Jaime didn't know how much blood Sarah had lost, but he knew that it had been enough to make her sleep. She rested in a bed in an inn just off the Kingsroad. Jaime had demanded for some form of maester to be brought to him and the woman behind the bar had not refused. She had sent word for a local woman who had healing powers to see to the girl. Jaime had also demanded her to close the inn for any other business, promising her gold beyond her dreams if no one was to find them hiding there.
It was only when she left Sarah's room did she shake her head at Jaime. The knight had kept Shireen close to his side, the girl sobbing at every given moment. Jaime had done his best to be strong as the woman merely shook her head and Jaime glowered at her. She swept down the staircase, leaving Jaime and Shireen in the narrow corridor.
"Is she going to be alright?" Shireen sniffed once the woman had left and Jaime looked down to the girl. Her face was one which even caused Jaime's chest to ache. How did he tell her that she was about to lose the only family who had cared for her? How did Jaime do that to her?
"You should go and speak to her," Jaime merely responded. "She may not make it."
"No," Shireen whispered. "Sarah is strong. She can do it. I know that she can."
"No one is invincible," Jaime whispered back to the little girl and she pushed the door open, rushing into the room.
Jaime stepped in behind her as Shireen jumped onto the side of the bed and began to run her hands over Sarah's shoulders, trying to get her to wake up even for a brief moment. Jaime closed the door, bolting it shut and looking around the room, taking in the dullness of it. A small fire roared in the fireplace whilst a metal tub stood in the corner. A desk sat beneath the window and a small bedside table was next to the four post bed which Sarah occupied.
"Shireen," Sarah finally peeled her eyes open, her sister's face in her gaze as the little girl sobbed loudly and Jaime moved over to the bed. He remained hesitantly stood, not too sure what he should do whilst Shireen wrapped her arms around Sarah's shoulders.
"You have to get better," Shireen urged her sister. "You have to get better!"
"Come now," Sarah said, trying to sit up against the pillows.
Jaime noted her struggle and he moved to help her, his hand under her arm to rest her against the pillows. She winced at the motion before holding her hand out to Shireen, squeezing the little girl's fingers within her own. Sarah remained silent for a few seconds, not too sure what she should say to her.
"You are safe and that is all that matters," Sarah promised her sister. "Mother and father will find you and they will take care of you. But you have to be good for them."
"I don't want them," Shireen sniffed. "I want you."
"I know," Sarah agreed, "but I will always be with you. I will always be with you even if I am not here. You have to believe that."
Jaime kept silent before settling himself down into the chair from the desk which he had dragged to stand next to Sarah's bed. Shireen cried some more and Sarah soothed her, the sight one which even managed to bring a look of despair to Jaime's face. It didn't take long before Shireen fell to sleep next to Sarah and the elder Baratheon girl turned her stare to Jaime.
She moved her hand, doing her best to reach for Jaime's hand. He reacted quicker, grabbing her hand inside of his and holding it tightly as she gave a sad smile to him. Jaime leaned forwards in the chair, his golden hand brushing her hair from her face as he noted a sheen of sweat covering her body.
"How bad is it?" Sarah wondered.
Jaime stood up and peeled the covers from her body. The healer had done her best to sew up the wound, but it was a haphazard job. The bandages were covered in blood, seeping through Sarah's gown and onto the underside of the cover. Jaime dropped the cover back over her body and sat on the edge of the bed then.
"Bad then," Sarah mumbled when she saw the look of horror on Jaime's face.
He had no cocky remark for her, nor did he think his mind could form one. He took a few seconds to himself before leaning over to kiss her chastely; unsure of what more he could do to ease her passing. Sarah tried to respond. She tried to move her hands to his hair, wanting to do nothing more than run her hands over his features and try and memorise every aspect of him.
"Don't," Jaime whispered against her lips as he felt her strain to pull herself closer to him. "Don't strain yourself. Save your energy."
Sarah looked at him sceptically as he wiped away the tears from her eyes with his left hand's thumb, brushing his other fingers over her cheek whilst she kept her head in the pillows.
"How much time do I have left?" she worried from him.
"I don't know," Jaime answered truthfully. "I had the innkeeper send a raven to your mother and father. They are less than a day's ride from King's Landing or so I heard. It seems that Stannis is intent on getting you back."
Sarah nodded, coming to realise that she wouldn't see her mother and father again. She had feared that during the entirety of her time in King's Landing, but now it seemed so real. It was much more painful. She longed to look into her father's eyes and tell him that he was a good man without the Red Woman. She wanted him to do the right thing, but she didn't want him to kill innocents.
"Make sure they get Shireen back," Sarah urged him. "I don't want her to see...just...keep her sheltered..."
"I will," Jaime promised her that. "I will keep her with me until they arrive."
"And you?" Sarah worried and Jaime picked her hand up, his fingers entwining into hers as he did his best to focus on that movement instead of on her face. He knew that looking into her lifeless eyes would only bring him pain he did not know if he could deal with.
"Hopefully no one will note my absence for a couple of days," Jaime spoke. "I could say that I went chasing after you and I found you dead...or perhaps your father shall have my head if he reaches here alive..."
