The Bloodied Wolf (Lion's Wolf Book 5)

Chapter 2

~ The House of Black and White ~

I woke from my restless slumber and touched my hand to my belly, no bump, no kick, nothing, I felt empty, it had been over a month and I still felt like I was missing a limb, like all those times when I was little and I'd lost a tooth, I couldn't help but touch the space that was once filled, Jaime's side of the bed was empty once more and I knew why, he also couldn't sleep peacefully, our plan to save Tyrion from his death sentence was a success,  we'd conspired to let Tyrion go free with the help of Varys, both men were now well on their way to Essos where they'd find Daenerys, Jaime didn't know that Varys had planned it, didn't know that I was the one who came up with the idea of telling Jaime one thing and having Varys do another, while I hated the lie that I had told, it was safer for Tyrion to be with Daenerys, Ser Barristan had told me a great deal about the Dragon Queen and told me that he would trust her to make the right decision about the situation.

I slowly got out of bed and began to remove the soreness in my neck, standing on the cold stone floor I began to stretch out my body in preparation for my morning ritual of training with Ser Ashter, my body was back to its usual form once more if not a bit stronger then before, I changed into my fighting clothes and began to Water Dance the moves grounded my mind and caused my breathing to slow as I moved like Syrio Farrell had instructed me all those years ago, my mind pictured my teacher, his dark eyes assessing my every movement, his curly dark brown hair looking as if it was trying to absorb the sunlight as he leant again a wooden long sword that he'd had wedged between his feet, my image had lost his voice long ago but his eyes were impossible to forget, both stern and kind.

I twirled my sword, pretending to fight off slow moving opponents, my body moving around my bed chamber with a well practiced grace that would've made Syrio proud, I turned to the door to continue my swing when Jamie's sudden appearance startled me "Gods, love, I've told you to announce yourself" I lowered my sword and raised an eyebrow at his expression.

"I apologise," he smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes, "you've gotten stronger, Ris, I'm proud" he came closer and wrapped his arms around my waist as I dropped my sword and did the same but around his neck.

"Why have you become a sap all of a sudden? What's happened" I asked as I met his eyes and he sighed deeply before resting his head against mine gently.

"Can always tell when somethings wrong with me" I mumbled and kissed the tip of my nose "Cersei is sending Bronn and I on a diplomatic trip, I don't know when I'll be back" he said as I moved my head and looked at him with a disbelieving chuckle.

"You and Bronn? As diplomats? That's laughable, Bronn is a scoundrel at best and a brute at worst, he has less experience and diplomatic skills in his entire being then I do in my pinky finger" I shook my head "where she sending you? Because I can't see you coming home in one piece with how much she hates us at the moment" he refused to meet my eyes and pulled away from me.

"I can't tell you, but if anything happens know I love you" he went to leave but I grabbed his head and pulled his lips to mine roughly, a month of pent up emotions, the inability to be touched intimately and the rage I felt for not being able to move past my own anguish rushed to the surface and his response was immediate, moaning softly against his mouth and ran my fingers through his hair and pulled on it gently, he moved away from me for a moment to take a breath "Ris, I have to go"

"Don't," I replied, "tell her to go fuck herself, we can leave here, go to Casterly Rock" he shook his head slowly and kissed me one last time.

"As much as I would love to tell my sister to fuck off, I can't, it was an order" he cupped my cheek and rubbed his nose against mine so lightly it was almost hard to feel "when I come back, we'll discuss your thoughts on leaving the Capital"

~~ Later ~~

I waited a day after Jaime had left to get Bronn to confront Cersei, she sat in the Hand of the Kings tower, her lips were pressed into a hard line as she and Qyburn discussed something in light whispers "where the fuck did you send my husband?" I demanded, I ignored Mace Tyrell's shocked face at my language and out burst, he'd said he liked delicate women who spoke softly and sweetly which was why he had a very strong opinion on me.

"Lady Anaris, now is not the time" Cersei muttered, all but dismissing me without a glance, my eyes narrowed and I looked at the men at the table.

"Out, you can have the Queen regent when I am done with her" I seethed and Mace jumped and scuttled from the room like the scared mouse of a man is was while Pycelle moved slower then he usually did "Pycelle I will shove my sword up your ass if you don't move it" he grumbled as he shuffled faster as I turned to Qyburn "do I need threaten you as well?" I asked him, he chuckled lightly and bowed to Cersei before he walked past me, patting my shoulder along the way in a gesture of affection "where did you send Jaime?"

Cersei sighed deeply and grabbed a goblet of wine off the writing desk "he's on a delicate diplomatic journey for the King, I can say no more" she waved her hand dismissing me once more but that wasn't going to work.

"Cersei, where did you send him?" She rounded her table with a small chuckle and sat down on the chair behind the desk so we were facing one another.

"I cannot tell you, Anaris because you would never have let him go" she sipped the wine while I stared at her hard.

"Let him go? Where in the known world would I..." I stopped the thought clicked and I almost staggered back "you sent him to Dorne to being Myrcella back, you knew it was a suicide mission" I turned to leave but her voice stopped me.

"I haven't dismissed you, Lady Anaris" she said as she stood up and looked at me with a glare that would've sent weaker woman to the ground begging for forgiveness, but it just made me steel my back.

"Oh you dismissed me many times already in this interaction dear Cersei" I went to open the door but she stopped me again.

"Where are you going?"

"To Dorne to save my husband, your daughter and this flimsy relationship the Capital has with the Dornish already, you were a fool not to consult with me" I threw the door open and Pycelle straightened from his hunched form near the lock of the door "if you're quite finished" I growled at him as he scampered away from me, I walked to Ser Rylen and Ser Ashter who were waiting patiently for me, "Sers I believe it's time we visited Dorne, I feel the need for a change of scenery"

Ser Rylen glared over my head at the two simpering fools who were still standing at the doorway "yes I feel the same way, too many rats in this castle" Ashter unsheathed a small part of his sword and I heard Mace squeak before the door closed with a loud thud.