A/N: Whooo, that episode. Got my heart beating for like a mile an hour. Not gonna spoil anything, but man, that was an awesome 57 minutes of my life. And yet, here Rory is, 4 Seasons away and sure as hell taking her time doing all of her stuff. WHY CANT YOU BE AT THE LATEST EPISODE RORY!?

And it's a Yes-No. No, I did not wait for the latest ep of GoT to come out until I posted this. It was supposed to come out during the earlier parts of the weekend, but it was around 80% done, and just around a few hours ago I finished it. Yes, I got distracted along the way and sadly this chapter came out way too late for the "soon" I promised last week. But at least here it is!

Thank you guys for all of the support! I can't seem to have the time to thank you guys personally, but know it that I appreciate all the follows/faves/reviews you all gave to me. I'm very thankful that you guys are still keeping up with me with the story, and I'm certainly pleased to say that there's a couple of chapters more to go until we continue to the plotlines of Seasons 4-5. If you have any questions, or anything that you want to query about, then feel free to leave comments or PMs, I'll try the best as I could to answer them!

Enough with the babble now, on with the story!

Disclaimer: Rory has some mean curse words this chapter. Please expect language and themes, but not so much that it could be bumped to M, so please, read with discretion.

Chapter 25

The Meeting: Part Two

The night was coincidentally a little less darker than usual— there was this whole mellow vibe going on about it, I didn't know why. It was also quieter. Hushed whispers fainted about, and there were the occasional hammers being pounded and men walking around to who knows where, but that was just it. No merriments, no midnight gallivanting, no drinking; just your typical night of hanging your shoes and resting your toes a bit.

I brought a torch along while I was walking, to pave my way a jagged path. I was recognized through most of the men, and some I could overhear some of them asking themselves about my presence in a lowly part of the encampment, although I could tell by the eyes who knew, there was only a single reason why I had come to such a distant part of the camp.

Well, because Jaime was here.

On the very corner of a rundown place, I noticed a wooden pen who was surprisingly un-guarded by patrolling men. I mean, I've just ran into three or four of them this evening, so I expected there should be plenty more where that came from when it comes to guarding the Kingslayer...

Geez, no wonder he got away.

Sighing and sticking my foot on the ground, I marched towards the pen, which made my stomach twitchy. I could smell the stench of something rancid, like someone hadn't taken a bath for days and had been sitting under the sun for who knows more when. I almost wanted to hurl. God, I didn't know it was this bad. I guess I never expected smelling anything what was showing on T.V. so I barely put that in mind, but now, I kind of pitied Jaime from the flat out poor management they were supposed to have taken care of.

When I was in front of the prison cell, I glanced inside and sought out two men who were talking whispers to themselves. Until, one of them noticed my presence.

"Ah, a pretty young lady decides to visit me today. I like your hair, by the way." A slightly low, baritoned, and at the same time water-deprived voice spoke. "I admit, that's a bit unheard of. I usually am graced with presences of big, surly men who apparently likes to poke me with a stick."

I stared at him. Underneath the grime and dirt that covered his face, the golden mane that was supposed to be the trademark of the fabled Lannisters which was now tainted with all the mud, I saw none other than the Jaime Lannister. I couldn't discern the "comely and handsome face fit for a king" part, and the loathsome pitiness every woman was swooning for, but here he was. The awe-inspiring, ever-famous and all the legendary, Kingslayer.

… Man, sure as hell beats Fate-Changer by tenfold.

"Best not get too close, m'lady."

I swooped my head behind my shoulders, and in the darkness, a lowly soldier appeared.

… Wait, he's kinda familiar.

"Have we met?" I had then asked.

This caught him in a bit of a surprise, but then he instantly recovered by replying with a simple half-bow. "Torrhen Karstark, m'lady." Nope. Still haven't got a clue. Though he instantly had caught my bewildered gaze and he supplied. "I believe my father had arranged me for a proposal for your hand in marriage."

"Oh." Yeah. Right. That ridiculously large, gaunt-looking beard guy who persisted I should meet his son. Apparently, said father affirmed that I had "good child-bearing hip that should produce many heirs for his son". Aforementioned woman got a little bit too flustered and ran away like a bat out of hell before anything else ensued, which was taken after as a big red warning sign of "NO" on the whole proposal thing.

Yep. It was all too clear now.

