Addam II

He had always prided himself on knowing what to say. Being a paige at Casterly Rock had taught him that it was always the man that could not be shaken that commanded respect, and the man that had an answer to everything that would be held in close regard, and so he decided he would be both. He had looked so many things in the eye, faced them with a steadfastness that he did not even imagine he was capable of, it seemed as though throughout all his years of trying, he had succeeded in becoming the man that he had wanted to be. Yet despite all of that, at this moment, Addam Marbrand could not think of a thing to say as he passed through the gates of Ashemark, his home.

The heady charred steel gate that he remembered all too well being painted over in gold creaked in a welcome to him and his host of some thirty men, he wondered for a moment whether they'd even be able to accommodate that many men in the first place. Giving a quick nod to Ser Jaime, he made his way forward into the vast courtyard at their entrance, almost knocking over a few moving servants, it certainly is quite crowded, he thought, no doubt the restoration requires additional work. And although there were more people than he had remembered there being before, even though the dust had not quite settled, even though some parts of what he could see of the castle had fallen bricks and burnt ends, an overwhelming sense of familiarity overcame him and he shook inwardly as he remembered the last time he had been here.

"I shall return, and until then I do expect you to write to me, of everything, the dull and the exciting, if so perhaps a roll of Myrish lace shall mysteriously find its way back with me."
He regarded them closely, narrowing his eyes at their smiles, they feel like the only real ones he had ever known.
"She wants to know all about your time as well. And I fear even I can not put her mind at rest."
He smiled softly, craning his head down to kiss each forehead he owed one to,
"I shall write, fear not.

He could still remember the giggles he heard as he galloped away, knowing very well he would not write as he had promised.

With a yell of command to his men to dismount, he proceeded to do so as a stable boy he could not remember came to take his mare. Just as his feet had settled on the hard ground he was greeted by an approaching figure,

"My son," large arms drew him into a short embrace filled with no less relief and affection than he had expected, pulling him back then to regard him fully,

"it is good to have you back where you belong" his father said softly, causing Addam an involuntary frown. He did not need to be reminded that this is where he should be.

"Father" he nodded, a tight smile gracing his lips. He looked at his father intently, noticing how his hair had become more and more like the colour of chalk, hard lines indented his face and the crease in his brow that seemed to never leave him seems to have relaxed considerably.
Damon Marbrand was a tall man, muscular and large even in his old age, but for a reason that always escaped him, Addam had always sensed a softness in his father he felt only he and his family were privy to.

"I do say, it pleases me a great deal to not see you awfully maimed" he jested and before Addam could even laugh at his father's quip he heard another voice pipe in,

"Not that it would do your charms too much harm, brother" the lightly instigated insult came as Addam focused on the figure standing a few feet behind where his father had met him.

There stood his younger brother, Duncan, his dark hair just barely curled around his ear, he never did like his hair too long, he remembered. Grinning at the sight before him, Addam embraced his younger brother, and as he felt the unfamiliar firmness in Duncan's arms and shoulders he felt it strange that he had left his brother as a boy still building himself and has come back to find in his presence a man grown, his facial hair almost resembling his own father's.

"It seems I shall have to teach you not to rely on your charms, not all of us can be born pretty like you" he quipped as Duncan's jaw slacked slightly, a silent chuckle escaping him.

Caught in the outskirts of this bracing reunion, Addam realised, stood Jaime Lannister. Patiently, at that. Addam did not know if it was because it was so sunny or if his mind had decided to start betraying him, but he thought he could sense a strange gleam in Jaime's eyes. He would like to think he knew Jaime too well to think it was jealousy... curiosity, perhaps?

"Why, Ser Jaime! Addam mentioned that you would be gracing us with your presence, but till now I had not believed it if I may be honest." His father stepped towards Jaime, looming over him and grasping his hand in a firm handshake, with Jaime grinning widely in response.

"Yes, I found it a great shame when it had occurred to me that i'd never been to Ashemark before, what better time to remedy that when the opportunity had presented itself to me?" Jaime responded, grin still firmly in place.

"It is good to see you, I was...very sorry to hear news of your late father. There are, no men like him."

At this Addam noticed that tick, perhaps Jaime's only tell, in his jaw. He only ever does that when they call him Kingslayer. But Jaime's smile did not falter, merely softened if one could say.

In truth, Addam had seldom spent any time to consider Tywin Lannister's death, the great Warden of the West, and the strange circumstances surrounding it. And even when his thoughts did drift to the matter, however scarce that may have been, he had never thought of the matter in relation to Ser Jaime. It had almost slipped his mind that Jaime had lost his father, not that he did not remember the funeral. Or the time Jaime spent standing vigil by his side. Outside of that Jaime never once uttered a word about Lord Tywin's death. Surely, it was strange, he had been with them as a boy in their own home, and it was no secret that Tywin was a hard man, affection was never by any means dolled out freely at Casterly Rock. But Addam thought that certainly, Jaime must be affected by the untimely passing. He had chalked up this entire campaign to it, he knew it was Jaime's escape. Casterly Rock was at an impasse, and it lay in Jaime's hands to decide what would become of it. Now, looking at Jaime, green eyes scanning the courtyard with impatience, waiting for something new, it became clearer to Addam that Jaime's accompaniment must be an extension of the original reason they had left King's Landing; a reason to run.

