Sorry for my long absence I have had troubles in life and uni but I'm trying to get back in the swing of things. Sorry if the writing style has changed but I have been reading a lot of 18 century literature for my course.
Lovisa eyed the back of Jaime's head as they walked down the dark stretch of the tunnel, not a word had past his lip since they had their narrow escape with the castles guards. His hand still gripped hers with no sign of letting it go, every time she flexed her hand or ever fidgeted her fingers his hand would grip hers tighter. Her eyes never left the towering figure of her future husband as they trotted along the dank walkway, the golden knight never once looking back at her as he guided them through the maze of passages. It truth Lovisa only half knew where she was going, she had only just found this secret passage from one of the Maesters of the castle, then spending hours long through half the book in the castle collection to find the long forgotten walkway, she could only imagine Jaime knew from the days when the Mad King ruled and the Keep was under attack or possible from meeting with his secret lover.
As soon a thoughts turn to her marriage and the unwillingness of her intended a glimmer of light peaked thought the bottom of a door, though it was only a slight crack the light shone through like a beacon in the night. The smell of spices and bread lingered in the air and the faint sounds of market life grew the closer the got to the door.
'I hope you know where you're taking me little one' Jaime's dark figure threw back over his shoulder as he finally dropped her hand to carefully pried open the door.
The tunnel had opened into a hidden door in one of the stone pillars that supported the old bridge, which fell in the heart of the market. Merchants called their wares as people bustled along the cobbles, shops were alive with people coming and going, through the open shutters she could see the shop keepers twirling and dancing their product in front of people eyes. It was oddly beautiful but it did not hide the darkness that it held within, beggars huddled close to the wall, their strangled cries going ignored and unheard against the noise of the market. Children hung around the shops and stales ready to pounce on any food or scrapes they saw, ready to steal if the opportunity arose, the smell of all the cooking and baking combine with the exotic odours of the eastern scents and spices did not cover the gagging smell of waste that hung over Kings Landing. Lovisa was to in rapture of the rough beauty of the place to care if Jaime was there or not, she was only reminded of his presence but the weight of her bag being lifted from her shoulders.
Automatically her hand went to snatch her bag back with almost violent force but she was met by Jaime warm green eyes and self-satisfying smirk.
'Now little bird it would be easier if I took this from you, the market can be a dangerous place. Now care to tell me where we are going? Don't want to waste my time do I now.' He spoke with lazy charm, as he leaned in dangerously close to her.
'I didn't ask for you to come…if you want to waste your afternoon following me around like a lost puppy that is your fault.' She spoke, half amused and half irritated.
'How can I be wasting my time if I am with you, one of the most beautiful women in the whole of the Kings Landing?' Jaime spoke, even he not believing the falseness of the words that fell from his lips.
Lovisa raised her dreamy brow just ever so slightly, speaking for the first time with the utmost serious of tone, all trace of dreaminess and that childlike manner of her vanished, to be replace by a face of the most sombre woman, with intelligence playing behind eyes and some inner conflict hidden well beneath the surface.
'There is no need to feed me honeyed words, to deceive me by pretending to want to seek out my company. I am a little wiser than most girls my age, there isn't a need to fool me. I am not tricked by what you say and do, though they are most charming if they were not of fraudulent.' Her vivid blue eyes dipped down as she paused for a moment before rising them once more to hold his gaze, her eyes glowing in a dark blue and the wistful glace returned as she uttering the last words before turning off into the market.
'I am not some simpering women, It's silly to pretend otherwise.'
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Jaime eyed the Radcliffe as he followed close beside her, she didn't seem haunted or hurt by her own word, a realisation that would gravely wound even a grow women. She has told him what most High born women would deny till they were broken from the harshness that marriage would cause them to suffer. The marriage would be loveless, no form of closeness, she made no half-hearted attempts to make him fall in love with him, he half expected that her Aunt Oleanna would fill her head with notions to seduce but she was resolute in this situation. Taking it with courage and kindness something he had never seen before, but though she has a kind soul she had make it quite clear that she was not a typical woman and would not be the typical wife.
They had already been to 4 merchants of food and clothing, ordering a vast assortment of things, giving them an address situated in the bottom of Flea Bottom, he wasn't familiar with the address. Since the rebellion he had only been to Flea Bottom on 3 occasion, the first two to do with the rebuilding of the lower quarter and the last time was something to do with a riot that had taken part between the workers of Flea Bottom. They walked in a silence for most of it, it seems that Lovisa had either forgotten her speech or chosen to ignore it, she spoke about the various stalls and stopped and talked to several venders who seem so pleased merely by her presence to gave her samples of perfumes and breads. From the last vender she was given swirl of Carrot Cake with a thick layer of cream cheese icing, she practically forced him into taking half of the cake to the point of feeding it to him herself. Pressing the moist cake to his lips as she look at him with a childish glee, proclaiming he hadn't lived till he tired it.
