My apologies for not updating lately. I've been busy, etc. I hope you enjoy this one!

Smoke was rising from the city. Shops were engulfed in flame, the City Watch and shop owners attempted to control the blaze. The gates reopened and the sailors ran in, hoping to help with the fires. The streets ran red, strewn with the dead, Lannister and Stark men alike.

Ser Jaime Lannister stood in the center of the city with the Crakehall brothers. Ser Lyle's sword was drawn and pressed against Sandor Clegane's neck. The Hound was dripping in blood, though little of it was his own. He knelt on the ground, glaring at Jaime defiantly.

"I will so love killing you, Hound." Ser Lyle Crakehall said, a wide, harsh grin on his face. The Hound remained silent, glowering at the Lord of Lannister rather than the Strongboar.

"You will be killing no one, Lyle." Jaime said, glaring at Ser Lyle. The Strongboar turned his head away from his liege lord, scowling. Jaime questioned the Hound, "Where is the Young Wolf?"

A deep laugh erupted from Clegane's throat. Smiling, he said, "Like I would tell you, Kingslayer."

Jaime stared at him hard for a few seconds before saying to the two Crakehalls, "Take him and any man living to the dungeons. Order the men to do the same."

Ser Lyle smiled as he pulled Sandor Clegane to his feet with the held of Ser Tybolt. The Strongboar sheathed his sword but pulled a dagger from his breast, holding it against the Hound's throat as they walked to Ser Peter Plumm to tell him the order. Josmyn Peckledon walked over to Jaime with his black destrier. Jaime smiled at the young lad, glad he had survived the battle. He took the reigns from his squire and thanked him. With Josmyn by his side, he rode back to Casterly Rock.

The Lion's Mouth opened when the archers spotted the approach of their liege lord. Jaime noticed there were several more archers present in each alcove.

"Welcome back, Lord Jaime." Roose Bolton stood in the center of the Lion's Mouth.

"Bolton, what are you doing here?" Jaime asked, dismounting his horse. Josmyn took his reigns and led the horses to the stables.

"I've delivered you the King in the North, Ser Jaime." Bolton said, calmly.

"Where is Robb Stark?" Jaime mounted the stairs, walking away from Roose Bolton who slowly walked after him.

"In the dungeons. I'm told he was given one of the…nicer cells."

Jaime nodded and said, "Pick any room in the keep. We shall break our fasts together on the morrow."

Bolton almost smiled before halting his steps to allow Jaime to walk alone. That was the one thing that Jaime liked about Roose Bolton, he knew when to leave others alone.

Brienne of Tarth stood outside of his and Sansa's chamber, hand on the hilt of her sword at all times. Jaime smiled and she lowered her hand to her side. He said, "Thank you, Brienne, but Sansa is safe."

"You left her unprotected." Brienne chastised.

"Did I? I knew you would protect her." Jaime said, the smile still on his face. Nothing could change his happy mood now. "I didn't see the need to tell you to protect her when I knew you would do so on your own. Besides, she was never in true danger. Robb wouldn't have hurt her, she's the whole reason he came."
Brienne frowned and asked, "What happened to him?"

"The dungeons are his new home. For now." Jaime said solemnly. Brienne gave him a look. "Don't start. The boy was foolish to come here. He needs time to clear his head. Now, excuse me, I have a worried wife to attend to."

Brienne just sighed and opened the door for him. Jaime entered the room and shut the door behind him. Sansa sat on the seat under the window; she looked up at his entrance and ran toward him. He could tell that she was crying and had been for some time. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed against his chest.

"You said you weren't going to lead them! I saw you gallop off!" She was hysterical and shaking in his arms.

"Sansa, it is my duty as acting Lord of Casterly Rock to defend my lands. I am the Shield of Lannisport. Your brother was…"

"Was? Did you kill him?" The pain in her voice was too much for him. He didn't like it when she was hurting.

"No, my love, I didn't kill him. He wasn't in Lannisport. He snuck into the castle with Roose Bolton; only, he didn't know Bolton is a Lannister man. He betrayed your brother and turned him into the guards."

Sansa just shook her head. "But the Boltons are Northernmen."

"They are." He said slowly. "But my father has made many deals with them and they came around to our side."

"Do you trust Roose Bolton?" She asked, hands on her hips. She looked so childish to him and he was reminded of her age.

Jaime shook his head. "A man who can be bought so easily is no man I value."

"Buying people is all the Lannisters do. At least my brother's army is loyal to him because they believe in him. He's a good king, a proper one!" Sansa spoke with distaste, staring at Jaime coldly.

Jaime stepped away from her and sighed, missing the feel of her in his arms immediately. "Sansa, my men are loyal to me. I'm their acting liege lord…"

She interrupted, "Robb's a king!"

