"Will I marry the prince?" The young Lady of Casterly Rock questioned the witch. Evil and age were said to have taken the once beauty that Maggy the Frog was supposed to have once possessed. It all must have been lies , Cersei thought to herself as she awaited the witch's words. For even with age there was once beauty.

"Never," Maggy stated, "one day it will be a king. But that day will not come for many many years"

Cersei narrowed her emerald eyes to the witch. Of course, it would be years away, she was but a child now. The young Lioness could wait a few years.

Satisfied with the witch's answer she asked her next question. "I will be queen, though?"

" Aye. A Lady first then a Queen you shall be... until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear."

Her jaw clenched in fury at the thought, no one would be stealing her crown from her. No one.

"Will the king and I have children?"

Maggy's crusty yellow eyes seemed to take on an unusual glow. Nearly whitening as she spoke. "Oh, aye. Six-and-ten for your husband but three for the king and three for you." She paused for a moment as if trying to choose her next words. " Gold shall be your children' crowns...and gold their shrouds," she said. Then, as quick as a frog's tongue, the witch's disgusting old hand flew towards Cersei. Maggy's firm grip upon the child's arm was strong enough to pull the Young Lioness near inches from her face. Allowing her foul breath to blow into Cersei's nose as her eyes seemed to glow nearly white. "And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you."

With a gasp, The Golden Queen arose from her horrific sleep to the chill of the North. The insane laughter of the wood's witch's last words continued to echo in her head. The memory had been more vivid recently than it had in years, and something akin to fear began creeping in her veins, reaching out she searched for a warmth she desperately wished was beside her. Yet, despite the savages efforts, her bed was still cold in the morning. Though Cersei wondered as she turned towards the empty side of her bed, perhaps it is not the Northerner's fault my bed is so cold.

Once more her king had risen before her, and again he left her to awaken on her own. Much to her disappointment, their marriage was not how she had dreamed it to be. Cersei had once believed that their union would be filled with passion and love. They were destined for one another, as the witch in her memories accursed her with. The Silver King and the Golden Queen. Besides one another they looked perfect, and their child would-

But there was no child.

"- three for the king and three for you…" Cersei had her three, three children with golden crowns, just like her and their father.

Rhaegar will have one more child, the witch said so, a child that is his own, perhaps their son will look like his brother, silver-haired and purple-eyed. A beautiful silver prince, with none of that tainted Dornish blood.

Their marriage was still new, she would have his child, she would, it was destined . The Gods made it for Cersei to be queen, they would make it for her to have Rhaegar's third child. A son of their own who will one day sit upon the Iron Throne.

Perhaps she is not pleasing him enough in their marriage bed? No, that couldn't be it. Cersei may not have enjoyed her time bedding Robert, but Jaime had been more than pleased with her passions. Robert would come into her bed after a night of whoring, reeking of wine and ale and lust while he forced himself between her legs. His poor attempts at fucking were laughable, Cersei would bet the whores all sneered at him as soon as he paid for their cunts. But even if she agrees with them, it was the moment he finished that he would fill her with both fury and his seed, that she truly despised for with his final thrust he would call out that whore's name!

Lyanna…

Cersei's knuckles popped from her restrained fury at the memory of her first wedding night. The way Robert disregarded her pain, the few pathetic thrusts he had done before he filled her. Lyanna's name ringing in her ears at the humiliation.

How often had Robert forced a dark cloth over her head as he took her from behind? Did he think she was a fool? He cared not for Cersei, only for his dead wolf, a slut that thought to steal Rhaegar from her. Just as Marla had tried to steal Jaime! But even with the gods on Cersei's side, removing both Marla and Lyanna from their foolish and selfish ambitions, it had made no difference. No matter how many years had passed, Robert had all but worshiped the Stark Bitch, even when she was nothing more but wolf shit in the forests and her bones used as merely chew toys for their cubs.

At least Rhaegar had the decency to not shame Cersei in such away. Though his bedroom skills were...cold. He rarely kissed her, other than when they took their vows, maneuvering away from her reach when she tried to make their lips meet and when they do collide it is just flesh on flesh. No warmth or sensation sparked between them. Rhaegar refused to try any other more invigorating positions, preferring to keep their coupling at a minimum in time and effort. This wasn't passion, Jaime was passion, Jaime was love, no, he was more than love. Her other half, the only man who could give her the attention she craved. But, while Jaime was more than willing to love her in their nights at Storm's End, once she married Rhaegar, Jaime couldn't bring himself to touch her. He was dutiful to their King, and, as such, her twin would not cuckold him.

