The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Seventy Eight

Rayna

I've been trying to figure out when Jaime will be arriving and it should be any day now if him and Bronn are travelling on horseback, I suspect they'll be damn near killing the horses to get as far away from Kings Landing as possible.
Jon's been keeping Daenerys occupied, I've refrained from asking him how but as long as she is happy I'm okay with it.
I'm walking along the wall when I overhear Tyrion, Davos and Varys not too far ahead of me.
"I sense that you're leading to a proposal", Tyrion says and that certainly sparks my interest.
"A proposal is what I'm proposing", Davos proposes much to my surprise "On the off chance that we survive the Night King, what if the Seven Kingdoms, for once in their whole shit history were ruled by a just woman and an honorable man?"
"They do make a handsome couple", I interrupt and they all turn to look at me like three children who've just been caught red handed.
"Your Grace", Davos quickly says but Tyrion and Varys offer me no such formalities, we are far too familiar with each other for that.
"Rayna, what do you think?" Tyrion asks, I've been so busy speaking with Sansa about Winterfell and the state of the North since I've returned I've hardly spoken to Tyrion.
"It's a lovely idea, Jon would hopefully keep Daenerys in check and provide a healthy relationship between the realm and the North but he doesn't want a crown", I remind them but they don't seem too bothered by that.
"Jaime didn't want a crown either yet he married a queen for love, Jon may do the same", he says but I'm still doubtful.
"Personally I would happily agree to an engagement between them but Starks are stubborn and Jon is a Northern man, we all know that Stark men do not fare well in the south"
"Lannister men don't fare well in the North but look at Jaime, if he can survive here then Jon can survive the south", Tyrion says but comparing Jon and Jaime fails to convince me.
"Jon spent years with the wildlings in the real North, he belongs there not in Kings Landing", I say for one last time knowing in my gut where Jon belongs. Either here with his family or beyond the wall. Politically an engagement would be great and in other circumstances I may have pushed him into it but I know as much as he may love Daenerys that he wouldn't be happy in the south.
I look over the edge of the wall and see Jon and Daenerys standing together looking loved up. They are certainly in love but as I know well duty can be the death of love.
"If any of us are alive after the dead come we will speak of an engagement then, for now let them be as they are, if Jon proposes then we shall support them but I will not push him to propose"
He can marry her if he wishes but I will not let anyone push him into it.
"Very well", Tyrion says knowing that it's the end of that conversation "Have you heard anything more from our beloved Jaime?"
I shake my head and look to Varys "Has the Master of Whisperers heard anything?"
"He reached the North a few days ago, he should be here any day now", he reveals and I don't bother asking why he didn't inform me of this. He serves Daenerys, not me. My heart flutters with excitement and relief. I just want to see my husband, to hold him in my arms, to go to bed with him.
Varys and Davos go to not so subtly chaperone Jon and Daenerys leaving Tyrion and I alone.
"How's pregnancy treating you, I've hardly seen you since we reached Winterfell?" he asks as my brother by law.
"Sansa and I have been busy preparing for the war", I explain "And pregnancy well it's not my first one so I had some idea of what to expect, I don't remember showing this quickly though"
He gives me a contemplative look and as he examines my stomach he sees that I am indeed showing.
"People are going to be asking questions very soon", he comments and I nod in agreement.
"I'm barely able to hide it as it is"
"And why are you hiding it?", he asks curiously.
"I don't want to offend Daenerys, not until after the battle anyways", I answer knowing that it's for the best. Daenerys can't have children of her own and I am worried she will see a Queen with an heir as a threat.
"Ah yes, don't worry Jon's keeping her occupied"
"I'm aware", I comment. I have the odd servant come to me every once and a while informing of Jon visiting Daenerys' rooms at night. I always tell them to not say a word to anyone and then send them away. I've inherited my own spies since I've returned.
"But really Rayna, how are you feeling?" he asks more personally, a reminder that he does care for me as family.
"I didn't expect to be enduring another pregnancy alone", I admit as I caress my stomach "This may be my home but it doesn't feel like home without him"
"I can promise you that once he's here he won't leave your side", he assures me and I smile to myself knowing it's true.
"I hope so, after these past few months I doubt I'll want him to leave my side"
"He won't", he promises with a warm smile but he sees the look on my face "Rayna, are you alright?"
"Cersei won't stop will she?" I ask. Everything she has done has been playing in my mind, she is hellbent on tormenting Jaime and I. I'm more terrified of her than ever.
"No", he says reluctantly "She won't but when Daenerys overthrows her we won't have to worry"
I nod but his words don't ease my worries.
Suddenly two dragons come flying overhead and I stare in shock as I realise it's Jon holding on for dear life to the second dragon, Rhaegal.
"Is that Jon?" Tyrion asks incredulously.
"What the fuck is he doing on a dragon?" I exclaim as he disappears into the distance.
"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider that marriage proposal, Jon already looks like a Targaryen", he comments and I can't breathe as the thought hits me.
"I don't suppose her dragons are that friendly with everyone?" I ask trying to keep my voice even.
"No so they must like Jon", he replies seeming unconcerned "He'd be the first non-Targaryen to properly ride a dragon"
"Please excuse me", I say abruptly as I find myself walking away from Tyrion and towards the godswood.
