The Lannister Wolf Series

One

"Jaime, you know that by marrying Evelyn Stark you forfeited your position in the Kingsguard," Tywin told his son.

Jaime stopped fidgeting with his golden hand and nodded. "I am well aware."

Tywin smirked, "Well, you did not know this but when I gifted you the valerian sword yesterday, I also gifted you lands and a title."

Jaime tilted his head quizzically and Tywin continued, "You are now the lord and master of Casterly Rock. You are no longer Ser Jaime Lannister but Lord Jaime of Casterly Rock."

Jaime had expected himself to be overjoyed at the prospect of having his own home away from Kings Landing but now he felt empty. What was the point of having his own home if Evelyn wasn't there to welcome him back? Evelyn... with her long raven black hair and eyes as gold as amber, her mischievously sly smile and slender cheekbones, long lashes and....

"Jaime," a voice whispered.

Jaime shot up in bed and found that it was still night, the sky grey outside and the white curtains of his room fluttering in the late night breeze.

"Jaime," the voice cooed again.

The man turned to look at the end of his bed and almost jumped. There, laid out like a dead corpse lay Evelyn. Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow and her body soaked in sweat. She had a bleeding wound on her forehead and her lip was busted. Jaime almost did not recognize her for her hair was shorter than when he last saw her, not even touching her shoulders. Her clothes were form fitting and worn in some areas, scratch and cut marks littering her skin like a painting. There, nestled next to her limp hand lay the golden dragon. the same dragon that had haunted Jaime's dreams for weeks.

"Where were you Jaime?" the voice asked again, the sound coming from the dragon. "When Evelyn needed you most.... Where were you?" the dragon asked before Jaime shot up, panting, only to find that it was morning and Tyrion was standing at the foot of his bed giving his big brother a look like he had just learnt all of Jaime's deep and dark secrets.

"Everything alright there brother?" Tyrion asked.

Jaime nodded, "Tyrion... as a lord.... Am I permitted to leave of my own free will without asking father or Cersei for permission? And am I allowed to send out envoys without getting the good will of the king?"

Tyrion nodded, "I believe so. Why? Are you going to use your new title to find Evelyn?"

Jaime sighed, "I have a feeling that Evelyn does not want to be found and as such, there is no hope of finding her... but I want to make sure she is at least alive."

2000 miles away to the west, Evelyn was walking briskly across the flat terrain with Calum strapped to her back and little Robb to her front. The wolves and Chance walked behind, surprised by the speed their mistress was keeping her pace at even though they had not stopped since dawn. Every night they would stop at the latest possible hour and then Evelyn would be shooting arrows at rocks for hours into the night. It was a miracle she hadn't snapped and fallen apart by now.

"This must be it," Evelyn announced, coming to stop at the edge of a vast field. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but flat, dry earth and there was no sign of a tree anywhere but behind them. Evelyn untied the two year old Calum from her back and one year old Robb before handing the children to Lady and Zinzi.

"Keep to the shade," she instructed them.

Striding forward, Evelyn scanned the place for the "Master of Air," as Brisingr had called it. her eyes caught sight of a round carving in the earth.... The Pinnacle of Life. Just like the one that had been carved into the floor of the Temple of Fire. Evelyn cautiously approached the pinnacle and stepped into one of the sections. Immediately it began to glow red and a voice from somewhere above spoke, gentle and soothing.