𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋 || 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

Epilogue

I heard about my family's death from Sansa once we reunited. I couldn't believe it and if it weren't for Jaime, it would've broken me. But I knew that that's not what they would have wanted for me - for any of us that were left behind. Not long after we arrived back in King's Landing, Jaime spoke with his father and left the King's Guard. I knew that position had meant a lot to him before everything happened. But he insisted it was what he wanted.

He explained everything to Cersei as well. She was furious, of course, and almost had me killed. Jaime feared for my safety and we fled the city because of it. We settled in my old home back in Winterfell. The North was strange and different to Jaime at first but he adjusted soon after. He'd changed so much from Ser Jaime the womanizer I'd known long ago.

He wasn't that person anymore. Soon after, we married and I became Lady Joan Lannister. Two years ago, I'd have never believed it could be possible for me to fall in love with Jaime. Only a year after our marriage, we welcomed our first child - Catelyn Brienne Lannister. It had been the happiest day of our life when she came into the world.

That happiness was short-lived though when she was taken from us by a fever only six months later. Jaime and I were heartbroken by it and we vowed never to forget our first baby girl. And we never did. Four more children followed in the coming years - Nikolai Eddard Lannister, Genevieve Marie Lannister, and the twins Klariza Enndolynn and Klaus Destrian Lannister. Life was good to us - our children grew up in my family home and their Uncle Tyrion came to visit often. As well as Aunt Sansa, Uncle Jon, Aunt Arya, Uncle Bran and Aunt Brienne.

Jaime and I told stories to them of their grandparents they'd never know. It was bittersweet but beautiful. I was so happy that father had made me come with him that day to King's Landing and mother had forced me to accompany him and Brienne. It had changed my life for the better. I was changed by it but I wouldn't have it any other way...

A spot of ink dripped onto my hand then and I hissed in agitation as I bent over my paper at my desk in the bedroom I shared with Jaime.

"Ugh, detestable ink!" I grumbled, grabbing a cloth to wipe it off my hand.

I heard a deep chuckle behind me and turned to see Jaime leaning against the doorframe. His dirty blond hair was shorter now than it had been and he was clean-shaven. He looked older now, of course, but just as gorgeous as that first day I'd seen him.

"What did that ink ever do to you, love?" he teased and I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"It keeps smudging my writing!" I complained and he laughed again, walking over to me.

He wrapped me in his arms from behind. I grabbed his hand in mine and pulled him closer as he placed butterfly kisses on my neck to which I giggled at.

"Jaime, stop it!" I said between fits of laughter as his warm lips tickled my skin, "I'm trying to write!"

"What are you writing?" he asked.

Before I could hide it, he had snatched the paper from my desk and held it over my head as I scrambled out of my chair to try and grab it.

"Jaime! Don't read it! It's not finished!" I whined, jumping up to take it.

He smirked as his green eyes scanned over it before looking down at me.

"You're writing our story?" he asked.

Finally, I jumped high enough to snatch it from him and huffed.

"Yes, I am. I want our children to know how we met," I admitted, a blush tinting my cheeks at being found out.

He grinned at me and with his flesh hand, grabbed my waist. Pulling me flush against him, I laughed.

"Fine. But leave out the part where I drank horse urine... They don't need to know that about their father..." he said pointedly.

I shrugged, arching an eyebrow.

"I don't know, Jaime. I mean, that might be something they'd like to know about you. One of the deep dark secrets of your past," I teased and he rolled his eyes playfully.

"You make the mistake of drinking it one time and it follows you everywhere!" he said in mock anger.

I laughed yet again as he held me in his arms. His deep emerald eyes gazed into mine then and his hand slid across my waist to my swollen stomach.

"You're not telling this little one either," he warned me playfully and I shook my head.

"Seraphina Dayanara needs to know too so no promises..." I joked.

Silence ensued then as Jaime stared down at me lovingly and I felt my heart swell with happiness. We may have never been meant to be. And I know that people still didn't want this marriage. But I didn't care. He was mine and I was his. No matter what anyone said.

"I love you, my great lion..." I said softly, our foreheads pressed together.

"And I love you, my little wolf..." he said back, connecting his soft lips to mine.