Jessica was the first to wake up. She gave a stretch and then looked over. Jon was still sleeping peacefully. She didn't want to disturb him. They didn't have sex the night before, but that did mean they didn't do things. And for the first time in a month Jessica could forget everything around her. It had been her and Jon, and she was happy, so, so incredibly happy.
"You're staring." Jon mumbled, not opening his eyes.
"I'm gazing." There was a small smile on her face.
"Its creepy." Jon pulled her to him.
"It's romantic." Jessica giggled as Jon laid her on his chest, his eyes opening.
"Good morning." Jessica smiled down at him.
His lips rose up to meet hers and Jessica happily obliged. They didn't have long. They would have to break their fast soon, and be on the Kingsroad heading back to the capital.
"We need to get ready." Jessica sighed as she pulled away.
"What if we didn't?" Jon sighed and moved the hair from her face. "What if you and I ran away? Go live beyond the Wall."
"And be marked as traitors. Unfortunately I don't think that fly to well with the capital, our Father, nor the Kingslayer." Jessica finally got up, pulling a robe over her. Jon finally got out of her bed, pulling on at least his trousers. One more kiss and he was gone.
It was a rushed morning. Everyone running around making sure everything was ready for departure. She went to say goodbye to her Mother first. They hugged tightly, Cat kissed her forehead. Robb walked her out to her mare. She saw Robb and Jon hug. Before Robb turned his attention to her.
"Take care of them." Jessica took Robb's face in her hands.
"You know I will." Robb gave a sad smile.
Jessica nodded. "Write to me often."
"Every week." Robb promised.
"Good." She kissed him. "I love you."
Robb set her upon her horse. "I love you too." He turned to head inside taking Grey Wind and Griselda with him.
It was a cool morning, but Jessica didn't mind. Her and Jon rode side by side. She refused to ride with Arya and Sansa. And she knew that Cersei didn't want her sharing a carriage.
It was midday when the party would split. Tyrion would be joining the Watch, wanting to pay a visit to the Wall, then be back in time for the wedding.
Jessica rode with Jon and her Father to bid their goodbyes. She gave them their privacy. And once her Father had said what he said, Jessica road up to next to him.
"There's time. You could come with me."
Jessica smiled, tears in her eyes. "Father's close by, Jaime hasn't even crested the hill." Jessica made a nod towards the hill. Jaime had lingered back.
Jon gave a nod, fighting back his own tears. "Ravens."
"Every week." Jessica nodded.
"Every week." He agreed.
"Right. I -" Jon was a loss for words.
Jessica leaned over and kissed him, before riding off and catching up with her Father. The pair rode in silence for a moment.
"You loved him." Ned commented. Past tense.
"He's my brother. He's family." Jessica answered, drying her eyes before they reached Jaime.
"There's honor at the Wall. He'll be taken care of." Ned looked at her.
"I'm scared." Jessica finally admitted.
"I know Little Wolf, so am I." Ned confirmed. They had caught up to Jaime. Ned went on ahead to catch up to Robert.
A fortnight had passed once more and Jessica couldn't be happier to stop for a few days rest. Jessica helped get Arya and Sansa settled. It gave her things to do besides avoid Jaime. They barely spoken two words to each other.
Nonetheless, Jessica spent her time chasing Arya around while Sansa fawned over the prince. It was early the second day when a knock came up on the door. She expected it to be her Father.
"Miss me?" Jaime flashed a smile at Jessica.
"Debatable." Jessica flashed a mocking smile.
"We've been summoned to break fast with Robert and your Father."
Seven Hells. That's the last thing Jessica wanted to do was to break fast with them. "Wonderful. Sounds like a lovely morning." Jessica smiled, taking his offered arm and the pair were off.
Outside, under the trees, there was a small table. Robert and Ned were already seated. Jaime and Jessica gave a bow to the King before seated.
"We were just talking about the wedding." Robert gave a jovial smile.
"About the cost." Ned corrected.
"Now we don't need -" Jessica began. Robert held up a hand.
"I received a Raven from your soon-to-be Father-in-law. You are one lucky girl Lyanna Stark."
"How lucky?" Jaime raised an eyebrow.
Robert handed Jaime the note. He read it and read it, and reread it still. He leaned back. "Seven Hells."
"Jaime?" Jessica looked over at him.
"My Father is paying our entire wedding." Jaime leaned back in his chair.
"So take back what I said about a small wedding. We can absolutely treat at your Father's expense."
"Now your sounding like a Queen." Robert gave a toast to her.
"Jessica!" Arya came running down.
"Whats wrong?!" Both Ned and Jessica stood.
"Sansa won't take me looking for rubies along the river." Arya pouted clutching at Jessica's dress.
Both Ned and Jessica sighed in relief and sat back down. Arya climbed onto her lap.
Robert belted out laughing. "Rhaegar Taragaryen. Always did flash himself with jewels. His whole armor was clustered with rubies when I dealt the final blow. You go on Lass and you look for the rubies. And be sure let me know when you do."
Jessica straightened her Arya's hair. "When I'm done, I'll take you walking along the river. Alright." She looked her in the eye.
"Alright." Jessica sat her down.
"Can Mycha come too?" Arya looked down at her feet then at Jessica.
Jessica opened her mouth to speak then thought. "I'll let you know ok."
"Yes Ma'am." Arya ran back up to the Inn.
"Wine?" Robert offered.
"Robert." Ned warned.
"What? She's old enough one glass won't kill her." Robert poured Jessica a glass.
The rest of the breakfast went by awkwardly quiet, not that Jessica minded, she enjoyed the quiet. And as promised she grabbed Arya that afternoon, and yes, she let Mycha tag along. They were down aways from the inn. Jessica settled against a tree with a book. Nymeria laid her head in her lap as they played knights.
