When morning came, Aurelia had hoped that everything was a dream. That she'll break her morning fast in the great hall with her parents and siblings, then she'll glance over the window once a while to see her brothers training, or even joined them, and then she'll see her sisters during their break from their lessons given by Septa Mordane. Aurelia once told them all she knew about the Septa, and how hard Septa Mordane can be when she never behave. That knowledge always applied to Arya, never to Sansa. Even though Aurelia rarely got on the Septa's good side, she was always glad whenever Sansa showed her any gowns she made, or learned a new style of braid, or even a song.
But alas, it was not a dream.
The reality was that Bran fell, and Aurelia had to accept that. She turned her body around, and saw the vacant space that Jaime left behind. She stretched out her hand, feeling the soft fabric underneath her fingers. It was still warm, meaning that Jaime hadn't been gone for long. She stood straight up, holding the blankets close against her. She took a couple of deep breathes as she closed her eyes, trying to accumulate the strength she needed for today.
She remembered the small disagreement she and Jaime had the night before. If it was a different morning, Aurelia would have wondered about whether this was how their marriage is to be. However, since Aurelia was still letting of some steam because of what he said last night, she was once again thankful that she didn't have to face Jaime this morning.
She quickly bathed and got dressed, choosing a light grey dress with kimono sleeves. Halfway towards tightening the ties of her dress, a knock came to the door from the usual chambermaid. Aurelia let her come in, and surprisingly set a breakfast for her in the small breakfast table fit for two. She placed the tray down, as Aurelia asked,
"Where are my parents?"
"Lord Stark is in his study with Lord Robb, and Lady Stark is at Lord Bran's room." The chambermaid replied politely. She was perhaps only a few years older than Aurelia, and had recently started to work inside the castle.
"How long has my mother been there?" Aurelia asked another question, and the chambermaid paused for a moment as if the answer was difficult to deliver.
"She's never left, my Lady." The chambermaid announced, though Aurelia wasn't surprised. Her mother would never leave her children's bedside whenever they were sick. That's what Aurelia remembers. Catelyn would constantly pray to the Mother to spare her child, or to give the child's strength back.
"And, Ser Jaime? Have you seen him?" Aurelia questioned. She was debating with herself for a moment if she should, then she thought what harm could there be to ask a simple question about him? She probably won't see him until the very last second they have to leave Winterfell.
"He's breaking fast with his family." The chambermaid told her, and Aurelia thanked her before she excused her.
Aurelia looked towards the stack of two toasts with butter and jam, a glass of water, and a side of crispy bacon, sitting atop the tray on her table. It was a couple of her favorite foods to eat in the morning, and the kitchen maids always served her that in her room unless she tells them otherwise. There was something sad about starting the day on one's own, which is why whenever the Starks weren't taking their breakfast together as a family, Aurelia would always walk to Robb's room, and they'll eat their breakfast with one another. Even the table has never been used before, and it was suppose to be for her and Jaime. Yet, here she is on her own with Jaime breaking his fast with the merry company of his family, not even bothering to wake her up.
She just looked at that tray of uneaten food in front of her, her mind ticking on what to do before she had to leave. Sansa and Arya would be minding their own businesses and still packing no doubt. Robb is busy with their father, Jon is surely getting ready for his own journey to the wall, and Rickon was perhaps being taken care of by Old Nan at this very instant.
Aurelia shook her thoughts away when another knock can be heard.
"It's Jory, my Lady. I came to take your stuff needed for the journey." Jory said, from the other side of the door.
"Come in." Aurelia said, and Jory opened the door, greeting her with his small yet gentle smile.
She once begged Jory day and night to teach her how to use the sword, because Ser Rodrick wouldn't. The Master-At-Arms of Winterfell told her that training her in sword fighting was not part of the agreement she made with her parents. She's already in a great deal of trouble with Lady Stark due to her training in archery. Jory has always been a trustable person, and a loyal servant to House Stark. He practically watched Aurelia grew up to be the young lady she is now, seeing her as little sister he never had. In the end, Jory succumbed to Aurelia and taught her the basics of sword fighting, and a thing or two with daggers.
