"Come." Ser Jorah Mormont called in response to the knock on his door.
The heavy wooden door creaked open just enough to admit the visitor. Jorah pulled a clean shirt from the cabinet near his bed and turned to see who it was that would be calling on him in his private quarters.
"My Lady." He gave a cordial bow, when he recognised his visitor.
"Ser Jorah I wanted to make sure your wound had been attended to." Lady Allyse Redwyne told him.
"It has." Jorah told her bluntly.
She smiled at his response, and rather than be perturbed by his gruffness, she closed the door behind her. She crossed the room to him, eyeing the bandage around his arm.
"It is not too bad I hope?" She asked with a mixture of concern and hope.
"It required stitching, but the blade was not poisoned. It will leave a scar but that is all." Jorah wasn't sure why Lady Allyse was calling on him. She was a difficult one to figure out.
Danerys had taken an immediate liking to her when she presented herself at Court as the last living member of House Redwyne, but Jorah wasn't so trusting. Especially of those claiming to be Targaryen supporters. House Redwyne had been a staunch Targaryen supporter in the past but a lot of time had passed since Robert's rebellion. It had taken many months for him to begin to believe her motives were honest and to relax when she was in the Queens company. At least she had been one of the few members of court to show him any respect.
"What is a knight without a few scars?" She smiled again.
"Some would say that a knight who bore the scars of battle was not very proficient." Jorah pointed out.
"Yet you have many scars and Tyrion Lannister tells me that you are more than proficient in battle." She pointed out, looking him up and down. "I certainly feel safer with you around."
Jorah realised then that she was referring to the marks left by the slavers whip on his back and chest. He quickly unfolded the shirt he was holding and went to pull it over his head.
"Please don't." Allyse told him, lightly catching the hand of his injured arm.
"I am not properly dressed to receive a lady." Jorah explained, embarrassed. It was bad enough that everyone could see the brand on his face but not many had ever seen the marks the slavers had left him.
"That may be, but I would not have the hero of the hour be made to feel uncomfortable by my visit."
"Hardly a hero." Jorah grumbled.
"Ser if you had not killed that man, he would have taken my life." She pointed out.
"I am sworn to protect the Queen." He said a little less gruffly.
"Well I am grateful to you for saving my life, even if it is not part of your duties." She smiled.
When the man had pulled the knife and headed for the Queen, Daario Naharis had shielded her, leaving Allyse alone in the path of the madman. Jorah had reacted within seconds and run the attacker through, but the man had slashed at him at he fell, his knife skidding off Jorah's vambrace and slicing into his arm.
"I did not mean.." Jorah stammered. He did not want her to think he would not have saved her as well. "I only meant..."
"I know what you meant Ser." She smiled and kept a hold of his arm. "I just wanted to tell you I appreciate your dedication, even if others take it for granted. She gently stroked his scared and calloused hand.
"The Queen..." Jorah began but she cut him off again.
"Is being comforted by her sell sword." She spat. She looked him in the eye, daring him to defend Danerys again. He had not realised before that she did not swoon over Dany's paramour like the other ladies in the Keep.
Jorah swallowed and meet her gaze. "Is that what you want of me?" His heart started to beat faster, the skin of his hand tingling where she held it.
"Oh no good Ser." The glorious smile she gave him was all dimples and sparkling eyes. "I came to offer you comfort." She let go of his hand and reached up to run the back of her fingers over the whiskers on his unscarred cheek.
"Y-you don't have to do that." He protested weakly.
"I know." She whispered, stretching up on tip-toes, leaning in closer to him. She pressed her lips to his and Jorah closed his eyes and revelled in the sensation. It had been a very long time since a woman had kissed him. Especially a beautiful woman like Lady Allyse. She was not fair like Danerys, but auburn haired with soft brown eyes framed by long lashes. And her smile sang of sunshine and happiness. Jorah had noticed her looking at him before, but he had thought she stared at the brand on his face.
She broke off the kiss and looked up at him. His blue eyes questioning her motives silently. She stroked his branded cheek. Her touch was so tender. Jorah blinked slowly, breathing deeply, it was the same sign of affection Danerys used to use with him. He swallowed hard as her fingers lightly traced the scar, his instinct was to pull away but he remained still.
Her eyes met his and she smiled again. When he did not pull away from her, Allyse moved her hand to the nape of his neck, rubbing the curling ends of his hair between her fingers, feeling its texture. Moments passed before Jorah reached out and wrapped his uninjured arm around her waist and pulled her tight against him.
"Am I a game to you?" He growled angrily. He could not believe that a woman would voluntarily approach him like this.
"No!" When Jorah had scooped her towards him, he had lifted up just enough for her to be off-balance. She gripped the back of his neck and let go of his hand in preference for a tight grip on his elbow .
"Then what are you doing here?" He pressed, giving her a little shake.
"I have told you already." She refused to break eye contact with him, even though his glare was fierce.
"I do not need your pity." He wanted to push her away but she had a tight grip on him, locking them together. If he had wanted to push his point he could have been rougher, but he didn't want to hurt her.
"I don't pity you Jorah." She told him through gritted teeth. Why couldn't he just let his guard down for a moment?
"Then what are you doing here?"
"Are you so disheartened by the world that you could not believe a woman would find you attractive?" She sounded angry and disappointed.
"This! This is attractive?" He said a touch too loudly as turned his head so she could not avoid seeing his branded cheek.
"No it is not." She admitted. "But I do not even see it now when I look at you." She told him gently. "I only see the man who wears it."
Jorah shook his head in disbelief at her comment, but he released her enough for her to regain her balance.
She let go of his elbow and lifted her hand to his good cheek.
"You do not have to be alone because Danerys prefers company of another man."
He glared at her for a moment before his face softened slightly. She had hit the nail on the head. Jorah was lonely and while he knew Danerys would never accept his love, he had not been able to move on. He believed no woman would ever want a man branded as a slave.
"Whatever you have done is in the past. The Queen has forgiven you. You are allowed to forgive yourself!" She told him. "I know a good heart beats inside of you." She let go of his neck and dropped her hand to his bare chest, scratching lightly at the brassy hair there.
Jorah dropped his head, unable to meet her gaze any longer. He looked at the small hand covering his heart. He wondered if she could feel it hammering under her hand. He still had his arm around her waist and he was acutely aware of how close they were standing. Her warmth was almost intoxicating. Jorah knew he had two choices. Send her on her way or let his guard down for once.
She watched the indecision play across his face.
"Stop torturing yourself Jorah. You deserve to be loved for who you are." She whispered and pulled herself hard against him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Jorah buried his face in her neck and squeezed his eyes shut against the tears welling in them.
