Jaime Lannister knew who she was.
The realisation washed over her like a bucket of ice-cold water, causing her thoughts to come to a grinding halt. He would tell his sister, the King...soon enough the whole of King's Landing would know she was a Targaryen. She would never get her vengeance. Her hand tightened around the dagger that was still clasped in her hand, knowing she only had one option left to her. She was a good liar, but her reaction would have already told Jaime all he needed to know. In the blink of an eye, Kaela had released the dagger from her right hand, easily catching it in her left and pressing it against Jaime's neck. She shoved him backwards until he was pushed up against a tree, unable to move forward or risk his neck being slit open. She expected him to put up a fight, he was clearly stronger than her, after all, but instead he...laughed?
"Act first, think later. How very Targaryen of you" Jaime mumbled, with a mocking smile.
Kaela simply blinked at him in disbelief, before pressing her dagger more firmly against the thin skin of his neck, causing a small line of blood to run down his undershirt. Still, he did not push her away, opting to raise a golden eyebrow instead.
"You have no reason to fear your secret being revealed. Not by the likes of myself, at least" Jaime continued.
"How long have you known?" Kaela asked, needing to know when it was that she had slipped up.
She did her best to ignore the way her palms were growing slick with her own blood, making it difficult to keep her hold on the dagger. The pain was becoming overwhelming, but she refused to back down, not when everything she had fought for was on the line. As was her life.
"Some time. I had my suspicions that first day in Winterfell. You have your mother's eyes" Jaime informed her, causing her forehead to wrinkle.
"I am to believe you worked out my heritage from little more than my face? I suggest you answer my question a little more truthfully" Kaela advised.
"Rhaegar's eyes were deep indigo, more blue than purple really, as were your mother's. And yours, it would seem. I was not sure that afternoon in the courtyard, but at the feast, in the candlelight...I could see the glint of purple. You only need to know what to look for" Jaime murmured, as Kaela's frown deepened.
"And still you have not told a soul?" Kaela asked.
"I told you. I have a debt to pay" Jaime exclaimed.
"A debt to who?" Kaela insisted, firmly.
"Rhaegar Targaryen" Jaime answered, his eyes lowering as he watched Kaela slowly pull the dagger away from his throat.
She kept her dagger close by her side, adrenaline still pumping through her veins, ready to jump into action at the slightest movement. But there was something about the way that Jaime spoke Rhaegar's name, a nostalgic fondness that led her to want to hear more.
"Before he left for the Trident, Rhaegar instructed me to protect his wife and children...and his dear aunt and her babe" Jaime explained, as a scowl grew on Kaela's face.
"And you did neither—" Kaela accused, but she was quickly cut off by the knight.
"I did not think that...Robert was always a drunken fool, but I had not thought him vicious. Not before that day" Jaime replied, with a shake of his head.
"I've heard what the Mountain did to Elia Martell. To her children. How could you possibly think that Robert wouldn't have my mother killed after that?" Kaela spat out, anger burning behind her eyes.
"I was not there in the Throne Room when Elaena was killed. Perhaps I would have spoken up, put a stop to the madness, but we will never know" Jaime went on.
"Where were you then?" Kaela pushed.
"I had a task to finish that I had started when I killed the Mad King" Jaime informed her.
"It's a charming notion. That you would protect my secret because of a promise you made to a dead man almost twenty years ago...but it's not one I believe" Kaela warned, with narrowed eyes.
"Ah, of course. What would the Kingslayer know of loyalty? I may not have been able to keep your mother safe, but I will be dammed if I allow you to perish because you believe I have shit for honour. Now, put the cursed dagger away" Jaime commanded, with such fierceness, she almost cowered away from him.
"I do not trust you because you are a Lannister. Not because you killed a madman" Kaela explained, but reluctantly tucked the blade back under the pleats of her dress.
"Perhaps you do have some wisdom, after all" Jaime stated, rubbing away the blood that stained his neck.
"Forgive me if I do not rely on the judgement of a man who was fucking sister moments ago" Kaela retorted, the words tumbling from her mouth before her mind caught up.
