Armies of Summer

Chapter Twenty-Five

Casterly Rock - Year 300 - Ten weeks later - Arya and Jaime's Bedroom

It had been ten weeks since we had set out from Winterfell, and we had only just arrived back in Casterly Rock. It had been a slow trip, as we had stayed with the slow moving caravan traveling to King's Landing for several weeks before leaving them to continue west towards our home. Those ten weeks had been the longest the Lannister family had ever experienced as neither Jaime or Arya were talking, to each other or their children, as both were thrown deep into a pit of despair. Jaime was confused to why this had happened to him and his wife, as they had always been incredibly happy, but Arya knew the reason, and she had been stewing on it for almost two months, but she was hopeful that now that they were home alone they would be able to talk.

That hope, however, was crushed when a squire rushed into their chambers as soon as their servants had left, informing him that they had a raven from King's Landing, which seemed odd as they should have only arrived a little over a week ago. But they received the letter, and were informed, by Cersei, that Catelyn Stark had taken Tyrion into custody, taken him to, well no one knows where, to face justice for the attempted murder of Bran Stark and Elia Martel. The letter also proceeded to demand that Jaime do something, that, while the little beast is a monster of a heinous sort, he is still our brother and Lannister's always pay their debts.

Jaime wasted no time. He ran from the room, barking orders to the servant lingering in the hallways, demanding for the maester and his father to meet him in the office at once. He would be calling the banners.

Arya followed behind her husband, er ears ringing as she watched all that she had tried to build, all that she had tried to fix, fall apart around them. Her families would go to war, because of that venomous snake, who didn't even have the decency to use a weapon that could not be traced back to this family to try to murder a child. And didn't bother to tell her brothers what she did, leaving everything to sit on Arya's shoulders, the weight of the knowledge of what Cersei did.

It didn't take long, the ravens were flying before the sun fell, and she knew that when she awoke the next morning, if she slept, the bannermen would be waiting at the gates. Waiting for her husband. Her husband who wanted to kill her brother. Her brother whose wife stole her brother-in-law. Her brother-in-law who was being punished for his sister's crime. The sister who had taken Jaime's virginity. Her brother's virginity. Arya's husband's virginity.

That woman... that woman would die. And hopefully it would be by Arya's hand, before countless men died in a war over an affair with a child.

Casterly Rock - Two Months After Jaime's Departure - The Library

Arya was teaching Rickon and Haleigh to read when the squire appeared.

"My Lady, I'm sorry to interrupt, but the maester sent me with a letter. He said it is an update on what has happened. It's from Lord Jaime." Arya rose from her chair to take the letter from the poor boy who hesitated to come into the marvelous room. When she returned to her chair she motioned for the children to continue reading before she began to read the letter.

My love,

I know you disagree with what I am doing. But he is my brother, and they are holding him for attempted murder, which you and I both know he did not commit. I cannot wait around for some god in the sky to tell people who hate our family that he is innocent, and have them kill him anyway. I know we have had this argument before. But I had to try again.

I miss you. I wish you had be able to come with me, but I know why you could not.

Cersei has been working with Sansa to try and convince Catelyn to let Tyrion go, so hopefully, he will be released any day now, but this fight may continue to escalate.

In other news, Robert is dead. Killed by a boar during a hunt. He made Eddard Protector of the Realm until Trentan comes of age, but Cersei ripped up the document, and declared Trentan King, and Eddard was put in prison for speaking out against him. I have sworn fealty to Trentan, as was expected of me, and convinced him that you do not need to come to King's Landing to do the same. I don't want you here. Things are boiling over, and I don't want you getting hurt, no matter how much I wish I could have you by my side.

We have heard rumors that Robb and Elia have called their banners, after receiving the raven to swear fealty. But we are not sure yet. If they have, that means that father and I may be riding out to meet them, if so, it will be longer than we expected until we see each other again.

I miss you my love. What happened in Winterfell that created this space between us? I had hoped that it was just some minor annoyance that I had caused, but even your letters seem different somehow. Please love, talk to me. I cannot know how to fix something that I don't know happened.

I love you with my whole heart. My life is yours.

Yours, Jaime

Jaime, my heart,

I love you still as I did the day I married you. I do wish that you are being careful, I understand why you are doing what you are. You love your brother, as do I, but I also love Ned, and Cat, and their children, and I cannot bear the thought of any of you being harmed in this foolish war.

I hope Sansa succeeds in her task to convince her mother, but I doubt that she will. What of Arya? You did not mention her in your last letter. How is she?

I understand why you pledged fealty to Trentan, and thank you from saving me the journey, though I do wish that Cersei had not disobeyed Robert's wishes. Trentan may not be ready yet for the responsibility of ruling, especially without a Hand at his side.

As for our nephew, Robb, if he has called his banners, please try not to hurt him. He is just a child, being influenced by the people around him. He may not know what he does, only that his father has been imprisoned, and he feels the need to rescue him. Please remember, he is just a child. Tywin would do the same if it were you.

I miss you my darling, more than you can know.

As for what has caused this distance, I had wanted to talk to you in person, but we were continuously interrupted, and never alone. And then you had to leave. So I suppose I will say it now. I know. About you and Cersei. She told me. I found her, in the broken tower. She was the one who pushed Bran. He saw her with Trentan. Doing what she used to do with you. When I confronted her, she informed me about your history with her.

How could you not tell me? Was that why you sent her away to Dragonstone? Because you didn't want her to tell me your secret? I wish you would have told me then. When we were falling in love. At least then you wouldn't have been lying to me for seventeen years. I trusted you. Wholeheartedly, heart and soul and body and anything else I could give you I did. But you were lying to me, you have always been lying to me. I was not your only love, I was not even your first love. And that would have been okay, if you had told me. I may have been upset, but darling, I would not be anywhere near as upset as I am now.

Be safe, and keep me updated.

Arya Stark