The true Wolf Dragon [J. Lannister]

Chapter 4 - Wedding Day

A/N Thank you for the support on the story. I just wanted to say Happy Christmas. 

Your Author. xxx

Time had passed quickly in Winterfell, Jon and Lexi had grown closer than ever and to the surprise of many Ned Stark had taken the two under his wing and was seen every morning sharpening their skills with sword, or bow, or horsemanship. When the bastard twins were not together, Lexi was frequently with Jaime walking the grounds or riding or on occasion riding, with her direwolf always by her side. The day of the historic wedding between the North and the South drew a buzz around Winterfell, not a soul expected a Northerner to marry a Southerner, let alone a Lannister and yet here it was. Lords from all over the North travelled to witness the occasion, to see for themselves, to try and figure out how a bastard of the north was marrying a Lannister Lion. The castle was in a flurry, servants were running here and there making sure everything was absolutely perfect. Lexi stood looking from her room, the letter from her parents and the chest on her bed, after finding the chest she had moved it to her room. She had no idea what to do with the dragon eggs, but she would figure it out. Lexi moved from her window to stare around the cold broken room, she was glad to leave it, to move into Jaime's room, but with that came apprehension, of course she new about what happened, she had even dreamt it, felt it in a sense but now the time was drawing closer where she would experience it for real, for the first time in this life. A soft knock at her door, drew her out of her own mind, she hastily tucked the box under her bed along with the letter before going to the door and opening it. She couldn't hide her shock when she saw Catlyn Stark and Sansa and a very grumpy Arya. She didn't even invite them in before they barged passed her. She shut the door and soon she was jumped upon, she was stripped before her dress was put on and then she was forced to sit down and her head was pulled in all directions as they did her hair and then a simple makeup was applied. Arya sat on her bed ad laughed, she was glad her younger sister was having so much fun at her own displeasure. When they stood back, Lexi stood and walked to her broken mirror. She gasped, she looked stunning, her hair was simply braided into a crown with small wild flowers interwoven into it, the dress was a simple white with grey embroidery around the hem, that formed flowers and direwolves. It was simply stunning, she looked so unlike her self, her features appeared sharper, yet softer, a perfect mix of her parents, and for the first time she did not feel like the carbon copy of her mother. This was her day and no one could say that she was just a copy of someone else, for the first time she felt like her own person. Catlyn left shortly after, leaving Sansa and Arya. "You look beautiful Lexi." Sansa smiled, Lexi turned and smiled, Sansa had always kept her distance from Lexi and Jon and if she did speak to them it was often to point out a flaw. "Thank you Sansa, so look amazing to." Lexi smiled at the young red head, like most of the Stark children Sansa appeared more like a Tully than a Stark. It was part the reason why Catlyn despised her. "Well, I hate this!" Arya said stubbornly, she on the other hand had the Stark look and the temper to match, she was a wild thing, just like Lexi and when she could escape her lesson she would join Lexi in riding through the woods or practising with a bow. "Well Arya, I promise you as soon as the day is over you can run around and practise you bow until your heart is content, but for now you look beautiful." Lexi grinned she humphed and turned her back to her but Lexi saw smile on her face, she was just too proud to admit she liked being called beautiful, similarly to how she was always compared to Lyanna, Arya was constantly compared to Sansa and it got under the young girls skin. Though she would never admit it. "Will you be at King's Landing with us or will you be heading to Casterley Rock?" Sansa asked nervously, biting her lip. "King's Landing till the tourney and then we will be travelling to Casterley Rock, but don't fret Sansa, I will be there for your wedding to Joffery, though the prince does not deserve you." Lexi smiled taking her hand, Sansa appeared to relax a bit at those words. "Besides, I promised father to keep an eye on both of you and help you settle in. Which means," Lexi turned to Arya. "No running off to do what you want, we will be in enemy territory and that means the pack has to stay together." She still refused to look at her but Lexi knew Arya had heard her. The door opened and there stood her brothers, Jon looked slightly awkward standing next to Robb, the two had not