King's Landing 300 AC.
Margaery.
She wanted to argue with him, to be angry with him, and to let her anger and annoyance show and found she could not. As much as she wanted him to stay here and not leave her and Elia once again, she had known that this was always going to be something she needed to deal with. Margaery had just hoped to have more time with him and that he would have more time with their daughter. Looking at him as he held Elia in his arms and sat on the balcony looking out on the city, it was clear just how much he wished it to be the same.
It had been her that had received the raven, Jae spending his time with Elia while she dealt with the realm, just as they had agreed she would. A part of her had wished to burn it, to throw it away and ignore it and yet it had been but a fleeting thought. Instead, she'd brought it to him and had seen how his face fell and how his body had slumped as he read it. The words themselves weren't any true indication of just how serious the situation was and had they come from anyone other than who they'd come from then she'd perhaps have not thought too much about them. Margaery didn't understand what it was that her aunt had become, this Three-Eyed Raven that Jae spoke to her about was beyond her thinking. What she did know was that it wasn't the message that would make him take to Rhaenix's back or take him from both their sides, it was the messenger.
That it had taken him a few days to prepare at least gave her time with him and so once again it was left to Jaime to see to the realm and for the last two days they'd rarely left their rooms. Jae only doing so to spar or to speak to Sansa and Joy and to Arya and Robb before they'd left. Even Prince Garin and the Rhoynar had been given little of her husband's time and it showed her just how much Jae feared he'd be away for them for some time. Once again he was taking in as much of them as he could and they'd made love until they were both exhausted more than once over the last two days.
"Look at her, little dragon, Aye, she's to be yours one day. See how she's showing off for you?" she heard Jae say as she stood at the door looking at him holding Elia in his arms while the Indigo Dragon flew by the balcony.
"I know, she's very silly, but silly can be fun too, little dragon, and I wish for you to have all the fun you can. Of course, we'll ride together, we'll ride, we'll fly and perhaps even your mother will join us, rather than watch us from behind the door." Jae said and Margaery chuckled as she moved to him and Elia.
"I was not hiding behind the door." she said and Jae just looked at Elia who she swore had a lopsided grin on her face.
"It seems your protest falls on deaf ears, my love. Our daughter isn't buying it and neither am I." Jae said his own smirk clear on his face.
"You believe me, don't you Ghost?" she said as Ghost looked at her and tilted his head before shaking it from side to side.
The laugh that came from Jae was one of his fuller ones and she looked at him as he moved his finger over Elia's lips, their daughter laughing just as fully she believed. Moving closer to him, she put her arm around his waist and moved her free hand to Elia's cheeks, smiling when their daughter tried to bite her finger.
"She can't be hungry again." she said looking at Jae.
"No, I think she just likes to bite things, it's the Dragon in her, or maybe the Wolf, or maybe it's the Rose? My wife was a biter when she was but a babe after all." Jae said and she shook her head as she laughed.
"I was not, who told you such things?" she said laughing still.
"My goodmother and I speak quite often when she joins me in watching over this one. Quite a conversationalist your mother is when she wishes to be, especially when it comes to her children. I never knew that Loras used to crawl along through the maze and eat the leaves of the bushes." Jae said and Margaery burst out laughing, the image now clear in her mind and one she couldn't seem to make go away.
