Chapter 62

Tommen had been living with them at Casterly Rock for a little over a week. It seemed to Sansa that he was settling in and feeling more comfortable there. Though every night, after Jaime and Sansa fell asleep, the little boy snuck into their bed and curled up beside her. It appeared this night would be no different. She had only tucked Tommen into bed a few hours earlier when the door to their chamber slowly creaked open. She turned her head and sighed, seeing that Tommen was crawling into bed beside her again. She knew Jaime would be annoyed and would not allow it to continue for much longer. He had told her the night before that Tommen had to sleep in his own bed.

"What's the matter?" she whispered.

"I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep. May I sleep here with you, Sansa?"

Sansa carefully turned to face him, extricating herself from Jaime's arms and hoped she would not wake him. She let Tommen cuddle in her arms, and kissed the top of his head. "Don't you want to sleep in your own bed with your kittens?"

"I like it here," he said quietly. "I like being with you and Uncle Jaime."

Sansa was torn. She knew it was better for him to sleep in his own chamber, but he was so sweet and it was such a small request. She was about to give in when Jaime made the decision for her.

"Tommen, you need to sleep in your own bed," Jaime grumbled from over her shoulder.

His little chin wavered, no doubt at the irritation in Jaime's tone. "Sansa doesn't have to sleep in her own bed. Why do you get to sleep with Sansa when I don't?"

"Because she's my wife, not yours."

Sansa wanted to laugh at Jaime fighting with a little boy over who got to sleep next to her. "Are you actually jealous of a nine-year-old?" she whispered.

Jaime sighed. "Tommen, you need to go to your own bed chamber." Sansa knew he had meant to be firm, but his tone sounded angry to her ears and she could see Tommen felt the same way.

Tommen shrank back and started to get out of their bed having been suitably chastised. "I'll walk you back to your chamber," Sansa said gently. "We both will," she added, looking back at Jaime. He looked at her, the question apparent in his eyes. She knew that he would not learn to love Tommen as long as she took sole responsibility for taking care of him. Though it was easier for Sansa to just take care of Tommen herself, she needed to prod Jaime a bit and force him to be more involved with his son.

"He's just not used to having children around and taking care of them," Sansa said to Tommen. "He'll learn, though. Come along, Jaime."

Sansa didn't give him the chance to refuse her and Jaime sighed deeply and pulled on his breeches, following his wife and son out the door and down the hall to the bedchamber that had been given to Tommen. He stoked the fire while Sansa helped Tommen into bed. He watched her sit on the bed beside him, and Tommen curled up next to her, his head against her shoulder.

"I love you, Sansa."

She smiled, hugging him tightly. He'd just begun to tell her that he loved her, and she worried at first that it would upset Jaime because she wasn't actually his mother. She was afraid he would think it was a betrayal of Cersei, but Jaime had heard Tommen say it, and didn't seem to care.

"I love you, too, darling boy. Jaime, come sit with us," she said, patting the other side of Tommen. He sat down, though he didn't seem particularly comfortable. She knew he'd rather be back in bed in their chamber. She usually left Jaime to look after Julianna, but she knew he needed to care for both of his children.

"What if I have bad dreams?" Tommen asked, looking up at Sansa. "Am I not allowed to come to you?"

Sansa looked at Jaime, wishing he would reassure the boy. "If you wake up and are afraid, remember that you are a lion. You have nothing to fear, Tommen. You belong here at Casterly Rock and no one will harm you."

Tommen nodded, though he did not seem convinced. "Am I ever allowed in your bedchamber?"

"In the morning, when it's time to wake up, you may come to our chamber and we'll walk downstairs together to break our fast."

Sansa took his little hand. "And if you're truly afraid, you can come find me."

"Will you tell me a story, Sansa?"

Sansa put her feet up on the bed, pulling Tommen onto her lap. He wrapped his arms around her neck, resting his head against her. She could see he was watching Jaime, no doubt wondering if he was angry with him.

"I am going to tell you the story of a brave and handsome knight – the best and most handsome in all the Realm. He spent his whole life being a brave warrior and winning every battle he ever fought, and every tournament he ever entered. The crowds would cheer when they saw his golden armor and his enemies would tremble in fear when he drew his sword. Every little boy wanted to be him when they grew up. And every little girl dreamed of being his lady wife."

Jaime gave her a withering look, clearly seeing that she was speaking about him and Sansa smiled cheekily.

