A/N:

I had intended this to go a completely different way, didn't like it, and then rewrote it. Fun.

Thanks for the wonderful responses to the last chapter! I know it was sort a lot and some people may expect certain things and others expect other things, but this is what I'm going with. Thanks everyone for reading and special thanks to all my reviewers:

(my reaction to when I first read the Red Wedding, haha), Belladonna007 (Robb's fate will be revealed soon!), imaygoPOP (Never say never...), Alimba (thanks!), Nemu-Chan (I'm so glad you noticed the blond man! And all will be revealed shortly, I promise! For the most part anyway), Guest (I hope WTF is good? ha), Guest (I'm glad it was nicely written! :D), Salome N (Thanks so much! I try to write as fast as possible!), meri (He's filled with surprises!), duchess123 (Thanks!), StarkStruck11 (Beautiful? Thanks! I'm glad you thought that. It was a lot of fun to write in a completely depressing way.), KingofTruands (Aren't cliffhangers fun? :D), Guest (Ha, trying to lighten the impending terribleness with that line! And yes, I've been a little nicer to the characters than George, but final fates are yet to be determined. Aw, and it's nice to see someone caring about Beric. He's a good guy.).

Disclaimer: I do not own GoT or ASOIAF.

He dropped her against the stone wall carefully, sliding her body down as if she were fragile glass. Jaime held her shoulders, kneeling down, but didn't look at her face. His hands went to her left shoulder and then her forearm. "Fuck, Cassana."

She felt tired and so weak. She was imagining him for sure, but even so, it was nice to see him. There were nights in Winterfell when she had wanted to dream of him but couldn't. There were too many days that she wanted him with her but he wasn't. And even if he were just an image, she would take it. Her eyes fell to where 'Jaime' was looking. "…That bad?"

"Yes," He sneered. Men were still running through the hallway, and she thought she knew them. They sprinted passed them and poured into the hall where the moans and clashes of metal on metal still sounded. "Twice. You still held him down after you've been hit twice?"
"Jaime…you are Jaime, aren't you?" She smiled. His hair was a little longer, the roots that gold blond again. His beard was half shaven, and he almost looked like the old Jaime again…only not. He looked better somehow. "Jaime, you're not here."

"I can't be not here and myself, now can I? Cass, stop talking. Fuck, where's a damn maester?" He cursed again before tugging at the bolt entrenched in her shoulder, slowly dragging it so that it wouldn't damage the surrounding flesh. Cassana screamed, her knees bending and feet pushing at the ground as he dropped the bolt on the floor and moved to the next one. "They're shallow," he breathed, sounding anxious. Jaime grabbed a clean rag from somewhere—she didn't notice him having one—and wrapped it around her wound. He had another bandage for the one on her forearm. "You need a tourniquet."

He began to stand, but Cass tugged him down with her right arm. "No, don't leave again." There were still too many men, too much blood. She couldn't be alone. "Please, don't leave me. Not here."

"I have to go check on the men." Jaime knelt down again and brushed her hair behind her ears. His head suddenly turned when he spotted someone. "Beric!" He stood up. "Beric! Get over here! Why the fuck would you ever let her come?! Take her back! Get her out of here."

Cass was being dragged back up again, this time by a different man. She was pushed over his shoulder, her bad side rubbing harshly against his chest as he lifted her, but she focused ahead—confused. "Why are you here?" She asked the already retreating Jaime before her vision became subdued and eventually black.

Cassana woke wanting to scream. Her arm and upper back were painful, throbbing, and she had a headache. She thought she was in a bad dream until she saw the grim face looking down on her. He had a scar on his cheek and was too pale. Cass wiped her face with her right arm. It was coated in sweat. "Dondarrion?"

"My lady." Lord Beric sat down to her level. She was apparently in a bed—too soft and big to be anything for a camp. "I am glad to see you come to."

