I know I must seem a little too enthusiastic, but what else can I do when inspiration creeps up on me like this?
I'd like to thank my first and thus far only reviewer, your kind words are the reason this is out so soon. It makes me feel better knowing someone else is reading this, and i'm open to any criticism/suggestions any one may have in order for me to better improve this. Any questions I can explain for you, i'm only happy to answer.

Jaime

He had Damon and Addam's approval now, what more could he want? More, there is definitely more that I want.

He walked into the feast hall that night feeling changed, but also more or less the same. The only change came with the way Lord Marbrand and Addam looked at him, like they were waiting for something to happen. Like he was about to jump on the tables and claim Lorraine as his own for anyone that would look.

He felt some sort of success at how smoothly it had all went, and he thought perhaps it was because he had yet to approach the scariest part of it all, asking Lorraine if she would have him. He could not fathom what she would do, how she would react. He could not possibly imagine her nodding in agreement. But he still wanted it, he could admit that now, he wanted her to say yes to him. Is this what hope feels like? Jaime was not sure if he liked it. Somehow it was more daunting trying to come up with a way to propose to Lorraine. She could say no, for she was not bound by any sort of duty to marry. He understood from the look on both Damon and Addam's faces when he had asked for their permission that the idea of her getting married was one not thought to bear any weight.

Nevertheless, he thought it was good that at least he had some more time to get acquainted with her as well as decide how he was to go about it. And it was only then that he found irony in the fact that he had sworn her father and brother to silence in order to give her time when he had written to his King and his Regent with the nagging intention -and hope- to marry her after less than a week of meeting her.

The week he spent with her after making his decision and writing of it was, to Jaime's ire, one of the best weeks of his life. He saw more and more of her everyday, both meaning that his little mornings with her eventually followed on into the afternoon and soon they would scarcely leave one another's presence during the evening dinners, and also that she was revealing more and more of her true self to him day by day. To Jaime's reluctance, he found he was doing the same. Exposing parts of himself he would not dare have exposed in to anyone in King's Landing. He realised one afternoon with her that since meeting her he had rarely laughed in years for a reason that was not in spite.

He did, however, avoid her once the sun had set out of the confines of the dinner hall. How ironic, he had thought to himself one night as he lay in bed, the great Jaime Lannister, son of Tywin, fears being alone with Lorraine Marbrand in the darkness. He did not know how he would feel -or what he would do, if he was to be alone with her in a hallway with the night casting shadows on her face, the candlelight kissing her eyes as they looked up at him. I may be great but I have certainly never been very gallant. She would surely notice his eyes' pull to her lips. It was still too soon. And he did not want to scare her. He did not want to risk shocking her out of his company and leaving him alone once again with only a glimpse or taste of her.

He did not know when the right time would be. But he wanted to have more confidence than he currently had at the moment. He silently gulped down a sudden lump in his throat at the thought of her pushing him away. Of him being awarded with a look of disgust and some sort of betrayal. He had had enough of that look all throughout his life. He was not weak enough to let it deter him in any way, but he was sick of it. He did not care, a lion does not concern himself with sheep, but how long before the people you love start looking at you that way as well?

Lorraine walked in to the hall then, holding on to Duncan's arm as they both giggled. She never entered alone, always on someone else's arm and laughing at someone else's joke. He wondered how long it would be before she allowed him to be the one escorting her.

Noticing that all Lord Damon's children were in the hall, the Lord of Ashemark made his way to the centre of the well lit room by the stark tree with his arms spread, hoping to make some sort of an announcement,

"My humble guests! We are honoured to have you here, on such a night," Lord Damon's eyes wandered around the hall as he smiled with sincerity at those gathered around him.

"I've received word from the Golden Road, the Trant party is due to arrive tomorrow, and with it my darling Reina's betrothed Ser Steffon." He extended his hand out to Reina's, and she took it with as much grace as Jaime imagined, a slight blush flared in her cheeks and she returned her father's smile with warmth, but not much truth, Jaime noticed. He could tell she was nervous, worried. He had seen that look on so many faces during his time in King's Landing. Women being afraid of what their husband's would be like. King's Landing was a snake pit, nothing was as it seemed. And even then most innocent of Ladies were not naïve enough to believe in fairytales and happy endings for too long.

"My darling, we all wish you the best of luck, though I am certain you will not be needing it. Ser Steffon is a fine young man, and I assure you my darling only the finest can be good enough to marry any daughter of mine!" The whole hall laughed at that sentiment, Reina covering her mouth in the process. But Jaime did not miss the secret look Lord Damon had given him while his eyes were scanning the room for a reaction.

He set down his goblet of wine as his face turned serious and took both Reina's hands in his own, looking at her intently.

