Devotion (GOT Fanfic)

Chapter XIX

Act II of Devotion: Endurance
Chapter XIX: Long Live The New Age

‘Have you ever seen wildfire, reader? Of course, you haven’t. It’s quite common in King’s Landing, even as a prince, it was a marvel to foresee at court when Baric Dondarrion and his red priest from Myr light those swords of theirs with the vile thing. I despise it with my own heart, this vile thing. It was beautiful to see, aye.

But the damage it could cause, it would ruin you and everything completely. Rendering it to dust and nothingness in an instant. Not considerably beautiful now, right? My luck is unfortunate because I had known it here inside the Citadel too, where we study it and carefully learn to understand it.

Not like it’s my department though.

That’s me saying such a thing when that was the reason I earned a maester’s chain for one of my subjects.

Ironic.

But dear reader, as you read this, I could guess that you have never seen it. After all, people do tend to stay away from the league of those pyromancers knowing they could just be annoying bastards. But if you have seen it, then you have witness it’s captivating beauty inside a small bottle.

However, it would be different if you probably have never seen a mad king make use of it to be ‘reborn into a dragon’…to allow the flesh to become the ashes, from the very people he as king had sworn to serve and protect. All because of his pride, all because of his madness, all because of the wish to escape the fate he himself was about to have.

I assure you however, the white queen and the white knight had the unpleasant experience of seeing and knowing it.

The commands being screamed to the pyromancers, the king forcing his hand upon Leila Lannister as Jaime Lannister, her brother, sworn to protect the king, rushed with a blade coated in blood. Defiant and knowing of his broken vow, fearful for his sister’s life, he undertook what no man had to endure.

My mother and my uncle….
They undertook such fearful experiences with no means to escape it. With no power but haste and rightful choices.

And in the end, both of them…

Undertook the moment to the bitter end.

They knew that it was the beginning of the end.’

-Maester Maekar, Chapter V of the White Queen.

T H E   S T O R M L A N D S

T H E   B O N E W A Y

N E A R     G R I F F I N’S   R O O S T

OBERYN MARTELL HAD NEVER THOUGHT THAT THERE WOULD EVEN BE A MOMENT WHERE HE WOULD BE SO DRAINED OF ENERGY IN AN ENDEAVOUR HE HAD UNDERTAKEN. But of course, what kind of man would not be tired if they had been constantly fighting to the death with savage men after savage men that ambushed them through their journey upwards the Dornish Marches and into the Stormlands.
It had been weeks since his first engagement in combat with the lords of the Stormlands by the Dornish borders, known as the Marcher Lords.  This is a title used by houses that had defended their borders against Dorne throughout history. There were four houses in the Stormlands who had held this title for generations. The Carons, the Selmys, the Dondarrions and the Swanns. 

There were Reacher lords who were Marcher Lords too, but despite Oberyn’s dislike to some of them, he was quite sure that those people would not be his enemy at this moment. The whole of the fruitful region after all joined the Tyrells into the war in support for the dragon’s cause. Admirably so but Oberyn found that the idea of war fighting for Rhaegar was something he had detested from the beginning.

But it was not that fool he was fighting for.

No, he’d rather die than allow himself to even fight for that man.
Oberyn had to admit that they were fierce in their own ways and strong-willed with purpose when he had encountered them in the skirmish of the battlefield. But he was quite sure that their purpose was not as strong as his own.
Because he was fighting for the woman he loved.

Leila Lannister.

It had been so long since he had seen her when he said goodbye to her from the shores of Dragonstone. It was almost as if he was still on that day, reliving it in a loop.

The sun was rising as the calm quiet waves of the sea swallowed the sand over and over. He could remember how windy it was as well, the smell of the sea salt water was still evident to him. He remembered it all, imprinted in his mind like all his memories of the woman he had loved and still loved.

Her hair danced along the wind, she had just woken up so she had neglected to even tie it up. Nor did she dress in regality befitting of her station. She allowed herself to be before him in her a nightgown covered by a long shawl that drifted with the wind as they walked towards the ship his family had sent for him.

She wore no shoes; her feet were bare as it felt the warmth and coldness of the beautiful crisped sands and saw the large barren rocks that lived there alongside the cold dragon’s home. Oberyn could remember how beautiful she was as the sun rose to greet them good morning. Her smile, her beautiful smile upon those lips he had loved and worshipped in their short time together. Oberyn pursed his lips. The smile had been genuine to him at the time. It curved so innocently upon her face then, without lies or deceit he believed it.

But it wasn’t until he saw her eyes.
Those beautiful seafoam greens that once held the same vigor and sharpness from her lord father and the same life and vivacity she had inherited from her mother, turned into lifeless creatures emptied without the truthfulness of the soul.

Oberyn felt himself die every single time he returned to the memory.    

How could he have not noticed it then?

She was sorrowful.

She had been betrayed.

And she hid it so well.

So well in that perfect curved smile that he had always found so wondrous.

In the weeks after he had returned to Dorne, her suffering had made him feel so powerless. He was a prince, he was one of the most brilliant men in the known world, he was a skilled fighter and more. If he kept listing great qualities about him then it would be forever before one could run out of things to say about him.

But this man, who had the world at his feet for all he was, felt powerless because he could not do anything to take away Leila’s pain. He was not there to defend her from humiliation, protect her from the horrors she had seen, be a better father figure to her already fatherless children. It ate him up inside that he could not leave to do all the things he had sworn to do for her.

He felt ashamed, he felt horrified and he felt so enraged.
No one could comfort him about the twists of fate. Not his brother, his paramour, his daughters. Not even his royal relatives from Nimerod. Because every night in his dreams, he could only see the horrors Leila suffers while he spends his days rotting in Dorne to yawn while Leila could die.

No.

He would never allow that to happen.

It’s the reason why he was here on top of his horse.

He will die freeing the woman he loves.

“Are there any signs of life, soldier?” Oberyn asked the soldier beside him, as he guided the second son into a path “We must make haste to have supplies.”

“If I remember correctly, we should arrive-“Suddenly, the soldier drops from his horse. This alerts the soldiers as Oberyn is cornered by his own soldiers with their shields to protect the prince.  In one swift move, everything was silent.

Oberyn leaned down at the corpse from the right side of his side, seeing an arrow swiftly through the young soldier’s head. He was dead as soon as the tip touched him. His brows furrowed.

Whoever released that arrow, it would mean that they have brilliant skills at using bows.
This took skill, considering how far that arrow came from and how flexible the person who shot this was. No one panicked however. Not even their horses. Well, that is to be expected. Dornish horses are superior to other breeds in that manner.

“No one lowers their shield.” Oberyn says as he eyed all the men forming a shield wall for him. “Keep still, soldiers. Be present with me. There could be enemies!”

The loud thumping of horses came and soon, the shield wall moved to that direction as quick as a snap of the fingers. Oberyn turned to it, carefully listening to the sounds. The horses stopped. But then he heard boots fall towards the surface. After that, Oberyn felt an advance of movement. He began to think, how many were even there? He paused for a moment ad carefully listened. One, two, three…

Three people.

“Who goes there?” He asked in a booming voice. “You must be a foe, considering you have killed one of our own.”

“We mean no harm!” The voice replied in a calm manner as the lad quickly laid down his weapons and raised his arms in surrender. “Do not worry, I am not going to harm you.”

“We are at war, you fool. Everyone swears to not hurt anyone and yet they do it no matter what people think.”

“I was sent here, by my liege lord, sir. I do not mean any harm?”

He raised a brow. “You serve your liege lord? I do not even know who is your liege, boy. Who is your liege lord? For I will not give quarter to those who fight us.  For I, Oberyn Martell, am sworn to serve the princess Leila of Dragonstone and my home of Dorne. I do not know where you stand boy or who you serve. I don’t care. But if you get in my way of fulfilling my promises, then you shall taste the end of my blade.”

“You would be right to be suspicious of me, my lord.” The boy croaked. “However, I can tell you that I serve the same masters. I serve under the banner of the dragon and the lioness as well.”

“And if you are lying?”

“He is not lying, brother.” Oberyn’s eyes widened at the voice. It may have been months since he had heard that voice. But it was always going to be familiar to him.

Oberyn turned to face the rustling of the wood and leaves. It was his sister. “He serves the same master as you and I.”

“Elia….” He whispers. Confusion hit him. Why would Elia be here? This is a warzone, why would she be here? She was supposed to be with Leila in the capital. Albeit, there was a mad king but his uncle would have been there to protect her.

“W-what are you doing here? You are not supposed to be here.”

Elia pursed her lips. “I am supposed to be here, brother.”

Oberyn asked his men to lower their shields as he went down from his horse, as his sister did. “I don’t understand, Elia.”

“Perhaps, I can bring enlightenment to you.” Oberyn felt his sharp eyes turn to that voice with a glare. He immediately knew who that man is. After all, he was not fond of the man who was known to be Rhaegar’s lackey.

Jon Connington was atop his red horse but as soon as he got near them, he got down from it and faced the two siblings. “It’s been a while, prince Oberyn.”

“Why are you here, Elia?”

“Our scouts found you as soon as you entered the region-” The lord started to say. But Oberyn threw him another dirty glare.

“If you speak one more time, I will gut your tongue. I was speaking to my sister.”

“Oberyn, stop that.” Elia frowned. “You can’t speak to him like that.”

Oberyn frowned back at his sister.  “And why not? This bastard allowed a war to start without the consequences facing him. He even lost the chance of taking Robert Baratheon because he didn’t look hard enough!”

“Well, that is all in the past now.” Elia scolds back to her brother. “Because he is my husband now, you have that?”

Oberyn froze.

“What did you say?”

“We’re married now, Oberyn. He is your brother by marriage and to hurt him is to hurt me.” Elia warned her brother. “Now-“

Oberyn punched the man she called husband.

He did it over and over again.

“Oberyn, that’s enough!” Elia with all she had pulled her brother off her husband. But of course, she commanded her brother’s men to do something to aid her.

Once her brother was off Jon, she stood in front of Jon. “Oberyn, you mustn’t do that-”

“No, why should I stop? You…you allow yourself to marry below your station and marry this filth? I would not have any qualms with you marrying for love but this low life should-”

“Oberyn, he’s just doing what Leila had asked of him!” Elia tells her brother as Oberyn’s expression changed. He was now once more shocked. “He married me to protect me, you foolish brother of mine!”

“I…”

“I would…” Jon breathed hard as he tried to sit up. Elia came to his side and helped him up. “I would never do anything to harm Elia. Leila didn’t have to ask but she did. There was no way but marry her. Leila sent us off afterwards.”

“What do you mean she sent you off?” Oberyn whispered in a questioning tone. “She sent you off out of the capital?”

“She did.” Jon looked down to his boots as he felt his jaw ache from the viper’s attack. “I’m not proud of it but she commanded us to go. Varys led us to the Lannister ships and from there, they took us here. Mors and Ashara should be in Kingsgrave too.”