"You're the Queen now," Jaime said with his emerald eyes-matching her own- filled with pain as he pulled away from her hand the morning after the wedding ceremony, "and I am a member of the King's Guard. Storm's End was far away from the eyes of the court, but Cersei...we cannot continue that here."

The memory of his refusal caused the Lioness to call out to her servants, desperate for the distraction. They entered the room, dressed as warmly as possible- given the cold. The two handmaids helped her dress, the thick woolen dress was heavy and unflattering, bare of any embroidery despite her position in society. When the seamstress learned Queen Cersei was going to spend time in the North she had made several dresses for the trip. There was only a minimum of any embellishments to the garments, meant to help keep Cersei warm for the weather. This dress would be unacceptable in the south, and had Cersei ordered it she would have had the wench add the embellishments anyway. But Rhaegar was there, he was by her side, she would not embarrass him for something as simple as a dress. Today's gown had only one saving point, which was that it has been dyed in Lannister and Targaryen red, yet even though the Golden Queen was now warm she still hated the North. Curse this wretched kingdom, if it can even be called such! The Queen silently growled to herself. The North is nothing more than a land of savages and wild beasts. For a land so vast it has not even a drop of greatness that any of the southern kingdoms possess. No celebrations or festivities, with trees as their gods and wolves as pets. Kings Landing alone has even more people than all the North combined! She estimated with a cruel smirk, Elia's daughter will be perfect here, far enough away that she will have no power in the capitol. A perfect ray of sun for these drab Northerners, though the wedding will not happen for some time it will not matter. Once she is demoted to a mere Lady I will begin working on the rest of the Targaryens.

In all honesty, Rhaegar was already doing most of the hard work for her. Deanarys will soon be sent to Essos, to be a bride to some foreigner in order to strengthen trade between the two countries. Viserys will accompany her as her chaperon on her journey east as they interview and meet all the suitable matches on Rhaegar's list. Rhaegar hopes her husband will be of Valyrian descent, as a way to make up for lost blood in tradition. Though Cersei had yet to discover the reasoning behind it, Viserys had been against marrying his sister as Targaryen tradition dictated. The Golden Queen couldn't understand why, if she had the option to marry both Jaime and Rhaegar as the Targaryens of Old did she would have taken that opportunity with both hands. As that would not be happening in this generation the next clutch of Targaryens will all marry one another. The blood between cousins is not as strong as siblings but Rhaegar hopes there to be a large number of children to choose from. Any children Deanarys has shall marry one of their cousins in Westeros, either from Rhaenys or Viserys or even one day, Cersei's own silver-haired son.

It's so sad that Prince Aegon will not be an option by then.

Satisfied with her appearance, the Queen turned towards one of her serving girls. "Summon my son Joffrey, I wish to speak with him this morning."

Jeoffry, her pride, and joy. He should have been a prince, should have been crowned a prince at birth. Instead, he will be nothing more than a lord, Lord Paramount, but still, a lowly lord when he truly deserved a thrown and all the Seven Kingdoms instead of that pathetic excuse called Storms End.

Nevertheless, he was a Lannister, and now the son of the Queen. He will be respected, feared and protected above all else. Perhaps one day once he has fully grown out of his childish ways and...interests...he will be able to have a seat on the small council. Tommen and Myrcella will be there as well, all helping out their youngest sibling who will sit on the throne. Tommen was not a warrior, with his round body and gentle ways. He may be a scholar, but never a maester, a Lannister is far too important to chain themselves to mere books.

Myrcella, her beautiful daughter, now she would be a match for someone, Cersei's father may one day soon be planning to sell her daughter off like a broodmare. But that will never happen, Cersei was the Queen, and her father now her servant. Mercylla will not be sold off, she will stay with her mother and siblings in the Red Keep.

A knock on the door marked the arrival of her son, dressed in the clothes she had chosen for him along the trip. The Lannister red with his black-furred cloak was suitable enough for a prince, as he should have been. Jeoffry simply could not know how impactful or meaningful an outfit was at this time. Looks and intimidation are one thing, but a simple smile and a well-dressed appearance can truly hide one's intentions.

