Part Of The Pack

This was the fifth time, she restarted to braid her hair and like herself her hair was also panicked to assemble into a proper clump at the end. Allara tried to give her best look. Lord Jaime Lannister and five of his men had already arrived the castle. As it was Brandon's duty to welcome the guests, she had all the time for herself from the morning. And she would be expected to join the supper with them, she wanted to look at her best, for which reasons, she was trying to perfect her hair.

Frustratingly, she sighed and sat on a chair, resting her head on her palms, knowing her hair and herself were going to be a total disaster. Loud thuds of boot sound clanged against the stone floors near her chamber. It was Brandon's clamorous voice that announced his entry even before himself at the door.

"Aly, the wine casks are all empty in the cellar. The servants have no idea where the remaining twenty casks are stored." Brandon fumed in annoyance.

"Did you ask Mage about it?"

"Of course I asked. That dumb cunt is blaming it all on Martyn Cassel, calling him a drunkard. And Martyn swears he hasn't been in town for a moon now. I wish I could crush their lying arses and make wine out of it." Brandon groaned and walked like a cat across her chamber pushing things around and placing it back to the same place where it belonged in complete irritation.

Well, after this one moon of trial, she came to a conclusion that had never even dared to enter her head before. Her brother sucked at managing the household. He was incapable of getting work done from men without barking at them, and for each line of order he commanded, five curse words dangled in air. Allara had to stand behind him for everything, as she had done for her father. She hoped the Tully girl had learned to run a household of a castle, in Riverrun. At that moment, though, her heart was running a high hill, at the thought of meeting Lord Jaime. So she frankly ignored Brandon and studied herself in front of the reflection glass, correcting her loosened hair over and over.

"Without the wine, there won't be a feast, right? Perhaps, you shouldn't check for the wine. We can call it a day and go to bed." Allara answered and adjusted her worn-out silver wolf badge of red-eyes. Silence was her brother's response. "Oh... It is a brilliant idea. It might work even for a fortnight till they depart. No wine... No feast." Her eyes sparkled in joy staring at herself in the mirror while the prospect of getting escaped from this awkward meeting was presenting itself.

A week ago the Maester Walys invited her to his turret and educated her to be polite and gracious around Lord Jaime. That was none of his business and she knew he was crossing a line. But after she left the tower, panic set in motion thinking about how she should present herself. She came back to reality when the chamber was awfully quiet, and she found Brandon to stare at her with a slightly parted mouth, and bewilderment.

"What is wrong with you, sister?" Brandon quizzed. "No wine... No feast...? We have spiced ale. Also, it will just take three days to get wine from the Cerwyns. Why are you even thinking about postponing the feast?"

"Brandon... I am nervous." She blurted with shaking fingers. "I don't know the reason."

Brandon straightened his back and walked towards her. "You have nothing to worry about. He is green as horse piss. You should have seen the southern haughtiness, smirking on his lips. You are going to hate him." Brandon implied in a strong tone. It was almost like, her brother didn't want her to like Lord Jaime and he was enforcing it on Allara the same way she had done for him before he met Lady Catelyn.

"Thirty-five casks of Arbor Gold are stored in West Tower's basement for keeping it in a cool ground. Ask Mage and Martyn to help you." Allara answered.

Brandon pinched her cheek and gave a chaste kiss on her forehead. "I am not sure what I will do, without you." And with that he left her alone to deal her messy hair.

Jaime looked out at the court-yard from his guest tower, which was covered with a layer of snow. This was his first longest journey, which took almost close to a moon from Crakehall. And he realized how vast the North was, making him roam like a ghost in those barren empty lands. He despised it. Never in his whole life, there was a need to wear such heavy woolen cloaks that weighed down his own body to ground. Now, without those fur to wrap his skin, he might quiver and die before earning to be a knight. He had already delivered the sealed parchment to Lord Stark that his father had sent with him. This mundane job could have been done by anyone but his father had insisted that the message was so important and it had to be delivered personally. Mostly, it was for the prospect of seeing a faraway land he accepted to go ahead on this journey. Now, Jaime's duty was over and he wanted nothing other than going back to the Rock, where sun would welcome him with a bright smile.

"Fucking cold!" Merrett Frey howled from behind, wrapping his cloak tight against his body. "These northern lords are some sort'a witches, I say. It's hot inside those stone walls while cold outside." His companion who accompanied him from Crakehall rubbed his arms to frighten away the blistering cold. Something was surely weird in this castle. As his sloppy head friend admitted, the walls were warm to touch and none of these folks looked like the people in South. They all were looking like tall, bearded and grumpy beasts.