"You? An ugly thing married to her? That's a pity." Jaime remarked with a snort.

I chuckled, but not because of Torrhen. Jaime kinda reminded me of… well, me. Sometimes, I also use sarcasm as my last line of self-defense, and it proved to have been a relief most of the time. I admit, Torrhen wasn't at all "ugly" though. He could actually pass the standards of most women, and I'm pretty sure any girl would be lucky to have a big, strong man chopping off axes for firewood and serving her his hunt of the day, and yeah, to be honest, that was pretty much right up my alley as well, but I was a "get to know more" type of person. I really didn't believe in the whole fixed marriage thing. Which was kind of a fad in Westeros, by the way.

Taking a step back on the whole scene, I happen to notice the guy he was with inside the prison cell was sitting quietly. Although, he was actually more engrossed into watching and listening to Jaime with his quips and retorts.

"Who's that with you?" I asked.

"That is one of his cousins, Alton Lannister. Got caught in one of our skirmishes. He's been sent as an envoy to deliver messages back to his relatives in King's Landing until he was caged with the Kingslayer." Torrhen explained.

"And why's he cooped up with Jaime?"

"Dun' know. Prison pens' full 'cept for this one."

"Well, that's not very safe." I gave out a thought while I crossed my arms. Torrhen looked at me bemused. "For all we know, they could be devising a way to escape. Lannisters can be real resourceful, you know."

I swear, I almost caught Jaime flinching. Don't think I didn't fail to notice what he's gonna do next? Heh. Not exactly. Besides, even if the two of them (referring to Alton and Torrhen) were basically nondescript in the whole story, I'd rather avoid carnage and discord among the Stark encampment. I did recall that the Karstarks were thoroughly pissed when Torrhen was killed, but their vengeance was ignored when Jaime got recaptured, and that brought along the start of their doubt towards their King.

And wow. That was a lot of detail for about, one to two seasons in.

"Have Alton be sent out to my tent. Cuff him in one of the poles, and oh, make sure that you give him some of that hot porridge I had last meal. It was quite plenty and I didn't get to finish it all, though by now I think it's already cold." I then commanded.

Torrhen, ever he was still insightful, gave me an eye that said, "Do you really think I'm that stupid?"

"Orders from the King that he be rotting in here while we build him a new cage." He then raised his chin slightly.

"Well, orders from the King himself that I could do whatever the heck I want." I grinned mischievously. Pointing at the pin at my cloak, I then continued. "See this pin here? It's crusted silver. It's the legit pin of your King Robb himself." Lastly, I then made a shooing motion. "So chop chop. I'll look after your Jaime for you."

There was an eye-twitch. Oh, he was thoroughly pissed, but I was just a sleazy person and I didn't care. He made a twice-over at the pin, but finally he relented.

"As m'lady wishes."

No more than five minutes later, Alton was finally dragged off away from the cage with a couple of men and I was finally left alone with Jaime himself. The guards still bolted the door with a lock and chain, so there's really no way of him getting out if I wanted to. And no more than five seconds of them gone, he had already spoken.

"You know, I like you." Underneath the looming darkness of his face, I could see the barest hint of a grin. "Never seen a woman put a man in his place. And with a bit of sass, too."

"Hope you liked the performance." I smirked, crossing my arms and then protruding my waist, oozing out a proud moment in me. "I do tend to build a theme about 'women empowerment' and all."

"And an empowered woman at that." He reveled. "A woman of no mere talent, I suppose."

The smirk fell.

"Can I make a guess? Of course I certainly can, I've got nothing better to do anyway." He mumbled, moving about his arms beneath his chin. Chains clanked upon him doing so. "Let's see… Short hair, young, probably not more than twenty summers in you, and… let's say, brown or black eyes; I couldn't really tell anything in the dark." He then chuckled.

"Not Tully-tall, and she's overly sure of herself but not with grace, so you're definitely not Catelyn." I scoffed. "Doesn't really take compliments too well. Also, you're unrecognizable in my eye. And," He then stopped, raising his chin up and then looked at me with a stern gaze.

"She knew my plan and foiled it right under my nose."

I looked down. Seconds after, I eventually raised my head again with a plastered Game of Thrones smile.

"Never figured that you would finally admit something in your life." I finally replied.

"Oh, I admit many things. But sometimes I deny most of them." He simply stated.

"Well then. We're all alone now, and if you know who I am, then there's really no point in lying."

