Amara's brother was dead. She braced one hand against the wall to help her stay on her feet. The back of her other hand pressed against her lips as she tried to quiet her cries. She was mindless of the blood coating them from where she'd held her brother's hand as he died.

She'd expected Robert Baratheon to die in battle or drink himself to death. Instead he'd been felled by a boar. Cersei wailed from elsewhere in the castle and Amara stumbled away from the sound, not able to be anywhere near her sister-in-law right now. She wasn't stupid. She knew Cersei didn't care for Robert. She would be eager to put that bastard Joffrey on the throne.

Yes, Amara knew her 'nephew' was not Robert's son. She'd known for some time, had even told her brother, but he hadn't believed her. Perhaps he would have believed Ned Stark, but now they'd never know. Sobs tore from her throat and her knees buckled. Strong hands caught her before she collapsed to the floor. She was swept up and carried through the halls to a room. It only took a moment for her to recognize it as Jaime's.

She and the kingslayer had been in a relationship for several years. Everyone knew but no one talked about it. After all, if her brother the king approved why should anyone else have something to say about it. Amara knew of Jaime's past with his sister. In fact, he was the one that had told her he fathered Cersei's children. She also knew he regretted it and had tried his best to repair what he could behind the scenes.

He sat Amara on the edge of the bed, quickly returning with a wet rag. He scrubbed at her hands trying to remove the crimson stains from them. "She'll try to kill me now," she said as she finally focused on Jaime. He knelt before her, his head bent as he concentrated on his task.

He looked up suddenly at her words and searched her eyes. "She'll do nothing of the sort, Amara. She knows how I feel about you."

She huffed a laugh. "That's exactly why she'll do it, my love. She has never forgiven me for taking your attention from her."

Worry flashed through his eyes for a brief moment before he tossed the rag on a nearby table. "That was a long time ago. Everything shall be fine."


Joffrey, the little shit, had just ordered Ned Stark's execution. Amara had started to say something, to scream out but Jaime stopped her. She left and went to her room. She was now waiting for Jaime. Several times, he was supposed to lead troops leaving King's Landing or take on a mission for the new king, but he always found a way out of it. He refused to leave Amara's side. He evidently didn't trust Cersei as much as he wanted her to believe.

Suddenly, the door to the room flew open and Amara spun to face it. Four men stood in the opening. "Lady Baratheon, we are to take you into custody by order of the king."

Fear pierced through her but she swallowed past the lump in her throat. "What are the charges?"

"Treason, my lady."

She scoffed. "He accuses me of treason?" As much as she disliked Joffrey she knew he wasn't the one behind this. No, this was Cersei's doing. "Fine." She placed her hands behind her back as she moved to follow them out and took the opportunity to slip the ring off her index finger. Jaime had given it to her two years ago and she hadn't taken it off since. It fell unnoticed to the carpet.


"No one has seen her?" Jaime asked again as he paced the floor in front of Cersei and Joffrey. It had been three days since Stark's execution. Three days since anyone would admit to having seen Amara.

Cersei sighed and rolled her eyes. "That's what I'm telling you, brother. Perhaps she fled with what was left of Eddard Stark's men."

"She wouldn't do that. She wouldn't leave without me," he insisted.

Cersei laughed. "Yes, because I am sure she is content to be your bed partner and nothing more. She never cared for me or my children, Jaime. She's taken the opportunity to flee. You should forget about her."

Jaime turned to look his sister in the eye while he fidgeted with Amara's ring on his little finger. Whenever he had a moment's insecurity, when he started to believe Cersei, that ring told him otherwise. "Perhaps you're right, sister." With that he turned and left the room.

A messenger stopped him in the hall. "I was looking for you Ser Lannister. I have a missive from your father." Jaime took the letter and continued to his goal.

He glanced around the hall as he knocked on the door.

"Come in."

He slid into the room and shut the door behind him. "I need your help," he said to his brother and placed Amara's ring on the table.

Tyrion knew exactly what he was looking at as he'd helped Jaime locate the jeweler that made it. Amara was one of his closest friends. "What do you want me to do?" he asked.


