Chapter 32: Cersei Lannister’s Hidden Mission
Cersei swatted Kai’s hand off her face.
Her eyes moved from Jon Arryn’s finger to Kai, and then back to the finger. "Have you killed him?" asked the queen.
She recognized the gem, Kai could tell. He could see the slightest hint of a smile and victory on her face. He loathed to destroy that smile, but this had to be done, he knew.
"No, your grace," said Kai, shaking his head. "He is still alive."
The queen frowned. "Tell me then," she demanded. "What is this favor you speak of? And put this thing away for Mother’s sake."
Kai did as he was told.
"May I?" he held the brush and went behind Cersei. The queen narrowed her eyes at Kai but didn’t reject the offer. The brush had soft hair. Kai nuzzled Cersei’s back, making the queen feel she was still in power.
"I have come from far, your grace," Kai told her. "I had no desire to see King’s Landing. Nor did I lack work and skills to come here, seeking opportunities."
"Oh, then why did you come?" asked Cersei, playing her part.
There was amusement in her tone. A touch of impatience too. Kai ignored that.
"For you." A silence followed Kai’s answer. He rubbed her shoulders, his fingers brushing off her skin, leaving white trails over red. "I am a man almost grown, your grace. But even when they called me a child, I had made up my mind to see you. I am not of noble birth, and my prospects of becoming a knight were close to null. So there was only one way to come to King’s Landing for a skillful warrior like me."