South

Cersei was silent after it and refused to talk about it at all and mounting our horses was slightly heartbroken that she hadn’t said anything to me and not even care to look down and watch us leave but turning to leave Qyburn walked up to me and said, “My Queen wants you to have this!” and leaning into my ear spoke, “When it comes to picking an side just remember people hide their true selves from you until it’s the right time or because we have to!” I nodded before putting my hand on his should spoke, “Look after her! I will do my best to make sure she lives after all of this!” he nodded before saying, “It’s my job!” I nodded before leading the way out of the gates looked back to still see no appearance of Cersei and acknowledging it rode off with Arya and Brienne in tow.

“What did he say?” Arya asked and distracted I heard Brienne snap, “James?” “Sorry what were you saying?” Arya puffed before repeating her question, “What did Qyburn say to you?” “He said: just remember people hide their true selves from you until it’s the right time or because we have to!“ “What does that mean?” “Either someone will be betray us in the end, someone has something to hide or someone has been masquerading as a character for so long it’s not their true self but they have been like this for so long they don’t know how to be their true selves!” and pulling out the letter Brienne handed me a knife to open the letter read, “James, I have so much to write but a limited amount of parchment to do it but here it is... I think we both know I won’t live after the final battle, no matter what I do now I will always be hated but hear this: I have enjoyed your company a great deal, you have made me feel worth it and ignored what you have heard about me to see the true me, never saw an opportunity to gain advantage or to purely sleep with me but instead to get to know who I really am; I stick to my words of if we met earlier or if you didn’t have this quest then what it would potentially mean but we both know it’s an fantasy that at least I will cling on to in my remaining time. I have thought about last night repeatedly but in the sake of both our interests I feel it’s best if we don’t continue with it, just say I somehow survive I am almost fifty and you are only early twenties, all I ask is your wife shouldn’t expect anything like I did not, should not seek power as I know what that can do to a person and to not hurt you in anyway. I will be watching you leave teary eyed from my tower and reflect on what could have and should have been but remember what I am... I am monster that should be murdered for what I have done but hear this I hope for one more year alive and like all Lannister’s will fight to the end and just like you will, at least that way the name like our family blood will live on...James Lannister of Elysium.

With love,

Cersei!”

I looked down at the Lannister hand brooch studied it as Arya spoke, “Wow...that explains a lot!” I slowed to a slow trot before studying the pin again spoke, “Perhaps I am denying the inevitable!” and folding the letter up spoke, “Shit...it hits you right in the throat and brings a tear to your eye!” “As it did to her!” Brienne pointed out looking at the smudged ink, “All she has to do is surrender, we can escort her to another location...she could live the rest of her life in peace!” and laughing I spoke, “So you mean to tell me that you would let her leave this place on a ship whilst making sure no one takes a shot, attempt on her life and everyone who hates her to remain cordial enough but to also embarrass her by showing her in front of everyone as a trophy whilst people throw food at her, no she rather die fighting!” “It’s her fault she brought it on herself!” causing me to say, “And you really think Khaleesi is a better choice or Jon? None with no experience of kingship and shows no interest or the one who has a dragon to enforce her potential tyranny you fools...all of you!” “And what about the Starks?” Brienne asked causing me to sigh, “I hope at least one of you can rule because otherwise no one is!” and sticking the pin on my tunic picked up pace again, “If you only realised how much you fucked yourselves over maybe then you will realise that none of you should be claiming it!” and picking up more speed continued to head south.

We road down to the dockside village where the people unaware aware of what was going on or about to happen, we road past the dock and smelling the fresh smell of fish Arya spoke, “I always remember my mother smelling of fish when she came back from here, bring back happy but sad memories!” and nodding I spoke, “It’s a vast place here, but nowhere I would hide such a valuable!” “It will probably be on Roslin’s person! We just need to find her!” I nodded before getting her description spoke, “Better to dismount!” they nodded and dismounting we started to search the streets for this woman.

Eventually I tracked Roslin to a smallish villa that was luxury enough to live in luxury but not to big that it was suspicious and walking up I knocked on the door to see the woman who was putting a bowl on a table for a young boy as she spoke, "Eat up Edmund like a big boy!" I smiled leaning against the door then seeing me she grabbed an knife as she cried, "Please leave me alone! you have everything, what else do you want!" I walked in and looking over to her spoke, "I am looking for a Tully symbol comb! It's important I get it!" she put the knife down before walking over took my arm to lead me outside, "Look, I know what you are looking for but I don't have it Baratheon's men do, they found out about my ancestry and believe I am a threat, I have a son with literally no money, what am I going to do?" she panicked causing me to shush her before speaking, "Tell me where are they?" she pointed to the small tower and nodding I said, "I will be back in a hour or so...with all your possessions!" I spoke calmly and walking over off headed to the tower.

