You Signed Up for This / Jaime Lannister (2.1)

15. I Would Howl

Tywin was furious. The Tyrells were one thing but Cersei. That was unacceptable. 

"Should we write back Ser Jaime? Let him know to return home for his sister's sake?" 

Tywin stared at his squire and huffed out a breath as he leaned back in his char. 

"No." Tywin decided after a long moment. "Rieka will be giving birth soon enough and I dont want her stressed. We will get Cersei out." Tywin demanded. "She was an idiot to give that man such power." Tywin hissed. "Now we have to take it back."

"I changed my mind, I'm not ready." Rieka decided.

"You are doing great." Jaime assured.

"This baby is coming out sideways." Rieka decided. "The little nugget."

" No, it just feels like that. Your fetus is facing up instead of down." The maester remarked.

"Seven hells." Rieka muttered. "Something's wrong? That's what that means?"

"No. Baby's just moving around, letting us know that it is time to come out." Rieka's jaw chattered anxiously. 

"Something doesnt feel right." Rieka kept murmuring and Jaime held tight to her hand. "You know I think I changed my mind, I'm fine with keeping this kid hostage in me forever. Lets just-" Rieka groaned out. "-tell the kid no and I'm not really ready yet."

"You are ready."

"I dont feel ready." Rieka corrected. Jaime held tight to her. "Jaime, something isnt right. I feel it, something isnt right.... I need... I need." What did she need? She needed her father to tell her everything was going to be okay, that she was his brave little wolf. 

"I get it. It's a big day. You know, a lot of new experiences all happening at once. But, this is not new for me. I have been here many, many times, and I know exactly how to help you get through this." the maester reminded her.

"Thank you... yeah, I dont do gentle motivation... but just... tell it to wait. Just to fucking wait until I'm ready." Rieka begged. "Somethings not right," She whimpered her vision blurry.

"I can't do that."

"Jaime." Rieka begged.

"You got this, you got this, you are so strong, everything is going to be okay" Jaime whispered holding onto her, kissing her cheek. "You are Rieka Rose Lannister, and you got this!" Jaime assured. Rieka nodded her lips pursed in pain.

"Then get it out of me." Rieka demanded.

"I can't do that either. Your body is not ready-"

"I thought you just said it was!" Rieka sobbed out. "Why does it hurt so much, I kept this little shit safe for moons and this is how it repays me?"

"You are right, something isnt quite right."

"What?" Rieka demanded.

"No, just a big head." The maester offered.

"Oh? Just a big head? That's all." Rieka groaned out. "Oh, my God. Is the babe gonna fit?"

"Yes, the babe will. We just need to open up the birth canal a bit wider."

"That sounds... unpleasant." Rieka murmured.

"We're going to adjust you to a new position, OK? It makes it easier for the baby to come out."

"Okay, sure... I guess." Rieka agreed breathlessly. Jaime held tight to her hand.

"I'm right here." Jaime whispered.

"And you stay up here because I dont know what the hell is going on down there but I know it is not pretty." Rieka grumbled. Rieka's bed and pillows were adjusting and hands were pushing on her stomach.

"And I can use some pressure... Yep. I'm right here...."

"Right where?" Rieka grumbled. "Up my cunt? Yeah, I feel that." she agreed.

"OK, now on your next contraction, I want you to give me everything you've got. Everything."

"OK.... OK...." Rieka agreed "As if I wasnt already giving it my all." she grumbled.

"Come on Rieka, where is that wolf queen?" Jaime questioned and Rieka met his gaze. "I know you." Jaime added. 

"I would howl but I need to give this push all I got." Rieka reminded him.

"There's my girl." Jaime agreed. "You can do this Rieka."

"I can do this." Rieka agreed half heartedly.

"Yes, you can. You got this." Jaime declared.

"I got this. I got this. OK. Ohhh. Fucking.... Kay." Rieka rasped before she was yelling with a giant push. "Somethings... not right." She whispered again.

"I've got the head... the Shoulder...."

"Somethings not right!" Rieka demanded through groans of pain before she heard cries of a baby. "Thank the Gods." Rieka murmured. "Never doing that again. Never again."

"I've got her. I got her. She's here. She's here."

"She?" Jaime whispered and Rieka's eyes went wide, a little girl.

"It's a girl." Rieka whimpered reaching out. "I told you. Ten girls." 

"What happened to I'm never doing this again?" Jaime mused kissing her sweaty forehead. 

"A little girl." Rieka repeated. 

Labor was excruciating unlike pain Rieka had ever felt before. She never wanted to go through this again she decided. She didn't care how good sex was she didn't wanna deal with pushing another being out of her body.

Finally she could hear the screams a child and she could breathe but no one looked happy. Her smile fell. She knew it was a girl and that was it, what was happening?

'What's wrong? What has happened? what's the matter?' Rieka asked reaching out for her baby but no one moved. Still no smile. this was a happy moment. A happy fucking moment!

"It's a girl."

"Yes a girl, a little girl!' Rieka agreed, she was so happy, she smiled at the thought still reaching for her child but not one moved.

'I'm sorry my lady, Ser, I'm so sorry' another wet nurse said looking to Jaime. 

'Sorry why are you apologizing? what's wrong? what's wrong with her is she OK?' Rieka didn't understand what weren't they telling her?

'She is... she is...' it was as if no one wanted to say it, no one want to say what was wrong with her daughter.

'Tell me!' she demanded 'tell me now!'

'She's a dwarf.' One finally yelled out above the silence. Jaime wanted to laugh, Tyrion had given them a present to always remember him by, a little girl, a dwarf. 

'Give her to me' Rieka demanded. The wet nurse handed the child off and Rieka looked down into her eyes and the baby stopped crying.

'She's beautiful, she's perfect, I love her.' Rieka told them. Jaime sat beside Rieka looking at their daughter, her little limbs and larger head. Yet, Rieka looked at this little baby like she was the most precious thing in the world. Jaime looked over at the little girl, the dwarf. She already knew what people would say, hell the maesters themselves were already horrified. Jaime looked to Rieka though and she couldnt be happier.

"Is she healthy?" RIeka questioned.

"She is a dwarf."

"Dwarfism is not a something that will make her unhealthy, shes just different. Her fa- Uncle is a dwarf and he was healthy. Despite his drinking problem." RIeka remarked sharply. "Now, is she healthy?" They gingerly took the babe from Rieka and checked her over. She screamed out when taken away from Rieka, but she kicked her little legs and they swaddled her up.

"She seems healthy but her condition-"

"She is perfect." Rieka sneered. "You are excused."