authors note: heres another chapter! it picks up right where we left off! I own nothing. Enjoy!
Chapter 2: The Aftermath
"Someone help! Please!" I shouted as I ran as fast as I could with Bran's lifeless body in my arms. As I got closer I saw Jon who was once again outside practicing his swordsmanship but when he saw me, he knew something was wrong.
"What happened?" Jon asked as he ran toward me.
"He fell, from the tower, he's badly hurt, quickly get him help!" I shouted as I was trying desperately to catch my breath.
Jon then took Bran from me and ran quickly inside to get him the help he needed. I stayed back for a few moments as I processed what had just happened. This innocent, ten year old boy was pushed from the tower, but by who? I said that he fell even though I knew that wasn't the case. I want to find out who did this to him and confront him as to why they would do such a thing.
I soon made my way back into the gates of Winterfell and I followed the rest of the Stark family to Bran's bedroom as they all watched over him and were worried sick. A doctor had come running in straight after, he told us that there was nothing we can do except to wait until he wakes up.
I took my place next to Jon and Sansa, I gripped her hand tightly as she turned to me and started to cry, I tried my best to console her but I wasn't sure how, I knew the truth that Bran had been pushed but how would I tell them?
About an hour later everyone had left the room except for Lady Catelyn, just as I was about to make my exit she called out to me.
"Lady Amara?" she said.
"Yes" I said in return.
"Thank you…" she said as she was fighting back tears.
"For what my lady?" I asked.
"Jon told me you brought him back to safety and for that, I cant tell you how many times I told him not to climb, why doesn't he ever listen to me?" Catelyn said as she started to blame herself.
"He will pull through, I know it. He is strong, I will pray to the gods for him everyday until he is well again. Do not lose faith Lady Catelyn" I said as I tried my best to reassure her even though the fate of her son's life was hanging by a thread.
"I thank you once again…" she said to me.
"I'll leave you now" I said as I showed myself out. I closed the door behind myself and I lingered for a moment. The truth was I had no idea if Bran would make it out of this alive and if he does, what kind of life will he have? From the way he fell, the impact will cause great strain on is legs, if not rendering them completely useless. But true to my word, I started to pray right then and there not only for Bran's recovery but also for the one who did to come forward…
As lunch was being served, I didn't feel much of an appetite. I instead took a goblet of wine and continued to serve myself until I saw fit. I distanced myself and took refuge outside. I hadn't seen Jaime or Cersei all day as of yet, Robert was with Ned and Tyrion was reading by himself, where could they be?
I was snapped out of my thoughts as someone sat beside me unexpectedly, it was Jon. He also had a cup in his hand.
"Do you mind?" he asked.
"No not at all, help yourself" I said as I poured some wine for him.
"Thank you and thank you for helping my brother" Jon said.
"Please you all must stop thanking me, I wish I could have done more…" I said as it was truth.
"Nonsense it wasn't your fault, luckily you were there, if you hadn't been one only knows when Bran would have been found and his condition could have worsened" Jon said as he drank quickly.
"I just hope he wakes up soon" I said.
"As do I, but I fear I wont be here to see it happen…" he said.
"What do you mean?" I asked curious.
"Tomorrow I am to leave to join the nights watch and my father is to leave with King Robert to go back to King's Landing as his hand" Jon said.
"You honestly think your father will leave even with Bran in this condition?" I asked.
"He may not have a choice" Jon said.
"But you do? Why would you want to join the nights watch? Its a very dangerous and lonely occupation to have" I said as I had known a few boys from King's Landing who had sworn their allegiance a few years ago to only never be heard from again.
"I always wanted to be a warrior and to feel as if I belong, to be a part of something bigger, to have purpose" Jon said.
"You do have purpose Jon Snow, we all do, it just takes some of us longer to figure out what, like myself" I said.
"You believe you have no purpose?" he asked as he turned to me.
