Milah could barely sleep due to her excitement. She was enthralled at the idea of seeing her brother and having her family to herself for a little while longer. Though, she waited until the sun was in sight to jump from her covers and get ready for the day.
"My Lady, how long have you been awake?" Mariela asked once she saw Milah at her looking glass.
"Not long." She shrugged, concentrating on getting her hair into place for the day.
"Please, Lady Milah, allow me." Mariela pressed, grabbing the brush to help but Milah stood up after quickly pinning down a final curl.
"Mariela, there's no need to fuss over me. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself every now and again. Why don't you head to breakfast, hm?" Milah offered, making Mariela take her suggestion as she shuffled the young maid out the door, closing the door behind her. She went as fast as her legs would carry her down the steps, the only thing halting her being the sound of the gate. She stopped and looked out one of the alcoves to the entrance to the keep. The sight of the dark blue banners made her heart leap and she smiled widely, continuing her descent down to greet her brother.
Jaime glanced up from his position on the ledge between the pillars in the throne room at the sound of hurried steps, smiling at seeing Milah clad in red once again. He hoped to catch her eye as she hurried past his reading space but she was too distracted. Jaime frowned, reaching out as she rushed by him, snagging her hand to tug her back. Milah furrowed her brow at the foreign contact but she quickly regained her composure at the sight of Jaime's smirk.
"Why the rush?" He questioned, pulling his bride to him so she stood between his legs. Milah rolled her eyes at his antics, reluctantly lacing her hands to rest behind his neck.
"I only have a few more hours of freedom, that's why." She teased, making Jaime grip her hips and pull her closer to him.
"Is that so?" He asked, amused at the small woman who nodded, tugging lightly at the hair near the nape of his neck, driving him slightly mad. She got this mischievous glint in her eye as she dipped her head down to meet his lips for a moment.
"Alright. Off with you before I lock you away forever." He jested, releasing his bride after placing a kiss to the palm of her hand. Jaime chuckled to himself as she hurried down the corridor to the outer yard to meet her brother. Jaime found himself counting down the hours in anticipating rather than dismay as of late. Milah was capable, stubborn, strong-willed, and beautiful. It was obvious with the way she was around children that she would make a wonderful mother one day. Sooner than later if his father had his way. She was a formidable match and with each passing day and hour, he found himself thinking more and more about spending his days with the Northern Flower and less about his Queen who now sat in the solitary confinement of her own quarters. Jaime picked his book back up, returning to the page he left off on before seeing Milah.
"Good. I was starting to wonder if this was going to end horribly for one or both of you." Jaime sighed and closed his book again, looking up from the page to see his baby brother.
"I believe you've been spending too much time with Varys," Jaime said, standing to find a separate place to read in peace.
"Why's that?" Tyrion questioned, keeping up with his brother best he could.
"I suppose the lurking and eavesdropping could have something to do with it." Jaime hinted, making Tyrion smirk.
"Oh, brother, but how else would I ever get to tell you our lovely sister shan't be in attendance tomorrow?" Jaime froze for a moment then pivoted to look Tyrion in the eye.
"What?" The little Lord nodded, his face telling a thousand truths.
"Not feeling her best, I'm afraid. Hasn't been for the last few days, not that I give a damn." Tyrion said honestly. Jaime thought for a moment, thinking that it would be best Cersei not attend. He had been dreading any conversation with her since her frustration and anger could be heard throughout the castle once their father arrived and so kindly broke the news to her. Of course she was furious. Jaime handed the book off to his brother and turned back, heading towards her chambers.
"Is that wise, brother?" Tyrion called, concerned for his elder sibling.
"I can't just leave without speaking to her." Tyrion raised his hands in the air, the one clutching the binding of the book.
"It's your funeral." He said, wanting no part of Jaime's agenda. Once he reached her chambers, all he had to do was look at the guard that stood watch and he moved aside. Jaime pushed on the door, the creaking it made announcing him.
"I'm not to be disturbed," Cersei said coldly, her gaze towards the gardens and her grip tight on her goblet.
"Surely you can make an exception." Jaime tested. Cersei didn't even look his way, leaving him to clear his throat and approach slowly.
"I knew I wasn't crazy. I saw you with her and you told me not to worry." She spat. As he got closer, he could see her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks red. Jaime felt a pang of guilt seeing her this way. He loved Cersei but what was he to do? He felt his affections molding in a different direction.
"What was I to do? Go against father's wishes?"
"You've never had a problem doing it before." Her words were like venom.
"You plan on staying locked away?" He asked.
"I refuse to see you tied to that Northern whore. I want no part in it." She said, pouring herself some more wine.
"Cersei, what would you have me do?" Jaime asked, grabbing her upper arm for her to rip herself away.
