Her Name Isn't Snow

Chapter 29

I had slept for two days, and yet my body felt like I hadn't slept in weeks. I was limping. Every step I took seemed to pull on my bandaged wound and would cause pain to radiate throughout my body. Dany had left for Dragonstone on her dragon after I swore her to secrecy about my injuries. Well, secrecy aside from Tyrion and Varys. We were set to arrive in King's Landing in a day or two, and I was trying my best to seem presentable. 

Jon helped me to the deck of the ship despite his disapproval at me leaving my bed. I told him that I needed to practice walking for when we arrived. I had to seem perfect in front of Cersei. I couldn't give her anything to find fault with. I had to show her that I had learned how to play the game and that I was about to win it. Jon was sitting on one of the crates as I slowly paced back and forth across the ship, trying my best to mask my pain and to walk normally. But I couldn't. It wasn't just my wound, my right leg that had never healed properly was hindering me too. 

"Oh, seven hells!" I cursed as I stumbled yet again. I was barefoot dressed only in my leathers and I was tripping over air. How could I walk in front of Cersei with shoes in a dress?

"You were stabbed two days ago, you need time to rest" Jon called. 

"We don't have time, I don't have time. We'll be in King's Landing in a day, I can't look...broken" I mumbled trailing off. 

"You are not broken," he says sternly, rising to his feet to stand in front of me. 

"Look at me, Jon...I can barely stand up straight, let alone walk all the way from the docks of King's Landing to the dragon pits" 

He took my hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze. He looked at me, his brows furrowed only slightly to signal his concentration. It was a difficult task. I couldn't ride in on Visenya, getting on and off of her was guaranteed to reopen my wound and cause unimaginable amounts of pain. Being carried in by a litter was too pompous and made me seem above everyone else. 

"You are a Princess, why don't you ride in on a mare?" he suggests. 

"I've told you before Jon, horses don't like me very much. They'd likely buck me off the moment I got on" 

"We'll find a strong horse that isn't easily spooked when we arrive in the city. You can ride, at the very least to the outskirts of the dragon pits" he offers. 

"I'll need help getting on and off"

"I can help with that, but for now it's the best idea we have," he says his eyes softening as he looked at me. 

"I'll still need to walk to my seat, in front of Cersei and everyone else" 

"I'll escort you," he says, offering up his arm for me to take. I smile as I take his arm and he leads me back and forth across the ship. The first couple of times were difficult. I would stumble and almost fall from time to time and Jon would need to help steady me. After five or six times Jon was able to predict when I was about to stumble or when my leg would go weak and he'd be able to subtly offer me support. Soon enough I was able to cross the ship without wincing or openly limping. 

We stopped and Jon helped me back down to my cabin for some much-needed rest. I opened the door and before I could step inside Jon scooped me up in his arms making me laugh. He carried me across the room and laid me gently down on the bed. He was about to move away when I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him towards me, connecting our lips. 

It felt like it had been ages since we'd done this. He gently crawled on top of me, both of us laughing during the kiss as he did so. He balanced his weight on his arms by my head as we kissed. Once we broke away for air, I looked down at his shirt and quickly started undoing the laces.