"We all know it will be difficult to leave home, you will be missed. I know that you will be loved at Gallowsgrey as much as you are loved here." He sighed and continued,

"Your mother...would be proud of the women you are." And suddenly it was as if all the Marbrands held their breath, waiting for him to continue, to not leave the image of their mother hanging in the air. A stray tear left Reina's eye, and Jaime found himself swiftly looking for Lorraine's, instead finding them wide but dazed. As if she was somewhere else.

Stroking one of his hands in her soft chestnut hair, Lord Damon held the back of Reina's head and leant down to plant a soft kiss on her brow.

"You are most beloved. No matter where you are, know that all our hearts are with yours -wherever any of us may be." Reina's sudden soft whimper could be heard as her eyes glistened, forcibly trying to hold back the threatening tears.

A sudden motion diverted Jaime's attention to the crowd as he found Addam with his glass lifted above his head,

"To Reina! And a prosperous union!" His voice bellowed, shattering the heaviness that had come earlier. Lord Damon and Reina quickly smiled, a light laugh of relief escaped Reina in the process and they al proceeded to lift their glasses to a toast.

"Might I add, good sister, should you encounter any hardships you have no shortage of brothers willing to duel in your name!" Jaime heard Duncan say, he also heard the hard slapping sound that followed immediately. Janyne, no doubt. Nevertheless, both Addam and Duncan's comments lightened the room up once more and everyone toasted and carried on in merriment as Lord Damon remained by the imposing tree with Reina holding her close and relaying what Jaime no doubt thought were reassuring words.

Suddenly reminded that he had not moved from where he was standing and that he probably looked strange, Jaime involuntarily looked back to where he remembered Lorraine had been standing and curiously worried over why she was not there any longer until he felt a sharp elbow bump his left side. Turning around he found Lorraine looking up at him, her lips in a proud smirk and her hands already clutching a notepad and pencil closely. He returned her smile, as if he could help it.

"Good evening, my Lady."

She nodded to him then, bowing slightly, and Jaime did not hesitate in looking away from her as she bent down. He had gotten himself in the habit of avoiding being put in a position were it was advantageous for him to look upon her lovely form, he had decided early on that that kind of pursuit was not what would guide him. For the most part during the day she would wear something more loose fitting than her luxurious evening gowns, but he knew temptation was everywhere. Once the thought had planted a seed in one's mind, even if the object of one's thoughts was dressed as a Septa it would not deter any upcoming lascivious thoughts. He, especially now that both Lord Damon and Addam were aware of Jaime's intention and want to marry her, was hyperaware of being watched and inwardly cringed at the thought of her father or brother catching him staring at her imposing breasts and thinking him unchivalrous.

Which, by all means, he was. Jaime was not and would never be the perfect gentlemen, and that was not what he was trying to be for Lorraine. He was trying to be a better man. And that is what she inspired him, she did not require him to change any part of himself that he did not already want to change. She made him want to be everything she deserved, and he knew he had never felt that way towards anyone or anything before. Even Cersei. He felt he deserved Cersei by default, he thought they belonged to one another. Looking at the beautiful maiden standing before him, scribbling something before him, he knew things were different. He knew he wished she belonged with him instead of to him.

"I did not see you this afternoon." She wrote to him, eyes expectant of an answer.

Yes, I was in your father's study letting him know that I plan on making you my wife, but only if you will have me. He thought. He chuckled audibly at his inner voice and he could tell Lorraine was doing her best not look offended.

"I had some things I needed to attend to, my lady." He offered. She looked at him with her eye brows raised with something akin to suspicion and slight frustration and moved her arm in a circular motion, like a loop. He knew what she meant.

"You always have something you need to attend to." He how familiar and informal she had already become with him.

"I'm sorry, I missed you too." He jested and she waved him off as he grinned widely. This is how he wanted things to be.

Music started playing and they both looked on as Lord Marbrand was the first to offer his hand to Reina for a dance and she readily accepted. As he took her small frame in his arms with affection, Jaime spied Duncan drag Janyne forcibly out to the dance space as she groaned out in annoyance and her husband and children laughed in amusement. Soon other guests followed and joined, even Elaine had convinced Addam to step out, both of them ungracious and uncaring. He looked to his side at Lorraine, who was looking on with content, smiling faintly as she took in the surrounding merriment like it would vanish at any moment. Her eyes seemed to dance along with every pair and Jaime wondered if she had ever danced with a man before that wasn't her brother.

"Would my lady care to honour me with a dance?" He asked, with a hopeful glint of flirtation he hoped would translate well to her, or be accepted by her.

He didn't know why he was surprised that she smiled widely at him in response. He had seen that smile many times before by now. He had given her that smile many times by now. But this meant something different, she would have him hold her now, for a dance. It was not forever, from this day till the end of his days, but it was still something.

