"My Lady, I'm glad this partnership is working splendidly." Varys sat the table opposite Jessica and Navi. Jessica smiled, taking a sip of wine. Petyr Baelish had been right. Having a network of spies proved useful and she knew more palace secrets than she probably needed too.
Jessica didn't trust Petyr Baelish. No, she didn't trust him as far as she could throw him. That's why she sought out Varys. And after a lengthy conversation, seemed to have found much common ground.
Varys eyes wandered down. "I couldn't help but notice, My Lady. That pendent, is made of Weirwood? That wood is hard to obtain south of the Wall."
Jessica smiled, her hand immediately touched it. "A wedding gift from Jaime."
Varys gave a nod. "A golden lion too. Your Kingslayer did put some thought into that."
Jessica eyed him carefully. "There's a Direwolf embossed with Valyrian Steel on the other side." She turned it over. "The chain is Valyrian Steel as well."
"You know, even the Queen doesn't have Valyrian Steel jewelry in her collection."
"And why are you telling me this Lord Varys?" Jessica sat up a little straighter, immediately putting Navi on high alert.
"Just food for thought, I assure you My Lady." Varys gave a complacent smile.
There was a sharp knock on the door. A servant could barely open it fast enough.
"Jessica!" Jory stalked in.
"Jory!?" Jessica stood. She hadn't heard things from her Father or sisters in nearly a week.
Jory was immediately looking her over for any bumps and cuts and bruises.
"Jory I'm fine." Jessica pulled him up trying to reassure him.
"What did the King do?" Jory had a firmer tone than he ever had.
"Jory I don't -" Jessica began. But then looked over to Varys.
"I do have Little Birds everywhere. And while they saw. It wasn't me who informed your Father."
Jessica sighed and closed her eyes. "Baelish."
"Could be. Could be the Queen. Could've been anyone who had spies. A servant even. It's hard to tell."
"He wants to see you." Jory took Jessica's hand.
Jessica looked from Varys to Jory and nodded. "Of course he does."
Jory gave a nod to Varys before leading Jessica and Navi away.
"You should have came to your Lord Father and -" Jory began before Jessica cut him off.
"And tell him what?" Jessica pulled Jory to a stop.
Jory opened his mouth to speak but suddenly thought better.
Jessica continued on. "Tell him that the King, Robert Baratheon, my Father's best friend, decided he wanted to bed me because I looked like my dead aunt!" Jessica threw her hands up in exasperation.
"Yes!" Jory countered. "He's your Father. His job is to make sure you, his daughter is safe!"
Jessica shrank back, her arms wrapping around themselves. "Jaime was there."
Jory gave her a look, then scoffed. "Only because The Kingslayer has an image to uphold. If word got out you became the King's Mistress, what an upheaval that would be."
Jessica opened her mouth and shut it. Was her marriage really that loveless? And was she really to blind to see it?
The ascent to her Father's office seemed to drag. She was dreading this confrontation. She didn't want to be the one to shatter the image of his best friend.
The door opened, her Father was seated at his desk, head in what Jessica could only describe as an obnoxiously large book. His head was bent low and he seemed to be obsessing over every detail.
"Papa." Jessica spoke quietly.
Ned looked up and then was quickly up on his feet, embracing Jessica tightly.
"Why didn't you come to me?" He pulled back just enough to look at her.
"It was handled." Jessica shook her head.
"Jaime Lannister is not considered handled." Ned cupped her cheeks.
Jessica's gazed shifted to the floor. "I didn't want to ruin your image of your best friend."
Ned Stark sighed. "That weight should never have been put on your shoulders." He kissed her forehead. "You're taking Arya and Sansa back to Winterfell."
"What?!" Jessica blinked in confusion. "Are you sure that's a sound move?" She could only imagine the outrage that would come from Tywin Lannister.
"I'm stepping down as Hand. We're all going home. We'll deal with an annulment once were settled." He looked at her with all the coldness of the North.
Just when her and Jaime were just getting comfortable.
"Pardon this uh...heartfelt conversation." Petyr Baelish gently knocked on the door.
"Im sorry Lord Baelish. These matters no longer concern me." Ned gave a nod of dismissal.
"Of course, Lord Hand, Stark." Petyr took a breath to steady himself. "I was going to take you to the last person Jon Arryn talked too before he passed if you're still interested."
"I told you these matters do not concern me anymore." Ned straightened himself. "My children do."
"It won't take but an hour of your time." Petyr reasoned.
Ned looked to Jessica. She could see the turmoil in her Father's eyes. "Its an hour." Jessica sighed. "I can accompany the both of you while the household packs."
And that was that. The trio were off.
Jessica had never been to a brothel. And Jessica doubted she ever would step foot into another one. Jessica could physically see the smoke of the incense that burnt. And honestly it made her cough. Everything was plush. And Jessica meant everything. In dark purples and burgundies. A lot of the girls flocked to her, touching her hair and face and hands. Navi had to squeeze around just to make sure Jessica had room to breathe.