'See I told you its good'
'Tis good' he mumbled, spiting a few crumbs as he spoke much to Lovisa's glee as his hand automatically came up to wipe his mouth in a uncouth nature.
She gave out an unladylike laugh throwing back her head showing a mouthful of cake before she corrected herself before looking sombre for a moment before uncontrolled giggling as she darted towards a broken wonky house. Jaime gave a laugh at the back of his throat as he followed her, his eyes lingering on her body longer than her cared to admit, he honestly could say she was not like other Lady's.
The door opened a terrifying woman stood out, she was a tall as Jaime and Jaime was one the tallest knight in Kings Landing, she also had a mass of red hair which was fading to grey, clothes patched together and a sack apron tightly placed on her waist.
'By 'eck kids you'll kill me one of these day, SIT DOW…. Oh milady' She corrected herself as she looked between her two visitors as she wiped her hand on her apron.
'If you would have told me of ya wer' comin' I woulda gotta things straight.' She boomed as she bowed out the way as Lovisa glide past her with a smile.
'Bernadette please don't stand on ceremony for me, we are friends…this is Jaime by future husband.'
'Sir Lannister pleasure to meet ya' you don't come down here often!' she greeted with a smile plastered across her scrubbed face pressed toward his as she shook his hand with a forceful grip.
'Well guarding our King doesn't leave much social time' Jaime gave him a tight face grimace, as Lovisa gave him a mock disproved look as she smiled at them as she walked further into the hall way spying the children who peeked through the hole in the door, making faces at them as she moved further into dimly lit room
'Ahhhh our beloved King…don't see much of him this way.' She boomed as she moved into the hallway.
'I have order all the supplies, they should be here tomorrow morning, if you need anything else, come directly to me or my mother. Directly to me and no one else, ask for Elda at the gates, anything she can't help with she will get me…and here is the medicine, it should last you till into the winter.'
With that signal Jaime handed the bag to a hovering weed of a man, he look more like a fish than a man who bowed and handed the bag of to the big woman.
'Thank you Ser Jaime! These herds will help so much' Bernadette roared as she clasped his shoulder with her free hand as she handed the bag off to another boy who carried it into the next room.
'I didn't…..'his word had fallen on deaf ears as the old crone was interested in talking to Lovisa about the her donation of blankets being such a help.
A dirty toddler smiled down at Jaime from the top steps, eyes wide as the other children whispered about the Lannister's and the tale of great knights and heroics. Jaime gave them a smile and bowed with a flourish causing a roar of giggles followed by a chorus of squeals as the old lady glared up at them as they thundered up the stairs again.
'Aye he made a good papa…you lucky girl…most fathers let alone husband would let their woman into a place like this.'
'I am not like most women, men won't command what I do' Lovisa cooed sweetly.
'HAHAHA by the god's boy you got your handful! But it will be fun HAHA' the woman barked out as she cackled.
Before either Lovisa or Jaime could reply, a herd of feet shook the splintered wood of the floor with the breathlessness huffs of runner where heard from three running boys. As soon as they appeared three gaunt looking boys all arms and legs, looking startled at the two well-dressed strangers.
'Auntie! The Stark's and Martell's are riding through the town…..the Kings going to give a grand feast during the Tournament! Think of all the food and the brave knights'
'You boys to your chores! You got no time to think about knights! Lovisa you must get back or you'll be missed and the King will be so angry.' The red head woman spoke in hush panic as she ushered the annoyed boy into one of the rooms.
'Go through the back way it will take you to the main street'
Jaime took the hand of the blue eyed Radcliffe as he moved quickly though the dark and grimy passage following it down and out into the main street. The people where roaring and darting around trying to get to the Kings Road for a glance at the train of Lords and their caravans which was lucky for them as it cleared the path back to the Keep.
'Jaime! Jaime wait why are we running!'
'We can't be missed…..it would cause too much whispers. Don't you want to see your godsfather' Jaime gritted out as he rushed through the town.
'Since when do you care about whispers? Jaime! Jaime! Do you know how hard it is to run in a dress? Jaime!' Lovisa puffed as she run at full speed to keep up with Jaime's long strides as he darted through the streets.
Lovisa tore away from his hand to run alongside him, holding her dress high showing her ankles as she ran. She was sure no one would miss her and Jaime, they were not supposed to arrive for another two day so there would be no grand greeting ceremony, people would be spread all across the castle and lots of people would be missing.
Both slowed down when they reached the under path and slow slide into the doorway and back into the tunnel. She could hear nothing but the pant of their breath and their shoes against the rough gritty ground. They didn't stop till they reached the heavy wooden door, giving it a violent jerk before carefully peaking the side of his face out the door checking if the coast was clear. Lovisa looked up at him as she caught her breath, her dress held her down with its heavy layers, and the corsets held her tighter, restricting her movements and breathing, if only Elda would let her go without them.
