A Wolf and A Lion || Jaime Lannister Love Story

Chapter 30 - The Hand's Tournament

The tournament allowed Lords, Ladies, and Knights from the Southern Houses to join together in an event filled with celebration, money, and entertainment. It had been arranged for weeks to come, and it has finally arrived. Kings Landing was swarming with hundreds of people attending the tourney, leading to violent reactions amongst the common folk, brothel fights, drunken men parading down the slums of the city, thus providing the small council with a headache as they managed to control the worsen conditions of the capital.

The tournament was to be held at the grounds where Aurelia took the direwolves out for a walk; just a walking distance from the castle. The place was entirely decorated for the social event, with flags bearing the sigil of House Stark, House Baratheon, and House Lannister surrounding the area; along with smaller flags bearing the sigils of vassal houses. Large white tents occupied the place, as knights, riders, and noble lords who wishes to participate in the tourney were preparing themselves. The people in court were seated atop wooden daises; the King and his family sitting on the highest of them all with carved wooden stags on the front, and long tree trunks stretching through the roof of the dais to represent a stag's antlers.

King Robert sat whilst drinking wine from an elephant's tusk. Queen Cersei was seated beside him appearing bored more than ever, wrapped in a gold colored cloak with the embroidery of a red Lannister lion. As it was a formal event, both of them wore their respective crowns on their head. Tommen and Myrcella sat opposite from Joffrey, across from their parents. Ser Barristan stood guard beside Robert, while the Hound stood behind the crown Prince.

Aurelia, Sansa, Arya, and Septa Mordane seated themselves on a vacant space at the front row, giving them a clear view of the joust about to begin. The Stark girls waited patiently for the tournament to start, as Aurelia strike up a conversation with her sisters to pass the time.

"You do not seem chipper for someone who has dreamt of seeing endless knights back when we were in Winterfell." Aurelia pointed out when she observed the sullen look etched across Sansa's face. She had been behaving this way ever since they reached King's Landing. Tournaments should excite Sansa, since she talks about it occasionally, hoping for the day when Ned would take her to watch one. Seeing knights were Sansa's absolute delight, and now that there are hundreds of them, there is not a single smile on her face.

"Are you and Ser Jaime close?" Sansa asked her, ignoring Aurelia's previous statement. The question took Aurelia by surprise, but she answered it nonetheless.

"Not as close as mother and father, if that is what you are talking about."

"But the two of you talk do you not? I've seen the two of you before, he does all the things any knight or gentleman should for their lady." Sansa pointed out. It was an observation that Aurelia had not notice nor put much thought into.

"Yes...we do." Aurelia replied her sister rather uncomfortably. "Sansa, where exactly is this conversation going?"

"Prince Joffrey would not speak to me, nor has he seen me ever since we arrived here. He hates me!" Sansa exclaimed childishly,

"Lower your voice! Anyone could hear you." Aurelia warned her sister. Her eyes looked around, finding to her relief that no one was paying any attention.

"What am I suppose to do? We are betrothed, and yet he would not speak to me. What other reason could there be unless the fact that he hates me?" Sansa expressed, and Arya was trying her hardest to not laugh at her sister's words which Arya perceives to be foolishly funny.

"I am sure he does not hate you, Sansa. Perhaps he is only shy around you, and isn't sure of what he should do. Boys his age aren't exactly clever. Just be patient." Aurelia said, based on her own experience.