Chapter 10

Chapter 10: I can fix her

…

Richard POV

The night air clung to me as I scaled the cliffs of Casterly Rock, the sea breeze biting at my skin. The wind carried the salty tang of the ocean, but I barely noticed it. My focus was fixed on the climb, each movement precise as my adamantium claws carved into the rock. This ascent would have been impossible for most, but for me, it was second nature—an effortless journey to the balcony above.

Once I reached the top, I paused, glancing around to ensure I was alone before pulling myself over the ledge. The room beyond was dim, lit only by the flicker of a few candles. The shadows danced lazily across the stone walls, casting long, uneven shapes, but my attention was drawn to the small figure sitting in the corner.

Cersei. A little girl with golden hair, her wide green eyes—so much like mine—lifted toward me as soon as I entered. Her pout was evident, her small lips pressed into a frown, and guilt tugged at my chest. I had been away too long, too busy with my own family, my growing responsibilities. I hadn't been able to visit her like I should have.

Quietly, I crossed the room, my steps soundless. I set my leather bag down on the small table, unpacking the plate and utensils with care. From within, I pulled out the pancakes I had brought, their warmth still clinging to them. As I drizzled honey over the stack, the sweet scent filled the air, and I saw her expression shift. The frown melted away, replaced by a smile that lit up her face.

"Pancakes!" she squealed, her earlier annoyance forgotten as she darted toward me, reaching eagerly for the plate.

"Here you go," I said, handing it to her. Her excitement was pure, untainted, and I couldn't help but smile as she hurried back to her bed, settling in with the plate on her lap. She dug into the pancakes, her small hands working quickly, and for a moment, the room was filled only with the sound of her eating.

But as I watched her, the joy I felt was bittersweet. Beneath it all, the weight of my decision pressed down on me. Three moons ago, I had almost killed her. I'd come here ready to stop the future John Falcon had shown me—a future where this innocent child would become a cruel, manipulative queen, one who would bring ruin to countless lives.

But when I saw her, this small girl with fear in her eyes, I couldn't do it. I had hesitated, and that hesitation changed everything.

Instead of taking her life, I made a different choice. I decided to try to mold her into someone better, someone who wouldn't grow into the woman I had seen in Falcon's memories. I wasn't naive—I knew how dangerous this could be. But I was good with kids. I had learned that from years of taking care of Alicent and others in my family. Hundreds of them, really. And children, in their innocence, were easy to guide.

So, I began visiting her regularly. I brought her food from John Falcon's world—pancakes quickly became her favorite. At first, she was wary of me, scared of the stranger who appeared in the night. But the food won her over. Slowly, she started opening up to me. Children are easy to fool when you give them what they want.

Each week, on the seventh night, I would come. We'd have dessert, and then we'd spar. She was quick, stronger than most would expect for her age. She even bragged about besting her brother, Jaime, in practice. I could see the potential in her—the same potential that could turn her into something dark, but also, with enough guidance, into something better.

My methods were working. Little by little, I was steering her away from the path Falcon had shown me. She was still just a child, after all, and children could be shaped, changed.

For now, I had time.

I was still deep in thought when Cersei suddenly piped up, her voice cutting through the silence. "I finished eating. Now let's duel!" She hopped off the bed, placing her plate on the table with a clatter.

I watched her as she rummaged through the leather bag, her brow furrowed when she couldn't find the wooden training swords we usually used.

"Where are the swords, Rick?" she asked, glancing back at me. She called me "Rick" because I couldn't give her my real name. Cersei, with her sharp mind, had pressed me before, but I had dodged the questions well enough to keep my secret.

Instead of answering right away, I leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. "Cersei, do you remember last time we spoke, you asked me if you could leave Casterly Rock?"

She paused, her small face clouding over with confusion. She fidgeted, her fingers tracing the edges of the table. "No… I don't want to anymore," she said quietly, her voice taking on a sad tone that caught me off guard.

That wasn't the answer I had expected. "What changed your mind?" I asked, curious. The last time I'd been here, she'd been so determined, speaking of how she wanted to see the world beyond these stone walls. I hadn't visited in a fortnight, and I needed to know what had shifted in her thinking.

Cersei's fingers stilled, and she looked down, suddenly nervous. "Last time I asked… you left. For a while," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want that."

Her words hit me harder than I anticipated. She was only a child, but her attachment, the way she connected my absence to her question, struck something deeper within me. I'd thought she was just eager for adventure, to break free from this place. But it wasn't just that. It was me—my leaving that had made her doubt.

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. I crouched down to her level, making sure she could see my face clearly. "I didn't leave because of what you said, Cersei," I told her, my voice gentle but firm. "I had to take care of some things, but it wasn't your fault. I'm here now, aren't I?"

She didn't answer, but the tension in her shoulders eased a little, her fingers no longer fidgeting.

"How about we skip the duel tonight?" I suggested. "I want to take you out like you wanted."

Cersei looked up at me, her green eyes searching mine for any deceit, and after a moment, she excitedly nodded.

Just like that, we were scaling down Casterly Rock. I told her to hold tight. Her small body pressed against mine, her legs wrapping around my waist, her arms circling my neck.

The height from her room was dizzying—1,000 feet from the ground. If I were alone, I would've leaped straight into the sea below, but with Cersei, I couldn't risk it. My adamantium claws found their holds in the rock, securing us as I descended.

As we moved, I could feel her tension slowly melting away. To calm her even more, I hummed softly, a tune from John Falcon's world. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star…" The melody filled the quiet night, soothing both of us as I continued the descent.

By the time we reached the ground, Cersei's worry had evaporated. The moment her feet touched the sand, she was off, running toward the sea with a burst of childish glee. Her laughter echoed in the air as she kicked at the water, splashing with abandon, her golden hair gleaming under the moonlight.

I stood watching her for a moment, a smile tugging at my lips despite the pang in my chest. She was so full of life, but trapped in a cage of stone and power—a little bird who didn't yet know she was caged.

After a few moments, I joined her, showing her how to build sandcastles and carve simple sculptures in the sand. She threw herself into the task with boundless enthusiasm, giggling as she shaped the wet sand into towers and walls. For a while, it felt like the world outside didn't exist, like this was the only moment that mattered.

But eventually, it was time to return. I hoisted her onto my chest, her arms wrapping around me once more as I began the climb back up the cliff. The ascent was slower this time, the weight of our shared time together heavy in the air. Cersei held onto me tightly, but there was no fear—just quiet trust.

When we reached her balcony, I set her down gently, her small feet making no sound as they touched the stone.

"Goodbye, Cersei," I said softly, watching as she turned toward the dimly lit room.

"When's your next visit?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry, her green eyes soft as she waited for my answer.

"Next week, back to our usual," I promised with a nod, wanting to ease her concerns.

She gave a small, satisfied nod, and I said my final goodbye, stepping back to the edge of the balcony. Without hesitation, I dove off, plunging into the cold waters below. The sea swallowed me whole, the darkness comforting in its depth.

As I surfaced, I glanced back toward Casterly Rock, the towering fortress looming over the shore. From this distance, I could barely make out Cersei's figure on the balcony, but I knew she was there, watching.

I would return, again and again, for as long as it took. Until I could change her future. Until she became something other than what fate had written for her.