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Chapter Text

Arianna watched as the visitors poured through the castel gates. To her it seemed like a river of gold and silver and brightly polished steel. There had to be three hundred or more riders, she knew, but to her it seemed three thousand. Bannermen and knights with thier squires, entertainers and freeriders and loyal followers of the court. Above thier heads a dozen or so golden banners whipped brazenly in the warm southern wind, embazoned with the crowned stage of the House Baratheon.

A swift tug at her skirts drew her attention from the riders to her yonng sister, Elia, who stared forward blindly. Lifting the small girl into her arms, Arianna sighed. Elia had been only a small babe when the raging fever had taken her sight.

Aware of the sudden quite, Arianna turned to realize the riders had all come to a stop and she was the only member of the Blackthorne Household not bowing to the King and Queen.

Blushing brightly, she quickly moved to curtsy, but Elia shifted at the quick movement and she nearly fell to the ground. Only her fathers quick grasp kept Arianna from sprawling in the dirt.

"My Grace," Her Lord father said. "I apologize for my daughter. She has alw~"

Raising his hand, King Robert brought her fathers words to a stumbling hault. "No need. Arianna was mearly looking after the little one. She shall make a good mother some day soon."

Arianna frowned at the King's words, but he seemed to take no notice.

"Come, Alec, we have much to discuss." A tall man with side whiskers beckoned, dismounting from his horse with a slight frown.

Looking on fondly, Arianna watched her father turn away and follow after the tall man and the King duitifully. Shaking her had, she handed her sister to the wet nurse, Old Crow as they called her, and started to move away when she was over come by the feeling of being watched.

Glancing over her shoulder, she realized the Queen and her twin were both looking after her with striking green eyes. The man stared after her with wide, curious eyes, yet the Queen seemed angry, as if she found Arianna lacking in some way.

Nervous, Arianna quickly vaccated the courtyard and rushed to her bad chambers, desprite to escape the probing eyes of the twins.

She had only just entered her chamber when a soft knock sounded from the open doorway.

"Come in." Arianna called breathlessly, and without a word two elderly women entered her bed chambers and began to fill her bath with hot water brought up from the kitchens and scented with fragrant oil that smelled of roses and night blooming violets.

"What are your names" Arianna asked kindly, pulling her worn cotten tunic over her head with a fluid twist of her hands.

"Genna." The elder of the two spoke. "This is my sister, Helane."

Bowing low, the one named Helane smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet the Lady of the castle at last."

"Thank you." Arianna said as Genna helped her into the tub and began to wash her long, rich mahoganhy brown hair and gently combed out all the tangles and snags. "I don't care to remember the reasons for coming to MistyOaks those few years ago, but it is nice to be home again. Father does love his travles."

Helane nodded as she scrubbed Arianna's feet and back, while Arianna slothed warm soap-sand over her arms and face.

When she was clean, the sisters helped her from the water and towel dried her skin. They helped her dress in a whispy gown the color of amethysts, which brought out the brilliant blue of her eyes. The dress only reached her knees and swayed softly as she moved about the room.

Slipping her feet into a soft, weather worn pair of sandels, Arianna smiled. It had been many years since she had felt clothes as fin as those that moved agaisnt her skin.

The elder of the sisters smiled in response as she braided Arianna's hair, twinning it elegantly into a soft bun atop the crown of her skull. "You look every inch the princess, Lady Arianna."

Blushing, Arianna turned to look into the small looking glass her mother had gotten her for her eleventh name day.

Arianna's face was small and heart-shaped, with wide dusty blue-gold eyes framed by thick, black lashes that nearly brushed agasint her high arching brows. Below, her nose was small and straight and her mouth full and lush. Arianna's had thick, long hair that reflected in the late evening light beautifully.

"Thank you . . . " Arianna gasped. "I look like my mother."

"Aye," Helane agreed. "You do."

Leaving her bed chambers, Arianna made her way thorugh the castle till she wondered across the dining room.

"Aria." Her father stated, eyes narrowed. "You left the courtyard this morning before you could be intorduced t o King Robert's family.

Blinking slowly, Arianna was forced to stand to attention while her father rattled off the names of the Queen, her three children and the Queen's twin brother. Arianna realized that Ser Jamie, the Queen's twin, was staring at her quite oddly, while Cersei, the Queen glared hostily.

As they seated themselves at the grat table, Arianna was shocked as Jamie pulled out her seat for her with a smile. Thanking him quietly, Arianna stared at her hands in confusion. Never before had a man showed her the curtisy of such, and she was unsure of how to respond in kind.

As the meal progressed Aria forgot her earlier discomfert and began to enjoy herself. The adults around her drank enough for two, and even Arianna sipped from a goblet of honeyed wine. As the moon rose, Aria found herself dancing with several of the men at arms who had traveled with the king's party.

"Are you enjoying yourself, M'lady?" One asked as he spun her away from her previous danceing partner.

"Yes." Arianna muttered, noting that the mans words were slurred. She could smell the stench of something much stonger than wine on the man's breath. "Let me go, please."

"I want to dance." The man slurred, holding her so tightly she was sure she would have bruises come morning. Clinging tightly, the man pulled her close enough for her feet to lift ftom the ground.

"No!" Aria wheezed, voice strained as she struggled to breath through the mans stangle hold. "Let me go."

"Let the Lady go." A soft, calm voice commanded.

"The Lady wanted to dance, didn't she? The man laughed, his hold tightening.

Arianna forced herself to take a deep breath before freeing her hands. Balling one into a small fist, she let fly at the man's face.

In his drunkeness, the man was much to slow to avoid the attack and cried out as her tiny fist connected with his nose with a crunch. He fell to the floor, eyes closed, while Arianna struggled to move away. Crying out, Arianna threw out her hands in a effort to prevent herself from falling to the floor.

A wirey, muscular arm caught her around the waist then and Arianna turned to see Ser Jamie looking down at her with concern. "Are you alright."

Wincing, Aria nodded as Ser Jamie gentally placed her on her feet. "I'll be fine." Arianna mummbled while flexing her fingers.

"A Lady should not fight." Queen Cersei commented, glancing down at Arianna with a hard smile.

"Well, my Grace," Arianna snapped, unable to help herself. "Please tell me what I should have done."

The Queen was raisng to her feet, eyes dark with anger, when the King waved a hand. "Enough!" The King roared. "I won't have you baiting the girl, Cersei. Not when we finished the planes for her and your brother just this afternoon."

Arianna, confused by the Kings words, turned to her father with narrowed eyes. "What plans?" She demanded, noting the quiet that decended over the hall.

Her father squirmed under her hard stare. "The betrothal of the Queen's twin brother, Jamie Lannister, to my eldest daughter."

Aria continued to stare as she analyzed his words before thier meaning was understood. "Father! You can't be serio~"

"I am, daughter. You will marry Ser Jamie with in the next moon rise." Her father said calmly, his face grave. "I had planned on telling you in privete, but the situation tonight seemes to have forced my hand."

Arianna turned wide eyes to the man standing at her side and shook her head violently as he smiled kindly at her. "I will not be forced to marry a man I do not know, nor love."

Before her father could respond, she turned and fled from the room, her long legs carriying her away from the others before anyone could think to grab her.

Ignoring the shouts sounded behind her, Arianna continued to run till she reached the stables. Not bothering with a saddle nor bridle, Arianna pulled herself on the her mare's back, kicking her into motion instantly.

"I won't." She whispered as she disseapered into the thick forest. "I won't."

Chapter Text

Nearly four days had past since Lady Arianna had fled from MistyOaks Castle. The moon was at its' fullest, thankfully, hanging heavily over the head of the rider who slowly worked his way through the trees.

Jamie knew he was close the the girls hiding sopt, the foot prints that criss-crossed over the ground was proof enough, and he looked about himself, eyes sharp. Finally, he spotted what he was surching for.

There, in what he assumed to be the hollow of an tree, was a shap darker than the surrounding shadows.

Dismounting from his horse, Jamie drew close, carefull not to make a noise as he approched the Lady. IT wasn't till he stood over her that Jamie realized that the Lady was sleeping, long lashes fluttering agaisnt her cheekbones as she shifted uneasily.

Staring down at the girl, Jamie found that he was smiling. Lady Arianna was a beauty, there was no doubt, and, like her father had promised, she had a fiery temper that burned brightly. She was a small thing though, a good two and a half feet smaller than himself and her eyes were too large for her face. Her hair, he decided, was he rbest feature - long enough to reach her waist and thick. It was free of the braides he saw, and fell loosely across the ground beneath her head.

The girl shifted again and Jamie saw that the girl was cring in her sleep.

"Momma." Arianna mummbled, voice thick with sleep, as she clutched the ground with long fingers, reaching out as though she surched for someone in her dreams. "Momma . . . momma . . . leave her . . . leave momma . . . " With a whimper, Arianna stopped speaking and mearly moaned, tears streaming down her face.

Startled, Jamie moved to her side and gentally shook her shoulder. "Lady Arianna. Arianna, wake. You're only dreaming. Wake, girl."

Gasping, Arianna woke with a start, hands flying out to lash agasint Jamie as she stared blindly around her. It wasn't till Jamie took both her hands in his and game her a small shake that she seemed to calm.

"What~" Arianna mummbled, eyes wide. "What . . . What are you doing here?"

Jamie nearly laughed as the Lady ripper her hands from his, somehow managing to seem forcefull despite the collection of twigs and leaves she had in her hair.

"You," Jamie explained calmly, "were having a nightmare, it seems. I was mearly trying to ease your suffering by waking you."

"I don't care. Go away." Aria snapped, bright eyes narrowed. "I won't come back, so you're wasting your time."

Jamie smirked. "That isn't up to you, I'm afraid. Your father is panicked at the moment and has all the Kings knights out looking for you day and night."

"I don't care." Arianna mummbled stubornly. "I won't marry you. I won't marry anyone, ever."

Sighing, Jamie shook his head. "It's what the King wants, aswell as my father and yours. You might as well get use to doing as your told, girl."

Arianna's eyes flashed like ice fire when she turned to glare at the knight kneeling next to her. "I don't have to do a damned thing."

Jamie shrugged. "Once we are wed, you will have to do as I say."

"I will never be your wife, let alone some plaything for you to command" Arianna snarled, shoving the knight in the chest. Hard.

Growling in agitation, Jamie reached around and gripped a fist full of her hair, holding her as if she were no more than a small, disobaying kitten. "Listen well, girl. You may think you have a choice in the matter, but you don't. Neither do I for that matter, so mayhapes you should direct your anger else where."

Eyes wide and fearfull, Lady Arianna made no move to reply and Jamie took her silence as acceptance.

"Now, you have two options. You can call your horse and calmly ride her to the castle, or continue fighting me as I tie you to the front of my horse and take you to the castle like a Wildling."

Arianna shook her head slightly and spoke softly, so softly that Jamie did not understand her words.

"Come again?" Jamie said as she realeased the girls hair.

"I said my horse is dead." Arianna mummered icily. "She broke her leg jumping over a fallen tree and couldn't stop herself. She fell into the river and drowned."

Jamie frowned. "Where you hurt?"

"Just a few bruses. Some scratches. Nothing serious." Arianna shrugged.

"Can you walk?"

"Yes, how else do you think I've avoided the King's knights all this time?" Arianna snapped.

Standing, Jamie nodded. "You'll ride infront of me then. Your father really is worried."

"Good." Sighing, Aria stood and nervously ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't really have choice, do I?"

"No, not really." Jamie acknowledged. "If you run, I'll just find you again."

"Fine, I'm tired and hungry anyways." Arianna stated, moving past Jamie as though leaving had been her idea.

"I'm sure you are." Jamie said mockingly. "This way M'Lady."

"Don't call me that!" Arianna snapped, eyes blazing.

"Why not?" Jamie asked, suprised by the venom in the girls voice.

"It's what my mother use to call me." Arianna stated slowly.

"Use to?"

"She's dead now." Arianna said, pulling herself up on to his horses back weakly. At Jamie's curious stare she added. "She was murdered. By bandits."

"I'm sorry." Jamie said softly, moving to sit behind the Lady.

"I don't want your sympathy." Arianna snapped, pointedly looking away from Jamie's probbing eyes. "I don't want anyones sympathy."

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As Jamie directed his large war horse through the castle gates he noticed the sun peaking ove the horizan.

He made it to the stables before the first alarm was sounded.

"My daughter!" He heard the Lord Alec cry out. "He has my daughter?"

Dismounting from the horse, he pulled Lady Arianna into his arms, craddling her as he would a small child. Yawning, Arianna snuggled into his shoulder sleepily.

"My Aria!" Lord Alec gasped as Jamie rounded the stable's doorway. "What is wrong with her?"

"Nothing, my Lord, truly." Jamie assured. "She is mearly tired and a touch hungry. A good days rest and she will be whole and fit."

Ignoring the mans protests, Jamie continued on and carried Arianna till he reached her bed chambers. Setteling her onto her small, yet soft bed, Jamie smiled.

"You're like a little lion. All teeth and claws, but warm." Jamie said, brushing hair from her face before moving away to find his own bed. "I'll tame you though, little lion."

Stripping from his clothes, letting them fall where they may as he climbed into his bed, Jamie found his thoughts returning to the Lady Arianna again and again.

She wasn't the sort of woman he would have taken a second glance at on the streets - too small, too delecate looking, and her temper surrouned her like a storm waiting to strike. She was nothing like the gental Ladies of the Sounth he was use too, but, he knew, she did have a kind heart. He had wittnessed it when she had stooped down to take her blind sister into her arms, a look of love strong in her eyes and again, when one of the men at arms at fallen durning a drunken dance and shattered his wrist. Arianna had been the first to his side and the last to leave when the Mastere had appeared to take him into his more than capable hands. She spoke kindly to those around her, himself excluding Jamie though wearily.

Thinking back to the moment King Robert and his father, Lord Tywin, had told him he was to marry the tiny beauty brought a smirk to his face.

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"You want me to what?" Jamie asked, not quite beleaving the words.

"You heard me, Kingslayer." King Robert snorted, griping his goblet tightly with an iron fist. "You will marry Lady Arianna of House Blackthrone."

"Men of the Kingsgaurd do not web." Jamie said, shaking his head.

"Jamie." His father started. "You are to be realesed from the Kingsgaurd and will once again become the heir to myself and, when I pass, you will inherit Casterly Rock. You ill marry this girl, to ensure an alliance between the families houses."

Jamie could only stare at his father in confustion. Since beaing a small boy, all Jamie had wanted was to be a member of the Kingsgaurd. To be a man people looked up tp. But, since slaying King Aerys, no one respected him. Not really. Trying to remember, Jamie wondered why he still clung to the title so.

Mulling over his fathers words, Jamie nodded. "I'll marry this Lady Arianna. Tell me though - what is she like?"

King Robert laughed. "She's unlike any girl you've known, Kingslayer. She's just a tuny thing, twenty and one years of age and with a temper that could put a badger to shame. I havn't seen her since she was a child, but I remember that temper. She nearly broke my nose when I took a small poppet from her in jest. She's a kind girl though, takes care of her blind sister. You will not beat her." The King finished darkly.

Jamie stared at the King in horror. He was a man of many things, but a woman beater he was not. "Of course not."

"Good. If any harm should come to her by your hands - I'll kill you myself." The kig added. "Now, off with you. I have things to do."

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Nearly laughing at the unneeded threat, Jamie rolled to his side and closed his eyes.

He knew that his sister was not pleased with the desision. She's always had an unhealthy love for Jamie, since they had been children. He had denied her many times, but his sister never took totice. Every chance she had, she would try to suduce Jamie with words or actions. Even now that she was married to the King she did not give up.

The thought put Jamie on edge, because he knew what his sister was capable of.

Chapter Text

Lady Arianna stood in the castle courtyard, face turned up to the sun with a small smile upon her lips. Not far from her, little Elia sat on the ground, playing with several small poppets.

"Lady Arianna." A rough voice said and she opened her eyes to see Lord Tywin looking down at her with slate grey eyes. "Walk with me." He continued, holding his arm out for her, a small frown on his face.

"I can not." Arianna said softly, motioning to her sister. "I must stay with Elia. If you like, we can sit on the bench over yonder."

