Trial

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***

The King's assassin was being tried in the throne room.

A table draped in green velvet was placed in front of the Iron Throne. The role of judges was fulfilled by the members of the Small Council. The Queen Regent, wearing a dress of a soft green hue that suited her blonde hair, took a seat in the centre. Light sat to the Queen's left, Pycelle to the left, and Baelish and Varys sat to the Queen's right. King Joffrey was behind them all, watching from the Iron Throne.

The gold cloaks ushered the defendant in. Theon Greyjoy was washed, clean-shaven, and dressed in a brand new black doublet with the golden kraken of his house. That was Light's idea. A criminal shouldn't look battered and broken so as not to arouse sympathy. The thick black cloth hid the scars of burns and lashes, and the cup of Arborian Theon had drunk an hour before the trial relaxed and calmed him. Greyjoy was seated in a wooden chair in front of the judges. Three guards stood to his right, left, and back, ready to pounce on the defendant at the slightest attempt to escape.

- Defendant Greyjoy,' Light said. - Do you plead guilty to the murder of King Robert Baratheon?

A wry grin flickered across Theon's lips.

- I do, why wouldn't I? Yes, I killed him.

- Such candour,' Varys sighed. - But denying it would do you no good. All the evidence is against you. The sword found in your chambers bears traces of manticore poison, the same poison that killed our king. I'm surprised it didn't occur to you to throw it away.

- I didn't think I'd end up on trial. On the contrary, I expected a reward.

- And who promised you a reward? - Baelish asked.

- Lord Eddard Stark.

Light relaxed slightly. Until now he had feared that Theon, with his flighty temper, might have broken the script at the most crucial moment. But sanity had prevailed. Greyjoy realised that no one would believe the truth, and too much was promised for a lie.

'You don't have to believe me. Just think with your head. Your death will do the Lannisters no good. We need your father's fleet for war, and we need you to negotiate with him.'

'You want me to blame this on Stark?'

'Exactly. The man has been your jailer for half your life. Blame Stark, say you did his bidding, and the king will show leniency. You'll be sentenced to the Wall, but you won't get there. They'll organise your escape. You will reach Pyke and deliver to your father our offer of alliance.'

'I will become a fugitive. A Kingslayer.'

'Better fugitive than dead. Besides, your crime will mean nothing on the islands. You might even be considered a hero. Your father wants the crown? He'll get it if he supports us in our war with Stannis. The Iron Islands will become an independent nation, and someday you will lead it.'

'King Theon. Sounds like a good one. Much better than master over ships.'

'Still angry about the deception? Sorry, but those are the rules of the game. Trust no one and try to use others more effectively than they use you.'

'You know, Lancel, I sometimes think you're much older than I am.'

- Lord Stark and King Robert were best friends,' Varys remarked. - It is hard to believe that Lord Eddard would plot to kill his friend.

- They may have been friends in the past,' Theon shrugged. - But in recent years Lord Eddard had spoken of the king with nothing but contempt. A fat, incompetent fool, were the mildest of his words. In public, of course, he pretended he and the King were still friends. But he was secretly plotting to overthrow him.

- And what,' said Pycelle, coughing, 'what was the villain's plot?

- Before he died, the king was to dictate a will appointing Stark as Joffrey's regent. To remove the Queen Mother from power and keep the young king on the hook, Stark concocted some 'evidence' that supposedly showed Joffrey's illegitimate origins. By blackmailing Joffrey and his mother with this 'evidence,' Stark planned to take all power for himself. Marrying the young king to his daughter was to finally subjugate the monarch to his criminal will.

- What a terrible plan,' Cersei shuddered very plausibly. - But why did it come to naught? Why did Lord Stark escape?

- Stark was thwarted by chance. He hadn't expected Ser Jaime to challenge him at the worst possible moment. Stark was wounded in his battle with Jaime before he could forge his will, and he didn't have enough men to take power by force. So he ran away and left me to my fate.

- It's strange that Lord Stark's evil plans were based on something as fragile as a will,' Varys said. - It's just a piece of paper. A piece of paper that can be torn up.

