The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Sixty Nine

Rayna

Tyrion, Missandei, Theon and I wait for news.
"How long would it take her to get there?" I ask Tyrion but he's still annoyed at me for supporting Daenerys in leaving.
"Not long", he answers "However a raven to tell us that she is alive might take a day or two"
"It's been two days" I reply only growing more anxious.
"Our queen will return", Missandei says confidently and I honestly do admire her for her faith and loyalty to her Queen.
"Rayna, it will be alright", Theon tries to assure me.
"I'm glad you're here Theon", I say taking his hand and squeezing it tightly.
I truly am glad Theon is here. Everyone here is sworn to Daenerys with Jon being North of the wall and Davos at the wall waiting for him. Despite him being sworn to Daenerys I know that he is on my side.
"Let's go for a walk", he suggests and I'm glad to get some air and leave Tyrion.

Theon and I walk quietly along the walkway and I stare at the horizon knowing that Jon will take a while to return by ship and we haven't even received a raven letting us know they are alright. He is still a week or more away if he is even still alive.
"Bran and Arya, they're in Winterfell?" he asks suddenly and I nod. This isn't just a casual stroll, he wants to get something off his chest.
"Yes, I always thought Arya was alive but I was sure that Bran was dead", I reply. I know that I so easily accepted that Bran could be dead because of Jaime, because like him I didn't want to face Bran. If Bran remembers what Jaime did what will he think of me?
"I'm sorry for what I did, for what I did to Bran and Rickon and all the others", he says again and as I stop and look him in the eyes I see the pain in them.
"You were a different man then Theon"
"I always struggled between being a Greyjoy and a Stark", he tells me and I nod in understanding.
"You are a Greyjoy and a Stark", I say as I wrap my arms around him tightly "You are my brother Theon"
"I'm afraid to see Bran", he confesses and that I certainly understand.
"So am I", I admit and he looks confused.
"But why?"
He doesn't know that Jaime crippled Bran, the only people that know are myself, Jaime, possibly Bran, Sansa and Jon.
But perhaps Theon and Jaime can find common ground.
"My husband Jaime, he was the one who pushed Bran", I tell him and he's speechless as his eyes widen in shock "You know that the rumours about Jaime and Cersei's incest are true?"
He nods but still can't find any words.
"Bran caught them and well, Jaime reluctantly dealt with it to try to keep his family safe, he was a different man then as well"
"Does Bran remember?" He stutters and I remember that Theon was with Bran when he woke. Theon was always closer to Bran than I was.
"I don't know", I whisper fearfully, I pray to the gods he doesn't "You and Jaime both did awful things to Bran and you have both redeemed yourselves, I've forgiven both of you and I love both of you"
He tears up a little "Yara may be my sister but you are my family Rayna", he says hoarsely "When we were children Robb and I were close but he never saw me as a Stark, I loved him and I hope that he loved me but to him I wasn't a true Stark, you were the only one who saw me as a Stark and even now after everything you call me a Stark"
"Because you are a Stark Theon", I say tearing up as well "As children we may not have been as close as we were to Robb but you were my brother and I loved you like I loved Robb and Jon and I do now more than ever"
My heart breaks as he breaks down "Robb died hating me, I should have been with him, I should have died with him"
I wrap my arms around him again as he cries into my shoulder "But you didn't, so many times I've thought the same thing but we are alive for a reason, we are alive to continue his legacy, the North"
He pulls away and looks at me "If I was in the North I would have pledged myself to you, I would have fought for you in the battle of the bastards"
"I know", I say knowing that he would have. If he hadn't pledged himself to Daenerys he would have pledged himself to me. "Theon I hope that when this is all over, you will come back to Winterfell, that you will come home"
"Once I save Yara, once I deal with Euron I will", he promises.
"And I will help you with Bran, you aren't the only one terrified to see him"
"I won't tell anyone what Jaime did", he promises.
"Thank you"
"But, why do you love him, a man who slept with his sister and did all those bad things?" he asks, not with malice but with confusion.
I touch the golden ring on my finger and smile to myself.
"We don't get to choose who we love"
"I always thought I would marry you", he says suddenly "As a boy I hoped that Ned would marry me to you and even before you left Winterfell I-" He cuts himself off as if he's mad a mistake in telling me "But like you said I was your brother and you were my sister"
"But we weren't", I remind him "Not by blood, I'll admit as well as a girl there may have been the odd occasion where I thought of marrying you, you were the first man that wasn't my blood to ever care for me"
"Truly?" he asks. My heart aches as I realise that perhaps some of those feelings aren't in the past.
"When I was in Kings Landing and father refused to let me marry Jaime it was you I begged to marry", I confess to him "Because I knew that out of the rest of the men in the seven kingdoms you would have looked after me. If I wasn't in love with Jaime then I would have pushed father to engage me to you so I would have to wed the other men he considered"
When I was in Winterfell with him while I was wed to Ramsay seeing him broke my heart despite my anger, I had always loved him and had affection for him I denied growing up.
"But you are in love with Jaime", he says giving me a sad smile "And you are married and I am honoured to be a Stark, to be your brother"
Tears fall from both of our eyes as we embrace each other again. When my eyes open I look over and see Tyrion staring at us gravely.
For a moment I wonder if he thinks I have those affections for Theon still, that I'm betraying Jaime but then I see the letter he holds.
"Viserion is dead, everyone else is alive save a few of the men"
The dragon was killed. By the gods.