The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Forty Seven

Rayna

I stand with Jaime in the map room or I suppose it should be called the war room now.
"Your plan for the battle, it was good", he compliments as we look at the map, the pieces still in their places from before the battle.
"Not good enough, I didn't plan on him using my little brother to lure Jon into charging first", I mutter.
He takes my hand and calms me "If you didn't order the rest of the men to charge at the phalanx they would have surrounded all, of your men and that battle may have been lost"
"And if it wasn't for you it could have been lost"
He shakes his head at me and puts his hand on my waist to pull my closer.
"That battle was won when we arrived, your men would have killed them all eventually, we simply helped"
I run my hand over his chest "I lost hundreds of men"
"It could have been thousands, if it wasn't for you getting the Tully's and the knights of the vale to fight far more men would have died"
I kiss him tenderly, having him by my side already making everything more tolerable. I pick up one of the Lannister figures that Robb would of had made.
"And what about your men?" I ask "I can't ask you to keep them here"
He taps his finger on the table as he thinks then he takes the carved lion from my fingers.
"The men that are here are loyal, they follow me and if I tell them to stay they will"
"You are their Commander, if they stay you will still be their commander"
My fingers brush over Winterfell and then beyond the wall. This won't be our last battle. "My brother has seen the white walkers, he believes they are coming"
His eyes widen as he blinks at me. He doesn't believe it. Why would he. To the southern people it was almost like a myth to them, however the North remembers.
"I didn't believe it either at first Jaime but I've heard Jon's stories, I've spoken to the wildlings", I tell him remembering the fear in their eyes as they spoke of them "They are real and they are coming"
"Then I should encourage my men to stay", he says. He doesn't quite believe it, I can't blame him. But he will follow me. I look into his eyes and feel secure. I know that no one can protect anyone but with him I feel safe. I feel stronger when I am by his side.
The sound of someone clearing their throat disturbs us and I look to Jon who's just entered.
"How are you?" I ask walking over to him and checking him over "Are you injured?"
"I'll be fine", he says dismissively as he eyes Jaime. Despite his well wishes for us he still doesn't quite approve, in his gut he knows that there is something I'm not telling him. He knows that for Robb to hate him to fiercely there must be a reason. Robb knew the whole truth and he could still accept him, eventually. Jon will accept it as well.
"Are you alright?" Jon asks me and I embrace my brother.
"I'm fine", I say but he touches my cheek which is bruised and a bit cut. "It will heal"
I look at his bloody knuckles and remember how he got them.
"What will you do to Ramsay?"
"He will be executed, a bit unconventionally but he will die"
"Do I want to know how?" Jon asks.
My dark smile answers his question.
"The Lords are ready for you", he informs me.
"What do you think they'll say?" I ask him.
"Well they won't be happy about siding with each other, Tormund and I will speak for the Wildings, Lord Royce will be very vocal about the knights of the Vale and the Blackfish well I think he's just glad to have fought a good battle and Edmure is very thankful to you, he'll be leaving for Riverrun at dawn"
"Shit that reminds me, I have Walder Frey's son in the dungeons", I remember, the Blackfish would have put him there.
"Are you going to free him?" Jaime asks.
I can almost see Black Walder cutting my mothers throat. They say it was cut to the bone.
If the Tully's hold Riverrun Walder has no power, he only holds the Twins. The Tully's will begin to reclaim the Riverlands and the Frey's will have no power. So why would I return his son?
"No", I declare "He will be executed".
"Rayna, you gave your word", Jaime reminds me but he knows I'm not as honourable as a Stark should be.
"He killed my mother, he will die"
He places his hand on mine and looks into my eyes as he calms me again. The effect he has on me is undeniable "Ray he deserves to die, I'm just warning you that Walder will retaliate"
"Let him", I answer.
Jon looks wary as he says "You are a Stark and you gave your word"
What he doesn't say is that Father wouldn't condone it. That he would be disappointed in me for breaking an oath.
"Yes I am a Stark and I know Father would be disappointed that I'm breaking an oath but we have all done things he would be ashamed of and I will happily go back on my word to avenge my mothers death"
"That's not what I meant", Jon says putting a hand on my shoulder and Jaime stays close to me, probably worried I'll snap.
"Today I will be sitting where he once sat, I want to live up to his example but I'm not as honourable as he was, I've manipulated and schemed and done things he never would"
"And it's why your alive", Jon finishes knowing that it was Fathers honour that got him killed.
"Jon I want you to sit by my side at the table, I want you and Sansa by my side"
"Of course", he agrees and I embrace him again.
"I'll meet you in there in a minute", I say and he nods his head and walks to the hall.
Jaime wraps his arm around my waist from behind and I lace my fingers with his and he brings my hand to his lips to kiss it.
"Ned would be proud Ray, you took back the North, he'd be so proud", he says into my ear and I have to fight tears.
"I miss him Jaime, I miss him and Robb and mother", I tell him "I miss them every day"
"They all loved you Ray, I know you and Robb fought but in the end you two loved each other", he reminds me "And he would be prouder than anyone"
He wipes away my tears and I don't think I've ever loved him as much as I do in this moment.
"Thank you Jaime", I smile and he kisses my forehead.
"It's time"

