Gwen awoke early the next morning, turning onto her other side so her eyes found Jaime's sleeping form. He had the covers held up to his chin and was laid on his back, his breathing low and snores escaping his mouth. Gwen rolled her eyes as she heard him and slowly pushed herself from the bed. She still wore her clothes from the previous evening and she knew that she should change into one of her spare gowns. She had another glance at Jaime, completely confident that he was sleeping.
She took a deep breath and wriggled her body from the gown she currently wore, pulling the sleeves down her arms and pushing them out of her hands. She threw her head over her shoulder, looking at him one more time before pulling the dress fully down her body, leaving her only in her underclothes.
She grabbed the other dress, stepping into it and pulling it tightly to her waist before she heard him speak;
"Is blue the only colour which you own?"
Gwen shrieked loudly, the dress still at her waist as she remained with her back to him. He didn't make a move, remaining laid on his back with his eyes focused on her back. He moved them upwards as Gwen turned her head over her shoulder and her blue eyes found his green ones.
"Can you please close your eyes?" Gwen asked him softly.
"Why?" Jaime wondered from her. "You have underclothes on. The only skin I see is your upper arms. There is no reason for me to turn around."
Gwen rolled her eyes and tossed her head back to the front, drawing her clothes higher up her body. She took a moment to cover herself back up and then turned to look at him. He remained lounging on the bed, his hands behind his head with his eyes focused on the roof of the white tent above him.
"But honestly, is blue the only colour you own?" he wondered and she sighed for a moment and grabbed her shoes from the floor, placing them onto her feet before sitting back on the edge of the bed.
"Blue is the colour of maids for the Starks," Gwen responded to Jaime. She leant forwards, her hands laced together as her eyes drooped slightly. She watched as he dropped his head onto his hand and rolled onto his side.
"You'd look lovely in yellow," he told her honestly and she narrowed her eyes at him. She shook her head, wondering when his words would stop. "Or maybe red."
"Are you feeling alright this morning?" Gwen wondered and Jaime chuckled deeply to her question. He sat up, the cover pooling at his waist and showing the simple nightshirt which he wore. She shook her head as Jaime stretched his hands above his head.
"I feel perfectly fine," Jaime promised her. "Of course I would have slept better if you did not snore so loudly."
"I do not snore!" Gwen snapped back, finally standing up and grabbing the cloak which had rested at the foot of her bed. "You snore."
"I am a man," Jaime retaliated. "It is only right that I snore. You on the other hand are a woman. You should not make such unattractive noises."
"I do not snore," Gwen retaliated. "Now I have to go and get the girls up."
"Are they incapable of doing anything themselves?" Jaime wondered aloud, a loud yawn coming from his mouth as he flopped back onto the bed. "Or do you find it so entertaining to be useful?"
"I care for those girls," Gwen assured him, her hands on her hips as she watched him.
"And do they care for you?" Jaime enquired. "After all you are just their maid."
"I can always rely on you for kind words, can't I, Ser Jaime?" Gwen asked him sarcastically and he laughed once more at her, shaking his head as he looked to the ceiling. "I'll be going now."
"Yes, go," Jaime said, waving his hand in the air as she left the tent. He heard the white material fall back into place when she left and only then did he look upwards, his brows arched as he saw that he was the only one left in the tent.
Gwen made her way back into the inn, wondering what to expect from the Stark girls that morning. She only hoped that their bickering had ceased for she did not think that she could handle much more of it. The main hall of the inn was empty, only a small girl walking around with a mop in her hand, washing the floor clean of spilt wine and disregarded food. Gwen smiled softly at her as she passed her to the stairs. Once up she knocked on the door and waited for a response.
She heard nothing but was shocked when she saw Arya stood there, looking up at her and Gwen's eyes widened. She looked over her shoulder and Sansa stood there, a blonde woman behind her and Gwen felt her pulse begin to race as she realised who it was.
"Ah," the blonde woman spoke. "Here she is. You are late."
"I apologise, my Queen," Gwen said, dipping into a curtsey. She moved past Arya, her hand stroking the braid on her head as she shut the door and the Queen finished the plaiting of Sansa's hair. The auburn hair on her head was pulled back into a braid and Gwen felt her blood run cold as Cersei looked her up and down.
"Your apologies are no use now, are they?" she wondered from her. "We were to depart at sunrise and it has passed that. I had to come here and make sure that Sansa was presentable for she shall be spending time with my son today. I expected her to be ready and found her still asleep."