Did I dream all that? Was that real? She began to recognize it now—she was in Riverrun. Dondarrion was sitting by her side but there were no other Baratheon guards. The Lightning Lord glanced at her anxiously, waiting for her to speak. She rubbed her eyes with her right hand. Her left arm felt too weak. "…What happened? Dare I even ask?"

"I've been told I'm not in the position to tell you the whole story, and that I must go now that you're awake…"

"Beric." Cass called before the lord could leave. He seemed nervous, on edge, and Cass could only think that he was remembering what happened. She could smell all the blood around her still, see all the bodies and the drums beating and beating. Her throat felt scratchy. "Where's Robb?"

"I'm not in any position to say…"

"Well get into one then. Where is Robb Stark? And his mother?" And Jaime. Or did I dream him up? She wouldn't have been surprised if she had.

Beric bit his lip. "That is not what I meant, Lady Cassana. I meant that it is too early to tell. We've just gotten you to Riverrun, and I have heard no more news from the Twins."

She actually felt relieved and let Beric leave her. No ravens meant no dark words. Being alive was not news to rush.

After Beric left, she ran her fingers across her left arm. Her left arm was bandaged up and stabilized across her could still feel Walder Frey shivering beneath her grasp, his body on the ground, blood pooling. And she remembered Jaime taking out the darts. "I heard your voice. I saw your face."

She had been faint, but he was there. Jaime Lannister had been at the Twins, and she wanted to know why.

Cass must have fallen asleep again for when she opened her eyes, it seemed that hours and hours had passed. Her milk of the poppy was fading, and soon she was seeing him, though not his face. Jaime was alone in her room—back towards her, arms crossed as he stared out the window and at the grounds of Riverrun. It was beyond strange to see him here and without chains, in Tully land without tens of armed guards surrounding him

She had to call to him first. "Jaime?"

He turned immediately, and she had a clear view of the blood and sweat on his tunic. His sword was still on his belt, though his gloves were tossed to the side of the room. He had not let a squire unarm him, it seemed, or maybe he was too nervous to.

"Cass." He walked over, breath heavy, his tongue licking his upper lip. Cass thought for a second he was approaching to kiss her, and it looked like he wanted to, but he didn't. Jaime tugged at a piece of her brown hair that was sticking to her forehead. He brushed it back and sat on the side of her bed. "You should sleep more."

She then started to cry, harshly and loudly. Her face became hot and red, and Jaime looked scared to be sitting so close to her, but Cass didn't care. She grabbed his bloodied collar with her good hand and placed her head on his shoulder. The top of his tunic was still dirty, but the armor over it was so white. There were blood spots splattered, but the scales themselves rippled and shone with pure white light, even in the dark. It took her a second to realize it was his Kingsguard armor. He didn't wear it too often at all, usually opting for the gold Lannister lions.

"What are you doing?"

She said nothing and cried more, her eyes soon becoming dry as she just sat her head on his shoulder, her chest labored and weak. It was hard to say anything. Her throat felt constricted, but Jaime was rubbing his hand against her back, talking for her. "I went back to the Red Keep."

Cass knew he did. He went back to Cersei like she thought he would. He was there and came back to stop this war for his family, not for Cassana. She swallowed. "Is that why?"

"Why what?"

"You wouldn't let me kill him?"

It took Jaime a second to understand what she meant, and when he did, he sniffed and shook his head. "I don't want you to have blood on your hands."

"Especially the blood of your allies."

Jaime let go of her when she said that, green eyes wide. "Do you think I give a fuck what happens to Walder Frey? Let me talk first before you berate me, Cassana."

She bit her tongue. Jaime had saved her life, and she was angry with him. But his appearance here irked her. As much as she wanted him to be here for the right reasons, she saw all the men coming into the hall—her men and the men in red cloaks. But what is the right reason? She looked down. "At the river, the Freys said they were working with your father."

Jaime didn't hesitate. "And I killed them."

"But now you are here. You were at the Twins and now you are in Riverrun." The pieces were clicking in her head. "Your father wanted you here. Did he want me dead too?"