Jaime's eyes darkened instantly, straightened his back to stand at his full height, taking a step forward to loom over her. His lips were drawn in a fine line, requiring some effort to hold his tongue. He was then pushing past her toward his discarded armour, grabbing his golden leather overcoat and bringing it over his shoulders.
"...I knew before this. To tell you the truth, I'm amazed no one else has figured it out yet" Kaela mumbled, causing Jaime to let out a huff of amusement.
"People have done just that over the years. Most simply don't live long enough to tell anyone" Jaime explained, as Kaela's skin turned a deathly pale.
"Just to be clear, was that you stating a fact or a threat?" Kaela frowned, watching as Jaime reached down to grab his white Kingsguard cloak.
Jaime's only response was a slight curl of his lips, as he marched over to her, before ripping away part of his cloak, only confusing her further. For a moment she feared he could have been planning to strangle her with the fabric.
"Give me your hands" Jaime exclaimed, as Kaela's eyes flickered down to her palms which were still dripping with blood.
Kaela was too taken aback to react, her mind still reeling from the events of the last minutes. With a roll of his eyes, Jaime reached down to lift up her hands, his touch surprisingly gentle. He started to weave the white fabric around her palms, which quickly became stained with red but stemmed the bleeding nonetheless. Kaela watched him in confusion as he tied the strips of his cloak tightly around her hands, a barely there smile on his face. Using his cloak to dress a maiden's wounds was one of the first noble things he had done in many years.
"Why did you kill those men? Why not run away?" Jaime inquired, tugging on the fabric once more to make sure it would stay firmly on.
"They were going to rape your sister. It would take someone removing my hands to stop me from intervening in such an act" Kaela admitted, her tone full of disgust.
"She won't thank you for it" Jaime pointed out.
"Speaking from experience?" Kaela guessed, catching the knight's eye.
Before Jaime had the chance to respond, a voice was calling out, followed by the sound of racing footsteps. Then a moment later, a small body was colliding with Kaela, arms wrapping around her waist and holding on for dear life. Arya looked as if she was close to tears as she stared up at Kaela, looking her over for injuries. In a matter of seconds, a dozen Lannister and Stark guards were upon them, with Ned leading the front, a sword in his hand, ready for a battle.
"Seven Hells, what happened here?" Robert's voice exclaimed, as he bounded over to the pair.
Jaime saw how Kaela tensed out of the corner of his eye, though her reaction surprised him very little. Her small hands were balled into fists despite the pain that would surely be ignited due to the wounds on her palms. His eyes surveyed the growing crowd, noting that his sister did not seem to be in attendance.
"Wildlings" Jaime spoke up, as Ned Stark pushed one of the closest men onto their back with the heel of his foot.
"This far south?" Ned murmured, more to himself than anyone else.
His concern was understandable. In all her years, Kaela had never heard of Wildlings venturing much further than Winterfell. What reason would they have to flee past the Wall?
"Why is it this girl is the only one wounded? Don't tell me the famous Kingslayer needed to be saved by a handmaiden?" Robert gloated.
"Quite the opposite, your Grace. Ser Jaime killed the man who cut me. He saved my life and that of your wife" Kaela retorted, causing Jaime's brows to knit together.
She was lying, but for what reason? For his reputation? He highly doubted that. Still, whatever the reason was, Jaime was more than happy to take the glory offered. Reaching down to pick up his discarded sword, which was stained with blood, he gave his King a cocky smile.
"You should know if there is one thing I am good at, Your Grace...it's killing" Jaime stated.
"Well, I suppose I should thank you for saving my beloved wife then" Robert huffed.
"She remained unharmed?" Jaime asked, the worry in his voice betraying his indifference.
"It seems these barbarians ripped at her clothes, but she remains unblemished. The Queen wished to stay in the safety of the camp" Robert explained, as Jaime gave a curt nod.
He pushed down the traitorous part of his mind which pointed out Cersei did join the guards to check on his wellbeing. He could have been dead for all she knew. His eyes flickered over to Kaela's, who was giving him a look of something akin to sympathy as if she could read his mind. Without a word, he began pushing his way through the crowds, ordering one of the guards to bring his discarded armour.
