Oaths and Vows {Jaime Lannister}

Chapter 5

Black and white were the only colors in abundance when it came to Asshai, but it was clear that was not the case in Westeros. There was red, and green, and white, and blue and brown and many, many more; and each were fascinating to her. Cloak fabric and runes failed to capture the natural beauty of all these colors.

Even the glittering golden armor and blinding white cloak Jamie was wearing was slightly aweing. He had his hand rested on the hilt of his sword as they walked through the trees around King's Landing, and even though he'd lived there all his life, he also seemed to be admiring the beauty of the nature around him.

He had tried to strike up conversation to learn more about her many times already, and while she wanted to answer him and communicate, all his questions required words to answer – words she was unable to use. She was waiting for him to figure out that he could ask her simple yes-no questions to get to know her, and it seemed that after a good hour of walking, he did.

"Alright, how about we play a game?" He asked. "I'll ask a question – yes or no answers – and you nod or shake your head. Then, when we get back to the castle, you can write down questions and I'll answer them." Megara nodded as they passed under a low hanging branch.

"Did you like it in Asshai?" Was his first question, and her answer was a simple nod of the head, as the game was meant to be played. "Did you have many friends." She shook her head – she had Ellie, and only Ellie, but that was more than enough for her. Ellie had lots of friends though, and Megara had made the acquaintance of most of them, but she wasn't friends with them.

"Can you fight – most women here can't fight but I wonder if things are different in Asshai or not." She nodded, and moved her cloak to reveal the dagger at her side, then dropped it again. Jamie snorted and looked ahead. There, she saw when she looked head again, was a slow flowing river. "Maybe we should start heading back? I'm supposed to be guarding the king, after all."

A king shouldn't need to be guarded, she wanted to say, and I want to go swimming. But with no words to say so, nor reasoning that Jamie would understand, she simply turned around and let Jamie lead the way as they headed back towards the castle. "What do you think of it, the arrangement? Do you like it or no?" It was clear in his voice that he was merely curious, not concerned if she would say no. She wondered why, likely because he was indifferent towards it.

She was the same way, if that was the case. She didn't like being given away to someone neither her nor her father knew, but this marriage did save her life. Therefore, she shrugged as her answer, as she didn't care much in either direction enough to give another answer.

"I'll take that as a yes, mostly for my pride. I'm rather glad for it, in fact. Just another add on to my tittle, Kingslayer, Oathbreaker, and now, Specially Privileged. They haven't come up with a title to suit it yet – at least none that have reached my ears. They will though... they like naming things, people especially, these commoners."

She snorted and shook her head as she jumped over a fallen log. He's funny, at least. "My sister doesn't like it though. She urged Robert to either deny or find someone else to offer up in my place. She had to drop it in the end, Robert is the king." She wondered why the Queen didn't what her brother to wed, or maybe she just didn't want him to wed someone from across the sea.

It didn't matter though, questions like that could be saved for later. "Next question, you and the Crow's-Eye, you seemed to be well acquainted. We're you and him..." Megara shook her head, quite violently in fact. Never, ever, ever, she liked Euron well enough, but more than a friend? Never.

Jamie laughed and ducked under a low branch that didn't effect Megara at all. And so the questions went, big ones, small ones, and ones that had nothing to do with anything at all. Most of the time, Jamie would give his own answers to his questions, but Meg still had her own list of questions for when they got a chance. The walk back felt shorter than the walk there, though they had actually taken longer. Maybe it was that they were actually talking and laughing and getting to know one another, or maybe it was because the rocks and trees were less fascinating after a little while.

"The drop looked higher than it felt. Looking down I thought I'd fall forever, but it wasn't fear that made me hesitant. It was excitement. A fifty foot drop from the cliff to the water, still only just a child. Cersei told me not to, but having all my friends about me, urging me to do it I may well have been deaf for all the good her protests did. Tyrion was urging me on too, and that made Cersei protest louder. It was all fun and laughs, even after the jump, but when Cersei went and told father... He was so angry he had me beaten. I think I killed that knight at the Trident."

Megara laughed and tapped Jamie on the shoulder, and made a note to write the story of when she climbed East Tower to find out if there was anything beyond the ash and white grass, and ended up in the Shadowstone dungeons for a time and give it to him to read. By then they had already reentered King's Landing, and were almost to the Red Keep.

Meg had taken off her cloak when they entered by the Gates, and was now carrying the dark-blue thing in her arms while her mass of wild red curls blew freely in the Westeros winds. She looked back over at Jamie only to find him staring at her. When he realized he'd been caught, he smiled, and then looked back ahead.

Jamie led her through the Keep, giving her a miniature tour of the place. She had an idea of where to go, and that would be good enough for a while. She knew her chambers, Jamie's Chambers, the Throne Room, the Great Hall and the Dining Halls and she figured that'd be sufficient. She'd figure out the rest on her own after living there for a while.

"Would you like me to leave or...?" He asked when they reached the chambers that were to be hers. She nodded. She wanted to write down the story, first off. She also wanted to write a letter to Ellie and her father, and finally, she needed to adjust to a new room.

She had just gotten used to the side-cabin of Silence, getting back into the kind of room worthy of nobility was going to be tricky. "Alright, until later then, M'lady." Bowing slightly and smirking Jamie moved to leave, but not without a laugh and playful shove from Meg.

Her room was huge, with large round indent in the center that had a large red tree freshly painted in it. There was a balcony too, and a separate room for a privy that also held a metal tub. The bed was draped in silver with sheets of gold. As instructed, The Hound had brought her stuff and left it still packed on the bed. There was a table and reflecting glass too, and lots of ink and paper.

But, before she got to see to any of that, an eagle flew in through the balcony door and landed on her shoulder. An Eagle with glowing gold eyes. She smiled at it and knew at once it was Ellie. The bird lifted its leg so she could reach the letter tied to it and so Megara did.

'Dear Meg,
It's weird here without you and you haven't even been long. Your mothers been in a feral mood. She almost jumped me when she was giving me the rite of water. Your dad is really upset – he misses you, I think. Harry is quite good company, I think he might like me. Glad you've made it safely to King's Landing. Have you had much time with Jamie? Write me back like, right now, before any of the others notice I've been spaced out in an animal for almost a full day. It may take that long for the letter to get here and back, you know.

~Ellie'

Megara smiled and shook her head. Taking a seat at her table, she began writing out her letter to her best friend.

'Dear Ellie,
All is well here in King's Landing so far, and yes I did spend time with Jamie. All of my time, actually, even though I've only been here a couple hours. He's... nice. I like him, at least. And this whole excursion is saving my life. Tell my dad to keep it together and that I miss him too. Be wary of my mother, write me again soon, okay?

~Meg'