"A pretender to the throne!" Jaime was losing his patience now. Sansa's face screwed up as if she had been injured. He figured, in a way, she had. He shut his eyes briefly and tried to collect himself. He could hear her feet shuffling on the floor and when he opened his eyes, she wasn't in the room. He walked onto the balcony and found her staring at the still-smoking Lannisport. He stood next to her against the low stone railing. He looked at her and sighed when he saw the fresh tears on her face. "Sansa, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said…"

"You're right, you shouldn't have!" She said, turning to him. "Do you know what it's like to not know which side you wish to prevail in a battle? Do you know what it's like to wish ill on both your husband's house and your own family's?" She cupped his face, staring into his eyes. "You don't, but I do. I didn't know if I hoped you or Robb to win on the battlefield. I decided on you since I knew you wouldn't harm my brother."

"Robb will never be given ill treatment at my hand, Sansa."

"Thank you."

Jaime cupped Sansa's face and kissed her with more passion than he thought possible. Sansa's hands gripped his wrists so tight it was as if she never wanted to let go of him again. He could feel her tears on his cheek, wetting his face. It nearly broke his heart. He pulled away from her lips and rested his forehead against hers.

"I will return by even fall."

"Where are you going now? I just got you back!" Sansa said.

"I must visit with my new captive."

"Jaime!" Sansa said, ready to plead for Robb's life. "Don't hurt him."

Jaime gave her a sad smile and promised, "No harm will come to Robb Stark, you have my word."

She kissed him lightly and whispered, "Thank you, Jaime."

The dungeons were cold and Jaime pulled his cloak around him. Many men shouted at him from their cells, where they were overfilled by at least 10 men in each. He went to the cell that he knew the King in the North occupied. He grabbed the torch from the bracket outside of the cell and entered, unlocking the door with the key only he had.

Robb Stark sat against the far wall, his head in his hands. At the creak of the door, he looked up, hopeful. Seeing Jaime's face, he scowled and stared at the grimy wall. "What do you want, Kingslayer?"

"A chat, King in the North."

Robb looked at him with absolute hatred before turning away. Jaime walked into the room and put the torch in the bracket next to the door. He sat against the door, his knees drawn to his chest. He looked at Robb, who was just scowling at him. Jaime said, "This cell is much nicer than any you had me in."

Robb didn't speak. Jaime said, "You know, this won't be much of a chat if you don't reply."

"What do you wish for me to say, Kingslayer?"

"Speak your mind, for a start."

"How's this for a start: I wish to slice you balls to brain." Robb Stark, disgust seeping into each word he spoke.

"Your mother saved my life, sending me away." Jaime said, conversationally. "How would she like it if you were to kill me."

"It was a treasonous act."

"She did it for Sansa and the little one." Jaime said softly, leaning against the wall. "She told me to keep them safe…"

"Arya is safe, with Mother." Robb said harshly. "And is this what you call keeping Sansa safe?"

"She is safe. Have I mistreated her? Has she been hurt in any way? I have protected her since our marriage and I will protect her until my death."

"You have no honor. I wouldn't trust you to protect my cupbearer." Robb said with disdain. "Certainly not now that you've lost your sword hand."

"I can still fight. You would have seen it today had you been in Lannisport." Jaime said. With an almost-smile, he added, "What made you think you could trust Bolton anyway?"

"The Boltons are Northernmen."

Jaime almost laughed. "You Starks are too loyal to your own kind. How is one to make friends when they push them away?" Jaime chastised.

Robb looked irritated. "Better to be loyal than have the fatal flaw of pride."

"We lions are prideful but, you wolves are stubborn." Jaime knew that if they continued this type of conversation, nothing would get accomplished. His demeanor seemed to change in an instant as he said, "Robb, your men depend on their king. You behaving in such a way will not get them released."

"Like you would release my men. I wouldn't do that. I would kill all of them."

"You didn't after the Whispering Wood." Jaime reminded him.

"My mistakes have shaped me, Kingslayer."

"Clearly not." Jaime looked around the cell, frowning. He didn't know how he could make Robb come around to his side. "You are my brother by law. You will not be harmed. You have my word, Robb."

"I would never promise you the same." Robb said, his upper lip curled in disgust. "There's no word for what you have done in your life. But I remember, I could never trust you, you are a kinslayer as well as a kingslayer." Robb's eyes narrowed at Jaime.

"What kin did I slay?" Jaime asked, eyebrows raised.

Robb shook his head slightly. "Your cousin. The messenger. Ser Alton Lannister."

"Ah, yes." He said sadly. "In an unsuccessful escape attempt. Should've just let me go, he needn't have died in vain."

"You shouldn't have attempted an escape."

There was silence for several minutes before Jaime spoke, "You know, King Robb, had you come to the gates alone and asked for a chat, I would have let you in and we could have talked like men." Jaime said sincerely.

