Hooves slapped the ground, the black beast heaved itself up the hill picking its way through the undergrowth. The trees shook as the northern winds washed down over the lands, a faint chill hung in the air now...a faint sense of dread as winter began to descend. Pulling gently on the reins he could feel a twinge in the stump of his right hand. The horse came to a halt and tossed its head. Curse the winter and the air the feeling of metal burned his flesh now.
"Easy..." He mumbled pulling the reins gently with his only available working hand. His eyes flickered down to the gold fingers that remained fixed and solid...what a sight. Gold. Casting the rains down onto the horses neck Jaime pulled the second glove off his belt and lined it up to his golden hand before giving it a sharp pull. Her words were still in his mind. The loveless expression that had coated her entire face...how hurtful she could be...how callous...cruel...cold...Jaime's growled as he gave the glove another tug forcing it over his golden hand now. A drop stained the leather, staining it darker. Rain? Turning his head Jaime looked to the skies now. Winter had come. Small flakes were forming in the great grey abyss from above-spiralling and dancing gleefully as they made their descent to the floor. Jaime realized now. It didn't matter about politics any longer. Banners, kings, thrones and wars were all meaningless. Cersai may not have admitted the true threat that was coming but he had. Perhaps it was a selfish act. They wouldn't win the war-there were no longer any houses loyal, those that remained their loyalties lay elsewhere and Jaime did not want to be left to fight a war that was unwinnable. He would survive this winter. Her words pulled him back now...her icy words still resounded in his mind.
"That would be treason..."
If the pledge was to ride at the head of her army instead of North he was sure there would have been no discussion. No questions. Instead his sister had proved just how like their father she truly was. All she wanted to protect was herself she could lie to him but that didn't mean he would believe it. Cersai was fighting for their house's survival...what house? Their mother and father were dead, Tyrion now loyal to the dragon queen and each and every one of their children was now cold and buried. Joffrey...Tommen...Myrcella. His dear Myrcella. The very touch of her body as the life had seeped from her...the poor girl. She was the best the Lannister's had ever produced. Only goodness. Feeling the burn of water in his eyes Jaime turned his attention back over his shoulder to the sprawling city that lay silent now. The greyness took everything away from King's Landing, the summer was over and the people would now clammer to get inside, away from the wind and the snow. She would remain there, perched on her throne...alone. Part of him wanted to give up the foolish pursuit and return to her, after all he had loved the woman. Once. Now?
"I told you no one walks away from me..."
"Are you going to order him to kill me? I'm the only one you have left our children are gone, our father is gone. It's just me and you now..."
"There's one more yet to come..."
"Give the order then..."
With a nod she had given the order. Jaime had felt everything that he had once felt for his sister flee his heart in that cold unforgettable moment. She would rather face the rest of her days alone. Jaime would give her that-if it was what her heart desired so. He had been a fool to think the woman would be capable of love. The only thing she had ever loved was her own person. The northern wind was beginning to pick up and wash over King's Landing, snow clouds carried shrouds of ice toward the bay. Jaime reached down and plucked the reins off the horses neck now, twisting them around his fingers Jaime drew his eyes away from King's Landing and looked North. There would be no turning back for him now...perhaps he should thank her. Cersai had made it easier by giving him nothing to turn back to. The city now seemed unfamilar, it was a ghost of what it once had been, why could things not return to how they were before? The horse beneath him gave a snort. Drawing eyes away from the skies Jaime spurred the horse forward. It gave a protesting shake of its head before jumping to action and quickly pacing itself into a trot. No. No returning to what life was, that would never happen now-he would make a new start. If he was to survive this war then the North was where he would begin and if he should die then he would not die hidden away in King's Landing with nothing but cold walls surrounding him. He would face the dead alongside the Dragon Queen and the King of the North as he had promised. Digging his heels into the horses barrel Jaime encouraged the animal into canter and took to the path.
"I told you no one walks away from me..."
The wind whipped his face, the flakes of snow spattering against his leather jerkin sending a chill into his bones...but in the pit of his stomach he felt a certain warmth. Something he hadn't felt in some time. He felt proud...he felt that for once in his life he was doing the right thing. His heart was beating with...was it excitement? It didn't ache nor pain him. The horse continued along its path, its mane bouncing against the animals thick neck. Winter had come and Jaime would face it in the North. Her words would fade from his memory over time, he would dwell on them no longer and should he ever see her again Jaime would, undoubtedly, meet her on the opposite side of the battlefield.