Thanks again for the kind reviews! It's nice to know that you are enjoying the story. Read on….

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Chapter 11

Jaime received a summons from Lord Tywin late in the afternoon and wondered what his father was scheming about now. He entered his father's solar to find Cersei, Ser Kevan and Grand Maester Pycelle gathered about Lord Tywin and the king. Joffrey was almost bouncing in joy and Cersei was savoring a smug little smile, though his father looked grim as ever. I wonder if he could smile, even if he wanted to. "What's happened," Jaime asked.

His father offered him a roll of parchment. "Roslin caught a fine fat trout," the message read. "Her brothers gave her a mighty wolf pelt for her wedding." Jaime turned it over to inspect the broken seal. "Does the Lord of the Crossing imagine he's being poetic? The trout would be Edmure Tully, the pelt…"

"He's dead!" Joffrey sounded so proud you might have thought he'd slew Robb Stark himself.

Jaime's mind immediately went to Sansa. Hasn't the poor girl lost enough people she cares about? He knew the task would fall to him to tell his young wife that her brother was dead and he did not look forward to it. Just the thought of her tears made his stomach turn. "Kings are falling like leaves this autumn," Jaime said.

"Our lord father is winning this war for House Lannister," Cersei said with a smile.

"Nothing is won so long as we have enemies in the field," Lord Tywin warned. "Riverrun is still held by Brynden Tully, defended by the other houses of the Riverlands. The Freys will advance, joined by our forces, and, in time, in months, arrangements – pardons - will be made, and eventually Riverrun will yield to the crown.

"They should all be put to the sword," Joffrey declared suddenly. "The Mallisters and Blackwoods and Brackens…all of them. They're traitors. I want them killed, Grandfather. I won't have any pardons." Joffrey turned to Grand Maester Pycelle. "And I want Robb Stark's head, too. Write to Lord Frey and tell him. The king commands. I'm going to have it served to Sansa at my wedding feast." Jaime felt his phantom hand twitch at Joffrey's monstrous intent.

"Sire," Ser Kevan said, in a shocked voice, "the lady is now your aunt by marriage."

"A jest." Cersei smiled. "Joff did not mean it."

"Yes, I did," Joffrey insisted. "He was a traitor, and I want his stupid head. I'm going to make Sansa kiss it."

"You will over my dead body," Jaime said with a venomous voice. "Sansa is no longer yours to torment. You best understand that."

"I can do as I like," the boy king said, reddening. "I'm the king."

"Aerys Targaryan also felt the need to remind men that he was king. He was also passing fond of tormenting women for his amusement. And we all know how he met his end," Jaime said, wondering how this monster standing in front of him could possibly be his son.

"How dare you threaten him," said Cersei.

"Be quiet, Cersei," Lord Tywin said in annoyance before addressing Joffrey. "Any man who must say 'I am the King' is no true king at all. Aerys never understood that."

"He knew that a true king does not bend to anyone. Grandfather, even you feared Aerys Targaryan. You spent my father's entire war hiding beneath Casterly Rock." Joffrey drew himself up defiantly. "A strong king acts boldly, he doesn't just talk."

"Thank you for your wisdom, Your Grace," Lord Tywin said, with a courtesy so cold it was like to freeze their ears off. "Ser Kevan, it appears the king is tired. Please escort him back to his bedchamber. Pycelle, perhaps some gentle potion to help His Grace sleep restfully?"

"Dreamwine, my lord?"

"I don't want any dreamwine," Joffrey insisted.

Lord Tywin would pay more heed to a mouse squeaking in the corner. "Dreamwine will serve. Cersei, Jaime, remain."

Ser Kevan took Joffrey firmly by the arm and marched him out the door, where two of the Kingsguard were waiting. Pycelle followed.

"Father, I am sorry," Cersei said, when the door was shut. "Joff has always been willful, I did warn you. And if Jaime had not provoked him out of his misguided desire to defend his insipid little wife - "

"There is a long league's worth of difference between willful and stupid," Lord Tywin said. "'A strong king acts boldly?' Who told him that?"

"It was not me. It must have been Robert who told Joff that a king must be bold," Cersei said weakly.

"And what were you telling him, pray? I did not fight a war to seat Robert the Second on the Iron Throne."

"Robert would have beat Joff if I'd allowed it. He nearly knocked out one of Joff's teeth over some silly business with a cat, and I threatened to kill him in his sleep if he ever touched him again. Still, sometimes he would say things to Joff…"

"It appears they needed to be said." Lord Tywin turned to Jaime. "This is why Tommen will accompany you to the Rock as your ward. He needs to be taught how to be a Lannister. I won't have any more fools in this family."

"You will not take my son," Cersei screamed. "You'd have that stupid Sansa Stark raise him?" Jaime bristled at Cersei calling his wife stupid. She was far from it. Cersei didn't realize Sansa pretended to be stupid in order to survive. Cersei looked at Jaime as if he had betrayed her. "You knew about this, didn't you?"

