Hi guys!

So finally here is chapter 2! Thanks to all who reviewed and commented! Chapter 3 will be up next Saturday. Promise. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters and I am in no way profiting from this FF. They all belong to George R.R. Martin, only the plot post- A Feast For Crows is mine. Some scenes from the HBO Series A Game Of Thrones may be referenced to, these also do not belong to me. (Trust me I wish they did ;D )


Chapter 2: Jaime

Does my lord wish to answer?" the maester asked, after a long silence.

A snowflake landed on the letter. As it melted, the ink began to blur. Jaime rolled the parchment up again, as tight as one hand would allow, and handed it to Peck. "No," he said, "Put this in the fire."

What the blazes in seven hells was Cersei thinking, writing like that? Oh how sweet she can be when she wants, he sneered at the fire as the parchment darkened, the flames licking at its edges. Something was desperately wrong, he knew that much, never had she written to him in such passion, or shown him such longing in a long, long time. He still remembered those final words they spoke in private, those ill terms in which they parted. How she scorned him "Still a crippled lion may inspire fear."… "Your notions of manhood have changed somewhat, brother" the slap that tingled his cheek, how she did not even call him brother in the end. His brother's words still rang in his ears, Did she ever truly love me? They were one person, they'd always said they were born as one and they would die as one, but something had changed. Just as how their kissing had once been innocent until it wasn't, they had once been one beating heart until they weren't.

He couldn't place when it had occurred, maybe when he pushed that young Stark off the tower window, he had done it for love, he told himself, but had he? He had thought it was her motherly instincts that had made her unhappy about his dealings, but maybe it was more. Maybe they had parted the moment he had taken the white, or was it when she had met Rhaegar. The one thing she never talked of.

"My Lord, what would you have me do?" Vyman stood motionless as the letter burned to a crisp. "You will speak nothing of this. You will not take the liberty to read any of my letters again; else I'll see to it that Ser Ilyn will assure me that you will not read again. I will also have no rumors mysteriously springing up in this camp, if you wish to keep your tongue. Should you be asked what the letter was about, it was news of a possible sighting of Ser Brynden Tully. Now I would you take leave."

A look sufficed to impress on Peck the same message, still a threat will always carry a message better "Peck unless you wish to be gelded, and deprive the lovely Pia of your company you will do the same."

He almost had to smile at the distinct shock on the boy's face; the threat of separating him from Cersei would have once had the same effect. Then again maybe a few more men needed to be gelded, for example the Hound, madness had taken hold in him. It was strange just how much clearer his thoughts had become since losing his hand, even before that though; on the other hand, nothing he had done seemed quite so clear cut anymore. Those nights in squalor, when he was held captive, maybe it had broken him. The lion lost its claws. How dearest Cersei would approve of that assumption. Still whenever he looked around the camp and saw just how many Tully's ran around, he was filled with something he hadn't felt in a long time. A sense of honourable pride, still he would rather have his head than die for pride. But that was Joffrey's doing, acting on Cersei's mad example.

Cersei and he would have been married and no-one would have batted an eyelid if they had been born Targaryens, the way Cersei was developing as Queen Regent she would have fit well into their family. Fucking who she wanted when she wanted, burnt whoever she wanted starting with that little princess of Highgarden Jaime distrusted The Queen of Thorns and it would seem little Margaery had been well groomed, to take her place, not unlike Cersei herself had been. That incident had hurt his father deeply he knew, in truth the Lannisters had been ruling Westeros in all but name and in the execution of justice. Nonetheless the gold of Casterly Rock and the rage of the dragon would have been a powerful match, even a stable match.

At times he couldn't help but wonder just how much of a hand the Hand of Aerys had had in the organization of Robert's Rebellion or even in sowing the seeds of dissention. True some madness must have taken Rhaegar when he stole Lyanna Stark away, however he had at least briefly known the prince and if there had been anything of his father in him, that act was the first he had seen of it, Harrenhal had been foolish but nowhere near insanity. A piece of the puzzle didn't fit and from what he had learnt of his father's orchestrating of the Red Wedding, he couldn't help but wonder. Funny how the son he never saw as his, was more like him than Cersei or I ever were

Tywin and Tyrion, Genna was right, both too clever for their own good and too alike in many ways too. Women are the Lions bane "Ser", Peck's quiet question stirred him from his reverie "Would you like to talk or should I send for Ser Ilyn?" "No that won't be necessary for a while, saddle up Honor. I would like to ride out with the young Westerling girl. Go inform her mother for me."

Brynden Tully was dangerous, the Black Fish may be old, but he was slippery and loyal to the Young Wolf. Edmure might have a little of his mettle in the manner of his two-handled dealing, yet Edmure was here in his grasp and he would be made an example of. Jaime could imagine the whisperings of his guards though, his wife must have been something to not hear any of the Red Wedding.