"Come... Let us join the feast, and let those grumpy Starks to take us to grave, before this cold finds its way." Jaime urged his heavy friend to move out from the tower. On the way, he found a maid walk towards them, with a pail of water in her hand. All the water almost spilled when the maid gave a long stare at him, blushing till her cheeks became red. Jaime casually ignored it as he always had that effect on many women he came across, even in the Rock. But his Frey friend gave his twisted laugh towards the maid and waited to see her behind, till she disappeared.

"Whatever you say, Jaime... These northern girls are so inviting." Merrett drooled by even looking at a maid.

"You must have lost your eyes along with your wits. I don't find them attractive." Jaime chided as he took longer steps towards the Hall.

"Ah... That's because you always steal every girl's attention. Besides, you are not the best judge when it comes to women. I have been with a lot to know how they even taste, from a distance."

Jaime wanted to knock his half-wit companion's tooth out, saying how Jaime had his share of women too. He and his sister, Cersei, had done some experiments on their bodies, during their time, in the Rock. It had been years, since he last saw her but those memories were a sweet reminder for him to go home at the earnest. Now, coming this far North to these cold lands, made his body to ache more for his sister's warm touch.

"Did you hear about the Stark girl, in the inn? They say she is quite a catch." Merrett murmured from behind. Jaime had heard about the eldest Stark girl's freaky appearance in his time, during the journey. He didn't think she was a catch. All he heard was some tales about discoloured hair and mismatched eyes, which only made him feel disgusting to even imagine. Everyone in the Seven Kingdoms knew Cersei was the catch.

"I wonder what beauty they have hidden inside this ice castle." Merrett pondered as they neared the hall entrance. "All these northern mysteries are triggering more suspense inside of me, Jaime." As Merrett kept mumbling about a possible askew, ugly girl, Jaime started to lose his serene. The Starks were cold and aloof. No maid could even come near Cersei. His sister had already earned the title as the Light of the West. The power and beauty of the Lannisters were as high as the Targaryens for the Stark girl to even think about competing.

Jaime paused and flared at Merrett. "Perhaps, you can try to taste that Stark girl. Both of your hideous features will produce perfect grotesque looking grumkin children these northerners fear about. Finally, there will be a real scary story to wet my pants." Jaime mocked and laughed on Merrett's dumbstruck face. His friend's mouth gaped wide in shock, staring past at something behind Jaime.

"Will they look like your dwarf-brother, Lord Jaime?"

Jaime bit his tongue for speaking so aloud and he slowly turned hearing to that sweet voice. To say he was stupefied would be an understatement. His emerald eyes swelled to see a dazzling creature in front of him. She didn't appear to be a human at all. The northerners in the inn, failed to construe her radiant beauty. And it was her slightly large mismatched eyes that bewitched him. When he studied their colour, he observed her knitted brow that expressed her anger. Clearly, she must have heard every word that had escaped his mouth. He wanted to apologize. He almost approached to express his regret, knowing how unmannerly he spoke in front of a lady, especially to the most beautiful witch. But then her words rang in his ears. Did she just mention, Tyrion as a dwarf and monster?

"Pardon me... Did you just bring my brother into this?"

She scoffed lifting her brows. "You have the gall to ask that question. Last I heard, you beautifully praised about my imaginative children with... this Lord Frey." Allara trailed wondering the name of his companion. "And you feel offended when I bring your real monster-brother into your own conversation?"

Jaime's jaw tightened in fury and he pressed his lips tight to form a straight line. Had he worn a sword about his belt, he might have cut her tongue to mute her entrancing voice forever. "If I have not broke bread and salt in your home, I would have-"

"What would you have done?" She arched her right brow in surprise but sooner a calmness surrounded her face. "Are you trying to threaten me? Or are you frightened?" She smirked trying to stir his hot blood. "As long as you are our guest, you can sleep without worry. I won't harm you."

His sincere passion wanted to give a fitting curse word in response, so she might cower to a corner, wailing like a helpless woman. But before any of that was about to happen, a tall bearded man who he met in the morning at the castle gates, appeared behind her, staring at Jaime, like some lowborn. "Aly... Is everything alright with our new friend?"

"Yes, Brandon. Lord Jaime, here, has forgotten his way to the dais. I am just helping him and his Frey friend." Allara gritted her teeth and answered.

