Jacqueline was unable to sleep, or even move, for two days. She couldn't recall how she managed to get back to her room. She remembered that confusion had eventually overcome the panic she felt. She didn't understand what the Tyrells were doing in the King's Landing. Last she heard, they had retreated back to the Reach after Renly's death. Jacqueline remembered Ser Garlan staring at her with concern in his dark green eyes. He looked very much like his younger brother Loras, except taller and more broadly built. "What's happening?" It was the only questions she could think to ask.
She remembered his answer. "It would appear Lord Tywin got here just in time. Stannis and his army have been pushed back to the sea." His eyes had left hers for moment to scan the bay from over the top of the wall Jacqueline had just been hanging from. Stannis had lost. The last thing she remembered was her body shaking as more tears rolled down her face.
Using the view from the window as reference, Jacqueline figured it must have been at least two days since the battle and her near death experience. During that time, she remained sitting on the stone floor beside her bed, so she was hidden from view should someone decided to open her door, which was no longer capable of locking. With her skinny knees pulled up to her chest, she cried into her ruined dress. Her feet were covered in cuts and she was sure a few toes were broken from where she had kicked the stone wall in an effort to save herself. Her entire torso hurt and she wondered if she had a broken rib or two. Her hands looked very much like her feet: covered in bloody cuts and dirt.
Jacqueline could still feel the soldier's hand in her hair from where he had pulled her across the castle. Her neck was the worst. Even though she couldn't see the black and blue bruises that covered her skin nor the ring of cuts and blisters that the stiff rope had made as it dug into her skin, Jacqueline could feel the swelling. It hurt to move, to swallow, to talk, to cry.
At some point in those two days, she was vaguely aware of someone outside her broken door, removing Ser Antario's body from the corridor and then cleaning the mess it had made of the floor. Her sworn shield was dead but she was still alive. Stannis had lost the Battle of the Blackwater and Jacqueline wasn't sure if that meant he too was dead or not. Aside from the outcome of the battle, Jacqueline had no clue what had taken place over the past two days. She needed answers. She needed a great many things. When a handmaiden appeared on the morning of the third day, Jacqueline didn't send her away.
In the process of setting her appearance right, Jacqueline podded the handmaiden with questions. Stannis may have lost the battle but he had managed to escape death with the few ships that hadn't perished to the wildfire which had ingeniously been deployed by Lord Tyrion. Despite the bay having been set aflame, Stannis had still reached the shore, according to the handmaiden. His forces had almost breached the gate when Tywin Lannister and the Tyrells arrived. Stannis had almost won, but almost didn't count. Jacqueline had almost died.
Apparently Lord Tyrion had almost died as well. The Imp had received a severe head wound when he led forces beyond the gate. He had survived, but no one had seen him since as he had been relieved of his duties when he his father took on the role of the Hand of the King. And the King had survived, must to Jacqueline's disappointment. As a reward for the Tyrells' role in the battle, Joffrey had agreed to set aside Sansa and marry Lady Margaery instead. Jacqueline was sure Sansa didn't mind.
When she was clean and dressed, which took a while considering her injuries, Jacqueline dismissed the handmaiden. The girl had suggested that she see Maester Pycelle, especially when she saw the large yellow bruise that covered Jacqueline's abdomen, but Jacqueline ignored her. She would deal with her injuries later, and not with Pycelle. Instead, she went in search of Tywin Lannister.
With a bath and a clean dress, it almost looked like Jacqueline had been allowed to sleep through the battle, but she couldn't wash away the exhaustion set in her face nor the pain in her step. She was able to hide the majority of her injuries underneath the dark green dress but the cuts on her hands were easily visible and a few bruises could be seen over the top of the dress's high collar. She saw no one of importance as she slowly made her way to the Tower of the Hand. There was a guard standing outside when she finally reached the top of the stairs and Jacqueline hide the growing pain in her body behind a stoic mask. She was certain a number of the cuts on her feet had reopened along the way.
"I wish to speak to Lord Tywin." Jacqueline said, her voice still a bit hoarse.
The guard stared at her a few moments before answering. "The Hand of the King is busy."
Jacqueline nodded her head. "I'll wait."
She waited patiently in the corridor for a good hour, staring at the floor, trying to ignore the ache in her legs. When the door finally opened, she looked up to see a group of men leaving. Too many to be the Small Council, so she figured it may have been war meeting. She didn't recognize anyone, not until the Tyrells appeared through the doorway. Jacqueline wished they would have walked by her without a glance as the others had. Loras gave her a nod as he passed, the thought of Renly appeared in her head she she saw him, but Garlan stopped and bowed.
Jacqueline knew he was just being kind, but she wished he wouldn't. He reminded her of that night and she was trying to forget it. "Lady Jacqueline, how are you?" He asked. Jacqueline noticed how his eyes swept over her visible wounds but they didn't linger.