"Seems plausible." He then slacked his posture and laid his back on the single pole that held the cage. "You know, when you've been tied up in a pig's pen, things do tend to get very boring. The only way to pass the time is to listen into some of the conversations floating around, and in so doing, I've heard so much about the fabled Fate-Changer... and I meant a lot."

"Oh? And what have you heard?"

"Oh you know, how you're incredibly in the ripe age, who do you bed yourself with during the night, how tight—"

"Honestly Jaime, you really don't have to tell me that."

"But it's true," He said immediately, thinking that I was lying, which I assure you I wasn't. "I think I may have heard that guy you scuttled off say a thing or two about you. It may be along the lines of 'if you're going to predict he's going to fuck you like a relentless whore'."

If there's a literal meaning with the term "popping a vein", I would've done so, but I just dismissed it along and tutted. "You've got to watch your language, Jaime. Kids might be listening in on us." I replied being sarcastically offended. I eventually scooted closer now right over by the cage, looking at him straight in the eye. "Also, I hate to break it to you, but you've also got to watch who you're messing with."

He looked back at me skeptically. Not responding at all, I continued to what I was saying.

"So you know who I am. Which basically means you know what I can do. And right now, I'm still deciding whether or not I could try to change your fate."

His head moved back slightly, eyes squinting. "You would go against the orders of your 'King' just so, what, you could save my life?"

"Believe me, I could do whatever the hell I want." I informed him. "I didn't become your fabled 'Fate-Changer' for nothing. And by the way, who said I was ever going to save your life?"

"What, you're going to kill me right now? Oh, I'd love to see you try..." He trailed off. And then, something dawned on him. "Unless…" And there he went again. His quick, cunning mind was working its gears again, and then with another slight turn of his head, he had already deduced everything. "I was already going to be saved."

I smiled. "Nice, Sherlock. You earned yourself a medal."

He laughed. "Ah, this is gold. And here I thought I needed to do a bit of effort on my part, but someone's going to do the work for me. This is fun, now I could really say that I like you, Fate-Changer. You are indeed wondrous as they say." A sullen look came over him after. "Except, it's never gonna end well for me, is it? Now that you're here."

"Well, maybe. Depends." I chuckled again. "I don't know why I'm giving you more hints. I shouldn't, by the way."

"Well I'm not gonna live long much anyway, so humor me for a while."

"Okay then." I thought of something, anything that he and I might find an identical thought. And then it came to me. "I met your brother once. He is… very much like you when it comes to sarcastic retorts."

"We're not bred as Lannisters if it weren't that way." He then became reminiscent. "How is he, by the way? Can you tell? If, you don't mind telling of course."

I shook my head and then explained. "He became the Hand of the King when you left. He's still earning his way through, but what's more important is that he keeps Joffrey in line… most of the time."

"As expected of my brother. He… does not have a good taste on that boy."

"None of us do."

There was a long pause; a still silence. The crickets chirped through the night, and it was quite peaceful to be honest. We hadn't exactly made progress with our conversation, but the small talks were… a relief. I still didn't know my decision of him, but I knew he has a big part to play. Especially when saving his brother from execution. That's still a long way down the road even from now, so I can't really tell. A lot could still happen after a while, so I can't be exactly sure if I would take the place of Jaime saving Tyrion.

This was the whole reason I didn't know what to expect from this outcome. I knew Tyrion could make a huge impact on the whole Game, that's why I mentioned him to Jaime. This is also the reason why I needed him to be alive. But this means that I have to deal with Robb, and after the whole debacle with him earlier... well, let's just say that that's a different ball-game.

Either way, I'm being dealt with deceptively good cards leading in bad results.

Jaime broke the silence with a curious look. "You know, it still seems awkward to me that you're still standing there, waiting for me to talk. You're really going to make someone pissed, if someone walks along this way. But come to think of it, you're starting to make me believe that you're playing on our side."

"I play on the side of Westeros." I appealed. "But nowadays, no one would really believe that."

"And what am I to you, then?" He asked.

When I looked at his face, I remembered Bran. Poor Bran... The mishap at the tower could've all been avoided if it hadn't been for Jaime. I hated him for that. But then again, he had redeemed himself somewhat as a character after we'd gotten to know him better. But it still didn't change the fact that this whole shitstorm couldn't have happened if Jaime hadn't pushed him off.

