The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Fifty Nine

Rayna

People line the streets and chant 'Queen in the North' as I ride past them to the dock in White Harbour and I feel loved. They don't fear me here, they love me. The North isn't just Winterfell and my people aren't just the Lords I argue with in the great hall. My people are those who line the streets and cheer for me, who celebrate my arrival. Who have faith in me to keep them safe. When I return perhaps I'll have to ride around the North visiting each town and meeting my people. 
A reminder of exactly what I am fighting for.
"The Winter Wolf", someone cheers as snow begins to fall.
On this day I truly feel like a Queen.
Jaime, Bronn, Jon, Davos and two dozen guards as I ride through the town. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell so Sansa stayed behind with Brienne as her personal guard. Jaime insisted on seeing me off so he came along with Bronn as his personal guard. He insisted he was well enough to ride and I know damn well he isn't but he has to much pride to let me hear him complain about the pain.
When we arrive at the dock the two dozen guards I've brought with me surround me.
"What's going on?" I ask them as I can't see any threats.
"It might not be safe", Davos replies "Just a precaution"
I see some children running up to me.
"It's alright, stand down", I order and I bend down to talk to the children.
"Are you the Queen", a little dark haired girl asks. My heart aches as she reminds me of Arya.
"I am", I reply smiling. Gods what I would give to see Arya. She survived the Red Wedding and I am still certain it was her who killed the Freys. Hopefully she is coming home.
"You're very pretty", she says and I laugh and take her hands in mine.
"So are you darling", I smile then I look around and don't see any adults chasing after her. "Where are your parents?" I ask
She tears up as she says "My father was a soldier, he went south a few years ago and never came home"
Her father died fighting for Robb. Who else would a northern man have been fighting for.
"My Father went south and never came home either, I miss him very much", I sympathise letting myself think of my Father. Usually the memories are too painful and I shut them out but recently I've been able to reflect on them and feel peace "Where is your mother?"
"She died having my brother", she says and I see a little boy run up to her. They are both so dirty, and thin. If their parents are dead who could be looking after them?
"Does anyone look after you?" I ask them.
"No, we do what we can for food, sometimes they let us sleep in the stables", she says and I take both their hands. They are children they shouldn't be on the streets. Their father must have died fighting for Robb, and therefore I should help them. I want to help them.
"What are your names?"
"I'm Tilly and this is my brother Benny", she says wrapping her arm around him, the protective older sibling.
"How would you like to live in Winterfell?" I ask them and their tired eyes light up. I smile and turn to Jaime who is watching with the sweetest, proudest smile "This is my husband Jaime, he will take very good care of you, when you get to Winterfell my sister Sansa will find you a nice family to stay with", I promise them.
"Thank you", they smile and the girl jumps up and hugs me and I smile and hug both her and the boy.
I stand and look to one of my guards. "Find them a horse and get them ready"
The guard leads them off and I turn to Jaime.
"When you ride through I want you to take any children who's parents died in the war of the five kings, who died for Robb, who have no family and bring them to Winterfell, find somewhere for them to stay, set up an orphanage with Septa's to educate them if you must. Take half of the guards with you to do this", I order him and he nods approvingly.
"Are you sure you won't need more than a dozen guards?" He asks still worried for my safety.
"No, a dozen is enough, that's at least four to each of us at all times", I assure him "Please look after the children, I'm the Queen and I don't want little children starving, winter is here and it's my job to protect them"
"They love you", Jaime says taking my hand, and I don't think he's ever looked more proud of me "This is why you are the Queen they deserve, you love them"
"I do", I reply. These are my people and I will not bend the knee. "Those kids, their father must have died fighting for Robb, it's only right I give them somewhere to live and it's only right I help as many children like them as I can"
Jaime pulls me into a hug and I return it for all to see as he kisses the top of my head "Ned would be proud of you", he whispers and I tear up a little.
"You know Jaime, he'd be proud of you as well seeing the man you are now", I say and I don't think I could give him a higher compliment.
"I hope so", he says stroking my cheek.
"Take care of Winterfell for me"
"I will, I promise", he says lacing his fingers with mine and kissing my hand. Our own little gesture of love.
"If anything happens while I'm gone, if Cersei does anything then-"
"I will take care of it sweetheart", he assures me and I trust that he will.
"Your Grace, the ships ready when you are", Davos calls out.
"I'll meet you onboard", Jon says and he leaves Jaime and I alone together.
"I know that you say I'm too worried but-" he begins hesitantly.
"But what?" I ask
"Please don't let your temper get the better of you", he says carefully and I can't help but laugh.
"That's why I've brought Davos along with Jon and I, to keep me in check"
To be a good ruler you need people to check your worst impulses instead of feeding them. Jaime has stopped me from making many bad decisions and now I have Davos for the meantime. However as I once heard Jaime mutter 'what's the point of getting me to check your decisions if you're too fucking stubborn to listen'.
"You know how much I love you", he says and neither of us want to let go of each other.
"And you know how much I love you", I reply as I kiss him, letting myself savour this last moment with him. Then I take our intertwined hands and spread his hand flat over my stomach. "When I come back we are going to make baby", I whisper in his ear and he lifts me up in his arms kissing me passionately not caring who might see. We are married, we will not hide our love for each other.
"Send me a raven when you arrive"
"I will send you ravens every few days, I promise you will know exactly what is happening"
He hugs me again and I don't want to let go.
"This isn't goodbye", I promise.
"I know sweetheart", he says kissing me one last time.
Slowly I let go of him as I memorise every detail of his face, the taste of his lips against mine, the feeling of his fingers intertwined with mine, the way his eyes gaze upon me so full of love no one would be able to deny it.
A dozen guards follow me as I turn and board the ship.

