Until…until Jaime Lannister, of course. Jaime was as much a prisoner as her as well, only he held more freedom being the sole Lannister left and they needed him for Casterly just as they need her for Winterfell. His brother Tyrion was last seen with her mother and Robb who were assassinated in Riverrun as well and presumed dead.
And as if summoned, she felt the back of a cold finger lightly brushing the side of her face before her blue eyes met concerned dark green ones.
He tried to give a small smile, brushing some of her wet hair back. “We’re safe. I promise, you didn’t I?” he whispered gently.
Sansa nodded then heaved a sigh of relief and a wave of affection came over that made her tentatively reach out to trace the long scar that ran diagonally from his cheek to a corner of his mouth. A scar that he bore after taking a blow meant for her.
He caught her hand then and held it to his face, sighing before shooting her a look. “You’re cold. Too cold.”
But before she could say anything, he brought her hands in between his and blew on it before rubbing them.
“I couldn’t find anything resembling a blanket or clothes. It’s junk and useless crap. I’m sorry,” he said, his voice holding some bite but not from anger, she knew, but from frustration.
Sansa pulled her hands away from his then and threw her arms around his neck, pressing her face against his neck that was still cold and slick from both sweat and rain.
She felt his strong arms around her tight.
“I-it’s okay. You’ve done so much already. More than enough. I can’t b-begin to t-think of h-how to-to-to rep-pay–if you did-did-din’t c-come w-when you—”
“Shhhh. We don’t have to talk about it,” he soothed before pulling away slightly but his eyes were tight and was trained on her mouth and this was when she realized her teeth were chattering.
He looked at her apologetically. “We have to get you out of that wet clothes.”
“S-so do y-you,” Sansa stuttered, holding herself now to keep from shivering.
He stood up then and turned around. “You need to take your wet clothes off. I’ll give you some privacy.”
Sansa bolted up just as Jaime started walking away and grabbed his shirt. “D-don’t leave m-me!”
Jaime looked torn then and Sansa knew why. She didn’t know when it started but sometimes she would catch his gaze linger and he always always touched her tentatively and gently. She knew because somewhere along the way she felt the same.
Excerpt from Whatever it takes for @a-snark-in-winterfell, @what-would-wonderwoman-do, @sansalannistark, @mynameisnoneya1991, @sophmounty
To continue, read here.
(I missed writing for this ship--well writing fics period huhu. Just wanted to post something for it to show my love. I hope you lovely ladies are having more luck with producing goodies for this ship.)
How about Traesa and Jaime (as a ship) for the ask thing!!
Aww, sure, thanks so much for the ask! :) Jaime belongs to the lovely @thereluctantinquisitor.
when I started shipping it if I did: I think the first time I gave the ship serious thought was when Kayla mentioned that Jaime would totally be down for a one-night stand with Traesa. At first I couldn’t really see Traesa getting with a human, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. :)
my thoughts: They’re just so!! Cute!! I love them together honestly. <3 I love that it’s not as if they’re perfect for each other – they have their fights and falling outs, they don’t always see eye to eye, and despite their intimate relationship they remain two very distinct individuals with their own goals. Their relationship doesn’t feel fated, it feels real, in that their relationship only works because every day they look at each other and decide to make it work. I like that their relationship stays strong despite the vast differences in their personalities and upbringing; it takes a lot of effort and reaching out on both their parts, but once they find their balance, Traesa and Jaime’s relationship is seriously stable, which I love.
