The Penitence of the wolf (Short) - Setting the Battlefield. (Patreon)

Cersei Lannister, Lioness Hall – Blackwater Bay

Her emerald gaze was completely focused on the vast ocean, the waves crashing against the shore of the island where Lioness Hall was being built.

Lioness Hall, her own fortress, hers and no one else’s.

If she was honest, she still found it hard to believe. She often thought that all of this was a dream and that one day she would wake up in Casterly Rock, that all the influence and power she had accumulated would vanish.

That… she would return to being a simple object to be traded.

However, the dangerous thoughts of the Iron Lioness were silenced completely when she felt the heavy and enormous hands of the king on her waist, pulling her slowly toward his chest, drawing a shiver from her body that had nothing to do with the cold sea breeze.

“I notice you’re quite restless. I thought you would enjoy us taking a few days alone,” said the king with that voice that made her knees tremble.

Cersei sighed in pleasure as she slowly and without restraint rubbed her backside against the virility of her king.

“My father… my father has begun speaking about my prospective husbands. He says that, as the Lady of a new house, it is my duty to safeguard Lannister interests,” she said with vulnerability, something reserved exclusively for her man.

No one but Aerys.

The turbulent thoughts of the iron lioness were interrupted again by the monarch, making her sigh and, for a moment, forget all her worries.

“You will be the Lady of a castle in the Crownlands. Your father has no voice in that matter, no matter how much the powerful Tywin Lannister may dislike it,” said Aerys, removing his hands from Cersei’s body and returning toward the room, leaving behind the immense balcony of the Central Tower, the only one already completed in the castle.

“But we are not here for pleasure, my dear. You requested a place outside King’s Landing to talk. You mentioned having important information,” said the king as he walked toward the table in the chamber and poured two cups of wine mixed with water.

Cersei followed the king calmly, watching his movements in silence.

“Yes, two pieces in particular. One comes from Oldtown. We have news from the Hightowers. Lord Leyton sent a discreet note announcing that while his son Baelor answers your call in Dragonstone, he himself will travel by land toward King’s Landing, accompanied by his daughter Malora.”

Aerys nodded. Leyton was the last piece needed to deliver the finishing blow to the Citadel, but if he was honest, he did not understand the importance of this news.

“While Lord Leyton’s arrival is good for our plans, I do not see why you would consider this important news, my dear,” said Aerys without reproach in his voice, though his curiosity was evident.

Cersei took a sip of her wine before sitting down and replying.

“That is because, unlike me, you do not know the context surrounding Lord Leyton’s daughter, Malora,” she said, taking her time, clearly seeking to provoke a reaction from the king.

Her dragon enjoyed such games after all.

Aerys raised an eyebrow with intrigue and simply waited.

“Malora Hightower, cruelly called the Mad Maiden. The eldest daughter of Leyton Hightower who, for years, remained secluded at the top of the Hightower. The rumors claimed she lived tormented by visions of death and destruction. Until one day, a few months ago, they simply stopped. The Lady descended from the top of the tower accompanied by her father, radiant and completely sane,” said Cersei, leaving Aerys thoughtful.

The moment the king heard the word visions, alarm bells began ringing in his mind. He had a suspicion about the origin of such visions, but to confirm his theory…

“Tell me, my dear, do you have an approximate date for when Lady Malora descended from the tower?” the monarch asked seriously, surprising the young lioness.

“Some moons ago… when you were in the savage lands of the North,” said the lioness cautiously, noticing that the king had grown genuinely serious.

Aerys did not answer. The king simply raised his gaze toward the balcony, focusing on the immense ocean, lost in thought.

Cersei did not know what passed through her beloved’s mind, but it was clear that it was something important.

“So… the visions stopped after my expedition beyond the Wall,” he whispered to himself, his frown making him appear even more delicious in the opinion of the young lioness, his sculpted body shining under the light of the setting sun, making him appear like an incarnate god.

“Is everything alright?” asked the lioness, not truly understanding what the king was speaking about.

Aerys looked at her with surprise, as if for a moment he had forgotten she was there, before shaking his head quickly.

“Do you believe in magic, Cersei?” the king asked calmly as Lorkan and Arwen entered the chamber, flying through the balcony, their black feathers shining in the sunset as both birds perched atop one of the pillars of the main hall.

They had grown enormously since the last time she had seen them, and now strange lines of blue and red seemed painted across their plumage. They looked at her with terrifyingly intelligent eyes.

The lioness shook her head before focusing once again on the king.

“It is difficult not to after seeing Rhaegal, Sun Strider and Aeranax up close, Your Grace,” she said diplomatically, the impressive image of the three dragons always leaving her breathless.

