Seventeen Years into King Jon's Reign

Part two

Jaime didn't hear the soft warning of his wife, or notice that he had shaken off her hand from his arm as he slowly stood up at Lyanna's confession. His beautiful niece looked at him cautiously. Her chin dropping as her eyes hit her folded palms. For a heartbeat he saw his sister, in another he saw Mycella. He swallowed his eyebrows scrunching together, as he reached out his hand and palmed her cheek, lifting her face back up to him and forcing a tight smile.

"We'll talk more about this later." He whispered softly, pressing his lips to the crown of her head before letting his hand drop. She gave him a soft nod. He turned back and looked at Brienne before she followed him to the door.

"Don't say anything you'll regret." She implored him, as his hand tightened into a fist.

"That's not very much right now." He growled back at her. He looked back into the room where the young woman sat alone. The boys had not balked when he dismissed them the second Lyanna's tongue had loosened. He was glad they'd not witnessed his outburst, the Lion of Lannister had been thoroughly declawed over the decades, but he could still rattle teeth with his roar.

"She's trying to help."

"Herself." Jaime bit. "She's trying to help herself. Not-." He looked back through the door way and his heart panged, Lya had buried her face in her hands and Jaime gulped again, reaching out and touching Brienne's arm. "You'll.." He flung his stump towards her and his wife nodded. "I'll be back."

"Please remember her sister is a Queen and her brother our King and we don't care for Essos." Brienne reminded him. He snorted at her.

"No promises." He called as he stalked down the stairwell and across the Keep.

He found Arya Stark in her office, swinging the door open without knocking.

"Have you gone mad?" He growled, closing the door shut again behind him. She looked up at him. Her eyebrow quirked up at him in surprise.

"Possibly." She drolled. "Why?"

"Our beautiful niece just sat me down and asked me the most interesting question."

"Jaime-." She looked towards the window.

"She wanted our help discussing her future with her parents, again." He leaned forward menacingly. "Strange I know since it seems we just sat down with them and discussed her abcation, her desire to be knight."

"Jaime I-."

"How she'd feared your sister would disown her, when really Sansa had known all along where her heart was." His voice rose and Arya stopped trying to interrupt, her face dropping to the desk before her. "I'd never seen her that happy without a sword in her hand. She was glowing." His face softened at the memory. "So imagine my surprise when today she told me that she wishes to wed Gendry Bartheon."

Arya looked towards the window, her chin jutting out in silent defiance.

"I was shocked. When I asked her why, you will not believe what she told me." He dipped his head so he could look at her face. "She told me that you had come to her with the idea!"

"There are parts of this you don't understand." Arya told him, her voice strong, but Jaime saw how her's eyes betrayed that.

"Oh, I may still be the stupidest Lannister, but we are quite the intelligent bunch." He hissed. "I know she's in love with the Karstark girl and I know you filled her head with how simple this will all be. How it will be the perfect fix for everyone, when really it's just another way for you to get out of marrying the man that you have been loving and fucking for the better part of two decades!"

"That's not-!" She pressed herself up from the chair and met his eyes.

"You are using that child to solve your problems!" He accused. "You want to push off on her the life that you rejected. You want her to sacrifice the goals and dreams that she has had all her life because you are afraid-."

"She wants an opportunity to live her life with the woman she loves!" Arya yelped. "She can do that at Storms End! She can still be knighted She can take Janye as a lady in waiting and they can build a life-!"

"They can build a LIE!" Jaime smacked his palm onto the desk and Arya jumped. "They can build a lie."

"It's the only way." She almost sounded pleading.

"It's not, it's just the way that works out best for you." He told her sharply.

"You don't know-." Arya shook her head.

"Did he tell you he was tired of waiting?" Jaime felt the edges of his lip curl. "That he needed to take a bride? Did the two of you sit together and try to come up with a girl that wouldn't care that he had mistress?"

"I'm no one's mistress Lannister!" Arya snapped.

"Did he tell you the Stormlands are demanding heirs?" She blanched, and he sneered. "They will need heirs. Didn't you think of that when you told your sixteen year old niece to marry your lover?"