That was calling for a war, he realized. Brandon Stark, held his sister's arms protectively, and took her out of his way. Upon reaching the dais to have their supper, Jaime sat opposite to her staring at her pretty mismatched eyes which were enchanting him. But he wanted to pluck them out. Her beauty didn't sit well with her manners. Merrett, Lord Rickard Stark, even his second son, Lord Eddard Stark spoke cordially, enquiring about the journey. But he wasn't interested in their simpleminded conversation. He was determined to exact vengeance on that insolent girl for insulting his little brother. 'A Lannister always pays his debts'

Next day, when Jaime looked out to see the world, through his window, a lot of commotion was going on, bringing life even to this dreadful place. Jaime was surprised when a visitor came by his door, who was merely a boy of ten. He failed to recollect the boy, from the little feast from the previous day, but he could guess that the boy was a Stark, by the look of his long face.

"Do you want to join us in the court-yard? Brandon wanted me to invite you." The boy asked by peeping into his chamber.

"Sure." Jaime answered with a new-found joy to do the only thing that he was passionate about. "I am sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Jaime Lannister." He offered his hand.

"I know... Everyone can identify you with that hair color of yours. Even my sister has few strands like that." The boy smiled and shook Jaime's hand with delectation. "I am Benjen Stark. Should we invite your Frey friend?"

"I guess not..." Jaime ignored calling Merrett who was complaining the previous night about how he hated the cold and declared that would never step out from the warm embrace of his stone chamber. "You have to do with only me. Who is the master-at-arms?"

"Ser Rodrick Cassel... But he is not available today. It's only me, you, Ned and Brandon." The boy answered and strode quickly, taking him towards that vast court-yard where his brothers were sparring against each other, and the sound of steel hitting against steel, started to stir his blood making goose prickles spread along his calloused skin. He gave a momentary pause to rest his own urges that was screaming to lift a steel for himself. Instead Jaime cautiously observed both the Stark men's moves.

Brandon was of large build and his muscular strength, aided with brilliant swinging techniques made him a tough competitor than Jaime would have thought. Jaime completely relied on tactics of swinging a sword over strength but Brandon seemed to be no fool, with a steel in his hand. His blows were heavy enough to split a person into two, yet he was swift enough to return to his previous position. Ned Stark was trying to block all his brother's swings, by mostly taking defence. Jaime fingers flexed itself, imagining himself in Ned Stark's place, when he thought all the ways, he would have reflected against Brandon Stark's moves. The brothers' sparring ended sooner, when Brandon took all the opportunities to hit at his younger brother, in multiple unguarded places of Ned Stark's body.

Brandon removed his helm wiping away the sweat that formed a layer on his face, steering his gaze at Jaime and then it drifted somewhere above him. It was no surprise when Jaime raised his head to see Allara Stark stand along with another boy, leaning on the rails of the porch on the Great Keep, witnessing the training of her brothers.

"Jaime Lannister... Ready for a duel?" Brandon cried with a pride smirk on his lips and that was enough for Jaime to smile, even when he knew it was aimed to make him defeated in front of his sister, who would have complained about their encounter the previous day. He accepted immediately and hurried along with Benjen to the armory, cladding himself in iron mail chain, steel armour and a helmet — all of gray coloured with a dire wolf for sigil.

When he was about to ask for a blunt sword to Benjen, the boy whispered in a meek voice. "Brandon wanted to know if you are brave enough to meet a real steel.."

Jaime glowered at the Stark boy for having the audacity to repeat what his brother had asked. But sooner Jaime actualized that Brandon had invited him to the court-yard in the pretext of training, sending away the master-at-arms to beat him up. But the Stark heir had got no idea how Jaime liked to get challenged in a duel. "Hope your brother won't cry, when he bleeds." Jaime scowled making Benjen widen his eyes in surprise.

Jaime swung his sword to train his wrist, before wearing the helm and took the shield in his left arm. Circling Brandon, he carefully noticed his opponent's leg movements, before lunging to strike his blade with its flat. Brandon took charge and threw a cut but Jaime blocked it reflexively. They both moved back and forth, until, sweat dribbled down their faces, tension among them elevating to another level.

Brandon's brute force was taking a toll, after some heavy clashes, giving Jaime a leverage in the game. Jaime was born for this. Hot blood rushed towards the tip of his ear lobes heating his body, making his life to thrive, when Jaime stroke back, landing blows left and right, over and over, making the Stark to stumble a few times, before he unleashed all his power to hit at Brandon's armoured arm.

That must have stirred a beast inside of Brandon, making him sneer and snarl at Jaime, with bristling anger. He saw no human in front; it was a beast that got tested in the wild. That monstrous man, riled up on Jaime by giving a remarkable swing aimed straight at his face, and Jaime got only an inch distance to pull his face away to avoid danger. Jaime's legs dangerously slipped back and before he contemplated to raise his sword, another strong cut dawned on him, and just at the right time, he pulled his shield up. Jaime's oaken shield cracked for bearing that cut.