I walked up to the tower and killing the first two guards walked passed them and into the camp before dueling two more slayed them before walking up to the acquired loot I looking at the massive bag of loot threw that onto the cart turned around when I heard, "James what are you doing?" I turned around before seeing Arya and Brienne look at me and holding the Tully symbol up responded with, "Returning the possessions of a mother to her and her young son, who is being targeted by the Baratheon's for a sake of a claim that she clearly doesn't have!" "You think that?" I shrugged before saying, "No...but she is a Tully, has a son, possessions aren't in her house, in the camp like she said it would be and you a Baratheon..." I shrugged before looking at him flicked my wrist to draw the blade, "Look lets stand down! Gendry! James!" "Pissing Lannister always ruining our business!" Arya pushed him back before saying, "No, he isn't!" "And this is the guy you refused me for?" "Wait...No, what ever gave you that idea! I didn't want you to get hurt, I told you the White Walkers and Cersei's men, that is true!" "And him?" "He saved me from getting killed by them twice now!" I climbed onto the wagon before saying, "Yeah whatever, I have stuff to return to the family!" Arya looked at him and nodding he told his men to stand down, "Go then!" "I was going anyway, leave Roslin alone!" I rode back down the rode. "Roslin!" I called out and hopping of the cart saw her rush out, "Thank you! Thank you!" and hugging her started to unload the goods, "No problem! How's the boy?" "Will be better to see his books returned!" and nodding I grabbed the chest to drop it off onto the table, "I thought this might help after hearing about your financial trouble!" "No you mustn't steal for us, it's bad enough you had to steal our own stuff back!" I pushed it forward before saying, "It's compensation, so you can have some security for the two of you!" "Please take something from it!" and picking up the comb spoke, "Got what I want?" "But why?" "Let's just say it's part of a key and I am collecting it!" she nodded before asking, "Please sit, I have some fish stew if you'd like!" I nodded before hearing the door open Roslin smiled before saying, "Finally come back Sansa? Please sit food is ready!" I looked over and seeing the fleck of red hair from under her hood.

"Sansa? Sansa Stark?" she nodded before asking, "Who are you?" "Names' James, now James Lannister, I know your sister Arya!" "Any relation to Cersei and Jamie?" "Sort of it's kind of hard to explain but by blood she is related to me and not the other Lannisters!" she nodded before saying, "I am Arya's sister and Bran's!" causing me to say, "Yeah Bran's sort of not Bran...Three-eyed Raven but me and Arya are close or were!" she nodded before smirking said, "How did you meet?" "She was on the run from White Walkers and I saved her!" she nodded causing me to say, "Are all the Stark women as attractive as you and Arya?" "Depends on your tastes!" "Definitely an attractive red head eighteen years old!" "I am twenty-one!" "Close enough!" and laughing she started to eat, "So what are you doing here, a Stark...I thought you would be in a land of luxury!" "To be honest we haven't had that since our parents died" I nodded before hearing, "I am doing the same thing as Arya hiding only I am from enemies, Jon has all our forces as well as Daenerys leaving us with no one to defend us, I went to Cumbria but Brienne was gone!" "Yeah she is travelling with me!" she nodded causing her to ask, "And what are you doing? Found my sister which I last believed was in the West, then Brienne in the north, Cersei in the East and now here in the South East!" I toyed with my stew before saying, "There is a prophecy that there is going to be two big wars that will take place in the kingdoms which will destroy the island and me and Brienne were meant to be the one's to stop it or at least pick the next heir!" she nodded causing her to ask,

"And I should believe you because?" "Believe it or not everyone asks the same but ends up believing me!" "I take your word for it!" "I'll show you after but I don't want to expose it to eyes who shouldn't be involved!" and nodding she spoke, "Why?" "I am more dangerous then anything you will have encountered if I have the right weapons!" and nodding she said, "Any man can!" "But could you raise an army from the dead each with a power source so great it makes that is makes dragon's look Weak?" and seeing Roslin was unpacking the stuff from wagon I removed a glove to reveal the golden lines on my skin. "Wow!" I nodded before putting it back on and sighing said, "I haven't been the same since I have met Cersei, she's one also. Her blood concentration is one a third of mine but since then I haven't been able to shake it off!" "You and Cersei?" "Yeah I felt like I wasn't there and my body was taken over it was the same for Cersei, like our bodies were just there because we had to be...Arya hate's me for it and Brienne just laughed it off but it still hurt!" she nodded before saying smiling said, "A lover I see...Arya, Cersei, Brienne, Khaleesi?" I smirked before saying, "I am a friendly type of guy but only fall in love once. Okay Cersei and me are who the fuck knows what that is!" "Oh yeah and who's that?" I went to speak when the door open and in pure elation we heard, "Sansa is that you?" and looking at her I winked as she started to welcome Brienne and Arya and hearing Edmund moan about the noise I spoke, "Edmund, you know how to fish?" he shook his head causing him to say, "Mum won't let me, but I have a rod and mum has my dads!" I looked at her as she whispered, "In Cersei's dungeon!" and leaning in I spoke, "I will get him released, I have some pull there!" but turning back to Edmund said, "Come on then, get you rod and Roslin you to. Let me show you how real fisherman fish!"