Castle Black 301 AC.
Jaime.
He sat in the common hall and though he ate, it was almost because it was expected of him rather than out of any sense of hunger or desire. Looking around the room he could see he wasn't the only one who had done so. It had been only a day or two since night had fallen, or so he believed as it was hard to judge the passing of days when the sun didn't rise. Already though the strain of living in darkness was beginning to be felt and it more than the fear of what lay in the darkness threatened to sap morale.
Jaime had done all he could to keep the men's morale up, in this he wasn't alone, Oberyn, Ned, Benjen, Mance, even Jeor Mormont, and Stannis had acted far more jovially than Jaime knew they truly felt. To see Stannis Baratheon make japes and wear a smile on his face was a sight he'd never expected, that it was a false one and his reasons for wearing it were what they were, well that at least allowed Jaime not to think the world was truly ending.
Tyrion and Aemon had both alternated with coming to the Wall as well. Lygaron or Sandorix would land just outside the gates and close enough so they could be seen and so that either Jae's granduncle or Tyrion could walk through them with Ser Jors at their back. The white cloak was a welcome sight in the darkness and for the men seeing they had a dragon close by helped them greatly he knew. As did the red priests and the words that Lady Melisandre, Thoros, and Moqorro would say. The night was dark and full of terrors, but the Prince that was Promised would Bring the Dawn, it was a comforting thought. One that he'd take far more comfort in himself if said prince was actually here with them. Taking a sip from his ale, he readied to rise only for Oberyn and Ned Stark to walk his way, Jaime knowing that he'd be staying up a little longer before he went to his bed now.
"Jaime." Ned Stark said as he took his seat, the man finally getting more comfortable with using his name and for the briefest moment it brought a smile to his face as he remembered how uncomfortable he once was with him. Something that Ned seemed to pick up on as he looked at him curiously.
"I was remembering the Greyjoy Rebellion." he said as Ned looked at him "My visit to Winterfell just after it." he added seeing the smile appear on Ned's face.
"Gods, of all the things." Ned said with a chuckle which soon turned into a fuller laugh when Jaime spoke more of what it was that he was thinking on.
"You saying my name, Ned, how uncomfortable you were and how you almost spat it out." he said and Oberyn decided to join in the japing.
"Was it like how I said it when I came to the Rock for the first time?" Oberyn asked with an even larger smirk on his face.
"Aye, the very same. Who'd have thought that we'd all speak each other's names as friends all these years later." Jaime said and saw the nods that both men gave at his words.
"My father used to say that we find our true friends on the battlefield and while I agree with that, he was wrong too. Or perhaps there is more than one type of battlefield. "Ned said with a chuckle "I hated all I thought you stood for, Jaime, thought you to be worst of men and for that I'm sorry."
"There is nothing to be sorry about, in a way I was and were it not for…" he said not needing to say Jae's name and so it was left o Oberyn to do so.
"Our nephew has a way of bringing people together. Who else could have gotten a Lion, Wolf, and a Viper to not only sit the same table but to wish to do so." Oberyn said and Jaime smiled at just how right he was.
Dorne, the North, the West, all three regions had hated each other for varying different reasons. Some of that was down to the men who ran them, some was history and some was perhaps jealousy too. Even were that not the case, the history of him, Ned and Oberyn would have precluded them from ever being friendly, and while he and Ned Stark were not the closest of friends, friends they were. As for Oberyn, he was someone that Jaime was happy to name a friend and someone whose company he welcomed greatly.
