Fosterage VI

- 273 AC -

- Casterly Rock, Westerlands -

(Robert POV)

"Fuuu"

I swipe the sweat off my forehead after I finish the last stitch. Finally finished. This only took hours ... It would have been far less stressful if he had allowed me to do this from the beginning. F*cking twat. 

"Is ... is that it? Are you finished?", Tywin asks. I can see he is exhausted as well. The stress was probably harder for him than it was for me. Granted, I held all the cards in my hands and had to make sure that the woman at least survived in order to avoid a war, but he had to watch all that. Eh, I don't have any sympathy for him. 

"It is. The good news is that your wife will live. The bad news is that she will probably not have a very good time. She was hurt very badly and I only managed to stop more damage from happening. It is by no means perfect. Whether she survives and how that life will be ... I do not know."

The man gulps hard. 

"Thank you."

"Eh, nevermind.", I say and start packing up everything. This was stressful. I think I might take a break from doing this any time soon. A good fight would be best now. Curse this rather small stature ... well I guess it's not that small. I should continue training with weights again. I like the feeling of my muscles burning after a good workout. Probably my bloodline ... 

"I'm going now. If there are any complications, you know where to find me.", I say and stand up to move out of the room. 

"What of Tyrion? Is he healthy?"

"Young Tyrion is what you would describe as a dwarf. Other than his stature, he is perfectly healthy. At least as far as I can tell."

"Why do you think this happened? Is there something that could have been done?"

"... I can't say for sure, Lord Tywin."

"Tell me."

"All I can tell you for sure, Lord Tywin ... is that something like that doesn't just happen overnight. It takes months for a body to form in the womb. That's all I can say.", I say and then leave the room. That was a little present for the Maester for trying to ruin my reputation. Let him solve that one out himself. 

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(3rd Person POV)

Robert returned to the inn and fell asleep after eating a hearty meal. He was quite exhausted, but not physically. Mentally he felt like he spent days doing very complicated work. He was only 11, almost 12 so that much was understandable. It is different to fight for hours or lift heavy weights than to do surgery for hours without a break. 

He told Jon and Ned roughly what happened and then went to get some shut-eye. 

The next day, the news of the newest Lannister birth was announced and people were talking in the streets about it. The second day of the tourney had arrived. Jon, Ned and Robert went to attend it and watched the knights push each other from their horses. Robert never really enjoyed jousting. It didn't really simulate a real battle as you rode towards each other in a straight, even path. 

Nothing much happened that day. Robert went back to the brothel to have another look and see after them. He was sowing the seeds of his plan every day. He listened to what they had to say and joked around with them. He refused to bed them, however. He was a smart man. He knew about STDs and in this unprotected world, he was not going to suffer an STD. He would have to invent the condom first ... or die a virgin. But virginity is cool ... at least he told himself that. 

In truth, he knew that sickness won't matter very soon. The time still hadn't come for his bloodline to awaken fully. But when it did, he would become a different beast altogether. The world probably wasn't ready for it. 

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The day after, Jon, Ned and Robert were invited by Tywin Lannister to dine with him and his family. It was a rather tense matter at the start. But everyone managed to loosen up a bit when Robert took it upon himself to carry the conversation. He started to ask Jamie and Cersei Lannister questions about Casterly Rock, their hobbies, likes and dislikes. He showed interest in anything they said and gave them the feeling of belonging to the table, despite their age. 

They were 7 right now but Robert managed to make them forget that fact and talk to them like equals. That's what it seemed to them at least. Interestingly enough, there was something to the situation which was weird. Something happened during the meal that would change the course of the world. A small spark that would grow to become bigger, if nurtured. 

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(Cersei POV)

I peek around the corner, my golden curls fall over her shoulder since I haven't cut them in a long time. I want them to be long. Mother said they are the most beautiful curls in the seven kingdoms.

The tall, broad-shouldered boy is there, just as I had hoped. Robert Baratheon, heir to Storm's End, the one who had saved Mother and probably also my brother, from what Father told me. The great hero of Casterly Rock, at least for the moment. He stands in the courtyard, talking with some guards, his presence commanding attention despite his youth. If he were older ... he would be like Father. Father scares me sometimes. I am glad Mother didn't die yesterday.

I take a deep breath and step out. I smooth my skirts first, to make sure I look perfect. I will not be shy. A Lannister is never shy, at least that's what Father always says. We are lions ... and yet when I look at Robert, I can't help but think that he is also more than a stag. 

"Hello.", I say, my voice clear and bold, like I was told. Robert turns around, his dark hair looks dishevelled but graceful at the same time as he looks down at me. He is already so much taller, but I lift my chin, meeting his gaze.

"Greetings, lady Cersei.", he replied with a grin, and a flash of white teeth, "How nice of you to join us. I see you changed your gown. A lovely one at that. Truly you are one of the most beautiful rising stars in the world, I'm sure."

"Yes.", I say, trying to sound as grown-up as possible, while also not blushing, "I wanted to thank you for saving my mother."

Robert's smile softens as I mention Mother. He seems to have a soft spot for pregnant women. At first, I thought he was only interested in brothels, which I still believe. But at least it was not a lie what they said about his healing skills. 

"I'm glad I could help. Your mother is a very strong woman. She survived on her own, that was not my doing."

