Sweet Talk

Cersei's full breasts rose and fell several times before she managed to force out her voice. "Kevan, I am the Queen Regent. I should stay by my son's side."

Count Kevan cast Cersei a cold glance. "Your father did not think so."

Cersei's voice rose slightly. "My father is dead."

Count Kevan set down his wine cup, paused, then spoke slowly. "That is my misfortune, and the misfortune of the entire realm. Cersei, open your eyes and take a good look at yourself. Your father could have ended the chaos of the Seven Kingdoms, but you..."

Cersei angrily cut Kevan off. "I can end the chaos of the Seven Kingdoms just as my father did!"

After shouting, she took a moment to calm herself. Her green eyes fixed on Kevan as she lowered her voice and continued, "...with your help, Uncle. So long as you serve me as loyally as you served Father..."

Kevan shook his head. "Cersei, you are not your father. Besides, your father always regarded Jaime as his true heir."

Cersei's fingers curled. "Jaime put on the white cloak during King Aerys's reign. The Kingsguard hold no lands, take no wives, and father no children. He knows perfectly well what that means. Even if there were a way to make him remove the white cloak, he never liked thinking. He preferred mocking everyone and everything. He was never suited to be a ruler."

At that, the lines on Count Kevan's forehead deepened. "Even so, Jaime was your first choice for Hand of the King. Why, Cersei?"

Cersei's gaze involuntarily shifted aside. Her lips moved as she said, "I told you already. At the time, I was drowning in grief and had not thought things through..."

"Had not thought things through."

Repeating Cersei's words, Kevan stared at her.