LIMERENCE | XIX.
MARGAERY TYRELL
King's Landing | 300 a.c.
MARGAERY WAS UNSURE WHAT HAPPENED between now and when she last left Elinor in Highgarden, but much had changed, and she wasn't speaking about their relationship. Elinor had been a shy girl, but now she was very social, charming everyone she came in contact with.
Joffrey didn't seem wary of her, nor did he seem to care for her. He was indifferent and when it came to Elinor, that was the best place you could be. Sansa had taken a liking to her, as had Tyrion Lannister.
"She's quite charismatic," Cersei spoke, gaining Margaery's attention, "Princess Elinor."
Margaery nodded her head, "Yes, I suppose that's how she won over my brother."
"Hm," Cersei says thoughtfully, "Do you not like your sister in law?"
Margaery was far too smart for Cersei's mind games. The question was a double-edged sword. Admit her fondness and Cersei may see where Margaery's heart truly lies. Act nonchalant and Cersei may see that as a chink in the alliance between House Martell and House Tyrell.
"Elinor is a perfect match for my brother. She loves him and has given him two beautiful children. My opinion of her doesn't matter quite frankly," Margaery answers. She sips her wine, smiling behind the rim at how perfect her answer was.
"Love," Cersei states, "You truly believe that Elinor loves your brother? A cripple?"
Margaery ignores the insult to her brother, though she doesn't forget it. She places her glass of wine down as she looks at the Queen Regent, "Perhaps my brother and his wife didn't love each other at first, but they grew to love one another as most wives do with their husbands."
"And will you grow to love Joffrey?" Cersei asks, a challenge in her eyes.
"As you grew to love King Robert," Margaery answers with a smile, "Perhaps I'll even give him three children as you did."
Cersei chuckles, though Margaery knows she isn't humored. It's all for show, just like their weekly meetings for wine and tea. It's a hoax to hide the true animosity they have for each other.
"Perhaps you will," Cersei answers, "Or maybe two, like your sister in law."
Margaery frowns as the conversation finds its way back on Elinor, "Perhaps it should be I asking if you dislike Elinor."
Cersei takes a long sip of wine before answering the question, "I have no problem with her. She seems to be everything that her father isn't, kind, polite, and graceful. What I can't comprehend is why she's here in the capital."
"The Hand offered Dornan Martell a seat on the council. Elinor is only keeping it warm for him till he can make proper arrangements."
Cersei didn't seem convinced, the way her green eyes bore holes into Margaery. It made her uncomfortable, as though Cersei could see every thought she ever had about Elinor, as though she could see through her like glass.
"I see," Cersei mutters before smiling at Margaery, "Are you excited to tour the Sept today?"
"Very," Margaery answers, "I'm quite literally counting the days in which I can profess my love for Joffrey in front of everyone."
"I believe it," Cersei answers, but she and Margaery both know that statement is false.
/***\
Margaery knew that she had told Elinor that they were to stay away from each other, but following her wine tasting with Cersei, Margaery wanted to be around Elinor, she needs to for her own selfish reasons.
She lifted her fist to knock on the door, but never got a chance as it swung open to reveal Elinor. The Martell princess almost barrels into her, but catches herself, surprise evident on her face as she looks at Margaery.
"What are you doing here?" she asks in an attempt to mask her surprise.
"I needed – wanted to talk to you," Margaery tells her.
"About what?" Elinor asks raising an eyebrow.
Margaery racks her brain for literally anything that could have been of importance to Elinor but doesn't find a single thing, so she improvises, "Spice trade from Yunkai has-"
"Margaery," Elinor interrupts, "I don't care about the spice trade. Why are you here?"
Margaery glances down the hall before shoving Elinor into her room, following her inside as well. She closes the door behind them and Elinor stares at her, a frown fixed on her face.
"What is going on?"
"I had wine with Cersei," Margaery tells her, "She brought you up a lot."
Elinor bites her lower lip, nibbling on it thoughtfully, "In what context?"
"She thinks that we are not fond of each other. She also thinks that you do not love Willas," Margaery states and she watches as Elinor swallows. The first statement may not have been true, but Elinor did not love Willas, not as she should have.
