Gwen returned to the camp, looking around for Lady Stark hastily. But there was no sign of the woman. Darkness had shrouded the camp, the men moving for a nights rest after a couple of hours of drinking and toasting to their win. Gwen had moved through them, ignoring the stares which came her way as she finally left the camp and turned around, wondering where Catelyn was. She remained silent for a moment before she heard the sound of loud grunts coming from the forest which surrounded the camp.
Narrowing her eyes she moved downwards, recognising the man who held the weapon in his hand, flinging it against a tree over and over again. Gwen grabbed her skirts, hauling them up and rushing down as she saw him in the moonlight, tears falling down his eyes as she called to him;
"Lord Robb," she spoke and he stopped his hacking for a moment, turning to look at her. He ran a hand over his nose, tears still streaming down his face as Gwen stopped and looked at him. "What is wrong?" she wondered and she could only think of a handful of scenarios which would affect him in such a way.
"That bastard killed him," Robb spat out and Gwen dared to step closer to him as he swung his sword at the tree once more, the sound ricocheting off the trunk. Gwen reached out for him, her hand resting on his shoulder and he dropped the sword from his hands, leaning against the tree, his forehead pressed into the wood.
"Who?" Gwen wondered.
"Joffrey," he sniffled. "He killed him...he did this...he killed my father..."
"Robb," Gwen said, forgetting her place for a second and dropping the title. She knew he failed to care for he turned to look at her and she acted without thinking. She moved her arms around his waist, holding onto him tightly before he held her back. He bent down like a child, his head resting on her shoulder as he sobbed. She ran her hands up and down his back, trying to soothe him. But she knew that there would be no use. He was inconsolable.
"I'm going to kill them," Robb snapped, his body shaking as she dared to move a hand to his hair, stroking it over his head as if he was a small child. "All of them...the Lannisters...they'll all suffer for this..."
Gwen said nothing, not wanting to encourage him when he spoke so easily about murder. She knew he was upset and lashing out. She could not blame him. She shed a small tear at the situation. She knew that Robb had just lost his father. Eddard Stark had been a good man. He had been a trusting man and Gwen did care for him. She cared for all that he had done for her. And now the children had lost their father. She inhaled sharply, thinking of Sansa and Arya. She closed her eyes tightly, another tear falling down her cheek as she wondered what they were going through.
"I'll make them suffer...I'll cause them pain...all of them..." Robb continued to speak. He knew he was being weak. He should not be crying. He should not be holding onto Gwen as he was. He had known the maid from a young age. He had known her and he trusted her. He couldn't let go of her at that moment in time. His own hand found her blonde curls as he ran his fingers over them and she pulled back slightly.
"You will have your revenge," she promised him, moving her hand to his cheek and rubbing his tears from his face with her thumb. "You will be able to carry on with this, Robb. I do not doubt you. As soon as you have your sisters back with you then you will have your revenge."
Robb looked at her kind smile and he nodded in agreement with her as her hands continued to cradle his face tenderly. He knew that there was only five years between both of their ages. She was not much older than he was yet he sought solace from her.
"Robb."
Gwen dropped her hands from his face and turned to look at Lady Stark who stood with the letter in her hand, unable to let it go. She feared that if she let it go then she truly let Ned go. She couldn't do that. She needed him.
"Lady Stark," Gwen curtseyed for her and Robb stood to her side. "I am so sorry...I just heard..."
"Thank you, Gwen," Catelyn said formally, a stiff nod escaping her head. "Can I have a moment with my son? I need to speak with him."
Gwen nodded once, seeing the tears which continued to stream both of the Stark's faces. She glanced back at Robb, daring to rest her hand on his arm for a moment before leaving the two of them to be and discuss things which had happened.
The maid placed a hand over her mouth as she shook her head, thinking about what had happened. She moved to her tent, methodically gathering the jug of water and cloth before heading out to look for the Kingslayer. She deduced he wouldn't have moved far since the previous time she had seen him and she was correct. Of course the men had been around him, taunting him during her absence and she could see the dirt on his face once more.
"You just cannot stay away from me, can you?" he taunted her and saw the vacant look in her eyes as she dropped down onto her knees and said nothing back to him. He arched a brow in her direction, waiting for her to say something in return to him.
