In the Jaws of Lions

Isobel was reading The Tales of Knighthood when her uncle came into the room. His lips were curved into a hesitant smile and she could see in his eyes that something wasn't right. He hadn't been the same since the journey to Winterfell, he was more guarded - suspicious of every person he met.

"Uncle?" Isobel asked, placing her book onto the table in front of her. "Is everything alright?"

Her Uncle Jaime stepped further into the room, and without looking back he used his foot to close the door behind him. "Yes, dear. Everything is fine for now. I was actually just thinking that we should have a little chat, you and I."

"Alright," she said cautiously, twisting her hands in her lap. She looked up at him from beneath her brow, still skeptical of his actions. "And nothing's happened?"

"Nothing's happened. Not yet," he confirmed as a dry laugh escaped him. "Things are going happen soon, I fear. Terrible things. And secrets are bound to come forth. Secrets that were long kept buried in the jaws of us lions. The things I'm about to tell you must reach the ears of no others."

"So it's something about our family, then?" Isobel's heart had began to pound, she could hear it in her ears like the drums of war. There had always been talk of Lannister secrets, but she had blocked them out. It was her family, she was bound to. "Are we to pack our things and flee, Uncle?"

Jaime's long legs carried him toward her until he stood just before her. He knelt onto the hard floor and placed his a hand on her knee. "Darling, I won't lie to you. It may come to that, but I promise you this," he breathed in deeply, his emerald eyes meeting her own, "I will not let anything happen to my family."

"Your family?" Isobel's voice was quiet, but her eyes spoke volumes. "Not our family?"

Jaime's hand tightened on her knee, but not painfully so. He was frightening, but Isobel knew he would never harm her. "Damn the Baratheon King to all seven hells," he whispered. "My love, we must stick together for what is to come. We are Lannisters."

"Mother is, by law, a Baratheon." Isobel's brow was furrowed. "I am a Baratheon. Joff, Myrcella, and Tommen, we are all Baratheons."

"No," Jaime shook his head, his voice quieter than Isobel had ever heard it. "Your mother is, by law of marriage. You are Isobel Lannister, your siblings are Lannisters. As I said, secrets long kept buried."

Isobel felt tears spring to her eyes. "So the rumors are true, then?"

"Yes, my darling girl, they're true." Jaime said back, his voice thin. "There will be blood and war and very much death when it comes to light."

"They will try to kill us." Isobel shook her head in disbelief. "You and Mother have condemned us all! Y-You've stripped my brothers of their birth rights. You've lied to us our entire lives?"

"Isobel, please keep your voice down!" Jaime jumped up and covered her mouth with his hand.

Isobel shoved against him roughly, the water that filled her eyes now poured down her cheeks. "Don't tell me what to do. You may be my father by blood, but King Robert is my father by choice. He loves me."

"As do I," Jaime protested gently.

"If you did you would have drown me as a babe. It would have been kinder." In her hand was her favorite book. Isobel didn't remember picking it up, but she looked at anyway, reminded of the noble and honorable knights that filled it's every page. The man before her was a knight, dressed to please in his fancy armor and heavy sword. Isobel shook her head and threw the book into the tub of water meant for her next bath. "You will never be my father. Do not speak of this to me again."