Nearly a decade before the Game of Thrones, Rose Tyrell engaged an affair that sent ripples through the richest families of Westeros. With relationships and reputations ravaged, Robb Stark's capture of Jaime Lannister reunites two lost lovers on a j...
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Rose turned around to see Cersei looking back at her. "What can I do for you, your grace?"
Cersei didn't need to say anything to be intimidating. She was a Lannister, and to everyone else, no matter what noble house they hailed from, they always found a Lannister intimidating. Cersei walked around Rose and to the other side of the table, where Margaery had been standing moments prior. She grabbed the wine goblet and poured a glass for herself. She was never a sober one, if Rose could remember correctly. Cersei took a sip. "I assume I should thank you for bringing home my brother." Rose's face didn't show much emotion, no fear, no sadness, nothing. She had been a victim in Cersei's game for sometime now, finally learning how to keep a poker face. "You're welcome, your grace." "But I shouldn't because from what I understand Brienne of Tarth, is it? Is the one who brought my brother back... even if he was bruised along the way. You did nothing really." "Your right, your grace. Brienne did bring your brother back. I did nothing." Cersei moved over to the edge of the table, getting closer to Rose. Rose clasped her hands in front of her, never taking her eyes off the queen mother. "But you arrived with them. You're here in King's Landing still. Why?" "My sister is to be married. I'm sure you must remember, it's to your eldest son." "As the King's mother, I overlooked all of whom were invited. High Lords and Ladies from all over Westeros but one name was missing. Lady Rose of House Tyrell. You never received a formal invitation, you are not welcome here in the Red Keep, nor in King's Landing, so I suggest you return home." Cersei smirked confidently into her goblet, taking another sip and holding it in both hands. "Pardon, your grace, but your not the bride, nor the King, you have no say in who they invite, only to overlook, as you stated, who they invite, not who they can and cannot. If Margaery doesn't want her own sister to be at her wedding, I'm sure she will tell me. I thank you for your concern, but I'm afraid it's quite irrelevant if you cannot do anything about it."
Cersei sized up the woman in front of her. So much talk and so little action from the flower. Cersei wasn't intimated nor scared, frankly just irritated by the eldest Tyrell, just like she had been when she lived in court many years before. Cersei placed her goblet down on the table before walking up to Rose, they were around the same height, so they were face to face. "Maybe I can't forbid you from attending this wedding, but I can keep you away from my brother. If I ever see you with him again I will lock you in a cell with The Mountain and personally oversee that he smashes your head against the wall until there is nothing left. If you want to keep your head, stay away from Jaime."
Cersei excused herself and left the room and the door wide open. Rose closed her eyes in relief that she was finally alone and away from everyone. Cersei wasn't one to make an idle threat, but Rose has evaded attempts on her life before, why could she now?
Days past and Rose had barely left the Tyrell's bedchambers in the Red Keep. She was permitted to have her own, which was almost identical to Magaery's. But as it was early in the morning, Rose had to dress and present herself at the King's wedding morning feast. The Tyrell's were to present a gift, and because Mace Tyrell was being accompanied by no one, his eldest daughter was his companion by default. Olenna was tending to Margaery as she got ready for her wedding, which would take place in a matter of hours, therefore couldn't join Mace and Rose at the feast. When they arrived, they were seated at the head table. But were allowed to greet other guests before the King arrived. Rose saw Sansa sitting in the furthest chair on the right, not talking to anyone, so she made her way toward her. Sansa, still a bit puffy in the face from crying, looked up at Rose. "Lady Tyrell." She greeted kindly. "Lady Sansa, please, call me Rose." Sansa nodded in reply. Rose sighed a bit, realizing she wasn't going to make good conversation with the Stark girl. Rose pulled out the chair next to her and went to sit down. "That is Lord Tyrion's-" Sansa began. "I'm sure Tyrion won't mind. I wanted you to know that I was friends with your mother. She was a wonderful mother and a good woman. I hope you understand that." "I do. She mentioned you once or twice, she said that you always dressed in fancy clothing, different than all the rest of the Ladies here." Rose smiled. "I do like to make an impression." Sansa smiled back at Rose but Tyrion's arrival at the table interrupted the conversation. "Lady Rose. It's a pleasure to see you again." Tyrion approached the two seated in the chairs, standing in between the two. "As it is to see you as well Lord Tyrion. I never thought I'd see the day when Tyrion Lannister was married to a northern girl." Rose lightly joked, well Tyrion got the joke, Sansa seemed a bit offended. Tyrion snickered. "I never thought I'd see the golden flower sitting at a feast for our beloved King Joffrey, let alone back in the city." "Well I guess I just love surprising people." Rose could only get so much chatter in before the King arrived. Joffrey was seated in the middle of the table, Mace on the right with Rose, Tyrion, and Sansa sitting there and Tywin, Cersei, and Varys. The course of food was brought out quickly and the Lords and Ladies, as well as the King, feasted. Everyone at the table was making small conversation with one another. Tyrion lent over toward Rose who was seated next to him. "I spoke to Jaime this morning." He said. Rose kept a straight face, not wanting to get any attention from Cersei on the other side. "And?" "He would like to see you. I could set something up, if you'd like." Tyrion. Always trying to help. "No. I'll go now." Tyrion was about to protest before Rose stood, everyone looking at her. "My apologize my King, but I am not feeling well, so I thought I would rest before the ceremony." Joffrey looked at Rose. He rested his hand on the back of his chair casually and nodded. "Yes. Go on then. Wouldn't want to keep your sister waiting." Rose curtsied and left the table and the feast without a look back.
