The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Fifty Four

Rayna

When I wake the sunlight is peaking through the window, my head rests on Jaime's bare chest and his arm is wrapped tightly around me. I press my lips to his chest and he squeezes my shoulder as I wake from my dreary state.
My hand slides up his chest to caress his face as I see him gazing adoringly upon me.
For a moment neither of us say anything, we just take the moment to appreciate this, to appreciate each other. That we can wake up next to each other for the rest of our lives.
"My beautiful wife", he murmurs as he kisses my forehead. I stroke his cheek, so many nights and mornings I've reached out for him but he wasn't there. In my most raw and unconscious state he is the one I reach for, the one I desire most. Now he is here, he will always be here. Winterfell isn't the only home I've returned to.
"I'm exhausted", I say wearily, last night my dreams were peaceful but we were up very late. I'm glad our room is isolated because I know how thin the doors are.
"Well after last night I'm not surprised", he teases running his hand from my cheek over my body.
"Still a cocky bastard even when you're going grey", I mock and he grabs me playfully, making me squeal and we roll over on the bed.
"Now insulting one another is not a good way to start a marriage", he teases as I feel him hovering above me.
"Then what is a good way to start it?" I ask knowing the temptation will be too much for him to resist.
He smirks and begins kissing my neck which is my weakness and he knows it.
"Jaime", I find myself moaning and it's almost midday by the time we finally get dressed, even then we are still struggling to make it out the doorway.
"Are you sure you can't stay a little longer?" he asks as I lean against the door.
"Remember I have a meeting with the Lords and other important people tonight, even better I'm executing Littlefinger and if it's true that people know about us then I will have explaining to do but hopefully it will all go well"
"And if it doesn't go well?"
"Fuck them all", I murmur kissing him passionately.
My family comes before anything and Jaime is part of that family now. They called my brother the young wolf, some call Jon the white wolf and they are beginning to call me the She Wolf. I'll damn well protect my family like one.
I finally open the door and I go to step out but he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me close one last time.
"I love you", he says and the love in his eyes makes my heart swell.
"And I love you", I say kissing his hand then I finally let go and face reality.

Jaime will likely go to continue practicing with his sword with Bronn, I haven't properly seen him fight since he lost his hand, in the Battle of the Bastards he cut down some of the men who had grabbed me but by then the battle was won. I'll have to go watch him with Bronn later if he'd be comfortable with it, he doesn't want people to see him fight as his self loathing holds him back. It's been a while since I've practiced with a sword, I might surprise him tonight and invite him to a playful duel, sparring against someone other than Bronn is sure to boost his confidence.
On my way to my office I decide to take a quick detour to visit Littlefinger. He lost and he should know it before he loses his head.
I go to the dungeons and find him shackled in the cell Blackwalder was kept in. Sure enough Jaime bloodied him up. His face looks quite broken, nearly as beaten as Ramsay's was.
"Rayna", he chokes spitting a bit of blood and I think he's lost a tooth "Please, I'm sorry"
I approach the cell and stand there looking at him coldly. I trusted him once despite my gut telling me not to and it cost me. He also encouraged me to turn into someone I wasn't. What Kings Landing began creating he shaped into what he wanted me to be, a manipulator, a seductress, a pawn. To play his game I became like him, like Cersei. No more. I am a Stark and the Queen in the North. I am winning this game and I don't need to be like them to survive anymore. I don't need him anymore.
"I trusted you and you betrayed me"
"Forgive me", he begs "I led my men here for you, I did everything I could to make it up to you"
"Then you conspired to have me overthrown if I married Jaime instead of you, and then to marry Sansa and take power"
He hangs his head as he realises his mistake.
"You tried to turn my sister against me, we are not like any southern house. We are a family, a pack and we will survive while the south burns as it is torn apart over who sits on the Iron Throne"
He is quiet for a moment as he tries to scrape together words to save himself. "You need me, you need the Vale, don't let your anger take over again"
"You took my anger and used it against me, you used it so I would do whatever you wanted, become whoever you wanted, you tried to take Jaime from me but never again", I growl feeling myself become more wolf than woman "I don't need you, Lord Royce will be the Lord Protector of the Vale once you are dead and besides when Lysa's son finds out you murdered his mother I doubt you would survive long anyways. We both know what young boys are capable of"
"I love you Rayna, please have mercy", he begs
"You will never marry me or any Stark, I married Jaime last night" I admit proudly "You will die tonight Lord Baelish knowing that you lost"
"Not if your husband is killed first", he smirks as he reveals his final scheme realising his fate is sealed "Cersei sends her regards".