Sorry this took longer than expected! I've been so busy -and exhausted! This is a longer chapter and i've figured out that I want fit more things in each chapter from now on, if anyone is reading this I hope you enjoy! Just to quell any thoughts, this is a Jaime fic. Any other POV are devices and additions to the story, I enjoy giving them depth because that's my writing style -I don't like having any two dimensional characters no matter how small they are in the grand scheme of things.

Jaime

They must have appeared to be as weary as they felt, as Lord Marbrand and Duncan wasted no more time showing Jaime any new sights and directed him straight to his guest quarters, him having the honour of residing in the same wing of the castle as the Marbrands, as apposed to the opposite end where the guests were usually accommodated. He wondered whether it was because the guest wing may still be undergoing renovations, did they fear a Lannister might swoon at the sight of dust and dirt? I've seen dirt, he thought to himself with growing spite as he lay in bed, staring at the old ceiling of orange above him, This Lannister knows dirt. Eventually all us Lannisters know dirt all too well.

Wrestling with the rising lion in him that wanted nothing more than to battle the blood in his veins and the monsters in his mind, he turned to his side and shut his lids, drowsiness swiftly settling upon him and taking him to deep slumber in a whisper.

The wind breezed through his flowing hair, hissing against the stone walls as Jaime made his way down this corridor that he was sure he knew very well but still felt lost in, he was at Casterly Rock once more. His steps echoed through the halls as the violent yet calming sound of the clashing waves reverberated within his very bones, the smell of salt thick and welcome, he palmed the wall -as if he'd be able to gain a sense of direction through feeling, giving speed to his steps, twisting and turning, choosing left over right, and then right over left, his childhood home had become a maze to taunt him.

He took the next left and entered a larger clearing with an exceptionally large window sill, it was then that he noticed he could not hear the sound of the sea any longer. Jaime stood close enough to the window to see what was outside; there was no sea surrounding them, nor a city, there was nothing. Bare, infertile, barren ground surrounded him as far as his eyes could see, and it was then that he heard the light scuffling sound of heavy breathing, a deep growl that sounded inhuman, like it was coming from a predator of some sort. He whirled his head around swiftly to face the dreaded beast, to find his father standing there. He stood with his back straight as always, but with a slight crane in his neck, his eyes hungry and malicious adding a grim twist in his features that Jaime was sure he'd never seen even on Tywin's worst days. How have you made it into my dreams, old man?

Suddenly then, Tywin shuffled his feet on the dusty ground and made to charge at Jaime in full speed in some sort of pounce at his prey. In the panic ensuing the attack Jaime stumbled back until his hands found a latch and furiously pulled it back to open and slam the door from the unrecognisable beast that Tywin had morphed into, pressing himself to the door and shutting his eyes tightly as the door vibrated to the beast's attempts to break in and reach him. When the relentless banging on the door finally ceased Jaime, still pressed to the door, opened his eyes in confusion as the wheezing sound of sobbing reached his ears at a subtle volume, as he turned around to face the sound it grew and what lay in front of him was a woman, sat in a chair, her face buried in her hands and a mass of golden tresses surrounded her down to her waist.

The sound of her weeping tore at him, and he quickly realised he had reached her and knelt slowly to face her. Her face was still not visible to him, but the weeping grew louder and louder.

"Cersei?" he wrapped his good arm around the figure and wound his golden one in her long curls, holding him to his shoulder,

"I can't save you" he whispered as he wept with her -for her, for the sister he had surely lost long before her imprisonment, the sister he lost the moment he decided to give everything up for her. I let you undo everything, sister.

"I can't save you!" He cried, shaking the figure slightly.

"I wish I had saved you" he heard a soft voice tell him in his ear; the sobbing had now ceased.

But as he opened his eyes to look down at the hand holding the long strands of golden hair he found the hair falling from the scalp he held close, and looking to the face he held at his shoulder he gasped at the sight of a visage horribly disfigured past the point of recognition, and suddenly the smell of burning flesh resonated throughout the room as the body he clung to fell to ashes in his arms.

Eyes wide with fear and bewilderment, Jaime could not yet form the words to call out to whomever he could before the loud banging at the door resumed, and this time the beast was coming at full strength, the door almost coming off its hinges with every blow.

Bang.

Come for me

Bang.

You think I fear you?

Bang.

You are nothing. This is nothing.

Bang.

Come! Rid me of this wait! You coward! Come for me!

