Jaime
Something big happened today apparently.
Not that Jaime really noticed. He just went about his day as usual.
He woke early, sparred with whatever man of his father's was willing. Which, considering his new reputation, was actually hard to find now. It seemed not many men wished to go against the 'kingslayer' as the new king Robert had dubbed him one drunken evening during a feast to celebrate Stark's lifting of the siege of Storms End. Still, he found someone willing, or at least more afraid of saying no, and sparred for a few good hours before wandering the keep for a short while and finding food for lunch.
Then, without fail, he found himself wandering in his mindlessness—or perhaps not so mindless— until he stopped before the big old heart tree of the Red Keep's godswood. He stares at it, and wonders on Alys a moment.
It's very likely pathetic.
He shouldn't miss her as he does. For one he should not have even been as fond of her as he was. But he was, and there was little to be done about that.
But he should not miss her as much as he does. Miss her voice, and chess games, and sleeping beside her, and even just sitting nearby her while she prays before this big old tree like she did every day.
So she's gone, that was going to happen eventually anyway.
She was going to return to Winterfell with her brother and he'd be left here in Kings Landing guarding a king, or in Casterly Rock if his father got his way, or who knows at this point what will be done with him not much headway has been made there.
Not that he even really knows what he wants to be done with him.
He's not entirely fond of Robert, and so serving him would likely only be marginally better than serving Aerys.
And if he returns to Casterly Rock he'll get to reunite with Cersei.
Unless of course their father gets his way and she marries Robert. Though it seems the Baratheon king is holding out hope that his one true love (as though he weren't spending plenty of time with serving ladies and whores) would return to him and they'd be married and live happily ever after.
Jaime sincerely doubted that would be the case. Especially considering what he knows of Lyanna's disappearance from Alys.
But who is he to dash a king's hopes for love.
Though a part of him would likely find it marginally amusing. If not for the fact that he'd overheard some other lord talk on how perhaps if Lyanna was not adequate for the kings hand upon her return that Robert would marry the other Stark girl instead. As it wasn't all that different than Eddard Stark marrying his brother's betrothed after Brandon's death.
That thought in general left a sour taste in Jaime's mouth after overhearing it.
He wondered what Alys would think of that, she'd told him herself that she'd offered once before to take Lyanna's place to marry Robert and it was her father that had refused that. Would she offer it again now, or accept it if it was placed before her?
Jaime frowns at the tree, he wonders if Ned Stark would refuse it as her father had.
He's spared thinking any further on that particular train of thought by his father's arrival in the godswood. His mind turns instead to what in the gods name is his father doing in the godswood?
"Jaime." Apparently looking for him, it seems.
"Father," Jaime looks over to Tywin, "come to pray?" He smiles widely.
"Have you?" Tywin questions, with less jest to his voice than Jaime's had had. Plus, Jaime gets the distinct impression that he asks with the answer already in mind, which quite honestly makes Jaime want to squirm. "Or are you here for other reasons? I hear you come here frequently." Jaime supposes it was stupid to think his father would not hear about his going-ons, and for him to think he'd not be questioned on it.
"On occasion," Jaime shrugs, hoping to pass it off as nothing his father need wonder on. "Most prefer the gardens over the godswood, thus there are less people to fake polite conversation with."
"I don't recall you ever frequenting the godswood at the Rock." Tywin points out.
"No," Jaime looks away from his father, preferring entirely to look at the big old tree instead. "I never really did."
"A letter from Doran Martell reached Jon Arryn today," his father states, apparently deciding to be done with small talk and to move on to what it was he'd sought Jaime out for in the first place. "Elia Martell is in Sunspear, not a surprising reveal. It had been assumed that she would go either there or to Dragonstone." Jaime peers to his father, who is studying him closely, "the more surprising part is that Alys Stark apparently is responsible for getting her there."
Jaime's head turned fully to his father then, shock making his brows furrow as he processes what it was that Tywin just said.
"Alys smuggled Elia out of Kings Landing?" he asked.
"Apparently," His father was still studying him and Jaime realized why he was being told this by his father rather than hearing it through the grapevine of courtly gossip.
"You think I helped her." Jaime crosses his arms.
"Did you?" Tywin asks, and Jaime has the clear idea that his father would not approve if he had.
Luckily, he hadn't. "No," Jaime states, "first I've heard of this. I mean I was aware Alys and the princess of Dorne were close, but that she hid her away and smuggled her from the city, that I had not a clue about." He shifts further, recalling what he'd heard about his father's favored knight, The Mountain, apparently having been sent ahead to the keep that night. "I imagine that's quite frustrating though, for everyone. A simple girl of eight and ten hid three of the most valuable people of the keep. For two whole days as well. Despite countless people looking for them. It's quite commendable really."
"Not in the eyes of Robert Baratheon," Tywin states his voice harsh and blunt, "who was quite enraged to learn that they'd slipped away from him."
"And you," Jaime jokes. "It was your men searching for them as well, both the night of the siege and after, was it not?"
Tywin's gaze darkened towards Jaime, but the young lion kept the smirk upon his face. Really, he had to praise Alys for it, she managed to allude them all.
Had her brother known?
Jaime doubts it.
The ever-honorable Ned Stark would never have kept such a secret from his king.
"The meeting was ended early after the news was shared," Tywin notes, he'd been attending meetings and such with the new king and Jon Arryn since the siege. Perhaps hoping to retake his position as Hand. "Jon Arryn dismissing it to talk Robert down from his anger towards the Stark girl, the king even spoke of it being treason. It is unknown whether Ned Stark knew of it, but it seemed the assumption was that he did not."
