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Chapter 21

Jaime struggled to both hold his torch and fit the keys into the heavy lock on the door to Tyrion's cell, with only one good hand. "Come on, are you frightened of a dwarf," he heard his brother call out, likely expecting that Cersei had sent someone to kill him. The door finally creaked open and Jaime entered, illuminating the room with the torch, watching as Tyrion shielded his eyes from the harsh light. "Just do it, you son of a poxy whore."

"Is that any way to speak about our lady mother?" Jaime looked around the horrid cell Cersei had thrown Tyrion in. "This is even more ghastly than my cell at Riverrun, though not quite so dank."

"Here for a visit," Tyrion asked curiously.

"You're to be beheaded on the morrow, out on the old tourney grounds."

Tyrion laughed. "Will there be food? You'll have to help me with my last words, Jaime. My wits have not been what they once were."

"You won't need last words. I've come to rescue you."

"Who said I required rescue?"

"Must you be so tiresome? Perhaps I should let Cersei cut your head off after all," Jaime said dryly.

"Oh no you won't." He waddled out of the cell. "Is it morning? I've lost all sense of time sitting here in the dark."

"Three hours past midnight. The castle is asleep." Jaime slid the torch back into its sconce, on the wall between the cells.

The corridor was so dark that Tyrion almost tripped over the guard, sprawled across the cold stone floor. "Is he dead?"

"Asleep. The others as well. Varys dosed their wine, but not enough to kill them. He is waiting back at the stairs, dressed up in a septon's robe. He'll take you to the river. A ship is waiting on Blackwater Bay to take you to the Free Cities. You will not lack for funds…but try not to be conspicuous. Cersei will send men after you. You might do well to take another name."

"Another name? And when her assassins come to kill me, I'll say, 'No, you have the wrong man, I'm a different dwarf with a hideous facial scar.'" The both of them laughed at the absurdity of it all. Jaime went to one knee and embraced his brother.

"Thank you, Brother," Tyrion said. "For my life."

"I don't believe that you killed Joffrey. And, I owed you a debt." Jaime had not meant to say the words, but they tumbled from his mouth.

"A debt? I do not understand."

"You're not meant to."

"Tell me."

Jaime looked away, unable to look at his brother. He was scared. He was scared to tell him the truth, but it had remained a secret long enough. "Tysha," he said softly. "She was no whore. I never bought her for you. That was a lie that Father ordered me to tell. Tysha was … she was what she seemed to be. A crofter's daughter, chance met on the road."

"She was my wife," he croaked. "She wed me."

"Father said that all she wanted was the gold, which made her no different from a whore, so…so it would not be a lie, not truly, and…he said that you would learn from it and thank me later…"

"Thank you? He gave her a barracks full of his guards. He made me…watch."

"I never imagined that he would do that. He never told me. You must believe me." Jaime still remembered his horror when he found out what his father had done to Tyrion's young bride. Jaime had still been innocent to what his father was capable of when angry, and he had never imagined Lord Tywin's intent for the girl. From that day on, he had been too afraid to tell Tyrion the truth.

"Why should I believe you about anything, ever? She was my wife. She was only a girl, younger than Sansa. Imagine father doing that to your sweet wife."

Jaime didn't wish to imagine it. He knew he would fight to the death to save Sansa from such a fate. "Tyrion – "

He hit him. It was a slap, backhanded, but he put all his strength into it. Jaime was squatting, unbalanced. The blow sent him tumbling backward. "I suppose I earned that."

"Oh, you've earned more than that, Jaime. You and my sweet sister, and our loving father. It's a pity that I am as fond of your wife as I am or else you would know exactly how I feel. You would see done to Sansa exactly what was done to Tysha. But I'd never harm that poor girl. She's already had enough misfortune, the greatest of which is to love you."

Tyrion continued walking and came up against the locked gate. "I have the keys," Jaime said, standing and unlocking the gate before going through. "Aren't you coming?"

"Not with you. I can find Varys myself."

"Tyrion – "

His brother wheeled on him, the pain apparent in his eyes. "I thought you were different than the rest of them, Jaime. I thought you were my big brother who would always protect me from them. I thought you cared for me."

