Oaths and Vows {Jaime Lannister}

Chapter 2

Sleep did not come easy to Megara that night, every thought in her head kept her up a little more than the last and when she did manage to nod of, it was to face dreams of a foreign land filled with monstrous men clad in mail wielding all kinds of strange weapons. Her waking hours were the same, thinking about what Westeros would be like.

She wondered what their land would look like, she'd never seen anything but white grass and mountains of ash. Her father told her it was very different there, and it looked different wherever you were to go within the country. In the most southern parts of it there were deserts of soft red-brown sand, and just slightly north of that were lands of forests and rivers, grasslands and beaches. Way north of that there was brilliant white snow and frozen lakes and rivers, there were islands of rock and castles built on them, that's where Euron came from.

She had spoken with the strange drunkard man as well, and while he seemed delusional, sadistic and slightly vile – he also seemed funny, sarcastic and good at being bad. She didn't like him, that was for sure, but she didn't dislike him all too much either. All in all, she saw him as a pirate who was good at what he did, better than good, better than great.

She may not have been able to use words to speak with him, but the pirate knew his letters and she knew hers, so they were able to talk in a way. She learned he tore out the tongues of his crew of mongrels, that's why they were silent, though she dared not ask why. If Euron Greyjoy represented all of Westeros, it was surely going to be an adventure.

By the time the sun had risen and light filtered in through the door of the balcony, Megara was already well awake and fully dressed in a fresh blue top and black pants, with newly polished brown boots. Her cloak of choice that day was dark red, and the rest were all packed away and ready to be carted off to Westeros, just like she was. Going to be carded of, that is, not ready. She wasn't ready at all, and she had a feeling she never was going to be.

However, her father was right. Her mother was fueled by power, if she thought Megara was going to be something greater than herself, she would stop at nothing to ensure it never happened. Even kill her own daughter, or give someone else the order to do so... but to become a kinslayer? She didn't like to think her mother would go that far, but she knew it was indeed a fact.

"Meg?" There was a gentle knock at the door, and the voice of a girl the age of nine-and-ten came through. With no voice to invite her young friend in, Megara crossed the room and opened the door. Instantly, she was wrapped in one of the tightest hugs she'd ever been in. When they broke apart, she gave her best friend a sad smile. Ellie Le Fae was very beautiful with long black hair and the brightest green eyes in the world. Her lips were dark, like her skin and hair.

She was dressed in a lace gown of silver and a cloak of blue. About her neck was a bright green rune, the shape of a leaf. She was supposed to be getting her water rune on the morrow, and it pained Megara to know she was going to miss it. The girls sat together on Meg's bed, with a bottle of ink and quill with a long roll of parchment. Vows of silence really made conversing difficult.

"I can't believe you're really going... with those... those beastly men and that mad pirate," Ellie was crying, and Megara knew she would be too if she had any tears left to spill. 'I cannot believe it either. Father thinks mother will try and have me killed because of this cursed gold rune.' She wrote, and once Ellie read it a look of shock came onto the girl's face.

"Surely not? Lady Gwen mat be power hungry but if you really are Merlin reborn, or with the power of Merlin she'd surely not actually... actually harm you!" Are those tears of rage or sadness, Meg wondered as she wrote her next message. 'Mother has always loved me little for my quick learning. I believe my father is right, or I would never consent to marrying some knight of Westeros I have never seen or met.'

"A betrothal?" Ellie wiped away her tears, though more replaced them shortly after. 'Aye, to some man named Jamie Lannister.' Ellie gasped, and wiped away her tears again. 'What? What is it Ellie?'

"Your betrothed is the Queens brother. One of Euron's sons were telling me about it yesterday. He's a member of the King's guard but the king gave him special privileges that were going to allow him to wed and have children. Must be because of you." Ellie said. 'My father did say I'd be close to the King and it'd make me safe but I never thought that...'

