AN :
Next goal for another extra chapter is 150 power stones.
In the Game of Stones, you either win or you wait. The more Power Stones you offer, the faster the chapters come.
...
( Cersei Lannister POV )
'It's unfair that Callum isn't here for this.' Cersei pouted to herself as she looked at her reflection, distorted by the curvature of the gold leaf on the skin of the great statue. Her Mother's face, or perhaps her little brother's stared back above her reflection, far taller than she was. 'it's his tribute to mother…' Cersei felt emotions boil in her belly as she thought about it. Her sweet soft-hearted brother was off on some nowhere coast with Uncle Tygett, far away while here in Lannisport he didn't get to see the completion of his great work. It made her sad to think about it, she could imagine the disappointment on his face, and her heart ached for him.
Her heart had been aching often as of late.
Still, at least she would see him soon enough… she tapped on her elbow as she glanced out towards the grand platform. Already, the metal skeleton of Cast Iron pillars and beams had been completed, fully erected and towering up so tall that it stood over the whole world. Around it, a massive wooden scaffold had been built up like muscle and flesh around a bone, and a system of pullies and cranes that were beginning to assemble the outer 'skin' of bronze, covered in gold leaf and lacquer.
The assembly of the skin, built in sections and then attached to the outer frame of the skeleton piece by piece, would take another two months. Father had announced a tourney to be held when it was completed, a tourney for all the lords of the realm. He would return to Casterly Rock, as would Callum and Jaime, and finally, they would all be together again.
Unfortunately, that was some months away yet. Cersei would have to struggle on alone. Uncle Kevan had no time to father her, and while Aunt Genna was a good teacher, a clever woman with a man's soul just like Cersei, she was also restrictive. She had love yes, but expectations too that went against Cersei's desires. Cersei loved her aunt and all her uncles, but not the way she loved her father and brothers. No, in the dark of the night, no matter how many bedmaids she had to warm her company, Cersei Lannister felt alone. The Depth of her love was itself, her weakness.
"Cersei!" The voice of Aunt Genna rang out outside the warehouse, and Cersei felt a slight panic run up her spine at the tone in her Aunt's voice. "Cersei are you up here?"
Cersei paused- she very much did not want to be scolded for being somewhere she wasn't, so she considered hiding in and amongst the pieces of statuary in the warehouse and pretending she wasn't there. Still, on the other hand, Aunt Genna might actually be looking for her for something important. She weighed both options in her mind, before ultimately deciding she could probably get out of the scolding quickly if she played it off correctly. "I'm here Aunty, in the warehouse," Cersei called back.
Aunt Genna, huffing and puffing and a bit red in the face, no doubt from the climb up the mountain, looked more than a little angry as she stormed into the room like the Lioness she was, claws out and teeth barred. "Why on earth did you think-"
"She's beautiful isn't she?" Cersei undercut her Aunty before she could really lay into her. Positioning herself as if she had been staring at Mother's face, which wasn't difficult given that was exactly what she'd been doing.
She showed not an ounce of panic on her face. Cersei was a clever girl, and growing more clever by the day. "I really wanted to see her."
Cersei glanced away from the gilded edifice, seeing as the anger drained out of her aunt just as quickly as she'd stormed in. A success! Aunt Genna was angry at her for running off without telling her, true, but she would hardly be angry at Cersei for missing her mother.
"Tch." Her aunt grumbled, walking over much less aggressively now. "Foolish girl, why didn't you tell me where you were going?"
"I didn't want to wake you Aunty, I've been here since sunrise," Cersei answered easily. "I hadn't planned to stay so long…" she let the words hang as she glanced back towards the statue.
"Without breakfast?" Aunt Genna asked, and Cersei shook her head. "That explains why none of the kitchen staff knew where you were." Genna sighed. "I'll have to smooth some ruffled feathers later, no doubt, but still, just tell me when you're going to run off like this, I'd rather be woken a little earlier to know."