Jon and I grow anxious as we approach Dragonstone. We've been on sea for days and we are waiting for Davos to call us on deck to board the row boat to the shore.
"I've been thinking, why did she ask me to come, a bastard from the North", Jon ponders
I've also thought long and hard about it. Jon is my brother and I love him with all my heart but to Daenerys he would just be a northern bastard.
"I guess we will find out", I reply then an idea comes to me, almost all the eligible men from the great houses are dead "For all we know she might be looking for a husband from one of the great houses to solidify her claim"
"But I'm a bastard"
He is a bastard but he doesn't have to be.
"I'm your Queen Jon, I could make you a Stark, legitimise you", I offer wanting to do this for him, for him to be a Stark by name "If thats what you want?"
He takes a moment to think before shaking his head "I'm a bastard, I've always been a bastard, it's who I am", he says, not ashamed of it anymore but proud "Tyrion Lannister once told me 'never forget what you are the rest of the world will not, wear it like armour and it can never be used to hurt you'"
I take his hand in mine and squeeze it tightly looking up at my brother.
"No matter what you call yourself, you will always be my brother and even if you aren't a Stark by name you are a Stark by blood"
"The last of the Starks", he says "Including me there was seven of us, now there is only three"
"Four", I say not giving up hope "I'm sure it was Arya who killed the Freys, Brienne saw her with the hound before she saved me from Ramsay, she was alive then and she could still be now"
"She couldn't be capable of that", he disagrees. What we heard was shocking. Walder Frey's son cooked into a pie and they found Walders body with no face once they searched the castle for him. Then they poisoned the whole lot of them.
"We've all done things we never thought we were capable of doing", I reply knowing what I've done. Who I've become.
"The boats ready", Davos says walking down to us looking like he is shitting himself.
"Now Davos we need to make a strong first impression, she sees us as just another of the seven kingdoms in rebellion who will side with her just like Dorne, the Iron Islands and the Reach", I say having done my research before leaving Winterfell. "We need to make it clear that we are our own kingdom"
"Certainly your Grace"
"When we are invited into the throne room I assume they'll introduce her with all the long fancy titles and you will introduce us as Rayna of house Stark, first of her name, Lady Of Winterfell and Queen in the North and her brother Jon Snow of house Stark, the 998th Commander of the Nights Watch"
He nods "Before we go any last words?" He asks not very sarcastically.
Before I left I wrote the line of succession.
Sansa is my heir and in the event she dies Jon will succeed her and take the name of Stark.
"Many great houses have become extinct in this war, house Stark shall survive, in winter the wolves survive"

As we approach the shore I feel my sword heavy on my hip. I wear a grey dress with silver embroidery and armour fashioned onto it. I remembered Cersei's dresses she used to wear with armour, specifically the one she wore the night I stabbed her and it inspired me. However I made sure mine is far more protective than hers. I wear one of the cloaks Robb used to wear when he was king, the only one I could find that survived, with direwolf clasps at the front. It is comforting to have part of him with me as I do this. As I continue the legacy he resurrected, the legacy of the kings of winter. I have Jaimes dagger strapped to my thigh hidden by my dress which I had made to stop several inches above the ground so I can move more freely in case I need to make a quick departure. I suspect we will be asked to hand over our weapons, I will happily hand over my sword but I will keep my dagger hidden. I don't go anywhere without it, and it comforts me as Jaime would if he was here, I have it to protect myself just as he would protect me.
On my head I wear my crown. When she sees me she will not mistake me for a Lady of a fallen house as many of my enemies have, she will not see me as the daughter of a fallen Lord or the sister of a fallen King. She will see a Queen.