been best of friends before Jon found out he wasn't really a bastard but that didn't make the two instant friends. Bran and Rickon however looked excited as they ran into the room. "Lexi!" Rickon giggled coming to hug her leg and crumpling the desk causing Sansa to gasp in horror and pull the boy away. "Oh, lighten up Sansa." Lexi chastised pulling Rickon and Bran next to her. Jon shook his head, he loved his sister to no end but she had no sense of perfection especially when it came to clothing. "So what did I do to deserve a visit from all of you?" Lexi asked, it was rare that all the Stark children where in one room let alone her room and specifically for her, especially Robb, he would normally avoid her like she was suffering from a plague. "You are getting married Lexi, when will we all come together like this again." Robb asked, with the same serious expression on his face as he always wore because he was the heir of the great Ned Stark. Lexi smiled sadly at him, that was far more accurate than he imagined. For the most part the dreams had died down and was now hiding in the dusty corners of her mind, of course she could never forget and when she and Jaime were alone, truly alone without the fear of getting disturbed would they talk about how possible it was to change the future they have witnessed over and over again. Though things have already changed, Jon was still going to the wall, but he was refusing to take the black, he was going as a representative for the Starks, he knew his family name, he knew his true self but after having a proper discussion with Ned it was decided that the twins would carry on a if they were still in the dark, like the past selves were. Then Bran was to travel with her and was to be taken into Jaime's house as a squire, to show that there was indeed a strong unity between the Lions and the Wolf. The one event Lexi wanted to change was the death of Ned Stark, he may not have been the best father figure to her but he was still family and she cared for Arya, Bran and Rickon, even Sansa, and Lexi did not want them to go through the loss of losing their father. However some events are fixed and as Ned said his death was something she could not change no matter how much she wanted to. "I suppose you are right Robb, but I do hope to travel back here often and for you all to travel to me, I know the North will always be home but please try." She smiled looking at them all and they nodded. "Of course, do you truly think you could get rid of any of us my dear sister." Jon grinned, and Lexi laughed shaking her head. Somewhere a bell tolled and the signified that all the guests were to go to the Godswood. "Well, we have to go, see you soon Lady Lannister." Jon said giving a mock bow causing Lexi to roll her eyes as they left, leaving her alone again with her thoughts. She stared into her broken mirror again, she was happy, happier than she had even been and yet she wanted one thing, and one thing she could never have, her parents, she may never have met them in person but every child dreamed of having their own father walk them down the aisle, to hand them over but Lexi did not have that, she had her Uncle and surrogate father but it was not the same thing. "My dear child do not cry now." She heard a soft motherly voice behind her say. Lexi looked up and turned in shock. On her bed sitting either side was her parents. "M-mother? F-father?" She stammered confused, they were ghosts, that much was clear, but how? Why? "The Gods granted us permission for you to see us Rhaenyra." He father smiled standing up. "They knew how much you would want us, to see us." He added. Lexi sniffed and carefully wiped the tears forming in her eyes. "They are right, I wish I could hug you both, you gave up so much for me and Jon." she said giving a watery smile, her parents looked at each other concerned. "Don't worry Jon knows, I love the names you gave us and I suspect if Uncle Ned wasn't such good friends with the King we would have kept them but he changed them to protect us." Lexi muttered quickly fearing she had upset them. "Rhaenyra, we are not upset by that, we are thankful to Ned for taking you both in, we just wished he had told you sooner, told Catlyn, and as for our sacrifice, we caused the rebellion, the future all stems from our selfishness." Lyanna said silently."No, the future is not your doing, the rebellion was not your doing. Baratheon over reacted, the future is in the hands of the living and it still would not have mattered if Catlyn knew, she would still blame us for the death of Brandon." Lexi cut in. "Rhaenyra we have little time, let's not argue, we shall agree to disagree but right now we just want to reassure ourselves and you that you will be fine, that you will be safe and marrying for love and not because