Chapter 117

Jaime followed Sansa down the hallway of the inn they'd chosen to stay at for the night. Jaime had been pleasantly surprised when they stopped at the country inn to find that the Lannister party was quite welcome. Though, Jaime supposed Lannister gold was welcome everywhere, now that the war had ended. The innkeeper's wife had been effusive in her praise of Sansa and her joy at their return to Westeros – it turned out the woman had been raised in the North and had much admiration for the Starks. More than anything, the innkeeper and his wife seemed honored to host the Lord and Lady of Casterly Rock at their humble inn. They had probably never had guests of their rank, and Jaime knew the stay of the Lannister party would be a financial windfall for them.

Jaime carried Gerion in his arms. The little lion had not even stirred when their caravan came to a stop at the small country inn. Before they began their journey, he had proclaimed his intent to remain awake for the entirety of their journey West, so as not to miss a single thing, but sleep had eventually claimed him, just as it had claimed his twin. Sansa walked ahead of him, carrying Rickard, and Julianna walked beside her, holding the pup's little leash as she trotted between the two red-heads – one a smaller replica of the other.

Their rooms were small, but clean and well appointed. Jaime gently placed Gerion on the bed and kissed his forehead. Sansa laid Rickard beside Gerion and began helping Julianna get ready for bed. Jaime looked at his sons for a moment, and couldn't help seeing himself in them. He knew there was a time when he was as innocent and as happy as they were. A time before his mother's death had changed his world. He pulled the blanket to cover them and stopped on his way to their adjoining room to kiss Julianna goodnight.

"Goodnight, Father," she whispered, wrapping her little arms around his neck.

"Goodnight, Lioness." He stood and kissed Sansa's cheek. "I'll pour us some wine?" She nodded, a smile on her face and she resuming helping Julianna off with her gown. He knew that she could have turned such tasks over to Pia, but she preferred to take care of their children herself. Sansa had mentioned before how her mother would shoo her maids away and brush her hair herself when she was a girl. Jaime knew she wanted their children to have those same memories of their mother taking care of them.

Jaime poured two cups of wine and set them on the bedside table. He sighed as he lowered himself onto the bed. It had been many years since he had ridden a horse for such a long time – they did not ride often in Lys – and the day's journey had left his muscles aching. But he had to admit he was almost as eager as Gerion to see Casterly Rock. To go home. While they had been happy in the Free Cities, it had never truly felt like home to him.

Even though life at the Rock had changed drastically after his mother died, Jaime still had good memories of growing up there – learning to swing a sword, diving off the cliffs, teaching Tyrion to ride a pony. Life was simpler then. And, more than anything, when he thought of his time as a boy growing up at the Rock, he thought of Cersei. Though he'd denied it for so long, he could now admit to himself that he missed her. He missed his sister. Not his lover – not the jealous, power-hungry creature she became in King's Landing. He supposed he had missed the girl he grew up with for far longer than he realized. Jaime would watch the twins together, and it would remind him just how close he had had been to Cersei when they were small children.

Though Cersei was gone forever – at his own hand - he still had Tyrion in his life. For a long time, Jaime had feared that Tyrion was lost to him as well – that his brother would never forgive him for concealing the truth about Tysha for all those years. And, he owned, there was a part of him that had not forgiven Tyrion for killing Lord Tywin. But he's my brother. The only person besides Cersei that I allowed myself to love. Until Sansa.

"Have you gotten too old to ride such distances?" Sansa's teasing voice interrupted his thoughts. "There's room for you in my carriage, if you like."

Jaime smiled ruefully, enjoying her playfulness. He stopped rubbing the small of his back at her remark and saw that she noticed and was biting back a smile. Jaime raised an eyebrow at the sight of the direwolf pup trailing along behind his wife.

"Shouldn't your little beast sleep with Arya's wolf in the stables?" he asked, gesturing to the pup, which barked at him in response.

Sansa giggled, picking up the puppy and hugging it to her chest. "In the stables? She's so little. I'll make her a bed here on the floor," she said, a slight pleading in her voice.

"Didn't you say it was for the children? Shouldn't it sleep in their room?"

"She wants to sleep here, by me."

"She told you that, did she?" he asked, his emphasis obvious.