Jaime grabbed her good hand. "You aren't, Cass."

That didn't answer her question, and Cass' voice became sharp. "Did your father send you here, Jaime? Did he want you to deliver mine and Robb Stark's corpse back to him?"

"Your heads if you want particulars." Jaime snapped back. He seemed to be waiting for Cass to calm down, but she didn't. Jaime exhaled, "When I got back to King's Landing, my father told me he had use of me in the Riverlands. He told me he had been talking to Walder Frey. That man felt slighted by you, stupid fool. He wanted vengeance for the insult Robb Stark gave to his house." Jaime rolled his right wrist, causing the joints to crack. "My father was happy to oblige him. And so was this Roose Bolton."

Cass glowered. "I saw him slip away. That bastard. Did he kill…"

"No," Jaime said, a little too glumly. "Robb Stark is alive."

The Seven… Her dream came back to her. The Stranger had been too clear. Three kings were supposed to die and so far none of them had. Cass breathed. Thank the gods…whichever ones had saved him. But maybe it was not the gods. Maybe it was this man…he had done too much for her. "Jaime, what are you doing here?"

"I met your men inside and proved I meant no harm. I believe you earned the trust of the Northern army the same way. I brought back a Stark."

"Sansa?"

"No, the other one. Complete brat."

Arya? "How did you ever find her?"

Jaime shrugged. "She and some wench found me. Lady Catelyn apparently made an alliance with a knight in your late brother's service. Loyal to a fault. If she were still here, she'd probably kiss you. You look like Renly too damn much."

Cass furrowed her brow. "She?"

"Her name's Brienne. So she keeps saying. A real cow of a woman, but strong as hell. She was supposed to find the Stark girl and me if she could. She wanted to drag me back to my cell. Instead I had her save that king of yours."

She remembered the blond soldier approaching Robb. She did not look much like a woman, but Cass had also not been paying too much attention, her mind distracted by the screams of the dying and the smell of piss and blood. "And yet you convinced her you meant no harm?" Cass couldn't really wrap her head around that. "How?"

Jaime seemed apathetic about it, but his words held such a weight. "I talked about you." He laughed at himself, looking at his armor, as if just realizing he had never taken it off until now. "When I got back to King's Lanidng, I was in the White Tower for some time. I… am the Lord Commander. That's all I am."

"You're a Lannister too," Cass said, unsure why her heart was racing at her own words. But they were true. If a lion had anything, he had pride. "I don't want you to forget who you are, Jaime."

"My father wanted me to forfeit my vows. I—you told me to talk to him, and I did, Cass. I told him everything."

Gods, Jaime. She suddenly felt guilty. She could see the shame in his eyes, the memory of his words tearing its way through his skull as he thought. Cass gripped his hand tighter. "You don't have to tell me."

"No, I do. You told me to do this, and gods know why, but I fucking did. You get to hear it too." Jaime didn't retract his hand, but he shifted in his seat next to her. "I told him about Joffrey and Myrcella and Tommen. I told him that they are not my children, but it was my seed that got them here. I said Joffrey is a monster." He shook his head. "Can you believe it? He is of my blood. He is my king, and still I told his Hand and my father that he was a fucking animal that needed to be put in the black cells."

"Jaime…"

"And do you know what he said to me, Cass?" Jaime shook his head. "He said that he knew. He said that he knew I was fucking Cersei this entire time, and then he said to me…he…" Jaime dropped her hand and stood up, still staring at her. "He said that I was an ignorant fool. That I shouldn't have let a cunt ruin my life and his like that." Jaime snuffed. "Gods, and I know he's right. He said that if I had any pride at all, I would relinquish the Kingsguard and take Casterly Rock. I would marry some girl after I delivered him Riverrun."

She was afraid to ask but she did anyway. "What did you say?"

"I said a man of the Kingsguard serves for life. I said…" Jaime drifted. "I never told you this, did I?"

