Jaime couldn't really pay attention while Lyanna read about Aegon the Conquerer. Tyrion would have loved this book. Tyrion had probably already read this book but Jaime had never been particularly interested in books. Books were usually boring. This one was no exception.

He couldn't help wondering as he sat there, sprawled out on the bed while Lyanna sat near the edge, if it would be possible to get a message to Cersei once they reached Braavos. Maybe she could come and join him across the narrow sea. No one would need to know that she was anyone other than his wife. They wouldn't be Lannisters. They would just be common people making a life for themselves. He supposed she wouldn't care for being a commoner. He'd have to find work as a sellsword and establish a little wealth, then send for her. But what would he do with Lyanna? She could find someone to marry easily enough, someone who would take care of her. But what if she didn't do that? If she didn't want to marry Rhaegar, who could possibly make a woman like that happy? Jaime wrestled with the problem for a long while. He couldn't make sense of it.

"Are you ever going to tell me why you're running away?" He said interrupting her reading.

She seemed startled by the question. "Perhaps…"

"Just tell me, did he abduct you as Robert claimed or did you go willingly?" Jaime asked her.

"It wasn't as simple as that." Lyanna said, a blush on her cheeks.

"It wasn't a difficult question. Either he abducted you or he didn't. You Starks really are easily confused."

Lyanna shut the book and placed it on the bed between them. "I wasn't dragged away forcibly if that's what you mean…."

"So you went willingly?"

"I didn't know what I was doing." Lyanna didn't know why she was being this open with him. She supposed he probably wasn't going to stop asking unless she told him the truth of it so she might as well get the truth over with. "I was a maiden. I'd never even kissed a man before. The prince of the seven kingdoms crowned me queen of love and beauty. Then he came to me afterwards and kissed me and told me he wanted me, how was I supposed to react?"

"I don't understand. You went with him willingly and now you don't want to marry him? Something changed between a year ago and today." Jaime said.

"Yes something changed. My father and brother were killed because I left. How many people died in the war because I left? And I don't think he ever cared for me anyway. He only wanted me to help him fulfill a prophecy… he said I would be the mother of the Prince that was promised… even if it wasn't insanity on his part, a marriage can not be built on so much death...and lies…" She said sadly.

Jaime sighed. Her reasoning did almost make sense. He had been there when Rickard and Brandon Stark had died. Lyanna wasn't truly responsible for that, Aerys was. Yet he could see why she wouldn't be able to marry Rhaegar without feeling guilt at what had happened to them.

She seemed to guess his thoughts. "Were you there when my father and brother…?"

"I was." Jaime admitted.

"No one will tell me what truly happened to them."

"Neither will I. It was a horrible thing. The details will not help you." Jaime told her.

Lyanna only nodded. "I thank you Ser...for killing him…"

Jaime knew that she meant Aerys. "It's strange that you should say that. Your brother didn't offer any thanks."

"I am not my brother. He still has his honor and I have none." She said sadly. "It does me good to know that there was at least some justice for what was done to Brandon and Father… I can never erase my part in their deaths… but at least Aerys is dead."

"I didn't exactly kill him to avenge the Starks." He told her honestly.

"I didn't expect you did. I assume it had something to do with your father marching on the city." Lyanna said without judgement.

"Aerys ordered me to kill my father. And he ordered the city burned by wildfire, everyone was to be burned, men, women, children…" He said, disturbed at the memory.

"That's horrible… why didn't you tell Rhaegar this?"

"I killed his father and I was sworn to protect him. Do you really think it would have made any difference?" Jaime asked her.

"I don't know. Rhaegar was more inclined to be merciful than not."

"It doesn't matter now. If he ever catches up to us now I doubt that mercy will be an option any longer."

It was almost time for the evening meal. Jaime and Lyanna ate with the other passengers and sailors then returned to their room.