Isabelle's POV
The sound of footsteps echoing through the cells woke me from my sleep. Tyrion remained where he was as I hurried towards the front of the cell we were in, trying to see who was coming. I was somewhat pleased to see Cersei stood there with two guards beside her, maybe she would give me the chance to explain how it wasn't me.
"You killed him, didn't you?"
"No." I said shaking my head and wrapping my fingers around the cell bars. "I swear. It wasn't me nor Tyrion. You have to believe me."
"How can I? When a few weeks ago, you said to my son that you would kill him?"
"It was in the heat of the moment, it doesn't mean I'd actually do it."
"Maybe in the heat of the moment, of him embarrassing you, you found the time to poison him. Maybe in the heat of the moment, of him reading from Sansa's journal, exposing your little love affair, you became so outraged that you found the time to poison him..Or maybe, just maybe, it's been months of heat in the moments you've shared but yesterday was the final straw."
"No..Cersei please.."
"Part of me wants to rip your throat out with my bare hands, part of me wants to make you suffer like he did." Cersei said, her voice laced with so much anger. "Yet.." Her voice softened. "I know deep down inside, it wasn't you. I know Joffrey could make you angry, he could make us all angry, but it doesn't mean that we all killed him, does it? I know you, I know that you would only kill to protect, kill to defend, not kill because you were simply embarrassed or because your secrets had been exposed."
I felt some relief wash over me, knowing that she believed it wasn't me. She placed her hand over mine and gently stroked the back of my hand with her thumb.
"But you." She turned to Tyrion. "I know it was you, but I know that you didn't do this alone..And there's only one person missing, your wife. Her lover."
"It wasn't Sansa!"
"How can you be so sure?" Cersei asked turning her head to look at me again. "For all you know, they could have been having an affair behind your back. Maybe in the night, after they had fucked, they would devise a plan to kill my son."
"No." I said shaking my head. "It's not true."
"It really isn't." Tyrion said finally speaking up. "Unlike you, my dear sister, I don't like them quite as young."
Cersei froze, her eyes flickering between Tyrion and I. "What?" She finally managed to say.
"You really think I didn't know about the small affair that you and Isabelle had? I know I'm not the only one that knows."
"Be quiet."
"What's the matter, Cersei? Ashamed? You are, aren't you? How is it fair that Isabelle and Sansa's secret is shared with the entire kingdom, yet yours is not?"
I removed my hand as Cersei began to squeeze hard, I don't think she meant to hurt me but I wasn't willing to risk having my hand broken.
"You want secrets exposed? You want every truth to be free? Alright." Cersei said taking a step back. "Release her."
I was confused as a guard unlocked the cell door and dragged me out. They shut the door once again, keeping Tyrion inside. I turned my head to look back at Tyrion, he looked more confused than I did. I was led from the cells and up into the castle. As we walked through the castle, I was given a mixture of looks. Pity, shame, disgust, some of the words that were hurled my way made my skin crawl.
We reached the garden and I was thrown to the ground in front of Margaery and Olenna.
"Isabelle." Margaery gasped as she leaped from her chair and knelt down beside me.
"I didn't want it to happen this way." Cersei said disappointed. "I wanted you to have the chance to tell her, but with all the secrets being revealed and not by the person they belong to, I find it only fitting that I reveal a secret of yours."
"What are you talking about?"
"Cersei..." Olenna said in a warning tone.
Cersei let out a deep breath and locked her hands together. "I know everything about everyone that goes on in this city. I know bits and pieces of what went on in other cities, other kingdoms...But something inside of me, told me to dig deeper, and so, I borrowed some of Varys's little birds...Oh they told me wonderful stories. From Renly, to your unborn child...Wait." Cersei paused, placing her finger over lip. "The baby was born...But you didn't raise it, did you?"
"Cersei, stop. Please." Margaery begged. "I'll explain everything, just not like this, I beg, please."
"The baby wasn't Renly's, you gave birth in secret. You had a beautiful baby girl, what was her name? Or did you not name her? You did, send her away though. I admire you sending her away to keep her safe, yet I'm still disappointed for, eighteen years, you lied. To her, to your family, to your kingdom, to every single person you have ever encountered."
Margaery looked down as she began to cry.
"You gave your baby to an aspiring knight. The aspiring knight took her some place where nobody would dare even suspect she would be of royalty, she was taken to Winterfell." Cersei looked at me and sighed. "It hasn't quite clicked yet has it?"
I was sure that my heart had stopped beating as I looked at Margaery. Was Cersei implying that Margaery was my mother? But she couldn't be...
"You were raised by a solider belonging to Ned Stark. Led to believe your mother died during childbirth, when in fact, your mother was alive and well."
