Growing Pains

And so it was – a son and heir to the throne followed not long after, in Joffrey- Cersei was sure she and Jaime had created him during their stay on Estermont, the home of Robert's mothers' kin- something she'd always felt was particularly delicious; he was born with hair of Lannister gold – unfortunately though, Cersei had suffered a difficult pregnancy with him, hardly able to bestir herself for all the energy he took- and she laboured for over a day and a half, in order to bring him into the world- in the height of summer, where she'd practically lived in her bathing chamber, after the fifth month, whereas the later Myrcella and Tommen would be carried and delivered with deceptive ease- but Tommen had been small for his size and Myrcella, like her sister, had been carried high and was less burdensome.

Yet she would dote devotedly upon her 'golden prince', hoping, in time, he would be Jaime's mirror- and the heralding of a glorious and golden future for Westeros.

Cersei had given herself a greater period of rest between her younger children, carefully aborting or otherwise ridding herself of all those she suspected were of Robert's seed- and eventually ensuring she would not even conceive by him.

Though Robert himself favoured her icy bed, less and less over the years- only being pulled to it, when she'd already gotten herself with child by her brother- unbeknownst to him.

While she loved no one other than Jaime and her children- there was something that she felt distanced her from Cassiah, that did not seem to exist with Myrcella.

She couldn't explain it, but for the recurring feeling that she was half-Baratheon, in truth- not just in name. Though it would be more than this vague feeling, in years to come.

Jaime's feelings toward her were unreserved. While he deliberately did not give his children any real attention- mostly due to Cersei's paranoia over the truth being revealed through some careless slip, he found- to his surprise, that from a young age, Cassiah sought him out, almost as much as Myrcella and Tommen did Tyrion.

He was somewhat flattered by her attention and rather enjoyed time spent with her- yet he tried to feel no more than the fact that liked his 'niece' immensely.

But, while Myrcella had Cersei's looks, Cassiah had something else: yes, she possessed lovely features and would grow into a great beauty.

However, she was also spirited- temperamental, at times- yet basically sweet natured. She was also strong-willed, and not at all like the usual Court flowers flopping about- and never could anyone be in doubt, that she was a princess.

Cassiah was all that any man could have wished for in a daughter - and Jaime couldn't dare admit that what he felt was actually fatherly pride – after having become 'the Kingslayer', he couldn't afford to be anything else.

It would hurt too much, if he should lose it; so, he let Robert and Tyrion be as a father to them- and Cersei mothered them.

Yet he couldn't help the growing feeling of dread, for what he saw Joffrey was becoming- behaviour that struck him over the years, as far too much like the Mad King.

But Cersei would hear nothing of it, not from anyone- not even he - even when Robert had broken two of his baby teeth, after he'd cut open a pregnant cat. She had just dismissed it as 'curiosity'. Jaime called it cruelty- and he'd spent enough time around cruel men to know.

Somehow, Myrcella and Tommen seemed to be as different from Joffrey as gold from dross- and he thanked the gods for it, if they listened- or even cared.

He watched his little golden girl and boy grow; handsome and sweet, charming and kind, intelligent and thoughtful- and at the back of his mind, he wished he could tell them how proud he was of them.

His presence in their lives was always going to be limited: guard and 'uncle'- it was all he was allowed; all Cersei would allow – all he could allow himself. Yet, somehow, with Cassiah, he got more.

She sought him out as an attendant and guard when she went shopping, or riding- and even if Robert had wanted Jaime to be a glorified doorman when he was disporting himself with some woman or other- he could never say no to the apple of his eye; she had received a pony the same time as Joffrey, simply because she had asked her 'father'- she was allowed to enter the city, despite (or perhaps, because of) Cersei's furious refusal- of course she had been closely chaperoned, and limited to the better quarters- yet it had struck courtiers as remarkable, all the same – she was taught how to shoot a crossbow, which pleased her kingly father- though she had no taste for bloodsport - and Syrio Forel of Braavos, was giving her 'water-dancing' lessons.