"She is.", I agree, "My father told me that too. He says a Lannister is always strong."

"And are you?", Robert asks, crouching down to my level. His eyes are intense as they bore into mine, and I feel myself gulping for a moment before I reply.

"Yes. I will be brave and strong, just like my mother.", I say firmly.

"I believe you will. You have the look of someone who knows what she wants. Say, my lady, would you like to go for a walk?", he asks me, like a knight would ask his lady.

I smile, liking the way he looks and talks to me as if I were already a grown lady.

"I would like that.", I reply in the proper way I was taught to handle this situation. 

"Then let's go.", he says with a strange smile. I don't know why, but this smile unnerves me a bit.

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Our walk takes us farther than I thought we would go. But for some reason, I don't really care. Robert takes my full attention. 

"Will you be staying here long?" I ask, trying to sound casual.

"A few more days. For the tourney of course and then long enough to see how your mother does in the coming days."

"I like tourneys. It is a nice change from the otherwise boring lessons I have to take. Will you be in it?", I ask him. I would like to see him compete. 

"Haha, I competed in the archery contest shortly before your mother went into labour. But now I'm a guest and no longer a competitor. Besides, I need to keep an eye on you and that's impossible when I'm competing.", he says and smiles slyly. 

"M-maybe one day you can come back and compete. I would like to see you win.", I feel my cheeks heat up. 

"Maybe I will.", Robert said with a wink, "And when I do, I'll dedicate my victory to you, Lady Cersei."

My cheeks flush even more.

"I would like that very much."

We stop walking for a moment. I didn't even realise where we arrived. We are standing in front of a brothel.

"Ah, Robert!", someone calls. I look to the side and see a few ... harlots come out of the brothel and smile when they see Robert. I look at him and see him smile as well. He knows them. My mood suddenly drops considerably. I forgot about that detail. I thought it was just a rumour, but apparently, it is true that he spends a lot of time in brothels. 

"Lyra, Mandy, Cassy, how are you? Everything alright?", Robert asks them. 

"Don't 'everything alright' us, mister. You promised to give me my 'medication' yesterday. But you never came. Did you forget about us, now that you have such a lovely lady as Lady Cersei?", one of them asks and they all bow to me slightly. I look at Robert's reaction, but he doesn't change his expression in the slightest. 

"Ah, you're right. I did say I would bring you your medication. I apologize, I was busy yesterday. Lady Joanna Lannister just gave birth and I had to help her. I'll surely bring it to you later this evening. I promise."

"You better keep your promise. Otherwise, we will get jealous~", one of them says as she bashes her eyelashes with a sultry tone. 

"Hahaha. I'll make sure to bring it to you for sure. But I am currently spending some time with the lovely Lady Cersei. So if you girls would excuse us."

"Hah, our Rob was never meant to be with us ...", I hear them talking as we walk away. 

"Too bad. I would have liked to-"

"Don't say such things out loud, Mandy. Are you nuts?"

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We walk back to Casterly Rock in silence. The scene from before doesn't stop bothering me. I take all my courage and ask him.

"Say, Robert."

"Yes?"

"These ... ladies from the brothel ..."

"Yes, what about them? Don't mind their tone. They were just having a bit of fun. They don't have your grace and elegance as well as your education. So it is natural that you find them uncultured. But don't look down on them. Some of them didn't have a choice."

"I see ...", he called me elegant ... 

"But why do you visit the brothel so much?", I blurt out without thinking. That wasn't smart. 

"Hm? Why not? The ladies who work there are as much in need of medical help as others. In fact they need it more than others as they get sick more often."

"What?!"

"What? What?"

"So you aren't going there to ... to ..."

"Aha, I understand. Hahaha, no I don't go there to have sex. Do you know how many diseases you can catch in a brothel? It is haunting. Also, I am not even two and 10 name days old. I wouldn't visit a brothel for sex."

"I see.", a breath leaves my lungs, I didn't even notice I was holding. His words managed to calm me down. 

After walking for a while in silence, we arrive back at the castle. 

"I'm afraid I have to go.", he says to me. I am a bit reluctant to part ways now, but it can't be helped. 

"Of course." I say, stepping back gracefully, "Thank you for walking with me, Robert."

"It was my pleasure." he says taking my hand and giving me a slight kiss on the back of my hand, "Until next time, Lady Cersei."

He says and gives me a slight bow before turning around and walking away. 

"Until next time.", I say, watching as he walks away. I can't help but imagine the day we would again during a tourney and he dedicates a victory to me.

As he disappears from view, I feel a thrill of excitement. Robert Baratheon was different from the other boys and young men who came to visit Father and tried to look good in front of me.

He is so strong. I only have to see how good he is at fighting. I have decided ... right here and now. I will keep a close eye on him. I was planning on marrying the Crown Prince and becoming Queen in the future. But Father always tells us that the future is uncertain. I wonder what the Crown Prince is like ... 

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A/N So this one was exhausting to write. I tried to write a scene with a very mature young man that is our MC and a 7-year-old Cersei who is also a bit more mature than the 7-year-olds we know from our world. 

I also tried to make her attention shift momentarily to Robert, while still keeping her dream of becoming Queen intact... for now (hehehe). No, but seriously I tried my best here. I don't know how the 7 year-olds act or talk in the ASOIAF world. 

No chapter tomorrow.