Cersei felt her newest child slide into the world and felt a sense of relief that it was over. She heard the babes' first cry and saw her handmaiden gather the babe in her arms, put a cloth around it and walk towards Cersei. Cersei remembered this moment when Joffrey had been born, and Cersei gathered the baby in her arms. She saw it was a boy, a younger brother for Joffrey and an older brother for those children she had yet to bear. It would be her, Jaime and their children with their golden hair and green eyes. But all her dreams were shattered as she pulled back the blanket from her child's head to see his hair. Instead of the golden locks she had expected, the babes' hair was thick and dark. He was not Jaime's son, he was Robert's, and Cersei couldn't believe it. He opened his eyes and Cersei saw the bright green orbs that showed him to be a Lannister, but from every other angle, he was a Baratheon.

She heard knocking on her bedchamber door and her handmaiden opened it. Cersei heart filled with joy at the sight of Jaime striding through the door, but then her heart sank as she realised she could not give him what he had come for, his child. Jaime knelt beside her and took the baby from her arms, but as he did so he saw the mess of dark hair and instantly knew the babe was not his. His face showed shock and anger,

"How?" Jaime asked of her, "How could this have happened?"

"I don't know" Cersei answered truthfully, "The timing of his birth is right he should have been yours…"

"But he is not!" Jaime shouted and the baby in his arms started to cry softly. Jaime gave the child back to Cersei who cradled him in her arms. "If I had known he was not mine I would have taken you to have to disposed of. Now it had only made things more complicated." Cersei knew what her brother was suggesting but could not bring herself to say it. "There are some vials in the maester's chambers that if mixed together will give the child a terrible ill, I have seen some mother's in the streets begging for it as they cannot raise the children themselves, you are lucky I am able to get it for you easily. The child will die quickly once it has been administered, I will not have you suffering for that son of an ass!" Jaime shouted the last words and the baby cried again. Jaime strode from the room to collect the vials that would end her child's life.

Cersei had laboured for a day to bring Joffrey into the world, and even then he wouldn't stop crying. This boy was different, it had been only a few hours labour and the baby had quietened almost immediately. She had once loved Robert and this baby reminded her of why, the dark hair, the strong jawline and the handsome chiselled features. The baby wrapped its tiny fingers around Cersei's thumb and gave a tiny yawn, but Cersei saw the green in his eyes as he closed them, and knew in that moment that she could never let him go.

Robert returned from his hunt later that day and Cersei had never been so pleased to see him. When Jaime had returned with the vials, Cersei had told him that she would not let him kill the babe. He had been very angry and cursed Cersei for being so weak and feeble. If it had been anyone else Cersei would have been afraid that they would kill the child anyway, but Cersei knew that Jaime would never go directly against her wishes if it would cause her pain. Nevertheless, Cersei was glad to see Robert return for once. Robert visited her in her bedchambers as she was still too weak to leave her bed. Her husband presented her with a fine cloak and she, in turn, handed him his child. When Cersei had handed him Joffrey to hold, it was only a formality, so Robert could name him and then begin a great feast, which was all Robert really wanted. But when Robert held this boy in his arms, Cersei saw something in his eyes he had not seen before. Love. Robert was holding this sleeping wonder not because he had to but because he wanted to.

He commanded everyone to leave them alone and soon only Cersei, Robert and their baby son were in the room. Robert then walked to the window, which overlooked the whole of King's Landing, and began to whisper to the child. For several minutes King Robert, the brave, the strong, the mighty, was enthralled by black haired sleeping baby. Soon he wandered back to Cersei and handed her back the babe.

"What shall we call him?" Robert asked. Cersei looked up puzzled, Robert hadn't cared about what Joffrey was called, it was a name she and Jaime had chosen.

"I….I don't know. What would you suggest?" Robert took the baby in his arms again and held him before saying,

"Rowan." Cersei considered this for a moment.

"Yes. I like that. Rowan it is."

"Born today, Prince Rowan, the first of his name, of Houses Lannister and Baratheon, may you grow strong and able, brave and wise.