"What has happened?" he asked her and she finally allowed her gaze to settle on his eyes. He looked at her, completely unprepared for her solemn behaviour.
"Your sister's son..." she trailed off and Jaime arched a brow. "He killed Lord Stark."
Jaime said nothing, knowing full well what this meant. Going to war over his brother was one thing but going to war over Lord Stark was completely different. What had Joffrey been thinking? Did he not know what he would invoke because of his actions?
"So the Lady Stark is a widow," Jaime concluded. "The suitors will be lining up at the doors for her."
"Is that all you can think about?" Gwen snapped at Jaime, anger coursing through her veins. "Your nephew has taken away a husband and a father. He has ruined lives without any regards. Do you not know what they are going through?"
Jaime watched her as she rinsed the cloth and held it in her hands. He wished she would hurry up for the dirt on his face was becoming increasingly annoying. His brows furrowed together and he shook his head at her.
"People die, Gwen," he reminded her. "I thought that you of all people would understand that. You lost your mother to death. It is what happens."
"That was a natural cause," Gwen hissed at him. "This is murder. This is cold blooded and spiteful."
"You really do have a low opinion of my nephew," Jaime muttered under his breath. "War will be war. People will die, Gwen. The honourable Ned Stark is not immune to this fact...although he isn't exactly honourable...he does have a bastard..."
Gwen reacted once more, her hand hitting Jaime's cheek to silence him. It worked and Jaime turned to glare at her as she placed the wet and cold cloth to his face.
"Don't you dare talk about honour," Gwen demanded him. "You do not know what that is. You have no right."
"But I do," Jaime said, leaning as far forwards as possible, his breath tickling Gwen's ear as he spoke lightly to her. "I've never been with anyone but Cersei. That makes me much more honourable than dead Ned."
Gwen pulled back from him before he leant against the post one more time, his back hitting it and a smug smirk on his face. She said nothing to him, knowing that he truly was vindictive and calculating.
"You fucked your own sister. There is no honour in that," Gwen said.
"Should a Lady say such words?" Jaime wondered, his voice one of shock as Gwen refused to stop glaring at him. She shook her head, running the cloth down his neck as her teeth ground together.
"I am no Lady," she warned him. "I am no Lady and you will do well to remember that. You are nothing either. You are a prisoner and a vile one at that."
"Vile? I admit that I do smell vile but I can hardly help the way I smell, Gwen," Jaime made a loud tut noise after speaking to her. "You do know that a bath would be nice. You may even learn something."
The suggestion could not stop Gwen's cheeks from turning red as she shook her head.
"You're despicable."
"I have been called many things but despicable is not one of them."
"I am surprised," Gwen muttered, clearing the dirt from his cheek and he closed his eyes in content for a moment, the feeling soothing to him.
"I assume the boy is distraught. The news will anger him and spur him on," Jaime said thoughtfully. "He will become reckless. He will be dead within the month if he allows anger to consume him."
"It is revenge," she said simply and dropped the cloth down, noting how his armour had been removed from his body. She looked at the blood stain on his dirty coat and he followed her gaze.
"Stark's men seem to have taken a disliking to me," Jaime commented. "I think my ribs may be in bad shape. Take a look if you want. I am sure you have never seen the flesh of a true man before."
She looked back to him, wanting to slap that smug smirk from his face once more but she refrained. She dropped her hands down to the bottom of his breeches, tugging at the material there as Jaime continued to grin, watching as she slowly drew the white material up from the band of his breeches and revealed the bruising on his ribs.
"I think you may be right," Gwen mumbled, her fingers delicately touching the skin yet it caused Jaime to wince in pain.
"Could you be more careful?"
"Stop acting like a girl," she scolded him and he arched a brow, his face holding a dark expression.
"Watch how you speak. You know how that smart mouth of yours can get you into a lot of trouble."
"I think enough trouble is going on without the concern of my smart mouth," Gwen replied, wondering what she should do about his ribs. She would find some bandages and wrap it around his midriff. "Besides, you really cannot tell me how to behave. You're the one trapped as a prisoner now."
