By the time Lyanna returned from her talk with Lord Tyrion she was surprised to find the queen waiting for her, looking none too pleased by the delay she had unknowingly caused. In truth Lyanna had forgotten about the tourney, and the parade that would be held that day with the knights presenting themselves to the lord holding the tournament, or in this case the King, his hand, and a representative of the Lannisters, in front of the gathered crowed, and asking for the favors of the noble ladies gathered. Their Septa had explained the event to them with an almost wistful expression when the tournament first was announced. She had thought it as ridiculous then as she did now.
Should the lady the knight asked for a token be flattered by the request, or secretly hope that the Knight will win the contest, she will grant an item of clothing or a piece of jewelry to the Knight, which he will carry with him throughout the tournament. The more intimate the token the luckier it is believed to be and the higher the Knight can consider himself in the Lady's esteem. The level of the Knights success in the games would later determine how lucky the lady is for future tournaments.
When Arya heard this she had scoffed at the custom and Septa had looked almost offended before she continued her explanation. Apparently it requires great bravery on the part of the beautiful Ladies who are customarily asked to give their favor to an embarrassing number of Knights as it is usually most difficult to pick the one Knight, for they was allowed to give their favor only once, but also because of the difficult task to choose how personal the token should be while a multitude of peasants and townsfolk throw lewd remarks and whistles. The latter had been added with distaste.
Sansa had gotten an almost wistful expression at the prospect of this happening to her, Arya had declared she would never give one, that is was foolish, and Lyanna had silently agreed that it was a ridicules custom. As so Lyanna had had no desire to go to this particular event, but, as her husband had explained, as the tournament was held in honor of the new hand, her father, and the joining of the Lannister and Stark houses her presence was expected. Especially since he was to partake in the tourney. And pegged as one of the favorites.
Perhaps his wording should have warned her, but as her husband rode up to her and requested her favor she had, much to his amusement, stared dumbly at him a good few seconds. The thought that he, or any other, would ask for her favor had never crossed her mind. Sansa? Certainly. But her? She was a bastard, that in itself would probably bring bad luck. Jaime laughed.
"Am I to understand I am being rejected?" He asked, all mirth, as he looked as his stunned wife. She really was quite lovely with her, at times, almost childlike innocence when it came to matters of court life. Unlike his sister Lyanna never welded her beauty as a weapon, in fact she seemed to think it held little consequence.
His question made her glare at him, which only amused him further, before she took off the necklace she had worn and tried to handed it to him. He refused to accept, instead moving closer, clearly meaning for her to place it around his neck. She looked so vexed he almost leaned forward to press his lips against hers when she gave in. But rather than a sense of propriety holding him back it was the thought itself that shocked him so thoroughly that he fell back on the expected words and movements before he rode back to join the other knights. When he removed his armor later he did not fail to note that the necklace she had given him was the very same he had gifted her that same morning, "most priced possession" indeed. She might as well have given him the dirt underneath her shoes, not that any but him would be the wiser. It was enough to make him laugh a full-blown laughter that shook his entire body. She was proving more interesting by the day, his lady wife.
After the event Lyanna rode back into the city with her father and sisters, it seemed the queen had had little inclination to wait for her a second time and as she was talking with her father. During the ride back Sansa would not stop gushing over the shining armor, the great chargers caparisoned in silver and gold, the shouts of the crowd, the banners snapping in the wind... and the knights themselves, of course, the knights most of all. Which had led them to the subject of her new brother. That upset Lyanna more than it should, she did not know why. Perhaps it was simply an easy way to vent her irritation.
"Ser Jaime is less of a brother to you than Jon is, yet him you always refer to as "half", even I, on occasion, am referred to as half-sister by you. But not my husband? He is your brother?"
"I-" Sansa was shocked, never before had Lyanna protested the distinction between her, and Jon, and their other siblings. Only Arya had done so on a regular basis. She was lost for words.
"Why? Because he has a golden armor? Because he is rich? Or perhaps because he, unlike us, is not a bastard?"
"I didn't mean it like that!" She finally protested, just as his father cautiously said Lyanna's name. She ignored them both and turned to look out the window. When they stopped in front of the Lannister home in the capitol Lyanna only stared at it in surprise. She hadn't even considered that they would not be taking her back home with them. But this was her home now, yet…
"I need to come and fetch Night. And Ivory." She added thinking of her beautiful mare.
"I will have them sent over."
"Night won't go with them, if she bites anyone…" She trailed off, she didn't need to say more. All remembered the fate of the two other direwolves.
"I can take them." Arya offered, when their father hesitated. "Night would listen to me, and it is not far."
"She would." Lyanna agreed, wishing she wouldn't have had to as she stepped out of the carriage after her good-byes.