Nodding, Lord Tywin turned on his heel and strode to the bench. Arianna followed closely after.

"My Lord, what is it that you wish to speak to me about?" Arianna asked once they were sitted.

"You will marry my son." Tywin snapped forcefully.

Arianna nodded, a soft smile on her lips. "So you and the Kind and my father have all said. Many times. Loudly. I told you then and I will tell you now - I will not marry a man I neither know nor love."

As Lord Tywin's face began to darken with anger, Arianna held her hand out to stop his words. "Tell me this, Lord Tywin. Why is it you want Jamie and I to wed so badly?"

Lord Tywin seemed confused by for words for a short moment before scrubbing his hand across his face. "I do not want to see him in the Kingsgaurd any longer. If he were to marry, he would be realeased from the haurd and allwed to return howm, where he belongs."

"I see." Arianna said softly, staring after her sister with calm eyes.

"Do you not want a husband?" Lord Tywin asked.

"I never have. I have see countless wives during my travels and more often than not she is abused, physically or other wise. Men cheat,
abandon thier families, take on new ones. Wemon are always considered the lesser of the two. I have never wanted that fate for myself."

"Jame would not beat you, no beget a woman with a bastard."

"That changes little in way of my knowing him." Arianna remarked softly. "I might grow to love him, but I would never marry a man without knowing him first."

"You have no choice."

"You're wrong. Even if you and all your men dragged be before an alter you could never force me to say yes." Arianna snapped, temper flaring. "And I would kill you before you could use my family as blackmail. Remember that, Lord Tywin. I am not like the calm, gental wemon of court. I will fight for what is right, for my family and those I love. I will fight for my freedom."

"How dare you~"

"I dare much, Lord Tywin." Arianna enterupted. "Besides, this conversation is pointless."

"Is it?" Lord Tywin blazed.

"Yes, it is. I've already come to the desision that yes - I wil marry Ser Jamie - but on my own terms." Arianna nearly laughed as Lord Tywin stared at her blankly.

"Sister! Sister!' Elia cried, running toward her swiftly with two large flowers in her hands. "Flower!"

Smiling, Arianna petted her sisters hair fondly. "Yes, they are. Two flowers."

"Two?"

"Yes, two." Arianna said, moving her sisters hand between the blooms. "See, two. These flowers are called marigolds."

"Two." Elia confirmed before bounding back in the direction she had come from. "More!"

Lord Tywin followed the young girl with wide yes. "I thought the girl to be blind."

"She is." Aria explained. "She lost her sight when she was only a few months old. She's never known anything else really and it seems to have made her stronger. Just as my family will be stronger if I marry Ser Jamie." Arianna continued. "I realized it while I was hidden by the forest. My family has no houses which are sworn to it. Neither has my House sworn to any other. My family has never had protection nor has it had to protect any but its own. It has made us stronger in someways, weaker in others. By binding our households through marriage, I can be sure to make the House Blackthorne stronger."

"Then why do you continue to deny my son?" Lord Tywin asked in confusion as Elia ran back, her hands filled with an asortment of flowers.

"Elia, where did you get these?" Arianna asked, shocked.

"By the horse house. There is alot." Elia said happily, thrusting the flowers into Lord Tywin's lap. "Flowers!"

For a moment Lord Twyin's face seemed to soften as he stared down at the small girl by his knees. "Yes, they are, little one."

A sharp curse drew the adults attention toward the stables where they could see Queen Cersei storming toward them, Prince Joffery not far behind.

Snatching a flower from Lord Tywin's lap, Elia turned toward the Queen and the young Prince, a wide smile on her face. "Flowers!"

"That little brat stole my beloveds flowers!" Joffery cried out, dand raised to strike the child across the face.

Arianna moved before the others could react, a blur of brown and gold, she flew at the Prince with a snarl. When eyes finally focused, Lord Tywin gasped to see Lady Arianna standing with one hand holding Joffery's wrist, the other locked around his throat tightly.

Cersei looked shocked.

"If you ever make a move to harm my sister again, I will kill you with my bare hands." Arianna spoke calmly, her tone as iciy as the Northern winds. "Do you understand me?"

As Tywin looked on he realized that Sandor Clegane, the Hound, seemed frightened by the Lady.

"Your sister is a theif and a vegabond." Queen Cersei snapped, eyes wide. "Take your hands off my son."

"Not till he tells me he understand." Aria snarled, glaring ath the Queen through narrowed eyes till she shrank back. "My sister is a child, no more than a babe, and blind as well. She did not understand that she was stealing and if Prince Joffery really wanted a bunch of flowers so badly, they could have easily been replaced." Turning so that she twisted the Price's arm behind his back, she forced Joffery to his knees and gripped his hair tightly. "Now, you will tell me you understand and then you will apologize to my sister, Elia."

Lord Tywin stood as the Hound moved forward. "Stand down. It will do my grandson some good to learn a bit of humility, I think."

Joffery turned red at his grandfathers words. "I understand. I'm sorry."

Arianna knew that she was attracting a crowed, but she did not care, not even when King Robert joined the mass. "That's not good enough. I want you to say what you understand and apologize like you mean it."

"And if I don't?" Joffery sneered.

"Then I'll break your arm so that you'll never be able to handle a sword again." Arianna said softly and though she was only a few inches taller than Joffery while on his kneesm she seemed to radiate enough hostility for a jiant. "Would you like that, little Prince?"

Paniched, Joffery began to speak quickly. "I swear upon the throne that I will never move to harm your sitster again." He stuttered, eyes wide. "And I am sorry I tried to hurt you. It was wrong of me."

"It okay." Elia said sweetly while moving to hug the boy around the ribs. "I'm sorry I took your flowers. Here you go." Smiling, Elia pressed the flower in her hand to Joffery, who took it with out a word.

"They were potted." Queen Cersei informed Arianna with a glare. "A gift for Joffery's soon to be bride. What good are they now?"

"You have money enough, don't you? By more." Arianna snapped, taking her sister into her arms. "If you do not wish to spend money then send your men around the castle. There is a medow where night blooming flowers called the Midnight Star grow aplenty. They smell very sweet
and I'm sure that the little Prince's betrothed would like them much better than wildflowers that she could pick on the side of the road."

"You will help." Queen Cersei snapped. "The only reason we would have to dig a flower is becuse your sister destroyed my sons."

Lord Tywin watched in amazment as the Lady sighed, then nodded in agreement. "Tell your men to bring the pots and several spades."

Turning, Arianna began to move toward the back of the castle, Elia still in her arms. As she past the King she paused for a moment before bowing her head. "I ment my words, your Grace. If your son ever tries to hurt my sister again, I will kill him."

King Robert nodded. "I do believe you mean it."

Much of the remanding day was spent under the hot sun, digging flowers from the ground and gentally placing then in beaten brass pots.
When the last had been filled, and the medow near half emptyed of plant life, Aria stood and whipped sweat from her brow. "Your girl will like these much better than the common flowers, little Prince. Take care of them, they will wilt if they are not often watered."

As the Prince moved away, yelling at the servents to place the flowers in a cool room, Lord Tywin moved to the Ladies side, a sleeping Elia in his arms. "Your sister would not allow me to set her down once I picked her up." He said ruefully, while watching the Lady brush dirt from her hands.

"Elia seems to have taken a liking toward you. Be glad." Arianna said, taking pity on the Lord and taking her sister from him, cradeling her close. "She would put worms in your shoes if she didn't"

"Has she been known to do so?" Lord Tywin asked, laughing.

Nodding, Aria smiled. "A time or two, yes. She didn't mean any harm." She continued softly, moving to the castle. "She didn't know they were someone's flowers. She's not a bad child, honest."

Lord Tywin nodded, a small smile playing across his lips as he ran his hand over the girls hair. "She is high spirited, much like her sister. How did she loose her sight?"

"A fever. It went on for days and days and when if finally broke, we realized she had changed." Mounting the caslte stepps, Arianna turned to look at the Lord. "YOu asked me why I continued to deny Ser Jamie. Mostly becasue I don't know him. I still won't marry him till I do. But also, I didn't like that my father nor the king nor you gave me a chance to speak over the matter before you decided it no longer converned me. I could have already been in love with someone, after all."

"Are you?" Lord Tywin asked, brows raised.

"No," Aria laughed. "but I could have been.

Chapter Text

News of the betrothal quickly spread thorugh the kingdoms, whispers folowing Arianna as she moved through MistyOaks like a second shadow. Anger boiling, she shot the gossip mongers an icy glare.

"I wish they would find something - anything - else to talk about." Arianna said frostily as she moved through the castle slowly.

"They are suprised, Lady Arianna." Genna said softly as she shrugged. "The marriage between a Lion and a Summer Child raises a persons curiosity."

"Why do people call my family that?" Arianna wondered outloud as they approched the castle gates. "A Lannister is a Lion, for thier house sigil is a lion. Starks are Wolves. Baratheons a Stag. But my family is called Summer Children despite the fact we have a crown of thorns as our sigil."

Genna laughed. "Would you rather they call you a thorn?"

"Well, of course not." Arianna smiled. "I just wondered where the name comes from."

"Aria!"

Genna smiled. "Your father seemes to have noticed your leaving."

"So it seems." Arianna sighed. "Yes, Father?"

"Wher are you going, child?" Lord Alec asked, frowning as he approched his daughter.

"To the village. I want to shop a bit." Arianna spoke calmly though her eyes sparked. For the past week she had been restricted to the castle grounds. A precation her father said.

"I don't want you going alone."

Arianna sighed. "I won't be, Father. Genna is walking with me."

Her Lord father rose an brow at the old crone. "Would that she could stop you if you so choose to flee again. No, daughter, you will stay in the castle, where you can be watched."

"Father!" Arianna cried, eyes blazing. "You ca~"

"Lady Arianna. There you are." A husky voice called from outside the gates. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Ser Jamie is occompining you?" Her father asked, eyes narrowed.

"I, yes, I mean. . ." Arianna stuttered. "Yes, yes, he is."

"Well, enjoy the village then."

"Yes, Father." Arianna snapped, turning on her hell and stalking toward to the gates. Seeing Jamie's out reached arm, she sighed, slipping her own through his. "Thank you."

Jamie smiled brightly. "It seemed as if you needed a bit of help. I myself am gonig to the village today."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I've been here nearly a month now, and I've yet to vist your tiny settelment." Jamie explained. "And I was told that the Blacksmith of MistyOaks was the best in the land."

"Richard prides himself on his work." Arianna nodded, eyeing a flower cart as they moved by. "A moment, please."

"Of course." Ser Jamie said gallently, wathcing Arianna with bright eyes as she handed over a gold peice for two bundles of wildflowers and pink summer roses. Arianna placed the flowers in a large basket hanging from her arm with a smile as she returned to the knight. "Flowers? I wasn't awear you were so inclinded."

Snorting, Arianna shook her head. "The roses only. I use the petals to make a sweet smelling sand-soap. The wildflowers are for a differant purpose."

"And what purpose would that be?" Jamie asked as he followed her into the bakers shop. Arianna didn't respond, only sent him a small, sad smile as she purchesed several loaves of bread, as well as a large roll, studded with strawberries and nuts.

Tearing the roll into thirds, Arianna handed one to the old crone and a second to Jamie, who took the bread with a smile. The last she kept for herself.

Eating quickly, Arianna continued through the cillage, buying meats and cheeses, fruits and vegatables, candles, blankets and a number of other items that Jamie soon lost count of.

Evening was soon drawing near when Arianna finally paused, eyes bright and glowing in the dying light. "Ser Jamie, do you see that old woman near the well?"

"The old crone who sells matchs?" Jamie asked, nodding.

"Take this bundle of bread and cheese to her, as well as these candles and fruit and this blanket." Arianna said, handing the items to Jamie with a challanging smile.

Jamie, surprised by the Ladies request, took the bundle and brought it forth to the crone. "My Lady wishes for you to have these, woman." Jamie said as he settled the items in her lap.

Smiling a wide, toothless grin, the old crone thanked Jamie in a thrilling voice like a sparrow, eyes clouded by blindness.

And so the evening continued, Jamie and Arianna handed out goods to those they past - old crones and young children with no mothers or fathers to tend to thier needs. Families with an over abondance of children and those who had none. Beggares and fools. Arianna had a kind smile for them all, a gental word to spare.

Eventully, when the last of the goods had been given away and Arianna was left with nothing but her basket of flowers, did Jamie think to ask the Lady the reason behind her actions.

"The world," Arianna said slowly, "is full of injustace. It is dark and unkind and unfair. So many people suffer needlessly. I hope that by doing this, I bring a little light to these people's lives. After all, these people know the darkness just as well as anyone else, if not better."

Jamie frowned. "Why do you speak as if you know the darkness as well?"

Arianna did not respond for a long while, not till she stood beneath a willow tree that, Jamie saw, had the sigil of the House Blackthorne carved into the bark.

"My mother is buried here." Arianna said softly as she knelt beneath the tree, green gown spilling across the dirt like liquid. Carfully, Arianna placed the bundle of wildflowers in the roots of the willow, a solem look upon her face. "My sister was only a few weeks old when the bandits attacked. My father was out hunting and we Blackthornes never travel with knights or men at arms." Arianna paused, looking at the sky with dusty golden-blue eyes. Jamie suspected she was remembering the day her mother had died.

"I was eight and ten years, fully grown. I should have been able to protect my mother, I'd enough training with a sword and bow, but . . . their was so many. They came so quickly, I didn't have time . . . They killed my mother infront of me, Elia was suckling at her breast. She was bathed in our mothers blood when they slit her throat."

Arianna shuddered, face pale. "They made me watch while they . . . while they . . ." Shaking, Arianna looked toward Jamie, who stood like a statue in the growning twilight. "My father arrived before the men could move on to be, but Mother was already dead."

Sighing heavily, Arianna stood, eyes shadowed as she moved to stand infront of the shocked knight. "That is why I speak as though I know about the darkness of this world, Ser Jamie. Does it comfert you to know the answer?"

"What happened to the men?" Jamie asked softly.

"I don't know. When my father arrived the bandits moved to attack him, forgetting about myself and little Elia. So, I look her and ran. I know my father must have killed them, but, somehow, I can't bring myself to wish he did."

'Why? They killed your mother. They would have killed you if your father hadn't returned." Jamie asked in horror.

"Because, the men where afriad. I could see it in thier eyes. They were afraid for themselves, thier familes. Most men believe my family to be sorcerers because we come from the Children of the Forest. Those men were no diffrent."

"You're too kind." Jamie said softly, moving to take the Lady into his arms.

"There is too much violence in the world, Ser Jamie. I will protect what I hold dear to myself, but needless violence it . . . needless. I swore that day I would master the art of fighting - sword, hand to hand, with a quarter staff or a bow. I will always be strong, but that does not mean I enjoy the violence." Arianna said, moving back to stare into his eyes calmly.

Jamie meet Arianna's stare with wide eyes. "You truly are too kind." Jamie whispered again, moving down and kissing the Ladies forehead.
"Come, we should return to the castle. Your father will be growning worried by the late hour."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night, Arianna dreamed of blood and shadows and bright emerald eyes that watched her protectively as she ran through the forest.

Chapter Text

The following week dawned bright, yet cold. Arianna found that she had to intrist in breaking her fast with her father or the King and his family so, instead, she found herself wondering through the Godswood, which lay in the smallest courtyard of the castle, listening to the trees and the soft footsteps that followed closely beind her. Tommen, the youngest Prince, had caught sight of her just before she had left the castle and had scampered along after her ever since. Amused, Arianna didn't let the boy know she was awear of the his following till she slowed suddenly and he crashed into her legs.

Turning, Arianna smiled at the young boy who stared up at her with wide green eyes. "Hello little one." She greeted softly, sweeoing the boy into her arms with a smile. "Why were you following me? Shouldn't you be with your mother?"

"No." Tommen said feircely, a sad frown on his face. Seeing such a sad exprission on the boy's face nearly brought Aria to tears and she hugged the boy close. "She knew that Joffery was a monster, had realized it soon after her first interaction with the little Prince. His mother, the Queen, seemed to ignore Tommen when she could, which was often. The poor boy lived the life of a bastard, with not of the freedom.