Rose walked through the corridors and through to the throne room. She made the split decision to the left and into the Kingsguard chambers, where she assumed Jaime would be. The door was closed but she decided to knock anyway. Rose waited a moment before Jaime opened the door. His hair was cut short, much different from the way he always had it. He was cleaned up and the little scars on his face now showed. The most different thing about Jaime to Rose was the golden right hand that rested on his belt. "Tyrion said you wanted to see me, Ser Jaime?" Rose asked politely and formally, unsure if any other men had been around. Jaime nodded and opened the door wider, there were two other kingsguard memebers in the room. "Would you please give us a moment." Jaime asked them and they obliged. Jaime was now Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. If they disobeyed an order, that would be treason. The men hurried and left and Jaime walked around to the other side of the table, opposite Rose. She had been standing in front of the Kingsguard book, something Joffrey had recently pulled out to criticize Jaime's potential as a Lord Commander. Rose flipped the pages mindlessly as Jaime looked her over. She was in a light blue, flowery dress, signifying her households sigil. She looked beautiful to him. Rose closed the book gently and looked up at Jaime. "If Cersei knew I was hear she wouldn't hesitate to kill me." "She won't hurt you as long as I'm here." "She will if she really wanted to and by the conversation I had with her a couple days ago, I think it's safe to say she wants me dead." "I'll deal with Cersei. I always have, you know that." "Why did you want me here?" Rose asked. "I wanted to see you. I wanted to know your ok and that your being treated well." Jaime replied. "Well thank you for the concern but I am fine." "Rose stop it." "Stop what?" "Acting like you don't care." "And what am I suppose to do? If I act like I care I get killed, if I don't act like I care, I lose the people I do really care for and they would never forgive me for that." Jaime walked over to Rose. They now stood, for the first time in a long time, face to face, right against one another. "Then I guess it's better kept a secret then." Jaime said. "What am I suppose to do? What good is a secret when everyone apparently knows anyway? Not to mention Cersei will know something is wrong and the first thing she will suspect this. After what I did to you-" "- I don't blame you. I would have run too. But even when you left, you kept in touch. Not directly but through Tyrion. I know you asked every time about me." "You had Cersei here. You didn't need me. You never have. I was always going to be second best." "Why would you be second best?" Rose scoffed. "You were born into this world together, you did everything together, you love her more deeper and harder than you could ever love me and you have children together. That bond is something you'll never break." Jaime reached out and took Rose's hands in his. She was caught a bit off guard. "Cersei is my sister. She always will be. But you are special to me. You know that too and always have. The Kingsguard aren't allowed to have children, you know that." "That didn't stop you before." "Is this what this whole argument is about? Children? If you got pregnant, what do you think would have happened to you?" "It doesn't matter. I'm getting older every year and the older I get the less likely it is that I can have children of my own. Margaery is getting married in a few hours and going to start a family of her own with little princes and princesses running around and all I'll ever be is their lonely Aunt Rose who could never marry or have children. What kind of life is that?" "Not one I imagined you having." "I'm not blaming you. It's not your fault I can't have children. I guess it was never meant to be." Jaime pulled Rose into himself. Tightly grasping her, afraid if he'd let go, she'd run again. Rose responded stiffly at first but relaxed and wrapped her arms around Jaime's torso. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Rose sobbed quietly into Jaime. "No reason to be." "I never should have left. Maybe things would have turned out better if I had stayed. I was just scared." "I forgive you." Rose pulled back but didn't remove her hands from his torso and he didn't move his either. "What do you say? In secret?" Jaime smirked at her. "You don't even have to ask." Jaime one hand on Rose's neck and one on the small of her back and pulled her in, their lips connecting quickly. Their lips moved in sync as if they were meant for one another. Jaime pulled back after awhile. Church bells were sounding and Rose still needed to dress in her formal gown. "We have a wedding to attend." Jaime said.
They left the Kingsguard chambers with their secret behind them. But no secret is safe in King's Landing with little birds flying around the Red Keep.
