Author's Note: Here's the next chapter! Sorry for the long delay between chapters this time. I got a little distracted by the Olympics and used all my free time to watch sports instead of writing, but I will try to get up these next few chapters more quickly to make it up to ya'll for the long wait. So enjoy!
Jaime's temples throbbed as the blood in his viens pounded through his head in a frustrated rhythm. He squeezed his eyes shut in an effort to will away the ache in his head brought on by an aggravating encounter with his father. Tywin had once again tried to convince Jaime to give up his position on the king's guard, but as always Jaime had refused. Those encounters always ended the same, with Jaime feeling frustrated and angry while Tywin looked on with the disapproval of a disappointed father.
There were many reasons why Jaime refused to follow his father's wishes that he become the great lord of Casterly Rock and command and army of thousands to defend their family name. For many years the main reason had been Cersei as Jaime had wished to remain as close to her as possible, but things were different now. He didn't defy his father because he wished to stay close to Cersei. She had made it abundantly clear the evening before that she didn't care to have him near her in his altered condition.
He continued to buck against his father's will because his position in the capital gave him the power to control his own life. Be the soldier he always wanted to be without the weight of some family legacy hanging over his head. Jaime wanted to honor his family name, of course, but he didn't see why the whole affair should hinge on his willingness to throw off the golden cloak of the King's guard to return home to Casterly Rock. He was perfectly content to stay as he was, even if his father wasn't.
On top of the disappointing discussion regarding Jaime's unwillingness to resign as captain of the King's guard, his father had been none too pleased with Jaime's tale about the demise of the little princess Baratheon. When they had spoken last night he hadn't mentioned the affair to his father as he was more burdened with thoughts of his little brother, but Cersei had run to Tywin with the tale quickly enough. As Jaime had anticipated, his father had not been happy to be deprived of such a valuable asset to shift more power to the Lannister cause in this war of kings. Jaime could still see the thundercloud of anger that lurked in his father's dark gaze.
"How could you have let this happen?" Tywing questioned him as if Amarah's supposed death were somehow Jaime's fault.
Instead of giving into the urge to defend himself, Jaime leaned back to regard his father with a look of lazy insolence. "I could hardly have anticipated that she would slit her own wrists now could I, Father? I've not the great power of foresight after all."
Tywin shot him a disapproving frown over that response. "Don't be clever with me, boy. You should have brought her to me alive. She's no use to us dead. We could have married her to one of the endless Lannister relations to keep her and any followers of the Stag house in line. Now we have nothing but a dead girl and her supporters scattered to the wind."
"If she wasn't dead already, father, I'm certain she would be before marrying one of my stupid Frey cousins" Jaime offered with a careless wave of his hand. He shouldn't have pushed his father, but he couldn't seem to help it. He always said too much sometimes in an effort to prod others with his words, sometimes even his own father.
The look on Tywin's face said he was less than amused with Jaime's observation. "I think you overestimate the will of a woman. You're sister did as she was told when she married Robert Baratheon. No matter her reputed stubbornness, that little Stag would have done the same."
Jaime was tempted to smile at his father's assessment of Amarah's supposed biddable nature. He kept the smile at bay though in an effort not to goad his father's temper any further. "I'm certain you are right, Father. She would no doubt be as willing as any bride forced to marry a stupid man" he said with a smirk before rising with a swift bow to indicate he was finished with their discussion. His father stopped him with a quick word before he could turn to go. He wanted to give him a gift.
Jaime was pulled from the memory as he gazed at the gift in his hand. It glinted in the afternoon sun mocking him in its perfection. Tywin's gift to Jaime had been a sword forged from the Varlyian steel of the blade that had once belonged to Ned Stark. Now the power of that family lay with House Lannister as evidenced by the sword that now rested in Jaime's palm. Jaime caught sight of his scowling expression in the shiny surface of the blade. What use was such a gift to a cripple? Tywin had known what a blow it would be to his son's now fragil self-esteem to give him a gift fit for the man Jaime used to be. Now, the sword was as useless in his hand as Jaime was himself.
His gaze turned away from the dreary reflection in his sword as he heard the sound of someone entering his domain. After his conversation with his father, Jaime had retreated into his solar where he spent his hours when he desired to be alone. Any other time he would have ordered whoever it was to leave him in peace, but at the present moment he would welcome any distraction to rescue him from sinking into the dark mire of self-pity once again.
As his gaze rose to meet the veiled smile of Varys, he was even more receptive to the interruption. He quickly put away the heavy sword in his hand before addressing the eunuch. "I trust you've succeeded in granting my request?" he asked with a half-smile that wavered between friendly and hostile.
Vary's returned his Jaime's request with a nod of confirmation. "Indeed I have, my lord. The lady will be very safely cared for."
The thought of Amarah in a whore house brought an unexpected smile of amusement to Jaime's lips. "I trust she's settling in?"
"As well as can be expected, my lord" Varys answered. "She seemed well enough when I left her."
"She'll do better there than she would in this keep" Jaime said with a grim frown recalling his father's plans for the girl. Better she live with the whores than become one herself all for the sake of his family's ambition.
"Your concern for the lady is rather a surprise" Varys said in his sly whispery tone, breaking into Jaime's thoughts of Amarah. "Neither of you seemed to hold too high an opinion of the other before this."
Jaime gave the eunuch a threatening smile that indicated his displeasure at Varys's curiosity at the the relationship between himself and the princess. "As you said, Varys, many surprising alliances are formed in times of war and struggle." Jaime gave a hard look then that indicated that he would say no more on the matter. "In three day's time I will require to see her again. I'm sure you can accommodate such a reasonable request." Three days would give Jaime enough time to discover what he could about Amarah's missing cousin.