"You can stay with me, if you'd like." Arianna offered softly, a kind smile on her face.

Tommen nodded silently and pressed his cheek agaisnt her hair as she continued to walk through the Godswood. After a few short moments in silience, Arianna began to sing, voice as light and lifting as a morning birds.

"Where is your Uncle Jamie?" Arianna asked as they settled benath once of the few face trees in the Godswood.

"I don't know." The boy said softly. "I miss him."

"Do you?" Arianna asked, running her hand thorugh his hair slowly.

"Uncle plays with me and takes care of me." Tommen said happily. "I love Uncle. I wish he was my papa."

"I'm sure that he loves you as well, little one." Aria whispered, nuzzeling his hair. She noticed that his hands ran over the growing wildflowers that surrounded the face tree, eyes bright. "Would you like to see something?"

"See what?" Tommen asked, eyes bright.

"Magic, but you have to promise not to tell anyone else."

"I promise." Tommen agreed quickly, leaping to his feet.

She moved to her knees, as did Tommen, and extended her hands to the earth, willing power into her finger tips. The blood of the Children of the Forest ran through her veins, bright and pwerfull and she focus, causing her eyes to glow brightly. From beneath her hand a flower began to bloom, transforming from a seedling to a fully mutared blossom in seconds. The flower was beautufil, purple and gold, with glowing petals that cast shadows across the Morning Child and Lion's faces as they looked on in pleasure.

Tommen gasped in awe, his hands reatching forward to grasp the blossem. When he realized that it was real he squealed in delight.

"What in the Seven Hells?" Jamie gasped from behind Arianna, causing her to loose her hold on the magic. The bloom withered away, falling to the ground limply.

"Tommen, go the castle please. And remembner, tell no one of what I did." Arianna said softly, eyes fading as the magic faded from her system.

Tommen frowned, but followed Arianna's instructions, quickly fleeing to the castle on his short legs.

Aria waited till the young boy was out of sight before she turned to fae the knight at her back. "I didn't hear you approch." She said slowly, eyeing the knight carefully.

Jamie, for his part, seemed to be over the shock, yet he continued to stare at the tiny Lady with wide eyes. "How did you . . ?"

"Magic." Arianna said simply. "The Children of the Forest were said to be able to make plant life grow quicker, more beautiful, just by being near it. It seems, as it were, that so can I, as could my mother."

"I have never seem a flower like the one you grew." Jamie said, looking at the weithering flower at thier feet.

"That is because the flower does not grow unless I will it to. I call it the Midnight Star, because it gleams brightly like a star at midnight." Arianna explained. "You can not tell anyone of this, Ser Jamie. It would frighten others if they found out what I can do."

"Can you do it will all plant life?" Jamie asked, confused.

"Yes." Aria nodded. "I can make the Midnight Star bloom of it's own accord. I can make other plants grow faster, be healthier, make flowers more beautiful. I can also do other things . . . things not so beautiful and amazing. It's a gift, one that many people do not understand and mistake for the black arts. It makes them afraid." Aria said sadly. "Does it make you afraid?"

Jamie quickly shook his head. "It doesn't. It is strange, that is sure, but not frightening."

Arianna's eyes grew wide at his words. "Truly? You don't think me to me a witch?"

"Bewitching, mayhaps, but not a witch." Jamie said ruefully, a smile spreading across his face.

"Thank you." Aria murmmered, moving forward to hug the knight. "Thank you."

Startled, Jamie slowly set his arms around the Lady and bent down, pressing a soft kiss to the crown of her skull. "You need not thank me, Lady Arianna. You are truly, a desendent of the Children of the Forest and should be proud. Not so many families can claim such powerfull ansestory."

Aria nodded, and Jamie realized, as they moved away to return to the castle, the that flower which, only moments before, had been withered and dying, was growing strongly, petals shining brightly.

Chapter Text

Arianna rode through the towereing broze door of the Red Keep tired and hungry. She wanted nothing more than a long soak in steaming hot waters and a soft bed to rest in for the following year. The ride to the Red Keep had been a long one, and Arianna was happy to put the memory in the past.

Wagons and riders were still poring through the castle gates when Arianna was led to her ben chambers at last. The room was large, twice the size of her own at MistyOaks, and decorated all in soft golds and shadowed violets that suited her coloring beautifully. There was a large amour agasint the farthest wall, and a bed that could sleep five or more people easily. A large windowed doorway looked out over the Narrow Sea and led out to a large balcony.

Yawning widely, Arianna fell into her bed and knew no more.

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Arianna was running, soft feet padding over the hard desert ground. All around her the desert was alive, but the midday sun - burning hot and unrelenting - kept all other life out of the open plains.

Above her ravens cawed to one another in a vibrant, errie melody that pushed her forward, away from the death that had surrounded her pride like a plauge.

Running quickly, avoiding little cracks that snaked throug the sun baked earth, Arianna realized that she was not running on two legs but on four. The feeling should have been unfamiliar, twrrifying, but she felt confident, assured, free.

The shadows fell on her in a rush, hard voices biting coldly at her ears as a thick, strange cloth was thrown over her head. Hissing, Arianna tried to call to her pride, but they were dead. All dead. She was the last.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arianna woke in a rush, the sound of the desert still ringing in her ears. For a moment, she lay still, trying to determine what had awoken her.

A sharp knock sounded at her doorway and she realized that someone was begging entry.

"A - ahh - A moment please." Arianna called, struggeling to rise from the mess of blankets that tangled around her tightly. Bright afternoon sunllight streamed throug her windows and Aria wondered, absently, how long she had slept.

"It seems as though you've made youself at home." A voice spoke and Arianna sat up, compleatly surprised to see the Queen standing in her doorway.

"I . . . umm . . . well, yes." Arianna stuttered, finally tetangleing herself the the blackets and moving to her feet. "Thank you for allowing me to stay till the wedding." She said, although she knew it had not been the Queens idea but the Kings.

"There is no need to thank me." Queen Cersei said with a sour smile. "I am glad to have my soon-to-be sister in law under my roof. It makes you so much more," Pausing, Cersei smiled cruely. "accesable."

Arianna knew that the Queen disliked her; she always had, although Arianna could not place why, but the Queens words sent a forbidding shiver down her spine. "Queen Cersei, is there . . . " Arianna started, unsure of how to word her feelings without angering the Queen. "Have I angered you in someway, or displeased you?"

Cersei's paused for a moment before her face grew dark. "If I had my way about it you would not be marrying him." Aria had no doubts that the 'him' that the Queen spoke of was her brother, Ser Jamie. "But my father, and the King want it, so it shall pass." The Queen moved forward as she spoke till she towered over Arianna. "Do not think that my brother loves you or that he will ever love you, girl. Jamie is my twin and I know him better than he even knows himself. We were born together, were raised together, and shall stay together until our death. Nothing, not a skinny little woman the size of a child, will stand in my way." She leaned down, sneering hatefully. "You are nothing more than a breeder for my brother's heir. Once he has a son, he will have no more need of you, will he?"

Shocked by the Queens hostility, Aria blinked back tears as she looked away from the Queens face. "I must kindly ask you to leave, your Grace."

She didn't see the Queen move, but she did feel her hand as it connected painfully with her face, sending her flying agaisnt a small table, which she fell agsint before slidding to the floor. When she looked up to the Queen she saw that she was smiling sweetly.

"You should be more carefull, girl. The castle stairs are slick, and it seems as though you are unbalanced as it it." Laughing, the Queen turned away and slammed the door behind her.

For a time, that was the last thing Arianna knew.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself looking into Jamies brillant green ones.

"Lady Arianna." He said in relife. "You're awake."

"How . . . how long . . . " Arianna felt as thoug her head was stuffed with cotten - thick and heavy.

"Only an hour or so. Mayhaps a little more." Jamie said softly, brushing a hand through her hair, where a bandaged wrapped tightly around her skull. "When your old crone found you laying on the floor she fetched me right away. Luckily, you only splitt the skin along your temple when you fell. Grand Master Pycelle says that you may have a small scar, but the wound should heal quickly.

"Jamie I . . . " Arianna paused, unsure if she shold tell the kinght of his sisters actions. Looking into his eyes, Arianna decided that it would be best to stay silent. "Thank you, Jamie."

Jamie seemed disapointed, but he mearly smiled and placed a kiss to her forhead. "Sleep, Arianna. I have many things to attend to, and you must sleep so you can heal quickly.

"Jamie!" The knight was nearly to the door before Arianna could bring herself to speak. "Call me Aria. My friends and close family call me Aria."

Smiling, Jamie nodded. "Aria."

Chapter Text

Jamie stalked through the halls of the Red Keep murder in his eyes. As he approched the Queen's bed chambers his vision began to redden. He knew that his sister had been planning something for well over a fortnight, but he had not thought that she would attack the Lady in her bed chambers.

As he burst though the doorway, he felt his heart slamming agasint his chest, hard enough to hurt. The king sat at a large desk, wine golblet in hand, eyes wide as Jamie marched to his siter.

Cersei rose to her feet as he entered the room, eyes defiant. "Dear Brother," She cooed. "what brings you to my chambers so late in the evening?"

Jamie took no notice of her words, nor the King who rose to his feet with a shout, and snatched a fistfull of her long golden hair into his hand, a dagger at her throat in an instant. "The truth, now, Cersei." Jamie snarled, eyes nearly black from his rage. "Why did you attack Lady Arianna?"

"What maddness is this?" The King roared, moving to the Kingslayers side as fast as his overly large legs would allow him. "That is the Queen, boy!" Ripping Jamie from his position, the King turned red.

"Arianna?" What ever do you mean?: The queen asked sweetly, though her eyes were as wary as a cats. "I did not vist your bethrothaed today, but spent it relaxing, reading a book in the libary."

"You're lies are slipping sister." Jamie snarled, all but ignoring the king who glowered angerly. "I've asked your servents, as well as your gaurds, and they all said the same thing: That you spent the day at the market place, buying fabric for a new dress. The cart master said he knew not of what they spoke, and a kitchen scullien said he saw you nursing your hand this afternoon, complaining of a stinging palm."

Cersei's eyes darkened for a moment before she laughed. "You take thier word over mine? Let me geuss, the child also told you that I man handled her in her room. Why would you believe that silly little chit over your own flesh and blood?"

"Strange," Jamie smired. "I never said a word about the attack taking place in her room, did it?" Jamie brought his face close to his sisters, s snarl present on his face. "If you ever hurt the Lady again, I'll cut off that pretty little hand of yours, sister dear." He spat.

As Jamie made his way from the room he saw that stars were begining to come out, and he was reminind of the strange flower Lady Arianna had magicked into exsistance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Pain is a gift from the gods, Lady Arianna." Grand Maester Pycelle said. "It means the flesh is knitting together again and that you are healing."

"I would rather my head not throbb though out the day so." Aria said sullenly, wincing as the Maester wrapped freash silks along her temple.

"The milk of the poppy would ease your pain, My Lady, if only you would take it."

"I sleep too much as it is." Arianna protested, shacking her head. "I want to leave, to explore King's Landing."

"I fear that you would only harm yourself, Lady Arianna." Grand Maester Pycelle spoke kindly. "The roads are steep in Kings Landing and if your were to become faint during your travels you may hurt yourself even worse than you are now." Seeing Aria's frusterated scowl, the Maester relented. "Mayhaps if you were to bring an escort with you, I may not worry over much."

Eyes bright, Arianna nodded quickly, motioning to her hand maid, Lehan, to move forward. "Lehan, please go to Ser Jamie and tell him that I wish to beg a favor of him."

Eyes down cast, Lehan quickly left the room.

"The betrothal between yourself and the Kingslayer has risen many eyebrows in court." Maester Pycelle said with a smile and he began to pack his doctoring things. "I must say though, Lannister red truly does suit you, Lady Arianna."

Smiling, Aria worried the red silk that had been used as her bandage. "Do you think so? I believe I rather like the color."

"I do. I will return on the marrow to check your wound. I'd say that near the end of the week, you won't even have to wear the silks any longer."

The Maester had only just exited the room when Jamie entered, Lehan following close behind. Smiling, Aria waved away the hand maid and looked at Jamie with bright eyes. "Grand Maester Pycelle said I still can't leave my room to explore the Red Keep. Not unless I have an escort, that is." Aria said brightly. "Would you like to show me around then, Ser Knight?"

Jamie stood for a moment before nodding. "As my Lady wishes."

"I told you not to call me that any more!" Aria snapped, a half smile spreading across her face as she threw a large pillow at the knights head, which he easily swatted away.

"I know." Jamie said mockingly, laughing huskily and he moved to the bed chambers door. "Got dressed, I figure you will want to walk, will you not?"

Nodding, Aria slid from her bed and moved behind the screen that blocked her bath from view. "I will, now get out!"

Jamie laughed as he shut the chamber door behind him, mulling over the Ladies attitude of the past few days. She had been more prone to laughing and smiling since she had arrived at the Red Keep and when Tommen would vist she would gladly magic up as many flowers as the
young child wanted. He was, Jamie knew, growing close to the girl and her young sister, Elia, who followed the boy like a shadow. Aria had been less hostial to those around her, and during his visits he found that she would ask for stories about his day as they played either a game of chess or cards. She was, Jamie though, very curious about his life. Jamie in turn had learned much about the Lady during his evening visists, including that she could fight with a sword as well as any man - according to her at least - but that she was better with a bow or quarter staff. She loved anamiles, cats mostly, and she was deathly afraid of thunderstorms. The girl was, Jamie found, as perplexing as a riddle.

Jamie was still mulling over the girl when the bed chambers door flung open wide, showing Arianna dressed all in gold and crimson. The color was, Jamie saw, the same as the red for House Lannister. Smiling widely, Jamie took Aria's offered arm and together they began to walk.

Aria looked around her in awe as Jamie showed her ways through the streets of Kings Landing known only to kights and ghosts. He showed her the Market Place, which bustled with activity even at midday, when the sun was at it's hottests, and the Crafters Square, where one coud buy anything made from steele, gold, brass or bronze; wood and grasses and gems and strange black stone that Arianna did not know the name of. There were many houses, some stacked on top of one other like tiny towers, others built out so long and wide you couldn't be sure what door belong to what house unless you lived there. Finally, as the sun began to set, Jamie led Arianna to the docks, where ships of all sized were docked and men ran back and forth like mice.

"Wait here a moment, Lady Aria." Jamie spoke softly into her ear, a wide smile on his face. Aria was left standing alone, eyes following the knight as he approched a dark skinned man hawking his wears. Jamie spoke with the man for a long while, motioning wildly with his arms, before the merchant seemed to understand his words. Moving quickly, the man moved to his ship and Jamie followed after, both dissapearing below into the ships hold. Aria waited. And waited. And waited, but still Jamie did not return from the ship. After many long minutes had past, Arianna began to grow nervous and just as she began to move toward the ship Jamie reappeared, holding a large bundle in his arms as he smiled widely at the merchant and unboarded from his ship.

"What were you doing?" Aria asked, voice high as Jamie moved to her side. "You were down there for an awfully long time."

"Was you worried?" Jamie asked, eyes sparkling. "No matter, I have a gift for you."

Arianna gasped as Jamie thrust the bundle into her arms and a large, twany head poked it's way would of the wool linens it was wrapped in. "It's a kitten!" Arianna exclaimed, eyes bright. "It's so big!"

"It is a Shadow-Lion, brought over from the Free Cities. Not many survived, but this little one did." Jamie explained, watching Arianna fawn over the kitten with pride. "She'll grow to be the size of a small hourse, roughly, and once she is fully grown you will be able to saddle the beast and ride her. Train and raise her well and she will grow to be feircly loyal to you and those you love. She will never allow anyone to harm you, not even myself."

"Jamie . . . this is amazing!" Aria exclaimed, moving to hug the knight tightly. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome, my Lady." Jamie said softly, pleased with her happiness. "What will you name the cub?"

"I think that I will call her . . . Valiant."

Chapter Text

Lehan helped Arianna from her bath, being very careful of the wound still obvious at her temple. Aria thought of fighting agasint the girl ministrations but decided agasint it. She was only tring to help, after all, she reminded herself as Lehan brushed out her hair till it shone brightly and fell down her back in a rich cascade.