What makes me happy about them: I don’t really ship a lot with Traesa, and when I do their relationships usually end in disaster as a result of Traesa’s very real personality defects and inability to communicate her emotions in a healthy way, so I really like shipping her with someone like Jaime, who takes her just as she is. Jaime’s pretty emotionally intuitive when it comes to Traesa, so I like that he knows instinctively how to make her feel loved, even with all her flaws and defects. :)
What makes me sad about them: Pretty much everything about their relationship post-Trespasser. Both Jaime and Traesa are smart, realistic people: they know that for the sake of the world, Solas has to be stopped. Jaime knows that Traesa would never forgive herself if she didn’t do everything in her power to stop Solas, she’d never forgive herself, and Traesa knows that Jaime can’t do what she can and is better off at Skyhold while she’s putting spanners in Solas’s plans for Tevinter. Their separation is really for the best, in terms of saving the world from whatever Solas has planned. But none of that stops them from missing each other. ):
things done in fanfic that annoys me: Ahh, I’ve loved all of Kayla’s stories about Jaime & Traesa, they’re perfect. But one thing I have to keep in mind for myself while I’m writing stories is that Jaime is actually really smart. He likes to keep it lowkey and play to people’s assumptions of the ‘slow-witted warrior’, but he’s rather mentally acute and not at all the sort to be easily influenced. I catch myself making Jaime a li’l hardheaded aaaaall the time and I hate it omg, I always have to remind myself – ‘he’d take a stand on this! Don’t be fooled by his cute face, there’s a lot going on in that head of his!’ :)
things I look for in fanfic: Not that there’s a gigantic pool, but I will never ever be over how fondly and reverently Jaime thinks of Traesa and how Traesa tends to falter around Jaime in a way that she really never does around anyone else. :)
Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Jaime is super cute with Cassandra, and would probably be adorable with really anyone. Traesa is a hard person to see a happy ending for, but I’m still holding out hope for her and Solas. :)
My happily ever after for them: Hmm…there’s a lot of ways that could go, all depending on how things would work out with Solas. I think Traesa envisions a little cottage in the woods, with Jaime and Helen and Justin and Ilen and Lilia (and maybe even a few more tykes), somewhere there aren’t any more wars to fight. :)
who is the big spoon/little spoon: Jaime ends up being the big spoon whenever they go to sleep at the same time, given their height difference, but on the nights when Traesa’s working busily on some artificer design and Jaime has a war council meeting first thing in the morning, Traesa would end up slipping into bed and being the big spoon so as not to disturb him. :)
what is their favorite non-sexual activity: Anything to do with Jaime’s dogs, especially walking them and playing with them. Jaime and Traesa have a lot of affection for those mabari, and both love spending time with them and each other. <3
So I was stalking your blog like a normal person and saw you reblogged the "right to the good parts" meme! Sooooo - #8, for any pairing you'd like <3
Ahhh, this is so late, I’m sorry! But! Thanks so much for this lovely prompt! :D I’ll do this for Jaime & Traesa, because you know they’re my lifeblood. :)
The storm had been building for a long while. The sun was still some distance above the Hinterlands’ western horizon, but dark gray clouds had stolen most of the light from the day. The air had grown thick and the smell of coming rain rode on the wind. The forest around the Inquisition’s camp had long since grown quiet, as if all the world was holding its breath, waiting for the inevitable downpour.
Traesa focused on oiling her bow, her movements clipped and forceful. She kept her eyes on the wood beneath her hands, but every time she blinked she saw that moment. The Venatori ambush. The sword whistling towards her heart. The body that had gotten in the way. The crunch of steel against steel. The crimson on the blade as it came away. The fear that stilled her heart and chilled her spine, not him —
Traesa huffed out a frustrated breath, tossing her bow to the side and clenching her hands into fists. Don’t start, Lavellan, she told herself firmly. Just a stupid move from a stupid man. Don’t start — Her gaze flicked, traitorously, to where Jaime stood, helping erect waterproof temporary awnings over one of the worktables scattered around the camp. As he stretched up, attempting to adjust the height of one side of the rubbery cloth, he winced lightly. He stopped stretching immediately, one hand twitching towards his upper abdomen. It was a small series of movements, easily missed as Jaime turned to a taller scout and made a casual gesture towards the improvised awning with a smile, but it set Traesa’s teeth on edge.
She had asked whether he was alright, after the Venatori lay dead on the ground, and he’d said he was fine. Just took a little scratch. She mocked his easy tone internally, her blood rising to a boil. That’s all. My ass. She stood before she could think better of the action, and strode towards Jaime, expression dark and fists clenched.