you are forced to." her father said giving a look to Lexi and Lyanna . Lexi smiled, she imagined this is what it would be like if they were truly here. Him being a mediator between arguments that would have arisen. "Alright. I must say you do look perfect, my daughter, though I would have preferred a motif of a dragon somewhere in the dress." her mother said looking at the dress critically, Lexi looked down, she had to admit she did like the subtle idea of a dragon, to have them near, but it was far too late to change anything now. "Lyanna, leave her be, she looks beautiful, she's happy and she is marrying for love, that is all we could ask for, the dress does not matter in the long run." Her father stated gazing at his wife, this statement did cause both woman to glare. He looked at both of them before throwing his hands up in defence. "Alright, what do I know." He smiled. "Thank you father, and it's true those are the things that matter in the long run, but when else can I be absolutely perfect." Lexi smiled. They stood up and walked over to her, Lexi shut her eyes and imagined they were holding her hands, brushing her cheek, kissing her forehead and for a minute, a fleeting moment she thought they were here, with her, alive. Lexi opened my eyes and saw they were gone, she would have thought she had hallucinated them if Lexi had not known the power of the gods, because if they can plant alternative selves memories in her head, they could bring the ghost of her parents for her, it was honestly the least they could do. A knock at the door shook her from her mind, she went to open it and saw Ned standing there with a gift in his hand. "This was Lyanna's and I know she would want you to have it." He said gruffly as Lexi took the box and carefully opened it, to see a simple pendant of a direwolf, she carefully picked it up and turned it over in her hand and gasped when she saw a small engraving of R.T, to symbolize the connection they shared. "She got it engraved, days before she and Rhaegar ran away, she showed me, I think she almost hoped that I would realise the significance and go with her." He said sadly. "It is beautiful, thank you." Lexi smiled as he offered to clasp it round her neck, she allowed him and she knew she was finally ready, Lexi feared that her parents were to be forgotten during the day but now there was a piece of them that was with her throughout the whole day. "I am proud of you, Lexia, truly, even with what you have faced with Catlyn and myself, and through all of that you are the most kind and caring woman, I have seen you with Bran, Rickon and even Arya, and we all know she is not the most patient girl." This caused Lexi to smile. "I know the future for you will be unsteady, but always know that I along with your parents will guide you all you need to do is ask." He finished, Lexi was close to tears again, but she refused to cry, it would do no good if the guests saw her like that. "Thank you for those kind words, I only hope I can live up to them." Was all she said, as he offered her his arm, and she took it and they left her room. Lexi shut the door, for the final time, for it was not her room now, she would enter the castle as Lady Lannister a wolf in a Lion Pride. The small frighten child that was Lexia Snow was dead and in her place was rising the woman who many would learn was Rhaenyra Lexia Lannister, a warrior, a lady and most of all a wolf dragon who should not be trifled with. Lexi took a deep breath as she descended the stairs of her tower for a final time, this would always be her tower but it was no longer her home. No that would be Casterley Rock, the home of her husband. That was odd to think. At the bottom of the tower sat Phantom, she was even bigger now and on top of her head sat a flower crown from wild flowers, whoever had placed the crown on her was brave, but she suspected she knew the culprit and she would have to thank them later. The direwolf fell inline dutifully behind her master and the strange trio walked to the Godswood. For Lexi the walk felt like it took far too long, she was itching to see Jaime now, she was glad that he didn't care much for the Southern Gods, that he happily allowed them to be married in the Godswood, if she was to move to Casterley Rock, to marry a Lannister, her last minutes as Lexia Snow she wanted to be surrounded by the Gods who have been hers since birth. When they finally reached the edge of the Godswood they stopped and Ned retrieved something for her and he placed a heavy cloak on her shoulders, "Sansa, Catlyn and even Arya have been working on this for you." Lexi was very close to tears, she may not be having a wedding in a Sept but they still wanted to give her a small symbol of that tradition. It was dark now and that meant they could start. Ned