"I don't understand why you object to the ball so." Lehan commented as she stepped back slip a soft silk dress over Arianna's head. "After all, it is to celebrait your and Ser Jamie's betrothal." She contined in her rough voice.

"I just don't care for balls." Aria said as she slipped a pair of pale blue slippers onto her feet that matched her dress perfectly. "I can't dance."

"Really?" Lehan gasped, eyes wide.

"Yes, I mean, I can dance well enough, just not anything that you would see at a court ball." Aria informed her hand maid with a sigh as she petted Valiant sadly, while the Shadow-Lion rubbed agsint her legs. Though Ser Jamie had given the little Shadow-Lion as a gift only a few days before, Valiant was growning quickly and nearly reatched Aria's knees. "I just know that I'm going to make a fool of myself and embaress Jamie and his family."

"You won't." A husky voice stated from her doorway and Arianna turned to see Jamie standing there dressed all in gold and rich browns, looking down at her with a smile. Valiant, noticing the knight standing in the doorway, ran to him quickly, purring loud enough to be heard in the halls below. "The ball won't be all that bad, I'm sure. You have nothing to worry about." Jamie said as he scratched the Shadow-Lion's ears fondly. "We must go though, the King waits below and he is growing impationt."

Sighing, Aria stood and moved to Jamies side, golden-blue eyes wide from nerves. "Couldn't you tell them that I've grown ill and can't attend?" She asked hopfully as Jamie took her arm into his own.

"I could." Jamie said. "The King would only post-pone the ball though. You have nothing to worry about, Aria." He promised, gental runing his thumb over her cheek as they watched Valiant run down the stairs before them, pausing every few steps and looking back as though to ask 'So slow?'.

"Mayhaps." Arianna agreed, eyes lowered. "I'm worried though, Jamie."

"Don't be." Jamie said as they entered the Great Hall. "I said you have nothing to worry about didn't I?" He continued as he moved toward the dance floor, where several other couples already danced happily.

"Jamie!" Aria protested. "I really can't dance!"

"But I can." Jamie said proudly as he slipped his arms around her waist and quickly lifted her so that her feet hung above the ground. Smiling, Jamie lowered her just as quickly and Aria realized that Jamie had sat her so that her feet were reasting atop of his. Smiling, Jamie began to twirl in an elabrat dance that took them from one end of the room to the other, all the while looking down at Arianna with warm, passionant eyes. Following closely after, Valiant swatted at Aria's dress when they moved close enough, content to follow her master.

"This is nice." Aria said softly, laying her head agasint his chest with a smile. "I'm glade that I came. Thank you, Jamie."

"You say that so often." Jamie murmmered, pressing a kiss to her hair. "I wonder why."

Aria shook her head, eyes closed. "I don't know. I think, mayhap, it is becuase no one ever told you thank you when you most desirved it."

And so the night progressed. Jamie continued to dance with Aria between sips of wine from heaviy silver goblets and conversations with other Lords and Ladies who wised them congradulatons happily. Elia interrupted thier dances regularly to show how she and Tommen could dance together. Laughing, Aria had joined with and held out a hand till even Jamie joined the group, dancing in a small circle while others looked on with a smile. King Robert stole a dance with his soon to be sister in law, although Aria protested good naturedly.

"You seem happy with him." The King slurred, already deep in his cups.

"Hmm?"

"This Kingslayer, I mean." King Robert explained, eyeing Jamie.

"Don't call him that!" Aria snapped. "He doesn't like the name. It makes him sad, I think."

"Sad, huh?" King Robert laughed. "I'll give up the throne if that's true.

"It is though." Arianna said in a much softer tone. "I think he did what he did for the good of the kingdom, yet everone treats him as though he is a tratior. Wouldn't you be sad too?"

King Robert shook his head slowly. "You'll make him a good wife. No other woman would have said that, I think. Ahh, Hell, I'm drunk. I'll be going to my chambers now." Breaking free from the dance, the King stumbled away.

"My Lady." A quite voice said, and Aria turned to see a small man standing to her side, hair cut short and slicked back as sharply as his pointed beard was cut. "May I have this dance?"

"Of course, Lord . . . " Aria trailed off, not knowing the man who stood before her.

"Balish. Pyter Balish." The man said, quickly moving to take her hands in his own. "You may call me LittleFinger, though."

"LittleFinger?" Aria laughed, eyes bright. "Is that a nickname from your childhood?"

"How ever did you geuss?" LittleFinger smiled, sminning the Lady around, ignoring her feet as they found his. "A natural dancer you are not."

Sighing, Arianna nodded in agreement. "I know. I apologize. But I fear that it is Valiant that you need to worry about. She seems quite taken with your shoes." Aria said while laughing, watching as her Shadow-Lion leapted and bounced all around the Lords feet.

"So it would seem." LittleFinger smiled. "Is she likely to try to eat them?"

"Only if you put them in her food dish." Aria laughed.

"Are you happy with him?"

"What?" Aria asked, confused by the suddend direction change of the conversation.

"The knight, Ser Jamie. Are you happy with him?" LittleFinger asked once more, beady eyes bright in the candle light.

"I am not always happy, but not everyone is, my Lord." Arianna said thoughtfully. "I think that, with him, I can be happy, though."

"Then I wish you all the luck that you can get. I fear that you may be in need of it in the comming months." LittleFinger said softly as he moved away. "Untill we meet again, My Lady."

Jamie was at her side in an instant, eyes narrowed as he looked after the little Lord. "What did he want?"

"I'm not sure." Aria said as she shook her head in confusion. "He asked me if I was happy with you, then just walked away after I answered."
"Oh?" Jamie asked, pulling the Lady close to his side. "And what did you tell him?"

"I told him that while I'm not always happy, I think that I can be happy with you." Aria said truefully, watching Jamie's face closely.

"I belive that the ball has come to an end, Lady Arianna." Jamie said softly, running his hands through her hair affectionently. "I'll take you to your room."

Jamie grabbed a torch to light thier way as they moved from the Great Hall, Arianna and Valiant following close behind. The floor seemed to shift in the flickering light of the torch, forcing Aria to keep her eyes lowered, watching were she placed her feet as they moved up the starwell that let to Arianna's bed chambers.

"Did you enjoy that ball?" Jamie asked as the reatched to top of the stairwell.

Nodding, Arianna smiled. "More so then I would have thought. I'm glade that you forced me to go."

"Forced you?" Jamie chocked, face reddening as he struggled to hold back a laugh. "I did no such thing."

"Oh, yes you did." Aria countered, threading her arm through his in a rare act of affection. "I fought tooth and nail, remember? It wasn't till you threatened to with being tied like a Wildling that I consinted to comming."

"You're speaking of the night in the forest." Jamie said, looking down at the tiny Lady with a smile.

"Am I?" Aria threw back, laying her head against his bicep. "I am glade though. I don't believe I've seen my family this happy in a very long time."

"And you?" Jamie asked as they came to a hault before her bed chamber doors, stooping low so that he could look into her golden-blue eyes which reflected the torch like brightly. "Are you truely happy with all this? With me?"

Aria placed a finger against her chin for a moment before smiling. "I belive I am. I still don't know you as well as I would like, but I've seen that you are kind, and that you, like me, fights for what is right, despite what others may think of you. I think . . . I think that I will be happy to marry you when the time comes."

Smiling widely, Jamie pressed his mouth over hers, while bringing his free hand to her hair and yanked on it till her face tilted up, bringing a moan to her lips. Jamie took full advantage of the opening, his tongue exploring her mouth slowly. "You taste, " he muttered between breaths, "like peppermint and rain and sunlight."

Whimpering, Arianna looped both arms around his neck and sighed into his kiss, eyes closed, mind spinning. It wasn't untill they heard the quite murmmered of an approching group of wemon that the broke apart, breathing heaviy, eyes wild. The wemon tittered nervously as they past, eyes wide at the sight of the couple.

Once they were out of sight, Jamie sighed. "I should leave before things elsculate past the stopping point."

"I, umm, yes." Aria agreed coenherntly, eyes wide. "Will I see you tomarrow?"

"Tomarrow?" Jamie asked, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Don't you mean later today?" He finished, motioning to the sky, which was slowly brightening with the raising sun. "I must speak with our fathers, and the king, but I will come to you before the sun sets. We'll eat on your balcony, if that is alright with you?'

"That's . . . that is fine." Aria whispered, eyes bright.

Stooping down, Jamie pressed a soft kiss against her lips, electing a small hum from her throat. Pulling back, Jamie smiled ruefully. "That's how our first kiss should have been."

Chapter Text

What an odd dream, Aria though drowsily. She had been running through the streets of Kings landing, faster than the wind, but when she had past a merchants shop she had look to the window to see she was none other than Valiant, running free and wild through the night.

She threw back the blankets and shook her head as she moved to the windows, footsteps heavy from sleep. Throwing back the shutters Aria saw that clouds were massing in the eastern sky, black and grey as they swirled dangerously above the Narrow Sea. She could not see the sun behind then and below, the land was still as dark as night. Valiant appeared on her balcony then, fur streaked from rain as he swiftly rain in too the room. Shivering, Arianna backed away from the window as she heard the door open and her maid enter, bring hot water for her bath.

"It looks as though it is going to storm." Aria said slowly as she closed the shutters.

"Oh, yes, Lady Aria. Grand Maester Pycelle says that it will be a large thunderstorm, with lightning and everything. Won't that be exciting?" Lehan chattered blithily. "You sister is on her way, by the by. Saw her as I was comeing up the stairs, I did. Had two huge rolls in her hands and some blackberry jam to boot!"

"Did she?" Aria said, wincing as she heard the first rumble of thunder roll across the sky.

"Yes, she'll be hear any minute, she will." Lehan said as there was a quite knock at the door. Giggling, Elia poked her head through the opening in the door and smiled.

"Breakfast!" She declaired, pushing her way in, taking no notice of the maid who continued to chatter near the tub.

"Yes, it is." Aria said kindly, taking a roll from her sister with shaking hands. "Why don't we sit on my bed and eat? It's going to storm today, we don't want to be outside."

"No." Elia said. "No, outside."

Using the blankets as ruggs, Elia climbed onto her sisters bed with a huff. "Papa do not eat with us now."

"I know, Elia, but Papa is very busy." Aria tried to explain to her sister as she spread jam thickly over her roll. "Here, eat this now. Papa talks with the King during the day."

Biting into her own roll, Aria found that she had no appitite as the thunder began to sound more often and louder than it had only moments before. "Elia, I'm not hungry this morning, why don't you eat my roll. You want to grow to be strong don't you?"

"Yes!" Elia agreed happily, taking Arianna's roll from her hand and biting into it quickly while Valiant moved to jump on the bed, unconcered by the tiny human sitting in his domain.

"You should eat, Lady Aria." Lehan said gentally, looking over with wide eyes.

"Sister never eats when it storms." Elia said happily, jam spread across her face darkly. "She a-scared."

Lehan gave a sigh and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, in any case, you'll be wanting to get into the tub before the water begins to cool."

Aria let Lehan pull her shift up over her head and was nearly about to climb into the big wooden tub when her sister began to cry. "Elia!" Aria exclaimed, startled. "What is it?"

"I want in too!" Elia sniffed, tears streaming down her face. Smiling, Aria pulled her sister out of her clothes and settled her into the water, just infront of herself. The sound of the storm was growing ever closer and Aria found that she was tempted to ask for a cup of wine to calm her nerves.

Once the bath was finished, Arianna sent her sister to find her Septa, who she knew would be looking for her. "You need to learn your lessons." Aria said kindly as she pushed her sister though the doorway. "You can join me for the mid day meal if you want. You and Tommen both."

Smiling, Elia nodded as she bolted down the hallway, carfull to avoid the approching figure moving down the way. As the figure moved closer, Aria saw that it was Ser Jamie.

"Jamie, I thought that you ment to speak with the King and my father this morning." Arianna said, head tilted to the side much like a bird.

Jamie sighed, running his hands through his hair in agitation. "I ment to, but it seems that your father has left for a hunt, and the Kind is still abed, stupid with drink. I thought that you might like company during the sto~ What are you wearing?" Jamie demanded, eyes wide as he took note of her attire.

"I hadn't plained to leave my room today, and did not expect visitors till this evening." Aria shrugged. "I wanted to be comfertable."

Jamie shook his head. Lady Arianna was dressed in what to appeared to be a corset and cloth breeches - both made to small for her petite frame. Her arms and shoulders were bare and Jamie felt his face heat as his eyes roamed over her tiny, yet shaply body. The breeches molded to her legs like a second skin, showing every curve and slope of the long limbs. The corset did the same, molding to her torso as though she wore nothing at all. Frowning, Jamie entered her bed chambers quickly and slammed the door behind him.

"What are you thinking?" Jamie snarled, eyes blazing. "Have you no sense? Any man with a cock between his legs will be a threat to you while you look like that."

"Oh, and what do I look like?" Aria said sweetly, eyes growing dark as she stared at the knight standing before her.

"Like a whore come straight from the brothel." Jamie informed her. "I can name half the men in the Kingsguard who wouldn't think twice about dragging you into a dark corner of this castle to break thier vows for a few hours."

"Then I suppose that it is well enough that I had no planes to leave my room today - as I already told you." Aria snapped, spinning from the knight to stalk away in anger. "I train in less, besides."

"Train?" Jamie snarled, marching after the Lady.

"Yes, train." Arianna shouted, turning to Jamie with frosty eyes. To his suprised, Arianna's hair was begining to lift into the air, green waves of energy crackling in the air around her. "Or have you forgotten that I can fight as well as any man with a sword? The men of the Red Keep have made grand excuses to visit the courtyard in which I train. Luckily, they seem to be better adapt at keeping thier fantasies themselves till they reach thier bedchambers." She moved to him slowly, green sparks shooting from her finger tips like lightning.

Jamie watched in fasination as items through out the Ladies bed chamber began to rise, lifting into the air slowly. A peal of thunder rocked across the sky then, loud enough the shake the shutteres in thier hinges, and just as quickly the anger seemed to drain from Arianna. Books and parchment, quills and ink stoppers and small feminine babbles fell to the floor with a clatter. Arianna sagged, hair lowering to fall around her face in a dark cascade. Face white as snow, Arianna looked around the room in horror.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Startled by the sudden change in his Lady, Jamie moved forward to wrapp her in a protective embrace as Valiant moved to circle them both in aggiatation. "Shhh, little one, shhh. I should not have yelled so."

Wincing with the next roll of thunder, Arianna shook her head. "I told you that I'm afraid of thunderstorms, but it isn't the storm that I'm afraid of." Aria whispered. "It's me. My magic does strange things during storms, and I can't always control it. I'm always so afraid that I'll hurt . . . I'll hurt someone . . . "

Valiant began to yawl, voice trembling in the wake of the thunder clashing across the sky. Jamie frowned at the Shadow-Lion and scooted him away with a booted foot. Unsure of what to say to ease the Ladies worries, Jamie led her to her bed and laid her down gentally before moving to lay across the bed as well. Pulling her close, Jamie sighed. "You shouldn't fear your power so. It's a gift, one that you should rejoyce in."

Arianna shook her head as she buried her face in Jamie's shoulder. "I don't want to hurt someone because I can control it."

"Then learn to control it." Jamie suggested, looking down at the tiny Lady with bright eyes. "You hide your magic as if it is a curse. Mayhaps, if you used it more often, you would learn to control it."

"Do you think that would truly work?" Aria asked, eyes wide and hopfull.

Jamie shrugged. "It's much like a sword, is it not? Without practice, even the best knight would look a fool trying to swing a blade, but with practice, he could instead be compaired to a hero."

Aria nodded, slowly, eyes narrowed in comtempation. "Jamie, will you tell me a story?"

"What?" Jamie asked, looking down at his Lady. "A story?"

Nodding, Aria borrowed her face into his neck, breath softly blowing across his skin like a breeze. "Something to take my mind away from the storm. Please."

