Authors Note: If you haven't read A Feast for Crows there is a teeny tiny baby spoiler at the end. I don't tell you who killed him but I tell you who didn't….
When they left Kings Landing, Jaime decided they would go home whatever way he wanted, he was no longer beholden to anyone and he wanted to see a few things again. Travelling for entertainment wasn't really a thing, so he had to take one of the few people who had done it along, Tyrion happily accepted and Allyria seemed pleased with the idea as well. They traveled out of the capital on the Roseroad heading into the Reach. They spent a night in Highgarden before turning northward to the Searoad along the western coast. They spent the last night in Lannisport before finally reaching the Rock over a fortnight later.
The weeks spent with his pleasant wife and most beloved brother were the only thing that could have prepared Jaime to meet again with his father. Tywin did not take to well to the news that he had arrived before his son; in his calm and cold voice he let his opinions be known with brutal clarity. Allyria had tried to save Jaime the humiliation, but it had only made it worse when she tried to take responsibility for their tardiness. "I'll not have my heir commanded by some woman." To her credit she didn't shrink away or cry.
That day was harsh and Jaime spent it far from everyone, in his old room, remembering times with Cersei and the way his mother smiled. In bed that night Jaime did not even say goodnight. Two people might have slept in it, but that night their marriage bed was cold. The next day he shook off the weight of their failed arrival at Casterly Rock and his memories both pleasant and otherwise, determined to make a better start.
Allyria began to take upon her all the duties of a wife, and when allowed, lady of the castle. She directed the unpacking of their chambers and his solar, she ordered the meals and when staff would come and go to clean. During the day Jaime would meet with his father, after breaking his fast in his own solar alone with Allyria. They lived in the southern tower; it had been his favorite as a child. It was the second tallest, the Lord's Chamber was the tallest and was more centrally located with great bay windows looking out over the Sunset Sea. There were many great windows and views in the tower the newlyweds shared but they looked out over Lannisport. Jaime preferred that, it was like he was looking after Tyrion, something he always tried to do, though he sometimes did more harm then good. Afterwards he was free to do as he pleased. Often he would spar in the yard with some of the men, most often Ser Addam Marband. He also went into the smiths; Jaime always liked the way it smelt of hot metal.
It had been long since Jaime had been home, and so most of the first few weeks he spent rediscovering the place of his childhood. He also took to dragging Allyria along, who took to this adventure as she seemed to take to all things, well.
Jaime did like his wife, she was pretty, and he liked that; mostly he found her entertaining, smart and kind she never seemed to lose patience with him or anyone. He didn't love her, not like Cersei who he missed deeply. Jaime was honest with himself though, it could have been worse. Allyria was soft too, and she came to him at night with desire in her heart. He saw it in her eyes and felt it in her touches, but he felt no love, and was glad for it. He thought, if they could last like this, as friends being kind to one another, be a family but having no intimate love then the marriage would be happy.
For a while he was right, they existed happily without the love he thought so poorly of. However, never being very observant he did not notice her changes towards him, nor his subtle and unthinking responses to her either. One night after they had been married a couple of moons she took his hand and placed it on her stomach. "I am with child," she said. All of the sudden Jaime saw all those things he had been missing, she seemed to glow from the inside and she was in love. He could not help but wonder if she loved the babe or him. In his surprise and confusion Jaime tried his best to act pleased, but it was hard he felt a little sick. From then on he distanced himself from her during the day and did his best to seem uninterested at night.
The chance to legally claim children made him sick knowing he had other children already, children who had been kept from him. Kept for good reason, he didn't want to be a father. That only made him feel guilty; guilty that he missed Cersei, guilty that he didn't want the children his wife so obviously wanted, guilty that he already had a family knowing the truth of it would kill Allyria. Jaime became so wrapped up in himself he again didn't notice the changes in his marriage, Allyria had begun to resent his coldness.
When she lost the baby Jaime couldn't help but be relieved, thinking that all could return as it once was, even if for a short while. Perhaps he would be better the next time, though a small part of him hoped there wouldn't be a next time. Allyria saw the relief and thought he truly did not care about his child, that he was cold like Tywin.
It hurt when she had kicked him out of the chamber, which was nothing to sleeping alone again, night after night. When he came to her sick bed during the day she would not speak to him. He came still, thinking it ridiculous, doing it only because Tyrion told him to. After a fortnight the maester said she could leave the chamber and Jaime made arrangements for her things to be brought back. The trinkets came but without the lady. Allyria stayed from his bed for almost another moon completely.
