Hand of the Queen

4

Jaime swiftly enters my bed chamber, shutting the door behind him as he walks to me.

"Bolton is allowing the three of us to return to King's Landing." He says, I nod.

"I want to stay there after we arrive, I will not leave my sisters within those walls alone." I tell him, Jaime walks to where I sit and kneels before me, taking my hand in his own.

"My sister is not like me, Alysanne. The Starks are her enemy now, they accused her children of being bastards. She will not treat you fairly." I hold Jaime's eyes in my own.

"Are they bastards?" I ask him, his face falters. "Tell me the truth Westeros seems so keen to believe, Jaime. I will not judge who you once were, so long as you swear to me that man is gone."

"It is true, all of it. I have made mistakes that I regret with every bit of me, but I have changed. I swear to you, I have no lust left in me for anyone but you. Everything I feel for my family is because they are family, nothing more." His eyes are pleading as he stares at me, I slowly nod.

"Alright." My voice is a whisper as he stares up at me.

"She will not treat you fairly, you will have to act as my prisoner if you wish to spend your days beside Sansa. Our feelings will have to be kept for private moments until the moment I can get all of us out of the Red Keep." He presses a kiss to my knuckles as I nod. "Come on, we must leave." He takes my hand and leads me through Harrenhal before we arrive at the stables. He takes a small piece of rope and ties it loosely with his good hand around my wrists. Once it's done, he presses a gentle kiss to my lips. "I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize." I smile at him and nod, Brienne arrives beside me and helps me climb onto the horse before Jaime mounts in front of me. I lean my head against his back as he begins the ride from the castle.

...

I stand beside Jaime, my wrists free of any binds, as we face Tywin Lannister. He sits before us at the desk of the King's Hand, staring down at his son before him.

"Upon my escape, I dragged Alysanne with me to be used as leverage against the Starks beside her sister Sansa. Having another Stark sister within the Red Keep may be enough to force Robb's surrender." Jaime tells him, not offering me so much as a glance.

"Good work." Tywin says, looking up at me. "Have the handmaidens show her to the room beside Sansa's." Jaime nods to his father and leads me from the room, finding the handmaidens only a few doors away.

"Take her to the bed chambers beside her sister." Jaime tells them, he looks to me with unfeeling eyes. "I will speak with you later." He turns on his heel and enters the office housing his father once more. We weave through the many hallways of the Red Keep, I look out the window to see where my father's head was once cut from his neck. The sword sliced through his throat on the order of the Lannisters, of the Queen's bastard.

I enter the small apartment area to see the red headed little girl standing beside the window, looking out of it with intense longing. She turns at the sound of my footsteps before shock covers her face.

"Sansa." I breathe, she runs into my arms and buries herself into me.

"How is this possible?" She asks, looking to me with wild eyes.

"Mother sent me here to return you home, that is what I am here to do." I brush the hair from her eyes as the door opens, quickly shutting behind him. I look to see Littlefinger standing in the doorway, holding my eyes before I turn back to Sansa. "I must speak with Lord Baelish in private, sister. Please give us a moment." She quickly nods and is rushed out by the handmaidens, Petyr joins me beside the window as I lower myself into a seat. He folds his hands and leans against the windowsill, a grin pulled across his lips.

"Have you done it?" He asks, I nod with a smile.

"Yes, the Kingslayer is drawn in quite tight." I tell him, pouring a glass of wine and raising it to my lips.

"You will need to remain close to his side if we are to succeed." He hesitates, his eyes faltering. "I cannot guarantee the escape of both of you." I slowly nod, this thought already having crossed my mind.

"Save Sansa, get her out of here. I will find my own means of escape when we're finished." Peytr nods once, gazing out the window beside us. "Have you heard the stories of the Targaryen girl across the narrow sea?" He does not look to me as he nods. "I hear her influence is growing, her life's purpose has become to free those who are enslaved. To 'break the wheel,' I believe she says."

"What about her, Lady Alysanne?" He turns to look at me, I simply shrug and take another sip of my wine.

"Perhaps something better is on the horizon, something much more full of hope."

...

I stand within my bed chamber, the damsel in distress facade having long since returned to my face as Jaime knocks on the door. I open my arms to him when he enters, he pulls me tight against him and kisses me. I place a hand on his face and stare deep into his eyes, brushing away the hair falling into his eyes.

"There is no need for guilt." I tell him, he lets out a breath and nods. The golden hair atop his head, so like his son's, like his sister's, like those who cut the head from my father's neck.

"I swear to you, I will figure this all out." He tells me, burying his head into my shoulder as he holds me.

As will I, Kingslayer. As will I.