"I do."

"Then how could you? How could you let me live my life believing that no woman would ever love me unless I tossed her a gold dragon?"

"I'm sorry, Tyrion. I've wanted to tell you the truth for…forever but I've been a coward. I was afraid you would never forgive me and I couldn't bear to lose my brother." Jaime could see the hurt and anger in Tyrion's eyes, and wished that he could go back and undo the past.

"You're fortunate, Jaime. In the end, you're the one with the sweet little wife who loves you truly. And yet, you're too much of a fool to love her back. I would have given anything for a girl like Sansa to love me. And you and father took away my only chance. Tell me, brother, would you forgive the man who took Sansa from you?"

Jaime didn't respond, and they both knew the answer was no. Tyrion turned and left him there as Jaime watched. I am a fool. No one's ever called me a coward, but that's exactly what I am.

...

Jaime quietly entered his bedchamber and saw that Sansa was fast asleep. As he got closer to her, he saw that she had woken while he was gone and was now wearing one of his tunics. He carefully sat on the bed and watched her sleep. She's all I have. The only person in the world who loves me. He thought about Tyrion's words to him and felt ashamed. Ashamed of how he allowed his fear and hurt over Cersei's betrayal to keep him from returning Sansa's words of love. I do love her. It may end up causing me pain in the end, she may end up breaking me as Cersei did, but I love her.

Jaime gently ran his hand over her hair and leaned over to kiss her forehead. He thought about that poor girl Tyrion had married. She was younger than Sansa. I should have stood up to father – refused his demand that I lie to Tyrion. I've always been weak. Jaime had always cowed to his father's wishes. And to Cersei's.

I expect I'll lose her as well, he thought, watching Sansa sleep. She'll see the kind of man I am, and she'll find a way to leave me. Jaime gently caressed her shoulder and Sansa opened her eyes. He saw her breath catch as she realized it was him. She took his hand in her own. "Jaime. I was so afraid when I woke up and you were gone. Are you all right," she asked, squeezing his hand. "Is Tyrion all right," she whispered.

"Tyrion won't be killed tomorrow," he whispered, looking down at their entwined hands, and feeling such pain over the loss of Tyrion and the thought of losing Sansa as well.

She reached up and touched his hair. "If Tyrion's safe, then what's the matter, Jaime? I see in your eyes something's wrong."

"I can't bear the thought of losing you… You are…the only person in the world who truly loves me." Sansa is the only good, true thing in my life. "I…" he looked down again and felt her tangle her fingers in his hair, before he looked up at her once again, "You're the only person I love who hasn't left me," he whispered.

He saw the surprise in her eyes at his words. "Do you really love me," she said slowly, as if asking the question would make the words disappear.

Jaime nodded. "I should have told you sooner. I should have realized that what I feel for you…is love, much sooner," he said, as she wrapped her arm around him. "You are everything to me, Sansa," he mumbled against her neck. "When I married you – I didn't even feel like a man anymore. You made me feel whole. I'd be lost without you." He stroked her hair, holding her tightly. Jaime thought about how broken and abandoned he was when found her being beaten by the Kingsguard. They had both needed kindness and comfort. "I dread the day that you'll leave me."

She looked at him with a teary smile and Jaime wiped away her tears. "You'll never have to be without me, Jaime. Why would you ever think I would leave you?"

"Tyrion…he…he hates me."

Sansa cuddled him to her. "You just saved his life. Why would he hate you?"

"I told him the truth about something that happened years ago…when we were still boys. I should have told him long ago, but I was scared." Jaime looked at her, his breath catching at her beauty. "There are other things I have done that…would make you hate me. That would make you wish to leave me and never look back." If she knew that I pushed her little brother from that tower…she'd never look at me like this again.

"I don't care about the past, Jaime. I care about our future. I care about our…" She trailed off and he wondered what she was going to say. "I care about the life we will share together. I care about how you've treated me. The kindness you have shown me. That's all I care about."

"Sansa, you don't know…there are things I should tell you."

"No, there aren't. All that matters to me is our life together."