"No one will harm her." Petyr looked back at Navi. "The girls are simply admiring Lady Lannister."
Jessica didn't mind the girls. It was the men who looked her up and down and then whispered to one another. That made her shudder.
Petyr fetched a young girl. Couldn't be older than sixteen. She was cradling a baby girl. And she was going on and on about the King. And Jessica quickly came to the conclusion as the girl placed the baby into her arms. It was the King's bastard daughter. Jessica was ever so grateful that Jaime had saved her that night. How easily she could've become pregnant. In a similar situation.
No. Robert would've legitimized that bastard and that would be far, far worse.
"Doesn't she look just like him, M'lady?" The girl smiled at her.
Jessica smiled. "She's absolutely precious."
The girl seemed delighted, and lead Jessica over to one of the couches to sit. The pair of them talked, trading gossip like a couple of wives.
"STARK!" There was sudden yelling from right outside. Jessica watched as all her men fled out of the brothel, Navi by her side.
"He's pissed Jessica." Navi looked down at her. "He probably won't listen to anyone but you."
Jessica sighed and handed the baby back to her mother. "Excuse me."
Jessica got up and met Petyr at the door.
"You should stay inside My Lady." He looked down at her.
"I should. But I'm not." She pushed open the door.
"Such a small pack of wolves." Jaime dismounted his horse.
"Stay back Ser. This is the Hand of the King." Jory walk to her Father's side.
"Was the Hand of the King. Now I'm not sure what he is. Lord of somewhere very far away."
"JAIME." Jessica strode out. Navi practically her shadow.
Jaime was not expecting this. She hand managed to catch him off guard. "Go on home, my love, this doesn't concern you." He was sweet. A warning.
"Whats the meaning of this Lannister?" Petyr Baelish had now emerged.
Jaime blinked and composed himself. "Get back inside. Where it's safe. Both of you." Jaime glared down at Jessica.
Jessica stood her ground, and folded her arms.
Petyr sighed. "I'll get the City Watch."
"I'm looking for my brother." Jaime looked to Ned. "You remember my brother Lord Stark?" Jaime cocked his head. "Blonde hair, sharp tongue...short man."
Jaime inched his way to Jessica.
"I remember him well." Ned acknowledged.
"It seems he had some trouble on the road." Another step closer. "You wouldn't know what happened to him would you?"
"He was taken at my command." He looked to Jaime. "Jessica come here." Ned was doing well at remaining calm.
"No Lord Stark. My wife is going home." Jaime simply stated.
"On that we can agree on." Ned bore a smile. "Home to Winterfell."
Jaime had her behind him in seconds. Guiding her back toward his men.
Jory drew his blade, and as soon as he did, so did everyon else. "If you threatened My Lady or My Lord..."
"Threaten?" Jaime mused. "As in I'm going to open your Lord from balls to brain and see what Starks are made of."
"Jaime..." Jessica grabbed his arm. He looked down at her. "He's my Father."
"She's has a point." Ned grabbed Jaime's attention. "You kill me, your brother's a dead man."
Jaime looked back at Jessica. "You're right."
Jessica breathed.
"Take him alive. Kill his men. See my wife home." Jaime gave the order.
In a split second, Jessica saw spears through several of her Father's men. Jory was quicker and Jaime drew his own blade. And as skilled as Jory was, he was no match for her husband. Jaime drove a dagger through Jorys eye.
But his sacrifice gave Ned time to pull Jessica to him. Jessica was pale white, clamy and shaking.
"Come on Stark. Hand me my wife, and draw your sword. I'd rather you die with sword in hand." Jaime held his hand out.
"My daughter remains with me. She will not be yours much longer Kingslayer." Ned kept a tight grip on Jessica.
Jessica had never seen such anger on Jaime's face. "You won't take her. Not from me. And I will kill for her."
And Jessica made stupid move number three. She pulled away as Jaime went to lunge. She put herself between her Father and her husband.
Jaime did not see her in time to fully stop his swing. He tried to step back. He didn't want her in the middle of this. He honestly didn't.
The edge of his sword caught the side of her cheek. He saw the line. The pair stared at each other. Jaime seeing the frailty of his wife. Just like he saw her in the King's chambers.
Only this time, he'd been the one to cause her harm.
He thought at first he'd just grazed her cheek. If he was lucky he didn't break skin. But Jaime Lannister was too good of a swordman.
They kept their eyes locked on one another. The blood, her blood started as a one single drop, followed by another and another until it slid all the way down her cheek.
It was at this time two Lannister guards grabbed her by the arms and lead her out of the middle of the street. She turned to see a guard stab her Father through the leg.
"Papa!" Jessica tried to turn. She was picked up and placed onto a horse and lead away from the scene.
"My brother Stark, I want him back!" Jaime mounted his own steed and followed after Jessica.