Still, it had opened up a world full of possibilities. I couldn't really change it now, after everything that's happened, but at the very least, if I could mend it somehow, then perhaps, it wouldn't be such a bad place after all.

And I guess I have to start off with this guy.

"By that unanswered question, it seems that you have already made up a decision." He finally spoke.

I finally stood up and turned on my heel, leaving him in suspense before I looked back one more time.

"Maybe. But either way, you wouldn't like it."

Right when I entered the tent I had almost collapsed. Luckily, two hands were already slinged at me and I was able to keep my balance.

"M'lady! Are you alright?"

I identified it was Torrhen's voice.

"Shit. Sorry, I didn't know I was still weak from my injuries…"

After a couple of seconds, I was eventually able to pull myself up and steady my bearings. Looking around, I saw Torrhen's face and a worried look from Alton cuffed up in a tent pole with a bowl in his hand. The thought made me smirk a bit, and then focused back to Torrhen, whom I patted on the shoulder, hinting that I was fine.

"So, you two guys," I breathed out. "Better thank me for saving your sorry asses."

They both had a look of confusion on their faces, but I didn't want to explain further. Better leave it as an unrecorded "Rory-saves-the-day" moment and just let it slide before I keep on asking for greater glories. I was just thankful that they're still alive and who knows, they might actually be worth something now besides their nondescript selves before.

Eventually dismissing my statement, I had then eyed my direction to Alton, who was suddenly struck by a moment of nervousness, and, to be honest, I was kind of surprised that he was actually part of the counting-fingers amount of people who were actually intimidated by my presence.

I mean seriously, not being sexist and all as this is Westeros, but I really didn't get why I became so notorious as a woman all of a sudden.

"Did the broth taste good?" I asked, just to ease up the tension.

He gulped and stared at it intently. "I… I suppose."

"Oh, don't look at it like it's poisoned. Unless guard-man right here decided to do it while you weren't looking." I retorted.

"Poison is for the cunning and treacherous. I'd rather match him face-to-face with a sword than pour a hidden nightshade on his cup." Torrhen, looking offended, retorted with his arms crossed.

I just harrumphed at his statement and did the same. "You're no help." I then sighed. "What are you still doing here? Your job's done now. Go on. Shoo." Motioning again with my arms the second time tonight.

Torrhen must've had a bad experience with people dismissing him. Or maybe it was because I didn't thank him for the chivalry. He had that scornful look on his face, but it's as if he had another choice but to obey. Perhaps I was the one that gave him a bad memory. You know, being ordered around by some female, or maybe some other vengeful whatever-I-did that made him so royally pissed. Either way, he just gave me a terse nod and went along his way.

Geez, he must be very fun at parties.

"I swear, a girl just wants to make a simple conversation and they all think I'm already up to something. I'm starting to miss the girl that just gets ignored all the time… little less jarring for me to make a point." I mumbled out loud.

I first glanced around the entrance of the tent and looked back and forth, like from some of those spy movies, and then shut the flaps as close as they can, pivoting myself back to the brownish-golden haired boy.

Wait, he didn't look like much of a boy, but rather a guy who's probably in his early twenties, perhaps a guy who just graduated from college and living as an adult, except, he looked like a greasy Victorian-era noble who could've been the most popular guy in school if he wasn't living under the shadow of his star-born cousin.

Hmmm… I suddenly got an idea.

Smirking to him, I approached to the other side of the tent, crouching in front of him much like what I did with Jaime earlier.

"So, what do you think? Do I really look like a mysteriously dangerous person to you? Silly ol' me?" I asked, and he was about to answer when he opened his mouth, but I stopped him there. "And please say your answer is a no. It's a trick question, and you can never, ever win with a woman if you disagree with her logic."

Of course, Alton contemplated it for a moment, and then spoke. "U-uh… N-no?"

"Good." I pushed myself off the ground and walked behind him, pulling out a key ring I managed to pick when Torrhen was so busy balancing my body towards himself earlier. I noticed to my side-eye that he was clearly surprised, and I did a devilish-skip inside my mind… If one could someone actually picture that. Shaking my head, I started to fiddle with the locks.

"What are you doing?" He said exasperatingly.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Nope. Not that one. Testing the next one… nope. "And by the way, no funny business. You'll answer to the guards seven feet in front of you if you do any rape-y or stab-y stuff."