"You should see the maester at the Inn" Ned Stark advised.
"Yes, my Lord" Kaelan nodded, her gaze turning to the Wildling corpses that surrounded her one last time.
What would make such a large group of Wildlings flee all the way south?
Kaela spent most of the next day in the maester's presence, having her skin stitched back together, after having wine poured onto the wounds to kill any infection likely to grow. It stung awfully, but she simply clenched her teeth together and bared it. It would remind her not to do something so stupid again. She had not seen Jaime Lannister since their encounter, and her anxiety over the matter grew with every minute. How could she have ever thought she could trust a Lannister?
Once she ventured out of the Inn late in the evening, she found the area strangely empty. There were no guards to be seen. She spotted a group of handmaidens whispering amongst themselves, appearing quite panicked. Kaela found Jeyne was amongst them and called out to her, though the girl gave her no reply.
"Have you seen Arya?" Kaela asked, changing her line of questioning, confused when Jeyne huffed out a laugh.
"That appears to be the question of the hour" Jeyne murmured.
"What does that mean?" Kaela pushed.
"Your Lady was last seen setting her wolf on the Prince. Every man is out looking for her. You should hope Lord Stark's men find her first and not the Queen. It sounds as if she is after blood" Jeyne explained, as Kaela's eyes doubled in size.
"How long ago?" Kaela inquired.
"Some hours. If the girl has any sense, she'll be running back to Winterfell" Jeyne scoffed.
"And you would do well to remember you are speaking of a Lady. Your Lord's daughter" Kaela spat out, before shoving her way past the irritating girl.
The sun was already fading in the sky as she walked past the treeline, her heart beating quickly in her chest at the thought of Arya being missing come nightfall. It was only yesterday she was almost killed by Wildlings, who knew what else lurked in the forest. She half hoped that Nymeria was with Arya, but she knew what that would mean for the direwolf. Cersei would take Nymeria's head without a second thought for hurting her precious son.
Hours passed and there was still no sign of her Lady, or any Stark guards for that matter. She had travelled so far into the forest that it had been some time since she had come across another soul. Letting out a long sigh she realised if she continued any further, she would become lost. And no one would come looking for a handmaiden. Reluctantly, she turned on her heel and let out a yelp of surprise when she saw a tall man standing right behind her.
"Qogralbar!" Kaela cried, clutching at her heart which was threatening to beat out of her chest.
"Such unladylike words" Jaime chastised her, as she gave him a look of disbelief.
"...You can speak High Valyrian?" She blurted out, surprised by the knowledge.
"Certainly not. But I picked up some phrases the King would utter frequently" Jaime huffed, one hand lounging on the hilt of his sword, and the other holding a burning torch.
"Were you following me?" Kaela exclaimed.
"I thought it best if we finish our conversation without prying eyes, wouldn't you agree?" Jaime mumbled.
"Your sister already questions why you would bother conversing with a handmaiden" Kaela pointed out, as Jaime's lips twitched into a smirk.
"A princess hiding under the guise of a handmaiden" Jaime stated.
"I think you might be forgetting I am no more than a bastard" Kaela retorted, as Jaime tilted his head.
"The Red Priestesses' never told you Aerys legitimised your birth?" Jaime guessed, watching as Kaela's mouth went slack.
"It would seem not" Jaime muttered, beginning to walk away, as Kaela tried to wrap her head around what he had just informed her.
If what he said was true, if Aerys wished for her to be an heir...did that mean he knew for fact that she was his child? Rushing forward to keep up with Jaime's long strides, Kaela glared at the back of his head.
"It's true then? That I was believed to be Aerys' daughter?" Kaela insisted.
"That was certainly what the Mad King liked to think" Jaime answered, causing Kaela to roll her eyes.
"Enough riddles. Tell me what you know" Kaela insisted, pushing forward to step in front of the knight, bringing him to a grinding halt.
"If you really did kill my father, then I think I deserve at least that" Kaela added.