BANG!

BANG!

Jaime's eyes flung open as he was greeted by the sight of the same orange wall he had turned away from, his brow sweatier than he had remembered leaving it and his heart beating wildly.

"Ser Jaime! Ser Jaime!" He heard from behind the door, the knocking still as incessant as it was in his dream.

"Seven hells Lewys would you come in!" he growled, sitting up in his bed, still fully dressed in his riding clothes save for his boots. The door creaked against its rusted hinges and cracked open only slightly to welcome the sight of one of Jaime's squires, Lewys Piper and his bushy red hair.

"Forgive me Ser, i've been knocking for a while now, I didn't mean to wake you" he said as his eyes gleamed in bewilderment, probably at Jaime's own furious glare.

"Well? What is it then?"

"Ser it's time for the dinner feast, they've told me to come get you, they should be expecting you shortly."

He sighed, even in his time of sleep it seems he would never truly know rest.

"Alright. Let them know i've woken, i'll be down as soon as I can -if I can find it well enough."

"I'm sure you'll have no problems Ser" he said with a slight grin before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

Left in solitude once again he sighed as he swung his legs off the bed and rested them on the ground, elbows resting on his knees and his head hanging down in weariness.
No doubt i've scared the bloody boy half to death. He smiled. He'll learn. Jaime liked Lewys well enough, he had awful red hair and Jaime knew he would never be handsome but he saw a type of innocence in Lewys that Jaime never had even when he would have considered himself innocent. Lewys wanted to live purely for the small things, and for that Jaime was fond of his company.

Standing up he looked at the bath that had been drawn for him, the water was still warm so someone must have come in while he was still asleep; he wasn't sure he liked that. All the same, he undressed and slipped into the bath, leaning his head back as he thought of tonight and whether it was worth the trouble of the journey. I'd meet his sisters, he thought to himself silently.

"Duncan? Was it?" he tried to remember out loud, it would do no good to try and remember all those names if he had already forgotten his brother's. Jaime had never been particularly good with names.

His mind suddenly wandered to the figures he had seen in the maze, particularly the one with the dark hair and light laugh, pretty, he reminded himself. Perhaps she would make pleasant company. Something about her laugh resonated through him as he recalled it, it relayed in his mind so many times it almost sounded taunting by the time Jaime had finally gotten dressed.

Gods help me if I should ever find this damned hall.

Addam

"I would have believed I had raised you better than to stand there and deny me of what you know is right. With no good reason, might I add!" growled the now, very angry, Lord Marbrand at his eldest son.

Addam knew his father was right. He did not know why he was fighting him, but he knew he wanted to. It was utterly infuriating knowing he was in the wrong, he knew this had to come, why else would he be here? And yet every fibre of his being had been self taught to keep what his father was suggesting at bay for as long as possible, even he himself had forgotten why.

"I told you I have no wish for it, not yet" at least that much was true, he thought to himself.

"You have a duty to your house! Are you not my heir? I am not your enemy, son!"

"Then why have you summoned me here, under false pretences? Why the deception, if you truly are on my side?!" He had to admit, that was smart. Sending him a cryptic raven, making it sound as if there was a slight danger, he knew it'd make him worry.

"Would you think me so foolish as to think that if I had written to you that I wished for you to return so that you could finally marry, you would have not burned the letter and fled as deep into the Riverlands as Jaime Lannister would allow? No," he sat back in his chair smiling at Addam, almost like the cat that ate the mouse, "I know you far better than that."

He's not wrong.

A sudden thought occurred to him then.

"And what of Lorraine's letter? Did you force her in on this as well? Did you watch down as she wrote to me? How many people have you drawn in to your schemes?" He fumed in anger, slowly dissipating at the sudden look of confusion on his father's face as it dawned on him.

"I never told Lorraine to write you anything, I had no idea she had even written to you." He stood up, pushing his chair back in the process with a sharp screech against the floor, he stood by the window then, looking out at nothing as he nursed his left hand under his right arm as he always had when he was in deep thought. "What of her letter?" he said solemnly, and right then Addam almost didn't want to answer him, but he can always tell when i'm lying.

Looking down he wondered how to phrase it,

"She said you needed me. She said she was sad."

"Sad?"

"Like she couldn't breathe."