Sansa scowled, ignoring him as she made a little nest for the pup on the floor, beside the bed. Jaime drank his wine as he watched her pat the blanket she'd arranged on the floor, a smile lighting up her face as the pup walked over, plopping herself down. I suppose it's worth the annoyance if the pup makes her that happy. He recalled when Cersei had demanded the death of Sansa's wolf. Jaime had thought it an especially cruel act by his sister – serving no purpose but to hurt a young girl. As he watched Sansa fuss over the pup, he knew he'd never deny her such a small pleasure.

Jaime leaned over and stroked Sansa's hair. "Come join me," he whispered, only to hear a little growl from the pup in response, followed by a peal of laughter from Sansa. The pup seemed only to object to Jaime. It was as affectionate with the children as it was with Sansa. It had not even barked at the sight of Tommen's little cats when their cage was loaded onto the back of the wagon. The wolf is of the North. And Northerners have never warmed to me immediately.

"Don't be jealous, little one," Sansa whispered before rising to her feet and settling beside Jaime on the bed. He nodded toward the cup on the bedside table.

"That's for you." He watched her slip off her shoes and take a few sips of wine, before moving towards him, her hands sliding over his shoulders.

"I missed you today – locked away in the carriage with Arya and the children while you rode with your soldiers."

"I'm surprised your sister agreed to ride with you. I thought for certain she'd saddle a horse and ride beside Gendry for the entirety of the journey."

"I don't think she'll be able to stand the carriage for too long. The children scarce stopped talking about the tourney. Although Julianna will be scandalized to see her Aunt riding with the men." Sansa smiled to herself. "Arya said that Julianna's just like me. When I was her age."

"I agree. Her looks, her manner…she's all I hoped for when you were carrying her, and when I thought of what our little girl would be like." He often looked at Julianna and saw Sansa. He saw what she must have been like before she traveled to King's Landing and all her dreams were shattered.

"She has you in her, too, you know," Sansa whispered. "She's fearless like you and…stubborn. And I need only look in her eyes to see her father. I wish…I wish my father could have known the children. And that they could have met him."

Jaime pulled her into his arms, feeling the same guilt gnaw at him, that he often felt when she talked about the past - about her life at Winterfell. Before my family killed her dreams and her innocence. Jaime wanted to believe he was different – that he played no part in hurting Sansa – but seeing the brother that he'd crippled, Jaime knew that he was just as responsible for all the misery that had been visited upon the Starks as Cersei, Joffrey and his father were. Jaime wondered what she was thinking as she studied his face, her fingers moving over his cheek and her thumb brushing his lips as she gazed at him.

"I didn't get a chance this morning to say…I'm very proud of you."

"What for?"

"It can't have been easy for you…to speak to Bran."

He looked away from her, shame overcoming him. He wished he could erase that moment in his past.
The selfish part of him wished that Sansa had never found out what he had done. When they were first married, when she believed her brother dead, Sansa had spoken to him about Brandon Stark. She had told him how much Bran wanted to be a member of the Kingsguard when he grew up and how certain she was that her brother would have been excited to have the chance to know him.

Though he knew well before returning to Westeros that the boy would spend the rest of his life as a cripple – that he would never be able to join the Kingsguard, never fulfill his dreams – actually seeing Brandon Stark and seeing what he'd done to him had filled Jaime with guilt. Especially considering that he himself had a life that any man would envy – a beautiful wife, three happy children and he was Lord of Casterly Rock.

Jaime had watched Sansa speaking to her brothers – bidding them farewell. They all knew that it would be many years before they saw each other again. If they ever did. Jaime's first urge when he saw Sansa with them had been to avoid any contact with Brandon Stark and to wait for Sansa to rejoin him. But he knew he was being a coward. He knew that the least he owed the boy was an apology. Although, once he began to address him, Jaime couldn't seem to find the words. How could any words I say possibly make up for what I did? What words could make up for destroying his dreams of the future and changing his life forever?

"Jaime," she whispered, turning his face back and forcing him to look at her. "I thought you made peace with this a long time ago? I know I did. I wouldn't be here with you right now if I hadn't. And I'm glad we saw Bran. I'm glad that he knows the truth." Jaime shook his head, not understanding. "There aren't any secrets now. Nothing that can…destroy what we have." Sansa leaned forward and gently pressed her lips against his. Jaime sighed deeply, breathing in her scent and pulling her closer when she tried to move away, resting his head on her shoulder. He felt her dragging her fingers through his hair before she leaned her head against his.