Of course I bluffed. There were no guards probably around ten yards 'round these parts. Not when it's the middle of the night. Patrols maybe, but even they'll probably visit after a half-hour or so. Robb had really made it quite sure that I get the secured protection, but I made real sure that I gave some of my goonies some time off tonight. You know, to deal with all of this stuff.

Clank

The cuff fell, and he weakenly pulled himself up, easing up the strain in his wrists.

"Why are you doing this?" Alton had then asked very curiously. "Do you know that I'm a Lannister? That I'm part of the family—"

"You never listen, do you?" I cut him off disapprovingly. "It kinda seems you're still missing the point that I'm the one and only— no matter how much I hate the title— Fate-Changer, right in your very midst."

"Still don't make no sense."

"Well, it means I'm changing your fate, silly." I yawned. God, I didn't realize I was this tired. "Don't worry, if anyone bats you strangely in the eye, I'll make sure to take care of it."

Geez, the guy doesn't really seem to get it. But I didn't blame him though. Thing is, I wanted to try something different. I never knew Alton personally though (and by personally I meant towards the series), but I bet he could make a great... Oh, I don't know, but I feel like I wanted to help him, just as much as anyone who I wanted to meet. I have a feeling with him around, something might happen differently. Who knows?

"You can escape, hide, and then go somewhere along south and then make your way down towards King's Landing. I'm pretty sure you will be well kept by your family." Stretching and yawning, I climbed back on my bed and then hid under my covers. "Or, you could stay. Who knows? You seem to be an adventuring type. It'd be good for you to smell fresh forest air and warm, summer glades."

"Except, everything here is hot coal smoke from the fires and crumpled grass from all the marching."

I got up from my bed and looked at him. Well, he finally replied with something else rather than a question or an unconvinced retort. I smiled.

"I'm tired. See you tomorrow." I lied on my bed again and then wrapped myself in the covers, closing my eyes and started to doze off to sleep.

Listening, I heard there were light footsteps walking away, but there was a hesitation when he turned over the flaps.

"There're no guards here."

I grinned again under the covers.

"Good night, Ser Alton."

And that was that. I was already part-asleep by the time I could pay attention anymore, so I didn't really know if he left or if he stayed. I hoped that whatever he chose should be something to live up his life. He had this second chance, and I hoped he'd put it into good use.

Welp, hope it goes along smoothly.

By morning I woke up, and the first thing I immediately thought of was my guest for the night before. However, I frowned when saw no signs of Alton. Well, I should've expected it. He would always be first, and foremost a Lannister. And Lannisters, well, they have a keen sense of the saying "blood is thicker than water".

The flap of the tent opened, and then came a man appearing all sweaty and puffing.

"My lady. They caught the Kingslayer."

My eyes flung open.

Speak of the devil.

"He escaped?" I asked, and then went out of bed, fixing myself and my hair.

"Just an hour ago. My lady—"

"Were there any casualties?" I then swooped in to butt him.

"I-I—"

"Did. Anyone. Die, soldier?" This time, my tone was harsher.

He seemed to have paused in his frazzled state. Gulping he had given me a condoning bow.

"None have been reported, my lady. Although, there has been an accomplice, his cousin. He had also escaped with him into the night."

I stopped.

Shit.

Oh God, I'm so pissed of right now. I expected him to run away and flee towards who knows where, but I fucking didn't expect him to run away with Jaime. Shit. I didn't carry everything through. That was a mistake.

Shit fuck shit.

"Your presence is urgently needed, my lady. They—"

"Of course they are. I'm the fucking one who's responsible in this whole shit anyway."

The whole kerfuffle was outrageous, probably not worse since no one died, but still, it was outrageous.

I was mad. Bitch be flying like a bat out of hell mad. I was doing my whole Fate-Changer thing on that sun of a gun Lannister and the whole fuckfest just Reversi-ed on me. Dammit. I should've thought of the situation earlier, or I wouldn't have done it. Thank the stars no one got hurt, but that was a close call I did not want to happen.

I arrived at the middle of the Stark encampment where they'd put Jaime on a pole, getting beat up and kicked around, in the beckoning sunlight no doubt. The weather was just awful. It was humid and the early morning dew made the mud stickier. I noticed that it was getting all over my boots.

After a half-beat of looking for Alton, I saw that he was unconscious by the side of the pen. There was blood sticking out of his head which was noticeably absent before. I felt horrified and then ran past all the other guards and men until I approached him. He was still breathing. He was still alive.

