After King Joeffrey's funeral, arrived the chariots. They had come to take Queen Margaery's father back to Highgarden and bring her little sister, Arianna Tyrell, in King's Landing. The same afternoon, princess Arianna saw her sister in the Iron Throne's Chamber. The Queen ordered Sir Jaime Lannister to be her sister's personal bodyguard. Apparently, the youngest daughter of the Tyrells had come to stay.
"So, how did it happen?" asked Arianna, her big blue eyes shining under the afternoon sun.
"How happened what, my Lady?" wondered Jaime.
"Your hand. How did you lose it?" she asked again. Jaime looked at her. She was an exact copy of her sister, only a year younger. The same brown, wavy hair, the same big, bright blue eyes. But Arianna's lips were full and light pink, her hair were all falling on her shoulders and back, not braided but free. She was wearing a light blue colored, long dress that left her white back naked. She was barefoot as always. She had laid her feet on the garden table, making her dress slip higher on her thighs, revealing two white, well-shaped legs. She was also holding two raspberries and was looking at her bodyguard like she was reading him. Jaime didn't answer.
"Oh, come on! Sit down, tell me! It's not like I will tell anyone" she said and pointed at the chair next to her. Jaime sat quietly.
"Tell you what. If you tell me, I'll tell you how I got this" she said smirking and showed him her arm. In the inside, the knight could see a big, light-colored scar. It looked like it was done years ago. His curiosity overcame his duty and he gave in.
"I lost it in a fight" he answered
"Well, I did this to myself when I was seven, because I wanted to see if the blood in my vanes was blue or red. I had seen people bleeding and they were bleeding red, but my mother always said we had blue blood in our vanes because we were the Royal family. Now, if you really tell me how you lost your hand, I'll tell you how I got this" she said and pulled her dress just a little bit higher on her hip. Jaime then saw three scars, as like they were made by claws. He realized he couldn't lie to the princess. Something in her voice forced him to trust her.
"Lady Brianne was ordered by Catelyn Stark, who's I was hostage, to take me to King's Landing. But we were captured by Roose Bolton's men and they cut my hand off. That's it" he answered and looked at Arianna, seeking his answer.
"Well, when I was nine days old, a lioness entered my chamber in the palace. My wet nurse was terrified and left me where I slept to seek help. When my father came into my room, not only didn't he find me dead, but he saw that the lioness had brought her cub with her and that she was playing with me. My father said that I was blessed by the Gods to communicate with the animals and he kept the lioness and her baby. The mother died three years ago, but her cub remained loyal to me, even now. She made those markings to me that day with her claws, so that I never forget" explained the princess. Jaime kept looking as she ate the raspberries.
"My Lady" he said after a while "your handmaiden says your sister asked that you dine with her in her chambers. Shall I accompany you there?"
"Yes, please, it would be my honor" she answered with a smile and got up. She wore her shoes and took Jaime's arm.
"Those heels are killing me" she grumbled "I miss my old flat shoes" she made a few steps and then she twisted her ankle and fell down.
"Careful, princess" he said and helped her up. He led her to Margaery's chambers, closed the door and waited outside.
The two sisters ate and talked about how long Arianna was going to stay, what places she should visit and her new clothes and jewels. Outside the room, Jaime was standing at the door. He liked the young Tyrell. She was clever and gifted and an underdog, like him.
Later, Arianna asked him to walk together in the gardens. The night was warm and sweet and it smelled like night flower. They found a table where there was wine and fruits.
"How many of these are there in the gardens, Sir Jaime? It looks like you never run out of wine" noticed the princess. They sat. Arianna filled two glasses with wine, gave one to her bodyguard and kept the other.
"Let's play a game. I guess things about your life and if they're true, you drink. If they're wrong, I drink and you guess for me" suggested the princess. Jaime smirked and raised his glass, agreeing.
"Alright. You were the Captain of the King's Guard before you lost your hand" she said. Jaime silently drunk from his glass
"Right. You are twins with Cersei" she guessed. Jaime drunk again.
"You are thirty seven years old" she guessed again. The knight smirked.
"Drink, princess. I am forty" he said. Arianna laughed and finished her wine. Jaime served her more and stared at her for a bit.
"You… you can draw" he said. Arianna pointed at his glass.
"You drink, Ser Jaime. I'm a terrible artist" she answered. Her bodyguard drunk, but she placed her glass on the table.
"It's getting cold. Shall we continue in my chambers?" she suggested. The knight got up and offered her his arm. She took it and they walked to her room. Arianna locked the door and pulled the curtains. She blew off all the candles but one and stood opposite of Jaime.
"Let's change the rules a bit. I start guessing again. When I guess right, you take something from your clothing off. If I lose, you ask me. Be careful though. I'm not wearing much" she said
If it was for different, Jaime would have refused. But he was dizzy from the wine and surprised by the princess's abilities, so he decided to give it a try. He took his sword off with his belt and placed it on the table.
