The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Seventy Nine

Jaime

I swallow hard as I see him sitting there. The look in his eyes tells me that he was waiting for me, expecting me. I didn't expect to see him so soon, never thought that he would be the first person I see.
He truly is crippled. I can almost hear the startled gasp that escaped him as I shoved him from that damn tower.
The wave of guilt that I've been suppressing ever since that moment hits me at once.
Before I can even begin to form the words that would never make up for what I did, a sharp gasp draws my attention to the balcony above. She stands there with her mouth hanging half open and then it breaks into a bright smile as she runs down the stairs and towards me, not seeing Bran sitting underneath the balcony.
I'm still standing there stunned as she reaches me but even so I open my arms and she runs into them, her body colliding with mine as she flings her arms around me and clings to me tightly.
"Jaime", she breathes against my neck as my arms wrap around her just as tightly, cradling her body against mine as I kiss the top of her head and bury my face in her hair to breathe her in.
As I run my fingers through her hair I look up and see Bran still watching silently. She reaches up to caress my face still not having seen him.
He nods to a guard who wheels him away.
I relax slightly but I'm still shaking as I hold her tightly against me.
"I'm so sorry sweetheart", I whisper and she looks up at me with those wide eyes.
"It's okay, you're home now, everything is okay", she smiles so purely and joyfully it breaks my heart.
"But the baby-" I begin and when I see the look of confusion on her face only then I feel her swollen belly pressed against me.
"The baby is fine Jaime", she says caressing my cheek "Why would you think that the baby-?"
Before she can finish her sentence my lips are on hers to distract her from the tears of relief and joy forming in my eyes. She's okay, they are both okay. Her lips are warm and soft against mine and I savour the taste of her, when I was in the cells I thought that I'd never be able to touch her again, to feel her again. I cling to her to avoid collapsing from the relief that shakes me as well as the malnourishment from the Black Cells and exhaustion from the riding.
As she pulls away her eyes meet mine and are wide with concern and for a moment I wonder if Cersei even sent a letter to her. If she even knew I was in those cells. Then I see her ring on her finger. The ring that Cersei tore from the chain around my neck.
She knows.
"So Cersei wasn't lying about everything", I comment as I lace my fingers through hers and bring them to my lips, feeling the cold bite of the silver and gold rings beside each other against the warmth of my lips.
When my eyes meet hers again that innocent, doe-eyed look is gone and they are filled with a cold fury and I know for certain that Cersei sent more than a ring. I can see her mentally start to piece together why I was so worried, why I thought the baby was gone.
"What did that lying whore tell you?" she growls but I simply shake my head.
"I'll explain everything later I promise, I just want to be with you now"
I expect her to argue but she pulls me back into her arms and her voice cracks as she whispers in my ear "Thank the gods that you're home"
"Oh trust me the gods had nothing to do with it", I comment and she shakes her head at me with an amused look.
"Aren't you getting a bit old to be a cocky bastard", she replies with that equally cocky tone that I fell in love with.
"A bit old?" I laugh as my hand finds her waist and my thumb runs over the edge of her stomach  "I hope I'm not that old, I'd like our children to remember me as a golden lion and not a grey old man"
"It's a bit late for that", she teases and she shrieks a little as I pull her roughly against me and whisper in her ear "You won't be calling me that tonight"
I smirk as she pulls away biting her lip. She might be pregnant but we haven't seen each other in weeks, and besides we both have quite an appetite for each other. More than anything though I just want to make love to my wife and feel her, be with her.
"Alright then my lion", she says half mockingly and I'm grinning as she brings her lips to mine.
Only when I hear the rattling of a wagon I become aware that we are still in the courtyard with many northerners watching us.
For a moment I panic and then I remember. I don't need to hide anymore, she is my wife and everyone knows that she is my wife. After all those years of secrecy sometimes it takes me a moment to remember that I can love her openly. Even so all these eyes are a tad uncomfortable.
"Doesn't that bother you?" I ask quietly referring to everyone but she simply shrugs her shoulders.
"It is a tad unqueenly but you are my husband and I want every person in the North to know how much I love you", she says kissing me again and just when I didn't think I could love her anymore she makes me fall even more in love. But that's what true love is, falling more in love every day.
I'm about to suggest we go somewhere private when I see Tyrion approaching us.
With all this chaos somehow I forgot he would be here. I was that preoccupied with Bran that I forgot that Daenerys would be here. That Tyrion would be here.
"Hello little brother", I say feeling any animosity and bitterness I had fade completely. I spent too long trying to hate him, feeling forced to because of father but now I'm free of my family. I don't need to pretend.
"You're alive", he says thickly and I realise what Cersei must have told them. That she didn't lie when she said she told them I'd been executed.
I bend down and embrace him tightly and he holds onto me just as fiercely. As angry as I may have been when he showed up at Riverrun with Rayna I know that if it wasn't for her we would still be at odds.
"Well it appears you and Bran were right", Tyrion says to Rayna and I go cold again at the mention of Bran.
Rayna's expression turns worrisome as we share a look then I see the look of realisation on Tyrion's face.
"I think you two have much to discuss", he says stiffly and he looks over to the wall where Daenerys stands with Jon watching us coldly.
She and Rayna may be friends but she will always despise me, always look down on me. I killed her father with good reason and she knows that, everyone knew I killed the Mad King with good reason but I will always be the Kingslayer.
"Jaime my love", Rayna says taking my arm as she looks up at Daenerys "We should go inside"