AN: First and foremost, I am not making any form of profit off of this little work. This is just for fun and nothing on the more materialistic side of life is being gained.

AN: Wow, has it really been so long since I posted anything? Apparently. Here's is another idea that I've been kicking around for quite a while now. I hope you all like it. Just to let you know, please don't expect perfection, because while I try my best I do mess up and I know it. All I can do is ask for your patience and hope that you all enjoy.

AN: Last editing job done on 2/1/14

Prologue

He was dead… The war was finally over, and her brother was dead…

Darkness had come to the world on the heels of a knight thrown to them from another time and place, and that darkness had swallowed her brother whole in a time of civil war. It would be something that she would remember for the rest of her days, her precious twin crumbling away into the dust, after bursting into flames caused by the very light of the sun. His once tan, but now pale, skin catching like tinder to a flame after a wall came down inside the Red Keep, exposing the throne room to the first bit of daylight that it had seen in months, and destroying all within that wasn't human.

Aerys Targarian was the first to fall to the fury of the sun's rays, then it was his son Rhaegar, and then her brother… The thought alone was enough to, once again, constrict the heart within her chest and make her think that her red and gold bodice was tighter than it actually was. Again she began taking in deep ragged breaths to try and calm herself; she was only partially successful.

"Who were they?" a voice from behind her asked, its sudden appearance making her jump, and jolting her temporarily from her depression. She had thought herself alone and hadn't heard him approaching. Now, having been thoroughly startled, her blonde head whipped around to stare at the man that had just sat down beside her in the moments after his initial question and greeting.

The man now sitting next to her was just over average in height, well-muscled but not bulky, had a slightly tanned complexion, and brown hair and eyes. In fact, despite the detail that she'd never met him in person, she recognized him instantly; he probably had no idea who she was, but she certainly knew of him… He was Alexander. Still dressed in his odd black, silver and green segmented armor and leathers she had briefly spotted him in earlier in the day, though not as bulky as many, he cut an imposing figure. It was as if by simply standing there he embodied sheer lethality.

"What?" she asked as she continued to look at him, as if she was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that someone supposedly from another world and a hunter of actual demons was now next to her. Since his arrival he had quickly become well known and, despite the war, had come to be acknowledged as a great soldier and warrior against what he called, and what some others had begun to call, the Dark. Any lord worthy of their titles had invited him to their homes at some point or another in hopes that on the off shot that anything of a truly unsavory nature showed up he would drive it off. For someone who had apparently shown up out of nowhere one day such a quick reputation was… impressive.

"I asked about the person you're missing." Alexander reiterated with a kind smile as he moved to sit next to her. Now normally she would've been instantly cautious about this newcomer wanting something from her and hoping to get it by being kind in her time of need. For some reason though the way he was smiling at her in what seemed to be a completely honest, if somewhat sad, fashion put her at ease and got her to lower some of her defenses, if only slightly.

It took a moment for her to answer him, and when she finally did even she didn't expect the words that came out of her mouth. She didn't know why she said it; she didn't know why she admitted her grief to this complete stranger, even if it was only in part.

"My brother… He was there when that wall came down; I had just entered the throne room when he just… burst into flames." At this she took in a calming breath, in hopes of keeping the slight quaver in her voice at bay before continuing with, "My father had sent for me so that I could be present for the fall of the Mad King, and all I saw was my brother die. Turned to dust, as if he'd never existed to begin with…"

"Ah." Alexander said gently, tentatively. "Well, for what little I'm sure it's worth, I'm sorry for your loss."

"What do you know!?" The woman spat out venomously, her blood spiking up in rage at his presumption. As if this man, this stranger, next to her could ever understand what she was going through! "He was my brother, my twin! He was the only one in the world that understood me, and now he's gone because of you and the monsters you brought here with you!"

For a moment all there was between them was silence, and when her anger had abated slightly, when she quickly went over her words again, she mentally cringed. If nothing else she could have waited until she was in her rooms before she lost total control of her emotions. But her beloved brother had not even been dead a day…

"I understand, at least in part…" Alexander began. His brown eyes were showing a sort of comprehension of her state that she hadn't expected, and when their eyes locked at his words she, yet again, didn't observe what she had been imagining would be there. Sympathy and understanding, these were not the things that she'd been thinking she would see.

