Author's Note: Thanks so much for your wonderful comments! I took the weekend off from writing which is why it took a little while to get this next chapter up, but it's finally here. Enjoy!
The glare of the morning sunlight filtered through Jaime's closed lids, gradually rousing him from sleep. As he tried to fend off the call back to consciousness, Jaime felt something soft tickling his cheek. Curious, he slowly cracked open his heavy lids to find a very naked princess lying on his bare chest. The tickly sensation against his cheek had been caused by her mass of curly hair that brushed his face as she slept with her little head resting on his shoulder. As he looked at her peaceful expression, the memory of last night came flooding back, piercing the fog of sleep that surrounded his brain. He remembered how magnificently she had responded to his touch, how she had coaxed him to pleasure with hers.
At the thought of her eager touch on him last night and the feeling of her naked form pressed against him now, all the blood in Jaime's body immediately raced to his loins, tenting the bedcovers in front of him. He briefly looked at her sleeping form once more, considering waking her to help ease his discomfort, but quickly decided against it. If Amarah put her hands on him now, he would doubtless have the girl flat on her back and be buried inside of her within moments. As pleasurable as the thought was, Jaime knew she wasn't ready for such intimacy between them. So with great reluctance, he gently disentangled himself from her tempting form and slid out of the warm bed.
He quietly padded to the basin of water a few steps from the bed before splashing the cool liquid on his face to rouse him from his sleepy state and help take his mind off thoughts of the naked woman in his bed. When he had returned to her last night, he never had any intention of touching her, but she had looked so forlorn he couldn't help trying to ease her sorrow. At first his intentions had been a bit selfish as he had eyed her figure through that flimsy, white nightdress, but they had quickly turned to thoughts of her pleasure rather than his. He remembered that mournful plea she had whispered in his ear. Please, Jaime. Those words had stirred something inside of him. Something dangerous. He had felt protective of Amarah up until that point, even felt an attraction to her, but he had never before felt her reach inside of the dark depths of his heart and stir something there. Not until last night when she had clung to him, as if he were an anchor keeping her from drifting out onto an endless sea of sorrow and pain.
Jaime splashed the cold water on his face once again, trying to shake the unsettling thoughts from his head. He didn't want Amarah to work her way into his heart. She didn't belong there. He might worry for her, yes, but he couldn't let her come to mean more than that. It was too dangerous to let himself care for another woman in such a way. Love brought too much pain. Jaime thought of his sister then, of what had transpired between them last night. She had seemed almost a stranger to him. He had never remembered her being so cold, so distant. He could still hear her asking him to take Tyrion's life, trying to persuade him of how easy it could be, and the memory of her heartlessness towards their own brother chilled him to the bone.
Looking in the glass before him, Jaime studied his face. Had Cersei changed or was he the one who was different as she had said? You've changed. He heard her bitter accusation still ringing in his ears like a chant, not allowing him forget. Gazing at the familiar features of his face, Jaime noticed no great difference. He looked more gaunt from months suffering a lack of nourishment and sleep, and his golden hair was much shorter now on top of his head where Amarah had hacked it off with the dagger. Despite those changes though, it still appeared rather similar to the face that had stared back at him his entire life, but something had changed. A different man peered back at him behind those green eyes. A man who had been shaped by the trials he had endured since leaving the prisons of Riverrun in the company of two women.
While Jaime stood staring at his reflection, he was distracted by the sound of movement from the bed. Turning around, he saw that Amarah was now sitting up and stretching her limbs like a lazy cat as she slowly opened her eyes to take in the surroundings of the room. Moving her sleepy gaze to his nude form that stood a few feet from the bed, her eyes instantly lost their drowsiness and were replaced by astonishment as she took in his appearance. Jaime saw the memory slowly seep into her gaze then as she continued to stare at him in silence. He also noticed an enchanting blush traveling from her neck to her hairline before she hurriedly grabbed the bedcovers to cover her nakedness.
Jaime gave an amused grin at her sudden shyness. "There's no need to hide, Princess. I've already seen it all."
She shot him an annoyed scowl over his causal reminder. "I've never woken up naked with a man before."