"I did not think we were to be leaving so early," Gwen defended her actions. "No one in the camp is ready and Ser Jaime did not inform me we were to go so soon."
"My brother?" the Queen checked with her and Gwen held her tongue. She couldn't say anything. She had to keep herself quiet. There was no use in yelling at her, telling her that she knew of her secret. "What have I told you of my brother?"
Gwen said nothing, not truly knowing what to say in response to her. Her head bowed and the Stark girls looked at her with worry. Arya moved closer to her elder sister, waiting for the Queen to speak again. She walked closer to Gwen, her voice a cold hiss as she spoke to her one more time;
"You look at your Queen when she speaks to you."
Gwen held her head up once more, her eyes finding Cersei's emotionless ones.
"My brother is a member of the Kingsguard and you will do well to remember that. Do not blame him for your incompetence as a maid," Cersei demanded and Gwen's cheeks reddened as she heard the Queen.
"I was not blaming him, my Queen," Gwen denied and the Queen sighed, shaking her head sadly and clasping her hands together tightly.
"Unfortunately your failure to tend to the girls has not gone unnoticed," Cersei said to her and Gwen kept her lips pushed tightly together. "You have proven yourself to be unworthy of such a noble family. When we reach Kings Landing then I shall find maids for Sansa. Ones who are trustworthy. She is to be a part of my family and only the best shall suffice."
Sansa gulped at hearing that and Arya shook her head defiantly.
"You cannot get rid of Gwen," Arya snapped. "We need her!"
"You silly girl," Cersei spoke, her voice soft and deadly. "You do not need someone so useless."
"I have served the girls since they were infants," Gwen whispered to the Queen, longing for some pity in her life. She found her gaze one more time and stumbled for a second. Never before had she seen someone look so spiteful towards her. "I cannot leave Lady Sansa or Lady Arya. They need me."
"You foolish chit," the Queen snapped. "No one needs you. You are a simple maid. You are foolish to think anything other than that."
"But we do need her!" Arya snapped but the Queen paid her no attention.
"I do not want you anywhere in my home," Cersei honestly told her. "The girls here shall soon be a part of my family and they need maids who they can rely upon."
"They can rely on me," Gwen challenged her, shaking her head and trying not to allow herself to cry in front of the Queen. "You cannot do this to me."
The Queen arched a brow, taking a step back from Gwen and she shook her head. Her posture never once changed as she saw the maid's emotions shift to anger, her eyes brimming with tears as she kept them held back.
"Do you presume to tell me what I can do?" the Queen wondered. "You forget who I am."
"You cannot do this to her!" Arya roared; her hands bunched into fists by her sides as she looked up to Sansa with wide and pleading eyes. Gwen took a moment to look to the elder Stark as she paled; her eyes wide and a solitary tear falling down her cheek. "Sansa! Tell her that she cannot do this! We need Gwen!"
"I...we..." Sansa stumbled as the Queen glared at her, daring her to challenge her. "She has been with us for a long time," Sansa decided to whisper and the Queen shook her head, moving over to the girl and running a hand down her cheek soothingly.
"And there always comes a time for change. You are to be Queen one day, Sansa, my dear," Cersei whispered. "You need people who you can rely on."
"Are you not listening to us?" Arya snapped at the Queen and her eyes narrowed once more as she looked at the younger Stark. Gwen instantly felt protectiveness come over her as the Queen removed her hand from Sansa's cheek and looked at Arya. "We rely on Gwen!"
"And you should be punished for your insolence," the Queen hissed.
"No," Gwen shook her head and the Queen's head snapped back to her. "Do not hurt her...I shall go...I shall leave..."
The Queen smirked as Arya shrieked again;
"No!" she snapped, moving closer to Gwen and the elder girl dropped down to Arya's height, running her hands along her shoulders. "You cannot go. We need you...you cannot leave us..."
"My Queen," Sansa said; her voice soft as Gwen picked Arya up into her arms and held tightly onto her. Arya's arms wrapped around Gwen's neck as the maid's eyes studied Sansa, wondering what she was going to say. "Would it be possible for Gwen to stay with us until we arrive at Kings Landing? If she were to leave now then she would be by herself on the return to Winterfell. She needs someone to go with her. It is not proper for a woman to travel alone. Arya and I also would like to spend some more time with her."