"Come on Jon, I am simply a royal family member by name but by blood, one only knows, to some I am nothing more than a bastard. It's only a matter of time before my father has me shipped off to marry someone I don't love strictly for alliance purposes…" I said.
"I know how that feels, trust me. Being unsure of where you come from. I never met my mother and every time I try to talk about it, it gets swept under the rug, but who knows maybe one day I'll find her" Jon said.
"I hope you do" I said as I smiled at him.
"I hope you find everything your looking for as well" Jon said as he set his goblet down and gently placed his hand on mine. I was locked in eye contact with him for what felt like forever but our interaction was cut short when I saw Jaime coming toward us.
"Brother, where have you been?" I asked him as I shot up.
"Getting ready of course, you were worried about me sweet sister?" Jaime said.
"Not necessarily" I said as I followed Jaime inside while Jon continued to sit outside where I was.
Something didn't feel right, I followed Jaime back up to his room.
"Why do you seem so flustered?" Jaime asked.
"Oh you don't know, Bran Stark fell from the tower, he hasn't woken up yet" I said as I watched him.
"Is that so? How horrible…" Jaime said.
"Yes, yes it is but the truth is Jaime, he didn't fall he was pushed" I said.
"What makes you say that?" he asked.
"Because I was there, I caught him, I saw what happened…" I said.
Jaime then turned and looked at me and was silent. "Well then, we can only hope whoever did this is caught, but we don't have the time to worry about such things, we leave in the morning" Jaime said.
"I suppose your right" I said as I left Jaime but continued to watch him through his cracked door, something was wrong, and something was telling me it was something very bad…
That night as we all sat for our last supper at Winterfell, I once again was close to Sansa.
"You leave tomorrow?" Sansa asked.
"Yes, yes I do" I replied.
"So do I…" Sansa said.
"What do you mean?" I asked confused.
"Well my father is leaving with you all tomorrow and he is bringing Arya and I with him" Sansa said.
"But what about Bran?" I asked.
"Mother will stay with him, she will tell us if anything changes" Sansa said.
"But your leaving so soon, the marriage between you and Joffrey isn't planned to happened for months if not years…" I said.
"I know but in that time I will be able to get know him better and have him love me and at least you and I could be in each other's company" Sansa said.
"I wouldn't have it any other way and if he doesn't love you, he is even more of an idiot than I thought" I said as Sansa laughed.
"You should rest, it is a long journey back to King's Landing" I said, Sansa took my advice and retreated to her room.
After everyone was finished eating, I made my way back to the tower except this time I had a candle in my hand and I climbed to the top of the stairs. I examined the area carefully and saw the window from which Bran had been pushed out of. As I stepped carefully, I saw something shining barely in the distance.
I bent down and saw a few strands of golden blonde hair, long strands no less. It didn't take me long to put it together. This hair belonged to my sister, she was up here but why? That question ran through my head as I made my way back to my room but before I decided to go bed, I paid Jaime one last visit for the night.
"What are you doing here, cant sleep?" Jaime asked as he was changing into his sleepwear.
"I guess you can say that. Where were you earlier?" I asked.
"When?" he asked me.
"Early this morning, when Bran was injured. I couldn't find you or even Cersei anyway, what would you be doing so early around here?" I asked again.
"I was wondering about, you know I can rarely sit still when we travel" Jaime said.
I saw right thought his pathetic answer. "Your lying…" I said as my tone became serious.
"It was you wasn't it? You pushed poor Bran…I had a feeling it was you, I know you had murdered many men in your days but I never would have thought you would try to kill a ten year old boy, what could he have said or seen that was so horrible that you wanted him dead? Don't worry I wont ask you for an answer, I already know. After all those years of hearing rumors, I never thought it would be true, but it is. How would the world react if they were to find out that the infamous Kingslayer was indeed having a sexual relationship with the queen who is his own sister…" I said as the cold hard truth coming out of my mouth was making me angry as well as repulsed.
"Watch yourself Amara…" Jaime said as he started to come toward me.