"...Aerys was under the impression that your mother birthed you some months early, but you were a fully grown babe. I...know when he first called upon Elaena. I have reason to think it was after your conception" Jaime explained, somewhat awkwardly.
"My mother took other men to her bed?" Kaela questioned.
"I would hope so, for your sake" Jaime huffed.
"How do your hands fare?" Jaime exclaimed, a few moments later, his gaze dropping to the stained bandages around her palms.
"They may scar. Oh, and you're welcome. Not that you've thanked me yet" Kaela stated, causing Jaime to raise an eyebrow.
"I could have handled the Wildlings. I've killed more than twenty men with nothing more than a sword before" Jaime told her, as she gave him a sardonic smile.
"Perhaps when you were in prime, now it seems you need a girl to save you" Kaela mocked, continuing to walk back to the Inn.
"A girl who uses magic to kill men. I saw what you did with their torch. I haven't seen such fire since the days of the Mad King" Jaime murmured, his eyes becoming unfocused for a moment.
"Nothing more than a trick. One which I have no more of. You'll have to save yourself next time" Kaela shrugged, as Jaime pursed his lips.
"Why did you tell the King I killed those men?" Jaime couldn't help but ask, matching her strides.
"You do not think he would question how a handmaiden was able to kill a handful of Wildlings? I need to bring as little attention to myself as possible" Kaela confessed.
He regarded her carefully then for a moment, before shaking his head, muttering a curse under his breath. All of a sudden, he was reaching out to grab her wrist, stopping her in her tracks, a gentle pressure against her skin.
"It won't be possible. To kill the King. You will be discovered before you get the chance" Jaime warned her, as she balked at him.
"I have been on the receiving end of many a hateful look in my time but the way you look at Robert? I'm surprised the man doesn't burst into flames. It's not hard to imagine why you would journey with us to King's Landing" Jaime pointed out.
"If you plan to stop me then strike me down now. I have had one thought in my mind since I was a child and that was to obtain justice for my mother. And I will do whatever it takes" Kaela retorted, pulling her arm away from his warm grip.
"...Good" Jaime replied, simply.
"Good?" Kaela frowned.
"I believe you and I could help each other as we have...similar interests," Jaime told her, as the realisation slowly dawned on Kaela's face.
"You want Robert dead?" She gaped.
"All in good time, Princess" Jaime mumbled, with a slight smirk.
"Do not call me that, Lannister" Kaela complained, causing Jaime's smile to only grow wider.
"They've found the girl" Jaime suddenly announced, leaving Kaela taken aback once more.
"Arya?" She asked, as he gave a sharp nod.
"My sister has ordered her to be taken before the King" Jaime disclosed, watching as Kaela's jaw clenched.
"And you did not think to tell me this first?" Kaela huffed, beginning to walk back towards the Inn once more.
"As I said, we had matters to discuss" Jaime said, far too smugly for Kaela's liking.
"Do you take anything seriously?" Kaela muttered, crossing her arms over her chest as she picked up her pace.
"Very little" Jaime answered, easily keeping up with her.
"Oh, only fucking your sister then?" Kaela mocked, not needing to turn to Jaime to know he was glaring at her.
"Coming from the Targaryen" He argued, as Kaela rolled her eyes for the second time that evening.
The two continued trekking through the forest for some time, having fallen into a surprisingly comfortable silence. For some reason, Kaela found she did not fear the Kingslayer's presence. Perhaps that was why the Lord of Light had shown her the vision of Jaime slaying the Mad King. It was his greatest sin, but no one knew the truth. No one except her it would seem. If the man wasn't so painfully smug she would almost feel sorry for him.
"My sister won't be able to harm Stark's children...but the direwolves, that would be a different matter" Jaime announced, bringing her out of her thoughts.
"She would Lady killed?" Kaela realised.
"A rather stupid name for a wolf, but yes. If she had the strength, I imagine she would do it herself" Jaime informed her.
"Sansa would never recover from such a thing..." Kaela trailed off, spotting light coming from the Inn in the distance.
