The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Eighty Two

Rayna

It's time to say my goodbyes. Even if we win the battle it won't be without heavy losses.
Sansa and Arya will be on the wall with me but Jon will be flying Rhaegal and Theon will be with Bran. Theon will be the last line of defence between Bran and the Night King and I know that I need to say goodbye.
I find him standing in the godswood as the sun is setting, most likely trying to get a grasp of what will happen tonight.
"It's not a bad place to die", he says turning around to look at me and it's clear that he's resigned to his fate.
"Don't say that, you will live", I insist but in my heart I know that it's not true.
"If you believed that I was going to survive you'd be with Jaime, you wouldn't be saying goodbye"
Tears come to my eyes as I run to him and throw my arms around him. As I hold him close all the memories come flashing back to me, playing in the godswood as children, sneaking around with him and drinking, teasing him over his relationship with Ros and him teasing me over Jaime, seeing him for the first time again in Winterfell, all the bad and the good that came with it, jumping over the wall and running free, seeing him again at Dragonstone and then when he promised to fight for me.
"I'd be dead if it wasn't for you Theon", tears fill his eyes "You're my brother, you've always been a Stark and I promise that if you die tonight I will bury you in the crypt where you belong"
"Thank you Rayna", he half stutters and I memorise his face, his voice "I've always loved you since we were children, there is no way I would rather die than protecting our home"
"If we win this battle I'll tell my children about their uncle Theon, that he was a good man", I smile tearfully as I press my forehead against his.
"We will win, you will survive", he promises me and I believe him. After all we've been through it can't be over tonight.

When I go down to the crypts someone is already there. Jon stands in front of Lyanna Starks statue.
"I didn't expect anyone else to be down here"
"I just needed to think", he says and it dawns on me that he's going to be in the field and he is another person I may never see again. I can't lose another brother but only the gods can control our fates, even then they say Targaryens like their dragons answer to neither gods nor men. Perhaps Jon may just be able to survive this. He still doesn't know that I know the truth, I can't let him die without telling him what he needs to hear.
"You'll be riding Rhaegal won't you?" I ask and he nods "Named after Rhaegar Targaryen, it's a funny coincidence isn't it?"
He turns to look at me with wide eyes that ask a silent question and I hold his gaze.
"You know?"
"I know", I answer and he gapes at me waiting for an explanation "It hit me when I saw you riding Rhaegal, it all made a little too much sense, it explained everything Father ever did and then Bran and Sam confirmed it"
"But that was before I even knew", he says seeming almost betrayed by this.
"It was, I was the one who made Sam tell you", I tell him and he only looks more confused.
"Why?"
"I couldn't let you keep fucking your aunt"
He looks somewhat amused but his eyes are mournful "I loved someone once, a red haired wildling girl and she died in my arms, I never thought I'd find love again", he tells me "Then I found Daenerys, I certainly didn't expect it but it happened and then I find out that she's my fathers sister and that I'm a Targaryen"
"You're a Stark Jon, your mother was a Stark, your real father was Ned Stark", I tell him knowing it is what he needs to hear.
He shakes his head and opens his mouth to argue but he can't find the words to speak.
"You are a Stark", I repeat "You are my brother, you are my own flesh and blood and I love you"
"Sometimes I wonder if that's true", he says sadly as he averts his gaze "These past two years we've fought more than ever before"
I take his hand and squeeze it tightly "We fight because we are both stubborn and quick tempered, because we are Starks and we love each other", I remind him "Robb and I did nothing but fight before he died and I will regret that until the day I die, I refuse to have that regret with you"
He pulls me into his arms and I rest my face in his wolfskin cloak.
"You won't", he promises "You are my sister"
Tears fall from my eyes, tears of relief "I am your sister, now and always"