"You wanted to see me, mother?" He asked, with a slight narrowing of his eyes, and a pout on his face that mimicked his father at his age. A face that said he was annoyed, and well, it was early. She understood her sons feelings, they were similar to her own about the matter, mornings in the North were dreadfully freezing. How these savages could survive here was nothing less than the work of the gods, the Seven, not their trees.

"I did," Cersei said with a soft smile, a genuine one that she reserved only for a few. Then she turned to the servants and with a cold tone she ordered, "that is all for now, leave us."

The bowed quickly with the words "yes Your Grace" tumbling out of their mouths and like mice scurried off into the hall with the door closing behind them.

"While we are here we must be sure to gather good relations with our hosts. I noticed you have taken a liking to the eldest daughter of Lord Stark." She inquired.

Jeoffry flushed, even as his jaw clenched. "She is...eye-catching, yet she is nothing more than a Northern girl. Unfit for court life in the South."

A hmm of agreement filled the air as the Golden Queen reached out and fixed her son's hair. "That may be true, but be that as it may, I want you to do something nice for the Stark girl."

With a grumble, he complained, "I don't want to."

"No, but you will." She stated as her son moved from her reach, "the occasional kindness will save you all kinds of trouble down the road." Cersei had not been the only one who noticed her sons' infatuation with the young Sansa. Though the Northern girl is not proper for court life, she is young and moldable. Tame whereas the younger sister is not. Of the two only one could possibly be useful in the south. Tying Sansa Stark to the Baratheons in name would correct the slight done in the past as well as give the Lannisters a way to control the future of the North.

It is a positive outcome, but she will not speak to Rhaegar about the possibility until she speaks with her son. He is, after all, a Great Lord, a young one, but still, he should have a say in whom he will marry.

"Our king gave the Northerners a princess and now you wish to bind me to one in front of the gods?" He snarled an adorable sight, much like a lion cub flashing his fangs. Small and dangerous, yet still a cub.

"You're giving the Northerners too much power, soon they will believe they are equals to the crown and start another rebellion!" With his teeth bared in such a way it was hard for Cersei to not put her son in his place, but she had to.

"Hush now," the Golden Queen breathed. "For the walls have ears."

"These walls have water drowning out words," he spoke as he stepped away from her side, "it keeps the Starks ignorant about such things."

Curious, she mused, "where have you heard of this?" As far as she knew this was true, but she had not thought her son would have known this knowledge about the Stark home.

With a prideful tilt of his head her son stated, "the Starks guard informed me, said it would help keep my room warm for the cold nights. They talk a lot here in the North, in the South they know to keep their mouths shut unless spoken to."

"During our time here have you heard anything of interest?" Cersei questioned, seeming to put an end to her sons' sureness as his confidence in the matter started to waver.

"No."

"A word of unrest, unhappiness or disdain for the Starks." She continued.

"No." He repeated with a bit more force, as her son tried to recall everything that has happened since they first past Moat Cailin.

"No. And do you know why? Because the North cannot be held. Not by an outsider, it's too big and too wild, only by one of their own. The Starks have held their position of power in the North for over eight thousand years. First, as king's then as lords, and they still continue to rule with their so-called Old Way of justice, honor, and strength. The people here respect the Stark family and even though to the South they are nothing more than brutes, they have their uses."

"Such as?" He goaded much to her dismay.

"Their taxes, lumber, and men. To have that we need to keep the Starks in their place. We may not be able to control the North, but we can control one family. Keep the Starks happy, keep them in line and the North will follow. To do so we need to give them rewards and warnings."

"Princess Rhaenys is the reward." Her son said with a nod as he finally started to listen.

With a proud smile, Cersei returned the gesture. "And Sansa Stark will be the warning. A Northern Girl given the position her whore of an Aunt should have been happy with. But one with direct chains to the crown so as we will be able to act fast should the Starks step out of place. Such an important position, and one that can only be held by someone who is strong enough. As my son, I truly believe you can make the right decision should matter between the Crown and the Starks fall through."

"Do you mean to say that if I take her for my wife and should the Starks later rebel I am to do what? Treat my wife as an enemy?"