"Who did this?" I shouted. It didn't muffle the noise around, but it'd helped when a soldier walked beside me.

"The Kingslayer clamped his cuffs and knocked 'im into the ground. We saw 'im do that when we came in close, and we've got a feeling that he was going to beat 'im until his head's spluttered to the ground. Not sure if he's fortunate or not, but we made it in time though."

"Why would the Kingslayer do that? He's already escaped."

He furrowed his brow, somehow gauging the last that I said, but then he shook his head and then just shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he did that so he could distract us and buy more time for 'imself; luckily they didn't make it that far though."

I then faced Alton. He had his eyes closed, head's still bleeding. Not too brutal unlike what Jaime supposedly did, but it wasn't that far-off either.

I began softly patting him on the cheek. "Wake up. Wake up!" I whispered. If my subpar health-class skills were right, bleeding in the head with concussions was a bad thing.

"Move."

Somehow, instincts got the better of me and I already backed away, all until a split second later I would've gotten caught with the cold bucket of water splashed towards Alton. That did the trick, and it woke him up with a start. He was shaking through and through like there was something wrong with him, but I noticed that the water droplets were cold as ice.

I looked towards the offending soldier-guy, and I realized, soldier-guy wasn't really soldier-guy after all. It was ever the omnipresent Torrhen. I supposed I didn't notice him 'cause he was wearing a helmet and a different outfit, kinda like a random footsoldier covered in all the leather and plate.

Next thing that happened, a platoon of soldiers marched by, and then it revealed Robb Stark, who was steadily looking pissed. With one raise of an arm, the shrilling background noise came into a halt. The ruffians were beating up poor Jaime stopped, and they all looked at their King, who was certainly not in a very good mood.

Seconds flew by, and then Robb eyed each and every one of us, including me who was carefully tending Alton. He seemed to be coming to thankfully, but by the looks of it, he didn't register anything right before he became unconscious.

"Who freed the Lannisters off their pen?" Robb then bellowed, shocking myself and the person beside me. I noticed that he cowered, bending somehow behind my side like a kid who was about to get scolded by their parents.

Silence brewed in from the crowd. None were admitting the claim. Sigh. Well of course they won't.

"I won't repeat myself—"

"I did."

Quiet chatters began to stir as I stood up in front of Alton. Again, another feeling of shock and awe began to glaze on Robb's face, but he instantly sealed it away before anyone could see it.

I then looked at Robb with my knowing stare, the same one I did to him back when we were alone after we spoke of his siblings. His bemused state came into a resolute conclusion, and then with the slightest of hints, he gave me a small nod in return.

"What you did was treachery to the order of your King —"

"What I did was freed the man who I saved from his impending fate!"

Cries and wails spurred around the encampment, as if the Armageddon has fallen before them. I then saw Robb walked to me closer, a rage-suppressed scowl written all over his face.

"You do not speak to your King that way."

I just crossed my arms and huffed up a breath, challenging back his glare. There was a stare-off for a few seconds, and we both knew I'm not the one who's going to back down. If this was to get a rise out of Robb for disobeying his orders, all for the fact that I knew I did the right, then I would do this over and over again. I'm not gonna blame anyone for the mistake I made; what I did was right. I saved them, and I'm owning up to it.

"Take her back to the tent. I don't ever want her getting out of there without my permission. And double the guard patrol around the area. Take the boy with her too." Robbed turned to his cloak and then marched back to the paveway.

Suddenly, two guards seized me and I toyed with them by playing defiant, but I knew I had no choice but to follow them.

"You never expected it did you?" The guards stopped their footing and turned on their heels, looking at Jaime who was listlessly splayed on the ground. His long-tarnished golden hair covered his face, and they didn't know who he was talking to, but I have a strange feeling the he was actually talking to me.

And when he turned his head towards my direction, I have come to the right conclusion. "I'd figured I should try and test that magic of yours." There was a dark chuckled that echoed off his lips. "Didn't know I'd get a rise out of you that I still beat my cousin half to death."

The guards must've thought that he was just rambling like a madman, so they slowly dragged me off the scene. Jaime smiled a devilish smile at that.