“She and her children are alone?”
Elia shook her head sadly. “She sent the children to Dorne. She thought to send them to the Riverlands, Maekar after all had land there but it was war’s plague over there. She thought of Dragonstone as well but Varys was sure people would inform the king. Leila sent them to Sunfire, she’s already written to our brother.”

“By now as well, Rhaegar would be gone. As Elia said, it’s war plague spreading there. No one would be safe there. No doubt he would have taken some of the kingsguard with him.”

Oberyn had a hard time to swallow this information all at once. “W-wait…so you’re telling me, Leila is all alone with that mad man? A mad man who could harm her, even kill her? Are you both fools?”

“She said if she disappeared, the king would be suspicious-”

“Who gives a fuck about the king’s suspicions? At the very least, Leila would be safe! She would not be alone in the dragon’s den!” Oberyn felt his anger surge through him. “Why did you not convince her hard enough? Why...”

“Your anger will do us no good, brother.” Elia tells her younger brother, well aware she was the only one who can talk through him at that moment.  “Leila will be fine…her brother, ser Jaime, is there. He would not let harm come to her.”

“He’s Aerys’ pet now, Elia. Do you really think he’ll be able to betray his vows to his king to save Leila? We have to go now. March on King’s Landing and save Leila.”

“Blood is far thicker than water.” Jon says to Oberyn in a sure manner. “I know Lannisters. They are a pride of lions. They would never betray each other.”

“For now, you must rest.” Elia told her younger brother, placing a hand on his shoulder. “If you rest, then you’ll be more able. You have been fighting the Marcher Lords, haven’t you? You need time to rest, Oberyn. Only then will you be able to fulfill your promises, brother.”

“Very well.”  He spoke in a silent voice, feeling defeat well in his heart and anticipation become his drug. He turns to a soldier. “Have the men march on Griffin’s Roost. We’ll camp there for a while.”

‘Just hold on, Leila. I will come for you, my love.’

But when he arrives there for her all will be too late.

Then, fate will be already decided.
It will be decided by Leila’s hands herself.

K I N G S G R A V E

D  O  R  N  E

ASHARA DAYNE HAD NOT FOUND KINGSGRAVE TO BE ALL THAT BAD. It was far different from all the places she had been in all her life. She wondered why she had not been here before. She had known Mors for all her life and she had been Dornish all her life. But she supposed the reason she had never been here was because of the difference people of Kingsgrave had against all of Dorne itself.

Kingsgrave was surrounded by small mountains, deformed and barren. Those mountains show deep nakedness that it almost looks like bits and pieces of a dead man’s corpse. But nevertheless, it when the morning light hits them, they shine along with it like those beautiful bright gems she wore in her clothes. Of course, Kingsgrave wasn’t all that barren. They were well off enough in the fields.

They planted vegetation near the waters, which flood every month to give life to their community. They also plant vegetables under the ground such as potatoes.  The people happily did it. Ashara had not known why they were so happy to do these things but she knew they were satisfied somehow with living lives like their own.

It made her wonder as well how they were able to welcome her with such warm smiles and genuine joy despite the fact that many of their loved ones were in war.

But she supposed it was just because they saw Mors finally return home.

They love him here.

Ashara sighed as she stared out from their window and saw the moonlight shine down on the river. No matter how far away it was, she could not help admit that it was so beautiful in the rays of the moonshine. The river was long and wide enough to have her be reminded of the tale of the old Rhoyne, which drifts through the entire land of some Dornishmen and women. Ashara wondered where it ends.

But she never has asked.
Not that Mors would have time for her at such a busy time.
His father and two younger brothers were away to war with Oberyn.

That made Mors the lord of Kingsgrave while his father was away. His uncle had been in that position but relinquished it to his nephew when he returned. He is now helping Mors with how to deal with the supplies of Kingsgrave and the harvest of the people for the month.

It was quite a shock to people to find that the young lord would bring a wife home. Especially already impregnate her and have no word sent to his family all about it. It took some time for Mors to even explain everything. Some of his explanations were lies and some were truths. But one thing was certain; Mors Manwoody was too honorable a man.

Ashara recalled Mors’ uncle telling her about how his nephew not having an interest in settling down and starting a family of his own before. Something his uncle found odd considering his nephew was a Dornishman and a handsome young lad. But it was something that is expected of him by his people, that Mors didn’t doubt one bit in his entire life.

People forget that he was not just Leila’s sworn sword. But he was also a lord in his own right, a protector of his people and a successor to his family’s legacy.
That was his other duty.

Ashara may have enjoyed watching him be more than just a swordsman.

Though, Ashara had never thought that he would be so…lord-like. More so than what he was when they had been children. Ashara could remember how he would run away from his father’s maesters and go off with Oberyn to do all those things that got them into trouble. But times have changed. Mors Manwoody has grown and become a man.

And now he was a husband to her.
It made Ashara feel guilty that he had married her. She knew that he willingly did it but she couldn’t help but feel in the depths of her heart the agony of it all.
She took the chance for him to fall in love, to find the woman he was meant to be with for the rest of his life. An actual woman he was to choose without commands or without these desperate questions that need answers to. He deserved so much more than be married to her.

Not to mention she is pregnant with a child that isn’t even his.
It was so unfair to him. That he has to play a husband to a woman like her who carries another man’s child. The child will not look like him, will not have his flesh and blood. She wanted to laugh. A bastard Stark child will bear a legitimate name, tainting forever Mors and his family’s name.

And yet…

It made her wonder.

Why did Mors do it?

Why did he marry her?

She could not stop wondering it since she had arrived here.

“I’m back, lass.” She hears Mors say as he enters the room. She turns her head to look at him.

His long ginger colored hair was tied back, though some of its strands were tossed in various sides of his face. He held his turncoat in his arm, only wearing his white long sleeved shirt though it was also filled with dirt and dust. His long trousers were not as neat as it was this morning when he wore them, but they were all in otherwise perfect condition.

“Have yae already eaten?”

“I have.” She responds quietly.

“They brought food here to me. I was feeling sick this morning so I didn’t get up.”

“That’s quite alright, lass. I dinna think they mind one bit taking care of yae.”

“And you, have you already eaten?”

“Aye, quite a bit of it too.” He nodded his head as he placed his turncoat on the rack beside their chamber pot. “The lads I worked with today, they caught a fine stag and they roasted it till it was golden. ‘tis good, they made hot ale tae. But I dinna want tae drink too much, so I left immediately. I have work tomorrow, ye ken? Also, I dinna ken if you want me to sleep here smellin’ like a drunken pig-”

“Why did you agree to marry me?” She suddenly asked. Mors paused as she looked at him with questioning eyes. “That question has bothered me for a few weeks now, Mors. But you were busy with everything and I…”

“I thought ye ken the answer tae that already, lass.” Mors says in response as he walks behind her, placing his hand upon her own and continued to say in a soft hearted manner, “Lass, I care fer ye and I always have. I dinna ken if its love or just affectionate care but I do care fer what happens tae ye and yer bairn. I ken us Dornish dinna care fer having bastards but I didn’t want ye to do everything all alone.”

She looked up to him, seeing him smile at her. “Mors..”

“I dinna have the heart tae do that. I dinna have the heart to leave a woman to raise her child on her own, without the child knowing a father. I dinna want ye to worry if the child will have a normal life, I dinna want ye to worry about having to find someone to lean on because lass I will be there. I will always be there fer ye and yer child. I dinna care if the child was never mine, I dinna care if the child has no of my flesh and blood, I dinna even care if he or she looks like me, lass. I care that I will be able to give you both a home and a family to know. So, lass, do not worry any more. I willna let you both be sad anymore.”

In that moment, he placed a small kiss upon her head. “I dinna know what tomorrow holds but I hope you and I and yer bairn will be happy.”

“Thank you for being in my life.” Ashara whispers to him. “Thank you for being there for me and the child. I do not deserve you.”

Mors smiled at her and that made her heart soar. It was a smile that reminded her that there is still hope. “Lass, there is nae need tae thank me. Ye deserve all of the good things and more.”

She smiled back at him as he stood and nodded his head as he said, “Now, what do ye want to do? I still have some might in me tae play some card games.”

“I suppose I could say the same.”
Ashara slowly found her path to accepting this new life.

And yet her heart fell deep into sorrow as she thought.

Leila was all alone while she had a knight to protect her now.

‘Mother, Father, all our good gods. Protect Leila, protect her and make sure she gets to live the life she deserves. Let her survive this. Please, I would do anything now and forever. I would be in your debt. Just let her live.’

That prayer cost her many things in the times to come.

But then again, there would be a time where prayers fell on deaf ears.

And one of those times would be this.

K I N G ' S  L A N D I N G

R E D   K E E P 

T H E   C H A M B E R S  O F   T H E  P R I N C E S S   C O N S O R T

LEILA LANNISTER FELT COLD AT THE SIGHT OF THE MORNING LIGHT. It was one of those rare moments for her, she supposed. Lannisters have always been warm blooded, after all. Just like lions themselves. Her uncle Gerion even made a jest once that her father perhaps was the only cold blooded man in the entire family. Leila laughed about it now. But as she stood there now, she seemed to think about it and understand that there would be reasons for someone to grow cold bodies.

Leila had recalled her maesters back at Casterly Rock telling her that the only ones with cold bodies were corpses for they no longer embodied things that made them warm. Leila even remembered saying those words to the septon once in her youth. The septon decided to laugh at that and said that it was the soul that made the body of humans warm and its departure left human bodies cold and lifeless.

But Leila felt something different.
There was something that made her feel cold.

Leila has come to realize the cause of it so well when she started to live in this horrendous keep. In fact, she would think her father laughing at her if he had heard about her feeling such a thing. After all, she was a Lannister. A descendant of great ancient greatness, unmatched and respected and feared by all.

A lioness of Casterly Rock, a proud monument to their family’s prestige.

But she could not help it.

She was for the first time in her life afraid, completely engulfed in fear and terror of the man with the mad crown.

Who would not be afraid of being in this situation? Leila was for the first in her life lonesome.

Leila looked at the mirror as she brushed her hair. It has been weeks since she had announced the terrible illness that had spread in her household. Of course, it was a lie to cover up the truth of the evacuation of her entire household to safety.

Her hand has been shaking ever since then and she knows it would not stop any time soon. She was after all nervous about the situation at hand.

Both Varys and Pycelle have done their part to keep the secret and swore to utter no word of it to anyone. Leila pursed her lips. At the very least, she knew she could trust Pycelle. He adored her father, almost as much as Ilyn Payne did. He saw her father as the king this nation needs. He was willing to do anything for her father.

But she was not sure about what Varys wants in all of this. Leila did not know him very well after all. He was the spider, an enigma no one was supposed to figure out. Leila was skeptical about even trusting him with the security of her children out of the capital and she was skeptical about him now. He says he only wants the best for the realm, for everyone under its lands.

