The Lion and the Warrior

Love is Cruel

The sun rose upon the sparkling waters of Casterly Rock, kissing the faces of James and Jaime who lay upon the sand, sound asleep. Small waves came ashore, tickling their feet. "We did not spend a night out here."
"Looks like we did, son. I can't believe we did this," he said smirking and looking around.

"Look at that beautiful sunrise," James said in amazement.  In unison, they said, "it would be perfect if..." James saying 'Rhaella', and Jaime saying 'Brienne', "were here."
Jaime looked at his son with a bit of empathy and said, "we are two pitiful lovesick knights."

James smiled. "I know that I have to be patient and go through the motions and just get past this. I just need it to go by faster."

"It will. Come on, we need to have breakfast."

"I even miss having breakfast with her.  When we were children, we would wake up at sunrise, and have breakfast together and then go on with our lessons. Do you know she is an expert with a bow and arrow?"

"You are still children. She is also fabulous with a sword."

"She is, dad, she is just brilliant.  She is brilliant at everything.  We are an exact match at everything we do, just like you and mom."

"Is that right? Is there nothing that I am better at than your mom?"

James thought for a moment. "Well there was one thing that I guess you were better at."

"What was that?" Jaime asked eagerly.

"No.  No, never mind. That was mom."

Jaime laughed and grabbed his son's shoulder, pulling him closer as they walked up to the castle.

The days were filled with important talks about everything from love to history, and swords to war concepts and knighthood to ships and armies and babies and raising children; they were filled with activities like sword fighting, swimming, running, horse racing, playful antics, and all sorts of randomness. Yet, through it all, neither of their minds were never far from home and the ladies they loved so madly.

"Did I ever tell you what made me love your mother?"

"I don't think so. I imagine its all the wonderful things everyone loves about her."

"It's definitely all those things. But there is so much more."

"Tell me."

"Your mother was my captor."

"What?" James laughed, "and you found that incredibly sexy, I suppose?"

Jaime laughed as well, and said, "Perhaps subconsciously I did. But instead of letting myself think that way, I was angry and playing coy. I talked nonstop and tried to get her as angry as I was. I made fun of her, called her horrible names, asked rude questions, and sometimes she showed me that she was annoyed, but not often. She was skillfully...emotionally intelligent. She was as skilled with her emotions and her composure as she was with her sword. Except, the one moment I stole her sword. I always wondered why some knights carried two swords. We battled for what seemed like hours but it wasn't. That was the first time anyone came close to beating me - and it was woman who was beating me. Although in my defense, hands were chained together."

"But she did not win?"

"I think it was a draw."

"Dad."

"It was a draw; I can admit when I lose to your mother."

"That's what made you love her?"

"It made me respect her. Once I started to respect her, I started to care for her. I had never seen anyone with such determination and so strong willed - other than me. Cersei was strong willed. Kings were strong willed, but not like your mother. She was strong, honorable, loyal and a genuinely good person with the best of intentions for everyone and everything."