I turned to look at Margaery. "Is it true?"
"Isabelle.." Margaery said looking up at me.
"Is it true?" I repeated, this time much louder.
Margaery just cried harder and looked back down. My body felt weak. My entire life had been a lie. I stood up slowly and walked towards Cersei who looked rather pleased of herself.
"Can I go back to my cell?"
"But you're innocent, you deserve no more punishment."
I rolled my eyes and walked away, my head swirling with so many memories that Margaery and I shared. It was so obvious now why she acted the way she did with me. I was her daughter. My father wasn't my father, my life was just a lie...But that means Ned knew too. I stopped walking as another thought came to me. An aspiring knight? No...Please not her.
I ran to where the soldiers were training and I saw Brienne practicing some foot movement.
"She let you out then?" She asked sheathing her sword when she noticed me.
"Did you know?"
"Know what?"
"Margaery is my mother." All I got was silence. "Fuck you!" I shouted as I pushed her hard. "You knew all this time. You were the one person in the entire world that I fucking trusted more than anyone. You were somewhat like a mother too me, it was like having two incredible mothers around with you and Margaery, turns out I actually did have my mother around but you didn't fucking tell me. What else have you been keeping from me?!"
"It wasn't my place..."
"It wasn't Cersei's place either but it didn't stop her. As a child, I cried to you when I had no mother to comfort me like I saw other children have."
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what though, Brienne? Sorry that you kept this from me? Sorry that you have been found out to be a lying bitch? Sorry that I'm hurt? My entire life was a lie."
Brienne didn't answer. I just shook my head and walked away. I walked to my room to change into some fresh clothes, I needed to leave. I refused to stay here with liars, people I thought I could trust. I needed to find Sansa. She was the only one I could trust now.
Once I had finished getting dressed, I grabbed my scabbard and fastened it securely around my waist. I was not going to wear that armor, I was done with this place. I grabbed my sword and sheathed it. As I turned to walk towards my door, it opened slowly. Margaery walked inside, still crying.
"Where are you going?" She asked looking me up and down.
"I'm leaving, mother." I said bitterly.
"Please don't." She said walking towards me. "Let's talk about this."
"What is there to talk about? You have lied to me since the moment we met. All these years, I looked at you as my mother but in actuality you really were my mother."
"I did plan on telling you, I had it all planned out in my head. Everyone who knew would be there, Renly, Grandmother, Brienne."
"Olenna knew?" At this point, I was sure everyone knew but me. "Everyone really did lie to me. You all knew how much I wanted a mother."
"It killed me not being able to tell you...I thought maybe if I showed you.."
"Showed me? Showed me what I was missing out on? I looked at children with their happy family and there was me, no mother, no father. I was alone in this messed up world, I was terrified each day that you would announce you were with child and you would forget all about me because you were the one I was closest to."
"Give me a chance to make things right."
"You had eighteen years to make this right. You had from the minute I was born, to make this right."
"I had to keep you safe."
"From who? Your parents, right? You couldn't lie and say I was Renly's?"
"I was pregnant before I married him. It wouldn't make sense."
"So, I had to pay for your mistake of being a whore?" The look in Margaery's eyes told me that I had gone too far. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."
"I wanted to keep you and the moment you came back, I knew you were mine. I did everything in my power to have a relationship with you, to be in your life in some way and I did." Margaery gently grabbed my hands. "I love you, Isabelle."
Tears filled my eyes and Margaery wrapped her arms around my body and I wrapped my arms around her. "I love you too. That's why it hurts so much."
"I am so sorry, I will spend forever making this up to you."
I pulled away from the hug and she wiped my eyes. "I need to find Sansa. She's out there, who knows where. I need to make sure she's safe."
"I understand. Let me help."
"How could you possibly help?"
"I have a friend, we haven't seen each other in years but we do write letters on occasion. If Sansa is in trouble, you won't be able to find her alone. You'll need people to fight alongside you. With the Starks bannermen now aligned with the Boltons who are aligned with the Lannisters...You'll have to look elsewhere. It won't be an easy task but I can arrange for more help."
"Where do I need to go."
"From what I can gather from Varys, she was last seen in Meereen."
"Where in seven hells is that?"
"It's across the sea, in Essos."
"Across the sea?! But what if Sansa is in danger now? By time I find her she could be dead!"
"Nobody else will fight for you. Nobody else will fight for her, this is your best chance."
"Bullshit." I said, turning and hitting the wall beside us. "Someone must be willing to help..."
"I only know of my friend."
"And who is your friend?" I asked turning back to look at Margaery.
"Daenerys Targaryen."