"Lady Sarah."

Sarah Baratheon stood still as soon as she heard a gruff voice call her name. She turned on her heel and looked back. Robb was moving swiftly down the corridor and she an arched a brow, shocked that he had called her by her real name in the middle of the castle. She was simply fortunate that the corridor was empty for no one to hear him.

"Yes?" Sarah wondered back.

She had been wandering on her own, doing her best not to allow her thoughts to distract her. Her father had sent more ravens, demanding her and Shireen's return to Dragonstone. Fortunately Robb was still refusing to give the girls away. It seemed he really was full of honour.

"I have bad news," Robb's voice slowly drawled as he offered to take her arm.

"What is it?" she asked; her thoughts instantly turning to Shireen as she slowly laced her arm through his. Robb shook his head as soon as he heard the worry in her tone. He knew how she felt. How long had he spent worrying for Bran and Rickon? He knew what it was like to have a sibling and care deeply for them.

"Your sister is well," he promised her. "It is the Kingslayer."

Sarah's brow arched and she wrinkled her nose. "What has Ser Jaime done? He is currently locked in a cell, is he not?"

"Aye, he was," Robb said, choosing to use the past tense. "I do not know where he has vanished to now. He was aided in his escape."

Sarah shook her head, unable to believe what she was hearing from the King in the North.

"It seems Ser Jaime has allies at every corner," Robb complained, his voice full of anger and annoyance as he walked with Sarah by his side. The pair of them finally came to the garden and Robb stood still by the flowers, removing his arm from Sarah's and running his hand down his bearded chin.

"He is determined," Sarah nodded. "I shall give him that. I trust you have sent men after him?"

"Aye," Robb nodded and Sarah noted something in his gaze. She could sense that something wasn't quite right. She was not dumb, nor was she blind.

"What else is there?" Sarah wondered from him. "My Lord, I have been in your presence for a while now. I can tell that there is something wrong. There is something that you are keeping from me."

Robb inhaled sharply and nodded in agreement. He took another moment to brush his hand through his hair before he met her level gaze one more time, doing his best not to look too concerned about what he was about to tell her.

"You are aware that I have men, Lady Sarah," Robb said.

"I think that you can just call me Sarah," she responded. "What of these men?"

"Some of these men happen to be Lord Frey's men...and...they have happened to spot you for who you really are. Apparently they saw you when your father took you to King's Landing."

The blood slowly drained from Sarah as a gulp echoed down her throat and she did her best to keep her thoughts coherent. She struggled for a few moments, doing her best to clear her mind and think of what this meant for her and Shireen.

"I tried to convince them that they were wrong, but it was too late. They sent a letter to Lord Frey. I replied and told him that he was incorrect...but...he warned me what would happen if I was lying. He wants to sell you back to Stannis himself, or ship you off to King's Landing. He thinks he will earn a nice little sum for doing so. If I am lying then he withdraws his support. You know that will cost me."

Sarah took a moment before she sank down on the stone bench in the corner. Robb stood before her, his auburn hair catching in the afternoon's sunlight as his well built body kept her in the shade.

"The Frey men are eager to find you and persuade their Lord that he is right," Robb complained and he sunk down to sit beside her.

She turned her narrowed gaze on to him. "How long have you known about this?"

Robb could sense the anger and some form of resentment in her tone as she spoke to him. She bit down on her tongue for a few moments, doing her best not to snap. It wasn't Robb's fault. He had done the best he could by her. He had kept her safe when she needed him.

"A few days," Robb honestly replied. "I did not wish to worry you if nothing happened."

"We both know that something is going to happen," Sarah replied in a soft whisper. "You need the support of Lord Walder. I am no fool, Robb. If you wish for Shrieen and I to leave then say it."

Robb groaned inwardly and shook his head.

"That is not what I want."

Sarah fully understood what he was saying to her then. "But it is what you must do."

Sarah kept silent and looked over the gardens before turning to glance up at the sky, deducing how long she had before night fell over them. She had to act quickly and find somewhere safe to stay for the night. She only hoped that she would make it somewhere else.

"I have gold dragons," Robb said to her. "I have men who can escort you wherever you want to go."

"I do not know where I am to go," Sarah responded to Robb. "Nowhere is safe. If I am captured then I am either taken to King Joffrey or back home to my father. Besides, do you trust your men not to find out who I am if anyone realises?"