Cersei put a sad, mostly fake smile on her lips. "I'm sorry Aunty, I'll tell you next time." Maybe she even would, it might save a small amount of trouble. Her eyes though, found their way back to the reflection. "I miss them, you know?" She asked, not even really thinking the words but feeling them all the same, she reached out, gently brushing her hand on the golden skin.
"Your mother?" Aunt Genna asked, looking up from beside her.
"And Father, and Jaime and Callum." Cersei nodded. "We should all be here, this is where we belong." Cersei frowned. "I love you Aunty, and Uncle Kevan too of course, but it's not the same, you know? I am alone." She sighed, "For a long time I could see Callum every day at least… but I fear I babied him too much. When we spoke before he left I-well, he asked me to treat him more like a brother and less like a child. I think he wants to feel my proper equal, like Jaime." Cersei giggled at the thought- Callum could never equal Jaime, because Callum was Callum. He could bottle lightning, or build a statue of mother the size of a castle tower, and even still he would be as trapped by his circumstances as Cersei was by hers. Of all mother's children, only Jaime had come out right, and while she was a night older, Jaime was near perfect in a way that Callum was not. "I don't think I'll ever be able to see him that way."
That was not to say that Callum lacked his own charms- but rather that him trying to compete with Jaime would be a fool's errand. She was willing to treat him less like a child, as he'd asked, but he would never be like Jaime. If Jaime and Cersei were brilliant golden suns, then Callum was a beautiful silver moon. Well, perhaps a golden moon, he was still blond… Cersei stroked her chin as she considered how to phrase her analogy.
"Well, you are not entirely alone…" Aunt Genna said, patting her shoulder. "I know you don't get along with little Tyrion but he is still your brother."
Cersei felt her spine stiffen and her hackles raise, her eyes narrowing as she whirled to stare into her aunt's eyes, shaking her head furiously. "He is not!" Cersei bit out. "That… imp is not my brother, and he never will be." Her nails bit into her palms as her hands tightened into fists.
"Cersei…" Aunty looked at her tenderly, but Cersei was having none of it.
"Tyrion was born a kinslayer, and cursed for it by the Seven! He is no brother of mine!" Cersei spat, trying to push past her aunt, though Aunt Genna caught her solidly. Cersei nearly ended up barreling the woman over, for she was taller than Aunt Genna now.
"Do not say such things about your brother." Aunt Genna said sternly. "It is tolerable when a child says something foolish, but you are less a child each day. It's best you act like it."
Cersei growled, about ready to scream at her aunt- when her aunt turned it all right back on Cersei with a single phrase.
"What would your mother think?" Aunt Genna's tone was not angry, but worse, her scolding tone was soft-empathetic. It rang in Cersei's ears and ransacked her brain in a way no angry shout ever could. "This is childish Cersei."
It was like someone had driven a training sword right into her stomach, the way Cersei felt the breath leave her body. Tears wavered at the edges of her vision.
"He murdered mother…" she said bitterly, but the anger was already draining out of her.
"Even if that were true, do you think she would want you to hate him for it? I knew Joanna a long time, and I do not think so." Aunt Genna said quietly, now hugging Cersei more than stopping her. "You have to grow past these feelings someday Cersei, your brother will have a hard enough life without you adding to it."
Cersei didn't know how to answer that. She couldn't think- not properly as she turned around to look up at that great golden face once more. Callum's eyes, Mother's eyes, were they judging her? Was it so wrong to hate the boy that killed her? Cersei let out a whimper and then threw out her arms, breaking Aunt Genna's hold and rushing from the warehouse, her thoughts were awhirl as she ran.
Down the stairs and further, still, Cersei ran for the tunnels of Casterly Rock, ran down into the endless hallways that only she and her brothers knew. Her stomach churned, and her heart thundered as she slumped against the wall, tears streaming down her face.
=======================
If you'd like to support my work, or get early access to chapters before public release you can join my p atreon
Link to join my p treon :
[email protected]/moonlight10