Cleopatra ───── J. Baratheon

LVI

"I'm sorry for upsetting you,"

"You're probably right." Joffrey shook his head, tilting her to face upwards. 

"Lyra, there is a high chance that I might be wrong." He pressed a swift kiss to her lips, before sighing as Mikael's cries echoed around the chamber. "I've got him."

"Are you sure?" Joffrey was already pulling himself up and out of the bed before Lyra could finish her sentence, and she watched him walk through to the nursery. She huffed, before pulling her large wolf further up the bed and holding onto her like she was a child's stuffed toy. "What do you think, Elia?"

The wolf snapped her jaws, huffing as Lyra buried her head into her wolf's soft fur.

"My thoughts exactly."

✧✦✧

"I hate Small Council meetings," Lyra muttered, straightening her crown in the looking glass as Joffrey read through his notes. "Can we not just fire all but Olenna?"

"As much as I wish we could, you know we can't," Joffrey called back, causing Lyra to roll her eyes. "I hate them just as much as you do, My Love."

"Mikael is down for his nap, Your Graces," Arah closed the door to the nursery behind her. "Elia is with him."

"You'll stay with him as well?" Lyra asked, turning to the older handmaid, who nodded.

"Of course, Your Grace," The fear in Lyra's heart lessened, knowing that Cersei would not try to harm her son with Elia and Arah present. "Good luck for the Small Council meeting."

"We'll need it," Joffrey muttered, before taking Lyra's arm and leading her to the Small Council chambers. "Once again, I am sorry about this morning."

"It's alright, Joff," Lyra sent him a soft smile. "You're just worried for me, I understand."

They drew closer to the Small Council chamber, where Kevan Lannister, Grand Maester Pycelle, Mace Tyrell and Lady Olenna all awaited them. Joffrey was tensing beneath her touch already, and Lyra tried her best to soothe him, running her thumb over his knuckles as his eyes began to dart around. She knew that he hated this room, as it reminded him far too much of Tywin and Cersei, neither of whom he'd particularly liked.

The older lords and ladies all stood, bowing their heads as Joffrey and Lyra took their seats at the head of the table. It had seemed that they had interrupted the Grand Maester's rant about Qyburn, and as soon as they sat down, the old man continued.

"As bad as Lord Varys was, Qyburn is worse!" Lyra felt her eyes drooping as she listened to the Grand Maester prattle on. "I told them all. I told them!"

Joffrey squeezed her hand, waking her up and shooting her a slightly reproachful look as Lyra sighed and sat up once more. It was just at that moment that Cersei, Jaime and the Mountain stormed into the room.

"Can I help you?" Joffrey asked, a raised eyebrow as his mother faltered, eyeing the scar on Joffrey's cheek, before turning around to look at Olenna.

"Why are you here?" Cersei's voice turned cold, as Joffrey tensed once more. Lyra rested a placating hand on his leg, cocking an eyebrow at the older lioness.

"I was invited, my d=Dear, to help deal with several troublesome issues, such as the princess' imprisonment." Olenna replied, smiling sarcastically at the older lioness.

"Thank you for bringing it up." Cersei said, moving to sit down as Joffrey's glare grew colder, his eyes turning to ice.. "It's well past time we addressed the abuses I endured."

Olenna shook her head and scoffed, laughing to herself.

"Lyra is the queen. You are not the queen because you're not married to the king." Olenna smiled. "I do appreciate these things can get a bit confusing in your family."

There was an awkward silence, as Cersei glanced over at Joffrey. She seemed to be waiting for him to intervene and tell Olenna off, like the good child that she believed she had raised, but Joffrey had long since escaped her clutches. He had other people to turn to instead of being forced to run back to his mother.

"This is a Small Council meeting. You have no position on the Small Council," Kevin Lannister broke the silence, as Joffrey's hand found Lyra and threaded through hers. His muscles were still tense, but he softened as she squeezed his hand.

"I'm Lord Commander of the King's Guard. The Lord Commander of the King's Guard does have a position on the Small Council." Jaime said, both of the twins turning to stare at the Grand Maester, waiting for his opinion.

"Well, um...I would say Ser Gerold Hightower has a seat on the Mad King's council." He started, before catching sight of Joffrey's glare and backtracking, quickly. "But, it would be the decision of the king in the end."

The pair sat down at the table as Joffrey raised an eyebrow, in his parent's directions. They both avoided looking at him, as he scoffed, before waving Drew towards him and handing his papers to the boy.

"We'll reconvene at another date," The official members of the Small Council left the room, leaving Cersei and Jaime. Lyra watched Jaime, an eyebrow cocked as she wondered how he could go back to the woman after discovering that Cersei abused her son, though she held some sympathy. She knew just how manipulative Cersei could be and that leaving her control was difficult, but she hoped that Jaime would come to his senses. "I told you not to meddle."

"I am not meddling. I'm bringing something forward to the Small Council," Cersei stood up, glaring at Joffrey, who seemed more than ready to have an argument with the woman. She opened her mouth, but Arah appeared.

"Your Grace, come quickly." She was panting, her skin drained of colour, as Lyra felt her eyes widen. "It's Mikael."

Lyra's heart stopped.

Hiya,

So, let's leave it like that for a moment and then we can see what happens in the next chapter. Next update is Saturday, so you might have to wait a bit, but let me know what you think has happened to Mikael.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx