Chapter twenty-two
Alyssa
"It could be false." Bronn shrugged as he stood by the table near the balcony.
She sighed as she looked outside. The weather was good: sunny, but with a cold breeze, not making it too hot. The Maester had informed her that some men of the Citadel whispered that Winter would soon arrive. She couldn't see how that was possible as she still was here with a bit of sweat on her forehead.
"Oy?" Bronn said, as he looked at her. Clearly he was waiting for her response.
"No, it's not," she said as she shook her head, "Maester Creylen had shown me some letters that he wrote during my absence. Asking my House to send some men to join the Night's Watch if we have some left." She added the last, a little annoyed, as Bronn smirked when she told him that Jon had written letters to Casterly Rock.
"And?" He said, like he had no single clue of what she was suggesting.
Alyssa rolled her eyes as she poured herself a glass of Dornish red. The velvet color of the wine matched her velvet red dress, with a deep cut v-neck to show some of her chest. There was a belt of golden lions at the height of her waistline, to show her slim figure. Down the belt, the fabric of the dress was of red satin, as velvet alone would be too warm for this type of weather. She had hung her hair loosely, with some of her golden-brown strings tied together in a small knot on the back of her head.
"And his handwriting matched the handwriting of the letter he sent me yesterday."
Bronn nodded, as he seem to understand what she was saying. "So he is alive?"
"Yes, Ser Bronn," she said as she sounded more annoyed than she wanted to be, "he is alive."
"So what are you going to write back, then?" He said as he folded his arms and raised her an eyebrow.
He had a good point there. What was she going to write back? She repeated his words in her head.
'….. I am well. You don't need to worry of me, but I might need your help in the future. Please tell me that I can count on your support… I miss you being around here. I hope that you are well too and that I can see you soon.'
What did he want her to write back? That everything was just fine and that she would happily come North whenever he asked of her? A lot has happened in the last few months. She could not just do as he hoped she would. He had broken her heart. Why was it that every time that she had found the will to go on and live her own life, that someone would make a mess of it again?
"I can see that you are wearing red again." Bronn noticed.
Now it was time for Alyssa to smirk: "Yes, well, there is no reason to mourn anymore, is there?" She told him.
"I'll raise my cup to that," Bronn said as he lifted his cup, "To Alyssa Lannister, the cub of House Lannister."
Alyssa snorted, but laughed as she raised her cup to his. The sound of metal that clung to each other filled the air as they toasted.
"So you'll do it? You will give him what he wants?" Bronn asked once more.
She pouted her lips as she thought of a clever response. "No, Ser Bronn, as a man you will know that a woman never should give everything a man wants directly when he asks for it."
Now Bronn started to smirk. "You're a clever one, m'lady."
"I know." She responded, and they toasted once more.
…
Cersei
"Have your little birds heard anything from my sister, lately?" She asked Qyburn, as the Small Council meeting came to its end and the Lords and Grand Maester left the room.
Qyburn waited for the people to leave the room. When they were gone, he turned to her as he whispered.
"There have been some whispers about her, Your Grace," he said as he caught her interest, "She lives her life at Casterly Rock as she openly swore loyalty to the Crown, but some say that she secretly supports the Northern cause."
She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. She could have known: first the Stark-bastard that her sister fancied and then the Stark-bitch that she was nice to when she lived in Kings Landing. She could have known that her sister was a serpent: maybe even a bigger one than their brother was.
"Write to her. Tell her to come down to visit me in Kings Landing. I will need to marry her to one of our loyal bannermen." She said as she poured herself another glass of wine.
"Do you already have someone in mind?" Qyburn asked her as he took some parchment and a quill as he started to write.
"Yes, yes I do. He is also coming to Kings Landing, to swear fealty to the Crown." Cersei said as she smirked.
Qyburn looked up at her. "Do you want me to add that in the letter, Your Grace?"
Cersei smirked. "No, don't bother."
"Excellent, Your Grace." Qyburn bowed as he left the room, leaving her alone.