Arya had been brought before the King and Queen in the relatively modest dining room of the Inn, surrounded on all sides by Lannister soldiers. Luckily for her, it wasn't long before her father stormed in, instantly bringing her into his arms. Arya was less happy to see her sister ushered forward.
"Now, child...Tell me what happened. Tell it all and tell it true. It's a great crime to lie to a King" Robert commanded, as Sansa's eyes flickered to the ground.
"I don't know. I don't remember. Everything happened so fast. I didn't see" Sansa stuttered, caught between her loyalty to her sister and betrothed.
"Liar! Liar, liar, liar!" Arya screamed, jumping forward to grab her sister's red hair, tugging on it hard.
She didn't stop pulling on Sansa's braids until she felt strong arms wrapping around her waist, and a familiar voice calling out her name. She looked up to see Kaela looming over her, shaking her head, firmly. Reluctantly, Arya dropped her arms to her sides, as Kaela kept her in place.
"Arya, that's enough!" Ned insisted, as Kaela placed her hands on Arya's shoulders.
"She's as wild as that animal of hers. I want her punished" Cersei announced.
"Your Grace, she is a child. She does not know any better" Kaela spoke up, through gritted teeth.
Cersei's eyes narrowed at Kaela's interruption, looking as if she was seconds away from striding forward and striking her in the face. Setting her gaze upon the floor, Kaela cursed inwardly for not knowing when to keep her mouth shut.
"What would you have me do, whip her through the streets? Damn it, children fight. It's over" Robert pointed out.
"Joffrey will bear these scars for the rest of his life" Cersei insisted.
You let that little girl disarm you? See to it that your daughter is disciplined. I'll do the same with my son" Robert exclaimed, pulling himself up from his chair, his belly wobbling as he did so.
"Gladly, your Grace" Ned nodded.
"And what of the direwolf? What of the beast that savaged your son?" Cersei pointed out, wrapping her arm around Joffrey's shoulder.
"I'd forgot the damned wolf" Robert sighed, turning to the nearest Lannister soldier.
"We found no trace of the direwolf, your Grace" The soldier stated, as Robert hoped that would be the end of it.
"We have another wolf" Cersei went on, as murmuring began between the soldiers.
"...I regret to inform your Grace that...the other direwolf appears to have...gone missing" The same Lannister soldier confessed, embarrassment flashing over his face.
"Missing? It is a beast, how could you lose it?!" Cersei cried, angrily.
"The beast's chains must have been too loose" The Lannister soldier theorised, as Cersei's eyes instantly flickered to Kaela's.
The young girl held the Queen's gaze this time, doing her best to keep the smile off her face. Whilst the interrogation had been ongoing, Kaela had crept round the back of the Inn and had set Lady free. She hoped the direwolf might find its sister and go back North. Neither animal deserved to be slaughtered. Arya's gaze followed the Queen's, putting two and two together quickly, as she twisted around and wrapped her arms around Kaela's waist, in silent thanks.
Kaela's mind ran at a mile a minute as she entered the Red Keep, trying to imagine her ancestors once occupying such a grand structure. Every room appeared grander than the last, but for Kaela, it was filled with the ghosts of Targaryen's. From the Dance of Dragons to her own mother...it was all built on dragon's blood. She could only hope her own blood would not coat the marble floors. Once she had settled Arya into her impressive new quarters, she requested to be excused. She made her way to the Great Hall, her footsteps slowing with every minute. She wasn't sure if she was ready to see the room her mother was killed in. That she was believed to have been burned alive in. She was glad to see the huge bronze doors were left open at the entrance of the room, two guards posted on either side. Sucking in a deep breath, she began to walk down the stone steps that led toward the Throne, almost falling down when she spotted familiar golden armour. Jaime Lannister was perched on the steps of the Iron Throne, his helmet resting beside him. Opting to ignore his presence for the moment, Kaela allowed her gaze to drift over the large, cavernous room. To the left side of the Hall, lay several windows with stained-glass depictions of the seven-pointed star of the Faith of the Seven, allowing light to enter the dim room. It reminded her once more that she was surrounded by enemies. It appeared so different to how it had in her vision, gone were the skulls of the dragons, and any other remnants of Targaryen's reign. Vine motifs had been placed as decorations of the Hall's columns and several candelabra were placed to illuminate the hall. Behind the throne, she found a tall stained-glass window depicting stags, the sigil of House Baratheon.