Forgetting to extend his hand to ask for hers in time, she stepped out backwards in to the dance space, reaching out for him with both hands.

"Join me." Her eyes said to him. And he took her hand gently, like his hands would pierce hers, and she immediately shifted her other hand to his shoulder as he began to lead. It had been a while since he had danced with anyone, but somehow his feet knew where to take him, and as they started to move he felt Lorraine's little index finger tap his shoulder twice, thanking him. The pleasure is surely all mine, my lady.

Lorraine

I was afraid of embarrassing myself. I don't think i've ever danced with anyone that was not Addam or father, I could never call whatever it is I do with Duncan "dancing". But somehow it worked, I don't even think it was supposed to, but it did! I can probably attribute that to the Golden Knight I was dancing with, sword fighting is a kind of dance...isn't it? I'll refrain from mentioning that out loud. Oh wait...I can't.

I was proud of how we were dancing, I realised it as my confidence grew with movement. And even though Ser Jaime's hands rested suspiciously high up on my back like there was some kind of bar restricting him from bringing his hand any lower, being held by him felt comfortable. It felt nice.

We didn't "speak", we did not need to. Over the past week I had taught him a few more of the signals I often use and I was surprised at how quickly he had absorbed them, even using them on me when he obviously did not need to. But right at that moment all I saw were his eyes of a sharp deep green, and I could not help but want to swim in them.

It's been strange, I enjoy him as a friend. I have enjoyed his company and looked forward to it immensely day after day, but there was something else that nagged on my being whenever I was around him. My cheeks flushed more often, my temperature rose slightly and my gut suddenly felt foreign to me. I did not know what this was, what this feeling was, but instinctually I felt like the only way to remedy it was to get closer to him. I found myself unwittingly touching him sometimes, looping my arm through his, sitting closer to him when we searched through a certain volume, and I did not know why I did so. And that feeling never went away, that craving for closeness. Am I...attracted to Jaime Lannister? Was that even possible?

Dancing with him now, being light and bubbly I feel like that must be the answer. I can all but beg for him to hold me closer, to hold me longer. What kind of a fool must he think me? Another silly maiden gazing upon his handsome face? I will not be changed by a simple...feeling. And so I didn't let it change me. I did not let it rest my head on Ser Jaime's chest and stand still in the middle of the dance space, when that was what I fear I wanted right then. Perhaps i'm only tired.

We kept spinning around, and I let myself be engaged by Ser Jaime's obvious enjoyment, I had been too preoccupied with worrying that he was merely doing me a favour asking me to dance rather than enjoy it with me. The smile could not be deterred from my face, even when we bumped into Janyne and Duncan a few times I only giggled mischievously as Ser Jaime held a look of embarrassment, like there was something the Great Knight could not do absolutely perfectly. Not even the strange looks I got from Addam and Father could stop my state of bliss as they wore an amplified expression of the ones I had been used to getting from them every time Ser Jaime and I shared one another's presence alone: Suspicious confusion.

As if they were confused why anyone as beautiful and legendary as Ser Jaime Lannister would want to be in my company. I could not blame them, even I asked myself that sometimes. I wondered why he would let me converse with him, or why he wanted to know anything about me. But his interest seemed genuine, and I found the pursuit of constantly questioning why someone wanted to know you or about you was exhausting.

Forgetting the pace of things I could not help but let a yelp escape me as I felt Ser Jaime's large hands grip my waist and began to lift me in a sudden thrust. My hands immediately scrambled to grab at his shoulders in order to not fall head first into his own head and I braced myself tightly above him as he spun me around. Somehow, I managed to laugh, and he looked up at me, seemingly enjoying this as much as I was. I felt like I was flying. It went away as soon as it came, and Jaime gently slowed as he released my waist in small pluses so as not to give me a shocking landing. The result was that as I eventually had my feet on solid ground again the ecstasy of the moment almost obliterated the fact that I was now standing as close as I had originally wanted to Ser Jaime.

It seemed like something out of those silly tales Reina's always going on about, a sudden moment of closeness that leads to something. I pity those who think that one moment of closeness can lead to things such as love. This moment did not bring love, or any sudden realisation, that is not what I believe in. It brought me the smell of Ser Jaime's hair, his hot breath tickling my nose, I almost closed my eyes to relish in it. But I knew that would be silly. And I had already told myself I would not be a silly girl. Jaime Lannister surely does not want me to be a silly girl. We are friends.

We continued the dance just slightly closer than we had originally began, and for some reason Ser Jaime had stopped looking at me directly. Did my closeness both him as much as it comforted me? Perhaps he thinks me inappropriate and too familiar. He is still a Lannister.

Very well, I shall stop.