Satisfied Cersei cleaned up her sons' appearance, removing a stray golden hair from his cloak. She stared him in the eyes, and prayed to all the gods that he saw the truth of her words,"anyone who isn't us is an enemy," she quietly told him. "Now, go on and break your fast, I'll be down soon. Oh, and Joffrey? Do tell your Uncle I wish to speak with him, to break our fast together like the old days." Her son then left, no bow of respect, but it mattered not. He would do as she asked.

Now Cersei had to plan how to get Jaime into her bed again.

With her son gone to do her bidding and her plans for the day in motion, Cersei finally left her chambers in order to confirm with her king what he required her to do in terms of becoming acquainted with the Starks. Her husband had told her last night before he bedded her that it would be important for her to be seen with the Starks. They needed to mend their relations with the South due to his folly in the past. As furious as it made Cersei, she understood that he was right. Rhaegar had essentially started a war for a whore, a whore of noble blood, but still, a war had started from his actions. Now she had to pay the price of her time for the savage Starks to come to heel properly like the dogs they are.

However, there are a number of ways for her to allow herself to interact with the Northern matriarch. Given how her husband had acted around the Starks, Cersei was somewhat unclear as to what her role should be when directly interacting with them.

As she glided down the hall towards the location the servant girl had given her of her husband's last known whereabouts, she saw the young Greyjoy ward leaving a closed-off room. Its doors protected by her king's loyal men, he ran off the other way and she watched him go as she tried to understand the boys' presence.

With a bow Ser Arthur then announces her presence, allowing her to enter and see her Silver King.

As usual, he was dressed to perfection in black and reds of his family crest. His long silver hair loose, without his crown upon his head as it rested upon the desk. His trim silver beard had grown it out slightly longer from their traveling, but it suited him better than when he was clean-shaven as he was in their youth. Yet for all the effect time had on her king. his violet eyes were the one thing that in all the years since the Rebellion has truly changed. Once they were so full of life, hope-inspiring and beautiful. A meer glance into them and Cersei would be entranced for hours.

Now his stare was anything but, the otherworldly beauty was still there however it was no longer inspiring or warming to Cersei's heart. It was the pressure of the crown, she told herself as she does every time she sees the change in his eyes. The position of king and nothing more. It was not the loss of Elia, as Rhaegar had this look long before she died. Nor of his mother, it had to be the crown, for she knew it impossible for him to have lost such a lively expression for the death of Lyanna Stark.

"My king," she said with a polite curtsy.

"My Queen," he greeted, with the same polite tone as he always spoke with her. It left her chilled to the bone.

She glanced at where the Greyjoy boy had taken off. "I presume he had much to tell you?" Returning her gaze to her husbands she kept her expression neutral as he ignored her question.

"It always seemed so strange that you would give the Greyjoy boy to the Starks after their rebellion. Both of their rebellions." The Golden Queen softly spoke, "yet I even found it strange that you had hired others to watch his sister." With a pointed look, she knew she revealed something Rhaegar had no intention of anyone knowing.

Yara Greyjoy, Theon Greyjoy's only sister, had been kept under constant watch since the Greyjoy's rebellion. At first, it was believed that it was Balon Greyjoy, the man who thought to become the next King of Salt and Rock, who had been under constant supervision. But Cersei eventually found out the truth. Rhaegar had his daughter as a hostage in her own home. Her own country, for sneaking a spy into the Iron Islands was hard, unless that person was a Faceless Man.

With his sister under constant threat and watch young Theon has had no choice but to make reports on the Stark family for the king. This was what Cersei had gathered on her own after marrying her Silver King, it made no sense as to why he would willingly place the heir to the Iron Islands in the Starks paws.

"I always thought you had an interesting mind Cersei," admitted her husband. To which she took as a sign that she was right. Theon Greyjoy was a spy for the crown. It all finally made sense.

With a smile she had wondered, "had he informed you of anything of concern?"

"Nothing of worth," he dismissed rather quickly. Perking her interest but not something he would share with her. Damn him, but she must choose her battles, someday soon he will trust her with his ear. For now, though they still have time to build a bond.

A silent nod of acceptance and she finally got to the reason for her visit. "My king, I understand that while guests here in Winterfell we are to have a hopeful bond between the Starks and ourselves. How do you propose I accomplish this?"