But it does not add up to her. He was an outsider, a foreigner. He had never known or lived here until only a few years before. Leila did not understand what his goal is and not understanding the spider’s true intentions have only made her even more frightful. What if he decides to betray her? What if she is no longer beneficial to his desires? Leila looked down, discontinuing the brushing of her hair. What would she be able to do now?

She slowly turned her attention to the doors. Her brows furrowed.
There were footsteps.

Leila stood up from her chair immediately, walking towards the edge of her bed to take a dagger upon her hand. It was the same dagger that Oberyn had given her when Maekar was born. It was Oberyn’s favored Dornish tradition. Though that only happened with a father to his child who was being born. Maekar was going to inherit that dagger. But Leila was sure not now when she needed it to defend herself.
But her hand still shook.

If only the fear in her didn’t exist…

“Stay back!” She says, thrusting the blade forward as the door opened. Leila’s eyes darted at the sight of the person.

It was Jaime, looking horrified as he watched his frightful sister take a deep breath. He closed the door gently and walked towards her. Leila felt her relief rush through her as she dropped the blade but accidentally cut her hand in the process. The princess could only look at the blood as it spilled through her nightgown. The young knight took the blade away, setting it on the vanity to keep it away from his sister.

Jaime looked around frantically and found the water basin on the table with Leila’s kerchief.  When he took it, he gently placed it by the chest at the end of the bed and sat his sister down on her bed. He watched her express nothing for that moment. She just stared at the blood as it continued to flow. Jaime observed the cut as he drowned the kerchief into the water. It wasn’t deep but it was wide enough to draw as much blood as it could.

“Give me your hand.” Jaime says as he squeezed the kerchief, letting the water fall back into the basin. He sat down beside her as she still had not reacted to his words. “Leila. My dear sister, please give me your hand.”

Leila pursed her lips into a line and allowed her hand to be in her brother’s care, who wiped the blood off the porcelain hand.

Surprisingly enough, Leila did not feel the sting of the water against her flesh. It felt….cold.

“What were you thinking dropping a blade that way? You could have been hurt, sister.”

Jaime scolds his elder sister as she merely sighed. “You’re just gonna sigh at me? Leila…”

“Relief felt better than anything at the moment, Jaime.” Leila says to her younger brother in a soft tone. “Seeing you arrive, it made me feel some sense of peace. I…I do not feel safe in this place at all, Jaime. Father would find it so laughable to see me this way, so broken and bent from the will of a mad king.”

Jaime pursed his lips. He felt bad for his sister having to be this way. Never has she gotten this low. All their lives, his sister had been a fury of raging strength just like their father. Jaime could bear with being a puppet here, being afraid alone here. But he could never bear the pains of his sisters. It tore him apart that by being a sworn sword to the man that engulfs fear upon his sister because he felt that he had been part of the people who had crushed her soul.

He swore to always keep his sisters smile on their lips and yet now, as he saw the numbness and the brokenness Leila portrayed instead of the joy she deserved to have, he felt like he had failed and broken the promise that was always meant to be.

But it was meant to be like this; at least his sister would say.

Everyone involved in this plan knew the consequences, most especially Leila. She knew the price of all of this. She had to stay behind, there would be no absolute security in just letting Varys spit lies in the king’s ear. Leila knew that she would be absolutely alone, save for the servants Varys hired for her. She after all had sent all of her household away with her children to go to Dorne.

And that opened the opportunity for Varys to send in people to serve her. These people did not speak for they had no tongues, they cannot hear because they do not have ears. They will not be able to give away her secrets. For the most part, that may be considerably safe for Leila.

But she feared still that the king will find out from others. From those pyromancers he calls his most loyal subjects. From those fools called goldcloaks who believe that the king was still sane. She was right to consider this after all.
King’s Landing is the land of deceit and lies.

Not that she was any different. To keep the secrets of her children’s disappearance, she and her brother had told Varys to convince the king that the household of the princess be locked away from the rest due to a sudden contagious illness that forced the royal wife and the royal children to be locked away to contain the spreading of it. Pycelle made regular visits, though instead of making medical assistance, he kept her posted on the war.

The war had been quite calm for now.

But taking in mind what Pycelle had said, her husband should be having some action as soon as possible. Leila’s mind drifted to Rhaegar for a moment. She worried for him still, despite all the things she feels about him. She wonders if he was eating alright, it he was well enough to ride into the battlefield. Leila still worried for him like a wife would.

“You can’t protect me all the time.” Leila continues to say. “Aerys kept you here for a reason, brother. He wants to watch both of us. He knows that we are bargaining chips, pawns if father does join Robert. He will most certainly use us against father.”

“That doesn’t mean I would not try to protect you, sister.” Jaime says to her. “You are my first priority here now, not that horrible excuse of a king.”

“But you would not be here, right? If the king calls on you, then you must obey and go with him.”

“The king is preoccupied with Varys’ lies at the moment. You are fine and well, sister.”

“For now.”

“Everything is only for now, sister.” Jaime pointed out to her as he brought the kerchief back onto the basin after he finished cleaning the wound. “Nothing is will always stay the same. You were the one who told me that back at Casterly Rock, remember?”

“But I…”

“Sister, if we are going to get through this alive, I will need my sister. I will need the clever and intelligent lioness that made everyone bow at her feet with only her words.”

“Jaime…”

“I need you, sister. I need you and so does your children. You need to be strong again; you need to overcome your fear of Aerys, of everything he is. Be bold enough to take on your true destiny because I’m pretty sure it doesn’t end here with you turning into a shadow of your former self.”

“I…”

“There is nothing to fear now, Leila. I have just gotten word from our cousin through Pycelle. Father is on the move.”

Leila’s eyes widened. “Father is marching on towards the capital now? With the forces of Casterly Rock?”

That would mean that there could be hope. Leila felt her heart swell with joy. Her father. He has not abandoned her. He had not abandoned them! Leila looked at her brother and saw him smiling. It might have been the first time Jaime smiled because of their father. But she was glad to see that smile.

It shined her heart with hope once more.

Their father is going to save them.
Jaime nodded. “Yes, sister. There is still hope. That’s why you should pick yourself up, sister. There is nothing to lose now. The pride of lions are about to make these halls weep. A Lannister always pays his debt.”

“I see.”

“Now, sister….do you feel better?”

“Yes.” Leila nodded as she lifted her hand to the sight of her face. “I feel…I feel a little bit better.”

They stayed like that for a while as his sister gained herself slowly as she breathed onto his neck, breathing the familiar scent of steel and mud on him. Just like when they were younger, Jaime’s scent reminded Leila of home. Leila wondered if she or Jaime will ever see home. If they will see Tyrion again. Or what if their father was too late?

Leila wondered so many things and yet, she’s trying to put herself together in those precious moments as she lay in her brother’s arms. Jaime has given her nothing but joy and solace since they were children. She wonders if he knows how much she was willing to do to protect him.

They didn’t know how long they stayed like that or how long they intended to stay like that but it wasn’t until the sound of swaying wooden panels behind them that caused them to return to the time. Jaime quickly pushed his sister behind him quickly as he moved his right hand to grab the hilt of his sheathed sword, revealing the shine of the blade as thick as the sun’s mighty rays.

Leila’s eyes widened at her brother’s movement. There was to be a fight. Leila’s mind started to create scenarios in her head, of what could happen to her and her brother if Aerys had already found out. Will both of them end up like lord Stark and his heir? Will they too suffer such a horrific and gruesome death? Leila Lannister wondered if it would hurt. If someone should cut her neck open, if they cut her heart out or even if they burn her…would it hurt?

The thought evaporated as she smelt something.
At once the smell of the foreign essence surrounded them.
Quickly, they knew who it was.
At that, Leila slowly began to feel a little better.

“I do not mean to interrupt you.” Were the first words he had uttered to the siblings. Jaime did not bulge, keeping his sword at the face of the spider himself. He smiled at the sight of the deadly blade in the white knight’s hand. He greeted them. “Your grace, ser Jaime. I should advice you, ser Jaime…do not put the blade upon your ally’s face.”

Leila held tightly to her brother’s cloak, slowly moving away from his back and into his side. “Jaime, bring down the sword. We need not shed the blood of our friends.”

“He is not my friend, dearest sister.” Jaime snickered back at his elder sibling. “Nor should you consider him your friend, sister. A spider can be treasonous too.”

“So can lions.” Varys retorted with a smile at the white knight. “So here we are, treasonous beasts of nature, together with our treasonous plots.”

“Put the blade down, Jaime.”

“Leila-“

“Put it down.”

Jaime glared at his sister for a moment before turning away and put away his sword. Despite his annoyance, he will always listen to his elder sister. He trusted her more than anyone. More than anyone else. More than he trusted Cersei.

“You heard it all?” Leila questioned the eunuch softly.
“Yes, I did. Do you mind?”

“Not at all, spider. I do not mind. We are as you said plotting together.” Leila says to him as she stood up.

But she lied. She did mind. Because spiders are vile creatures and she did not trust them as she did lions or snakes. Spiders do not have masters, after all, but themselves.

“Is there anything you need?”

“I’ve come to talk to you about something, the both of you.”

“And what is that, lord Varys?” Leila questions as she turns to the spider, her gleaming green eyes boring at him hard. Varys wondered how dangerous that gaze was on her.

It reminded him of Tywin Lannister himself.

“The king wishes to summon you, your serene highness."

Jaime’s eyes widened slightly.
“Right now?”

“No, not right now.” Varys says. “Thank the gods I’ve managed to make an excuse to the king. I told him how the princess kept vomiting and would not be capable to move.”

Jaime looked at the spider wearily. “And is he fooled by your sweet words, spider?”

Varys merely smiled. “Isn’t that what I do best, ser Jaime? I knew that we needed more time, considering how late the pace of our reinforcements is arriving. Still holed up in their meaningless quarrels I should think.”

“Don’t call my father slow, otherwise you’ll have your head in a basket.”

“Forgive me, ser Jaime. I didn’t know you were exclusively sensitive to lord Tywin’s feelings. But then again, you are after all his golden son.”

Leila saw a hint of Jaime’s impatience with the spider, almost nearing to explosion once more. Jaime had always been short-tempered, even when they were young. Even against Cersei who had a bad temper.

Although she was reminded that Cersei had a far terrible temperament than their brother.

The only ones he had never screamed at was her or Tyrion. Leila walked in between the two and turned to her brother for a moment. He continued to glare at Varys but Leila tipped toed and pulled his chin to force his face to meet her own.

“Court will be suspicious without you there, especially the king. You are but the only kingsguard in the city, little brother. You must go.”

“I believe you should, ser Jaime.” Vary agreed as he gazed at the blond haired knight. “The king will look for you.”

Jaime looked down upon his sister’s figure with a look of defiance. “You can’t expect me to leave you here with him alone, sister. Mors is not here. You have no guards here!”

“I will be fine.”