"Ironic," Jaime simply said to her. "How times have changed...I get to be the prisoner instead of you...although your conditions were much more luxurious than mine. And you escaped in less than a day."
"I don't see that happening with you," Gwen admitted to him. He chuckled then, tossing his head back as his ribs ached from the movement. "I suppose you're lucky Lord Robb doesn't have you killed. He does seem to value your life more than anyone else in this camp."
"Even more than you, Gwendolyn?" Jaime taunted her.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" Gwen hissed, pressing a goblet of water to his lips. He slowly drained the liquid, the taste of it soothing his throat.
"Why not?"
"It really is none of your business," Gwen assured him. She took a moment to look back into the camp and she wondered if the men knew of the news yet. She assumed Lord Robb would tell them soon enough. "Besides, I am only here to make you sure you don't die. I'm the only one willing to do it."
"Thankfully you're also the best looking one," Jaime said. "And why are you willing to do it?"
"I have no choice. It is either me or someone force feeding you. Are you complaining?"
"Not one little bit," Jaime said with an ounce of sincerity in his voice. "It is almost as if you care for me, Gwen."
"Perhaps it is not only a Lannister who repays their debts," she muttered and Jaime's lips pressed into a firm line and he studied her as she poured another goblet of water and brought it to his lips. "Even after what you've done...pushing Bran...you still helped me escape and for that I will treat you with some decorum. No matter how much it pains me."
"Very noble," Jaime commented. "And does Lady Stark know of how I pushed her beloved son from the window?"
"She is grieving for her husband," Gwen reminded him. "I will tell her tomorrow morning. She deserves one night with her son for comfort."
"And when you tell her...what do you think she will do?" Jaime asked her. "Do you think she will kill me?"
"No," Gwen said confidently. "She will want to. I do not doubt that she may slap you-"
"-Thankfully you have prepared me for that-"
"-But she will not kill you. She knows that your life is valuable. If she kills you then Lady Sansa and Lady Arya are in danger. She may hate you and wish you dead...but it will not come at her hand..."
Jaime looked into the distance and to the camp where the men were. There noises had been toned down in comparison to earlier before. He had heard them shout and laugh about how they would destroy ever single Lannister there was and Jaime knew who would be first on their agenda. The beating which he had received had hurt him, he would deny it. The pain was only just bearable. He knew that he couldn't show any sign of weakness. If you give them a sign then they will use it against you. They will see you suffer.
And he knew that they would eventually kill him if he did not escape or if he was not used for a bigger purpose.
The men would continue their taunts and Jaime would take them. He would ignore them for a Lannister did not care what anybody thought of them. It would do him no good to dwell on their venomous words. No. He knew the only refuge would come when she would see to him. He knew the only time he could find peace would be with her.
"And if you're not careful then they will kill me first," Jaime informed her, his chin jutting out towards the camp. Gwen followed his gaze and lowered her head. She picked the bread out from the pack she had managed to make up and she tore a small part off.
"They won't," Gwen said confidently. "They are loyal to Lord Robb. They will do as he asks them."
"Every man has their own opinion," Jaime told her. "I was loyal to the mad King and look how that ended up."
Gwen huffed, watching as he chewed the bread in his mouth and she continued to stare at him with wonder.
"And I thought that you didn't fear death?" Gwen wondered and Jaime looked her in the eye as she moved closer to him, placing another piece of bread into his mouth.
"I don't," he confirmed. "When you are in battle then you expect death to come...you wait for it and if you are good enough then you evade it. But sitting here and waiting for it to happen...well...that is the part that is the worst."
Gwen allowed her eyes to narrow and she shook her head, disagreeing with him as she tore some bread off and ate it for herself much to Jaime's horror.
"Everyone fears something," she informed him. "Death is unknown. Everyone fears the unknown."
"Even you?"
"Yes," Gwen admitted to him and shook her head, realising that she should not be conversing with him when he was a prisoner. But she could not help herself.
"And you do know that bread is meant for me?" Jaime checked with her. "I've hardly been fed since I've been here."
"You've only been here for a short time," Gwen scowled. "Besides, sharing is the kind thing to do." She reminded him and then noted how Jaime's gaze left hers. He watched on as Lord Robb and Lady Stark moved down the hill towards him, their eyes narrowed and pain evident on their faces.
