Golden Age Chapter 5: The Calm Before The Storm, a game of thrones fanfic

Chapter beta'd by RhaenaTargaryen

Thank you to reddit reviewers and my friends RhaenaTargaryen and Princess Rosalind of Underland for reviewing the previous chapter. Thank you to Rhaena for being an awesome beta'r and co-mod on reddit! Thank to Rosalind for being my fandom bff for years and always supporting my work, and especially for reviewing upon your reread here when you'd already reviewed it over on ao3 before it got deleted by the jerk mods there!

Based upon reviews this chapter isn't supposed to be uploaded till tomorrow, but I'm uploading it a day early.

"Finally! Now, what do we do?" Asked Cersei as they approached the shores of Sweet Port.

"Now? Now we hope that luck will be on our side and nobody will be nearby. Considering what time it is, that may just be the case," Jaime replied. They didn't have any way to tell time, but he knew it had been at least several hours since the sun had set. He estimated that it was sometime in the middle of the night. It had been another day of them both being awake far too long without sleep. This time the stamina that they seemed to both have had after being resurrected had faded. He was exhausted and Cersei seemed even more so. She needed to sleep soon. He was worried, both for her and the baby. He knew if she lost this child her will to live would be gone.

Once they finally made It to shore he dragged the boat to land. Although the shore looked to be deserted he still drew his sword so he would be ready just in case of an attack. Cersei grabbed the sack holding all of their worldly possessions. Instinctively, he reached to grab her other hand with the hand that was not holding Widow's Wail, but then he remembered he had only the one.

Spotting a sailboat in the distance towards the east, he began to cautiously approach it, Cersei falling into step next to him.

As they got closer, they could see that there appeared to be an old man asleep on the boat. Jaime stopped and turned to Cersei, speaking quietly. "Perhaps we should find a different sailboat. There are others further away."

"The fact there is a man asleep on this boat means whoever owns it is either dead or away. That makes it a great choice for us to use for the remainder of the voyage," she argued.

"It could be his boat," he suggested.

She rolled her eyes and started towards the boat. "I'm sure if it were he would be sailing, not sleeping on it."

He fell into step beside her and they continued to approach the sailboat until Cersei grabbed his arm. He stopped and turned towards her.

"Do it quickly and quietly. While he still sleeps," she whispered.

"Do what quickly and quietly?" He asked, confused.

"Kill him, of course."

"Kill him! Are you mad?!" He said in an angry whisper.

"It's the best way. So he doesn't tell anyone that he saw us."

He sighed knowing she was right. Another innocent life would be on his hands. At least this man probably didn't have a family who would miss him.

"I will stay here while you take care of matters. My clothes are dirty and disgusting enough; I'd rather not have blood on them in addition," she informed him.

He sighed wearily. "Alright then."

He boarded the sailboat and examined the surroundings closer. The first thing he noticed was dozens of empty beer bottles, a half-drunk one, and a handful of unopened ones. Those would certainly come in use as they were low on water. There also appeared to be a medium-sized portion of salt mutton and a generous amount of pine nuts. The man whose life he was about to end was an older man, perhaps in his fifties or even sixties, and skinny, with thinning brown hair, and drool was escaping from his open mouth and onto his unkempt beard.

He lifted his sword up and was about to end the man's life when he hesitated. This didn't feel right to him. This man may be a drunkard, but he was innocent. He'd told Tyrion he didn't care about the innocents, but it had been a lie. Or maybe it hadn't been a lie, but he had lived with enough blood on his hands. Shouldn't dying and being brought back be a chance for him to finally be a better man? A man worthy of the title of knight, even if he no longer was such?

His hesitation did not go unnoticed by Cersei. "What are you waiting for? Kill him!"

"He's just an unfortunate homeless man. He can cause no harm to us. We'll wake him and force him to go on his way."

As if on cue the man woke up. "Whoww... arrrrrre you?" He asked, slurring his speech.

Jaime paused, unsure of what to say or do. The man glanced all around. He seemed to take in the sight of Jaime standing in front of him in his torn and dirty clothes and missing a shoe. Then he glanced Cersei's way, seeing her in her equally dirty and torn clothes. "You two look worse for wear than I do."

