Everytime she looked upon Cersei Lannister all Jacqueline could think of was Jaime. Same hair, same eyes. Joffrey had them too. As did his siblings. Jacqueline had easily accepted the fact that the boy who now sat the Iron Throne was a bastard and not Robert's heir. But on the deepest level she refused to acknowledge him as Jaime's son. Her brief tussle with disgust was quickly replaced with something else. If she was honest with herself, Jacqueline would have seen the emotion for what it was: jealousy. She was jealous of the Queen. But instead, she passed the bitter taste that appeared in her mouth anytime Cersei appeared off as anger.
The Queen had to have known about her visit to Lord Stark's cell but no one had said anything to Jacqueline about it. Perhaps the news that Robb Stark was moving south with an army of northmen had occupied everyone's time. Jacqueline knew that the Queen and the Small Council had forced young Sansa to write a letter to her brother at Winterfell, before someone else could inform the North of Ned's arrest. Jacqueline didn't know the contents of the letter but she was sure it was Cersei's way of trying to pacify the North and prevent any open rebellion. But it had failed and the realm was nearing war for the first time in ten years.
Rumor spread through the Red Keep that Lord Stark was willing to confess his treason in exchange for banishment to the Wall with his bastard son and brother. Whether there had truly been a deal made or not, again Jacqueline did not know. But she knew that when Ned made his confession on the steps before Baelor the Blessed, he was reward with a greatsword to the neck and not with a journey North. Young Sansa had fainted at the sight of her father's head dropping to ground. As for little Ayra, she was no where to be seen and Jacqueline believed her to be missing. But she dared not to voice her curiosity.
Instead, she remained in the shadows of the Red Keep just as she had the majority of her life. She didn't attend Ned's execution, choosing to remain in her chambers with Ser Antario standing guard outside her door. Word of his father's death would soon reach Robb Stark and war would be inevitable. Word came from the Stormlands that both Renly and Stannis had called on the banners to join them. Renly already had the entire force of the Reach behind him with his quick marriage to young Margaery Tyrell. Stannis had the loyalty of Dragonstone but did not appear to be gaining it from any of the lords of the Stormlands despite him being Robert's true heir.
And Stannis had made sure that all of Westeros knew he was the proper heir. Soon after Robert's death, her brother sent ravens to all the lords of the realm with the truth about Cersei and Jaime and their children. How many of them believed it, Jacqueline wasn't sure. She was sure Renly believed it, but that didn't stop him from challenging their brother for the Iron Throne. And Jacqueline hated him for it. Her brothers shouldn't be confronting each other on the battlefield. Instead, they should have been joining their forces and placing the proper Baratheon on the throne. Not bicker about like selfish children while a malevolent pretender ruled in Stannis' place.
And just as Jacqueline feared, Joffrey was as cruel a king as he was a prince. Jacqueline had yet to be on the receiving end of his temper but she did see the cut on Sansa's lip a few days after her father was executed. When news reached the capital of Robb's capture of Jaime Lannister, the remaining Lannisters in King's Landing were quite upset. Cersei most of all, who, when not hiding away in her chambers, would be overly hostile to everyone she passed. Jacqueline could only imagine what the Small Council meetings were like with her temper. If Ned Stark was still alive, it would have been easy to trade the Lord of Winterfell, and his daughters, for the Kingslayer. But without him, the trade seemed slightly unbalanced. But Jaime's capture, by an inexperienced young boy nonetheless, made the entire Lannister family appear weak. A detail Tywin Lannister was surely desperate to correct.
In the weeks following Robert's death, Jacqueline had been spared any extensive humiliation or interrogation, unlike poor Sansa. That was until Tyrion Lannister returned to the city and asked to meet with her. Still dressed in a black mourning dress with her hair pulled up into a simple braid, Jacqueline made her way across the Red Keep with Ser Antario to the Tower of the Hand. The Imp looked much the same as he had the last time she saw him, only this time he wasn't being kidnapped by Lady Stark and the Hand of the King pin was displayed proudly on his shirt. Another man, lean with dark hair and stubble and sword on his hip, stood behind Tyrion much in the same way Antario stood behind her.
"It pleased me learn that you had made it safely back to the capital on your own, Lady Jacqueline." Tyrion started, pouring them both a glass of wine. "My father told me you traveled through the Riverlands to alert him of my abduction. You didn't have to do that but I thank you all the same."
Jacqueline took a small sip of her wine. "I hope your time with Lady Stark and her sister weren't too traumatic."
Tyrion laughed at that. "It was quite eventful, but that's a story for another time. I asked you here to talk about my brother, Ser Jaime."
Jacqueline's blood froze. He's knows. But he couldn't. That would mean someone else knew. And Jacqueline was sure that if that many people knew about the extent of her relationship with Jaime that Cersei would have killed her already. No, Tyrion was talking about something else. "What about him?" She asked before taking a larger drink.
"I'm sure you know that young Robb Stark has taken him hostage. And I need your help getting him back." Tyrion looked at her over the rim of his cup with his mismatched eyes.
Jacqueline shook her head. "What help can I provide?"
"How would you say you left your relationship with the young Lord Stark when you departed Winterfell?"
Jacqueline shrugged. "We left on good terms though I would say little Rickon is more fond of me." She had slightly missed the youngest Stark child climbing into her arms and playing with her hair.
"I need you travel to the Stark camp in the Riverlands and negotiate Jaime's release." Tyrion said bluntly.
The smile on Jacqueline's face fell. "Me? Why?"
"Robb Stark likes you and he respects your family enough not to kill you onsite. He'll at least grant you an audience, where you will tell him they we will trade his sisters for Jaime Lannister. And put to an end this silly conflict before anyone else gets hurt." Tyrion climbed down from his seat and finished his drink. "You'll leave in the morning. With ten Lannister guards for protection. Good luck, my lady."