And since she had the chance to fly upon Rhaegal with her king… she now understood why the Targaryens of old felt like gods. Among the clouds one felt invincible.

“Oh my dear, dragons, though majestic, pale before the gifts of the First Men. The whispers of the Age of Heroes still walk among us.”

Cersei did not know what the king meant, but it was obvious that it was important, so she did something that was not characteristic of her.

She remained silent.

“Do you have any idea why it seems that I see everything, my dear?” he asked.

“I assumed you had your own network of spies, but…” at this point Cersei hesitated.

“But your own sources seem incapable of finding my informants, correct?” said the king with a suspicious and amused look, making Cersei blush with embarrassment.

The king laughed softly and without saying a word did something that completely froze the lioness in shock.

He rolled his eyes entirely white.

At the same time the ravens flew from the top of the chamber, landing on the king’s shoulders, moving their heads left and right in perfect synchronization, as if…

The young lioness’s eyes widened and a gasp escaped her lips.

“My love…?” she whispered to herself, only to be even more surprised when both ravens nodded simultaneously before flying back toward the perch on the ceiling.

A moment later the monarch’s eyes returned to normal.

Though Cersei’s perception had changed forever.

“The thousand and one eyes…” she whispered in realization, now understanding how it was that he seemed to have eyes everywhere.

“A gift most useful. It allowed me to dismantle the slave and criminal bands with ease, as well as spy on my loyal lords,” said the king with evident mockery in the word loyal, clearly referring to the pathetic rebellion of the Tullys and Arryns were organizing.

“I still do not understand why you do not exterminate them at once. You know they are traitors and—”

Cersei’s words died on her lips when the king’s finger touched her face gently.

“A king cannot act with impunity, my dear. The balance of our game is delicate and precise. If I attack the Tullys and Arryns without a valid cause for war, I will lose favor with the rest of the realm. That is something we cannot allow, not now” said the king, sliding his hand softly down her neck until it grasped her breast, pulling a guttural moan from her lips.

Her dragon always knew how to touch her.

“But… but you are the king. You have a fleet, an army, and a dragon. You can do whatever you wish,” said Cersei, unable to understand the monarch’s position.

The king looked at her with mild disappointment before withdrawing his hand from her chest, to her clear frustration.

The imposing lioness looked at the monarch with desperation, but he did not yield.

“A ruler cannot act with impunity, and that is something you must learn quickly. Power… is an illusion. There must be a balance in our actions. We must be harsh but not cruel, firm but flexible, ruthless with our enemies and generous with our allies,” said the king as he slowly opened Cersei’s robe, revealing her beautiful youthful body.

Without saying a word the king pressed his lips eagerly against her chest, as if he wished to devour her, sending waves of intense pleasure through the lioness.

Alas, she still had a second piece of news to give.

And it was truly important.

“My love… before… before we continue I must—AUUUUGH, gods!” Cersei gasped, trembling under the skillful caresses of her king.

“There are news about the Faith! They gather in secret, like the rats they are beneath the Sept of King’s Landing!” she said quickly before moaning uncontrollably.

Those words made the king hesitate for a moment and frown, though the expression vanished just as quickly.

“I see. Tell me everything,” he ordered, now focused on the second and more important piece of news, leaving pleasure for later.

For the rest of the time before night fell, Cersei spoke of everything she had discovered.

Names.

Businesses.

The Faith’s informants.

The lioness even spoke of Elia’s strange plans, as well as the prince’s attempts to appease the Faith without losing credibility.

“Wildfire?” asked the king with disbelief, making Cersei blush at how insane it sounded.

“I know, it is only a contingency plan, but—”

However, the king’s words silenced her instantly.

“I like it. Prepare everything for the purge. I will place spies within the Faith. When it explodes we will rid ourselves of those pests in a single blow, but we won't use wildfire, i will order my alchemist to make something...safer, something that will gives the illusion that it was an accident” said the king coldly.

“Things are becoming complicated, my love. War is inevitable,” said Cersei with certainty.

Aerys simply nodded.

“War is always inevitable. Preparing our troops and the battlefield is the key to victory. I do not know if there is some sort of alliance between the Trout and the Squid. Your father sent Lorch as an emissary. When he returns, we will decide what must be done.”

Cersei nodded.

There was much to do.

And little time.

Neither of them knew—at least for the moment—that the pieces of the game were already moving.

The Black Queen had her army.

The old falcon had his pupil within his manipulations.

And the squids were moving along the coast.

Things in Westeros were about to become very interesting.