"That's a bonus, princess" he said
The armor was taken off quickly and easily. Arianna was guessing small but correct things about her bodyguard's life and soon he was barefoot, with only his pants and shirt on. He was sitting on a chair and she was laid on her bed, when she decided things should get more interesting. So she guessed wrong on purpose. It was Jaime's turn and he knew he had to guess right.
"You are your father's favorite child" he said. Arianna smirked and kicked her shoes off
"Two more shots, Sir Jaime. You should come closer" she answered. The knight sat at the end of the bed, next to her bare feet.
"You are not the daughter of Lady Alerie Tyrell. Mace Tyrell had you with someone else but he kept you and named you a Tyrell" said Jaime.
"True" she answered and unbuttoned the top of her dress. She lowered it, revealing her breasts.
"Your brother and sister are aware of this" he guessed. Arianna smiled.
"I'm sorry, they know nothing. Now, Cersei's children aren't King Robert Baratheon's children" she said. Jaime took his shirt off and threw it on the floor. Arianna was now sat on the bed, her back against the wall and was looking at him.
"But they are yours" she guessed again. Jaime moved and crawled towards her.
"Correct, princess. Can you help me with my pants? I only have one hand you see" he answered. Arianna kept looking in his eyes while she untied the cord of his trousers and then she unbuttoned the rest of her dress and took it off.
"But I didn't guess" protested Jaime
"Consider it as a bonus" she answered. He leaned forward and kissed her lips. Arianna's hands played with his short hair as he went lower, kissing her neck. She closed her eyes and dropped her head back as he wrapped his left arm around her body and pushed her on the wall. Now she was kneeled on the bed. He placed his knees under her hips and forced them to open. He paused for a second, just to hear Arianna's fast breath in his ear. Then, he suddenly moved quickly up and slipped inside her. She screamed a bit and immediately wrapped her arms around his neck. She was trapped between the wall and his body and they were moving together. He bit her ear softly as she moaned and went a bit faster. Arianna was on fire. He smelled so nice, he felt so nice, even his fast breath in her ear and his low moans were sounding nice. She started shaking as he went just a bit faster. His head moved to the left and his lips stood just an inch from hers as they continued moving up and down.
"I'm close" he whispered. She moaned a bit louder and Jaime closed her mouth with a kiss, just when she let a deep, loud scream escape her lips. He broke the kiss to take a gasp of air before he finished too. He stood for a second inside her, not moving anymore, trying to catch his breath and then he pulled out quickly. Arianna collapsed on the sheets, breathing heavily. He lied next to her. After a while, she stood at her elbow and looked at Jaime, who was still laid on the bed facing the roof. She smirked.
"So, this is how you have kids. I think I want many kids" she said. He laughed and looked at her. His golden eyes shined. She wrapped a sheet around her body and roosted in his arms. She placed her head under his chin, took a deep breath and fell asleep.
Jaime didn't sleep. He kept playing with Arianna's hair until the sky started lighting up by the newborn Sun. He then kissed her softly and left her room to go to his.
Arianna Tyrell and Jaime Lannister played the same game almost every night. They revealed things to each other no one would ever dare to say to anyone else but themselves. And then they'd make love and fall asleep.
For the first time since his arriving in King's Landing, for the first time after Joeffrey's death, Jaime felt love and care from an unexpected source. The youngest Tyrell was a representation of the spring. She was laughing, smiling, teasing him and was spending her afternoons in the gardens. She had a pure soul, so pure he even felt bad sometimes.
Arianna, on the other hand, was deeply in love with the Kingslayer. She only felt bad away from him. The nights he couldn't stay with her, she had nightmares. But then here he was, driving the bad dreams away with just a kiss. It looked like nothing could go wrong.
And then, one night, the one night they had nothing to hide from one another, Arianna announced that she was pregnant with his child. Jaime got out of bed, wore his pants and got out to the balcony. He placed his hands on the banister and stared in the gardens. Arianna followed him with a sheet wrapped around her body.
"What's wrong, my love?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his left arm and looking at him, seeking her answer
"My princess, you can't have my child. Your father, the Queen, they will never accept it. The Kingslayer's bastard… I can't do this to you" he answered, still looking at the trees. Arianna softly pushed his left shoulder, forcing him to turn around and look at her. She then placed both of his hands on her naked shoulders and took his face in her palms
"Look at me, Jaime. All this is yours. My hair, my face, my body, my soul, it's all yours to do whatever you want with it. But let me have the child. Please" she said. The knight bent his head towards her, until their foreheads touched.
"You can't have it here" he said. Arianna unwrapped the sheet and let it fall, revealing her body.
