She sat with Cersei in silence as they ate and drank, Milah avoiding the Queens eye contact at all costs.
"Your mother has a history of multiple births no?" Milah wanted to run away, to jump on a horse and ride back to Greenwood if at all possible. This life isn't what she signed up for. Milah was ready to learn new sword and archery techniques not which wines would pair best during which summer.
"The Martell family has always had a history of multiple births at a time, your Grace." Cersei smiled briefly while holding the cup to her lips.
"So wonderful to hear. I can only imagine how lucky it would be if you were to have two or three princes and princesses at a time." Before Milah could answer for herself, her ears were met with a familiar sounding voice.
"Sister, ever the planner. Little soon to be thinking about raven haired grandchildren eh?" Cersei pursed her lips at her brother and raised her glass to him briefly.
"Golden haired. Like the mane of a lion, dear brother." Jaime smirked at his sister before turning his attention to the dark haired beauty that sat before him, a vision in gold and red.
"The Master of War wishes to see his daughter." Milah excused herself quickly and started the direction of her father's quarters until a hand firmly grasped her wrist.
"And I was told to escorts her there. Fast one." He said aside to Cersei who rolled her eyes and brushed her hand as if to tell them to leave her.
"Running away from your problems will never work little dove, trust me I would know." She knew he was referring to his father Tywin but Milah couldn't get the thought of tearing her dress off her body out of her mind.
"You always place yourself at the most opportune and inopportune times. Why is that Ser Lannister?" She spewed sarcastically as they traveled up the spiral stairs.
"Most women would rave that the Kingslayer comes to their rescue. I should be your hero." Milah scoffed and gave Jaime a slight side eye before she gave them a roll.
"You Lannister always think so highly of yourselves." When they reached the door, Jaime took Lady Gale's hand in his own and brought it to his mouth, giving it a light kiss.
"Until our untimely meeting again, my Lady." He said with a wink. Milah wouldn't tell him to his face, but Jaime Lannister made her laugh. Milah walked into her father's chambers to see him studying something on his desk.
"A raven came from your mother." Milah's face lit up as she sat on her father's knee to hear the rest of the letter that her mother sent.
"She wishes to see you before your name day. The damned woman and her ways. She somehow convinced Lady Stark to host a masquerade for the Harvest Moon. Gale women are too damn convincing." Milah's heart skipped a beat. She sprung from her seat and rushed to the door, ready to pack her thing to leave in the morning.
"Make sure you've packed well. It'll be cold in Winterfell and these southern dresses will do you no good." Milah ran back and packed her father on the cheek before scurrying off to her room. When running up the steps, she about bowled over one of the Stark girls.
"Sansa, my apologies. I was just in a hurry to pack for Winterfell." She scoffed, picking her skirts off of the dirty stone floor.
"Well that makes one of us. I don't want to go back and neither does the prince." Milah had forgotten about Joffrey for a moment. Just Sansa mentioning his name made her shudder.
"Well," She said as she backed up the set of stairs.
"Perhaps you both could stay at the Capital. What an idea to bring up to the Queen. I think you should do that." she said in a hurry, scurrying up the stairs to her chambers. Once she reached the room she was greeted by Mariela.
"My Lady, A raven came for you!"
"I know Mariela, Father already told me about the letter from mother." Milah said pulling out all of her old winter clothes, ignoring the letter than Mariela held in her hand.
"My Lady, it isn't from Lady Gale. It has the seal of House Stark." Milah's heart dropped and her throat swelled at Mariela's words. Milah dropped the furs in her hands and turned around to see Mariela with a telling smile on her face. Milah held open her hand to take the letter which Mariela gladly handed over.
"I will leave you be, my Lady." Milah walked to the open balcony and leaned over the edge, looking out to the Narrow Sea. Her fingers ran over the direwolf that sealed the letter and she giggled to herself, pulling her finger to her lips after pulling the seal. She sat on the bench to read her letter, crossing her legs and throwing her skirts over her leg to expose it in the process. Some would call it a scandal, she would call it comfortable.
Lady Gale,
I apologize for not writing you sooner, so many things have transpired since I saw you last. Not seeing you has been dreadfully hard for me, harder than I would care to admit, I'm afraid. This experience is barely comparable to seeing how father leaving has affected my mother. Lady Gale has been to Winterfell twice since you left, keeping herself busy I imagine. I can only imagine you are blossoming in the Capital the way you should be able to. Not like here at Winterfell. It would be like keeping a direwolf locked away, never to see the sky. I look forward to seeing you in the month to come for the Harvest Moon.
All my thoughts,
Lord Robb Stark of Winterfell
Milah must have read over the letter half a dozen times, running her fingers over the signature of Robb and smiling to herself. She didn't realize how much she missed him, how much she wanted to see him again until she saw the seal on the letter.
"Mariela!" She called to her hand maid who was just outside her chambers. She turned her body, a wild smile on her face.
"Please do me a favor and pack my things for Winterfell while I change and ready my horse." Mariela nodded at the young woman who ran behind her divider to put on her signature riding pants, blouse, and corset combination. Milah ran to Mariela after lacing up her boots and attacked her with a hug, surprising the young woman.
