A Wolf and A Lion || Jaime Lannister Love Story

Chapter 37 . Oathbreaker

     "What would you have me do, Aurel?" Jaime asked of her, as he finally turn his body around to face her. Conflict was in his eyes, as he pondered on listening to his father or his wife.

     "Listen to me. Please, Jaime..." She began to plead as her voice turned soft. "Don't do this. Don't do anything. Let me try to solve this matter by talking to my family, I know they'll listen. You do know what would happen once you storm Riverrun? Your father is practically declaring war on my family over something you don't even understand yourself, and- "

     "I understand enough!" Jaime exclaimed, taking a step closer to where Aurelia now stand. "What part of Catelyn Stark abducting my brother do you not understand? Your mother started this war when she took Tyrion, and you know that. You don't even want to believe it because you love your mother too much to accept the fact that she could condone such a thing. Your father knew about it, and still he did not say a word. Start opening your eyes and realize that your house is just as much at fault. They struck us first. We're only repaying it."

     "Would you storm the gates of Riverrun and slay every single man who goes against you? Would you spear my Uncle Brynden in the leg as well to send a message to my mother? Or perhaps my Uncle Edmure? Or would you go as far as to put a sword through my grandfather?" Aurelia bombarded him with questions. She crossed her arms across his chest, as Jaime listened to her.

     "If that's what it takes to get my brother back...then yes." Jaime answered her, and Aurelia tried very hard to hide the staggered look on her face.

     "If you attack my family, Jaime...I – I won't forgive you. I can't." Aurelia told him with pure conflict inside her heart. She can't possibly choose Jaime over her own family. The thought of betraying her family was absurd to begin with, and no matter what the Lannister's tell her, her loyalty will always stay with the Starks. Her love for her family predates everything else in the world.

     "Then I'll learn to live with that." Jaime replied her, which made things perfectly clear for Aurelia. Now she truly knows where her husband stands amidst all of this complication.

     She was too surprised to even mutter a word, and all she could do was stare at Jaime who did his best to appear stoic in front of her. Never once had he let his feelings be shown in front of anyone other than his siblings. For the longest time, they were the only people he could trust. But they are not here now...and Aurelia was; and yet, he is pushing her away while being inconsiderate of her own feelings. All this time, his priority had been getting Tyrion back through any lengths. Jaime thought that Aurelia will eventually forgive him. She had to.

     Jaime decided to turn and leave, but then he heard the words coming out of Aurelia's mouth.

     "My father warned me not to trust you."

     He turned around slowly. He did not realize how much those words had such an effect on him until Aurelia said it. When he first saw Aurelia, he expected that he would share the same views of him as Ned. She did hate him in the beginning, but it wasn't because of what he did all those years ago. Soon that hatred died down, and although they had arguments here and then after their wedding, Aurelia found comfort in Jaime's presence. Whereas Jaime was opening a part of himself to the woman he least likely thought would have. Jaime wanted to prove himself that he was not the man the whispers says he is. He still had honor in him, and Jaime was going to show it to Aurelia. Looking at it now, he was doing the complete opposite.

     "I never really understood why he would say that. I even tried to deny that there is some sort of resentment between the two of you, but I now I truly see why. You are exactly the kind of man my father told me about. All this time I did not want to believe him because I thought despite your abrasiveness and your tendency to act on things violently...you are a good man. That you fight for what's right, and not because you have to." Aurelia continued to say, as Jaime listened on. She has never truly expressed any of her feelings about Jaime, and although Jaime was sure that Aurelia cares for him, he was not certain that Aurelia still feels the same way now.