Her husband took a breath before he took his seat. "Spend the day with the lady and her eldest daughter. Learn their ways, family, and views on the South. I know I was not the only one to notice your son's interest in the young Lady Sansa Stark."

I knew you would see it, as usual, her husband was brilliant. His mind was on track with her own and they had not even needed to speak about the possibility of Jeoffry's betrothal. Her small glee was short-lived however when her son in question had called out for her in the hall.

"Excuse me, my love, for I believe that is my son calling."

With an absentminded nod of agreement, Cersei was given permission to leave and as such her eldest was indeed in the hall searching for her.

Though not with news she had hoped for.

How dare he! Fumed the Golden Queen as she watched her brother ride away with the Stark boys and that impudent Targaryen. Aegon had rebutted her son, her son! Made him look a fool before the children of other lords! Now her Joffrey would be a laughing stock during this hunt for daring to challenge the prince and still Jaime had done nothing. Even refused to come to her to settle their bedding issues! Going hunting in the North, hah! Jaime loathed the sport, even if he was talented at it. The way he held a bow, with the same confidence when she was in his arms. Or how his hands were made for holding both a sword and also his cock…

Taking a shuddering breath, the Golden Queen stormed through the corridors. Memories of her lust-filled nights with her twin were forced from her mind as she strode towards the dining hall where she would break her fast and learn more about the Stark bode. She would have preferred a morning with her twin, then use lunch as a time to grace the Starks with her presence. But with Jaime gone there is nothing to prevent her from doing her duty now.

Satisfied with her king's decision, Cersei entered the Great Hall glad to see that Catelyn Tully and Sansa Stark were there, eating alone. Breaking one's fast in the south was a family affair as were all meals, though it seems such insulting behavior is normal for the Northerners. For it appears the rest of her children were not present either. Catelyn had been tainted by such poor table manners.

The red-haired woman finally took notice of her Queen, standing and then bowing with poise as she indicated for Cersei to take the seat closest to the fireplace, though, Cersei noticed it was not the seat her husband had the night before.

"My Queen, please sit, I was unaware that you would be joining us this morning. I had believed that your family wished to dine in their rooms or the private common area to the guest wing to talk amongst yourselves about your activities for the day."

Cersei ignored the slight jab of the Frozen Fishes' words, while it is possible that the rest of her family such as her children and Rhaegar's might be eating in private, Cersei had been given a duty to do, and as a queen, she will accomplish it.

So with the kindest smile, she could muster the Golden Queen simply stated, "Of course, but if I had then how would I get to know you're lovely daughter." She turned to the young girl, "Little dove, I have heard it from others that you made your dress all yourself is that right?" At her attention young Sansa Stark's eyes seemed to glow, an innocent expression of wonder and adornment seemed to shine from her beautiful face, making Cersei wish the stupid child would cast those eyes downward. Keep that face to the ground where it belonged.

But she was a queen, and despite her personal feelings about the girl, Cersei would always be a queen first and foremost.

"Yes, Your Grace, I sewed all my dresses myself." Beamed the young naive girl.

With a gracious smile, the Golden Queen happily sings words of beautiful lies. "Such talent, perhaps one day you can make an amazing dress for me?" The child's eyes seem to mist over, an expression of sure devotion growing on the young girls face. It seems even the Stark girl is not immune to me, silently purred Cersei with pleasure as she saw the child nearly swoon with her love for her Queen. It's almost cruel really, for I'll never wear such a poorly made dress in my life. But the girl doesn't need to know that, all she needs is a bone held in front of her and like all dogs, she will be trained perfectly.

Or be put down and skinned for baring her teeth.

A day beside the Stark women was something Cersei had no interest in, but she had accomplished it well enough.

Breaking fast with Catelyn and Sansa Stark was a dull affair. As slowly but surely the rest of the Stark children, young Arya Stark and Rickon Stark were brought to the Great Hall. Apparently the youngest Stark girl despises morns and early rises. Preferring to sleep until the sun has long since risen. And as a young toddler, young Rickon had naps at all times of the day.