"No," Sarah replied. "Shireen will tell him the truth. She will tell him what you did."
"And do you think that would stop him taking my life?" Jaime asked her back. "Don't be foolish, Princess. Stannis Baratheon is not a lenient man."
"He will be," Sarah promised him. "He has to be."
Jaime didn't bother to argue with her, choosing to keep silent as he heard her inhale for a sharp breath and she winced at the pain she was in. Closing her eyes, Jaime shook his head and bent down to kiss her again, making her eyes peel open slightly.
"Don't close your eyes," he urged her. "Just don't shut them, Sarah."
"I'm tired," she whispered. "I'm so tired."
"I know, but you have to fight it," Jaime replied. "You need to try for me, Sarah. You need to try and fight it."
"I'm not scared," Sarah suddenly whispered to him and Jaime's forehead rested against hers. "For some reason I am not scared, Jaime. Not anymore."
"You always were a mad fool," Jaime whispered and Sarah's lips quirked and her eyes closed again, her fingers turning limp inside of his as he pressed his lips to her cheek again and she continued to smile sadly, unable to open her eyes to look at him again.
"That's why you loved me," she whispered and Jaime scoffed, a strangled noise escaping him as he felt her grow limp.
"I suspect so, Princess." Was all he managed to offer back to her before her fingers fell from his and her breathing slowed until it was no more. Shireen remained peacefully unaware as Jaime grabbed hold of Sarah's waist and his hand pressed her head against his shoulder as he clung onto her, refusing to let her go from him.
...
Jaime suspected it had been a day since Sarah's death when Stannis and Selyse Baratheon stormed into the room, their eyes unable to process what they were seeing. Jaime had not moved from the chair next to Sarah's bed, his hand had not left hers. Shireen had curled by her sister's side, begging for her to wake up again.
"No," Selyse whispered, her eyes on the blood stained covers as Stannis remained still, his lips parted as he struggled to pass breath from between them. He kept quiet for a few moments as his wife rushed over to the bed, pushing Jaime from Sarah as she pulled her eldest daughter into her arms.
"No!" Selyse screamed out. "Not my daughter! Not her...No!"
Shireen stood up as Stannis motioned for her to come to him. She did so and he placed a hand to her shoulder before turning to look at Ser Davos who held his gloves in his hands, his head bowed. The Red Woman lurked in the doorway, her eyes on the sight in front of her.
"Go with Ser Davos for a little while, Shireen," Stannis demanded his daughter and she nodded solemnly.
"She died last night," Jaime suddenly spoke, moving to stand up, his face stoic and Stannis struggled to understand what Jaime Lannister was still doing here. He could have fled. He could have returned home and left Sarah alone with Shireen, but he had stayed. Why? Surely he knew that Stannis would simply take him prisoner and have his head as retribution.
"You were trying to help her escape?" Stannis checked, moving to the edge of the bed and sitting next to his wife. He delicately placed his hand on her shoulder, wondering if it would soothe her wailing, but he failed.
"She died protecting Shireen," the Red Woman finally spoke, entering the room and catching Jaime's eye, looking at him with wonder. Who was this man? What power did he hold over the true God's champion's daughter? "He was helping them to escape. He is no responsible for her death."
"And you must be the Red Woman."
"The Lady Melisandre," Stannis corrected.
"Lady Melisandre," Selyse suddenly turned her eyes to the Red Woman, looking at her with pleading and longing. It was then when Melisandre knew what was about to be asked of her. She had heard tales of the Red God's power and she did not dare to question it, not when she had seen Thoros of Myr.
"Please," Selyse begged. "You said that the Red God has powers...powers to bring her back...bring the dead back to life..."
"The girl is no true believer of the Lord of Light," Melisandre replied and Jaime's eyes widened at what he was hearing.
"But we are," Selyse replied. "There is no other God. It is our pain he can see right now...our pain and all we ask is that you try...he tries...just to bring her back to us...bring her back to life..."
Melisandre looked weary for a few moments as Stannis stood up and looked to her, a gleam in his eye which told her that he was willing to sin to get his daughter back. What would he do to her?
"I cannot force the Lord of Light to bring her back," Melisandre said.
"Nothing can bring her back," Jaime snarled. "Do you truly believe that the Gods care about us? Her life has gone and nothing can bring her back."
"There is only one God," Stannis snapped to Jaime. "And I am willing to do anything to have her brought back to life."
"This is dangerous magic," Jaime warned Stannis and the Lord of Dragonstone motioned to the men who stood in the doorway. They moved with haste, grabbing Jaime by his arms and placing irons around his wrists. The Kingslayer kept silent as Stannis moved closer to him, his eyes filled with disgust and hatred for the man.
"Don't tell me that you wouldn't do anything to bring her back," Stannis hissed. "Don't preach to me when you know that you would do exactly the same."
"I am not preaching," Jaime whispered back. "I am warning you."
"You are no one to warn me," Stannis hissed and nodded to the men to drag Jaime away.
The Kingslayer fought in their holds, his eyes wide as Stannis slammed the door shut and he knew that some form of dark magic would take place in that room on that night.