Hello again! Finally getting myself back into the swing of things. I've found a little extra time at the end of my days to get some writing in! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter.
Quick recap since its been a while:
Tyrion told Adelia that they want her to be Queen, because Joffrey sucks. Jamie knows that his kid is an ass and sort of agrees with Tyrion. Ned Stark is being help prisoner, and Cersei is, as always, a raging bitch.
Adelia tried in vain to sleep that night, but it would seem that Tyrion's voice would forever echo in the back of her mind. Deep down, she knew he was right. It did not matter if she actually shared the same blood as King Robert, there was no test that could prove that. What did matter was the ghost's kiss; along with the uncanny resemblance they all spoke of.
They wanted her to be Queen.
The Lannister brother's wanted her to be queen over their nephew. Son?
It made no sense. It wasn't practical. And why hadn't the Kingslayer mentioned this?
Did he even know? Or was this Tyrion's scheme?
The questions bubbled around her head and forced her out from under the warm blankets. She began pacing in front of the bed, stopping occasionally to gaze out the window. Did her mother miss her?
Thoughts of her mother, once filled with love and happiness, now brought an unfamiliar anger to her chest. Maybe it wasn't anger, maybe it was the feeling of betrayal. Abandonment. Deceit.
The moon hung in the sky, a harsh contrast to the darkness of the night. It was full and bright enough to render the torches lining the streets below useless. Most of the buildings in the city were dark, the inhabitants fast asleep. Flea Bottom was, for this moment, the brightest part of King's Landing. Nearly all candles were lit, probably to ward off robbers and thieves. Or maybe because the people were too hungry for sleep Or maybe they had already starved to death before they could extinguish the flame.
How many times had she looked up at the Red Keep and envied those who were safe inside it's walls? How many times had she watched neighbors die from an illness that the healers in the Keep could have treated? Or watched them be tortured by the guards for stealing food to feed their children?
And how many times had the King offered help?
For a fraction of a second, Adelia let herself think of the good she could do as a queen. The things she would change if she had the power to do so. It lit a fire inside her heart, one that burned its way through her veins filling her completely.
She knew she wouldn't sleep, but she crawled back into the bed anyway, covering her shivering body with the furs. Her mind kept drawing back to the throne. The Iron throne that she had never seen in person, but could very well be seated upon in the future.
It was intimidating.
It was motivating.
The next morning, Adelia was surprised to find herself sprawled out across the bed, drool acting as glue and plastering strands of hair against her cheek.
She had slept.
And she had slept well.
Her body was already thanking her for the much needed rest. Muscles that had ached for days now felt loose, even her continuous headache had dulled.
She groaned, wishing that she had been able to sleep for a few more glorious hours. And really, what was stopping her. It wasn't like she was allowed to leave, to take a stroll around the castle, to stretch her legs with more than a walk from the bed to the window. So why not stay under the warm furs for the rest of the day?
But just as she had made up her mind, there was a knock at the door.
The sound jolted her from any thoughts of sleep. It was different from Podrick's usual light tapping. This knock was loud, strong, stern. She sat straight up on the bed.
It wasn't Podrick.
What was she supposed to do? What if it was the Queen? How would she explain herself? She opened her mouth to call out, but her voice was stuck in throat.
The knock came again, and this time the door opened along with it. Petrified and unsure of what to do, she slammed herself back against the mattress and brought the blankets to her chin. Forcing her breaths to come evenly, she feigned sleep, praying that whoever it was would mistake her for a whore that the Kingslayer had entertained the night before.
She heard the heavy footsteps thundering on the stone floor, coming nearer and nearer to the bed. There was no doubt in her mind that she'd been discovered. This was her end.
But nothing happened.
For a long moment she laid in the bed, pretending to be fast asleep while the intruder stood above her. She felt their presence, she was so aware of them by the bedside that she could almost picture their frame hovering over her.
"I know you're awake." he said softly. Adelia opened her eyes, she knew who it was without a second thought.
She sat up in the bed. He said nothing, but he stared down at her with an unamused glint in his eyes. That's when she noticed the redness of his cheek. "Were you in a fight?" she questioned nervously. If he had been fighting, that may not bode well for her.
"It's time for you to go." he finally stated after a lengthy pause.
"To the Wall." she blinked as she processed his words.
"No." he turned away from her and strode to the window, like she had done countless times over the last few days. "No, you just… need to leave."
"Wait." She hurried her way out of the bed. "Wait a second. Just days ago you were telling me it was too unsafe for me to…"
"And now I've changed my mind!" he boomed, spinning on his toes to face her. Adelia was so stunned by the swiftness of his movement that she jumped backward. The backs of her knees hit the bed and she stumbled back onto the mattress.
Jaime let out a frustrated breath and raked a hand through his golden hair. He met Adelia's eyes before he spoke again.
"Do you realize the predicament I'm in?" To Adelia it sounded as if he were pleading with her to understand. "By protecting you, I am betraying my family. I put them in danger. I put the crown in danger."
"I didn't ask you..." She shrunk back even further on the bed because with each word Jaime was bringing himself closer to her.
