BLUE MOON ; Jaime Lannister

chapter ten ; "songbird."

The interior was spacious, not too big, not too small. Tables littered the room, each with golden candle stands; expensive, merchants would pay a good price for them. On a large table, sprawled out was a dead stag - expertly hunted, however the sight of it made Jenny uneasy and there gutting the creature was the lion called Tywin Lannister. The man, who had singlehandedly restored House Lannister's reputation from his naive and loveable father Tytos. 

He wasn't what Jenny was expecting; she pictured a fearsome man that could petrify her without even looking. No, this man was aged, easy to see he had been a desirable man in his youth; his golden lochs had become white; a similar colour to Jenny's own hair. The Lord of the Rock sprouted a slightly longer white stuble around his face, too short to be called a beard and trimmed like that intentionally. Like all Lannisters, the man shared the trademarked cat-like eyes but Tywin's emeralds were freckled with gold, as was his reign over the Westerlands; gold an abundance of it. 

"Father," greeted Jaime, bowing his head to his patriarch, "A message came from you, from the Starks."

Tywin didn't turn to acknowledge his son, he continued what he was doing; causing him not to notice the literal maiden in the room.  Otherwise, Jenny was sure the Lord would've addressed her. "Are you going to tell me then, boy?" grunted the Lord, as he stabbed the deceased animal with power, carving up its soft underbelly with grace, "Go on, tell me."

Sighing, Jaime unrolled the piece of parchment again, "You're being summoned to court to answer for the crimes of your bannerman, Gregor Clegane, the mountain," he struggled as he read on, taking a seconds pause, "Uh, arrive in the next fortnight or be branded an enemy of the crown," Tywin didn't react, "Poor Ned Stark. Brave man, terrible judgement."

At his words, Jenny glared at him, kicking his boot - earning Jaime to return her a scornful one. Tywin glaned over shoulder, but he did a double take when he caught a glimpse of the woman, he turned around completely, looking from Jenny to his son. "Who are you, girl?" asked the Lord, his eyes scanning her face, it reminded him of someone, but he couldn't quite tell who. 

"My Lord," Jenny dipped her head to him, "Jenny of House Daemadar," she swallowed, feeling slightly intimidated by his calculating stare, "Ser Jaime took me when he attacked the Lord of Winterfell."

Pale green eyes widened, as Tywin spun to face his son, "You idiot!" he hissed, Jaime looked down on the ground, "What were you thinking?" he could've knocked Jaime out with just the face he was pulling.

Gulping, Jaime met his father with an unsteady gaze, "I didn't want there to be anymore witnesses," he lied, looking to the woman for help.

Glowering at his son, Tywin tutted, "If you wanted no witnesses, why is Ned Stark still alive?" he sighed, "attacking him was stupid." The war commander grimaced, "Lannister's don't act like fools," he shimmied the knife up the stag's pelt again, this time rooting his hand in and pulling out entrails - dropping them into the metal bucket below. "Are you going to say something clever? Go on, say something clever."

Reluctantly, Jaime lifted his head looking at his father, "Catelyn Stark took my brother." It was the most obvious statement in the world, Jenny found herself rolling her eyes; no wonder Tywin got easily frustrated at his son. 

"My Lady," the Lord of the Rock began, wiping his hands into a towel, "Why didn't my son kill Ned Stark?" he inquired, "Tell me truthfully."

Honestly, Jenny didn't have a clue why he didn't kill the Lord of Winterfell there and then. Then she realised, it had been because the soldier interfered, Ned Stark had yielded - dropped his sword. But, then it occurred to her, voice soft, the Daemadar answered, "Pride," was the word that left her pale lips, "He didn't want to kill him dishounarbly, My Lord."