If there was anyone who could roused the North once again under one banner, then it would be the Black Fish. Jaime did have some confidence though, there had been no sign of Sansa Stark; Jeyne Westerling, whilst wife to Robb Stark, had not quickend, and if anyone had a claim to the North it was Sansa Stark, Arya had been neutralized as a threat, but not Sansa. A girl as pretty as her was at the risk of being ruined traveling alone, but that gave rise to a question, which was much more unsettling, who has the power to make her disappear from King's Landing and keep her hidden? Tyrion was the obvious answer, but Jaime himself had helped him escape and was fairly certain he hadn't played a role in her escape He killed my son though, maybe he is a traitor, then why wouldn't he release Sansa Stark?

By the time Honor was saddled and Jeyne finally brought to the stables the sun was high in the sky, Winter is coming how ominous that sounded in the presence of the Young Wolf's widow. "M'lady I'm pleased you could bring yourself to heed my call."

He hadn't expected a reply but he also didn't expect the deadly cold glare, that he received either. "We are going to go out ridding, away from the eyes of your mother and I want you speak honestly. Will I need to take guards with me? Do you plan on fleeing from me at first chance?" "I will behave as Robb would want me to and that means acting like a Queen" Her voice sounded cold and lifeless but it broke slightly as she mentioned her former husband's name.

Deeming guards unnecessary, as he only planned on trotting around camp, making some inquiries into the issue of provisions and hoping to encounter some of Ser Dermot's men, they set out in a leisurely pace. "What did your mother say when she realized you had torn all your clothes?" , it seemed a harmless enough question, seeing how her otherwise fair-suiting dress was ripped, it was the only thing that seemed to come to his mind. Other than with his sister he hadn't spoken to many women, I probably spoke more to Brienne and Catelyn, than with Cersei these last few years. Still silent tears streamed down her face, dripping off her chin.

"She had this dress made for me, especially to meet you alone. She's taken all my other dresses, she does not think my mourning as fitting of a Westerling." "And why would your mother have a dress made, when she didn't know you would be meeting me alone." "She would have arranged it, she cares not a thought for me, just for the gold of Casterly Rock and the pride of her house." "Her house, you are a Westerling too" She turned and stared him in the eyes, her stare harsher than steel, "I am a Stark, in name. Queen of the North, even without a crown, I will not bow to you. Robb would sooner have me dead."

"Mayhap so however, I do believe he would prefer you alive if only to spite the Frey's and myself. Besides, you're worth something now, a rebel's wife; that at least makes you interesting. Your mother is a little manipulative bitch isn't she, a Lannister-marriage wouldn't be too foolish in many ways, except from the obvious problem lions don't lay with wolves." "No they lay with lionesses instead. Their own kin, anyone else would be too beneath them. You fancy yourself Rhaegar born again don't you?" The comment felt like a kick in the gut, it seemed worse than when they would call him Kingslayer, simply because she spoke it as undeniable truth, no implication or foreplay. Just full of scorn. "If I did I would have stolen you away by now, no, I'm not Rhaegar. He was too good a man for me to be compared to. I killed his father remember?" Looking her in the eye as he spoke, he could see her calculating, her mind whirling as if trying to piece something together. "It doesn't mean I don't wish to be him at times. Being in love with your sister, being forced to take the white or a loveless bride, being always a failure in your father's eyes, it's not easy. I would love to do as I please and shit on everyone else's opinion, the Targaryen's were an incestuous brood for hundreds of years and polygamous too, no one cared though. So why do we have to play by other rules? No little wolf queen. I did not bring you here to talk on my morality, or do I have to remind you of the reasoning of your marriage? Robb claimed your maidenhead and because you were too stupid to pretend you cost him his Kingdom and his life. You've not washed your hands of blood yet either, not if the Blackfish takes arms again. Now tell me where would he go?"

"How would I know? Do you think a man like him would confide in me?" "Jeyne you were, no are, his queen. You tell him what to do and he in turn advises you. Even if he didn't like you, it would have been his duty." "You know better than many, how little duty matters during war. Survival is everything" "Now that sounds like the Blackfish. Tell me if he did not speak of matters of state with you, did he at least talk to your husband?" "Of course, he was one of his most trusted advisors." "And tell me; were you not Robb's wife?" "Do you really need to ask?", her tone slowly grew irritated and bored. "Well what did you do all night, except trying to create a little princeling? Talk I assume, now are you really telling me you spoke nothing of your predicament? I might not be Tyrion but I'm no fool girl, remember that." Slowly the girl seemed to realize who she was dealing with and steadily began to blanch. "I do not think it is any of your business what I did with my husband." Definitely not a girl worth losing your kingdom for