"Then come inside, back in bed, and tell me where you want us to go" she answered and kissed him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her feet around his waist. Jaime raised her and took her inside, again in their bed. Neither of them was aware that they were not alone when this conversation happened, and so they went back inside, closed the window and slept deeply.
A few days later, Arianna and Jaime were walking in the gardens, when lord Varys appeared surprisingly in front of them. He greeted Arianna, who kindly replied
"My lady, may I have a word with Ser Jaime alone? His sister wanted me to deliver a very important message to him" he asked
"Of course, lord Varys" she answered, then turned to her bodyguard
"Ser Jaime, I'll continue my walk and return to my chambers. Please, come there when you finish" she said and walked away
"Truly, a beautiful creature, Arianna Tyrell" noticed Varys. Jaime was still looking at her walking away. He turned to Varys
"What is it?" he asked
"I just thought you might want to know that your sister is aware of your relationship with the princess. But she doesn't know about her pregnancy" answered Varys
Jaime turned pale. He looked around, made sure no one was around, then grabbed him from his collar and brought a small knife just an inch from his neck. Varys sighed.
"Ser Jaime, is this really necessary? I'm just trying to help you" he said
"You told her. You told her about me and Arianna" answered Jaime. He was furious. He pressed the knife on lord Varys's neck
"Alright, it is true. Your sister wanted me to spy on you. I told her that you had a relationship with the youngest Tyrell and she exploded in rage. She said terrible things, things she would do to you and the princess. I realized it was dangerous for you and Arianna if your sister knew anything more about you two and so I decided to learn as much as I could and keep Cercei from getting any more information. Last night, I heard about Arianna being pregnant. And so I came to warn you" explained Varys
"I need to protect her. She can't stay in King's Landing, it's too dangerous. I'll take her to Casterly Rock. My father said it's mine now. He said I could go there and make a family, live a life" decided Jaime
"May I suggest something, my Lord? It would be better if you married her. The sooner you do it, the better it will be for both of you. If the wedding happens within the month, no one will ever notice she's pregnant. After the wedding, you can go to Casterly Rock and live there a long life with your family" suggested Varys. Jaime dropped the knife, let him go and run to Arianna's chambers to tell her the news.
"My princess, do you want to…" he started saying as he opened the door, but then he immediately realized something was going wrong. The youngest Tyrell was laying on the floor, pale as the sheets on her bed. She wasn't moving. Jaime ran next to her.
"Arianna… Arianna, talk to me" he said. The only thing the princess could do was breath weakly
"Looks like a snake bite to me" said a voice behind them. The Kingslayer turned around and saw Cersei leaned on the wall, with an evil smile on her face. Jaime moved quickly. He got up and grabbed his sister's arm with his left hand and shook her violently.
"What did you do to her?" he yelled
"You know, lord Varys isn't the only one with eyes and ears everywhere" she answered smirking. Jaime squeezed her arm more into his.
"What did you do to her?" he repeated
"Maybe I let a snake sneak into her room and maybe it bit her. What do you care? I thought you were just fucking her. Oh, is this about the child? Is it yours? You wanted to keep it? I'm so sorry Jaime, I didn't know" she said smiling sarcastically
Jaime couldn't keep it inside. He let her go only for a second and then he slapped her with his left hand
"Get out" he said
"What did you do?" asked Cercei, wiping the blood from her lips
"Be glad it wasn't my right hand. Now get out. NOW" he yelled. His sister looked at him one last time and closed the door behind her on the way out
Jaime kneeled next to Arianna. He wrapped his right arm around her and looked at her closed eyes.
"It's my fault, I'm so sorry. The one time I left you out of my sight, was the last one. I was coming to tell you that my sister knew about us. I was coming to tell you I could provide you with a safe place to give birth to our child and live with me. I was coming to ask if you would marry me" he whispered. Arianna opened her eyes a little and smiled at him
"Yes, my love, I will marry you" she whispered, then her head fell back and her eyes closed. She stayed still.
In the throne's chamber, queen Margaery was talking with her counselors, when the big gate opened widely and Ser Jaime Lannister walked in, carrying her sister in his arms. His eyes were still wet from crying and full of rage. He kneeled before the Iron Throne and softly placed the body of Arianna Tyrell on the floor. The Queen got up from her seat and looked at him.
"Ser Jaime, what is the meaning of this? Is my sister alright?" she asked
"My Queen" said Jaime bending his head "your sister has been murdered. I take full responsibility for her death, because I wasn't able to protect her. It appears that a snake sneaked into her room and bit her. You may now arrest me. But, before you do, I'd like to talk to you. Alone, if you may"
The Queen waved her hand and everyone else left the room. It was now only her, Ser Jaime and, between them, Arianna's body
"Your Grace" begun Jaime "your sister and I… we were engaged"