Pity? Maybe…

Contempt? Almost definitely.

In a single instance this man beside her went from being a slightly intriguing annoyance to someone she could very well call fascinating.

"How do you mean? How could you possibly…" The woman couldn't even finish her last sentence; the words just couldn't escape her throat. For another moment he held her eyes, as if he was looking for something, before looking ahead and saying,

"His name was Jesse… He was like my brother, or the closest person that I've ever had to one." Alexander said with his gaze far away as he lost himself in his memories. "My life was what you might be able to call normal for where I'm from, then one morning I met a girl. From there my world changed, got turned upside down, and not two nights later my friend was dead."

"How did it happen?" The woman asked. She was entranced. He hadn't said much, hadn't given many details at all, but she couldn't help but listen raptly.

"He'd been lured away and turned." Alexander responded with a sigh, "But it wasn't the same way that your brother went, even though I'm sure that it doesn't really matter."

"How was he destroyed?" the woman asked, her voice low as she further gazed upon her companion's face.

"I did it, even though it was mostly an accident. The room was crowded, its occupants were panicking, and I had a stake to his heart." Alexander iterated slowly, his words coming out at a slow tumble as they left his mouth.

"And then?" The world had as of a few seconds ago ceased to be with how absorbed she was in this man's tale. She couldn't bare the idea of him stopping now. She had to know. Alexander seemed to take a moment to steel himself before continuing with,

"I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to punch a sharp piece of wood into my dead friend's chest." Alexander had gone deathly still by this point, "And I was just about to lower my hand, just about to accept his offer, when someone bumped into him from behind and did my job for me."

"I'm sorry." It was the only thing that the golden haired young woman could think of saying, and she thought the simple words inadequate as soon as they left her mouth. It was almost odd to her, how she sought to sooth this mystery man's pain. This man who understood her so well even though they had never met before. In those moments she felt as close to him as she ever had to any other person, even her brother.

"Don't be, I learned an important lesson that day." Alexander said even though when he looked at her she could see him thanking her with his eyes.

"What lesson?" Again their eyes locked and she found herself wondering at just how deep her companion's brown orbs went.

"He was dead the moment he was turned. The demon had taken over his body and had thrown out his soul to where ever it is that souls go when their time among the living is over. It wasn't him that got dusted, but the demon." She hadn't noticed it before, but as Alexander was speaking they had somehow come closer together. If she wanted to she could move but a scant few inches closer and kiss him, and despite her loss and her grief she found herself speculating on just what his lips might feel like on hers.

"What's your name?" he asked her quietly.

"Cersei..." This was it, just a couple more inches and her curiosity would be sated. She closed her eyes in anticipation.

The feeling him placing his lips on her cheek had not been she what thought would happen. His last whispered words to her came with his moist breath on her ear.

"Well Cersei, one final piece of advice before I go." he said in a whisper meant only for her, "Mourn your brother, but don't dwell on him. That way only leads to more misery, and if he was worthy of the love you hold for him I don't think he would want you to be miserable." Alexander than backed away a bit to smile at her as she opened her eyes, "Besides, you're too pretty to always be so sad." With that he quickly stood up and was gone before she could completely gather herself.

She was stunned, her breath absolutely stolen away by the man that had just left her alone in a dark corridor located within the furthest reaches of the Red Keep. She had to know this man, this Alexander. And even though she had only been in his company for no more than a few minutes she had felt something profound in him, something that resonated with the one thing she was feeling more than anything. The need for vengeance, no, not vengeance… Justice.

The anger she felt within herself was crying out for absolution, for the satisfaction of knowing that her precious brother's death would not go unanswered, or unpunished. And Alexander could help her do this.

AN: So what did you all think? Go ahead and let me know please. Oh, and FYI I know that there are going to be things I miss, or are unaware of, seeing as I'm only following the TV show because I haven't read the books. That and, I'll be honest, I do use the Wiki for reference from time to time.