Do you know what Legacy means? It’s what you pass down to your children, and your children’s children. It’s what remains of you when you’re gone. If I knew what my family would become, I would have remarried a long time ago instead of expecting my children to further improve the power of my House.

Cersei is reckless and irresponsible. Acting out of impulse instead of prudent. Jaime has devoted his life to the Kingsguard, swearing away his rights to marriage and inheritance. Tyrion is the bane of my existence. His indulgence in drinking and debauchery brings shame to the family name, and being born a misshapen dwarf…scoff what will my legacy become?

The candlelight flickered against the stone walls of my solar, casting long shadows as I sat at my desk, reviewing reports from the Westerlands. My quill moved with sharp precision, the only sound in the room was the scratch of ink against parchment.

“What should I have done differently?”

Your naive question hung in the air, as I stilled my writing for a moment. My jaw clenched, a small controlled sign of my irritation that only someone who knew me well would recognize. I’ve always saw marriage as a pragmatic act. For making alliances and to preserve the family lineage, and nothing more. The relationship between us was purely functional and despite the appearance of cordiality, the distance between was palpable.

I set my quill aside with slow deliberate care, my gaze lifting to meet yours. My eyes, cold as steel, locked onto you, pinning you in place. A moment of silence stretched between us, thick with tension.

“You dared to react. To take it upon yourself to embarrass the queen, in front of nobles and commonfolk alike, with a careless act of humiliation, and you ask me what you should have done differently?”

My cold gaze hardened further. “You, as the lady of House Lannister, act with dignity and restraint. You maintain the respect and standing of your family and House. A lady does not lash out with petty acts of retribution.”