Margaery
The Unofficial Queen had chosen to spend the day with her future niece, helping the young girl try on her wedding dress in the next three days.
In honesty she is dissatisfied with how things are going, she wanted to be a real King's wife; a Queen. Yet she is forced to marry Loren, granted he is her best friend and lover but he is only Hand of the King. Tommen could easily dismiss him and she wouldn't be the most powerful woman in the Kingdoms, just the Westerlands.
Especially a Westerlands that has no more gold mines, silver and jewels can only increase one's wealth so much. Gold lasts, gold ensures power and so does marrying a King of which she has neither. She accepted purely out of not thinking about it, that she was still angry and frustrated that she is missing her chance at being the wife of the King to some little girl from the Stormlands.
There is no point in worrying about this now, as much as she dislikes it because she lost, and now can only hope her children can do where she had failed.
"Oh, that looks lovely my dear!" She said and got up to approach the thirteen-year-old, her dress isn't revealing but covers a good bit of her body which gives off her innocence. Shireen blushed and looked down, quite unsure of herself from the expression in the girls blue eyes. "Is something wrong? You look troubled." She asked with genuine care, or at least that's what she wanted it to sound like and it did.
"Tommen his other told him I was comely, that he should break the betrothal and set me aside." The girl had both relief and fear when saying this, it was as if she was caught in between agreeing and disagreeing with what the Shrew Queen said.
Understandable that Shireen didn't want this at all, she is marrying into the family that captured and put her father to death. She would have hated the family if she was in the girl's place, not even Loren would soothe her anger. Then the other side is that Shireen and Tommen have gotten along quite well, taking walks in the gardens and spending the day reading stories or seeing the dragon skulls beneath the Red Keep. A smile came to her lips and she placed a hand on the younger girls knee, gripping it a little not to cause pain.
"Listen to me. Cersei is a whore, excuse my language but its true. If anyone is comely it is her, you might not have beauty in a physical sense, but this." SHe gestured by putting a finger on the girls head, "Your mind is a true beauty, some just have the fortunate blessings of both. Now don't listen to Cersei, listen to me or Tommen or most importantly, Loren." The mere mention of her fiancé's name caused the girl to tense, it is again understandable.
"Yes, my Lady." She cracked a large smile, at least the child knows her place and she doesn't mind at all.
A few hours pass on and she was entertaining her grandmother, thankful they have more to talk about since she was brought into the loop when Loren told her about his plans.
Months back when she was actually intending on marrying Joffrey the Mad, she knew it was her goal but it didn't mean she liked it at all. She had wanted to be Queen, and she feels she's done this and yet her grandmother all but told her she'd killed her new husband. Then her newest marriage prospect told her that he had plans to take power for himself, and would share this power with her and her family despite robbing the title of King from them.
"So do you know who is marrying, you or the girl? No one knows besides his Kingship and Loren." She sipped her tea and answered her grandmother's question.
"Loren doesn't want many to know, but the King and Lady Shireen. He said the Queen came to him the other day, poking him for information which is why he's paid the masons to hasten the completion the other day." She explained and the elder woman nodded, understanding Loren's necessity. Her grandmother's face became stone, serious and stern.
"Remember, my child. Loren is a cunning man, do not reveal too much to him or fall for him. Make him yours, he needs to be OUR follower in the end."
She nodded, her family and their plans come first.
And to be honest their marriage won't be love. Lust? yes, Passion? absolutely, Ambition? without a doubt. Loren and her relationships are purely business, the sex and the affection are simply added to the deal. She just hopes Loren doesn't think of turning his back on them if she fails to bear him children or if she fails to make him fall first.
"Well, let us speak of something else. Like my own wedding... "
Night came and she was getting dressed for bed when she was visited by none other than Cersei Lannister, her guard let the woman in on her word. She was defiant where her handmaiden had bowed, she stood tall and had her head high. It made the shrew contort in anger at her, and she smirk and crossed her arms pressing against her breasts.
Needless to say, they went back and forth, poking one another for information. She isn't Loren, has no relationship with her and knows when a woman is trying to play nice. Small but subtle insults were thrown at one another and at one moment she got the wench to grit her teeth. Soon enough came the hour of the wolf, and she was bidding her goodbye.
"I know you and Loren are planning something, I won't be secretive about it. I will stop both of you with everything at my disposal." Cersei threatened and she smirked back.
"I don't know what you mean, I and my future husband want nothing more than to serve the King." She said this as sweetly as she can, enough to anger the woman at least.
"Don't be coy! Loren acted the same way some time ago. Do you believe I will let you use my son, use the court for your own ends? No, I will stop it."