"I love you, Sansa," he whispered. His words seemed so inadequate to tell her how much she meant to him. He had always thought that Cersei was the love of his life but, after the years he'd spent with Sansa, Jaime knew that wasn't true. He didn't want to think about what he would be if it weren't for the woman he held in his arms. She'd given him everything. More than he ever thought he deserved.

And now I'll give her everything. She'll be my Lady of the Rock, and I'll spoil her and ensure she never has another unhappy moment. Sansa will have a home and a family that no one can take from her. It's the least of what she deserves after everything she's been through.

…

Jon and Bran sat beside the Trident, enjoying their noontime meal in the summer sun as the three dragons circled overhead. Though he knew that he would not see much of the sun again once they reached the Wall, Bran found that he wasn't troubled by it. He'd lived his life in the North and sunny days were not commonplace. He looked away from his food to consider the beasts that flew above them. Their size and their power still amazed him. Even now, he sometimes wondered how he could control them with just his mind. Warging was very much a mystery to him. Bran had not realized how connected he had become to the dragons – how much taking over the dragon's mind would make them a part of him – until the Queen's tournament.

When he first woke up after falling from the tower at Winterfell, he had tried and tried to remember what had happened. But he had not been able to remember anything. All he knew was that he would never walk again. Never climb again, or ride a horse. And he stopped caring about how he was injured. All that mattered was that he was a cripple. Then, he'd been forced to sit as Lord of Winterfell when Robb went away to war. Making decisions he knew nothing about and trying to survive when the Iron Borne took Winterfell. How he'd fallen from the tower had not seemed to matter much anymore. It was done and he was a cripple. That was all he knew.

But when he saw Jaime Lannister through Drogon's eyes at the Queen's Tourney, he knew – he remembered the truth as if it had just happened that morning. He remembered crawling to the top of the abandoned tower. He saw Queen Cersei naked with her brother, saw the Kingslayer grab him by the neck and pull him inside the tower. He heard the Queen insisting that he had seen them, and he felt Jaime Lannister shove him out the window.

When he remembered, he'd felt nothing but a burning rage for all that had been taken from him – the chance to walk, to be normal, to be a knight. He had not realized that Drogon was feeling his rage. A rage had been about to burn the Lannister knight to a crisp, until Bran saw Sansa step in front of him. His sister. He had immediately realized her peril and stopped Drogon just in time.

She knew. Sansa has known the truth all this time and yet she stayed with him.

Bran had kept quiet at the tourney, because he didn't want to hurt Sansa. Jaime Lannister was her husband and Bran didn't want her to know the terrible truth. But when she came to him later that afternoon, he had realized that she already knew what her husband had done to him.

Sansa never would have told me the truth. If I hadn't remembered on my own, I'd never have known what happened to me.

Bran loved his sister and he was happy to see her again – alive and well – but he couldn't help feeling betrayed. The pack survives. Family, duty, honor. The words of House Stark and House Tully kept repeating in his head and Bran found it increasingly difficult to understand how his sister could love Jaime Lannister after what he'd done to her family. She knew that it was her husband who had crippled him – who had tried to kill her little brother. And yet she loved him, had children with him, and protected him. Bran knew that she had risked her life fleeing Casterly Rock with the Kingslayer after the Queen had sentenced him to death for treason. She risked her life for a Lannister.

"Sansa's happy."

Jon's voice broke through the thoughts in his head, and Bran turned to look at the man he would always think of as a brother, even if they both now knew that they did not share the same father. Bran wondered how it was so easy for Jon to know his thoughts.

"How do you know she's happy? You haven't seen her in years and...you didn't speak to her for long."

Jon chuckled. "Anyone could see her happiness. You saw her with her children. Her daughter, who is so like her when she was a little girl, and her two boys." Bran nodded. It was true that Sansa always wanted to be a mother and now she was. She's a mother and lady of a great keep. That must make her happy. "I don't particularly like Jaime Lannister, myself." Bran turned to him then, interested in hearing Jon's thoughts on the man their sister called husband. "But he cares for her and he's kept her safe. That's more than I was able to do during the war. More than Robb was able to do."

"Robb would have helped her if he could."