"Much better than the last time we met, ser," she said with a smile before letting it fade away and the stoic facade take its place. "I wanted to thank you, by the way."
Before either of them could continue, Tywin appeared in the open doorway. "Lady Baratheon." She said a quick farewell to Garlan before turning her attention to the older man.
The Lion of Lannister kept his face passive, but Jacqueline could tell he wasn't happy to see her waiting outside his door. He could have easily brushed her aside and ignored her, but instead he let her in. "I hope this will be short, my lady. I have other things to attend to." The old man said as he led her to his desk, both taking their appropriate seats. Jacqueline crossed her legs and put her hands in her lap before looking the Hand of the King in the eye. She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. "This is about what happened the other day?"
His tone was so even, so passive one would think that nothing had happened the day. "Yes." It took all of Jacqueline's willpower to keep her voice even.
"What happened?" Lord Tywin asked, looking at her with his green eyes. She tried not to think of Jaime.
Jacqueline was tired of Lannisters. The one she wanted was not there and the ones that were she had no need of. The entire family had been nothing but trouble for her. Perhaps coming to see Tywin had been a bad idea. The way his tone demanded obedience annoyed her. "Why don't you ask your grandson, my lord?" Jacqueline said too sweetly.
Tywin was not amused. "I asked you. Do I have to ask again, my lady?"
Jacqueline bit back a retort before telling Lord Tywin what happened during the Battle of the Blackwater; of how Joffrey tried to have her killed. He never interrupted her but only stared with an expressionless face. "What do you want?" He asked when she was finished.
Jacqueline lost her patience then, openly scoffing at his question. Tywin wanted to act like she didn't exist. She was unimportant, unnecessary. And the offenses done to she were excusable because she herself was excusable. But Jacqueline was tired of playing along. It had nearly gotten her killed.
"I am well aware, Lord Tywin," she began with a firm voice. "Of how you and others view my position. I'll never marry anyone of particular importance nor give birth to anyone of particular importance. I have nothing to inherit and I own no land. But there is one important thing I have to offer our King in his current situation."
"And what is that?" The man titled his head a bit, as if he was daring her to speak her mind.
Jacqueline straightened in her seat, resting her arms against the wooden chair. "Legitimacy, my lord. I am the sister of the deceased king. And when both of my remaining brothers crowned themselves, I stayed here in King's Landing with Joffrey. Everyone knows how much I loved Robert. How much respect I have for Stannis, how close Renly and I were. And in light of certain rumors floating around all seven kingdoms, that is important. For if those rumors held any possibility of truth to them, why would I betray the rest of my family to stand by a usurping bastard?"
She watched as Tywin's face twisted with repressed anger. It was obvious that he too had heard about the rumors concerning Jaime and Cersei. Jacqueline continued, "But I stayed. I choose Joffrey over my brothers. I even acted as his agent in negotiations with Robb Stark. The only reasonable explanation is that Joffrey is the proper king, Robert's true heir. For what other reason would I forsake my family if not for the duty to my king and my nephew?" She paused for a moment before finishing. "What else have I received in return?"
Letting the tension sit, Jacqueline leaned back in the chair. Both of them were surprised by her words. She had never spoken to someone with a such a tone, much less Tywin Lannister. And it must have been a long time since he was spoken to in such a manner. But Jacqueline kept eye contact, not willing to surrender her attitude just yet. When Tywin spoke, she was expecting him to yell or at least scold her for her disrespect. But instead, he repeated himself. "What do you want, my lady?" His voice was soft but more serious now. Jacqueline took that a success.
"I want Ser Antario's wife to be compensated for her husband's unnecessary death." It was the only thing she wanted really.
To her surprise, Tywin nodded. "Is that all?"
Jacqueline repressed a sigh. "No more beatings. No more execution attempts. I just want to be left alone." She wondered if she should have made up a list of demands. "And my door needs fixing."
Tywin stood and Jacqueline followed suit, but not without a sharp pain going through her body. Like most people, Tywin was taller than Jacqueline. Her stared at her, jaw clenched and eyes unreadable. Doubt became to crawl up her spine. Had she chosen her words poorly? Would she be sent off to the black cells to await a public execution just as Ned Stark had. It felt like forever before Tywin spoke again. "As long as you keep your place and don't cause anymore trouble."
Jacqueline wasn't sure what trouble she had caused but she nodded anyway. "Of course, my lord."
Surprisingly content with the way the conversation had went, Jacqueline followed Tywin to the door, which he held open for her to leave. "They were wrong," Tywin said as Jacqueline crossed the threshold into the corridor.
She turned to look at the old man. "Who was wrong about what?"
"Everyone. When they compare you to Stannis. You're much more unpredictable. Take care that doesn't lead you into trouble." He shut the door promptly in her face then, leaving her alone in the corridor with the guard. With a frown, Jacqueline headed back down the staircase, anxious to get her injuries looked at.