The she-wolf and the lion

Chapter 7 - Visiting lions

Four days later, Benjen sits in the great hall with his brother Eddard, his daughter Lyra and Lyra's lover, former prisoner of war but now guest of house Stark, Jaime Lannister, sits together and enjoys breakfast together.

Maester Luwin walks in and up to Benjen at the head of the table, handing him a letter stamped with lord Tywin's seal.
"Lord Stark, a raven from King's Landing", maester Luwin says.
"From my father, lord Tywin?" Jaime asks, seeing his father's seal.
"He and your lady mother are coming to visit within a fortnight, to discuss the betrothal between you two, he says they're just gonna bring their own personal guards and personal servants", Benjen says, eying his daughter and her lover.
"I hope he agrees to it and doesn't still demand that I marry the Targaryen girl that he first wanted me to marry", Jaime says.
"Don't you worry about that, I convinced lord Tywin to change his mind on that, that one of Lyra's cousins, one of my brother Eddard's sons, would marry her and I spoke to queen Rhaella myself and it was decided that one of Lyra's sisters would marry prince Rhaegar in her stand, in return for your release from your duty to the King's Guard as well as Lyra's release from any eventual marriage plans with prince Rhaegar", Benjen says, smiling kindly at Jaime.
"Thank you, lord Stark", Jaime says.
"I didn't want to break my daughter's heart in such a way, seeing her married to someone she didn't want while the man she wants is forced in to the same fate, forced to marry someone he doesn't want", Benjen says. "Raise, Jaime, son of Tywin, and let me welcome you as a son of my own in to my house".

Jaime gets up and the two men, the lion and the wolf, embrace. Eddard looks on proudly as the young lion sits back down next to his smiling niece.
"I'm happy for you two, anyone who can't see how much you two love each other is either blind or a fool", Eddard says, smiling widely at his niece and her lover.
"Thank you, uncle", Lyra says. "May we be excused, father? Jaime, my love, join me for a walk around the garden, the weather is so lovely."
"It would be my pleasure, my love, with your permission, of course, lord Stark", Jaime says, turned to Benjen.
"You two lovebirds go enjoy yourselves while me and your uncle see to the arrangements for our southern guests", Benjen says lovingly.

Jaime and Lyra leave the great hall, his strong arm protectively around her waist, before going out to the garden, Lyra calls to one of her handmaidens to bring her silver grey shoulder wrap with the wolf skin inlays and her thin leather gloves and they wait for the girl to come running with the fabric in her arms with the gloves on top, handing it to Jaime so he can place the wrap around Lyra's shoulders and wait as she puts on the gloves.
"Are you ready?" Jaime asks.
"Yes", Lyra says and they walk out in to the garden. "It's beautiful out here, don't you think?"
"Almost as beautiful as you, my love", Jaime says, kissing Lyra gently.

The next fortnight flies by in a flash and one morning, Jaime and Lyra are woken in her chambers, that they now share, with the news that Jaime's father, mother and their accompanying servants and soldiers from King's Landing have arrived.

Lyra has a handmaiden and groomsman attend to her and Jaime as they ready themselves to go to meet their respective parents.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine", Lyra's uncle Eddard, who's come to escort them in to the great hall, says with a reassuring smile to both the young lovers.
"Lord Eddard Stark, escorting his niece, lady Lyra and your son lord Jaime", maester Luwin says.
"You look well, my son", Tywin addresses his son.
"I am very well, father, I have been well treated by the lords and ladies of house Stark", Jaime says, sitting down next to Lyra.
"Lady Lyra, it's a pleasure to welcome you as a daughter to my house", Tywin addresses Lyra. "As you know, I've been in correspondence with your father and uncle and I've discovered it being my son's wish to marry you as well as it is your wish to marry him, I simply can not deny him that happiness, so of course I will agree to it."
"Thank you, lord Tywin, I promise to be a good wife to your Jaime and a good mother to his children", Lyra says.

It's decided that Jaime and Lyra will officially announce their betrothal within the next fortnight and that they will be married at Casterly Rock, Jaime's birthplace and his birthright when the time comes.

Even though it's against tradition for the bride and groom to travel to their wedding together, to even see each other until their wedding day, Jaime and Lyra travel together on his large black war stallion, the four beautiful white stallions, two of which will carry them on their wedding day, following behind, pulling the two large wagons carrying Lyra's and Jaime's things.

The remaining horses follow further down the line with the remaining servants and things they've brought with them from Winterfell.
"Lord Lannister, lady Stark, we are being followed", sell sword William Frey, great great grandson of Walder Frey, says calmly when they've gotten a long way away from Winterfell and on to the King's Road in the direction of Casterly Rock.
"Who? Can you see a banner?" Jaime asks, protecting Lyra with his body, hiding her in his cloak.
"Six white shells on a sand-colored background", William says.
"House Westling, vassals of my father", Jaime says, easing his tight hold on the reins.
"Young lord of Lannister, is that you I see traveling under both the lion of your own house and the wolf of house Stark?" Lord Gawen Westerling asks.
"It is, m'lord", Jaime says. "The reason is my bride, lord Westerling, may I present lady Lyra Stark, my betrothed."
"Lady Stark, it's a pleasure meeting you", lord Westerling says.
"And you lord Westerling", Lyra says.
"Where are you heading?"!Lord Westerling asks.
"I'm bringing my lady Lyra with me back to Casterly Rock, where I will make her my bride within a fortnight", Jaime says.
"I'll let you two be on your way then, nice to meet you, lady Stark, give my regards to your father, Jaime", lord Westerling says.
"I will", Jaime says.

Lord Westerling rides on in the opposite direction and Jaime calls to ride on towards Casterly Rock. They ride a couple more miles until Jaime calls a halt again.
"My lady Lyra is growing tired, we're setting up camp for the night here", Jaime says sternly, every inch a lord.
"Yes, lord Lannister", the servants say and start to set up camp, the tents for themselves and the covered wagon with the proper bed for the lord and his lady.
"Water the horses", Jaime says.
"Yes, lord Lannister", the servants say.
"And set up supper for me and my lady", Jaime says.
"Yes, lord Lannister", the servants say.

Jaime dismounts and helps Lyra off of his horse, holding her to him.
"This way, my love", Jaime says, bringing Lyra in to the covered wagon. "This is where we'll spend our nights until we reach Casterly Rock."

They enter the carriage, removes their clothes and lay down naked together on the big bed. Jaime mounts his lady Lyra and move slowly, gently inside her.
"Ah, Jaime, oh god, that feels so good, you feel so good", Lyra moans, bucking upwards to meet his thrusts.

Jaime picks up speed, making the carriage shake and rattle with their eager rough lovemaking.
"Don't break the carriage, Jaime", Lyra giggles.
"Are you giggling at your lord?" Jaime asks, trying to sound stern but can't help breaking out in to laughter that Lyra silences with a deep kiss.
"Ah god, that feels so good, harder, Jaime, harder, please", Lyra moans, sinking her teeth in to Jaime's shoulder to keep from moaning too loud, digging her nails in to his back.
"Lyra, you wild insatiable she-wolf of a woman, where have you been all my life?" Jaime sighs, collapsing completely spent on top of her, about to pull out of her.
"Stay inside me, Jaime, you're still hard, let me feel your body relax, let me feel you grow soft inside me", Lyra says.