"Is that so?" Jaime asked her in mock surprise as he strolled back to the bed where she still sat covering her breasts. Without allowing her any time to react, he quickly yanked the temporary covering away, exposing her once again to his hungry gaze. "I would suggest you make the most of it then."
With a look of alarm in those grey eyes at his intentions, Amarah quickly scrambled backwards on the bed to get away from him, but Jaime wouldn't allow her escape him so easily. Wrapping his good hand around her retreating ankle, he gave it a swift tug until she was sliding across the sheets and under him once again. Pinning her small form under his much larger frame, Jaime gave her a disapproving frown.
"I thought I told you never to hide from me, Princess." At these words, he reached up to caress her pretty face with his right arm before realizing that he no longer had a hand to touch her with. Seeing the ugliness of his stump about to stroke her skin, he quickly mumbled a curse before trying to snatch it away, but this time she refused to let him escape.
Quickly moving her hand to catch his arm, Amarah brought it to her face once again. "Don't ask me not to hide from you if you are not willing to do the same" she whispered softly before moving the ugly stump to her lips and placing a gentle kiss there. As he watched her, Jaime felt that dangerous stirring in his heart once more. Where Cersei had been repulsed by his deformity, Amarah embraced him with kindness and compassion.
Shaken by the unexpected gesture, Jaime quickly released her before rising once again from the bed. She looked a bit hurt at his sudden departure, but did not call him back. He was relieved that she did not. Jaime couldn't be held accountable for his actions if he got back into that bed with her.
"You should get dressed" he suggested swiftly. "We need to talk." Putting her in some clothes would help remove some of the temptation to give in to his more basic urges where she was concerned. Not entirely of course, but it would help to ease his mind tremendously.
Realization immediately dawned in Amarah's eyes at the reminder of his plans regarding what to do with her while she remained in the capital. Quietly nodding her head in agreement, Amarah slipped out of the bed to find her discarded dress from the night before. Jaime watched her for a few moments before turning his head away from the fetching sight to find his own clothes. He was getting rather proficient at dressing himself with the one hand, and it wasn't long before they were both in a comfortable state of dress once again.
Avoiding the bed, Jaime waved her towards the chairs before the cold, empty fireplace. Once she had been seated, they heard a small scratching sound at the door indicating someone else's presence. Amarah jumped slightly at the intrusion, but Jaime gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder before going to let in the unannounced visitor. Before he had returned to his chamber the previous evening, Jaime had made certain to speak with a particular person who would help him hide Amarah's presence in the city.
Once he reached the closed, wooden door, Jaime slowly opened it to reveal Varys's expectant face. "How fortunate to see you looking so much better this morning, my lord" the eunuch said in that whispery tone of his.
Not bothering to return the insincere greeting Jaime waved the man quickly inside once he was certain that no one was about. He didn't trust the man entirely, but there was no other person at court who kept secrets better than Varys. Peter Baelish knew much about others, but he liked to lord his knowledge over people in order assert his authority. Varys felt no such need. He already knew the power he held over others with his vast knowledge of their many secrets without feeling the need to reveal his hand. It was a trait that made him much more dangerous than Littlefinger, but also more valuable. Jaime had been forced to threaten the man into helping him, but once Varys agreed to help hide the princess, Jaime had to trust him to keep his word. The only other person Jaime could have turned to for help was now imprisoned in a dungeon. Varys was the only way to safely hide Amarah without his family knowing she was here.
Once Amarah saw who the visitor was, she eyed him with a wary gaze. "Lord Varys" she greeted him with chilling politeness. "It has been too long."
Varys gave her a shallow bow before returning her greeting. "Might I say, my lady, you are looking very well. Your presence has been sorely missed at court."
"Enough with the pleasantries" Jaime interrupted curtly. He was in no mood to play the game of politeness. "Lord Varys is here because he has agreed to help me hide you in the city."
Amarah looked back to Varys then with an expression of surprise. "Has he? How kind of him to help."
"Any person always can be persuaded to help another with the right inducement, my lady" Varys offered, raising his hands in a helpless gesture.
"How fortunate then Jaime could persuade you to help me" Amarah returned with a falsely sweet smile.
