The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Sixty Five

Rayna

I'm returning to my room when I see someone out of the corner of my eye that I recognise and my heart stops.
I see him, I see the armour he wears. The kraken engraved on it.
"Theon"
He turns to face me "Rayna" he stands frozen in shock as I run towards him and throw my arms around him.
"Theon", I breathe as I cling to him. I haven't seen him or heard from him since we escaped Ramsay. His arms wrap around me tightly and we stand there holding each other.
As I pull away and search his face and I can tell that he's better. Simply by looking at him I can tell that his mind is more sound since Ramsay, just seeing how he looks at me I can tell he is stronger. Just as we promised each other, we have both begun healing from Ramsay.
"What are you doing here?" I ask him remembering Yara and the fleet "When Euron attacked your fleet we thought the worst had happened"
"I came to ask Daenerys to help me get Yara back from him", he answers and smile up at him proudly.
"I'm so glad your okay", I say as I hug him again. If Theon can come back to me alive, perhaps Jaime can as well.
"How are you?" he asks and tears fill my eyes.
He would have died to get me to the wall, to Jon. We've come so far, I still remember the day I met him when we were eight years old and now I look at where we stand.
"I'm happy", I smile taking his hands in mine "We have so much to talk about"

Theon and I spend the next few days together. Jon is slowly becoming less hostile towards him and Daenerys and I are becoming less hostile towards each other.
Whatever Jon said to Daenerys must have worked because we can actually have a conversation without arguing.
However there is still no word of Jaime. I've been pestering Varys daily but he has to wait for ravens from his little birds to get any information at all now which can take days. Like Littlefinger was he is out of his element here. They both become so comfortable in Kings Landing and now he is struggling.
"My favourite sister I have news", Tyrion announces entering my room with a raven scroll. I anxiously snatch it out of his hands and see a Lannister seal. Jaimes seal.
"Oh thank the gods", I gasp as I tear it open and read it.

Rayna, sweetheart
I'm alive and well. I've heard you were at the battle and that you saw what I did. Don't worry I am alright and with the remaining men. You are being praised as quite a hero by them all, you were brave. We will be stopping at Riverrun in a few days time so send a raven there. Hopefully they won't be too unwelcoming. I can't wait to see you again, it's been far too long. I hope you will be coming home soon.
Love Always, Jaime

I kiss the letter and clutch it tightly to my chest "He's alive", I smile tearfully "He's okay"
I bend down and hug Tyrion much to his surprise but he returns the embrace.
"I told you that he'd be fine", he smiles and I sit down on my chair as I take in the news.
He's okay. He's alive. He'll be reaching Riverrun by now most likely. It's true they won't be welcoming but he won't be harmed since he is my husband.
"There is other news", he informs me "You and Jon should find out together"