“I cannot expect you to be fine with...”

“You can expect that and more. I will not have all of our hard work be for nothing. I will not allow my heartbreak be for nothing.” Leila says to her brother before leaning forward and kissing his cheek.

“Go, my brother. I know what you expect of me now and now you know what I expect of you. Go and do your duty.”

Jaime looked at his sister’s eyes and expected to find fear. But he found none but determination. The news of their father’s arrival had given her hope, it seems. Jaime understood that maybe this was all his sister had needed. She needed to hear about their father.
Leila has never failed Tywin before.

Leila gave up her childhood to be the servant of her father.

Leila gave up her first love to marry the man her father arranged for her.

Leila will always be their father’s daughter.

And Jaime knows she would not likely to see the day that would ever happen.

Jaime had always known despite her resentment of their father, Leila craved his respect and his favor. She was the only one who actually never failed him completely now that Jaime thought about it. Jaime had always seen his sister to be obedient and meek, the perfect daughter of Tywin Lannister.

Oberyn Martell may have taught her the beauty for Dornish freedom but Leila deep down inside will always be the daughter of the lion. She will never escape what she truly is and that is the pawn of the will of the most powerful man alive.

She would rather die than fail her father, even if she doesn’t say it out loud. Jaime knew her devotion is endless like the oceans that surround these kingdoms.

She will not be a failure.

“Trust me on this, little brother.”
There it was again. No hesitation in her eyes what so ever.

Jaime relented, as heavy as it was….he will always trust his sister.

The one who helped raise him, Cersei and Tyrion on her own after their mother died. She who pulled so much love and devotion for others when she herself was suffering.

Jaime began to realize how lucky this world was, how lucky he was that Leila Lannister existed.
Jaime pursed his lips reluctantly and sighed towards his sister.

Then looked at Varys. “I shall come back as soon as court is over. Lord Varys, you should know I’m a good swordsman.”

Varys smiled once more, which annoyed Jaime. “My, calling me a lord now, ser? I am not a lord. But I already of your skill, ser Jaime. You have tried to show me a little while ago. But pray tell why must I know it again?”

“Because if something happens to my sister, my lord….I will cut you open myself and feed you to the lions underneath the rocks of Casterly Rock.”

“Jaime, enough-” Varys shook his head at the princess and smiled once more at her and her brother. “What is it, lord Varys?”

“I have a response.” Varys’ eyes gleamed of familiarity to the princess consort. But she did not assume quickly. She was astounded to see such a gleaming light from his unreadable eyes.

“From the stag at Storm’s End.”
Jaime looks at his elder sister with widened eyes, filled with horror and worry. “You sent a raven to Stannis Baratheon? The very man who the crown has been sieging to the point of starvation? The very same man who declared loyalty to his brother, the brother who has voiced his desire to see your children’s future in ruins?”

“There is no other choice. If Robert was unreasonable to end this war, then Stannis is the only reasonable head that I could talk to. Robert had already voiced his decisions but Stannis knows compromise.” Leila murmured to her brother.

“Besides, Stannis and I have always been close and never had hostilities against one another.We have always been friends. I am his sister as much as I am Robert’s.”

“But things have changed Leila-“

“We don’t have much of a choice, brother. I would rather resolve to have this in peace.”

“Peace went out the window in Harrenhal, sister.”

“I know.” Leila pursed her lips. “I shall tell you all about it later.”

“The tunnels behind the dresser are open for you, ser Jaime.” Varys says to the knight. “It will lead to the pillar that leads to the throne room.”

Jaime gives his sister one more look, kissing her cheek tenderly and wrapped his arms around her.

“Be careful in your plotting.”

“I will.” Leila sent him off with a smile, something Jaime will always remember as he went through the secret wooden panels and disappeared.

The mood changed then.

Leila sighed, rubbing her shoulders with her tired hands.

“You already know what is in the letter, do you not, your grace?” Varys asks as Leila went over to the windows, overlooking the city. Despite the dark atmosphere within, Leila saw beauty in the outside. “Even without having to read it.”

“I know Stannis well enough.” Leila says with a sorrowful smile on her lips. “If his brother intends to defeat my husband and make him pay, then Stannis will have no choice but to follow suit. He is loyal to the fault.”

“That he is.” Varys says in agreeable tone. “That in itself is admirable. My little birds sing of how he has not caved into lord Tyrell’s feasts.”

Leila chuckled bitterly. “He’d soon have the rat rather than get devoured by one.”

“Then it would seem that this war would continue regardless.” Varys replies as he goes beside the princess and looks at the birds with her. “For the good of the realm.”

“For the good of the realm, huh?” Leila whispers as the birds disappeared into the wonders of the silver skies.

But that led her to wonder…

Many more will suffer.

Many more will die.

Many more will no longer be happy.

All for the good of the realm.
In that moment, she began to wonder if she too will have to sacrifice more for the good of the realm.

She closed her eyes.

'Would it be my life next?'

She did not know.

She never knows.

T H E   R I V E R L A N D S

A   F E W   M I L E S   F R O M  
T H E  M A I N  T R I D E N T 
R I V E R

RHAEGAR TARGARGYEN HAD NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING OF PORTRAITS IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE. He never really thought much of it because all his life, there was never really a need for him to hold on to such things. He was never that attached to anyone, even his own mother even though as much as he loved her with all his heart. He was never that attached to anyone in his entire life.

But as he stood there in the middle of place where he knew carnage would stand out later, a carnage he knew he knew he was not safe from, he found that he thought of the world at the image of his beloved wife smiling surrounded by their children, who looked lovingly at their mother in return.
He never really understood it before, he admits. Why people cared so much about having something of someone you loved.

He used to believe that love existed whether or not you had something of your loved one. You didn’t need anything; you just needed to feel those emotions so strongly when you remembered their names or think of them.

That’s why he once found material items pointless compared to the affection of love in itself.

He always wondered why his mother laughed at him when he said such a thing. He adored her laughter, he was not gonna lie. However, he found that he didn’t like her contradicting him in his belief.

When he had voiced his words of wonder at her laughter, she laughed once more and shook her head and told him that she was not laughing because he had that belief. She respected that he already had opinions at such a young age of his. But she knew he was still young enough not to understand the complexities of human emotions.

Rhaella smiled down upon her son and ruffled his long silver locks, their similar lilac eyes gazing upon one another, one in perplexed curiosity and the other of great understanding.

‘When you love someone, you will crave more and more of them, my dear son. I hold a portrait of you everywhere I go, to remind me of you. How much I would do everything all over again and not regret knowing you are my reward in the end, my son.’

‘I don’t understand what you mean, mother.’ He admitted to her in his boyish tone, a confused look was wrought all over his features.

Rhaella smiled at her young son’s innocence. She was sure that he had a lot to learn. But she knew one day, he’ll find the answer. ‘One day, my son. You will understand. If you are lucky enough to fall in love, then you will know. When you have your children, you will know.’

Rhaegar sighed now, knowing that she was right. His mother had been right all along, of course she is. She had never been wrong in his eyes, he thinks. One day, he would understand just as she said and he did. He understood it all now as he looked at the portrait containing the most important people in his life.

This portrait his wife and children gifted him with a year before, during the festival of the Father.

Looking at the image of those you
love, even without feeling their flesh and bones near you at that moment, your heart feels it. Your mind remembers. Your soul surrenders to the feeling of home.

Rhaegar Targaryen surrenders to it.

Love will always win over everything else.

He loves his wife more than anything in world.

He loves his children with his entire being.

And he hurt them.

Rhaegar could not bear but remember the looks on his children’s faces that night he saw them before he had left to gather his men for war. Especially Aegon’s. His first born son looked ashamed of him, looked at him when he arrived inside the chambers. 

He may have looked like him, but her gaze was within his son. The same green eyes as his beloved wife, a wife he had scorned and succumbed to the deepest madness. Aegon was angry with him and his son had all the right to be.

Aegon was young and yet he understood. He understood the horrors he had seen and the pain he had seen. Just like Rhaegar himself when he was young.
Rhaegar allowed the past to repeat.

Something he vowed to never do for them.

They don’t have to suffer the sorrow he had.

And yet he did.

Rhaegar had burst into tears at the thought that he was just as a failure as his father was in keeping his children’s innocence. He had allowed his children to be in the madness he had created.

As he stared at the portrait, he wondered if it would be better if he dies when this battle rages. He wonders if his family will finally be happy. Rhaegar would like to believe now that after all he had put them through, they would be happy.

From the very beginning, Leila had loved Oberyn and she still loved him. If he were to die, he knows that she would deserve to be happy. To marry the man she absolutely loved from the very beginning. Rhaegar took that choice away from her.

She deserves to be happy.

And he was willing to let go.

He was ready to die in battle.

Because he had created enough mess with his existence.

He deserves to die.

“Your grace.” Barristan Selmy’s tone echoed throughout the tent, causing Rhaegar to stand up from his makeshift bed. He placed the portrait away into his desk and acknowledged the knight.

“Ser Barristan.”

“I was asked to make sure you were alright, your grace. It seems you haven’t broken your fast yet.”

“I am not hungry, ser Barristan.” Rhaegar smiled apologetically. “I apologize if I had worried you or our men. Tell them I apologize for doing so."

“It was always my job to worry over you, your grace. It is no trouble.” Barristan smiled at the prince.

“You mustn’t be so formal with me, ser Barristan. I know you have something in your mind.” Rhaegar has always seen through people in his own way. “We are alone at this very moment.  You may tell me anything and I would not reproach you for it.”

Barristan laughed. “I suppose I cannot hide from you, your grace.”
“No one can, I suppose. Now what is this about?”

“You seemed distracted the moment we departed King’s Landing….I should say even before we got there.”

“It is nothing…”

“It is not to be nothing if you keep thinking about it, Rhaegar.” Barristan told him softly. “Were you thinking about your lady wife?”

“I just…” Rhaegar sighed, his face an image of regret and sorrow. “I regret.”

Barristan’s brows furrowed at the words of the prince. “Regret what?”

“Marrying Leila.”

“Marrying the princess? I thought you…”

“I love her, Barristan. But my love for her….has clashed with my sense of duty and all the things in between.” Rhaegar took a short breath. “That’s why if…if I die in this battle, I wish for her to do as she wishes. Even if I survive, I shall allow her to make the choices she wants. Even if it means our marriage is to be dissolved.”

“My prince, you mustn’t think of such thing…”

Rhaegar smiled sorrowfully and shook his head. “I am willing to live a life with suffering if she and our children will be happy. Enough of this, ser Barristan. I think we must get back to work.”

Barristan Selmy had known the prince since he had been born, had seen him grow up and so much more. He had seen so much of what people do not see about this young man, this lonely young man who had too much burdens on his shoulder and yet he was ready to bear it alone should he survives this battle.

All because he cares about the happiness of someone else.

The love of his life.

Barristan too had someone he loved.

