The Shadow Queen of Tywin Lannister

LII. Dreams of Winter

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Cersei's Bedroom, The Red Keep - King's Landing, CrownLands.

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Inside the Queen's bedroom, the powerful Lioness was not alone during the early hours of the night. Her two younger brothers, Tyrion and Trystan were present.

The dwarf was sitting behind the desk, comfortable on the big chair of hers while he held a letter in his hands. The youngest Lion, Trystan was in more formal clothes as well; missing his armour.

He had taken a seat on one of the chairs from the other side of the desk but he sat on it upside down, resting his hands and his chin on the back of the chair with both legs at each side of it. His green eyes were on his sister, who was busy lighting numerous candles with a long straw.

"Since when do you light your own candles?" Tyrion asked, his eyes momentarily glancing at her before focusing back on the letter.

"Since I decided that I can't stand to look at any of my handmaidens for another instant." She answered and blew out the flame on the straw's end. "How many times can you read one raven scroll?" she stopped in front of him and threw the half-burnt straw on the desk.

"Stannis Baratheon's fleet has been spotted sailing north past Tarth, two hundred ships." Tyrion read out loud.

"More than we have."

"Yes, that's more than we have. He'll be at our gates within..." he started to count.

"Five days, four if he has the wind," Trystan answered for him, looking between his two older siblings with his usual serious expression that did not fit his very odd way of sitting on the chair.

"We have strong, high walls. We'll rain fire down on them from above." She said, making the two males exchange a look.

"Rain fire on them from above," Trystan repeated. "You're quoting Father, aren't you?"

"Why not?" she exclaimed and moved towards the jug that held wine at the other side of her room. "He has a good mind for strategy, doesn't he?"

Tyrion tossed the scroll on the desk. "Call it tactics, not strategy. But, yes, he does have a good mind for it. The best mind, some would say, along with our good-mother" he reminded her. "Sadly, he's not here, none of them are. It's just you, Trystan, me and Joffrey, the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm."

Cersei had her back turned as she filled her goblet and waited for Tyrion to continue. However, the dwarf said nothing else and she tried to remain calm for now it was not the time to argue with him, no matter how much she felt like it "I'm sure you'll make a point eventually."

"He needs to start acting like a king. This war you started is coming to our doorstep. And if the entire city wants Joffrey dead-"

"I'm not the one giving the boy whores to abuse."

"I thought the girls might help him."

"Did you?"

"I was wrong" he admitted and glanced down. "If we can't control him..." he shook his head, not even wanting to think about it.

"Do you think I haven't tried? He doesn't listen to me." She confessed as she sat by the edge of her bed, her goblet in her hand.

Trystan had remained quiet so far, watching the two older siblings argue like they always did. He chose not to interfere yet; letting them those two compare their failures in controlling the little psychopath with the golden crown upon his head.