The Red Viper and the Tempest.
An unlikely match from the beginning.
A moment of attraction, fleeting and memorable.
A hint of vulnerability, strong and lasting.
A spark of a flame, inevitable and ruining.
In the midst of storms and poisons, tw...
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Cassandra had been raised in the treacherous court of King's Landing and somehow, even now she could not help but despise it.
She was dressed in a gown of gold and black silk, the colors of her house serving as a reminder to all of who she was. Still, others did not need such a reminder when they whispered behind her back of all that she had gone through.
She would have to be deaf and blind not to notice how people looked at her with pity, no doubt spreading rumors about what the king had done to her and what the veil hid. At present, she could see some of them whisper among themselves, gazes directly pointed at her.
If it weren't for her agreement with Robert, she would have marched straight out of the keep to look for Owain. She knew that he was worried about her, as he always had been. Surely he and Ned have spoken about her with the way they met her eyes in between each lord that swore fealty.
After the third lord came to kneel before her brother, Cassandra found herself tuning out the events taking place in the throneroom, choosing instead to observe the changes being made. After Robert had arrived, he commanded for all relics that represented the Targaryens to be removed and burned.
The black banners with the red dragons, the dragon skulls, and the dusty suits of black armor were either destroyed or hidden so deep within the castle that no one would ever think about unearthing them ever again.
What took their place were tapestries depicting hunts and beasts being slain by great knights wearing Baratheon colors. Great stags with leering horns replaced the dragon skulls, mundane beasts of majesty replacing their predecessors.
The dragons were defeated by the stag. The Targaryen dynasty was over and the Baratheons had taken power.
It should have brought her some satisfaction but it only made her feel exhausted. What she wanted was a chance to speak to Elia, to Ashara. Anyone at all who would tell her the truth, not the pretty lies everyone around her had been feeding her.
She was distracted from her thoughts when a tall man with golden hair stepped forward, a domineering air around him. Ser Jaime, who stood beside her, tensed upon seeing the man. From their similarities, she could deduce that the man who stepped forward was his father.
Tywin Lannister, the same man who had led his troops to pillage and sack King's Landing, to attack innocent people while the Mad King tortured people inside. He may share some similarities with his son but the fact remained that Jaime saved her life.
"House Lannister pledges allegiance to you, King Robert Baratheon, first of his name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm." Lord Tywin announced, kneeling before her brother, a posture unfitting the man himself.
"Rise, Lord Tywin." Robert gestured, his eyes stoic but his form towering. Lord Arryn stood at his right, having been named Hand of the King and Ned stood at his left as an adviser. Her brother continued, his words clearly rehearsed through gritted teeth. "I must thank you for your actions in seizing the capital."