The Queen listened to Sansa's request and thought about how much longer they would have travelling. She knew that it would be quite a while but not too much time that Gwen could cause much more damage. Besides, if she did this then Sansa may not think of her as a monster. It was a small sacrifice which she was willing to pay.
"If that is what you wish then so be it," The Queen agreed with the girl. "I am not heartless, after all."
Gwen wanted to do nothing more than challenge that statement but she said nothing, watching as the Queen stepped past them towards the door, holding it open and looking in the room for one final time.
"I shall give you a moment to collect your things. Try not to be too long."
She shut the door softly and Arya wriggled around in Gwen's hold, lunging towards her sister with venom in her voice;
"I hate you!" she yelled. "You did nothing to save her! You did nothing to help! I wish that you never wanted to marry the Prince! I wish that you never lied and I wish I never came along on this journey!"
"Arya," Gwen soothed her, placing her back on the ground and forgetting the formalities for one second. She knelt before the small girl and took her hands into her own, forcing herself to smile sadly for the girl. "Your sister could not defy the word of the Queen. No one can go against her. You almost came close to being punished for your words and I do not want to see either of you hurt."
"But she cannot do this," Arya protested, a tear falling down her cheek and Gwen wiped it from her face.
"I...I thought that if I could save you until Kings Landing then I could buy time," Sansa explained softly and Gwen turned to look at her. She had taken a seat on the foot of her bed, resting there with her head in her hands. "We can talk to father...he will stop the Queen...he will tell her that you are not useless and she will see...she has to see..."
"She will do nothing!" Arya roared at her sister. "She hates Gwen and she is the Queen. Her word is final!"
"I...I'm sorry..." Sansa began to apologise quickly, her head shaking back and forth as she sobbed softly. "I should have said something to her. I should have protected you...but I...I have to marry..."
"Sansa," Gwen said softly as she heard the girl begin to blame herself. She stood up again and took hold of Arya's hand. She led her to the foot of the bed and sat down next to Sansa, the younger Stark stood before the pair of them.
"You could not have done anything," Gwen assured them. "The Queen has her mind made up and that is all there is to it. You could not have defied her unless you wanted to be punished. You have an alliance with them now. Marriage to the Prince has ensured that. I do not want you to do anything for me."
"But we will talk to father," Arya nodded hastily. "He will make this better. He has to make her see!"
"Talk to your father if you wish," Gwen said, knowing that it would more than likely be pointless. "But when I am gone then you two need to look after each other. You need to make sure that you stand by each other."
"But Sansa lies!"
"I had to," Sansa hissed.
"And you have both suffered for it," Gwen interjected before the pair of them could continue with their arguing. "But you are sisters. You are sisters and you have to make sure you will both get through anything."
The girls said nothing again and Gwen sighed, knowing that they were letting her words sink in. They remained mute for a moment and Gwen squeezed Arya's hand before picking up Sansa's.
"But why did she want you to go so badly?" Arya wondered aloud. "Why was she so horrid?"
"Arya!" Sansa snapped at her sister. "You cannot speak about the Queen in such a manner!"
"But she was," Arya challenged her sister. "You know that she was!"
"But we cannot say it," Sansa replied in a whisper, shaking her head back and forth as she heard her sister. "We will go and talk to father...we will plead with him..."
"If you wish to then do so," Gwen said, trying not to cry in front of them. "Now come along. We need to be going and I need to go and collect my trunk."
"Will you ride with us today?" Arya urged her and Gwen smiled, squeezing their hands tightly once more.
"Wild horses couldn't keep me away," she promised them and softly pressed her lips to their foreheads before standing up and telling them to hurry up and she would meet them later on.
Gwen left the room, her tears finally flowing down her cheek and she pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling a sob as she wondered what would become of her. She had bought some time with the ride to Kings Landing but she had no idea what she would do then. She would have no work and she would not be permitted to stay in Kings Landing. The Queen would see to that. She'd return to Winterfell, pleading with the Lady Stark to keep her as just a simple maid.
She supposed she may keep her job. But she did not want to leave Sansa and Arya. And she especially did not want to leave them in the care of the Queen. She did not trust the woman and she never would. But Gwen did not need to know why she was being dismissed. The Queen disliked her because she thought of her brother spending too much time with her. She became jealous over nothing.
