A Wolf and A Lion || Jaime Lannister Love Story

Chapter 18 - A quiet morning

Aurelia shook her thoughts away when another knock can be heard.

"It's Jory, my Lady. I came to take your stuff needed for the journey." Jory said, from the other side of the door.

"Come in." Aurelia said, and Jory opened the door, greeting her with his small yet gentle smile.

She once begged Jory day and night to teach her how to use the sword, because Ser Rodrick wouldn't. The Master-At-Arms of Winterfell told her that training her in sword fighting was not part of the agreement she made with her parents. She's already in a great deal of trouble with Lady Stark due to her training in archery. Jory has always been a trustable person, and a loyal servant to House Stark. He practically watched Aurelia grew up to be the young lady she is now, seeing her as little sister he never had. In the end, Jory succumbed to Aurelia and taught her the basics of sword fighting, and a thing or two with daggers.

"I don't have much for the journey. The clothes I'll be bringing are in the cases at my old room. You can take that one over there." Aurelia pointed to an tattered brown leather suitcase sitting by corner of the room near her drawers.

"Of course, my lady." Jory replied, making her way towards the suitcase, and taking it from the floor.

"Jory, how many men is my father bringing to Kings Landing?" Aurelia questioned rather apprehensively. Her heart has never felt ease about moving all the way South to the Capital. She's been telling herself that it was only her worries messing with her head, but she can't seem to shake the feeling off.

"Fifty, my Lady." Jory informed, and it made her feel somewhat better. If Ned is bringing that much men, it means that they'll all protect him when he's in dire need of one. "We'll protect your father, just as we've protected him before. You don't have to worry about that."

"Do you think he's doing the right thing?" Aurelia questioned, slightly startling Jory as people normally don't ask these kind of questions to captains or soldiers. But Aurelia sees Jory as family already. She knows that he doesn't protect only Ned, but he protects the rest of the Stark children as he can. Jory cares about them more than he shows.

"I apologize, my Lady. I am in no position to answer the question." Jory politely replied, and rightfully so.

"I know, it's only...I do value your opinion." Aurelia said to him, "I do not want him making the wrong choice. It's changing everyone's lives as it is, including his." She continued, sitting herself down by the edge of the bed with an anxious look on her. Jory could see how troubled she was.

"I think my Lord is doing what is best given the circumstance. He never does anything without reason, I suppose we just have not figure out what that is yet." Jory answered her, hoping that he had said right thing.

"I suppose." Aurelia agreed him, though not one hundred percent it seems. Jon had said the same thing about their father regarding him agreeing to the betrothal between Aurelia and Jaime. It was true. There is always a reason to everything Ned does. It's only hard for people decipher what that reason is.

"If that is all, my Lady..." Jory spoke, standing across from the open door,

"It is. Thank you, Jory. And thank you for the dagger." Aurelia expressed, giving him a small smile. Jory immediately straightened his back, quite surprised that Aurelia would mention her little dagger. "Father told me he instructed one if his trusted guards to forge it. Well, I can't think of anyone else other than you." She continued,

When Ned told Jory, he was more than willing to do the deed himself. He knew that Aurelia would love the gift with all her heart, and it would have been his pleasure to be apart of it somehow. Of course, he didn't mentioned any of it to Aurelia as the dagger was supposed to be between her and Ned only.