"Told me what?"

"You know that I was fifteen when I became a knight of the Kingsguard. I was the youngest ever to be anointed, and I remember one day, I heard Queen Rhaelle in her chambers. She was with the king."

Cass wasn't sure she wanted to hear this. "And?"

"Do you remember when I volunteered to train you? Do you remember asking me why I agreed to do it at all?" Jaime locked his eyes onto her. "Aerys was raping her. He did every night after he burned someone alive. I could hear her cry through the doors, Cassana. I could hear every word and scream, and so did the other guards. But we did nothing because he was the king."

She felt woozy again, and Cass tried to steady herself against the headboard of her bed. "Because of your vows."

"Yes, because of my vows I had to hear that girl get raped over and over. Because of my vows I had to watch bodies be burned alive, watch the skin melt from their skulls as they cried like mutilated sheep. And when I first saw Joffrey on the Iron Throne, all I could see was Aerys there. I could see my sword in his back, and that's what I told my father."

Jaime paused for a second and licked his lips again. He looked tired, exhausted. Bags hung from his eyes and his skin looked tight around his cheekbones. He slid a hand through his hair, and Cass had to ask, "And what did you say to Cersei?"

He stiffened at that and looked away from her. "I told her I was going to the Twins, Cass." He hesitated. "I said I was going to make sure Frey finished the job, if that's what you mean."

"That's exactly what I mean" Her patience was thinning at those words, but she asked, "Are you okay?"

He wasn't. Cass didn't need him to answer for her to know that. She recognized the battle happening in his thoughts, the division. Cassana knew it too well. "To be honest, Cass, I felt that I was betraying her because I loved you." Jaime laughed cruelly at himself. "But I am a fool, aren't I? I told Tyrion of my guilt, and then he tells me that Cersei has been fucking Lancel and some Kettleblack."

The admittance made Cass practically laugh. Lancel Lannister was a poor substitute for Jaime at his best. But she knew better than that and bit her tongue. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're not and don't pretend you are." Jaime threw back at her, half smiling. "She has blinded me for too long. Gods, you have too. You have dragged me away from the Rock and my family. You…"

She frowned. "I did not ask you to come here."

"No, but the ravens came and said that Robb Stark was marrying a Frey girl and that you were with him because of some stupid alliance with Stannis." Jaime glared at her. "What did you expect me to do?"

"Let me die."

"Don't be an idiot. You know I couldn't." He sat down on the bed again, closer this time. "I saw you bleeding, Cassana, and I killed every man that did that to you."

She didn't know whether she should have thanked him or not. But as she looked at him, she did realize one thing that she should tell him. "Jaime?"

He was staring at her bandages. "What?"

"I didn't marry Robb because of you."

She thought he'd try to kiss her after that, but he didn't. Jaime stared at her, serious and tired. "You could have made your life a lot simpler if you just did."

"I know."

"And mine too. If you had just married Robb Stark, I could have tried to forget about you."

She bristled. "Would that have worked?"

"Probably not." Jaime shrugged, voice suddenly sounding empty. "You were right before though. I can't promise you anything."

Cass became defensive. "I didn't say that because I want you to marry me, Jaime. I just thought you should know. You deserve to."

He didn't smile. "Right." Jaime moved to the other side of the bed and lay down next to her, armor still on. "You don't know what is going on here, Cassana. Stay in your bed. The Starks…"

"What did you say to the Starks?"

He eyed her coolly, weighing his words in his head. "Nothing. Your Starks are bleeding in their beds."

Catelyn too? "And the Tullys?"

"Hoster Tully is dead, Cass. Edmure Tully is the technical lord of Riverrun now and that uncle of his. The Blackfish." His hands went to his belt and he took off his sword, throwing it to the ground. Jaime then sat up and un-belted his armor, slowly. "I spoke to that man…Umber, is it? And the Karstark. They don't seem to like me much."

"Can you blame them?"