Gwen's anger built up and she could not help but think that he was to blame for everything. If had never bumped into her in the corridor that evening then she may have been safe. If he had not helped her then she would still be with Sansa and Arya.
"Why the tears?"
His voice stung her as soon as she entered the tent and he was lazily placing his armour over his body, his brow arched as he looked at her. And it was in that one moment when she felt all of her anger boil over.
"Your whore of a sister is the cause of this!" she roared at him and Jaime stopped his search for finding his gloves. "She has had me dismissed from Lady Sansa and Arya! She has classed me as incompetent and not worthy of a place in the palace in Kings Landing!"
Jaime took a moment to register what she had just said to him. He saw the redness of her cheeks and the tears streaming down them, a constant waterfall with no sign of easing up.
"I was late for preparing the girls this morning and she told me that I was nothing. She told me how I would leave as soon as we reach the capital...return back to Winterfell..." Gwen said, shaking her head back and forth.
"At least she has not had you exiled," Jaime said and Gwen's glare met his.
"No, she has not," she agreed, her voice calmer than before. "But she is keeping me from the girls! She is keeping me from them and will poison their minds...I fear for them whilst she is close by...I fear what she could to them..."
"Do not speak in such a manner," Jaime warned her. "This is the Queen you talk of. Besides, you are simply a maid. You can go back to Winterfell and continue with your work there."
"I may be a maid," Gwen agreed, "but I care for those girls more than I care for anyone. I care for them and the Queen does not. She cares for no one...apart from you when you're fucking her behind her husband's back."
Jaime glared at her as soon as she head said it. She would normally have begged him for forgiveness for saying such a thing. She would tremble at his mere threats yet adrenaline pumped through her veins. Hatred consumed her.
"I have warned you, Gwen," Jaime said and she threw her arms to the side, shrugging nonchalantly at him.
"You keep warning me," she said, "but nothing ever happens. You have never done anything and I doubt you will. You are all talk. You have words to protect you but I doubt you are any good with a sword to even contemplate kill me. You did stab the Mad King in the back but what skill does that take? None. It just shows you as a traitor."
"That's enough!" Jaime snapped at her, drawing his sword from its scabbard and held it tightly in his hands. He stepped closer to her and she instantly jumped back. She felt his hand on her wrist, drawing her closer to him as she hit against his armour to no prevail. He quickly spun her in his arms, his sword moving close to her throat as he kept her arms underneath his.
"Let me assure you, Gwen," Jaime hissed, "my words can be followed up. I have no desire to kill you. But the myths are true. The whispers you hear are correct and I could kill you without another moment of hesitance."
Gwen did not shake, refusing to show how scared she was of the weapon in front of her.
"I could tell the King," she whispered, the metal of the sword resting lightly against her skin. "I could tell him what you two do. She has no right to get away with this."
"You tell him and I will kill you straight away." Jaime assured her.
"No you won't," Gwen confidently replied and the sword was removed from her throat as Jaime threw it to the ground, twirling her in his arms before his hands wrapped around her upper arms, squeezing tightly as she shook her head. "You have had plenty of chances to kill me and you never have done. You have told me multiple times that you could have me punished yet you have not caused me pain."
"Do not test me," Jaime warned her and she searched his gaze. "Do you think I want to kill you? Do you think I want to harm you knowing full well that questions would be asked? Killing you here and now would be easy yet the repercussions would be not be worth it."
"It would make you sleep better at night though," Gwen said to him. "Knowing that your secret is hidden once more."
"It probably would," Jaime admitted. "But have you thought this through? If you go and tell the King our secret then what do you think would happen to your beloved girls?"
Gwen said nothing, fear flashing in her eyes for a brief moment.
"The King would disown my sister and she would extract her revenge through you. She would see to it that you suffered for your actions and she knows how to make you suffer. There would be no marriage and the Stark sisters would be tossed out of Winterfell. She would have them hurt and you know that. Never mind poor Sansa's heart would be broken for not being with her beloved Joffrey."
Her silence spoke volumes for Jaime as she thought of what he had said. He would talk to his sister later on in the evening. He would tell her that she had been brash. He knew that she would not change her mind for she was too stubborn.
"She would be powerless...she would not be Queen..." Gwen shook her head and Jaime chuckled.
"There are always those who are willing to serve her," he promised and Gwen looked at him for another moment, her blood turning cold at his words. "Now, you will travel with the girls and keep the secret to yourself. You will say nothing of this to anyone and once we reach Kings Landing then you shall be escorted back to Winterfell."