Silence ensued for long moments until Lord Marbrand looked back at him, sighing heavily as he made his way back to his seat, eyeing Addam with a furrowed brow from across his desk, saying carefully,

"I'm afraid I have no experience, it's been so long since she's been unhappy -since anyone's been unhappy for that matter, I don't know how to deal with it. She's happy enough during the day, they all are, but even I have to admit she's been withdrawn. None of them have been exactly the same since they had to leave, I suppose it's just harder for her. She can't really express how she feels, you know." He chuckled at that, "your other sisters though, have been very vocal." A shadow of a smile haunted his face then. "She was right though. We need you."

His earlier discomfort crept back up through his spine and he physically felt his face harden once more,

"What would you have me do then, father? Did you think I would arrive and just accept whatever bride you've picked from the harvest? What would I do then? Leave her here? Take her with me to King's Landing? Or will we be made to stay here and prance around Ashemark until our bones creak as much as yours?"

"I am tired, Addam. And you are my eldest." cradling his head in his hand. He knew what he meant then.

It was funny to Addam, his father was always such a strong man, I suppose him being my father made him seem invincible, he always knew what the implications of being his father's heir meant; he would have to marry and produce children, but moreover it means that he had to take over his father's role once he had gone to the gods, and that kept the thought of his father dying too fresh in his mind for his liking. So he buried himself in knighthood and gallantry and even battles if it meant forgetting all everyone was waiting for was for his father to die. He understood now, he had been hiding for far too long. His father had grown, his fire is fading and soon he will be ash.

"As you wish father."

He smiled then, not the same solemn one as before, it was only momentary but it was bright, still bright.

"Good. By the Gods, better you than Duncan."

Suddenly throwing Addam a flagon of wine, they both chuckled effortlessly, an air of jest placating their earlier tension.

"He's not half bad, that son of yours."

"Enjoy him while you can, it's about time he gained a knighthood."

"You're sending him away?"

"As per his own request, he'll be sharing the court at King's Landing, squiring for Randyll Tarly."

Addam nodded then, considering Radnyll Tarly an advantageous choice, he was a smart man and a lethal commander. Even though Tarly did not have the Regent's favour Dunca would surely learn a lot from him. How funny, trading in one son for the other.

"Right, enough of this. Best not keep your sisters waiting."

"Yes, best not." He said as they both got up in sync and made their way down to the feasting hall in understanding silence.

Jaime

He had not been West in such a long while, he had almost forgotten things are not exactly as they are in King's Landing. The feasting hall of Ashemark, otherwise known as the Hall of Amber, was...quaint in comparison to all the many halls in the Red Keep. Though not as deliberately grand as the Red Keep's dinner hall, it still had an air of beauty about it. The hall itself had walls of amber and the red and orange silks hanging from the walls made it look like fire consumed them as the breeze blew through them, and most unusually there stood in the midst of the hall the bark and branches of a grand old tree, charred black as if it has been set on fire, and candles carefully set on all the branches to give the illusion of a burning tree.

Impressive. He thought, he had to admit he'd never seen anything like it, scanning the hall furthermore he found that one of the walls was not a wall at all, but a large open arch with orange silks hanging from it that led to a terrace that Jaime did not realise was also part of the hall used for entertainment and dancing that had a similar yet smaller black tree in its middle.

"Still as dreary as you thought it might be, Lannister?" commented Addam as he looked on at Jaime's seemingly helpless wandering with a look akin to pride. He had been lucky to run in to Addam and his father just outside the hall's entrance, it's been a while since he'd had to introduce himself and he had no idea what or who to expect at the feast.

"A breath of fresh air" he grinned, "if you see the same thing over and over for long enough i'm afraid even the Red Keep looks dull."

Addam chuckled audibly at that before motioning towards his elder sister,

"You see, sister? Lannister here finds our lodgings adequate." He jokes as he elbowed his sister gently to her side.

"One would hope so! It's not like we've been tripping over ourselves for weeks getting it all right again!" said Janyne, Addam's sister in a low voice, something overly maternal oozed out of it even in jest, Jaime noticed.

Jaime could not help but compare Janyne to Addam the same moment they were introduced, if he did not know any better he would have said that she looks more like his mother than his sister. She was plump and large from the middle up -unlike Addam who had slender limbs, she was comely enough though, her hair matched Addam's and her eyes were wide and animated, her face looked kind -even when what she was saying wasn't. A woman capable of jesting openly was always a welcome change to Jaime, Cersei does nothing but plan and yell, whilst Brienne probably has the sense of humour of that burnt tree.

