I owe you all an apology. I'd like to apologize and explain all of you who had followed my fanfic for abandoning for so long. Last year, shortly after I published my Cersei's chapter, while I was working at the hospital, my laptop, my wallet and my stethoscope were stolen. As I write mostly on Quoll Writer, all my future chapters and advances on this story were lost. I had only a few chapters by hand and an old back up online. This downhearted me big time, as I had no means to retrieve all the writing I already had on this fanfic. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I decided not to let this fic die incomplete, not when I already had most of the story... at least in my head. So I reached my beta (who is a sweetheart and stuck by me despite everything) and sent her the following chapters... And now we are here again with more chapters for you. I want to thank you for reading, after a year with no updates. I promise, I will try to update frecuently. I hope you enjoy the next two chapters, despite being short one... and again, thank you!

TLC

On their last day in the Water Gardens, Jaime went to bed early. The farewell feast had been a little affair, with Doran and just a few of his men sharing meat and mead in honor of the princess' departure for Sunspear.

"She didn't even bother to come," said Elia in a low bitter voice, as her brother spoke a few words of farewell for the guests. Jaime's eyes went from the prince to Ser Ulwyck, making sure he wasn't watching them.

"Why would you want her here? You don't even like her." Jaime tried to move his lips as little as possible, as to not offend Prince Doran. He knew he was indulgent regarding Elia's manners, but he did not think he would grant Jaime the same treatment.

"It's just rude," declared Elia, stubbornly. "I will tell my mother, see if I won't!"

"And how could that be of help?" thought Jaime, raising his cup with the rest of the guests. He drank a few gulps of wine, and took his seat next to Elia.

The feast went on as a quiet affair, with only a bard and a lute playing the usual songs to entertain them. Jaime had the notion that the prince had chosen deliberately to keep the noise at a minimum to please his lady wife. "Elia has the right of it in that," thought Jaime. "Doran does go lengths to keep Mellario content."

He tasted the roasted kid with lemons that the heir of Dorne had sent him, still listening to Elia's ramblings.

"Did you know she did not even want me to see Arianne before we left?" she said bitterly, cutting her meat furiously.

"Careful Elia," warned Nymella Toland, smiling. "A little harder and you might cut through your plate and the table as well."

Elia gave the redhead girl a sharp look.

"Oh, don't be so bitter princess," said Dagos Manwoody. He was the heir of Kingsgrave, and a guest in the Water Gardens with his brother Myles. He refilled Elia's cup with dornish red. "The babe is Doran's heir. She will be sent to Sunspear as soon as she talks to receive a proper education for a princess of Dorne." He took a bite from his fork. "Mellario will not be able to keep her from you then."

Elia was ready to spit her answer when Jaime squeezed her hand. "Dagos is right," said Jaime. "And it won't help you getting mad about it."

"I'm telling my mother," said Elia under her breath.

"On the morrow," agreed Jaime. "Now just eat so we can sleep early".

Without proper music and being so few, the hall began to empty as soon as the sun set.

"Do not stay up late, young Jaime," called Ser Ulrick, a few seats away. The knight was already on his feet, ready to leave the hall. "Else, the heat on your head will do you in out on the sands." Jaime smiled, and nodded to the man.

But the gods and Elia had other plans for him.

"Jaime. Jaime, wake up!"

Lost in his dreams, Jaime thought he was back at the Rock, with Cersei ever waking him up in the middle of the night. "Go away," he mumbled. A pinch on the arm followed, and Jaime woke up at once. Elia was leaning over him, a mischievous smile on her face.

"You are a heavy sleeper, aren't you?" Behind her, Doran's wards chuckled.

"What is it, Elia?" asked Jaime, pushing his sheets away.

"Show her, Ellaria." Lord Harmen's bastard had a bottle of dornish red in each hand.

"Doran is not going to be very happy."

"Nor Mellario," said Elia, self confident. Jaime just rolled his eyes. "Come on, Jaime!"

"Don't be such a coward, Lannister," jested Dagos. His brother Myles grinned behind him, and Jaime jumped off his bed, angrily.

"If we get caught, I swear Elia..."