He pushed Gwen from him and ran a hand through his hair, grabbing her trunk for her and watching as she thought of the dilemma which she found herself in.
"We leave now," he told her, his voice curt. "Remember to be a good girl and keep your mouth shut."
Gwen watched as he stormed out from the tent and she rubbed her eyes, removing the tears from them before she came out onto the cobbled ground, looking around as the men moved to their horses.
"Gwen."
She turned her head to the sound of his gruff voice and she curtseyed as soon as Lord Eddard appeared in front of her.
"Lord Stark."
"The girls told me what had happened," Ned said to her. "I am going to talk to the King. The Queen does not know what she is talking of. She does not realise how valuable you are to those girls."
"Are you speaking ill of the Queen?"
The Kingslayer interrupted the conversation between the pair of them and Gwen looked to him as he held onto the reins of two horses after bringing them from the posts they had been tied to.
"I am speaking to Gwen," Ned replied hastily, glaring at Jaime who remained looking at him with a smug face. "This does not concern you, Lannister."
"It does when you speak of the Queen," Jaime said and Gwen glared at him, keeping a hold of her tongue. "Now, we need to be going. Come along, Gwen."
Lord Stark watched as Jaime held his hands out for Gwen, willing to aid her into the saddle. He shook his head at Lannister, his own hands on her waist before she could say anything. He easily hoisted her to sit on the saddle whilst Jaime arched a brow.
"Is something the matter with my help?" he wondered aloud. "You know, Stark, I would be careful if I were you. People may begin to talk if you continue to aid a maid. You would not want a repeat performance and another bastard child."
Lord Stark glowered at Lannister for a second and Gwen wanted to do nothing more than tell him what she knew. Jaime would not be taunting him then.
"Or it could be that I simply do not trust you, Kingslayer," Stark responded to him and Jaime shrugged nonchalantly, lifting himself onto his own horse and looking down at Ned.
"I'm simply looking out for your reputation," he said. "We wouldn't the Lady Stark heartbroken now, would we?"
Jaime's horse began to trot along; leaving Ned behind as Gwen shook her head sadly and Lord Stark looked at her again.
"I shall speak with the King," he promised her once more.
"Thank you, Lord Stark," Gwen said and he let her be. She pulled at the reins and her horse began to catch up once more with Jaime. But she bypassed him, moving to rest beside Arya who sat on the wagon. The young girl looked at her as did Sansa. The Septa took a moment to glance but she said nothing, her lips pursed together as she looked straight ahead of her once more.
"We spoke to father," Sansa said from the middle seat. "He said that he shall speak to the King."
"I know," Gwen said, smiling softly at them. She couldn't break in front of them. She had to stay strong for they needed her.
"What are you doing?" Jaime hissed at her as his horse stood beside hers and his hand wrapped around her elbow.
"I have come to ride beside the Lady Arya and Lady Sansa," she explained in a hushed tone. "All I was told was that you rode alongside me to protect me. Never once did you say that I had to ride alone with you."
Gwen pulled her elbow from his hold and he shook his head, keeping silent and placing his helmet over his head.
He did not speak to her for the rest of the journey but he did watch how she spoke to the girls. He knew it was all an act. He could tell the falseness which rested in her voice and how it would crack every now and then. She laughed along with them and urged them not to think of her leaving their service. She told them stories and they laughed along with her, thoroughly entertained by everything which she was saying. A break finally came and Gwen took her leave with them, walking close by their sides before ruffling the smaller ones hair.
Jaime watched as they walked along the grass and away from the crowds. They collapsed to the ground and Gwen spoke to them soothingly, wiping away a tear which fell from the elder one's cheek. He watched how she held them close to her and how she tended to their every need. He watched how she held herself tall for them.
He watched it all.
Perhaps he had been wrong.
Perhaps she wasn't just a simple maid after all.
...
A/N: And so I would like to thank everyone who reviewed for their kind words! It really does mean a lot to me and so I thank KingofTruands, Yakitori-Chan, moonlight1fly, Guest, Aegeann, Jofrech22, x XRoweenaJAugustineX x chen, meri and Hendrickx E! It really does mean a lot. And thanks to those following too. I do hope you will continue to let me know what you think! The only downside if that updates may not be every day now as I go back to university tomorrow but I hope you will stick with it!