"I thought this would be the first place you would visit" Jaime exclaimed, pushing himself up, his armour clinking as he did so.
"Protecting the throne, Ser?" Kaela mocked, as Jaime huffed out a laugh.
"It is all I am good for after all" Jaime replied.
"...Where was it?" Kaela inquired, after a moment of silence.
Not needing to ask her to elaborate, Jaime led her to the right-hand side of the room, beside one of the grand pillars. He came to a stop suddenly, as Kaela realised the marble flooring in front of him appeared different to the rest of the room.
"He kept the fire burning for some time. It scorched the floor below" Jaime mumbled, in an almost sad tone.
"Did she...did they say she died quickly?" Kaela asked, blinking away the tears that grew in her eyes.
"I do not know. If I believed in the Gods, I would thank them that I was not there that day" Jaime sighed.
"Is her death why you believe our...interests are aligned?" Kaela frowned.
"I am afraid I can't attest to something so noble. My sister has grown weary, she would like certain events to be brought forward sooner rather than later" Jaime went on, as Kaela looked away from the floor.
"Do you truly think of nothing but your sister?" Kaela muttered, watching as the muscles in Jaime's jaw jumped.
"If that were true, you would not be breathing at his very moment" Jaime pointed out.
"You would still have me believe you are acting out of loyalty to my long-dead cousin?" Kaela huffed, as Jaime shook his head, in annoyance.
"Why is that so hard for you to believe?" He hissed, as Kaela went to open her mouth, but Jaime cut her off before long.
"My loyalty was not only to Rhaegar. All I had wanted to do ever since I was a boy was to become a great knight. Someone noble. Who would lay their life down for the royal family? I would like to think it not too late" Jaime continued.
"Meaning?" Kaela frowned, as Jaime took a step forward, crowding her in.
"You should leave here. Go East. Find what is left of your family. All there is here...is death" Jaime insisted.
"There will be once I have done what I came to do" Kaela retorted, in a hushed voice.
"...You're just as impossible as he was" Jaime scoffed, a slight hint of amusement in his voice.
"Thank you" Kaela mumbled, grinning widely.
The two sprung apart quickly when they heard fast-approaching footsteps, panic crossing Kaela's face when she realised what a compromising position she had put herself in. What would the Queen do to her if she found out she had been conversing with Jaime again?
"You can tell Lord Stark that I serve the King, not the North" Jaime announced, causing Kaela's forehead to wrinkle before she realised what he was doing.
"Of course, Ser" Kaela nodded, her eyes drifting over to see who was walking past them.
Two men dressed in expensive clothing sauntered closer, one with short brown hair, a bushy beard covering his face, his back painfully straight. She noticed the stag that was attached to his leather shirt, realising he was likely the King's brother, Renly. She found she had little hate for the man, she could not blame him for his brother's sins—
The sharp sound of horror that left her lips a moment later left Jaime confused, instinctively reaching for his sword. He frowned as he watched the two men pass them, nodding toward the Lord's as they did. Renly barely seemed to acknowledge his presence, but the shorter of the two stopped in his tracks for just a moment, staring openly at Kaela before continuing. Jaime brought his attention back to the younger girl who appeared to be in a fit of panic, her skin a sickly pale.
"Who was that?" She spoke, in a shaky tone.
"The King's brother, Renly. Fear not, he is nothing like Robert. In every way—" Jaime started, but Kaela cut him off instantly.
"No. The man beside him" Kaela insisted.
"Lord Baelish. A slippery man, you would do well to stay away from him" Jaime advised.
That was no man.
For when Lord Baelish had stopped beside her, Kaela had looked into the man's eyes, and they had turned a haunting white colour. But it was more than that...it was as if the man had thousands of eyes overlapping each other all at once.
"For the night is dark and full of terrors" She mumbled to herself, praying that the Lord of Light would keep her safe.