"Oh, shut up," said the princess, pulling her cloak over her head. Jaime took his own cloak and followed her and the other wards. Nymella Toland held a candle to light their way, making her long red braid look afire. By the time they reached the marbled gardens, Jaime regretted not wearing slippers at least. The marble floor felt ice cold below his feet.

"This way," called Elia in a low voice. The chamber she had chosen for their little adventure was warm enough, though it smelled dusty, as if it had been unoccupied for a long while. Nymella was busy lighting a few more candles, and the Manwoody brothers pulled another two bottles from a bag, as well of some cups and even a drinking horn.

"Where are we, Elia?" asked Jaime. The princess was already sitting on the carpet, Ellaria at her left.

"My father's old solar," said Elia simply. She took a cup and raised it towards Jaime with a wicked smile He rolled his eyes once again, and took the dornish red Myles was giving him. He poured Elia some wine, before pouring some for himself.

"Oh, don't be so shy!" said Ellaria, and poured some more for Elia, to the princess' delight.

"Did you bring it?" asked Nymella, looking at Dagos intently. The lad nodded, and showed her one of the bottles.

"Dragonfire," he said in a low voice, proudly.

"How did you come by this?" asked Ellaria with amazement. She took the bottle from Dagos' hands to examine it more closely.

"My father once came to the aid of a merchant prince," said Myles, as Ellaria passed the bottle to Elia. "Corsairs had come down on the merchant's ship, but my father and his men saved him. As a token of gratitude, the man gifted my father with spices, a tiger skin and a bottle of dragonfire."

Jaime leaned closer to Elia, to take a glimpse of the bottle. The bottle was a beautiful work of glass, its neck shaped as a dragon head with its mouth open. The liquid inside was of an innocent amber color, fluid and clear.

"Just be careful," warned Dagos. "Last time my father drank a bit of it, the guards had to carry him to his bedchamber." That only seemed to encourage Ellaria.

"Empty your wine, and then we start," stated Nymella, taking a gulp of wine.

"Start with what?" asked Jaime, lost.

"Spin the sword," said Elia, her eyes full of mischief. Myles handed her his knife, and Jaime laughed.

"Looks more like 'spin the dagger'," he jested. Elia laughed and gave him a little push. She emptied her cup, and Jaime did the same.

"I'll go first," said Nymella, giving the dagger a little spin.

A couple of hours later, Jaime felt drunker that he had ever have been in his life. The Manwoody brothers had not lied: even a gulp of Dragonfire made Jaime cough and feel his throat afire. To his bad luck, he was sitting in front of Nymella, which meant that he had ended up drinking more Dragonfire than everyone else. As drunk as he was, he didn't even noticed when Ellaria's dagger was pointing at him.

"Jaime, again!" said Dagos, laughing. He had his arm around Nymella's shoulders, her head resting on his shoulder.

"No," refused Jaime. "I will not drink again!"

"Oh, don't be such a lady," said Ellaria, toying with the dagger. Ellaria's lips curled in a wicked smile. "Jaime, you will kiss Elia," she sentenced, taking a sip of wine. He heard Myles chuckling, and felt himself blushing like a maid, to his dismay.

"Ellaria, please!" he complained, eyeing the bottle of Dragonfire.

"You know the rules!" said Ellaria, pointing her finger at him. "Either do as you are bid, or drink."

"Oberyn is going to murder me," thought Jaime. He took a deep breath, feeling his head swimming.

"I'm sorry, Elia," he said, turning to face her. "But I can not drink another drop of that stuff." Elia just gave him a little laugh, and closed her eyes. Jaime blinked a couple times, and held Elia's head in his hands.

Elia looked pretty, her cheeks flushed from the drinking, her mouth inviting. Without further thinking, Jaime leaned closer, and touched Elia's lips with his own. He felt Elia's hands pulling him closer, and he could hear the boys whistling and Nymella's laugh, but Elia's mouth was sweet and he did not care for once what the other lads might think. When Elia's lips opened under his, he felt himself in heaven... And then, they broke the kiss.

Elia was as red as a blood orange from the gardens, an awkward smile on her lips.

"Well, you cannot tell me that wasn't fun," teased Ellaria, pushing her braid over her shoulder. "Your turn," she said, handing Jaime the dagger.

Jaime's eyes found Elia's once more, smiling, before he spun the dagger.