Cersei fumed. "You hideous old drunk. There are probably bugs living in your beard. Jaime, kill him!"

"We need this boat. You need to leave it now," Jaime informed him firmly.

"Why should I leave? This here's been my boat for months. I got everything here I need." Either the man was too drunk to be scared in spite of the sword currently pointed at him, or he just didn't care whether he lived or died.

"Just kill him!" Cersei yelled, frustrated.

"Close your eyes," he told the man.

"Wait! I'll go, but can I at least take my beer with me?"

"Sorry. I'm afraid it could be of use to us. We're nearly out of water," said Jaime.

Defeated, the man staggered off the ship. Quickly Cersei boarded the small sailboat and once Jaime unsecured it from the docks and they began to sail away.

"That was rather foolish. What if he tells someone?" She complained after a moment.

"Tells them what?"

"That he saw us!"

"He's a homeless man, likely with no house or standing. Who in seven hells would believe him?"

"People who notice a sailboat missing, that's who!"

"If anybody cared about this boat there wouldn't have been a homeless man making camp in it. Besides, it's not as though he knows who we are."

"Well, I certainly hope that your mercy doesn't get us into a bad situation." She paused and then in a calmer voice asked. "How long do you think it will take to get to land now?"

"I believe we should arrive in Pentos in two and a half days to three days."

"Three days? Three fucking days?! We've only a few bananas for food and barely any water!"

"We have some salt mutton and some pine nuts now as well. The man left them here. You can have most or even all of it, as well as all the water. I'll just drink the booze." Since Cersei didn't typically refrain from drinking anything alcoholic while pregnant, he figured this would be a fair solution. Things weren't dire, but if the journey failed to go according to plan they would be in deep trouble.

"It's too long to go without proper food...the baby," she said worriedly.

"I know you're accustomed to more, but many of the poorer people of King's Landing typically made due with little to no food."

"And how did their pregnancies fare?" She shot back.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm not certain. Some of them clearly made it to term or we wouldn't still have poor people."

"Some of them! What wonderful odds," she said sarcastically. She paused then asked. "If we were still rowing when would we reach Pentos?"

"Probably not for another week. I believe I underestimated before."

"Well, then I am certainly glad we stole this sailboat rather than continue on the foolish way you would have had us! We'd have died of hunger or thirst!"

"I wouldn't have let that ever happen. There were islands-"

"Yes, likely more monkey-ridden islands! I am sure glad we have a sailboat now!"

Silence followed for a time before Cersei stated that she was tired. He quickly agreed that he would stay awake while she slept. He'd stayed awake for over twenty-four hours a few other times when just as exhausted. The boat would basically sail itself to Pentos, with little steering needed. Somebody would just have to be awake to watch for bigger boats to steer away from their path.

When Cersei awoke he taught her how to steer the sailboat; thankfully she got the gist of it rather quickly. Then it was his turn to get some sleep.

It turned out that he ended up doing the majority of the watching that night and the following day. Cersei was exhausted and kept waking him up so that she could sleep more. He tried not to worry too much. It was likely the pregnancy, lack of proper food, and all the previous work rowing that had made her so tired.

Towards the beginning of the second day, when she had woken him up he decided to make conversation with her. "The house name you chose. Drumm. What was your reasoning for choosing it?"

"I told you I didn't wish to speak about it."

"You don't seem to wish to speak of anything as of late. You've barely said a word to me since we got on the sailboat. If this is the name you wish to use I'd like to know if there is some sort of reasoning behind it."

"Perhaps I will tell you if you tell me something first."

"What is it you wish me to tell?"

"That scar. The one you were bleeding from when you came to me. How did it happen?"

This was the third time she had asked him since they had come back. The first two times she had asked he had changed the subject. He had not wanted to chance an argument while she had been rowing the dinghy. They were on a sailboat now so he reasoned that at least the only risk from talking about Euron now would be a terrible argument, not them or their possessions tipping overboard. "I'm sure you can take a guess."

"Surely not my guards?" She asked.

"Not your guards."

"Who would dare then?"

"Euron Greyjoy."

"Euron? I'd wondered if he managed to flee when the dragon bitch set the fleets aflame."