'Are you okay? Jaime asked, the light from the open door hit his face revealing a handsome half smile.
Taking another gulp of hair she relaxed her shoulders and nodded, return the smile. Softly he grabbed her hand in his and pulled her gently along with him as he glided against the stone walls, stopping when two guards paused on the stairs to talk.
'Dammit' he cursed lowly. 'Two guards are blocking the staircase. We will have to go round the back.' Jaime uttered his eyes still on the two men.
'No we don't…quick this way.' Lovisa whisper tugging him with her as she went to under her window, across the gravel path and pressing herself against the wall as she heard the knights move and counting till 10 till she let out her breath as she pealed herself off the wall and grabbed onto the protruding rocks as she hoisted herself up a foot off the ground.
Grabbing onto a higher rock she looked down at Jaime who still stood on the ground looking up at her.
'Jaime' she huffed blowing a piece of hair from her face. 'You where the one who seemed to think we need to get back here in such a hurry and until you start climbing I'm not moving another inch. I'm not having you look up my skirts.' She spoke dryly amused.
Jaime blink away his stupor before he speedily began to climb the wall, watching carefully as his future wife climbed next to him. In their youth he and his sister used to play outside the Keeps walls he would climb the was great stones walls was his sister played with her dolls and would whine on, his sister would never climb a wall even if her life depending on it because it was 'unladylike'. However Lovisa seem not to care as she skilful climbed, she was not as fast as him though, she was smaller and the footfalls where harder for her to get grip and balance but it didn't deter her from swiftly ascending the wall behind him.
Jaime popped his head up above the window and saw Elda rushing around the room sing softly under her breath not noticing the blonde climbing through the window behind her till she turned round and let out a shrill scream.
'Ser Jaime! What are you doing?' she gasped taking in his figure being dragged through the window.
'Elda for the love of the Gods try to be quite we didn't climb the keeps wall for you to alarm everyone.' Lovisa called from out of sight.
'Young lady do you know your Godfather, Ned Stark is here and the Martell's are upon us! The Queen has order I get you ready to present as the future Lady Lannister, Lord Lannister is going to present the betrothal at the feast of the opening Tournament.' Elda Spout out, hand on hips rising up on her tip toes trying to see over the window sill at the brunette.
'Elda I would love to argue while I'm hang out on a ledge but we are wasting time, go get on of the dress that Aunt Oleanna brought for me.' Lovisa spoke sweetly as the older women glared at her with narrow eyes before she scurried from the room in search of a dress fit for a Feast.
It was strange for a woman as young as Elda to be the personal Septa to a Young Lady, she only looked about her mid-twenties, the bloom of youth was still blossoming with her, using they were old hags there to teach the young girl of virtue and joylessness. From what he had seen their relationship was one of friendship and love between sisters, she wasn't treated as maid, from what he was aware when she didn't not share her meal with her family or his she would eat alone with Elda, Elda was never far away from her mistress.
On being brought back to his senses he grabbed Lovisa waist to steady her as she climbed the last bit through the window before lifting her almost with ease as placing her roughly in front of him causing her foot to become caught in the layers of her dress pulling the knight half on top of her as she fell with an awkward thud onto the wooden bench beside the window.
'Well that was fun' Lovisa laughed pulling her hair away from her red face. 'We should sneak out more' she joked before it fell flat as soon as the words feel from her lips.
Her blue eyes gazed into his green eyes, her brow furrowed as she looked into his dark consuming eyes, darkening with every second she looked into them. Lovisa moved to withdraw herself from his grip bit it was unrelenting and steely, his stare never wavering.
'Jaime…' The word were swallowed up by his mouth consuming her own.
The kiss was warm and soft, Lovisa own unexperienced lips where still against his own for a moment, she was stuck frozen against his touch, his hands moved across her dress to the exposed flesh of her hand holding them in his own as his lips ghosted over her. Hesitantly she opened her mouth to return his kiss, letting his tongue etch over hers, her inexperienced mouth trying to move along with every movement of his tongue, ever motion of his lips. His hands moved from her hands to her soft pale flesh of her neck as he let his finger massage her collar, the other hand cradling the back of her head. The kisses were soft and full of unknown passion and feeling, a deep throat moan from Jaime startled the virginal young woman, who shot from his hand to across the room.
An innocent flush crossed her cheeks and disappeared under her bodice that heaved for the want of air, her eyes were glossy and shown with passion, her lips moist and swollen. Jaime eyes drank every detail of her image and right there and then that was all he want. She was going to his wife, she was his to touch, to hold and to kiss. All his, to the day he parted from this earth. That was all he want, something of his own to have and hold and never to be taken away from him.
So what do you think?
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