JAIME

Jaime Lannister felt bored, immensely so. No older than ten, all the boy wanted to do was run off to the tiltyard to improve his skills with the sword. Yet here he stood, beside his proud father, awaiting the arrival of the King. As the eldest son of the Lord of Casterly Rock, it was Jaime's duty to greet the Royal party for their arrival to the Rock. Yet he couldn't stop glancing back to the tiltyard where the tourney would begun tomorrow for the birth of the King's second son, Viserys. His father, Tywin Lannister, the Hand of the King had received a raven from King's Landing a few days ago stating that the Queen had borne a third child for the King and his father, ever the opportunist, had offered to hold a tourney for the occasion.

On seeing a team of horses, Jaime stood up straighter. His father would not have his heir slouch like a common man. He stole a quick glance to his twin sister Cersei. She looked regal. Decked in a golden gown with his late mother's jewels adoring her neck, she looked like a perfect lady. A lady worthy of being the Queen. She looked breathtakingly beautiful, something he never had called another girl.

He turned his attention back ahead when he saw his father greeting the King. King Aerys of House Targaryen. From his conversations with his father, Jaime knew that the king was younger than his father in age and yet as they stood, greeting one another, it was the King who appeared to be older.

"This, Your Grace, is my son and heir, Jaime." his father said and Jaime bowed down in courtesy, murmuring a quick "Your Grace."

"He has favoured you in looks it appears. It is a shame. Your wife was prettier to look at." the King replied, and Jaime couldn't understand whether the King was jesting or not.

Before his father could reply, the King turned back to his men and barked out, "Hurry along you two."

Jaime looked past the King to see a boy, a few years older than him leading a girl towards them. The way the boy walked, it was easy enough to guess who he was. The crown prince, a true Targaryen with his silver hair and dark purple eyes, was strikingly handsome. But the girl with her hand in the crook of the Prince's elbow, looked uneasy. She looked small beside the prince. If it weren't for the same silver blond hair and colouring, Jaime would have never recognised the Princess. It was tradition that Targaryens married brother and sister. After all, the King and Queen were themselves siblings. But looking at the pair of them together, he found it hard to imagine them marrying. Princess Visenya looked like a little doll, the kind Cersei used to play with, while Prince Rhaegar looked commanding, a little too harsh for that girl.

His father had bowed to the Prince and placed a chaste kiss on the hand of the Princess before they came to Jaime. Jaime followed his father's movements, bowing low while greeting the crown Prince and placing a kiss on the Princess' hand. The royal duo had then moved on to Cersei and Jaime saw the way Cersei looked at the Prince. A hint of jealousy rose in him and he quickly turned away. This was not appropriate, his mother had told him. He could not kiss Cersei on the lips, his mother had told him. But was it wrong now, even after his mother had passed away? He decided it was best to excuse himself before he fall sick due to the way the Prince had looked at his sister.

The feast that was held for the royal family that night had been a lavish one. Unfortunately for him, his father had asked Cersei to escort the Prince to the high table and for him to escort the Princess. Not only that but Cersei would be the one feasting beside Prince Rhaegar while Jaime would have sit in between the little girl princess and the prince. The scowl that had settled on his face while escorting Princess Visenya had still not disappeared as the evening was being wrapped up. It brought him a little comfort though that the Prince himself was more focussed on his own sister than on Jaime's. Seeing Cersei scowl at the Princess the same way he was scowling at the Prince healed his wounded pride.

Even while scowling, Cersei looked beautiful. He could still remember that day when they had kissed. It was in her room. She had whispered to him that they were two halves of a whole. That they belonged together. She had been so close to him that day. Sitting right beside him, wearing that red gown he preferred her in. The memory of that day was etched into his mind, still just as fresh.

Prince Rhaegar's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Is something the matter, Visenya?" he had asked his sister.

This time Jaime turned to look at the Princess beside him, properly look at her. She sat straight, appeared proper as a lady yet every time he looked at her, he could only think of a doll. The birth of Princess Visenya had been a grand affair. He had been small then, no older than three. After years the Queen had finally provided the King with a child. His mother had talked of the celebrations, the tourney, the Lords and Knights who had gone for the week long event and Jaime had listened with rapt attention. He had heard people talk of how the Princess was growing up to be the most beautiful lady in all the Seven Kingdoms but all Jaime could see was a little girl. Only Cersei was beautiful. Not a girl no older than seven.

"I'm well. Just tired. I think I will depart for the evening." she answered and stood up. Her brother offered to escort her to her chambers and she willingly agreed. The way the Prince was looking at the girl, he wondered if he was not the only brother lusting for his sister.

He turned back to Cersei and finally stated, "You seem to be besotted with the Prince."

Cersei looked at him, eyes narrow, lips thinned and answered, "This is all father's wish. He wants me to impress the future King and have me betrothed to him."

"And do you want that?" he asked, noticing that she had not exactly given him a proper answer.

"It will always be you and I, Jaime, just you and I.", she answered and squeezed his knee under the table.

Perhaps he was a fool in love, for he never realised that she still hadn't made it clear whether she wanted the betrothal or not.

It was the morning of the tourney and Jaime couldn't keep himself in check. He wanted to just run out there and beg them to start already but it was still early in the morning, too early. He had decided to pay a visit to his brother Tyrion, a boy no older than three. Jaime liked Tyrion, unlike his father and sister. Tyrion would listen to Jaime when he told him of sword fighting, of jousting, of tiltyard practices. Yes, he liked Tyrion. It was when he was leaving Tyrion's bedchamber did he stumble upon the Princess. She was standing some twenty feet away from him and surprising alone. He hadn't ever seen her alone. Since the royal party had arrived yesterday morning, he had seen her surrounded by Kingsguards or handmaidens or in the company of her brother or father. He also realised then that he had not even had a conversation with her apart from the quick greeting upon her arrival.

"Do you need any assistance, Princess Visenya?" Jaime asked as he approached the girl.

She turned towards him, surprise clear on her face and bowed her head, blushing and answered timidly, "Forgive me but I appear to have lost my way."

It was at the least amusing to see the Princess like this. Seven hells, she was the Princess. The only daughter of the King. She was supposed to be mighty and proud, not shy and timid, she was to have an air of authority, like Cersei. The girl was no Princess.

"I can walk you back to your chambers if you wish, Princess.", he said and offered her his arm.

"Thank you. That is very kind of you.", she finally looked up at him and smiled. But it was not her smile he focused on, it was her eyes. She had beautiful eyes. They were perhaps the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. Prettier than even his and Cersei's.

He remembered where the King and his children had been housing and started walking. It was no surprise to him that the Princess had lost the way. Casterly Rock was a big place. He remembered running away from his lessons and hiding in the castle. It was easy to hide in this place. It would take hours for the Maester to find him and by then the time for the lessons would be over.

As they approached the entrance to the chambers, Ser Barristan Selmy came rushing towards them. Jaime had heard a lot about that man, about how brilliant a Knight he was and Jaime had wanted that, wanted to be a noble and good Knight.