Any amusement Jaime found at the situation fell away with the words of treason. Would Alys be punished for this act? Possibly, but even with his honor Jaime doubted Ned Stark would stand for his sister to be killed for it.
At least he doesn't have to worry over her taking Lyanna's spot as Roberts betrothed anymore, Jaime muses to himself.
"She likely did it more out of compassion rather than any support of the Targaryen dynasty," Jaime offers. "She was always of the gentler sort."
"You knew her well?" Tywin asked, and once again Jaime had the feeling that his father already knew the answer.
Jaime felt like cursing court gossip then, as it's likely that's where most of his father's understanding of his and Alys's closeness came from. It wasn't exactly any secret that Jaime spent time with her outside of his guard duty, especially after she no longer was under guard and it likely became more apparent that the two of them had found a friendship.
He doesn't like his father knowing that, for he knows his father will find some way to spin it in the name of Lannister advantage. But he also cannot lie about it, for he also knows that his father will be able to decipher the truth from whatever he says now. But he could play it off, perhaps, so it's less important than it is.
"Well enough," Jaime shrugs. "I was her guard in the early days of her being here, and well talking to her was far less boring than staring at a wall while stood outside her door. Besides, there could be less favorable company in Kings Landing than a pretty highborn girl."
His father's pale green eyes studied him intensely, judging his words it seemed and coming to his conclusions from them. Likely forming plans and ideas as well, though Jaime doubted he'd be told until they were relevant, if they ever were.
"Well," his father starts after moments of silent study, "Doran Martell has sued for peace, it seems he doesn't wish for war, only his sister and her childrens lives." Jaime listens, "and Jon Arryn seemed to be advising Robert not only to lessen his anger at the Stark girl but to consider the Martell's offers."
"That all sounds good," Jaime smiles once more, though he still felt incredibly tense from his fathers analyzing. "Seems like a happy ending is on its way."
At least he hopes one is, for Alys's sake.
Alys
The departure from the Water Gardens was much more pleasant than the departure from Kings Landing. They left by water, same as Kings Landing, but it was on a proper ship and not a smugglers row boat. Sailing down along the Dornish coast Alys spent a good portion of the journey either enjoying the salt-air or playing cyvasse with Oberyn.
Howland seemed content with it as well. Enjoying a good portion of their sea journey with his eyes shut enjoying the sea air as well while he sat upon the deck as they moved through the summer sea.
Alys was glad to be moving towards Lyanna. Glad of Oberyn and Elia's vow to help her find her sister, and Doran's— albeit begrudging— agreeing to postpone his plans for their return to Kings Landing to find peace with Robert and Jon Arryn until Alys and Oberyn had found Lyanna and returned to Sunspear. Even Alys's letter for her brother was waiting or her return to send. Though she didn't know where they'd send it, last she'd heard from around the Water Gardens her brother was in the Stormlands having lifted the seige on Storms End.
She wondered how he'll take the news. What his thoughts on her hiding and smuggling Elia and her children away from Kings Landing will be. She can't imagine he'll be pleased she kept it from him. But she hopes that he'll listen to her reasoning, he'd heard Roberts rage as much— or more— than her. He'd seemed low on hope himself for being able to convince Robert to spare them then, but now, with Dorne behind them and the threat of more war looming, perhaps Robert can be convinced.
Especially with it only being Rhaenys and Elia who'll be presented to him.
She hopes Robert will see little threat in a woman and her daughter.
They sail up the Brimstone to Hellholt, the seat of House Uller, where they spend only a day resting before setting out on horseback towards the Princes Pass. Alys finds it an interesting keep, exploring it leisurely alongside Oberyn and escorted by the lord's bastard daughter Ellaria. With whom Oberyn seems to get along well with in flirtatious enough of a way that Alys leaves them to their banter to take in the the keeps library most of the remaining evening before their morning departure.
Even with her enjoyment of the keep, she was glad to be on their way the next morning.
It was only the three of them from there, Oberyn leading the way with Howland and Alys following behind. He talked as the moved at times, telling Alys more about the area, and even some of the history of these particular parts of Dorne.
She was glad for the distraction in truth, worry over her sister only seemed to grow as they neared Prince's Pass.
She would have thought it would lessen, with the knowledge that she'd see her sister soon. She should be happy, and relieved, as she was when they first set off from the Water Gardens or when Oberyn had told her he'd help her find Lyanna.
But instead she worried. What would she find at the Tower of Joy?
Would it be good, or bad, or somewhere between?
Her sister would be there, with answers as to what truly happened. Why she ran away with Rhaegar? Why she stayed away for all this time?
All the truths that Alys had wondered on since she woke to her sister missing over a year and a half ago.
There would be three kingsguard there still as well. The Lord Commander Gerold Hightower, Ser Oswell Whent, and Ser Arthur Dayne.
It had sat in the back of her mind ever since she learned Rhaegar left them with her sister. Lingering there waiting for understanding, for reasoning.
Why would he leave three kingsguard with her sister?
Why did they not return with him? If not to fight alongside him, then to protect the King that they were sworn to, or the queen, or any of the children of the royal line?
Alys felt she knew the answer.
She simply didn't want to think on what it meant.
She'd rather believe that when she arrives at the Tower of Joy, her sister will be there like no time had passed.
That things would be simple, and they could go home happily together.
That it would all end with no trouble or difficulties.
But as they passed through the Prince's Pass, and Oberyn pointed out the tower in question off in the distance hidden among rocky mountains, Alys knew deep within her that it would not be so happy an ending.
Thank you for reading!
We're heading into the Tower of Joy stuff and I'm nervously excited to explore all that.
Thank you as always for all the favorites and the amazing reviews!