Oaths and Vows {Jaime Lannister}

Chapter 19

They had less than a week before they were due to arrive in Winterfell, and Megara wasn't sure if she was excited about it or not. Truth be told, the girl was sick of the cold. At first it had been fun and new, as Asshai was never cold, and snow was entirely unfamiliar. But after a week, she just wanted to be warm again.

Yet despite that fact, she still loved the open rolling fields of the north and the wind, and the sunlight. It left her conflicted, and things like breakfast, lunch and dinner with Tyrion and Jaime far from the coulomb and in the free wild of nature didn't make her feelings clearer.

Particularly not as they shared a meal of native fruits and talk of childhood memories. Tyrion had just concluded a tale of he and Jaime as kids, robbing the kitchens of Casterly Rock blind, when he turned his gesturing hands to her. 'What about you Meg? You never talk about siblings or growing up in Asshai. Did you and your brothers or sisters ever steal of your kitchen stocks?'

'I don't have siblings,' She said, and yet Ellie's face was so clearly envisioned in her mind's eye. 'But me and my closest friend got into all kinds of trouble – once we,' she stopped herself and considered the story. Tyrion knew nothing of the magic of Asshai, or the Alchemy they practiced, and he couldn't. Even though she wanted him to. But the story was about to tell contained ample amounts of both.

Tyrion misinterpreted her sudden halt. 'Ah, I see. You must miss your home, I'm sorry I brought it up.' She really wanted to tell him that wasn't it, but it was a better lie than anything Megara would have come up with to explain her stopping. It also wasn't completely false. She was happy to be with Jaime, and she liked Westeros – more with each passing day of travel – but Asshai had been her home. And while she didn't miss her mother at all, she longed for the presence of her Father, her people, her home, and Ellie.

Jaime played along. Or she hoped he was playing along, as she wanted him to know she didn't hate being with him in Westeros. 'You'll find a home here one day Meg, then you can tell us all of your old stories.'

She smiled. 'Not all of them, a lady has secrets to keep.' Which was painfully too true. 'Tell me another one of your stories, you're good at it, and you were both little shits.' Her words pushed them past the negative cloud briefly created by her need to keep secrets, because they both laughed at her statement as they knew it to be true.

'Some might say we still are,' Tyrion laughed. 'Like the Hideous Lady.' Jaime laughed at that, clearly lost in some memory. She was already invested in the story that Tyrion hadn't even begun to tell.

Jaime looked less stupid running when he wasn't in a full suite of golden armor. Tyrion wasn't even pretending to try as his short legs would hardly stand a chance against the sprinting two. The last time Meg had seen him, he had propped himself against a tree to read.

Megara and Jaime had other plans. A race through the woods, with no destination, no way to win, and no real point to any of it. It was just pure, pointless fun. It was also a brilliant reminder of the day at the waterfall, which made Meg enjoy it more. She could tell Jaime was getting closer as she struggled over branches, and decided it was time to end the race and win. She came to a halt before a tall oak tree, panting and turning to see where Jaime was.

She had barely done so when he crashed into the tree, resulting in him pressing against her. She gasped, and they both laughed, but here was a sudden tension. It wasn't the kind that built up before a fight, it was much more like the night she had been with her father's last apprentice, and it took her breath away.

Jaime clearly felt it too, as he rested his forehead against hers as he continued panting after the running. She wasn't breathing evenly either, but for entirely different reasons she suspected. "You are incredible," He spoke, and she knew that he didn't mean to say it out loud, as he quickly continued in a way that clearly showed it. "-ly quick for someone with such short legs."

She scoffed and brought her hand between them to gently shove him. He moved his hand from the tree to keep hers on his chest. She could feel how deep in thought he was.

And then, she met his eyes. They were sparkling, his golden hair hanging in the way, partially glued to his face. As she brushed them away, she felt something soft and sweet as sugar on her lips. It took her a second to realize that it was Jaime's lips, and that he was kissing her.

And then she realized that it was Jaime's lips, and that he was kissing her.

She kissed back, their lips moving in sync. Jaime tangled his fingers in her vibrant red curls. And she used hers to grip his leather tunic. She had no idea how much time they spent together like that. Only that it was Jaime who ended it, just as he had started it. "We should head back."

His voice was soft, and made her smile. She nodded and pushed him off, immediately starting to walk. She tried to seem unaffected, but her head was spinning and her heart was racing. And Jaime was the only thing she could think of clearly.

JAIME LANNISTER

He watched her walking away for a moment, struggling to collect himself. Should he have done that? Probably not. Did he regret the action, even slightly? No, he did not. He couldn't stop thinking about it, even as he automatically began to follow her. The way she tasted, her hands on his chest, just, her.

He was also thinking about few other things, like how she would look naked against the exact same tree... he shook the thought out of his head. It was not the time, in fact, it was far from it. He quickly caught up with her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer making her laugh.

He thought about what he could do, about slipping his hand into her short pants, and more, but he knew it wasn't the time. That time would come, and it would be once he was free from Cersei's control, and there had been a wedding. But not before – even though he wanted to.

Desperately.