Chapter One
Deceit

Joanna was caught quite literally red handed.

A slice down her palm marked her as the culprit, an injury she had sustained whilst attempting to dispose of any evidence almost out of reflex. Her fight or flight response wasn't quite what it should've been. Shock had truly gotten the better of her.

So when the Queen came around the corner, both harried and enraged, ready to verbally destroy whoever had dared to venture uninvited into her quarters and found her ebony haired daughter kneeled on the floor, bleeding profusely she blanched for a response. The two stared at one another, the same pair of green eyes locked, neither one moving to speak for a considerable time.

Slowly, as if approaching a startled animal, her mother broke the spell and walked forward, step by step, closing the distance between herself and her child. "Jo…," Cersei whispered as she kneeled beside the wreckage of her favourite flowers and seized her daughters hands in her own. Joanna took a moment to observe how her mother, the queen, never rested upon the floor, even in uncharted territory the guilty woman took control, "Come dove," She once again whispered soothingly, had Joanna not known better she would have been comforted by such a sentiment.

The two sat at the table, there was no stirrings from behind the door where her Uncle hid, believing her to be oblivious. "What are you doing here my love?" Her mother asked as she wrapped and cleaned the girls gauged hand.

"I heard arguing, I was came to check you were okay mother and I heard…"

"What did you hear sweet girl?"

"I heard…"

"You heard nothing. That's what you heard."

Joanna didn't know how to reply. So, she didn't.

"The trouble you would cause, my love, for me, your siblings and yourself would be death to bear. It would call into question the legitimacy of the throne, for what? For what you believe you might have heard,"

Once again, Joanna did not speak.

"You heard nothing." Cersei spoke, her voice as soft as cotton.

Joanna just stared, once again lost for words, so Cersei, now finished wrapping her daughters hands pulled them into her lap and took her daughters face in her hands.

"My sweet girl, for your own sake."

"… I heard… nothing."

A smile Joanna had seen upon her mother's face when in her father's company made its appearance. A false smile.

"I hope one day, you understand the kindness you have done for me." With a kiss upon her forehead Cersei dismissed her daughter.

Joanna fled the room, barely able to breathe. The hot climate which she had always found soothing, choked her. She gasped for air as her brow became sweaty. Joanna was sure she was going to vomit. She crouched behind the tapestries which adorned the crevices of the walls. She clutched her knees to her chest, her silk dress rising. She fought to control her breathing as tears began streaming down her cheeks.

She felt like she was dying.

She wasn't.

Death would have been easier than the life that followed.

Joanna lived her life in relative normalcy for the next moon. The only thing to change was the distances she, herself had put between her and her mother and Jamie's searching looks when they passed one another in the hallway. From what she could gather, the pair did not believe her to know the identity of the mysterious caller and Joanna felt no urge to correct them.

So that, seemed to be that; A vile secret she would live with, as to not disturb the peace.

Until one morning she returned from breaking fast to find Kingsguard posted either side of her quarters entry. Upon entering she found her father poised at her writing desk and her mother standing to his side. This was highly unusual.

"Girl, what took you so long?!" Her gruff father bellowed in mock anger "You'd think with those Baratheon calves you'd have a longer stride." He guffawed at his on mockery of her portly. The princess simply rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms across the chest.

"My apologies to keep you waiting father, mother. Is there something I can help you with?" She asked with a feigned mask of indifference, all whilst fearing that he was going to ask her to be key witness in her own mother's trial for treason.

"Your mother and I have been discussing at length your ability to make an 'advantageous move for the crown'." Robert mocked her mother with his tone, obviously repeating words she'd spoken in the days leading.

"We love you very much sweet girl, we've found you a match with both your father and I find quite agreeable for you."

"Ned Stark has a boy around your age."

"Eddard Stark. Of Winterfell?"

"It's a perfect match. I want you raised away from these Lannister's. Those Starks could teach you a thing or two, girl!"

"Mother, please, you can't allow this!"

"I'm sorry, dove. Word has already been sent." Cersei had remorse in her eyes yet she continued "You will not be wed for years yet; the Starks are savages though they are honourable. You will have a luxury I myself did not have, you will know the man you marry. This is a good thing child."

It was as her mother spoke, from the defeated look in her eyes, to her body language which screamed of guilt. The cold Lannister mask was far from being in place. In this moment as she stared into to the eyes of the woman she once adored that Jo realised that this was the cost of her treason.

It took only five days to make the necessary preparations to relocate the whole Princesses life North. Five days to completely uproot a life. When the time came to say goodbye, Joanna cried. She hugged her father for the first time since she could remember.

"Chin up. Girl you're a stag." He placed a kiss on her forehead in the one show of affection she'd ever received from the man. "Show em' what you're worth, eh?"

Her mother; who she had avoided for the past months, the reason she was so utterly defeated, she hugged. Joanna couldn't help it. She'd always resent the woman who had raised her, and yet she loved her and was going to miss her. "I'm sorry things have turned out this way, Sweet girl. But we shall see each other again, I swear it," Somehow Joanna didn't believe her words, it felt like her funeral rather than an engagement and yet she smiled and buried her face into her golden hair, Joanna allowed herself to be comforted for those last few seconds. To pretend everything was going to be alright.

As the two women parted, reality hit hard. A servant stepped forward handing her mother a stand. On it was a Lannister lion necklace. One of only three, she was told, of which belonged to herself, her mother and Myrcella. Moons ago she'd have been thrilled with the gift. Now, however it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

She hugged both Myrcella and Tommen. Placed a kiss on both of their cheeks, they were sweet children and she truly loved her youngest siblings.

With Joffery, the most troubled of her relationships, she decided to part on somewhat pleasant terms. She offered him an olive branch, of which he surprised everyone in attendance by taking; A hug. As they came together, she whispered only half joking "Joff, try not to be too terrible. I know you can be a good king if you try," He nodded and smiled as he sniffed and rubbed at his eyes, muttering something about pollen.

Turning she stared at her uncle Jamie who stood beside her horse. The irony almost knocked her down, here's the man who ruined her life, helping her mount her stead to take her to her fresh hell.

"Safe travels, sweet Niece." He smiled or smirked, she could never quite tell with him, it always seemed to be half way between the two.

"Thank you, Ser Jamie." Were the last words she spoke as she took the reins, almost desperate to be away from the secret which burned on her lips.