It was the quietly pleaded please that brought the words to Jamies mouth, and he found himself speaking softly, remembering a story his wet nurse had told his sister and himself for many years when they were too energenic, or too upset to find sleep by themselves. "They lived in a one-room, stone cottage on the edge of Feary, there where the world ends and the mystical realm begins, there where golden sunshine abruptly becomes twilight all silver and grey, there where night on on side insteads on the other is darkness, sometimes absolute, sometimes illumined by small, danicng luminosities atwinkle among hoary trees, there where low, swampy lands and crofters' fields and shadowed forests on this side changed on that side into misty fens and untilled meadows and deep, dark, mysterious woods. . . . "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eventully, the storm past, and Jamie, nearing the end of his tale, looked down to see Arianna sleeping soundly, breath steady and a small smile across her face that spoke of peace. Smiling himself, Jamie leaned down to press a soft kiss to the Ladies lips before setteling back, unwilling to wake the Lady by rasing from the bed.

"You're a lioness with a childs heart." Jamie murmmered. "My little lion."

**Auther's Note**
I would like to note that the story that Jamie begins to tell Arianna is a real story. Once Upon A Winter's Night by Dennis L. McKiernan. It's an amazing tale, and if you ever get the chance, you should read it. I neathier own, nor have any rights to the story, just as I have no rights to the story line, or characters involved with A Game Of Thrones. I hope that everyone has been enjoying this story. Later's lovelies.

Chapter Text

It wasn't till Arianna had a bath and changed into an elegant pale green gown with cream-colored trim that Jamie consented to call for the evening meal. She had, Jamie informed her, sleep through out the day and through the storm that has visited the Red Keep.

As the sun sank into the horizon and twilight drew near Lehan entered the bed chambers to serve the two a delicious meal of sweet biscuits and butter with jellies and teas. Cream over berries followed the dinner and Arianna smiled as she tasted the sweetly tart mixture for the first time. As they ate, Aria wondered on the date of thier wedding, for her father has said little on the matter.

"It's up to you, when the date will be." Jamie said, smiling. "You told my father that we would not wed till you so choose."

"Oh." Arianna said, remembering the conversation vagely. "I didn't truly think he would take my words to heart."

Jamie laughed. "He seems to have a rather fondness of you, as does the King. Do you know why?"

Aria shrugged, sipping from her tea as she pondered over his words. "I know that my mother was great friends with the King, when they were children. I met him a few times through out my childhood, and he was always very kind to me. Of course, " She added. "He wasn't yet King. As for your father, I can't say."

"No matter." Jamie sighed. "So, when would you like to be wed, or do you care?"

Aria shook her head. "I've not thought about the matter over much."

"Would you want it to be soon?" Jamie pried, a sly smile on his face.

Smiling shyly, Aria nodded slowly. "I don't think that I would overly mind it it did happen sooner rather than later." Frowning, Aria glanced down at Valiant, who sat purring at her feet. "I feel as though trouble is brewing, although I can't say why." She said softly, running her fingers over the Shadow-Lion's velvety soft ears. "Winter will be here soon, but I feel as though that is not what is causing my unrest." She continued, muttering as she continued to run her hand over her pets ears.

"Is it your magic, perhaps?" Jamie asked. "Do you think that it allows you to know what is going to pass?"

Laughing, Aria broke from her melencolly and shook her head. "No one can see the futuar, but sometimes I have dreams. Strange dreams, where I'm an animal. Just last night I dreamed that I was Valiant, running through the Market, surching for something."

Jamie frowned slightly and shook his head. "Strange, several of the men reported seeing the Shadow-Lion at the Market last night."

"That is strange." Aria murmmered. "Do you think that your father would attend the wedding?"

"Of course, as would the rest of my family."

"Even your sister?" Aria asked, eyes dim.

"Would you not want her to?" Jamie asked.

"I can't very well tell her that she can not." Aria smirked. "She is the Queen after all and your twin. I would ask something of you though."
"And what is that?" Jamie wondered outloud, watching the tiny Lady with bright eyes.

"I want neither a large nor crowed wedding. Family only, mayhaps a few friends if the case may be, and" Aria spoke hesitently. "I wish for us to wed in the Godswood. I know that the Red Keep has one, I've visited it regularly."

"That's all?" Jamie jested, bringing a blush to the Ladies face. "And here I thought that you would ask something hard of me. To have only family will not present an issue, and while my father my protest at the marriage taking place anywhere by the Sept, I will make sure that it is the Godswood that we say our vows." Jamie promised kindly.

Standing, Arianna pressed a soft kiss to Jamie's temple, a soft smile upon her lips. "Thank you, Jamie. I look forward to the day when you will call me yours."

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The morning of the Wedding dawned brightly, the sun shimmering above the Red Keep, and Arianna took it as an omen of blessings from the Gods, both Old and New, and she found herself smiling as her hand maid laced her into her wedding gown. The dress was lovely, all gold and sapharie blue silk, to match her eyes, and with lace at the bodice and sleeves. The skirt was decorated with swirling patterns picked out in small seed gems that sparkled brightly in the golden sunlight. Her maidn's cloak was soft velvet, sewn with hundres of golden thorny vines and flowers that only she could call into exsitance.

Her father presented her with a beautiful necklace before she entered the Godswood, dripping with clear crystals and brillante sapharies that shone as brightly as the stars and moon.

"Papa." She whispered tearfully. "Oh, I love you papa."

"As I love you, daughter of mine." Her father said, wrapping her in a warm embrace. "I know that I've asked you many times since you told the King that you were ready to marry the Lannister man, but are you truly ready? After all it's only been four months since you swore you would never marry him."

Smiling, Arianna nodded. "I think that I love him, Papa."

Sighing, her father nodded. "Do you know that is the very same thing your mother said to her father, just before we were married at the Godswood of MistyOaks?"

"Truely?" Aria gasped. Perhapes that means that Jamie and I will have as blissfull marrige as you and mother did."

"I truely hope so, daughter of mine." Lord Alec murmmered as he moved to lead her to where her betrothed tood, there, under the Face Tree.

Ser jamie looked near as splendid as his bride, his doublet was of silk and velvet, all Lannister crimson and brillient balck, beneath a clock of the same crimson blazoned with a Lion, roaring powerfully to the wind. To his side, Arianna's Shadow-Lion, Valiant stood, mane full and eyes large as he watched his master approch.

The moment Aria stood beneath the Face Tree the Shadow-Lion moved to her side, giving a mighty roar that brought gasps from the geusts and the preist himself. Valiant nuzzled Arianna's knees for a moment before laying at her feet, purring contently.

The vows here made, and the blessings of the Old Gods invoked while the heart promises where exchanged. When the challenge went unanswered Lord Alec moved forward to remove his daughter's maiden cloak lovingly, while Jamie accepted the folded bride's cloak from his father. Shacking the cloak out with a flourish, Jamie draped Arianna in the crimson and gold cloak which depicted a lion protecting a Lady agasint her enemys. That easily, Arianna passed from her fathers protection to her husbands.

"With this kiss, I pledge my love." Jamie said huskily, eyes bright.

"With this kiss, I pledge my love." Arianna repeated softly, gasping when he pulled her close and kissed her long and deep.

The wedding party clapped heartily as the prest declaired the two to be of one flesh, one heart, one soul.

Leaning down close, Jamie smiled as he whispered, "And now your mine, little lion."

Chapter Text

**Authers Note*
Smut ahead. You have been warned. Also, if your not into that sort of thing, you can skip this chapter. It isn't a real plot changer or anything, and I'll recap in the next chapter (in a much less smutty way) what happened. Later, Lovelies.

Jamie carried his bride through the bed chambers doors, laughing as Arianna squealed when he let her fall to the soft feathered bed. Watching her closely, Jamie moved away to call for hot water and wine. When he turned he found Aria standing, head down, but watching him wearily, nervously. He noted that she stayed a good distance from him as he moved about his room, opening shutters which had been closed, moving books to thier places on the shelves that lined the walls, lighting candles as he past, smiling as the soft light threw shadows over everything, allowing the silence to stretch out as several maids entered the room and filled the huge wooden tub that took up one corner of the chamber.

As the last maid exited the room Jamie lifted his head and looked at her, his emerald green eyes colliding with her golden-blue ones. When he moved closer he noticed that she reacted the way a cornered lion might, retreating, her eyes wide, mesmerized by his approch, but anable to stop herself from running.

Smiling, Jamie paused in his approch and pointed to a spot infront of him lazily. "Came here, little lion. Right here."

Aria startled at his words, eyes darkening from nerves as her heart began to beat painfully, seemingly filling the chamber with its frantic pounding.

Aria stared at him with wide eyes for a long moment before she moved forward, placing one foot before the other slowly. One. She counted to herself. Two. Jamie seemed to loom over her in a way that he never had before. Three. Her heart nearly burst from her chest. Four. Breathing deeply, Aria took the last step, fear curling in her belly like a venomus snake, making her knees week and her mind spin dizzily.

"Why are you so scared?" Jamie asked softly, moving to cup her cheek in the palm of his hand, eyes curious.

Leaning into the touch, Aria shook her head. "I don't know." She whispered horsely as Jamie moved to stand behind her, fingers deftly unlacing the ties that held her bodice up. Gentally, he pushed the meterial from her shoulders and allowed the gown to pool in a silken heep at her feet. He cought the hem of her tunic and pulled it over her head before she had the chance to stop him. Gasping, Arianna covered her jenerous breasts with her hands, her face going from translucent white to bright red. "Jamie, I . . . I could have undressed myself."

"And deny your husband the pleasure of doing it for you?" Jamie teased gentally as he took her wrists and pulled her arms down and away from her body.

A blush spread from her hair line to the tips of her toes as he moved to stand before her, eyes bright.

"Why are you so scared?" Jamie asked again, leaning close to nuzzle her neck before biting softly, smirking at her gasp of pleasure. "Are you afraid of me?"

"No!" Aria quickly denined. "I just . . . I'm not . . . beautiful." She whispered, hoping that if she warned him before he saw for himself, he wouldn't be too disapointed. "I'm too little and I've got scars and . . ."

Jamie leaned back, eyes wide as he looked at her closely. "Arianna."

She winced. His voice was low, but stern.

"Look at me, Arianna."

Aria wanted to run from the room, to cower and hid, but she couldn't stop herself from raising her eyes to his, shivering from the disapointment she saw on his face.

"Aria you are small," Jamie said softly, running a thumb over her lower lip slowly. "You're small and have a temper better suited for a giant, and you hardly act as a Lady should." Jamie continued quickly as he watched his bride begin to shack from his words. "But your also kind, and beautiful and honorable. You bring smiles to those around you, and you are magical in a way that has nothing to do with your magic. You are the very epitome of a woman." He finished, tilting her chin so that he could see into her eyes. "You should never be ashamed of who you are, little lion."

Arianna said nothing, keeping her arms where he had placed them and biting down on her lip so not to say anything else that would disapoint him. Smiling, Jamie ran his thumb over her lip again and sighed. "I'd like to bite that lip." He whispered darkly as he swept her in to his arms. Aria realized, with a start, that Jamie was as naked at she, and her thoughts came to a crashing hault. There was nothing small about Jamie, and there was no doubt that he was aroused - for her. His eyes shifted to a darker green as he looked down to her face, a smile spreading across his lips.

"I love the way you look when you blush, do you know that?" He asked. "I remember that you blushed the very first time you saw me, sitting on my horse in the courtyard of MistyOaks. You had looked so enticing, I nearly could't stop myself from calling out to you as you fled."

Aria blushed deeper at his words, sighing blissfully as he moved to sit her down in the steaming hot water of the bath. Jamie quickly moved so that he sat behind her, his erection pressing into her back as he pulled her close. Tensing, Aria struggled to move way, unsure of her own reactions and shivered as Jamie patiently pulled her back, tucking her under his chin with a sigh.

"You're so nervous." Jamie murmmered while running his hands over her naked shoulders. "Relax, little lion. I won't hurt you." He lifted his hands out of the water and began using his strong fingers to ease the tension the her muscles along her neck and spin.

Aria sighed, arching as she realized how good she felt. The hot water and Jamie's hands worked to ease most the tension from her body.

"Look how beautiful you are, litlle lion." Jamie murrmered, resting his cheek agaisnt her head. "Do you have any idea how appealing you are to a man? To this man? I find you increadibly sexy." His heavy erection, the evidence of the truth of what he said, lay hot agaisnt the small of her back and Arianna gasped as his hands moved around the cup the full weight of her breasts in his palms. Tenderly rolling her nipples between his fingers, Jamie smiled as Aria's backed arched, her eyes going wide. Jamie coninited to fondle her breasts for a long moment, before moving a hand down to slip benath the water and into the folds between her legs. Moaning, Aria threw her head back, eyes closing as she leaned into Jamies hands, electric currents running through her body like blood.

At her throaty moan, Jamie lifted her into his arms, cradling her to his chest as he moved to lay her across the bed, taking no head of the water that began to soak into the coverlets. He had, he realized as he covered her body with his own, fallen in love with the little lion over the past few months. Had fallen in love with her fierce loyalty, her courage and honor, her innocent sensuality and the way she smiled. His body ached for her, hot blood pounding through his groin, his cock a heavy ache that refused to go away. Her skin, soft and silky, nearly drove him to madness as Arianna squirmed beneath him, eyes wide and filled with lust.

"Jamie." She whimpered, voice husky with need. "I don't . . . I don't understand . . . "

"Shhhh," Jamie whispered. "Don't think - just feel."

He loved the way she looked beneath him, her eyes wide and dazed, desire clear on her face, a blush spreading across her body, rich and heavy in the candle light. He moved a hand over her smooth stomach, smiling as he felt the muscles there bunching under his fingertips in aticapation. He lowred his head, his hair sliding over her skin as his mouth closed around the soft swell of her breast and sucked hard, drawing her nipple inside his mouth. Her body shudders and she cried out, a soft, mewling sound that inflamed Jamies senses and causing his hips to buckle, seeking her body without thought. Licking along the swell of her breast, he bit gentally, giving tiny nips before easing the stings with a strock of his tongue.

Arianna's breath came out in a whimpered moan as he pushed a single digit into her. Her mouth opened, eyes wide, and she arched her back. "Jamie!"

"Shh, little lion." Jamie murmmered, finding her most sensitive spot with his thumb. "Stay with me." He soothed as his cock throbbed and burned, smiling when she moaned loudly, eyes shut as she threw her head back. Pleasure rippled through her belly, coiling ever tighter as it spread down her tighs and centered in her deepest core, hard waves that shook her and she was on fire, crying out to Jamie in a wordless call that spoke of desire and need.

"Tell me you want this." Jamie growled animalisticly. "Tell me that you want me."

"Oh," She cried, panting. "Jamie, please."

"Tell me." He growled again, moving so that he sat at her entrence, gentally nudging.

"I want you. I want this." Aria pleaded, eyes wide.

His hands moved to grip hers tightly, forcing her to keep eye contact him him as he slowly began to push into her. Aria cried out as she felt the thick, hard heat of him stretching her as he invaded, her body flooding with a wave of heat as she felt slick moisture pool between her thighs. He pushed into her another inch, stretching her til she burned, only just not uncomfortable. Panting, Jamie waited for her to adjust to him before pushing deeping, stopping when she cried out in shock at the burning she felt. He felt huge, impossibly so, and she wondered how she would accommodate him.

"Breath." Jamie gasped, panting in an effort to keept control. "Relax, little lion."

She took a breath, trying to relax and the moment she did, he slipped another inch into her. He had reatched her barrier, she knew, and she whimpered as his hips surged forward, breaching the thin strip protecting her innocence. The pain was a sharp burning that brought a cry to her lips, which was lost in Jamies mouth as he moved to cover hers with his own.

He paused for a heart stopping moment before he began to move, slow, long strokes that slide agaisnt every nerve ending like fire. Aria gasped, her eyes wide with shock.

"More?" Jamie asked, breathing heavily.

"Please." Aria begged, moaning as he pulled back and surged forward, harder, faster, friction sending lighting arching through her blood to pool between her legs. The pressure grew as he continued to move, breath growing harsher than before, sending her climbing higher than she imagined possible.

He shifted slightly and the friction agsint her most sensitive spot cause her cried out, a soft mewling sound that cuase Jamie to ride her harder penetrating deep. "You are so tight." He moaned. "Let go for me." He coaxed, driving deep into her body over in over.