He watched her drop back into the chair and examine her desk top. He mirrored her, thudding back into the opposite chair. The two of them sat in silence for a while.

"She told you, about the Karstark girl?" Aray mumbled.

"She told Brienne, but Tyrion had told me he suspected as much right after Catelyn was born." He whispered.

"Sansa knows?" She lifted her eyes up and looked at his face. Jaime nodded. "She should tell Lyanna. That's-. She's afraid-."

"I know." He sighed. "Brienne thinks it's important that Lya tell her."

Arya nodded.

"I didn't think-." She murmured. "About the heirs."

"I think their are lots of pieces of this you didn't think about."

"He didn't give me an ultimatum or anything." She breathed.

"Then why?" He emplored.

"There's talk, in the Stormlands. They've started calling him Renly." She bit her lip. "He says it doesn't bother him but-."

"So.. instead of marrying.."

"I'm not a wife. I'm no one's Lady." She moaned.

"What does that mean to you?" He squinted. "What do you think it keeps you from being?" She shook her head slowly. "You love him. He loves you. Do you think he'll force you to give up your role? Lock you in Storms End and force a child or five on you? Does that sound like him?"

"It's what he needs." She swallowed.

"Doesn't he get to choose that?" Jaime sighed. "I know you think you can't have both, but I think there is proof otherwise."

"Brienne is the exception." She sighed. "And don't act like you haven't made sacrifices."

"Well I haven't been forced to marry her niece." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Does the Lord Paramount of the East know that he's to be betrothed to Lyanna Stark?"

"Lyanna Lannister." Arya reminded him softly, his lips twitched at the sound. When she'd renounced the Northern Crown she'd once again become a Lannister by name. "No. He does not."

"You think he'll accept?"

"I think he'll do what ever I think is best." She sighed.

"I think that means you're already his wife." Jaime smirked.

"Jaime.." She warned.

"Think about this." He whispered. "Please. Just-." He swallowed. "Think about this. Talk to Gendry." She nodded. "Until then, we say nothing about this to our siblings. No sense bringing the wrath of the Prince Consort of the North down on you."

"I think I can take Tyrion." She snorted. Jaime raised and eyebrow and cocked his head to the left.

"You'd be surprised." He teased.

"I doubt it."

"Don't doubt Lyanna, she'd never go against her father's wishes." He reminded her.

"Or her beloved Uncle?" She asked airly.

"Perhaps." He sighed. "I want her to be happy." He leaned in again and met Arya's eyes, boring his into them. "She's like a daughter to me. And I want her to be happy. I know she thinks she knows what she wants, but I have years of experience and mistakes on my side." Arya's chin quivered for a moment at what he wasn't saying before she nodded at him. "I don't want people that I care deeply about to have to go through what I went through."

"I know that." She said softly. "But it's different."

"I hope you're right."

….

Four Moons Later

(Tarth)

…..

Jaime stood beside Lyanna as they watched her parents ship pull into the bay and the gangplank assemble. Jon stood at her otherside, drawn up formally, and Ty beside him. The monarch's greeted each other formally before Sansa fell easily into her brothers arms, turning to her nephew as she pulled back and straightened her dress.

"Lord Tarth." She smiled, letting his new title, and last name, roll off her tongue.

"Your majesty. Tarth welcomes you." He bowed formally before Sansa giggled and pulled him to her. "It's good to see you too Aunt Sansa."

"Dearest please unhand the Tarth Boy." Tyrion bellowed from behind her as he ushed the rest of the children off the boat. "Your Majesty I do hope you'll forgive my treason but I intend to hug my daughter first." He waved flippantly as Lyanna dropped to her knees and crashed into her father. Jaime swallowed hard as he heard a faint whisper of what ended in Papa drift from the girl's lips. "I missed you too, My Sweet." He pulled back and looked at her, tucking a fallen curl back in place. "We have much to discuss, but first I suppose I should greet the Southern King and the fresh Lordling who's ground I now have the privilege to walk upon." Tyrion winked at her, swatted Jaime in the stomach before bowing before his Good Brother. "Your Majesty."