"Sansa has a good heart. Despite all you've done to her – all Joffrey has done to her, she'll be kind to Tommen. Much kinder than you have been to her," Jaime said, his annoyance with his family growing by the second.

"I will not allow you to take Tommen and give him to her."

"That's enough." Lord Tywin waved two fingers at her, a brusque dismissal. "Go." She went, seething.

"Joffrey's not Robert the Second," Jaime said. "He's Aerys the Third."

"The boy is sixeen. There is time yet. He requires a sharp lesson."

Jaime couldn't stop thinking about Sansa and the horrifying blow her brother's death would be to her. She would never say it to him, but he knew that she still held out hope that her brother, the King in the North, would march on Kings Landing and free her. That she would be able to go home. Once he told her that her older brother was dead, that hope would die. "How long have you and Walder Frey been plotting this?"

"I mislike that word," Lord Tywin said stiffly.

"And I mislike being left in the dark. This is why you were so certain Robb Stark would be dead soon, and Sansa heir to Winterfell. That's what those letters were about."

"Don't look so disgusted. Now, you can honestly tell your wife that you had no part in it."

I doubt that will spare me much blame in her eyes. I'm still a Lannister."How was Robb Stark killed?"

"It was to be an arrow, at Edmure Tully's wedding feast. The boy was too wary in the field. He kept his men in good order, and surrounded himself with outriders and bodyguards."

"So Lord Walder slew him under his own roof, at his own table? What of Lady Catelyn?"

"Frey intended to take her captive. I imagine she's sharing a cell with her brother."

"So much for guest rights."

"The blood is on Walder Frey's hands, not mine."

"Walder Frey is a peevish old man who lives to fondle young girls and brood over all the slights he's suffered. I have no doubt he conceived this evil plot, but he would never have dared such a thing without a promise of protection. Your protection."

"I suppose you would have spared the Stark boy and told Lord Frey you had no need of his allegiance? That would have driven the old fool right back into Stark's arms and won us another year of war. Explain to me, Jaime, why it is more noble to kill ten thousand men in battle than a dozen at dinner?" When Jaime had no response, his father continued. "You yourself have killed more men than were killed at the Twins. What of the Mad King? Was that less abhorrent to you? Slicing open the throat of the man you swore to protect?"

Jaime had never told his father the reason why he killed Aerys Targaryan. He knew that Lord Tywin assumed he did it for his family – for House Lannister. Jaime never felt the need to correct him. No one knew the real reason. Not even Cersei.

"I know you disapprove of my actions, Jaime, but I've done what is necessary for House Lannister. Now, Lord Bolton will fight the Ironborn for a few years and see if he can bring Stark's other bannermen to heel. Come spring, all of them should be at the end of their strength and ready to bend the knee. The north will go to your second son by Sansa."

"And when do you imagine Sansa will be at her most fertile?" Jaime asked his father in tones that dripped acid. "Before or after I tell her how we murdered her brother and imprisoned her mother?" Jaime left his father's solar, not knowing how he was going to break the news to his young wife. He feared she would blame him. That she would hate him.

...

Sansa looked at her reflection in the mirror as Pia brushed her hair. It had been a different feast every night as the Lannisters displayed their wealth to the realm. Were it for any other reason – any other king – she might have found it exciting. Sansa always loved feasts. She loved the dressing up, the dancing and, she had to admit, she had come to enjoy attending with her handsome husband. But these celebrations for Joffrey's wedding left her cold and she always felt a grip of fear whenever Joffrey looked in her direction. She looked down at her gown, silver-grey with red swirls stitched through it, and thought it was just enough Lannister to be proper, but the grey of her dress was very Stark. She felt eyes on her and saw Jaime standing in the doorway, silently watching.

Ever since she nearly told Jaime that she loved him, Sansa had made a point of not babbling on to Jaime about how she felt about him. They still indulged in each other's body every night. To conceive an heir – that's what she told herself each time. He was trying to put a lion cub in her belly. Though, there was no denying how much pleasure it brought them both. Sansa still felt overwhelmed sometimes by the intensity of emotion she felt when Jaime was inside of her – so close to her and bringing her such pleasure.

"Pia, will you leave us," he said, finally speaking. Pia quietly left, closing the door behind her. "Sansa, I was thinking we could skip the feast, and spend the night alone." Sansa looked at him in surprise, since Lord Tywin had all but ordered them to attend every feast held for Joffrey and Margaery. He walked over and ran a hand over Sansa's hair. "You look lovely." He sounded sad, the way he said it.

"Why aren't we going to the feast?" Something must have happened for us not to go to the feast tonight. Lord Tywin has insisted that we go. Jaime knelt on the ground in front of her, resting his hand on her knee and fear began to take hold of her. His expression was far too serious. Jaime wasn't his normal joking, smirking self. Something terrible must have happened.

"I need to tell you something."

Sansa rose from her chair and away from him. "No. I don't want to hear." She knew she was being childish, but she didn't want to hear what he was going to say. She could see that it was horrible news. I don't want to hear any more bad news.