He joined the kingsguard quite young and only thought of one thing. Duty. And he never allowed anything to get in the way of that. But seeing those strands of dark charcoal hair and those dark purple orbs shining like the night sky under the great Dornish sands. He found love.

He found Ashara Dayne.

But he knew, he knew he could never be with her.

He was older than her, have seen so much more violence and bloodshed than she would ever have in a whole lifetime. There were so many differences between them. So many things that would never make it work between them.

Especially his vows.

But he loved her all the same.

He loved her more than life itself.
But it can never be.

He and Rhaegar were more similar than he had thought.

“Rhaegar, before we go out to return to who we were.” Barristan stopped the prince, placing a hand upon his shoulder and smiled at him in the same way the prince did. “I am proud of you.”

The prince’s brows furrowed. “For what?”

“You’ll understand soon.” Barristan says to him. “Come, you should eat first. Then we can get to work. Robert will be coming soon.”

Rhaegar’s brows suddenly fell into a flat straight line. “I know.”

Rhaegar walked over to the desk and placed the portrait inside the pocket of his cloak, near his heart.

Then he went towards Barristan.

“Let’s go.”

R I V E R L A N D S

A   F E W   M I L E S  F R O M  
R I V E R R U N

ROBERT BARATHEON HAS ALWAYS LIKED LEILA LANNISTER FROM THE BEGINNING. Even before he had met her, even before all of this mess before them. He had heard of the lioness of Casterly Rock even before everyone in the kingdoms had been at awe with her. Often Robert wondered many things about her, even to this day.
His father had once made business with the Lannisters themselves, a few years after lord Tywin had been made hand. Business was just a part of that but also greater was his curiosities at the whispers of many merchants of Lannisport.

All about the great beautiful youthful eldest daughter of lord Tywin Lannister.

The young woman who has managed to charm the entirety of the Westerlands. With her extraordinary means to make people get drawn into her words alone, with her magnificent intelligence that allows people to understand the beauty of the world through her own eyes. And as well as being a beholder of features so radiant that they were compared to the Maiden herself, so pure and innocent.

Leila Lannister was even someone who has been so heavily trusted by her lord father enough that he was rumored to have commented to the king’s small council, ‘my daughter has thought of better plans you incompetent fools’ while he was in the fit of anger.

Of course, that was just the rumors at court according to her father.
But from all the stories of that, Robert had found Leila pretty fascinating. Especially the first time he arrived in court. People kept talking about the young woman. The fashions she had introduced in the courts of the Westerlands, what she likes to eat, what she likes to read and all of those things.

There was always news about her whenever he was at court.
Robert remembered how many would come up to Tywin Lannister to ask for her hand in marriage. Leila Lannister was the richest heiress in Westeros thus being the most desired bride in the seven kingdoms. People would make deals, even foreign princes or lords who would offer Tywin Lannister the best of the best.

But one by one, Tywin had refused all of them. 

No one was worthy of his daughter.

Robert remembered it now but he remembered that his father too tried to make a match between their two families. After all, they were acquaintances from a war they undertook together in their youths. But Robert was far more enamored with Lyanna. However should it have happen, Robert knew he would not mind being Leila’s husband.

Leila too had a side to her that would have wanted to please Robert. She would be accepting of him and treat him well, making sure that he could feel as though he is never alone. She would even accompany him in hunting. And he was sure they would have filled Storm’s End with many children and live happily there together as they rule their subjects with compassion and love.

Even so, Robert knew.

He loved Leila and he still does.

But he supposed he will never give her fully everything in his heart.

He would never love her as much as he loved Lyanna.

He supposed he felt glad that Tywin too rejected his father’s proposal.

Then two years after that, lady Joanna died and left behind a will that Tywin took to accept in the end.

It was a good marriage match, the one with the Martells. It was not only a love match but a well-received one by Dorne. Something which often rarely happened.

Martell princes and princesses often preferred marrying within Dorne to strengthen the bonds of their rule within their lands.

But Leila was charming in every way and loved her like their own, accepting her quickly as their future princess without any reservations.

More than the titles, the Dornish were good warriors and Tywin was sure that there would be animosities, even when he and Aerys were still friends, he knew that it could be a possibility. Often tensions will grow of people who had different ideals and values.
This was something that terrified his father then.

Tywin Lannister was a powerful man; a man who ended families mocked and insulted the Lannister name in order to restore his family’s honor and glory at a young age. This man whose gaze was as cold as harsh winter in itself can make one man silent and even piss himself from fear alone.

A man who possesses so much wealth that he could be the envy of all. A man who unified his people under one goal and that was greatness.

Tywin Lannister had always overshadowed Aerys.

And by marrying his family in the highest of places, Steffon was sure…

Tywin would be king in all but name.

Robert looked back at his father’s worries then. Steffon Baratheon was the most loyal lord to the king as they were not only friends in childhood but cousins by blood. Steffon had known the king well enough to consider him a brother.
Robert supposed that was what blinded his father to the terrible things Aerys did and often worried about people who were around him, because he knew that humans are capable of betrayal and Steffon would not let that happen to his king.

The young lord thought of his father’s love for the mad king and pursed his lips. If only his father had seen what Robert sees now, he too would be horrified. He too would lose his love for the mad king.

But he wasn’t here anymore.

Robert would no longer know the thoughts of his father of what the present holds.

“You’re drunk again?” Ned Stark questioned him as he smelt the aroma of Arbor gold with disgust as he entered the tent of the stag.

“By the gods, it’s only morning, Robert.”

“It’s spiced, if you’re worried about my stomach not being able to take the cold wine.”

“Robert, we are supposed to be planning the war at this very moment.” Ned sighs at his friend, taking a small seat at the wooden stool in front of Robert’s bed. “A war that especially led by you. How can we proceed to finishing this war if you get drunk off your ass here?”

“Leave me alone today, Ned.” Robert whined at his friend as he continued to drink his wine. “I told Jon that I will be staying in today. He said he’ll handle it.”

“Robert, you cannot always leave everything to Jon.” Ned rubbed the edge of his temples. “He is already stressed enough with having to deal with loyalist resistances.  You are supposed to be doing your responsibilities!”

“Ned, will you calm down-“

“Robert, be honest with me.” Ned exclaimed in a serious tone.

Robert has always seen his friend to be stern and strident but he knows that something had changed in the way Ned has acted.

“Why did you respond to Leila with a rejection of peace? You know she means well, she wants peace and she doesn’t anymore hostilities to occur. I had pressed you to accept it but all of you had not accepted my vote for peace. But tell me, why did you push for war once more?”

The lord of Storm’s End had remembered the meeting fully, even though it was moons ago now. Robert could remember it as clear as day. He opened the letter alone once it arrived that late evening for him. He was moved by Leila’s pleas for peace, for the love she had for her children and for him as her own brother by heart if not by blood.

After all, they had nothing to quarrel about. Robert knew that his temper often was extreme and sometimes says curses, even on Leila’s children as they were also Rhaegar’s children. But Robert knew in his heart of hearts, he could never blame Leila or her children. If anything, his outbursts are often a product of his drunken stupor.

He had always known his real quarrels were with Rhaegar and the mad king himself. Leila was innocent and so were her children. But sometimes he forgets and he wishes he never forgets. Because Leila does not deserve the treatment she had gotten from her bastard of a husband and the bloody father of her husband.
Nor was Lyanna at fault.

Rhaegar took her away without her consent and raped her and used her. Now she has been hidden away where she has no way of escape. Lyanna surely was afraid, so very helpless as Rhaegar used her day and night and abused her.

Robert dreaded for her.

Maybe that is why…

Maybe…

Maybe...

No, he was sure of it.

He cared more for Lyanna than he did Leila and her children.

He loved Lyanna more than Leila.
But..

But why did he feel guilty?

Why did he feel guilt knowing that by continuing this war, he has abandoned the woman he has called with all his heart his dearest sister?

‘Because you are allowing her to get devoured by the dragon’s flame by loving someone more than anything else, even the lives of the innocent.’   

‘Nothing else matters than Lyanna.’

Robert furrowed his brows in confusion. Has he not made it as clear as it could be to his friend. “Have I not told you the reason before?”

“Well, I suppose I must ask you again because it seems you have forgotten.”

“Because we are at war, Ned.” Robert says in reply. “We have things to avenge and things to take back. People to take back.”

“Exactly. That’s what it is.” Ned says as he stood up, removes the goblet from his friend’s hand.

Then, he grabbed Robert by the collar of his shirt and looked at him furiously.

“Then for fuck’s sake, lead! Don’t let yourself be devoured by one defeat. Move forward and stop looking back. Move forward to make all the deaths that are on are hands mean something. Because by sitting here, you make all of these sacrifices meaningless. You make the sacrifices of others meaningless! If you want to avenge all of it then stand up and lead. But if you will allow Ashford to overshadow you for the rest of your life, then go ahead and lose. Because if you do, everyone dies. Leila, me, you and even Lyanna. And I…”

For a moment, Robert saw Ned’s eyes soften and brim of tears flooded his grey orbs as they lowered their gaze onto the ground. Ned has been right and the lord of Storm's End hated it. He has always been right. Robert had been running high with the joy of victory, despite the fierce loyal royalist resistance in the places they had fought. But Ashford had been terribly bad for him. He lost the battle and had been wounded from it and lost many good men that he had known with his own body and soul. Robert allowed himself to fall into a drunken stupor since that battle, ignoring what has to be done.

But Ned, despite what they had suffered, did not allow it to let him fall.

Ned lost more than Robert had in this war that had been dragging on for more than a year. A year that feels more like a thousand lifetimes. Robert saw that his only great lost in this war was Lyanna but Ned didn’t just lose a sister, he lost his father and his brother.

He lost the ability to be himself by becoming a lord responsible for thousands and thousands of people who surged for war to defend the honour of their lands and people and marrying a woman he didn’t even love for the sake of helping Robert and avenging his family, resulting a son that Ned had not even seem yet.

Ned needed this, Robert knew.

The lord of Winterfell needed to feel at peace. He needed to feel the peace he had lost.

Robert had never seen Ned cry before.

It tore him even more to know that he was the reason for the tears.

“Alright.” Robert whispers back at his friend. Ned looks back at the man he had called his brother for almost all his entire life. “I’ll lead. I’ll even stop drinking…just, dry your tears. I’ll…I’ll finish the war. In the main flow of the river Trident. And then, you’ll finally feel peace, Ned. I swear to you.”

Ned breathed heavily for a moment and tried to stop his tears and struggled for a while which made Robert uncomfortable for a while, unable to think of how to comfort his friend. But when Ned did get back to his senses, he placed a hand upon the shoulder of his friend and squeezed it.

“Let’s end this war, brother.”

For the first time since this war began, Robert smiled.

“A war we shall end, brother. Together.”

That moment he did not regret.

But the moments after he did.

For the rest of his life.