"I know that. But he couldn't. And Sansa suffered a great deal while she was a prisoner in King's Landing. Maybe more than any of us."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't know either until…until the Queen captured Casterly Rock. Arya told me that Joffrey had the Kingsguard beat Sansa before the entire court, and no one did anything to stop it. She has…she has scars all over her back from those beatings." Bran couldn't imagine anyone hurting Sansa. She was so gentle and beautiful. She was only a girl when she was held captive. "When the Queen ordered the Kingslayer executed for treason…I've never seen Sansa so ill-composed. I've never seen her in such pain. Bran, whatever we may think of him, he is the one who helped her. He's the one she loves. When she had no one – she had Jaime Lannister. And he does love her. I…I won't deny that."

"But all that he's done. How can she forgive that?"

Jon sighed, leaning back against a tree and absently petting Ghost, who was sprawled beside him.

"She did what she had to do to survive, Bran. He was the only person who was kind to her and…I suppose she formed her opinions about him based upon how he treated her. Don't judge her too harshly, Bran. You know how bad it got during the War. You know what it took to survive. Sansa survived. And she's gown into the great lady we always knew she would."

"She has," Bran said quietly, remembering when they were growing up at Winterfell. "She always wanted to marry a knight and be lady of a great keep."

Jon chuckled. "Yes, she did. Don't worry about her, Bran. She's safe now."

Bran knew then he could never tell Jon – never tell anyone – what Jaime Lannister had done. They accepted his marriage to Sansa and were relieved that she was happy and settled with him and their children. And Bran knew Arya considered Jaime to be her friend – someone who had taught her to use a sword and helped to reunite her with Sansa and mother. During the time they all lived together at Casterly Rock, he had become family to Arya as well. If he told anyone the truth, it would only tear their family apart again. He knew it was unlikely that he would ever see his sister or her husband again. He wanted Sansa to be happy. If that meant leaving them be – keeping this secret – Bran believed he could do that for her.

Family, duty, honor. I can keep this secret for Sansa.

…

As they neared the western coast of Westeros, and the weather grew even warmer, the top of Sansa's carriage had been folded back and she and the children had basked in the sunshine for the final days of their journey. Jaime smiled at the sight of his little wife leaning back in her seat, petting the soft fur of the wolf pup sitting on her lap. Rickard sat beside her, petting the pup as well.

Gerion was on the opposite side of the carriage, beside Julianna, turned completely backwards in his seat, craning his neck, desperate for a glimpse of Casterly Rock. The little lion had scarce slept the night before, after Jaime informed him that they would reach Casterly Rock the following day. He'd never seen Gerion so impatient and excited before.

Jaime glanced at Arya riding beside him. "Do you smell the salt in the air? We're not far from Lannisport."

She leaned her head back and inhaled deeply, a smile on her face. Arya had only been able to take two days riding with Sansa and the children before she had commandeered a horse.

"Did you ever think you would return to the Rock?" she asked.

Jaime shook his head. When he and Sansa had fled in the night, bound for the Free Cities, Jaime had felt in his bones that he would never return home. It had not mattered to him, since wherever Sansa and Julianna went was his home. But, funny enough, it was Gerion who had made him reconsider and see that the Rock was where they belonged – that it would always be home. The boy who reminded him so much of Lord Tywin at times had spoken with such determination and pride about his ancestral home that Jaime knew he owed it to his children to find a way to bring them home.

"You must have felt the same as I do, returning to Winterfell after so many years away."

Arya nodded. "It was a ruin when we first arrived – nearly burned to the ground. It was nothing like what I remembered." Jaime could hear the sadness in her voice, and was grateful that Sansa had never seen what the Boltons did to her childhood home. "Mother let Theon go free," Arya volunteered.

Jaime was shocked by her words. "Theon Greyjoy? After he betrayed your brother?"

"You didn't see him," she said quietly. "Roose Bolton's bastard he…he tortured him…mutilated him. He was nothing like who he was before. Mother let him go, after Bran and Rickon were found alive. He was the one who told us they were alive – that we should look for them." That made sense. If nothing else, Lady Stark loved her children. "And there was a girl, Jeyne Poole. She was Sansa's best friend growing up. Queen Cersei told the Boltons that she was me and Bolton's bastard married her. The servants said they heard her screaming and crying every night."

