The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Eighty Five

Rayna

Within days Daenerys is planning her assault on Kings Landing. I've elected to stay in Winterfell in case anything goes wrong in the Kings Landing. After all the North is my kingdom and it is my duty to protect it which I won't be able to do if I'm captive in the Red Keep.
"The Golden Company has arrived in King's Landing, courtesy of the Greyjoy fleet", Varys informs us "The balance has grown distressingly even"
"When the people find out what we have done for them, that we saved them-", Missandei begins.
"Cersei will make sure they don't believe it", Daenerys says curtly "We will hit her hard, we will rip her out root and stem"
I pay close attention to Varys and I can see through his thinly disguised alarm.
"The objective here is to remove Cersei without destroying King's Landing", Tyrion reminds her but I've seen her fight in battle. She doesn't fight to win, she burns everything in her path.
"Thankfully, she's losing allies by the day", Varys says "Yara Greyjoy has retaken the Iron Islands in her queen's name and the new Prince of Dorne pledges his support"
I don't know why Dorne haven't asked for their independence, they belong in the realm even less than the North did.
"No matter how many lords turn against her, as long as she sits on the Iron Throne, she can call herself Queen of the Seven Kingdoms", Daenerys says and I can see that look in her eye, the one I've always feared "We need the capital"
"I watched the people of King's Landing rebel against their king when they were hungry, and that was before winter began. Give them the opportunity and they will cast Cersei aside"
They discuss starving the city in an attempt to cause a revolt and taking on any Cersei's forces in the field which Daenerys seems content with this until Sansa points out "The men we have left are exhausted, many of them are wounded. They'll fight better if they have time to rest and recuperate"
Daenerys's look is cold and Jon looks between them nervously.
"How long do you suggest?", Daenerys asks trying to appear diplomatic but we can all feel the tension.
"I can't say for certain, not without talking to the officers", Sansa says reasonably but Daenerys won't dare be questioned.
"I came north to fight alongside you at great cost to my armies and myself", Daenerys says attacking my sister over what is a very reasonable suggestion "Now that the time has come to reciprocate, you want to postpone"
"It's not just your people-" Sansa begins but I cut her off, I will not stand here and listen to Daenerys attack my sister.
"The cost to your armies wouldn't have been so great if you hadn't sacrificed them in a useless charge against the advice of almost every commander that orchestrated the battle for the sake of your own pride", I snap and the room is deadly silent "And let me remind you that the dead were coming for your kingdom not just ours, you could have left us to die but then you would have had to face a far deadlier army with far less men, your men were not the only ones on the battlefield"
"No but they were the majority", she snaps back, refusing to take responsibility for the charge "And I have the right to do with my men what I wish"
"So you slaughtered them"
"Enough", Jon yells slamming his fist on the table "The Northern forces will honour their promises and their allegiance to the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms"
"Six", I correct as I leave the room unable to deal with her blind stubbornness for a moment longer. My blood boils I hear Jon say to her "What you command, we will obey"
As I walk down the hall I feel Jaime grab my arm to turn me to face him "Rayna", he says worriedly checking to see if I'm alright.
"I'm fine, I'm going to the Godswood to calm down before I get myself into more shit and you should go to our room and lock the door"
"You don't think that she-?" he begins and I laugh darkly.
"If we were her own people then we would be executed for speaking to her like that", I remind him "I am done being diplomatic, she can kill her own men but she will not send mine to the slaughter nor will she dare attack my family for trying to help her"
"If your worried then let me come with you", he insists but I shake my head.
"Send Sansa and Arya to see me when they are done in there, only them"

Later I am standing alone in the Godswood when Sansa and Arya find me.
"Jaime sent us to see you", Sansa says seeming concerned.
"What happened after I left"
"You weren't the only Stark to put her in her place", Arya says and I smile proudly.
"I'm not going to be taken away in the night to be executed by dragon fire am I?" I ask mockingly.
"No", Sansa says.
"She doesn't like to have her authority questioned does she?", Arya asks.
"No ruler does but if someone told me don't do that or you'll slaughter your men I would listen", I say in disbelief of stubborn she is.
"Which is why we need to talk about Jon"
"What about him?" I ask and they share a look.
"He pulled us aside after Daenerys left and told us the truth, that his father was Rhaegar Targaryen", Arya tells me.
"What if she sees Jon as a threat?" Sansa asks and looking at both of them it's clear we all have the same fear.
I was going to be quiet and obedient to Daenerys, play nice to keep the peace but there can be no peace with a dragon.
"She already does", I acknowledge "Not dangerously but at the feast I told her he wasn't a threat but she began to express her fears and well there's no doubt in my mind that if people turned to Jon then she would kill him"
"Why would people turn to Jon?"
"When she rains down fire and blood on Kings Landing who will they trust, the daughter of the Mad King who was raised in foreign lands or a man who was raised by Ned Stark and served as Lord Commander of the Nights Watch?"
"Except Jon doesn't want to rule", Arya points out.
"If Daenerys does see Jon as a threat, if she harmed him-", Sansa begins.
"Then we would kill her", I say reluctantly "If she ever harmed Jon she would not live to get the chance to harm another Stark"
Neither of them argue this, we are all in agreement.
"What if we don't give her the chance to?" Sansa suggests "None of us want to see her on the throne, what assurance do we really have that she won't try to take the North once she has the other kingdoms?"
"None", I answer as I begin to realise what must be done "But Jon would never betray her"
"He wouldn't, but someone else might"
We all share a look knowing who would.
"Are we sure about this?" I ask them.
"We'll never be safe otherwise", Arya says "We don't trust her and with good reason. You're pregnant and although she may act happy we all know the truth, any Queen with children is a threat to her"
"Sansa?" I ask wanting her agreement.
"I agree with Arya, none of the Starks are safe as long as she is alive" she agrees "She's going to burn Kings Landing isn't she?"
"Which is why Varys will help us", I say remembering the look on his face.
"Plotting treason in a Godswood of all places", Arya comments looking at the face on the Weirwood tree.
"We should consult Bran about this", I say knowing that he's been listening.
The three of us go to Brans room and find him sitting beside the fire waiting for us.
"I've heard what you've said and from what I've seen I agree", he says seeming almost shaken and considering the little emotion he has that terrifies me.
"So it's decided?" I ask and they all nod in agreement "Sansa go to Tyrion and voice your concerns, he'll go to Varys and I'm sure I'll have both of them in my office by sundown"
"Will Jon ever forgive us for this?" Arya asks Bran and in his eyes I see something that I haven't seen since he was a boy.
"We are the last of the Starks, we need to protect each other and he will see that eventually"
When Sansa and Arya leave I sit down opposite to him beside the fire.
"What did you see?" I ask him and the words that follow make my decision final.
"Fire and blood".