“YOU BASTARD!” OBERYN MARTELL SHOUTED OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS HE CONTINUED TO RAISE HIS HAND UP AND DOWN AGAINST THE FLESH OF JON CONNINGTON DESPITE THE MANY SWORDS SURROUNDING HIM AS HIS SISTER STOPPED THE GUARDSMEN FROM MOVING BY STEPPING IN FRONT OF THEM.

Elia Martell had always known her brother had been aware that her brother had a terrible temper when he was angry, especially when they were younger. She would have thought that after so many years, her brother would be able to calm himself down and be a tamed man.

With young daughters to raise, she would have thought that her younger brother would have more self-control. After all, he has been teaching his children much about how to be good people and blowing up into people’s faces and punching them after telling truths would not be something he would surely teach his daughters.

But Elia had always known that when it came to one person, Oberyn will never be able to settle down. Elia was reminded of all the events, so many years before all this madness. Many things her brother did that provoked people who had their pride stolen by Oberyn’s actions. But the greatest acts of madness her brother had been doing were always for love.
Challenging someone to a duel to the death, joining the Citadel to repent for breaking the heart of someone he loved and even attending her wedding knowing that his heart will break in order to dance with her.

Elia has always known her brother to love deeply and when he did, he would do everything in his power to make those people happy.
And the woman he loved was none other than the princess consort of Rhaegar Targaryen.

Oberyn Martell has loved Leila for almost eight years and having seen how well they had been together, Elia had more than one occasion hoped that Oberyn had been Leila’s husband from the beginning. They truly did love each other, understood the way that the other thought and more so, Oberyn would only return to Leila.

Even if he would have to take a paramour or a concubine or even a whore, he would never love them. He would love only Leila. But the princess was sure that her brother would never have a need to have a paramour. Leila would be his. There was nothing else he would ever need in the world.

But gods play cruel tricks and fate then never allowed the two to have their happy end. Elia had fully known well that Leila commented how it would have been better if she was Oberyn’s wife. However, that would have led Elia to be Rhaegar’s wife.
Elia had wondered it from time to time, if she had been in Leila’s position, how would she fair.

Elia had seen Leila’s tale with her own two eyes. It’s a wonder how the lioness had been able to live her life until now knowing that she has been humiliated, forced to be a broodmare over and over again, forced to endure heartbreak after heartbreak and soon she had no doubt many more terrible fates awaited her friend.

Would she have been able to take on such a pain of an existence? Would she be able to live knowing that nothing will ever be as happy as it was? Elia pursed her lips into a flat line. She did not know now.
But she knew what she has to do now.

And that was to stop her brother from killing her husband.

“Oberyn, stop!” Elia croaked weakly as her throat tires from her repeating tones of pleas at her brother. He ignored her as he repeated it over and over again.

“Oberyn, please! We have no more need for this!”

“This man allowed Leila to be alone! To have no one to be able to defend her, to protect her from that vile man!” Each word as they were pronounced, released a hit at the man who did not even fight back. “He is a coward, a bloody utter coward!”

“You have proven a point already, brother! Enough of trying to kill Jon. Do you not see all the swords pointed at you right now? Do you not see that you could be shaming your own family now?”

“Kill me?” Oberyn laughed humorlessly as he stopped for a moment, standing as he finally released himself from the lord of Griffin’s Roost. His entire fist was flowing with blood. “Go ahead, you fools. Try to kill a viper. Because you should know, I will sting you all and make sure you all die with me. And then, all of you will be devoured by more snakes camped outside your walls.”

“He is my husband, Oberyn.” Elia responded to her brother. “Even if you hurt him, he is your family!”

“I refuse to accept this coward as your husband!”

“D-don’t…” Jon Connington choked as he felt the blood spill from his lips. Elia quickly ran towards him and caught him as he fell once more, though he was now in his wife’s arms. “Don’t…don’t fight…him.”

“Come on, Connington. I would have expected that you would put more of a fight but here you are cowering into my sister’s arms like the coward you are.” Oberyn sneered at the lord as he choked more blood; his wife’s eyes looked at him worriedly as she shook.

“Come on-“

“I said enough!” Elia shouted at her brother as she called for a guard to drop his weapon and hold her husband and take him to their chambers as another soldier called for the maester. Elia stood up, blood spilt on her dress as she walked up and slapped her brother.

The guardsmen were suddenly in higher alert should Oberyn do anything. “You have made a humiliation of yourself brother, do you not realize that?”

“You have no right-“

“I left too, brother! Why are you not mad at me? Instead you are only mad at someone else because you have no one to blame, no one!” Elia began to shout at her brother. 

Elia commanded the men to leave the chambers as they reluctantly did, opting to wait outside the doors.

Oberyn’s eyes widened at the sight of his sister screaming at him. Oberyn had seen her sister angry but never this angry.

Never shouting at him without care for where they actually are.

“It was Leila’s command that we leave, we did what she asked us because that is the only result she has ever wanted. We tell you the truth, brother. This is what she wanted and I....All of us…safe and we obeyed her.”

Tears began to fall through her eyes. “We took her children away from harm, to keep them safe because it is what she wanted. She knew there was no other choice, brother. What more do you want of us? Of Leila? We all suffer, brother. In different ways. And I…”

Elia choked on her tears as Oberyn’s eyes filled with regret and sorrow. “I weep every night wondering what horrors I had left my dearest sister to. I dream about her every single night, filled with regret. What have I left her to? Because if…if something happens to her…I…I will never forgive myself. I love her as much as you do, Oberyn. But do not get angry when you do not know what has happened. When you do not know what very few choices we have to ourselves.”

Oberyn’s eyes began to well with tears, ashamed of himself. He had been too focused on his own suffering that he had overlooked the feelings of others. He looked at his bloodied fist and sobbed even further. He shouldn’t have done what he had done. Leila…Leila would not want him to do this.

She would be furious with him.

“Oberyn, you must accept the things that happened.” Elia held onto her brother’s cheeks, cupping them with both hands. “We can only move forward. Now, I want you to apologize to my husband and then, we can focus on what we can do to save Leila. Believe in me, brother. We will save Leila.”

He sobbed further as she could only hold her brother in her arms and soon collapsed in his sister’s arms, just as her husband had. Elia placed a kiss upon the top of his head, a sign of forgiveness she had continuously given to him for almost all their lives.

Something she was sure to give him one day once more.

This war began with one madness and Elia was sure it would end would many more.

One of desire.

One of revenge.

One of greed.

One of hope.

And most of all…

The madness of love.

LEILA LANNISTER HAD ALWAYS REMEMBERED HER FATHER WHENEVER SHE SAW THE PIN THAT WAS USUALLY HELD BY THE KING’S HAND. She remembered her father’s prestige as he walked into every room with her in the great halls of Casterly Rock, personally teaching her the history of their family’s history with great pride. Leila never forgot how he taught her the history of handship either, speaking of great pride about his position as the man who made great changes within the seven kingdoms.

Because of her father’s position as a child, the lioness used to see the office of the king’s hand as an honorable position, a position of great pride and great responsibility. After all, her father had sacrificed every ounce of his energy and precious time with his family.

Tywin had missed almost of her name days for many years in order to do well for the sake of the realm. He missed the birth of the twins, her mother’s name days and many other things, things he deserved to have experienced. All for the enrichment and greatness of the realm.

But of course, the king rejected her father for it.

All because of jealousy.

Because he wanted people to praise him.

Look at all his jealousy had gotten him.

Madness.

Deceit.

Lies.

Murders.

Wars.

Leila felt sick as she was sitting once more beside the king, in the queen’s empty throne that she now occupied as the chambers filled with the smell of burnt flesh raising through the throne room.

Once more, another innocent victim that was claimed by the actions of the mad king was being removed from the stake where many had been burnt alive to meet their fates, good or bad it may be, they were killed unjustly in front of helpless unmoving spectators. 

This was a celebration.

But it was more a reign of terror than anything else.

Leila saw it more as a mass execution.

Today, a new hand was appointed. One that had no right in Leila’s mind to receive such an honor her father had once received. Being the king’s hand meant that you upheld some sense of dignity, pride and extensive knowledge about governing and the people.
But the man who had shamed the name of her father’s former office had nothing of what her father had. He is vile, he is cruel and he only serves one master and that is the devil himself who sits in the iron throne where a great man once sat.

That man was the head of the pyromancers guild, the very man who was providing the king with the forbidden substance which has taken so many lives of so many innocents. Leila was appalled when Jaime had told her. Leila laughed so insanely when she heard her brother utter those words once more.

But when he repeated it once more, she ran out of laughter and was only shocked to the point of questioning if this was merely a dream she was having. Of course, it was something that Leila asked every single day as she woke alone and in the quiet.

Cold without the warmth of her dear children and the laughter they echo as they wake her. But she knows this is reality. No matter how much she pretends, this is her reality now. There was nothing she can do about the things that had already happened.
Varys had come to her as soon as the king had found some other poor soul to terrorize. He had told her that regardless of the children are ‘ill’, it was customary that a female member of the royal family accompany the king as he presents a new hand with the office.

Leila was the only female member at the royal family who was able to come at that time; it was the only way to prevent the king from being suspicious. Even though Leila did not want to go and even Jaime contested Varys about this preposition, Varys insisted on it for days but Leila continued to say no. The spider however persisted.
And in the end, the lioness had gave in.

Jaime had been sent to fetch her that early morning and of course, having sent all her servants away, the princess consort had dressed and beautified herself with essences of lavender and powders, which hid her tired features from being seen. She wore a black long sleeved dress made of the finest silks by the cloth makers from the Far East, sewn within it beautiful images of red dragons as they wander through the fabrics like furious flames.

The princess consort neatly brushed her golden hair and let it flow down like a beautiful ray of sunshine. She had wondered if she was to place the black veil upon her infamous hair however it would be an insult to the king. Black veils were often customary worn by the court ladies only in mourning occasions at court.
Leila had no intention to insult the king whatsoever.

Regardless of her hatred of the mad man, she knew that there would be no point of angering him when she was sure many more innocents were to die for one small insult, even though Leila was certain she would have wanted to have done that. One insult blown to the face of the mad king would have felt greater than anything she had felt in these past few moons within the capital.
But Leila had always thought that she had every right to mourn. After the death of her daughter, the insults and heartbreaks her husband had inflicted upon her, the humiliation and fear she had suffered in the hands of her father in law and the loss of her children from her sight and touch. Leila Lannister felt in her heart that she had been given great right to express her grief.

But there was no place for grief in a land of lies, deceit or horror.
There was only moving forward.
When his sister had finished getting ready, Jaime had found that his sister looked more like a pretender than anything else. Jaime had always known his sister to dislike the essences and powders that Cersei had been so fond of since their youth. She didn’t like to take part in any pretense after all, always deciding that it was often more better to see the truth in a person’s face than not at all.

