The she-wolf and the lion

Chapter 163 - "our brother is the heir, you are a soldier"

A couple months later.

Jariella and Gerion are breaking the fast together on a blanket under a tree in the garden.
"This can't go on, J, it's too dangerous for us both and you know that as well as I do", Gerion says.
"Why not? Our brother is the heir to father's lands and titles and possibly also mother's lands and titles, you are a soldier, and your marriage is dissolving, soon we will both be free to marry again", Jariella says.
"Our brother is a soldier as well, and I may not be the heir but I will inherit mother's lands and titles", Gerion says.
"I know he is, but Daemon is also the heir, you're the second son, Daemon is father's heir and next in line to inherit his titles and lands, you're the heir to mother's titles unless a son of Daemon end up inheriting mother's lands and titles because you're a soldier", Jariella says.
"And yes, we may both be free to marry again, but we can't marry each other, we're not of house Targaryen, sweet sister, have you forgotten that? House Lannister and house Stark doesn't allow a sister and brother to marry each other, imagine the chaos if we did that, any child of our bodies would be seen as a bastard, they wouldn't be seen as true born children, any child of our bodies would have to be born to a partner to us", Gerion says.
"Gerion, a child from our bodies could be naturalized by king Rhaegar or by father in his status as lord and warden of the west, or we can claim outwardly that my child is born to me and a possible husband or bastard born to me and some man, but we'll know it's your child", Jariella says.
"Are you sure that would work?" Gerion asks.
"Yeah, I'm sure it would work", Jariella says.
"Who would you want to marry if you were to marry again? Aside from me? I might still be called back to King's Landing, you know, to continue my service in king Rhaegar's king's guard, and if I am, I won't be free to marry, therefore you need a backup plan, gods, you still need a backup plan because we're brother and sister and will never be allowed to marry, so who would your backup plan be?" Gerion asks.
"If I can't have you, if I can't marry you, I'd want either one of father's banner men or someone close to king Rhaegar in King's Landing, because if you return to the king's guard and I'm also in the capital, we could be together", Jariella says.
"I don't know if king Rhaegar would accept me back in to his service", Gerion says.
"Uncle Tyrion is still hand of the king to Rhaegar and I'm certain that he would be able to persuade king Rhaegar to take you back in to his service and queen Brianna to accept me as a lady in waiting for her", Jariella says.
"I'll send him a raven on our behalf, I'll speak to maester Craylen about it, don't worry, everything will be alright, my sweet", Gerion says lightly. "Go seek out mother and father, tell them that you wish to possibly get back in to the queen's service if possible."

Gerion goes to find maester Craylen, he finds him in his study.
"Pardon me, maester, I would like a raven sent to my uncle Tyrion, the hand of the king, on behalf of myself and my sister, lady Jariella, to ask the good king Rhaegar to take us back in to the king's and queen's service", Gerion says.
"Yes, m'lord Gerion", maester Craylen says.
"Dearest uncle, I'm writing you to ask the good king Rhaegar to retake myself and my sweet sister, lady Jariella of houses Lannister and Stark, in to his and the queen's service/lord Gerion of houses Lannister and Stark, the summer wolf"

When the letter has been written and stamped with Jaime's seal, maester Craylen sends it off with one of the castle ravens while Jariella seeks out Jaime and Lyra, she finds them in the great hall sharing a meal.
"Mother, father, I need to speak to you both", Jariella says.
"What is it, Jariella?" Lyra asks.
"I wish to get back in to the queen's service, if possible, and I wish to find a new husband, perhaps a son of one of father's banner men, and Gerion mentioned wanting to get back into king Rhaegar's service", Jariella says.
"One of my banner men has a 17 year old son who is still unwed, he is one of king Rhaegar's groomsmen", Jaime says. "I'll send him a raven, I'll send one to her grace the queen and his grace the king as well, unless your lady mother wishes to do that."
"You can send both ravens while you're at it, my love, the one to your banner man and the one to the royal couple", Lyra says lightly, giving Jaime a kiss.

Maester Craylen sits down and waits while Jaime writes the two letters, starting with the one to the royal couple.
"Honorable king Rhaegar and queen Brianna, I'm writing you in behalf of my children, lady Jariella and lord Gerion of houses Lannister and Stark, to ask if you would be willing to retake them in to your service/Jaime Lannister, lord of Casterly Rock, warden of the west, the golden lion, the dire wolf's lover"

Maester Craylen stamps them with Jaime's seal and then starts writing the letter to Jaime's banner man to offer him Jariella as wife for his banner man's young son, 17 year old Brandon Rayne.
"Write that I want young Brandon to come here rather than sending my daughter to his father's castle, lord Rayne will think that I'm crazy but he likely won't deny me my request, I'm his liege lord after all, so he will do as I tell him", Jaime says.
"Yes, m'lord", maester Craylen says.
"If I want his son for my daughter, he will give him to me, to her", Jaime says.

Two days later, Jaime is proved right when the raven arrives from lord Rayne. Brandon himself writes to tell Jaime that he will gladly accept Jariella as his bride as well as the terms from Jaime.

Jariella marries Brandon two weeks later at Casterly Rock, the same day, a raven from the royal couple arrives, Jariella and Gerion are accepted back into the royal couple's service, Jariella as one of the queen's ladies, Gerion as one of the king's groomsmen and Brandon is welcomed in to the royal army, to take the place that was meant for Gerion.

Jariella, Brandon, Gerion and the servants and household of the two Lannister-Stark siblings and Brandon's own servants return to King's Landing. When they arrive in the capital, they are met by the king's hand, lord Tyrion Lannister, uncle to Jariella and Gerion.
"Dear niece, dear nephew, welcome back to King's Landing", Tyrion says, embracing his niece and nephew. "And who is this?"
"Uncle, what a pleasure to see you, I've missed my dear uncle, ah, yes, I almost forgot, may I present my husband, Brandon of house Rayne", Jariella says.
"Ah, yes, the new young man in the king's army", Tyrion says. "And you two will be serving as groomsman to the king and lady in waiting to the queen, I had rooms reading for you both myself, near the royal couple, Gerion next to the king's rooms and Jariella's in between Gerion and the queen."
"And my lord husband, uncle?" Jariella asks.
"You get to keep him in your bed for the first couple of nights here, until his grace king Rhaegar has given him his white cloak, and yes, king Rhaegar will give him a white cloak, he told me so himself, then your marriage to your lord husband will be dissolved, you know the law, my dear, and he will have rooms in the White Sword Tower", Tyrion says.

Gerion discreetly crosses his legs to hide that his uncle's words and the thought of what it means, excites him and makes him hard as Valyrian steel.
"How soon do you think that his grace the king will accept me in to the King's Guard, lord hand?" Brandon asks and Gerion feels himself about to combust with excitement and has to pinch himself to not show the glee in his eyes.
"Likely very soon, maybe as soon as today or tomorrow", Tyrion says with a pleasant smile. "Are you so eager to be rid of my niece?"
"Not at all, but I'm eager to serve my king", Brandon says.

The next morning after breaking the fast, Brandon gets his white cloak from king Rhaegar himself and is then shown to his quarters in the White Sword Tower.

Jariella spills a couple tears, carefully wiped away by Gerion's gentle hand.
"I know, sweet sister, I know, but it was best this way", Gerion says sweetly, holding her to him and whispering in her ear. "It was the easiest way to get what we wanted."