The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows over the winding road that led out of King’s Landing. The journey ahead was perilous, but it was one you couldn’t avoid. As the daughter of a powerful house, you knew the dangers of traveling alone. Your family had insisted on sending Ser Jaime 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 as your protector, the famed Kingslayer whose reputation had preceded him.

At first, you had protested the decision. You had never been one to rely on others, let alone a knight with a history as complicated as his. But here you were, traveling with him through the treacherous lands of Westeros, a man who was as frustrating as he was captivating.

Jaime had kept his distance, maintaining the professional façade of a sworn knight. He had never spoken much of his past, and you had refrained from asking. But there were moments—brief, fleeting moments—when you saw past the layers of armor, both physical and emotional, that he had built around himself. And in those moments, you found yourself inexplicably drawn to him.

The road had grown quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. Suddenly, the sound of hooves broke the stillness. Jaime’s hand was on the hilt of his sword in an instant, his posture alert. You followed his gaze to the horizon, where a small group of riders appeared, cloaked in shadow.

“Stay behind me,” Jaime commanded, his voice low and steady, eyes scanning the approaching riders with calculated precision.