The Lion Knight and Dragon Princess

8 - We're Family Now and Always

The two guards posted outside my mother's bed chamber door opened it allowing me and Jaime to walk inside the room before they were shut quickly behind us. Sitting at the foot of her bed my mother was laid upright against the pillows after the Maester had put her on strict bed rest for the last few months of her pregnancy. "How are you doing this morning, mother?"

"I've been better - ohh. Ser Jaime come and sit with us. You don't have to guard the door while there's two outside the door." My mother groaned, lifting her hand waving the golden knight over.

He lightly shook his head no. "I'm afraid it wouldn't be right, my queen."

"Are you defying an order from your queen?" I turned around slightly to face him, sending him a glare.

Jaime bent his head down eyeing his boots crossing the room and sitting across from me looking at my mother when he spoke to her. "My apologies, my queen. What do you need me to do for you?"

"Give me your hand." She commands him and when he does she opens her right fist dropping a small object into his palm.

He closed his palm and opened it when he had his hand near his chest allowing me to see whatever it was. "My queen, what is this?"

"The wedding ring Ser Hasty gave to me. We were never allowed to wed as you both know but that doesn't mean you two cannot be."

Hanging my mouth opened I was almost out of words. "Mother, I - I don't know what to say."

"My queen, that is very generous of you but there's one big problem. I'm a Kingsguard forbidden from marriage or inherent." Jaime eyed the ring that had one simple jewel in the center and some lines engraved on the sides but it was still a very simple ring, the object in question wasn't the problem for us.

Rhaella eyed the knight beside me. "Don't tell me you two haven't thought about it. I know you two love one another."

"Mother, it's just - we're not allowed to by law."

She cut me off shortly. "Do you think that your brother cared about the law when he told me he was going to marry Lyanna Stark?"

"He told you about that. I - I thought he only told me out of fear that anyone else would inform our father." I gasped realizing that of course he would tell her after all she was our mother.

She nodded her head slowly yes with a smile playing on her lips. "He's getting married to her in a fortnight. You and Jaime should join them in Dorne. I may not be able to watch you marry but at least I can have a part in making it happen."

I grinned in her direction when Jaime slipped the ring on my left finger, greatly that his mother's friend approved of the relationship he had built with her daughter. "Thank you, my queen. I will do the best I can to be the husband your daughter deserves when we do get married."

"Call me Rhaella please. We'll be family someday." My mother grasped his freehand on her own and we allowed for that comfortable silence between our family just enjoying the moment.

"Have you thought of the baby's name yet?"

She lowered her gaze. "I've been very occupied with simply carrying the infant in my womb. You'll understand one day when you have children."

I lightly threw my hands up in disbelief that she hadn't settled on a name yet. "I can't believe this right now."

She asked me clicking her tongue throwing out a name. "Daenys, perhaps?"