My thoughts race as I try to rationalise this, to dismiss it. Lyanna and Rhaegar Targaryen. Could it be possible. No, the Targaryens were all silver-haired, except there were a couple who weren't and Jon looks like a Stark, he looks more like a Stark than half my siblings. But Lyanna, she was a Stark. The thought is utterly insane but the more I consider it the more sense it makes. My Father was an honourable man yet he came back with a baby who he said was his bastard. Unless it wasn't his bastard but his nephew. He never really said how Lyanna died, what if it was in childbirth?
When I look up I find myself in the godswood and Bran is sitting beside the Weirwood tree watching me with a look in his eyes that gives me chills.
"Is it true?", I ask him knowing that if it is he must know.
He simply nods his head.
I try to speak but it comes out as a choking sound. My head spins as I try to process what this means.
"Jon's the heir to the Iron Throne", I breathe and he nods again with a sly look in his eyes, the most emotion I've seen from him.
"Rhaegar and Lyanna were wed, Jon is their legitimate heir", he confirms.
"Does he know?" I ask as I realise that Rhaegar was Daenerys' brother. She's Jon's fucking aunt. Gods Jon's fucking his aunt "Does anyone know?"
"Samwell Tarly and myself", he answers.
I quickly find my way back inside the walls of Winterfell and inside Sams room.
"Your Grace", he stutters as I walk in "This is a surprise"
"Indeed it is a surprise", I say and I see his wife and child sitting at the table.
"Your Grace", she says standing and then awkwardly curtsying. She seems lovely but I have greater concerns.
"Sam may we have a word in private", I say curtly and he nods to his wife.
"Take little Sam outside to play in the snow", he says nervously and she takes the boys hand and leads him outside.
He looks around awkwardly and then has a moment of clarity and picks up a prosthetic hand.
"I went off the design you gave me and it's just about finished if you would like to look", he says proudly and I can only wonder just how he could be hiding this secret from my brother.
"Later", I say standing tall "I'm here about something more important"
He straightens his robes "Really, what about?"
I walk over to his window and see my brother and Daenerys returning "The fact that Jon is a Targaryen and neither you or Bran thought that Jon himself or the Queen in the North had the right to know"
I turn back to look at him and he is absolutely gobsmacked.
"Did Bran tell you?" he stammers and I shake my head slowly.
"It only took twenty three years but I figured it out. When I saw Jon riding Rhaegal it clicked, then Bran confirmed it"
"We've been waiting for the right time to tell Jon", he tries to explain but I'm not having it.
"All his life he's believed that he is a bastard", I snap "Meanwhile he has been the heir to the Iron Throne, his mother was Lyanna Stark, he is a trueborn Stark and his Father was a Targaryen"
As I say it only then it sinks in just how dangerous that is. My father lied for good reason, Robert would have killed Jon as a babe if he knew. Anyone who has sat on that throne would have ordered Jon to be killed if they knew. Daenerys has believed her entire life that her brother was the rightful heir and then her. What will she do if she finds out there is another heir?
"Daenerys", I whisper as I see his reason for hiding the truth.
"We need Daenerys for the battle against the dead", he rationalises "If she knew, if Jon knew-"
"So you're going to let Jon keep fucking his aunt?"
His mouth widens and he's utterly speechless for a moment.
"Jon and Daenerys?" he gasps and I tilt my head as I look at him trying to figure out if he seriously didn't know "I knew he liked her but I had no idea they were-"
"Well they are", I say rather uncomfortably "He deserves to know the truth"
He nods in agreement "What will we tell him?"
"You and Bran were the ones who discovered it, you two tell him", I decide wanting to stay out of this, my relationship with Jon doesn't need anymore strain put onto it "And thank you for my husbands hand, I will have payment sent to you"
Jon is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. Daenerys will feel threatened even if he doesn't want it. He didn't even want to be legitimised as a Stark let alone be a lord or a King. Him knowing will have consequences but he has the right to know, I just hope he has the sense to keep it to himself. At least until after the battle.
Sam leaves and I sit down at his desk and pick up the prosthetic hand. It's made of good metals and it's lightweight unlike that lump of gold he had before. The fingers look less realistic but they are moveable and practical which I know he will appreciate. I'll take it to someone to have it painted so it looks as nice as it is practical.
He will be home any day now.
When I look up I see Sams wife standing in the doorway with their son.
"Where did Sam go?" She asks shyly.
"To see Jon", I reply as I gesture to the chair across from me "Please sit"
She sits down and I eye her curiously as I catch her unusual mannerisms.
"What's your name?" I ask, I did say to Sam when I met him that I'd like to meet his wife.
"Gilly", she replies giving no house name.
"So tell me Gilly, where are you from?"
She's definitely not from the south so that leaves the North.
"Beyond the wall", she says stuttering slightly as she reveals this. Sam fell in love with a wilding just as Jon did.
"So you are of the free folk?"
She nods and I reach across the table to take her hand "Gilly, the freefolk are welcome in the North, without them none of us would be here in Winterfell. You and your son are very welcome here"
It's been a long time since I've had a friend. I have Brienne and even Tormund but she serves me and he is technically a political ally. The last person who I could truly call a friend was Talisa. She was my sister by law and the only other person who was a friend who wasn't in anyway related to Jaime or myself was Shae or even Ros. Now they are both dead.
It's been a long time since I've had a friend that isn't a political ally or someone who serves me. Someone who is simply a friend. Perhaps it's time I had one.
We talk late into the night until Sam finally returns wearing a pained expression.
"Is it done?"
"It's done"