"She's testing us," Elinor says softly.
"I'm aware," Margaery tells her, "She's trying to poke holes in the alliance."
"Spend too little time together and Cersei will believe we're enemies," Elinor states, scoffing slightly as she speaks, "Seems your plan to keep the Queen's suspicions low have failed."
"I was trying to protect you," Margaery insists.
"Protect me from what?" Elinor asks, "Joffrey? He doesn't care about me. Tywin thinks little of me because I am a woman. Cersei is suspicious but only because you've given her the suspicion that you don't like me. So, tell me Margaery what are you trying to protect me from?"
"Myself," Margaery confesses, finding it pointless to keep the truth from Elinor anymore, "I cannot be around you without wanting to feel your hands on my skin and to taste your lips. It is rumored that distance makes the heart fonder and they were not wrong."
Elinor is silent and Margaery is sure that's she's overstepped her bounds, she always does when it comes to Elinor, but she simply cannot help it.
"My sisters told me that I should be honest with you. I know that our situation is impossible and that there's no way that we could ever truly be together, but I wanted to tell you that I love you, wholeheartedly and irrevocably."
Margaery was sure that her heart stuttered in her chest at Elinor's words. She'd known that Elinor had felt something for her, but never had she expected to hear those exact words.
Margaery smiles and then it quickly slips away, "Do you truly mean that?"
Elinor nods, "You make me happy in a way that no one else does and I've never been in love before, but I'm certain that if I had, it would feel like this."
Margaery can't help herself as she surges forward, connecting her lips with Elinor's. She had dreamt of a moment like this for the last four years, the only difference was that they were in the most dangerous place in Westeros and not the safety of the roses in Highgarden.
Margaery's skin was on fire as Elinor walked backward, guiding her to her bed. The Dornish girl fell backward on the bed and Margaery wasted no time as she climbed on top of her, connecting their lips in another passionate kiss. The next time they separated due to lack of oxygen.
"I've never felt like this before," Elinor mutters softly against Margaery's lips, brushing her nose against Margaery's, who smiles against her lips.
"Like what?" Margaery asks breathlessly.
"Wanted, I suppose," Elinor tells her, "Willas he – it always felt like an exchange with him, but with you I feel wanted, desired."
"That's how you're supposed to feel," Margaery says, leaning down to press kisses to Elinor's neck. Elinor moans softly as Margaery begins to suck on her neck.
"You have to meet with Joffrey and the Queen," Elinor says.
"I know," Margaery breathes into Elinor's ear. Elinor turns her head, catching Margaery's lips into her own. When they pull away, Margaery grins at the girl below her.
"Come with me," Margaery says.
"Where?" Elinor asks, staring up into Margaery's blue eyes.
"Does it matter?" Margaery asks, "You'll be with me."
Elinor moans loudly, "Fair point."
Despite everything in her body telling her to stay on top of Elinor, Margaery sits up, looking down at the Dornish girl. Her cheeks were flushed, and Margaery couldn't help the sense of pride she felt at the fact that she was the one who caused this.
"Joffrey wants to show me the Sept of Baelor," Margaery tells her, "Come with me. We can debunk whatever ideas Cersei has about us."
"And give her new ones?" Elinor asks, "Because I fear I will not be able to keep my hands to myself."
Margaery chuckles at that, "You're the worst, you know that? We're in the most dangerous place in the world and now is when you finally tell me how you feel?"
"Better late than never, right?" Elinor asks with a smile and Margaery can't help but laugh. There's an overwhelming feeling of excitement in her chest, but there's also guilt. She feels guilty knowing that it's her brother's wife that she just ravished.
"My grandmother will be with us so we must behave," Margaery says as she climbs off of Elinor, fixing her dress as best she can.
"I'll be on my best behavior," Elinor says sitting up.
When they meet with Olenna, prior to their trip to the Sept she pays them little mind, only commenting on Elinor's presence.
"What is she doing here?" Olenna questioned.
Margaery smiles as she glances at Elinor, "I thought it would be a good idea to bring Elinor along since Cersei believes that we are not fond of her."
"Very well," Olenna states, "Have you made proper arrangements for Mariah?"