The sun is lowering on the horizon as I watch the unsullied begin to march south. Jon and Daenerys stand in the courtyard overseeing the procession.
"Rayna, may we have a word?" Tyrion asks from the doorway, here just as expected.
"Of course" I say quickly noticing how nervous he is "What is it?"
"I know about Jon"
"Know what about Jon?" I ask playing dumb for believability.
"Sansa told me everything, about Rhaegal and Lyanna and what Ned did to keep Jon safe from Robert"
It's not hard to fake my shock "My Father took that secret to his grave why would she tell you?"
It's true my Father would be disgraced if he could see us now, the last of the Starks plotting treason together but he lied his entire life to save Jon, so shall we.
"It's no secret the you and your sisters do not get along with Daenerys, you are diplomatic but Sansa well is less diplomatic", he tells me "After you left earlier she lashed out at Daenerys and not long ago she spoke to me in private and said she doesn't believe the North will be safe with Daenerys as Queen in the south, I didn't know who else I should go to"
I knew she wouldn't let me down, however lying to Tyrion is far harder than I thought it would be but if he is on my side it won't matter.
"And what does this have to do with Jon?"
"She believes that Jon would be a better ruler than Daenerys"
"No", I say curtly walking across the room and facing away from Tyrion "Jon doesn't want to rule he never has, and even the mere suggestion of it is treasonous and would put him in a very dangerous position"
"I know which is why I thought I should warn you because when I brought that point up it only gave Sansa another idea", he says worriedly "She seems to think that-"
"You would be the better option", a voice finishes which startles both of us and we see Varys standing in the doorway, just as planned "Be glad it was only me who happened to walk by"
Varys has always served the realm, as a Queen I would not trust him to be loyal to me but I would trust him to put the people first. Which is why I believe that he will be on my side.
"You are both her advisors, she would burn you both if she ever found out you two are conspiring-", I exclaim making sure to test the waters.
"But I'm not conspiring", Varys interrupts and he gives me a careful look "Yet"
Tyrion looks extremely uncomfortable with this because he actually has a concept of loyalty but Varys looks rather at ease with discussing treason. Just as I'd planned on.
"And what claim would I have?" I ask them looking out the window to make sure Daenerys is still in the courtyard with Jon.
"Your husband was the man who killed the Mad King, he could have claimed the throne for himself if he wanted instead of Robert. Your Father was left as regent by Robert until the legitimate heir came of age which is Jon and if he doesn't want to rule he does have the power to abdicate and name you as his successor"
Of everything I had considered using Jon like that was not one of them and it still isn't.
"Not only that but half of the Westerlands and the Reach show loyalty to you as well as the Vale, the Riverlands, the North and even the Wildlings", he adds "Gendry is now lord of Storms End and very fond of your sister, if you desired you could also have the Stormlands"
It would be so easy to take power but removing Daenerys from power before she can cause damage will need to be done carefully and at the right time when I don't have thousands of Dothraki in the North that would retaliate.
"This is madness", I mutter to test them.
"No it's not", Varys replies "I've seen madness and this is not that"
"If Daenerys ever discovered this I could be executed", I remind him, at least pretending to be mortified by this in front of Tyrion.
"Varys this is madness", Tyrion snaps and I can see the look in Varys's eyes shift when he realises Tyrion's loyalty to Daenerys. I quickly realise he will not have a part in this and frankly I don't want him to.
"Tyrion, for the love you have for your family, our family please do not mention this to Daenerys", I plead with him knowing that he wouldn't betray me to Daenerys but still I need to keep up the act.
"I won't, Jaime would kill me if I ever let anything happen to you", he says and the pure love he has for me as his sister by law hurts me. It's definitely best he is not involved in this, Varys I can toy with and plot with just like I used to do with Littlefinger but I cannot do it to Tyrion.
He goes to join his Queen below and when Varys closes the door we let our facades fall.
"You were expecting me?" he asks curiously.
"We need to talk"
"Indeed we do", he agrees "Shall I take a seat?"

Disclaimer*** I actually love Daenerys so please don't kill me