Wish You The Best / Jaime Lannister / Tywin Lannister

33. Gold

"Is it solid gold?" Podrick questioned seeing Jaime's hand.

"Gilded steel." Jaime corrected holding his hand up

"You're not eating. Why is no one eating? My wife wastes away and my brother starves himself." Tyrion remarked.

"I'm not hungry." Jaime answered.

"You lost a hand, not a stomach. Try the boar. Cersei can't get enough of it since one killed Robert for her." Tyrion laughed out, raising his cup.

"A toast. To the proud Lannister children. The dwarf, the cripple, and the mother of madness." Jaime moved to raise his own cup, but knocked it over clumsily with his left hand.

"Oh!" Jaime huffed.

"I'll clean it up." Podrick declared.

"No, I'll do it. Leave us." Jaime corrected stubbornly. Jaime fixed his cup glaring down at it. 

"It's only wine." Tyrion remarked. He held up his own cup and pours it out onto the table. Jaime sat back in his chair while Tyrion stood and pours more wine.

"Zaria hates me." Jaime whispered. 

"She was worried sick about you." Tyrion corrected. "She loves you-"

"She hates me. I pushed her away and now she hates me."

"She has been loyal to you. Cersei has not." 

"What?" Jaime countered. 

"We are focused on Zaria." Tyrion countered. 

"I missed her, I just wanted to get back to her but... now that I'm back its like I forgot how to woo her." Jaime remarked. 

"Then learn to woo, I'm a good wooer."  Tyrion added, Jaime rolled his eyes. "I am. I'm quite the ladies man."

"Be serious." Jaime drawled. 

"I am, fine." Tyrion agreed turning his cheek to his wine. "Zaria likes hugs."

"How do you know?"

"Because father hugs her often and she cries into him." Tyrion answered. 

"She cries often?"

"When you and Arthur were gone." Tyrion agreed. "She was broken and sobbing every day praying for arthur's return."

"Arthur but not me?"

"You as well but arthur more." Tyrion clarified. 

"I can't fight anymore." Jaime murmured. "I can't protect Zaria or the boys..."

"What about your left?"

"I can hold a sword, but all my instincts are wrong. How can I protect my family or the king for that matter when I can hardly wipe my own ass?" Jaime hissed. "Arthur put a worm on a hook for me, thats how useless I am."

"You went fishing?"

"Not the point." Jaime barked. 

" You're the Lord Commander now. Command. Let others do the fighting. When was the last time Father used a sword?" Tyrion countered.

"I'm not Father. I'm the Kingslayer. When people find out I can't slay a pigeon..." Jaime hissed.

"Train, then. Learn to fight with your other hand." Tyrion suggested.

"With whom? You? Men talk. Soon as someone discovers I can't fight, he'll tell everyone." Jaime corrected glumly.

"You need a proper, discreet swordsman. As it happens, I have just the one."

Zaria woke with Jaime pressed against her, it was a rare moment of vulnerability. She touched his numb carefully and his eyes peeled open. Her gentle fingers ran up his forearm. 

"I'm..." Zaria froze at his voice on her neck. He cleared the sleep from his voice wrapping his arm tighter around her. "I'm training today..."

"Training?" She didnt look at him, she just savored this moment. 

"Yes. I'm... I'm not myself Zaria and I'm sorry that i keep taking it out on you." Jaime admitted, she didnt speak, just listened. "I love you and I'm going to better. I just... I cant help but feel useless and I know what you are going to say-" he added, her lips sealed. "But Zaria I need to be able to fight again, to not feel like a worthless piece of meat." 

"Can I do anything to help?" Zaria whispered. 

"No. I' going to train... will you wait for me?"

"Wait for you?" She didnt understand, turning to face him he kissed her instantly. 

"Wait for me to get back to my old self?"

"I have to admit, Jaime, I didnt like your old self that much." Zaria whispered. "The man that fucked Cersei and left me alone. I didnt like him." Jaime felt shame wash over him. 

"I dont want to be him. I wont." Jaime assured. "I just want you." he assured kissing her again. 

"Then I will give you time." She agreed. "Just... dont push me away again and..."

"Anything?"

"Can I come?"

"My brother tells me you can keep your mouth shut. Unusual talent for a sellsword." Jaime remarked.

"He tells me you shit gold just like your father." Bronn countered.

"That's probably why he is so constipated these days." Zaria agreed. Jaime glanced to her, it was her requirement getting to see him get his ass kicked as Azalea, strapped to her chest watched her father fall as well. 

"Is this place safe?" Jaime questioned looking around as he threw a pouch of gold to Bronn he caught it weighing it in his hand.

"There's this knight, Leygood, got thunderbolts on his shield." Bronn remarked, Jaime nodded.  "Right here is where I fuck his wife. She's a screamer, that one. If they don't hear her, they won't hear us."

"Gross." Zaria whispered, she was going to sit there, not anymore, she could stand. Bronn pocketed the gold. Jaime got his sword, and spins it in his wrist to warm it. Bronn whistled in admiration.

"I've never seen Valyrian steel before. She's a beauty. The problem is, if you fight with an edged blade, I'll have to." Bronn remarked holding out two sparing sword.  "And if I fight with an edged blade, I'll have no one left to pay me." He dropped one sword to the ground and it clattered. Zaria laughed out. 

"A sparing sword?" Zaria declared. She had never seen jaime use a sparing sword in her life and she had known jaime for most of his life. 

"I haven't used a sparring sword since I was nine." Jaime corrected "my boys dont use sparing swords." He added as he moved to get the sword, reaching for it, but Bronn slapped his hand with his sword, just as he grabbed it.

" Ah! Bold warrior you are, attacking a man when his guard's down." Jaime tsked.

"Best time to attack a man." Bronn corrected. Jaime parries clumsily. Bronn pushed him, and Jaime faltered to the wall.

" Mind yourself." Jaime warned. "If I still had my right hand..."

"Plan on growing it back?"

Zaria was loving this. Jaime needed a long hot bath after they were done, she smiled running a hand through his hair. His eyes met hers. 

"Did you enjoy that?" Jaime questioned as she sat the edge of the tub. 

"I did." She kissed him easily. "Thank you for letting me come."