The man turned at her approach, but his smile slipped a little at her expression. Before Jaime could so much as open his mouth, Traesa fixed him with a look cold enough to freeze him in place. “Tell me something. You get that scratch of your’s checked?” She nodded towards his upper chest area before she met his gaze, her eyes like solid steel even in the half-night the cloud cover made of day.
Jaime hesitated a moment, then his lips eased up into a slight smile. “It’s nothing that’s worth a healer’s attention.” He said calmly, reassuringly. “You don’t have to worry ab — ”
Traesa cut him off with words that rang across the camp like a distant thunderclap, vaguely ominous and heralding a tempest. “Is that really what you think I’m do — ” She realized abruptly how loud her words were, how sharp. Traesa took a deep breath and Jaime stared at her, blue eyes wide with surprise. Traesa was suddenly aware of how quiet the camp was, how many eyes were on them. “We need to talk.” She ground out after a moment, in a lower tone. “Alone.”
His eyes narrowed a little inquisitively, but before he could speak his question, Traesa turned and strode off towards the woods. Within the space of a heartbeat, the blonde warrior caught up with her. Uncertainty was writ unsubtly in the furrow between his brows and the downturn of his lips, but every time he inhaled to speak, Traesa shot him a dark look, and he shut his mouth.
Wrapped in an uneasy silence, the pair delved deeper into the forests, until the noise of the camp behind them had fallen away into the eerie quiet of the woods. Without warning, Traesa stopped suddenly; Jaime continued for a few steps more, then turned when he noticed that she was no longer beside him. They stood there for a moment, regarding one another in silence, Jaime inquisitive and Traesa very nearly glaring. Again, Jaime seemed to search for the words with which to break the increasingly tense quiet, and again Traesa preempted him.
“Half a year.” She burst out, tossing her hands in the air in an abbreviated, exasperated gesture. “Half a year you’ve known me, and you’re really going to try and hallashit me? Un-fucking-believable.” Her words came sharply and without hesitation; with each syllable, she stepped just a little closer to the taller blonde. “Listen, you pull that invincible Inquisitor routine with anyone else — fine — but you don’t pull that shit with me.” Traesa managed to look intimidating even as she settled back on her heels so as to be able to meet Jaime’s stare, her lips set in a scowl, her hands set on her hips. “You need to get that wound checked out.”
Jaime’s smile widened just a little even as he wilted under her gaze, shoulders slumping and one hand coming up to grip the back of his neck. “The healers we have at camp are still busy taking care of scouts who got injured on the front lines. I can deal with it until we get back to Skyhold. Really, it doesn’t even hurt — ”
Traesa favored him with a disbelieving look, her scowl deepening. “That so?” Without warning, the elf wound up as if to strike him in the side. Jaime immediately took a few steps back, holding up one warding hand. Traesa dropped her fist as Jaime relaxed, her gaze dark. “Stop lying. Honestly, I don’t even know why I — ” She bit off the end of the sentence, in recognition of its rising volume and near untruth. Traesa could lie to a lot of people, but not to herself, not with those cool blue eyes staring at her. So she let a long breath hiss through her teeth and glanced away, folding her arms. “What I’m trying to say,” She said, measuring each word carefully, “is a lot of people depend on you staying alive. So when you get hurt, tell someone. And next time, don’t take such a stupid risk at all.”
When Traesa chanced a glance up at Jaime, his hand had dropped to his side, and his expression had firmed up just slightly. “I wouldn’t call making sure you weren’t stabbed a ‘stupid risk’.” The words were bluff in their honesty and nearly gentle in their easiness, but there was flint in the set of the Inquisitor’s jaw.
“I would have handled it.” Traesa pronounced every word emphatically, her eyes narrowing severely. She closed the distance between them as she spoke, daring him to disagree. A low roll of thunder rumbled in the east, but the pair took no notice, entirely focused on one another.