"Your family…the Lannisters are at war with them, and have done-"

"Stop," she said, resting her fingers on his lips. "You can't control what your family does." She looked at him and he couldn't tell what she was thinking about. "Will you…will you promise not to harm my family? That you won't take up arms against the Starks or the Tullys? I'd wouldn't wish to see you harm the little bit of family I have left. I understand if you won't but…"

That's the least of what I owe her, after all that I've done. "I promise you."

"Can we leave here soon?" He could hear the hope in her voice. This place has brought her nothing but misery.

"Now that Tyrion's free, I will take you far away from here. Away from Cersei and my father. And we will have a life together."

Jaime pulled her onto his lap and held her, breathing against her neck and tangling his hand in her hair, trying to soothe his pain over losing his brother's love. He found comfort in just holding his sweet little wife in his arms.

"Say it again," she whispered. "Please."

She didn't have to say what it was she wanted to hear him say."I love you, Sansa."

She pulled back and met his eyes. "Again."

Jaime chuckled. "I love you," he said, kissing her. "Why are you crying," he asked, wiping her tears again.

"I never…I never thought I would hear you say that you love me," she whispered, looking down at her lap. I'll make this up to her. I'll show her how much I treasure her.

"I'm sorry I've caused you pain," he said, kissing her softly. "I don't deserve a wife as sweet and loving as you."

"I love you, Jaime," she murmured, kissing him as he stretched out on the bed, still holding her and, curling his body around her. Jaime felt Sansa take his hand and pull it around her body, and threading her fingers through his.

"I love you, my sweet," he whispered, resting his head against hers. Perhaps Tyrion will forgive me one day. I won't be such a fool with Sansa. I'm holding onto my little wife and never letting her go, Jaime thought as he let sleep claim him.

...

Jaime and Sansa had not been asleep long before a horrifying scream rang out, waking them both. Oh gods, what's happened now, Sansa thought, clutching Jaime in fear. "Perhaps they've discovered Tyrion's gone," she whispered, not really believing it.

"I don't think so," he said gravely, moving from her grasp. She watched as Jaime pulled on his boots and moved toward the door. "Stay here. I'll come for you soon." Jaime moved toward the door, taking his sword. He hesitated for a moment before walking over and handing her a dagger. "Just in case."

She sat in their bed, listening to the urgent voices in the halls, though she couldn't make out what was being said. She didn't hear the sounds of sword-fighting. It didn't sound like the castle was under attack.

He loves me, she thought. Sansa rested her hand over her stomach and smiled to herself. He actually loves me. We will be happy, she decided. As long as Jaime loves me, nothing can hurt us. Sansa had decided that Jaime's past didn't matter to her. She knew he'd done terrible things. Things she didn't even know about. And she didn't want to know. So long as he would never again harm her family, Sansa didn't care what he had done in the past. She needed him.

She had wanted to tell Jaime that she carried his child, but she wanted them to leave Kings Landing first. She didn't want there to be any reason for them to stay and she feared Jaime would not wish her to travel in her condition.

As the minutes ticked by, Sansa could take it no longer and pulled on her clothes, venturing out into the hallway, cautiously. She saw many Lannister guards and gold cloaks surrounding Lord Tywin's door and Maester Pycelle wandering in from the Red Keep. She neared the door and glanced into Lord Tywin's bedchamber and gasped, covering her mouth in horror. Lord Tywin was sprawled on the bed naked, and blood covered the lower half of his body, flowing from the arrow of a crossbow lodged low in his stomach. It looked like a woman also lay dead and naked on the bed beside him.

Sansa had never seen so much blood. She felt faint and clutched the wall for support. "Lady Lannister, you should not see this," her handmaiden Pia said, appearing beside her, glancing at the Lannister guards.

"Lord Tywin's dead?"

"Yes, m'lady. You're now Lady of Casterly Rock…this is not a fit place for you. You don't look well."

Sansa couldn't look away from the blood and gore. The room began to spin and Sansa felt Pia grasp her arms and call out for help. The last thing she was aware of was Jaime taking her in his arms before everything went black.

Next chapter: Cersei no longer has her father around to keep her scheming under control, or to keep she and Jaime apart…