But he supposed that it was just right for her to do so.
Leila had been scarred by her nightmares, her red stricken fears and so much more that Jaime knows that she would have wanted to hide it all, even just this once. But the young knight could not help but wonder if it was her insecurities that were the other factor of this decision. Jaime had heard conversations she and her ladies used to have before they had been sent away to safety.

The act of betrayal Rhaegar Targaryen had done towards his sister had broken her confidence. Leila has been for many years described by many as one of the most beautiful women in existence. People praised her beauty, created poems and songs for her and attributed many creative works of arts in celebration of his sister herself. There was no one far fairer or greater than his sister Leila, even Cersei could not compete and he was sure he loved his sisters as equally as he could in his heart. But she often wondered after the events that turned their world into a chaotic mess, if she was ever enough for her husband. If she was beautiful enough, if she was intelligent enough, if she was what Rhaegar had actually needed.
It broke him truly, even thinking about her words as she croaked out of her beautiful lips with tears upon her eyes. Often he wondered why did he do it? Why did Rhaegar Targaryen do it? Even if Jaime had punched the prince himself, why did he not explain himself?

He knew everyone in the realm deserved answers, especially Leila and their children. He knows that he too deserves to know answers.
But as he watched his sister walk in front of him through the chambers as servants one and all bowed with respect towards Leila, Jaime could not help but remember the promise he had made all those years ago as they played that day they found out that their mother had passed. To make sure that he would be able to protect his sister’s laughter, to make sure she would be happy for the rest of her life.

And he hoped to honor that vow, even if life is getting rough.

“Oh cheer up, dear sister.” Jaime had said to his sister, forcing her to turn to him as she saw that grin upon his lips. “You’ll look more like a bloody terrible mummer if you continue to frown like that.”

Leila’s lips turned into a solemn grin in reply. “Is that how you say such respect towards your dearest elder sister, little brother? I am appalled. I wonder if I can pray to the gods that you’ll turn bald.”

The golden haired knight mockingly gasped at her response as he held his blond locks. Jaime had not believed in the gods in a long time after all. There was no need to fear for his locks.

But there was no malice in humoring his elder sister. “By the gods, you are a cruel woman, sister!”

For the first time in a while, Leila briefly laughed. Jaime felt warmth surround his heart at such a sight. This is what makes all his antics worth it. As long as he is able to keep his sister happy in this madness, he was sure…he was sure he could get through anything. Both of them could get through anything.

“I missed that.” Jaime whispered to his sister as they neared the great hall.

Leila smiled at her brother once again. “Me too.”

But as the doors opened on them….

Everything changed.

Leila eyed her brother; her breathing was uneven as she felt the corset tighten around her already thinned figure. Jaime’s darker orbs gazed at his sister and for a moment they shared the sentiment of similarities. They felt the same things about this situation. 

Jaime had never been one to have been caring about their father’s position or power, he was never interested in anything about ruling. However, he too knew how big of an insult this is to the moral of the title which their father had held with so much pride. A lowly man, a vile man who allows the mad king to have a way to inhumanely kill good innocent people even if they were nothing more than spare flesh that can be replaced without a care in the world when in reality they are as valuable as any other person alive in this world.

Because…

Because…

They are loved.

They are longed for by people.

And the king had allowed the pyromancer’s guild to take over and ruin the reputation of the crown even further and along with it Leila and her children’s name into the mud.

Perhaps even to death.

“You seem to be distracted, your serene highness.” Leila flinched for a moment before she saw the king’s mad purple eyes looking at her. “Are you that disinterested with the proceedings of our court, your serene highness?”

“I…I am merely unwell, your grace. That is all.” Leila exclaimed in reply. Leila was not lying though. The sight of everything she had seen at that moment had made her ill and she had no doubt she and Jaime will not sleep tonight. She perhaps will be sobbing in her brother’s arms once more. “I suppose that is all.”

“How are your brats?” The king asked as though he was interested in hearing more about the things she says. Leila did not know it then but the king has desired to hear her voice in a long while now. “I should imagine all of them are dead, with no word of them flying through my ears.”

“I assure you, your grace….my children are all well.” Leila responded back softly. “They are in the great care of grandmaester Pycelle.”

The king suddenly laughed darkly. “Pycelle? That great sunken cunt has been able to keep your brats alive? I’ve always thought that he’s as useless as the bloody fly.”

“I can trust the grandmaester, your grace.” The princess says to the king. That was not a lie. Leila trusted the maester as much as she could trust her brother. After all, he was the lion’s pawn. He will never reveal her secrets. It would be as if he was revealing Tywin Lannister’s own secrets himself.

“He has given us the best of care.”

“I worried for you, your serene highness. I am very glad that you had graced me with your presence once more. As I imagined, you have amazed me once more with your tastes in fashion.”

Leila felt uncomfortable with the gaze the king has been giving her.

“I thank you your grace.” The princess forces a smile upon her lips. “For your worries and your care.

“When lord Varys had told me of your ill state, I wanted to visit you. But Varys warned me that your illness was deadly. If I were to catch it I would die.”

“I thought you had told me you were not afraid of death before, your grace.”

He chuckled. “Oh, I am not afraid of death. Dragons are not afraid of anything.”

“Then what are you afraid of?”

“I-“

“Your grace!” The doors thrusted open with a loud thud as the attention of the throne room turned to the man running as his breath could not keep up, so did his legs as he fell down on the spot where a man had just been killed by wildfire moments ago.

Now covered in dark burnt ash, the man revealed himself. Leila recognized him as one of Rhaegar’s servants from way before they had been married. Her brows furrowed as she and Jaime exchanged a look. What was this man doing so far away from where his master is?

“Your grace, forgive me…I..”

“You disturb such a situation of merry celebration, you devious fool.” Leila heard the king say as he stood from his throne. He glared at the man. “You are not welcomed here. What makes you think that you are welcomed here?”

“I bring news, your grace.” The man finally found his voice, his eyes shifting lowly at the sight of the king’s mad gaze. “From…..From the Riverlands, the battlefield and…”

Leila felt herself become interested.

Her hands clutched the arm rests tightly as she wondered about Rhaegar. She had not received any letters from him for many days that they had been apart as he took his leave to fight in the war. There were two sides of her at that moment. One that worried for her husband, worried that about the consequences of him standing in that battlefield against Robert and the other was wishing that she did not hear anything about him.
Robert was after all a prolific warrior and all his victories up until now had proven his prowess in the battlefield. Regardless of Rhaegar’s intelligence in warfare, she wondered if it was enough to defeat the raging stag of Storm’s End.

But at the same time, she didn’t at all want to think of her husband. Leila felt guilty but she felt relief that she did not know anything about what was going on in his place at war. Because she could not bear to think about him for too long without feeling sorrow and she knew there were enough sorrows in her heart at that very moment. There was no need for more. Even if she was her husband, she didn’t need more misery from him.

A part of Leila dreads when he returns home from the war. Because everything will come falling down like the rain falls from the sky like the tears of the gods, almost mourning their vicious wickedness against the people who had worshipped them with affection and fear. Leila knew that she swore that they would talk about everything that had happened. Rhaegar had sworn that all his words unsaid will finally be said. Leila was not lying if she was to say that it was those words she was longing for. But she feared to hear them. She feared what she will do. She fears what Rhaegar was going to do when he returns home.

That left her to wonder, which the truest feeling in her heart was truly.

She is as confused as she was horrified with all that has happened in her two and twenty years of living.

She had seen and heard enough.

There was no need for more.

“Oh?” Aerys exclaimed in a high pitched tone, almost like a child longing to know the surprise. But then his tone changed into a rough, crazy tone filled with mad anger. The change has surprised Leila even after all the time she had been here to see it. “And what is that? Huh? You stuttering fool, spit it out!”

“The rebel forces are upon the prince and the loyalist forces, your grace.” The man exclaimed as the whole throne room corroborated in silent whispers. “The battle happens as we speak!”

“Well, finally.” The king snorted at the news he had heard. “That ungrateful bastard should just kill that ungrateful rebel as soon as possible. This fucking war has dragged out for too long.”

“But that isn’t just the news I bring to your grace!” The messenger says aloud. “Your grace, Tywin Lannister is nearing the gates of King’s Landing.”

The king laughed bitterly. “Tywin, huh? Has he come to kiss my ass?”

“Your grace, he….”

“What is it? Don’t stop telling me the news. Or would you rather I have your tongue cut off?”

Jaime gazed at his sister as the shine in their eyes at the sound of that news. Their father is here. He has come to save them. Leila had tried to force her smile to disappear but she could not help herself.

The messenger looked frightened.

“H-he…He has brought a massive army, of thousands of men here.”
The king’s laughter abated at the news and his mood changed entirely as the court got louder as the news sunk into them. “What?”

“I saw them myself your grace, marching with their loud thundering armor. They were even welcomed by cheering crowds, especially lord Tywin-“

The king struck the man with his hand, his long fingernails causing cuts to appear within the reddish cheek.

“Everyone out!” The king shouted loudly as the whole court shrilled at the loud tone of the king. Hastily, they all made their way through the doors and ran out in order to get away from this situation.

“Varys, call Pycelle. Now! Someone take this fool away.”

“What should be done about him, your grace?”

“Execute him.” The king says clearly. “Then feed him to my hounds.”

The eunuch bowed lowly at the king. “Of course, your grace.”
Leila turned to the king. “Shall I leave as well your grace?”

“No, no. You shall stay where you are.” The king furiously exclaimed at her as he turned to her brother. “You will not move unless I say so. Do not speak either, or there will be consequences. This is an outrage!”

“You must calm down, your grace.” Leila tried to say in a soothing tone. “My father will defend us all, that is all. If all should fail, you may count on your most loyal of servants.”

“If he was a loyal servant to his king, he would not accept those cheers. The praises of my subjects, which should be mine!” He hisses violently as he stood from the iron throne, his arms filled with violently dug scabs. Leila could see that it was made by the throne’s blades. “How dare he?”

“You have my word, your grace.” Leila says as the king as she stood up to stand beside him. “My father is an ally of the crown. I swear to you with all of my heart and soul.”
The king looked at her and longed for one thing: hope. He hoped that she was correct. That there would be no lie within her words. Aerys had trusted no one. Trusted no one but her.

He could not live without her.

He placed a hand upon her cheek.

Leila wanted to turn him away but she knew she could not do it in fear of removing the facade. He released little sounds as he felt the softness of her skin. “You look exactly like your mother, Leila. You have grown as beautiful and as lively as her.”

“I thank you your grace.”

“But it is a pity.” He released a disappointed sigh.  “You have been ruined by my ungrateful son. You have been wasted on him. Just like your mother was wasted on your father.”

Leila’s brows furrowed. “Your grace, I do not think you should be saying such things.”

“But they are truths, are they not? You deserved so much more than what my son is, what he could offer.”

“Your grace, please-“

Before he could come to her and touch her even further and before Leila could utter her reply, Varys returned with maester Pycelle.