Jaime paced his room, he felt humiliated he knew the servants talked about it, was amazed his father hadn't said anything made some cutting remark at Jaime's inability to control his wife, Only Tyrion had kept him from forcing the girl back to his bed where she belonged. The soft short knock on the dark stained elm door drew him from his thoughts. He wrenched it open, the iron hinges creaking at their mistreatment. He looked at her a moment, she seemed frightened, and that softened him. Though it seemed unnatural to him, Jaime wished to hug her and as he did so, breathing in her scent of lavender and rose petals, he realized how much he missed her.
"I understand now," she said softly as her face was pressed into his chest. At second glance Jaime really saw her. She seemed fragile and out of place in the cavernous and ornate hallway. Holding her arms he noticed how light she felt, she had lost weight and her cheeks had become hollowed. She still wore a dress that had been made for her during pregnancy and she seemed swallowed by it. There were also circles under her eyes that in the light looked like faint bruises. "May I stay?" she asked, stepping slightly closer to him again.
All the tension and anger that had been building in him moments ago seemed to flee. "Please, please stay," he answered softly stepping out of the doorway and ushering her in. Jaime could not remember the last time he had said please, but he knew he had only ever said it to Cersei. He didn't think on that, nor it's significance, he thought only of his wife.
Jaime woke before first light, though the sky had become a light grey in it's anticipation. Beside him with an arm thrown over him lay his sleeping wife. Allyria's blonde hair streamed about her head like a large messy crown. Though Jaime felt quite warm she most have gotten a chill in the night, her left hand curled under her chin held loosely the furs from the bed.
Jaime waited a while, he was still an early riser, as he did so he debated the usefulness of telling her the truth about the servant. Eventually he decided it was better coming from him. He called her name but she only shifted and pulled herself further into the covers. "Allyria," he said again, nudging softly her sleeping figure. It worked she grumbled but opened her eyes. "We have to discuss something unpleasant,"
Allyria coughed as she sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What?" she asked hoarsely still half asleep.
Jaime pushed on undaunted. "While you were abed I looked for the servant who had been dismissed." Allyria smiled at him. "No don't be pleased I wish I could say I thought of it myself but I only did it because I thought you would forgive me if I found her a place." Allyria didn't stop smiling and in fact she kissed him. "I told you this is bad news, three days and neither Tyrion or I could find a trace. My father said she had been dismissed, I do not think that is the whole truth."
Allyria closed her eyes and stilled, finally drawing in a deep breath. "You think her dead." It wasn't a question, but Jaime nodded anyways. "No matter the reason I am glad you tried, and I am glad this news came from you." Allyria kissed him again, her hand lingering by his ear shortly, then she lay down and went back to sleep.
Cersei was sitting in outdoor pavilion that was connected to her chambers, she wore a rare genuine smile. In front of her on the table was a letter from her little bird at Casterly Rock. Cersei knew it by heart now. She didn't need to read it again but she picked up the shell Tommen had given her the day before, she had been using it as a weight, and read the words anyways. "The lady suffered a fall, she is still healthy but the babe is gone." The only way this could have gone better is if she had planned it herself, but she hadn't lifted a finger. Perhaps there were gods and they were smiling down on her.
For months Cersei had been planning how to end the little whore's life, from the minute she had heard of the pregnancy. It had to be perfect though not some mere cat's pawn hired at a tavern, it could never be traced back to Cersei. Jaime could be a fool sometimes and sentimental, he would not like it if she killed his wife no matter how little he cared for the girl. Cersei knew Jaime couldn't care for that horrible little girl, but it had shocked her that she was to be an aunt. She had honestly expected the marriage to never be consummated, Jaime had always been loyal to her. That more then anything was the reason the girl had to go, Cersei needed her brother.
For a moment Cersei forgot all the troubles she had, closed her eyes and felt the sun on her face. At least in this the gods had been kind. The hand of the king was dead and the little whore was no longer with child. Cersei for once, had nothing to do with either of these things. That nature seemed to be doing her bidding just seemed to be the rightful order of things to her.
I don't really like this chapter and it's the reason I haven't updated in awhile but I don't know how to fix it and at least the plot line it furthers is important I have tried to make it the best.