As soon as the music ended I smiled simply at Ser Jaime and gave him a nod to pardon my excusal, I un-looped my hand from his neck and motioned to turn to find Reina but was stopped suddenly by his firm grip on my upper arm. I looked back up at him to find his eyes once again pleading me. And so I indulged him.

He carried my hand through the loop of the bent arm at his side and I could feel him physically stiffen when he felt my hand knock against his golden one. Like he was afraid i'd suddenly realise it was there.

I knew of his golden hand very well by now, regardless of how hard he continuously tries to hide it. I fear sometimes he may catch me staring at it when he's doing something else, but I could not ever help myself. I wonder at the ways he could use it to his advantage in combat, I somehow expected Jaime Lannister to wear his holden hand like armour, but I was discovering more and more everyday that Jaime Lannister had vulnerabilities. And it was not as if he was purposely showing any of this to me, or confiding in me with his secrets. I can just ...tell. He wears the mask well though, I must admit.

We walked out to the open dance hall where there was still an abundance of couples dancing, and it brought my heart so much joy to see it, as if my home was once again whole. Everyone was here, and every part of our home was being used. Once again, things were beautiful and light and we could all pretend that things will be fine. Just the way the Gods have planned it for us. Standing out here in the breezy Western air listening to music and laughter, I can believe that the Gods may be good to us yet.

"Does something trouble you, my Lady?" I shake my head, still staring at the sight before me. I look up at him quickly and look back at the hall and motion with my hands at the area and then bring my hand on my chest, right over where my heart is.

"All this. I love it." He nods back to me, signifying he had understood me.

"It is a lovely night, my Lady." I'm not even listening to him anymore, I think. Suddenly, I am overcome with emotion, their origins being unclear to me. I sit down on one of the benches facing the hall and I look down, seeing and feeling Ser Jaime join me immediately from the corner of my eye. I look up at him, and he looks stunned at the tears that have left my eyes, like it was something I was incapable of doing.

I did not know why I was crying. But I was happy, I was happy I was exactly where I was with my family. Throughout the war all I could think of was Addam being taken away from us, a bitter part of me even thought that was what he wanted, like he wanted to die in glory. Then the Stark threat came, and the days were more dreary than they were frightening. Still, thoughts of father and Addam and even Duncan ran through my mind day and night, and I found that after the ordeal was over there was a terrible weight at my chest that I could no longer remove. And now, suddenly, it had been lifted. And I could breathe again.

I saw Ser Jaime's hand move hesitantly to my face, as if he wanted to wipe the tears from my cheeks, but instead he chose not to, instead sinking his hand down to his lap. I was grateful he did not touch my face, I did not feel like being particularly close to him now that I had embarrassed myself once more and he was surely pitying me now. Shockingly, I felt his rough finger stroke the skin on my forearm in slow circles, and I looked up at him in question to find him giving me a knowing smile, like he knew this was what I did to sooth people. Like he had been watching. I slowly wiped the drying tears off of my face and lifted my little finger to eye level and bent it towards him.

"I'm sorry."

"A little dust in your eye, that's all."I laughed louder than I had ever laughed in his presence at that, and had to use the hand that was not being soothed by his caress to cover my mouth.

He looked up at the sky above us then, and I hoped he was remembering the constellations I had drawn up for him. I looked up as well, Ser Jaime's fingers still circling my curling skin at a steady rhythm, and found the sky cloudy and the stars barely visible. But they were still there, even if I could not see them, I knew that. They were still there, steadfast and proud, burning bright.

Janyne

Janyne walked out into the outer hall, trying to find little Symond, it was about time she put him to bed. Whirling past the dancing pairs at the height of the song she scanned the room furiously for her youngest son, trying to find his little red head scattered somewhere under the benches.

Instead she was met with the sight of Ser Jaime Lannister, close to her sister with his fingers dwindling softly on her arm as they both looked at something Janyne could not see.

They looked peaceful, not speaking, unmoving, content. Like the music was not playing loudly and there was no wine spilling around them, Janyne felt like some sort of an intruder watching them, waiting for one of them to move beyond the gentle sway of their bodies in unison with the breeze.

She could only stare until she saw Jaime's head move to look at Lorraine, who was still engrossed with the night sky above, even though it was cloudy. She had never understood the fascination that girl had with astronomy.

But what she did understand was the way Jaime was looking at her. She'd seen that many times. Like he was afraid this moment would slip away. Like for now she was his to hold. Smiling to herself, she retreated slowly, knowing probably they hadn't paid her any mind regardless.

As she walked away she thought to herself, The strangest little things, those two. Suddenly Lorraine seems a woman and Ser Jaime looks like a boy.

Where is that damned boy anyway?

Next chapter will see some new arrivals! Hope you enjoyed!