As she wrote, Ellie read, but as she was writing the door burst open, causing Megara's hand to jerk and a line to slash across the parchment. At the door was none other than Euron Greyjoy, with Lord Alistair Emrys beside him. "It is time." Alistair said with a sullen look in his eyes. Grabbing her trunk, it which not only her cloaks were packed, but most of her clothes, her face paint, two short swords and a dagger was placed, but also a vile of light that her father had given her the day before, her and Ellie followed the two men out.

Ellie was simpering as her tears ran down her face, and she kept an arm about her friend's shoulder as they walked. "I'm going to miss you Meg, a lot. I'll send eagles as often as I can, and I'll come with them if I have the time." Euron looked back at them curiously, not knowing what the girl was talking about, likely thinking he heard wrong he turned back and continued walking.

Tell me more about Jamie, please think to do that, please Ellie, Megara thought as they made their way down the hall of tapestries. It was halfway down the hall when the girl had actually chosen to speak again. "But I suppose you won't have it all bad in King's Landing. I heard from Harry, Euron's son, that Jamie Lannister is called the hottest man in the seven kingdoms, though some argue it's Loras Tyrell the Knight of flowers, they say Loras only likes boys though."

"Harry, eh?" Euron had turned around and was walking backwards so he could speak with the two girls. "So I take it you're the beautiful girl in a cloak he was prattling on about las' night." He said, causing a pinkish blush to come on to the girls face. "My name is Ellie, m'lord."

"Captain or Crows-Eye. Maybe Harry can stay behind when we leave, doesn't like the sea much anyway." He said, causing Ellie to go more red. Luckily for her she could blame it on her crying. "You'd leave your son?" She asked. "Aye, he's a bastard anyway." Euron turned as they reached the stairs, but didn't stop talking to Ellie as the four of them walked down the stairs – he was studying the railings as they moved down.

"What is with you Shadowers and animals?" He asked. "They show our history," said Alistair, and that was it. The rest of the way, Euron kept talking to the Lord Emrys and Ellie spoke to Megara, who wished she could talk back. "So, where was I? Oh, yes, Jamie is the hottest man in the seven kingdoms who likes girls, and he's also one of the greatest fighters."

I'm probably better, Meg thought as they reached the Throne Room. "I know that look, but you'll be able to prove that. You'll be wed, won't you? Plenty of time to clash swords in the courtyards," she dropped her voice and leaned closer to Megara, "and in the bedroom."

Laughing, Megara shoved her friend gently. She's right though, Megara thought. I wonder if he knows he's not getting a soft little maiden. They made their way out into the yard, where two large oak doors made the Gates, the only way in and out of Shadowstone. There they found their horses ready, along with all of Euron Crows-Eye's sons and Mongrels.

"Oi, Harry! Get Lady Megara's trunk onto a horse and get your things!" And so the boy did without a word of question. "This is it, uh..." Ellie muttered as she stood awkwardly in front of her best friend. With no words to say and with fresh tears running down her face, Megara jumped onto Ellie in a bone-breaking hug. Ellie was crying too, her silent sobs said so.

"I'm going to miss you Meg, I'll see you in the Eagles and so shall you see me. Agreed?" Meg nodded. Harry had returned with all his things and Meg's stuff had been placed on Euron's horse. "You'll be staying here with the lovely Ellie," said Euron to his son, "Go on, ya Bastard. The lady can show you your bedchambers. Or hers." With a nod of agreement from Alistair, Harry and Ellie took off.

Somehow saying goodbye to her father was easier than to Ellie, and not seeing her mother at all was the easiest of all. Mounting a brilliant black stallion, she and the mongrels and the pirate rode from Shadowstone. With her hood drawn over her head, shading her whole face, Megara rode away from Shadowstone without glancing back for a wish to keep her tears inside.

This is all her fault, Megara thought bitterly as they rode, one day, I swear to you mother, I will return and I will kill you and take my birthright. I swear this oath and take this Vow, you will die at my hand.