Ashes and Gold

The news of Tyrion's capture had channelled tensions in Westeros in a dangerous direction. Tywin Lannister, ever mindful of preserving the power and influence of his house, had not hesitated. With the determination of a man who would not tolerate weakness, he had assembled a mighty army and gone to war. His camp was a centre of activity, strategic planning and relentless ambition. It was there, among the tents and the smell of steel and leather, that Tywin had received a letter from his daughter Cersei. The contents gave him pause, his eyes narrowed, and a dangerous smile played around his lips. Jaime had done something that both angered and intrigued Tywin: he had formed a bond with a Stark. A bond that might leave a child in its wake.

In his sumptuously furnished tent, Tywin read the letter a second time as he pondered the meaning of the message. He immediately recognised the opportunities it presented. Sienna's condition was not a weakness - it was an opportunity. A child of Jaime and Sienna Stark could extend the power of the Lannisters into the North, creating a connection that even the tradition-conscious Northmen could not ignore. Tywin set the letter aside, his face impassive as ever. He called Jaime to him, the man who was both his pride and his greatest frustration. Jaime stepped into his father's tent, his posture erect, but there was a hint of tension in his eyes. He knew Tywin had summoned him for a reason, and he wasn't expecting anything good. "You've done something very interesting, Jaime," Tywin began without mincing words. His voice was calm but cutting. He lifted the letter and let it slide onto the table. "I heard about your little... affair with Lady Sienna Stark."

Jaime's eyes flicked to the letter and his jaw tightened, but he said nothing. "A child, Jaime," Tywin continued, his eyes searching his son's. "A child of a Lannister and a Stark. Do you know what that means?" "It means the situation is getting more complicated," Jaime finally said, his voice cool but his heart racing. He knew his father always had a plan, and he suspected that Sienna and her child would become part of that plan. "Complicated?" Tywin's lips twisted into a cold smile. "No, Jaime. It means we can create a bond that will solidify the Lannisters' power beyond the Seven Kingdoms. A child by you and Sienna Stark is a political gift." Jaime knew that his father showed no emotion, and tolerated no weakness. But the way Tywin spoke about Sienna and their unborn child made him boil inside. He clenched his fists but forced himself to maintain his composure. "Sienna is not a tool, Father," Jaime said, his voice calm but his eyes glittering with suppressed anger. Tywin laughed softly, a harsh, emotionless sound. "Sienna is exactly what I make her, Jaime. If you think otherwise, then you're even stupider than I thought." After a long, tense silence, Tywin finally turned away. "I'll leave you to it," he said coldly. "Think about your role in this matter. And make yourself useful." Jaime watched his father leave the tent, his footsteps quiet but firm. When he was alone, Jaime felt the control he had maintained during the conversation begin to crumble. He took a deep breath, reached into the inside pocket of his armour and pulled out something - a small, drawn portrait of Sienna. The picture was carefully drawn, her eyes seemed to be looking at him, and her smile carried a warmth that reminded him of better times. Jaime stared at the picture, and for the first time in weeks, he let down the wall he had built around his feelings.

Jaime sank into a chair, still holding the portrait in his hands. He stroked his thumb over the lines that formed her face and felt a deep pang of regret. He had left her alone - the woman he loved and the child she was possibly carrying. He had thought he could protect her by leaving, but now he realised that he had only left her in greater danger. "I should have stayed," he whispered, his voice raw with emotion. "I should have stayed with you, Sienna." The words lingered in the silence of the tent as Jaime looked at the picture and thought about the decisions that had brought him to this point. He knew his father would take advantage of Sienna's state to increase his power. And Jaime hated himself for not being there to protect her. But as he looked at the picture, he swore to himself that he would find a way to save her - her and her child. No matter what the cost.