Varys turned to regard Jaime then with a penetrating gaze that unnerved him. "Yes, I was surprised at the request, but intrigued as well. Many unexpected alliances are formed in times of war and struggle."
Jaime returned the eunuch's speculative look with a hard smile. "Your interest in our alliance aside, have you done as I asked?"
"Yes, my lord" Varys answered with speculation now gone from his gaze, only to be replaced by an enigmatic expression that hid his true thoughts. "I've come to take her with me now, as a matter of fact."
Jaime didn't know if he liked the idea of letting Amarah out of his sight and in Varys's company no less. He still didn't completely trust the secretive eunuch. His hesitation must have showed though because Varys continued on without waiting for his reply. "It wouldn't do for you to accompany us, my lord. Your presence would draw too much unwanted attention to any of our movements. She will be safe enough with me."
"Where exactly are you taking me might I ask, Lord Varys?" Amarah spoke then, apparently annoyed that they were leaving her out of the conversation.
Varys turned to regard her question with a bland smile. "Since Lord Baelish's sudden departure from the city, I have inherited the responsibilities of his lucrative establishment. We should be able to hide you safely enough there until you decide to leave the city."
It took a moment for Varys's words to sink in before Amarah's eyes rounded in angry shock, and she quickly turned her offended gaze to Jaime. "You intend to hide me in a brothel?" she raged at him, rising from her chair in agitation.
Jaime rose as well, matching her angry stance. "Do you have a better suggestion?" he hissed. "If not, this is the only way to keep my father and sister from discovering your presence in the city. If that were to happen, I'd wager a prison cell would be more offensive to your delicate sensibilities than a brothel."
Amarah looked as if she wanted to argue his point, but after she considered his words for a few moments her shoulders eventually sagged in defeat. "I suppose I cannot argue that point."
"I suppose not" Jaime returned with barely restrained sarcasm before turning to face Varys once more. "Can you transport her between the brothel and the palace if the need arises?"
"Of course, my lord" Varys assured him without bothering to ask what those needs might be. "There are different means at my disposal of safely transporting her to and from the keep."
Amarah's eyes immediately lit with interest at that last statement. "Could you get me into the dungeons to see Tyrion?"
Jaime and Varys both looked at her then with matching expressions of surprise at her unexpected request. "I suppose , my lady, but it would be no easy task. You must allow me some time to see if such a thing is even possible."
"Why do you want to see Tyrion?" Jaime questioned her ignoring Varys's response. Again, he wondered how deeply her attachment to Tyrion went. In an unwelcome realization, Jaime found he was a feeling the smallest bit jealous at the bond Amarah shared with his brother. Quickly brushing away the annoying feeling, he patiently waited for her reply.
"It's been so long since I've seen him" Amarah answered with a helpless shrug. "I want to see that he's all right before I leave the city."
"I might be able to help, my lady" Varys assured her once again. "But it's best if we leave now. Ser Jaime's presence is expected elsewhere."
Amarah didn't look as if she entirely trusted the man, but she slowly nodded her head in agreement. Turning to Jaime, she moved to give him a quick farewell. She didn't embrace him but she leaned forward to whisper something to him. "Thank you, Jaime Lannister" she breathed softly in his ear before quickly pulling away once again.
Jaime didn't have time to return her farewell before he saw Varys push a stone above the fireplace, opening a hidden door in the wall that led to a secret passage. If he hadn't been currently preoccupied with Amarah's safety, Jaime might have found it unnerving that a secret passageway had been hidden in his chambers all these years without his knowledge. Varys disappeared into the shadowed passage first, but Amarah hesitated for a moment before turning to glance at Jaime one last time. She looked to him for a few moments with a silent request in her eyes that pleaded with him not to forget about her. Jaime returned the her pleading look with an assuring gaze. He wouldn't forget. After a few seconds longer, Amarah finally tore her eyes away from his and followed Varys into the darkness. Then she was gone.
I thought it would be fun to add Varys into the mix:) No one's better at keeping a secret than him. Also, now we have the possibility of a meeting up with Tyrion too! What will happen next? Keep reading and find out! Please review or let me hear your thoughts as they are always appreciated:) Thanks so much for reading!