But breakfast was not all that Cersei has blessed the Starks with. She had even accompanied them to the small Sept that was built for Catelyn Tully where she and her daughter Sansa prey to each morn, with Tommen and Myrcella joining them. It was a blessing to know that the young girl would be comfortable with the Seven. Though it despised Cersei to learn that the child also prayed to their trees, her siblings also prey to both religions yet only young Sansa would follow her mother to morning prayer. The rest of the Stark children would go to the sept at different times of the day. With its small size it is quite efficient, yet still insulting. In the evenings though before the sunset, the young lady would accompany her father and siblings to their bleeding tree.

This did not seem to comfort the Frozen Fish, as Catelyn Tully spoke of her avoidance of the godswood. Stating that she felt unwanted in such a place, like an outsider, and now because the mother of the wolf cubs is there, she fears to enter it alone. Giving Cersei enough reason to prevent her children from ever stepping foot in the godswood, much to her relief. She had believed the cubs to have been abandoned, never in her dreams would she had expected there to be a full-grown direwolf hidden within Winterfell.

But now though she stood beside her husband, he had been discussing with Lord Rickard Stark and Eddard Stark about a betrothal between Joffrey and Sansa, much to Cersei's dismay. Though she knew it likely and had spoken to her son of the possibility of their union this morning, she now felt that the young girl was no proper match for her son. He deserved far better than this Northern foolish girl, though Sansa Stark should still be their hostage in the South. She had pushed for a courting session instead, to give the children time to grow accustomed to one another. Even offer Sansa Stark a chance to travel to the South with her mother, to allow the young girl an opportunity to grow used to the southern ways of court life. Thankfully the men seemed to agree with her statement, but Eddard believed that they should not travel further than Catelyn's home. It would have to do.

But thankfully now everyone was within the Great Hall, where the king was holding court to hear about any ailments the Lords of the North were suffering from that they needed aid from the South. Grain and other foreign goods as such are hard to come by in the North with its muddy fields that are either frozen solid or mush with thawing snow. How the Northerners were able to survive thousands of years without southern aid will always baffle Cersei.

A shout in a foreign voice caused Cersei to instantly turn her head the entrance of the Great Hall where knights and guards of the North gravitated to the sounds. With a harsh push of the doors, in strode the prince with his Northern party at his heels. Jaime and Ser Richard Lonmouth dragging in...were...were those…

"Wildlings!" shouted a Northerner. It was not one Cersei recognized, though soon the room was flooded with echoes of fury, rage, and disgust.

The man and woman in the hands of the golden knights were filthy beyond belief. Their hair matted and faces covered in mud, there was blood on the woman's clothes if that is what those rags were. Along with some on her neck, yet she still seemed unphased her eyes hard and determined. This one was a lost cause, too loyal for her own good. But the man he seemed eager.

"Silence!" Howled the Old Wolf, Rickard Stark may be nearing his end, but his voice carried a strength that instantly quieted down the Northerners as Rhaegar stood to address his son.

"Aegon, what is the meaning of this?" Her husband demanded.

The prince, strode forth, "My apologies your grace, but while we were hunting a group of Wildlings attacks us. We were able to subdue them and capture these two survivors. The man had some interesting information that I believe to be important, for he claims that the woman here was their leader yet she was not the one who ordered the ambush. Their goal was something more calculated." The boy turned towards her twin, with a regal stance he made a small nod of his head and the golden knights brought their prisoners upfront. They forced the man and woman to their knees, though the woman fought more. Ser Lonmouths blade rose to her neck and wisely the Wildling woman froze. Least she faces decapitation in this hall.

"If attacking was not their goal, then what was it?" Demanded a young voice, a quick glance and it seems that Ned Stark's unruly daughter was the one. Turning her eyes back to the Wildlings the Golden Queen leaned back, to stare at the disgusting things, doing her duty and not allowing them to see her fear. For these were the people, if they had the right to that title, that the Starks of Old had built a giant wall of ice to keep away. A wall that had become a prison, yet even the prisoners served a purpose. To keep these wretched things out of the Seven Kingdoms, a purpose they seem to be failing at.

But even with her husband and her own regal appearance before them, Wildlings barred them no mind. The man's eyes were on the Starks, while the woman stared ahead at nothing. Determined and unbroken.

"Spying," finished Aegon. "They were sent to spy upon the Starks, then to learn about the current status of the Seven King-"

Suddenly the Wildling man turned to the woman with a bewildered expression. "All these years...we all wondered where she came from. We knew she was a southerner but…" The woman barred him no glance so he continued with a ferocity in his tone that would have surprised other people. "She told you! You knew who she was!"