She left not too long after, shutting the chamber doors behind her. She simply huffed and turned to her handmaidens, Mira, and Sera looking more than a little awkward. She told them not to worry and preferably forget the bickering between her and Cersei, they obliged and bid her a good night and said they would be here the next morning to dress her for the day.
She dreamt of the next two days and see her and Loren's plant bare fruit, then the day after this their own wedding.
Cersei
Cunts. The both of them.
She gripped her hands into fists, wishing she had struck the defiant bitch where she belongs. She just might with what she will fill Tommen's head with once she reaches his chamber, yes it's the Hour of the Wolf but she's his mother and what she is going to say is very important.
"The King is resting." One of the Kingsguard told her and she glared him to back away, he did and she entered the chamber and saw her sons handmaidens dressing her son.
"Mother? What is it, what's wrong?" Her son asked her and she smiled gleefully before having the servants removed, enduring they were both alone and it was private.
"Treason."
She left an hour later with a look of victory, her son will now strip her brother from his high horse and gut while he is at it.
She's won this fight and she knows it.
Tommen
Over the last month and a half, his uncle has done all he can, bringing commerce back to the markets and increasing the size of the city guards so they may better protect the people of his city. Outside the large debt is being paid to the Iron Bank, a debt his brother and even Tywin were willing to let go. His uncle had also tied House Lannister with House Tyrell to ensure they back them forever, so he can see why he doubts what his mother had said to him.
Taking bribes, increasing his power and authority, building a castle to outshine his own holding. Then there is the main matters of treason such as being behind the murders of his grandfather and brother, even going as far as to say he is growing a faction: no a regime to overthrow his fathers that he made with defeating the Last Dragon on the Trident.
But his mother made him doubt, doubt that his uncle truly has the best interest for his reign and the realm. That his mother might be right, he needs to be certain and confront his uncle, mother said not to but to act and seize his Hand of the King for the treason she informed Loren has done. He will see this matter and its crimes true or false.
"Lord Loren, your Grace." He heard Ser Meryn say and he nodded for the Knight to let his uncle inside, he rose to greet Loren upon seeing him walk in with his eyes looking right at him.
"Uncle." He greeted.
"Nephew, or my King as it should. You summoned me?" His uncle asked him and he nodded, gesturing for him to approach.
"I have heard damning things, from mother. Uncle, is what she is saying true? Do you plan to usurp my bloodline, after all, you've done." He asked and got a cold stare from his Hand, no fury or surprise just silence. "If they are true I want you to, resign, and leave the capital... " He said with each step his uncle approached even further until he was towering over him, The Red Eye earned his moniker with this stare as word was he wasn't even swayed by children who begged him not to die.
"You would believe your mother, I understand. I also understand that she has been lying to you and everyone for a very long time." He didn't understand what his uncle was saying, what lies has mother been keeping from him and everyone.
"What do you mean. Answer my questions, I am your King." He has to be strong, has to be brave like his father as mother said to him during the Battle of King's Landing. Loren gleamed in delight as he stared at him, making his bend just slightly.
"That you, my nephew. You are no King at all, no Baratheon at all, you and Myrcella are but bastards between brother, and sister." He was disturbed and shocked, it has to be a lie and was going to go ahead and dismiss his uncle from his service but Loren continued, "Listen to me, I own the court now. A month of buying each of the officials and courtiers and I rule, do you know what this means?" Shaking his head no his uncle continued on.
"I am powerful, was the third before Tyrion killed my father. So one word of my agreeing to Stannis's rants on you and your siblings being bastards, well... Then I, the court and the Small Council will have to serve our true Queen, won't we." His eyes widened at what his uncle was implying, is he this insane.
"You, you would kill me?! I am family!" He said terrified, "Ser Meryn! Take my uncle into custody for treason!" He commanded, Ser Meryn came in slowly and with no sword in hand. "What are you waiting for? Do it!" He commanded and the Knight wouldn't budge, his uncle suddenly began to laugh a little.
"You will learn. I know it, you will learn that you are not in charge as Jaime and Cersei and even Kevan would believe. I have been spat upon by my father, been shat on by Joffrey and Cersei, I am done being the one standing behind but rather charge from the front. You are not the King, or at least not in the court you aren't. Good day, bastard."
His uncle left with orders that none be allowed inside unless his 'Grace' wishes to wander about, Ser Meryn nodded and shut the door behind them and left him alone and defeated. He felt helpless and realized that he isn't as powerful as he would have liked to be. His uncle, a man he wished was trustworthy has proven to him this day that he isn't, he's as cunning as that lion on their banners.
The Scarred Lion bares his jaws, and they are very sharp.