"I've kept you all waiting out here long enough, do come in! I hope you haven't forgotten your way around old boy!"

Addam gave a slight smile at that as he motioned for Jaime to proceed with them into the castle, thinking to himself silently that the Lion of Casterly Rock, the great and gallant Jaime Lannister, was running away, and out of all the places he could have run to, he inwardly laughed that this is where he chose. A half ruined castle with him and his five siblings.
He did not know how he felt about that.

They stood on the inner covered bridge connecting the first part of the castle to the second, still in the same form it had been left in with moss and long Amber Flower vines entwining around its length, encapsulating it in a blur of green and bright orange, stopping to show Jaime the maze garden that stretched beneath them, a rather forced impressed expression wore Jaime's face as he feigned delight.

"Bored already, Lannister?" He smirked,

"I'm afraid i've seen too many gardens in my lifetime Marbrand, could this place possibly be as dreary as you?" he said and Addam stood prepared to feign shock at his most unknightly turn of

"Oh look!" he heard Duncan exclaim, to which he paid no mind to, instead choosing to focus on how to further tease the Lannister Lion, until he heard the sound of distant laughter coming from beneath them and a flash of dark hair spun in the corner of his eye.

Jaime II

Jaime's head whipped around in sync with Addam's, though with no particular sense of direction to his gaze, more in confusion than in Addam's obvious anticipation.

He could hear it too, it was not a figment of his imagination, there it was, a sound so common and yet he can not recall to himself the last time he had heard it; laughter. A woman's, to be precise -or a girl's he could not yet tell, all he knew was that it bubbled through with such youthful exuberance a shadow of a smile made it its way to his face. Looking to Addam for answers he found his gaze narrowed and looking about the mazes below.

It was pretty, the maze. Jaime had to admit, it was seemingly unaffected by the siege. As grand as the Red Keep's gardens ever were, no part of the castle seemed to tower of any of the gardens like this one. It almost seemed like a sea beneath them -or a pit, depending on which way you thought of it.

Staring down at the maze he could see where Addam was looking, tracing the elated sounds to its source as figures of deep red and pale blue entwined themselves throughout the maze, looking back momentarily as they ran from what seemed to be chasing them, the backs of their heads freely flowing plains of a deep copper, almost chestnut, like Addam's, he thought.

"Our sisters," Duncan said then, directing his gaze at Jaime, trying to bring some light to his confusedly dazed stare,

"I have never made the pleasure of their acquaintance -or come to know of their existence, you have your brother here to thank for that." he quipped giving a pointed look to Addam, who Jaime had almost gotten used to seeing in borderline somber reverie, now, seemed far lighter, and far more at ease.

"You shall meet them in due time, soon enough old Lion"

"Old?" he feigned shock.

"Yes, I suppose you should meet them at the feast this evening, no use having a feast though if our guests aren't well rested." Duncan certainly had been trained in playing the host now, hasn't he?

"Rest now, my boys, much is to come." Said Lord Ashemark, directing his gaze steely at Addam, Jaime knew enough of that look to know Lord Damon would need a private moment with Addam, he knew many of those looks from his father. His father, his father, his father...stop this at once. He thought, now was the time for rest, I wish to close my eyes and see nothing but darkness and maybe even a lovely meal.

Lurching themselves off the perched ends of the bridge, Lord Ashemark directed himself forward so as to lead the group, Addam and Duncan following behind closely as Jaime trailed closer towards the end, not helping himself from overhearing the conversation being had ahead of him.

"Janyne is here as well. She's brought the little ones along."

"How good of our sister to join us."

"Yes, how good indeed." said Duncan with only a hint of mirth in his voice.

Jaime did not realise how far behind them he was, the journey has made me weary. He was still on the bridge, he noticed, staring at the moss, wondering how long it had been there, when he heard it again; laughter. A blithe sound, graceful, it was almost a whisper to his ears and for some reason he felt called to examine its source. Peering down from the bridge he found the familiar sight of hair twisting in the wind, yet this hair was not of copper, like the other heads he had seen. This back of the head was darker, a deep mahogany, the same as Duncan's, and it was not long until its holder spun enough to come into Jaime's view.

Young, he thought. Not in the way she looked but more out of how light she seemed to be at heart, if ever one could tell from first sight. Her eyes were the same as Addam's from what he could tell, dark and pointed, but her smile was different. There was an awful air of gentleness surrounding her, her fingers dainty and caressing the maze wall at as she peered from its side, scouting out the hunted. Pretty, he added, but his gaze did not linger long.

It seems Addam Marbrand was not lacking in sisters, and a coy smile made its way then to Jaime's lips as he vowed to remember all their names this time.

Hello to whoever is reading this, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. More is to come! I'm really pushing to get the next chapter done by tomorrow and I think I should make good on that. But I start summer school this Monday so any update from then on will most likely be weekly, i'll still try to get them out as soon as possible. I've had this story inside me for a while now and it's a pleasure to finally be able to get to share it. I've posted this in a little bit of a hurry so any spelling mistakes can be excused until I can get back and edit, thank you!