Cersei knew that Alyssa would never come to her if she'd let her know in the letter who she thought of marrying her. She was still undecided between two candidates, who'd also had to earn her. If Cersei liked it or not, Alyssa was the only Lannister left to produce heirs to the Lannister's cause, as Tyrion was banished and Jaime and her children would never become Lannisters. She would marry Alyssa to a lesser House, who would feel no shame in letting go of their male heir's name.
Her first choice would've been the Mountain, but since he was killed by the Red Viper, he wouldn't be fit for the job anymore. She knew her father had once mentioned it to Alyssa, but she refused. Normally, this would not stop Tywin Lannister to continue his plan, but Alyssa could always persuade him from what she wanted.
So there were only a few options left: Lord Dickon Tarly, youngest son, but heir to Lord Randyll Tarly of Horn Hill. This match would have been perfectly suitable, if Lord Dickon wasn't the heir. It would strengthen the relationship between the Houses Lannister and Tyrell, which was fragile now.
Then there was Lord Rollam Westerling from the Crag. The boy was once squire to the false wolf King, as his sister was married to him. But the Westerlings were once loyal bannermen to the Lannisters. Lord Rollam was the only son, and therefore heir, left to the Westerlings, but they owe a great deal to the Lannisters. This is their chance to repay the mistrust that their daughter had caused them. Alyssa would not only be the Lady of Casterly Rock, but also over the Crag.
Cersei knew that Alyssa would cause trouble and she needed to be prepared for that. She made a mental note to herself of what kind of cons both of the men had that her sister could use against her. 'Always be prepared,' their father had once learned them. And she would be prepared to see her sister again.
…..
Jon
It felt weird, to still have a black cloak on, but not to be a member of the Night's Watch anymore. It was one of the most difficult decisions he had to make in his life, but it was the right one. He wasn't a ruler, or as he should say it: he didn't want to rule. He didn't like glory, he just wanted to… well.. live.
His death and resurrection had shown him that. He had been given the opportunity to live his life once again, as a free man. He could understand the free-folk now. The temptation of being free…
He smirked as he started to drink his ale. It was starting to get colder and colder, if that was even possible. That only meant one thing for him: the Dead were getting close, and the Night's Watch only could not stop them.
Jon thought of what he would do as a free man. He could not wander around in the North, as it was still Bolton-territory and they would gladly like to see his head on a spike. He could also not go further South, as that was Frey- and Lannister-territory.
Lannister… He would never make it to Alyssa alive and even if he were: it was too great a risk to keep him out of her sister's hands. He would never do that to her. Come to think of it: she would probably never allow him into Casterly Rock…
Up until this day, she had not wrote him back for his question to send more men to the Watch. Jon thought that Alyssa might not believe that he was alive again, or did not want to believe.
He did not have time to overthink that thought, because someone entered the room: "My lord… It's your sister… She has arrived…"
He immediately thought of Arya, as she was the one that was still in the North. He got off his feet and sprinted to the courtyard, where other men were colleting as well.
Jon saw two horses with two cloaked figures on them. One wore an armor and a sword, the other had a plain robe on. If it really was Arya, then she surely had grown taller than he thought she would. He reminded her as a small girl, not the slim, long figure that was now seated on the horse.
The woman turned around and removed her cloak from her head, as a small smile appeared on her face. Jon remembered her as well: it was his other sister, Sansa, whose red hair now was shown to the men in the courtyard.
His heart stopped beating for one second, as he returned her smile with a big one, as he walked over to her horse as she got off it. They just stood there for a couple of moments, looking at each other as they could not believe that they were both still alive.
Jon never thought that he would see any of his siblings again. For all that he knew, they were all dead or missing. He touched Sansa's pale, cold face and then held her close to him. He could feel that Sansa was returning his embrace as she started to cry.
"It's all right now, Sansa. You're safe here." He whispered to her.
"For now." She said.
He looked at her and saw her grief, pain and anxiety. Jon wanted to talk to her in private, to hear from her what she had been through all of these years and take care of her, like elder brothers do to their younger sisters.
"Come, let's talk." He said as he guided her to a room. He let someone start a fire as they waited until it became more warm in the room.
Jon looked at the other woman, as she introduced herself.
"Lord Commander, my name is Brienne of Tarth. I have sworn an oath to keep your sisters safe. I have accompanied your sister to the North and I will stay with her and die for her when needed be."