Robb gulped then and shook his head. His men had already intended to rape her before they realised who she was.

"I suspect not," Sarah replied and composed herself. There was no use being weak. She had to be strong and get through this for Shireen. "I shall find a job somewhere, Robb. There shall be places on the Kingsroad or in a small village somewhere."

"I would send you to Winterfell...but..."

"I heard," Sarah said as she recalled Theon Greyjoy and his claim to Winterfell. "Have you heard from Theon?"

"Nothing," Robb mumbled and shook his head. "I have sent men to scout him out."

Sarah sighed and took a deep breath before she stood and Robb did the same. He took a moment to brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear and she took a moment to smile sadly.

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we did marry?" she wondered from him.

Robb chuckled and dropped his hand back to his side, shaking his head back and forth as he did so.

"Sometimes," he admitted. "I do think that my life would have been easier."

Sarah scoffed. "You think your life would have been easier?" she spoke, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I think we would both have driven each other mad in the end, don't you?"

"It is a possibility," Robb nodded and a solemn look came over his face again. "I am sorry, Sarah-"

"-You don't need to apologise," Sarah spoke, interrupting him before she ran a hand down his muscular arm. "I understand, Robb. I honestly do."

There was an awkward silence between the two of them and only then did Sarah dare to peck him on the cheek, a small smile on her face as she backed away from the gardens and ran off to find Shireen.

...

It was turning dark by the time Sarah and Shireen had snuck from the castle. They had moved through the palace until they came to the route which Robb told them to take earlier on in the day. He had assumed that they would say their farewells before sneaking off. He would force some of his men to go with them too, urging them to do the right thing and keep the girls safe.

It seemed that he was wrong. Sarah had taken it upon herself not to take the men, not trusting any of them despite what Robb told her. She wrapped Shireen into her woollen cloak and grabbed her hand, dragging her sister out of the safety of Riverrun.

The two girls wandered away, Shireen constantly wondering if she would see Lady Stark again. Sarah did her best to keep the truth from her sister, knowing that it would only hurt Shireen to hear that she was not going to see Catelyn again.

"I'm cold, Sarah," Shireen compared as the dead of the night snuck over them.

Sarah took a moment to look around the dark forest they were travelling through. She had done her best to stick to the closed road, knowing full well that the Kingsroad would only provide them with foes. They were bound to be noticed and Sarah had no time for that to happen.

"Pull your cloak tighter around you," Sarah urged her sister, keeping hold of her gloved hand as she did her best to spot an inn somewhere along the way. Robb had handed her some money before she had bathed and changed for the final time. No doubt he would be annoyed when he realised she had snuck away from his gaze.

"I have done," Shireen complained to her. "Why did we have to go? Why can we not go back to Riverrun?"

"You know why, Shireen," Sarah said, keeping impatience from her tone. "It is not safe for us in Riverrun. We need to keep moving so that no one recognises us."

"Wouldn't it be better to go home?" Shireen asked. "I know that you said it was dangerous because of the Red Woman...but...mother and father will protect us."

The wince which Sarah held in was for her little sister. Shireen still thought that Stannis could protect them. She still thought that he was a man of the Seven. Their father had changed, and not for the better. Sarah intended to keep that from her sister for as long as possible.

"Mother and father have changed, Shireen," Sarah whispered. "You know that as well as I do. I do not doubt that they would have helped us...they still would...but...it is not safe on Dragonstone. Father is in the process of making a lot of enemies."

That was true enough. Sarah had heard the rumours about Stannis and his plotted challenge on King's Landing.

Sarah kept silent for a moment as the wind rustled and she heard a sudden noise from the trees in the distance. She gulped and looked around, ushering Shireen to stand behind her. She did her best to keep her eyes peeled wide open so that she could see any sign of danger.

The sight which she did see caused her eyes to widen and her mouth to gape.

"He looks scary," Shireen spoke and Sarah looked at the tree which he leant again. "He is in irons, Sarah."

"I know," Sarah replied softly, doing her best not to wake the man. That was the last thing she wanted to do at the moment in time. "He is not dangerous...not to us..."

"How do you know?"

"I met him in Riverrun," Sarah said, knowing that her sister would have no idea about Jaime Lannister. Shireen had never seen him before; hence she knew nothing of the Kingslayer. "He is tame, trust me on that. Why don't you sit down for a minute or two?"