"Lord Tyrion." Jon smirked back

"Lord Tarth." He raised an eyebrow.

"Welcome back to Tarth, Uncle." Ty smiled.

"I'm sorry we missed your coronation Nephew but we couldn't leave Winterfell Starkless for too Long and we felt your wedding was a bigger milestone then you becoming a Lord of some other Kingdom." He teased.

"Yes Uncle." Ty sniffed. Tyrion leaned back to watch his daughter greet her sisters. "When you're done being mauled My Sweet if you could practice your Knightly duties and help your sisters' latest Lady in Waiting find their room?"

"They've gone through another?" Lyanna snorted.

"Yes. Yes. Little monsters." He waved his hand dismissively, before shooing the twins away and swinging Jeyne's diminutive body towards her Uncle Jaime's waiting arms. "From what I understand this one is tired of them as well, your mother plans to leave her with you."

"Father the last thing I need is a lady in waiting!" She snorted.

"She's a lovely girl Lya. I'm sure you'll find a place for her." Tyrion gestured over her shoulder, his face dismissive until his girl looked up with a huff before her face fell. "Ah yes. There she is. Janye? Come down here please, Dear. You may have met each other at Winterfell, yes?"

"Yes, My Lord." The young woman whispered, her brown hair falling from her face as she looked up from him to Lyanna. "We have."

"Good. Good." He smiled, still trying to sound nonchalant despite the fact that he had taken his little girl's hand in his and was softly stroking his thumb across the back of it. "She's in your care from here on out then."

Lyanna was still frozen, when Janye reached out her hand to her and touched her arm.

"If you wouldn't mind showing me the room my Lady?" She smiled softly, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yes of course." Lyanna shook her head grabbing up one of the bags Janye had discarded. "Right this way, Lady Karstark."

Jaime watched the warrior girl bite her lip as she looked at the other woman before smiling. He turned back to Jeyne in his arms and pressed a kiss to her cheek before clasping Tyiron's shoulder with his hand. The shorter man looked up at his brother, who smiled in return.

…

It was after the wedding that Jaime went to speak with Gendry himself. He found the Lord of Storm's End standing on the balcony outside Evenfall's main hall.

"She'd be pissed as hell if she knew you followed me out here." Gendry warned with a raised eyebrow when he saw him, gesturing to the table.

"She's always pissed as hell." Jaime sighed nodding in silent question at a carafe of wine.

"What?" The younger man asked, his face blank.

"Would you mind, My Lord?"

"This is your home." Gendry snorted

"Ah, no. It's my son's home. Brienne has dropped both the Tarth and the of Evenfall Hall as of last month. Besides, you're his Liege Lord. This is your land, only Jon out ranks you here. Well, maybe Sansa, but by courtesy only. If we were in the West you'd have to to wait for me to offer."

"Well then, pour me a cup Lord Lannister." The man snorted. "You'd think I'd have the rules down by now. Who I bow to, who bows to me."

"Took me my whole damn life to figure it out." Jaime shrugged.

"You didn't come out here to tutor me in the ways of courtly manors." Gendry raised an eyebrow.

"I did not." He sighed, sliding one cup towards him with his false hand and pressing the other to his lips.

"I told her no. About Lyanna." He swallowed. "It's too much, even for me."

"I appreciate that." Jaime blew out a breath.

"I've asked her." Gendry shook his head and took a long drink of wine. "A million times probably. She's found so many different ways to refuse I've lost count." Jaime dropped his eyes. "For a while, I thought it was simply that she didn't want to be a mother. I told her we could leave the Stormlands to Lynara . She just shook her head."

"I have tried. Many a time, for what it's worth."

"It's worth a lot." Gendry sighed. "She-. You're important to her." Jaime looked down at his hands. "If I ever could convince her to join me at the Weirwood I'm fairly certain it would be you and not the King she'd wish to walk her to me."

"I don't think-." Jaime's throat was tight.

