The Lions Wolf

Chapter 8 ~ You Win or You Die

We'd been ridding for days, Jaime refused to let me go, which meant I couldn't jump on Ember, who had followed us, her sharp brown eyes taking in everything as we left the Kingsroad, I longed to climb on her back and ride her back to the Capital, Jaime be damned.

"You need to eat" Jaime said as he tried once more to come into my line of sight, I shifted and looked in a direction where he wasn't which caused him to humph and begin to mutter to himself, the guards were huddled around another fire, a good distance from us, they'd look over every now and again, chuckle, say something disgusting and then go back to other conversations, "Anaris, you need to eat" he stepped into my line of sight one more but I had already turned away from him "damn it woman," he growled, in seconds I was on my back with an angry Jaime on top of me, his fingers biting into my cheekbones, "eat or I'll force the food down your throat" I turned my head again so I couldn't see his eyes.

His fingers bit into my cheeks once more and I'd had enough of being manhandled, without making a subtle movement I slipped the dagger, I had hidden in my underclothes, out from its sheath and had it against his throat and met his eyes for the first time "try it, I fucking dare you" I growled past clenched teeth, his hand swept the dagger away from his neck and he had me pinned more to the forest floor, we'd now gotten the attention of all his men, each one now watching with hunger.

"I will not let you starve yourself because of your father" he glowered at me as I tried to struggle from his grip, his legs were straddling my thighs tightly and any movement I made caused him to hold me tighter "I don't want to hurt you" he said through clenched teeth and I thrashed again, only this time I hit him very close to where every man would hate to be hit.

"You already have" I snapped back, my wrist was free from his grip and my fist smashed into his cheek, his head snapped to the side and his grip loosened giving me enough wiggle room to get out from under him and ran to Ember who was watching with her intelligent brown eyes, I jumped on her back and took off in a direction.

"Anaris!" I heard Jaime shout from behind me, glancing over my shoulder I saw him rush to his horse.

"Faster" I whispered to Ember as I heard hooves catching up to us, I needed to get back to the Capital, I needed to make sure my father and sisters were okay, I needed to get away from Jaime. Dodging a low hanging branch at the last possible moment I pushed Ember to go as fast as she could go but Jaime's shouts to his men and the sounds of their horses were too close "please" I prayed to the old Gods begging them to help me. Ember leaped over a small stream, the height of her jump dislodged me from her back and the moment we landed I was thrown from her landing on the rocky bank of the stream, my breath leaving my body in a huge whoosh "fuck" I gasped as I gathered myself of the ground and tried to get back into Ember before Jaime could catch me.

"Gods, woman would you stop" I didn't hear his horse, or his men but I certainly felt his rough hands on my shoulders as he wrenched me around to face him, "give me something to tie her up with" he growled to one of his men who nodded and dug through his saddle bags.

"You piece of shit" I spat as I tried to get out of his hands but it was no use, I was surrounded by Lannister guards who would jump into action at just a nod of his head "I fucking hate your guts Jaime Lannister" his arm left my shoulder and he placed his hand over my mouth which just made me angrier.

"And something to gag her with" he said as the soldier handed him a length of rope, "you don't hate me, you're not capable of it" he nodded to another soldier to hold me still while he removed his hand from my face and began to tie my hands up tightly.

"Oh I am very capable of it Lannister" I growled, my eyes narrowed more as he secured a strip of cloth between my lips and let out a string of curses that would make my mother very disappointed if she had heard them.