"Wait!" Sansa protested, making Lyanna turn back, before turning to their father. "May I join her? For the afternoon?" Lyanna smiled, though she tried to bite it back. This was no doubt the closest Sansa would come to ask if she was forgiven, and their father knew it too as he nodded his agreement.
"If your sister agrees." Sansa looked at her expectantly as Lyanna gave her agreement. "I will send some guards with Arya when she delivers Night and Ivory. I will expect you to return home with her."
They watched the carriage drive away, and for the first time Lyanna noticed the two red guards that had followed behind them, Lannister guards, her guards. They saw her watching them and both bowed slightly to her.
"My lady?" This was wrong. These were not her guards, she did not know these men, she did not recognize these guards.
"What are your names?" She asked instead. They both answered and she tried to remember them both for future reference. But as they reached the doors another uncomfortable predicament presented itself. She did not know where to go or where anything was bar her quarters, her husband's, and one of the smaller dining halls where they had broken fast that morning. The thought of her quarters, and her soft, new, and never slept in bed almost made regretted inviting Sansa. Jaime had taken her into his after the wedding and she had only briefly glimpsed her own that morning as the maids helped her dress. It had looked so inviting, and she was tired, and while the pain had eased, she was still sore. She wanted that bed. Instead she turned to give her sister an apologetic smile.
"I fear we will have to ask for a tour, I know where nothing is. It was quite hectic this morning."
"I don't mind." Sansa assured her, and her expression revealed just how true that was. She looked far more exited at the prospect than Lyanna looked or felt.
While Lyanna was suitably impressed with her new home, more extravagant than even the King's castle, she was not nearly as enthralled as her sister as she ohed and ahed over the rooms and views from Lyanna's side. Already talking gatherings she could have, and making other suggestions. Seeing to a grand home had always been Sansa's fate, she had always known and, as such, had soaked up the lessons of their childhood. Lyanna had paid little attention, knowing she would never be the lady of a home that would do half the things they were being taught. Instead she had learned to defend herself, how to shoot an arrow, should she ever need to fend for herself, and how to deal with the financial aspects of running a home. It seemed she had been mistaken in her assumption. She also much doubted she would ever have go and hunt to make sure her and Jaime would have enough food for the winter. She had married a Lannister, she would never have to worry about her financial future again.
After finding herself sitting alone by the dining table for the first time in her life Lyanna refused to stay in the hall long, instead putting together a plate and bringing it with her to her quarters, and her nice feather bed. If she was going to spend her first evening alone without her husband she would do so in comfort. She had wanted to lie down from the second she had been forced out of the bed that morning. And by the time her husband made it home from the Red Keep, she was already curled up in her bed with Night guarding her. It was in fact Night's growl that woke her and drew her attention to Jaime, standing in the doorway, watching her.
"With a token such as this", he gestured to the necklace around his neck. She almost laughed. "I almost think you wish my life to come to an end in tomorrows tournament." He said, his voice as amused and unconcerned as always.
"Then perhaps I will find a husband who will dine with his wife next time I marry." She replied. "Or inform her when he leaves, and when he shall return."
"I am a member of the king's guard. It is my duty to safeguard our king and queen. Whenever that may be." He replied, sounding almost dismissing.
"My father, the hand of the king, would dine with his family every night. Yet you will not even dine with me my first evening meal here?"
"I was unaware I would be so missed." His voice was almost teasing now, in truth he had not thought she would mind. He had been informed she left the tourney ground with her father and sisters. And after he had been released from his duty of watching the King parade whores into his bedchambers, and listening as he humiliated his sister, he had dined with Cersei and her children. The thought that Lyanna might have intended to dine with him had never crossed his mind.
"I have never dined alone before, never." She responded sharply, not liking his tone. When she had been ill, even when she had been forbidden from attending the royal feast, she had never been alone, Jon had kept her company as she ate before it began. He, or at the least Arya had always been there. Like he should be with her now!
There must have been something in her face or voice because the next words that left her husband's lips surprised her with their sincerity. "I apologize. This is your first night here bar our wedding night. I should not have left you alone. I should have returned after I had preformed my duty to the King." At her shocked silence his smirk resurfaced, and his ever presence arrogance returned. "Now, what words did you feel the need to have with my father this morning that you could not wish your husband luck before he left for a tournament?"
"You were to prance around on a horse while being ogled by every woman and child in King's Landing, hardly a great feat or challenge." She defended, only making his smirk double in size.
"Am I to understand that my lady wife does not appreciate other women 'ogling' her husband?" he moved towards her, ignoring the direwolf completely. Having seen his wife demonstrate complete control over the beast during their journey on the King's road he felt no need to be concerned. Without her say so, it would not move a muscle to attack him.
"I merely find the thing unnecessary." She protested, while true, it sounded weak even to her ears.
"Perhaps I shall prove to you then that I will always have time for my wife, regardless to how many women are 'ogling' me." He said, still amused, making his way towards her, and the bed.
TBC…