"Tell father of his legacy. Stay here with me, with our children rather than abandon me!" She screamed.
"And have both of our heads, not to mention the children's on a spike?! Are you mad?"
"Get out." She growled. Jaime opened his mouth to say something in protest when she threw the empty pitcher near his head.
"GET OUT!" she wailed and Jaime sighed, headed for the door and slammed it behind him.
"Well, I think that went rather well." Jaime looked to the side of the door and saw Tyrion leaning up against it. Jaime snagged the book he handed his brother and started back to the library or possibly the garden to have some solitude. Jaime needed to be alone with his thoughts. He only had a few more hours until he wouldn't be alone for much longer.
Milah had made it outside just as her brother had dismounted. She ignored the protests from the bannerman as she ran for him, running straight into him, wrapping her arms around his middle.
"Are you really that tired of beating about all the Kingsguard? Do you have to roughhouse with me as well? Isn't very ladylike." He teased, hugging his sister. As he pulled back he captured her chin with his thumb and forefinger, inspecting his sister.
"The Capital seems to have you glowing...or perhaps," He trailed off, capturing the pendant that sparkled in the sun.
"The Capital has nothing to do with it?" He questioned, watching his sister's blue eyes dance with excitement. She looked at her feet bashfully then behind her brother where he expected Aramella to be. Milah furrowed her brow, seeing her horse being led away.
"Leave the Lady back in the Greenwood?" Milah pressed, latching onto her brother's arm.
"She was pulled away to see her family as soon as we hit the gate, I'm afraid. Very excited about being back in the South, that one." Cerion said as he handed the reigns off to a stable boy.
"And you?" Milah inquired. Cerion patted her hand that laid on his arm.
"As I told Robb on the way down, I'm just excited to be with all of my family once more." Milah stopped in her tracks, her weight yanking Cerion back as she stopped.
"Robb?...You rode in with the Starks?" She asked, frantically looking behind her to see if they were dismounting as well.
"Not all of them. After that nasty fall, Lady Stark kept at Winterfell with the little Lord. Robb came along with Rickon so to relieve his mother. Sweet lad." He said, trying to calm his sister and bring her along with him into the castle.
"You say that as if all these months of marriage has made you wiser, brother." She said, feeling a bit calmer as they strode down the middle of the throne room, the sunlight flickering through the colored glass.
"When I was his age-" He began saying, being silenced only when his sister smacked his chest, making him chuckle.
"Is he...has he been well? Is he well?" She sputtered out as they walked from the corridor out to the sunshine and down the steps to the gardens.
"You know you can ask him yourself. He is here for your wedding after all."
"Oh don't remind me." She groaned, covering her eyes with her free hand and pinching the bridge of her nose.
"You can't hate yourself for being happy. You shouldn't." Cerion reasoned as they rounded one of the fountains.
"You sound like mother." She scolded. Milah didn't like being ganged up on, especially by so many people.
"Well, she's right, you know," Cerion said, stopping in his tracks and nodding in the direction of a large tree. Milah looked where he gestured to see her betrothed sitting comfortably under it, his nose in some novel. She let out an amused breath and smiled, smiling wider once Jaime looked up to where the Gale children stood. Jaime smiled at her, laughing a bit as he turned back to his pages.
"He loves you. You don't know it yet, Seven Hells, he doesn't even know it yet. You can see it in his eyes. Everything before? It doesn't matter. None of it matters. What matters is now. Don't throw away something when you don't know where it could take you. I speak from first hand Lannister experience." He joked, bumping Milah with his hip for emphasis.
"I hate it when you do that."
"Do what?' He asked innocently, making his sister roll her eyes.
"Be right. I hate it." She sassed.
"Comes with the older brother territory, I'm afraid, love." He said just as their parents approached from the other side of the walkway.
"Cerion." Their mother greeted, releasing her husband and wrapping her arms around her eldest.
"What have you two been up to?" Stefan questioned, raising an eyebrow at Milah.
"Just Cerion bestowing his age-old wisdom upon the little people," Milah said dramatically, joining her parents in their walk back up to the castle from the shore.
"I hardly think that's fair. Your sister is about to be a member of the richest family in Westeros." Milah rolled her eyes at her mother's words as they came across the spot where Jaime sat once again.
"Richest family, the handsomest man in all the land, will you all give it a rest," Milah commanded, making Cerion click his tongue and look to his father surprised at his sister's tone.
"What you say we leave the women to get together all the details for tomorrow's festivities," Stefan said, clasping his son on the shoulder and leading him off, to leave the women be.
"I have a surprise waiting in your room for you. Your brother brought it with him this morning. Come along." Catia said excitedly, pulling her daughter along back into the castle.