The she-wolf and the lion

Chapter 8 - Casterly Rock

Jaime rides up the road towards his birthplace, Casterly Rock, the ancestral stronghold of his house, his and Lyra's new home where they will rule as lord and lady of the westerlands.

He rides through the Lion's Mouth, in to the courtyard.
"Welcome home, lady Lannister, to Casterly Rock, your new home", Jaime says, nuzzling Lyra's hair.
"It's...breathtakingly beautiful", Lyra gasps, looking around.
"So is my bride", Jaime mumbles against her hair.
"My lord Jaime, you're home", Arianne Rivers, one of the servant girls of house Lannister, says when she sees him come riding in to the courtyard.
"Hello Arianne", Jaime says, moving his cloak aside a bit to show Lyra in front of him on the horse. "This is my betrothed, lady Lyra Stark."

When Arianne sees Lyra in front of Jaime on his large warhorse, her smile fades and she looks like a deflated balloon.
"She wishes she was in my position, she wants what's mine, she wants you, she wants your children", Lyra says lightly after seeing the deflated young woman.
"I know, she's tried to get me to bed and wed her for years, but you have nothing to worry about, I've always turned her down, and I will continue to turn her down, you are everything I need, I don't want her, I never wanted her, I don't want anyone other than you", Jaime says.
"Well, I'm glad that you reassure me like that", Lyra says.

Jaime gets off his horse, helps Lyra off and hands the reigns to a stableboy.
"Take care of him, I think I might have worked him a little too hard on the last distance on the road from Winterfell", Jaime says.
"Yes, lord Jaime", Harry Thorne says, taking the reins and leading the large warhorse away to the stables. "Come on, boy, that's it, come on, let me see what your master has done to you."
"Bring lady Stark's things to my chambers", Jaime says.
"Yes, m'lord", one of the servant girls says, getting to work.
"Lady Stark?" Lyra asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, you're not officially lady Lannister yet, you are to me, but you know what I mean", Jaime says. "You will be soon, my love, as soon as our parents gets here, we will get married, I got word on the road that they are on their way here and that they will be here within a week."
"I hope so", Lyra says.
"So eager, lady Stark", Jaime says.
"For you, always", Lyra says.
"Come on, you must be tired after our long journey, I'll show you to our chambers", Jaime says.

Jaime lifts Lyra up in his arms and carry her through the castle and all the way to their chambers.
"I'm having supper with lady Lyra in our chambers this evening", Jaime says to a servant girl as he walks past with his lady in his arms on the way to their chambers.
"Yes, your grace, what would you like?" The servant girl asks.
"Roast chicken, bread, sweet meats, fruit, cheese and wine", Jaime says.
"For two? You and lady Lyra?" the servant girl asks to make sure she gets it right for her new master and mistress.
"That's right, and we would like a bath after our long journey", Jaime says to another servant girl.
"I'll get hot water for you and lady Lyra, lavender and geranium oils in the water? Lady Lyra's uncle lord Eddard mentioned when he was here with lady Lyra's father lord Benjen, that she enjoyed those scents, when they were here discussing the possibly of a betrothal between you two with your father", the servant girl says.
"I didn't know they had been here to discuss that", Jaime says.
"It was while you were at war, lord Jaime", the servant girl says. "So, lavender and geranium oils in the water?"
Yes, thank you", Lyra says.

Three servant girls, two of which seeming to have appeared from nowhere, gets to work filling the large tub with boiling hot water and pours in small bottles of the oils.

When it's done, the servant girls stand back to let Jaime and Lyra get in to the tub, when one of the servant girls holds up a sponge, attempting to start washing Jaime, Lyra hold out her hand for the sponge, the steely ice cold look she gives the servant girl, the same look her father Benjen and uncle Eddard gives anyone that displeases them could make anyone freeze to death on the spot.
"I'll wash him myself, he is my betrothed after all, you three are dismissed, leave us", Lyra says, watching them leave without a word.
"Lady Lyra, was that the same look you gave me when I was your prisoner?" Jaime asks, impressed with her. "You strike fear in the hearts of man, woman and beast."
"No, more like the look uncle Eddard gave you while you were a prisoner and he learned I'd had you", Lyra says.
"That look scared me when it came from him but it honestly turned me on a bit when it came from you", Jaime says and Lyra laughs.
"Jaime, is there anything that doesn't turn you on?" Lyra asks.
"Quite a lot, actually", Jaime says defensively and starts counting. "Any woman that isn't you, horses, men."

Lyra laughs, moving so she's behind him so she can wash his back.
"You've healed up nicely after I beat you when you were my prisoner", Lyra says, gently kissing the small scars on his back.
"Good, you can whip me again whenever you want, I quite liked it", Jaime says. "Being dominated by a woman like that, it's rare for me that anyone can handle a man like that, especially that a woman can handle a man like that."
"I'll remember that", Lyra says. "That it turns you on to be dominated by me."
"It very much does, it was hot, you doing that to me", Jaime says.
"I can do it tonight if you wish", Lyra says.
"I'd love to", Jaime says. "We can pass it off as my wounds from when I was a prisoner haven't quite healed if anyone wondered in case my back is bloody."
"I like how you're thinking", Lyra says.