- No, Lord Varys,' Cersei said indignantly. - My late husband's will is sacred to me. It would never occur to me to challenge it, much less tear it up. Lord Stark's monstrous plan had every chance of succeeding. How fortunate that my brother prevented it.

- And lucky your cousin exposed the villain,' Baelish added.

Cersei's left hand slid under the table and stroked Light's knee. In her right hand, the queen twirled a quill thoughtfully.

- What role in Stark's plans did you play, defendant Greyjoy?

- Stark gave me the poisoned sword. On his orders, I took part in the general fight and wounded the king. As a reward, Stark promised to make me master of ships.

- So that's why you were so anxious to get to the throne room,' Light said. - You didn't know about Stark's escape yet, did you?

- That's right, I didn't. When I realised Stark had deceived me and betrayed me, I decided to come clean.

- Well,' Cersei summarised. Her hand travelled up Light's thigh to his groin. - The circumstances of the crime are clear to the court, and the defendant's guilt is undeniable. As is his remorse. I would recommend the Wall. But what will our king decide?

- Women have soft hearts,' Joffrey snorted. - As long as I am king, there is no forgiveness for murderers! Cut off his head!

Theon didn't scream or even flinch. There were just large drops of sweat on his forehead.

'We'll trick him. We'll promise him a pardon and actually execute him. But we'll make it look like Joffrey made the decision on his own, without consulting us. Make the king look stern and the queen look merciful.'

'Lancel, you are a marvel! A splendid plan. I can already see that fool's head at the peak!'

'We will be completely cleared of guilt. Stark will turn out to be the villain and we will be the heroes.'

'Yes, Lancel! That's the way it's going to be! And when it does, my sweet cousin, I expect you in my bedroom. I appreciate your service for the good of our family, but sometimes you can relax. It is not right for you to neglect a poor lonely widow.'

'Of course, your majesty, with great pleasure.'

Ser Ilyn Payne slowly approached Theon, drawing his sword as he went. Cersei watched the execution with avid curiosity. The near death of a man she had used and deceived excited her: the emeralds of her eyes shone, her breathing quickened, her cheeks turned pink. The queen's hand stroked Light's cock.

Ser Ilyn's sword separated Theon's head from his torso.

***

Light hadn't lied to Theon when he told him his death was disadvantageous to the Lannisters. A dead hostage is useless. As for the danger of exposure, it was nullified when Theon publicly named Lord Eddard as the main conspirator. Even if he were to tell the truth in the future, no one would believe him. So, in the interests of House Lannister, Theon should have been spared. Not let him go to the islands, of course (there's no telling what he'll do when he gets his long-awaited freedom), and not exiled to the Wall, where the rebellious Starks had a strong influence, but left a prisoner in King's Landing. But that would have been difficult to implement practically, and more importantly, there was a strong argument in favour of executing him.

While an alliance with the islanders is beneficial in the short term, in the long term their existence is a problem. Looting and robbery are an integral part of their culture, hence they are easier to kill than to reeducate. The death of his son will unleash Lord Balon and provoke him into another rebellion. The old kraken has already proven himself capable of launching a suicidal war against all of Westeros, and now that the country is divided, there is no better chance for the pirates. It doesn't matter who the Greyjoys attack: the Starks, the Lannisters, or anyone else. They don't have the strength to conquer even one of the Seven Kingdoms, but they'd give a fine excuse for their own destruction.

Lord Tywin might have understood and even approved of the plan, had Light been able to lay it out in private. But Cersei was to be influenced by other arguments. Fear of exposure was enough to make the queen consent to Theon's execution, and the deception of clemency was enough to thrill her. The queen fell a long, passionate kiss on Light's lips, rubbed her thigh against his, and promised to arrange everything. Joffrey played his part to perfection, Baelish didn't get in the way. Varys was the only one with tricky questions, but Light saw it coming and taught Theon the right answers.

Theon's body was carried away, and the courtiers reached for the exit. At home they would tell their loved ones about the details of the trial, and they would share them with their friends and acquaintances, and soon the whole capital would know that Lord Stark had killed the king, and that the evidence of the queen's treason that Stark and Stannis wrote about had been fabricated by them.