"Have you come to kill me, Lady Stark?" Jaime called out as they approached and Gwen turned her head over her shoulder to watch the pair of them come towards the prisoner.
"Save your words Kingslayer or I shall have your tongue cut out," Robb growled lowly, not too sure why his mother wanted to speak to Lannister on her own. He had told her that he would escort her to him, shocked to see that Gwen was still there and conversing with him. "And do not think that I won't."
"I can only imagine what a waste that would be for the seven kingdoms," Jaime spoke to them and then looked at Gwen, knowing that she would soon be leaving his company. "Besides, I should thank you for having such a loving maid tend to me. She really is quite something. I imagine you are thankful that she is in your employment, boy."
"I did not know Gwen was tending to you," Robb admitted. And it had been true. He had only been in the camp for a while before his mother had told her that she had ordered Gwen to make sure he didn't die. "And if you say something out of turn then I will send your head to your father."
Jaime arched a brow as Gwen stood up, holding the jug of water in her hands and cradling it to her as she looked around uncomfortably.
"How touching," Jaime drawled. "Your loyalty for this creature is quite something."
"Robb," Catelyn interrupted before Jaime could say anymore. "Take Gwen back to the camp. I need to speak with him."
"Is this about dead Ned?" Jaime dared to wonder. "Do you need someone to warm your bed now, Lady Stark?"
Gwen felt her throat clench as he taunted her and he caught her gaze, seeing the disapproval resting on her pale features. His smirk faltered for a moment then but he soon regained composure as he saw Lord Robb take hold of Gwen by her arm and lead her away from him. Jaime turned his attention to Catelyn, his gaze occasionally going onto the boy who held Gwen to his side.
He saw her turn back around and look at him as Lady Catelyn hit the side of his head with a rock. He controlled his breathing, staring past her and to Gwen who had her mouth open in shock as blood ran down his face.
"Why are you taking care of him?" Robb asked Gwen as he led her back into his tent and offered her a seat at the foot of his bed. She sat down and looked at him as he stood before her, his hands on his hips and a questioning gaze in his eyes.
"Someone has to," she said. "You need him alive if you want to see Lady Arya and Lady Sansa again. If the banner men had their way then he would be dead in the next week. He is no use then."
"I am the one controlling the banner men," Robb reminded her. "They would not go against my words. They can look after him. You do not need to be anywhere near him."
"I do," Gwen said and Robb arched a brow, wondering why she had dared to challenge him. "He needs to stay alive and I need to be the one to do it."
"Why?" Robb asked and Gwen faltered for a moment, wondering why indeed. Why did she need to care for him? He had pushed Bran from a window. He had committed atrocious acts. But he had helped her. He had threatened her, yes, but he had also helped her. She knew it was only right to repay the favour.
"Because," Gwen began her lie, "I know that if I take care of him...and make sure he is well...then we have a chance of having Lady Arya and Lady Sansa back with us. I care for them as much as you do. I want them back and I know that you do, too."
He said nothing back to her then and so she took it upon herself to continue to speak.
"I feel that if I do this then I am helping them...I know it sounds mad...but it is something I have to do. If your banner men were to look after him then we know that would mean he would barely just survive."
"It is all he deserves," Robb spat and Gwen shrugged nonchalantly. "Do you not know who he is?"
"I cannot forget who he is," Gwen spoke back. "But if making sure he doesn't die is the only task I can complete to help the girls then I am willing to do it."
Robb folded his arms over his chest and said nothing to her, choosing to sit down beside her on the foot of the bed and she looked to him once more.
"You will get them back," she promised him.
"I don't know how."
"You are your father's son," Gwen reminded him. "You will think of a way."
"You should retire for the evening, Gwen. It is late and there has been too many emotions running around today."
"Yes, Lord Robb," Gwen said and she made her leave.
The new Lord of Winterfell watched as she left and he wondered if she was right. He wondered if he could win this war.
...
A/N: So thank you to smilin steph, Jofrench22, moonlight1ify, KingofTruands, Yakitori-Chan, Guest and Guest for reviewing! Let me know what you all think pretty please!