Arianna gasped at his words, head thrown back as she felt her body tighten around him, while her body exploded into a thousand stars. Her orgasm burned through her, falming through her body, out of control. She screamed as she felt him swell even more as he, too, found his release, empting himself deep within her as they both shuddered with pleasure.

Jamie collapsed over the top of her, struggling for breath, holding her tight, his body still locked deep within hers. The moment he had the strenghth, he gathered the Lady into his harms and rolled over, bringing her over him like a blanket, her head on his chest, ear over his poundng heart. She rubbed her cheek against his chest, then nuzzled agsint his throat, yawning softly.

"Sleep, little lion." Jamie whispered softly, running a hand across her bare back lovingly. "Sleep, and dream of summer and love."

Chapter Text

Aria woke slowly, blinking agsint the bright sunlight that streamed through the windows. Her loins still ached from the forefullness of her husbands lovemaking, but, she desided, it was a good ache. She could feel his seed within her and she prayed that it might quicken there. Rolling to her side, Arianna startled to see Jamie staring down at her with brillant green eyes.

"You looked so peacefull, laying there." Jamie murmmered, leaning down to nuzzle against her neck. "I didn't have the heart to wake you."

"I'm glad that you didn't." Aria said softly. "I don't think I would have liked you very much if you had."

"Oh?"

Giggling, Aria nodded. "Yes. You see, I was having the best of dreams. I was laying much as I am right now, but you were above me and-"

Jamie didn't allow her to finish. Instead, he quickly moved so that he lay between her legs and quickly thrust into her, smiling as she gasps, back arching. "Was it this I was doing, little lion?"

Moaning, Aria mewled, nodding her head as he began to move, slowly, slowly, gently. Pleasure spiked through her body as she embraced Jamie and began to respond, her own tentative movements meeting his.

And still he moved slowly, ever so.

As tension began to build between her thighs, Arianna breath came in gasps, the pace of Jamie's thrusts increased, hers matching, while she compleatly lost herself into the closeness between the two, the commitment that seemed so absolute, the wonder of the two becoming one.

And then - "Oh, Jamie. I, oh, love. Jamie . . ." Wild with desire, Arianna moved so that her legs wrapped around his waist and began to gasp frantically, her responses urgent, wanting, matching as she felt the tension build, raising to a cresendo, then shattering, a small scream leaving her throat as Jamie, too, reatched his peak, calling out his name in a wild gasp.

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Drenched in perspiration, the two lovers at last detangled themselves and fell away from one another, each lying back in the softness of the bed as Valiant moved to lay at thier sides.

Sitting upright, Jamie looked down at his wife as she moved, stretching catlike agasint the silken sheets, a content smile spreading across her face.

"Come, my little lion." Jamie said. "The Hand's tourney will begin soon and I am sure that we will be missed if we do not attend."

Sighing, Arianna rolled to her side, hand absently wondering to pet the Shadow-Lion. "I've never been to a tourney."

"Then you will enjoy this one." Jamie responded, hand held out to help his tiny wife from the bed. Seeing the bruises on her skin he frowned. "Did I hurt you?"

"What?" Aria wondered in confusion. Looking down to follow Jamie's stare she gasped to see the marks that marred her flesh. Small briuses from his many love-bites, a hand print across her hip, another at her ribs, where he had held her close. Arianna could not remember pain, only pleasure and the want to have her Lord husband hold her closer, rejoycing when he did. "I do not hurt."

"I've marked you." Jamie whispered, eyes narrowed.

"Jamie," Aria said softly, moving to lay her hand to his cheek. "Listen to my words: I do not hurt. Last night was beautiful, something that I will look back on happily for the rest of my life, no matter the bruises that may mark me. I am glade they are there - they show that I am yours."

Frowning down at his Lady wife, Jamie slowly nodded. "Dress, little lion. We must leave with haste."

Sighing, Arianna moved to the clothes chest that had been brought to Jamie's bed chambers before the marriage ceramony. Sorting through her dresses she found a deep crimson gown made of silk, trimmed all in gold and embrodered with fine foral patteres that shimmered in the sunlight. A hood attached to the dress, to pull up incase of rain or snow or sleet or bright sunlight that shone down to hotly. Dressing quickly, Arianna wound crimson ribbons through her hair and slipped leather walking boots onto her feet, lacing them up to her knees as quickly as she was able.

When Jamie rounded the divider screen, and saw his Lady all in Crimson and gold, her paused, hand out streached, eyes bright. "You truly look a Lannister." He said as she rose, pulling her hood to cover her hair, which fell down her back in soft curls.

"Do you not like it?" She frowned, looking down at the dress. "I had asked the seamstres to sew it for after our marrige. I had thought that you would like the colors . . . "

Stalking to his wife, Jamie smiled. "You look radient, little lion. I belive that you are missing something though."

"Oh?" Arianna asked.

"Yes, quite so." Jamie said teasingly. "You look rather bare without it."

Confused by his words, Arianna shook her head. "What is it that I am lacking in, my Lord?"

"Turn around." Jamie commanded, smiling as his Lady wife did as he bide. Pulling the hood down from her head, Jame brought the necklace from his breast pocket, twirling it 'round the Ladies neck and fumbled as he worked to tie the ribbon that served as a clasp. "I bought this the same day I gave you Valiant. I hope that you will treasure it as well as you do the Shadow-Lion."

Turning, pulling her hair from beneath the necklace, Arianna smiled. "I will."

The couple rode the the Hand's tourney quietly, both lost in thier own thoughts, Valiant spread across both thier laps. Beyond the city walls, an hundred or more pavilions had been raised beside the river, and common folk came out in thousands to watch the hames. The splendor took Arianna's breath away as she looked on to the shining armor, the great chargers coparisoned in silver and gold, listened to the shouts of the crowd and banners as they snapped in the wind. Knights walked to and fro where ever Aria looked.

"This is more than I could have ever imagianed." Arianna said in awe, causing Jamie to smile.

"Just take care not to loose yourself in the crowds. Many a women has gone missing during a tourney, only to reappear afterward, married to some fool they do not know." Jamie teased, eyes bright.

"I suppose that you are that fool then?" Aria jested back, laughing gayly and they found thier place among the high lords and ladies. Aria could see Sansa Stark, the Hand's daughter looking about in a daze, eyes just as bright as her own. She was dressed in a green gown that brought out the auburn in her hair.

"May I have a token, my little lion?" Jamie whispered in her ear, holding her close from behind. "For protection of course."

Aria frowned for a moment before reatching to her hair and releasing one of the many ribbons that she had braided through out the mass of curls. Smiling, she quickly tied the crimson token to one of Jamie's locks of hair, laughing as it fluttered in the wind, casting a shadow over his eyes.

Valiant looked up to the ribbon for a moment, as though wondering weather to attack, then yawned and moved to sit next to the Stark girl, bringing a startled gasp to the little Ladies lips. Smilng, Arianna frowned at her Shadow-Lion, silently warning the cat to behave.

"Be safe, Jamie." Arianna warned her husband. "I would rather like to get that ribbon back."

"I think I like this ribbon." Jamie said as he moved to walk away. "I may keep it if it brings be luck."

"I want that back!" Arianna called after him as he dissapeared into the massing throngs, smiling widely as she took a seat next to the Stark girl. "I'm sorry if Valiant startled you. She's harmless, that is, unless you have a dagger hidden up yur sleeve you plan to attack me with." Aria stated as she scratched the ears of her Shadow-Lion fondly.

Sansa gasped at her words and quickly shook her head. "Never, my Lady."

Arianna laughed. "I was mearly jesting, girl. I believe you to sweet to do such."

Sansa blushed, looking down at the Shadow-Lion with raised eyebrows. "I've never seen a cat grow so large."

"Valiant is a Shadow-Lion. She grow to be much large than this before the month has past. Maester Pycelle has told me that she is reatching her full hight though." Arianna explained, smiling as Sansa moved to run her fingers across the cats skull.

"She is soft." Sansa said in suprise, eyes wide.

Nodding, Arianna felt her smile grew and she continued to speak with the Stark girl. Without warning a trumpet blew and Arianna and Sansa, both, gasped as riders took to the field. The seven knights of the Kingsguard, six, not that Jamie was no long a member, took to the field, thier armor the color of milk, thier cloaks as well. Jamie followed closely behind, a cloak as red as blood flapping in the wind behind him, as well as the crimson ribbon in his hair, but beneath it he was shining in gold from head to foot, with a lion's-head and a golden sword. Smiling, Arianna waved fondly as he past.

Ser Gregor Clegane, the Mountian That Rides, thundred past them like and avalanche. Sansa informed her who Lord Yohn Royce was as he rode past, as well as Lord Jason Mallister and the worrior preist Thoros of Myr, who, according to her Septa Mordane, had scaled the walls of Pyke with a flaming sword in hand.

Other riders that neither Sansa nor Arianna knew rode past, hedge knights from the Fingers and Highgarden and the mountains of Dorne, unsung freeriders and new-made squires, the younger sons of high Lords and Ladies and the heirs of lesser houses. Younger men, most of whome had done no great deeds yet.

The Hound, Prince Joffery's sworn shield, entered the lists as well, and so too the king's brother, Lord Renly of Storm's End. Jory, Alyn, and Jarwin, of Winterfell Sansa explained excitedly, rode for the north.

The jousts began and went all throughout the day and into the night, the hooves of the great warhorses pounding down the lists until the field was a ragged wasteland of torn earth.

Jamie rode brilliantly. He overthrew Ser Andar Royce and Marcher Lord Bryce as easily as if he were riding at rings, and then took a hard-fought match from white haired Barristan Selmy. Aria smiled widely at her husband as he waved his crimson ribbon in the air, blushing as he looked into his eyes.

Both the Hound and the Mountian seemed unstoppable, riding down one foe after another in ferocious style.

The terrifying moment of the day came when Ser Gregor's lance rode up and stuck a young knight from the Vale under the gorget with such force that it drove though his throat, killing him instandly. Valiant's head rose at the sent of blood, but she stayed where she was, watching her master curiously, as Arianna cried out, hands covering her mouth as she looked down at the knight who had landed only ten feet away from where she and Sansa were seated. The point of Ser Gregor's Lance had snapped off in his neck, and his life's blood flowed out in slow pulse's that grew weaker with every passing second.

Arianna felt her magic whel up in her them, almost as if it were reatching out for the boy, but Aria ignored it, eyes wide as she watched as men moved forward to carry the body off and a boy with a spade ran onto the field to shovel dirt over the spot where the knight had fallen, covering the blood carefully.

As the day continued on it came down to only four: The Hound and his brother, Jamie, and Ser Loras Tyrell, the youth they called the Knight of Flowers.

Ser Loras easily unseated Ser Robor, and as he made his circuit he gave a red rose to Sansa who, Arianna nearly swore, fell to the floor in a swoon. Soon after Lord Pyter Balish came forward to sit behind the two Ladies, although he spoke to Sansa only, who seemed to fear the man for unknown reasons.

By then, the moon was up and the crowds tired, so the King decreed that the last three matches would be fought the next morning, before the melee. Arianna walked with Sansa and her Septa as they made thier way to the river, where a feast was to be held. Laughing, happily, Aria sat to one side of Sansa while, she saw, Prince Joffery seated himself to her right.

Jamie soon appeared, sitting to Arianna's left, and while they ate Aria spoke excitedly of the day's events. " . . . Oh, and I wonder who will win tomarrow." Aria gushed. "The Hound and the Mountian are both very feirce, and I fear that if you ride agsint them, you may be hurt."

Jamie smiled at her concern, but shook his head. "With your token, I feel as no one in Westeros shall do me harm."

Smiling widely, Aria leaned forward to place a chaste kiss upon his lips. "Perhapes not." Aria agreed.

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That night, the couple slept little as they found thier ardor growing for each other with every passing moment, and thier lovemaking became even more passionante.

Chapter Text

A hundred golden dragons on the Kingslayer." Littlefiger announced loudly while Arianna watched Jamie enter the lists, riding his blood bay destrier. The horse, she saw wore a blanket of gilded ringmail, and Jamie glittered from head to heel.

"Done," Lord Renly shouted back. "The Hound has a hungry look about him this morning."

"Even a dog knows better than to bite the hand that feeds them." Littlefiger responded dryly.

At her side, Valiant rose her massive head to watch the two riders as they charged at one another, a lazy look upon her face. Wincing, Arianna watched with baited breath as the Hound leaned forward, his lance steady as he rode, but Jamie shifted at the instant before impact and the Hound's point was turned harmlessly agsint the golden sheild wit hthe lion blazon, while his own hit it's mark. Wood shattered and the Hound reeled, fighting to keep his seat. Aria hear Sansa gasp as a cheer rose up from the commons.

"I wonder how I should spend your money." Litterfinger jested to Lord Renly.

Suddendly, Arianna knew how the match would end and she frowned. "The Hound will win." She said loudly, ignoring Littlefinger as he turned to look at her curiously, eyeing her husband with worry and he moved to snatch up a fresh lance while jesting with his squire. The hound spurred forward at a hard gallap, and Jamie rode to meet him, but, this time, when her husband shifted, The Hound shifted as well and both lances exploded into a shower of splinters. When the dust setteled, a riderless blood bay was trotting off in search of grass while her husband rolled in the dirt, golden and dented.

"How did you know The Hound would win, Lady Arianna?" Littlefinger called, eyes wide.

"The Hound's smarter then people give him credit for. He knew that Jamie would shift, so he did as well." She informed him as she moved to her feet to go to her Lord husband who was being led to the blacksmiths, blind and stumbling due to the dented helmet that would not release his head. Valiant yawned, looking after her master with liquid gold eyes that seemed to ask if she had to come as well.

"Come Valiant." Aria mummered, watching from the corner of her eye as the Mountian rode against the Knight of Flowers. The Mountian, she sawm was having trouble controlling his horse as the two riders rode to meet one another. In the blink of an eye the Mountian was falling, taking his horse down with him in a tangle of steel and flesh.

Aria had reatched to bottem of the stairs at that point and watched the large knight with wide eyes as he struggled to his feet, calling for his sword. A boy ran it out to him; by then the stallion was back on its feet, tossing it's head angryly. Aria moved before she could stop herself, running forward with a startled gasp as she saw the sword swing down to behead the horse. It was already too late though and with one blow he severed the animal's neck. Cheers turned to shrieks in a heartbeat as the stallion went to it's knees, screaming as it died, but the knight paid the dying animale no mind as he began to stride down the lists toward the Knight of Flowers, his blood sword clutching in his first.

"STOP HIM!" Ned Stark shouted, but his words were lost in the roar of the crowd. Sansa, she say was crying.

"Valiant." Arianna said, loud enough to be heard over the shouts of the crowd. "Stop him!"

Snarling, Valiant ran forward, all teeth and nails as she attacked the knight from behind, giving the Knight of Flowers enough time to rear his horse and spin, dashing away from the lists in a rush. The Mountian pivoted in wordless fury, sword raised agasint her Shadow-Lion, but The Hound, who Arianna hadn't even noticed, caught the blow and turned it, and for wait seemed an eternity the two brothers stood hammering at each other while Valiant jumped in from the sidelines, attacking The Mountian where she could, taking no notice of the other knight.

It was the King's voice that put an end to it . . . the Kings voice and twenty swords, Jamie's among them. Arianna had not realized she had approched the battle till she stood in thier dust, eyes wide and glowing. "STOP THIS MADNESS." The King boomed. "IN THE NAME OF YOUR KING."

The Hound went to one knee and The Mountians blow shifted, aiming for his unprotected neck.

"NO!" Aria screamed, throwing her arm out as Valiant threw herself at the crazed knight, knocking him off balance so that the sword slashed through empty air. Snarling, the Shadow-Lion swipped at The Mountians helm with enough force to send the night realing into the dirt. "Leave him be!" Arianna called in a raspy voice, speaking not to her Shadow-Lion, but to the Mountain, who looked up at her with wide eyes. Valiant stopped her attack, moving to her masters side with a snarl that shook the commens, eyes trained on The Mountain in furry.

The Mountian moved to his feet glaring at both the girl and the King before turning on his heel and wordlessly stiding away, shoving past Barristan Selmy.

"Let him go." King Robert said, and with that, it was over. "See to Sandor Clegane in the girl. Now!