"I don't have much for the journey. The clothes I'll be bringing are in the cases at my old room. You can take that one over there." Aurelia pointed to an tattered brown leather suitcase sitting by corner of the room near her drawers.
"Of course, my lady." Jory replied, making her way towards the suitcase, and taking it from the floor.
"Jory, how many men is my father bringing to Kings Landing?" Aurelia questioned rather apprehensively. Her heart has never felt ease about moving all the way South to the Capital. She's been telling herself that it was only her worries messing with her head, but she can't seem to shake the feeling off.
"Fifty, my Lady." Jory informed, and it made her feel somewhat better. If Ned is bringing that much men, it means that they'll all protect him when he's in dire need of one. "We'll protect your father, just as we've protected him before. You don't have to worry about that."
"Do you think he's doing the right thing?" Aurelia questioned, slightly startling Jory as people normally don't ask these kind of questions to captains or soldiers. But Aurelia sees Jory as family already. She knows that he doesn't protect only Ned, but he protects the rest of the Stark children as he can. Jory cares about them more than he shows.
"I apologize, my Lady. I am in no position to answer the question." Jory politely replied, and rightfully so.
"I know, it's only...I do value your opinion." Aurelia said to him, "I do not want him making the wrong choice. It's changing everyone's lives as it is, including his." She continued, sitting herself down by the edge of the bed with an anxious look on her. Jory could see how troubled she was.
"I think my Lord is doing what is best given the circumstance. He never does anything without reason, I suppose we just have not figure out what that is yet." Jory answered her, hoping that he had said right thing.
"I suppose." Aurelia agreed him, though not one hundred percent it seems. Jon had said the same thing about their father regarding him agreeing to the betrothal between Aurelia and Jaime. It was true. There is always a reason to everything Ned does. It's only hard for people decipher what that reason is.
"If that is all, my Lady..." Jory spoke, standing across from the open door,
"It is. Thank you, Jory. And thank you for the dagger." Aurelia expressed, giving him a small smile. Jory immediately straightened his back, quite surprised that Aurelia would mention her little dagger. "Father told me he instructed one if his trusted guards to forge it. Well, I can't think of anyone else other than you." She continued,
When Ned told Jory, he was more than willing to do the deed himself. He knew that Aurelia would love the gift with all her heart, and it would have been his pleasure to be apart of it somehow. Of course, he didn't mentioned any of it to Aurelia as the dagger was supposed to be between her and Ned only.
Jory gave her a small curt nod in return before walking out of the door and closing it behind him. She looked around her room once more before finally, submitting herself to break her fast all on her own.
***
The Lannister siblings were breaking their fast in one of the smaller dining halls within the castle walls. Servants and kitchen maids were coming back and forth, serving the family with various kinds of meals. Cersei's children were present as well, all except for Joffrey who was all to excited to be leaving Winterfell; a place he calls a dump. The Queen was the first one to arrive with her children, and Tyrion graced them with his presence about half-an-hour afterwards.
"Where is Jaime? I expected him to be here just as he was yesterday." Cersei asked, and a little impatient at that. Breakfasts were the only time where Cersei can be alone with Jaime and their children nowadays. Therefore, it's vital for Cersei if Jaime shows up. He rarely does anyway back in King's Landing, though he's been joining them for quite some time ever since they arrive in Winterfell.
Cersei saw it as a glimmer of hope that Jaime has the want to spend more moments with her. What she didn't realize that it was all to try and avoid the King and his duties for a mere second. Since the betrothal became official, the King became interested in talking to Jaime that did not include insults, or jests. However, Jaime was not particularly fond of the conversation as he only talked about Aurelia Stark; how beautiful she looks, how stubborn Starks can be, and how much she resembles her late Aunt Lyanna. King Robert has also given particular advice on how to 'tame' wolves, which came off inappropriate and disrespecting Aurelia. Hearing the King's words were uncomfortable for Jaime, and he rather spend another time with Cersei than Robert.