Jon smiled to her: "I am not a Lord, my Lady, but I thank you for keeping my sister safe. You can stay here under my protection for now."
Sansa and Brienne looked confused at each other, as Sansa spoke: "Not a Lord? I thought they said that you were the Lord Commander…"
"Yes, I was. We have a lot to catch up on." Jon smiled, as they were all handed ale.
Sansa took a sip and tried to smile politely, but Jon immediately saw that she didn't like the taste of it as he started to laugh. "Sorry, we don't have much else up here."
"It's fine." She said.
And then they started to talk. Sansa told him everything of what she has been through since she had left for Kings Landing and he for the Wall. How she saw that their father was being executed by Joffrey, how the Lannisters wanted her to marry him and then Tyrion Lannister, how Joffrey was murdered at his own wedding and the Lannisters still thought that she was behind it, how Petyr Littlefinger helped her escape Kings Landing and brought her to the Vale, where her cousin Robyn was now Lord. She convinced him to let her go North as Brienne found her there, to talk to him as she knew that Stannis Baratheon was attacking Winterfell and thereby the Boltons. That everyone thought that Arya was the wife of Ramsay, but that she in fact knew it was Jeyne Poole, as she cried as she knew that her childhood friend would not be alive for long.
As she finished, Jon started to talk. About how he came to the Wall and said his vows and became a Brother of the Nights Watch. How he fought the Wildlings and became Lord Commander. The fact of the White Walkers and his death he didn't tell. It would only upset Sansa even more and there was enough time to talk of that. He did tell her of Alyssa's visit, as he knew that Sansa must have seen her a lot at her time in the Capital.
The mention of Alyssa's name made Sansa smile a little. "Alyssa and Tyrion are the only Lannisters you can trust. They both tried to make my time in the capital less miserable as they kept me safe from harm."
Jon sensed that his heart became warm as he heard what Sansa said about Alyssa. He knew that Sansa was right and that Alyssa did everything in her power to keep her safe.
"She was one of the few friends I had there," Sansa continued, "and I had no idea of where she went to after her fathers death. I thought she went to Casterly Rock."
Jon sighed. "She is. After she came here, she went to the Rock to rule in her father's place."
"Then why was she here?" Sansa said, confused.
Jon sighed once more as he looked up at her. Sansa looked back and when their eyes met, he saw that she understood everything, but also knew not to talk any further about this subject.
Sansa nodded as she said: "Stannis has lost the Battle at Winterfell, as you knew. We cannot have the Boltons claim the North. It rightfully belongs to us, the Starks."
He smiled. "You're a Stark, I'm not."
"You're as much my father's child as I am." She answered, powerful.
He looked up at her again. Never had he heard her say that to him. As a child, Jon could always feel some distance between Sansa and him, because of his parenthood.
Sansa sighed. "Sorry for how rude I could be to you before, when I was younger. Over the time I have learned that family is the most important thing to you in times of trouble. You are my brother, Jon, and the last living son of Eddard Stark, the heir to Winterfell."
Jon looked down, as he didn't know what to tell her. "I have no interest in titles. Next to that, Sansa, we don't have an army to fight with."
She looked at him in disbelief: "Have faith, Jon. We can make an army, as long as we ask the right people. We still have loyal friends in the North. The North remembers."
"Aye, the North remembers. But it won't be enough to destroy the Bolton army." He argued.
He saw that she was thinking for a moment. She did have grown up: he remembered her as a girl, who could somewhat be a little naïve, and now he saw a woman. A smart woman, who thought things through before she spoke. She had learned and played the game, he knew.
"We don't have to depend on just the people in the North," she told him, "You've got friends beyond the Wall and I've got friends in other parts of Westeros. If you handle yours, I'll handle mine."
"Maybe I…" Jon started.
"I'll handle mine." Sansa ended and Jon saw that he could not discuss it with her anymore.
He smiled as he raised his cup to hers. She returned the favor as they talked and discussed all day long.
…..
Alyssa
"My Lady… Forgive me…" Maester Creylen said as he entered her workplace. "A new raven has arrived for you."
