chapter 155 part 2
Glyn's current duty was as an officer in the queen's service. When the time came, a furious Robert might vent his anger on the boy. Therefore, he planned to find a suitable opportunity to have Glyn leave King's Landing for a while. Once things here were settled, he could be called back.
Glyn stopped in his tracks. His eyes flickered for a moment before he said, "Lord Eddard, I am at your disposal at any time."
Glyn's gaze once again swept over the book on the Hand's desk before he bowed and took his leave.
…
…
The Red Keep, in the Godswood.
Lord Eddard handed a letter sealed with the direwolf sigil to his Captain of the Guard, Jory Cassel. "Give this to Cersei in Maegor's Holdfast. Go."
The thick walls surrounding the Godswood blocked out the hustle and bustle of the castle.
Lord Eddard heard the cawing of a raven, then the rustle of leaves in the wind. It was tranquil and serene here. The heart tree of this place was a great oak, and though it had no carved face, Lord Eddard could still feel the presence of the Old Gods he worshipped.
The Godswood was empty. Lord Eddard, immersed in its tranquility, lost all track of time.
At sunset, the clouds above the tall towers were already tinged with red.
Cersei Lannister's figure appeared. She had, as requested, come alone. Lord Eddard nodded slightly from a distance.
Queen Cersei walked up to him and looked down at Lord Eddard, who was sitting on the grass. Her tone was as proud as ever. "Stark, why did you summon me here?"
When she received Lord Eddard's letter, Cersei had guessed that the direwolf wanted to see her about the betrothal. She had deliberately waited until near sunset before making her way over.
Queen Cersei's cascading golden hair danced lightly in the wind. Her emerald green eyes were like the lush leaves of midsummer, and her pale skin seemed to emit a faint rosy glow.
Lord Eddard raised his eyes to look at Queen Cersei… She was still beautiful. It had been a long time since he had truly appreciated Cersei's beauty, and now he was reminded of it once more.
Eddard said calmly, "So that the gods may bear witness."
"Let us hope the gods are free today."
After speaking, Queen Cersei sat down on the grass beside Lord Eddard, her every movement exceedingly graceful.
Lord Eddard looked into the distance and said, "The seed is strong. Those were Jon Arryn's last words."
"I wasn't paying attention."
Queen Cersei studied Lord Eddard's stern face and said coolly, "Lord Hand Stark, I am in no mood to play guessing games with you. Is this why you called me here?"
Lord Eddard looked at Queen Cersei, his gaze becoming sharp. "Was it the Kingslayer, Jaime? I am not asking of your brother, but of your lover."
Queen Cersei turned her head to look at Lord Eddard. Her face showed no reaction to his words.
Queen Cersei said frankly, "He is both my brother and my lover. The Targaryens wed brother to sister for three hundred years to keep the bloodline pure. We have been together since we were children. What is so wrong about it? Jaime and I are not just siblings; we are two halves of the same life. When we were born, he came into this world holding my foot."
As she spoke, a faint smile touched her lips. "Only when we are joined do I feel whole."
Perhaps it was because of Cersei's unabashed frankness, but when he confirmed the answer face-to-face, he was not as consumed with rage as he had imagined.
"It seems those three children are all Jaime's."
"Thank the gods they were free."
…
After a moment of silence, Lord Eddard couldn't help but voice the question in his heart.
"Cersei, you and Robert have been married for over a decade. Why have you never had children of your own?"
Queen Cersei's expression was disdainful. "That brute of yours made me pregnant once. My brother found a maester to help me get rid of it. That person never even knew it happened."
As she spoke, her tone became contemptuous. "Stark, I will be blunt with you. I cannot bear to have that person touch a single hair on my head. That person and I have not been together for many years… If that person manages to stay away from his whores for a moment and stumbles his drunken way to my chambers… I have other ways to satisfy him. In any case, no matter what we do, that person is usually dead drunk and forgets everything by the next day."
As Queen Cersei finished speaking, Lord Eddard's brow furrowed even deeper, and the confusion in his heart also deepened.
Lord Eddard sensed the profound hatred she held for Robert in her words… Had something happened that he didn't know about?
Regardless of his inner thoughts, Lord Eddard's voice remained calm. "I remember what Robert looked like on that day. He charmed nearly every woman present. You both received everyone's blessings that day."
He then asked, "Cersei, what did he do to make you hate him so?"
Hearing Lord Eddard's words, Queen Cersei's eyes instantly ignited with the green fire of fury, like the lioness on the Lannister sigil.
"Why do I hate him?! On our wedding night, our first time sharing a bed, he called out your sister's name. He was on top of me, stinking of wine, and he dared to whisper the name Lyanna in my ear."
Blue winter roses. A flash of sorrow crossed Lord Eddard's face. "I truly do not know whether to pity you or to pity him."
Queen Cersei said coldly, "Wolf, a lioness has no need of pity. That is an insult to me."
Lord Eddard's grey eyes stared at Queen Cersei for a moment, then he spoke, "Cersei, you know very well what I must do."
Eddard had originally planned only to find a way to save the three children. But after his conversation with Cersei, he changed his mind… Just like that mistaken spring, perhaps the union of Robert and Cersei was a mistaken marriage. He would let her leave with her three children.
"Stark, what must be done?"
Queen Cersei seemed to ask this question as if to herself. Then she stretched out a pale, slender hand and placed it on Lord Eddard's thigh.
"A real man… he usually does what he wants to do, not what he has to do."
As Queen Cersei spoke, her fingers slowly stroked Lord Eddard's thigh.
Queen Cersei leaned in close, her voice uncharacteristically gentle. "Lord Hand Eddard, Joffrey is still years away from his majority. The Realm needs a strong Hand of the King. No one wants to start another war, especially not me."
Queen Cersei's hand caressed Lord Eddard's cheek and hair as she continued, "If friends can turn into bitter enemies, why can't we turn from enemies to friends? The Lady of Winterfell is thousands of miles away… What you need, you can find greater pleasure with me."
Queen Cersei's hands wrapped around the back of Lord Eddard's neck, her body exuding a warm invitation. "Eddard, be good to me. I swear you will not regret it."
(end of chapter)