the songs of winter // j.snow 3.

8.5 Kingslayer

Jaime Lannister was standing in Winterfell's great hall facing the Queen, Jon, Sansa, Bran, Arabella and his brother. "When I was a child, my brother would tell me a bed time story," Daenerys began as Arabella glanced at her before meeting Jaime's eyes. She raised her head up. "About a man who murdered our father. Who stabbed him in the back and cut his throat. Who sat down on the Iron Throne and watched as his blood poured onto the floor. He told me other stories as well."

Arabella could only purse her lips into a straight line as Jaime stood in front of them calmly. "About all the things we would do to that man. Once we took back the Seven Kingdoms and had him in our grasp. Your sister pledged to send her army north."

"She did," Jaime agreed calmly as Arabella glanced at Tyrion who looked nervous.

"I don't see an army," Daenerys mused with a face as Arabella closed her eyes in realization. She had a feeling. "I see one man with one hand."

Arabella wanted to hate Jaime for everything he ever did to her and Caine as well but she wanted to tell Daenerys to stop insulting her father's killer. "It appears your sister lied to me," Daenerys glanced at Cersei's daughter who didn't look back as she sat there with a dull face.

Jon had been ignoring her ever since the two talked about the Dragon Queen and Arabella was getting mad.

Jaime glanced at Tyrion before speaking. "She lied to me as well," he said seriously. Arabella had already lost hope in Cersei. "She never had any intentions to send her army north. Not even for her daughter."

Arabella didn't react to that as Daenerys' look went from Bella to Tyrion as she looked angry Tyrion was too stupid to sense that. "She has Euron Greyjoy's fleet and twenty-thousand fresh troops. The Golden Company from Essos. Bought and paid for them. Even if we defeat the dead she'll have more than enough to destroy the survivors."

"We?" Daenerys said with raised eyebrows as Arabella glanced at Jaime again before resting her hand on her lips.

"I promised to fight for the living. And I intend to keep that promise," Jaime told her with an angered face.

"Your Grace, I know my brother-" Tyrion spoke but she cut him off quickly.

"Like you knew your sister?" she bit lowly as Arabella watched Tyrion tremble a little.

"He came here alone, knowing too well how he'd get received," Tyrion continued with a pleading face. "Why would he do that? If he weren't telling the truth?"

"Perhaps he trusts his little brother to defend him?" Daenerys asked with a sneer. "Right up to the moment he slits my throat."

"You may be right," Arabella then spoke causing everyone's eyes to look at her. Jaime stared at Bella in hurt. He loved his niece like she was his own but she had a right to hate him. "He did attack Lord Eddard Stark in the streets, he tried to destroy the Starks. The same as his sister destroyed mine."

"Bella..." Jaime trailed off as she stared at him with a face. "You want me to apologize? I won't. We were at War. Everything I did, I did for my house and my family. I'd do it all again."

"The things we do for love," Bran spoke as Jaime's face fell immediately. He stared at Bran.

"So why have you abandoned your house and family now?" Daenerys asked him as she liked how Arabella sided with her. Though she did it for a different reason.

Jaime momentarily glanced back at Brienne who stared at him with wide eyes. "Because this goes beyond loyalty," he then finally looked back at her. "This is about survival."

Brienne suddenly stood up. "You don't know me well, your grace," she said and then proceeded to stand next to Jaime. "But I know Ser Jaime. He is a man of honor. I was his captor once. Then when we were both being taken prisoners and the men holding us tried to force themselves onto me, Ser Jaime defended me."

Daenerys listened with a sneer. "And lost his hand because of it," Brienne then looked at Sansa and Arabella who were both sitting next to each other. "Without him, my lady, you would not be alive. And neither would you."

Arabella could only stare at Jaime with conflicted feelings. "He was the one to tell your mother, my lady, that you should be brought back home safely after Robb Stark's death..."

Jon glanced at Arabella to see her eyes set on Jaime. Arabella had no idea.

Brienne then turned to Sansa. "He armed me, he armored me and sent me to find you and bring you home. Because he'd sworn an oath to your mother."

Jaime was looking down as Sansa and Arabella exchanged a look. "You vouch for him?" Sansa asked and Brienne agreed. "You would fight beside him?"

Brienne paused and then with a determined face said that she would. Arabella looked down a burning feeling in her chest leaving her to burn. "I trust you with my life," Sansa told Brienne. "If you trust him with yours, we should let him stay."

Daenerys glanced at them in surprise as Brienne went to sit back down. "What does the Warden of the North say about it?" Daenerys then asked and turned to look at him as Arabella clenched her jaw.

Jon seemed caught off guard from his deep thinking as he didn't even glance her way. "We need every man we can get," was all he said causing Jaime to nod as he waited for what the Queen had to say.

She didn't look relieved. "Very well," she finally said as Tyrion breathed in.

Daenerys' commander Grey Worm then grabbed Jaime's sword and brought it back to him. "Thank you, your grace," Jaime bowed a little as Daenerys stood up causing everyone else to follow.

Sansa left first causing Daenerys to glance at her in anger as she turned to Jon but he also ignored and left.

Only Arabella remained by her side as Daenerys looked at her. "What do you say about this?" she asked but Arabella only stared at Jaime.

"What did mother want to do with me then? What was her plan to me?" she asked loudly as Jaime stared at her with a hurt face. "Tell me."

"Cersei wanted to get you back but not as it happened," Jaime confessed as a knot got stuck in Arabella's throat.

Daenerys listened. "How?"

"Bella, we should speak private-"

"How?!" Arabella yelled as Daenerys smirked and looked at Jaime who frowned deeply.

"By bedding you with any men who wanted to bed you," Jaime said as Arabella felt her heart stop beating.

Tyrion couldn't believe in such news because Cersei always loved her children - astray or not. That just didn't sound like her at all.

Arabella could only smile through sudden tears as she looked at Daenerys' frown. "I hope you get to kill her fast, Your Grace," she said and then began to leave as Jaime took a step forward but Tyrion stopped him.

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