The she-wolf and the lion

Chapter 52 - meeting of the cubs

"Send for my sons to meet their sister", Lyra says and one the servant girls goes to get Daemon and Gerion for her master and mistress.
"Yes, lady Lannister", one of the servant girls says and goes to get the two young lords of houses Lannister and Stark.

A few minutes later, the servant girl returns with Daemon, Gerion and Bronn, serving as the young lords' own guard this day.
"You sent for us, mother", Daemon says.
"Come, boys, come meet your sister", Lyra, lying in the bed with her daughter in her arms, says. "This is Jariella Lannister, your sister, named after your father's mother Joanna Lannister and after mine own mother, Ariella Stark."
"She is beautiful, just like you, mother", Gerion says. "She has your hair, but she has father's eyes."
"Thank you, sweet boy", Lyra says, smiling at her son.
"Will she be your heir just like me and Gerion are your heirs?" Daemon asks.
"She will, but she will also be married off to a lord when she's of age", Jaime says. "A lord of her own choice, of course, just like your mother did."
"Mother wasn't meant to marry you, father?" Gerion asks.
"No, your mother was meant to marry the prince, but your mother didn't want to marry the prince, so your grandfather Benjen made a deal with the king and with your grandfather Tywin, the king's hand and chief advisor, to let your mother and I marry and decided that your aunt would marry the prince instead", Jaime says.
"Grandfather Tywin said that the king wasn't very happy about that", Daemon says.
"I know, but your grandfather knew something that the king didn't know", Jaime says.
"What was that, father?" Gerion asks.
"Your grandfather knew that the princess didn't want to marry me, she thought I was too old for her, and your grandfather also knew that I was already in love with your mother and that your mother was already in love with me", Jaime says.
"How old was the princess then, father?" Daemon asks.
"I think the princess was 10 or 11, I was 19, your mother was 17," Jaime says.
"So the princess was a child but you were a man grown then, father", Gerion says. "I think it was good that you said no to marrying her."
"Me too, my boy, me too", Jaime says.
"Do you ever regret it, Jaime?" Lyra asks.
"Saying no to marrying the princess? No, never, she was a child while I was already a man grown, I would likely have been long in to my 20's by the time she'd flowered, god knows how old I would have been by the time I'd made her with child", Jaime says. "Besides, I would much rather have you and our children than being the prince consort to that king's daughter."
"So you don't hold a grudge against anyone for letting us marry?" Lyra asks.
"Sweetling, no, of course not, no, where does this come from? I love you and I would have chosen you regardless of what anyone said, I don't regret a single thing, had I not met you, I wouldn't the three beautiful children you've given me, every moment with you makes me the happiest man in the seven kingdoms", Jaime says gently.
"Are you sure?" Lyra asks.
"Dearest wife, I'm crazy about you and I've always been crazy about you and I always will be crazy about you, and if the seven are kind to us, I will get to warm your bed for the rest of my life and give you many more strong beautiful children like those we've already been blessed with", Jaime says, planting a gentle kiss in Lyra's hair.