Jaime could imagine the horrors that girl must have suffered. He had learned long ago that innocents suffered the most in times of war. It was lucky for Arya that she escaped King's Landing when she did or else Cersei would have condemned her to a marriage to Bolton's Bastard, rather than sending an imposter.

"Have you had many offers for your hand?" he asked curiously. He knew Sansa was right when she said that her sister was expected to marry the son of some Northern lord to strengthen Stark loyalties in the North. Though, knowing what he knew of Arya, she couldn't be happy with that arrangement.

"Who would want to marry me?" she asked defensively. Jaime raised an eyebrow, showing his disbelief, and she sighed heavily. "Everyone who has come to Winterfell to bend the knee to Rickon has brought their sons with them."

"I take it from the scowl on your face that none of them have struck your fancy?"

She nodded, her eyes focused on the path ahead of her. "I don't want to marry anyone. Sansa is the one who is supposed to marry, and be lady of a great castle and have sons who will grow up to be knights. That…that's not who I am."

Jaime resisted the urge to tell Arya how much she reminded him of Cersei. When they were growing up, his sister had never understood why the two of them were treated so differently. He was taught to fight while she was taught to please and flatter. Cersei had always wanted the freedom and power that society only granted men. He saw that Arya wanted that same freedom. She'll have to marry, as Sansa said, but she won't be happy.

"You can stay with us as long as you wish, Little sister."

Arya rolled her eyes and turned her horse away from him, moving to ride beside Ser Addam. They were about to crest the hill that would reveal Lannisport and Casterly Rock once they reached the top. Jaime recalled the last time he had made this ride and slowed his horse, riding back beside Sansa and the children in their carriage.

"Are we almost there, papa?" Gerion asked as he saw Jaime approach, his eyes lighting up.

"We are, son." Jaime signaled for the carriage driver to stop and Sansa looked up in surprise.

"Why have we stopped?" The pup on her lap barked and Sansa hushed her. She and the children had discussed many names for the pup during their trip West. Julianna had wanted something "elegant," and Gerion had wanted names more suitable to a lion than a direwolf. Rickard had suggested that they pick a Northern name and Sansa had agreed with him, settling on naming the pup Winter.

Jaime watched Sansa for a moment. She looked so beautiful, the sea breeze blowing her hair and her cheeks pink from the sun, their children gathered around her. "Do you remember when you first saw Casterly Rock?" Her smile deepened then, and he knew she remembered how he had taken her from her carriage, so she could ride with him over the crest of the hill. Jaime looked at Gerion then back at her, raising his eyebrows in question. She nodded her agreement.

"Gerion? Would you like to ride with your father the rest of the way to the Rock?"

His little eyes widened and he nodded with excitement, practically bouncing in his seat. Jaime rode closer, holding his arm out and swooping Gerion up, placing him before him on his horse. Sansa leaned down to whisper in Rickard's ear. "Would you like to ride with Tommen or Gendry?"

"I ride with you, Mama," he declared, returning his attention back to the direwolf pup as Jaime and Gerion rode off.

"Will we reach the Rock soon, Papa?" Gerion asked, clutching his arm in excitement.

"We will, son. Once we reach the top of this hill, you'll be able to see all of Lannisport and Casterly Rock." Jaime held his little body tight as they rode on. Gerion waved to Tommen and Gendry who had caught up and were riding beside them.

"Do they know we're coming home, Papa?"

"I expect everyone in Lannisport knows that their Lord and Lady are returning home. I sent a raven to your great Aunt Genna once we reached King's Lannding. Knowing her, she's prepared quite a display to welcome us back." Gerion smiled, pleased at the prospect of a grand welcome.

Jaime led the way, with Ser Addam, Gendry, Arya and Tommen, with the rest of his soldiers beside and behind them. He could practically feel the pride vibrating out of Gerion as he rode with him at the head of a Lannister army. Jaime was sure his son was imagining the day that he would lead his own army of men. Lord Tywin would be proud of this boy who will one day be Lord of the Rock. His father would have taken pride in all three of the children that would carry on the Lannister name, but Jaime knew that he would have seen himself in Gerion. His son tipped his head back and smiled up at Jaime, his happiness all over his little face. Jaime looked down at him and smiled. Gerion won't become Lord Tywin. He'll have compassion. My son will know how to show his children that he loves him. He'll know how to show mercy to his enemies.

