Game of Thrones - Surviving Kings Landing

The Women Before the Battle of Blackwater Bay

Providing what I hoped was a smile of reassurance, I crossed over to where Taria was sitting with Endia laid out before her feet. Sitting beside her, I reached out and gently ran my fingers through the fur covering Endia's back. "Did you have any trouble?" Taria shook her head no before saying, "Lady Sarsfield seemed to convince the guards that he was an overgrown dog." I laughed, amused at the notion of the older woman spinning the tails of my lion as a dog in disguise before turning to look for her. "Where is Lady Sarsfield?" Taria breathed out and uttered, "when we arrived, Lady Aianna grasped hold of her and pulled her toward the other ladies of the West huddling in the far-right corner of the room." I shifted my gaze to find the older woman rolling her eyes at the murmurs of a younger woman. "I take it that they feared for her safety, considering you entered with Endia." She nodded as I pulled away from Endia to hear the familiar footsteps of Cersei Lannister. Glancing toward the open door, I observed her dressed in a deep red gown heavily embellished with Lannister graffiti, including a golden segmented breastplate.

Ignoring the urge to ask if she expected to go into battle, I remained silent as she led a frightened Tommen into the room accompanied by two armored Lannister guards and Ser Ilyn Payne. Remaining silent, she strolled over to an ornate chair on a raised platform, signifying her position above all of us. Releasing the young prince's hand, she sat down upon her throne while Tommen moved to join his nursemaid, and another lady poured Cersei a cup of wine. Shifting away from the stone queen, I blinked as Sansa plopped onto the seat beside me, muttering, "I don't know why she wants us here. She's always saying how stupid we are. I'm sure she hates us." Feeling the uncertainty rolling off her, I held my hand to her.

With a fleeting smile, she glanced down and entwined her hand with mine. Squeezing her hand reassuringly, I softly muttered, "regardless of her dislike. There are other matters we should focus on." Taria nodded in agreement while Lehna silently watched another group of women enter the room until Shae murmured, "maybe she hates you two less than she hates everyone else." My kind sister rolled her eyes, exasperated, before uttering, "I doubt it." Cersei took the filled cup from her maid and sipped it while Shae tried to suggest that the older Queen's actions were out of jealousy. Sansa stared at her as Endia purred, rubbing his head against my legs. I reached out to calm him when Sansa asked, "why would she be jealous?" Before Shae could reply, I felt a gentle tug on the sleeve of my dress.

Turning my gaze, I found Camyla, a happy five-year-old girl with muddy blond hair, smiling up at me, and a second girl with slight brown hair, roughly four years old, standing with her. While the girls seemed to share the same palish hazel-colored eyes, that is where their similarities ended. The second girl seemed to have a pale complexion, whereas Camyla, I discovered, had a fair face that seemed to shift toward a golden-brown color due to her mother forcing her to come to our daily sewing circle. I had come to enjoy Camyla's bright and cheerful nature, but it seemed her companion was a girl with a silent and cloudy demeanor. Setting aside my observation of the child, I happily uttered, "hello, Camyla. Do you care to introduce your companion?" She glanced at the girl beside her before saying, "she's named Aerona." I nodded hello and offered a smile to the small girl. "It is nice to meet you, Lady Aerona." She blinked as her cheeks flushed pink before uttering, "you have red hair." Nodding, I gently spoke, "I do see that you have lovely brown hair," as I brushed her curled locks away from her shoulder. She glanced at her feet as I glanced at Camyla. "Can we pet Endia kitty?"

Shaking my head, I opened my mouth to reply when I heard, "oh, Lady Ilyanna, I am sorry if they are bothering you." Offering Lady Aianna a smile, I gently uttered, "they are no trouble to me, but I do not think Endia wishes his sleep to be interrupted at the moment." Shifting my gaze, I observed my resting companion while Camyla huffed unamused. "Endia kitty always sleeps." Aianna sighed in defeat as I calmly uttered, "you recall why he sleeps?" Unamused, she nodded as I gently brushed her free locks away from her shoulder. "He sleeps because at night he protects us." Smiling, I moved my hand from her shoulder to gently tap her nose. "Yes, but he is not needed this evening on a count of the knights taking over, so I have given him leave to rest until he is needed." Aerona clung to Camyla as they observed Endia. before asking, "is Endia an actual lion?" Nodding, I uttered, "he is, but unlike the lions on the flags, he has to grow some more." They glanced at Endia as Lady Aianna softly uttered, "girls, come, we should allow the young lion rest until he is needed." Camyla shook her head no as Cersei uttered, "Ilyanna." Lifting my gaze, I observe the Queen's mother watching me. "They may help Taria and Lehna keep him company while I tend to her Grace." Camyla smiled as Aerona stared at a frustrated Cersei. "She looks mean." Smiling softly, I removed my shawl before laying it over Endia while Cersei called for Sansa. "Just a little, but I will keep her away if you stay here, little one." Aerona nodded and sat beside Taria as Camyla joined her. "Are you certain?" I glanced at Lady Aianna and nodded. "Rest while you can." She sighed as I stepped away and approached the seated Queen.