The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Seventy Three

Rayna

I lie in bed with Jaime and think of how different everything was the last time I was here with him.
The night we planned to elope.
I was so young and naive, I hadn't known true pain. I hadn't lost half of my family, I hadn't been betrayed or properly harmed.
All I wanted was to marry the man that I loved and leave this city with him.
Sometimes I still can't believe how he lied to me back then, that he could sleep with me knowing the things he has done. All of it has been long forgiven but still some nights I do wonder what he is capable of. He is selfish, he would have lied to me until the day we died if my father hadn't discovered the truth. He is selfish but so am I.
His arm tightens around me as he slowly begins to rouse from his sleep and all my doubts and suspicions leave my mind.
He is more loyal to me than my own blood as yesterday proved. He is the only person I trust completely. He would die for me and I for him.
In a few hours I'll be on my way to Winterfell with Brienne and Podrick. The young lad has certainly improved over the years and I've certainly heard quite a few interesting stories about him from Tyrion.
Jaime groans quietly as he wakes and I smile to myself as I feel his heart beat begin to quicken. I raise my head from his chest "Good morning"
He smiles at me drowsily and kisses the top of my head.
"Good morning sweetheart"
He absentmindedly runs his hand over my stomach and his eyes light up with joy "And good morning to you too"
I look at him with pure adoration. He's going to be an amazing father.
"I'm going home today", I say with a bittersweet smile. I'm leaving my husband to return to Winterfell. Leaving one home for another.
"And soon enough I'll be with you", he promises as he laces his fingers with mine "I'll get the troops ready and I'll come home to you with an army"
Fuck having a husband that gives me roses, I have one that gives me an army. Well an army and roses if he's feeling extra romantic.
"How long do you think you'll be?" I ask.
"Well I'll be a week or two getting the men together and it will take a few weeks to march depending on the men and the weather"
I nod knowing that it's only a few more weeks. A few more weeks and we won't have to be apart again. We can stay in the North, in Winterfell.
"I'll be meeting Jon and Daenerys in White Harbour, then we'll ride to Winterfell together"
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" He asks and I chuckle slightly.
"No but I should at least pretend to have a united front"
A knock on the door startles us and I give Jaime a look. He promised me that it would be alright for me to stay here considering I'm officially a 'foreign guest'.
"Jaime", I say in a warning tone.
"I promised you it would be fine", he reassures me and gives me a light kiss "Its probably just Brienne"
I watch with more than slight satisfaction as he climbs out of bed naked. I definitely can't wait until I wake up to that every morning again.
He pulls his pants on and looks over his shoulder to see me watching and smirks.
As he approaches the door I get out of bed and pull a robe tightly around myself and grab my dagger.
The door opens and I pray it's Brienne or Bronn.
"Her Grace the Queen wishes for a private audience with the Queen in the North", I hear Qyburn ask and my eyebrows raise in alarm as I look at Jaime. He looks at me standing behind the door out of sight.
"The Queen and I will see Cersei soon", Jaime replies, the fact he doesn't want me alone with Cersei concerns me.
"Her Grace instructed that you are not to be present"
Shit. Surely Cersei wouldn't lay a trap after all these negotiations, at least not one that would be this obvious.
"My wife will have Lady Brienne of Tarth who is the head of her Queensguard present with her", Jaime insists standing his ground.
"Alright", Qyburn agrees and Jaime closes the door on him.
"Why the fuck does Cersei want to see me?" I ask and he raises his hands.
"I don't know"
I grip the handle of my dagger tightly as anxiety fills me.
"Do you think she's going to try anything, that she'd try to hurt me because she never used to actually want me dead but she sure as hell would have me beaten" I say remembering damn well what Cersei would do "And that was back when I was just your mistress to her and now I'm your wife and her enemy and I have a little baby that I am not putting in danger"
He caresses my face lightly "Shh, she can't lay a hand on you now"
"No but the Mountain can", I reply "Is that thing even human?"
He brings my face close to his and looks at me intently as he says "No one will lay a hand on you otherwise they will deal with me and the entire North"
And I believe him. There is no one I trust more than him "Brienne will be with you", he says and then he covers my hand that is holding the dagger "And you have this"
We start getting dressed quickly and he helps me with the laces at the back of my dress and I help him with his clothes.
I braid my hair how I usually do, how my mother would braid hers. With most of it out but with the upper half in a braided bun.
I look at myself in the mirror. I am strong and I will look it.
Jaime comes up behind me and places my crown on my head.
"This meeting with Cersei, it's going to be personal", I decide knowing that she hashed out everything political in the dragon pit.
"She's jealous and she has every reason to be", he says stroking my cheek "You are my Queen"
"Careful now, you're starting to sound like Jon", I laugh and he shakes his head taking my hand in his and kissing it.
"Show her who is a real queen", he murmurs as he kisses my hand again and those thoughts creep back into my mind. There are three queens and I intend to be the one left standing.