Jamie rushed to Arianna's side as she was led to the medics clinic, eyes blazing. "What in the Seven Hells were you thinking!" Jamie shouted, shaking his wife roughly. "Has your senses taken leave? You could have been killed!"

Arianna took the verbal abuse for a long moment before stepping back, looking at her husband with glowing golden-blue eyes that caused her face to appear paler than it's normal ivory hue. "Clegane would have died as well as that young knight, had I not interfeared. Valiant would have protected me, had the need accurd."

"Sometimes, little lion." Jamie whispered, drawing his wife close. "I wonder if you do not have a wish to die."

"My Lady." A harsh voice rasped, and Arianna turned to see The Hound looking down at her through miss-matched eyes. "Your lion saved my life today. For that, I am greatfull."

Arianna nodded, running her hand over the Shadow-Lion's head, who, at four months old, stood as high as her shoulders. "I would not have allowed The Mountian to kill needlessly. His horse was wild, nearly untamed, yet it was him that paid for it's riders mistakes."

"Non-the-less, I owe you my life." The Hound said, lowering to one knee. "Should the occasion ever arise, I shall be at your service."

"There is something you can do, Clegane." Arianna said softly, moving to the knights side, where she only just reatched his face as he knelt. "The Hand's eldest daughter, Sansa. Do you know of her?"

"Aye, I do." The Hound answered.

"She's to marry Prince Joffery. I don't like it, the boy has much anger and violence in him." Arianna mummered, low enough that not even her Lord husband could hear her words. "Protect her. I fear for her and what the Prince may do to her. If you have any true honor, not the honor of a knight or of a Lord or King, but true honor, protect her with your life. Can you do that for me?" She asked, stepping back to look The Hound fully in the face.

Nodding, The Hound rose to his feet, looking down at the tiny Lady. "I will do as you have bide me, to the best of my capibilities."

"Thank you." Arianna responded, turning to return to Jamie's side. "I will remember these words, should you ever break them."

Looking to Valiant, who sat by her Masters side, The Hound nodded, before turning to enter the medical tent.

"What did you say to him?" Jamie asked, moving them toward the lists once again once he was certion no harm had come to her.

"I had him agree to protect Lady Sansa, should the need ever arise. I've grown fond of the girl of the past few days, and do not wish to see her harmed in anyway." Arianna said softly, as she watched the Knight of Flowrs gift the day to The Hound.

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That afternoon a boy named Anguy won the archery competition, outshooting Ser Balon Swann and Jalabhar Xho at a hundred paces after all the other bowmen had been eliminated at much shorter distances.

The melee went on for three hours or so; fourty meen took part, freeriders and hedge knights and new made squires, all in search of a reputaion, as well as battle seasoned knights and Lords who knew the way of the sword. They fought with blunted wepons, but at the end there was three broken limbs as well as nurmous other wounds, none that would lead to death.

The red priest, Thoros of Myr, won, his flaming sword scaring men and horses alike, although nothing seemed to scare him.

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That night, at the feast, Arianna meet Sansa's sister for the first time, a young girl named Arya. Thier father had looked over in humor when she tired to teach the girl the diffrence between her name and Sansa's sisters, but they all continued to laugh at the common sounds in both. Jamie included himself in the conversations as the night wore on, telling tells of knight hood and his travles through out the kingdoms as a younger man.

"He speaks as though he is old." Littlefinger enterjected. "Only twenty and eight years and he yet thinks himself to be quite the old man, doesn't he?" He jested good naturadly, causing the table to laugh as Jamie blushed.

Valiant, otherwise still at Arianna's side, stirred at the laughed and roared, as though laughing with them, sending another fit around the table.

"You're Shadow-Lion has grown large in the past few months." Littlefinger commented. "Do you think she still wants to eat my shoes?"

"I'm not sure, Lord Balish." Aria responded, a wide smile on her face. "Mayhaps you should stick them in her face and she if she takes a nibble."

Laughing, Littlefinger shook his head. "I'm rather fond of all ten of my toes, thank you."

The eunuch, Varys, smiled. "And here we though that it was another part of his being he was rather fond of."

"Well, there is that too." Littlefinger shook his head. "I'll make sure to keep it away as well."

"You would do well too." Jamie mummered, leaning close to run his fingers through Aria's hair. "I heard you say that I would loose agasint The Hound today. Why?"

"Becasue, The Hound is not a foolish man and understood what you would do. You were predictable, which lead to your being unsetted." Aria responded, taking a deep drought from her wine goblet.

"Lady Aria!" A voice cried, before Jamie could reply.

Turning, Aria saw a young man running towards her, eyes wide and face stricken. "LADY ARIA!"

Standing, Aria turned to face the man and was shocked when he grabbed her wrist, nearly pulling her to her knees. "What are you doing?" Aria asked as Valiant stood, growling softly.

"Your father, Lady Aria." The boy choked out. "You father and sister fell from his horse as he rode to the keep to put your sister to sleep. You must come quickly."

"My father?" Arianna repeated, not fully understanding the boy's words. "My sister? Are they alright?"

Groaning, the boy pulled her wrist again, causing Aria to move forward and then run by his side as they hurried toward to the castle. "You must hurry!" The boy urged.

Aria noted that many of the men who had been seated at her table was trailing after the two, Valiant aswell. When they reatched the castle she found the boy leading her to the Maester Pycelle's chambers, were she found her sister laying on a bed, motinless beneath a thin sheet.

"Oh, Gods." Arianna gasped. "She's not . . . "

"No, the girl will live, she mearly sleeps." The Maester said slowly, eyes lowered. "She broke her leg, but it should mend well enough with in the coming months. She must not walk on it, though."

"I understand, but where . . . where is my father?" Arianna questioned as the followers reatched the room, panting and out of breath.

"I'm so sorry, girl." Maester Pycelle murmmered. "I did all I could, truly, but when they brought him to me, he was already gone."

"What?" Arianna asked, not understanding his words. "What do you mean he was gone? Gone where?"

"Aria . . . " Jamie whispered, reatching out to his bride.

"No!" Aria snapped, backing away. "My father isn't dead! He can't be dead. I just saw him this afternoon and he was whole and healthy." She shouted, looking at the Maester through narrowed eyes.

"Your father shattered his head upon a rock when he fell. There was nothing to be done." Pycelle mummered.

"No!" Aria shouted, voice horse. "You're lying! Where is my father? Where . . .?" Her words becamed muffled as Jamie moved to wrapp the Lady in his arms, her face buried agasint his chest. "He can't be dead. He can't be." She began to strain to break from her husbands grasp then, face pale and eyes bloodshot from unshed tears. "He's not dead!" She screamed, ignoring the looks of concern and pity that ranged across the mens faces as they looked on in silence. "He's not dead!"

"Have her drink this, it will calm her."

Aria fought as a cup was pressed agasint her lips, but could do little to stop the liquid from streaming into her mouth and down her throat. Within seconds she began to feel dizzy, as though she was disconnected from her body in some way.

The last thing she saw was Jamie and Valiants eyes, green and gold mixing together and she felt herself being carried away. She shut her eyes then, and darkness took over.

Chapter Text

"She still hasn't spoken?"

"No. She sits there, eyes clouded, taking care of her sister while she waits for her to awaken."

"Maester Pycelle still hasn't managed to wake the girl yet?"

"He doesn't understand it. It was only a little milk of the poppy. She should have woke by the next morn, but she continues to sleep. Her lungs filled with water, he says, and he doesn't know how to empty them without casuing the girl great injury. Aria keeps her alive by forcing the girl to drink honeys milk and soup broths. I fear she may not last very much longer.

"And she doesn't react to your presence?"

"No, I've screamed and pleaded and cursed. Even the King and the Stark Lord has come, trying to break her from the sleeping-wake she seemes be in in. She only sits there. It's like she's not even awear that there are others in the room."

"She did go through quite a tramatic shock."

"Yes, but I've never seen anyone react this way. She mumbles sometimes, almost as if she's speaking to her sister, but I never understand the words."

"Has her father been taken care of?"

"Yes, I stood vigil over him myself before I sent him to be buried at MistyOaks. I feel that he would have wanted to be lain to rest next to his wife."

"And were is her pet, the Shadow-Lion you gifted her?"

"Valiant stays by her side at all times when I am away, leaving only when I enter the room. More than likely, she is out, sleeping or hunting."

"Maester Pycelle has told me strange things about the girl, Jamie."

"Has he?"

"He says that he has seen her eyes glow and sparks shoot from her fingers during the night. He believes that she is able to draw on magic, something the Children of the Forest was said to be able to do."

"He doesn't lie. Arianna has magic, Father. I've seen her do amazing things, restore life to a near dead bird, cause plant life to thrive where it might have other wise died. She is strong, perhaps she is trying to heal her sister."

"Why was I not told about this?"

"Becasue, Father, Arianna asked me to keept her powers between the two of us. Only Tommen and her family know, besides myself and, now, you. I don't think she would want for you to tell the other Lords and Ladies though."

"Do you take me fore a fool? They would run screaming, claiming her to be a witch."

"And you don't think so?"

"You forget, boy, I have seen much stranger things that a little magic. Dragons, for starters."

"I know, Father."

"How long to you plan to stay in this room, waiting for your Lady wife to come to her senses?"

"As long as it takes. I will not abandon her. She~ Maester Pycelle! Maester Pycelle!"

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Arianna could see her sister's life force, once a brightly glowing orb, now nothing more that a shadowed flicker, like a candle ready to snuff out. She knew that little Elia was in pain, something that Arianna hated, but she had to keep her sister alive. She had to make her live.

She could hear voices: The Hand's. The King's. The Queen even visited, voice heavy with false concern. Grand Maester Pycelle's. Jamie's most of all. Always Jamie's voice.

It could have been days or weeks, but she knew that time was passing. She felt her body weakening, but she could not rest, could not stop using her magic, for if she did, her sister would slip into the void with her parents, and Arianna did not know how she would survive if she lost little Elia.

Little Elia, so kind, always smiling despite her disability. Elia could not die, she would not let her.

She felt her sister shudder, not with hands, but with her power, and she realized she had found what she had been seeking - the water that flooded her lungs, causing her to gasp and wheeze for breath. Breathing deeply, Aria called the power to her, focusing, drawing energy from the world around her.

And she forced the water from her sisters lungs. Sighing as she felt her sister reel to her side, gasping as the liquid forced its way up her throat and out her mouth, leaving her lungs blissfully clear. Aria focused till she was sure the water was gone, every ounce, then moved to release the magic. Relaxing, Aria will the power to fade, to disapate, but stiffened when she realized that it wouldn't, it couldn't.

Aria felt herself raise from the chair she was sitted in, felt her feet leave the floor, her hair whip about her face in a silent storm as the power continued to rage inside of her. She had used her power for too long, too much, and she was going to pay the price.

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Jamie watched in growing horror as Aria lifted from her chair, eyes opening wide. Her gown and hair billowed around her in an unfelt wind, snapping roughly around her. She was nearing the cieling and, Jamie saw, she was crying.

"Father, take the girl from this place!"

"You may die." His father informed him calmly, scooping the small child into his arms, who looked at her sister in shock. \

"I know."

"A fool till the end, eh?" His father laughed. "Make sure you and the girl live, I rather think that I'd like to talk to her again." He added before sprinting to the doorway where Maester Pycelle stoode, eyes wide.
"Aria," Jamie said softly, moving forward so that he stood just below where she floated. "You must calm down, luv. Release your magic, you have no more need of it."

"I . . . . can't." Arianna whispered, looking down at Jamie with eyes that glowed so brightly he could not see the colors, only white.

"You must." Jamie shouted, ducking as a heavy tome flew dangerously close to his skull. "If you don't, people will be be hurt." He said, reatching out to grasp hold of her foot, which floated just at his head.

Whimpering, Aria shook her head. "I . . . should have . . . taken my sister to bed. I knew . . . that Father had . . . . to much to drink. . . . it is my fault."

"No." Jamie soothed. "Your father made his choice, and it has come to pass. If you blame yourself, the guilt will worry ate you day and night till you can't think though it. You have to let it go, little lion." Moving quickly, Jamie seized her foot and drew her down, holding her close as her small frame was racked by sobbs. Slowly, the glow faded from her eyes and he was left with his dusty golden-blue eyes wife, all traces of her magic gone.

"See," Jamie soothed. "You only had to let go."

**Authers Note** Sorry that this chapter was so short. It's two in the morning where I'm at, and I'm running on about four hours of sleep, so forgive me, plus this last section has kept wanting to be stupid and smush all together. If it does it again then I quite, and it's just going to be smushed. I hope everyone is enjoying this story! I already have the next part started! Well, Laters, Lovelies X

Chapter Text

The knocking would no stop. Arianna winced, pulling the thick blanket over her head, groaning as she felt Jamie raise from the bed, streaching as he walked to the door way. Snagging a thin robe from the back of a chair, Jamie threw open the chamber door, frowning slightly when he saw the one who had been knocking.

"Lord Baelish." Jamie said, raisning an eyebrow.

Entering the room, Petyr smirked to see the slim, naked leg peaking out from beneath the covers. "Your wife seems to be unconcerned with my arrivle." He said lightly.

"She's had a rather trying week, as you well know." Jamie responded, shifting so that he stood between his wife and the Lord standing before him. "Her sister is only just learning how to walk again. It is no easy task."

"Yes, but I'm afriad that the news I bear will be no easy task either." Lord baelish said mournfully. "I regreat to inform you that the Lady Catlyn has kiddnapped your brother, the Imp. I'm afriad that she has taken him to be held hostage at the Vale."

"What?" Jamie said, voice deadly quite.

"Yes, a terrible tragity. I felt it may be a softer blow to hear it from a friend." Lord Baelish continued, although his tone was anything other that worried. "I suggest that you speak with Lord Starke yourself, at all haste."

Jamie cursed, drawing Aria's attention and she shifted to the blanket fell around her waist, showing that she still wore the gown she had been dressed in the day before. "Jamie, whats the matter?"

"The Starke bitch has taken my brother." Jamie snarled, dressing quickly. "I will not let this slight pass."

"Jamie, wait, you might not understand the situati - " Aria started, only to be cut off at the sight of Jamie's back as he stormed from the room, face red with rage. "Jamie! Jamie, come back."

"I fear he will not listen, not even to you." Lord Baelish said, smirking as he moved to the doorway. "He seems to be in a fine rage at the moment."

"Littlefinger," Aria said, eyes wide. "what happened? Why did Lady Starke take Jamies brother? I don't understand."

"Lady Starke claims that Tyrion, the Imp as it were, sent a man to kill her youngest son, Brandon of Winterfell. He fell from a tower not long before Lord Starke left to atteand the King as Hand."

"But isn't he just a boy? Who would want to kill a small boy?" Aria asked, shocked.

"More that you might think, Lady Arianna." Baelish murmmered. "If he had seen something he should not have, for instance."

"Seen something he shouldn't have?"

"It is just a thought." Baelish answered brightly. "But, you should know, you sister is looking for you. I believe she said that she wanted to go to the gardens."

"Oh, right." Arianna nodded. "I had nearly forgotten that she wanted to go there."

Lord Baelish smiled. "I will take my leave then, My Lady." Bowing deeply, Baelish turned and departed from the room, a sly smile on his face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Beautiful dreamer,
Wake unto me
Starlight and dewdrops
Are awaiting thee

Sounds of the rude world
Heard in the day
Led by the moonlight
Have all passed away

Beautiful dreamer,
Queen of my song
List' while I woo thee
With soft melody

Gone are the cares of
Life's busy throng
Beautiful dreamer
Awake unto me
Beautiful dreamer,
Awake unto me"

Leaning back, Aria smiled, staring down at her sister with bright eyes. She had spent much of the day by her sisters side, following close by as she struggled to force her left leg to bend, the bone protesting after so long inactive.

She knew not where her Lord husband was, and as she wandered toward her bed chamber she found herself pondering over his action that morning. He hadn't even seemed to be himself, he was so over come with rage, and it had frightened her more then she would ever let him know. Not for the first time she remembered that she had known Jamie for less than a year.