“I have just gotten the tune from my little birds, your grace.” Varys says exclaims. “Lord Tywin is at our gates. It seems that the prince’s messenger was days too late in his message.”

“With the distance of his travels, I would not doubt the news would be older than usual.” Leila added as she nodded at the spider then she turned to the grandmaester. “Have you sent a messenger to my father?”

“I have, your serene highness.” Grandmaester Pycelle replied, his tone senile and incapable as all would hope. Of course, Leila knew the truth. “But I have no doubt his response would be to ask for your permission to enter the city’s walls.”

“If that is the case, why not let him in?” Varys exclaims, looking at the king with a smile on his lips. He gave his gaze to Leila a moment later. “We can trust him can we not, your serene highness?”

Leila pursed her lips, knowing fully that it was a lie. Leila knew her father very well. He was as unpredictable as a sphinx. He would be willing to do anything that he could to win more than what he could. She nodded as she turned to the king. “Trust us, your grace.”

And that the king did.

But it was a mistake.

As soon as the forces of Tywin Lannister entered the city, everything that was in the way was killed and sacked as they rode through the city without any hesitation from the men of the feared lion. The keep was in a great panic as many hid where ever they could to avoid capture should the Lannister forces come and lay waste to the great stronghold.

As both the spider and the grandmaester disappeared amid the chaos, both Jaime and Leila were kept by the king within his gaze as he knew by this point that he had no other choice. Holding both of Tywin's prized children was something that would prevent Tywin from coming and laying waste to the Red Keep. The king did not let the princess consort and her knightly brother out of his sights as she sat beside him as the screams and pleas of the city continued to ring through their ears. 

Jaime looked disturbed as he stood there, guarding them with his eyes casted upon the grey pavement. Moments before, Jaime had begged the king a chance set a bargain with his own father for the sake of the crown and the capital, to save what little integrity was left in this hell. Jaime had thought of his sister's safety, first and foremost. But Aerys as mad as he is, forbade his sworn sword from leaving. After all, there was a chance that Jaime would leave to join Tywin and kill him once and for all. It was a smart decision.

Leila closed her eyes as she prayed the gods for forgiveness. For the purge her father was comittingm She begged the gods for reprieve and understanding. But she wondered if they were even listening. Perhaps they too were as busy as her listening to the chaos made by the roaring commands of a lion. Perhaps the gods enjoyed it too.

Otherwise...the gods would be merciful and grant peace rather than death and sorrow. Leila wondered if they favored her father's display of authority. Her eyes opened as she looked at the king, thinking of what he should do now.

Her father was merciless in giving punishments and there was no doubt that this was a part of retribution against the mad king that had once been his closest friends. There would be no mercy for him despite their former bond.

After all, her father had endured every inch of shame the king had gifted him and it was high time that he made the king realize that Tywin Lannister will not be mocked ever again. Not lest one would wish his city burn in front of his eyes.

Moments passed and soon, the hand of the king had arrived once more and this time he was surrounded by more pyromancers from his guild of evil. Leila watched as the king gave them commands.

"Find every single bit of wildfire you can and place each and every piece of it underneath the city and set it a light!" Leila's eyes widened at what he had commanded. Even the pyromancers themselves looked horrified. Jaime's fists began to harden. He couldn't do anything...he swore a vow.

"But my king!" Rossart, the hand, cried out. "We are still within the city. We shall also die!"

"I do not care!" Aerys cried out with a cynical laughter, releasing much more of his maddening state to all of them. "Let them all have the city, let them rule over it but let them know that they will have nothing but ashes! And from there, I shall rise. I shall be reborn as a dragon. So have no fear, your deaths will not be meaningless."

Rossart's throat swallowed those words hard. He knew that even if he did not do the king's bidding and somehow find the Lannisters, he knew he would be killed. They would know him as the king's hand. Rossart's guild of pyromancers owed much to the king, even if he was a mad man.

For a moment he did not know what to do.

When Leila saw the struggle in his eyes, she knew that she had labelled him unjustly. This man who caused the deaths of many innocent souls too felt emotions. But Leila knew that it does not justify his terrible actions.

In the end, Leila Lannister only understood him.

In the end, she could not forgive him.

In the end, he agreed to end the lives of half a million people for the sake of a mad king's command.

Jaime once more tried to beg the king to give him the chance to end this situation in a more peaceful manner. But once more, the king refused and instead gave him a command.

"Go forth and seek your lord father out." The king exclaimed to Jaime. Glaring darkly at him, he released his last words. "You will bring me his head."

Jaime looked terrified at what the king had just said. "Your grace, I cannot do as you ask-"

"You have sworn to do your duty as a sworn sword of the kingsguard, brat." The king spat out to him as the crestfallen look loomed on the golden haired knight. "You will prove your loyalty here or you will prove your treachery. You have to choose."

"Your grace, I beg of you." Leila stood from the throne she had sat on and got on her knees.

Tears fell from her eyes at the image of her father being killed by her own brother. Jaime...Jaime was already broken by his inability to do what must be done. Broken by the things he had been forced to see. He was so young and yet he had become a veteran of violence and madness and death. But Leila knew one thing.

He did not need to be a kinslayer either.

"Stand up and return to your place." Aerys hissed at her his gaze lowered at her like a beast to his prey. "I will not repeat it again."

"Your grace, I beg of you. Send someone else." Leila cried even further as her face fell to the coldness of the grey stone steps. "Do not give him anymore regrets to bear. Please! I beg of you!"

Aerys did not listen to her and instead, using his hands to force her to stand roughly and then roughly forced her to sit upon the queen's throne once more. Blood started to fall from his sister's flesh, pierced by the king's sharp long nails. Jaime took a few steps towards them, his gaze filled with the bottled anger he had been keeping away for a very long time. Leila continued to beg and annoyed, Aerys slapped her.

"Do not lay anymore of your hands upon her!" Jaime hissed with great anger as his sister's cheek started to well with redness. "I will...I will do as you ask. Just don't hurt my sister any longer."

"Then for fuck's sake, do it and be done with it." Aerys says to the young kingsguard. "Go and no harm shall come to your sister ever again."

Jaime eyed his sister and gazed at her apologetically. As he walked away, Jaime kept turning back to look at the thrones. To see if his sister was alright. If the king will actually do as he swore.

Leila had always known that men are capable of being monsters. But in this war, she had seen men be the most terrible beasts for their own desires, for their own satisfaction. Closer to death than ever before, she began to think of her own monstrosity.

Leila Lannister has schemed, plotted which she knew resulted in the sufferings of others. She allowed the deaths of innocents to happen and only watched as they pleaded and cried for mercy. Mercy that they never got in the end. All because she failed to act.

And she helped start this war.

For being a not good enough wife, for deluding Lyanna into the wrong path.

Leila was guilty of this and much more.

As death knocked at her doorstep, Leila prayed for mercy from the gods. The same thing she was sure many people that suffered under her watch had prayed before they died and perished.

She prayed that her children would be safe from harm and that they would live a long happy life. She prayed for Cersei to be able to find joy and be able to find a husband that will love her as much as will love him. She prayed for Tyrion to be able to grow up into the great man she hoped and knows he could be. She prayed for Oberyn to be able to forgive her for not fighting enough for their love and prays that they could meet again in another life.

She prayed for Rhaegar finally. She prayed that he and Lyanna will be happy. That should he survive, she prays he will be a good and just king.

She prays that he also remembers her.

"Are you still hurt?" Aerys asked Leila as he knelt in front of her. "I am sorry for doing something to you....but you forced my hand.You forced me to something I regret."

"Please do not touch me." Leila says to him lowly as Aerys' gaze hardened. "I do not want to be touched."

"I will do what I wish to do and if I wish to touch you," He forces Leila up as she continued to protest and forces to sit upon the iron throne. "I will do as I please."

Aerys began to pin her arms over her head as Leila told him to stop and struggled against him. Aerys started to remember how Joanna Lannister had done the same thing. But in the end, she felt pleasure by it. She allowed him to do so.

"I have waited for this moment for a very long time, Leila." He whispers against her ear as he started to lick the back of it. Leila pushed and pushed but she could not pull away.

"I wanted you from the moment I saw you. I wanted to wed you and take you for my own but those bloody Dornishmen had you. I waited but Rhaegar took you for his own. I tried to stop that. To pull our fates to intertwine. Now here is that moment."

"I am married, your grace. To your son. Please...please do not do this!" She says as she shifted, her wrists feeling the tight grasp of the king's touch. "Please not do this."

"From this moment on, you are mine." Aerys hissed into her neck, attacking it with his lips. "You are not that Martell bastard's or my son's, you are mine!"

"Your grace." The voice echoed as the doors slammed shut. Aerys turned his head slightly and saw the young Lannister walking towards him, blade wet with the stench of blood. "I have returned."

Aerys let go of Leila as Jaime walked further. Jaime eyed his sister, finding her in a state of disarray. Her dress was parted, her wrists weak as she sat in the iron throne like a rag doll. His green eyes darkened.

"Blood on your steel," Aerys exclaims with delight. Tywin might finally be dead! "Is it your father's blood?"

"No." Jaime answered coldly. "But it is the blood of your pyromancers. Quite a waste of my steel to kill such scum, really. But it had to be done."

Aerys felt his eyes widen in rage. "You traitor! I shall have you have you put to death, you and your father and every single man who has caused me betrayal-"

The swift movement thrust forward upon the king's chest as he turned around, his blood falling from his mouth as Leila Lannister pushed her dagger deeper into his chest. Jaime's eyes were filled with surprise from the moment she stood to reveal her concealed weapon.

But the moment she stabbed the king, Jaime felt something in him. He could not explain it. But it swelled inside him with warmth as the king stumbled through the steps of the throne. As Jaime saw the king slowly fall when his sister retrieved her dagger from the royal's chest, he walked quickly behind him and placed a hand upon his eyes, allowing his sword to neatly cut his throat. Jaime allowed the man to fall through the remaining steps just as the blood spilt from his throat.

Silence fell upon them.

Leila started laughing.

"I....I killed him." She cracked in between her laughing fit. "I...I have ended the reign of the mad king!"

"Leila..." Jaime walked towards his sister and held out his hand as tears welled down her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort her with what little he had.

In that moment of loneliness between the two of them, relief filled the two of them.

Relief that they had never felt in a very long time.

The reign of the king had ended.

Long live the new age.

Hi! I'm backkkkkkk!

It's been a long time since I was able to update and I really am sorry for that. School got really busy and that's especially since.I was a graduating student. On top of that I got deep down the depressed hole and I couldn't write anything I wanted without feeling so sad and discouraged. So I hope you forgive me for that!

One more chapter remains in Act II and its Chapter XX entitled 'Long May You Reign'. We'll finally get the conclusion of his entire and move to Act III which will try to shift its focus on the new generation AKA the Targaryen kids :)))

I have like four months of vacay so lets make it all happen!

I'll see you in the next chapter

xoxoxoxo Author