"You know nothing, shut your fucking mouth Wallan!" Snarled the woman, finally breaking her silence.

"Quiet!" Aegon hissed, before continuing to his father. "They claim that...a Queen Beyond the Wall sent them to spy among us. The man, he will speak for his life. He claims the woman is important to this Wildling Queen, I thought perhaps with some...persuasion, we could learn more of her plans from the woman that the man may not know of."

" Aye. A Lady first then a Queen you shall be... until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear."

A slight ringing came to her ears as the words of the old Woods Witch echoed through her memories. With a small sudden breath, Cersei forced herself to calm down. This...wildling woman beyond the wall saw herself as a queen. But she was nothing more than an imposter, a fake, no true royal. Cersei had plenty of years to prevent this the old crones' words from blossoming into fruition.

"You," her king called out. His gaze focused on the male savage rather than the woman. The wildling had resumed his eyes onto the Stark family, particularly onto the youngest daughter. His eyes seeming to expand as he took in breath after breath quickly. "Ser, you have illegally come to my kingdom, initiated an attack on my son, the children of both the North and the Iron Islands. These crimes are great and their punishment equal to that, but you were not the one who ordered you to invade and spy on us. Tell us who ordered this? Who claims to be this Queen Beyond the Wall?"

Suddenly, the man laughed, it was loud and cackling. There was no joy in it, and to Cersei, it sounded rather mocking. "King Rhaegar Targaryen. The name of the Queen Beyond the Wall will be worth so much more to you then my crimes. I'll tell you who she is, and where to find her, in exchange for my life."

"Traitor! Craven!" Shouted the woman. Had she not been restrained the Silver Queen felt as if she would have killed her companion right then and there. "You left the crows to come fuck our women, and now you try to fuck us over to go back to your Southerners?" She spat at him, the disgusting fluid landing on his arm before she turned to Rickard Stark. "Wallen here deserted your Nights Watch, your laws say he is to die for that and hear me on this, a dead man walking is not to be trusted."

A growl of outrage, that is what catches Cersei's attention back to the Old Wolf. "A deserter?" He questions, as his eyes narrowed into slits.

"Lord Stark," her husband amends, "we will write to the Night's Watch immediately to see if this is true or false. Surely they have records on those who have betrayed their oaths. But until we know the truth of that we cannot ignore this threat to the Seven Kingdoms. Especially with this threat being so close to your home." Though Rickard Stark does not seem swayed her husband turned to the man, Wallen as the woman called him. "We will investigate this matter. That is all I can say in exchange for your cooperation."

"I'll tell you her name and nothing more until I am pardoned," sneered Wallen.

Without turning to the Starks her husband agreed to this trade. With a slimy smirk, Wallen spoke. "She came from South of the Wall, saying to call her Lya." He laughed. "What a liar she is eh? Lya Wolfsblood is the name she earned Beyond the Wall, but the name you want is her true name, I have to say until I walked through these walls I didn't know why she looked familiar." He glances towards the little she-wolf, "now I do."

"Her name Wallen!" Her husband demands.

"Lyanna-"

Suddenly the wildling woman escaped her captor's grip, she attacked her own man forcing him to the ground and bashing at his head with her bound fists. The knights attacked with everything the had but the man could not speak anymore for it appears he lost consciousness from striking his head on the stone floor.

The woman was restrained once more, the Northmen infuriated but the Starks were frozen just as Cersei was.

Lya. Lyanna. Wolfsblood. A woman who traveled North of the Wall. Who knew the Stark lands. The intelligent plan to spy…

His stares at the Starks, especially the rabid Arya who is said to be her ghost...

" Aye. A Lady first then a Queen you shall be... until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear."

The ringing returned and Cersei could not believe it. This wasn't true, it couldn't be. The man was ill, a touch mad in the head. No, not a touch, completely mad! He was wrong he had to be.

But a glance at her husband made her resolve to shake. For whether the man was insane or not the life that seemed to be blooming in Rhaegar's purple eyes sent a growing sense of dread in her chest.

" a Queen you shall be... until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear."

Despite her refusal, the thought took root in the Golden Queen's mind, overlapping with the curse.

Was...Lyanna Stark alive?