The Long Winter | Jaime Lannister X Stark OC | GOT/ASOIAF

A King Should Die Harder

Ross had never felt more afraid, nor more alive, than during the sack of King's Landing. 

She'd been hoping, praying, for the northmen to be the first there. If not them, then at least Stormlanders, or Valemen, for she knew Robert Baratheon and had met Jon Arryn. But no. It was red-cloaked guardsmen that burned the city, broke into homes, robbed, raped and murdered citizens. Red cloaked men who, as far as she knew, were not her brother's allies.

The Red Keep held out for longer than the rest of the city, which had literally opened its gates for the invading army; she had yet to discover who's decision that folly had been. Despite the sounds of chaos and death that drifted up Aegon's High Hill to the castle, inside the Red Keep was eerily silent. All the guards were out defending the walls, except the few left to watch over Elia Martell and the children. 

Elia had sent word to Ross, inviting her to join her and her ladies in the Maidenvault, but as with most of Elia's well-meant invitations over the last two years, Ross had refused. She had remained in the godswood with Ren, not praying exactly, just sitting. 

She seldom had a guard, before the sack - even if she had left her rooms to escape in the night, she would hardly have got very far - but Aerys had got it into his head that she would try and sneak Lannister soldiers into the keep, so had assigned a Targaryen guardsman to watch over her. She had ignored the man - boy, really, perhaps even younger than her and Jaime, pale faced and wide eyed - and he stood some distance away.

The sounds of swords clashing were growing louder.

"They're almost in," Ross said absently, and the guard swallowed, visibly nervous. She glanced back at him, frowning. "I'd take that uniform off, if I were you,"

"M-milady?" The boy stuttered.

"The Targaryens have lost," She said, wondering why she had to elaborate. "Anyone with a red dragon on their chests when the lions come hunting is as good as dead," Her words were matter-of-fact rather than cruel, but he blanched even more, if that was possible.

"I don't want to die, Lady Stark," He sounded scared out of his wits. Ross was too, inside. If it had been Stark men howling at the walls then she would've been celebrating. But it wasn't. She wasn't sure what the Lannisters would do with her if they found her. Herself alone was one thing, but her son - who everyone believed was Aerys' bastard - was quite another. 

It depended which Lannister men found her, she supposed. The uncertainty made it all the more terrifying. And Jaime... Jaime's with the king, he's the last Kingsguard here, he's eighteen and in charge of holding the city, when it's his father's army tearing it all down.

"It's easy enough for you," She said, a touch impatiently. "Just find some spare kitchen boy's clothes and stay out the way, you might as well be invisible," 

It wouldn't be easy for her to do the same. In all liklihood, she'd be better off staying as Rosennis Stark; a highborn lady might be of far more interest to an invading army than a servant girl, but she was far less likely to be robbed or raped than a nameless scullery maid, for her value in ransom alone. 

At least, that's what she hoped. 

She had considered hiding Ren, leaving him somewhere safe where he'd be unlikely to be discovered, but it hadn't taken long for her to decide against that option. There was too much risk leaving her son with anyone who wasn't her. Others might swear to protect him, especially if she gave them a silver necklace or two as payment, but ultimately no one would die for him but herself.

"I can't leave you and your boy unguarded," His voice actually showed some conviction then. She raised an eyebrow. "Not saying you'd try and escape, you'd have to be mad to go out there alone," The lad had some sense then. He might just survive the day. "But what if them soldiers come for you in here? There's all sorts of horrors go on at times like these, Milady,"