"Guess this goes to show that you're not as reliable as you are. I've figured you out, oh so majestic Fate-Changer!" He shouted, beckoning me to challenge him back. I just stared him off in hollow surprise when he said those words. "I'll still hold on to your promise, my lady! I'm sure I won't be kept waiting for long. We'll probably meet again someday… in the next life… or probably in this."

The crowd shut him when a soldier kicked him in the gut. I cringed when I saw it, but the they were relentless when they saw him suffer like. I turned my head forward again and into the back of Robb who was still in front of us. I didn't want to look anymore, and time will tell what destiny will be in store for him next.

But what it really irked me was the fact that Jaime knows. Not the whole thing exactly, but just how far the extent of what I knew when it comes to the future. He really was a cunning man. With only meeting me twice, he had already deduced that I wasn't capable of learning the future. It was just the one I know of. But this, since everything has changed, he tried to see if I would predict this, but I didn't. In so he found out.

Dammit. I was too into being furious at Alton that I didn't know I was already being let on by another tactic. Were they really this good at playing the Game?

This thought just scares me as hell. If Jaime was able to do that while he was cooped up and beaten to a pulp, then I don't know what Cersei or Ramsay or Walder Frey would be capable of if I would be playing on the opposite side of the board game…

Shaking my head, I decided to let it go for now. What I needed to do now was try to fix the current issue. Good thing I already had a plan B already laid out if in case anything happens…

Hey, you can't blame me. I'm just learning how to play the Game as well.

We arrived back to my tent again, with the dozed off Alton being carried towards the back end where there was plenty of space. The guards were flooded by the dozen inside the tent, and it was getting all crampy.

Robb placed his gaze on me.

"Leave. All of you." He then commanded. "I want everyone else to be stationed outside make sure that this tent is surrounded.

The terse order sent the people reeling and they left before anyone could bat an eye on me. The only persons now left at the entire scene was Robb, the semi-conscious Alton, and I.

Silence again crept the place. It was eerily so. Even the background noise from the blacksmiths and the patrolman shouting to who knows who seemed to have stopped as well. He was still staring right at me, but this time, I knew that it wasn't his broody look anymore. Slowly backing off to the entrance of the tent, he tilted his head to inspect the outside of the flap, and then he placed back the flap carefully without attracting too much attention.

He turned his head back to me again and then got closer.

"We don't have much time." Robb then said.

"I know." I then replied. This time, there was not an ounce of denial or hatred that etched in my face. This time, I was worried and apologizing. "I'm sorry, Robb. I didn't… expect for this to happen. Freeing Alton was a flawed experiment on my part... and I won't do anything reckless again."

"You could've consulted me with this idea. If this was part of the plan, then I wouldn't have objected." He then carefully said.

"Trust me, he was… a contingency plan."

Another silence. Robb shortly had gazed at the person in topic, thinking about something that I didn't know, and eventually looked at me back.

"You know I can't save you again next time you cause a scene."

I nodded. "You're not mad that Jaime escaped?"

This had made him pause. He gripped his fists again, but he let it go. "I am. But it is out of my hands now."

I sighed in relief. "Thank you. You know that Jaime wasn't at fault in all of this."

"Yes, you've told me that. But I'm starting to doubt his intentions with what he did to his own blood." Robb gave a nod at Alton's direction. I gave him a once-over as well. He still looked like he was out of it, but I knew that he was already conscious. "And I hope he's worth it."

I looked back at Robb. "He'll be fine." I said as I placed my hand on his shoulder, he gave it a second to look at it. "Did you already talked to her?"

"She… was not pleased that you told me what happened back at the Stormlands, but that was her plan in the first place, just like you said." Again, he looked over his shoulder for a half-beat. "And she won't change your predictions."

"Good." Again, another sigh of relief. "At least one thing's still sorted out right."

He just gave me a quick nod in reply.

Slowly, he started backing away the same thing he did before, his calm gaze still placed on mine. "No more unexpected surprises." He had then tossed me the cuffs with the key, catching it almost clumsily. I looked at the same cuff that I removed from Alton, and God help it, I really don't want to be back at square one.

And that was when he left.

"Is it true, what he said?"

I swooped towards my side, and saw that Alton was already sitting upright, but his head was still bowed low. The wariness and relief washed over my face, and then it was back again to Rory-bitch mode. I contemplated if I would put the cuffs back on the pole, but then decided to just link his hands together so he wouldn't be able to do something stupid again.