"He had not married, devoting his life to being a warrior. Though one day, the knight realized he was getting rather old not to have a lady wife," she said with a smile, looking at Jaime who shook his head in annoyance. "And his father, a great and powerful lord, betrothed him to a young girl the knight had never met."

"She was quite beautiful," Jaime interrupted, "Though rather impertinent in her manner of speaking to the knight."

Sansa continued her story keeping her eyes on Jaime's as she spoke. "The knight and the maiden were unsure of each other at first – both afraid the other would not love them. And the knight feared he did not know how to love his new lady wife. But they slowly began to trust each other. They fell in love, and neither could imagine their lives without the other."

"Some time passed, and soon the knight and his lady wife were raising a little boy, who was so like his father, and a little girl. At first, it was difficult for the knight to be a father to the children, because he did not know how. He was used to a solitary life, the life of a warrior. But he was patient and learned to be the best father either child could ever hope for. They became a very happy family."

Sansa stroked the boy's hair gently, looking down and seeing that Tommen had fallen asleep. Jaime lifted the sleeping boy off her lap and helped her slide him under the furs, resting his head on the pillows. She leaned over and kissed Tommen's forehead. "Sweet dreams," she whispered.

The kittens had piled onto the bed as Sansa had told Tommen her story, and Jaime looked at them now with dismay, as they settled around the boy's legs, curled in little balls. "Should we remove the cats?" he whispered to Sansa who shook her head.

"They'll keep him warm, and make him feel safe if he wakes again and they're next to him. It's reassuring to him when his little pets are nearby." Sansa took Jaime's hand, and led him into the hall, quietly closing the door behind them.

"You're good with him. Far better than I could ever be."

She shrugged. "I grew up with three younger siblings. You'll learn, Jaime."

"Interesting story you told," he said with a smirk, and Sansa giggled. "You'll teach me, won't you? How to be a father."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest. "I don't know that you need to be taught. You learned to love me on your own, didn't you? You learned to be everything I could have ever hoped for in a husband." She listened to his heartbeat and his breathing as Jaime rubbed her back. "And no one had to teach you to be a father to Julianna. She loves you and trusts you more than anything, Jaime. I know you can make Tommen feel just as safe. We're going to raise him together. You're not on your own."

Sansa tilted her face up to look at him and Jaime gripped her chin, kissing her soundly. "It's time I get my sweet little wife back to bed."

…

Jaime awoke to Sansa kissing his neck, and snuggling in his arms. He tightened his grip around her, breathing in her scent as he nuzzled the top of her head. He loved these mornings in bed with her. Since Julianna had been born, they had been a bit scarce as she demanded Sansa's attention most mornings. Not that he regretted his baby girl for a moment, but he enjoyed the mornings when the babe slept later than normal and he had Sansa all to himself.

Jaime heard the door creak open and glanced over as he rubbed Sansa's back and saw Tommen peeking in, though he immediately shrank back when he met Jaime's gaze, obviously afraid that he wasn't allowed in their bedchamber. You did tell the boy he could come into your chamber when he woke in the morning.

"Come on in," Jaime said, and Tommen smiled brightly, running over and climbing onto their bed.

Sansa looked up at Jaime and he could see she was fighting to hold back her laughter as Tommen crawled between them, resting his head on Sansa's shoulder. He knew it amused her that he at times felt as if Tommen was fighting him for her affection.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked, kissing the boy's forehead. He nodded against her shoulder. "I dreamt that Uncle Jaime was teaching me to joust." He turned to face Jaime, his eyes glittering. "I remember watching you joust in tourneys. My favorite was when you unhorsed Ser Gregor at Myrcella's last nameday tournament. Ser Gregor scares me…I was glad you beat him. I'm going to be a knight just like you, Uncle Jaime."

Jaime was surprised by his words. He had never spoken much with Tommen and had no idea he had watched him so closely, nor that he admired him as much as he appeared to. "I asked mother if you could teach me to be a knight, but she said that I was too little and clumsy and that you did not have time for such foolishness. That you were far too busy in the Kingsguard."

Sansa ruffled the boy's hair and looked at Jaime. He could see from the set of her jaw that she was angry at Cersei's efforts to prevent a relationship between he and Tommen. He thought of how Sansa had suggested that Tommen might like to watch he and Arya practice. And I rejected him just as Cersei said I would. He supposed he could spend a few hours with the boy.

"Well, Tommen, we can't joust here in the castle but…perhaps you'd like to learn to swing a sword? You could come with me and Arya when we practice this morning."