"Are you really that stupid or do I have to remind you who I am and who you are? I am not your prisoner you are mine." "I am no one's prisoner, neither yours nor my mother's. If anyone is my gaoler it's my own heart and conscience. I know the Red Wedding is my foolish doing, but at least I had the purest of intentions, are yours in this bloody war? I loved him, I loved him with all my heart and he's gone. Gone. The only person I ever truly loved was taken by a pathetic old man, because of a wounded pride. My potential child gone, taken, murdered by my own mother. I have to live, but why? What do I have? What do I have? Nothing. So take my life if you must, I will not bend. I am the Queen in the North. I am a Stark. I am Robb's wife before all else." , with that the last of her energy seemed to drain from her and once again she was simply a heartbroken girl, sobbing in silent agony.

Jaime gently leaned in, he couldn't help but at least feel for her. She was right, her husband was taken from her in the cruelest of manners, even more so by northern reckoning. Pulling out a square of cloth he raised his golden hand to her chin and gently lifted her face, awkwardly drying her eyes. Cersei would never let me do this "Robb was a good enemy to fight I'll give him that. I won't say he wasn't arrogant and overconfident, because that would be a lie, but I'll admit I'd have rather of had him on my side. The Red Wedding was an abomination and an unworthy death, just as much as his father's." Dropping his hands from her face, he continued in a much harsher tone, "However, he was a traitor and at times a stupid one at that. You still have family and I know plenty of suitors barely worth the title of human for you, so we'll try this again. Jeyne, what were the Blackfish' plans? Robb must have talked you, given you orders what to do should he fall in battle." Just to make sure the message was carried home he tried to imitate one of Cersei's expressions, when she was displeased in court, a strange threatening smile. Whether or not it worked, the girl seemed unnerved.

"He promised to find a way to win. He swore to roam all of Westeros if needs be, he would rally who ever would listen to him and if necessary he would turn up in King's Landing with an army, and a rightful heir." Jaime's ears perked, it could goddamn well mean anything "Who would be the rightful heir? You? Stannis? The rumored Targaryen girl? Arya Stark's husband?" "Arya Stark? She's alive and married?" "I don't know if Robb's sister is alive but Cersei had Arya Stark married off. It doesn't matter- which heir for which Kingdom did he mean?" Jeyne pointedly looked north and a hint of a smirk formed, gradually turning to face him, all her bitterness and scorn embodied in her half-lidded stare, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Fuming he pulled her by the neck of cloak, "Do not play games with me Jeyne, I don't need a hand to kill you, a word will suffice." "Best not let Ser Ilyn take your tongue then, along with your manhood, if the rumours are to be true." Still the amusement in her eyes grew and anger started to boil in him, "Just as fucking conceited as your dead husband. Look where his overconfidence got him. Trust me I'll let the men do a lot worse than sew a dead wolf's head on your neck to get the information I need. It's war, men have needs, in war crimes are daily deeds, no one will blink twice if a drunkard overzealous Lannister-Bannerman happened to rape you over and over until you were bleeding and begging. Jeyne, I don't want to harm you I really don't. I'm trying to finish this here, spare lives, my son's included. The Blackfish will make sure that will not happen. Jeyne, as former-queen in the north, think of your would-be subjects. I will make you a worthy match, as fortunate as I can make it, but I need to know where bloody Brynden Tully went."

For a second he thought he saw a gleam of madness in her cold dead eyes, then they were lifeless and hollow again, her voice just as monotone, as if she had cut herself off from her surroundings. He'd seen men do it in battle but even then the change wasn't as pronounced. "Ser I would ask you to release me. I truly do not know, I can speculate, guess, but I cannot say exactly where he will be because I do not know. Robb and I were mostly otherwise indisposed, and when we talked he would whisper of Winterfell, his plans and dreams when the fighting was over, he urged me to be the queen the north needed, should he fall; to listen to Brynden and his other Bannermen; to flee, so I could once again take up arms for him; to love no other unless I chose to do so; and most importantly to be never less than a queen. Now if you let me leave and return to my grief, I would be much obliged."

Letting her take leave he shook his head, trying to dash the different emotions swirling in his mind. Things used to be so much easier when it was just Cersei in my life Nonetheless his gut instinct wouldn't shake, something was happening, the Blackfish still had a lot of life in him and the girl knew something, at least enough to give her a feeling of superiority over him. He might not have loved his father as he should have, but he still wished he was here. He had all this planned out, he just didn't believe in us enough to enlighten us, turning Honor towards the camp, he called out to one of the Hedgeknights to fetch him Lady Genna. At least she might have a clue what he had planned.