He tried to suppress his jealousy. Why did she care about anything of what happened to Euron? It had occurred to him that Euron had been heading towards the same secret entrance that he himself had. For the first time since they had come back to life, Jaime took time to ponder this. Had Euron actually loved Cersei? Worse, had Cersei loved him back? She wasn't like him, incapable of loving anybody else in that matter. She had felt something for Robert once. She'd even nearly ended their relationship before the birth of her black-haired son claiming it too risky. He had doubts that risk was the only reason. He had seen the way she had looked at Robert. Robert had been a disgusting womanizer, but he had been handsome, at least early in their marriage, and a king to boot. Euron Greyjoy was neither of those things, no matter what he had claimed. Cersei surely couldn't have fallen for him, could she have? He began to seriously wonder if she would have preferred the uncouth pirate with her right now.

After a moment he felt calmed enough that he could form a reply. "Well, wonder no more. It wasn't her. It was all me. I killed him." He watched closely for her reaction, hoping he would not catch any hints of sadness in her expression.

Confusion registered on her face. "Why?"

"He came at me with a sword. Said that he would be the man who killed Jaime Lannister. Even offered to cut my head off if he won and bring it to you so I could kiss you one last time."

"That does sound like Euron," she agreed. She paused then asked, "How exactly did you defeat him without your sword hand? I suppose that Valyrian Steel must be quite powerful."

"Valyrian Steel?" He scoffed cockily the way he quite commonly used to years ago. "I didn't even have Widow's Wail at the time. I had a regular sword, no better than his." Still, in spite of his cocky tone, he was hurt. He couldn't believe she had such little faith in him.

"I never even noticed!" Her thoughts had been entirely on him and their baby when he had come to her. He could have been wielding Lightbringer itself and she would not have noticed. "Why didn't you have Widow's Wail with you?"

"It was confiscated by Daenerys' soldiers when I was captured."

"How do you have it now then?"

"Tyrion must have managed to get it back before he resurrected us. I suppose I should have asked him how. That must have been quite the story."

"Well, it's too bad that he didn't take care to get us some better clothes as well. My shirt has a tear in the back and these shoes are too small for me."

"At least you have shoes," he stated bitterly.

"I can't see why you seem to blame me for your misfortunate. If you'd kept a better eye on the shore you surely would have noticed monkeys running off with our things."

It was futile to retort back. It wouldn't change things, not her mind, nor the fact he would make the rest of the journey with one shoe. Other matters were bothering him far more now. A moment of silence followed before he just couldn't help but voice his concern. "Do you wish that Euron would have won the fight? That it was him here with you now?"

"Of course not! But it is unfortunate you had to kill him. Had he lived perhaps he would have managed some sort of assault against her."

"With the Iron Fleet destroyed and most of his men likely dead? I somehow doubt it." Anger that she seemed somewhat saddened by Euron's demise, he continued. "You'll just have to accept the fact that she won. She's probably sitting on the Iron Throne right now as we speak. Might even have a glass of wine in her hand while she does so." He wasn't sure he even believed what he was saying; he was just angry and lashing out.

Cersei didn't reply and he reasoned that either she had nothing to say to that, or more likely was intentionally choosing to ignore him. Silently she moved as far from him as possible.

He knew he was pushing things, but she had promised to tell him why she had chosen the family name Drumm, so he followed her and reminded her of such.

"Perhaps another time. You've annoyed me. I don't wish to be in your presence right now."

"I've annoyed you? You've annoyed me!" He protested.

Rather than reply to that she just informed him she was going to sleep, after all that was why she had woken him in the first place. Wisely, he decided not to press things further.

When she next woke up, he waited a while to gauge her mood. After some time, he successfully made some small talk with her. After that, he once again asked about the surname.

"If you really must know, Drumm was Qyburn's family name," she said sadly.

He reached out to grab her hand in comfort. "I had no idea. Does anybody know this?"

"If you're worried that my connection to him will give us away, there is no need. Nobody but me knew."

"Are you certain of this?"

"The Red Keep can get rather boring at times. We talked. Quite a bit actually. He had a most interesting life."

"I'd love to hear about it."

"You never cared any for him," she said, pulling her hand away abruptly.

"No. I didn't, but perhaps you could tell me anyway. After all, if it hadn't have been for me you two never would have met."