Tommen smiled and looked as though he did not dare hope what Jaime was offering him was true. Jaime felt Sansa's hand stroking his jaw and met her eyes. "I love you," she mouthed and he knew she was proud of his overture to Tommen. He'd considered her words the previous night and, though he knew in his heart he would never feel the same fierce, protective love for Tommen that he felt whenever he held Julianna, he thought that perhaps he could form a friendship with the boy.

…

After breakfast, as he walked Arya and Tommen to the hallway that they used for practice, Jaime could tell that Arya wasn't happy that the boy was practicing with them. He and Sansa had spoken about her jealousy and possessiveness of him, when it came to Tommen. Sansa had suggested that he make sure Arya didn't feel replaced – that he let her help him teach Tommen so that she was still a part of what they were doing.

Arya danced around, practicing with the sword Jaime had given her, as he showed Tommen how to grip the small wooden practice sword he was using.

"Arya, put down the real sword, for now. The two of you are going to use wooden ones." She looked at Jaime in annoyance before turning her gaze to Tommen who was clumsily and inartfully slashing the air with the wooden sword. He could see the disgust in her expression as she watched Tommen's attempts at sword play. Jaime knelt down beside Arya. "I know you're far beyond him in your skills with a sword, but he wants to learn. It won't kill you to help me teach him for an hour or two, and then he'll go back to Sansa. And you and I can practice alone. All right?"

"All right," she said grudgingly, picking up a wooden sword.

Arya behaved relatively well during their practice, and Jaime quickly saw that Tommen was in awe of her. Even her clear frustration with the younger boy did nothing to diminish his admiration of her. Tommen was quite clumsy, but he was determined. Jaime had little doubt that he would work hard to learn how to be a knight. He is just a little boy. There's time for him to acquire the skills needed.

…

After Tommen's introduction to swinging a sword, Jaime had escorted him back to Sansa's sitting room so he and Arya could practice alone, as he had promised. Little Tommen had been brimming with excitement, eager to show Sansa all that he had learned.

He and Arya had practiced together, and he was impressed with how much progress she had made since they first began training together. After their practice, Jaime sat beside Arya, showing her how to sharpen her sword with a whetstone when Ser Addam barged in and he was more distressed than Jaime had ever seen him, and they had known one another their entire lives.

"Reports are coming from Lannisport…whole families have been found dead, torn limb from limb. It's unnatural enough that they are burning the bodies. Though, there have also been reports of bodies…vanishing. And sometimes returning to life and attacking anyone in their paths. It seems your lady wife's brother was right. The White Walkers are no longer only beyond the Wall. They are in Lannisport."

Jaime didn't want to believe it. He'd never been one to believe tales of magic and fantasy. But he knew that Ser Addam was not one for exaggeration. Jaime glanced over at the window. It was still black as ink out, and would be for several days. He looked down at Arya before returning his gaze to Ser Addam, an idea forming in his head.

"We'll send out 100 men as scouts. Arm them with the dragon glass daggers and arrows that Gendry made, just in case. And plenty of torches so they can burn any dead and so we can monitor their progress. They'll be able to report back and tell us what's out there. We'll watch from the battlements."

"Can I go?" Arya asked, her eyes brimming with curiosity.

Jaime considered for a moment, but realized he was better off taking her with him, lest she tell Sansa what was going on before they were certain. "Don't tell anyone where we're going or what we're doing – not your mother and not your sister. If anyone asks, we're going to the practice grounds. Get your heaviest cloak, and go to my chambers and get mine as well, all right?"

She nodded eagerly before running off.

"You really think it's a good idea to the take the girl? I doubt Lady Stark will appreciate you frightening her."

"If it's true, everyone in the castle will know soon enough. And she doesn't frighten easily. She and Sansa have told me some of the stories they heard as children about the creatures beyond the Wall." He looked at Ser Addam ruefully. "They tell far more horrible tales to children in the North than here in the South. I doubt reality compares to their bedtime stories."

A few moments later, Jaime, Arya and Ser Addam met in the lift, so they could watch the progress of their scouts from the top of the battlements. Arya gripped Jaime's arm and looked so excited she might burst when the doors to the lift closed and they began to rise toward the top of the Rock. He had taken Sansa to the top of the Rock, but he'd not taken Arya before. Though she'd been curious about the lift and where it led.