"No." Jaime kept removing his armor. "Aren't you wondering why I'm not in a cage?"

The answer seemed obvious to her. "You saved their king's life, Jaime…and theirs."

He sniffed again. "I'm an idiot for doing that."

"Maybe." Cass tried to make him smile. It didn't work. She took her good hand and rubbed it on his one unarmored shoulder. "You're a good man. Has anyone ever told you that?" His head went down, but Cass continued. "Jaime Lannister, you are one of the best men I have ever met."

He turned at that and kissed her, easily, completely unhesitant. Jaime ran his fingers down her cheek as he pressed his lips to hers softly and deftly. Cass edged back a bit, startled. She tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth and looked to him, seeing how anxious he was. But there was more there than just anxiety. She could see it in his eyes, see how easily he loved her. He loved her fully, it seemed. He crossed his family to save me. Jaime had given so much up to keep her safe, and Cass didn't know what to say to him. She didn't know how to convince him that it was worth it at all for she wasn't sure it was.

Instead of words, she kissed him back, pushing harder than he had and earning a much better reaction than she had given him. She tried to hold him with her right hand only, but as Jaime came closer and closer to her, his chest pressed too hard on her arm. Cass squirmed. "I'm sorry."

Jaime edged his body back but still kept his head close to hers. She could still feel his breath. "I should have known better."

"We can try again when I'm healed."

He stared at her, reading through her words, and paled. "Cassana..."

"I'm not some little girl, Jaime." She saw the hesitant look on his face. It was so different than how he normally looked at her and she hated it. "I thought you…"

"I already have three bastards." He rolled away from her and flat on his back again. "I don't need anymore."

She flushed immediately, "That's considerate."

"It's selfless as the seven hells if you ask me." Jaime sat up and away from her. "And you wouldn't want to if you knew everything."

The sudden shift in topic had her on edge again. "What do you mean?"

Jaime looked at his armor. "Don't mistake this. I don't give an ounce of horse shit for the Freys, but I am not fighting for him."

"Robb or Stannis?"

"Either and both." His green eyes turned to her again. "I told you not to forget who you are, and I haven't either. I won't try to."

"I would never ask that." Her eyes fell, her chest feeling hollow and sick at what Jaime had done for her. "…I never wanted you to…"

"Well I did." Jaime said angrily. "I came here, and gods, why did I come here, Cassana? I have the easiest task. It's simple. I live and die for my king. I listen and do what he wishes." Jaime sniffed. "But I've fucked that up, now have I? I've killed one king and saved the other's rebels."

"Stannis is the true king," Cass said on reflex more than anything. "Jaime…"

"Stannis is deluded if he thinks he can rule. The people will not follow him, Cassana."

"Then why did you come, Jaime?" She bit back. "You came because you loved me? I cannot believe something like that would draw you from your king's wishes."

His face tightened, and the knight didn't seem to know what to say. "You did the same when you released me."

She scoffed at his words. "I did not release you. You said you would take me to my brother. I wanted to go to Stannis."

Jaime's green eyes gleamed under the shade of light. "And if it were him and me, Cass…if it were him and me in that cage, who would you have taken out of it?"

You, she thought but did not answer. Jaime had no need of it. Her hesitation was enough to have him smiling. He grabbed her chin and smiled back. "That is why I came."

She was not allowed out of her room, and the assumption that it was because of her injury began to fade and fade with each passing day. Dondarrion evaded every question she had—where were her other guards? Why hadn't Lord Edmure come to see her? Could she write to her brother? Everything was answered with a "I'll see what I can do, my lady." And then the topic was never brought up again.

Jaime would come and visit her, usually at night. His beard was thin on his face, but he was looking fuller, more well rested than he had in weeks. Cass would sit up in her bed every time she saw him and tried to ask him the same questions, though Jaime was a little more direct. "You'd hate me if you knew."

"I'm starting to already," she finally answered back. There were boots pacing and pacing outside her door constantly. Her skin felt cold and rigid. "Let me write to Stannis."