The King descended from the Iron Throne and retired to his chambers. The members of the Small Council made their way to the council chamber. On the way, Cersei feigned weakness, and Light had to give her a shoulder to lean on. It wasn't very comfortable, for Lancel was smaller than Jaime, so Cersei was as tall and heavy as her beau. But Light bravely clenched his teeth and dragged his pleasure-soaked wife (I wondered if she'd cum when Theon's head was chopped off. Or was it just a little short?) his cousin to her seat. After catching her breath and drinking a glass of Arborian, Cersei ordered her to begin.

- 'Your majesty,' Light said. - 'I believe Lord Renly's death opens an opportunity for us. You must be aware of his relationship with Ser Loras Tyrell. I even feared that Renly might bring the Tyrells to his side by marrying Ser Loras' sister, Margaery. But what death has prevented Renly from doing, we can do.

Cersei stared at him in surprise.

- Marry Margaery? Who, you?

- No, your majesty. I doubt Lord Mace would agree to give his daughter to last night's squire. But for a king.

The queen's nostrils flared with anger.

- Lancel, if you think I'll let you choose a wife for my son, you are sorely mistaken.

- The choice, your majesty, is not mine, but yours. As the king's counsellor, I am merely giving you advice.

Cersei smiled arrogantly.

- Well, Lancel. I have listened to your advice, and I find it foolish. And unnecessary.

- Your Majesty,' Pycelle grumbled, 'I echo Ser Lancel's advice. Now that the country is threatened by the usurper Stannis, we need new alliances. An alliance with the Tyrells, Your Grace, will help us win this war.

- We're already winning it. The river lords are running from my brother like hares.

- Speaking of hares,' Baelish smiled. - I saw his majesty King Joffrey firing a crossbow at them this morning. The gamekeeper fired eight, and the king shot two of them. The hares win by a wide margin.

Cersei frowned: she did not like witticisms aimed at her or her children.

- Stannis Baratheon and Eddard Stark have set sail from Dragonstone,' Varys reported. - No doubt they are heading each to their own clan lands to raise armies there. Together they have more forces than the crown, not counting the river lords, who have not yet been completely defeated. Your Majesty, I support Ser Lancel and the Grand Maester's judgement. We need this alliance.

- 'Your majesty,' said Baelish, 'I join my colleagues' opinion. Moreover, I am ready to personally go to the negotiations as soon as you provide me with the necessary retinue and a document confirming my authority.

I wonder what advantage he sees in that?

- I will not marry my son without his consent, Cersei said.

- Then talk to him,' Light said. - But hurry, Your Grace. Don't let our enemies get ahead of us and offer the Tyrells an alliance first.

Baelish, Varys, and Pycelle nodded in agreement. Cersei gave her advisers a confused look... and gave up.

- Do as you see fit.

- One more thing, Your Grace,' Varys began. - I don't know if I should bother you with such trivial matters....

- Go on, tell me.

- Daenerys Targaryen is expecting a child.

Cersei snorted contemptuously.

- What do I care about the herdsman's whore and her brat?

Pycelle became agitated.

- 'Your majesty, this is a serious threat. If Daenerys has a son, he will be a pretender to the throne. A whole horde of Dothraki will descend upon us!

- Not before their horses learn to navigate the sea,' Cersei said. - Enough, I'm tired. This council is over.

***

Light paused in front of Cersei's bedroom door, thinking again. A liaison with the queen would have a major impact on the nation's politics, but it also carried risks. If Jaime found out... but Jaime was far away, and Cersei was close, and it would be unwise to refuse her. Jaime won't be back until the Riverlands campaign is over, and then Lord Tywin will probably use Ser Boros's expulsion from the Guard as a precedent and release his son from his oath. Jaime will go to the Cliff to learn how to rule his future domain. And then he'll marry. Unless he gets the idea to go against his father's wishes and stay with Cersei against all odds. And if he does?