Jaime smiled just slightly too lightly to appear entirely comfortable, holding up his hands in a quick surrender. “I don’t doubt that! I just…” He ducked his head a little sheepishly, in a manner almost identical to a guilty puppy. “I didn’t want to see you get hurt.”
Traesa’s heart tightened in her chest; there was nothing of guile about him, only fondness, writ painfully obvious in the furrow of his brow and the line of his mouth. She turned her back on what she saw, shaking her head as if to clear it. “You are such a fucking idiot.” She muttered, her voice raw with a mix of scorn and disbelief. “You don’t want to see me hurt, so you run yourself into a blade right in front of me. You dumbass.” Traesa hated the way the word trembled just slightly as it left her mouth, hated the way tremors ran up and down her spine, hated the way she was having a hard time looking at Jaime. So she turned on her heel and forced herself to step forward. When she spoke, her words were hushed, but clear, “Do you honestly not know what losing you would do to me?”
“I…” Jaime appeared at a loss, searching for the appropriate words, the right action. He stepped forward instinctively, his hands twitching at his sides. Before the blonde could find the words he was looking for, Traesa’s arms wound their way around his waist and pulled him in, closing the last bit of distance between them.
“I don’t want hear ‘I’m sorry’.” Traesa told him firmly, squeezing him to emphasize her point. She kept her ear to his chest as she spoke, listening for his heartbeat. “That’s not enough. You don’t want to see me hurt? Here’s a simple list of instructions. Don’t do stupid shit. Don’t lie and say you’re okay when you’re not.” She pulled back a little so as to be able to look in his eyes. “Don’t die until I say so.”
Jaime held her gaze seriously for a moment, then he breathed out a chuckle, a smile quirking up his lips. Traesa let him pull her back into his embrace; he set his chin on her hair, so she could feel the shift of his jaw as he said, “I don’t know if I can manage all that.”
“Figure it out.” She snapped, but without heat. Thunder sounded again, closer this time, but the rising fury of the storm seemed somehow insignificant compared to the steady beat of Jaime’s heart beneath her ear. “And get that damn wound looked at.”
*silent screaming noise* Okay! I can't decide! Either Kiss for Jaime and Traesa orrr Kiss for Varlen and Traesa! <3
No worries, I got you! Thank you for the question!! n_n!
Traesa would give Jaime a kiss on the nose because he does make her incredibly happy. She actually wishes he was a little less good at filling her up with rainbows and sunshine, because she has a reputation to maintain and it’s difficult to keep up her facade as a cold-hearted bitch when every little thing he does makes her smile. She’d also give him a kiss on the lips, because she does love him: probably a little more than she’s ever allowed herself to love anyone that has the potential to leave her. Traesa would give him a kiss on the neck because as much as she tries to stay low-key, she’s a possessive kind of woman once things get official.
She’d also place a kiss over Jaime’s wrist, because she does really like his face and she appreciates the toned muscles that warrior training’s given him. Traesa would brush her lips over his knuckles because his armor may be three times heavier than her’s, but he’s the one who goes rushing off into danger at the drop of a hat, and she just wants to see him safe. Anyone who threatens him is likely to get a face full of arrows. Going along with that, she would also kiss his fingertips, because she cares about him deeply. Lastly, Traesa would kiss his stomach, for obvious reasons. :)
Traesa would give Varlen a kiss on the forehead, because after all these years, she does think of him more as a younger brother (despite his frequent and unsubtle flirtations). Even after they’ve grown apart, she still tends to show him more leniency and tolerance than most, although she’s more likely to smack him upside the head when he’s being an idiot. She’d also kiss his cheek, because he’s one of her few real friends, and she treasures the close friendship that they had. She’d sneak a kiss over the wrist because, well, she may not think of him that way but she’s not blind. Traesa would give him a kiss on the knuckles because she’s protective of all her Clanmates, but Varlen especially, given their past and what he’s been through. She doesn’t want to see him get hurt like that ever again. And lastly, she’d kiss his fingertips, because she does care about him, even if she’s terrible at showing it. :)
Inexorable -- a mix for my fave golden retriever of a warrior & the angry archer who loves him (aka @thereluctantinquisitor‘s Jaime Trevelyan and my own Traesa Lavellan) :)
Heart Out - The 1975 | Greek Tragedy - The Wombats | Crazy - Kat Dahlia | Naked - X Ambassadors | Grapevine Valentine - Kingsfoil | Fire and the Flood - Vance Joy | Latch - Daniela Andrade | Rivers and Roads - The Head and the Heart
Ooh, 22. Caught in a Storm for your choice?? :) <3
22 - Caught in a Storm - Jaime Trevelyan x Traesa Lavellan (pre-relationship)
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. It’s just a bit of wind and rain – I’m not goingto blow away or something.”