The Kingslayer didn't answer. He was moving around her room, grabbing items and putting them in a trunk. "Your arm should be fully healed by now. Beric is an idiot, but I swear to the Stranger that the man has nine lives. He'll keep you sufficiently safe."

She sat up straighter. "Jaime, what are you doing?"

He stopped suddenly, his sword swinging on his hip as he turned to face her. "Making sure you don't die."

"Why would I?" Cass kept hearing the boots, the thumping on the wooden doors and the laughter of the men outside. Stark and Tully men would not be laughing. They would be weeping for their men. Her grip on the blankets tightened before she flung them off herself. She was sweaty, smelly, not having bathed in days as she sat in her sick bed. "Where's Robb?"

"He's alive."

"But for how long?" She walked barefoot across the floor, reaching for the doorknob, but Jaime was grabbing her wrist.

"Don't." He said in a low, harsh whisper. His tone had her inching back. "Don't go outside."

"You're scaring me. Jaime…"

"You should be scared." Jaime grabbed her other hand. "There are hundreds of men outside that would like nothing better than to cut off your pretty head and deliver it to my father."

"But, they're…"

Her voice died as she looked at him. Jaime had talked to her before about what his father wanted him to do, but he never denied that he hadn't done it. He saved her and Robb Stark's life, but he made no promise that he never…

Cass slipped her wrists out of his grasp. "You said you'd help me."

"Is saving your life not helping?"

She pushed him. The force hurt her left hand. "You said you would help me stop this war! You said you would talk to him and get your family to stop. How could you!?" She kept pushing him. The metal was harsh on her skin, but still she continued, angry, spiteful. "How could you betray me? How could you bring your men here? Where is Edmure Tully? And Catelyn? Where is Robb, Jaime? Or are you just waiting for your little bastard to put his head on a spike?!"

"My sister fucked up Ned Stark's delivery North by not garnering a peace treaty. Do you think I intend to do the same thing?" Jaime spat. "I will help you end this war, Cassana, but not with anyone's head. I will sell Robb and Catelyn Stark back to the North for Ned's allegiance."

"And Arya?"

"The wench— that Brienne- is already bringing her to Winterfell." Jaime responded. "I couldn't have her around my men."

His men.

She should have realized it. He would never be able to come here alone. She stated it as a fact, "The Lannisters have Riverrun now."

"It would have been a long and boring siege." He admitted easily, "If the entire keep weren't emptied for a wedding."

The orders were so clear to her now. Jaime had gone to the Twins while his men took over the Tully seat. Under Catelyn and Cass' rightful paranoia, the Tully bannermen had left their leigelord's land to accompany the Stark host. "Tywin Lannister wants Robb's head. He wants mine too."

"No heads." Jaime said again. "How many times do I have to say it? Tyrion is making sure of that."

So he is the one that came up with this plan? That didn't assuage her. "And your father and Tyrion hold so much love for…"

"I am also." Jaime interrupted, getting more and more annoyed. "What would you have me do? Just run and save you and the Starks? I am not so noble. I am not some shining white knight, Cass."

"I know that."

He laughed at her, mockingly. "No, you don't. Be lucky I am not dropping the wolf pup's skull at your feet. You're constantly forgetting who I am."

A Lannister and a Kingslayer. She had not been saved by a song. "You're bringing Robb to his grave, Jaime."

"I'm bringing him to a black cell."

"And you think Eddard Stark will betray my brother? They have an alliance." Though Cass wasn't sure what Ned Stark would do. He admitted to treason to keep Sansa safe. Who was Cass to know what he would do for his heir and wife? "What about my brother?"

"Dondarrion is taking you to him. I have your men in cells, Cassana, but I'll release them under your command. You can go North."

She huffed. "I do not want to go North."

"And I do not want you to die." Jaime smirked. "You can see how my wishes have a bit more significance."

Cass fidgeted. "What will you tell your father?"