"Alright. I suppose I can consider this my debt paid to you for bringing him into my service. Since we Lannister's always pay our debts."

Not wanting to remind her that they were no longer Lannisters, he kept quiet, waiting for her to continue.

"He left home as a young man to study at the citadel. He gave a false name as he didn't wish for his family to know where he had gone. His family had betrothed him to a girl nearly as hideous as that Tarth beast, and just as dull."

Why did she have to insult Brienne? Brienne was a good woman, honorable, and with hopes and dreams. Dreams he had crushed when breaking her heart. He hoped wherever she was right now that she was long past crying over him. He couldn't stop himself from voicing his disapproval. "You shouldn't say such things."

She gave him a confused look. "You asked me to tell you what I knew of him."

"I mean such insults about Lady Brienne. She wasn't dull, nor as hideous as you make her out to be."

"Why are you defending her?" She asked, eying him suspiciously.

"She's honorable and kind."

Cersei laughed. "As though such things matter. It certainly landed her neither a husband, nor respect."

"She's also an excellent knight."

She laughed again. "That she certainly was not. Women can't be knights."

"Who says so? I'll have you know I knighted her when I was in the North."

"You did what?" She glared at him. "You didn't mention that when you were telling me of your time in the North."

"It must have slipped my mind. It wasn't a big deal, really."

"Not a big deal! Why did you do it? No, never mind. I don't care. It neither changes the fact that she was dull, nor the fact that she was hideous."

Should he tell her? No. Not now, he reasoned. He didn't want the memory of their first conversation about their new house name to be tainted with such a revelation. He decided to steer the conversation back to Qyburn. "You know, I actually recall House Drumm. Learning about them when we learnt of all the houses, I mean. They're the ones with the skeletal hand on a red background aren't they?"

"I suppose so," she replied back, turning away

"What are their house words?"

"Cersei?" He asked when she didn't reply.

"Why did you...nevermind. Their house words were "From Death Comes Life."

"Seriously?" He asked, wondering what she was about to ask. Hopefully not about Brienne.

"Yes, seriously."

"Well, I must say that doesn't make any sense, though it is certainly fitting given our predicament."

"Indeed so." A moment of silence followed before she spoke again. "Shouldn't you get some sleep? I can watch for ships and direct us away from them if need be."

"I'm not actually that tired." He protested. It was a lie, and he was exhausted, but he didn't like her dismissive attitude. Nonetheless, Cersei started to be cold and dismissive of future conversation, so he decided to go to sleep anyway.

EDIT: Review Quota was met so the next chapter will be out as soon as my beta edits it! In the meantime keep reviewing and I'll just take time off for the chapter posted after the next one(I will send it to my beta soon as I post the next one)

Posting the next chapter in 50 days, since there were 50 unique views on the previous chapter. You can help to get it earlier by reviewing.

For every piece of feedback on this fic that's over 200 words I'll upload the chapter 24 days sooner (so nearly half the wait). For every comment 100-200 words I'll update 12 days sooner, 6 days sooner for 50-100 words, 3 days sooner for every comment 20-50 words or for filling out the feedback form below or for new favs/follows, and 1 day sooner for comments 20 words and under. No flames/troll reviews, not counting those nor quoted parts of the fic.

Currently counting comments for all chapters, so you can just go back and review all the previous chapters and it will speed things up! :)

I will update current time to next chapter as reviews come in. Current time when next chapter will be posted: July 9th(based off 4 reviews)Originally was Aug 2nd.

To help you review here are some questions you could answer (you don't have to when you review, just hoping this helps some to actually review)

- I'm most curious if any of you suspected the surname she was considering would be Qyburns. Although Qyburns surname isn't mentioned anywhere in canon people have speculated that he might belong to house Drumm so I thought it would be fitting, especially given their sigil and history of necromancy. The house slogan I came up with myself. What do you think of it?

- Do you think the drunk man will tell what he saw?

- What do you think will happen in the next chapter?

- What do you think of the baby names discussed in a previous chapter? Any favorite ones? Do you like the new name I choose for Cersei?

- Favorite part of the chapter or favorite chapter so far?

The next chapter is to be titled "The Storm"

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