"Do you still expect him to break his fast with us? He's married man for God's sake, he should be with Aurelia for the remainder of the morning." Tyrion said, with a side-eyed glance towards his sister as he popped a bacon into his mouth. He takes pride in ruffling Cersei's feathers, and this morning is no different. If Cersei could, she would have lunged across the table and strangled her brother's neck.
"I'm right here." Jaime announced, as he walked towards the large dining table by the end of the room. Cersei sat at his line of view, whilst Tyrion sat at the opposite with Tommen beside him. "If you should know, my wife is still sleeping." He said, before continuing to take a seat beside his little brother.
Jaime didn't even spare a glance at Cersei. She would have smiled in seeing him, though that all disappeared when he called Aurelia 'My Wife'. It was something that Jaime can never call Cersei, boiling her hatred even further.
"Shouldn't you wait for her until she awakes? The girl must be worried." Cersei remarked, looking at her brother, Jaime, despite not caring less about Aurelia Stark and how she's feeling.
"Aurelia would do fine without me for a couple of hours." Jaime responded, even though Cersei needed no reassurance. She loves picking her nose in Jaime's business, especially if it involves Aurelia Stark. Cersei was elated to know that Jaime is leaving Aurelia on her own, and spending time with her.
"How is she? It must be devastating for her to have her brother wounded in such a way." Tyrion wanted to know Aurelia's feeling.
"She's taking it the same as others." Jaime replied him, taking an uneaten toast on his plate, and smeared butter all over it.
"Is Bran going to die?" Myrcella asked her Uncles, with such tenderness in her voice. She and Tommen, has been spending their time with Bran if they could, as they are the same age. She would have played with Arya, though they don't share the same interests.
"Apparently not." Tyrion answered her, causing Myrcella and Tommen to smile out of glee.
"What do you mean?" Cersei questioned. She tried to stay calm, however the panic instilled in her took hold of her voice, and Tyrion could see right through it.
"The Maester says the boy may live." Tyrion elaborated, taking a gulp of his dark beer whilst eyeing his sister attentively. Tyrion's brain was churning with theories about the truth behind Bran's fall, and cannot help but feel that her sister has something to do with it.
"Aurelia mentioned about it last night. Even so, they are unsure of when he will wake." Jaime added, noting the expression on Cersei's face. He's seen that all too many times.
"It's no mercy, letting a child linger in such pain." Cersei commented,
"Only the Gods know for certain. All the rest of us can do is pray. The charms of the North seems entirely lost on you, dear sister." Tyrion told her, taking another piece of bacon from the plate directly in front of Cersei.
"I still can't believe you're going. It's ridiculous even for you." Cersei said, talking about how Tyrion is going to join the journey further North, in order to view the Wall with his own eyes.
"Where's your sense of wonder?" Tyrion inquired excitingly. Out of the three of them, Tyrion was the only one with the desire to explore the kingdom they live in. Jaime and Cersei has been wishing to return South, the second they took step outside of King's Landing. Cersei despised the cold, and the murkiness of Winterfell; all of which makes the place entirely unique. Whereas for Jaime, Winterfell has nothing exciting to offer for him. All except, Aurelia, it seems.
"The greatest structure ever built. The intrepid of The Night's Watch, the wintry abode of the White Walkers." Tyrion continued, using a deep guttural voice for the last part to tease Tommen. Jaime listened on with amusement, as he genuinely smiled at his brother's words.
"Tell me you're not thinking of taking the black." Jaime told him,
"And go celibate? The whores will go begging from Dorne to Casterly Rock." Tyrion declared with excessive pride. "I just want to stand on top of the Wall and piss of the edge of the world." He said,
"The children don't need to hear your filth." Cersei remarked irritably, but Tyrion didn't take into heart her words. He never does anyway; he kept on grinning due to his brimming excitement in seeing the Wall. "Come." Cersei instructed her children. She stood up from her chair, walking away from her two brothers with Myrcella and Tommen following suit.