Just as he started to head across the camp in a steady trot, a horse came bolting over the horizon.

The rider was a bloody sight to behold, it was only as the horse drew within a few feet did he recognize him as Ser Dermot. What in seven hells has happened? "Someone fetch a master" he barked to no-one in particular, "What happened? How many men has the Ser Brynden already gathered? Where are all those you left with?" "The Blackfish would be fine", spitting out a mouthful of blood, Jaime could only now really see his wounds. He had a large hole in his side and half his ear torn off, along with a few fingers, judging by the gory stumps, with most of his clothes torn it seemed impossible that he had managed to ride so far and still talk, "This was those damn beasts I told you of. We made rings of fire around our camp as you suggested, but it didn't stop the bloody monsters, they just charged through the flames, half mad with bloodlust." Spitting again the gash in his side started to spurt again, half falling out the saddle, Jaime did his best to catch him, but the man just slumped against him and nearly tore him down off Honor as well.

A few other men started to trot over the horizon as well, the horses not faring much better than the owners, some stumbling trying to bear their masters weight. Vyman came running up behind him along with a few lords on horseback. "Ser are we under attack?" "I don't know, alarm the guards and have them ready to strike should any beast come within arrow-range. Vyman save this man's life, I need him at least lucid." Turning around to face the growing crowd "Get the men's wounds seen to, save all you can. Ease the passing of the others. Lords with me, it seems we have more to discuss."

Nearly all the wolves have been killed, so now they attack from beyond the grave with their sigil, if only I could call mine to the field of battle too. Jaime couldn't help but laugh at the irony beneath his breath. Entering his room, he started to feel the chill that was settling and how the light was already beginning to fade. The raven was late, winter will be here within a fortnight at this rate "Peck go fetch me some mulled wine and have the cooks bring the food for the other lords here, we will be holding council for much of the night I fear." "More talk and less action if you gather a council, if you ask me", the singer, which he kept forgetting was there, spoke up. "Tom o' Sevens I think you'll hear seven tunes playing tonight if you stay to entertain. That's the problem with councils, they make war a song and dance, and they just forget the blood they're waltzing in. How's your song 'Talking to the Fish' coming along?" "Swimmingly", the man replied with a twinkle in his eyes. "Yes well, maybe you can add to it, how we're trying to catch a certain black one, perhaps it's been singing too, seems to me too many men are dying without a war being fought if you ask me." "Oh I already came up with a verse for that.

Oh and how the lion roared,

I'll catch me a fish

With just this broken claw!

As he got out his dish

Wolves and broken pheasant

All laid on his plate

I haven't had any inspiration further than that, what do you think?" "I think the old lion isn't quite broken yet, still don't be singing that outside this room, not many have my sense of humour." Wolves and broken pheasant all laid on my plate? If only "I never said old my lord, besides the lion still has its teeth and its wits perchance too." "Tom flattery only gets you a woman" "Oh I know that why do you think I'm called Tom o' Sevens? Seven in every village I pass, my lord"

Before Jaime could respond to his jape, Lord Piper and Lord Karyl Vance both entered. "My Lords, it would seem the council is about to begin, please be seated." In quick succession the other Lords arrived, along with Lady Genna. Well at least she has some sense. No one said anything but plenty of glares were exchanged around the table. "Lords and Lady, I am sure that you have all heard of the events. The wolves, it would seem, are becoming a serious threat to our men. I sent Ser Dermot along with a hunting party for the Blackfish; you know too well how that turned out. To speak frankly, we need the damned beasts killed; they're murdering the men and morale. We need to take Lord Beric Dondarrion as well, and Strongboar has been sent to do that, but if he too is only going to get attacked then we may as well just not waste the men. The Hound needs to be put down too." "Lord Jaime you're forgetting Raventree, the fighting is still going on there. You are desperately needed there", Lord Karyl interrupted. "Well then there is only one thing for it, we have to leave Beric and Byrnden be.", Lady Genna answered in an entirely convinced tone. "Why?", Jaime asked with an air of complete confusion and exasperation, "The Blackfish will regroup and gather his force if we let him." "So let him. If the wolves don't take him, then he will lead us to Dondarrion. Keep Strongboar on him if you will, or some other restless fool. Take Raventree, destroy any chance of him gathering men from that force and show the King's Justice by slaying the Hound. Keep the small folk happy and give them no reason to join the Outlaws. Send a hunting party for the wolves, tell them anyone who kills a wolf can have the meat and fur. Jaime if you do this right you will have peace within a year and the belief in the King strengthened." And let the world bow down to father in a dress.


Please Review :) = Motivation! ^^