The Young Wolf was dead and the North's rebellion had all but ended with him. When Jacqueline first heard the news of Robb Stark's demise, she thought he had fallen on the battlefield, fighting some skirmish against what remained of the Lannister force in the Riverlands. But that wasn't the case; the young king and his mother had been betrayed and slaughtered at the wedding of his uncle at the Twins, the home of House Frey.
Robb had been unlucky in his allies. First, Theon Greyjoy had travelled to his father's home on Pyke to bring Balon into the northern fold only to turn and help lead an Ironborn invasion of the North, taking Winterfell. No one had word of the two youngest Starks and most believed them dead. Now, the Freys had committed treason and murdered the King in the North. There were rumors Roose Bolton had a hand in the slaughter, betraying Robb in exchange for being named the new warden of the North by Tywin Lannister. That made Jacqueline uncomfortable. Lord Bolton had been present when she negotiated with Robb for Jaime's release. Those formalities had turned into an advising role about her brothers. Clear treason by anyone's standards. Roose had also interrupted the private moment between her and Robb. Still, Jacqueline wondered if she could have prevented any of this if she had stayed. Robb would have thrown caution to the wind and married her if she accepted his offer. And maybe her brothers would have settled any issues they had with Robb being a king. . .
Jacqueline wonder if she would be considered among the traitors to Robb Stark. Was that how the North would remember her? Would they remember her at all? She had played mother to a struggling Rickon for a time before leaving the cold landscape. The next time they saw her she was speaking on behalf of the man who killed their liege lord, seeking the Kingslayer's freedom. No, no Northerner left alive who was still loyal to the idea of independence would view Jacqueline Baratheon as a friend or ally.
Would anyone in the realm remember Jacqueline for that matter? She was the sister to three kings, but as a person Jacqueline was wholly inconsequential. Her brothers would be remembered for their rebellions against the crown. Before Robert's death, Jacqueline was known as Stannis the Younger among the common people due to her seemingly austere personality. But Jacqueline did not exist outside her relation to her brothers. Perhaps her legacy would have fared better if she had died during the Battle of the Blackwater. To those in King's Landing she would have paid for her brother's sins and to those on the Blackwater she would be a martyr, no matter how weak she truly was in her principles. It certainly would have made for an interesting story.
These thoughts continued to swarm though her head as she walked the halls of the Red Keep. She had waited two days after the news arrived of what was becoming known as the Red Wedding before seeking out the sole remaining Stark. Eventually, Jacqueline found the young girl in the Great Sept, kneeling before the Mother dressed in her usual colors. Sansa would not be permitted to openly mourn her family. Without a word, Jacqueline knelt down next to the redhead as Sansa's handmaid looked at her with a hard glare. Luckily, the sept was mostly empty and no one paid them any attention.
Softly and unsure, Jacqueline spoke. "I've lost brothers too." But Sansa's situation seemed so much more tragic. Sansa had watched her father die. Jacqueline barely remembered the storm that killed her parents, but she never saw the ship crash and sink below the raging waves. Stannis had, but not her. And Ayra was missing, presumed dead at this point. Theon Greyjoy had taken Winterfell and had most likely killed the two youngest Starks. Jacqueline hated herself for the distaste she originally held towards clingy Rickon. Now Catelyn and Robb were dead as well. Jacqueline had lost two brothers and the third was still waging war against the Crown. But Sansa was a child, at times a rather naive child, who had endured too much loss, too soon and without any emotional support.
She tilted her head to look slightly in Jacqueline's direction but she did not respond. Her skin was unusually pale and her tired eyes bore the evidence of her grief. With a deep breath, Jacqueline went on. "Your brother offered me away out. A way out of the capitol and away from the Lannisters. He offered me a place at his side."
"Why didn't you take it?" The girl asked quietly. There was some resentment in her voice. Sansa's own opportunity to leave the capitol, to marry Lord Willas of Highgarden, was stolen from her by the Lannisters. Jacqueline understood the bitterness.
"At the time, I told him about the promise I made to your father to watch over you and you sister. A promise, I am well aware, I have fallen short of fulfilling. But in truth, I do not know why I denied him. I didn't want to choose sides between my brothers. I didn't want to be the Queen in the North or the queen of anything. And I knew smarter and better women for that role would appear once Robb could no longer have what he believed his heart desired. But mostly, I fear, I rejected Robb because I am in love with another." Sansa stared at her and raised an eyebrow but she did not question further. Any spy for Cersei eavesdropping would certainly have something interesting to report to their patron.
Jacqueline continued in a whisper. "But the war with the North is over and I know this marriage was forced upon you and you did not deserve that but it is the future you must now look to. Tyrion has the capacity to be a kind man and he is your husband now, against your will, I know. But many a young woman has married against her will."
"Not you." Sansa said through clenched teeth.
Jacqueline shook her head. "No, I would be quite a useless wife. But one day Lord Tywin must accept the fact that Ser Jaime will never leave the Kingsguard and produce an heir. Casterly Rock must go to Tyrion unless his father wishes to see his family's power diminish. Now, Lord Tywin might be more open to the idea of giving the Rock to the son he hates if he knows who will inherit it after. Children -" Sansa flashed her a look of disgust but Jacqueline continued on, determined. "- and the promise of more children give houses a stable future. I would not ask you do anything you did not wish to do but children do not have to be a curse. Your children will be Lannisters, yes but they will also be your children. Yours to raise and teach and care for and love. If you and Tyrion have a child, a daughter even, Tywin might feel comfortable enough in his house's future to grant Casterly Rock to Tyrion and the two of you could leave this place. You could have a future. It must be terrible to be married into a family that has done your own so much harm. But we cannot keep looking to the past or else we risk breaking our necks."