I sit at the high table with Jon and Sansa on either side of me.
Lord Royce is fighting with Tormund and my uncle the Blackfish is arguing with just about everyone.
I stand and the room goes quiet.
"The Northmen, wildlings, knights of the Vale, Tully and Lannister soldiers fought together bravely and valiantly at the Battle of the Bastards and we won", I announce "My Father used to say that we find our true friends on the battlefield"
Reluctantly they all agree. My Fathers name still demands honour and respect in the North.
One man stands "The Bolton's are defeated and the war is won, we should go home and wait out the coming storm"
"My brother Jon Snow, who was Lord Commander of the Nights Watch has informed me of a great threat beyond the wall, an enemy who will not wait out the storm but brings the storm"
The Lords begin mumbling amongst themselves, some in disbelief, some in fear.
"We must be united for the coming war, from both the North and the South"
"So tell me, are we allied with the Lannister's or not?", Lord Royce asks.
I look to Jaime who stands "Technically I am the Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West, however my sister is the Queen Mother and also claims that title, I am formally head of the Lannister armies and I pledge my support to Rayna Stark, the Lady of Winterfell"
"He was your brothers prisoner", a man yells.
"My brother freed him and pardoned him on condition Sansa and I would be returned to Winterfell and here we are", I tell them "Ser Jaime Lannister is an ally to the North regardless of title and he has pledged the troops who are loyal to him to me"
"How can we trust a Lannister?" another Lord asks. This is exactly what I was worried about. I look to Jaime and he finally understands why I was worried.
"Ser Jaime has saved my life on multiple occasions, yes he was my brothers prisoner but one of Robbs last acts was to free him, he protected me at the Red Wedding and he came to my aid as a free man, defying the crown and he remains by my side as a loyal ally"
He smiles subtly at me, barely able to hide his affection, his eyes have always spoken the truth.
"I will send ravens to Lords in the West asking for their support", Jaime vows "If the dead are coming then this isn't just a problem for the North, it's a problem for Westeros"
"Exactly which is why we cannot fight amongst ourselves and grovel over petty differences. The dead are coming, the Long Night is upon us and we must be prepared", I say firmly.
They continue speaking amongst themselves until Lyanna Mormont stands. I watch in awe as she calls out all these Lords for not answering my call.
"House Mormont remembers, the North remembers and we know no King or Queen but the the one in the North whose name is Stark", she declares "Rayna Stark fought on the battlefield beside her men just as a King should, she is my Queen from this day until her last day"
The Lords speak amongst themselves until another stands.
"I didn't fight beside you on the battlefield and I will regret that until my last day, I ask for your forgiveness me"
"There is nothing to forgive my lord", I smile.
"My son died for Robb Stark, the young wolf. I never thought I'd live to see another King, let alone a Queen but here we are", he says "Rayna Stark survived and avenged the Red Wedding, she is the she-wolf, the Queen in the North"
He draws his sword and bends his knee to me.
The Blackfish stands "I declared for and fought for my nephew Robb Stark, Rayna came to us for help while we were under siege, she saved us from the Frey's, convinced the Lannister's to stand down and because of her we hold Riverrun, house Tully is proud to declare for house Stark"
Edmure nods in agreement and the Blackfish raises his sword.
"House Glover will stand behind house Stark as it has for a thousand years and behind Rayna Stark, the Queen in the North"
One by one they draw their swords and chant.
"The Queen in the North"
Every last man in the room who wields a sword raises it in my name.
I look to Jaime who raises his sword in my name. Then to Jon who stands and raises his and to Sansa who smiles proudly.
I'm the Queen in the North.