I Am The King

Tommen lowered his head and said nothing. Cersei pressed coldly, "Tell me, who has been whispering poison in your ear?"

"Answer my question, Tommen."

Tommen furtively glanced at his mother and said in a small voice, "I thought of it myself. No one else."

Cersei sneered. "No one else? Then why did your mother smell roses? You dare lie to me. As your mother, I ought to punish you."

She lifted her chin slightly. "But you are the king, so I can only punish those around you. Every person who serves you, I will have them all beaten until their skin splits."

The Lioness looked as though she were watching a little lamb. "So, is that what you want me to do, Tommen?"

The little king hurriedly shook his head. "No, Mother, don't do that."

Picking up a jeweled golden goblet, Cersei took a sip of sweet wine and curled her lips faintly. "Good. Now you can tell me who told you those things."

"It was..." Tommen's little head nearly sank beneath the table as he mumbled, "Lady Margaery."

"That's more like it. A mother and son should be honest with each other."

Only then did Cersei nod with slight satisfaction. "Listen, Tommen. I have to handle the kingdom's affairs every day. These matters... you're still too young to understand them. And I... will not allow a child to sit on the Iron Throne and disturb me with childish questions."

After a pause, she looked directly at her son and continued, "Look at me. Let me guess... Margaery also encouraged you to attend my Small Council meetings, didn't she?"

Tommen looked at Cersei cautiously, nodded, and said, "Yes. She thinks I should learn how to comport myself as a king sooner."

"When you grow up, you can attend as many