"Men talk with steel, Kingslayer." Robb spat back.

Jaime sighed, shaking his head. "I thought it possible for us to move past our differences, for Sansa's sake. But, you're too much of a child for any progress to be made. Enjoy rotting. Your men depend upon you yet you give me nothing to work with."

Jaime rose to leave but he was halted when Robb said, in barely more than a whisper, "Sansa deserves better than you."

Jaime nodded. "She does."

Robb just looked at him strangely. "Do you love her?"

"With all my heart." It was the only thing that Jaime knew for sure.

Robb just nodded. "Would you give her Grey Wind for me? He shouldn't be locked up. Sansa's own direwolf was murdered at the order of your sister. Lady was innocent. Please, have Sansa look after him."

Jaime was tempted to smile, his face betrayed him and it broke through. "I will."

He grabbed the torch from the bracket and exited the cell, locking it behind him. As he walked to the old lion cages, Jaime couldn't help but feel that they had made some progress.

The massive grey direwolf was in the last of the old lion cages; Jaime had walked past men packed in by the dozen into cages fit for one animal. He almost felt sorry for them. As he stood outside of the cell, Jaime was frozen in fear. He remembered the feeling of terror that had paralyzed him when Robb had brought the direwolf into his cell at one of the camps. It was a vicious beast and he didn't want it around Sansa. But he had promised and without his word, he was nothing; just a man with one hand.

A guard helped him slip a noose around the direwolf's throat. He pulled the beast out as it snapped at him; clearly it remembered him and clearly it knew he wasn't a friend. It was a long journey up to the keep but when he stood outside of the door to his and Sansa's chamber with the beast snarling at him, he felt accomplished and happy. Brienne still stood there and she eyed the beast with trepidation but didn't say a word. Jaime opened the door and let the animal run into the room ahead of him. He heard Sansa shriek and he rushed in, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

But, what he found wasn't the beast mauling her, instead, Sansa had her arms wrapped around the direwolf, it's pink tongue lapping happily at her face. Sansa looked at him through the fur and smiled before nuzzling further into Grey Wind's neck. The beast was nearly as tall as she and he wondered how many in the castle would run in fright from it in the days to come.

"Robb wished for you to have him." Jaime said, smiling.

Sansa broke away from the direwolf and stood up from her crouched position. She placed her hand on Grey Wind's head and continued to scratch him but her eyes were on Jaime. "You didn't…"

"No!" Jaime said defensively. "I told you he would not be harmed. He didn't want the beast in chains. And he told me of Lady…"

The look on Sansa's face cut him off. It grew sad faster than he knew anyone could change emotions. He knew Lady had been dead since Darry and the false attack on Joffrey. That was two years ago. Jaime walked over and, despite Grey Wind's growls, he took Sansa in his arms. The wolf immediately quieted and sat down on its haunches. Against her hair, he whispered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up the past."

"It's okay." She said quietly.

He smiled to himself and pulled away from her at the sound of a knock on the door. Grey Wind jumped up into a protective stance and growled. Jaime bid the intruder to come in but the second Maester Creylen entered, he nearly backed out again.

"Pardon, my lord, but should such a beast be loose?" The maester was visibly uncomfortable as he locked eyes with the direwolf. Grey Wind's growl deepened.

Jaime shook his head. "Do you not remember the lions we used to have here?"

"There hasn't been a lion in the Rock since your grandfather, Tytos', time, my lord. And then they were caged." He nearly yelled it and when he did, the fat of his neck jiggled.

"Why are you here, Maester?" Jaime asked as Sansa calmed Grey Wind.

"A raven, my lord." Maester Creylen was holding a letter with its unbroken seal. Jaime walked to him, knowing well that the maester wouldn't approach the direwolf. He thanked him and took the scroll from the old man, who scurried out of the room, watching the direwolf as he went.

Sansa looked at Jaime with curiosity. His eyes on hers, he broke the seal from Grand Maester Pycelle and unrolled the parchment. He looked down at the words on the parchment and nearly broke down.

Lord Jaime,

My deepest sympathies to you in your time of grieving. Your lord father's death at the hands of the Imp has taken all by surprise. The Imp has fled, Varys is in the wind.

Grand Maester Pycelle

Sansa gripped his wrist to stop it from shaking. She wrapped her arm tightly around his waist and said, "Varys released Tyrion? Why?"

"That's what you took from this letter?" Jaime was infuriated. He pulled away from her and waved the letter in her face. "Tyrion murdered my father and all you care about is that Varys released him?!"

Sansa stepped away from him and Grey Wind began to growl again, sensing that she was frightened. "I thought you disliked your father."

"That doesn't mean I didn't respect him."

"But you love Tyrion." Sansa said, confused.

"He murdered my father. If I ever see him, I'll split him in two." Jaime said, his lip curled up in disgust.