Jaime stopped his horse at the top of the hill and smiled to himself as he heard Gerion gasp in delight. As he took in the sight of Lannisport himself, Jaime recalled his boyhood there. Riding horses with Ser Addam throughout the seaport town when they were boys, and swimming in the clear blue water of the Sunset Sea with Cersei. It had been many years since Jaime had seen his home like this – with the flowers in bloom and the summer sun shining down. Unlike the dreary winter weather when he first brought Sansa to Lannisport, the sun now reflected off the clear blue waters of the Sunset Sea and all of Lannisport shone with a golden light.

"Look, papa!" Gerion said, pointing to the Rock in the distance. Jaime looked at what had captured Gerion's attention, and thought that Casterly Rock had never seemed more golden and majestic.

"One day, you will be liege lord of all this," Jaime whispered. "You must get to know your people, Gerion. And let them know you. If you are kind, as well as strong, they will follow you anywhere."

He nodded solemnly, taking in Jaime's words. He didn't know if he was the right person to teach his son to be a good liege lord, but he wanted to try. And he knew that Sansa's influence on the future of House Lannister would benefit every person living in Lannisport. The children would learn from her goodness and kindness.

As they descended the hill, and traveled the main road leading them to the gates of Casterly Rock, Jaime saw that the citizens of Lannisport had spotted their party on the hilltop and had begun to come out of their homes, lining the streets and waving Lannister banners.

"Is that for us, Papa?"

"I believe it is. They are welcoming us home."

Jaime began his descent down the hillside, toward Lannisport, with Gerion holding onto his arm as he took in the beauty of Lannisport and the sight of so many Lannister banners nearly turning their path crimson.

"Lord Lannister! Lord Lannister!"

They called to them, waving and calling to Jaime – welcoming their liege lord back to Casterly Rock. Gerion had a proud smile on his face and he returned the waves of the smallfolk. Jaime heard a roar of approval from the crowd behind him and knew that they had seen Sansa. She had become a favorite with the citizens of Lannisport during their short stay at Casterly Rock, due to her efforts to provide food to all the smallfolk during the winter. He knew all of Lannisport would come to love her as fervently as they had loved his lady mother.

"Do you know all of them, Papa?"

"It's been many years since I've lived in Lannisport. And before I brought your mother here, I spent most of my time in King's Landing. But your mother, and you, Rickard and Julianna will meet them all. We'll open the gates of Casterly Rock and welcome them all." Jaime remembered a time long ago when his parents had opened the gates and invited all of Lannisport to the Rock. Of course, that had not been repeated after Lady Joanna died.

"Julianna wants to have a garden party and a tourney and a feast with dancing."

Jaime laughed, though he knew his boy spoke the truth.

When they finally reached the gates to the Rock, Gerion fell silent and Jaime leaned forward to see the awe on his face as he took in the two carved lions that stood sentry at the end of the road, as well as the massive roaring lion's mouth they would ride through.

"You're awful quiet, son," Jaime said, looking over at Arya who was smiling broadly at Gerion's reaction.

"The Rock is so tall," he murmured, craning his head to look at the battlements at the top.

"Once we're settled, we can all go to the top of Casterly Rock," Arya told him.

"Can we really, Papa?" Jaime nodded in the affirmative, and Gerion smiled happily before settling back against Jaime, who held his son a little tighter as they rode into the Lion's Mouth.

This would be a day that Gerion would remember for as long as he lived – the day he first saw Casterly Rock and all the beauty and grandeur it had to offer. He would never forget sitting atop the hillside and viewing all of Lannisport. He would remember the smell of the sunset sea, the color of the Rock as the sun reflected off of it, and the first time he rode through the Lion's Mouth with his father. And Gerion would forever remember the roar of the crowd as they welcomed his mother and father – the Lord and Lady of Casterly Rock – back to Lannisport.

…

As always, thank you for making it this far with this story, and for all of the reviews and comments. Knowing that people are reading and want a new chapter really helps motivate me to write - even if I'm not feeling inspired, it helps me push through it and find some inspiration because I know people are waiting for an update. I doubt this story would have become the beast that it is without everyone reading and reviewing.

One last chapter to go. Don't worry - it will be a long one :)