"Are you sure?" worried Shireen and Sarah nodded, her fingers curling around her sister's shoulder before she moved to where Jaime sat. She dropped down to her knees and looked at his gaunt face. Shireen kept her eyes peeled as Sarah pressed a finger to his pulse, checking that he was still conscious.

It was in that moment when his eyes opened wide and his hand snatched her wrist. Sarah screamed and Shireen stood up and jumped back, not sure what she should do. Jaime bared his teeth in a snarl before his grip tightened on her wrist. He forgot where he was for a moment, recalling the dingy cell in Riverrun before he heard the rustling of the wind.

"Seven Hells, Lannister!" Sarah snapped. "What in the name of the Gods are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Jaime sniped back to her. "Have you enjoyed my company that much? Did you think that following me would be a good idea?"

Sarah scoffed and rolled her eyes before pulling her wrist from Jaime's fingers.

"I did not follow you," she said. "I'm on my way somewhere else. The Freys have threatened to hand me and Shireen over to my father...or whoever puts in a good price."

Jaime ran a hand down his beard before he pushed himself to his feet, trying not to trip over the chains which kept him bound.

"Who is he, Sarah?" Shireen suddenly piped up.

Jaime peered around Sarah to see Shireen's small face. He pulled back and a small smirk fell onto his features before he arched a brow at Sarah.

"You dragged her along with you? Isn't that considered dangerous?"

"That depends," drawled Sarah, "on who we run into. What are you doing? Do you know that Robb has men chasing after you?"

"I thought that was considered the wise thing to do," Jaime replied arrogantly. "I didn't think that he would allow his prisoner to escape willingly."

"So you decide to nap?"

"Rest," challenged Jaime. "I must have drifted off to sleep. I suppose I should thank you for waking me so that I can be on my way. Perhaps we could travel together."

"Perhaps you have lost your mind?" Sarah suggested back to him. "You are a wanted man, Jaime. How far do you think you will get? You're weak and alone. Robb's men will catch you soon enough."

Jaime eyed her with discontent. "I am not weak as some."

"I'm serious."

"Then why don't you try to take me back to your Young Wolf?" Jaime pondered from her. "Besides the fact that you would be physically unable to do so."

"You are right," admitted Sarah to him. "I wouldn't be able to and I have no intention of going back to Riverrun myself. What happens to you does not concern me."

"I'm touched," Jaime grinned.

"I can tell," replied Sarah, sarcasm oozing from her voice as she folded her arms over her chest. "I have to go...you should probably do the same."

"You already know that I intend to return to King's Landing," Jaime spoke to her. "Where is it that you are heading off to? There is a price on you and your ugly sister's head."

Sarah glowered before she dared to slap him across the face and Shireen took a moment to look down to the floor. Her eyes watered as her hand went to her greyscale and she ran her fingers over the rough skin. Jaime remained winded for a second before he looked to the ground and remembered how it felt when he heard people speak of Tyrion as an imp.

He closed his eyes and felt a tick in his jaw before he pulled his head back to full height and looked at Sarah's enraged face.

"I apologise."

"Don't apologise unless you mean it," she snapped back to him. "You have no right-"

"-I did mean it," Jaime interrupted her, a tone of impatience to his voice.

The two of them stared at each other and Sarah weighed up his words, doing her best to tell if he was being genuine or not.

"We have to go," Sarah said to him. She wasn't too sure how she should end the conversation or what she should really say to him. All she wanted was to leave him be. But then she thought of him all alone in the open. She thought of what could happen to him if Robb's men found him.

He was better to them alive than he was dead.

Sarah backed away and took hold of Shireen by the hand.

"Do your best to avoid the main road, Princess," he said, mocking her father's sudden claim to the throne. "You never know who is lurking."

She said nothing to him for a moment, not too sure what she should say before she dragged Shireen back through the forest, urging her sister to keep quiet.

Jaime watched as her figure disappeared into the distance and he did a double take around his surroundings, making sure she hadn't placed him in the middle of a trap. Pushing his hair from his face, Jaime turned on his heel and began to walk in the opposite direction of the Baratheons, keeping his head down and his eyes wide open. He didn't intend to be surprised anymore.

...

A/N: I am so sorry I have not updated in a while! University has been hectic, what with editing the student newspaper and then studying on top! Anyway, do let me know what yout hink