I went on and did so, grumbling expletives under my breath, and Alton was just there with a very confused look on his face.

"W-what are you doing?" He asked, and thank goodness he wasn't struggling. Was he supposed to? Ah. Whatever.

I dismissed the thought and went on with my rant while I was fumbling over the cuffs to his wrists. "You know, I should blame you that you decided to free Jaime last night, but then again, it was my fault. So right now, I'm just mad. And really, no one likes anyone who's mad." Oh no, but I didn't stop there. "So I got out there and pulled out a limb for you, saving your ass and all, twice, and I get no 'thank you' or a simple nod of camaraderie in return. Instead, I get to be stuck here with you, and worse of all, I don't get to watch if all of my plans will fall out the way it should be."

"I-I'm s-sorry…"

"Told you, it's not your fault." Finally able to get this damn contraption, everything clicked into place. I sighed for how many times already this day.

"I…" He thought of the words to speak, but nothing came out like he wanted to be. "I trusted him… I freed him because I thought… but then he…"

"That one, that one you did." I egged him on.

"I don't understand… I… I squired for him…"

"And this concerns him how, exactly?"

This gave him a moment to think. "… He told me he wouldn't be able to run far enough, that we can't both escape at the same time… I wasn't able to realize that he was hiding his intentions all along… I was a fool…"

"Yeah yeah, suck it up can you."

And then, realization struck on him, like there was a new dawn covering his whole face. I rolled my eyes. Finally.

"I'm truly sorry, m'lady. I have wronged you in the worst possible way, and you have saved me— if what you say was true— then you have saved me yet again."

I crossed my arms again and then gauged him if what he's saying was true. Indeed, he did look very apologetic. And with the added near-sobs he was pulsing in his throat, now it looked like he was guilt-tripping. Now it felt like I was the one that wronged him. Ugh. I hate this.

I sighed for hopefully the final time and then stood up, but in a jerk of a surprise, he had clamped his hand on one of mine, bowing like servant to a master.

"I… I am in your debt milady." I blinked back in surprise. Well, this is new. A Lannister— well, not one of the Lannister, but still— was indebted to me. I ducked my chin slightly and stayed quiet, signaling him to continue. "I have no place left to go. I can't… I can't bear to go back to my family, not after what happened… I can't—couldn't, tell them…"

And the guilt-trip was hungry for more.

Alright, fine. I give.

"Okay, okay. You can stay." I slowly slipped away my hand from his grasp. "Geez, I can't really stand too much melodrama in a day." I mumbled.

"Offer still stands then." I continued with an ultimate tone. "But no more chance to escape. You've already made that one. And no slavery-worship stuff. Act like a man and own up to your decisions." I thumbed out my wrists where he touched me, and it felt insanely awkward that he went up close and personal with the touchy-feely stuff and nnghh…

I distanced myself away by getting back to my cot, hoping to sleep it all again until sometime in the afternoon. Really had nothing better to do anyway, now that I couldn't get outside.

"Thank you, m'lady."

I snuggled myself some more.

"Good night, Ser Alton."

Even though I know it's still somewhere around the morning.

A/N: Okay. So. If you were expecting something big like maybe "breaking Jaime out of prison big", then no, no scene like that in this story. I apologize for that. One of the reason I decided to rewrite the whole scene was because of the Episode 8 of Season 6. I realized, Jaime in the end is still Jaime. He's always been the anti-hero that we all know and love, but his motives are still somewhat very blinded, especially of Cersei. So in a quick rewrite, I decided that I'll still give Rory the suspicions of his motives. She doesn't know what's going to happen in 5 and 6, and possibly the whole universe would've already been changed by then, so there's really no telling. My story hasn't made it in that timeframe as well, but I'm pretty sure they're all up in my head juggling around somewhere.

And then, there's Alton and Torrhen. If you're familiar with them in the series, then good. If not, then just dig in for a research. I like to delve in the roles of minor characters in the series, especially with so big a story as this one. I also need Rory to have some posses (no, you didn't read that wrong), like a party in an RPG game, but then again, I can't really destroy the roles of the bigger ones just for them to squeeze into Rory's plot, so I got the idea by allowing some lesser roles to fill in for the meantime.

Also the part when Robb and Rory were plotting something... secretive. Heh. There's another Game of Thrones moment for Rory in the coming chapters, and all would be explained as we go along. Sorry had to leave it at that. Just wait and see!

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