The Young Lion

Act 1 Ch 2 Bath

The servant girl returned with the court physician grand maester Pycelle. Though the girl wore a face of worry the old man didn’t seem to share her anxiety. Adrian sat up and allowed the old man to examine his body. Adrian had little hope for this medieval world's level of medicine but he kept his skepticism to himself.As Pycelle looked over his body checking his eyes and pulse for any sign of illness he found nothing. As the old man touched him Adrian couldn’t help but notice the old man's dirty hands. 

“I guess this world's hygiene is behind the times as well huh?” He thought

Despite the maester having no modern medical knowledge Adrian was pleasantly surprised by the man's competency.  

“There’s no need to worry your grace.” The man said after finishing his examination. “Besides the still healing bite he’s completely healthy.”

“Are you sure grand maester, he was yelling in pain before?” Cersei asked, her voice filled with concern.

“Yes, your grace.” He said slowly standing up before pulling a vile out of his pouch. “This is milk of the poppy. Take two drops with water if the pain returns.”

“Thank you grand maester.” Adrian said politely then the old man turned and slowly shuffled his way out of his bedchamber.

Internally Adrian's words were insincere but if he learned anything in his last life it was best not to voice his grievances aloud. Thus he acted in a civil manner befitting the crown prince.

After hearing her son was fine Cersei calmed herself and looked at him with a smile. Joffrey had always been her little lion, she treasured him more than anything in all of the kingdoms. That's why his next words surprised her.

“Dearest mother, could you please instruct the servants to run me a bath. I feel washing that old man's filth off of me would be best for my health.” He said with a kind smile.

“Of course my dear, I’ll instruct them right away.” With that said she immediately departed her son’s room, the servant girl closing the door behind them.

“Thanks” he said with a rather indifferent expression.

Now left on his lonesome Adrian or rather Joffrey as he was now known smelled his body. Which stunk of sweat and grim. 

“Well one thing is for certain there are gonna be some changes around here concerning personal hygiene.” 

He was already coming up with plans for laws on public health, maybe even plans for a public bathhouse like the ancient Romans used. Whatever it took to have some degree of cleanliness in this city.After standing up again from the bed he stretched his limbs and cracked his joints, then he heard a knock at his door, which came from one of the servants.

“My prince, your bath is ready.”

He opened the door and gave the servant a charming smile making her blush as he walked by with enthusiasm. 

“Lead the way.”

The servant recovered and quickly caught up to the prince leading him to the royal baths. After a short stroll he reached his bathroom where he promptly barred the door before stripping naked before emerging into the steaming water.As he relaxed in the bath he reexamined his body, his face showed his immense dissatisfaction with his underdeveloped body and his frail figure. 

“Wow this little twat really didn’t train a day in his life.” He thought looking at his thin arms.

He was gonna have to make some serious dietary changes along with creating a resistance training regime. As he soaked he looked down at his reflection and examined his features again. He had short blond hair, and green eyes that shone like emeralds. He had a fair but healthy complexion which augmented his regal features. 

He thought he fit the perfect picture of a stereotypical prince charming out of a fairy tail. Too bad that the real Joffrey was such a cunt that it ruined the image. Though in all he was happy to have reincarnated into a handsome body. A body could be rebuilt but the appearance was out of his hands. 

After 20-30 mins of soaking and washing the grim off of his body, and calming the mental stress he was facing from reincarnating into a fiction story he stepped out. He found a pair of 15 century attire waiting for his return, it appeared to have been freshly pressed. 

After slipping into the garments he looked at the state of his hair. He styled it the best he could. Though he wasn’t a hairstylist by any means he thought he should probably create some cosmetic products. 

“Perhaps I should invent some hair products while I’m dealing with the personal hygiene problem.” He pondered to himself. “After all, people's vanity could prove to be a great source of income.”

As he left the bathroom he found a different servant waiting for him.

“My prince the queen wishes to speak with you.” 

“Is that so?” He asked with a stoic expression. “Take me to her.”

The servant bowed respectfully.

“Yes my prince.”

After traversing the red keep for sometime Joffrey arrived at his mother’s chambers. He politely knocked on his mother’s door.

“Mother it's me.” He called out.

“Come in dear.”

After thanking the servant for her work he dismissed her so that he and his mother could talk in private. The girl promptly bowed before excusing herself, and leaving the mother and son duo alone. 

He found his mother sitting at a small table, upon seeing her son she gave him a warm motherly smile then gestured for him to sit. After he sat her looked over his mother figure again, and now that he wasn’t so groggy from the new memories he could truly appreciate it. 

She was a strikingly beautiful woman in her mid thirties, she had long golden curly blond hair with emerald green eyes like his. She had fair skin with a slender but still voluptuous figure that her day dress clung to. It was easy to see why she was called the most beautiful woman in all the kingdoms. In all Joffrey thought she fit the perfect image of a fantasy world queen.

“Too bad that it's ruined by her being a incestuous fool.” He thought

 As he thought this his mother went to speak.

“How is your wound my son?” She gestured to the wolf bite.

“Fine, it's just a scratch.” He responded while holding his arm. “I deserved worse for letting my guard down.”

“A king should have some scars.” She said looking at her son with surprise. “ You fought off a direwolf, you’re a warrior like your father.”

“No I’m not.” He disagreed. “ I didn’t fight anything, it bit me, I screamed. Then I let a girl five years younger than me disarm me.” He said with self disgust.

“That's not true, you fought and killed the beast. Then you spared the young girl’s life only because of the love your father bears her’s. Your father was once a rebel and a traitor until he took the throne. One day you’ll sit on it then the truth will be what you make it.”

“Maybe, but I’ll always know.” He responded now realizing how the real Joffrey became such a spoiled little shit.

Cersei was completely surprised by her son's new attitude.

“Well in any case do something nice for the Stark girl, the occasional kindness will spare you all sorts of trouble down the road.” She said trying to brush off her son’s sudden change in demeanor.

“I know I was already planning on doing that mother.” He responded remembering how cruelly the real Joffrey had been to his betrothed. “After all we must keep our alliance with the northerns strong.”

“Well said.” She said with a smile, glad to see her son thinking like a king. “After all a good king knows how to keep his friends close, and a great king knows when to keep his enemies closer.”

“You believe the northerns to be our enemies?” He inquired while standing up trying not to laugh at the woman trying to act wise.

She stood up from her chair and held her son's shoulders gazing over his features with affection.

“Anybody who isn’t us dear, is an enemy.” 

“I understand” He nodded his head at her words, before turning around and exiting her chambers. 

Cersei watched as he left with a proud smile, convinced her son would be the greatest king in the history of the seven kingdoms. Joffrey slowly walked down the stone hallway, with plans forming in his head. He had so many things to do and so many weeds to pluck.