Born to Tywin and Joanna Lannister in 266 AC, Cersei and her twin brother Jaime were
raised in Casterly Rock of the Westerlands.
Growing close in their childhood they began to experiment with each other sexually, and
developed a romantic relationship that they continued throughout their lives.
Although they were once caught by a servant as children, their relationship remained secret
for many years, and so Cersei’s father worked to arrange an appropriate marriage for his
only daughter, hoping to pair her with Rhaegar Targaryen, heir to the Iron Throne.
Cersei liked the idea of marrying a handsome prince and one day becoming queen, and so
she readily accepted this match, coming to fantasize about their union.
At the age of 10 in 276 AC, a tournament was held at Lannisport in honor of the birth of
Viserys Targaryen, son of King Aerys II and younger brother of Rhaegar.
Cersei’s aunt Gemma Lannister confided in the girl, letting her know that Tywin planned
to arrange the betrothal during the Tourney.
Hearing about a woman that went by Maggy the Frog, who was supposed to have magical powers,
Cersei and her friends Jeyne Farman and Melara Hetherspoon went off in search of the fortune
teller to ask about their future husbands.
However when they entered her tent she was sleeping, causing Cersei to rudely kick her
bed so she might wake.
She was short, squat, and warty, with pebbly greenish jowls and yellow eyes.
Jeyne Farman immediately ran away in fear, and Maggy tried to send the others away as
well, but young Cersei made threats, invoking the name of her father and demanding that
she speak her foretellings.
Maggy reluctantly agreed and offered them a dagger to cut themselves and sucked the
blood from their thumbs.
She then allowed them 3 questions each.
Cersei: When will I wed the prince?
Maggy: Never.
You will wed the king.
Cersei: I will be queen, though?
Maggy: Aye.
Queen you shall be... until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down
and take all that you hold dear.
Cersei: Will the king and I have children?
Maggy: Oh, aye.
Six-and-ten for him, and three for you.
Gold shall be their crowns and gold their shrouds, she said.
And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale
white throat and choke the life from you.
Cersei did not understand what Valonqar meant at the time, and wanted to leave immediately,
but Melara still wanted her questions answered.
Melara: Will I marry Jaime?
Maggy: Not Jaime, nor any other man, Worms will have your maidenhead.
Your death is here tonight, little one.
Can you smell her breath?
She is very close.
Cersei, upset at the prophecies, grabbed a nearby potion and threw it in Maggy’s face
before the girls ran off.
As the Tournament went on and concluded, Cersei then learned that her betrothal to Rhaegar
fell apart and that were not to be wed.
Throughout her life, Cersei was haunted by the word spoken in this prophecy which seemed
to foretell of her marriage to King Robert, who had 16 bastard children, while she had
3 pure born Lannisters with her brother Jaime.
It also stated that Cersei would be Queen until she was replaced by someone younger
and more beautiful, and that her children would all die, leaving her to be strangled
by the Valonqar, which after speaking Septa Saranella, Cersei learned meant “little
brother” in High valyrian.
The final prophecy saw the death of Melara Heatherspoon, likely killed by Cersei later
that night to prevent anyone from ever learning of what was said.
Although Cersei interpreted the prophecy of the Valonqar, to mean her hated younger brother
Tyrion would be the one to kill her, there is also the possibility it may actually be
her twin brother Jaime, as Cersei was born first.
And while both Tyrion and Jaime are candidates, there are some who believe the full meaning
of word Valonqar has yet to be revealed.
In the same way that a gender neutral word for prince and princess exists in the high
valyrian language, Valonqar may have been misinterpreted as meaning little brother,
when it may in fact mean little sibling, broadening the scope of the prophecy to mean any little
brother or little sister may be the person destined to end Cersei’s life.
As a result, some have come to believe the Valonqar may be Arya Stark, a little sister
in the Stark family and a trained assassin, who dreams of murdering Cersei for her actions
against her family.
Other proposed female candidates include several of the Sand Snakes, daughters of Oberyn Martell
who want vengeance for the death of their father.
However others do not agree with this interpretation proposing a number of alternative male candidates
such as Sandor Clegane, the little brother of Gregor Clegane, who may still be alive
and has a deep hatred of the Lannister family.
There is also Stannis baratheon, younger brother to King Robert, Aegon Targaryen supposed younger
brother to Rhaenys Targaryen, and Gendry and Edric Storm, younger siblings amongst Robert
baratheon’s bastards.
Another theory, even states that Cersei may be killed by her youngest son Tommen, who
may be raised as an undead wight after his death.