ROSE ━━ game of thrones. ✓

( 02. ━ THE WILD LOVES THE GIRL. )

     After a few weeks in the presence of her younger cousin, Cersei knows now that Rose is more attentive than she seems to be. Rose listens and prefers not to speak. She learns, and prefers not to share her opinion. She is clever in that sweet, quiet way of hers. Cersei's unsure whether she's been taught to behave that way  (  because catching a husband, the Septa says, is easier if you have a pretty face and no thoughts of your own  )  or whether Rose is naturally shy. Cersei finds that she likes it more than she'll admit.

     It is better to have a silent, honest companion than yet another insipid girl who does nothing but blabber on about Prince Rhaegar and how handsome he is. Rose is better than any of the handmaidens Cersei brought with her from the capital, who go on and on about how handsome her brother is, and she has to bite her tongue to keep from snapping. Most of the time, she doesn't even try. She thinks Rose must find it amusing, because whenever she does lose her temper, Cersei spots the tiniest of smiles upon her cousin's face.

     She watches Rose. Jaime watches Rose. They watch her interact with other people, and they find it fascinating. Her eyes  ━  Lannister green and cat-like and luminous with life  ━  light up when her parents are around, and it is clear to the twins that Rose adores her mother and father. She would do anything for her pious mother, who prays seven times a day, and Rose will join her every time, even though it is clear to the rest of them that she doesn't really care about whether the Gods are real. Her noble father, who must wish for a son but dotes upon his daughter anyway.

     Rose cares more about the world around her than anyone they've ever met. Tyrion will learn about the world by spending hours with his nose in a book, but Rose has to experience it. Jaime finds her in the stables sometimes, talking to the horses. He notices that she has a favourite  ━  Aurora was his mother's horse, and Rose doesn't know that, but he doesn't think it's a coincidence that Aurora is the horse she is drawn to. Sometimes he'll watch her, and he won't say a thing. It's the only time she talks without worrying about what she's saying, because she knows the horse won't tell anyone.

     Rose loves the gardens, too. She rarely strays far from the keep itself. You can watch her from the steps or the balconies, roaming the bushes of flowers and hiding in the hedgerows. She never goes far. She doesn't like to worry her mother. She could get lost in there for hours, Jaime knows. He knows just by looking at her, running and playing by herself in the shade of the willow trees. She could get lost in there and never come back. Sometimes, he thinks she might want to, but she doesn't want to worry her mother.

     So she always comes back.

     Cersei notices all of this, too. It's hard not to pick up on these things when you spend so long watching someone. She finds that she likes Rose more than she'll admit, except her jealousy gets in the way, and one day, she'll wish it hadn't. One day, she'll wish she could have those few weeks back.

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     CERSEI'S NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY WHEN JAIME ARRIVES AT HER DOOR.

     It's late, and the world outside has already fallen into darkness. Oil lamps light the pathways below, and she doesn't think much of it when she sees two shadows rushing past in the distance. She turns away from the window and prepares herself for bed, and the sight doesn't cross her mind again.

     And then there's a knock on her chamber door, and she smiles because she thinks it's Jaime. Jaime is the only one who visits her this late, so she jumps up from her bed and crosses the room and unlatches the door.