Just as Jaime offered a polite smile to Janyne and her husband, Ronald Serrett, bland in comparison to the fiery Marbrand, what he assumed to be the remainder of Addam's sisters entered the hall, the first two with arms linked with one another and the last holding Duncan's left arm with the both of hers.

Just then they spotted Addam and in a matter of short seconds they had all run to embrace him, the dark haired one gladly swapping Duncan's arms for Addam's as she leapt into him and he spun her around like a child. After settling her on the ground Addam swung his hands around the other two sisters and held them closely, kissing their foreheads gently as he rested his chin on their heads. Jaime noticed then that he had involuntarily backed away from the ensuing scene in front of him, but he was close enough to hear relieved sighs of "I missed you" and "Welcome home".

As the bunch of them dispersed from the skirmish of affection he regarded them closely as he had better range to do so now. It seems Addam is not the most handsome of his house after all.

They were all pretty, in a simple sort of way. Not like Cersei, but most assuredly sure to be the object of attention. The one wearing an ornate gown of deep green with black branches encircling the bodice had her chestnut hair held up simply to the back of her head, eyes wide and pale like Janyne, lips perfectly plump, she had a simple gap between her teeth and a lovely tinge to her cheeks. The other, who wore, in comparison, a simple gown of red that flowed lightly at her feet had the face of a girl that giggled often and loudly, her cheeks were always strained upwards in a grin, she almost looked strange when her mouth was not tilted upwards -nevertheless, she was handsome but shared the same unfortunate body type as Addam.
The last one, he remembered thinking was pretty when he had initially seen her, but now he could not tell anymore. She wore a cream gown with orange embroidery around her corset, her hair -far darker than the chestnut of her sisters', was partially pulled back whilst the remainder of her hair flowed freely down her shoulders. Her eyes darker -but just as animated as her sister's and engaging. Even with eyes as lovely as those, he found he could not look away from the curve of her lips, thinner than her sister's but perfectly pink and sincere, he could not yet understand why he couldn't form an opinion. It was as if there was something stopping him from taking in her face in its entirety, like there was so much he wanted to examine he could not look at it as one whole being.

This brought to his attention another thing he noticed that offered quite a difference from King's Landing, the way in which women dressed. He had forgotten how different women dressed in the West. It wasn't as cold as it was up North but it definitely was not as warm as it is in the Crownlands, so there were no more flowing silks, open backs, plunging necklines and hanging sleeves, the wardrobe of a Western noble woman was a little more solid and refined. Their bodices clung tightly to their middles in a fabric that was usually a blend of silk and cotton and the skirt puffed just slightly more than other dresses, their sleeves usually reached the middle of their arms but surprisingly even he had forgotten at how the neckline could display a woman's curves in such dresses. He could not help but stare then, the necklines strapped across their chests and pressed tightly just at the start of their breasts -lifting them up and pressing them together. It was not the way he wished to look at Addam's sisters.

"Ser! Come, allow me to introduce the rest of my sisters!"

With a wolfish grin Jaime stepped forward, eyeing the first one in front of him in the green gown,

"Ser Jaime, this is my younger sister, Reina"

He looked her in the eye and kissed her hand as a clear blush crept up her neck.

"It is a pleasure, Ser Jaime, to finally make your acquaintance."

"The pleasure is mine, my Lady."

Looking to the next sister, the one in red, Addam introduced her as Elaine, and she grinned widely as he took her hand and placed another gentle kiss on it.

"Why Ser Jaime, it's good to know you are not just a myth!" She said,

He smiled, thinking to himself how similar she was to Addam.

"And I you, my Lady"

He finally stood in front of the last sister, stood in her cream gown, looking him directly in his eyes with nothing he thought he would have expected to see; patience.

"Ser Jaime, my youngest sister, Lorraine."

He took her hand then, and placed the gentlest kiss of all on her dainty fingers, the same one he had seen caressing the maze wall earlier on today. He waited then, for a comment, a pleasantry, something. But nothing came, he lifted his head to look at her, confusion clearly etched in his brow, and she only looked on, again in to his eyes with such clear purpose, and bowed her head slightly, bringing back her hand to her side and taking Addam's arm to motion him to walk with her.

"So, Ser Jaime, is Ashemark to your liking? It is my understanding this is your first visit." He heard the elder one say, Rhea, was it?, he could barely hear her.