"It doesn't matter what I'll tell my father."

"And you wish for me to talk to Stannis?"

He paced around the room and started packing again. "Stannis is a soldier. He knows when he is losing a war."

But Melisandre doesn't. She believes this Red God will deliver him victory and a golden crown. Her voice was low, emotionless. "You put a large burden on my shoulders."

"And you have not done the same to me?"

She grabbed a cloak from the room and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Are you finished now? I would like to speak with my men. That is if they still have their tongues."

Jaime shut the trunk and offered her his hand. "I know you hate me right now, Cassana, but understand that I did this for you."

"Stop." Cass placed her hand in his, but her eyes were cold. "I of all people now that you cannot have things both ways. You have satisfied your family's wishes and…mine to an extent. But do not expect me to be happy about it."

"I expected you to have me in a choke-hold."

She almost smiled. "Get my men out of their cells and let me speak with them. I would have them ride soon."

"Whatever you want, Cassana."

Cass watched as the door to her room opened. All she saw was red cloaks. "I hope you mean that."

Seeing them outside on the Riverrun grounds made her swallow hard, made her heart sink and her stomach lurch. Jaime had led her past the Lannister guards—who much like the Stark ones before them, made whispers and calls behind her back. They did not last long under the Kingslayer's glare, but Cass heard them all the same.

Her men, however, looked at her solemnly. Jaime Lannister had brought them into the Twins to fight off the Freys, only to bring them back to Riverrun to be held captive. Their beards were thick, their clothes ripped and torn. Beric Dondarrion, held his purple bolt shield low as he stood in the center, waiting for Cassana's words. Jaime, however, spoke first. "A Lannister always pays his debts. I am releasing all of you in the trust that you will bring Lady Cassana safely to her brother Stannis Baratheon in the North."

Her men made no noise. They stared on at Cassana rubbing her arms, the trunk by her feet. There were at least a hundred Lannister soldiers behind them, but her men were so few. How many of them had died at that wedding? Cass did not want to ask. "They will need horses, Jaime."

"I'll give them horses then." Jaime nodded to one of his men who ran off. "Riverrun has enough."

"Lord Beric." Cass called to the man who then stepped up, lowering himself onto one knee. "You have served me well. I know how loyal you are to my late brother Robert."

"It is that loyalty that has me serve you, my lady." Dondarrion looked to Jaime. "Please excuse me for before, but the Kingslayer threatened …"

"Ser Jaime Lannister wishes the best for the kingdom and myself," Cass announced, holding a hand up as she interrupted. She looked to Jaime who had his head lowered. Her words were truthful, though it took a while for her to understand them. She wasn't sure she completely did, but her men needed to. "And I do too. Lord Beric, do you swear your fealty to me?"

"I do, my lady."

"And do you hold my command above all here?"

Dondarrion blinked, clearly confused. "Yes, Lady Cassana. Of course."

"Good." She turned to Jaime and whispered. "Do not try and stop me. If I had not been there, Ned Stark would have no head. Forgive me if my trust in you has lessened as of late, Jaime."

His green eyes dulled. "Cass, what are you…"

"Lord Beric." She shouted. "You will take my men and lead them back to my brother. You will only rest when you are tired, only fight if provoked. Your mission is to go North and back to my brother's camp."

Dondarrion almost dropped his sword. "But Lady Cassana…"

Jaime turned her to face him, panic in his eyes and face. "Cassana, what do you think you are doing?!"

The words terrified her, but she could not keep running away. She had ran from it for months, been afraid to even think about going back there, but she knew she had to. If I am to make sure this war stops, I need to be sure Robb survives. And she trusted no one with that but herself. Her brown eyes looked to Jaime, serious, unshaking. "I am going to the Red Keep."

A/N:

I'm a softy. Sorry for those expecting lots of death, but the Red Wedding is sort of what made me want to write fanfic in the first place, so I just couldn't (as tempting as it is...)

Please review and thanks for reading!