Varys's enigmatic expression slipped just slightly to reveal his displeasure at arranging a clandestine meeting between Jaime and the hidden princess, but he took care not to voice it, instead giving another of those veiled smiles. "I'm certain that can be arranged, Ser Jaime. However, her request to see Lord Tryion might not be as easy to fulfill. He has been moved to a tower cell and will remain under constant guard during the trial of King Joffrey's murder."
Varys's reminder of Tyrion's imprisonment brought a dark scowl to Jaime's face. That was yet another matter that would require his attention. "I'll discuss it with her" he assured the eunuch. "Just have her in my chambers at the requested time. Now I will bid you a good day. There is someone else I need to see."
Varys returned Jaime's dismissal with a brief nod of farewell before quickly exiting the solar. Jaime waited a few moments until after Varys's departure to make his own exit. The mention of Tyrion in a tower under guard brought to mind another person who was currently rotting away in seclusion under Jaime's orders. He would need to release the creature so she could be free to train with the men. She would need to regain her strength if he was going to allow her to accompany Amarah on the journey to find the missing Stark girl. As Amarah had proved, she had no skill in defending herself with a blade. Jaime still remembered her foolishness in killing that guard without even watching to see where she had struck him. He could still remember the rush of horror that she would miss the ugly son-of-a-bitch entirely and get them both killed. Amarah would be in dire need of decent protection once she left the city, and Brienne of Tarth was the only one that could be trusted to help her.
It was safe to release the wench now as Jaime had spoken to Loras Tyrell that morning to knock some sense into the boy's thick skull. Loras knew that Brienne of Tarth hadn't killed Renly Baratheon. Even Jaime could see the wench thought she was in love with the dead man, and he had barely held a civil conversation with her. Loras had seen her with his dead king and knew the truth, even if he was reluctant to admit it. He had only wanted someone to strike out against as the true culprit behind Renly's death was out of his vengeful reach. Jaime was in no mood to deal with the boy's petulance. He had informed Loras that Brienne of Tarth would be free to roam the halls of this keep and there was naught the boy could do about it. If he didn't like it then he was welcome to leave the King's Guard. Not surprisingly, Loras had opted to accept Jaime's decision, though he made it clear he didn't like it. Jaime made it equally clear he didn't care.
After a short while he finally came to the tower room that was housing Amarah's lady knight. Jaime told the guards before the door they were relieved of duty before entering the room that housed the wench. When he entered he saw her pacing around the room like an agitated animal rearing to leave its cage. The moment she saw him standing there, the agitation in her eyes was replaced by anger as she let out a furious roar and marched toward him before grabbing him by the collar of his tunic and slamming his body against the stone wall. Jaime was too stunned by her actions for a few moments to give any type of reaction. After he recovered the breath she had knocked from his body he gave her a dangerous glare before shoving her away. He might not have his hand, but he still had more strength than her, and he didn't plan to let the wench throw him around when she was in a fit of temper.
"What exactly do you hope to accomplish by smashing my skull against a wall, wench?" he asked her with that dangerous glare still in his flashing green eyes.
The anger in her eyes more than matched his as she ignored his sarcastic question. "Where is my lady, Kinglsayer?"
So that's why she is in such a rage Jaime noted, forgiving her a bit for the show of temper. Despite her ugliness and boring conversation she was a good knight. "Your lady is safely hidden away" he replied in a much calmer voice than before.
Brienne sneered at his reassurance, making it clear she didn't trust him. "Why should I believe what you say?"
"I see no reason why you should" Jaime answered with an unconcerned shrug. "But tell me this, wench. What reason could I possibly have to lie to you? If I had Amarah thrown into a cell bound hand and foot, I could simply leave you here in this room to rot before I chopped that ugly head from off your shoulders. As it is, I'm releasing you from your confinement to move about the keep as you wish. You'll have to regain your strength by training with my men. They won't like it of course, but I'm certain you've dealt with such resistance before."
Throughout Jaime's little speech, Brienne continued to eye him with a wary gaze, but once he finished speaking some of the wariness had been replaced by confusion. Jaime supposed that emotion was better than the anger she had before. "Why are you helping us, Kingslayer?"
Jaime tried to still the frustrated grinding of his teeth at that title but didn't fully succeed. The action reminded him of Amarah's fascination with that spot on his jaw where the angry tick showed testifying to his annoyance. He quickly rid himself of the distracting notion and turned his full attention on the ugly wench before him. "I'm helping her, wench, not you. I plan to let her leave this city, but she will need you for protection. You can't very well protect the girl while being locked away in this room."
"You plan to release us?" Brienn asked, the wariness in her gaze once again. "My lady has no where to go."
The words reminded Jaime of Amarah's mournful realization the evening before. "She has a purpose though, to find her cousin Sansa Stark. You will help her do this."
In Jaime's mind their conversation was now finished as he had informed her of Amarah's fate and given the wench her freedom. He turned to leave her when she stopped him with the sound of her voice.
"You care for her, Kingslayer." It wasn't so much the words as the astonishment behind them that caused him to turn back and face her once again. Brienne wasn't accusing him now. As he swung around to regard her with a cynical smile, he was struck by the shock in those big, blue eyes. It was on the tip of his tongue to refute her claim that he cared for Amarah, but something made him hold back the stinging reply. Perhaps it was the knowledge that there was some truth in the wench's words.
Instead he just gave her another of his cutting smiles before turning back once again to leave her. "Make use of your freedom, wench. Your lady will need you at your best."
So there it is! I hope it was worth the wait:) We'll have to wait a bit longer to meet with Tyrion, but in the meantime we'll get some more Jaime/Amarah interaction. I hope that can tide ya'll over till we see the little lord. Please review! Thanks for reading!