lover's mercy - jaime lannister

ELEVEN

                 A week had passed and she spent some time with Arya in the evening. They laid on the bed against the headboard as she told her a story of great knights and dragons before bedtime.

Once she finished, she asked, "Do you like it here?"

"Yes," Arya answered with a small smile. "I do miss home, though."

"I miss it, too."

"We'll go back soon though...for your wedding?"

"Yes," she smiled. "We will."

Arya looked at her curiously, "Will I see you again...after you marry?"

"Of course you will," Elya reassured. "I'll visit you all the time and you can visit me."

"But it won't be the same," she said sadly. "I don't want you to go away."

Elya sighed, "We all grow up, Arya. You will, too, one day."

Elya tried to move the subject away, "So Father told me you've been taking dancing lessons?"

"No," Arya admitted (she trusted Elya to keep it secret). "It's sword lessons."

Elya hummed before smirking slightly, "I suppose it's a good thing. You probably would've made a terrible dancer."

Arya pushed her playfully with a smile on her face, "You don't know that!"

Elya chuckled before she wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Well, I think it's a good thing."

"You do?"

"You're following your heart. That's a good thing. It'll make you happy and that's all I want for my little sister."

"I want you to be happy, too," Arya said quietly. "Even if I say love is stupid...I don't really think it is. At least, not with you. Just with Sansa."

Elya chuckled, "Please try to get along with your sister. You know I won't always be around to make you get along."

Arya blinked as she thought of the future. No Elya? It was a thought that was hard to process. She smiled sadly, "I'll try."

"Good," Elya stood up from the bed before turning to her and she leaned down, kissing the top of her head with a soft smile. "Perhaps you'll become the greatest swordswoman in Westeros."

"I will be," Arya dreamed.

_____

The next day, she was in the gardens. She sat on the stone railing with a letter in front of her that she was attempting to write.

Her family was going to be leaving soon. Her father had quit on being the Hand. So now she was writing a quick letter to Damion.

Dear Damion,
It's hot here. I miss the cold and I miss the fields. I miss holding your hand. I'll be starting the long journey home today. In a month, I'll be your wife...

Suddenly, her letter was snatched from her and eyes peered at it, "Dear Damion..."

She quickly stood up to find Jaime and she reached for it. But he held it out of reach with a small smirk as she pleaded, "Give it back."

"Of course you're writing to your beloved Cerwyn boy," he said bitterly as he handed it to her.

"Why wouldn't I?" she snatched it back but as she took it, she realized how close they were from her trying to grab the letter.