Jaime cursed Winter when the doors opened and he was hit in the face with snow and freezing wind. He didn't understand how the Stark girls could possibly love the snow and cold as much as they did. He knew Arya hated being treated as a child, but she was so slight and the wind so fierce Jaime feared she could be carried right off the Rock, and took her hand as they stepped out to look over the battlements.

"Are you too cold?" he asked, fearing she was freezing as he was, but she shook her head, her eyes alive with delight. Jaime and Ser Addam moved toward the edge, to look out over Lannisport. Arya stood before Jaime, resting one hand on the edge, which was high enough to come to the middle of her chest. Her tight grip on Jaime's hand was the only indication that she was the least bit nervous when she looked over and saw just how high up they were.

It took Jaime a moment to orient himself and for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Eventually, he was able to pick out the gates separating the road leading to the Rock from the rest of Lannisport. He looked around and spotted his soldiers, their torches blazing, as they neared the gate.

"Do you see them there?" he asked, pointing for Arya's benefit.

"When will they meet the White Walkers?" she asked, more excited than scared. For a moment, Jaime marveled over how different the two Stark girls were. He could only imagine Sansa's terror were she in her sister's position right now.

"I don't know, Arya."

"Keep your eyes open for any movement. It will be difficult to see, due to the darkness, but they carry many torches. It should make it easier to track their movements," Ser Addam said, his eyes also scanning the areas around their scouts, as they exited the gates, closing them behind.

Jaime was beginning to think this was a fool's errand, and that it was a single band of looters or rebels responsible for the deaths in Lannisport, when they heard, rather than saw, the first sign of trouble. A piercing scream reached their ears, though Jaime could barely see what was going on below. As he continued to stare out, he saw glowing blue. Their eyes. They were tiny from their distance, but the color and the glowing was unnatural in the blackness.

As his eyes adjusted even more to the darkness, with the benefit of the many torches his men carried, Jaime was able to see the foes his men fought. They were unnaturally tall and slender, with glowing swords that looked to almost be made of glass. He was too far way to make out any other features, but there was no doubt in his mind that what he saw was not human. Jaime could scarce believe what he was seeing. It was one of Tyrion's tales come to life. There appeared to be a small army of humans with the same unnatural eyes. Jaime struggled to remember Tyrion's recitation of the history of the White Walkers. The undead wights. Those the White Walkers killed, come back to life. Jaime rested his hand on Arya's shoulder as she shrank back towards him in fear as the screams continued.

"They can't get near us up here, Arya," he murmured as he continued watching the confrontation below.

Jaime felt his blood run cold as his men tried to fight – momentarily stunned by just what it was they were fighting - and he heard the screams as they were killed. Then they seemed to remember the dragon glass and that they should use their torches as weapons and began cutting through the White Walkers and driving back the wights.

As brave as she was, Arya moved closer to Jaime and he held her against him, trying to alleviate her fear. As they watched, his men weren't able to kill them all. Though they were able to fight them off enough that most of the red cloaks made it back inside the gates and began moving with all haste back towards Casterly Rock. Both Jaime and Ser Addam watched carefully to be sure that none of the White Walkers had made it inside the gates.

Jaime, Addam and Arya got back into the lift, waiting for the soldiers below to turn the crank and return them to the bottom.

"Perhaps we can round up the citizens of Lannisport, or distribute the dragonglass weapons until they move further South." He could tell Ser Addam was shaken, and barely registered Jaime's words.

"They - they won't move South until all of Lannisport is dead."

"You don't know that," Jaime reasoned, some part of him hoping that the White Walkers would simply leave the Westerlands. That won't stop the brutal deaths. They will continue to kill.

Jaime sighed. He knew it would be easier to simply make the White Walkers – these monsters - someone else's problem. It would be so easy to stay safely behind the walls of the Rock with Sansa and all the others. There are many others out there who can fight them. We can wait it out until Winter ends. But Jaime was a knight. Whatever missteps he had made in the past, he had vowed to protect the Realm. He had vowed to protect the innocent. Perhaps this was his chance to prove his honor. Another chance to protect the Realm.

"We have to form a larger party – thousands. I'll take the lead. We'll leave Casterly Rock at the next dawn, and not return until they are all dead."

…

Thanks so much to all of the reviews. I never get tired of reading them and knowing that the story is appreciated and entertaining all of you. It is amazing to me that the reviews have topped 700. Thank you! We'll get a closer look at the White Walkers soon - this was just their introduction - and I didn't think there would be much detail they could make out from the top of the Rock.

Next chapter: Sansa learns of Jaime's plan to attack the White Walkers