Alyssa sighed as she thought that she just finished reading all the letters that were sent to her throughout Westeros. She had answered a letter written in the name of her sister in the Capital, asking her to come over.
She was not stupid as she knew what this was about: her sister wanted to marry her off to someone, so that Cersei could control her by her husband. Cersei was not a stupid woman, although she sometimes acted like it. Words travel fast and gossip even faster. It must have reached Cersei that she had made a detour before she came to Casterly Rock.
Was she planning on going back to Kings Landing? Yes. She would go back. If she wouldn't go, she would definitely lose the trust of Cersei and thereby she would have the Crown as her enemy. Cersei was not someone that you wanted as your enemy, as she was unpredictable. Alyssa could see what she was up to when she was close to her, but not from a distance this far.
The travel ahead would give her enough time to think of a plan of what she would tell Cersei. She needed to figure out a way of why she wasn't there when she could say goodbye to their father and why she went to the Wall instead of the Rock..
As she still did not answer Maester Creylen, he handed the letter to Bronn, who was just sitting there. He looked up at the Maester in surprise, as he handed the letter to Alyssa.
She sighed. "Can you please learn how to read?" She asked a little irritated.
"I can read by now." He shrugged.
Alyssa raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Can you? Then read the letter to me if you will. Maester Creylen, please get out of my sight." She said as she did not even look at the Maester.
The truth was that she only trusted Bronn around her and she paid for his trust. She knew that, once the gold was gone, so would Bronn be. Even though, she still trusted him with this information.
Bronn smirked as he handed her the letter. "You fucker." He told her.
"Thank you, I appreciate it. Now, learn how to read or I'll never make you a Lord." She said to him with a hint of a warning in her voice.
"Like you're ever going to." He smirked as she started to read.
'Dear Alyssa,
I hope you are well. It had been some time since we last saw each other and I miss your company. You made my time in Kings Landing a lot less worse.
I am well as I am at the Night's Watch now, with my brother Jon. As you know, Stannis Baratheon lost the battle at Winterfell from the Boltons and we are planning to conquer back Winterfell, as it's rightfully ours. Also, my childhood friend Jeyne Poole is married to the Bastard of Bolton and I am worried for her wellbeing.
Knowing that I will be asking a lot from you, I was wondering if you could help us with our cause. We need all the help we can get. Know that the Boltons are not a House you can trust: they swore fealty to the Crown, but history has shown that they will stab you in the back once they can regain more power.
Hoping to hear from you and see you soon,
Sansa Stark'
Alyssa took a deep breath when she finished the letter. Now both Sansa and Jon asked her for help and they both knew she would get in trouble with Cersei if she helped the Northern cause.
"What was it 'bout?" Bronn asked her as he cleaned his fingernails with a knife he always carried with him. "The North or your sister?"
She turned around to look confused at him.
Bronn shrugged: "You always take a deep breath when you get a letter from one of them."
Alyssa rolled her eyes as she told Bronn what Sansa asked of her.
"Oi," he said as he poured in some wine for the both of them, "so what are you planning to do?"
She let herself fall in a chair as she sleekened her dress. She read the letter once again as she thought of the decision she had to make: her sister and the Crown or help the man she loved in the North. There was no in between: if she listened to Cersei, she would lose Jon, as she knew her sister had found her a suitable match to marry. If she would go North, she would lose her ancestral House and seat as she still would not be sure what Jon and Sansa could do for her as they had won back Winterfell.
She told Bronn what was troubling her mind.
"You waste your time trying to get people to love you, you'll end up the most popular dead woman in Westeros." Bronn said as he still inspected his fingernails. "You worry too much about what your sister or Jon would think. They don' matter: YOU matter. What is it that you want? Your sister doesn't think about what you want, ey? She'll marry you off to the first prick she finds for ya."
Alyssa knew he had a point: who actually thought of what she wanted? As she took his advice, she thought of what she wanted. She tried to listen to her heart, but also use her wit, as she wanted to be alive a few years from now.
"Ser Bronn, please ready two horses." She said, as she decided.
He looked up in surprise: "Okay, so we're going to Kings Landing?" He said, as Alyssa could see that he was also a bit confused.