"Jamie!" She exclaimed, seeing her Lord husband standing over thier bed, back toward the door, head bowed. "I've missed you today, where were you?"

Jamie said nothing for a moment before he turned, eyes dark with anger still. "Pack your things. Anything that you think you may need. I'm sending you to my father, at his encampment. You and your sister; I do not trust my sister enough to leave you at King's Landing by your own."

"My own . . . Jamie, I don't understand, why would I be on my own?" Aria asked, moving to stand by her husbands side.

"There is t o be a war." Jamie explained, race black with bearly contained rage. "I will not leave you behind while I go to fight, but I can not ensure your safty where I will be, so I'm sending you and you to my father instead. You'll be safe enough there until I return.'

Arianna shook her head, eyes filling with tears. The last month had been very stressfull for her, and she found that Jamies knew upset her more than it should have. "Jamie . . . I want to stay with you. I don't want to go to your father, I bearly know him."

"You don't have a choice!" Jamie yelled, spinning to look at his tiny wife, causing Valiant to snarl. "It would be dangerous for you to be here on your own then you know. My sister would do everything in her power to harm you, even kill you." Jamie continued, lowering his voice with an effort. "I don't want to see you hurt. I will protect you."

Aria looked up at Jamie for a moment, eyes wide, before nodding. "I will pack my things then. I just . . . . we only just married. I'm afriad that you'll be killed if you go to war."

Jamie smiled slightly, before pulling a shining object from his breast pocket. "I had this made, while I was gone. It is a Lannister lion. So long as you have this, then we will always find each other, no matter what."

The little lion was attached to a thin silver chain and glinted brightly in the candle light. Aria saw, with a smile, that it had two small jems emplated at its eyes, emeraldes, the same color as her Lord husbands eyes. "Jamie . . . promise me. Promise me that you won't die."

Moving forward, Jamie sweeped down to claim her mouth with his own, kissing her deeply. She knew then that he wouldn't promise her in words, but his actions spoke louder than they ever could have.

Chapter Text

Distant watchers peered down from towers of unmortared stone as the party approched through the valley, and once, Arianna saw, a raven took wing. When they reatched the wall, a captian was wuick to appear and quicker to give them an escort when her recognized his Lord's son's wife. Aria saw no bodies, but there were ravens and crows aplenty, and she knew that there had been a battle there, recently. The captian led her group to an inn at the crossroads, and as they moved forward, Arianna stared about herslef in astonishment.

Lord Tywin's camp spread over leagues. There was an estiblishment of twenty thousand men and knights. The commen men could be seen camping out in the open, but the knights had tents that they called thier home. There was clansmen as well, people that Arianna's family had always been on good terms with, although not the best.

The inn and its stables were nothing more than tumbled stones and blackened foundations, where the rest of the town had been burned to the ground. Boy's emerged hesitantly from the stables to see to thier horses, but stopped to stare when they say Lady Arianna atop her Shodow-Lion, a cloak of crimson and gold on her shoulders.

A pair of house guard in crimson cloaks and lion crested helms stood under the inn's sign and, although Arianna did not recognize either of them, they clearly recongized her.

"Lord Tywin is in the common room, m'lady, with his son." The elder of the two gaurd stated.

"Thank you." Arianna said calmly, sliding down from Valiants back carefully. Her Shadow-lion did not have a saddle, and Arianna wished to keep it so. My sister is weary from our long journey. See to it that she is shown to our placements and giving food and drink. She is lame at the moment, with a broken leg, so if I hear that you where cruel or harsh to her, you will answer to my Shadow-Lion, Valiant, understand?"

Both men looked to the large feline at her side and nodded, scurrying away to help her sister from her carriage.

Nodding in approvale, Arianna turned and entered the inn, and there was her father-in-law as well as her brother-in-law.

Lord Tywin was much as she remembered from MistyOaks, a hard man in his mid fifties, tall with long legs, broad shoulders, and a flat stomach. His head was shaved, and the side whickers along his jaw thick and wiry.

Lord Trion, his son, looked nothing like his siblins. He ws a drarf, less than half his brothers hight, with short stunted legs. His head was too large for his body, with a brute's swuashed in face beneath a swollen shelf of a brow. One green eyes and one black followed her movments under a lank of hair so blond it was nearly white.

Across the table, a third man sat, sharing a flagon on ale with Lord Tywin. He was portly and bladin, with a close cropped yellow beard that followed the line of his massive jaw.

It was Lord Tyrion that noticed Arianna and Vaiant first, turning to smile kindly at the young woman. "Lady Aria."

"Aria, if you will." Arianna stated, striding forward to stand at the foot of the table. "I rather dislike that title due to personal reasons." She moved to seat herself in a chair and poured herself a goblet of iced water. "I was under the empression that this war started because you were being held prisioner."

"As you say." Lord Trion smiled. "Then please, sister-by-blood, call me Tyrion, and, as it turns out, I managed to escape with a little help."

Nodding her head in alcenknowlegement, Aria turned her attention to Lord Tywin, how stared at her clothes with a frown. She had expected as much from Jamies first reaction to her coresed tunic and cloth breaches, and held out a hand to stop his rant before it began. "It is rather hard to ride a Shadow-Lion in skirts, my Lord, so I would rather you keep you judgment to yourself." She said quickly. "Now, have you heard word of my husband?"

The men at the table seemed shooked by her words, but Lord Tywin did not. "You still have no respect for athority, I see."

"My husbad." Aria snapped, bringing a smirk to Lord Tyrion's face. "It has been a long journey, my Lord, and I want to know how my husband has faired these past weeks. If you will not tell me then I will someone who will." She said, said, glareing through narrowed eyes.

Lord Twyin held his hand out in a beseaching manner. "Calm, Lady Aria. Jamie fairs well. He smashed the Lords Vance and Piper at the Golden Tooth, and met the massed paower of the Tullys under the walls of Riverrun."

Arianna visably relaxed at his words, sinking down in her chair with a travel weary sigh. "Thank the Gods."

"You seem to have developed a great love for my brother, Arianna" Trion said, rasing his glass to her. "I am pleased to say so, and sorry that I missed your wedding."

"Do not worry, Tyrion." Arianna yawned, eyes drooping. "It was not a large affair. "I have missed your brother teribbly though."

Lord Tywin stood, clapping his hands. "Tyrion, show Lady Aria to her tents. You will find they are near your own.

"As you saw, Father." Tyrion nodded, jumping down from his chair. "Please send word that I will be wanting roasted meat as well as iced water, honeyed milk, wine, beer and any fruits that the scullions might be able to forge up. I dare say that my new sister are hungry."

Lord Twyin did not look happy about the order from his son, but he nodded, waving a sevent forward to relay the instructions.

That night, Arianna and Elia fell asleep, huddled together , with Valiant standing watch over them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sound of blareing of trumpets. She could hear the shouts of men and the clatter os spears, the nickering of horses. Valiant sat near the tent flap, eyes narrowed to slits, a deep growl rumbling low in her chest.

"Sister?" Little Elia said in a trembling voice, eyes wide. "What is happening sister?"

"I believe that they are going to fight." Aria said softly, moving to pull the finely crafted bow from its hiding spot amoung her clothing, and slip the quiver around her back. "Do not worry, they will not fight in camp, but away from here, and I will protect you should the fight draw close."

A girl entered thier tent then, eyes wide and white. She was younger than Arianna, she weened, yet old enough to be developed. "Lord Tyrion wanted me to make sure that you are alright, during this battle."

"I'm sure that we will fair better then the men out there." Arianna said lightly, hoping to calm her young sister. Shea seemed to notice and nodded.

"Of course, my Lady is very feirce with the bow." She said with a smile. "I don't belive that we have meet."

"I am Arianna, but you may call me Aria. This," She continued. "is my sister Elia, and my Shadow-Lion, Valiant."

She petted the large cat between her eyes, and did not seem to fear her. "I am Shea, a . . . . follower of the camp." Shae said descretly.

Through-out the battle Shea sat in thier tent, both women speaking of thier life before thier meeting, both thier Lords, how to please a man when Elia feel asleep agsint her sisters shoulder. They continued to talk well into the afternoon, when, at last, they could sense the battle had ended.

"This one was not long." Shae said, frowning.

"That is a good thing, isn't it?" Aria quiestioned.

Shae nodded. "It could be, but for which side, I can not tell."

Chapter Text

Aria sat quitely at the table of the inn, tired and sore, but not speaking a word. Upstairs her sister slept, as she had, before Tyrion had awoken her with news from Riverrun.

"They have my son." Lord Tywin roared, seemingly calm for the situation.

"How could this happen?" A man moaned. "How? Even after the Whispering Wood, you had Riverrun ringed in iron, surrounded by a great host . . . what madness made Ser Jamie decide to split his men into three camps? Surely he knew how culnerable that would leave them."

Aria felt her anger rise as the man spoke. Jamie might have lost Riverrun, but she would not hear her husband questioned by a chinless fool of a boar.

"Have you ever seen Riverrun?" Arianna questioned hotly.When the man shook his head, she smirked, her anger clear in her eyes. "The castle is at the end of the poit of land where the Tumblestone flows into the Red Fork of the Trident. Two rivers make up half a trangle and then there is battle the Tully's open river gates upstream which creates a third side, compleating the triangle. Jamie knew that he would have to have three camps - one atThublestone, one at Red Fork and another between the rivers. There would have been no other way."

The men at the table seemed to notice her precense for the first time, all but Tyrion, who smiled at her gayly.

"The girl speaks truth, my Lord." The young courior said, voice flat. "We had spiked stakes all around the camps, but it was enough, not without any warning and the rivers cutting us off from each other. They came down on the north camp first. No one was expecting an attack. Mar Piper had been raiding our supply trains, but he had no more than fifty men. Ser Jamie had got out to deal with them the night before . . . well, what we though was them. We were told that the Stark host was east of the Green Fork, marching south."

"And your outriders?" The Mountian asked, face set in stone. "They saw nothing? They gave you no warning?"

The bloodstained messenger shook his head. "Our outriders had been vanishing. Marq Pipers work we though. The ones who did come back saw nothing."

A man who sees nothing has no use for his eyes." The Mountian declared. "Cut them out and gi-"

"Will you shut up!" Arianna snapped, face red. "We all know your lust for blood shed, but now is not the time."

Tyrion saw his father turn his face to study both Ser Gregor, as well as his daughter in law. He could see a shimmer of gold as the light shone off his father's pupils, but he could no have said whether he was looking on in approval or disgust.

Arianna, as it where, seemed to not care either way. "You said that they came at night."

The courior nodded, continueing on with his tale. Aria sat in silence, eyes narrowed, nodding at some of the mens words. It wasn't till his father smashed his cup agsint the floor, breaking it to peices, the Aria seemed to come alive. "There is your peace, Ser Harys. My sweet nephew broke it for good and all when he decided to ornament the Red Keep with Lord Eddard's head."

"You would have an easier time drinking from that cup than have peace." Arianna said softly, staring into the distance, stroking her Shadow-Lion's head. "Peace will matter little with Joffery holding the Stark girls as hostages, and the Stark boy holding Jamie as well. They will not ransom him, I can tell you that, and they will not trade him for his sisters. The boy won't, at least. His mother may. If you ask for a truce you will be weakened by it, ever so much. This is not a war that anyone will win." She finished, eyes flashing as she looked up to the Lords sitted around the table.

"Why are you even hear?" The Mountian demanded, eyes narrowed at the girl."You know nothing about war, wemon never do."

"I sat at my fathers councile meetings, and I use to discuss war with the men-at-arms we came acrossed, and, so far, I am the only one in this room aside from Lord Tywin and Tyrion that seem to understand the situation. All the rest of you are moaning like children, throwing ignorant ideas through the air as though this is a childs game." The Mountian moved to his feet just as Aria did, her eyes flashing as sparks flew from her finger tips. "SIT DOWN!" She thundered, throwing a hand out toward The Mountian, shooking all the others when he imedietly sat, a hard look upon his face. "They have my husband. I want him back, so if you will not act like an adult I will forcefully remove your from this room, do you UNDERSTAND?" She screamed.

"Leave me. All of you." Lord Tywin said calmly, eyes on the women before him. "Not you, Tyrion. Remain. And you as well, Kevan and Arianna. The rest of you, out."

Arianna waited till all the men had left the room before blazing at Lord Tywin, something that Tyrion was shocked to see. "How do you plan to retrive my husband? Do you even have a plan? Or do you plan to sit here, drinking, mincing over words like wemon."

"Lady Arianna -" Tywin started but was stopped by the slaming of a chair agaisnt the wall. Arianna had not moved, but the men knew she was responsible.

"DO NOT CALL ME THAT!" She bellowed, voice like bells booming in a sept tower. "You will call me Aria or Arianna or nothing at all. I am tired of being a Lady. Ladies do not know how to do anything aside from sew and brith children and run a house. If YOU will not make a move to recue my husband then I will." She continued slamming her hand agaisnt the table.

Tywin looked at the tiny woman before him for a long moment before shaking his head. "You will return to King's Landing with my son, who will act as Hand in my place."

"Like hell I will." Arianna raged, sparks floating through the air around her like embers. After a moment, Tyrion realized that they were embers. "I have stood by idle long enough. I have been meek, as a Lady should be; I have been calm. I will not be any longer."

That being said, Arianna turned on her hell and stormed from the room, doors slamming shut behind her with a crash.

"You know that she will leave now." Tyrion said, taking a deep drink from his goblet. "She's head strong, that one, much like my dear captive brother."

"I am well awear." Lord Tywin said slowly. "I only hope that she truly realizes what she is drawing herself into."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arianna sat on the floor, her looking glass before her and a sharp dagger in her hand. Sighing deeply, she closed her eyes and grasped her hair in a fist, slicing through the heavy mass quickly. She continued to hack and chop at her hair till it swung down near her shoulders. She knew that she didn't look like a man, but if she pulled the hair back, and pulled a hood over her face, she could achive the look she would need during her journy.

Throwning a lightly packed bag out her window, she turned to her sister, who sat on the bed, and hugged her tightly. I want you to stay close to Lord Tyrion. He will protect you."

Elia nodded, her face sad. "I won't see you again for a long time, will I?"

Arianna nodded, buring her face into Elia's hair. "You won't, more than likely, but if you ever miss me, just remember that I will return. I will never leave you behind, Elia. Never."

"I love you sister."

"As I love you." Arianna whispered before moving away, climbing through the window, and jumping down, where Valiant already lay in wait."

"I see why my brother consented to marrying you." A soft voice said from the shadows. Lord Tyrion emerged then, his mis-matched eyes dark. "You are just as foolish and brave as he is."

"Jamie would never just abandon me." Aria said, throwing a cloak around her shoulders and her double-curved bow and quiver. "I will not rest till he is home."

"I don't belive that you will." Tyrion agreed, helping her to throw her bags over her Shadow-Lion's back. "If you manage to kill yourself during this, I fear that my brother will be very put out."

"I won't die." Arianna said, climbing astride Valiant. "Tyrion, I need you to do something for me."

"What would that me, Lady Aria?" Tyrion asked, smiling as she frowned.

"Take care of my sister. Do not allow Price Joffery to hurt her, nor the Queen. Keep her safe, teach her well." Arianna said quickly. "If anything happens to her . . . "

Tyrion nodded. "I understand, Aria. I will see to your sisters safety, at all time, while you are away."

"Thank you." Arianna said gratefully and she squezzed her knees, cuasing Valiant to turn toward the woods. "Don't let me down, little man. I may have to hurt you if you do."

Laughing, Tyrion threw a large skin of wine to the woman before she could leave. "Save it, for when you find my brother. Celebrate and give me neices or nephews who do not aspire to kill all they come into contact with."

Smiling, Arianna laughed. "We will."

With that she was gone, dissapearing into the shadows as if she was nothing more than one herself. Tyrion sighed, waving sadly after her. He knew that she would have a long journey ahead of her, but he had confidence that she would survive.

Meanwhile, Aria leaned down low agsint her Shadow-Lion, reaching out a hand to stroke her neck as she ran. "Go Valiant. Go like the wind, but twice as fast."

As if she understood her masters words, Valiant speed forward, eyes bright and head high, just as her master sat on her back. They would save Jamie, Arianna knew. She would't stop till they had.