Elinor nods, "She's with Nymeria and Garlan."
"Good," Olenna states, before sighing, "Let's get this over with."
Cersei Lannister does an excellent job hiding her surprise when she sees Olenna and Margaery accompanied by Elinor. However, Margaery knows they've caught the Queen off guard by one simple look that passes seconds after crossing her face.
"Princess Elinor," Cersei greets, "So kind of you to join us."
Elinor smiles, a beautiful sight in Margaery's opinion, "I hope my presence won't bother you too much. It's just that I've never seen the Sept before and when Margaery told me you all were touring it today; I simply couldn't help myself."
Cersei forces a smile, "It is no bother at all."
"Yes, yes," Joffrey states before extending his hand to Margaery, "Come, there is much I must show you."
Margaery glances back at Elinor and her grandmother before accepting Joffrey's hand, a forced and frightened smile on her lips. Whatever Joffrey wanted to show her, it couldn't have been pretty.
"Would you like to see where all the Targaryens are buried?" Joffrey asks her and Margaery nods her head eagerly despite feeling the exact opposite.
Joffrey guides her around, telling her about each of the Targaryens and how they met their violent ends, finding the peaceful deaths of a few Targaryens to be far too uninteresting. Margaery nods and smiles as she needs to but pays far more attention to the conversation between Elinor and Cersei.
"I'm told that you have two children," Cersei says, and Elinor nods her head.
"Yes, Mariah is here in the capital with me and little William is in Dorne with my father. Soon he'll be back in Highgarden with his father."
"Ah yes, I think I've seen your daughter running around here. She's quite precious, reminds me of Myrcella," Cersei states.
"I met Princess Myrcella in Dorne. She clearly takes after you, she's extremely beautiful," Elinor compliments and Cersei smiles.
"Thank you," Cersei states.
"Myrcella, she loves Dorne. Her and Trystane spend most of their days playing in the Water Gardens. I assure you no harm will come to her," Elinor says, appealing to Cersei from a position of motherhood.
"We mothers cannot help but worry, so pardon me if I don't believe your word," Cersei states. Curious to see Elinor's reaction, Margaery turns away from Joffrey for a second.
Instead, there's a steady and confident smile on Elinor's face, "You're right, Your Grace. I only meant to quell your worries."
"My worries will be quelled when I see my daughter again," Cersei states, before turning her attention back to Olenna.
Margaery turned back to Joffrey, hiding the small smile on her lips. Elinor had successfully done a powerplay, using Myrcella as a way to bait Cersei and remind her that they had something she wanted. That if the situation arose, the Martells could take Myrcella away from them permanently, just as the Lannisters took Elia and her kids.
"My father, he wanted their bodies burned and thrown into the Blackwater but the High Septon convinced him otherwise," Joffrey told her.
"I'm glad he did," Margaery says, earning a look from Joffrey, "I'm sorry Your Grace, I know they did terrible things but their ancestors built this. Sometimes severity is the price we pay for greatness."
Joffrey's expression turns thoughtful, "I couldn't agree more."
Margaery knows she has him right where she wants him as he smiles at her, genuinely smiles at her. A gesture that she easily returns.
Joffrey's attention is then taken away from her as the shouts of the common people outside can be heard. His smile disappears and he seems worried.
"Should we go and see them?" Margaery asks, gaining Joffrey's attention, "If you give them your love, they will return it a thousand-fold. I've spoken with them; I know how they feel about you. You led the defense of King's Landing. They adore you."
Joffrey nods his head, "Open the doors."
Margaery glances back at Cersei and Elinor, a smirk on her lips as she notices the worried expression on the queen's face. She takes Joffrey's arm, hoping to set him at ease as they made their way outside.
"Joffrey," Cersei calls after him, but he ignores her. His eyes are on Margaery and Margaery only.
The people wave and cry out Margaery's name. They cry out Joffrey's as well. She waves to the people in return, a smile on her face. Joffrey glances at her curiously before copying her mannerisms, a smile on his face as they wave at the common people.
She had Joffrey wrapped around her finger. Like she told Elinor, there was nothing that she couldn't handle.