Laying a hand atop Sansa's and squeezing gently, Jacqueline moved closer to Sansa. "You must always be careful, Sansa. Guard your heart but you can still have a life. Children one day, when you're ready. Friends."
"Are you not my friend?" Her voice was softer this time.
"I will always be your friend, Sansa Stark. But I am not good company. Not at the moment at least." In truth, Jacqueline's status at court would not improve until Stannis was defeated and between the two options, she would happily settle for being a social pariah.
Jacqueline grew quiet as Sansa continued to stare at her, bright blue eyes lined with tears until the younger girl simply nodded and looked forward to the altar. It was not an indication that she agreed with Jacqueline's reasoning but that she understood her meaning. Sansa was silent for a moment more. "Robb liked you, you know." Jacqueline quirked her head. "I heard the boys talking after you arrived in Winterfell. They were happy to see the rumors were true."
"What rumors?"
"That the king's sister was beautiful, despite her reserved demeanor." A weak but honest smiled appeared across Sansa's face but it was soon gone. "And what of your future, Lady Jacqueline?" Now it was Jacqueline's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Surely your position here is more precarious than my own. As you said, this marriage in a way has offered some sort of protection but what protects you?" Coming from anyone else in King's Landings those words would have amounted to a threat but from Sansa Stark they were sincere and filled like concerned.
For the longest time, the answer to that question was her invisibility, her inconsequential existence. But now, she had been pulled forward into a very public life with everyone looking at her and judging her intentions, even if there were none at all. Tywin Lannister had promised her peace in exchange for her complicit support of Joffrey's legitimacy. But sooner or later, mostly sooner when Joffrey's marriage to Margaery sealed their alliance with the Tyrells, Jacqueline's support would no longer be needed. And she would be back to square one: the sister of traitors. Joffrey hated her, as did his mother. Tywin didn't care and while Margaery had shown her nothing but kindness, Jacqueline did not trust the future queen's ability or willingness to protect her.
Robert and Renly were dead. Now Robb was too and Stannis was off somewhere rebuilding his army. Running away wasn't an option for Jacqueline. She would never make it pass the gates, not without help at least. Her thoughts then turned to Jaime. Where was he? There had been no mention of him: not his release or death. Jacqueline assumed he was alive, perhaps making his way back to King's Landing at that very moment. But in absence, he was of no help to her situation; Jacqueline wasn't sure he would be able help if he were there. No, Jacqueline couldn't seek help from any Lannister. So, who was left?
Jacqueline found what she was looking for in the gardens. Oberyn and Ellaria were walking hand in hand together, enjoying the late summer breeze when Jacqueline interrupted their afternoon. "Prince Oberyn. Lady Ellaria," she greeted them with a bow.
"Ah, Lady Jacqueline," Oberyn said and two Dornish effortlessly folded Jacqueline into their stride with each taking an arm so she could walk between them. "How can we be of service of today?"
Jacqueline decided to get to the point. "When you return to Dorne after the wedding, I was wondering if I could join you?" She looked between the two of them, waiting for some sign that she had overstep her bounds, she had only just met them after all, but she found none.
"Have you finally grown bored of King's Landing after twenty years?" Oberyn asked with a smile.
"As bored as I am weary." The air around them seemed to turn sour. Oberyn and Ellaria shared a look before the prince steered the three of them towards the small thicket of trees that served as the castle's godswood.
"There have been rumors," Oberyn began, keeping his eyes straight ahead. "Rumors regarding what occurred during the Battle of the Blackwater. Most of it is the usual exaggerated nonsense that gets circulated after very battle. But the one rumor concerning you is quite upsetting." Jacqueline kept silent as they continued to walk deeper into the woods, away from anyone else who may be visiting the gardens. With another look to Ellaria, Oberyn said, "Is it true Joffrey tired to have you killed?"
For a moment, Jacqueline wondered who was responsible for the rumors and what exactly their contents were. She found that she did not like being the subject of gossip, no matter how true, and especially when the topic was such a traumatic event. Still, there was nothing Jacqueline could do about it. "You want to know if it's true? It's true that Joffrey had one of Kingsguard kill my sword shield and drag me across the Keep by my hair before tightening a noose around my neck and pushing me off the edge of the wall that overlooked the bay. I have the scars on my neck to prove it." Jacqueline stopped walking and the others followed suit, allowing her to free her arms from the pair. "Lord Tywin has promised that no more harm will come to me, unprovoked, but I do not know how long that sentiment will last."
Jacqueline continued before either of them could ask for more details. "I know our families do not have the best history and I know what I am asking may be inappropriate - " Oberyn raised his hand, silencing her.
"You do not have to explain yourself, Lady Baratheon." Ellaria stated, taking Jacqueline's hand in the same manner she thought a mother would. "More than anyone, Dorne knows the dangers posed by the lions in King's Landing."
The prince nodded, "When we return home, you are free to join us. Dorne would be delighted to have you - especially the men." The three shared a laugh and for once Jacqueline felt comfortable with her future.