"Ned... Are they sparring with real steel?"

A woman's voice bellowed from the porch but neither Jaime nor Brandon heeded to that sound. Both were at that point in the fight of no return. First cut - Jaime dodged but got a hollow scratch on the armour. Second cut - Brandon's shield blocked, but his blood spilled on the ground when Jaime's blade kissed the Stark man's skin near his wrist. Before the third cut was aimed by Brandon, approaching closer to Jaime's neck, which probably would have had its taste of blood, Ned Stark stopped his brother.

"Are you both mad to use real sword?" Ned Stark seethed taking a vague look at Brandon's bleeding wrist.

Brandon snarled at his own brother and pushed him to the ground in a single thrust with his bleeding arm. When Jaime stared at Brandon's gray eyes, which was wild as their sigil, he straightened to return to his position, raising his blade in defence. Out of nowhere, Allara, came to her brother's side, planting her hands on his armoured chest and attempted to stop him.

"Brandon... What the fuck is wrong with you? Stop this madness else I will have to call the guards."

For a moment, Jaime thought Brandon would shove his sword right up her heart. He seemed to be that mad and Jaime was not really sure, if he should go to rescue her. But the Stark heir's anger subsided after staring at his sister for a while. Somewhere a voice was screaming at the back of Jaime's head to see them both like himself and Cersei. It was clearly evident they both were close like himself and Cersei. But were they that close?

Slapping the sword away from her brother's hand, she went to Ned enquiring about something in concern. The whole yard went out of focus for Jaime, when Brandon removed his helmet pushing his shoulder long hair back with his finger, that was sticking to the sweat on his face, and approached him solemnly. Brandon measured Jaime, from head to toe, tugging his lower lip under his teeth, immersing himself in deep thought.

"I must agree... you surprised me."

Jaime finally lowered his sword, when his heart swelled in pride for that comment regarding his skill. With a wide smile he replied, "You didn't disappoint me, either."

Even though Jaime expected a typical Stark cold response, he was taken aback when Brandon bellowed out a huge laugh and nodded his head, patting Jaime on his shoulder. "Come on, now, Lannister. We will celebrate your arrival in a grander fashion, at the inn, nearby."

And with that same smile, when Brandon Stark walked towards his sister, who was standing with crossed arms, glaring at her brother, there was a lot of yelling and chiding coming out of her pretty lips. She was quite a sight when anger flecked on her mismatched eyes. And for the first time, Brandon introduced his brothers to Jaime with a smile never leaving his face, that was uncommon for most of the northerners. It took only a few minutes to let go off that weird animosity that had been surrounding around the Starks for Jaime. And finally he was introduced to Allara Stark.

"We already had a brief introduction yesterday, Brandon." She rolled her eyes, instead of accepting his presence. She was not pleased to see all of her brothers getting close with him. Somehow, that made him more thrilled. She made Brandon to hold his bleeding wrist, with his other hand. "Keep it tight... And come to my chamber, while I go steal salve from the Maester." Allara left from there, without any curtsey, but she gave him one last glance with spite, before leaving.

"Trust me... She will come around. Although, she is never the one to behave like this with any of the guests. Which brings me to ask you, what happened yesterday?" Brandon asked curiously clutching his wounded arm.

"Didn't she tell you about it?" Jaime asked. To his surprise, he realized she had said nothing about it to her brothers. It didn't mean that, he had forgotten of it either. And even though, he understood the Stark boys, he wanted to hurt her back, before he left to the Rock. "Its silly. How about we go to the inn, after you fix your wrist?" Jaime diverted, and they all left that place, making japes and mockery all the way.

Hope... this chapter was not a disappointment. Although, I wanted to stretch the chapter; I decided against it.

Guest - Thanks.

Janae.K - Your comment has been a bliss for me. I may be a mediocre writer, but when you have completely grasped all the characters' nature as I expected to be presented, it made me fly and hit my ceiling. Thank you. I hope you like my Jaime. This is all before he starts copulating with Cersei and becoming a Kingsguard, or even a knight. I have fleshed out his destination for this story, which will be nothing as the cannon. Do stick around. Also let me know what you feel about this chapter.

Hercules - Okay... Thanks for such a dear comment and understanding the Stark family. I am so happy to see how you have understood Allara's contempt against Catelyn and Rickard not recognizing his daughter. I gave you a court-yard moment. Hope I didn't disappoint.