"Even if the boy lives, he'll be a grotesque. Give me a good clean death, any day." Jaime expressed.
"Speaking for the grotesques, I'd have to disagree. Death is so final, whereas life...Life, is full of possibilities. I hope the boy does wake. I'd be very interested to hear what he has to say." Tyrion stated, chugging another cup of dark beer while Jaime listens on. "Is that what started the fight between you and Aurelia?" Tyrion questioned Jaime, taking him by surprise.
"How would you know that?" Jaime asked him in return, as what happened between the two were kept between themselves. Unless, Aurelia already told her siblings about it until it reached Tyrion's ears, though it doesn't seem possible. She was still sleeping when Jaime left her this morning, and she did not leave her room last night after the candles went off.
"You're spending your morning with us. I would have understand if it was yesterday, seeing as she was scheduled to have breakfast with her family. However today...You chose not too. You can't fool me, Jaime. I know you would rather spend your time with Aurelia, rather than our sister, and yet you chose our sister. It amazes me what goes inside your brain sometimes." Tyrion assessed, much to Jaime's chagrin.
"I wouldn't call it a fight. It was a small argument." Jaime pointed out, "I said some things that were not too pleasing for her to hear."
"What exactly did you say to her?" Tyrion asked,
"I may have said some things about her family that were unpleasant." Jaime replied,
"You did no such thing!" Tyrion exclaimed surprisingly, putting his goblet down on the table, focusing his sole attention to the man sitting beside him.
"She was talking about how honorable the Starks were. The words just slipped out." Jaime defended himself.
"How much more foolish can you be?" Tyrion questioned with a smirk, "And rather than apologizing, you chose to run away from her."
"I'm not going to apologize for something that is true." Jaime opined, "She's too blind to see it."
"Well, they are her family! What more do you expect?" Tyrion queried with slight irritation. He knows that Jaime can act impulsively, but this one is plainly ridiculous. "And what are you still doing here? Go and find her before we depart."
"My dear brother, sometimes I wonder whose side you're on." Jaime told him,
"My dear brother, you wound me. You know how much I love my family." Tyrion opined, "Besides, this isn't about sides. Not everything is a war, Jaime."
"She's a Lannister now. She should act like one." Jaime stated. The Starks were known for their honor, and their stubbornness; something which Aurelia shares with them all.
"She's only been your wife for two days. Be patient, you'll learn how to enjoy and accept who she is. The she-wolf takes pride in being a Stark. I seem to recall you sharing similar characteristics." Tyrion remarked on how Jaime is proud to be a Lannister, just as much as Aurelia is proud to be a Stark. "The least you can do for her right now is find her before we depart. She's gone through enough, Jaime. Give her the time she needs."
"Aurelia is not the only person in this arranged marriage." Jaime pointed out, "You know I didn't want this marriage that much."
"I think you forgot that she is only eighteen years of age. She is about to leave half of her family, and her younger brother has just fallen from a tower." Tyrion reasoned out, trying to instill some perspective into his brother's head. "Find her, and apologize."
"And why should I take advice from you? You know Aurelia more than me?" Jaime asked, as Tyrion had no experience with long-lasting marriages nor love at that.
"I know a thing or two about women. Between the both of us, I've slept with hundreds of them." Tyrion reasoned out, but Jaime wasn't entirely convinced with such a reason.
"Not Aurelia, and you never will." Jaime told him to keep his hands off her. He took one last bite of his toast before standing up from the table, walking away from Tyrion.
"That wasn't my intention!" Tyrion shouted to his brother, without even bothering to turn around to face him. He just sat there, whilst continuing to eat the variety of breakfast laid upon him.
Jaime heard him clear as day. Without Tyrion knowing, he let on a small smirk hearing his brother's words. He then left the hall in search of Aurelia Stark, hoping that she's still in their chambers.