said as response, time and space had cooled his ardor too. He watched her with regret but seemed resigned to have lost her. "I am a Stark brother." She replied and he nodded.

She hosted all the hens and made accommodations for them. The queen and her party claimed exhaustion and retired. The lady of Winterfell and her daughters greeted Tyrion and their grandfather.

"My nieces are nothing but beautiful girls. Such beauties, do you not think so father?" Tyrion did not let their father speak. "Two kingdoms united. Joanna, a fair maiden representing Casterly Rock, golden hair of the House Lannister." The Imp kissed Joanna who kissed his cheek too. Cersei would have censored such display if it were not for the face Tywin Lannister pulled. He looked sour and discomfited. Tyrion could always provoke a rise out of father.

"She must be Arya of House Stark. A northern beauty you truly are my sweetling. The king sees his lost lady Lyanna but your cheekbones; oh those are your mother's. She always has had beautiful cheekbones, one of her redeeming qualities." He said in complicity. Arya's face lit up and she chuckled. Tyrion winked at her.

"Father it is wonderful to see you again." Cersei said dutifully. Lord Lannister nodded. "Where is your husband?" Tywin Lannister was not anything if not arrogant. He was in a home that was not his but looked as if he owned every single and last of them. Her father looked at his granddaughters. Lord Lannister looked at Joanna with something akin to regret. No one in the room noticed however. Young Joanna Stark was more beautiful than her mother; she was just as beautiful as Tywin's Joanna had been. Lord Lannister glanced back at his daughter expecting an answer.

"He is down in the crypts with the King. These are…" She was about to properly introduce her daughters. "Do not concern yourself. Joanna and Arya. Your brother eloquently introduced them." He left the hall without another word. Cersei hated the fact that she felt like the neglected child she had been once mother died and father became completely cold. Lady Stark still wanted approval from the dour man. She had been the only one he should be proud of. Cersei Lannister provided him plenty of grandchildren to continue his thrice-damned legacy.

"A charming man I have always said." Tyrion smirked and asked for his nephews. "I have yet to meet Brandon. I would love to see Robb and Jon. I assume Tommen is with them as well."

Arya looked positively scheming. She knew that her mother could not afford to deny her plans because she hosted the royals and her family. "I'll take you to them nuncle. Come, quickly." She dragged a laughing Tyrion away.

"You are just as beautiful as your mother was." Jaime kissed Joanna's cheek. Cersei felt discomfited, her daughter was not she, Joanna was sweet child with Ned's sense of loyalty and honor.

"Thank you uncle." Jaime smiled, a sad smile and watched her go after Tyrion and Arya. Her daughter was a good girl. She had been tasked with making sure Arya was as lady like as possible.

Cersei was once again alone with Jaime. Her heart thumped. He would help her she was sure, "You will go to King's Landing I presume." Jaime looked at her gently. His eyes drank her in. Her brother was still handsome.

"I do not understand…" Ladies were to be seen not heard. No lady would ever bother with politics and intrigues. Cersei tried to put a front.

"Surely you must know. King Robert does not trust our father, or any Lannisters for that matter. He will ask Stark to be his Hand." Her twin stated with a sarcastic voice.

Cersei dropped the façade. Jaime would not be fooled. Her brothers knew her. Jaime understood her and Tyrion knew how cruel and manipulative she could be, "What has Stannis done? Why does it have to be my husband?" She said angrily.

Jaime looked as if she had gone insane, "You wanted to be queen. Ever since we were children we spoke about you being a queen and I would be your knight."

She smiled, an echo of his sad smile, "I wanted to be a knight too brother but alas I am neither queen nor knight. I am Lady Stark and the Starks do not do well south. King's Landing is not a place for Ned."

"I am sure you will keep your northern man safe." Jaime did nothing to disguise his contempt for his brother in law.

Cersei switched tactics, he would never be the ally she needed to keep Ned protected. He held too much hatred for her husband. She switched to the Arryns. "Lysa Arryn fled with little Robert. Why did she not take her daughter Sansa with her?"

Jaime sat down by the fires. Winter was coming indeed. Ned speculated that their summer would not last another year. She waited for her brother to answer her inquiry. "Lysa despises her daughter. I believe she is jealous of the girl's beauty. Half court expects her to be the new queen."

She rolled her eyes, "Please, Joanna is far more beautiful than that Arryn girl."

"Lysa Arryn spread rumors before she left to the Eyre." Jaime said clearly. "She told anyone who would listen that her husband was killed by Lannisters."

Cersei's head snapped to her brother. Finally, this conversation yielded something more than idle gossip. "Did we?" It sounded like a ploy her father would hatch but it was too obvious, too overt for her father to scheme in such way.

"I do not know, Tyrion would never and father has denied it but Lannisters lie." Jaime said calmly.

"Ned will not refuse the king." Cersei said mournfully. The king would convince her husband and Ned's sense of loyalty and friendship would win out.

"He should refuse. The last Starks who went to King's landing melted like summer snows." Her twin smirked and wore a sardonic smile.

Cersei looked at him and tried again, "You have to protect him. Swear it."

Jaime laughed and stood up from his place by the fire. She held his hands and looked worriedly at him. He was a few inches taller than her. In that moment Cersei was anxious, she felt something in her chest and needed to tell Jaime. Her brother had to know and help her. He would help her, Jaime always did. He had been her protector and best friend before she married Ned. This was serious. For the first time in seven and ten years she initiated physical contact with him. "I love him. I hurt if he hurts." She said with a pleading voice.

He touched her cheek. "Have you any idea, how much those words hurt?" He said with a deep sadness. Cersei felt selfish but Ned needed Jaime to take care of him. He rubbed her cheek and traced her lips. "I love you, I will love you until I exhale my last breath and you ask me to protect your husband."

She paused, could he have changed? Could he deny her this? "Eddard is a good man. He is far from perfect. He is too stubborn and single-minded but he is mine. I will do anything to protect him and the children." She said with conviction.

Jaime misinterpreted her implication; he stepped back. "The Kingslayer they call me. I am no rapist sweet sister. Do not concern yourself. Your wolf and wolflings will be safe. I promise."

She thanked him with a hug. He hugged her fiercely. They broke their embrace when Bran ran inside with his puppy. She smiled at him, "come here love." Bran smiled and walked to her. "Robb, Jon, Tommen and the prince left me." He hugged her and the wolf yapped and barked at Jaime.

"Meet uncle Jaime." Bran smiled. "You are in the Kingsguard. You are knight, a true proper knight." Her youngest was in awe of his uncle and monopolized his attention from then on. Jaime had barely time to glance at her when Bran dragged him outside. Nuncle Jaime had to see the other pups and the horses.

Cersei stayed in the hall by the fire, waiting, hoping Ned miraculously refused his oldest friend. She watched the flames dance and tried to think about the outcomes of this visit; the prospects were disheartening indeed.