pushed branches aside to reveal hundreds of torches dancing in the light. Lexi gasped, it was beautiful, like every girl across the continent she dreamed of her wedding this was better than anything she had dreamt off on a cold lonely night in her room. "Ready?" He whispered and Lexi nodded, it was now or never. They began a slow walk to the sacred weirwood tree, if she thought the walk to the edge of the Gods wood was long, this felt like an eternity, she did not want everyone here but the King was presiding and that would never happen, the torches felt like they swarmed the area, so much so she could pick out every face. She saw closer to the tree her family standing together waiting. Then she looked straight ahead and saw Jaime standing there in all his glory, Lannister red really did suit him, the torch light accentuated his features bathing him in a deep orange glow, he was stunning and she was so lucky. Jaime could not help but let his mouth fall open, he had dreamed of Lexi and had seen many times they had wed in the past and yet every time she appeared more beautiful than the last, in the torch light she looked more like the Targaryn than ever, her sharper regal features stood out more and the dress, oh the dress she was wearing, it was stunning, perfect, ever so Lex, he was the luckiest man in the world. She caught her eye and he could not look away, it was if they entire world faded away for a moment. Lexi and Ned stopped by Jaime and turned to face Robert, who surprise surprise had been drinking already. "Who comes before the old gods tonight?" Robert's voice boomed. "Lexia, of house Stark, comes here to be wed. A woman grown, true born and noble. She comes to beg the blessing of the Gods. Who comes to claim her?" Ned replied, his voice steady as he stood slightly in front of her. "Jaime, of house Lannister. Heir to Casterley Rock. Who gives her?" Jaime said, his line perfect. "Eddard, of House Stark, her...her father." He stammered slightly. "Lady Lexia, do you take this man?" Robert asked. Lexi turned to Jaime and just behind him she saw her parents, hand in hand and smile on their face. "I take this man." She replied steadily, and like that she became a Lannister, one thing she did decide to add to the ceremony was the cloaking ceremony. Jaime moved behind her and carefully took her Stark cloak from her shoulders and took a Lannister red one from his brother and draped it on her shoulder. He leant in and gave her a chaise kiss before they turned to the crowd, hand in hand, and everyone cheered. Lexi could not let the smile drop from her face, she was married, and she was married to Jaime, the last few weeks felt like a dream to her and even now she feared she would wake up in a world where Catlyn did not care and treated her like a servant, she would loose Jon to the Wall and she would die unhappy to an old Lord. Lexi looked up at Jaime and he was gazing down at me, love clear in his eyes. "You look stunning, love." He whispered as we walked back to the castle. "They are here you know, your parents, my mother too." He murmured, Lexi looked to the doors to the feast hall and he was right, there stood her mother and her father behind, his hands on her waist as they watched the pair of us and next to them was a beautiful woman, who looked slightly older than them, I knew she was wearing Lannister Red, her golden hair and green eyes made it clear who she was, Jaime's mother. Jaime squeezed her hand, he knew how much it meant to Lexi that they were here, he did not know until much later of their visit to her room before. He was excited to start a life with his wife, it was odd to say and think. He never thought he would marry and he knew if Cersei got her way he would never fall in love, he would still be following the manipulative bitch around for the rest of his life, he would never know his children but with Lexi, his Lexi by his side, his life had changed and seeing his mother proved it. Jaime had seen her after Cersei had burst into his room only a few hours before raving about how Lexi was sleeping round and was using him, he had grown so enraged he shoved her out and slammed the door. It hurt him and he hated to admit it, he was shutting the door firmly on the woman he thought he had loved for so long. It was then he saw here sitting in front of him, there was not a look of pity on her face but one of understanding. "Ready to hear the vulgarities of the king?" Lexi asked softly bringing him out of his memory, he looked to his mother and to her parents and nodded, this was the first feast as husband and wife and all he wanted was for it to be over so he could drag her away to his room, no their room and show her how much he loved her. "THe sooner it starts, the sooner we can leave." He responded and they pushed the door open.