Sooo, next chapter and I can't help myself I keep procrastinating Robert's Rebellion for some reason... as a result, have some Jaime and some gossip, just a short intelude though.

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything

280 AC, King's Landing

Jaime

When they told him his childhood friend Addam Marbrand had come back from the West, Jaime was delighted. The two had not met in far too long and in this big cruel city it was always good to see a friendly face. Especially now as the king had become more and more mad and took a delight in burning people as a way of execution. It was brutal, it was savage, and Jaime had to watch, again and again, day after day. He had to hear their screams; men, women and children begging for mercy. With time, the young knight had developed the habit of 'going away inside', of tuning out everything around him. It was his way to stay sane. Still, he felt his inner resolve wearing thinner by the day.

Addam brought with him a letter that spotted the Starshield sigil and Jaime had to smile when he sat in his chamber alone, his fingers tracing the wax. He still couldn't claim to be friends with them, but ever since Harrenhal their dynamic had shifted. Shortly after the tourney, the kingsguard had swallowed down his pride and messaged the couple to ask about his little sister's well-being. It wasn't as if he hadn't cared about Carol before, he had, but his father had known how to make any closer interaction difficult. As a result he had only ever seen her once, after her mother had died and Lord Tywin had taken her in. Jaime had been a squire at Crakehall at that time and more of a guest at the Rock. However after his "collaboration" with Ser Steven and Lady Maryah, he felt comfortable in approaching such rather personal concerns with them. To his surprise, his sister had written back herself, starting a sporadic exchange of letters and raven scrolls. Jaime still hated writing and reading, but for his sister, even if she wasn't his twin, he would try.

He broke the seal and read:

Dear Jaime,

Brookbridge is the same as usual, there is not a lot happening. Well, other than Bobbi being back. I like that. I am training every day now and I am using a bigger needle. It is still blunt hough. I can't wait until I can use a real steal needle! Please brother, can you write to Lady Maryah and ask her to let me? She is the one mainly practising with Bobbi and me now and she is very very good. Would you have thought that? I didn't to be honest. She said that is a mistake I often make, not using my brain enough. She said I am a lot like you in that aspect. I am not sure whether that was meant to be an insult but I don't think so. I think it was only an observation and she is probably right. Lady Maryah is cold, but not as cold as father. She does smile, whether you believe it or not. Tyrion came to visit us some time ago, but only for a few days when Ser Kevan brought us Bobbi. I hope to see you soon so I can show you everything.

Your sister Carol

Her words full of excitement made the knight smile, it was refreshing. Also he was glad about what she told him, Carol seemed to be happy and well taken care of, far away from their father's scorn and able to train as she pleased. To him, it was obvious that the "needles" she was writing about were actually swords, especially after she had written that in a former letter. Now she seemed to be more careful in the content of her messages. Lady Starshield was definitely a good fighter and apparently an adequate teacher. Jaime wasn't surprised that Carol perceived her stern expression as "ice-face", but apparently she showed some softness from time to time. Not that Jaime could confirm that, he had never been on the receiving end of it. There were two more letters folded into Carol's.

The first one was short.

Ser Jaime,

For some reason I cannot fathom did Carol write you about her practising with needles. As moons have past since that incident and your father hasn't taken her away yet, I trust you haven't told him. I ask you, please don't tell anyone, that includes your older sister. You know I wouldn't ask you if I didn't deem it important. Carol loves it but needs more time to master the needlework, so it has to be kept a secret for now.

Regards, Lady Starshield

Oh, so Lady Starshield actually seemed to care, she was a proud woman and wouldn't ask anything if she didn't have a good reason to. Of course he hadn't told his father, he could remember just too clearly how angry he had become when Cersei had asked him to teach her how to fight. Jaime was glad that at least one of his sisters would get the chance now and he wouldn't jeopardize It, not even to please his twin.

It was no secret that Cersei would do everything she could to further discredit Lord Tywin's little bastard daughter. Both her brothers found it paranoid and downright cruel, but she always insisted that the child wasn't a true Lannister and therefore didn't deserve their compassion. Even though Jaime didn't call her out on it, he never participated either. In his opinion, Cersei had no reason to be jealous, she would always be his number one, his second half, the love of his life. Because of her 'lower birth', Carol was also barely acknowledged by Lord Tywin, however sometimes her older brother considered whether that wasn't actually a blessing in disguise.

He moved on to the last piece of writing:

Jaime,

They say we should leave the gossip to the wives but you don't have one and mine doesn't gossip so I feel obliged to share this information with you: I have it on good authority that Eddard Stark of Winterfell has married Natalia Snow, the daughter of Lord Barnes. You might remember her from Harrenhal, a short pretty red-haired girl, Lady Lyanna's lady-in-waiting. Apparently Eddard was to be wed to another which made them act. It caused a scandal, I think, they seem to be at the Eyrie now. I am fairly confident to say that this was a love match and I wish them only luck, by the Gods they will need it.

Steven

The kingsguard broke out into a full belly laugh, this was just hilarious. Ned Stark the rogue, who would have thought. But well, his sweet sister proved to him time after time how week a woman could make a man. Jaime would not judge the northman either way, whether he had married the Snow for her beauty, to spite his parents or for love. Neither would he judge the girl if she simply wanted to secure herself a place in society next to an honourable if very stern and passionless man. But somehow he had the feeling Natalia wasn't the type for that and he might even be inclined to believe what his cousin had written about a love match.

He wasn't sure what made him do it, it probably was just a reckless spontaneous idea, but the next day he found himself in the workshop of a goldsmith, ordering a necklace the shape of the head of a direwolf. It was made of rosegold and emeralds were molded into it, making it look red-haired and green-eyed like Natalia. The delicate chain was made of the same precious material, Jaime grinned when he thought about the fit his father would throw at the sight of auch a wedding gift for a girl with nothing to her name but a scandalous marriage.

"Ser, would you like any other alteration made?" the smith asked, still bewildered by Jaime's requests.

"Yes," he commanded, "I want something engraved on the back. 'We don't choose who we love.' And send it to the Eyrie, no comment with it, they don't need to know who it is from."

The man still looked confused.

"To whom exactly?"

"Natalia Sn- Stark. Natalia Stark."

Lady Natalia. The name tasted strange on his tongue, stranger than simply calling her Red, and he had to smile. It was a mad world indeed.

Thank you for reading! What do you think? Tell me please!