Then we have to get Cersei to turn him down. Light has a year or so - the war in the Riverlands isn't likely to last much longer - to make the queen fall in love with him. Not such a difficult task. Yes, Lancel is younger, shorter, and not as dazzlingly handsome as Jaime. But what a woman likes in a man is determination first, then intelligence. Light has plenty of both. Cersei is scheming, cunning and cruel? Light will show her intrigue, cunning and cruelty. The queen must believe that in her cousin she's found a copy of herself, her soul mate. The main thing is not to overdo it. Marrying a woman seventeen years older than him was not in Light's intentions.

The queen changed her modest green dress for another, richer and more revealing one. The Lannister purple and gold matched the gold-encrusted rubies with which the queen adorned her neck and wrists. The sleeve cut-outs revealed delicate white forearms, the shortened hem gave a glimpse of rounded hips, and the neckline was so deep it barely covered her nipples. The queen was drinking wine, sitting comfortably in a chair. Pointing to a neighbouring chair, she graciously poured him one as well.

- I thought you weren't coming,' Cersei said grudgingly. - You've rejected my advances for so long that if it weren't for your visits to the brothel, I'd think you were in the same company as Ser Loras.

- Your Majesty, you know how busy I've been. The Master's work on the laws, the Theon enquiry.

- And you've handled it all brilliantly,' Cersei interrupted. - You were a little out of line in suggesting my son's marriage, but I admit it's a good idea. Joff has already agreed. Lord Baelish will go to Highgarden tomorrow.

- Wonderful news, your majesty.

The full pink lips smiled. The queen's palm touched Light's wrist.

- Call me Cersei. We are one family.

- I know how much you love your kin, Cersei.

The queen laughed.

- I can't love a drunken oaf of a husband. I'm a lioness of the Cliff, and a lioness should belong to a lion. One or the other, it doesn't matter.

- So I'm just a substitute?

Not that Light cared. But the queen was expecting that question, so no need to disappoint her. Cersei stared at him through a glass filled with ruby-red liquid.

- 'In a way,' she admitted. - You see, Lancel, I'm being honest with you. If you were a naive fool, I'd lie that I was in love with you, or that I needed your protection... but I see that you and I are alike. The way you dealt with my husband impressed me. The way you framed Theon impressed me even more. And tonight... I have to admit, I didn't believe until the very end that you could get the Greyjoy boy to sing our song, but you did it. I admire you, Lancel. And a little sorry.

- What do you regret, Cersei?

- I wish the gods had given Jaime half your mind.

Light rose from his chair, walked over to Cersei, who had also risen, and kissed her. The height difference was minimal, only a couple of centimetres in Cersei's favour.

The queen unbuttoned Light's clothes, and he unzipped her dress. Soon both were completely naked. Light's cock was already standing. Lancel's nature had not deprived him, it was not huge, but larger than average. Cersei knelt down and took it into her mouth.

She sucked it well. No matter how hard Light tried to delay his orgasm, the teenager's body took over and after five minutes, white liquid flooded Cersei's face. The queen stood up, wiped her face with her hand and, looking into Light's eyes, licked each finger slowly and with pleasure.

- Your turn,' she said as she pressed her hands on Lyta's shoulders.

As she caressed the queen with her tongue and fingers, Light listened to her moans with satisfaction and soon felt the moisture on his fingers. He himself became aroused as well. Noticing this, Cersei jerked him up by his armpits, laid him on his back in the bed, and saddled him. Light gripped her hips and controlled the pace, her breasts bouncing in time with his thrusts. This time Light lasted longer. Cersei was the first to cum, he cum on her belly, she rolled off him, satisfied and sticky, and began to tickle him. Light responded in kind. Cersei squealed and tried to roll over him, but Light caught her, flipped her onto her stomach and lifted her pelvis up, bringing her behind him. After her second orgasm, Cersei rolled over onto her back, legs, arms, and hair spread across the silk sheets. Light covered her body with kisses, Cersei stroked and scratched him - and laughed, laughed, laughed. Then she wrapped her long, slender legs around his waist and they merged together again.

Falling asleep, Cersei stroked his head gently and whispered: Jaime.