The Sapphire Dragon

7. Kingslayers.

Checkmate, Andrea says gravely, yet a small smile plays in her lips.

Jaime sighs, and leans back to his chair. The chess pieces seem to mock him.They are sitting at the main room of the boat. The sea is wild, making the boat occassionally. The fire crackles loudly in the fireplace, illuminating the whole room with a yellow sheen.

"How was it initially to have one hand ?" Jaime asks. Andrea stays silent for a minute." I have always been one armed since I can remember.Local boys used to tease me, and Brienne used to break each and every single of their legs." Jaime smiles. "But that never decreased the pain. The hollowness inside. But the arm I have, it is much stronger than anything anyone will have," Andrea says, her violet eyes glowing.  jaime looks at the fire, lost in thoughts.

"I know it is far more difficult for you. I lost my arm at the age of two. You lost it at the age of thirty five."" does it matter ?" Jaime asks, looking hard at Andrea." It was the same hand that push Bran stark out of the tower window, the same hand that killed Aerys Targaryen, the same hand that held the stone which got Alton Lannisters skull smashed." Jaime stops, his throat constricting. "maybe I deserved a punishment."

"But it is the same hand that saved kings landing from wildfire, the same hand who killed the swordsman who stabbed Ned Stark from the back, the same hand that you offer to your young brother when even your sister shuns him," Andrea says, respect and love filled in her voice. "You deserve happiness, Ser Jaime, you deserve love." 

Jaime sits motionless, staring at the young woman sitting in front of him. Her violet eyes stares directly back at him, equally stubborn. "Brienne has told a lot about you Ser Jaime. About how you saved her from losing her respect, and her life. You have done a lot of terrible deeds, but so have the people who whisper Kingslayer behind your back.At least you are not a hypocrite, unlike them."

"Aren't you a kingslayer too ?" Jaime says, finding a lighter moment." Yes i am," Andrea says, laughing."Lord Selwyn was shocked. Brienne shouted at me. so I ran away again."

" have you ever been to King's Landing ?""Yes. I was there when Ned Stark got beheaded." Jaime stays silent." He saved my life. he made sure I had a home.That day, I saw Queen Cersei for the first time. Tell me, Ser Jaime, do you love her still ? After everything that happened ? After she commanding the mountain to kill you ?"

"That is not true. She was bluffing.And how did you know this ? No one was there when this happened ? Jaime pressed the question. I have people who knows abut things." Andrea says vaguely. Jaime raises his brows, not backing down." Lord Varys is a good friend of mine." Andrea says, clearly failing to hide the truth. "That bald dog," Jaime curses.

"You did not say anything to my question," Andrea says." I loved her. I killed people to be with her. I dreamt about her every night we were apart. But now something has changed in me." Jaime hesitates, not sure whether to say the words hanging down in his tongue." Meeting your sister changed something. Maybe the event, maybe her. She made me believe that honour and respect has equal value alongside love.I had forsaken every vow I ever took, for love. That has changed. What do you know about love anyway," Jaime says harshly.

"I may not know about love. but I know my sister.Like the back of my hand." Andrea says, her eyes eyes reflecting the fire burning at the fireplace.

In that silent room, filled with howling sounds of the winds from the sea, Jaime's silence seem to scream the loudest.