"Yes. We are. But also take some warm clothes with you. You know how cold it can be up North." She said as she smirked at him.
He smirked back as soon as he understood what she was talking about. "Will do, m'lady." He said as he bowed a little to her as a joke as he left the room.
…..
Jaime
He would love to see the reaction on Alyssa's face when she would hear that Cersei planned to marry her up to one of the Westerlings. He knew his youngest sister well and he knew she would make some trouble to get out of it.
"And you really think she will come to the Capital to talk to you?" He asked Cersei, who stood in front of him, looking out of a window.
The weather was cloudy again, as a chill breeze entered the chamber. Jaime tried to remember when it was the last time it was a true hot summer day. When he remembered what day it was, he blocked that memory. Joffrey's wedding…
"Yes, she will," Cersei answered, "you know our little cub. She is way too curious to ignore what I have in mind for her."
Jaime thought of what Cersei said. There was a big resemblance between him and Alyssa. They were both curious, which made them a little predictable, as everyone knew that you could lure them when you had some information.
Cersei sighed: "I know what you're thinking: she'll never agree to it. But we have to make her. She is the only true Lannister left that'll be able to make trueborn Lannister heirs. Also: we need to control her. I have a feeling that she cannot be trusted, now that she's out of our sight with that simple sellsword Ron." She ended as she rolled her eyes, the same way that Alyssa always did.
Sometimes, it was hilarious how Cersei would think of people. Her thoughts were most of the time not reality. He stopped to try to make her see that, as you would not be able to make someone see who is blind, but Alyssa is the most loyal one to House Lannister.
Another resemblance between him and her was that they were actually the most sensitive Lannisters that truly loved their family. They could charm everyone they wanted as they played the big game along, but all their decisions were made with their heart; not with their mind. Alyssa would never make a decision that would hurt the people she loved.
"His name is Bronn. And I still don't think that that would be an issue." He tried.
"You're simply being naïve," Cersei said, as she poured herself another wine, "You and I both know that she loves the most unavailable man in Westeros. She will do everything that is in her power to be with him. Even when she is married to the Westerling-boy."
"And what makes her any different to us, then?" Jaime asked her, as he continued, "You married Robert, although you loved me. I took an oath for the Kingsguard, just to be with you. We both did our duties, although we longed for each other. Because we love each other. Don't take that feeling away from Alyssa."
Cersei sighed, as she knew that he was right. "That's not the problem. We both fight for the same cause: our family and our only living child left. Alyssa and Jon are both from two different families, who have different interests. Next to that: Jon Snow is a bastard. Leaving her with him will do our family harm."
Jaime smirked: "Well, you always wanted to marry her off to a lesser House."
"A bastard has no House." Cersei said firmly, as he knew that the discussion was closed.
She came closer to him as he knew that she wanted him to kiss her. Gods, how was he able to resist her, as she was the most important living creature to him? Cersei made him feel how it was to be loved, but also to love.
He kissed her passionately as she greedily answered his kiss. He could feel how her hands went over his back as she tried to get rid of his armor. He helped her out of it as he could feel how the touch of her made him hard.
There was a soft knock on the door, which made him stop, but it didn't seem to care to Cersei any longer. She was still kissing his neck as Qyburn entered the room.
"I am sorry to interrupt, your Grace, but there is news from the Rock." He said, as Jaime saw that Qyburn did his best not to look too surprised by the sight of Cersei and him.
Cersei stopped touching Jaime as she looked at him. "And what is the news?"
"It's your sister, Your Grace. She's been spotted on her way to Kings Landing, to visit you."
Cersei smiled as she looked at Jaime. Jaime smiled too, but only because he knew that it won't be long, when he would see his little cub again.
A/N: Five years, it has been! Sorry to keep you waiting for this long. I hope it will be worth the waiting, as things will be more up speed after this point! Jon is no longer a member to the Night's Watch, Dany and Tyrion are coming to Westeros any time soon, as Alyssa has to speed up to make some live changing decisions!
Hope you loved this chapter and if you have any suggestions to what write next… I will love to hear from you!
Xoxo, Radicallion.