Jaime chuckled nervously, rubbing his hand over the back ofhis neck as he glanced across at the woman now sitting beside him, her armsfolded tightly across her chest. “I know, I just… you seem upset.”
Traesa’s grey eyes snapped across like a whip-crack to meethis. The corners of her mouth were pulled downwards slightly, giving her theoverall impression of irritation. “Well sunshine,we’re only trying to find and close a rift that has been pouring demons into avillage for days now, and of all fucking times, a storm decides to hit. Soyeah, you could say I’m upset.”
Nodding, more out of embarrassment than anything else, Jaimeleaned back against the stone wall of the cave. Well, to call it a cave wouldbe a gross overstatement. It was more like a little alcove in the side of acliff. Barely enough to shelter them both. Grunting, Jaime reached back andtried to unclasp his breastplate. It was heavy and stiff – it made sittingextremely uncomfortable, and he doubted any potential threats would be out inthat kind of weather. Besides, he was soaked through, and nothing would dry ifhe didn’t air it out.
Grunting, he tried again, his fingers fumbling with theclasp but slipping on the wet metal. Eventually, he sighed, and looked over atTraesa, a defeated expression on his face. She was staring out into the rain,watching as it was swept nearly horizontal with each burst of wind. She knew aswell as he did that they couldn’t be amongst the trees with that kind of galeblowing, and she hated it. So did Jaime, but… it was out of their control.
“Traesa…?”
“What.”
Smiling sheepishly, he gestured backwards at the clasp ofhis armour. “Your better with your hands than I am. Could you…?”
A frown flickered across her brow, but as she turned to lookat him, fire already building behind her eyes, she saw the look on his face andrelaxed a bit. The sheer innocence in his demeanor as he turned a little to giveher a better view of his problem was just… disarming. Shaking her head slightly, she scoffed andsidled over.
“Fine. Not like you were having much luck with it.”
“Thanks Traesa.” Jaime said, his eyes crinkling into agrateful smile as he felt one clasp come undone, then another, until the platecame loose and he could remove it fully. A sharp huff prefaced the archer’sreply.
“Yeah, sure.” There was always a prickly edge to her voice,but sometimes… sometimes… it was lessa sting and more a brush. As in, Jaime knew it was there and to be cautious,but even if he miss-stepped, it didn’t seem to want to hurt him. Not straightaway, and not badly. It was more a reaction; an instinct. As the wind howledand the sky rolled with dark clouds, he decided he couldn’t fault her for that.That he didn’t even want to.
“Where do you think the others are?” he said after placing his armor in the driest section of their little hiding spot andmoving over to join her. He didn’t mind that he had not been invited. She neverseemed to invite anyone, after all, and it was getting cold. Jaime knew hetended to run hot, even soaked to the skin. It was the least he could do,seeing as everything was too wet to start a fire.
Traesa shrugged stiffly. “Probably made camp somewhere.Might even still be at that little inn we passed a few hours ago. Depends howslow they are.”
Jaime and Traesa had taken off the moment they’d heard newsof a new rift opening up, telling the others to catch up when they could. WithTraesa’s guiding him easily through the forest, Jaime knew they’d make bettertime with just the two of them, and at least help secure the village until theothers arrived to help seal the rift.