Amara was hungry and thirsty. And so damn tired. She refused to eat anything they gave to her. She didn't put it past Cersei to poison it and make it look like an accident of some sort. Amara would take sips of the water they offered from the communal bucket but that was all. Days had passed, she knew that much but she couldn't say how many.

"Hello," she heard a voice bellow. Tyrion!

"What are you doing here?" a guard asked.

"Just inspecting the dungeons, good man. Go about your business." Tyrion sounded drunk. Her suspicions were confirmed when he began to sing a bawdy tavern song. She couldn't help but smirk. Like all the other prisoners, she moved to the door of her cell. Soon her friend came into sight accompanied by one of the guards.

His eyes widened slightly as he saw her and he gave her a little wink before continuing on his merry way as if he'd seen nothing of interest. A recon mission then.

It was early the next morning when two guards came to retrieve her from her cell. They led her to the throne room. She heard Tyrion talking as the doors opened.

"It has come to my attention, King Joffrey, that there is a prisoner in the dungeons who hasn't had her trial. I was afraid she'd been overlooked in all the recent excitement." Several gasps were heard as Amara stepped into the room. "Ah, there she is now."

"Aunt Amara? We thought you'd left," Joffrey said with a frown. "But why were in the dungeons?"

"I was told you had accused me of treason, my king. An accusation I do not understand at all." She did her best to sound pathetic and confused.

"Well, you were friends with Eddard Stark were you not?" Cersei said with pursed lips.

"Mother?" Joffrey asked. Amara saw movement out of the corner of her eye as Jaime entered the room from another door. Relief flooded his eyes when he saw her but his frown deepened as he looked her over. Amara's eyes flicked over him and saw one finger tapping the end of his sword. She switched her gaze to Tyrion and saw him doing the same thing to the dagger at his waist.

"We cannot trust her Joffrey. She has never cared for us," Cersei explained with an arched brow.

"I swear by the old gods and the new that I love all of my brother's children and would never commit a treasonous act against any of them," Amara said, earning another scowl from Cersei while Joffrey beamed at you. Jaime coughed and sent her a narrow-eyed look. Amara sighed. "But as I have been accused, I demand trial by combat as is my right."

"And who will be your champion?" Cersei said.

"I will," Jaime said striding into the middle of the room.

Cersei paled. "I thought you had been summoned by Father."

He shrugged. "In a manner of speaking. Name your champion, Joffrey."

"U-uncle?" Joffrey stuttered as he looked between Jaime and Cersei. Cersei on the other hand moved her glare between Amara and her brother.

"Gregor Clegane." A flash of triumph flared through her eyes as she said the name. Worry flooded Amara. Jaime was an excellent swordsman but the Mountain was just huge. How else do you get a name like the Mountain?

"My king, it is in your power to stop this," a voice said and Amara turned to see Tywin Lannister stepping through the crowd. "Or does your mother rule?"

"Grandfather," Joffrey exclaimed. "Of course not." He cleared his throat and stood. "I am the only one who can decide if someone is guilty of treason. I see no reason to even charge my aunt and order her immediate release. No trial is necessary."

Tywin glanced around the room. "Leave us," he ordered and people rushed to obey. Soon the only ones left in the room were the Lannisters and Amara. Tywin moved to her side and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Amara." He'd always liked her.

"What is going on here?" Cersei demanded.

"I have come to offer my grandson my services as Hand of the King," Tywin decreed. "Your brother has left the king's guard and is marrying Amara. He will leave for Casterly Rock in the morning. Tyrion is going with them."

It was difficult for Amara to keep a straight face but somehow she managed. Jaime and Tyrion had been busy and may the gods bless them for it. Jaime came to stand by her side and slipped the ring back on her finger as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"And when are they getting married?" Cersei asked in a tight voice.

"I was rather hoping Joffrey would do it now," Jaime announced.

"It would be my pleasure, uncle," Joffrey said and Amara graced him with a genuine smile as they moved to stand before him. In a few short moments she would be a Lannister. And by this time tomorrow she would be on her way to Casterly Rock with her husband and her best friend. For a while at least she'd have everything she wanted. Let the world burn around the bastard king and his mother once she was gone.