"What? No witty comeback? Are you going to try to deny it?" I said as I started to raise my voice. "No point in denying it, it all makes sense, how your always with her, you two follow each other like lost puppies, its sick what your doing…it makes me wonder if Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen are yours and not…" was all I managed to say because Jaime had charged toward me and silenced me by grabbing my throat with his hand.
"That's enough out of you!" Jaime spat at me as he was inches away from my face as I struggled to breathe.
"I don't care what you know or what you claim to know, who's going to believe you? You might have our name but in reality, you are nothing more than a bastard, abandoned by her true family because they didn't give a shit about you. Id watch what I say next if I were you and yes I was hoping the fall would kill him but if your not careful, I might do the same to you or worse and trust me you don't want that dear sister…" Jaime continued as he held me still.
"You know I could have had you as well, there would be no true sin in that seeing as if your not my blood, and who knows maybe one day I will but we cant help who we love, now leave me…" Jaime said as he dropped me and I fell to the ground gasping for air.
I struggled to get back on my feet and I slowly made my way out.
"I hope you remember our talk sister, I don't want to have to tell you again" Jaime said behind me but I didn't turn around or even acknowledge him.
I went back into my room and started to cry. Not only for the physical pain I felt but for the truth, my brother and sister were sinful, they were truly terrible people, both willing to disregard an innocent boy who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Now I was burdened with the truth as well as this horrible secret, in a way Jaime was right, who would believe me? Even though father favors me, its not a surprise Cersei and Jaime are his favorite children, the only person who might believe would be Tyrion but I have no idea how to tell him, as much as I hated the idea, I was going to have to hold onto this until I know what to do. I then laid my head down and tried my best to find peace but there was none to be found at that moment…
Next morning we said our goodbyes to the Starks who were staying behind as Ned, Sansa, Arya, Jon and my family began to ride off together, once we hit the roads, Jon would leave us and go toward the wall as the rest of us would return to King's Landing.
I had said nothing all morning and avoided contact with Jaime, the last thing I wanted was to be near him. Before long we were at Jon's parting place, after speaking with his father and bidding him farewell, I made my way over to him to say my goodbye.
"So this it, theres no going back now is there?" I asked him.
"I suppose not" Jon said.
"Well be safe, there are dangers that lie beyond the wall" I said as I had heard the tales of the white walkers.
"I will be, it was pleasure to have met you Lady Amara, hopefully one say soon our paths will cross again" Jon said as he smiled at me.
"I look forward to that day, you could always find me in King's Landing if you ever find yourself there" I said.
Jon began to ride away but I had one last thing to say to him.
"Wait…here take this, for protection" I said as I stopped him and gave him my silver pendant from around my neck.
"It's nothing special but who knows maybe it will be for you" I said as Jon took it from my hands.
"Thank you, until we meet again" Jon said as this time he began to ride away and after awhile he was out of sight completely.
I sighed as I got back into my carriage and sat next to Sansa and across from a sleeping Arya.
"What was that all about?" Sansa asked.
"Nothing just wishing him well" I said.
"Do you like him?" Sansa asked.
"It doesn't matter, a Lannister and a bastard would never be together, my father wouldn't allow it. I just hope he doesn't lose his life, it would be a horrible fate" I said as I looked down. The truth was it did matter but I had no idea of what to say all I knew was, I had yet another person to pray for along with Bran to be safe and to hopefully see again.
"How long until we arrive at King's Landing?" Sansa asked.
"Not too long, well be there before you know it" I said as I gazed out the window. If only there was a way for me to escape from that place, going back there knowing the truth, it will never be the same for me and I could only imagine what the future was going to hold for us all...
authors note: reviews will be much appreciated. Amara learned the truth about who pushed Bran and about Cersei and Jaime's relationship. Jaime proceeded to threaten and assault her, leaving her scared and disgusted by her siblings. She also shared a moment with Jon before he left to join the night's watch. Will their paths ever cross again? What will change now that Amara knows this horrible secret? So much more to come!
thanks so much for reading xo