The she-wolf and the lion

Chapter 94 - the lioness and the dragon

5 years later, lady Jariella Lannister, niece of queen Brianna of house Stark and of the king's hand lord Tyrion of house Lannister, now age 12, is startled awake from a nightmare of her father, Jaime of house Lannister, master of Casterly Rock, being killed in battle.

She sits bolt up in the big bed in the Red Keep and lets out a whimper, noticing the blood in the bed. Her ladies, hearing her, burst in through the door with her uncle, Tyrion, the king's hand, in tow.
"Easy, easy, you'll be okay, bring water, oils and something to mop up the blood", Tyrion says, carefully holding his niece to him, addressing her first and then the servant girls. "You've become a woman, my dear child."
"Uncle Tyrion, does this mean I can marry the prince?" Jariella asks.
"In simple terms, yes, sweetling, this means you can marry the prince", Tyrion says. "Want me to tell the queen or do you wish to tell the queen yourself?"
"Could...could you tell the queen, please?" Jariella asks.
"As you wish, m'lady", Tyrion says, stroking his niece's cheek gently, giving her a little kiss on the forehead. "I'll leave you to wash and dress, come break the fast with me when you are ready."
"Thank you, uncle", Jariella says.
"Help my niece to wash and dress", Tyrion says, giving a little bow before leaving his niece with her ladies.
"Yes, lord Tyrion", the ladies says, helping Jariella wash and dress, changing the sheets on the bed.

Tyrion excuses himself and leaves his niece with her ladies. Jariella's ladies help her to wash and then help her dress, first the small clothes with a cloth to mop up the blood of her first monthly course, the stockings, petticoat, underdress in Stark silver grey under a Lannister red dress with a golden belt and beautiful silver slippers.

Before leaving her chambers, Jariella looks herself over in a hand mirror handed to her from one of her ladies. Outside the door, Jariella's uncle Tyrion wait for her.
"You look lovely, m'lady", Tyrion says, looking his niece up and down.
"Thank you, uncle", Jariella says, smiling.
"Come, I'll take you to your aunt the queen", Tyrion says.

Tyrion brings Jariella to the queen in the throne room.
"Your grace, I have our niece with me, she has some news for you", Tyrion says.
"What news are those, sweetling?" Queen Brianna asks.
"I...I have...I have flowered this day, your grace", Jariella says, eyes downcast.
"Do you know what all that means?" Queen Brianna asks her niece sweetly.
"It means I can marry prince Jaehaerys", Jariella says.
"It does, yes, how do you feel about that?" Queen Brianna asks.
"It makes me very happy and I promise to be a good wife and a good queen for my cousin prince Jaehaerys", Jariella says.
"And I'm sure you will make him very happy", queen Brianna says.
"And I'm sure he will make me very happy too", Jariella says.

The preparations are made for the wedding between 14 year old prince Jaehaerys and 12 year old lady Jariella and they are wed three months later. The wedding is a large one with guests from all the great houses in the Seven Kingdoms, first and foremost lady Jariella's Lannister and Stark relatives, with her Stark mother lady Lyra and her Lannister father lord Jaime, along with her brothers, as guests of honor.

After the wedding, Jaime, Lyra and their sons go to congratulate Jariella and prince Jaehaerys on their wedding.
"Do you think I will make him happy, mother?" Jariella asks Lyra when they are alone for a minute.
"I'm sure that you will make him very happy and give him many strong children", Lyra says, smiling at her daughter.
"Were you this nervous when you were to marry father and lay with him for the first time?" Jariella asks.
"Yes, very much so, I was also nervous about not being able to give him any children, but then we had your brothers and you, and maester Craylen says that we are still able to give you more siblings should we wish to have more children", Lyra says, not bothering to mention that her wedding night wasn't the first time she laid with Jaime.
"I hope you do manage to have more children, mother", Jariella says.
"I hope we do too, I know your father wants another child if we can manage to have one", Lyra says.
"If you do manage to have another child, what do you wish for, mother?" Jariella asks. "Another son or another daughter?"
"I would be equally happy for another daughter as I would for another son, as would your father", Lyra says.

In the evening, Jariella is taken to the chambers where prince Jaehaerys is waiting for her. Before she is taken there, Lyra gives her a little information about what to expect on her wedding night.

When the information has been delivered, Jariella is taken to her royal husband and Lyra goes to the chambers where Jaime wait for her. While their daughter is deflowered by prince Jaehaerys, Lyra herself makes slow gentle love to Jaime in their chambers.