“Well… I hope this passes soon.” Jaime said to no one inparticular; just voicing his thoughts. He sighed heavily and leaned forward,resting his forearms on his thighs. Together, he and Traesa stared out into thecurtain of rain. It was so heavy it was nearly opaque.
“Yeah.” she agreed simply, a certain tightness to her voice.Jaime glanced across. He knew she was worried; so was he. Not that she’d everadmit it openly. A part of him felt a sudden pang of empathy. An almostuncontrollable urge to put his arm around her shoulders, even if words failedhim. But he didn’t.
He just sat there beside her, and waited out the storm.
Jaime + Rain! (I may or may not have borrowed Traesa for this >.>)
Cold. Wet. A dull ache, akin to a memory that lurked somewhere in the subconscious, causing subtle pain when it was least expected.
Jaime sighed gently, feeling his own lungs deflate as each droplet landed upon his upturned face. Eyes open, he stared at the sky. At the clouds that loomed and threatened. He was growing rather tired of that. Being threatened.
“What in the Creator’s bloody name are you doing?”
He didn’t jump. He barely heard the voice, but what little part of him registered it screamed at him to acknowledge. To turn, and meet its owner. To give her a smile as bright and beautiful as she was, and nothing less. That had been the promise he had made to himself the day he realised they were actually something. Something more than two people reaching out and finding no purchase. He had promised he would never offer her anything less than she deserved, and in his eyes, she deserved the world.
But he couldn’t give her that.
As she walked towards him, her dark brows pulled as tight as her hood around her head, he realised he couldn’t even stop her from being rained on.
“Sorry.” he murmured softly, his eyes once again drifting away. Looking up. At nothing, in particular. The clouds made no shapes. They were just a blanket. One that looked richer and warmer than it really was. Jaime couldn’t help but feel like he was staring into a mirror, rather than the sky.
“Well if you’re sorry, you could at least try to show it.” Traesa reached his side, her words cutting to the untrained ear. But not cold. If anything, they bore upon them a question that she had left unspoken. Jaime knew what it was.
He reached across, his hand folding gingerly over the rounded end of his left arm, fingertips brushing the soaked fabric aimlessly. Tiredly. He was so tired.
“I know.” he replied plainly, wishing he could at least chuckle. Make light. But it all just felt too hard. Pointless. Maker, everything he’d ever done… had it really achieved anything?
Jaime glanced across, his blue eyes coming to rest on the top of Traesa’s head. She barely made it to his chin. The perfect height to hold, and press his lips to her raven hair. To whisper I love you’s into as they lay side by side like petals lost between two soft sheets. He swallowed. He felt ridiculous, all of a sudden. One armed, his hair stuck flat to his head, his clothes soaked through. Finally, he looked as pathetic as he felt. The Inquisitor - failure of Thedas. The man who stopped one threat, and unknowingly bore another to the very thing he needed to tear the world to shreds. Jaime swallowed. His lungs felt dry.
“What do we do now?” He hated himself for asking. For placing that burden on her, of all people. For being the one everyone looked to, and having nothing to offer beyond self-loathing and a sense of impossible dread. The question came out almost like a whimper, and he clamped his jaw shut. Refused to speak again. Not like that.
Traesa was silent for a time, just standing quietly beside him. Like a sentinel - vigilant and stoic, as though she were made of the finest stone. Carved to perfection. Then, he felt a pressure on his arm. Her hand. It curved around his bicep, nestling in the crook of his elbow. It fit perfectly.
“We pull ourselves together, find Solas, and if he won’t back down, we will make him wish he had never woken up.” she declared slowly, each word calculated and menacing. If Solas could hear her, Jaime hoped he was afraid. He should be. Jaime’s half-arm moved; twitched towards Traesa, as though he still had a hand to lay over the top of hers. He grimaced and let it fall to his side. A gentle squeeze on his right arm. Low words, drifting from soft lips.
“Come on, let’s get back inside. You might want to catch your death out here, but you’re not getting away from me that easily.”
Exhaling sharply in surprise, Jaime let himself be guided back towards shelter. As he walked, his eyes once again fell on Traesa.