She walked to the window and looked outside, away from Jaime. She felt him behind her. Felt his hand on her arm. "Sansa – "

"Don't." She could feel the tears welling in her eyes. "Please don't say it. Whatever it is, I don't want to know."

She felt his chest against her back and felt the deep breath he took. "You need to hear. I don't like being the one to tell you but I expect you'd rather hear this from me than…someone else." Her breath caught as she choked off a sob. "There was a raven from the Twins," he began. "There's no gentle way to say this – your brother, Robb, was killed."

Sansa felt her stomach drop. Not Robb. Am I to be the only one left? Father, Robb, Brandon, Rickon, Arya…Lady. "My mother?" she asked shakily.

"Your mother is alive. She's being held as a prisoner at the Twins."

She nodded, keeping her back to Jaime. Don't cry. Don't give in to the pain. "Thank you for telling me. You- " her voice faltered for a moment as she fought the tears in her eyes and the sob in her throat. "There's no reason we can't go to the feast. It's our duty and your father demands it." I won't cry anymore. I can't feel any more pain. She gazed out the window, looking at the freedom that had eluded her for so long and that would now be forever outside her reach.

She'd abandoned any sliver of hope that Littlefinger would help her after she heard Jaime and Tyrion's conversation. But, she still thought maybe Robb would come for her. She felt Jaime's arm slide around her waist. "Truly, Jaime, I'm … I'm fine. My brother was a traitor. It was only a matter of time before he died."

"We're not leaving here tonight. And you don't have to say those lies to me. I know you don't believe your brother was a traitor." He rested his head against hers. "And you don't have to face this alone." Jaime turned her to face him. "It's only you and I. No one will know if you cry." She met his eyes and she could feel herself losing her battle with her grief. She could feel her eyes filling with tears. She tried to move away from him, but he didn't release her waist, instead pulling her towards him as tears began to flow down her cheeks.

She felt Jaime's hand stroking her hair as he held her against his chest. "I'm sorry, Sansa. You've lost too much for someone so young."

She tried to move away from him. "You shouldn't be the one to comfort me. It's not right." Even if it means that no one will comfort me. Even as she struggled to get away from him, she was secretly glad that he didn't let her go.

"I may be a Lannister, but I'm also your husband," he whispered against her. "If it makes you feel better, you didn't seek my comfort. I'm forcing it on you." Even as he said this, her arms tightened around his neck. She felt him kiss the top of her head. "I insist on holding you. I insist on comforting you."

"Who killed Robb?" she whispered against him, not wanting to hear the answer, but needing to know. She had to know if Jaime had anything to do with it.

He took a deep breath, his reluctance to answer apparent even to her. "The Freys killed him. I expect because he broke his promise to marry one of Walder Frey's daughters. But my father…my father knew, and he will reward him for it."

"Did you know it was going to happen?"

"No. I had no idea what he was planning." She felt some relief to know that Jaime wasn't planning to kill her brother as she gave him her body.

"What will happen to my mother?" She couldn't bear the thought of having to watch as another parent was killed.

"I expect she will be held as a hostage at the Twins. I don't believe they will harm her. She should be treated gently, as befitting a lady of her rank."

"I wasn't treated gently," she murmured, turning to look at him. "Joffrey will want to kill her. To hurt me."

"My father won't allow it. I won't allow it."

"It's my fault, you know. All of this."

Jaime lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. He sighed and gently wiped the tears that were already in her eyes. "None of this is your fault. You are innocent in all of this."

She shook her head, resting it against Jaime's chest once more. "My father's dead because of me. He was planning to leave here with me and my sister. To return to Winterfell. And I told the Queen. I told her because I … because I was stupid and didn't want to leave Joffrey. I wanted to be queen someday. And now my whole family is dying. One by one." She settled against Jaime, reaching for his golden hand and pulling his right arm tighter around her.

"Do you know why…do you know why my brother didn't want to save me? He could have traded you for me…he just left me here with them. Every night I prayed that Robb and my mother would come for me. That they would free me. Why didn't they want to help me?"

Jaime rubbed his hand over her back, trying to soothe her. "I thought that being queen was everything I ever wanted but…I just wanted to be away from Joffrey. For him to stop hurting me. And Robb never came for me. Now he never will." Tears began running down her face and Jaime lifted her into his arms, carrying her to their bed. As Jaime settled onto the bed with her in his arms, Sansa snuggled against him. She tried to stop crying but she couldn't stop herself from sobbing into his chest. Jaime held her all night, doing what he could to comfort the scared, grieving girl who clung to him as if her very life depended on it.

...

I couldn't completely eliminate the Red Wedding, but I wanted to change it a bit. I've read interviews with GRRM where he's said that he originally intended for Catelyn to survive the Red Wedding, and be imprisoned at the Twins. I thought it would be interesting to see how that would play out. Thanks for reading. Next chapter: Sansa (and Jaime) confront Littlefinger…