A Wolf and A Lion || Jaime Lannister Love Story

Chapter 35 . Everything Has Changed

"See what she does to me?" Robert questioned his friend, as he pour some wine into a cup. "I should not have hit her. That was not..." He said, taking a seat on the trunk across Ned's bed. "...That was not Kingly." Robert added, reflecting on his actions.

"If we don't act, there will be a war." Ned said,

"So, tell your wife to return that little shit of an Imp to King's Landing. She's had her fun, now put an end to it. You hear me? Send a raven and put an end to it." Robert ordered Ned, wanting to finish what he believes to be utter madness before it could turn for worse.

"And what about Jaime Lannister?" Ned asked, and Robert grimaced in response. "What of Aurelia my daughter? He took her away." Ned began to raise his voice, wanting for Robert to understand that her daughter's life is at risk.

"I'm a half Kingdom in debt to his bloody father! I don't know what happened between you and those yellow haired shits. I don't want to know. I set the marriage proposal between Jaime Lannister and Aurelia Stark to broker whatever strain there is between your houses. This is what matters! I can't rule the Kingdoms if the Starks and Lannisters are at each other's throats; so enough." Robert bellowed, as Ned tried to shift his body despite the pain. "Aurelia is now married to Jaime Lannister, her place is beside him now. As much as you hate the Kingslayer, he would not hurt her. I know that for a fact." He tried to assure Ned that Aurelia would be in no harm.

"As you command, Your Grace. With your leave, I will return to Winterfell and set matters straight." Ned acquiesced reluctantly, having no other option but to believe in the King.

"Piss on that! Send a raven. I want you to stay. I'm the King. I get what I want." Robert exclaimed before finishing every bit of wine he recently poured into his cup. "I never loved my brothers. A sad thing for a man to admit, but it's true. You were the brother I chose. We'll talk when I return from the hunt." He told him, finally looking back at Ned and tosses the badge of the Hand next to him.

"The hunt?" Ned looked on in confusion.

"Killing things clears my head. You'll have to sit on the throne while I'm away." Robert said, "You'll hate it more than I do." He added with a small laugh at the end.

"The Targaryen girl..." Ned spoke of the subject that made him resign in the first place. He would not abide to the assassination of a girl millions of leagues away.

"Seven Hells! Don't start with her again. The girl will die and I'll hear no more of it." Robert exclaimed as he opened the door. "Put on the badge, and if you ever take it off again, I swear to the mother I'll pin the damn thing on Jaime Lannister!"

When Robert exited the room, only then did Ned picked up the badge and looked at it calculatingly. His thoughts went away to the only person he fears for at the moment, and that was Aurelia. He hung onto the words of Robert when he says that Jaime would never harm her. Ned needed to finish this matter once and for all as he intends to keep the promise he made to Aurelia.

***

Bran cried out happily as his horse ran around the Wolfswood. It was the happiest he's been since waking up from his fall to half a family gone. Tyrion Lannister had stopped in Winterfell before he departed for the Kingsroad to return South, and built Bran a contraption that allows him to ride despite his broken legs. Bran was mostly angry at himself, believing that he slipped and fell from climbing a tower; an act he has done numerously. His dreams of becoming a knight were gone; his dreams of fighting were gone. The people taking care of him tried to comfort Bran in any way they can; and Maester Luwin managed to put a smile on the little Lord's face when he assured Bran that he can continue to practice his archery when he pleases. Bran believed he would never be able to ride again, but Tyrion's work placed an end to that thought.