We are standing in the war room with Daenerys, Tyrion, Davos, Jorah and Varys as Jon reads out the scroll. I'm both relieved and afraid.
Arya and Bran are both alive. I knew Arya was but Bran I thought was dead. Gods and he is home in Winterfell. Perhaps it's for the best Jaime's in Riverrun.
"I thought Arya was dead. I thought Bran was dead." Jon says not as happily as I thought he would.
"I'm happy for you", Daenerys says then her and I share a confused look "You don't look happy"
"They are alive Jon, why aren't you happy?" I ask just as confused as she is.
"Bran saw the Night King and his army marching towards Eastwatch. If they make it past the wall-", Jon begins and I sigh heavily.
"The Wall has kept them out for thousands of years", Varys assures him but Jon interrupts whatever he was about to say next.
"I need to go home", he decides. Of course out of all the things to make Jon want to go home it's not our siblings returning from the dead it's the fucking dead themselves.
"You said you don't have enough men"
"We'll fight with the men we have, unless you'll join us?" he asks but I know Daenerys won't take the risk.
"And give the country to Cersei? As soon as I march away she marches in", she says just as I expected.
However Tyrion has an idea "Perhaps not. Cersei thinks the Army of the Dead is nothing but a story made up by wet nurses to frighten children, what if we prove her wrong?"
"I know Cersei, she won't leave Kings Landing to see the dead at our invitation and leave the Iron Throne vacant and up for the taking", I dismiss.
He walks closer to us as he says "So bring the dead to her."
"I thought that was what we are trying to avoid", Daenerys comments.
"We don't have to bring the whole army. Only one soldier", he says and Davos turns to Jon
"Is that possible?"
"The first wight I ever saw was brought into Castle Black from beyond the Wall", he says but I'm already apprehensive of this idea.
"Bring one of those things down to King's Landing and show her the truth", Tyrion says but I interject.
"It won't be that easy"
"Anything you bring back will be useless unless Cersei grants us an audience and is somehow convinced not to murder us the moment we set foot in the capital", Varys says being the voice of wisdom and reality.
Tyrion gives me a timid look as he says "The only person she listens to is Jaime"
Everyone is silent as they look between Tyrion and I.
"Jaime hasn't been in Kings Landing for almost a year, he betrayed Cersei and she tried to assassinate him for it", I remind him "And nearly succeeded"
"I know that but she won't listen to any of us, as much as she is furious at Jaime she loves him"
"Clearly not enough if she sent an assassin to kill him", I say hostily as jealousy burns bitterly in me.
"Or perhaps she loves him too much", he suggests and upon seeing the look on my face says "Have him send her a raven then"
"No, she will believe we forged it", Varys interrupts "Lord Jaime is in Riverrun at the moment, he'd be in Kings Landing within a week or two"
"And he may never leave it alive", I mutter not wanting to nearly lose him again "I only just found out he is alive, I am not sending my husband to be slaughtered"
"It's the only way", Tyrion insists reluctantly.
Daenerys gets tired of our arguing and steps forward "Well, it will all be for nothing if we don't have one of these dead men"
"Fair point, how do you propose to find one?", Varys asks and I look at Jon but he simply stares at the ground.
Jorah breaks the silence as he says "With the queen's permission I'll go north and take one"
Daenerys looks at Jorah about to argue but he continues to say "You asked me to find a cure so I could serve you. Allow me to serve you"
He is clearly in love with her. Looks like Jon has some competition.
"The free folk will help us, they know the real north better than anyone", Jon says speaking up as I expected now that Jorah's offered.
"They won't follow Ser Jorah", I say then I look at Jorah "I say that with respect"
I haven't forgotten that Jorah is a Northman of the house Mormont. He may have been exiled as a traitor but well I've always been one to forgive past crimes.
"They won't have to", Jon says and Daenerys and I both open our mouths to argue but Davos beats us to it.
"You can't lead a raid beyond the wall. You're not in the Night's Watch anymore"
"I am not losing another brother", I add.
"I'm the only one here whose fought them. I'm the only one here who knows them", Jon insists and I know how stubborn he is especially when it comes to the damned white walkers.
"I haven't given you permission to leave", Daenerys says and he turns and faces her
"With respect, Your Grace, I don't need your permission. I bend the knee to no Queen but that in the North who's name is Stark", he says looking at me and I give him a small, proud smile "and I came here knowing that you could have your men behead me or your dragons burn me alive. I put my trust in you, a stranger, because I knew it was the best chance for my people, for all our people. Now I'm asking you to trust in a stranger because it's our best chance"
She nods giving her permission not that she needs to and he leaves to go get ready to sail.
"And Jaime?", Tyrion asks
"I will go to Riverrun and speak with Jaime, I'll send a raven ahead letting him know I'm coming", I decide and Daenerys doesn't argue but I do have one request "Daenerys may I bring Tyrion with me, it's time him and his brother made up".

Jaime

I was right about being unwelcome in Riverrun but they couldn't exactly turn us away.
It's funny how in the beginning I was the one protecting Rayna and now she is the one protecting me. Even when she's not here I'm under her protection.
Edmure was just as much of a pompous bastard as I remember him being, he clearly despises me but he had no choice but to be diplomatic. The Blackfish however was a tad snarky but he said that we fought beside each other on the battlefield in the battle of the bastards and that means something. Not much but something. He respects Rayna enormously being Catelyns daughter and the fact she saved them from losing Riverrun. However they do tend to forget I was the one who ended the siege but I refrain from reminding them of that, mainly because the Blackfish knows that I only ended it because I love Rayna and she knew exactly how to get me to do what she wanted. She can be manipulative at times when it comes to getting what she wants but for everyone involved I'm glad she got me to end that siege. We avoided bloodshed and I finally left Cersei and the crown for good. Due to the respect he has for Rayna he treats me with more respect than anyone else here does and I respect him more than anyone else here.
At least Roslin Frey managed to avoid being massacred with the rest of the Freys and she is here with her and Edmures son. The Riverlands is completely under Tully control now, the Blackfish saw to that.
I never thought I'd say this but I want to go back to the North. Back to Winterfell and wait for Rayna to come home. To see the way her blue eyes light up when she sees me. To just sleep beside her and hold her tightly. For it to be just the two of us for that short time. For us to be the only ones who matter. No dragon queens or evil sisters or Lords or anything else. Just the two of us.
Finally the maester enters with a letter from Dragonstone and I eagerly open it.

Jaime, my love
You are both the bravest and most reckless man I know and I love you for it. You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that you are alive and okay. I'm afraid to tell you I won't be returning home for a while but I will be coming to Riverrun. Let my uncles know that I will be arriving but tell them to keep it quiet. I'll only be there for a night or so, I'll explain everything when I arrive. Send your troops north but stay in the south. Bran is alive and in Winterfell. I don't want you in the North without me there.
Love always, Rayna

Brans alive. They were never sure if he was truly dead but they assumed he was. Jon and Sansa know the truth, I have no idea if Bran remembers but if he does it will be bad.
Consequence wise nothing will happen most likely because of Raynas protection but if those bloody northern lords found out she wouldn't even be able to save me.
More than that though I don't want to face him. I don't want to face what I did, to see him crippled.
I'm not the man I was when I did that but it will haunt me until the day I die.
I don't regret it, to save Tommen and Myrcella I would do it again. Even knowing how their lives ended I would do it to give them those extra few years. I would do that and worse for my family. That family includes Rayna.
I don't regret what I did to Bran, but I am sorry for it. I truly am sorry for it.
I have no choice but to face him. I don't know how I'll be able to.