I'm returning to my room when out of a window I see Bran sitting near the gate.
I turn to the nearest guard "Has no one thought to take my brother out of the cold?"
"Your Grace he insisted to be left there", he says quickly as he raises his hands in his defence and I walk past him and find my way outside.
He watches me as I approach him. The vacant look in his eyes never fails to disturb me.
"Aren't you cold?" I ask but he doesn't reply. He hardly seems human these days so somehow I'm not surprised.
I look around as I wrap my arms tighter around myself "You should come inside, being out here won't do you any good"
"I'm waiting for an old friend", he simply replies and I squint my eyes as I look at him in the darkness but his face doesn't reveal anything.
"Is it that Reed girl Sansa mentioned", I ask as I struggle to remember her name "Meera was it?"
"An old friend", he repeats and I decide not to ask anymore questions. I'm the Queen I'll be alerted of this old friend soon enough one way or another.

Jaime

Bronn is by my side as we ride towards Winterfell amongst the crowds of people flocking to the castle.
"You go ahead, I'm making a quick detour", he says eagerly.
"Do I want to know?" I ask and he smirks before riding off towards the brothels.
I can't blame him honestly, it's been a long lonely ride. I can't wait to be back in Raynas bed, in her arms if she'll have me.
Cersei lied and Rayna lost our child due to it. After this I know that Cersei is truly gone. She isn't even my sister anymore, she's an enemy. If Rayna received my raven hopefully it put her at ease, if not then I know she will channel any grief into this coming war however I fear what awaits me when I return. She doesn't deal well with grief.
I should have been here with her, I should have left Kings Landing when I had the chance and asked my bannerman to meet me in the Westerlands go head North. I should have found another way to march the troops North myself besides staying in Kings Landing. Rayna wouldn't of cared how I did it as long as I came home with the troops and now I'm coming home with nothing and to a grieving wife.
I ride through the gates and I'm glad to see that the dragons haven't burned it down yet. As soon as I arrive in the courtyard I dismount my horse and move to go straight to Raynas room but I'm stopped in my tracks by a young man in a chair watching me.
Bran.