"She loves her brother, but that's what he is. A brother."

"I'm hardly-."

"You looked past the assassin and saw the 18 year old girl and you protected her. You gave her counsel. You helped her strive to be better." He shrugged. "Isn't that what father's do?"

"I'm not sure." Jaime whispered. "I had a pretty shitty one."

"I had none at all." Gendry shrugged again. "Your boys, you've done a great job."

"I'd like to think so." Jaime whispered.

"Ty has taken on Tarth. He's taken a bride." Gendry smiled at him. "The wedding was beautiful, by the way, they seem so in love." Amena had looked lovely on Podrick's arm and Ty had choked up at the sight of her. "I think that's success at seventeen."

For a second, Jaime saw a flash of Tommen in his minds eye and he tried not to wince. He tried not to to think of his children before. He tried not to remember why he has spent the last seventeen years treating Arya Stark as a daughter. He tried to keep Myrcella's last moments from his minds eye, but instead he imagined her smiling on his arm as he walks her through the Sept to Trystane Martell. It's beautiful and perfect and somehow even worse.

He left Gendry with hardly another word and found himself pulling Catelyn from Joanna's arms (or Lynara's arms, he can't tell in their sleep clothes) and taking her into his chamber. He hekd his toddler against him and tried not to wake her as he sniffed back tears into her soft downy hair.

….

"Lord Gendry."

"Lady Karstark." The older man looked at the girl, her eyes dark as Arya's.

"Please call me, Janye." She said softly.

"Lady Janye." He smiled, pointing to the chair near him. "Please have a seat." She sat demurely, like a woman of her station. The edges of his lips quirked up. "How may I help you?"

"I feel it would be nice if we got to know each other better, My Lord." She blinked at him, her smooth pale skin glistened in the moon light. She looked shockingly like Arya in a way. It was obviously the North in her. The Karstarks were distant cousins of some sort. He narrowed his eyes at her slightly. She did not look like a girl of ten and nine.

"Did Arya send you?" He asked breathlessly. Janye smiled widely and shook her head.

"No. I haven't been sent by your love, or mine." She batted her eyes. "I was horrified really, at the whole idea of things. Lyanna is not meant for the Heart tree, or the birthing bed." Gendry winced at the thought. "She's meant for the sword. To defend and protect."

"And you?" He asked suddenly, understanding where she was leading him.

"My father seeks betrothals as we speak." She blinked. "Lesser men than you, My Lord."

"So you're here to make a match on behalf of your father?"

"I'm here to get to know you better." She told him, raising her chin in defiance. "To see if we are compatible. If you are the kind and humble man Lya claims you to be. To see if you enjoy my dry witt and impeccable table manners." He sniffed a laugh. "Maybe we could take a walk together tomorrow before you depart? I'm remaining in Tarth, Lyanna is staying to get Ty settled. If we enjoy each other's company we could exchange letters, if that would please you."

"This is all-." He hung his head, feeling his adam's apple bob.

"You and I both know the reality of our.." She paused, her brave facade breaking for the first time and she looked at her clasped hands. "-situations, My Lord. We know what's expected of us. Perhaps. If we find each other agreeable, we could be a happy match." He looked back up at her. "My father is no Tyrion Lannister. He will demand a match. He won't be understanding." Gendry winced, looking away in embarrassment. "Nor will your Stormlords if you refuse to marry."

"They'll want heirs." He rasped.

"That prospect doesn't terrify me Lord Gendry." She smiled softly. "Not as much as one might expect."

It terrifies me. Gendry thought wistfully. You have no idea how much.

"A walk." He nodded. "Tomorrow."

"I've never been to Tarth." She said softly.

"I'll do my best to show you the sites." He smiled back at her.

"I'll find you after we break our midday fast." She told him, standing slowly and walking to the door way. "I won't be sharing this with Lyanna." She lifted her head. "Not yet."

"I understand." He nodded, the implication clear in her words. "I'll keep this to myself as well."

It was the first thing Gendry had kept from Arya in over a decade. It didn't hurt as much as he thought it would.