The pair were caught off guard when Sansa and Joffrey came walking in. Jessica sat the book in her lap and kept watch.
Jessica had prayed that interaction would go smooth. But as always, the Gods have a cruel sense of humor. Joffrey had the gull to pull a sword on the butcher's boy, Arya had to hit the prince over the head. But Joffrey rounded on Arya. His sword and screaming profanities and slurs. Before Jessica could intervene, Nymeria lept into action. And seconds later the Prince was laying on the ground with a bloody hand.
Jessica took a breath. "Sansa." She was crying trying to soothe Joffrey.
"Sansa!" Jessica made her look at her. "Go get Jaime. I'm going to look for Arya."
Jessica stayed until Sansa was off. Joffrey and Jessica held gazes.
"They'll regret it." He seethe at her.
"No. I'll make sure of it." Jessica headed into the woods.
It could've been minutes. Or hours Jessica didn't know. But she had to track her sister down.
"Arya!" Jessica called out. "Nymeria!" No response. Nothing. Jessica sighed. This dress wasn't made for walking in the woods. Nor were the shoes.
"What do you think you're doing?" Jaime was leaning on a tree.
"Arya is missing." Jessica kept moving.
"I know." Jaime followed her. "But we can't have two Stark girls missing. I can't have my fiancé missing."
"I'm not returning without her." Jessica stated simply.
Jaime took a breath. In three strides, he cut her off. "Now Little Wolf. We can do this the easy way." He offered his arm out. "Or there's the hard way."
They held each other's gaze. "Which is it sweetheart?"
Jessica narrowed her eyes. She went to sidestep Jaime, and in one swift movement, Jaime scooped her up in his arms. She was taken aback, cheeks flushed, breathing hard.
There was a tilt of Jaime's head. "I'm glad I can make you flush." He began walking back towards the path.
"I can walk." Jessica glared at him.
"Oh I know you can. And you will. In the direction I particularly don't want you to go. And honestly it's an argument I don't feel like having."
He was silent most of the walk back. He sat her down right in front of the inn. He tilted her chin up to meet his gaze. "Be lucky I'm the one marrying you. There are a lot of girls in your situation that are far worse off. I'm not the worst person you could be stuck with." He leaned down and gave her a sweet, chaste kiss on her lips. His thumb brushed her cheek before he turned and joined the searching party.
Four days. It had been four days since Arya went missing. Jessica was growing restless. She was pacing back and forth in her room.
"M'lady. She's been found." Jory retrieved he'd late into the fourth night. "She won't talk to anyone there but you."
They walked swiftly down to the hall where there was a large group of people. Jessica pushed past them all, not caring for manners.
"Jessica." Arya sobbed as Jessica pulled her into her arms.
"Shhh shhh it's alright." Jessica soothed her.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry Jessica. I'm sorry." Arya clung to her.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Ned stormed in.
Robert sighed. "I didn't mean to frighten the girl Ned. But we need to get to the bottom of this." He rubbed his face. "Damnit he tells me one thing, she tells me the other. She kept crying for Lyanna, so I sent for her."
Robert looked to Lyanna. "What happened?"
"A lot happened. Very quickly."
"We need more detail than that." Cersei glared at Jessica.
"Where's your other daughter Ned."
"In bed asleep." Ned answered.
"No, she's not." Cersei smiled, too sweetly. "Come here Dove."
Jessica sighed as Sansa came foward.
Robert looked at her. "Now, child... tell me what happened. Tell it to all and tell it true. It's a great crime to lie to a king."
Sansa shrunk back. "I dont know. I don't remember. I didn't see."
"LIAR!" Arya screamed, grabbing Sansa's hair. "Liar! Lair! Liar!"
"Hey stop it." Ned chided. "Its enough."
"Liar!" Arya kept screaming and it took both Ned and Jessica to pull them apart.
"She's as wild as that animal of hers." Cersei sneered. "I want her punished."
Robert was fed up. "What would you have me do, whip her through the streets? Damn it, children fight. It's over. Ned see to yours and I'll see to mine."
"Done." Ned nodded as Robert arose.
"And what of the Direwolf?" Cersei asked.
Robert closed his eyes. "Damn that Wolf."
"I want it killed." Cersei simply stated.
"There was no trace of the wolf." One of the guards stated.
"There's another." Cersei looked to Sansa.
"They...don't. They don't mean Lady do they." Sansa began crying. "No no. Lady is good. She didn't bite anyone." Sansa glared to Joffrey.
"Is this an order." Ned looked to Robert. The King held his gaze and then walked off.
"Right, Jaime. Ilyn." Cersei order.
Jaime looked to Jessica. She held his gaze. Eyes pleading not to. He looked almost sympathetic to her. Almost.
"I'll do it." Ned said simply. "The wolf is of the North. She doesn't need to die by a butcher." Ned turned to Jessica. "Take your sisters to their rooms."
Jessica sighed. She scooped Arya up who clung to her tightly, crying. She grabbed onto Sansa, who fell into her arms, crying. She began to lead them out when -
"Jessica." Jaime stepped foward.
"I don't want a word from you." Jessica turned and snapped. "Goodnight Ser." Jessica walked out with her sisters. It took awhile but they both settled to sleep. And when Jessica finally got to her room, did she let tears shed. They came hard and fast. And this is what she'd have to deal with the rest of her life.
Jessica wasn't expecting a knock on the door. She didn't want to answer it and yet, her feet moved toward the door.
"No." Jessica said when she saw Jaime on the other side. "I told you not tonight."
Jaime Lannister did not say a word. He simply scooped her up in his arms. He took to the bed, laying down, simply holding her while she cried herself to sleep.