"I know what they are." he whispered. "I know what he is. I look at that boy and I see a man who burned thousands of innocent people to death." Adelia noticed his fingers had curled into fists. "But he is just a boy. He is my boy, and she… she is my sister. My… twin." he hesitated briefly. "So what am I supposed to do?"
Adelia leaned back on her elbows as the Kingslayer slowly closed the distance between them, leaving only inches. Fear slid over her like a blanket, covering her from head to toe. His voice, his eyes, his hands, they were all so tense. So filled in anger and confusion that she was unable to predict what he would do next.
"That question," he continued, "has been nagging and nagging at the back of my head. Do I slit your throat and be done with it?" Adelia's breath hitched. She felt utterly powerless beneath his gaze.
"Please don't…" she meant to say more, but her words were lost in her throat. Swallowed by the terror that gripped every cell of her body. She was trapped, there was no way to maneuver herself away from him.
"Or," he whispered "do I listen my irritatingly moral little brother and save you from my sister?"
His eyes bore down on her, drilling holes straight through her own eyes. She could see that he was searching for something, like an answer would magically appear on her forehead. When he didn't find what he was looking for, he mercifully pulled away. Adelia hadn't even realized she had been holding in a breath, but as soon as she had her space back she released a long huff of air.
Jaime had his back to her, his arms bracing his weight against the wall. She saw his body heave up and down with each breath he took, long and deep.
"I love my family." he finally said. There was a touch of finality to his tone, and it made the hairs on the back of Adelia's neck stand on edge. "I love my sister." He cast a glare over his shoulder. "But despite what the rest of the kingdom believes, I am an honorable man. And killing you," he traipsed over to the small chair in the corner of the room and plopped himself down with a grunt, "would be less than honorable."
"So you're letting me leave?" she asked in a barely audible whisper, still to terrified to really speak. His eyes found hers from across the room.
"Yes." he said after a long pause. "You need to leave." Something in his voice sounded unsure, like he wasn't sure if this was the right choice. But his eyes were hard and final.
Adelia nodded, relieved and terrified at the prospect of going home. Flea Bottom was an awful place, but at least she knew she belonged there.
"You need to leave." Jamie repeated. "Leave the Capitol." Her head snapped to attention.
"Leave the city?!" her voice cracked on the question. "Were in the seven hells would we go?" she still included her mother in her escape because, well because it was her mother. How could she leave her behind?
"Go North." He hadn't moved from the chair. His long fingers massaged the bridge of his nose, no doubt trying to ease a headache. "Go to Winterfell. Tell Eddard Stark who you are. He is an honorable man. He will protect you and your mother."
"Eddard Stark is locked up in the very dungeon of this Keep!" Adelia threw her hands up. Had he really forgotten that so easily, or did he just not give a shit? The later seemed more likely.
"He will be released today, and relieved of his duty as Hand of the King." Jaime's eyes were now shut and Adelia couldn't help but wonder if he had slept at all. "They'll send him back to the North."
"And what makes you think he'll believe me?" she knew she was pushing her luck. He could decide to stop entertaining her questions at any second. Or he could change his mind and keep her locked away.
Or he could decide she's more trouble alive.
"You've heard stories of the Starks?" he questioned. Adelia nodded but then remembered that his eyes were closed.
"Yes." she recalled the tales of the Northmen. Big and brony and honorable. Though she had never met anyone from outside of Flea Bottom until a few days ago, she had always thought she'd like to meet someone from the North. Anyone, just to tell if the stories she'd heard were true.
"They're true." it was as though he had read her thoughts. "The Northerners are, much like my brother, irritatingly honorable and moral. Ned Stark was Robert's best friend as boys. He will see your father in your eyes. He will know you."
His words seemed to calm her. At least she had a plan, a lead on where to run to. Adelia was nodding, mentally concocting a route for her and her mother to travel. The King's road was long, and without horses, deadly. Especially for two women.
"We'll need horses." it wasn't a question, and she didn't pose it as such. Rather she demanded it, and was quite proud of the forcefulness of her voice.
"I will see to it myself."
That was an easy victory, Adelia thought. Perhaps the King Slayer didn't have as much stamina as everyone thought. He looked thoroughly exhausted.
"Let me…" she was about to say pack her things, but she had come with nothing. Not even the nightgown she wore was her own. Her eyes scanned the room, but found nothing that she had any claim to. "Okay, should I just… go?" she asked hesitantly. It seemed odd for her to just walk through the castle. Especially after being told NOT to do exactly that for the last three day.
He nodded, eyes still closed. Perhaps he didn't really have a headache. Was it possible that he just didn't want to look at her? Like her sight would force him to change his mind again. She wondered, if that was true, was it for her protection or his?
Adelia looked from the knight to the door and back again. When she still received no response, she let out a deep breath and strode to the door. Just as her hand touched the wood, a thunderous knock erupted from the other side.
"Ser Jaime." A voice called out. "There's been a… disturbance in the square." he seemed unsure of what to say.
"What kind of disturbance?" Jaime's voice surprised Adelia with its close proximity. She hadn't even heard him rise from the chair. But now he was only inches behind her.
It took a moment for them to get a reply. But the one they got sent a cold shiver down Adelia's spine.
"Ned Stark is dead."