"Thank you Mariela." She called as she ran out of the room and down to the stables. On her way around the castle she came across the tilt-yard she gazed onto the field, seeing many of the Kingsguard practicing with one another. She took a moment and leaned over the stone rail, admiring the workmanship of them all. Hopefully when they returned to the Capital after the Harvest Moon, she would be able to sneak away and practice with Lord Commander Selmy.
"I much prefer the summer gowns to the furs I must say." Milah was so enamored with the swordsmen below her to pay any attention to the lion who made his presence known.
"And I must say, I don't care what your opinion is." Milah said, biting her lip as Meryn missed Boros ever so slightly. Jaime studied the young woman, watching her become so invested in men keeping their skills sharp. She was an enigma, Milah Gale.
"That's a shame. I rather liked that red dress with the slit right about here." He pried, reaching out and grazing her upper thigh. Milah snapped her head in his direction and He knew right then and there, he finally had her attention.
"How did you know it had a slit?" She inquired, an eyebrow raised at the king-slayer. Jaime shrugged smirked that famous Lannister smirk. Milah rifled through her brain, trying to remember a time when her leg was even exposed. Her father would have lost his mind if he knew she was showing her bare legs to any and everyone. The fact Jaime Lannister knew about the dress gave her confirmation that she would always have someone keeping an eye on her. Milah's mouth dropped and she struck out her hand to strike the knight, landing her backhand on his chest.
"My balcony is facing the sea. How in all of The Seven did you even see that?" She asked, retracting her hand and looking at him accusingly. Jaime shrugged and looked down at the tilt-yard.
"I like to walk along the rocks. Clear my head. Is that a crime?" Milah laughed lightly, a smile playing about her lips.
"It might be once I mention to my future betrothed that you were spying on the future queen of Westeros." She teased, making Jaime raise his eyebrows in surprise at her demeanor.
"Lady Gale, nice to see you're finally coming into your destiny." She scoffed at his words and continued her walk to the stables to ready her and her father's horse.
"You do know that we have people to ready your horse for you correct?"
"I like to do things myself. You of all people should know that, king-slayer." Her words made Jaime stop in his tracks and Milah was thankful she had been able to get more than a few steps ahead of him. She did feel bad though, she knew how the king-slayer nickname made him feel. On the bright side, she didn't have to see his face when she said it so she never had to see the slight pain on his face when she said it. When she hit the stables she was greeted by the bright sun beating down on her and the smell of manure and she couldn't have been happier. These walls in this kingdom had made her feel like she was stuck in cage, never able to do anything for her own enjoyment. When she agreed to come to the Capital and have lessons with the Queen, she thought she would have more time to explore the city, learn in the tilt-yard, walk along the shore of the Narrow Sea. It had only been a month but Milah felt trapped and saw herself wishing she would have gone to Winterfell rather than the Capital. As she walked to Alira's stall she saw her horse get excited, neighing fiercely. Milah reached out, petting the horse to calm it down and placed her head on it's own.
"Hello love, miss me?" she cooed at the horse. It had been so long since she took a ride on her own, just to enjoy the countryside.
"Well of course she did how could she not?" Milah turned and smiled down at the Lord Lannister.
"Lord Tyrion, I trust you'll be travelling with us to Winterfell for the Harvest Moon."
"Have you ever known me to miss a party my Lady?" Milah shook her head and stroked the horse's nose. If Lord Tyrion was travelling along with Milah and Stefan, she could only imagine the rest of the Lannister/Baratheon horde would travel as well.
Cersei looked out her balcony, cup in hand, staring intently at the stables where Milah Gale threw her head back in laughter at her little brother. She looked like a woman of the north but the soul of the woman was of the south. She was a wild force to be reckoned with and she reminded Cersei a lot of herself. Cersei had made her decision early on when seeing the rare northern beauty. She would mold her into the ruler she wanted to stand by her son and if she didn't bend the way she wanted, Sansa would have to do. Cersei much rather a pretty face with a fierce power than a timid winter rose that the people would barely see let alone respect. Her darling boy would have the world and part of that world was the most beautiful noble woman in all the realm.
She was so deep in her thoughts, she didn't even hear the door to her chamber open. She was aware of the presence when two strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist and she felt a stubbled face bury itself into her neck.
"Are you still keeping an eye on our winter bird?" Jaime sighed into her neck and loosened his grip lightly.
"Yes, dear sister, she seems to be...cooped up." Cersei hummed, sticking her tongue in her cheek.
"Cooped up...See to it she's comfortable. I need her to be happy. I need her to love it here. I'm going to turn the griffin to a lioness by the long summer. Mark my words." Jaime had been assigned by his lover to keep tabs on the small northern beauty and Jaime knew it was to make sure she fell in love with the Capital. It would make it easier for Cersei to manipulate the girl. As for turning her to a lioness, Jaime was afraid Cersei wouldn't make that possible. Jaime was also afraid of what watching the young woman would end up doing to him.
