the songs of winter // j.snow 3.

7.11 Long Ride Home

The road was long, as she counted the days. It's been almost a month since she was traveling in carriage with Ellyn with her.

Arabella had almost seven Baratheon men with her, who were loyal to her since she was Stannis's niece. The weather was getting warmer, even though it was still winter everywhere around. Ellyn played with her toys and giggled loudly causing Bella to smile. "Hush now, love," she whispered and looked at the girl she couldn't imagine the world without.

The carriage then stopped causing Bella to furrow her eyebrows and look through the window. Her breath got hitched in her throat as she saw the Red Keep in the distance, her first home.

A man approached her and opened the door. "It's been a long ride home, your grace," he smiled and Arabella picked up Ellyn into her hands.

She got out and looked around. "Why have we stopped here?" Arabella questioned holding her girl close to herself.

Arabella noticed that the Great Sept of Baelor was ruined. That's how Caine's family died, and that's how Cersei got her revenge. And that's why Tommen killed himself. "It's much safer going to the Red Keep like that, than ride with the Stark's carriage through the city."

Arabella wanted to argue but eventually nodded her head. "Alright, what are we waiting for?" she asked and started walking through the gardens, where all the royal people were greeted by the Hand of the King.

She walked for quite a while until reaching the gates of the Red Keep. Two Lannister guards were there as they looked at Bella and her child. "Who the fuck are you?" one snapped as another noticed the men's Baratheon sigil armor.

"She is Arabella Baratheon, Queen's only daughter," the man said with shocked eyes as Arabella smiled with fake politeness.

"Very well, good knowledge," she teased as her men laughed at the boys, trying to look intimidating. "Inform my mother that her only surviving child is back home."

The man then took a step further but Arabella was protected by her own men. They stood in front of her, telling the Lannister soldier to stop walking. He did and glared at the Princess. "The Queen informed us to kill any ally of the Starks and King In The North."

Bella laughed under her breath as she handed Ellyn to her handmaiden that traveled with her loyally before walking in front of her men. "You are nothing. A small pinch of blood in the sea. Do you think I care about what you think, or what the Queen thinks?" she asked bravely.

Even being in Kings Landing brought her so much bravery and will, she could kill the men and see her mother like that. "I am Arabella Baratheon, Jon Snow's wife, and... I've always been the Queen of the North. Now, let me through or I will have you both murdered, because I don't have anything else to lose."

"Bella?" a voice from behind the Lannister soldiers rang and she clenched her jaw before seeing Jaime stare at her with shocked and happy even eyes. "Back away," he sneered at his soldiers and they obeyed.

Jaime walked over to Bella and wanted to hug her but she pulled away, extending her hand telling him not to do anything. "What? What are you doing in here?" he asked, sensing that she must have hated him for destroying the Tyrell clan.

"I am not here for you," she told him coldly and Jaime looked at her pleadingly. "You destroyed Caine's family. And he destroyed me. Now, where is mother?"

"What do you want from Cersei?" Jaime asked as Arabella rolled her eyes. "And what do you mean by Caine destroyed you?"

Arabella's glance went back to him before Jaime noticed a girl in a girl's arms. "Is that...?"

"Reddard? Of course not," Arabella answered instantly and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "He died while I was giving birth," she said and Jaime frowned. "This is my daughter. Ellyn."

"Whose daughter is she?" he asked and Arabella sighed deeply. "Jon Snow's?"

"I'm done talking to you," Arabella said then walked closer to him. Jaime glanced down at her. "If you think I'll forgive you for what you did to a man, who betrayed me... I won't this time."

She then brushed past him and walked inside as her men followed right after. Jaime stood there in complete hurt and regret as he also walked in.

Arabella looked at the Keep to feel like it wasn't her home. "Bella!" Jaime ran after and grabbed her arm. She turned to face him with a high head. "What are you doing? If Cersei finds out you are here, with Jon Snow's child, she'll..."

"She will what?" Arabella heard yet another familiar yet so detached voice before turning around and seeing her mother.

Cersei was different. Her hair were short, a crown placed on her head, black gown with metal decorations on the neck. A huge man, Arabella counted as the Mountain, was behind her.

To Cersei, Arabella was also different. She looked older, more full, and yet she still kept her hair in a simple braid that Cersei herself taught her.

They continued staring at each other as Jaime noticed something in Cersei's eyes, something he hadn't since Tommen's death. It held hidden happiness, and relief to see her daughter alive.

Arabella's eyes held a different story. She stared at her mother with burning sensation to kill her, to make her suffer for everything she had been through. "My sweet child," Cersei finally spoke and Arabella nodded her head.

"I believe we have a conversation ahead of us."

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I looove Jaime, but Arabella won't forgive him this time so easily.