After Podrick left, Tyrion took a deep breath, suppressing the annoyance he felt at Cersei's summons. He could sense that this meeting would not be easy.
After all, the other party was Cersei Lannister, his beautiful yet malevolent sister. Her seeking him out now was likely for Joffrey, or perhaps she had regrets and wanted to meddle in his actions in King's Landing.
He straightened his robes and, with short steps, walked toward Cersei's quarters deep within Red Keep.
Inside Cersei's bedroom, candlelight flickered; she was currently standing by the window, gazing out toward Blackwater Bay.
She wore only a thin nightgown, her silhouette appearing lonely, her long golden hair cascading over her shoulders, shimmering softly in the candlelight.
Cersei did not turn around when Tyrion pushed the door open and entered.
"Jaime is gone," she said, her voice strangely calm.
"I know." Tyrion knew, of course; Jaime had specifically visited him before leaving, asking him to take good care of Cersei.
However, he was still curious about the scene in the room, especially since he had just seen his Cousin Lancel leaving in a hurry on his way here.
Now, looking at Cersei's appearance and the faint, musky scent lingering in the air, he understood exactly what had just happened.
Lancel was young and handsome, looking very much like Jaime, and he had always been obedient to Cersei. It was only logical that Cersei would want him to fill her void while Jaime was away.
After all, Cersei never hid her desires, especially regarding power and the flesh. But Jaime hadn't even been gone for a day yet; was Cersei perhaps a bit too thirsty?
"He went to the The Riverlands." Cersei finally turned around slowly, her green Lannister eyes slightly bloodshot.
But Tyrion couldn't care about that; his mismatched eyes were involuntarily drawn to the sight Cersei was presenting. He couldn't help but offer a few words of praise for Cersei, thinking that the Creator truly favored his older brother and sister.
He couldn't help but wonder if he were a normal Lannister, would he, like Jaime and Lancel, have the chance to taste the beauty before him?
Watching Tyrion's unsightly state, a strange look flashed in the corners of Cersei's eyes as she continued, "Jaime said father needed him to help command the army, but now that he's gone, who will protect me? Who will protect Joffrey?"
Tyrion fell silent for a moment, then said seriously, "You still have me, my dear sister. I will protect you both."
Cersei sneered and mocked him, saying, "You? A dwarf?"
Instead of getting angry, Tyrion replied with a smile, "I am a dwarf, but I am also a true Lannister. I won't run, I won't surrender, and I won't betray. But if you don't believe me, you can keep laughing."
Cersei stared at him for a long time before asking, "Tyrion, tell me, did father ever love me?"
Tyrion was stunned for a moment, not by the question itself, but by Cersei's tone. He had never heard Cersei speak like this; there was none of her usual arrogance or bitterness, only a sense of profound exhaustion.
"I don't know," he could only answer truthfully.
Cersei laughed at his answer, though the smile looked worse than crying. However, because of her beauty, it gave Tyrion a different kind of feeling.
"He never loved anyone else but himself," Cersei said. "Jaime was his only exception, because Jaime was his most perfect creation—male, tall, handsome, and brave, everything a Lannister heir should be. While you and I were just tools for him to achieve his ambitions."
Tyrion's expression darkened. He remembered that this time, his father had intended to send him here to die, just to erase his existence as a stain on the Lannister name.
He said nothing.
Cersei continued, "Do you know? When I was a child, the person I admired most was father. I thought he was the most powerful man in the world, that he would protect me and be proud of me. But later I realized he didn't care about me at all. He married me off to Robert just so the Lannister bloodline could sit on the iron throne. He made me bear so many children just to ensure the succession. He..."
At this point, Cersei's voice suddenly choked up.
Tyrion looked at her, a complex emotion welling up in his heart. He reached out his short hand, wanting to touch and comfort her, but was ultimately suppressed by years of instinct.
This woman, even in her fragility, was still like a thorned rose—beautiful yet hurtful. He had never seen Cersei lose her composure like this; the grievances and resentment buried deep in her heart were now pouring out like a bursting dam.
He even doubted if this woman with red eyes and a choking voice was truly the ruthless, power-hungry Cersei Lannister.
"Father never even asked me what I wanted," Cersei's voice trembled slightly. She turned her head away to look at the dark night sky outside the window, as if trying to hide her tears.
"What I wanted was never the position of Queen or power. I just wanted to be with Jaime, just like when we were children, never to be apart."
Tyrion remained silent. He knew that what Cersei had just said wasn't entirely true, but some of it was. When they were younger, the relationship between Cersei and Jaime that went beyond siblings was no secret to him.
But in the eyes of their father, Tywin, this affection was filthy; if discovered, it would become a shame to the Lannister name.
To prevent this, Tywin married Cersei to Robert, and at first, Cersei did indeed fall in love with the brave Robert. Unfortunately, Robert's obsession with Lyanna was too strong, which angered Cersei on their wedding night.
Tywin had also spent a considerable amount to help Jaime escape his status as a member of the Kingsguard. Unfortunately, Jaime himself did not agree; rather than inheriting the position of Lord of Casterly Rock, he preferred to linger between Cersei's legs.
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